e. The scenery of the suburbs is very fine and peculiarly Swiss,
the immediate neighborhood being highly cultivated, and the distance
formed by snowy Alps. Lavater, the great physiognomist, Gesner, the
celebrated naturalist, and Pestalozzi, the educational reformer, were
born at Zurich. The shores of this beautiful lake are covered with
vineyards, grain-fields, and pleasant gardens interspersed with the most
picturesque cottages and capacious villas. Zurich is divided into two
parts by the rapid river Limmat, somewhat as the Rhone divides Geneva.
The Platz-promenade is an avenue of shady trees on the banks of the
clear, swift river, which is much frequented by the populace. It
terminates just where the small river Sihl joins the Limmat. The former
is an insignificant stream except in the spring, when it assumes
considerable importance through the body of water which it conducts into
the bosom of the larger river.

Switzerland is but a small division of Europe. Its greatest length from
east to west is about two hundred miles, and its width north and south
is about one hundred and forty. Two-thirds of its surface consists of
lofty Alps, as we have shown, the scenery being thus marked by towering
mountains, vast glaciers, beautiful lakes, fertile valleys, and
glittering cascades. Owing to the great elevation of most of the
country, the climate is uniformly rather cold. The population does not
exceed three millions. The different languages spoken in Switzerland
show that the people have no common origin, but come from different
races. In the west, French is the language which is in common use, and
these people are believed to have descended from the Burgundians; in the
north, where German is spoken, a common origin is indicated with the
Germans of Swabia; while in the south, both the language and the
physical appearance of the people is that of the Italians.

On our way towards England from Zurich, we pass through Schaffhausen,
about forty miles from the former city, on the right bank of the Rhine,
having a population of about ten thousand. It is a place of considerable
business activity, very quaint and antique in general aspect, the style
of architecture reminding one of that seen in Chester, England. The
chief object of attraction to strangers in this neighborhood is the
famous falls of the Rhine, which form three tremendous cascades, where
the river is three hundred feet in width, and the falls are eighty feet
in heigh