Travel, in the younger sort, is a part of education; in the elder, a
part of experience. He that travelleth into a country before he hath
some entrance into the language, goeth to school, and not to travel.
That young men travel under some tutor or grave servant, I allow well,
so that he be such a one that hath the language, and hath been in the
country before; whereby he may be able to tell them what things are
worthy to be seen in the country where they go, what acquaintances they
are to seek, what exercises or discipline the place yieldeth; for else
young men shall go hooded, and look abroad little. It is a strange
thing that, in sea voyages, where there is nothing to be seen but sky
and sea, men should make diaries; but in land travel, wherein so much
is to be observed, for the most part they omit it, as if chance were
fitter to be registered than observation. Let diaries, therefore, be
brought in use. The things to be seen and observed are, the courts of
princes, especially when they give audience to ambassadors; the courts
of justice, while they sit and hear causes; and so of consistories[206]
ecclesiastic; the churches and monasteries, with the monuments which
are therein extant; the walls and fortifications of cities and towns;
and so the havens and harbors, antiquities and ruins, libraries,
colleges, disputations, and lectures, where any are; shipping and
navies; houses and gardens of state and pleasure, near great cities;
armories, arsenals, magazines, exchanges, burses, warehouses, exercises
of horsemanship, fencing, training of soldiers, and the like; comedies,
such whereunto the better sort of persons do resort; treasuries of
jewels and robes; cabinets and rarities; and, to conclude, whatsoever
is memorable in the places where they go, after all which the tutors
or servants ought to make diligent inquiry. As for triumphs, masks,
feasts, weddings, funerals, capital executions, and such shows, men
need not to be put in mind of them; yet they are not to be neglected.
If you will have a young man to put his travel into a little room,
and in short time to gather much, this you must do: first, as was
said, he must have some entrance into the language before he goeth;
then he must have such a servant, or tutor, as knoweth the country,
as was likewise said; let him carry with him also some card or book,
describing the country where he travelleth, which will be a good key
to his inquiry; let him keep also a diary; let him not stay long in
one city or town, more or less, as the place deserveth, but not long;
nay, when he stayeth in one city or town, let him change his lodging
from one end and part of the town to another, which is a great adamant
of acquaintance; let him sequester himself from the company of his
countrymen, and diet in such places where there is good company of the
nation where he travelleth; let him, upon his removes from one place
to another, procure recommendation to some person of quality residing
in the place whither he removeth, that he may use his favor in those
things he desireth to see or know: thus he may abridge his travel
with much profit. As for the acquaintance which is to be sought in
travel, that which is most of all profitable, is acquaintance with the
secretaries and employed men[207] of ambassadors, for so in travelling
in one country he shall suck the experience of many; let him also see
and visit eminent persons in all kinds which are of great name abroad,
that he may be able to tell how the life agreeth with the fame. For
quarrels, they are with care and discretion to be avoided; they are
commonly for mistresses, healths,[208] place, and words; and let a man
beware how he keepeth company with choleric and quarrelsome persons,
for they will engage him into their own quarrels. When a traveller
returneth home, let him not leave the countries where he hath travelled
altogether behind him, but maintain a correspondence by letters with
those of his acquaintance which are of most worth; and let his travel
appear rather in his discourse than in his apparel or gesture, and in
his discourse let him be rather advised in his answers, than forward
to tell stories; and let it appear that he doth not change his country
manners for those of foreign parts, but only prick in some flowers of
that he hath learned abroad into the customs of his own country.