IIIF Color HighRes
National Institute of Informatics - Digital Silk Road Project
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| IIIF Color HighRes |
| The Book of Ser Marco Polo : vol.1 |
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Citation Information
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MEMOIR OF SIR HENRY YULE
1872-75.
any kind of sport nor games. Nor did he willingly ride.6l He
was always restless away from his books. There can be no
doubt that want of sufficient air and exercise, reacting on an im-
paired liver, had much to do with Yule's unsatisfactory state of
health and frequent extreme depression. There was no lack of
agreeable and intelligent society at Palermo (society that the
present writer recalls with cordial regard), to which every winter
brought pleasant temporary additions, both English and foreign,
the best of whom generally sought Yule's acquaintance. Old
friends too were not wanting ; many found their way to Palermo,
and when such came, he was willing to show them hospitality
and to take them excursions, and occasionally enjoyed these.
But though the beautiful city and surrounding country were
full of charm and interest, Yule was too much pre-occupied
by his own special engrossing pursuits ever really to get the
good of his surroundings, of which indeed he often seemed only
half conscious.
By this time Yule had obtained, without ever having sought
it, a distinct and, in some respects, quite unique position in
geographical science. Although his Essay on the Geography of
the Oxus Region (1872) received comparatively little public
attention at home, it had yet made its mark once for all,' and
from this time, if not earlier, Yule's high authority in all questions
of Central Asian geography was generally recognised. He had
long ere this, almost unconsciously, laid the broad foundations
of that " Yule method," of which Baron von Richthofen has
written so eloquently, declaring that not only in his own land.,
but also in the literatures of France, Italy, Germany, and other
countries, the powerful stimulating influence of the Yule method
is visible." G3 More than one writer has indeed boldly corn-
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61 One year the present writer, at her mother's desire, induced him to take walks of 1 o to 12 miles with her, but interesting and lovely as the scenery was, he soon wearied for his writing-table (even bringing his work with him), and thus little permanent good was effected. And it was just the same afterwards in Scotland, where an old Highland gillie, describing his experience of the Yule brothers, said : " I was liking to take out Sir George, for he takes the time to enjoy the hills, but (plaintively), the Kornel is no good, for he's just as restless as a water-wagtail ! " If there be any mal de l'écritoire corresponding to mal du pays, Yule certainly had it.
62 The Russian Government in 1873 paid the same work the very practical compliment of circulating it largely amongst their officers in Central Asia.
63 " Auch in den Literaturen von Frankreich, Italien, Deutschland and andere Ländern ist der 111ächtig treibende Einfluss der Yuleschen Methode, welche
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