one of the cantons of Switzerland, which holds the second rank among the 13; but as it is by far the largest in extent, containing almost one-third of the whole country, it seems justly entitled to the first. It is bounded to the north by the cantons of Basil and Solothurn, and the Austrian forest towns; to the south by the lake of Geneva, the Valais, and duchy of Savoy; to the east by Uri, Unterwald, Lucern, and the county of Baden; and to the west by Solothurn, Neufchatel, Franche Compte, the district of Biel, and the land of Gex. It is the most fruitful, the richest, and by much the largest, of all the cantons, extending in length about sixty leagues, and about thirty where broadest. It yields not only plenty of grain, fruit, and pasture; but also good wine, a variety of coloured earths and clays, sandstone, mudbrick, gypsum, pitcoal, coal, sulphur, and iron-ore. Here likewise are large herds of cattle, great and small; and, in consequence of that, great quantities of milk, butter, and cheese. The rivers that water this canton are the Aar, the Einmetz, the Wigger, the Aa, the Rulz, the Limmat, the Sanen, the Sense, and the Kandel. The principal lake is that of Geneva; the length of which is about 18 leagues, and the greatest breadth between three and four. The depth in some places is near 400 fathom, in others not above 40. The Rhone enters it at the east end, near Bouveret, and issues out again at the west clofe by Geneva. In summer its waters are much swelled by the melting of the snow on the mountains. This lake, however, is not entirely surrounded by the territory of Bern, but partly by Savoy and the country of Gex; the former of which belongs to the king of Sardinia, and the latter to France, and the territory of Sion. Its borders are extremely fertile and beautiful, being much embellished with vineyards, which yield excellent wine, and interspersed with towns and villages, betwixt which a considerable commerce is carried on.

The other great lakes, that are wholly or partly within this canton, are those of Neufchatel, Biel, Murte, Thun, Brienz, and Halwy, which all abound in fish, particularly that of Geneva, where trouts are sometimes caught weighing 40 or 50 pounds. In that of Biel, called also the Nydaus-lake, are two small islands, one of which is very beautiful. This lake is about three leagues in length and one in breadth. Along the whole west and north-west sides of the canton runs that chain of mountains called by the general name of Jura; but the several mountains of which it is composed have all their particular names. This canton is well cultivated, and very populous, the number of its subjects being computed at 400,000. German is the prevailing language, but almost all the people of fashion speak either French or Italian; even the common people in the Pays de Vaud, and other places that lie towards France or Italy, speak a corrupt French or Italian, or a jargon composed of both. The established religion here and the other Protestant cantons is Calvinism, the same both in doctrine and discipline as in Holland; nor is any other tolerated, except in the common bailiages, and the vale of Frick. The ministers are divided into deaneries and classes, and hold yearly chapters or synods. They are kept in a greater dependence on the civil power here than in the other cantons, and not suffered to interfere with matters of state. The city of Bern first joined the confederacy in the year 1353. Towards the defence thereof the canton now furnishes 2000 men. Every male from 16 to 60 is enrolled in the militia, and about a third of them regimented. There are officers for every district, whose province it is to see that the men be regularly exercised; that their arms, ammunition, and clothing, be in good condition; and that they be kept in a constant readiness to march. Once a-year they are drawn out to a general review. The same attention is paid to those that belong to the train of artillery. Some regiments consist of married, and some of unmarried men; some of foot, others of dragoons. There is also one regiment and a troop of cuirassiers. The latter consists entirely of burgheers of Bern. Both the horsemen and footmen find their horses, arms, and accoutrements. Besides the arms and artillery in the arsenal at Bern, all the castles, where the country governors or bailiffs reside, are well furnished with them. At Bern is a constant guard or garrison of 200 men, and a small garrison at Fort Arburg. In the same city is also an office, which grants licenses for levies to foreign powers, and where the recruits make their appearance and are registered. The bailiffs have the chief direction of affairs in their several districts, being generals of the militia, and presiding in the courts of justice; but, in civil causes above a certain value, an appeal lies from them to Bern; and, in capital cases, their sentence must be confirmed by the great council before it can be executed. When any bailiwick is to be dispofed of, as many balls as there competitors are put into a bag, whereof one is gilt, and he that draws that has the bailiwick.

Mr Keyler observes, that the wealthiest peasants in Switzerland are those of Bern; it being difficult to find a village without one, at least, who is worth between 20,000 or 30,000 guilders, and sometimes even 60,000. He says, the common people of both sexes wear straw hats, and that the women's petticoats are tied up so near their arm-pits, that hardly an hand's-breadth is left for their shape: that the ins, not only in this canton but throughout Switzerland, are in general very good; that the manners of the people were in many respects, greatly changed within 50 years before he visited them, which was about 50 years ago, and consequently must be much more so now; that instead of the plainness and honest simplicity of their ancestors, the love of superfluities and high living greatly prevailed; that luxury, pomp, and that infatuation for foreign productions which had infected most parts of Europe, had also extended its contagious influence to Switzerland, though not to such a degree as in many other countries. Dr Burnet says, that drinking is so common, and produces so many quarrels and disorders, that the bailiffs not only fulfill by the fines payable for them, but often get estates, carrying perhaps 20,000 crowns at the end of five years to Bern; that their law is short and clear, inasmuch that the most intricate suit is ended after two or perhaps three hearings, either in the first instance before the bailiff, or in the second at Bern; that the civility expressed in this country to women, at first meeting them, is not by saluting them, but by shaking them by the hand, and that none but strangers take off their hats to them. Mr Addison says, that the peasants are generally clothed in a coarse kind of canvas, the manufacture of the country, and that their holiday-clothes go from father to son; so that it is not uncommon to see a countryman in his great-grandfather's doublet and breeches; that the belief of witchcraft prevailed among them so much, that there were some executions on that account while he was in the country; that the question, or torture, is used not only in this canton but all over Switzerland; that though the subjects of the state are rich, the public is poor; and though they could oppose a sudden invasion, yet that their unkindly soil requires such a number of hands to cultivate it, that they could not spare the reinforcements and recruits that would be necessary in a long war. Upon extraordinary occasions, however, they boast that they could raise 80,000 men in 24 hours. This canton is divided into the German country, that is, that part of the canton in which the German tongue is spoken, and which is also called BERN called the ancient canton, extending from Morat to the county of Baden; and the Roman, called also the Waal, and Pais de Vaud. The former of these contains 35 bailiwicks and about 300 parishes.

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 drestes of those who blew them. The inhabitants of Uri, who boast their descent from the old Tau, bear a buffalo's head on their rifici, 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 burgurers of Bern, only those are qualified for the government and magistracy of the city who are the descendants of such as were made burgurers 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 also must 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 praetors or advoyers, 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 caffellans of the canton continue five 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 venners, or standard-bearers, are invested. It declared for the Reformation in 1528, after a solemn disputation. Here the British envoy to the cantons resides.