We

the solitary house in most melancholy moanings. watched the movements of the fleeting clouds. Finally the bugle sounded, and in an instant the household were in motion. The clerk of the mountain had arrived at the just conclusion that the wind, which now blew with considerable violence, would before sunrise disperse the clouds, and thereby afford the lovers of nature an opportunity of witnessing from this elevated spot the return of that beautiful and joy-inspiring orb they had seen depart but the evening before in such unrivalled splendour.

"A hasty toilet prepared us for a sortie into an atmosphere bleak and chilly as November. We ascended the tottering steps of the observatory, there patiently to await the day god's coming. At one minute before six the first glimpse of the glorious orb of day was caught above the mighty Alps. Two minutes past that hour his whole disc was entirely visible, like a globe of fire in the midst of sparkling crystals of calcareous spar; some grayish, some capped with snow, others shining and transparent glaciers, thrown together in tumultuous confusion. The scene was worthy of a painter's pencil and a poet's pen."

Feeling a great interest to witness for myself the loathsome and disgusting deformity of the Thyroid Gland, so endemic to Switzerland, and familiarly known under the name of GOITRE, and its frequent and humiliating attendant, IDIOCY, there denominated Chretinism, I traversed the Valais country for the express purpose of personal examination of this deplorable complication of disease, involving the physical as well as the mental functions.

Throughout this extended Valais region of Switzerland, scarcely an individual is to be seen, male or female, who is not more or less affected with this calamitous

deformity; much more frequent, as it appeared to me, in the female than in the male sex. To such a frightful magnitude does this growth sometimes attain, that it actually disqualifies the unfortunate sufferer from preserving an erect position. In one instance, indeed, at Martigny, the size of the tumour was of such colossal dimensions that the poor woman was obliged to crawl along the floor upon her hands and feet, dragging the gigantic dewlap and pendulous mass after her!

The deterioration of the intellectual faculties is by no means a constant attendant, and does not depend upon the magnitude of the tumour. The idiocy which is occasionally observed, and which obtains in such persons the name of Chretinism, appears to me, from my observations, to be frequently a connate affection, while at other times it is superadded to the goitrous enlargement. In those cases in which chretinism is associated with the affection of the neck, the individual is reduced to the most abject state of animal existence imaginable; a mere vegetative being, scarcely possessing the common instincts that prompt to locomotion. I was told, for example, that sometimes, when the poor creature was a few steps from his own door, he had not capacity enough to find his way back. This may truly be said to be almost a molluscous existence.

At the capital of the Valais country, Scion, I found more of these pitiable objects than in any other place; and I ascertained there, that, when children and adults were found to be approaching chretinism, it was a common practice to remove them to a high or mountainous situation, as the most conducive to their amendment or restoration. And I was credibly informed that this remedial measure was sometimes attended with beneficial and even curative results. A fact which

struck me as the more valuable, as it is opposed to the received opinions of those who have not visited this region and investigated the subject for themselves.

My own opinion is, that the malady is not, as has generally been supposed, imputable necessarily to elevated mountain situations, but to the cold and sepulchral dampness of low valley regions, apart from everything connected with the ordinarily assigned causes, snow, or the drinking of snow-water.

To me it appears no more remarkable that low valley situations, excluded from the sun, and disconnected altogether from mountain elevations, should produce goitrous and chretin affections, than that dogs and other animals should have engendered in them the most confirmed Rickets, and softening of the bones, by being confined in dark situations for weeks, excluded from the light and influence of the solar rays, though they may be at the same time well-fed and nourished. A fact which I have been an eyewitness to in a series of careful experiments made at Paris by my friend Dr. Jules Guerin.

These facts in relation to goitre have seemed to me to be of a most interesting character, and deserving of the closest attention and investigation of pathologists.

The admirable Cousin has said, "Give me the rivers, plains, mountains, and climate of a country, and I will tell you the character of its inhabitants." Would it not have been a problem of difficult solution to this philosopher to explain how topographic and climactic peculiarities, which in Switzerland may be supposed to have had their influence in moulding the character of a people famed throughout history for their high moral and intellectual endowments, and their indomitable valour and love of liberty, should have also given birth to

a race of mortals, reduced to the most lamentable condition of animal existence and mental imbecility.

From the Valais country of Switzerland I determined to cross the mighty Simplon, and to commence my route in Italy by the plains of Lombardy.

This sublime mountain pass, worthy of the wonderful conceptions of Napoleon, is an object of interest to all travellers. No one can form an idea of its fearful grandeur, scaling, as it does, the Alpine summits, up to the region of perpetual snows, and often obscured in its highest part with clouds and driving snow-storms, even during the midst of summer heats below. It was left for the gigantic mind of Napoleon, his genius soaring literally to the clouds, to project and accomplish this stupendous work, which must be seen to be realized. It is easily to be comprehended that an intellect only like that of the French emperor, associated with that daring courage and unconquerable perseverance that could conduct an army across the Great St. Bernard in the depths of winter, must be of the high order fitted to execute the magnificent work which he afterward achieved in the construction of the Simplon.

This consummated for him the dreams of his irrepressible ambition, opened to him the gates of Milan, and led to the conquest of Lombardy and the glorious victories of Marengo and of Lodi.

LOMBARDY.

THE beautiful plains of Lombardy, covered with vineyards and teeming with luxurious cultivation, offered me a delicious treat, in contrast with the dangerous gorges and cold Alpine ranges through which I had passed only the day before.

The comfortable town of Domo d'Ossola and the expanse of Lago Maggiore, with its enchanting islands, are the first to greet the footsteps of the wearied traveller on descending from the lofty Alps into the Sardinian territory. Reposing here for a day or two to refresh ourselves, and to enjoy the beauties of the romantic islands of Isola Bella and Isola Madre, we resumed our journey, and proceeded to the splendid city of Milan, the capital of the present Lombardo-Venetian States.

The city of Milan is situated on the extensive plains of Lombardy, about forty miles from the Alps, and having in the distant view to the east the range of the Apennines. It is a more regularly laid out and uniformly and beautifully built capital, and reminded me more of the modern cities of Great Britain and our own country, than any other in Italy.

On entering this superb city by the Simplon Gate, we were struck also with the magnificence and symmetrical simplicity of this structure; and among the objects on it that must arrest the attention of the traveller, are the finely-executed bas-reliefs of numerous battle pieces with which it is decorated. Upon closer inspection of them our surprise was not a little excited by discovering that they were intended to represent the minor and incon