Grant, Bolt ON i-C •? Bookji<‘ner»4Stetijuru!rs. '-^<1 wf ^ykeff j -UT.TBLIN.- ' HOYT COLLECTION OF FRENCH HISTORY PRESENTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA LIBRARY BY WILLIAM HENRY HOYT 914.4 M645g Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2019 with funding from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill https://archive.org/details/gentlemansguideiOOmill I- I >»<4 -'ll ITf. h •. 4 , J^lvrhed^She£}m>cd & CT^^JJSIJ. THE GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE IN HIS STour tljrougl) iTrance; BEING PARTJCUEARLY DESCRIPTIVE OF THE SOUTHERN AND WESTERN DEPARTMENTS; NOTICING THE Climatey Natural Productions, Antiquities, Curiositiesy TRADE AND MANUFACTURES OF EVERY REMARKABLE PLACE; WITH KETCHES OF MANNERS, SOCiETY, AND CUSTOMS AND INCLUDING ^Dteturesque and scarcely an instance occurs, in which we have not noticed the population of every place, as well as its trade and manufactures, objects of particular interest to our countrymen at the pre* sent time. Every chapter of the ‘^Gentleman’s Guide through France” offers to the reader the plan of a distinct tour, which he may extend, or abridge, at his pleasure: while those travellers who purpose to remain some time in any of the principal cities, will find the detailed accounts of Lyons, Avignon, Aix, Marseilles, Nismes, Toulouse, Bordeaux, and Nantes, peculiarly ac¬ ceptable. The visit to Vaucluse cannot fail of interesting every one who has heard the name of Petrarch; while the full account of Hyeres and Nice will present some valuable in¬ formation to such persons as resort to the South of France for the benefit of their health. For those who are contented to see sights and look into discoveries, “ dry-shod at home,” we pro¬ mise abundance of entertainment in the perusal of this volume; which, though in the humble form of a Traveller’s Guide, may be depended on for the accuracy of its statements, a 3 vi PREFACE. The Introduction contains a statistical view of the present Ro^aume de France f full directions to Travellers; and some useful parti¬ culars relative to the expense of settling in the country, and the comparative merit of particu¬ lar districts; subjects of considerable importance to our emigrant economists. . An Appendix is added, giving an account of an excursion to Bagiih'es and Barrcgts, wa¬ tering places of the Pyrenees; the Bath and Buxton of France. CONTENTS. ^04 PAGE Introduction. —France — Divisions — Climate — Natural Productions—Agriculture—Trade and Manufactures— Revenue—Laws—Manners—Plan of a Tour—Expense of Living in France—Manner of Travelling—French - Coins, Weights, and Measures, &c. &c,. ix Chapter L—Route from Paris to Lyons, by the Bourbon- nais—by Burgundy—Aceount of Chalons sur Saone— Macon—Lyons.—Route by Troyes and Dijon—Excur¬ sion to Besanfon—From Dijon to Lyons .. I Chapter II.—Description of Lyons and its Environs.—Ex¬ cursions to Chambery and Grencble.—Voyage down the Rhone, from Lyons to Avignon.— Description of Avignon.—Excursions to Vaucluse, Carpentras, Ca- vaillon, &c. • ...* .. 7Q Chapter III.—Route from Avignon to Nice.—Descriptions of Aix, Marseilles, and Toulon.—Excursion to Hy^res. —Description of Nice.—Return to Brignolles.—Excur¬ sion to Digne.—Return to Aix . 162 Chapter IV.—-From Aix to Montpellier.—Tarascon.—Ex¬ cursion to Arles.—Description of Nismes and Mont¬ pellier.—From Montpellier to Toulouse. — Beziers.— Narbonne.—Carcassone.—Description of Toulouse* *.. 236 Chapter V.—Route from Toulouse to Bordeaux—Montau- ban—Agen.— Description of Bordeaux—Shepherds of the Landes,—From Bordeaux to Tours, by Angouleme and Poitiers.—To Nantes, by Rochefort and Rochelle. 289 Chapter VI.—Tour of the Loire.—Description of Nantes— Angers — Saumur— Tours — Blois — Orleans. — Route from Orleans to Paris.—From Angers to Paris, by la Fleche, le Mans, and Chartres. 314 Appendix. —Visit to Bagn^res and Barreges, watering Places of the Pyrenees—Route from Toulouse to Bag- neres—Description of Auch-Tarbes—Bagneres and Bar- reges—Ascent of the Pic-du-Midi—Fall of G.avarnie —Return to Barreges—Route to Bordeaux by Pau and Bavonne • .... 351 6 The Traveller catches a glance of the domestic occupations of a peasant family, as he rapidly passes a cottage window j the aged labourer looks upward to his carriage with that rustic hardness of expression which is so well known to him ; the rivulet glides as pleasantly through that valley as it does in England ; the skies look cheerfully down upon him. The servants come with an air of frankness to assist him to alight ; he sees in the country towns, the common occupations of trade all in motion, and presenting aspects with which he is familiar. He says to himself, can it be these people whose throats I have been wishing to cut, and who have been en¬ deavouring to cut mine for the last twenty years ? What has kept me from coming among them during all that time ? Here are the roads, here are the accommodations, here are services for money, and smiles for nothing. Scott’s Parisy p. 34. 3)ntrotiucttoit, The gentlenesse of the aire, with the fertilitie of the ground, and the scituation of the rivers is so propitious and naturall for the increase of fruite, and every other living creature, that France, above all the other regions of Europe, may best boast of these prerogatives. Descript, of Kingdomes. Itoijaume de France, or kingdom of France, once more returned within its aiitient limits, is bounded on the west by the Atlantic Ocean; on the south, by the Mediterranean and Pyrenees; on the east, by Savoy, Switzerland, and Germany; and on the north, by Bel¬ gium, and the English Channel. It extends from about the42dto near theSlstdegree of north latitude; and from about the 71h degree of longitude, west from Paris, to about the 5th on the east: being in length from N.to S. about 600 English miles, or in breadth from W. to E. about 560. Its extent may be computed at 148,840 square miles. Divisions .—France is divided into eighty-three de¬ partments, which, with the aiitient provinces, and prin¬ cipal towns are as follows. Those departments which she has los^t by the recent political arrangements, will be seen on the accompanying map. The hlue line denotes the boundary of France as it exists at present; consequently all the figures without this line, refer to departments which now form a part of other countries, and belong to other sovereigns ; the red line indicates the different routes described in this work. Antient Provinces. Flandre Fran^aise Artois Picardie Normandie - Deparlments. Nord - Pas-de-Calais Somme Seine Inferieure I Calvados Manche I Orne - Eure - Chief Towns Lille. Arras. Amiens. Rouen. Caen. Coutances. Alenfon. Evreuv, X Introduction* Antieni Trovincfs. Departments. Jsle de France Champagne Lorraine Alsace Bretagne - Maine & Perche Anjou Touraine - Orleannais - Berri Nivernais - * Bourgogne - Franche Compt6 Poitou Seine - - - Seine and Oise Oise - - - Aisne - - - Seine and Marne - r Marne j Ardennes j Aube - - - ^ Haute Marne r Meuse j Moselle jMeurthe ^Vo-ges t Haut-Rhln - ^ Bas-Rhin Isle 5c Villaine Cotes du Nord Finisterre Moibihan Loire Inferieure - ^ Sarthe - - - ( Mayenne Mayenne & Loire - Indre & Loire Loiret Eure & Loire Loire & Cher 5 Indre - - - ^ Cher - - - Ni&vre C Yonne j Cote d’Or A Saone & Loire ^Ain _ . - i Haute-Saone ^ Doubs ^ Jura • - - r Vendee V Deux S^:vres / Vienne Chief Toxvns. Paris. Versailles. Beauvais. Laon. Melun. Chalons-sur-Marne, Mezieres. Troyes. Chaumont. Bar-sur-Ornaio. Metz. Nancy. F.pinal. Colmar. Strasbourg. Rennes. St. Brieux. Quimper. Vannes. Nantes. Le Mans. Laval. Angers. Tours. Orleans. Chartres. Blois. Chateauroux. Bourses. Nevers. Auxerre. Dijon. Macon. Bourg. Vesoul. Besan9on. Lons-le-Saulnier. Fontenay le Peuple. Niort. Poitieri. Divisions of France, Antlent Provinces. Departments. Chief To'Jins. Marche J Haute Vienne m Limoges. •> s Limosin • Limosin [ Creuse Gueret. . Correze - • Tulle. Bourbonnais • Allier - Moulins. Saintonge • - Charente Inferieure Saintes. Angoumaia m Charente Angouleme, Auvergne - • i ■ Puy-de-dome ^ Cantal - * m Clermont. St. Flour. Lyonnais - ( , Rhone - • Lyons. • ^ Loire - • Montbrison. [ Isere - • Grenoble. Dauphine - 1 Hautes-Alpes m Gap. [ Drome - Valence. 'Dordogne - Perigeux. Gironde - Bordeaux. Lot Sc Garonne - Agen. Siuienne - Lot - C a hors. Aveyron Rhodez, Gers - m Auch. Landes Mont de Marsaa. ^Hautes Pyrenees Tarbes. Bearn - Basses Pyrenees • Pau. Compte de Foix - Arriege - Tarascon. Koussillon * - Pyrenees-Orientales Perpignan. Haute-Garonne • Toulouse. Aude - • Carcassone Tarn - Castres. Languedoc Gard - Lozere m Nismes. Mende. Ardeche - Privas. Haute Loire - • Le Puy. LHeraut m Montpellier. 1 Bouches du Rhone Aix. Provence - - - ( Basses Alpes • Digne. : Var - m Toulon. Avignon Venaissin - k Vaucluse, with c the Bouches du \ Avignon, f Rhone - J xii Introduction, Climate, ^c. —The climate of so extensive a country as France, may be expected to be various. In general it is far more clear and serene than that of England: but the northern provinces are exposed to heavy rains, which, hoAvever, produce beautiful verdure, and rich pastures. France may be divided into three climates, the northern, the central, and the southern. The first yields no wines; the second no maize j the third pro¬ duces wines, maize, and olives. These divisions pro¬ ceed in an oblique line from the south-west to the north-east, so as to demonstrate “ that the eastern part of the kingdom is two and a half degrees of lati¬ tude hotter than the western, or, if not hotter, more fa¬ vourable to vegetation.” France is also happy in an excellent soil, which produces corn, wine, oil, and al¬ most every luxury of life. Some of their fruits have a higher flavour than those of England; but neither the pasturage nor tillage is comparable to ours. No na¬ tion is better supplied than France is with wholesome springs and ivater; of which the inhabitants make ex¬ cellent use, by the help of art and engines, for all the conveniencies of life. Mountains .—The chief mountains in France, or its borders, are the Alps, which divide France from Italy; the Pyrenees, which divide France from Spain; the Vos¬ ges, which divide Lorraine from Burgundy and Alsace; Mount Jura, which divides Franche Compte from Switzerland; the Cevennes, in the province of Lan¬ guedoc ; and Mont d’Or, in the province of Auvergne, Rivers and The principal rivers in France are the Loire, the Rhone, the Garonne, and the Seine. | The Loire takes its course north and north-west, being | with all its windings, from its source to the sea, com¬ puted to run about 500 miles. The Rhone flows on the south-wes-t to Lyons, and then runs on due south till it falls into the Mediterranean. The Garonne rises in ( the Pyrenean Mountains, takes its course first north- t east, and has a communication with the Mediterranean, i by means of a canal, the work of Louis XIV. The ^ France—Natural Productions* xiii Seme, soon after its rise, runs to ihe north-west, visit¬ ing Troyes, Paris, and Rouen, in its way, and falls into the Englivsh Channel at Havre. To these we may add the Soane, which falls into the Rhone at Lyons; the Charente, which rises near Havre de Grace, and discharges itself into the Bay of Biscay at Rochefort: the Rhine, which rises in Switzerland, is the eastern boundary between France and Germany, and receives the Moselle and the Sarte in its passage: not to men¬ tion many other rivers of smaller coiii'se and reputa¬ tion. Of the numerous canals^ the most considerable are, (1) The Canal du Midi, or Canal of Languedoc, no¬ ticed in another part of this work. (2.) The Canal of Briare and Orleans, thus called because it forms a communication between the Seine and Loire, which begins at Orleans, and ends at Briare. (3.) The Ca¬ nal de la Cote d’Or, forming a communication between the Yonne and Saone. (4.) The Canal of the Centre, forming a communication between the Saone and Loire. (5.) The Canal de I'Ourcq which is intended to supply Paris with water,—and various other minor and junc¬ tion canals made by order of Bonaparte. Natural Productions .—France abounds in excellent roots, which arc more proper for soups than those of England. As to all kinds of seasoning and sallads they are more plentitul, and in some places better than in England ; they being, next to their vines, the chief object of their culture. France produces excellent fruits of all kinds, particularly grapes, figs, prunes, chesnuts, cyder in the northern provinces, and capers in the southern. It produces annually, though not enough for consumption, about 12,000,000 pounds of tobacco, besides hemp, flax, manna, saffron, and many drugs. Alsace, Burgundy, Lorraine, and especially •the Pyrenean Mountains, supply it plentifully with tim¬ ber and other wood. The wines of Champagne, Bur¬ gundy, Bordeaux, Gascony, and other provinces of b XlV Introduction^ France, are so well known that they need only be men¬ tioned. France contains few animals eitlier wild or tame, that arc not to be found in Fngland, exceptinj; ■wolves. Their horses, black cattle, and sheep, are far inferior to the English ; nor is the wool of their sheep so fine. 7'he horses of Normandjf are preferred for draught, and those of Limosin for the saddle. I'he castor or beaver is found in the islands of the Khone; and the bear in Danphiny and the Pyrenees. Vipers abound in La Vendee, Mines and Mineral Waters. —Gold mines formerly ex¬ isted in the south of France, and some of the rivulets still roll down particles of that metal. There are still silver mines in Alsace and the Upper Ilhine: and cop¬ per in these districts, and in those of the Loire, Lozere, and Ardeche; tin in Ilretagne, and in the centre of France; lead from Bretagne, and the mountains of Vosges; antimony in Ardeche and Allier; manganese in the Loire and Vosges; and cobalt in Alsace. Iron is found in abundance in the northern departments; and coal mines more than 400 in number, besides maiiv which are not Avrought; jet is found in the departments of the south; and the most beautiful marbles in the Py¬ renees. The environs of Paris abound with excellent free-stone and gypsum. The principal mineral waters of France, are those of Bagneres and Barreges, in the Pyrenees, resembling those of Bath and Buxton ; Forges, near Bouen; Vichi and Bourbon, celebrated by Mad. de Sevigne, in her letters; Plombieres, among the mountains of the Vos¬ ges; Aix in Provence, &:c. Sec. Foy'ests. —The most remarkable are those of Orleans, Ardennes, and Fontainebleau; and as wood is the ge¬ neral fuel, attention to their growth is indispensable. Besides these, numerous other smaller forests or Avoods might be mentioned, lying in different departments, but too remote from sea-carriage, to be of much na¬ tional utility. The recent calamities have compelled France to cut doAvn much fine wood, to defray the XV Francs — Agriculture, expense of keeping her friends the Allies; but in the Hqxs de Boulogne^ near Paris, these bons amis liave spared them this trouble. Soil and Agriculture .—The N. E. part of France,, from Flanders to Orleans, is a rich loam; farther to the W. the land is poor and stony ; Brittany being gene¬ rally gravel or gravelly saiid, with low ridges of gra¬ nite. Chalk runs t!ir(jugh the centre of the kingdom, from Germany by Champagne, to Saintoiige, and on the N. of tlie mountainous tract is a large extent of gravel, probably washed down in primeval times; but even the mountainous region of the South is generally fertile, though the large province of ci-devant Gascony, has man}^ landes or level heaths. 1 he property of the yeomanry, the great landed pro¬ prietors, but more particularly of the nobility, has been subdivided and distributed among the peasants ; and, become their oivn, it is, no doubt, much better man¬ aged, for it is their immediate interest that not an acre I of ground should be wasted. Tliey till it with their own hands, and without any intermediate agents, they draw tlie j)rohts. Lands thus managed must, of course, he l‘ou5]d in a very diilereiit state from those whose ac¬ tual proprietor is perhaps, never on the spot;—who I manages through stewards, bailifts, and other agents;— i and whose rank prevents the possibility of his assisting, or even superintending, the labour of his peasantry. The use of machinery in the farm-stead is nnknowm, and grain as of old, is very generally trodden by oxen, sometimes on the iiigh roads, and winnowed by tlie breath of heaven. Ill the agriculiure of France, it is judiciously ob¬ served by Mr. Eirkbeck, there is a great sameness. The arable land, which comprises almost the whole surface of the country, the vineyards, and a few tracts of mountain excepted, may be divided into five classes, ftccording to its fertility, w'illiout regard to the nature ill the soil. The first bears a crop every year, as XVI Introduction* Auvergne, in the neighbourhood of Toulouse, iii some parts of Normandy, See. I'his description is highly cultivated, and on a principle vvell adapted to soil and circiimst.ances. The second somewhat inferior in rpia- lity, but good land, is also judiciously cultivated, w ith the intervention of a fallow once in six years ; as about Dieppe and Rouen. The third, land of middling qua¬ lity, Avhich embraces a very large part of the kingdom, is managed on the old plan of lallow% wheat, oats. The fourth, poor land, w hich also covers a large space, is fallow and wheat alternately. The fifth, land still poorer, is cultivated in the round of tallowy rye, rest, without grass seeds. The first and second classes include what there is of variety and spirit in French husbandry. In the south, Indian corn alternating with wheat exhibits management as go(id as the beans and w heat of the best English farmer: and the varied routine, observ¬ able in the north, atfords many proofs of a spirited and judicious culture. It is the three last which betray its weakness: if they coinprisi, halt the cultivated surface, which perhaps is not over-rating their extent, half of that portion being fallow', it appears that one fourth of the whole country is lying in a state entirely unproduc¬ tive, a few weeds, mostly thistles, excepted ! A very few half-starved sheep are kept to pick over the con¬ stantly recurring barren falloAVS, olten accomj)anied by three or four long-legged hogs. On the borders and out of the way corners you may see a cow' or two with an attendant. But there appears so little for any of these animals to eat, that you wonder how even they are supported. The prairies artificielles (the ar¬ tificial grasses as w'e less properly call them) of which so much is said by the amateurs, are like specks of green on a desert. Clover and lucerne are cultivated with great success, on the tw o' first classes of land; but veiy rarely indeed on the others. Thus there is probably as much really waste land in France as in xvu F) ■ance—Trade and Mamifaciures, England, and it is of an expensive kind; whereas onr wastes support much more stock than theirs, without any expense whatever. “ Notes,” p. 109. Trade, Commerce, and Manufactures .—The exports of Trance are w ine, vinegar, brandy, oil, silks, satins, linens, woollen cloth, tapestries, laces, gold and silver embroideries, toys, trinkets, perfumery, paper, prints, books, drugs, dyes, &c. The imports are hardware, earthenware, cottons, metals, hemp, flax, silk, wool, horses. East and West India goods, &c. The silk manufacture was introduced into France by Louis XI. about the year 1470. The silk mills are about 1,500 in number, the looms about 28,000; besides 12,000 for ribands, lace, and galloons, and 40,000 for stockings ; the wdiole silk manufacture occupying about two mil¬ lions of people. The looms for woollens about 35,000; for cottons 24,000. Abbeville manufactures sails and broad cloths ; Elboeuf, Louviers, and Sedan, broad cloths; Rouen, linens; Bretagne, linen, cordage, sails; Berri, linen; Auvergne, laces, papers; Montpellier, liqueurs; Langres, cutlery; St. Quintin and Cam bray, batistes, or cambrics; Paris, glass; Sevres, porcelain : the best carpets are made at the Savonnerie, in the village of Passy, near Paris. Silks, lace, gloves, black broad cloth, and cambric, are superior to the same ar¬ ticles in England. T'he woollen cloths are extremely beautiful, and the finer sorts are of a superior texture to any thing in England; but the price is always dou¬ ble, and sometimes treble what they sell for at home, so that w^e have not much to fear from their importa¬ tions. French watches are manufactured at about one half the English price, but the workmanship is very inferior to ours, and unless as trinkets for ladies w ear, tliey are not much esteemed in England. The cutlery is very bad ; not only the steel, but the temper and polish are greatly inferior to ours. A pair of English lazors is, to this day, a princely presetit in l^rance. The ladies also are very anxious to get English needles ai.d scissars. Hardw are is flimsy, ill finished, and of b3 xvlii Introduction. bad materials. All leatlier work, such as sacllery, har¬ ness, shoes, &c. is very bad, but undersells our inanu- factiires of tlie same kind by about one half. Cabinet work and furniture is handsome, showy, insufficient, and dear. Jewellery equal, if not superior to ours in neatness, but not so sufficient. Hats and liosiery in¬ different, except silk stockings. Musical instruments are made as well, and at half the English price. In almost every thing else the manufactures of France are inferior to those of England. Great improvement has taken place in the manufacture of calicoes, muslins, and other cotton goods, in Fiance, as well as in broad cloth, within the last twelve years; chiefly from the introduction of machinery by naturalised Enghslimen*. Hevemte .—From the budget of 1816, the whole ordi¬ nary revenue of the state amounted to .570,454,940 francs, and the ordinary expenses to 548,252,520 francs, leaving a surplus of 22,202,420 francs. The extraor¬ dinary expences, to which France is now subjected, consist of 140,000,000 francs of contributions to the al¬ lies ; the support of 150,000 foreign troops, 130,000,000 francs; money paid to the departments for advances for clothing and equipment of the foreign soldiers, and money distributed among the districts which had suf¬ fered by the war, &c. making a total of 290,800,000 francs. To meet this enormous expence, which lays an additional burthen of more than one half upon the peo¬ ple, various impositions have been made, amounting to 269,140,721 francs, which, together witli the exce.ss of ordinary receipts, more than covers the money recpiired by the allies. The annual produce of France, in corn, wine, tobacco, silk, wool, See. &c. may be reckoned at 139,750,000/. sterling; and the produce of mann/ac- tures at about 1,360,000,000 francs. The annual in¬ come of Royal France may be stated at 4,774,400,000 francs, or 198,933,333/. sterling. The taxes for the present year (1817) amount to 730,020,661 francs, or Travels iu France, Vol. II. p. 171, XlX France — Lanma^e. 30,417,527Z. sterling* nearly; being something less than one-sixth of the whole produce: when this tax is paid, there remains (admitting the population to be 28 millions) in round numbers, just 6Z. per head, for the annual support of the inhabitants. Without, therefore, laying much stress upon the accuracy of these details, there cannot remain a doubt that the people are taxed to the full extent of possibility, and that a continuation of the present imposts is nearly impossible. On the other hand, a large pi'oportion of the present year’s budget consists of loans, and of which caution money, is, in fact, a forced loan, subject to 4/. per cent, in¬ terest, which cannot be renewed hereafter. We have further to observe, that both the war and marine f es¬ tablishments will ref|uire a subsequent increase of ex¬ pence, and the additional sums demanded for the cZergy must be added to the burthens of the ensuing years, together with a deficit upon the present budget, which public rumour states to be enormous. See Lady Mor¬ gan’s France, (Appendix by Sir T. C. M. p. xlvii.) Language .—The I’rench language is the most uni¬ versally diffused of any in Europe. In variety, clear¬ ness and precision, and idioms adapted to life, busi¬ ness and pleasure, it yields to no modern speech. The critics and academicians of the seventeenth century enacted such severe laws of purity, that, like gold re¬ duced to the utmost lineness, it has become soft, and incapable of deep impressions. The French language is a well known corruption of the Roman, mingled with Celtic and Gothic words and idioms. In the bold ex- * The revenue of the year preceding the Revolution was 20,500,000 francs, and its ordinary ex[)enditure 26,000,000 francs. The budget for the year 1817, at i,069,OUtt,000 francs, or about 45,000,000/. sterling. , . j'The marine has, in the budget for 1817, been from ne¬ cessity decreased. In fact, France, under the present system, ca.n neither have an efiicient nmy nor army, and it must be at the absolute mercy of those nations that can support the ex¬ pence of such establishmenfs. XX Introdiiciion, ertions of inventive genius, and even in proroxind pro¬ ductions ot j)hilosopliy, Trance cannot aspire to vie witb Ital 5 % or England; but in the pleasing and be^iutilna patiis -of invention, and in books of elegant loarnini^ and exact science she remains almost unrivalled. It were superfluous to enumerate the crowd of authors, who have reflected honour on 1 heir language and coun¬ try.' W lio is a stranger to the Roman grandeur of Cor¬ neille, to the tender and elegiac elegance of Racme, the tragic pomp and terror of Crebillon, the comk: powers of Moliere, the naivete, the subtle simplicity .oif Ea Fontaine, tbe placid instruction of I’encloii, tire gaiety of Cresset, the caustic vivacity of Voltaire^ Education .—'Till lately, tlie mode of education in Fraiu.e was by two sets of schools, the first called ‘pri¬ mary., for the earlier rudiments of instruction ; and tiic other secondary, for the classics, &c. These, together with tlic Lycees, which existed in every considerable town in Trance, are now somewhat modified and al¬ tered, and the antient colleges, twenty-one in number, are about to be re-established. The Lancasteidan, or new method of instruction, has made great progres« both in Paris and the Provinces; and there is every reason'to hope that it will soon become general. In the capital there are fifteen schools in full activity; one of them has 3.33 scholars. The prefect of the de¬ partment of the.Seine has effected the establishment of two normal schools, one for training masters and tiie other mistresses. The country towns want nothing but leacheis to found institutions, similar to those of Paris; and in several places societies, numbering more tkau subscribers, have been formed. The methods of Bell and Lancaster have been combined and improved ill various respects. Rc/igicn .—Tlie Roman Catholic has been again de¬ clared the state religion, and Protestants and others ^ue now only tolerated. Under the late dynasty, the diS’ereiice of religion was no bar to the advancement of any French citizen to the highest oiGlices in the state; France — Lates—Papula i tun. , xx.< and the Protestants in llie South, as well as in every part of the kingdom, enjoyed tlie greatest liberties. Laws .—The Code Napoleon, that, with some inodifi-' taiioiis, still forms the law iii Fi'ance, breathes a spirit of humanity throughout, whicli will, perhaj^s, astonish some of our English readers. The j)unishment of death, wliich, according to Illaekstone, may be inflicted by the English law on 150 dillerent olfences, is iio\\''iii Prance confined to the very highest crimes only, the number of whicli does not exceed twelve. A minute attention has been paid to the different degrees of guilt in the commission of tlie same crime; and accord¬ ing to these, the punishments :ire as accurately projior- tioned as the cases will permit. One species of capital punishment has been ordained, instead of that multi¬ tude of cruel and barbarous deaths which were mar¬ shalled in terrible array along tlie columns of the for¬ mer code. This punishment is decapitation by the guillotine. The only exceptions to this are in the case of parricide and high treason, when the right hand ivS first cut off The trial hy jury has been for some time established in France. Robbery, burglary, murder, and other great crimes, are infinitely less frequent than in England. Infanticide is unknown. There is no legal provision for the poor in France, but they are maintained in richly endowed charitable foundations, or supported by the liberality of a generous public. Reggars are taken to a D«^p6t de mendicite. The police of France is excellent, and is powerfully assisted by the royal gendarnierie, a corps of nearly eighteen thousand horse-soldiers (resembling our life¬ guards in their equipments), divided into twenty-eight legions, stationed by small brigades, all over the coun¬ try, and destined to watch more particularly over the safetyofthe high roads. The expence of conducting the whole police of the empire is not more than 40,000/. per annum. Population, Character, Manners, fyc. —The popula¬ tion of old France (or France within its present limits) xxii Introduction, was in 1813, 28,700,000 ; but including tlie acqiiisitioTiS of territory lately taken from her, the empu’e ovot which Bonaparte reigi»cd included more tiian forty- two millions of subjects. The French are a lively, po¬ lite, witty, amiable and brave nation ; but are accused of being vain-glorious, inconstant, and volatile. In ad¬ dition to the various calumnies and misrepresentations of modern writers, tliey are also taxed with insincerity, in their affairs of minor services; but their wish to oblige strangers, whom they consider as visitors, really unfeigned. Often have we cxj)erienccd their unsolicited acts of kindness in the course of our tra¬ vels. d’hey can never be sufficiently praised for their indiscriminate, their natural, their totally disinterested and spontaneous benevolence. To those who have re¬ sided in France, and experienced the kind attentions of its polished inhabitants; and when they return to their own country, are lavish in their abuses of every thing French, we recommend the following sentiment of an eloquent writer :—Je ttapproiit'e pas qiContUt du mat. du pays oil Vun vit et oh I’on eU lien traitc: faimenns mieu'x qiCon se luissat tromper par les apparences, qae de 7noraliscr aux depens dc scs lujtesJ^ In speaking of character and manners, we must first advert to that sex which every where bears the prepon¬ derating sway. The characteristic feature of their beauty is expression. Many a beautiful French giil have we seen “ with a look wdiich cannot be described, otherwise than by saying it conveyed, with a marked intention, the quintessence of femimne expression,’^ Be¬ sides the ease of her manners, a French woman luis commonly a look of cheerfulness and great vivacity. The women, in the middle ranks of life, arc active and industrious wives, and tender mothers, 'i'lie niaimcfi* of those in polished society ai e playful, spiightly, cn- chanting. For gaiety, accoinplislnnents, grace, aii4 modesty, I’l'cnch women are inferior to none, "j'herc is {)eihap,> no coimtry iji the world, (observes Lady -Morgan, in her “France,”) where the social positioa France—Mann ers. xxm woman is so delectable as in France. Tlie darling’ child of society, indulged, not spoiled, presiding over its pleasures, preserving its refinements, taking nothing from its strength, adding much to its brilliancy, per¬ mitted the full exercise of all lier faculties, retaining the full emlowment of all her graces, she pursues the golden round of her honoured existence, limited only in her course by her feebleness and her taste; by her want of power and absence of inclination to “ over¬ step the modesty of nature,^’ or to inliinge upon privi¬ leges exclusively the attribute of the stronger sex. The eonverscition of a Frenchman, who possesses wit and information, iscciiainly superior to that of a clever man of any other coiinlry. It has a variety and plaj- fulness which delights and fiiscinatcs; even their com¬ mon chit-chat is of a superior order, as far as amuse¬ ment goes. However shallowly they ma}^ think upon a subject, they never Tail to express themselves well. This is the case with both sexes. And this observation not only applies to the higher classes, but cxtemls ta Ihe whole body of the people. The lower classes behave to each other with a sur¬ prising degree of civility. It is well remarked by Mr. iHcott, that “ the advantages of what is called a com¬ mon e ducation are universally diflused, and a taste for reading, for accomplishments, for all the embellishments of eixistence, is a general characteristic. The peasants have it, and in almost as high a degree as the most cul- j tivsted persons. The poorer orders are polished far be¬ yond the corresponding classes of the English , and the etiect of their behaviour is extrcniely pleasing. One is chietiy surprised by the propriety of their mode of speak¬ ing : the ceremonies of courtesy, and tiie idiomatic phrases of politeness, proceeding from milk-women and carmen to each otlier, rather amaze an Englishman. The lowest persons touch their hats to eacli other in the streets.^' Foiiteness and good manners indeed may be traced, though in ditlerent proporlioiis, through every rank. Brutal buttles, quarrels, and noisy drunken fellows^ JiXlV Introduction, arc dislurbances seldom to be loct \vith in France. The uidiappy icmales who roam the streets at night, are neither obtrusive, rude, nor riotous. At the theatres the tranquiliit}' of the audience is seldom interrupted; people go for tJie wise purpose of being pleased, and witli the good-humoured disposition to be satisfied. These places of amusement are, doubtless, much in¬ debted ibr their tranquillity to the national sobriety of the French. The passion for dancing' ih universal; not a village in France hut has its rural ball upon a Sunday evening; and here may be witnessed scenes which pourtray, in lively colours, the innocent gaiety and good-natured mirth of the country people in France, and forcibly call to our recollection the well-known descriptions of Goldsmith. The scrupulous honesty of the lower and middling classes in restoring any lost property to its owner, is worthy of particular remark. The postilions, coach- jnen, servants, &;c. ike. may generally be trusted with confidence. Many a traveller will bear tesiimony to this. Tiio tradesmen also, though they ask more than they mean to take for their goods, would cheerfully and un¬ asked restoie to you your purse, umbrella, cane, or any thing that you might have left in his shop, by ac¬ cident, and this, if not reclaimed, for a considerable time. Even in tiie Palais Royal, where iionesty and good faith are supposed never to be found, we are not without examples of this kind. (See Troncliet’s Paris, p. 85, sixth ediliou.) AYe conclude our account of manners and customs, with a short list of some particulars in which the French are considered to excel the English; which may be useful to our countrymen, if they do not forget the old saying of “ fas est et ab haste doceri.” 1. Their drinking no healths, and their temperance in general. —2. Neatness in their linen, of every description.— 3. T heir great propriety of manners, and general po¬ liteness ; including all ranks, but most remarkable in Trance—Mode of living, xxv ihc iowest.—4. The good treatment and excellent con¬ dition of tlieir unmutilated horses, of every sort._ 5. The activity and consequent good health of the wo¬ men.—6. 'Idle superior condition of the labouring class; and, as a set oft' against some political grievances, ex¬ emption from tithes, poor-rates; and, in comparison from taxes. ^ For further information on the character and man¬ ners of the peasantry, as well as the present state of society at Paris, wo refer the reader to Lady Morgan's France," a most fascinating work, equaily remarkable tor the elegance of its language'and the veracity of its interesting details. Mode of living, longevity, active employment of /e- males, —Animal food is cheap, because the consumption is very limited. In France, but more particularly in the South, not one-sixth of the butcher’s meat is con¬ sumed by each man or woman which would be requi¬ site in England. Bread, ivine, fruit, garlic, onions and oil, with occasioiially a small portion of animai food, form the diet of the lower orders; and amono' the higher ranks the method of cooking makes a little meat go a great way. The immense joints of beef and mutton to which we are accustomed in England, were long the wonder of the French j but latterly they have begun to introduce (among what they humourously term plats de resistance) these formidable dishes.^^ The temperate mode of lil'e, pursued by the French their geographical position and agricultural pursuits' exempt them from that variety and severity of disease to which our countrymen are exposed from the natural variations of an Iniglish climate, the still greater ex¬ tremes of temperature, to which a large part of its in¬ habitants are by their mercantile pursuits exposed and their comparative intemperance as to food and diink. This lact is exemplified not less in the happy constitution ot the people, than in the advanced 3*^0 * Travels in France, Vol. II. p. 165. C XXVI Introduction, of which the majority of those persons die in France, where it is an object to record, from the abilities of the individual, or the rank which he may have held in so¬ ciety. 11 n\ivait que cinquante six ou que soixante arts: (he was 56 or 60,) is a common formula of French biography. The Cardinal de Fleuri died at 90; the President d'Henault at 96; Crebillon, the son, at 70; Condaniire at 74; Voltaire at 84; the Marquise dii Deffand at 84. Men of 70 and 80 iiave usually as much life and playfulness in France, as their grand¬ children *. In every part of France women employ themselves in oflices which are deemed with us unsuitable to the sex. Here there is no sexual distinction of employment; the women undertake any task they are able to per¬ form, without much notion of fitness or unfitness. This applies to ail classes. The lady of one of the principal clothiers at Louviers, conducted us over the works; gave us patterns of the best cloths; ordered the machinery to be set in motion for our gratification, and was evidently in the habit of attending to the whole detail of the business. Just so, near Rouen, the wife of the largest farmer in that quarter, con¬ ducted me to the barns and stables; shewed me the various implements, and explained their use: took me into the fields, and described the mode of husbandry, which she perfectly understood ; expatiated on the ex¬ cellence of their fallows ; pointed out the best sheep in the flock, and gave me a detail of their management in buying the wether lambs, and fattening their wethers. This was on a farm of about 400 acres. In every shop and warehouse you see similar activity in the females. At the royal porcelain manufactory at Sevres, a wo¬ man was called to receive payment for the articles we purchased. In the Halle de Bled, at Paris, women, in their little counting-houses, are performing the oflice of factors, in tlic sale of grain and flour. In every de- * Appendix to Lady Morgan’s “ France,’' by Sir T, C. M. XXVII Francc-^Plan of a Toicr. paitment they occupy an important station, from one extremity of the country to the other. Who can esti¬ mate the importance, in a moral and political view, of this state of things? Where tlie women, in the com¬ plete exercise of their mental and bodily faculties, are performing their full share of the duties of life. It is the natural, healthy condition of society. Its intluence on the female character in France is a proof of it. There is thatfieedoin of action, and reliance on their own ]K)wers, in the French women, generally, which occasionally we observe with admiration in women of superior talents in England. See “ Mr. BirkbeclFs 1 Notes,” p. 40, without exception, the best modern work on France, as it respects agriculture and the present ‘ state of the peasantry and middle classes of people. It is a useful supplement to the celebrated Arthur Young’s Tour. Plan of a Tour in France^ Expence of Travellings &,c. -—The first object of an English traveller is Paris, and ' whether he have or have not visited that capital before, he will first bend his steps thither, as the central point whence he may make excursions into the other parts of France. Arrived at Paris, the usual Tour, and that j which promises the highest degree of gratification, is ; towards the Noai/i; returning by the western depart- j ments, to the capital, and embracing every object of importance in this fine country. Such is the journey I described in the present work, which, with the ex¬ ception of a few places that branch olf from the main road, (such as the excursions to Eesan^on, Grenoble, Chanjbeiy, Digue, and to Nice,) may be performed in about three nwnths, for an expence of lOi)/. This cal¬ culation supposes the traveller to go by the diligence, dine at the table d’hote, and regulate his expences on an economical scale; and does not, of course, include any purchases. The best months are August, Septem¬ ber, and October. Mr. Biikbeck, who went from London to Paris by way of Kouen, in July 1814, and afterwards visited c 2 xxvili Introduction. Lyons, Avignon, Nismcs, Montpellier, Pei piginin, and the Pyrenees; thence to 'ronhmse, and Montauban, and returned liy Clermont and Montargis to Paris, and thence by Amiens to Calais and London; states his expellees at 70/. each person. The ])arty consisted of two grown persons and a youth of tifteen, and they were absent from Pngland nearly three months. They also made several excursions or deviations from the main road just noticed. Mr. Itirkbeck says that eco- 7iomy w as strictly attended to ; and in this we perfectly agree with him, for the sum he mentions is certainly too small to allow the traveller all the little comforts of a tour of pleasure, for so long a time, particularly in the case of various excursions. But there is still a more economical mode of travel¬ ling, if time be not an object, by watej'-cni'riage, on the various eanalsand rivers whieh abound in France. The following Itinerary will show the distances by i.mid and water, in a tour into the south, nearly such as is described in our volume, and the amount of each sort of travelling. By land. By voater. Leagues. Leagues. From Calais to Paris. 61 Paris to Auxerre. 33 Auxerre to Dijon* • • .. 30 Dijon to Chalons* .. 14 Chalons to Lyons • • • .. 24 Lyons to Avignon . 40 Avignon to Aix . 16 Aix to Toulon. 15 Toulon to Marseilles. 10 Marseilles to Aix. 5 Aix to Arles . 1‘2 Arles to Nismes. 5 Nismes to Montpellier . 8 Montpellier to Beziers . 16 Beziers to Toulouse . 24 Toulouse to Bordeaux . 40 .'Bordeaux to Poitiers. 52 - k'l'oitiers to Tours* *.. • • .. 30 'A XXIX Expense of living in Frame* By Land, By Water, Leagues. Leagues. Tours to Blois* ... 13 Blois to Orleans • .... 12 Orleans to Paris* • • • .... 28 Paris to Rouen ... 29 Rouen to Dieppe •»... 12 S14 215 Making in the whole 629 French leagues, or about 1,330 English miles. They who prefer making a short tour of a month or six weeks, may take the Tour of the Loire, described in Chapter VI. and will find this one of the most in¬ teresting in France; this may be done for 40/. or 50/. including the journey to and from Paris. Indeed, those who are continually moving from place to place, cannot expect to expend less than a guinea per day ; though, if time be not an object, the sum wdll be some- w'hat lessened. Nothing more need be said, we ima¬ gine, as to any other plan of travelling ; every chapter of this w ork presenting a distinct tour, which may be altered or abridged at pleasure. Those who do not travel with a servant will be generally charged at the Inns, one franc for breakfast, of coffee ; three francs for dinner, including half a bottle c? vin du pays, com¬ mon wine ; this is the usual price of tables d’hote : and a franc, or one and a half, or two francs, for a bed. On the road from Calais and Dieppe to Paris, these charges are higher; as breakfasts, always two francs, and bed the same. This is also the case near the me¬ tropolis. Supper the same charge as dinner. iExpence of living in Fraiue.—U' w e make our esti¬ mate not on a few particular articles, but on all that is necessary to tlie rnaintenance and education of a family, it may be stated, that in peace, one hundred pounds will go as far, but not farther, in France, than one hundred and fifty pounds in I'higland. in war tije.dif- c 3 / XXX Introduction, fereiice was greater, but peace has had no effect in reducing' prices in France. It is fit, however, to add, that an income of five hundred pounds a-year will in¬ troduce a family much more into society than one of seven or eight hundred pounds in England—the prac¬ tice of our southern neighbours being to meet, not at dinner, but in evening parties, and to lay but little stress on the aspect of the mansion or furniture of the friends whom they visit: their grand object is to meet with lively companions, and to pass their time agree¬ ably; and the intimacy is kept up with very little re¬ gard to the amount of the property of the new comers, or to their style of living. A previous knowledge of the language, to some extent at least, is necessary; the French seldom knowing any thing of English, though quick in comprehending a broken phrase, are never disposed to ridicule a foreigner. The following is a circumstantial estimate of family expenses, taken from a return of several provincial towns of the larger class (iiom 10,000 to 30,000 inha¬ bitants), and applicable, with slight modifications, to most of the places in the northern and central jiarts of France, which can w ith any propriety be recommend¬ ed for the residence of an English family. llent of an unfurnished iiouse of nine or ten rotmis, w'ith a garden, from 30t to 40/. sterling a-year. Taxes, as far as payable by the tenant, 5/. a-year. Improve¬ ments necessary to adapt a house to an English family: these occur chiefly in the first year, and, supposing ah occupancy of six years, may average, alter deducting the allowance eventually obtained from the proprietor, 7/. a-year. Wages ; a man-servant, 10/. or 12/. a-year; a woman cook, 6/. or 8/. a-y car; house maid, 6/. or 6/. a year; a mechanic, \s. lod. a-day ; labourer, U. 3f/. a-day. Tuel ; three room-fn es in w inter, and a kitghen- fire throughout the year, 30/. a-year. Butcher's meat ; beef (the English ib ) 4d. and ; mutton 4f/. and 4\d. ; veal, 4d. and 4ld. ; poik 5d. Tish, in the mari¬ time districts, plenty and cheap. Poultru; a goose or XXXI Expense of Imng in France. turkey, 2^. to 3^.; couple of fowls, 2s. to 2s. 6f?. Bvt-- ter ; fresh (in summer), 7d. , 8rf., and 9d. per lb. I Milk', the pot of two quarts, 2d. to 3d Eggs; com- i monly a dozen. Small leer; bd. the gallon. (The customary drink is cider, or vin du Pays). Candles ; I according to quality, 8d , 9d , or lOd per lb. Bread; ; tlie quartern loaf, in an ordinary season, 7d. Groceries, I nearly as in England, tea being cheaper, but sugar somewhat dearer. Clothes ; linen and silks cheaper, ' cotton manufactures dearer, than in England ; woollens I somewhat dearer, but more durable. Education; I boarding-schools, girls 2bl. a-year (including extras) ; j boys 30^ (including extras.) Board in a family, with I private tuition, girls 35?. to 40?.; boys 50?. Private * lessons, by the hour, in the French language, lOd or l6'. ; ditto in music, U. 6d Board and lodging in a pri- Uate family, for a single gentleman or lady, 40?. a- 'year; and even for 30?. in the neighbourhood of Bor- rdeaux, in the south ; and towards the Pyrenees. ’ All these prices are the same, or nearly the same in peace and war ; the only article of expense affected M)y an influx of English into any particular town is ihonse-rent. As to the quality of provisions, French butcher’s meat and bntt(‘r are not equal to English, except in Normandy; but the bread and the poultry are extremely’ good throughout. The usual fuel is wood, but coals maybe had in several places, and will become more easily attainable as the inland navigation is im])rovcd. Particular Districts. —On considering the relative merits of particular residences, we shall find that, to 'families in easy circumstances, Versailles, St. Germains, and other ])laces in the vicinity of Paris, may be expe- I dient; but, in point of economy, the banks of the Loire and Lower Normandy have the advantage, by a full third, of the metropolis and its neighbourhood. Tours on the Loire, and Caen in Normandy, are favo :rite jiiaces of resort with our countrymen, and very fit resi¬ dences they are for the genteel economist. The com- xxxii Introduction» forts of life, aiid the enjoyments of society, may here be procured at one-third less than in a provincial town in Eno-land ; but those with whom saving is a paramom^t consideration, will do well to move farther westward, and seek a retired place, such as Sauniur, Avranches, or some of the various other places mentioned in the course of this work. The farther saving is about twenty per cent, on the prices of Caen or Tours: but it is at¬ tended with considerable inconvenience ; and, in par¬ ticular, with tlic want of good schools and genteel society. Rouen is dear, being little below the level of Paris; it is, besides, much more a place for business than for education or retired life. In the south of France, |^ices, with the exception of wine, are nearly on a lev4 with the northern and central parts; w'hile to English children there is a very serious danger from the intensity of the summer heats. On the whole, there seems no reason that an English iamily, going abroad for the purpose of economy and education, should con¬ template a residence to the southward of the Loire. As to elimate, the general rule is, that all along the coast it partakes of the character of our own, being changeable and humid, but without unpleasant ex¬ tremes, either of heat or cold ; while, in the interior, it is less variable, the winter shorter by several weeks, but the summer so far hotter as to prevent the taking of exercise in the middle of the day. For further information on the choice of a residence in France, we refer to the body of this work, in w hich the merits of every place worthy of notice in this respect, are stated, and the best and most recent informalioii given on the subject. See also the Monthly Magazine, for jMarch, April, May, and June, 1817, w here w ill bo found some very sensible remarks, on the merits of a residence in Fi ance. Of some of these particulars we have availed ourselves in the above sketch, and we bear willing testimony to their general accuracy. Iniroiluciloiu xxxiii MANNER OF TRAVELLING IN FRANCE. There are tiiree modes of travelling in France ; in your own carriage or in a rfuiisc de posie (hired chaise) with post horsesj by making a bargain with avoiturier; or in tlie ddigeriQe; which last is by far the cheapest, and perhaps the most conve¬ nient for men of business. 1. Travelling Post .—In France you cannot have a chaise or conveyance of any kind, from stage to stage, but must hire a i carriage for your whole journey, and take horses from post to post. At every stage there is but one place to change horses, i which is seldom connected with an inn; thither yo^ are driven I and in a few minutes your cattle are removed and osiers yoked, 'without your alighting, unless you think proper. - , The cabriolet is a kind of post-chaise, which runs on two ' wheels, and is very convenient; having, besides plenty of room ’for two persons with their baggage, pockets for almost every pkind of article. It has a fixed cover at top, and a small * window at each side. It opens in front, and is so constructed : as to shelter the traveller completely in bad weather. It is I drawn by two or three horses (abreast), according to the i pleasure of the traveller, or the number of the persons in it. This sort of carriage may safely be pronounced the best and most commodious for the tour of any part of the Continent. There are, however, different kinds of them, and the price is always regulated according to the taste of the traveller ; but in all such cases the stranger must make the best bargain for himself with the proprietor. As much of the comfort of the journey depends on this vehicle being weather prunf, the selection of a good cabriolet is an object worthy of the closest attention. In taking yonr own carriage to France, you.no longer pay the ton* nage-duty for it at the custom-house on this side of the water; but on the other, at whatever port you land, or by whatever bar¬ rier you enter France, vou are required to pay. or rather deposit, at the cu>tom house there, one-thinl of the value of such carriage, for which you receive an acknowledgment of such payment; and certifying, that upon your leaving that kingdom within XXXIV Introduction, the space of two years with the same carriage, you may re¬ ceive back two-thirds of that deposit, the other third remain¬ ing as a duty for ever. The receipt or certificate for the money so- paid extends the time of reclamation for the money even to the third year, but then you must have given previous notice at the end of the second, that 3^0 intend to take the carriage out of France iti the course of the next year. 1 liough jmu enter in the North of France and go out at the South, you may equail^v receive the sum to be returned, upt)n certify¬ ing that it is the same carriage. 'Fhe officers at the custom¬ house are not unieasonable with respect to the value you may set upon your carriage. Tire post-houses are in the hands, and entirely under the control of government. A stranger, if he be circiimspect, can never be deceived either by the post-master or the postilion; for every year there is published, by order of the government, a post-book, or general list of the posts in France, Etut Gene~ ral. des FostrSj which contains not only the rules respecting the administration of the post, but also an alphabetical list of all the different posts in France. No stranger should venture on a tour through France, without having this manual in one of the pockets of his cabrio¬ let ; and he should be particular at the time he makes the purchase of it, to have the last edition'^. Thus provided, he cannot be subject to any imposition; and whatever hi.s bounty may give beyond the ordonnnnce, is a mere voluntary act, and not required by public authority. The new regulations respecting the post charges, we extract from the last JEtat General des Posies. 1 . Cabriolets, (carriages with two wheels) whether contain¬ ing one or two persons, must have two horses and one postil¬ ion; pa}dng 1 franc and a half, or Is. 3d. for each horse per * This is particularly necessary, because the estimated dis¬ tance between two post places is sometimes altered, i. e. added to; such as, instead of being a post and a half, it is made two posts. Detween Dieppe and Kouen one of the posts has been made a post and a quarter vvithin these few years, in con¬ sequence of a memorial from the post-masters of the two places to the government for that purpose. Manner of Travelling in France, xxxv post (5^ miles), and fifteen sous cr 7^(1. per post for the postil¬ ion, Here it should be also observed that the postilion is never satisfied j and always expects, what indeed it is the custom for \most persons to double; that is, a franc and a half: for Itwo francs he will go as fast as you please, and do every thing •you wish. Give him the ordonnance^ 15 sous, and he will fscarcely stir,—and make your journey in every way unplea¬ sant. If three persons, there must be four horses, and if four persons, five horses; it being understood, that for every person a horse should be harnessed and paid for ; but it is common in jthe case of a light carriage, or one not too much hurthened with luggage, for the post-master to put to three horses only and receive for four: such an agreement being a saving to both iparties. ■ Lunonieres, (four wheel carriages with poles) must have Ithree horses, paying 1 franc and a half each horse; if it be bccupied by three or more persons, it pays the same addi¬ tional charge as the cabriolets. One postilion only is ne¬ cessary. i| Berlines, (coaches) carrying one, two, or three persons, |nust have four horses; with four persons, six horses, paying ^s above (1 franc and a half); and if there are five persons, ^here must be seven horses, and two postilions, paying 1 franc ind a half for each horse. Small carriages, commonly called lerman chariots, having four wheels and containing two per- ions, are subject to the same regulations as cabriolets, but if -hey hold more than two, and have a shaft, they are classed vith the limoniercs; and when they have a pole, with the jerlines. Every carriage may be charged with one portman- eau, whether it be entire, or in two parts. A child of six /ears old is not considered (comme voyagnir) as a traveller. Two children under that age are reckoned equivalent to a ;rown person. 7'he postmasters are in general civil and obliging, and if hersons do not choose to change their money, they will always efer the payment to the next post, or even to three or four )Osts in advance; and the postilions entertain the same dispo- ition. But in case the party travel during the night, or hould feel disposed to sleep, it will be the best mode to pay or several posts in advance, together with the postilions. In his way you may travel half a day without interruption. Jpoa the whole, the service of posting is extremely well * \ I XXXVl Introduction^ managed; and for good order, regularity and promptness, it excels, perhaps, any other part of Europe. 2. The Voituner .—A slow, but pleasant mode of travelling, in France, and indeed in use all over the continent, is by making a bargain with a Voiturier, or sort of hackney-man, who keeps carriages and horses, and conveys travellers from one place to another, for a certain sum of money : sometimes lodging and boarding them on the road and defraying eveiy ex¬ pense. It is usually a good roomy coach for six persons, and starts every morning about six or seVen o’clock, and concludes its day’s journey of about 50 or 40 miles at dusk; stopping for some time in the middle of the day, to refresh the horses; and for breakfast and dinner. But it is the usual plan, to unite the dinner and supper at seven or eight o’clock in the evening, and have the meal at the inn where you sleep. This is a good conveyance for females, invalids, and others, who do not wish to go to the expense of posting it. 3. The Diligince .—The French diligences are neatly fitted up, and are adapted to the roads through which they have to pass, and when all parties are seated and arranged, it is by no means an unpleasant vehicle. Tlie inside is capacious and lofty; and from the roof depends a large net-work or sacking for hats and light parcels. The diligences usually carry six persons inside ; some take ifne, and some twelve persons in the inside or voiture as it is termed. Attached to this vehicle is the cabriolet, a covered dicky in front of the diligence, holding two persons, and the conducienr, who has the ch. rge of the pas¬ sengers and luggage; but whose chief business according to his practice is to slerp closely shut up in the Cabriolet, and to take his place at the head of the table at meals, where he generally plays his part to peifection. This is by far the pleasantest' part of the carriage, and is completely weather proof. Fifteen pounds of luggage are allowed. The diligence is thus well described by a lively writer:— A French diligence merits particular notice as a trait of cha¬ racter, as well as a noveltj% As a carriage, its external ap¬ pearance indicates it to be a mixed species formed by the union of a waggon with a stage coach; but let me confess, that however unprepossessing its look may be, its qualities re¬ alize many of those advantages which are found to result from crossing breeds. It certainly is not so strong as a waggon, nor so lightsome, or swift, as one of our Highfliers; but to much of xxxvu Trench 'Diligence. the security and roominess of the former, it adds a very consi¬ derable proportion of the celerity of the latter. There is, to be sure, a great want of arrangement, of suitableness, com¬ pleteness, and nicety, visible about itself and all its appurte*- nances^ but this, after the first disgust it occasion®, is over, excites admiration of the dexterity of the people, who contrive to get on, in every thing, with the most awkward and i.".suffi¬ cient means in the world, very nearly as w’ell as they do \vho are the most exact and scrupulous in their preparations. “ A French postilion is on and off his horses’ back twenty times in the course of one stage, without ever stopping the ve¬ hicle. As ropes are likely to break, he is not surprised or dis¬ mayed if called upon to mend those by which his horses are tied, rather than harnessed; and this he does with packthread, if he liappen to have any in his pocket, and with his garters, if ? lie have not. If a passenger call, he dismounts, and pops his head into the window as he runs by its side, leaving the ani¬ mals that draw the coach to their own guidance,—a freedom which they are accustomed to, and therefore seldom abuse. You scarcely ever look at him but you find him repairing an accident,—knotting his whip, or mending his saddle, or joining a bridle, or knocking some part of the machinery with a stone picked up from the road. The progress of the travellers does not stop while these repairs are making; no embarrassment is discoverable; neither disconcertion nor anger takes place. The horses are arranged in a strange order: a few’ ropes loosely bind three of them abreast as leaders,—one behind runs be¬ tween heavy shafts, and carries thq postilion, and a fifth is at- ;i tacbed to the side of the latter, by the same insufficient and Ij coarse sort of tackle. The whole set, except the one within ij the shafts, are thus free to curvet, and prance, and zigzag; and j they make a great show of availing themselves of this liberty, i In truth, however, they are very tractable; they get along at I a good pace, and readily obey the driver’s whip (which he em¬ ploys more than his reins), notwithstanding the impatience they pretend to shew by rampant pawings, vehement snort- ings, and deviating plunges. The horse in France generally displays the native and natural appearance .of that fine animaSi, which is seldom seen in England. The particular breed of each province is kept distinct, and in its pure state, and it accord- icgly evinces that oriK:irial spirit and peculiarity of disposition d i XXXVill Inlroduclion which consiitute what is called cl.aractcr, and which, luittiiig utility out of the question, is inhnitely more interesting than toinl)incd (jualities, and made-up perfections.”'—(Scott’s Paris, p. '29.) Of the dll gence, it has also been very truly observed, by another modern tourist. “ Every thing here is life, and mo¬ tion, and joy. 'I’he moment you enter, you are on terms of I’ae most perfect familiarity with the whole set of j’our travel¬ ling companions. In an instant, every tongue is at work, and every individual bent upon making themselves happy for the moment, and contributing to the happines.s of th*ir fellou- travoilers. Talking , joki»g, laughing, singing, reciting, every enjoyment which is light and pleasurable, is instantly adopted. Sunse species of round game, like our cross-purposes, involving forfeits, is frequenily played in a diligence, and gives rise to much mi^b.'’ Often have wc repealed these lines on the starting of this tremendous n)acl)ine: — We wait for no one: off we bowl: 'The pond’rous mass begins to roll : The post-boys crack their whips, aixJ swear, And spur the steed, and lash the air. I’he fiery coursers tear the sound. They rouse their strength—they strain—they bound; The pavement groans, the wheels turn round ; Away—we burn along the ground. If we except London, there is not a town in Europe where there are more conveniencei for travelling than at Paris. At every corner may be seen advertisements of stage-coaches set¬ ting off, not only for every considerable town of the French empire, but also for Germany, Switzerland, &c. More than 30 diligences depart from or arrive at Paris every day. Diligences or stages, for all parts of France, will be found at the grand Messageries Itoyales, rue Notre-Dame des Victoirea, No. 22 j but, as these stages generally travel during the night, we think it proper to give a list of other places where public conveyances may be found, the travellers by which commonly sleep at some inn, and pursue their route only by day. To those who visit France for the purpose of seeing the country and to invalids who do not wiib to incur the danger and fatigue XXXIX Diligences, of night travelling, the following list will be peculiarly accept¬ able. Rue du Bouloy, No. 22. Voituresfor Caen, e.very day. Rue du Boulvy, No 9 and 11, and JTotrl St. Simun, N'o. 24. V> loc'tferes and Jumrlles, or swift carriages, twice a day, for RoiitMi. 'I’hey make the journey in eleven hours, and corre- S]>ond with Dieppe, Havre, 3cc. Rue du Boulny, hotel St. Simor?, No. 24. Voltures, every day, for Orleans, Rlois, Tours, and Saumur, and correspond- eme with Angers. Hue du Boulny, No. 24, Messagerie de P Eclair, Voitures, every day, for Amiens, Lille, Dunkirk, Brussels, Aiitwerp, Am- sterd.un,Dort, Rotterdam, Liege, Maestricht, Aix-la-Chapelle, Cologne, Coblentz, Frankfort, &.c. Rue Bourg PAbb6y No. 12, Diligences for xVnfiens and Arras. finind Cerf, Fauh. St. Denis, for Amiens. Rue Conlrescarpc-St.-Andre-des-Arts, No. 5. Convenient diligences, carrying six, every day, for Orleans, and corre¬ spondence with Blois, Tours, Saumur, 3cc. At the same place, a very convenient voiture (bien snspendue), well hung, every day for Fontainebleau, which it reaches in si.x hours, stopping only to change horses. Hue du Faubourg Si, Denis, No. 50. Diligences for Com- piegne, Senlis, Pontoise, Nanteuil, Chateau-Thiery, Chantilly, 3cc. Rue des Fosses St. Germain-PAuxerrois, No. 26. Chartics, ' Vendome, Tours. i Rue Git-lr^Cieur, 6, hoteldeToulonse. Lyons, Geneva, Avig- ^ non, Marseilles, Nice, Montpellier, Nismes, Toulouse, l>or- dcaux, Bayonne, and all Soiithern France. Lausanne and ,I Switzerland. Turin, Milan, Home, Naples, and every pait of r|Italy. lu the above street, at the hotel Montaubau, No. 1 I, i c.irriages may be engaged at pleasure, for all (he above place-, \ and also for Ibussia, Hanover, Poland, and Austria. Rue Saint Martin, No. 256. Strasbourg, Mayence, and •;i Germany. Rue Saint Martin, No. 247. Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Brussels, Antwerp, and Holland. Rue Saint Victor, No. 50. Fontainebleau and Corbeil. II Rue de J'hionvtlle, No. 26, and Saint Bern^d's Huay, at the 5|Cheval-Houge. Voitures for Lvons, l;v Fontainebleau, Ne- d 2 ' xl Introduction, mours, and Moulins (sleei)ing every night). At this place, also, will be found carriages for hire to any place. The above is a list of the principal voituriers. For further information, we refer to the Almahach c/u Commerce^ an in«lis- pensable work to every traveller on the Continent. Besides these diligences, there are small one-horse carts, called Putaches, for Strasburgh, Metz, Nancy, and Lyons; the price is 10 sous (5d) per league, and the office is in the Kue St. Martin, near the gate of that name; and for Lyons, in the faubourg of St. Antoine. Messagerie d Chcval .—In the western and southern parts of France, persons who choose to travel on horseback, consign their luggage to the Messuger-en-chef, who conveys it from place to place in a Fourgon, or covered cart, setting out him¬ self very early every morning; but previously informing bis passengers where they are to dine, and likewise where they are to sleep. He provides them with good horses; and does not regulate their hour of departure, further than to require that they shall reach the dining-place by twelve at noon. On arriving, they always find a good dinner prepared for them, with half a bottle of table-wine allotted to each passenger. After dinner, they set out again ; and on reaching the isjn where they are to sleep, find a good supper ready to be served ; and, generally speaking, every passenger gets a good bed. The Messager never takes his little troop above twenty or thirty miles a day: and this mode of travelling, though slow, is as agreeable as economical, supposing fuje weather and good company. PValer-Carriage. —’At the Port .^t. Paul, No 8, a boat goes every Sunday to Nogent, and is two days performing the jour¬ ney; to Briore, every Tuesday, three days; to Mnnterpau^ every Tuesday, one day; to Melun, every Friday, one day; to Sens, every Monday, two days; to Aurerre, every Wednes¬ day and Saturday, four days. The office for the two last boats IS No. 1, rue de Bretonvilliers. The whole start at seven in the morning in summer, and eight in wiut«=r. Mon^y. —The shortest way of providing yourself with mone}', is to Lake English guineas or foreign coin purchased at Lon¬ don : guineas may be exchanged at Paris, at an}' of the Boutiques de Change, in the I’alais Royal: Bonnet, No. 47, Galerie de Pierre, P. R. will give the faH va!u3, and may be depended on. There are three other ways in which tra- Coin (yf France, xii vellers tnay provide themselves with moneJ^ (1.) 7'hey may deposit a sum of money in the hands of their hanker in London, and draw for it as they have occasion; always regarding the course of exchange, which they can tell from the daily papers. These bills at sight on London are much sought after by Bankers and Merchants, and will be readily discounted without any charge, at the following houses: Busoni, G'upii,2iV\6. Co. rue faubourg Poissonicre, No. 19, and Ba^ucnaull and Co. boulevard Poissonicre, No. 17, who are Bankers to the English Embassy. Perregaux and Co. charge one per cent, commission; brokeiage, one eigthth per cent.; and double postage to and from London. (t2.) A Letpr oj I Credit, though subject to some charges, is an excellent mode of providing for a traveller’s expenses. (3.) Bills of Exrhartge i.s perhaps the best method, on the plan of Messrs. Ilerrirs, [f'urquhar, and Co. St. James’s Street, described at length in i Current Coin in Frnnre. —The traveller will find it useful to i pay some attention to the following state of the ennent coin ; in France ; recollecting that whenever the course of exchange i, is at par between the two countries, the French louis, of ‘24 ITrancs, is to be considered as of equal value to the I’.nglish ! pound sterling. 'Fhe current coins of France are, 1. (gold) double Louis, 43 francs; the Louis, 24 francs; the Napoleon, or Lou.s, a piece of 20 francs, most in use. 2. (silver.) the five, two, and lo.ie franc piece. 3. (copper) the large or double sou, the sou, l and the half and quarter sr.u, or pieces of two and one hard. iThere are also antient pieces, made of mix<;d or bell metal, denominated pieces of six liards, value one sdu and a half, j The franc is equal to ten-pence English. It is assumed as the basis or unit of all their computations, and all values are reckoned.upwards by tpn.S, hundreds, and thousands of francs; and downwaid.'j, by tenth parts, and hundre: relative to celebrated artists co-residents with them; the woik- ihops or manufaciories; the Pensions or Instituts; and it is never advisable to attempt to view any of these without some iind of introduction. 15. Travel as much as possible with persons of wliom you lave some knowledge, and avoid faces; but as this ;annot always be put in execution, take care how you place my reliance upon persons whom you may casually mj:et with. Vever ask them any questions as to the object of their journey, lor where they intend to put up, &c. and be sure if they put nch questions to you, to avoid giving- any positive answer. 2ven persons whom you may have seen before are not to be 1 oo hastily I’ecognized or trusted. It is equally imprudent to 1 ake up foot passengers on the road from a false principle of j:ompasslon; this has been the cause of many murders and ti.ssassinations. ‘ 16. Letlns of recommmdafien not only to substantial bankers, ut to other respectable persons, are by no means to be de- pised. It is not likely that a stranger should have too many fiends among foreigners, and cases may occur possibly, iu hich their assistance to extricate you from embarrassments, Br to afford protection, may be highly valuable, r 17. An excellent method of preserving papers and rvritings is have an envelope of paper nearly the strength of cartridge l -aper, and then deposit them at the bottom of a trunk or cof- jr, after having taken a note of their contents ; this is also the J -lace for rouleaus of money, books, or any other objects, the ! -eight of which might bruise or spoil other things of a different texture. The large port-foIios that are shut with a lock, are jtill the best for papers. For those of importance, Count ilerchthold recommended a kind of belt, covered with red lea- j^er, with four pockets to it, at about the distance of an inch rom each other, in order that the whole may be pliable. This ■ 'elt may be worn under the waistcoat and buckled round the i-^aist. Each of the pockets is fastened by a flat metal button. 18. Trunks and coffers short and deep are preferable to those hat are long and shallow; these at all times should be very trong, and even the outsides of them should be strengthened /itb iron, and with flat pieces of wood, to resist the pressure h the packing of the diligences and carriages. Nothing can e worse than a simple leather trunk. 19. A Uaveller should invariably make up his packages the ■ I c i Introduction, night previous to his departure, and never wait til! the last moment. 20. What are called Yachts and demi Vaches are of excellent use upon the continent; they are chiefly intended for clothes, a lady’s toilette, &c. and possess the convenience of suffer* ing the clothes, to be extended at their full length. ‘21. When a person has his own carriage, he will do well to have what are called Mag/izhis et,pockes to put things in, which may be liable to be wanted in the night, without being obliged to open the trunks, &c. Persons who have no carriage of tlieir own, should at least have a portmanteau, or for greater conve¬ nience, a sac de nuit. 22. Another indispensable article to travellers, is a strong box for their money, jewels, bills of exchange, See, These sometimes contain pens, ink, paper, and visiting cards, in the latter of which, written or printed, the traveller should never be deficient. In great cities, the name of the inn, or the num¬ ber of the house where the traveller is, must be mentioned. These cards often prevent a great deal of trouble, wlien ti-a- vellers are examined at the gates. The cassettes or strong boxes, for security, should be attached to the sides or the bot¬ tom of the carriage, or in one’s chamber at the inn. Most of these cassettes are provided with an escritoire, basons, bottles, razors, soap-dishes, Sec. 23. The rouleau dc voyage is a modern luxury, and renders the movement of a carriage infinitely more easy. It is made of sheep-skin, five or six inches thick, covered with hair, and filled with goose-down, and is used as a pillow' to sleep on, and with the assistance of straps, as a garment to wear. 24. Every traveller should have a gobelet de voyage, with an etui. Some of these are made of horn, and plated in the in¬ side with silver. These etuis also sometimes contain a cork¬ screw, a carrelet, a small but safe padlock in the form of a cross; the latter, however, should never be used but in sus¬ pected places, A writing jien is another indispensable article; one much in use, was lately called a Tilsit, made of metal, with a small cap, from w'hence the ink falls of itself; but which is still so well secured, that it may be carried without apprehension. The barometers made by Luc and Rosenthal, at Paris, are also an object with some curious travellers. 25. A traveller who uses his own carriage, ought to confine himself to one trunk, vache^ or cassQtte; considering how many Hints to Travellers, H objects may be stowed in the pockets of the coach, the tra¬ veller would find more than these extremely embarrassing. 26. Servants should always have a quantity of linen, needles, and thread, and other things necessary to light a fire. 27. A person travelling post without delay, and who eats, drinks, and sleeps in his carriage, will, whatever he may lose in his prospects, gain it again his pocket. As tor what is given to the guards, keepers of public edifices, gardens, museums, &c. for a sight of these places, people will save considerably by not going alone, but with the company thej' may find at their inns. '28. Ever so short a stay in great towns and cities is always dear; but may be considerably reduced by making proper ar¬ rangements. One part of these is to take a ready furnished iodg/ngj where you may practise economy without apprehen¬ sion or embarrassment. 29. The Traveller at his Inn. —It is an uncontroverted rule, that intis most frequented are those wfiose charges are most reasonable. We may add, that the traveller^ whose deportment is civil and obliging, W'ill always be better served than the rude and over-bearing. To know the best inns, is to listen to the voice of common fame, but by no means to depend upon the eulogies of the postillions; however, it may so happen, that in many inns people may be better entertained, and at a lower rale in one season than another. 30. A traveller who has no servant, will do well to take a note f)f the name of the inn, and that of the street, at which he puts I up, as there are sometimes two houses of this description of ■ the same name. , 51. Four or five drop# of vitriolic acid put into a large decan- i ter of bad water, will make the noxious particles deposit them- I selves at the bottom, and render the water wholesome. I 32. It is of the greatest importance for a traveller to have c ! hed to himself, and a bed-chamber, if he can; as it is a common practice all over the continent to put three or four beds in a I room, he cannot be too much upon his guard against be- I coming the dupe of a bed-fellow. I 33. When you intend to be absent, you should lake care to I leave your trunks, well secured, to prevent their being searched, for various purposes; and when you go out, to leave the key of your chamber in the care of the landlord, or one of the principal waiters, as this step renders them responsible for your I property. ! e 1 \ Introduction, Vd .'34. In large places, a valet de place is sometimes indispew- sable. If no price be fixed for his services, you must agree with him fpr his wages, which is generally a florin per day. If you employ him to make any purchases for you, you must take care that there is no collusion between him and the dealer, to wrong you. Ikit with respect to the choice of a valet or a washerwoman, it is generally the most eligible way to refer to the innkeeper with w'hom you reside. 35. Innkeepers are in the habit of asking their guests w-hat they would choose to have for dinner, 5cc. j but your best way is to enquire xi'Jiat they have in the house ; otherwise, if you order any thing particular, they will make you pay for that and the ordinary provision into the bargain. 36. If you are in a bud inn, never eat any ragouts, as these may be made up of scraps and leavings, or other unwhole¬ some matters: rather ask for roast meat, hot or cold ; for eggs, milk, &,c. In such places put up also with ordinary ^ine; for if you ask for other kinds, it is generally drawn from the same cask, and you only lose your money for your pains. 37. Every traveller who Is alone, may live at a much cheaper rate and much agreeably in a tahle d'htte, or by dining at a restaurateur’s, than if he is served in his own chamber. 38. As the noise of an inn Is often very disagreeable, and prevents invalids from sleeping, it may be well to observe, that the most tranquil time of night is from ten till five in the morn¬ ing ; this therefore, should be devoted to rest. 39. At most inns it is best to pay your bills every day, or at furthest every three days. This is a method not very pleasing to many innkeepers; but it is the best way topr yfwf beingJJceced, because your host is always under some apprehension, that if not well treated, you will change your house. It is not necesj sary to ask what is the sum total of the charge; but to keep and give in a specific account of all you have had. In most inns it is necessary, the moment you step into them, to enquire into the price of the bed, the table d’hote, Sfc. unless you would yay three or four times more than the value. Messrs, Herries^s Notes, iiii EUROPEAN TRAVELLERS ARE VERY MATERIALI-Y ACCOMMODATED 8^ THE FOLLOWIMC PLAN OF THE CIRCULAR EXCHANGE NOTES, AND LETTERS OF CREDIT, OP Messrs. Hekries, FARauHAR, and Company, Bankers, No. 16 , Sx. James’s Street, London, The object of this plan is to supply Travellexs on the Contient with money wherever they may re¬ quire it, without there being any necessity for de¬ termining the route beforehand; and to supply .S>iher individuals who may have remittances to I make abroad, with bills upon any particular place jlhat they desire. For this purpose a correspond- ience is established with all the principal places in iEurope. I 1 .—The Circular Exchange Notes, which are calculated to answer the same purpose \ihroad as Bank Post Bills in Eiiglandy are made but in even sums, from £20. sterling upwards, lind are payable, at the option of the possessor, lit any one of the various places, named in the jinnexed list. The traveller is furnished, for that purpose, with a general Letter of Order addressed .0 the different agents of the house, which letter. liv Messrs, Herrles's Notes, whilst it serves to identify, also gives him a claim to any attention or good offices that he may stand in need of. The value of the notes is reduced into foreign money at the current usance course of exchange on London, at the time and place of payment, subject to no deduction for commission^ or any other charge whatever, unless the payment be required in some particular coin which happens to bear a premium- They are payable to order, and the traveller will, naturally, for his own secu¬ rity, not endorse them till he receives the money; besides which, such checks are concerted with thci agents as to render a successful forgery of his name scarcely possible. As a still further precaution, they are drawn/ like bank post bills, at seven days sight: but), although so drawn, they are always paid on pre-| tentation, except when there is room for suspicion, of their not being presented by the right owner ;j in which case the agents are instructed to avail| themselves of the seven days to make the necessary j inquiries, and to give time also to the real proprietoi |^ to make known his loss. Upon the whole, there.^ fore, these notes, it is presumed, possess the re-* commendation of combining, in a peculiar mannerj security^ convenience^ and economy. Si 2.— The Tran^erable Exchange Notes, ! are payable at one particular place only, and arcj calculated chiefly for making remittances of mone}!! to persons whose residences are fixed.—They arc given for any required sum, previously reduced intc foreign money at the last quoted course of exchange Messrs, Herries*s Notes, Iv Vom the place where payable, and they are negoti- ible, or transferable from hand to hand, by simple indorsement, in the same manner as bills of ex¬ change.—They are payable, as well as the circular lotes, without any deduction whatever. From the foregoing short explanation, it will be een that the great advantages of this plan over ommon letters of credit, are, 1,—The option, which the traveller has, of re- eiving his money at so many different places. 1 2.—His being exempted from the payment of any i'ommission, or charge of any kind, the stamp duty |nly excepted*. ? Tlie real convenience, however, of these notes, t aving been universally acknowledged by travellers [f all descriptions, ever since the plan was first |,iiought of by the late Sir Robert Herries, and by I is house carried into execution (now nearly fifty ^ears ago), it is the less necessary to enlarge on the jbject here; but any further explanation that may e wished for, either with regard to the notes, or to o/* credit, which the house also furnishes henever required, will be given with pleasure, I ther verbally or by letter. I * All letters of credit in the common form are suh- to a commission of one per cent,; and often, \om the necessity of getting them tranferred from Ijic place to another^ txco or three cf these commissions incurred. ¥1 Messrs, Herries*s Notes List of Places uohere the Circular Notes are option^ ally payable. Abbeville Chambery Lyons Riga Aix in Provence Civita Vecchia Madrid Rochelle Aix la Chapelle Coblentz Maestricht Rome Aleppo Cologne Magdeburg Rotterdam Alexandria Constantinople Malaga Rouen Alicant Copenhagen Malta St. Galle Amiens Corunna Manheim St. Maloefi Amsterdam Dantzig Mantua St. Omer Ancona Dieppe Marseilles St. Petersburg^ Angers Dijon Mentz Schaffhausen Angouleme Douay Memel Seville Anspach Dresden Messina Sienna Antwerp Dunkirk Metz Smyrna Athens Dusseldorf Middleburg Soissons Avignon Elsinore Milan Spa Augsburg Ferrara Modena Stockholrm Bagneres Florence Montpellier Stuttgard Bareges Frankfort Moscow Strasburg Barcelona Ghent Munich Tain Basle Genoa Munster Toulon Bayonne Geneva Nancy Toulouse Berlin Gibraltar Nantes To urn ay Berne Gottenburg Naples Tours Besancon Gottingen Neufchatel Treves Bilboa The Hague Nice Trieste Blois Hamburgh Nismes Turin Bologna Hanover Nuremberg Valencia Bordeaux Havre de Grace Oporto Valenciennes Boulogne sur Mer Hesse Cassel Orleans Venice Bremen Iiispruck L’Orient Verdun Breslaw Konigsberg Ostend Verona Brunswick Lausanne Palermo Vevay Brussels Leipzick Paris Vienna Cadiz Liege Parma Warsaw Caen Lille Perpignan Weimar Cairo Lisbon Pisa Yverdun Calais Leghorn Prague Zante Cambray Lubeck Ratisbon Zurich Carthagena Lucca Rheims s 1 N.B. Besides these places, there are few or none in Europe where the circular notes are not now so well known as to be negotiable currently, as bill* at short date on London, 1 HllMH-lHS. / / ■ o'c/'-y- W^.l/>/>'! Pn/'C'K'y’''' 5 ^ 5 - /Pr'- ?P>.Jrrupr. lj~.Pf/.yy /'nrcnce.v U(*(*<*pen<*<* to f'i/ii.rfrrn . ■ Pu ;{«)•/'■/>■'■ /'>>'• ''■ f/h .<• Vi/iii/ic. ilii/ic/u'. . .Surft’. <mal 'caaii'/i .T03.-^e. xet.^.Stnra. xos-Jharih/nc ^Ji/' f 106 .j/entenoffe. xo~. J/arrnoo. ao8.. . xo^.( 9 moa. jio. Af.' can ines. m. JJnehn or .Parma . 3Z)nti't oQ)‘;:p'W w * ‘torle ti Feneivm ('^ateanbrtH/it ‘S sow, trim. Pomoranp'/i i'a/ieerre atite 8 oUour r)(> i-oux Nev^^ei’s ‘ha/o/is i> a Roche* l/^r, “Ji? Olonne Oils 7 Ja\(ha(r (Viaroih 7an Paeon Veoe.v' Ih GnJ Va'atiheiv ^ Giiierc? Bc/ifie L. of GarPa (•ficrni Vienne 72 MoiitbriA yfantna crwg-iiCijx -fil - VM'tova erar >(e//mar ^Orann'r-. Lnora lyio’itbtl (arte rJVidour [Piombbio Wf‘Ht 41 from Raria. .'i r^ABDlyi^ W.TV3VIarplierson djpl PiNisheei Jnlv j.ulc^ i>if She'm'r>o< 1 .ZTeehi, and Jones, Pdtvmostrr Ron’ Zondon. j THE GENTLEMAN’S GUIDE THROUGH FRANCE. CHAPTER I. Route from Paris to LyonSy hy the Pourhonnais~^hj Burgundy.—Account of Chalons snr Saone. — Macon. Ltions.-^lloute hy Troijes and Dijon. — Account of Dijon. — Excursion to Lyons. Besan^on. — From Dijon to Xhe various routes to Paris, as well as that great capital itself having become so familiar to the Eng- llish reader, either by repeated visits, or by the nu¬ merous excellent descriptions which have been published, since the peace,—we shall not unneces¬ sarily increase the cost of this work by any addi¬ tional matter on the subject, but commence at once laur journey into the provinces of France,—referring ;the reader to the last greatly improved edition of ^Mr. Tronchet^s Picture of Paris and its Environs, IS the completest Guide extant, not only containing ;he best account of the metrojpolis of France,—but R 2 Paris to Lyons hy the Bourbonnais. of the various interesting towns which the traveller must pass through, in his journey thither, by all.; the different routes, now frequented by our coun-i tryinen. The following route to the South of France, is' greatly preferable in summer^ to that by Burgundy,i in No, 2.; the road being, after we leave Fontaine -1 bleau, as good as any mail road in England, wc| can travel much more swiftly and pleasantly thanj on the other, which is nearly the whole of it a^jaw. or pavement; but in tvinter this last is always to be preferred. Those who pass through the Bourbon- iiais, at the time of the vintage, the latter end o September, or beginning of October, will “ trave through the sweetest part of France; w'hen nature is pouring her abundance into every one’s lap, an every eye is lifted up; a journey, through eaci step of which music beats time to labour, and ai her children are rejoicing as they carry in the ; clusters.” No. I. From Paris to Lyons, by the Bourbon nais, 59£ posts—327| English miles. PROM POSTS. Paris to Villejuif . 1 Fromenteau . !§: Essone. l| Ponthierry ... Chailly . 1 Fontainebleau (*). 1-^ Nemours. 2 La Croisiere .. 1| Fonteuay. 1 FROM POST' Font, to Puits-Lalande •• 1 MoNl'ARGlS (^). 1 La Cominoclite . 1 Nogent-sur-Veriiissoij • • t La Bussiere. 1 Briare ... • 1 Neuvy-sur-Loire . 2 Cosne. 1 Pouilly . 1 Inns. — (*) Gal&re, Thotel de France, du Dauphii (^) La Ville de Lyon, 3 Aqueduct of ArcyeiL PROM Ponillj' to La Charite PoUiUPS. Nevers (‘). Magiiy . St. Pierre-le-Moutier St Imbert. i Villeneiive-sur-AUier Mouliss. Pessoy Varennes. St. Gerand-le~Puy • • La Palisse . POSTS. .. •• 4 •• M •• •• 1-1 •• U • • n- •• H .. 2 FROM POSTS. L;i Palisse to Droiturier* • St.ivIartiiid’Estreaux* • • • 1 Pacaudiere.. 1 St. Germain l’E.spinasse if- Roanne('^). St. .Symphorieri'de-Lay • • 2 Pair-Bouchain . IL Tarare. . 11 Ainas.. I'i Salvagny...2 Lyons (3) . J We quit Paris by the faubourg Marceau, one ' of the most gloomy and disagreeable of its environs, %and by the barrier of Italy. On our left, we leave ; the road which leads to the antient royal chateau ^ of Choisrjy as well as to a number of charming ' country seats, agreeably situated on the banks of ^'the Seine. Farther to the right is the road to ^ Orleans, between which, and the road we are now pursuing, runs the little river of Bievre. We next ^pass on the right, the BickrCy which being situated at the extremity of a long avenue, has a fine effect. In the valley several locks have been constructed, * for the aqueduct which passes to Arcueil, and the young poplars that surround them, give to each I the appearance of a tomb, the whole forming a sort I of little Elysium. The noble modern aqueduct at I Arcueil, was built from the designs of the cele- ; brated Jacques de Brosse, by order of Mary de Inns. —(*) L’Hotel Royal, Golden Lion. From the last, dili¬ gences set out for Lyons and Clermont. (^) Hotel de Flandre. I (3) Hotel du Parc, in the Place des'l’erreaux; Palais Royal, iu the rue du Plat^ Hotel du Commerce, &,c, &,c. B 2 4? Parts to Lyons hy the Bourhonnais* Medici, for the purpose of conveying to Paris the waters of Rungy. Villejulf consists only of a single street, and is chiefly remarkable for the obelisk erected here to indicate the meridional line. Between the first obelisk and the chateau, the whole of Paris may be seen, presenting a singular coup d’ceil of black looking stone buildings, and irregular steeples; the elevation is so great, as to enable us to dis¬ cover every object with facility : some persons, in, deed, pretend that the road is on a level with the summit of the towers of Notre Dame. The plain of Villejuif is entirely composed of corn-fields, but the environs of the village present some pretty vineyards and orchards. Between this village and Essone, we cross a plain which has received the name of Longboyauy because the trees which have been planted along the road, run in a direct line for more than eight miles, and form an allee, which, of course, extends farther than the eye can reach. The soil is sandy and bad. To the right of this road are the ruins of La Saussaye, on old abbey of Benedictines. At the extremity of the long avenue just noticed is the village of Fromenteav^ where is a companion pillar to that of Villejuif. The neighbouring country is extremely rich, and covered with parks, fine residences, and villages which indicate competence, animated by an abun¬ dant and variegated cultivation, bordered by the Seine, which winds to the left, and intersected by rivulets which dispense general fertility ; the whole forming a most interesting prospect. Leaving Froraenteau, we pass the Orge^ over a fine bridge, of extraordinary height, and curious by its arches 5 Viry — Essone^ being built one above another. Here are two foun¬ tains, surmounted by two groupes, one of them re¬ presenting time, with a medallion of Louis XV. by Coustou. The road traverses the valley by a long causeway, which being pierced with numerous channels for the discharge of the waters, resembles a continuation of bridges. The most agreeable views are now seen on both sides the road, on the right is F/ry, celebrated for its excellent cheeses. Essone, consisting of a fine long street, is situated on the Juine or EssJevers. Islevers is situated at the confluence of the Nievre I ind the Loire, and is entered by a sort of triumphal i^ate, wdiich looks best at a distance. Its amphi- i heatrical situation on the right bank of the Loire, ■■;ives it a fine appearance, but renders the streets i ery steep ; they are also winding and badly paved. ,4116 objects worthy of notice, are the fine cavalry :i>arracks, the spire of the cathedral, and the grand : quare containing the ancient chateau ofthe dukes of El*^evers, Mani^actures of glass, enamel, earthen- •yare, and a foundry of cannon for the marine, on the ji'^ievre, where are a great number of forges, the prin- !i:ipal of w'hicli is that of Gnerini^ appropriated to iJichors and balls. This establishment which has 14 Paris to Lyons by the Bourhonnais. 400 men, is the centre of the other founderles, which employ altogether 1,500 labourers. They make also mooring chains, and ail sorts of iron work for ships. The mines are not far from the forges, and are the principal source of the prospe¬ rity of Nevers. 4’he goods for Paris are sent by the canal of Briare; and those for Orleans and Nantes, by the Loire. Population, 12,000. From Saint‘Pierre-le-Moutiery a small town of 2,000 inhabitants, there is no place worthy of par¬ ticular remark till we reach Moulins ; but nothing can be more picturesque than the country: “ natu¬ ral beauty and the life and activity of cultivation contribute to render it the most complete succession of landscape in France. The road is of gravel, and excellent to a degree. It is bordered by mag¬ nificent trees, but which have been so planted, as to procure shade without excluding air; the road therefore is at once shady and dry. The chesnut trees, which are numerous in this part of the Bour- bonnais, exceed, perhaps, in beauty, the oaks, having a more rich and bossy foliage, which reminds one of the Corinthian volutes. The French peasantry are not insensible to this beauty—for wherever there is a tree of more than common luxuriance in its foliage, a seat is made round the trunk, and the turf mowed and ornamented, to prepare it for the scene of their village sports. In the latter end of July or beginning of many a happy groupe may be seen, treading out their corn, which is performed in the following -manner. Three or four layers of corn, wheat, barley, or pease, are laid upon some dry part of the field, generally under the central tree; the Siemens Maria—Mon tins. 15 horses and mules are then driven upon it and round it, in all directions, a woman being in the centre ; like a pivot and holding the reins : the horses are i driven by little girls. The corn thrashed out, is ; cleared away by the men, others winnow it, others heap it, others supply fresh layers. Every one is happy and noisy, the women and girls singing, the men occasionally resting from their labours to pay their gallant attentions h” On approaching Moalins^ the sentimental tra¬ veller will naturally be reminded, that within half a league of this place, Sterne “ discovered poor Mar/a sitting under-a poplar—her elbow in her lap, and her head leaning on one side within her hand—a small brook running at the foot of the tree.—She was dressed in white, except that her hair hung loose, which before was twisted within a silk net; she had superadded likewise to her jacket, a pale green riband, which fell across her shoulder to her waist, at the end of which hung her pipe. Her goat had been as faithless as her lover ; and she had got a little dog in lieu of him, which she had kept tied by her string to her girdle.’* MoulinSf the ci-devant capital of the Bourbon- ■ nais, on the Allier, is a much more regular and better built town than Nevers; all the houses are ' constructed of brick, and the fronts of most of them have a singular appearance, from the mixture of black and red bricks, in tlie shape of lozenges, zig- izags, and other grotesque figures. The remarkable 'objects are, a handsome bridge of 13 arches, fine * Pinkney’s Travels, 4to, p, 217, C 2 16 Paris to Lyons by the Bourbonnais, cavalry barracks, fountains, and the maiisoleiint raised by the Princess des Ursins, to Henry of Montmorency, her husband, who was beheaded at Toulouse, under the government of Cardinal Riche¬ lieu, situated in the Royal College. Moulins has a fine public library, some pleasant w'alks, and a small theatre. Trade in grain, wine, iron, wood, coal, and silk: Manyjactures of earthen-ware, cotton, stockings, and thread, but particularly of all sorts of cutlery ; the scissars are much esteemed. We might, perhaps, have spared the reader this information, for the moment he alights from his carriage, he will be surrounded by a score of women and girls (many of them very pretty, and of the most insinuating address,) who will soon make known to him the staple commodity of the town. There is literally no escape from these persevering girls, with their perpetually repeated “ Achetez-moi quelqiie chose T* but by laying out a few sous with them *. The inhabitants are distinguished by their frankness and agreeable manners: the country¬ women w^ear large straw-bats, in the shape of a boat, which is not unbecoming, d'here are several forges in the neighbourhood, and some quarries of red, yellow, and blue marble ; population 13,800. * These girls will sometimes run by the side of a carriage for two or three miles, importuning travellers to spend a little money with them. This is also the case at Cosne, and at other places en route. One of them, having once been very impor¬ tunate to a gentleman who persisted in refusing to buy her wares, site absolutely got into the carriage when she saw it ready to set off. He, in order to see how far she would go, let her remain there quietly, and she accompanied him to the next post, a distance of eight or nine miles, when finding him still inexorable she departed, and bent her way homewards. 17 Bessay-—La Palhse. Moulins may be considered a cheaper residence even- than Pours, particularly since the latter place lias been overstocked with English economists. Meat is plentiful and cheap, and poultry, vegetables, and fruit abundant. A very good family-house, with a nice garden and paddock, may be had here for £25 a year. Those who object to the interior of the town, may easily find a house in its charming environs. From Moulins to Bessay, the next post, we pass through a level but rich and fertile country, and : observe the left bank of the Allier sprinkled with vineyards, woods, villages, and chateaux; the right is still more beautiful. Some distance beyond Va^ rennes, the Puy^de-Dome is seen, part of a long ol?ain of mountains; still farther, Mont-Dor raises its snow capped summit, bounding the horizon : ou f the left is the modern chateau of Ga'ieU, now con- ^ ^erted into a hospital. About five miles farther, \ therp is a fine view from the top of a hill, of the 1, mountains of Auvergne on the right. Pass St» I Gerand-le-Puy, a post, with a good inn, through a I woody and hilly countiy, with some pretty valleys |i to La Palisse ; but before we descend to this place, i we observe a road on the right, which leads to I Vicky, much resorted to in the summer, for its warm mineral waters, celebrated for the cure of i palsy, rheumatisms, and obstructions, and often ' visited by Madame de Sevigne, who has given an i entertaining account of the place in her charming i “ LeitersP The trade of La Palisse, consists of corn, hemp, and cloth; population 1,800. i As we have now passed through the departments of the Nievre and Allier, and are about to f|uit the 18 Paris to Lyons by the Bourbonnais, latter, we shall pause a moment, to give the reader a general idea of the climate and productions of this favoured region, more particularly with a view of affording those who wish to settle here, the best information on the subject; and as we can bear testimony to the fidelity of Mr. Pinkney’s very ex¬ cellent description of these departments, we shall give it in his own words. There is nothing to add on the subject. “ The climate of the departments of the Nievre and the Allier, which include the ITovinces of the Nivernais and Bourbonnais, is the most delightful under heaven, being at once most healthy, and such as to animate and inspirit the senses and the imagination ; it is an endless succession of the most lovely skies, without any interruption, except by those rains which are necessary to nourish and fertilize. The winters are mild, without fogs, and with suffi¬ cient sunshine, to render fires almost unnecessary. The springs answer to the ordinary weather of May in other kingdoms. The summer and autumn, with the exception of hail and thunder, which are cer¬ tainly violent, but not frequent, are not charac¬ terized by those heavy humid heats, which are so pestilential in other parts of the world; they are light, elastic, and cheering. The windows of the bed-chambers are almost all without glass: or if they have it, it is for show rather than for use; the universal custom is to sleep with them open. It is not uncommon to have the swallows dying into your chamber, and awakening you by early dawn with their twittering. When these windows open into gardens, nothing can be more pleasant: the purity of the air, the splendour of the stars, the singing of Nievre and Allier — Roanne, 19 nightingales, and the perfume of flowers, all concur to charm the senses. In March and April the ground is covered with flowers, and many, which are solely confined to the gardens and hot-houses in England, may be seen in the fields and hedge-rows; the colours are perhaps not altogether so brilliant asdn more humid climates, but they give the country an appearance of a fairy land. Peas are in common use on every table in March, and every kind of culi¬ nary vegetable is equally forward, and reasonable in price! The meadows are covered with violets, and the gardens with roses, and the banks by the side of the road seem one continued bed of cowslips. In a word, spring here indeed seems to hold her throne, and to reign in all that vernal sweetness and loveliness which is imputed to her by the poets Every spot of ground is cultivated; if there be no natural soil, the peasants will carry some thither. As there are numerous woods and forests in these departments fuel is very cheap; coal also is found here. The most beautiful shrubs are common in the woods and hedges. An estate may be pur¬ chased here for two-thirds less than in England; and those who are disposed to settle in this central I part of France, will find cheerful neighbours, n people polished in their manners from the highest to the lowest, and naturally gay and benevolent. Roanne is a populous, commercial town, situated ion the left bank of the Loire, which here becomes navigable, and continues so for more than 450 i miles. All the merchandize from Lyons, from Lan^ * Travels in France, 4to. p. S'J?. ‘20 Paris to L?/07is hj the Bourbonnais, guedoc and Provence, and from the Levant, is sent to Paris from this port, by the river and the canal of Briare. At a distance, the town appears nothing more than a large village, but it has some broad, regular streets, good houses, public baths, and a theatre. The wines of llenaison and St. Andre, made in the neighbourhood, are highly esteemed. Manufacture of calicoes. Population 8,000. St, Symphorioi-de^Lay, the next post, is a small bourgy with some cotton manufactures and coal-mines. Hence to the mountain of 'i arare, the country is full of ascents, but very picturesque. There is a good road over this mountain, which is safe in summer, hut dangerous in winter, on account of the snows with which it is covered. Posts, however, are placed along the road to direct the traveller. Oxen are here used with horses to assist in drawing the carriages, Sferne passed over this mountain, and has given an interesting narrative of an adventure which oc^ curred to him there—one that is so likely to happen to every traveller—that we shall make no apology for presenting it to the reader. It is a tinished sketch, and perfectly characteristic of the manners of the peasantry in this part of France, even at tho present day: A shoe coming loose from the fore-foot of the thill-horse, at the beginning of the ascent of Mount Tarare, the postillion dismounted, twisted the shoe off, and put it in his pocket; as the ascent was of five or six miles, and that horse our main depend¬ ence, I made a point of having the shoe fastened cm again, as well as we could; but the postilion had thrown away the nails, and the hammer in the 4 21 Mont Tar are. :baise-box being of no great use without them, I ubmitted to go on. ‘‘ He had not mounted half a mile higher when, oming to a flinty piece of road, the poor devil lost . second shoe, and from off his other fore-foot: I hen got out of the chaise in good earnest; and eeing a house about a quarter of a mile to the left land, with a great deal to do I prevailed upon the lostilion to turn up to it. The look of the house, j.ud of every thing about it, as we drew nearer, soon econciled me to the disaster.—It was a little farm- iiouse, surrounded with about twenty acres of vine¬ yard, about as much corn—and close to the house, ni one side, was 2 l potagerie of an acre and a half, ■ luil of every thing which could make plenty in a |;."rench peasant’s house—and on the other side was I little wood which furnished wherewithal to dress t. It was about eight in the evening when I got to he house—so I left the postilion to manage his hoint as he could—and for mine, I walked directly I nto the house. “ The family consisted of an old grey-headed man l.nd his wife, with five or six sons and sons-in-law, nd their several wives, and a joyous genealogy out f them. “ They were all sitting down together to their entil soup; a large wheaten loaf was in the middle if the table; and a flaggon of wine at each end of t promised joy through the stages of the repast— tvvas a feast of love. “ The old man rose up to meet me, and with a espectful cordiality would have me sit down at the able; my heart was sat down the moment I entered he room ; so I sat down at once like a son of the 22 Paris to Lyons hy the Baurhonnais, family: and to invest myself in the character as i speedily as I could, I instantly borrowed the old i man’s knife, and taking up the loaf, cut myself a hearty luncheon; and as I did it I saw a testimony i in every eye, not only of an honest welcome, but of | a welcome mixed with thanks that I had not seemed to doubt it. “ Was it this ? or tell me, Nature, what else it was which made this morsel so sweet—and to what magic I owe it, that the draught I took of their flaggon was so delicious with it, that they remain upon my palate to this hour ? ‘‘ If the supper was to my taste—the grace which followed it was much more so. ‘‘ THE GRACE. “ When supper was over, the old man gave ? knock upon the table with the haft of his knife—to bid them prepare for the dance: the moment the signal was given, the women and girls ran all toge¬ ther into a back apartment to tie up their hair—and the young men to the door to wash their faces, and change their sabots; and in three minutes every soul was ready upon a little esplanade before the house to begin—The old man and his wife came out last, and, placing me betwixt them, sat down upon a sopha of turf by the door. “ The old man had some fifty years ago been no mean performer upon the viol—and at the age ht was then of, touched it well enough for the purpose. His wife sang now and then a little to the tune —then intermitted—and joined her old man again as their children and grand-children danced before] them. i Tarare — Arhrile, ** It was not till the middle of the second dance, when, from some pauses in the movement wherein they all seemed to look up, I fancied I could dis¬ tinguish an elevation of spirit different from that which is the cause or the effect of simple jollity.— In a word, I thought 1 beheld Religion mixing in the dance—but as I had never seen her so engaged, I should have looked upon it now as one of the il¬ lusions of an imagination which is eternally mislead¬ ing me, had not the old man, as soon as the dance ended, said that this was their constant way; and that all his life long he had made it a rule, after supper was over, to call out his family to dance and rejoice; believing, he said, that a cheerful and con¬ tented mind was the best sort of thanks to heaven that an illiterate peasant could pay.’’ j The little bourg of Tr/mrc, situated on the Tardine, in a valley at the foot of ihe mountain we have just passed, has a population of SOOO persons, some ma¬ nufactures of printed linens, cottons, muslins, bleach¬ ing grounds, and tan-yards. Before we arrive at Arnas^ the next post, there is a very steep descent iby a narrow road hedged in by rocks on one side, iwith a precipice on the other, which the traveller iwould do well to pass on foot, as it is rather danger- jous for carriages. Arbrele, or Bresle, a small town of 2000 inhabitants, is chiefly remarkable for its jcopper-mines, about two miles distant, which will jwell repay the curiosity of the traveller. The situ- iation is fine, the smelting-houses large, and the excavations immense. Those of Sainte-Bel are less considerable. Here they manufacture cop¬ peras, verdigris, and vitriol. Leaving Arbrele, we ascend the mountain of that name, and after passing Salvagn^, the next 24 Paris to Lyons hy Burgundy, post, see on our right tlie chateau of Charhonnih'eSf celebrated, at Lyons, for the mineral waters in its park. The beauty of the country continually in¬ creasing, offers to our view some of the most de¬ lightful landscapes in France; and the numerous country seats which every where meet the eye, in the most picturesque situations, announce our ap¬ proach to a great commercial city, the antient and celebrated Lyons, of which the reader will find a detailed account in our second chapter. No. 2. From Paris to Lyons, by Burgundy^ 58| posts, 324 English miles. FROM POSTS. Paris to Charenton. 1 Viileneuve-St. Georges •• Lieusain.. • • 1 ^ Melon (*) . 1- L’Eel use. ‘2 Fossard . 2 Villeneuve-la-Guiard* • • • 1 Pont-sur-Yonne • • .. If SensH . If Viileiieuve-sur-Yonne •• Villevallier. Joigny. Bassou. AuXEURE (3) . Saint Bris . Vermanton. L\icy-le Bois. Avallon (4) ... Kouvray. H 1 1 H 2 1 2 oi ‘■A- 1 2 FROM POSTS. Roiivray to Roche-en-B. 1 Saulieu . 1-j Pier! e-Ecrite.. • - 1 -j Chissey . AutcnC^) . 2' St. Emilan...2 St. Leger. flourg-neuf.. Ciialons-sur-Saone (^) •. Seoecey . Tournus.. Saint Albin. Macon (7). La Maison-Blanche •. • • St. George de Rognains*. Villefrancbe .. Anse .. Lirnonest. Lyons(3). Iii ■ I 11 2 2 O .w 11 l' 1 1 1 Inns. —(*) La Galere, le grand Monarque. (^) L’Ecu, th' Bottle, Black Stag. (3) The Leopard. (4) La Ville de Lyon Golden Lion. (^) L'Ecu, the Bottle, Black Stag. (^) Th' Park, commanding a beautiful prospect, the Three Pheasant? Three Moors. (7) The Savage, Hotel de i’Europe. Hote du Parc, Palais Royal, everal received on their naked bodies a number of Dails of water. At the respective divisions of the Service, great care was taken to supply the Ass ivith drink and provender. In the middle of it, a )ignal was given by an anthem, Conductus ad liidos [ Brought to play, &c.), and the Ass was conducted nto the nave of the church, where the people nixed with the clergy, danced round him, and ;trove to imitate his braying. When the dancing ! vas over, the Ass was brought back again into the dioir, where the ^^lergy terminated the festival. i The vespers of the second day concluded with an invitation to dinner, in the form of an anthem, like rest Conductus ad 'prandium (Brought to |ilinner), and the festival ended by a repetition of $ finiilar theatricals to those which had taken place ||.he day before. |j What is the most extraordinary fact of all, and jlndeed barely within the limits of credibility, is, i hat this most shameful festival was not suppressed I ill towards the end of the sixteenth century | |5ome of its most shocking absurdities had, indeed, s ►een removed, yet the custom w^as continued ; and jtrange as it may appear, this asinine festival was ^lunualiy celebrated in E^3GLANI), in the Cathedral 30 Paris to Lyons hy Burgundy, of Lincoln^ till the Eleventh Century; when Grost- head, the bishop, ordered his deans to abolish it. In the museum^ belonging to the college, is the Dyptic or missal, containing numerous re¬ presentations of this celebrated ceremony. Its leaves are stretched on pannels of oak, and the whole is contained in a frame of silver. This is a great curiosity, and well worth inspection. Here are also the bas-reliefs of the tomb of the chancellor Du Prat. The ancient church of ^t, Saviniaru lately the property of a private family, who used it for a cemetery, deserves a visit. Upon the altar some red spots are shewn, said to be drops of blood of Saints Savinian and Potentian, who introduced Christianity into Sens, in the third century. One of the inscriptions on the tombs, cut in a rude style, and scarcely legible, is as follows : Per Jlores rose, sanguinisy sumpseriint coronas victorice martyres Christi Savinianus et Potentianus eiim multitudine ingentiy et ibi tremulati sunt, pridie kalendaruniy Januarii. That is, by the flowers of the rosy blood, the martyrs of Christ, Savinian and Poten¬ tian have acquired crowns of victory, together with an innumerable multitude, and were interred here on the eve of the kalends of January (the last day of December.) The manufactures of Sens are hats, cotton twist, stuffs, flannels, fustians, leather, and a large es¬ tablishment for making glue^ first set up by an Englishman of the name of Hall, the annual sale i of which amounts to more than 16,0001. Clepsydra \ or water-clocks are also made here in great quanti- ji ties, They consist of a round box divided into ; Villeneuve-sur- Yonne* 31 ii compartments, and each partition is perforated j; with a small hole, to let the water escape, drop by I drop ; in consequence of which the box, by the I successive evacuation of the water from one t om- i partment into another, descends imperceptibly ! between two uprights or scales, on which are indi- 1 cated the hours, which the box points out as it t descends. The price is from five to eight francs. \ Sens is a Sous-Prtjectiirey has a theatre, baths, i and fine walks. Population 11,000. ^ The environs of Sens are picturesque and well ficultivated, 'i he little river Vanne divides into a number of branches and streams, which not only i supply the town with water, and keep the streets always clean, but serve to set in motion the ^machinery of the diflerent manufactories. In the f outskirts of the town these streams spread over the r^rounds and irrigate the gardens, called by the old ' French name of courtiahy which are full of fine cuU^ ^ aary vegetables. An immense quantity o\' gar lick is : ^rown here, which forms a branch of trade with . ;he neighbouring towns, and the alder trees that imrround the gardens afford loppings that serve for 'Jidne-props and fences. A number of botanical Idants are to be met with in the environs of Sens ; ii catalogue made in IGS1-, enumerates more than .^o’OO. 1 Leaving Sens, and crossing the canal of the >''anne, with the Yonne on our right, we \miss over ji road planted with fine trees, and see on the left, tills covered with vineyards, and occasionally in- jerspersed with woods. Pass by the chateau and lountain of Verojiy famous for its incrustations, nd arrive at VilUmiive-sur^Yonney a small town^ 32 Paris to Lyons by Burgundy. resembling Sens in its principal street, v/Ith two gates and a church in the centre ; it lias a fine avenue leading to it. Trade in wine, wmod, and coal. Population 3,000. The road now be¬ comes heavy and sandy; the Yonne runs to tlie right, while to the left, the calcareous hills are covered with verdant vines, till we reach Joigny, which has a pleasing appearance. A spacious quay along the banks of the Yonne with the fine cavalry barracks, and the noble stone bridge of seven arches over which we pass, all contribute tp give the traveller an idea of the importance of the towm ; but he is soon undeceived on entering it; the streets are very narrow and steep, and the houses badly built, d’he town, indeed, is placed on such a de¬ clivity, that the windows of the highest tier of houses are on a level with the chimnies of tliost next below them. From the terrace of the chaienu !n the highest part of the town, a fine view may be had; and the building itself, as well as the roof of the small church, deserve notice. Trade in oak bark, wood, stuffs, and good wine, of which 35,000 hogsheads are sold annually. Population 5,500. The promenade at the bottpm of Joigny is very agreeable. In general from the bridge as far as i Auxerre, the riyer is bounded by line meadows, which afford pasturage to numbers of cattle, while the scene is enlivened by the passing carriages, as well as by the rafts and barges moving down the river. Much of the ground which we now see is irrigated by trenches: the wallow and poplar grow here in great abundance, and with singular rapidity. Passing through the villages of Voyes, Charmoyj S3 Migrenne Wine — Aiixerre* nd Bassou, the bridge and river of Beaulche&i we escend tlie steep declivity Migrenne^ celebrated or its excellent wine. It is delicate, generous, nd has a fine smell; very strengthening to weak tomachs and convalescents ; and perhaps the best fine of Upper Burgundy. It has also the rare uality, for wines of this kind, of bearing exporta- ^on. The following lines are in praise of Migrenne ine; Laissez les charlatans pretendre, avec de I’eau, Un acide sucre, I’hiebleou le sureau Ou sur le gras terrain du fertile Surenne, Faire un vin qui surpasseou Ic Vosne, ou Migrenne. We admire, on our left, a fine plain fertilized by le Yonne, pass the Cios dt la Chenaye^ known for swine, and the general Hospital of Auxerre; enter n the Boulevard, and the new road leading to the ort and quay. The antient town of Aiixerre (Autisiodorum,) i agreeably situated on the left bank of the Vonne, idiich contains a number of little islands, and is 'nimated by the numerous flour mills in motion, ittila, the Saracens, the Normans, the Calvinists, nd the English, have at difterent times, ravaged i)is town, and the marks of their excesses are still lown. The Church of St. Germain is a building if great antiquity, chiefly remarkable for its crypts, I'hich contain a number of holy corpses, and are leldin superstitious veneration by the people. Over fie entrance, there is a Latin inscription, forbidding |ou to defile the sacred place with your shoes; “ Ne \ppropinques hue; solve calceamentum depedibustuisJ* 'hese crypts are composed of low arches, supported S4? Paris to Lyons hy Burgundy. by small pillars ornamented with capitals; the gal* leries, the altar, and the chapel, are arranged like up¬ per stories. The wall appears to have been re-painted, about the beginning of the last century, and the inscriptions which point out the spots that contain the bodies of the Saints, seem to have been executed at the same time. Several of the tombs are still entire, but many others have been broken open by profane hands. The crypts in general were despoiled by the revolutionary army, as well as by the galley- slaves and prisoners of war, who were confined here at various periods. The Cathedral, dedicated to St. Stephen, next attracts our attention; the portal is ornamented with an infinity of sculptures; the choir is very fine, but the canopy is in bad taste. The whole building is badly lighted, and has a religious obscurity fa vourable to reverie. The stained windows are oi the finest kind, though in part destroyed; the rest of this grand building is in good preservation. At the entrance of the choir is the tomb of Nicholas Colbert, Bishop of Auxerre, who died in J676. This church formerly had some very remarkable customs. The Festival of Fools was celebrated here till the year 1407, and it was not till the year 1538 that the custom playing at hall in the nave was abolished. On Easter-day the junior canon furnished the ball, and presented it to the dean, who tossed it about to his companions, and the game finished by a banquet, at which wine was not spared. One of the most singular customs was the heirship to the dignity of canon in the house of Chastellux, in memory of Claude de Beauvoir, Lord of Chas¬ tellux, who retook the town of Cravant from a A nxerre^ Ch urches^ 35 roop of banditti, and restored it, without plunder ;o the cl’.apter of St. Stephen, to which it had pre- doiisly belonged. The officiating canon, after )reaching the customary sermon, presented himself It the entrance of the choir in a military dress, with )oots and spurs, while over this dress he wore a fine vhite surplice, neatly plaited; a large belt was hrown over all, to which his s\vord was suspended; he spruce canon had gloves on both hands, a fal¬ len on his fist, an amesse (an ornament which anons use when they go to the holy office,) on he left arm, while in his right hand he held a hat, domed with white feathers. The musical instrument called the Serpent was avented, in 1590, for the use of this church, by a anon named Edme Guillaume. In this cathedral I > the tomb of Amyot, the translator of Plutarch, ! The Church of ^aint Pierre, called by the inha- ' Itants St. Pere, presents a singular mixture of TOthic and modern architecture. The tour d'lior-^ i )ge, is worthy of notice. The clock is placed over fill arch, near a tower, terminated by a pyramid, riovered with lead, and originally intended for a ielfry; one of the points of the index mpresents »iie sun, and the other the moon, which have their ^i^spective motions; the last also shows the phases. ^^eariy who executed this master-piece in 1469, had ^lis eyes put out, that he might never be able to li onstruct such another. The library contains some ^iery curious books, and a number of Roman anti- iuities, busts, urns, inscriptions, &c. Near the •f reet Juubert^ are the remains of the ancient walls instructed with large hewn stones by the Romans, ‘i.uxerre possesses an episcopal palace, baths, a S6 Paris to Lyoiis by 'Burgundy* theatre of manufacture of wax, and a great tradi in wine. 200,000 cordes of wood are annualf floated by Auxerre, to their dift'erent destination? Population 12,000. The cache d'eauy or water coach, from this place to Paris, puts up atLacour’s Quitting Auxerre, near the bridge, is a hand some modern house, a delightful prospect, ar- some charming landscapes on the right 1 he bor ders of the Yonne are generally covered witli fellei wood, ready to be floated down or put into boats This river seems to have been nobly adapted fo commerce, even in the time of ancient Gaul, but it name is not to be found in the classic authors, is of great importance to trade, and is of easy nav' gation ; aTer issuing from the mountains of iVIorva; in the department of Nicore, where it has it source, it passes on to Clamecy, where it becorn navigable, and thence proceeds to Auxerre and . Sens, carrying with its stream immense barge' laden with the richest presents of Bacchus. Afte • having received the Cure at Cravant, and the Vaimi at Sens, it empties itself into the Seine at Mon tereau. The long and narrow rafts, called traises, pas with the rapidity of a bird’s flight, and convey t Paris a great part of the wood necessary for th consumption of that great city. This wood is cu in the forests; they sell it in bundles to burn, o square it for the carpenter. The timber intendet for the latter use is conveyed by land-carriage ti the river, w'hen the boats are laden with it. Th billets bear the mark of the proprietor, and are con veyed to the small rivers which join the Yonne, am into which they are thrown peli-mell. A watch i Floats of Wood, 37 kept along the shores of the rivers, so vigilant that' not a single piece is ever lost. The Cure, the Ar- inan^on, and the Yonne, are the rivers'which con«> duct these floating logs. The overseers distinguish by the marks to whom they belong. The billets, bound with withes, are laid on casks, placed at equal distances, forming rafts, and are conducted by- three men to Paris. These hardy pilots turn dex¬ terously round the points of the shore, and avoid the (flats, with which they are well acquainted; but particularly in shooting the bridges, under which jlhey pass with the rapidity of liglitning, they show j .he most perfect address and management; scarcely l ;ias the head of the raft appeared in view, than it is •xgain almost out of sight. As soon as the raft is jirrived at Paris, men plunge into the river up to I-he middle, loose the bundles, and put the billets ! n a heap into the waggon; however, a sudden fall )f rain, or a hard frost, occasions at times serious liccidents, and sometimes from a moment’s negli-' |>ence in steering, these fragile vehicles, the raft I ►trikes against the piles of a bridge, is broken in an hnstant,and the waters covered with tiie wrecks, which |ire taken up by the boatmen, but of which the |i)vvner seldom recovers more than a very small part. ■ I Vermanton, situated on the Cwrc, has a great Irade in wine, and excellent wood for "fuel. |\bout five miles south of this town are the cele- jlirated grottoes of Arcy, which have been compared ||o those of Antiparos. They are composed of a ii.uite of large chambers, narrow passages, small ^-ooins, and galleries, incrusted vvith stalactites that I qual marble in beauty, and stone in hardness, and ^ ssurae the most fantastic shapes and figures. We £ 38 Paris to Lyons by Burgundy, can enter at one end, and go out at the other, without retracing our steps. Near the entrance is a small lake. The post-masters of Verrnanton and Lucy-le-bois^ will convey travellers thither, and it is not more than three miles out of the way. Before we arrive at the next post, we pass on our left, the road to Dijon and Lyons, by Tonnere. If we take this route, we pass through Monthard. Here may be seen the house in which Buffon spent the greatest part of his life. It is in the high street, and the court is behind. You ascend a staircase to go into the garden, raised on the ruins of the antient mansion, of wdiich the walls make the terraces. On the top there still remains a lofty octagon tower, where Buffon made his observations on the reverberation of the air. This singular and picturesque garden is well worthy of notice. In quitting this interesting spot the column erected to Buffon by his son is seen, on which there was once the following inscription: “ Excelsce tu^nri huniilis columna—Parenti suo Jilius Buffo'nP That revolution which caused these words to be effaced, also condemned to the scaffold the writer of them, who died, pronouncing only in a calm and dignified tone, “ Citizens y my name is — Buffon!” Avallon is agreeably situated on the Cousin ; has broad, regular streets, and some good houses; a public hospital, and a church, of which the front is worthy of remarfe. No stranger ought to pass Avallon, without seeing the promenade of the Fetit Cours, w'here he may contemplate the most delight¬ ful effects of nature, and admire the most charming scenery. It is astonishing that these enchanting land¬ scapes are so little known to travellers. The two views Avallon — Saufieu* 39 of the Petit Cours resemble some of the scenery of Switzerland, but in miniature. The Cousin seems to wanton amid the fertile vallies, where it forms various charming lakes and picturesque waterfalls, near a thousand toises in depth. The town stands in a plain; a little bridge crosses the river. The valley is surrounded with small hills, wdiere the pointed rocks show their heads from among the thickets, and above the verdure; while the most delightful gardens in terraces, appear as if suspended on the declivities of the hills. From the terrace of Petit Cours is seen the remains of a Roman way. There are some good coffee-houses, public baths, and very respectable society at Avallon. The trade of Avallon consists in corn, wine, wood, ^rain, horned cattle, horses and mules; coarse paper, md a great quantity of casks are also made here. Population 5,500. The country of Morvan, cele- , Drated for the quantity of wood it sends to Paris, ts cattle, and the rough unpolished manners of its nhabitants, commences in this spot. ; The rage for gaming in this little town, which is immediately in the high road from Dijon and Lyons . ilmost surpasses belief. The four principal coffee- ■ louses are continually filled wdth gamblers; and the ’l:edactive but hazardous games of Trente-un and ■ ^loulettei are constantly played. '1 he gamesters (I'orne there from twenty leagues round. A thou- • and Louis have been staked here on a single card, 'ind many an unfortunate man has been totally uined at one of these houses. I The small town of Saulieuy contains 3000 inha- . (itants, and has a large manufacture of casks. It las been taken and retaken many times by the £ 2 40 Paris to Lyons hy Burgundy* English, French, and Huguenots. The ponds in its neighbourhood furnish excellent fish, particularly trout. Passing Pierre Ecrite, and numerous other small villages, we arrive at Autun* But before we cross the bridge over the ArrouXy we should deviate ja little to the right to examine the remains of an antient temple of Janus, which offers a pretty spc> cimen of plain masonry, being constructed of small square stones. The gate of Arroux, through which we enter the city of Autun, is one of the most beautiful remains of antiquity in this place. ItvConsists of two large arcades for the passage of carriages, and two smaller ones for pedestrians. A magnificent entablature crowns the four arcades, and above it rises a kind of gallery, formerly composed of ten arcades, but of which only seven remain. The range of arcades on the side towards the city, is entirely destroyed. The small columns of the Corinthian order, which separate these arcades, are fluted with the greatest exactness. The richness of the grand entablature Is greatly admired ; the eaves and moulding are covered with ornaments, distinguished by the most delicate; lightness of w’orkmanship, and the capitals are in the best style. The solidity of the construction is i no less remarkable than the elegant style of the j architecture: though the stones are put |:ogether without cement, the joints are so close that it is |j impossible to insert the blade of a knife between | them; and the arches, notwithstanding the enor- ^ mous weight of the superincumbent gallery, stand ij firm merely in consequence of the form given to the ,j stones wdth which they are constructed. A tree of jj Autun — Antiquities* 41 iberty, in 1794, was planted over this gate, in the centre of the gallery with which it is crowned. The >ther gate of St. Andreio resembles this, except hat the capitals of the pilasters are of the Ionic rder. Autuny the celebrated city of Bibractey was the ncient capital ot the^dui,the most illustrious of the ,^elts, w|io always enjoyed very great authority in Taul. Cassar taking advantage of their hatred to he Allobroges and Arverni, had the address to raw them over to his side, and rewarded their ttachment wdth the title of brethren and allies of le Roman people. They w^ere afterwards first ad- litted into the senate; and it is a curious fact that 11 the year 1789, the citizens of Autun and Rome ppectively enjoyed the freedom of both cities, he territory of the ^^idui was situated between the .iger and Arar (the Loire and Saone,) which omprised a great part of Burgundy and the Niver- ais ; and they exercised authority over several peo- le w'horn Cassar calls their clients. Out of flattery ) Augustus, they changed the name of their capital lito Augustodunumy from which the modern one has ieen formed. Ihe city is situated on the side of a steep hill !?ar the Arroux, at the foot of three high moun- ins, which cover it on the south and east. One these mountains is still called Montjeu (Mons ,)vis, the mountain of Jupiter); the name of the ■cond is Montdru, which is supposed to be derived 3m Mons Druidarum, and to