Two Boston Brahmins in Goethe's Germany: The Travel Journals of Anna and George Ticknor

287 Pages·2009·1.56 MB·English

by  Anna Ticknor

Two Boston
Brahmins
in Goethe’s
Germany

Two Boston
Brahmins
in Goethe’s
Germany
The Travel Journals of
Anna and George Ticknor
E
DITED BY
T A G M
HOMAS DAM AND ISELA ETTELE
LEXINGTON BOOKS
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Copyright © 2009 by Lexington Books
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British Library Cataloguing in Publication Information Available
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Ticknor, Anna, 1800–1885.
Two Boston Brahmins in Goethe’s Germany : the travel journals of Anna and George
Ticknor / edited by Thomas Adam and Gisela Mettele.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-7391-2911-1 (cloth : alk. paper) — ISBN 978-0-7391-2912-8 (pbk. : alk.
paper) — ISBN 978-0-7391-3830-4 (electronic)
1. Germany—Description and travel. 2. Germany—Social life and customs—19th
century. 3. Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von, 1749–1832. 4. Ticknor, Anna, 1800–1885—
Diaries. 5. Ticknor, George, 1791–1871—Diaries. 6. Ticknor, Anna, 1800–1885—
Travel—Germany. 7. Ticknor, George, 1791–1871—Travel—Germany. 8. Americans—
Travel—Germany—History—19th century. 9. Boston (Mass.)—Biography. 10. Upper
class—Massachusetts—Boston—Biography. I. Ticknor, George, 1791–1871. II. Adam,
Thomas. III. Mettele, Gisela. IV. Title.
DD39.T53 2009
914.304'730922—dc22 2009006244
Printed in the United States of America
(cid:2)
™
The paper used in this publication meets the minimum requirements of American
National Standard for Information Sciences—Permanence of Paper for Printed Library
Materials, ANSI/NISO Z39.48-1992.
For Eberhard Brüning

Contents
List of Figures ix
Preface xi
Introduction 1
PART ONE: A STUDENT DISCOVERS GERMANY:
GEORGE TICKNOR, 1815–1817
1 “We reached Göttingen, anxious and doubting.”
Studying Abroad, August 5, 1815–September 10, 1816 21
2 “A Journey” with Edward Everett, September 13–
October 25, 1816 31
3 “Germany. Face of the Country”: Youthful Reflections,
1815–1817 62
4 “One important step nearer to . . . home.”
March 22–April 1, 1817 86
PART TWO: COSMOPOLITAN SOJOURNERS
IN ROYAL SAXONY
Section I: George Ticknor, 1835–1836
5 “The spires and towers of Dresden were before us.”
November 12–December 25, 1835 97
6 “I was presented at Court.” December 26, 1835–April 22, 1836 111
7 “To keep . . . as distinct an impression as I can.” A Summary:
April 1836 133
8 “It was not agreeable to leave Dresden.” May 8–June 5, 1836 147
vii
viii CONTENTS
Section II: Anna Ticknor, 1835–1836
9 “Safely arrived at this haven of rest.”
November 10–December 25, 1835 163
10 “I amused myself with a rehearsal of my dress.”
December 26, 1835–April 12, 1836 179
11 “I would fain . . . give an impression . . . of this pretty city.”
April 26–May 8, 1836 202
12 “Once more travellers!” May 10–June 5, 1836 217
Biographical Glossary 233
Bibliography 251
Index 259
About the Editors 273
Figures
Figure 1. George Ticknor (1791–1871), Class of 1807, by
Thomas Sully, 1831 3
Figure 2. Anna Ticknor (1800–1885) [“Mrs. George Ticknor”] 6
Figure 3. Map of the Ticknors’ Travel Route, 1835–1836 7
Figure 4. The Sistine Madonna, by Raphael, 1513–1514 40
Figure 5. Dresden von der Morgenseite, by Johann Carl August Richter,
ca. 1825 101
Figure 6. Das Dorf Raden in der Sächs. Schweitz, unknown artist,
ca. 1830 225
ix