The story in one page
Reverend Yorick sets off for France on a whim after a brief debate about French manners. Unlike the typical tourist obsessed with monuments and measurements, Yorick hunts for "sentiment" — brief, intense emotional connections with monks, chambermaids, and even a dead donkey. He navigates the social landscape of Calais and Paris with a mix of genuine empathy and awkward flirtation, often finding himself in delicate situations involving snuff boxes and pulses. The journey is less about geography and more about Yorick’s internal reactions to the people he meets, culminating in a storm-stalled night at an inn where a treaty regarding bed curtains is tested.
Who's who
- Yorick
A sensitive English parson seeking emotional experiences rather than landmarks.
- La Fleur
The clever and helpful French servant hired in Montreuil.
- Smelfungus
A miserable traveler who complains about every destination he visits.
- The Monk
A Franciscan who exchanges a horn snuff box with Yorick.
- Madame de R —
A French lady of rank to whom Yorick carries a letter.
What it's really about
- Sentimentality
- Prioritizing emotional resonance over objective facts or physical sights.
- National Character
- Frequent comparisons between English bluntness and French social courtesy.
Why it's memorable
- Yorick weeping over a dead donkey by the side of the road in Nampont.
- The delicate exchange of snuff boxes as a gesture of mutual forgiveness.
The ending, explained
Spoilers — show the ending
Stuck in a shared room during a storm, Yorick reaches out in the dark to make a point and accidentally grabs the hand of the chambermaid.
For your book club
- The contrast between Yorick’s perceived virtue and his constant, convenient flirtations with women.
- How the text mocks the rigid, joyless travel writing popular in the 18th century.