LETTER NO. XIII. LUCERNE, SWITZERLAND, August 27, 1859. EDITORS ADVOCATE: It is, as its I wrote you last from Berne, I believe. From this place I took rail for Thun, a beautiful place on a lake of the same name: there I took steamer across Lake Thun to Interlaken, the most delightful watering place in Switzerland. name imports, between two lakes-Lakes Thun and Brientz, and is frequented by all nations. The English, however, seem to have the predominance here. Lord Snob and Lady Upstart can be seen every evening riding out in fine carriages with liveried servants. The empress dowager of Russia is now here, where she spends the summer. She rents an entire hotel, the Belvidere, and lives in great style. From Interlaken I crossed Lake Brientz to the town of Brientz-thence on muleback across the Alps to Lake Lungern-thence down the lake to Aipnach on the Lake Lucerne— thence across Lake Lucerne to the town of the same name. The town of Lucerne is a very pleasant place as a summer resort, having one of the very best hotels in Europe, the Switzer-Hof. Its population is about 10,000-all Catholics with a very few exceptions. Here the Pope's Nuncio resides. Situated between the giant mountains Pilatus and Regi and in sight of the snow-capped Alps, its scenery is considered the very finest in the world. The town possesses several curiosities which ought to be mentioned. First, the monument to the Swiss Guards who fell in 1792, at Paris, in defending the royal family of France. The design is by Thorwalsden, and executed by Ahorn. It represents a lion of colossal size wounded to death, with a spear sticking in his side, yet endeavoring in his last gasp to protect from injury a shield bearing the fleur-de-lis of the Bourbons, which he holds in his paws. The figure is hewn out of the living sandstone rock, (on the side of a high cliff,) is 28 feet long and 18 feet high, and whether as a tribute to fallen valor or as a work of art, it merits the highest praise. It is the most appropriate monument in Europe. The next thing of importance in Lucerne is the style of building or rather adorning their bridges-one of them is adorned with 77 fine paintings hung up in such a manner "that he who runs may read." The paintings are by Holbein, to represent the "Dance of Death." Here death is seen in 77 different shapes-and is intended as a warning to the living that we all must die—that "in the midst of life we are in death." Lucerne is quite a manufacturing place. I saw several wagon-loads of American cotton passing through the streets from the railway to the various factories. On yesterday morning, I took a delightful trip up the lake Lucerne, which I found to be the most beautiful of all the lakes of Switzerland that I have thus far seen. From the town of Lucerne to the Bay of Uri, the lake seems a living panorama of gardens and vineyards—of green pastures and bright cottages. After passing the obelisk of Wytenstein, the Bay of Uri with all its stupendous grandeur bursts into view. It is upon this, that the superiority of the Lake of Lucerne to all other lakes depends. Vast mountains rising on every side and crowned with eternal snows-the soft spots of verdant pastures scattered at their feet-the placid lake, unbroken by islands and almost undisturbed by any signs of living men, make an impression which cannot be described. The town of Fluelen is situated on the Bay of Uri at the head of Lake Lucerne. Here is the place where William Tell shot the apple from his son's head—and on the very spot where he stood is a fountain, with the statue of Tell. On the spot where his son stood, or rather where he was tied to a tree, is another fountain, with the statue of Gessler. The distance is exactly 130 yards, for I stepped it myself, a pretty good shot for a bow and arrow. Near this place Tell was born, and only two miles below is his chapel, where he leaped from the boat during the storm, his chains having been taken off. The tyrant Gessler landed soon after and hastened home, but was intercepted by Tell and shot with his unerring arrow. This chapel is in a very romantic spot. At the foot of it is a perpendicular mountain, while the lake descends abruptly to the depth of 800 feet. In the chapel are fresco paintings as large as life of Tell's history, also of the assembling of the three patriots of Switzerland at the spring of Grutli just opposite, who first conceived the bold idea of freeing Switzerland. These are sacred spots to every Switzer, and like devout Mussulmans to Mecca, they make pilgrimages to see these sacred places. Once every year, on the first Friday after the Ascension, mass is said and a sermon is preached in Tell's chapel; the inhabitants on the lake repair hither in boats and form an aquatic procession, the like of which can only be seen in Switzerland. "Sweet Lake of Lucerne, I now bid adieu To your mountains of green and your waters of blue; Of Switzerland's freedom, religion, and laws." I leave to-day for Zurich, thence to Basle and Baden-Baden. Adieu. Yours very truly, H. W. A. LETTER NO. XIV. ZURICH, SWITZERLAND, HOTEL Baur, 1859. EDITORS ADVOCATE : I arrived here last evening late at night, direct from Berne. Owing to the immense ranges of high mountains all through this country, I had to go by rail nearly to Basle, and then up to Zurich. I had heard so much of this place, of its wealth and intelligence, its classic renown and its lovely scenery, that I determined to see it before leaving Switzerland. And then again, many years ago, when I was a boy, I had heard a beautiful girl in Mississippi sing, in a truly captivating and languishing style, that song which I then thought was almost angelic music. I mean "On the banks of Zurich's sweet waters." I have not heard that "boardingschool" melody for many a long year, but whenever I think of it, raven locks, and pearly teeth, and sweet pouting lips and languishing eyes, come right up before me in all their loveliness, and cause even at this day a slight palpitation of the heart. |