xxxvi § 13.- Objects most deserving of Notice in Switzerland.

The design of this enumeration is to spare the traveller a long walk, or a day's journey, to see a fall, probably inferior to others which he has already seen.

The principal and most interesting of the Swiss Alpine Passes (see 15) are the Simplon, the St. Gothard, the Splügen, and the Bernardin, regarding at once their scenery, and the magnificent and skilfully constructed carriage-roads which have been made over them. Of passes not traversed by carriage-roads, the most striking, in point of scenery, are those of the Monte Moro and Cervin, between the Vallais and Piedmont; the Tête Noire and Col de Balme, leading to Chamouni; the Grimsel, Furca, and the Gries, branching off at the head of the valley of the Rhone; the Gemmi, one of the most singular of all the passes; and the Great St. Bernard, chiefly visited on account of its celebrated Hospice.

Alpine Gorges.-Especially deserving of notice are some of the avenues leading up to these passes; in many instances mere cracks, or fissures, cleaving the mountains to the depth of several thousand feet.

None of these defiles at all approach the Ravine of the Via Mala, one of the most sublime and terrific scenes anywhere among the Alps. The gorge of the Schöllenen, on the St. Gothard; that of Gondo, on the Simplon; and that extraordinary glen, in whose depths the Baths of Pfeffers are sunk one of the most wonderful scenes in Switzerland' also deserve mention.

The most beautiful Swiss Valleys are those of Hasli, near Meyringen; the Simmenthal; the Vale of Sarnen; the Kanderthal; the Vallée de Gruyères, and Ormonds, or Pays d'en Haut Romand

all distinguished for their quiet pastoral character, and the softness and luxuriance of their verdure. And here it may be remarked that the traveller in Switzerland must not suppose that beauty of scenery is confined to the High Alps: the Jura, and the intermediate undulating country, which, though still greatly elevated above the sea, may be called the Lowlands, in reference to the Highlands of Switzerland, abound in peculiar and unobtrusive beauties - hills tufted with woods, among which picturesque masses of bare rock project at intervals, slopes bursting with rills, and meadows which, by the aid of copious irrigation, yield three crops of grass a-year, presenting at all seasons a carpet of the liveliest verdure, and of a texture like velvet, equal to that of the best-kept English lawns; such are the beauties of these lowland scenes. The frequent hedgerows, the gardens before the cottages, and the neatness of the dwellings the irregular, winding roads, free from the straight monotony and everlasting avenues of France and Germany - remind one frequently of England. There are, besides, among the Jura, many scenes of great grandeur; such, especially, is presented by the Val Moutiers, or Münster Thal, between Basle and Bienne; the pass of Klus, at the foot of the Ober-Hauenstein. The Lac de Joux.

§ 13. Objects most deserving of Notice in Switzerland. xxxvii:

With regard to the natural beauties of Switzerland, there can be but one sentiment of admiration. On the subject of the moral condition of the Swiss, and of their character as a nation, there is much greater variety of opinion, though the larger portion of impartial witnesses will concur in a low and unfavourable estimate of them.

The favourable anticipations awakened by historical associations in the mind of the traveller, as he approaches the land of Tell and Winkelried, are wofully falsified, for the most part, on arriving upon the spot. If he take the trouble to inquire into the political state of the country, he will find a Government almost powerless, a confederacy without unity, split into parties by dissentient religious and opposing political interests, and nearly every canton either torn by contending factions, or actually split into two, and as much dissevered as though it consisted of two separate states. Patriots are scarce in the land of Tell; and that combination of petty republics which, while firmly united, not only withstood the shocks of foreign invasion, secure in its mountain-fastnesses, but shattered and annihilated the apparently overwhelming armaments of Austria and Burgundy, not in one battle, but on almost every occasion when opposed to them, must now submit to be propped up by its neighbours; and, as a necessary consequence, must endure and stomach the diplomatic insults which are constantly heaped upon it.

The poverty of the land, its slight capabilities for improvements, its deficiency of resources in proportion to the extent of its population, have given rise to that venality of character which has passed into a proverb; a reproach by no means removed, even in the present day. Notwithstanding their long enjoyment of liberty and free institutions, in spite of the glorious examples of their history, we do not find the nation actuated by that independence and nobleness of sentiment which might be expected. On the contrary, a spirit of time-serving and a love of money appear the influencing motives in the national character, and the people who have enjoyed freedom longer than any other in Europe, are principally distinguished for fighting the battles of any master, however tyrannical, who will buy their services; for sending forth the most obsequious and drudging of valets; for extortionate innkeepers; and, among the lower class of Swiss, for almost universal mendicity: for to beg appears to be regarded as no degradation, and is taught by parents to their children less from necessity than as a sort of speculation. The Tyrolese, the neighbours of the Swiss, and their partners in the same cold climate and unproductive Alpine region, exhibit a remarkable contrast to them in this and other respects.

It is more pleasing to dwell on another result of Swiss poverty, viz., the impulse it has given to commercial industry and manufactures. The natural disadvantages of an inland country, into which the raw material must be conveyed, almost exclusively on the axle, over snowy passes, and by long journeys, have been overcome; and in the excellence of her manufactured articles Switzerland competes with England, while she often surpasses her in cheapness.

The demoralizing effect produced upon the Swiss by the great

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13. Switzerland; the Country and People. influx of travellers into their country, is explained in the following temperate and judicious remarks from Latrobe's 'Alpenstock':

"It cannot be denied that the character of the majority of the Swiss peasantry, whose habitations are unfortunately in the neighbourhood of the main routes of travellers, or of the particular points of interest to which they lead, is most contemptible; that in such parts it is not only vain to expect to find those simple and guileless manners which in time past were associated with the name of the inhabitants of these mountains, but that even common morality is out of the question. There is a disposition in the majority of those who have been at all exposed to temptation to take advantage of the ignorance of travellers, to make the most exorbitant demands, and to go to the greatest possible length in the system of extortion and deception. Even in those parts of the country where the open profligacy of the cases brought before them has excited the attention and provoked the surveillance of the magistrates, and where, in consequence, a kind of just price has been set upon various arti cles, opportunities are always greedily seized upon to turn a dishonest penny, when it can be done without serious risk.

