Sketches of the natural, civil, and political state of Swisserland; in a series of letters to William Melmoth, Esq; / from William Coxe.

  • William Coxe
Date:
1779
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Sketches of the natural, civil, and political state of Swisserland; in a series of letters to William Melmoth, Esq; / from William Coxe. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    177/554 (page 163)
    [ *63 ] fcN have is the fmall plantation of pines I juft now mentioned, rifing behind the village of Urferen, and which is preferved with uncommon care and re¬ verence : in fome parts indeed, along the banks of the Reufs, there is here and there a fmall quantity of brufh-wood and ftubbed willows; but thefe do not fupply the inhabitants with a thou- fandth part of the fuel neceffary for confumption in this climate. In the ad¬ jacent country there are feveral mines of chryftal; of which a coniiderable quan¬ tity is exported to Milan, as well from hence as from Altdorf. The language of the country ftill continues a kind of Swifs-German, but almoft every perfon. fpeaks Italian. The valley of Urferen is a fmall plain entirely furrountied on all tides by high and barren rocks, the tops whereof are covered with fnow. This plain is com¬ monly faid to form the bafe of the mountain of St. Gothard; though the