^f^^^ * ,: ' '.?■'''■' fL' ■C-f ,'■-' ■/A ^ Digitized by tine Internet Arciiive in 2010 witii funding from Researcii Library, Tine Getty Researcii Institute http://www.archive.org/details/antiquarianpictu01dibd mtlz BIBLIOGRAPHICAL antiquarian AND PICTURESQUE TOUR. PRINTED BY WILLIAM NICOL, AT THE * To Wo mim J I A .t^, iw. London. PubHshcd June, l829.by R..Jennings, Pouliiv. A BIBLIOGRAPHICAL anttqiuartan AND PICTURESQUE TOUR IN FRANCE AND GERMANY. BY THE REVEREND THOMAS FROGNALL DIBDIN, D. D. MEMBER OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY AT ROUEN, AND OF THE ACADEMY OP UTRECHT. SECOND EDITION. VOLUME I. DEI OMNIA PLENA. LONDON : PUBLISHED BY ROBERT JENNINGS, AND JOHN MAJOR. 1829. TO THE REVEREND JOHN LODGE, M. A. FELLOW OF MAGDALEN COLLEGE, AND LIBRARIAN TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE. My Dear Friend, Most grateful it is to me, at all times, to bear in remembrance those pleasant discussions in which we were wont so fre- quently to indulge, relating to the Libra- U DEDICATION. RiES Upon the Continent : — but more than ordinarily gratifying to me was that moment, when you told me, that, on crossing the Rhine, you took the third volume of my Tour under your arm, and on reaching the Monasteries of Molk and Gottwic, gave an off-hand translation to the venerable Bene- dictine Inmates of what I had recorded concerning their MSS. and Printed Books, and their hospitable reception of the Au- thor. I studiously concealed from You, at the time, the whole of the gratification which that intelligence imparted ; resolving however that, should this work be deemed worthy of a second edition, to dedicate that repubhcation to Yourself. Accordingly, it now comes forth in its present form, much enhanced, in the estimation of its Author, by the respectability of the name DEDICATION. Ul prefixed to this Dedication ; and wishing you many years enjoyment of the honour- able pubUc situation with which you have been recently, and so deservedly, invested, allow me to subscribe myself, Your affectionate and obliged Friend, T. F. DIBDIN. Wyndham Place, June 30, 1829. CONTENTS OF VOLUME L VOL. r. CONTENTS. VOLUME I. Letter L Passage to Dieppe, - - - - p. I Letter II. Dieppe. Fisheries. Streets. Churches of St. Jacques and St. Remy. Divine Worship. Military Mass, 6 Letter III. Village and Castle of Argues. Sabbath Amusements. Manners and Customs. Boulevards, - 16 Letter IV. Rouen. Approach. Boulevards. Population. Street- Scenery, ----- 22 Letter V. Ecclesiastical Architecture. Cathedral. Monuments. Religious Ceremonies. The Abbey of St. Ouen. The Churches of St. Maclou, St. Vincent, St. Vi- vien, St. Gervais, and St. Paul, - - 29 Letter VI. Halles de Commerce. Place de la Pucelle d Orleans. (Jeanne cFArcJ. Basso-Rilievo of the Champ de Drap d'Or. Palace and Courts of Justice, 56 Vin CONTENTS. Letter VII. Rouen. The Quays. Bridge of Boats. RueduBac. Rue de Robec. Eaux de Robec et d'Aubette. Mont Ste. Catherine. Hospices — Generate et d'Humanite, 69 Letter VIII. Early Typography at Rouen. Modern Printers. Chap Books. Booksellers, Book Collectors, - 80 Letter IX. Departure from Rouen, St. George de Boscherville. Duclair, Marivaux, The Abbey of Jumieges. Arrival at Caudebec, - - 103 Letter X. Caudebec. Lillebonne. Bolbec, Tankarville. Mont- morenci Castle. Havre de Grace, - 119 Letter XI. Havre de Grace. Honfieur. Journey to Caen, 143 Letter XII. Caen. Soil. Society. Education. A Duel. Old houses. The Abbey of St. Stephen. Church of St. Pierre de Darnetal, Abbe de la Sainte Tri- nite. Other Public Edifices, - 154 Letter XIII. Caen. Literary Society, Abbe de la Rue, Messrs. Pierre-Aime Lair and Lamouroux. Medal of Malherbe, Booksellers, Memoir of the late M. Moysanf, Public Librarian. Courts of Justice, 185 CONTENTS. IX Letter XIV. Bayeux. Cathedral. Ordination of Priests and Deacons. Crypt of the Cathedral, - 220 Letter XV. Bayeux. Visit near St. Loup. M. Pluquet, Apo- thecary and Book-Vendor. Visit to the Bishop. The Chapter Library. Description of the Bayeux Tapestry. Trade and Manufacture, - 233 Letter XVL Bayeux to Coutances. St. Lo. The Cathedral of Coutances. Environs. Aqueduct. Market-Day. Public Library. Establishment for the Clergy, 257 Letter XVIL Journey to Granville. Granville. Ville Dieu. St. Sever. Toivn and Castle of Vire, - 273 Letter XVIIL ViRE. Bibliography. Monsieur Adam. Monsieur de la Renaudiere. Olivier Basselin. M. Seguin. The Public Library, - - 285 Letter XIX. Departure from Vire. Condi. Pont Ouilly. Arrival at Falaise. Hotel of the Grand Turc. Castle of Falaise. Bibliomaniacal Intervietv, - 308 Letter XX. Mons. Mouton. Church of Ste. Trinite. Comte de la Fresnaye. Guibray Church. Stqjposed head of William the Conqueror. M. Langevin, Historian of Falaise. Printing Offices, - - 322 CONTENTS. Letter XXI. Journey to Paris. Dreiix. Houdan. Versailles. Entrance into Paris, - - 849 LIST OF PLATES, xi VOL, I. Portrait of the Author, (to face title page.) Fille de Chambre, Caen - to face page 160 Portrait of the Abbe de la Rue - - 186 VOL. II. Anne of Brittany, (to face title page.) Medalof Louis XII. - - .49 Pisani .... 284 Denon . . . . 285 Comte de Brienne - - - 296 Stone Pulpit, Strasbourg Cathedral : - 392 VOL. III. Fille de Chambre, Manheim, (to face title page.) Monastery of Saints Ulric and Afra - - 93 Prater, Vienna - - - - 381 LIST OF AUTOGRAPHS. Artaria, Dom. Manheim Barbier, Antoine Alexandre ; Paris Bartsch, Adam de ; Vienna Beyschlag, Recteur j Augsbourg Brial, Dom ; Paris Brunet, Libraire ; Paris Bure, De, Freres ; Paris Chateaugiron, Marquis de ; Paris Vol. Page. HI. 470 ii. 204 iii. 394 iii. 104 ii. 254 ii. 235 ii. 220 i. xxxviii Xll LIST OF AUTOGRAPHS. Dannecker ; Stuttgart Denon ; Paris . - - Gaertner, Corbinian ; Salzburg Gail ; Paris . . . Hartenschneider, Udalricus ; Chremsminster Monastery Henri H. - - - Hess, C. E. 5 Munich Lamouroux ; Caen - - Lancon, Durand de j Paris Langevin ; Falaise Langlfes, L. ; Paris Larenaudiere, De ; Vire Lebret, F. C. ; Stuttgart May, Jean Gottlob ; Augsbourg Millin, A. L. ; Paris Pallas, Joachim ; Molk Monastery Peignot, Gabriel ; Dijon Poitiers, Diane de - - Renouard, Ant. Aug. j Paris SchlichtegroU, Frederic ; Munich Schweighseuser, Fils j Strasbourg Van Praet ; Paris .. - Veesenmeyer, G. j Ulm Willemin ; Paris Young, T. J Vienna Vol. Page. iii. 54 ii. 293 iii. 201 ii. 259 iii. 229 ii. 151 iii. 165 i. 187 i. xxxviii i. 341 ii. 268 i. 309 iii. 56 iii. 104 ii. 264 iii. 254 i. xxvii ii. 151 ii 227 iii. 161 ii. 426 ii. 278 iii. 71 ii. 320 iii. 390 PREFACE, VOL. 1. PREFACE TO THE SECOND EDITION. If I had chosen to introduce myself to the greatest possible advantage to the reader, in this Preface to a Second Edition o*' the '' Biblio- graphical, Antiquarian, and Picturesque Tour," I could not have done better than have bor- rowed the language of those Foreigners, who, by a translation of the Work (however occasionally vituperative their criticisms) have, in fact, con- ferred an honour upon its Author. In the midst of censure, sometimes dictated by spite, and sometimes sharpened by acrimony of feeling-, it were in my power to select passages of com- mendation, which would not less surprise the Reader than they have done myself: while the history of this performance may be said to ex- hibit the singular phenomenon, of a traveller. xvi PREFACE. usually lauding the countries through which he passes, receiving- in return the reluctant appro- bation of those whose institutions, manners, and customs, have been praised by him. It is ad- mitted, by the most sedulous and systematic of my opponents — M. Crape let — that " con- sidering the quantity and quality of the orna- ments and engravings of this Tour, one is surprised that its cost is so moderate."* " Few books (says the Bibliographer of Dijon) have been executed with greater luxury. It is said that the expenses of printing and en- * M. Crapelet is of course speaking of the previous edition of the Tour. He continues thus : " M. Dibdin, dans son voyage en France, a visite nos departemens de Touest et de Test, toutes leurs principales villes, presque tous les lieux remarquables par les antiquites, par les monumens, par les beaut^s du site, ou par les souvenirs historiques. II a visite les chateaux, les eglises, les chapelles ; il a observe nos mcEurs, nos coutumes, nos habitudes ; il a examine nos Musses et nos premiers Cabinets de curiosit6 ; il s'est con- centre dans nos Biblioth^ques. II parle de notre litt^rature et des honimes de lettres, des arts et de nos artistes ; il cri- tique les personnes comme les choses ; il loue quelquefois, il plaisante souvent ; la vivacite de son esprit I'egare presque toujours." A careful perusal of the notes in this edition will shew that my veracity has not " almost always led me astrav." PREFACE. xvii graving ainoiinted to 6000/. — to nearly 140,000 franks of our money. It must be admitted that England is the only country in which such an undertaking could be carried into effect. Who in France would dare to risk such a sum — especially for three volumes in octavo ? He would be ruined, if he did."* I quote these passages simply to shew under what extraor- dinary obliquity of feeling those gentlemen must have set doA^Ti to the task of translation and abuse — of that very work, which is here admitted to contain such splendid representa- tions of the '• bibliographical, antiquarian, and picturesque" beauties of their country. A brief account of this foreign travail may be acceptable to the curious in literary history. MoNs. LicQUET, the successor of M. Gourdin, as Chief Librarian to the Public Library at Rouen, led the way in the work of warfare. He translated the ninth Letter relating to that Public Library ; of which translation especial mention is made at p. 99, post. This version was printed in 1821, for private distribution ; * Gabriel Peigxot j I'arictes, Notices et Rnretes Bibdo- grnphiqnes, 18'2^, Sio. p. l. xviii PREFACE. and only 100 copies were struck off. M. Cra- pelet, in whose office it was printed, felt the embers of discontent rekindled in his bosom as it passed through his press ; and in the follow- ing year he also stepped forward to discharge an arrow at the Traveller. Like his predecessor, he printed but a limited number ; and as 1 liave more particularly remarked upon the spirit of that version by way of " Introduction" to the original letter, in vol. ii. 209, &c. I shall not waste the time of the Reader by any notice of it in the present place. These two partial trans- lators united their forces, about two years afterwards, and published the whole of the Tour, as it related to France, in four octavo volumes, in 1825. The ordinary copies were sold for 48 francs, the large paper for 112 francs per copy. The wood- cuts only were republished by them. Of this conjoint, and more enlarged production, presently. Encouraged by the examples of Messrs. Licquet and Crapelet, a Bookbinder of the name of Lesne (whose poem upon his " Craft," published in 1820, had been copiously quoted and commended by me in the previous edition) chose to plant his foot within this arena of con- PREFACE. xix troversy, and to address a letter to me, to which his model, M. Crapelet, was too happy to give circulation through the medium of his press.* To that letter the following metrical lines are prefixed ; which the Reader would scarcely forgive me if I failed to amuse him by their introduction in this place. " Lesnd, Re- lieur Francais, a Mons, T. F. Dihdin, Ministre de la Religion, ^c." Avec un ris moqueur, je crois vous voir d'ici, Dedaigneusement dire : Eh^ que veut celui-ci ? Qu'ai-je done de commun avec un vil artiste ? Un ouvrier francais, un Bibliopegiste P Ose-t-on ravaler un Ministre k ce point ? Que me veut ce Lesne ? Je ne le connais point, Je crois me souvenir qu'k mon voyage en France, Avec ses pauvres vers je nouai connaissance. Mais c'est si peu de chose un pofete k Paris ! Savez-vous bien. Monsieur, pourquoi je vous ^cris ? C'est que je crois avoir le droit de vous dcrire. Fussiez-vous cent fois plus qu'on ne saurait le dire, Je vois dans un Ministre un homme tel que moi ; Devant Dieu je crois m^me etre I'egal d'un roi. The Letter however is in prose, with some very few exceptions ; and it is just possible that the indulgent Reader may endure a speci- * Lettre d'un Relieiir Francais a un Bibliographe Anglais ; d. Paris, de Vlmprimerie de Crapelet, 1822, 8vo. p.p. 28. XX PREFACE. men or two of the prose of M. Lesne, as readily as he has that of his poetry. These specimens are equally delectable^ of their kind. Imme- diately after the preceding poetical burst, the French Bibliopegist continues thus : D'aprfes cet exorde, vous pensez sans doute que, bien convaincu de ma dignity d'homme, je me crois en droit de vous dire franchement ma facon de penser ; je vous la dirai. Monsieur. Si vous dirigiez un journal bibliographique ; que vous fissiez, en un mot, le metier de journaliste, je serai peu surpris de voir dans votre Trentifeme Lettre, une foule de choses hasard^es, de mauvais calembourgs, de grossie- ret^s, que nous ne rencontrons m^me pas chez nos journa- listes du dernier ordre, en ce qu'ils savent mieux leur monde, et que s'ils lancent une epigramme, f{it-elle fausse, elle est au moins finement tourn^e, Mais vous etes Anglais, et par cela seul dispense sans doute de cette politesse qui distingue si heureusement notre nation de la votre, et que vos com- patriotes n'acquiferent pour la plupart qu'apr^s im long s^jour en France." p. 6. Towards the latter part of this most for- midable " Tentamen Criticum/' the irritable author breaks out thus — " C'est une maladie Fran^aise de vouloir toujours imiter les An- glais ; ceux-ci, a leur tour, commencent a en etre atteints." p. 19. A little farther it is thus : "Enfin c'est en imitant qu'on reussit presque toujours mal ; vous en etes encore une preuve PREFACE. xxi ^vidente. J'ai vii en beaucoup d'endroits de votre Lettre, que vous avez voulu imiter Sterne;* qu'est-il arriv6 ? Vous etes reste au-dessous de liii, comme tous les Imitateurs de notre bon La Fontaine sont restes en dega de rimmortel Fabuliste." p 20. But most especially does the sensitive M. Lesne betray his surprise and apprehension^, on a gratuitous supposition — thrown out by me, by way of pleasantry — that " Mr. Charles Lewis was going over to Paris, to establish there a modern School of Book- binding." M. Lesne thus wrathfully dilates upon this supposition : " Je me garderai bien de passer sous silence la derni^re partie de votre Lettre ; un bruit assez etrange est venu jusqucL vous ; et Charles Lewis doit vous quitter pour quel- que temps pour ^tablir en France une ecole de reliure dapres les principes du gout anglais ; mais vous croyez, dites-vous, que ce projet est sdrement chimerique, ou que, si on le tentait, il serait de courte duree. * It is a little curious that M. Lesne has not been sin- gular in this supposition. My amiable and excellent friend M. Schweigheeuser of Strasbourg had the same notion : at least, he told me that the style of the Tour very frequently reminded him of that of Sterne. I can only say — and say very honestly — that I as much thought of Sterne as I did of . . . William Caxton ! xxii PREFACE. Pour cette fois. Monsieur, votre pronostic serait tr^s juste ; cette d-marche serait une folic : il faudrait s'abuser sur I'engouement des amateurs francais, et ceux qui sont atteints de cette maladie ne sont pas en assez grand nombre pour soutenir un pareil dtablissement. Oui, Ton aime votre genre de reliure ; mais on aime les reliures, facon anglaise, faites par les Francais. Pensez-vous done, ou Charles Lewis pense-t-il, qu'il n'y ait plus d'esprit national en France ? Allez, le sang Franc^aise coule encore dans nos veines ; Nous pourrons eprouver des malheurs et des peines. Que nous devrons pent Hre k vous autres Anglais j Mais nous voulons rester, nous resterons, Francais ! Ainsi, que Charles Lewis ne se derange pas ; qu'il cesse, s'il les a commences, les pr^paratifs de sa descente ; qu'il ne prive pas ses compatriotes d'un artiste soi-disant inimit- able. Nous en avons ici qui le valent, et qui se feront un plaisir de perpeteur parmi nous le bon g6ut, 1' elegance, et la noble simplicite. p. 25.* * Copious as are the above quotations, from the thoroughly original M. Lesn6, I cannot resist the risking of the reader's patience and good opinion, by the subjoining of the follow- ing passage — with which the brochure concludes. "D'apr^s la multitude de choses hasarddes que contient votre Lettre, vous en aurez probablement recu quelques unes de personnes que vous aurez choquees plus que moi, qui vous devrais plut6t des remercimens pour avoir pris la peine de traduire quelques pages de mon ouvrage ; mais il n'en est pas de m6me de bien des gens, et cela ne doit pas les engager k fetre autant communicatif avec at)us, si vous reveniez en France. Je souhaite, dans ce dernier cas, que tons les typo- PREFACE. xxiii So much for M. Lesne. I have briefly noticed M. Peignot, the Bibhographer of Dijon. That graphes, les biblioth^caires, les bibliognostes, les bibliogra- phes, les bibliolathes, les bibliomanes, les biblophiles, les bibliopoles, ceux qui exercent la bibliuguiancie et les biblio- p^gistes m6me, soiert pour vous autant de bibliotapbes ; vous ne seriez plus k meme de critiquer ce que vous sauriez et ce que vous ne sauriez pas, comme vous I'aviez si souvent fait inconside Foment : Mais tous vos precedes ne nous etonnent pas, C'est le sort des Francais de faire des ingrats j On les voit servir ceux qui leur furent nuisibles ; Je crois que sur ce point ils sont incorrigibles. Je vous avouerai cependant que je suis loin d'etre f^che de vous voir en agir ainsi envers mes compatriotes : je de- sirerais que beaucoup d' Anglais fissent de meme ; cela pour- rait d^sangliciser ou d^sanglomaniser les Francais. Vous, Monsieur, qui aimez les mots nouveaux, aidez-moi, je vous prie, k franciser, k purifier celui-ci. Quant k moi Je ne fus pas nourri de Grec et de Latin, J' appris cl veiller tard, k me lever matin, La nature est le livre ou je fis mes etudes, Et tous ces mots nouveaux me semblent long-temps rudes ; Je trouve qu'on ne peut trfes bien les prononcer Sans affectation, au moins sans grimacer ; Que tous ces mots tires des langues ^trang^res, Devraient Hve I'objet de critiques s^vferes. Faites done de I'esprit en depit du bon sens. On vous critiquera ; quant k moi j'y consens. Je terminerai cette longue Lettre de deux maniferes : k xxiv PREFACE. worthy wight has made the versions of my Ninth and Thirtieth Letters (First Edition) by M. JNI. Licquet and Crapelet, the substratum of his first brochure entitled Vari^tds, Notices et Raretds BibUographiqiies, Paris, 1822: it being a supplement to his previous Work of Curiositds Bibliographiques.''* It is not always agreeable for an Author to have his '\^^orks reflected through the medium of a translation ; especially where the Translator suffers a portion, however small, of his ow?i atrabiliousness, to be mixed up with the work translated : nor is it always I'anglaise, en vous souhaitant le bon jour ou le bon soir, suivant Theure a laquelle vous la recevrez ; a la francaise, €n vous priant de me croire. Monsieur, \'otre tr&s humble serviteur, LESNE. * The above brochure consists of two Letters ; each to an anonymous bibliographical "Confrere :'" one is upon the subject of M. Crapelet's version — the other, upon that of M. Licquet's version — of a portion of the Tour. The notice of the Works of the Author of the Tour ; a list of the prices for which the Books mentioned in it have been sold ; a Notice of the " Hours of Charlemagne" (see vol. ii. 199) and some account of the late Mr. Porson " Librarian of the London Institution" — form the remaining portion of this little volume of about 160 pages. For the " Curiositds Bib- Jiographiques," consult tlie Bibliotnaiiia, pp. 90, 91, &c. &c. PREFACE. x\v safe for a third person to judge of the merits of the original through such a medium. Much allowance must therefore be made for M. Peignot ; who, to say the truth, at the conclu- sion of his labours, seems to think that he has waded through a great deal of dirt of some kind or other, which might have been better avoided ; and that, in consequence, some ge- neral declaration, by way of wiping off a portion of the adhering mud, is due to the original Author. Accordingly, at the end of hi& analysis of M. Licquet's version, (which forms the second Letter in the brochure) he does me the honour to devote seven pages to the notice of my humble lucubrations : — and he prefaces this " Notice des Ouvrages de M. Dibdin" by the following very handsome tri- bute to their worth : " Si, dans les deux Lettres oil nous avons rendu compte des traductions partielles du voyage de ]M. D., nous avons partag^ I'opinion des deux estimable traducteurs, sur quel- ques erreurs et quelques inconvenances dchappees a I'auteur anglais, nous sommes bien eloigne denvelopper dans le m^me bh\rae, tout ce qui est sortd de sa plume ; car il y auroit injustice a lui refuser des connaissances tres etendues en histoire litteraire, et en bibliographie : nous le disons franchement, il faudroit fermer les yeux a la lumibre, ou 6tre dune partiality revoltante, pour ne pas convenir que. xxvi PREFACE. juste appreciateur de tous les tresors bibliographiques qu'il a le bonheur d'avoir sous la main, M. Dibdin en a fait con- noitre en detail toute la richesse dans de nombreux d'ouv- rages, ou trfes sou vent le luxe d' erudition se trouve en har- monie avec le luxe typographique qu'il y a dtale." At the risk of incurring the imputation of vanity, I annex the preceding extract ; because I am persuaded that the candid Reader will appreciate it in its proper light. I might, had I chosen to do so, have lengthened the extract by a yet more complimentary passage : but enough of M. Peignot — who, so far from suffer- ing ill will or acerbity to predominate over a kind disposition, hath been pleased, since his publication, to write to me a very courteous Letter,* and to solicit a " continuance of my favours." Agreeably to the intimation expressed in a preceding page, I am now, in due order, to notice the labours of my translators M. M. LicQUET and Crapelet. Their united version appeared in 1825, in four octavo volumes, of which the small paper was but indifferently * This letter accompanied another Work of M. Peignot, relating to editions and translations of the Roman Classics : — and as the reader will find, in the ensuing pages, that I have been sometime past labouring under the frightful, but popular. PREFACE. xxvii well pi'inted.* The preface to tlie first two vo- lumes is by M. Licquet : and it is not divested of point and merit. It begins by attacking the Quarterly Review, (June 1821, p. 147.) for its severity of animadversion on the supposed listlessness and want of curiosity of the French in exploring" the architectural antiquities of their country ; and that, in consequence of such supineness, the English, considering them as their own property, have described them ac- cordingly. " The decision (says the French translator) is severe ; happily it is without foundation." After having devoted several pages to observations by way of reply to that mania of Autographs, I subjoin with no small satisfaction a fac-simile of the Autograph of this enthusiastic and most diligent Bibliographer. 7A * See page xviii. ante. xxviii PREFACE. critical Journal, M. Licquet continues thus : — unless I have unintentionally misrepresented him. " The Englishman who travels in Normandy, meets, at every step, with reminiscences of his kings, his ancestors, his institutions, and his customs. Churches yet standing, after the lapse of seven centuries ; majestic niins ; tombs — even to the very sound of the clock — all unite in affecting, here, the heart of a British subject : every thing seems to tell him that, in former times, here was his country ; here the residence of his sovereigns ; and here the cradle of his manners. This was more than sufficient to enflame the lively imagination of Mr. D. and to decide him to visit, in person, a coiuitry already explored by a great number of his country- men ; but he conceived that his narrative should embody other topics than those which ordinarily appeared in the text of his predecessors. " His work then is not only a description of castles, towns, churches, public monuments of every kind : — it is not only a representation of the general aspect of the country, as to its picturesque appearances — but it is an extended, minute, though occasionally inexact, account of public and private libraries ; with reflections upon certain customs of the country, and upon the character of those who inhabit it. It is in short the personal history of the author, throughout the whole length of his journey. Not the smallest incident, however indifferent, but what has a place in the letters of the Bibliographer. Thus, he mentions every Inn where he stops : recommends or scolds the landlord — according to his civiUty or exaction. Has the author passed a bad night ? the reader is sure to know it on the following morning. On the other hand, has he had a good night's rest in a comfort- PREFACE. xxix able bed ? [dans un lit comfortable ?] We are as sure to know this also, as soon as he awakes : — and thus far we are relieved from anxiety about the health of the traveller. Cold and heat — fine weather and bad weather — every varia- tion of atmosphere is scrupulously recorded." What immediately follows, is unworthy of M. Licquet ; because it not only implies a charge of a heinous description — accusing me of an insidious intrusion into domestic circles, a violation of confidence, and a systematic de- rision of persons and things — but because the French translator, exercising that sense and shrewdness which usually distinguish him, must' have known that such a charge could not have been founded in fact. He must have known that any gentleman, leaving England with those letters which brought me in con- tact with some of the first circles on the Con- tinent, MUST have left it without leaving his character behind him ; and that such a cha- racter could not, in the natural order of things — seen even through the sensitive medium of a French critic — have been guilty of the gross- ness and improprieties imputed to me by M. Licquet. I treat therefore this " damnation in wholesale" with scorn and contempt : and VOL. I. b XXX PREFACE. hasten to impress the reader with a more fa- vourable opinion of my Norman translator. He will have it that " the English Traveller's imagination is lively and ardent — and his spirit, that of raillery and lightness. He examines as he runs along ; that is to say, he does not give himself time to examine ; he examines ill ; he deceives himself ; and he subjects his readers to be deceived with him. He traverses, at a hard trot, one of the most ancient towns in France ; puts his head out of his carriage window — and boldly decides that the town is of the time of Francis I." !* p. xviij. There is pleasantry, and perhaps some little truth, in this vein of observation ; and it had been better, perhaps, for the credit of the^good taste and gentleman-like feeling of Mons. Lic- quet, if he had uniformly maintained his cha- racter in these respects. I have however, in the subsequent pages,-f' occasionally grappled with my annotator in proving the fallacy, or the want of charity, of many of his animadver- sions : and the reader probably may not be * M. Licquet goes on to afford an exemplification of this precipitancy of conjecture, in my having construed the word Allemagne — a village near to Caen — by that of Ger- many. I refer the reader to p. 168 post, to shew with what perfect frankness I have admitted and corrected this " hippo- potamos' error. t More especially at pages 8*2, 100, 367. PREFACE. xxxi displeased, if, by way of " avant propos," I in- dulg^e him here with a specimen of them — taken from his preface. M. Licquet says, that I " create scenes ; arrange a drama ; trace characters ; imagine a dialogue, frequently in French — and in what French — gracious God ! — in assigning to postilions a ridiculous lan- guage, and to men of the world the language of postilions." These be sharp words:* but what does the Reader imagine may be the pro- bable " result" of the English Traveller's inad- vertencies ? . . . A result, (" gracious Heaven !") very little anticipated by the author. Let him ponder well upon the awful language which ensues. " What (says M. Licquet) will quickly be the result, with us, of such indiscretions as those of which M. Dibdin is guilty ? The necessity of shutting our ports, or at least of placing a guard upon our lips !" There is * " Sharp" as they may be, they are softened, in some measure, by the admission of my bitterest annotator, M. Crapelet, that " I speak and understand the French language well." vol. ii. p. 253. It is painful and unusual with me to have recourse to such apparently self-complimentary lan- guage ; but when an adversary drives one into a comer, and will not allow of fair space and fair play, one must fight with feet as well as with hands . . ." raanibus pedibusque". . . xxxii PREFACE. some consolation however left for me, in ba- lancing this tremendous denunciation by M. Licquet's eulogy of my good qualities — which a natural diffidence impels me to quote in the original words of their author. " A Dieu ne plaise, toutefois, que j'accuse ici le cceur de M. Dibdin. Je n'ai jamais eu I'honneur de le voir : je ne le connais que par ses ecrits 3 principalement par son Splendid Tour, et je ne balance pas Ji declarer que I'auteur doit Hre doue d'une ame honnete, et de ces qualites fondamentales qui constituent I'homnie de bien. II pref fere sa croyance 5 mais il respecte la croyance des autres ; son Erudition parait * varide. Son amour pour les antiquitds est immense 5 et par antiquites j'entends ici tout ce qui est antique ou seule- ment ancien, queUesque soient d'ailleurs la nature et la forme des objets." Pref. p. xv. xvij. Once more; and to conclude with M. Licquet. After these general observations upon the Text of the Tour, M. Licquet favours us with the following — upon the Plates. " These plates (says he) are intended to represent some of the principal monuments, the most beautiful land- scapes, and the most remarkable persons, com- prehending even the servants of an inn. If talent be sought in these Engravings, it will * This hiatus must not be filled by the Author : .... "baud equidem tali me dignor honore." PREFACE. \jtxiii doubtless be found in them ; but strangers must not seek for fidelity of representation from what is before their eyes. The greater number of the Designs are, in some sort, ideal compositions, which, by resembling every thing, resemble nothing in particular : and it is worthy of remark that the Artist, in imitation of the Author, seems to have thought that he had only to shew himself clever, without troubling himself to he faithful."' To this, I reply in the very words of M. Licquet himself: "the deci- sion is severe ; luckily it is unjust." The only portions of the designs of their skilful author, which may be taxed with a tendency to ex- travagance, are the groups : which, when ac- companied by views of landscapes, or of monu- ments, are probably too profusely indulged in ; but the individuals, constituting those groups, belong precisely to the country in which they are represented. In the first and second vo- lumes they are French ; in the third they are Germans — all over. Will M. Licquet pretend to say that the churches, monasteries, streets, and buildings, with which the previous Edition of this Tour is so elaborately embellished, have the slightest tendency to imagined scenery ? xxxiv PREFACE. If he do, his optics must be peculiarly his own. I have, in a subsequent page, (p. 34, note) slightly alluded to the cost and risk at- tendant on the Plates ; but I may confidently affirm, from experience, that two thirds of the expense incurred would have secured the same sale at the same price. However, the die is cast ; and the voice of lamentation is fruitless. I now come to the consideration of M. Lic- quet's coadjutor, M. Crapelet. Although the line of conduct pursued by that very singular gentleman, be of an infinitely more crooked description than that of his Predecessor, yet, in this place, I shall observe less respecting it ; inasmuch as, in the subsequent pages, (pp. 209, 245, 253, 400, «Sfc.) the version and annotations of M. Crapelet have been somewhat minutely discussed. Upon the spirit which could give rise to such a version, and such annotations, I will here only observe, that it very much resem- bles that of searchers of our street-pavements ; who, with long nails, sci'ape out the dirt from the interstices of the stones, with the hope of making a discovery of some lost treasure which may compensate the toil of perseverance. The PKEFACE. XXXV love of lucre may, or may not, have influenced my Parisian translator -, but the love of disco- very of latent error, and of exposure of venial transgression, has undoubtedly, from begin- ning to end, excited his zeal and perseverance. That carping spirit, which shuts its eyes upon what is liberal and kind, and withholds its assent to what is honourable and just, it is the distinguished lot — and, perhaps, as the trans- lator may imagine, the distinguished felicity — ofM. Crapelet to possess. Never was greater reluctance displayed in admitting even the palpable truths of a text, than what is displayed in the notes of M. Crapelet : and whenever a concurring sentiment comes from him, it seems to exude like his heart's life-blood. Having already answered, in detail, his separate pub- lication confined to my 30th Letter* — (the 8th of the second volume, in this edition) and hav- ing replied to those animadversions which ap- pear in his translation of the whole of the second volume, in this edition — it remains here only to consign the Translator to the careful and impartial consideration of the Reader, * See vol. ii. p. 210-11. xxxvi PREFACE. who, it is requested, may be umpire between both parties. Not to admit that the text of this Edition is in many places improved, from the suggestions of my Translators, by corrections of "Names of Persons, Places, and Things," would be to betray a stubbornness or obtuseness of feeling which certainly does not enter into the composition of its author. I now turn, not without some little anxiety, yet not wholly divested of the hope of a favour- able issue, to the character and object of the Edition here presented to the Public. It will be evident, at first glance, that it is greatly " shorn of its beams" in regard to graphic de- corations and typographical splendom*. Yet its garb, if less costly, is not made of coarse materials : for it has been the wish and aim of the Publishers, that this impression should rank among books worthy of the distinguished PRESS from which it issues. Nor is it unadorned by the sister art of Engraving ; for, although on a reduced scale, some of the repeated plates may even dispute the palm of superiority with their predecessors. Several of the Groups, executed on copper in the preceding edition, have been executed on wood in the present ; PREFACE. xxxvii and it is for the learned in these matters to decide upon their relative merits. To have attempted portraits upon wood, would have inevitably led to failure. There are however a few NEW PLATES, whicli cannot fail to elicit the Purchaser's particular attention. Of these, the portraits of the Abbd de la Rue (procured through the kind offices of my excellent friend Mr. Douce), and the Comte de Brienne, the Gold Medal of Louis XII. the Stone Pulpit of Stras- bourg Cathedral, and the Prater near Vienna — are particularly to be noticed.* This Edition has also another attraction, rather popular in the present day, which may add to its recommenda- tion even with those possessed of its precursor. It contains fac-similes of the Autographs of several distinguished Literati and Artists upon the Continent ,\ who, looking at the text of the * See vol. i. p. 186, vol. ii. pp. 49, 296, 392. The other fresh plates are. Portrait of the Author, frontispiece ; Bird's- eye views of the Monasteries of St. Peter s, Salzburg, and of Molk : vol. ill. pp. 195, 248, 381, Black Eagle Inn, Munich, p. 156. But the Reader will be pleased to examine the List of Plates prefixed — in a preceding page. t Among these distinguished Literati, I here enrol with peculiar satisfaction the names of the Marquis de Cha- TEAUGiRON and Mons. Duband De Lancon. No opportu- xxxviii PREFACE. work through a less jaundiced medium than the Parisian translator^ have continued a cor- respondence with the Author, upon the most friendly terms, since its publication. The accu- racy of these fac-similes must be admitted, even by the parties themselves, to be indisputable. Among them, a"? several, executed by hands . . which now cease to guide the pen ! I had long and fondly hoped to have been gratified by in- creasing testimonies of the warmth of heart which had directed several of the pens in ques- tion — hoped . . . even against the admonition of a pagan poet ... " Vitae summa brevis spem nos vetat inchoare longam.'' But such hopes are now irretrievably cut off; and the remembrance of the past must solace the anticipations of the future. So much respecting the decorative depart- ment of this new edition of the Tour. I have nity having occurred in the subsequent pages to incorporate fac-similes of the Autographs of these distinguished Biblio- philes, they are annexed in the present place. >i.J^ PREFACE. xxxi,\ now to request the Reader's attention to a few points more immediately connected with what may be considered its intrinsic worth. In the first place, it may be pronounced to be an Edi- tion both abridged and enlarged : abridged, as regards the lengthiness of description of many of the MSS. and Printed Books — and enlarged, as respects the addition of many notes ; partly of a controversial, and partly of an obituary, description. The " Antiquarian and Pictu- resque" portions remain nearly as heretofore ; and upon the whole I doubt whether the ampu- tation of matter has extended beyond an eighth of what appeared in the previous edition. It had long ago been suggested to me — from a quarter too high and respectable to doubt the wisdom of its decision — that the Contents of this Tour should be made known to the Public through a less costly medium : — that the ob- jects described in it were, in a measure, new and interesting — but that the high price of the purchase rendered it, to the majority of Readers, an inaccessible publication. I hope that these objections are fully met, and successfully set aside, by the Work in its present form. To have produced it, ivholk/ divested of orna- xl PREFACE. merit, would have been as foreign to my habits as repugnant to my feelings. I have therefore, as I would willingly conclude, hit upon the happy medium — between sterility and excess of decoration. After all, the greater part of the ground here trodden, yet continues to be untrodden ground to the public. I am not acquainted with any publication which embraces all the objects here described ; nor can I bring myself to think that a perusal of the first and third volumes may not be unattended with gratification of a peculiar description, to the lovers of antiquities and picturesque beauties. The second volume is rather the exclusive province of the Biblio- grapher. In retracing the steps here marked out, I will not be hypocrite enough to dissemble a sort of triumphant feeling which accompanies a retrospection of the time, labour, and money devoted.. in doing justice, according to my means, to the attractions and worth of the Countries which these pages describe. Every such effort is, in its way, a national effort. Every such attempt unites, in stronger bonds, the reciprocities of a generous feeling between rival Nations ; and if my reward has not been PREFACE. xli in wealth, it has been in the hearty commenda- tion of the enlightened and the good : " Mea me virtute involvo."* I cannot boast of the commendatory strains of public Journals in my own country. No in- tellectual steam-engine has been put in motion to manufacture a review of unqualified appro- bation of the Work now submitted to the public eye — at an expense, commensurate with the ordinary means of purchase. With the exception of an indirect and laudatory notice of it, in the immortal pages of the Author of Waverley, of the Sketch book, and of Reginald Dalton, this Tour has had to fight its way under the splendour of its own banners, and in the strength of its own cause. The previous Edition is now a scarce and a costly book. Its Succes- sor has enough to recommend it, even to the * It is more than a negative consolation to me, to have lived to see the day, that, although comparatively impove- rished, others have been enriched by my labours. When I noticed a complete set of my lucubrations on large paper, valued at 250/. in a bookseller's catalogue, (Mr. Pickering's) and afterwards learnt that this set had found a Purchaser, I had reason to think that I had " deserved well" of the Litera- ture of my country : and I resolved to live "mihi carior ' in consequence. xlii PREFACE. most, fastidious' collector, from the elegance of its type and decorations, and from the reason- ableness of its price ; but the highest ambition of its author is, that it may be a part of the furniture of every Circulating Library in the Kingdom. If he were not conscious that good would result from its perusal, he would not venture upon such an avowal. " Felix Faus- TUMQUE Sit !" BIBLIOGRAPHICAL AND PICTURESQUE TOUR. The Notes peculiar to this Edition are dis- tinguished by being inserted between brackets : as thus:— [ J *^* The Index is placed at the end of the First Volume, for the purpose of equalising the size of the Volumes. LETTER I. PASSAGE TO DIEPPE. Dieppe, April 2Q, 1818. At length then, my dear Friend, the long projected " BibUograjjJiical, Antiquarian,^ and Picturesque Tour" is carried into execution ; and the Tourist is safely landed on the shores of Normandy. " Vous voila done, Monsieur a Dieppe !" — exclaimed the land- lord of the Grand Hotel d'Angleterre — as I made my way through a vociferating crowd of old and young, of both sexes, with cards of addresses in their hands, * [Mons. Licquet, niy translator, thinks, that in using the word " ylntiquaire" — as appears in the previous edition of this work, incorporated in the gallicised sentence of " Voyage Dibliographique Antlquaire, &c." — I have committed an error; as the word " Arcliiologique" ought, in his opinion, to have been adopted — and he supposes that he best expresses my meaning by its adoption. Such a correction may be better French; but " Archaeological" is not exactly what is usually meant — in our language— by " Anticpiariuu."] VOL. I. B 2 PASSAGE TO DIEPPE. entreating me to take up my abode at their respective hotels But I know your love of method, and that you will be angry with me if I do not " begin at the beginning." It was surely on one of the finest of all fine days that I left my home, on the 14th of this present month, for the land of castles, churches, and ancient chivalry. The wind from the south-east was blowing pretty smartly at the time ; but the sky was without a cloud, and I could not but look upon the brilliancy of every external object as a favourable omen of the progress and termination of my tour. Adverse winds, or the indolence or unwillingness of the Captain, detained us at Brighton two whole days — instead of sailing, as we were led to expect, on the day following our arrival. We were to form the first ship's company which had visited France this season. On approaching our gal- lant little bark, the Nancy,* commanded by Captain Blaber, the anchor was weighed, and hoisting sail, we stood out to sea. The day began to improve upon us. The gloomy appearances of the morning gradually brightened up. A host of black clouds rolled heavily away. The sun at length shone in his full meridian * This smart little vessel, of about 70 tons burden, considered to be the fastest sailing packet from Dieppe, survived our voyag'e only about eighteen months. Her end had nearly proved fatal to every soul on board of her. In a dark night, in the month of September, when bound for Dieppe, she was struck by a heavy London brig. The crew was with difficulty saved — and the vessel went down within about twenty-five minutes after the shock. PASSAGE TO DIEPPE. » splendour, and the ocean sparkled as we cut through its emerald waves. As I supposed us to near the French coast, I strained my eyes to obtain an early glimpse of something in the shape of clifF or jettie. But the wind continued determinedly in the south- east : the waves rose in larger masses ; and our little vessel threw up a heavy shower of foam as we entered on the various tacks. It is a grand sight — that vast, and apparently in- terminable ocean — maria undique et undique caelum ! We darted from Beechy Head upon a long tack for the French coast : and as the sun declined, we found it most prudent to put the Captain's advice, of going below, into execution. Then commenced all the miseries of the voyage. The moon had begun to assert her ascendancy, when, racked with torture and pain in our respective berths, a tremendous surge washed completely over the deck, sky-light, and bin- nacle : and down came, in consequence, drenclied with the briny wave, the hardiest of our crew, who, till then, had ventured to linger upon deck. That crew was various ; and not without a few of the natives of those shores which we were about to visit. To cut short my ship-narrative, suffice it only farther to say, that, towards midnight, we heard our Captain exclaim that he saw " the lights of Dieppe" — a joyful sound to us miserable wretches below. I well 4 PASSAGE TO DIEPPE. remember, at this moment, looking up towards the deck with a cheerless eye, and perceiving the light of the moon still lingering upon the main-sail, — but I shall never forget how much more powerfully my sensations were excited, when, as the dawn of day made objects visible, I looked up, and saw an old wrinkle-visaged sailor, with a red night cap on, begirt with large blue, puckered, short petticoats — in possession of the helm — about to steer the vessel into harbour !