It was our fortune to come into Greece by night, with a splendid moon shining upon the summer sea. The varied outlines of Sunium, on the one side, and gina on the other, were very clear, but in the deep shadows there was mystery enough to feed the burning impatience of seeing all in the light of common day... - from "On Arriving in Athens," by J.P. Mahaffy From the era from a trip to the Continent was rarer but more deeply appreciated comes an enchanting literary travelogue assembled from the hearts and minds of some of the greatest wordsmiths in the English language. A Grand Tour in 10 volumes, these delightful volumes, first published in 1914, gather little-seen essays from famous erudite explorers in compact collections that will inspire those who've never been abroad to make the journey, and move those who have to pack their bags again. Volume VIII continues the series' exploration of Italy, Sicily, and Greece, viewed through the eyes and prose of a panoply of extraordinary writers: Charles Dickens discovers Genoa, Augustus J.C. Hare braves the tomb of Virgil, Percy Bysshe Shelley journeys to Pompeii, and much more by such notable voices as Nathaniel Hawthorne, William Cullen Bryant, Theophile Gautier, and others. Beautifully illustrated with charming photographs, it is a work to treasure... and to take along on your next trip. OF INTEREST TO: armchair travelers, readers of classic literature American journalist and historian FRANCIS WHITING HALSEY (1851-1919) was literary editor of The New York Times from 1892 through 1896. He wrote and lectured extensively on history, and also edited the two-volume Great Epochs in American History Described by Famous Writers, From Columbus to Roosevelt (1912).