CHAP. XXVI.GENEVA.—LAUSANNE.
On arriving at Geneva, we took up our residence at the Hotel de Corona, and discharged our vittureno, a little dark-looking Savoyard, but with a great oddity of temper, being either in the extreme of sulkiness, or good humour; he was, however, so quietly disposed, that he slept the greater part of the way, either on his horses or in the cabriolet. The manner in which he took his leave of us was singular enough; after inquiring whether we were satisfied with his attentions, and being answered in the affirmative, he proceeded to say that he did not ask for a buona-mana, as he knew such a donative was excluded by our agreement, but that he hoped we would give something, no matter whether a franc or a Napoleon, toprovethat we were satisfied with him.
When at Edinburgh, I had formed an acquaintance with a gentleman of this place, Dr. P⸺; one of my first objects was to find him out, and I had the pleasure of succeeding: after expressingmuch surprise, he kindly offered me his services during our stay at Geneva.
The short time we remained at this interesting place, made it impossible that we could enjoy all the gratifications which it was capable of affording; we determined, however, to make the most of the little time which we could afford.
Amongst the incidents which I reflect upon with the greatest pleasure, I must place the very interesting visit we paid to M. Huber, so well known in the literary world for his acute observations in Natural History, and, particularly, his patient and extraordinary investigation of the habits and economy of that valuable insect, the common honey-gathering bee. There existed a sympathy and fellow-feeling, between this amiable man and myself, of no common kind, for we had both of us long been excluded from all enjoyment of the “visual ray;” forty years before, and in the prime of life, M. Huber had the misfortune to lose his sight. Besides his superior acquaintance with natural history, M. Huber is a deep mathematician, and accomplished musician.
Before the present personal introduction, we were, however, not entirely unknown to each other, as through the medium of Dr. P⸺, when at Edinburgh, we had exchanged mutual compliments.
At this time he was residing at his country house, about a mile and a half from Geneva. We here found him walking alone in his garden, for which purpose, he has a string extended along a particular walk, which assists in guiding his steps with confidence, when engaged in deep mental research.
But, notwithstanding the public and literary character of M. Huber is so highly estimated, it is in the bosom of his family that his worth is most to be appreciated: his integrity, benevolence, and urbanity, have secured the respect and affection of all around him. He has been particularly fortunate in the companion of his domestic happiness. We had the pleasure of being introduced to Madame H⸺, the following traits of whose character cannot fail to do her the highest honour. M. H⸺ and herself had formed an attachment for each other, before his loss of sight; after this misfortune, her friends urged her to think no more of him; but neither her affection nor magnanimity would allow her to desert in adversity that being whom she had loved in prosperity; they were married, and she has had the exalted gratification of having bestowed a comfortable independence upon a worthy man, with whom she has now most happily descended far into the vale of life.
One of the sons of M. H⸺, emulating the literary character of his father, has distinguished himself by an Essay on the Economy of the Ant; a work which has been thought worthy of translation into foreign languages.
M. Huber’s reception of me was cordial and flattering; and, after too short a visit for the full gratification of my feelings, I was obliged to tear myself away, impressed with indelible sentiments of respect and veneration for this truly amiable man, and indefatigable philosopher.
The town of Geneva, which contains twenty-three thousand inhabitants, is by no means highly impressive in its appearance and buildings; it derives its interest, chiefly, from the beauty and grandeur of the surrounding scenery, and the energies of its inhabitants, having been the favoured residence of some of the most celebrated characters that have existed.
The inhabitants are, almost to an individual, possessed of superior intellectual powers; no doubt the result of the extended system of education which prevails, and which is supported by various charities, both public and private, so that the poorest native has opportunities of acquiring, what may almost be termed, a liberal education. I could not be otherwise than forcibly impressed, with the similarity of character and pursuits, betweenthe inhabitants of this town and those of Edinburgh.
There is a celebrated academy at Geneva, which possesses twelve professors, and no less than six hundred students, and is adorned by an immense and valuable library, to which the pupils have free access.
The female part of the community also shew a superiority of intellect, of which I experienced various instances. We found the ladies whom we had the pleasure of being acquainted with, almost universally well versed in polite literature, and frequently acquainted with the English and German languages. I was much amused with the acuteness displayed by the young woman of a shop, which I entered to purchase a straw hat; and which was, at the same time, combined with great simplicity andnaiveté. I can scarcely express the quickness and readiness of manner with which she attended to my wants, and the determination she shewed that I should be suited. She was both young and pretty, and I could not forbear venturing an inquiry, whether she was married, by asking her, if I was correct in addressing her asMademoiselle, to which she frankly replied, with an air of evident satisfaction, almost amounting to exultation, “Non Monsieur, Je ne suis pas marié encore, mais je serai dans un mois.” And I believe thefavoured swain was not far distant, for my friend observed a handsome young man on thequi viveabout the door, with his eyes frequently directed towards her.