* About seven we were all upon deck. The sea was yet swoln and agitated, and of a dingy colour : while .... heavily with clouds came on the day, as we slowly approached the outward harbour of Dieppe. A grey morning with drizzling rain, is not the best accompaniment of a first visit to a foreign shore. Nevertheless every thing was new, and strange, and striking; and the huge crucifix, to the right, did not fail to make a very forcible impression. As we approached the inner harbour, the shipping and the buildings more distinctly presented themselves. The harbour is large, and the vessels are entirely mercan- tile, with a plentiful sprinkling of fishing smacks : but the manner in which the latter harmonized with the tint and structure of the houses — the bustle upon shore — the casks, deal planks, ropes, and goods of every description upon the quays, — all formed a most * The English are not permitted to bring their own vessels into harbour — for obvious reasons. PASSAGE TO DIEPPE. 5 animated and interesting scene. The population seemed countless, and chiefly females; whose high caps and enormous ear-rings, with the rest of their parapher- nalia, half persuaded me that instead of being some few twenty-five leagues only from our own white cliflPs, I had in fact dropt upon the Antipodes ! What a scene (said I to my companion) for our Calcott to depict ! * It was a full hour before we landed — saluted, and even assailed on all sides, with entreaties to come to certain hotels. We were not long however in fixing our residence at the Hotel d'Angleterre, of which the worthy Mons. De La Ruef is the landlord. * [This " scene" has been, in fact, subsequently depicted by the masterly pencil of J. JM. W. Turner, Esq. R. A : and the pic- ture, in which almost all the powers of that surprising Artist are concentrated, was lately oflfered for sale by public auction. How it was suflfered to be bought in for three hundred and eighty gui- neas, is at once a riddle and a reproach to public taste.] f [I learn that he is since deceased. Thus the very first chapter of this second edition has to record an instance of the casualties and mutabilities which the short space of ten years has effected. Mens, De la Rue was a man of worth and of virtue.] DIEPPE. LETTER II. DIEPPE. FISHERIES. STREETS. CHURCHES OF ST. JAQUES AND ST. REMY. DIVINE WORSHIP. MILITARY MASS. The town of Dieppe contains a population of about twenty-thousand souls.* Of these, by much the greater stationary part are females; arising from one third at least of the males being constantly engaged in the FISHERIES. As these fisheries are the main support of the inhabitants, it is right that you should know something about them. The herring fishery takes place twice a year : in August and October. The August fishery is carried on along the shores of Eng- land and the North. From sixty to eighty vessels, of from twenty-five to thirty tons burthen each, with about fifteen men in each vessel, are usually employed. They are freighted with salt and empty barrels, for seasoning and stowing the fish, and they return about the end of * [JMons. Licquet says that there were about 17,000 souls in 1824 ; so that the above number may be that of the amount of its present population. " Several changes (says my French trans- lator") have taken place at Dieppe since I saw it; among the rest, there is a magnificent establishment of baths, where a crowd of people, of the first distinction, every year resort. Her Royal Highness, the Duchesse de Berri, may be numbered among these Visitors.] DIEPPE. 7 October. The herrings caught in August are con- siderably preferable to those caught in October. The October fishery is carried on with smaller vessels, along the coast of France from Boulogne to Havre. From one hundred and twenty, to one hundred and thirty vessels, are engaged in this latter navigation ; and the fish, which is smaller, and of inferior flavour to that caught upon the English coasts, is sent almost entirely to the provinces and to Paris, where it is eaten fresh. So much for the herring.* The Mackarel fishery usually commences towards the month of July, along the coast of Picardy; be- cause, being a sort of fish of passage, it gets into the channel in the month of April. It then moves towards the straits of Dover, as summer approaches. For this fishery they make use of large decked-vessels, from twenty to fifty tons burthen, manned with from twelve to twenty men. There are however Dieppe boats em- ployed in this fishery which go as far as the Scilly Islands and Ushant, towards the middle of April. They carry with them the salt requisite to season the fish, which are afterwards sent to Paris, and to the provinces in the interior of France. The cod fishery is divided into the fresh and dried fish. The former continues from the beginning of February to the end of April — and the vessels employed, which go as far as Newfoundland, are two deckers, and from one hundred * [The common people to this day call a herring, a child of Dieppe. Licquet.] 8 DIEPPE. to one hundred and fifty tons burthen — although, in fact, tliey rarely carry more than fifteen tons for fear of spoiling the fish. The dried-cod fishery is carried on in vessels of all sizes ; but it is essential that they be of a certain depth, because the fish is more cum- bersome than weighty. The vessels however usually set sail about the month of March or April, in order that they may have the advantage of the siunmer season, to dry the fish. There are vessels which go to Newfoundland laden with brandy, flour, beans, treacle, linen and woollen cloths, which they dispose of to the inhabitants of the French colonies in exchange for dried cod. This latter species of commerce may be carried on in the summer months — as late as July. In the common markets for retail trade, they are not very nice in the quality or condition of their fish ; and enormous conger eels, which would be instantly rejected by the middling, or even lower classes in England, are, at Dieppe, bought with avidity and re- lished with glee. A few francs will procure a dish of fish large enough for a dozen people. The quays are constantly crowded, but there seems to be more of bustle than of business. The town is certainly pic- turesque, notwithstanding the houses are very little more than a century old, and the streets are formal and comparatively wide. Indeed it should seem that the houses were built expressly for Noblemen and Gentlemen, although they are inhabited by tradesmen, mechanics, and artizans, in apparently very indifferent DIEPPE. 9 circumstances. I scarcely saw six private houses which could be called elegant, and not a gentleman's carriage has been yet noticed in the streets. But if the Dieppois are not rich, they seem happy, and are in a constant state of occupation. A woman sells her wares in an open shop, or in an insulated booth, and sits without her bonnet (as indeed do all the tradesmen's wives), and works or sings as humour sways her. A man sells gingerbread in an open shed, and in the intervals of his customer's coming, reads some popular history or romance. Most of the upper windows are wholly des- titute of glass ; but are smothered with clothes, rags, and wall flowers. The fragrance emitted from these flowers affords no unpleasing antidote to odors of a very different description ; and here we begin to have a too convincing proof of the general character of the country in regard to the want of cleanliness. A httle good sense, or rather a better-regulated police, would speedily get rid of such nuisances. The want of public sewers is another great and grievous cause of smells of every description. At Dieppe there are fountains in abundance ; and if some of the limpid streams, which issue from them, were directed to cleansing the streets, (which are excellently well paved) the effect would be both more salubrious and pleasant — especially to the sensitive organs of Englishmen. We had hardly concluded our breakfasts, when a loud and clattering sound was heard ; and down came, in a heavy trot, with sundry ear-piercing crackings of 10 DIEPPE. the whip, the thundering Diligence : large, lofty, and of most unwieldy dimensions : of a structure, too, strong enough to carry a half score of elephants. The postilion is an animal perfectly sni generis : gay, alert, and living upon the best possible terms with himself. He wears the royal livery, red and blue ; with a plate of the fleur de lis upon his left arm. His hair is tied behind, in a thick, short, tightly fastened queue : with powder and pomatum enough to weather a whole win- ter's storm and tempest.* As he never rises in his stirrups,f I leave you to judge of the merciless effects of this ever-beating club upon the texture of his jacket. He is however fond of his horses : is well known by them ; and there is all flourish and noise, and no sort of cruelty, in his treatment of them. His spurs are of tremendous dimensions ; such as we see sticking to the heels of knights in illuminated INIss. of the xvth century. He has nothing to do with the pon- derous machine behind him. He sits upon the near of the two wheel horses, with three horses before him. His turnings are all adroitly and correctly made ; and, upon the whole, he is a clever fellow in the ex- ercise of his office. You ought to know, that, formerly, this town was greatly celebrated for its manufactures in Ivory ; but • [" Sterne reproaches the French for their hyperholical lan- guage : the air of the country had probaldy some influence on M. Dibdin when he adopted this phrase." Licquet.] t [" Signifying, that the French postilions do not ride like the English." Licquet.J DIEPPE. 11 the present aspect of the ivory-market affords only a faint notion of what it might have been in the six- teenth and seventeenth centuries. I purchased a few subordinate articles (chiefly of a religious character) and which I shall preserve rather as a matter of evi- dence than of admiration. There is yet however a considerable manufacture of thread lace ; and between three and four thousand females are supposed to earn a comfortable livelihood by it.* My love of ecclesiastical architecture quickly in- duced me to visit the churches ; and I set out with two English gentlemen to pay our respects to the principal church, St. Jaques. As we entered it, a general gloom prevailed, and a sort of premature even- ing came on ; while the clatter of the sabots was suf- ficiently audible along the aisles. In making the circuit of the side chapels, an unusual light proceeded from a sort of grated door way. We approached, and witnessed a sight which could not fail to rivet our at- tention. In what seemed to be an excavated interior, were several figures, cut in stone, and coloured after life, (of which they were the size) representing the Three Maries, St. John, and Joseph of Arimathea . . in the act of entombing Christ : the figure of our Saviour being half sunk into the tomb. The whole * [" Dieppe for a long time was the rival of Argentan and Caen in the lace-raanufactory : at the present day, this branch of commerce is almost annihilated there." — Licquet.] 12 DIEPPE. was partially illuminated by some two dozen of shabby and nearly consumed tallow candles ; affording a strik- ing contrast to the increasing darkness of the nave and the side aisles. We retired, more and more struck with the novelty of every object around us, to our supper and beds, which were excellent; and a good night's rest made me forget the miseries of the pre- ceding evening. The next morning, being Sunday, we betook our- selves in good time to the service of St. Jaques :* but on our way thither, we saw a waxen figure of Christ (usually called an " Ecce Homo") enclosed within a box, of which the doors were opened. The figure and box are the property of the man who plays on a violin, close to the box ; and who is selling little mass books, supposed to be rendered more sacred by having been passed across the feet and hands of the waxen Christ. Such a mongrel occupation, and such a * [In a note attached to the previous edition — I have said, " Here also, as well as at Rouen, they will have it that the English built the Churches." Upon which M. Licquet remarks thus : " IM. Dibdin's expression conveys too general an idea. It is true that popular opinion attributes the erection of our gothic edifices to the English : but there exists anoM^r opinion, which is not deceptive upon this subject." What is meant to be here conveyed ? Either the popular opinion is true or false ; and it is a matter of perfect indiflFerence to the author whether it be one or the other. For Mons. Licquet's comfort, I will freely avow that I believe it to \)Q false.'] DIEPPE. 13 motley group, must strike you with astonishment — as a Sunday morning's recreation. By half past ten the congregation had assembled within the Church ; and every side-chapel (I think about twelve in number) began to be filled by the penitent flocks : each bringing, or hiring, a rush- bottomed chair — with which the churches are pretty liberally furnished, and of which the Tarif (or terms of hire) is pasted upon the walls. There were, I am quite sure, full eighteen women to one man : which may in part be accounted for, by the almost uniform absence of a third of the male population occupied in the 14 DIEPPE. fisheries. I think there could not have been fewer than two thousand souls present' But what struck me as the most ludicrously solemn thing I had ever beheld, was a huge tall figure, dressed like a drum- major, with a large cocked hat and three white plumes, (the only covered male figure in the congregation,) a broad white sash upon a complete suit of red, includ- ing red stockings ; — representing what in our country is called a Beodle. He was a sturdy, grim-looking fellow ; bearing an halberd in his right hand, which he wielded with a sort of pompous swing, infusing terror into the young, and commanding the admiration of the old. I must not, however, omit to inform you, that half the service was scarcely performed when the preacher movmted a pulpit, with a black cap on, and read a short sermon from a printed book. I shall long have a distinct recollection of the figure and attitude of the Verger who attended the preacher. He fol- lowed him to the pulpit, fastened the door, became stationary, and rested his left arm over the railings of the stairs. Anon, he took out his snufi^-box with his right hand, and regaled himself with a pinch of snufF in the most joyous and comfortably-abstracted manner imaginable. There he remained till the conclusion of the discourse ; not one word of which seemed to afford him half the satisfaction as did the contents of his snufF-box. Military Mass was performed about an hour aftei*, at the church of St. Remy, whither I strolled quietly, DIEPPE. 15 to witness the devotion of tlie congregation previous to the entry of the soldiers ; and I will not dissemble being much struck and gratified by what I saw. There was more simplicity : a smaller congregation : softer music : a lower-toned organ ; less rush of people ; and in very many of the flock the most intense and unfeigned expression of piety. At the elevation of the host, from the end of the choir, (near which was sus- pended a white flag with the portrait of the present King* upon it) a bell was rung from the tower of the church ; the sound, below, was soft and silver-toned — accompanied by rather a quick movement on the organ, upon the diapason stop ; which, united with the silence and prostration of the congregation, might have commanded the reverence of the most profane. There is nothing, my dear friend, more gratifying, in a foreign land, than the general appearance of earnestness of devotion on a sabbath day ; espe- cially within the house of God. However, I quickly heard the clangor of the trumpet, the beat of drums, the measured tramp of human feet, and up marched two or three troops of the national guard to perform military mass. I retired precipitately to the Inn, being w^ell pleased to have escaped this strange and distract- ing sight : so little in harmony with the rites and cere- monies of our own church, and in truth so little ac- cordant with the service which I had just beheld. * [Louis XVIII.] 16 DIEPPE, LETTER III. VILLAGE AND CASTLE OF ARQUES. SABBATH AMUSE- MENTS. MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. BOULEVARDS. As I had received especial injunctions from our friend P * * * not to leave Dieppe without paying a visit to the famous Chateau iV Arqiies,^ in its neigh- bourhood, I resolved to seize the opportunity of a * The French Antiquaries have pushed the antiquity of this castle to the 11th century, supposing it to have been built by fFilliam d'Arques, Count of Tallon, son of the second marriage of Richard Duke of Normandy. I make no doubt, that, when- ever built, the sea almost washed its base : for it is known to have occupied the whole of what is called the Valley of Arques, running as far as Boute'tlles. Its position, in reference to the art of war, must have been almost impregnable. Other hypo- theses assign its origin to the ninth or tenth century. When- ever built, its history has been fertile in sieges. In 1 144, it was commanded by a Flemish Monk, who preferred the spear to the crosier, but who perished by an arrow in the contest. Of its history, up to the sixteenth century, I am not able to give any details ; but in the wars of Henry IV. with the League, in 1589, it was taken by surprise by soldiers in the disguise of sailors : who, killing the centinels, quickly made themselves masters of the place. Henry caused it afterwards to be dis- mantled. In the first half of the eighteenth century it received very severe treatment from pillage, for the purpose of erecting public and private buildings at Dieppe. At present (in the language of the author of the Rouen Itinerary) " it is the abode DIEPPE. 17 tolerably fair, or rather gray-looking day, to go and pay due homage to those venerable remains of anti- quity. The road thither is completely rural : apple- trees, just beginning to burst their blossoms; hamlets, small farm-houses : a profusion of rich herbage of various kinds — delighted and regaled me as I pur- sued my tranquil walk. The country is of a gently- undulating character ; but the flats or meadows, be- tween the parallel ranges of hills, are subject to constant inundation from the sea ; and in an agricultural point of view are consequently of little use, except for sum- mer grazing of the cattle. It was drawing on to vespers as I approached the Village of Argues. The old castle had frequently peeped out upon me, in my way thither, from its elevated situation ; but being resolved to see " all that could be seen," a French village, for the first time, was not to be overlooked. For a country church, I know of few finer ones than that of Arques.* The site of the castle is admirable. My approach of silence — save when that silence is interrupted by owls and other nocturnal birds." The view of it in Mr. Cotman's work is very faithful. * The Itin^ra'ire de Rouen, 1816, p 202, says, absurdly, that this church is of the xith century. It is perhaps with more truth of the bep;inning of the xivth century. A pleasin;^ view of it is in Mr. Dawson Turner's elegant Tour in Normandy, 1818, 8vo. 2 vol. It possessed formerly a bust of Henry IV., which is supposed to have been placed there after the famous battle of Arques gained by Henry over the Duke of Mayenne in 1589. VOL. I. C 18 DIEPPE. was to the western extremity; which, as you look down, brings the village and church of Arques in the back ground. If the eye were to be considered as a correct judge, this venerable pile, composed of hard flint-stone, intermixed with brick, would perhaps claim precedence, on the score of antiquity, over most of the castles of the middle ages. A deep moat, now dry pasture land, with a bold acclivity before you, should seem to bid defiance, even in times of old, to the foot and the spear of the invader. There are circular towers at the extremities, and a square citadel or don- jon within. To the north, a good deal of earth has been recently thrown against the bases of the wall. The day harmonised admirably with the venerable object before me. The sunshine lasted but for a minute : when afterwards a gloom prevailed, and not a single catch of rjuliant light gilded any portion of the build- ing. All was quiet, and of a sombre aspect, — and what you, in your admiration of art, would call in perfectly " fine keeping." 1 descended the hill, bidding a long adieu to this venerable relic of the hardihood of other times, and quickened my pace towards Dieppe. In gaining upon the town, I began to discern groups of rustics, as well as of bourgeoises, assembling and mingling in the dance. The women never think of wearing bonnets, and you have little idea how picturesquely the red and blue* (the colours of Raffaelle's Madonnas) glanced • The blue gown and red petticoat ; or vice versa. DIEPPE. 19 backwards and forwards amidst the fruit trees, to the sound of the spirit-stirring vioUn. The high, stiff, starched cauchoise, with its broad flappers, gave the finishing stroke to the noveUy and singularity of the scene; and to their credit be it spoken, the women were much more tidily dressed than the men. The couples are frequently female, for want of a sufficient number of swains ; but, whether correctly or incorrectly paired, they dance with earnestness, if not with grace. It was a picture a la Teniers, without its occasional grossness. This then, said I to myself, is what I have so often heard of the sabbath-gambols of the French — and long may they enjoy them ! They are surely better than the brutal orgies of the pot-house, or the fana- tical ravings of the tabernacle.* [* I am anxious that the above sentence shoukl stand pre- cisely as it appeared in the first edition of this work ; because a circumstance has arisen from it, whicli ooukl have been as little in the anticipation, as it is in the comprehension, of the author. A lady, of high connections, and of respectable cliaracter, con- ceived the passage in question to be somewhat indecorous; or revolting to the serious sense entertained by all Christians, anl especially by Christian Ministers, of the mode of devoting the Sabbath day. In consequence, being in possession of a copy of this work, she divided it into two; not being willing to sully the splendour of the plates by tlie supposed impurity of such a passage : — and the prints were accordingly bound apart. The passage— as applied to the French people — retjuires neither comment nor qualification; and in the same unsophisticated view of religious duties, the latter part may be as strictly applied to the English.] 50 DIEPPE. A late plain dinner, with my favourite vin ordinaire, recruited my strength, and kept me in perfectly good humour with Dieppe. The deportment of the Dieppois* towards the English, is, upon the whole, rather gracious than otherwise ; because the town profits by the liberality and love of expense of the latter. Yet the young ones, as soon as they can lisp, are put in training for pronouncing the G — d — ; and a few horribly-de- formed and importunate beggars are for ever assailing the doors of the hotels. But beggary is nothing like so frightful an evil as I had anticipated. The general aspect of the town seems to indicate the poverty of the inhabitants ; their houses being too large to be entirely occupied. Bonaparte appears to have been anxious about the strengthening of the harbour ; the navigation into which is somewhat difficult and intri- cate. The sides of the walls, as you enter, are lofty, steep, and strong ; and raised batteries would render any hostile approach extremely hazardous to the as- sailants. There is no ship-building at this moment going on : the ribs of about half a dozen, half rotted, small mer- chant-craft, being all that is discernible. But much is projected, and much is hoped from such projects. * The dress of the sailors is the same as it was in the xivth century ; and so probably is that of the women. The illumina- tions in Froissard and Monstrelet clearly give us the Norman cauchoise. DIEPPE. SI Dieppe has questionless many local advantages both by land and by sea ; yet it will require a long course of years to infuse confidence and beget a love of enterprise. In spite of all the naval zeal^ it is here exhibited chiefly as affording means of subsistence from the fisheries. I must not however conclude my Dieppe journal without telling you that I hunted far and near for a good bookseller and for some old books — but found nothing worth the search, except a well-printed early Rouen Missal, and Terence by Bailius Ascensius. The booksellers are supplied with books chiefly from Rouen ; the local press being too insignificant to mention. 22 ROUEN. LETTER IV. ROUEN. APPROACH. BOULEVARDS. POPULATION. STREET SCENERY. Here I am, my excellent good friend, in the most extraordinary city in the world. One rubs one's eyes, and fancies one is dreaming, upon being carried through the streets of this old-fashioned place : or that, by some secret talismanic touch, we are absolutely min- gling Avith human beings, and objects of art, at the commencement of the sixteenth century : so very cu- rious, and out of the common appearance of things, is almost every object connected with Rouen. But before I commence my observations upon the town, I must give you a brief sketch of my journey hither. "We had bespoke our places in the cabriolet of the Diligence, which just holds three tolerably comfortable; provided there be a disposition to accommodate each other. This cabriolet, as you have been often told, is a sort of a buggy, or phaeton seat, with a covei'ing of leather in the front of the coach. It is fortified with a stiff leathern apron, upon the top of which is a piece of iron, covered with the leather, to fasten firmly by means of a hook on the perpendicular supporter of the head. There are stiffish leathern curtains on each side, to be drawn, if necessary, as a protection ROUEN. «S against the rain, &c. You lean upon the bar, or top of this leathern apron, which is no very uncomfortable resting-place. And thus we took leave of Dieppe, on the 4th day after our arrival tliere. As we were seated in the cabriolet, we could hardly refrain from loud laughter at the novelty of our situation, and the grotesqueness of the conveyance. Our Postilion was a rare specimen of his species, and a perfectly unique copy. He fancied himself, I suppose, rather getting " into the vale of years," and had contrived to tinge his cheeks with a plentiful portion of rouge.*' His platted and powdered hair was surmounted with a bat- tered black hat, tricked off with faded ribband : his jacket was dark blue velvet, with the insignia of his order (the royal arms) upon his left arm. What struck me as not a little singular, was, that his countenance was no very faint resemblance of that of Voltaire^ when he might have been verging towards his sixtieth year. Most assuredly he resembled him in his elon- gated chin, and the sarcastic expression of his mouth. We rolled merrily along — the horses sometimes spread- ing, and sometimes closing, according to the size of the streets through which we were compelled to pass. The reins and harness are of core/; which, however * [Mons. Lioquet here observes, " This is the first time I have heard it said that our Postilions put on rouge." What he adds, shall be given in his own pithy expression. — " Ou la co- quetterie va-t-elle se nicher ?" What, however is above stated, was stated from a conviction of its being true ] 24 ROUEN. keep together pretty well. The postilion endeavours to break the rapidity of the descent by conducting the wheels over small piles of gravel or rubbish, which are laid at the sides of the road, near the ditch ; so that, to those sitting in the cabriolet, and overlooking the M'hole process, the effect, with weak nerves, is absolutely terrific. They stop little in changing horses, and the Diligence is certainly well managed, and in general no accidents occur. The road from Dieppe to Rouen is wide, hard, and in excellent condition. There are few or no hedges, but rows of apple-trees afford a sufficient line of de- markation. The country is open, and gently undu- lating ; with scarcely any ghmpses of what is called forest-scenery, till you get towards the conclusion of the first stage. Nothing particularly strikes you till you approach Malaunai, within about half a dozen miles of Rouen, and of course after the last change of horses. The environs of this beautiful village repay you for every species of disappointment, if any should have been experienced. The rising banks of a brisk serpentine trout stream are studded with white houses, in which are cotton manufactories that appear to be carried on with spirit and success. Above these houses are hanging woods ; and though the early spring would scarcely have coated the branches with green in our OM'n country, yet here thei'e was a general freshness of verdure, intermingled with the ruddy blossom of the apple ; altogether rejoicing the eye and delighting the ROUEN. 15 heart. Occasionally there were delicious spots, which the taste and wealth of an Englishman would have em- bellished to every possible degree of advantage. But wealth, for the gratification of picturesque taste, is a superfluity that will not quickly fall to the lot of the French. The Revolution seems to have drained their purses, as well as daunted their love of enterprise. Along the road-side there were some few houses of entertainment ; and we observed the emptied cabriolet and stationary voiture, by the side of the gardens, where Monsieur and Madame, with their families, tripped lightly along the vistas, and tittered as John Bull saluted them. Moving vehicles, and numerous riding and walking groups, increased upon us ; and every thing announced that we were approaching a great and populous city. The approach to Rouen is indeed magnificent. I speak of the immediate approach ; after you reach the top of a considerable rise, and are stopped by the barriers. You then look down a strait, broad, and strongly paved road, lined with a double row of trees on each side. As the foliage was not thickly set, we could discern, through the delicately-clothed branches, the tapering spire of the Cathedral, and the more picturesque tower of the Abbaye St. Ouen — with hanging gardens, and white houses, to the left — co- vering a richly cultivated ridge of hills, which sink as it were into the Boulevards, and which is called the Faubourg Cauchoise. To the right, through the trees, 96 ROUEN. you see the river Seine (here of no despicable depth or breadth) covered with boats and vessels in motion: the voice of commerce, and the stir of industry, cheer- ing and animating you as you approach the town. I was told that almost every vessel which I saw (some of them of two hundred, and even of three hundred tons burthen) was filled with brandy and wine. The lamps are suspended from the centre of long ropes, across the road ; and the whole scene is of a truly novel and imposing character. But how shall I convey to you an idea of what I experienced, as, turning to the left, and leaving the broader streets which flank the quay, I began to enter the penetralia of this truly antiquated town ? What narrow streets, what overhanging houses, what bizarre, capricious ornaments ! What a mixture of modern with ancient art ! What fragments, or rather ruins, of old delicately-built Gothic churches ! What signs of former and of modern devastation ! What fountains, gutters, groups of never-ceasing men, women, and children, all gay, all occupied, and all ap- parently happy ! The Rue de la Grosse Horloge (so called from a huge, clumsy, antiquated clock which goes across it) struck me as being not among the least singular streets of Rouen. In five minutes I was within the court-yard of the Hotel Vatel, the favourite resi- dence of the English. It was evening when I arrived, in company with three Englishmen. We were soon saluted by the laquais de ^j/ac^— the leech-like hangers-on of every ROUEN. 527 hotel — who begged to know if we would walk upon the Boulevards. We consented ; turned to the right ; and, gradually rising, gained a considerable eminence. Again we turned to the right, walking upon a raised promenade ; w hile the blossoms of the pear and apple trees, within a hundred walled gardens, perfumed the air with a delicious fragrance. As we continued our route along the Boulevard Beaiivoisine, we gained one of the most interesting and commanding views imaginable of the city of Rouen — just at that moment lighted up by the golden rays of a glorious sun-set — which gave a breadth and a mellower tone to the shadows upon the Cathedral and the Abbey of St. Ouen. The situation of Rouen renders it necessarily picturesque, view it from what spot you will. The population of Rouen is supposed to be full one hundred thousand souls. In truth, there is no end to the succession of human beings. They swarm like bees, and like bees are busy in bringing home the produce of their industry. You have all the bustle and agitation of Cheapside and Cornhill ; only that the ever-moving scene is carried on within limits one-half as broad. Conceive Bucklersbury, Cannon-street, and Thames-street, — and yet you cannot conceive the nar- row streets of Rouen: filled with the flaunting cau- choise, and echoing to the eternal tramp of the sabot. There they are ; men, women, and children — all abroad in the very centre of the streets : alternately encoun- tering the splashing of the gutter, and the jostling of 28 ROUEN. their townsmen — while the swift cabriolet, or the slow- paced cart, or the thundering Dllige?ice, severs them, and scatters them abroad, only that they may seem to be yet more condensely united. For myself, it is with difficulty I believe that I am not living in the times of our Henry VIII. and of their Francis I. ; and am half disposed to inquire after the residence of Guillaiime Tailleur the printer — the associate, or foreign agent of your favourite Pynson.* • [The third English Printer.] See the Bibliographical Deca- meron, vol. ii. p. 137, 8, KOUEN. '29 LETTER V. ECCLESIASTICAL ARCHITECTURE. CATHEDRAL. MONU- MENTS. RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES. THE ABBEY OF ST. CUEN. THE CHURCHES OF ST. MACLOU, ST. VINCENT, ST. VIVIEN, ST. GERVAIS, AND ST. PAUL. I HAVE now made myself pretty well acquainted with the geography of Rouen. How shall I convey to you a summary, and yet a satisfactory, desci'iption of it ? It cannot be done. You love old churches, old books, and relics of ancient art. These be my themes, therefore : so fancy yourself either strolling leisurely with me, arm in arm, in the streets — or sitting at my elbow. First for THE Cathedral : — for what traveller of taste does not doff his bonnet to the Mother Church of the town through which he happens to be travelling — or in which he takes up a temporary abode? The west- front,* always the forte of the architect's skill, strikes you as you go down, or come up, the principal street — La Rue des Cannes, — which seems to bisect the town into equal parts. A small open space, (which however has been miserably encroached upon by petty shops) called the Flotver-garden, is before this western front ; so that it has some little breathing room • A most ample and correct view of this west front will be found in Mr. Cotman's Norman Antiquities. so ROUEN. in which to expand its beauties to the wondering eyes of the beholder. In my poor judgment, this western front has very few elevations comparable with it* — in- cluding even those of Lincoln and YorJc. The orna- ments, especially upon the three porches, between the two towers, are numerous, rich, and for the greater part entire : — in spite of the Calvinists,f the French revolution, and time. Among the lower and smaller basso-relievos upon these porches, is the subject of the daughter of Herodias dancing before Herod. She is manceuvering on her hands, her feet being upwards. To the right, the decapitation of St. John is taking place. The southern transept makes amends for the de- fects of the northern. The space before it is devoted to a sort of vegetable mai'ket : curious old houses encircle this space : and the ascent to the door, but more especially the curiously sculptured porch itself, with the open spaces in the upper part — light, fanciful • It is about 180 English feet in width, by al)0ut 150 in the highest part of its elevation. The plates which I saw at Mr. Frere's, bookseller, upon the Quai de Paris, from the drawings of Langlois, were very inadequate representations «)f the building. f The ravages committed by the Calvinists throughout nearly the whole of the towns in Normandy, and especially in the ca- thedrals, towards the year 1560, atford a melancholy proof of the effects of religious animositv. But the Calvinists were bitter and ferocious persecutors. Pommeraye, in his quarto volume, Histoire de VEglise Cuthedrale de Rouen, 1686, has de- voted nearly one hundred pages to au account of Calvinistic depredations. ROUEN. 31 and striking to a degree — produce an effect as pleasing as it is extraordinary. Add to this, tlie ever-reslless feet of devotees, going in and coming out — the worn pavement, and the frittered ornaments, in consequence —seem to convince you that the ardour and activity of devotion is almost equal to that of business.* As you enter the cathedral, at the centre door, by descending two steps, you are struck with the length and loftiness of the nave, and with the lightness of the gallery which runs along the upper part of it. Per- haps the nave is too narrow for its length. The lantern of the central large tower is beautifully light and strik- ing. It is supported by four massive clustered pillars, about forty feet in circumference ;f but on casting your eye downwards, you are shocked at the tasteless divi- sion of the choir from the nave by what is called a Grecian screen : and the interior of the transepts has undergone a like preposterous restoration. The rose windows of the transepts, and that at the west end of the nave, merit your attention and commendation. I could not avoid noticing, to the right, upon entrance, perhaps the oldest side chapel in the cathedral : of a * [Mr. Cotman has a plate of the elevation of the front of this south transept ; and a very minute and brilliant one will he found in the previous edition of this Tour — by IMr. Henry le Keux : for which that distin2;uished Artist received the sum of 100 o;uinea3. The remuneration was well merited.] t [Mens. Licquetsays each clustered pillar contains thirty-one columns.] 32 ROUEN. date, little less ancient than that of the northern tower, and perhaps of the end of the twelfth century. It contains by much the finest specimens of stained glass — of the early part of the xvith century. There is also some beautiful stained glass on each side of the Chapel of the Virgin,* behind the choir ; but although very ancient, it is the less interesting, as not being com- posed of groups, or of historical subjects.. Yet, in this, as in almost all the churches which I have seen, frightful devastations have been made among the stained-glass windows by the fviry of the Revolu- tionists. f Respecting the Monuments, you ought to know that the famous Rollo lies in one of the side-chapels, farther down to the right, upon entering ; although his monument cannot be older than the thirteenth century. My attachment to the bibliomanical celebrity of John, Duke of Bedford, will naturally lead me to the notice * This chapel is about ninety-five English feet in length, by thirty in width, and sixty in hcighth. The sprawling painting by Philippe de Champagne, at the end of it, has no other merit than that of covering so many square feet of wall. The architecture of this chapel is of the xivth century: the stained glass windows are of the latter end of the xvth. On completing the circuit of the cathedral, one is surprised to count not fewer than tu'enty- five chapels. t [Mons. Licquet is paraphrastically warm in his version, here. He renders it thus ; " les atteintes efFroyables du vanda- lisme r^volutionaire," vol. i. p. 64.] ROUEN. 33 of his interment and monumental inscription. The latter is thus ; Ad dextrum Altaris Lotus Jacet loANNES Dux BeTFORDI NormannicB pro Rex Obiit Anno MCCCCXXXV. The Duke's tomb will be seen engraved in Sandford's Genealogical History,* p. 314; which plate, in fact, is the identical one used by Ducarel ; who had the * Sandford, after telling us that he thinks there " never was any portraiture" of the Duke, thus sums up his character. " He was justly accounted one of the best generals that ever blossomed out of the royal stem of Plaxtagenet. His valour was not more terrible to his enemies than his memory honour- able ; for (doubtful whether with more glory to him, or to the speaker) King Lewis the Eleventh being counselled by certain envious persons to deface his tomb (wherein with him, saith one, was buried all English men's good fortune in France) used these indeed princely words : ' What honour shall it be to us, or you, to break this monument, and to pull out of the ground the bones of Him, whom, in his life time, neither my father nor your progenitors, with all their puissance, were once able to make flie a foot backwarde ? who, by his strength, policy and wit kept them all out of the principal dominions of France, and out of this noble duchy of Normandy ? WTierefore, I say first, God save his Socl ; and let his body now lie in rest, which when he was alive, would have disquieted the proudest of us all. And for this Tomb, I assure you it is not so worthy or convenient as his honour and acts have deserved.' " p. 314-5, VOL, I. D 34 ROUEN. singularly good fortune to decorate his Anglo-Nor- man Antiquities without any expense to himself!* There is a curious chapter in Pommeraye's His- foire de rEglise Cathedrale de Rouen, p. 203, res- pecting the Duke's taking the habit of a canon of the cathedral. He attended, with his first wife, Anne of Burgundy, and threw himself upon the liberality and kindness of the monks, to be received Ed. 1707.§ The famous Missal, once in the possession of this celebrated nobleman, and containing the only authenti- cated portrait of him (which is engraved in the Bibliog. Deca- meron, vol. i. p. cxxxvii.) is now the property of John Milner, Esq. of York Place, Portman Square, who purchased it of the Duke of Marlborough. The Duke had purchased it at the sale of the library of the late James Edwards, Esq. for 687^. ^5s. * [A different tale may be told of one of his Successors in the same Anglo-Norman pursuit. The expenses attending the graphic embellishments alone of the previous edition of this work, somewhat exceeded the sum oi four thousand seven hun- dred pounds. The risk was entirely my own. The result was the loss of about 200/. : exclusively of the expences incurred in travelling about 2000 miles. The copper-plates (notwith- standing every temptation, and many entreaties, to multiply impressions of several of the subjects engraved) were de- stroyed. There may be something more than a mere nega- tive consolation, in finding that the work is rising in price, although its author has long ceased to partake of any benefit resulting from it.] § [Upon this, Mons. Licquet, with supposed shrewdness and suc- cess, remarks, — " All very well : but we must not forget that the innocent Joan of Arc was burnt alive — thanks to this said Duke of Bedford, as every one knows !"] ROUEN. S5 by them as one of their order : " il les prioit d'etre receu parmy eux comnie un de leurs freres, et d'avoir tous les jours distribution de pain et de vin, et pour marque de fraternite d'etre vetu du surplis et de I'aumusse : comme aussi d'etre associe, luy et sa tres genereuse et tres illustre epouse, aux suffrages de leur compagnie, et a la participation de tous les biens qu'il plaira a Dieu leur donner la grace d'operer," p. 204f. A grand procession marked the day of the Duke's admission into the monkish fraternity. The whole of this, with an account of the Duke's superb presents to the sacristy, his dining with his Duchess, and receiving their portion of " eight loaves and four gallons of wine," are distinctly narrated by the minute Pommeraye. As you approach the Chapel of the Virgin, you pass by an ancient monument, to the left, of a recum- bent Bishop, reposing behind a thin pillar, within a pretty ornamented Gothic arch.