’Happiness (if she had been to be found on earth) among the charms of Nature—­Pleasures of the pedestrian Traveller—­Author crosses France to the Alps—­Present state of the Grande Chartreuse—­Lake of Como—­Time, Sunset—­Same Scene, Twilight—­Same Scene, Morning; its voluptuous Character; Old man and forest-cottage music—­River Tusa—­Via Mala and Grison Gipsy—­Sckellenen-thal—­Lake of Uri—­Stormy sunset—­Chapel of William Tell—­Force of local emotion—­Chamois-chaser—­View of the higher Alps—­Manner of Life of a Swiss mountaineer, interspersed with views of the higher Alps—­Golden Age of the Alps—­Life and views continued—­Ranz des Vaches, famous Swiss Air—­Abbey of Einsiedlen and its pilgrims—­Valley of Chamouny—­Mont Blanc—­Slavery of Savoy—­Influence of liberty on cottage-happiness—­France—­Wish for the Extirpation of slavery—­Conclusion’.

* * * * *

THE POEM

  Were there, below, a spot of holy ground
  Where from distress a refuge might be found,
  And solitude prepare the soul for heaven;
  Sure, nature’s God that spot to man had given [1]
  Where falls the purple morning far and wide 5
  In flakes of light upon the mountain-side;
  Where with loud voice the power of water shakes [2]
  The leafy wood, or sleeps in quiet lakes.

   Yet not unrecompensed the man shall roam,
  Who at the call of summer quits his home, 10
  And plods through some wide realm o’er vale and height,
  Though seeking only holiday delight; [3]
  At least, not owning to himself an aim
  To which the sage would give a prouder name. [4]
  No gains too cheaply earned his fancy cloy, 15
  Though every passing zephyr whispers joy;
  Brisk toil, alternating with ready ease,
  Feeds the clear current of his sympathies. [5]
  For him sod-seats the cottage-door adorn;
  And peeps the far-off spire, his evening bourn! 20
  Dear is the forest frowning o’er his head,
  And dear the velvet green-sward to his tread:  [6]
  Moves there a cloud o’er mid-day’s flaming eye? 
  Upward he looks—­“and calls it luxury:”  [E]
  Kind Nature’s charities his steps attend; 25
  In every babbling brook he finds a friend;
  While [7] chastening thoughts of sweetest use, bestowed
  By wisdom, moralise his pensive road. 
  Host of his welcome inn, the noon-tide bower,
  To his spare meal he calls the passing poor; 30
  He views the sun uplift his golden fire,
  Or sink, with heart alive like Memnon’s lyre; [F]
  Blesses the moon that comes with kindly ray,
  To light him shaken by his rugged way. [8]
  Back from his sight no bashful children steal; 35
  He sits a brother at the cottage-meal; [9]
  His humble looks no shy restraint impart;
  Around him plays at will the virgin heart. 
  While unsuspended wheels the village dance,
  The maidens eye him with enquiring glance, 40
  Much wondering by what fit of crazing care,
  Or desperate love, bewildered, he came there. [10]