Clergyman, schoolmaster and writer on aesthetics, William Gilpin (1724–1804) is best known for his works on the picturesque. In his Essay on Prints, published in 1768 and reissued in this series, he defined picturesque as 'a term expressive of that peculiar kind of beauty, which is agreeable in a picture'. First published in 1809, the present work is one of a series which records his reflections on the picturesque across British landscapes. It traces two journeys he made equipped with notebook and sketching materials: the first in 1769 across East Anglia, and the second in 1773 from Anglesey south-east to Shrewsbury. He describes his impression of notable sites such as Cambridge, Houghton Hall and its art collection, Beaumaris Castle and Snowdon, and includes reproductions of his pen-and-wash drawings. The companion volumes of Observations on other parts of Britain are also reissued in the Cambridge Library Collection.
