Our Life in the Swiss Highlands. By John Addington Symonds
and his Daughter Margaret. (A. and C. Black.)—It is impossible to give any adequate idea of the varied charm of this book. This can be obtained only from reading it. Mr. Symonds delights the reader now with his picturesque historical sketches, as in his "Davos in the Olden Days," and now with his descriptions of scenery, as in the "vignette" entitled "Among the Orchards of Tyrol." Among the most interesting of the papers are "Swiss Athletic Sports," in which should be noticed a remarkable criticism on Michael Angelo's studies of the human form, and "Melchior Ragetti." This is otherwise entitled "The Life of a Swiss Porter." The Swiss, who used to earn their living as mercenary soldiers, now serve as waiters and hotel porters, and show, though in very different spheres, something of the same qualities that made them so much in request in medireval times. Every traveller in Switzerland should read this paper with special care. It will enlighten him on many points, one of them being his duty in the matter of "tips." The "attendance" charged in hotel bills is only for the service which the traveller does not see; in other words, for the servants who do not attend upon him. The porter has to be paid extra, for he actually not only receives nothing, but often has to rent his place. Miss Margaret Symonds contributes some very lively and entertaining sketches. "Tobog- ganing on a Glacier" will make many English mouths water, as will also the next paper, "Hay Hauling on the Alpine Snow." You "toboggan," it seems, on masses of hay, and get the joy of swift, perilous motion in perfection.
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