New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-10-17
TRAVELLING IN EUROPE.
THE TOURIST AND HIS GUIDES.

| MIND EASY AND THE LIVER HEALTHY-LORDLi'
NESS or CONTINENTAL HOTEL KEEPERS
| from THE REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF rnE TRIBUNE.
| GENrvA, Sept 1O-During the last three days
| have been the possessor OF Guide to Switzerland
| not n human but printed guide. and if | have
heretofore spoken without sufficient respect OF such
aids to travel am now ready to admit that have
found this literary treasure not only useful but
| amusing There are three sets or series of guide
| books among which the traveller may chOose-nct
counting merely local guides or those general hand
books of traS el which include q whole continent in
q single volume. These latter have their uses
more especially for the enterprising traveller who
desires to " do" all Europe in three months The
three series which devote separate volume or
| more to each country, bear the names of jeanne,
Murray, and Baedeker. The Guides jeanne " are
| the most copous of all-porhaps too copous and
too much concerned with matters lying outside the
| range of ordinary curiosity. They are only to be
| had, | believe, in French. Those published nv
| Murray are by various authors and vary in merit,
but the best of them are deficient in method. in
facility of reference. in precision and in maps or
plans; are often moreover difiuse in style and Ell
numbered with disquisit:ons. Baedeker's Guides
are on the whole, the best. They are compact, sys-
tcmatic. practical. Astounding in minute informa-
ton of I'll lmentarv usefulness and rich in maps and
plans. fer the most part excellently drawn and
disposed for cc-venent handling.
PEcuLARIrIEs OF GUIDE BOOKS.
Perhaps it is superlu GUS to say that neither
Bacdekcr nor anybody else can be followed in all
points with perfect confidence In the matter Of
hotels for example. which is certainly a very i'm.
portant one, the views of the worthy Baedeker will
sometimes be found to suit his own cOuntrymcn
better than English or Americans. He is German,
this excellent man, extremely German, German in
his notions of comfort. IN his notions of economy,
in his ideas of what constitutes luxury. German in
the extraordinary seriousness with which he con-
templates the humblcst factors of life and the most
insignificant particulars of travel, German in his
smplicity-I had almost said in his innocence
amplcs of which may be found in his books the
more remarkable because of the mans great
perience of the world; his consciousness be-
comes at times positively painful-though whether
this also he German quality will not pretend to
decide. lie lavishes good advice upon his reader.
should say that with the Ten Commar dments and
the maxims OF Bacdeker complete novice would
be so equipped rs to make the tour OF Europe with
some success but at the cost OF continual wrang-
ling with hotcl-keeper guides cabmen and other
large classes whom honest Baedekcr regards as the
enemies of the human race. There is Justice in his
view but the attainment of abstract justice may
be purchased at too high a price. He is not only
concerned lest the unwary voyager pay half
franc much for his bed but is still more socl-
tous that he shall not waste a day nor an hour of
the time he devotes to his journey. miss seeing
any one of the objects he is entitled to have look
at from one end of the day to the other
MANNErs or THE TRAVELLING WORLD.
These are points which the travelling world
will always he divided into two parties. Perhaps
the maicvity are of the Bacdckcr party in the be-
ginning There are travellers who have mania
for small economies-of which they cannot rid
themselves 1t is misery to them to know that
they have been charged for candles they did not
bu II and wine they never ordered; that they paid
more for their lodging than their neighbor whose
room was equally good and double the fee to which
their cabmau was legally entitled. They devote a
good part of their time to minute examination of
their hotel bills. and a long discussion with their
landlord upon each disputablc item. They emil ven
Their JOURNEYS by rehearsng each incident OF the
dispute and if two such meet in a railway carriage
the day passes in a historical recaptulation Of all
the outragcs they Lave endured since their arrival
in Europe. with due comparison of notes between |
the aggreved and small consideration for other oc-
cupants of the same compartment. In this general |
division there are several species There is the |
economist and simple, who is at least frank in
his love for pennies; there is the man who does not
mind the money. you know. but who cannot bear
TO be cheated and there is the man who considers
it public duty first to cut down his bill, and
secondly send to The Times full account of the
torton of which bs has been the victim. These
letters generally interesting; less so for the
light they throw upon the scandalous practices of
Continental innkeepers than for the revelations of
character they contain. In nine cases out of ten
the complainant is in the right as against his adj
versary; which does not in the least affect the
merits Of the main qucstion-thc question whether
the objects of travel promoted by this virtuous
resistance TO petty pilferug.
PHILOSOPHICAL CONSIDERATIONS.
For if there be ever a time when man is priv
legged to make an Epicurean philosophy-or what
passes for such-his rule of life 1t is
surely when he is taking vacation. Then. if ever
his sense OF public duty NAV remain in allegiance,
aud may De prolitably superseded by lazy regard
for his personal comfort. If ne really wants to
enjoy his European tour. he will not come a
former of social abuses undertake the regen-
Grafton of that portion of the human race which
occupies itself in providing food and lodging for the
rest at prices or less-generally lees fixed.
Except in very fragrant cases. when robbery and
insolencc 90 hand in hand. do not why he
should not suppress altogether his natural feeling
Of resentment mt being plundered. put aside al
together the question of economy. 1t does not
matter whether a man has long purse or a lean
one If he says he cannot afford to pay more than
fair price, it is open to him to shorten his journey
by week a month, or to travel second class in
stead of first, to to cheap hotels rather than
lear ones. The percentage of plumber will not
vary much in either case, but it is calculable be-
orehand as accurately as other expenses. and may
be allowed for at the start. Suppose the traveller
saws To himself: " I can afford TO spend 81 900,
md for that sum | can spend so much time and see
such and such parts of Europe" | doubt whether
Inc utmost vigilance against overcharges will
make a difference of 800 to him on this tour. Let
is call it 500. That is 10 per cent on his outlay
In order to meet it he reduce his original esti-
nate to 5000 omit this place that, or otherwise
adjust his journey to the new limit. and consider