The Alpine mountains are rich in sincrularly beautiful natural scenery, of which the inhabitants of flat countries can scarcely form an idea. Nature in the A. has an infinite variety of aspects. Here the hardened masses of the icy glacier cover the naked rock, avalanches are hurled into immeasurable abysses, the fall of rocks or mountain-slips overwhelm the dwellings, and cover the fields in the valleys ; and in the e., the Lora, with its hurricane strength, hurls before it the upraised masses of snow. There the sun glances upon the scattered silver threads of•a water-fall, or mirrors himself in the peace ful waters of a glassy lake, while his rising and his setting are announced to the expectant traveler by the ruddy glow on the snowy mountaintops. The inhabitant of the A., sur rounded on every side by mountains, is unconsciously subdued by their presence, and receives from them a peculiar stamp of character ; their dangers fascinate him as well as their charms. The most ceaseless variety of occupation demands all his time and his thoughts; in the mountains he acknowledges his only despots, who seize his soul, and lead it unresistingly. In his constant struggle with the elements, the Alpine dweller strengthens both his mind and body; he opens his heart to the impressions of nature; he gives utterance to his childlike gladness in simple songs, and at the same time defends with self-sacrificing devotion his mountain-fortresses against foreign aggression. But
the manners and spirit of the neighboring plains have penetrated into the larger valleys along with the dust of the highway. There the true Alpine life has more and more passed away. The simplicity and characteristic industry of the Alpine farms are now preserved only in the higher secondary valleys.
Six states share the A. The western portion is shared by France and Italy. Switz erland claims the middle A. almost exclusively for her own. Bavaria has only a small share. Austria has the largest share of the A.—in the provinces of Tyrol, Elyria, Styria, and the archduchy. The wide valleys opening to the e. allow the civilization of the plains to enter easily among the mountains. The value of the minerals, and the fertility of the soil, have permitted mining, manufactures, and agriculture to take firm root, and a flourishing trade has caused large towns to usurp the place of mere Alpine villages. In the Tyrol, the pastoral life of the mountains has long been mixed up with the work ing of mines of salt or other minerals. The inhabitants of whole valleys are occupied in various branches of industry to a greater extent than in any other district of the A., and their sons travel far and near us artisans. See H. and A. Sehlagintweit, Researches into the Physical Geography of the A. (Unterstehungen fiber die die Physikalische Geo graphte der Alpen), Leip. 1850.