6 
PREFACE. 
owe much health and happiness, nor must I omit to 
express my gratitude to the Swiss people for their 
kindness and courtesy. 
My attention was from the first directed to the 
interesting problems presented by the physical 
geography of the country. I longed to know what 
forces had raised the mountains, had hollowed out 
the lakes, and directed the rivers. During all my 
holidays these questions have occupied my thoughts, 
and I have read much of what has been written 
about them. Our knowledge is indeed very in- 
complete, many problems still baffle the greatest 
Geographers, as to others there is still much dif- 
ference of opinion. Nevertheless an immense fund 
of information has been gathered together; on many 
points there is a fair concensus of opinion amongst 
those best qualified to judge, and even where great 
authorities differ a short statement of their views, in 
a form which might be useful to those travelling in 
Switzerland, could hardly fail to be interesting and 
instructive. No such book is, however, in existence. 
I urged Tyndall and several others far better 
