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YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

From the Library of
WILLIAM M. ODOM

LETTERS

ABSENT BROTHER;

CONTAINING

SOME ACCOUNT OP A TOUR

THROUGH PARTS OF

THE NETHERLANDS, SWITZERLAND,
NORTHERN ITALY, AND FRANCE,

IN THE SUMMER OF 1823.

BY
DANIEL WILSON, M. A.
VICAR OF ISLINGTON, AND LATE MINISTER OF ST. JOHN'S,
BEDFORD ROW.

IN TWO VOLUMES.
VOL. I.

THIRD EDITION,
VERY CONSIDERABLY ENLARGED.

LONDON :
PRINTED FOR GEORGE WILSON,
ESSEX STREET, STRAND.
1825.

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Printed by S. Gosneli., Little Queen Street, Holborn, London.

PREFACE

SECOND EDITION.

The following pages comprise some par
ticulars of a Tour from Calais through the
Netherlands to Cologne; thence up the
Rhine to Schaffhausen; through Switzer
land to Geneva; thence by Chamouny, to
Milan and Turin ; returning by Lyon and
Paris to England.
The reader must not expect in these
Letters any thing of the studied and mi
nute details of a regular tourist. The
author makes no such pretensions. He
travelled as an invalid and as a clergy
man, after a life spent in theological pur
suits, and his attention was most strongly
a 2

IV PREFACE TO THE
directed to the beauties of nature, and to
inquiries into subjects connected with mo
rals and religion. His Letters are also the
unpremeditated effusions of the moment,
giving the first impressions made upon his
mind by the scenes through which he
passed, and by the information afforded
him by the pious and learned persons to
whom he was introduced. The facts which
he records illustrative of the superstitions
of Popery or the indifference of Protest
antism, of the moral and social condition
of the inhabitants of different countries,
and of the estimate formed of spiritual
and vital Christianity, he simply describes
as they fell under his own observation.
Perhaps he expresses himself with more
surprise than the reader would expect on
some occasions, from his previous recluse
habits. Every thing was new to a stran
ger emerging from his study to travel for
the first time in foreign lands.

SECOND EDITION. V
Some reasons may naturally be required
for the publication of Letters so devoid of
the ordinary claims to attention. The
simple truth is, that having been ordered
to travel abroad for his health last sum
mer, he was accompanied by his family
and an old college friend. On their arriva]
at Calais, his companion and his sons be
gan to keep journals of their tour. From
this attempt, his state of health exempted
him. When the time, however, arrived
for sending despatches to England, most
of the party being engaged with their
journals, he was unanimously requested to
write the first Letter. A similar reason
offered itself at each succeeding post; and
thus the author became, without the slight
est previous intention, the English corres
pondent. He was encouraged to proceed
by the accounts which he received from
home, of the pleasure which his hasty
sketches afforded to the absent members

vi PREFACE TO THE
of his family. He had soon a letter al
ways in hand; and some of the journals
gradually fallitfg into arrear, his series of
communications was altttost the only re
cord of the journey. By degrees, also, his
health and spirits improved, and he took a
livelier interest in his task, and executed
it more in detail. He was, in conse
quence, not at all aware of the length of
his correspondence, till he Saw it collected
together on -his return.
In this totally unprepared and confi
dential manner Were these Letters written.
The author' communicated his first ideas
of all he saw, and his opinions on various
subjects, without the slightest suspicion
that his Letters would be communicated
beyond his own family.
When he returned to England, he
found, to his utter surprise, that they had

SECOND EDITION. Vli
been read by a considerable circle of
friends* who were pleased to express them
selves gratified with the facts he had col
lected, and with the account of the state
of religion abroad. They soon became
importunate with him to allow a few copies
to be printed for private circulation. They
admitted, indeed, that such free commu
nications might not be fit for the public
eye; but maintained, that no inconve
nience could arise from a private edition
of them. After much delay, and with
extreme reluctance, the author yielded
to this importunity. And the consequence,
which perhaps he ought to have antici
pated, has followed ; he finds himself com
pelled to consent to the present publica
tion. The copies of the Letters have been,
in fact, so widely circulated, as to make
further concealment fruitless, if not im
possible.

Vlll PREFACE TO THE
In the meantime, the author has re
ceived from various friends on whose judg
ment he has been accustomed to rely, en
couraging opinions as to the work itself.
They have stated to him, that such a pub
lication could scarcely fail of being ac
ceptable to a large class of readers, who
prefer a simple and unadorned narrative
of such a journey, to the elaborate and
studied productions of a more professed
tourist. If the public should judge that this
opinion is founded in truth, the author
will have less reason to regret the strong
necessity to which only he was disposed to
yield. The alterations and additions which he
has made in carrying the work through the
press, are not inconsiderable. The Letters

SECOND EDITION. IX
are substantially the same; but many of
the domestic occurrences and personal
allusions are omitted, a few inaccuracies
are corrected, and some additional facts
and illustrations are introduced; so that
the general effect is, as the author hopes,
strengthened and improved. He has also
inserted a few explanatory Notices, and
has closed the series with a new Letter,
comprising some general reflections on the
whole tour.
There may, after all, be considerable
difference of opinion as to the expediency
of the present publication. The author
confesses that it does not appear to him to
be inconsistent with the character of a
minister of religion to publish a familiar,
and even imperfect, account of a tour,
rendered indispensable by indisposition, if
the tendency of it is to assist the English
Protestant to associate religious and moral

X PREFACE TO THE
ends with the pursuit of health or improve
ment in foreign travels.
The motive, however,, which deter
mined him to yield without further delay to
the necessity above adverted to, was, that
a Jong state of painful infirmity haid laid
him aside from all 'public duties, an»d that,
i-ii giving a : corrected editions of the follow^
'itij* Letters, he thought he should be filling
up, not altogether unprofitably, the hours
of languor and suffering, and be perhaps
" occupying with his single talent" as an
invalid, at a time when he could not be
nlore actively employed as a minister of
the Gospel. He considered, besides, that
if the Serious cast of his work should prove
beneficial to any of his countrymen tra
velling abroad, he should not be really
chargeable with deserting, in the pub
lication of it, his appropriate sphere of
duty.

SECOND EDITION. XI
He therefore commends this little
work, with all its imperfections, to the
blessing of God, the giver of all good ;
without whom the most elaborate pro
duction must fail of any salutary effect;
but whose approbation can prosper even
the humblest effort to honour him, and to
promote the welfare of mankind.
April 20, 1824.

PREFACE

THIRD EDITION.

The author has to acknowledge, with much
gratitude, the unexpected and rapid sale
of his small work. In preparing a new
edition of it for the press, he has employed
all the leisure he could command, in cor
recting such inaccuracies as have been
pointed out to him by others, or have oc
curred to his own mind. He has also
aimed at rendering his Letters somewhat
less unworthy of public attention, by in
serting some additional incidents and con
versations which he thought might have a
beneficial tendency. With the same view
he has offered several further reflections

XIV PREFACE TO THE
on subjects connected with religion and
morals. ;ir». Oft' «[
The work, however, though very consi
derably enlarged, and, as he trusts, im
proved, still remainsfor substance the same;
and he has the greatest need to cast himself
on the candour of the reader for that indul
gence, which the circumstances detailed
in the preface to the second editipn — and
which his more intimate friends know to
be minutely true — may seem to , warrant.
Had the author entertained the slightest sus
picion that his correspondence wpuld ever
have been published, he should have dis-
pqse4 of much of his time abroad in a man
ner very different from what he did. He
now regrets a variety of opportunities for in
formation of which he failed to avail himself
— rbut he does not know whether he ought to
say he regrets this — for the truth is, that if
any apprehension had crossed his mind that

THIRD EDITION. XV
bis familiar Letters would have been forced
before the tribunal of the public, he never
should, he never could, have written them
at all. He is aware that they can furnish
but little instruction to the intelligent tra
veller. If they are in any measure inte
resting to that far larger class of persons-r-
especially young persons— who have either
not visited the Continent at all, or have
not read much on the countries through
which they have passed, it is more than
he can reasonably desire. Other readers
must Jbe referred to the professed tourist,
or the writers on Geography and History.
If the peculiar circumstances, then,
under which these slight Letters were
written, and the class of readers for whom
they are designed, be borne in mind, the
author is not aware that any further ob
servations, in the way of preface, are now
necessary. But as he can scarcely look for

XVI PREFACE TO THE
such an exercise of candour generally, he
will just remark, that the abruptness of
his style in passing on from subject to sub
ject, and the familiarity with which the
solemn topics of religion may seem, in con
sequence of this, to be sometimes treated,
is almost the unavoidable result of such
an unpremeditated work, He has, in
deed, taken considerable pains in the pre
sent edition to omit expressions of too col
loquial a cast, and to soften the rapidity o^
the transitions where the subject of religion
was even incidentally introduced. |5ut he
is far from being sure that he has suc
ceeded. The Letters were penned with
the utmost precipitation, and in entire
confidence ; and as they were often ten or
twelve days in hand, and embrace a mul
titude of diversified subjects, it is scarcely
possible to remove what some readers may
consider an undue conjunction and admix
ture of topics. In this respect he is far

THIRD EDITION. XVU
from standing on his defence. He may
also have frequently erred in other respects
against the laws of good taste in writing —
and he has no doubt he has so erred. All
this, and much more, is only saying that
his series of hurried Letters does not par*
take of the qualities of a finished composi
tion. The author, however, ventures to
hope that no objections will be raised, in
consequence of such defects, against the
importance which he attaches to the prin
ciples of religion in themselves, or against
the frequency and warmth with which he
commends them on various occasions to
others. To make such objections is quite an
other thing from condemning the harshness
of a transition, or arraigning a fault in mat
ters of taste. We need only refer to the
constant tenor of the Holy Scriptures, and
the deliberate judgment of the best Chris -
vol. i. b

XVlii PREFACE TO THE
tians in all ages, in order to show that
religion should fill and possess the whole
heart. Surely if any thing distinguishes
a merely cold accuracy of sentiment from
spiritual and vital Christianity, it is this
very point. It is easy to admit the truth
of every doctrine of Scripture, and yet fol
low the world, give our affections to the
things of time, be supremely desirous of
the applause of our fellow-creatures, and
shun reproach for the name and doctrine
of Christ. A religion which seldom ap
pears but on public and fixed occasions,
and which mixes but little with the habi
tual actions of the life, is far from re
sembling that holy, animating principle
i
which the Scriptures are designed to im
plant, and of which they furnish such
splendid examples.
A mind penetrated with the astonish
ing truths of revelation, and grateful for

THIRD EDITION. XIX
the inestimable blessings of pardon and
grace, cannot be indifferent. Lukewarm-
ness in such a case is treachery. The world
asks nothing more of us than to be tame
and heartless in our religion. Gratitude
and love to God, if genuine, must and will
appear in their natural fruits. Nor can
even a sincere regard to our fellow-crea
tures consist with the silence on the things
of eternity and the soul, which is now so
much extolled as a dictate of prudence.
The heart which is at all moulded to de
votion, cannot but be recalled to its great
object by the diversified scenes which arise
around it. And the new situations and
circumstances of a foreign tour will neces
sarily excite, in an unusual degree, some
of these better feelings of piety and thank
fulness. The author is deeply convinced, that
our danger in the present day, is not that
b2

XX PREFACE TO THE
of regarding God too much, in our travels
and our various other concerns, but too
little. If we are to " love God with all our
heart, and soul, and mind, and strength/'
the first and spontaneous associations of
our ideas will connect us with Him ; and
our most familiar trains of thought will in
voluntarily lead us to something relating
to his providence, his commands, his
mercy, his wrath, his holiness, his glory.
That is, the governing affection will in this,
as in every other case, draw after it all the
rest. The conversation with individuals,
whether at home or abroad, will accord
ingly assume the same tone ; and the free
and unpremeditated Letters written under
the influence of such a principle, will, and
must, and ought, to partake of a like cha
racter. All this is so indisputable in the
view of every thoughtful Christian, that
the author is almost ashamed to dwell on
such a point. He is persuaded, that no

THIRD EDITION. XXI
one admitting the truth of revelation,
would have ever objected to religion's oc
cupying all our best time and thoughts, if
there were not in the minds of men that
secret alienation from the love of God,
which the Scriptures lay down as a primary
fact in the history of our fallen nature, and
which is the source of so many other fatal
inconsistencies. It is very possible, indeed, to err by
submitting to the public eye hasty effusions
in which religious topics are introduced
injudiciously and feebly; and the author
is far from saying that he may not have
been guilty of this fault in the present
publication. But, without including his
own small work in the vindication, he
would beg leave to say, that mistakes in
judgment of this nature ought not to be too
severely visited. Men make similar mis
takes on all other subjects, without incur-

XX11 PREFACE TO THE
ring contempt. Each one speaks and
writes according to his measure of natural
talents, and acquired faculties and powers.
Piety does not confer these adventitious
endowments, nor exempt from the ordi
nary consequences of defects in them.
The paramount duty of connecting the
great Author of our being with the perpe
tual blesssings of his bounty, is not to be
lightly sacrificed to inferior and doubtful
questions. The heart which overflows with
love to God and man, though it may incur
some reproach for minor errors, is infi
nitely more pleasing to God, than a judg
ment however refined, if employed to dis
guise irreligious principles.
But the author has insensibly ad
vanced towards a grave and important
question, and he almost shrinks from the
consideration which it seems to demand.
The truth is, that his small work has

THIRD EDITION. XXU1
excited anew those objections against what
is termed in reproach, Evangelical , Re
ligion, which have in all ages followed the
sincere profession of the Gospel. Such
objections rest on the fundamental dis
tinction between vital Christianity and the
mere external forms of it. They have
been answered a thousand times — they
answer themselves, when the mind is once
duly in earnest in the humble study of the
Bible. As, however, the author has pro
ceeded so far, he will go on to offer some
suggestions on the great topic which he
is quite aware is virtually involved in what
he has been stating.
It is objected, then, that by this
warmth in religion, and the habitual lan
guage which we hold concerning it,
we claim an immediate and peculiar
protection of the Deity, and place the
proof of the correctness of our doc-

XXIV PREFACE TO THE

trinesand practice, not on their conformity
to the Holy Scriptures, but on abstrac
tions, imaginations, and feelings; that we
presume to invest ourselves with a sort of
infallibility, and neglect the common
means of moral culture and improvement;
and are thus steeled against the force of
those reasonings which might reduce us
to a more sober habit of thought — that, in
short, we are actuated by a spirit of party
which has its own terms, insignia, and
objects, distinct from those which neces
sarily accompany genuine Christianity.*

* The above charges have been boldly advanced in a
celebrated literary work, whose general attachment to our
civil and ecclesiastical establishments cannot be doubted,
and the wide circulation of whose quarterly publication lends
it an influence, which its articles on the subject of religion
are very often far from meriting. The gross mis-statements it
has lately made on the affecting malady of Cowper, are not
more pernicious, than its ignorance of facts and deplor
able defect of just reasoning, in two or three other papers
on the weighty question of what is called the evangelical
doctrines.

THIRD EDITION. XXV
To these vague accusations it might be
sufficient to reply generally, that every one
of them rests on misapprehension or pre
judice. No such things are done. No
such undue heat is excited. No such
claims are asserted. No such party is
formed. The views of those ministers and pri
vate Christians, whom the author sup
poses to be attacked in these accusations,
are precisely the same, as to all substantial
truths, with those taken by the Universal
Church of Christ, — with those which Au
gustine vindicated in the fifth century,
and the noble army of Reformers in the
sixteenth. Call them by what name you
please, they are the old verities of the
Bible, and the foundation of the Reformed
churches. The utter fall and corruption of
man by sin — his reasonable and account
able nature — his impotency of himself to

XXVI PREFACE TO THE
what is spiritually good — the doctrine of
the ever-blessed Trinity — the meritorious
sacrifice of Jesus Christ — the gracious
operations of the Holy Ghost in regene
rating and sanctifying the heart — the duty
and necessity of real repentance — justi
fication by faith only — the indispensable
obligation of good works and of a life
of prayer, watchfulness, and separation
from the evils of the world — the ascription
of our salvation entirely to the merciful
will of God — the authority and sufficiency
of Holy Scripture — the resurrection of the
dead, and eternal judgment — these are the
commanding features of Christianity, of
which there is no better summary in the
author's opinion, than the Articles, Homi
lies, and Liturgy of the Church of Eng
land. But the objection is not commonly
urged against these doctrines thus largely

THIRD EDITION. XXV11
stated, but to the application of them, to
the urgent manner in which they are
enforced, and the commanding influence
they are required to have over the heart
and conduct. This is only in other words
to maintain, that for men to act fully on
the great principles of religion as those
who solemnly believe them to be true, and
know they must be judged according to
them at the last day, is an extravagant
course of conduct ; a position which
common sense and the very first dictates
of conscience may refute. The doctrines
of Christianity are not a speculation, but
deep practical principles — they are to be
felt as well as understood — and when they
are felt, they produce a corresponding
effect on the character — they place eter
nity full before the Conscience — they lay
man prostrate in penitent contrition — they
raise him with the hope of pardon and sal
vation through a Redeemer — they require,

XXviii PREFACE TO THE
they encourage, they produce new and holy
views and pursuits, pains and pleasures,
fears and joys. Till they do this, they do
nothing ; and that they may do this, the
Holy Spirit sheds his grace like dew upon
the church, to soften, and fertilize, and
bless it. And the sincerity and ardour with
which the ministers of religion press these
truths on the attention of mankind, is one
of the chief means which the Holy Spirit
employs in his sacred operations.
But the doctrine of the particular pro
vidence of God is accused as enthusiastic,
and we are said to claim an immediate and
peculiar protection of the Deity. Un
doubtedly we hold the scriptural doctrine
of an over-ruling Providence. We believe
that " God is about our path, and about
our bed, and spieth out all our ways" —
that «' the way of man is not in himself,
that itis not in man that walketh to direct

i
/

THIRD EDITION. XXIX
his steps"— that " the Lord ordereth a
good man's goings, and maketh his way
acceptable to himself" — that " not a spar
row falleth to the ground without our
Father" — that " the hairs of our head are
all numbered" — -and that " his angels are
ministering spirits, sent forth to minister
to them that are heirs of salvation." Un
doubtedly we not only admit these encou
raging truths, but believe, embrace, rely
on them under all the sorrows of life. Un
doubtedly we endeavour to give full life
and efficacy to them, and bring them into
the habitual tenour of the spirit and con
duct. But then the whole Bible proceeds
on this doctrine of a particular providence.
One essential difference between Scripture
history and every other, is, that the his
tory of Scripture represents the world as
God's world, to use Bishop Butler's ex
pression — where God is ; the author^ of

XXX PREFACE TO THE
every thing, and all the hearts of men are
controlled by Him according to his su
preme pleasure. The Bible lifts up the
vail which shrouds human affairs, and
shows us God's hand at work where we
are accustomed to see only the conflict
and confusion of human passions. The
histories of Abraham, of Jacob, ofDavid*
assign all events, even the smallest, to the
divine will: and the devotional and pro
phetical parts of the Old Testament are
comments on the historical in the same
view ; whilst the New Testament joins on
upon the Old, and exhibits the same pro
vidence as directing all the various and
most minute occurrences in the lives of our
Lord and the Apostles.
The same providence overrules all
things in every age — or the promises of
God to the church have failed. We have

THIRD EDITION. XXXI
not indeed now the inspired comment on
the designs of this providence, we have
no miraculous directions of the Spirit in
concurrence with it, we have no assurance
of the results of each particular under
taking. And herein lies much of the
distinction between Patriarchs and Apo
stles, and the ordinary Christian. The
scrutiny of the Divine Providence is as
minute and penetrating now as in former
times; but in the interpretation of
its purposes, we have no longer an extra
ordinary guidance — nor do we claim any.
We follow the rule of the moral law of
God, and the apparent duty resulting
from the combination and comparison
of all our circumstances. We act un
der the direction of ordinary Christian
prudence in the choice of our measures.
We wait for the long event of things in
order to infer the will of God. We
diligently notice all the numerous inci-

XXxii PREFACE TO THE
dental points which concur to a lawful end,
in order to warrant even any probable con
clusion as to the divine purposes therein.
But this is no more than to say, that
the Christian now lives in an ordinary
period of the Church. Still the doctrine
of a particular providence is not less his
comfort and stay. He is not less sure
that nothing escapes the vigilance, no
thing eludes the power, nothing defeats
the designs of his Almighty Father and
Friend. He is not less persuaded that
the great God sits, as a moral Governor,
on " the circle of the heavens," and ruleth
by an ever wakeful providence all the
affairs of men — that he stoops to the
smallest and most inconsiderable matters,
as well as regulates and comprehends
the greatest — that he provides for the
growth of the lily, whilst he orders and
marshals the stars — that he guards the

THIRD EDITION. XXX1U
humblest individual Christian as " the
apple of an eye;" and at the same time
stills, in his general and universal govern
ment, " the noise of the seas, the noise of
their waves, and the tumult of the people"
— that to Him nothing is great, nothing is
little — that all space is one undivided
point, and all time, one eternal now.
In contemplating this stupendous
agency of the Divine hand, we have only
to avoid the dangers before alluded to.
The infirmity of man may mistake or
abuse the purest truths. We must check
every appearance of presumption. We
must not allow any concurrence of cir
cumstances to induce us to depart from
duties of primary obligation, arising from
the revealed will of God. Nothing in
itself morally wrong, can become right,
because Providence may seem to us to
favour it. We must also guard against
vol. i. c

XXxiv PREFACE TO THE
hastily interpreting the designs of God as
favouring our own projects in the course
of our affairs, however just and good in
themselves. We must likewise be particularly cau
tious, in applying the doctrine of God's
providence in a marked and express man
ner, to those slight, and comparatively
trifling, occasions which are of perpetual
occurrence in human life. The reason
is, that if we act so, we give them a
disproportionate importance, and distort
our view, by an attention to small things,
from a due regard to much greater ones.
A general feeling of dependance and gra
titude, in this respect, is all that, with
our contracted minds, we seem capable of
exercising aright. We should also abstain
from those terms and expressions in speak
ing of the providence of God, which may
reasonably endanger the solemnity of re-

THIRD EDITION. XXXV
ligion, and expose it to contempt and
ridicule. But these are merely sugges
tions as to the proportion and manner of
bestowing our thoughts on the proceed
ings of the divine providence, and are
designed to strengthen, not diminish, the
faith with which we hold the truth itself,
and apply it wisely and habitually to all
the course of human events. Such cau
tions are constantly given by the minis
ters of religion, not only as to this, but
also as to every other great doctrine of
the Bible; they clearly prove that we do
not abuse these doctrines in the manner
objected ; and therefore they confirm what
we assert as to the purity of our general
principles. But I pass on to another class of ob
jections. It is said that we place the
proof of the correctness of what we believe
and practice on feelings, and imaginations,
c 2

XXXV1 PREFACE TO THE
and abstractions, and not on their con
formity to the Holy Scriptures. A charge
utterly groundless. The contrary is so
entirely the case, that there is nothing on
which we more insist, than on the danger
of relying on affections and feelings, to
the exclusion of the written word of God.
The proof of the correctness of what we
believe and practice is the Holy Scrip
tures, and the Holy Scriptures only. We
have no other criterion, no other standard
— " To the law and to the testimony; if
they speak not according to this rule, it
is because they have no light in them."
Nor is it easy to divine from what mis
take this singular charge has arisen, unless
it be from confounding the due use of the
affections in subserviency to holy, en
lightened reason and faith, with the wild
dominion of those affections when left
without guidance or restraint — two things
about as distinct as any that can be

THIRD EDITION. XXXVII
named in the compass of practical theo
logy. Certainly we maintain that the
affections, that all the affections of the
soul, must be engaged in religion, as well
as the understanding and will. We main
tain, that we are to love God as well as
obey him, and in order that we may obey
him; we maintain that the infinite bene
fits of Christ warrant, demand, excite,
enkindle correspondent acts of acknow
ledgment, gratitude, love. We maintain
that religion is a spiritual thing, the off
spring of grace, implanted by the Holy
Ghost, and rising far above morals, and
nature, and philosophy, and the unassisted
powers of man.
But then we constantly appeal to the
Holy Scriptures as the authority, and
standard, and rule, to which all these
affections are to be referred, and by which
they are to be judged. And the proof of

XXXV111 PREFACE TO THE
the correctness of this judgment we ulti
mately place, as the Bible does, in the
proper fruits of holy tempers, obedient
conduct, watchful self-denial, every good
word and work. We esteem the affec
tions and require the exercise of them, in
proportion as they produce, and because
they were designed by our Creator to pro
duce, the vigorous efforts of a righteous
and benevolent life. We only transfer
them from the service of sin to the obe
dience of God — that is, we do not spike
the cannon and dismantle the walls of the
subdued fortress; but make them avail
able to new uses, and direct them against
the common enemy.
The charge of assuming a species of
infallibility may be refuted in a sentence.
For who ever claimed any thing like an in
fallible accuracy of judgment in the things
of religion? Where and when were these

THIRD EDITION. XXXIX
presumptuous rights asserted? — What! is
all the humility of the true Christian, all
his self-abasement, all his distrust and
meekness, all his fear of God and man,
come to this, that he vindicates to himself
unerring prudence, and stands on an
equality with Prophets and Apostles !
No; we are not so vain nor so wicked.
We presume not on any extraordinary,
miraculous, plenary inspiration of the Spi
rit. We presume not to found a new reli
gion, or abrogate an old ; to plant a novel
church, or prescribe fresh rules of truth
and duty. We claim only that ordinary
and sanctifying influence of the Blessed
Spirit, which our Lord promised as the
abiding consolation of his followers, and
which accompanies and distinguishes his
church in every age. We claim only
those secret, imperceptible, gentle in
fluences of grace, which, in a manner
agreeable to our reasonable nature, enable

PREFACE TO THE

us to understand the Scriptures, perceive
and know our danger, flee from impending
wrath, lay hold on Jesus Christ for salvation,
and honour and obey him from a principle
of gratitude and love. The mistake has
possibly arisen from confounding that as
surance of these great truths, which faith
communicates, with a claim of. personal
infallibility. For certainly we have an as
surance of the main doctrines of the Gos
pel, which rises far above the confidence
of speculative deduction, and which gives
a persuasion that cold reasoning cannot
produce. Certainly we apprehend the
vast discoveries of Christ, not by rational
conclusions merely, but by a lively, faith,
which gives a demonstration and sub
stance to things unseen, and renders near
and. palpable the distant objects of hope.
Certainly we have a full satisfaction of
mind in the verities of the Gospel, which
is above and beyond, though never con-

THIRD EDITION. xli
trary to, reason, and which sheds forth a
light and glory which reason cannot be
stow, and knows not how to appreciate.
These observations prepare an answer
to the fourth objection, that we neglect
the means of moral culture and improve
ment, and are steeled against the force of
the soundest reasoning and argument.
For the truth is, we honour reason, and
cherish it by the most careful educa
tion and discipline. We cultivate all the
means of moral improvement. We train,
we instruct, we warn, we exhort, we per
suade. We strengthen the opening facul
ties, and form them to investigation and
argument. We check all the luxuriance
of a young, and all wildness of a hasty
and vagrant imagination. We consider
that God makes use of means, both in
moving the affections, and in informing
the understanding. We endeavour, there-

Xlii PREFACE TO THE
fore, to invest religion with all that is
venerable, and attractive, and generous,
and engaging. We seat her in the noblest
powers of the soul. We surround her
with the rational evidences and credentials
which become a divine religion, and by
which it claims the obedience of man.
We deduce with solicitude all her tenets
from the holy records. We weigh, we
compare, we receive, we embrace, all the
various parts of the inspired volume. We
give to every new suggestion as to the
import of its instructions, all the attention
which it can demand. We listen to the
remonstrances even of an adversary, and
deduce from them, if it be possible, some
practical directions for our future con
duct. We allot to reason and moral cul
ture all that wide province which they are
capable of occupying. But, after all, we
rely for the efficacy which is to sanctify and
save, on what they cannot give, an influence

THIRD EDITION. xliii
from above, the grace of the Blessed Spirit.
We do not forget the doctrine of original
corruption on the one hand, nor of the
divine grace on the other. And we so attend
to the means of moral improvement and
the force of reasoning, as to recollect their
inefficiency, under the actual circum
stances of man, except as subordinate
to the illumination of the primary
teacher. In human literature and mat
ters of outward decorum and discipline,
we assign them a transcendent office;
in divine learning and the renewal of the
heart, a ministerial only. This, this is the
dictate of the best reason; this, this is
Christian Philosophy ; to honour, but not
to deify the powers ofthe understanding;
to use, but not to rely on moral suasion
to raise and strengthen, in short, the
efforts of man by a simple recurrence to
the grace of God ; to add illumination to
reasoning, and sanctifying influence to

Xliv PREFACE TO THE
morals; and never to rest till the one is
transformed into faith, and the other
elevated and purified into holiness.
But we have not yet removed the
whole of the objections against spiritual
religion. We are accused of cherishing a
spirit of party — we are said to have our
petty marks, and terms, and objects, dis
tinct from the accompaniments of genuine
Christianity — an accusation plausible, per
haps, to a hasty or inaccurate reasoner,
because it may be readily alleged against
any body of persons who think alike, and
who therefore will commonly act toge
ther; — plausible, because, when every fair
objection is silenced and all solid grounds
of reason taken away, it is the cheap re
source of an exhausted mind, and serves
to cover the disgrace of discomfiture —
plausible, because when a revival of pure
religion commences, and the number of

THIRD EDITION. xlv
truly holy and active Christians in any
church has been for time small, a broad,
fundamental distinction of character is
unavoidable and praiseworthy, is the
result and proof of a divine opera
tion, and the test of a sincere return
to God — plausible, because when the
minds of men are prejudiced by the secret
love of the world, and do not discern the
infinite moment of evangelical truth and
evangelical practice, they naturally ascribe
that to the effect of party -spirit which
flows from contrition of heart, love to
Christ, and charity towards those who
obey his Gospel : not to say that the
objector thus eludes the force of convic
tion, and turns aside the shafts of exhor
tation and rebuke. But to resolve all that
is peculiar to vital Christianity into a
spirit of party, is precisely to beg the
question in dispute — to shut out the

xlvi PREFACE TO THE
entrance of repentance, and to bar up
the mind against the light of truth.
But plausible as this objection may be,
to some, how weak is it when attentively
considered ! AVhat is there of the culpable
spirit of party in the clergy or the private
Christians who are the objects of the im
putation? Do they insist on any certain
terms and expressions as supplying the
place of conversion? Do they excuse or
palliate moral evils when committed by
those who side with them? Do they push
any truths and doctrines to such an extent
as to exclude others? Do they prefer
their petty interests to the public good of
the church or the community? Do they
connive at popular mistakes or excesses
in order to subserve their cause? Do
they place the proofs of piety and love,
in inferior, doubtful, isolated matters?

THIRD EDITION. xlvii
Do they condemn indiscriminately and
harshly those who differ from them? Do
they aim at the persons, not the errors,
of their opponents? Do they exclude from
their love and esteem those who are not
within a certain pale, however excellent ?
Do they cherish a narrow, selfish, personal
feeling, in opposition to the expanded, dis
interested charity of true religion? Have
they any peculiar and unworthy pursuits,
any dishonourable and hidden schemes
which they endeavour to compass — any
thing distinct from the discharge of their
high duties to God and their neighbours ?
But why do I pursue these inquiries?
For how contrary is the spirit of every pious
Christian to the conduct which is implied
in such questions ? We appeal to all who
know us. We appeal to our lives and con
versation, to our parishes and neighbour-

xlviii PREFACE TO THE
hoods, to our sermons and writings. No :
it is not a spirit of party which animates
us. We delight in charity and peace.
We rejoice in opening wide our arms to
all who love and serve our Saviour. We
labour continually to break down all sepa
rating walls, to remove obstacles, to lessen
differences of opinion, and promote good
will and amity. It is our aim to place
religion on the broad, catholic, intelligible
ground, where Apostles and Prophets left
it, and from which controversialists have
too often dislodged it. If any thing of a
party-spirit appears, we discourage and
repress the evil with more diligence than
almost any other. And on this and every
other subject we keep our minds open to
conviction, and correct continually what
ever is found to be doubtful or inexpe
dient. We abstain from many things on
the principle of not giving offence — we

THIRD EDITION. xlix
endeavour to become, in matters indif
ferent, " all things to all men, that by all
means we may gain some."
What gives occasion, perhaps, to the
charge is a matter high and spiritual, and
touching on the deepest mysteries of re
demption. For there is undoubtedly in
every age a mystical " body of Christ,"
" an assembly and church of the first
born," " a people of God," a " chosen
heritage," who are distinct from the merely
visible and external communities professing
the Christian name. These form the spi
ritual and invisible church of Christ, ex
tending over all the earth, animated by
grace, glorying in the cross of their Lord,
and known by their spirit of penitence,
love, separation from the world, benevo
lence, zeal, holiness, joy. These constitute,
not a party, contracted and jealous, sunk
vol. i. d

1 PREFACE TO THE
in some inferior interests, and bound to
gether by prejudice or passion — but the
faithful servants of God, who love and
serve him in truth, who share his favour,
and are heirs of his kingdom. They have
the closest communion with each other —
they are united by the holiest ties — they
pursue the greatest and noblest ends — they
confer on all around them the most sub
stantial benefits — they give every proof of
sincerity by their constant labours, and,
if called to it, by their patient sufferings.
To belong to their fellowship, is to be a
Christian. The entrance to it is by
penitence and faith. The clue to all its
secrets is holy love. The insignia which it
bears, is the mysterious doctrine of the
cross. The language it speaks, is the soft
learning of benevolence and meekness.
The fruit it produces, is " righteousness
and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost.

THIRD EDITION. H
And this, in fact, brings us to the true
spring of all the objections against the
zeal and Warmth with Which we propa
gate truth, as well as against the particular
doctrines of the Gospel with Which they
are connected, and on which they rest.
There is an opposition in the human heart
to the humiliating yoke of Christ. The
pride of man resists the doctrines, and
the sensuality of man the precepts and
restraints of revelation. " The carnal mind
is enmity against God ; for it is not sub
ject to the law of God, neither indeed
can be." And this resistance, disguised
under the triask f of bbjections; more or
less plausible, is the hidden source of the
opposition raised against what is now
termed in scorn, Evangelical religion.
In every age this has been the case.
Truth has made its way but slowly, and
aHlidst reluctant disciples. In a Protestant
d 2

lii PREFACE TO THE
country, indeed, and in a church whose
principles are purely scriptural, much is
conceded. A national creed is defended.
The great outlines of redemption are es
poused. But still men deny these very
truths in the real extent and application
of them as laid down in Holy Scripture.
They deny the full plain statement of the
fall and corruption and impotency of man.
They refine and dispute against the real
truth of our justification by faith only in
the merits of Christ. They plainly resist the
doctrine of the Holy Ghost as the author
of spiritual life, and the source of all light
and grace. They exclaim against those
imperative calls to separation from the
follies of the world, and to a holy, devout,
watchful, self-denying life, which the Gos
pel addresses to us. They spurn at the
idea of loving God and holding communion
with him by meditation and prayer. They
know nothing of the entire dedication of

THIRD EDITION. Jill
all and every faculty, and power, and
talent, to the glory of God and the good
of mankind, as the element and happiness
of the renewed soul. The consequence is,
that these various truths are curtailed,
weakened, omitted, denied, as occasions
serve, and the current of public sentiment
allows. A standard of orthodoxy is raised
which suits well with a tame religion, and
passes as reputable amongst men; but
which leaves out or despises spiritual
and fervent piety. Names of reproach
are invented to designate what is termed
excessive devotion; and men in general
learn to join in the cry, and satisfy them
selves with a cold external Christianity,
correct perhaps in its tenets, but lifeless
and uninfluential in its spirit; whilst they
mask the real hatred they bear to truth,
by representing it to be a mass of extrava
gant or weak opinions.

llV PREFACE TO THjE
Just in proportion, ^s reljgjon is made
practical, and is exhibited in the conduct
and life? is it distasteful to mankind. The
doctrine of, a particular Providence — the
exercise of the affections on the Divine
Saviour — the hunible assurance of faith —
the expressions and fruits of holy love —
active zeal for propagating a the Gospel
around us — the consistency P,f a Christian
behaviour in all the details;of life— are
beyopd measure offensive, for the , plain
reason that they disturb- men in j their
indifference, place God and eternity fu,U
before them, and reminc} theni of the judg-,
ment which we all must so soon undergo.
Such being the case, let me entreat
any reader who has been listening to the
misrepresentations which spring from these
sources— and of which the objections cur
rent in the present day, and already eqn-

THIRD EDITIQN. IV
sidered, are only one unavoidable effect — j
tp pause before he ventures to dismiss so
momentous a subject. Let me entreat
him to enter himself seriously on the
business of religion. I do not want now
to combat his particular objections, but to
gain his attention generally to the first
simple commands of Christianity. Let
him place himself as before that throne
where we must quickly appear. Let him
begin the great vvork of repentance for
himself. Let him study the rule of God's
law, that he may attain the knowledge pf
his sins. Let him try tp affect his heart
with that sense of them which the Scrip
ture requires He will soon discern his
difficulties — the reluctance of his nature —
the perverseness of his will— the rebellion
of his passions — the feebleness of his pur
poses, — his own impotency to what is
spiritualty good. He will find that his
prayers, his efforts, his resolutions, will be

lvi PREFACE TO THE
insufficient to overcome his sins and form
his habits fo holiness. In this painful
extremity, let him read the declarations
of Scripture as to the grace and work
of the Holy Spirit. He will perceive that
this is precisely what he needs. Here is a
promise of bestowing a tender heart, a
divine principle, a superinduced and holy
bias, a new framing of the soul, a heaven
ly birth. Let him then go on to implore
these blessings for himself: and in the
diligent use of all moral culture, and the
various means of grace, he will obtain the
profferred aid. He will gradually be " a
new creature in Christ JesUs; old things
Avill pass away, behold all things will be
come new." Nature will be melted down,
as it were, and recoined. The strong
man armed, will be bound and cast out
of the fortress, and the Saviour enter and
reign there. The penitent is thus brought,
so to speak, into a new world — he discerns

THIRD EDITION. lvii
and appreciates spiritual things ; and rises
as far above mere reason, as reason is
elevated above the animal powers. What
is the result? A new and holy character is
gradually created — new habits, new pur
suits, new affections, a new course of con
duct. Whilst the convert is learning these
practical lessons as to the necessity of
grace, he will also acquire a correspondent
knowledge of his need ofthe atoning sacri
fice of the Son of God. His tender con
science compares all his actions and pur
suits with the holy law which demands
perfect and uninterrupted obedience. He
discerns his guilt. He finds that one sin
exposes him to the just anger of Almighty
God. What then must his innumerable
daily offences of thought, word, and deed,
deserve? These considerations prepare
him for welcoming the glad tidings of

Ivili PREFACE TO THE
pardon and acceptance in the propitiatory
cjeath of the Divine Redeemer. Christ
now arises, as |he Sjun of Righteousness
upon his view. The incarnation of the
only-begotten Son of God, his life, his
sufferings, his resurrection, his glory, be
come the object of all his trust. He
understands the great mystery of God
being " just and the justifier of him that
believeth in Jesus." He " counts all things
but loss, that he may win Christ." Thus
does his religion assume a totally different
character. He actually reposes on the
merits and death of his Saviour for justi
fication, and implores fervently and con
stantly the aid of the Holy Spirit for
strength to obey God. He renounces his
own righteousness as to the one, and his
own power as to the other — and the con
sequence is, a new ardour and purity of
life and devotedness to God's service. All
the springs of gratitude and love are

THIRD EDITION. fix
touched. Thehe^rt is gained. Christ is
enthroned in the affections. That loye of
God with which man was filled at .his first
creation, and whiqh,, was extinguished at
the fall, is now rekindled. Christianity
has produced a surprising recovery. The
fallen creature is restored. God becomes
his, Lprd, his Sovereign, his Master, his
end by a new and willing choice. Hence-
fprth ',' he. lives, not" as, he formerly did,
and as all men by nature do, " unto him
self," but " unto Him that died for him
and rose again"— and he does this, " con
strained by t^e love of Christ;" that is,
actuated by the efficacious motives of the
Qpspel, and elevated and purified by its
grace and benefits.
The degree, pf activity and self-denial
which we have above insisted on as essen
tial to real Christianity, now appears to
him natural, obligatory, practicable, de-

Ix PREFACE TO THE
lightful. All is in its place. The super
structure suits and becomes the founda
tion. The edifice rises grand and propor
tionate in all its parts. The duties and
affections which appeared to him extrava
gant and impossible, whilst he was far
from God and immured in the pursuits of
the world, now seem necessary and easy.
They agree with his acquired habits, they
are the spontaneous actings of his new
principles, they are produced by lively
faith, they are softened and lightened by
holy love, they are maintained by the
supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ, they
conform him in his life to the example of
his Saviour, and they prepare him in his
hopes and expectations for the eternal
purity and joy of heaven. He has received
not a new creed, but a new life. All the
parts of Christianity hang together. The
doctrines prepare for the temper and
spirit. Holy obedience flows from this

THIRD EDITION. lxi
temper. The effectual grace of God pro
duces and unites both. Good works attest
the sincerity of the change. The blessed
fruits of peace of conscience and joy in the
Holy Ghost form the best comment on the
whole. The solid experience of God's gra
cious aid by his providence, the stable
tranquillity of a mind purified by the
sacrifice of Christ, the actual happiness
inseparable from the love of God, the
large measure of holy obedience attained
by the-principle of faith, the calm patience
under the trials of life, and the joyful anti
cipation of death and judgment communi
cated by the promises of God — all confirm
the truth and reality of this scheme of
Scripture doctrine, and show also the in
adequacy of every other. In the meantime,
the numerous imperfections which the
Christian discovers in his best efforts,, the
temptations to which he feels himself ex
posed, and the daily defects, errors, and

lxii PREFACE TO THE
follies of which he is conscious, tend to
produce iri him that genuine humility and
contrition of spirit which is the last finish
of the character, which keeps him always
dependant on grace, and grace only;,
for every hope of present succour and future
salvation, and which renders the Gospel
the potent, and suitable^ and most Wel
come remedy for all his moral maladies
and disorders. >
, Here is, then, the easy solution of all
the complicated difficulties and objection's
which may at one time have 'perplexed his
mind. A; sincere trial of what religion is,
affords the effectual answer t© theoretic
mistakes. Let the reader riiake the expe
riment only, and he shall be an example
of my remarks. " If any man will do
God's will, he shall know of the doctrine."
Let him, with his Bible in his hand, pur
sue the great object of his own salvation,

THIRD EDITION. lxiii
and he shall soon see the clouds and mists
of prejudice dissipated from his mind.
Nay, the very points in Christianity Which
he once viewed as difficulties, shall appear
the chief helps and glories of the dis
covery ; and he shall learn to " count all
things but loss for the excellency of that
knowledge of Christ" which formerly he
thought " foolishness." But he shall at the
same time find, that lie is becoming to
others the occasion of the very objections
and remarks which he at one time enter
tained himself. In short, he will see that
it is not any minute mistake, any charge
of a party-spirit, any trifling abuse of
terms, any subordinate misunderstanding
of a doctrine or a precept, that can ac
count for the wide differences of judgihent
and conduct between the Christian and
the worldly person. The causes lie deeper,
and are more firmly fixed. The question
involved is the fundamental distinction

XIV PREFACE TO THE
between the service of God and the ser
vice of sin — between the love and faith of
Christ, and barren morality — between the
obedience of the whole heart to religion,
and an external form — between the being
alive as to God and eternity and the
soul, and the being dead — between the
walking in the narrow path which conducts
to life, and in the broad which leads to
destruction — in a word, between the rising
up to the high vocation and transcendant
ends of Christianity, and entering into its
stupendous mysteries and designs; and the
sinking down to the low standard of un
aided nature, and the doubtful, inefficient
canons of prejudice and fashion.
But the author will not proceed fur
ther. He has been drawn on thus almost
insensibly by the earnest desire of removine;
some of those extraneous hindrances to a
sincere conversion to God which the in-

THIRD EDITION. IxV
dustry of polemical writers, and the indis
position of man to spiritual religion, have
accumulated. He appeals for the truth of
all these statements, to the unerring
standard of Holy Scriptures, to the united
testimony of all good men in every age,
to the effects of divine teaching and grace
in each individual heart, and to the solid
fruits of godliness which evangelical truth
produces — he appeals, finally, and above
all, to the omniscient eye of God, and to
the expected decision of that last great
day, when the secrets of all hearts shall be
disclosed. It is little for the writer of these pages
to say, in conclusion, that the following
Letters convey but very imperfectly his
views of these Scriptural truths, and
exhibit still more feebly his ideas of
Scriptural holiness. Such, however, as
they are, they may serve pferhaps in some
vol. i. e

1XV1 PREFACE TO THE
measure to show the sort of feeling with
which the Christian Traveller should, as
the author thinks, habitually endeavour to
acknowledge the hand and providence of
God during a foreign tour; and the spirit
and manner in which he should aim to
conduct himself, as the servant of God,
on the various occasions which such a
tour continually presents, to try the force
of his principles, and put to the test the
meekness and fortitude of his character.
It is only for the sincerity of his attempt at
doing this, that the author presumes to
answer. How far he succeeded, and
whether his representations may be bene
ficial on the whole to others, he leaves to
the opinion of the candid reader- — or,
rather, he refers it to the sentence of that
God, who accepts the weakest effort to
trace and adore the proceedings of , his
providence, and who has condescended to
say, " Trust in the Lord with all thine

THIRD EDITION. Ixvii
heart, and lean not to thine own under
standing; in all thy ways acknowledge
him, and he shall direct thy paths."
Islington, February, 1825.
P. S. The above Preface had been
written, and two-thirds of the edition
which it was intended to introduce had
been printed off early this spring, when a
destructive fire broke out at the printer's,
and consumed the whole work as far as
it had proceeded. Happily the corrected
copy was saved, otherwise this edition
could never have appeared. In carrying
it once again (the fourth time) through the
press, no alterations of the least moment
have been jnade. Other and higher
duties how entirely occupy the author's
time. July, 1825.

CONTENTS OF VOL. I.

LETTER I.
Calais, June 21. — Gand, June 23, 182S.
Dover — Dunkirk — Pav6 — Mount Cassel — General Van-
damme — Lille — Duke of Marlborough — Courtray —
Pulpits — Sunday at Gand — Popery — Foreign Travel
< — King of England  - . . . 1 — \6
LETTER II.
Brussels, June 27. — Liege, July 1, 1823.
Gand — Nunnery — Chrysostom — Louis XVIII. — Lord
G ambier — Antwerp — Bonaparte — Scheld — Brussels —
St. Gudule — Popery — The Martyr Tyndale — Namur
— Village of Waterloo — King of England — Coster —
Battle of Waterloo— Huy— Liege .... 17—32
LETTER III.
Spa, July l.—Coblentz, July 10, 1823.
Road to Spa — Verviers — Aix la Chapelle— Charlemagne
—Relics— King of England — Juliers — St. Austin—

lxx CONTENTS.

Sunday at Bergheim— Cologne— St. Ursula— Tomb of
Magi — Bonn — University of Catholics and Protestants
—The Rhine — Drachensfels— Remagen— Andernach
—Coblentz— Timber-float— Spy .... 33—53

LETTER IV.
St. Goar, July il. — Carlsruh, July 19, 1823.
Scenery of Rhine — Ehrenbreitstein — French Monument
of Campaign in Russia — Discontent — Hirtzenach —
Jew — Bingen — Vineyard — Weisbaden — Violation of
Sabbath — Mentz — Franckfort — English N ewspapers
— Conversation of Priest — Gothe — Revival of Religion
— Darmstadt — Leander Van Ess — Oppenheim —
Storks'-nests — Heidelberg — Martin Luther — Professor
— Castle — Manheim — Flying Bridge — Schwetzingen
— Carlsruh — Floods  54 — 80

LETTER V.
Rastadt, July 20. — Schaffhausen, July 27, 1823.
Union of Lutherans and Calvinists — Pastor Henhofer —
Importance of Gospel — Rastadt — Ulm — Kehl — Stras-
burg — Cathedral — Letters of Reformers — Emmendin-
gen — Manner of Travelling — Food — Hoellenthal —
Bad Inn — Black Forest — Donaueschingen — Danube —
Mr. Canning— Switzerland — Schaffhausen — Innkeeper
— Fall of Rhine — Swiss Sunday .... gi  m

CONTENTS. lxxi
LETTER VI.
Zurich, July 18. — Basle, August 1, 1823.
Bridge — Swiss Customs — State of Religion — Professor
— Fall of Rhine — Eglisau — First View of Alps — Zu
rich — Reformers — Inn L'Epee — Antistes Hess — Mr.
Wilberforce — Zuingle — Documents of Reformation —
Clergy — Bible Society — Lavater's Forgiveness of his
Murderer — Aarau — Good done by an English Clergy
man — Basle — M. Blumhardt — Stoves — Fountains — A
Divine — Tombs of Erasmus and Ecolampadius — Holy
Alliance — Council of Basle — Likeness of Erasmus 112—142

LETTER VII.
Moutiers, Augusts. — Bern, August 11, 1823.
Sunday at Basle — View from table-d'hote Room —
Valley of Moutiers — Anabaptists — Soyhier — Court —
Cormoret ¦. — Rock Pierre Pertuis — Observations on
Swiss Government — Neufchatel — Reformer Farel —
Bienne — Island of St. Pierre — J. J. Rousseau — See-
dorf— Bern — Voiturier — M. Wyttenbach — The great
Haller — Swiss Diet— Sunday at Bern — Pastor Hen
hofer  143—179

jxxji CONTENTS.

