Christian Carl Josias Freiherr von Bunsen: aus seinen Briefen und nach eigener Erinnerung geschildert von seiner Witwe

Name of traveller

Christian Carl Josias von Bunsen (1791-1860), Frances Waddington Bunsen (1791-1876) and their children

Reason for travel

• travelling as cultural tourist, knowledge exchange

Date of travel

November 1838 to January 1939, Easter 1839, August 1839

Wir hatten eine schöne Reise und sangen und plauderten den lieben langen Tag von Monmouth nach London. Wir wiederholten "Ar hyd y nos" und sangen unser capitolinisches "Heil unserm König, Heil", zur größten Unterhaltung aller unserer englischen Mitreisenden, welche glaubten, wir sängen wallisische Lieder . . .. (Bunsen 72)

Content

• architecture: brief overview over the various types of Roman remains in Caerleon
• customs:
  • celebrates Christmas with his family and relatives at Llanover and references setting up the Christmas tree
  • sings "Ar hyd y nos" during a journey from Monmouth to London; account contains a German adaptation of the song
  • descriptions of the Cymreigyddion Eisteddfod at Abergavenny; points out folk character of harp music and improvised poetry
  • notes rivalry between established church and dissenters
• industry: visit of smelting factories, tramroads and Pont Hall quarry at Cwmcarn
• literature:
  • references to Arthurian legends on visiting Caerleon
  • confesses taking great pleasure in Welsh poetry, but having problems learning the language
• people:
  • visit to his wife's younger sister, Augusta Hall (1802-1896), and Benjamin Hall (1802-1867) at Llanover
  • is visited by Karl Richard Lepsius (1810-1884) at Llanover
  • Théodore Claude Henri, vicomte Hersart de la Villemarqué (1815–1895) attends the Cymreigyddion Eisteddfod
• politics: discusses with a variety of correspondence partners his opinions about British church politics
• terrain:
  • praises beauty of the Llanover estate
  • romantic descriptions of the rural aspects of Montmouthshire
• transport: travels via stagecoach
• English translation: A Memoir of Baron Bunsen, Late Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary of His Majesty Frederic William IV, at the Court of St. James. Drawn Chiefly from Family Papers of His Widow Frances Baroness Bunsen.  2 vols. London: Longmans & Co., 1868. Print.
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Nationality of traveller

German

Language of publication

German; translation: English

Gender of traveller

Male

Type of publication

biography; edited diaries; edited letters

Citation

Bunsen, Frances Waddington. Christian Carl Josias Freiherr von Bunsen: aus seinen Briefen und nach eigener Erinnerung geschildert von seiner Witwe. Schweiz und England. Ed. Friedrich Nippold. Vol. 2 Leipzig: F. A. Brockhaus, 1869. 12-5, 29-33, 52, 72-81, 88-90. Print.