On Sunday, we were favoured with an invitation to breakfast with Dr. P⸺, whose father is a banker of this city; our entertainment was of a splendid kind,à la fourchette. Breakfast being concluded, we left the ladies, and went to hear divine service, with the manner of performing which we were highly pleased. After this we walked upon the ramparts. Geneva, however, is only partially fortified, and not capable of sustaining an energetic siege; as it was found, in the revolutionary war, to be commanded by the high grounds around it.
The town, as is well known, is situated on the banks of the Rhone, and near to the magnificent lake which now bears its name. It was formerly termed Lake Leman, or Lacus Lemanus, and is formed by the waters of the Rhone, which discharge themselves into this expanded form near Villeneuve; it is said to lie eleven or twelve hundred feet above the level of the sea, surrounded by the Alps; amongst which Mont Blanc, with its two remarkable ridges on each side, orepaulesas they are termed, towers conspicuously.
At length we were compelled, with much reluctance, to prosecute our journey. We hadhoped to have found conveyances to Lausanne by water, along the beautiful lake, but were disappointed, as the passage is considered dangerous, in consequence of the sudden gusts of wind which come down the valleys. The only vessels which are used on the lake, are for the purposes of fishing and conveying wood, &c. I suggested the advantages of the steam-boat, which the smoothness of the water seemed particularly adapted for; but it was objected that the intercourse between the two places, was not sufficient to compensate the measure. They seemed unaware that the establishment of such a conveyance, would be the means of forming the necessary intercourse. In short the Swiss have not the principles of a maritime nation amongst them.
We engaged our places for Lausanne in the post diligence, which cost us each five francs Swiss, equal to seven francs and a half French; before, however, we entered the coach, they made an additional and heavy charge for the baggage, which, after in vain remonstrating against, we were compelled to pay. We might have travelled to Lausanne, not only without this expense, but even for a minor fare, had we looked out for one of the voitures which are constantly running between these places.
We left Geneva, in company with three ladies,one of whom was of acertainage, and appeared to have the other two, who were much younger, under her protection; the elder of the young ladies spoke English fluently, and undoubtedly had had a superior education; the youngest, who was more reserved, was a languishing beauty, with a pair of such expressive and brilliant black eyes, that my friend, who unfortunately sat directly opposed to their effects, was completely dazzled and confused. I was myself unfortunately unconscious of a proximity to such attractive orbs.
Our conversation was chiefly carried on in English, which was not using the elderly lady fairly, as she was totally unacquainted with that language. Amongst other inquiries, we requested the explanation of a circumstance which had much impressed us at Geneva; namely, why the ladies are generally seen on the public walks in large groupes, without any gentleman in company with them. This we were told was to be attributed to the gentlemen, being almost universally members of some learned society or other; the intercourse with which they prefer, to the more sentimental conversation of the ladies. In revenge for this neglect, however, the ladies have also their exclusive associations, which, they maintain, afford them more pleasure and independence, than they could derive from converse with the other sex.I must confess myself sceptical as to the actual indifference of the ladies; and pity most sincerely the Genevese gentlemen, for thus rejecting the influence of the softer sex.
“Oh, woman! lovely woman! Nature made ye to temper man—We had been brutes without you.”
“Oh, woman! lovely woman! Nature made ye to temper man—We had been brutes without you.”
“Oh, woman! lovely woman! Nature made ye to temper man—We had been brutes without you.”
“Oh, woman! lovely woman! Nature made ye to temper man—
We had been brutes without you.”
The road to Lausanne lies alongside the lake, through a delightful country abounding with vineyards, which produce the esteemed vin de la Côte. We passed through the little towns of Nyons, Rouge, and Morges, taking leave of our agreeable companions at the latter, and arriving at Lausanne between two and three o’clock in the afternoon. Before entering the town, we were amused with the economical ostentation of our driver, who threw off a shabby old travelling dress, and put on a fine red coat.
We found the Lion d’Or, to which we had been recommended, quite full; when recollecting that I had an old college friend, Dr. V⸺, residing at this place, we bent our steps to his house, with a view of requesting him to recommend us an hotel; accordingly he had the kindness to send his servant, to secure apartments at the Hotel D’Angleterre; at the same time insisting upon our dining with him. After dinner, Dr. V⸺ conducted us to the Jardin d’Arc, where a society of gentlemenarchers assemble in the evening for their amusement: this is the spot from whence the panoramic view of Lausanne, lately exhibited in London, was taken.
