tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">79


CHAP. VI.
At Avalon—Public Promenades—Number of Beggars—Villages and
Country Houses more numerous in Vine than in Corn Countries-Farming
in this District—Land Tax and Customs of Descent—Dijon—A large
and handsome City—Its Public Buildings—Company in the Diligence
increased by the Arrival of two French Officers—Their Political
Opinions—Advantage of the Diligence—Arrival at Dole—Battle near
Auxonne—Genlis—Poligny—Vin d'Arbois—Woods but without
Birds—Moray—English Breakfast—Resemblance to North
Wales—Magnificent View of the Lake of Geneva—Excellent Roads made
by Buonaparte—Visit to Ferney—Description of Geneva—View from its
Cathedral—Its Manufactures—Population—Territory—Determination to
visit the Alps; and not to go into Italy
100


CHAP. VII.
Departure for Chamouny—Bonneville—Valley of Cluse—Cascade
d'Arpennas—St. Martin—Extravagant Bill—Proceed on Mules—Their
astonishing Safety—River Arve—Pont de Chèvres—Cascade of
Chede—Extravagance of English Travellers very prejudicial—Lake of
Chede—Servoy and its Mines—Visited by the Empress Maria
Louisa—Glaciers des Bossons—Definition of Glacier—Of the Valley
and Village of Chamouny—Guides—Politics of the Savoyards—State of
Taxation —Ascent of Montanvert—Magnificent and awful Spectacle of
the Mer de Glace—Height of various Mountains, compared with Mont
Blanc—Simile from Pope—Return to Chamouny—Larch and Fir mixed on
these vast Mountains—Their Productions—The Valley continually
threatened with Avalanches
119


CHAP. VIII.
Leave Chamouny—Delightful Situation of Valorsine—Festival
there—Of the Savoyard Peasants—Anecdote from M. de
Saussure—Country difficult to travel through—Trient—Magnificent
View from the Fourcle—The French not so much disliked in the Valais
as their Cruelty deserved—Castle of la
Rathia—Martigny—Unsuccessful Attempt of two English Gentlemen to
ascend Mont Blanc—Less adventurous, we did not ascend Mount St.
Bernard—Cascade of the Pisse Vache—Number of Idiots and Goitrous
Persons in the Valais—Opinion of Mr. Coxe on the Subject—Opinion
of M. de Saussure—St. Maurice—Its strong Position—Roman Bridge
and Antiquities—Passports demanded here—Different Colour of the
Rhone here and at Geneva.
139


CHAP. IX.
Bex—Industry of the Inhabitants of this Country—Their Cottages and
Wandering Lives—Salt Springs—Aigle—Growth of
Corn—Villeneuve—Agitated State of the Lake—Labours of the
Inhabitants often destroyed by the Fall of
Rocks—Chillon—Clarens—Vevay—Magnificent View from its Church—Of
General Ludlow—Lausanne—Its singular Situation—Its Antiquity—Its
Cathedral—View from the Church-yard—Population and
Manufactures—French Manners prevail here—Gibbon—Pope Felix V. a
singular Character—Reformation—Morges—Festivity there—Rolle—Its
Spa—Country Seats—Delightful Scene from the Garden of its Castle
in the Evening—Nyon—Château de Pranqui—Joseph
Buonaparte—Vines—Swiss Artillery—Copet—Anecdote of Md^e. de
Staël—Versoi—Return to Geneva
156


CHAP. X.
On the Introduction of History into Tours—Early Government of
Geneva—Reformation—Alliance with Berne and Zurich—A few Laws
peculiar to Geneva—Theatre—Town Hall—Permission obtained to
reside at Geneva—Lodging procured in Consequence—Fortifications of
Geneva not devoid of Utility—Views from the Ramparts—Maintenance
of the Allied Troops very expensive to Geneva—Regret of the
Genevese at the Destruction of some ancient Avenues by them—Meet a
Person who gives a melancholy Account of the State of Geneva under
the French—State of Society—Fête de Navigation—Dress,
&c.—Epigram by a Prince of
Hesse—Rousseau—Voltaire—Raynal—Remarks of a Savoyard
Peasant—The College of Geneva—The Library—Of Calvin—Water
Works—Society of Arts—Corn Magazine—Churches, Service, &c. at
Geneva.
174


CHAP. XI.
Excursion to the Perte du Rhone—Magnificent Spectacle which it
affords—Rise of the Rhone—Hop Gardens—Malt Liquor badly
made—Climate of Geneva—Of Switzerland in general—Opinion of