British Romantics Abroad

This chapter explores two possible interpretations of the British Romantics abroad, the first referring to the many writers who travelled on the Continent in this period, the second to their texts that circulated outside of Britain. It argues that these travellers as well as their books contributed to a shared sense of European identity and helped foster liberal democracy in an age of political reaction. The first part of the chapter shows how, despite clear differences between the Grand Tour, Revolutionary travel, and modern tourism, Romantic-period travel writing shares common features, among them the opposition between traveller and tourist, and the ideal of Europe as a system of politically emancipated nations. The second part reviews the channels of transmission, notably foreign reviews and pirated editions, that enabled the transnational circulation and reputation of British-authored texts and helped place Britain’s liberal brand of Romanticism at the forefront of European culture.