CHAPTER I.
INTRODUCTORY.
WENTY - SEVEN years ago —when children’s books were rarepresents, and were so prized, andread, and read again, until thevery position of the paragraphswas known by heart — I had alittle volume given to me at the Soho bazaar, called“ The Peasants of Chamouni,” which told, in a verytruthful manner, the sad story of Dr. Hamel’s fatalattempt to reach the summit of Mont Blanc in 1820.I dare say that it has long been out of print; but Ihave still my own old copy by me, and I find it waspublished by Baldwin, Cradock, and Joy, in 1823.
My notions of the Alps at that time were very
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