Manuscript diaries, in two hands, describing Burney's tour of Italy and France in 1770. The first volume begins with an explanation of the purpose of his tour, to collect information about music, and of the diaries, to record the incidents of the tour which do not appear in his published account of his journey, "The Present State of Music in France and Italy." He describes the streets of the cities he visits, dinners with acquaintances, musical performances, and books he buys. In Paris, he is disappointed with an opera he hears; in Lyons, he plays cards with several Italian merchants; admires paintings in Turin; studies rare books in the Vatican; and visits Mount Vesuvius. He also describes a chance meeting with the twelve-year old Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and his father in Bologna, and mentions his meeting and friendship with scientist and scholar Laura Bassi of Bologna, who demonstrates her recent electrical inventions for him. The diaries conclude with his return to London, seven months after he leaves.
Description:
Binding: vol. 1: paper., For information on the source of acquisition, consult the appropriate curator., Paginated 1-129, mostly as openings with facing leaves blank or lightly annotated., and See Lonsdale, p. 99 n.5.
Subject (Geographic):
Europe--Social life and customs., France--Description and travel., Great Britain--Intellectual life--18th century., and Italy--Description and travel.
Subject (Name):
Bassi, Laura,--1711-1778., Burney, Charles,--1726-1814., and Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus, 1756-1791.
Subject (Topic):
Music--France--18th century., Music--Italy--18th century., and Travelers' writings, English.
Manuscript, in multiple hands, of a collection of entries related to the regulation and administration of the Botesdale Book Society, a subscription library. The volume contains members' names, minutes of meetings, the results of the elections of the society president, lists of books purchased,and lists of books borrowed and of books to be sent for. The books mentioned in the volume include novels; plays; memoirs; histories, including "Revolution in America"; comedies; and periodicals.
Description:
Binding: contemporary vellum. Title written on cover: Botesdale Book Club, Began 1778. Ended 1789. and For information on the source of acquisition, consult the appropriate curator.
Subject (Geographic):
Great Britain--Intellectual life--18th century. and Great Britain--Social life and customs--18th century.
Subject (Topic):
Books and reading--Great Britain., Collection development (Libraries)--Great Britain., Library circulation and loans., Library rules and regulations., and Subscription libraries.
