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SARNA /TH E LITERARY CONTRIBUTIONS OF NOAH
1 91
ments in the all-too-rare interstices between political caucases
and journalistic deadlines. Others, he thought, had done better.6
HIS TRAVELS
Noah’s most significant contribution to American letters was
his book o f travels, published in 1819. The volume was conceived
while Noah was serving as American consul to Tunis, a post he
received in 1813. “I am taking notes for writing a Book . . .,” he
informed his friend David Bailie Warden in 1815, “I wish to add
my poor mite to,the store o f American literature.”7 By the time
the book appeared, however, it had taken on an additional func
tion. Soon after writing to Warden, Noah found himself recalled
home for reasons — among them “the religion which you pro
fess” — which he considered to be grossly unjust. In part, at least,
he used his book, “as a work o f explanation and defence.”8
Travels
in England, France, Spain, and the Barbary States
is thus a mixture o f
travelogue and apologia. The first book o f its kind by an Ameri
can diplomat, it won considerable acclaim and went through at
least two editions.
Noah’s travelogue included all the standard motifs o f the
genre: injury on the road, a near robbery, and lusty moments o f
embarrassment. Noah rendered typical judgements on each o f
the countries he visited. England, he felt, should be considered a
“permanent enemy,” ever eager “to check our progress or mar
our national prosperity.” France, on the other hand, left not a
single unfavorable impression: “no circumstance . . . served to
lower the respect which is generally entertained towards this
country and its inhabitants.” As for Spain, he was very critical o f
its “indolence” and “prejudices.” He urged the country to “toler
ate all religions, [to] call back the Moors and Jews,” and to free
her South American colonies. These were all regular Jefferso
nian sentiments and probably evoked no surprise from readers.9
What did distinguish Noah’svolume from other contemporary
works o f its type was the attention devoted to Jewish affairs.
6 Ibid, p. 115; Sarna,
Jacksonian Jew,
pp. 6-8, 12-13, 47-51.
7 Noah to David B. Warden (February 10, 1815), Warden Papers, Library o f
Congress.
8 Mordecai M. Noah,
Travels in England, France, Spain and theBarbary States
(New
York, 1819), p. iv.
9 Ibid, pp. 58, 125, 241.