[An Englishwoman's account of France after the Franco-Prussian War.] Autograph Diary of Mary Cecilia Blencowe, containing accounts of two tours: to Italy, Switzerland and France in 1871; and to Brussels, Cologne, and baths at Bad-Ems and Spa in 1872.

166pp., 12mo. Internally in good condition, on lightly-aged paper; in worn quarter-binding. Author's inscription on front free endpaper: 'Florence & Genoa | Italy | May 1871 | Mary Cecilia Blencowe'. Two diaries in one volume, the first beginning midway through the account. The first diary (81pp.) takes in Italy (23pp., Genoa, Milan, Stresa, Isella); Switzerland (32pp., Brieg, Sierre, Bex, St Moritz, Les Plans, Lausanne (the Pension Anglaise, Georgette), Bains du Lac Noir, Fribourg, Basle (Hotel de la Croix Blanche)); France (25pp., Vesoul (Hotel de la Madelaine), Chaumont, Paris (Grand Hotel), Boulogne (Hotel du Louvre)). The second diary (85pp.) takes in Brussels (Hotel de l'Europe), Bad-Ems (Hotel d'Angleterre), Cologne (Hotel du Nord), Spa. The author has a definite literary gift, writing in an entertaining and assured style. ONE: The main interest of the diary is the description of the aftermath of the Franco-Prussian War, but before visiting France the party, consisting of MCB, her mother ('Mama'), Charles, Alfred and Minnie, see the following sights. In Genoa: the grotto at the Palazzo Peschiere; Genoa harbour; the Church of the Annunciation; 'the old Palace, where the noble family of the Dorias have lived for so many years'; the Teatro Andrea Doria, where they hear Bellini's opera 'Norma'; the 'pretty little Park of the Acqua Sola'; the Piazza. In Milan: the 'wonderful cathedral in its spacious Piazza'; the Chapel of St Carlo Borromeo; the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele; the Teatro della Scala. In Switzerland: a picnic with her brother Alfred near St Moritz; a visit in Lausanne to 'the pretty little Opera of the Dame Blanche' and 'Les Dragons de Villars, music by Maillard'. The references to the Franco-Prussian War are of interest. In Brieg, Switzerland, MCB gives an account of the party's driver, Cesare Palli, who 'is to take us all the way to <?> in the Valley of the Rhone. He has been during the war in France, driving in this carriage, and with these four horses, the Prince of Carlsruhe and his wife, from one place to another, from one siege to another till the end of the war when he took them back again to Prussia; he says his horses have suffered so very much from cold and hunger, and he blames Napoleon a great deal more than he ought, but of course it was to be supposed he would being with the Prussians.' At St Louis 'where the custom house is how angry and how sorry we felt to see usurping, upstart Prussians. The same at Mulhouse, Belfort everywhere. There were still traces of the war to be seen all the way, torn up lines; and ruined bridge over streams and rivers, which were yet unrepaired and which we crossed on ugly wooden frames' They go to Vesoul, 'with two women, Jews and Alsatians. They were in great distress, and seemed to find the Prussian tyranny almost more than they could bear. There is a Prussian garrison here for the present.' In Vesoul 'a huge Prussian officer burst into our room to our great indignation [...] it is all through a Prussian curé who wanted a room here yesterday, [...] they always expect the very best of everything. [...] So the commandant comes here this morning, and says he must have the best room, and the two best rooms are those Mama & I & Alfred occupy. Mde. Pellet tells him he cannot have them, [...] whereupon he knocks her out of the way and nearly down the stairs, and bursts into our room. [...] he wants us turned out, but M. & Mde. Pellet prefer we should not be, and so do we. It is very, very disagreeable seeing them about the streets, [...]'. On the way to Paris they see 'one of the ambulance trains [...] Every carriage was marked with the red cross'. Driving through the streets of Paris they see 'all signs of war and ruin [...] this grand, this beautiful city has undergone two dreadful sieges since we were here last'. The following day they find the Rue de Rivoli and Tuileries Palace 'a vast ruin [...] Its blackened walls and mutilated statues and columns grimly calling to come and see the Palace of Kings. The private gardens are now open, and the Prince Imperial no longer rides up and down there on his velocipede'. The Bois de Boulogne is 'very quiet & deserted, [...] It was very sad too to think of that into those pleasant shades hundreds & hundreds of the Communists were led to die. Sad that there were such people in the world, & sad that they died there. We passed the remains of a battery of the Versailles troops, from which they fired on Paris [...]'. The pass 'by the Arc de Triomphe, & through the fortifications, & then through Neuilly, where there was nothing but ruins. All along on either side of the road were houses, scarred, battered, with great & little holes pierced right through the walls, with broken remains of shutters, & here & there remnants of roofs, windowless & desolate & blackened; there were battered walls & broken gates, & everything in ruins. All these were caused by the Versailles battery, as the Prussian shell could not reach it.' The events previous to the visit to France are treated in a vivacious style. The diary begins with an evocative description of a boat trip to the grotto at the Palazzo Peschiere in Genoa, with the Temples of Diana and Flora, where they pass 'on along the shady walks, and through arbours where the gardener touched springs hidden among the leaves and grots, [...] There was a swing in which I swung while two streams of water met, one in my face, one in the back of my neck, and all the others were standing by laughing at me when they were justly silenced and startled by another stream in their own faces.' In Switzerland they come to 'a broad plateau, surrounded by rocky peaks, where the snow lies deep, and amongst which lie vast dangerous glaciers; [...] We pass the large Hospice where a few kind monks spend a lonely life, [...] 6 refuges, for this part of the road is very, very dangerous in the time of avalanches and storms; we pass through tunnels, over the roof of which the avalanches slide and are lost in the deep valley below; and the air blows fresh off the ice and snow on all sides of us. In front we have a glorious view of the Bernese Alps on the opposite side of the valley. We are descending quickly, winding down the mountain side; and now we have left the snow [...] Down, down, down and we are once more in the Valley of the Rhone, we hear the familiar sounds of the bells from cows and goats [...]'. She and Alfred visit the area around St Moritz: 'There we sent back the carriage, and I sat in the long grass and sketched, whilst Alfred fished in a tiny crystal stream. [...] Afterwards we both sat down in the green field under a tree and ate our dinner which we had brought with us'. TWO: The second part of the diary (85pp.), headed '22 Holles Street. London. May 14th. 1872' describes a contented round of 'the baths & waters' at Ems and Spa, with a lively social scene including a large English community. It begins with MCB leaving her mother and Alfred at Bradridge House, Devon, and travelling back to London by train. The following day she is at the Lord Warden Hotel in Dover. Together with 'Kitty' and 'John', she travels to Brussels, and thence to the springs at Ems (Bad-Ems) in Germany (including the Kraenchen), which she finds 'delightful', with its round of baths, drives, sightseeing and concerts, and with other guests including the Princess of Hohenzollern. This section contains an account of a curious encounter with 'a very little weird old man, wearing a very long old coat, a very large dilapidated high hat, very large blue spectacles, & carrying a very large old green umbrella'. MCB makes a small sketch of this 'evil looking' individual, who takes pleasure in frightening children. At Spa she and Kitty spend much time at 'the Baths & Condé', exclaiming: 'How we do like the baths & waters!'