Scenes and impressions in Switzerland and the North of Italy, together with some remarks on the religious state of these countries

Front matter

HBrarnmaiid, del* Sdm&UHarlaiLe Liflf "Eeliif IHE &EIKDELWALD taœ &lEap&E@»ia§ TH U N CASTLE from the grounds of the Chartreuse S.I)Tun:monu..u.el! . S to&St MiTarkne. Iras, idir SCENES AND IMPRESSIONS IN SWITZERLAND AND THE NORTH OF ITALY TOGETHER WITH SOME REMARKS ON THE RELIGIOUS STATE OF THESE COUNTRIES, TAKEN FROM THE NOTES OF A FOUR MONTHS' TOUR DURING THE SUMMER OF 18.2. HY THE REV. D. T. K. DRUMMOND, rffCUMB-BHT OF ST. THOMAS' ENGLISH EPISCOPAL CHAPEL, EDINBURGH. EDINBUKGH: WILLIAM P. KENNEDY, ST. ANDREW STREET. LONDON : HAMILTON, ADAMS, AND CO. DUBLIN : J. M'GLASIIAN. KnCCCT-IlI. EDINBURGH . T. COJWT/JP^^-^rt/TB^ JE)n *FR MA.TESTT. THIS VOLUME IS DEDICATED TO THE CONGREGATION OF ST. THOMAS' EPISCOPAL CHAPEL WITH EVERY FEELING OF RESPECT AND AFFECTION BY THEIR FAITHFUL FRIEND AND PASTOR D. T. K. DRUMMOND. CONTENTS. PAGE I .NTUoinKn-iox, .......... vii

Introduction

. A man instinctively raises his hand to ward off a blow, and in like manner an author instinctively writes a preface to ward off criticism. The latter is my present plight. I wish, if possible, to bespeak the reader's lenient judgment, for the notes of my journal in the following pages. Had any one a year ago told me that I should write a journal, to say nothing of publishing it, I should certainly have considered it about the most unlikely thing I could ever be brought to undertake. Here, however, are my reasons for doing so now. On leaving home, last summer, for an ab sence of six months from my congregation, I felt that it would be a relief and comfort to my own mind, to keep up such a communication with them, as might, in some measure at least, tend to mitigate a trial in many respects so painful to me.

Accordingly, I wrote a pastoral letter to my beloved flock every month, which, I believe, was always read on the Monday following each communion Sabbath. Besides this, knowing the affectionate interest with which they followed me, I thought it not unlikely that they

INTRODUCTION.

. VIII might lie interested to hear from time to time of the jour neyings of their invalid Pastor. This, I confess, gave a zest to journal-writing, which I never could otherwise have conceived it to possess. And so I not only wrote, but sent home the brief memorials of all I saw or heard which interested me. On my return home, I was so pressed to publish, by those for whose pleasure the journal was originally written, that I felt I had no alternative. This will account for the style in which it is written. I wrote for the express purpose that others should read, but, assuredly, not with the remotest intention of publishing. It certainly appears a bold thing to publish a journal, at this time of day, regarding countries, every nook and corner of which have been ransacked by numberless travellers, and all valuable and interesting information about which has already been recorded.

Still I can find some excuses for my temerity. My first is in the partiality of my friends, whose interest will be called forth by the following pages, because they are interested in the author. My next is, in the fact, that in these days, when the ends of the earth are brought together, and accounts of the most distant and hitherto inaccessible countries are multiplied, some passing reference to nearer scenes, beginning to be over looked and almost forgotten, might perhaps revive a transient interest in the latter ; — while my last excuse is derived from that which, at first sight, would appear to make it inexcusable, namely, the large number of persons who annually visit, and see, with their own eyes, the scenes I have feebly endeavoured to sketch. This, in realitv su°-

INTRODUCTION.

