Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-08-20
FEAST OF THE VINES.
a PRETTY CUSTOM or swiTZER-
LAND.
A Fe'asvsf Which Originated I'm Aneient
1rcoco and IA Kept Alive ina
Modern Republic.
New York Tlmoal


Switzerland appears 10 be picturesque
not only in its eceuery but in its manners
and customs Tho inhabitants cling 20
pas toral traditions with remarkable fond
mes Il, and Their great national celebration,
the GTande Fete des VigncTons. Is an ex-
ce edingly interesting function. IL takes
pl ace only once IN generation. aud then
lists fully a week. writer IN the London
Jldilg Tcloroph says that though it was
founded ages ago in the days Of midiaval
darkness. long before the British tourist,
with ~Baedeker" and alponstOck. bad
taken 10 stumbling over glaciers and
drinking bottled beer on tho peaks
Of virgin snow, the Jete has been
kept alive by an ancient brother
hood Of vine-growers, who stili perform
the functions Of the mediayai monks. who
some pagan ritual connected with the mys-
teries OF the cult OF the vine. At this time
of the year they pay visits 10 the vine
wards OF the various districts, note and OBJ
serve the conditions Of the vine. the labor
expended on its culture and the progress
of the grape. and they award recompenses
30 the most industrious workers. The
crowning with laurols Of the "prcmiers
vignerOnsn is the pretcXt for the ffe but
of late years We read that Il has been sur
rounded by Il splendid display lllustra-
tive of Swiss life and customs. Now, when
that guileless parsonage. the " Merry Swiss
BOyn of song, breaks into miIth and re-
ioicing, he generally does things well, and
TO-DAY he is jOdeiing and tra-la-la ling
with all his merry Swiss might by the blue
waters of Lake Lcman. The mafkei-place
Of the pretty little town Of Nevey. which
all travellers know 40 We'll - they pass on
their pilgrimage TO Chillon, il set out As a
vast amphitheatre. capable OF containing
some fifteen thousand people. Here, seat-
ed Ike Roman Emperor presiding at a cir-
Gus, Is seen the President OF the Swiss -
public. with the Yico-president by his side.
and around him are grouped the members
~ the Federal Council the foreign Min
ssters accredited 10 Bcmc. and the high
magistrates and chief authorities OF
the surrounding confederated cantons.
Beneath these potent, grave. and reverend
seigniors Is being enacted solemn drama;
very festival of Uonysus, q Pagan
pageant. symbolic, ~ of NOre, ~ the tri-
umph of wine. This Is probably the old
original form of the ancient function. and
It Is somewhat akin 20 our own harvest
homes" and similar agricultural ceremO-
MES that prevail IN all countries but. be-
yond the mere symbOllzing OF successful
vine culture. the ceremony strives 20 giye
graphic color and form 10 a series OF living
pictures descriptive of the main features
al Swiss rural life Evidently the original
notion found It's way across the Alps trom
Greece, but 10 is instructive to note what
additions haye been made by our friends,
the Merry Swiss Boys 10 the old notion
of importing Hellenism into Helyetls.
II appears that under three vast arches,
erected i'm honor of the three deities Of
the celebration. there enter as many pro-
cessions. headed by trlumphal ears bear
ing representations OF Minerva, of Pallas
Athena. Ceres. and Nacchus, decorated
with the respective products of spring.
, summer. and winter. The deites wcro
followed by professions made up ot over
thousand people illustrating tho agricuitn-
raj pursuits Of the three seasons. nigh
priests in Roman costumes offered inyOca-
tionsand poured forth lbat;ons 10 the gods;
the groups sang chOruses; dozen bands
were hard ~ work playing, We assume, tho
same tune, and enthusiastic accounts
reach us concerning the excellence ot tho
group presided over by the jolly God bac-
chus himself Throncd on "A huge tnn was
the laughing God of Wine, and as he was
surrounded by the proper group OF dancing
sntyrs, with tho feet Of goat aud tho
face of man fauns. with their long
ears hidden beneath their clustering hair,
and with nimble scamperlng, troiicsome,
tricksy ways. and wild. inspired bacchantes,
no doubt clad in light leopard skins,
wreathed with vine leaves, waving alQtt
the traditional thyrus, and making the
/
Of a pass ionate outbumt of Eyoe! LyOe!"
