The Diary of an invalid, being the journal of a tour... in Portugal, Italy, Switzerland and France, 1817-1819

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

312-313

text excerpt

At last, the valley widens a little, and you arrive at the village of Lauterbrunn [Switzerland]. Here you see the cascade of the Staubach, which comes down at one fall from a perpendicular rock 800 feet high,— nearly twice the height of St. Paul's. This cascade would be the grandest in the world, if the body of water were greater; but it is composed of so small a rivulet, that it is dispersed into thin spray before it reaches the ground. Instead, therefore, of the tremendous thunder of a raging cataract, the Staubach "droppeth like the gentle rain from heaven," and presents a picture of enchanting softness and beauty […]

 While we sat at the foot of the rock within reach of this refreshing shower-bath, admiring the rainbows produced by the morning sun in the falling spray, we were surprised by the sound of music, which seemed to be a duet of two hautboys; and the echoes of the surrounding rocks produced the most pleasing effect. But here again the evil genius of reality appeared to dispel the illusion;—for the enchantment was at once dissolved, on discovering the cause of this music in the persons of two dirty old women.

 Their singing was from the throat, and the sounds resembled closely the tones of a flute. It is in the same manner that the famous Kureiholen, or Ranz des Vaches, the national air of the Swiss, is sung; which does not consist of articulated sounds, nor is it accompained by words; but is a simple melody formed by the same kind of guttural intonations.

excerpt from 'The Diary of an invalid, being the journal of a tour... in Portugal, Italy, Switzerland and France, 1817-1819' pp. 312-313 (266 words)

1518783443103:

1518783443103