Excursions in Switzerland

Letter I

departure. — Accident to Postilion. — An old Frenchman. — Palace of Fontainebleau. — Auxerre. — Avalon. — Beautiful Scenery. — Dijon. — The Osages. 1

Letter II

Genlis. — Mountain Ranges. — Auxonne. — Frontier Fortresses. — Distant View of Mont Blanc. — Ascent of the Jura. — Salins. — Novel Scenery. — Pontarlier. — Mountain Barrier. — Chateau de Joux. — Toussaint. — Napoleon. — Varying Scenery. — Frontier of Switzerland — Appearance of the Country. — Picturesque Valley. — Mountain Pass. — Val Travers.— Swiss Cottages. — Solitary Pedestrian. — Arrival at Neufchatel >»

Letter III

Town of Neufchatel. — Sublime View of the Alps. — Particulars respecting the Canton of Neufchatel. — Extensive Plain. — River Aar. — Aarberg. — Swiss Chateau. — Canton of Berne. — Excellence ofthe Roads — Arrival at Berne 20

Letter IV

Berne. — Its History and Government. — Swiss Nobility. — True Nobility. — Erroneous Notions of a Republic. .... 26

Letter V

Country round Berne. — Public Promenades. — Buildings. — Population. — Swiss Vehicle. — Agriculture. — Cattle Ranges. — Gleaners. — Hindelbank. — Hofwyl. — French and Swiss People. — Discover a Glacier. — Difficulty of conveying impressions of Grand Scenery. — Alps at Sunset. — Oberland Alps. — Works of European Travellers 6o America 31

Letter VI

Proceed to Thun. — Grand-duchess Anna. — Town and Lake of Tbun. — Excursion to the latter. — Castle of Spietz. — Respective Ignorance of Americans and Europeans. — The Jung Frau. — Neuhaus. — Unterseen. — Valley of Lauterbrunnen. — Fall of the Staubbach. — Town of Lauterbrunnen. — Ascent of the Oberland Alps. . 42

Letter VII

Grindewald. — Its Glaciers. — Mountain Music. — The Eiger. — Departure for the valley ofMeyringen. — Ascent ofthe Great Scheideck. — Mountain Cascades. — Valley of Meyringen. — Brientz. — River Aar. — Cascade of the Giesbach. — Interlachen. — Neuhaus. — Unterseen. — Return to la Lorraine — Inhabitants of tbe Oberland. ........... 5<

Letter VIII

View of the Alps. — Peak of the Wengern. — Burial-places of Berne. — Swiss-American Valley. — Goitres. — Drunkenness. — Pasquinades on America — Anecdote. — Germans in America. — Baths of Berne. — Scenery of America 67 a CONTENTS VI PAGE

Letter IX

Route to Soleure. — Town and Canton of Soleure. — Wayside Crosses. — Female Costume. — Rites ofthe Romish Church. — Olten. — Aarberg. — Aarau — Baths of Schinznach. — Mountain of the Wiilpelsberg. — Town and Castle of Habsbourg. — Bruck. — Kœuigsfeld. — Baden. — The Rhine. — Kaiserstuhl. 73

Letter X

Schaffhausen. — Banks of the Rhine. — Amateur Beggars. — The Zellersee. — Reichenau. — Constance. — Great Council Hall.— Huss's Cell. — Thurgovie. — Roschach. — Canton of St. Gall. — Rheineck. — Visit Austria. — Swiss Architecture. — The Rhine. — Reach Alstetten. — A Dilemma. — Youthful Beggars. — Naked Region. — Gais. — Teufen. — Town of St. Gall. — Polity of Appenzell. — Herisau. — Lichtensteig. — Female Pilgrims. — Sublime Scenery. — Reach Rapperschwyl. ....... 83

Letter XI

Itapperschwyl. — Lake of Zurich. — Bridge. — Schwytz. — Sunday. — Scenery between Rapperschwyl and Zurich. — Town and Canton of Zurich. — Switzerland and America 105

