persons of the first local consequence, are in a manner shared by their rich proprietors with shopkeepers and manufacturers. That is to say, the range of the ground floor is occupied by the latter, and the gentry themselves live on the first floor and middle stories. This has rather a strange appearance. But the general arrangement of dwellings is a great deal worse. A house in the Arcades, or behind the Rhone, for instance, affords suites of rooms for several families: from top to bottom a common stair. case, which usually, if not too much in the dark to be examined, shews a thick coating of dirt, serves by various landings to conduct you to the door of the person you seek. There is however no "parlez-au-concierge" inscribed on the entrance, as at Paris. The name is on each door, and you must proceed by yourself till you find it. Yet it is in these close uncomfortable places that some of the most respectable tradesmen reside, and carry on their concerns to a great extent of capital, and with an extraordinary display of ingenuity and taste.

At one of the principal jewellers we were shewn some most splendidly executed pieces of workmanship in gold and precious stones. We also visited the firm of Godemar, in the watch-making line, and heard a great variety of brilliant tunes on musical boxes, which they have brought to wonderful perfection, and sell at much more reasonable prices than formerly. The greatest curiosity in this magazin, and one indeed surpassing any I had ever before seen, was a snuffbox, beautifully chased in gold: on the top of the lid was a circular tablet of enamel, with a choice design of flowers elegantly painted on it. This tablet being lifted, up rose a little feathered automaton, which, decked in all the colours of the rainbow, warbled most delightfully;

its beak moved in exactly corresponding time with its rapid flow of notes, whilst it briskly turned its diminutive body, and displayed the radiant plumage of its wings as it sang. The inside of the tablet-lid had a mirror, which magnifying the form of "this counterfeit presentment of" a humming bird, shewed the consummate finish that the artist had bestowed upon it. The price asked was 1800 francs; the mechanism alone was valued at 900 francs. It was altogether an admirable specimen of Genevan talent and labour.

In the course of our walk through the central and oldest part of the city, Mr. R. pointed out to me, in the Place-de-bel-air, what goes by the name of Calvin's pulpit (La-chaire-de-Calvin), it is a sort of cul-de-lampe, or bow window, of stone, attached to the lower part of a building, from which it is related that their Great Ecclesiastical Reformer, before the separation of Geneva from the Church of Rome was fully accomplished, had the intrepidity to preach the Gospel to the people.

Continuing our course on a regular ascent, we reached and traversed the agreeable promenade of La-Treille; at the western extremity of which, passing the Theatre (for after all, Geneva-Republican Geneva, has a Theatre within its walls, and French singers and actors perform in it), we descended through La-porte-neufe, and crossed the smooth turf of Plein-Palais, whose extensive level the English Residents are allowed to use as a cricket ground, during the present season of the year. Yesterday a match was played between the Etonians and the Harrowians, eleven on each side, on this very spot, which is well adapted for the purpose.

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Proceeding about a mile beyond Plein-Palais, we visited

what is called the Camp, and saw there some hundreds of fine young men, engaged in the various duties and exercises of a military life. The national army, of which this was a portion, is estimated at nearly 8000 men.Every able-bodied Genevese is liable to serve, from the age of 20 to 55 years, and even to 60 in time of war. But the ordinary course, according to my friend's information, is for all those who have attained their twentieth year, to go and perform what is called encamping (camper) for six weeks, about half a league from the town. That is to say, every man of the age aforesaid, not labouring under any personal incapacity, is obliged to receive from Government an uniform, which he pays for if in a situation to afford the expence, and which if he is not, is given to him; and to go on duty, for the above-mentioned space of time, during the months of July and August. In this encampment, the men without distinction sleep upon straw, under tents, mingled in one common lot; the rich with the poor; the officers with the private soldiers: they cook their own victuals; and the whole day is devoted to the practical study of the art of war. This is truly a republican order of things: perfect equality reigns among these young folks; and a few hours respite from fatigue on a Sunday, is all they are allowed. Besides being regularly accustomed to shooting at the target with rifles, they are on these occasions practised in field manœuvres, making forced marches, clambering up rocks, passing rivers; in a word, the object studiously pursued by their commanders, is that of preparing them for every situation in which they would be liable to be placed in a state of real warfare; and their occupations fall short of it only in this particular, that they are not employed to

kill, either each other, or any body else.-These townsmen, from 20 to 28 years of age, form the active part of the national force, and may be sent beyond the territorial confines. The male population of all the Swiss Cantons is placed on the same principle of organization; and by that alone the permanent army of the whole Confederation is regulated.

Whilst on the subject of the military force, I may observe that, for permanent service, Geneva has a garrison composed of about eight hundred men, who are mercenaries of all countries, and do the police duties. I was told that many Members of both the Councils have already raised objections to the employment of these troops, which they look upon in the light of an abuse, contending that native Gens-d'armes would be sufficient for the police, and that these hired soldiers would be of no adequate assistance in the event of a war. Sentiments of this nature, it seems, have met with such general concurrence, that if the Republic was not under temporary engagements with the force in question it would ere now have been sent away: at present the Government is daily getting rid of it as much as possible. It is probably owing to the foreign ingredients of which this garrison is composed, that, notwithstanding all its officers are Genevese, the city bears so much resemblance to a French fortress. On our first arrival we found pretty much the same strictness at the gates about our passe-ports as if we had been entering Calais or Valenciennes.

Returning into the town, we visited the Botanic Garden, which, considering the recent period of its establishment, is a fine one; and thence traversed the public walk of LesBastions, where a very handsome mansion, or more pro

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perly speaking, a villa in the Italian stile, has been erected, near the Cavalier, with beautiful gardens and pleasure grounds in front, by Monsieur Hennard, who was formerly a Commissary of War under Buonaparte, and in that lucrative capacity made an immense fortune. There is a row of fine houses, built on a terrace that overlooks this part of the ramparts: they belong to the respective families of the Turretins, Tronchius, and Saussures. But even these are not wholly free from the derogatory feature to which allusion has in a preceding page been made: the rez-de-chaussée of some of these is et off: nor is it matter of the slightest reproach to any individual that they should be so.

The fortifications of this place are fine works, and have the appearance of considerable strength; but the trees and houses, which have been allowed to occupy the surrounding country within musket-shot of the glacis, seem calculated to render them nearly useless. The south gate is handsome piece of architecture; but the fosse is in a fair way of being filled up, as all rubbish from the city is carted into it. 1 pretend not to canvass the political or local reasons which induce the Republic to keep up the fortifications, but space being so valuable in this cooped-up city, justice will, in my opinion, never be done to the commercial interests of Geneva; due attention will not be paid to the health and comfort of its numerous and increasing population; nor will the advantages of its geographical position be adequately developed until these boulevards shall be razed, and houses built and gardens plantedt on the ground now covered with

*The population of the Canton of Geneva amounted in 1790 to 24,000 souls; at present it exceeds 41,000.

As at Francfort-on-the-Maine, and at Aix-la-Chapelle.