"This the writer knows to be unquestionably the fact; yet he must candidly add, what he also knows from observation, that the absurd conduct and unreasonable folly of travellers have strengthened the spring of this dishonest propensity in a very great degree: and while many a just complaint has been made against the extortion of those with whom the traveller must come in contact, many an unreasonable accusation has also been preferred, under circumstances which would not allow the plaintiff to make his case good. An individual who is satisfied, while travelling in a country like this, to identify himself as much as possible with the people among whom he is thrown-who is contented with the general style of living, with the produce of the country, and, more especially, with the customary hours of eating and sleeping, has certainly reason to complain, if the mere circumstance of his being a stranger is deemed a sufficient apology for making him the object of unprincipled spoliation and imposition.

But if the travellers be of another mind and order-if they pass through the country, as hundreds do, with their eyes shut to the style and manners of the people and difference of their habits from our own, and intent upon keeping up their usual style of corporeal indulgence as much as possible-such have not the same reason in their complaints; which is a lesson many have had to learn, by the refusal of the magistrate to interfere in the quarrel, or by having a verdict given against them.

"I have seen a party of English arrive at a mountain cabaret at nightfall, when the host and his family would, in the usual course of things, have been thinking of their beds; they order dinner, and insist upon having flesh, fish, or fowl, foreign wines and liqueurs, just as though they were at the Star and Garter at Richmond; abuse the master and the domestics, dine at eight or nine, and sit over their cheer till past midnight. Mine host can put up with a

$ 13.- Switzerland; the Country and People. xxxix

good deal of extra trouble, with no small quantity of abuse, and will stay up all night with considerable temper, because he knows he can make them pay for it in hard money.

"The next morning, as might be anticipated, he hands in a bill of nearly as many dollars as they had expected francs, without doubt exorbitant and overcharged, but at any rate there are plausible excuses for this exorbitancy.

"The host will shrug his shoulders, in answer to their ill-expressed and angry expostulation, and merely say, that the gentlemen must not expect to have articles which, however plentiful in towns, are luxuries on the mountains, without paying well for them.

"The worst is that, little by little, the show of justice that there once existed, and the distinction which was made between the individual who gave no trouble, and was contented with what entertainment was easily provided, and those last described, is fast waning away; and to be a foreigner is sufficient to excite the plundering propensities of mine host and his coadjutors. He has frequently a regular system to pursue, according as the visitor announced is an Englishman, a Frenchman, or a German. The latter obtains the most grace in his eyes, and pays perhaps only ten or twenty per cent.; the Frenchman must ex-pocket something more in consideration of his polish and politeness, and the old grudge borne him for past events; and the poor Englishman may esteem himself very happy if, after partaking of the same fare, he finds himself desired to lay down a sum which only excites his surprise and keeps him on the grumble for the next three miles, and does not at once make him fly into a passion and get a prejudice for life against everything Swiss.

"And it is not only those parts of the country through which the great stream of travellers sets that they have by this means become degraded: the fame of these doings has gone abroad throughout the greater part of the whole community, and very few are the retired corners where you do not detect more or less of this dishonourable bent in the lower orders, if any way exposed to temptation.

"But it is not only in this point that the moral character of the common people is debased. It will not be a matter of wonder that the present Swiss peasantry as a nation cannot longer be supposed to be the simple, virtuous, patriarchal race, that their forefathers were. It is evident, from the perusal of their history, that the deterioration had been steady and gradual for some time previous to the close of the last century; and that nothing contributed more to it than that system of foreign military service which, it would appear, had become necessary to the existence of the community.

"Then the overpowering deluge of the French Revolution swept over the Jura, and gave accelerated impulse to the downward current of moral feeling in every rank of society in this unhappy country.

"What evil influence this had at the time upon the principles of the people in general, as well as the virtue of families and individuals, it would now be a difficult and ungrateful task to decide.

xl § 13.

Switzerland; the Country and People.

Much of that evil may at this time be supposed to have been already obviated; yet, now that the waters of that fearful political phenomenon have retired, we may still see left behind the scum and the mud with which their polluted stream was heavily charged.

"I have not been in the Oberland for years,' is an expression I have heard time after time from worthy natives; and the reason is perfectly comprehensible. A true lover of his country may well grieve over the dishonour and the loss of moral feeling in Switzerland, and avoid going where he must be constantly reminded of its downfall."-p. 324-328.

Another point to be considered, in reference to the condition of the people, is, the influence of the Roman Catholic religion in those cantons where it prevails. And here it may be observed, that the least enlightened portions of the country at present are the Vallais, Uri, Unterwalden, Schwytz, Tessin, a large part of the Bernese Oberland, and the Grisons. In passing from a Catholic to a Protestant canton, the traveller will scarcely fail to remark a striking change. Yet, in his comments thereon, let him bear in mind the charitable and meek precept, so beautifully conveyed in the following verses, composed in one of the Catholic cantons of Switzerland :

We are so accustomed to look upon Switzerland as "the land of liberty," that the generality of travellers will take the thing for granted; and it is only after diving to a certain depth in Swiss annals, that the question arises, what was the nature of this freedom, and how far was it calculated to foster nobility of sentiment and public spirit among the people? Was the abolition of the Austrian dominion succeeded by a more equitable government, extending to