LETTER VIII.
Lauterbrunnen, Aug. 12— Grimsel, Aug. 17, 1823.
View from Inn at Lauterbrunnen— Lake of Thun— Inter-
lacken— Unterseen— St. Beat— Staubbach— Anecdote
— Wengen Alp— Chalets— Avalanches from Jungfrau
— Grindelwald— Anecdotes— Glaciers— Sheideck Alp
—Miserably wet Journey— Reichen-bach— Valley of
Meyringen— Lake of Brientz— Fall of Giessbach —
Mud Torrents— Handeck— Grimsel— Sunday Reflec
tions— Italian Nobleman— Lord Byron . 180—214

LETTER IX.
Furca Alp, August 18. — Bern, Augusts, 1823.
Glacier of Rhone — Furca Alp— Realp — Capuchin Friar
— Hospital — Cold — Valley of Reuss — Devil's Bridge
— Amstag — New Road— Altorf— William Tell — Fluel-
len— Lake of four Cantons — Switz — Mount Righi —
Storm — Mount Pilate— Ruin of Goldau— Strangers
Book — King of England — Italians and Russians —
Kiissnachfc— Lucern — William Tell — Wooden Bridges
— Pe*e Girard — Luther — Zofingen— Herzogetibwchs
r— Bern — Sunday — Fast-^-Englislv Service— Govern
ment <i>f Bern and England . . . . . 2I5-"-272

contents. Ixxiii
LETTER X.
Morat, August 25. — Lausanne, August 31, 1823.
Battle of Morat — Avenche — Payerne — Lausanne — Re
formation — Translation of Scott — Lake of Geneva —
Lodgings — Calvinism — Nyon — Coppet — M. Neckar
— Madam de Stael — Geneva — Rhone — Steam Boat
— Death of Missionaries Johnson and Palmer — The
Pope — Ferney — Voltaire — Sunday at Lausanne —
Preachers — Persecution — Calvin's Will — Arr£t6 at
Lausanne  273 — 338
LETTER XI.
Geneva, Sept. 2. — Martigny, Sept. 6, 1823.
Translation of Scott — Cathedral at Lausanne — Pere
Girard — Mont Blanc — Conversation with Genevese —
Savoy — Bonneville — Valley of Cluse — Goitres — St.
Martin's — Ch&de — Servoz — De Saussure — Chamouny
Glacier of Bossons — Accident in Ascent of Mont Blanc
— Italian Gentlemen — Montanvert — Couvercle — Mer
de Glace — Alps — Infamous sentence in Strangers'
Book — Tfite Noire — Trient — French Emigrants. 339—372

VOL. I.

LETTERS, fyc.

LETTER I.
Calais, June 21. — Gand, June 23, 1823.

Dover — Dunkirk — Pave — Mount Cassel — General Van-
damme — Lille — Duke of Marlborough — Courtray —
Pulpits — Sunday at Gand — Popery — Foreign Travel
— King of England.

Ghent, Saturday', June 21st, 1823.
We are now fixed, my dear Sister, for the
Sunday; and, therefore, I have leisure to give
my beloved Mother and you some account of
our movements. We arrived this morning at
Gand, or Ghent, in the kingdom of the
VOL. I. B

2 GRAVELINES. LETTER I.
Netherlands, about eighteen leagues from Os-
tend. We had a delightful drive to Dover on
Monday, and found good accommodations at
the Union Hotel. Our passage to Calais in
the steam vessel on Tuesday was calm and
favourable. We almost all suffered from sea
sickness ; but by four o'clock we sat down to
dinner in excellent spirits at the Bourbon
Hotel at Calais, and began to forget our
troubles. It was late on Tuesday evening
before we had hired two carriages for our
tour; for we found that one would be incon
venient and unsafe. About eleven o'clock on
Wednesday, we Were on our way to the Rhine.
The road annoyed us a good deal, being
paved with large rough stones ; and the wind
was not less unpleasant, blowing fresh from
the sea. We passed Gravelines, a place of
considerable strength, with five lines of forti
fication. We started involuntarily at driving,
for the first time in our lives, through the for
midable works, and hearing the rattling of the
iron draw-bridges under the wheels of the
carriages, and hardly believed ourselves safe.

LETTER I. DUNKIRK. 3
About five we reached Dunkirk, formerly
the object of so much prevarication and perfidy
on the part of the court of France. It is a
large, noble town, with a fine port, a hand
some church, streets spacious and clean, and
the appearance of a good deal of trade. There
is a great air of comfort and neatness about
this part of French Flanders ; but the most
deplorable superstitions are prevalent every
where. Enormous, ill-formed crucifixes stare
you in the face on the public roads : the figure
of our blessed Lord being exhibited in the
most forbidding, and even disgusting forms
Imaginable. And the moment you enter into
conversation with the people, you are sur
prised and affected at the degree of ignorance
and superstition which they betray. At this
town, some of the peasants we talked with,
actually called the Protestants Jews, con
founding them indiscriminately with all who
reject the Roman Catholic faith. The adora
tion paid to the image of the Virgin Mary
quite appals the mind ; the worship of our
Saviour is comparatively forgotten. In fact,
b 2

4 .MOUNT CASSEL. LETTER I.
the Virgin seems almost to engross the vene
ration of the Papist, and to supersede every
thing else.
On Thursday we set off for Mount Cassel,
a beautiful spot, seven leagues from Dunkirk,
from the lofty summit of , which thirty-two
towns and four hundred villages are said to be
visible, though I could not discern near so
many. The view, however, was magnificent.
A vast panorama stretched all around. Na
ture was arrayed in her most beautiful attire,
and the eye was delighted in attempting to
trace out the variegated wonders of the spec
tacle. On one side of the hill, towards its
foot, General Vandamme has erected a noble
edifice, and laid out a considerable space of
ground in gardens and pleasure walks. The
spoils of war are displayed in different parts
with much taste; but I confess the reflections
they awakened in my mind, very much les
sened my admiration of them: 1. could not
help thinking of the injustice and cruelty with
which most of them were acquired. No glory

LETTER I. LILLE. 5
is solid which violates the first principles of
morals. We reached the celebrated town of Lille
about nine in the evening. It was almost
dark, and we were afraid the gates would
have been shut. It contains sixty-two thou
sand inhabitants; its works render it a fortress
of the first rank, and its citadel is second to
none in Europe. The Duke of Marlborough's
siege is perhaps the best encomium on these
works. Indeed, what mingled recollections
are excited in the mind, when travelling over
these scenes of former conflict and glory! An
English family driving peacefully and undis
turbed, through Dunkirk or Lille, is quite an
important event, when one remembers the
history of the two last centuries; and the
indignation or alarm which the very names of
these towns kindled in the breasts of our fore
fathers. Thank God for those national mer
cies which are connected with the annals,
however mournful in themselves, of past waiv
fare! The preservation of the Protestant

6 PROTESTANTS AT LILLE. LETTER I.
religion in Europe, and the establishment of
that religion, and of all the other blessings of
our glorious revolution of 1688, in England,
were the effects of the hard-fought fields of
the incomparable British commander — I said
incomparable, but I check myself, for the
splendid triumphs of our Wellington, place
him on a level with England's greatest cap
tains. I called on the Protestant minister at
Lille — only about two hundred and fifty
Protestants — feeble, alarmed, dejected —
Popery surrounding and watching them with
a jealous eye — the French government con
tracting their privileges — the spirit of the
Reformation almost fled. Still there is a
Bible Society, which is always a seed of
future blessings. The place is famous for its
manufactures. The men gain three or four
francs a day (the franc is now worth nine-
pence or nine-pence halfpenny English), the
women one franc, and the children nearly the
same. Food is about a third part cheaper

LETTER T. COURTRAY. 7
than in g^L.ondon. The women are without
bonnets; a sort of high cap supplies the
place of them; the wooden shoe is common.
We came on Friday to Courtray, a beau
tifully neat town; but, alas! the whole place
seemed given up to superstition. Lamps are
suspended throughout the streets before the
images of the Virgin, as if she were a guar
dian deity. In England we have little idea of
the state of things in Catholic Europe, or of
our own blessings.
Here, as well as at Gand and a village
lying between them, we have seen some of
those fine pulpits which are so much admired,
and so justly, in the Netherlands. You see
I am adverting to a professional topic —
every pne understands best what relates to
his own calling. One pulpit resembled a
palm tree, the trunk concealing within it the
stairs ; the foliage forming the sounding-
board, and an immense sort of pumpkin
the pulpit itself, which an angel supported

8 FIVE PULPITS. LETTER I-
underneath. The next was sustained fjy four
female figures as large as life; the sounding-
board was surmounted by a cherub raising
the cross ; angels stooping around to admire.
The third was almost entirely of the finest
white marble ; an angel underneath opened
the Bible to an old man, at these striking
words, " Awake, thou that sleepest, and
arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee
life." Another angel at the sounding-board
was blowing the trumpet of the Gospel ;
whilst a third was sustaining the cross.
If any thing like pure doctrine were deli
vered from these pulpits, all would be well.
But what a contrast is there between the
magnificent pulpits and the mean and un
worthy tenets inculcated from them! We are
really quite melancholy at witnessing the
scenes around us. It seems wholly unac
countable, how men, with the New Testa
ment in their hands, should be deluded and
hound down by so gross an imposture as
Popery. But I forget myself; the New Tes-

LETTER I. POPERY. 9
tament is not in their hands. The Pope first
shuts that sacred book, and then imposes his
own traditions. And besides, the Scriptures
represent Popery as the " power of error,"
as " a strong delusion," as " the deceivable-
ness of unrighteousness," as " the working
of Satan with signs and lying wonders," as a
judicial blindness for the neglect and abuse of
light and knowledge, " because men loved
not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighte
ousness." There is accordingly a fixed, unal
terable attachment to Popery in the minds of
the people, a kind of devoted, unsuspecting-
allegiance, "a bowing down of the soul,"
that their spiritual tyrants " may go over."
But I must bid you farewell for to-night.
We have come forty-five leagues, about one
hundred and forty-four English miles from
Calais. One of our carriages gave way at
Vive St. Eloi, about seven miles from Court-
ray, a bar of iron behind being broken
through by the pave. We paid four francs
for some cords to repair it, which were worth

10 GAND. LETTER I.
five sous — about sixteen times their value.
This accident detained us two hours on the
road, and will keep us here, perhaps, over
Sunday : otherwise we should have reached
Antwerp to-night. The post does not go
out till Tuesday, so that I may add a word
or two to-morrow, or Monday.
Gand, Sunday Night, June 22d. — We found
to-day an English service at the Protestant
church. The prayers were well read, and the
sermon was tolerable. The clergyman dined
with us after church, and gave us a great deal of
useful information. He was a pleasant, and,
I hope, a pious man. As there was no Protest
ant service in the afternoon, I went to one of
the Catholic churches. It was the first time I
had ever witnessed the full display of Popish
ceremonies. Really the processions, prostra
tions, bells, incense, music, chauntings, &c.
made up a sort of stage-effect, of which I
had had no conception. It seemed to me
to be just calculated to deceive mankind.
Animal emotion and bodily services were put

LETTER I. POPERY. 11
for faith and the obedience of the heart. The
senses were charmed and seduced, instead of
the understanding being informed, and the
passions subdued. Every thing was not
merely unfavourable to spiritual worship, but
almost irreconcilable with it. Still the dili
gent attention of these poor people to their
ceremonies, and their apparent devotion and
seriousness in the performance of their reli
gious duties, are examples to those who boast
a purer creed. We never entered a town, but
many were at prayers. Yesterday evening
the churches were filled. To-day you can
scarcely enter them for the crowd. The Ca
tholics have no idea of being called Christians,
and yet neglecting the public worship which
Christianity enjoins. The common people,
at least, are sincere and in earnest. Their
principles are obscure and superstitious ; but
they are firmly fixed in their minds, and they
act upon them.
It is difficult for a Protestant traveller to
recover from the surprise excited by these de-

12 POPERY. LETTER I-
generate forms of religion, and to divest him
self so far of bis habitual associations as calmly
to weigh all the effects and circumstances of
the system which he is contemplating. Un
questionably, large allowances are to be made
for individual piety, under the disadvantages
of early habit and education, in a Catholic
country. But I must say, that Popery, as a
whole, disgusts me more now I see it in act,
than when I had merely read of it. Un
doubtedly, its worst and most prominent fea
ture is, the idolatry of the Virgin Mary; an
immediate consequence of this is, the indirect
or open denial of all the chief doctrines of the
Gospel; the corruption of the rule of Christian
morals* follows almost of course; and the
* As to the denial of Christian doctrine, hear the
language of Luther: " In confession, the Papists make
no mention of faith, or the merits of Christ, but only
enjoin human satisfaction and merits; as may be seen in
the following form of absolution, which the monks use,
and those the most devout amongst them, and which I
willingly copy out, that posterity may understand the infi
nite and ineffable abominations of Poperv.
" May God spare thee, Brother,
" The merit of the passion of our Lord Jesus Christ,

LETTER I. POPERY. 13
effect of all this is, the tacit but certain en
couragement which is given to scepticism and
infidelity. I leave out a hundred other topics
— indulgences — transubstantiation — infallibili
ty — traditions— persecution — exclusion from
salvation of all not within its pale, &c. &c.
Thank God for the Reformation !
In the evening we had service in our family
— the evening prayers of our church, and a
and of the blessed Mary, always a virgin, and of all the
saints, the merit of your order, the weight of your re
ligious duties, the humility of your confession, the contri
tion of your heart, the good works which you have done
and will do for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, obtain
for thee the remission of thy sins, the increase of merit and
grace, and the reward of eternal life. Amen."
Comm.in Gal. p. 117. Ed. Witenberg, 1535.
Of the corruption of the rule of duty, let the
Jesuits stand as witnesses. Who can have read Pascal's
Provincial Letters without having been astonished at the
profligacy of their code of morals, or rather at the virtual
overthrow of uprightness, purity, and truth amongst men,
which that code occasions and patronizes ; and ou which
their conduct, as an order, for nearly three hundred years,
has been too frequently the comment ?
I say nothing of the worship of the Virgin, or the
secret prevalence of infidelity, because these evils are
acknowledged.

14 FOREIGN TRAVEL. LETTER I.
sermon. I was much inclined to offer to
preach this morniug at the English service ;
but I abstained from a sense of duty— my
health is now my first object. My heart and
thoughts have been continually at St. John's.*
Gand, June 23rf. Monday morning. — We
have had an excellent night — all well to-day.
We are now going to visit the principal curi
osities of this ancient town; and shall pro
bably set off' for Antwerp in the afternoon.
To-morrow we hope to be at Brussels, and on
Wednesday to be pressing on towards the
Rhine, the magnificent scenery of which river
is a great attraction to us. We mean to enter
Switzerland by Schaffhausen. Our move
ments are too rapid to derive any thing like the
full advantages of what is called foreign travel.
We are come out only for our health. Still
we make all the observations we are able,
on the habits and customs, the language and
government, the policies and religion of dif-
* St. John's, Bedford Row, London - at that time
the author's chapel.

LETTER I. BAD ROADS. 15
ferent people. We try to study and contem
plate men, as Bishop Hurd, I think, expresses
it, as they present themselves on the great
stage of the world, in various forms, and
under different appearances ; and we compare
every thing with what we have seen or read at
home. All this will enlarge, as I hope, our
minds, without too much dissipating the atten
tion. It will also tend to lessen undue national
prejudices. It will teach us to appreciate the
blessings of a free government and a pure re
ligion, and will send us home better fitted to
discharge our ordinary duties, and more eager
to communicate spiritual benefit to others.
I should tell you that the roads are shock
ing. Indeed, I need not say this, after having
mentioned the pave; for this forms all the
middle part of the roads, and is beyond mea
sure worse than the stones of Loudon streets,
or those on our Cheshire and Lancashire roads^
whilst on each side you have commonly a
deep sand. Carriages break down constant
ly; sometimes the first day; and generally

16 LILLE. LETTER I"
before the end of the week. We were in
formed at Lille, that when His Majesty the
King of England passed through, the year
before last, on his way to Hanover, the royal
carriage broke down just at the entrance of
the town, and that the King was glad to ac
cept the offer of a French nobleman, who
made a tender of his own. Farewell.
Believe me your affectionate Brother, D. W.

17

LETTER II.
Brussels, June 27. — Liege, July 1, 1823.

Gand — Nunnery — Chrysostom — Louis XVIII. — Lord
Gambler — Antwerp — Bonaparte — Scheld — Brussels —
St. Gudule — Popery— The Martyr Tyndale. — Namur
—Village of Waterloo — King of England — Coster —
— Battle of Waterloo — Huy — Liege.

Brussels, Friday, June 27, 1823.
MY DEAR SISTER,
I sent off my first letter from Ghent,
on Monday, June 23. I begin a second letter
against the next post-day. We took our view
of the city of Ghent on Monday morning. It
stands upon twenty-six islands, connected by
three hundred small wooden bridges. It has
above sixty thousand inhabitants. A nunnery,,
vol. i. c

18 GAND. LETTER II.
where six or seven hundred females maintain
themselves by spinning, and other like works,
much gratified us. There is less of supersti
tion in this establishment, and more of obvious
usefulness, than in any I have yet seen.
Charity and diligence seem united, as they
ought to be. The Nuns are the nurses of the
whole town, making it their business to visit
and assist the sick. The public Library is
one of the finest buildings in Europe; entirely
of black and white marble. An inscription,
taken from St. Chrysostom, very much pleased
me, Lectio Scripturarum munitio est adversus
peccatum ; " The reading of the Scriptures is
the defence against sin" — no obscure testimony
against the present practice of the Church of
Rome. The Cathedral is sumptuous and supersti
tious beyond all imagination. We ascended
the tower by four hundred and sixty-four
steps, and thence obtained a rich coup-d'ceil
of the whole city. It has all the marks of
departed grandeur. It was once the rival of

LETTER IT. ANTWERP. 19
Paris, and the capital of the Belgic pro
vinces. It boasted of being the birth-place
of Charles the Fifth, and of containing the
largest area of any city on the Continent.*
It has now a dull and deserted appearance.
Its power and glory are gone. Other cities
eclipse its fame. It is thus that all earthly
distinctions fade away, and that legislators
are taught that the proudest eminence of na
tional prosperity may be undermined and de
stroyed. Gand has acquired a temporary in
terest of late, from Louis XVIII. having fled
to it during the usurpation of the hundred
days ; and from our brave Admiral Lord
Gambier having here met the American Com
missioners, and concluded the late treaty of
peace. At two, our carriages being repaired, we
set off for Antwerp; eleven leagues, thirty
miles English. As we approached it, the
magnificent tower of the Cathedral appeared
* The circuit of the walls is little less than fifteen miles.
o 2

20 ANTWERP. LETTER II-
directly iu our view-— 460 feet high, of the
most delicate architecture, and rising at the
top to the finest point imaginable — one of the
most splendid things of the kind in Europe.
The Scbeld river, however, flowing between
us and the city, we had to pass a quarter of a
league in a ferry-boat before we could reach it.
As we walked up to the inn, gaudy images of
the Virgin offended us at the corner of almost
every street ; forty or fifty of these, with
lamps suspended before them, are scattered
over the city, and priests and friars meet you
at every turn. The town is most handsome
and noble, like the former capital of Euro
pean commerce. The harbour can contain a
thousand vessels. The Scheld here seemed to
me broader than our Thames at London ; it
flows close up to the place. We saw a beau
tiful pulpit, in the church of St. James, sup
ported by female figures as large as life, re
presenting Truth, Faith, Theology, and
Learning ; an union excellent and comely — It
requires only that these should be practically
embodied in the doctrine of the Roman Ca-

LETTER II. BRUSSELS. 21
tholic church, to produce( a second Reforma
tion. But what most interested us were the ex
tensive docks and naval storehouses begun by
Bonaparte in 1803, and carried on till the
period of his fall. These were to surpass all
that Europe could produce, and were to con
tribute to the overthrow of British commerce
and British power. It is with a mixture of
surprise and triumph that Englishmen survey
the defeated schemes and half-accomplished
projects of that extraordinary man, and most
bitter enemy of their country.
At three the next day, Tuesday, June 24,
we drove off to Brussels, where we arrived at
nine in the evening. On our way we passed
through Villeforte, where our English Re
former, Tyndale, is said to have been im
prisoned. He was afterwards burnt by the
Procurator of the Emperor's court, at Brus
sels, in 1536. His crime was the translation
of the New Testament into English! This is

22 BRUSSELS. LETTER H-
the first trace we have seen of that noble army
of martyrs to whose labours and sufferings we
owe the blessings of the Reformation. We
have been now detained at Brussels three days
for repairing a second time the carriages — dis
located, weakened, shattered almost, with
these paves. The city is beautifully situated,
partly on a hill and partly in the valley; it has
one hundred thousand inhabitants, with boule
vards encircling it, which will, when finished,
be about six miles in extent. The chamber of
the Etats Generaux, or States General, is really
quite charming, much more elegant and com
modious thau our English House of Commons.
The only misfortune is, that, with all this
exterior beauty, the life of political institu
tions is wanting — that spirit of regulated free
dom — that happy balance of the different
powers of the state — that independence and
liberty of discussion — that influence on public
opinion, which render the British Parliament
the glory of the world. Catholics and Pro
testants sit indiscriminately in the Chamber of
Deputies.

LETTER II. BRUSSELS. 23
The Royal Palaces at Brussels and at
Lacken, three miles from the town, are pleas
ing. The chief church of St. Gudule is, like
all the other Catholic churches, loaded with
images of saints and the Virgin. It has six
teen chapels. A priest showed us the chief
curiosities; and told us, with perfect sang
froid, that some Jews having, four centuries ago,
stolen the host from the church and stabbed it,
blood miraculously issued from it and destroyed
them! The pulpit here again is exquisite; it is
supported by figures of Adam and Eve driven
out of Eden by an angel, with Death triumph
ing over their ruin. The stairs and back of
the pulpit represent the garden of Eden, with
the different animals around. The sounding
board represents the descent of the Holy Spi
rit ; and is surmounted by our Saviour, and,
what always accompanies him, the Virgin. The
Museum and Library are fine; one hundred
thousand volumes, and many exquisite pic
tures of Rubens. We here saw the first book
printed at Brussels, in the year 1476, entitled
Speculum Conscientiae.

24 BRUSSELS. LETTER IL
We have been introduced to a very pious
Protestant gentleman, who has shown us the
greatest kindness. To him we owe the obliga
tion of examining our carriages, and recom
mending us to a respectable coachmaker.
We have been sadly imposed upon. An Eng
lishman should, if possible, obtain an intro
duction to some merchant at Calais or Brus
sels, or he will probably be put off with miser
able, ruined vehicles, decked up for the occa
sion, which will fail him, as ours have done,
the very first day or two of his journey. This
gentleman talked to us much on the state of
religion. He loves England. He considers
that things are rather improving upon the
whole here; still the gross, heavy supersti
tion of Popery weighs down the consciences
of men, and darkens the fair front of Chris
tianity. Bonaparte is the idol, and the pre
sent Government unpopular ; but Popery after
all is the permanent obstacle to religious im
provement. My friend ardently hopes, as I
am sure I do, that the pure truth of the Gos
pel will once more spread through Europe;

LETTER 11. NAMUR. 25
and silently, but effectually, dissipate all anti-
christian errors, whether on the side of infi
delity or superstition.
Namur, Sunday,, June 29. — A city almost
entirely Roman Catholic ! Twenty thousand
souls, and scarcely a Protestant family ! Not
so much as a single sermon that I could hear
of, in any of the parish churches throughout
the day, for the people of the town ! Thank
God, the military from Holland and Switzer
land have Protestant chaplains and services
in a chapel built for them by the present King
of the Netherlands, who is himself, as you
know, of the Protestant religion. As soon as
breakfast was over, we had the morning
prayers of our own Church and a sermon ;
our little congregation was seven as usual.
At twelve, I went to the Military Chapel, to
hear the German sermon, of which I found I
could not understand a word — I have lost my
German. I conversed afterwards with the
chaplain, who spoke pretty good French ; he
was a sensible and pious* young man. I said

26 NAMUR. LETTER II.
all I could to encourage him in a bold and
manly profession of the Gospel. In the after
noon, we went to the Cathedral — Popish ser
vice — building fine — pulpit of beautiful,
though unadorned, marble. We are now
about to have our second domestic service.
How I pity these Catholics, brought up to
worship, not the God and Father of all, but
the Virgin Mary and the Saints! — 'Farewell.
Namur, Monday morning. — We are now
going off for Liege ; we hope to be at Spa on
Wednesday; at Aix la Chapelle, Thursday;
Cologne on the Rhine (where the pave ends),
Saturday. At Brussels, we engaged with a
Swiss voiturier, who had come here with four
horses from Rome, to conduct us to Berne.
We left Brussels at nine on Saturday, and at
eleven were on the field of Waterloo. The
small village church contains twenty-two
monuments of English officers who fell on
that memorable spot, with suitable inscrip
tions — a most affecting sight. In an adjoining
plot is the burial ground of four hundred of

LETTER II. WATERLOO. 27
our brave soldiers. His Majesty the King of
England was most minute in his inquiries,
when he was here two years back. He even
visited the garden where Lord Anglesey's leg
was interred. The field of Waterloo itself is
covered with corn ; but the hedge leading to
Ohain, the farm of Haie Sainte, Huguemont,
Planchenoir, &c. remain. The spot where
the last attack was made on the English by the
Imperial Guard, is marked by a pillar, and
also that where General Gordon fell. The
Wellington tree was brought to England two
years ago, and is at the British Museum.
Jean Baptiste de Coster, Bonaparte's guide,
was ours. We took great pains in distinguish
ing him from a multitude of impostors who de
ceive the unwary, by claiming his name. He
is an elderly man, full of enthusiasm in his
description of the battle. We spent an hour
with him on this fearful scene of England's
glory. He led us to the very spot where the
hottest part of the battle took place. It is
impossible to give you any idea of the horrors

28 WATERLOO. LETTER II.
which he described. The mind shudders at
the thoughts of the sufferings of our brave
men, and of the wide-spread desolations of
that terrific day.- Even now the corn displays
a rank luxuriance on the ensanguined field.
The bones of the dead are dug up by the rude
hand of the labourer. * The marks of the
balls may still be traced on many of the trees,
and relics of the spoils are offered you at every
turn. What a deliverance for Europe was
wrought on those plains ! What praises do we
owe to God for the security, happiness, and
power which were all atchieved or confirmed
to Britain by that mighty conquest.
Really, when one reflects ou the character
of Bonaparte, on his prodigious successes, on
his confessed skill as a general, on his prodi-
* Scilicet et tempus veniet, cum finibus illis
Agricola, incurvo terram molitus aratro,
Exesa inveniet scabra rubigine pila,
Aut gravibus rastris galeas pulsabit inanes,
Grandiaque effossis mirabitur ossa sepulchris.
Virg. Georg. I. 493.

LETTER II. WATERLOO. 29
gality of human life, on the efforts which he
then made, and on the possible consequences
of his gaining the field, one's heart swells with
gratitude and thanksgiving to the God of
battles, who fortified the breast of our noble
commander during the fearful struggle, and
crowned him with the most important victory
which the annals of history, ancient or modern,
can boast. It is a curious circumstance, that
the Duke of Marlborough, a hundred years
before, had fixed on the same plains for giving
battle to the French army, and was ouly with
held from engaging by the timidity of the
Dutch Deputies.
We reached Namur at nine, after a journey
on pave of forty-four miles. It is a strongly
fortified place, celebrated for the long sieges
which it sustained at the close of the last cen
tury but one; and, like all frontier towns, has
been the perpetual scene of bloodshed and
misery. Forty thousand soldiers were quar
tered here in 1815 under Grouchy. It stands
on the confluence of the Sarobre and the

30 HUY. LETTER II.
Meuse or Maese; behind it a fine mountain
rises adorned with hanging wood, and crowned
with tremendous fortifications. It forms the
back ground of the picture. The walk by the
river side is exquisite.
Huy, Twelve o'clock, Monday, June 30. —
We have been four hours and a half coming to
this beautiful town. The road has been by
the side of the Meuse, seventeen miles. The
hanging woods, the rocks, the villages, the
windings of the river, the ruined castles, and a
road of fine smooth earth, not pave, formed
one of the most striking and beautiful drives I
have ever taken. The cliffs and woods, in
some places, were sublime. The rain of
yesterday had laid the dust, and brightened
the verdure on the face of nature. The pecu
liar feature was the trees and woods, inter
spersed amongst the rude rocks in the most
picturesque manner. At this place we
ascended the fortress, which Lord Welling
ton, as we were told, has been six years di
recting several thousand men to construct, and

LETTER II. LIEGE. 31
which is considered to be impregnable. The
walls are in some places ten or eleven feet
thick. Liege, Tuesday, July 1. — We arrived here
last night, the road continuing equally beau
tiful ; but the heat of the day, especially in
the morning, was very great, and we find
ourselves a good deal fatigued. To-day is the
post, and therefore I close this letter. I
found no letters from England at Brussels,
but hope to receive some at Cologne. We are
all well. I am, &c. D. W.
P. S. We have underrated the distance
we have travelled ; the leagues are two miles
and three quarters English ; so that we have
now gone about two hundred and seventy-five
miles from Calais. We have two coachmen,
and two beautiful white horses to each car-

32 LIEGE. LETTER IL
riage. Liege contains nothing very remark
able. It stands in a picturesque spot on the
side of a hill ; a small river banked with stone
walls, runs through it; and the gardens com
ing down to the river, are beautiful ; a prome
nade, with trees, affords a delighful walk all
around. In coming here we saw the sides of
the mountains, for the first time, covered with
vineyards. We had occasion to call on a
clockmaker in the Great Square. He seemed
an acute, sensible man. A deeply fixed dis
content was apparent, notwithstanding his
attempts to conceal it. The recollection of
Bonaparte was vivid in his mind. So we find
it every where almost.

33

LETTER III.
Spa, July 1. — Coblentz, July 10, 1823.

Road to Spa — Verviers — Aix la Chapelle — Charlemagne
— Relics — King of England — Juliers — St. Austin —
Sunday at Bergheim — Cologne — St. Ursula — Tomb of
Magi — Bonn — University of Catholics and Protestants
— The Rhine — Drachensfels — Remagen — Andernach
— Coblentz — Timber-float — Spy.

Spa, Tuesday, July 1, 1823.
MY DEAREST SISTER,
We have safely arrived at this beautiful
spot, — a romantic watering place, well known
by fame to you and every one else, for its mineral
springs. The road from Liege is mountainous,
and in many places highly picturesque ; and as
we approached Spa, we travelled along a deep
VOL. I. d

34 SPA. LETTER III.
hollow with lofty cliffs on each side of us cover
ed with hanging woods. Below the road ran a
small but rapid river, winding along the valley,
which having been swollen by the recent rains,
was inimitably beautiful. On our road, we
stopped an hour at a small inn, in the chamber
of which I found a sort of chapel, dressed up
with a crucifix, and many superstitious orna
ments : underneath, however, was a copy of
verses so pious, that I transcribed them, and
send them for your benefit. I think them admi
rable : possibly they may be an extract from
Corneille's Translation of Thomas k Kempis.
La Sainte Volonte de Dieu; la Folie de la Croix; ou,
Maximes de la Sagesse Evangelique.
Domptez vos passions, faites-vous violence :
Mortifiez vos d6sirs, cherissez le silence.
Croyez sincerement chacun meilleur que vous ;
Jugez de tous au bien, soyez affable a tous ;
Ne vous prevalez pas du mal que font les aiitres ;
Excusez leur defauts, humiliez vous ties votres.
Detournez votre esprit des objefs cilrieux ;
Menagez vos momeris, car ils sont pr^cieux.

LETTER III. SPA. 35
Evitez avec soin l'amitie trop humaine ;
Elie trouble le cceur, et ne produit que peine.
Ohei'ssez ga'iment, ne murmurez jamais ;
Votre ame jouira d'une solide paix.
Que cette paix seroit durable et sal u tail e ;
Si l'on n'avoit le cceur qu'a son unique affaire.
Et si l'on savoit bien graver dans I'esprit ;
Que le monde n'est rien, si l'on' n'a Jesus Christ.
Heureux qui prend le temps comme Dieu le lui donne ;
Des biens, des maux presens, sait faire son profit:
Et qui pour* l'avenir au Seigneur s'abamionne,
Disant, content de tout, Dieu le veut,il,sufft,t.
Spa, Wednesday, Jy,ly 2. — We have had a
beautiful day. This villagers .surrounded with
the ^finest rides $nd swalks imaginable. The
waters were .known to the Romans, and are
mentioned by Pliny. They were in repute
throughout Europe, as early as the fourteenth
century. They spring frpm the adjacent hills,
which are said to be formed of calcareous earth,
mixed with silicious substances. They are % all
a strong chalybeate ; and some ,pf vtherp are
impregnated with sulphur. Their flavpur very
d 2

36 AIX LA CHAPELLE. LETTER III.
little differs from that of common water, except
that they have a taste of iron. The water from
the Pouhon spring is the strongest, and is ex
ported to almost every part of the world. The
place has fallen off since the last war, and is
now apparently going to decay. The German
bathing-towns are superseding it. We shall
stay here over to-morrow probably.
Little did I think I should ever spend a
birth-day at Spa ; but so it is. I am forty-five
to-day. With how many mercies surrounded ;
with how much to lament in myself ! Time
how swift ! This world how vain, how unsa
tisfying ! May the salutary springs of this place
lead me to recollect and to thirst more ardently
for that fountain of " living waters, which spring-
eth up unto everlasting life!"
Aix La Chapelle, Saturday, July 5. — We
left Spa on Thursday after dinner, and came by
a delightful road to Verviers, a town, eleven
miles distant, remarkable for a small river, the
waters of which are used in dying cloths. The

LETTER III. AIX LA CHAPELLE. 37
town is situated in a valley; a promenade made
half way up on one side of a hill commands the
place, and affords an exquisite prospect. The
town is before you, overtopped by the green hills
behind it ; between the town and the foot ofthe
hill are the gardens of the houses in the main
street, running down to the river, over which
bridges are thrown, that add much to the whole
effect. The number of inhabitants is about ten
thousand. We saw a multitude of persons in
the evening kneeling down on the outside of
one of the church doors, uttering miserable cries
before the image of a saint. We are now come
to German servants, and find our French of lit
tle use to us.
On Friday morning, at seven o'clock, we
came to Aix, twenty-five miles ; here we enter
the dominions ofthe King of Prussia. This city
is associated with every thing grand in modern
Europe. The peace of 1748 was signed here;
and at the Hotel de Ville is an immense picture
of all the ambassadors who were present on that
occasion : unfortunately they are not portraits.

38 AlX LA CHAPELLE. LETTER III.
A tower Of this building was erected by the Ro
mans. The baths of hot sulphureous Water, of
the heat of one hundred and forty-three degrees
of Fahrenheit, gave the name to the town, Aix,
a corruption from Aquae, waters. The cathedral
was built by Charlemagne in 804, and yet pre
serves his throne of white marble, in which
thirty-six Emperors of Germany have been
crowned. Over his to'm-h is a plaiu stone with
this simple inscription, Carolo Mdgno.
The pulpit is not remarkable for its archi
tecture ; but around the sounding-board are
these words, " But we preach Christ." Alas !
the fact is, they now preach the Virgin Mary ;
before whose image we saw, what may be seen
every day, a person kneeling with uplifted
hands in prayer. The relics of this ehurch
are enchased in immense shrines of silver gilt,
set with precious stones. A priest gravely
showed us a riail and several pieces of the
wood of the cross ; the sponge, ib which the
vinegar was offered to our Saviour; a part bf
the girdle of our Lord ; a link of the chain

LETTER III. AIX LA CHAPELLE. 39
with which St. Peter was martyred ; an arm
and some of the hair of John the Baptist ; a
tooth of St. Thomas ; some bones of Simeon,'
&c. It was with the utmost difficulty I could
keep my countenance. I asked the priest if
all these things were matters of faith. He
replied, " No, but they rest on the most un
doubted historical evidence" — which, for my
part, I always thought was the proper ground
of faith as to a matter of fact. These relics
are publicly exhibited for fifteen days once
in seven years. About 40,000 persons daily
crowd to see them during that time. In 1545
more than 100,000 came every day for this
purpose. How gross are the impositions of
this corrupt church ! May the blessed Spirit
of Grace hasten the time when truth shall once
more triumph over its Papal, as it did over its
Pagan foes !
Aix is surrounded with beautiful boule
vards ; and the adjoining hill of Louisbourg
commands a fine view of the city. The Allied
Monarchs were here for three months, four

40 BERGHEIM. LETTER HI
years back ; and our own beloved King the
year before last. His affability and generosity
won every heart. English newspapers are, I
am told, prohibited throughout most of the
Prussian states — we could find none. Every
creature is brim-full of discontent ; and much
beyond the occasion, I should think.
Bergheim, Saturday Evening, July 5. — We
have finished our journey for the week. We
left Aix this morning for Juliers, eighteen miles.
Here we were shown an ancient portrait of the
greatest of the Christian fathers, St. Austin,
with this inscription, " Saint Aurelius Augus-
tinus, the pillar and teacher ofthe church, the
abyss of wisdom, the terror of heretics, the
restorer of the apostolical life." If the doc
trine of Austin had but been preserved uncor-
rupted in the church, there would have been
no need of a Reformation, eleven centuries after
his death, to revive the evangelicaltruth which
he taught. After dinner (which now costs us
twenty-pence a head), we set off for this vil
lage, where are six hundred and fifty souls,

LETTER III. BERGHEIM. 41
and scarcely a Protestant. It is a sweet, calm
place ; the hotel clean, people attentive, beds
comfortable. Our host was a fine young man,
one of Bonaparte's soldiers, and not at all dis
guising his hatred of the Prussian government.
In the house opposite, the Royal Family of
France received the news of the detention
of Louis XVI. at Varennes, in 1792. Fare
well, for to-night.
Monday Morning, July 8. — Yesterday we
had our English service twice, as usual. My
college friend, whom I shall often have occa
sion to speak of, preached to us most excel
lently. A Protestant sermon is doubly de
lightful now we are annoyed and disgusted
with Popish doctrines and corruptions on all
hands. The Church here is filled with super
stitions ; a procession of two hundred persons
came eighteen miles, yesterday, to sing hymns
in honour of the Virgin. Still the attention of
the people at Church was very great ; their
prayerrbooks are in Latin and German. Un
der an image of our Lord, we found these

42 COLOGNE. LETTER III.
words, " Thou who passest by, honour always
the image of Christ ; but adore not the image,
but him whom it represents." It is thus pre
cisely that a heathen priest would have excused
his idolatry. We inquire all we can as to the
state of the people. The children in the Prus
sian states are forced to go to school ; all read
and write; the men are husbandmen, and get
six or seven francs a week, and their food ;
the women three francs. The people are dis
contented. They conceive themselves degraded
by being taken from France, a leading power
in Europe, and made an appendage on Prus
sia. Their trade and wealth have sensibly di
minished. 'Bonn on the Rhine, Tuesday, July 9. — -We
left Bergheim yesterday at seven, and came to
Cologne by ten, fourteen miles- — for we never
go more than about four miles an hour. We
spent seven hours in visiting this most ancient
and curious city, Cologne. The Rhine here
first burst upon us ; a noble, broad, rich flood,
rushing from the Lake of Constance, and

LETTER III. COLOGNE. 43
flowing on wilh a gradually retarded stream,
to Holland, more than seven hundred miles.
Cologne was a city built by the Romans, of
whom many memorials remain. A large room
in the old Jesuits' College is filled with Ro
man sarcophagi, altars, bas-reliefs, and inscrip
tions found in the town and neighbourhood.
The venerable Professor Walraf, after fifty-five
years spent with unparalleled enthusiasm in the
collection of antiquities, and specimens of the
fine arts, still lives to enjoy his well-earned
reputation, and see the fruits of his labours.
On the fiftieth anniversary of his professorship
a fete is to be given him by all the authorities
of the town.
The churches, convents, &c. are numerous ;
one hundred and eighty-five in number. The
Cathedral is an unfinished stupendous edifice,
which was two hundred and fifty years in
building. Here we were shown — what can
you imagine ?— the tomb of the three wise men
who visited our Lord — actually so. The front
of it, in which are seen their pretended sculls,

44 ELEVEN THOUSAND NUNS. LETTER III.
is of gold, enriched with oriental topaz. Their
names, which I never heard of before, are fixed
beneath their heads in letters of rubies — Cas
par, Melchior, Balthasar ; their bodies are
enshrined in massy silver gilt, adorned with
precious stones. Yet three centuries back this
city was all but Protestant. The Bishop cor
responded with Luther ; and the reformed
doctrines were about to be publicly acknow
ledged, when untoward events gave the pre
ponderating influence to the Popish party, and
the dawning light was smothered or extin
guished. What guilt is incurred by those who
trifle away and lose the " time of their visita
tion !"
We visited the church where Rubens was
baptized, and that where St. Ursula and her
eleven thousand nuns were interred.* The
* " The hugest fraud of this kind (as to relics) that
ever was practised, was when the contents of a whole
cemetery were brought forth as the bones of eleven thou
sand British virgins, all bound from Cornwall, to be mar
ried in Armorica, carried by tempests up the Rhine to the
city of Cologne, and there martyred by an army of Huns

LETTER III. BONN. 45
town is strongly fortified, has fifty thousand
souls, and one thousand three hundred Pro
testants ; amongst whom, I am told, there are
many most excellent and spiritually-minded
Christians. It is annexed to Prussia. We
noticed a most magnificent organ in one of the
churches; the gallery composed entirely of
marble, with statues in front, of the Apostles
and Patriarchs; the whole supported by mar
ble pillars, and filling up an entire corner of
the church ; splendid beyond conception.*
Remagen on the Rhine, Tuesday Evening.
— We have had a most charming day. At
Bonn, I inquired after a Lutheran clergyman
under Attila. Even this legend obtained credit ; all parts
of Christendom were eager to acquire a portion of the
relics, and at this day a church may be seen at Cologne,
literally lined with the bones." — Southey's Book of the
Church, vol. i. p. 293.
* Some traveller perhaps may be glad to know, that
our Eau de Cologne, of which we laid in a supply here,
subjected us to a duty of about three-pence a bottle on our
return to Dover.

46 BONN. LETTER III.
wtih whom I had made some acquaintance in
England, a most pious and sensible man.
The person whom I addressed, immediately
said he knew him, and that he had just sent
around his letter to announce his approaching
-marriage. In fact, I found that it is the cus
tom of all respectable persons here to write
circular notes to their friends, to inform them
•of the day of their intended marriage— *-in
England we take a different course. I soon
met with my friend, and he conducted us
over the University of Bonn, founded in
1819, by the King of Prussia— sffve hundred
and twenty students, half Protestant and half
Catholic — 'eighteen professors— -library, fifty-
five thousand volumes. — The College, a former
palace Of the Elector of Hesse, of immense
extent. There is a revival of piety among
Catholics and Protestants, here, and an excel
lent Bible Society. The vital truths of 'Chris
tianity are more regarded, and circumstantials
less vehemently insisted on. A .concern for
their souls actuates many. Spiritual religion

LETTER III. REFORMATION. 47
is understood. The leading Catholics are sen
sible men, and their churches here are almost
entirely free from altars and images.
Still Popery in itself is the same; and as
soon as a Catholic priest preaches the Gospel
purely, he is, somehow or other, removed or
banished by his superiors: though he cannot
be further persecuted, as the King is a Pro
testant. I hear that one priest in Alsace has
been the means of converting forty families in
his parish. The Kings of Prussia and the
Netherlands are Protestants. This is a :great
ipoint, and is working considerable good, and
would work more, if Protestant princes under
stood better the great principles of the re
formed faith, and felt more deeply the obliga
tion of acting upon 'them. At the ;periodof the
Reformation, religion actuated the -counsels of
Kings, and entered into the rpolicy. of alliances;
and ministers of state took into account their
responsibility to God for the cause of the pure
faith of Christ committed to their care.

48 BANKS OF THE RHINE. LETTER III.
Our drive from Bonn to this place, Rema-
gen, by the banks of the Rhine, was exquisite;
words can give you no idea of it. A fine river,
five or six hundred feet broad, with continual
windings, opening into bays; on each side
villages, with beautiful spires; vineyards,
crags, corn-fields, interspersed : the scenery
now rising with magnificence, now sinking
into softer beauty ; distant mountains bound
ing the prospect; nothing can be conceived
more splendid and lovely. We alighted at
Mehlem, and crossed the Rhine at Kcenigs-
winter, to ascend the lofty mountain of Dra-
chensfels, one thousand eight hundred feet
above the level of the river, and com
manding an astonishing view. A monument
is here erected in remembrance of the
passage of the Rhine by the German troops
near this place in 1814. As soon as the
guide reached the summit, he exclaimed,
" Glory to God in the highest"— Gloria Deo
in excelsis — a pleasing remnant of ancient
piety.

LETTER III. COBLENTZ. 49
As I walked down the hill, I asked our
guide if he had a Bible. He told me he had,
and that he read it constantly. — I asked him a
few questions about the Old and New Testa
ment history; when I discovered that his Bible
was a pamphlet of 18 or 19 pages, drawn up
by the priests. He had no idea that there
was any book such as we mean by the Bible—
so sad is the ignorance of these poor people.
The corn harvest is begun. The vintage is not
till the middle of October. Every thing here
depends on the vine : the landlords let por
tions of land to tenants for half the crop of
grapes of each year; the punishment for eating
any grapes is five francs the first offence, and
four days' imprisonment the second. The
wine is thirteen pence the bottle. During the
brief time of the vintage, the people employed
eat as many grapes as they like.
Coblentz, July 10, Wednesday. — We have
just arrived at this town, which, from its im
mense fortifications, seems to be the key of
VOL. I. E

50 COBLENTZ. LETTER III.
Germany. We left Remagen at nine this
morning, and dined at Andernach, near which
place it is thought that Julius Caesar crossed
the Rhine. The dinners here annoy us; no
thing is simple and plain ; hashes, stews, oils,
dirt. Andernach is a curious town — very old
— full of remains of Roman antiquity — a gate
built by Augustus. But it is the road along
the Rhine which is most interesting; for ten
or twelve miles the diversified scenes, and
beauty of the views, exceeded all the concep
tions which I had previously formed : vine
yards, rocks, mountains, every thing that can
enchant the eye, and fill it with gratitude to
the Author of every blessing. Here we intend
sleeping. We are four hundred and forty
miles from Calais, and all well, and surrounded
with the goodness and mercy of God!
We have now smooth roads, without pave,
and the weather is charming. Coblentz is
beautifully situated on the confluence of the
Rhine and the Moselle. A bridge of boats

LETTER III. A SPY. 51
crosses the Rhine. The view on each side is
exquisite. The river flows with a strong cur
rent, and is, I should think, about one thou
sand feet wide at this part. We here saw some
of those timber floats, for which the Rhine is so
celebrated. When the various smaller floats
are united, they form an immense raft, about
lOOOfeet long, and 90 broad, which is managed
and piloted in its course by 400 men, and
when sold in Holland produces about 10,-OOOZ.
sterling. The vast pieces of timber are firmly
joined to each other, and temporary wooden
houses are built on them for the accommoda
tion of the men. We hope to be at Franck-
fort on Saturday, and at Basle sometime
about Tuesday week, July 22.
I am yours, D. W.
P.S. After dinner, as we were sitting in a
cafe here in Coblentz reading the journals, a
E 2

52 A SPY. LETTER III.
gentlemanly-looking man, seeing us to be
strangers, addressed us. He began by asking
me some common questions ; tbut soon turned
the conversation to politics, and inveighed
warmly against the existing Prussian govern
ment, and the want of freedom amongst the
continental nations. He went on to extol the
liberty and riches of England. His manner
surprised me; and having heard that spies
were often employed to induce strangers to
disclose their sentiments, I was very reserved.
Upon this he plainly asked me what I thought
about the Holy Alliance, and the invasion of
Spain by the French. I replied, that I was a
minister of religion : that my information was
far too slight to enable me to give a correct
opinion ; that as a stranger I took no part in
the politics of the countries through which I
travelled ; but cultivated a spirit of good-will
towards all nations. He was evidently cha
grined, and rudely turned away from me. I
thus escaped, as I imagine, the surveillance of
the police, or perhaps a summary order to

LETTER III. A SPY. 53
leave the country. Sir Henry Wotton recom
mended our great poet, Milton, when about to
travel on the Continent in 1638, " to keep his
thoughts close and his countenance open" —
advice not inappropriate after a lapse of nearly
two centuries.

