The Journal of a Voyage to Lisbon

by Henry Fielding, Tom Kaymer (Editor)

When Fielding was winched aboard the Queen of Portugal bound for Lisbon in June 1754 he had small hope of surviving even the milder Portuguese winter. The author of Joseph Andrews and Tom Jones was 'dying from a complication of disorders' and the gravity of his illness sparks the unflinching humour and pathos of the Journal. In it Fielding scrutinizes his body's decay and the corruption of English society, undercutting with irony his own high claims for his former conduct as a London magistrate. In it, too, he makes merry with xenophobia and the rapturous excesses of contemporary travel writing, while casting himself in the role of a post-heroic Odysseus or Aeneas, a role tinged with farce as he charts the tortuous voyage of the Queen of Portugal. Tom Keymer provides an illuminating introduction to this volume, which at last makes popularly available a scholarly edition of the Journal. Completed some weeks before Fielding's death on 8 October 1754, the work is at once comic, valedictory and intensely poignant, and it is indeed 'his art's great sunset'.

Genres: Travel, Classics, History, Nonfiction, Memoir, British Literature, Biography

192 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1755

About the author

Henry Fielding (1707 - 1754) was an English dramatist, journalist and novelist. The son of an army lieutenant and a judge's daughter, he was educated at Eton School and the University of Leiden before returning to England where he wrote a series of farces, operas and light comedies.

Fielding formed his own company and was running the Little Theatre, Haymarket, when one of his satirical plays began to upset the government. The passing of the Theatrical Licensing Act in 1737 effectively ended Fielding's career as a playwright.

In 1739, Fielding turned to journalism and became editor of The Champion. He also began writing novels, including: The Adventures of Joseph Andrews (1742) and Jonathan Wild (1743).

Fielding was made a justice of the peace for Westminster and Middlesex in 1748. He campaigned against legal corruption and helped his half-brother, Sir John Fielding, establish the Bow Street Runners.

In 1749, Fielding's novel The History of Tom Jones was published to public acclaim. Critics agree that it is one of the greatest comic novels in the English language. He followed this success with another well received novel, Amelia, in 1751.

Fielding continued as a journalist and his satirical journal, Covent Garden, continued to upset those in power. Throughout his life, Fielding suffered from poor health. By 1752, he could not move without the help of crutches. In an attempt to overcome his health problems, Henry Fielding went to live in Portugal, but this was not successful, and he died in Lisbon in 1754.

Reviews

[Henry Avila · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very ill British writer Henry Fielding (Tom Jones), decides to leave England when his health deteriorates. He books passage on a ship, floating on the Thames River, headed to Lisbon, Portugal. His physicians agree that the warmer climate might help, in reality no hope. Fielding takes his wife, daughter, a friend and two servants along. Problems become obvious, the master of the vessel is in no hurry to head down the river into the sea The Captain wants more passengers and cargo so his trip will be profitable. Fielding has to be lifted on board, poor fellow. Finally after many days, they start and promptly collide with two other ships, the omens are not good. Luckily for Mr. Fielding there is just minor damage to the boats. But the wind or lack of it doesn't cooperate and the ship remains in English waters for too long. Weeks pass by and they get as far as the Isle of Wight a short distance off the coast of southern England. You can imagine the primitive conditions on board in 1754 and the eagerness that people want to go on shore. Staying in an inn, the greedy landlady is not friendly to say the least. She even charges for the cheap candles used. Can you imagine the indignation for the weary travelers. When they eventually go south you guessed it, the wind stops blowing again in the age of sail. Sharing a crowded cabin with the old captain, whose snoring makes more noise than an orchestra and the seasick women in the next room, is a fun situation for no one. Fielding is not feeling well either for the illustrious writer . Stranded in the Bay of Biscay off Spain, the crew captures a shark and eats or better word devours it with the other food. On one magical, peaceful evening at sea on deck, Fielding's party views a colorful blazing Sun setting and a silvery exquisite Moon rising. That moment is worth all the hardships of the endless voyage to Lisbon. Henry Fielding a great writer from the past gives an example why he was this. For the adventurous reader to see from a safe distance how the ancients lived and died.

