lating line, with here and there predominating summits. Their aspect in opposition to the Alps is, if it be permitted to make such a comparison, as the conformation of the wolds of Yorkshire to that of the mountains of Wales.

The approach to Nion, on this side, displays the bold site of that very ancient town* to great advantage. The Gothic castle, with its high flanking towers, capped with conical roofs, stands on a commanding eminence, on whose steep sides fine gardens hang in terraces, checquered with vineyards. On the top of a hill between Rolle and Nion, we noticed a large stone, on which is cut in relief the figure of a wheel placed on a drag-chain, over which are engraved these words :-"La loi defend de descendre sans garde-roue et de mener des bois en train, 1812."—About a mile from Nion, on the side of Rolle, is the modern Chateau-de-Prangin, well situated, and of considerable dimensions, but as far as respects the state of repair, it seems not at all a favourable specimen of a Swiss Nobleman's residence. It was in this place that Joseph Buonaparte, after resigning the post of pre-eminence and disquietude in Spain, given to him by his Imperial brother and master, resided till the events of 1815 compelled him to cross the Atlantic. From Nion our road keeps close to the banks of the lake, both sides of which, as we draw near to Geneva, rise in easier acclivities from the water's edge. At this point the Savoy coast exhibits a striking improvement in the fertility and beauty of its foreground: horrid crags and tremendous chasms no

"It is thought by antiquaries to be the Colonia equestris Noviodunum

of the Romans."-Ebel.

longer frown upon the shores: the dark and tall mountains recede far into distance, where we see their snowwrapt peaks intermingled with the clouds.

At Coppet we obtain, en passant, a close and good view of the residence of M. Necker, and of his not less celebrated daughter, the late Madame de Staël.* There is nothing particular in its construction, but the park must offer the finest views. Coppet itself seems to be a very moderate town. There are many chateaux and country seats on this road, but we look almost in vain for those neat little boxes planted on embellished grounds which are so numerous in the vicinity of London. Of so great width and extent is the lake as seen from Coppet, that it appears like a marine view, rendered still more gratifying to the eye, as the meanderings of the road exhibit the different grades and groups of the opposite Alps in the most astonishing variety of forms.

Between five and six in the afternoon, we reached Versoy, where a road branches off to Ferney-Voltaire, as it is called on the direction post. And as a visit to the latter place constitutes one of the prudential tasks of those, who wish to avoid being told that, happening not to have seen a given something, they have seen nothing, we resolved to secure this important point by a trifling detour in our way to Geneva; particularly as the postillion gave us to understand that it was la fête de Ferney. Accordingly we once more crossed the French frontier, and entering the department of the Jura, drove about three miles into the country. Alighting in the village, we walked through

*The Chateau-de-Coppet was also the residence of Bayle. The remains of M. Necker, those of his wife, and likewise those of Madame de Staël, are interred in the gardens.

its entire extent to the Chateau, the façade of which towards the avenue is in the usual stile of French domestic architecture. But there is an attempt at something uncommon in the portal: it is of Doric columns with entablature, surmounted by Ionic pilasters. Two of the lower rooms were all that we were permitted to see; and these the old porter assured us were precisely in the same state as in the life-time of Monsieur de Voltaire. The first apartment, called the dining-room but which looks more like a sort of Salle d'entrée, contains some bad copies after Albano's Toilette of Venus, &c. Among other indifferent pictures is a composition as paltry in the execution as it is conceited in the design. In this precious monument of the fine arts, Voltaire himself is led to the Temple of Fame by the Genius of France, and his enemies are trampled upon and flagellated by demons. What ridiculous personages were Les Grands Hommes du Pantheon Français !

The second apartment on the ground floor, into which we were shewn, was the Philosopher's sleeping-room. The bed vouched for as that on which the author of La Henriade constantly reposed, is a wretched pallet. In this chamber we observed a clever spirited head of Voltaire in his 40th year: also very unmeritorious portraits of the Marchioness de Chatelet (his chère amie); the Great King Frederick, and the little actor Lè Kain. Over a funereal urn we read" Mes mânes sont consolés, puisque mon cœur est au milieu de vous."-Under it is the following-"Son esprit est partout; et son cœur est ici."-To the first allegation I answer "Heaven forbid." To the second, "with all my heart;" and there let it rest.

On one side the avenue, near the gates of the Chateau stands the edifice which "DEO EREXIT VOLTAIRE," according to the words which were formerly to be read on the frieze, and are invariably alluded to by most modern tourists as if still in existence. Our English poet says

"Who builds a church to God, and not to fame,
"Will never mark the marble with his name:"

But, so miserable an apology for a church, the French bard, politician, philosopher, and historian, never could have dreamt of erecting to Fame. And the Revolutionists by effacing as they did his futile dedication of it to the Almighty, shewed their conviction of the perfect inconsistency that there was between such an inscription and "le gènie de ses écrits immortels”—in plainer language, the lessons of irreligion and immorality which he had himself taught them.

Ferney is situated about a league from Geneva on the road to Gex; and from being a mean hamlet of scattered houses was brought to its present state of consideration as a regularly built and populous town by the fostering liberality of Voltaire. The locality however, is by no means of that commanding or agreeable kind, which one would have expected to be the choice of such a man. As viewed from the gardens, the dark rampart of the Jura has a more powerful than welcome influence on the prospect; whilst the lake which he called "his own and the finest of all lakes," is barely visible. The estate is now the property of a Gentleman named De Budé, of the same family, from whom this extraordinary individual purchased it.— In the street leading to the Chateau, a very large church,

with a magnificent portico and a lofty dome, is in progress towards completion, for the Roman Catholic service; and a little further on they have nearly finished a small unostentatious place of worship for the Protestant inhabitants. When the former building shall be fit for consecration, Voltaire's mass-house is to be pulled down.

Of the Fête-de-Ferney, an annual festival instituted by the great man, I can only observe, that whatever it might have been in the days of his patronage and presidency, there was scarcely anything to distinguish the scene from one of unmixed vulgarity, or to relieve it from the prevalence of uniform dulness. It was held in the wooded recess of a range of meadows about half a mile from the town. The assemblage, though very numerous, was not disorderly; but fruitlessly did we look around the peasant-throng for samples of the pretty, the sprightly, or the engaging. After a shooting-match (jeu de tirer à l'oiseau) at which the victor was carried in triumph; dancing commenced; yet under no auspices congenial to "mirth and social ease," such as Goldsmith describes, and as I have myself some years ago seen fully realised in the neighbourhood of Paris. By sports like these, however, added to the preceding objects of our more particular attention, time was imperceptibly beguiled; and evening's "gradual dusky veil" had drawn itself over the face of the landscape before we reached the gates of Geneva.