Another excellent establishment here, is the Chambre des Blés, or magazine of corn; this is a large and handsome building, and always contains an ample supply of good wheat. The direction of this establishment is immediately in the government, and its managers are selected from the different councils. The benefits arising from abundant seasons, cover the expences occasioned by years of scarcity. The bakers being obliged to buy here whatever quantity of corn they may require, and at an uniform price it follows that the price of bread always continues the same, and that price is fixed by the grand council. The managers of this store, to prevent the bakers from making bread of an inferior quality, have established a shop in each quarter of the city; and the bakers, to ensure a ready sale, are obliged to make their bread of equal quality with that which could be procured at the shops of the managers of this establishment. The churches of Geneva are not distinguished by any architectural beauties, if we except the portico of the _cathedral_, which is constructed of rough marble, said to be copied after that of the Rotunda at Rome; it is considered equal to that of St. Genevieve at Paris, but I cannot subscribe to that opinion. The Calvinistic tenets (which are those of the state) are most generally adopted at Geneva; but the Lutherans, the Germans of the Confession of Augsburg, and the Roman Catholics, have each a church. The ministers are appointed by the Government, and care is taken that the Roman Catholic minister be subject to a Swiss Bishoprick. In the Calvinistic churches, the hours of divine service are nine in the morning and two in the afternoon. The service consists in the reading the commandments, a few prayers, a chapter in the Bible, and the sermon; and concludes with a psalm or hymn, accompanied by the organ; the whole service generally occupies an hour. The Sunday is principally distinguished by the sermon, the rest of the week being allotted for reading the Scriptures.--A stranger is much surprised at seeing _many persons wear their hats during the sermon_, a custom which indicates a want of respect to the place that cannot be excused, however inferior the compositions of a preacher may be to the rest of the service. There is one thing to be noticed here as worthy of imitation: no burials are allowed within the city. At Paris also, most of the burial places near the churches have been removed to the catacombs, a change which has tended greatly to purify the air of the city. There is a box at each door of the churches here, and as the congregation retire after divine service, a person is stationed near it, to desire them to _remember the poor_. These collections must be liberal, as few places are so free from beggars as Geneva. * * * * * CHAP. XI.