. IX gests some sort of an apology for my venturing to offer my journal to the perusal of others beyond my own imme diate circle of friends. Formerly, travels in Italy and Switzerland were written to let people who never moved from home know what these countries were like ; now, the greater number of those who will read the following pages have probably been travellers themselves, and so it may be, that to them a slight reminiscence of what they have seen, while it adds nothing to their information, may nevertheless be not unacceptable, as recalling to their memory, with more or less vividness, impressions which, during their own wanderings, had given them so much pleasure. I confess, however, that having laid aside my scruples. and yielded to the kind wishes of others, I was the less disinclined to proceed with what I had undertaken, because it afforded me an opportunity of doing, what I have attempted at the close of this volume to accomplish, namely, to draw attention to the present interesting condi tion of Italy, not in its political but religious aspect, and to point out the best means by which the sympathy and the energy of British Christians may be devoted to the help of that unhappy country.

If the thoughts I have ventured to express on this subject shall awaken an interest on behalf of Italy in one breast, I shall be grateful indeed ; and if they shall lead to strenuous exertions on behalf of our brethren there, then the publishing of this volume will be matter of unceasing joy to me to the end of my days. May He, whose are the kingdoms of this world and the b

INTRODUCTION.

. X glory of them, grant His blessing on this effort to disperse darkness both moral, intellectual, and spiritual, and to promote the welfare of his own people ! There is one subject which I could have wished to bring fully before the reader, in connexion with the religious state of Italy and Switzerland, and that is the foreign chaplaincies. This, however, I have found it impossible to accomplish. I would then merely state here, that on the whole there is great improvement in the appointments to those charges, though much remains to be done. The number of them is increasing very rapidly ; and I need not say that in the way of example to foreigners, it be comes a matter of the deepest importance to have them occupied by faithful, spiritually-ruinded men. Those who are travelling, or who have travelled abroad, ought to take a lively interest in all endeavours to have these outposts of British Protestantism well and efficiently pro vided for.

A very little zeal, a few timely inquiries, and some judicious counsel, will very often prevent the appointment of an unsuitable person, and be the means of securing one who will adorn his Master's gospel in all things, both as an " able minister of the New Testa ment," and " an ensample to believers in word and conver sation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, and in purity." I need scarcely say, that my valued friend and fellow traveller, whose name appears in my journal, has permitted me so to use it ; but I cannot refrain from expressing in a single sentence here, the sincere and unmixed pleasure with which I look back upon our intercourse together. The

INTRODUCTION.

. XI believer, wherever he may be, cannot feel alone with his Bible at hand, but it is specially refreshing to him to have a fellowpilgrim with him at his side, who knows and loves that Bible too, with whom he can take sweet counsel, not only in the journeyings of earth, but in walking together to the house of Ood in heaven. I have to thank my be loved friend for many hours of such fellowship. I feel that I should be doing injustice to the excellent men who attended us in our rambles, if I omitted to men tion their names and their addresses specifically in this place. The one is Jean Tairraz, one of the Chamouny guides, who has been fom* or five times on the summit of Mont Blanc, and who may be always heard of at his cousin's, the landlord of the Hotel de Londres, Chamouny ; the other is Jean Bohren, one of the Bernese Oberland guides, and who can always be found by addressing him at Thun, Canton Berne.

It is impossible to over-estimate the services of these men, acting either as guides among the hills, or as couriers iu other parts of the country. Their knowledge — their high principle — their integrity, and their kindliness of disposition and manner, made them invaluable to us. Either for Switzerland or Italy, I should unhesitatingly prefer them as servants to any of the large class of regular couriers who are to be found in London, Paris, or Geneva. I wish it had been possible to present before the reader several of the more remarkable scenes I visited, in sketches similar to the few which accompany this volume, and which, as I must say nothing regarding the original artist,

INTRODUCTION.

. I consider reflect great credit on the lithography of Messrs. Schenck and M'Farlane. This, however, is impossible. My own pencil is too rude and unskilful for such work ; and I had not the' happiness of having with me in my tra vels the hand which can so faithfully and rapidly transfer to the sketch-book the grandeur and the beauty of each passing scene. MOKTPELIEK, El'lNItUnGII, 15th December 1852.

