ALI'S, a celebrated chain of mountains, extending from the gulf ol Genoa in a kind ol semicircular form through Swisserland, and terminating on toe north of the Adriatic, occupying a space of near 600 miles.
Much labour and ingenuity, as usual, have been em ployed in tracing the origin of the name. Sonic regard it as a corruption of the Latin albus, a conjecture evi dently suggested by the white appearance of their sum mits; others have had recourse to a fabulous origin, de riving the name from Albion, the son ol Neptune, whom Hercules slew for attempting to oppose his passage over these mountains ; while a third party, with greater plau sibility, trace it to a Celtic word, signifying, land highly elevated, or mountains abounding in pasture.
Whether we consider their vast extent and elevation, the rich treasures of mineral productions, and geological science, contained in their bowels, or the wonderlui and sublime scenery presented on every part of their sur face ; the Alps undoubtedly claim a peculiar share of attention. Yet, it is important to remark, that this field, so rich in physical facts and interesting discovery, has, till of late years, been left wholly uncultivated. Tile Alps long regarded as a blank in the creation, as a display merely of magnificent power, or as insur mountable barriers, calculated chiefly to exhibit heroic courage and perseverance, and known only by the ex ploits of a Hercules, or a jIflnHrbgj. Saussure and Bour rit are the first who can, with any propriety, be said to have examined these mountains with a philosophical eve. On the former, indeed, we must rely entirely for our information respecting their structure and compo sition ; and must therefore regret, that he has confined his labours chiefly to the French and Italian Alps. Much, however, has been clone by him in the way of ex ample and encouragement to others ; and it is to be hoped, that ere long some person more intimately acquainted with the language of mineralogy, and possessed of his ardour and perseverance, will not only retrace his steps, but put us also in possession of the geological facts, which the remaining portions of the Alps promise to fur nish.
In presenting to our readers an account of the Alps, we shall first consider the different portions or subdi visions of this great chain of mountains, pointing out the relative situation and geographical position of each part ; we shall next attempt to describe sonic of the more interesting and remarkable phenomena exhibited on the different parts of their surface and lastly, we shall offer some general observations, and detail what inlormation we have been able to collect respecting the composi.ion, structure, and attitude of the most distill
guisned mountains iu each subdivision. The Alps have in ancient and modern times been divided into the fol lowing chains or subdivisions, viz. the Maritime, the Cowan, the Grxctan, the Helvetian, the Pennine, the Rhaetian, the Carmic, and Julian Alps.
It is difficult to determine with accuracy where the Maritime Alps commence, because the Alpine chain runs insensibly into that ol the Apennines. They are commonly represented as rising limn the sea to tile west of ./Eneglia; and, alter proceeding for sonic time in a north-west direction, turning to the north, and ter minating in Mount Viso, between Dauphiny and Pied mont. Saussure, however, describes under the name of Maritime Alps, the whole of that chain of mountains which runs along the coast of the Mediterranean from Nice to Genoa. He tells us, that the Alps, as they ap proach the sea, gradually diminish in height ; and, at Nice, divide into two branches, the one proceeding westward through Provence, and the other following the coast of Genoa, and losing itself in the Apennines.
Saussure, vol. v. p. 319.
To the Maritime Alps succeed the Cottian, Pipes Cottix, or Cottiame,) following nearly the same direc tion, and extending from Mount Viso to Mount Cenis. This chain, in modern times, is sometimes known by the appellation of Mont Geuevrc. It is said to have ob tained the name ol Cottian from Cottius, a petty prince in that country, who, by paying court to Augustus, was allowed to retain his territory, with the title of prxlect of the provinces situated in this part of the Alps. This territory, however, was added in the time of Nero to the general mass of the Roman empire.