[English travel diary of a tour through Germany in 1844.] Autograph 'Tour through Germany in 1844' [by Harriet Georgiana Sophia de Zoete of London], taking in Bohemia, and including an encounter with Baron von Humboldt.

118pp., 12mo. In original embossed black morocco leather binding, with marbled endpapers and edges. In good condition, lightly aged, in worn binding. Attributed in pencil on first page to 'H. G. S. de Zoete'. (Harriet Georgiana Sophia de Zoete was one of the five children of Dutch-born stockbroker Samuel de Zoete (1778-1864) of Gower Street, Bedford Square, and his English wife Emily Payne (1777-1852), and sister of 'the respected Chairman of the Committee of the Stock Exchange' (Times, 1 April 1875) Samuel Herman de Zoete (c.1810-1884).) Writing in a brisk, businesslike, impersonal style (it is only on reaching Berlin that one learns that she is travelling with her 'Mama', and only at the end that 'Papa' is also present), she describes the surroundings and sights, architecture and works of art, scenery, museums, palaces, castles, hotels, modes of transport. The party (including parents and other siblings) travel through Hamburg and Altona ('Mr. C Godfroi's park, which is quite in the English style'), by steamer to Harburg, Hanover, Brunswick, Goslar (where she describes the effects of 'a dreadful fire here 2 or 3 days ago'), enter the 'Prussian territory' at Eckerburg, Ilsenburg, Blankenburg, the Rosstrappe, Halberstadt, Berlin, Potsdam (with its 'Russian colony') and Sans Souci, Dresden and its Japanese Palace, Pillnitz, Dux, Töplitz, Prague, Carlsbad, Zipser, Leopoldstein, Nurembeg, Langenfeld, Wurtzburg, Esselbach, Aschaffenberg, Frankfurt, Wiesbaden, Spitzenstein, Bacharach, Coblenz, Cologne, Brussels, Ostend. The first entry is not untypical: 'July 10. We left London for Hamburg at six in the evening, in the Countess of Lonsdale, having the Marquis & Marchioness of Waterford on board; we had a good passage of 48 hours to Cuxharn [i.e. Cuxhaven], but the tide being too low we stuck [sic] aground in the Elbe which detained us several hours. The approach to Hamburg is pleasing on the right bank being wooded & studded with country houses with beautiful grounds; but the left bank is flat & most uninteresting. We disembarked at Altona at about 12 o'Clock & drove in a drosky about a mile through dirty streets there having been much rain to Streits Hotel. The new part of the town is built in a very handsome style, the houses being lofty & much ornamented; it will be beautiful when completed. We saw some flower girls in a most peculiar costume, with a hat something like a large round country pie dish inverted, plum colored stockings, short petticoats gauged low over the hips, and a bunch of broad black bows hanging from under the hat at the back of the head.' She is not impressed by her first impressions of Berlin: 'Driving to the hotel [Meinhardt's Hotel, unter den Linden] I was disappointed with the appearance of the town, the streets are wide, straight long & desolate, the houses mostly low; but on reaching the best part of the city you cannot turn your eyes without seeing some splendid edifice. After dinner we walked out to look about & took a drosky to drive in the Thiergarten, which is extensive, & like a wood with walks & drives in every direction.' At Sans Souci the party 'have the gratification of seeing the celebrated traveller Baron von Humboldt, he is a stout elderly man, his head drooping on his chest'. The conclusion strikes an unusually personal tone: '[8 September] We arrived at Ostend at about 2 o'Clock. Hotel de l'Allemagne. After dinner we called on Mdme. Journois who was very well & delighted to see us; we were most kindly received by Mrs. Harris who insisted on our all staying to tea. We then returned to the hotel took leave of Poutine, & walked to the steamer which sailed at 10 at night. When we were all quietly settled in our berths Mdme. Journois surprised us by making her appearance in the cabin; she brought a letter. [9 September] When a short distance below Woolwich we met the Queens Yacht conveying her to Scotland. There were several steamers in attendance. We arrived in dirty smoky London at 11, after a good passage.'