JOURNEY OVER MOUNT GOTTHARD. 313 



I fhall here iuit obferve, that this fummit where "the 

 capuchins reiide is exactly the point of union to the 

 germrn and itaK&n languages.' The village Airol, from 

 whenr I now came hither, makes ufe of the latter, 

 and the next that I am to deieend to is german. Indeed 

 the inhabitants of the valley of Li vino, almolt through- 



J J o 



out, both undedftatid and fpeak the german likewife, 

 but among rhemfeives they talk italian ; and in like 

 manner the fki: village on e northern fide likewife 

 fpeak the italian g . -y.\ though 'the german is pro- 

 perly their mother "ongue. 



Hence, I Irak, we may pretty plainly conceive, 

 how, in antient times, the Germans proceeded gra- 

 dually farther towards the fonth, while the Italians 

 continued always advancing towards the north in thefe 

 mountains ; till at lafc they came again fx one another at 

 the topmoli fummit. It is to be conjectured, that the 

 antient Lepontines fpread themfelves thus far before 

 the Germans, and here let bounds to their progrefs, 

 becaufe they found the way down towards the north 

 blocked up with rocks. For, eaftwards from Gotthard, 

 m the Grifons, where it is more eafy to prefs farther 

 northwards, the italian language extends much farther 

 towards the north, namely to the vicinity of the chief 

 town Chur; whence it may be inferred that the antient 

 Etrurians penetrated earlier into this country than the 

 Germans entered it on the other fide, Unce it is natural 

 to fuppofe that they who came firfh puihed fartheft. 

 But I return to the profecution of my journey. 



I was now obliged to defcend northwards from the 

 capuchins, as I had got up to them on the fouth fide, 

 and had about fix or fey en miles again to go oyer the 



fnow. 



