182 THE GROWTH OF CONTINENTS. 
gradually into the niglit. These changes, — the 
glory, the death, the soft succeeding life, — really 
seem like something that has a spiritual exist- 
ence. While, however, I counsel my friends to 
see the Alps for the first time in the afternoon, 
if possible, I do not promise them that the hour 
will bring with it such a scene as I have tried to 
describe. Perfect sunsets are rare in any land ; 
but, nevertheless, I would advise travellers to 
choose the latter half of the day and a road over 
the Jura for their entrance into Switzerland.* 
It was from the Jura itself that one of the 
great epochs in the history of the globe received 
its name. It was in a deep gorge of the Jura, 
that, more than half a century ago, Leopold von 
Bucli first perceived the mode of formation of 
mountains; and it was at the foot of the Jura, 
* The two most imposing views of the Alps from the Jura 
are those of Latourne, on the road from Pontarlier to Neufcha- 
tel, and of St. Cergues, on the road from Lons le Saulnier to 
Nyon ; the next best is to be had above Boujcan, on the road 
from Basle to Bienne. Very extensive views may be obtained 
from any of the summits in the southern range of the Jura; 
among which the Weissenstein above Soleure, the Chasseral 
above Bienne, the Chaumont above Neufchatel, the Chasseron 
above Granin, the Suchet above Orbe, the Mont Tcndre or the 
Noirmont above Morgcs, and the Dole above Nyon, are the most 
frequented. Of all these points Chaumont is unquestionably to 
be preferred, as it commands at the same time an equally exten- 
sive view of the Bernese Alps and the Mont Blanc range. 
