CHÂTEAU VOLTAIRE, FERNEY.
CHÂTEAU VOLTAIRE, FERNEY.
In 1760 Catherine de Chandieu, then a girl of nineteen, was at Geneva and saw Voltaire’s play “Fanime,” given extremely well by Madame Denis, Madame Constant-Pictet, Mademoiselle de Basincourt and Voltaire himself. She describes him thus: “Voltaire was dressed in a way which was enough to make one choke with amusement; he wore huge culottes which came down to his ankles, a little vest of red silk embroidered with gold; over this vest a very large vest of magnificent material, white embroidered in gold and silver; it was open at one side so as to show the undervest and on the other it came down below the knee; his culottes were of satin cramoisi; over his great vest he wore a kind of coat of satin with silver, and over the whole a blue mantledoublé de cramoisigalooned with gold and superb; when he appeared on the stage many people began to laugh and I was one of them; he had a huge white beard which he had to readjust several times, and a certain comic look even in the most tragic passages.”
Madame de Genlis went to Geneva on purpose to call on M. de Voltaire, though she had no letter to him. He invited her to dinner, and,by a mistake, she arrived too early. She gives a very entertaining account of her experiences. One little passage is characteristic:
“What an effect the presence of such a man as Voltaire must have had on the pious Genevans may be imagined when this story was told of him. Shortly after the publication of ‘Emile,’ Voltaire was discussing Rousseau’s marvellous picture of the sunrise. ‘I must try it,’ said he. ‘I, too, will go some morning on the top of a mountain; I should like to know if one is really compelled to adore the Creator at daybreak.’ The necessary preparations were made; they set out at night and reached just before dawn the Col de la Faucille in the Jura. The sunrise was splendid.... Voltaire knelt down, gazed in silence and then said: ‘Yes, Creator of heaven and earth, I adore you before the magnificence of your works.’ ... Then getting up, he rubbed his knees and cried: ‘Mais quant à monsieur votre fils et à madame sa mère, je ne les connais pas!’
“When Rousseau heard that he became pensive and then said, ‘Oh, that man, that man, he would make me hate the page of my works which I like best.’
“When the earthquake at Lisbon shocked the whole world Pastor Vernes preached a celebrated sermon which led Voltaire to write: ‘Sir, it is said you have written such a beautiful sermon on the event that it would have been really unfortunate had Lisbon not been destroyed, for we should have been deprived of a magnificent discourse.’”
WRESTLING AT A VILLAGE FESTIVAL.
WRESTLING AT A VILLAGE FESTIVAL.
Another plan which occupied me in the hours which I consecrated to regular work was for an article on the village festivals of Switzerland:—The charming Narcissus Festival of Montreux, celebrated in May, the great Fête of the Abbé des Vignerons, so fascinatingly described by Juste Olivier and so cleverly worked by James Fenimore Cooper into his novel, “The Headsman.” It would include processions through picturesque streets and the rejoicings at the return of the cows from the Alp with the Ranz des Vaches:—
“Blantz et neìre,Rotz et motaìle,Dzjoùven et ôtroLes sonaillireVan lez premireLa tôte neìreVan lez derrière:Hau! hau! llauba!”
“Blantz et neìre,Rotz et motaìle,Dzjoùven et ôtroLes sonaillireVan lez premireLa tôte neìreVan lez derrière:Hau! hau! llauba!”
“Blantz et neìre,
Rotz et motaìle,
Dzjoùven et ôtro
Les sonaillire
Van lez premire
La tôte neìre
Van lez derrière:
Hau! hau! llauba!”
I gathered any quantity of material about Swiss authors and composers: Jacques Hoffmann,Johanna Spyri, Töpfer, Amiel, Olivier,—none, perhaps, stars of the first magnitude—unless the Painter Böcklin—but all interesting.
When winter came we went to see the winter sports at Saint-Moritz—the skiing where it was not uncommon for some of the French and Norwegian champions to leap almost thirty meters. Indeed, one man flew through the air forty-six meters, but could not keep his balance when he struck far down the slope. I was not tempted to try it.
Switzerland in winter is even more beautiful than in summer. The uniform blanket of dazzling snow, though its curves are filled with vivid tints of violet and blue, may be hard on the eyes. The mercury may go low but the purity of the atmosphere and its exhilaration atone for the discomfort of cold. In the house we kept warm and cozy. The children were well and happy and I stayed on and on: I could not resist the Spell.