have been the resi- I'.nce of the ancient Druids: the third is the highest; i is called Mont Cenis; and, like Mont Cenis of e Alps, has a pond on its summit, which furnishes E 3 42 Paris to Lyons by Burgundy, the inhabitants of the city with an abundant supply of limpid water. The city is divided into three parts. The higher is that called the Castle^ and containing the two •cathedrals. The antient one dedicated to St. Na- ^.arius, has not been finished: it is built over the subterraneous church of St. John of the Grotto, which is supposed to have been a catacomb. J'he Nevj Cathedral was formerly the chapel of the dukes of Burgund)\ The lateral gate on the side facing the hotel of the sub-prefecture, is of modern con¬ struction ; and is remarkable for four columns, each of different and very singular workmanship, which have been preserved in it. Almost all the pilasters of the church have capi¬ tals sculptured with subjects taken from Scripture, 'fhe execution is in general extremely singular. We may distinguish the dream of the Magi: the three kings are lying asleep on the same bed; and behind them is an angel who inclines a little towards them, and points with his finger to the star which will guide them to the birth-place of the new King of the Jews, On another capital the adoration of the Magi is represented; and on another, the three young men in the fiery furnace: some of them ex¬ hibit devils, in very whimsical costumes, with wing? and hideous faces, d’he greater part of these capitals with historical sculptures, are inimediately under the beginning of the arch. In the square in front of the cathedral, called the Place de Terreau^ there is a handsome fountain, composed of two cupolas of the same shape, the one placed over the other, and supported by fluted Ionic pillars. The second dome is surmounted with Antiin* 43 . i pelican : an ingenious allegory of the abundance ir’hich water every where diffuses. Under the lower iupola stands a balustre, supporting a handsome ■ up ; the w'ater which flows over it falls into the asin formed by a circular wall. The grand Place f St. Ladre, (a corruption of St. Lazarus,) is ituated in the division called the City^ and is sur- ounded with handsome houses ; the centre being lanted with rows of trees, and serving as a conve- ient promenade to the inhabitants. It was here !iey used formerly to act a kind of religious and ijiilitary farce called the Game of St. Ladre. The aird division, called the Marchaux, (Martis Cam¬ us,) is the site of the ancient city of Augustodunum. ’lie streets are narrow, the houses low and ill- uilt; the clock-tower, however, has a very pic- I'lresque appearance. [ The library belonging to the Chapter contains hany curious manuscripts and books. We ascend i) it by the stair of the steeple, which is a very ijimarkable building: it is a spire of a very great eight, and distinguished by elegance and solidity jf construction. It was erected at the expence of jardinal Rollin. The interior of this steeple is quite jnooth, and has the shape of an inverted drinking- ass. Architects conceive it to have been a master- ece in their art, to raise a scaffolding for building hollow spire, tnore than 300 feet in height, and ily from hve to six inches in thickness. From the following inscription it appears that .e inhabitants of Autun had deified their city, and at religious worship was paid to the Croddess, \ibracte there, in the same manner as to the Go(^ ^ euiausus, at Nisines : 44 ParU to Lyons by Burgundy, DEAE BIBRACTI P. CAPRIL. PACATUS luTiI VIR AUGUSTA V. S. L. M. A tower, supposed to have belonged to a temple of Minerva, and which bears that name, is now a part of the Abbey of Saint Andoche. A single wall only remains. The Autunese are noted for their indifference to the antient monuments of the town, and the destruction of the most curious relics is little regarded. One of their learned fellow-citi¬ zens, John Guijon, taxes them with this propensity; in the following lines ; Temporibus priscis Heduorum Augusta vocabar; Voxque rei, voci res erat apta suas. Diruta sum bellis, iteramque ^xtructa revixi; Ne facite, o cives, rursus ut Inteream ! The monument called Pierre de Couars is an im¬ mense mass of rough stones, kept together by a white cement, of a pyramidal form, and more than 70 feet in height. It is rather more than half- a mile from the town, in a place called the Field of Urns. The Semmaire, out of the town, is a fine building. The manufactures of Autun are cotton velvet, water-watches, and English glue. Popula¬ tion 9,200. It will take more than an hour to ascend the mountain of Autun, one of the granitic chain which crosses the southern part of Burgundy. Passing St. Emilian, the post, we are conducted, by several steep descents, to Couches. A road on the right leads hence to Creusot^ remarkable for its cannon-foundery, and the finest manufacture of Manufactory of Crystals, 45 rystals in France, both of which, but partlcu- irly the latter, deserve the notice of the traveller, "he sand used in the manufactory of crystal, which •; very fine and white, is brought from Fontainebleau, t an expense of two sous the pound for carriage, t is washed and sifted here. The minium is not- repared in the hovise, but brought from Paris; Hid the annual consumption amounts to about 00,000lbs. A considerable proportion of it is l uployed in the manufacture of the crystal, which 13nders it very brittle, like the English glass of the iime kind. A cubic foot of the crystal made at reusot, weighs 240lbs. The potash is imported om America, and costs about 52 francs per quin- l 1 ; so that it is cheaper than the potash made in orraine. The glass-makers work twice a day, and ich time for four hours and a half. They are lid by the month. ' The steam-engine. Wood’s cylindrical blower, ) id other kinds of machinery invented in England, re used here ; to most of which, are added some 1 iprovements, for the purpose of saving time, in- I’easing their velocity, augmenting their force, or to lye a more pleasing appearance to the whole. [1 4 he ore is brought partly from Couches, situated Ij a small distance, and partly from Autre in I 'anche Comte. They cast here a considerable limber of cannon for the sea-service. Government liys for them at the rate of six sous the pound, jliey are proved on the spot. The cannon and jher heavy articles, are moved from one part of ie manufactory to the other by means of carriages finning on rail-ways. Here is also a horing-ma-^ \ine, much admired for the precision with which 46 Paris to Lyons hy Burgundy* it acts. Most of the machines are put in motioi by means of steam-engines. The piston of thi principal pump was made in England, and servec as a model for the others. There are five furnaces four large ones, in which pit-coal is used; and ; small one in which charcoal is burnt. The quantity of fuel consumed, is estimated at about twenty-ton per day. Fossil coal abounds in the canton o Creusot; and it was this circumstance that princi pally induced the proprietors to establish the foun dery there. In some places it is found scarcely . foot under the surface of the ground, and some o the small hills which contain it, present the singula phenomenon of spontaneous inflammation. The workmen reside in long buildings resemblirj barracks, with a range of contiguous chambers ; o in detached houses, of some of which they ai- themselves proprietors; the directors of the work having given them the ground, on w’hich they havi built their habitations; each of them has a smal garden annexed to it. I At the post of St.Leger, situated in a valley ] we cross the grand centred canal. At Charsey arrj the remains of a Roman way. Passing througll some villages, we arrive at ChalonSy which being situated in a very beautifu; and fertile valley, on the banks of the Saone, aiu at the mouth of the grand central canal, has lon| j been the centre of a flourishing trade, very advan ! tageous to its inhabitants. Caesar, Strabo, an( Ptolemy mention Chalons; The antient name wa i Cabillonum, from which the modern Chalons is m corruption. Several military roads branched ou from it, and the Romans had here a port and i 47 Chalons-sur-Saone. >et of boats, where a considerable commerce in ain was carried on, particularly for the supply of e Roman troops stationed in this part of Gaul; r whom it served as a place of arms, and a maga- ne for provisions and warlike stores. Chalons is »w the grand eyitrepot^ both of the north and * uth of France; particularly of Marseilles and iris, for grain, wine, iron, leather, oil, and soap. ;ie scales of the bleak, (cyprinus alhurnus,) caught ire, are used for preparing the substance which res such a fine, brilliant, colour to artificial l arls. This town has some most beautiful walks, . pretty theatre, a library, and public baths, lere every thing is neat, clean, and in the best : der. f Among the public buildings of this place, the quisitive traveller should not forget to visit the ospital of Saint Laurent, the whole economy of nich is distinguished by the greatest order and p atness, and indeed we might even say, elegance, I was founded by the inhabitants of Chalons in the ygn of Francis I., in 1528. The apothecary’s Mrtment, the kitchen, the bake-house, the dor« itory of the nuns, and their refectory, are all lijects of curiosity and interest; but above all, the I ns themselves, who are known by the title of %i'mnts of the Poor, It is not the necessity of |incealing the faults committed in the wmrld, or the pire of obtaining pardon for them from the good- l|ss of the Almighty; it is not the necessity of J rying in a cloister a virtuous misery, which in¬ ices these generous girls to expose youtli and liuty to the pestilential breath and putrid exhala- f ns of the diseased; and to spend their life in the 48 Paris to Lyons hy Burgundy, performance of offices not less disgusting than labci rious:—no, it is that sublime love of liumanitj; which the Christian religion calls charity, in thi idea that in the poor, it is God himself we honomj and the more we practise the works of mercy, tli more we commune, as it were, with God, who : all love, clemency, and goodness. “ What is th fashionable charity of subscribing to a Londo Hospital, for the sake, perhaps, of being able, o( casionally, to relieve ourselves from the trouble ( a sick domestic, compared to the almost divine bf nevolence of these nuns ? some of whom ha\ scorned the most flattering allurements of life, t devote themselves irrevocably, like their bless*' Master, solely to doing good! We justly admii and venerate one man, who pursued to the last conduct like this; but those poor nuns are each Howard The number of these Servants of the Po' amounts to twenty-three.; viz. sixteen nuns an seven novices: they all belong to the best familic of the place, and have all a patrimony, the use * v/hich they continue to enjoy. Several of thei possessing an income of 100 to 200/. a year, an some even considerably more, the whole of whic they apply in an exemplary manner. The hospit provides them only with lodging, each of them ha ing a neat bed-room, adorned with some religioi engravings. They even purchase their clothes wi! their own money; but, as a mark of Christian hi mility, receive annually from the governors of tl house, a pair of shoes and two pounds of soa Their dress is blue in winter, and white in summe; with a white veil. The municipal body pays a vu i Chalons-sur-Sao7ie. 49 0 the house every year, on which occasion the nistress presents the keys to the mayor, who re¬ plies, “ They cannot be in more trusty hands.’* These words, and the consciousness of having done rood, are by her, and her interesting companions, leemed an ample recompence for the most cou-^ ageous sacrifices. They make a vow only for one ^ear; at the expiration of which they may quit the lOUse, and even marry; but there have been very ew examples of such a secession. It is the ge- mine spirit of charity which prompts them to Mopt this mode of life ; and the same motives induce 1 hem to persevere in it. During the revolutionary )eriod, not one of them quitted the hospital. There are very neat baths in the house, and every , iccommodation is provided for the bathers at a i ery moderate price. The profits form part of the i ncome of the hospital. I One of the wings, which has no communication [ v'ith the rest of the hospital, is used for the recep- i ion of strangers, v/ho pay about Is. a day. On he first story there are three spacious rooms, with Uvo beds in each, on one of which the patient may ;>e laid while the other is making. Adjoining to i;ach of the rooms is a small recess for a servant, in the same building is the hall where the council tf administrators meet. Tliese only attend to the iinancial concerns of the house: the internal ma- I ■lagement of which is confined entirely to the nuns, i^esidcis this hospital, Chalons has to boast a dis- i)ensary, and several other charitable institutions., Ij\ school particularly for orphans, where they are ||aught the various trades. From the bridge which 50 Paris to Lyons by Burgundy, we pass in going to the hospital, there is a fine view of the town and the course of the Saone. 1 he Central Canaly which here unites the Saone and the Loire, is the great source of the prosperity of Chalons. This canal, which traverses the de¬ partment of the Saone and Loire, for the space oj 200 miles, was begun in 1783, and finished in 1792. It was called the Canal du Centrey because it esta¬ blished, by the means of that of Briare, an internal communication with the two seas, in a part ol France which is regarded as the centre. A water- coach, or barge, which is almost as expeditious as the stage, goes every day from Chalons to Lyon.- and embarks the two diligences which arrive fror Paris, the one by Dijon, and the other by Autur This voyage is very pleasant, and far preferable ti¬ the conveyance by land. Population of Chalon: 12 , 000 . TournuSy (Tinurtium) pleasantly situated on th • declivity of a hill, on the Saone, has a good quay, a handsome wooden bridge, and some pretty walks. Trade in wine and grain. We next see St Alhin, remarkable for the pretty costume of its peasant women. Nearly opposite is the small town of Font-dc-VauXy having 3000 inhabitants, the birth-place of General Joubert. From Chalons to Macon is one of the finest countries in France, abounding with rich meadows and fine vineyards, The travellers by the boat, sleep at Macon. Macon, from its antient name Matisco, situated on the Saone, has a fine quay, and some handsome public buildings; among wdiich are, the hotel de ville, the antient palace of Montrevel, the theatre, and the baths: a part of the Alpine chain may be 51 Macon — Cluny. !;een from the quay, which is lined with many good ! louses, and always enlivened by the passing and ' ‘epassing of the boats on the river. There is a itone bridge of thirteen arches over the Saone. The city, however, is dirty and disagreeable, and the treets are paved with sharp flints. The principal irticle of trade is in wines, which are highly ‘steemed; sweetmeats, and above all, the most lelicious marmalade. There is no manufacture here )f any consequence. Population 11,000. I'he costume of the women of Macon and its leighbourhood is pretty, but singular. It consists )f a blue cloth petticoat, with a border of deep red, i jacket of the same, and a small felt hat worn >ver one side of the head only, displaying a neat ittle white cap, and all the dressing of the hair; on ‘ntering a church they take off their small hat, and ;arry it in their hands. It i§ a very pleasing sight m a Sunday, or fete-day, to see so many pretty aces all habited in the same fanciful costume. While at Macon, we must not forget to notice about 12 miles north of that place, once so celebrated for its antient Abbey of Benedictines ; m which 2000 monasteries in Europe were depen- lent, and which makes so conspicuous a figure in the mnals of France. The gothic church of the con¬ sent was one of the most beautiful, and the library me of the richest in France, but neither exists at iresent. The convent, a fine modern building, has )een preserved, and is devoted to several public Establishments. The town is larger than Macon, '3Ut does not contain more than 4,000 inhabitants. Mamifactwres of cloth, gloves, and basket work. All the way from Macon to Lyons the traveller, F 2 52 Paris to Lyoyis hy Burgundy. by the water-coach, will be quite charmed with the right bank of tlie Saone; pretty villages, country- seats in the most picturesque situations, rocks, hills, and wood; in short, every decription ol iine. scenery, will here delight his view, and M ^lis attention, till he arrive at Lyons. The iSaone is only navigable from Auxonne; although slow in its course, and generally very still, it at times inundates the shore, and leaves behind 8 thick and viscous slime, which destroys the vegC' tables. It is probably this slime that makes the waters of the Saone so unfit for use, particular!) at Lyons ; but they are good for the purpose ei dyeing, and all the dyers of Lyons have thei^ houses ©n the banks. We change horses at Sr Remain, and presently pass Beauregard; stop Riotier, a small village where there are sever- ; little taverns; the women and girls belonging t i which run to meet the travellers on their landing i to get them for guests. We now no longer see the little felt hat of thf Maconaise peasant; here the women are all habited a la Lyonnaise; the hair is turned up behind en chignon, and a cap trimmed with lace in small plaits: the bosom is entirely covered with a handkerchief, also ornamented with lace, and the gown is gene¬ rally green or brown; the better sort wear a bordei of broad silver lace; the apron is of a rose colour, and the shoes of black leather with small heels ! the neck is generally adorned with a necklace of gold, of three or four rows. Continuing our journey, we pass the little town of Trevoux; here are several pretty houses and gardens. At the distance of five or six miles from Lyons is a large town, called 53 Villefranche* Veuvilley where we again change horses. Several ioats, composed of one or more large boats, to vhich are fastened ten or twelve smaller ones, may¬ be frequently seen going up the Saone, many of ivhich are laden with wine, soap, &c. they are ge¬ nerally tracked by fourteen or sixteen horses, A short distance from the river side on the right, are the quarries whence the Lyonnais have their stone for building ; the chief article of commerce here. The Saone contracts by degrees, and we begin to see a succession of pleasant country houses, which present a most diversified and delightful prospect all the way to Lyons. Those who go by land also, will not be without gra- fication in point of beautiful country. From Macon to Villefranche, we pass several villages, and nume¬ rous vineyards, and observe some pretty landscapes. Villrfranche, on the Morgon, consists of one large street, resembling a square, and is chiefly remark¬ able for its calicoes and handsome women. The old proverb of la lieue d*Anse a Villefranche est la plus belle lieue du monde is abundantly realised : we travel over the most delightful plain which sepa¬ rates the two towns, in the midst of quick-set hedges, fruit-trees, and verdant meadows. After rise, the hills and vineyards are agreeably inter¬ spersed with numerous country seats, a groupe of ; which, including a very fine chateau, forms the ; pretty village of Lucenay. On the other side of the i Saone, which flows about a mile from Anse, rises in the form of an amphitheatre, crowned with the I ruins of a gothic castle, the little town of Trevouxy ^ noted for the “ Journal des Savansf and the great F 3 54? Paris to Lyons by Bu7‘gu?idy. ** Dictionary of the French language” printed ^ here. Quitting Echelles, we keep by the side of the Alont d^Or^ whose wood-crowned summit, feeds a t'.umber of goats, which supply the cheese of Mont d^Or, so well known at Lyons. This mountain also furnishes a great quantity of excellent free¬ stone. An almost continual descent leads from Limonest to Lyons, in the midst of vineyards, groves, orchards, gardens, and country-seats, which ornament the banks of the Saone, in the en¬ virons of this city. On our left, we have the ro¬ mantic valley of Rochecardon. Those who like to quit their carriage here, may enjoy a charming walk to Lyons, by a path along this vale, which leads to the banks of the Saone. Every spot, every house, in this mysterious retreat, calls to mind the elo quent, the impassioned, but self-torturing sophist, the wild Rousseau. Tho? apostle of affliction, he who threw Enchantment over passion, and from woe Wrung: overwhelming eloquence, yet knew How to make madness beautiful, and east O’er erring deeds and thoughts, a heavenly hue Of words, like sun-beams, dazzling as they past The eyes, which o’er them shed tears feelingly and fast. BYRON. The wood and fountain of Roset^ which we reach by a steep path, curiously cut in the rock, were Rous¬ seau’s favourite haunts. Here his name is inscribed on a stone, amid a host of vulgar, and a syca¬ more bears his well-known motto, Vitam imyen- dcre vero. But to continue our walk. The numerous coun-r try seats on both banks of the Saone, the Ide 55 Paris to Lyons hy Troyes and Dijon. Barhe and its vicinity, present an enchanting pros- oect. The most remarkable of these chateaux are irsr, Roset, near the wood of that name; next, Vernet, on the other bank of the river; farther |;till, one elevated on a fine terrace; the to^ver pf i 'a belle Allemande, who was condemned to pass heV ife here by her jealous husband; and last and . nost celebrated of all the maison de la Claire^ on he right bank of the river, having some fine gardens laid out by Le Notre. Approaching Lyons we pass between this house and the spacious jind well built chateau of M. Duchere, situated A’here the two roads from Paris n^eet. This vast ' milding, was at the time of the Revolution, one of he principal nvant-postes of the besieged as well as if the attacking army. The Place de la Pyrarnide, i Vhere the faubourg of Lyons commences, is nearly pposite. ^o. 3. From Parts to Lyons, hy Ti'oyes and Dijon y 62| posts, 3311 English miles. tOM POSTS. L aris to Charenton • • • • 1 jirosbois .. Lrie-Comte-Robert • • • ■ ^jluio^nes .. 2 ? ilorinant Li'angis.. • • < rovins tiont-sur-Seine i rez.. L ROVES (*). Lif. Parre-k'S-V auoyes has a theatre and some pretty w’alks in^ fts, i nvirons. Girardon the sculptor, and Mignard the i! ainter, were born here. Population 26,700. I At Bar-sur-Seine there are manufactures of caps, [ aper, and cutlery, and a population of 2,300 in- l; abitants. The next town is Chatillony divided by i,!ie Seine, and having several iron mines and forges f’l its neighbourhood; as well as manufactures of ^ oarse cloth, serges, caps, druggets, paper, cotton, t iread, and some excellent tan-yards. Population r ,000 j Between Chanceaiix, a village, and post, and i aint Seine, the source of the Seine is found in a f lace called Evergeraux. At a little distance from I Ihanceaux, it is only a little rivulet, which we > ass over, on a small stone bridge. Saint Seine I i a small town situated in a deep valley, the road i ) which is very steep and winding very much to iivoid the rapidity of the descent. The church f;)i;merly belonged to a rich and celebrated abbey. In this part of the country they cover the roofs the houses with small slabs of calcareous stone, hich are readily found in the fields. Prom its v |eing proper for this purpose, it is named pierre \'^gulaire, or as the people of the country call it, :hme. They have only to look for this in the fields, ^ ut they would have to send for tiles from a consi- ierable distance. Their manner of roofing houses inquires that the walls should be very solid, as ell as the carpenter’s work, to support the 58 Paris to Lyons by Troyes and Dijon, weight. If the walls were not solid, at the end O' two or three months they would begin to cracl and bend ; but a good roof constructed in this way will last for nearly half a century. The little lames are also employed to make thf walls which separate the inclosures, in the rudesi fashion and without cement. They content them¬ selves with placing them one on the other, taking care that the highest shall be of the largest size, the small ones being placed in the middle. Th« high road has a wall of this kind, and there arc also in the fields walls like them, which separate the lands of the different owners. Before we arrive at Val Suzon, we descend very long and steep declivity ; on the one side larg^ rocks, and on the other precipices, beyond whicn another mountain is seen almost entirely covere- with rocks. The village of Val Suzon is formed ci two clusters of houses situated in the bottom of thr same valley, at a little distance one from another upon the borders of the Suzon, a small river that in the summer months is nearly dry, but which has a stream sufficient to turn some mills. It aboundi with trout; the largest do not weigh more than half a pound, but are excellent. They are much esteemed at Val Suzon and are greatly in request at Dijon at the best tables. On leaving Val Suzon we continue to ascend fo! about three miles, but the road is good and kept in excellent repair: the side of the mountain i* bordered with immense oaks, between which pines rear their heads. The appearance of this place ii truly picturesque, and affords the traveller a rich recompence for his fatigue. While contemplating 59 Dijon, ith pleasure this magnificent scenery, we some to a iss mountainous part; and, having passed 'Palant, castle which the ancient dukes of Burgundy lade their residence, we soon after come in sight of Dijon, the chief town of the department 'the Cote d’Or, one of the most highly cultivated stricts in France; and is situated in an agreeable id fertile plain, between the rivers Ouche and izon. The castle, the hospital, the rue de Conde, le front of Saint Michael’s church, the work of ugues Sambin, the rival and friend of Michael ngelo; and the front of the church of Notre ame, a chef-d’ceuvre of Gothic architecture, are arthy of particular notice. The effect of this last, ivvever, has been much injured by the revolution^ ;s, who broke and defaced the statues with which was embellished. Other remarkable buildings e the palace of the government, the grand square; id two spires ; that of St. Benignus, 375 feet, and at of Saint John, 300 feet in height. The Uni- rsity of Dijon, was formerly, one of the most i nsiderable in France. i Dijon has a Museum, which is in one of the wings i; the antient palace of the Dukes of Burgundy, l|d possesses some good pictures, marbles, and en- |iavings. The public walks are very beautiful, |rticularly that of the Course, which leads to the |rk. Besides this, may be named those of the I'quebuse, the Retreat, and Tivoli. This town I’ve birth to Bossuet, Buffon, Crebillon, Piron, id other illustrious men. Guyton de Morveau, the Ijlebrated chemist, was a native of Dijon. No one ler exerted himself with greater assiduity, during I rery long series of years, in public and private 60 Paris to L^ons hy Troyes and Dijon, life, than Monsieur Guyton deMorveau. Procureur^ ghieral for the space of two and twenty years at Dijon, Solicitor-general of one of the Frencl Departments; Member of the Legislative Body o: the National Convention ; of the Council of Five^ hundred; occasionally upon the Committees or Financial, Diplomatic, and Legislative Subjects Commissary to the Armies, and to the Frontiers and, finally^ Director-General of the Mint; he migh fairly be supposed to have no time for any othc; occupation: but when we reflect that he was stil better known for his services to science—that ht w'as a public Professor of Chemistry at Dijon, an-; Paris, for upwards of thirty years; that he fulfillei the duties of Director-general of the Polytechn’: School, for a considerable space of time; and flnall> that during twenty-six years as Member of tl National Institute, he furnished several iraportai.’ memoirs and reports to that scientific body, publisht' in its transactions; besidesmany other papers printe< in tlie Annales de Chimie, of which he w^as one o tlie earliest and most indefatigable editors;—wi cannot withhold that just tribute of praise and adrai ration which his memory now demands, and wind it will call forth in all ages. M. Guyton de Morveau died on the 21st Decerabei 1815; not having quite completed his eightieth year but time enough to avoid the order of hanishmer in which he had been included by the present gc vernment of France. As a specimen of the yecidiar dialect of Burgund} we subjoin the following stanza, being part of small poem, made by a hair-dresser, on the ascer Dijon, 61 sion of Guyton de Morveau, in a balloon from Dijon, on the 25th of April 1784: J’eto lai plantai su lai tan e, J’antandi le cainon ronflai, Quand beto ai ce bru de guarre On vi ein baitea s’anvolai, Eue bole desu lo tete; Ca le diale qu’eto dedan : Ai les ampoto po le van, Sans que ran du to les airete *. Dijon has a considerable trade in corn, wine, wood, candles, printed calicoes, muslins, playing cards, and woollen and silk stockings.. It has a large nursery of muIbeiTy trees, and a mineral spring called Saint Anne. The population is about 22,000. The Chartreux, near Dijon, once so renowned • for its palaces, its church, its niausoleums, and luxurious table, fell a sacrifice to revolutionary fury \ The two tombs of the Dukes of Burgundy, in Parian marble, and other magnificent monuments of the arts, were destroyed; and the ploughshare has passed over a great part of the monastery which contained them. If the traveller should intend to remain some time at Dijon, a'very cheap and agreeable residence in every respect, he should not omit to make an ex¬ cursion to the interesting town of Besangon, one of ^he strongest and most remarkable fortresses in ' * See the interesting Life of Guyton de Morveau, in the Journal of Science and the Arts, vol. iii- p. 281, the first tri- ibute yet paid to his memory. In the year 1780, the annual revenue of this epnvent was mure than .£12,000. 6^ Dijon to Besongon, France ; or, if he propose to visit Switzerland^ he will find this, the most striking entrance to thaf romantic countr}'-, tliougli almost unknown to the English tourist; he is thus gradually prepared for the noble views which burst upon him at every step ; and ascends from pretty to picturesque; from romantic to sublime and awful scenery. No. 4. From Dijon to Besan^on, 11^ posts— 63 English miles. rZOM POSTS. FROM POSTS. Dijon to Genlis.. • • 2 Dole to Orchamps •«•••• 2 Auxonne. Saint Vit**’ . If Dole . 2 BESANfON(*).. 2 At Genlis, within sight of the road, is a chateau, belonging to the lady of that name, so well known by her numerous works for the instruction of youth. Near Auxonne is a plain where a battle was fought between the French and the Allies. This town is situated on the Saone, and has a castle, an arsenal, a school of artillery, a foun^lery of cannon, and ma¬ gazines of powder and salt-petre. It also has a trade in grain, cloth, serges, wine, and wood. Population 5,000. Dole, situated on the Doubs, has a trade in hosiery, iron and glass works, and coal mines. It was once a place of great strength, but Louis XIV. destroyed the fortifications in 1674. The Church of Notre Dame, the College, one of the finest in France, and the magnificent public walk, called the Course, are worthy of notice. The Canal of ^ Ihns.—L’H otef National, des Anciens Sauvage^. 6 Besangon, 6S he Rhine is also an object of great importance ; it i3ommences below Dole, and forming a junction vith various canals and rivers, reaches as far as 3asle, where it unites with the Rhine; thus facili- t ating the transport of goods from Switzerland and I jrermany, to the neighbouring French departments; he tedious ascent of the Rhine from Basle to Stras- . lOLirg, being entirely avoided. Great progress has seen made in this work. Near Dole are the re- nains of a fine Roman way. Population 8,200 *, '.h'oceeding through a mountainous and picturesque i.rountiy, we arrive at Besangon, a fine large city, divided into two larts by the Daubs. This place was strongly for- ified by Louis XIV., the citadel being elevated ipon a precipitous rock. Besan 9 on has an Agri- ailtural Society, an academy, royal college, school f artillery, library, museum, botanic garden ; and : ome much frequented hot baths; here are some ne remains of Roman antiquities, as an amphi- Iieatre, a triumphal arch, and the ruins of a tem- ■le. The gardens of the Granvelle palace, is the iicneral rendezvous of Besan 9 on; the walk of ijlhammars is also very agreeable. The student of lateral history will find abundant occupation in its ■icturesque environs, full of rare and curious plants^ lere is a maymfacture of clocks and watches, which j * As far as TSole^ is the higli road to Geneva (about 20 posts, * llO miles distant.) From Morey to Gex in this route, is a Accession of the wildest and most picturesque scenery. In iceading and descending the mountain of Gex (one of the ira chain,) eight or nine hours are employed : this is one of jie magnihcentnew roads cut by order of Bonaparte, and is a xrt of the grand route leading to the Simplon. See Viciure '«/y, 18ino. 64? Dijon to Lyons* equal those of Geneva, and fire-arms of the best quality ; iron-ware, hardware, printed calicoes, mus¬ lins, cloth, and stuffs, form a part of the trade of this place. Population 30,000. Supposing the traveller to have returned to Dijon, we shall now proceed to describe the route from that place to Lyons, as laid down in our Itinerary, No. 3. p. 55. We leave Dijon by the fiiubourg of the Ouche; and having proceeded about a mile, we see rising on the right, towards the S. W., the celebrated hill, over which Bacchus has spread a verdant and magnificent carpet. This hill well deserves th> name of Cote d Or, or Gold Coast, which has beei given it on account of the excellence of its wincr and the riches they produce. We continue to en¬ joy this smiling view; and every point that present. itself, is a spot more or less celebrated for the ex cellence of its wine. After haying passed Chenone and Marcehay, the wines of which are in high esti¬ mation, and before we arrive at Baraque, the first stage, we see the vineyards of Chambertin, of which our countrymen have so high an opinion. Soon after we perceive the vineyards of Morey and Chambolle. he name of C/os Vougeot, written in large characters, now attracts our attention; this vine-land derives its name from the Vogue, which flows by at a small distance from it, over which we cross by a small bridge; it formerly belonged to the monks of the Abbey of Citeaux; its extent is about 250 acres. It is now the property of MM. Tourton and Ravel, two eminent merchants, who pay great attention to its culture and improvement. Formerly NuUs* 65 t was not allowed to appropriate to this species of .usbandry any lands, except such as were proper Dr it; but now, when the regulations relative to his point are no longer in force, vines are fre- uently planted in low watery grounds, which pos- ess none of the properties requisite for a vineyard ; ut this is not the case with the vineyard of Vou- :eot, which is cultivated with extreme care; the dne made here is sold in bottles, the price of which > six francs (five shillings) each. The proprietors lave always 500,000 bottles in store. Some of the fine is twelve years old; but it will not keep be- ond that age. This vineyard enjoys the greatest elebrity; but that of Vosges^ at a little distance rom it, on the road to Nuits, has gained an almost qual degree of reputation. These names recal to mind the disputes which ecur at every banquet among the Burgundians, ! elative to the superiority of the produce of the se- ' era! vineyards ; and which frequently become very Animated, generally ending in very considerable :vagers. We now soon arrive at r NuitSf a place celebrated on account of its vine- ards, and the great trade carried on there with the v ifts of Bacchus. The wines of the neighbourhood hse into great repute after the illness of Louis VTV. in 1680; who received great benefit from ;ieing recommended, by his physicians, the old dune of Nuits, as a restorative. The price of the Article, w'hich till then had been very moderate, i'as considerably increased, and large quantities ye now exported. Nuits is a small town, situated t the foot of a hill called Cote Nidtojie, on the ank of the Meuzin; planted with the excellent P 8 66 Dijon to Lyons* vines, which have raised the reputation of the place, where every thing has an air of comfort and competence. Manufactures of coarse cloths and other common stuffs, such as druggets, serges, flannels, &c. paper-mills, and tan-yards. Popula¬ tion 2,600. The tract of vine-land opposite to Nuits is co¬ vered with forests, the wood of which is enjployed in smelting the ore of the iron mines, or sent as a supply of fuel to the capital. The Cote d’Or for¬ merly produced a considerable number of chesnuts, but it is a remarkable fact that this tree will not now thrive there. This tract of country ends at Vosnes; but the vineyards as far as Beaune conti¬ nue to have the reputation of producing excellent wine, Beaune^ situated in an agreeable and fertile plain, upon the Bouzeoize, at the foot of Mont-Afriqiie, is of an oval form, and has some handsome houses and wide streets; it stands pn a calcareous soil, about three leagues from the Saone; and its situa¬ tion between Chalons, Dijon, and Autun, is well suited for inland trade. Of the castle nothing but ruins remain. The church of St. Peter is tlie handsomest; but the most remarakle edifice is the magnificent hospital, founded in 144-3, by Nicholas Rollin, chancellor to Philip, duke of Burgundy, of w'hom Louis XI. of France used to say, “ It is but an act of justice in him, who has made so many poor, to build an hospital to lodge them in/' 'fhe court of this house presents some remains of Go¬ thic architecture, which have a picturesque effect. It does honour to the inhabitants of Beaune, that this asylum of sickness and misfortune is kept in a. Beaune, 67 iry good state of repair, and that they pride lemselves upon it as an intitution of great inapor- nce. The animosity of the Athenians against the The- ins was not greater than that of the inhabitants of ijon against those of Beaune. Tlie Dijonese will 've it, that the very air of the country has a ipifying effect; and they vie with each other in icribing the most ridiculous bulls and simplicities 1 the good folks of Beaune. The quarrel of iron, the poet, with them, has not a little con-. I'buted to strengthen this opinion. Genus irrita^ \e vatum! The knights of the cross-bow, of jtaunej having gained the prize in 1715, Piron, who ! ?n resided in Dijon, his native city, held them up i ridicule in a burlesque ode. Fifteen months forwards the Beaunese gave back the prize. Pi¬ n’s friends begged him not to go to Beaune; but paid no regard to their advice, and his temerity .1 nearly cost him dear, as he informs us himself 1 his Voyage de Beaune. His antagonists began ^ attack with insults and threats. Piron kept up l!'unning fire of bons-mots, puns, and epigrams, bi friends endeavoured to carry him off the field of ? tie: but fie resisted, exclaiming Allez; je ne crains pas le«r impuispaufc coiirroux ; Et quami je seiois sent, je les batterois tous! laving met with an ass in one of the streets, he i^iced to the long ear of the beast the green ukade of the Beauuese Bowmen, repeating aloud 1 r Motto, Marche au but. This roused their IK against him to the highest pitch. On the u}wing day, he had the imprudence to go to the Dijon to Lyons, theatre, and seated himself in the pit: all th( ydung men immediately ranged themselves on tin stage, and overwhelmed him ndth vollies of oppro brious language. At length, however, the actor with much difficulty were proceeding with the plav when a young Beaunese, disgusted with the up roar, exclaimed “ Silence! gentlemen ; 'tis impos sible to hear any thing/^—“ ’Tis not however fu want of ears!’* replied Piron. His enemies no' breathing the most deadly vengeance, pursued th poet with sticks and swords through the streets and he probably would have fallen a victim to the; rage, if a good-natured citizen had not permitte him to take refuge in his house. Ever after Pin' vented his spleen against the Beaunese in a grt; number of epigrams, and his townsmen the Dijt nese have not failed to imitate him. All the pu' or plays upon words to which the comparisons of sot with an ass can give rise to, have been employt for this purpose by them to satiety, in a mann' more or less ingenious. Is there any real foundation for this opinion the great simplicity of the Beaunese ? we must ow that having heard so much of it, and read the hu dreds of naivetes and blunders told of them, it w difficult to divest ourselves of prejudice; and du ing the time we were in the town, there occurn nothing calculated entirely to remove tins prejudic it seemed as if no one gave a proper answer to t' questions put to them. But our stay was too she. to enable us to form a correct opinion: and we w not follow the example of a certain fellow countr ■ man, who wrote in his journal, tl’at at B/ois all t: Beaune* 69 romen were earrotty and peevish, though he had ieen only the hostess of the inn where he put up. But even admitting that the Beaunese in general lave little wit, and a sluggish imagination, this •ule is not without an exception ; and they may 2 ite with pride the names of some very eminent* tiien, to whom their town has given birth—artd particularly TVI. Monge, to whom we owe so many discoveries in physics, chemistry, and geo¬ metry. There are some line walks at Beaune, particu¬ larly that of the fountain of Aique. Its trade, in excellent wine, is very considerable; and it has manufactures of woollen and cloth, and some quar¬ ries in its environs. Population 8,500. Passing the celebrated vineyards of Pomare and Volriay, and several small villages, we arrive at Chagny, a small town on the left bank of the Heiine, which has a great trade in fine wines. Here is also a cloth manufactory. Hence, nothing worthy of remark occurs till we reach Chalons, which, with the route to Lyons, we have already desribed, at p. 46. 10 L^ons — History, CHAPTER II. I)eseription of Lyons and its Environs.—Excursions ti (£hamhery and Grenohlo.—Voyage down the Uhone from Lyons to Avignon.—Description of Avignon.- Excursions to VaucLasCy Carpentras, Cavaillon, (.^c. I Lyons is a very antient city; its foundation U attributed to Lucius Minutius Plancus, one of Julius Caesar’s officers, about 40 years before the birth ol. Christ. In the time of Augustus, Lyons was con¬ sidered the capital of the Gauls, and money was coined there; its original name of Lvgdunum was changed for that which it has ever since borne, be¬ cause the cohorts from this part of Gaul which are enrolled in the Roman legions had a lion for their device;—some coins which were struck here by order of Mark Antony, have his effigy on one side, and on the reverse a lion, with the vyord Lugduni. Under Antony was constructed the celebrated aqueduct which brought the waters of the little river Furens to Lyons, a distance of several leagues. Three arches of this aqueduct, still tolerably per¬ fect, are to be seen, near the road, on entering the city, from Paris; and several other remains of it are scattered in different parts. Under the reign of Claudius Caesar, Lyons was nearly demolished by a dreadful fire, but it was re¬ built by Nero, and afterwards much enlarged by Adrian and Marcus Antoninus; to the latter a tem¬ ple was erected, which is supposed to have stood Lyons — History. 71 'here is now the place of St. John. The city fter the period of the Antonines, embracing the Christian faith, was cruelly persecuted by the Em- eror Severus; nineteen thousand of the inhabi- mts were massacred by his order, and the city al-. lost laid in ruins. In the following century it ose again into splendour and opulence, and the Christians were permitted the unmolested exercise f their religion. At the fall of the Roman Empire, Lyons was for time under the dominion of the Dukes of Bur- undy; but in the sixth century it came under the wings of France, as it has ever since remained; xcept in a short interruption, when the kingdom ras divided among the sons of Lothaire the first, nd Lyons devolved on Charles the youngest son : nd when under Lothaire the second it was given s a portion to Matilda his sister, on her marriage nth Conrade, Duke of Burgundy; but in both iiese instances it was soon united to the French rown. In the time of the League, it had for a loment fallen off from its allegiance to its rightful avereign; but soon repenting, it submitted to lenry the fourth, and afterwards gave him so many roofs of attachment that he used to call it his ood city of Lyons. We have seen this city con¬ amed by fire, under the reign of Claudius; we ave seen it suffering from a cruel persecution, :nder that of ^everus; in the eighth century it was Imost depopulated, and laid in ruins, by the Sa- acens, and dreadful ravages were made there by a isitation of the plague, in 1628; but perhaps nder none of these calamities did it experience ufferings so severe as in the devas^tations to which 72 LyoJis — Iluiory, it was condemned after its surrender to the Cdi ventional army, in 1793. Before the revolution or of the most populous and opulent cities in Franc. Abounding in fine buildings; it was, till within thei few years, and indeed in some respects even at tl present time, a sad monument of the fatal excesst to which an insatiate thirst for vengeance may fc; carried, when freed from all restraint and control. Till the final overthrow of royalty, however, u to the 10th of August, 1792, no steps had bee taken against Lyons by the zealous revolutionist; but from that period its suiTerings may be dated, under the notorious Chalier, the worthy friend an* emulator of Marat, a Central Club was formed, e whom such endless vexations were inflicted on tii Lyonnais, that their patience being exhaustec the citizens determined to make an effort to slia:, off the yoke. On the night between the 29th an 30th of May, they rose upon their Jacobin oppre. sors, and expelling both the Central Club, and tb 8ans-culotte mayor, with all their dependents, the hoped that an end would be put to their trouble Alas ! how great was their error! instead of bein the termination it might be called but thebeginnin of them ; ail their former sufferings were nothing t what they subsequently encountered. J'he da which followed the night of this victory, presente' a most affecting spectacle. Persons of all rani and descriptions, who before were scarcely knovv to each other, met in tlie streets and squares, wit embraces and congratulations of what had passec mingled with tears of joy and gratitude, and th union of hearts and sentiments which now burs forth, seem to assure to the city the enjoyment c 73 Lyons — History. peace and tranquillity. But these flattering hopes were of short duration ; the Convention, incensed at what had passed; indignant likewise against the Lyonnais, for having disowned their authority as the legal representatives of the nation, and for having rejected the constitution which they had im¬ posed, ordered an army to march against this de¬ voted town, under the command of the Generals Kellemian and Dubois Crance. (See Piumtree’s llesidence in France, vol, I. p. 233, 236.) The bombardment of the city was commenced, but its effect considerably retarded by the exertions md precautions of the inhabitants in preventing -onflagrations, and extinguishing the fusees of K)mbs. The investment was, however, so close, f hat famine began to be severely felt: corruption 1 ound its way within the walls, and treasons, disco* i rejjed and punished, only created alarm and mis- [ rust. New missionaries w^ere sent to the besieging j ireiy, among whom were Couthon, Maignet, and l ^hateauneuf Itandon ; they addressed a proclama* ■ ion to the inhabitants, requiring an unconditional S urrender, which being disregarded, a more fu- I ions bombardment and cannonade was com- j lenced, the ivorks were carried by main force, \ nd several important posts fell successively into the I ands of the assailants. General Doppet, who ar- I lived from the army of the Alps, to command the Ji ege, was preparing to make a last attack, when [ re people opened their gates, and surrendered at iscretion. General Precy, at the head of two llrpusand five hundred men, and escorting many ) omen and children, made his escape; but an i mmuniticn waggon being blown up, occaBioncA 74 Lyons — History, great destruction among bis lielpless followers : and the country being raised, and the fugitives being pur¬ sued by a party of the victorious enemy, the whole detachment was put to the sword. In the fate of their defenders the people of Lyons might anticipate their own ; a decree passed the Convention for razing all the buildings, except the abodes of the poor, of murdered patriots, and houses of industry and public instruction. On the site of it a column was to be raised, with an inscription, “ Lyons xvarred against liberty—Lyons is no more and the name of the city was changed to Ville Affranchie. This decree |^ve additional energy to the measures of vengeance, already pursued: twenty thousand men, who had signed a petition, were devoted t.; destruction at once, on the motion of Dubois Crance ; and an intention was publicly professed c' reducing the population from a hundred and fort*, thousand to tw*enty-five thousand souls at the ut most. As a means of exciting the Jacobins to re¬ lentless revenge, the remains of Challier were brought to view, and worshipped, like those o his political preceptor, Marat. Robespierre pro nounced his eulogy to the Jacobin club and Dor i feuille, at Lyons ; and Collot d’Herbois, Montaut i and Louche, were deputed by the Jacobins to ac celerate measures of cruelty, and instituted an im j pious fete, at the close of which it was proposed t( \ murder all the prisoners; but a sudden storm drow i the people to their houses. No time was, however lost in forwarding the work of destruction ; the mis sionaries boasted to the Convention of their index) ^ bility, and required the explosion of mines, and th rapidity of flame to gratify their desires of externr 75 Lyons—Hist ory, lation; and the Convention received, with cold- less a petition from the inhabitants of this large, )eautiful, and rich city, referring it to the com- nittee of public safet}^, which had ordered their lestruction More than three thousand of the inhabitants of ^yons fell a sacrifice to the siege and the guillotine. The venerable Delandine who has published a : Catalogue Raisonne of the MSS. in the public li- irary, narrowly escaped falling a sacrifice in this readful carnage. He was imprisoned for some ime, and has published a deeply interesting, but eart-rending narrative of the siege of this place by : lie republican army, and of the massacre of it$ ; >yal inhabitants. The guillotine was erected in [ tie Place de Bellecour^ which literally overflowed F ith the blood of its victims ^ The death of that monster Robespierre having I ut an end to the sufferings of this devoted city, I a the 29th of May, 1795, funeral honours were li slebrated to the memory of those who fell under Me reign of terror. “ On the field of death itself, > i the midst of the earth which covers the remains i f so many innocent victims, on the plain of the 5;rotteaux, a cenotaph was erected. On a large ise, ascending in steps like an amphitheatre, was - aced an immense sarcophagus, round which was Ijng a drapery of black, festooned with bunches ' r laurel, of oak, and of roses. They to whom ■ * Adolphus’s History of France, vol. I. p. 457. i\\e H'lstoire du Sieger de Lyon, depuis i'lQS, jusgu'en. '’96, Svo. 2 tom. Paris, 1797 j or Miss Plumtree’s Three ;ar’s Residence in France, vol. I. where the most interesting rts of this narrative are given at length. II 2 76 Lyons — History, this^ monument was dedicated had a right to the laurel, since they had fought for their country; t( the oak, as the civic crown, since they had prove( themselves good citizens; and to roses, since thi j flower has been considered, by all nations, as tin I emblem of virtue, as the symbol of that transitor; life which blooms for an instant, then to disappea for ever. At each corner of the sarcophagus wer< Larvee, the genii considered by the Egyptians, an< afterwards by the Greeks, as the guardians of thi tombs; they supported tablets of stone, on whici were groups of owls, the birds of night, emblem of the long, long night of the tombs, ami thes again supported’ the ihuriferre, or vases, in whicj were burned the perfumes and incense. From th centre of the sarcophagus rose a pyramid, sut mounted by the funeral urn, and at its base were t\^ female figures, veiled, holding lacrymatories, an appearing overpowered with grief and despair. O the four fronts of the sarcophagus were inscribe four stanzas, of which the following is a spirite translation: i Here Lyonnese, your sighs be breathed; Here o’er your friends j'our requiems swell: To you their courage they bequeathed, O live like them ! O die as well! Death to their eyes, wore victory’s face: Sated with crime’s unceasing round, Glory they clasped, in death’s embrace, Repose beneath this sod they found. Traveller, who jotirneyest near our dust. With fond respect one flower bestow. And teach thy sons, O sacred trust! That from our deaths their blessings flow. 77 Lyons — Situation — Climate, Field, scene of many a bloody feud, What tombs, what trophies, shall be thine ! Sunk in thy bosom’s solitude. What prowess, virtues, power recline. band of music, vocal and instrumental, with Irums muffled and decorated with bunches of aurel, and black crape, marched first, playing and inging a solemn requiem. They were followed by n immense concourse of the inhabitants of Lyons, f all ranks and degrees, all bathed in tears, which ,eli alike for departed friends and a degraded coun¬ ty.” (See Miss Plumtree’s Residence in France, ©1.1, p. 360.) This memorial, however, was not suffered to re- lain more than a year; since the change of affairs, Jt us hope that some simple monument of these lelancholy times, may yet rear its head, as a warn- ig voice to future generations. : The situation of the modern town of Lyons, I early in the centre of two navigable rivers, and at iie junction of many public roads, is extremely iivourable to commercial pursuits. The Rhone ffords an expeditious communication with Lan- uedoc, Provence, and the Mediterranean; the i,aone, uniting with the Doubs, lays open the trade i f Burgundy and Franche Comte; the vicinity of leneva, Switzerland, and Savoy, facilitates an ad- antageous traffic with these states, and invites, ,|irough their channel, to more extended dealings i ith a considerable portion of Germany, Piedmont, nd Italy. I Though the clmate of Lyons is very fine, no I lace is subject to more sudden changes from heat i) cold. The greatest heats are in June and July? II 3 78 Lyons-^Productions^ Manners. and in a part of August; towards the latter end of this month a considerable quantity of vain falls, till about the middle of September: and from this time to the end of November is the pleasantest part of the year. The cold is often very severe ir* winter, and frosts sharp enough to destroy all the vine-buds have sometimes occurred in the month of April. Among the natural productions of this part ot" France,are the white mulberry tree, which is stripped of its delicate leaves to furnish food for the silk¬ worm ; the two sorts of chesnut {marron and cka iaigyie) the first held in the greatest estimation ; anu that delicate little bird the bex-figue^ erroneousk, supposed to live upon figs; fine horned cattle ; ex ccllent potatoes and oflier vegetables, fn seven*! villages of the Mont d*Or, very nice cream-cheese are made; and the sausages, called cervelats de Lyon, are deservedly celebrated. Much of the mne made on the banks of the Rhone is excellent, particu¬ larly that of Condrieux; the waters of the Saone abound with delicious fish. Wood for fuel is not very plentiful, but there are numerous mines ol coal in the Lyonnais. Before the Rcvolation, Lyons was reckoned, after Paris, the most polished town in France; it is now much altered as it respects the male population; warmly devoted to commerce, the Lyonnais are ac¬ tive, industrious, keen calculators, and prudent in their speculations; consequently, gracefulness ol manners, and a taste for letters are not to be ex. pected in this great provincial town: yet we must do them the justice to observe, that though like the inhabitants of London and Liverpool, they are con- 79 L^ons-^ Streets — Squares* Inually immersed in trade, they are not backward 1 contributing a portion of their enormous wealth 0 the encouragement and support of literature and he arts. The women, toiijours seduisanles, particu- arlv in the South of France, are very handsome,, ud engaging in their manners. A long stay at Lyons is very expensive. To hose who remain here some time, it is much more conoinical to hire ready furnished apartments on me of the quays, and to dine at a table d’hote, of ^hich there are several at different prices. This is jeneraliy the best method in all great towns. Lyons is, in general, well-built, but the streets re narrow, and from the great height of the houses lave a dark, gloomy appearance, many of them >eing much loftier than at Paris ; the pavement also, omposed of small sharp stones, is very unpleasant 0 pedestrians. In the quarter of Gourgillon, chiefly iihabited by mechanics, the streets are so steep, that xcepting the public road, which has been made omewhat more convenient, it is not possible for arriages to pass; on each side there is a kind of oot-path, the steps to which are so very high that 1 great rains the water runs in torrents. The lack colour of the houses, dirty, ill-built, and badly lazed, gives to all this quarter a dismal and disgust- ig appearance. Notwithstanding this, there are lome fine parts or quarters. The Place de Belle- i 9 ?o', before the Revolution, was considered one of !:ie handsomest squares in Europe; it is one thou- ^itind feet in length, and six hundred and fifty at the I'idest end; one end being fifty feet narrower than le other. An equestrian statue in bronze of ;, DEVM Fro Salvte Imperaioris caes-t.aeli , Hadriani Anlonini avc-pii pp. Liherorum que Eivs Et Status Co/o/n> LVGUDVN L. AEMILIVS CARPVS Iiiiil VIR AVG ITE^^ (Here is the figure of a BuJVs Head.) VIRES EXCEPIT ET A VATICANO TRAN’S TVLIT AHA ET BVCHANIV.M DENDROPHORVS VORON FECIT. 84 . Lyons — Cathedral, SVO INPENDIO CONSACRAVIT SACERDOTE Q. SAMMIO SECVNDO AB. XV VIRIS OCCABO ET CORONA EXORNATO CVI SANCTISSIMU6 ORDO LVGDVNENS PERPETVITATEM SACERBOTI DECUEVIT APP. ANNIO, ATILO BRADVA T CLOD VIBIO VARO COS L. D. D. D. “ For the bull-offering of the grand-mother ' the gods Idenius, Drudyminius, which was made I order of the divine mother of the gods, for the servation of the emperor Caesar, Titus, ^lin Adrian, Antoninus the Pious, as much a father i this country, as of his own children, and of ti state of the colony of Lyons. Lucius iEmili^ Carpus, Sextumvir, Augustal, and Dendrophori. have preserved the sexual organs of the bull, ha^ conveyed them to the Vatican, and have cons< crated the altar, and the bucranium at their expenc under the priesthood of Quintus Sammius Secur dus, ornamented by the Quindecemvirs, with a occabo (or bracelets), and a crown, to which tl; most holy order of Lyons decreed the perpetui priesthood, under the consulate of Appius Annii Atilius Bradua, and of Titus Clodius Vibius Varu The place was granted by a decree of the Dcci rions.” Among the remarkable Churches at Lyons th traveller should first visit the Cathedral, a fine sp< cimen of the Gothic, or rather Moorish architectun constructed at various times, principally in tb reigns of Phjlip Augustus and Louis the Fdevent! Lyons—Cathedral 85 I In one of the transepts of this cathedral is a fa- ous clock made by Lipsius of Basle, in 1598. In e upper part are a number of little figures whicli 3ve mechanically to the chimes, which play every j'ur, the hymn of St. John. A cock crowais the Hole and announces the hour by clapping his ijjngs and crowing. Above is an astrolabe, shevv- |g the positions of the sun in the signs of the zo- uc, and the phases of the moon. At the bottom |ia perpetual calendar. traveller should also visit the church of St. *. lui, which has an altar-piece by Le Brun; those of X 86 Lyons — Library — Museum, the ci-devant Feuillans, where are the ashes of Cinq Mars, and of the celebrated De Thou, who was exe¬ cuted by the command of the Cardinal Richelieu, in the place DesTerreaux; of Saint Nizier, built in the XIV. century; and ofthe College which has a very fine nave. The Library, which commands a beautiful view of the Rhone, is one of the finest structures in Europe, and the most considerable in the depart¬ ments. The building consists of a long and spacious hall, surrounded with a gallery, as in the Royal Library at Paris, and contains more than 120,00G volumes, 800 of which are MSS. The library suffered much during the Revolution. A battalion was lodged here, and the soldiers during six month- kindled their fires with the books. The library of the late M. Adamoli, an individual, who bequeathetf his noble collection of books to the public, is placed in an apartment on one side of the grand hall, which fortunately remained unopened during the siege. Adjoining is a small closet of antiquitiesj which contains many interesting and estimable curi- osities. A considerable quantity of gold and silver medals, valued in the mass, at ^'800, were disposed of to a goldsmith, in the reign of terror. The Museum contains some good pictures and antiquities, among M'hich is the bronze leg of a horse, probably belonging to an eques¬ trian statue, the history of which is very singu¬ lar. From time immemorial, the watermen anc fishermen had observed in the Saone, between th« wooden bridges, on one side of that at Aisnay when the water was low, a large substance which they-called the Broken Iron Tot. The fishermer carefully avoided the place for fear of breaking ! 87 Lyons—A n tiquities. their nets; the watermen, on the contrary, laid hold of it with their boat hooks to help them up the stream* However this supposed pot resisted all these efforts for fifteen hundred years. On the 4th of February, 1766, the water being frozen hard, and at the same time very low, a boat-builder, one Bar¬ tholomew Laurent, perceived that whar had been taken taken for a pot till that time, was something of greater magnitude, and that it would be worth while to get it up. He confided his intention to one of his friends, a man named Louis I’Etoile, and as they were not strong enough themselves, they called some porters to their assistance, and and making use of a rope, after many efforts, they dragged out this horse’s leg; they offered it to a citizen of Lyons for eighteen livres, which he re¬ fused to give; they then carried it to the hotel-de- ville, and received two louis from the prevost; it was afterwards placed in the museum. The qua- : drangular court belonging to this building, is filled !;With Roman monuments and inscriptions, which are Tastefully arranged or let into the walls, as in the jTownley Gallery of our own Britisli Museum. Antiquities ,—In the church of Enay, built on the ruins of a temple, and dedicated to Augustus, is a cu- I rious Mosaic, discovered in 1806, in the garden of a M. Macors, Rue de Passy. Four marble columns that support the dome are all that remains of this .jmagnificent temple, the offering, &c. This city t abounds with antiquities; such as the ruins of an antient aqueduct, near the church just mentioned; ime of its reservoirs is entire, and called the grotto if Bazelle; the fine remains of another aqueduct, leaf the church of St. Irenee; a fine Mosaic, in 88 l.yons — Hospitals, the maison Cassere; some vestiges of a theatre In the close of the Minimes; subterraneous reservoirs in that of the Ursulines, and also in the Maison des Antiquailles, built on the ruins of a palace of the Roman Emperors; here are several curious relics, as piles of coal, melted metals, fragments of vases, &c. &c, Lyons has many hospitals and benevolent insiitU' tiom, which are indispensably necessary in a place where the bulk of the inhabitants is composed of mechanics and manufacturers. Most of the common people are supported by silk loorks ; if, therefore^ the produce of the mulberry trees should fail, (as U sometimes the case), the manufactories stop, ant the workmen become destitute. A prolonged war, successive court mournings, and above all, the caprice of fashion, have similar effects. The Gram Hospital is a very fine building, and has not it; equal in France; its immense front of the Ionic ; order, looks towards the Rhone. In the interior is! a fine stair-case, in the interior of which is repre-1 sented the crocodile) said to have been taken in the I Rhone, at the beginning of the last century. The j size and distribution of the apartments, as well as I the excellent administration of the income of this hospital, amounting to more than 16,000, will excite the most pleasing reflections in the mind of the philanthropist. It is attended by the scours de la charitl, who are distinguished from the novices by the cross which they wear at their bosoms. The brothers wear at the left side a plate of silver, on which is engraven an image of the Virgin Mary at the foot of the cross. The establishment of La Chariti) devoted to various purposes, and parti- Lyons — Hospitals, 89 iularly to the support and employment of the indi¬ gent poor, contains about 450 objects of commis- seration. They have four meals a day. At seven 5 *clock breakfast, which consists of soup or bread, whichever they please; at lialf-past ten dinner., )eing soup, and sometimes vegetables; at two >’clock, a repetition of the breakfast; at five o’clock supper of soup and bouilli. They have meat every lay, and at each meal the value of three decilitres )f wine, about a bottle of wine a day for each per- ion. The dress of both the old men and women s black. They have liberty to be unemployed be- ween meals, or to work, to get money to supply heir little luxuries, such as tobacco, coffee, &c. They have the entire produce of their labour ; and ire furnis-hed with dress, food, and lodging. The irincipal objects of curiosity in this building are the ivork-rooms; the refectory for girls; the oratory or the old men; some cells; the manufactory for I arding and spinning wool; the refectory for the jirothers, and the manufactory for winding silk, ijlesides the children maintained in the house, there [■ire four thousand boarded in the country at the ijtharge of the establishment. There are also classes inhere they are taught reading, writing, grammar, f nd arithmetic: at the age of fourteen years, the i'lioys are apprenticed to difierent masters in the i | In tlie room called La Creclic, there are about jartv or fifty cradles. 