Six Week Travel Story

First Edition of 1817 (London)

" History of a Six Weeks' Tour through a part of France, Switzerland, Germany, and Holland; with Letters Descriptive of a Sail Round the Lake of Geneva and of the Glaciers of Chamouni ) is a travel essay by the English romantics Mary Shelley and Percy Bysshe Shelley , published in 1817.

The book describes two trips undertaken by the future spouses of Shelley and the half-sister of Mary, Claire Claremont : one across Europe in 1814, and the other to Lake Geneva in 1816. The essay is divided into three parts, including a diary, four letters about the beauties of the Alps and Shelley's poem “Mont Blanc”. Besides the poem, the entire text was compiled or at least edited by Mary Shelley. In 1840, she revised the diary and letters for a new edition of the writings of the deceased spouse.

The six-week trip story is an example of a travel essay genre that gained popularity in the Romantic era. The book is full of spontaneity and enthusiasm. The authors emphasize the sophistication of their tastes, which are different from the prevailing ones. The book did not have commercial success, but was greeted by favorable reviews from critics. In 1843, while offering another travel guide to the publisher, Mary Shelley claimed that the “Story of a Six-Week Trip” brought her “many compliments.”