with fuch fuperiority over the reft, tliat from his extreme height, frightful precipices,
and almoft permanent fnow, appeared fo formidable to the ancient inhabitants
of the adjacent countries, that for feveral centuries they looked on it as an infurmountablc
barrier to every kind of intercourfe between them.
It does not even appear that this paffagc acrofs the Maritime Alps was at all known to
the Romans, fmce at that period there cxifted a road which extended from Rome by the
way of Genoa along the coaft of Nice as far as Aries in Languedoc, kno^vn to be the celebrated
Via Aurelia, mentioned in the lUnerarium of Antoninus; it is therefore moft probable
that the Lombards and Vifigoths, who, after the faU of the Roman empire, inhabited
that part of Italy and Gallia Narbonenfis Secunda, which was fituated on the other fide of
the Alps, were the firft who attempted to crofs it.
The dukes of Anjou and counts of Provence, having in the tliirtecnth century, cither
by alliances or force of anns, made thcmfelvcs maiicrs of a part of Piedmont, with the city
of Coni or Cuneum, foon felt the neceffity of opening a communication between tlicir
newly acquired polTeflions and Provence; which, although very imperfeaiy effeSed, was
neverthelefe rendered paflkble for mules only, during three or four months in the year.
In the fourteenth century, Nice having pafled into the hands of Amoedcus, the feventli
count of Savoy, who had alfo conquered feveral provinces in Piedmont, fome of which
belonged to the houfe of Anjoii, was defxrous of improving this pafs, which had fcaxcdy
been more than traced out by the of Province, that bis ultramontane fnbjedb
might reap tl.e advantages which would inevitably rcfult from tliis communication to tlie
beauUfol and fafe Bays of Nice and ViUa-Franca. Accordingly vail fums were confequently
expended upon this laudable undertaking; but with little or no eiFeft, as they went
no further tlian in the conftruflion of a few bridges acrofs the rivers, or more properly
torrents, from their extreme rapidity, which hurl and carry away every tiling which impedes
their courfe. Towards the middle of the feventeenth century thefe improvements
were continued by Viftor Amadeus the Firil, duke of Savoy and prince of Piedmont, with
greater fucccfe; for this communication was fo far rendered prafticable that mules could,
without much inconvenience, travel from Coni to Nice nearly half the year.
How tremendous, and fcarcely to be credited, muil its conftniflion have appeared to
every man of obfervation, who judging from its terrific appcarance, of the inceffant
labour, extreme danger, and boldnefs of the execution : - a path excavated in many parts
out of the main rock, and fufpended as it were on the fide of this tremendous mountain,
as will be hereafter explained, for the fpacc of feventy Engliih mUcs, on the very brink of
a long feries of precipices which prefect tliemfelves the whole way to the affrighted traveller.
Yet in this dangerous ftate did it remain till the beginning of his prefent
Majefty's rdgn, Vidor Amcedcus—a Princc who has at all times fludied the intereft of his
country, and the happinefs of his people; having learnt from experience, at an early age,
that the wealth and profperity of individuals conflitute tliofe of the government, has not
omitted, for nearly t\venty years, to make every improvement which might conduce towards
rendering tliis communication, fo effcntial to the benefit of his fubjeih, and to that part of
the country, as perfe£l as it could be made. He has therefore neither fpared trouble nor
expencc, having granted vaft fums for that purpofc, and appointed perfons properly
qualified to fee thofe plans executed which had been fo laudably projeftcd, and in pait
carried into efFeft, by his predeceflbr, ajid which this public-fpiritcd monarch had the
fatisfadion of feeing completed in 1789, beyond his moft flattering expedations.
Thus this grand paflage of the Alps, once fo formidable, is now rendered as fafe and
commodious for large and weighty carriages as thofc of tlic Brenner in Tirol, and the
Buchetta near Genoa.
This pafs, which will be more amply dcfcribed in the courfe of tiie prefciit work,
is now entirely effcdled acrofs the three ranges of mountains which form the Maritime
Alps, and is particularly intcrelling to the lithologift, being cut in the main rock for at
leaft twenty miles in extent, and in many places to fuch a confiderable depth, tliat they
fully difclofe the interior llrata or beds, witli the forms and variations, &c. of the different
fpecies of Hone; offering to every admirer of tlie works of nature furprifing phenomena
in this kind of Itudy.
Should the Author be found fo fortunate in this frefh attempt, as to fucceed in interefting
and exciting in naUiralifts mucli more equal to the talk than himfelf, a defire of exploring
that chain of mountains which have aflbrded him fo great a portion of inftni£tion and
amufement, he fhall think himfelf amply repaid for the trouble he has had in making and
colleding obfervations on what he deemed worthy of notice; which, however, he ihall
have a plcafure in redlifying, lliould he find, by perafing thofe which may appear at a
future period, that he has been miftaken eitlier in fadt or inference.
In this imdertaking he may not be unlike tlie young and unexperienced botanift, who,
in that moil delightfal of the feafons, fpring, fpies the furrounding meadows covcrcd with
variegated flowers,elated at the fight, heruihes forth with the alacrity and impatience of youth.