The Foreign Tour of Messrs. Brown, Jones and Robinson / Being the History of What They Saw, and Did, in Belgium, Germany, Switzerland & Italy.

by Richard Doyle

THEY LAND UPON AUSTRIAN TERRITORY EN ROUTE FOR MILAN. WHILE THE “PROPER OFFICER” TAKES POSSESSION OF THEIR PASSPORTS, THE WHOLE AVAILABLE POPULATION POUNCES UPON THE LUGGAGE, AND, AFTER APPORTIONING IT INTO “SMALL ALLOTMENTS,” CARRIES IT OFF TO THE CUSTOM HOUSE.

THE OFFICIAL HERE IS SEEN “POINTING” ON THE SCENT (AS HE THINKS) OF CONTRABAND GOODS IN ONE OF ROBINSON’S PORTMANTEAUS. HE DID NOT “FIND,” BUT IN THE HUNT, TOSSED R.’S “THINGS” DREADFULLY. BROWN REVENGED THE WRONGS OF SELF AND FRIENDS, BY TAKING A FULL LENGTH, ON THE SPOT, OF THAT IMPOSING ADMINISTRATOR, WHO STANDS OVER THERE, WITH THE PASSPORTS IN HIS HAND.

“EXCELSIOR!”
AN ITALIAN VIEW.	“BUON GIORNO.”

EVENING ON THE LAGO MAGGIORE.

“’KNOWEST THOU THE LAND’ WHERE THE GRAPES ARE AS PLENTIFUL AS BLACKBERRIES IN ENGLAND; AND WHERE ONE HAS ONLY TO STOP A MINUTE AT THE ROADSIDE, AND PULL NO END OF ’EM. O ’TIS THERE! ’TIS THERE! ETC.” —Robinson’s Letters to his Kinsfolk.

MARIE.
OH! MARIE OF THE LAGO D’ORTA, MAID OF THE INN, AND MOST BEAUTIFUL OFWAITRESSES, HOW WELL DO I REMEMBER THEE! HOW GRACEFUL WERE ALL THYMOVEMENTS; WHAT NATURAL EASE, TOGETHER WITH WHAT A DIGNIFIED RESERVE;—HOW TRULY A LADY WERT THOU! YOU DID NOT KNOW IT, BUT WHEN YOUWAITED UPON US, I ALWAYS FELT INCLINED TO JUMP UP FROM MY CHAIR, ANDOPEN THE DOOR FOR YOU— TO TAKE THE DISHES FROM YOUR HANDS, TO ASKYOU RESPECTFULLY TO BE SEATED, TO WAIT UPON YOU IN FACT. AND O! HOW IDID DETEST THAT WICKED OLD LANDLADY, YOUR MISTRESS, WHO USED TO BULLYAND SCOLD YOU. AND I WONDER WHETHER YOU REMEMBER ME. —From aMS., very rare, in possession of Brown.
	THIS PICTURE REPRESENTS BROWN AS HE APPEARED, HIS FEELINGS BEING “TOOMANY FOR HIM,” ON HEARING THAT ELDERLY SHE-DRAGON, THE LANDLADY, VENTINGHER ILL-HUMOUR UPON THE GENTLE MARIE. HE STOLE OUT OF THE DINING-ROOM,LOOKED OVER INTO THE YARD, AND THERE BEHELD THE FURIOUS OLD FEMALESHAKING HER FIST, AND POURING FORTH A TORRENT OF ABUSE. BROWN WAS NOTNATURALLY OF A SAVAGE TEMPERAMENT, BUT AT THAT MOMENT HE FELT THAT HECOULD HAVE—BUT IT IS BEST NOT TO SAY WHAT HE COULD HAVEDONE—IT WAS TOO TERRIBLE FOR PUBLICATION IN THESE PAGES.