The public libraries of Switzerland are such as become the literary character of the country. Those of Berne, Geneva, Basil, Zurich, Lucerne, are the most extensive and the most valuable. Their collections vary from 30,000 to 60,000 vol umes, of which many are rare, some are unique. They contain many important manuscripts, literary, historical, and classical;* many medals and curiosi ties; and some of the best editions of the classics, particularly the early impressions of the 15th cen tury. These manuscripts embrace a great number of the letters of Zuinglius and the early reformers. There are many other libraries belonging to col leges and public bodies, some of them of great extent and importance. Libraries belonging to pri vate individuals are very common, and not inferior to those of any other country, one individual being mentioned by Mr. Coxe as possessing a collection of no fewer than 15,000 volumes, all valuable, many of them rare, no fewer than 700 having been print ed in the 15th century. Botanical gardens, mu seums, and scientific collections are numerous. There are many literary, philosophical, and scien tific associations in Swizerland, as well as others, whose object it is to promote agriculture and inter nal improvement. Berne, Geneva, Lausanne, Zu rich, Basle, Lucerne, and many other places can boast of such societies. " The Swiss," says M. Simond, " have just revived a custom dropped during the last anxious period of a revolution, that of an annual meeting of their learned men, princi pally naturalists, in each oc,the cantons successively. The object, moral and political, as well as scientific, is to bring together, during three days, distinguish ed men of the different parts of the union, who otherwise would have remained personally unknown to each other."—(Travele, i. 319.) Communica tions are received, and memoirs and papers are read, and discussions of every kind take place, as in other scientific associations. Such meetings, while they show that physical investigations are of national importance, are calculated to promote emulation, if not in one sense, to reward it.
In Switzerland there are 130 printing presses scattered throughout the cantons, of which Geneva has the greatest proportion. These presses, how ever, are not always fully employed. There are several scientific and philosophical journals pub lished. The number of newspapers amounted in 1826 to 28, of which 22 were written in German, four in French, and two in Italian. A considerable proportion of these papers appeared twice weekly; but only one, (The New Gazette, a Zurich publica tion,) thrice a week. In some cantons a rigorous censorship exists over the periodical press.
It is evident from the foregoing head, that the three languages there mentioned must be spoken and understood in Switzerland. But the German is more commonly used than any other; and the greater number of the eminent authors of the coun try have written in that language. In the southern districts Italian is in use. French obtains in the west, namely, in the cantons of Geneva, Pays de Vaud, Neufchatel, and in part of those of Berne, Fribourg, Soleure, and Vallais. German is spoken throughout the remainder of the cantons. But in
several of these cantons, the lower orders make use of another language, consisting of several dialects, slightly different from each other. It is regarded as the ancient language of the country, and is held in high estimation by thOse among whom it prevails. It is a branch of the Celtic, with the admixture of several words of Greek and Latin derivation.
The reformed doctrines, as we have already hint ed, were early introduced into Switzerland, and some of the earliest and most eminent reformers were natives of that country. It was from Geneva, where Calvin and Beza taught, that Knox, the Scottish reformer, introduced the presbyterian po lity into this country. The different cantons, how ever, are very different in regard to religious character and dicipline, the catholic faith being yet retained by about one-third of the whole population. The cantons of Soleure, Fribourg, Lucerne, Zug, Schwitz, Underwalden, Uri, Ticino, and Vallais. still continue popish. Those of Argau. Glaris, Thurgau, St. Gall, Appenzell, and the Grisons, are partly catholic and partly protestant. The other cantons arc protestant. Though illiberality and persecution have been, even of late, displayed in this country, toleration seems to be now permanent ly established. The following table gives a rela tive view of the different religious sects in 1821. The Protestants, we may remark, generally enter tain the doctrines of Calvin.
Switzerland, though a republic, does not form one great community like Greece or Rome; but, like the United States of America, it is a confederacy, or combination of several petty states, each being distinct and different from the rest. All the Swiss cantons, however, are independent, possessing, by an inherent right, the privilege of managing, res pectively, their internal and private affairs; but their several constitutions are so different that they may, in this respect, he classed in the following manner: I. Neufchatel, which, till the year 1815, belonged to Prussia, is the only one in which mo narchial forms of government are modified by repub lican institutions. H. Schaffhausen, Zurich, Basil, Soleure, Beene, Lucerne, and Fribourg, form aris tocratical governments; in which several privileged families possess the direction and management of public affairs. III. Thurgau, Argau, St. Gall, Pays de Vaud, Geneva, Vallais, and Ticino, are representative republics. And IV. the people of Appenzell, Zug, Schwitz, Uri, Glaris, and Under walden, live under a democratic government: the citizens form general assemblies, nominate their magistrates, and deliberate on the interests of the republic. The general interests of the Helvetic republic, such as the conclusion of foreign alliances, the defence of the country, &c. are managed by a general assembly or diet, composed of deputies from each of the cantons, and which holds its meet ings successively at Berne, Zurich, and Lucerne. At these diets all matters are decided, by a plurality of votes, excepting declarations of war and treaties of peace, which require three-fourths. The diet assembles at least annually, but oftener when neces sary.