On the following day we visited the cathedral, and walked over the town; the former is an ancient building, standing upon very high ground, but which by its commanding view, I am informed, fully repays the trouble of ascent.
In the evening we entered thecircle literaire, an establishment furnished with a good library, and where the newspapers and many other periodical publications are taken in. One of the rules of this society is, that no stranger can be admitted twice.
On Friday the 27th, we set out at an early hour, in a carriage called achar, resembling a sofa placed lengthways on wheels, with a curtained canopy over head, and an apron below, to protect the traveller from the weather, to visit my friend R⸺, whom I have before mentioned both at Toulouse and Montpellier, and who had since taken a wife, and fixed himself near Vevay.
The road to Vevay throughout lies by the side of the lake, and is so narrow, being bounded by a wall on each side, that it is impossible that two carriages could pass each other. The sides of the mountains that bound the road on the left, andwhich are so steep as to appear inaccessible, are richly clothed with vineyards, artfully formed into terraces, rising in tiers, one above the other. These terraces are formed by strong and high stone walls, which preserve the soil from shelving down, and are ascended by flights of steps. The vineyards thus formed, are exposed to frequent injuries, and often to utter destruction, by the rapid impulse of the mountain torrents descending from above, and which occasionally sweep away wall, terrace, and vines, in one indiscriminate ruin. These natural visitations are, however, borne by the Swiss peasant with resignation; and notwithstanding he may have lost the whole harvest of his hopes, he immediately applies himself, to repair the injury, burying the past in the anticipation of the future.
On arriving at Vevay, we found my friend on the look out for us, and were immediately conducted to his house two miles beyond the town, and introduced to his lady. After breakfast he took us to the famous prison of Chillon, the subject of one of Lord Byron’s eccentric poems, and which was three miles distant. Here, in the year 1530, the patriot Bonnivard was doomed, by the duke of Savoy, to a confinement of six years, in one of its most dismal dungeons.
“Lake Leman lies by Chillon’s walls;A thousand feet in depth below,Its massy waters meet and flow;Thus much the fathom-line was sentFrom Chillon’s snow-white battlement,Which round about the wave enthrals.A double dungeon, wall and waveHalf made, and like a living grave.Below the surface of the lakeThe dark vault lies⸺”
“Lake Leman lies by Chillon’s walls;A thousand feet in depth below,Its massy waters meet and flow;Thus much the fathom-line was sentFrom Chillon’s snow-white battlement,Which round about the wave enthrals.A double dungeon, wall and waveHalf made, and like a living grave.Below the surface of the lakeThe dark vault lies⸺”
“Lake Leman lies by Chillon’s walls;A thousand feet in depth below,Its massy waters meet and flow;Thus much the fathom-line was sentFrom Chillon’s snow-white battlement,Which round about the wave enthrals.A double dungeon, wall and waveHalf made, and like a living grave.Below the surface of the lakeThe dark vault lies⸺”
“Lake Leman lies by Chillon’s walls;
A thousand feet in depth below,
Its massy waters meet and flow;
Thus much the fathom-line was sent
From Chillon’s snow-white battlement,
Which round about the wave enthrals.
A double dungeon, wall and wave
Half made, and like a living grave.
Below the surface of the lake
The dark vault lies⸺”
We entered this celebrated vault, and examined the seven “pillars of Gothic mould,” but which, at present, retain only four of the seven rings described by our poet, three pillars being without them; the chains, said to have been connected with these rings, have entirely disappeared.
After spending a very happy day, we were obliged, but with the greatest regret, to leave our kind friend at an early hour, as we had to prepare for our intended departure from Lausanne early on the following morning.
But we were disappointed in our latter views, owing partly to the weather, and partly to the difficulty of procuring a suitable conveyance; we secured, however, places in a voiture for the following morning, and made ourselves perfectly ready for setting out.
In the morning, at an early hour, we were prepared for our journey. We waited until six o’clock, when a man came to look at our luggage, after which, a variety of excuses were sent, which terminatedin our being informed, that the voiture would not go that day, but that we might be sent in a char to Berne, for which town, we had taken our places. For a time, we insisted on the fulfilment of our agreement, but, beginning to apprehend we should otherwise be prevented from getting away to-day, we at length agreed to put up with the char. It was accordingly brought forward; on placing, however, my friend’s trunk behind it, this was found too large to be attached, without a risk of injury on both sides. In consequence, they were obliged eventually to convey us in the voiture; I am convinced, that in obtaining this point, we were indebted entirely to their fears of offending Dr. V⸺.
I cannot leave Lausanne without paying the due tribute of gratitude to this gentleman and his worthy father, for their kind attentions during our stay at that place.