XXIX " SCENERY OF SWITZERLAND " 61 



logical happenings. The author reads sermons 

 out of these stones, glaciers, precipices, moun- 

 tains. It is that which gives the book vital 

 interest. He worked at his subject in the course 

 of very many tours, of which casual mention has 

 been made now and again, in this region, which 

 had a special charm for him. He enjoyed many 

 a long talk, as well as walk, with his friend, the 

 distinguished Swiss geologist. Dr. Heim, and 

 there are many letters preserved in his correspond- 

 ence which show that his indefatigable industry 

 did not shrink from any trouble which promised 

 to throw light on the more doubtful problems 

 presented by the subject. The minute character 

 of his enquiries may be inferred from the follow- 

 ing letters : 



ZuBicH, Suisse, 

 8.2.1896. 



My dear Sie John — Indeed there can be no doubt 

 the delta of the Liitsdime upon which Interlaken is 

 situated must have nearly 300 m. of thickness. 



The Simplonprofil in the Livret-guide seems to me 

 not to be quite sure. I believe there is some exaggera- 

 tion in the folding. I was some time there, and always 

 regarded it as much more simple. But I am not in 

 the position to prove my doubts — I believe it to be 

 only so (a rough diagram here follows) : I found the 

 profil in the Livret-guide in such a degree uncertain, 

 that I would not give it in a book like yours — that's 

 my feeling. 



The foliation of the gneisses is a very complex 

 phenomenon, and in many different manners it has been 

 developed. 



In some gneisses the foliation may be caused by 

 primary sedimentation, in others by chemical change- 

 ments under the weight of the upper-lying rocks, in 

 others by both together. 



In these two cases the foliation is first concordant 

 with the stratification and primarily horizontal. 