THE END.
Abraham, George D.: The Complete MountaineerAbraham, George D.: Mountain Adventures at Home and AbroadAgassiz, Louis: A Journey to Switzerland and Pedestrian Tours in that CountryAnteisser, Roland: Altschweizerische BaukunstAuvigne, Edmund B. d’: Switzerland in Sunshine and SnowBauden, Henry: Villas et Maisons de Campagne en SuisseBernowilli, A.: Balci Descriptio HelvetiaeBonstetten, Albrecht von: Editor Descriptio HelvetiaeBurnet, Gilbert: Bishop of Salisbury. Travels or Letters containing an account of what seemed most remarkable in SwitzerlandCollings, Henry: Switzerland as I Saw ItCook, Joel: Switzerland, Picturesque and DescriptiveCoolidge, W. A. B.: Swiss Travel and Swiss Guide-BooksCooper, James Fenimore: Excursions in SwitzerlandDauzat, Albert: La Suisse moderneDumas, Alexandre: La SuisseEdouard, Desor, andFavre, Leopold: Le bel âge du bronze lacustre en SuisseElton, Charles Isaac: An Account of Shelley’s Visits to France, Switzerland and Savoy in 1814 and 1816Ferguson, Robert: Swiss Men and Swiss MountainsGribole, Francis: The Early MountaineersGuerber, Hélène Adeline: Legends of SwitzerlandGuillon, Louis Maxime: Napoleon et la SuisseHasler, Fr.andH.: Galerie berühmter Schweizer der Neuzeit. In Bildern mit biographischem Text von Alfred HartmannHavergal, Frances Ridley: Swiss Letters and Alpine PoemsHeer, J. C.: Album der Schweiz: 450 Bildern ... Nach Schilderungen. Edited by Alexander B. Freiherr von BergenrothHoward, Blanche Willis: One Year AbroadHowells, William D.: A Little Swiss SojournIstria, la Comtesse Dora d’(Princess Helena Koltsova-Masalskaya): La Suisse Allemande et l’ascension du MönchKuhns, Levi Oscar: Switzerland, Its Scenery, History and Literary AssociationsLerden, Walter: Recollections of an old MountaineerLubbock, Sir John: The Scenery of SwitzerlandLeDuc, Violet: Mont BlancMacCrackan, William D.: Romance and Teutonic SwitzerlandMummery, A. F.: My Climbs in the Alps and the CaucasusOrelli, Johann Caspar von: Editor Inscriptiones Helvetiae, Collectae et explicataeRey, Guido: The Matterhorn. Translated by J. E. C. EatonRickmers, W. Rickmer: Ski-ing for Beginners and MountaineersRhys, Isobel L.: The Education of Girls in Switzerland and AmericaRook, Clarence: Switzerland, the Country and its PeopleSaitschik, Robert M.: Meister der Schweizerischen Dichtung des 19. JahrhundertsScheuber, Joseph: Die mittelalterlichen Chorstühle in der SchweizSchneider, Albert: Die neuesten römischen Ausgrabungen in der SchweizSennett, Alfred Richard: Across the Great Saint BernardStephen, Leslie: The Playground of EuropeStock, E. Elliott: Scrambles in Storm and Sunshine among the Swiss and English AlpsStoddard, Frederick Wolcott: Tramp through TyrolSymonds, John Addington: Our Life in the Swiss HighlandsTyndall, John: Hours of Exercise in the AlpsUmlauft, F., P. H. D.: The Alps. Translated by Louisa BroughUsteris, Martin: Pilatus und St. Dominick unter Benutzung einer HandschriftWebb, Frank: Switzerland of the SwissWhymper, Edward: Scrambles Amongst the AlpsWood, Edith Elmer: An Oberland ChâletZsigemondy, Dr. Emil: Im Hochgebirge: Wanderungen—— Annuaire du Club Alpin Français—— Geschichte der Vermissungen in der Schweiz, als historische Einleitung zu den Arbeiten der schweiz. geodätischen Commission—— Musée cantonal vaudois. Antiquités lacustres. Album publié par la Société d’histoire de la Suisse romande et la Société academique vaudoise, avec l’appui du Gouvernement vaudois
