A tour through some parts of France, Switzerland, Savoy, Germany and Belgium, during the summer and autumn of 1814

by Richard Boyle Bernard

The form is still in my judgment the first requisite; nor can I agree that the goodness consists in the mere administration. I visited the agricultural establishment of M. de Fellenberg, at Hofwyl, two leagues from Berne, where may be learnt the principles of rural economy, and where annual fêtes are given for the encouragement of farming; and I also made an excursion to Hindelbanck, three leagues distant, where is a much admired monument, erected from a design of M. Nahl; it represents his wife, who died in child-bed, breaking; from her tomb with her child in her arms. The Canton of Berne, before the separation from it of the Cantons of Vaud and Argovia, formed about a third of Switzerland; its population is now about 300,000. The country is fruitful, but like the rest of Switzerland does not afford a sufficient supply of corn for its inhabitants. Its fruit and vegetables are excellent. Its mountains feed vast herds of cattle, and there is abundance of game. Its exports are principally horses, cottons, watches, and kirschwasser, (or spirit extracted from the cherry) there are manufactories of silks, and woollen stuffs, and its gunpowder is in much estimation throughout Europe. The salt comes mostly from France, but does not cost above five sols the pound. Groceries are still dear, but.are much reduced since the downfall of the continental system. This Canton first entered into the Swiss Confederation, in 1353. I made some enquiries respecting clergy, from a most respectable minister of my acquaintance, who informed me, that the senate appoint to all ecclesiastical benefices—that the clergy are divided into synods which assemble separately every year under the presidency of a Dean, to examine into the conduct of each pastor, and to deliberate in the presence of the Bailiff of the District, concerning ecclesiastical affairs. The criminal code is well arranged, and justice is administered with a promptitude that merits the highest praise, since legal delay often proves worse than injustice.

I was doubtful in what direction I should next proceed, when I was induced, as the season was advanced, to give up the idea of visiting Oberland, and to accompany a gentleman going to Lucerne; if the country was less romantic than that which I lost the opportunity of seeing, I was with a companion who would have rendered an excursion in any country entertaining. We left Berne in an open carriage, and took the road to Worb, where we visited a sawmill, and were much pleased with that useful invention. There are near the village several of the most extensive bleach-greens in Switzerland. At Luzelflüh we passed the river Emmen, and soon after stopped some time whilst oar horses rested. I have never been in a country where horses are taken better care of; they are always in excellent condition, and after mounting any considerable hill, the driver does not fail to give them some slices of bread.

As we proceeded, we were struck with the profusion of autumnal crocuses, with which the fields were enlivened, and stopped to sleep at the inconsiderable village of Sumiswald, where the inn, like the rest of the houses, was entirely built of wood. We were shewn into an apartment where several peasants were at supper, and on the table lay a newspaper, which (although its date was not very recent) seemed to interest them extremely. Several more peasants having come in, we were, as strangers, conducted into a more private room, but it was so small, as to give us the idea that we were in a box. Our hostess was not long in preparing supper, and as it was extremely frugal, she produced for us a bottle of Neufchâtel wine, of much better quality than one could have expected to meet with in so retired a situation. We set out at an early hour next morning, and, after passing through a vast forest of fir, arrived to breakfast at Zell, in the canton of Lucerne, where the number of chapels by the road-side announced that the Roman Catholic was the established religion. The valley beyond Zell is extensive and well watered. The peasants display much ingenuity in irrigating their meadows. The orchards are numerous, and, as well as the meadows, are refreshed by ductile streams. In the centre of the valley rises a lofty eminence, on the summit of which are the remains of the castle of Hapstalla, which, half concealed by a mass of wood, forms a conspicuous object amidst the cultivation of the surrounding scenery. The small towns of Huttweil and Willisan present nothing worthy of remark; but Sursee is a neat town, and the lake of Sempacli adds greatly to the cheerful appearance of the country, which it waters to a considerable extent. The town of Sempach is noted in history for the defeat of Leopold, Duke of Austria, in 1386, by the forces of the Swiss confederation. The Duke, together with his chief nobility, perished in the engagement, which is further memorable by the heroism of Arnold Winkdried. The approach to Lucerne along the river Reuss is singularly beautiful, the banks are steep and well wooded, and the distant appearance of the city, front the number of its turrets and spires, is highly impressive. Its situation is certainly superior to that of any city in Switzerland (Berne perhaps excepted). The mountains which surround that part of the lake seen from the town, immediately reminded me of the magnificent scenery pf Killarney. The beauty of its situation, and the imposing aspect which Lucerne presents at a distance, renders the gloominess of its interior the more striking; and 1 do not know, whether coming from Berne, where all is activity, gave me the impression, but I think I never was in a more melancholy and deserted town of the same magnitude. The population is only 4,000; but, to judge from its extent, it might contain at least three times that number. It is difficult to account exactly for the causes of this inactivity, but I should be inclined to think some blame attaches to its government, as here are no traces of that beneficial superintendence which is so perceptible at Berne, This city cannot even boast of a public library. There are at Lucerne several curious wooden bridges, to join the different parts of the town separated by the river and the lake. They are from 5 to 600 feet in length, and one of them contains a vast number of paintings from scriptural subjects, and also from the Swiss history.

