In the 19th century a growing number of Europeans and Americans travelled to Egypt. Some came here as early tourists, others for various reasons stayed a longer period of time in the country. Often enough they kept contact with familiy and friends back in Europe and America by writing letters. Some of those letters are well known and popular like those by Florence Nightingale. This website is devoted to the lesser known examples.

Lucie Duff Gordon

Lucie, Lady Duff-Gordon (1821–1869) was an English author and translator who wrote under the name Lucie Gordon. She is best known for her Letters from Egypt, 1863–1865 (1865) and Last Letters from Egypt (1875). In Egypt, she settled in Luxor, where she learned Arabic and wrote many letters to her husband and her mother about her observations of Egyptian culture, religion and customs.

William Arnold Bromfield

William Arnold Bromfield (1801–1851), was an English botanist. In September 1850 he embarked for the East, and spent some time in Egypt, penetrating as far as Khartoum; he returned to Cairo in the following June, after an absence of seven months. His letters were published in 1856, five years after his death in Damascus.

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