* To the eye of a tasteful antiquary this cannot fail to have its due at- traction. While however we are treading upon hal- lowed ground, rendered if possible more sacred by the ashes of the illustrious dead, let us move gently onwards towards the Chapel of the Virgin, behind the choir. See, what bold and brilliant monumental figures are yonder, to the right of the altar ! How * A plate of this Monument is published in the Tour of Normandy by Dawson Turner, Esq. 36 ROUEN. gracefully they kneel, and how devoutly they pray ! They are the figures of the Cardinals D'Amboise — uncle and nephew : — the former, minister of Louis XII.* and (what does not necessarily follow, but what gives him as high a claim upon the gratitude of poste- rity) the restorer and beautifier of the glorious building in which you are contemplating his figure. This splen- did monument is entirely of black and white marble, of the early part of the sixteenth century. The * The Cardinal died in his fiftieth year only ; and his funeral Avas graced and honoured by the presence of his royal master. Guicciardini calls him " the oracle and right arm of Louis." Of eight brothers, whom he left behind, four attained to the episcopal rank. His nephew succeeded him as Archbishop. See also Historia Genealogica Magnatum Francia ; vol. vii. p. 129 ; quoted in the Gallia Christiana, vol. xi. col. 96. It was during the archiepiscopacy of the successor of the nephew of Amboise — namely, that of Charles of Bourbon — that the Calvanistic persecution commenced. " Tunc vero cospit civitas, dioecesis, universaque provincia lamentabilem in modum conflictari, saevientibus ob religionis dissidia plusquam civilibus bellis," &c. But then the good Archbishop, however bountiful he might have been towards the poor at Boncesvalles, (when he escorted Philip II. 's first wife Elizabeth, daughter of Henry II. to the confines of Spain, after he had married her to that wretched monarch) should not have infiamed the irritated minds of the Calvinists, by burning alive, in 1659, John Cottin, one of their most eminent preachers, by way of striking' terror into the rest ! Well might the Chronicler observe, as the result, " novas secta ilia in dies acquirebat vires." About 1660-2, the Calvinists got the upper hand; and repaid the Catholics with a vengeance. Charles of Bourbon died in 1590: so that he had an arduous and agitated time of it. ROUEN. 37 figures just mentioned are of white marble, kneeling upon cushions, beneath a rich canopy of Gothic fret- work. They are in their professional robes ; their heads are bare, exhibiting the tonsure, with the hair in one large curl behind. A small whole-length figure of St. George, their tutelary saint, is below them, in gilded marble : and the whole base, or lower frieze, of the monument, is surrounded by six delicately sculp- tured females, about three feet high, emblematic of the virtues for which these cardinals were so eminently distinguished. These figures, representing Faith, Charity, Prudence, Force, Justice, and Temperance* are flanked by eight smaller ones, placed in carved niches ; while, above them, are the twelve Apostles, not less beautifully executed.* On gazing at this splendid monument of ancient piety and liberality — and with one's mind deeply intent upon the characters of the deceased — let us fancy we hear the sound of the great bell from the south-west tower . . . called the Amboise Tower . . . erected, both the bell and the tower, by the uncle and minister Amboise. Know, my dear friend, that there was 0)ice a bell, (and the largest in Europe, [* How long will this monument — (matchless of its kind) — con- tinue unrepresented by the burin? If Mr. Henry Le Keux were to execute it in his best style, the world might witness in it a piece of Art entirely perfect of its kind. But let the pencils of Messrs. Corbould and Blore be first exercised on the subject, hi the mean while, why is Gallic Art inert ?] 38 ROUEN. save one) which used to send forth its sound, for three successive centuries, from the said tower. This bell was broken about thirty years ago, and destroyed in the ravages of the immediately succeeding years.* The south-west tower remains, and the upper part of the central tower, with the whole of the lofty wooden spire : — the fruits of the liberality of the excellent men of whom such honourable mention has been made. Considering that this spire is very lofty, and composed of wood, it is surprising that it has not been destroyed by tempest, or by lighfning.j- The taste of it is rather capricious than beautiful. * The choir was formerly separated from the surrouudiiijj chapels, or rather from the space between it and the chapels, by a superb brass grating, full of the most beautiful arabesque ornaments — another testimony of the magnificent spirit of the Cardinal and Prime Minister of Louis XII. : whose arms, as well as the figure of his patron, St. George, were seen in the centre of every compartment The Revolution has not left a vestige behind ! t [In this edition, I put the above passage in Italics, — to mark, that, within three years of ^vriting it, the spire was con- sumed by LIGHTNING. The newspapers of both France and England were full of this melancholy event ; and in the year 1823, Monsieur Hyacinthe Langlois, of Rouen, published an account of it, together with some views (indifferently lithogra- phised) of the progress of the burning. " It should seem (says Mons. Licquet) that the author had a presentiment of what was speedily to take place : — for the rest, the same spe- cies of destruction threatens all similar edifices, for the want of conductors." I possess a fragment of the lead of the roof, as it was collected after a state of fusion — and sent ovei* to me ROUEN. 39 I have not yet clone with the monuments, or rather have only commenced the account of them.* Exa- mine yonder recumbent figure, to the left of the altar, opposite the splendid monument upon which I have just been dilating. It is lying upon its back, with a ghastly expression of countenance, represent- ing the moment when the last breath has escaped from the body. It is the figure of the Grand Senes- chal DE BREZEjfr — Governor of Rouen, and husband of the celebrated Diane de Poictiers — that thus claims our attention. This figure is quite naked, lying upon its back, with the right hand placed on the stomach, but in an action which indicates life — and therefore it is in bad taste, as far as truth is con- cerned ; for the head being fallen back, much shrunken, and with a ghastly expression of countenance — indi- cating that some time has elapsed since it breathed its by some friend at Rouen. The fusion has caused portions of the lead to assume a variety of fantastic shapes — not altogether unlike a gothic building.] * Let me add that the whole length of the cathedral is about four hundred and forty feet ; and the transept about one hun- dred and seveuty-tivc ; English measure. The height of the nave is about ninety, and of the lantern one hundred and sixty- eight feet, English. The length of the nave is two hundred and twenty-eight feet. t He died in 1531. Both the ancient and yet existing in- scriptions are inserted by Gilbert, from Pommeraye and Farin ; and formerly there was seen, in the middle of the monument, the figure of tlic Seneschal habited as a Count, with all the insignia of his dignity. But this did not outlive the Revolution. 40 ROUEN. last— the hand could not rest in this position. The cenotaph is of black marble, disfigured by the names of idle visitors who choose to leave such impertinent memorials behind. The famous Goujon is supposed to be the sculptor of the figure, which is painfully clever, but it strikes me as being too small. At any rate, the arms and body seem to be too strong and fleshy for the shrunken and death-stricken expres- sion of the countenance. Above the Seneschal, thus prostrate and lifeless, there is another and a very clever representation of him, on a smaller scale, on horse- back. On each side of this figure (which has not escaped serious injury) are two females in white marble ; one representing the Virgin, and the other Diane de PoiCTiERs:* they are little more than half the size * It must be admitted that Diana, when she caused the verses Indivulsa tibi quondam etfidissima conjux Vt fmt in thalamo, sic erit in tumulo. to be engraved upon the tomb of the Seneschal, might well have "moved the bile" of the pious Benedictine Pommeraye, and have excited the taunting of Ducarel, when they thought upon her subsequent connexion, in the character of mistress, with Henry the Second of France. Henry however endea- voured to compensate for his indiscretions by the pomp and splendor of his processions. Rouen, so celebrated of old for the entries of Kings and Nobles, seems to have been in a per- fect blaze of splendor upon that of the Lover of Diana — " qui fut plus raagnifique que toutes celles qu'on avoit vu jusqu'alors." see Farin's Hist, de la Ville de Rouen, vol. i. p. 121, where there is a singularly minute and gay account of all the orders ROUEN. 41 of life. The whole is in the very best style of the sculpture of the time of Francis I. These precious specimens of art, as well as several other similar remains, were carried away during the revolution, to a place of safety. The choir is spacious, and well adapted to its purposes ; but who does not grieve to see the Archbishop's stall, once the most curious and costly, of the Gothic order, and executed at the end of the xvth century, transformed into a stately com- mon-place canopy, supported by columns of chestnut- wood carved in the Grecian style? The Library, which used to terminate the north transept, is — not gone — but transferred. A fanciful stair-case, with an appropriate inscription,* yet attest that it was for- merly an appendage to that part of the edifice. and degrees of citizens — (with their gorgeous accoutrements of white plumes, velvet hats, rich brocades, and curiously wrought taffetas) of whom the processions were composed. It must have been a perfectly dramatic sight, upon the largest possible scale. It was from respect to the character or the memory of Diana, that so many plaster-representations of her were erected on the exteriors of buildings : especially of those within small squares or quadrangles. In wandering about Rouen, I stumbled upon several old mansions of this kind. * The inscription is this : Si qiiem aancta tenet med'ttandi in lege voluntas. Hie poterit residens, sacris intendere libris. Pommeraye has rather an interesting gossiping chapter [Chaji. xxii.] " De la Bibliothfique de la Cathddrale ;" p. 163: to which Francois de Harlay, about the year 1630, was one of the most munificent benefactors. 42 ROUEN. Before I quit the subject of the cathedral, I must not fail to tell you something relating to the rites performed therein. Let us quit therefore the dead for the living. Of course we saw, here, a repetition of the ceremonies observed at Dieppe ; but pre- viously to the feast of the Ascension we were also present at the confirmation of three hundred boys and three hundred girls, each very neatly and appro- priately dressed, in a sort of sabbath attire, and each holding a lighted wax taper in the hand. The girls were dressed in white, with white veils ; and the rich lent veils to those who had not the means of purchas- ing them. The cathedral, especially about the choir, was crowded to excess. I hired a chair, stood up, and gazed as earnestly as the rest. The interest excited among the parents, and especially the mothers, was very striking. " Voila la petite — qu'elle a I'air char- mant ! — le petit ange !".... A stir is made . . . they rise . . . and approach, in the most measured order, the rails of the choir . . . There they deposit their tapers. The priests, very numerous, extinguish them as dex- terously as they can ; and the whole cathedral is per- fumed with the mixed scent of the wax and frank- incense. The boys, on approaching the altar, and giving up their tapers, kneel down; then shut their eyes, open their mouths; and the priests deposit the consecrated wafer upon their tongues. The procession now took a different direction. They all Avent into the nave, where a sermon was preached to the young ROUEN. 43 people, expressly upon the occasion, by a Monsieur Quillebeuf, a canon of the cathedral, and a preacher of considerable popularity. He had one of the most meagre and forbiddmg physiognomies I ever beheld, and his beard was black and unshaven. But he preached well ; fluently, and even eloquently : making a very singular, but not ungraceful, use of his left arm — and displaying at times rather a happy familiarity of manner, wholly exempt from vulgarity, and well suited to the capacities and feelings of his youthful audience. His subject was " belief in Christ Jesus ;" on which he gave very excellent proofs and evidences. His voice was thin, but clear, and distinctly heard. And now, my dear Friend, if you are not tired with this detour of the Cathedral, suppose avc take a promenade to the next most important ecclesias- tical edifice in the city of Rouen. What say you therefore to a stroll to the Abbey of St. Ouen ? " Willingly," methinks I hear you reply. To the abbey therefore let us go. Leaving the Cathedral, you pass a beautifully sculptured fountain (of the early time of Francis I.) which stands at the corner of a street, to the right ; and which, from its central situation, is visited the live-long day for the sake of its limpid waters. Push on a little further ; then, turning to the right, you get into a sort of square, and observe the Abbey — or rather the tcest-front of it, full in face of you. You gaze, and are first struck with its matchless window : 44 ROUEN call it rose, or marygold, as you please. 1 think, for delicacy and richness of ornament, this window is perfectly unrivalled. There is a play of line in the muUions, which, considering their size and strength, may be pronounced quite a master-piece of art. You approach, regretting the neglected state of the lateral towers, and enter, through the large and completely- opened centre doors, the nave of the Abbey. It was towards sun-set when we made our first entrance. The evening was beautiful ; and the variegated tints of sun-beam, admitted through the stained glass of the window, just noticed, were perfectly enchanting. The window itself, as you look upwards, or rather as you fix your eye upon the centre of it, from the remote end of the Abbey, or the Ladys Chapel, was a perfect blaze of dazzling light : and nave, choir, and side aisles, seemed magically illumined . . . Seemed all on fire — within, around ; Deep sacristy and altar's pale ; Shone every pillar foliage-bound. . . . Lay of the Last Minstrel. We declared instinctively that the Abbey of St. OuEN could hardly have a rival ; — certainly not a su- perior. ROUEN 45 As the evening came on, the gloom of almost every side chapel and recess was rendered doubly impressive by the devotion of numerous straggling supplicants ; and invocations to the pi*esiding spirit of the place, reached the ears and touched the hearts of the by- standers. The grand western entrance presents you with the most perfect view of the choir — a magical circle, or rather oval — flanked by lofty and clustered pillars, and free from the surrounding obstruction of 46 ROUEN. screens, &c. Nothing more airy and more captivating of the kind can be imagined. The finish and delicacy of these pillars are quite surprising. Above, below, around — every thing is in the purest style of the xivth and xvth centuries. The central tower is a tower of beauty as well as of strength. Yet in regard to further details, connected with the interior, it must be admitted that there is very little more which is de- serving of particular description ; except it be the gallery, which runs within the walls of the nave and choir, and which is considei'ably more light and elegant than that of the cathedral. A great deal has been said about the circular windows at the end of the south transept, and they are undoubtedly elegant : but com- pared with the one at the extremity of the nave, they are rather to be noticed from the tale attached to them, than from their positive beauty. The tale, my friend, is briefly this. These windows were finished (as well as the larger one at the west front) about the year 1439. One of them was executed by the master- mason, the other by his apprentice ; and on being cri- ticised by competent judges, the performance of the latter was said to eclipse that of the former. In con- sequence, the master became jealous and revengeful, and actually poniarded his apprentice. He was of course tried, condemned, and executed ; but an exist- ing monument to his memory attests the humanity of the monks in giving him christian interment.* On the * christian interment^—" Les Religieux de Saint Ouen touchez ROUEN. 47 whole, it is the absence of all obtrusive and unappro- priate ornament which gives to the interior of this building that light, unencumbered, and faery-Uke effect which so peculiarly belongs to it, and which creates a sensation that I never remember to have felt within any other similar edifice. Let me however put in a word for the Organ. It is immense, and perhaps lai'ger than that belonging to the Cathedral. The tin pipes (like those of the organ in the Cathedral) are of their natural colour. I paced the pavement beneath, and think that this organ cannot be short of forty EngUsh feet in length. Indeed, in all the churches which I have yet seen, the organs strike me as being of magnificent dimen- sions. You should be informed however that the extreme length of the interior, from the further end of the Chapel of the Virgin, to its opposite western extre- mity, is about four hundred and fifty English feet ; while the height, from the pavement to the roof of the nave, or the choir, is one hundred and eight Enghsh feet. The transepts are about one hundred de compassion envers ce malheureux artisan, obtinrent son corps (Ifc la justice, et pour reconnoissance des bons services qu'il leur avoit rendus dans la construction de leur ^glise, nonobstant sa fin tragique, ne laiss^rent pas de luy fair I'honneur de I'inhumer dans la chapelle de sainte Agnes, ou sa tombe se voit encore auec cet Epitaphe : Cy gist M. Alexandre de Berneual, Maistre des oeuvres de Afassonno'ie, 48 ROUEN. and forty feet in length. The central tower, upon the whole, is not only the grandest to^ver in Rouen, but there is nothing for its size in our own country that can compare with it. It rises upwards of one hundred feet above the roof of the church ; and is supported below, or rather within, by four magnifi- cent cluster-pillared bases, each about thirty-two feet in circumference. Its area, at bottom, can hardly be less than thirty-six feet square. The choir is flanked by flying buttresses, which have a double tier of small arches, altogether "marvellous and curious to behold." I could not resist stealing quietly round to the porch of the south transept, and witnessing, in that porch, one of the most chaste, light, and lovely spe- cimens of Gothic architecture, which can be contem- plated. Indeed, I hardly know any thing like it.* The leaves of the poplar and ash were beginning to mantle the exterior ; and, seen through their green and gay lattice work, the traceries of the porch seemed to assume a more interesting aspect. They are now mending the upper part of the fa9ade with new stone of peculiar excellence — but it does not * Even Dr. Ducarel became warm — on contemplating this porch I " The porch at the south entrance into the church (says he) is much more worthy of the spectator's attention, being highly enriched with architectonic ornaments ; particu- larly two beautiful cul (!e lamps, M'hich from the combination of a variety of spiral dressings, as they hang down from the vaulted roof, produce a very pleasing effect," p. 28. ROUEN. 49 harmonise with the old work. They merit our thanks, however, for the preservation of what remains of this precious pile. I should remark to you that the eastern and north-eastern sides of the abbey of St. Ouen are surrounded with promenades and trees : so that, occasionally, either when walking, or sitting upon the benches, within these gardens, you catch one of the finest views imaginable of the abbey. At this early season of the year, much company is assembled every evening in these walks : while, in front of the abbey, or in the square facing the wes- tern end, the national guard is exercised in the day time — and troops of fair nymphs and willing youths mingle in the dance on a sabbath evening, while a platform is erected for the instrumental performers, and for the exhibition of feats of legerdemain. You must not take leave of St. Ouen without being told that, formerly, the French Kings used occasionally to " make revel" within the Abbot's house. Henry II, Charles IX, and Henry III, each took a fancy to this spot — but especially the famous Henri Quatre. It is reported that that monarch sojourned here for four months — and his reply to the address of the aldermen and sheriff of Rouen is yet preserved both in MS. and by engravings. " The King having arrived at St. Ouen (says an old MS.)* the keys of * Consult the account given by M. Le Prevost in the " Precis Analytiqtte des Travaux de VAcademie, fife, de Rouen" for the year 1816, p. 151, &c. VOL. I. E 50 ROUEN. the tower were presented to him, in the presence of M. de Montpensier, the governor of the province, upon a velvet-cushion. The keys were gilt. The King took them, and replacing them in the hands of the governor, said — " Mon cousin, je vous les bailie pour les rendre, qu'ils les gardent ;" — then, address- ing the aldermen, he added, " Soyez moi bons sujets et je vous serai bon Roi, et le meilleur Roi que vous ayez jamais eu." Next to the Abbey of St. Ouen, " go by all means and see the church St. Maclou" — say your friends and your guides. The Abbe Turquier accompanied me thither. The great beauties of St. Maclou are its tower and its porch. Of the tower, little more than the lantern remains. This is about 160 Eng- lish feet in height. Above it was a belfry or steeple, another 110 feet in height, constructed of wood and lead — but which has been nearly destroyed for the sake of the lead, — for the purpose of slaughter or resistance during the late revolution.* The exteriors * Farin tells us that you could go from the top of the lan- tern to the cross, or to the summit of the belfry, '* outside, without a ladder ; so admirable was the workmanship." " Stran- gers (adds he) took models of it for the purpose of getting them engraved, and they were sold publicly at Rome." Hist, de la Fille de Rouen, 1738, 4to. vol. ii. p. 154. There are thirteen chapels within this church ; of which however the building can- not be traced lower than quite the beginning of the xvith century. The extreme length and width of the interior is about 165 by 82 feet English. Even in Du Four's time the population of this ROUEN. 31 of the porches are remarkable for then- elaborate ornaments ; especially those in the Rue MartainviUe. They are highly praised by the inhabitants, and are supposed to be after the models of the famous Goujon. Perhaps they are rather encumbered with ornament, and want that quiet effect, and pure good taste, which we see in the porches of the Cathedral and of the Abbey St. Ouen. However, let critics determine as they will upon this point — they must at least unite in reprobating the barbarous edict which doomed these delicate pieces of sculptured art to be deluged with an over-whelming tint of staring yellow ochre ! Of the remaining churches, I shall mention only four : two of them chiefly remarkable for their inte- rior, and two for their extreme antiquity. Of the two former, that of St. Vincent presents you with a noble organ, with a hght choir profusely gilded, and (rarer accompaniment !) in very excellent taste. But the stained glass is the chief magnet of attraction. It is rich, varied, and vivid to a degree ; and, upou the whole, is the finest specimen of this species of parish was very great, and its cemetery (adds he) was the first and most regular in Rouen. He gives a brief, but glowing des- cription of it — " on va tout autour par des galeries couverteset payees ; et, deux de ces galeries sont decor^es de deux autels," &c. p. 150. Alas! time— or the revolution— has annihilated all this. Let me however add that M. Cotman has published a view of the staircase ig the church of which I am speaking. 52 ROUEN. art in the present ecclesiastical remains of the city. St. Vivien is the second of these two former. It is a fine open church, with a large organ, having a very curious wooden screen in front, elaborately carved, and, as I conceive, of the very earliest part of the sixteenth century. I ascended the organ-loft ; and the door hap- pening to be open, I examined this screen (which has luckily escaped the yellow-ochre edict) very minutely, and was much gratified by the examination. Such pieces of art, so situated, are of rare occurrence. For the first time, within a parish church, I stepped upon the pavement of the choir: walked gently forwards, to the echo of my own footsteps, (for not a creature was in the church) and, " with no unhallowed hand" I would hope, ventured to open the choral or service book, resting upon its stand. It was wide, thick, and ponderous : upon vellum : beautifully written and well executed in every respect, with the exception of the illuminations which were extremely indifferent. I ought to tell you that the doors of the churches, abroad, are open at all times of the day : the ancient or more massive door, or portal, is secured from shutting ; but a temporary, small, shabby wooden door, covered with dirty green baize, opening and shutting upon circular hinges, just covers the vacuum left by the absence of the larger one. Of the two ancient churches, above alluded to, that of St. Gervais, is situated considerably to the north of where the Boulevards Cauchoise and Bouvreuil ROUEN. 53 meet. It was hard by this favourite spot, say the Nor- man historians, that the ancient Dukes of Normandy built their country-houses : considering it as a lieu de plaisance. Here too it was that the Conqueror came to breathe his last — desiring to be conveyed thither, from his palace in the city, for the benefit of the pure air.* I walked with M. Le Prevost to this curious church : having before twice seen it. But the Crypt is the only thing worth talking about, on the score of antiquity. The same accomplished guide bade me remark the extraordinary formation of the capitals of the pillars : which, admitting some perversity of taste in a rude, Norman, imitative artist, are decidedly of Roman character. " Perhaps," said M. Le Prevost, " the last efforts of Roman art previous to the relin- quishment of the Romans." Among these capitals there is one of the perfect Doric order ; while in ano- ther you discover the remains of two Roman eagles. The columns are all of the same height ; and totally unlike every thing of the kind which I have seen or heard of. We descended the hill upon which >S/. Gervais is built, and walked onward towards St. Paul, situated at the further and opposite end of the town, upon a * Ordericus Vitalis says, that the dying monarch requested to be conveyed thither, to avoid the noise and bustle of a popu- lous town. Rouen is described to be, in las time, " populosa civitas." Consult Duchesne's Historice Normannor. Scrip. Antiq. p. 656. 54 ROUEN. gentle eminence, just above the Banks of the Seine.* M. Le Prevost was still our conductor. This small edifice is certainly of remote antiquity, but I suspect it to be completely Norman. The eastern end is full of antiquarian curiosities. We observed something like a Roman mask as the centre ornament upon the capital of one of the circular figures ; and Mr. Lewis made a few slight drawings of one of the grotesque heads in the exterior, of which the hair is of an un- common fashion. The Saxon tvhiskers are discover- able upon several of these faces. Upon the whole, it is possible that parts of this church may have been built at the latter end of the tenth century, after the Normans had made themselves completely masters of this part of the kingdom ; yet it is more probable that there is no vestige left which claims a more ancient date than that of the end of the eleventh century. I ought just to notice the church of St. Sever,f sup- posed by some to be yet more ancient : but I had no opportunity of taking a particular survey of it. Thus much, or rather thus little, respecting the ECCLESIASTICAL ANTIQUITIES of Rouen. They merit indeed a volume of themselves. This city could once * A view of it is published by M. Cotman. f St. Sever.} This church is situated in the southern faux- bourgs, by the side of the Seine, and was once surrounded by gardens, &c. As you cross the bridge of boats, and go to the race-ground, you leave it to the right ; but it is not so old as S(. Paul — where, Farin says, the worship of Adoms was once performed ! ROUEN. 55 boast of upwards of thirty parish churches ; of which very nearly a dozen have been recently (I mean during the Revolution) converted into warehouses. It forms a curious, and yet melancholy melange — this strange misappropriation of what was formerly held most sacred, to the common and lowest purposes of civil life ! You enter these warehouses, or offices of business, and see the broken shaft, the battered capital, and half-de- molished altar-piece — the gilded or the painted frieze — in the midst of bales of goods — casks, ropes, and bags of cotton : while, without, the same spirit of demo- lition prevails in the fractured column, and tottering arch way. Thus time brings its changes and decays — premature as well as natural : and the noise of the car- men and injunctions of the clerk are now heard, where formerly there reigned a general silence, interrupted only by the matin or evening chaunt! I deplored this sort of sacrilegious adaptation, to a respectable- looking old gentleman, sitting out of doors upon a chair, and smoking his pipe — " c'est dommage, Mon- sieur, qu'on a converti I'eglise a" — He stopped me : raised his left hand : then took away his pipe with his right ; gave a gentle whiff, and shrugging up his shoulders, half archly and half drily exclaimed — " Mais que voulez vous. Monsieur ? — ce sont des evenemens qu'on ne pent ni prevoir ni prevenir, Voila ce que c'est !" Leaving you to moralize upon this comfortable morceau of philosophy, consider me ever, &c. 56 ROUEN. LETTER VI. HALLES DE COMMERCE. PLACE DE LA PUCELLE d'oR- LEANS (jEANNE D*ARC.) BASSO-RILIEVO OF THE CHAMP DE DRAP d'oR. PALACE AND COURTS OF JUSTICE. You must make up your mind to see a few more sights in the city of Rouen, before I conduct you to the environs, or to the summit of Mont St. Catherine. We must visit some relics of antiquity ,and take a yet more famiUar survey of the town, ere we strive superas evadere ad auras. Indeed the information to be gained well merits the toil endured in its acquisition. The only town in Eng- land that can give you any notion of Rouen, is Ches- ter ; although the similitude holds only in some few particulars. I must, in the first place then, make especial mention of the Halles de Commerce. The marliets here are numerous and abundant, and are of all kinds. Cloth, cotton, lace, linen, fish, fruit, vege- tables, meat, corn, and wine ; these for the exterior and interior of the body. Cattle, wood, iron, earthen- ware, seeds, and implements of agriculture ; these for the supply of other necessities considered equally ROUEN. 57 important. Each market has its appropriate site. For picturesque effect, you must visit the Vieu.v Marchty for vegetables and fish; which is kept in an open space, once filled by the servants and troops of the old Dukes of Normandy, having the ancient ducal palace in front. This is the fountain head whence the minor markets are supplied. Every stall has a large old tattered sort of umbrella spread above it, to ward oft' the rain or rays of heat ; and, seen from some points of view, the effect of all this, with the ever-restless motion of the tongues and feet of the vendors, united to their strange attire, is exceedingly singular and inte- resting. Leaving the old market place, you pass on to the Marchc Neuf, where fruits, eggs, and butter are chiefly sold. At this season of the year there is necessarily Httle or no fruit, but I could have filled one coat pocket with eggs for less than half a franc. While on the subject of buying and selling, let us go to the Halles of Rouen; being large public buildings now exclusively appropriated to the sale of cloths, linen, and the varied et-ceteras of mercery. These are at once spacious and interesting in a high degree. They form the divi- sions of the open spaces, or squares, where the markets just mentioned are held ; and were formerly the appur- tenances of the palaces and chateaux of the old Dukes of Normandy: the latter of which are now wholly demolished. You must rise betimes on a Friday morning, to witness a sight of which you can have no 58 ROUEN. conception in England : unless it be at a similar scene in Leeds. By six o'clock the busy world is in motion within these halls. Then commences the incessant and inconceivable vociferation of buying and selling. The whole scene is alive, and carried on in several large stone-arched rooms, supported by a row of pillars in the centre. Of these halls, the largest is about three hundred and twenty English feet in length, by fifty- five in width. The centre, in each division, contains tables and counters for the display of cloth, cotton, stuff, and linen of all descriptions. The display of divers colours — the commendations bestowed by the seller, and the reluctant assent of the purchaser — the animated eye of the former, aud the calculating brow of the latter — the removal of one set of wares, and the bringing on of another — in short, the never-ceasing succession of sounds and sights astonishes the gravity of an Englishman ; whose astonishment is yet height- ened by the extraordinary good humour which every where prevails. The laugh, the joke, the equivoque, and reply, were worth being recorded in pointed metre ; — and what metre but that of Crabbe could possibly render it justice ? By nine of the clock all is hushed. The sale is over : the goods are cleared ; and both buyers and sellers have quitted the scene. From still, let me conduct you to active life. In other words, let us hasten to take a peep at the Horse and Cattle Market ; which is fixed in the very oppo- site part of the town ; that is, towards the northern KOUEN. 59 Boulevards. The horses are generally entire : and indeed you have scarcely any thing in England which exceeds the Norman horse, properly so understood. This animal unites the hardiness of the mule with the strength of his own particular species. He is also docile, and well trained ; and a Norman, from pure affection, thinks he can never put enough harness upon his back. I have seen the face and shoulders of a cart-horse almost buried beneath a profusion of orna- ment by way of collar ; and have beheld a farmer's horse, led out to the plough, with trappings as gor- geous and striking as those of a General's charger brought forward for a review. The carts and vehicles are usually balanced in th« centre upon two wheels, which diminishes much of the pressure upon the horse. Yet the caps of the wheels are frightfully long, and inconveniently projecting: while the eternally loud cracking of the whip is most repulsive to nervous ears. On market days, the horses stand pretty close to each other for sale ; and are led off, for shew, amidst boys, girls, and women, who contrive very dexterously to get out of the way of their active hoofs. The French seem to have an instinctive method of doing that, which, with ourselves, seems to demand forethought and deliberation. Of the Streets, in this extraordinary city, that of the Great Clock — (Rue de la Grosse Horloge) which runs in a straight line from the western front of the Cathedral, at right angles with the Rue des Carmes, 60 ROUEN. is probably the most important, ancient, and interest- ing. When we were conveyed, on our entrance, (in the cabriolet of the Diligence) beneath the arch to the upper part of which this old fashioned clock is at- tached, we were lost in admiration at the singularity of the scene. The inhabitants saw, and enjoyed, our astonishment. There is a fountain beneath, or rather on one side of this arch ; over which is sculptured a motley group of insipid figures, of the latter time of Louis XIV. The old tower near this clock merits a leisurely survey : as do also some old ihouses, to the right, on looking at it. It was within this old tower that a bell was formerly tolled, at nine o'clock each evening, to warn the inhabitants abroad to return within the walls of the city.* Turning to the left, in this street, and going down a sharp descent, we observed a stand of hackney coaches in a small square, called La Place de la Pu- celle : that is, the place where the famous Jeanne D'ARcf was imprisoned, and afterwards burnt. What * [I apprehend this custom to be prevalent in fortified towns : — as ^ontwformerly was — and as I found such custom to obtain at the present day, at Strasbourg. Mons. Licquet says that the allusion to the curfew — or couvre-feu — as appears in the previous edition — and which the reader well knows was established by the Conqueror with us — was no particular badge of the slavery of the English. It had been previously established by William in Normandy. Millot is referred to as the authority.] * t lie famous in: x^nE d'Arc] Goube, in the second volume of his Histoire du DucM de Normandie, has devoted several spi- ROUEN. 61 sensations possess us as we gaze on each surrounding object ! — although, now, each surrounding object has ritedly written pages to an account of the trial and execution of this heroine. Her history is pretty well known to the English — from earliest youth. Goube says that her mode of death had been completely prejudged ; for that, previously to the sentence being passed, they began to erect *" a scaflfold of plaster, so raised, that the flames could not at first reach her — and she was in consequence consumed by a slow fire : her tortures being long and horrible." Hume has been rather too brief; but he judicioTisly observes that the conduct of the Duke of Bedford " was equally barbarous and dishonourable." Indeed it were diflScult to pronounce which is entitled to the greatest abhor- rence — the imbecility of Charles VII. the baseness of John of Luxembourg, or the treachery of the Regent Bedford ? The identical spot on which she suffered is not now visible, ac- cording to Millin ; that place having been occupied by the late March^ des Feaux. It was however not half a stone's throw from the site of the present statue. In the Antiquitts Na- txonales of the last mentioned author (vol. iii. art. xxxvi.) there are three plates connected with the History of Joan of Arc. 'Y\vQ first plate represents the Porte Bouvreuil to the left, and the circular old tower to the right — in which latter Joan was confined, with some houses before it ; the middle ground is a complete representation of the rubbishing state by which many of the public buildings at Rouen are yet surrounded ; and French taste has enlivened the foreground with a picture of a lover and his mistress, in a bocage, regaling themselves with a flagon of wine. The old circular tower (" qui vit g^mir cette infortunde," says Millin) exists no longer. The second plate represents the fountain which was built in the market-place upon the very spot where the IMaid suffered, and which spot was at first designated by the erection of a cross. From the style of the embellishments it appears to have been of the time of Francis I. 62 ROUEN. undergone a palpable change ! Ah, my friend — what emotions were once excited within this small space ! What curiosity, and even agony of mind, mingled with the tumults of indignation, the shouts of revenge, and the exclamations of pity ! But life now goes on just the same as if nothing of the kind had happened here. The past is forgotten. This hapless Joan of Arc is one of the many, who, having been tor- tured as heretics, have been afterwards reverenced as martyrs. Her statue was, not very long after her exe- Goube has re-engraved this fountain. It was taken down or de- molished in 1755 J upon the site of which was built the present tasteless production — resembling-, as the author of the Itintraire de Rouen (p. 69) well observes, " rather a Pallas than the heroine of Orleans." The name of the author was Stodts. Millin's tfiird plate — of this present existing fountain, is desirable ; in as much as it shews the front of the house, in the interior of which are the basso-rilievos of the Champ de drop d'Or : for an account of which see afterwards. Millin allows that all portraits of her — whether in sculpture, or painting, or engraving — are purely ideal. Perhaps the nearest, in point of fidelity, was that which was seen in a painted glass window of the church of the Miniinesat Chaillot : although the building was not erected till the time of Charles VIII. Yet it might have been a copy of some coeval production. In regard to oil paintings, I take it that the portrait of Judith, with a sword in one hand, and the head of Holofernes in the other, has been usually copied (with the omission of the latter accompani- ment) as that of Jeanne d'Arc. I hardly know a more inte- resting collection of books than that which may be acquired res- pecting the fate of this equally brave and unfortunate heroine. ROUEN. 63 cution, almost adored upon that very spot where her body had been consigned with execrations to the flames. The square, in which this statue stands, contains pro- bably one of the very oldest houses in Rouen — and as interesting as it is ancient. It is invisible from with- out : but you open a wooden gate, and quickly find yourself within a small quadrangle, having three of its sides covered with basso-rilievo figures in plaster. That side which faces you is evidently older than the left : indeed I have no hesitation in assigning it to the end of the xvth century. The clustered ornaments of human figures and cattle, with which the whole of the exterior is covered, reminds us precisely of those nume- rous Httle wood-cut figures, chiefly pastoral, which we see in the borders of printed missals of the same pe- riod. The taste which prevails in them is half French and half Flemish. Not so is the character of the plaster figures which cover the left side on entering. These, my friend, are no less than the representation of the procession of Henry VIII. and Francis I. to the famous Champ de drap d'Or : of which Montfaucon* has published engravings. Having carefully examined * Far be it from me to depreciate the labom-s of Mont- faucon. But those who have not the means of getting at that learned antiquarian's Monarchie Frant^oise may possibly have an opportunity of examining precisely the same repre- sentations, of the procession above alluded to, in Ducarel's Anglo-Norman Antiquities, Plate XII. Till the year 1726 this 64 ROUEN. this very curious relic, of the beginning of the sixteenth century, I have no hesitation in pronouncing the copy of jMontfaucon (or rather of the artist employed by him) to be most egregiously faithless. I visited it again and again, considering it to be worth all the " huge clocks" in Rouen put together. I hardly know how to take you from this interesting spot — from this exhibi- tion of beautiful old art — especially too when I consi- der that Francis himself once occupied the mansion, and held a Council here, with both English and French ; that his bugles once sounded from beneath the gate way, and that his goblets once spai'kled upon the chestnut tables of the great hall. I do hope and trust that the Royal Academy of Rouen, will not suffer this architectural relic to perish, without leaving behind a substantial and faithful representation of it.* extraordinary series of ornament was supposed to represent the Council of Trent ; but the Abb6 Noel, happening to find a salamander marked upon the back of one of the figures, sup- posed, with greater truth, that it was a representation of the abovementioned procession ; and accordingly sent IMontfaucon an account of the whole. The Abb^ might have found more than one, two, or three salamanders, if he had looked closely into this extraordinary exterior ; and possibly, in his time, the surfaces of the more delicate parts, especially of the human features, might not have sustained the injuries which time and accident now seem to have inflicted on them. [A beautiful eflfort in the graphic way representing the entire interior front of this interesting mansion, is said to be published at Rouen.] • [In the previous edition of this work, there appeared a fac- ROUEN. 