We approached nearer to the Lake, leaving in the distance the mountains to our left-those to our right were covered toward their summits by clouds formed from the mists of that clear blue mirror, of which as we passed we just caught another view. The marshy land, as the road approaches VILLENEUF, is well cultivated and its timber flourishes. It was once probably part of the Lake-which opens now more perfectly to the view again. A little summer-house decorates a small rock in the Lake near VILLENEUF-where nothing remarkable attracted our notice. Abundance of fishermen's nets told of the occupation of its inhabitants and exonerated them from even the suspicion that they were troublesome or seditious politicians. A few trees also decorated the rock of the Lake, and will probably one day shade the solitary house that stands there; and a large flock of wild fowl near it told of their claiming a restingplace thereon. The village-bell tolled as we pursued our way, and soon after its sound had ceased we came opposite to the castle of Chillon. A warm admirer of Lord Byron's genius-an enthusiastic admirer of much that has proceeded from it, could not pass this castle without pausing to inspect it. I alighted with G, and we entered by the principal gate over which was an inscription not very encouraging to those who, not from choice but often from compulsion, had entered it in former times. The feudal ages have passed away and with them the terrors of Chillon. "God bless those who go in and go out." It is now used, and nobody will quarrel with such an appropriation of it, for the reception of invalid soldiers. Ꮮ The pictures of it are very accurate. We entered the BYRON If this was his Lordship's own handy work, all that can be said is, that he could write better than he could engrave. If it was not, it is a curious specimen of the way in which some persons will endeavour to augment the interest of scenes that are interesting enough without such adventitious aid. The name of P. B. Shelley was also cut on the wall in a style almost as rude. They had been there often together. Lord Byron indeed says that he wrote his "Prisoner of Chillon" on the spot. It is justice to his Lordship's memory to state that not only here but wherever else his name was mentioned, it was with the most unfeigned respect. The grating and the chinks, (through which a little light that served only to render "darkness visible," was admitted) were there; and so were the rings strongly fastened to the pillars, and to which the unhappy prisoners were chained. I handled these, and something of a thrill of horror at the past agony they had caused came over me as I did it. Brief was the space between the dungeon and death. In the outer cell has many a wretch made a happy exchange. His execution there has been a relief to him, and welcome as his bosom friend. A paper * was attached to one of the pillars containing the outline of the story that forms the groundwork of Lord B's poem; and under this was another containing "Sans étre ému, qui hourrait voir Chillon, * Qu'ont illustrés Rousseau, Le Malheur et Byron." We left this celebrated castle immortalized as it is by Byron's genius, and rejoined our friend P, who had waited with all-becoming patience our return. The soft murmuring of the Lake accorded well with the sweetness around. Its waves beat gently upon the pebbly beach; fishing-boats were gliding along over its tranquil bosom; the sun shone brightly upon its waters; and the inference from all this seemed to be that such a lake must always abide in serenity-such a bosom must remain for ever unruffled! Vines, flourishing and luxuriant, fringed the banks; and from the grape produced here is made the finest wine of Switzerland-Vin de la Cóste. A woman of the Canton passed us. different from any we had seen before an oval concave-the crown a cupola surmounted by a long upright piece (like the bunch of straw surmounting a thatched wheatcock) of the same material the rest was made of-the after-part turned abruptly upward—as if to intercept any sudden rush of the shower that might chance to fall upon it. This is the hat or bonnet of the Canton de Vaud. Children annoyed us again, but fortunately we crossed a rapid torrent that emptied itself into the Lake and thereby escaped their noise. We had now 1824. She wore a hat the brim was of On this paper I pencilled my initials and the date, 18 Sept. followed the Rhone or accompanied it from its source to its absorption in the Lake. The water is every where clear except for a short time after the junction of the rivers which fall into it. The mountains on the opposite bank were veiled in clouds as we passed through the vineyards in the neighbourhood of Montreux and Clarens where grew intermixed with the vines what we call Indian wheat, but the French bled a la turque. Two birds of the hawk species were watching for their prey upon the Lake, and seemed to 'disturb the tranquillity that ought to be the presiding 'genius there. Contiguous to this spot were pigeons flitting about the environs of an interesting chateau. Before the revolution, peculiar privileges attached to the dove-cotes of France, as to those of England under our feudal laws. We were struck with the number of lizards on the walls of the vineyards. They were basking in the rays of the sun and seemed to enjoy his beams. As soon however as we came opposite to them they usually moved "off at a very quick pace, and took refuge in the first crevice in the wall they could meet with. Some of them were eight or nine inches long. We passed through the village of La Tour de Peil; and 'soon under a handsome gateway entered VEVAY. Before us was another fine weeping willow-its boughs pendant over a fountain; beyond this we passed through a well-built and well-proportioned square and close to the -Hotel de Ville. We alighted at the Hotel des trois Couronnes, where early hours were observed. We were too late for the table d'hôte, although not later than two o'clock. The pump was of singular construction, circular with a turret-like top. The market-place of Vevay is a fine building supported by sixteen pillars. It is surmounted by a handsome cupola, and has a clock and a bell. We went from the market-place across the large handsome square to the quay. The principal church or cathedral is a building of considerable size with four spires. We preferred, at first, taking a boat on the Lake for half an hour till our dinner was ready to an inspection of the church; and made toward the quay for that pur-. pose. It was, however, too oppressively hot to venture and we declined it. The mist-covered mountains opposite to us might easily have been mistaken for clouds. A few pleasure-boats with awnings and a trading vessel or two were reposing on the Lake as if asleep under the influence of the sun's scorching ray. We walked toward an avenue of handsome chesnuts that formed a promenade for the "good citizens" of VEVAY, and seated on a bench there persuaded ourselves that we had adopted the cooler and therefore pleasanter alternative. As we approached this walk we read, engraved on a pillar affixed to the side of a house "Hauteur du Lac, en 1817 "A 62 Pces de cette ligne." At the end of this walk on the edge of the Lake were Buins Chauds. These appeared to be neat and commodious. The washing establishment of the Ville were very busy in hanging out their articles of clothing and in conversation, perhaps scandal with each other. We had not long enjoyed this cool walk and the bench that afforded us rest under its shady trees, before the bell of the cathedral tolling, (it had a peculiarly deadened sound) reminded us that we might as well bend our steps thither, and if we |