Thomas Nugent (travel writer)
Thomas Nugent (* 1700, † April 27, 1772 in Gray 's Inn, London) was an Irish scholar, historian and travel writer. Today, he is best known for his guide for the Grand Tour, the then popular especially among young English nobleman educational trip through Europe. His detailed descriptions of the then France, Italy, Germany and the Netherlands provide a rich source for historians today situation in the second half of the 18th century.
Life
Little is known about his early years. Although he came from Ireland, but spent most of his life in London. There he worked as a writer and translator. In 1749 he published the multi-volume work "The Grand Tour - containing at exact description of most of the cities, towns and remarkable places of Europe". This was the first comprehensive guide to English gentlemen who wanted to go on a grand tour of Europe. Whether Nugent had previously undertaken this journey itself is unknown, however, to assume on the basis of detailed information and expresses the obvious local knowledge. The following years devoted Nugent the translation of works of well-known scientists of his time, mostly from French into English. These include a 1751 published a translation of " Principes du droit politique " of the Swiss lawyers from Geneva Jean -Jacques Burlamaqui ( 1694-1748 ) into English ( "Principles of Politic Law", 1752), in 1756 was followed by a translation of Étienne Bonnot de Condillac's " essay on the origin of human knowledge " ( " essay on the Origin of Human Knowledge ").
Also in 1756 his guide was reissued in an updated version, this time under the title "The Grand Tour, or, A journey through the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and France". In 1759 he published a further translation of the French historian Philippe Macquer ( 1720-1770 ) for Roman history ( " Chronological abridgment of the Roman History" ). Thereafter he devoted himself to the history of France by Charles -Jean -François Hénault ( " Chronological abridgment of the History of France", 1762). In 1765 Nugent received his doctorate from the University of Aberdeen Scotland a doctorate in law. After that, he planned a history of the Vandals to write and to went to the study of sources on a trip to Germany. He traveled through northern Germany, from Hamburg via Lübeck to Mecklenburg, where he suspected the original home or the former settlement area of the vandals. On his return to England he published in 1766 not only his Vandals story ( "The history of Vandalia Containing the ancient and present state of the country of Mecklenburg "), but published in 1768 his German travel experiences in the form of several letters to a fictitious stayed at home friend. This work (Original Title: Travels through Germany: Containing observations on customs, manners, religion, government, commerce, arts, and antiquities: with a Particular account of the Courts of Mecklenburg in a series of letters to a friend ) describes, among other things, Hamburg, Lübeck and numerous towns and villages in what was then Mecklenburg -Schwerin and Mecklenburg- Strelitz, including Schwerin, Rostock, Wismar, Ludwig desire Doberan, Güstrow, Biitzow, goods, Neustrelitz, Mirow and Neubrandenburg.
In 1771 he wrote a book on the Florentine Renaissance sculptor Benvenuto Cellini. Inspired by the success of his travel literature, he wrote now also a Guide to London and for the first time a work which is aimed at foreign readers who visit England. This book (Original Title: "A tour to London, or, New observations on England and its inhabitants" ) appeared in 1772, in which Nugent died in London in the same year.
After his death, enjoyed especially his guide widely popular. 1778 appeared the third edition of his "Grand Tour". His 1768 published two-volume travelogue about North Germany - Travels through Germany - now there came on interest. The Mecklenburg Professor Lorenz Karsten translated the work into German and published it in 1781 with Friedrich Nicolai. This book, which is described among other things the Lübeck Totentanz, Nugent made known in Germany and was greatly reduced in 1938, and re-laid in 1998 and 2000 in a commented version. Goethe's translation of the life of Benvenuto Cellini of 1803 is partly based on the original Italian, in part, on the English version by Thomas Nugent.
Digitised
- The Grand Tour: Traveller's guide through Germany; Volume 2 of "The Grand Tour - containing at exact description of most of the cities, towns and remarkable places of Europe", S. Birt, London, 1749
- Travels through Germany: with a Particular account of the court of Mecklenburg, Volume 2, London 1768
- The Grand Tour - Italy, Volume 3 of "The Grand Tour, or, A journey through the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and France", London, 1778
- The Grand Tour - France, Volume 4 of "The Grand Tour, or, A journey through the Netherlands, Germany, Italy and France", London, 1778