Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-10-23
BRATTLEBORO, W.: OCT. 2s, 1858
SWITZERLAND A-FOOT.
Wandcrings of New England Clergyman
Abrond.

Wandcriugs of n New England Clergyman
Abrond.
Correspondence Of The Springfield Republican,
PARIS, September 10, 1858.
Feeling the weather in Paris too warm for a
traveller in pursuit of health ! made up my
mind some three weeks ago, to start for the
land of glaciers, avalanches, and icy torrents.
1t was rather trial to leave this fascinating
city, where the eye is ever ieasted with art and
beauty, and the heart ever gladde ned with the
sight of happy people. would gladly have
fingered on till the day appointed for my return,
quietly enjoying the pictures, gardens and music,
and making delightful excursions to Fontaine-
bleau, Versailles and st. Cloud. But when the
sun at midday lay hot and fiery on the white
walls of the buildings, and the blistercd feet
recoilcd painfully from the scorching pavements,
the pictures imagination called up of breezy
mountain passes, and blue, snow-fed lakes. rose
so refreshingly before the eye, that once more
became pilgrim. The question settled, ride
OF fifteen hours by rail dropped me down on
the lovely shores OF Lake Geneva, and then the
bracing air, the azure water and the towering,
winter-clad peaks of Mt. Blanc told me had
done well, and vigorous health should be my
reward.
FOOT TRAVELLERS INDEPENDENCE.
Ii ever man feels Independent in this world
1t is when he shoulders his knapsack and grasps
his Alpine staff in Switzerland Porters he
sets at defiance, and feels himself brother to the
elephant who wisely carries his own trunk and
distant kin at least to the snail who takes along
ms own hotel. The opportunities for cheating
-, ,,,', "'v 70 ",'h.nu'h'-a great rehei
w. so''si'i'e SliFi'' s.ou. SUIT ot cIo'hing,
u 'iI''! P"ir Vi snoes thicKl! SET win pointed
' onNnSe vi nier, no. not liheh' never
w. I'm. W. P 'i'l Journei' out ol WOODEN
,,,.,'a{i - Sm III - Pi''''e" ior. ne II now
,,d s';li' "i ,'o INc! y anu VIC H'gh peaks
"a,, y, "'''''' '''i''''e'' o"uie up here' II you
LAKE crxrv,
The scenery around Lake Geneva belongs
rather to the lovely than the grand order. True
the great monarchs of the mountains are all
visible from its shores, and right kingly they
looks But they are all quite distant. and more
like the ETHEREAL, dream.tike outlines one traces
on the western sky at sunset. than solid. eterni.
ty defying masses of ri!ted granite and glitter
ing ice. Nevertheless for pictures of trano,Iil
beauty, Lake Geneva is unsurpassed The
shores are lined with villas, gardens and groves.
the towns are crowned with turreted castles and
picturesque chateaux; the water has an in,ensi
ty of blue in its color that the Mediterranean
uocs not equal and the boats with their sweep
ing lateen sails recall memories of the Egnan
and of the Bosphorus. do not wonder that
so many famous men-Gibbon, Voltare. Rous-
seau, Byron. Davy, Huber, Sismondi,-
have pitched their tents in these lovely scenes.
THE SCENE AT THE FOOT OF Moryr nt,xc
Fie, nil aIon- aI -.
sulI;,nor ", nnd ,, "'o ioau' PlunsllS ever INTO
tn Chno "''s "'oie ,i 'i'SsNe SSeneTb brings one
s,,r,;''r, ~ "' ..e 'oot VI w p'a'c-a hhe
aac;nrs7 & rI,e ~, ions eAIugsIonS across the
,a,' s'.t o.u' 'ne tlpre ul''icuil passes ohe
iS "0" ~ s ane mus. Oh characteristic SWISS seen
,.oiior ,,;o,',s! y! wi i sweeps 'n,ousn the
,ha p,'tu' eSiue 'h"le's are dotted about on
~ "ioa.,.a,m siopts greeh pastures covered
glaciers bear down with their lev tnrre,s f,r ;r
10 the green meadows. and send LEAVING bead-
long their streams and waterfalls Of o,r"l,eI
snow. and. above. glancinp in the sun, are ,ba
splendid minarets Of the Aiguiles and the rrand
white dome of Mt. Blanc. The FIRST si',bt of
all this on a sunny day and beneath bri1liar,
blue skv is an epoch in a mans life Ue do
youtlv thanks God for conducting him to tbo
spot and unyeiling to his eyes such unimagina-
BILE glories. lie feels the greatness of the hu-
man soul in the emotions OF sublime JOY that
fill the breast, and presses close to the Infinite