LES ECRIVAINS A LA MONTAGNE : (1650 - 1810) Par Claire Elian
Engel et Charles Vallot A short time ago Mlle. Engel won fame by a volume on the Literature of the Alps in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries which was " crowned " by the French Academy. She combines in a happy blend the flair for literature, a pleasant style, a sense of humour, indefatigable perseverance in research, and a sound working knowledge of the climber's art, being a climber herself. Now, in collaboration with M. Vallot and with the artist " Samivel," she has laid every lover of the Alps under a deep obligation by producing this carefully selected anthology of writings on the subject (Paris, Libraire Delagrave)—a chain of comments and descriptions beginning with John Evelyn, and carrying us down to Madame de Staid, at the beginning of the last century. There is an instructive little note on each author. Of -course not all- , not even the majority—are genuine cliznbexs, though all or most have looked at the mountains. It was not till the middle of the nineteenth century that our F.nglish parsons and scientists discovered in the mountains a happy play- ground." To all the earlier ones the Alps are ces moats affreuz ; and the playful artist Sarnivel has endeavoured to get inside their minds and depict the distortions and exaggera- tions to be found there. Most of the .extraets are from French or Swiss writers, though eleven English appear in French dress, and Goethe represents Germany. Readers of the lamented Douglas Freshfield's volume on H. B. de Saussure will be delighted to find here eleven hitherto un- published letters of that most attractive pioneer of Alpinism, written from as many different climbing centres.
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