Jules Verne, the pioneering French science fiction author, had a profound connection with Scotland, which significantly influenced his literary works. His first visit to Scotland was brief, lasting only five days arriving in Edinburgh by train on the 26th August 1859, but it left a lasting impression on him. There is no evidence he met James McLevy but our policeman was patrolling the streets of Edinburgh at that time.

This visit instilled in Verne a lifelong passion for the country, which resonated through his creative imagination and was reflected in his novels with many containing a Scottish character. In his novels, at least 40 Scots appear as major or minor characters, portrayed as aristocrats, mariners, explorers, or tycoons

Verne’s Scottish ancestry, through his mother’s side, dates back to a 15th-century archer, N. Allott, who served King Louis XI of France and was awarded the noble title of ‘de la Fuÿe’. This Scottish heritage contributed to his interest in Scotland’s history and mythology.

During his travels in Scotland, Verne explored various regions, including the majestic city of Edinburgh and the industrial city of Glasgow, as well as the unspoiled beauty of the Highlands and Islands. These experiences provided material for five novels and one novella set wholly or partly in Scotland, such as “The Underground City” and “The Green Ray,” which immortalize Scotland in their pages.

Verne’s second journey to Scotland in 1879, twenty years after his first visit, and after James Mclevy’s death, further deepened his connection with the country. His Scottish novels show how the influence of the country rippled all the way through his life, evoking the history of the land, the rugged scenery, and the enduring spirit of Scotland that remained in his memory and was passionately evoked in his storytelling.

Jules Verne’s affinity for Scotland is a testament to how travel and heritage can profoundly impact an author’s work, inspiring settings and themes that endure in their literature. His Scottish connections are celebrated and remembered for their contribution to his legacy as a writer.

References

• Jules Verne’s Scotland — Luath Press. https://www.luath.co.uk/history/jules-vernes-scotland-in-fact-and-fiction.
• “Les Indes noires”: the Scottish context – Jules Verne. https://www.jules-verne.nl/verniaan/selectie/UitVerniaan51.pdf.
• Jules Verne’s Scotland: In Fact and Fiction – Google Books. https://books.google.com/books/about/Jules_Verne_s_Scotland.html?id=OInYBAAAQBAJ.
• Jules Verne – Yola. https://irvinehistorynotes.yolasite.com/jules-verne.php.
• (Rediscovered: Jules Verne s lost Scotland Caledonian connections are …. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12408912.rediscovered-jules-verne-s-lost-scotland-caledonian-connections-are-restored-in-a-new-translation-of-a-forgotten-novel/.