ETHNOLOGY OF THE PRESENT DAY. I53. 



scarlet waistcoats, over which green suspenders arc worn, jackets of various 

 colors, green or blue stockings, and broad-brimmed black or green hats, with 

 riband. 



The uprightness of the Tyrolese is well known. They arc a very religious 

 people ; industrious and frugal, ingenious, courageous, and high-minded ; they 

 combine with the love of their native land a great ])ropensity to travel ; arc 

 always of a cheerful and gay disposition ; and. like tlie Styrians, are fond of 

 sino-infT:. yodeln, whistlins:, music, and danciu";. 



The Swiss (with the exception of the inhabitants of the canton Tessin, 

 who are of Italian descent, and those of the canton Geneva, and the people 

 living on the confines of France, who are of French lineage) are likewise 

 of German origin. At the fall of the Roman Empire of the West, the 

 Alcmanni, Burgundians, and Ostrogoths took possession of the almost 

 depopulated country, permitting the aborigines, the Helvetians, to retain 

 their customs and laws. By this means the different stocks became inter- 

 mixed, and the German stock remained at last predominant. The Swiss 

 appear to be, in general, an excellent people ; they are vigorous in body 

 and energetic in character. The women are generally very pretty, and 

 sometimes even of exquisite beauty, a remark which applies particularly 

 to those living in the Hasli valley in the highlands of Berne, as they exhibit 

 softer features and more delicate figures than the women of other cantons. 

 The Swiss are a truthful and honest people, who steadfastly retain their 

 original character, and are immovably attached to their native land, and to the 

 customs of their forefathers, from whom they have inherited the most ardent 

 love of liberty. In some cantons, manufactures and commerce, facilitated by 

 excellent hio-hwavs, are in a most flourisliinsi- condition. Cattle breedini^ and 

 alpine husbandry form, however, the principal pursuits of the people. The 

 cantons Lucerne, Schwytz. Uri, Unterwalden, Zug, Freiburg, Solothurn, Tes- 

 sin, and Valais are Roman Catholic ; Zurich, Berne, Basle, Schaffhausen^ 

 Geneva, and Neufchatel, are Calvinistic ; Grisons, St. Gall, Appenzell, Glarus, 

 Thurgau, Aargau, and Vaud, profess different creeds. The Roman Catho- 

 lics constitute about three eighths of the inhabitants. The male dress varies 

 less than that of the female sex, the latter being different in almost every 

 canton. 



After the foreo^oinor considerations of these different German nations, or at 

 least nations speaking the German language, we proceed to view them in 

 general, with reference to their mental and bodily condition. Notwith- 

 standing the climate, formerly so inclement, has become mild by the clearing 

 of the forests, and in spite of the introduction of foreign customs and vices, 

 by which the descendants of the ancient Germans have been, in a measure, 

 effeminated, very vigorous forms are still found, especially amongst the 

 mountaineers ; and fidelity, honesty, candor, frugality, and industry, are the 

 predominant virtues of the German people. Their correct judgment, their 

 perseverance in scientific pursuits, and tl;eir knoAvledge obtained by tLese 

 means, are productive of excellent results ; even if, in consequence of the 

 depth of their researches into the arts and sciences, and their deliberateness, 

 the fruit of their labor is of slower growth than is the case with other 

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