[Jonathan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sluggish, droll, and confusing for me to finally realize that majority of the book is not about safaring but the events that lead up to a short chapter about the voyage.

[Tigran · Rating 2 out of 5]

So this diary is mostly made of endless opinions on English domestic affairs. Some on politics, some on economics and social issues. The language is annoying with excessive irony, worsened by the miserable illness of the author that will eventually kill him. Dead calm sea, dropsy, seasickness are the background. Good luck with the reading.

There is just about nothing on Lisbon much to my bitter disappointment since the journey happened on the eve of the great earthquake.

[Vincent Atchity · Rating 1 out of 5]

Petulant, self-indulgent, & neither well written nor rich in delicious observational detail (aside from the single anecdote re. the cat gone overboard).

[Adrian · Rating 2 out of 5]

Found it hard going due to both the language and scanning errors

[Ryan Fohl · Rating 3 out of 5]

Doesn’t have much to say about Lisbon before the 1755 earthquake, this is mostly about the port towns of southern England one can get stuck in when “the wind is in your teeth.” I love the writing style, such long sentences, with drool humor, and diversions within sentences, supported by, so, many, commas!!!
A surprisingly entertaining read, for something that is centuries old, and therefore difficult to completely grasp, when one is reading for diversion.

Not only did I learn how horrible travel was in the 18th century (and how some of the horrors of travel are still with us) I also learned what dying from cirrhosis was like in the 18th century.

It’s interesting to read something from before the American revolution, by someone who is such a fucking monarchist. The problem with England is liberty? And the poor should be forced to work and have a maximum wage limit?!? Also uses the argument “we don’t select shepherds from amongst the sheep,” to defend the divine right of kings. Gross bro. USA USA

What I learned: some new islands. Ushant off Brittany has amazing lighthouses. The Berlengas off Portugal has the Pedra do Elefante. If a shark eats your salt beef, that you are hanging off the ship to freshen, you can catch the shark and still eat the beef, with shark!

[Daniel · Rating 2 out of 5]

The perfect antidote to cure those who romanticize sea travel in previous ages. The extremely ill Fielding (suffering of "dropsy" and a range of overlapping ailments) endures several weeks on a vessel bound for Lisbon, where the exhausted magistrate hopes the warmer climate (his is no longer a "Bath case") will alleviate his "distemper." The book's about the voyage TO Lisbon and not IN Lisbon, which only comes into view in the final paragraphs, and receives no flattering description. It's about failing to arrive at one's destination, or about getting there very inefficiently. Unfavorable winds mean the journey alternates between slow progress and stagnation. In the meantime a rouge's gallery of petty tyrants (the ship's captains and Portuguese custom officials) take advantage of their authority to lord their power over Fielding; the latter being the poking-and-pinching airport-security workers of the 18th century. In his intro., Fielding complains of tedious "voyage writing" which includes even the most tiresome details of one's journey and yet what is this account but that? Poor Fielding, he died in Lisbon just two months later.

[TheQueensBooksII · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first introduction to Fielding, I'm ashamed to admit "at my age." Where has he been all my life? Maybe I was getting my "Fielding Fix" through Mark Twain, who I'm sure read & studied Fielding in order to perfect his own perfect style (IMO) of writing. Think "Twain in the 1700s!" Hysterical and loopy, yet incisive and insightful. Also a wonderful commentary on the way of things back then, which thankfully have changed much; but, human nature not so much.

[Toni]

Interesting for some expressions of his personal opinions on various aspects of society at the time. While I expected to read about his impressions of Lisbon, this journal is strictly limited to the authors journey, mostly on board a vessel, during a time of illness — and sadly closes upon arrival.

[Tim Bates · Rating 2 out of 5]

Kind of like Brysons neither here nor there but more old timey and less moving