circumstance, established an academy, where he presided in person, and gave lectures
on theology, aided by Theodore Beza, who was appointed rector. This academy, which
still exists, soon acquired so great a reputation, that it insensibly became, if 1 may be
allowed the expression, a nursery for people of distinguished merit, having produced
some of the ablest men in Europe,—men who have enlightened, by their extensive
knowledge, and honoured by their talents, the country they had adopted, and the age in
which they lived. To this prudent and judicious institution it is owing, that the
republic of Geneva has supplied, out of her own bosom, and continues, even at present,
to possess, a greater number of men of talents, perhaps, than any other state in Europe,
considering the extent of its territory.
At present, many students are continually sent to Geneva, from various parts of
Europe, to finish their education,—a preference in great measure owing to the estimation
in which the professors of that city are held, and the extreme facility with which
the various branches of study can be pursued, besides the opportunity of continually
mixing with people of information, good company, and bon-lon, in general to be found
in most of the Genevese societies.
Even -without these advantages, Geneva is of itself particularly interesting by its
situation, being seated at one of the principal entrances of the Pennine Alps, not far
distant from the basis of the glaciers of Fancignie, and at the extremity of a most
extensive lake, which stands in a beautiful valley, screened on both sides by stupendous
mountains. This circumstance certainly renders it a most desirable and useful station
for the naturalist, who may enjoy the profusion of different objects belonging to the three
kingdoms of Nature, which abound in its vicinity, and which no doubt determined the
celebrated Jean Bauhin, physician and botanist to the duke of Wittenberg Montbelliard
(well known by his Hisloria Planlarum Universalis), to visit Geneva in 1566 ; as
did also John Ray, that eminent English naturalist, who, during his residence in this
city, employed himself in similar pursuits with the greatest success; since which,
Burnet and Addison, his countrymen—the great Hal le r—Voltaire—the inimitable, but
too irritable misanthrope, Rousseau (a citizen of the republic)—the abbé Raynal—Lavater,
&:c. have at different periods honoured Geneva with their presence ; besides
many other traveJers of distinguished merit, of almost every nation of Europe, who
have- all invariably, and, I may justly add, unanimously, agreed in commending the
morals, industry, and information of the Genevese, and in extolling, with enthusiastic
ardour, the beauty of the surrounding country. Those scientific men very much accelerated,
by their example and researches, the progress of science, which is now unremittingly
pursued by some of the ablest men in Europe.
The Council, or body entrusted with the ecclesiastical discipline, before mentioned,
having more than once been found to have preserved the republic, by retaining and
encouraging among the 'inhabitants their original integrity and simplicity, carefully
watching and attending to their morals and manners, maintained it, if possible,
with additional force and energy, and increased the number of its members. That
institution still exists, though under a different appellation, being now called the Consistory,
which is composed of a society of pastors, or clergymen of the Reformed
Church, and a certain number of laity, named Anciens, taken from the Council,—in some
measure not unlike the Areopagus at Athens. To them are entrusted the general
inspection of marriages, registers of births, crimes of adultery, suits of divorce, Sic. with
the power of rewarding virtue and industry according to their degrees of merit j but the
right of judging and deciding, in disputed cases, is transferred to the Supreme Consistory
of Berne, composed of civil and ecclesiastical judges, who determine without appeal.
Besides this establishment, the effects of which have been found, for more than two
centuries, so essentially beneficial to the republic {as no government can be deemed
happy, bereft of religion and morality,—a truth which they appear perfectly to understand),
tliere has been another institution appointed, which does equal honour to its promoters,
and perhaps merits the attention of the statesmen of much larger domains:—this
has for its object the care of securing the republic from scarcity or famine, which, without
so essential a precaution, might be found inevitable; for the whole territory does
not exceed eight leagues, or twenty-four English square miles, and its population
amounts to forty thousand souls; so that its produce scarcely supplies the inhabitants
through the year.
By this establishment, called la Chambre des Bleds, or Public CommiUee of Com, the
government has judiciously provided for the first and most important want of life.
In consideration of having received a certain sum of the senate, at the original institution
of this establishment in 1628, besides six thousand sacks of corn by way of
beginning, and the power to contract a loan, on moderate interest, to enable them to
purchase the remaining quantity, its commissioners or superintendent officers were
obliged to keep a continual supply in the public granary, of about seventy thousand
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