Arthur Young's Travels In France

Arthur Young's Travels in France is a travelogue that was first published in 1793. In it, Young describes the scenery, roads, inns, manners, and - more significantly - examples both of wealth and poverty in pre-revolutionary France. He also notes the differences he found between the lives of working people in France and England, and recognises the fall of the Bastille as a sign of impending change. The centennial edition of this work includes an account of recent travels made by the editor, which shows the changes that have taken place since Young's original work was published. This work remains one of the most fascinating and valuable sources for understanding the conditions of pre-revolutionary rural France.

This work was first published in 1793 by the agricultural expert Arthur Young (1741-1820). In addition to farming, he describes the scenery, roads, inns, manners, and - more significantly - examples both of wealth and poverty. Despite describing some servants he encountered in an inn as 'walking dunghills', he was acutely aware of the grinding poverty of the rural poor, noting the excesses of the ruling class, and ascribing to bad government the striking differences he found between the lives of working people in France and England. Hearing of the fall of the Bastille whilst in Strasbourg, he recognised it as presaging either a new constitution or 'inextricable confusions and civil war'. This centennial edition includes an account of recent journeys made by the editor, noting the changes seen since Young's original work. The work remains one of the most fascinating and valuable sources for understanding the conditions of pre-revolutionary rural France.