4 hey keep the children as hoit a time as possible, and in general send them a the country the next day. They also receive nd deliver in this establishment pregnant unmar- ied wminen. I 3 90 Lyons — Mani^actures. The other charitable establishments are, the hospital of the Antiquaille; the depot de mendicHe^ for the reception of the poor, the insane, and others; the Bureau de Bienfaisancey for the distri¬ bution of fuel and food; the Institution de Bien^ Jaisanccy and other establishments of a similar nature. There are also four Maisons de Charite, one in each quarter of the city for the relief of the sick. The sisters who attend these last, also keep schools, to teach young girls to read, write, sew, and knit. Trade and Manufactures, —Lyons is celebrated for its silk manufactures of every kind, gold and sil¬ ver lace, gauze,crape, hosiery, printed calicoes, pa per, jeweller}^ &c. &c. It is a grand depot of grain and excellent wines, known by the name oi' vi/is dr rivajre. Printing and bookselling also flourish here i Population 100,000. j Among the illustrious men which Lj^ons has pro¬ duced, are, Sidonius Apollinaris, who resided at Clermont; Jacob Spon, Menestrier, Stella, Andry, Coustou, Jussieu, llozier, Bourgelat, &c. Public Walksy Environs, &c.—The Brotteaux, the Banks of the Saone, and the Allee Perrache. From the quay of the Rhone in clear weather, Mont Blanc may be distinctly seen. J here is a 6ne view from the mountain of Fourvieres. The point of sight is admirable ; the Saone runs slowly and tranquilly, washing the foot of the mountain, and beyond the city it is met by the Rhone. The quays, the streets, the squares, and the bridges are filled with crowds of people, who all appear actively engaged; a per¬ petual hum, a confused murmur, and the sound of various voices is continually heard. Behind 91 Lyons — Eimrons, he city, on the banks of the two rivers, are cheer- al gardens and pleasant country houses which corn- land a view of all Dauphiny, and this rich scene 5 terminated by the magnificent curtain of the stu- endous Alps. The charming Environs of Lyons deserve an ttentive examination, and afford a striking con- cast to the gloomy interior of the city. Les Etroits, a path on the banks of the Saone, leaching from Lyons to the bridge of Mulotiere, is a lost delightful walk, which never tires. Here is a rotto formed in the Poudingues, at the top of which 1 a fountain, a spot where Rousseau passed a night ith two small pieces of money in his pocket, which e was compelled to reserve for his breakfast the next lorning. There is an exquisite description of this ! (Iventure, in his Confessions (Part 1. liv. iv.) For the I enefit of the English reader we have ventured on a i anslation: “ I remember to have passed a delightful jiight outside the walls of the town, in a road which I orders either theRhone or the Saone; 1 forget which, file opposite side of the road was lined with gar- iens, elevated above each other in terraces. The jay had been extremely hot; but the evening \vas leiicious. The dew bathed the drooping herbage— jiere was not a breath of wind—all was tranquil—• le air was fresh, but not cold—the red clouds, hich still lingered after the setting sun, cast a re- ection of rose colour on the water; and the trees a the terraces were filled with nightingales, which, om time to time, answered each other, I walked )out in a sort of extasy, abandoning my heart and y senses to the rapture which every thing about (iC inspired : only sighing now and then at being 92 Lyons — Environs, obliged to enjoy it all by myself. Absorbed in this' delightful reverie, I continued wandering about it till it was very late, without perceiving that I was tired,* At length I grew fatigued, and composed myself to' rest, in a sort of niche or alcove, which had been cut in the wall of the terrace. The curtains of mv couch were the branches of the trees; a nightingale was singing directly over my head, and I went tn sleep by his song. My slumbers were sweet; but my waking was still sweeter. It was broad daylight —the sun was shining in my face—the water am' green grass were spread at my feet—and a beautifi prospect stretched itself into the distance befor. me. I got up—shook myself—felt that I was hui gry—and walked gayly towards the town to getm > breakfast.^* The conjiuence qfihe Saonc and the Rhone is no'' about half a league below Lyons. It was formerl. under its very walls, and the space which lies be tween the town and the present junction was ai. island called Mogniat, from the name of the famil}i to whom the property of it belonged. Under Louif the Fourteenth an attempt was made to reclaim this island, as a royal domain, when the proprietor an* swered the claim by addressing the following qua* train to the king: Qu’est ce pour toi, grand mnnarque des Gaules Qu’un peu de sable et de gravier ? Que faire de mon isle ?—il n’y croit que des saulcs Et tu n’almes que le laurier. Flis majesty, who loved flattery as well as mosi men, pleased with the compliment, relinquislied the claim. In 1770, Michel Ferrachey an architect and’ 93 Lyo7is — Eiivirons, iulptor of Lyons, but not of any great reputation his profession, in concert with some other citi* IDS, formed a plan for enlarging the city, by fill- g up the bed of the river between the island and le continent, and building there a number of new . reets and squares. To fill up any part of the bed 'a river so rapid as the Rhone, seemed so wild a •eject, that the serious reasoned upon it as a mat- r of impossibility, while among the gay and the itty it was a subject of much mirth and pleasantry, [any little squibs, in ridicule of the idea, flew )out, one of which was a pamphlet, entitled “ A roject for Dt'ying up the Mediterraneany and uilding a fevo Toivns therej by a Company of Ma¬ ns** But Perrache was not discouraged, either fT the reasonings of the old, or the satire of the .)ung; and having obtained the royal sanction to is undertaking, soon demonstrated to the reasoners I at there was nothing impracticable, and to the [ ts that there was nothing ridiculous, in his plan, he two rivers were confined within the new bounds i nch he had chosen to prescribe them, and the l and was so effectually joined to the main land, I at no one could see that they had ever been sepa- jted. A road and walk, shaded by two rows of jplarS, run along the side of the Rhone to the lid of the ci'devant island, where the rivers now I'eet; it is extremely pleasant, and in summer is a i lshionable promenade.—(See Plumtree’s France, >1. i. p. 266.) A boat goes three times a week to Avignon, Ijid every day, during the fair of Beaucairey which l igins the 22d of July, and lasts a week. Bonafous j id Co. in the rue Bat-d’Argent, have a diligence 94 Lyons to Chamhery. which goes to Turing in four days and a half iii summer, and four days in winter. A boat goe from Lyons to Chalons in sixty hours, and fror. Chalons to Lyons in forty-eight. The Compagnit Griin have stages for Besan 9 on, Strasburgh, an<’ Germany, on the Quai St. Clair ; and Gaillard, oij the same place, for Geneva; a journey of twenty^ four hours. Galline and Co. have a diligence fOj Marseilles every day. Excursion to Chambery^ Grenoble^ and the Grand\ Chartreuse, It would be inexcusable in the admirer of the ro- mantic beauties of nature, to quit Lyons withom paying a visit to some of the most picturesqu|| scenery in France, particularly at Grenoble, and iti environs. Chambery, though now a part of thv king of Sardinia's dominions, borders so closely upon France, that we shall include it in our excur* sion. Those who are going to Geneva may take Chambery in their way. No. 5. From Lyons to Chambery 14j posts, 791 English miles. FROM POSTS. FROM POSTS. Lyons to Bron. La Tour du Pin to Gaz • • i St. Laiirent-des-Mures •• i Pont-de-Beauvoisin i| La Verpillifere. i| Echelles de Savoie.2 Bourgoin. St. Thibault-de-Cour (*) if La Tour du Pin. 2 Chambery (^). On arriving at Pont Beauvoisin, situated on the Guier, which rises on the confines of Savoy and Inns. —(*) This and the last are foreign posts. (*) Perfect Union, Post, Three Kings, 95 L^ons to Chamhery, auphiny, a sensible change takes place in the >untry, the climate and the people. The moun- ins of Savoy, with their woods, rocks, precipices, ; d waterfalls, forcibly arrest the attention of the aveller; and from Pont Beauvoisin, till we have ' ; .ssed Mont Cenis, the complexions of the men and ’ )men become of a darker hue, particularly on hving Maurienne. We next pass the Guiei y over a handsome wooden lidge, of a single arch, and enjoy the view of a I h and fertile country, while we are traversing a ' ill-cultivated plain, covered with trees, vines, and ittle. We now enter Savoy, and five or six miles Tther reach the pass of Ckailksy celebrated by Busseau, in his “ Confessions,’’ (Part I. liv. iv.) * it is the same with me now,” says this inimitable iiter, in relating my travels, as it was in making | ;m. I never wish to get to the end. My heart lit with delight, as I thought of again approach- I; my beloved Mama, and yet 1 did not go a S p the faster for it. 1 like to walk at my ease, to stop just when it pleases me. The life of a piestrian is of all others the one that suits me, 1 my taste, travelling on foot, in beautiful wea- tlr, through a beautiful country, without being h'ried, and 3 ’et always having an agreeable object iryiew, is of all modes of life the most delightful. Adat country, however fine it may be, does not aji'ear so in my eyes. I must have torrents, and itks, and fir-trees, and gloomy forests, and hills ^ cult to mount and to descend, with precipices allhe sides of them, which almost frighten me. I 1 found this pleasure, and enjoyed it in all its cl;rms, at Qhamlery. Not far from a liill which is 96 Lyo7is to Chamhery, called the Fas de VEcJielle^ just below the mail road, which is cut in the rock, at a spot callec ChailleSy a little river runs boiling along through frightl'iil gulphs, which it would seem to have re quired thousands of ages to work out. To preven accidents, the road is bordered by a parapet. Fron hence I was able to look dorwn, and become giddy at my ease. I have always found something plea sant in looking down from spots which make m 3 head turn round. I like this giddiness, provided J am in safety. Resting on the parapet, I used t< lean over and gaze for hours together on the blu; and foaming waters; listening to their dashing, c; it came up to my ear, mingled with the cries of th rooks and sparrow-hawks, that are flying from roc. to rock, and from bush to bush, a hundred iohn below me. “ Where the declivity was sufficiently steep, an i' clear of bushes to admit of stones falling, I used ti go and fetch some as heavy as I could carry, collect them together in a pile on the parapet, and then throw them down one after anotb^er; and delight myself by watching them roll, and leap, and fly, in a thousand directions, before they reached the bottom. Nearer to Chambery is a spectacle of the same kind, but in a different point of view. The road passes at the foot of the most beautiful waterfall I ever beheld. The rock is so perpendicular, that the water detaches itself immediately on coming pver the edge, and falls in a kind of arch, suffici¬ ently distant from the rock to enable you to pass between that and the water, and sometimes without pven being wetted.^' Chamlery. 97 Traversing a well-cultivated plain, covered with i^ery kind of tree, vines, and cattle, we begin to icend the mountain of Echelles, on the most ele- ited part of which the road is protected by walls; rther on the road is cut between the rocks, and is* uch exposed to avalanches, when the winter snows egin to melt. The village of Echelles is situated in plain ; and, on the neighbouring heights are some lins of castles which once defended the passage to g At a short distance from the village, the travel- ascends the steep mountain of la Grotte, by a I oad and well-paved road, scooped out of the rock id made by order of Charles Emanuel, second I ike of Savoy, in the year 1670, and greatly im- loved and enlarged by Bonaparte. Quitting this fad we pass to colder regions, where at the end of fine the wheat is still green, although in other I rts of Savoy, it is nearly ready for the sickle, f Approaching Chanibery, the country sinks into a |un, and the climate is much milder. About three l ies before we arrive at this town, on the right, at i ittle distance from the road, is a cascade of the |)st limpid water, which, when the sun shines Oin i presents all the colours of the rainbow. The cvirons of Chambery are agreeable and well-cul- t ated. The large quantity of mulberry trees, an- lunces to the traveller, the country of silk-worms. \Cliambery, situated at the confluence of the lise and /vlbano, ig the most considerable towm of $voy, and has a population of 12,000 persons, 'j e houses are lofty and well-built, but being con¬ flicted of a dark-coloured stone, and the streets n: very broad, the town has somewhat of a gloomy aaeartmce. 'liie inhabitants arc polite and well- K 98 Chamhery to Grenoble, bred, and their society is very agreeable. The pub lie walk of Vernay, at one of the gates, is former of six rows of trees, and is well frequented. Her are seen the remains of a palace which was burn in 1745. Other objects worthy of notice, are th- castle, the cathedral, the hotel de ville, the Tir d< PArquebuse, the market-place, and the public li brary, where is deposited a bas-relief of great niu rit. About a mile from the town are some sul phureous waters—and at the same distance are le CharmetteSy celebrated by Rousseau. About thre. miles from Chambery, at a place called les Abtme- in the year 1249, a town of the name of St. Andn together with sixteen villages, were buried by earthquake. From Chambery we can proceed to Geneva (11, posts, or 46f English miles) return to Lyons, or fir visit Grenoble ; we shall adopt the latter route. No. 6. From Chambery to Grenoble, sever posts, or 381 English miles. FROM POSTS. FROM POST! Chambery to Chapereil- (.'hapereillan to Lumberi 2 Ian. 2 Grenoble.. 2 The first view of Grenoble presents the idea of jj fortified town, and it may be included among th(i bulwarks of France. The ramparts that surrounci it were built by Vauban, and we enter the place bj! an old draw-bridge. A fort on the summit of tin mountain, which commands Grenoble on the north i was its principal defence. Of this fort a singltj house alone remains, and is still known by tin. name of the Bastille, Thence is an excellent vienl of the valleys of the Drac and the Isere, at tht; Grenoble, 99 ermination of which, thirty leagues distant, we nay discern the summit of Mont Blanc. This su¬ perb prospect will amply repay the stranger for a atiguing walk to arrive at it. An old wall, that ncloses two sides of the mountains, ascends to its. ummit, which it contains within its circuit. As this nountain commands the city on this side, so the I amparts and terrace command an extensive plain I n the other, covered with meadows and orchards, h Grenoble is divided by the Isere into two unequal ^arts; the least considerable of these are de la '^erriere and St. Laurent^ situate between the right ^'ank of the Isere and the foot of the mountain; iid forming a long street, which gives them the , ppearance of a suburb. The o,ther part, which is rie city, properly speaking, is large, and the streets l^ell laid out; though the houses are indifferently I uilt. '1 he fine hotel de Vlntendance^ is occupied I y the prefect. The Palais de Justice, upon the I'lace St. Andre, is a Gothic edifice, and its deli- ^ite architecture has escaped the hand of time and I ie ravages of modern barbarism. The College bntains a large library, with some valuable manu- i pripts ; and, among others, the poetry of the Duke f Orleans, the father of Louis XII. Here are Iso the statues of four great men, natives of the ty: the Chevalier Bayard, the metaphysicians gondii lac and Mably, and the mechanist Vaucan- jljm. Here is likewise a fine Museum, a cabinet of itural history, and a very small one of antiquities, which are some Egyptian mummies. Grenoble )ntains a Lyceum, a School of Law and another ’ Physic; a School of Artillery, a Cour Royalc, lid an Arsenal, The commerce of this city 100 Grenoble. much promoted by the Isere, which, notwithstandi ing its rapidity, is navigable to Montmelian, twelv leagues above Grenoble: its trade consists i hemp, cotton twist, cheese, gloves, shanioy ma! nufactures, ratafia, and other liqueurs; iron fror the forges of Allevard, and marble from the neigh' bouring mountains, which is cut and polished ii the city; fir and walnut-trees are also used here the first for masts, and the latter for furniture. In this city are four bathing houses; one of thes*. has excellent accommodations; a pretty theatre' and several promenades, as la Porte de France^ 1. Jardin de la Prefecture^ or the town-garden, orna mented with a statue of Hercules in bronze, fro? the chateau which belonged to the constable Le; digneres, with the glacis and the Cours de la Grade these extend in a direct line to the distance of tw leagues from Grenoble to the Pont de Claix, bridge with one arch over the Drac, which is wort! seeing, this arch has a span of 140 feet and is 12C feet high. Grenoble owes less of its agreeableness of situa* tion to the orchards and meadows in its environs, than to the mountains and hills that constitute its horizon.—A more varied perspective is scarcely to be seen. The Alps have a finer appearance from hence than from any other place in France or Pied¬ mont, where a great part of their chain may be seen more distinctly. Here towards the east, above their summits, some of the glaciers also appear to be at no great distance. Towards the w'est, the view is limited by the Sassenage^ one of the ramifi¬ cations t>f the Alps, and towards the north, by the Grenoble — Bonaparte. 101 hartreuse, which is completely isolated. Popu- tion, 22,000. Grenoble was the first fortress of any magnitude at submitted to Bonaparte on his return from Iba, and was of the greatest consequence to him his future progress to the capital, “ Advancing* wards Grenoble, the Colonel Termanouski was et by an officer on full gallop, who said, * I salute )u on the part of the Colonel Henry Labedoyere.* „he colonel soon arrived at the head of the 4th re- ,ment of hussars, carrying an eagle, which had ben hidden in the military chest. The garrison Grenoble had been augmented by a part of the h and 11 th regiments of the line, selected on pur- )se, as not being acquainted with the Emperor's :irson, and sent from Chambery. General Mar- iiand, commanding the place, was faithful to the ing. The regular force was composed of the 7th hd 11 til, 2000 of the third regiment of engineers, |;o battalions of the 5th, and the 4th of the artil- |ry of the line, in which last regiment Napoleon |id been raised to the command of a company I '-enty five years ago. The 7 th regiment marched f;it of the town at four in the afternoon to meet the 'vaders, but were ordered back by General Mar- jiand. The whole force was ranged on the ram- irts; the cannon were loaded, and the matches jhted ; the national guards were drawn out in the |ar of the regular troops, 'and were themselves licked by the mass of the population of Grenoble. I he gates were shut at half-past eight, d’ermanou- ji, with eight polish lancers, presented himself at fe gate of Bonne, just as Napoleon entered the iburbs. He demanded the keys, and was an- K 3 102 Grenoble — Bonaparte. swered, that General Marchand had secured them; but at the same time, the garrison and the cannon- iers, instead of firing as they were ordered, shouted Vive VEmperetir, and were joined by all the inhabi¬ tants on the ramparts and those of the suburbs, who now approached with axes and began to beat down the gate. The keys were sent just as the gate was driven in; and the advanced guard, entering the town, were met by a crowd with torches, issuing out to meet Napoleon, who was soon seen walking alone, and some paces before his troops. The colonel told us that the crowd rushed upon him, threw them¬ selves before him, seized his hands and knees, kissed his feet, and gave way to every demonstra¬ tion of unbounded transport. The mayor and many of the municipality would have accompanied him to the town-house, but he slipped aside into the inn of one Labiirre, an old soldier of his guard, and was there for some time completely lost to his staff, who became so much alarmed, that Termanouski and Bertrand, after many efforts, pushed their way into the room, and found the Emperor, unaccompanied by a single soldier, in the midst of a crowd, who were thronging about him in every direction to see, to speak to, and to touch him. The officers suc¬ ceeded for a moment or two in clearing the room, and placed tables and chairs against the door, to prevent another irruption, but without success; for the crowd burst in a second time, and the Emperor was nearly two hours in their hands unattended by a single guard. It was during this period that the gate of Bonne was brought under the window of the inn by a vast body of people, who cried out, * iVa- Grenoble — Chartreuse* lOii oleon, ive could not offer you the keys of your good )xun of Grenoble^ but here are the gates.^^ ** La Grande Chartreuse. —No traveller of taste ill, we are persuaded, think of quitting Grenoble itliout visiting this ancient monastery; particularly i the road to it has been pronounced by Gray, as* le of the “ most solemn, most romantic, and most itonishing scenes, he ever beheld.” Several routes ad to the Chartreuse; but the most frequented le is that of St. Laurent du Pont. This leaves e high road and the valley of the Isere, at Vorrppe, id enters a defile between two mountains, which ns three leagues to the northward. Five or six Trents of water, which have formed the valleys rough which they pass, must be passed, but not thout some danger, before we arrive at the vil- fe of St. Laurent, where the heads of the order ' mmonly stop in their carriages when they go to 1 Id a chapter once a year at J,a Grande Chartreuse. i2re the danger of passing the first torrents is at •I end, but then that of the narrow roads hanging i;er other tortt'ents, like the cornice of a lofty tilding, commences. Those who have seen the Ming of cascades at a distance, have an opportu* ry now of being close to them. Here it is no yiger a confused noise heard a great way off, but 2^'.ontinued roar, and a noise that drowns all others, al does not permit the bird to hear his own song, n* the travellers to be delighted with it. At li gth the valley closes, as it were all at once, the I’j mountains meet, and their summits are lost iu See Hobhouse’s Letters written at Paris, during; the last r( n of the Emperor Napoleon, Vol. I. p. 122. Grenohle — Chartrsme» 104 the clouds. On each side, however, the dreadfu steeps present thorns, firs, rocks, &c., traversed b 3 the torrents, and forming a barrier equally as inac cessible to those who might wish to penetrate int< this retreat, as to others who would leave it by anv other issue than this. One house built over ai open archway, partly closed on each side by a gate occupies the whole breadth of this passage. Bu after having passed the torrent, over a dangerou bridge, thrown from one mountain to the otlier, i is necessary to pass under the house with its bacli to the right against the mountain, and upon th left suspended over an abyss. Having passed thi double gate, we find ourselves in the close of th Chartreuse, composed of a groupe of the highes mountains, the steepest and the wildest of the whol chain. Here the forests of firs that cover ther from the base to the summit, the frowning rock and torrents, are the only embellishments whicl supply the place of smiling meadows, orchards an( plantations. In traversing these astonishing region we involuntarily exclaim with the poet who visite these sublime scenes. Oh Tu, sever! Religio loci, ’Quocunqiie gaiules nomine (non leve Nativa uam cei te fluenta Numen habet, veteresqwe sylvas, PrjBsentiorem et conspicimus Deum P er iiivias ropes, fera per juga, Clivosque prasruptos, sonantes Inter aquas, nemorumque noctem *. * Ode written in the album of the Grande Chartreuse, Ai gust, 1741, Grenoble — Chartreuse, 105 Imitated, Hear awful genius of the solemt) grove, (And say what title best can please thine ear; Those age-struck w’oods, and native rivers prove No common genius bears dominion here. The trackless rocks, the mountain’s savage height, The broken cliff, inviting fell despair, The deep-brown grove where reigns eternal night, And sounding waterfalls, the God declare.) Continuing our walk about an hour towards the !ft, following the torrent of Guier vify which falls ito Guier mort, and forms the river des EschelleSy e hear the noise of the water against the rocks hich obstruct the passage^ but only see it at inter- ils through the umbrageous foliage, and running (long a frightful abyss, into which one false step light precipitate us. All at once w'e then come pon a cascade which falls down into the middle of le road from the summit of the mountain on the ght. The horses may take fright, but tliere is no IjJier passage; we must either venture directly [fider the cascade, whose volume is sufficient to '‘ush the horse and his rider, or actually pass with- il! the space of two or three feet between the pre- ! pice and the cascade under the shower that it rffuses, and through the rapid current which it 1 irms in the road. If the horse should be fright¬ ened, and should start too far to the left, he would i ';ll into the torrent which runs in a bottom beneath iiis place at a depth of more than 400 perpendicu- r feet. [I When the snows melt, tlie danger of the torrents [i '^ery great; but it is not so in summer, when pii- r rimages are generally made, unless the torrents 106 Grenohh — Chartreuse* have been swollen by great storms. We still a vance through the obscurity of the forest, tl mountain on the right, and the torrent on the le: till we come to the second bridge the ancient e trance of the Chartreuse. This bridge passed, vi cross to the opposite bank, and then have not mo than half a league of the forest to traverse befo we arrive at the convent. The same dreary scent the same lofty rocks and precipices, the same ur brageous gloom still continue. We still go ( ascending; and the mountains seem to rise in pr portion. However the coolness we enjoy her' even in the heat of summer, is always delightfl' At length the valley widens and the darkness the forest begins to disappear. The spread’ beech now takes place of the tali fir, which is on seen crowning the heights. Already the monasU appears shining through the opening foliage of tl trees. Soon the forest terminates, and we fi oi!“selves in a vast meadow, and at its extremi the eye may measure a part of that desert of whic this edifice forms the centre. “ The stupendoi rocks which iiiclose it on every side reach far abo^ the clouds, which mostly indeed rest upon the summits; here they form a dense shade, which HI a dark awning, completely conceals the sun fro the view. Were not this the case, the fierce r flexion of its beams would be almost insupportabl Even on the brightest day, the sun is only visib (owing to the proximity oi the rocks) as from ti bottom ot a deep w'ell. On the v/est, indeed, thei is a little space, which being thus sheltered, is oi cupied by a dark grove of pine-trees ; on ever other side, the steep rocks, like so riiany walls> ai Grenoble — Chartreuse. lor i)t ten yards distant from the convent. By this leans, a dim and gloomy twilight perpetually tigns within; and it is difficult to read small print ly lamp light, even in the noon of the brightest Hmmer’s day.’’ The architecture of this building I liich cost* more than a million, is noble, simple, ' I )d solid. The meadow that is before the Char- euse, is bounded by the forest which covers the hole of this elevated region. The fa 9 ade is em- idlished by the gardens and terraces belonging to , 6 ancient officers of the house. In the interior, fe visit the apartments of the strangers, the spa- jous cellars and the dairy, where they make a [ nd of Gruyere^ or Swiss cheese. The tables in pe kitchen are formed of two slabs of rough mar- [,e. The hall of the Cliapter still embellished with ;e portraits of all the heads of the order, is one the principal objects of cariosity; the extent of ,ie cloister is very striking. It contains eighty i This convent was not sold during the French re- jfiution, because no purchaser could be found for I and being situated in a kind of desert, its demo- |;ion would have been of no advantage. I The riches of this monastery were considerable, |at their possessors were not envied because they I ceived a great number of strangers *, distributed * Mr Gray thus describes his reception there, in 1739. [[The twf) tathei i, who are conimissiootd to eiitertaio stran- Vs, (tor the rest must neithtr speak to one anotlier, nor to y one elie) received us very kindly ; and set before us a past of dried fish, eggs, butter, and fruit, all excellent in eir kind, and extremely neat. They jircssed us to spend e night there, and to stay some days with them; but this 108 Grenoble — Chartreuse* many alms, and maintained a prodigious number oii people all the year round. Besides opulence hac^l not introduced corruption within these walls. Tlni primitive purity of cloistered virtue was still to bcl found here, and the rules of the order were rigidl))! observed; the Chartreuse had been its cradle, anal it continued to be its example. t The following are some of the regulations wind::! were formerly strictly observed in this monastery i Each member of the community had a cell, witr a little garden adjoining. In this cell, he ate, slept i and worked, excepting during the hours of out i door exercise, which each passed in cultivating hii] own little garden. By this means the recluses i however numerous, had no communication witij each other. They never saw each other, but in th(. hour of public service ; excepting on a Sunday, when they were allowed to go to the proper office) i who gave them their portions of food for the week; Every one cooked his provisions in his own cell. “ Their only sustenance is a coarse brown breac and vegetables. They are likewise allowed to re ceive fish, whenever it is given them. In case o illness, they are allowed two spoonfuls of wine to l pint of w'ater. On high festivals they are allowee cheese. The cells are provided with water by i brook, which runs close by, and which enters tffi wc could not do, so they led us about their liouse, whicfi iii Idee a littld city; for there are 100 fathers, besides 300 ser vants, that make their clothes, grind their corn, press thei wine, and do every thin" among themselves. The whole quite orderly and simple; nothing of linery, but the wonder¬ ful decency, and the strange situation, more than supply Ihi place of it,” Works, Vol. I. p. 202. Svo. Grenoble — Chartreuse, 109 I'lls through holes left in the walls for that purpose, they always wear hair-cloth next the skin. When- er it is necessary to make any communications to eir brethren, they do it by signs, if possible. Every 11 is furnished with skins of parchment, pens, ink, iid colours: and each one employs himself for a* ‘Ttain time every day, in writing or transcribing, io one is admitted to take the vows till the age of fenty i To arrive at the Cell of St. Briinoy the founder I the Chartreuse, we follow a torrent by a broad liid shady path for about a quarter of an hour; this ^ill has been converted into a chapel; and in a Ijotto beneath it a spring is still running, at which Bruno used to quench his thirst. Never was an ydum better chosen; on approaching this peaceable d profound solitude, we seem to feel a peculiar )ose of the soul; a state of mind which silences i our tumultuous passions: 'I r Here, Solitude, and Si/mcie reign, With all tlie Virtues in their train, Here, Contemplation, nj'mph serene. With gentle step and placid mien. With Saints and Confessors of old High sacred converse seems to hold ; Here Piety, with up-cast eyes, Dissolves in holy ecstasies: V And scorning aught of this vile earth, ; I'hat Heaven seeks that gave her birth ; ' Here Charity, above the rest, E’en in the desejt spreads a feast See the interesting “ Tour to La Grande Chartreuse and j9lt, by Dorn Claude Lancelot,” 8vo. 1813. i Imitation of part of the Latin Ode before quoted, by Mr. S'ard, the Anecdotist, printed in the European JMagazine for Tl. no Grenoble — Environs. Other objects of curiosity in the environs of Grenoble, a country of wonders, are the Sassenage^ famous for its caves and its cheese; the Preciosier de Sassenage; and La Fontaine Ardente, a hot spring, near the village of St. Bartholemew, a short distance from Grenoble. The phenomenon that has rendered this place famous, appears to have been more striking formerly than it is at present. Flame and smoke are said to have been frequently emitted from it. St. Augustin reports, that in his time, a lighted flambeau was extinguished on ap¬ proaching it, and another lighted that had been put out. d'he Greeks relate the same of the fountain of Dodona. An author of the seventeenth century assures us that the country people used to be in the habit of making parties of pleasure to this spring; for the purpose of making pancakes without fire. The flames used to rise very high, and travellers; have more than once in passing near this spring been alarmed under the idea of a real fire having broken out in some of the villages. At present: these spontaneous inflammations are very rare; but an inflammable gas often escapes from the rivulet,'' and from the water found in ihe earth at a very" small depth, by which matches, paper, and other light substances may be set on flame. " La Tour Sans Venin, some leagues south-west of ' Grenoble, was once reckoned among the wonders^ of Dauphiny, because it was reported to haye the ^ property of destroying venomous reptiles; but as a' proof of the fallacy of this notion, it is infested with them to this day. In concluding this account of our yisit to Grenonj ble and the interesting mountains in its neighbour- if Ill Lyons to Avignon, ood, we must remark that the interior of France oes not contain any mountains more extraordi- ary than these we have described; and though iieir greatest perpendicular height, about 6,600 English feet above the level of the sea, is much iferior to that of the Alps, yet they exhibit more ‘sal horrors than the traveller will see in any part f Switzerland, which he may visit. We shall now bnduct the traveller to Lyons, and thence to tVIGNON. feio. VII. From Grenoble to Lyons, ISJ Posts, about 75 English miles. OM POSTS. FROM POSTS. RENOBLE to Voreppc • • • • 2 Bourgoin to La Verpilliere 11 lives .. 1| St. Laurent-des Mures •• iVette. Bron .. ^3lose ...2 Lyons.... • • 1|: □urgoin. i The only remarkable object in this route is the jrotto or cave of Noti e-Dame de la Balme^ a little istance from the village of that name, and about wen or eight miles from Bourgoin, a small town 3ry agreeably situated, and a post. Those who do not choose to return to Lyons, ay proceed to Valence on the Rhone (12^ posts, : 68| miles), and pursue their route, either by jnd or water to Avignon. |o. VUL From Lyons to Avignon, 30| posts; about 167 English miles, OM POSTS. FROM POSTS, roNs to Saint Fons* •••• • i Vienne to Auberive •... 2 . Symphorien d’Ozon • • 1 Peage-de-Roussillon • • •'- 1 jienne . St. Rambert. If I L 2 112 Lyons to Avignon. IROM POSTS. rnoM POST'I -St. Rambert to St. ValHer 14; Montelimart to Donzerc .. ‘2i . 13 Valence (’'). * a .21 Mornas . *• I.a Paillasse. . H Orange . .. l' Loriol . . H Sorgues . I)evbi&res . . n- Avignon (^) . Montelimart (^) • ■ . H i Such is the route by land, to Avignon, vvhicl may be performed with horses or asses^ according to the taste of the traveller; the poste aux anes^ being established all the way from Lyons to Mar^ seillcs. Their long-eared brethren in England an(, other cold countries, are not to be named with tin,, line animals of Provence, which trip nimbly along,| and post it to the full content of their employer,j This road, though very agreeable, is in the summeii] so incommoded with a white powdeiy dust, even t( suffocation, that every one who is pressed for time, will prefer a water excursion in the cache d^eau^ w'hich leaves Lyons three times a week, and arrives, at Avignon, generally in two days; or if the wdn< be contrary, in three or four. Half the vessel i; filled with merchandize and packages, and in th<' other part there is a cabin, which will contain aboutl thirty people; there is sufficient room to wait] about on the deck ; it is impelled by the current anci the wind. The bateau stops at dusk at some towi: on the banks, and starts again the next morningj before it is light. To enjoy, however, the finei scenery of the Rhone, and indeed of any river, tcl 1 (*) Inns. —The Post, Martin’s hotel (^) Tl)e Post, an ex-* cellent house. (3) Hotel de I’Europc, vciy comfortable; t\it < PalaisRoyal; St. Omcr. 113 Voyage doivtn the Uhone, jfie greatest perfection, the traveller should hire a imall boat for himself, and devote about a week to :ie examination of the various objects of curiosity n both its banks. A boat, large enough to hold a ; arriage, may be hired for about seven louis, and ! ve francs a day for the two watermen who attend ;.: the traveller to be allowed to land, and stop i herever he pleases. il ^J'he Rhone is a noble river, and its banks are iery lofty, covered with vineyards, and now and ilien the ruins of a castle, a church, or a viilaj^e, pntribute to relieve the sameness of its swelling ills. This passage is very agreeable, and affords iiuch bold and magnificent scenery, yet, when the ifind is contrary, and the time is extended to four I’ays (we speak here of the public boat,) the whole jSCoraes tedious, and loses much of its natural in- :rest. d'he Dart, in Devonshire, is a miniature ^’some parts of the Rhone, which, as a w^hole, is u too large a scale to constitute the picturesque; j2t, this again, though only a miniature of the jhine, possesses, in a great measure, the character [iven of it, by Lord Byron : I A blending of all beauties ; streams and dells, i Fruit, foliage, crag, wood, cornfield, mountain, vine, I And chiefless castles, breathing stern farewells From gray but leafy walls, w'here ruin greenly dwells*. * Or in the prose description of a plain but sensible tourist: Took Ijoat for Vienne—altogether delightful; sweet air, ex- ||arating mountain scenery; the clear, and rapid, and majestic lone; rocks, woods, vineyards; chateaux on commanding linences; cottages embosomed in trees, retiring from the ‘w; the busy traffic of the river, and prosperous villages o® 1 banks.” Birkbeck’s Notes, p. 38, i L 3 114 I'he Rlione* As a whole, the Wye, in Monmouthshire, Is Infinitely j more picturesque; its numerous windings, its over-1 hanging woods, itsjnire and limpid stream, have in^ them something ofenchantment; though this is only I a rivulet, compared with the Rhone. The character I of the two rivers is so entirely different, indeed, ll that ive cannot fairly institute a comparison between them ; one is, generally speaking, grand —the other ficturesque. As it is an object of some importance to pass the, first night at Vienne, where there is very goodj accommodation, we must leave Lyons very early' in the morning: but if this cannot be accomplished* we may sleep at (livors or Loire. Those who' travel by land from Lyons to Vienne, cross a hilly' country, at some distance from the Rhone, wdiere* few habitations are seen. The cultivation on each’ side of the road is better than in the other parts:: there are fields of corn, and some vines; and at nr' distance the mountains, wTiich have but a barreii| appearance. Before we reach Vienne, we cross beautiful valley between the Rhone and the moun-l tains; the foot of the rocks is planted with vines, and the valley itself produces corn. The entrance! of the town is a pleasant promenade. * Vienne, after Grenoble, the most considerable! town in the department of the Isere, was the prin-. cipal place of the Allobroges, a courageous people,' who were often at war with the Romans; and at| length became subject to them, in the time ofCsesar.| 'J'he boundaries of their territory were the Rhone,' the Isere, and the Alps. ' Pliny speaks of it as a colony, a distinction it | received in the reign of Tiberius. It was to obtain ’ Vienne, il5 r the inliabitants the rights of Roman citizens, at Claudius delivered the discourse in the senate, nch has been preserved to posterity by Tacitus, i d which may be read on the celebrated tables of yons. Martial notices this city with much sclf- mplacency: Fertur habere meos, si vera est fama, libellos, Inter delicias, pulchra Vienna^ suas. The town of Vienne is built on a flat and narrow jce of land, extending from the banks of the lone, between two chains of bleak and sterile ’)untains, in the middle of which runs the Gier. its situation, however, be not the most agreeable, :is is amply compensated for by the various pros- Ircts of the Rhone, St. Colombe, and the beautiful fpearancc of the surrounding country. Near the |tce where we land are the remains of an old |ver, which is called Pilate’s tower, from a fabu- |is tradition believed among the common people, j|it Pilate having been confined in this tower by |der of Caligula, hanged himself But as the li^er onlv received this name about five hundred pirs ago, it probably owes the appellation to an |;ient pile of the bridge, which is well known to |/e been built in this place by the Romans. Although stone is very good and sufficiently pnty in this department, yet many of the houses a of clay. Several of these kind of houses are tl'ty feet high: the foundations are of common bck work. There is also another way of con- ^ icting walls and houses of the flint stones which a picked up in the fields, or in the bed of the Bone : they give to each layer of flints a different di^ction, which forms a kind of mosaic. lid The Rhone* The ci-dcvant cathedral of St. Maurice, is a luafTiiificent structure, and was beautified at differ* ent times by tlie antient prelates of Vienne. Yoi ascend to it, by twenty-eight steps, and from thaj circumstance it resembles somewhat an antienl| temple. The door-way was formerly enriched witl a great number of figures in alto-relievo, the baror, des Adrets had already thrown down several during' the religious wars; but at the time of the revolu*| tion all the figures were shockingly mutilated. interior of the building is very light and beautiful, without any superfluous ornaments, but everj,’ where are to be seen the traces of sacrilegious de*, vastation. The vessel for holy-water is of very fin{^ marble, from the ruins of an antique temple. Th<^ altar of the choir is covered with antique greer^ marble, taken from a beautiful column, which hat , been found at St. Colombe. Round the choir ii] a frieze composed of foliage, and heads of raei' and animals. Behind the altar is the archie' piscopal chair, affixed to the wall. Here yet re^ main eight windows of stained glass, on which arc represented the apostles. | The tomb of Armand de Montmorhi, who dietjj^ in 1713, is formed of the most excellent sculpture ■; it was done at Rome, by Slodtz, and brought tt, Vienne in 1747. The prelate, clothed in th(^ chape, or ecclesiastic cloke is sitting on a sarco t phagus before a pyramid, and holds, with his left* the right hand of Oswald, the cardinal of the tovvei; of Auvergne, who erected this monument to hii'‘ memory; he points with his right hand to the ar, chiepiscopal mitre and cross, which were placed a cushion ; seeming to tell him that these marks o' ill Vienne. 117 gnity are destined for him, and that he will one y succeed him : a figure, which represents Reli- 3n, preserves the last words of the prelate, which i|e those passages of the epistle of St. Paul to Ti- 3thy on the duties of a bishop. V’ienne has a library of 12 or 14,000 volumes, a mii- Urn, containing numerous Roman anticpiities, in- tiptions, &c. to which a drawing-school and other |j:ablishments are annexed. It has manufactures lij cloths and ratteens; forges, flatting and paper- jJlls, and glass-houses. Population 12,000. '.A short distance from the town, between the lone and the high road, is the curious monument, ; led I* Aiguille, It is a pyramid, composed of se- V’al layers of large square stones, and has steps I the four sides; being constructed on a body of liare architecture, each angle of which is or- imented vu'th a column, and each front pierced I’h an arch, one may pass from side to side, |ler the pyramid. These walls support a flat |f or top, on the middle of wdiich is placed the I amid. This monument, which is seventy-tw^o in height, bears many marks of outrage occa- i|ied by people dragging out the iron work. A ^anese who had bought the field where it stands i: begun to destroy it, and had it not been for 1 obstinate resistance of the learned Pie?-?-e de h[ssac, at that time chief justice of Vienne, this a ious and valuable monument would have been idled with the ground. During the time of terror ii confusion, they had placed on this aiguillcy an airmous bar of iron, which supported a large tin •!e, and the cap of liberty. This beautiful mo¬ il lent, wdiich inspires veneration by its grandeur 118 The Jllione, and solidity, appears to have been built in the tim of the first emperors, and was, probably, the tonr of some distinguished personage. The climate of part of ci-devant Dauphine, si tuated between the Isere and the Rhone, is mor temperate than that nearer Grenoble; and thi nearer we approach Vienne the air becomes stii milder. The banks of the Rhone present a wan country, celebrated for the quality of its wines. The air of this country, and particularly near th Rhone, is very healthy, no endemic or local dis temper affecting the population. They breed ver few horses, but the asses are very fine, and no thing is more common than to speak of 'post-assc. Many of the people of the country have no otlie beast for the saddle than these humble coursers the peasants let them to hire for a moderate sui These animals know their way so well, that the never quit the path they have been accustomed t take, neither will they slacken or mend their pac( It is in vain to attempt to turn them out of this di rection; they will rather return to whence the; came, or they will expire under the stroke. Amonj other quadrupeds common in this country may b reckoned the roebuck, hedgehog, otter, &c. The race of horned cattle has been much improve' by crossing the breed with those of Switzerland and Holland; the breed of Spanish sheep also ha been attended to. Between Vienne aud Auberive, but on the op posite bank of the Rhone, is the famous tract c vine-land called Cote-Rotie, The mountain c Tupain affords the best wine of this name. Leaving Vienne, we see on the right bank, S Condrieiix, 119 II Hombe, and on the left the public baths, the iin of the Aiguille, and the great road planted h mulberry trees and chesnuts; and soon disco-^ re that luxuriant shore, the red wines of which so celebrated. '1 hese wines go to Paris by the jine, the canal of Charolois, and the Seine. We at a distance, the little town of Auberive, and place called Peage de Rossillon, where are still ian eminence the ruins of another little town, |i of a chateau ; indeed, during almost the whole he voyage, it may be said, as of the Rhine; Above, the frequent feudal towers, Through green leaves lift their walls of grey. And many a rock which steeply lowers, And noble arpb in proud decay. Look o’er this vale of vintage-bowers. BVRON. fhe towm of Condrieux, situated at some dis-* ^!e from the port, has nothing remarkable; the id is well situated, and they carry on a great rme in the wine of the country. Most of the toimen of the Rhone have their habitations at J(|tdrieux, and they generally find a pretext to \14\ here some time. The people here spread on ll«:orn fields the scrapings of horn, which comes jfc the cutleries of St. Etienne en Foret, which 1*1 es an excellent manure. 3 mit Valier^ where there is a good inn, at the Of has a fine gothic chateau, silk-mills, and a fiaTfacture of porcelain in its neighbourhood. flF, on the Rhone, has a great trade in excel- i^rvPIermitage and Cote Rotie. Here is a tai/ri- oli or bull-altiir, with an inscription, a similar po iment of antic^uity to that described at Lyonso 120 I'he Rhone Population 1,800. Before we arrive at Tournon we pass a large flat rock, in the middle of tin Rhone, called by the watermen Table du Roi, A Tournon is the antient chateau of the Dukes o Soubise, on the top of a steep rock, at the foot o a mountain; a fine bridge, of a single arch, ove: the Dreux, and a celebrated college for the educa tion of youth, deserving of inspection for the ex cellent manner in which it is kept. Each pupi pays about 40 guineas a year, including every ex pence. Near this spot is the tract of vine-land famous for its red and white Hermitage, the latte of which is considered the best. Excellent fi^^i may be had at the inns, on the banks of the Rhon ■ such as very fine eels, pike of a superior flavou:* barbel, and delicious small carp; the lamprey an: sturgeon are also caught here. Proceeding in our course we hdve now before l. the Mont- Ventonx, which we never lose sight ( afterwards: it is easily distinguished at a distant by the two points which form the summit. \V{ next perceive on the left the Roche de Glun, i chateau built on a rock washed by the stream; i has a very picturesque appearance. Farther on in front of a small island, we cross the mouth o the Isere: the name of this river, called Isara b} the Romans, has received but little alteration fron time. It takes its source from mount Iseran, ant receives the Drac below Grenoble: it is navigablt from Montmeliant; its course is rapid, though il is winding. Its inundations are terrible, and ofter detain for several days tliose travellers who art obliged to cross it. The ferry-boat in which car- viages cross this river, is of singular construction. Valence. V2i has a platform thrown over the boat, on which le carriage stands, but across the boat, and the )at goes sideways. It is moved by means of a »pe, stretched from one side of the river to the her, and fastened to two strong beams of wood^ aced vertically upon the banks. A cable and I'pe are fixed to this line, and the boat is fastened the rope; then, by means of a winch on shore, [e cable is made to run along the rope, which is retched across the river, and that draws the boat ong wdth it. We now leave the territory of the Hient Allobroges, and enter that of the Sega- uni, now the department of the Drome. On the ght of the territory of the antiont Helvii (the Vi- Irias,) which is only separated from that of the fverni (Auvergne) by the mountains of Ccvennes, The sides of these mountains are cultivated with aes. The plain which is between these and the hone appears fertile, if we may judge by the ,tmber of mulberry trees with which it is covered, ,t there is no corn; and among so many trees, jere is no fruit but the mulberry. Valence is at |e extremity of this plain. I Valentia^ now called Valence, which was the 'incipal place of the Valentinois, is now that of js department of the Drome. It was the capitaf i the IScgalauni; Ptolemy gave it the title of a ilony. Valence is nearly as large as Vienne: the f eets are narrow and tortuous. It is situated on declivity of a little hill, and surrounded by sillies, which are watered and fertilized by a num- Ir of rprings. They have in this city a consider- lie trade in v/oollen cloth and skins; calicoes, hi 122 The Rhone. thread, paper, &c. Population 9,000. This place has a school of artillery and an agricultural society. • The remarkable objects are the citadel, known by the name of the Gouvernemeiit, an elegant building with some delightful gardens ; the prefecture in the , ci-devant abbey ; the cathedral which contains the I V mausoleum of Pope Pius VI. who died here in the year 1799; and the fine public walk called the | Champ-de-Mars, which has a magnificent view of the Rhone. Near Valence is a chateau with a park called “ le Valentin which formerly belonged to the Dukes of Valentinois. On the opposite side of the Rhone is the tower and celebrated hill of Stv Perav, which produces the wine of that name. Montelimarf {Muntilium Adhemari) is a well-builr tow'n, situated partly at the foot and partly on the j declivity of a hill. Beneath the walls, the Roubioi and the Jabron unite, and from thence flow on until they mingle their tranquil streams with themajestie Rhone ; the shores are enlivened by cheerful land¬ scapes, and the more distant prospect presents the most diversified scenery ; we see little hills covered with vines, and mulberry and olive trees ; in another view, plains filled with orange and other fruit trees; | in one spot the yellow harvest, in another the ver- i dant meadow. 'I he climate is here so mild that the I orange trees grow^ in the open gardens. Montelimart was the first city of France w-here ) the reformed religion w^as established : and there » are still many Protestants, even among the most dis- ' tinguished families. I'he women have particularly : testified their zeal for the Protestant faith. There is still to be seen a mutilated statue of Margot de Lay (Marguerite de Lage,) who defended the ram- Montelimart, 123 j^arts at the breach, and killed with her own hand !;he count Ludovic, who was one of the principal oesiegers, and led the victors back into the city, eaving an arm on the spot where she acquired so nuch glory. Manufactures of silk, skins, and mo- •occo leather. Population 6,500. The ancient Chateau de Grignan (now destroyed), n celebrated io the Letters of Mad, de Sevigne, vas at no great distance from Montelimart; here, t will be recollected, Madame de Sevignc died a ictim to anxiety of mind on account of a very ilarming illness under which she saw her daughter uffering; she was accordingly buried in the family ault of the Grignans, and a monument to her me- aory was erected in the church there. During the eign of terror, the chateau with the church and he family monuments were all laid in ruins, but hen the destroyers came to the monument of this j lustrious lady on which was her effigy, a name so i elebrated struck even them with a sacred awe, and :ie monument was left untouched ; neglect and the ijuries of the weather, however, have now done i hat they left undone, and laid that in ruins with iie rest. When they afterwards visited the vaults, ;ie real body was treated with less respect; the prpse was inclosed in lead, and such was the avi- ity for this metal, that the temptation could not be jSsisted; the coffin was carried away, and the body !:ft to the chance of what might befall it. Having j^en embalmed, it was found entire and in a high jate of preservation. It was dressed in a long |)be of silk, fastened round the waist with a silver Irdle; the girdle was carried away as well as the )ffin, and the body was in time deprived of its M 2 124 The llhone. silken garment, by persons coming and taking piece of it as a precious relic ; the body remaine i among the ruins, and is, by this time probabl] mingled with its native dust, t^ee Plumtree’s R(i sidence in France, Vol. I. p. 370.) Having quitted Montelimart, in doubling the poii of Ancona, we have a full view of the three grej rocks of lava which are on the right bank of tf llhone, and it will amply repay the traveller to lac and take a nearer view of them. These three bear tiful basaltic heaps are in a line, and almost tout one another, but are entirely separated, and d tached from the chalky mountain, to which th* appear to be close. We approach them by a ro; which leads to a pleasant hamlet called lesFontain at the foot of a mountain covered with vineyar, and olive trees, that are always green, and wli: receive the first rays of the rising sun. Plantatio . i meadows, and gardens, enliven this delightful p; ture; the landscape is also enriched by an extensr'; perspective, which presents first the largest river | the south of France, and next the town of Mont | limart, with little hills covered with vines and fruii! trees of every kind, some villages of Provenc i and at the distance the extensive chain of tl i Alps. The largest of the three basaltic heaps ispointe : and is three hundred feet in height; the others n i so high:—they are onl}^ accessible on one side: ; three are a very hard black basaltes, sometim forming irregular masses, joined and adhering t; gether, and sometimes imperfect columns, turre &c» calling to our recollection the beautiful lines * Rocliemaure* 125 the poet;—describing the scenery of the Rhine, he says, what is equally applicable to the Rhone The negligently grand, the fruitful bloom, Of coming ripeness, the white city’s sheen, The rolling stream, the precipice’s gloom, The forest’s growth, and gothic walls between. The wild rocks shaped as they had turrets been. In mockery of man's art. ^ We soon perceive Roche^naure^ the ruins of which are very picturesque; they appear suspended on a ipile of basaltes, wdiich bends towards the horizon. jThis castle belonged formerly to the prince of Sou- bise. The burgh and little town of Rochemaure, are but about five or six hundred paces from the three rocks of lava before described: a part of the town i.is situated at the foot of the mountain, while the '3ther on the heights, is built in the form of an am- diitheatre. Several houses, which surround the :astlc, have their foundations on the lava. The ittle colonnades of basalt form in a very singular 'nanner the stairs and steps at the doors of some of :hese houses, the backs of other houses are set iigainst the sloping masses of lava; the windows jind doors are framed in large regular prisms of pasalt; and the flat pieces of lava are used to make I', kind of eaves to the houses; in short, this town (.mong the broken ruins of a volcano, presents to jhe eye a very interesting picture. The castle is but thirty paces higher. It must have been immense ; it is fortified by steep masses f basalt, and very high walls of considerable thick- ess. The entrance is through extensive court- jards; but all is ruin and desolation ; in one place re tlie remains of an armoury, in another of a cha- f m3 126 The Rhone* pel; we see here cisterns, wells, dungeons, and a sort of cave where money was coined—there wej observe furnished halls, and spacious chambers.; All is grand, all is vast; all bears the marks of the! ravages of time. But these walls are now -I’enantless, save to the crannying wind. Or holding dark communion with the cloud : ! There was a daj’^ w hen they vrere young and proud, i Banners on high and battles passed below ! Beneatli these battlements, within those walls, i Power dwelt amidst her passions; in proud state I Each robber chief upheld his armed halls. The tower is built on the inaccessible summit o: a basaltic heap; near it is a crater, in which tra- vellers may descend to a depth of nearly four hun¬ dred feet. We next pass tlic small town of Viviej's. For merlv the current of the Rhone flowed close to tin walls of the town; it is now a gun-shot distant There is an island formed between the shore o Viviers and the principal current. The walls of the gardens are chiefly constructed with basalt; th( streets of Viviers are narrow, and for the most par unpaved; and the walls of the houses have a black ish cast, owing to the fragments of basalt will which they are built, which adds to the sombre ap pearance of these habitations. The bishop’s palace and the seminary, which are out of the town, are the only remarkable edifices. The interior of Viviers i gloomy, but the environs are cheerful. At ever turn we meet with some object which reminds u that the Romans were formerly the inhabitants o this country. The naturalist, the antiquary, and tin philosopher, may here occupy their leisure hours Donzerc* 127 vhlle walking, hunting, and fishing, present other pleasures to those for whom study has no charms. Viviers is celebrated for its excellent mutton. Those who go by land w'ill now pass through ; Donzerey a small bourg, with an inn, celebrated for ‘ ts red wines, and having a population of 1,500 in- labitants. The warmth of the sun and the brown ; complexions of the peasantry, begin to admonish us >f our latitude ; we begin also to recognize the ve¬ getable products of southern climes, such as the ffudastree, pomegranate, dc.; another indication, ^according to naturalists, is the blackness of the hogs; ' ;o which may be added a third, the broad-brimmed )eavers and short petticoats of the women, the ; brmer for shade and the latter for coolness. Here ve may often see “ women threshing with the men ^ liider a burning sun ;—it is a family party threshing ‘ )ut the crop of their own freehold : a woman is \ lolding the plough ;—the plough, the horses, the jandisher^s;—or (as we have it) her husband’s; firho is probably sowing the wheat which she is [iurning in. You are shocked at seeing a fine young [iroman loading a dung cart; it belongs to her fa- t Uier, who is manuring his own field for their com- laon support. In these instances, the toil of the i^'oipan denotes wealth rather than want; though [ he latter is the motive to which a superficial ob¬ server would refer it.” See Mr. Birkbeck’s Notes, Ik 42. fj The next place is Pierrclattey a small town, built lit the foot of a rock, whence its name. Imme- |•j iately opposite on the other side of the river is the i lourg of St. Andre, or Andcol, remarkable for a ; eautiful spring that issues from the foot of a rock, 128 The Rhone, and for the remains of a temple dedicated to Mithrc The monument is on a rock behind the spring jiu mentioned, and is a square bas-relief, four feet i height, and six in breadth, cut and sculptured i the rock itself, which is of a chalky substance. In th centre is a young man clothed with a chlamys c cloak, and on his head a Phrygian cap : he is sacr being a bull: a scorpion is stinging it, and a do attacks and holds it by the neck, while a serper crawls above, and seems to threaten the poor ani inal. At the top, on the left, is the radiant sun on the right, the moon, in its increase; and in th distance, are some rocks, and at the bottom, th following inscription was once legible : DS INVI MITHRAE MAX MANNI F VIS MON ET T MIRSIVS MEM D. S. PP. Which is. To the God Sun, invincible Mlthra!' Maximus, son of Mannus, commanded by a visioi and T. Mursius Meminus, have erected this mom inent at their own expense. St. Andeol, the martyr, after whom this place i named, is said to have suffered here, in the earl ages of Christianity, under Septimius Severus. Th relics of this Saint are still preserved in the princ pal church. His supposed tomb, consisting of a sai cophagus, is now in the body of the church. It ha a covering formed as a roof: the front presents tablet supported by two winged figures, placed ho rizontally, and which seem to be flying. Above th seat of each of these figures is a dove with th; wings spread. On each side of the tablet is a rat bit, and near the bottom a bow and quiver of ai St. Andeol, 129 )ws. The srtialler sides of this sarcopliagus are rnamented with wreaths of flowers. These arms ad figures are not at all suitable to the tomb of a oly martyr, and the following inscription sufficiently roves that this is the tomb of a heathen. D. M. TIB. IVLI. VALERIAN Q. ANN. V. M. VII. D. VI. IVLI VS, GRANTOR ET TERFNTA VALERIA FILIO DVLCISSIMO. It is therefore evident that this monument was lade by Julius Grantor and Terentia Valeria, for 'ib. Julius Valerian us, their son, who died, aged ve years seven months and six days. The envi- i )ns of St. Andeol are pleasant, although the town I not much more handsome or lively than that of I "iviers. I Leaving Pierrelatte, we next see the little town f St Paul-trois-Chateaux, which still offers some estiges of antiquity, and a handsome convent of |)ominicans. Aftt-r Palud, we enter the depart* jient of Vaitclusef and pass the stone bridge over the l11 one of the Sundays after Easter; the bowman, fvho on the day appointed, killed a bird placed at ; certain distance, was declared king. This bird ras a real or artificial parrot, or what was more ! .nciently called a pie; at that time they called the ;iarrot pape gay, that is to say, pere gai, or hamrdy a chatterer). The king was likewise colonel of the orps; he presided at the exercises, and led them 0 the procession of the host; and, on the eve of St. ,ohn, marched at the head to kindle the bonfire !t the solemn ceremony. This king of the cross- low-men also enjoyed certain privileges on the du- i es levied on merchandise, and he was exempted I’om finding lodging for any of the soldiers ; he had Jie distinction of laced clothes, and a plume of fea- jiers on his hat or cap. The marching of these ross-bow-men was called the hravade. The king |r the bravadcy or of the cross-bow-men, enjoyed S is dignity only a year. There is yet in existence, regulation given by Charles the First of Anjou, to f'le company of cross-bow-men of Aix. These Dmpanies continued in some cities till the revo- ition. That of Aix paraded lately only oiv N 2 136 The Rhone* the eve of St. John: their chief was called th i King of the Bravade, or of St. John. Until the six, teenth century, this company was armed with bow and pikes, and afterwards with muskets. There was formerly a high tower on the tri umphal arch, and the whole monument was callet at that time the tower of the arch: this arch wa once inclosed in an edifice, which contained severa rooms. This wretched piece of architecture wa demolished in 1721, by the orders of a Prince c Conti, who was at that time proprietor of the prin cipality of Orange. The above building has since been repaired a different times. A mason of Orange rebuilt one o the columns, which support the pediment on th south side. This clumsy column is without any oi nament. The most general opinion is, that thi arch was dedicated to Marius, though it is not vei well supported ; and there are many other conjee tures on the subject, which are equally plausible. A painful recollection embitters the pleasur which we have in examining this beautiful piece < ancient architecture ; the place where it stands hi been the theatre of many horrible scenes; it wi was here, that the blood of the French flowed ur der the axe of the executioner; it was here, thi in the year 1793, many unfortunate people wei brought from the prisons of the neighbouring towr to suffer death. The arch of Orange was certain! erected to preserve the recollection of battle which cost the lives of thousands, but they wei mow'ed down with the scythe of war; they die fighting for their country, and their memory e: Orarige — Circus, 137 cites sentiments which soften those of regret; the inhabitants of Avignon, on the contrary, were dragged under the same triumphal arch to be mas¬ sacred without pity, and without the means or power to defend themselves against their murderers. The most remarkable monument of this city, next to the triumphal arch, is that which is impro¬ perly called the Circus^ It is on the declivity of a mountain. This pretended Circus is in reality a theatre; and it is the more valuable, as it is the only one of this kind in France, and the most per¬ fect of those which have been preserved; the cir¬ cular part, in which were the seats for the specta¬ tors, remains cut in the mountain: the two extre¬ mities of the semi-circle w'ere joined by the stage. The wall, which intersects this semi-circle, and hvliich formed the extremity of the stage, still re- I n iins entire, and has a fine effect. This wall, which | is an hundred and eight feet high, and three hun- j Ired in length, is built with beautiful square stones, j.jf an equal size, joined with the greatest exact- less, and is ornamented wdth two ranges of ar- pades, and an attic. I It is impossible to view this grand and simple jvall, so well built, and so well preserved, without jidmiration. In the middle is a large door, which inust have been the entrance for the actors and others in the service of the theatre. At the top of the exterior front, there are two anges of stones, which jut out from the wall; tlicy ire a considerable distance one from the other; hose of the first range have a hole pierced verti- :ally through them, which were probably for the 138 The Rhone. purpose of receiving a mast, to the extremities oi which were fastened the canvas or sail-cloth, that covered the theatre, and sheltered the spectatonj from the vveatlier, and the heat of the sun. It is mortifying to see a part of this beautiful theatre turned into a prison; it is still more so toi notice the disgusting heaps of rubbish accumulated in the place, which was formerly the front of the: stage, and the scene where the comedies of Plautus: and Terence, and the tragedies of Seneca, were represented. On the summit of this mountain, are- the ruins of an ancient castle, which appears toi liave been strongly built with large stones. From this spot is a most delightful prospect of great ex* tent. There are at Orange the ruins of some other edifices, an amphitheatre, baths, and an aqueduct, of which there remain only some arcades, inclosefi in the walls of the houses. Orange contains so man> monuments of antiquity, that they may be found in almost every part of the city. The trade of this place was considerable In the days of the sovereigns: at present there is not much appearance of industry. They collect in the neigh.