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By Robert Louis Stevenson.

An Inland Voyage, the lead story in Volume 1of the works of  Robert Louis Stevenson, is a travel narrative, chronicling his canoe journey with his friend Sir Walter Simpson through the rivers and canals of Belgium and northern France in 1876. The book is Stevenson's first published work and is written in a richly descriptive and reflective style that blends travelogue with personal observation and cultural commentary. Their journey follows a winding path along the River Oise and other waterways, taking them through quaint villages, farmlands, and forested regions of a rural Europe that was rapidly changing. Underlying the travel narrative is a strong romantic sensibility—an admiration for the slow rhythm of river travel, a yearning for solitude and contemplation, and a quiet rebellion against the industrialized world. The voyage becomes not just a geographical journey, but a philosophical one as Stevenson muses on freedom, idleness, companionship, and the pleasures of the open road (or water).

While not a work of drama or high adventure, An Inland Voyage is valued for its lyrical style, gentle wit, and the early glimpse it offers into Stevenson’s literary voice. It also prefigures themes that would recur in his later works: a fascination with journeying, a sensitivity to character and setting, and a subtle questioning of societal norms. Overall, An Inland Voyage is a charming and meditative account that blends lighthearted anecdotes with deeper reflection, portraying a world both tranquil and quietly profound through Stevenson’s perceptive and poetic eye.

Underlying the travel narrative is a strong romantic sensibility—an admiration for the slow rhythm of river travel, a yearning for solitude and contemplation, and a quiet rebellion against the industrialized world. The voyage becomes not just a geographical journey, but a philosophical one as Stevenson muses on freedom, idleness, companionship, and the pleasures of the open road (or water). While not a work of drama or high adventure, An Inland Voyage is valued for its lyrical style, gentle wit, and the early glimpse it offers into Stevenson’s literary voice. It also prefigures themes that would recur in his later works: a fascination with journeying, a sensitivity to character and setting, and a subtle questioning of societal norms.

Other works in this volume include Travels with a Donkey, A Mountain Town in France, and Edinburgh Picturesque Notes.

Read-Me.Org Inc. Australia. 2025 . 220p.

Complied by Jane Sinclair

The document is an excerpt from“The Works of William Carleton, Volume I,”which includes multiple novels such as“Willy Reilly,” “Farnborough the Miser,” “The Black Baronet; or, The Chronicles of Bally train,”and“The Evil Eye; or, The Black Spectre.”The Specific section provided focuses on“Willy Reilly,”detailing the initial chapters where the protagonist, Willy Reilly, saves Squire Folliard from the Red Rapparee, leading to a developing relationship with Folliard’s daughter, Helen, also known as the Colleen Bawn. The narrative explores themes of love, loyalty, religious conflict, and intrigue, set against the backdrop of rural Ireland In “Willy Reilly,” Squire Folliard and his servant Andy Cumm is key lose their way in a foggy moor and encounter the Red Rapparee, who threatens to kill them. Willy Reilly intervenes and saves them, leading to his introduction to Helen Folliard. Despite the religious and social barriers, Reilly and Helen develop a mutual affection. However, Sir Robert Whitecraft, a suitor of Helen, manipulates Mr. Folliard against Reilly, leading to tension and conflict. Helen declares her love for Reilly, defying her father’s wishes and Sir Robert's Schemes. The narrative hints at future challenges and dangers for Reilly and Helen due to their love and the surrounding political and social tensions.

P.F. Collier, 1881, 638 pages