Abraham, George D.: The Complete Mountaineer
Abraham, George D.: Mountain Adventures at Home and Abroad
Agassiz, Louis: A Journey to Switzerland and Pedestrian Tours in that Country
Anteisser, Roland: Altschweizerische Baukunst
Auvigne, Edmund B. d’: Switzerland in Sunshine and Snow
Bauden, Henry: Villas et Maisons de Campagne en Suisse
Bernowilli, A.: Balci Descriptio Helvetiae
Bonstetten, Albrecht von: Editor Descriptio Helvetiae
Burnet, Gilbert: Bishop of Salisbury. Travels or Letters containing an account of what seemed most remarkable in Switzerland
Collings, Henry: Switzerland as I Saw It
Cook, Joel: Switzerland, Picturesque and Descriptive
Coolidge, W. A. B.: Swiss Travel and Swiss Guide-Books
Cooper, James Fenimore: Excursions in Switzerland
Dauzat, Albert: La Suisse moderne
Dumas, Alexandre: La Suisse
Edouard, Desor, andFavre, Leopold: Le bel âge du bronze lacustre en Suisse
Elton, Charles Isaac: An Account of Shelley’s Visits to France, Switzerland and Savoy in 1814 and 1816
Ferguson, Robert: Swiss Men and Swiss Mountains
Gribole, Francis: The Early Mountaineers
Guerber, Hélène Adeline: Legends of Switzerland
Guillon, Louis Maxime: Napoleon et la Suisse
Hasler, Fr.andH.: Galerie berühmter Schweizer der Neuzeit. In Bildern mit biographischem Text von Alfred Hartmann
Havergal, Frances Ridley: Swiss Letters and Alpine Poems
Heer, J. C.: Album der Schweiz: 450 Bildern ... Nach Schilderungen. Edited by Alexander B. Freiherr von Bergenroth
Howard, Blanche Willis: One Year Abroad
Howells, William D.: A Little Swiss Sojourn
Istria, la Comtesse Dora d’(Princess Helena Koltsova-Masalskaya): La Suisse Allemande et l’ascension du Mönch
Kuhns, Levi Oscar: Switzerland, Its Scenery, History and Literary Associations
Lerden, Walter: Recollections of an old Mountaineer
Lubbock, Sir John: The Scenery of Switzerland
LeDuc, Violet: Mont Blanc
MacCrackan, William D.: Romance and Teutonic Switzerland
Mummery, A. F.: My Climbs in the Alps and the Caucasus
Orelli, Johann Caspar von: Editor Inscriptiones Helvetiae, Collectae et explicatae
Rey, Guido: The Matterhorn. Translated by J. E. C. Eaton
Rickmers, W. Rickmer: Ski-ing for Beginners and Mountaineers
Rhys, Isobel L.: The Education of Girls in Switzerland and America
Rook, Clarence: Switzerland, the Country and its People
Saitschik, Robert M.: Meister der Schweizerischen Dichtung des 19. Jahrhunderts
Scheuber, Joseph: Die mittelalterlichen Chorstühle in der Schweiz
Schneider, Albert: Die neuesten römischen Ausgrabungen in der Schweiz
Sennett, Alfred Richard: Across the Great Saint Bernard
Stephen, Leslie: The Playground of Europe
Stock, E. Elliott: Scrambles in Storm and Sunshine among the Swiss and English Alps
Stoddard, Frederick Wolcott: Tramp through Tyrol
Symonds, John Addington: Our Life in the Swiss Highlands
Tyndall, John: Hours of Exercise in the Alps
Umlauft, F., P. H. D.: The Alps. Translated by Louisa Brough
Usteris, Martin: Pilatus und St. Dominick unter Benutzung einer Handschrift
Webb, Frank: Switzerland of the Swiss
Whymper, Edward: Scrambles Amongst the Alps
Wood, Edith Elmer: An Oberland Châlet
Zsigemondy, Dr. Emil: Im Hochgebirge: Wanderungen
—— Annuaire du Club Alpin Français
—— Geschichte der Vermissungen in der Schweiz, als historische Einleitung zu den Arbeiten der schweiz. geodätischen Commission
—— Musée cantonal vaudois. Antiquités lacustres. Album publié par la Société d’histoire de la Suisse romande et la Société academique vaudoise, avec l’appui du Gouvernement vaudois