54

LETTER IV
St. Goar, July 11.— Carlsruh, July 19, 1823.

Scenery of Rhine — Ehrenbreitstein — French Monument
of Campaign in Russia — Discontent— Hirtzenach —
Jew — Bingen — Vineyard — Weisbaden — Violation of
Sabbath — Mentz — Franckfort — English Newspapers
— Conversion of Priest — Gbthe — Revival of Religion
— Darmstadt — Leander Van Ess — Oppenheim —
Storks'-nests — Heidelberg — Martin Luther — Professor
— Castle — Manheim — Flying Bridge — Schwetzingen
— Carlsruh — Floods.

St. Goar, on the west bank of the Rhine, 460 miles
from Calais, Friday, June 11, 1823.
We are are now, my dear Sister, in
the very heart of the most beautiful part of
the Rhine. From Bonn to Mentz, ninety-
seven miles, the route is by the side of this

LETTER IV. RHINE SCENERY. 55
majestic flood. Magnificence and beauty are
united in the highest imaginable degree. The
loftiest rocks, craggy, crowned with ancient
and dilapidated towers, rise before you, so as
sometimes to darken the scene, and are then
joined and softened by a perpetual garden.
The profusion of vegetation all around, espe
cially the luxpriant vines, carried up every
chink and crevice where the sun can reach ;
the beauty and freshness now shed over them,
together with their fragrant smell as they are
flowering, compose a scene quite inconceiv
able to those who have not witnessed it.
Hundreds of small villages also, with spires
towering above them, and perhaps an old
fortification and gates, or a ruined chateau,
are scattered on the banks on each side,
whilst the ever-flowing Rhine, deep and rich,
expands itself into a lake, or presses on be
tween abrupt rocks, or embraces, every now
and then, an island filled with fruit-trees and
vines; — conceive of all this, and you will
allow me, without blame, to be a little enthu
siastic. The noble road which the French

66 SAINT GOAR. LETTER IV,
have raised by the margin of the stream, and
without pave, increases the pleasure of this
part of our journey. I think I never felt such
warm emotions of gratitude to the Almighty
Giver of all good, as since I have been passing
through this scene of wonders.
The spot where we now are (St. Goar), for
example, is enclosed on all hands by the most
variegated mountain scenery. The Ruins of
Reichenfels are above the town ; at our feet
is the Rhine ; on the opposite shore is Goar-
hausen, crowned with a Roman fortification.
The sun is shedding its glories on all sides,
whilst the broken rocks and valleys receive or
reject his rays, and create the most grateful
alternations of light and shade. Last night
we hired a boat) and ascended the river to
witness the setting sun, and observe the two
shores in unbroken luxuriance. Every reach
forms in fact a superb lake : we passed from
one to another, comparing the different beau
ties which each presented to us with a lavish
hand. The scene was majestic indeed ^ and

LETTER IV. COBLENTZ. 57
the last rays of the orb of day tinging the
mountain tops, and throwing a glow over the
waters, completed, so to speak, the picture.
But I must, absolutely, tear myself from
this topic to tell you, that at Coblentz we as
cended the heights of Ehrenbreitstein, an im
pregnable fortress, commanding a prospect
beyond measure extensive. The point of
greatest beauty was the junction of the Rhine
and the Moselle. The Moselle, with its deep
red stream, meets the yellow waters of the
Rhine; and the combat between the two is
most surprising. They do not mix. At the
mouth of the Moselle, the division of the
two waters is so strongly marked, that yon
would think a dam had been interposed ; but
the Rhine forms, with its larger current, an
overpowering barrier against its weaker neigh
bour, whose waters creep along the shore till
they are gradually lost in their course. We
visited only one church at Coblentz, St. Cas
tor — for the beauties and simple majesty of
the divine works in creation, gave us no

58 FOVNTAIN. LETTER IV.
great taste i for the superstitions of a church
which has been employed , so many hundred
years in deforming the greatest of all.* the
works of God, redemption.
aio-i"1 '"!! '&j|6 ¦i'JIoadi'?l'*d»'iuHi- I InH
fcf A noble fountain, hpw^er, attracted, pur
attention ; it was built by the French in 1812,
and bears this inscription : " 1812, Memorable
pour la (Jamfitigne contre les Russes." — Beneath
this, the Russians, in 1814, added these words:
" Sous tie prefecture 'de Jules Qoazan, vu et
approuve" par nous, Commandant Russe de la
ville de Coblentz, 1st January, 1814." A mix
ture of great good; and great evil gpems to
baive followed the rule ofj France for twenty-
three ye&r^over the Fays? Bas, and the icon«-
tries on the Rhine. The convents are aho-*
lished; the Protestants t have churches; the
cities and 'roads are improved and beautified;
education is promoted ; knowledge and truth
have entrance i Popery has received a deadly
blow; commerce, art, industry, property, are
revived and quickened. But, what a painful
catalogue of miseries, injustice, ruin, infide-

LETTER IV. HIRTZENACH. 59
lity, vice, must he drawn up on the contrary
side! On the whole, it roust be admitted)
that the population is still favourable to the
French, and would wish to return to them as
masters. The memory of Bonaparte is too
much cherished, loved, adored every where.
May God, the Sovereign Ruler and Saviour
of mankind, educe good from the confusion
and tumult of human passions and conflicts I
The peaceful Gospel of Christ is the only re
medy for a distracted sinful world.
At Hirtzenach, a village near St. Goar, we
halted at a small inn, where the master was
a Jew, who refused to give us plates and
knives, &c. because we were Christians; and
looked anxiously into our tin boxes, to see
what food we had with us. The first article
was part of a ham. However, with unac
countable inconsistency, he went to a neigh
bouring house, fetched all we wanted, and
placed them before us. I read to him from
his Hebrew bible some prophecies of the Mes
siah, which he seemed very little to under-

60 BINGEN. LETTER IV.
stand, and still less to take any interest in.
Last night our supper here (St. Goar) was
curious; first, soup, something worse than
water-gruel ; next, boiled veal; then chicken,
stuffed with bread pudding, and accompanied
with cherry sauce and salad ; then cold sal
mon, cut in slices; next, roast mutton;
lastly, cakes and cherries. We are now in
the heart of the wine country. The finest
white wine is here exactly thirteen pence
(twenty-six sous) the bottle; and for large
bottles, twenty pence (forty sous).
Eingen, Friday Evening, July 11. — We
have now quitted Prussian Germany, and en
tered the Grand Duchy of Hesse Darmstadt.
We are four hundred and seventy-seven miles
from Calais. We spent this morning in taking
a second excursion on the Rhine, at St. Goar,
for three hours, where new beauties continu
ally presented themselves. At half-past twelve
we dined at the Table d'Hote, and at two
came on seventeen miles to this town, Bingen,
of four thousand souls. It stands on the con-

LETTER IV. WEISBADEN. 61
fluence of the Rhine and the Nahe. The
waters of the Rhine, being here confined by
shelving rocks, form a narrow strait. The
road to it was actually one garden for sweet
ness, whilst its rude, magnificent scenery sus
tained an awful grandeur all around. We
arrived at six, and have been taking, for the
first time, a walk in a vineyard ; it belongs to
a gentleman of Bingen, and covers about five
acres, on a lovely hill, commanding beautiful
views of the Nahe and the Rhine ; and on the
summit presenting the ruins of a Roman
castle. These five acres yield nearly seven
pipes of wine, of one thousand two hundred
bottles each, selling in retail at about thirteen
pence the bottle. As we returned to our
inn, at half-past eight, we stepped into the
church, the religious gloom 'of which, just as
the evening was coming on, was inimitably fine.
Adieu. Weisbaden, in the Duchy of Nassau, Sunday,
July 13, 1823. — This is our fourth Sunday
since we left London. We hoped to have
reached Franckfort yesterday, but the horses

62 WEISBADEN. LETTER IV.
could take us no farther than this German
watering-place, so celebrated for its hot baths.
We have had our private service twice, but
cOuld find only German Protestants for public
worship. We are now in the dominions of a
Protestant prince; but what a state of things
for a Sunday ! The shops all open — a ball at
our inn this evening — music at dinner — public
places crowded, — the whole village in disorder
— not an appearance of devotion ! This blot
ting out, as it Were, of the Sabbath from the
days of the week, is quite frightful — it is like
the blotting out of the covenant of mercy be
tween God and man. I have hitherto had
chiefly to tell you of Catholic superstitions—
but, alas! the name of Protestantism, what is
it? All is here as bad* or worse than in Po
pish towns, with a criminality infinitely deeper.
I speak of the impression made on a traveller.
Doubtless there are many servants of God
who are keeping holy the sacred day in the
retirement of their families. But Gand, Na-
mur, and Bergheim — Catholic towns  had a
far more devout aspect than Protestant Weis
baden.

LETTER IV. MENTZ. 63

/, July 14.~-At Mentz, where we
spent some hours on Saturday, we observed a
visible decay in the Cathedral ; it was nearly
burnt down in the revolution, and the riches
plundered ; the marks of the bombs are still
apparent on many parts. Indeed, generally
We remark, that Popery, though still foftnid1-
able in so many respects, is on the decline
where the French have ruled, as to its power,
wealth, tyranny, and influence. The Arch
bishopric of Mentz was suppressed in 1802.
It is still a Bishop's see ; but has long been
vacant. Perhaps all is preparing for the re
vival and prevalence of pure Christianity once
more. The city of Mentz is a fine one, with
astonishing fortifications; but the churches
were much injured during the war, and the
marks of the shells thrown into it at the siege,
remain. We were in the same room at the
Three Crowns, as the Duke of Wellington
and all our Princes occupied, in passing
through the town. It has thirty thousand
inhabitants, and a fine bridge of boats over
the Rhine.

64 FRANCKFORT. LETTER IV.
I should have told you that we were much
annoyed at Weisbaden with a loquacious,
forward young man, who happened to sit
near us at the Table d'H6te. His officious-
ness quite perplexed us. We had the utmost
difficulty to elude his prying questions. He
talked too much to be a spy ; but his pertina
cious recommendation of an inn at Franckfort
betrayed his secret He must have been a
man sent round to the watering-places to col
lect guests for particular hotels. Really one
cannot be too much on one's guard abroad.
Franckfort on the Maine, 522 miles from
Calais, Monday Evening. — We arrived here
to-day at one o'clock. Many things concur to
render this one of the most interesting places
we have visited. It is a free city, with its
own domain, burgomaster, senate, and laws,
— fifty thousand souls — perhaps the first com
mercial city in Germany — fine wide streets —
large and noble private and public buildings all
about, — every appearance of wealth and acti
vity. We had here the pleasure of meeting,

LETTER IV. FRANCKFORT. 65
fo/ the first time since we left home, with Eng
lish papers, a sure indication of a free state.
Indeed, every thing breathes that spirit of
liberty, that cheerfulness, and that prosperity,
which make this town one of the most noble
spots on the Continent. French, Swiss, Ita
lians, Turks, English, all assemble in it for
the purposes of commerce. It is a Protestant
city ; at least three-fourths of the inhabitants
are Protestants. An entire equality is afford
ed to all the different confessions of Chris
tians. It has seven thousand Jews, and many
of them very opulent. The French Protes
tant Minister is a delightful man — pious, dis
creet, amiable, well informed. He has been
with us several hours this afternoon. The po
lice is excellently managed. Vice and wic
kedness are discountenanced. The public
places of amusement are few, and no suspi
cious females permitted to frequent them.
What a contrast does this last point form
with the disgusting indecency of our London
theatres ! There is here a Bible Society, and
a Jews' Conversion Society.
VOL. I. F

66 EARLY PRINTED BIBLE. LETTER IV.
In the public Library is a copy of the edi
tion of the Latin Vulgate Bible, printed upon
vellum in 1462, by Fust and Schoiffher at
Mentz. It is the .first edition of the Bible
with a printed date, and is an extraordinary
effort ofthe art in its earliest day. The first
Bible indeed ever printed, was begun at
Mentz in 1450, and published in 1455 or 1456.
It is called the Mazatine Bible, from having
•been in the Library of the celebrated Cardinal
of that name; and is>not only the first edition
of the ;sacred text in any language, but the
very first book printed with imetal types. The
beauty and regularity of the press- work are
highly extolled- 'by Mr. Dihdin, who speaks
of it as a master-piece of skill. I cannot
but dwell with delight on the first successes
of the noble invention of printing, in circu
lating the Bible, and thus paving the way for
the Reformation in the following century.
There are no foreign itroops at Frankfort.
Lshould tell you, that at Mentz there are
seven thousand troops, half Prussian and

LETTER IV. CATHOLIC PRIEST. 67
half Austrian; whilst the Duke of Hesse
Darmstadt, to whom the town belongs, has
only one hundred men to keep the police.
I learnt here some particulars of the conver
sion of the Catholic priest whom I mentioned
in my last letter* He lived near Pforzheim,
and became impressed with the truths of real
Christianity by reading the Scriptures. He
then began to " preach Christ crucified." The
lord ofthe village and forty-four families, con
taining between two hundred and three hun
dred souls, were gradually awakened by God's
mercy. The priest was summoned before his
superiors for preaching against the Popish
ceremonies. At length he and all his flock
publicly renounced the church of Rome. The
Duke of Baden heard of him, and went to one
of his sermons. He was so much affected, that
he declared he had seldom heard so fdifying a
discourse. He invited th6 priest to. Carlsruh*
There is another priest, I ant told, near Valen-^
ciennes, who has followed the same course.
* Page 48, supra.
f2

68 GOTHE. LETTER IV.
May God multiply the number, and a second
reformation will soon begin.
Oppenheim, between Darmstadt and Heidel
berg, Wednesday Evening, July 16. — I had
much conversation with my friend the French
minister, before we left Franckfort this morn
ing. I was also introduced to one of the sena
tors, an excellent man, president of the Bible
Society. A human philosophy applied rashly
and presumptuously to religion, is the poison
of German divinity among the Protestants ; —
endless refinements, imaginations, corruptions
of the faith, tending to scepticism or atheism.
Things are mending, but it is incredible what
daring impieties are currently received. The
first genius of their country, Gothe, a native
of Franckfort, is an absolute idolater of what
he calls le beau, in Christianity, in Mahomme-
danism, in Infidelity, in every thing. Thus
unbelief stands more fatally opposed to the
faith of Christ than even superstition. The
calamities, however, of the late long war have
been the means of checking this incursion of

LETTER IV. LEANDER VAN ESS. 69
infidel principles, and of bringing men back
to that pure doctrine of the Gospel which only
can give peace and consolation. It is a re
markable fact, that such has been the decay
of all Scriptural truth amongst the Protest
ants, that many of the Roman Catholics have
surpassed them in real piety. The light has
shone brightest in the Catholic parishes. Those
who were concerned for their souls, and
panted for the doctrine of pardon, found some
relief at least, in the discourses of the priests.
So true is it that superstition, bad as it is,
may consist with the life of God in the heart,
but that a proud infidel philosophy cannot.
The one overloads and encumbers the founda
tion ; the other digs it up, and destroys it
altogether. But to return to my narrative. We ar
rived safely at Darmstadt, the capital of the
grand duchy of that name, at twelve to-day.
I hastened to the house of Leander Van Ess,
with whom I had been sometime in corres
pondence in England ; he had left the town

70 LEANDER VAN ESS. LETTER IV.
in the morning early, to go to Cologne, and
would not return for a week ! A greater dis
appointment I scarcely ever felt. I saw, how
ever, the study of this excellent man; I sat
in his chair; I visited his collection of Bibles;
I conversed with his secretary. Leander Van
Ess was fifty-one the eighteenth of last month.
He has left the University of Marburg, where
he was profersor, and lives now under the Pro
testant Grand Duke of Hesse Darmstadt. He
has had a spitting of blood for four years,
which prevents his preaching; but he gives him
self up to the propagation of the Gospel, though
he remains a Catholic priest. He has printed
fourteen editions of his New Testament; each
of an immense number of copies. He has cir
culated altogether four hundred and ninety-
four thousand eight hundred and sixty. No
funds but those of ah institution like the noble
British and Foreign Bible Society, could have
supported the expense of printing such an in
credible number : and the liberality and wis
dom with which that Society assists in pub
lishing Catholic translations of the Scriptures,

LETTER IV. LEANDER VAN ESS. 71
cannot be too highly praised. Versions by
far inferior were the chief means of effecting
the glorious Reformation. I do not speak, o|
the Apocryphal books, because the reading of
them is admitted to be useful by Protestants,
The desire for the Scriptures among the Ca
tholics at the present time, priests as- weld; as
laity, is greater and greater. Sometimes Van
Ess circulates seven thousand in a single
month. Lately,, a priest in one parish seiat for
two thousand New Testaments — the parish is
in the Sehwarzwald, or Black Forest.
The secretary presented me with his pic
ture, and a copy of his New Testament.
What a blessing is such a person ! what cannot
the grace of God do in the most corrupt
church! how charitable should we be in oub
judgment of individuals ! This admirable man,
though he calls himself a Catholic, has almost
the spirit ©i a Reformer. He dwells on no.
thing but the great and necessary doctrines of
Christianity.' It is impossible to Head his cor
respondence without perceiving a strength and

72 DARMSTADT. LETTER IV
clearness of judgment, an independence of
principle, a love of truth, a superiority to the
prejudices of education, a zeal in the diffusion
ofthe Gospel, a disregard of personal suffer
ings, a hardy appeal to the first Fathers of
the Church, and a readiness to act with Pro
testant societies, which are quite surprising.
Above all, there is a firmness and undaunted-
ness in all he does, which reminds us at times
of Martin Luther. Let us pray that many,
many such Catholic professors may be raised
up in every part of the Continent — and " the
traditions of men" will fall of themselves.
I can hardly persuade myself to turn from
this subject to say, that Darmstadt is a flou
rishing town ; with all the marks of that ac
tivity and prosperity which, as at Franckfort,
distinguishes a free from an oppressed popu
lation. We came on to Oppenheim, twenty
miles (five hundred and sixty from Calais),
this afternoon. The village is obscure, though
populous. The country is pleasing. The pea
sants are without shoes and stockings. The

LETTER IV. HEIDELBERG. 73
men wear large hats like our English Digni
taries — what we call shovel-hats; the associa
tion in our minds is very humorous. But
the storks'-nests are most curious; these
enormous birds are in almost every village ;
they build on the steeples of churches, or the
top of a chimney, with a large nest like a
basket, stretching over on all sides. They
are never disturbed, much less killed. They
are superstitiously reverenced. The people
think the house will never be burnt where a
stork builds. The stork feeds ou insects,
frogs, mice, &c. and never injures the corn.
To see these enormous birds, half as tall as a
man, strutting about on the top of a house, as
if on stilts, is very strange to us.
Heidelberg, in the Grand Duchy of Baden,
Friday Morning, July 18. — We arrived here
yesterday, at eleven o'clock. The town is
beautifully situated on the Neckar, fifteen
miles from-Oppenheim. The chief attraction
is the ancient electoral castle, which Louis
XIV. laid in ruins at the close of the seven-

74 HEIDELBERG. LETTER IV.
teenth century, in his. ambitious war against
the Palatinate. The remaining walls were
much injured by lightning sixty years hack.
It is still perhaps the most magnificient ruin in
Germany. The keep and outward wall of the
platform are entire; and a beautiful semicir
cular walk runs through a plantation adjoin
ing. It is situated on the side of a fine moun
tain, the base and summit of which are orna
mented with hanging woods. Before it, the
Neckar, the bridge, the town, the adjoining
hill covered with vines, the distant Rhine, and
the Vosges Mountains, are stretched as in
perspective. The extreme steepness of the
mountain ou which it stands, allows of those
sudden turns of scenery in the gardens and
pleasure-grounds surrounding the castle, of
which nothing else can admit In short, the
whole thing is the noblest of the kind we ever
saw; we spent five hours in admiring it.
A venerable Professor of the University
conducted us; but the difficulty of finding a
common language was extreme. We attempted

LETTER IV. HEIDELBERG. 75
a mixture of French, English, and Latin;
but at last Latin was our only language. It
would have amused you to see my college
friend and myself brushing up our old Latin,
and adapting our pronunciation as well as we
Could to the German— -and this after dinner —
overcome with heat — and mounting up a tre^
mendous hill. The sentiments of the Pro
fessor were evangelical, and his temper and
spirit most charitable. It was delightful to
converse with a man so well instructed in the
great truths of salvation. I called on him at
his own house in the evening. He was very
diligent in inquiring after the real state of
spiritual religion in England. I see plainly
that my beloved country is looked up to as the
glory of the Reformation, and the hope of the
nations of the Continent. The University is
open to Catholics and Protestants — six hun
dred and fifty members. It is the oldest
University in Germany, having been founded
in 1382. The valuable library which had
been presented to the Pope, when the town
was taken by the Bavarians in 1622, and de
posited in the Vatican, was restored in 1815.

76 MANHEIM. LETTER IV.
The Grand Duke is a Protestant; and full
liberty of worship is enjoyed. There is here a
Bible Society; and religion seems, on the
whole, flourishing.
It was in this place that Melancthon began
his studies ; that Luther came on foot from
Worms, and disputed with the Augustins, in
1518; and that the famous Heidelberg Cate
chism was afterwards published. I speak of
this Catechism with a peculiar pleasure, be
cause it has been familiar to me from early
youth. It was reprinted about twenty years
back by the University of Oxford in the Syl-
loge Confessionum. I confess my mind lingers-
on these continental towns, where the noble
army of Reformers laid the foundation of all
the religious blessings which we now enjoy.
Manheim, Friday, July 18. — This is a
beautiful city, first founded in 1606, as a
refuge for the persecuted Protestants of the
Netherlands. It was entirely destroyed by
Louis XIV. in 1689; so that the present city
is a new one, of twenty thousand souls, half

LETTER IV. MANHEIM. 77
Protestants and half Catholics ; the streets are
regularly laid out in one hundred and twelve
squares. It is situated on the confluence of
the Rhine and the Neckar, and is considered
the finest town in Germany. The old palace
ofthe Grand Duke of Baden is very spacious,
but dilapidated: it is something like our
palace at Hampton Court. One of the most
curious things at Manheim is the flying bridge
across the Rhine. It is difficult to give a
clear idea of it. But it seems formed of six
or seven boats fastened together at such a
distance from each other, as to extend in a
slanting direction over half of the river. The
extreme boat at one end of this series is fixed
firm in the middle of the river by an anchor :
the extreme boat at the other end reaches the
shore, and is fastened to it. When any one
wishes to cross the river, he enters this last
boat, which is then loosened and carried by
the stream to the opposite shore; the fixed
boat preserving it from being carried down the
current. The direction which the flying bridge
takes, is like that of the pendulum of a clock.

78 SCHWETZINGEN. LETTER IV.
We slept last night at Schwetzingen, cele
brated for a pleasure garden of the Duke of
Baden, of one hundred and eighty acres, laid
ont in the French and English manner. The
most sumptuous building in it was a Mosque,
resembling that at Mecca, the walls of which
have inscriptions from the Koran, with trans
lations in German ; the whole must have cost
an immense sum. Notwithstanding this mag
nificence, the approach from the village is shab
by, frona the utter neglect of cleanliness in the
court ofthe Chateau itself, by which you enter ;
grass grows on the pavements, and the Cha
teau is much dilapidated. Indeed, an un
seemly union of finery and untidiness marks
many of these foreign palaces. The palace at
Manheim is larger than any English one," but
almost in ruins from inattention: Kings and
Dukes aim here at more than they can sup
port. The real dignity of a Prince is the
prosperity of his subjects. A free state, where
education and morals are duly cultivated, and
the pure Gospel of Christ is preached, needs no
gaudy and half-finished trappings to adorn it.

LETTER IV. CARLSRUH. 79
Carlsruh, Saturday, July 19. — We arrived
here to-day, after a journey of thirty-one
miles. We are now six hundred and twenty-
four from Calais. This is a beautiful town,
which has sprung up about the ducal palace
of Baden, around which all the streets unite
like rays of the sun. The weather is fine,
and sometimes rather cold; the roads gene
rally excellent ; the inns vary in accommoda
tions ; some have very comfortable beds,
others hard ones, and swarming with inhabit
ants. The diet is strange to us, and rather
unfavourable; the bread often sour, and the
meat tough and dry. Thank God, we are all
well. Even my dearest Ann bears the journey
remarkably well.* Your affectionate D. W.
* The calamity of the floods in Germany this winter
(1824) is known to my readers by the subscription so
nobly set on foot in England, for the relief of the sufferers.
Almost all the towns we visited in Baden have been inun
dated — 50,000 persons were in a moment reduced to the

80 FLOODS. LETTER IV.
utmost misery. — Their houses, furniture, cattle, lands,
and winter-stock, devastated aud lost. — The vallies of the
Black Forest filled with houseless wanderers, without even
necessaries. — The works on the banks of the river ruined.
— The bridges carried away. Near Franckfort the waters
rose in one day 18 feet above their usual height. The loss
in the Grand Duchy of Baden alone is estimated at half a
million pounds sterling.

81

LETTER V.
Rastadt, July 20. — Schaffhausen, July 27, 1828.

Union of Lutherans and Calvinists — Pastor Henhofer —
Importance of Gospel — Rastadt — Ulm — Kehl — Stras-
burg — Cathedral — Letters of Reformers — Emmendin-
gen — Manner of Travelling — Food — Hoellenthal —
Bad Inn — Black Forest — Donaueschingen — Danube —
Mr. Canning — Switzerland — Schaffhausen — Innkeeper
— Fall of Rhine — Swiss Sunday.

Carlsruh, July 20, 1823
Sunday Afternoon.
This is the fifth silent Sunday, my dear^
est Sister, which we have spent since we left
England. The town is chiefly Protestant, but
German is the only language. I went this
morning and spoke to the Lutheran minister,
VOL. I. g

82 CARLSRUH. LETTER V.
after church, but it was with the utmost diffi
culty we could understand each other, as he
spoke neither French nor Latin; the church
was well attended, and is a most beautiful
edifice, built by the Grand Duke of Baden,
and is some evidence, I hope, of the increased
regard paid to religion here. I could neither
understand the prayers nor the sermon — a good
knowledge of German and Italian is almost
as essential as that of French, to a tour on the
Continent. The Lutheran and Calvinistic Churches,
after three centuries of division, have at length
begun to unite. I hope this is another token
for good. The dispute about consubstantia-
tion will now no longer be the reproach of the
Protestant communities. Few things did more
harm to the infant cause of the Reformation
than this sacramentarian controversy — there
was so much of heat, asperity, violence min
gled with it — and this upon a point where
most of the parties meant nearly the same;
and which, after all, was not a fundamental

LETTER V. HENHOFER. 83
one. On no occasion, perhaps, did the great
Luther so far forget himself. The warmth of
controversialists is generally in an inverse ratio
to the real importance of the question in de*
bate. Love is the key to truth as well as
holiness. I learn here, that the name of the con
verted priest whom I have mentioned to you
before, is Henhofer, and the place where he
now lives, Graben, near this town ; his former
abode was Muhlhausen. We observe that the
Catholic churches in Protestant towns, are far
more simple, and less superstitious, than in
other places. Here and at Franckfort, there
are scarcely any altars or images — in fact, the
Catholic Church in this town is less orna
mented than the Lutheran— rbut this is an in
ferior point — I perceive more and more that
the main blessing wanted in every place is the
grace of the Holy Spirit of God. I am sure
we have little idea in England of the state of
things abroad. We amazingly overstate the
comparative amount of good effected by our
o 2

84 DIVINE TRUTH. LETTER V.
Societies ;-^the= world is still" dead in tres
passes and' sins," — Vast tracts of barren Pro
testantism, or untitled and fruitless Popery,
stretch all around us. ¦ May. that heavenly dew
descend which only can soften,- penetrate,-- and
sanctify the soil! The value of our .religious
advantages in England is more than ever im-
-pressed on my mind. A Sunday, at home,
what a blessing! The importance also of. the
Holy Scriptures, and of dwelling on. the plain,
practical, necessary truths of the Gospel,
strikes me in a most .forcible manner. I see
that all languishes and fades as the Gospehis
forgotten- or unknown. This is God's great
remedy for fallen man; and nothing else will
touch and change the heart. Men's devices,
controversy, cold statements of truth, super
stition, enthusiasm, have no efficacy- to save
man. The doctrine of acfucified Saviour, de
livered in simple dependance on the grace of
the; Holy Ghost, is " the power of God and
the wisdom of God unto salvation" now, as it
has been in every age.

LETTER V. RASTADT. 85
Rastadt; 17 miles, from CarlsruJtr Monday;
July 21, eleven o'clock. — We have just arrived
here for our morning stage. The heat has
been intense ; 20 degrees, I should think,
higher than on Saturday. Carlsruh, which
wehave. just left, is a neat, beautiful town of
fourteen thousand souls, founded as. late as
1715. From the palace as a centre, thirty-
two lines are drawn on all sides; twenty, or
more of these are walks in the forest, and
gardens behind it; and the rest streets, com
posing the town ; so that from the tower of
the palace you command the whole circle;
Dukes here do as they please ; towns must be
built as objects; but I prefer our English
freedom, though our cities are somewhat ir
regular. Rastadt, where we dine, is a town
of three thousand souls, on the river Murg,
celebrated for the Congress between France,
and the Empire in 1798; when two of the
French envoys were murdered on their jour-'
ney to Strasburg. There is a magnificent old
chateau, in which we saw a most interesting

86 ULM. LETTER V.
portrait of Melancthon, and a large engraved
head of the first William Pitt in 1766.
The people in this part of the duchy are
poor- — few manufactures — little public spi
rit; in other words, little liberty. The Duke
takes more care of his palace than of his
people. The Duchess-dowager is an adopted
child, or a niece, of Bonaparte. Presents
from Bonaparte abound in the palace; espe
cially, we noticed a tea-service of superb china,
with coffee-urn, &c. of solid gold. The dress
of the peasants here continues the same, except
that the women wear amazingly large straw
bonnets, flapping down before and behind—
children of four years old, and women reap
ing, have these enormous umbrella bonnets.
The houses here are built with two or three
jutting shades or roofs over each row of win
dow's, formed of tiles, and have a very singu
lar appearance. Ulm, thirteen miles from Rastadt, Monday
Evening. — This is a small village on our way

LETTER V. STRASBURG. 87
to Kehl. The thermometer, at six this after
noon, was 83° in the shade; on Saturday, it
was 559 or thereabouts ; for we were glad to
put on cloaks and great coats. We have come
thirty miles to-day, and travelled seven hours.
Ulm is only a mile from the Rhine. The
Black Forest stretches like an amphitheatre
behind us, from Heidelberg to Basle, The
country is flat, and without vines ; but abounds
in corn and fruits. It produces a good deal of
tobacco. Kehl, on the Rhine, Tuesday Evening, July
22d. — We came here this morning, seventeen
miles, in order to pass the Rhine, and visit
Strasburg. We crossed by a bridge of boats
of the extraordinary length of 3900 feet. The
old wooden bridge is half destroyed. We did
not take the carriages, because of duties,
searchings, &c. on entering France. We spent
about six hours there. It is a city of fifty or
sixty thousand souls, half Protestants and
half Catholics. It has been part of France
since the middle of the seventeenth century;

88 STRASBURG. LETTER V.
but the manners of the people, their dress,
their food, their employments, their taste, all
are German. The difference between them
and the inhabitants of France is quite striking.
The fortifications have been newly increased
and strengthened. It was the Argentoratum
of the, Romans, and abounds with Roman'
antiquities ; for instance, there is a mile stone
and other memorials of the reign of the Em
peror Trajan.
The Cathedral is one of the very finest in
Christendom : it was founded in 510. The
tower is four hundred and seventy feet ; forty-
six feet higher than St. Peter's at Rome ;* it is
said to be the loftiest building in the world
after the pyramids of Egypt. It is a master
piece of architecture, being built of hewn
stone, cut with such delicacy as to give it
some resemblance to lace. As you ascend,
one half of what, in other towers, are walls,
is here open-work, with single iron cross-bars ;
* St. Peter's is 424 feet high ; St. Paul's at London
340.

LETTER V. ST. THOMAS'S. 89
the ascent is rather fearful; but the view of
the Rhine, of the 111, and the Brensch (rivers
here falling into it), of the city, and all the
surrounding country, is most beautiful. The'
day was very wet, so that' we could not reach
the extreme summit. , The entrances of -the
Cathedral are particularly fine, from the ex
cellent preservation of the rich stone-work
with which they are adorned; the figures orna
menting in groups every part, are still perfect,
and have a striking effect — in short, we could
not satisfy ourselves in beholding this monu
ment of the arts, which combines the most ele
gant symmetry of parts with the most entire
solidity and the greatest magnificence.
We visited St. Thomas's, a noble Protest
ant church, fine, simple, majestic. A mo
nument in white marble, to the memory of
Marshal Saxe, adorns one end of the nave.
We saw two bodies ofthe families ofthe Counts
of Nassau, preserved many centuries, and
placed in coffins with glass at the top ; one
female, one man; each in full dress, the

90 REFORMERS. LETTER V.
woman most gaily attired ; the rings of pearl,
too large for the withered fingers ; the face all
in powder, falling on the bones of the skull ;
the whole an affecting lesson of mortality— and
of the inefficacy of all attempts to hide the de
formity of death by a splendour, which only
increases it by contrast. Nature shudders at
dissolution; the real victory over death is by
faith in the triumphant and risen Saviour.
There are ten other churches in the city.
We visited the Royal Palace, the Cabinet of
Natural History, the Museum, and the Li
brary. This last pleased me exceedingly—-
one hundred and fifty thousand volumes; MSS.
of the New Testament, and of the Classics, of
the ninth and tenth centuries; early editions,
&c. What most gratified me was a collection
of MS. Letters of Luther, Melancthon, Bucer,
and the other Reformers. I could not but
gaze with veneration on the very hand- writing
of these holy men, into whose labours we have
entered. The hand-writing of our Queen Eli
zabeth was not half so interesting to me. In

LETTER V. BIBLE SOCIETY. 91
the same library we noticed with pleasure
forty-three volumes of Bibles, presented by
the British and Foreign Bible Society ; great
care was apparently taken of them. I called
afterwards on the Secretary of the Bible So
ciety here, to try to encourage him a little in
that sacred work ; the importance of which
strikes me more and more, as I observe every
where the fatal effects of the neglect of the
Scriptures. The Secretary was evidently gra
tified, and wished much to engage me to at
tend a special meeting of the Committee. We
also saw here the Bible printed at Strasburg
in 1466, supposed to be the first ever printed
in Germany — which is undoubtedly a mis
take. The University of Strasburg contains thirty
professors, and nine hundred students, — Ca
tholics and Protestants. This union through
out the parts of Germany we have visited, is
one of which I am anxious to ascertain the real
tendency. When I ask, I am uniformly told,
that no jealousy, no debates follow, between

92 KEHL. LETTER V.
the professors and students; but moderation*
and peace, though' without intimacy. It seems
an extraordinary thing how modest and rea
sonable, comparatively speaking, Popery can
become, when stripped of its temporal' power
and divested of a party spirit.' It never has
stood, it cannot stand before the Holy Scrip
tures. The New Testament contains nothing
of the peculiar dogmas of Popery. Those who
read that sacred' book learn a totally different
doctrine. The circulation of the Bible seems
to me the most inoffensive, and yet efficacious,''
means of sapping superstition and idolatry
now, as it was in the sixteenth century.
Our host to-night has given us a melan
choly account of this village, Kehl. It is on
this side of the Rhine, as Strasburg is on the
other ; three times it was burnt down in the
last war ; there were formerly two thousand
inhabitants, there are now six hundred. It
was pillaged whenever the armies passed: It
is a place of great importance,' in a military
sense, for the defence of Strasburg, and for

LETTER V. EMMENDINGEN. 93
operations on the. Rhine. What a blessing, is
peace and England ! Commerce is not active
here; .the people say, .the taxes overburden
them at home, and the English undersell them
abroad. ..;
Wednesday Morning. — We were awoke this
morning at five with the noise of cannon.
The whole house shook — lit was only the
soldiers exercising — but I cannot describe how
frightful it was to peaceful and unpractised
travellers — what must,, then, the horrors of
war itself be !
Emmendingen, 33 miles from Kehl, Wed
nesday Evening, July 23. — We have had a de
lightful drive to-day, through nineteen towns
and villages, near the Rhine still, though not
within sight of it. In some places the pros
pect was magnificent ; the loftiest mountains
in varied outline before us, and a sweet fore
ground of villages, spires, and woods. Occa
sionally we have vineyards ; but hemp and
hops abound. The houses are sometimes

94 KANDELBERG. LETTER V.
painted in front with various devices of flow
ers, balustrades, and other ornaments. The
signs at the inns are of cut or cast iron figures,
with gilded ornaments. Some of the women
wear long hair plaited, reaching behind almost
to the feet, or else two long ribbons in a simi
lar way. As we enter the villages, sometimes
a whole band of peasants take off their hats
and salute us, with the utmost complaisance.
The town we are now at is just below
an immense mountain, the Kandelberg, three
thousand nine hundred and three feet high,
with the Vosges on the right, which divide Ger
many from France. The Rhine is seven leagues
off. The cultivation here is not well managed ;
there are no hedges; and patches of corn,
hemp, hops, potatoes, vines, seem all inter
mixed in one spot.
It would be amusing to you to see our ca
valcade as we go on. We are nine in all, in
two landaulets ; Mrs. W., my little daughter
Eliza, and myself, in. one, and the servant on

LETTER V. MODE OF TRAVELLING. 95
the box with the coachman; our friend and
fellow-traveller with my two sons in the other.
My boys change about with me from time to
time* We have three horses in one carriage,
and two in the other. Our chief coachman is
of the Pays de Vaud ; a civil, obliging, sensi
ble, clever man, thoroughly acquainted with
his business. He talks French, German, and
Italian. We pay him forty-eight francs (about
two pounds) a day when he works, and twenty-
four francs when he rests. We generally rise
in the morning at five, and start at seven, and
go a stage of four or five hours, sixteen or
eighteen miles; dine at twelve, or half-past,
staying three hours ; and then take our second
stage of four or five hours, till seven or eight;
then we drink tea or sup, as we like, and re
tire to our rooms at nine. We generally find
one person in the inn who speaks a kind of
French, and then all goes on smoothly; but
sometimes yon would laugh at the figure we
all make in a German inn, without a soul to
understand us : I, with my dictionary, endea
vouring to recall my old forgotten German, as

96 FOOD. LETTER V.
well as I can ; till at last, Mrs. W., our friend,
the boys, .the innkeeper, the chamber-maids,
anduthe coachman, are all in the room to
gether, before we can make out. what we
;want. Then the kind of beds we meet with — some
times not a blanket in the house; sometimes
an unpleasant odour pervading the chambers ;
often floors grimed with dirt, no curtains, no
window-shutters, no carpets ; small, hard, nar
row beds, on an inclined; plane, so that, we
have to manoeuvre almost all night to keep
ourselves from rolling out. But our greatest
annoyance is the food loaded with sauce and
grease; meagre meat, without nourishment;
fowls like pigeons : we had some yesterday,
with a sort of custard sauce. I really believe
our health suffers from want of good, substan
tial, plain diet. I give orders myseff for mut
ton chops, without butter, gravy, sauce, pep
per, &c. ; they bring up veal cutlets as hard
as a board, and covered with onions and
Cayenne. Those who travel for their health,

LETTER V. FREYBURG. 97
would do well to remember how large a de
duction must be made on the score of change
of food. We should have done infinitely bet
ter, if, instead of our Swiss maid, we had
brought one of our English servants with us,
who understood something of our mode of
living at home. At Franckfort, however, we
really met with excellent meat. We hope
soon now to be at Bern, fixed for a time ; and
then my first care will be to get good food for
my dear family, who are really wonderfully
well, considering we have now come seven
hundred and eleven miles, and travelled near
six weeks. The roads are very smooth, and
without pave.
Hoellenthal, or the Infernal Valley, between
Freyburg and Neustadt, Thursday Night, July
24. — We set off this morning, from Emmen-
dingen, and came eight miles to Freyburg,
a jfown of eleven thousand souls, on the en
trance of the Black Forest. We were much
delighted with the Cathedral, which, though
smaller than that of Strasburg, is more beau-
VOL. I. H

98 HOELLENTHAL. LETTER V.
tiful. The open-work of the tower is really
surprising; I observed, as we mounted its five
hundred and thirteen steps* that five open
spaces in the walls occurred for every closed
part ; the tower being (supported by these
closed parts, and the stone staircase which
runs up within it. It is just as if the Monu
ment in" London were built, not with closed
walls, but with five-sixths of them in open
work ; it really is quite incredible. After
dining, at half-past twelve, we came, in five
hours, fifteen miles, to this valley, from which
I am writing.
I was not prepared to expect any thing
beyond a common drive; but the extraordi
nary magnificence of the scenery was such as
to dispute with the finest parts of the Rhine.
For ten. or twelve miles the road followed the
windings'" of a lovely stream, the Treisam,
through a valley adorned on each side With
craggy mountains of stupendous height ; on
the sides of which, the hanging woods of dark
fir were beyond measure grand and sublime.

LETTER V. HOUSES. 99
The views on the Rhine had indeed more of
softness joined with grandeur— the noble river
and vineyards were peculiar to them — but the
scenes to-day had something more of wild and
rude nature in her most majestic forms. Our
hotel to-night is a deduction from the varied
pleasures of the day; we are crowded into a
close, low, miserable bed-room, where we had
to eat our supper. For a tea-urn we had a
common open sauce-pan and ladle ; in fact, the
inn is the end of a large building like a barn
and the rooms are so low, we can hardly stand
upright in them ; all is a contrast to the beau
tiful scene stretched before our view by the
hand of Nature.
The houses here are curious : a large roof
stretches beyond the walls, on all hands, ten
or twelve feet; under this projecting roof a
gallery runs along on the outside of the first
story, and sometimes a second gallery at the
second stOry. The rooms are so allotted, as to
provide stable, wood-house, carpenter's shop,
&c. &c. under the same roof. The houses are
h 2

100 FEMALE DRESS. LETTER V.
entirely of wood, which exudes a gum with
which they are stained; the galleries are for
entrance when, the winter snow blocks up the
ground floor. The women now begin to ap
pear in stockings, but these are of a deep red ;
they have no gowns, but their under-dress is
turned up like a pudding-sleeve gown, short
round the arm ; they wear large hats of an im
mense circumference, with the rims stretched
out in an immovable circle. AH is German
still; so that I can obtain little moral or reli
gious information. We had our coachman
up in!o the chamber this afternoon, as our
interpreter. It was impossible to do with
out him.
Friday Morning. — Our meeting this morn
ing at breakfast was most,; curious. My
friend reported -that he had been thrust into
a miserable hole of a room, into which people
were continually entering — his bed intolerable
—scarcely any sleep. My boys were almost
suffocated, and had little rest. Ann and I had
beds with double inclined planes and ridges.

LETTER V. NEUSTADT. 101
Eliza's account was the most satisfactory ; she
did not know how she passed the night, for
she had not awoke once. In the mean time,
the servant girls were clearing out the boys'
room, to get the breakfast ready for us. — We
started between seven and eight, and came
eight miles to Neustadt, where I am now writ
ing, a small town ou the Black Forest. A
tremendous hill, called Hoellensteig, or the
Infernal Hill, led to a more open country, on
the bosom of which cottages were sprinkled,
with here and there a chapel entirely of wood,
about four yards square; we entered one —
the cross, an altar, and rude offerings, were
within. We soon passed one or two comfort
able hotels. We ought to have pressed on to
one of them last night, apd not to have impli
citly followed the advice of our voiturier, who
has full as much regard for his horses as for
us. In fact, with a large party like ours,
and two carriages, it would be far better to
divide, when we have to spend the night in
small villages, than to crowd into one miser
able inn.

102 DONAUESCHINGEN. letter V.
This Black Forest covers fifty leagues of
country ; it was the cradle of those formidable
Germans who annihilated the Roman Empire.
Sixteen thousand souls live in it, in insulated
cabins ; these cabins have long roofs covering
the galleries, a^d reaching down to the earth
behind the dwelling-house; the barn is over
the house;, the whole is built of beams crossed
and tied together, without bricklayer's work ;
the ceilings of the rooms are wainscot, and
and they use slips of fir. for, candles: they
trade in wood-work, which finds its way even
to America.
Pi- D&nauesehmgen, 21 miles from Hoellensteig,
13 from. Neustadt, Friday Night. — This is a
small town, consisting of two thousand souls,
at the extrernity of the Duchy of Baden. It is
beautifully situated on elevated ground. Near
to.it rises the Danube, the noblest river in
Europe, which washes in its course fifteen
hundred miles of the, territories of Bavaria,
Austria, and Hungary, till it empties itself in
the Black Sea. Some of its springs are in the

LETTER V. DANUBE. 103
court-yard of the Chateau, in an enclosed
basin of thirty feet' square; whence a rivulet
flows, which joins the Brigach and the Breg
(two far more considerable streams), and is
called the Danube. We jumped over it with
ease, From what obscure causes do the
mightiest effects flow! A river celebrated
throughout the world, and rolling by some of
the noblest cities, is here feeble and incpnsi-
derable! It is thus the current of evil from
a single individual, small at first, sometimes
swells as it flows, till distant regions are deso
lated with1 its waves, The sources of the
widest blessings to mankind have also their
first rise in small and unnoticed beginnings.
Nay, the first bursting forth of that " well of
water which springeth up into everlasting life"
is small and<*4nconsiderahle. No wise man
undervalues the beginnings of things.
Wehave now pursued the Rhine three hun
dred and fifty miles in its majestic and fruitful
course, and have visited the Danube in its first
feeble and unperceived struggles. Thus the

104 MR. CANNING. LETTER V.
two noblest and most celebrated rivers in Eu
rope are associated in our minds in their origin
or their progress, and will be connected with
the numerous events of ancient and modern
history, which our reading may furnish. It is
a pleasing and instructive part of foreign travel,
to visit the scenes familiar to us from our ear
liest reading. It furnishes fresh materials of
thought. It gives a life and locality, as it
were, to our knowledge. It embodies and
realizes history.
We have now left the Black Forest, the
mountains, the cabins, and all the magical
scene. Our inn to-night is excellent. Mr.
Canning was here two years ago; and our host
seemed never satisfied in telling us of the dig
nity of his manner, the acuteness of his ques
tions, and, above all, the correctness of his
French — in which, however, our informer was
no great proficient himself. Our friend slept in
the room which this distinguished statesman
occupied. Adieu.

