ABROAD, A VICTORIAN EXCURSION TO THE CONTINENT

Thomas Crane, Ellen Houghton

Bracken 1985, Facsimile of the Original 1882 Edition

Across the English Channel await the thrills of a strange land for this family of Victorian children on their first voyage abroad – a visit to northern France and Paris – in this charming little book.

There is a bright, full-colour picture on each page, while amusing verses describe the sights they find and the people they encounter. First there is the crossing to Boulougne; the at Rouen the great cathedral; at Caen the famous lace-makers. But the climax of the trip is Paris – where the children go to the Tuileries, the Musee de Cluny, Versailles, not forgetting the Luxembourg Gardens and the bustling markets.

From Calais, the paddle-steamer takes them home, Nellie, May, Rose, Dennis and little Bertie, the pages of this book a colourful reminder of their first expedition ‘abroad’.

This is one of the classic volumes from the great age of children’s literature, when artists of considerable stature and skill lent their talents to the pages of books intended for the young. Not surprisingly such books are much sought after by collectors today, for they contain illustrations of striking quality, charm and appeal.

Abroad was the work of Ellen Houghton and Thomas Crane. She was an illustrator specializing in children’s books, her style baring the unmistakeable influence of Randolph Caldecott. Thomas Crane was the elder brother of Walter Crane, the painter, designer, writer and socialist; as this book testifies, Thomas was greatly talented in his own right, particularly as a designer.

Apart from being price clipped, both the book and the dust jacket are in very good condition. Contains more than 50 full-colour illustrations of a most charming and entertaining nature.