Letters from Switzerland and Travels in Italy

Short excerpt: "Were, then, these Switzers free? Free, these opulent burghers in their little pent-up towns—free, those poor devils on their rocks and crags? What is it that man cannot be made to believe, especially when he cherishes in his heart the memory of some old tale of marvel? Once, forsooth, they did break a tyrant''s yoke, and might for the moment fancy themselves free; but out of the ca...