PREFACE.

HE publications of the Religious Tract Society have, for some years past, contained numerous views of Swiss scenery by Mr. E. WHYMPER, who is preeminent amongst modern engravers for his knowledge of mountain forms and his power of delineating them. His intimate acquaintance with Switzerland has afforded him facilities for its pictorial illustration which few artists have enjoyed. From the great merit of his designs, it has been thought desirable to present them in a collected and permanent form, with the advantages of fine toned paper and careful printing. In order to give somewhat more of completeness to this series of views, a few additional illustrations have been introduced.

The letter-press which accompanies the engravings is quite subordinate to them. The design of the Editor has been to trace, as briefly as possible, the route marked out for him by the artist, adding such occasional descriptions of scenery as may serve to render the volume available for those who have never seen the places themselves. The material for this has been gathered in a course of frequent, almost annual,

visits to Switzerland during the last fifteen years. A few historical and biographical notices of the great deeds which have been wrought or the great men who have lived in the districts under review, will, it is hoped, add to the interest of the volume, and prove suggestive of profitable thought to the tourist.

Notwithstanding the endless variety of grandeur and beauty which Switzerland contains, a narrative of the impressions produced by them upon a single mind must always be characterised by a certain sameness and monotony. The description of one Swiss mountain, or lake, or valley, or waterfall will, with some modifications, apply to the others. A reiteration of similar phrases, an often-repeated recital of similar emotions of awe or delight, can only produce weariness in the reader. The Editor has, therefore, aimed to give variety, by frequently introducing quotations, in poetry or prose, from some of the innumerable authors who have made Switzerland their theme. He desires especially to express his obligations to Messrs. Smith, Elder, and Co.-the publishers of Mr. Ruskin's works-for permission to enrich his pages by several eloquent passages from Modern Painters, the Stones of Venice, and the Seven Lamps of Architecture.

CONTENTS.

NORTH-EASTERN SWITZERLAND AND THE RHINE.

VARIOUS ROUTES: THAT BY BELGIUM AND THE RHINE SELECTED-
BRUGES THE RHINE-HEIDELBERG-SCHAFFHAUSEN AND THE FALLS
OF THE RHINE CONSTANCE AND JOHN HUSS-THE HEAD-WATERS
OF THE RHINE-VIA MALA-THE SOURCES OF THE RHINE-REICHE-
NAU AND LOUIS PHILIPPE ZURICH-EINSEDELEN BASLE

PAGE

15

THE FOREST CANTONS.

LUCERNE THE RIGHI-LAKE OF LUCERNE-ENGLEBERG-THE TITLIS
-THE DEVIL'S BRIDGE-MURDEROUS CONFLICTS IN THE VALLEY

37

THE SIMPLON ROAD AND THE SWISS-ITALIAN LAKES.

THE ROUTES INTO THE LAKE DISTRICT· THE CONSTRUCTION OF
THE SIMPLON ROAD—A WINTER ADVENTURE ON THE SIMPLON-
ITALY ITALIAN TOWNS COMO, LUGANO, MAGGIORE, AND ORTA-
THE BORROMEAN ISLANDS-STORM ON LAKE COMO-VENICE .

55

83

THE BERNESE OBERLAND.

PAGE

ΤΟ

THE OBERLAND

-

AND

THE RHONE VALLEY
MARJELEN-SEE-THE

THE

FROM ZERMATT
EGGISCHORN-THE ALETSCH GLACIER

RHONE GLACIER AND THE GRIMSEL-HANDECK-MEYRINGEN-THE

NOIRE

THE MONT BLANC DISTRICT.

THE TOUR OF MONT BLANC-THE COL DE BALME AND THE TÊTE
CHAMOUNI COLERIDGE'S HYMN-CONTAMINES COL DU
BONHOMME--THE RETURN OF THE WALDENSES-THE VALLEY OF
THE ISÈRE-LAC DE COMBAL- COURMAYEUR-AOSTA-TURIN AND

107

149

WESTERN SWITZERLAND.

THE RHONE VALLEY AND THE CANTON DE VAUD CHAMPERY-THE
VAL ORMONT-SEPEY-THE CREUX DES

CHAMPS-ROUGEMONT

LAKE LEMAN-CASTLE OF CHILLON-GENEVA-CALVIN MADAME
GUYON-FELIX NEFF LAUSANNE THE JURA-NEUFchâtel

175

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

The illustrations in this volume are all by Mr. Whymper, except those marked by an asterisk.