65 While upon the subject of ancient edifices, lot me return ; and, crossing the Rue de la Grosse Horloge, contrive to place you in the centre of the square which is formed by the Palais de Justice. The inhabitants consider this building as the principal lion in their city. It has indeed claims to notice and admiration, but will not bear the severe scrutiny of a critic in Gothic archi- tecture. It was partly erected by Louis XII. at the en- treaty of the provincial States, through the interest of the famous Cardinal d'Amboise, and partly by Francis I. This building precisely marks the restoration of Gothic taste in France, and the peculiar style of architecture which prevailed in the reign of Francis I. To say the truth, this style, however sparkling and imposing, is objectionable in many respects : for it is, in the first place, neither pure Gothic nor pure Grecian — but an injudicious mixture of both. Greek arabesque borders are running up the sides of a portal terminating in a Gothic arch ; and the Gothic ornaments themselves are not in the purest, or the most pleasing, taste. Too much is given to parts, and too little to the whole. The external ornaments are frequently heavy, from simile of a small portion of this bas-relief, representing — as I imagine — the setting out of Francis to meet Henry. Nothing, as far as correctness of detail goes, can give a more faithful resem- blance of the PRECISE STATE in which the original appears : the defaced and the entire parts being represented with equal 6delity. Mons. Langlois has given a plate of the entire facade or front — in outline — with great ability ; but so small as to give little or uo notion of the character of the original, VOL. I. F 66 ROUEN their size and elaborate execution ; and they seem to be stuck on to the main building without rhyme or reason. The criminal offences are tried in the hall to the right, and the prisoners are confined in the lower part of the building to the left : above which you mount by a flight of stone steps, which conducts you to a singu- larly curious hall,* about one hundred and seventy-five English feet in length — roofed by wooden ribs, in the form of an arch, and displaying a most curious and exact specimen of carpenter's work. This is justly shewn and commented upon to the enquiring traveller. Parts of the building are devoted to the courts of assize, and to tribunals of audience of almost every descrip- tion. The first Presidents of the Parliament lived formerly in the building which faces you upon en- trance, but matters have now taken a very different turn. Upon the whole, this Toivn Hall, or call it what you will, is rather a magnificent structure ; and cer- tainly superior to most provincial buildings of the kind * 111 Duearel's time, " the ground story consisted of a great quadrangle surrounded with booksellers shops. On one side of it a stone staircase led to a large and lofty room, which, in its inter- nal as well as external appearance, resembled, though in minia- ture, Westminster Hall. Here (continues Ducarel) I saw several gentlemen of the long robe, in their gowns and bands, walking up and down with briefs in their hands, and making a great show of business." Anglo-Norman Antiquities, p. 32. [According to Mons. Licquet, this " singularly curious hall" was begun to be built in 1493. It was afterwards, and is still called, la Salle des Procureurs.'] ROUEN. 67 which we possess in England. I should tell you that the courts for commercial causes are situated near the quays, at the south part of the town : and Monsieur Riaux, who conducted me thither, (and who possesses the choicest librai'y* of antiquarian books, of all de- scriptions, relating to Rouen, which I had the good fortune to see) carried me to the Hall of Commerce, which, among other apartments, contains a large cham- ber (contiguous to the Court of Justice) covered with jieurs de lys upon a light blue ground. It is now how- ever much in need of reparation. Fresh lilies and a new ground are absolutely necessary to harmonise with a large oil-painting at one end of it, in which is repre- sented the reception of Louis XVI. at Rouen by the Mayor and Deputies of the town, in 1786. All the figures are of the size of life, well painted after the originals, and appear to be strong resemblances. On enquiring how many of them were now living, I was told that — ALL WERE DEAD ! The fate of the principal figure is but too well known. They should have this interesting subject — interesting undoubtedly to the inhabitants — executed by one of their best engravers. It represents the unfortunate Louis quite in the prime of life ; and is the best Avhole length portrait of him which I have yet seen in painting or in engraving. * the choicest HOrary.'\ Monsieur Riaux, Archiviste de la Chambre de Commerce. This amiable man unites a love of lite- rature with that of architectural antiquities. Tlie library of M. Le Prevost is however as copious as that of Mons. R. 68 ROUEN. It is right however that you should know, that, in the Tribunal for the determination of commercial causes, there sits a very respectable Bench of Judges : among whom I recognised one that had perfectly the figure, air, and countenance, of an Englishman. On enquiry of my guide, I foimd my supposition verified. He icas an EngUshman ; but had been thirty years a resident in Rouen. The judicial costume is appropriate in every respect ; but I could not help smiling, the other morning, upon meeting my friend the judge, standing before the door of his house, in the open street — with a hairy cap on — leisurely smoking his pipe- And wherein consisted the harm of such a delasse- ment ? ROUEN. 69 LETl^ER VII. THE QUAYS. BRIDGE OF BOATS. RUE DU BAG. RUE DE ROBEC. EAUX DE ROBEC ET d'aUBETTE. MONT STE, CATHARINE. HOSPICES — GENERAL ET d'hUMANITE. Still tarrying within this old fashioned place ? I have indeed yet much to impart before I quit it, and which I have no scruple in avowing will be well deserv- ing of your attention. Just letting you know, in few words, that I have visited the famous chemical laboratory of M. VitaUs, (Rue Beaiivoisine) and the yet more wonderful spec- tacle exhibited in M. Lemere's machine for sawing wood of all descriptions, into small or large planks, by means of water works — I must take you along the QUAYS for a few minutes. These quays are flanked by an architectural front, which, were it finished agreeably to the original plan, would present us with one of the noblest structures in Europe. This stone front was begun in the reign of Louis XV. but many and pros- perous must be the years of art, of commerce, and of peace, before money sufficient can be raised for the successful completion of the pile. The quays are long, broad, and full of bustle of every description ; while in 70 ROUEN. some of the contiguous squares, ponderous bales of goods, shawls, cloth, and linen, are spread open to catch the observing eye. In the midst of this varied and animated scene, walks a well-known character, in his large cocked hat, and with his tin machine upon his back, filled with lemonade or coffee, surmounted by a bell — which " ever and anon" is sounded for the sake of attracting customers. He is here copied to the hfe. As you pass along this animated scene, by the side of the rapid Seine, and its Bridge of Boats, you cannot ROUEN. 71 help glancing now and then down the narrow old- tashioned streets, which i-un at right angles with the quays — with the innumerable small tile-fashioned pieces of wood, like scales, upon the roofs — which seem as if they would be demoUshed by every blast. The nar- rowness and gloom of these streets, together with the bold and overwhelming projections of the upper stories and roofs, afford a striking contrast to the anmiated scene upon the quays : — where the sun shines with full freedom, as it were ; and where the glittering streamers, at innumerable mast-heads, denote the wealth and prosperity of the town. If the day happen to be fine, you may devote half a morning in contem- plating, and mingling with, so interesting a scene. We have had frequent thunder-storms of late; and the other Sunday evening, happening to be sauntering at a considerable height above the north-west Boule- vards, towards the Faubourg Cauchoise, I gained a summit, upon the edge of a gravel pit, whence I looked down unexpectedly and precipitously upon the town below. A magnificent and immense cloud was rolling over the whole city. The Seine was however visible on the other side of it, shining hke a broad silver chord : while the barren, ascending plains, through which the road to Caen passes, were gradually becom- ing dusk with the overshadowing cloud, and drenched with rain which seemed to be rushing down in one immense torrent. The tops of the Cathedral and of the abbey of St. Ouen were almost veiled in darkness. 72 ROUEN. by the passing storm ; but the lower part of the tower, and the whole of the nave of each building, were in one stream of golden light — from the last powerful rays of the setting sun. In ten minutes this magically- varied scene settled into the sober, uniform tint of evening ; but I can never forget the rich bed of purple and pink, fringed with burnished gold, in which the sun of that evening set ! I descended — absorbed in the recollection of the lovely objects which I had just contemplated — and regaled by the sounds of a thou- sand little gurgling streamlets, created by the passing tempest, and hastening to precipitate themselves into the Seine. Of the different trades, especially retail, which are carried on in Rouen with the greatest success, those connected with the cotton manufactories cannot fail to claim your attention ; and I fancied I saw, in some of the shop-M'indows, shawls and gowns which might pre- sume to vie with our Manchester and Norwich produc- tions. Nevertheless, I learnt that the French were extremely partial to British manufactures : and cotton stockings, coloured muslins, and what are called ging- hams, are coveted by them with the same fondness as we prize their cambric and their lace. Their best articles in watches, clocks, silver ornaments, and trin- kets, are obtained from Paris. But in respect to up- holstery, I must do the Rouennois the justice to say, that I never saw any thing to compare with their escru- to'ires and other articles of furniture made of the wal- ROUEN. 73 nut tree. These upright escrutoh'es, or writing desks, are in almost every bed-room of the more respectable hotels : but of course their polish is gone when they become stationary furniture in an inn — for the art of rubbing, or what is called elboiv-grease with us — is almost unknown on either side of the Seine. You would be charmed to have a fine specimen of a side board, or an escrutoire, (the latter five or six feet high) made by one of their best cabinet-makers from choice walnut wood. The polish and tone of colour are equally gratifying ; and resemble somewhat that of rose wood, but of a gayer aspect. The or-molu ornaments are tastefully put on ; but the general shape, or con- tour, of the several pieces of furniture, struck me as being in bad taste. He who wishes to be astonished by the singularity of a scene, connected with trade, should walk leisurely down the Rue de Robec. It is surely the oddest, and as some may think, the most repulsive scene imaginable: But who that has a rational curiosity could resist such a walk ? Here live the dyers of clothes — and in the middle of the street rushes the pi'ecipitous stream, called VEau de Robec* — ^receiving colour's of all hues. To-day it is nearly jet black : to-morrow it is bright * Bourj^eville describes this river, in the sixteenth century, as being " aucune fois iaulne, autrefois rouge, verte, bleiie, violde & autres couleurs, selon qu'vn grand nombre de teinturiers qui sont dessiis, la diuersifient par interualles en faisant leurs ma- neures." Antiquitez dc Caen, p. 36. 74 ROUEN. scarlet : a third day it is blue, and a fourth day it is yellow ! Meanwhile it is partially concealed by little bridges, communicating with the manufactories, or with that side of the street where the work-people live : and the whole has a dismal and disagreeable aspect — espe- cially in dirty weather : but if you go to one end of it (I think to the east — as it runs east and west) and look down upon the descending street, with the overhanging upper stories and roofs — the foreshortened, numerous bridges — the differently-coloured dyed clothes, sus- pended from the windows, or from poles— the constant motion of men, women, and children, running across the bridges — with the rapid, camelion stream beneath — you cannot fail to acknowledge that this is one of the most singular, grotesque, and uncommon sights in the wonder-working city of Rouen. I ought to tell you that the first famous Cardinal d'Amboise (of whom the preceding pages have made such frequent honour- able mention) caused the Eau de Robec to be di- rected through the streets of Rouen, from its original channel or source in a little valley near St. Martin du Vivien. Formerly there was a much more numerous clan of these " teinturiers" in the Rue de Robec — but they have of late sought more capacious premises in the fauxbourgs de St. Hilaire and de Martainville. The neighbouring sister-stream, VEau d'Aubette, is destined to the same purposes as that of which I have been just discoursing ; but I do not at this moment recollect whether it be also dignified, in its course, by ROUEN. 75 turning a few corn mills, ere it empties itself into the Seine. Indeed the thundering noise of one of these mills, turned by the Robec river, near the church of St. Maclou, will not be easily forgotten. Thus you see of what various, strange, and striking objects the city of Rouen is composed. Bustle, noise, life and activity, in the midst of an atmosphere unsullied by the fumes of sea coal : — hilarity and apparent contentment : — the spruce bourgeoise and the slattern fille de chambre : — attired in vestments of deep crimson and dark blue — every thing flits before you as if touched by magic, and as if sorrow and misfortune were unknown to the inha- bitants. " Paullo majora canamus." In other words, let us leave the Town for the Country. Let us hurry through a few more narrow and crowded alleys, courts, and streets — and as the morning is yet beautiful, let us hasten onwards to enjoy the famous Panorama of Rouen and its environs from the Mont Ste. Catha- rine . . . Indeed, my friend, I sincerely wish that you could have accompanied me to the summit of this en- chanting eminence : but as you are far away, you must be content with a brief description of our little expedi- tion thither.* The Mont Ste. Catharine, which is * expedition thither.'] — ^Vhen John Evelyn visited this neigh- bourhood, in 1644, " the country so abounded with icolves, that a shepherd, whom he naet, told him that one of his companions was strangled by one of them the day before — and that, in the midst of the flock ! The fieldo (continues he) are mostly planted with 76 ROUEN. entirely chalk, is considered the highest of the hills in the immediate vicinity of Rouen ; or rather, perhaps, is considered the point of elevation from which the city is to be viewed to the greatest possible advantage. It lies to the left of the Seine, in your way from the town ; and the ascent begins considerably beyond the barriers. Indeed it is on the route to Paris. We took an ex- cellent^«cre to carry us to the beginning of the ascent, that our legs might be in proper order for scrambling up the acclivities immediately above ; and leaving the main road to the right, we soon commenced our ambu- latory operations in good earnest. But there was not much labour or much difficulty : so, halting, or stand- ing, or sitting, on each little eminence, our admiration seemed to encrease — till, gaining the highest point, looking towards the west, we found ourselves imme- diately above the town and the whole of its environs .... " Heavens, what a goodly prospect spread around !" The prospect was indeed " goodly — " being varied, ex- tensive, fertile, and luxuriant ... in spite of a compa- pears and apples and other cider fruits. It is plentifully fur- nished with quarries of stone and slate, and hath iron in abun- dance." Memoirs of the Life and Writings of John Evelyn, vol. i. p. 50. Edit. 1818, My friend Mr. J. H. Markland visited i\Iont St. Catharine the year after the visit above described. He was of course enchanted with the -sdew; and told me, that a friend whom he met there, and who had travelled pretty much in Italy, assured him there was nothing like it on the banks of either the Arno or the Po. In short, it is quite peculiar to itself — and cannot be surpassed. ROUEN. 77 ratively backward spring. The city was the main object, not only of attraction, but of astonishment. Although the point from which we viewed it is consi- dered to be exactly on a level with the summit of the spire of the Cathedral, yet we seemed to be hanging, as it were, in the air, immediately over the streets them- selves. We saw each church, each public edifice, and almost each street ; nay, we began to think we could discover almost every individual stirring in them. The soldiers, exercising on the parade in the Champ de Mars, seemed to be scarcely two stones'throw from us ; while the sounds of their music reached us in the most distinct and gratifying manner. No " Diable boiteux" could ever have transported a " Don Cleophas Lean- dro Perez Zambullo" to a more favourable situation for a knowledge of what was passing in a city ; and if the houses had been unroofed, we could have almost discerned whether the escrutoires were made of maho- gany or walnut-wood ! This wonder-working effect proceeds from the extraordinary clearness of the atmos- phere, and the absence of sea-coal fume. The sky was perfectly blue — the generality of the roofs were also composed of blue slate : this, added to the inci- pient verdure of the boulevards, and the darker hues of the trunks of the trees, upon the surrounding hills — the lengthening forests to the left, and the ntimerous white " maisons de plaisance"* to the right — while the * It is thus prettily observed in the little Itinemire de Rouen — " Ces agT(^ables maisons de plaisance appartiennent k des habitants 78 ROUEN. Seine, with its hundred vessels, immediately below, to the left, and in face of you — with its cultivated little islands — and the sweeping meadows or race-ground* on the other side — all, or indeed any, of these objects could not fail to excite our warmest admiration, and to make us instinctively exclaim " that such a panorama was perfectly unrivalled !" We descended Mont Ste. Catharine on the side fac- ing the Hospice General: a building of a very hand- some form, and considerable dimensions. It is a noble establishment for foundlings, and the aged and infirm of both sexes. I was told that not fewer than twenty-five hundred human beings were sheltered in this asylum ; a number, which equally astonished and delighted me. The descent, on this side the hill, is exceedingly pleas- ing ; being composed of serpentine little walks, through occasional alleys of trees and shrubs, to the very base of the hill, not many hundred yards from the hospital. The architecture of this extensive building is more mixed than that of its neighbour the Hospice (THu- manite, on account of the different times in which por- de Rouen qui y viennent en famille, dans la belle saison, se de- lasser des embarras de la ville et des fatigues du commerce." p. 153. t race-ground. '\ — When the English cavalry were quartered here in 1814-5, the officers were in the frequent habit of racing with each other. These races were gaily attended by the inhabi- tants ; and I heard, from more than one mouth, the warmest commendations bestowed upon the fleetness of the coursers and the skill of the riders. ROUEN. 79 tions of it were added : but, upon the whole, you are rather struck with its approach to what may be called magnificence of style. I was indeed pleased with the good order and even good breeding of its motley inha- bitants. Some were strolling quietly, with their arms behind them, between rows of trees : — others were tranquilly sitting upon benches : a third group would be in motion within the squares of the building: a fourth appeared in deep consultation whether the potage of to day were not inferior to that of the pre- ceding day ? — " Que cherchez vous, Monsieur ?" said a fine looking old man, touching, and half taking off, his cocked hat ; " I wish to see the Abbe Turquier," — rejoined I. " Ah, il vient de sortir — par ici, Mon- sieur." " Thank you." " Monsieur je vous souhaite le bon jour — au plaisir de vous re voir !" And thus I paced through the squares of this vast building. The " Portier" had a countenance which our Wilkie would have seized with avidity, and copied with inimitable spirit and fidelity. 80 ROUEN. LETTER VIII. EARLY TYPOGRAPHY AT ROUEN. MODERN PRINTERS. CHAP BOOKS. BOOKSELLERS. BOOK COLLECTORS. Now for a little gossip and chit-chat about Paper, Ink, Books, Printing-Offices, and curiosities of a gra- phic description. Perhaps the most regular method would be to speak of a few of the principal Presses, before we take the productions of these presses into consideration. And first, as to the antiquity of print- ing in Rouen.* The art of printing is supposed to have been introduced here, by a citizen of the name of Maufer, between the years 1470 and 14S0. Some of the specimens of Rouen Missals and Breinaries, * The reader may possibly not object to consult two or three pages of the Bibliographical Decameron, beginning at page 137, vol. ii. respecting a few of the early Rouen printers. The name of Maufer, however, appears in a fine large folio volume, enti- tled Gaietanus de Tienis Fincentini in Quutt. Aristot. Metheor. Li- bros, of the date of 1476 — in the possession of Earl Spencer. See jEd. Altlwrp vol. ii. p. 134. From the colophon of which we can only infer that Maufer was a citizen of Rouen. [According to M. Licquet, the first book printed at Rouen — a book of the greatest rarity — was entitled Les Croniques de Normandie, par Guillaume Le Tallem; 1487, folio ] ROUEN. SI especially of those by Morin, who was the second printer in this city, are very splendid. His device, which is not common, and rather striking, is here en- closed for your gratification. Few provincial towns have been more fertile in typo- graphical productions ; and the reputation of Tal- LEUR, GuALTiER, and Valentin, gave great respect- ability to the press of Rouen at the commencement of the sixteenth century. VOL. I. G S2 ROUEN. Yet I am not able to ascertain whether these presses were very fruitful in fftomance^, €l)tonicIe?f, and OltJ Poetrji, I rather think, however, that they were not deficient in this popular class of literature, if I am to judge from the specimens which are yet lingering, as it were, in the hands of the curious. The gravity even of an archiepiscopal see could never repress the natural love of the French, from time immemorial, for Hght and fanciful reading. You know with what pertinacity I grope about old alleys, old courts, by-lanes, and unfrequented corners — in search of what is curious, or precious, or rare in the book way. But ere we touch that enchanting chord, let us proceed according to the plan laid down. First therefore for printing-offices. Of these, the names of Periaux, ( Imprimeur de VAcademie,) Baudry, (Im- primeur du RoiJ Megard, (Rue Martainville) and Lecrene-Labbey, ( Imprimeur-Libraire et Marchand de Papiers) are masters of the principal presses ; but such is the influence of Paris, or of metropolitan fashions, that a publisher will sometimes prefer getting his work printed at the capital.* Of the foregoing * [Since the publication of the first edition of this Tour, I have h&d particula?' reason to become further acquainted with the par- tiality of the Rouennois for Parisian printing. When M. Licquet did me the honour to translate my IXth Letter, subjoining notes, (which cut their own throats instead of that of the author anno- tated upon) he employed the press of Mons. Crapelet, at Paris : a press, as eminently distinguished for its beauty and accuracy, as its Director has proved himself to be for his narrow-minded- ROUEN. 83 printers, it behoves me to make some mention ; and yet I can speak personally but of two : Messieurs Pe- riaux and Megard. M. Periaux is printer to the Acadcniie des Sciences, Belles-Lettres et Arts de Rouen, of which academy, indeed, he is himself an accom- plished member. He is quick, intelligent, well-bred, and obliging to the last degree ; and may be consi- dered the Henry Stephen of the Rouen Printers. He urged me to call often : but I could visit him only twice. Each time I found him in his counting house, with his cap on — shading his eyes : a pen in his right hand, and a proof sheet in his left. Though he rejoiced at seeing me, I could discover (much to his praise) that, like Aldus, he wished me to " say my saying quickly,"* and to leave him to his deles and stets ! He has a great run of business, and lives in one of those strange, old- fashioned houses, in the form of a square, with an out- side spiral staircase, so common in this extraordinary city. He introduced me to his son, an intelligent young man — well qualified to take the labouring oar, either ness and acrimony of feeling. M L. (as I learnt from a friend who conversed with him, and as indeed I naturally expected) seemed to be sorry for what he had done.] * like Aldus, " say my saying" quickly^ Consult Mr. Roscoe's Life of Leo X. vol. i. p. 169-70, 8vo. edit. Unger, in his Life of Aldus, edit. Geret. p. xxxxii. has a pleasant notice of an inscrip- tion, to the same effect, put over the door of his printing-office by Aldus. [It has been quoted to satiety, and J therefore omit it here] f ''> 84 ROUEX. upon the temporary or permanent retirement of his parent.*' Of Monsieur Megard, who may be called the an- cient Jenson, or the modern Bulmer, of Rouen, I can speak only in terms of praise — ^both as a civil gentle- man and as a successful printer. He is doubtless the most elegant printer in this city ; and being also a publisher, his business is very considerable. He makes his regular half yearly journeys among the neighbour- ing towns and villages, and as regularly brings home the fruits of his enterprise and industry. On my first visit, M. Megard was from home ; but Madame, " son epouse, I'attendoit a chaque moment !" There is a particular class of women among the French, which may be said to be singularly distinguished for their intelligence, civility, and good breeding. I mean the ■wives of the more respectable tradesmen. Thus I found it, in addition to a hundred similar previous in- stances, with Madame Megard. " Mais Monsieur, je vous prie de vous asseoir. Que voulez vous?" " I wish to have a little conversation with your husband. I am an enthusiastic lover of the art of printing. I search every where for skilful printers, and thus it is that I come to pay my respects to Monsieur Megard."" We both sat down and conversed together ; and I * [Mons. Pdriaux has lately published a Dictionary of the Streets of Rouen, in alphabetical order; in two small, unosten- tatious, and useful octavo volumes.] ROUEN. 85 found in JNIadame Megard a communicative, and well- instructed, representative of the said ancient Jenson, or modern Buhner. " Enfin, voila mon mari qui ar- rive" — said Madame, turning round, upon the opening of the door : — when I looked forward, and observed a stout man, rather above the middle size, with a coun- tenance perfectly English — but accoutred in the dress of the national guard, with a grenadier cap on his head. Madame saw my embarrassment: laughed: and in two minutes her husband knew the purport of my visit. He began by expressing his dislike of the miUtary garb : but admitted the absolute necessity of adopting such a measure as that of embodying a na- tional guard. " Soyez le bien venu ; Ma foi, je ne suis que trop sensible. Monsieur, de I'honneur que vous me faites — vu que vous etes antiquaire typographique, et que vous avez publie des ouvrages relatifs a notre art. Mais ce n'est pas ici qu'il faut en chercher de belles epreuves. C'est a Paris." I parried this delicate thrust by observing that I was well acquainted with the fine productions of Didot, and had also seen the less aspiring ones of himself ; of which indeed I had reason to think his townsmen might be proud. This I spoke with the utmost sin- cerity. My first visit concluded with two elegant little book-presents, on the part of M. Megard — one being Heures de Rouen, a V usage du Diocese, 1814, 12nio. and the other Etrennes nouvelles commodes et utiles, 1815, 12mo. — the former bound in green morocco; 86 ROUEN. and the latter in calf, with gilt leaves, but printed on a sort of apricot-tinted paper — producing no unpleasing effect. Both are exceedingly well executed. My visits to M. Megard were rather frequent- He has a son at the College Royale, or Lycee, whither I accom- panied him, one Sunday morning, and took the church of that establishment in the way. It is built entirely in the Italian style of architecture : is exceedingly spa- cious : has a fine organ, and is numei'ously attended. The pictures I saw in it, although by no means of first- rate merit, quite convince me that it is in churches of Roman, and not of Gothic architecture, that paintings produce the m^st harmonious effect. This college and church form a noble establishment, situated in one of the most commanding eminences of the town. From some parts of it, the flying buttresses of the nave of the Abbey of St. Ouen, with the Seine at a short dis- tance, surmounted by the hills and woods of Canteleu as a back ground, are seen in the most gloriously pic- turesque manner. But the printer who does the most business — or rather whose business lies in the lower department of the art, in bringing forth what are called chajo books — is Lecrene-L ABBEY — imprhueur-libraire et marchand .de papiers. The very title imports a sort of Dan Newberry s repository. I believe however that Le- crene-Labbey's business is much diminished. He once lived in the Rue de la Grosse-Horloge, No. 12 : but at present carries on trade in one of the out-skirting KOUEN. 87 streets of the town. I was told that the premises he now occupies were once an old church or monastery, and that a thousand fluttering sheets are now sus- pended where formerly was seen the solemn proces- sion of silken banners, with religious emblems, embla- zoned in colours of all hues. I called at the old shop, and supplied myself with a dingy copy of the Cata- logue de la Bibliotheque Bleue — from which catalogue however I could purchase but little ; as the greater part of the old books, several of the Caxtonian stampf had taken their departures. It was from this Cata- logue that I learnt the precise character of the works destined for common reading ; and fr .,im hence inferred, what I stated to you a little time ago, that Romances, Ro?idelaijs, and chivalrous stories, are yet read with pleasure by the good people of France. It is, in short, from this lower, or lowest species of literature — if it must be so designated — that we gather the real genius, or mental character, of the ordinary classes of society. I do assure you that some of these cJuqi publications are singularly droll and curious. Even the very rudi- ments of learning, or the mere alphabet-book, meets the eye in a very imposing manner — as in the following facsimile. 98 ROUEN. ^ In nomine Patris, & Filii. ^ ■$■ & fpiritus fancti. Amen. ^ S ^^^ ^ a b c d I; •^ ^^^^^k e f g h i k ^ l^t^ Im n o p| |T^^T qrfstu| ^ a e 1 o u m 11 ft ct fi fi ^ Iflflfflffiffi^oe. I ^ L Oraifon Dominicale. ^ I p Ater nofter ,| •$• qui es in coe- ■$■ •^ lis , fanctifice- ^ ^ tur nomen tuum , ^ Love, Marriage, and Confession, are fertile themes in these little farthing chap books. Yonder sits a fille de chambre, after her work is done. She is intent upon some little manual, taken from the BibUotheqtie Bleue. Approach her, and ask her for a sight of it. ROUEN. 89 She smiles, and readily shews you CaUchisme a Vusage des Grandes Filles pour tire Mantes ; ensemble la maniere d'attirer les Amatis. At the first glance of it, you suppose that this is entirely, from beginning to end, a wild and probably somewhat indecorous manual of instruction. By no means ; for read the Litanies and Prayer with which it concludes, and which I here send ; admitting that they exhibit a strange mixture of the simple and the serious. LITANIES. Pour toutes les Filles qui d^sirent entrer en menage. Kyrie, je voudrois, Christe, etre marine. Kyrie, je prie tous les Saints, Christe, que ce soit demain. Sainte Marie, tout le Monde se marie. Saint Joseph, que vous ai-je fait ? . Saint Nicolas, ne na'oubliez pas. Saint Me'derie, que j'aie un bon mari. Saint Matthieu, qu'il craigne Dieu. Saint Jean, qu'il m'aime teiidrement. Saint Bruno, qu'il soit juli & beau. Saint Francois, qu'il me soit fidele. Saint Andrd, qu'il soit ^ men grL Saint Didier, qu'il aime ^ travailler. Saint Honore, qu'il n'aime pas ^ joucr. Saint Severin, qu'il n'aime pas le vin. Saint Clement, qu'il soit diligent. Saint Sauveur, qu'il ait bon coeur. Saint Nicaise, que Je sois k mon aise. Saint Josse, qu'il me donne un carrosse. Saint Boniface, que mou mariagc se fasse. Saint Augustin, dfes demain matin. 90 ROUEN. Oraison. Seigneur, qui avez formd Adam de la terre, et qui lui avez donn^ Eve pour sa compagne ; envoyez-moi, s'il vous plait, un bon mari pour compagnon, non pour la volupt^, mais pour vous honorer & avoir des enfants qui vous benissent. Ainsi soit il. Among the books of this class, before alluded to, I purchased a singularly amusing little manual called " La Confession de la Bonne Femme" It is really not divested of merit. Whether however it may not have been written during the Revolution, with a view to ridicule the practice of auricular confession which yet obtains throughout France, I cannot take upon me to pronounce ; but there are undoubtedly some portions of it which seem so obviously to satirise this practice, that one can hardly help drawing a conclusion in the affirmative. On the other hand it may perhaps be inferred, with greater probability, that it is intended to shew with what extreme facility a system of self-decep- tion may be maintained.* Referring however to the little manual in question, among the various choice mor- ceaus which it contains, take the following extracts : * [Mons. Licquet translates the latter part of the above pas- sage thus : — " avec quelle facilitd nous parvenons k nous abuser nous-memes," — adding, in a note, as follows : •' J'avais d'abord vu un tout autre sens dans la phrase anglaise. Si celui que j'a- dopte n'^tait pas encore le veritable, j'en demande sincferement pardon k I'auteur." In turn, I may not be precisely informed of the meaning and force of the verb " abuser" — used by my trans- lator ; but I had been better satisfied with the verb tromper — as more closely conveying the sense of the original.] ROUEN. 91 exemplificatory of a woman's evading the main points of confession. Confesseur. Ne voulez vous pas me rdpondre ; en un mot, com- bien y a-t-il de temps que vous ue vous etes confessde ? La P/nitente. II y a un mois tout juste, car c'dtoit le quatrifeme jour du mois passd, & nous sommes au cinquifeme du mois cou- rant ; or comptez, mon pfcre, & vous trouverez justement que C. C'est assez, neparlez point tant, & dites moi en peu de mots vos pdchds. Elle raconte lesp^cMs d'autrui. La Penitente. J'ai un enfant qui est le plus mdcliant gar^on que vous ayez jamais vu : il jure, bat sa soeur, il fuit I'dcole, dd- robe tout ce qu'il pent pour jouer; il suit de medians fripons : I'autrejour en courant il perdit son chapeau. Enfin, c'est un mdchant garqon, je veux vous I'araener afin que vous me I'endoc- triniez un peu s'il vous plait. C Dites-moi vos pechds. P. Mais, mon pfere, j'ai une fille qui est encore pire. Jene la peux faire lever le matin : Je I'appelle cent fois ; Marguerite ; plait-il ma Mere ? Itve-toi promptement et descends : fy vais. Elle ne bouge pas. Si tii ne viens maintenant, tu seras battue. Elle s'en moque. Quand je I'envoie a la Ville, je lui dis reviens prompte- ment, ne V amuse pas. Cependant, elle s'arrete ^ toutes les porles comme I'ane d'un meiinier, elle babille avec tons ceux qu'elle rencontre ; & quand elle me fait cela, je la bats ; ne fais-je pas bien, mon pfere ? C. Dites-moi vos pdchds et uon pas ceux de vos enfans. P. II se trouve, mon pfere, que nous avons dans notre rue une voisine qui est la plus mdchante de toutes les femmes ; elle jure, elle querelle tons ceux qui passent, personne ne la peut souffrir, ni son mari, ni ses enfans, & bien souvcnt elle s'enivre, & vous me dites, mon p^re, quelle est celle-lk ? c'est C. Ah gardez-vous bien de la nommer ; car k la confession il ne faut jamais fair connoitre les personnes dont vous ddclarez les pdchds. 92 ROUEN. P. C'est elle qui vient se confesser aprfes moi: grondez-labien, car vous ne lui en sauriez trop dire. C. Taisez-vous done, & ne parlez que de vos p^chds, non pas de ceux des autres. Elle s' accuse de ce qui n'est point pe'ch^. Penitente. — Ah ! mon pfere, j'ai fait un grand p^ch^, ah ! le grand p^ch4 ! Hdlas je serai damnde, quoique mon confesseur m'ait defendu de le dire j'ainais, n^anmoins monpfereje vais vous le declarer. C. Ne le dites point, puisque votre confesseur vous I'a defendu, je ne veux point I'entendre. P. Ah! n'importe J je veux vous le dire, c'est un trop grand p^ch^: J'ai battu ma mfere. C. Vous avez battu votre mere ! Ah ! miserable, c'est un eas r^servd & un crime qui merite la potence. Et quand Tavez-vous battue? P. Quand j'etois petite de I'^ge de quatre ans. C. Ah ! simple, ne savez-vous pas que tout ce que les enfans font avant I'age de raison, qui est environ I'age de aept ans, ne sauroit etre un p6chd. There is however one thing, which I must frankly declare to you as entitled to distinct notice and espe- cial commendation. It is, the method of teaching " ca- techisms" of a different and higher order : I mean the CHURCH CATECHISMS. Botli the Cathedral and the Abbey of St. Ouen have numerous side chapels. With- in these side chapels are collected, on stated days of the week, the young of both sexes. They are arranged in a circle. A priest, in his white robes, is seated, or stands, in the centre of them. He examines, questions, corrects, or commends, as the opportunity calls for it. His manner is winning and persuasive. His action is admirable. The lads shew him great respect, and are rarely rude, or seen to laugh. Those who answer weli^ ROUEN. 93 and pay the greater attention, receive, with words of commendation, gentle pats upon the head — and I could not but consider the blush, with which this mark of favour was usually received, as so many presages of future excellence in the youth. I once witnessed a most determined catechetical lecture of girls ; who might be called, in the language of their mati'imonial catechism, "de grandes filles." It was on an evening, in the Chapel of Our Lady in St. Ouen's Abbey, that this examination took place. Two elderly priests attended. The responses of the females were as quick as they were correct ; the eye being always invariably fixed on the pavement, accompanied with a gravity and even piety of expression. A large group of mo- thers, with numerous spectators, were in attendance. A question was put, to which a supposed incorrect response was given. It was repeated, and the same answer followed. The priest hesitated : something like vexation was kindling in his cheek, while the utmost calmness and confidence seemed to mark the countenance of the examinant. The attendant mothers were struck with surprise. A silence for one minute ensued. The question related to the " Holy Spirit." The priest gently approached the girl, and softly arti- culated — " Mais, ma chere considerez un peu," — and repeated the question. " Mon pere, (yet more softly, rejoined the pupil) j'ai bien consideree, et je crois que c'est comme je vous I'ai deja dit." The Priest crossed his hands upon his breast . . . brought down his eye- 94 ROUEN. brows in a thoughtful mood . . . and turning quickly round to the girl, addressed her in the most affec- tionate tone of voice — " Ma petite, — tu as bien dit ; et j'avois tort." The conduct of the girl was admirable; She curtsied, blushed . . . and with eyes, from which tears seemed ready to start, surveyed the circle of spectators . . . caught the approving glance of her mother, and sunk triumphantly upon her chair — with the united admiration of teachers, companions, parents and spectators ! The whole was conducted with the most perfect propriety ; and the pastors did not with- draw till they were fairly exhausted. A love of truth obliges me to confess that this reciprocity of zeal, on the part of master and pupil, is equally creditable to both parties ; and especially serviceable to the cause of religion and morality. Let me here make honourable mention of the kind offices of Mofisieur Longchanip, who volunteered his friendly services in walking over half the town with me, to shew me what he justly considered as the most wor- thy of observation. It is impossible for a generous mind to refuse its testimony to the ever prompt kind- ness of a well-bred Frenchman, in rendering you all the services in his power. Enquire the way, — and you have not only a finger quickly pointing to it, but the owner of the finger must also put himself in motion to accompany you a short distance upon the route, and that too uncovered! "Mais, Monsieur, mettez votre chapeau . . je vous en pric . . mille pardons." " Mon- ROUEN. 95 sieur ne dites pas un seul mot . . pour mon chapeau, qu'il reste a son aise." Among book-collectors, Antiquaries, and Men of Taste, let me speak with becoming praise of the amia- ble and accomplished M. Auguste Le Prevost — who is considered, by competent judges, to be the best anti- quary in Rouen.* Mr. Dawson Turner, (a name, in our own country, synonymous with all that is liberal and enlightened in matters of virtu) was so obliging as to give me a letter of introduction to him ; and he shewed me several rare and splendid works, which were deserving of the conmiendations that they received from their owner. M. Le Prevost very justly discredits any remains of Roman masonry at Rouen; but he will not be dis- pleased to see that the only existing relics of the castle or town walls, have been copied by the pencil of a late travelling friend. What you here behold is pro- bably of the fourteenth century. ♦ M. Le Prevost is a belles-lettres Antiquary of the highest order. His " Memoire faisant suite h I'Essai sur les Romans historiques du moyen age" may teach modern Normans not to despair when death shall have laid low their present oracle the Abbe' de la Rue. [I am proud, in this second edition of my Tour, to record the uninterrupted correspondence and friendship of this distinguished Individual ; and I can only regret, in common with several friends, that M.Le Prevost will not summon courage sufficient to visit a country, once in such close connexion with his own, where a hearty reception has long awaited him.] 96 ROUEN. The next book-collector in commendation of whom I am bound to speak, is Monsieur Duputel ; a member, as well as M. Le Prevost, of the Academy of Belles- Lettres at Rouen. The Abbe Turquier conducted me thither; and I found, in the owner of a choice col- lection of books, a well-bred gentleman, and a most hearty bibliomaniac. He has comparatively a small library ; but, withal, some very curious, scarce, and interesting volumes. M. Duputel is smitten with that amiable passion, — the love of printing for private ROUEN. 97 distribution — thus meriting to become a sort of Rox- burghe Associate. He was so good as to beg my acceptance of the " nouvelle edition" of his " Baga- telles Poetiques,'' printed in an octavo volume of about 112 pages, at Rouen, in 1816. On taking it home, I discovered the following not infelicitous version of our Prior's beautiful little Poem of t/ie Garland. La Guirlande. Traduction de I' Anglais de Prior. Pour orner de Chlod les cheveux ondoyans, Parmi les fleurs nouvellement ^closes J'avais choisi les lis les plus brillans, Les (Billets les plus beaux, et les plus fraiches rose?. IMa Chlod sur son front les pla^a la matin : Alors ou vit c'der sans peine, Leur vif dclut ^ celui de son teint, Leur doux parfum ^ ceux de son haleine. De ses attraits ces fleurs paraissaient s'embellir, Et sur ses blonds cheveux les bergers, les bergferes Les voyaient se funer avec plus de plaisir Qu'ils ne les voyaient naitre au milieu des parterres. Mais, le soir, quand leur sein fldtri Eut cess^ d'exhaler son odeur s^duisante, Elle fixa, d'un regard attendri, Cette guirlande, h^las ! n'aguferes si brillante. Des larmes aussi-t6t coulent de ses beaux yeux. Que d'^loquence dans ces larmes ! Jamais pour I'exprimer, le langage des dieux. Tout sublime qu'il est, n'aurait assez de charmes. 98 ROUEN. En feignant d'ignorcr cc tendre sentiment ; " Pourquoi," lui dis-je, " 6 ma sensible amie, " Pourquoi verser des pleurs ? et par quel changement " Abandonner ton ame h la melancholic ?" " Vois-tu corame ces fleurs languissent tristement ?" Me dit, en soupirant, ce moraliste aimable, " De leur fraicheur, en un moment, " S'est ^clips^ le charme peu durable. " Tel est, h^las 1 notre destin ; " Fleur de beaut^ resserable A celles des prairies ; " On les voit toutes deux naitre avec le matin, " Et dfes le soir etre fl^tries. " Estelle liier encor brillait dans nos hameaux, ^ " Et I'amour attirait les bergers sur ses traces ; " De la mort, aujourd'hui, I'impitoyable faulx " A moissonn^ sa jeunesse et ses graces. " Soumise aux meraes lois, peut-etre que demain, " Conime elle aussi, Damon, j'aurai cessd de vivre.... " Consacre dans tes vers la cause du chagrin " Auquel ton amante se livre." p. 92. The last and not the least of book-collectors, which I have had an opportunity of visiting, is Monsieur RiAux. With respect to what may be called a Rouen- noise Library, that of M. Riaux is greatly preferable to any which I have seen ; although I am not sure whether M. Le Prevost's collection contain not nearly as many books. M. Riaux is himself a man of first- rate book enthusiasm ; and unites the avocations of his business with the gratification of his Hterary appetites, in a manner which does him infinite honour. A city ROUEN. 