Washington Irving

Little Britain Washington Irving

Irving's short memoir of his time in central London is an excellent window into nineteenth century urban middle class Britain as well as a fascinating travelogue. Irving's superiority as a writer is evident. His descriptions paint a vivid picture of the area around St Paul's, and the Britons he describe seem a charming example of a bygone era. His description of what might be called nineteenth century gentrification, however, is by far the work's greatest strength.