^ bourhood large quantities of silk of very good qua-- lity, and have an abundant harvest of saffron, figs and oil; these are the sources of the riches of the'; country, and the concourse of travellers, who pasS' through in their way to Marseilles or Lyons, is the main spring whicli keeps the city in motion. The' inhabitants would detain travellers a much longer'! time among them, if they would attach more itn-'i portance to their monuments, and take better care' of them. Population 7,200, 139 ; Avig7ion» I I From Orange to Avignon, either by land or j ater, the route does not present any object worthy {" particular remark. 'Fhe approach to Avignon jom the water is very fine; its long fortress—like ittlements, and picturesque ruined bridge, have a ;and and imposing effect. The walls are built* ith small smooth stones, joined with the greatest iactness; the battlements on the top are very re- ilar, and the whole is flanked with square towers, aced at equal distances. Time has given to these alls a brownish tinge, which adds to the effect of ie tout-ensemble. No other town, of the middle •e, has so beautiful an inclosure ; but these ram- iirts would be but a weak defence in the time of linger. One may say of the walls, so beautiful, ',id so regular, Qu’ils servent tie parade, et non pas de defence. N evertheless they were built by Pope Innocent the 'jxth, in the year 1358, to protect Avignon from ije attacks of the banditti who laid the various tiwns in its neighbourhood under contribution^ 'ijt the manner of making war in those days was :iry different from that of our time. Above the ildls are seen tlie steeples of many religious edi- ||:es, which this town formerly contained; most of iem at present are used for other purposes. These ! autiful walls have seven gates : the principal one iis built under the pontificate of Pius the Sixth. ' le style of architecture is tolerably good, but the I tic is too heavy and too high for the size of the I teway. i40 Avignon, The interior of the town does not answer to tl beauty of the ramparts and environs ; most of tl streets being narrow and crooked. There ar however, several handsome houses built in the It ban taste; among others, I'Hofei de Crilion, ar I’Hotel de Camhis. 1 he streets are generally c< vered with awnings of canvas in the summei a custom which prevails in all the towns of Pn vence. Pliny only informs us that Avenio was a Lat town; but Ptolemy, who corrected several of tl errors of Pliny, relative to the cities of Narbonefj Gaul, makes it a colony. It was situated en th banks of the Rhone, between the Sorgue and ti Durance. The Franks and the Saracens took po, session of it successively : in 1206 it formed a n public, under the government of a kind of elccti\ magistrate; and at length became subject to t; Counts of Provence. The Countess Jane, Quec of Naples—(the guilty and unfortunate princeS| whom love caused to commit a crime, which neve;, vertheless has not obliterated the remembrance her accomplishments, and the noble virtues whic, she practised during the rest of her life) havin^ been recalled to the throne of Naples, and wantin^ money for the journey, she sold Avignon, its sul iirbs and lands, to Pope Clement the Sixth, fc 80,000 florins of gold. The subtle Pontiff gaveh absolution into the bargain, for the punishment sli had incurred for the murder of her first consort. 1 has been said, that the money was never paid however, it was on this sale that the rights of th Pope were founded. These rights, which have bee 141 Avignon. je subject of several curious discussions, it is not '»vv worth while to examine. However, the kings I France willingly acknowledged them, until the ■ne when Louis the Fourteenth seized the city, in >62 and in 1668, to punish Alexander the Se- nth, and Innocent the Eleventh, for their con- ict towards his ambassadors. Louis the Fifteenth llowed this example in 1768, to avenge the injury lich Clement the Thirteenth had done the Duke j Parma. But these acts of violence had always ! en followed by a prompt restitution. At length ?e re-union of Avignon to France was irrevocably loclaimed in 1790, by the constituent assembly. The kings of France could easily have possessed femselves of this fine country; the thunder of the '(itican had long lost its effect, nor was there any [»wer to prevent them ; but the cabinet of Ver- jilles found it more politic to keep the popes in de- imdence, by menacing them on every slight occa- i m of discontent, with the loss of this demesne, on lich the holy see set so much value, although no venue was derived from it. The money produced ■ the taxes imposed, was expended in the country, repairing the public buildings and highways, and ying the troops, &c’. I The cruel and terrible effects of the Revolution ie everywhere visible in Avignon; the monas- ijries, the chapels and churches, built with more ' Hence the ridiculous name given by the Frenoh to Avignon \la Derriere (in Pape, from tlicr continually chastising the ijpe in the extremity of his dominions. Avignon was also for- lj:rly the Gretna Green of France. Duels were also fought Ire. 142 Avignon, magnificence than taste in the fourteenth centuri have been destroyed, with the monuments whi(| they inclosed. We seek in vain for the tombs i the popes, and for that of Alain Chartier, surnamd the Father of Eloquence. The recollection of tl tender Petrarch could not preserve the tomb of 1' beloved Laura, and the valour of the brave Crilk had not power to defend his mausoleum : these m numents, raised to the memory of piety, beaut and valour, are all destroyed! The paintings als Avhich were in the churches, have been carrk away. 1 o form a good idea of Avignon, we should a cend the liocher de Don, situated to the north-we of the town. From this spot also there is a vei extensive view, which has been well described t Mr. Pinkney: “ The Rhone is here seen rolling ’ animated stream through meadows covered wil olive trees, and at the foot of hills invested wit '•hieyards. The ruined arches of the old brid^ carry the imagination back into the ancient histoi of the town. On the opposite side of the town ai the sunny plains of Languedoc, which, when r( freshed by the wind, breathe odours and perfunra from a thousand wild herbs and flow^ers. Moi A'entoux, in the province of Dauphiny, closes th prospect to the north : its high summit covered wit snow, while its sides are robed in all the charms ( vegetable nature. On the east, are the abruf rocks and precipices of distant about twelv miles, and which complete, as it were, the garde wall around Avignon and its territory.’* Near th cathedral, it is supposed, there formerly existed Avignon. 143 Inple, dedicated to Diana, and that the church it- f f was once a temple dedicated to Hercules, a |,tue of that hero having been found there, on the [se of which was the following inscription ; HERCULI AVENNICO DEO POTENTI PROTECTORI C. TUSCILIUS PRO CIVrUM VENNIORUM SUCCEPTO VOTO ' T. M. D. D. "■! U^escendino- from this eminence, before we arrive ■ the square of the Palais^ we see the ci-devant ihedral, or metropolitan church of Notre-Dame^ jDon. Before the Revolution, it contained many fiarkable tombs and sculptured bas-reliefs; there |til] a chapel worthy of notice, and the mausoleum ■ Fohn XXII. The columns which form the perys- i, of the church are evidently antique. There ; four churches where religious service is per¬ il ned: St. Agricol, St. Pierre, St. Didier, and ? Church des Cannes ; but neither of these con- n any thing remarkable. The Palace, separated >iy from the cathedral by some ruins, presents a fyrinth of dilapidated apartments, great and small, ij walls of immense thickness. Here were for- f 'ly the most splendid rooms occupied by the 'ie-legates; nothing, however, but the prisons, on 1 0 })pQsite side, have been preserved; we may Vik all over the top of the palace, on a sort of t-aces. This mass of irregular buildings, was^ I work of several popes, who resided here. The Avig7ion, antient episcopal residence was at the end of th palace, and contained some noble apartments. Tf palace is surrounded with high walls, Hanked wit tow’ers, and otherways fortified: it has a very pin turesque appearance, but it is more like a fortre' than the residence of the head of the church, ar: representative of the God of peace. The wiwi now occupied by the gendarmerie is opposite tl: principal entrance of the palace. In front of tl bishop’s residence is the Maison hapalim^ a haiK some modern edifice, the proprietor of which has afir gallery of pictures, containing some real bijoux, ac also plaster casts of the Apollo Belvedere, \ eni di Medici, the Antinous, &c. The staircase whic leads to the gallery, is the theme of universal adni ration, Avignon is not without hospitals and benevohr institutions. The Grand Hospital at the N. E. e.' tremit}^ of the town is remarkable for the size an distribution of its apartments, the attention paid t the sick, its large courts, and the gardens whic surround it. The sceurs de la charite, (religioi women) here give their unceasing and gratuitot assistance to the invalid. There are also an Qrpha hospital, and a Maison de Bienfaisance ; the latte has the Kumford iStoves, and distributes soup to th poor. In the Chapel of the Hospice des Insensc or asylum for the insane, is an ivory Christ, of mos exquisite workmanship; there is also a Sucevrsah or retreat for invalided soldiers, managed with th greatest propriety. Added to this, ladies of th first rank, as well as those in middle life, forr themselves into societies, and seek out the sick ««< 145 Avignon, stressed at their own habitations, and thus become e ministering angels of consolation and relief to indreds, who would otherwise sink under their ^cumulated sufferings. But this is’not peculiar to [vignon; there is not a town in France, in which I metliing of this kind does not exist; Paris itself, - • e very temple of voluptuousness, abounds with j )taries at the shrine of real benevolence ; not of os- f ntatious charity, such as too often figures in the hlumns of a London new'spaper. 5 Among the Literary and Scientific Societies are fie Academy of Vaucluse, having a library and 'me pictures ; the Medical Society ; the Museum, ' mtaining some good pictures, a library, and col- ctions in natural history; a College for the edu- ition of youth; Drawing-school, &c. &c. M, \ alvet, has a fine collection of statues, medals, and ritient gems; he is also rich in objects of natural j story, and has a noble library. Here are many ? lio volumes in MS., full of curious and useful ^jservations, papers, &c. written by M, Calvet. At ^ e rooms of a Society called the Cercle may be |ad the newspapers and periodical Averks ; balls are :15o given here. A stranger must be presented by jjmember. The climate of Avignon, and of the department ^ which it is situated, is generally fine, very little I in falling in the course of the year. During the «immer season, even two, three, or four months |iss without a drop of rain. 1 he only drawback I the extremely cold and piercing N W. wind ^nistraou), which prevails to a certain degree, Kjery season, and roars violently down the valley d the Pwhone. Its duration is various : sometimes o 146 Avignon, it lasts four, seven, and even nine days; and a; other times, only four and twenty hours. Thi' wind, however, cools the atmosphere in the parch' ing heat of summer, and dries up the humidity o! the autumn. The S.E., S. and S.W. winds, callet marinsj are also vehement, but with different gra: dations. Natural Productions .—The principal articles o growth here, are rye, barley, wheat, oats, oil, vines pasturage, vegetables, madder, saffron, hemp, aia flax. Among t,hese wheat and saffron are the mos precarious, and the vines the worst, from a ba( method of managing them ; madder, the most pro lific and general; hemp, flax, and oil, the mor:. considerable. The breeding of cattle is neglecteo that of the silk-worm is on the decline ; and tin cultivation of fruit is extremely limited. This dv’ partment is rich in botanical varieties, both of th' Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Among tl’.r numerous birds of passage here, the bustard is th i most remarkable; trout and eels from the Sorgue | and sturgeons and shad from the Rhone are entitled to particular notice: the entomologist also will flnt I abundance of employment. Commercef Trade, S^c .—The imports of Avignon consist of raw hides, fine cloths, oil, soap, linen j wheat, horned cattle and sheep, and provisions o i all kinds; its exports are the produce of the depart: ment just enumerated, and the different manufac tures of the town, as taffety, cotton, copper-plates verdigrease, aquafortis, lavender, &c., in which tin balance is in favour of the town. Before the revo ^ lution, Avignon was famous for its numerous piracie.; of popular works, and printing was carried on to 51 147 An:)igmn* •eat extent here. This abuse Is still carried on in cret: and it is in vain, that the booksellers of iris send agents, from time to time, to make dis- 'Veries. Population 23,000. Character^ Manners, —The Avignonaisare, in meral, well disposed and polite to strangers. The ♦ ciety here is divided into four classes ; that of the )blesse, who have their balls and parties, to which it very few of any other rank are admitted; the iCond consists of men of property, advocates, phy- jians, and all those who have received a good i.ucation ; the third of merchants, manufacturers, .d artisans; and the last of farmers and labourers, fere are a number of handsome women at Avig- >n, in every class, particularly in the third rank; eir costume, which is not devoid of elegance, Mding a middle place between that of the common [ ople and women of fashion. The Avignonaises te not tall: but they have a beautiful, clear com- bxioH, a full bosom, fine black eyes, and aphysiog- |my full of expression. The Jewish women here are |markably handsome h Not long since, we were jlesent at a ball given in the Hotel de Ville, for '•licli more than 3,000 tickets were issued, and we ijjst confess we never saw so much beauty and R^gance assembled together before, in the same jace. Among the many exquisite faces which jjided before us, there were several that might I ve sat for a portrait of the celebrated Laura, I ‘ Before the revolution, the Jews inhabited a separate and Jl losed quarter of the town, the gates of wliich were shut ^ was orig nally of Avignon, and who held the first office there. In the suburbs of tlie Cordeliers there was little house, built in the gothic style, with or window to the south and.another to the north, an a stone seat before the door, which was called tli house of Madame Laura. She used sometimes sit here alone with a pensive air, musing and tall ing to herself. In the heat of summer it was a cui tom antiently at Avignon, (now not entirely di: continued,) for the greatest people to sit out : their houses, for the benefit of the fresh air. Sii sometimes appeared at the window at sun-ris: What a felicity for Petrarch when he happened . pass that spot! “ I rise,” says he, “ at break c dav, to salute Aurora, the sun that follows ht and above all, that other sun, which has dazzf me, from my tender youth, and has every day tl same bright effect on my heart. Other lovers dt sire the shades of evening, and hate Aurora, but i is quite the contrary with me, my pleasures ar suspended till night folds up her shade.” It aj pears that Sennucio, the friend of Petrarch, live in the neighbourhood of Laura, and that Petrarc desired he would inform him when Laura appeare at the window, which she often did at sun-rise. The amiable Laura fell a sacrifice to the plagut on the 6t!i April, 1348, and was buried in tli church of the Cordeliers. The tomb was opene in the year 1533, by order of Francis I., an the body of Laura was found there, with an Itc lian sonnet of Petrcuch’s. The following is Fountain of Vaucluse. 151 art of the epitaph made on this occasion, by i raucis I. O gentill’ ame, ostant tant estimee, Qui te pourra louer, qu’en se taisant ? Car la parolle est toujours reprimee, , Quand le subject surmonte le disant. The site of Laura’s tomb, distinguished only by j melancholy cypress, is situated amid the ruins of :ie celebrated church of the Cordeliers, now in- losed in the grounds of a gardener. The pro¬ prietor’s name is M. Cerriers; a very convenient puse, together with the grounds and ruins of the lordeliers, were lately to be disposed of; wdioever le purchaser may be, we fervently hope that he idll place a simple marble slab over the tomb of retrarch’s mistress, and inscribe upon it the name jf Laura. , The fountain of Vaiiclase, a morning’s ride from vvignon will claim the notice of every one who has eard the name of Petrarch. While a school- oy at Carpentras, Petrarch went with his father nd mother to see the fountain of Vaucluse. En- p,ptured with the charms of this solitude, he cried ut; “ Here is a a situation which suits me mar- ellously! were I master of this place, I should refer it to the finest cities/' These lively impres- ions determined the subsequent residence of Pe- rarch at this place, were afterward;^ transfused lirough many of his works, and have immortalized le beauties of Vaucluse. The most pleasant lute to Vaucluse, is by the villages of ]\rorienes nd Chateauneuf de Gadagne; but this is only racticable in fine weather: the road is narrow, 8 i 1S2 Tountain of Vaiicluse, rough, and stony, but the traveller will be amply compensated for the shaking he will receive, by the beauty of the surrounding scener}^ There is an¬ other route, which keeps the high road to Mar¬ seilles, as far as Bonpas, and then proceeds by Cavaillon (noticed towards the end of this chapter,) to Vaucluse. The traveller should stop at ITsle, at the Hotel de Petrarque et Laure, a little without the village; and here should order his dinner to be ready on his return from the fountain. It will con¬ sist entirely of the most delicious Jisli, as trout, eels, the ombre and craw-fish from the Sorgue; a most excellent dish of the latter is made here,, called the bisque. The frogs of the plain of 1’IsIl- are very fine; and a fricassee of them will be a grear treat to the gourmand. Those who have partaken of this dish at Paris will know how to appreciate it excellencies. Before we enter the valley of Vaucluse we shouh' endeavour to forget every thing that has been said about it; at least every description of it, even the picture of it drawn by Petrarch himself, or we shall feel greatly disappointed. It is beautifully observed by Mr. Gray, “ that the memory sees more than the eye in Italy,’’ and this is particularly the case with Vaucluse. The fountain, and the rocks around it, hallowed to the imagination by the recollection of the poet’s residence near them, and immortalized by his descriptions, are the chief attractions of this romantic spot. The valley of Vaucluse is little more than a winding passage among the stupen¬ dous rocks which coast the northern side of the Durance. The small intervening space between the river and the road is cultivated with a little Fountain of Vaucliise. 153 : rn, a few mulberry-trees, and here and there a Itiall spot of meadow-ground, which does not wear t y appearance of verdure in the summer. In Pe- [arch’s time also, the rocks which border this val- Y were clothed xioith tmod; but a few scattered ;nes, with some olive and fig-trees, are all that ^>w prevent their being perfectly naked; yet these i^ible rocks exhibit a wonderful phenomenon of ^de and savage nature, highly gratifying to the layers of romantic scenery. I Continuing to wind for some way among the |cks, the road terminates at the little village of faucluse. Hence to the fountain is a distance of tout a quarter of a mile, along a stony path, upon declivity of the rocks, the valley being here, ttirely occupied by the channel of the river. The lamination of this valley is an immense perpendi- |lar rock, six hundred feet in height. Within t!S rock is the cavern in which rises the fountain tat supplies the river Sorgue so abundantly: the •(trance to the cavern is 60 feet in height. Before Ijrises a mole of rock, so much above the entrance the cavern, that till you have arrived upon this l)le, nothing of the cavern, or of the fountain lithin it, is to be seen. The water, though clearer Ifin crystal, appears green, as it runs from the i pth of its channel ^ This fountain is, in fact, a tiosiderable river, arising from an unfathomable !':ky basin, of a circular form, at the foot of the e'lpendous perpendicular, or rather impending ij^k before-mentioned. A few yards from its The water is not fit to drink, but is very serviceable to t tanner and dyer. 154 Fountain of' Vaucluse* source, the stream falls in the most majestic an) picturesque manner, over fragments of rock, cfl vered with a dark green moss and then forms ij rapid river, winding through the vale, whose sidei; for some distance, rise suddenly to an immens' height, from its bank, and then gradually expani) into an open plain. But this is generally in thi spring, after the melting of the snows; a circuiH; stance alluded to by Sir William Jones, who speaking of the Naiad that inhabits this grot, says. When the waking flowers of April blow, And warmer sunbeams melt the gathered snow, Rich with the tribute of the vernal rains. The nymph, exulting, bursts her silver chains. In the summer or autumn, after a long drought the water only filters through the mole, and gushe out at its base, in innumerable little streams; ba then the traveller can examine the interior of th cavern, an advantage denied to him when there i a fall of water. We saw it when the water vva low, and had an opportunity of entering the ca vern. On the declivity of a rock, between th village and the fountain are the ruins of a building shewn as the Chateau de Petrarque, or resident* of Petrarch, but in fact only part of a castle whid once belonged to the Bishop of Cavaillon. To Vaucluse Petrarch retired, to banish hi * Entre de hauls rochers, dont I’aspect est terrible, Des pres tonjours fleuris, des arbres toujours verds, Une source orgueilleiise ot pure, Dont I’eau sur cent rochers divers , D’une mousse verte couverts, S’epanche, boiiillonne, et murmure. i MAD. DESHOULIERES. 155 Fountain Vaiicluse, islon for Laura, and indulge his taste for letters; ling a little cottage, with a field adjoining, and ling no other companions than his books: but j! the torments of love still pursued him ; rocks I woods, the wildest and most solitary situations led nothing, and all his efforts to get rid of his ^ion were vain and fruitless. In this solitude, it that he composed some of his most beautiful ijms, and among others the celebrated address to ^ “ Fountain of Vaucluse,’* beginning Chiare^ hhe^ e dolci acque, of which the English reader t form a very imperfect idea, from the para- astic version of Sir William Jones, and from a other attempts. The following translation, for (ch we are indebted to the kindness of a friend, fesses the rare merit of Jidelity ; and is, in our aion, the most successful transcript of the beau- original, that has yet appeared. Sweet, fresh, and limpid waters, I Where she alone who seems i Woman to me, of all earth’s daughters, j Hath bath’d her beauteous limbs;— j Green, graceful boughs, where it doth please Her lovely side to rest;— (Sighs fill my breast While I but think of it—) to these, And to the turf and flowers I call, i That love to lie her flowing vest beneath ; , And to this air,—most sacred and serene; j Where love at her bright eyes kindled my heart-— ■ i My heart that’s breaking now—E’er 1 depart ’I For ever, listen one and all, j| To the last grieving words my lips shall breathe. ' When death shall end my woes;— ‘‘ For it must be— ’Tis Fate and Heaven’s decree } That by Love’s hand my weeping eyelids close Fountain of Vaiicliise, Could my poor dust be laid Within your sacred shade, That hope would cheer and bless my dying hour. When to its native skies My naked spirit flies, And all its earth-born fears and wishes cease 5 Where else but in this bower, Could my tired flesh, and troubled bones find Peace ? Perhaps, e’er Pm forgot, I’o this accustomed spot, That barbarous beauty may return again; But there, where on that day, liOw at her feet I lay, Her asking eyes will search for me in vain. When—O, the piteous sight! Turning her looks of light. Should they behold, among the stones Scatter’d about, my poor neglected bones. Surely she’ll breathe some mercy-pleading sighs: Which Heav’n itself will not have pow’r to slight. As with her veil she wipes her weeping eyes. From beauteous branches falling— (What bliss, that sight recalling !)— Into her lap the blossoms came in showers; And there she sat before me, Humble in all that glory, Cover’d all over with a cloud of flow'ers. Some on her vest descended;— Some with her fair hair blended. So that, for once, the curls Seem’d deck’d with gold and pearls; Some on the earth—some on the water fell— While some came sporting in fantastic twirls, Seeming to say, “ Here Love doth reign and dwell!” Then to myself I said,— Delight half lost in dread— Surely in Paradise this being dwells!” For o’er my troubled mind. Her air, and look refined, Her voice, and her sw'eet smile, had wrought such spell i Fountain of Vaucluse. 15'7 i That Truth quitted her throne, I And Fancy reign’d alone; ' And, looking round me then, j Sighing, I ask’d, “ How came I here, and when ?” I Thinking myself in Heaven, not on earth, i And from that hour to this, I find my only bliss, Here, in this bower, where first my love had birth. p.-;-o I Of the manner in which Petrarch lived at Van- bse, he gives the following account in one of his .ters : “ Here,” says he, I make war upon my^ uses, and treat them as my enemies. My eyes, ■lich have drawn me into a thousand difficulties, 1^2 no longer either gold or precious stones, or t )ry or purple; they behold nothing, save the fir- iiment, the water, and the rocks. The only fe- hle who comes within their sight is a swarthy old »man, dry and parched as the Lybian deserts, y ears are no longer courted by those harmonies ' instruments or voices which have often trans- I rted my soul; they hear nothing but the lowing cattle, the bleating of sheep, the warbling of ds,' and the murmurs of the stream. “ I keep silence from morn to night. There is t one to converse with: for people constantly em- |i)yed, either in spreading tiieir nets, or taking illows : the fields are well cultivated with rye and dieat, and there is an abundance of beautiful mul- erry trees. After crossing the Durance over a hand- ome wooden bridge, we enter the department of the. )Ouches-du-Rhone, and go along the bank to the left, >here there is a canal, which has been made to give free passage to the waters of the river at the time ;f the inundations, and to preserve the surrounding elds from their ravages. The prospect extends to |;ie north over a pleasant plain, near four leagues, erminated by the chalky rocks, out of which issues he spring of Vaucluse, From Noves, the place i/hich gave birth to Laura, the road crosses a conn* [ 'y tolerably well cultivated, which produces corn ■ nd wine; the sides are bordered with rivulets and jhaded by willows, poplars, and fig-trees; the I rounds resemble gardens; but little labour is used : 1 the cultivation of the soil; they turn up the llarth with a large spade, and harrow it with a iieavy rake. There are no trees, except in a small ji>ark which belongs to an individual: the houses i'tand in the middle of the fields without any jhade. After passing St. Andiol, two miles from ,j)rgon, the earth becomes sandy and unfruitful, (ifo the soutli-east there is a chain of barren rocks, i|rhich extends as far as the Durance: it is on these jiieights that the small town of Orgon is situated. Jj A short distance from Orgon is the Pierre-percce, j^)r perforated rock : it is a mountain through which pbey have conducted the canal. This opening is ||wenty-fivefeet wide: the vault or arch is supported by hev/n stones, and on the two sides are foot-paths 164 Avignon to Aix, for the men and animals whicli draw the boats. At Lambesc, the country has a delightful appearance; between the vineyards and corn-fields are a number of olive trees; and this place produces abundantly that valuable oil which is called oil of Aix. The town is handsome, and in the principal street are many well-built houses ; the church is in good pre¬ servation, and the two fountains are worthy of at¬ tention. This town was formerly the chief place of a principality, Mdiich belonged to the house of Lorraine. The states of Provence here held their assemblies. A quarry in the neighbourhood pro¬ duces a red, yellow, and black marble, which is in great esteem. It was customaiy formerljq in several towns, to make the clocks tell the hour by means of one or more statues, who strike the bell with hammers: a similar custom prevails in Italy; and it is the case in the little town of Lambesc ; there is on the top of a tower a man who strikes the hours in this man¬ ner, at the same instant a woman appears, and makes him a low curtesy; she then walks once round him. The people of the country call these figures Giacomar, and Giacomarda. The environs of Lambesc are extremely plea¬ sant; the fields produce r^rn and wine, and are planted with a great number of olive trees. We here see some specimens of the singular manner of culture which is observed in a great part of Pro¬ vence : each ground is divided into several beds or squares, of about twelve feet each way; these are planted alternately with vines or sown with corn, and tlie whole is surrounded with olive trees. The various colours of the vine, the corn, and the fruit 165 Avignon to Aix, ( the olive tree, in the different degrees of matu- ly, give tlie country the appearance of a beauti- ^iiy diversified carpet. /Between this and St. Cannaty and in some other ] rts, flocks of sheep are seen, and some of them ' th a singular ornament, consisting of one, two, * ,'d as far as twelve, tufts of wool, which are not it off in the shearing; a mark which is left only i the favourite sheep. In the years 1799, 1800, and 1803, the road be- li^een Avignon and Aix was much infested with rob- | ‘|rs. About the latter period they became so daring, at scarcely a week passed in which they did not ake several attacks. In vain the diligences were tended by gensdarmes; in vain were several sel¬ lers placed on the tops of the coaches; the ban- tti appeared in numbers, which always secured |iem the victory; nor, as it is said, was it in the )wer of the government to stop their depredations ithout coming to a compromise with them, or Jnploying large detachments of cavalry incessantly patrole. At first they only took the public mo- I jey, and gave not the least offence to strangers, jnless they opposed them, or were suspicious per- !)ns; they were, on the contrary, uncommonly iolite, and apoligized to the females for having y iven them the trouble of alighting, I When, however, the diligrences carried no more l.ublic money, these robbers began to plunder the ^jassengers, not only of money, but of whatever va¬ luables they might possess ; after which they always Ijeturned to each person seven livres for the ex- li'ences of the day, and carefully observed the route 1G6 Avignon to Aix, each tool:. This was certainly a generosity ar' consideration worthy of notice. From the number of anecdotes which this pern' afforded, we shall relate the following. Once, having stopped the diligence in whi(' were several gentlemen and one lady, they, as usui robbed the gentlemen: when the turn came to tl lady, “ Comment, Messieurs,” said she with a coi fidential tone and an admirable presence of mine, “ Des Fran^ais insulteroient-ils une femme Surely not,*’ was the answer; “ Nous ne vouloi que vous embrasser.”—They kept their word, ai the lady was not robbed. Another time, when the diligence was robber there happened to be a Swede in it, who said, wii, much sang-froid, to the robbers, when they at plied to him—“ Je suis etranger, Messeurs! .1 voyage sous la sauvegarde de la loyaute Fra- ^aise.” They demanded his pass; and havin found it accurate, said to him, witli much easy po; liteness, “ Montez, Monsieur ! vous ne payez rien.’ On another occasion, a merchant from Toulousi was travelling in tlie diligence, who had four thou' sand livres of "old about him. When he was t have alighted, he held a small purse of counterfei! coin to the robbers, saying, “ Had you but earn a quarter of an hour sooner there were a thousani loLiis d’ors in it.” '1 he “ bedi quarde d’ure,” (peti' quart d’heure) together with the cheat put on thi robbers, made the whole compan}^ laugh, and the thie\nes retired satisfied. One more characteristii of the nation we must yet mention. An Italian ha( sewed his money under his arms; but had kept ir his pocket a purse apparently full of louis d’ors Aix. 167 i lien tlie carriage was stopped, he gave his purse p the robbers, begging only to retain as much as 'OLild bear his expences to Nizza. “ By all means,, 'as the answer; “ but you will have the goodness ) take it in silver.*’ By this method, the Italian btained from the robbers twenty-four crowns in liver, instead of a purse full of whist-markers, at lost not worth above ten or twelve livres. Not less judicious were the conceptions of many ther travellers on the same occasion. One, for ex- mple, dropped his money in the window frame; jnother hung it on a hook near the door ; one hid is louis d’ors in an apple, and another in a loaf; ome bound them round the bodies of their dogs, nd others concealed them in the heads of their anes. Aix, the ci-devant capital of Provence, is situ- ted in an extensive plain, near the river Arc. Aix, T Aqucs SexticE, though it was the first settlement nd town which the Homans had in Gaul, exhibits !iut few remains of antiquity. After the various nd repeated devastations which it suffered, it be- | ame the capital of Provence, a noble city, in which \feve erected a palace and courts of justice, a cathe- jiral with all its attendant edifices and mansions; jonvents and monasteries, and the houses of the nobles, and numerous dwellings for mechanics and iradesmen; most of them constructed of the ruins i '' ^ ^ |f antient edifices. The Revolution, which devas- pted so many fine towns, did not spare Aix and jhe few monuments which it possessed, i This city has always been celebrated in the his-* iary of Provence. The nobility early felt the charm if study: the zeal that the Berengers evinced for 168 Aix» poesy; the patronage they accorded to the Tr(< badours; the noble institutions tliat resulted fni it; the residence of the Popes at Avignon; that| the Counts of Provence at Aix ; the conquest! Naples, which produced frequent communicatiC with Italy; the patronage of the good King llei^ all contributed to inspire them with a taste for li ters. The establishment of the parliament and I the university, tended still further to improve ad confirm it. Several members of the parliament I Aix were distinguished by their learning and ei- dition. At their head was the great Feiresc^ a cl racter worthy of imitation. Their condition in 1 allowed them to pay great attention to the edu( tion of their children ; and this noble example bei very generally followed, learning was, by this meai^ disseminated throughout all classes of the citizeiji In Aix there are'still several valuable cabinc well-stored libraries, and rich collections; thef collections have been transmitted from father to s j with the lands that he had cultivated, the castle j which he had been born, and the portraits of 1‘ ancestors, with which its walls were dec rated. No other city, with an equal populatit can boast of possessing more curiosities of natu and art, or of having given birth to a greater nui her of enlightened men. It was the birth-place ! Tournefort, of the celebrated Canonist Gilbert, f Marquis d’Argons, Adanson, &c. At present, though not a large, Aix is an e tremely handsome and very populous, city; uk of the houses are built of a yellowish stone, wh ^ the fronts of some of them are covered with plastj of P^ris of the same colour. It is surrounded by 169 rail, and has eight gates. The streets are regular '.nd well paved. In the centre of the town is the Course, or Orbi- die. This is the principal street and is 1,500 feet in !ngth, planted with four rows of fine elms, which,, nth the houses on each side form five avenues, ^he middle and widest avenue is for carriages, iiiose on each side are for pedestrians, and those I etween the outer rows of trees and the houses are aved ways, for carts and carriages. It is divided ‘•om the country by a handsome iron gate and |alisade. Most of the houses are handsome build- _ igs, and include a number of hotels and coffee- ‘ ouses; the whole resembling the Boulevards of Paris ‘id Bordeaux. In the centre are three fountains; ,ie middle one is hot, and saves the inhabitants lie trouble of heating water for domestic purposes, he rich, and families of distinction generally re¬ de in the Course; here also the greatest concourse , strangers is to be found; the doors of the colfee- liuses are surrounded by idlers; and, in the even- ig almost every one comes to breathe the fresh air, jider the beautiful trees of this pleasant prome- ide. This is the principal entrance to the town Dm Paris., Lyons, and Avignon, and from Lan- Miedoc. * After the course, the best situation is the Place ' Precheurs, planted wuth elms, and with a hand- rme fountain in the centre. There are also two her fine fountains ; one in the place of the Motel j Ville, and the other in the Rue d’Orbitelle. jie last unites the waters of the warm and cold jrings; the cold issuing from the two sides, and e hot from the other two. In the Faubourg of fs Q 180 Marseilles. Observatory; the Medical Society, the Academy of the Sciences and the Fine Arts, &c. &c. The charitable and benevolent establishments consist oi the great hospital, which also serves for the recep¬ tion of foundlings, the hospice de la veillesse, and 1’Adolescence, a work and orphan-house; the hos¬ pice des Insensees, a madhouse, which receives also other sick persons; a bureau de bienfaisance, for the relief of the poor at their own houses ; and other benevolent societies for the distribution o) food, clothing, &c. to the poor. So extensive is the town, that the 'petite poste, for the distribution o. letters within the walls, has fifty-four receivini- houses. Population, 111,150. Marseilles has givei birth to Durfe, author of the Astrea; father Plu- rnicr, the celebrated botanist; the famous Puget (like Michael Angelo,) both architect, sculptm and painter, by whom several houses in the Cours. were built; to D’Arvieux, the traveller; Mascaror and numerous other great men, Marseilles abounds with amusements of ever} kind, particularly theatres, balls, &c. At tlie granc theatre, which may vie with any at Paris, the most celebrated pieces are performed alternately, with operas and ballets. The performers are good, tin scenery fine, and the costume, particularly tin Oriental, correct and splendid. It is open ever] evening. There is much variety at the theatn Thubareau, where little intriguing pieces, farces &c. are performed as on the Boulevards at Paris There arc three or four other theatres of this de criptiori, where, if we w'ish to study low life anc manners, we shall be richly entertained with broac comic farces displaying ail the eccentricities of the Marseilles — Promenades, 181 ’roven 9 al character. Public balls, concerts, &c. re given in winter almost daily, and all is southern lirth and festivity, in a city where the higher classes re remarkable for a refinement in manners, and a ha^acter of sociability materially induced by the reat influx of strangers from all quarters of the globe. * There are several clubs^ chiefly composed of lerchants, which are very agreeable; reading, con- ersation, social games, and occasionally a festive atertainment, are their principal objects; they ave good libraries, and the principal papers : a ^commendation from a respectable house is tiie ily necessary introduction for a stranger. Besides lese, there are numerous reading rooms, and cir- dating libraries, the best of which are situated in le Course. There is a great fair held annually at Marseilles, died the fair of Si. Lazare, beginning on the 2d * September, and lasting a fortnight. It is held ■ 1 the (bourse, and much attended. \ Promenades and Public Walks. —The principal j omenade is the Course^ w^hich from its populous- |!ss, and the number of its shops, forms, at all Ines a pleasant lounge. At its lower extremity, [wards the Rue de Rome, is the Flower and Fruit .'larkety which offers every morning, a most en- anting spectacle. The w'omen who attend it are istinguished from the rest of the lower class by a •lier dialect, more gentle manners, and superior ijrms ; they sit in two rows with their flowers set ») large tables, wdiich being rather cheap even in jnter, almost every female appears on a Sunday jth a natural bouquet. A large bunch of violets < narcissuses costs two or three sous ; one of pinks 182 Marseilles — Quays. four ; of orange blossoms five or six. In addition to the flowers growing in Marseilles, many are brought in small vessels from Toulon, Grasse, Nice, and San Remo; together with pinks for planting,: rose-bushes, small lemon and orange trees, &c, from which a sort of botanical luxury is collected. ! Other promenades are artbrded by the quays., which, inclose the haven like a horse-shoe, anci which receive their names from the forts at tlie ex¬ tremities : St. Jean on the right hand, and St. Ni¬ colas on the left. The former presents a scene of the most variec mercantile and maritime industry: while one sidt is crowded with cellars, booths, and shops one abov( another; the opposite side is thronged with largt and small vessels. Here are rope-makers, anc watch-makers, goldsmiths and map-sellers, per fumers and pedlars, fruit-wmmen and fish-womei dealers in parrots and monkeys, hawkers of pic tures, &c. &c. indiscriminately jumbled togethe into one chequered mass. Here the ships ar rive from Genoa with apples and chesnuts ; froa Toulon and Frejus with oranges and sardels barks with flowers, onions, and flax; feluccas frou Nice, Leghorn, and Bastia; vessels laden witl wood from Hyeres, and Porto Ferrajo ; and, finally the great trading vessels in West India produce t( and from the Levant, &c. Not without some diffi' culty a passage is forced through these busy crowd to ascend the place St. Jean upon the J ourette, o old rampart, which is a large terrace extending' along the gulph from St. Jean’s to the old cathe dral church. Were it but planted with trees, an< less exposed to the full rage of the mistral, it might 183 I Marseilles — Quays, rom its pure air and enchanting prospects, become )ne of the pleasantest walks in Marseilles; at pre- ent it is little irequented. The miserable fishing-huts which inclose one ide, afford a historical curiosity worthy of remark, [ I heir inhabitants are distinguished by their dress,* S anguage, and manners, from all the people of [ Vlarseilles and the other provinces, on which ac- [;Count they have been justly regarded as the des- |jendants of the ancient Phenicians. It is highly iirobable that they were the first inhabitants of ^Marseilles; and that this spot was its original scite, |)ut it is supposed that the hills extended much I'arther into the gulph and the old town, from its |}xtremity down to the ocean. ► Descending again from the Tourette, to pass by he Consigne across the haven, you land on the [may of St. Nicolas ; which is not without its pecu- iarities. Although the number of shops, and the 'variety of mercantile and maritime occupations is liere much less than on the opposite quay, still the Hoss is replaced by the greater number of magazines, Tock-yards, public-houses full of sailors, corn-ships, !j:olliers, and many other northern scenes by no f|neans uninteresting to the stranger, /^t the end jpf the fort of St. Nicolas lies, on the right-hand And on the left, the path to the newly planned |.valk behind it, which being only a bare terrace, !; 5 moothed in the rock, deserves no particular atten¬ tion for any thing but for the fine prospect which it fjcommands. Towards the side, a steep open path [leads up to the fort de Notre Dame de la Garde, ivvhose height is computed at eighty-five toiscs: what from the terrace could be imperfectly seen, 11 2 184 Marseilles — Walks, namely, the town, the haven, the double chain o mountains, tlie gulph, surrounding country, islands and the elevated ocean, here breaks upon the sigh like one grand amphitheatre, and may be clearh and distinctly seen. The fort itself is insignificant! not having a single cannon; but as it command the whole town, every ship entering the gulph i announced there to the town. Les Allees de Meilhan afford the third prome nade. This is, properly speaking, the only ont where fresh air is united with something of rura tranquillity; on its left side lies the Course, 'i'h' walks are broad, and the trees kept in good order the houses have a neat appearance, and do not in-, pede the free circulation of air. There are some pleasant xmlks without the wak of the town, but these are not numerous. Imm? diately at the close of the Allees de Meilhan lie tk. promenade de la Magdelaine, and the fine Carthi sian, both encompassed with charming scenery On one side, towards Aubagne, lies a little valley watered by the Vraune, and enriched with fin( meadows and trees of the freshest green. On tin other side you have only to pass the first gardei walls, and you are encompassed by flowering shrub and fruitl'ul vineyards. Still it must be allowed that these walks are to be preferred in the winter the great want of shade rendering them almost in supportable in the summer: neither can it b( denied, tliat, for the most part, the country i) either bare and waste, or covered with “ Bastides.’ A common baslide^ and nine-tenths are so, con¬ tains nothing more than a saloon, some small ad¬ joining rooms, and two, yet smaller, on the uppei Ma rseilles — Ba'stides, 185 tory. A few vegetables, vines, olive, almond, and , ig-trees, constitute the requisites for a garden. A : aried vegetation, shade, cool springs, and the har- iiony of birds are here dispensed with. Bastides, uch as are met with in the romantic scenery of Switzerland; bastides truly fitted for rural retire-' lent, with comfortable convenient apartments, gar- ens filled with flowers, cooling springs, and trees , Ifording shade, are, alas! rarely to be found in Il'iarseilles. The finest, however, are to be seen, : ux Elygalades, and on the way to Toulon, lying long the coast, embosomed in ever-blooming fresh- ■ ess, and possessing every advantage which a south- rn climate can bestow. A common one costs from 8 to 10,000 livres, a , uperior one from 12 to 15,000 livres; and one of i he best from 24 to 80,000 livres: the produce is rifling, and the expence frequently considerable; ut as the possession of one forms an appendage of Lishionable life, the value is subject to little varia- jion. Many are used only a few days in the week, nd others only a few weeks in the year. In this articular, even artisans ape their superiors, and at east hire lodgings at the house of a peasant; in uch cases “ ma bastide’' sounds rather laughable, i Those who are disposed to take an excursion of few leagues, will find themselves recompensed by l.umerous interesting objects : the Grotte de Roland, f Dr example, situated at the side ot the mountain, i;nown by the name of Marseilles Boyre; the Cha- icau Borelli, Gemenos, St. Pons, Bellombre, Al- liertras, Notre Dame des Anges, la St. Baume, &c. description of which has been given by Papon, .Ithough they are much changed during the last 186 Marseilles — Climate, twenty years, and have suffered much from th both morally and physically, a peculiar I ture of the Grecian and Oriental, as well as of I French and Italian. Their persons and man- m, language and habits, vices and virtues, all re¬ dd us of the historical vicissitudes, or mercan- i connections of this province. The men of the e'er classes are in general distinguished by a coarse i: low stature, bristly hair, strong and passionate L ures, and, above all, by the wild blaze of their S 3 . But the fishermen, porters, and country peo- possess some peculiarities which must be spoken ilistinctly. 'he Jishermen form a distinct and separate class, idiich all the energy of the ancient character, all h: simplicity of the ancient language, and all the ii inality of ancient manners, are preserved and (:entrated. Their songs, their dress, their mode 192 Marseilles — Fishermen . of living, every thing infornis us that tliey ai the undegenerate descendants of the PhoeniciarAl These provincial fishermen have, for whatevf concerns the fishery, a proper court of judicr ture in Marseilles, known by the name of “ Ji risdiction des PrudMiommes Pecheurs,” wdiich ht existed since the tenth century; but in its pn sent form only since 1431. It consists of foi seniors, called “ Prud’hommes,” who are chanr ed every year, and possess, during their adni nistration, unlimited powers. The court is usuall held on Sunday afternoon ; the complaints are mad verbally, and the cause is decided either by t;i opinion of the judge, or a majority of voices. “ / ley vous coundano the law condemns you, exclud‘d all appeal, and finishes the affair. The “ Pr diiommes are dressed in black, and receive a fee two sous from each party. Besides this, the fishermen have archives full of important record concerning their trade laws, &c. which have bee preserved inviolate, even during the revolution. Their gymnastic exercises deserve attention they consist of mast-running and single combat called Bigno and la Taguo. For the first, a mast i rubbed with grease, and the skill is displayed ii running from one end of it to the other, barefoot^ The second is conducted as follows:—From twelvi to. sixteen light boats are provided in the front with boards four foot long and ten inches broad FJere the combatants take their places, armed witl shields and lances, the boats being rowed each bj six strong men. They then divide to a proper dis tance, and, upon a given signal, suddenly row towards e^ch other. Whoever plunges his opponeni Marseilles — Porters. 1 93 le most frequently into the water, bears away the rize. We shall next notice the porters, who are dis- 1 nguished by the deep redness of their faces; the 1 ’ominence of tiieir eyes; the compression of their l.ecks ; and the breadth of their shoulders. Beware ‘ I'hini when he is loaded, for then he is blind and ;iiaf, and would knock you down ten times without jdng himself once aware of it. '1 hese men form jiother society. They have their apprenticeships, t'ize-pieces, seniors, brokers, money-gatherers, &c. |nited into one common body, each must be an- iimrable for the other. From their very moderate I ay of living, they possess an extraordinary degree j corporeal strength. “ Four hundred weight," ?y they, “ is a trille; six constitute a proper load;’" U from eight to nine commands uncommon re- ■jCCt. The famous Marquetos at 'i'oulon brought |to ten, and his fame is commemorated by acolos- ||l figure under the balcony of tiie senate-house. 1 The peasantry form the third interesting class, I der which are understood the inhabitants of the ll^her and lower mountains, and those of the flat liuntry. The former are remarkable tor their open, lild, ai*d free dispositions ; their honesty, industry, Ijd good-nature, are highly praised through the f lole province : although they do not regularly emi- ||ite, yet great numbers go to the large towns in |[? southern provinces, and are eagerly hired as ll.iters, cooks, and other menial servants. '1 he ^‘Gavouets dc Barcelonette*' are famous for their c.trcantile talents. The inhabitants of the lower riiuntains appear to be much worse, which may be i ributed to their regular excursions into the south- 194 Provence — Peasantry^ ern provinces. Here, with their wives and chil¬ dren, they seek support through the winter. The men hire themselves as carters, helpers, labourers, manufacturers, &c. the women wash and sell fish; and the boys clean shoes, sell chesnuts, or lead about marmots with organs. The girls either go out to mend old cloaths, or commence a little tradq with figs and cheese; in short, each member of a family must have some occupation for his support, and from which he can save something for the sum- mer. The love of gain seems to be the ruling pas-j sion of these mountaineers. The peasants of the^ level country are almost universally decried malicious, but perhaps unjustly; their greatest faults are, roughness and impetuosity. One oi these peasants will shoot a handful of small shot a: you for taking a single fig from his tree ; but for } friendly word he wdl give you a hat-full. Thi reapers form a still more interesting class of thesf the whole village, and the cakes are sold by tiuction in the following manner :—The Aba having Inounted a small stage, on wdiich the cakes are Alaced in baskets, elegantly decorated, he com- s 3 198 Ma rseill es Customs, mences, “ A fine, light, sweet, delicious, charming plum.cake, number one, Maria Coutelon/’ The orator, then taking the cake in his hand, proceeds to expatiate on the beauty, notability, and other perfections of the maker. The bidding then com¬ mences, and the cake is finally consigned to the richest or most persevering among the bidders. In the same manner one number follows another, until all the cakes are sold ; and the money thus produced is applied to a dancing fund. The ceremonies of New Yearns Duy^ are thus de¬ scribed by Miss Plumtree *. “ As early in the morning as people can possibly dress themselves i?^ proper visiting attire, they set out on a round oi visits to relations and friends, to wish them a happ) new year, and to present them with bonbons. Tin relations are first visited, beginning with those near est in affinity, then those that are further removed and lastly come the friends and acquaintance. It is : contest of politeness on this occasion which shall start first, and anticipate the call of a relation or friend. “ The shops of the confectioners are dressed up j on the day before with looking-glasses, intermixed | with festoons of silk or muslin, and bunches of rib-? bands or flowers The counters are covered over with a nice table-cloth, and set out with cakes, sweetmeats, dried fruits, and bonbons, made up into pyramids, castles, columns, or any form which the taste of the decorator may suggest; and in the * evening they are illuminated for the reception of company who come to buy their bonbons for the next day^ Endless are the devices for things in 3 Residence in Franco, Vol. II. p, 161. f Marseilles — Customs, 199 i.iich they are to be inclosed; there are little boxes I baskets made of satin ornamented with gold, sil- r or foil;—balloons,—books,—fruit, such as ap- :3S, pears, oranges,—or vegetables, such as a cau- lower, a root of celery, an onion; any thing in fort, which can be made with a hollow within to !ild the bonbons; but the most prevailing device is hat is called a cornet, that is a little cone orna- hnted in different ways with a bag to draw over |e large end and close it up. In these things, the fices of which vary from one livre to fifty, the ijnbons are presented by th.ose who choose to beat '2 expense of them, and by those who do not they ! s only wrapped in a piece of paper ; but bonbons : some way or other must be presented. In these uits to friends, and in gossipping at the confec- “tners’ shops, which are the great lounge for the icasion, the morning of New-year’s day is passed ; liinner is given by some member of the family to I the rest, and the evening concludes, like Christ- fis-day with cards, dancing, or any other amuse- |!int that may be preferred. 1“ The decorations of the confectioners’ shops |nain till Twelfth-day; when there is a ceremony II drawing twelfth-cake, though somewhat varied llm the mode in England. I'he cake is very plain Sits composition, being not better than what we i,)uld call a bun, only large, so as to cut into slices. Ij one part a bean is introduced; and the person ijio draws the slice that has the bean in it is king i' queen, according to the sex of the person by viom it is drawn. Every one then drinks to the ijalth of the new sovereign, who receives the gene- i' homage of the company for tire evening. The ^200 Marseilles--^ Pr oc essions, rest of the company have no name or title of dis, tinction.’’ The most magnificent 'procession at Marseilles i, that of St. Ferreol. The houses are decorated witi; streamers to the very tops; and the public way i crossed by cords, on which are suspended numberles flags of various colours. The ships are always orna mented with flags and streamers. The procession passe under several arches, hung with boughs, before i stops at the altars or resting-places, which are co vered with flowers; every thing concurs to give t this solemnity an air of cheerfulness. ^J'he ej dwells with pleasure on the garlands of beautifi flowers, the green boughs, and the emblem of th Divinity, contained in the flags of the processioi The attendants are extremely numerous; eve’ gardener carries his wax taper, ornamented wit the most rare and beautiful flowers ; he has also tr vegetables and fruits with w’hich heaven had blesso his labour, and sometimes he bears some nests birds. The butchers also make a part of this processioi clothed in long tunics, and with a hat a la Henri II armed with a hatchet or cleaver; they lead a fat o dressed with garlands and ribbands and with gi horns, like the ox at the carnival: his back covered with a carpet, on which sits a pretty chik dressed as St. John the Baptist. During the whol' week, which precedes the festival, the butchef lead about this animal: they first take him to tli police, where they pay a duty, and then their co lection begins, which is very productive : every on wishes to have the.animal in his house; and it is prevailing superstition among the people, that the Marseilles — Processions. 201 ill have good luck throughout the year if this ist leave any trace of his visit, however dirty it y be. The ox is killed on the day after the fes- al. The child generally lives but a short time ; lausted by the fatigue which he has suffered, and !; caresses which he has received, and sickened by ji sweetmeats with which he has been crammed, ' languishes, and often falls a victim. A number of young girls, clothed in white, their _ ids covered with veils, adorned with flowers, and f ded with ribbands of a uniform colour, are next the procession. Children, habited in different inners, recal the ancient “ Mysteries.” Several ung women are dressed as nuns ; these are St. Ur- a, St. Rosalia, St. Agnes, St. Teresa, &c. The ndsomest are clothed as Magdalens; with their ir dishevelled on their lovely faces, they look th an air of contrition on a crucifix which they Id in the hand: others appear in the habit of ii Sceurs de la Charite, whose whole time is de¬ led to the service of the sick. Young boys fill lier parts; such as angels, abbots, monks: among lom may be distinguished St. Francis, St. Bruno, I. Anthony, &c. In the midst of the shepherds larches the little St. John, but half-covered with a |ieep’s-skin, like the picture of his precursor ; he ids a lamb decked with ribbands, a symbol of e Saviour who offered himself for us, and died r the remission of our sins. The streets are i|*ewed with flowers; numerous choristers carry liskets full of roses and yellow broom, which they I row on a given signal, before the host or holy sa- I ament: they strew some of'these on the ladies ^ ho sit in rows to see the procession ; these also live baskets of flowers on their knees, which they 202 Marseilles — Precessions, offer to the host; they amuse themselves with cc vering the young virgins and little saints with tli flowers. The sweet scents of the roses, the cassu the jessamine, the orange, and the tuberose, ming led with the odour of the incense, almost overpovve the senses. The procession proceeds to the por; and it is there that the ceremony presents a sublim character: the people fill the quays; all the decl are manned with seamen, dressed in their best blu jackets, their heads uncovered, and their red caj in their hands. All bend the knee to the God of th Universe: the seamen stretch out their hanc towards the prelate, who, placed under a canop; gives the benediction : the most profound siler: reigns among this immense crowd. The bened > tion received, everyone rises instantaneously; ti bells begin to ring, the music plays, and t > whole train takes the road to the temple from whi they came. The taste for processions is so universal, that th spectacle lasts the whole day, beginning at half-pai seven in tlje morning. As soon as it is over, th ladies quit their seats, and run to hear some musici entertainment; the men go to the orchestra to ch£ with the female performers, or to applaud the gair bols of some favourite dancer. Similar religioi ceremonies take place throughout Provence; the only differ according to the circumstances and riche of the place ; but they have every where the sam character. There are many curious popular dances, as th farandoulof morris-dance, and others in imitation ( the volero^ whose only merit is to shew the pliabilit of the feet, knees, and hips, and is a continuation ( licentious attitudes. 