99 like Rouen should have a host of such inhabitants ; and the government, when it begins to breathe a little from recent embarrassments, will, I hope, cherish and support that finest of all patriotic feelings, — a desire to preserve the relics, manners, and customs of past AGES. Normandy is fertile beyond conception in ob- jects which may gratify the most unbounded passion in this pursuit. It is the country where formerly the harp of the minstrel poured forth some of its sweetest strains ; and the lay and the fabliaux of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, which delight us in the text of Sainte Palaye, and in the versions of Way, owed their existence to the combined spirit of chivalry and literature, which never slumbered upon the shores of Normandy. Farewell now to Rouen.* I have told you all the * [The omission, in this place, of the entire IXth Letter, relating to the Public Library at Rouen, must be accounted for, and it is hoped, approved, on the principle laid down at the outset of this undertaking ; namely, to omit much that was purely biblio- graphical, and of a secondary interest to the general Reader. The bibliography, in the original IXth Letter, being of a partial and comparatively dry description — as relating almost entirely to ancient volumes of Church Rituals — was thought to be better omitted than abridged. Another reason might be successfully urged for its omission. This IXth Letter, which comprehends 22 pages in the previous impression, and about 38 pages in the version, having been trans- lated and separately published in 1821, by Mons. Licquet (who succeeded M. Gourdin as Principal Librarian of the Library in question) I had bestowed upon it particular attention, and 100 ROUEN. tellings which I thought worthy of communication. I have endeavoured to make you saunter with me in the entered into several points by way of answer to his remark.-, and in justiScation or explanation of the original matter. In conse- quence, any ahr'nlgement of that original matter must have led to constant notice of tlie minute remarks, and pigmy attacks, of my critical translator : and the stream of intelligence in the text might have been diverted, or rendered unpalatable, by the observations, in the way of controversy, in ttie notes. If jM. L'cquet considers this avowal as the proclaiming of his triumph, he is welcome to the laurels of a Conqueror ; but if lie can persuade any common FRIENDS that, in the translation here referred to, he has defeated the original author in one essential position — or corrected him in one flagrant inaccuracy — I shall be as prompt to thank him for his labours, as I am now to express my astonishment and pity at his undertaking. When JNI. Licquet put fortli the brochure in question — (so splendidly executed in the press of M. Crapelet — to harmonise, in all respects, with tlie large paper copies of the original English text) he had but recently occupied the seat of his Predecessor. I can commend the zeal of the newly-appointed Librarian in Chief; but must be permitted to question alike his judgment and his motives. One more brief remark in this place. My translator should seem to commend what is only laudatory, in the original author, respecting his countrymen. Sensitively alive to the notice of their smallest defects, he has the most unbounded powers of digestion for that of their excellences. Thus, at the foot of the above PASSAGE, in the text, Mons. Licquet is pleased to add as follows — in a note : " Si M. Dibdin ne s'^tait livr^ qu'a des digressions de cette nature, il aurait trouv^ en France un chorus universel, mi concert de voeux unanimes :" vol. i. p. 239. And yet {tw travellers have experienced a more cordial reception, and maintained a more harmonious intercourse, than he, who, from the foregoing quota- tion, is more than indirectly supposed to have provoked opposi- tion and discord ! ] ROUEN. 101 streets, in the cathedral, the abbey, and the churches. We have, in imagination at least, strolled together along the quays, visited the halls and public buildings, and gazed with rapture from Mont Ste. Catharine upon the enchanting view of the city, the river, and the neighbouring hills. We have from thence breathed almost the pure air of heaven, and surveyed a country equally beautified by art, and blessed by nature. Our hearts, from that same height, have wished all manner of health, wealth, and prosperity, to a land thus abound- ing in corn and wine, and oil and gladness. We have silently, but sincerely prayed, that swords may for ever be " turned into plough-shares, and spears into pruning-hooks :" — that all heart-burnings, antipathies, and animosities, may be eternally extinguished ; and that, from henceforth, there may be no national rival- ries but such as tend to establish, upon a firmer footing, and upon a more comprehensive scale, the peace and happiness of fellow-creatures, of whatever persuasion they may be : — of such, who sedulously cultivate the arts of individual and of national improvement, and blend the duties of social order with the higher calls of morality and religion. Ah ! my friend, these are nei- ther foolish thoughts nor romantic wishes. They arise naturally in an honest heart, which, seeing that all creation is animated and upheld by one and the same POWER, cannot but ardently hope that all may be equally benefited by a reliance upon its goodness and bounty. VOL. I. H 102 ROUEN. From this eminence we have descended somewhat into humbler walks. We have visited hospitals, strolled in flower-gardens, and associated with pub- lishers and collectors of works — both of the dead and of the living. So now, fare you well. Commend me to your family and to our common friends, — especially to the Ijlojcbucgtifrjj should they perchance enquire after their wandering Vice President. Many will be the days passed over, and many the leagues traversed, ere I meet them again. Within twenty-four hours my back will be more decidedly turned upon " dear old England" — for that country, in which her ancient kings once held dominion, and where every square mile (I had almost said acre) is equally interesting to the antiquary and the agriculturist* I salute you wholly, and am yours ever. ROUEN. 103 LETTER IX. DEPARTURE FROM ROUEN. ST. GEORGE DE BOSCHER- VILLE. DUCLAIR. MARIVAUX. THE ABBEY OF JUMI- EGES. ARRIVAL AT CAUDEBEC. Mat/, 1818. MY DEAR FRIEND. In spite of all its grotesque beauties and antiquarian attractions, the city of rouen must be quitted — and I am about to pursue my route more in the character of an independent traveller. No more Diligence, or Conducteur. I have hired a decent cabriolet, a decent pair of horses, and a yet more promising postilion ; and have already made a delightfully rural migration. Adieu therefore to dark avenues, gloomy courts, over- hanging roofs, narrow streets, cracking whips, the never-ceasing noise of carts and carriages, and never- ending movements of countless masses of population : — Adieu ! — and in their stead, welcome be the winding road, the fertile meadow, the thickly-planted orchard, and the broad and sweeping Seine ! Accordingly, on the 4th of this month, between the hours of ten and eleven, A. M. the rattUng of horses' hoofs, and the echoes of a postilion's whip, were heard within the court-yard of the Hdtel Vatel. Monsieur, 104 DEPARTURE FROINI ROUEN. Madame, Jacques — and the whole fraternity of domes- tics, were on the alert — " pour faire les adieux a Mes- sieurs les Anglois." This Jacques deserves somewhat of a particular notice. He is the prime minister of the Hotel Vatel.* A somewhat uncomfortable detention in England for five years, in the character of " prisoner of war," has made him master of a pretty quick and ready utterance of common-place phrases in our lan- guage ; and he is not a little proud of his attainments therein. Seriously speaking, I consider him quite a phenomenon in his way; and it is right you should know that he affords a very fair specimen of a sharp, clever, French servant. His bodily movements are nearly as quick as those of his tongue. He rises, as well as his brethren, by five in the morning ; and the testimonies of this early activity are quickly discovered in the unceasing noise of beating coats, singing French airs, and scolding the boot-boy. He rarely retires to rest before mid-night ; and the whole day long he is in one eternal round of occupation. When he is bor- dering upon impertinence, he seems to be conscious of it — declaring that " the English make him saucy, but that naturally he is very civil." He always speaks of human beings in the neuter gender ; and to a question whether such a one has been at the Hotel, he replies, " I have not seen it to-day." I am persuaded he is a * [I am ignorant of his present destination ; but learn that he has quitted the above situation a long time.] DEPARTURE FROM ROUEN. 105 thoroughly honest creature ; and considering the pains which are taken to spoil him, it is surprising with what good sense and propriety he conducts himself. About eleven o'clock, we sprung forward, at a smart trot, towards the barriers by which we had entered Rouen. Our postilion was a thorough master of his calling, and his spurs and whip seemed to know no cessation from action. The steeds, perfectly Norman, were somewhat fiery ; and we rattled along the streets, (for the chmisse never causes the least abatement of pace with the French driver) in high expectation of seeing a thousand rare sights ere we reached Havre — equally the limits of our journey, and of our contract with the owner of the cabriolet. That accomplished antiquary M. Le Prevost, whose name you have often heard, had furnished me with so dainty a bill of fare, or carte de voyage, that I began to consider each hour lost which did not bring us in contact with some architec- tural relic of antiquity, or some elevated position — whence the wandering Seine and wooded heights of the adjacent country might be surveyed with equal advantage. You have often, I make no doubt, my dear friend, started upon something like a similar expedition: — when the morning has been fair, the sun bright, the breeze gentle, and the atmosphere clear. In such moments how the ardour of hope takes possession of one ! — How the heart warms, and the conversation flows ! The barriers are approached ; we turn to the 106 ROUEN TO HAVRE. left, and commence our journey in good earnest. Pre- viously to gaining the first considerable height, you pass the village oi Bapeaume. This village is exceed- ingly picturesque. It is studded with water-mills, and is enlivened by a rapid rivulet, which empties itself, in a serpentine direction, into the Seine. You now begin to ascend a very commanding eminence ; at the top of which are scattered some of those country houses which are seen from Mont Ste. Catharine. The road is of a noble breadth. The day warmed ; and dismounting, we let our steeds breathe freely, as we continued to ascend leisurely. Our first halting-place, according to the instructions of M. Le Prevost, was aS*^. George de Boscherville ; an ancient abbey established in the twelfth century, This abbey is situated about three French leagues from Rouen. Our route thither, from the summit of the hill which we had just ascended, lay along a road skirted by interminable orchards now in full bloom. The air was perfumed to excess by the fragrance of these blossoms. The apple and pear were beautifully conspicuous ; and as the sky became still more serene, and the temperature yet more mild by the unobstructed sun beam, it is impossible to con- ceive any thing more balmy and genial than was this lovely day. The minutes seemed to fly away too quickly — when we reached the village of Boscherville ; where stands the church ; the chief remaining relic of this once beautiful abbey. We surveyed the west front very leisurely, and thought it an extremely beau- ST. GEORGE DE BOSCHERVILLE. 107 tiful specimen of the architecture of the twelfth and thirteenth centuries ; for certainly there are some por- tions more ancient than others. A survey of the chapter-house filled me with mingled sorrow and de- light : sorrow, that the Revolution and a modern cot- ton manufactory had metamorphosed it from its original character ; and delight, that the portions which re- mained were of such beautiful forms, and in such fine preservation. The stone, being of a very close-grained quality, is absolutely as white and sound as if it had been just cut from the quarry. The room, where a parcel of bare-legged girls and boys were working the respective machineries, had a roof of the most delicate construction. The very sound of a Monastery made me curious to examine the disposition of the building. Accordingly, I followed my guide through suites of apartments, up divers stone stair-cases, and along sundry corridors. I noticed the dormitories with due attention, and of course inquired eagerly for the Library : — but the shelves only remained— either the fear or the fury of the Revolution having long ago dispossessed it of every thing in the shape of a hooh. The whole was painted white. I counted eleven perpendicular divisions ; and, from the small distances between the upper shelves, * Mr. CoTMAN has published views of the West Frout, the South East, the West Entrance, and the South Transept, with sculptured capitals and basso-relievos, &c. In the whole, seven plates. 108 ROUEN TO HAVRE. there must have been a very considerable number of duodecimos. The titles of the respective classes of the library were painted in white letters upon a dark-blue ground, at top. Bibles occupied the first division, and the Fathers the second : but it should seem that equal importance was attached to the works of Heretics as to those called Litterce Humaniores — for each had a division of equal magnitude. On looking out of window, especially from the back part of the building, the eye rests entirely upon what had once been fruitful orchards, abundant kitchen gardens, and shady avenues. Yet in England, this spot, rich by nature, and desirable from its proximity to a great city, would, ere forty moons had waned, have grown up into beauty and fertihty, and expanded into luxuriance of condition. The day was now, if possible, more lovely than be- fore. On looking at my instructions I found that we had to stop to examine the remains of an old castle at Delafontaine — about two English miles from St. George de Doscherville. These remains, however, are but the fragments of a ruin, if I may so speak ; yet they are interesting, but somewhat perilous : for a few broken portions of a wall support an upper chamber, where appears a stone chimney-piece of very curious construction and ornament. On observing a large cavity or loop-hole, about half way up the outer wall, I gained it by means of a plentiful growth of ivy, and from thence surveyed the landscape before me. Here, DE LA FONTAINE. 109 having for some time past lost sight of the Seine, I caught a fine bold view of the sweep of that majestic river, now becoming broader and broader — while, to the left, softly tinted by distance, appeared the beau- tiful old church we had just quitted : the verdure of the hedges, shrubs, and forest trees, affording a rich variety to the ruddy blossoms of the apple, and the white bloom of the pear. I admit, however, that this delicious morceau of landscape was greatly indebted, for its enchanting effect, to the blue splendour of the sky, and the soft temperature of the air; while the fragrance of every distended blossom added much to the gratification of the beholder. But it is time to descend from this elevation, and to think of reaching Duclair. DucLAiR is situated close to the very borders of the Seine, which has now an absolute lake-like appearance. We stopped at the auberge to rest our horses ; and I commenced a discourse with the master of the inn and his daughter ; the latter, a very respectable-look- ing and well-behaved young woman of about twenty- two years of age. She was preparing a large crack- ling wood-fire to dress a fish called the Alose, for the passengers of the diligence — who were expected within half an hour. The French think they can never butter their victuals sufficiently ; and it would have produced a spasmodic affection in a thoroughly bilious spectator, could he have seen the enormous piece of butter which this active young cuisinierc thought necessary to put no ROUEN TO HAVRE. into the pot in which the ' Alose' was to be boiled. She laughed at the surprise I expressed ; and added " qu'on ne peut rien faire dans la cuisine sans le beurre." You ought to know, by the by, that the Alose, some- thing like our mackerel in flavour, is a large and deli- cious fish ; and that we were always anxious to bespeak it at the table-d'hote at Rouen. Extricated from the lake of butter in which it floats, when brought upon table, it forms not only a rich, but a very substantial dish. I took a chair and sat in the open air, by the side of the door — enjoying the breeze, and much disposed to gossip with the master of the place. Perceiving this, the landlord approached, and addressed me with a pleasant degree of familiarity. " You are from Lon- don, then. Sir ?" " I am." " Ah Sir, I never think of London but with the most painful sensations." " How so ?" " Sir, I am the sole heir of a rich banker who died in that city before the Revolution. He was in partnership with an English gentleman. Can you possibly advise and assist me upon the subject ?" I told him that my advice and assistance were literally not worth a sous ; but that, such as they w'ere, he was perfectly welcome to both. " Your daughter Sir, is not married ?" — " Non, Monsieur, elle n'est pas encore epousee : mais je lui dis qu'elle ne sera jamais heureiise avant qu'elle le soit." The daughter, who had over- heard the conversation, came forward, and looking archly over her shoulder, replied — *' ou malheuretise, DUCLAIR. 1 1 1 mon pere 1" A sort of truism, expressed by her with singular epigrammatic force, to which there was no making any reply. Do you remember, my dear friend, that exceedingly cold winter's night, when, for lack of other book-enter- tainment, we took it into our heads to have a rummage among the Scriptores Historicc Normannorum of Du- chesne? — and finding therein many pages occupied by GuUelmus Gemeticensis, we bethought ourselves that we would have recourse to the valuable folio volume ycleped Neustria Pia : — where we presently seemed to hold converse with the ancient founders and royal benefactors of certain venerable establishments ! I then little imagined that it would ever fall to my lot to be either walking or musing within the precincts of the Abbey of Jumieges ; — or rather, of the ruins of what was once not less distinguished as a school of learning, than admired for its wealth and celebrity as a monastic establishment. Yes, my friend, I have seen and visited the ruins of this Abbey; and I seem to live " mihi carior" in consequence. But I know your love of method — and that you will be in wrath if I skip from Duclair to Jumieges ere the horses have carried us a quarter of a league upon the route. To the left of Duclair, and also washed by the waters of the Seine, stands Marivaux ; a most picturesque and highly cultivated spot. And across the Seine, a little lower down, is the beautiful domain of La MaUleraye ; — where are hanging gardens, and jets 112 ROUEN TO HAVRE. d'eaux, and flower-woven arbours, and daisy-sprinkled meadows — for there lives and occasionally revels La Marquise * * * *. I might have been not only a spec- tator of her splendor, but a participator of her hospi- tality ; for my often-mentioned valuable friend, M. Le Prevost, volunteered me a letter of introduction to her. What was to be done ? One cannot be every where in one day, or in one journey : — so, gravely balancing the ruins of still life against the attractions of animated society, I was unchivalrous enough to prefer the for- mer — and working myself up into a sort of fantasy, of witnessing the spectered forms of Dagobert and Clo- vis, (the fabled founders of the Abbey) I resolutely turned my back upon La Mailleraye^ and as steadily looked forwards to Jumieges. We ascended very sensibly — then striking into a sort of bye-road, were told that we should quickly reach the place of our destination. A fractured capital, and broken shaft, of the late Norman time, left at random beneath a hedge, seemed to bespeak the vicinity of the abbey. We then gained a height ; whence, looking straight for- ward, we caught the first glance of the spires, or rather of the west end towers, of the Abbey of Jumieges.* * Mr. Cotman has published etchings of the West Front : the Towers, somewhat fore-shortened ; the Elevation of the Nave — and doorway of the Abbey : the latter an extremely interesting specimen of art. A somewhat particular and animated descrip- tion of it will be found in Lieut. Hall's Travels in France, 8vo. p. 57, 1819. [In the first edition, I had called the west end towers of the Abbey—" small." INIons. Licquet has suggested ABBEY OF JUMIEGES. 113 " La voihi, Monsieur," — exclaimed the postilion — in- creasing his speed and multiplying the flourishes of his whip — " voila la belle Abbaye !" We approached and entered the village of Jumieges. Leaving some neat houses to the right and left, we drove to a snug aubei'ge, evidently a portion of some of the outer buildings, or of the chapter-house, attached to the Abbey. A large gothic roof, and central pillar, upon entering, attest the ancient character of the place.* The whole struck us as having been formerly of very great dimensions. It was a glorious sun-shiny afternoon, and the villagers quickly crowded round the cabriolet. " Voila Messieurs les Anglois, qui viennent voir I'Abbaye — mais efFectivement il n'y a rien a voir." I told the landlady the object of our visit. She pro- cured us a guide and a key : and within five minutes we entered the nave of the abbey. that I must have meant " comparatively" small ; — in contradis- tinction to the centre-tower, which would have been larger. We learn also from M. Licquet that the spire of this central tower was demolished in 1573, by the Abb6 le Veneur, Bishop of Evreux." "WTiat earthly motive could have led to such a brutal act of demolition ?] * [" I know perfectly well, says ^I. Licquet, the little Inn of which the author here speaks. I can assure him that it never formed any portion of the "chapterhouse." It was neverthe- less une dependance exterieure (I will not attempt a version of this phrase) of the abbey. Dare I venture to say it was the coio- hotise? (Stable aux vaches). Thank you, good Mons. Licquet; but what is a cow-house but " an outer building attached to the Abbey?" Vide supra.] 114 ROUEN TO HAVRE. I can never forget that entrance. The interior, it is true, has not the magical effect, or that sort of artifi- cial burst, which attends the first view of Tintern abbey : but, as the ruin is larger, there is necessarily more to attract attention. Like Tintern also, it is unroofed — yet this unroofing has proceeded from a different cause : of which presently. The side aisles present you with a short flattened arch : the nave has none : but you observe a long pilaster-like, or alto-ri- lievo column, of slender dimensions, running from bot- tom to top, with a sort of Roman capital. The arched cieling and roof are entirely gone. We proceeded towards the eastern extremity, and saw more frightful ravages both of time and of accident. The latter however had triumphed over the former : but for acci' dent you must read revolutioti. The day had been rather oppressive for a May morning ; and we were getting far into the afternoon, when clouds began to gather, and the sun became occasionally obscured. We seated ourselves upon a grassy hillock, and began to prepare for dinner. To the left of us lay a huge pile of fragments of pillars and groinings of arches — the effects of recent havoc : to the right, within three yards, was the very spot in which the celebrated Agnes Sorel, Mistress of Charles VII, lay entombed :* — not a relic of mausoleum now mark- * [The heart and entrails only of this once celebrated woman were, according to M. Licquet, buried in the above spot. The body was carried to Loches: and Bellefobest {Cosmog. vol. i. ABBEY OF JUMIEGES. 115 ing the place where, formerly, the sculptor had exhi- bited the choicest efforts of his art, and the devotee had repaired to Breathe a prayer for her soul— and pass on! What a contrast to the present aspect of things ! — to the mixed rubbish and wild flowers with which every spot is now well nigh covered! The mistress of the inn having furnished us with napkins and tumblers, we partook of our dinner, surrounded by the objects just described, with no ordinary sensations. The air now became oppressive ; when, looking through the few remaining unglazed muUions of the windows, I observed that the clouds grew blacker and blacker, while a faint rumblins of thunder reached our ears. The sun how- ever yet shone gaily, although partially ; and as the storm neared us, it floated as it were round the abbey, affording — by means of its purple, dark colour, con- trasted with the pale tint of the walls, — one of the most beautiful painter-like effects imaginable. In an instant almost — and as if touched by the wand of a mighty necromancer — the whole scene became metamorphosed. The thunder growled, but only growled ; and the threatening phalanx of sulphur-charged clouds rolled away, and melted into the quiet uniform tint which usually precedes sun-set. Dinner being dispatched, I Part ii. col. 31-32. edit. 1675, folio) gives a description of the mausoleum where it was there entombed ; a description, adds M. Licquet, which may well serve for the mausoleum that was at Jumieges.] 116 ROUEN TO HAVRE. rose to make a thorough examination of the ruins which had survived .... not only the Revolution, but the cupidity of the present owner of the soil — who is a rich man, living at Rouen — and who loves to dispose of any portion of the stone, whether standing or pros- trate, for the sake of the lucre, however trifling, which arises from the sale. Surely the whole corporation of the city of Rouen, with the mayor at their head, ought to stand between this ruthless, rich man, and the abbey — the victim of his brutal avarice and want of taste.* The situation of the abbey is delightful. It lies at the bottom of some gently undulating hills, within two or three hundred yards of the Seine. The river here runs gently, in a serpentine direction, at the foot of wood-covered hills — and all seemed, from our elevated station, indicative of fruitfulness, of gaiety, and of pros- perity, — all — save the mournful and magnificent re- mains of the venerable abbey whereon we gazed ! In fact, this abbey exists only as a shell. I descended, strolled about the village, and mingled in the conver- sation of the villagers. It was a lovely approach of evening — and men, women, and children were seated, or sauntering, in the open air. Perceiving that I was anxious to gain information, they flocked around me — * [Not the smallest portion or particle of a sigh escapes us, on being told, as my translator has told us, that the " soil" in ques- tion has become the property of another Owner. " Laius est mort" — are the emphatic words of M Licquet.] .\BBEY OF JUMIEGES. 117 and from one man, in particular, I obtained exact intel- ligence about the havoc which had been committed during the Revolution upon the abbey, The roof had been battered down for the sake of the lead — to make bullets ; the pews, altars, and iron-work, had been converted into other destructive purposes of warfare ; and the great bell had been sold to some speculators in a cannon-foundery at Rouen.* The revolutionary mania had even brutalized the Abbot. This man, who must be considered as .... damned to everlasting feme, had been a monk of the monastery ; and as soon as he had attained the headship of it, he disposed of every movable piece of furniture, to gratify the revolutionary pack which were daily howling at the gates of the abbey for entrance ! Nor could he plead comjndsion as an excuse. He seemed to enjoy the work of de- struction, of which he had the uncontrouled direction. But enough of this wretch. The next resting-place was Caudebec : a very con- siderable village, or rather a small town. You go down a steep descent, on entering it by the route we came. As you look about, there are singular appear- ances on all sides — of houses, and hanging gardens, and elaborately cut avenues — upon summits, declivi- ties, and on the plain. But the charm of the view, at * [One of the bells of the Abbey of Jumieges is now in the Tower of that of St. Ouen, at Rouen. Licquet.] VOL. I. I 118 ROUEN TO HAVRE. least to my old-fashionetl feelings, was a fine old gotliic church, and a very fine spire of what appeared to belong to another. As the evening had completely set in, I resolved to reserve my admiration of the place till the morrow. [ 119 ] LETTER X. CAUDEBEC. LILLEBONNE. BOLBEC. TANKARVILLE. MONTMORENCI CASTLE. HAVRE DE GRACE. My last concluded with our entrance into Caudebec. The present opens with a morning scene at the same place. For a miracle I was stirring before nine. The church was the first object of attraction. For the size of the place, it is really a noble structure : perhaps of the early part of the sixteenth, or latter part of the fifteenth century.* I speak of the exterior generally, and of a great portion of the interior. A little shabby green-baise covered door (as usual) was half open, and I entered with no ordinary expectations of gratifica- tion. The painted glass seemed absolutely to warm the place — so rich and varied were its colours. There is a great abundance of it, and especially of figures of family-groups kneeling — rather small, but with great appearance of portrait-like fidelity. They are chiefly of the first half of the sixteenth century : and I own that, upon gazing at these charming specimens of an- cient painting upon glass, I longed to fix an artist before every window, to bear away triumphantly, in a • [The nave was begun in 1416. Licquet.] 120 ROUEN TO HAVRE. portfolio of elephantine dimensions, a faithful copy of almost every thing I saw. In some of the counte- nances, I fancied I traced the pencil of Lucas Cra- NACH — and even of Hans Holbein, This church has numerous side chapels, and figures of patron-saints. The entombment of Christ in white marble, (at the end of the chapel of the Virgin,) is rather singular ; inasmuch as the figure of Christ itself is ancient, and exceedingly fine in anatomical expres- sion ; but the usual surrounding figures are modern, and proportionably clumsy and inexpressive. I noted one mural monument, to the memory of Guillaume Tellier, which was dated 1484.* Few churches have more highly interested me than this at Caudebec.f From the church I strolled to the Place, where stood * [Corrected by Mons. Licquet ; with thanks from the Author. It was, before, 1184.] t Lieutenant Hall has well described it. I did not see his description till more than a twelvemonth after my own had been written. A part may be worth extracting "The principal object of attraction is the Church, the gothic spire of which is encircled by fillets of roses, beautifully carved in stone, and con- tinued to the very summit of the steeple. The principal portal too is sculptured with no less richness and delicacy than that of St. Maclou at Rouen. Its interior length is about 250 feet by 72 of width. The central aisle [nave] is flanked on either side by ten massive circular columns, the capitals of which represent vine leaves and other decorations, more fanciful, and not less rich, than the Corinthian acanthus. . In one of the chapels there is a rude monumental effigy of the original architect of this clmrch. It consists of a small skeleton, drawn in black lines, against a tablet in the wall : a mason's level and trowel, with the CAUDEBEC. 121 the caffe, by the banks of the Seine. The morning view of this scene perfectly dehghted me. Notliing can be more picturesque. The river cannot be much less than a mile in width, and it makes a perfect bend in the form of a crescent. On one side, that on which the village stands, are walks and gardens through which peep numerous white villas — and on the other are meadows, terminating in lofty rising grounds — feathered with coppice-wood down to the very water's edge. This may be considered, in fact, only a portion of the vast Forest de Brotonne, which rises in wooded majesty on the opposite heights. The spirit and the wealth of our countrymen would make Caudebec one of the most enchanting summer-resi- dences in the world. The population of the town is estimated at about five thousand. Judge of my astonishment, when, on going out of doors, I saw the river in a state of extreme agitation : the whole mass of water rising perpendicularly, as it were, and broad rippling waves rolling over each other. It was the coming in of the tide .... and within a quarter of an hour it appeared to have risen upwards plan of a building, are beside it, and an inscription in gothic cha- racters, relating that the architect endowed the church he had built with certain lands, and died Anno 1484." Travels in France, p. 47, 1819, 8vo. 1 take this to be Guillaume Tellier — men- tioned above : bnt in regard to the lands with which Tellier en- dowed the church, the inscription says nothing. Licquet. 122 ROUEN TO HAVRE. of three feet. You may remember that, in our own country, the Severn-tides exhibit the same phenome- non ; and I have seen the river at Glocester rise at once to the height of eight or ten feet, throwing up a shower of foam from the gradually narrowing bed of the river, and causing all the craft, great and small, to rise up as if by magic, and to appear upon a level with the meadows. The tide at Caudebec, although similar in kind, was not so in degree ; for it rose gradually yet most visibly — and within half an hour^ the elevation could not have been less than seven or eiifht feet. Having walked for some time on the heights of the town, with which I was much gratified, I returned to my humble auberge, ordered the cabriolet to be got ready, and demanded the reckoning: — which, consi- dering that I was not quite at an hotel-royale, struck me as being far from moderate. Two old women, of similar features and age, presented themselves as I was getting into the carriage : one was the mistress, and the other the fiUe de chambre. " Mais, Monsieur (observed one of them) n'oubliez pas, je vous prie, la fiUe-de-chambre — rappellez-vous que vos souliers ont ete superieurement decrottes." I took out a franc to remunerate the supposed fille-de-chambre — but was told it was the mistress. " N'importe, Monsieur, c'est a ce moment que je suis fille-de-chambre — quand vous serez parti, je serai la maitresse." The postilion seemed to enjoy this repartee as much as ourselves. LILLEBONNE. 123 I was scarcely out of the town half a mile, when I began to ascend. I found myself quickly in the middle of those rising grounds which are seen from the pro- menade or Place du Caffe, and could not look without extraordinary gratification upon the beautiful character of spring in its advanced state. The larch was even yet picturesque : the hazel and nut trees were perfectly clothed with foliage, of a tender yet joyous tint : the chestnut was gorgeously in bloom ; the lime and beech were beginning to give abundant promise of their future luxuriance — while the lowlier tribes of laburnum and box, with their richly clad branches, covered the ground beneath entirely from view. The apple and pear blossoms still continued to variegate the wide sweep of foliage, and to fill the air with their delicious perfume. It might be Switzerland in miniature — or it might not. Only this I know — that it seemed as though one could live embosomed and enchanted in such a wilderness of sweets — reading the fabliaux of the old Norman bards till the close of human existence ! I found myself on a hard, strait, chalky old road — evidently Roman : and in due time perceived and entered the town of Lillebonne. But the sky had become overcast : soft and small rain was descending, and an unusual gloom prevailed . . . when I halted, agreeably to my instructions, immediately before the gate of the ancient Castle. Venerable indeed is this Norman castle, and extensive are the ruins which have 124 ROUEN TO HAVRE. survived. I have a perfect recollection how it peeped out upon me — through the light leaf of the poplar, and the pink blossom of the apple. It lies close to the road, on the left. An old round tower, apparently of the time of William the Conqueror, very soon attracts your attention. The stones are large, and the inter- stices are also very considerable. It was here, says a yet current report, that William assembled the Barons of Normandy, and the invasion of England was deter- mined upon. Such a spot therefore strikes an English beholder with no ordinary emotions. I alighted ; sent the cabriolet to the inn, and wished both postilion and horses to get their dinners without delay. For myself, I had resolved to reserve my appetite till I reached Bolbec ; and there was food enough before me of a different description, to exercise my intellectual diges- tion for at least the next hour. Knocking at the mas- sive portals, I readily obtained admittance. The area, entirely a grass-plat, was occupied by several cows. In front, were evidently the ruins of a large chapel or church — perhaps of the xivth century. The outer face of the walls went deeply and perpen- dicularly down to the bottom of a dry fosse ; and the right angle portion of the building was covered with garden ground, where the owner showed us some peas which he boasted he should have at his table within five days. I own I thought he was very likely to carry his boast into execution ; for finer vegetables, or a finer LILLEBONNE. 125 bed of earth, I had scarcely ever beheld. How things, my dear friend, are changed from their original cha- racter and destination! "But the old round tower," say you ! — To " the old round tower" then let us go. The stair-case is narrow, dark, and decayed. I reached the first floor, or circular room, and noticed the con- struction of the window seats — all of rough, solid, and massive stone. I ascended to the second floor ; which, if I remember rightly, was strewn with a portion of the third floor — that had fallen in from sheer decay. Great must have been the crash — as the fragments were huge, and widely scattered. On gaining a firm footing upon the outer wall, through a loop-hole window, I gazed around with equal wonder and delight. The wall of this castle could not be less than ten feet in thick- ness. A young woman, the shepherdess of the spot, attended as guide. " What is that irregular rude mound, or wall of earth, in the centre of which children are playing?" " It is the oM Roman Theatre, Sir." I immediately called to mind M. Le Prevost's instructions — and if I could have borrowed the wings of a spirit, I should have instantly alighted upon the spot — but it was situ- ated without the precincts of the old castle and its ap- purtenances, and a mortal leap would have been at- tended with a mortal result. " Have you many Eng- lish who visit this spot ?" said I to my guide. — " Scarce- ly any, Sir — it is a frightful place — full of desolation and sadness . . " replied she. Again I gazed around, 126 ROUEN TO HAVRE. and in the distance, through an aperture in the orchard trees, saw the httle fishing village of Quilleheuf,^ quite * Small as may be this village, and iusigriificant as may be its aspect, it is one of the most important places, with respect to navigation, in the whole course of the river Seine. Seven years ago there were not fewer than four-score pilots settled here, by order of government, for the purpose of guarding against acci- dents which arise from a want of knowledge of the navigation of the river. In time of peace this number would necessarily be increased. In the year 1789 there were upwards of 250 English vessels which passed it — averaging, in the whole, 19,000 tons. It is from QinllebettfX,o Havre that the accidents arise. The author of a pompous, but very instructive memoir, " sur la Topogra- phic ct la Statlstique de la Ville de QuUlebeitf et de V embouchure de la Seine, ay ant pour objet-principal la navigation et la jyechi" (published in the Transactions of the Rouen Society for the year 1812, and from which the foregoing information has been ob- tained) mentions three or four wrecks which have taken place in the immediate vicinity of Quillebeuf : and it should seem that a calm is, of all things, the most fatal. The currents are strong, and the vessel is left to the mercy of the tides in consequence. There are also rocks and sand banks in abundance. Among the wrecks, was one, in which a young girl of eighteen years of age fell a victim to the ignorance of the pilot. The vessel made a false tack between Hode and Tancarville, and running upon a bank, was upset in an instant. An English vessel once shared the same calamity. A thick fog suddenly came on, when the sloop ran upon a bank near the Nez de Tancarville, and the crew had just time to throw themselves into the boat and escape destruc- tion. The next morning, so sudden and so decisive was the change wrought by the sand and current, that, of the sloop, there remained, at ebb-tide, only ten feet of her mast visible ! It ap- pears that the Quillebois, owing to their detached situation, and their peculiar occupations, speak a very barbarous French. They have a sort of sing-song metliod of pronunciation ; and the ^'' and LILLEBONNE. 127 buried, as it were, in the waters of the Seine. An arm of the river meanders towards Lillebonne. Having gratified my picturesque and antiquarian propensities, from this elevated situation, I retrod, with more diffi- culty than toil, my steps down the stair-case. A second stroll about the area, and along the skirts of the wall, was sufficient to convince me only — how slight and imperfect had been my survey ! On quitting the portal through which I entered, and bidding adieu to my Shepherdess and guide, I imme- diately hastened towards the Roman Theatre.* The j are strangely perverted by them. Consult the memoir here referred to ; which occupies forty octavo pages .- and which forms a sequel to a previous communication (in IS 10) " upon the Topo- graphy and Medical properties of Quillebeuf and its adjacent parts." The author is M. Boismare. His exordium is a speci- men of the very worst possible taste in composition. Oue would suppose it to be a prelude to an account of the discovery of ano- ther America ! * [" The Roman Circus (says M.Lic(iuet) is now departmental property. JNlany excavations have already taken place under the directions of Mons. Le Baron de Vanssay, the present Prefect of the Department. The most happy residts may be anticipated. It was in a neighbouring property that an antique bronze gilt STATUE, of the size of life, was lately found," vol. i. 194. Of this statue, Mr. Samuel Woodburn, (with that spirit of liberality and love of art which have uniformly characterised his purchases) became the Owner. The sum advanced for it was very conside- rable ; but, in one sense, Mr. W. may be said to have stood as the Representative of his country ; for the French Government declining to give the Proprietor the rsum Avhich he asked, Mr. Woodburn purchased it — solely with tlic view of depositing it, on 128 ROUEN TO HAVRE. town of Lillebonne has a very picturesque appearance from the old mound, or raised terrace, along the outer walls of the castle. In five minutes I mingled with the school boys who were amusing themselves within the ruins of all that is left of this probably once vast and magnificent old theatre. It is only by clearing away a great quantity of earth, with which these ruins are covered, that you can correctly ascertain their cha- racter and state of preservation. M. Le Prevost bade me remark that the walls had much swerved from their original perpendicularity, — and that there was much irregularity in the laying of the bricks among the stones. the same terms of purchase, in a National Gallery of Art, of which the bequest of Mr. Payne Knight's ancient bronzes and coins, and the purchase of Mr. Angerstein's pictures, might be supposed to lay the foundation. This statue was accordingly brought over to England, and freely exhibited to the curious admirers of ancient art. It is the figure of an Apollo — the left arm, extended to hold the lyre, being mutilated. A portion of the limbs is also mutilated ; but the torso, head and legs, are entire : and are, of their kind, of the highest class of art. Overtures were made for its purchase by government. The Trustees of the British Museum were luiani- mous both in their admiration and recommendation of it : it was indeed " strongly recommended" by them to the Treasury. Several months however elapsed before an answer could be ob- tained; and that answer, when it did come, was returned in the NEGATIVE. The disappointment of reasonably indulged hopes of success, was the least thing felt by its owner. It was the neces- sity of transporting it, in consequence, to enrich a rival capital — which, were its means equal to its wishes and good taste, it must be confessed, makes us frequently blush for the comparative want of energy and liberality, at home, in matters relating to ancient art. LILLEBONNE. 