JOURNEY OVER MOUNT GOTTHARD. 325 



the globe occafioned by chance, or, frill more vainly 

 defcribe them as objects that disfigure the face of na- 

 ture ; and from thence would willingly conclude that 

 a blind chance prefides over all. Precifely that which 

 fuch unphilofophical dreamers, who hold themfelves to 

 be the only true philofophers, produce as an infur- 

 mountable objection to the wifdom of the arrangement 

 of nature, is to me the more ftriking proof of the re- 

 verfe. So found and acute is the judgement of thefe 

 people on the internal frame of nature. 



But it is time to proceed with the relation of my 

 journey. I hoped this night to get the refrefhment fo 

 neceflary after a day of fo much fatigue, and rejoiced 

 at being now on this fide the Alps, and at having a 

 lefs toilfome way before me ; but my flow fever had 

 much increafed this day, and I palled the night in 

 uneafinefs and perturbation of mind. Fortunately 

 the next day's journey was very eafy and commo- 

 dious. 



The road from the Dorf am Staeg to Altorf goes 

 through a plain broad valley through which the Reufs 

 runs to the lake of what are called the four Waldftadts, 

 Ury, Schweitz, Unterwalden, and Lucern, and at this 

 ■lake the valley likewife ends. It is extremely fertile, 

 and particularly abounds in excellent pafturage. Near 

 the road are quantities of fine fruit trees and plenty of 

 walnuts. It is generally faid that the walnut tree fuf- 

 fers nothing to grow beneath its branches, and that its 

 fhade is noxious. Here I could perceive nothing of this. 

 I even faw on this road a tree loaded with fweet cher- 

 ries, of a powerful ftern and with a fpreading top, 

 growing clofe by the trunk of a very large walnut-tree, 



* 3 fo 



