Reluctant to go at all, Edward methodically laid out his reasons for agreeing to take the trip to Europe. Once he arrived, he was immediately captivated by the modern modes of travel and geological scenery.
Objects of the tour:
- 1. To recover health or rather to arrest for a little while the progress of disease.
- 2. To see a few religious & scientific men with whom I had had correspondence.
- 3. To see the scenery, geology & cabinets of natural history.
- 4. To see the Literary & Scientific Institutions.
- 5. To learn the character & condition of the common & lower classes of the people.
- 6. To glance at the old castles & modern public buildings & private seats of the gentry. Paintings & statues. The roads, the rail roads, steamboats & taverns, etc. etc.
- 7. To take the privilege of a cat to look upon a king, a queen, or nobleman should such an one happen to cross my path.