‎MANN, Bertha Henrietta Horatia:‎
‎Two manuscript journals of travels on Continental Europe, including Waterloo, Cologne, the Rhine, the Alps, Geneva, Chamonix and Mont Blanc, and Italy, ‎

‎ ca. 1853 - 1858. in-8vo, First journal: 90 leafs illustrated with: 18 dried plants (with name and origine), 14 hand-coloured aquatints or engravings, 11 uncoloured engravings, 1 chromolith. of the Strassbourg clock, 6 tinted lithographs.Second journal: 78 leafs illustrated with: 3 dried plants, 11 hand-coloured aquatints or engravings, 19 uncoloured engravings and two photographs of paintings. Contemporary half calf / Contemporary limp calf,‎

Reference : 140313aaf

‎Each of the manuscripts is dated on theire first page and have the name ,Bertha Henrietta Horatio Mann’ on it. Bertha Mann was the daughter of Horatio Mann, Rector of Mawgan in Meneage, the youngest of 8 children, born in 1836 in Cornwall. However at the time of these travels the family was living at ,Winchester House’, Newchurch, Isle of Wight, and their father had died.They appear from the 1851 census to have been living in some style, with a footman, ladies maid, housemaid and cook. Bertha travelled with her sister and they were also accompanied by ,Henry’, who organised their travels but is otherwise unknown. The sisters first tour began April 19th 1854, leaving Dieppe and visiting Waterloo: „a few trees still remain and bear marks of the French cannon-shot“. One of the dried plants was collected at Waterloo. They travel to Cologne, take a steamer up the Rhine and, among other places, visit the house of Frankfurt where the Famely has once lived and where their brother „dear Horatio“ had had a fatal accident aged 14. Bertha begins her account in English, but about half way through switches to German. The tour ends in October. Appended to this tour is an account of an earlier tour, begun August 30th 1854, from Dieppe to the Alps, with visits to Geneva, Courmayeur, Chamonix and Aosta. They visit the ,Mer de Glace’ on mules: „when we arrived at Montanvert we descended and walked a little way on the Mer de Glace with the help of the guide’s hand and Alpenstock... They ascended the Col de la Seigne, „summit of the Brevent 8500 ft. above the sea level“, making long journeys on mules. Bertha collected plants on the Montanvert, the Brevent, and Chamonix, and three of these feature in the album, each identified and dated by her.In 1858, Bertha set off again with her sisters Sophia, Ada, Louisa and with Henry. Bertha describes visit in Florence, such as the Grand Duke’s Mosaic Manufactory, and some artist studios: „Sophy, Ada & I visited Cambi’s studio - we then went to Menconi’s and saw the ,sleeping child’. Menconi is now doing Henry’s bust and a vase etc... Powers (the American Sculptor) and several other studios. They continued to Rome, via Civitavecchia. At St. Peters they see the Pope distribute palms (“Henry procured tickets for us from the Major Duomo“). Image disp.‎