203 ProDengal Language, besides these amusements, the stranger will oc- 1 ionally be interested by some such exhibition as 1 following, in some of the principal squares. t represents the manner of punishing small ;fts and petty offences, and is a very proper sub- |jte for the cruel pillory, but lately abolished in yand. The nature of the crime is written on a rd and placed over the head of the individual; If the punishment consists in this, and being ex- ied to the view, but not to the barbarity, of a for the space of an hour or two, according to magnitude of the offence. The culprits are irded by gem-d*armes, so that not the least insult i be offered to them. This mode of punishment jiins all over France, and is often seen at Paris, : in very large cities, as Marseilles, Bordeaux, )ns, Rouen, &c. &c. \\Q Proven gal language^ commonly spoken at Mar- 204 Provencal La7tguage» seilles, is a strange compound of Grecian, Roman German, Arabic, Spanish, Italian,and modern Frenc'! words As a specimen of the language, we give , few of the most striking proverbs. Of a rougl: austere man, they say, Es lui Arahe; he is an Aral Of a man of gallantry, Uamourraoharie (Vimogai corriffado ; he would be enamoured of a cat, if i, had but a cap on. Speaking of a paltry ineffica cious measure, they say, Es uno garhoimado enir \ doueis violos ; it is a carbonnade between the flam of two lamps. Of a person violently actuated b anger, A coiilero tuaria iin pan un fournier; hj would, in his fury, kill the bread instead of the bake; The qualities of the ass, the countryman’s faithfi companion, afford a numerous train of similies au proverbs; one, of these is; Se l^a uno bueno r'lli es par tin marrit ay ; the laziest ass gets the bei morsel. Of an intolerably stupid person they say, L espeS) coumo uno murailho meslrer; he is as thic as a foundation-wall. A lover calls his mistresj Madelicado; my pet; or, Ma be7’gitro, my slie^j herdess; the feminine gender always terminating in( Of a man who derives great profit from any triflin/ thing and with little trouble, they say, L'es such uii mado72o, he has converted it ii^o a milch cow. Nu merous and characteristic are tne proverbs concern ing the female sex : thus it is said, Apres tresjoim^ Pon s’ennuegeo de Jretnos, d'hostes, et de pluego. I three days one becomes weary of women, coinpan} and rain, &c. Other proverbs on this .subject are D’ausfeono, de chins, d'armo et d"amours, per u plesir 7nille doulours. Birds, dogs, arms, an women, bring a thousand pains for every pleasurt^ 205 Provencal Language. Imours de court)san hen de vielan^ de Jew elan 01171 deroun pas passat un an. The love of a cour- er, the inheritance of a miser, and the fidelity of woman, evaporate in a year, l.a fremo et la istagno de Jouero hello dentro es la 7 nagagno, /omen and chesnuts are fiiir without and foul ithin. Douis bouens jom's a Vhome sur terro^ quand 'end momlbe et quaiid l'e77te)‘ro. A married man .IS two good days; that on which he marries, id that on which he buries his wife. Oumbro ‘home, vau cen fremo. The shadow of one man f of more worth than a hundred women. Fremos teloj leisfoou pas veine a la candelo. Women and len must not be viewed in the daylight. Another ;markable expression is the famous Ti cali un isseour, I will give you a box on the ear. It is, iwever worthy of remark, that the blovv always •ecedes the threat. Other characteristic proverbs e the following: Que a ben dinat, creis lets autreis doiils. Those who have eaten heartily, think others iUSt be satisfied. Jour passat jour gagnat, A day ,issed is a day gained. Lauso la mar, ten ti en teiTO. Jjraise the sea, and stay on the land, n Nothing can be more comical than to hear ■cench pronounced with the provincial accent; l\us haiit is changed into bissau ; vei'ser into vesser: 'potter into fretter ; pen into bau, &c. Still more 'jughable is it when whole words and proverbs ie intermingled with pure French; as j’ai xsu \ie fess, instead of j’ai vu une Jots; or j‘ai Xhete une trousse cu, instead of achetee une port- Trou is substftuted for trap, and nid for vie, fne best of all is, Madame da Jait sans mettraire, ^Tich signifies only, Madame V a fait de bonne grace; T 206 Provencal Language* the last being expressed by the provincial sense man- traire. It is inconceivable how much the women of Pro¬ vence can express with a word of two syllables, nani; they have twenty modulations of it at least: —Sharp and quick!—you may rely on it the fair one is really angry !—The first syllable long and the last hardly audible ! now again you may hope a little!—Both syllables slowly pronounced! I wish you joy I It is the affirmation of affirmations! The following is the Lord’s Prayer in the Pro¬ ven 93 ! language: “ Noiiast7‘e Paue que sias oou ciele, que vouastre noum sicgue sanctijicat; que vouastre rouyaoumc nous arribe* Que vouastre voulounta sieugue fadio su la terro, coumo din lou ciele. Dounas nou ejicui 7iouastre pan de cade jou, Pardounas 7iou 7iou astrei ooufensos coumo lei pardounan a 7i^aquelei que nous an ooiifensas, E 71011 leissez pa sucoimba a la tenta- tien : nidi delivra nou dooii 7naou, Eii sin sieP The first volume of Sismondi^s Literary History of the South of Europe, contains an interesting sketch of Proven 9 al poetry, with numerous speci¬ mens. English translations of the poetry of the Troubadours may be found in Mrs. Dobson’s His¬ tory. From Marseilles, the traveller may proceed by water to almost any port of Italy; to Leghorn in a very short time, and save much land-carriage; or he may go from Antibes or Nice to Genoa, if it be his design to v;sit Italy, by the route of Provence, Marseilles to Toulon. 207 .iistead of crossing the Alps. We shall now visit ;!’oulon. ' lo. 10. From Marseilles to Toulon, 7| posts, about 41 English miles. 1 OM POSTS. FROM POSTS.. ARsEiLLES to Aubagne* • 2 Cnjes to Beausset •••••• 3 jjes . 11 Toouon(‘). 2 The road, for some distance, on quitting Mar- dlles, is inclosed between walls, but after we pass le village of St. Masrel, it becomes open and beau- ■ ful, coasting the Beaune. Auhagne is a neat ttle town, situated on this river, has some anti- I uities in its neighbourhood, and a commerce in I ine and pottery. Population 5,600. Corn, wine, (lil, capers, and silk, are produced in great abun- ance, for the size of the territory; the vin de uscat, both red and white, known by the name of I lalvoisie d’Aubagne, is deservedly celebrated. I Aubagne was the birth-place of the Abbe Bar- |ielemy, the celebrated author of Anacharsis's I ravels. He had a house in the neighbour- |ood, which is still in the possession of one of |is descendants. While at Aubagne, the traveller If taste will undoubtedly devote a day to the exa- I ination of the beautiful valley of Gemenos, a con- |nued series of corn, vines, olive, fig, almond and ?l;her fruit-trees, surrounded by an amphitheatre of ^.llls. The village stands at one end of the vale, |id near it a chateau in a fme situation. This j;tace is immortalized by De Lille, who calls it I Inns. —(*) Cross of Malta, Golden Cross. T 2 208 Marseilles to Toulon, riant Gemenos, vallon fortune, and thus apostro*' phizes it: Lieu charmant! trop lieureux qui dans ta belle plaine, ^ Ou I’biver indulgent attiedit son haleiiie, Au sein d’un doux abri pent, sous ton ciel vermeil, Avee tes oran^zers partager ton soleil, Respirer lenrs paifum -, et comme lenr verdure, Meine au se n des frinaats defier la froideur! The little valley of St. Pons, close to the village of Gemenos, about two miles in length, is preferred by some persons to the far famed Vaiiduse: yet we do not think them fair subjects of comparison; one is very beautiful, the other grand and striking. In the middle of the valley are the ruins of a con¬ vent of nuns, of the Cistertian order. PcCturning to Aubagne^ and proceeding thence on our road to Toulon, the next town is Cujes^ remarkable for tin numerous caper plantations in its neighbourhood, From this place to the valley of Le Beausset, on^; continued vineyard, the road gradually ascends,| and is, in some parts, very beautiful. Beausset ii a large bourg, and has manufactures of cloth, ca¬ licoes, dyers-houses and glass-houses : an abundance of olives in the neigbourhood. A dreary and de¬ solate scene now presents itself, and a rosemarj bush is quite a variety; at length the road becomes narrower, is covered with fragments of rocks, anc we enter the sublime mountain-pass of Ollioules The chalky declivities have not the least appear¬ ance of verdure; the road is very steep, and h continually winding; the naked rocks, inaccessibk even to the wild goat, seem by their hanging posi tions to threaten the traveller, and often deprive him of the sight of the heavens. The ground ii Marseilles to Toulon, 209 I rewed with fragments of basaltic rocks, which dnce the existence of ancient volcanoes. Every )ject concurs to augment the horror of the place, hich might well be taken for one of the entrances I the infernal regions. When the traveller comes It of this passage he soon leaves the rocks behind, m, and views fields covered with the pine and the ive; and meadows enriched with the almond and le fig-tree ; and although the place has still a wdld ipearance, it seems to be the boundary between rebus and Elysium. [ At the mouth of this valley, and the entrance of le beautiful and fertile plain where Toulon is si- lated, we first perceive Ollioules, The walls are lilt with fragments of basalt, which gives them a : ackish appearance ; but the country is beautiful. Ue there see many of the villas or country houses ’ the inhabitants of Toulon, wdiich are in^propor- on as numerous as those of the Marseillois; while 'tanning gardens meet the sight in every direc- jon, and the most delightful scents perfume the ;r. Orange, lemon, citron, and date-trees, at- j.in the greatest perfection in the open ground; ;ie olive flourishes in abundance; and it is to the ilture of these trees that the place owes its name, he oils which they produce are not ol‘ a. very good Liality ; but they are very useful for the soap rna- ufactories, of wdiich there are several at Ollioules. he dried figs of this place are in much esteem. In leaving the town the road is very stou}', and ■tiguing to travellers; but w'e are soon compeii- ited for this by the cheerfulness of tlie landscape ith which w'e are surrounded. We presently ime to a hill, whence we have a fine pro-'pect of T d 210 Toulon, fields covered with caper-trees, the open sea, the roadstead of Toulon, with the city and its forts. Toulon, situated on the Mediterranean, has one of the largest and best ports in Europe, for men of war, consisting of the old and new ports con¬ nected by a canal, and covered towards the north by lofty mountains, and defended by castles and batteries. Louis XII. constructed the new port, to which there is a rnagniticent arsenal, containing every thing requisite for the equipment of ships. The streets of the upper or old town are narrow and disagreeable, while those of the lower, or new towm, are airy and well built, and are refreshed and kept clean by numerous fountains, supplieci with water from the neighbouring mountains. The climate of 'foulon is milder and more healthy than that of Marseilles; it is true, the summers art- hot, but there is alw'avs a salubrious sea-breeze The winters are four and six degrees milder, the town being almost entirely protected from the cola winds. Every thing ripens three or four weeks earlier; indeed, a great part of the southern ve¬ getation, as date-trees, stand the winter in the open air. For a residence, it is almost as dear as Marseilles. The principal objects worthy of attention at Toulon are the marine arsenal, the timber-yards, forges, corderie, wdiere the rope is made, built of stone, and 1000 feet in length ; the depot for masts and sails, the magazine of arms, partly destroyed by the English when they evacuated Toulon, in 179v3, but now' rebuilt; and the celebrated dockf constructed by M. Grognard. It is a deep basin, inclosed in brick-work, of the form of a line of Toulon, 211 pttle ship, its length is 300, and its breadth 100 •ench feet. In the front is a sluice-gate, or lock, jpable of being opened and shut at pleasure, and , the back a building with 84 large pumps; by eans of the former, the basin is filled with water * bringing the ships in, and by the latter it is iptied for repairing them. The exercising ground, called the Champ de Utaille^ where the soldiers perform their evolu- I ns is a handsome square, surrounded with a double jiv of poplars and aspen-trees. We should also j it the fort Joubert; the 7uaison commune, on the f-e quay Marchand ; the two colossal caricatures |re, which support the balcony, are the work of L' celebrated Puget, who, having been offended I the two consuls, cut their likeness so well in I'V.e, that the whole town immediately acknow- ged the strong resemblance which they bore to |! originals. Other objects of curiosity are a udtary arsenal, the lazaretto, the ci-devant cathe- ®iJ, from the tower of which there is a beautiful | w of the coast, the roads, ports, dock-yards, &c.; ci-devant seminary, a hne building, and the a receptacle for the galley-slaves or convicts, i’.o are now sent to Marseilles. Toulon has a aritime prefect, a school of navigation, and a ^luinal of commerce. Population about 20,000. b trade consists in wine, brandy, oil, capers, figs, 'tins, almonds, oranges, jujubes, and other excel- fruits; manufactures of soap, common cloth, f taffeteis. ;,|?oulon is, upon the whole, an extremely agree- ilb residence. 4'he promontories, t!ie sea-shore, rf neighbouring hills, and indeed the whole of tha 212 Toulon — Environs, environs afford the most charming walks. The na¬ turalist may here find important objects of contem¬ plation in the fish, the shells, the insects, and in the curious fossils which abound "in the calcareous mountains; while the botanist may enrich his her¬ barium with various interesting indigenous plants^ as well as with many elegant and curious exotics. A great number of these foreign specimens are suc¬ cessfully cultivated in private gardens, but chiefly in, the public botanical garden, just without the town, near the gate of Paris. A very pleasant aquatic excursion may be made to the peninsula of St. Mandrie. “ This penin-. €ula,” says an accurate observer, ‘‘ is about twoj thousand paces wide, and about a league in length ;j it is divided from cape Sepet, and the fort, by an: arm of the sea flowing majestically along, like ii fine stream. The house at which I resided, situated on the declivity of a hill, between the roads and thflj town, must not be passed over without a more rairi nute description. I “ You land on a fine green lawn, encompassed' with gravel to resist the waves ; by a gentle ac¬ clivity you are led through vines and olives to the^ garden-door; from whence you discover the hoiisf' embosomed in jasmine, olives, and pomegranates |, here, seated on a shady terrace, you may copiousl) : inhale an accumulation of odours, borne to you or j the breezes of the sea ; beyond this is a hollowij filled with tuberoses, Arabian jasmines, Heliotro'^^ flum^ Mignonette, &c. and shaded by palm, pista^ chio, and cordia trees: farther on you meet with < , walk formed by a double row of orange and pome ! granule trees, leading to a cool grove ol Finns ina ]] rllima, aspen, and poplar trees. Toulon — Environs, 213 * At the back of the house you ascend a fine sinence, at whose extremity I'ises hill above hill, :athed with vineyards and fig trees ; these are i ceeded by an odoriferous vegetation of rosemary, Q rtle, broom, &c. till having attained the summit, )fi rest under the friendly shade of firs and h :hes. ‘ Should you feel disposed to climb anotlier nuntain, you will have gained the highest point othe peninsula, where, from the hermitage you cnmand an unbounded view, including the vale 0 Toulon, the roads, and part of the ocean, as 1 as the islands of Hyeres.’* Valette^ about four miles from Toulon, is a pretty tal retreat; and Fiacres, distant twelve miles, is of the most eligible residences in the south of Imce, in point of climate. The road to Hyeres i; ery indifferent, but we are amply repaid by the b uty of the country, the surrounding landscape, bng every where ornamented with olive and fig- fees. We cross a beautiful valley, watered by a r alet, which forms a great many falls from the p nts of the rocks over which it runs, and which a clothed with some species of laurel, Laurus no- b[S; and Nerion oleander ; on the left is an emi- nlice, termed by the peasants the CoUine noire^ a I a small but uncommonly fertile valley, appro- piately named le Paradis, The plain of Hyeres next appears in sight, co- V ed with palm-trees; the road which runs through iis very agreeable, and shaded by olive and fig- ties, while several rivulets fertilize the adjoining finis. 'Ihe palm-trees, which w'e perceive at a bits rare, and geese scarcely to be seen. All V Iter they have green peas, asparagus, artichokes, «aliflowers, beans, kidney beans, endive, cabbage, f iishes, lettuce, &c. &c.: potatoes from the t untains, mushrooms, and the finest truffles in t world. The winter fruits are olives, oranges, l ions, citrons*, dried figs, grapes, apples, pears, a londs, chesnuts, walnuts, filberts, medlars, pome- g nates, azarole, and the berries of the laurel. ;| ere are caper-bushes wild in the neighbourhood, a [ some palm-trees, but the dates do not ripen Vi 1, probably from want of impregnation. In Ma^ Ure are wood strawberries, in the beginning of J\ie cherries, and these are succeeded by apricots a,.peaches. The grapes are large and luscious, IV sk-Iemons are very cheap, and they have water- n: ons from Antibes and Sardinia. A^ine is very good and cheap: both red and w te may be had of the peasants, genuine, for f rpence a quart, when taken in quantity. The w e of Tavelle, in Languedoc, very nearly as ''g d as burgundy, may be had for eight-pence a A thousand of either citrons or lemons may be had for a * ^ ea. X 230 Nice — Manners, bottle. The sweet wine of St. Laurent about j shilling, and pretty good Malaga for half the rno ney. Wood for firing is about eight-pence a quin tal, consisting of one hundred and fifty Nic( pounds. There is an endless variety of insects distributee over the plains and mountains of Nice; these ait rather troublesome, even in winter, but the speciw met with on a walk on the mountains, afibrd to th. naturalist a never failing source of amusemen'. The tarantula is found not only at Nice, but in somt other places of Provence: it is now well known tha' the terrible effects attributed to this animal, are al together imaginary. The Nissards are in general mild, humane, peac* able, and complaisant. hey are gay, lively, ar; pleasant in company; in a word, their manners upon the whole, are interesting, and congenial wii the mildness of their climate. The men are wci made, but thin ; the women are not remarkable f( their beauty. Balls are frequent in the winter, bu the Carnival, which is scrupulously observed hereij the gayest time of the year. Scenes of festive mirtlj are very general among the better classes of society and prove a source of pleasure and entertainment t(f the stranger. The diversions of all classes consis, chiefly in dancing, singing, and music. The dress of the females consists of a closi jacket, ornamented, on gala-days, with ribands o bouquets; the petticoat is long, but, like the apron is without any ornament. The common people o both sexes, except at festivals, wear their bai bound with a green fillet. Towards Monaco, Vin tijnille, and the eastern and southern part of tli<' Nice — Climate* 231 < !partment, the women sometimes fasten it at the '.ck of their head with a gold or silver bodkin, le dress of the men is very becoming. They ■3ar a small waistcoat which reaches to their gir- ■ e ; above it a short habit of the same stuff, with I ort sleeves; the skirts of this coat are only four . ishes in length; a girdle of blue or red cloth en- (xles their waist; their breeches are of the same i lour as their coat; and their stockings are of blue ( brown woollen. , The climate of Nice is particularly favourable if valetudinarians during the Pointer, which is in : neral remarkably mild. The spring is subject to forcing winds, and the autumn is usually wet; the miner is hot, but not insupportably so. Verdure : evails even in the winter; the trees are loaded th flowers and fruit, and butterflies are every ' lere seen fluttering. The highways even, in some I rts, are bordered with a hedge of American aloes ’'.ga'oe Americana), If frost sometimes occurs, I nch only happens during the coldest days, it is it slight, and is soon dissipated by the influence t| the sun. No climate possesses a more genial Inosphere, no soil a more smiling vegetation. Ijie blossoms of the orange, the vine, and the lau- II -rose, the infinite variety of flowers, plants, and rubs, at all seasons of the year, lead us to ex- llim— Vertumns, Pomone, et Zephyrk, Avec Flore y rfegnent toujours; C’est I’asyle de leurs amours, Et le troue de leur empire. ich a temperature as this, has powerful attractions [ the natives of northern regions—a sky ever clear, X 2 232 Nice — Envirojis, serene, and bespangled during the night with innu¬ merable stars, is peculiarly welcome to the Russian, the German, and the Englishman. From the time of Smollet, who first made known to our country¬ men, the mildness of this delightful climate, it be¬ came the fashion to resort to Nice during the win¬ ter. But this hybernation was put an end to by the Revolution, and by the long and tedious wars which succeeded it. The language of Nice, and that part of the de* partment contiguous to the Var, is the dialect of Provence^ mixed with a number of words derived from the Italian. The patois is not unintelligibli to the inliabitants of Marseilles, though that of Mo¬ naco, only twelve miles from Nice, is entirely S( We have already given some specimens of the Pn . venial language at p. 204. The environs of Nice are truly enchanting. Th : irregularity of seasons so detrimental to vegetatio i in other parts of the world, is here exchanged for,, progress so uniform and imperceptible, that the tenderest plant appears to feel the change, and ac¬ quire new vigour by it. Every day brings forth another flower, every month its fruits, and every; year a copious harvest. The light tinges of the spring yield to the brighter hues of summer; and autumn boasts of the deep crimson and the orange Unexposed to the bleak influence of the north, the pendent grape soon comes to full maturity ; the al; mond and the peach already tempt the taste; the citron and the orange promise an ample recompence for the toil of the husbandman. In the language gf Lady Mary Montague, it may be said; 233 Brignolles to Digne* Here summer reigns with one eternal smile; Succeeding harvests bless the happy soil. Fair fertile fields, to whom indulgent heaven, Has every charm of every season given. No killing cold deforms the beauteous year. The springing flowers no coming winter fear j But as the parent rose decays and dies, The infant buds with brighter colours rise, And with fresh sweets, the mother’s scent supplies *. rhough Nice is no longer a part of the kingdom France, we have described it at length, because |3 the favourite retreat of invalids from England ring the winter season, and it resembles Provence ^nearly in its climate, productions, and inhabi- l;ts, that it may still be accounted geographicallyy loot politically, a part of this highly-favoured I'trict. tiuitting Nice and returning to Brignollesy by the 1/ we came, (see Itinerary No. 9) we shall make lexcursion to the watering-place of Digne, de- /edly celebrated for the almost miraculous cureg ch have been wrought here on gun-shot iwuiids, I 12. From Brignolles to Digne, 12| posts; about 70 English miles. I I I'OSTS. nolles to Bai jols • • lison.’. 21 21 21 FROM rOSTC. Riez to Begude . 2 Mezee... 11 Digne 11 %arjols is a small town with a population of IfjlO inhabitants, and has manufactures of paper, To those who mean to reside at Nice during the winter, 'iiecoimneiid the purchase of Dr, J)uvh‘'s Account of yice, t ■•hich we are indebted.) ^ 3 ^ Digne, leather, and brandy. The next town which we ses is Riez agreeably situated on the Colostre, and ce-' lebrated for its antiquities, the most remarkable of' which are four superb columns of the Corinthian' order, about a pistol shot from the town; not fan from this spot, in the midst of the fields is a ro-n tunda, composed of eight columns of the same order. Riez has manufactures of leather, an'l ropes. Population 2,950. Passing the valley ol Colostre, we reach a vast plain covered with round stones, and here and there a nut and almond-tree scattered along it. Before we arrive at Begude, thr road continues to ascend, and for the space of t mile, we traverse a forest of arbutuses, junipe. trees, box and broom. Reach Begude, afterwarci’ Mezee, and at length Digne, which is situated in the midst of mei' dows, olive plantations, and vineyards, on the le: bank of the Bleone. The streets are steep, winu ing, and narrow, and the houses wretched; but there is a fine public walk. The mineral waters* so celebrated for the cure of gun shot wounds, arc situated about two miles from the town. Nearthk place is the crater of an extinct volcano. Digne has a trade in dried fruits, and very fine plums. Population 3,350. From Digne we return to Aix^ keeping the road to Brignolles as far as Riez. No. 13. From Riez to Aix, 7 posts; 38| Eng* lish miles. TROM POSTS. FROM Rikz to Greoiix . 'i- St. Paul to Peyiollcs Paul .. pi Aix. POSTS 1 M • e • • I Greoux is a little bourg, possessing mineral wa- | rs, and a population of 1,200 inhabitants. Pei/- lies is a small village near the Durance; here is a .irious grotto, and a very pretty chateau. De- iending a mountain, and traversing a wood, in a , ort time we arrive again at Aix, 236 Jix to Montpellier, CHAPTER IV. From Aix to Montpellier. — Tarascon.—Excursion to Arles.—Description of Nismes and Montpellier.— From Montpellier to Toulouse. — Beziers. — Narbonne. — Carcassone.—Description of Toulouse. No. II. From Aix to Montpellier, 20| posts; about 112 English miles. rilOM POSTS. Aix to St. Cannat* ..2 Pont-Royal. 2 Orgon. 2 St. Re my. 2 Tarascon.2 Carbussot . 2 FROM POSTS. Carbussot to Nismes (*)•• 1 | Uchau.. 1| Lunel .. • 11 (’olombi^res.. Montpellier I3 f i HE route from Aix to Orgon, we have already traversed, and described in a former page (see p. 162). Quitting Orgon, we leave the road to Avignon on our right, and that to Marseilles on our left; passing over a plain bounded on the left by mountains, which form a fine contrast with the verdant meadows, vineyards and gardens, of the territory of St. Remy, on our left. St. Remy is a small town agreeably situated, and has a population of 3,000 inhabitants. About half a mile from the town is the scite of Glanum Livii, a town which Inns. —(’) The I.ouvre, the Luxembourg, in the best sitiia* tion. ('i) VVljite Horse, Hotel du .Midi, i*etit-Paris, liUxew b(>uig. 237 St. Ttemy — Antiquities, fists only in name, where are two Roman monu- imts of great beauty, which have survived the ry of the Revolution ; there is a good road to 3m. The one is a mausoleum, the other is a umphal arch ; they stand a few yards distant from ch other; but it does not appear, that there ever * us any connexion between them. They were, obably, built at ver}’' different periods of the art, 3 sculpture and architecture of the arch being ich more chaste and perfect than those of the lusoleum ; the latter is composed of a pedestal, jbamented in basso relievo with combats of caval- I and infantry, over \vhich hangs a net full of ii hes, and borne up by genii and masks; at each K gle is placed an Ionic pilaster ; this pedestal sus- t ns a square mass, pierced through with an arch {each front, flanked by Corinthian columns; the j| :hitrave is charged with this inscription: SEXLMIVLIEICFPARENTIBVSSVIS. ’jiat is, “ Sextus, Lucius, and Marcus, sons of ilj.ius Julieius, erected this to their parents.*’ ‘iflie frieze is adorned with snakes and winged dra¬ ins ; above, is a circular pedestal and colonnade ( twelve fluted Corinthian pillars, short and thick i their proportions ; the entablature is covered Vth a conical dome : under it appears 2l legated and f^stolated figure of very different stature, without lads, probably the effigies of the persons to whose liTOory this tomb was consecrated, 'i’he whole Hiding is light and pleasing to the eye, but upon r examination of its separate members, will be find faulty in many of its proportions; the co- I nns are too short for their diameter, the roof is 238 St. Remij — Antiquities. too heavy ; perhaps, as was frequently the custon of the ancient masters, the architect sacrificed a) consideration for the minuter parts to the geners effect; and calculated the proportions so as to pro duce a proper sensation on the beholder at somi certain point of distance, where the situation u the ground, or the projection of adjacent buildings obliged him to take his stand to view it. The arch has suffered severel}^ by time and dil;' pidations ; all the upper part is destroj'^ed, and onij the gateway and a portion of the side-walls subsisf In both fronts the imposts, from which the arci springs, rest upon pilasters, and on each side them are fluted columns of the Corinthian ord. with their pedestals, which supported the genCi entablature, but scarce a third of the shafts r mains. Between each pair of columns stands t figure of a slave, one male, the other female, ai. in the triangle above the arch are the fragments ■ two winged victories: the ceiling of the gatevva; is delicately wrought in hexagon compartments All that is yet left of this venerable pile bespeaks the pure style of architecture, that flourishc! under the first Roman emperors; the science wa^ then simple and correct, not yet sophisticated b;, that surcharge of ornament which debased and dis, figured it in the following ages. Saint Remy has given birth to two celebrate^; men, the astrologer Nostradamus, and the abbijj Expilly, geographer. 1 he following quaint distich, has been made upon John and Michael Nostra damns: Nostradamus cum falsa damus, nam fa Here nostrum est ;;| £t cum falsa damus, nil nisi nostra damus. Tarascon» \ Tarasco7i is agreeably situated on the left bank of h Rhone, directly opposite to Beaucaire, with j ich it is connected by a bridge of boats, the river |ng too wide and rapid, to admit of any other de- i iption of bridge being built over it; even some of I: boats are frequently carried away when the N.W. I id blows very strong : as there is no parapet to |)tect the traveller, it is not safe to pass over in 8 arriage if the weather be boisterous. Beaucaire I’emarkable for its chateau, the antient residence I'the Counts of Provence, and commonly called |ig Renews castle. It is in very good preservation, il although used as a prison, is the principal orna- gnt of the town. It is built of free-stone, in the i *.bic style, and at the top, tliere is a platform, nmanding a fine view of the Rhone. In St. Mar¬ ’s church is a fine marble monument of that it, and a curious grotesque figure called the rasque. Tlie trade of Tarascon consists in corn, le, brandy, silk, &c. Manufactures of silk, ,^,ndy, serge, cooperage. In a house called the f\doubs, there are more than two hundred persons ijistantly employed in making boats for the trans- p t of salt in Provence, the Lyonnais, &c. Po- patiou 12,000. The air of the environs is tem- p,ate and healthy. The ground is more deficient rtivood, than in verdure or grain, and is so light dt a plough with one horse, or even an ass suf- a s for tillage. The women work much in the Sijis, and not a few of them without stockings or ‘jl'^es, or even covering upon the head to screen i 11 from the sun. 'Vhile at Tarascon, the traveller should not for- '!< to pay a visit to the town of Arles^ about eight uo A l ies» miles distant, remarkable for its antiquities, an remains of old manners and customs. Passing ove a rich and fertile plain, we reach Arles^ whic at first sight presents nothing but an assemblage t narrow and deserted streets, and ugly houses ; an ap pearance widely different from what it was, whe Constantine the Great, and after him his sons ho noured it with their presence. Then, theatres, pa laces, and amphitheatres were raised on every sid: to receive and entertain these mighty guests, ani Arles became the centre of government, and the riva of Marseilles in the trade of Italy : thither the inha bitants of the northern districts came to purchase tl: gaudy superfluities of luxury, and from thence ca, ried back into their forests, new wants and the vk of more refined nations. The urbanity which splendid court is wont to diffuse around the place ) its residence, polished the manners o^'the Arlesia; to a degree above the citizens of other towns; art it’ we may credit the report of travellers, who hav remained here long enough to form acquaintances this softness of manners, and ease of behaviour are still perceptible in the best societies; holdin<; a pleasing medium betwixt the formality of th long robe, that once led the fashion at Aix, and th familiarity, which at Marseilles is acquired by ha bits of traffick. The glory of Arles faded with that of Rome and from the day that Honorius submitted to th dictates of the barbarian powers, this tiity becam involved in continual disquietudes and distresses besieged, plundered, depopulated, by every pass ing swarm of conquerors, it fell to ruin; commerc fled from its deserted wharfs to seek prosperity i Arles — Antiquities. 241 I icr ports; the canals that were wont to bestow j tility upon its sun-burnt plains, and to convey [■‘sir rich productions to a ready sale, were left tliout repairs or support, and soon choked up th sand, formed heads to numberless torpid ols, the nests of infection and disease *. Arles - w became, successively, the property of various asters, and was at last vested in the Counts of ovence, who were supplanted in later times by ^3 Kings of France, who remedied many of the llysical evils belonging to the climate and situation I this place. In traversing the streets of Arles and its environs, i meet at every step, numberless proofs of its ! .mer magnificence. The church of St. Honorat, ^3 Hotel de Ville, the archbishop’s palace, convent /the Misericorde, and many private mansions con- la a vast quantity of inscriptions, relievos, frag- l^nts, columns. Sec, 'Ihe principal antiquities (1.) The amphitheatre^ smaller than that at Ssmes, and much disfigured by the miserable sellings of the poor : it never was finished, the ifrk having probably been interrupted by the pro¬ bation issued against gladiatorial shews sooi- cifter pristianity ascended the throne of the Caesars, I rough a strong attachment to those sanguinary fhertainments transmitted from father to son since Ipvence belonged to the Romans, or at least, tfee it was subject to the kings of Aragon, the g)ple of Arles retained the taste for bull-feasts Since the French monarchs possessed Provence, these ais were in some measure remedied; but there are yet O'ly parts of the environs of Arles that are exceedingly f©* » sU and unwholesome in summer. T 242 Arles—Antiquit ies. down to the present age; wild bulls were frequently driven from the Camargue and combats exhibited' in the antient amphitheatre before a vast concourse of spectators, who w^ere agitated by the same fierce emotions, and expressed them with the same frantic acclamations, that resounded in the shews of an« tient Rome, and are still to be heard in the bull- feasts of Spain. The frequent loss of human lives induced government to abolish these savage sportj at Arles. (2.) In the garden of the Misericordc, the remains of a theatre of which two columns only, and five arches exist; there are but two of the lat¬ ter entire. (3.) In the abbey of St. Suaire, frag ments of columns and cornices, and a fine mosaic pavement. (4.) In private houses on the banks ci the Rhone, near St. John, columns of granite and white marble, fragments, &c. (5.) A fine granite obelisk which ornaments the place of the Hotel d- Ville, the only antient obelisk of the kind in France, in one piece: this was broken in its fall, and h. sixty feet in height. J'he Hotel de Ville which forms one side of this' square, is a fine modern building designed by Man* sard, and contains a number of curious antiquities; here are a torso, and a plaster cast of the Ve7ius oj Arles, the original of which is now in the Louvre.; The cathedral is a Gothic edifice, principally re¬ markable for the multitude of statues and sculpture* with which the front of it is decorated. In the * The Camargue is an island eighteen miles in length, formed by two branches of the Rhone. It is extremely fertile, and feeds an incredible number of horses and cattle which are almost wild. The horses are active and hardy, but unruly and ugly. Arlez — Manners, 243 !hamps Elysees, without the town, there is a great umber of tombs, sarcophagi and inscriptions. From its marshes, bogs, and the channels which verflow the fields and meadows, Arles is one of le most unhealthy towns in France, The climate , indeed, extremely mild, but the perpetual damps,* le badness of the water, and the low situation of le town, render the inhabitants much subject to ^ues and malignant fevers. The inhabitants of Arles are thus characterized a recent traveller. “To me,’* says he, “ they bpear a sort of Proven 9 al Dutch. They are ilegmatic, quiet, and good-natured, though not ithout a certain mixture of southern vivacity and anquillity. They are lustier than those of other •ovinces ; their features are, nevertheless, strongly arked, and they possess countenances peculiar to I the inhabitants of the south. To describe them a few words, ce sont des Hollandois au vin^ he women, it is confessed by all, are very beau- ! ul, and are equally remarkable for their graceful i.rriage, and taste in dress; no place abounds bre with lovely children, particularly of the fe- ■ale sex. The costume of the peasant women, jiom we see at the markets, and about the towm, ilminds one of the airy garments upon the dancing i mphs of Herculaneum. These peasant girls i:ar light, open mantles, loosely flowing to their ees, over a short petticoat, that discovers their her legs and silk stockings; bracelets of gold ads adorn their wrists ; a silk handkerchief con¬ es part of their jet black locks, without conceal- ij their sparkling eyes and animated countenances. Y 2 24*4' The Camargue. Tins dress suits admirably with the elegance of their form and the suppleness of their limbs. The trade of Arles consists in corn, wine, oil, manna, and all sorts of fruit. Its saiicissons arc • particularly famous. The quay of the Rhone forms a sort of sea-port, whence small vessels and coasters ■ take shelter. Population 18,000. To have a view of the singular country round Arles, we should ascend the tower of the Hotel dc' Ville, whence are seen the two fork-like branches of the Rhone, which encompass and fertilize the celebrated delta or triangular isle of the Camargae^ containing thousands of wild horses, sheep, and oxen; every animal being stamped with a parti cular mark to designate its respective owner. Tliii gives birth to a sort of Arcadian festival known by th^ name of Jerrades, which is thus conducted. Th" ferrades are usually set on foot by several proprie tors at the same time ; and are attended by man ■ thousands both of invited and uninvited guests, from a distance of ten miles round. To this end a sort of circus is formed with carts, upon a large and newly-mown meadow, where the operation can be performed with safety to the operator. Each cart is adorned with flags, streamers, and ribands; and provided with a scaffold for the accommodation of the spectators. On one side of the circus a large fire is lighted for heating the marking-iron. On the opposite side is an opening through which the cattle may be driven, which are in the mean time confined near at hand. The marking of the bulls being attended with the greatest difficulty, we shal. ^escribe it more at length. The Crau, 245 As soon as the usual signal is given by three 5tol-shots, the guards on horseback, armed with ree-pronged goads, proceed to the inclosure, let .t from twelve to fifteen bulls, and drive them ; full gallop into the circus, and directly up to the * e; which they hardly reach before five or six .lards spring on each, bring them to the ground, ; d hold them motionless till the principal shepherd .is pressed the red-hot iron on their legs. The instant this is done they are let loose, to |n foaming, raging, and roaring, round the circus, he guards on horseback seek the open place; ose on foot save themselves in the carts, which e often overthrown by the bulls ; and the whole ^.esents a truly tragi-comic scene. The bulls at figth becoming weary, stand still; and quietly 3 low the cows to the meadow, which are brought i;o the circus for that end. The former scene then ^commences with another number, and thus not |is than a hundred are marked daily. IA pretty wooden bridge, with a foot-path and I Us, joins Arles to the faubourg Trinquetaille^ Hirnied by a point of the island of Camargue. ' The view from the tower presents, at the ijaie moment, the most striking contrast of abun- < nee and sterility ; the one in the territory of the livvn, and on the banks of the Rhone; the other in lie famous plain of Crau, about two miles distant, ibthing presents itself to the eye, but an im- ij^asurable expanse of stones piled upon stones, 511 m three to four, and in many places to fifty feet |ep, resting upon a boggy mass, composed of clay, ^ id, and gravel, held together by a sort of gluti- ijiis chalk. Although this desert appears to be i ‘yd 1246 Beaucaire* nothing but a barren and stony plain, yet it affords excellent pasturage for sheep, as a number of the finest aromatic plants grow between the stones* hence the mutton acquires a very fine flavour. Some part, however, of the plain, has, within these few years, been gained for the purposes of agricul¬ ture in consequence of the soil deposited by tlie river Durance, and the irrigating canals wuth which it has been overflowed; and great hopes are enter tained that the whole may, some day, be restored, and rendered fit for the produce of grain, an arti¬ cle in which this part of France is very deficient. The valley of Stones, in the North of Devon, ma*. be said to resemble the plain of Crau. Return ing to Tarascon, we proceed on our journey t< Nismes. Crossing the Rhone, on the bridge of boats, ant arriving at Beaucaire, we now bid adieu to Pro vence, and enter into the large and fruitful pro vInce of Languedocf (department of the Gard,) justly famed for the diversity of its soil and pro¬ duce, and its genial skies. Beaucnire, from the low Latin, helloquadra, signifying the square castle on the summit of a rock, still respectable in its ruins, is chiefly celebrated for the large fair held here on the 22d of July, and which finishes on the 28th, at midnight. This fair attracts merchants and traders frgm various countries, even from Persia and Armenia, and the amount of purchases and! sales is generally more than two millions sterling. As the town is inadequate to the accommodation of all the strangers, many of them pass the night in tents. At the fair time, boats go to Lyons every day; and three times a week, the rest of the yean jiPopulation 8,000^ Nismes, 247 [I In the distance between Beaucaire and Nismes, l out 15 or 16 miles, we perceive a material alte- l),ion in the face of the country. Instead of a [relied barren ground, as in Provence, we here I ad on tlie most fruitful and luxuriant soil, and [ wery meadows and lovel}^ fields, watered by fresh : earns, are finely contrasted with the dark hills of ie and other fruit-trees; every where pretty t ages encompassed with gardens, orchards, and Uberry plantations. T'he people are no less linged than the soil. The roughness of the Pro- ‘i 9 al is here changed into an insinuating manner; lent gesticulation, into a solemn and measured )ortment; and shrill voices, into soft and mellow es. The ruddy complexion, fierce eyes, and ,:y hair, are h(n*e every where supplied by pale ,es, blue eyes, and light hair ; even the black and i:|wn garments, give place to light blue or white. > we approach Nismes, a row of hills extends on ”h side, skirted with villages and plantations, ? le on the opposite side of the vale, the Tour grandly closes the perspective, with it^ Werable ruins. Mismes, the chief town of the department of the I'd, is situated in a delightful plain ; and was, as rl as Marseilles, probably founded by the Pho- 'iis from Ionia. The inscriptions found in the ijis of the antient buildings, prove that it was once L,.oman colony, and that it was governed by con- i and decemvirs ; it had also, equally with Rome, 4 !es, a senate, decurions, and a quaestor, Nis- is a large city, built within a semicircular range )i'*ocky hills ; violent north-east winds blow for n \y weeks after the equinox, without intermission^ 248 Nismes^Ayitiquilies, and dispel the unwholesome vapours, which hav, been collected in this confined atmosphere durini. the summer : all is open to the south, as far as tli, Mediterranean, which is thought by some philc sophers to have washed the foot of the rocks ( Nismes in antient times ; but this retreat of tli waters must have taken place long before the It( mans had extended their conquests to Gaul, as evident from the observations of Pliny: that sagi cious people would undoubtedly have availed then selves of such an advantage as a harbour, had thei existed one at or near a place which they treat: with distinguished marks of predilection. A cole:, was settled here by Marcus i^grippa, the son-in-l, of Augustus: succeeding emperors took a deligl in embellishing Nismes with both sacred and ci\ edifices ; no place on this side of the Alps retains many, or such perfect monuments of ancient ta and magnificence, besides innumerable fragraer which have been made use of in building walls ai gates in ages of barbarism. The Amphitheatre is one of the best preservi, works of the kind now extant; its form is, asusut, elliptical, and' it measures in the longest diamet 440 English feet; and in the shortest 320: its ci cumference IS nearly 1100 feet, and its height 7 It stands detached from all other buildings; soth its perfect form is seen. On the outside are tv orders, Tuscan and Doric, each of sixty arcade divided in the first gallery by pilasters, in the secoi by columns; above all is a battlement or parapf that either formed the jvedestal of a third order, crowned the second ; perhaps the building was iicv, raised higher, for there appear at this height, vvhii 249 Nisn: es—A ntiqidties. Kty-eight feet from the ground, projecting stones, ed through to receive the poles from which the ing was suspended over the spectators. Four 3 s gave admittance into the area. The seats and itoria are still entire as are also the masks and I’.o-relievos that adorned the key-stones of the |ies. The amphitheatre has suffered less from the T of time than from fire, for Charles Martel is re¬ lied to have filled it with faggots, which lie caused t'C lighted, in hopes of destroying this solid build- 1 which being turned into a fortress by the Sara¬ hs, had long resisted his assaults, and cost him dbers of his bravest soldiers; but the blocks of t^le were so massive, and the work so firmly put || 4 her, that the flames had scarcely any eftect 1 it, except that of blackening the surface, he temple, usually ascribed to the worship of na, subsists with half its stone roof yet remain- It is of the composite order, but in a heavy of architecture : the situation is picturesque, le brink of a large spring issuing out of the into a semi-circular basin fifty feet deep; the rs are conveyed from hence through a public en, in various channels, adorned with balus- 2S, vases, and statues : this labyrinth of streams mid to be laid down as nearly as possible upou iiancient Roman plan. Numberless fragments of Amental architecture have been found in clean- s.the old canals, and copies of them employed in ujorating the modern parapets. The stylobate, ri'ch probal)ly served as a common pedestal to a ii. of columns, has been imitated, and is much itnired for the elegance of its running pattern. )n the summit of the craggy hill, that overhangs 250 Nismes — Antiquities* the city, stands the Tour Magne, a pyramidi tower of several stories, to each of which a windin stair-case afforded access. The building contait below one large vaulted room of an irregular shapt with a conical roof; above it are six small cells, roun at the bottom like a kettle, with apertures only j top, and not communicating with each other. Ar tiquaries differ as to the use made of this tower while some call it a public treasury, others a gn nary, a third pronounces it to have been a light house, and others a mausoleum. The view fro» hence is delightful, comprehending the whole cit^ its almost boundless plains, the sea, the mountai of Dauphine, and the still more distant heights Provence. The glory of Nismes is the Maison Cuarree. barbarous appellation for one of the most perft examples of an antient temple, that the fury barbarous conquerors, or still more savage zealo ' has spared. It is a temple of the Corinthian ordei with six columns in each front, and nine on th flanks, the whole raised upon a basement stor} five feet six inches from the ground. The column on the sides, and those in the south front, adher to the wall; those in the north front form a pronao or portico, extending under the roof as far back a the fourth column; here is the entrance of th' temple, ornamented with pilasters; the door wa formerly the only opening through which light v/a; admitted, but windows have since been broken ii' the side walls. The length of the whole basemen '- story is 117 English feet, and the breadth 37- For those persons who are not conversant with th<' -i^ules of architecture, it will suffice to say, that th< Nismes — Antiquities. ^251 tgance of proportion, the exquisite taste displayed ii 3 very ornament, the lightness of the whole build- :i, and the harmony with which all the parts are linected, stand unrivalled by any work of the ii St refined art, north of the Alps ; but we do not ik it is entitled to rank before every edifice that 5 i perpetuates the glory of ancient architects in { y, Greece, and Asia. It is apparent from the fi es by which the brazen letters were fastened to :1 stone, that there was once an inscription on the f ze, torn down for the sake of the metal. The V ds of this inscription had remained a mystery, [i er satisfactorily explained by any antiquary, S m Monsieur Seguier, of this city, thought* 0|f :ing the form of the letters by means of the re- ii )n which the holes bear to each other: the 'b )wing lines were the result of this ingenious pi:ess: C. Csesari August!. F. Cos. L. C^sari August!: F, Cos. Designato, Principibus Juventutis, Hice it appears that this temple was dedicated to le two sons of Augustus, Caius and Lucius. iV inside of this elegiint structure has been re¬ plied in a bad taste, in order to accommodate it to die purposes of Christian worship; but this adition has fortunately preserved so valuable a of antiquity from the ruin which has over- wlilmed so many magnificent edifices. ,he idivn of Nismes offers nothing but a labyrinth of,treets, intersecting each other in innumerable dii :tions, and extremely close and unhealthy. The Sul rbs, however, are more airy, containing broad OU'straight streets, gardens, avenues, squares, and 252 Nismes — Clhnate, S^c. abundance of handsome houses. Nismes possesse some fine modern buildings, a lyceum, public 1: brary, cabinet of natural history and antiquities, cour royale, an exchange, an academy, fine walk; and a theatre. It has establishments for dyeing an printing cottons ; silk manufactures of handkerchiel and stockings, leather, &c. Trade in silks, cotton( cloths, muslins, wine, brandy, drugs and spicei Population 40,000. 'J he climate of Nismes is extremely variable. Tli spring, though sometimes mikl and rainj^ is muc oftener rough and stormy, and not seldom change into a sultry summer. The autumn has mar charming days, though these are interrupted frequent rains, and sometimes hoar-frost and sn< • appear; lastly, the winter fluctuates between coi bleak, north, or damp, relaxing South winds; ar only now and then a truly fine day reminds one of southern spring, in the so much valued and famr climate of Nismes ; consequently it is very unfit ti. pectoral and hypochondriacal complaints. Natural Productions, Agriculture, S)C. —Of thes( the most useful to the inhabitants, are the olive an mulberry tree. An olive tree that has retained it lower branches, and is twenty feet high, and thii teen or fourteen toises in circumference, Avill, i good years, yield about two cubic feet and a half ( fruit, from which seventeen or eighteen poun( of oil may be obtained, worth about ten pence ^ pound. The mulberry tree is regarded as the raai source of industry in this place. Round Nisme' and throughout Languedoc, it is usual to raise tl black and while mulberry (Morus alba and Mor^ nigra) y the former for its leaves, and the latter f Nls m es—Productio n s. fruit. The first is distinguished again by the mes of the murier saumgeon, the grand species, lich is not abundant; and the viurier greffty which obtained from the former by artificial means, and inits of innumerable modifications. Tlie leaves the murier sauvageon have the best taste and 3rd most nutriment; those of the murier greffe \ distinguished by their size, thickness, and num- r. Tiie latter tree has, therefore, for ninety years Jntained the preference. {The mulberry-trees here are extraordinarily beau- jjd, and afford in the spring, before they are »bed of their leaves, a very charming sight along i rich green fields. They are most productive in ! twentieth year, and then last fifty or sixty years least. A mulberry-tree of thirteen toises in cir- ^nference, and five in height, will yield three iidred and fifty pounds of leaves yearly, a hundred light of which fetches from twenty-five to thirty- sous. |rhe vegetables of this place are excellent, from seeds that form so considerable a branch of i|de in Nismes. All kitchen gardens or fields are /^ ered by means of the Persian w’heel, as it is ^ ed, from the Vistre ; and have, therefore, even ff'.he hottest summers, a very fresh and luxuriant i^i etation. The principal vegetables, some of /tich attain an extraordinary size and thick- •\js, are the branched celery, which grows above d ty inches high; cauliflowers of many different Jlpies, which are kept through winter in the open yi the African go\xn\ {courge barbaresque) which 'Sijften tW'O hundred pounds weight; meionfi# z 254 < Nismes — E7ivirons, particularly the water-melon {melon de Malthe)^ which is extremely soft, and yet is kept till Easter; the artichoke, which may be had the whole year, without being transplanted into beds ; beans, peas, &c. cannot be cultivated to any considerable ex¬ tent on account of the dry climate; and potatoes are also considered as a garden rarity. Thrashing is perfectly unknown here, as in all the southern parts of Europe. Instead of thi? practice the corn is immediately after cutting trod¬ den out on the held by horses or mules, trained peculiarly for the purpose; which is performed with great expedition, even in violent heats, and perpe¬ tual North winds. Thirty-two horses or mules, twenty-four of which are always at work, may thu ; tread out thirty-two thousand pounds of grain, fror? which four per cent, must be deducted for labourers wages, reckoning, however, no more than two me ¬ ns necessary. The grain is besides winnowed merely' against the wind without fanning, and then passed' several times through a sieve in the usual manner. In addition to wheat are also cultivated rycd barley, and oats. The rye is used as winter fodder' for the sheep; the barley is employed as green fod-‘ der for the horses; and the oats are cultivated foil' this purpose, and kept also for the winter. Environs o/A- ismes .—The two most rernarkabk,' objects in the environs of this city, are the Foun¬ tain, and the Pont-dii-Gard. This fountain issuef from a rock, which wants only variety of colours t( give it the appearance of marble, and is surroundecf' wdth vegetation. Sometimes, even during a lonj*' drought, the water in the fountain increases veri^‘‘ Font-diC’Gard* 255 Jacli all at once, though not a drop of rain has 3 ien in the town ; and after great rains, it becomes i a few hours, a large torrent, which carries every ling before it. The Pont-du-Gardy or Roman aqueduct, a short (Stance from Nisrnes, is situated in a solitary spot, ‘ ray from any high road, between two rocky hills, ■ er the river Gar don, whose steep banks are clothed Uh wild tig trees, olives, and a variety of beautiful 4 rubs, in the most romantic manner. This noble ork, winding fora course of twenty-six miles, con- !^yed water from two fountains near Usez, into the iart of Nisrnes. Under whatever point of view consider this aqueduct, too much admiration > nnot be bestowed upon it; whether, with regard the stupendous nature of the design for which it r IS constructed; to the beauty, the solidity, anddu- Ipility of the work; or as being one of the most per- |’;t monuments in existence of Roman grandeur. “ It consists (says an accurate travellerj of three {rs of arches, making in all a height of nearly I o hundred feet above the river. The length at t s top is eight hundred feet; but this length con- fintly diminishes as it slopes down to the river, i cording to the form of the rocks that rise on the rer’s banks ; and at last it becomes so contracted, lat in the narrowest part, the proper channel ot le river, it is reduced only to two arches. It is |i be observed, however, that these two are only j'rt of six, of which the lower tier of arches con- its, but the other four are of a diminished height, ling half occupied by the rocks instead of coming (1 wn to the water. The middle or principal tier of (ches consists of eleven, the height of which in the z 2 256 Lunel. centre is eighty feet; the upper tier, which supports the channel through which the water passed, con¬ sists of thirty-five arches, which are only twenty feet in height. "I he bridge annexed to this struc¬ ture was originally only for foot-passengers, but has since been widened to admit of carriages going over it: but the modern work is so inferior to the ancient, that a very slight observation distinguishes the one from the otlier. The blocks of stone of which the Jloman work is constructed, are of such an enor¬ mous size, that it is difficult to conceive how they were raised: it seems as if the extraordinary people by whom such masses could be arranged, must hav. been as gigantic in their persons as in their achieve ments.” The date of this building does not appea»* any where; but the initials a. ^e. a. have beei supposed to signify Aqiieductus AE^lii Adriani, Leaving Nismes, the only place of consequenct that presents itself to our notice, in the road ti Montpellier, is Lunel. Here are some pretty houses, neat gardens, large magazines, and a small canal on' which the wine barges go to the port of Cette, This place has several manufactories for spirits of wine and aquafortis ; and is celebrated for its excellent . muscat voine, and other southern productions. Po¬ pulation 5,000. Beyond Lunel the country becomes very agreeable, but is deficient in shade; and is, rather pretty than picturesque. i “ From Nismes to Montpellier, (observes Mr. ^ Birkbeck,) is the finest and best cultivated district,, we have seen. Every thing bears the marks of pros- perity. Fertile fields, well-built villages, a thick and ^ happy population. The quantity of almost impalpable dust accumulated on the lime-stone roads of this ■ Montpellier, ' 257 I untry is beyond conception ; it absolutely splashes I th the horses feet like mud. The olives and vines [3 whitened by it to a considerable distance ; and lesoil so complete^ covered, that you might easily [Stake the dark yellow, or reddish loam for chalk, ‘le well-cultivated vineyard, planted with rows of [ ves, is the chief appropriation of this fine country 1 leed it is so nearly universal, that you wonder how [Ider is obtained for the few horses required in its [ilture. We see, here and there, a little patch of |,:erne.’’ Notes^ p. 51. At length we reach the gate of Montpellier, and Hmediately enter into the narrow dirty suburbs. ?t the road soon improves; a beautiful row of fuses, with terrace gardens, is seen on the right |id; and on the left, a broad esplanade laid out Do avenues of trees, JjMoNTPELLiER did iiot cxist when Charlemagne litroyed Maguelonne, a city built in the middle of lakes, the retreat and buhvark of the Saracens. 3ie bishop and his clergy had already taken refuge a'Sustantion, a village about a mile from the hill, wiere Montpellier was gradually formed into a tpn, by the concourse of people that preferred tis lofty situation to the low country, both on ac- etmt of safety, and of health. From some holy vJ3-ins- who either directed their choice, or did a ually reside upon the hill, the new settlement t< k the name of Mons Puellarum^ the mountain of t) maids. Maguelonne wus, however, rebuilt in the t’jjlfth century, but again finally abandoned in 1536, a I the episcopal see fixed at Montpellier, which had b onged to the crown of France since the year 1340. le people of Montpellier took an active part in z 8 2BS Montpellier — Buildings. the rebellions that disturbed the reign of Louis the Thirteenth, and distinguished themselves by their attachment to the reformed religion. The king besieged them in person, and having forced them to surrender, erected a strong citadel, to curb their refractory spirit, and'secure their obedience to his authority. In these fatal religious wars, which so long desolated France, Montpellier suffered greatly ; and out of forty-five churches which the town had once contained, twenty-two only were left standing, which the revolution reduced tp a much smaller number. The town is inclosed with walls, and has sever, gates; that leading to Peyrou is modern, and ver handsome. It stands on the declivity of a hill, O' the foot of which are two small streams, the Lez anc the Merdanson, the latter of which passes throug'- some of the lower parts of the town in subterraneou channels. The walks and other embellishment: give the exterior parts of this city the appearance of a metropolis, but nothing within corresponds with this idea ; for the streets are narrow, crooked, and steep; the houses, though solidly built, are plain, and without any striking ornaments of archi¬ tecture. Public Buildings^ Squares^ S^c. —The most re¬ markable objects of curiosity at Montpellier, are* i^t. Peter’s Church, the exchange, citadel, school pf medicine, and ci-devant palace of the i\rch- bishop ; the hall of anatomy, and the anatomical wax figures ot Fontana; the government house; the theatre and concert-room; the place du Peyrou, its fine gate, and the aqueduct, hihe place du Pey^ rcu, wjience may be seen, in clear weather, on th^ t 259 Montpellier — Institutions, Ight, the Mediterranean, and on the left, the moun- ains of Roussillon, and the Pyrenees, is one of the Tandest squares in Europe. It is ornamented with water temple, or rotunda, which serves to receive he waters brought from afar, along a noble aque-' ) luct of two ranges of arches, and is here mentioned /ith praise as the part of a beautiful picture. No- hing we find among the ruins of Roman grandeur :an have a more sublime effect, than this vast line if arcades striding over the hills and dales. The ^eyrou commands a view of sea and land, that even ilraws the attention from its decorations; the lake if Magredonne is seen divided from the Mediter- anean by a long isthmus, through the middle of i^hich the royal canal is continued eastward from iLgde; the boats upon it seem to be sailing in the . pen sea ; villages are scattered along the edges of he lake, and the mountain of Cette towers beyond, ke an island separated from the continent by a road channel. This esplanade, lying between the Dwn and the fortress, and being planted with many ows of lofty, shady trees, is completely protected ''om the North wind, and is the proper winter pro¬ menade of Montpellier. ! Among the literary and useful establishments nay be reckoned the College of Medicine, always Ijicularly celebrated ; and the Lyceum, Observatory, 'l^cademy, Museum, and Botanic Garden, the first ;f the kind established in Europe, Botany may be itudicd here w'ith peculiar convenience, as the waste imds about the city afford samples of a greater l umber and variety of plants than can be found as- lembled in the same conipass on any other soil in Europe, The king’s botanical garden was first 260 Montpellier — Climate, planned by Dulaurem, physician to Henry IV; it is well taken care of, and students are accom* modated with every facility for acquiring the know¬ ledge of botany. The gardener makes an annual visit to the Pyrenean mountains, with a band oi pupils, to examine tlie rare plants that grow in those elevated regions, and which are not produced in the plains and hills of Languedoc. Climate .—Montpellier was formerly much re¬ sorted to by consumptive patients, and persons oi delicate health, on account of the supposed uniform mildness and salubrity of the atmosphere. But fashion which gives the sway in these cases, ha greatly overrated its merits. The climate is cer tainly mild ; and the autumn is fine; but the con tinual variation of temperature renders Montpellie. a very unfit residence for hypochondriac patient; and persons afflicted with pectoral disorders. L, autumn and winter, the winds are continual, am ver}'' sharp; at the same time the sky is clear, and the rays of the sun powerful; therefore in every place sheltered from the north wind, as the degree of heat is considerable, and perspiration excited by very moderate exercise, the cutting blast, which is felt at every corner, cannot fail of producing perni¬ cious consequences to a body suddenly exposed with all its pores open. In summer, the influence of the marshes must be felt; indeed the faces of the people that inhabit the low grounds along the coast, bear sad testimony to the pernicious qualities of their air and soil. Strangers should take parti¬ cular care not to change their clothes on a sudden, or to go too thinly clad, as the winds are so very penetrating, that a cold is soon caught, but not so 261 Montpellier—Expense of Living, i 3on got rid of. The bise and the mar-in, the N. E. /ind, and that from the sea, affect the nerves very )rcibly, and are particularly formidable to invalids; le latter is so moist as to render even the beds and nen very damp! these, therefore, should always be arefully warmed, when this wind prevails. Hyeres,. nd Nice, are greatly to be preferred for winter 3sidences; and Marseilles for complaints entirely ervous, unaccompanied by any affection of the mgs. Expense of Living, Provisions, S^c. —Living is by lO means reasonable at Montpellier. At a good in, our daily expenses will not be less than four- 3en or fifteen shillings. Persons desirous of board- ig in a family will not be able to do so, for less lan five guineas a month; and many are still higher 1 their charges. A single room will cost twenty- ve shillings a month ; and dinner at a tavern, about fteen shillings a week. But if provisions are dear, ley are very excellent and plentiful. Fish, fowl, lid fruit, even from Spain by Cette, are to be had i abundance. The wine is very good, and the lery best sorts may be bought at a moderate rate, i'he water is, generally speaking, not bad, but it is dvisable, however, to keep to the eau de St, Clement, i? it is termed, which comes from the Fontaine du ;eyrou. Among the delicacies peculiar to Mont- lellier are i\\epates de rougets ; the dragees and/ia^- 'llcs a la rose and a la vanille ; the creme de Moka |id huile de rose {liqueurs); and, finally, the deli- ous marmelade of grapes, an excellent solvent. 