Ypsilanti sentinel. [volume] (Ypsilanti, Washtenaw Co., Mich.) 1843-1900, 1845-04-23
From the Ne,p York Tribune.
GIimpses of Europe,
BERNR-EREYRuRGH.

DERNE ana BRUIN are almost Inc same WORDS IN
meaning as well as in spelling, for Bene would
be nothing without its Bears. When Berchtod,
il 1877, laid the foundation of this fine city. he
slew huge bear Its site, and the event was re.
ceived as an omen that this animal should be the
tuelar saint and protector ofthe community. Re-
pubics SAID to be ungratefui and forgetful but
this Swiss one certainly not, for Bears fill their
standards, Bears adorn their coins Bears, large as
life, surmount their fountains, Bears are scupured
on their public buildings. Bears are on every sign
post, Bears look up at you from every dinner plate
and finally, family Of Bears have lodging, board
and washing, at the public expcnce in spacious
apartments by the Aarburg gate, at an annual cost
to the city of seven thousand francs. In the DOM
inaton of France they were carried to Paris where
they became great favortes but when the citizens
of Berne regained their independence, their first
care was 10 renstae their old friends, and to re-
new their pensions. They seem not to have the
least idea that there is any thing Iudcrous in their
devotion to Brutn, but look on him with the same
symbolic pride as the British on their Lion, or we
On our Eagle.
The Canton of Berne is the largest and mos;
powerful in the Swiss confederation, and its me-
tropolis has an appropriate air of massive gran
deur. Nearly all the streets display uniform ran
ges of stone houses, all four stories high, all sur.
mounted by heavy projecting caves, and all under
mined by arcades. To realise the effect of this
most striking feature. imagine all the houses in
Broadway have their first stories set back fifteen
feet, leaving covered passage of that width, and
that tho place of their lower fronts is supplied by
low massive arches alternating by piers of cycoPe-
an sOlidity. All the shops retreat thus from the
street, leaving this arcade for promenaders com.
pletey sheltered from rain and sun. Umbrella
making must be poor trade here, for those arti-
cles are never needed in the city, except to cross
a street. and IN the most violent storm the citizens
can transact their outdoor business as comfortably
as by their own ire-sides.
In one striking and attractive peculiarly. the
waters of the CrOton will soon enable us to emu
late Berne' Every square and street crossing is
adorned with copious fountains, even more numer-
Gus and elaborate than those of Basic. Each is
surmounted By some quaint effigy or grotesque
sculpture, among which the eternal Bear is fire.
quently remembered, aud OIL one he appears armed
cdp-a-pie with helmet, breastplate and cuIrasses
one paw graspiug sword and the other holding
banner.
Another pleasing feature we shall be less likely
to imiia'e is the opening TO the common people,
free of expence, the Museum of Naturul History.
Three times a week il is crowded with peasants u
blouses and wooden shoes, and an old woman is
the ouly guard of It's valuable collection, but not
feather is disturbed by the people, who will sell
dom abuse ni.fid-nce freely gwen to them A.
ns the curiOses most Interesting To traveller
are mars of Switzerland in high RELIEF, made of
plaster with all The mountains projecting in their
appropriate heights and suitably colored for her
bare rocks and snow. Here you may trace the
wndiug..of your route in the mountan passes, and
see TO what height you have att aimed. This plan
might be well applied to the uneven paris of our
own country, ard the Aleghanies and Whe Mts.
would look quite respectable even beside the Alps
! But more of our mountain ranges can give any j.
dea of the spiritual beauty which is sub unique
aiirlbue.of the distant view of the Berncse Alps
From the high terrace behind the Cathedral the
prospect is uubounded. and is one which never
er tires, for it varies at every hour of the day. as
the rising or the setting sun lengthens shorIens
the shadows which the snowy peaks Of the Jung
Frau range cast over their vaes. At sunset the
whole scene is sometimes baihed in a flood of rosv
light, as if,he snowy face of nature bIushed. aud
1t is difficult to conceive that this lovely effect is
merely the result Of the refracton of the rays of
light, and not poecal pageant, created express.
ly for The qualification of the sense of sight.
The terrace rises more than hundred feet a.
wv '''0 '~""'''S ''Si ha, SuypoIteu ny peTpeu-
dlcular wall of masonry, and yet it we may cre-
dit the Inscription on the parapet. horse once leapt
with his rider over the precipice. and though the
animal was killed the spot, the man lived to be-
come minister of Kerzerz, and to die at good
old age. When you look down the depth of the
leap, you feel disposed to take the legend on trust
rather than make the experiment for YOURSELF
Near this terrace, and along the brow of the pre-
cpice are the residences of the exclusive paricaus
OF the place; for Berne like all republics, has
naughty aristocracy. For long time they mon.
oPolIzed all public Offices, and as their numbers
were limited. and the right of citizenship heredi-
tary the great council Of the Canton became
close corporation. Though these self elected ru,
lers OF the republic Tor more properly Ogarchy)
governed Pfudently and honestly, except in taking
especial care 10 "provids for their owp household
their naughty exclusvenes excited great discomfort
among the lower order of citizens and by the Rev.
olutIon of France, and finally by the "Three DAVIS
they were stripped of their power, and new con-
stItuton now gives to all the Citizens equal polri-
cal rights. When the reform administration en-.
tered into Office. they found themselves more for
tunate than most new ministries for instead of hav-
ing 10 pay the debt of their predecessors. they dis