Chapter I. The

JURA— BERNE— THUN— THE SIMMENTHAL— THE SAANEN— BULLB— ST. DENIS— VEVAY— LAUSANNE. Maison Ried, Thun, May 28, 1852. We have been most graciously favoured throughout our journey hither by a kind and watchful Providence. Not an accident of any kind, not even a single cause of temporary alarm, and only one forenoon of wet weather ! We came on to Thun on the 26th, and yesterday we sheltered our selves in this little cottage. It is impossible to describe my sensations on entering into this glorious country. Our journey on Monday from Basle through the Val Mouticr or Miinster Thai, was one of the most splendid that can be conceived for variety and magnificence of scenery. Enormous cliffs overhanging the road — gigantic moun tains appearing to pierce the skies, as they closed in on every side — the contrast between the pale bluish grey of the rocks, and the brilliant verdure of the grassy slopes, together with the interminable forests of trees of every A imaginable kind and hue, enlivened the whole way by the lovely stream of the Birs, tinted to the most delicate sea green by the melting glaciers, made altogether a scene so surpassingly rich, lovely, and sublime, as to make one feel that nothing was left to desire.

I had considerably chast ened my expectations of Switzerland, from the conviction that drawings of scenery are generally exaggerated, but no picture can approach the reality of that gorge in the great range of the Jura mountains. As we descended from the Pass on this side, we got our first distant view of the mighty Alps. The spur of the mountain range, down which we were rapidly descending, widened before us, and we saw a panorama of Alps extending to more than a hun dred miles in length, and being about fifty miles distant, set as it were in the gorgeous framework of blended rock and tree of the great Jura, through which we were ardently gazing. On Tuesday evening we drove into Berne, the seat of the Federal Government of Switzerland, and now we were approaching nearer and nearer to " the chief things of the ancient mountains," and " the utmost bound of the ever lasting hills !"

As we approached the capital, which is most beautifully situated, and passed along a kind of ter raced road, the whole of the Bernese Alps, the mighty Oberland burst upon our view. If we had been five minutes sooner or later, we should have missed what we did see, just as we passed along the terrace for that space of time, — the whole range glowing like fire in the rays of the setting sun. We were quite overpowered — to speak THUN. was impossible. The only thing that I can at all compare to my sensations at that moment, are the solemn and awful. yet calm and. happy emotions, that are sometimes expe rienced in the house of God, and in the midst of the great congregation. On Wednesday we reached Thun, which lies nestled at the very portals of the Alps, with the richest valleys sweeping away from it to the north, and its lovely lake reflecting the black masses of the nearer hills, and the pure white of the loftier range behind.

Just conceive, the first sight which met my eye on awaking this morning was the rugged peak of the Stockhorn, which rises on this side with great abruptness from the plain, and which is still streaked with snow. What a view ! not merely from a bed-room window, but from bed ! Then from our large balcony to the south-east, how shall I describe the scene ! It makes me an idle man, for I can do little else than run every now and then to gaze at it. First, around us are the beautifully kept vineyards of the proprietor of the cottage, richly cultivated fields and pastures of the most brilliant green. On the left a rugged steep, with here and there a lovely Swiss cottage perched on a little slope, or half hidden amid limes, chestnuts, and lilacs. Rock and wood blended to gether in most exquisite harmony complete the foreground, together with a wood of old beech and fir to the right, in which are shaded walks and terraced paths.

Over this lies, like a sheet of molten silver, the lake of Thun, and beyond, filling up the picture — the glory of glories, the range of Bernese Alps. We have nearest, and frowning down upon us as if keeping watch and ward over the mighty region be yond, the Niesen, with his sharp-peaked summit and pre cipitous sides. Then to the right, the Doldeifliorn with his crown of snow, and the singular and fantastic Stockhorn. To the left, and filling up a mighty space, reclines in majesty the Blumlis Alp, perhaps the most beautiful of all the range. Never in the hottest summer does that pure dazzling robe of white disappear. The eternal snow lies there, not broken into immense patches as on the other hills, by enormous masses of black rock, like scars on its beauty, but spread out with queenly dignity like a royal robe of glittering white.

