INTRODUCTION

In the summer of 1826 Malthus took a holiday in Scotland accompanied by his wife (Harriet), daughter (Emily) and son (Henry, or Hal). His diaries of the Scottish tour and of tours to Northern Europe in 1799, to Scotland in (probably) 1810, and to Europe in 1825 were made available to researchers by Robert Malthus in 1961 and published in 1966, edited by Patricia James; but it was not until the discovery of the manuscripts in the estate of Robert Malthus that it was realised that Malthus' wife had also kept a diary of the Scottish tour. For most days her diary entries are more detailed than Malthus' – the exception being when Malthus gives information on local economic conditions – and provide a fuller picture of people met and places visited. Harriet's diary also contains ten ink sketches (some incomplete) of Scottish scenes. Harriet's artistic leanings are also evident in the drawings (including one thought to be of her future husband) contained in her journal of the European tour of 1802 (see Hashimoto 1990).

The editing and publication of Harriet Malthus' diary have been greatly assisted by the introduction and notes made by Patricia James in her 1966 edition of Malthus' diary, here republished beside Harriet's to facilitate comparison. The map in James' edition (p.259) showing the route of the Scottish tour is also reproduced below.