The Rhine, 1842
Original title: Le Rhin, Lettres à un Ami
In 1838, 1839 and 1840, Hugo made trips to the Rhineland, accompanied by Juliette. He was fascinated by the German landscape and reported home to Adèle on a daily basis, flavoring his thoughts with illustrations. She was to save these reports for reference in future projects. The Rhine, published in 1842, contained legends, images and dreams, ending with a political vision added in 1841 - Hugo suggested a solution to the problem in relations between France and Germany. It is however mainly a travel book, although not in the form of the modern ones we're used to. And when it was translated into English, the political ending had been left out.
Hugo's Rhine trips also inspired him to write the play The Burgraves, finished in 1843
