The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1879-03-19

4
spot more lovely; others fleeing from psrS'
catiOus and danger, have found at Once g
asylum of loveliness and pace. We not
first, that of Sir Robert Peel, quite near tn
city, aud little farther on Rothschild
Chateau, with lovely aud extensive grounds
near by, that of the ex-Enpress EaG e1ie
still farther oo, leaving little the lake, i
Ferney, Voltaire's residence, where this fer
tile but erratic genius passed the last year
of his life Here he held continual court
surrounded by the most iliuStrious minds o
all Europe, who made unCeasing pilgrimage
to this literary shrine. We rode, lovely
September afternoon, up the lake with Gen
evese friends, to visit bis home, and as W
drove through the avenue of trees shading
the entrance, attention was called to TIT
church which he had erected, bearing tht
bold inscription, "Deo erexit Voltaire-" w
have read of him, that one Sabbath ne him
self mounted the pulpit stairs and delivered
q homily on stealing, because some of nil
neighborS he had suspected guilty Of theft
He built also theatre, which has since dis
appeared. Hsre most of his pieces were per
formed to his illustrious visitors, and here by
every hattering inducemant he stroVe to draw
the Genevese, hoping, if possible, he said, to
do away with all the straight-laced principles
Calvin had disseminated In the hall we
first entered was au urn with this inscrip-
ton, "maan esprit est partO@t ct mon cOe~r
est ici," (my spirit is everywhere, my heart
is here.) Upon the walls in his rooms were
portraits of Catharine of Russia, his chief
friends, and several of his own physiognomy
He seemed to have admired our own country
men too, for here we noticed Washington
and Franklin: also most noticeable, large
picture of the "Last Judgment" which he
had caused to be painted after his own idea
of what it should be, when he (Voltaire)
should enter. Angels were fastening to cast
their crowns at his feet, victorious wreath
of laurels already surmounted his brow, while
the heavenly host were chanting the praises
of Voltaire, who stands in their midst, sur
rounded by his literary works, and his books
iu either hand. Could il be possible that q
man of his intellect believed he could be re-
warded for such life of impiety and scorn,
or was it painted in dersion aud mockery of
all things sscred3 We walked through the
short avenue of trees where it was said he
could be seen at all ho-rs of the day, rapidly
pacing back and forth, while his amanuensis
walked beside him, to place Immediately his
brilliant thoughts on paper. He slept also
by his side, to be awakened st all hours to
write. Better for the world if much had not
been written, for he seemed more an aVowed
infdel than Rousseau, who was always strug-
Cling for the light, though sadly never reach
ing it. On farther up the lake and We
reach Coppet, the home Of Necker, minister
to Louis XVI, and his daughter, Madame
De Staer, so famous for her vigorous intel
lect, specially illustrated in her last great
work L'Allemagne, Germany She too
was an exile driven from France by order of
who dreaded this brave womsn'S
pen more than the armed hosts against which
he contended. We were shown her rooms {:
the large library, whence so many of her
productions emansted, as we'll as other learn
ed authors who gathered about her in her
isolation, wrote with her, and together dis
cussed the literary questions Of the day. In
the salon vas her portrait, face indicative
of great strength and will, but lacking femi'
nine beauty, and the chamber of the famous
beauty Madame de R6camsr, who was also
an exile from her French home.
Nyon comes next, the place where many
years ago, under cover of night, the brave
little band of 5000 WaldenseS banded to.
gether, resolving to return and hold once
the mountain passes, from which they had
been driven by the superior forces of the
King of Piedmont, as well as by the soldiers
of France. How full of interest the history
of the Waldenses and their struggles for re-
ligious liberty; so near to US here in Ge
neva, for they dwell on either side Of the
Alps, half in Italy and half in France. An
irresistible desire comes over US to return
here 10 the bright GUNNER days and visit this
brave people, who have struggled amid every
discouragement, and preserved their religion
pure and undefled for ages. Are they moi
the germ to which we may, at no distant day
look, to effect the salvation of Italy ant
France from bigotry and Romiah supersti
tion? Already they have established church
es in every city of both these Catholic cOun
tries, and still the good work is going on.
We visited Lausanne also much farther ul
the lake, and dined at the Hotel Gibbon, il
the garden of which, the historian finished
his last lines of the Decline and Fall of th,
Roman Empire. From the signal two mile
above the town, most charming view ii
obtained of the lake, and huge mountain
iutting out of the water. Farther on il
Castle Caillon, of which Byron wrote so pa
.hetioallly, if rot true to history. This poe
aad villa also upon this lake.
We could write Of VeVay too, so brigh
and sunny, and Villeneuse, but this letter i
already too long, though the half has no
been written of the beauties of the lake. W
leave tomorrow for Turin, afterwards Can