Then, still more to the left, springs up into the sky the brightest and grandest of all, the Jungfrau ; while beyond are the Monch, the Eigher, &c, standing like the barriers of another world. I can only say that, as far as my experience goes, it is impossible for any expectation to be disappointed when the real scene lies before you. I never dreamed of so lovely and sublime a country. It is difficult to believe in its reality ; one almost expects to see it fade away like the creation of some fairy tale or a vision of the night, and leave not a trace behind. Our first Sabbath on the Continent was spent at Basle ; there is perhaps more outward decency in regard to the Sabbath there than in most other towns to be met with on the Continent. It was unfortunate that the little English chapel in connexion with the hotel was not opened.

Bv a mistake of the waiter, we found ourselves in a French Pro testant church where the service was in German. We had THUN 5 a church in the house, however, and singularly enough the chapter which came in my own course of reading, and which I read and expounded to my family, was the Kith of St. John. Nothing could be more appropriate. Christ consoles his people with the promise of the Comforter, and the very pith and marrow of that consolation may be ex pressed in the beautiful lines of our hymn, — " Where'er they seek the« thou art found, And every spot is hallowed ground." We thought of all our beloved ones at home, and our hearts yearned after them ; but we felt that the great pro mise was really fulfilled, for we enjoyed communion with them all. Distance could not really separate us, sea and land together were but feeble barriers when met by the mightiness of that j>romise, " He shall take of mine and shew it unto you ;" and when we prayed for those far away, we felt that they were praying for us — that we were in the light of the same Sun of Righteousness, all enjoying after our measure the blessings of that communion in the kingdom of grace, which the Spirit administers, and which are but a pledge and an antepast of the perfect communion which we hope to enjoy hereafter. 12th June. — We begin to feel quite settled in our Swiss home.

We have had some delightful rambles in the neighbourhood, visiting Interlaken and the Valley of Lauterbrunnen, with its wondrous Staubbach Fall. I expect my excellent friend, Mr. Macdonald of Rossie Castle, this afternoon, with his brother-in-law, who are to join me in a short tour through Switzerland and part of Italy. fi Monday, 14th June. — Left my sweet mountain-home this morning, and started with my two friends. Sor rowful leave-takings and pleasant anticipations blended ; the bitter and the sweet mingled, just as it ever is, more or less, and ought to be, in a world which it is indeed fatal to make a place of rest, and equally fatal not to make a place of hope. The first part of our drive was most enjoyable. The valley of the Simmenthal, through which our route lay, was magnificent. Some splendid peeps of the Blumlis, the Schreckhorn, the Wetterhorn, &c. The gorge of the valley, as it branches off from the road to Frutigen, is glorious ; the river far down below rushing impetuously on ; the green, green fields around, with all the tokens of successful industry ; and looking calm and beautiful, a fine old castle, (Wimmis,) a good type of man's decay, amid the ever returning spring of nature ; above are the grand pine forests creeping up the slopes of the hills, and fringing their rugged edges ; ancl above all the serene white of the everlasting snow, contrasting finely in its calm repose, with the turbulent, noisy, dashing, changing stream below.

It was the stream of time flowing on in presence of eternity. By the time we reached Boltingen, about half-past eleven o'clock, the weather changed, the clouds hung darkly and heavily on the hills, and then followed a perfect deluge of rain. Even through the rain and the mist, however, we could perceive that we were passing through most mao-ni ficent scenery, particularly on a long ascent, near the head of the valley. Still we were very glad to be able to close SAANEN. i the carriage and make all snug within. It is not always that poor humanity has a loophole of retreat from out ward trouble ! As we reached the level, where the carriage road leaves the River Simmen, which it had followed almost all the way from Thun, the wind increased to a gale, and the cold became intense. We soon entered the little miserable village of Saanen, where we had to remain shivering till the poor horses got their allowance of bread and water.