Letter XII

The Albis. — Zug. — Take a Boat for Art. — Democracy and Aristocracy. — Village of Art. — Ruins of Goldau. — Pious Flirtation. — A Scene thoroughly Swiss. — " Our Lady of the Snows." — View from Righi Staffel — From the summit of the Righi Kulm. — Melancholy Event. — German Swaggerers. — Sunrise. . . . 112

Letter XIII

Descent. — Pilgrims. — Gessler and Tell. — Take a boat for Lucerne. — Remarkable Objects of that Town. — Lake of Sempach. — Arnold de Winkelried. — Langenthal. — A hearty Innkeeper. — Erroneous Notions of Liberty. — Return to la Loraine. . . 125

Letter XIV

Cantonal Courtesy. — Left Bank of the Aar. — Approach to Thun. — Power of opposing Invasion. — Proceed to Neuhaus. — An English Couple. — Unterseen. — An Aristocratic Guide. — Panoramic View from the Rugen. — An English Girl. — Valley of Interlachen. — Brienz. — Waterfalls. — Monetary System. — View from the Brunig. — Lungern. — Polity of Unterwalden. — Imperfection ofthe Confederated System. — Church of St. Nicholas de Flue. — Crosses. — Sarnen. — Mistaken for an Englishman. .... 137

Letter XV

Stantz. — Female Costume. — Three Travellers. — Road to Stanztad. — Lake of Lucerne. — Stanztad. — Proceed by Boat towards Brunnen. — Dangerous Positions for Dwellings. — Accident at Weggis. — District of Gersau. — Brunnen. — The Grutli. — Walter Furst's Conspiracy. — Dangers ofthe Lake of Lucerne. — Town of Schwytz. — Scewen. — Catastrophe at Goldau. — Rotenthurm. — Alsacian Pilgrims. — Pile of Buildings resembling St. Peter's at Rome . 160

Letter XVI

Traditions respecting the Shrine of Einsiedeln. — Superstition attends the extreme Classes of Society. — Arrival of Pilgrims. — The Church. — Feelings of Devotion. — Rarity of Female Beauty.— Unseemly Ceremonies. — Opportunity of becoming Martyr. — Temporary Chapels. — Extensive View. — Delightful Descent. — Hire a Char. — A dogmatic Waiter. — Canton of Glaris — Bishop of Coire. — Town ol (jilaris. — Schrabzieger Cheese. — Proceed to Wesen. 17li CONTENTS VII TACSF.

Letter XVII

Country between the Lakes of Wallenstadt and Zurich. — Wesen. — Lake and Town of Wallenstadt. — Sargans. — Its Castle. — Route for Germany and Italy. — Change in the Course of the Rhine. — Ruins of Chateaux. — Deep Gorge. — Baths of Pfeffers. 192

Letter XVIII

Baths of Pfeffers. — Manner of using them. — Benefit received therefrom. — Leave tbe Baths. — View near the Abbey. — Principality of Liechtenstein. — Exquisite Spot. — Canton of the Grisons. — Picturesque Sites. — Hire a Phaeton. — Coire. — German Companion. — Richenau. — Junction of the Upper and Lower Rhine. . 201

Letter XIX

Depart for Source ofthe Rhine. — Unsophisticated Highway. — Uncertain Route. — Effect of White Buildings. — A Wood-chopper. — Reach the Main Road. — Trins. — Flims. — Lax. — Lose our Way. Ilantz. — Language of the Grisons. — Barren Country. — Religion of the Grisons. — Trons. — Beautiful View. — Disentis. — A Dilemma. — Rough Accommodation. — An "Interpreter." — Watch against Fire 211

Letter XX

Abbey of Disentis — First Chateau of the Rhine. — Rejoined by Guide. — Reduced width ofthe Rhine — Jus. — Deserted Valley. — — Snow Storm. — Change Functions with Guide. — The Ober Alp. — Sources of the great Swiss Rivers. — Novel View in descending the Mountain. — Hospital. — Andermatt. — Valley of Ursern. — Price for a Guide. — The Reuss. — Gloomy Cave. — The Devil's Bridge. — Pass of the St. Gothard. — New Road. — Extraordinary Scenery. — Herds of Goats 219