1 As to clothing, the well-known Languedoc cloths, if other manufactures, may be procured at tolerably 262 MontpelHer — Manufactunss. j reasonable prices. Woollen manufactures, such i] blankets, flannels, &c. are by no means dear. Bi firing in Montpellier is a very expensive article; tb wood being brought here as far as one or tvv' leagues, and no coals burnt in the fire-places; last of oak (four hundred pounds), frequently fetcht] from fifteen to eighteen francs; a last of olive ten ci twelve, and other lighter sorts in proportion. Manufactures, Trade, and Commerce ,—The brand of Montpellier, an article of large consumption i the making of liqueurs, is of a very mild quality and particularly fit for this purpose. Perfumerji scented waters, and cordials of various sorts a: prepared here with great skill; false cochineal, ar a medicinal conserve, is made with the kermes, iiij gall-nut of the holm oak; wax is blanched in cc’' siderable quantities; verdigri^e is the particul ’ manufacture of this town. It is made by puttii some quarts of wine in a large earthen jar; over tii liquor are fixed cross sticks to bear a layer of rai sins; over these is laid a thin plate of copper ; thi is repeated till the pot is filled ; all air is then ex eluded for twelve days, by means of a thick strav cover. At the expiration of this term, the coppe plates are taken out, dried gradually in the shade and then the verdigrise which has been produce( upon them is scraped off. Oil and corn are sent ou of its diocese in great quantities. In December when the olives become black and shrivelled, the; are beaten down upon clean cloths, and carted to th( mill, where they are thrown into a circular trough, ii which a perpendicular stone turns. By the weigh of this machine the fruit is crushed, and kneaded t( Montpellier — Trade — Character, 263 ^ paste, then put into baskets of matting, with a )le at their top ; these baskets are piled up under press, and boiling water is poured upon them; e hot liquid brings out the oil, and carries it away ith it into a tub, where the water sinks, and the jl is skimmed off with a ladle. It has also manu-. ; ctures of woollen stuffs, blankets, fustians, mus- i IS, cottons, aqua fbrtis, vitriol, and leather. Popu- | don 33,000. f Montpellier exports all the above mentioned f oducts of its own industry, and likewise the staple [;immodities or manufactures of Languedoc, such ' corn, wool, oil, wine, silk, and brandy. Itimports r its own consumption, as well as that of the luntry around. Northern, Levantic, West India, jd even some Spanish productions, as esparto, rk, ound to his body, so that he looks like a horse- nan mounted ; a silk cloth covering the legs of the :entaur. Another youth carries a tambour de laske, filled with oats, as fodder for the horse, which, k^hen offered to him, he rejects by dancing away rom it. In the mean time, the remainder of the ompany dance with various evolutions round the wo chief persons, and appear to give way, by Iternate positions, one time to the little horse, and notherto its importunate benefactor; until at length be capricious animal is so inclosed, as to be ibliged to stand still before the proffered corn. This iance has something very pleasing in it, and is ixecuted with great dexterity. I Patois of LangucdoCy Literature, S^c. —The dialect f Languedoc is composed of an original national jinguage, and of a mixture of Celtic, Latin, Gothic, brabic, and French words, accordingly as Gaul was ionquered by the Romans, Goths, Arabs, and i'rench. But as the Romans were the most culti- lated, and as they ruled these provinces the long, ist, the Languedoc tongue resembles the Latin most 1 its construction, and contains nearly three-fifths A a 2 268 Montpellier — Environs, of Latin expressions. The Goths had less influence; these barbarous hordes adopted the language of the vanquished. Some vestiges are, however, still re-: maining, as is manifest from the words, fiegel dreschflegel, flail; hosa^ hose, breeches; ganza gans, goose; lato, latte, lath ; harro, sparre, spar &c. The Languedocian language was still les! modified by the Arabic, on account of the shor duration of the Saracen government. A grea part of the botanical, pharmaceutical, and anato i mical expressions, however, are borrowed from thi ] language; and even the usual form of asseveration | VermorOf is to all appearance derived from the Ar;i I bic. But the influence of the French must nat-' I rally preponderate over all others, as from this lai. ! guage the whole mass of modern mechanic an.: moral ideas are transferred into that of Languedo- In fact, this has gradually amalgamated itself wit! the former to that degree, that the ancient languag of the Troubadours is not to be distinguished with out difficulty. Besides, the literature of this prc vince was confined simply to some prayer-books an collections of hymns. E?iviro)is, — The country round Montpeliie abounds with walks, but they are very deficient i shade. One of the prettiest and most shady amon them is the road to Gastelnau, half an hour’s wal from the town, and up the banks of the Lez, Wh( ever wishes to extend his excursions on horsebacl will be gratified by visiting the country houses » Mon^errierj la Piscine^ Clos de St. Martial, Clu teau d\Eau Bionne, but particularly la Veruni Other excursions may be made to Perrol and tl Pont Javmal, to the mineral waters of Balanc | Cette — Ganges^ ^269 ibout ten miles south of Montpellier ; to the sea- iioast and island of Maguelonney where, in the ruined cathedral, are shown the tombs of Peter of Provence, he beautiful Maguelone, and their child; and also 0 the Port of Cette, about fourteen miles from VTontpellier. The road thither is through a very deasant country, and by Frontignan, celebrated for ts delicious muscat wine ; not far from the hermi- ; age there is a charming view. The situation of presents to the eye, a most lelightful coup-d^oeil, and has furnished Vernet ^irith a subject for one of his most celebrated pic- ; ures, of which engravings are easily to be found, n the months of January and February, the port is :rowded with vessels. We should remark here the u'incipal bridge, the citadel, and should ascend the ; )ilot’s tower, whence is a noble sea*view. The sea \ it Cette communicates with the canal du Midi, or of ■’ Ounguedoc, by the or lake of Thau, into which I t falls, and which offers some singular phenomena. In i his lake or basin is contained a source or spring of I oft and fresh water, which spouts up in large drops, ^idercliandize is sent by the canal of Languedoc and [ihe Garonne as far as Bordeaux ; and by the ijihone and tlie Saone, and the canal of Briare, to ||?aris. Excellent salt is made at Cette. Popula- |iion 8,000. The price of a carriage to Cette and |')ack from Montpellier, is twenty-four francs, and I: ix francs to the coachman. There is a diligence jijwery day to Cette and return, price three francs, t!.NKs. Le Grand Gabon, la Souche. i j Ganges, about twenty-bve miles from Montpellier, ^deserves a visit, on account of its fine manufactory i'hf silk-stockings, and the grotto in its neighbour- A a 3 The Cevennes, 270 hood. This, called la Baiime des Demoiselles^ not quite a mile from the town, is situated near St, Bauzile in a wood, which crowns the rock of Thau- rac. The entrance, being covered with trees, plants, and wild vines, is difficult of access. Another more distant excursion, but highly gra¬ tifying to the lover of picturesque scenery, may be made, in the summer, to the Cevennes^ a considera¬ ble chain of mountains, which runs along from east to west through the south of France, connecting the Alps with tne Pyrenees, and consisting of ranges of mountains, piled as it were, like so man^ terraces, one above another. The first of these ranges forms the Garrigues, consisting of infertile chalky rocks, on which a little fern, some strag gling dw'arf-bushes, &c. excepted, not a single tracf of vegetation is to be found. This part of the Ce- vennes appears, therefore, but little inhabited scarcely reckoning three or four villages over thr wide extent. Wherever the industrious countryman could find a nook of fertile land amidst the rocks, there he has planted a vineyard, the produce of wdiich is of the superior kind; and wherever a spear of grass is seen shooting up, there he lets his flock graze, which constitute his principal sustenance. As we ascend, w'e reach the second division of rhe Ceven- nes, consisting of slate-rock. These mountains are much more fertile than the Garrigues. The narrow vales exhibit the most beautiful picture of vegeta¬ tion. Meadows and fields, little woods of chesnutand mulberry trees, with every other sort of fruit, aftbrd a charming variety to the eye. The population is also considerable, occupying a number of villages, and some respectable towns. These mountains yield the chesnut. w’ood for the casks of Montpellier 271 Montpellier to Toulouse, and Cette, and supply very excellent cheese which :s afterwards sent to the ice-caves of Roquefort for Opening, and from thence conveyed through all France. The chief sustenance of the inhabitants, lowever, is drawn from cultivating and manufac- uring silk. In this region also lies the beautiful ind cheerful town of Vigand, which, on account of ts healthy air and salutary spring, may serve for a ielightful summer abode. We next attain the highest point of the Cevennes called the Esperou, whence a prospect is enjoyed, which is preferred by many to the most extraordi- lary parts, even of Switzerland itself, d^his part )f the Cevennes is less populous than the former, yet he southern declivities of the mountains are fitted or pasturage, and the lower vales for the culture of ruit. The mountains themselves contain mines of ilver, lead, alum, earth, coals, and rotten-stone. 'Jo. 15. From Montpellier to Toulouse, 32 posts; about 17(> English miles. ROM POSTS, i/IoNTPELLiER to Fabregues 1-^ iJigean . 1 >Ieze . H *F.ZENAs(‘). [{egude-de-Jordy . iitZl! RS (1). ] I "fissau. 1 i: ,'I'arb^)NNE (3). ‘2 pruscades . 2]; l^Ioux • • • .. 2 ; IfiKs.—(*) Three Pigeons, an excellent Inn; Tapis-Verd, dolden Li<>n,KRed Hat, &c. (■) White Cross, Les Halances, ji'hree Mules, White Hor>e. (3) Hotel dc la Danrade, de I'rance. ('') The Angel, St. John Baptist, Petit Paris, 5) Hotel dll Nord, de France, du Grand Soleil, des AiXibas- jadeurs, d’Angleterre, FROM POSTS, Moux to Barbeira • • .... U Carcassone (^) • • • .... 2 Alzoune. .... 2?. Villepinte . Castlenaiidi y. Viliefranche . naziege .......... ^ 2 Castanet. . Toulouse (*) . - 272 Pezenas* At Montpellier an agreement may be made with a miturier to take a party the whole way to Tow- lomc; the rate of travelling is about 30 miles a day, and for a carriage with a cabriolet in front, drawn by three fine mules, the expense will not be more than fifteen-pence a mile ; supposing the party to have between three and four cwt. of luggage, there will be no separate charge for it. This mode of conveyance is pleasanter than by the diligence, as we are not compelled to travel by night, and can stop when we please. From Beziers, those who like water-excursions may proceed all the way to Toulouse and Bordeaux, by the canal du Midi, and the Garonne. Pezenas is prettily situated in the midst of rich and fertile plains, near the Herault, and has some charming walks in its environs ; the hills about ii are covered with almond-trees, olives and vines, and afford delightful prospects. Here is a good theatre. It has a considerable trade in excellent wn’nes, brandy, almonds, olive-oil, red-tartar, dried raisins and figs, capers, alum, woollen and cotton goods, &c. It has an exchange, tribunal of com¬ merce, and manitfacUires of muslin, cotton, silk- stockings, hats, soap, leather and verdegrise, Flere v/as once a strong castle, but it has long been a heap of ruins. Vast numbers of silk-worms are reared in Pezenas and the neighbourhood, though no silk is manufactured here; the wool of this country is reckoned very fine. The plant woad, go much used in dyeing, is cultivated here, and with the cods of silk and the raw wool, form, some of the principal articles of trade. Population 8,000. i*ezunas lias a number of pretty gardens Beziers, 27S und it, though on a small scale; all the fruit ees are in blossom, and green peas are a foot and half high in the middle of March. The ploughs jre are very old-fashioned, and seem rather to be mstructed for the hand than for the horse, who is )ked between these shaft-looking instruments. * revisions are plentiful at Pezenas, and if the tra- jller should pass this place in the autumn, he will ive for breakfast, (dejeuner ^ la fourchette^) melon, asters, turbot, lobster, partridges, figs, peaches, urns. &c. Beziers, (Biterrae) is agreeably situated on the anal du Midi, and near the river Orbe, about nine iles from the sea. The town, seated on a hill, )vers a large space of ground, while its narrow, -paved, and dirty streets, form a most remarkable Dntrast to the enchanting scenery which surrounds jem. The Belvidere, or terrace, is the best sta- on for surveying the beautiful valley, or rather nphitheatre, which is watered by the winding >rbe, gaily clothed with the productions of a ge- ial climate, and enlivened by the nine locks of the reat canal, forming as many cascades. The de- ightful situation of Beziers, has long been conse- irated in a monkish rhyme: ! Si Deus ia terris, vellet habitare, Biterris. : Vaniere often sings the praises of this his native 30 t, in his Praedium Rusticum, a didactic poem, i'hich appears cold and dull to foreign readers, but as many charms for those persons that are ac- juainted with this country, and qualified to judge |f the truth, with which he has penned his descrip- ions. Beziers, even in 1802, became a favourito 274 Beziers. residence of our countrymen, and was preferred I most of them, as well as by other strangers, ‘| Montpellier, on account of the amenity of its cl mate. It is also much cheaper, an important coi - sideration to our emigrant economists. The Romans, who perfectly understood the at vantages of situation, sent a colony to Beziers; c the dismembering of their empire, it fell into tl hands of the Goths; the Saracens dispossesse them, and fortified this post with great care. Ti obstinate resistance they made here against Charlr Martel, incited that general to destroy the plat after he had driven them out. Beziers rose fro; its ashes, and aftervvards was governed by a rat of independent sovereigns. In 1209 the viscou» of Beziers joined his standard to that of the earl « Toulouse in support of the Albigenses ; this dre upon him the resentment of the Crusaders, w! took his capital by storm, and massacred its inlit] bitants in great numbers, without distinction of sel or age. The kings of France soon after becairJ possessed of the territory. The principal objects of curiosity at Beziers af the remains of a Roman amphitheatre, and num<' roLis fine prospects in the environs of the town. It productions are corn, wine, almonds, wool, sill iron, olive-oil, liqueurs, dried fruits, and conserve Flere is a tribunal of commerce, and manufacture of brandy, spirits of wine, cloth, and silk-stocl ings. It is the native town of Riquet the ceh brated engineer of the canal of Languedoc, and ( father Vaniere, the learned Jesuit. Populatio 14,200. Holy Thursday was formerly a day of grefi Beziers, 215 stivity in this town, and was celebrated with a riety of little sports. A whimsical procession lied the procession of the Camel constituted a 'Ft of them, A figure representing that animal, th a man in the inside, was paraded about the wn, and by means of some machinery which the ♦ in directed, the figure was made to perform many iiculous tricks, to the great amusement of the ectators. The municipal officers, attended by e companies of the different trades and manufac- :res, preceded the camel; it was follovred by a iirt, over which were branches of trees twined into arbour, and filled with as many people as could ssibly be crammed into it: the cart was drawn mules ornamented with bunches of flowers and tands; a number of people stuck over with wers and little twigs of trees, who were called 3 wild men, followed the cart and closed the Acession. After parading about the town all day, Ivards evening the whole company repaired to the ^;apel of the Blue Penitents, where it was met by chapter of the cathedral, who had previously «,o gone in procession round the town, and then a hge quantity of bread was given away by tlie chap* t' among the poor. Hence the day was called in 1,3 language of the country, loiijour de cariiack, Ih day of charity. Another part of the ceremonies of the day was, lit the peasants from the country for a great way tund assembled in the streets with crooks in their inds, and ranging themselves in long files on each s e made mock skirmishes with their crooks, aiming * okes at each other, in parrying ndtli which great exterity was shown, and great emulation which 276 Beziers* should parry them the best. There were cor raonly many skirmishes in the course of the da j and each ended with a dance to the music of tl | fife and tambourin. The inhabitants of the'tov' also carried on among themselves a little warfar! in throwing sugar-plums and dried* fruits at eac other, from their windows, or as they passed the streets. Finally, the day was concluded by a favourl dance among the young men and women, called danse des treillcs. Every dancer carries a cercea as it is called, that is a half hoop, twined with vii branches ; and ranging themselves in long fifes ; each side of the street, they form different grour and in the evolutions of the dance make a varie of figures with the cerceaux, with wonderful gra' and agility* The young men were all dressed white jackets and trovvsers, and the 3 ^oung wonn in white jackets with short petticoats, and orn ments of flowers and ribands. (See Plumtrci. Residence in France, vol. III. p. 28.) These curious sports were suspended during tl Revolution, but since the return of the ancien r gme, have again contributed to amuse the people There is a cache d’eau, or boat, which go every day from Beziers, at 12 o’clock, to Toulous and the different places en route; and thence Bordeaux by the Garonne, a fatiguing, land joi ney, of 200 miles. This kind of conveyance not to be compared with the stately canopied bar^ used in Flanders, of which we have given a cut the next page, for elegance, neatness, or co venience ; but is, in fact, similar to the coche whi descends the Rhone, noticed in our account that river, and is not at all unpleasant b Beziers, ^77 I itceafhert when we can remain on deck, and enjoy jthe fresh breeze; but if obliged to stay below in lithe general repository of live stock, some of the jisenses may be a little annoyed. Yet, we cannot en- iltirely agree with a traveller in 1814-15, who, writ- ijiiig from Beziers, says, “ We went to see the coche yl’ecm^ described as siiperhe and magnifiqiie^ by our ^French friends. Their ideas differ from ours. It Ijvvould be perfectly impossible for an English lady |to go in such a conveyance, and few gentlemen, “ieven if alone, with only a portmanteau, would ven- fture. The objections are, there is but one room ^ for all classes of people ; they start between three ("land four each morning, stop at miserable inns, and j if you have heavy baggage, it must be shifted at |tlie locks, which is tedious, and costs a great deaE, b 278 Canal of Langnedos, Adieu to all our airy dreams of gliding through Languedoc in these Cleopatrian vessels. They smell, they are exposed to the inclemencies of the weather, and they are filled with bugs, fleas, andl all kinds of bad company.’’ Notwithstanding this unfavourable picture, we recommend the traveller, ifj not pressed for time, to go by water to Bordeaux; itl is much cheaper, more pleasant, andless fatiguing than the route by land; and will afford many more oppor- nities of seeing and conversing with the people^ and observing their various costume, manners, and habits. It would not be so agreeable for a delicate English female, but surely no man accustomed t(» travelling would regard the trifling inconvenience? just specified. ' The celebrated Canal Royal du Midi, or Canal j of Languedoc, as it was formerly called, was beguu ; in 1666, and finished in 1681, after the plan anu\ under the direction of Paul Piquet. The innu¬ merable obstacles to the execution of this astonish- j ing work, which successively presented themselves, i were all vanquished by the genius, the skill, and; the industry of this great man. It was necessary to cut through mountains, bring earth from a; distance to construct hills, divert the course of rivers, and triumph over the wind and the sea. But I the munificence of Louis XIV., seconded by skil¬ ful engineers and abundance of workmen, sur¬ mounted every difficulty. The Canal du Midi connects the two seas; the Ocean and the Mediterranean. Beginning at the Garonne, above Toulouse, whose walls it bathes, it takes a direction from N. to S.E., passes by Mont- giscard, enters the department of the Aude, which Cajial of Languedoc, 279 it traverses from AY. to E., washes Castlenaudry, continues its course in nearly a parallel line with Aude, bathes Tresbes, runs from AY. to E. in the department of Herault, passes by Beziers and Vil- leneuve, and is finally lost in the large reservoir or etang of Thau, near the Mediterranean, a litthj above Agde It is one hundred and fifty Eng¬ lish miles in length, and has twenty-six falls. 'I'he most considerable fall is that of Fonseranne, near Beziers. This is at the end of a reach near thirty miles in length, the longest reach in the canal, and ithe fall is so great as to require eight gates. I’o avoid the delay which would be occasioned by pass¬ ing all these, the passage-boats are unladen when they arrive at it, and the passengers walk on to the ;nd where another boat is waiting to receive them, and the baggage is carried on men’s shoulders or on ;iand-barrows. The same thing is done at another all, where there are five gates, and at five falls vhere there are four gates at each ; at the remain- ng nineteen, where there are only three gates, as ;Ee delay is not more considerable than the chang¬ ing boats would be, the boats pass through them, the original idea was that the canal should be sup¬ plied by the waters of the Garonne, but this was ’found impossible on account of the height to which |t must be carried above the level of that river. Pwo vast reservoirs are therefore formed in the )lack mountains, at the highest part of the course i i ‘ Agde is about two miles from the Mediterranean, and 12 jrom Beziers. It is a flourishing little port, and contains a i'opulation of 7,500. Manufactures of brandy and soap, ship- iuilding, fishing, &,c. B b 2 2S0 Canal of Languedoc* of the canal, in which are collected the waters from a number of springs in the mountains; and by means of these the canal receives a supply of water, which, in more than a century that has elapsed since it was first opened, has never been known to fail. The basin of St. Ferreol, which is the largest of the two, is nearly an English mile in length, and about half that breadth ; it is capable of containing nine hundred and forty thousand cubic toises of W’ater, each toise consisting of six French feet, which is about six feet and a half English. The basin of Lampy is nearly two thirds the size of that of St. Ferreol. Thus, by having two reservoirs, in the case of repairs being w^anted by the one, so that it is necessary to lay it dry, a constant supply of water may be had from the other. These reser- voirs are two hundred feet above the level of thn Garonne, and six hundred above that of the Me¬ diterranean. To this stupendous work an elegant tribute has been paid by Monsieur Delille, in hu; charming poem of “ L’FIomme des Champs.^’ La, par un art magique, a vos yeux sot)t ofFerts Des fleuves sur des ponts, des vaisseaux dans les airs; Des chemins sous des monts, des rocs changes en voute, Ou vingt fleuves, suivant leur tenebreuse route, Dans de noirs souterrains conduisent les vaisseaux, Qui du noir Acheron semblent fendre leseaux; Puis gagnant lentement I’ouverture opposee Decouvrent toxit a coup un riant elysee, Des vergers pleins de fruits, et des pres pleins de fleurs, Et d’un bel horison les brillantes couleurs. En conteinplant du mont la hauteur raena 9 aiite, La fleuve quelque temps s’arrete d’epouvante ; Mais, d’espace en espace, en tombant retenus, Avec art applanis, avec art soutenus, Du inont, dont la hauteur au valion doit les rendre, Les flots de chute en chute apprennent a descendre; 281 Canal of Languedoc^ i Puls travffrsant en paix I’emall fleuri des pres , Conduisent a la mer les vaisseaux rassures. Chef-d’eeuvre qui vainquit les monts, les champs, les ondes, joignit les deux mers, qui joigneut les deux mondes. Near Beziers, a little out of the high road to Narbonne, the royal canal is carried through th-e mountain of Malpas, a subterranean channel, 600 feet in length : the arch through which it runs is vaulted over with stone-work, the whole of the ,way, and there is a walk by the side of the canal. i'While the workmen were opening this subterra- ;|neous cut, they accidentally struck upon a channel made by the Romans, to drain a lake that once filled a vast hollow on the summit of the mountain. From Malpas to the surface of the river Orbe there is a fall of sixty-seven feet, which renders ten locks necessary for the raising or lowering the barges. ' The v/hole district between Montpellier and ['Narbonne is extremely fertile and well-cultivated; |:a deep-soiled corn country. Farmers every where Htreading out their wheat with mules or horses, twelve or fourteen together. After the corn is se- ‘iparated, they continue treading the straw, until it MS reduced almost to chaft', to improve the fodder, |and forward the maturation of the dung. Families lin the towns universally lay in their stock of wheat for the year’s consumption, at this season (August). Present price 5s. per bushel, Winchester measure (1811-). The wine of this rich country is not good, ijbut extremely abundant. From an acre of 800 iritoises, about three-quarters of an English acre, ithey expect 3600 bottles. The labour is nearly the jsame as on hops; and where quantity rather than Equality is the object, about the same pro|mrtion of i n b 3 282 Narhonne, manure is applied every other year.’’ See Birkbeck’s Notes, p. 55. Narbonne is a place of small extent, six miles from the sea, upon a navigable communication from the Aude to the Royal Canal, near a lake called the eiang de la Robine^ once a port. Narbonne be¬ came a Roman colony 115 years before Christ, and gave its name to a large division of Gaul. The abode of proconsuls and prefects, the masters of the world, or at least their deputies, was sure to re¬ ceive every embellishment, and mark of distinction, which those proud inhabitants could bestow: the pleasures of Rome were undoubtedly transplanted hither, and sumptuous buildings raised for the sake of enjoying them. The numerous fragments that occur in every part of the town, attest the gran¬ deur and taste of its antient decorations; but time, and the fury of barbarians, have left none of these edifices standing. The cathedral is remarkable for the loftiness of its roof, but the style of architecture is heavy. In the choir is the mausoleum of Philip the Hardy, son of St. Lewis; he died at Perpignan in 1285, while he was employed in despoiling his excommu¬ nicated relation, Peter of Arragon, of his dominions. Narbonne was formerly governed by sovereign viscounts, but the kings of Prance acquired it in the 18th century. Its trade chiefly depends upon tile exportation of its wheat, which is much esteemed for seed-corn ; and, except olives, is the only important production of the diocese: it is sent by a canal to the sea, where it is shipped for those provinces along the coast, that are deficient in that Jrst necessary of life. The salt-pans on the lakes Carcassone, 28S Dring in a considerable revenue. The waste grounds f ibout Narbonne abound in aromatic plants, and from i vhich the bees extract a white and highly perfumed loney ; its gentle laxative quality recommending it 0 the apothecaries in preference to other honey. The fields in the low grounds are divided b)^ ows of mulberry trees, and mounds overgrown with hickets of tamarisks ; the plough used here consists nerely of a slender handle, and a coulter, propor- ioned however to the lightness of the soil. Popu- ation 9,000. The poet seems to have been more ihan usually peevish, when he penned the following ines upon Narbonne; Digne ol)ji-t de notre courroux, Vieil!e ville toute de tange, Que n’es qiie ruisseaux et qu’egoiits, Pourrois tu preteiidie de nous Le luoindre vers a ta louange? Between this place and Carcassone, the country .5 very agreeable. We pass by numerous villages, ;nd old chateaux, over gentle eminences swelling Imid the most lovely verture, and tufts of wood, jeautiful in the evening, from the tints of the part- lig sun. There is, however, little shade on this |oad, and the soil is rocky and gravelly.^ I The antient town of Carcassone is situated be- ween the Aude, and the Canal du Midi. It is di¬ vided into two parts by the river: the high town 'ailed la Cite, contains the antient castle ; and the ■Dwer town is a regular square, with the streets all traight and intersecting each other at right angles, jlarcassone existed as a town under the Romans, nd afterwards fell into the hands of the Saracens, nder whom it sustained a remarkable siege against 284* Castelnaudry, Charlemagne, conducted by a lady called la dam6 Carcasse ; hence the name of the place. It sus¬ tained another terrible siege in the Albigensian wars; when, on its surrender to the cruel Simon de ; Montfort, the inhabitants were compelled to quit the city in a body, in a state (^‘perfect nudity^ with¬ out regard to sex or age. The objects of curiosity at Carcassone are the antient chateau, two fine squares, the church of the ci-devant Capuchins, the fountain of Neptune, the Hotel-cle-Ville, the fine manufacture of worsted thread, the public walks, thehalle; and, near the; town, a column of coarse grey marble, erected by the Romans, with this inscription, Principi juven- tuiis M. Numerio Numeria7io nobilissimo Ccesart , N, M, P. P. Very considerable ^nanitfaclories of woollen clotli are carried on at Carcassone ; the superfines, whicl are in great request, are chiedy exported to tlu Levant. This town is one of the most agreeable, and by far the cheapest residence for a foreigner, in the South of France. Population 15,000. The climate now becomes too cold for the olivCy and we lose the sight of this tree, after we quit Carcassone. Castelnaudry (castrum novum Arrii) is seated on an eminence near the Canal du Midi, in a territorj^ fertile in corn, wine, and silk ; which, with manufactories of cloth, form its chief trade. Here the army of Gaston, Duke of Orleans, was defeated in 1632, and the Duke of Montmorency taken prisoner. The passage-boat from Toulouse passes the first night here. From this place goes off the branch of the canal leading to the black mountains, a chain qf nuked hills, or rather rocks, Toulouse, ^85 hich divide Languedoc from the Roucrgue. and l ie seat of the great works by which the canal is '.ipplied with water; particularly of the immense asin or reservoir of St, Ferreoly before noticed, hich is built entirely of hewn stone, and provided ith enormous cocks, which are opened by iron* ars : three rivers are constantly emptying them- dves into this reservoir. It is not more than 14? dies from Castlenaudry ; and, as a work of art, is ae of the most astonishing productions in this way, lat can be conceived. There is a large dock- ard at Castlenaudry, for the construction of boats, sed on the canal. Population 7,500. Pass the little town of Villejranche, founded by Raymond, Count of Toulouse, in 1091 ; and thence yer a rich, flat country, through the villages of aziege, Castanet, &c. to Toulouse, whose tall lires shooting up under a pure, warm sky, convey, t a little distance, some vague notion of eastern jagnificence. : Toulouse, the capital of the Volsci Tectosagi, .i[)pears to have been one of the most flourishing ‘ities of ancient GauL; but, like most places jiat boast of remote antiquity, has its origin and iarly history obscured with fables. The Romani • iecorated it with many noble structures, as an 'imphitheatre, a capitol, &c. but no vestiges of them ire left, except the brick arches of the former. It itands in the centre of an extensive plain, which lields large crops of corn and mallet; vineyards are ■ carce in the environs, and the wine they give is not ‘ * It has the epithet of Palladia assigned to it by Martiah Mai CHS Palladiae non inficianda Tolosae Gloria, quern genuit pacis arnica quio«. 286 Toulouse, of a very good quality. The circumference of the . city is about four miles: its streets are broad, and i: spacious, and the houses well constructed; some oli* them are grand, but there is a gloominess in tht. colour of the brick with which they are built, and a want of motion in the streets, that casts a damp^ upon the spirits, and excites ideas of misery. Among the public squares, which are generally small and irregularly built, we may distinguish thal- before the Hotel de Ville; those of St. George, oi the prefecture, decorated with a fountain ; and that of St. Cyprian, more regular than the others, and ornamented with some uniform buildings. Th principal churches are those of St. Stephen an^* St. Sernin. The most remarkable public buildin,; is the Hotel de Ville, inferior only to that of Lyon.v where the capitouls, or eight antient chief magistrate ’ used to assemble. Toulouse suffered considerabl in the time of the Revolution; and particularly b • a dreadful explosion of a powder magazine, on the 16th of April, 1816, by which almost all the public buildings were much damaged. The traveller should not forget to see the corn mill of Basacle. The- bridge at Toulouse is one of the finest in Europe. , Toulouse had once a celebrated university,’ founded in 1229, and many academies, among, which was that of the Floral games, the most an-', tient literary society in Europe, now about to be re-established. See a full account of this curious institution, and of the Gay Science in Miss Pluna-^ tree’s excellent Travels in France, Vol. III. p. 50—' 59. Toulouse is an archiepiscopal see, has a cour ^ royale, a mint, an academy of arts and sciences, and a Royal College. It has given birth to ^ Toulouse. 287 any celebrated men, among whom may be named * arcus Antonius Primus, whose character is so ily sketched by Tacitus; Cujas, a name identi- 1 d with European jurisprudence; Duranti, the < clesiastical writer; Maignan, a self-taught geome- . ician; and, Gui de Faur, Goudelin, Tvlaynard, id Campistron, votaries of the muse. Goudelin, MO wrote in the Languedocian dialect, is regarded i another Homer, by the people of this country. He sonnet to Cardinal Richelieu has immortalized ^aynard, one of the first poets who gave ease and (';gance to his native language; w’hose social dis« |sition is fondly noticed by his countrymen ; and T,iom Voltaire has judiciously estimated as a wu'iter ®d a man. Over the door of his study in his |iuntry retreat, v/ere inscribed the following lines; ' Las d’esperer et de me plaindre ' Des muses, des grands et da sort; C’est ici que j'attends la mort, Sans la desirer, iii la craindre. The Toulousans have been always extremely bi*’ gited in religious matters; wutness the fatal tragedy 0 CalaSy and the other religious persecutions and dlsensions, which have so often disgraced this city, 'j 'ulouse being a literary, rather than a commercial pee, is a cheap and agreeable residence; yet we 'wuld not recommend it as proper for the education 0 a young Englishman, as a vicious pronunciation a,I phraseology pervade the discourse even of the h her ranks. Public Walks^ S^c —Few cities in France have nre extensive and agreeable promenades than lulouse; on every side are the most charming w ks. The principal are the esplanade^ consisting of 28S Toulouse, ueveral long avenues of trees, meeting In a centre and the walks near the canal du Midi, and that ( Brienne, which are both lined with trees, and ton long allees terminated by bridges, sluices, and view of the river. From the bridge is a noble an; extensive prospect of the Pyrenees at the distant of 100 miles; and of the Cevennes, blended wit other heights in Auvergne, apparently connectin the chain of Alps. P7'oductions, Commerce^ Manufactures, —Th productions of Toulouse consist of silk, wool, con dour, wine, timber for ship-building, &c. It is ah celebrated for its geese ; the legs of which are pr( served in the fat of the animals melted in a rna? Her resembling our potted meats, and sent tin to a great distance. Pies made of the livers ( geese, fatted to an enormous size are also esteem ' a great delicacy. Manufactures of tobacco ai. snuff, unbleached cloth, broad cloth, dimity, stuii printed calicoes, blankets, counterpanes, «&c. P( pulation 55,000. From Toulouse, we may make an excursion 1 the Pyrenean mountains^ which will amply repay tl. lover of picturesque scenery. In this tour (one < the most interesting in France) will be included visit to the towns of Audi and Tarbes, and the r( man tic w'atering-places of Bagneres and Barrage Thejice tlie traveller may proceed to Pan, Bayonm and Bordeaux ; or he may return to Toulouse an take the high road to tliat city described in ourne> chapter. To’^dloitse to Bordeaux* CHAPTER V, Route from Toulouse to Bordeaux — Montauhan — Jgen-r^ Description ef Bordeaux — Shepherds, of the Landes —• From Bordeaux to Tours by Angoulenie and Poitiers —> To Nantesj by Rochefort and Rochelle* There are two w^ys of proceeding to Bordeaux? I'We may descend the Garonne, a very pleasant trip in fine weather; or we may take the following land route, and visit the different to^vns mentioned at i the head of this chapter. r No. 16. From Toulouse to Bordeaux S6| posts; about 200 English miles, ■ ?ROM POSTS. Toulouse to St. Jory • • • • I Srizolles. If JMontauban (^).. i5aula. If Vloissac • • ..2 'iVIalauze.] f f VTagistere . If ;l^roquelardit .. If t \gbn (^). Jf ; ,?ont St. .. 1 j?ort St. Hilaire.. If ;Port St. Maine'. 1 I Ihns _(*) Le Tapis-Verd, THotel des Ambassadeurs, 1? arand-Soleil. (^) The Petit St. Jean, Hotel des Ambassadeurs. 3) Hotel de Fumel, de Richelieui, Prince of Asturias, Seven trotherSj Providence, Ambiissadeurs, Holland, Star, Golden Lion. FROM POSTS. Port St.Maine to Aiguillon 1 f Tonneins • • • ..2 Marmande. If I^a Motte t-andron.,.» • • • 1 La Reolp... 1 Cauderot... If Langoii .. If Cei'ons..if Castres .. If Bouscaut ..... If Bordeaux (3} .. « c 230 Toulouse to Bordeaux, Nothing particularly worthy of remark occurs between Toulouse and Montauban. Much of the soil is a poor white sand, cultivated with wheat and fallow alternately: in the better parts, Indian corn is substituted for the fallow. Few flocks are to be seen in this country. Montauhau is pleasantly situ¬ ated on the Tarn, which divides it into three parts^ and by communicating with the Ro;yal Canal and the Mediterranean, offers great commercial ad¬ vantages. The town is in general regularly built, well paved, and very neat and clean. Many of the buildings are handsome. The air is very salubri ous here, and the environs are thickly spotted wit’ charming country houses and gardens. Montauba. being seated on the gentle declivity of a hill, ha a fine appearance, particularly from the platforir between the two principal walks, whence may bi seen in clear weather, the Pyrenean mountains, distant more than 100 miles. This town has a the atre, public library, and very agreeable walks ; am the bulk of its inhabitants are Protestants-, under Bonaparte, a college and great privileges were al¬ lowed to them. Manufactures of woollen stuff’s, known by the names of cadis and rattines of Mont¬ auban, cotton, and silk, silk stockings, calicos, leather, tobacco, soap, earthen ware; trade in dra¬ pery, brandy, drugs, spices, cutlery, silks, iron, salt, and goose quills. Population 23,436. Montauban takes its name from the quantity of willows that grow in its neighbourhood, and which, in the language of the country, are called auhes. This is in the number of those towns which suffered n>ttch in the wars with the Albigeois, in those with Moissac — A gen. 29 1 tlngland, and in the civil wars. In the latter it was considered as the principal focus of Calvinism. The town of Moissac consists of one long street which runs along the banks of the Tarn, but is not more than a fourth part of its antient size, before it sutfered like Montauban in the religious wars: it vv'as of considerable note in the time of the Ro¬ mans. Clovis founded an abbey here which was capable of containing 1000 monks; and some remains of it still exist. Moissac is situated in a very fer- |tile and agreeable country, and has some trade in loil, the finest flour [minot), saffron, and wine. Po¬ pulation 9,000. I Cross the Tarn, and begin to ascend the heights ; at the foot of the town we have just left. The road continues to wind for a considerable way among these lills, and overlooks the richest country imaginable. We next pass Malauze; Magist^re, a small town ivith 1,800 inhabitants, and a trade in dried plums, md fine flour; arrive at Coquelardit, and hence at [ Ageyii finely situated in the midst of a fertile [ ,country, on the banks of the Garonne, but not con- jliidered a very healthy place. It is an episcopal I‘see, has a cour royale, and a tribunal of commerce, i Mere are some remains of Roman antiquities, baths, ; iin arena, a curious rock, and a chapel with cells cut ^ n the rock, the view of which is very fine. We should I’emark also the church of St. Caprais. the hotel of i he prefecture, the house of the depot de mendi- l;ite, the promenade of Gravier, and the works of i.he bridge over the Garonne. Agen produces corn, jvine, brandy, hemp, fruits, (particularly what we l:all French plums) and cattle. Mani^actures of c c 2 292 Toulouse to Bordeaux. serges, sail-cloth, cottons, counterpaftes, candles'j leather, and braziery. Population 11,000. Jo* seph Scaliger was born at Agen. The whole of the route from Agen to Bordeaux 18 through a rich and fertile country, on the banks of the noble Garonne. Pass port St. Mairie a town with 2,800 inhabitants and reach Aiguillon, situated in a charming valley, at the confluence of the Lot and Garonne, which owes its celebrity to the two Dukes of this name> who took their title from the place; the last was one of the few nobles who ad* hered to the popular cause, at the Revolution. Aiguillon has some trade in hemp, which is much esteemed, and a stocking manufactory. Popula¬ tion, 1,600. Tonneins^ situated oh the right bank of the Ga¬ ronne, in an extensive and fertile plain, consists only of one long and broad street of handsome houses. Plere is a newly built Hotel de Ville, the facade of which forms a part of a spacious containing an esplanade, planted with elms, which commands a fine view of the course of the Garonne. This is the most commercial town of the Agenois; its inhabitants are very industrious, but are equally celebrated for their love of luxury and of pleasure. Tobacco is cultivated here in great quantities, and there is a manufacture of pins, and rope-yarns. Population 7,800. The next place of note in our route, is Marmande^ on the Garonne, a small well-built place, with broad streets, a college, and a fountain in the centre of the town; it has a considerable trade in grain, v/ine, brandy, plums of Ante, and hemp. Here are also several tanners. Population 5,600. Mar- Bordeaux^Situation* 293 mande suffered greatly in the civil wars. La Reole^ on the right bank of the Garonne, supplies abun¬ dance of fine cattle, and trades in wine, brandy^ grain, cutlery, &-c. Population 3,800. Arrive op¬ posite Langon, and cross the river to that place. Langon is celebrated for its delicious white wine, being the best of all the different sorts of the Bor¬ delais, which pass under the name of vim de grave^ from the sandy and gravelly soil in which the vines grow. Pass Cerons, Castres, and Bouscaut, and at length reach Bordeaux, formerly the capital of Guienne, and situated on the left bank of the Garonne. Scarcely any^ thing can be conceived more striking than the situation of Bordeaux. The town, nearly three miles in length, sweeps round a crescent formed by ‘ the Garonne, so that the view of the whole cir- i cuit can be taken in at once by the eye. Along l|he river, which is much broader than the Thames ' at London-Bridge, runs a fine quay, the buildings on which are of white stone, almost all modern, ! and very handsome; and the river is always full of ijhipping, some of the vessels being of a consider¬ able size. On the opposite bank, a rich country |idorned with wooded slopes, and vineyards, with ji number of villas scattered about, extends as far IS the eye can reach. This forms, on the whole, a much finer coup-d^ceil than is presented by the quay lit Paris, along which run the Louvre, the TuiL 1 cries, &c. There are not, it is true, at Bordeaux, iiny buildings to be compared individually with jhose that have been mentioned at Paris; but in Ijonsidering the effect as a whole, a decided pre^er- mce must be given to Bordeaux. The fine river c c 3 29 ^ Bordeaux — Antiquities, Garonne is a much grander feature than the Seine presents; added to which the circular course of the river permits the whole to be seen at once, and with the utmost distinctness; whereas the quay at Paris, running in a straight line, the objects, how¬ ever grand, can only be seen in succession. Antiquities, —This town was in its origin a Roman colony :—after the overthrow of the Roman empire it fell into the hands of the Visigoths, who were expelled from it by Clovis. '1 here are yet remain¬ ing some fragments of one of the edifices with which the Romans embellished the town; to which is given the name of Le Palais Gallien^ under the idea that it was a palace built bv the emperor Gallienus, who reigned early in the third century. It has, however, the appearance of having been an amphitheatre, and it is known by tradition that there was one in the town; but some antiquarians place the site of that, near the spot where now stands the church of St. Surin, which is at ^ome distance from the Palais Gallien. This latter, it is evident from the fragments that remain, was of a circular form, and there is an arch¬ way remaining perfect, which has a similar appear¬ ance to one of the four great entrances to the am¬ phitheatre at Nismes. If it was a palace, as is as¬ serted, it was an immense one; but so the Roman palaces undoubtedly were, 'i he area appears, as far as any opinion can now be formed of its size, much larger than that of the amphitheatre at Nismes; but we judge here only by the sight, and the difference between the present situation of the two buildings may possibly lead the eye astray in this particular. The circuit of the amphitheatre at Bordea «x—- CA urch es. 295 iNismes is entire; but here, though there are suf- [Ificient fragments to point out that the form the I; building was circular, and to mark the extent of I the circuit; yet as there are large intervals where I the walls are entirely broken down, and where i other buildings are erected which intersect the frag- : ments that remain standing, it is not so easy to de- I termine by the judgment of the eye, respecting its \ comparative dimensions, as if the perfect inclosure I had remained. It is built of a mixture of stone S and brick, one row of small square slabs of stone, I,and then three of brick, so alternately the whole height of the wall This is a style of building far s inferior, in grandeur as well as in solidity, to the enormous blocks of stones which were used in con- i Btructing the edifices of the more splendid days of [ Rome, and is known to have been that of the de* ' dining years of the empire. Some considerable remains of a Roman temple, served for the foundation of a fortress called the Chateau Trompette, erected on the quay, by Charles VII. but now again destroyed in its turn. Churches ,—'1 he revolutionary hand has not pro- yided so many ruins for the decoration of Bordeaux ;as it has for many other places. The churches ihave in general been suffered to remain with little or no injury, except the despoiling them of the Igold and silver vessels, and any other ornaments 'of value which they possessed. The metropolitan [church, dedicated to St. Andrew, is a fine old Gothic building: it existed before the time of Char- jlemagne, who, dying, left several rich bequests for [its additional decoration. At the west end are twe 296 Bordeaux—Puhllc Buildings, lofty spires, but the summit of one was many years ago struck off by lightning, and has never been re¬ paired. There are three other churches in Bor¬ deaux, all Gothic buildings, which have also at different times been injured by lightning. The church of St. Surin is another very fine old Gothic structure, and has a profusion of Gothic ornament about the great altar, as well as about an altar in one of the side chapels. In the same chapel are deposited a great number of relics which have been happily preserved through the Revolution. In the church of St. Michael, another handsome Gothic structure, there is a fine carving in wood over the pulpit, of the saint to whom it is conse¬ crated, chaining the Devil. The church of St. Pe¬ ter has, as well as that of St. Surin, a large collec¬ tion of relics. The church of Notre Dame is a handsome modern building, much in the style of that of St. Sulpice at Paris, only upon a smaller scale. A profusion of votive offerings are hung up here, tributes to the Virgin patroness of the place, the great saint and protrectress of seafaring persons; consequently a saint who must receive much ho¬ mage at Bordeaux. Public Buildings, 4'C-—The Exchange is a fine modern building upon the quay; it is of an oblong quadrangular form with a court within, over which is a glazed roof, so that those who assemble there for transacting business are sheltered from the wea¬ ther. Round the court is a piazza filled with shops for merchandize of all sorts, in the style of the Pa¬ lais-royal at Paris, only that it is a miniature resem¬ blance, for the longest sides of this building appear Bordeaux — Promenades. 297 scarcely longer than the shortest of the Palais-royal. Over the piazza are galleries, in which two fairs are leld every year. The archiepiscopal palace, now he hotel of the prefecture, is a fine pile of building; ind the grand theatre is generally allowed to be the inest edifice of the kind in the whole French em- ■)ire; even the Odeon at Paris, in all its prosperity, vas not equal to it. Its front is to the Alleys of Fourny, one of the great promenades of Bordeaux, ind one side is to the Chapeau-rouge, the wadest itreet in the town. The building itself is however entirely insulated, which contributes not a little to he grandeur of its appearance. It has a hand- ;ome colonnade in front, over which is a balcony vith a stone balustrade, on which are statues of Apollo and the nine muses. From this balcony here is a very fine view over the town and the rich !ountry round it. Other buildings and objects of mriosity are, the city museum and library ; the mu- eum founded by Rodrigue; the Athenaeum esca- dished by Goethal; the various minor theatres ; the inayor’s house ; the custom-houses, &c. &c, Promeiiades .—The quay is a very fashionable pro- inenade eveii in winter, notwithstanding its expo- ure to the north; but the busy scene it presents irom the extensive foreign commerce which the own carries on, renders it always gay and amusing, i^he Alleys of Tourny is another of the prome- ades: they consist of several rows of trees; nd being in the centre of the town, and a ery great thoroughfare, they are always full of lOmpany Another great place of resort for those i^ho w^ant to get rid of time is the Champ de Mars, 298 Bordeaux — Manners^ S^'c, a sort of little park, almost at the extremity of the town, near tlie quarter of the Chartrons. This is to thb people of Bordeaux, what the Champs-Elysoes arei to the Parisians—the theatre of a variety of sports.' Manners^ Society, Sfc. —'I he Bordelais are re-* inarkably frank and cheerful in their behaviour; gay, and fond of pleasure. I'lie women are very i handsome, and particularly amiable. Bordeaux; has been always a favourite residence with the Eng- ( lish, and from its commercial character, several i thousands of our countrymen are always found; living in the city or its environs during peace. This i place, like Marseilles, is by no means a cheap, but is a most agreeable sejour. The environs are more reasonable, and there a single gentleman may board and lodge in a private family for forty pounds a year. I'here is no want of amusement at Bor¬ deaux ; the continual influx of strangers, from all parts of the world—the moving scenery of ship' ping—the noble quay—the beautiful walks—the different theatres, balls, concerts, &c, the amenity of the climate, and the natural gaiety of the people,— all contribute to render Bordeaux the most delight¬ ful residence of Southern France. Though the win¬ ter here is cold, it is preferred by many to Marseilles, as a permanent residence *. Productions, Commerce, Manufactures. — Hie wane of the country, vin de Bordeaux, or as we call it, claret, forms the principal export and trade of * F()r some particulars and descriptions, in this account of Bordeaux, we are indebted to Miss Tlumptre’s Residence in France, Vol. ill. pp. 91, et seq. Bordea ux—En virons. 299 his place; the best comes from the Pays de Medoc, I district bordering on the Garonne ; when it has )een about four years in bottle, it is a most delicious /ine : but it is much adulterated with brandy be- ore it reaches England, The other articles of lommerce are brandy, vinegar, plums, honey, ches- luts, resin, pitch and tar, turpentine, hemp, per- umery, preserved fruits, hams, and live stock of II sorts. It exports to America the productions f the Gironde, and trades largely with Spain and taly. Bordeaux has also sugar refineries, and ma- iifactories of brandy, aniseed, vinegar, calicoes, tockings, aqua-fortis, earthenware, glass, and se- eral rope-yards. Po})ulation 99,000. The port f Bordeaux is capable of containing more than a lousand vessels. This account of Bordeaux would be incomplete 'ere we not to notice a remarkable tract of country i its vicinity, known by the name of the Landes, or esart of the South of France, which lies between the louthsofthe Adour and the Gironde, along the sea- oast ; and, according to tradition, was once the bed \i the sea itself, which flowed in as far as Dax. ihe following is an account of this singular coun- y, by a recent traveller. “ It is a bed of sand, iit, in the strictest sense of the word, and abound- g with extensive pine woods. These woods afford Irpentine, resin, and charcoal, for trade, as well as ■sort of candles, used by the peasantry, made of 'irn dipt in the turpentine. The road is through e sand, unaltered by art, except where it is so ,jose and deep as to require the trunks of the fir ees to be laid across to give it firmness. The vil- iges and hamlets stand on spots of fertile grounds $00 Shepherds of the Landes* scattered like islands among the sands. The appear¬ ance of a corn-field on each side of the road, fenced by green hedges, a clump of trees at a little dis¬ tance, and the spire of a rustic church tapering from among them, gave notice of our approach tc an inhabited spot. On entering the villages, we found neat white cottages, scattered along a bit ol green, surrounded by well cultivated gardens and orchards, and shaded by fine old oaks and walnuts, Through the centre of the village, a brook of the clearest water was always seen running among meadows and hay-fields, and forming a most grate ful contrast to the heat and dust of the sandy road It was between the villages of Castel and Ln Buharre that we first saw these shepherds, mountet on stilts, and striding like storks, along the fiat The stilts raise them from three to five feet; an i the foot rests on a surface, adapted to its sole, carve' ? ’ out of the solid wood; a flat part, shaped to thr.; outside of the leg, and reaching to below the bene ] of the knee, is strapped round the calf and ankle \ The foot is covered by a piece of raw sheep’s hide 1 In these stilts they move with perfect freedom, anc j astonishing rapidity; and they have their balance j so completely, that they run, jump, stoop, and ever dance with ease and safety. We made them rur i races for a piece of money, put on a stone on the ’ ground, to which they pounced down with surf! prising quickness. 'I hey cannot stand quite stil without the aid of a long staff, which they alwayi carry in their hands. '1 his guards them against an] accidental trip, and when they wish to be at rest forms a third leg, that keeps them steady. i i Shepherds o/* the Landesn SOI 302 Shepherds of the Landes* “ The habit of using tlie stilts is acquired early,i and it appeared that the smaller the boy was, the longer it was necessary to have his stilts. By means of these odd additions to the natural leg, the feet;; are kept out of the water, which lies deep during; winter on the sands, and from the heated sandi during the summer: in addition to which, the] sphere of vision over so perfect a flat is materially; increased by the elevation, and the shepherd cam see liis sheep much farther on stilts than he could from the ground,”—Journal of Science and the Arts, Vol. 11. p. 255. From Bordeaux, the traveller may proceed to Tours, by Angouleme and Poitiers, the usual route ; or first visit Nantes, taking the road c' Rochefort and Rochelle. We shall give botl routes, so that the tourist may then make hi'* election. No. 17. From Bordeaux to Tours, by Angoii- \ leme and Poitiers, 481 Posts ; about 268 English i miles. TROM POSTS. Bordeaux to Carbon-Blanc 2 Culzac. 1 Cavignao • * Chiersac .. Montlieu • • La Grolle* • Reignac • • Barbezieux Petignac •» Roulet*. • • O 1 2 H li- 2 1 FROM Roulet to Angouleme Churet. Mansle . Megres.... Riitiec • • • *. Maisons-blanches • • Chaunay .... Couhe.. Mi nitres • • ... Vivonne .. POSTS, (^) 2 .... IF -2 .... H .... 1 .... .... i .... H .... ] .... Inns. (*) Great Stag, Round Table, White Horse. Bordeaux to TourSc 303 FROM POSTS. Vivonne to Croutelle • • • • 2 Poitiers (‘) . 1 Clan . 2 Tricherie. 1 Barres fie Nintre. 1 Chatellerault. 1 FROM P^STS. Chatellerault to Inprrande 1 Ormes. 14* St. IVTaures •••••»• •••• 2 Serigny .. 2 Moiitbazon. 1 Tours 0). ^ The situation of Barbezieax, on the high to Bordeaux and Spain, is very advantageous to the place. It has a manufactory of cloth; its capons are delicious, and its mutton of an excellent qua¬ lity. Near the town is a mineral spring, called Fond-Rouilleaux, AngouUme, the ci-devant capital of the Angou- ; mois, is situated on the Charente; is an episcopal see, and has a tribunal of commerce, and an agri¬ cultural society. Here is a good theatre, an exchange, and some fine walks, pardcularly that called Bellc-xuie, wliich offers a most picturesque coup-d’ceil. Trade in grain, wane, Cognac brandy, saffron, wood, iron, cattle, salt, &c. f the West overran a large part of Italy and Gaul. ! They have a character, both physicial and moral, Vhich differs in many respects from the character >f those among the French who may more do* 312 Character of the Vendeans. cidedly be pronounced descendants of the Franks. They have larger heads, thicker necks, smaller eyes, and fairer complexions, than the French in general. They are rather low in stature, of a dis¬ position less ardent and active than the French of many other parts; but when their spirit is roused, they enter with great eagerness into whatever they undertake, and are remarkable for a stoical con-> tempt of death in the pursuit of any favourite ob¬ ject. They are very hospitable, and if a traveller should be overtaken by bad weather, will invite him into their cottages, give him any refreshment that they afford, and would esteem it an affront if the guest should offer to pay for it. They are more addicted to drinking than the generality of the French, and are less eager after diversions; yci they have their Sunday amusements, to which they are much attached. After service, the men make parties at bowls, in which they particularly excel; and the losers always treat the company with two or three bottles of wine, according to the numbers that are to drink. But the great time of festivity is when a hog is killed by any of the peasantry. The owner of the animal invites all his neighbours to his house, when they play at bowls, dance, and amuse themselves with other active sports till sup¬ per. They then make a jovial and hearty meal, when the wine flows freely, and afterwards tell stories, or make speeches; or sometimes preach burlesque sermons, in which great humour is dis¬ played. The Vendean women are reckoijed to sing and dance extremely welh A very bad jargo* is spoken in this country, a 315 Character of the Vendtans, dialect of the French, not like the Proven 9 al and the Breton, a language distinct from it. The Vendeans, put the verb in the plural to the nominative pronoun in the singular, and ssiy favons,je mangeom^ Bc;c, They are besides remarkable for adding the word moij which they pronounce mai to every thing they 3ay when speaking of themselves.—For many cu¬ rious particulars of the Vendeans and Bretons we refer to Miss Plumtree’s Residence in France, VoU III. to which we are indebted for this excellent sketch of Vendean character. S14 Tour of the Loire, CHAPTER VI. Tour of the Loire .— Description of Nantes — Angers— Sanmnr — Toiirs^ Blois-—OrIefms.~^ Route fom Orleans to Baris—From Angers to Parisf by La FlechSf le Mans and Chartres. j4s the tour of the Loire is usually made on its banks, rather than on the river, in a boat, as on the Rhine, Rhone, Garonne, &c on account of the difficulty of navigation, in summer, fr ^m the various shallows which are met with, there is no objection to commencing the journey at Nantes 'I'hose, however, wlio come from Paris, may take the diligence to Orleans, and descend the river from that place to Nantes ; but there are no public pas¬ sage-boats (coches d’eau) all the way, as on the other rivers. In this case, the traveller will have to reverse the rout we are about to describe. The approach to Nantes^ from the south, for about a mile and a half, is over a continued succes¬ sion of bridges, built over the various branches of the Chezine and the Ardres, two small streams thatj run into the Loire. Nantes is finely situated on the declivity of a hill, at the foot of which runs the] LoirCy almost as broad as the Thames at London,j but much more picturesque, on account of the nu-j merous little green islands, spotted with quingettesf^ or houses of refreshment, with gardens j the river. 6 315 Nantes, covered with boats and small vessels; the fine quay, nearly a mile in length; the various promenades, I and the view of the surrounding country, altogether form a most charming coup d’ceil, which is scarcely surpassed in any part of France. Yet Nantes la- hours under a commercial inconvenience, in the shallowness of the river, as vessels of more than an hundred tons burthen, are obliged to unload at Pambceujl distant about 25 miles. This place, only a village at the commencement of the 18th century, is now a flourishing sea-port, with a popu- tion of 4*,000 souls. Nantes is an episcopal see, has a royal college, (ci-devant lycee), a tribunal of commerce, a noble public library, a school of anatomy and surgery, an agriculteral and commercial society, a botanical garden, a museum, a cabinet of natural history, and a school of hydrography. Among the princi¬ pal buildings are a fine antient cathedral, lately re¬ paired (1816); the Hotel de Ville, the palace of the prefecture, a very handsome theatre, the ex¬ change, thehalle, the departmental column, 76 feet ;in height; and tlie vast chateau, in an excellent state of preservation. Nantes is altogether a very :5ne city, and several parts of it bear a close resem- iDlance to Paris, particularly in the magnificence of |.he public buildings, the height of the houses, the )readth of the streets, the beauty of some of the jiquares, and in the architecture of a few of the iwelve bridges which connect the different quarters »f the town. Among the four large faubourgs of I'Jantes, that of la Fosse is the finest, and inhabited l*y the rich merchants and bankers. The Jsle Fey- E e 2 S16 Tour of the Loire. dealt also contains some very handsome and well- built houses. Productions, Manufactures, and Commerce. — Nantes furnishes coals, and wood for making hoops for casks, and has rope-yards, manufactures of counterpanes, calicoes, dimities, handkerchiefs, cot¬ ton twist, liqueurs, earthenware, glue, soap, glass, sugar, bleaching wax, &c.: exports the produc¬ tions of all France (particularly brandy) to foreign countries, and has considerable trade with the East and West Indies, Africa, and the American colo¬ nies ; and carries on a cod-fishery at Newfoundland and Cape Breton. Here merchant vessels of 1000 tons are built, and small ships of war. Before the Revolution, this place, like Liverpool, participated deeply in the guilt of the African slave trade, and immense fortunes were made, as in England, by this inhuman traffic. The fat of Bonaparte, how¬ ever, put an end to this disgraceful commerce in France. Population 75,000. Environs. —The country in the neighbourhood of Nantes is very beautiful, and affords a variety of picturesque rides and walks, particularly on the banks of the fiver ; and the numerous houses of entertainment (guinguettes and bastringues' , at a short distance from the city, draw an immense number of people on the fete days and Sundays, to enjoy all the luxury of rural sights and rural sounds. One of these places, which w’e visited in 18t6, consists of a large orchard, filled with fruit- trees, a corn-field, kitchen-garden, walks, &c. and a snug sort of farm-hviuse, where parties may dine, and enjoy their own society; or sit under the shadt Nantes* 311 of a fruit tree in the pleasant gardens, and amuse themselves with seeing the belles and beaux of Nantes, as happy as a holiday, fine weather, music and dancing, can make them. A boat will convey the traveller hither for a trifle. Besides visiting Pairnbcei^t a journey which may be easily made by water or land, according to the inclination of the traveller; he may make an ex-* cursion to Indret, about five miles from Nantes, where there is a grand depot of timber for ship¬ building, and one of the finest cannon-founderies in Europe, On the opposite coast, frigates, and other vessels are built. The Plateau de la Salle Verte is another object of curiosity in the environs of Nantes, usually visited by travellers. This is a large block of granite, producing the fetid quartz, or stink-stone; it is semi-transparent, greyish, and when rubbed briskly, gives out a strong and disagreeable smell; or, if two pieces be rubbed together, it produces the same leffect. Submitted to the action of fire, it loses its jscent, becomes white, and increases in weight. {These fetid stones are also found in the country to |ihe N, and N.W. of Nantes. I Nantes is celebrated for the famous edict of iHenry IV. made in 1598, in favour of the protes- 'tants, and the revocation of which by Louis XIV. in 1685, will ever remain so foul a blot in the other- kvise glorious career of that celebrated monarch, !During the time of the revolution, Nantes was dis¬ graced by the noyades^ or horrible executions, or- jdered by the monster Carrier, I E e 3 SI8 Tour of the Loire, No. 19. From Nantes to Orleans, S7f Posts; about 206 English miles. FROM Nantes to Sallleraye Oudon. Ancenis • • • • . Varades. Champtoce .... St. Georges*. Angers (*) .. Portda-Vallee. Rosiers . La-Croix-Verte •••• Chouze . Trois Volets . Langeais. POSTS • u • H • U • U . If . 