Rome in 1860

Edward DiceyDec 2015

3.3

Word count: 84K words

Summary

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Editor's review

This is a public-domain English ebook converted by volunteers from a print edition, centering on Rome around 1860 and belonging to the nineteenth-century genre of English travel writing and urban observation. Its value lies not in providing contemporary scholarly footnotes but in giving readers direct access to how people of the time saw Rome: the rhythms of life inside and outside the walls, the religious atmosphere, and the social face of a period of political transition all carry the freshness and limitations of first-hand observation. The style is the leisurely unfolding of Victorian travelogue, with considerable information density, but it lacks a modern editor's introduction and notes, so readers must establish their own historical coordinates. It suits readers interested in nineteenth-century Italy, the urban history of Rome, or the English travelogue as a form, and also serves as a free reading sample of a public-domain ebook. Those expecting systematic historical argument or guidebook-style practical information will be disappointed; those willing to leaf through it slowly as a slice of an era may instead find a sense of immediacy rarely found elsewhere.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in nineteenth-century Roman urban history and the background of Italian unification
Readers who enjoy Victorian English travelogues and slow-paced narration
Students needing public-domain English texts as material for translation or stylistic study
Readers willing to read a free ebook and supply historical background on their own

Not a good fit for

Readers of Roman history expecting systematic scholarship or a modern annotated edition
Travelers needing a practical guidebook with routes and contemporary information
Readers unaccustomed to the long sentences and period prejudices of nineteenth-century English travelogues

Reading tips

Before reading, learn about the course of Italian unification around 1860 to help situate the historical moments observed in the book.
Read alongside a map or plan of Rome to anchor the places mentioned in the text in space.
Treat it as a travelogue rather than a historical source, and take notes on obvious period prejudices rather than skipping them.
Read one or two chapters at a time; Victorian long sentences suit slow reading and should not be rushed through.

FAQ

Is this book a complete history of Rome?

No. It belongs to nineteenth-century English travel observation and urban description, offering contemporaneous impressions of Rome rather than systematic historical argument, and it has no modern scholarly annotation.

Why does the ebook have no modern introduction or notes?

The book was converted by volunteers from a print edition as a public-domain digitized text, preserving the original appearance without added modern editorial content, so readers must supply background information themselves.

How difficult is the English?

It is nineteenth-century English travelogue prose, with rather long sentences and older vocabulary, but not overall very difficult. Readers with college-level English reading ability can read it slowly with a dictionary and should not aim for speed.

Is it suitable for reading before a trip to Rome?

Not really as a practical guide. It has no contemporary transport, accommodation, or route information, but if you want to feel the atmosphere of Rome as nineteenth-century travelers saw it, it can serve as background reading before the trip.

Comments

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About the author

Edward Dicey Author · British · 1832–1911

Edward Dicey (1832–1911) was a British journalist and writer who reported on the American Civil War firsthand and later served as editor of The Observer. Active in British journalism in the mid-to-late nineteenth century, he was known for a reporter's keen observation and a writer's clear prose. His representative work, Rome in 1860, draws on his personal experience to present the social life and political atmosphere of Rome at the time, reflecting his attention to on-site detail and his sense of historical context. Public information about his life is limited: beyond the facts above, details such as his education, awards, and specific dates of appointment are largely unavailable. Only one of his works is held in this collection; although classified under inspirational growth, it is closer in nature to documentary historical and social observation. His plain, information-dense writing offers later readers a useful firsthand perspective on nineteenth-century Europe and America.