Letter XXI

Hospital. — Realp. — Ascent of the Furca. — Quick Descent. — View of the Oberland Range. — Stone Huts. — Canton of Valais. — The Gallenstock. — Glacier of the Rhone. — Solemn Spectacle. — Party ofEnglish. — Two grand Discoveries. — Source ofthe Rhone. — Ascent ofthe Grimsel. — "Lake of the Dead." — The Hopital. — Sensation of Dreariness. — Gradual Descent. — Picturesque Stone Bridges. — Handeck. — Falls ofthe Aar. — Lines of Packhorses. — Reach Meyringen 230

Letter XXII

A Discussion on West India Slavery. — Hire a Char for Brienz. — Interlachen. — Chamois Hunters reach the summit of the Jung Frau. — Unterseen. — Galignani's Messenger. — The " Twelve Millions." — New Tariff. — Peculiarly in the English Character. — Its cause. — Policy of England. — Effect of Vituperation. — English, American, and French Press. — Mr. Huskisson and Free Trade. — Fatigue of Sight-seeing. — Depart for Berne. — Lake of Thun. — Mercenary Soldiers. — Swiss Chivalry at Thun. —Perfidy of Voiturier.— Part with Guide. — LaLorraine. .... 239

Letter XXIII

Time for seeing Switzerland. — Departure. — Morat. — The Swiss Cressy. — Erratum in Ebel. — Ancient Aventicum. — Roman Remains. — Avenche. — Payerne. — Anecdote. — Bertha of Burgundy — Start for Lausanne. — Swiss-American Landscape. — Hire Voiturier at Lucens. — Conversation with a lively Vaudoise. — European Blunders. — Reach Lausanne. -"'

Letter XXIV

Country near Lausanne— The Town.— -Unusual bustle.— Charles X.— Grand-duchess Helena and her Daughter— Lake of Geneva. CONTENTS. VIII PAGE — Port os Lausanne. — A mutual Recognition — Democratic Attention to Royalty. — Democracy and Marks of Honour. — Anecdote. — Mr. 's Decorations. — Excursion on the Lake of Geneva. — Arbitrary Regulation. — Land at Geneva 260

Letter XXV

European Places of Interest. — Geneva. — Window-gazing. — The Port. — A Pensioned Steamboat. — View from the Ramparts. — Interview with M. Simond. — Population and Government. — Ferney. — Residence of Voltaire. — Church erected by him. — Interesting Fact connected with his Will. — Anecdote of a French Functionary. — Return to Lausanne. — Outrage by Voiturier. — Proceed towards Berne. — Voiturier punished, after reaching la Lorraine. — Ancient Aventicum. . . ... . . . . 269

Letter XXVI

Preparations for a Journey Southward.— Agreement with Voiturier. — Climate of Switzerland and America. — Atlieu to la Lorraine. — Payerne. — Quails. — English Travellers. — Moudon. — An ' " Auberge inevitable." — Ravishing View. — Climate of Vevey. — Foraging Postilion.— Fairy Scene. — Feeling of calm Satisfaction. — An American Resident. — Castle of Chillon. — Trial of Speed with a Steamboat. — Villeneuve. 280

Letter XXVII

Road from Villeneuve. — Bex. — Dent deMorcles — duMidi — Important Pass. — St. Maurice. — The Cretins. — Reflections. — Inhabitants of the Valais. — Curious Hermitage. — Feats of an Ancestor. — Accident by a "Sac d'eau." — Valley ofthe Rhone. — Waterfall. — Martigny. — Town of Sion. — Ravages of Nature. — Dreary Abodes. — Commencement of the Simplon. — Brig. — The Saltine. — Broad Vista. — Distances to places between Brig and Domo d'Ossola. 289

