I;i
rent distance.* On this account, the longer
the scenery of the Alps is examined, the
greater will be the gratification of the
tourist, for he will learn to appreciate more
correctly the magnitude of the objects presented
to his view. Of all the British
lakes, Winandermere has most of the riante,
or cheerful character, which is the distinguishing
feature of the Lake of Geneva.
Loch Lomond, though more nearly approaching
to it in magnitude, has an air of
melancholy grandeur which destroys all
resemblance. The Swiss lakes, and those
of Savoy, are not ornamented with wooded
islands, which add so much to the beauty
of some of our British lakes. Laggo Maggore,
in this respect, has the advantage of
the Lake of Geneva; but the weather was
too unfavourable when I was there, to
admit of my . making a fair comparison
between the relative beauties of the two
principal lakes, on the northern and southern
side of the Alps.
After leaving Lausanne, and ascending
* Berkley has ably proved, that vision is a symbolic
language as much as speech, and requires to be learned
by practice before the symbols can excite correct ideas
in the mind.
Inthe
mountain of Jorat, north of that city,
we proceeded leisurely to Berne, sleeping
the first night at Payerne. The Alps disappeared
when we had passed the highest
point of the Jorat, (3200 English feet above
the level of the sea,) and began to descend
on the other side ; and they were not again
visible until we approached Berne. The
country through which we travelled had
very much the appearance of the midland
counties in England, being well cultivated,
and without vines. The Roman remains
at Avenche, the antient Aventicum, have
been often described, as w'ell as Morat,
ever memorable for the signal victory
gained by the Swiss over the Duke of Burgundy
and a numerous army, in 1457, in
which the duke lost 30,000 of his men,
and the Swiss only 700, if we can credit
historians. The great destruction of the
Burgundians was occasioned by their falling
back on the Lake of Morat, into which
they were driven by the impetuosity of the
Swiss, and most of them were drowned.
A column is now erecting to commemorate
the memory of this victory.
The Lake of Morat presents nothing to
arrest the attention of the traveller ; it has
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