BERN, a city of Switzerland, and capital of the canton of that name, is situated in E. Long. 7. 40. N. Lat. 40. 0. It is said that the taking of a bear on the day on which the foundation of this city was laid, gave occasion to its name; hence it is often in Latin called Arctopolis, i. e. the city of the bear, and has a bear for its coat of arms. It is almost surrounded by the river Aar. The houses are mostly built of white freestone, and in the principal streets, have piazzas or arches under them, for the convenience of walking dry in wet weather. Most of the streets are paved with flints, and traversed by a canal lined with freestone, which is brought from a considerable distance, and is very useful in carrying off the filth of the city, extinguishing fires, and other purposes. The city is large, standing almost in the middle of the canton, and containing several churches, of which one is called the Great Church, and the first minister thereof the dean, who is the head of the city-clergy. From an inscription near the great door of this church, it appears, that the first stone of it was laid in 1421. Over the same door is a representation of the last judgment, in which the sculptor hath placed the pope among the damned. In this city is also a college with eight professors, a large public library, and a museum; a stately granary, in which a great quantity of corn is always kept; a guildhall; a well stored arsenal; and several hospitals. In the arsenal is a wooden statue of the famous Tell, which represents him as taking aim at the apple placed on the head of his son. There is also the statue of Berchtold von Zähringen, the founder of the city; and two large horns of buffaloes or wild bulls, called in Latin Uri, such as are used in war by the canton of Uri, instead of trumpets, and taken from it in the year 1712. Hard by also hang the grotesque dresses of those who blew them. The inhabitants of Uri, who boast their descent from the old Tau, bear a buffalo's head on their risci, coat of arms; and the person who blows the great horn in time of war, is called the bull of Uri. In the Dominican church, a hole in the wall is always shown to strangers, by means of which, it having a communication with the cell of a monk in an adjoining monastery, the pious fraud of making an image of the Virgin appear to speak was once carried on, which for a while answered the purposes of the monks very well; but they were at last detected and punished. This city, though larger, is not so populous nor so well built as that of Zurich. On the east side of it is a handsome stone bridge; and near the great church is a very fine platform some hundred feet in height, which makes a most delightful walk, being planted with limes, and commanding a charming prospect, particularly of the mountains of the Grisons, covered with snow in the midst of summer. In 1654 a student of divinity, being on horseback, and in liquor, leaped over this terrace without receiving any other hurt than breaking a leg, and lived many years after; but the horse was killed. In the upper part of the city are always kept a number of bears in two enclosures, with fir trees for them to clamber and play upon. Of the burghers of Bern, only those are qualified for the
government and magistracy of the city who are the descendants of such as were made burghers before the year 1635. Other qualifications are also necessary; in particular, they must not be under 30 years of age, and must be enrolled in one of the 12 companies. To obtain a country government, or to hold any considerable employment, the candidate must also be married. The great council, in which the sovereignty of the canton is vested, consists, when full, of 229; but is generally much short of that number, 80 or more often dying before their places are filled up. The lesser council senate, or, as it is called, the daily council, because it meets every day, Sundays and holidays excepted, consists of 27 members, including the two preceptors or advisors, the four tribunes of the people, the two treasurers, and the two heimlichers, or secrecy-men, so called because to them all secrets relating to the state are discovered. The members of the great and little councils mutually fill up the vacancies that happen in these two colleges. How the bailiffs are chosen we have already taken notice. Our limits will not permit us to enter into any farther detail with respect to the government: only it is to be observed in general, that all the officers of any note are chosen out of the great or little councils; and that all the bailiffs and castellans of the canton continue six years in office. The trade of the city is not very great, but was less before the French refugees settled therein: some, however, doubt whether it has been a gainer by them; as by their introduction of French modes and luxury, they have helped to banish the ancient Helvetic simplicity and frugality. The territory immediately under its jurisdiction is divided into four governments, with which the four vanners, or standard-bearers, are invested. It declared for the Reformation in 1528, after a solemn disputation. Here the British envoy to the cantons resides.