While stamping along the streets, trying to get something like circulation into our feet, a poor woman addressed us in English ! She had seen and recognised us as foreigners, and could not resist speaking to us ; she is a native of Hamp shire, but married a Swiss, and has been settled at Saanen for nearly thirty years. How strong is the love of country ! Though she has a large family, and has become entirely one with the people in the land of her adoption, tears came to her eyes at the very sound of her native tongue, and she sighed deeply and too manifestly from the heart, when she sadly expressed her fear, that noiv she could never expect to see her own country any more. Why should not Chris tian hearts glow as warmly towards their heavenly country ? And why should not the language of Caanan sound equally at least as music to the ear, and thrill upon the soul, as the accents of those earthly languages which, as they exist, are but indications of our fall ? 15th June. — We reached Chateau d'Oex, our quarters for the night, about eight o'clock, with great satisfaction, though not without difficulty.

After leaving Saanen, one of the horses chose to get sulky at several hills, and budge lie would not ; so we had nothing for it but to jump out in all the rain and wind, and by dint of sheer force, two-at the wheels and two behind, vie forced him on. The bttle inn where we slept was very comfortable, and the people very obliging ; we had, however, among other curiosities, the smallest apologies for basins I ever witnessed, a moderate sized slop-bowl would have been quite a tresor trouve. The next morning dawned even as the preceding evening had closed, with rain and cold. Very much fresh snow had fallen, not only on the higher mountains, but almost to the level of the village, (about 3000 feet above the sea,) and it was most exciting to look out in the middle of June, and to see the bloom, the verdure, and the richness of summer at your feet, and within five minutes' walk, the trees sil vered over with snow, and winter's train sweeping by.

Many cattle in the neighbourhood were overtaken by the storm and killed. Hundreds came rushing down into the valley, and were found in the morning in fields and orchards, and in fact in every place, except where they were expected. Of course the walk we had proposed for ourselves over the shoulder of the Jaman was out of the question. The fresh snow would have made the road very difficult in some places, and besides we should have been in the clouds the whole day, so we made a merit of necessity, and went on in the carriage to Vevay. Nothing could exceed the beauty of the hedge-rows for several miles of the road after leaving Chateau d'Oex. They were truly English with the addition of some most splendid flowers, which BULLE ST. DENIS. 9 only stirred up my envy because I could not get at them.

For four or five miles the new road had not been com pleted, and the old almost destroyed, so we had to pass over some rather curious bits of carriage way, especially as all the streams were flooded by the melting snow. We came to a bridge which was originally intended to lead the road over the water, but being half broken down by the torrent, it was leading the road through the water, with large rocks and stones falling on it from the precipices above. Over it, however, we went, wondering a little whether we were to finish our journey by water. We thought we had got clear of it, when our sulky grey horse chose again to stand still before the hind wheels were clear of the stream. Fortunately we were able to jump out clear of the water, though drenched with the rain, and again we had to help our horses onwards.

Thus, by dint of horses and men, we got the carriage and the luggage safe on to Bulle, where we dined. This is a very pretty clean looking town in Canton Friburg. Our next start in the afternoon was for Vevay, and I became much ex cited with the expectation of seeing that lake of which I had heard, and read, and dreamed so much. The first part of the road lay through a very beautiful and highly cultivated country, the gorge of the Saanen trending to the left, with the striking castle and fort of the Counts of Gruyeres, and in front appeared the rugged peaks of the hills on the Savoy side of the lake of Geneva. We halted for a few minutes at a small village called St. Denis, about seven miles from Vevay, just before you leave the Catholic Canton of Friburg for the Protestant Canton of Vaud.

