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taste of many of the articles is by no means such as would ensure them a ready sale in London.

There are at Geneva many pleasant circles or societies, who have a common apartment to meet in within the city, where the papers are taken in; and often a garden in the neighbourhood for their recreation. I was introduced to one of these circles, and went to their garden, which was large and well-shaded with walnut trees. I must not take my leave of Geneva without mentioning, that there are few places which afford more of the requisites to a pleasant residence. The walks and rides in its vicinity are very numerous, and abound with interesting prospects. The view of the city from the village of Coligny, on the Savoy side of the lake, is highly impressive. The junction of the rivers Arve and Rhone forms another very fine scene. The waters of the Rhone are at least three times greater than those of the Arve, and are of a transparent blue colour, whilst those of the Arve are of a milky hue, something like the appearance of the Rhone when it first enters the Lake of Geneva, where it leaves the tint it acquired from the mountain-snows and torrents. The Rhone seems for a considerable distance to retire from any amalgamation with the Arve, but at length assumes a less transparent aspect.'

From Geneva, Mr. B. went northwards in the direction of Yverdun; and in his way he beheld, at the village of Lassera, the remarkable sight of the separation of a rivulet into two branches, one of which flows northerly until it falls into the rivers leading to the German ocean, while the other runs into the lake of Geneva, and eventually into the Mediterranean. Though highly gratified with Switzerland, Mr. Bernard remarks that both travelling and house-keeping are more expensive there than in France; it being necessary to import from the latter country an annual supply of provisions, on account of the poverty of the soil in some parts and of the general culture of vines in others. His attention was much attracted by the town of Neufchâtel; which, with its adjacent territory, exhibits a pleasing picture of industry and activity:

The town of Neufchâtel contains between 4 and 5000 inhabitants; it is partly built on a hill, where stand the church and castle, and partly on a plain near the lake, on the borders of which are handsome public walks, and farther improvements are carrying on. The elegant appearance of many of the private houses proves the wealth of their owners.

Neufchâtel is without fortifications, but is in general well built; it is said to present a perspective, resembling, in miniature, the distant view of Naples. The lake is not deep, but seldom freezes, although it is thirty-one toises more elevated than that of Geneva.

The principalities of Neufchâtel and Vallingen are about twelve leagues long, by eight at the broadest part; the soil is far

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from fertile, but the industry of the inhabitants renders it astonishingly productive. Any person having a certificate of his general good conduct may settle here, and enjoy every essential privilege of the native subjects. This is perhaps the only country in Europe exempt from taxes; for the payment of a few sous annually from every householder cannot be considered as a tax. This circumstance lessens our astonishment at the commercial activity which prevails in this little state, the population of which exceeds 40,000. The villages of Chaux de Fond and Locle, with their districts, contain about 600 inhabitants, and furnish annually 40,000 watches in gold and silver, besides clocks. There are also numerous engravers and enamellers. The country is celebrated for its wild beauty; and our excursion, which occupied a day, was pleasant.'

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The state of Neufchâtel is an independent sovereignty, allied with Switzerland; which alliance secures its independence, and every prince, on succeeding to the sovereignty, is obliged to ratify it. The actual government is a mixture of aristocracy and democracy. The sovereignty, which is almost a name, is inalienable and indivisible, and cannot be sold or given to a younger branch of the reigning family, without the consent of the people, -it is hereditary, and a female is capable of inheriting it. The revenues of the sovereign arise from quit-rents, fines, tithes, and the exclusive right of trout-fishing in the autumn; he can, on no pretext whatever, exact any thing additional from the state, and the total of his revenue does not exceed 45,000 francs. The last time when the estates were called upon to decide between a number of claimants for the sovereignty, was in 1707, on the death of the Duchess of Nemours without issue. Most of the claimants came in person to Neufchâtel, or sent ambassadors to support their pretensions. Amongst them were the King of Prussia, Margrave of Baden Dourlach, the Prince of Nassau, the Prince of Condé, the Marquis d'Algers, the Count of Montbeliard, &c. &c. In bestowing the sovereignty on the King of Prussia, care was taken that he should confirm all the doubtful privileges of the people; for it is a fundamental maxim of this little state, "that the sovereignty resides not in the person of the prince, but in the state."

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By the treaty of Tilsit, 1806, this state was severed from Prussia, and given by Bonaparte to Marshal Berthier; but the recent events have restored it to the King of Prussia, and the inhabitants seem to bear the greatest attachment to his Majesty. I saw, in two places, the triumphal arches under which he passed in his late visit to Neufchâtel. It appears probable that this will be acknowledged as a canton by the Swiss Diet, but that the nominal sovereignty of the King of Prussia will be preserved. The chief advantage his Majesty derives from this country is the supply of a great number of recruits to his army. I saw a body of 1,400 soldiers, of excellent appearance, set out on their march for Prussia.

• The

• The Pont de Thiel divides the territories of Berne and Neufchâtel; and it is also the limit of the French language, none of the peasants beyond the bridge being able to answer any questions but in German. However, at all the chief inns, in both Switzerland and Germany, some of the waiters speak French. It is difficult to suppose a more sudden change than presents itself to the traveller on his passing this bridge. The houses, dress, and appearance of the inhabitants all announce that he is arrived in a country differing entirely from France, Savoy, and the Pays de Vaud.

The enormous black crape head-dresses of the women have a most singular effect, as well as their long hair, which reaches half way down their backs, plaited into several divisions. It is said, that in some districts, the females after marriage roll it round their heads. The costume of the men much resembles that of our sailors. Cotton or woollen caps are more worn than hats, as was the custom in England until about the time of Henry the Eighth.

