BURNET, Gilbert.

Inquire · Offered by Peter Harrington

Some Letters. Containing, an account of what seemed most remarkable in Switzerland, Italy, &c.; First edition. Burnet's "curious and entertaining narrative" (Lowndes) is far from being a conventional travelogue as he rarely describes buildings or scenery, nor does he show any enthusiasm for art. "What really interested him were politics, religion, commerce, and learning. The underlying theme of the letters, however, was anti-Catholic" (ODNB).In 1684, Burnet, future bishop of Salisbury, was dismissed from all his appointments as a result of preaching against popery and opposing the policies of Charles II and the Duke of York. With the accession of James II he left for France and undertook a tour of the continent. His five letters are dated from Zurich, Milan, Florence, Rome, and Nijmegen. "The political function of the [Grand] Tour is most powerfully exemplified in Gilbert Burnet's Some Letters … It is significant that Burnet directs his epistolary reports to Robert Boyle: Boyle's reputation for eminent learning, his wide-ranging curiosity, and his high-minded conduct promote Burnet's ethical authority, specifically his posture of authoritative and principled commentator. Such a posture is crucial, for the Letters offer a guide not so much to sights as to attitudes" (Redford, p. 28).

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