what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil. . . ."

[115] This was an abstract, in plain language for the use of his
children, of the narrative in the Four Gospels. Allusion was made,
shortly after his death, to the existence of such a manuscript, with
expression of a wish that it might be published; but nothing would have
shocked himself so much as any suggestion of that kind. The little piece
was of a peculiarly private character, written for his children, and
exclusively and strictly for their use only.

[116] So he described it. "I do not think," he adds, "we could have
fallen on better society. It is a small circle certainly, but quite
large enough. The Watsons improve very much on acquaintance. Everybody
is very well informed; and we are all as social and friendly as people
can be, and very merry. We play whist with great dignity and gravity
sometimes, interrupted only by the occasional facetiousness of the
inimitable."

CHAPTER XI.

SWISS PEOPLE AND SCENERY.

1846.

The Mountains and Lake--Manners of the
People--A Country Fete--Rifle-shooting--A
Marriage--Gunpowder Festivities--Progress in
Work--Hints to Artist for Illustrating
Dombey--Henry Hallam--Sight-seers from
England--Trip to Chamounix--Mule
Travelling--Mer de Glace--Tete Noire Pass--An
Accident--Castle of Chillon
described--Political Celebration--Good Conduct
of the People--Protestant and Catholic Cantons.

WHAT at once had struck him as the wonderful feature in the mountain
scenery was its everchanging and yet unchanging aspect. It was never
twice like the same thing to him. Shifting and altering, advancing and
retreating, fifty times a day, it was unalterable only in its grandeur.
The lake itself too had every kind of varying beauty for him. By
moonlight it was indescribably solemn; and before the coming on of a
storm had a strange property in it of being disturbed, while yet the sky
remained clear and the evening bright, which he found to be mysterious
and impressive in an especial degree. Such a storm had come among his
earliest and most grateful experiences; a degree of heat worse even than
in Italy[117] having disabled him at the outset for all exertion until
the lightning, thunder, and rain arrived. The letter telling me this
(5th July) described the fruit as so abundant in the little farm, that
the trees of the orchard