Tour Through the Whole Island of Great Britain

work by Defoe

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July 14, 2026

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A Tour Through the Whole Island of Great Britain is a descriptive work by Daniel Defoe, published between 1724 and 1727. This multi-volume text offers a detailed, county-by-county examination of Great Britain, celebrating the nation's progress and commercial vitality. Defoe's extensive curiosity, honed through his diverse career as a novelist, pamphleteer, and journalist, imbues the work with both an antiquarian's interest and a keen enthusiasm for trade and economic development. The Tour draws upon Defoe's firsthand observations from his travels, providing a vivid snapshot of the country during his time.12

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English literature
Defoe
…sustained, for instance, the superb Tour Thro’ the Whole Island of Great Britain (1724–27). This is a vivid county-by-county review and celebration of the state of the nation, which combines an antiquarian’s enthusiasm with a passion for trade and commercial progress. He brought the same diversity of enthusiasms into play…
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…sustained, for instance, the superb Tour Thro’ the Whole Island of Great Britain (1724–27). This is a vivid county-by-county review and celebration of the state of the nation, which combines an antiquarian’s enthusiasm with a passion for trade and commercial progress. He brought the same diversity of enthusiasms into play…
Read More