• We sent our baggage by the coach to Berne, and walked three leagues to breakfast at Anet, in German Eis, a large village, pleasantly situated. We observed that the direction posts had a translation into French of the German names, &c.; a precaution very useful on the frontiers of nations speaking two different languages. We found our inn extremely neat, as indeed the inns generally are throughout Switzerland; and that is one great advantage to the traveller which it possesses over France, where it is seldom that good accommodations can be procured at a country inn.'

Occasionally, the author intersperses his pages with comparative calculations relative to the prominent objects that he encountered in his tour, and similar monuments in other countries. When contemplating at Paris the dome of the Hôtel des Invalides, he gives a short statement of the height of other structures, computed in French toises, each equal to nearly six feet five inches English measure:

The highest Pyramid

'Strasburg Cathedral to the top of the vane

St. Peter's at Rome, to the summit of the cross

• Church of the Invalids at Paris to the vane

'St. Paul's Cathedral, London, to the top of the cross

Toises.

77

714

68

54

53'

Again, when traversing the Alps, he makes a comparative

estimate of the height of mountains:

Chimboraco, the highest of the Cordilleras

'Mont Blanc, above the level of the Mediterranean,

according to Sir G. Shuckburgh

Ditto, according to M. de Luc

'Mount Caucasus

'Etna, according to M. de Saussure
'Teneriffe

English Feet.

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20,608

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15,662

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15,3021

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The highest mountain in Scotland is Ben Nevis, 4,337 feet. In Wales, Snowdon, 3,555. In England, Ingleborough, 3,200 feet. In Ireland, Croagh Patrick, 2,666.'

Lastly, when passing in the neighbourhood of Zurich, and making an excursion to that part of the lake which (though near the centre) is reduced by promontories to a very small compass, so as to admit of being traversed by a wooden bridge, he supplies his readers with a short note of the comparative length of other structures of the kind:

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At Zurich, the traveller is greatly mortified on coming into the town and finding that its internal appearance is by no means in correspondence with the beauty of the surrounding scene. Berne, on the other hand, will stand the closest examination, and is in fact one of the few places at which the expectation of a stranger, when excited by a distant prospect, will experience no disappointment on entering the walls:

Berne is deservedly considered as one of the handsomest cities in Europe; it stands on a hill surrounded on two sides by the beautiful stream of the Aar; it is surrounded by higher grounds richly cultivated, and interspersed with woods, whilst the view is terminated by the snowy summits of the Alps.

The chief street is half a league in length. The houses, which are in general uniform, are built of free-stone upon piazzas, and have a stately appearance, and there are several towers which add to the general effect. In the middle of the street runs a rapid stream, and there is sufficient space for two carriages to pass at each side of it. Fountains are also placed at regular distances. The piazzas are flagged and kept extremely neat; but, I should think, that in this climate they must make the houses cold in winter. This was the first place since my departure from London where I found a flagged way for the convenience of pedestrians.

Berne is not a city of very remote antiquity, having been founded in the year 1191. It is 1650 feet above the level of the sea. The fortifications are kept in tolerable order, but from the height of most of the surrounding hills above the city cannot be considered as of much utility. In the trenches are kept several very large stags, and also several bears, there being an annual rent of 1200 livres for their support. This animal is thus favoured, as being the armorial bearing of the city, (to which it gives name,) and these arms are every where to be seen, there being few barns without them. There are many handsome churches in Berne: the

tower

tower of the cathedral is very fine, and it contains many windows of stained glass. The public library is well worth visiting; as is also the botanic garden, which is on a most extensive scale; in it is placed the tomb of the celebrated Haller. I was much struck by the great number of chemists' shops in Berne. The bakers' shops also are very numerous, and the bread is inferior to none in Europe.

A stranger is surprized to see the convicts chained to the carts which are constantly in use to keep the streets clean. I confess the sight displeased me, and this system would not be tolerated in England, where I think there was an attempt to introduce it during the reign of Edward the Sixth. The objects that most pleased me at Berne were the public walks, which are unequalled by any I have ever seen, in respect to their number, extent, and the neatness with which they are kept. The views from some of these walks are quite magnificent; one, in particular, on an eminence beyond the city, which follows the course of the Aar for a long distance, commands a view which can never be forgotten by those who have seen it. The city is a striking object at a distance from the number of its spires; but although, from the spaciousness of its streets, it covers a good deal of ground, yet it is by no means populous, the inhabitants being only 11,500, but there are no mendicants. The public roads in the Canton of Berne are kept in excellent order, and every thing indicates the activity of the administration.'

Before visiting Switzerland, I had often felt surprize on considering the great variety of states which subsist in a country of such comparatively limited extent: but I no longer felt that astonishment, when I saw how completely many of the Cantons are divided from each other by chains of mountains, and how greatly their inhabitants differ in their dress, manners, and religion. In one day, in the cantons of Berne, Lucerne, and Zug, I saw three perfectly distinct modes of dress; and the enormous sleeves and crape head dresses of Berne, compared with the large flat hats and short petticoats of Lucerne, are as totally different costumes as could be supposed to prevail in two of the most remote countries. The political divisions of Switzerland are almost as numerous as its geographical; and there are few countries where more diversities of opinion prevail, respecting the means of securing that liberty which is the boast of its inhabitants.'

The farther progress of Mr. B. was made by Schaffhausen, Tubingen, Stuttgard, Heidelberg, Manheim, Frankfort, Mentz, Coblentz, and Cologne. He was delighted with the rich vineyards of Hockheim, and struck with awe by the lofty mountain of Ehrenbretstein, but could not, amid all this magnificence of view, forbear to regret the want of those cheerful country-seats which enliven the borders of an English river. Leaving the Rhine at Cologne, where the romantic scenery terminates, he brought his journey to a close by returning through Liege, Brussels, Lisle, and Calais. Our

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