MR. ROBY'S CONTINENTAL RACE.

FINDING himself very much out of sorts in May 1835, from a succession of colds, and their constitutional causes and conse- quences, Mr. ROBY determined on a Continental trip ; but as he could only spare seven weeks from the duties of his profession, and was requested to "take charge of two young gentlemen" to boot, it is obvious that he must go quickly if he went far. And he did both; and has not let his light shine under a bushel. If not the greatest feat in travelling, this book is one of the greatest in recording travels we have met with. Saying nothing of petty principalities, Mr. ROBY contrived to show himself in seven countries in as many weeks, as well as to fill upwards of eight hundred pages with a narrative of his run against time. And, as a sketch of his tour intended and accomplished, as drawn up by himself, is a curiosity of its kind, and will save a description of his route, we will give it, the state of the weather and the changes of the moon inclusive.

Miles. Weather. Moon. 2ffay 7. Home to London, one day 200 8. Passports, ditto 9. London to Ostend, about 130 Fair.

10. Ostend to Ghent 43 11. Ghent to Antwerp 33 12. Antwerp to Brussels 13. Brussels 14. Waterloo, Breakfast,Na- 16. To Cologne ro 17. Ditto 18. Up the Rhine by steamer, 63

to Coblenta 42 tee weather.

ur, Dinner, Liege, to 87 sleep 15. To Arx-la-Chapelle 30 19. To Manheim, about 100 20. To Carlsruhe 38 21. To Strasburg 54 22. Ditto.

23. Freyburg . Stuhlingen, about 55 j Stormy. 40 24. Schaffhausen 14 25 Zurich 6 26. Zug

30} Full, 3 P.31.

Change.

27. Lucerne and Alpnach 30 Change, 1,32

Berne 48 pleasant. 15 29. Over the Brunig 28. Sarnen 33 Changeable, but

31. Ditto. / June 1. Lausanne 54 4. Ditto. 3537/Stormy. 2. Geneva 3. Chamouni 5. Over the Tile Noire to

Martigny 30

6. To Brigg 123 7. Doom d'Ossola 8. Logo Maggiore 35 9. Ditto.

10. Milan, about II. Ditto.

12. Ditto.

13. Turin, about 14. Ditto 15. Chamberry, about 16. Lyons 18. Paris 19. Ditto.

20. Ditto.

21. Calais 22. London 26. Home 70

3261 Fair.

180 120 Unsettled. 200 49 Days. Miles 2682

Notwithstanding this rapidity, the book is better than could le expected; for it is at least natural. Mr. ltonv is neither a deep observer, nor a very well-informed man, beyond the common run of tutored or tutoring knowledge ; he is brimful of vulgar Tory prejudices; and is moreover a tremendous twaddler. But he a a man of method in matters relating to comfort and convenience on the road; he has the faculty of noting things, possessed by people at the head of "establishments ;" and being a bit of an artist, be possesses a critical eye for forms. He has also much esey fluency, with a tendency to joking ; and, which is more than all, he really fancies he is writing a book of amusement and Matron- tion, which the world requires, if it could do without. It is this feeling, honest though mistaken, combined with the qualities we have mentioned, which redeems his volume from dryness or dul- ness, or that factitious and disgusting character that belongs to wares made up for the literary market, however well they may be done. When he rides through Bruges from one track-boat to another in the passenger's coach, and vouchsafes a description of the city in passing, it is clear he thinks he is telling something worth the hearing. When-fresh water sailor that he is-he imparts the principle lie proceeded upon in crossing the Channel, to save himself from the climax of sea-sickness, (for his success only stopped short of that,) he deems it nothing less than a reve- lation. And he evidently considers all his contrivances about passports, inns, conveyances, and couriers, to facilitate his move- ments and not let his antagonist Time steal a march upon him, as worthy of record for the world at large, and useful to travel- lers; which perhaps they may be.

He has, however, better things in his book ; as a couple of ex- tracts will show. This is the best account we have lately met with of one of the relics of the old regime.

THE GOBELIN TAPESTRY.

In about an hour we got our passports rised for Calais ; and immediately galloped off to see the royal manufacture of gobelin tapestry, Rue Mouffetard -only open to the public on Saturdays. It is the most curious and worth visil. lag of all the sights we saw in Paris. bad no idea of the beauty of this fabric, from the tattered, faded, examples, previously beheld. Fresh from the loom, they have at a distance precisely the appearance of the originals whence they are taken. Some of the finest worksof Raphael, Ruben., Le Brun, Vernet, are closely copied. I could scarcely be- lieve some that were just finished to be tapestry ; the imitation BO complete; the most delicate flesh-tints, shades, blendings of colour, demi-tints, reflections, made with surprising accuracy. The juicy softness, the undulating delicacy of the human form, represented by so harsh and untractable a material as worsted! Several years are required to finish one subject, and the cost of an ordinary copy nearly one thousand pounds. These works are never sold, but presented to crowned heads, churches, &e. by the King alone. The manufactory is nip ported entirely by Government ; and owes its: name to Jean Colrain, a eels. mated dyer of wool. The workmen have descended front father to son for many generations ; none else are employed ; and when old or disabled they retire on a comfortable pension. At this time there were twenty or more pieces in progress. In the loom called the haute liale the warp is vertical, and workmen sit behind,. hidden from the spectator, a model or picture at their back. Every thread Artie by the hand, after carefully referring to the subject. A great variety of coloured yarns are in a box below, front which the artist selects, and compare it with the part he is copying. The threads are so small that days may elapse and little progress appear to be made.

