bity, the inhabitants, desirous of paying him a compliment, and showing particular
attention and attachment to his family, had countenanced this jubi lee, which, of course,
naturally created others ; so that, for a week or ten days, Urseren was nothing but mirth
and jollity.
Being, however, anxious to proceed, I took my leave the third day after my arrival,
perfectly satisfied with their entertainments, and charmed at the manner in which an
uninterrupted succession of rustic amusements were continually introduced to vary the
scene and delight the guests. It is certain, that as the taste and amusements of the
inhabitants of this part of Upper Switzerland are in general both simple and innocent,
they are consequently easier gratified. But though they display much gaiety and
vivacity, the natural result of that portion of rational liberty which they enjoy, yet are
they more sedate than the Italians, bearing in their countenance and deportment that
dignity which cannot fail to characterise men who feel their independence, and fear not
to lose it, by never attempting to multiply their wants and desires to a vicious excess j
so that we may truly add the lines of the poet;
Here loo dwells simple truth ; plain innocence ;
Unsuily'd beauty ; sound unbroken youlhj
PatienL of labour, witli a little pleased ;
Health ever blooming i unimbitious toil.
Knowing that the remainder of my excursion would be fatiguing, though the space
I had to go over was of no great extent, being no more than about five-and-twenty
miles, I set off bet imes, and, passing through the village of L'Hopital, proceeded across
Zundorf and Realp, when, taking a south-western direction, I found myself on the side
of the Furca ; then, keeping along its glacier for about three English miles, by the most
frightful and terrific road that can possibly be imagined, exhibiting a continual chaos,
nature all around me being indigestaque moles j while my sensations were alternately
assailed by the freezing cold of Siberia, and the intense and suffocating heat of
the torrid zone, for the space of fourteen hours incessant walking, till we gained Obergestlin,
which I reached absolutely exhausted, and under the necessity of stopping one
whole day to recruit my strength, and arrange my collection of Jithology.
These objects being obtained, I determined on returning to Sécheron, the village
from whence I set out, contiguous to Geneva, having been absent rather better than a
month, during which I may with truth assert, that, in spite of danger and fatigue, which