Richard Ford (3) (1796–1858)

Classic handbook to Spain for British visitors, written in the mid-19th century when Victorian arrogance was at its height and Spain was at something of a political and economic low point. Ford clearly knows his stuff and has a real affection for Spain and its culture, but he can't resist peppering his text with sarcastic one-liners - in the spirit of Cervantes, of course - calculated to confirm the prejudices of his readers. These barbed comments, of course, are tremendous fun, and form the show more main reason for modern readers to take this book off the shelf. Given what he tells us about the Spanish propensity to avenge insults, he must have been fairly certain that no-one in Spain would get hold of the book.

Also very entertaining is his basic course in "how to swear like a muleteer" (which no doubt came in handy for the English ladies whom he identifies elsewhere as his main target audience). And there's some pretty detailed advice on how to prepare various Spanish dishes (and where to buy the ingredients in London), and a rather technical discussion of Sherry and other Spanish wines. He condemns British writers who are interested in nothing beyond the clichés of bandits, bullfights and castanets, but then goes on to give us detailed accounts of all three...

The book is a compilation of material mostly published previously in other forms: at least in the 1851 edition which is on Gutenberg, it shows some signs of clumsy editing, e.g. the chapter on Spanish bandits, in which he spends about ten pages telling us that bandits don't exist in Spain, then goes on to spend another ten pages listing the different varieties of bandits one may encounter and giving tips on how to react if you are held up by them.

Perhaps not the most useful guidebook for the 21st century reader, although his investment advice - "Don't even think about buying Spanish shares" - possibly still holds true. But still very entertaining, and interesting to read alongside Borrow or Cervantes. show less

A catalogue of quite thorough entries about dramatic adaptations of Scott's novels, with notes from newspaper ads, reviews, &c.

1st pub 1846. This ed Everyman's Library Travel and Topography. With much about cuisine & wine.

Manual para viajeros por Espña y lectores en cas observaciones generales, es una nueva entrega del famoso manual de Ford, publicado por primera vez en Londres en 1845.
Bajo el discreto título de "Manual" se esconde el más completo, más original, más profundo y mejor escrito entre los numerosos libros producidos por los viajeros románticos