ENVIRONS OF NICE. 429 



forenoon's ride of the town of Nice, one mile and a half from 

 which, I resided. 



I may notice, however, that if the circle were narrow, the 

 country possessed peculiar advantages, in the wonderful un- 

 evenness of a surface, which, beyond the little plain, seldom 

 presented one hundred yards of flat ground; and while it afforded 

 the most ample opportunities for investigating its geological 

 structure, the pleasing and diversified aspects, which this broken 

 ground, clothed with the orange and the olive, every where 

 presented, stimulated as well as recompensed the labours of 

 research. 



On my arrival at Nice, I by no means anticipated much in- 

 terest in my examinations, from the constant occurrence of 

 limestone ; but with the assistance of M. Risso, a gentle- 

 man who has recommended himself to the scientific world, by 

 several very interesting works on Natural History *, who kind- 

 ly pointed out such objects as had previously attracted the at- 

 tention of observers, I was quickly undeceived, and found, not- 

 withstanding the apparent uniformity of the country, that it 

 contained much matter for the contemplation of the geologist, 

 and afforded materials which seem to bring down the ope- 

 rations of Nature to a less remote period than is done by 



the 



mainder continues only practicable to mules and pedestrians. So much were the 

 Genoese (now also Sardinian subjects) sensible of the advantage which this road 

 would be to them, that they offered, after the restoration, to accomplish the un- 

 dertaking, on being allowed to reimburse themselves by means of a toll ; but the 

 proposal was rejected. It is curious to reflect, that this road, now so unfit for 

 the purposes of communication, was the great Roman way into Spain, and the 

 same by which the armies of Charles V. invaded France during his contests with 

 Francis I. 



* His last publication is entitled, Histoire Naturelk de Crustaces des Environs 

 de Nice. Paris, 1816. 