While there I strolled into the church-yard, ancl had a glorious view of the Jaman ancl the valley of the Veveuyse, not however untroubled, for the Papists had selected that very spot, the finest possible for a view, to plant one of their great staring crosses about twenty feet high, with all sorts of unpleasant inscriptions on it. I wandered back through the church-yard. There was a new made grave. It was the end of the pilgrimage to some weary worn-out traveller. Ah, what matters the change by the way — what matters it if the journey be long or short, in summer or in winter, if the grave be only the gate of everlasting life. Is that wanderer at peace ? I thought. The chanting of the requiem over his grave will not give it. The blood, the precious blood alone, can do that. Then as I passed to an obscure part of the cemetery where lay the poor of the village, I could not help thinking that perhaps here, where many a short and careless prayer had been muttered over the body, God might have had some hidden ones — some who in spite of their system, still trusted simply in their Redeemer and were saved, " yet so as by fire."

After leaving St. Denis, the country began to assume a character of peculiar beauty and grandeur. On the left there was a splendid view up towards the Jaman, and a single peep of the lake Leman in front roused me to a very high pitch of enthusiasm. The afternoon had cleared a little, and I was full of hope ; but, alas, like many other earthly things, just when I expected the full enjoyment of one of the most beautiful roads in Switzerland down VEVAY 11 dropped the clouds again, and all was thick and sombre. It was a little trial of patience. However, I had hardly begun to feel perfectly satisfied with the wet and the dul ness, since it was to be so — when to my unspeakable delight, and all unexpectedly, a puff of wind suddenly dispersed the clouds, and the whole glory and loveliness of the scene burst upon me.

There is a very long zig-zag road for several miles down to Vevay, ancl I immediately jumped out of the carriage, followed by Macdonald, and we walked on, sending the carriage before us. We thoroughly en joyed it. The valley of the Rhone lay mapped out before us at the head of the lake — rich, verdant, sparkling in the evening sun, with the serpent-like twisting of the river throughout, until the rugged hills of the gorge in the far distance, topped by the beautiful snowy peaks of the Dent de-Midi, closed the view. Vevay lay at our feet, though from the many twists and turns of our road, about three miles off. Clarens, Montreux, and the castle of Chillon, filled up the wondrous picture between Vevay and the Rhone. Opposite were the rugged and massive hills of Savoy, and the lovely lake stretched far away in the dis tance to the right — looking more like an arm of the sea than a lake, with its soft waves dancing and glimmering in the evening sun, strange ancl fairy-like tints of blue and purple and green flitting over its surface, with here and there a little threatening-like squall, as if to warn the fascinated traveller not to trust implicitly to the gentle smile that rivetted his gaze.

The scene was indeed en chanting. I shall never forget the impression made on my mind by it. I think I never felt so full of quiet happy rapture, in looking at the grand and the beautiful in nature, ancl I think I did feel too, with something of a grateful heart, the great kindness of my heavenly Father, in permitting me in his providence fully to enjoy the scene before me. Oh, how unutterably sweet it is to wait on him for all things — to hide " in the secret place of the most high" when the storm is abroad, and to " walk in the light of his countenance," when he says to the storm, " Peace, be still." There is an English chaplain resident at Vevay, and, as far as we could learn, he seems to be a faithful and a good man. The congregation has very much increased during the last year or two.

Formerly a room in the Hotel des Trois Couronnes was found sufficient, but they are obliged now to rent a large room in the town, in order to accommodate the worshippers. 16. h June. — We were favoured with a brilliant morning. After breakfast, ancl while waiting for the steamer from the head of the lake to take us to Lausanne, I walked on the flat roof of the hotel. I had it all to myself for half an hour, and enjoyed it exceedingly. I could look from the quiet grandeur and loveliness of the panorama round me, down to the bustle and turmoil of the people below, who were preparing to put off in the hotel boat to the steamer. The contrast between the silent eloquence of nature, and gab bling, gossiping, flaunting humanity, was very much to the disadvantage of the latter. We enjoyed a delightful sail of about an hour on the lake to Lausanne, or rather to Ouchy, which is the port of Lausanne, being about a LAUSANNE. 13 mile distant from it.