John B. Gorman
Published: 2015-06-16
Total Pages: 665
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Excerpt from A Tour Around the World in 1884, or Sketches of Travel in the Eastern and Western Hemispheres From my boyhood I had dreamed of a voyage around the world. I had stood on the sea-shore and looked upon the waves as they dashed at my feet in restless fury. I loved the grandeur and magnitude of the ocean; I loved to watch the ships from Savannah and New York come and go. I made my first sea voyage when a boy, and since that happy period my restless desire and love of adventure, the study of nature and an insatiable thirst for knowledge, have carried me to many distant shores. Europe three times in twelve years, the West Indies, Canada, and States of America, but increased my rambling propensities. My own country was youthful, but grand in the physical aspects of nature. Europe, with the accumulated knowledge of ages, its treasures of art and historic associations, added to my gratification and charmed me with its study. I desired to see even more of the world, to gain a more comprehensive idea of man in the various forms and stages of his civilization, to increase my knowledge and general information. God in his wisdom called me to sustain the irreparable loss of my beloved and devoted mother. I lingered in the shadow of her lamented death for nearly one year; my deep affliction, that found only support in prayer, was the occasion of my final decision. I was about to realize the fond hopes of my boyish anticipation. I cherished another desire, I had longed to be gratified with this love of travel, added to the occasion that prompted me to make a voyage around the world. It was, while living, to do some good. "We live in the deeds of life, and not in its years." We long to leave some monument of our faith and work behind. I Want these sketches to commemorate these sentiments. Fame, or worldly honor, is not my aim. A loftier desire prompts me to submit these sketches, imperfect as they are, or may appear to a critical or exacting public opinion. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.