Letter XXVIII

Departure from Brig. — Ascent of the Simplon. — Lively Toll-house Woman. — Summit of the Simplon. — Descent to the Village of Simpeln. — Character ofthe Northern side ofthe Simplon. — Exaggerated Descriptions. — Descent from Simpeln. — The celebrated Galleries. — Peculiarities of the Simplon Road. — Grand Scenery. — Admirable Construction of Road. — Dangerous Cliffs. — Continued Descent. — Frontiers of Italy. — Populous Acclivity. — New Region. — Huge Column of Marble. — Groups in Holiday Attire. — Reach Domo d'Ossola. ........ 299

Letter XXIX

Rumour of a Robbery on the Simplon. — Inquiries about it fruitless. — Scene ofthe outrage. — Shores of Lago Maggiore. — First impressions ofthe Scene. — Delightful change ofClimate. — Baveno. — The Borromean Islands. — Isola Bella. — Isola Madre. — Row down the Lake. — Leading Features ofthe Region. — Arona. — Statue of St. Charles Borromeo. — The Last of the Alps. — The Ticino. 31 1

Letter XXX

The Plain of Lombardy. — Rich Cultivation. — The Church-towers. — The Populace. — Approach to Milan. — Impressions on entering the Town.— r-The Last Supper, by Leonardo da Vinci. — The Cathedral ofMilan. — Styleofthe building. — Its numerous Pinnacles and Statues.— Its great dimensions. — Inferiority of America in its Cities. — View from the roof ofthe Duomo of Milan. — Adieu to Helvetia. .

Preface

. The fragments of travels that are here laid before the reader are parts of a much more extensive work, that it was, originally, the intention of the writer to publish. This intention (for rea sons on which it is unnecessary to dwell) has been, in a great measure, abandoned ; though motives, that may possibly become apparent in the course of the work, more especially in its second Part, have induced him to make the selection which is now printed. The narrative form is the best for a book of travels, for, be sides possessing the most interest, it enables the reader to un derstand the circumstances under which one, who appears as a witness, has obtained his facts. This form, therefore, has been adhered to here; though it is hoped that the personal details have nowhere been permitted to trespass on the more material objects of the work.

There is a certain peculiarity which all, who have seen much of different countries, must have observed to exist everywhere, simply because it belongs to human frailty. No nation probably is to be found, in which the mass of the people do not believe themselves to be more highly endowed, with the better qualities of our nature, than any of their neighbours. It is one of the fruits of travelling to cure individuals of this weakness ; but, in many cases, this cure is succeeded by a state of indiscriminating and generalizing indifference, on which those who are termed " men of the world" are a little too apt lo pride themselves, mistaking it for liberality and philosophy — while, in fact, they X

PREFACE.

are nearly as far from the truth as when they were in the state of national complacency from which they have so lately emerged Although communities are merely aggregations of human beings, they have their peculiar and distinctive traits, as well as indi viduals; and no account of nations can be of value, beyond de scriptions of material things, that has not consulted the circum stances which produce those modifications of character that make up the sum of national differences. In these volumes, however, little beyond descriptions of natural objects has been attempted ; for Switzerland, enjoying pro bably the sublimest as well as the most diversified beauties of this sort that exist on the globe, would seem to have a claim to be trealed sui generis. Man appears almost to sink to a secon dary rank in such a country, and the writer, in this portion of his travels, has gone little out of the way, to give him a place in the picture.

The vacuum in the narrative, and the abrupt manner in which it is laid before the reader, demand a word of explanation. The year 1828 commenced by the writer in Paris. Thence the writer went early to England, returning, however, to France in June, by the way of Holland and Belgium. At Paris, after this return, the narrative of Part I. commences; terminating at Mi lan. The rest of the year 1828, and those of 1829, 1830, and 1831, with part of that of 1832, were passed between Italy (where the writer remained nearly two years), Germany, Bel gium and France. The narrative in Part II. recommences at Paris, after which it tells its own tale, up to a time when all the interests of the reader in the subject will most probably cease. Had the other portions of these letters been published, it is probable that their writer would not have escaped some imputa tions on his patriotism, — for, in making the comparisons that naturally arose from his subject, he has spoken in savour of American principles much oftencr than in favour of American Ihings ; always, indeed, except in those instances in which his eyes gave him reason lo Ibink thai Ihe latter really deserved the

PREFACE.

