above nor below in circumstances the other inhabitants of the village. These lands had, however, been sold about the middle of the last century, to a gentleman of some consequence in Geneva, who, being delighted with the situation, had built a lodge which he used for a summer residence. I call this building a lodge, not knowing what other appellation to bestow upon it.

"The edifice was built in the form of a large tent, such as are used in the East, where it is contrived that the outer covering should terminate in an open verandah. The materials of this building were of white or grey stone, and the pillars which supported the verandah, of polished marble, supplied by a neighbouring quarry; the whole of the edifice presented at a small distance the appearance of a shepherd's tent, such as are seen on the mountains of Switzerland, compacted of stone, for the use of the shepherds, when they drive their flocks in the summer season to the thymy uplands of the mountains.

"Within this mansion there were many large and handsome apartments, and every ornament which sculpture could supply. The situation of the edifice was an alp or mountain pasture ground. A peak of the hill crowned with turrets of rock which seemed to pierce the very clouds, formed the northern boundary of this alp, while a belt of pine encompassed it on every other side, sweeping around its whole circumference, and extending its majestic line of shade to the very margin of a lake, which in the bottom of the valley reflected in its clear bosom all the glories of the surrounding country. Various streams of pure water gushed from the lofty regions above the lodge, and urged their way into the valley in various directions, presenting in their passage all the varieties of the murmuring brook, the foaming cascade, and the sparkling waterfall; sometimes hiding themselves as it were capriciously among the brambles, sedges, and the obscurity of coppices, and again bursting forth to view, forming mirrors for every beam of light which sun or moon might supply.

"I speak not of the lesser beauties which encompassed this charming place, or attempt to describe the garlands of roses, eglantine, columbine, and wild pink, which adorned the shelves of the rocks and uplands of these lovely

regions, and spread their fragrance through the whole air, supplying food for the multitude of bees which wing their flight perpetually through the warmer clime of Switzerland.

"The only approach to this lodge, or indeed to the valley itself, was through an exceedingly narrow gorge, formed by a chasm in the hills. These hills being rocky and ragged, had, in one place, formed a kind of archway over the pass, by the tumbling of huge fragments of stone from the heights. The peasants had formed a pathway over these fragments, and nature had enriched this natural arch with innumerable saxifrages, some of which hung in light festoons from the rock. In the very bottom of the valley, which was every where encircled by hills of a moderate height, was a clear lake about a league in circumference. The village church, with its white spire and its little burying ground, occupied an open and green spot on the shores of this lake; and the intermediate ground, between the church and the woods, which surrounded the lodge, was occupied by the thatched cottages of the village; the habitation of the pastor, in which I dwelt, being a little above the other houses, and nearer the lodge. The hills on the opposite side of the lake, though occupied with human habitations, pasture grounds, and vineyards, were richly embellished with forest trees; and, beyond these, on a clear day, were frequently seen the remote peaks of the snowy mountains; sometimes sparkling in the sun-beams like pillars of adamant, and again assuming a rosy hue calculated to impress the beholder with the simplicity and grandeur of divine operations.

"But in allowing my imagination to wander over these scenes of beauty, to which I conceive that nothing on earth can be comparable, I forget the design for which I took up my pen, and find myself too distant from the pursuit of my original purpose.

"The primary occupant of the lodge of which I am speaking, was an elderly citizen of Geneva. It next became the property of his son, a spendthrift and a profligate, who was seen but once in our valley: the next who was in possession of it was a French nobleman, whom I shall call the Marquis de Nemours, not choosing to give his real

name.

This gentleman only once visited the valley; but

this single visit, as it was protracted for several months, was fatal to the peace of many, who had before enjoyed that comfort which results from the actual ignorance of great wickedness.

"It was during the last year of my predecessor's life that this visit was paid; and though the marquis himself, as an individual, could not be supposed to have spread the contagion of sin into many families; yet what the individual could not effect, was widely brought to pass by his many visitors, his numerous profligate companions, and his still more abandoned train of attendants.

