
By William Makepeace Thackeray
ROUNDABOUT PAPERS.
ON A LAZY IDLE BOY.
ON TWO CHILDREN IN BLACK.
ON RIBBONS.
ON SOME LATE GREAT VICTORIES.
THORNS IN THE CUSHION.
ON SCREENS IN DINING-ROOMS.
TUNBRIDGE TOYS.
DE JUVENTUTE.
A wandering narrator drifts into the sleepy Alpine town of Chur, where ancient stone walls and quiet streets whisper of forgotten saints and long‑gone battles. As he meanders past the lone coffee‑house, the solemn cathedral, and the gentle river that skirts the town, his observations blend dry wit with vivid description, turning simple observations of market stalls and schoolboys into a charming meditation on history’s layers.
The piece balances scholarly footnotes about the obscure Saint Lucius with the everyday rhythm of a place seemingly frozen in time. Readers are invited to share the narrator’s idle curiosity, feeling the cool mountain air and hearing the soft murmur of the stream as he ponders whether the town’s past might ever stir awake. It’s a gentle, slightly eccentric travel essay that celebrates the beauty of stillness while hinting at the deeper stories hidden behind the town’s tranquil façade.
Language
en
Duration
~11 hours (669K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Credits
Produced by Donald Lainson; David Widger
Release date
May 22, 2006
Rights
Public domain in the USA.

1811–1863
Best known for Vanity Fair, he wrote sharp, funny novels that exposed the ambitions and pretenses of Victorian society. He was also an illustrator, and his books often mix satire with an unexpectedly warm understanding of human weakness.
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by William Makepeace Thackeray

by William Makepeace Thackeray

by William Makepeace Thackeray

by William Makepeace Thackeray

by William Makepeace Thackeray

by William Makepeace Thackeray

by William Makepeace Thackeray

by William Makepeace Thackeray