( 5^43 ) 
An acmrate "Defcrlftlon of the Lake of Geneva j mt long fmce mde by a per^ 
fin that had vifited it diver ftims in the fle^^fanteft fiafon of the year h md 
cemmmicAted to the Pfiblijher by one of h^ Parifian Correfpondents : En- 
glifl/d M fol/oweth : 
YO U have reafon, Sir, to demand of me an account of the La^e of 
Geneva^ which, in ray opinion, about this feafon of the year (in 
fme) is one of the raoft plcafant places of the world. This is the third 
time I have vifitcd it, and I am,if I may fay fo, more charmed wi:th it 
than the firft. 
I fliail fay nothing of the Jlpes,nor o( i^nount fur a, which do envi- 
ron it, which by this Lake as by a large Di.tch are feparated from one 
another : for that would sot give you afuificiently fair ideao^ the 
Country. Be pleafed therefore to reprefent unto your fclf a Croiil'ant 
of water, one extremity whereof is eighteen leagues diftant from the 
other,and the banks of which are gently raifed to forae bights, then to 
coUines, and at length to (lupendious mountains ^ which yet are not 
fo linked to one another but that they leav^ betwixt thera interflices of 
fifteen or twenty leagues profpeds, checkered by medows, corn-fields, 
orchards, vines, Forefts of Fir-trees, Snow lying on the fides of the 
Rocksi All thefe objeds, which at a diftance are confounded, and feem 
to make but one, have near hand their feveral beauties : So well is the 
Country interfered byRivolets^which, after they have ferved to make 
Iron,Paper,&c j run into the Lake, carrying with them very many 
fountains. 
But leaving thefe things, I ffeall now content my felf to entertain 
your Curiofity by givingyou a candid relation of what I have there 
obferved in the fpace of four months. 
although I have told you, that this Lake hath the figure of a Cm/- 
fant.ytt that point, where is Qeneva,is fomewhat longer and more ex- 
tended than the other. This Croilfant where *tis largeft, which is froni 
Morges to Thonon^is about five good leagues over* That which hinders 
from making an exad cflimate of its largenefs in other places, is, that 
the Winds by driving the water toward the banks have made certain 
points, which advance far into the Lake, in fuch fort that when one 
happens to be oppofite to the other, the Lake feems to be narrow : As 
may be obferved in going from Geneva to iV/o;?, where it feems as if the 
Phdrus or Watch- tower of Prangin^which is in Smffe, did almoft touch 
^S^voy whereas yet one is a league diftant from the other. And, what 
is remarquable,is,that at the coming out of this Straight.the Lake hath 
there almoft itsgreateft breadth and depth. 
The water of this Lake is very good to drink, and ever fo limpid, 
that even in the roling of the waves,which fometimcs go high enough, 
the water is not troubled but along the banks. And if one do attentive- 
ly look down from the Caftle of Chilon or from any of the neighbour- 
ing hightsinto in the bottom of the Lake, he may fee high mountains 
E e e e c under 
