MAN AND NATURE. 289 



through a deep ravine, is spanned over in mid-air by 

 this bridge, uniting the dominions of Canada and the 

 United States. In another and distant region of Eng- 

 land's power, the East Indian railways show some 

 works of this kind (as the great bridge across the 

 Jumna) almost rivalling those of the Western World. 



Look further at those admirable constructions, both 

 in Europe and America, by which the railroad is carried 

 across mountain chains, climbing tortuously their steep 

 acclivities, or forced by tunnels through the rock. In 

 the Copiapo Eailway of Chili, the locomotive carries 

 its train 4,070 feet above the sea. In the several rail- 

 roads which cross the Alleghany Mountains the summit- 

 levels are from 2,000 to 3,000 feet. The new Empire 

 of Brazil boasts a work of similar kind, just completed. 

 In the section, now open, of the St. Ander railroad, in 

 Spain, an elevation is reached of 2,524 feet. The Som- 

 mering Pass, between Vienna and Gratz, carries the 

 traveller 3,000 feet above the sea. Tunnels from two 

 to three miles in length are familiar to us in England 

 and elsewhere. That which is now in progress under 

 Mont Cenis has for its object and ambition to win a 

 passage into Italy without crossing the Alps. To the 

 modern engineer the phrase of the poet 



Opposuit natura Alpemque nivemque 



comes as an incentive rather than an admonition. It 

 is probable that this object will eventually be accom- 

 plished. But is it worth the accomplishment? We, 

 as old Italian travellers, think not. We can hardly 

 desire, indeed, to fall back upon the time when car- 



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