The narrative follows the clergyman Yorick as he navigates a series of encounters across France and Italy, prioritizing emotional and sensory impressions over traditional travel documentation.

Yorick, a sensitive and often impulsive protagonist, seeks to experience the human condition through fleeting interactions with strangers rather than visiting historical monuments. His progress is frequently interrupted by his own internal musings, sentimental reactions, and the logistical complications of 18th-century European travel. The narrative framework is highly non-linear and digressive, utilizing a first-person perspective that emphasizes the subjective nature of experience. The world is defined by the social hierarchies and cultural norms of the Enlightenment era, which Yorick often navigates with a mix of irony and genuine empathy.

Readers and critics frequently highlight the work's departure from the rigid travelogues common to the 18th century. Discussion often centers on the author's innovative use of irony and the deliberate fragmentation of the prose to mirror the erratic nature of human thought. Many observers note that the book functions more as a character study of the narrator than a factual account of the regions visited. The balance between humor and genuine sentiment remains a primary point of analysis for scholars examining the development of the novel form. Readers often appreciate the wit and stylistic playfulness that distinguish this text from more conventional narratives of the period.