LETTER V. SWITZERLAND. 105
Schaffhausen, 778 miles from Calais, Satur
day Evening, July 26.— Thank God we have
entered Switzerland, in health and peace!
The road from Donaueschingen, twenty-two
miles, is extremely beautiful ; rich valleys
crowned with verdure, mountains rising in
noble boldness on each side, the road winding
with continual change of scenery, brought us
to the first of the Swiss Cantons. As we
passed beyond the Baden frontier, the im
provement in agriculture, and general appear
ance of the villages, was striking. Hedges,
well-cultivated fields, neat farms, met our
eyes for the first time since we left England ;
every spot of land is now employed to the
best purpose, and with neatness and clever
ness. As we entered this land of freedom, the
associations awakened in our minds were most
pleasing. An inconsiderable country — rude
and barren — apparently doomed to bondage
and obscurity— has raised itself by valour and
conduct to be the admiration ofthe world. It

106 schaffhausen. letter v.
preceded England by two or^three centuries in
the march of liberty; and, except during the
twenty years of the French domination, has
been acquiring for more than five hundred
years an almost unparalleled measure of* na
tional glory — from education, industry, com
merce, a free government, public spirit, virtue;
and, since the Reformation, from the light of
pure Christianity. There is something so
noble in all this, that it fills the imagination,
and imparts an additional charm to the natural
beauties ofthe country itself.
Scaffhausen contains about seven thousand
souls. Many of the fronts of the houses are
covered from the top to the bottom with the
devices which I have before mentioned. Se
veral statues of Swiss heroes adorn the public
places, i The son of the principal innkeeper
talks very good English. He spent six months
in England for the purpose, of learning the
language. He, spoke to me with great feeljng
pf the kindness of Dr. Steinkopff; and there
evidently appeared to be a strong religious

LETTER V, FALL OF THE RHINE. 107
impression remaining on his mind, from what
he had seen ofthe zeal of our (Societies for the
propagation of the Gospel, and of the high
tone of Christian doctrine and practice in our
happy country. We have an introduction to a
Professor of Theology here, who is an ex
ample of primitive kindness.
i t; f*>V' ' '."'Sffi
Soon after our arrival, we took a cabriolet,
and drove three miles, to see the celebrated
fall ofthe Rhine. The road leading to it is
exquisite ; vineyards stretch over all the sides
of the mountains; and the country is open,
and variegated. — The road leads along by the
Rhine, which is here of a deep green colour. I
am not sure if I was not a, little disappointed at
the first eoup-d'ceil of the fall itself. My imagi
nation had been heated by descriptions* and
I thought the descent would have been greater.
But as soon as I had had time to recover my
self, and recollect how much the width of the
river; took away from the apparent depth of the
fall, I was better prepared to view the wonder
ful sight. It is truly astonishing.

108 FALL OF THE RHINE. LETTER V.
A multitude of rocks first impede the flow
of the river; through these it makes its way,
till, having overcome them all, it rushes down
about eighty feet, with an impetuosity, a rage,
a boiling foam, which literally darken the air,
and create a constant mist and shower. The
body of water which falls, and the fury, the
incredible fury, of the descent, make this a
wonder of nature. The thunder of the cata
ract is so loud, that it absolutely drowns the
voice — you cannot hear yourself speak. Im
mediately above the fall, four immense, rag
ged, over-hanging rocks stretch at considerable
intervals quite across the flood. • These divide
the torrent for a moment into five parts, with
out lessening its fury. Ages back they doubt
less formed a complete barrier which the
stream had to surmount, and which made the
depth of the fall double what it is at present.
Many falls in Switzerland are more pic
turesque, but none so terribly majestic as this.
It impresses quite an awful conviction of the
power of God, and how soon all nature would

LETTER V. SWISS SUNDAY. 109
be dissolved, if he were to permit. We ob
served the fall first, from a gallery overhang
ing the side of it, and watered with its dashing
stream ; then in a boat from the middle of the
river; next, from a window of a house on the
opposite side; lastly, from a summer-house
commanding the height of the river just before
its fall. We had , likewise the pleasure of see
ing it in a camera obscura. It added greatly
to the delight of this excursion, that my dear
Mrs. W. was well enough to accompany us ;
indeed, the real beauties of our tour have lain
open to her inspection as much as if she had
been ever so strong. It is chiefly the interior
of buildings, which she has been unable to
visit. Sunday, July 27.—" My soul is athirst for
God, yea, for the living God; when shall I
come and appear before the presence of God?"
says the inspired Psalmist; and such would I
wish to be my feelings on this my sixth silent
Sunday. I have been to the Protestant Ger
man service (all the Canton is Protestant); a

110 PREACHER. LETTER V.
venerable clergyman, seventy or eighty years
of age, preached. I would have given any
thing to have understood him ; his manner was
so earnest, so impressive, so affectionate, so
impassioned; his voice majestic, and yet
sweet. The service began with singing (which
was vociferation rather than singing); then a
prayer by the minister, who came from the
gallery into a sort of tribune opening from it;
after this a sermon and prayer ; singing con
cluded. The service began at eight in the
morning. -Several persons in the congregation
sat with their hats on. During the sermon,
two officers were going round collecting mo
ney, in bags hung at the end of long poles.
There was a large congregation, and all
seemed very attentive. After breakfast we had
our English Liturgy, and a sermon. At
twelve, we went to the catechizing at the Ca
thedral; it Was very pleasing, to see one or
two hundred children seated in order, whilst
a Minister heard them a portion of the Hei
delberg Catechism, one of the most excellent of
all the Protestant formularies. After the chil-

LETTER V. CATECHIZING. HI
dren had answered, the Minister began to put
questions to one of them ; and then, apparent
ly, to explain the portion to the whole body of
children — I was delighted — this is the reason
able, intelligent worship of God; — but it is
late, and I must wish you adieu for to-night.
I am yours affectionately, D. W.

112
LETTER VI.
Zurich, July 18. — Baste, August 1, 1823.

Bridge — Swiss Customs — State of Religion — Professor
— Fall of Rhine — Eglisau — First View of Alps — Zu
rich — Reformers — Inn L'Epee — Antistes Hess — Mr.
Wilberforce — Zuingle — Documents of Reformation —
Clergy — Bible Society — Lavater's Jporgiveness of his
Murderer — Aarau — Good done by an English Clergy
man — Basle — M. Blumhardt — Stoves — Fountains — A
Divine — Tombs of Erasmus and Ecolampadius — Holy
Alliance — Council of Basle — Likeness of Erasmus.

Zurich, Monday Evening, July <28th, 1823.
MY DEAREST SISTER,
Before I quit the subject of Schaff
hausen, I must tell you, that this morning we
examined a curious model of the bridge over
the Rhine here, burnt by the French in 1799.
It was built by a common carpenter, with
only one pier, over a space of three hundred

LETTER VI. SWISS CUSTOMS. 113
and sixty-four feet, all of wood; the pathway
being suspended under, not placed over the
arches, so that it quivered with the slightest
movement of a passenger. I may as well
mention also, a few other things which struck
us by their novelty during our stay there.
We observed a funeral, where the procession
consisted of several hundred persons; every
friend of a deceased person attending in a
mourning robe. The churches, though noble,
majestic buildings, are absolutely devoid of
ornament, having been stripped to the bare
walls. There was a nakedness about them
which offended the eye. I prefer the wisdom
and moderation of our English Reformers in
this, as well as other respects: but the Pro
testants here are of the Calvinistic, not Lu
theran, persuasion. The Catholic Pilgrims
who visit Einsiedeln and other celebrated
places of pilgrimage, walk hand in hand, with
bouquets in their hats, singing as they pass
the streets : on Saturday thirty-two passed in
this way through the town. The Swiss keep
unusually good time; beginning the day in
vol. i. * i

114 STATE OF RELIGION. LETTER VI.
summer at three, dining at twelve, and shut
ting up their shops at seven ; and their clocks
happen now to be an hour and ten minutes
faster than those at Paris. Every youth who
chooses may become a soldier to defend the
state. We saw a number of little lads ex
ercising this morning. — So far as to the customs
of the place.
Its moral and religious state I endea
voured to ascertain from the Professor. The
Protestant Cantons are very strict and firm
in their peculiarities, more so than I have
hitherto observed in other parts. There are
thirty or forty Clergy in the small Canton of
Schaffhausen. The attention paid to the
catechizing of the children, and the preparing
them for the Holy Communion, is excellent.
We might learn much from the Swiss on this
subject. All the children of the Canton are
obliged to attend and learn their catechism;
and there are Ministers especially appointed
for their instructors. They seem to have no
idea of leaving the young, as we too much do

LETTER VI. STATE OE RELIGION. 115
in England, in ignorance of the principles of
Christianity. Religious education is, in their
view, the very first duty they owe their chil
dren; and the only foundation of a tranquil,
well-ordered, virtuous community. The laws
are strict, and the magistrates also exercise
a salutary influence over public morals; but I
doubt whether spiritual religion, with its holy
fruits, is now actually flourishing. The Sacra->
ments are, however, well attended. In a
town of seven thousand souls, there are four
or five hundred communicants, at two or
three churches (perhaps one thousand five
hundred or two thousand in all), communicat
ing once or twice a year. Still I fear that all
this is too much of a mere form, and that the
chilling theology of Germany has infected the
Canton. May God raise up a new spirit of
faith and love among them !
I did all I could to make the Professor
understand our views of religion in England ;
and to encourage him in openly following the
doctrines of the Reformation, as the only hope
i2 <

116 FALL OF THE RHINE. LETTER VI.
of a revival of true Christianity. It is a de
lightful thing to be able in any measure to
strengthen the hands of a brother in the Gos
pel. I can do but little; but what I can do,
I feel bound not to omit. He spoke, to me
about the Reglement at Geneva. He ex
pressed himself with great reserve, but evi
dently regretted that measure. He was very
curious to know something about our English
Universities, and the plan of literary and re
ligious education in them. I satisfied his in
quiries, and really felt gratified that I should
happen to have about me a list of the Officers
and Heads of Colleges in Oxford and Cam
bridge to present to him. You cannot imagine
with what pleasure he received it.
We left Schaffhausen at eight this morn
ing, for Zurich, twenty-five miles. On our
road, we stopped again at the fall of the
Rhine, and once more admired its unequalled
terrors. The Rhine is a continued flood — a
torrent, from the dissolved snows, where it
springs, till it loses itself in Holland, after

LETTER VI. EGLISAU. 117
a course of seven hundred miles — so that a
vessel, when first going down the stream from
Switzerland, shoots like an arrow. The width
of the fall is four hundred and fifty feet; the
least depth sixty feet, the greatest eighty. It
differs from the Niagara in two respects; in
volume of water it is inferior; in majesty it
surpasses it. The Niagara is two thousand
seven hundred feet wide, and one hundred
and fifty-six feet high; but it merely turns
suddenly down the fall in a continued stream,
as from a lock; whereas the Rhine, with unpa
ralleled fury, dashes from rock to rock, till
the spray and foam obscure the view.*
At Eglisau, a lovely village on our way,
where we dined, we saw, for the first time,
a covered bridge, erected in 1811, over the
Rhine (the French having burnt the former
one); you walk over under rafters and beams,
windows on, each side opening upon the river.
It is entirely covered at the top with a roof,
and enclosed on the sides, so that you are, as
-* Simond, Voyage en Suisse, p. 91, 92.

118 ZURICH. LETTER VI.
it were, in a house; whilst the rafters, &c.
make you think it is the roof of a country
Church. These covered bridges abound in
Switzerland. As we approached Zurich, we caught a
first view of the distant Alps, about Zug and
Schwitz. The hills first in view were shaded
by the afternoon sun; over these, brillant
volumes of clouds were discernible ; and
from amidst the clouds, the peaksof the Alps
were easily distinguished by their defined out
lines, sharp summits, and the bright whiteness
of the eternal snows with which they are co
vered. We entered Zurich, the capital of the
Canton, about five o'clock. I could not but
be sensibly affected. This is the first town in
Switzerland that separated from the church of
Rome three centuries back— 4t was the favour
ite asylum of our English Reformers during
the vacillating and tyrannical reign of Henry
the Eighth, and the bloody persecution of
Queen Mary. It is supposed to have been the
place where our great Cranmer, soon after he

LETTER VI. VIEW FROM INN L'EPEE. 119
had been raised to the Primacy, caused the
first complete edition of the English Bible,
Miles Coverdale's, to be printed, in the year
1535* The town contains eleven thousand
souls; the Canton one hundred and eighty-
three thousand ; nearly all Protestant. It is
amongst the most thickly peopled tracks of
the Continent of Europe; which is owing
chiefly to the long-continued enjoyment of
good government, and to consequent habits of
virtuous industry.
The beauty of the country accords with its
reputation. We are at the inn called L'Epee.
Imagine a room fifty feet by thirty, of which
two sides are a continued window, overhang
ing the broad deep-blue torrent of the Limmat,
which, rushing like an arrow from the lake of
* The New Testament had first been published by
Tyndale about 1526: the Pentateuch appeared in 1530 ;
Miles Coverdale completed the arduous task under the
auspices of Cranmer, in 1535. This Bible is in a folio
volume, printed in double columns, in what Mr. Dibdin
terms, a foreign secretary-gothic type. It was executed,
as it is generally thought, at the press of a Zurich printer.

120 ALPS. LETTER VI.
Zurich, seems hurrying to pour itself into the
Rhine. The old wooden bridge which leads
across it is immediately before me, and is wide
enough for the market, which is just now in
amusing confusion, and presents a most cha
racteristic scene of Swiss costume and man
ners. The noble churches, quays, and public
buildings on the other side of the river diver
sify the prospect. In the distance on niy right
a second bridge appears, with a tower built in
the midst of the torrent for state-prisoners —
whilst still further on, my eye is lost in fol
lowing the beautiful lake itself, till I discern
at length the Alps rearing their majestic heads
beyond it in the utmost horizon. — Such is the
room where I am writing this letter ; I sup
pose it is one of the most beautiful in the world.
It is curious, that in order to reach this splen
did chamber you have to defile through sta
bles, voitures, horsemen, voituriers, ostlers,
post-boys, and smells of all kinds, by a dark,
narrow passage ; for the entire ground floors
of the Swiss inns are occupied by this sort of
miseries; partly, I suppose, on account of

LETTER VI. ALPS. 121
the frequent inundations from melted snow, or
overflowing rivers.
Last night we ascended a bastion, near the
town, and beheld the magnificent scene of the
range of Alps illuminated, or rather gilded, by
the setting sun; it was, really, as if all the
snows were suddenly set on a blaze, the fiery
meteor was so bright and so 'extensive. As
the sun further declined, the niagic scene lost
its enchantment. It is singular, that this is the
first night this summer that the Alps have been
thus visible. My friend travelled four years
agoin Switzerland, and never saw anything
like it. Indeed, we have been favoured all
our journey. The weather has been unusu
ally cool, with the exception of a day or two,
and we are all now in comfortable health.
May we have the additional blessing of a
thankful, humble, holy, teachable heart, to see
God in every thing, to love God because of
every thing, and to be led up towards him by
everything! I should just mention, that on
our road to Zurich we crossed a part of Ba-

122 ANTISTES HESS. LETTER VI.
den, when the same appearance of negligence
and misery returned which I before noticed.
As soon as we regained the Swiss territory, all
was again neat, convenient, industrious, and
happy: such is the difference between the
effects of civil and religious freedom, and of an
arbitrary government.
Zurich, Tuesday, July 29. — I have been
introduced, to-day, to the celebrated Antistes
Hess : he is eighty-two years old, a venerable,
pious, holy man; on the verge of heaven ; with
a heart full of love to the Saviour, and to the
souls of men. I took my three children to
him, that he might bless them. The Antistes
spoke to me much of Mr. Wilberforce, whose
book he had read with delight: he begged me
to convey to him his Christian regards : it was
delightful to me to see this aged disciple. He
is one of the persons whom I was most anxious
to know. You are perhaps aware, that An
tistes is a Latin word, meaning nearly the same
as President. It is a title often given in eccle
siastical writers to Bishops, though sometimes

LETTER VI. REFORMERS. 123
to simple priests. In the Swiss Reformed
Churches, it is applied to the Ecclesiastical
Head of a Canton. The government of these
churches, though not episcopal, differs consi
derably from what is called Presbyterianism.
I met at the house of the Antistes, an aged
magistrate of this place, who commended to
me the cause of Switzerland, and begged of
me again and again to represent to my coun
trymen the state of his Canton ; pressing on
me that Switzerland had been the cradle of
the Reformation.
We next visited, with much pleasure, the
City Library, abounding in original unpub
lished letters of our Reformers. The history
of that interesting period, after all Burnet has
done, might, undoubtedly, be much enriched
from these stores. Such an undertaking would
require great zeal, discretion, knowledge of
ecclesiastical history, and, above all, a com
manding and pious mind ; but its success
would be sure. We saw the three well-known
Letters of Lady Jane Gray, written to Bullin-

124 ZUINGLE. LETTER VI.
ger, in 1551. The Epistles of St. Paul in
Greek, transcribed entire in the hand of Zu-
inglius in 1517, just as he was first discerning
the. chief corruptions of the Church of Rome,
were most interesting to me, not only as an
ancient manuscript, but as tracing the Refor
mation to its true source, a deep study of the
New Testament.
Zuingle, amongst all the noble body of
Reformers, seems to have, been one of the
most able and acute. He was born Jan. 1st;
1487. He soon began to discover the real
force of the chief doctrines of Scripture. He
not only copied out the text of St. Paul's Epis
tles, but also committed them all to memory,
and earnestly sought by prayer the teaching
of the Holy Spirit ; comparing Scripture with
Scripture, and explaining the obscure pas
sages by the more clear. In 1581 he was
elected by the Chapter to the office of preacher ;
and on Jan. 1, 1519, he delivered his first dis
course in the Cathedral of Zurich before an
immense auditory. His wisdom and penetra-

LETTER VI. ZUINGLE. 125
tion were so remarkable, and the influence
which he acquired over the Council and all
the inhabitants of Zurich was so great, > that
he was soon able to carry the Canton along
with him in a firm but gradual profession of
the Evangelical doctrines. It is remarkable,
that he had laboured his way out of most of
the errors of Popery, and had attained to the
light of Reformed truth in Zurich, at the very
time that Luther, without design or concert
with him, had been carrying on the same holy
work in Germany.
The present pious and holy Antistes lives
in the same house where this great Reformer
dwelt ; in the garden of which is a room lite
rally filled with unpublished archives of the
Reformation. The honour in which Zuingle is
held hiere is remarkable. I observe, that God
has often brought about the greatest works of
mercy by a few distinguished individuals in a
town or country, raised up by his Spirit, em-
bued with the knowledge of the Holy Scrip
tures, and armed with zeal, fortitude, wisdom,

126 STATE OF RELIGION. LETTER VI.
and love : Zuingle at Zurich, Ecolampadius at
Basle, Bucer at Strasburg, Calvin and Beza
in France and Geneva, Luther and Melancthon
in Germany, Cranmer and his noble associates
in England. May men of a like spirit be
raised up again ! May Divines and Profes
sors transcribe and study, like Zuingle, St.
Paul's Epistles! Soon would Protestantism
revive, and Popery fade away before it ! It
is known, that our English Reformer, Ridley,
committed to memory early in life, almost all
St. Paul's Epistles, as well as the Catholic
ones; the benefit derived from which he ac
knowledged with gratitude, just before his
martyrdom. Iu the afternoon we took a sail on the Lake,
delicious beyond description. The evening,
however, was not so favourable for viewing the
setting sun, as last night. I am much grieved
to say, that my impression of the present state
of real religion in some parts of this Canton
is not so favourable as its former celebrity
would lead one to expect— in one parish, St.

LETTER VI. STATE OF RELIGION. 127
Peter's, four or five hundred only attend at
church, out of five thousand inhabitants, for
forty-eight Sundays in the year ; and two thou
sand five hundred for the four remaining Sun
days, the sacrament days, which seem almost
supersti tiously reverenced — many of the clergy
of Zurich meet the magistrates and gentlemen
at a club, once a week, to smoke and talk po
litics : these are not promising symptoms. I
do not pretend, as a stranger, to judge. I
take my account from the confession of one
of the clergy, who told me these things without
the slightest idea of their impropriety. I am
quite distressed that Mr. Gessner, the son-in-
law of Lavater, is not in Zurich. The supe
rior talents and eminent piety of this excellent
minister make me exceedingly regret that I
am unable to see him. He forms a bright ex
ception to the melancholy statement just given.
I trust there are many others. O how differ
ent a thing is real spirituality of heart from
the name of religion, whether Reformed or Ca
tholic !

128 BIBLE SOCIETY. LETTER VI.
Zurich, July 30, Wednesday. —My dearest
Ann accompanied me to-day to the benevolent
and pious Antistes. His amiable and truly
Christian temper appears in all he does and
says. When he took leave of my wife, he
presented her with one of. his smalleir works,
and prayed that peace and grace might be
with her, and that her sons and her daughter
might be her comfort and support. He then
added, "We shall never meet again in this
world, but we shall meet in another, to be with
Jesus : that' is our proper country ; there is
peace, holiness, and joy." The institution for
the blind in this city, and that for orphans,
much interested us. It was affecting to see
the blind write, and do sums in arithmetic, by
letters and figures impressed on the paper with
an iron pen; so that they^knew them by the
touch. The singing of the orphan children
was very beautiful. I called on the bookseller
of the Bible Society : that noble institution,
though less flourishing now, has accomplished
much good, considering the limited resources

LETTER VI. LAVATER. 129
of a single Canton. We visited the arsenal,
and several pther objects of curiosity. The
people marry very young in Zurich, and are
betrothed yet earlier. The taxes are light :
their largest bookseller pays four Napoleons
a year (about 3l. 3s.) for every thing.*
The tomb of Lavater in St. Peter's church
much affected me ; he was wounded by the
hand of a common soldier during Massena's
invasion in 1799, and died after fifteen months
of extreme suffering. His benevolence and
tenderness of heart had been remarkable amidst
all the eccentricities of his opinions through
life ; and they appeared conspicuously on this
frying occasion. He not only did all in his
power to prevent the criminal from being dis
covered; but left him at his death the fol
lowing affecting testimony of his forgiveness:
* There are several print-sellers here who have most
' extensive and beautiful collections of Swiss engravings. I
bought what are called the One Hundred Views, and also
the Fifty Views. I gave thirty or forty shillings for the two
sets. I may as well add, that the duty on coloured prints at
Dover is reduced from two shillings each to two pence.
VOL. I. K

130 LAVATER. LETTER VI.
" Memorandum to be given after my death,
with an affectionate letter, if it be possible, to
the Grenadier (D'Elsass, as I think), who shot
at me, Sep. 26, 1799 — but care must be taken
that his name be concealed. May God par
don thee, as I from my heart pardon thee ! O,
may you never suffer what I suffer through
you ! I embrace you, my friend ; you have
dOne me a kindness without knowing it. If
you see these lines, may they be a seal to you
of the grace of the Lord, who forgives peni
tent sinners ; who delivers them, and makes
them happy ! May God enable me earnestly
to pray for you, so that I may never doubt
that we shall one day embrace each other be
fore the presence of the Lord !"*' • Surely this
paper breathes something of the spirit of the
martyr Stephen. The murderer is said to
have previously received favours from La-
vater. * Souvenir apres ma mort pour remettre, s'il est pos
sible, avec une lettre douce a ce Grenadier (d'Elsass a ce
que je crois) qui m'a tire le 26nie Sept. 1799. Mais il faut
avoir soin que son nom reste cach6. Que

LETTER VI. AARAU. 131
Aarau, Thursday Night, July 31.—- We
left Zurich with regret this morning, and came
twenty-eight miles to this town, the capital of
the Canton of Argovie. It has three thousand
inhabitants, chiefly reformed. It stands plea
santly on a hill on the Aar river, the two
banks of which are united by a covered bridge*
We were surprised to find that the same
church is used here for Catholics and Pro
testants : we entered it ; there were no super
stitious ornameuts. The Protestants meet at
eight, the Catholics at half-past nine, on the
Sunday. We dined at Baden wherethere is
a most beautiful village on the banks, of the
Limmat. At the table-d'hote I met two
Que Dieu te pardonne, comme moi je te pardonne
cordialement. Ah que tu ne souffres jamais tant que je
souffre moim&me a cause de toi. Je t'embrasse, mon ami,
tu m'as fait bien, sans le savoir.
Si tu verras ces lignes, elles te soyent un sceau de la
grace du Seigneur, qui gratifie les p6cheurs penitents, qui
les delivre, et les rend heurenx. Que Dieu me donne de
grandes prieres pour toi, ainsi que je ne doute jamajs;
nous nous embrasserons une fois devant les yeux du Seig
neur. Le 4me Sept. 1800.
J. C. L.
K 2

132 STEIN. LETTER VK
strangers from Basle. After a good deal of
conversation, the lady turned out to be a friend
of an English clergyman of my acquaintance,!
and begged me most earnestly to remember
her to him, and to assure him that she had
not forgotten his advice, but read every Sun*'
day one of the sermons he gave her : it was
delightful to me thus to trace some fruit of
the advice given by my dear friend. What
good might not be effected, if English travel
lers were studious to lose no opportunity of
honouring God their Saviour, on the occasions;
however slight, which continually present
themselves. An impression may often be left
on the mind of a foreigner by a kind and ap
propriate remark, which nothing can efface.
An Englishman has peculiar advantages for
this, from the weight attached to his country
all over the Continent.
Basle, 26 miles from Aarau, Friday Even
ing, August 1. — We have had a charming ride
to-day ; the road from Aarau to Stein (a lovely
village on the Rhine) lay through a noble pic-

LETTER VI. M. BLUMHARDT. ] 33
turesque country. Some of the villages were
¦ more characteristic than any we have yet seen.
From Stein the road ran by the Rhine ; and
when we had come within nine miles of Basle,
we sent on the carriages and came down, or
rather were flooded down, the Rhine, in a
boat ; the stream carried us the nine miles in
an hour and a quarter — a rather hazardous
voyage, as our friends at Basle told us. Basle
is a very ancient city, situated at the angle
where the Rhine turns northward for Germany.
It contains sixteen thousand souls, almost all
Protestants. The same liberty prevails here
as at Zurich, the same habits. Bread is three
halfpence the pound — meat, two-pence three
farthings the pound — wages, two shillings a
day. There are eight churches. Mr. Blum-
hardt, of the Missionary Institution, called
upon me this morning — a most devout, de
lightful man. How refreshing to the mind, to
meet with a Christian brother in a foreign land,
whom one can understand : for Mr. B. speaks
French and English well.

134 STOVES. LETTER VI.
Travelling from Canton to Canton, it is
curious to see the changes in the villages^-
some Popish, some Protestant: the latter are
always the more comfortable, neat, industrious;
but they all seem to live together in peace ; and
a reasonable liberty appears equally dear to all.
The dress of the women varies in each Canton:
the hair of the Zurich women is neatly eombed
and parted: they have no gowns, but their
underdress expands over the shoulders, some
thing like a surplice; they have a stom&cher of
cloth, with braids of scarlet crosswise; they
seem of a strong fine race, compared with the
French and German women;
At Aarau, yesterday^ we observed the
houses, all along thfe main streets, with jut-
ing roofs, only not shelving to the ground;
each house has its own roof advancing per
haps ten or twelve feet ; so that we walked
under them during the rain quite defended ;
the roofs differ in height, shape, colour, &c.
so as to make a most singular appearance. I

LETTER VI. FOUNTAINS. 135
helieve I have not mentioned the German and
Swiss stoves, with which almost every room is
furnished; these are sometimes of iron, pf a
moderate size; but oftener of tiles, stone, or
Chinaware, and then they are eight or ten
feet square, standing on thick legs, which
raise them a few inches from the ground, and
reaching in a turret form to the ceiling. The
fire is; placed in them from the passage, through
an opening in the partition-wall of the room :
there is no grate nor flame seen, but the
warmth is produced by the whole mass of the
tower being thoroughly heated ; the China
stoves are of green, blue, or yellow. The foun
tains also in this country are curious objects ;
every town and village,, however small, has its
fountain. The Catholic adorns his with saints,
the Protestant with heroes : there is no such
thing as water conducted to each house, as with
us ; all depends on the fountains, which are
commonly large stone enclosures, frbm twenty
to fifty feet round, with two, four, or six jets-
d'eau, which fall so as to meet conveniently the
tubs, &c. placed on the margin of the basin.

136 A DIVINE. LETTER VI.
Around these basins are collected women,
washing garden-stuff or clothes, horses drink
ing, servants extending jugs, &c. At Stein
we were at the singular hotel, looking full on
the Rhine, of which M. Simond speaks in
his Voyage with warm commendation. We
shewed the landlord the book in which men
tion is made of him : he was not a little asto
nished that his solitary house should be thus
celebrated. Perhaps one of the most singular persons
we have seen since we have been abroad, was
a Protestant clergyman of one of the towns
we have lately passed through ; pompous,
good-tempered, officious, confused ; with a
mixture of pride from his station and family,
and of familiarity from an affected condescen
sion towards others; the high priest, and yet
the friendly, kind, obliging man ; tedious
withal; dawdling, never seeing the good sense
of a thing, and having no tact in discovering
the inconveniences which his conduct occa
sions; a worthy, bustling, unintelligible per-

LETTER VI. BASLE. 137
sonage. But all this would have been nothing,
if it were not that this same person is a divine,
nay, the divine, the great man in theology,
whose reputation spreads through the neigh
bourhood, who talks perpetually of the Re
formation, and whose opinions gain credence.
I really was quite nervous in his company :
after many trials I could get no one. good sen
timent out of him ; he did nothing but talk to
me of his church, his parish, his house, and
and four or five portraits of himself. A nega
tive character is not enough for a clergyman
in a dying, guilty world. The minister of
Jesus Christ has a high message to deliver, a
weighty stewardship to discharge, a solemn
trust to guard. He has to teach by his doc
trine and his conversation. He is not to sink
down to the standard of the world, but to
rouse that world. from its torpor, and awaken
it to the unseen interests of ' the soul and
eternity. Basle, Saturday Evening, August 2. — The
Cathedral here interested us greatly this
morning. It is one of the noblest Protestant

138 STATE OF RELIGION. LETTER VI.
churches of the Continent. It is built of a
fine, red stone; simple, yet majestic in its or
naments, with numerous aisles and.- monu
ments, and a remarkably curious cloister.
The tombs of Erasmus, and of Ecolampadius,
the Basle Reformer, much delighted us. The
town is neat, and seemingly full of business;..
The public Library contains thirty-two thou-:
sand volumes, and manuscript letters of most
of the Reformers. In the afternoon we, spent
two or three hours with the excellent Mr. B.
The first foreign Bible Society was formed
here in 1804, the very year when the original
Institution began in London. At the third
oeatenary of the Reformation, New Testa
ments were given from the altar of the Cathe^
dral to all the children of the town — above
two thousand were distributed. What an ap
propriate gift! The Missionary Institution
contains thirty-four students, and- is about to
be enlarged. The lecture rooms and chambers
are simple and unadorned.
The state of true religion is, on the whole,
improving in Switzerland and some parts of

LETTER VL HOLY ALLIANCE. 139
Germany. Truth, holiness, and unity in
crease, hundreds of Catholics receive Bibles
and attend Protestant Churches. The Luthe
rans and Reformed have begun to unite in the
common term Evangelical. The Antistes and
most of the Clergy preach and live according
to the Gospel: On the other hand, the Court
of! Rome threatens, the Pope is aroused; he
thinks the Protestants have begun to propa
gate their views by Bible and Missionary In
stitutions ; and he is determined to oppose
them. The Jesuits are the Pope's household
troops;' they are spreading everywhere, and
resisting, in the most open manner, every at
tempt at Scriptural education. The Holy
Alliance is thought to favour the Pope and the
Jesuits, by acting on the idea that all societies
are dangerous.* In the mean time, the friends
¦ v i h
* I find from friends who have returned from Rome
since the publication of the second edition of this work,
that nothing can exceed the present boldness of the Catho
lic hierarchy there — except their folly. Open claims of in^
fallibility are made, indulgences placarded, the Bible and
education spurned* the certain perdition of heretics avowed,
the authority of human traditions asserted and vindicated

140 COUNCIL OF BASLE. LETTER VI.
of the truth are active and humble, leaving
events with God. Mr. B. was exceedingly
struck with London when he visited it for
the first time last year. He says it took him
six months, on his return, to cool and collect
his scattered "and astonished ideas, and •. digest
what he had observed. He thinks Paris is
only a village compared with London. He
complained, however, of London fogs, Ldri-
don water, and London cookery — 'the fine
mountain air, the Rhine, and the ordinary
food of Switzerland ;: these are what he wanted
to complete his happiness — he scarcely once
saw the sun the first six weeks he was in Lon
don. But he forgot all this in the intellectual
and religious festivals in which he participated.
I omitted to say, that we saw at the Cathe
dral to-day the very hall where the Council of
1431-47 held its sittings; the self-same seats
as strongly as ever. In short, all the comparative mild
ness of Pius VII. and Gonsalvi is forgotten, and a new
reign of intolerance commenced. — The Jesuits dirept every
thing.

LETTER VI. ERASMUS. 141
and other furniture remain. That Council was
convoked to prevent the Reformation; but the
scandal raised by the vices of the bishops,
who composed it, had the effect of convincing-
men of its necessity, and of hastening its ap
proach. It happened curiously, that on the
very benches where the Pope's legate and the
other members of the council sat four centu
ries back, the trophies ofthe Reformation
were placed, which had just been displayed
at the celebration of the third centenary of
that great event. Yours affectionately, D. W.
P. S. Before I shut up my letter, I must
add, that, in the old Divinity School of the
Cathedral, we saw a likeness of the celebrated
Erasmus, scratched apparently by an idle
student with the rough point of an iron nail,
on the common wooden desk which was be
fore him, during lecture. Three centuries

1.42 ERASMUS. LETTER VI.
have rendered this roguish trick a great curi-.
osity. The lines are beginning to be faint;
but the likeness is still strong. You will
please however to observe, that Erasmus is
not one of my prime favourites. He had
talents, wit, and learning in, abundance ; but
he wanted the heart of a Reformer. The im
portant aid which he at first rendered tp Lu
ther, was more than neutralized by the bitteu
opposition to the Gospel, in which he at length
openly joined.

143

LETTER VII.
Modtiers, August 4. — Bern, August 11, 182S.

Sunday at Basle — Aiew from table-d'hote Room —
Valley of Moutiers — Anabaptists — Soyhier — Court—
CorrriOret-^Rock Pierre Pertuis — Observations on
Swiss Government — Neufch&tel — Reformer Farel —
Bienne — Island of St. Pierre — J. J. Rousseau — See-
dorf — Bern — Voiturier — M. Wyttenbach — The great
Haller— Swiss Diet — Sunday at Bern — Pastor Hen
hofer.

Basle, about 963 miles from London,
Sunday, August 3, 1823.
MY DEAREST SISTER,
We are now closing our seventh
absent Sunday; and have, for the first time,
met with French service. We attended twice;
at nine o'clock and at three. I endeavoured

144 SUNDAY AT BASLE. LETTER VII.
to hear the sermons with that candour and
sincere desire to derive instruction and com
fort, which become a Christian, and especially
a foreigner; but really they were so indifferent,
or rather so unscriptural, that I was grieved
at my very heart. Man is the same every
where. It is not a mere freedom from super
stition and infidelity which is enough. It is
spiritual life which is wanting — that sensibility
and perception which is the gift of the Holy
Spirit, and without which a moral death per
vades all the powers ofthe soul — no due sense
of sin, no real penitence, no faith in Christ
for justification, no holy love, no communion
with God, no dedication to his service, no
separation from the world, no true obedience.
I hope the strong impression I receive abroad of
the necessity of the Gospel in its simplicity,
will never be effaced from my mind. What is
Protestantism, without the truth on which it
rests, and the Holy Spirit by whom alone that
truth can be taught or blessed? I cannot but
mourn over the decay and desolations of the
Protestant churches, as I pass from place to

LETTER VII. BASLE. 145
place. At Basle it is the French churches of
which I speak ; for the German here, thank
God, are prosperous. The sixteen Lutheran
ministers, with scarcely an exception, truly
preach the Gospel. The Sabbath therefore,
generally, is much better observed than in
Germany; the shops shut; no amusements;
great order and decency.
Monday Morning, August 4. — Basle was
celebrated in the fourth century ; it is capable
of containing a hundred thousand inhabitants,
but it has now only sixteen thousand. It is
superbly situated on the ' Rhine, which here
becomes navigable. The larger houses in the
town have the front doors made of open wire-
work, so as to admit the air. Many of the in
habitants have a swollen neck ; arising, as Mr.
B. informs us, from the nature of the water,-
but, as others think, from the moist, foggy
atmosphere. In the Valais, this disease be
comes a protuberance, and is often accom
panied with idiotcy. On the whole, Basle,
much delights us. The table-d'h6te room
VOL. I. L

146 THE RHINE. LETTER VII.
overhangs the Rhine; with the noble bridge
over it, connecting Great and Little Basle,
on our right, full in view. The prospect from
one of the bastions surprised us quite unex
pectedly one evening, as we were walking on
the fortifications. At a sudden turn ofthe
path, the most picturesque view burst upon
us as by magic — the Rhine — 'the bridge— a
part of the town — the tower of an old church
— a beautiful well-wooded country — a thou
sand various objects interspersed — the whole
exquisite. It. is, in short, the simplicity, in
dustry, piety, and happiness of the people,
together with the liberty of their country, and
its uncommon magnificence and beauty, which
endear it to Englishmen. Switzerland is the
land of moral and intellectual freedom, and
one of the chief glories of Reformed Europe.
Court, between Basle and Neufehatel, Mon-'
day Night, August 4. — We have come to-day
thirty-two miles. This is the third time I have
been surprised with a richness of scenery
wholly unexpected. Nothing is so difficult to

LETTER VII. MOUTIERS. 147
describe. Language — at least my language —
is unable to follow the inexhaustible variety
and profusion of beauties in Switzerland. For
nine hours to-day our attention and admiration
were excited so perpetually, that we were
fatigued under the continued effort. It was
not the Rhine, it was not the Hoellenthal, —
the former, with its majestic flood and exube
rant vines, is unequalled in its way ; the latter
in wild and awful scenery appeared to us at
the time incomparable — 'but the Valley of
Moutiers, where we now are, is of so new
and grand a character, so considerable in ex
tent (twenty-two miles), so varied at every
turn throughout its course, that, though differ
ent from all the preceding scenery, we must
allow it to be one of the very finest things we
have yet seen. We are indebted to our good
friend who has travelled in Switzerland before,
for the excellent choice of our road on this
and other occasions. Few Englishmen ever
think of Hoellenthaly or the Valley of Mou
tiers. If a traveller has not time to study well
the best books before he leaves home, he
l2

148 THE BIRSE. LETTER VII.
should by all means obtain the company of a
friend who has a thorough knowledge of the
country, and judgment and taste to direct his
attention to the most deserving objects. Other
wise he will infallibly lose some of the most
interesting points.
The valley of Moutiers is a sort of fissure
or chasm in the immense chain of the Jura
mountains. The river Birse flows through it
in a rather small, but clear, impetuous, and
diversified stream ; its numerous cascades, its
various bridges, and endless windings, create
an inexhaustible fund of pleasure. The rocks
of immense height — vertical — parallel — an
swering to each other on the opposite sides
of the chasm, sometimes like leaves of a book,
and bearing on every side smaller or larger
trees, apparently without any super-incumbent
earth — vast ravines in these masses, down
which the torrents at times roll — overhang
ing fragments, threatening, as it were, to fall
every moment, together with the sinuosities of
the valley, formed a scene of wonder and de-

LETTER VII. ROMAN ROAD. 149
light. The foliage also, now of dark fir, now
of lighter underwood; at one time filling up
the valley, and hiding the bursting river; at
other times rising up the mountains; and al
most always spreading out on the rent masses
of granite, added continued beauties, — whilst
the enormous bodies of rock here and there
forced down by the winter tempests, or loos
ened by the thaws and floods, almost closed
the road, and blocked up the river. Along
this valley the Romans formed a road, which,
after having been more than once obstructed
by the falling rocks, was opened again for the
last time in 1752. The following inscription,
in Latin, is engraved on a stone on the side of
the road: " Joseph William, of Rincius,
Prince Bishop of Baldenstein Basiliensium,
opened this road, which had been shut for a
long time, by breaking through the rocks and
opposing mountains, and casting bridges over
the Birse, with a labour worthy of the Ro
mans." This boasting inscription, like too
many others of the same class, is far from
being true. The Bishop took no other part in

150 ANABAPTISTS. LETTER VII.
this enterprise, but that of claiming the Honour
of it. The inhabitants of the Valley raised the
money, and effected the laborious task.
The road now is excellent. We met as we
drove along some venerable old men in great
simplicity of attire, and with long flowing
beards. They were part of the community of
Anabaptists, who were banished from Berne
in 1708, because they refused to take oaths
and to bear arms. What an odious thing is
persecution, especially in free states, and most
of all where the Protestant religion is pro*
fessed! There are about 1000 of these good
people here — industrious, meek, and religious
— capable of being a blessing to any nation.
They have no similarity of sentiment with the
German Anabaptists of the sixteenth century.
I have been naturally led to reflect to-day
on that awful disruption of the deluge, which
was doubtless the origin ofthe amazing scenes
through which we passed — the face of the
creation bears marks of that signal judgment

LETTER VII. S0YH1ER. 151
of Almighty God on a sinful world. I en
deavoured also to meditate on the goodness of
God in furnishing man with sources of plea
sure in the wonders of creation, and spreading
over the wrecks of the world the sweet foliage
and fertility, which are more delightful from
th^se contrasts. When the last breaking up of
nature shall come, and the rocks and moun
tains depart, may we inherit a new and
brighter world wherein dwelleth righteousness !
The people now speak French. We are in
the CantOn of Bern, containing two hundred
and fifteen thousand souls, chiefly Protestants.
We dined at Soyhier, a small Catholic vil
lage, where all the tombstones have cups or
basins hanging by them, I suppose for holy
water. In the corner of the churchyard is a
small building filled with the bones of the
dead, with an aperture or window, open to
the air, by which you may see them, and touch
them, if you please. The villages in this val
ley are curious, from the very low cottages of
only one story, very wide, with roofs of wood,

152 PIERRE PERTUIS. LETTER VII.
and large stones placed here and there upon
the roof, to prevent its being blown away.
, . : i i .Cormoret, Tuesday Morning, Eleven 6 Clock.
— We left Court this morning at seven, and
came on here, sixteen miles, through a fine
open country, bordered by mountains. At a
place called Pierre Pertuis, we stopped to see
the source of the Birse, whose stream had
afforded us such extraordinary pleasure yes
terday : it gushes from the side of a rock with
such force as to turn three mills almost im
mediately. Above this source a lofty rock is
pierced to admit the road: the opening, of
about forty-five feet by fifteen, was known to
the Romans, as an inscription cut in the rock,*
* The inscription is as follows :
Numini Augus-
torum
Via facta per Titum
Dummium Paternum
1 1 Virum Col. Helvet.
" To the Divine Augustus, this road, made by Titus
Dummius Paternus, Duovir of the Colony of Helvetia,
is dedicated."

LETTER VII. CORMORET. 153
and almost obliterated by time, testifies. It
is situated at the foot of the mountain
Vion. We were overtaken by a most violent
storm as we approached this village, Cormoret,
and here discovered the advantage of Swiss
architecture; for the host of a small auberge
no sooner saw us, than he opened the door of
the barn, and we drove in under cover, first
one carriage, then another; a door in the side
opened into the house, and stairs, steep as a
ladder, conducted us to the salle-&-manger,
or dining hall, over the said barn, where we
now are. The ceiling, walls, floor, are all of
the same materials, unpainted wood. Our
cold meat is brought out, which we put into
our tin boxes at Basle. We have also Kirchin-
wasser (eau de cerise), together with fresh
eggs, warm milk, bread, all set out on an
immense table, which surrounds three sides of
the hallj and has no particular appearance of
having been lately cleaned. In this style we
are now about to dine, at half-past eleven,
Swiss time.

154 SWISS CONFEDERATION. LETTER VII.
Twelve o'clock. — As the storm continues,
and we have finished our frugal meal, I will
now go ,on with such remarks as occur to
me. Switzerland formerly contained thirteen
Cantons, but at present twenty-two, confede
rated together by an act of Congress, 1814;
by which the actual limits and rights of the
different states were as nearly as possible pre
served. The Swiss date their freedom from
the first efforts of the Canton of Uri, , Switz,
and Underwald, to throw off the Austrian
yoke in 1308, under the heroic guidance of
William Tell ; of whom I must tell you some
thing, if possible, when we come to the scenes
of his exploits. Though a republic, Switzer
land has never, like Rome or Athens, formed
one great community ; but has remained a
confederacy of small states, managed by a
general diet of deputies from each Canton.
It is by far the most mountainous country in
Europe, having in fact only one large tract of
level ground towards Basle, Zurich, and Bern.
If you are travelling in some parts, you may

LETTER VII. SWISS MOUNTAIN. 155
eat on the same day the fruits of the coldest
and of the warmest climates — the apple and
pear, with the grape, almond, and fig. Swit
zerland contains one million seven hundred
and fifty thousand souls, of whom above a mil
lion are Protestants. Basle is the largest city,
Geneva the most populous, and Bern the most
beautiful. The Cantons differ from each other
materially in religion and in form of govern
ment; but a Spirit of independence, activity,
industry, pervades the whole, and makes them
the freest and happiest country in Europe,
after Great Britain.
Neufchdtel, Wednesday Morning, Aug. 6.—
The storm clearing up yesterday, we set off at
half-past one. We soon came to a hill very
steep, but apparently moderate in length ; the
two coachmen, with all our party, except Mrs.
W. and Eliza, Walked up. It turned out to be
a genuine Swiss mountain, at least three miles
long, and three thousand feet in height. We
were more than an hour ascending, and as the

156 AUBERGE. LETTER VII.
boys and I followed a countryman by what he
called a shorter route, we had the happiness to
clamber up a side so precipitous, that we were
obliged to cling to the roots of trees to prevent
our falling backwards. At the top we saw a
small auberge ; we entered it by the barn, and
from that turned into the kitchen, where a mo
derate fire was burning, not on the hearth, but
in the open raised sort of oven, which is usual
in this country. We sat down to dry our feet
whilst they prepared us some coffee : happen
ing to look up, we Saw that the whole fire
place, ten feet by fifteen, gradually formed the
chimney, which was all of wood, forty feet
high, ending in a square at top, on which was
a board raised on one side to allow the smoke
to escape, by a pole which descended the
whole length, and was hung by cords at the
side of the oven. As we were sitting, the door
opened, and in came our good friend, who
had followed the main road, allured by the
same hope of relief as ourselves. Eliza
arrived soon after, and then Ann. We had

LETTER VII. NEUFCHATEL. 157
a refreshing cup of coffee in the salle-a-manger
— which, by the bye, was all of wainscot, and
with double windows; a defence against the
winter storms; five months' snow falling most
years. We arrived at the capital of the Canton of
Neufchdtel at eight, after thirteen hours' jour
ney, and forty-four miles. The weather was
rainy in the afternoon ; so that we could see
little as we decended to the town, except the
fine lake expanding its deep-blue waves on all
sides. Had the weather been fine, the Alps
would have crowned the horizon. We ob
served the villages had still the low cottages,
with wooden shingles for tiles. The water-
pipes were not placed against the houses, but
led off about twenty feet, so as to carry off the
water beyond the front gardens into the road.
We noticed also extraordinary large dung
hills caked with much care, cut all around,
apparently ten years old each, and placed in
the garden precisely under the bed-room
windows ; I suppose, from the value attached

158 BIENNE. LETTER VII.
to them by this frugal people. We had excel
lent beds after our fatigue last night, the best
since we left England : my own chamber seems
a sort of ball-room, thirty feet by twenty-five
— these measures are, of course, in the way of
conjecture; as all my remarks on Switzerland,
in some degree, are. I am no professed tra
veller. Bienne, on the Lake of the same name, Wed
nesday Evening, August 6. — We left Neufchatel
at eleven this morning, after seeing the Cathe
dral, fountains, and vineyards^-it has three
thousand souls. The sepulchral stone of the
Reformer Farel is in the churchyard. The
Alps, which on a fine day are seen stretching
on the opposite side ofthe Lake and bounding
the view, we could not discern. We came on
to Cerlier, twelve miles, to dinner; and then
leaving the carriages, embarked in a boat on
the Lake of Bienne. We soon landed at the
small island of St. Pierre, about a mile in cir
cuit. It abounds in beautiful scenery. The
single house on the island is an auberge, for-

LETTER VII. J. J. ROUSSEAU. 159
merly a monastery, and of late years celebrated
as the refuge of J. J. Rousseau for space of
two months in 1765. The walls of his room
are actually covered with inscriptions. A
trap-door in the floor remains, by which he
escaped from unwelcome visitors. A book
for entering the names of strangers is kept. I
was determined to accompany my signature
with some token of disagreement from the sen
timents of this pernicious writer. I therefore
wrote, " D. W. qui, tout en admirant le genie
de Rousseau, en deplore les erreurs, et les
suites si funestes au Christianisme, et & la
morale." It is quite impossible that true religion
should revive in France and Switzerland till
the undiscerning encomiums of mere talent
be superseded by a just and manly estimate
of moral and intellectual excellency. Bril
liancy of wit only augments the guilt of those
who employ it to the corruption of mankind.
In the case of Rousseau, not only do we see
the finest powers of mind uncontrolled by

160 BIENNE. LETTER VII,
religion, but positively left wild to the im
pulses of vanity, selfishness, and impurity,
without one redeeming quality. Yet men are
intoxicated with the enthusiasm of his powers,
utterly forgetful of the infinite mischiefs
which he spent his whole life with a malicious
diligence in scattering around him. The
consequence of this sickly admiration of his
genius is, that thousands of youth read his
sophistical writings — catch hold of some spe
cious objections to Christianity or to morals —
allow their faith to be weakened or overthrown
— take no pains to re-invigorate it by careful
study and practical obedience to truth — in
sensibly commence infidels — and are lost at
length in the vortex of sensuality and scep
ticism. But to return. There are fine vineyards
on the island, which are let to fifty families,
who have half the grapes for their labour:
last year, this little island, or rather, a third
part of it, yielded one hundred and sixty
thousand bottles of wine ; some years it yields

LETTER VII. BIENNE. 161
only twenty-four thousand. Such is the un
certainty of the vintages in this country. We
re-embarked, after a slight refreshment, and
sailed to the town of Bienne. The wind was
favourable, and the prospects on each side of
the Lake were charming; but the agitation of
the vessel produced in some of us a qualmish
ness which interrupted our pleasure.
Bienne is a small town of two thousand
five hundred souls, at the foot of Mount Jura.
The fosse or moat of the fortifications is
turned into gardens — a circumstance which
we have often seen, and which always fills
me with an indescribable pleasure. I re
member as we drove out of Lille, it was de
lightful to me, after passing four or five lines
of frightful fortifications, to turn my eye
down and see a number of gardeners and
hay-makers at their peaceful occupations at
the bottom ofthe fosse. Bienne abounds with
fountains; the stone figure of one of which
represents a good and evil augel struggling
VOL. i. m

162 CRIMINAL LAW. LETTER VII.
for the soul of man : Satan has horns and an
enormous tail. Over another is a Swiss pa
triot, immovable as the pedestal on which he
stands. The gateway has an extremely old
bas-relief of two heroes, the peculiar undaunt-
edness of whose countenances and attitudes
bespeaks the Swiss bravery. The chief ma
nufactory in this neighbourhood is watches:
a good workman can gain about eight francs a
day, an ordinary one three or four. Bread is
three halfpence a pound, meat three pence.
Out of forty-nine thousand souls in the can
ton of Neufchatel, there are only two prison
ers now confined in jail, and these for rob
bery. The punishment of death is scarcely
ever inflicted. We hope to be at Bern to
morrow, where letters from England await
us : I cannot but feel anxious, after a total
silence of nearly eight weeks, to hear of my
beloved family, and beloved congregation;
the duties also before me may materially vary
in consequence : may God grant us all need
ful direction, and vouchsafe us the grace
which sanctifies and saves !

