the top, and therefore called Table land, by sailors; this also is situated on a beautiful declivity.

With pleasant breezes, and the same agreeable views, we continued to be borne by Oneglia, a handsome town, laying near or between two pleasant rivers, on to Cape delle Melle, which terminates this part of the coast of Italy. It is almost needless to observe, that all this country produces abundance of fruit, wine, and oil.

We continued to explore the still more interesting parts of this beautiful coast. Passing Delle Melle, another commanding prospect burst on the sight, and we soon entered the delightful bay, the shore of which contains the neat and handsome villages of Lican, Final, Orebo, and Noli.

From Cape Noli to Genoa is another fine bay, near the bottom of which stands the ancient, large, and beautiful town of Savona, whose present degenerated state calls for

commisseration. It long since sunk, in a great degree, in proportion to the rise of Genoa; but since the decline of that extraordinary city, it has sympathized much with its decay; and the sand injuring its harbour, has combined nearly to remove its commerce into other channels.

While treating of this coast and country, I feel myself impressed with the interesting history of its former inhabitants, a sketch of which I would present to the consideration "of the attentive reader. These wonderful characters are known by the names of the Albigenses, or Vallences Valleymen, because they principally dwelt in the valleys. of Piedmont. I say principally, for, like the diffusive religion they possessed, they reflected its sweet influences in many dark and superstitious countries; surrounded with persecution, they were enabled to hold up this divine light and life to their bitterest oppressors, and extend the healing beams of the Gospel over many, very many, of those habitations of violence and cruelty. Ever since the twelfth century,

these Valleymen, who, in the eighth century, or according to some historians, much earlier, had refused to participate in the daily increasing depravity of the Roman Church, have been called Waldences, from their union with the followers of P. Waldus, through whose means a great awakening took place in France. From them descended the ancient Church of the United Brethren*; and they appear the honoured instruments of connecting primitive Christianity, and the dawn of the glorious reformation by Luther and his associates.

In this neighbourhood are to be seen a part of those stupendous mountains called the Alps, the highest in Europe, many of whose majestic tops are whitened with perpetual snows; they divide Italy from France and Germany, forming a good natural barrier, but which mad ambition and the desire of conquest has often surmount

Known also by the name of Moravians, whose labours among the heathens are known to all the churches.

ed. Ancient history presents an uncommon instance in the case of the Carthaginian general, Hannibal, who, with great difficulty and danger, passed them, but not without the loss of many of his bravest men, and the imminent peril of his whole army, who were near perishing on these inhospitable mountains.

Modern history also informs us of cros sing and recrossing these mountains, by invading and retreating armies, and kingdoms and states quickly over run, and in several instances overturned, by those unwelcome obtruders.

Genoa, which is so much distinguished in ancient history, still exhibits remains of its former magnificence and opulence; its extent and population is even now considerable, and some of its palaces have at majestic appearance. It is situated in the bottom of a gulph of the same name, and rises gradually from the sea, in the form of an amphitheatre. The church of St. Lawrance is very conspicuous.

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The harbour is formed within two handsome and useful moles, which repel the heavy swell from the gulf; on one of these moles is an elegant light-house, which considerably adds to the general beauty of the view, and altogether constitutes Genoa an interesting prospect.

Before the discovery of a passage to India, by the Cape of Good Hope, Genoa had arisen to the zenith of its prosperity as a commercial nation. Its commerce and colonies were astonishing, considering its small extent of country at home. They were rivals of the Greeks, Venetians, and Turks, and for a considerable period engrossed the trade of the Indies in Europe. The produce of the East was brought into their ports, and from thence conveyed and distributed to other parts of the world; by which means they principally rose to such eminence in maritime power. Luxury and pride, the constant attendants upon great influxes of wealth, had however, begun secretly to undermine the prosperity of the country, when the passage to India being