A Residence on the Shores of the Baltic : Described in a Series of Letters

In the late 1830s Elizabeth Rigby (1809–1893) travelled alone from London to the Baltic States via Denmark and Russia; a remarkable undertaking for a single woman in the first half of the nineteenth century. Her collection of letters focusing on life in Estonia particularly was published in 1841.

When Elizabeth Rigby (1809–1893) embarked on her travels to the Baltic states in 1838, she was already a published author. She was to play a significant role as a writer and public figure throughout the nineteenth century. Originally published in 1841 as two separate volumes, this book is a compilation of letters written to her mother during her journey to Estonia. Travelling alone was an unusual undertaking for a single woman at the time, and here she demonstrates her ability to provide detailed descriptions of the life and places she experiences. The first volume describes her journey to Reval (Tallinn) in Estonia, where she will stay with her sister. The second offers her fascinating insights into the political and social life of Estonia in the mid-nineteenth century, combining personal observations and historical facts. For more information on this author, see http://orlando.cambridge.org/public/svPeople?person_id=rigbel