LETTER VIL BERN. 163
Bern, Friday Morning, August 8. — We ar
rived here yesterday afternoon, after a delight
ful journey of twenty-four miles from Bienne.
We are now about nine hundred and eighty-
seven miles from Calais, and one thousand and
eighty-seven from London ; and having reach
ed what may be called the capital of Switzer
land, and our resting-place in this enchanting
country (for Geneva, if we go much there, is
but two or three days' journey), I would raise,
if I may be allowed to make the allusion, my
memorial^ and call it "Eben-ezer;" and say,
" Hitherto hath God helped us:" we have tra
velled all this way without a single accident,
properly speaking; and with only those vari
ations in health which occasional heat and over
fatigue have brought* on. The weather has
been, on the whole, more favourable to us
than it would have been during any other
summer for several years. Here we intend
first to wait, and entirely rest ourselves, and
then form the best plan we can for our health,
comfort, and instruction during our remain
ing tour. Thank God, I found letters from
m2

164 SEEDORF. LETTER VII.
England at the post, with nothing but good
news. I received six letters altogether.
We dined yesterday at Seedorf, a lovely
village, commanding one of the finest views
we have yet seen. The road from Bienne
was almost one continued succession of moun
tains; which you will readily believe, when I
tell you that Bern is situated one thousand
seven hundred and eight feet above the level
of the sea. It is indisputably the finest city
we have seen, from the beauty of its site, from
the nobleness and regularity of its main streets,
from the fine white free-stone of which it is
built, and from the arcades or piazzas, which
adorn not merely a market-place, like our
Covent Garden, but absolutely all the chief
avenues throughout the city; added to this,
a beautiful stream of water flows through the
middle of the streets, with fountains at con
venient distances. It more resembles Bath
than any place I have seen abroad. It stands
on *a lofty hill, surrounded almost entirely by
the Aar ; about five degrees more south than

LETTER VII. VOITURIER. 165
London. It is one of the most modern cities
in Switzerland ; for though it was rebuilt
entirely after the destructive conflagration of
1405, the chief buildings are not older than the
middle of the last century.
Friday Evening. — -We have been settling
to-day with our voiturier, who here leaves us.
We have paid him one thousand seven hundred
and four francs for forty-one days, at the rate
of forty-eight francs for thirty days' travelling,
and twenty-four for eleven days of rest. The
distance he has brought us is seven hundred
and ninety-two miles ; which is about one shil
ling and nine-pence halfpenny a mile, for five
horses and two carriages — but then we have
the hire of the carriages, 200 francs a month
each, to pay when we return to Calais; so that
the rate of travelling is, on the whole, suffi
ciently expensive.
I have been to-day introduced to the Rev.
M. Wyttenbach, cousin of the celebrated editor
of the Plutarch, published some years since by

166 REV. M. WYTTENBACH. LETTER VII.
the University of Oxford. He has been fifty-
two years a pastor in this town — a truly de
lightful person — full of good sense, piety, kind
ness, playful humour, courteousness, and anec
dote. I am not sure I ever met with such a
man. He reminded me very much of the late
Rev. John Newton, the friend of Cowper — so
sensible, affectionate, entertaining, and vene
rable. He travelled to the Alps every sum
mer for thirty-two years, till the French revo
lution closed the series. He was known to
our Coxe, who was here in 1776. He founded
a Bible and Tract Society in Bern in 1792,
and is the father of the British and Foreign
Bible Institution in Bern. He took us over
the Library and the Museum this afternoon.
The Cathedral stands on the summit of the
hill on which the town is built, overlooking
the Aar ; on the side next the river a terrace
has been erected, with immense buttresses to
support the wall, which is above one hundred
feet high, and which a Swiss writer, in the
warmth of his patriotism, has compared to the
walls of ancient Babylon. The promenade is

LETTER VII. HALLER. 167
as delicious as the prospect is magnificent. I
doubt if Europe can match the scene. The
female peasantry here have a costume ex
tremely peculiar. They have ornaments of
black lace fixed on the back of the head by
a sort of close cap, from all sides of which an
enormously deep black frill sticks upright like
sails ; the higher this rises, and the more stiffly
it rears itself, the more fashionable is the dame
who wears it. The weather to-day has been
wet and cold.
Saturday Morning. — I must preserve a say
ing of the great Haller. M. Wyttenbach had
been speaking to him of the difficulty and im
portance of finding the middle line, the line of
true wisdom, amidst the conflicts of mankind.
The venerable Haller replied — La ligne de
milieu, la ligne de sagesse, c est une ligne mathe-
matique qui na pas de largeur — " The middle
line, the line of wisdom, is a mathematical line
which has no breadth." This excellent man
was a native of this city, and a descendant of
Haller, the Reformer. He died here in 1778;

168 SWISS DIET. LETTER VII.
and is deservedly called, the great Haller, on
account of his surprising talents, his success
in every kind of study, his love to his country,
and, above all, his piety towards God. A mo
nument was erected to him in the Botanical
Garden in 1808.
The Diet of Switzerland, composed of de
puties from the twenty-two Cantons, is now
sitting. When one recollects the amazingly
small weight which this Diet has in the affairs
of Europe, one cannot but smile to see the
members walking in state every morning to the
Diet in bag- wigs, cocked hats, and dressed in
black ; each preceded by two marshals in
black, with their swords, and their hats off,
adorned with cloaks of rich variegated cloth.
In contrast with all this, it is painful to think
that the ancient independence of the Swiss
Diet, is supposed to be sinking before the in
fluence of the Holy Alliance, which dictates to
it the political measures to be adopted, and
will hear of no remonstrance. Switzerland
will soon begin to decay, if its noble spirit of

LETTER VII. WRESTLING. 169
liberty be fled. It has just suspended the
liberty of the press for a year, and enacted
laws for banishing foreigners — 'Steps which a
century back no power in Europe could have
induced the Swiss patriots to take. These
false steps will infallibly lead on to worse
ones. To-day the Diet has suspended its
sittings to attend a national festival for wrest
ling; a relic, and the only one in Europe I
suppose, of the wrestlers in republican Rome.
In the Cathedral choir are displayed, during
their sessions, the trophies gained in the fif
teenth century, over Charles Duke of Bur
gundy. The Cathedral is a plain, but noble
building. Bern is so healthy, that from the
year 1663 to 1700, out of 4225 deaths, there
were 29 persons who died between 90 and
100, and 1081 between 70 and 90, years of age.
Out of four infants born, one commonly attains
the age of 70.
Sunday Evening, August 10. — I have this
day had the most delightful Sunday since I
left home. The French Protestant service be-

170 LITURGY. LETTER VII.
gan at ten. The Church was crowded. The
minister preached a most excellent sermon on
sanctification as flowing from our justification
before God. At two o'clock there was a bap
tism of his child: the service was public. A
liturgical office was read ; godfathers and god
mothers named ; vows undertaken ; and ex
cellent prayers offered up. The infant was
dressed in white, in a sort of bag closed at the
feet. The water was poured by the clerk from
a silver ewer into the hand of the minister ; a
sermon admirably good Was then preached by
a second minister. There is no solemn read
ing of the Scriptures in these French churches,
which I think an essential defect. There is
also very little public confession of sin, or
prayer. Indeed all I see abroad raises my esteem of
our English Liturgy. The foreign churches, in
their ardour to recede as far as possible from
the church of Rome, seem to me to have too
little consulted the interests of devotion, and
to have attended too exclusively to public

LETTER VII. PRIMITIVE CHURCH. 171
preaching. We are always in danger of ex
tremes. The primitive church was in nothing
more remarkable than in the spirit of contri
tion, meekness, and humility which pervaded
it. The hidden life of the Christian was the
main source of divine principles and practice.
The Church of England, when her true spirit
is imbibed — her doctrines and her devotional
forms — her evangelical instructions, and her
prayers— perhaps comes the nearest of all the
Reformed communities to the practice of the
first Christians ; and is best adapted to such a
creature as man.
After the morning sermon, a curtain, which
separated an entire portion of the Church op
posite to the pulpit, was withdrawn, and lo, a
popish altar, with two chapels, and a pulpit !
For, the established religion being Lutheran,
the Calvinists and Catholics use the same
Church. At half-past four, our fellow-tra
veller preached us an excellent sermon in our
chamber. Thus the day has been refreshing
to my mind. What a tender plant is religion

172 MOUNTAIN TOUR. LETTER VII.
in the human heart! how soon does it wither!
what constant need of the heavenly dew !
Lord, be thou, by thy grace and Spirit, as
the dew unto us; renew, penetrate, soften, fruc
tify, bless! — I introduced myself to the two
ministers here, and found them charming per
sons : they lent me the work of the Converted
Priest; the title is, " The Christian Confes
sion of Faith, of the Pastor Henhofer, of Muhl
hausen, who, with forty families, his former
hearers, turned from the Catholic to the Evan
gelical Lutheran Church : Spire, 1823." Muhl
hausen is a village belonging to the Baron
Gemmingen, two miles from the Baron's
chateau at Steineyg, which is situated near
Pforzheim, between Carlsruh and Stutgard.*
Monday Morning. — The weather has now
become beautifully fine; and my friend, and
the lads and I, are going off to Thun and Lu
cerne, for what is called the Oberland Moun
tain Tour, for about ten or twelve days. We
leave dear Mrs. W., the child, and our Swiss
* See Notice at the end of this Letter, p. 174.

LETTER VII. SWISS MANNERS. 173
maid-servant here till we return: the travelling
on mules over mountains is not suitable to
their state of health; whilst I am assured it
may exceedingly contribute to the further re-
establishment of mine. Farewell; may God
preserve us all to his heavenly kingdom !
I am yours most affectionately, D. W.
P. S.— I should have told you, that one of
the most characteristic views of Swiss manners
1 have yet beheld, was from the window of
our inn, the Falcon, on the main street of
Bern. It was market-day. The crowds of
persons, each in the costume of their neigh
bourhood ; their strange appearance and lan
guage; the variety of fruit and flowers ex
posed to sale ; the constant change in the
groups moving before you ; the strong, healthy,
robust look of every creature ; the air of inde
pendence and freedom in their countenances,
struck us with admiration.

174 HENHOFER. LETTER VII.
Notice
Of the Pastor Henhofer.*
I here subjoin some further particulars of
the conversion of the Pastor Henhofer, of
whom I have made mention in pp. 47, 67, 83,
172. I extract them from the " Archives du
Christianisme," for 1824.
M. Aloyx Henhofer was Catholic cure of
the communes of Muhlhausen and Steineyg. In
proportion as he studied the Sacred Scrip
tures, with a conscientious desire to fulfil his
pastoral duties, his preaching began to savour
of the doctrine of Christ; and he gradually
proclaimed the Gospel with so much unction
and force, that multitudes came from the most
distant villages to hear him. He was soon
cited to appear before the Ecclesiastical Au
thorities at Bruchsal, to give an account of his
doctrines. It was on this occasion he pub
lished the Confession to which I have alluded,
p. 172. In this he declares, that all the time
he was cure of Muhlhausen he never ^aid a
* Referred to p. 172.

LETTER VII. HENHOFER. 175
word contrary to the principles of the Catholic
church; and when he preached against the
abuse of ceremonies, it was only to combat the
error of some of his parishioners, who thought
to satisfy their consciences by merely observing
the exterior forms of religion. The authori
ties of Bruchsal deprived him of his living ;
declaring, that by his " Confession" he had
pronounced his own separation.
The Baron de Gemmingen, lord of the
parish, with all his household, and the cure
Henhofer at the head of forty families, com
prising about 220 persons, soon after publicly
separated themselves from the church of
Rome. They made a profession of their faith
in the evangelical doctrines, in the Baronial
Chapel of Steineyg ; and then, as many of them
as were adults, received the Holy Commu
nion according to the rites adopted since the
reunion of the Lutheran and Calvinistic
churches. This affecting ceremony was cele*
brated in a Catholic country, in the midst of a
crowd assembled from all the neighbouring

176 HENHOFER. LETTER VII.
places, with doors and windows open, without
the slightest interruption or disturbance — a
proof of the excellent temper which prevails
between the two communions in the Grand
Duchy of Baden.
As about half the parish of Muhlhausen
remained Catholics, and the new converts had
of course no claim to the revenues of the living,
nor to the use of the parish church, they have
for the present joined themselves to the parish
of Urbain de Pforzheim, and divine service is ce
lebrated in the chapel of the Castle of Steineyg.
M. Henhofer has not at present thought it
right to remain as their pastor, on account of
the umbrage it would give the Catholics. Ne
vertheless he was examined as a Protestant
Candidate, April 11, 1823, and was ordained
the following day. He is a pious, calm,
amiable man, who has acquired surprising in
fluence by his personal character. His publi
cation has created a lively sensation in Alsace,
and the Catholics read it with even more
eagerness than the Protestants.

LETTER VII. BARON GEMMINGEN. 177
The Baron de Gemmingen has addressed a
letter to the inhabitants on his estate, from
which I give an extract as a specimen of the
truly evangelical principles on which his con
version rests.
" Some have said, that the motive which
has determined us to embrace the Evangelical
Religion is, that it is more convenient ; and
that we should not have thought of it, if it had
imposed more difficult duties. Such language
can only proceed from the most profound
ignorance, and has no need of refutation with
men of understanding. Without doubt a
Catholic, who knows nothing but his own
church, may be led to think, in seeing the
small number of rites practised in the evange
lical religion, that this religiou is more easy,
more convenient, according to the judgment
of this world, than that of the church of Rome.
But, my dear friends, the man who attaches
himself only to the exterior of religion, who
follows the usages of such or such a church,
without possessing the interior life of grace,
VOL. I. N

178 NATURE OF CONVERSION. LETTER VII.
without having received Christ into his heart,
without ever seeing in him, his Redeemer, his
only benefactor ; without being penetrated
with a gratitude towards him which inflames
his whole soul, and which increases in pro
portion as he discovers more his own corrup
tion; this man, to whatever communion he
belongs, is an useless member of the body of
Jesus Christ, a branch dried up, which cannot
produce any abiding fruit. The interior life,
or the new birth of the man, is the essential
condition, without which no one can enter into
the kingdom of God. Our Lord himself has
explained this truth with great force in his
conversation with Nicodemus by night. To
put off the old man, to strive against one's
passions, is a task more difficult than the ob
serving of these exterior practices, from which
interior Christianity has but too often suf
fered." Such are some of the circumstances of
this remarkable conversion. The Scriptures
studied with humble prayer, seem, under the

LETTER VII. HENHOFER. 179
influc f the Holy Spirit, to have been the
only __ . May the same sacred book, in
the hands of that .Spirit, lead more and more,
both of Catholic and Protestant pastors, to
the true knowledge of Christ: soon would the
wilderness of this world blossom and flourish,
and the visible church regain its primitive
holiness and glory.

N 2

180

LETTER VIII.
Lauterbrunnen, Aug. 12. — Grimsel, Aug. 17, 1823.

View from Inn at Lauterbrunnen — Lake of Thun — Inter-
Iacken — Unterseen — St. Beat — Staubbach — Anecdote
— Wengen Alp — Chalets — Avalanches from Jungfrau
— Grindel wald — Anecdotes — Glaciers — Sheideck Alp
— Miserably wet Journey — Reichen-bach — Valley o*
Meyringen — Lake of Brientz — Fall of Giessbach —
Mud Torrents — Handeck — Grimsel — Sunday Reflec
tions — Italian Nobleman — Lord Byron.

Lauterbrunnen (Clear Fountains), in the
Oberland of Bern, Tuesday, August 12,
182S, 44 miles from Bern.
MY DEAR SISTER, I am now sitting at the window of
the salle-a-manger at Lauterbrunnen. On the
right hand of the view which is before me, the
celebrated Staubbach, a fall of water of eight

LETTER VIII. LAUTERBRUNNEN. 181
hundred feet, is descending in foam and spray;
the perpendicular rocks present no jutting
shelves to break its fall ; it is a soft, gentle,
elegant stream, the sport of every wind, and,
as it reaches the earth, lost in vapour. Im
mediately beyond the nearer rocks which rise
all around, the Breithorn Alp, with its never-
melting snows, rears its head ; it seems quite
close to me, from the brightness of the snow,
illuminated with the afternoon sun ; but it is,
in factu twenty miles off. Next in the pros
pect a mountain appears with a streak or two
of snow at the top ; and then the Jungfrau
Alp, which is twelve thousand eight hundred
and seventy-two feet above the level of the
sea, lifts its snowy top above the masses
which hide my view of the rest of its vast form.
In the nearer ground are the cottages of the
village, creeping up the habitable parts of the
hills, and interspersed with beautiful meadows
and foliage ; whilst the roaring of the Luts-
chinen river, which rolls through the valley,
alone breaks the deep silence which reigns

182 THUN. LETTER VIII.
all around, and combines, with its noble cas
cades, just under my eye on my left hand, to
complete one of the ntost beautiful and ma*
jestic views imaginable* The scenes of Zu
rich and Basle must yield in attraction > and
grandeur to this; for here the rudest and
most savage mountain-prospect is united with
the eternal snows of the Alps, and the
sweetest picturesque home-scenery. You
would wonder that I could write thus cheer
fully, or even write at all, if you knew that I
have been twenty miles or more in a small
country car this morning, exploring the beau
ties of the valley, of a single point of which,
as seen from the inn, I am now speaking ; my
senses are overpowered with wonders.
My friend, the two boys, and I, left Bern
yesterday in a hired car, and came on to Thun,
fifteen miles, where we embarked on the Lake
of that name, and reached Interlacken at
seven. The Lake is itself one thousand seven
hundred and eighty feet above the level of the

LETTER VIII. ST. BEAT. - 183
sea, and is embosomed in the midst of the
Alps, which raise their lofty summits in all di
rections. It is esteemed one of the most beau
tiful in this romantic country. We stopped in
our voyage to ascend to the cavern of St.
Beat; a dark cave which lies on the side of
the lake, and is said to go a league under the
earth. A river' gushes through it. The po
pular tradition is, that in the first century,
the earliest Christian missionary to Helvetia
finished his days and was buried here. We
lauded at Neuhaus, hired another car, and
passed through Unterseen, one of the most
romantic towns we have visited. We slept at
Interlacken, which lies between the Lakes of
Thun and Brientz, and affords a view of a
prodigious chain of Alps from the Haslerberge
to the Niesen. The situation of the village is
most lovely; but the place has much fallen
off during the last four or five years— the inn
bad— -the walks overgrown with weeds—
every thing neglected. Even the walnut-trees,
once the finest in Switzerland, seem to lan
guish.

184 CASCADE. LETTER VIII.
We set off to Lauterbrunnen this morning
at seven; and on entering the valley were as
tonished at every step, at the scenes which
opened before us. When we approached the
Staubbach (dust-stream) we found it was com
posed of an immense mass of water, which the
great height disperses as it falls. After pro
ceeding in the car two leagues, we ascended on
foot an enormous rock, for an hour and a half,
to see the cascade of Schiltwaldbach, rushing
between two mountains with a surprising force.
It would have amused you to see our faint
and weary steps toiling up the rock under a
burning sun ; I was the worst of the party,
and leant most heavily on the arm of the
guide. When we reached the top, some cold
chamois and beef, with water from the stream,
dashed with eau de cerise, served to recruit
our strength. We lay along on the grass or
rocks, under the shade of an overhanging
mountain, for more than an hour, contemplat
ing the new scenes before us, and meditating
on the greatness and goodness of our heavenly
Father apparent in the operations of his hands —

LETTER VIII. ACCIDENT. 185
" O Lord, how wonderful are thy works ; in
wisdom hast thou made them all; the earth is
full of thy riches."
On our return, we saw another cascade,
not equal in height to the Staubbach, but
surpassing it in other respects. An immense
body of water pours, or rather dashes, out of
an aperture, which it seems to have opened
in the side of the rock ; the foam is so great,
that two rainbows are formed by its spray ;
one near the ground, the other at its first
rushing upon the edge of the aperture, per
haps one hundred feet up the rock. As we
were coming home, our guide, who speaks
English, said to us, " Sirs, do you see the
row of firs growing on that shelf about eight
hundred feet from the ground, just below the
summit of the rock over against us?" — " Yes."
— " Last winter, a cottager hearing that his
goats were on that ridge, went down after
them; it was in January, and snow covered
all its surface ; he trod on a stone which had
ice under the thin snow ; the stone gave way

186 LAUTERBRUNNEN. LETTER VIII.
as he trod ; he slipped, fell, and was literally
dashed to pieces." Such are the tremendous
accidents perpetually occurring in Switzer
land. We were petrified with horror. May
we be ever ready for death, whether it meet us
by some unexpected calamity, or steal gra
dually upon us! Such is man's self-flattery,
that, in point of fact, death comes unawares
on most.* In the parish of Lauterbrunnen (the sweet
little church is just below) there are three
* I have often reflected ou the admission of Gibbon,
that the possibility of unusual and sudden modes of death
should not be without its influence on the mind.
'•' Mr. Buffon," he says, " from our disregard of the
possibility of death within the four-and-twenty hours, con
cludes that a chance which falls below or rises above ten
thousand to one, will never affect the fears of a reasonable
man. The fact is true, but our courage is the effect of
thoughtlessness, rather than of reflection. If a public lot
tery were drawn for the choice of an immediate victim,
and if our name were inscribed ou one of the ten thousand
tickets, should we be perfectly easy ?"
How strikingly is this applicable to the subject of reli
gion ; and how much does it illustrate the wisdom of
habitual preparation for death !

LETTER VIII. LAUTERBRUNNEN. 187
hamlets, Murron, Grindelwald, and Wengen,
on the top of the mountain; they are about
five thousand feet above the sea, and contain
thirty houses each, where the cattle are fed
during the summer. The old people of seventy
and eighty come regularly to , church every
Sunday, three or four leagues, when the wea
ther allows ; for during nearly six months, the
whole parish is covered with snow, and tor
rents roll down every path. The people are
Protestants ; but there is an air of untidiness
and roughness about them, arising from their
manner of life. The cottagers gain seven pence
half-penny a day and their food. A farm
house, with all kinds of rooms and offices, can
be built for about six hundred francs, twenty-
three pounds ; but then it is all of wood. The
river here is a cascade of snow-water, flowing
from the glaciers above; a thick, dirty, foam
ing stream. The people eat no bread, but
live on potatoes* milk, and cheese, with meat
occasionally. These mountains produce nei
ther corn nor wine. The hay-harvest is now
beginning, August 12th. The inn at Lauter-

188 ASCENT TO WENGEN ALP. LETTER VIII.
brunnen is extremely good; far, far better
than that at Interlacken. The landlord was
butler to the celebrated Madame de Stael.
Wednesday, August \3th, 1823, Grindel
wald, 5 Afternoon.- — Will you believe that we
have actually crossed one of the fearful Alps
to-day? By nine o'clock this morning we had
travelled three hours, and were seated on the
roof of a chalet (a hut) taking our early din
ner. You may judge of the height we had
reached, when I say, that for three hours we
mounted almost perpendicularly, as fast as
our horses and mules could carry us ; we had,
in fact, ascended six thousand feet above the
level of the sea. Before us was the Jungfrau
Alp, with only one unbroken valley between
us; it is of the enormous height just men
tioned ;* but from the chalet it appeared even
loftier than it had done at Lauterbrunnen, be
cause all intervening objects were removed.
Our view from the roof of the chalet was most
* 12,872 feet.

LETTER VIII. JUNGFRAU. 189
magnificent. On our extreme right was the
Silver Horn Alp, with an unvaried cap of
snow. On our left was the Monk Alp ; and
last, the Eiger Alp. Before us was the Jung
frau or Virgin Alp, so called, because no
human foot has ascended it. It appeared in
inexpressible dignity, and seemed to command
proudly all the neighbouring summits. We
could clearly discern on it the line of perpe
tual snow ; the crags and shelves ; the preci
pitous sides; the glaciers and torrents.
As we were eating quite gaily our meat
and bread, with milk which the herdsman
brought us, and were admiring the sublime
scenery around us, which the superb fineness
ofthe day greatly augmented, we suddenly
heard a sound like distant thunder — we started
— the guide told us it was an avalanche, or fall
of a body of snow, from a lofty, precipitous
ridge of the Jungfrau, to the next projecting
cliff below. We turned round, and could see
nothing — we resumed our meal. Soon the guide
with the utmost eagerness bade us look to-

190 AVALANCHES. LETTER VIM.
wards the place to which he pointed — we now
saw an immense body of snow rushing down
to the shelf beneath — in an instant we again
heard a noise like a tremendous clap of thun
der — the more startling from the perfect still
ness on the face of nature — our food involun
tarily quivered in our hands— the impression
for the moment was alarming — a kind of ap
prehension seized our minds for which we
could scarcely account. The fact is, the
snow which we beheld in its fall was an amaz
ing mass ; and the depth of its descent was
at least a thousand feet; whilst the report of
the concussion was greatly increased by the
echo. We saw, after two or three great ava
lanches, the loaded snow on the lower shelf
begin to flow down like a river into the valley
beneath. These avalanches, when they fall
near the public roads, which is often the case,
are most destructive and dangerous.
But it is time for me to tell you, that we
rose at half-past four this morning, and at six
were in cavalcade on two horses and two

LETTER VIII. CHALETS. 191
mules, with a guide, and two servants to
bring back the beasts — all hired over-night for
the passage of the Alps, the guides at six
francs a day, the animals nine— our bags
were tied on behind us; the guides carried
our staves, umbrellas, and provisions. My
eldest lad went first, then our kind fellow-
traveller, each on a mule; "my younger son
and I followed on horses. We ascended by a
narrow winding path, sometimes by steps,
then across a quag, then over a little cham
paign country, but mostly over loose stones.
After an hour's ride, we had ascended three
thousand four hundred and fifty feet (Lauter
brunnen, where we slept, is two thousand
four hundred and fifty feet above the sea), and
passed a village of about forty houses, built
of wood, occupied by small proprietors of
land, and peasants. After two hours' further
ride, we reached the chalet of which 1 have
spoken; we were then on the top of the
Wengen Alp — for every Alp has its name.
These chalets are inhabited for three
months and a half only of the year, by far-

192 CHALETS. LETTER VIII.
mers' servants, who first drive up their cattle
by the same road we came, and then feed
them there during the summer, and make
cheese of the milk. The chalets are wretched
sheds, of beams uncut, without chimneys,
the roof of wood, secured by rows of large
rough stones. The people live on milk and
cheese, and have a sad, unhealthy look. No
occupation can be imagined more solitary
and deplorable. But the Swiss peasant can
read — and the Bible can cheer, and, I trust,
in many instances, does cheer, his lonely
hours. We stayed nearly two hours at the
place to rest the beasts, as well as ourselves.
Soon after eleven, we began to descend,
when the inconveniences we had found in our
ascent, were nothing compared with what
we now had to experience. I can only liken
it to the going down the roof of a house.
The. terror was increased by the additional
feeling, that bridles; were useless, and that you
must give your animal his head. The edges of
precipices, rivers, narrow bridges of only two
beams, stones yielding to the foot, gaps of
road descending by steps — you could not help

LETTER VIII. DESOLATIONS. 193
yourself. The guide told you it was nothing ;
the animals went on at the rate of three miles
an hour unconcerned, stopping to crop the
grass and flowers as they passed; and, after
three hours and a half of descent, we were
landed safely at the valley of Grindelwald.
This valley is three thousand one hundred and
fifty feet above the sea — about the height, I
think, of Snowdon in Wales.* As we were
coming down to it, we observed a wide-spread
desolation; trees torn up by the roots and
stripped; meadows covered with small rock
or dust; the road obstructed; vast masses of
stone between us and the nearest Alp, the
Wetter-horn : we inquired the cause. A dread
ful mass had burst off from the rock last
winter, during the night, and had literally de
stroyed every thing which it met in its course ;
happily no lives were lost.
No words can describe the scenes of this
day. How great must that God be who
* Mr. Pennant fixes the height of Snowdon at 3568 feet.
VOL. I. 0

194 SNOW IN AUGUST. LETTER VIII.
formed all these wonders, and who sustains
them all ! " Lord, what is man that thou
art mindful of him, and the Son of Man that
thou visitest him?" The people here are Pro
testants, and each parish has a church. As
we ascended to Wengen, the women and chil
dren came out and sung us a hymn very sweet
ly. The beauty and magnificence of nature
could not but heighten our feelings of religious
awe, gratitude, and love. Devotion seemed
to be aided by the majestic temple by which
we were surrounded.
The inn is just under the Mettenberg Alp.
The weather yesterday and to-day has been
the finest since we left England; not a cloud,
and yet not too hot; twenty parties have
crossed the Wengen Alp this summer, ladies,
as well as gentlemen. The snow has fallen,
so lately as this month, about twenty-three
feet deep. I forgot to tell you, that two of
our beasts were named Gabby and Manny;
for a long time we supposed these were
the real names; at last our guide rather

LETTER VIII. GLACIER. 195
shocked us by saying, that the first was called
Gabriel, and the second Immanuel! Our
journey to-day was twenty*one miles, in eight
hours and a half. We have now a simple
luxury of the most refreshing kind ; ice in a
basin^ which We put into our wine or milk,
and which gives a coolness quite surprising
now that the thermometer is eighty. The ice
comes from a neighbouring glacier, which we
visited this afternoon, tired as we were.
It was the first glacier we had seen, and
a most astonishing sight— an inclined plane of
a league or more, covered with congealed
snow, ice, and water, according as the summer
sun, the heat of the earth, the storms^ and the
rush of superincumbent matter, have been
more or less. From this plain, the glacier
descends a precipice or ravine, filling up the
cavity with the same combined materials of
snow, ice, and water, till it reaches the valley
of Grindelwald, whence we saw it. It ap
peared to us an enormous rock of cleft masses
of ice, perhaps one hundred feet above the
o 2

196 ACCIDENTS. LETTER VIII.
earthy with caverns worn by the water at the
bottom. From this sort of caverns the snow-
rivers rush from which the Rhine, Rhone, &c.
are supplied.
A Swiss Protestant minister was lost here
a few years back, by incautiously stooping to
examine a gaping fissure. He lost his balance,
and in one instant perished. In the year 1790,
the innkeeper at Grindelwald, named Chris
tian Boren, fell into a crevice, as he was con
ducting his flock of sheep from Baniseck.
Happily he sunk near the great torrent which
flows within the glacier; and following its bed
underneath the caverns of ice, arrived at
length, almost by a miracle, at the foot of the
glacier, with only one arm broken. He lived
many years after. Every thing in Switzer
land is mixed up with sudden catastrophes.
Thursday Evening, August 14th, Meyrin-
gen, chief place of the Valley of Hasli, in the
Canton of Bern. — We have had a completely
wet morning ; four hours' ride over the same

LETTER VIII. SHEIDECK ALP. 197
sort of unaccountable road as yesterday, with
the gratifying accompaniments of being soaked
with rain, and of having the beauties of the
journey entirely obscured from our view by
clouds. The day promised to be pretty fine
when we started at six this morning, and con
tinued without rain as we ascended the Shei-
deckAlp (six thousand and forty-five feet
above the level of the sea) ; but when we
came to the brow, instead of enjoying a view
of the beautiful valley of Meyringen, we found
ourselves enveloped in thick clouds which
rose in masses from below, and met us full in
the face. We had three umbrellas; but these,
on horseback, with a pelting rain, were not of
much use; our great coats were, however, of
essential service. We rested about an hour at
a wretched hut, only better than a chalet.
The eau de vie de Cognac, with which our
guide was furnished, was a real benefit to us
in this emergency, as well as the hot milk we
obtained here. We mounted again in woful
plight, for three hours more of rain, fog,
clouds, swollen rivers. As we approached
.Meyringen, our guide, without saying a word

198 GLACIERS. LETTER VIII.
directed us across a meadow to visit some
cascades, as calmly as if nothing had hap
pened! They were grand enough; but my
sad state of wet and fatigue deprived me of all
pleasure in the sight. The fact, however, is,
that the Reichen-bach, rolling with a fine
stream, pours into the valley of Meyringen by
five cascades of eighty or one hundred feet
each, and then joins the Aar, which flows
through Meyringen.
I must tell you, disconsolate as I am, that
soon after we left Grindelwald we came to the
second or upper glacier; for there are two at
that place. We alighted and went on the
enormous flakes of ice: the water was drop
ping all around; and when we came off them,
we could see the hollows which the water had
scooped out underneath. As we went on our
way, we had a still better view of these moun*
tains of ice from above. They are the most
remarkable things we have seen; the upper
one has advanced, that is, invaded the land,
two thousand feet in the last twenty years.
The tradition of Grindelwald is, that there

LETTER Vlft. GLACIERS. 199
were formerly fertile valleys in the spot now
choked up with these masses of ice. Glaciers,
says M. Ebel, are, in the first instance, vast
beds of ice formed above the limits of per
petual snow, and which are sometimes en
closed in the valleys of the high mountains,
and there held immovably; and sometimes,
when they are not held there, descend by the
sides of the valleys. This motion is produced,
in part, by the weight of the ice, which draws
it on when it loses its equilibrium ; but chiefly,
by the melting and diminution of the ice be
neath, and on the sides, where the glacier-(or
body of ice) touches the earth or rocks. The
glacier, thus losing its centre of gravity, bursts
asunder with a dreadful noise, and glides
down the declivity till it finds a new support.
There are about 400 in the chain of Alps from
Mount Blanc to the Tyrol ; covering a space
of about 1000 square miles: the depth of
which varies from 100 to 600 feet*

* See Manuel du Voyageur en Suisse, torn. ii. p.
513—524. Edition 1818.

200 MEYRINGEN. LETTER VIII.
Meyringen, Friday, August 15. — This
morning, instead of the guide calling us at
four o'clock, he did not come to our rooms till
half-past seven. The clouds and heavy rain
had -gained us this prolonged repose. Ten
hours' sleep was by no means disagreeable to
us. After breakfast, the day cleared up a
little, and we hired a car, and drove nine
miles, to the Lake of Brientz.
The valley of Meyringen, through which
we passed, is esteemed one of the most beauti
ful of all the Swiss valleys; the rocks on each
side are so lofty, the intervening vale so lovely
(about one or two miles broad), the outline so
variegated — but the special beauty is the num
ber of cascades descending the sides of the
overhanging cliffs, and divided into separate
falls. At one spot, we had in view at the
same time four or five cascades, each falling,*
one or two hundred feet. The village of
Brientz is romantically situated on the lake,
with one thousand five hundred inhabitants;
two good inns, and a. third unfinished. In

LETTER VIII. GIESSBACH. 201
fact, the visitors to Switzerland, since the
peace, are multiplying, and improving the
inns every where. We took a boat to cross
the lake, and visit the fall of the Giessbach,
about two miles. We were rowed by an old
woman near seventy, her daughter, and her
little grand-daughter, about eight or ten years
old; one man steering. The Giessbach de
scends from the Schwarzhorn Alp, and is one
of the finest cataracts we have seen; it has
ten separate descents, the beauty of which is
heightened by scenery the most varied and
romantic. At two or three points of view, we
had the impetuous torrents on our left, re
lieved by a foreground of the most picturesque
foliage, and contrasted with the soft tranquillity
of the lake on our right; while the head of
the fall was concealed by lofty firs. As we
returned, the owner of the adjoining land,
with his children, entertained us with some
delightful music. A New Testament was in
the room. It is, indeed, most pleasing to find,
throughout this country, Bibles and books of
devotion : I saw in a miserable chalet on the

202 HUMBLE PIETY. LETTER VIII.
mountain, yesterday, Arndt's excellent work
on True Christianity. All places are alike to
the God and Father of all ; and some of these
simple peasants, perhaps, who know nothing
but their Bibles and their mountains, may be
happier than most of the inhabitants of Paris
or London. Christianity is a universal bless
ing for ruined man; and to trace its effects and
encourage in some degree, however small, its
professed followers in obeying it, is one of the
noblest duties of an Englishman on a foreign
tour. I should tell you, that it is on the borders
of the Lake of Brientz that some of those
tremendous torrents of moistened clay rush
from the Alps, and carry every thing before
them. They are formed by the pools of water
collected in the clayey portions of the rocks,
which accumulate till they burst their barriers.
In 1797, thirty-seven houses and a great num
ber of gardens and meadows were literally
buried under one of these turbid muddy
streams. The villagers of Schwendi and

LETTER VIII. GRIMSEL. 203
Hochstetten escaped only by going up on the
most elevated part of the roofs of their houses.
The Lake was several months in recovering its
usual purity.
Saturday, August 16, Three dClock, After
noon. — We are just arrived on the wildest of
all the Swiss mountains, the Grimsel, six
thousand feet above the sea; twenty-four
miles from Meyringen. We are at a lone
house, called the Hospice, and the only one
for ten more long mountainous leagues. The
danger of not meeting beds was, therefore, so
alarming, that we sent on a courier this morn
ing at three o'clock to engage rooms. The
man had gone the eight leagues on foot, and
had returned about three of them, when we
met him, atone o'clock; that is, he had run,
or walked, thirty-three miles in ten hours,
over a road, which if you had seen, you would
have thought that none but goats could pass.
We have been nine hours and a quarter going,
on horses and mules, the twenty-four miles.
Nothing more surprises me than the inex-

204 VALLEY OF AAR. LETTER VIII.
haustible variety of grand outline and beautiful
scenery in this wonderful Switzerland. But I
find it is one thing to have some relish for the
beauties of nature, and another to be able to
describe them. I am altogether incapable of
the task.
We have, in fact, passed to-day, a country
quite as deserving to be seen as any thing we
have already visited, and yet utterly different.
The character of the valley of the Aar is wild
and savage grandeur; desolation upon desola
tion; a road, or rather crag, which all the sa
gacity of our mules could scarcely overcome;
sometimes, rude stone steps; then, the smooth
slippery back of a rock ; then, loose pebbles ;
then, quagmire ; then, enormous sharp stones,
from which the winter torrents had worn away
all the earth, and left only holes for the beasts
to tread in. Still upon this road, the mules
passed with perfect safety. We followed the
course of the Aar the whole of the way, which
forms continual cascades, foaming furiously
over rocks which frequently almost fill up its

LETTER VIII. FALL OF HANDECK. 205
bed. By the bye, I found that our mules had
been this road thirty or forty times already,
and this encouraged us to set off; and most
amply have we been rewarded. The fall of
the Aar, called the Handeck, is magnificent
indeed. The body of water is immense, an
other river uniting with it at the fall ; and the
peculiarity is, that a scooped rock, or rather
a narrow basin, or chasm of rocks, opens an
abyss of two hundred feet to receive the tor
rent. To look down it made me quite giddy.
We are now so high, that it is excessively cold,
though the sun shines, and we left Meyringen
at a thermometer about seventy. We had,
indeed, passed over ground as high both on
Wednesday and Thursday ; but this is the first
time we have stopt at such an elevation. Our
friend has not accompanied us, as he passed
the Grimsel four years ago, and he wished to
improve the time, by visiting some places new
to him. My dear sons and I, with two mules,
a horse, a guide, and a servant who tends the
mules, are now the whole party.

206 LONELY SUNDAY. LETTER VIII.
I must, before I finish to-day, translate for
you a Latin note Out of the strangers' book
here: " We were first overcome by heat and
fatigue; then, by rain, wind, cold, and the
badness of the roads: we came here without
having seen what we travelled on purpose to
see; and all hope of better weather being lost,
we departed, imprecating every thing evil
against mount Grimsel." Such is the angry
record of two gentleman, one from Peters-
burgh, the other from Leipsic.
Sunday, August 17. — This is my ninth
Sunday, and we are in a situation the most
desolate and gloomy, as to outward things,
possible — in a lone house, twelve mountain
miles from any church' — not a tree nor shrub
to be seen — nothing but barren rocks piled
one upon another — not a creature that under
stands English, and only one who understands
Trench. Still, if God is with us, it is enough.
We have had our morning service, in a quiet,
tranquil room, with a fire (for it is just like a

LETTER VIII. DIVINE GOODNESS. 207
keen December day); using as many of the
Church prayers as I could remember — for we
have only a pocket Bible with us — reading
some Psalms and Lessons, and closing with a
sermon, or rather exposition. We then went
to take a little turn to warm our feet; and
now my dear sons are employed in writing on
a subject which I have given them, till our
afternoon service. I cannot do better than
follow their example.
The first reflection that occurs to me, whilst
meditating in this solitude, is the greatness
and goodness of that God who upholds and
governs all this wild and stupendous scene
around us — that God who " sits on the circle
of the heavens," and before whom " the moun
tains are as nothing." But all this divine
glory in nature is accompanied with marks of
his wrath; the effects ofthe convulsions of the
deluge are every where visible — the fountains
of the great deep have been broken up, the
mountains have been rent asunder, the earth
has been shaken out of its place. How good,

208 PRAYER. LETTER VIII.
then, is our heavenly Father, who still spares
a wicked and ungrateful world, which he has
shewn that he could instantly destroy; nay,
farther, how much more gracious is He, who,
instead of destroying the world as it deserves,
has given his only-begotten Son, to offer him
self up as a sacrifice for our sins! May the
works of creation ever lead up our minds to
God in Jesus Christ our Lord! It is thus
that our Saviour teaches us to employ all the
objects of nature, in his divine discourses.
The next thought that strikes my mind, is
the many blessings which have accompanied
my family and me on this journey. Every
thing has turned out for our good ; the weather
has cooled the season, and made our travelling
safe and agreeable; delays have proved bene
fits. Ever since we set off we have had bless
ing upon blessing.
In the next place, how unspeakable is the
comfort of prayer ! Wherever I am, my
family can pray for me, ' and I can pray for my

LETTER VIII. GRATITUDE. 209
family. The " throne of grace" is accessible at
all times, and in all places. My dear Mrs. W.
and child now at Bern, my affectionate mother
and family at London, my large and beloved
flock at St. John's, are united to me by the
bond of prayer; all may confer benefits and
receive them, by intercession to that God who
is every where present and has all .things in his
hands. Again, let me reflect on the duty of con
tentment and gratitude; I see nothing
abroad, but what makes me more thankful
for the lot Providence has appointed me at
home. Switzerland is beautiful to visit in a
summer tour; but England is the happier
land in all respects, if she knew her privileges.
Consider the family in this inn. In July last,
the snow was twenty-three feet deep behind
the house. For nine months in the year, the
family are compelled to leave it to a man and
two dogs, and go down to the plain of Mey
ringen ; and when they are here in the summer,
VOL. I. P

210 CHARITY. LETTER VIII.
they have to pass twenty-four miles of steep
mountain road, whenever they go to church.
Once more, let me make a remark on the
place itself where I am writing. It is called
an Hospice or Spital. It was enlarged last
year with eleven new rooms by the Govern
ment of Bern ; and the innkeeper is obliged to
entertain strangers, to receive the poor gratis,
and keep the house open all the winter, for
fear any travellers should he passing. May
not thist remind me of that true Hospice and
refuge, which our Saviour has set op in the
Gospel, for the wandering traveller? The
names of the persons who enlarged this house
are painted in great characters, on the wall of
the dining room ; should not this teach me to
engrave, as it were, the Saviour's name on the
tablet of my heart, and record the memory of
his grace there?
Further, let me consider the charity with
which we should regard these simple people.

LETTER VIII. BASLE TRACT SOCIETY. 211
The poor cottagers come from Murren six
leagues, six thousand feet of descent and
ascent, to Lauterbrunnen church, even when
seventy or eighty years old. Many of the
houses have not only the names of the builder,
but texts of Scripture, written on the outside.
In a small inn at Guttanen, four leagues off,
where we stopped yesterday, I found inscrip
tions on each side of the door ofthe chamber;
one of which was to this effect, " On God's
grace and good blessing, all man's success
depends ; and without his help and mercy, all
man's doings are vain." I find in this inn, the
Grimsel, a very excellent boofe of prayers, and
a pious French tract ; giveo, probably, by the
Basle Tract Society. There are a man and
his wife, and seven children here, and -six
servants. I have been talking to the only
daughter who understands French, and have
given her a Testament; she was very attentive
to what I said, and asked rae if I knew Dr.
Steinkopff, whom she saw some years ago. I
am far from dwelling on such small circum-
p 2

212 ITALIAN NOBLEMAN. LETTER VIII.
stances; but surely they may lead us to
hope, that God our Saviour has many true
disciples in these wild deserts — many who
love, and fear, . and obey him in simplicity of
heart. The most enlarged charity is ever the
duty of a traveller.
Lastly, I cannot but reflect on the un
speakable importance of Englishmen acting
consistently as Christians, when abroad.
We met here last night, at supper (at five), an
Italian nobleman, a Florentine, and two English
gentlemen of family ; to-day, though it is Sun
day, all have gone on their journey. Now if
every Englishman would but keep holy the
Sabbath, and show what the Protestant re
ligion is, in his conduct, unnumbered bless
ings might follow. The Italian nobleman
seemed a man of reading and acuteness. He
spoke rather contemptuously of the Pope,
and the supposed designs of the see of Rome.
He was acquainted with our English history,
and did not conceal his admiration of our free

LETTER VIII. LORD BYRON. 213
constitution, on which he offered some com
ments that showed an independent, discrimi
nating mind. In short, he discoursed without
reserve on every subject that was started.
Especially he joined in abhorrence of the
principles of Lord Byron. He admitted the
charms of his poetry — but there seemed to be
a strong impression on his mind that such a
man was really most pernicious and despi
cable — I was glad to hear him say, that no
persons of character in Italy or elsewhere
would associate with him.
It is impossible to foresee what good might
be done by the ten or fifteen thousand British
travellers who are scattered over Europe, if
they acted an open, kind, consistent, religious
part, as they ought ; but if they are ashamed
of their principles, and conform, one in oue
thing, and another in another, to the wrong
practices of the Continent, they share in its
guilt, and, indeed, are answerable for all the

214 ENGLISHMEN- LETTER VIII-
evil which they might have prevented, or re
medied, by the manly discharge of their duty
as servants of Christ.
I am yours most affectionately, D. W.

