New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-03
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
A CLASSIC.


UNKNOWN swrrzERa an ian my I pp' Sell D. F.
Randolph Co. -,a, 10 nor.
We. Tissot,s Unknown Switzerland Is Get
,ainlv a most delightful book. ana inc "oh'er 70
that IL has not been translated oetoN' ~ "'"i'
,,i,b the Switzerland that is unknown W 'nc
Cook tourist and TO the whole crown Vi 0oN-
vention- fettered people whose main oplec' IN so-
inc abroad seems to be the discovery OF conui'ionS
ms nearly as possible identical WIN 'noS' onoy
Ia. ., home N. Tssot has a righteous horror OF
~. b,y hotels which swarm at all the snow
nao.s of the artificial life led by their frequent
=, ,hs RAILWAYS and the guarded mountain
sscents. the illuminated glaciers and Waterfalls
.rd all the contrivances which have from year to
year extended the vulgarization of Switzerland,
and onened IN 10 lazy and unambtlous mobs the re-
wards which formerly awaited only pluck hard
work and perseverance. He rails good-humoredly
st the ingenious caterers who have eliminated
the risk even from the ascent OF the Matterhorh'
and so regulated and facilitated expeditions TO see
the sun rise from various famous emnences that
even that phenomenon seems TO be mechanical
effect To him places like Interlaken and Li-
cerne are no longer anything but shocking ia
amples of the worst aspects OF the oemocra'.c
tendency of the age, and to be summed 'ccor"-
ingly His face is turned to those regions "hero
the locomotive has not penetrated Wheic ''ie
stately and venerable diligence still holds It's owh'
where the modest hospitable, homehke Inn IT.
naces tho enormous hotel barracks of the fashion,
able resorts. and where the humble pedestrian,
knapsack on back and iron-shod stan IN manu. 10
sure of kindly ting and attentions such a.
are sought in vain at the more expensive es'ao-
lishments.
NJ Tissot is a charming travelling companion
He knows the country like book he is iui
of its quaint old legends its historical asSo0i~
tons, it's folklore, it's manners ana customs -
nast and nresent institutions and laws, its arcm-
lecture, industries, costumes ana every Oii'ns
else He describes the country with the apprecia
49,, - a., ar+is, and the graphic pcturesqueneSs
ga viy,apess Of a prose poet. The people, TOO
are everywhere introduced to the reader In the moS'
Interesting wsv often in little episodes, some III
comIicte some finished, but all alike STIMULATING
md attractive. Nowhere are there finer pictures
of Alnine scenery and natural phenomena thah III
,hese nacrs Nowhere are the effects OF Ice aho
xnow. glacier and moraine, orevasse ana herao,
nrecipiees and forests, more clearly rendered. H'e
,oute was from Paris to Chavenna, to the hnga-
dine from Pontresna to the Rhone, through the
Valais to the Gruyere, and thence home farC
of the tourney made per1orce py rail- o'"-
alterations of time compelling haste, ana eNeh
L. M T4Ssot contrives to sketch the country ne
Is being wkisked through. and to make the ue-
scription thoroughly interesting TO the raoer'
But il Is when he mounts the imperial OF MS DC
loved dihgences that he is most at home ana 'llae
he gives finest play to his brilliant fancy ana Ills
graphic power. Some of these diligence rldes are
wonderfully realistic, and the freshness OF the prac
ing Alpine air. the balmy odor OF the WOODS lle
bright light of the sum- the dazzling sheen of the
in nd m
obls descriptions. In France this book has al
ready gone through twelve editions and no wonder
for IN is a volume to become classical, like King
lakes Eothen"
The unknown Switzerland disclosed here Is
indeed fascinating region but one feels that even
In revealing IL the doom of it's seclusion may nave
heen sealed Let but the pc rsonslly conducted
wob find its way into these quiet Cantons ana
.verv cursp and nuisance of the show places Will
snnears as il by the exercise of black magic Al
veadv the travellers who care for nature nave
been driven away from all the regular Swiss routes
and have betaken themselves TO countries not ye1
completely overrun, such as Norway But IL can
mt be long before they will be followed anu
hunted into vet remoter solitudes by the swarm
;no mui.itude who travel to be in the fashion. to
display their money to show of their clothes, ana
Cor any and every reason except genuine love Of
nature and an appreciation of her manfRd beauties
and sublmities 1t is well to have so faithful, full
and excellent an account as NJ Thsot has here
given of one Of the last retreats Of the plctur-
esoueness and simple, the antique and the un-
SOPHISTICATED, in Europe Ten years heiice IT
may no longer be possible for any man to write such
a book. The Cooks Tourist will by that time
perhaps have tramped down the last barrier and
exed the remnants of virgin Switzerland to his
empire of vulgar cOnventOnality.