my waking dream, and bringing me back to the reality of life, enabled
me to fix my attention on the objects around.

Notwithstanding the pleasure inspired by the view, it was certainly
more terrific than beautiful. The distant objects appeared as if
covered by a veil. To the north-west was the chain of Jura, with a
mist hanging on its whole extent, which prevented the eye from
penetrating into France, in that direction. On the north was the lake
of Geneva; of a black colour, and surrounded by mountains, which we
had thought high, while we were on its banks, but which now appeared
insignificant, and the lake itself seemed scarcely capacious enough to
bathe in. To the east were the only mountains that appeared of a
considerable size; among which, the most conspicuous were the Jungfrau
and Schreckhorn in Grindelwalden, and Monte Rosa, on the borders of
Piedmont, which raises its hoary and magnificent head to within a few
hundred feet of the level of Mont Blanc. The grand St. Bernard was at
our feet, to the south east, scarcely appearing to rise to more than a
mole hill's height above the adjoining vallies. The obstacles which
Bonaparte had to encounter in leading his army over this mountain,
even in winter, appeared so diminished in our eyes, that this vaunted
undertaking lost, at the moment, in our estimation, much of its
heroism and grandeur.

The view below and immediately around, presented a shapeless
collection of craggy points, among which the 'Needles' were easily
distinguished. We could hardly trust our senses, when we saw, beneath
our feet, those rocks which, from below, appear higher than Mont Blanc
itself, and which seem to penetrate into the region of the stars, and
to threaten to 'disturb the moon in passing by.' Our view may be
compared with that from the top of an elevated steeple over an
extensive city, of which, except in the immediate neighbourhood, the
roof only of the various buildings which compose it, are to be seen.
The only green that we could perceive, was the narrow valley of
Chamouny, and the two vallies by the side of St. Bernard. The portion
of the earth that was not covered with snow, appeared of a gloomy and
dark grey colour. The world presented an image of chaos, and offered
but little to tempt our return to it.

The top of Mont Blanc is a ridge of perhaps 150 feet in length, and
six or eight in breadth. It is entirely composed of snow, which is
probably of immense depth, and is constant