Exstracts from a journal

Monson William John

London, Rodwell and Martin, 1820, Biblioteca del Senato della Repubblica; British Library; Bodleian Library

Il libro contiene le annotazioni rivisitate del viaggio compiuto da William John Monson in Istria e in Dalmazia nel 1817. Con l'intento di mostrare ai suoi lettori le poco conosciute "province illiriche", Monson descrive le città della costa dalmata raggiunte via mare: dopo l'ultima tappa istriana di Pola, giunge a Zara per poi discendere a Scardona, Sebenico, Traù, Spalato, Salona, concludendo il viaggio con il ritorno a Venezia. Lo sguardo dell'englishman concentra l'attenzione sulla società e i costumi dalmati, ed evidenzia la mancanza di comfort per i viaggiatori, l'arretratezza produttiva, la decadenza dei paesaggi e delle città stesse.

Itinerari del libro di viaggio

"About six on a fine afternoon (July 20), took our leave of the bay of Pola. The next morning we started at four o'clock with a delightful breeze, which carried us to Zara, one hundred and sixty French miles, in fourteen hours. At six o'clock we came... leggi tutto

Zara

"July 24 was fixed upon for our pilgrimage from Zara over land. Benco, the place where we were to change horses, consists of an old tower and about ten houses, situated on a hill as in the centre of a desert. […]. Sometimes we met a few masculine w... leggi tutto

Bencovazzo

"About four miles before Scardona we entered a valley of vines and gardens, to us appearing a Paradise, from the contrast of the stony hills. The road gradually winds along the valley, bordered by pomegranates, to the sea. […]. The town consists of... leggi tutto

Scardona

"After getting some new milk and fruit, we hired a boat and proceeded to the famous cascade of the Kerka, which hurries along a rocky channel from the city of Knin, and falls in near Scardona. [...]. On the left of Scardona the river Kerka falls in, ... leggi tutto

Cascate di Kerka

"We left the cascade at three o'clock, and arrived at Sebenico at seven. […]. We met with our old difficulty in procuring rooms, but we had now learned to be less particular in our choice.Sebenico, situated in a soil which it is impossible for art ... leggi tutto

Sebenico

"On Monday, July 28th, at about five [p.m.] we arrived at Traù, a town of some magnitude, situated in a small plain which extends from the mountains to the sea, and which, after the barren scenes we had seen, seemed delightfully fertile. Fruit, howe... leggi tutto

Traù

"On July 30th we continued our voyage, and arrived about 12 in the elysium of Dalmatia, the bay of Spalatro. The country possess nothing in real abundance but melons, and these by no means so fine as at Spalatro. The lower orders of people, from thei... leggi tutto

Spalato

"After having satisfied ourselves with the remains, and being desirous of making an excursion to Salona, five miles distant, we procured the sole carriage of the place. […]. Salona was once one of the most flourishing colonies that the Romans posse... leggi tutto

Salona