508 SWITZERLAND. 



Unterwalden.* The model was twelve feet long, and nine and a half: 

 broad. • The composition is principally a mastic ot charcoal, lime* 

 clay, a little pitch, with a thin coat of wax: and is so hard as to be 

 trod upon without receiving the least damage. The whole is. paint- 

 ed with different colours, representing the objects as they appear in 

 nature. It is worthy of particular observation, that not only the 

 woods of oak, beech, pine, and other trees, are distinguished, but also 

 that the strata of the several rocks are marked, each being shaped 

 upon the spot, and formed with granite, gravel, calcareous stone, or 

 such other natural substances as compose the original mountains. 

 The plan is indeed so minutely exact, that it comprises not only all 

 the mountains, lakes, towns, villages, and forests ; but every cottage, 

 every torrent, every road, and even every path, is distinctly and ac- 

 curately represented. The general takes his elevation from the level 

 of the lake of Lucern, which, according to M. de Saussure, is about 

 fourteen hundred and eight feet above the Mediterranean. This' 

 model, exhibiting the most mountainous parts of Switzerland, con- 

 veys a sublime picture of immense Alps piled one upon another ; as 

 if the story of the Titans were realised, and they had succeeded (at 

 least in one spot of the globe) in heaping Ossa upon Pelion, and 

 Olympus upon Ossa. From the account of this officer, it appears, 

 that there are continued chains of mountains of the same elevation, 

 rising in progression to the highest range, and from thence gradually 

 descending in the same proportion to Italy. 



Population, national character, manners, customs The 



population of this country has already been given, accoi'ding to the 

 latest estimates, under the article Divisions. The Swiss area brave, 

 hardy, industrious people, remarkable for their fidelity, and their zeal- 

 ous attachment to the liberties of their country. Like the old Romans, 

 they are equally inured to arms and agriculture. A general simplicity 

 of manners, and open and unaffected frankness, together with an in- 

 vincible spirit of freedom, are the most distinguishing characteristics 

 of the inhabitants of Switzerland. A very striking proof of the sim- 

 plicity and openness of manners of this people, and of astonishing 

 confidence, is mentioned by Mr. Coxe, who says, upon the authority 

 of general Pfiffer, that, on each side of the road that runs through the 

 valley of Muotta, in the canton of Schweitz, there are several ranges 

 of small shops uninhabited, yet filled with various goods, of which the 

 prices are marked : any passengers who wish to become purchasers, 

 enter the shops, take away the merchandise, and deposit the price, 

 which the owners call for in the evening. They are in general a very 

 enlightened nation ; their common people are far more intelligent 

 than the same rank of men in most other countries ; a taste for 

 literature is very prevalent among those who are in better circum- 

 stances, and even among many of the lowest rank ; and a genuine and 

 unartful good breeding is extremely conspicuous in the Swiss gentry. 

 On the first entrance into this country, the traveller cannot but ob- 

 serve the air of content and satisfaction which appears in the coun- 

 tenances of the inhabitants. The cleanliness of the houses, and of 

 the people, is peculiarly striking; and in all their manners, behaviour, 

 and dress, some strong outlines may be traced, which distinguish this 

 happy people from the neighbouring nations, who labour under the 



* Count Stolberg, who saw this model in 1791, says of it: ,c This model, the 

 size of which is vast, contains 220 square leagues." 



