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RE: Verne in Scotland

From: <ithompson~at~geog.gla.ac.uk>
Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2003 14:45:26 +0100
To: Jules Verne Forum <jvf~at~Gilead.org.il>
Cc: <CathKhor~at~aol.com>, <PhilKhor~at~aol.com>

Bill,
Dont you ever go to bed? You are always prompt to respond in
spite of the difference in time zones.
1. Re handwriting. My French wife agrees that in infant school one
learned a very different style of writing as compared with what
developed as an adult. This was her first reaction on seeing the
document.
2. I have not tried to date the novel as a whole though Verne's
assiduous references to meal times might make this possible. I
have simply used his statement that he was in Glasgow on August
30th and worked backwards and forwards from that.
3. I find A de F's contention that he visited the Hebrides on his
1859 trip unlikely in the extreme. There are several references to
money and time being short and in 1859 it would have been quite
an enterprise. Given the effect that visiting Staffa, and Fingal's Cave
in particular, had on Verne, I cant believe that it would not have
featured in the narrative, nor that he would have waited until 1882 to
base a novel on this experience. Only the discovery of the log
books of the St Michel III can settle this enigma definitively.
4. The idea that Verne originally proposed to sail from Edinburgh to
London is probably correct. In Chapter 26, having had breakfast
chez Mr B and Amelia in Inverleith Row and taken a cab to
Granton, Verne writes "The first thing Jacques did was to inspect
the steam packets for London. Jacques learned that the passage
took at least 40 hours, with the most expensive cabins costing
twenty shillings. The next sailing was scheduled for the two o'clock
tide on the following Wednesday"...."The price seems reasonable,
but the journey a bit long and the weather uncertain. Thus
Jonathan, as he studied the powerful breakers beyond the
harbour". Given that they spent the morning of the Wednesday
sight-seeing in Stirling, followed by a train journey to Edinburgh, a
visit to Leith Harbour and to a French vessel, it is clear that they
had given up on the idea of taking the boat to London.In Chapter 35
we learn that when in Stirling "First, they discussed their journey
from Edinburgh to London. It seemed impossible to to arrive in the
Scottish capital before the steamship sailed from Granton.
Besides, the sea voyage would take up too much time, whereas by
train they could travel overnight, leaving Edinburgh at eight in the
evening. They therefore settled for this speedier form of transport".
Taking the overnight train to London (especially as it was an
excursion train and therefore cheaper) saved time. Verne's
description of the horrors of the train journey leave little doubt that
this was a first hand experence.
Regards,
Ian
Received on Mon 21 Jul 2003 - 16:38:30 IDT

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