but there is a great want of hands for all the purposes of agriculture; and the defect fenfibly encreases. Nevertheless, the ground is fo particularly favourable to corn, that a third part of the yearly produce may be exported, without the least detriment to the public. The trade both of the town and of the canton is of little value, although they are very commodiously fituated for carrying on an extensive

commerce.

The French embassador to the Helvetic body refides in this town, and distributes from hence those annual penfions or fubfidies, which the king his master has stipulated by treaty to pay the catholic, cantons: they amount to about 30,000 pounds a year. Louis XI. was the firft French monarch who employed Swifs troops in his fervice, and granted fubfidies to the states. These have fince been confiderably augmented by his fucceffors: and the perpetual alliance which Francis I. concluded with the Swiss cantons, foon after the battle of Marignano, is confidered as the bafis of every fubfequent treaty that has been made between the two contracting powers. Several of the fucceffors of that king de

rived confiderable advantages from the Swiss infantry in their service: they aided Henry IV. in establishing himself upon the throne of his ancestors; and affifted both Louis XIII. and his fon, in the several wars in which they were engaged. No troops indeed have ever been more justly distinguished for their fidelity, their valour, and the excellence of their difcipline.

The last general alliance between France and the whole Helvetic union, concluded by Louis the XIVth in 1663, was to remain in force during the joint lives of that monarch, and his fon the dauphin, and for eight years after the death of either of them. Towards the end of his reign, when Louis, on account of his fon's death, propofed to renew the alliance in his and his fucceffor's name; the protestant cantons refused their confent: accordingly it was concluded only with the catholic cantons, and the republic of the Vallais.

This alliance differed from the former treaties in fome very effential articles, particularly, as it ftipulated that, in case the kingdom of France should be invaded, the Swiss republics in queftion fhould permit

an additional levy to be raised at his majesty's expence, not exceeding fixteen thoufand men; that in cafe the Helvetic body, or any particular canton, fhould be attacked by a foreign power, the king engaged to affift them with as many forces as fhould be thought neceffary; and finally, that if any diffenfions fhould arife between the contracting cantons, his majesty should, at the request of the aggrieved party, try all gentle methods of bringing about a reconciliation; but if these fhould fail, the king agreed, both in his own name, and in that of his fucceffor, to compel the aggreffor to abide by the treaties contracted between the cantons and their allies. This laft article feemed, in fome measure, to authorize the interference of the king of France with the politics of Swifferland; and, in that view, appeared dangerous to many of the Swifs, and inconfiftent with that abfolute independence, which they had hitherto prized above all other advantages.

The court of France is at prefent en deavouring to perfuade the proteftant cantons to accede to the alliance, in order that a general treaty may be renewed: and it

is expected that a diet will foon be holden at Soleure * for that purpofe.

TH

I am, &c.

LETTER XL.

Bafil, November 1.

HE road from Soleure to this town, lies through the midft of the Jura

*The alliance in queftion was actually concluded at Soleure in May 1777, between the king of France on one fide, and the thirteen cantons and their allies on the other, to continue in force during fifty years, By this treaty it is agreed, that in cafe the kingdom of France fhould be invaded, the cantons and their allies are to furnish an additional levy of fix thousand men; and if the Swifs cantons, or any of their allies, fhould be attacked, the king, if required, engages to fend to them, at his own expence, fuch fuccours as may be thought necessary,

That article of the treaty concluded with the ca tholic cantons in 1715, which related to the mediation of the king of France, in cafe of any difputes arifing between the thirteen cantons, is very properly and wifely

omitted.

Before this alliance, none of the proteftant ftates of Swifferland ever received any penfions from France : but by the fixteenth article, the proteftants of Glaris and Appenzel, and the town of Bienne, have agreed to accept les argents de paix et d'alliance, as thefe fubfidies are here called.

mountains,

mountains, along the vale of Balstal, remarkable for its richness and fertility: and though the country in general is exceedingly romantic and rocky, yet in many places it is highly cultivated.

I turned a little out of the direct way to this place, in order to view the ruins of Augufta Reuricorum, formerly a large town under the dominion of the Romans; now a small village in the canton of Bafil, close to the Rhine. Its ancient remains are very inconfiderable, confifting of a few pillars of marble still standing, and some fcattered fragments of others, together with a kind of femicircular range of walls upon a rising ground, the greatest part of which has tumbled down, and is almost entirely overgrown with brushwood. From the present appearance of the laft-mentioned ruins, I fhould hardly have guessed that they once compofed part of a theatre, capable of containing above twelve thoufand fpectators. But the celebrated Schæfflin has given, in his Alfatia Illuftrata, a particular defcription of this theatre, and its dimenfions; as alfo of the temple, to which the marble columns I mentioned, formerly belonged. Befides these, there are

likewife