. XI preference. Just and simple as this rule would seem to be, it is much loo discriminating for a numerous class of American critics, who appear to think that a man must take leave not only of his sense, but of his senses, in order lo maintain the character of a faithful son of the soil. The superiority of Switzerland, in its peculiar excellence, however, is so generally admitted, that it is to be hoped one may actually venture to assert that a mountain fifteen thousand feet high is more lofty than one of fifteen hundred, or that Mont Blanc is a more sublime object than Butter Hill! The writer does not expect much savour for the political opinions that occasionally appear in these letters. He has the misfortune to belong to neither of the two great parlies that divide his country, and which, though so bitterly hostile and distrustful of each other, will admit of no neutrality.

It is a menacing symptom that there is a disposition to seek for a base motive, whenever a citizen may not choose to plunge into the extremes that characterize the movements of political faction. This besetting vice is accompanied by another seeling, so singularly opposed to that which everybody is ready to affirm is the governing principle of the institutions, that it may do no harm slightly to advert to it. Any one who may choose to set up a semi-official organ of public opinion, called a newspaper, however illiterate, base, flagrantly corrupt, and absolutely destitute of the confidence and respect of every man in the community, may daily pour out up'on the public his falsehoods, his contradictions, his ignorance, and his corruption, treating the national interests as familiarly as " household terms," and all because he is acting in an admitted vocation ; the public servant, commissioned to execute the public will, may even turn upon his masters and tell them not only in what light they are to view him and his conduct, but in what light they are also to view the conduct of his associates in trust — in short, tell them how to make up their judgments on himself and others — and all because he is a public servant, and the public is his master : but the private citizen,

PREFACE.

. XII who merely forms a part of that public, is denounced for hi* presumption, should he dare to speak of matters of general con cernment except under such high sanction, or as the organ of party. It may be well to say at once, that this peculiar feeling has not been permitted to influence the tone of these letters, which have been written, in all respects, as if the republic did not con tain one of these privileged persons, honoured as " patriots" and " godlikes," but as if both classes were as actually unknown to the country as they are certainly unknown to the spirit and letter of its institutions. When the writer first arrived in Europe, he had occasion to remark, almost daily, the number and magnitude of the errors that existed in relation to the state of America. Allusions are occasionally made to this subject, in the course of these letters, but not always with the same degree of surprise, or with precisely the same conclusion.

The apparent discrepancies on this head, as well, perhaps, as on one or two other points of opinion, have arisen as a natural consequence from the difference in the order of time. Al the period when Part I. commences, the writer had been in Europe but two years ; whereas his visit al ready extended to six, before the journey related in Part II. was begun. It has been believed to be the fairest course to leave the impressions as they originally stood in his journal, or rather letters, for many of these letters were actually written at, or near, the period of their dales. As so much of Part II. relates lo other countries besides Switzerland, the writer, lest some one, misled by the title he has selected, may feel disposed to complain, deems it no more than fair to admit the fact in the Preface.

Switzerland certainly is the leading point in the whole Work, and it has been thought sufficiently so to authorize the use of its name in the title-page EXCURSIONS IN SWITZERLAND.

Letter I

Departure. — Accident to Postilion. — An old Frenchman. — Palace of Fontainebleau. — Auxerre. — Avalon. — Beautiful scenery. — Dijon. — The Osages. Dear , It was a moment of glorious anticipation, when the carriage drove through the porte cochere, into the rue de Sevres, and we found ourselves fairly on the road to Switzerland! Two seasons in Paris, and one in London, had shown us our fellows, to dull satiety ; and, apart from the delights of novelty, a common -place converse with men was about to give place to a sublime communion with nature. The recent journey through Holland, too, served to increase the satisfaction ; for it was like bringing the two extremes of scenery into the same picture, to hurry thus from the most artificial and the tamest of all landscapes that has any pretensions to beauty, into the very presence of all that is grand and magnificent in natural formation.