215

LETTER IX.
Furca Alp, August 18. — Bern, Augusts, 1823.

Glacier of Rhone — >Furca Alp — Realp — Capuchin Friar
— Hospital — Cold — Valley of Reuss — Devil's Bridge
— Amstag— New Road— Altorf— William Tell— Fluel-
len — Lake of four Cantons — Switz — Mount Righi —
Storm — Mount Pilate — Ruin of Goldau— Stranger's
Book — King of England — Italians and Russians —
Kiisnacht — Lucern — William Tell — Wooden Bridges
— P£re Girard — Luther — Zofingen — Herzogenbuchs
— Bern — S unday — Fast — English Service — Govern-
ment of Bern and England.

Hospital or Hospendal( Place for the Reception
of Strangers and Travellers), at the Foot
of Mount St. Gothard, in the Canton oj
Uri, Monday, Aug. 18, 1823.
We setoff, my dear Sister, this morn
ing from the Hospice of the Grimsel at a

216 GLACIER OF RHONE. LETTER IX.
quarter before six: the morning was dull, but
without raiu for some time. As we ascended
the remaining part of the Grimsel Alp, we
looked behind us and saw a thick white cloud
completely filling the valley, and rising gradu
ally up the mountain. We had nearly three
thousand feet to go before we reached the sum
mit, by a road far worse than any we had yet
passed. We had continually to cross masses
Of snow, quagmires, and torrents without
bridges. We had stones in the manner of
stairs on Saturday, but to-day we had stones
in the manner of falls and pits, so that when
the mules stepped down, it was with a plunge:
we had, also, many slippery backs of rocks.
You may judge of the sort of difficulties by
this circumstance, that as soon as we began to
descend, we were obliged to alight, and walk
down the whole of this frightful Alp.
Immediately in the valley between the
Grimsel and the Furca Alps is the glacier of
the Rhone, which has its source here. This
glacier far surpasses in extent and grandeur

LETTER IX. FURCA. 217
those at Grindelwald, — it is as if an immense
sea, when rushing down the valley, had been
suddenly turned into ice, with all its agita
tions. I conjecture, from my eye, that it may
be about eight hundred or one thousand feet
wide, four thousand long, and five or six hun
dred deep. Imagine yourself only at the foot
of such a sea of broken ice, from beneath
which twenty or more turbid snow-streams
are bursting out, which form the Rhone. As
soon as we had crossed the valley, through
which the Rhone passes, we began to ascend
the Furca Alp, eight thousand eight hundred
and eighty feet above the level of the sea, and
two thousand eight hundred and eighty above
the Hospice where we had slept. As we
mounted up, another glacier appeared on our
right. The cold was yet more intense than on
the Grimsel. Our limbs were completely be
numbed. The rain also now began to fall, so
that we lost the noble view of the distant Alps,
which in fine weather is incomparably grand.
As soon as we had reached the top, we were
obliged to alight and descend, not a mountain

218 REALP. LETTER IX.
of earth, but an immense mountain of snow,
over which we slid and walked as well as we
could. I can quite understand now, why the
snow is perpetual on the higher Alps : we
were almost frozen at eight thousand feet ;
what, then, must be the intensity of cold, at
twelve or thirteen thousand feet ?
After a journey of five hours and a half
(four of which were in the rain), we reached
the first inhabited house, the hospice of Realp.
When we came to the door,. I was surprised to
see the guide ring the bell, and then humbly
take off his hat, when the door opened ; and
much more to see a venerable Capuchin friar
come out with a long beard, a brown garment
ofthe coarsest cloth, reaching fo his feet, with
a large hood hanging behind, and girded round
his waist with a thick common cord ; whilst a
deep frill of coarse linen fell a good way down
his breast. He wore no stockings, and only
rough sandals on his feet. He came gravely
up tous. He could not speak French; but his
look was benignant, and he showed us into his

LETTER IX. CAPUCHIN FRIAR. 219
room with much courtesy, brought us a bottle
of a light sweet Italian wine, spread a cloth for
us, and then retired, whilst we ate the provi
sions we had brought with us. As we were
dripping wet, we begged to have the wine made
hot : it was done in the most comfortable man
ner possible. We had time during dinner to
look round the room — 'furniture old, but con
venient — figures of our Saviour — a printed list,
several feet long, of the abbots of his order —
holy water — >a stove — .and in a very small cup
board his library and bed. I tried to make the
friar understand me iu Latin, but without suc
cess. We paid for our entertainment, gave
something for the poor, set off again about
twelve, and came on here, two leagues, making
twenty-four miles, which, with the Alps and
the rain, made a formidable day's journey.
We are now at a comfortable inn at the
small Catholic village of Hospital, in the Can
ton of Uri, four thousand five hundred and
forty-nine feet above the sea (therefore, cold
enough, I assure you), with thirty-four houses,

220 HOSPITAL. LETTER IX.
a church, and chapel. At the top of the vil
lage stands a half-ruined castle, which once
belonged to the lords of the hospital, or
hospice ; for all the villages on these Alps
seem to have been designed as refuges for
travellers. Through the village flows the arm
of the Reuss river, which springs from the
Furca glacier. The village is on the road for
Mount St. Gothard. The weather has been
unfavourable to-day, but we have had no fogs
to obscure materially our prospect, either of
the glaciers, or of the wild scenery through
which we have passed ; only we lost the view
of the distant Alps.
We have now overcome one of the grand
difficulties of the Swiss tourist, the passage of
the Grimsel and the Furca. The boy who
went with my friend to Stanz returned to us
last night, saying that his master was weary of
the passage of the mountains, and had sent
him and the horse back, determined to make
his way to Lucern by cars or by the Lake. In
these mountainous places the weather is com-

LETTER IX. REFLECTIONS. 221
monly bad. Hospital is the highest public
inhabited village in Switzerland ; and the inn
keeper's brief description of the weather is,
that they have frost and snow for nine months
in the year, and rain for the remaining three.
There are no trees in this valley, not even the
hardy fir; all is one wild surface, without
foliage. Every stick of wood for domestic use
is brought up some leagues, from Amstag. The
cows and goats feed on the grass, which just
now looks a little pleasant; but even these
animals have a wild, rough appearance, espe
cially the cows. The Lakes here are too cold
for fish.
The poor inhabitants of this, and other
villages around, suffered extremely during the
war. The Austrians and French fought in
the very streets of Hospital ; our innkeeper
tells me the scenes were dreadful beyond de
scription. How frightful and horrible is this
to all our best feelings and habits ! How im
placable is the ambition of man ! What a

222 HOSPITAL. LETTER IX.
scene must it have been, to behold the natural
terrors of the Alps aggravated by the miseries
of war! But so it is. There is hardly a rock
or precipice in Switzerland, which has not been
the spot of desperate conflict. Surely, an
English traveller cannot hear of these things,
and reflect on the events of the late revolution
ary war, without some gratitude to God, for
having exempted his happy country from such
calamities. And the gratitude will be increased
by comparing the climate and general circum--
stances of these Alpine regions, with those of
his native land.
Hospital, Tuesday Morning, Seven o'clock.
—For so long the weather has allowed us to
rest. We have had an excellent night; we
were in bed about half-past eight. These din
ners at eleven, and suppers at five, suit us. I
never was better in my life. The breakfast is
now coming in, and the weather has suddenly
cleared up; so that the sun is mounting over
the Alps before our window, and is throwing

LETTER IX. AMSTAG. 223
this romantic village into a beautiful picture of
light and shade — and hurries us off for our
day's journey.
Amstag, One o'clock, Valley of the Reuss,
Sixteen Miles from Hospital. — I am now sit
ting, faint with heat, at one of the windows of
the dining hall of the inn, with a burning sun
full on the four open windows of the room; — •
such is the effect of a descent of two or three
thousand feet in this marvellous country-
yesterday as eold as Christmas, to-day as hot
as Midsummer. But this is nothing; I must
positively employ half an hour, while dinner is
preparing, in giving you some idea, if I can,
of the extraordinary valley through which we
have been passing. It is called, by the inha
bitants, Krachenthal, Roaring Valley, on ac
count of the tremendous noise with which the
Reuss rushes from rock to rock. It is cer
tainly one of the wonders of Switzerland.
We rode about two miles, on leaving the
Hospital, in the wide open valley, without a

224 VALLEY OF REUSS. LETTER IX.
tree, the Reuss rolling along its course; when
we came to a mighty rock, which seemed quite
to stop the road. As we approached, we
found a tunnel or gallery had been bored
through the solid granite, fifteen feet high,
twelve broad, and two hundred and twenty
long. This is better than the bridge hung
with chains, and dangling on the outside of
the rock over the torrent, which was the old
road. We now descended by a narrow paved
way, ten feet wide, to what is called the Devil's
Bridge, thrown over the Fall of the Ruess,
which here meets with tremendous precipices,
and foams as it rushes down them. The
bridge seems built in the air, from its eleva
tion and boldness; it is one hundred feet above
the river. Its span is seventy-five feet, and
the fall of the Reuss under it, in a slanting
direction, is at least three hundred feet. The
architect is not known; and the extreme
frightfulness of the cataract over which it is
thrown, has probably led the common people
to ascribe it to fairies first, and then to the
evil spirit. The scene is, perhaps, unparalleled

LETTER IX. NEW ROAD. 225
for sublimity and terror. The road after this
continues to descend the valley, like stairs for
steepness. It is built against the perpendicular
rock, and sustained in many places by arches
and walls on the side of frightful gulfs. For
a league this miraculous sort of tract extends.
During all this time the roaring Reuss conti
nues to roll its agitated torrent. I think this
is the most romantic of all the Swiss rivers.
It never ceases its rage. From rock to rock,
from precipice to precipice, it dashes forward,
with a succession of falls; sometimes lost
among the masses of stone, then appearing
again, in redoubled force.
We soon came to Goeschinen, where a
new road, passable for carriages, begins, and
goes on nearly four leagues, to Amstag, the
place where I am now writing. It is a sur
prising undertaking for a small Swiss Canton
(Uri), to have formed a road, twenty-five feet
wide, by the labour of several thousand hands
in three years: I know nothing in England
vol. i. Q

226 NEW ROAD. LETTER IX.
like it for hardy and dangerous enterprise. It
is as smooth as pur Bath road ; and has been
formed by blowing up rooks, dividing places
dangerous to travellers, throwing bridges over
the torrents (there are seven or eight), still
keeping the inclination so gentle, that it der
scends only about seven feet in one hnndred.
Conceive our delight in witnessing this hold
undertaking, especially when you consider
that the valley itself is one of the most pictu
resque we have yet seen; noble mountains;
the river winding, now its frightful, and then
its gentle, course; ravines intersecting the
valley, and carrying down the smaller torrents;
meadows and orchards delighting the eye as
we descended lower; a forest of firs, varying
the scenery for a mile or more ; villages, with
their little chapels, now and then appearing :
the whole augmented by one of the finest days
nature ever presented to man, with a gentle
north wind to moderate the heat. I was
grieved to see that in many places the new
road was already injured by the torrents and

LETTER IX. ALTORF. 227
falling masses of rocks, so that a constant ex
pense will be incurred — but dinner interrupts
my story.
I resume my letter at Altarf, the capital of
the Canton of Uri, half-past Seven, Tuesday
Evening, after a ride of three hours and a half.
I was speaking of the expense and labour
which this new road will require, and which
heighten the meitit of the enterprise. 1 should
add, that it very much protects passengers
from the danger of the avalanches front the
mountains^ which were often destructive.
Such was the terras of them, that formerly
travellers were not. allowed to speak in certain
parts af the road?,, lest even that slight agitation
of the air* should occasion a fall of snow.* It
further facilitates the immense traffic carried
on between Lucern, Milan, and Northern Italy.
We met a drove of noble oxen, and' many
* I am sorry to see from the Swiss Journals that the
devastation occasioned by the avalanches this winter (1824)
has been particularly great. The valleys of Gaulr, Gad-
naeir, and Guttanen, are stated, tp have suffered severely.
Q 2

228 BURGLEN. LETTER IX.
teams of mules laden with, casks. Milan is
twelve or thirteen days' journey from Hospital.
The people in these villages seem to me un
tidy and poor. The meadows are rich ; and
they use a high wooden frame for drying hay,
which raises the grass above the ground, and
makes it in twelve or fourteen hours.
In coming on to Altorf, we stopped at Bur-
glen to visit a chapel built on the spot where
William Tell was born. It is decorated with
pictures relating to the events of his life. Al
torf is a small Catholic town of one thousand
six hundred souls. It abounds with monu
ments of William Tell. The tower, the foun
tains, — every thing is designed to commemo
rate him. His history is connected with all
the liberty of Switzerland.
We met on our way to-day many peasants
laden with wood for the Valley of Ursern,
where Hospital is. As no trees grow there,
all their wood (coals are unknown) is brought
up three leagues. On our road, also, we met

LETTER IX. SWITZ. 229
our friend and companion, who, after spending
his Sunday at Stantz, came to Altorf last
night, and was going to visit the Vale of
the Reuss ; we are now at the same hotel.
He reports that he remained at Stantz on Sa
turday, not because he was weary of the
mountain road, but because his horse and boy
were equally bad, so bad that he despaired of
reaching Lucern by their means. He thinks
the new road which I have so much com
mended, takes off, in some places, from the
picturesque beauty of the scenery, as he be
held it four years since.
Switz, the capital of the Canton of that
name (and from which the whole of the country
is called), Wednesday, quarter before Ten. — We
set off this morning a quarter before six, and
saw the melancholy effects of a fire at Altorf,
in 1799. The ruined houses remained yet un
repaired. We came to Fliielen in an hour,
and there embarked on the Lake of Lucern
for Brunnen. The passage of two hours was
exquisite, from the noble and grand character

230 WILLIAM TELL. LETTER IX.
of the scenery of the lake. We stopped a mo
ment at the spot where William Tell escaped
from the boat in which they were conveying
him to prison, and where a chapel is now built.
I promised to tell you something about this
extraordinary man. It was in November,
1307, that the Austrian bailiff Gesler, having
placed his hat upon a pole, at Altorf, and
ordered every one who passed to salute it, Wil
liam Tell nobly refused. He was condemned,
as you may remember, to shoot at an apple
placed on the head of his son. He struck off
the apple; but Gesler, observing a second
arrow in the hand Of Tell, asked him what he
meant to do with it; "It was destined for
you," replied he, " if I had killed my child."
He was seized instantly, chained, and thrown
into a boat which was to convey the governor
back to his castle at Kiissnacht. A storm fell
on the lake. In imminent danger of perish
ing, they released Tell from his chains, and
suffered him to take the guidance of the vessel.
The hero leaped on shore upon the rock where

LETTER IX. LAKE OF LUCERN. 231
the chapel now stands; outstripped Gesler;
waited for hihi in a hollow paths ar,d trans
fixed him With an ari-ow. The Linden tree;
at Altorf against which the child stood, re
mained till 1567, two hundred years after the
death of Tell, which happened in 1356^ His
family was not extinct until the year 1720. A
chapel stands ou the spots at Grutli, where
the Confederation oath was taken, in January
1808. Thus was the foundation of liberty and
knowledge, of national virtue and piety, laid
in Switzerland. The Reformation two cen
turies afters sO far as it extended* completed
the deliverance.
We landed at Brunnen at nine., and came
on tb Switz. The lake we have crossed is,
perhaps, the finest in Switzerland— eight
leagues long, four and a half wide, bordering
on the four forest Cantons— Switz, Uri, Un-
derwald, and Lucern. Between Brunnen and
Switz, we passed the bridge, covered as usual,
Of Ibach> where the battle took place between
Suwarrow and Massfena, in 1799.

232 MOUNT RIGHI. LETTER IX.
Twelve o'Clock. — I never dined better in
my life at eleven o'clock, than I have here : we
are now going to ascend Mount Righi. This
town of Switz is in a garden of natural beau
ties. The vast rocks behind it are like giant
sentinels to guard it.
Wednesday Evening, top of Mount Righi.
— I must write a line to you to-night, though
in a salle-a-manger crowded with French, Ger
man, Swiss, English, all talking together, in
a hotel on the summit of the Righi, six thou
sand one hundred and fifty-six feet above the
sea, and four thousand five hundred above
Switz. The peculiarity of this mountain, is
not so much its great height, as the accessible
and yet commanding point in which it ter
minates, which gives it, when the weather is
clear, one of the noblest and most extensive
views in the world : the consequence is, that
almost every traveller ascends it. It is not the
road to any town, as the other Alps I have
crossed are, but an insulated spot, which has
become celebrated from the comparative easi-

LETTER IX. SUBLIME VIEW. 233
ness of the approach. The moment a fine day
appears, all the world hurry forwards to the
only inn and only house on the. extreme sum
mit of this vast elevation.
The scene at the table-d'hote is comic be
yond description. We were between five and
six hours coming up the mountain, in many
parts by stairs so steep, that we ascended at a
rate of forty feet in a hundred. The heat
added to the fatigue; but the extraordinary
scene, now we are at the top, surpasses all
my conceptions, even of what Switzerland
could produce. The eye has an unimpeded
view all around. It is a sort of natural pano
rama. The main disadvantage (which yet
adds, perhaps, to the interest of the excursion)
is the uncertainty of finding a bright unclouded
sky at this great elevation : either the valleys
or the tops of the mountains are commonly
obscured with a dark mantle of clouds. As
we were at supper, we were hurried out to
ascend a wooden platform, forty or fifty feet
high, raised on the edge of the precipice, to

234 A STORM. LETTER IX.
behold a gathering storni. We were astor
nished at the sublime sight. One quarter of
the horizon was illuminated with the setting
sun in the softest beauty, whilst in another
quarter the most gloomy storm shrouded with
all its horrors the tops of the adjoining moun
tains, and waS approaching the Righi-^-but I
must absolutely stop.
Righi, Five o'clock, Thursday Morning.-^
I was compelled to break off last night by the
excessive noise in the dining hall: I had half
a dozen people talking to me at once— and
therefore was soon wearied Out, and retired to
rest. My friertd and I were crowded into a
small room, the feet of our beds touching
each other; presently the house became more
noisy than ever with the company going to
their chambers (for these wooden houses shake
at every step), and soon after, the storm which
was lowering in the evening, began to descend
-—the lightning, thunder, and rain were tre
mendous ; I 1-eally thought the house would
have fallen. It is now five in the morning,

LETTER IX. BIBLE SOCIETY. 235
and the rain and the brouillard completely
obscure the whole scene ; nevertheless all the
house is in motion, and families are going
down the hill. Fiftyonb persons slept here
last night (twenty*fdur gentry 5 twenty-seven
servants and guides ; in the course of yester
day, there had been fifty-two gentry)* The
house is very small. I find a New Testament
of the Bible Society in this Catholic solitude*
with an inscription to state that it was left by
Messrs; Treuttell and Wurtz, " fbr the use of
Christians whom the bad weather might pre
vent from seeing and admiring the great work
of the creation, and adoring the Creator, by
mounting towards him by the help ©f^ his
works." < In the strangers' book I was startled
to See the name of his present majesty, George
IV. who assuredly never ascended this moun
tain. When the weather is fine, fourteen lakes
are visible here, and the "sun rising upon the
range of the Alps is magnificent. They may
be trafced from the Glarhish on the east, to

236 MOUNT PILATE. LETTER IX.
the Oberland Bernois on the ' southwest ;
whilst on the north, your eye may range from
the Lake of Constance to that of Neufchatel.
All Switzerland, to the east and north, is open
before you ; and much further, into Suabia.
The only hill we could distinguish last night
was Mount Pilate, which is called properly
Mons Pileatus, or Mountain with a Cap, be
cause a cloud generally rests on its extreme
top, even in the finest weather. The common
people say, that Pontius Pilate came here and
threw himself down the precipice in despair,
for having condemned our Saviour.
¦ As the morning is so unfavourable, and
breakfast is not ready, I must tell you a sad
story. — As we ascended the Righi yesterday,
we passed over the melancholy ruins of the
village of Goldau. In 1806 an immense mass
of earth from the Rossberg, gradually loosened
by two or three months' rain, fell down with
scarcely a moment's warning, — it was the 2d
of September — four villages, of which Goldau
was the chief, lay at the foot of the mountain.

LETTER IX. GOLDAU. 237
All was buried in an instant — two churches,
one hundred and eleven houses, two hundred
barns, &c. and four hundred persons, with
three hundred and twenty-five head of cattle,
were overwhelmed ; and a new ruinous moun
tain, one hundred and fifty feet high, was
formed by the vast mass. The loss was esti
mated at three million eight hundred and forty
thousand livres of France.
Those who had been aware of the danger
ous state of the mountain, and the probabi
lity of some disaster, were not warned in time.
Two old inhabitants who had predicted the
calamity, when some one rushed into their
cottage, and told them the rock was actually
falling, disbelieved the message, and were lost.
A party of ten persons had been two months
waiting for fine weather to visit Mount Righi.
They set off for Switz the day of the catas
trophe ; five of them staid a moment behind
the rest to take some provisions ; the instant
the others entered Goldau, the enormous ruin
carried them away.

238 JEANNE ULRICH. LETTER IX.
A: physician ofthe neighbouring village of
Arth, Dr. Zay, has published an account of
the calamity. During the whole day the air
was darkened with clouds of rock and earth.
Entire forests, and large blocks of the moun
tain, were borne through the air as swiftly as
an arrow. Houses, cattle, men, all were drag
ged ajong, and seemed to ffy in the midst, qf
the heavens. Several females and children
were almost miraculously preserved. Two
women were forced into a pit fifteen feet deep,
and thus escaped. A maid servant, Jeanne
Ulrich, with Marianne, a little girl five years
old, were overwhelmed — The maid was torn
from the child, and bung suspended among
beams- of wood and ruins, which crushed her
on allAsides-^-Her eyes were filled with blood
— She thought the last day was come, and be>
took herself to prayet?— :She heard the cries of
the child. — Two, hours passedA-A neighbour
ing church clock struck, hut no help arriv.edr^-
The cries of the child became fainter and
fainter, and at last ceased — The girl, thinking
she was dead, made desperate efforts to libe-

LETTER IX. ZIJG. 239
rate herself, and at last freed her legs from the
mass of ruins. Soon the little Marianne began
again to cry — she had fallen asleep, and on
waking renewed her lamentations. Two hours
more elapsed ; when the child's parent, Vi-
guet, who had carried his two sons to a place
qf safety, returned to deliver the rest of his
family. He searched amongst the sad remains
of his house— a foot appeared above the ruins
— he approached, he recognized a part of his
wife's dress — he uttered the most piercing la
mentations, which reached the ears of the ser
vant and Marianne, who instantly redoubled
their cries. The father knew his child's voice,
and rescued her with only a, broken limb. The
maid was afterwards taken out, scarcely alive.
They both recovered.
Jt is remarkable, that iu this very neigh
bourhood, an entire street of Zug, with a part
of the towers and walls of the town, sunk,
without a moment's warning, into the lake, in
the year 1435, Sixty persons then perished.
The infant son of the keeper of the archives,

240 REFLECTIONS. LETTER IX.
Adelrich Wikard, who was found floating in
his cradle on the waters, was rescued, and be
came afterwards the father of a family which
deserved well of the State.
O God, how unfathomable are thy judg
ments ! thus is it that thou alarmest a sleeping
world, and callest man to prepare for sudden
death, and sudden judgment ; whilst the grace
of thy Gospel sets before them a dying Saviour,
whose redemption no falling rocks nor sudden
destruction can overwhelm ; nay, which will
appear most glorious " when the heavens being
on fire shall be dissolved, and the earth shall
melt with fervent heat !"
It is astonishing and terrific as you ride
over the place where Goldau stood ; the ruins
are above one hundred feet deep ; the adjoin
ing Lake of Lowertz was filled up for fifty feet.
Many persons beheld the ruin from the top of
the Righi; and were compelled to witness the
destruction of their own lands and houses,
without the possibility of giving any aid. Only

LETTER IX. GOLDAU. 241
a few bodies and mangled limbs have been
dug up after seventeen years. Such was the
tremendous impetus of the falling rock, that
prodigious masses were carried by the re
bound many hundred feet up the opposite hill,
i. e. perhaps three or four leagues from the
summit whence they fell. Such a scene I
never witnessed. Still, the love of their native
spot is so deeply fixed in the Swiss, that two
or three new houses are beginning to rise in
the midst of the ruins. One of the churches
has also been rebuilt; the grass is now hiding
by degrees the frightful spectacle, and even
some strips of meadows are forming here and
there. Righi, Ten o'clock.— The morning is actu
ally clearing up.
Eleven o'clock. — No : all our hopes are dis
appointed ; the valley is filled with clouds:
fogs are rising and covering every thing with
one mantle of deep and impenetrable obscu
rity. Thus we shall be compelled to leave
VOL. I. R

242 ST. MARY IN THE SNOW. LETTER IX.
this queen of mountains without seeing all its
magnificence of prospect.. I may as well -tell
you, before I lay by my letter, that in comr
ing up yesterday, we visited the convent of St.
Mary in the Snow, four thousand two hundred
feet above the sea, where a small convent of
Capuchin friars, for receiving strangers, is
supported. The little church adjoining is cu
riously adorned ; and in the small village two
inns have been built within three years. _
In the strangers' book on Mount Righi, I
find so many fictions, that I have now no diffi
culty in accounting for the insertion, of the
name of the King ; but I have called in all. the
people of the house and examined them, and
they stoutly affirm that our King was here, and
wrote with his own hand his name and date,
October, 1816, and that he came with three
ladies and four gentlemen in his suite. Such
is the vanity of these good people! , ,.;... v.tpj
Perhaps I cannot employ myself better
than by going on to say, that the keeping

LETTER XI. STRANGERS' BOOK. 243
of a stranger's book is one of those foreign
customs which one cannot but approve of.
It is, perhaps, a little galling at first to an
Englishman, to be obliged to put down his
name, age, country, family, time of arrival,
place of destination, motives of journey, &c.
as soon as he drives into a town. But the
pleasure is so great to see what countrymen
or friends are before you on the road, and to
look back and read the names of travellers in
past years, that you are soon delighted with
the plan. In frontier towns the book is often
under the" regulation of the police; but in
small towns in the interior, and places of
fashionable resort, as The Fall of the Rhine,
Mount Righi, &c, it partakes more of the
nature of an album, in which travellers write
down any sentiments they please, together
with their names. Sometimes an opinion is
given of the country they have passed
through, or advice as to inns and roads;
a* other times a short poetical effusion, is
inserted, or a stroke of wit and drollery.
You meet occasionally with very admirable
r2

244 A WET DAY. LETTER IX.
thoughts, and bursts of real genius. My
friend transcribed a striking copy of verses.
It is curious even to look over the hand
writing of celebrated individuals. The stran
gers' book, further, enables you to compare
the number of travellers from different coun
tries. I counted once or twice, and found
the English four or five times as numerous
as those of any other nation. It is much to
be regretted, that the unpardonable license
of a few persons, I am afraid chiefly English
men, is rapidly tending to put an end to this
innocent and gratifying custom, or at least to
the confining of it to the dry record of the
police towns.
Righi, Twelve o'clock. — We are in as miser
able a plight as ever poor creatures were : a
dreadful wet day — shut up in a close room,
as in a prison — scarcely able to breathe' — five
or six leagues to reach Lucern — no prospect —
nothing but rain and fog. Some of the party
are endeavouring to throw a ring, suspended
by a cord from the ceiling, upon a hook fixed

LETTER IX. CONVERSATION. 245
at a suitable distance in the wall ofthe room- —
a trait of genuine ennui.
For my own part, I have been amusing
myself with talking with two Italian gentlemen
— well informed — admirers of England — dis
contented with their existing government —
ready for change — with no great attachment
to Popery; really this is the case with all the
foreigners we meet. — Tyranny, in a day of ge
neral information, galls the mind, and defeats,
and must defeat, its own purpose. I endea
vour to give the best, advice I can; dwelling
chiefly on the impprtance of the Scriptures,
and the elevating nature of true Christianity.
I have been deeply interested also, with two
students from St. Petersburgh— amiable, scho
lar-like young rneh ; they spent last winter in
England.,' I shall not soon forget their sur
prise, when they happened to discover who I
was. They had frequently heard me preach
in London. The meeting thus with occasional
auditors, on a sudden, in the heart of Switzer-

246 KUSSNACHT. LETTER IX.
land, appals me. I feel, as it were, quite un
comfortable, lest I should have failed in giving
them a faithful impression of the Gospel of
Christ; and yet, if these young Russians have
heard me, so may others from other lands.
What a responsible office is that of the sacred
ministry ! What diligence, what solicitude,
what uprightness, what simplicity in following
the Holy Scriptures', what humility and fervour
in imploring the grace of the Sacred Comforter,
does it require !
Lucern, Friday Morning, Seven o'clock. —
We arrived here last night; the weather a little
cleared up after dinner yesterday at the Righi,
and at two we mounted our beasts to descend ;
three hours brought us to Kiissnacht, a town
on the Lake of Lucern ; and three hours more
to this town. The weather was rainy, but still
tolerable. The views of the surrounding coun
try, as we came down, were lovely: we had
the Lakes of Lucern and Zug full before us
The road, from Kiissnacht was positively

LETTER IX. WILLIAM TELL. 247
through a garden, by the side of the Lake,
with just those gentle rises which gave us the
sweetest views imaginable.
We have now finished our Oberland tour
of twO hundred and forty-nine miles; ouly it
happens, that we are landed at a town nearly
seventy miles from Bern, and have thus two
days' journey to reach my dear family. We
visited yesterday a third chapel of William Tell,
built by the government, on the spot where he
slew Gesler ithe Austrian governor. So that
there is a tower, as I have before mentioned, at
Altorf, on the place where William Tell's child
stood with the apple on his head ; a fountain
where the father stood ;' a chapel on the site
of his house at Burglen ; a second where he
escaped from the boat conducting him to
prison; a third where he slew the oppressor of
his country ; and another where the oath of
Confederation was taken at Grutli — at this
last place, an English wag has written on the
wall, " Cato Street Conspirators!" Thus is

248 SWISS COSTUME. LETTER IX.
the love of liberty nourished in the breasts of
this fine people: Catholics and Protestants
seem the same in this respect. There is a
public spirit, a hardy courage, a patriotism,
an independence of mind, about the Swiss,
connected with a ready subjection to lawful
authority, and a sense of moral and religious
obligation, which are the true foundations of
national prosperity. Their adherence to all
their ancient usages, even in their dress, is ob
servable ; each Canton has its costume. At
Switz, the women have caps with two high
white frills, plaited, and standing nearly erect
on their heads, like two butterfly's wings;
quite different from the Bernois, yet equally
fantastical, and inconvenient.
This Oberland country has, on the whole,
filled me with wonder, astonishment, and gra
titude. " How glorious, O God, are thy works,
and thy thoughts are very deep." O that, in
this glorious creation, man did but love and
obey Thee as he ought !

LETTER IX. LUCERN. 249
Lucern, where we now are, is the capital of
the Canton, and romantically situated on the
north-west banks ofthe lake of four Cantons.
It is just in the heart of Switzerland. Itis one
thousand three hundred and twenty feet above
the sea. The fine river Reuss crosses it, over
which there are three bridges. The name is
probably derived from the Latin word, Lu-
cerna, a lamp or light-house ; as the most an
cient building is the Great Tower where, the
light was formerly suspended ; possibly in the
time of the Romans. It contains six thousand
souls. It is the great mart of commerce be
tween Switzerland and northern Italy, the
road over St. Gothard beginning at Altorf, the
other side the lake. The Catholic religion
is here prevalent; so that all' up Mount
Righi we found stations and crucifixes for pil
grims. Many of the priests are, said to be
men of piety and information, and to have
been on the point of- embracing Protestantism
a few years back. Some political events un
happily interfered to delay the execution of
this good design.

250 FREE STATES. LETTER IX.
1^ In these free States, a reformation may be
effected With comparative ease, if once the
minds of the leading magistrates and clergy are
duly informed and impressed with divine truth.
They depend on no foreign potentate. A ma
jority of the senate determines all questions.
What they once resolve on, they never want
courage to perform. It was thus that the re
formed doctrines were received at Zurich,
Bern, &c. in the sixteenth century. The Ger*
man language prevails through the Oberland;
so that'll have had no great means of gain
ing information On the general state of mo
rals and religion. I can speak indeed of
particular' facts which fall under my own
observation ; but when I come to reflections
on a whole Canton, I remember the diffi
dence which becomes a stranger on such sub
jects. Still, I cannot but avow, that the ge
neral appearance of these Catholic Cantons
is strongly against them ; whilst in Bern all
is industry and cleanliness, and not a beggar
to be seen.

LETTER I\. ZUINGLE. 251
Zofingen, 30 miles from Lucern, half past
Nine, Friday Night.-— While supper is pre
paring, I will write something of the occur
rences of a most delightful day. After break
fast this morning, We went to see a model of
Lucern and the neighbouring country, on a
scale of about thirteen inches to a league. It
was most gratifying to trace out part of the
tour we had just made. Our attendant pointed
out the model of one Alp, the Titlis, on which
the ice lies one hundred and seventy-five feet
thick in summer. General Pfyffer spent his
life in traversing the mountains, and executing
this model. A portrait of him, in his travelling
dress, adorns the room; and his camp-seat,
of a most simple but admirable contrivance,
was shown us. We next visited the Arsenal,
and saw the sword of Zuingle, the Reformer
(for he was compelled, by the law of the Re- "
public, to bear arms, and he fell on the field
of Capelle, in 1531);* and then the Jesuits'
* I cannot but just add here, that undoubtedly
there was too much of secular politics mixed up with the

252 SWISS HEROES. LETTER IX.
Church and the Cathedral, where the taw
dry ornaments and superstitious images of the
Virgin re-awakened that pain of mind which
the Protestant Cantons had soothed. A noble
monument just erected to the Swiss regiment,
who perished at Paris, in defending Louis
XVI., August 10, 1792, very much interested
us ; it is a lion, twenty-eight feet long, cut out
higher principles of the Swiss Reformers. An interference
with the temporal governments proved one very lament
able impediment to the advance of the Reformation. The
character of Luther stands pre-eminent, above all the Re
formers, in this respect. His wisdom, spirituality of mind,
subjection to " the powers that be, as ordained of God,"
and moderation on doubtful points (except in the Sacra-
mentarian controversy), placed him on an elevation, to
which I am not aware that any of his contemporaries can
be raised. Religion was with him a matter of the heart,
and the reformed doctrines the consolation of his aroused
and most tender conscience ; and all this in a very peculiar
degree. Others may have had more learning, as Me
lancthon; or more acuteness, as Calvin or Zuingle; but
for deep affecting views of religion, superiority to secular
pojitics, and experience of inward temptations, united
magnanimity of mind, and uncommon powers of elo
quence, none can be compared, I think, with Martin
Luther.

LETTER IX. COVERED BRIDGES. 253
in the rock, and the names of the officers
inscribed beneath.
The three covered bridges in the town are
surprising structures; the first, that of the
Court, is one thousand four hundred feet long;
the second, one thousand one hundred ; in the
spaces between the beams ofthe first there are
two hundred and thirty-eight paintings from
the Old and New Testament; and of the
Second, one hundred and fifty-four from the
Lives of the Heroes and Saints of Switzerland.
A third bridge has thirty-six pictures from
Holbein's Dance of Death. The river Ruess
is here of a deep blue-green colour, very rapid,
and so clear, that you may count the stones at
the bottom. We ascended two hills which
commanded magnificent views of the town,
the lake, the adjoining hills, and distant Alps :
perfectly enchanting.
Zofingen, Saturday Morning. — It was eleven
o'clock before we were in bed last night ; the
fact is, we spent all the morning in seeing

254 PERE GIRARD. LETTER IX.
Lucern, and had a journey of six hours and a
half to take after three o'clock, in order to
reach Bern by Saturday night. I have only
further to say about Lucern, that the views
from the bridges and the neighbouring hills
are^some of the very finest in Switzerland.
Zurich and Lucern are the most enchanting
towns we have seen. The road hither ran by
the side ofthe Lake of Sempach ; but by seven
the evening came on, and we could see little
of.tbe prospect; a fine moon-light, however,
aided jus. At the town of Sursee, whilst we
were taking some refreshment, I saw, a por
trait of Pere Girard of Fribourg. The son
of the aubergiste had been his scholar: Ijsent
for the boy in. He had been five years at
school— seemed a fine clever lad — spoke in the
highest terms of M. Girard. ; He tells me,
M. G. had five classes, arid four or five hun
dred children, at Fribourg; and that he gave
lectures on the Catechism, and taught the
children the New Testament. He was, in
truth, too good for the Papists ;— they raised
an opposition-— the Jesuits aided — and Pere

LETTER IX. Z0F1NGEN. 255
Girard's whole establishment* is now broken
up. This aubergiste had sent his son fifty-five
miles to this good schoolmaster. These in
dividual cases of piety and zeal continually
occur. The intrepidity and faith of such men
are of a character which we have little concep
tion of in England, surrounded by Protestant
connections and protected by Protestant laws.
Surely charity should peculiarly rejoice in
such triumphs of the grace of God, in the
midst of the corruptions of Popery.
The town of Zofingen is in Argovie, and
is Protestant ; it contains about two thousand
souls. A house was destroyed by lightning,
in the storm of Wednesday night. The women
in Lucern wear, not caps, but immense straw
hats, with very small flat crowns, and four
bows of ribbon, two green and two red, with
sometimes a bunch of flowers. Our voiturier
(for we were obliged to hire one at Lucern to
take us back to Bern) feeds his horses with
bread; when we stopt yesterday, we saw a
boy with a loaf of bread (of the same sort as

256 BERN. LETTER IX.
we had ourselves), cutting it with a knife, and
giving first one horse a slice, and then another ;
which they seemed to eat with much pleasure.
Herzogenbuchs, 17 miles from Zofingen,
Twelve at Noon. — We have had a pleasing drive
of four hours through a fruitful country. The
village is neat and clean, and the whole place
is crowded with men and women who have
been attending a funeral, and are now going to
dinner. We are in a Protestant canton, and
within seven leagues of Bern. The village
contains about five hundred inhabitants; two
or three hundred of whom are dining, or
about to dine, at this funeral.
Bern, Saturday Evening, half-past Seven. —
Thank God, I find myself again with my dear
Ann; and thank God also, she is remarkably
well. The fortnight's entire quiet, though dull
to her in some respects, has restored her to
wonderful health and strength. She has also
now become accustomed to the food and place,
and knows better what, she is about, and how

LETTER IX. MILD COUNTRY. 257
to manage the people and things in Switzer
land. How great a blessing is this! We had
a beautiful ride from Herzogenbuchs to Bern,
twenty-one miles. Almost all the country
from Lucern to Bern is well cultivated, the
views beautifully mild, herds of cattle feeding
in different spots, the meadows yielding four
or five crops a year, the farming buildings large
and convenient — the whole reminding us of
beloved England— which could not, of course,
be the case in the mountain regions which we
have left. As we approached Bern, a noble
range of Alps stretched themselves before us.
We passed Hofwyl, the celebrated spot where
M. Fellenberg has his school and his esta
blishment for agriculturists ; but it was too
late to stop.
We have been, in this Oberland tour, three
hundred and fifteen miles in twelve days, and
above two hundred of it on mules. Never did
I derive so much benefit to my health, as by
these mountain rides. We propose now to go
on to Lausanne on Monday. We shall set off
vol. i. s

258 SUNiDAV AT BERN. LETTER IX.
for? Paris (please God) by the 1st' of Octoben,
at latest; stay there till the 23d- and be at
home on Friday the 31st. I had the particular
pleasure of finding a letter from yon, dated
August 6th, and received. August 21st, on my
return here. Your account of our dear rela
tive grieves me to the heart; My prayers
shall be united , with yours, that these severe
and repeated afflictions may become real bless
ings to him, by awakening him to more seri
ousness, determination, and' earnestness, in
seeking the salvation of his soul, which is the
grand concern of man, and without which, we
are lost and miserable, though in the utmost
outward prosperity.
Bern, Sunday Evening, Augustin 1823. —
We have had to-day a delightful Sunday;
twice have I not only attended, public worship
(which. we always do), but heard "the glorious
Gospel of the blessed God," as St. Paul ex
presses it, from the lips of his ministers. The
difference between a cold harangue on ethics,
and the gracious message of peace and joy in

LETTER IX. i: PUBLIC FAST. ,i 259
Christ Jesus, is immense. Duty must follow,
not precede; much less exclude, salvation by
faith. The morning subject wats John, v. 44.
" How can ye believe, which receive honour
one of another, arid, seek not the honour
that oometKi from God only?" — the after
noon; Heb. x. The church? was crowded
in the morning," and the attention of the conJ-
gregation' most pleasing; .;< Notice was given
oft a public fast; for Sept*. 11 A" On account
df the sins of the people; and in order
to render thanks to God for his benefits."
The language ofthe notice ,waS'; very pious
and appropriate. After recounting the various
public blessings of Almighty God to the; Re
public of Bern, it proceeded to- mention " the
most excellent' of all God's^ gifts, the holy reli
gion of'- Jesus ^ which- is an inexhaustible source
of truth, virtue, and consolation, to so many
thousands ofsoulsv" Tt then dwelt' on thein-
gratitude and sinsof the people, and exhorted
them " to J fly to the grace of God' in Jesus
Christ, and to seek from Him the pardoil of
their sins by unfeigned repentence, a lively
s 2

260 ENGLISH SERVICE. LETTER IX,
faith, and a true conversion." It ordered,
lastly, that all the shops should be shut after
three o'clock the preceding day.*
At half-past four we had our private ser
vice. Three English families joined us; so
that we were eighteen in all. I was not in the
least acquainted even with the names of my
auditory; but an opportunity occurring, I had
just mentioned to two families, at the table-
d'h6te, that I was about to have English
service; and, as we were beginning, a third
family, a clergyman's, begged permission to
come in. They all seemed intensely attentive.
My subject was from 1 Thess. i. 5. " For our
gospel came not unto you in word only, but
also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and
in much assurance." I hope some good was
done. One family was, at the least, better
employed than on the preceding Sunday, when
they were at a play, at Lausanne. This the
father of it had told me with perfect sang froid ;
adding, that he had been properly punished ;
* See the Notice at the end of this Letter, p. 268.

LETTER IX. GOVERNMENT OF BERN. 261
for they were late, and could obtain no good
sittings. It was this conversation which led
me to propose to them to join our English
service. How lamentable is it, that British
travellers have so slight a sense of the obliga
tion of keeping holy the Sabbath!
So far as I can learn, there is much of true
religion in this important Canton. It quite de
lights me to be able to say this. I have so often
had to give you unfavourable accounts, that I
have a double pleasure, when truth allows me
to unite with charity in my reports. The educa
tion of the children is strictly' attended to —
indeed every parent is compelled to send his
children to school and catechism. In this re
spect the Swiss Governments possess a real
moral power. In the police of the towns ;
the suppression of vice; the prohibition of
theatres; the banishing of bad persons at once,
and without ceremony ; the laws against lux
ury, &c; it is amazing what a salutary influ
ence some of these States exercise over their
comparatively diminutive territories.

262 -GOVERNMENT QF BERN. L.ET/TER IX.
The town of Bern contains about a ninth
part of the popuktiou of Liverpool or Man
chester; and all the Canton not ar fourth part
of the population of Loudon^-mdeed \the
twenty-two Swiss Cantons are not much more
populous than that one immense city* Every
thing therefore falls immediately under the
notice ofthe magistrates, and may be checked
at its first appearance. And this sort of pa
ternal, though perhaps somewhat arbitrary, re
straint, being connected generally with the
faithful preaching ofthe Gospel, &U seems to
be done, that any government can do, for the
suppression of public immorality and the en
couragement of piety and virtue.
Whereas in England things are on a very
different footing. The overgrown population
of the metropolis, the extent of the other com
mercial towns and cities, the jealousy of their
civil rights which prevades all ranks, the mea-
* Switzerland contains 1,750,000 inhabitants ; Lon
don, 1,274,800; Bern, 1S,340; Liverpool, 118,972;
the Canton of Bern, 215,060.

LETTER IX. COMPARISON WITH ENGLAND. 263
sure of political and religious liberty which
they claim and enjoy, the influence of public
opinion on Parliament and ministers of state,
the tone of religious sentiment given by the
bishops and clergy, all combine to prevent
the interference of an arbitrary discipline, and
to leave things at the disposal of law and the
general feelings of the nation. Undoubtedly
this has degenerated too often into negligence
and disorder, especially in the permission of
blasphemous and seditious publications, in
the neglect of the education of our poor, and
in the inadequate provision for the public
worship Of God. Nor has the faithful preach
ing of the Reformed doctrines in their sim
plicity and vigour, been always so . general
With us, as it seems to have been in the Swiss
churches. Still, in England there is a principle of
renovation implanted, and concealed, as it
Were, in all our free Institutions', which re
vives whenever the mercy of Gdd visits bur
country, and which was never, perhaps, more

264 COMPARISON WITH ENGLAND. LETTER IX.
powerfully at work than at present. The
standard of religious sentiment is rapidly ad
vancing, our clergy are rising from their, tor
por, and are preaching and. living according
to the Gospel ; the influence of public senti
ment is turned, in a considerable degree, to
the side of piety and good morals; our Go
vernment favours the progress of this mighty
change; Parliamentitself begins to move; our
Bible and Missionary institutions are in some
proportion to our wealth and commercial great
ness. Now, in the small governments of
Switzerland, I suspect that much more must
depend on the personal character of the mem
bers of the Government, and much less on pub
lic opinion. And if a spirit of negligence as to
morals, or of persecution as to religion, should
pervade the minds of the chief persons in a
Canton, there would be far less hope of a reco
very than in England.
But I am indulging too much in this sort of
reflections, for a stranger; the state of things
in the Canton of Bern is at present delightful;

LETTER IX. SIR HENRY WOTTON. 265
and, after all, under every form of government,
the extent of real spiritual religion in the
heart and life, must ever depend on a higher
cause — the pure preaching ofthe doctrine of
Christ, and the grace of God's blessed Spirit.
May that grace descend more and more on our
own happy country and all Christian nations
and churches, yea, on all mankind!
I am your affectionate brother, D.W.
P. S. As I have been speaking on the sub
ject of Strangers.' Books, I cannot close my
Letter without < mentioning the two ingenious
sentences which were written in thei time of
our James I. by the celebrated Sir Henry Wbt-
ton, whose advice to Milton I noticed in a
former 'letter.
The first is a keen satire ; and would have
been more complete if the ambiguity of the

266 SIR HENRY WOTTON. LETTER IX.
English word, lie, could have 'befen expressed
in the Latin :
" An ambassador is an honest man sent to
lie abroad for the • good of his country." —
" Legatus est vir bohus pdregre missus ad
inentiendum republicae causa."
The other is more grave, but not without a
touch of humour; for I suppress the long so
lemn list of Sir Henry's titles, and of his various
efehbaissies, which precedes it :
" Henricus Wottonius, &c. &c. &c. tandem
hoc didicit, Animas fieri sapientiores quie-
#cewdo."! — "Henry Wotton, &c. fi&c. &c. at
length leaii-ned this, That s<dnds are -made
wiser by being quiet."
The first was written early in Sir Henry^s
life, and was printed from the Latin copy,
eight years afterwards, and maliciously tran
scribed on several glass windows at Ve-

LETTER IX. SIR HENRY WOXTON. 267
nice, where he then resided as English Am
bassador. The other was the cool and weighty
result of experience, after a long life spent in
diplomatic services.
I wish all the sentences written now were
as well worth remembering.

268 notice of fast. letter ix.
Notice
Of the Public Fast at Bern.*
This public religious service is annual in
the Swiss churches, and i" -"Tided to with
much solemnity by all cla Surely other
churches might do well to imitate so good an
example. What cause, have we in 'England,
at the time I am writing this (February, 1825),
for thanksgiving as well as for humiliation —
for thanksgiving on account of the unnum
bered blessings which God has vouchsafed
to us ; blessings almost unparalleled in the
history of nations — for humiliation on account
of our, alas! too flagrant and aggravated
national sins. Surely the growing sense of
religious obligation which marks the general
body of people in England, would support the
Venerable Heads of our Church in so sea
sonable an appointment. The highest pitch of
* Referred to p. 260.

LETTER IX. NOTICE OF FAST. 269
public prosperity always touches on the most
fearful reverses, by leading to pride, luxury,
vice, and forgetfulness of God. I insert the
whole ofthe valuable document from which I
have given a passage or two above. I never
saw a copy of it in this country.

