circumstances o f his future life, and the
influence which his writings have produced
in society. Had he remained in Geneva,
he would probably never have been known
beyond its walls.
Though Geneva is regularly and strongly
fortified, the fortifications would be of
little avail in a siege, as they are commanded
by heights within gun s h o t; they
might, however, resist a coup de main, and
prevent the town from being taken by surprise.
The fortifications are now undergoing
repair, though some of the inhabitants
think it would greatly contribute to
the prosperity of the town to demolish
them ; it was, however, decided otherwise
by a majority of the great council,—a decision
made with a true patriotic feeling,
for the Genevese cannot and ought not
to forget, that they owe the preservation
of their independence to their walls, which
saved them, once at least, from the domination
of the dukes o f Savoy, at the time
of the escalade, in 1601.
The number of inhabitants in the city
is about twenty-two thousand. Before the
accession of territory, granted by the allied
powers, in 1816, the population of the
i't
whole republic scarcely exceeded thirty
thousand; at present it amounts to forty-
two thousand, and Geneva forms a canton
of the Helvetic confederacy.
I f there be few objects at Geneva to
attract the attention of superficial travellers,
except its situation, yet it presents
many interesting subjects of inquiry to
the reflecting observer. The first which
suggests itself is, — by what means was
this little republic enabled to preserve its
independence for so long a period, surrounded
as it was by powerful and hostile
states ? To the enmity which too generally
exists between tribes or nations in immediate
contact with each other, was added
the fierceness of religious animosity; Geneva
being held in abhorrence by all the
Catholic states of Europe, from the time
of the Reformation. The city is not strong
by position, and the citizens were often
much agitated by civil dissensions. The
preservation of the political independence
of Geneva, under these circumstances, can
only be accounted for by the mutual je a lousies
of its powerful neighbours. Geneva
may be compared to a bone placed before
the mouths of three growling mastiffs, each