The streets of Paris seemed interminable, nor do I think I breathed without restraint until, leaving the harriere du Trone behind us, we began to scour along the highway towards Charenton. We passed the little brick edifice in which the gallant Henri IV. is said to have lodged la belle Gabriefle, and, descending the declivity to whose DEPARTURE FROM PARIS ■J side the village clings, crossed the Marne, and were again in the country. It had rained a little in the morning, and, as what is called the grras de Paris is, in truth, the gras of all around Paris, the roads were greasy — I know no better word — and, for horses that are never corked, not entirely without danger. We were travelling limoniere, or, in other words, in the place of the pole, a pair of shafts had been attached to the carriage ; and our team was composed of three of the sturdy Norman horses so well known on the French roads ; the postilion riding the near horse, with traces so long as to enable him to travel wide ofthe others, and to control the movement.

This beast slipped and fell. Rolling over, he caught the leg of his rider beneath his body. The precious Gorcum coach, of which you have heard, was left in Paris on sale, as worthless* and a French travelling caleche had been purchased in its place. The latter had a dickey and a rumble. I was seated on the former when the accident happened. Jumping down, the horses were backed, and the postilion, who lay quite help less, was enabled to extricate his limb. The poor fellow mut tered a few sacr-r-r-es, made a wry face or two, and limped back into the saddle. At the next relay he still walked, but with difficulty. At Melun this accident became the subject of conversation among the postilions and stable-boys, most of whom were men of la nouvelle France ; or youths who no longer adhere to the prejudices of their fathers, and who admire the new phi losophy and the new-fashioned boots.

There was, however, a solitary relic of the ancien regime present, in the person of an old man, who wore a powdered club as thick as a large beet-root, and whose whole air had that recherche character, that always distinguishes the Frenchman of 1 786 from him whose proper element appears to be revolution. The old man listened to the account of the tumble with great gravity ; nor did he utter a syllable until he had satisfactorily ascer tained that no bones had been broken. Then, approaching PALACE OF FONTAINEBLEAU. 3 with a politeness that would be deemed ultra at Washington, he inquired if "Monsieur knew whether tbe postilion, who had met with the fall, wore the ancient or the modern boot?" When told the former, he turned to his noisy revolutionary comrades, with a grimace replete with sarcasm, and cried, " Aha ! voyez-vous, mes enfans — les anciennes modes out aussi leur merite !"

The old man was right. But for the celebrated boot at which travellers are so apt to laugh, it is probable that the limb would have snapped like a pipe-stem. When one sees the manner in which French horses go skating along the slip pery roads, he understands, at once, the whole mystery of this extraordinary part of a postilion's equipments. We intended to look at Fontainebleau, and it was yet early when we drove into the forest, which, by the way, will not compare with that of Compiegne, of which you have already had some account. The town, like nearly every other French country town, is of no great beauty or cleanliness, though, perhaps, a little better than common, as respects the latter property. We ordered dinner and hastened to the chateau. This palace was principally built by Francis I, in the well known style of his age — a sort of French-Elizabethan architecture.

It has not been much frequented since the accession of the Bourbons, though Henry IV, the first of that line,* was * Every one knows that the French crown descends in the male line only. In 1270, Louis IX, commonly called St. Louis, was on the throne. This king left many sons : the eldest, as a matter of course, succeeding. The sixth and youngest, was Robert, Comte de Ciermont ; who married the heiress ofthe Baron de Bourbon, one ofthe great nobles of the kingdom. In 1327, Louis de Ciermont, their son, was created Due de Bourbon, and Peer of France. In the 14th century, Anthony Due de Bourbon, the head of this branch ofthe royal family, married the heiress of the little kingdom of Navarre, and assumed, in his own person, the title ofking. By the deaths ofthe three brothers, Francis II, Charles IX, and Henry 111, Henry, King of Navarre, became the head of his family, and mounted the throne of France, as Henry IV, in 1589.