NOUS AVOYER ET CONSEIL DE LA
VILLE ET REPUBL1QUE DE BERN,
assurons Nos chers et fideles ressortissans de
notre gracieuse bienveillance, et leur faisons
savoir :
Que, de concert avec les autres Etats reformed de la
Confederation, Nous avons arrete de faire cSIebrer, Jeudi
11 Septembre prochain, un jour solennel d'actions de
graces, de jettne et de priere.
Et qui de nous, chers et fideles ressortissans, ne se
sentirait avec Nous porte a remercier Dieu publiquement,
et du fond d'un cceur touched en refl6chissant & tous les
bienfaits qu'il a repandus sur. nous pendant cette annee si
pleine d'evenemens ? Une paix profonde regne au sein de
notre patrie, et dans les contr6es qui nous avoisinent ; tan-
dis que dans d'autres pays, plus eloignes le fleau de la
guerre trouble la prosperity des peuples : et de cette
tranquillity d6coulent pour la vie domestique et publique
d'inombrables benedictions qui s'etendent sur tous les 6tats

270 NOTICE OF FAST. LETTER IX.
et sur tous les ages*; La'terre a?6t& fertile! awrde 1& de toute
esperance, et. par ses riches productions a confondu les
inquietudes de ceux, auxquels la temperature variable et
plUvieuse de l'ete faisait c'raindfe le retour de la' disette;
Et si par-ci par-la des orages ont'occasionn6 quelque perte,
qiie.ce dom mage est peu de chose en comparaison de tout
le bien que nous avous regue de la main du Seigneur! ce
n'a 6te en quelque sorte qu'un averfissement' pour nous
rappeler qu'il est en sa puissance de nous donner ou de
nous enlever ce qui nous est le plus nfecessaire.
Et pourquoi ne ferions-nous pas mention du plus ex
cellent de tous les dons de Dieu, de la sainte religion de
J6sus, qui est enseignee purement dans les 6glises et dans
les 6coles, et qui est une source intarissable de veiit6, de
vertu, et de consolation pour tant de milliers d'ames ?
Si l'experienee jouraaliere-ide cette' gr&oe di* Seigneur
qui se multiplie sur nous de 'tant. de.manieres,.de>k>1aiju.std
titrenous animer k la ce!6brer aveo joie; Nous ne-'sau^
rions cependant vous le cacherj un regard' jete Sur l'etat
religieux et moral de Notre peuple, devoile une grande
corruption, qui- en veritfe1 nous rend indignes d'wne-' telle
grace. Une legeret6 sans bornes se manifeste dams'les
villes1 et si la campagne sous une multitude' de formes;
dansj l'indifferenoe torochant la connaissance et' l^adfrratiori
de Dieu,' chez plusieurs dans un total abandon des temples
du Seigneur, dans l'oisivete; le gout1 duluxe, et une vie
d6r6gl6e, qui entrainent la ruine 'de families entieresj com*
me-<aussi des individus en particU'lier. Et f\ c&te de cette
deplorable et crimineHe legeretei,' n'avons'oTOus pas' la douJ
teuwle voir dans 'quelqwes- contfees des;hbmiwes' pervers

LETTER IX. NOTICE OF FAST. 271
coutinuer a faire un horrible abus des choses divines, de
tout ce qu'il y. a de plus, saint, pour tromper les simples,
pour s£duire>les faibles, etse livter a. la' plus grossiere in>i
moralit6? Des iniquit6s aussi graves ayant lieu, ainsi que
tant d'autres transgressions qui minent insensiblement la
prosperity publique et domestique-;' le soin paternel que
Nous devons prendre du salut de Nos resortissans Nous
obligeAles. exhorter. , serieusement, de recourir a la grace
de Dieu en Jesus Christ, et de chercher aupres de Lui le
pardon des pech6s par une repentance non feinte, une foi
vive, et une conversion veritable, se rappelant soigneuse-
ment qu'il ne faut pas s'en tenir a la simple promesse de
s'amender, mais que le sacrifice agreable au Tres-Haut,
c'est une vie Chr6tienne selon la v6rit6, la puret6, et la
charite. Nous attendons avec confiance, que quiconque desire
le bien de la patrie, et son propre avantage, ne manquera
pas au jour de jetine prochain, d'implorer pour cet effet
de l'amour eternel le secours d'enhaut, et la conservation
des biens precieux dont nous jouissons.
Mais pour prevenir autant que possible tout ce qui
pourrait troubler la devotion pendant ce jour solennel de
jefine, Nous ordonnons enfin serieusement, que durant
tout ce saint jour, et la veille depuis les trois heures de
l'apr&s-diner, toutes les auberges et pintes soient fermees
pour chacun, except6 pour les voyageurs etrangers ; Nous
defeudons en meme temps les courses indecentes d'une
paroisse dans une autre, et entendons que chacun frequente
l'eglise de sa paroisse.

272 NOTICE OF FAST. LETTER IX.
Veuille I'Auteur de toute grace lui-mfeme faire servir
cette institution a sa sainte gloire, a la prosp6rit£ de la
patrie, et a I'avancement du bonheur de chacun en par
ticular. Donne le 18 Aout, 1823. Chancellerie de Berne.

273

LETTER X.
Morat, August 25. — Lausanne, August 31, 1823.

Battle of Morat — Avenche — Payerne — Lausanne — Re
formation — Translation of Scott — Lake of Geneva —
Lodgings — Calvinism — Nyon — Coppet — M. Neckar
— Madam de Stael — Geneva — Rhone — Steam Boat
— Death of Missionaries Johnson and Palmer — The
Pope — Ferney — Voltaire — Sunday at Lausanne —
Preachers — Persecution — Calvin's Will — Arret6 at
Lausanne.

Morat, Canton of Fribourg, 15 Miles from
Bern, Monday, August 25, 1823.
MY DEAREST SISTER,
At length we have left Bern, eighteen
days after our arrival. We have been driving
to-day through a sweet country, though of ne-
VOL. I. T

274 BERN. LETTER X.
cessity less striking than the Oberland, which
still captivates my imagination. On reflection,
I feel more and more gratified at having had
health and strength to visit it. The Jungfrau,
the Avalanches, the Giessbach, the Glacier of
the Rhone, and the valley of the Reuss, seem
quite to fill and overwhelm my mind. Even
the Righi, bad as the weather was, has left a
strong impression on my recollection. Next to
a perfectly clear day, I conceive nothing could
have been finer than the beholding the tremen
dous storm gathering in the horizon, hours
before it burst upon us, contrasted with the
sweet sunshine on the opposite side. I must
tell you, that good old Mr. Wyttenbach called
on us before we left Bern, and gave us his
blessing: and that three young ladies out of
our congregation yesterday, seemed a good
deal affected with the discourse ; they spoke
to us this morning with evident interest and
anxiety. It is impossible to reckon on the
impressions made by a single sermon ; but at
tention to truth is always a hopeful sign, and

LETTER X. MORAT. 275
may lead on to consideration, repentance, con
version ; — " faith cometh by hearing."
It is, perhaps, scarcely worth adding to
what I have said about Bern, that the founder
ofthe town was a Duke of Zaehringen. He is
represented over one of the gates, in a colossal
form, twenty feet or more high. In all these
towns and cantons, you should know, that
the walks and varied beauties of nature are
opened to the public, and you are sure to find
shady paths and convenient seats for your re
pose; nothing is usurped as of private use.
I forgot to say, that at Lucern, all the dogs
in the town are secured with muzzles of brass
or iron, placed loosely over the mouth; nothing
could be more curious, than to meet ten or
twelve of these poor animals in every street,
thus deprived of liberty.
Morat, where we now are dining, is beauti
fully situated on the lake of that name; it is
one thousand four hundred and sixty feet above
the sea, and has a thousand inhabitants. It is
t 2

276 ' BATTLE OF MORAT. LETTER X.
celebrated for one of those great battles, by
which a small number of Swiss heroes over
came France and Austria, and established
their independence. The battle of Morat was
fought June 22, 14/6, against Charles Duke of
Burgundy. Two thousand heroes kept an
army of seventy thousand French in check, at
Morat, till the Swiss Confederates could ar
rive — Couriers were dispatched in all direc
tions to hasten their inarch — In three weeks
thirty-five thousand men were collected—
They at once resolved to attack the enemy's
camp ; and they gained a complete victory.
Three-and-twenty thousand of Charles's ar
my perished on that day; and the Duke
escaped with difficulty, with three thousand
cavalry, to Morges. The Swiss loss was
four hundred N killed, and six hundred
wounded. The Lake of Morat, is only six miles long,
and two broad; but abounds in a fish called
sabet, said to be the largest of all the fresh
water kinds. We have had a fearfully hot

LETTER X. PAYERNE. 277
ride of four hours and a half. This is the
fourth fine day we have had in succession.
Payerne, Canton de Vaud, half past Nine,
Monday Night.— We left Morat at half-past
six, and soon came to the spot where the
battle of Morat was fought. A building for
merly stood there, forty-four feet by fourteen,
containing the bones of the Burgundians who
fell, with this truly Swiss inscription : " The
army of Charles, Duke of Burgundy, besieg
ing Morat, was slain by the Swiss, and left
behind them this monument, in 1476" — :" hoc
sui monumentum reliquit." The building was
destroyed by the French, in 1798. A new and
simple column was erected last year, with this
inscription, " Victoriam, 22 Jun. 1476, patrum
concordia partam, novo signat lapide Repub-
lica Fribourg, 1822." " The victory obtained
by the union of their forefathers, 22d June,
1476, is marked with a new column by the
Republic of Fribourg, 1822" — a simple and
sublime record !

278 AVENCHE. LETTER X.
About half-past seven we passed through
Avenche, the ancient Aventicum, founded 589
years before Christ, and a most flourishing
city and a capital of Helvetia, under the Em
peror Vespasian, from A. D. 69 — 77. It was
destroyed by Attila in the fifth century. We
saw the ruins of the Roman tower, walls, am
phitheatre, altars, temples; and drove for a
mile over what formerly constituted Aventi
cum. An inconsiderable village is all that
now remains of what was once the metropolis
of Switzerland. Thus the glory of cities passes
away. The spot abounds with ancient in
scriptions; one is too curious to be omitted.
Tacitus relates, that Julius Alpinus, chief ma
gistrate of Aventicum, was massacred by order
of Aulus Caecina, in the year 69 ; in spite of
the prayers of his daughter. An inscription
has been found in the antiquities of the town,
which remarkably confirms this historical fact.
It is an epitaph, most simple and touching, on
this very daughter, and supposed to be written
by herself. " I, Julia Alpinula, here lie, the

LETTER X. MOUDON. 279
unhappy offspring of an unhappy father. I
could not avert by my entreaties the death of
my father; the fates had appointed him an evil
death. I lived XXIII. years."* It is thus
that incidental circumstances corroborate the
truth of history. The Scripture annals have
been confirmed a thousand times in a similar
manner ; and though they embrace a period of
several thousand years, and touch on the his
tory of all countries, and have lain open to the
misrepresentations of unbelievers in every age,
nothing has ever been established to weaken
their authenticity.
Moudon, Tuesday Morning, August 26. —
We set off this morning at half-past eight.
Before breakfast, we went to see the church
of Payerne, where there is a tomb of Queen
Bertha, who built, in 962, the Cathedral, from
the ruins of Avenche; the edifice is now used

* " Julia Alpinula hie jaceo, infelicis patris infelix
proles. • Exorare patris necem non potui ; male mori in
fatis illi erat. Vixi annos, XXIII." — Grut, Inscrip. Tac.
Hist. L. 1 et 2.

280 BEDS ON RHINE. LETTER X.
as a barn. We saw also, the curious saddle
which she used, made of wood cased with iron,
and with a high framework, like a child's go-
cart, so as to defend and fix the whole body.
We are now at a small town called Moudon,
twelve miles from Payerne — one thousand
four hundred souls — built by the Romans, on
the Broie river, which joins the lakes of Morat
and Neufchatel. The country here is much
more tame than in the Oberland (indeed you
must expect dull letters after the wonders of
the Alps), but still fruitful, variegated, agree
able. Now let me answer your inquiries about the
beds in the Pays Bas and Germany (for my
letters are miscellanies indeed) : 1st. We were
in danger of rolling out, from the inclined,
shelving form of the high, thick, awkward,
trebled mattresses; the beds inclined both from
one side to the other, and from the head to the
foot. 2d. If you k,ept in bed, then you were
in danger of losing all the scanty clothes at
once, by the slightest change of position. 3d.

LETTER X. BEDS ON RHINE. 281
If you laid hold ofthe clothes to prevent this,
then you infallibly uncovered your feet; and
in rising to adjust the clothes, the whole bed
became deranged. 4th. When other things
Were settled, you had to search about with
your hands in the straw of the. mattresses, and
push down some of the principal bumps as
well as you could. 5th. The curtains being
suspended on a ring or hoop, from the top of
the room (the beds having no posts), you were
in danger of pulling down the whole canopy
upon you, if you drew the curtains round
you. 6th. All these dangers being over, you
were exposed every minute, till the house was
quiet, to persons of all descriptions coming into
your room; for the lock would sometimes not
turn, and you had no bolts. Then, 7th. The
servants knew not one word of French ; and,
lastly, the beds themselves were so small, and
so beset with hard wooden sides and ends,
that you were infallibly exposed to injuring
your hands, or arms, or head, by violent blows.
Now we are in Switzerland, the beds are gene
rally better.

282 LAUSANNE. LETTER X.
Lausanne, Capital of Pays de Vaud, Tues
day Night. — We arrived here at eight o'clock.
The drive of twelve miles was fine and beau
tiful. We crossed Mount Jorat, two thousand
seven hundred and seventy feet above the sea.
The mountains on the other side of the Lake
of Geneva were clearly visible; but. Mount
Blanc (the great popular curiosity of Switzer
land, or Savoy, properly speaking) was ob
scured with clouds. As we approached Lau
sanne, the Lake and adjoining country opened
beautifully before us. The peasants have here
a new variety of bonnets — a straw one, rising
above the head in turrets, and ending in a sort
of handle at the top, something like a bell.
Lausanne is a town of eleven thousand souls ;
Protestant; one thousand six hundred and
eighty feet above the sea. It is situated on
three hills with their intermediate vallies, so
that many of the streets are steep. It is filled
with voituriers and carriages of all sorts, and
claims a kind of privilege of furnishing travel
lers, who commonly enter Switzerland by way
of France, for their Swiss tour in the sum-

LETTER X. SWISS STEAM-BOAT. 203
mer, and their Italian in the winter. The
Lake of Leman, or Geneva, on which it
stands, is the largest in Switzerland, after that
of Constance. It is above forty miles long,
and ten broad ; forty small rivers, besides the
Rhone, fall into it ; Geneva is at the other end
of it. A steam-boat has just begun to sail in
it, for the first time in Switzerland.
We heard yesterday and to-day of the
effects of the dreadful storm on Wednesday
night, when we were on the Righi : seven
houses and many heads of cattle were de
stroyed. What thanks do we owe to a good
Providence for preservation ! One stroke of
lightning might have summoned the crowded
guests of our inn, and us amongst them, to
their eternal account ! You have no idea, in
England, of the storms in these warmer cli
mates. Lausanne, Wednesday, Three o'clock. — We
have taken lodgings for a month, with liberty
to quit at a fortnight. A kind, excellent Swiss

284 LODGINGS. LETTER X.
friend, whom we knew in London, has been
indefatigable for our comfort. We have a suite
of four rooms on the first floor, looking full on
the fine Lake of Geneva; a sitting room about
twenty-five feet square ; three bed rooms, and
a cabinet ; all neat, and even elegant ; with an
approach through a gateway and yard, from
the main street ; so that we have the most ex
quisite view imaginable on the one side, and
all the comforts of a town on the other. We
have a nice little garden, to which we descend
from our parlour ; from this we look down
upon a sweet garden belonging to another
house; from which the vineyards begin still
lower down the hill, and these vineyards ex
tend to the Lake itself. We pay two hundred
and forty francs a month, about two pounds
ten shillings a week. It is no recommendation
to us, but we are informed, that Gibbon inha
bited our lodgings for six weeks, before his
own house was ready for his reception.*
* Gibbon thus describes the situation of his house ;
which is quite applicable to our charming lodgings : " I oc
cupy a spacious and convenient mansion, connectedo n the

LETTER X. PROMENADE. 285
Thursday, Six o'clock Morning, August 28.
— Lausanne is by no means a fine town in it
self, but it is most beautifully situated. It
stands above five hundred feet above the Lake,
and is a fine object from a distance. There
are charming walks just beyond it, on one of
the hills, commanding a view of the Lake, and
of the part of the town which stands upon a
second and nearly parallel hill. The inter
mediate valley is filled with vines. Noble
trees and seats increase the pleasure of the
promenade. It was amongst the earliest
towns to embrace the Reformation in the six
teenth century. The proverbial dissoluteness
of manners of the Popish clergy of that era,
is still talked of in Lausanne. The Church
of St. Anne, and the houses of the priests,
were, in fact, turned into places ofthe grossest
and most abandoned profligacy. It was thus,
north side with the city, and open on the south to a beautiful
and boundless horizon. A garden of four acres has been laid
out by the taste of M. Deyverdun ; from the garden a
rich scenery of meadows and vineyards descends to the
Leman Lake, and the prospect far beyond the Lake is
crowned by the stupendous mountains of Savoy."

286 CATHOLICISM. LETTER X.
that the enormity of the evil, prepared men to
receive the remedy.
Never was any point of history more
clearly made out than the necessity of the
Reformation. Christianity was almost forgot
ten, both in its doctrines and duties; and a
frightful code of superstition, united with
manners the most corrupt, was rapidly oblite
rating every trace of its genuine character.
Even as the Roman Catholic religion exists
now, a reformation would have been indispen
sable. But we are to judge of the importance
of that great event, not by what Popery actu
ally is, after the tacit influence on it of three
centuries of evangelical truth, in the Reformed
churches; but by what it was before Martin
Luther separated from it, and by what it
would have been, long before the present day,
if that heroic Reformer and his noble asso
ciates had not acted as they did. And we are
to recollect, that besides the gross errors, both
in faith and practice, which disgraced it then,
and which disgrace it still, it cherishes a spi-

LETTER X. TERRACE GARDEN. 287
rit of persecution, insists on all its absurdities
as matters of faith, imposes its iron yoke on
the conscience, and will hear of no remon
strance, no advice, no correction.*
The Panorama in London gives an accu
rate and pleasing view of the entrance to Lau
sanne from Geneva. In the evening, the dear
children and I spent all the time in our sweet
little garden, or rather terrace, for we have a
* This tyrannical dominion is one characteristic of the
fallen Church of Rome. " We offer the Papists every
thing we ought, and more than we ought," says Luther,
" we only claim to ourselves the liberty of conscience,
which we have in Christ Jesus. We will not be com
pelled or bound in conscience to any work, so that by
doing it we should be righteous, by omitting it condemned.
We will willingly use the same meats with them, and ob
serve the same feasts and fasts, if they will only permit us to
keep them of our free choice, and cease from those threat
ening words, by which they have hitherto terrified and sub
jected the whole world : ' We command, we insist, we
excommunicate,' &c. Here we will, and ought to be
rebels, and pertinacious; otherwise we should lose the
truth of the Gospel, and our liberty, which we have, not
in Ctesar, in kings, in princes, nor in the Pope, the
world, and the flesh, but in Christ Jesus."— Comm. in
Gal. p. 71. Wittenb. 1535.

288 TRANSLATION OF SCOTT. LETTER X.
wall and iron railing which supports the
ground of which it is composed ; and this
railing prevents our falling down thirty or forty
feet into the next terrace-garden, which is
immediately below us towards the Lake. It is
now six in the morning: the three windows
of our saloon are open; the sun is mounting
over the hills on the other side of the Lake,
and shedding a lovely tint on every object.
Our kind fellow-traveller and my eldest sou
are going with me, in a car, to Geneva (thirty
miles), that I may not lose a moment in seeing
after the translation of Scott.
You know that I have been some time en
gaged in assisting to have this admirable prac
tical comment on the Scriptures translated
into French. The whole body of French Pro
testant Theology affords no one plain, spiri
tual, solid exposition of the Holy Scriptures.
With immense difficulty I have found a trans
lator well skilled in English, accustomed to
literary occupation, master of a good style,
and of the same sentiments with my authqr.

LETTER X. CALVIN. 289
He has nearly translated the Gospel of St.
Matthew. The warm approbation of the de
sign from all quarters exceedingly encourages
me to go on; and the tendency to error and
excess amongst some pious persons here, makes
it more and more important. Still I feel a
great doubt whether so large a work will suc
ceed, in the present state of things, on the
continent. At the utmost, I only expect it
may conspire, with other more efficient and
adequate' measures, to aid the revival of re
ligion. May God order, direct, and bless!
I approach Geneva (for which I am now
setting off) with feelings of peculiar venera
tion. The name of Calvin stands high amongst
the Reformers, Divines, and Scholars of the
sixteenth century. There is no man to whom
I owe so much as a commentator. The re
proaches cast so liberally on what is called
Calvinism in England, are, for the most part
(as moderate men of all parties now agree in
allowing), either the effect of pure ignorance,
or of dislike to spiritual religion. The excesses
vol. i. v

290 CALVIN. LETTER X.
and daring spirit of too many modern reli
gionists, have no warrant in the writings Of
Calvin. A more sober, practical, holy writer,
generally speaking, does not exist qThere was,
undoubtedly, something harsh in his charac
ter; he carried . his .acuteness too far in his
systerii of divinity, so as to overstep, in my
judgment, the exact moderation of the Sacred
Writings; and in his scheme of church govern
ment, he followedj not the! Episcopalian, but
the Presbyterian model. <>S His Virtues bordered
on severity. But, after all these deductions,
he was amongst the very first men of his own
or any age; and the Objections raised agaJinst
his writings in modern times, have little or' no
thing to do with his failings, hut might be al
most as well raised against what the Scriptures
state Of the fall of man, of salvation by grace,
of J justification by faith,1 of regeneration by the
Holy Spirit, 'and of holy obedience as the fruit
of love.* In fact* these are - the things' in
,.i3Wg;;v.-L;i >.-_, •;¦;<.! 'Aq liyi'! AbrAiOGl
,91), * I place the preamble pf his will ait the end of this
Letter. . ,, .,
IQ '¦)¦ .novji ii;iij!:'iij--i ol 3>!?IS!o . > ¦;.
i .! .J(. ',

LETTER X. NYON. in 291
which , true religion consists; and, therefore,
they are distasteful to the pride and sensuality
of fallen man. This dislike sometimes as
sumes one disguise and sometimes another;
but it is only a disguise — the dislike is to vital
godliness itself. y What* is now opposed in
England as j Calvinism, was opposed in the
preceding age under other names; and will be
opposed in the next age under names still
varying with the. fashion of the day; ;.fj,)b
,i''i'.-'." '(fa p ' '! ,'oi ¦ ill i .! ->rj98(tc( 1
, a; Nyon, on the road to Geneva, 21 miles, One
o'clock, Thwsflay. — We are sitting in a garden,
at a most beautiful spot on the Lake, which,
with its deep-blue waters is rippling before us.
We set off in our car at seven this morning, my
son driving, and my friend and I going inside.
The day is hot, but beautiful. We have driveu
most of the way through vineyards, which
have little or no fence to them. The grapes are
now large, and in some few spots ripe; but
the vintage will not take place for a month.
We passed through Morges and Rolle, two
lovely towns, situated each on a bay of the
u2

292 M. NECKAR. LETTER X.
Lake, and affording, as you approach them, a
charming view.
We are now at Nyon, the spot where
Czesar, after defeating the Helvetii, founded
the first Roman colony, fifty-six years before
the birth of our Lord. All here is fertility,
industry, and fruitfulness. This Lake of Ge
neva is diversified by perpetual bays, towns,
chateaux, vineyards, orchards, country-houses.
I observe, in the towns, that the shopkeepers,
in their signs, give not merely a single figure,
as in England ; as of a man, a boot, a bottle,
a hat, &c; but a long board filled with all the
figures of different sorts bf boots, bottles,
hats, which they happen to sell; so that you
have quite an historical painting— in wretched
style of course.
About six miles before we came to Geneva,
we passed through the beautiful village of Cop-
pet, celebrated as the residence of M. Neckar,
and of his still more distinguished daughter,
Madame de Stael. I much wished to have

LETTER X. BARON DE STAEL. 293
called at the chateau, to which I had been in
vited by the kindness of the present possessor,
the Baron de Stael ; but I found it was impos
sible. You will be charmed to hear that the
Baron with his noble and amiable sister, are
blessings to the neighbourhood. Their benevo
lence and piety are such, that they acquaint
themselves with the circumstances of all the
poor families around them, and administer re
lief to their bodies and minds. It is quite de
lightful to think, that the descendants of one of
the most able statesmen of France, and of per
haps the most brilliant writer of her age, should
be devoting all their talents to the diffusion of
the truest philosophy, the illumination and mo
ral elevation of their fellow-creatures, by the
knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, and of the
blessings of real Christianity as purchased by
our Lord and Saviour. It was with extreme
regret I found myself unable even to make a
short stay in this attractive spot.
Geneva, Thursday Night, Nine o'clock. — We
arrived here about six, after a very hot, dusty,

294 GENEVA. LETTER X.
disagreeable journey in point of fatigue; our
little low car placed us, as we approached the
city, in the midst of the dust; and we met a
continued succession of carriages. The coun
try continued sweet and beautiful. The view
of the Cathedral, and other buildings ,< of the
city,* from the hill, is- very fine, chief! yfrotn? the
circumstance of its being placed at 'the ex
tremity of the Lake, just where its waters flow
out and form the 'Rhone.' This noble river,
which T saw springing from the glacier, be
tween the Grimsel and1 the Furca, and which
was then a stream of mere turbid snow-water,
enters the Lake of Geneva at Boverat, nearly
of the same muddy white colour; but when it
flows out and enters France, it is of the clearest
deep-blue colour, pure to the hottom. It seems
to be nearly as wide here, as ; the Thames at
London. As it rolls on to Lyon, it receives
several rivers as large as itself, till at last, in
its approach to the Mediterranean, it surpasses,
in volume and rapidity, the Rhine. It is, alto
gether, one of the noblest rivers of Europe.
It rushes through Geneva, in two or three

LETTER X. GENEVA. 295
large streams 'from the lake; and convenient
bridges are thrown over them. •: vit:
hw. -fl 'XV 'An ' ¦ <s ,'T .' "jv, A n
^nGeneva is. very ancient; it is inentioned by
Cgesar as the last town of the Allobroges, and
the nearest to the borders, of Helvetia. It now
contains twenty^five thousand souls, in about
one thousand houses, which gives a much
larger proportion for each house than any
other place I am acquainted with. The houses
are accordingly very! high-— five or six stories.
Many of the .streets have a peculiarly awk
ward appearance from the roofs, at this ex
treme height, jutting out over the streets ten
or twelye feet, and beingp'propped up by poles,
or wooden, pillars, fixed on the ground below,
and then secured midway hy cross-beams'.
Nothing can be so awkward; and what in
creases the awkwardness is, that small rows
of shops run opposite the houses between the
foot-way and the street itself.* It resembles
somewhat our ancient city of Chester. The
* This obstruction is, I understand, about to be gra
dually removed.

296 STEAM-BOAT. LETTER X.
town is famed for education, talent, industry,
and commerce. Watch-making is particularly
followed. Numbers of English are here, and
in the neighbouring villages, and country-
houses — and their opinions and example have
the greatest weight. I wish I could report
that the tendency of them was uniformly good.
At the table-d'hote, at supper, we had the
mortification to find that the new steam-vessel
sailed from Lausanne to-day, and brought
nearly one hundred passengers, without heat,
dust, &c, in six hours, what took us nearly
twelve ; nay, that the air was so fresh on the
Lake, that many persons put on their great
coats. We were the more vexed, because we
had inquired about the boat, and were misin
formed. The fact is, this steam-boat is so vio
lently opposed by voituriers and innkeepers'
servants, that there is no learning the truth
concerning it. It is a ten or twelve horse
power, built by a Scotch engineer, with a crew
of Italians; burns wood; goes the tour ofthe
towns on the Lake once a week ; and answers

LETTER X. CHURCH MISSIONS. 297
uncommonly well, having fifty or sixty pas
sengers most days. I wrote a note to my
translator last night, and am to see him this
morning. Friday Morning, Seven o'clock. — I am now
writing in my room at my inn at Geneva, five
stories high, with three windows overlooking
the Rhone and the Lake, and a view of the
town and rising hills on the opposite shore.
By being at this height, I am lifted up out of
the smells, closeness, and heat of the streets
at this hot season ; and therefore ascend my
eighty weary stairs, and cross the eight land
ing-places, contentedly.
Friday, half-past Nine. — I have sent to the
post, and received your welcome letter of July
the twenty-ninth; many, many thanks for all
your intelligence. I have written a note to
Cologne to recover your first. Present my
kindest love to our friends of the Church Mis
sionary Society ; tell them to be of " good
cheer in the name of the Lord:" these sad

298 JOHNSON AND PALMER. LETTER X.
deaths amongst the Missionaries, Of which
your letter gave me the account, are the way
to life. Johnson apd Palmer are names dear
to the churches of Africa. I knew them both.
Johnson attended me for some time before he
went to Africa, to receive such advice and
instruction as I could give him. The sur
prising success of his labours has often filled
my heart with gratitude,* His simplicity and
devotedness.were seldom equalled.
Palmer was also a man of peculiar faith
and love. He had won my heart. In early
life he had been in the army. In the retreat
of Sir John Moore to Gorunha he was quite a
boy, and would have perished, if an officer had
not rolled him in a blanket and thrown him
on horseback behind him, and thus rescued
him. He was at the battle of Waterloo: I
remember the vivid description he gave me of
* He left a congregation of 1700 people at Regent, a
town near Sierra Leone, and schools of above 1000 chil
dren. The communicants were 450, all converted Ne
groes, who had been liberated from slave vessels.

LETTER X. JOHNSON AND PALMER. 299
that dreadful field. He described to me the
majestic figure of !Lord Wellington as he
hastened on his fine Charger, with his telescope
in his hand, and his loose Spanish cloak float
ing behind him, to different parts of the line.
At the close of the war, he devoted himself to
another and a higher service; on that service
he had just entered, when it pleased God
thus to call him to himself, with his wife and
infant child. How inscrutable are the ways
of Providence. Johnson was removed in the
midst of his eminent success; Palmer inthe
dawn df future pronxise. Johnson from the
four or five hundred converts, and the seven
teen hundred hearers whom he had been the
means Of collecting around him; — 'Palmer
from the crowded population of Free Town,
where a wide field of. probable usefulness was
opening before' him. The loss Of two such
men is a heavy stroke, and was meant to be
felt; but may that God who has inflicted it,
sanctify, support, overrule, comfort! The
more my own health has failed, the more do I
learn to feel for my friends in England under

300 THE POPE. LETTER X.
sickness and sufferings. I am myself, indeed,
wonderfully better : I eat, sleep, and bear
fatigue well ; still I am not without feelings of
weakness at times — and as life flows on, I see
eternity more vividly before me.
The news has just arrived here, that the
Pope is dead, at the age of eighty-two or
eighty-three. There is said to be a current
prophecy at Rome, that whatever Pope shall
reign twenty-four years, he will be the last.
This Pope has reigned nearly twenty-four
years: Would to God he may be the last!
One o'clock. — I have been three or four
hours with my chief translator. He is evi
dently an amiable, pious, sensible, scholar
like young man ; but dejected, feeble in health,
and of a tender, and perhaps somewhat scru
pulous, mind. St. Matthew is translated in
the rough, and part of it is copied. I have
been able to contradict a report which has
been prevalent here, that I was actually dead.
My friends were solemnly assured of the fact

LETTER X. FERNEY. 301
the other day; I believe they are now con
vinced that the report was premature.
Lausanne, Saturday, August 30. — I spent
the evening, yesterday, with my translator at
Geneva; saw what he had done in the transla
tion, and fixed a meeting with some friends on
the same business for next week. I met in the
course of the evening several persons of much
piety and tenderness of spirit. Afterwards I
walked about many parts of the city, which is
surrounded with a beautiful country. A new
wooden bridge, suspended by iron wires,
twisted together like cords, and carried over
three stone gates or arches, is very curious.
It leads across the fortifications and foSse, to a
lovely point for seeing Mont Blanc, which,
however, the cloudy weather forbad us to
behold. In the evening my friend and companion,
with my son, drove out to Ferney, where Vol
taire lived. The portraits of Milton and Sir
Isaac Newton are in his room ; his tomb was

302 VOLTAIRE. LETTER X.
destroyed by the Austrians; but he ordered a
bust to be erected at Ferney, fifty years after
his death — 1828. The mischief which he did
to Switzerland, and especially to Geneva, is
not to be described. A previous decline in
spiritual religion,: and in the great doctrines of
their Reformers, chad disposed the Genevese to
receive the poison of his writings and example.
He boasted that the magistrates and clergy
dined, commonly with him;, that, all honest
men were Deists, though some few Calvinists,
out of a city of twenty-four thousand free-
thinkers* remained ; and that tbe should soon
gain over the whole place. Howard, our ce
lebrated philanthropist; said, in 1770, that he
then found that " the principles of one of the
vilest of men (so he describes Voltaire) had
greatly debased the ancient purity and splen*
dour of Geneva." The fact is, that some even
of the ministers of religion corresponded with
Voltaire, and allowed him to jest with Chris
tianity in his letters to them. They were
not ashamed also to be present at his pri
vate theatre, with all its corruptions and pro-

LETTER X. VOLTAIRE. 303
faneness. The consequences need not be
stated.

When speaking on this subject, it is im
possible not to lament, that the Christianity
which Voltaire beheld, whether in France or
in Geneva, was not calculated to give him a
right impression of its high and holy tendency.
Grass superstition, and a careless Protestant
ism, almost equally concealed from him the
commanding grace and blessedness which the
doctrine of a divine Sayiour, and_ the rule of
Christian holiness, are designed to convey.
The extreme profligacy of the French court,
under the Regency, and throughout the reign
of Louis XV. must have aided also in
¦maturing his infidel and demoralizing prin
ciples. This mOrning at six, my friend and I re
turned to Lausanne, in the steam-boat, leaving
my son to drive home the car. Instead of
eleven hours of sun, dust, and fatigue, we had
six hours of cool, agreeable, tranquil passage
over the Lake. We reached Lausanne at twelve

304 SUNDAY AT LAUSANNE. LETTER X.
o'clock; and I found my dear family all well,
and most happy in their nice lodgings. The
heat is very great. The Swiss say, each such
day is a ton of gold in ripening the vintage.
In the evening I walked with my old Lau
sanne friend to a beautiful, hill, called The
Signal; it presents a panoramic view of the
town, lake, and adjoining country. The as
cent is by a lovely winding path in the midst
of meadows and vineyards.
Sunday Morning, August 3\st, Lausanne,
Eleven o'clock. — I have been already twice to
church : at half-past six, the parish church
near us was filled with people ; and I heard a
pretty good discourse from that admirable
text, " As Moses lifted up the serpent in the
wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be
lifted up; that whosoever believeth in him,
should not perish, but have everlasting life."
John, iii. 14, 15. The fault of the sermon
was, the being too superficial, too general, too
declamatory. At nine, I went to the Cathe
dral, to hear the first preacher in the Canton.
He is a Doctor of Divinity, of great respect-

LETTER X. DIVINE SERVICE. 305
ability,, and of a venerable, appearance, about
sixty-five years of age.,j; The service began, by
a young student of the college ascending the
pulpit, and reading, rather carelessly, three
chapters of the Bible, whilst the congregation
was assembling. He then read the Ten Com
mandments, and the summary of them given
by our Saviour. Upon this he left the pulpit,
and the preacher mounted it, who began by
giving out two verses of a hymn. An organ
led the immense congregation, whilst a chan-
teur, a sort of clerk, standing up in the middle
of a pew (the congregation, I am sorry to say,
sit in singing), sung with a very loud and dis
tinct voice. Then the preacher read an excel
lent, but brief confession of sin, and some
prayers. The whole of this part of the ser
vice was good ; but, as I thought, vastly infe
rior to the simple and edifying Liturgy of our
own church.
i^i ¦'
He next delivered a discourse of twenty-
five minutes, from 1 Cor. xi. 26.—" As often
as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do
vol. i. x

306 SERMON AT CATHEDRAL. LETTER X.
shew the Lord's death till he come." His
divisions were clear and appropriate. First,
Ye shew forth the merit and propitiation of
the death of Christ; secondly, Ye shew forth
the infinite love of Christ in that death, and
the obligation we are under of loving each
other; thirdly, Ye shew forth your belief in
the future coming of your Lord, and the ful
filment of all his promises. The whole was
admirably good ; striking, solid, elevated,
instructive, evangelical — 'perhaps it wanted
something as to the application to the heart
and conscience towards the close. After the
sermon, the reverend preacher read a prayer
for all states of men ; the creed ; and a con
cluding prayer. The clerk very much offended
me by sitting with his hat on during the ser
vice. The Cathedral is a fine old large build
ing. Nine at Night. — I resume. The venerable
Professor's sermon at the Cathedral this morn
ing was So good, that I lament to hear his
doctrine is not equally so at all times, and

LETTER X. PERSECUTION. 307
above all, that he joins in a persecution of a
few very pious, though possibly not altogether
discreet, persons who have lately appeared
in the Canton. What an inconsistent thing is
human nature! Here, in this small republic,
which boasts of its freedom, almost inquisito
rial powers are assumed by the magistrates
and clergy. This is exactly what I feared,
when speaking of Bern. As soon as any per
son gives offence, the magistrates make no
scruple of banishing him at once. They allow
no dissidents from the establishment ; not a
soul. A minister who is suspended cannot
preach at all. Now, at Geneva, non-conforrn-
ing ministers, and meeting-houses are tole
rated, at least for the present. And yet at
Geneva, the church has openly denied the
faith, whilst at Lausanne, the main features of
orthodoxy are strongly insisted on: all these
things furnish much matter for reflection,
Perhaps one may say, that indifference
naturally leans towards toleration ; and proud
nominal orthodoxy towards persecution. In-
x2

308 ENGLISH SERVICE. LETTER X.
difference inclines towards toleration, because
it undervalues the importance of all religious
sentiments ; and because it is aware it needs
for itself the forbearance it claims for others.
But orthodoxy, when separated from the true
spirit of the Gospel, is often self-righteous, bi
goted, proud— proud of talents, proud of what
it thinks the correct form of truth, proud of
holding others in subjection, proud of crush
ing opposition, proud of erecting itself as a
Pope in its own circle ; it therefore leans to
wards persecution. These incidental evils do
not at all lessen the immense importance of
truth ; in fact, they are not evils belonging to
truth, but to the want of a practical, affec
tionate, humble apprehension of it, in all its
extent.* At half-past eleven, this morning, we went
to the English service, and heard an excellent
sermon from an English clergyman, who was
Dassing through the town. At two, I heard a
* See second notice at the end of this letter, p. 3 1 4.

LETTER X. ENGLISH SERVICE. 309
fourth sermon, pretty good, from a Professqr
of the Cathedral — But I am weary, and must
again say, adieu. Believe me your affectionate D. W.
P. S. We think of taking a tour to Cha
mouny and the Great St. Bernard next week,
aftei* my meeting at Geneva ; leaving Mrs. W.
in this beautiful house, where we have one of
the finest, softest views in Switzerland.

310
Preamble
To Calvin's last Will.*
I subjoin, as a specimen of Calvin's theolo
gical views, as well as of his spirit and charac*
ter, the preamble to his last will, dictated just
before his death in May, 1564.
" In the name of the Lord, Amen. I, John
Calvin, minister of the word of God in the
church of Geneva, being so oppressed and
afflicted with various diseases, that I am fully
induced to think that the Lord God has deter
mined shortly to take me out of this world,
have ordered to. be made and written my
testament and my last will in the form that
follows :
" First of all I give thanks to God that
he had mercy on me (whom he created and
placed in this world), and not only delivered
* Referred t» p. 290.

letter x. calvin's will. 311
me from the profound darkness of idolatry in
which I was sunk, and brought me into the
light of his Gospel, and made me a partaker
of the doctrine of salvation, of which I was
most unworthy ; and not only, with the same
mercy and loving-kindness, bore with my many
faults and sins, for which I deserved to be
rejected and cast off by him ; but also that he
hath exercised such gentleness and kindness
towards me, as to deign to make use of me in
preaching and promulgating the truth of his
Gospel. And I testify and profess that it is
ray wish and intention to spend what may re
main of my life in that same faith and religion
which he delivered to me by his Gospel, nor
to have any other hope or refuge for salvation
than his gracious adoption ; on which only
my salvation rests. And I embrace with my
whole soul the mercy which he has vouchsafed
me for the sake of Jesus Christ, by making
propitiation for my sins by the merit of his
death and passion ; so that satisfaction might
be made for all my sins and transgressions,
and the memorial of them be blotted out. I

312 calvin's will. letter x.
testify also and profess that I humbly beg of
him that he will so wash and purify me by the
blood of that supreme Redeemer, poured out
for the sins of the human race (effuso pro
humani generis peccatis), that I may be per
mitted to stand before his tribunal in the
image of the Redeemer himself. Also I pro
fess that I have diligently laboured, according
to the measure of grace and loving-kindness
which God has bestowed on me, purely and
simply to preach his word both in my sermons
and in my writings and commentaries, and
faithfully interpret his Holy Scriptures. I tes
tify also and profess that in all the contentions
and debates which I have had with the ene
mies of the Gospel, I have made use of no
tricks nor sophistical and bad methods, but
have acted candidly and sincerely in defending
the truth.
" But, woe is me! all my labour and zeal
(if they deserve the name) have been so remiss
and languid, that I confess that innumerable
things have been wanting to the right discharge

LETTER X. CALVIN'S will. 313
of my office, and that unless the unbounded
loving-kindness of God had aided me, all my
labour would have been useless and vain. Yea,
moreover I acknowledge that unless the same
loving-kindness had helped me, the gifts and
blessings of my mind which he vouchsafed to
me would have more and more brought me in
guilty, before his tribunal, of sin and negli
gence. On which account, I testify and profess
that I have no other hope of salvation except
this one, that God, as he is the Father of mer
cies, will show himself a Father to me who
acknowledge myself a miserable sinner."

314 arrete. letter x.
Arrete
Of Lausanne.*
Since my return to England, I find an Ar-
rSti has actually been published at Lausanne,
in the precise language that persecutors have
almost uniformly adopted since Louis the Four
teenth's revocation ofthe Edict of Nantes. It
forbids all private religious meetings ; and di
rects magistrates to dissolve such meetings hy
force. Every person found guilty of being
present at these meetings is to be punished
with fines, imprisonments, &c.
And is it in Switzerland — Switzerland, the
nurse of the Reformation — Switzerland, the
country of Zuingle and Ecolampadius, and
Beza— Switzerland, the last favourite refuge
of religious liberty in Europe, that this has
taken place ? Who can too strongly express
his detestation of such intolerant and unchris-
* Referred to p. 308.

LETTER X. ARRETE. 315
tian measures ! For the calumniated persons,
who are the objects of it, are acknowledged
on all hands to be peaceable members of the
Republic, unexceptionable in their moral con
duct, and pious and devoted Christians. What
trifling faults they may have committed, or
what errors even they may have fallen into, I
do not know, nor will I trouble myself to
inquire; — it is enough for me to know that
such infirmities and foibles, supposing them to
exist, are no palliation whatever of the abo
minable guilt of persecution. But so it is.
The clergy, when they refuse to accept of di
vine grace, have always been the worst of ene
mies to real spiritual religion. All experience
declares this, and especially the history of the .
sufferings of Christ our Lord.
I subjoin a copy of the Arrete, as a most
curious document, and a sad specimen of
what a Protestant government is capable of
enacting :—

316 ARRETE. LETTER X.

" Le Conseil d'Etat du Canton de Vaud.
" Vu les rapports parvenus depuis quelques annees, sur
les principes et la conduite d'une nouvelle secte en matiere
de religion, vulgairement appelee des Momiers, qui s'est
introduite dans le Canton ; ainsi que sur les assemblies ou
reunions de cette secte qui, dans certains lieux, se tieiinent
aux memes heures que le service du culte public ;
" Considerant que si l'autorit6 n'a pas k s'occuper de ce
qui concerne les opinions religieuses des individus, en
tant qu'elles n'influent pas sur l'ordre publique, il est nean-
moins de son devoir d'intervenir, lorsque ces opinions se
manifestent par des actes extei ieures qui tendent a troubler
cet ordre public ;
" Considerant que la nouvelle secte dont il s'agit, a
donn6 lieu sur divers points du Canton <i des d6sordres
plus ou moins graves, qui, s'ils n'etaient arr&tfjs dans leur
premiere cause, pourraient avoir par leur d6veloppement
•ulterieur de facheux resultats ;
" Considerant que ces sectaires ont declarS par l'inter-
m6diaire de ceux qui s'annoncent comme leurs chefs ou
directeurs, qu'ils se separent de 1'Eglise Nationale et se
rendent independans des institutions et ordonnances qui
la regissent, pour former une Eglise nouvelle ;
" Consid6rant que les actes qui se font dans leur as
semblies constitueraient ainsi un veritable culte, etranger a
la religion de l'6tat ;

LETTER X. ARRETE. 317
" Considerant que les principes erronn6s ou exageres
professes dans les dites assemblies et hautemeut avouea
soit par les sectaires, soit par ceux qui se prSsentent
comme leurs Chefs, sont absolument subversifs de I'ordre
social, tant sous le point de vue de l'union dans les families,
que sous celui des rapports qui derivent des institutions
civiles et religieuses ;
" Considerant enfin que les dits sectaires se placent, par
leurs discours, leurs demarches, et leurs actes de prosely-
tisme, dans un etat d'aggression ouverte contre I'Eglise
Nationale ;
" Oui le departement de l'Interieur  Arr&e.
" Article 1. Les Assembles ci-dessus mentionnees sont
expressement deTendues, commes contraires k I'ordre public
et a la paix religieuse.
" Art. 2. Les Juges de Paix et les Municipal's sont
spedalement charges de faire dissoudre immediatement
toute assembiee ou reunion de ce genre, et cela par les
moyens que la loi met k leur disposition pour le maintien
de I'ordre public.
" Les Juges de Paix et les Municipal's feront sans
deiai rapport au Conseil d'Etat des mesures qu'ils auront
prises en execution du present article, et des circonstances
qui auront provoque ces mesures.
" Art. 3. Toute personne reunie a une de ces assembles
prohibees, qui n'aura pas, obei de suite k I'ordre de se
separer et sera convaincue d'avoir, par sa resistance, mis

318 ARRETE. LETTER X.
I'autorite dans le cas d'employer la force, sera poursuivie
pour etre punie conformement a I'Article 53 du Code
Correctionel (trois jours de prisons) sans prejudice des
peines plus graves auxquelles les suites de cette resistance
pourraient donner lieu.
" Art. 4. Seront poursuivis pour Stre punis conforme
ment k I'Article 58 du Code Correctionel (600 livres
d'amende, ou dix ans de prisons), suivant le present de
1'article 11 de la loi du 2 Juin, 1 8 10, tous les individus
dont les demarches tendraient a gagner des proselytes k une
secte contraire a la paix religieuse et a I'ordre public.
Tout individu qui fournirait un emplacement quelconque
pour y tenir des assembles prohibees, sera envisage,
comme complice et poursuivi comme tel.
" Art. 5. Seront egalement poursuivis, pour etre punis
des peines mentionnees a 1'article precedent tous les indi
vidus reconnus pour avoir provoque ou dirige une assem
ble probibee, ou pour avoir fonctionii6 en qualite de
Chefs, ou de Directeurs, ou de tout autre matiiere sem-
blable. " Art. 6. Le present arr£te sera impi imfe, publie, et
affiche. II sera transmis aux Lieutenants du Conseil
d'Etat, aux Juges de Paix, et aux Municipalities charges de
veiller et de tenir la main a son execution.
" Donne sous le sceau du Conseil d'Etat a Lausanne le
15 Janvier, 1824.
" Suivent les signatures et le sceau."

LETTER X. PROTESTANT PERSECUTION. 319
Thus is the Inquisition of Spain transferred
to Protestant Switzerland ; and the noblest
gift of the Reformation, liberty of con
science, is openly violated.