Even old Suenus, the Simon the Ccllarcr
of the ancients, was thero mounted on his
ass. rollickiug, rubicund, bcgrimed, AMI
beaming; and the more modern form OF
the cult was shown by the groups OF PIC
turesquely- -attired vine-growers, pressers,
coopers and-the last item has just a touch
of pathOs in it-bottlers. In similar fash
ion Pallas was followed by haymnkers and
herdsmen, and Arcadian shepherds and
shcpherdesses, accompanied by pet
lambs. and everywhere that Pallas
Athena went those lambs were sure
10 60. OF course the severe classical
scholar will be- ill-adyscd enough 20
suggest that an owl. the bird ot wisdom,
would have been more appropriate bus,
then, owls do not flourish ia Switzerland.
and. besides, they are out of place in
pageaut Illuminated by bright sunshine.
Ceres came next with gOodly company oi
plOWmen, sewers reapers, cleaners,
thrashers, and millers. Following Ceres
was winter, represented by an old -fashi9ned
village wedding, 10 which function all tho
members of the other groups were asked.
thus it will be- seen that all the elements
of "A vast al frcScO pantOmme we're present,
and small wonder - II that the
whole crowd sang chorus, AMI
then proceeded 10 execute pc
torial ballet to illustrate their labor,
tho words and music being specially
written for the occasion by Swiss CONF
Dosers and librcttists. The accounts make
no mention Of the overture 10 William
Tell.n but no doubt II found a place IN tho
programme, and az all events We have %
on high authority that - tho high priests
were soloists from the Grand Theatre in
Geneva. aud all these had ino voices,
while the dancing was extremely graceiul
throughout and was exceedingly popular
Z fa
"a bright, clear sky. in one of the lOvoliest
spots in Switzerland, this open-air opera
went on, and IN the pauses OF the acts "a
| body Of stalwart warriors, $50 strong, ia tho
costume of the Old SWISS Guard, sang an
| ode in praise Of their country. declaring
/ that il they were called ~ arms to-day 10
defend their native land they would beat
/ their pruning g-hooks back again into swords
and turn their plOwshaIes into Winchester
( repeaters, and fight as their brave fore
/ fathers did in the days Of Seupach and
! GransOn. Then up and spake the Abbe, or
/ president aud concluded his patriotic
! speech with the crowning Of the Kings Oh
! the Vineyard with golden laureb and the
pinning of medals on their manly and
/ Ineodious breasts.
From all those things il will be- seen that
| little Switzerland has managed with very
/ considerable success To keep up her rtpu-
tatlon as a cultyatOr OF the pOetlcal anl
picturesque And u should Do noted thas
/ her pretty festival l., like the doings at
/ Bayreuth-tho Mecca OF Wagnersm;" ~
( Il has been felicitously termed essentially
/ artistic and peaceful The small contede-
B racy which nestles IN her mOuntain-circlei
/ seclugon in the heart Of Europe, aud
which all the bigger nations love and
mako a pct Of. has. Of course. no
navy, but IL possesses a very credit
able Little army. which would doubt
less render good service II called upon.
Her fighting days, lot us hope, are over.
but years ago she fought for freedom with
the plucx OF bantam. and no one - likely
10 attack the hardy mOuntaineers VIII IN
pnnity. Switzerland has history and tra-
ditions, and ~ intervals she lets Us know
that she is capable Of doing botter things
than making clocks and watches for
! the rest OF Europe. Her latest form
! OF uttaranee is this curious blend of
mythology and Christianity presided
over by the Brotherhood" who, under
the influences Of tho Calyinistic anad
Ultramontane parties, have apparently
labOred with success 70 make BacchuS
I ,.,.si,,, a r.,eafbl. "A taQant and even .