required very little penetration to see through the young profligate with whom she had been weak enough to unite herself. Such marriages are but too common in Switzerland, since certain portions of the country have become the resort of rich, idle and unprincipled people from the great cities.

We had dancing in the evening, when a young Russian gentleman played the piano forte, and the widow, in most picturesque costume, waltzed and Polka'd with all the gentlemen in turn. After she was tired, the young men brought in the house-maids, in full Bernese dress, and danced with them-a custom of the country, we were told, but the aspect of the thing soon grew unpleasing to us, and we withdrew.

Another evening amusement was the playing and singing of some blind people, under the windows. Their music was sweet but melancholy. The singing of several Swiss songs, by a man who imitated a woman's voice and style of singing to perfection, was most wonderful, and would have been delightful too, if we had not known the reality. It became painful from the idea of great effort. He used so well the male and female voice alternately, we had at first supposed there were several performers.

There was an exhibition of conjuring-tricks, in a grove near one of the hotels, where we saw paving-stones split by a blow of the fist, and many other things equally wonderful. The artist was assisted by his wife-a woman who looked too good for the mortifying office of carrying round the hat for contributions. The company, made up of deputations from the several hotels-was seated on benches placed in a hollow square on the grass; the gen

tlemen smoking quite at ease. The poor conjurer did not make a great deal of money, but I shall always believe that he did actually split the paving-stones, with his clenched hand, guarded only by a pocket handkerchief carefully wound about it. I am one of the spectators whom such magicians love. The collections were pitiably small, and the company the dullest looking people that could be.

There are a few rather tempting shops, at Interlachen, where Swiss wooden ware of the most exquisite delicacy and grace, and beautiful things in agate, cornelian, chalcedony, and other rich materials, are to be had, and generally at moderate prices. We go in to look, and remain to buy. It is necessary to keep constantly in mind the disadvantage of adding to one's luggage, and the annoyance of custom-house exactions on all these pretty things; for the spending of no great amount of money in them may involve one in a good deal of unexpected expense and trouble.

THUN.

AUG. 2.—An expressive and exquisitely finished miniature of all Switzerland-the very ideal of Swiss scenery brought into the smallest possible compass-is found here, in this lake and town of Thun, whither we have come this blessed morning from Interlachen. The drive from that spoiled Paradise to this Paradise not yet spoiled, (as we can see,) is very pleasant, especially when

far as

we came by the side of that great river, or whatever the rushing, brimming, laughing, tumbling water may be called that connects Thun with Brientz, exploitée in all sorts of ways by the inhabitants. On the borders of the lake we found a little steamer lying, with no passengers, almost, and an air of perfect leisure. The captain sat smoking on the deck, and a great dog was chained near the stern. The appointed hour had already passed, but there seemed no idea of setting out. In a little while the steamer moved, apparently of her own accord, and we went lounging down the lake, with full opportunity to admire the lovely shores. Before many minutes, however, the wind freshened, and being quite in our teeth, soon made such a pother that there was no longer any pleasure on deck. The awning was taken down, and I was fain to retreat to the dreary cabin, where with a Bible for my pillow I went quietly to sleep, leaving more devoted worshippers of the picturesque to "pursue the triumph and partake the gale."

I crept out again as we neared the landing at Thun, and perhaps the delight of that view, fresh as it seemed after the rest my eyes and senses had enjoyed, was quite as great in amount as could have been gathered by the attention of the whole voyage. Looking back from Thun, the Jungfrau, the Finster Aarhorn, Eigher and Monch are all visible-white, oh! how white-in the splendid sunshine, and in contrast with the green hills below, and the deep blue lake just ruffled by the wind. The town itself is beautiful, unique; the narrow approach to it, through which the boat floats slowly, is sown with flowers to the water's edge. A new castellated villa building for some

lucky banker; pretty gardens, with vines and arbors; meadows with herds feeding; fishing-boats with their quaint tackle; and peasant maidens fit to be framed at once- -O Thun, who can ever forget thee!

We dined at a great empty hotel, placed like a summer-house, in the midst of a garden; our only companions at table being an old gentleman that looked like a superannuated ecclesiastic, and talked with the hard worldly shrewdness of a thorough man of the world, and a Scotchman, shrewd enough, but plainer and I should think worthier. The dinner was a formal, rather melancholy affair, for the diminution of travel leaves hotel-keepers and their satellites in no great spirits. After dinner we went exploring, and ascending a commanding height, tried to get into a beautiful old castle (700 years old say the books,) but could not, the prefêt or some equally important public functionary having taken up his abode there. But at the top of the long flights of stone steps by which we had climbed to this stronghold, we found an old church, locked up in the churlish Protestant fashion, but surrounded by a grave-yard beautifully kept as a garden, with shrubbery and flowers. Here we roamed about awhile, the sacristan following us with most amusing pertinacity, fearing we should be inclined to trespass on his rose-buds. When he was obliged to turn his eyes away for a few moments, his wife, armed with her spectacles and knitting-needles, mounted guard in his stead. The edge of this pretty enclosure overlooks the castle wall, and two of the outer towers or bastions are converted into summer-houses, or pavilions, from which to enjoy the prospect. They overlook the town and the

lake, and all the delicious features of the view. I was sorry to see the carriage, with F.'s vulgar face, waiting at the foot of the steep for us.

We rode to Berne in three hours, through a road that would be called charming anywhere else, but which seemed tame after the Alps. The hills faded away gradually on each side, until the scenery was more like Italy than Switzerland, perhaps more like that of New England than either. At last we came down upon Berne, which seems to have slipped from the table land into a hollow, through sheer dullness and want of taste.

BERNE

BERNE would not, perhaps, be considered by all travellers as the ugliest of towns; but as I try my best to tell the truth, and to give, as Eothen says, my real impressions, "and not those which would be experienced by any well-constituted mind," I must needs call it so. It has a Dutch ugliness,-the last superlative. The houses are of stone, and well built; but where pillars are required the Bernese put buttresses, sloping outward to the ground, in an Egyptian, tomb-like style, very displeasing to the eye in glancing up a long street. Then the fountains, which, being abundant, ought to beautify the place, are a positive deformity and annoyance, from the hideous images which crown them, and the coarse mode in which they dispense their waters. Not one in the whole place. has an effort at decoration which is not worse than no