1 • . 2 | • H . 2 • 2i • H • H FROM Langeais to Luynes Tours (*). La Frilli^re. Amboise Veuves . Chousy . Blois (3). Menars . Mer. Reaugency . Saint Ay. Orleans (♦). POSTS • • H • • U . ii. • 1 • H • If . If • If The Tour of the Loire has been long rendered familiar to the English reader, by the interesting work of Lieutenant-Colonel Pinkney; which, though its descriptions are in some parts, rather too warmly coloured, is, in our opinion, even woti’, the very best guide in this journey that can be procured. We sought in vain at Paris, and in the different towns on the Loire, for any detached picturesque description of this charming voyage ; and were at last compelled to be content with Mr. Pinkney's Travels ; which we had an opportunity of comparing with the existing state of the country in the last year (1816), and had ample reason to be satisfied with the general accuracy of this entertaining tourist. Since the publication of this work, however, about eight or nine years, the Inns throughout this route Inns. —(i) The White Horse, an excellent Inn; the Phea- fant, where the diligences stop. (-) The Golden Rail, Phea¬ sant, St. Julicn. (3) The Golden Ball. ('»•) The same. Nanles to Orleans^ 319 I have been greatly improved, and are equal an point 1 of extent and accommodation to any in the most frequented parts of France ; so that the traveller will not have to fear any of those distressing dilem¬ mas respecting bed-chambers, and ladies, and biles, which the Colonel recounts with so much naivete and pleasantry. The ditFerent towns are also greatly improved, and the traces of the dreadful revolution are in great part, obliterated. The Memoirs of Madame Larocke-Jagueleirif will alone call them to our recollection. With this book. Colonel Pink- \ney's Travel’sh and the additional observations we have been enabled to furnish from our last trip to the Loire; together with the local guides, oeca- iionally to be purchased at the various towns en ^oute, every information will be afforded to render :his tour agreeable. The route from Nantes to Orleans, follows the :emrse of the Loire, and for the greater part of the vay, is on the banks of this beautiful river. The I'oads are very good, except after heavy rains ; and |;ven then, much of it being a;?«t>e,or paved causeway, little inconvenience is experienced, except when the iatter is out of repair; and this, to the credit of the 'government, is very seldom the case in France, i Pass through the romantic little village of Mauves^ ituated among a rich variety of woodland and neadow; with hills on both sides the river, tufted !/ith wood, and now and then crowned with the iuins of an antient tower or chateau, frequently ►atched up and inhabited. From Mauves to Oudon i I * An octavo edition has lately been published of this werkj great convenience to a traveller. I 3'20 Tour of the Loire. is a fine and inclosed country, well-wooded, and thickly spotted with neat little cottages generally of one floor, and most of them situated in orchards, fronting the river. Before we arrive at the village of OudoTiy a single street of straggling houses, we reach a lofty eminence, crowned with the ruins of an old castle, whence there is a prospect of most exquisite beauty, over the Loire. It is, in our opinion, by far the finest view of this river, and we were rather surprised to find, that it was not noticed | by Mr. Pinkney, whose book is very full indescrip- l tions of picturesque scenery. Having enjoyed this I prospect, it w ill be better to trust to our feet in descending the hill; no one can ride down with | any pleasure; although the heavy w^aggon-like diligence, and its female passengers, generally run ■ the risk. y^ncenis, a little town on the right bank of th Loire, is remarkable for nothing but its beautiful situation in a rich and fertile country. It is not as Mr. Pinkney describes it, “ a village on a greet, in the midst of a forest,*’ but a small straggling country town with a population of 2000 inhabitants and a trade in corn, wine, vinegar, brandy, iron and timber for ship-building. From this place tc Angers, “ nothing can be more beautiful than the natural distribution of lawn, wood, hill, and valley while the river which borders this scenery is evet giving it a new form by its serpentine shape. Tin Loire, (continues Mr. Pinkney, whose descriptioi w'e boriovv, as being the best ever given,) is per baps, the only ri\er in Europe, wdiich is bordcrec by hills and hillocks, and which, in so long a course so seldom passes through a mere dead level. Ac Tour oj the Loire. 32i corclingly, from the earliest times of tlie French monarchy, the rising grounds of the Loire have been selected for the sites of castles, monasteries, abbeys, and chateaux; these, many of them still entire, and others with nothing remaining but their lofty walls, together with towns, windmills, and steeples; hills covered with vines, and alternate woods and cornfields *, all form a landscape, or •ather a chain of landscapes, which remind one of a loem, and successively refresh, delight, animate, md exalt the imagination. Is there any one op¬ pressed with grief for the loss of friends, or what is itill more poignantly felt for their ingratitude and inkindness ? let him traverse the banks of the Loire; et him appeal from man to nature ; from a world of )assion and vice, to scenes of groves, meads, and lowers. His must be no common sorrow who would I lot forget it on the banks of the Loire.” 2'ravels, I). 435. 4to ed. ! Still it should be remembered, that this scenery : s of a mild and beautiful, rather than of a grand md romantic character; and that it will be more i ileasing to those who have not visited the Meuse in j Belgium ; the Saone, and the Rhone; the Rhine, jind the Moselle. The IIhink indeed, should be ‘ I * To this picture we may add the floating apiaries, consisting irequently of a hundred beehives, which are occasionally seen in the smooth, unruffled surface of the stream : I } I So through the vales of Ixtire the bee-hives glide, ' The light raft dropping with the silent tide; So, till the laughing scenes are lost in sight, i The busy people wing their various flight, i Culling unnumbered sweets from various flowers That scent the vineyard in its purple hours. Rogers. 322 Tour of the Loire* reserved by the amateur^ as the ne plus ultra of SCENE uY. (See a Picturesque Voyage down this river, in Campbell s Belgium and Holland*) AngerSy formerly the capital of Anjou, now the chief town of the Maine and Loire, is situated on the Mayenne, a little above the place where this river receives the Lesser Loire and Sarte, and which then takes the name of Mayenne or Main, and about three miles from the point where the united streams fall into the Loire. Though this situation, at the confluence of three rivers, ana witliin a short distance of one of the largest in France, is very advantageous in a commercial view, yet the water of the Mayenne is so harsh, as to bt unfit to drink, or to cook with ; and were it not foi the proximit}^ of the Loire, and some aqueducts. Angers, though built on a river, would be in want of one of the first necesssaries of life. Angers wa: a favourite station of the Romans, who appear in their choice of situations to have possessed a taste not the least inferior to the monks. Many remains of the conquerors of the world are yet to be seen. A few of the arches of an aqueduct constructed by them across the river are in perfect preservation, and form a very prominent object as you walk beside its busy banks. The general appearance of Angers is not in its favour; the streets are steep, narrow, dark, and winding, and most of the houses very antient, pro¬ jecting, and ill-built; yet there are many very hand- * some buildings within the walls, and outside of the ; town ; it is chiefly the interior which has a sombre I appearance. The gloomy castle^ formerly tenanted i by the Plantagenets, in which antiquaries are shown | S23 Angers, the tomb of Rene, king of Sicily, together with that of his wife, demands our first attention. The ca/he^ dralf of a structure perfectly unique, consisting of one long avenue surmounted by a gothic arched^ roof without a pillar, merits inspection Here is the monument of Margaret of Anjou, the queen of Henry VI. of England. Besides these, various iuperb religious houses of modern erection, in which simplicity and elegance are united, deserve to be irisited. They are now turned to various useful jurposes. The present caserne^ was formerly an equestrian academy of high reputation through- )ut Europe. It is a superb building, and most idniirably adapt( d to the purposes for which it was jrected. Peter the great of Russia learnt here the irt of horsemanship. Angers has long been the ;eat of literature. Its university, founded by Louis I. Duke of Anjou, in 1246, maintained a reputa- ion fully equal to that of any university in the king- lorn ; and its academy of the belles-lettres, founded n 1685, was not less illustrious. The church for¬ merly attached to the university, is now converted into a gallery for paintings, and its numerous ap¬ pendages are devoted to the arts and sciences. Angers is an episcopal see, has a ccr royale, a iribunal of commerce, a royal college, an academy »f arts ; a conservatory of machines^ on a similar plan to the one at Paris; a botanical garden; a nusee, including a gallery of pictures and statues, i.nd an excellent museum of natural history ; a pub¬ ic library, a theatre, and a very handsome mall, or Imblic walk. Professors of natural and experimental philosophy; the mathematics; surgery; medicine; •ainting; sculpture;' botany, are here established j^^ith competent salaries at the expense of the nation. Tour of the Loire, The walls round this city were built by King John of England, and though six centuries have elapsed, are still nearly entire. Part of them were indeed demolished by Louis the Eighth, but they were restored to their original form by his successor, and remain a proof of the durable style of building of that age (1230). The castle of Angers was built at the same time. It is situated on a rock which overhangs the river, and though now in decay, has still a very striking appearance. The walls are lofty and broad, the towers numerous, and the fosses deep. They are cut out of the solid rock, and must have required long and ingenious labour. Very great improvements have been made in Angers, within these few years; a great part of the old walls have been thrown down, and trees planted tc form boulevards as at Paris, and many handsome houses have been built on the side of the road. In 1816, a great number of labourers were employe^ in these works, and the improvements were pro¬ ceeding rapidly, and on a very large scale. In walking through the streets of Angers, particularly on a Sunday, the traveller will be surprised to see the females riding d lafourchette^ or in plain English, astride upon their ambling nags: and this practice is not confined to the lower classes : elegant w'omen in spruce habits, may be observed equestrianizing in this fashion, without seeming to know any thing about the convenience and modesty of a side-saddle. The trade of Angers consists in grain, wines, brandies, hemp, flax, slates, navy-timber, and for building, slates, coals, horses, cattle, wax, and honey: mamfuctures of sail-cloth, cotton handker¬ chiefs, printed, oalieoes, stockings, et^mines, s Angers — Climaie* S25 jsort of stuff, serges, and table-cloths. Population : 28,927. We perfectly agree with Mr. Pinkney in his pre¬ ference of Angers, or rather its environs^ as a resi¬ dence for a stranger;—particularly since Tours has been so overstocked with English colonists; and every thing there has become so extravagantly dear. The latter place has certainly a more imposing appear¬ ance, but this consists only in the beauty of its principal street. The climate of Angers is delect¬ able : the fruits are rich and abundant; the sur- irounding country furnishes wine in the greatest plenty, some samples of which are scarcely, if at all inferior to Champagne; and though wood for fuel is dear, there is plenty of coal^ which would, no doubt, be preferred by an Englishman. House- rent is much cheaper here than at Tours ; a good house may be had for ^20 or ct’30 a-year: and a fine mansion without the walls, including twenty or thirty acres of ground, for £50 a-year. In short, for ^400 per annum, a family might live in the greatest comfort here, keep their carriage, and par- |take of luxuries which they would not procure for Itwice the sum in England, The veal and mutton jare good; poultry and game excellent and cheap, jand fruits and vegetables extremely plentiful. Pro- ivisions of all sorts, indeed, are reasonable, j “ The climate^ in this part of France,’’ it is ijustly observed by Mr. Pinkney, (Travels, p. 143, |4to. ed.) “ is delightful beyond description. The high vault of heaven is clad in ethereal blue, j and the sun sets with a glory which is inconceiv- l able to those who have only lived in more northerly ■regions; for week after week, this v/eather never 326 Tour of the Loire. varies, tlie rains come on at once, and then cease till the following season. The tempests which raise the fogs from the ocean have no influence here, and they are strangers likewise to that hot moisture which produces the pestilential fevers in England and America. There are sometimes indeed heavy thunder-storms, when the clouds burst, and pour down torrents of rain ; but the storm ceases in a few minutes, and the heavens, under tlie influence of a powerful sun, resume their beauty and serenity.” Angers, being seated upon the skirts of La Vendee, suffered much from the Chouans, particularly during the memorable siege. For a considerable space of time, not less than 30,000 cartridges were daily distributed among the inhabitants, hemmed in on every side, and absolutely on the very brink of fa¬ mine ;—from the windows of their houses, from the ramparts on which from time to time they took their busy stations, they gazed on the iields which their own hands had sown, on the vineyards which they had pruned and cultivated, laden with the richest abundance; and serving, like water to Tan¬ talus, but to aggravate the pining misery which consumed them! One mournful morning being driven to despe- ’ ration by their necessities, they rushed furiously out of their prison upon their besiegers—alas! a few of them returned again ere long, leaving be- ' hind them the slaughtered remains of no less than 800 jathers of families, to say nothing of the youths and unmarried men who fell also in this day’s hor¬ rible carnage!—the dreadful distress of the evening ^ can onfy be conceived by those who have wn'tnessed similar scenes!—within, without—all was horror S27 Siege of Angers. jand consternation !—one mingled uproar of lieart- irending cries and lamentations, and of triumphant islioiits from which the shuddering soul of humanity |recoils, filled the air;—unsated with blood in the jfield, the victors pursued the flying multitudes to jthe gates, hewing them down with relentless cruelty, and deaf as adders to the cries and groans witli ;which they begged for quarter—multitudes were of jcourse cut ofi' Irom retreat, and had nothing to do Ibut seek for refuge in the fields, the vineyards, and Ithe woods ! j The surrounding country participated largely in Ithe miseries sulfered by the inhabitants of Angertj. For twenty square leagues there was not a field in ivhich human blood had not been shed. Not a ' town, not a village, not a chateau, not a church, not jii cabin, not a roof nad been spared! —In one un¬ distinguished desolation all was laid loiv!—Where jhospitality trirnm d die cheaiTul hearth, and loaded ithe smoaking board, silence and solitude alone Iwere found - -the crv of the wolf, and the screech ibf the owl alone were heard ! At the command of lithe iron-hearted, iron-fanged monster, ttie aged |!and the young, the wounded and the sick, those [who were labouring in the pangs of child-birth, and I those who were struggling with the agonies of ! death, were hurried away - a blanket the sole rem- Inant of affluence and con^^fortthe vault of hea¬ ven their only canopy !—the blaze of tlieir burning mansions the only light which gleamed around them, alas! which gleamed to Ight them to de- i spair ‘! Following the most moderate computation, I * llev. W. Iluglies's Tour in Fnuice, p. llti* F f 2 32$ Tour of the Loire. not less than 250,000 souls perished in the dreadful civil war of La Vendee, by the sword, by famine, and all the horrible modes, which.destruction and extermination employ to fill up their catalogue of human victims. But it is time to quit these torturing scenes and to resume the thread of our narrative. Shortly after we leave Angers, the country becomes thickly inclosed, and on each side of the river varied with hill and dale, woodland and meadow. We now enter upon the LevSj one of the most stupendous works which France, or almost any other country can ex¬ hibit ; compared with it, the utmost exertions of the kind which v/e have elsewhere seen, are insig¬ nificant and pigmy productions ; if it be any where outstripped, it must be in Holland and in China. The parts of Anjou, Touraine, and the Orleannais, which border upon the Loire, are perfectly flat, and, in the earlier ages of the world, must have formed a vast morass of not less than 100 miles in length, and from 20 to 40 miles wide—so says tradition, and it aj-ipears extremely probable. The Leve is an immense bulwark, raised by human hands, to exclude the river from this wide extended tract of country, and confine its waters within its bunks, and extends from Angers to Orleans. Its base may be about 40 feet wide; its elevation is nearly 25 do. from the adjoining level; and its upper surface, w^hich is paved with large stones, like the streets of London, just capacious enough to admit of three carriages abreast. This is, in general, kept in the most excellent repair, and is equally good in winter or summer; the only objection to the road to an English traveller, not accustomed to Saumtir. 329 I the pavh of France, is the continual rumbling and i occasional jolting of tlie carriage. From this I causeway, on one side is a fine view of the river j and its opposite shore ; and on the other, number- 1 less little cottages and houses in the midst of or* 1 chards and corn-fields: and pretty gentlemen’s seats, j with handsome gardens When the corn is ripe, the i landscape is particularly beautiful. The price of a ;good mansion here, and between six and seven '.hundred acres of land, would be about six thousand I pounds i About half-way between Angers and Tours, after I passing La Croix Verie, we should cross the river to .visit the interesting town of Sdumury pleasantly si¬ tuated on the left bank of the Loire As we cross [the first bridge from the northern bank to the island, it it seems a matter of doubt whether Saumur be si- I tuated on this island in the river, or on the island i'and opposite shore, and whether the town-house, 1)church, &c. which seem to constitute the nucleus of j a town, are in the one or the other. The second I bridge from the island to the southern bank is very : beautiful. The curiosities of Saumur are soon vi- ; sited; consisting of its handsome bridge, church, one or two public buildings, a theatre, the grande place, and an ancient chateau, now converted into a prison, at a short distance from the town. Trade in wine, brandies, vinegar, hemp ; mamsfactares of linen cloth, handkerchiefs, and saltpetre; powder- mills and founderies of copper and iron. Popula¬ tion 12,000. The principal attraction of Saumur consists in its picturesque situation, and the rich and fertile country which surrounds it on every side, House- F f 3 i I t 330 Tour of the Loire, rent and provisions are very reasonable at Saumur; and we think it would be a very agreeable residence for an English family. Mr. Pinkney says, “ that according to the best estimate he could make, a family consisting of a man, his wife, three or four children, three servants, and as many horses, might easily be kept at Saumur, and in its neighbourhood for about <£‘100 a-year.’* This sum is certainly much too small, and from the opportunities we had of inquiring into this subject, we should imagine that ^200 or ^€'250 would be nearer the mark. Our inn at Saumur was a very good one [La Corne^ where the diligences stop); and although the beds were not “ scented with lavender,” nor our slum¬ bers disturbed by the loquacity of the landlord’s two handsome daughters, who, Mr. P. says, slept or rather lay in an adjoining chamber, with the door left half open,—we had excellent dinners, good wine, and separate chambres a coucher. Again crossing the river, we take leave of the agreeable towm of Saumur, and pursue our route to Tours, along the banks of the Loire, which still continue to be covered with villages, churches, cot¬ tages, &c. The vineyards now become more fre¬ quent, the plants climb up the steepest declivities, and occupy situations absolutely incapable of any other culture. The elegance with which their long branches project from the rock, and swing in the air—the beauteous festoons they form, as they creep from tree to tree, and twine their tendrils round the spray—the rich luxuriance with which they are not unfrequently laden, infinitely more tempting to the eye than ever apple was, form a picture absolutely paradisaical; and parched, as we may be supposed 331 Houses of the Vignerons, I to be, the inevitable consequence of close packing, :| dust, and burning sun-shine, our forbearance in not 1} stopping to pluck the tempting crop, was infinitely i! greater than ever Adam exerted. ' In tlie midst of these vineyards the habitations of j; the peasantry form very interesting objects. The rocks consist of several strata of soft calcareous 1; stone, easily hewn, and perfectly free from mois- !■ ture, even in the most unfavourable states of the : atmosphere. Availing themselves of this circum- j stance, the Vignerons have excavated immense hol- I lows, in the cliffs which border the road, and, by I squaring and smoothing the sides and roofs, have j formed them into dwellings by no means con¬ temptible. I As the evening closed, the candle upon the board enabled us to perceive the clean white table-cloth —the loaf—the bunches of grapes—the bottle of wine, and the bed, with its snowy coverlid, at the bottom of the recess. In short, that the mansion, ! though not constructed by Palladio, was by no ! means deficient in comforts —more than can be said I of many a princely palace. It is such scenes as these, ! and such a happy peasantry, that the amiable author I of the Traveller (who took his flute in his pocket, and often depended upon it for a meal) has so beautifully described in the following lines; I Gay sprightly land of mirth and social ease. Pleased with thyself whom all the world can please, How often have I led thy sportive choir, With tuneless pipe beside the murmuring Loire! Where shading elms along the margin grew, And freshened from the wave, the zephyr flew: And haply though my harsh touch, fait’ring still, iBut mocked all tune, and marred the dancer’s skill j i i S32 Tour of the Loire, '"Yetwould (he villagre praise my wond’rous pow’r, And dance forgetful ot the noon-tide hour. Alike all ages. Dames of ancient days Have led their children through the youthful maze. And the gay grandsire skilled in gestic lore, Has frisked beneath the burthen of three score Many such a scene as this have we witnessed, particularly at harvest time, and in the vintage sea¬ son, when all is mirth, gaiety, and good-humour. The manner of preparing the grapes for the press in this part of the country, is remarkably cleanly. Instead of being trampled on by the naked feet as in Portugal and other countries, they are thrown into a large vessel, and macerated with a wooden pestle, and as soon as the vessel is filled the whole is then transported to the wine-press. We next pass Chouze, Trois Volets, Langeas, celebrated for its melons, and the ruins of its old castle; LuineSj a town with about 2,000 inhabitants, and finally arrive at Tours. The whole of the road between Saumur and Tours presents to the eye of the enraptured traveller, the most varied scenery, and the most lovely country, abounding in vines, corn, meadow, wood, and water, and numerous gentlemen’s seats, in the most picturesque situations. Nothing can be more charming than the situa¬ tion of Tours. Imagine a plain between two rivers, the Loire and the Cher, and this plain subdivided into compartments of every variety of cultivated land, corn-fields studded with fruit-trees, and a range of hills in the distance, covered with vine- * See a companion portrait to this beautiful description of village manners, in Sterne’s account of bis advtnturc at 7’arare, p. 2.0, 3S3^ i Tours — Cathedral. j yards to the top, while every eminence has its villa, or abbev, or ruined tower. The entrance to Tours is magnificent, and the coup-d’ceil is ex¬ tremely grand. Passing over a most elegant bridge of seventeen arches, we see before us the noble 7'ue royale^ composed of regularly built houses with handsome stone fronts, and bearing some resem¬ blance to the best streets of Bath. On either side of us, the river is dotted vrith the most beautiful islets; and on the left, partly hidden by foliage, appear ^ the majestic towers of the venerable cathedral. ! This view, in a fine summer moonlight evening, can scarcely be paralleled in France. The rue royale is one of the finest streets possible, and has the use¬ ful accommodation of a trottoir^ or pavement on each side as in London; but it is the only good street in Tours, and when we have walked through this, we have seen all the beauty of the place; and for this it is indebted to the munificence of the unfortunate Louis XVI. The town having been almost wholly destroyed by fire, the king rebuilt the fronts of the : grand vista, at the expense of the nation, on con- ! dition that the proprietors of the land would rebuild i the rest of the houses. At the end of this street j is a long avenue of trees, stretching as Lir as the ! eye can reach tow^ards Bordeaux. ! The cathedral, the church of St. Martin, the : public walk of the Mail, and the chateau of Plessis I le Tours, about a mile from the town, are the prin- j cipal objects of curiosity at this place. The ca- ' thedral is a fine Gothic pile, has some beautiful I stained glass windows in high preservation; and I a valuable library containing some very antient ’ MSS. Tours is an episcopal see, has an academy i 334 Tour of the Loire* of arts and belles lettres, a royal college, (ci-devant Lycee}, an agricultural society and a theatre, with very tolerable performers. Trade in corn, wine, pulse, aniseed, dried fruits, plums, chesnuts, and silk: manufactures of all sorts of silk stuffs, cottons, wax, candles, pottery and earthenware. Popula¬ tion 21,000, independent of strangers. The society of Tours is considered superior to that of most provincial towns in France, and has been compared in this respect to Salisbury or Can¬ terbury. We must confess that we were particu¬ larly pleased with the inhabitants of Tours, who are remarkable for their affability and social quali¬ ties ; the young women are very pretty and attrac¬ tive, and are seen to great advantage at the various balls and assemblies, where their vivacity and un¬ wearied gaiet})', added to their natural charms, ren¬ der them uncommonly fascinating. Tours is cer¬ tainly a delightful residence, but by no means a cheap one. This town was much frequented by the English before the French Revolution, and since Mr. Pinkney has again revived its celebrity by his very favourable description of it, our countrymen have resorted thither in crowds. Not less than three hundred English families were resident at Tours, and in its immediate environs, in the summer of 1816, and house rent was extravagantly dear; as much as 5^200 and ^'300 a year being de¬ manded for a handsome mansion, gardens, and a little paddock. Provisions are plentiful and good, but the new colonists have considerably increased the price of every article of life. As an agreeable sejour. Tours, for the size of it, has not its equal ki France; the environs are enchanting, and the 335 Climate of the 'Touraine, vhole country eminently beautiful; the profusion of chateaus in its vicinity, almost surpasses belief: we *epeat that there cannot be a more delightful resi¬ lence for a family who wish to go abroad, for change of scene—but they must not come here to 'commize. There is one other objection, perhaps,* number of English; in the principal street and oublic walks, there are almost as many John Bulls IS Frenchmen—particularly at the theatre. Those vho wish to live in greater retirement, and at a 'cheaper rate, must direct their steps to Satimur, \47igcrs, and Orleans ; or travel towards Lyons and \vignon. At Tours, says Lord Blayney, I had a party to linner, but all my rhetoric was insufficient to pre¬ vail on my landlady to serve it a I*Anglnise; that is, !o give the fish and vegetables as part of the first i rourse. Her obstinacy so put me out of temper, ^'hat, to her great astonishment and mortification, I hrew the whole of her first course, consisting entirely f French dishes, out of the window, dishes included ; ! nd ordering up the second, we made a tolerable ; inner off it. i The climate of the Touraine is exceedingly fine, :|nd it has but one drawback; the dreadful hail- jtorms which sometimes visit this country, and kill jattle, and even men; but these do not occur very ften, once in three or four years perhaps. • In Anjou and Touraine maize is much cultivated . ’ith buck-wheat; the roofs of the peasants, houses re covered, about the latter end of September ith it, drying in the sun; the ears are of a bright olden yellow, and the effect is singular:—lu- erne is seen, but not in any great quantity 53G Tour (yf the Loire, saintfoin is more rare—and clover rarer still. In every peasant’s garden we perceive hemp and flax flourishing, the latter of which, especially, is pre¬ pared at home, and wrought up for the use of the •family, and not unfrequently into linens of no con¬ temptible quality. One thing merits observation with regard to flax: in England, the richest lands are chosen for the cultivation of the plant, which is, we believe, justly considered an impoverisher of the soil. In France, on the contrary, any soil what¬ ever serves the purpose, and not unfrequently that which is exhausted ; the consequence of which is, the English farmer plucks a large crop, the French peasant a good one. It is thus they obtain the fine stapled flax of which their cambrics and lawns art made. In our route to Blois, the first place worthy oi remark is Amboise, pleasantly situated on the Loire it consists of two streets and a chateau built in 882, the scene of the cruelties of the wicked' Louis XL Here is a place called the Oubliette, re¬ served for the punishment of state prisoners. It! is a wall forty feet in diameter, and about one hun | dred feet deep ; wooden rollers were placed acrossj it at certain distances, turned round by machinery and to which were fixed several two-edged knives The victim being precipitated into the abyss, anc falling from one roller to another, was minced t( pieces before he reached the bottom. As this pu nishment was always inflicted secretly, and the vie tiin never more heard of, it received the appropri ate name of les Oubliettes, This place trades ii wine, and has manufactures of woollen stuffs, cloth buttons, cutlery, «Sfc. Lass Ecures, Veuves, ant Blois, S37 Chouzy, and arrive at Blois. Nearly tlie whole of this road continues to run by the side of the Loire, and presents nearly the same sort of scenery which we have already noticed. They who wish for a more detailed description, as well as an account of the manner of living and habits of the peasantry, we refer to Mr. Pinkney's entertaining volume, which will be read with peculiar interest on the spots which it delineates. Bloisy is situated on the Loire, in a very agreeable country, but the structure of the town, does not correspond with the beauty of its site: the streets are narrow, dark, winding, and ill-paved, and very steep; the greater part of the town being built upon he declivity of a hill. The most agreeable resi¬ dence is in front of the Loire, as is also the suburb on the other side of the river. The bridge which con¬ nects them is a most elegant structure, and in the centre of it is a fine pillar more than one hundred feet in height. Blois has an antient cathedral, some pretty fountains, a fine terrace, and a few remsins of antiquity, particularly of an aqueduct; a handsome hotel de la prefecture, a theatre, public walks; and above all, a magnificent chateau, built upon a rock 1 overhanging the Loire, by Louis XII. in 1520. In I one of the chambers, the celebrated Duke of Guise was assassinated. This castle will amply repay a vi¬ sit; but as we have not room for a description of it, we must refer the reader to Mr. Pinkney’s Travels. The productions of Blois are wines, brandy, w’ood for building, and for fuel; manujaclures of cloth, blankets, gloves, caps, and earthen ware. Popu¬ lation 13,100. , The French is spoken at Blois; there ii, 338 T'our of the Loire, perhaps, not another town in France more fit for the education of a young family, than Blois. It unites economy with excellent tuition ; and agreea- ■ ble society may be found in the town and its envi- ; rons : another advantage—it is not yet overstocked | with English colonists My dinner at Blois, observes the facetious Lord Blayney, was very bad, and rendered still more dis¬ agreeable by the intrusion and impertinence of the cook, who every moment entered the room to de¬ mand, ‘ Eh hien^ Monsieur P Anglais, comment iron- vez-vous votre dvierf* adding, ‘ On dit que les cuisi- 7iiers de votre pays ne sont pas trop halites,'’ —I re- ’ plied, ‘ If that is the case, you may be assured they ^ won’t come to you to learn, for of all attempts at: cookery I ever met with, your’s is the very worst. ! This fellow now entered on a defence of his cook- i ery, which 1 put a stop to, by inquiring if there i was nothing else dressed in the house ? He disap¬ peared, and soon after returned with a roast duck, a bird to which, of all others, I have the most mortal aversion ; I therefore, to the astonishment of the cook, threvd it deliberately into the Jire, and sent the other dishes after it; at the same time de¬ siring Monsieur le Cuisinier to take himself off, if he did not wish to follow them !! The high road to Orleans, passes through Me- nars, Mers, Beaugency, and St. Ay. Beaugency is a small town; has a trade in excellent wine and brandy; tan-yards, paper mills, a manufacture of woollen siud’s, and a p(){)ulation of 4',50() inhabi¬ tants We aovi>>e tne traveller, however, to follow Mr. Pinknej^’s route, and go by a cross-road to visit the magniligeut castle of Chambord, buried m j 6 The French ChateaiL 339 woods, and not visible, till within some hundred yards of it. This chateau was built by Francis I, who is said to have employed 1,800 workmen for 12 years in its construction : it is moated and wailed round, and has every appendage of the Gothic castle, innumerable towers and turrets, drawbridges and portals. If seated upon a hill, it would be im¬ possible to conceive a finer object. The great Marshal Saxe lived here in great state, and had a regiment of 1,500 horse ; the barracks of which are near the castle. The whole building is very accu¬ rately described in Mr. Pinkney’s 'I'ravels. To regain the high road to Orleans, we must direct our course to the village of St, Lawrence on the waters, about twelve miles from Chambord. As we draw near to Orleans, the declivities on both sides of the Loire become more picturesque ; there are many enchanting slopes finely wooded, and intersected with lawns and vineyards, with here and there the chateaux of the country gen¬ try (in situations well chosen) interspersed between them. In short, the country here assumes the aspect of that elegance and comfort to which we are habituated in England. In general, the French chateau is very distant from the ideas we are accus¬ tomed to form of it—very distant from what the sounding name would lead a foreigner to suppose. In the ordinary construction of an old French chateau, there is a greater consumption of wood than brick, and no sparing of ground. It is usually a rambling building, with a body, wings, and again wings upon those wings; and flanked on each side with a pigeon-house, stables, and barns. One jgrt]ind avenue leads up to the front of the house j a g 2 SIO Tour of the Loire. and, its noble rows of lofty trees, planted by hands long since mouldering in the dust, carry our rellec- tions back to the ages which are past, to the long train of honourable ancestry which has occupied the same spot—so far all is well. Another avenue conducts us to some neighbouring wood, with here and there, as you pass along, a hornbeam, or a juniper, clipped into the shapes of peacocks, with their spreading tails; pillars, and pyramids, &c. Arrived at its centre, six other avenues, like the rowel of a spur, branch off in as many directions; every tree of which is drilled like regimental re¬ cruits, and looks almost as much the work of nature: it wmuld be a sin against taste were one of them to swerve from the most correct geometrical exac¬ titude. In short, the French garden is just what the English garden tms, and still is, in many parts of the country ; an inclosure where all view of the surrounding country is excluded from without, and all traces of nature obliterated within: the only mrietijf a tedious repetition of the same objects; straight walks, square grass-plats, and formal ter¬ races, painted leaden statues of Mercury, Diana, Flora, cSrc. and fountains, shell-work grottoes, em¬ broidered parterres, mazes, and wildernesses, and all the absurdities of topiary work, and trees dis¬ figured and distorted into statues and pyramids, giants, and dragons. We must, however, do the French the justice to observe, that this antiquated style of gardening is rapidly giving way to the acknowledged beauty of the English garden, and that there are numerous successful imitations of this style to be found in France. The modern chateaux are also very handsome buildings. Orleans. 341 Orleans is a large well-built town on the Loire, situated in an agreeable and fertile country, and nearly in the centre of France. Orleans, though it has not so elegant a vista as that which passes through Tours, is with this one exception, far better built, and more airy, neat and clean. The grande place in the centre is spacious, and the principal street, which is also terminated by a noble bridge, but just yields the palm to the Rue lioyale at Tours. The cathedral was constructed in the thirteenth century, but a great part of it having been destroyed by the Huguenots, it was rebuilt by Henry IV; and Louis XV. added the two magni¬ ficent towers at the western extremity: they are singularly beautiful; and though covered with orna¬ ments, the general effect is very striking. The view from these towers is one boundless extent of vineyards, ddie chapels surrounding the great altar are pamielled with wainscot, on which the most interesting parts of the New Testament History are cut in a masterly manner. There is no lack of priests at Orleans; we counted fifty young and old, in the choir, at high mass. Orleans is an episcopal see, has a cour royale, a tribunal of commerce, an exchange, an academy, a royal college (ci-devant lycee,) a physical and medical, and an agricultural society ; a fine walk or mall, a public library, a monument to Joan of Arc, called La Pucelle Orleans; the tower of Belfroy, and a theatre. The canal of Orleans^ which is about two miles from the town, joins that of Briare at Combleux, which communicates witli the river Loing, and afterwards with the Seine? G S ? 34*2 Tour of the Loire. This grand and useful work w’as constructed in the last century. It is eighteen leagues in length, and has thirty sluices; and serves materially to facilitate the transport to Paris of all the articles of merchaii- chandize which ascend the Loire. Trade in wines, brandy, excellent vinegar, and wood for building- and fuel: manufactures of caps, stockings, cotton prints, blankets, serges, linen cloth, paper for rooms, bleaching of wax, earthenware, porcelain and pot¬ tery, and sugar-houses. Population 42,000. It will be recollected, that at Orleans, the British name was tarnished with indelible disgrace by the infamous destruction of the female enthusiast, Joan of Arc, who, being taken prisoner, was burnt in the market-place, for having retrieved the af¬ fairs of her country after the conquest of it by Henry the Fifth, king of England. On the eighth of May, the anniversary of its deliver¬ ance, an annual fete is held at Orleans; there is also a monument at Rouen, to the memory of the maid. Her family was ennobled by Charles VII; but it should not be forgotten in the history of this monarch, that, in the hour of misfortune, he aban¬ doned to her fate, the woman who had saved his kingdom. Mr. Southey’s “ Joan of Arc,’’ is, per¬ haps, the most interesting of his epics. Many other poems and plays have been written on this subject, particularly in French. ‘‘ There are two (says the Laureate,) which are unfortunately notorious, the Pucelles of Chapelain and Voltaire. I have had patience to peruse the first, and never have been guilty of looking into the second.” In the Hotel de Ville at Orleans, is a portrait of Joan of Arc. ; Orleans to Paris* S4S Ko. 20. From Oiilea.ns to Paris, 14J Posts; 81 English miles. FROM rOSTS. Orleans to Chevilly •••• : Artenay .. 1 Toory.. If Angerville . 1|; , jVTondesir. 1-f Etampes**.. 1 i The journey from Orleans to Paris is made in a day by the diligence, which starts at four in the I morning, and arrives the same evening. The whole road is paved^ and passes through an agreeable corn-country, but over immense plains ; there is no object of particular interest. Etampes, Arpajon, , and Lonjumeau, are the most considerable places. Etampes is pleasantly situated on the Juine, and has a trade in grain, flour, wool, honey, and vegetables for Paris; manufactures of counterpanes, woollen I stockings and leather. The most delicious cray- I fish are taken in the neighbourhood. Population 7,800. Arpajon, a small town on the Orge, has f/iamfactures of muslins, dimities, and cottons; and flatting mills; cannon founderies, and a manu¬ facture of arms near the town. Population 2,100. Lonjumeau, a bourg, w’ith a population of 2,000 persons, has several manufactories of leather in its neighbourhood. From Etampes the plain begins to be broken up ; the country becomes uneven ; the —(I) Hotel cle Pi^mont, No. 22, Ruecle Richelieu, and the Hotel de Nantes, No. 50, in the same street j fIntel de Portugal, rue de Mail, No. 8 ; Hotel de Boston, Rue Vivienne. Consult also 'IronchcVs Ficlure of Park, edition) pp. 55 I €t seq. FROM POSTS. Etampes to Etrechy • *.. 1 Arpajon. If Lonjumeau.If Berny. 1 Paris (*). If 344 Answers to Paris. scenery more diversified, and the whole bespeaks' our approach to a great capital. Those who descend the Loire, or follow the course of this river from Paris to Nantes, visiting Orleans, Blois, Tours, Saumur, and Angers, in their way, and who wish to return to the capital by an¬ other route, must proceed from Nantes to AngerSy and from that place, pursue the road laid down in the following Itinerary; it is through a very fine country, and is, in every respect, an agreeable tour. No. 21, From Angers to Paris, by laFlkhe, le Mans, and Chartres, 36|: posts, about 202 Eng- ^ lish miles. i FROM POSTS. Angers to Suette . 2| Durtal... 2 La Fleche . li Foulletoiirte . 2| Guesselard. 1 Mans C ) .-• 2 St. Mars-la-Bruyfere • • • • Connere. La-Ferte-Bevnard •••• 2| Nogenl-le-Rotiou •••• 2| FROM POSTS, j Mogent ie Eotrou to Mont- landon . . Chartres(^) . .21 Maintenon. . Epernon. Rambouillet . V .. Paris (3). ..... La Fleche is a clean little town, pleasantly situ¬ ated upon the Loire, in a charming valley, sur¬ rounded by swelling hills, covered with woods and vineyards, and is the most agreeable in the whole department. It is far better built than the gene¬ rality of French towns; the streets are wide, com¬ modious and regular; and the general aspect of the place is comfortable. La Fleche had a famous (?) The Crescent, Dauphin, Golden Ball. O I’Ecritoire Chapjt d’Or, le Vert Galaiit. (3) See before, p. 343. La FUche—Lc Mans. St5 cellcge, founded by Henry IV.; this suffered greatly by the Revolution, but is in part restored. Mtisters of eminence in the several branches of tui¬ tion are here engaged, and 3 ’'outh are taught the living and dead languages, the mathematics, philo¬ sophy’ moral and natural, music, dancing, in short, every thing requisite to the education of a gentle¬ man—are boarded, clothed, arid lodged for fifty guineas per annum. Trade in white wine, and grain; its capons and pullets are equally esteemed with those of Mans: mamifactures of serges, sail¬ cloth, earthen-ware, and pottery. The town is supplied with good water by a very fine aqueduct, of 509 toises in length. The celebrated Descartes w’as born here. Population 5,100. Near la Flecbe is a very handsome chateau and gardens, a royal gift to the Marquis de Varanne. Le Mans is a large populous town, situated on the river Sarte, near its junction with the Huisne, and is an episcopal see. There are here nine pub¬ lic squares or places; a cathedral, a very handsome Urothic edifice, lately repaired; the hotel of the prefecture, autient abbey of Benedictines, the ho¬ tel de Ville, and the theatre. Trade in grain, maize, beans, chesnuts, nuts, cattle, pork, poultry, game, linseed, wax, marble, and slate. Manufac¬ tures of wax, excellent candles, cotton handker¬ chiefs, stuffs, woollen caps, lace, soap and blank¬ ets. The geese, pullets, capons, and partridges, here, are of the most delicious flavour: the capons are of an uncommon size, and much sought after by epicures. Population 18,500. Diligences go every day from Mans to Paris by Chartres, and to Nantes by Angers; to Tours and the South; to 34-6 Angers to Paris. Alen 9 on, Caen, Rouen, &c. to Laval, Rennes, The river Sttrte, in the environs of Mans, and i particularly about Sable, is, perhaps, one of the - finest rivers, for its size, in the universe. Its waters i are limpid as the dew drop, and as transparent as crystal. On either side it is bordered with a strip ! of the richest meadow, clad in almost everlasting green. On its northern shore, at the distance of perhaps 100 yards, the marble rock pushes its dark featured and almost perpendicular cliffs to a very considerable elevation; the bluff points of which sometimes boldly pierce through the thick foliaged copse with which its slopes are clad, and sometimes hide themselves amid the vines which climb up its rugged sides, and swing in the wind with the most wanton luxuriance. Its waves are tenanted by mil¬ lions of the finny tribes, in all their customary va¬ rieties, and on its bosom the frequent barge spreads abroad its tumid sails, and courts the favouring breeze. There are few situations in France the scenery of which is so completely enchanting as the shore of this placid stream. It is not in the power of words to paint the soft, the tranquillizing effect of an evening’s saunter upon its rich luxuriant banks ; every thing seems to unite in harmony ; the busy bustle of the world comes not here to mingle its discord with our pensive meditations ; the din of manufactories jars not on the ear, nor do their at¬ tendant vices and their inevitable consequences, squalid wretchedness, obscenity and filth, disgust our senses—the music of the countless nightingales which tenant the declivities of the rocks, is alone interrupted by the clacking of the distant mill, th^ Nogent — Chartres. $47 barking of the watch-dog, the trill of the snake, and the pastoral songs of the young light-hearted guileless peasantry. To become weary of scenes like these, requires a corrupt and distorted taste. There were few evenings on which we did not re¬ gale ourselves with a pensive 'promenade beneath the cliff, along the mazy winding shore—nor ever quitted them but with the wish to return. (Rev, W. Hughes’s Tour through France, p. 56.) Nogent‘Ie-Rotrou is situated on the Huisne, sur¬ rounded with picturesque mountains: at the en¬ trance of the town is a pretty waterfall, formed by the small river Arcisse, which turns three mills. Trade in hemp, coals, and hay. Manufactures of stuffs, serges, white druggets, linen-draper)^, &c. I Population 6,780. We next arrive at ’ Chartres, situated on the Eure, and built on an eminence: it is divided into the upper and lower i town, and surrounded with w’alls and fosses, i Chartres would deserve a visit were it only for the I sake of its noble cathedral^ the two steeples of which are, without exception, the most astonishing specimens of the Gothic we ever beheld: one is 378, and the other 342, English feet in height. The latter is remarkable for its wonderful mass of stone, and its pyramidal form; and the former for the boldness of its execution, and the richness and f delicacy of its ornaments. The interior of the t church is magnificent, and the construction of the , choir was pronounced by the great Vauban as one of the wonders of France. To form a perfect ca¬ thedral, the French say, it is necessary to have the front of Rheims, the choir of Beauvais, the nave of Amiens, and the steeple of Chartres. The carpentry 2 IS Angers io Paris. of the roof well merits a close inspection. The sex¬ ton will, if required, take the visitor all over the roof and completely round the church; the only mode of forming an accurate estimate of this astonisliing edifice. From either of the towers is a superb v-iew of the most extensive corn country in the world; and in July, just before the harvest, this immense sea of x'oaxnng grain presents a most magnificent spectacle. Chartres has a mineral spring, of great efficacy in j chronic diseases ; some very fine public walks, and i two or three considerable religious establishments i for females, which are open to the inspection of the stranger, upon request made to the superior. Trade in corn and flour; inaniifactures of woollen caps, broad-cloth, serges, cotton twist, stuffs, and some celebrated tan-yards. The pates or pies of Chartreg are much in request. Population 13,000. When at Chartres^ if the traveller wish to pro* ceed to Paris by the diligence, he should take his place only as far as Maintenon^ where the remain- ; der of the day will be well spent in viewing the fine i chateau which bears that name, and the delightful gardens belonging to it. Her.e are also the remains i of the aqueduct begun by Louis XIV. to bring the waters of the Eure to Versailles. From Maintenon lie can go in the diligence, the next day, to Ram^ houillet, where there is a royal chateau and fine grounds. Epernon is situated on the declivity of a hill, at the junction of three small rivers. Hugues Capet built a chateau here, which the English took pos¬ session of and defended for a long time against Charles VI.; being at last forced to abandon this post, it was mined and blown up; the arms of Ramlouillet, 84‘j England are seen among the ruins. Here are some tan-yards, and a population of 1,533 inhabitants. 3 he chateau oi Ramboiiillet is situated in a park, in the midst of woods and waters. The approach to it from the village is by a long avenue, planted on both sides with double and treble rows of lofty trees, the tops of which are so broad and thick as almost to meet each other. This avenue opens into a lawn, in the centre of which is the chateau. It is a vast structure, entirely of brick, and having turrets, arches, and corners, characteristic of the Gothic order. Louis XIV. held his court in this castle for some years; and from respect to his memory, the apartment in which he slept and held his levee is still retained in the same condition in which it was left by that monarch. This chamber is nearly, thirty yards in length, by eighteen in width, and lofty in proportion; the windows like those of a church. At the farther extremity is a raised floor, where stands the royal bed, of purple velvet and gold, lined with white satin, painted in a very su¬ perior style. The colours both of the painting and the velvet still remain; and two pieces of coarse linen are shown as the royal sheets. 3'he counter¬ pane is of red velvet, embroidered as it were with white lace, and with a deep gold fringe round the edges : this is likewise lined with white satin, and marked at the corners with a crown and four fleurs de lis. On each side of the bed are the por¬ traits of Louis XIV. and XV, ; of Philip IV. of Spain, and of his queen. Immediately over that line of the apartment where the raised floor termi¬ nates, is a gilded rod, extending along the ceiling. u h 350 Angers to Paris. When the king held his court at Rambouillet, a cur¬ tain only separated his chamber and the levee-room. In the latter room are several portraits of the peers of France, during the reign of Louis XV. with those of some Spanish grandees. The rooms are all magnificently furnished; the grand saloon is an immense room; the floor is of white marble, as are also two ranges of Corinthian pillars on each side of the apartment. The gardens are very spacious, and were laid out, in the French taste, by Le Notre, in borders, walks, terraces, flower-beds, &c, &c. The park is two thousand acres in extent, and is surrounded by a forest of nearly thirty thousand acres. The diligence which passes through Rambouillet, about eleven o’clock in the morning, will convey the traveller to Paris; he will pass through Ver¬ sailles, but as it is so near Paris, and there is such a facility of conveyance to this place every day from Paris, it will be better to proceed at once to the CAPITA];,. TO CHAPTER IV. Visit to Bag'uercs and Bari'fges, Watering Places of the Pyrenees.—Route from Toulouse to Bagnh'es- de Bi- gorre. — Description of Auch—Tarhes — Bagneres — Barrages.—Ascent of the Pic-du-Midi-^FaU of Gn- varnie.—Return to Barreges.—Route to Bordeaux by Pau and Bayonne, THE tour which forms the subject of the following* pages, may be reckoned one of the most interesting in ITance ; it has already been recommended to the notice of the picturesque traveller, at p. 288 ; and will form a useful supplement to the fourth Chapter of this work. Tliey who visit IJordeaux, or pass some time at Tou¬ louse, will find it a most delightful excursion. No. 22. From Toulouse to Bagneres pe Bigorrf, 19| posts; about 107 English miles. FROM POSTS. Toulouse to Leguevin • • • • 2 lie-Jourdaiii . 1| Gimont. 2 Aubiet. I Aucu .. 2 Vienau . if FROM Vicijau to Mirande • • P ,TS. .... 1|: .. .. 1 1 T«i 'V ***4****** 1 Vcl^ ^ ^ * .... Bagii&res de IJigone .. .. o i '1 Gimont, situated on the right bank of the Ginionc, has some mines of turquoise stone, and a population II h 2 I 352 Toulouse to Bagneres, \ of 2.400 inhabitants. the chief town of tiie oi) the green woody heights which overhang the town; the low lands before it are covered witli crops of divers sorts of grain, but chiefly abound in Turkey wlieat. Bagneres de Bigorre, so called to distinguish it from Bagneres do Liiclion, aiiotlier small watering place of the Pyrenees, is situated oji llie Adour, at the foot of Mont Olivet, in one of the most agreeable and pic¬ turesque sites imaginable. Jt is tolerably well built, and tlie streets are broad and well paved ; the (juantity of w'ater that runs through them renders the town coo! and pleasant in summer, but in winter it is exceedingly cold, Oil account of tlie vicinity of the mountains, and the heavy falls of snow', that remain several months upon the ground. It has no buildings of any note. The Adour is liere a furious torrent; its waters are white like those of all mountain streams proceeding from snows; tliey are diverted at several jilaces from their natural course, and conveyed in chaiiiicls across the jdaiii, and througli the town, where they are euqiloycd in nunibcrless useful operations. Bagneres derives its name from the mineral baths which were known and frequented by the Romans, as many inscriptions and monuments still existing on 356 Bagneres—Mineral Waters. the spot, satisfiio orily demonstrate ; the most explicit is to be seen in the square, dedicated to the nymphs of these salutiferous waters. NYMPHISPROSALVTESVASliVEKSERANVSVSLM. The situation of this place is happily calculated for all exerci.ses that tend to the recovery of health ; it is built in a flat and upon a very dry soil ; every part of it enjoys aa easy communication with the fields, the banks of the river, or the high roads, where the weaker sort of visitants may breathe the I'rcsh air, and regain strength by moderate exertions ; while the more vigor¬ ous, who repair to Bagneres for the sake of amusement, may climb delightful hills, and wander among shady groves through a never-ending variety of landscape. The plain and eminences are traversed by innumerable paths, accessible to horsemen as well as foot passen¬ gers; the high grounds are not like those in the Alps, broken and precipitous, but easily sloped, and clothed with soft and pleasant verdure. Bagneres is much freiiuented twice in the year; in spring and autumn. The number of wells and baths amounts to thirty, which difl’er more in the proportion of heat than in their medicinal qualities. They are aperient, diuretic, and slightly purgative; but are chiefly used as thermal waters, for washing ulcers and old sores, and in the form of a dovche for rheumatisms, coi.tractions, &c. The heat of some spouts is almost insupportable, but gradually grows less painful; .so that the patient can expose his diseased limb to the d(p (he, or to be pumped upon by the boiling stream, for more than a (piarter of an hour at a time. The ob¬ jects of curiosity within the town of Bagneres are its public walks, the church of St. Vincent, tlie theatre, the hospital, and the establishment Frascati, where every species of annisement is united. Manvfactiires of paper, woollen stuff, linen, and crapes. The popu- Basiueres to Ban'c^es. 55T laiion, about 3,000, is chietlv supported by the anmial ’visits of stran^'ers to take tiie waters. From Baguercs a variety of excursions maybe made, (1.) To \\\Q Pic-tnd answers through her misty shroud. Bxcur$to7i to Gavarnie. —I’rom Baricges w'^c proceed to the bath.s of Imz, and St. Siuivcur ; IVoni this place to Gavartiie is a mountain road, which is a continued succession of the most romantic scenery. Gavarnie is a small village with a church and about forty iiouses, situated in the midst of barren hills, shaded by high nioimtains, and traversed in several directions by foani- ing torrent.s. Arrived at the Ball of Gavarnie, we di.s- cover a stupendous amphitheatre, three sides of which are formed by a range of perpendicular rocks; the tourth i.s sliaded with wood; above the upright wall, which is of a tremendous height, rise several stages of broken masses, each covered with a layer of everla.st- Jrig snow. The mountain eastward ends in shur[) piji- nacles, and ruiisoff to the W'est in one iimnense hank ot snow. Fiom these congealed heaps the Gave de¬ rives its existence: thirteen streams rush down the mighty precipice, and unite their waters at its foot. I’lie whole wcstei Ji corner of the area below Is filled with a * Bee a!<^o M. Rarnond’i Travels in the Pyrenees, by GolL ■2vo.- S61 Barrtges to Bayonne* bed of snow, which being struck by a few rays of the sun at any season, receives a sufficient volume of fresh snow every winter, to balance the loss occasioned by the warmth of the atmosphere in summer. Two of the tor¬ rents fell upon this extensive frozen surface; they have worn a huge chasm, and extending from it, a vaulted pas¬ sage five hundred yards in length, through which their waters roll. The snow lies above it near twenty feet thick; the roof is about six feet above the ground, and finely turned in an arch, which appears as if it had been cut and chisseled by the hand of man. In some place* there are columns and collateral galleries; the whole glilters like a diamond, and is beautifully pervaded by the light. Returning to Luz or St. Sauveur, we may pass a night at either of these places, and proceed the next day to visit Cauterets, celebrated for its mineral u aters. This town stands in a wide vale, delightfully improved and planted: the surrounding mountains are thickly covered with wood; and the wells lie in the midst of a beautiful scene: two vast torrents pour over a ledge of rock, shaded by an evergreen forest; beautiful woody knolls rise behind, and mountains of great bulk seem to rest upon them as upon a basis. One of these hills is quite round, and an exact representation of the emi¬ nence at the bottom of Ulls-water in Cumberland, called Dunmollin, which all persons acquainted with our delightful lakes, esteem a perfect model of rural beauty. The traveller may next proceed to Lourdes, and thence to Pan; but we shall now return to Bar¬ rages, and describe the route thence to Pau, Bayonne, and Bordeaux. No. 23. From Barreges to Bayonne, 23i Posts; about 130 English miles. FROM rOST*. FROM POSTS. Barreges to Luz ♦ * ..1 Pierrefitte to Lourdes • • Pi«rrefitte ............ 2 Lcitfll# 2 I i 562 Pau — Bayonne. JfROI* POSTS. PROM posts, Lestelle to Pau . 3 Puyoo to Peyrehorade • • ‘2 Artix .Biaudos . Orthos . Bayonmb. 2 Puyoo .. Lourdes is a small romantic town situated on the ridge of a lofty rock, at the top of which is an anticnt castle, whose uncouth towers, hanging walls, and massy ramparts now vainly frown on the peaceful vale. It is at present used as a state-prison. Lourdes has manu¬ factures of cotton handkerchiefs, linen, woollen stuffs, &c. Beds of slate and quarries of grey marble are found in the neighbourhood. Population 2,700. Pau stands on the brow of a hill, overlooking the . immense plains through which the Gave meanders ; its many streams join in one large body, before they ])ass under the arches of the bridge below; and the south¬ ern horizon is bounded by a far lengthened chain of mountains, rising behind a range of well-wooded hills. Pan is the chief town of the Basses Pyrenees, formerly of Bearn ; is of a tolerable size, and well built, but has neither walls nor gates. Henry IV. was born here, on the 13th of December, 1563. Trade in wines of Ju- ran^on, excellent hams, legs of geese, counterpanes, superior handkerchiefs, and woollen caps. Population 8,585. At Pau, or in its neighbourhood, a single per¬ son may board and lodge in a family for £30 a-year. Orthes is a small town on the Gave du Pau, and has a considerable trade in leather, and hams tor Paris. Here are some dyers ; and slate quarries, and mines of coal, sulphur, &c. in the neighbourhood. Popula¬ tion f>,758. Bayonne, situated at the confluence of the Nive and Adour, about three miles from the sea, is a very im- I)ortant, strong, rich and commercial city. It is di¬ vided into three parts by the two rivers; and great and little Bayonne are surrounded with an old wall, and have each a small castle: the citadel is on a height wliieh commands the whole of the town ; the 36S Bayonne to Bordeaux, fortifications of which were greatly improved by Vau- ban. The principal objects worthy of remark are the quay or promenade, and the Place 'tion, old and new town 178—har¬ bour, public buildings 179— amusements 180 —prome¬ nades 181 —ba.stides 184—- climate l86—expense ot liv¬ ing 188 — manufactures, trade, &c. 189 — fishermen 191—p —Jean-de-Leizau.352 —Mandrie . 212 —Mary’s Chapel.357 —Pons .. ».... 208 —Remy.236 —Sauveur.. 361 -Seine. 57 —Valier . 119 Saintes. 306 Saone, voyage on. 50 Saone and Rhone, confluenc® of . 92 Sarte, river, described • • 346 Saulieu ..••• ..39 Saumur*** — » •••••••• 329 Saxe, Marshal ... 389 372 Index, Page Sena • * • ..*. 26 Sevigne, Mad. de n, •• 123 Shepherds of the Landes 300 Sobriety of the lower classes in France xxiii,.xxiv Soenrs de la Charite • • • • 47 Soil of France . xv Sollies . 221 Stages for different parts of France list of. xxxix Sterne’s Maria 15—adventure at Tararc. 20 Stones,remarkable plain of245 Sagden’s Agency. xl'V Tarare . 20 Tarascori ........... 239 Tarbes . 353 Tartas ..364 Tauribole at Lyons • • • • 82 Temperate mode of living in France . xxv Tholonet . 174 Tonneins .292 Toulon, description of 210— environs of 212—route to Luc .. 221 Toulouse, situation of 285— public buildings 286—pro¬ menades 287—productions and manufactures 288— route to Bordeaux 289— to Bagn^res . 351 Tour in France, plan and ex¬ pense of .xxvii Touraine, climate of 335— its agriculture. 335 Tournon . 120 Tournus. 50 Page Tours, approach to 352—sit«. atioii ib. 333—public build¬ ings 333—society and man¬ ners 334—eligibility of as a residence 334, 335—a dear place ib .—Lord Blayney’s exploit at.. 335 Trade of France .xvii Travellers, hints to ...... xlri Travelling in France, expense of xxvii—xxix manner of.xxxiii Treijas, las, procession of 265 Trevoux .. 53 Troyes . 56 Valence. 121 Valette .. 213 Va!-Suzon . 58 Vaucluse, fountain of l5l— Petrarch’s address to, trans¬ lated 155—manner in which he lived there . l57 Vend^ans,their character 311 Vermanton . 37 Vichy .. 17 Vienne . 114 Vignerons, houses of ... 331 Ville franche 53 . 285 Villejuif .. 4 Villeneuve-sur-Yonne ... 31 Viry . 5 Viviers . 126 Voiturier, particulars of xxxvi Volnay . 69 Water-carriage in France xl Weights and Measures, French .. xlii Directions to the Binder, View of Bordeaux to face the Title.' 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