The New era. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1865-1871, 1867-04-11
Luke Genera.

Translated from the French.
/ know not if there exists a place rich
er in Souvenirs than Lake Geneva.
am aware that the lovers of antiquity
fall into ecstacies over the remains OF GER
tain old Greek or Egyptian temples; that
sight of the Parthenon or of the Capitol
causes great and salutary thoughts to
arise; but tell me if the most profound
disgust for humanity does not exceed
them? The history of the Grecian peo-
pie recalls a multitude of great actors,
but what crimes have soiled the pages :?
Rome has had her Titus and her Tro-
jams, know; but, also, how many Ne
roes and Caigulas: Besides, into what
Mrs of ancient times! The Campagna
of Rome has its Pontine marsh, and
more of uncultivated than of cultivated
fields; Greece, deprived Of her flowers
and forests, is covered with burning
sands; while Egypt, whose history is
scarcely known, has her monuments,
but not souvenirs. One will perhaps re-
proach those who are attached to Lake
Geneva with being too modern; but
they at least recall ideas OF patriotism
and liberty, and these ideas have also
their poetry and their grandeur. These
| fields are covered with rich harvests;
these hillocks with vines and orchards;
the villages situated near each other,
are peopled with free and happy citi-
zens; the air which on breathes here,
is that which William Tell breathed !;
these mountains are those of Helvetia,
who broke the yoke of Austria; this
boat which conveys you is itself under
the protection of a great name, that of
Winkelreid, who plunged the spear of
the strangers within his side to make an
opening into the enemy's ranks, and to
give his own a great example.
The country which you coast along
is Vaud, whose motto is "Liberty and
Country" that which is before you is
Geneva, who Slapped the power OF Popes,
and knew how to resist all kinds of OPP
preston; happy if in these glorious an
nails, one Oftener saw tolerance in action
than preached in words. Here are
Clareus and Vevay, who owe their Gel
ebrity to the most eloquent OF writer's,
j. J. Rousseau, Lausanne, whose
! presses immortalized multitude OF
generous thoughts which France adop-
| ted, in blaming the rigors of which the
great men who produced them were
victims. There rises Coppet, where an
illustrious family that of Necker) be-
came extinct; Diotati, where dWelt a
phillheIlenic poet lord Byron) before
going to seek in Greece death, which
alone, would have been sufficient for
his renoWn. Here is the castle which
| recalls the name of Tronchin IA celebra-
ted physician;) and there is the one in
which DE Saussere lived. What, then,
is wanting to these places to excite the
most powerful interest? Do they not
! present & multitude of contrasts, sour
ces Of thoughts that are grave and pro-
found? Feudal remains still rise far in
the distance upon this land OF liberty;
witness Chill0n, which was for six years
the prison of Francis Downward, the
defender of Genevan liberty; Chateland,
Nyon, and the town Hermane, which
have successfully served oppressors and
| from monuments i'm ruin, is to be added
that which results from the difference
| in the forms of government, and this
! striking contrast is neither less curious
! nor less instructive.
What great names these famous shores
recall to memory! How many illustri-
Gus men have come hither to seek
peace! -Necker, who, after having been
minister, bore up so worthily under his
disgrace; V0ltaire, the universal genius,
who was the friend Of great King
without ceasing to preserve his indie
pendence and his liberty; John James
Rousseau, who immortalized all the
places where he was pleased to locate
his heroes, those imaginary beings whose
colamities draw from us such true tears;
Madame de Stael, who wrote with ali
force of thought Of man of genius and
all the delicacy Of = woman of sense;
| Byron, the sublime poet, and the first
of his age; Gibbon, Kemble, and SO
many others who found upon it's hos
pitiable shores that sweet tranquility
which fortune refuses to merit or to
grandeur! No, the beautiful Lake
Geneva has nothing to envy in Lake
Como, in the shores Of the Mincio, in
smiling Tivoli; has it not as grand
souvenirs, \ nature more strong and
vigorous, the Jura with its rounded
tops, and the Alps, whose brow is COW
cred with eternal SHOWS.
A HORSES PETITION TO HIS DRIv-
ER.-.Going up hill, whip me not ;
coming down hill, hurry ,se not; on
level road spare me not; loose in etable
forget me not; of hay and corn, rob me
4