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| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
AGE, 29-32.
t,ITERARY PURSUITS .wI-IILST AT HOME XXY1X
Magazine, attended the 185o Edinburgh Meeting- of the British
Association, wrote his excellent lines, " On the Loss of the
Birkenhead," and commenced his first serious study of Marco
Polo (by whose wondrous tale, however, he had already been
captivated as a boy in his father's library in Marsden's edition
probably). But the most noteworthy literary result of these
happy years was that really fascinating volume, entitled Fortifi-
cation for Officers of the Army and Students of Military History,
a work that has remained unique of its kind. This was published
by Blackwood in 1851, and seven years later received the
honour of (unauthorised) translation into French. Yule also
occupied himself a good deal at this time with the practice
of photography, a pursuit to which he never after reverted.
In the spring of 1852, Yule made an interesting little semi-
professional tour in company with a brother officer, his accom-
plished friend, Major R. B. Smith. Beginning with Kelso, " the
only one of the Teviotdale Abbeys which I had not as yet
seen," they made their way leisurely through the north of
England, examining with impartial care abbeys and cathedrals,
factories, brick-yards, foundries, timber-yards, docks, and rail-
way works. On this occasion Yule, contrary to his custom,
kept a journal, and a few excerpts may be given here, as afford-
ing some notion of his casual talk to those who did not know
him.
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At Berwick-on-Tweed he notes the old ramparts of the
town : " These, erected in Elizabeth's time, are interesting as
being, I believe, the only existing sample in England of the
bastioned system of the 16th century. . . . The outline of the
works seems perfect enough, though both earth and stone work
are in great disrepair. The bastions are large with obtuse
angles, square orillons, and double flanks originally casemated,
and most of them crowned with cavaliers." On the way to
Durham, " much amused by the discussions of two passengers,
one a smooth-spoken, semi-clerical looking person ; the other a
brusque well-to-do attorney with a Northumbrian burr. Sub-
ject, among others, Protection. The Attorney all for ` cheap
bread ` You wouldn't rob the poor man of his loaf,' and so
forth. ` You must go with the stg heai;T, sir, you must go with
the stgheam.' ` I never did, Mr Thompson, and I never will,' said
the other in an oily manner, singularly inconsistent with the
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