author
Richard Twiss
1747–1821
A sharp-eyed English traveler and writer, he turned his journeys through Spain, Portugal, Ireland, and revolutionary Paris into lively books that drew plenty of attention in his own time. He also wrote about chess and was known for a curious streak of invention later in life.
1 Audiobook
A Trip to Paris in July and August 1792
by Richard Twiss
About the author
Born in Rotterdam on 26 April 1747 to an English merchant family, Richard Twiss was an English writer whose independent means allowed him to travel widely. He became known for books that mixed observation, anecdote, and opinion, especially his accounts of Spain, Portugal, Ireland, and Paris.
His best-known works include Travels through Portugal and Spain and A Tour in Ireland in 1775. The Ireland book was especially controversial, as its unflattering remarks angered many readers and helped make him a memorable, if not always admired, travel writer. He was also interested in chess and published writing on the game, showing how broad his interests were.
Twiss later wrote about events he witnessed in Paris during the upheavals of the French Revolution. In his final years, he became absorbed in experiments to make paper from old books, manuscripts, and straw, an unusual project that fits his reputation as an energetic and curious man. He died in London on 5 March 1821.