181 



exposed to the danger of fatiguing his readers by 

 the monotonous expression of his admiration. 

 It appears to me more conformable to the plan, 

 which I have proposed to myself in this narra- 

 tive, to indicate the peculiar character that dis- 

 tinguishes each zone ; we exhibit with more clear- 

 ness the physiognomy of the landscape, in pro- 

 portion as we endeavour to sketch it's individual 

 features, to compare them with each other, and 

 discover by this kind of analysis the sources of 

 those enjoyments, which are offered us by the 

 great picture of nature. 



Travellers have learnt by experience, that 

 views from the summits of very lofty mountains 

 are neither so beautiful, picturesque, nor varied? 

 as those from heights which do not exceed that 

 of Vesuvius, Rigi, and the Puy-de-D6me. Co- 

 lossal mountains, such as Chimborazo, Antisana, 

 or Mount Rose, compose so large a mass, that 

 the plains covered with rich vegetation are seen 

 only in the immensity of distance, where a blue 

 and vapory tint is uniformly spread over the 

 landscape. The Peak of TenerifFe, from it's 

 slender form and local position, unites the ad- 

 vantages of less lofty summits to those which 

 arise from very great heights. We not only dis- 

 cover from it's top a vast expanse of sea, but we 

 see also the forests of TenerifFe, and the inha- 

 bited parts of the coasts, in a proximity fitted to 

 produce the most beautiful contrasts of form and 



