Travel Diaries and Journals

Journal of Dr. John Morgan of the city of Philadelphia, from the city of Rome to the city of London, 1764.

Description

UPenn Ms. Codex 1637

Record of a trip with fellow Philadelphian Samuel Powel, from Rome northward through Bologna, Padua, Venice, Milan, and Turin, over the Alps to Geneva, and through Lyons and Paris to Calais, by boat to Dover, and from there to London. The entries include many details on landscape, architecture, art, and inscriptions. Morgan also describes meetings with prominent individuals such as Giambattista Morgagni, professor of anatomy at the Università di Padova, and the philosopher Voltaire. On leaves at the end of the volume (f. 138v-140r) are lists of books, natural and artificial curiosities, plates (prints) and drawings, and paintings shipped home to Philadelphia by Morgan. The books include works of Morgagni published in Venice, "novels" of Boccaccio in Italian published in Amsterdam, Voltaire's Tancrède published in Geneva, and Benjamin Franklin on electricity in 3 parts published in London. There are additional notes by Morgan about expenses at the beginning (under the flap, inside upper cover) and miscellaneous notes at the end (f. 141v; inside lower cover).

Document History

Alumnus of the College of Philadelphia (A.B., 1757) and the University of Edinburgh (M.D., 1763); traveled in Europe before returning to Philadelphia and founding the first medical school in the American colonies at the College of Philadelphia in 1765.

IIIF Manifest

https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/phalt/iiif/2/81431-p35t3g036/manifest

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