He was, of course, the first sovereign of the family of Bourbon, through always of the ancient race. He was related, by the male line, or by that line which carried title, only in the 21st degree to his predecessor, though there had been many intermarriages. By the female be PALACE OF FONTAINEBLEAU. accustomed to pass some of his time at it. It is scarcely royal, except in extent, having but few magnificent rooms, and I think none that are in very good taste, — at least, none such were shown to us. The principal apartment was a Saile de Diane, a gallery of some size, but of more tawdriness than taste. Of course, we saw the rooms of Napoleon, the table of abdication, and the leg that was kicked. 1 was more struck with the imperial wash-basin, than with anything else. It was of truly regal dimensions.

The emperor appears to have been a connoisseur in this piece of furniture, for this was the fourth or fifth of his wash-basins I have seen and coveted, all being of most enviable dimensions ; though I have never yet been able to find their pendants in any shop, except in the shape of punch-powls. The rooms occupied by Pius VII. are large, airy, and commodious — the best, indeed, in the palace-, though far from being either rich or regal. was closely connected with the three last kings. Three hundred and nine teen years elapsed between the death of St. Louis and the succession of his descendant Henry IV. The Prinees of Condfi were descended from a Due de Bourbon, the grandfather of Henry IV ; and the Princes of Conti were descended from the Princes of CondÆ. The princes of Conti have been extinct for some time, but the last Prince of Conde (the sather of the Due d'Enghein) committed suicide in 1830.

He was the cadet of the house of Bourbon, tracing his descent, in the male line, to no king nearer than St. Louis, or through an interval of 560 years. The house of Orleans branched off from Louis XIII. in 1643, or 187 years before its accession. Louis XIV, the grandson of Henry IV, succeeded in placing his second grandson, Philippe d'Anjou, on tlie Spanish throne. From him are de scended (always in the male line, none other counting in this family until the recent accession of Donna Isabella II,) the sovereigns of Spain, and Naples, and the Duke of Lucca, who stands next in reversion to the Duchy of Parma. It follows that Louis-Philippe I, of France, is the youngest prince of his family, his own children excepted, according to the order of primo geniture; Charles X, the Dauphin, the Due de Bordeaux, all the Spanish, Neapolitan, and Lucchese princes coming before him.

When the other powers of Europe consented to the accession of Philippe of Anjou to the throne of Spain, they conditioned with Louis XIV, his grandfather, that he should renounce, for himself and his successors, all claims to that of France. Louis sigued the treaty, hut protested, at the time ; saying, that the rights of primogeniture were a fundamental law ofthe monarchy, and that no head ofthe family could bind a successor to their relinquishinent. AUXERRE.— AVALLON. 5 I did not like the little we saw ofthe gardens. It is not an easy matter to make trees and water and verdure disagreeable to the eye; but it would be quite easy to make their combi nation more agreeable than it is found to be here. One or two vistas, into the forest, too, were anything but successful. There was one gallery filled with busts, that looked more like a travelling exhibition of wax-work, than anything of the kind I remember to have seen.

Washington's head was among them. We did not see the room that was the scene of the tragedy of Monaldeschi. It was described to us as being beneath the aforesaid Saile de Diane. What a revolution in opinions, since the days when a queen who had abdicated, dared to cause a follower, and he not a natural born subject, to be executed in the palace ofa prince, of whom she was merely a guest ! We left the chateau by its great court, an area of some two or three acres, in which the grass was literally growing; a certain proof that the palace was not in savour; for of all probable events, I take it, grass would be the least likely to grow beneath the feet of courtiers. Courtiers and dema gogues, you know, are my especial aversion. They are animals ofthe same genus, classed in different species by the accidents of position.