As this part of the volume is again going
through the press,* I take the opportunity of
giving some further information on the above
most distressing subject, partly taken from
letters lately received from Switzerland, and
partly from other authentic sources. It is
quite lamentable to see to what a length some
of the Swiss Protestant governments have
actually carried the spirit of persecution.
I first give a copy of the law passed at Lau
sanne last May, four months after the above
Arret6, and embodying the enactments of that
decree : —
" Le grand Conseil du Canton de Vaud, sur la
proposition du Conseil d'Etat.
" Consid6rant que quelques personnes exaltiies cher-
* March, 1825.

320 PROTESTANT PERSECUTION. LETTER X.
client a introduire et k propager une nouvelle secte reli-
gieuse ;
" Voulant reprimer les actes de cette secte, qui trou-
blent I'ordre public, decrete :
" Article 1. Toute assembiee de partisans de cette
secte, formee de personnes etrangeres k la famille, pour
y exercer le culte, ou y c61£brer quelqu'une des cere
monies de I'Eglise, est defendue, et sera immediatement
dissoute. " Art. 2. Les personnes qui auront preside ou dirig6 ces
assembles, y auront officie, ou auront fourni le local, se
ront responsables et punies de l'une des peines qui suivent.
" Art. 3. Toute acte de proseiytisme ou de seduction,
tendant a gagner k cette secte, est interdit ; et celui ou
ceux qui s'en seraient rendus coupables, seront punis de
l'une des peines ci-apr&s.
" Dans l'appreciation dela gravite du delit, et dansl'ap-
plication de la peine, les tribuuaux prendront en considera
tion la seduction exercee envers les instituteurs des col
leges ou 6coles, envers les personnes du sexe, ou "celles qui
sont sous I'autorite de parens ou tuteurs,
" Art. 4. Les contraventions aux articles 2 et 3 ci-dessus
seront punies, ou par une amende qui ne pourra exceder
six cents francs, ou par la defense d'aller ou de sejourner
dans telle commune, ou par la confination dans une com
mune pour un temps qui ne pourra exceder une annee, ou
par une prison de discipline qui ne pourra exceder une
annee, ou enfin par un bannissement hors du canton qui ne
pourra exceder trois ans.

LETTER X. PROTESTANT PERSECUTION. 321
Art. ,5. La defense d'aller ou de sejourner dans une
commune sera convertie en confination du condamne dans
sa commune, pour un temps qui ne pourra exceder une
anriee, dans le cas ou il aurait enfreint cette defense.
La. confination dans une commune sera convertie en
prison de discipline pour le reste du temps, si le condamne
avait enfrient sa confination.
Le bannissement hors du canton sera convertien prison
de discipline pour le reste du temps, si le condamne avait
rompu son ban.
Art. 6. Toute cause qui aura pour object un des delits
prevus par la presente loi, sera necessairement soumise au
tribunal d'appel.
Art. 7. Le Conseil d'etat est charge de la publication
et de l'execution de la presente loi.
Donne sous le grand sceau de l'etat, a Lausanne, le 20
Mai 1824.

Such is the harsh and inconsistent law of a
.Protestant Swiss canton, in the enactments of
which neither is the sect well defined, nor the
crime clearly pointed out, nor the punishment
invariably fixed — but all is left to the interpre
tation of tribunals and the eagerness of in
formers. It seems that if a single person, not
of the family, should be present where the
VOL. I. Y

322 PROTESTANT PERSECUTION. LETTER X.
Scriptures are read by a parent to his children
and servants, the whole number would be con
sidered as guilty. This is far more indefinite
and oppressive than the French laws, bad as
they confessedly are, which prohibit the perio
dical assembly of more than twenty persons
without the authority of the government ; and
thus at least define precisely the act which is to
be considered. as criminal.
And above all, what is this prohibition of
proselytism? Are not men to be allowed, by
reasoning and persuasion, peaceably to pro
pose their sentiments to others ? May men
talk of politics, literature, philosophy ; and is
religion alone — the one thing needful — to be
banished from their conversation ?
But I proceed to give some account of the
actual execution of this unjust law.
M. Charles Rochat, minister of the Gos
pel, of the Canton de Vaud, of a respectable
family, and whose brother is one of the

LETTER X. PROTESTANT PERSECUTION. 323
national Clergy of the Canton, is the first on
whom the severity of the new law has fallen.
Five persons Were found, seated around a table
in his house, with the Bible open before them,
the wife of M. Rochat, a common friend, with
two of his sisters, and a young person, a stran
ger. This was the whole crime. M. Rochat
was found guilty of reading in his own house,
before his wife and four friends, a chapter of
the New Testament ! For this he was at first
condemned to three years' banishment, which,
however, the Tribunal of Appeal .reduced to
one year.
Next, M. Olivier was banished for two
years by the sentence of the same law.
Like judgments have been pronounced
against MM. Chavannes, Juvet, and Fivaz, of
whom the two former were previously confined
TEN WEEKS IN PRISON.
¦ ¦f<;i it
Two females also were banished by the
Jugement de Premiere Instance of the tribu-
Y 2

324 PROTESTANT PERSECUTION. LETTER X.
nals of Orbe and Yverdun, on the charge of
similar meetings being held at, their houses;
one of whom, however, has been since ac
quitted at Lausanne, as it was proved that she
lived with her mother, and, consequently, that
it was at her mother's house, and not at her's,
that some friends after, dinner had read .the
Bible together.
But it is not merely, in the Canton de
Vaud that these enormous instances of injus
tice have . occurred, at Neufchatel an act
of arbitrary power has just been committed,
almost incredible from its severity. An old
law, long obsolete, has been discovered, which
it seems was passed two or three hundred years
back. A simple agriculteur has been made
the first victim of its revived powers. He re
ceived into his house M. Juvet, one ofthe con
demned ministers of the Canton de Vaud, and
allowed him to administer the sacrament. For
this crime he was thrown into prison for
three months, and was then brought up in
chains and with a rope drawn tight round his

LETTER X. REMARKS. 325
neck to receive sentence. Ten years of
banishment was the punishment pronounced
— and if he shall attempt to return before the
expiration of this terra, he is to be marked
with a hot iron for the first offence, and for
the second to be hung. No passport was
given him ; so that he is left to be hunted about
from place to place like the most degraded
criminal. This worthy man, whose name is
Magnin, has a wife and three children, for
whom he has now no means of procuring sup
port." Such is the account which has just been
received. Possibly some slight circumstances
may be inaccurately stated, from want of more
complete information on the part of my corre
spondents; but of the main facts, no -doubt
whatever can be entertained. Grosser acts of
unqualified persecution have seldom been per
petrated, since the glorious Reformation first
burst the chains of Popish darkness and
cruelty. Nor can any one thing, in my opinion,
be so deeply criminal in the eye of that God

326 REMARKS. LETTER X.
who is the sole judge of the consciences of his
creatures, and who has committed to civil
governments the duty of restraining and punish
ing open immorality and vice, and upholding
piety and virtue; but not of erecting a tribunal
over the feelings and .various judgments of men
in minor points of religious practice; much less
of abusing the sword of justice to purposes of
base and wanton cruelty, in matters purely in
different. Our Warburton has nobly shown, that for
the magistrate to meddle with Christian doc
trine and discipline, in the detail, must bie the
source of endless confusion. To maintain re
ligion in its elementary principles, as the spring
of public morals, and to protect the national
profession of it from insult and outrage, whilst
a full toleration is granted to those who peace
ably differ -from the majority with regard to the
form of it, is the very utmost limit of the magis
trate's power; all beyond is persecution.*
* Alliance of Church and St^te.

LETTER X. REMARKS4 327
i The low state of the Protestant Churches
has long been lamented by every serious mind.
But still the free toleration- which for more than
a century they have afforded to the true ser
vants of God, has, at least, honourably dis
tinguished them from the tyranny and ambition
ofthe Church of Rome. Liberty of Con
science is the badge of the Reformation, and
has now been fully understood and generally
acted upon for a series of years, in Protestant
states; whilst persecution and cruelty have
been left, as by general consent, to be one of the
characteristics ofthe great Papal Apostacy.
iiao?, '¦; ,'.-At ;¦>..¦ ¦. : .%,• *; ¦ ijv.n r Lj
Other, evils have, it is true,r too much in
fected the Protestant bodies — these we do not
palliate or conceal — but the peculiar guilt of
persecution has; hitherto been abhorred amongst
them. Indifference, scepticism, Socinianism,
impiety, vice, must be confessed to have too
widely .prevailed. Some of the Reformed
Churches have, alas! lamentably declined
from evangelical truth and vital religion, and
have been long verging further and further

328 REMARKS. LETTER X.
from the strictness of the Gospel in every re
spect; except as this one blessing of religious
freedom has supplanted the monster persecu
tion, and has left an opening for the " witnesses
to prophecy," as the Apostle speaks, " in
sackcloth."* So long as this was the case, a
hope of a revival of religion might always be
entertained ; because true Christians were still
allowed, by their public and private labours,
to endeavour to persuade and convince man
kind. Declines, in, spiritual religion,- are the
fruits of our fallen nature generally, and are
quickly remedied as often as the mercy of
God returns to a people, and a continuance of
religious freedom allows that mercy to ope
rate. Thus, in England, the generous spirit of
toleration left open the way for the extensive
revival of real Christianity which is now going
on amongst us ; and has attended, in every
step of its progress, the diffusion of the evan-
* Rev. xi. S.

LETTER X. REMARKS. 329
gelical doctrines on which that revival rests.
But if persecution be once permitted to resume
its baneful influence — if the witnesses for Christ
and his grace, in a corrupt world, be banished
or imprisoned — if the peculiar doctrines of the
redemption of the Gospel, which brought our
forefathers out from the Church of Rome, are
proscribed in the very churches which were
formed by that separation — if we unite a luke-
warmness about divine truth, or rather an in
difference what errors are maintained, pro
vided men are not living and preaching accord
ing to the true faith of Christ, with a spirit of
intolerance and persecution — that is, if we
join the worst incidental evils of Protest
antism, with the foulest direct enormities of
Popery — the consequence will be, that our
" candlestick will be removed out of its
place,"* and the fearful arm of the Saviour be
soon aroused in the defence of his violated cause.
Soon will " judgment overtake us"— soon
will " the ambassadors of peace" be recalled
* Rev. ii. 5.

330 remarks. letter x;
— soon will national calamities " avenge the
quarrel of God's covenant" — soon will the
ministers of grace be sent to other people
" bringing forth the fruits thereof ,?— arid the
Protestant Churches be left " as a cottage in a
vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers,
as a besieged city— and then the strong shall
be as tow, and the maker of it as a spark; and
they shall both burn together, and none shall
quench them.",*
I know it is alleged, in extenuation of
severe enactments, that enthusiasm and dis
order are the consequences of unlimited tolera
tion — but I know how weak and futile are
such allegations. Undoubtedly, most great
revivals of religion are attended, through the
infirmity of our nature, with some extrava
gancies and excesses— no wise man can expect
it to be otherwise — but what is the true remedy
of such evils ? Not persecution, but the force
of reason and right conduct — the influence of
* Isaiah i. 8.31.

LETTER X. REMARKS. 331
sound and holy doctrine — the persuasion of
Scriptural warnings and admonitions — the calm
and friendly treatment which experience and
wisdom furnish to youth and indiscretion —
and especially the preaching of the full truth
of the Gospel, in all its sobriety and force,
by the established ministers of the Church.
Against such weapons enthusiasm has never
been able to stand. It soon dies away. The
minds of men are gradually informed. The
Scriptures are seen to abound with the most
suitable examples and instructions against it.
The new teachers of religion acquire growth
and solidity — a distinction is made between
true and false zeal — -the consequences of in
temperate warmth are observed in the folly of
those who are most heated with it — and, at
last, a genuine and sound piety of principle
and conduct is generally recognised and cul
tivated.*

" Cequi nous occupe aujourd'hui n'est point une ques
tion de haute metaphysique religieuse, c'est une question
de simple justice et de simple bon sens : c'est de savoir si
des hommes vertueux dans leurs relations sociales, si des

332 REMARKS. LETTER X;
Such is the natural course of things. —
Whereas, if the sword of vengeance is raised
against pious and unoffending citizens, on the
ground of religious opinions and practices, all
is thrown into confusion — the innocent and
conscientious are punished — the sanctity of
truth is outraged — the progress of reformation
stopped — 'the Spirit of grace quenched and
dishonoured — the chains of ignorance, indiffer
ence, and vice, forged and prepared — all
inquiry into real religion checked — the timid
part of the clergy, induced by fear, to conceal
citoyens irreprochables dans leurs actes, seront poursuivis
pour les sentimens intimes de leur cceur; si les tribunaux
civils d'un pays libre et protestant seront assimiles au Saint-
Office de l'Espagne superstitiense et asservie, si des
municipaux de village deviendront juges en matiere de
dogme et d'heresie, et si la predication de chaque ministre
de l'Evangile sera soumise a cette inquisition subalterne:
c'est de savoir si on sera pers6cute, emprisonne, banni pour
avoir prie Dieu et lu la Bible avec ses amis, et si, sous le
vain pretexte d'une dissidence d'opinions dogmatiques, des
citoyens paisibles pourront etre impunement injuries et
nialtraites par une populace brutale."
Such is the forcible and manly reasoning of an article
in Les Archives du Christianisme, for March 1825, from
which much of the above information is derived.

LETTER X. REMARKS. 333
and abridge the truth of the Gospel — every
thing reduced to a formal and stationary
routine — a dead calm spread over the Church
— and every thing lost as to vital piety. Thus
the surest foundations of national prosperity
are dug up — .the spring of virtuous enterprise
broken — morals left to mere natural motives —
arts, science, commerce, discouraged and ener
vated — and, above all, the blessing of Almighty
God withdrawn.
I trjust that the remonstrances of Protestant
Europe may prevail with the Swiss Govern
ments to reconsider their proceedings; and that
ere long; this foul blot on the Reformed Churches
may be wiped out, and the true spirit of
religious liberty and toleration again dis
tinguish and bless their communities. It is
understood, that many of the clergy of the
Canton de Vaud bitterly regret the steps which
have been taken; but are at present borne down
by the magistrates in the Council. Whether
those clergy might have prevented the enact
ment of the Law, if they had boldly and fully

334 REMARKS. LETTER X.
protested against it from1 the first, it is nOw im
possible to say, and in vain to inquire. I can
Only hope, that the repeal of it will as speedily
as possible obliterate1 the memory ofthe lament
able facts which have been just related.
Such a hope is not too sanguine. Already
has a most forcible remonstrance been pre
sented to the Government, signed by twenty-six
ministers. This cannot but produce good.
The document is valuable, both as it explicitly
avows the adherence of so large a ! part of the
clergy to the admirable Helvetic Confession
(which, next to our own Thirty-nine Articles,
is perhaps the best of all the Protestant Con
fessions), and also as explicitly disavows the
principles of persecution. The following are
extracts :
— " Nous declarons done ici solennelle-
ment que nous regardons la confession de foi
Helvetique comme conforme aux paroles de
1'Ecriture Sainte; et a la doctrine de notre
Sauveur Jesus-Christ, regies invariables de

LETTER X: REMARKS. 335
notre foi; et que, loin de pr&cher ni d'enseigner
rien qui lui soit contraire, nous l'adoptons sin-
cerement et en suivons fidelement les directions,
nous y tenant pour obliges, devant Dieu et
devant les hommes, par notre conviction intime
et par le serment que nous avons pret&' en con
sequence." —
— " Nous pensons que le Christianisme ne
doit s' etendre et regner que par les armes de
la persuasion, rendues efficaces par la grace de
l'Eternel notre Dieu; que, de plus,. les rigueurs
pourraient aigrir et Eloigner davantage ceux
que la douceur eut peut-etre ramenes; que
les lois, pour peu qu'elles fussentseveres contre
des separatistes, pourraient prefer des armes
trop redoutables aux hommes moins eclaires
que les legislaleurs, et qui auraient a, en faire
1'application ; qu'elles pourraient enfin influer
d'une maniere facheuse sur le jugement du
peuple moins eclaire encore : opinion que nous
ne pourrions que trop justifier par 1'histoire des
demeles religieux de tous les temps et de tous
les lieux. Ainsi, repoussant de toutes nos

336 REMARKS. LETTER X.
forces le reproche de persecution dont le clerge
est si souvent l'objet, nous demandons, du fond
de notre cceur, a notre Dieu et a notre Sauveur,
qu'il incline a la clemence le cceur de nos
souverains magistrats; qu'ils se regardent
comme les peres de tous ceux qui ont le bon
heur de vivre sous leur gouvernement, et les
protegent egalement; que s'ils croient devoir
d6ployer la severite;des lois, suivant leurs
attributions, ce ne soit jamais pour gener la
conscience de leurs administres, dont elie est le
domaine sacr6 et inviolable ; qu'ainsi, aban-
donnant a Dieu le soin de punir les offenses qui
ne regardent que lui, ils laissent au temps, a la
grace et a la persuasion qui d6coule de la sainte
parole, le developpement de leurs salutaires
effets."— With a protest containing such sentiments,
I do not despair of the Swiss Churches.
Truth will revive and spread. The doctrines
of the Reformation will flourish the more
for this attempt to oppress them. The con
sciences of men will be awakened ; and per-

LETTER X. REMARKS. 337
secution will again fail, as it ever has done,
of crushing "the Gospel of the grace of
God." The immense importance of the case will,
I am sure, plead ray excuse for these observa
tions and extracts. Protestant Switzerland
stands on the edge of a most fearful precipice.
The conduct of the church of Geneva is con
sidered in a future part of this work.
In the mean time, it would be a noble act
of generosity in Britons, to send some succour
to their persecuted brethren, as the " churches
of Macedonia and Achaia" did of old " to the
saints at Jerusalem."* Something has already
been attempted, by a few friends acquainted
with the circumstances above detailed ; and it
is almost unnecessary to add, that any contri
butions sent to the Author of these volumes,
through his bookseller, shall be discreetly and
* 2Cor.ix. 1,2.
VOL. I. Z

338 REMARKS. LETTER
faithfully applied to the reliefof the sufferers
who may probably have sadly increased
number before these sheets meet the publ
eye.

339

LETTER XI.
Geneva, Sept. 2. — Martigny, Sept. 6, 1823.

Translation of Scott — Cathedral at Lausanne — Pere
Girard — Mont Blanc — Conversation with Genevese —
Savoy — Bonneville — Valley of Cluse — Goitres — St.
Martin's — Chede — Servoz — De Saussure — Chamouny
Glacier of Bossons — Accident in Ascent of Mont Blanc
— Italian Gentlemen — Montanvert — Couvercle — Mer
de Glace — Alps — Infamous sentence in Strangers'
Book— Tete Noire — Trient — French Emigrants.

Lausanne, Tuesday Morning,
Sept. 2d, 1823.
MY DEAREST SISTER,
Yesterday I was employed the whole
morning in examining two chapters of the
translation of Scott, which I had brought with
z 2

340 TRANSLATION OF SCOTT. LETTER XI.
me from Geneva. I went over it, line by line,
and word by word. It gave me satisfaction ; it
is, so far as I see, faithful, clear, simple; no
thing is omitted, nothing changed. But I am
no kind of judge. A good translation is a task
of inconceivable difficulty. The value of the
original work rises in my view every time I
consult it — such solidity — honesty — strong
sense — originality — theological knowledge —
evangelical purity of doctrine — simple follow
ing of the mind of the sacred writers — freedom
from party-spirit— discretion — sound and man
ly criticism — 'acute resolution of difficulties — ¦
practical and holy tendency throughout — I
really know of no commentary, except perhaps
Calvin's, which is equal to it.
What I most want, is more steady com
petent labourers ; there is still very, very much
to be done before St. Matthew will be ready
for the press. I am going off to-day to meet
our friends at Geneva, about the work ; and
then to proceed to Chamouny. It is pos
sible we may go on to Martigny and even

LETTER XI. CATHEDRAL AT LAUSANNE. 341
Milan, and return by Lyon. The weather is
most inviting.
In going to the Cathedral yesterday, I found
it was built on an extremely high hill; you
first ascend a street exceedingly steep, and
then come to a singular covered staircase (in
the open street) of one hundred and seventy
steps ; so that the church stands quite on a
pinnacle ; the view which it presents of the
surrounding country is of almost unequalled
extent and sublimity. The Academy is near
the Cathedral. It was founded in 1537. Henry
Stephens and Beza were formerly Professors
in it. It has now about two hundred students.
The Library is remarkable for the books left
to it by Dom Jacynthe de Quiros, a Spanish
gentleman who, in 1750, quitted the Church of
Rome, embraced the Reformed religion^ and
became Professor of Ecclesiastical History at
Lausanne. At one o'clock yesterday I visited a pious
family, two or three miles from Lausanne, at a

342 STATE OF RELIGION. LETTER XI.
house beautifully situated in the midst of vine
yards and commanding a fine view of the Lake.
I had a most affecting conversation with them.
The father, mother, sisters, all seem quite in
earnest about their salvation. But, unhappily,
they have few wise, enlightened guides. Too
many of the ministers at Lausanne, with much
orthodoxy and zeal, are said to want that
humble, and practical knowledge of the Gos
pel, as a concern of the heart, without which
they cannot direct others. On the other hand,
a pious minister (who has lately been silenced)
has fallen into the dangerous error of always
dwelling on the mysterious doctrine of the
divine election, &c. ; so that the serious people
are almost as sheep without a shepherd. What
a delight is it on a journey to be able to advise,
comfort, and strengthen, in any degree, the
minds of distressed brethren in the faith! I
could scarcely tear myself away from this
family. At Geneva, things I am told are much
worse than here, as fo the public doctrines

LETTER XI. M. GIRARD. 343
taught by the clergy. The decline in religion
began in that city about eighty years back,
when the subscription to the formulary of the
Swiss Reformers — the noble and most scrip
tural Helvetic confession — was abolished ; then
came in Voltaire as a resident in the town ;
next, the Catechism of Calvin was done away
with; lastly, a reglement was issued about six
years since, drawn up with adroitness and
caution, but plainly intended to prevent the
ministers from preaching explicitly and fully
on the Divinity of Christ, original sin, grace,
and predestination — the three former of which
articles contain the very sum and substance of
the Gospel; and the latter of which is undoubt
edly an important scriptural doctrine. Thus,
from being the flower ofthe Reformed churches,
Geneva has (for the time, and I trust if will be
only for a short time) fallen into the gulph of
Deism and Socinianism.
I have obtained a copy of the pamphlet
published by the friends of M. Girard, the
school-master at Fribourg, giving an account

344 MUNICIPAL COUNCIL. LETTER- XI
of the whole of his proceedings. It is autho
rized by the Municipal Council. It seems that
the. charge alleged against-him was, that his
schools of mutual instruction were hostile to
religion. The statement, however, of M. Gi
rard proves that the principles of religion, and
religion too of the Roman Catholic form,
entered into all his arrangements. The Catho
lic Catechism of the diocese was the chief
book, and his schools were warmly approved
of by the Bishop. Still the Jesuits were dis
satisfied, because some good sense and sincere
piety were apparent in M. Girard's method.
His crime was, that he made faith working by
love the end and foundation of his instruction ;
that he was attached to the principles of
Fenelon and Rollin, and avoided all mere
mechanism in education; that he laboured, as
he states, to place religion in the understand
ing and in the heart of the children.
The Municipal Council of Fribourg, not
withstanding the arts of the Jesuits, solemnly
assure him of their approbation. They tell

LETTER XI. MUNICIPAL COUNCIL. 345
him, " That their Master-instructor, the Divine
Redeemer, neglected not, in his instructions,
the forming of the heart ; his manner of teach
ing was never a dry theory. You are, then,
Reverend Father" (they continue), " misunder
stood — the expression is too weak — but truth
at last will resume her rights. Man proposes;
God disposes. We think, that because God
loves our school, he has pleased to visit it with
chastisement. " The Municipal Council, faithful to its
oath, will fulfil its duties, of which it feels the
honour and the importance; not one of its
members would charge himself, as it respects
the present and future generations, with the
responsibility of being indifferent at such a
solemn moment. Let us hope! God whom
we invoke, will protect our children, and save
them from the abyss."
Nothing can be more affecting, I think,
than this touching appeal. An address from
the heads of families in Fribourg closes the

346 GENEVA. LETTER XI.
pamphlet, testifying to the same facts. " Our
conviction," say they, " ought to be of some
weight in the scale; we have a right to ex
press it. And who are the best judges? those
who blame the school without knowing it ; or
the fathers of families, the earliest teachers of
their children, who have constantly their eye
fixed on their morals, their docility, their pro
gress, and who can compare the present with
the past?"
The pamphlet was published at Fribourg
about four months since. It affords a further
illustration of the good which is going on in
Catholic countries, to an extent we have little
idea of in England; but, at the same time, of
the spirit ofthe Jesuits and chief rulers in the
present councils of the Popedom.
Geneva, Wednesday Morning, Five o'clock.
— We had a delightful sail yesterday in the
steam-boat. The only drawback on bur plea
sure was, that my dear Mrs. W. was not with
us; her health obliges her to remain tranquil

LETTER XI. CONVERSATION. 347
during this our second mountain tour. The
view of the banks ofthe Lake, as we sailed by,
was exquisite, especially as the evening drew
on. We passed the chateau of Prangins, where
Joseph Buonaparte resided after his Spanish
dream of royalty. The Mont Blanc was
visible above the mountains of Savoy, almost
the whole way; and at sunset, it remained
illuminated, or rather gilded by the sun, full
twenty minutes after every other mountain was
in the shade. Its height is not apparently
greater than that of the Jungfrau Alp; but its
extent, size, various ridges, enormous plat
forms, &c. make it infinitely more majestic ; it
appears literally a region of ice and snow.
During our passage, I had a long conversa
tion with some respectable young Genevese,
on various religious topics. It was grievous to
see how the poison ofthe prevailing sentiments
at Geneva had infected their minds. They
seemed to have no fixed principles, except a
loose general notion that the Bible was the
the word of God, All the evangelical doc-

348 CONVERSATION. LETTER XI.
trines they thought harsh, doubtful, or unim
portant — moral instruction was all that man
required — every one had a right to put his own
sentiments on the New Testament, as the Re
formers had put theirs — aU opinions were
equally good, if men's conduct only was con
formed to them. Such is the sophistry by
which the stupendous revelation of a divine
Redeemer, dying for our sins, and sanctifying
us by his Spirit, is evaded, and the dregs of
heathen ethics alone retained — that is, the
whole Bible, as the standard of truth, is over
thrown, and " the imaginations of man's own
heart" substituted in its place.
At our landing, our kind friends were wait
ing for us on the shore, and I had a conference
with them for two hours. They met me again
for three hours, this morning at seven. We
are gradually arranging the plan of the publi
cation of St. Matthew. I agreed to provide a
person to copy the MSS. fair for the printer;
fixed January the first for the time when all
should be ready for the press; and promised

LETTER XI. VALLEY OF ARVE. 349
to meet them again in about three weeks, on
my return from Chamouny. These Genevese
friends seem men of the deepest piety and
sweetest spirit of love; I was delighted and
edified. I forgot to say, that our lodging-
house at Lausanne is Maison Miliquet St.
Pierre, premiere etage; it is quite worth re
cording, in order to inform any friends who
may be coming to Lausanne.
Bonneville, 18 miles from Geneva, half -past
Two. — We are now in the Duchy of Savoy, at
tached to the kingdom of Sardinia. The capital
is Turin, which we hope to see before we re
turn. Our road has run through the valley of
^he.Arve. The country has been singularly
heautiful, something like the valley of the
Reuss, only that the river Reuss incompara
bly surpasses the muddy, straggling, wander
ing Arve, whose shores are desolation itself.
Savoy is Catholic; and negligent, indolent, and,
in many parts, dirty. The vines, instead of
being regularly planted and supported in rows,
as in the neighbouring lands, are positively

350 VALLEY OF CLUSE. LETTER XI.
allowed to grow at random, in the most
scrambling manner, on the ground, with pota
toes or willows rising among them. This
small market town of Bonneville has six hun
dred inhabitants. Just before I left Geneva,
your parcel arrived from London. I had
time to send it on to Lausanne without a
moment's delay.
St. Martin, near to SallencAe, 36 miles from
Geneva, Eight o'clock. — We have had a most
charming drive. The valley of Ouse opened
upon us about two leagues from Bonneville.
Cluse (the Roman Clausum, because, accord
ing to some, it appears to close up entirely the
valley) is romantically situated on the Arve.
The craggy mountains are in contrast with the
sweet fertility of the valley, and vary so perpe
tually in their outline, site, and appearance,
that it is impossible for words to convey any
adequate idea of them. At one particular spot,
three small cannon were drawn up by some
peasants and fired, to give us the pleasure of
hearing the repeated echo ofthe mountains.

LETTER XI. DUKE OF SAYOY. 351
Two things distressed us to-day, one a na
tural, the other a moral defect — almost every
second person here has a swollen neck ; some
times so as to distort the whole figure; it al
most amounts to a goitre; children often have
it. Besides other inconveniences, I conceive
it must materially impede the poor in their
labours. The other defect is, the lamentable
misery and superstition of these parts. We
actually saw on a cross, by the road-side, this
notice, " The Archbishop of Chamberry and
Bishop of Geneva grants forty days' indulgence
to all those who shall say before this cross, a
pater, and an Ave-Maria, with an act of contri
tion, 1819." And yet this Bishop of Geneva
ruled that fine Canton till the Reformation;
and it was only in 1754, that the Duke of Savoy
relinquished his claims upon it. O what a
blessing is deliverance from the monstrous
domination and errors of the Church of Rome!
The Duke once made, as perhaps you know,
a base attempt to seize the town, in 1604, in
the dead of the night, and during a profound
peace: the heroism of the Swiss, however, was

352 MONT BLANC. LETTER XI<
not to be overcome ; and they repulsed the
invaders. The river Arve, by which we have
been travelling, is a torrent springing in Savoy,
and pouring into the Rhone, near Geneva; it
swells so suddenly at times, as to cover all the
adjoining fields, and do great mischief.
Servoz, on the road to Chamouny, 1 1 o'clock j
Thursday, Sept. 4. — We set off at eight this
morning, after wretched beds, and a wretched
breakfast ; but all has been repaid by the mag-'
nificent view we had of Mont Blanc, in all its
splendour. The mass, or rather chain of Alps,
bearing the general name of Mont Blanc, co
vered with perpetual snow, rose over the inter
vening mountains. The contrast between the
snowy terrors of the Alps,. immediately above
us, and the rich verdure ofthe valley, the pro
fusion of trees on the hills, and the lovely mea
dows creeping up their sides, by which we
were passing, was really incredibly striking.
The outline of the fir-crowned mountains, in
the near prospect, was surmounted with the
snows of Mount Blanc, apparently quite close;

LETTER XI. LAKE OF CHEDE. 353
so that it seemed impossible that we should be
melting with heat, so near to tremendous ice
and cold. At one point, we had first the
small lovely Lake of Chede at our feet; then
its banks, gently rising and presenting them
selves above ; next the verdant mountains ; and
lastly, Mont Blanc, of which the vast snowy
summits were beautifully reflected in the clear
surface of the lake.
Before, however, we came within view of
this astonishing Alp, we shopped to visit a fine
cascade at Chede village. The torrent falls
altogether above one hundred feet; but it is
divided into five different branches or beds,
which the stream has worked for itself. It was
very curious to see a beautiful rainbow, as early
as nine in the morning, formed by the spray,
and which, from the point where we stood,
was nearly an entire circle, beginning in the
rain upon the grass on one side, continuing
over the torrent, and then returning to the grass
almost under our feet on the other. But I can
vol. i. 2 a

354 SERVOZ. LETTER XI.
think of nothing but Mont Blanc ; it so much,
surpasses all my expectations. When our
good friend was here four years ago, the day
was wet, and he saw nothing ; the weather to
day is superb, and we see every thing, The
very village where we now are is romantic
beyond description. I am sitting at the door
of the inn, writing on a rough wooden table,
which shakes at every movement of my hand
— the village church just in view — a few scat
tered houses around it — three noble moun
tains guarding it behind, on which some fine
clouds are just resting — fruitfulness apparent
all around — whilst company are driving up to
the village, on the same errand with ourselves;
and the sun from behind the mountains is
casting the prospect into alternate light and
shade. Astonishing indeed are the works of the
great God — impressed with the footsteps of
his majesty, power, and grace. We only want
a heart constantly raised up to him in grati-

LETTER XI. CHAMOUNY. 355
tude, and seeing him in all the operations of
his hands, to complete the duty, and enhance
the pleasure of such a scene of wonders!
Chamouny, Seven o'clock, Thursday Even
ing, 24 miles from St. Martin's. — After leaving
Servoz, we soon entered the valley of Cha
mouny, which, as late as 1741, was almost
entirely unknown. Two Englishmen then ex
plored it. In 1 760, M. de Saussure undertook
his first journey to it. The ascent of Mont
Blanc by that enterprising traveller, in 1787,
brought it at length into notice; and nearly
one thousand strangers soon visited it annu
ally. The reputation of the valley, and the
conveniences prepared for travellers, have been
increasing ever since; so that we have found
here one of the very best inns in Switzerland.
Chamouny is separated from all the great
roads, and seems quite cut off from the rest of
the world. It is about twelve miles long, and
a mile broad. At the entrance of the valley is
a monument erected to a naturalist, who fell
2 a2

356 GLACIER OF BOSSONS. LETTER XI.
down a fissure a few years since, by neglecting
his guide, and was lost. Such warnings per
petually occur. . A lad with a trumpet asto
nished us, at a particular part of the road, with
the echo which the. Alps returned at every
blast. About a league from Chamouny, we came
to the small village of Bossons, above which
is a most noble glacier, so situated, that tra
vellers are able to cross over it. We ascended
the. contiguous mountain, excessively steep,
about two thousand five hundred feet. We
then passed over the heap; of loose stones, cast
up by the last eboulement, which lay between
us and the glacier, and thus came on the solid
mass of ice and frozen snow. There was one
great fissure in it, which it was terrible to look
down ; and 'at the bottom of which roared a
torrent of water; all the surface ofthe glacier
was slippery, from the heat of the sun upon it.
Is was cold as December. The scene was
very fine.

LETTER XI. MONT BLANC. 357
After making our way across, we had a
much more difficult heap, or rather ruin of
stones and loose rocks, first to ascend and
then to descend, before we could find the path
which led again to Bossons. Part of the
road which we took was that by which De
Saussure, with his eighteen guides, ascended,
in 1787. Indeed we may be said to have been
at the foot of Mont Blanc all the afternoon. I
see one of its summits (fifteen thousand five
hundred feet, the highest ridge in the old
world) at this moment from my chamber-
window. On a ridge of the Alp, perhaps two
thousand feet above me, a fire is just now
lighted, as a sign of rejoicing that no animal
has been lost during the day in driving down
the cattle for the winter.
Almost the first person I saw in the inn here
was a gentleman from England, who three
vears ago ascended Mont Blanc, in a company
of sixteen. They reached the grand plateau
of the Alp (thirteen thousand five hundred
feet), the fourth day, after incredible fatigues,

358 MONT BLANC. LETTER XI.
from rain, snow, cold, and the hard rocks, with
only a covering of leather to protect them
during the night. They were obliged to send
down two guides, the second day, for food.
On this vast plateau, or ledge, they found an
immense quantity of fresh fallen snow, not
frozen ; it was extremely laborious to walk on,
the snow was so deep ; still none ofthe guides
apprehended danger. But on a sudden the
whole field of snow on which they were tread
ing gave way, and overwhelmed the unfortu
nate travellers ; their footing sunk ; and they
were covered, rolled along, borne away, by
the enormous avalanche. The snow lodged in
the next fissure, or crevasse, which it met in
its descent. Three guides unhappily perished;
the other thirteen persons extricated themselves
with infinite difficulty — or rather were pre
served by the mercy of God.
Still persons are frequently ascending; or
attempting to ascend, for they seldom reach
the real summit. Six guides went up with a
single Englishman the day before yesterday ;

LETTER XI. ITALIAN GENTLEMAN. 359
and some friends have been all to-day watching
them from the inn, with a telescope : they are
expected down to-night. The first persons
who ever reached the summit of Mont Blanc
were James Balma and Dr. Paccard, in 1786.
The following year M. De Saussure, with
eighteen guides, attained the same eminence.
He spent five hours there. The rarity of the
air was such, that his pulse was above 100;
he had no appetite, and suffered much from
intolerable thirst. The winding path is be
tween fifty and sixty miles altogether, of steep
ascent. We have met here an Italian gentleman, with
whom we had made a slight acquaintance at
Basle ; a quick, ready, sensible man — talking
French and English tolerably well — one who
has for above twenty years spent his summers
in travelling — neat in his person-^about forty
years of age — equipped with all the smaller
conveniences which so long an experience
could not fail to give him — he has read a good
deal of history and politics, and is very com-

360 ITALIAN GENTLEMAN. LETTER XI.
municative. He has one very good practice;
he never sets out on a tour, till he has devoted
six months to a thorough study of all the best
writers on the country he is about to visit. A
turn to satire gives a point to his remarks. His
admiration of England is extreme ; but 1 can
observe, that he takes a pleasure in relating
little anecdotes to the disadvantage of indivi
dual Englishmen. He has collected five sto
ries in his present tour. I suppose he calls
himself a Catholic ; but he has clearly no just
impression of the importance of religion. He
speaks on the subject with levity, and even
indecorum ; mingling the tenets of his church
with the essential truths of Christianity, and
laughing at both. He was just now telling
one of the guides, who he heard would not eat
flesh on Fridays, that the Pope being dead (as
I mentioned in my last), he was at liberty to
eat meat whenever he liked; but that if he had
any fears, he would give him a billet to Jesus
Christ. I could not help remonstrating with
him for the latter part of this sentence; ob
serving, that though I was a Protestant, and of

LETTER XI. COUVERCLE. 361
course did not hold the Catholic Fasts, I still
agreed with the Catholics in the great truths of
our common Christianity, and especially in
adoration and love to our divine Saviour. He
received the hint with perfect politeness, and
dropped the subject. I remember the Italian
nobleman at the Grimsel, said something, in
the same ironical way, of the Holy Ghost
choosing a new Pope. Secret infidelity is
widely spreading in Italy.
Friday Morning, half-past Six, chalet on
Montanvert, 3,150 feet above Chamouny. — We
were called this morning at half-past three,
and started at half-past four, for the Jardin on
the Mer.de Glace, in a party of thirteen; a
guide and mule for each, with boys, &c. We
have been ascending two hours in fearful cold
and wind, on a road steep beyond description,
three leagues long, amidst the ruins of fallen
trees and rocks.
Twelve o'clock, Couvercle, Mer de Glace. —
I am now writing on a spot, where, perhaps,

362 COUVERCLE. LETTER XI.
never man wrote before, and whence I can
scarcely look around me without terror. We
have been walking and climbing, for five
hours ten or fifteen miles up hills and moun
tains of ice, snow, and impenetrable rocks,
amidst chasms and torrents hundreds of feet
deep. I am now on the heights of the Mer de
Glace, nine thousand two hundred feet above
the sea, seated on the ground, with my letter
and pocket ink-horn before me, a rock for
my writing-table, and my small pocket-book
placed under my paper, to keep it a little
steady. We have been surmounting immense
fatigue and danger, ever since we left the
chalet at seven. All other difficulties are no
thing compared with those which surround
us ; and we have a descent of seven hours, not
a little dangerous, to make, before we reach
our inn. Still the extraordinary magnificence
of the scene above, below, around us, when
one can calmly look at it, seems to recompense
us for every thing. If we get back alive, how
ever, one thing I can venture to assure you of,

LETTER XI. CHAMOUNY. 363
that the fatigue and terror are such as to pre
vent our ever coming up again.
Chamouny, Eight in the Evening. — Thank
God we have all returned safe. Let me now
give you some notion of the day's journey.
We were fourteen hours and a half on the
road, and went forty miles; ten miles on mules,
and thirty on foot; which thirty were in a per
petual course of ascents, descents, sliding and
jumping. After leaving the chalet on Mont
anvert, in the morning at seven, we descended
and crossed the Eboulement or vast heap of
granite and sand, which intervened between
that and the glacier. The path was frequently
on the surface of a shelving rock of slate, three
inches wide, with a precipice at our feet. When
we came to the glacier, or Mer de Glace itself,
we had new difficulties of every kind to sur
mount; and in the course of our progress three
vast 6boulements to climb over. When we
reached the summit of the mountain, which is
called the Couvercle, about noon (nine thou
sand two hundred feet), we were so exhausted

364 MER DE GLACE. LETTER XI.
with heat and fatigue, that we threw ourselves
on the scanty grass growing on the rock, as if
we were dead. After an hour and a half's
rest, and a dinner on the provisions carried for
us by the guides, we set off on our return.
Nothing can describe the day's journey; the
simple fact of walking thirty miles on ice and
rock, with declivities, crevices, gulfs, iceTtor-
rents, &c. seems sufficiently terrific, but can
convey to you no adequate idea of the real
scene. Enough, however, of our' fatigues. Now,
to give you some account of the Mer de Glace.
It is an enormous glacier, fo.ty-five miles long,
and two wide, and rising to an inaccessible
height. We only ascended to the point com
manding the finest view. It gave me the idea
of a sea in a storm suddenly frozen, or choked
with snow and ice. We saw nothing but con
gealed waves or rather mountains of frozen
water. The ice is not clear and smooth, but
mixed with sand and stones, and on the sur
face alternately melted and re-frozen every

LETTER XI. MER DE GLACE. 365
twenty-four hours. In all this sea, changes
are continually taking place, from the causes I
assigned in a former letter : — a single day's
rain or snow alters infallibly a variety of places.
The most fearful things are thefentes, crevices,
or fissures, some fifty feet wide, others just
beginning to form themselves; others like a
well, three or four hundred feet deep, with an
impetuous torrent pouring down them, and
working like a mill at the bottom ; together
with thousands of rivulets formed by the sum
mer's sun on the surface. As the masses of
ice descend, the superincumbent rocks and
stones descend with them. These are gradu
ally carried along; some travel five hundred
feet down the immense glacier in a single year.
The foot of the Mer de Glace is in the valley
of Chamouny, whence the river Arveiron flows,
which joins itself with the Arve, and pours
into the Rhone, near Geneva.
To travel on this sea of wonders was in
itself dangerous enough — a single inadvertent
step might have been fatal — the extraordinary

366 ALPS. LETTER XI.
skill and experience of the guides, however (for
each person has his separate one), make acci
dents extremely rare. The views which we
witnessed were enchanting. The deep azure
ofthe sky in one of the finest days ever seen;
the vast region of ice which the sun gilded
with his rays, and the panorama of snow-clad
Alps, rising stupendously all around, are
really beyond my powers of description. They
made us forget all our fatigues. The union
and contrast ofthe scenes in nature apparently
the most irreconcilable — and all beheld for the
first time, and under the most favourable cir
cumstances — produced an impression in which
what was wonderful and pleasing had an equal
share with the sublime and stupendous. In
three spots I sat down, penetrated with admira
tion, and made my guide tell me the names of
the Alps around me ; I give the names as
accurately as my ear could catch them; 1st,
Characoux ; 2d, Grapon; 3d, Mont Blanc;
4th, Le Geant; 5th, Tamla; 6th, Grand
Jorasse; 7th, Petit Jorasse; 8th, Le Sehon ;
9th, Les Courts; 10th, Aiguilles Rouges;

LETTER XI. CHAMOUNY. 367
11th, Gemme Verd ; 12th, Le Moine; 13th,
Aiguille de Dru ; 14th, La Flechiere; 15th
Le Brevent.
I just add, that the guides here are respect
able, well-informed men ; mine is called The
Bird, L'Oiseau. He has been thirty-eight
years a guide. The most respectable Swiss
writers correspond with them. They speak very
good French — the language of Chamouny is a
patois. There are forty of them at Chamouny,
and seventy mules. Every thing is regulated
by the government, even to the order in which
the guides go out. Chamouny contains near
fifty hamlets, three churches, and three thou
sand souls. It is a Catholic priory ; but our
guides were intelligent, and seemingly in
earnest, on the subject of religion. I talked
with my own a good deal. He clearly dis
tinguished between the essentials of religion
and morals, and the ceremonies and usages of
his own church. He spoke of judgment and
eternity, and the sin of man, and the death of

368 CHAMOUNY. LETTER XI.
our Saviour, with some feeling. There seemed
also a conscientibusness governing his mind,
which gratified me a good deal. I have not
myself met with any Catholics so well in
formed. Chamouny, I must say, deserves all its
popularity: two thousand two hundred and
fifty visitors came to it last year; out of whom,
about forty only went to the end of the Mer de
Glace; which is some commendation of our
courage, but, perhaps, not of our prudence, at
least so far as I am concerned. The day has
been beautiful — not a cloud.
And now may it please God to fill my heart
with praise for his works, adoration of his
awful majesty, gratitude for preservation, and a
humble desire to see his love, his wisdom, his
providence, his power, his glory in all things!
I am sure religious feelings are the appropriate
consequences of such a day's excursion. It is
most painful to me to say, that one English-

LETTER XI. TR1ENT. 369
man* has for ever disgraced himself here by
attaching to his name, in the Strangers' Book,
an unblushing avowal of Atheism. He has not,
however, escaped a suitable and most severe
and striking retort from one of his countrymen.
He had annexed to his name these horrid
words, BriftoKpariKog ipiXavOpfo-n-oraTOQ Kai a&oc.'f
Immediately under them this thrilling reproof,
in allusion to Psalm xiv. l.J is now inserted,
Et JUEV T aX»J0£C XtyEl, jUWjOOC' « §£ jUJJ, l/'£U(TTtJC.§
Trient, Canton of Valais, Switzerland,
Three o'clock, Saturday Afternoon. — We set
off this morning, twenty minutes before nine,
and have been six hours and ten minutes
coming eighteen miles. We have passed
through the valleys of Chamouny, Val Valor-
sine, Chatelet, where Switzerland and Savoy
* Percy Bysche Shelley.
f  Democrat, Philanthropist, and Atheist.
'J " The fool hath said in his heart, there is no God."
§ If he speaks truth, he is a fool, if not, a liar. — See
Christian Observer, vol. for 1824.
VOL. I. 2 B

370 VALLEY OF TRIENT. LETTER XI.
divide ; and Trient, where we now are. Often
as I have expressed my astonishment at the
variety of Swiss and Savoy scenery, I must
repeat the same language. Certainly nothing
can exceed the surprise we have felt all this
morning. We have crossed a barrier called
La Tete Noire; and all the way, especially in
passing the mountains, there has been nothing
but wonders. Valleys sowed, as it were, with
the fragments of fallen rocks ; villages of
romantic beauty, and of architecture the most
rude; noble firs crowning the mountain' sides ;
several glaciers descending in the ravines from
the common source of the Mer de Glace; the
path now sinking into the deepest valley, now
rising into a frightful precipice, sometimes
leading by rude stairs of rocks, at other times
by torrents and sand ; the whole way diversi
fied with the ruins of falling firs, the effects of
the tremendous storms of the winters, so as at
places to obstruct the path ; lastly, the torrent
of the Trient rolling along to disgorge itself
into the Rhone, whilst the alternate succession

LETTER XI. FRENCH EMIGRANTS. 371
of barren scenery and cultivated meadows, like
mosaic- work, in the valley and up the side of
the mountains, completed the picture.
But words fail, when they are attempting
to describe Switzerland. One applies nearly
the same terms to the valley of the Reuss, the
Hoellenthal, the valley of Moutiers, the Chede
and the valleys seen to-day ; and yet they are
all widely different from each other ; and each
utterly inconceivable, except to one who has
visited them for himself.
It was by this almost impracticable road
of the Tete Noire, that hundreds of French
emigrants escaped into the Valais, when the
French invaded Savoy, in 1792. Countesses —
marchionesses — carrying themselves their in
fants — officers — priests — in the midst of them
the Bishop of Nismes, a venerable old man,
eighty years of age — formed this long and
pitiable caravan. It rends the heart to reflect
on the miseries of that period. The rule of the
French on the Rhine, was followed, as I have

372 MARTIGNY. LETTER XI.
told you, with a mixture of great good amidst
the horrors unavoidable on revolutions; but
their rule in Switzerland, seems to have been
one unmixed calamity. Liberty, literature,
morals, religion, private and public happiness,
withered at their approach; and* have only
begun to revive since the restoration of the
old state of things in that fine country. Bona
parte is, generally speaking, detested here, as
much as he is in other places, adored.
Saturday Evening, half-past Six.— We are
just arrived at Martigny, in the Valais, twenty-
seven miles from Chamouny. D. W.

END OF VOL. I.

Printed by S. Gosneli, Little Queen Street.

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