MR. LYTTELTON UPON GUIDE-BOOKS.
[TO TIIE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."]
concur heartily in every word of Mr. Lyttelton's criticism on our present Guide-books, and I am sure travellers of almost every kind would be grateful if his suggestions were carried out.
I very well remember a tour I made a few years ago through the smaller German University towns, and the difficulty I had in obtaining anything like useful information. When there was an old church or the legend of a medimval saint, I always had it ; but concerning the life of the people and their position in the progress of culture I could learn nothing from my Guide-books. It was only by the accident of my stumbling upon the " Deutscher Universitatskalender " that I learned in which towns were resid- ent men of whom I was in search, and whose names were of world-wide fame. Had even this calendar been mentioned in the Guide-books, it would have been a help to me. Then I never could find the scientific societies without giving an enormous amount of trouble to the people of the hotels, to whom, of course, my object was a mystery. It surely would be worth while to add to the description of each town a brief list of its scientific insti- tutions, with their addresses.—I am, Sir, &c., ANGLICANUS.
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