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Extract

From 1831 Andersen began to travel widely in Europe and soon realised that his reputation as a writer of fairy stories, plays and novels was more firmly established abroad than in his native Denmark...

However, given to hypochondria and inclined to fuss about things like arrangements for his morning shave, he was clearly not an easy guest...

Perhaps it was the thought of leaving all this behind which made Andersen view the Royal Oak in such a jaundiced way...