1^9 But time, design, and accident, have each in turn (in all probability) so contributed to decompose, deface, and alter the original aspect of the building, that there is no forming a correct conjecture as to its ancient form. Earth, grass, trees, flowers, and weeds, have taken almost entire possession of some low and massive outer walls ; so that the imagination has full play to supply all deficiencies which appear to the eye. From the whole of this interesting spot I retreated — with mixed sensations of melancholy and surprise — to the little auberge of the Three Moors, in the centre of the town. It had begun to rain smartly as we took shelter in the kitchen ; where, for the first time since leaving England, I saw a display of utensils which might have vied with our own, or even with a Dutch interior, for neatness and order of disposition. Some of the dishes might have been as ancient as — not the old round Tower — but as the last English Duke of Normandy who might have banquetted there. The whole was in high polish and full display. On my complimenting the good Aubergiste upon so creditable a sight, she laughed, and replied briskly — " Ce n'est rien, ceci : Pentecote est tout pres, et done vous verrez. Monsieur !" — It should seem that Whitsuntide was the season for a general household purification. Some of her furniture had once belonged to the Castle : but she had bought it, in the scramble which took place at the dispersion and destruction of the movables there, during the Revolution. I recommend all travellers to l.'io ROUEN TO HAVRE. talce a lunch, and enjoy a bottle of vin ordinaire, at Les Trois Negres. I was obliged to summon up all my stock of knowledge in polite phraseology, in order to decline a plate of soup. " It was delicious above every thing" — " but I had postponed taking dinner till we got to Bolbec." " Bon — vous y trouverez un hotel superbe." The French are easily pleased ; and civility is so cheap and current a coin abroad, that I wish our countrymen would make use of it a little more frequently than they appear to do. I started about two for Bolbec. The rain continued during the whole of my route thither ; but it did not prevent me from witnessing a land of plenty and of picturesque beauty on all sides. Indeed it is scarcely possible to conceive a more rich and luxuriant state of culture. To the left, about half a league from Lillebonne, I passed the domain of a once wealthy, and extremely extensive abbey. They call it the Abbe?/ of Valasse. A long rambling bare stone wall, and portions of a deserted ruin, kept in sight for full half an English mile. The immediate approach to Bolbec is that of the entrance to a modern and flourishing trading town, which seems to be begin- ning to recover from the effects of the Revolution. After Rouen, and even Caudebec, it has a stiff moder- nized air. I drove to the principal inn, opposite the church, and bespoke dinner and a bed. The church is perfectly modern, and equally heavy and large. Crowds of people were issuing from Vespers, when, BOLBEC. 131 ascending a flight of steps, (for it is built on ground considerably above the ground-floor of the inn) I resolved to wait for the final departure of the congre- gation, and to take a leisurely survey of the interior, while dinner was getting ready. The sexton was a perfect character in his way ; old, shrewd, communicative, and civil. There were several confessionals. "What — you confess here pretty much ?" " Yes, Sir ; but chiefly females, and among them many widows." I had said nothing to provoke this ungal- lant reply. " In respect to the sacrament, what is the proportion between the communicants, as to sex?" " Sir, there are one hundred women to twelve men " I wish I could say that this disproportion were con- fined to France. Quitting this heavy and ugly, but large and com- modious fabric, I sought the inn and dinner. The cook was in every respect a learned professor in his art, and the produce of his skill was equally excellent and acceptable. I had scarcely finished my repast, and the Gruyere cheese and nuts yet lingered upon the table, when the soft sounds of an organ, accompa- nied by a youthful voice, saluted my ears in a very pleasing manner. " C'est le pauvre petit Savoyard, Monsieur" — exclaimed the waiter — " Vous allez en- tendre un air touchant ! Ah, le pauvre petit !" — " Com- ment 9a?" "Monsieur, il n'a ni pere ni mere ; mais pour le chant — oh Dieu, il n'y a personne qui chante comme le pauvre petit Savoyard !" I was well dis- 132 ROUEN TO HAVRE. posed to hear the song, and to admit the truth of the waiter's observation. The Httle itinerant stopped opposite the door, and sung the following air : — Bon jour f Bon soir. Je peindrai sans ddtour Tout I'emploi de ma vie : C'est de dire don Jour Et bon soir tour-^tour. Bon Jour ^ mon amie, Lorsque je vais la voir. Mais au fat qui m'ennuie, Bon soir. Bon Jour franc troubadour, Qui fhantez la bombance ; La paix et les beaux jours ; Bacchus et les amours. Qu'un rimeuren demence Vienne avec vous s'asseoirj Pour chanter la Romance, Bon soir. Bon Jour, mon cher voisin, Chez vous la soif m'entraine : Bon Jour — si votre vin Est de Beaune ou du Rhin ; Mon gosier va sans peine Lui servir d'entonnoir ; Mais s'il est de Surfene, Bon soir. I know not how it was, but had the " petit Savoyard" possessed the cultivated voice of a chorister, I could not have listened to his notes with half the satisfaction BOLBEC. 133 with which I dwelt upon his history, as stated by the waiter. He had no sooner concluded and made his bow, than I bought the slender volume from which his songs had been chanted, and had a long gossip with him. He slung his organ upon his back, and " ever and anon" touching his hat, expressed his thankfulness, as much for the interest I had taken in his welfare, as for the trifling piece of silver which I slipt into his hand at parting. Meanwhile all the benches, placed on the outsides of the houses, were occupied — chiefly by females — to witness, it should seem, so novel and inte- resting a sight as an Englishman holding familiar dis- course with a poor wandering Savoyard ! My friend the sexton was among the spectators, and from his voice and action, appeared especially interested. "Que le bon Dieu vous benisse !" exclaimed the Savoyard, as I bade him farewell. On pursuing my route for a stroll upon the heights near the town, I had occasion to pass these benches of spectators. The women, almost without any exception, inclined their heads by way of a gracious salute ; and Monsieur le Sacristain pulled off his enormous cock'd hat with the conse- quence of a drum-major. He appeared not to have forgotten the donation which he had received in the church. Continuing my pursuit, I gained an elevated situation : whence, looking down upon the spot where I had left the Savoyard, I observed him surrounded by the females — each and every one of them apparently VOL. I. K 134 ROUEN TO HAVRE. convulsed with laughter ! Even the little musician appeared to have forgotten his " orphan state." The environs ofBolbec, especially in the upper part, are sufficiently picturesque. At least they are suffi- ciently fruitful : orchards, corn and pasture land — intermixed with meadows, upon which cotton was spread for bleaching — produced altogether a very inte- resting effect. The little hanging gardens, attached to labourer's huts, contributed to the beauty of the scene. A warm crimson sun-set seemed to envelope the coppice wood in a flame of gold. The road was yet reeking with moisture — and I retraced my steps, through devious and slippery paths, to the hotel. Evening had set in : the sound of the Savoyard's voice was no longer heard : I ordered tea and candles, and added considerably to my journal before I went to bed. I rose at five ; and before six the horses were har- nessed to the cabriolet. Having obtained the neces- sary instructions for reaching Tancarville, (the ancient and proud seat of the Montmorencis) I paid my reck- oning, and left Bolbec. As I ascended a long and rather steep hill, and, looking to the right and left, saw every thing in a state of verdure and promise, I did all I could to persuade myself that the journey would be agreeable, and that the castle of Montmo- renci could not fail to command admiration. I was now in the high and broad " route royale" to Havre le Grace ; but had scarcely been a league upon it, when, looking at my instructions, we struck out of the high TANCARVILLE. 135 road, to the left, and followed a private one through flat and uninteresting arable land. I cannot tell how many turns were taken, or how many pretty little vil- lages were passed — till, after a long and gradual ascent, we came upon a height, flanked the greater part by coppice wood, through one portion of which — pur- posely kept open for the view — was seen at a distance a marvellously fine group of perpendicular rocks (whose grey and battered sides were lighted up with a pink colour from the morning sun) in the middle, as it were, of the Seine — which now really assumed an ocean-like appearance. In fact, these rocks were at a conside- rable distance, and appeared to be in the broadest part of the embouchure of that river. I halted the ca- briolet ; and gazed with vmfeigned delight on this truly magnificent and fascinating scene ! . . for the larks were now mounting all around, and their notes, added to those of the " songsters of the grove," produced an effect which I even preferred to that from the organ and voice of the " pauvre petit Savoyard." The post- boy partook of my rapture. " Voila, Monsieur, des rochers terriblement perpendiculiers — eh, quelle bells vue de la riviere, et du paysage !" Leaving this brilliant picture, we turned rather to the left, and then found our descent proportionably gradual with the ascent. The Seine was now right before us, as hasty glimpses of it, through partial vistos, had enabled us to ascertain. Still Tancarville was deemed a terrible way off. First we were to go up, 136 ROUEN TO HAVRE. and then we were to go down — now to turn to the right, and afterwards to the left — a sort of ttoXXo ^'avavra Karavra route — when a prepossessing young paysanne told the postilion, that, after passing through such a wood, we should reach an avenue, from the further end of which the castle of Montmorenci would be visible . . " une petite lieue de distance." Every thing is " une petite lieue !" It is the answer to every question relating to distance. Though the league be double a German one, still it is " une petite !" Here however the paysanne happened to be right. We passed through the wood, gained the avenue, and from the further end saw — even yet towering in imposing magnitude — the far-famed Chateau de Montmorenci. It might be a small league off. I gained spirits and even sti'ength at the sight : told the postilion to mend his pace — of which he gave immediate and satisfactory demonstration, while the echoes of his whip resounded along the avenue. A closer road now received us. Knolls of grass interwoven with moss, on the summits of which the beech and lime threw up their sturdy stems, now enclosed the road, which began to widen and to improve in condition. At length, turning a corner, a group of country people appeared — " Est-ce ici la route de Tancarville ?" — " Tancarville est tout pres : c'est la, ou on voit la fiimee des cheminees.' Joyful intelligence ! The post-boy increased his speed : The wheels seemed to move with a readier play : and in one minute and a half I was upon the beach of TANCARVILLE. 137 the river Seine, and alighted at the door of the only auberge in the village. I know you to be both a lover of and connoisseur in Rembrandt's pictures : and especially of those of his old characters. I wish you could have seen the old woman, of the name of Bucan, who came out of this same auberge to receive us. She had a sharp, quick, constantly moving black eye ; keen features, project- ing from a surface of flesh of a subdued mahogany tint ; about her temples, and the lower part of her cheeks, were all those harmonizing wrinkles which be- come old age — tqwn canvas — while, below her chin, communicating with a small and shrunken neck, was that sort of concavity, or dewlap, which painters delight to express with a minuteness of touch, and mellowness of tint, that contribute largely to picturesque effect! This good old woman received us with perfect elasticity of spirits and of action. It should seem that we were the first EngUshmen who had visited her soUtude this year. Her husband approached, but she soon ordered hun " to the right about" — to prepare fuel, coffee, and eggs. I was promised the best breakfast that could be got in Normandy, in twenty minutes. The inn being suffici- ently miserable, I was anxious for a ramble. The tide w as now coming up, as at Caudebec ; but the sweep and breadth of the river being upon a considerably larger scale, its increase was not yet so obvious — al- though I am quite sure that all the flats, which I saw on my arrival as a bed of mud, were, within a (juaiter 138 ROUEN TO HAVRE. of an hour, wholly covered with the tide : and, looking up to the right, I perceived the perpendicular walls of Montmorenci Castle to be washed by the refluent wave. It was a sort of ocean in miniature before me. A few miserable fishing boats were moored upon the beach ; while a small number of ill-clad and straggling villagers lingered about the same spot, and seemed to look upon the postboy and myself as beings dropt from the sky ! On ascending a considerable elevation, I had the gratification of viewing Quillebeuf a. little more nearly. It was almost immediately opposite : while, to the right, contemplating the wide sweep of the river towards its ei^bouchure, I fancied that I could see Havre. The group of rocks, which had so charmed us on our jour- ney, now assumed a different character. On descend- ing, I could discover, although at a considerable dis- tance, the old woman standing at the door of the auberge — apparently straining her eyes to catch a glimpse of us ; and she was almost disposed to scold for having put her reputation of giving good breakfasts to so hazardous a trial. The wood was blazing, and the room was almost filled by smoke — but a prolonged fast, and a stage of sixteen or eighteen miles, in a keen morning air, made Mr. Lewis and myself only think of allaying our hunger. In every public house, however mean, you see the white metal fork, and the napkin covering the plate. A dozen boiled eggs, and a coffee pot and cups of perfectly Crobdignagdian dimensions, with tolerable bread and indifferent butter, formed the TANCARVILLE. 139 materiel of our breakfast. The postboy, having stabled and refreshed his horses, was regaling himself in the kitchen — but how do you think he was regaling him- self? — Truly, in stretching himself upon a bench, and reading, as old Ascham expresses it, " a merry tale in Boccace." In other words, he was reading a French version of the Decameron of that celebrated author. Indeed, I had already received sufficient proof of the general propensity of the common people to read — whether good or bad books . . . but let us hope and believe the former. I left the bibliomaniacal postboy to his Boccaccio, and prepared to visit the castle . . . the once proud and yet commanding residence of the family of Montmorenci. I ascended — with fresh energies imparted from my breakfast. The day grew soft, and bright, and exhi- larating . . but alas ! for the changes and chances of every thing in this transitory world. Where was the warder ? He had ceased to blow his horn for many a long year. Where was the harp of the minstrel? It had perished two centuries ago, with the hand that had struck its chords. Where was the atten- dant guard ? — or pursuivants — or men at arms ? They had been swept from human existence, like the leaves of the old Hmes and beech trees by which the lower part of the building was surrounded. The moat was dry ; the rampart was a ruin : — the rank grass grew within the area . . . nor can I tell you how many relics of halls, banqueting rooms, and bed-rooms, with all the magnificent appurtenances of old castel- 140 ROUEN TO HAVRE. lated architecture, struck the eager eye with mixed melancholy and surprise ! The singular half-circular, and half square, corner towers, hanging over the ever- restless wave, interested me exceedingly. The guide shewed me where the prisoners used to be kept — in a dungeon, apparently impervious to every ghmmer of day-light, and every breath of air. I cannot pretend to say at what period even the oldest part of the Castle of Montmorenci was built: but I saw nothing that seemed to be more ancient than the latter end of the fifteenth century.* Perhaps the greater portion may be of the beginning of the sixteenth ; but, amidst the unroofed rooms, I could not help admiring the painted borders, chiefly of a red colour, which run along the upper part of the walls, or wainscoats — giving indi- cation not only of a good, but of a splendid, taste. Did I tell you that this sort of ornament was to be seen in some parts of the eastern end of the Abbey of Ju- mieges? Here^ indeed, they afforded evidence — an evidence, mingled with melancholy sensations on re- flection — of the probable state of magnificence which once reigned throughout the castle. Between the corner towers, upon that part which runs immediately parallel with the Seine, there is a noble terrace, now converted into garden ground — which commands an immediate and extensive view of the embouchure of the river. It is the property of a speculator, residing at Havre. * Mr. Cotman has a view of the gateway of Tancarville, or Montmorenci Castle. HAVRE. 141 The cabriolet meeting me at the bottom of the mound upon which the castle is built, (having paid the reckoning before I left the inn), I had nothing to do but to step in, and push forward for Havre. Retrac- ing the road through which we came, we darted into the Route Royale, and got upon one of the noblest high roads in France. Between Tancarville and Ha- vre lie Hocher and Harjleur ; each almost at the water's edge. I regretted I could not see the former ; but on our approach to Harfleur I observed, to the right, some delightfully situated, and not inelegantly built, country villas or modern chateaux. The imme- diate riin down to Harfleur is exceedingly pleasing ; and though we trotted sharply through the town, the exquisite little porch of the church was not lost upon me. Few places, I believe, for its dimensions, have been more celebrated in the middle ages than Har- fleur. The Seine to the left becomes broader and bolder ; and, before you, beneath some wooded heights, lies Havre. Every thing gives indication of commerce and prosperity as you gain upon the town. The houses increase in number and respectability of appearance — " Voyez-vous la. Monsieur, a droite, ces belles maisons de plaisance ? — (exclaimed the charioteer) — " C'est la ou demeurent Messieurs vos compatriotes : ma foi, ils ont un joli gout." The first glance upon these stone houses confirmed the sagacity of the postilion. They are gloriously situated — facing the ocean ; while the surrounding country teems with fish and game of every 1 42 HAVRE. species. Isaac Walton might have contrived to inter- weave a pretty ballad in his description of such trout- streams as were those before us. But we approach the town. The hulls of hundreds of vessels are seen in the commodious docks ; and the flags of merchantmen, from all quarters of the globe, appear to stream from the mast-heads. It is a scene of bustle, of business, and variety ; and perfectly Enolish. What a contrast to the gloomy solitude of Montmorenci ! The outer and inner gates are passed. Diligences issue from every quarter. The centinels relieve guard. The sound of horns, from various packet-boats immediately about to sail, echoes on all sides .... Driving up the high street, we approached the hotel of the Aigle d'Or,* kept by Justin, and con- sidered to be the best. We were just in time for the table d'hote, and to bespeak excellent beds. Tra- vellers were continually arriving and departing. What life and animation ! . . We sat down upwards of forty to dinner : and a good dinner it was. Afterwards, I settled for the cabriolet, and bade the postboy adieu ! — nor can I suppress my feelings in saying that, in wish- ing him farewell, I felt ten times more than I had ever felt upon taking leave of a postilion. * I am not sure whether this inn be called the ^rmes de France, or as above. HAVRE. 143 LETTER XI. HAVRE DE GRACE. HONFLEUR. JOURNEY TO CAEN. Caen, May, 1818. Well, my friend ! . . . I have at length visited the interior of the Abhey of St. Stephen, and have walked over the grave of William the Conqueror and of Mathilda his wife. But as you dearly love the gossip of a travelling journal, I shall take up the thread of my narrative from the place in which I last addressed you : — particularly as our route hither was marked by some circumstances worthy of recital. First, however, for Havre. I staid there only long enough to express my regret that the time of my residence could not be extended. It happened to be a fine afternoon, and I took a lei- surely stroll upon the docks and ramparts.* The * Evelyn, who visited Havre in 1644, when the Duke de Rich- lieu was governor, describes the citadel as " strong and regular, well stored with artillery, &c. The works furnished with faire brass canon, having a motto, " Ratio ultima Regum." The haven is very spacious." Life and Writings of John Evelyn, edit. 1818, vol. i. p. 51. Havre seems always to have been a place of note and distinction in more senses than one. In Zeiller's Topographia Gallice, (vol. iii.) there is a view of it, about the period in which 144 HAVRE. town was full of animation — whether relating to busi- ness or to pleasure. For the former, you must visit the quays ; for the latter, you must promenade the high street, and more especially the Boulevards, to- wards the heights. The sun shone merrily, as it were, upon the thousands of busy, bustling, and bawling human creatures . . who were in constant locomotion in this latter place. What a difference between the respective appear- ances of the quays of Dieppe and Havre ? Although even here things would assume a rubbishing and lit- tered aspect compared with the quays at Liverpool or at Hull, yet it must be admitted, for the credit of Gal- lico-Nonnan commerce, that the quays of Havre make a very respectable appearance. You see men fiddling, dancing, sleeping, sitting, and of course talking dpleine gorge, in groups without end — but no drunkenness ! . . not even an English oath saluted my ear. The Southampton packets land theh crews at Havre. I saw the arrival of one of these packets ; and was cmel enough to contrast the animated and elastic spirits of a host of French laqnais de place, tradespeople, &c. — attacking the passengers with cards of their address — with the feeble movements and dejected countenances of the objects of their attack. Evelyn saw it, by Jacques Gomboust, Ing^nieur du Roy, from which it appears to have been a very considerable place. Forty- two principal buildings and places are referred to in the direc- tions ; and among them we observe the Boulevards de Riche- HAVRE. 145 From the quays, I sauntered along the ramparts, which are flanked by broad ditches — of course plenti- fully supplied with water ; and passing over the draw- bridge, by which all carriages enter the town — and which absolutely trembles as if about to sink beneath you, as the diligence rolls over it. — I made for the bou- levards and tea-gardens ; to which, business being well nigh over, the inhabitants of Havre flock by hundreds and by thousands. A fine afternoon throws every thing into " good keeping" — as the artists say. The trees, and meadows, and upper lands, were not only bright with the sun-beam, but the human countenance was lighted up with gladness. The occupations partook of this joyful character. Accordingly there was dancing and singing on all sides ; a little beyond, appeared to sit a group of philosophers, or politicians, upon a fantasti- cally cut seat, beneath laburnums streaming with gold ; while, still further, gradually becoming invisible from the foliage and winding path, strolled pairs in more gentle discourse ! Meanwhile the whoop and halloo of school-boys, in rapid and ceaseless evolutions, re- sounded through the air, and heightened the gratifica- tion of the scene. . . . And young and old came out to play Upon a sun-shine holiday. Gaining a considerable ascent, I observed knolls of rich verdure, with fine spreading trees, and elegant mansions, to be in the foreground — in the middle- 116 HAVRE. ground, stood the town of Havre : — in the distance, rolled and roared the expansive ocean ! The sun was visibly going to rest; but his departing beams yet sparkled upon the more prominent points of the pic- ture. There was no time for finishing the subject. After a stroll of nearly a couple of hours, on this inter- esting spot, I retraced my steps over the draw-bridge, and prepared for objects of still life ; in other words, for the examination of what might be curious and pro- fitable in the shape of a bofte. The lamps were lighted when I commenced my Bibliomaniacal Voyage of discovery among the book- sellers. But what poverty of materials, for a man edu- cated in the schools of Fust and Caxton! To every ques- tion, about rare or old books, I was told that I should have been on the Continent when the allies first got pos- session of Paris. In fact, I had not a single trouvaille. The packet was to sail by nine the next morning, precisely. For a wonder, (or rather no wonder at all, considering what had occurred during the last twenty- four hours) I had an excellent night's rest, and was prepared for breakfast by eight. Having breakfasted, I accompanied my luggage to the inner harbour, and observed the Honfleur packet swarming with passen- gers, and crammed with every species of merchandize : especially tubs, casks, trunks, cordage, and earthen- ware. We went on board, and took our stations near the helm ; and after experiencing a good deal oitmcom- fortahle heaving of the ocean, got clear from the HAVRE. 147 mouth of the harbour, and stood out to sea. The tide was running briskly and strongly into the harbour. We were in truth closely stowed ; and as these packets are built with flattish bottoms, and low sides, a rough sea would not fail to give to a crew, thus exposed, the appearance of half-drowned rats. Luckily the wind began to subside, and by degrees old ocean wore a face of undisturbed serenity. Our crew was a motley one; but among them, an Abbess, with a visage of parchment-like rigidity, and with her broad streaming bands, seemed to experience particular distress. She was surrounded by some hale, hearty market women, whose robust forms, and copper-tinted countenances, formed a striking contrast to her own. A little beyond was an old officer or two, with cocked hats of the usually capacious dimensions. But the poor Abbess was cruelly afflicted ; and in a gesture and tone of voice, of the most piteous woe, implored the steward of the vessel for accommodation below. Fortunately, as I was not in the least annoyed by sickness, I had leisure to survey the heights of Hon- fleur before we landed ; and looking towards the eourse of the River Seine, as it narrowed in its windings, I discovered Harfleur and Hocher nearly opposite ; and, a good deal lower down, the little fishing town of Quillebetif, apparently embedded in the water. Hon- fleur itself is surely among the most miserable of fish- ing towns* — or whatever be the staple commodity that * It was so in Evelyn's time: in 1644, "It is a poore fisher 148 HAVRE. supports it. But the environs make amends for the squalidness of the town. A few years of peace and plenty would work wonders even in the improvements of these environs. Perhaps no situation is more fa- vourable for the luxury of a summer retirement.* I paid only eight sous for my passage ; and having no passport to be vised (which indeed was the case at Ha\Te,) we selected a stout lad or two, from the crowds of lookers on, as we landed, to carry our luggage to the inn from which the diligence sets off for Caen. It surprised us to see with what alacrity these lads carried the baggage up a steep hill in their trucks, or barrows ; but we were disgusted with the miserable forms, and miserable clothing, of both sexes, which we encountered as we proceeded. I was fortunate to be in time to secure my place in the Diligence. The horses were in the very act of being put to, as I paid my reckoning beforehand. towne (says he) remarkable for nothing so much as the odd yet useful! habites which the good women weare, of beares and other skinns, as of raggs at Dieppe, and all along these coasts." Li/e and JFritings of J. Evelyn; 1818, 4to. vol. i. p. 51. * [It is near a chapel, on one of the heights of this town, that Mr. Washington Irving fixes one of his most exquisiteh' drawn characters, Annette Delabre, as absorbed in meditation and prayer respecting the fate of her lover ; and I have a distinct recollection of a beautiful piece of composition, by one of our most celebrated artists, in which the Heights of Honfleur, with women kneeling before a crucifix in the foreground, formed a most beautiful composition. The name of the artist (was it the younger Mr. Chalon?) I have forgotten.] HONFLEUR. H9 Judge of our surprise and gratification on seeing two well-dressed, and apparently well-bred Englishmen, securing their places at the same time. It is not always that, at first sight. Englishmen associate so quickly, and apparently so cordially, as did these gentlemen with ourselves. They were the Messrs. D* * * of 1/ * * * * Hall in Yorkshire : the elder brother an Oxford man of the same standing with myself. The younger, a Cantab. We were all bound for Caen ; and right gladly did we coalesce upon this expedition. We proceeded at a good sharp pace ; and as we ascended the very high hill on the direct road to Caen, wnth fine leafy trees on each side, and upon a noble breadth of road, I looked out of the dihgence to enjoy the truly magnificent view of the Seine — with glimpses of Ha rjle in- and Havre on the opposite coast. The cessation of the rain, and the quick movement of the vehicle, enabled me to do this in a tolerably commo- dious manner. The ground however seemed saturated, and the leaves glistened with the incumbent moisture. There was a sort of pungent freshness of scent abroad — and a rich pasture land on each side gave the most luxuriant appearance to the landscape. Nature indeed seemed to have fructified every thing in a manner at once spontaneous and perfect. The face of the coun- try is pasture-land throughout ; that is to say, there are comparatively few orchards and little arable. I was told to pay attention to the cattle, for that the farmers prided themselves on their property of this VOL. I. L 150 HAVRE TO CAEN. kind. They may pride themselves — if they please : but their pride is not of a lofty cast of character. I have been in Lincolnshire, Herefordshire, and Glou- cestershire — and have seen and enjoyed, in these counties, groups of cattle which appeared calculated for the land and the table of giants, compared with the Lilliputian objects, of the bucoline species, which were straying, in thin flocks, through the luxuriant pastures of Normandy. That triumphant and immutable maxim of " small bone and large carcase" seems, alas ! to be unknown in these regions. However, on we rode — and gazed on all sides. At length we reached Pont VEveque, a pretty long stage ; where we dined (says my journal) upon roast fowl, asparagus, trout, and an excellent omelette, with two good bottles of vin ordinaire — which latter, for four Englishmen, was commendably moderate. During dinner the rain came down again in yet heavier tor- rents — the gutters foamed, and the ground smoked with the unceasing fall of the water. In the midst of this aquatic storm, we toasted Old England right mer- rily and cordially ; and the conducteur, seeing us in good humour, told us that " we need not hurry, for that he preferred a dry journey to a wet one." We readily assented to this position ; but within half an hour, the weather clearing, we remounted : and by four o'clock, we all got inside — and politics, religion, literature, and the fine arts, kept us in constant dis- course and good humour as we rolled on for many a PONT L EVEQUE. 161 league. All the way to Troarn (the last stage on this side of Caen) the country presents a truly lovely pic- ture of pasture land. There are occasionally some wooded heights, in which English wealth and English taste would have raised villas of the prettiest forms, and with most commanding views. Yet there is no- thing to be mentioned in the same breath with the country about Rodwell in Glocestershire. Nor are the trees of the same bulk and luxuriant foliage as are those in our own country. A fine oak is as rare as an uncut WynJcyn de Worde :* but creeping rivulets, rich coppice wood, avenues of elms and limes, and meadows begemmed with butter-cups — these are the characte- ristics of the country through which we were passing. It is in vain however you look for neat villas or conse- quential farm houses : and as rarely do you see groups of villagers reposing, or in action. A dearth of popu- lation gives to French landscape a melancholy and soli- tary cast of character. It is in cities that you must look for human beings — and for cities the French seem to have been created. It was at Troarn, I think, or at some halting place beyond, that our passports were demanded, and the examination of our trunks solicited. We surrendered our keys most willingly. The gentlemen, with their cocked hats and bluejackets — having a belt from which a sword was suspended — consulted together for a * [My translator says, " un Wynkyn de Worde non coupd :" Qu. Would not the Debure Vocabulary have said "non rogn^?"] 152 HAVRE TO CAEN. minute only — returned our keys — and telling us that matters would be thoroughly looked into at Caen, said they would give us no trouble. We were of course not sorry at this detennination — and the Messrs. D* * * and myself getting once more into the cabriolet, (a postboy being secured for the leaders) we began to screw up our spirits and curiosity for a view of the steeples of Caen. Unluckily the sun had set, and the horizon had become gloomy, when we first discovered the spires of St. Stephens Abbey — the principal eccle- siastical edifice at Caen. It was hard upon nine o'clock ; and the evening being extremely dusky, we had necessarily a very indistinct view of the other churches — but, to my eye, as seen in a lengthened view, and through a deceitful atmosphere, Caen had the appearance of Oxford on a diminutive scale. The town itself, like our famous University, is built in a slanting direction ; though the surrounding country is yet flatter than about Oxford. As we entered it, all the population seemed collected to witness our arrival. From solitude we plunged at once into tumult, bustle, and noise. We stopped at the Hotel d'Espagne — a large, but black and begrimed mansion. Here our luggage was taken down ; and here we were assailed by gar9ons de place, with cards in their hands, intreat- ing us to put up at their respective hotels. We had somehow got a recommendation to the Hotel Royale, Place Royale, and such a union of ro?/o/ adjuncts was irresistible. Accordingly, we resolved upon moving CAEN. 153 thither. In a trice our trunks were placed upon bar- rows : and we marched behind, " in double quick time," in order to secure our property. The town appeared to improve as we made our different turnings, and gained upon our hotel. " Le voila, INIessieurs" — ex- claimed our guides and baggage-conductors — as we got into a goodly square, and saw a fair and comely mansion in front. The rush of landlord, waiting maids, and gar5ons de place, encountered us as we entered. " Messieurs, je vous salue," — said a huge, ungracious looking figure : — which said figure was nothing less than the master of the hotel — Mons. Lagouelle. We were shown into a small room on the ground floor, to the right — and ordered tea ; but had scarcely begun to enjoy the crackling blaze of a plentiful wood fire, when the same ungi-acious figure took his seat by the side of us ... to tell us " all about the duel." I had heard (from an English gentleman in the packet boat from Havre to Honfleur) something res- pecting this most extraordinary duel between a young Englishman and a young Frenchman : but as I mean to reserve my Caen budget for a distinct dispatch, and as I have yet hardly tarried twenty hours in this place, I must bid you adieu ; only adding that I dreamt, last night, about some English antiquaries trying to bend the bow of William the Conqueror ! — Can this be sur- prising? Again farewell. [ 154 ] LETTER XII. CAEN. SOIL. SOCIETY. EDUCATION. A DUEL. OLD HOUSES. THE ABBEY OF ST. STEPHEN. CHURCH OF ST. PIERRE DE DARNETAL. ABBE DE LA SAINTE TRI- NITE. OTHER PUBLIC EDIFICES. I HAVE now resided upwards of a week at Lagouelle's, the Hotel Roy ale, and can tell you something of the place and of the inhabitants of Caen. Caen however is still-life after Rouen : but it has been, and yet is, a town exceedingly well-deserving the attention of the lounging traveller and of the curious antiquary. Its ecclesiastical edifices are more ancient, but less vast and splendid, than those of Rouen ; while the streets and the houses are much more wide and comfortable. This place is the capital of the department of Cal- vados, or of Lower Normandy : and its population is estimated at forty thousand souls. It has a public library, a school of art, a college, mayoralty, and all the adjuncts of a corporate society.* But I must first * [" Besides her numerous public schools, Caen possesses two Schools of Art — one for design, the other for Architecture and Ornament — where the Students are gratuitously instructed." LlCQUET.] CAEN. 155 give you something in the shape of political economy intelligence. Caen with its arrondissemens o^ Bayeux, Vire, Falaise, Lisieux, Pont L'Eveque, is the country of pasturage and of cattle. It is also fertile in the apple and pear ; and although at Argences there have been vineyards from time immemorial, yet the produce of the grape, in the character of ivine,* is of a very secondary description. There are beautiful and most abundant market gardens about Caen ; and for the last seventy years they have possessed a garden for the growth and cultivation of foreign plants and trees. It is said that more than nine hundred species of plants and trees are to be found in the department of Cal- vados, of which some (but I know not how many or how few) are considered as indigenous. Of forests and woods, the number is comparatively small; and upon that limited number great injuries were inflicted by the Revolution. In the arrondissement of Caen itself, there are only 344 /lectares.f The truth is, that in the immediate neighbourhood of populous towns, the French have no idea of planting. They suffer plain after plain, and hill after hill, to be denuded of trees, and make no provision for the supply of those [* It is called F'in Huet — and is the last wine which a traveller will be disposed to ask for. When Henry IV. passed through the town, he could not conceive why such excellent grapes should produce such execrable wine. I owe this intelligence to Mens. LiGQUET.] t Somewhere about 160 English acres. 156 CAEN. who are to come after them. Thus, not only a great portion of the country about Rouen — (especially in the direction of the road leading to Caen — ) is gradually left desolate and barren, but even here, as you approach the town, there is a dreary flatness of country, unre- freshed by the verdure of foliage : whereas the soil, kind and productive by nature, requires only the slightest attention of man to repay him a hundred fold. What they will do some fifty years hence for fuel, is quite inconceivable. It is true that the river Orne, by means of the tide, and of its proximity to the sea, brings up vessels of even 200 tons burthen, in which they may stow plenty of wood ; but still, the expenses of carriage, and duties of a variety ofdesci'ip- tion — together with the dependence of the town upon such accidental supply — would render the article of fuel a most expensive concern. It is also true that they pretend that the soil, in the department of Cal- vados, contains coal ; but the experiments which were made some years ago at Littrij, in the arondissement of Bayeux, should forbid the Caennois to indulge any very sanguine expectations on that score. In respect to the trade of the town, the two princi- pal branches are lace and cap making. The former trade is divided with Bayeux ; and both places toge- ther give occupation to about thirty thousand pairs* of * [I had before said twenty — but Mons. Licquet observes, I might have said — thirty thousand pairs of hands.] CAEN. 157 hands. People of all ages may be so employed ; and the annual gross receipts have been estimated at four millions of francs. In cap making only, at Caen, four thousand people have been constantly engaged, and a gross produce of two millions of francs has been the result of that branch of trade. A great part of this manufacture was consumed at home; but more than one half used to be exported to Spain, Portugal, and the colonies belonging to France. They pretend to say, however, that this article of commerce is much diminished both in profit and reputation : while that of table linen is gaining proportionably in both.* There were formerly great tanneries in Caen and its immediate vicinity, but lately that branch of trade has suffered extremely. The revolution first gave it a violent check, and the ignorance and inattention of the masters to recent improvements, introduced by means of chemistry, have helped to hasten its decay. To balance this misfortune, there has of late sprung up a very general and judiciously directed commercial spirit in the article of porcelaine; and if Caen be inferior to its neighbouring towns, and especially to Rouen and Lisieux, in the articles of cloth, stuffs, and lace, it takes a decided lead in that which relates to potter?/ and china : no mean articles in the supply of domestic wants and luxuries. But it is in matters of higher " pith and moment" that Caen may claim a superiority * Caeu was celebrated for its table linen three centuries ago. Consult BouRGUEViLLK j AiUiijuUez de Caen; 1588, 8vo. p. 26, 158 CAEN. over the towns just noticed. There is a better spirit of education abroad ; and, for its size, more science and more literature will be found in it. This place has been long famous for the education of Lawyers. There are two distinct academies — one for " Science and the Belles-Lettres" — the other for agriculture and commerce. The Lycee is a noble build- ing, close to the Abbey of St. Stephen : but I wish its fa9ade had been Gothic, to harmonise with the Abbey. Indeed, Caen has quite the air of Oxford, from the prevalent appearance of stone in its public buildings. The environs of the town afford quarries, whence the stone is taken in great blocks, in a comparatively soft state — and is thus cut into the several forms required with the greatest facility. It is then exposed, and every succeeding day appears to add to its white tint and durable quality. I saw some important improve- ments making in the outskirts of the town,* in which * The fauxbourgs of Caen, in the present day, wear a melan- choly contrast to what they appear to have done in the middle of the xvith century. Considt the pleasantly penned description of these fauxbourgs by the first topographer of the place, Bour- GUEViLLE : in his Antiquitez de Caen, pp. 5, 6, 26. It may be worth subjoining, from the same interesting autho- rity, that long after the time even of the publication just referred to, the town of Caen was surrounded by lofty and thick stone walls — upon the tops of which three men could walk a-breast : and from thence the inhabitants could discern, across those large and beautiful gardens, "the vessels sailing in the river Orne, and unloading their cargoes by the sides of walls." It appears indeed CAEN. 159 they were finishing shafts and capitals of columns in a manner the most correct and gratifying. Still farther from the immediate vicinity of Caen, they find stone of a closer grain ; and with this they make stair-cases, and pavements for the interior of buildings. Indeed the stone stair-cases in this place, which are usually circular, and projecting from the building, struck me as being equally curious and uncommon. It is assert- ed that they have different kinds of marhle in the department of Calvados, which equal that of the south of France. At Bashj and V'leux white marble is found which has been judged worthy of a comparison with Parian ; but this is surely a little presumptuous. How- ever, it is known that Cardinal Richelieu brought from Vieux all the marble with which he built the chapel in the college of the Sorbonne. to have been a sort of lounge, or fashionable promenade — by means of various ladders for the purposes of ascent and descent. Among the old prints and bird's-eye views of Caen, which I saw in the collection of De Boze at the Royal Library at Paris, there is one accompanied by three pages of printed description, which begins with the lines of Guillaume Breton " Villa potens, opulenta, situ spatiosa decora." See First Edition, vol. i. p. 274. Evelyn, in 1644, thus describes the town of Caen. " The whole town is handsomely built of that excellent stone so well knowne by that name in England. I was lead to a pretty garden, planted with hedges of Alaternus, having at the entrance, at an exceeding height, accurately cut in topiary worke, with well understood architecture, consisting of pillars, niches, freezes, and other orna- ments, with greate curiosity, &c. Life and Writings of J. Eve- lyn, 1818, 4to. vol. i. p. 52. 