SWITZERLAND. 505 



ed to a considerable depth with a mantle of snow, almost without the 

 intervention of the least rock to break the glare of the white appear- 

 ance. According to the calculation of M. de Luc (by whose im- 

 provement of the barometer elevations are taken with a degree of ac- 

 curacy before unattainable) the height of this mountain above the le- 

 vel of the sea is 23911 French toises, or 15,304 English feet; or ac- 

 cording to sir George Shuckborough, 15,662 feet, which gives a dif- 

 ference of only 358 feet. The peaks of Teneriffe and the summit of 

 ./Etna have been frequently supposed to be the highest points of the 

 globe : but from the most accurate observations it will be found that 

 Mont Blanc is of much more elevation, and that there are no moun- 

 tains (except those in America, particularly Chimboraco, the highest 

 point of the Cordilleras, the elevation of which, according to Conda- 

 mine, surpasses 3000 toises, or 19,200 feet, but according to others, 

 20,608 feet) which are equal in altitude to Mont Blanc. 



Lakes. ...The principal lakes of Switzerland are, the lake of Con- 

 stance, called by the Germans the Boden See, which is about 45 miles 

 in length and 15 in breadth ; and the lake of Geneva, about 40 miles 

 long and nine at its greatest breadth. The other lakes are those of 

 Lucern, Zurich, Thun, Bienne, or Biel, and Brentz. 



Rivers.. ..The chief rivers are the Rhine (which rises in the chain, 

 of mountains bordering on St. Gothard) the Rhone, the Aar, the 

 Reuss, the Tesin, the Oglio, and the Limmat. 



Metals and Minerals. ...The mountains contain mines of iron, 

 crystal, virgin sulphur, and springs of mineral waters. 



Climate, soil, and agriculture. ...From the mountainous nature 

 ot this country, around which the Alps form an amphitheatre of more 

 than 100 miles, the frosts are severe in winter, the eminences being" 

 covered with snow sometimes alHhe year long. In summer the ine- 

 quality of the soil renders the same province very unequal in its sea- 

 sons: on one side of the mountains the inhabitants are often reaping, 

 while they are sowing on another. The vallies, however, are warm, 

 and fruitful, and well cultivated ; and nothing can be more delightful 

 than the summer months in this charming country It is subject to 

 rains and tempests; for which reason public granaries are everywhere 

 erected, to supply the failure of the crops. 



There is perhaps, no country in the world where the advantageous 

 effects of unwearied and persevering industry are more remarkably- 

 conspicuous than in Switzerland. In passing over the mountainous 

 parts, the traveller h> struck with admiration, to observe rocks that 

 were formerly barren now planted with vines, or abounding with rich 

 pasture ; and to mark the traces of the plough along the»sides of pre- 

 cipices so steep, that a horse could not even mount them without 

 great difficulty. In short, the inhabitants seem to have surmounted 

 every obstruction which soil, situation, and climate, have thrown in 

 their way, and to have spread fertility over various spots of the coun- 

 try, which nature seemed to have consigned to everlasting barrenness. 

 The feet of the mountains, and sometimes also the very summets, are 

 covered with vineyards, corn-fields, meadows, and pasture-grounds. 

 Other parts of this country are more dreary, consisting almost entire- 

 ly of barren and inaccessible rocks, some of which are continually co- 

 vered with snow or ice. The vallies between these icy and snowy 

 mountains appear like so many smooth frozen lakes, and from the 

 latter vast fragments of ice frequently fall down into the more fruitful 

 Vol. I. 3 T 



