make the description as interesting to his reader, as the visit was to himself, he would never need an apology for a Book. I do quite despair of this, and yet I have attempted my Pilgrim Story.

In speaking of the shadow of Mont Blanc, and of Day and Night, of Morn and Eve, of Sun and Moon and Stars upon the Mountain, I could adopt what Dante says of the light of Paradise, except that my dream of glory is better remembered; and this shall be my Preface.

"As one who from a Dream awakened, straight,
All he hath seen forgets; yet still retains
Impression of the feeling in his Dream;
E'en such am I: for all the vision dies,
As 't were, away; and yet the sense of sweet,
That sprang from it, still trickles in my heart.
Thus in the sun thaw is the snow unsealed;
Thus in the winds on flitting leaves was lost
The Sybil's sentence. O eternal beam!

Whose height what reach of mortal thought may soar?
Yield me again some little particle

Of what thou then appearedst; give my tongue
Power, but to leave one sparkle of thy glory,
Unto the race to come, that shall not lose
Thy triumph wholly, if thou waken aught
Of memory in me, and endure to hear
The record sound of this unequal strain."

CAREY'S DANTE, Paradise, Canto xxxiii

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER

I.

II

PAGE

INTRODUCTION.—INTERPREtation of Nature..

.........

1

6

MONT BLANC FROM GENEVA AND ITS OUTSKIRTS......

III. CLOUD-LAND AND MOUNTAIN SCENERY FROM THE GRAND

V. THE TRUTH OF CHRIST AND ITS DEFENDERS IN GENEVA. 20

VI. DR. MAlan, Dr. Merle D'Aubigne, and Dr. GAUSSEN. 27

VII. DR. MERLE D'AUBIGNE..

LIGIOUS LIBERTY...

IX. CHAMOUNY AND THE MER DE GLACE.....

335

VIII. DR. GAUSSEN.-THE CHILDREN OF

OF THE ORATOIRE.-RE-

45

53

X. CASCADE DES PELERINES.-A SWISS FAMILY.-COLE-

RIDGE'S HYMN....

64

XI. MONT BLANC FROM THE COL DE BALME.

73

XII. STARTING FOR THE TOUR AROUND MONT BLANC.......

XII. CASCADE BARBERINA AND PASS OF THE TETE NOIRE... 85

XIV PASS OF THE GRAND ST. BERNARD.

79

XV. HOSPICE OF THE GRAND ST. BERNARD...

91

94

XVI. DESCENT INTO THE VAL D'AOSTE.-ROMISH INTOLE-

RANCE, AND THAT OF STATE AND CHURCH......... 103

XVII. LOWER VALLEY OF AOSTE INTO IVREA AND TURIN...... 110

CHAPTER

PAGE

XVIII. THE GRAND ST. BERNARD BY MOONLIGHT.-FLOOD OF

THE DRANCE..

115

XIX. SUNSET.-THE TETE NOIRE.-THE VALORSINE BY MOON-

LIGHT.-PIETY OF THE GUIDES......

.....

123

XX. CITY OF AOSTE.-THE SABBATH.-THE PEASANTS.-MON-

UMENT TO JOHN CALVIN.......

128

XXI. ANTIQUITIES, CALAMITIES, AND BY-LAWS OF AOSTE.-

MONT BLANC FROM IVROGNE....

XXII. MONT BLANC FROM THE UPPER VAL D'AOSTE....

139

....

144

XXIII. PASS OF THE COL DE LA SEIGNE..

150

XXIV. PASS OF THE COL DE BONHOMME.

155

XXV. CHAMOUNY TO GENEVA. — THE BISHOP OF CASHEL

PREACHING In the Dining-HALL...

162

WANDERINGS OF A PILGRIM

IN THE

SHADOW OF MONT BLANC.

CHAPTER I.

Introduction. Interpretation of Nature.

THE Fasciculus of leaves from the journal of a summer's trave here presented to the reader, is more like a familiar letter than a book; it was written, at first, for the perusal of a few friends, and it makes no pretensions to depth or greatness, but is a quiet expression of thoughts and feelings, which any man may experience amidst the wonders of Alpine scenery. There is neither political economy, nor geology, nor botany, nor musical, nor theatrical, nor statistical information much attempted in it. And yet it is possible to find in such a journal a book which may beguile and benefit both the traveller among the Alps, and the Pilgrim at home; a book, "which meets us like a pleasant thought, when such are wanted." Mere descriptions, be the scenery ever so grand, are cloying and tiresome, and soon become tame. It is like living upon pound-cake and cream, or rather upon whip-syllabub. But if, while the eye is pleased the heart may be active, and the mind awakened into deep thought, if the thought be such as befits the immortal tenant of a world so beautiful, then will the mind and heart be at harmony with nature, and the language, which the very frame of the world speaks, will be understood, and the spirit which pervades such a world will imbue the being as a calm and gentle element.

Nothing is more desirable than for a with nature, as well as with mankind.

traveller so to converse We do not con men's