On every loom the name of the picture and painter is written. The rough side of the tapestry is towards the workmen, consequently spectators have a full view, and can examine the different stages of forwardness.

Some of Ruben& finest allegorical De Medici pictures are in band at pre- sent: they are taken out of the frames, and the canvas mounted on rollers. Several, destined as ornaments for the churches, were ordered by Charles ths Tenth.

There are four work-rooms ; and all the materials, colours, &c. are prepared on the premises. The royal carpet-manufactory, established by Maria de Medici in 1604,11 under the same roof. The variety and richness of these costly ornaments are indescribable: every thread is worked in similar to embroidery. Several work- men were making curtains, carpets, and hangings for the royal palaces. I Was much amused to see them cutting out the lieur tle lis from several patterns that were in progress, commenced during the late reign of Charles the Tenth, Louis Philip having repudiated these insignia of the Bourbons.

Such is the length of time required to complete these expensive draperies.

100 170

Electrical signs, Full,10. es

50

Iwith heavy showers. r.u.

Change, 4. 20 a.m. tba another re volution may happen ere they are finished, and the discarded owns be reinserted. If I remember right, from five to six hundred people had gone through that day. Each party has to wait until the rooms are empty—it certain number elv beim; admitted at once. ° Any foreigner is entitled to the entrje, on showing his passport, and a billing gratuity paid to the conductor.

.• A SWISS INUNDATION.

For along time previous to the bursting of the glacier, it was observed that the waters of the Dianne, which runs close to Mar tiguy, had almost disappeared.

Unfortunately., it was not thought necessary to ascertain the.cause, until about two months before, when a few individuals ascended for this put pose; having some suspicions that all was not right. About ten leagues distant from Mar- tigny, sod sixty from Bagnet, near the glacier of Getroz, they found immense owes of ice had fallen into a narrow ravine, stopping up the course of the river by a solid wall above six hundred feet in length, four hundred kd high, and having a base, or breadth, nearly five times this capacity. gehind its almost impervious embankment the river had formed a vast lake, more than three thousand yards long and one hundred and fifty In oad ; having

an average depth of seventy yards, or thereabouts. The contents have been variously estimated ; probably, on a rough guess, above seven hundred and fifty millions of cubic feet, rapidly increasing, and every moment threatening to burst its barrier. An eminent engineer, M. Venetz, was immediately ap-

plied to, who undertook, with the help and self-devotion of other inhabitants, to drive a tunnel through this enormous mass, about twenty yards above the

level of the lake behind. It %VHS calculated the water would nut rise higher

before the work would be completed. On the lOth of May, the undertaking was begun; both sides of tl.e wall being perforated, with the intention of meeting ialf.way. Two gangs of fifty men each were employed night and day. It was

truly gratifying to witness the heroic conduct of these individuals devoting themselves to the safety of their country. Sometimes large masses fell from the glacier, causing a sudden swell, which threatened to burst through and over-

whelm them. Its rise was very irregular ; about two feet per day on the average ; at times considerably more. In about three weeks they had cleared an

opening of more than five howbeit feet. Unfortunately, however, when the terminations were to have met, one of them was found considerably too low. Whilst remerlyitig this mistake, the lake rove into the aperture, which began to

diocharge its waters. The perft.ration was completed in spite of these dangers, but, unhappily, was found too small ; and the water accumulated above the

tunnel. Nevertheless, the force rush of the torrent Won widened its out-

let, and, on the 13th of June, the water was reduced to two hundted and fifty millions of cubic feet, leaving above five hundred millions yet to be drained off. About ten yards were already lowered, and the violent :notion of the torrent,

as was expected, cut itself a channel continually deeper. Under or dinary cir- cumstances, it was suppmed a few slays would have discharged the whole, and brought the channel to its amustorned level; but the continual fall of water more than a hundred yards in height, had washed away and undermined the lower part of the barrier. Gradually its projecting base grew less, and the terrified workmen expected every instant is total disruption. Signal-posts were erected, and watchmen stationed on the heights ; w tch.flrti and cannous, to give immediate notice when the breach should give way ; and to these plecautions may be attributed the comparatively small amount of human life that fell a sacrifice in this awful catastrophe. On the 16th of June, at half-past four o'clock, p.m. a tremendous explosion was beard : the ice had given way, and, in half an hour, the whole accumulated waters were discharged. At its commencement the torrent was about one hundred feet in depth, rushing on with a fearful mo-

mentum. Charged with immense masses of ice, rocks, trees, houses, cattle, &c. this devatitating flood, accompanied by a thick black imoke, arrived at Mows,

about eighteen miles, in forty minutes ; at Alartigny, twelve miles further, in fifty mimes more; to St. Maurice, nine miles, it travelled in sixtyssix minutes; arriving at the lake of Geneva, fifteen miles further, in three hours sad fifty-four minutes; haviug run fifty-four miles in six hours and a half. [Worthy Mr. Roby does not seem to have been aware that this was badly nine miles an hour, including stoppages— slow.coach rate.] The whole once fertile valley Rapes was nosy converted into a sterile waste. Nearly every bridge in its course, and four hundred dwellings, were destroyed. Thirty- four individuals lost their lives, either through fear or inadvertence. A great part of the harvest was totally lost, and about eighty houses in and near Mar- tigny swept away. The total estimated damage was about 60,000/.—an irre- parable loss in this country. It is said that the roar of the torrent was absolutely deafening; and the terror of the inhabitants was such, they left their all at the mercy of the devouring ele- ment, and could hardly be persuaded to return.

A skeleton map is prefixed to the volumes; they are also illus- trated by many spirited wood-cuts from the author's drawings, which are by no means the worst results of the tour.