22 Hotiicultural Jottanda 



with rubbish and leaves, whose jet d'eau has long ceased to 

 murmur; a dark green moss covering every walk, and the old 

 bosquet [thicket] is a jungle of weeds. 



The reflections suggested by visiting this spot are any 

 thing but pleasant. Perhaps no man ever attained greater 

 literary popularity during his lifetime than Voltaire : in fact, 

 his death was caused by overwhelming admiration and public 

 honours; yet few men's memories are dwelt on with less sym- 

 pathy, or fewer praises. Among all that deserves repre- 

 hension, it is consolatory to find some traits related that 

 bespeak benevolence of disposition. All that deserves praise 

 in his voluminous writings is his poignant wit, and the elegant 

 speciousness with which he was able to clothe the weakest 

 sophistry. But he has made no discoveries, and has added 

 nothing to the stock of human knowledge ; and, however he 

 may have been instrumental in promoting the misery, it is 

 certain he has devised nothing to increase the happiness, 

 of man. [Our own opinion of Voltaire, and of the good done 

 by him, differs widely from that of our correspondent.] 



A steam-boat now plies upon Lake Leman, from and to 

 Geneva, touching at most of the principal towns upon the 

 shores of this magnificent sheet of water. This lake, certainly 

 the most beautiful and one of the most extensive in Europe, 

 is of nearly the shape of a half-moon, the convex side of which 

 is towards the north. It is about eighteen leagues in length, 

 and four in breadth ; its depth varies from 40 ft. to 900 ft. ; 

 its height above the level of the sea is about 1000 ft. It 

 receives the waters of upwards of forty rivers, of which the 

 Rhone is the largest. Owing to its great average depth, it 

 never freezes, except near the edge in very severe winters. 

 Similar agitations to those once observed in Loch Tay, in 

 Scotland, have been seen in it ; namely, sudden rising and 

 falling of the waters, at particular spots, above and below their 

 usual level, succeeded by oscillations, until they return to 

 their ordinary situations. This phenomenon may arise either 

 from landslips, so to speak, tciking place under the water ; 

 that is to say, large masses of debris detached by the water 

 falling from the sides of subaqueous precipices, or from the 

 water suddenly forcing its way into large cavities or sub- 

 aqueous caverns, which, from the nature of the strata, are not 

 unlikely to exist- in Lake Leman. It contains a great many 

 species of fish. I have not had an opportunity of examining 

 the washes of its shores ; but from their mineral composition, 

 at least on the Jura side, they do not seem likely to afford a 

 very rich botanical harvest. 



There is but a single islet in the lake, so small as to be 