"I have often heard my parishioners speak of the confusion excited in the village at the period of the visit of the marquis and his associates at the lodge. There, as in the instance of Ferney, it was the object of each to make the most of this life, and to annihilate the hopes of a better; and thus our woods and mountains, which for years past had afforded a peaceful retreat to those, who, during the height of papal power, had been as a light shining in darkness, became the haunts of the impious blasphemer and daring libertine. For although the higher ranks of those who visited the lodge, did not perhaps enter much into discourse with the villagers, yet such persons never lack a large train of followers, who, in imitation of their masters' profligacy, take a delight in spreading the contagion of their impieties in their own peculiar circles. Hence, it followed, that numbers of the young people of the village learned those pernicious sentiments during the residence of the family of the marquis with us, which they never forgot. Some of them became dissatisfied, and left their homes never to return; and others, who did return, only brought back with them those corrupt habits and opinions which, by dissemination, continually increased the evil, and at length contributed to bring forward that state of confusion in which our unhappy country is now almost universally involved.

66 On my first arrival in my parish, I was made aware of the corruptions which had infected my flock. I do not say but I might have done more to stem the torrent of infidelity which was breaking in upon us: but I had great difficulties, the chief of which was, the very great scarcity of Bibles among us, and our inability to procure them at the very time when the enemy was pouring in upon us every

kind of infidel publication almost without money and without price. I was enabled, however, through the divine blessing, to lead back many individuals, who had become perplexed by sceptical notions, into the right way; and I attended many to the peaceful grave who enjoyed the hope of a happy resurrection, during the course of my ministry. Nevertheless, the enemy seemed to prevail: our society gradually departed from its original simplicity, children became self-willed, and supported their own opinions in contradiction to those of their parents, and the hoary head, though found in the way of holiness, was no longer looked upon with respect.

"It was, I think, in the tenth year of my ministry, in the season of summer, and towards the close of the day, as I was taking the air on one of the breezy heights above my house, that I met an old man who had for some years past had the charge of the marquis's concerns in the neighbourhood. He saluted me, as his manner was, and informed me that he had been engaged with his wife in airing and cleaning the lodge, having had notice that some of his lord's family might speedily be expected. This was no welcome news to me, and I put many anxious questions to the old man, which he was unable to answer satisfactorily. In the mean time we walked up towards the lodge, the doors and windows of which were all open. I had never been within this building, as it had always been shut up, and I now looked towards it with a kind of dread, thinking what mischief had issued from it to our poor villagers, and my mind recurring to the history of my predecessor's daughter, the beautiful Estelle, whose fate was still involved in mystery. As I passed round the house and looked in at the open windows, I caught a glimpse of several articles of splendid furniture: superb beds with their gilded canopies, looking-glasses, sofas, pictures, and statuary in various proportions. Turning, however, from these, I began to descend from the hill, and presently approached a point, from which I could observe the gorge in its whole length as my eye glanced under the arch of a rock. Here, while I stood meditating awhile, I remarked several horsemen who were preceding a litter, the way not being passable for a wheeled carriage, and behind this litter other persons whom the distance prevented me from exactly distinguishing.

666

" 'Here,' I said, come the visitors to the lodge, and new calamities, I fear, to our unhappy village;' and as I spoke I turned hastily to my own house, in order that I might not meet the cavalcade which approached rapidly up the glen.

"The arrival of this party at the lodge excited much talk in the village: but it was several days before we were informed that the person who had been brought in the litter was a lady, who, being in extreme bad health, had been advised to try the quiet and refreshing air of the mountains.

"For several weeks, no more was heard of this unhappy person, who was represented as being in a very languishing condition. At length it was whispered abroad, that this lady was no other than the beautiful Estelle, the unfortunate daughter of my predecessor, but what was the reason of her return to this place no one could conjecture.

"It is not easy to describe the sensation which this suspicion excited in the minds of those among us who had known and honoured her father. Neither could we imagine wherefore, if she chose to come among us again, she should not make her arrival known to some of her old acquaintance, or why, if she were in so feeble a state as she was represented to be, she should not wish for such spiritual advice and consolation, as I, her father's successor, might be enabled to supply. We knew that she had married the Comte de Barfleur, and we had not heard of her becoming a widow. Why then was she in the house of the Marquis de Nemours? where was her husband? and why was she left only with servants? We put many questions on this subject to the old man who had the charge of the marquis's affairs in the village, but he could give us no satisfaction: alleging, that his orders went no further than to open the house to the lady and her train, and to supply them with what they required; that he had never been admitted into the interior of the lodge since their arrival; and that what he had seen of the persons attending the lady was little to their credit.

"Thus we were still left in doubt respecting the identity of the lady at the lodge with the daughter of the pastor Claude, and we were so uneasy on the subject, that we used various means to obtain a sight of her. Several of the elder women of the village, who had remembered the lovely Estelle,