There are several handsome buildings at Lucerne, but many towns that cannot boast of such a number, much exceed it in general appearance.

We observed a great quantity of fruit for sale, and good peaches for one sol each. The celebrated plan, or rather, model, of this and the three surrounding cantons, by General Pfiffer, is to be seen here on payment of thirty sols; it is well worthy of a visit, and the General is said to have refused ten thousand pounds for it. Buonaparte is said to have wished to possess it.

The lake of Lucerne, called also the lake of the Four Cantons, or the Waldstraller See, is one of the most picturesque pieces of water in Switzerland, and by its numerous windings, as well as by the rivers which fall into it, affords facilities for commerce, which are astonishingly neglected.

Mont Pilate rises majestically from the lake. It is, perhaps, one of the highest mountains in Switzerland, if measured from its base, and not from the level of the sea. Its elevation from the level of the lake is, according to the measurement of General Pfiffer, not less than 6000 feet. Its name was, it is thought, given it by the Romans, from the accumulation of snow upon its summit.

Mount Rigi, so generally visited by travellers, presents another distinguished feature in this romantic country. The ascent to this mountain having been within a few days rendered extremely difficult by a fall of snow, we were advised not to attempt it, and I the more readily acquiesced, having found the ascent to Montanvert difficult, although unobstructed with snow. I therefore set out to visit two classic spots in the history of Switzerland, which distinguish the banks of this lake; first, the Grütli (the Runnimede of Switzerland), a field now covered with fruit-trees, where the neighbouring cantons on the 12th of November, 1307, first took the engagement to found the liberty of their country. They carried their plan into execution on the 1st of January, 1308, by forcing their tyrannical governors to quit a country thenceforward destined to be free. The second place is about a league and a half distant, it is the Rock of Aschen-berg, 5240 feet above the level of the lake (which is here 600 feet deep), on a part of which, called Tell Platte, that patriot killed the tyrant Gessler here is a small chapel. I also visited the little town of Gersau (which was, by the French, united to the canton of Schweitz), remarkable as being the smallest republic existing in Europe, as it contains only one hundred square toises, and from 900 to 1000 inhabitants, who subsist chiefly by agriculture; there is besides, a small manufacture of cotton. Their metropolis is a neat village, where only, perhaps; a pure democracy subsisted without anarchy and dissensions.

The canton of Schweitz, which, at present, gives name generally to the whole confederation of cantons, is said to have been first inhabited by some persons forced to quit Sweden by religious differences. The union of this canton to those of Uri and Unterwald, first suggested that more extended confederacy, so essential to the existence of these diminutive states.

Here the Roman Catholic is the only religion tolerated, but intolerance in Switzerland is not peculiar to the Roman Catholic cantons, as in some, Calvinism only is permitted. At Brunnen I met some persons going on a pilgrimage to the shrine of Notre Dame des Ermites, at Einsiedlen, one of whom was a Frenchman, decorated with the Lys. It would be well for the Bourbons if all their subjects were possessed of but a small part of the loyalty which this gentleman expressed for them. Brunnen is a large and handsome town, situated on the lake; it was here that the cantons of Schweitz, Uri, and Unterwald, concluded their perpetual alliance. Altorf is the capital of the canton of Uri, it contains many handsome houses, and here is the statue of William Tell, in the place where he was condemned to shoot the arrow at his son. The cattle in this Canton, as well as in Schweitz, are large and handsome. I was told that many of their favourite cows had silver bells fastened round their necks. The horses are also provided with tails of a large size, the noise of which I thought extremely unpleasant, although often obliged to listen to it for many hours together. Stantz is the chief town of Unterwald, but is only remarkable for its being prettily situated. In the three original cantons, every citizen on attaining the age of sixteen, has the right of suffrage in the General Assemblies. On my return to Lucerne from this excursion, it appeared more gloomy than ever, and I determined on quitting it next morning for Zug. The Pope's nuncio resides in this town, as being the capital of the chief Roman Catholic canton, and I observed sentinels at his door, although there were none at the gates of the city. Lucerne was, under the French system, the seat of the general government of Switzerland, now removed to Zurich. The canton of Lucerne is, in general, well cultivated, and contains not less than 100,000 inhabitants. Between Lucerne and Zug, I observed a number of peasants practising with the ancient weapons of William Tell, which they appeared to use with great dexterity.