160 CAEN. Upon the whole, as to general appearance, and as to particular society, Caen may be preferable to Rouen. The costume and manners of the common people are pretty much, if not entirely, the same ; except that, as to dress, the cauchoise is here rather more simple than at Dieppe and Rouen. The upper fiUe-de-chambre at our hotel displays not only a good correct model of national dress, but she is well-looking in her person, and well-bred in her manners. Mr. Lewis prevailed upon this good-natured young woman to sit for her likeness, and for the sake of her costume. The girl's eyes sparkled with more than ordinary joy at the pro- posal, and even an expression of gratitude mingled itself in her manner of compliance. I send you the figure and dress of the fiUe-de-chambre at the Hotel Royale of Caen.* Caen is called the depot of the English. f In truth there is an amazing number of our countrymen here, and from very different causes. One family comes to reside from motives of economy ; another from those of education ; a third from those of retirement ; and a fourth from pure love of sitting down, in a strange place, with the chance of making some pleasant connection, or of being engaged in seeking some strange adventure. Good and cheap living, and novel society, are doubt- less the main attractions. But there is desperate ill blood just now between the Caennois (I will not make * See the Opposite Plate. t It was a similar d^pot in Ducarel's time. •Ir 7?lt2Uy.''J'-'J>lidut^ T yr J/,yt EdlXixin.. T Wnyhe. s^ t: J. . ft.jfio . Published Jane : imgs. Foultry- i- CAEN. 161 use of the enlarged term Francois) and the EngHsh ; and I will tell you the cause. Do you remember the emphatic phrase in my last, "all about the duel?" Listen. About three weeks only before our arrival,* a duel was fought between a young French law-stu- dent, and a young Englishman ; the latter the son of a naval captain. I will mention no names ; and so far not wound the feelings of the friends of the parties concerned. But this duel, my friend, has been " the DUEL OF duels" — on the score of desperation, and of a fixed purpose to murder. It is Hterally without prece- dent, and I trust will never be considered as one. You must know then, that Caen, in spite of all the " boule- versemens" of the Revolution, has maintained its an- cient reputation of possessing a very large seminary, or college for students at law. These students amount to nearly 600 in number. Most young gentlemen under twenty years of age are at times riotous^ or frolicsome, or foolish. Generally speaking, however, the students conduct themselves with propriety : but there had been a law-suit between a French and English suitor, and the Judge pronounced sentence in favour of our countryman. The hall was crowded with spectators, and among them was a plentiful number of law-students. * The story was in fact told us the very first night of our ar- rival, by M. Lagouelle, the master of the hotel royale. He went through it with a method, emphasis, and energy, rendered the more striking from the obesity of his figure and the vulgarity of his countenance. But he frankly allowed that " Monsieur I'Ang- lois se conduisait bien." 162 CAEN". As they were retiring, one young Frenchman either made frightful faces, or contemptible gestures, in a very fixed and insulting manner, at a young English- man — the son of this naval captain. Our countryman had no means or power of noticing or resenting the insult, as the aggressor was surrounded by his compa- nions. It so happened that it was fair time at Caen ; and in the evening of the same day, our countryman recognised, in the crowd at the fair, the physiognomy of the young man who had insulted him in the hall of justice. He approached him, and gave him to under- stand that his rude behaviour should be noticed at a proper time and in a proper place : whereupon the Frenchman came up to him, shook him violently by the arm, and told him to " fix his distance on the en- suing morning." Now the habit of duelling is very common among these law-students ; but they measure twenty-five paces, fire, and of course . . . miss — and then fancy themselves great heroes. . . and there is an end of the affair. Not so upon the present occasion. *' Fifteen paces," if you please — said the student, sar- castically, with a conviction of the backwardness of his opponent to meet him. "Five, rather" — exclaimed the provoked Englishman — "I will fight you at five paces :" — and it was agreed that they should meet and fight on the morrow, at five paces only asunder. Each party was under twenty ; but I believe the English youth had scarcely attained his nineteenth year. What I am about to relate will cause your flesh CAEN. 163 to creep. It was determined by the seconds, as one must necessarilyyaZ/, from firing at so short a distance, that only owe pistol should be loaded with ball: the other having nothing but powder : — and that, as the Frenchman had challenged, he was to have the choice of the pistols. They parted. The seconds prepared the pistols according to agreement, and the fatal morning came. The combatants appeared, with- out one jot of abatement of spirit or of cool courage. The pistols lay upon the grass before them : one loaded only with powder, and the other with powder and ball. The Frenchman advanced : took up a pistol, weighed and balanced it most carefully in his hand, and then . . . laid it down. He seized the other pistol, and cocking it, fixed himself upon the spot from whence he was to fire. The EngHsh youth was necessarily compelled to take the abandoned pistol. Five paces were then measured . . and on the signal being given, they both fired . . . and the Frenchman fell . . . dead upon the SPOT ! The Frenchman had in fact taken up, but afterwards laid down, the very pistol which was loaded with the fatal ball — on the supposition that it was of too light a weight ; and even seemed to compliment himself upon his supposed sagacity on the occasion. But to proceed. The ball went through his heart, as I understood. The second of the deceased on seeing his friend a reeking corpse at his feet, became mad and outrageous . . and was for fighting the survivor imme- diately ! Upon which, the lad of mettle and courage 164 CAEN. replied, that he would not fight a man without a second — " But go," said he, (drawing his watch coolly from his fob) I will give you twenty minutes to come back again with your second." He waited, with his watch in his hand, and by the dead body of his antagonist, for the return of the Frenchman ; but on the expira- tion of the time, his own second conjured him to con- sult his safety and depart ; for that, from henceforth, his life was in jeopardy. He left the ground ; obtained his passport, and quitted the town instantly . . The dead body of his antagonist was then placed on a bier : and his funeral was attended by several hundreds of his companions — who, armed with muskets and swords, threatened destruction to the civil and military autho- rities if they presumed to interfere. All this has necessarily increased the ill-blood which is admitted to exist between the English and French . . . but the affair is now beginning to blow over.*' A truce to such topics. It is now time to furnish you with some details relating to your favourite subjects of ARCHITECTURAL ANTIQUITIES and BIBLIOGRAPHY. The former shall take precedence. First of the streets ; * [The affair is now scarcely remembered ; and the successful champion died a natural death within about three years afterwards. Mons. Licquet slenderly doubts portions of this tragical tale : but I have good reason to believe that it is not an exaggerated one. As to what occurred a/ier the death of one of the combatants, I am unwilling to revive unpleasant sensations by its recapitula- tion.] CAEN. 165 secondly of the houses ; and thirdly of the public build- ings ; ecclesiastical and civil. To begin with the Streets. Those of St. Pierre, Noire Dame, and St. Jean are the principal for bustle and business. The first two form one continuous line, .leading to the abbey of St. Stephen, and afford in fact a very interesting stroll to the observer of men and manners. The shops are inferior to those of Rouen, but a great shew of business is discernible in them. The street beyond the abbey, and those called Guil- bert, and des Chanoines, leading towards the river, are considered among the genteelest. Ducarel pro- nounced the houses of Caen " mean in general, though usually built of stone ;" but I do not agree with him in this conclusion. The open parts about the Liycee and the Abbey of St. Stephen, together with the Place Royale, where the library is situated, form very agi*ee- able spaces for the promenade of the ladies and the exercise of the National Guard. The Courts are full of architectural curiosities, but mostly of the time of Francis I. Of domestic architecture, those houses, with elaborate carvings in wood, beneath a pointed roof, are doubtless of the greatest antiquity. There are a great number of these ; and some very much older than others. A curious old house is to the right hand corner of the street St. Jean : as you go to the Post Office. But I must inform you that the residence of the famous Malherbe yet exists in the street leading to the Abbey VOL. I. M 166 CAEN. of St. Stephen. This house is of the middle of the sixteenth century: and what Corneille is to Rouen, Malherbe is to Caen. " Ici naquit Malherbe," &c. as you will perceive from the annexed view of this house, inscribed upon the front of the building. Mal- herbe has been doomed to receive greater honours. His head was first struck, in a series of medals, to per- petuate the resemblances of the most "eminent literary characters (male and female) in France : and it is due to the amiable Pierre- Aime Lair to designate him as the Father of this medallic project. In perambulating this town, one cannot but be sur- prised at the absence of Foimtains — those charming CAEN. 167 pieces of architecture and of street embellishment. In this respect, Rouen has infinitely the advantage of Caen : where, instead of the trickling current of trans- lucent water, we observe nothing but the partial and perturbed stream issuing from ugly u'clls,*^ as tasteless in their structure as they are inconvenient in the pro- curing of water. Upon one or two of these wells, I observed the dates of 15G0 and 1588. The Public Edifices, however, demand a particular and appropriate description : and first of those of the ecclesiastical order. Let us begin therefore with the Abbey of St. Stephen ; for it is the noblest and most interesting on many accounts. It is called by the name of that Saint, inasmuch as there stood formerly a cha- pel, on the same site, dedicated to him. The present building was completed and solemnly dedicated by William the Conqueror, in the presence of his wife, his two sons Robert and William, his favourite Archbishop Lanfranc, John Archbishop of Rouen, and Thomas Archbishop of York — towards the year 1080 : but I strongly suspect, from the present prevailing character * Bourgueville seems bitterly to lament the substitution of wells for fountains. He proposes a plan, quite feasible in his own estimation, whereby this desirable object might be effected : and then retorts upon his townsmen by reminding them of the commodious fountains at Lisleux, Falaise and Fire — of which the inhabitants " n'ont rien espargn^pour auoir ceste decoration et commodity; en leurs vilies." — spiritedly adding — " si j'estois encore en auctoritd, j'y ferois mon pouuoir, et ie y offre de mes biens." p. 17- 168 CAEN. of the architecture, that nothing more than the west front and the towers upon which the spires rest, re- main of its ancient structure. The spires (as the Abbe De La Rue conjectures, and as I should also have thought) are about two centuries later than the towers. The outsides of the side aisles appear to be of the thirteenth, rather than of the end of the eleventh, cen- tury. The first exterior view of the west front, and of the towers, is extremely interesting ; from the grey and clear tint, as well as excellent quality, of the stone, which, according to Huet, was brought partly from Vaucelle and partly from Allemagne.* One of the corner abutments of one of the towers has fallen down ; and a great portion of what remains seems to indicate rapid decay. The whole stands indeed greatly in need of reparation. Ducarel, if I remember rightly,f has * [I am most prompt to plead guilty to a species of Hippopo- tamos error, in having here translated the word Allemagne into Germany ! Now, although this translation, per se, be correct, yet, as applicable to the text, it is most incorrect — as the yillemiigne in question happens to be a Parish in the neigh- bourhood of Caen ! My translator, in turn, treats me somewhat tenderly when he designates this as " une m^prise fort singulifere." vol. ii. p. 25.] t The plate of Ducarel, here alluded to, forms the fourth plate in his work ; affording, from the starch manner in which it is engraved, an idea of one of the most disproportioned, ugly build- ings imaginable. Mr. Cotman has favoured us with a good bold etching of the West Front, and of the elevation of compartments of the Nave ; The former is at once faithful and magnificent ; but the lower part wants characteristic markings. CAEN. 169 made, of this whole front, a sort of elevation, as if it were intended for a wooden model to work by : having all the stiffness and precision of an erection of forty- eight hours standing only. The central tower is of very stunted dimensions, and overwhelmed by a roof in the form of an extinguisher. This, in fact, was the consequence of the devastations of the Calvinists ; who absolutely sapped the foundation of the tower, with the hope of overwhelming the whole choir in ruin — but a part only of their malignant object was accom- plished. The component parts of the eastern extre- mity are strangely and barbarously miscellaneous. However, no good commanding exterior view can be obtained from the place, or confined square, opposite the towers. But let us return to the west-front ; and opening the unfastened green-baize covered door, enter softly and silently into the venerable interior — sacred even to the feelings of Englishmen ! Of this interior, very much is changed from its original character. The side aisles retain their flattened arched roofs and pillars ; and in the nave you observe those rounded pilasters — or alto- rilievo-like pillars — running from bottom to top, which are to be seen in the abbey of Jumieges. The capi- tals of these long pillars are comparatively of modern date. To the left on entrance, within a side chapel, is the burial place of Matilda, the wife of the Conqueror. The tombstone attesting her interment is undoubtedly 170 CAEN. of the time. Generally speaking, the interior is cold, and dull of effect. The side chapels, of Avhich not fewer than sixteen encircle the choir, have the dis- cordant accompaniments of Grecian balustrades to separate them from the choir and nave. There is a good number of Confessionals within them ; and at one of these I saw, for the first time, two women, kneeling, in the act of confession to the same priest. " C'est un peu fort," observed our guide in an under-voice, and with a humourous expression of countenance ! Mean- while Mr. Lewis, who was in an opposite direction in the cathedral, was exercising his pencil in the follow- ing delineation of a similar subject. CAEN. 171 To the right of the choir (in the sacristy, I think,) is hung the huge portrait, in oil, within a black and gilt frame, of which Ducarel has published an engraving, on the supposition of its being the portrait of William THE Conqueror. But nothing can be more ridicu- lous than such a conclusion. In the first place, the picture itself, which is a palpable copy, cannot be older than a century ; and, in the second place, were it an original performance, it could not be older than the time of Francis I. : — when, in fact, it purports to have been executed — as a faithful copy of the figure of King William, seen by the Cardinals in 1522, who were seized with a sacred phrenzy to take a peep at the body as it might exist at that time ! The costume of the oil-painting is evidently that of the period of our Henry VIII, ; and to suppose that the body of Wil- liam — even had it remained in so surprisingly perfect a state as Ducarel intimates, after an interment of up- wards of four hundred years — could have presented such a costume, when, from Ducarel's own statement, another whole-length representation of the same person is totalhj different — and more decidedly of the cha- racter of William's time — is really quite a reproach to any antiquary who plumes himself upon the possession even of common sense. In the middle of the choir, and just before the high altar, the body of the Conqueror was entombed with great pomp ; and a monument erected to his memory of the most elaborate and costly description. Nothing i7? CAEN. now remains but a flat black marble slab, with a short inscription, of quite a recent date. In the present state of the abbey,* and even in that of Ducarel's time, there is, and was, a great dearth of sepulchral monuments. Indeed I know not whether you need be detained another minute within the inte- rior ; except it be, to add your share of admiration to that which has been long and justly bestowed on the huge organf at the west end of the nave, which is • It should be noticed that, " besides the immense benefactions which William in his life time conferred upon this abbey, he, on his death, presented thereto the crown which he used to wear at all high festivals, toj^ether with \d'i sceptre and rod : a cup set Avith precious stones ; his candlesticks of gold, and all his regalia ; as also the ivory bugle-horn which usually hung at his back." Anglo-Norman Aniiquitifs, p. 51. note. The story of the breaking open of the coffin by the Calvinists, and finding the Conqueror's remains, is told by Bour^^ueville — who was an eye icitness of these depredations, and who tried to " soften the obdurate hearts" of the pillagers, but in vain. This contemporaneous historian ob- serves that, in his time " the abbey was filled with beautiful and curious stained-glass windows and harmonious organs, which were all broken and destroyed — and that the seats, chairs, &c. and all other wooden materials were consumed by fire," p. 171. Huet observes that a " Dora Jean de Baillehache and Dom INIat- thieu de la Dangie," religious of St. Stephen's, took care of the monument of the Conqueror in the year 1642, and replaced it in the state in which it appeared in Huet's time." Origines de Caen ; p. 248. The revolution was still more terrible than the Calvinistic fury ; — for no traces of the monument are now to be seen. t The west window is almost totally obscured by a most gi- gantic organ built close to it, and allowed to be the finest in all France. This organ is so big, as to require eleven large bel- CAEN. 173 considered to be the finest in all France. But Nor- mandy abounds in church decorations of this kind. Leaving therefore this venerable pile, endeared to the British antiquary by a thousand pleasing associations of ideas, we strike off into an adjoining court yard, and observe the ruins of a pretty extensive pile of build- ing, which is called by Ducarel the Palace of the Con- queror. But in this supposed palace, in its jiresent state, most assuredly William I. never resided : for it is clearly not older than the thirteenth century : if so ancient. Ducarel saw a great deal more than is now to be seen ; for, in fact, as I attempted to gain entrance into what appeared to be the principal room, I was stopped by an old woman, who assured me "qu'il n'y avoit rien que du chaufFage." It was true enough : the whole of the untenanted interior contained nothing but wood fuel. Returning to the principal street, and lows, &c. Ducarel, p. 57. He then goes on to observe, that " amono^st the plate preserved in the treasury of this church, is a curious SILVER SALVER, about ten inches in diameter, gilt, aud inlaid with antique medals. Tradition assures us, that it was on this salver, that king William the conqueror placed the founda- tion charter of the abbey when he presented it, at the high altar, on the dedication of the church. The edges of this salver, which stands on a foot stalk of the same metal, are a little turned up, and carved. In the centre is inlaid a Greek medal ; on the ob- verse whereof is this legend, \vni- naire, p. 17, &c. Olivier Basselin is the parent of the title ^au- devire — which has since been coiTupted into Vaudeville. From the observation of his critics, Basselin appears to liave been the Father of Bacchanalian Poetry in France. He frequented public festivals, and was a welcome guest at the tables of the rich ; where the Vaudevire was in such request, that it is sup- posed to have superseded the " Conte, or Fabliau, or the Chanson d' Amour."* p. xviij ; Sur ce point-M, soyez tranquille : Nos neveux, j'en suis bien certain, Se souviendront de Basselin, Pere joyeux du Vaudeville: p. xxiij. I proceed to submit a few specimens of the muse of this ancient * The host, at these public and private festivals, usually called upon some one to recite or sing a song, chiefly of an amatory or chivalrous character ; and this custom prevailed more particularly in Normandy than in other parts of France : Usaige est en Normandie, Que qui hebergiez est qu'il die Fable ou Chanson ^ son oste. See the authorities cited at page xv, of this Discours prcjlimi- naire. 293 VIRE. I posted back to Monsieur Adam, the printer and bookseller, and held aloft my blue-covered copy of the Vaudevires as an unquestionable proof of the Anacreon of France ; aad must necessarily begin with a few of those that are chiefly of a bacchanalian quality. VAUDEVIRE II. Ayant le doz au feu et le ventre k la table, Estant parmi les pots pleins de vin ddlectable, Ainsi comme ung poulet Je ne me laisseray morir de la pepie, Quant en debvroye avoir la face cramoisie Et le nez violet. Quant mon nez devendra de couleur rouge ou perse, Porteray les couleurs que chdrit ma maitresse. Le vin rent le teint beau. Vault-il pas mieuLx avoir la couleur rouge et vive, Riche de beaulx rubis, que si pasle et chetive Ainsi qu'ung beuveur d'eau. VAUDEVIRE XI. Cbrtes hoc vinum est bonus : Du maulvais latin ne nous chaille, Se bien congru n'estoit ce jus, Le tout ne vauldroit rien que vaille. Escolier j'appris que bon vin Aide bien au maulvais latin* Ceste sentence praticquant, De latin je n'en appris gufere ; Y pensant estre assez sgavant, Puisque bon vin aimoye ^ boire. Lorsque maulvais vin on a beu, Latin n'est bon, fust-il congru. VI RE. '293 successful result of my visit to Monsieur La Renau- diere. Fy du latin, parlons fran^ois, Je m'y recongnois davantaige. Je vueil boire une bonne fois. Car voicy ung maistre breuvaige ; Certes se j'en beuvoye soubvent, Je deviendroye fort Eloquent. VAUDEVIRE XXII. He ! qu'avons-nous aflfairc Du Turc ny du Sophy, Don don. Pourveu que j'aye a boire, Des grandeurs je dis fy, Don don. Trincque, Seigneur, le vin est bon ; Hoc acuit ingenium. Qui songe en vin ou vigne. Est ung pr^saige heureux, Don don. Le vin a qui r^chigne Rent le coeur tout joyeux, Don don. Trincque, Seigneur, le vin est bon Hoc acuit ingenium. &c. The poetry of Basselin is almost wholly devoted to the celebra- tion of the physical effects of wine upon the body and animal spirits ; and the gentler emotions of the tender passion are rarely described in his numbers. In consequence, he has not invoked the Goddess of Beauty to associate with the God of Wine : to VOL. I. U «94 VIRE. Leaving the precious cargo with him, and telling him that I purposed immediately visiting the public " Drop from her myrtle one leaf in his bowl ;" or, when he does venture to introduce the society of a female, it is done after the following fashion — which discovers however an extreme facility and melody of rhythm. The burden of the song seems wonderfully accordant with a Bacchanalian note. VAUDEVIRE XIX. En ung jardin d'ombraige tout convert, Au chaud du jour, ay treuv^ Madalaine, Qui prfes le pi^ d'ung sicomorre vert Dornioit au bort d'une claire fontaine ; Son lit estoit de thin et marjolaine. Son tetin frais n'estoit pas bien cach^ : D'amour touche. Pour contempler sa beaut^ souveraine Incontinent je m'en suys approch^. Sus, sus, qu'on se resveille, Voicy vin excellent Qui faict lever I'oreille ; II faict mol qui n'en prent. Je n'eus pouvoir, si belle la voyant, De m'abstenir de baizotter sa bouche ; Si bien qu'enfin la belle s'esveillant. Me regardant avec ung ceil farouche. Me dit ces mots ; Biberon, ne me touche, Belle fillette ^ son aize ne couche Avecq celuy qui ne faict qu'yvronguer, &c. &c. The preceding extracts will suffice. This is a volume in every respect interesting — both to the literary antiquary and to the Book-Collector. A new edition of this work has appeared VIRE. S95 library, he seemed astonished at my eagerness about books — and asked me if I had ever published any thing bibliographical ? " Car enfin, Monsieur, la plus- part des Virois ne savent rien de la literature angloise" — concluded he . . . But I had just witnessed a splendid exception to this sweeping clause of censure. I then sought the residence of the Abbe Du Mortueux, the public librarian. That gentleman was from home, at a dinner party. I obtained information of the place where he might be found ; and considering two o'clock to be rather too early an hour (even in France) to dis- turb a gentleman during the exercise of so important a function, I strolled in the neighbourhood of the street, where he was regaling, for a full hour and half: when, at the expiration of that time, I ventured to knock at the door of a very respectable mansion, and to enquire for the bibliographical Abbe. " He is here, Sir, and has just done dinner. May I give him your name ?" " I am a stranger : an Englishman ; who, on the recommendation of Monsieur Larenaudiere, wishes to see the public library. But I will call again in about an hour." " By no means : by no means : the Abbe will see you immediately." And forthwith appeared a very comely, tall, and respectable-looking gentleman, with his hair en plein costume, both as to form and powder. Indeed I had rarely before wit- nessed so prepossessing a figure. His salutation and under the editorial care of M. Louis Dubois, published at Caen in 1821, 8vo, obtainable at a very moderate price. 29tf VIRE. address were most gracious and winning ; and he told me that I had nothing to do but to accompany him to the place which I wished to visit. Without even returning to his friends, he took his hat — and in one minute, to my surprise, I fovmd myself in the street with the Abbe de Mortueux, in the high way to the Public Library. In our way thither our discourse was constant and unrestrained. " You appear here. Monsieur I'Abbe, to be partial to literature ; . . but allow me first to congratulate you on the beautiful environs of your town." " For literature in general, we are pretty well disposed. In regard to the beauties of the immediate neighbourhood of Vire, we should be unworthy inhabitants indeed, if we were not sen- sible of them." In five minutes we reached the Li- brary. The shutters of the room were fastened, but the worthy Abbe opened them in a trice ; when I saw, for the first time in Normandy, what appeared to be a genuine, old, unmutilated, unpillaged library. The room could be scarcely more than twenty-two feet square. I went instantly to work, with eyes and hands, in the ardent hope, and almost full persuasion, of find- ing something in the shape of a good old Greek or Roman Classic, or French Chronicle, or Romance. But, alas, I looked, and handled the tomes in vain ! The history of the library is this : — The founder was a Monsieur Pichon ; who, on being taken prisoner by the English, at the capture of Louisburg in 1758, VIRE. 397 resided a long time in England under the name of Tyrrel, and lived in circumstances of respectability and even of opulence. There — whether on the dis- persion of the libraries of our Meads, Foulkes', and Rawlinsons, I know not — he made his collection ; took his books over with him to Jersey, where he died in 1780 : and bequeathed them, about 3000 in number, to his native town of Vire. M. du Mortueux, who gave me these particulars, has drawn up a little memo- rial about Pichon. His portrait, executed by an English artist, (whilst he lived among us) adorns the library ; with which I hope it will go down to a distant and grateful posterity. The colouring of this portrait is faded : but it is evident that Monsieur Pichon had an expressive and sensible physiognomy. Wonderful to relate, this collection of books was untouched during the Revolution ; while the neigh- bouring library of the Cordeliers was ransacked with- out mercy. But I regret to say that the books in the cupboards are getting sadly damp. Do not expect any thing very marvellous in the details of this collection ; The old-fashioned library doors, of wood, are quite in character with what they protect. Among the earlier printed books, I saw a very bad copy of Siveynheym and Pannartz's edition of the De Civitdte Dei of St. Austin, of the date of 1470 ; and a large folio of Ge- ring's impression of the Serynons of Leonard de Utino printed about the year 1478. This latter was rather a fine book. A Uttle black-letter Latin Bible by Froben, 29S VIRE. of the date of 1495, somewhat tempted me ; but I could not resist asking, in a manner half serious and half jocose, whether a napoleon would not secure me the possession of a piquant little volume of black-letter tracts, printed by my old friend Guido Mercator ?* The Abbe smiled: observing — ** mon ami, on fait voir les hvres ici ; on les lit meme : mais on ne les vend pas." I felt the force of this pointed reply : and was resolved never again to ask an Ecclesiastic to part with a black-letter volume, even though it should be printed by " my old friend Guido Mercator." Seeing there was very little more deserving of inves- tigation, I enquired of my amiable guide about the *' Library of the Cordeliers," of which he had just made mention. He told me that it consisted chiefly of canon and civil law, and had been literally almost destroyed : that he had contrived however to secure a great number of " rubbishing theological books," (so he called them !) which he sold for three sous a piece — and with the produce of which he bought many excel- lent works for the library. I should like to have had the sifting of this " theological rubbish !" It remained only to thank the Abbe most heartily for his patient endurance of my questions and searches, and particu- larly to apologise for bringing him from his &urround- ing friends. He told me, beginning with a " soyez * Some account of this printer, together with a fac-simile of his device, may be seen in the BibUographical Decameron, vol. ii. p. 33-6. VIRE 299 tranquille," that the matter was not worth either a thought or a syllable ; and ere we quitted the library, he bade me observe the written entries of the numbers of students who came daily thither to read. There were generally (he told me) from fifteen to twenty " hard at it" — and I saw the names of not fewer than ninetij-two who aspired to the honour and privilege of having access to the Bibliotheca Pichoniana. For the third time, in the same day, I visited Mon- sieur Adam ; to carry away, like a bibliomaniacal Jason, the fleece I had secured. I saw there a grave, stout gentleman — who saluted me on my entrance, and who was introduced to me by Monsieur A. by the name of Seguin. He had been waiting (he said) full three quarters of an hour to see me, and concluded by ob- serving, that, although a man in business, he had as- pired to the honour of authorship. He had written, in fact, two rather interesting — but wretchedly, and incorrectly printed — duodecimo volumes, relating to the BocAGE,* in the immediate vicinity of Vire ; and was himself the sole vender and distributer of his pub- lications. On my expressing a wish to possess these * The first publication is entitled " Essai sur VH'istoire de V Industrie du Bocage en Genfyal et de la FUle de Fire sa capitale enparliculier, ^c.'" Par M. Kichakd Seguin. A Fire, chez Adam, Imprimeur, an 1810, 12mo. It is not improbable that I may have been the only importer of this useful and crowdedly- paged duodecimo volume ; which presents us with so varied and animated a picture of the manners, customs, trades, and occupa- tions of the Bocains and the Virois. 300 VIRE. books, he quitted the premises, and begged I would wait his return with a copy or two of them. While he was gone, M. Adam took the opportunity of telhng me that he was a rich, respectable tradesman ; but that, having said some severe things of the manufactures of Vire in his first publication,* relating to the civil * I subjoin an extract which relates to the Dress and Character of the Women. " Quant au costume des femmes d'aujourd'hui, comme il faudrait un vohime entier pour le d(icrire, je n'ai pas le couraofe de m'enoager dans ce labyrinte de ridicules et de frivoUtes. Ce que j'en dirai seulement en g^ndral, c'est qu'autant les femmes du temps passd, etaient ddcentes et chastes, et se faisaient gloire d'etre graves et modestes, autant celles de notre sifecle mettent tout en oeuvre pour paraitre cyniques et voluptueuses. Nous ne sommes plus au temps oh les plus grandes dames se faisaient honneur de porter la corddlifere.* Leurs habillemens Etaient aussi larges et fermds, que celui des femmes de nos jours sont ouverts et lagers, et d'une finesse que les formes du corps, au moindre mouvement, se dessinent, de manifere ^ ne laisser rien ignorer. A peine se couvrent-elles le sein d'un voile transparent trfes-ldger ou de je ne sais quelle palatine qu'elles nomment point- Jl-jour, qui, en couvrant tout, nf. cache rien ; en sorte que si elles n'dtalent pas tous leurs charmes h, decouvert, c'est que les hommes les moins scrupuleux, qui se contentent de les persifler, en seraient rdvoltds tout-a-fait. D'ailleurs, c'est que ce n'est pas encore la mode ; plusieurs poussent meme I'impudence jusqu'^ venir dans nos temples sans coiffure, les cheveux heriss(;s comme des furies ; d'autres, par une bizarrerie qu'on ne pent expliquer * " Ceinture alors regardde eomme le symbole de la conti- nence. La reine de France en ddcorait les femmes titrdes dont la conduite dtait irrdprochable.' Hist, de hi re'un. de Bretagne a la France par Vahh^ Ira'xl. VIRE. 301 history of the Bocains, his townsmen sharply resented what they considered as reflections thrown out against se d^pouillent, autant qu'il est en leur pouvoir, des marques de leur propre sexe, sembleut rougir d'etre femrnes, et deviennent ridicules en voulant paraitre demi-hommes. " Aprfes avoir deshonord I'habit des femmes, elles ont encore voulu prostituer celui des hommes. On les a rues adopter suc- cessivement les chapeaux, les redingotes, les vestes, les gilets, les bottes et jusqu'aux boutons. Enfin si, au lieu de jupons, elles avaient pu s'accommoder de I'usage de la culotte, la metamor- phose ^tait complette ; mais elles ont prdf^rd les robes trainantes ; c'est dommage que la nature ne leur ait donn^ une troisifeme main, qui leur serait n^ressaire pour tenir cette longue queue, qui souvent patrouille la boue ou balaye la poussi^re. Plut a Dieu que les anciennes lois fussent encore en vigueur, ouceux et celles qui portaient des habits indecent dtaient obliges d'aller ^ Rome pour en obtenir I'absolution, qui ne pouvait leur etre ac- cordee que par le souverain pontife, &c. " Les femmes du Bocage, et sur-tout les Viroises, joignent a un esprit vif et enjoud les qualitds du corps les plus estimables. Blondes et brunes pour le plus grand nombre, elles sont de la moyenne taille, mais bien form^es : elles ont le teint frais et fleuri, I'ceil vif, le visage vermeil, la d-marche leste, un air ^toflf^ et tres elegantes dans tout leur maintien. Si on dit avec raison que les Bayeusines sont belles, les filles du Bocage, qui sont leurs voisines, ne leur cMent en aucune manifere, car en g^ndral le sang est trfes-beau en ce pays. Quant aux talens spirituels, elles les possfedent ^ un d^gr^ eminent. Elles parlent avec aisance, ont le repartie prorapte, et outre les soins du manage, ou elles excellent de telle sorte qu'il n'y a point de contr^es ou il y ait plus de linge, elles entendent ^ merveille, et font avec succ^s tout le detail du commerce." p. 238. These passages, notwithstanding the amende honorable of the concluding paragraph, raised a storm of indignation against the unsuspecting author ! Nor can we be surprised at it. 30« VIRE. them ; and M. Seguin was told that perhaps his per- sonal safety was endangered ! . . . He wanted not a This publication is really filled with a great variety of curious historical detail — throughout which is interspersed much that relates to " romaunt lore" and romantic adventures. The civil wars between Montgomery and Matignon form alone a very important and interesting portion of the volume j and it is evi- dent that the author has exerted himself with equal energy and anxiety to do justice to both parties — except that occasionally he betrays his antipathies against the Hugonots.* I will quote the concluding passage of this work. There may be at least half a score readers who may think it something more than merely his- torically curious ; " Je finirai done ici mon Histoire. Je n'ai point parl6 d'un grand nombre des faits d'armes et d'actions glorieuses, qui se soij; passes dans la guerre de I'independance des Etats-Unis d'Am^- rique ou beaucoup de Bocains ont eu part ; mais mon principal dessein a ^td de trailer des guerres qui ont eu lieu dans le Bo- cage ; ainsi je crois avoir atteint mon but, qui dtait d'dcrire I'His- toire Militaire des Bocains par des faits et non par des phrases, je ne peux cependant omettre une circonstance glorieuse pour le Bocage ; c'est la visite que le bon et infortune Louis XVI. fit aux Bocains en 1786. Ce grand Monarque dont les vues dtaient aussi sages que profondes, avait rdsolu de faii'c construire le beau Port de Cherbourg, ouvrage vraiment Royal, qui est une des plus nobles cntreprises qui aient ete faites depuis I'origine de la Mo- narchic. Les Bocains sentireut I'avantage d'un si grand bienfait. Le Roi venant visiter les travaux, fut accueilli avec un enthou- tiasme presqu'impossible k ddcrire, ainsi que les Princes qui I'ac- * "Les soldats Huguenots commirent dans cette occasion, toutes sortes de cruautds, d'infamies et de sacrileges, jusqu'^ m^ler les Saintes Hosties avec I'avoine qu'ils donnaient h. leurs chcvaux ; mais Dieu permit qu'ils n'en voulurent pas manger." p. 369. VIR£. 303 second hint — but fled from home with precipitancy : and in his absence the populace suspended his effigy, and burnt it before the door of his house. This, how- ever, did not cool the ardour of authorship in M. Se- guin. He set about pubhshing his military history of the Bocains ; and in the introductory part took occa- sion to retort upon the violence of his persecutors. To return to M. Seguin. In about ten minutes he appeared, with two copies in his hand — which I pur- chased, I thought dearly, at five francs each volume ; or a napoleon for the four books. After the adven- tures of this day, I need hardly tell you that I relished a substantial dinner at a late hour, and that I was well satisfied with Vire. Yesterday M. de Larenaudiere made good his en- gagement, and dined with me at five, in the salle a manger. This is a large inn ; and if good fare de- compagnaient. Sa marche rassemblait k un triomphe. Les peuples accouraient en foule du fond des campagnes, et bordaient la route, faisant retentlr les airs de chants d'al^gresse et des cris millions de fois r(:;p<;tt's de Vive le Roi! Musique, Processions, Arcs de trioinphe, Chemins joncb^s de fleurs ; tout fut prodigu^. Les villes de Caen, de Bayeux, de Saint-Lo, de Carentan, de Valognes, se surpass^rent dans cette occasion, pour prouver h S. M. leur amour et leur reconnaissance ; mais ricn ne fut plus bril- lant que I'entr^e de ce grand Roi ^ Cherbourg. Un peuple im- mense, le clerge, toute la noblesse du pays, le son des cloches, le bruit du canon, les acclamations universelles prouvdrent au Mo- narque mieux encore que la pompe toute Royale et les fetes mag- nifiques que la ville ne cessa de lui donner tous les jours, que les coeurs do tous les Bocains ^taient a lui." p. 428. 