English Travellers of the Renaissance | Page 8

and is, as far as I know, the first
book of the sort in England. Not much is known of Turler, save that he
was born at Leissnig, in Saxony, in 1550, studied at Padua, became a
Doctor of Law, made such extensive travels that he included even
England--a rare thing in those days--and after serving as Burgomaster
in his native place, died in 1602. His writings, other than De

Peregrinatione, are three translations from Machiavelli.[40]
Turler addresses to two young German noblemen his book "written on
behalf of such as are desirous to travell, and to see foreine cuntries, and
specially of students.... Mee thinkes they do a good deede, and well
deserve of al men, that give precepts for traveyl. Which thing,
althoughe I perceive that some have done, yet have they done it here
and there in sundrie Bookes and not in any one certeine place." A
discussion of the advantages of travel had appeared in Thomas Wilson's
Arte of Rhetorique (1553),[41] and certain practical directions for
avoiding ailments to which travellers were susceptible had been printed
in Basel in 1561,[42] but Turler's would seem to be the first book
devoted to the praise of peregrination. Not only does Turler say so
himself, but Theodor Zwinger, who three years later wrote Methodus
Apodemica, declares that Turler and Pyrckmair were his only
predecessors in this sort of composition.[43]
Pyrckmair was apparently one of those governors, or Hofmeister,[44]
who accompanied young German noblemen on their tours through
Europe. He drew up a few directions, he declares, as guidance for
himself and the Count von Sultz, whom he expected shortly to guide
into Italy. He had made a previous journey to Rome, which he enjoyed
with the twofold enthusiasm of the humanist and the Roman Catholic,
beholding "in a stupor of admiration" the magnificent remnants of
classic civilization and the institutions of a benevolent Pope.[45]
From Plantin's shop in Antwerp came in 1587 a narrative by another
Hofmeister--Stephen Vinandus Pighius--concerning the life and travels
of his princely charge, Charles Frederick, Duke of Cleves, who on his
grand tour died in Rome. Pighius discusses at considerable length,[46]
in describing the hesitancy of the Duke's guardians about sending him
on a tour, the advantages and disadvantages of travel. The expense of it
and the diseases you catch, were great deterrents; yet the widening of
the mind which judicious travelling insures, so greatly outweighed
these and other disadvantages, that it was arranged after much
discussion, "not only in the Council but also in the market-place and at
the dinner-table," to send young Charles for two years to Austria to the

court of his uncle the Emperor Maximilian, and then to Italy, France,
and Lower Germany to visit the princess, his relations, and friends, and
to see life.
Theodor Zwinger, who was reputed to be the first to reduce the art of
travel into a form and give it the appearance of a science,[47] died a
Doctor of Medicine at Basel. He had no liking for his father's trade of
furrier, but apprenticed himself for three years to a printer at Lyons.
Somehow he managed to learn some philosophy from Peter Ramus at
Paris, and then studied medicine at Padua, where he met Jerome
Turler.[48] As Doctor of Philosophy and Medicine he occupied several
successive professorships at Basel.
Even more distinguished in the academic world was the next to carry
on the discussion of travel--Justus Lipsius. His elegant letter on the
subject,[49] written a year after Zwinger's book was published, was
translated into English by Sir John Stradling in 1592.[50] Stradling,
however, has so enlarged the original by whatever fancies of his own
occurred to him, that it is almost a new composition. Philip Jones took
no such liberties with the "Method" of Albert Meier, which he
translated two years after it was published in 1587.[51] In his
dedication to Sir Francis Drake of "this small but sweete booke of
Method for men intending their profit and honor by the experience of
the world," Jones declares that he first meant it only to benefit himself,
"when pleasure of God, convenient time and good company" should
draw him to travel.
The Pervigilium Mercurii of Georgius Loysius, a friend of Scaliger,
was never translated into English, but the important virtues of a
traveller therein described had their influence on English readers.
Loysius compiled two hundred short petty maxims, illustrated by apt
classical quotations, bearing on the correct behaviour and duties of a
traveller. For instance, he must avoid luxury, as says Seneca; and
laziness, as say Horace and Ovid; he must be reticent about his wealth
and learning and keep his counsel, like Ulysses. He must observe the
morals and religion of others, but not criticise them, for different
nations have different religions, and think that their fathers'