Cracow, old, tired and dispirited, speaks and thinks only of the ruinous past. When you drive into Cracow from the station for the first time, you are breathless, smiling, and tearful all at once; in the great Ring-platz-a mass of old buildings-Cracow seems to hold out her arms to you-those long sides that open from the corner where the cab drives in. - from "Cracow," by Ménie Muriel Dowie From the era from a trip to the Continent was rarer but more deeply appreciated comes an enchanting literary travelogue assembled from the hearts and minds of some of the greatest wordsmiths in the English language. A Grand Tour in 10 volumes, these delightful volumes, first published in 1914, gather little-seen essays from famous erudite explorers in compact collections that will inspire those who've never been abroad to make the journey, and move those who have to pack their bags again. Volume VI continues the series' exploration of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Switzerland, viewed through the eyes and prose of a panoply of extraordinary writers: Percy Bysshe Shelley witnesses an Alpine avalanche, Harriet Beecher Stowe wanders the Castle of Chillon, John Tyndall climbs Mont Blanc, and much more by such notable voices as William Cullen Bryant, Frederick Harrison, Victor Tissot, and others. Beautifully illustrated with charming photographs, it is a work to treasure... and to take along on your next trip. OF INTEREST TO: armchair travelers, readers of classic literature American journalist and historian FRANCIS WHITING HALSEY (1851-1919) was literary editor of The New York Times from 1892 through 1896. He wrote and lectured extensively on history, and also edited the two-volume Great Epochs in American History Described by Famous Writers, From Columbus to Roosevelt (1912).