Rollo in Naples

At twelve, Rollo takes an interest in the streets and customs of Italy while his uncle Mr. George studies paintings and sculpture. Their stay in Florence introduces the vetturino, a carriage owner who can arrange a visitor's transport, hotels and meals. Jacob Abbott pauses the action to explain this practical system and the small jars of hot embers that people carry for warmth. These everyday details give the children's travel story much of its character.

Naples, Vesuvius and Pompeii provide the book's wider setting for sightseeing and lessons in conduct. During a mountain outing, the party stops at the Hermitage for refreshments while Philippe prepares the next stage of the ascent. Rollo and Josie continue on donkeys, Mrs. Gray and Rosie use carrying chairs, and Mr. George walks. For readers interested in older accounts of travel, the story offers a child's view of local habits alongside close attention to the arrangements that make an excursion possible.