ENTRANCE INTO SWITZERLAND. 183 us, stretching to the south and south-west; the former bounded by the high grounds above Bâsle; the latter aspect shut in by the Jura Alps, resembling in appearance, but being much higher than, the Black Mountains, as seen from the low parts of Herefordshire. The town of Bâsle, with its steeples, lay at the verge of the valley to the left. The voiture having come up to our party, we again resumed our seats, and night came swiftly on. The gates at Bâsle close every evening at nine o'clock, and we were passing between their heavy portals half an hour before that time. We directed our voiturier to Les Trois Rois, an excellent house in every respect. CHAPTER VIII. A RETROSPECTIVE GLANCE. I MUST not close this excursion in Germany without a slight retrospect. The people are goodnatured and good-humoured to a proverb, and, as far as we could ascertain from our own notice, as industrious as either. The women, in particular, work very laboriously in the field, and thus destroy at an early age any native beauty they may happen to possess. In agriculture, although not quite equalling Belgium or Switzerland in perfection, Germany is still before most other countries, and certainly superior to many parts of Britain. When I say superior, I mean that they are more careful to make every thing tell: weeds are more attentively gathered; every square foot of convertible land is A RETROSPECTIVE GLANCE. 185 cultivated; there are, consequently, no common waste lands or uncultured patches, and fructification is universal. Yet it must be remembered that the chief cause of this is the smallness of the farms. Hundreds of people have, and feel they have, interests in the welfare of the soil, who in England would never rise above the ordinary level of day-labourers. The high roads of Germany are excellent-certainly equal to those of England, and their byroads are much superior. We saw no paved roads, all being "Macadamized." The cottages of the peasantry are congregated in villages; the frequent warfare in Germany having made such a precaution necessary. They are larger and better built than our own, but are devoid of that neatness and picturesque beauty for which the rural dwellings in England are so remarkable. There are no grassplot, and well-stocked garden of vegetables; no climbing rose or jasmine, peeping in at every window, nor are the immediate adjuncts so cleanly and healthful. The Duchy of Baden is one of the largest states in Germany, and is a territory well worth the governing. From Heidelberg to Bâsle there are peace and smiling plenty; and if the people are not contented, they only follow the examples of all those who have gone before, or will follow after 186 A RETROSPECTIVE GLANCE. them. A divine and bountiful Providence hath supplied every clime and country with all necessaries; but man, prone to evil and to be dissatisfied, mars all by his inquietude and unthankfulness. But as the hour is late, and I am growing sleepy, I cut short my sermon and my chapter. END OF VOL. I. W. WILSON, PRINTER, 57. SKINNER-STREET, LONDON. |