304 VIRE. pended upon the number and even elegance of female cooks, the traveller ought to expect the very best at the Cheval Blanc. The afternoon was so inviting — and my guest having volunteered his services to con- duct me to the most beautiful points of view in the immediate neighbourhood — that we each seemed to vie with the other in quickly dispatching what was placed before us ; and within thirty-five minutes, from the moment of sitting down, we were in the outskirts of Vire. Never shall I forget that afternoon's ramble. The sun seemed to become more of a golden hue, and the atmosphere to increase in clearness and serenity. A thousand little songsters were warbling in the full- leaved branches of the trees ; while the mingled notes of the hlanchisseuses and the milk-maids, near the banks of the rippling stream below, reached us in a sort of wild and joyous harmony — as we gazed down from the overhanging heights. The meadows were spotted with sheep, and the orchards teemed with the coming fruit. You may form some notion of the value of this rich and picturesque scenery, 'when I tell you that M. de Larenaudiere possesses land, in the imme- diate vicinity of Vire, which lets per acre at the rate of 6/. Gs. English. My guide was all gaiety of heart, and activity of step. I followed him through winding paths and devious tracks, amidst coppice-wood and fern — not however till I had viewed, from one particular spot upon the heights, a most commanding and inte- resting panorama of the town of Vire. VIRE. 305 In our perambulation, we discoursed of English poe- try ; and I found that Thomson was as great a favou- rite with my guide as with the rest of his countrymen. Indeed he frankly told me that he had translated him into French verse, and intended to publish his transla- tion. I urged him to quote specimens ; which he did with a readiness and force, and felicity of version, that quite delighted me. He thoroughly understands the original ; and in the description of a cataract, or moun- tain torrent, from the Summer, he appeared to me almost to surpass it. My guide then proceeded to quote Young and Pope, and delivered his opinion of our two great Whig and Tory Reviews. He said he preferred the politics and vivacity of the Edinburgh, but thought the Quarterly more instructive and more carefully written. " Enfin (he concluded) j'aime infi- niment votre gouvernement, et vos ecrivains ; mais j'aime moins le peuple Anglois." I replied that he had at least very recently shewn an exception to this opi- nion, in his treatment of one among this very people. " C'est une autre chose" — replied he briskly, and laugh- ingly — " vous allez voir deux de vos compatriotes, qui sont mes intimes, et vous en serez bien content !" So saying, we continued our route through a delightful avenue of beech-trees, upon the most elevated part within the vicinity of the town ; and my companion bade me view from thence the surrounding country. It was rich and beautiful in the extreme ; and with perfect truth, I must say, resembled much more strongly 306 VIRE. the generality of our own scenery than what I had hitherto witnessed in Normandy. But the sun was beginning to cast his shadows broader and broader, and where was the residence of Monsieur and Madame g * * * ? It was almost close at hand. We reached it in a quarter of an hour — but the inmates were unluckily from home. The house is low and long, but respect- able in appearance both within and without. The approach to it is through a pretty copse, terminated by a garden ; and the surrounding grounds are rather tastefully laid out. A portion of it indeed had been trained into something in the shape of a labyrinth ; in the centre of which was a rocky seat, embedded as it were in moss — and from which some fine glimpses were caught of the surrounding country. The fra- grance from the orchard trees, which had not yet quite shed their blossoms, was perfectly delicious ; while the stillness of evening added to the peculiar harmony of the whole. We had scarcely sauntered ten minutes before Madame arrived. She had been twelve years in France, and spoke her own language so imperfectly, or rather so unintelligibly, that I begged of her to resume the French. Her reception of us was most hospitable : but we declined cakes and wine, on ac- count of the lateness of the hour. She told us that her husband was in possession of from fourscore to a hundred acres of the most productive land ; and re- gretted that he was from home, on a visit to a neigh- VIRE. 3or bouring gentleman ; assuring us, if we could stay, that he would be heartily glad to see us — " especially any of his countrymen, when introduced by Monsieur de Larenaudiere." It M'as difficult to say who smiled and bowed with the greater complacency, at this double- shotted compliment. I now pressed our retreat home- wards. We bade this agreeable lady farewell, and returned down the heights, and through the devious paths by which we had ascended. While talk of various kind deceived the road. A more active and profitable day has not yet been de- voted to Norman objects, whether of art or of nature. To morrow I breakfast with my friend and guide, and immediately afterwards push on for Falaise. A ca- briolet is hired, but doubts are entertained respecting the practicabihty of the route. My next epistle will be therefore from Falaise — where the renowned Wil- liam the Conqueror was born, whose body we left entombed at Caen. The day is clearing up ; and I yet hope for a stroll upon the site of the castle. [ 308 ] LETTER XIX. DEPARTURE FROM VIRE. CONDE. PONT OUILLY. AR- RIVAL AT FALAISE. HOTEL OF THE GRAND TURC. THE CASTLE OF FALAISE. BIBLIOMANIACAL INTER- VIEW. Falaise. Here I am — or rather, here I have been — ^my most excellent friend, for the last four days — and from hence you will receive probably the last despatch from Normandy — from the " land (as I told you in my first epistle) of " castles, churches, and ancient chi- valry." An old, well-situated, respectably-inhabited, and even flourishing, town — the birth-place too of our renowned first William: — weather, the most serene and inviting — and hospitality, thoroughly hearty, and after the English fashion : — these have all conspired to put me in tolerably good spirits. My health, too, thank God, has been of late a little improved. You wish me to continue the thread of my narrative unbroken ; and I take it up therefore from the preparation for my departure from Vire. I breakfasted, as I told you I was about to do, with my friend and guide Mons. de Larenaudiere ; who had prepared quite a sumptuous repast for our participa- VIRE. 309 tion. Coffee, eggs, sweetmeats, cakes, and all the comfortable paraphernalia of an inviting breakfast- table, convinced us that we were in well-furnished and respectable quarters. Madame did the honours of the meal in perfectly good taste ; and one of the loveliest children I ever saw — a lad, of about five or six years of age — with a profusion of hair of the most delicate quality and colour, gave a sort of joyous cha- racter to our last meal at Vire. The worthy host told me not to forget him, when I reached my own country ;* and that, if ever business or pleasure brought me again into Normandy, to remember that the Maire de Tallevende-le-Petit would be always happy to re- new his assurances of hospitahty. At the same time, he entreated me to pay attention to a list of English books which he put into my hands ; and of which he stood considerably in need. We bade farewell in the true English fashion, by a hearty shake of the hands ; and, mounting our voiture, gave the signal for depar- ture. " Au plaisir de vous revoir !" — 'till a turning of the carriage deprived us of the sight of each other. It is not easy — and I trust it is not natural — for me to forget the last forty-eight hours spent in the interest- ing town of Vire ! * [Only ONE letter has passed between us since my departure ; and that enables me to subjoin a fac-simile of its author's auto- graph. VOL. I. 3 310 VI RE TO FALAISE. Our route to this place was equally grand and expe- rimental ; grand, as to the width of the road, and beauty of the surrounding country — but experimental, inasmuch as a part of the route royale had been broken up, and rendered wholly impassable for carriages of any weight. Our own, of its kind, was sufficiently light ; with a covering of close wicker-work, painted after the fashion of some of our bettermost tilted carts. One Norman horse, in full condition of flesh, with an equal portion of bone and muscle, was to convey us to this place, which cannot be less than twenty-two good long English miles from Vire. The carriage had no springs ; and our seat was merely suspended by pieces of leather fastened at each end. At Conde, about one- third of the distance, we baited, to let both man and hprse breathe over their dinners ; while, strolling about that prettily situated little town, we mingled with the inhabitants, and contemplated the various faces (it being market-day) with no ordinary degree of gratification. Amidst the bustle and variety of the scene, our ears were greeted by the air of an itinerant ballad-singer : nor will you be displeased if I send you a copy of it : — since it is gratifying to find any thing like a return to the good old times of the sixteenth century. VIVE LE ROI, VIVE L'AMOUR. Francois Premier, nous dit I'histoire, Etoit la fteur des Chevaliers, Prfes d'Etampes aux champs de gloire II recueillit myites et lauriers j VIRE TO FALAISE. SI I Sa maitresse toujours fidfele, Le payant d'un teudre retour, Lui chantant cette ritournelle ; Five le Roi, vive V Amour. Henui, des princes le module. Ton souvenir est dans nos coours. Par la charmante Gabrielle Ton front fut couronu^ de fleurs ; De la Ligue domptant la rage, Tu sus triompher tour-h-tour, Par ta cl^mence et ton courage : Five le Roi, vive I' Amour. Araaut chdri de la Vallifere, Des ennemis noble vainqueur, Louis savoit combattre et plaire, Guid^ par 1' Amour et I'honneur; A son retour de la Victoire, Entour6 d'une airaable cour, II entendoit ce cri de gloire : Five le Roi, vive I' Amour. &c. There was a freshness of tint, and a comeUness of appearance, among the bourgeoises and common peo- ple, which were not to be eclipsed even by the belles of Coutances. Our gar9on de poste and his able- bodied quadruped having each properly recruited themselves, we set forward — by preference — to walk up the very long and somewhat steep hill which rises on the other side of Conde towards Pont Ouilly — in the route hither. Perhaps this was the most conside- rable ascent we had mounted on foot, since we had 312 VIRE TO FALAISE. left Rouen. The view from the summit richly repaid the toil of using our legs. It was extensive, fruitful, and variegated ; but neither rock nor mountain sce- nery ; nor castles, nor country seats ; nor cattle, nor the passing traveller — served to mark or to animate it. It was still, pure nature, upon a vast and rich scale : and as the day was fine, and my spirits good, I was resolved to view and to admire. Po7it Ouilly lies in a hollow ; with a pretty winding river, which seems to run through its centre. The surrounding hills are gently undulating ; and as we descended to the Inn, we observed, over the opposite side of the town, upon the summit of one of the hills, a long procession of men and women — headed by an ecclesiastic, elevating a cross — who were about to cele- brate, at some little distance, one of their annual festi- vals. The effect — as the procession came in contact with a bright blue sky, softened by distance — was un- commonly picturesque . . but the day was getting on fast, and there was yet a considerable distance to per- form, — while, in addition, we had to encounter the most impassable part of the road. Besides, I had not yet eaten a morsel since I had left Vire. Upon hold- ing a consultation, therefore, it. was resolved to make for the inn, and to dine there. A more sheltered, rural, spot cannot be conceived. It resembled very many of the snug scenes in South Wales. Indeed the whole country was of a character similar to many parts of Monmouthshire ; although with a miserable draw-back VIRE TO FALAISE. 313 in respect to the important feature of wood. Through the whole of Normandy, you miss those grand and overshadowing masses of oak, which give to Mon- mouthshire, and its neighbouring county of Glocester, that rich and majestic appearance which so decidedly marks the character of those counties. However, we are now at the inn at Pont Ouilly. A dish of river fish, gudgeons, dace, and perch, was speedily put in requisition. Good wine, " than which France could boast no better !" and a roast fowl, which the daughter of the hostess " knew how to dress to admiration" . . was all that this humble abode could afford us." " But we were welcome :"' — that is, upon condition that we paid our reckoning . . The dinner would be ready in a " short half- hour." Mr. Lewis, went to the bridge, to look around, for the purpose of exercising his pencil: while I sauntered more immediately about the house. Within five mi- nutes a well-looking, and even handsome, young wo- man — of an extremely fair complexion — her hair cut close behind — her face almost smothered in a white cap which seemed of crape — and habited in a deep black — passed quickly by me, and ascended a flight of steps, leading to the door of a very humble mansion. She smiled graciously at the aubergiste as she passed her, and quickly disappeared. On enquiry, I was told that she was a nun, who, since the suppression of the convent to which she had belonged, earned her Uveli- hood by teaching some of the more respectable chil- 314 VIRE TO FALAISE. dren in the village. She had just completed her twen- tieth year. I was now addressed by a tall, bluff, shabby-looking man — who soon led me to understand that he was master of the inn where my " suite" was putting up ; — that I had been egregiously deceived about the nature of the road — for that it was totally impossible for one horse — even the very best in Nor- mandy — (and where will you find better ? added he, parenthetically — as I here give it to you) to perform the journey with such a voiture and such a weight of luggage behind." I was struck equally with amaze- ment and woe at this intelligence. The unpitying landlord saw my consternation. " Hark you, sir . . (rejoined he) if you must reach Falaise this evening, there is only one method of doing it. You must have another horse" " Willingly," I replied. " Yes, sir — but you can have it only upon one condition.*' *'What is that ?" " I have some little business at Falaise my- self. Allow me to strap about one hundred weight of loaf-sugar at the back of your conveyance, and I myself will be your gar9on de poste thither." I own I thought him about the most impudent fellow I had yet seen in Normandy : but there was no time for resis- tance. Necessity compelled acquiescence. Accord- ingly, the dinner being dispatched — which, though good, was charged at six francs a-head— we prepared for our departure. But judge of my surprise and increased consterna- tion, when the fellow ordered forth a little runt of a VIRE TO FALAISE. 315 quadruped — in the shape of a horse — which was hardly higher than the lower part of the chest of the animal which brought us from Vire ! I remonstrated. The landlord expostulated. I resisted — but the fel- low said it was a bargain ; and proceeded quietly to deposit at least two hundred weight of his refined su- gar at the back of the carriage. This Lilliputian horse was made the leader. The landlord mounted on the front seat, with our Vire post-boy by the side of him ; and sounding his whip, with a most ear-piercing whoop and hollow, we sprung forward for Falaise — which we were told we should reach before sunset. You can hardly conceive the miseries of this cross-road journey. The route royale was, in fact, completely impassable ; because they were repairing it. Alarmed at the rug- gedness of the cross-road, where one wheel was in a rut of upwai'ds of a foot deep, and the other elevated in proportion — we got out, and resolved to push on a-foot. We walked for nearly two leagues, before our conveyance overtook us — so harassing and so appa- rently insurmountable seemed to be the road. But the cunning aubergiste had now got rid of his leader. He said that it was only necessary to use it for the first two or three leagues — which was the most diffi- cult part of the route — and that, for the remainder, about five English miles, our " fine Norman horse" was perfectly sufficient. This fine Norman horse was treated most unmercifully by him. He flogged, he hallooed, he swore . . the animal tript, stumbled, and 316 VIRE TO FALAISE. fell upon his knees — more than once — from sheer fa- tigue. The charioteer hallooed and flogged again : and I thought we must have taken up our night quarters in the high-way ; — when suddenly, to the left, I saw the fine warm glow of the sun, which had set about twenty minutes, lighting up one of the most perfect round towers, of an old castle, that I had yet seen in Normandy. Voila Falaise ! — exclaimed the ruthless charioteer ; . . and in a quarter of an hour we ti'otted hard down a hill (after the horse had been twice again upon his knees) which terminated in this most interest- ing place. It will be difficult for me to forget — after such a long, wearisome, and in part desperate journey — our approach to Falaise : — and more especially the appear- ance of the castle just mentioned. The stone seemed as fresh, and as perfectly cemented, as if it had been the work of the preceding year. Moi'eover, the con- tiguous parts were so fine and so thoroughly pictu- resque — and the superadded tradition of its being, according to some, the birth place — and according to others, the usual residence — of William the Con- queror . . altogether threw a charm about the first glimpse of this venerable pile, which cannot be easily described. I had received instructions to put up at the " Grand Turc" — as the only hotel worthy an Eng- lishman's notice. At the door of the Grand Turk, therefore, we were safely deposited : after having got rid of our incumbrances of two postilions, and two FALAISE. 317 hundred weight of refined sugar. Our reception was gracious in the extreme. The inn appeared " tout-a- fait a la mode Anglaise" — and no marvel . . for Ma- dame the hostess was an Englishwoman. Her hus- band's name was David. Bespeaking a late cup of tea, I strolled through the principal streets, — delighted with the remarkably clear current of the water, which ran on each side from the numerous overcharged fountains. Day-light had wholly declined ; when, sitting down to my souchong, I saw, with astonishment — a j)air of sugar-tongs and a salt- spoon — the first of the kind I had beheld since I left England ! Madame David enjoyed my surprise ; add- ing, in a very droll phraseology, that she had " not forgotten good English customs." Our beds and bed rooms were perfectly comfortable, and even elegant. The moat which encircles, not only the castle, but the town — and which must have been once formidable from its depth and breadth, when filled with water — is now most pleasingly metamorphosed. Pasture lands, kitchen gardens, and orchards, occupy it entirely. Here the cattle quietly stray, and luxuriously feed. But the metamorphosis of the castle has been, in an equal degree, unfortunate. The cannon balls, during the wars of the League — and the fury of the populace, with the cupidity or caprice of some individuals, dur- ing the late revolution — helped to produce this change. After breakfast, I felt a strong desire to survey care- fully the scite and structure of the castle. It was a 318 FALAISE. lovely day ; and in five minutes I obtained admission at a temporary outer gate. The first near view within the ramparts perfectly enchanted me. The situation is at once bold, commanding, and picturesque. But as the opposite, and immediately contiguous ground, is per- haps yet a Uttle higher, it should follow that a force, placed upon such eminence — as indeed was that of Henry the Fourth, during the wars of the League — would in the end subdue the garrison, or demolish the castle. I walked here and there amidst briars and brushwood, diversified with lilacs and laburnums ; and by the aid of the guide soon got within an old room — of which the outer walls only remained — and which is distinguished by being called the h'lrtli-place of Wil- liam THE Conqueror. Between ourselves, the castle appears to be at least a century later than the time of William the Conque- ror ; and certainly the fine round tower, of which such frequent mention has been made, is rather of the four- teenth, if not of the beginning of the fifteenth century ;* but it is a noble piece of masonry. The stone is of a close grain and beautiful colour, and the component parts are put together with a hard cement, and with the smallest possible interstices. At the top of it, on * [It was in fact built by the famous Lord Talbot, about the year 1420. A similar castle, but less strong and lofty, may be seen at Castor, near Yarmouth in Norfolk — once the seat of the famous Sir John Fastolf, (a contemporary with Talbot) of whom Anstis treats so fully in his Order of the Garter, vol. i. p. 142. FALAISE. 319 the left side, facing the high road from Vire, — and con- structed within the very walls themselves, is a icell — which goes from the top apparently to the very bot- tom of the foundation, quite to the bed of the moat. It is about three feet in diameter, measuring with the eye ; perhaps four : but it is doubtless a very curious piece of workmanship. We viewed with an inquisitive eye what remained of the T>onjon : sighed, as we sur- veyed the ruins of the chapel — a very interesting little piece of ecclesiastical antiquity : and shuddered as we contemplated the enormous and ponderous portcullis — which had a drop of full twenty feet . . to keep out the invading foe. I was in truth delighted with this first reconnoissance of Falaise — beneath one of the bright- est and bluest skies of Normandy ! and — within walls, which were justly considered to be among the most perfect as well as the most ancient of those in Nor- mandy. Leaving my companion to take a view of the upper part of this venerable building, I retreated towards the town — resolved to leave no church and no street unex- plored. On descending, and quitting the gate by which I had entered, a fine, robust, and respectable figure, habited as an Ecclesiastic, met and accosted me. I was most prompt to return the salutation. " We are proud. Sir, of our castle, and I observe you have been visiting it. The English ought to take an inte- rest in it, since it was the birth-place of William the 320 FALAISE. Conqueror." I readily admitted it was well worth a minute examination : but as readily turned the conver- sation to the subject of libraries. The amiable stranger (for he was gaining upon me fast, by his un- affected manners and sensible remarks) answered, that " their own public library existed no longer — having been made subservient to the inquisitorial visit of M. Moysant of Caen* : that he had himself procured for the Bishop of Bayeux the Mentz Bible of 1462 — and that the Chapter-Library of Bayeux, before the Revo- lution, could not have contained fewer than 40,000 volumes. " But you are doubtless acquainted, Sir, with the CoMTE de la Fresnaye, who resides in yon- der large mansion?" — pointing to a house upon an elevated spot on the other side of the town. I replied that I had not that honour ; and was indeed an utter stranger to every inhabitant of Falaise. I then stated, in as few and precise words as possible, the particular object of my visit to the Continent. " Cela suffit" — resumed the unknown — " nous irons faire visite a Mon- sieur le Comte apres le dine ; a ce moment il s'occupe avec le potage — car c'est un jour maigre. 11 sera charme de vous recevoir. II aime infiniment les Anglois, et il a reste long-temps chez vous. C'est un brave homme — et meme un grand antiquaire." My pulse and colour increased sensibly as the stran- ger uttered these latter words : and he concluded by * See p. 205 ante. FALAISE 321 telling me that he was himself the Cure of Ste. Tri- nite one of the two principal churches of the town — and that his name was Mouton. Be assured that I shall not lose sight of the Comte de la Fresnaye, and Monsieur Mouton. [ 3-2^ ] LETTER XX. MONS. MOUTON. CHURCH OF STE. TRINITE. COMTE DE LA FRESNAYE. GUIBRAY CHURCH. SUPPOSED HEAD OF WILLIAM THE CONQUEROR. M. LANGEVIN, HISTO- RIAN OF FALAISE. PRINTING OFFICES. I LOSE no time in the fulfilment of my promise. The church of Sainte Trinite, of which Monsieur Mou- ton is the Cure, is the second place of worship in rank in the town. During the Revolution, Mons. Mouton was compelled, with too many of his professional bre- thren, to fly from the general persecution of his order. One solitary and most amiable creature only remained ; of the name of Langevin — of whom, by and by. Mon- sieur Mouton did me the honour of shewing me the interior of his church. His stipend (as he told me) did not exceed 1500 francs per annum ; and it is really surprising to observe to what apparent acts of gene- rosity towards his flock, this income is made subser- vient. You shall hear. The altar consists of two angels of the size of life, kneeling very gracefully, in white glazed plaister : in the centre, somewhat raised above, is a figure of the Virgin, of the same materials ; above which again, is a representation of the Trinity FALAISE. 323 — in a blaze of gilt. The massive circular columns surrounding the choir — probably of the fourteenth century — were just fresh painted, at the expense of the worthy Cure, in alternate colours of blue and yel- low — imitative of marble ; — that is to say, each column, alternately, was blue and yellow. It was impossible to behold any thing more glaring and more tasteless. I paid my little tribute of admiration at the simplicity and grace of the kneeling figure of the Virgin — but was stubbornly silent about every thing else. Mon- sieur Mouton replied that " he intended to grace the brows of the angels by putting a garland round each." I felt a sort of twinge upon receiving this intelligence ; but there is no persuading the French to reject, or to qualify, their excessive fondness for flower ornaments. Projecting from the wall, behind the circular part of the choir, I observed a figure of St. Sebastian — precisely of that character which we remark in the printed missals of the fifteenth century, — and from which the engravers of that period copied them: namely, with the head large, the body meagre, and the limbs loose and muscular. It was plentifully covered, as was the whole surface of the wall, with recent white wash. On observing this, my guide added : " oui, et je veux le faire couvrir d'une teinte encore plus blanche !" Here I felt a second twinge yet more powerful than the first. I noticed, towards the south- side door, a very fine crucifix, cut in wood, about three feet high ; and apparently of the time of Goujon. It 324 FALAISE. was by much the finest piece of sculpture, of its kind, which I had seen in Normandy ; but it was rather in a decaying state. I wished to know whether such an object of art — apparently of no earthly importance, where it was situated — might be obtained for some honourable and adequate compensation. Monsieur Mouton replied that he desired to part with it — but that it must be replaced by another " full six feet high !" There was no meeting this proposition, and I ceased to say another word upon the subject. Upon the whole, the church of the Holy Trinity is rather a fine and capacious, than a venerable edifice ; and although I cannot conscientiously approve of the beautifying and repairing which are going on therein, yet I will do the 'planner the justice to say, that a more gentlemanly, liberally-minded, and truly amiable cler- gyman is perhaps no where to be found, — within or without the diocese to which he belongs. Attached to the north transept or side door, parallel with the street, is a long pole. "What might this mean?" " Sir, this pole was crowned at the top by a garland, and by the white flag of St. Louis,* — which were * On the return of Louis the XVIII. the town of Falaise mani- fested its loyalty in the most unequivocal manner. COUPLETS. Chant^s par les Elhes du CoWge de Falaise, en arborant e Drapeau Blanc. Air : Un Soldat par un coup funeste. Loin de nous la sombre tristesse. Mars a d6pos6 sa fureur ; FALAISE. 325 hoisted to receive me on my return from my long ex- patriation" — and the eyes of the narrator were suffused with tears, as he made the answer ! It is of no conse- quence how small the income of an unmarried minister may be, when he thus lives so entirely in the hearts OF HIS FLOCK. This church bears abundant evidence, within and without, of what is called the restoration of the Gothic order durinof the reign of Francis I. : al- though the most essential and the greater portion is Enfin la foudre vengeresse Vient de terrasser Vopresseur, L'aigle sanguinaire Succombe k I'aspect de ces Lys. Peuple franqais, tu vas revoir ton Pfere ! Vive le Roi ! Vive Louis ! Drapeau, que d'horribles tempetes Avoient doignd de ces lieux, Tu reviens embellir nos Fetes, Plus brillant et plus radieux ! Ta douce presence Ram^ne les jeux et les ris j Sois ^jamais I'Etendardde la France, Vive le Roi ! vive Louis ! O Dieu ! vengeur de I'innocence, Protfege ces Lys glorieux ! Conserve long-temps d la France LE ROI que tu rends d nos voeux ! . . Si la perfidie De nouveau troubloit ton bonheur Viens nous guider, 6 Banni^re chdrie ! Nous volerons au champ d'honneur. VOL. I. Y 32^ FALAISE. evidently of the latter part of the fourteenth century.* Having expressed my admiration of the manufacture of wax candles (for religious purposes) which I had frequently observed in the town, Monsieur Mouton, upon taking me into the sacristy (similar to our vestry- * The worthy historian of Falaise, quoted in a preceding page, is exceedingly anxious to make us believe that there are por- tions of this church — namely, four stones — in the eastern and western gable ends — which were used in the consecration of it, by Mathilda, the wife of our first William. Also, that, at the gable end of the south transept, outside, an ancient grotto, — in which the Gallic priests of old purified themselves for the myste- ries of their religion — is now converted into the sacristy, or ves- try, or robing room. But these are surely mere antiquarian dreams. The same author more sagaciously informs us that the exact period of the commencement of the building of the nave, namely in 1438, is yet attested by an existing inscription, in go- thic letters, towards the chief door of entrance. The inscription also testifies that in the same year, "there reigned Death, War, and Famine." The chancel of the choir, with the principal doors of entrance, &c. were constructed between the years 1620, and 1540. It may be worth remarking that the stalls of the choir were brought from the Abbey of St. John — on the destruction of that monastic establishment in 1729 ; and that, according to the Gallia Christiana, vol. xi. p. "Jb^, these stalls were carved at the desire of Thomas II. de Mallebiche, abbot of that establishment in 1506 — 1516. In a double niche of the south buttress are the statues of Herpin and his W^ife ; rich citizens of Falaise, who, by their wealth, greatly contributed to the building of the choir. (Their grandson, Herpin Lachenaye, together with his mistress were killed, side by side, in fighting at one of the gates of Falaise to repel the successful troops of Henry IV.) The Chapel of the Virgin, behind the choir, was completed about the year 1631. Langevin, p. 81—128—131. FALAISE. 32r room) begged I would do him the honour to accept of any which might be lying upon the table. These candles are made of the purest white wax : of a spiral, or twisted, or square, or circular form ; of conside- rable length and width. They are also decorated with fillagree work, and tinsel of various colours. Upon that which I chose, there were little rosettes made of wax. The moderate sum for which they are obtained, startles an Englishman who thinks of the high price of this article of trade in his own country. You see fre- quently, against the walls and pillars of the choir, frag- ments of these larger wax candles, guttering down and begrimed from the uses made of them in time of wor- ship. In this sacristy there were two little boys swing- ing wooden censers, by way of practice for the more perfect use of them, when charged with frankincense, at the altar. To manage these adroitly — as the tra- veller is in the constant habit of observing during divine worship — is a matter of no very quick or easy attainment. From the Cure we proceed to the Comte de la Fresnaye ; whose pleasantly situated mansion had been pointed Out to me, as you may remember, by the former. Passing over one of the bridges, leading towards Guibray, and ascending a gentle eminence to the left, I approached the outer lodge of this large and respectable-looking mansion. The Count and family were at dinner : but at three they would rise from table. " Meanwhile," said the porter, it might give me 328 FALAISE. pleasure to walk in the garden." It was one of the loveliest days imaginable. Such a sky — blue, bright, and cloudless — I had scarcely before seen. The gar- den was almost suffocated with lilacs and laburnums, glittering in their respective liveries of white, purple, and yellow. I stepped into a berceau — and sitting upon a bench, bethought me of the strange visit I was about to make — as well as of all the pleasing pastoral poetry and painting which I had read in the pages of De Lille, or viewed upon the canvas of Watteau. The clock of the church of St. Gervais struck three ; when, starting from my reverie, I knocked at the hall-door, and was announced to the family, (who had just risen from dinner) above stairs. A circle of five gentlemen w^ould have alarmed a very nervous visitor ; but the Count, addressing me in a semi-British and semi-Gallic phraseology, immediately dissipated my fears. In five minutes he was made acquainted with the cause of this apparent intrusion. Nothing could exceed his amiable frankness. The very choicest wine was circulated at his table ; of which I partook in a more decided manner on the following day — when he was so good as to invite me to dine. When I touched upon his favourite theme of Norman Antiquities, he almost shouted aloud the name of Ingulph, — that "cher ami de Guillaume le Conquerant !" I was unwilling to trespass long ; but I soon found the advantage of making use of the name of " Monsieur Mouton — restimable Cure de la Sainte Trinite." FALAISE. 329 In a stroll to Guibray, towards sunset the next day, I passed through a considerable portion of the Count's property, about 300 acres, chiefly of pasture land. The evening was really enchanting ; and through the branches of the coppice wood the sun seemed to be setting in a bed of molten gold. Our conversation was animated and incessant. In the old and curious church of Guibray, the Count shewed us his family pew with the care and particularity of an old country squire. Meanwhile Mr. Lewis was making a hasty copy of one of the very singular ornaments — representing Christ bearing his cross — which was suspended against the walls of the altar of a side chapel. You have it here. 330 FALAISE. It is frightfully barbarous, and characteristic of the capricious style of art which frequently prevailed about the year 1520 : but the wonder is, how such a wretch- ed performance could obtain admission into the sanc- tuary where it was deposited. It was however the pious gift of the vestry woman — who shewed us the interior — and who had religiously rescued it, during the Revolution, from the demolition of a neighbouring abbey. The eastern end of this church is perhaps as old as any ecclesiastical edifice in Normandy;* and its * We have of course nothing to do with the first erection of a place of worship at Guibray in the viiith century. The story connected with the earliest erection is this. The faubourg of Guibray, distant about 900 paces from Falaise, was formerly covered with chestnut and oak trees. A sheep, scratching the earth, as if by natural instinct (I quote the words of M. Lange- vin the historian of Falaise) indicated, by its bleatings, that some- thing was beneath. The shepherd approached, and hollowing out the earth with his crook, discovered a statue of the Virgin, with a child in its arms. The first church, dedicated to the Virgin, under the reign of Charles Martel, called the Victorious, was in consequence erected — on this very spot — in the centre of this widely spreading wood of chestnut and oak. I hasten to the construction of a second church, on the same site, under the aus- pices of Mathilda, the wife of the Conqueror : with the statue of a woman mth a diadem upon her head — near one of the pillars : upon which statue Langevin discourses learnedly in a note. But neither this church nor the statue in question are now in exis- tence. On the contrary, the oldest portions of the church of Guibray, now existing — according to the authors of the Gallia Christiana, vol. xi. p. 878, and an ancient MS. consulted by M. Langevin — are of about the date of 1222 ; when the church was consecrated by the Bishop of Coutances. The open space to- FALAISE. 331 exterior (to which we could only approach by wading through rank grass as high as our knees) is one of the most interesting of its kind. During our admiration of all that was curious in this venerable edifice, we were struck by our old friends, the penitents^ — busy in mak- ing confession. In more than one confessional there were two penitents ; and towards one of these, thus doubly attended, I saw a very large, athletic, hard- visaged priest hastening, just having slipt on his sur- plice in the vestry. Indeed I had been cursorily in- troduced to him by the Count. It was Saturday even- ing, and the ensuing Sunday was to be marked by some grand procession. The village-like town of Guibray presents a most singular sight to the eye of a stranger. There are wards the south, now called La Place aux Chevaux, was the old burying ground of the church. There was also a chapel, dedi- cated to St. Gervais, which was pillaged and destroyed by the Hugonots in 1562. I should add, that the South-East exterior G^ehind the chancel) of this very curious old church at Guibray, resembles, upon a small scale, what M. Cotman has published of the same portion of St. Georges de Bocherville. Recherches sur Falaise, p. 49 — .53, Monsieur le Comte de la Fresnaye, in his Notice Historique sur Falaise, 1816, 8vo. wiU have it, that " the porch of this church, the only unmutilated portion remaining of its ancient structure, demonstrates the epoch of the origin of Christianity among the Gauls." "At least, such is the decision of M. Deveze, draftsman for Laborde; the latter of whom now Se- cretary to the Count d'Artois, instituted a close examination of the whole fabric." p. 5 — 6. I hope there are not many such con- clusions to be found in the magnificent and meritorious produc- tions of Laborde. 332 FALAISE. numerous little narrow streets, with every window closed by wooden shutters, and every door fastened. It appears as if the plague had recently raged there, and that the inhabitants had quitted it for ever. Not a creature is visible : not a sound is heard : not a mouse seems to be stirring. And yet Guibray boasts of the LARGEST FAIR in France, save one !* This, my friend, precisely accounts for the aspect of desolation just described. During the intervals of these triennial fairs, the greater part of the village is uninhabited ; venders and purchasers flocking and crowding by * This fair lasts full fifteen days. The first eight days are devoted to business of a more important nature — which they call the GREAT week: that is to say, the greatest number of mer- chants attend during the earlier part of itj and contracts of greater extent necessarily take place. The remaining seven days are called the little week — in which they make arrangements to carry their previous bargains into effect, and to return home. Men and merchandise, from all quarters, and of all descriptions, are to be seen at this fair. Even Holland and Germany are not wanting in sending their commercial representatives. Jewellery and grocery seem to be the chief articles of commerce ; but there is a prodigious display of silk, linen, and cotton, &c. : as well as of hides, raw and tanned ; porcelaine and earthen ware. The live cattle market must not be forgotten. Laugeviu says that, of horses alone, they sometimes sell full four thousand. Thus much for the buyer and seller. But this fair is regularly enlivened by an immense confluence of nobility and gentry from the adja- cent country — to partake of the amusements, which, (as with the English,) form the invariable appendages of the scene. Langevin mentions the minor fairs of Ste. Croiv, St. Michel, and St. Ger- vais, which help to bring wealth into the pockets of the inhabi- tants. Recherches Historiques sur Fulaise ; p. 199, &c. FALAISE. 333 hundreds when they take place. In a short, narrow street — where nothing animated was to be seen — the Count assured me that sometimes, in the course of one morning, several millions of francs were spent in the purchase of different wares. We left this very strange place with our minds occupied by a variety of reflec- tions : but at any rate highly pleased and gratified by the agreeable family which had perfonned the part of guides on the occasion. In the evening, a professor of music treated us with some pleasing tunes upon the guitar — which utterly astonished the Count — and it was quite night-fall when we returned homewards, to- wards our quarters at the hotel of the Grand Turc. A memorable incident occurred in our way home- wards ; which, when made known, will probably agi- tate the minds and shake the faith of two-thirds of the members of our Society of Antiquaries. You may remember that I told you, when at Caen, that the Abbe De la Rue had notified to me what were the objects more particularly deserving of attention in my further progress through Normandy. Among these, he par- ticularly mentioned a figure or head of William the Conqueror at Falaise. In the Place St. Gervais, this wonderful head was said to exist — and to exist there only. It was at the house of an Innkeeper — certainly not moving in the highest circle of his calling. I lost little time in visiting it ; and found it situated at the top of a dark narrow staircase, projecting from the wall, to the right, just before you reach the first floor. 334 FALAISE. Some sensation had been excited by the enquiries, which I had previously set on foot ; and on a second visit, several people were collected to receive us. Lights, warm water, towels, soap and brushes, were quickly put in requisition. I commenced operations with a kitchen knife, by carefully scraping away all the layers of hardened white and ochre washes, with which each generation had embedded and almost oblite- rated every feature. By degrees, the hair became manifest : then followed the operation of soap and water — which brought out the features of the face ; and when the eyes fully and distinctly appeared, the exclamation of " Mon Dieu !" by the spectators, was loud and unremitting. The nose had received a se- rious injury by having its end broken off. Anon, stood forth the mouth ; and when the " whiskered majesty" of the beard became evident, it was quite impossible to repress the simultaneous ejaculation of joy and astonishment ..." Voild le vrai portrait de Guillaume le Conqucrant ! The whiskers apparently denote it to be rather Saxon than Norman. The head is nearly eleven inches in length, by seven and a half in width : is cut upon a very coarse, yet hard-grained stone — and rests upon a square, unconnected stone : — embedded within the wall. If it ever had shoulders and body, those shoulders and body were no part of the present appen- dages of the head. What then, is the Abbe de la Rue in error ? The more liberal inference will be, that the FALAISE. 335 Abbe de la Rue had never seen it. As to its antiquity, I am prepared to admit it to be very considerable ; and, if you please, even before the period of the loves of the father and mother of the character whom it is supposed to represent. In the morning, Madame Rolle seemed disposed to take ten louis (which I freely offered her) for her precious fragment : but the dis- tinct, collected view of whiskers, mouth, nose, eyes, and hair, instantaneously raised the quicksilver of her expectations to " quinze louis pour le moins !" That was infinitely " trop fort" — and we parted without coming to any terms. Perhaps you will laugh at me for the previous offer. The church of St. Gervais is called the mother church of the town : and it is right that you should have some notion of it. It stands upon a finely ele- vated situation. Its interior is rather capacious : but it has no very grand effect arising from simplicity or breadth of architecture. The pillars to the right of the nave, on entering from the western extremity, are doubtless old ; perhaps of the beginning of the thir- teenth century. The arches are a flattened semi- circle ; while those on the opposite side are compara- tively sharp, and of a considerably later period. The ornaments of the capitals of these older pillars are, some of them, sufficiently capricious and elaborate ; while others are of a more exceptionable character on the score of indelicacy. But this does not surprise a man who has been accustomed to examine art, of the 336 FALAISE. middle centuries, whether in sculpture or in painting. The side aisles are comparatively modern. The pillars of the choir have scarcely any capitals beyond a simple rim or fillet ; and are surmounted by sharp low arches, like what are to be seen at St. Lo and Cou- tances. The roof of the left side aisle is perfectly green from damp : the result, as at Coutances, of the roof having been stripped for the sake of the lead to make bullets, &c. during the Revolution. I saw this large church completely filled on Sunday, at morning service — about eleven : and, in the congregation, I observed several faces and figures, of both sexes, which indicated great intelligence and respectability. Indeed there was much of the air of a London con- gregation about the whole. From the Church, we may fairly make any thing but a digression — in discoursing of one of its brightest ornaments, in the person of Monsieur Langevin : — a simple priest — as he styles himself in an octavo volume, which entitles him to the character of the best living Historian of Falatse. He is a mere officiating minister in the church of Mons. Mouton ; and his salary, as he led me to infer, could be scarcely twenty louis per annum. Surely this man is among the most amiable and excellent of God's creatures ! But it is right that you should know the origin and progress of our acquaintance. It was after dinner, on one of the most industriously spent of my days here — and the very second of my arrival, — that the waiter announced FALAISE. 337 the arrival of the Abbe Langevin, in the passage, with a copy of his History beneath his arm. The door opened, and in walked the stranger — habited in his clerical garb — with a physiognomy so benign and ex- pressive, and with manners so gentle and well-bred, — that I rose instinctively from my seat to give him the most cordial reception. He returned my civility in a way which shewed at once that he was a man of the most interesting simplicity of character. " He was aware (lie said) that he had intruded ; but as he under- stood " Monsieur was in pursuit of the antiquities of the place, he had presumed to offer for his acceptance a copy of a work upon that subject — of which he was the humble author." This work was a good sized thick crown octavo, filling five hundred closely and well-printed pages ; and of which the price was fifty sous ! The worthy priest, seeing my surprise on his mentioning the price, supposed that I had considered it as rather extravagant. But this error was rectified in an instant. I ordered three copies of his historical labours, and told him my conscience would not allow me to pay him less than three francs per copy. He seemed to be electrified : rose from his seat — and lift- ing up one of the most expressive of countenances, with eyes apparently suffused with tears — raised both his hands, and exclaimed . . " Que le bon Dieu vous benisse — les Anglois sont vraiement genereux !" For several seconds I sat riveted to my seat. Such an unfeigned and warm acknowledgment of what I had 338 FALAISE. considered as a mere matter-of-course proposition, perfectly astounded me : the more so, as it was accom- panied by a gesture and articulation which could not fail to move any bosom — not absolutely composed of marble. We each rallied, and resumed the conversa- tion. In few but simple words he told me his history. He had contrived to weather out the Revolution, at Falaise. His former preferment had been wholly taken from him ; and he was now a simple assistant in the church of Mons. Mouton. He had yielded with- out resistance ; as even remonstrance would have been probably followed up by the guillotine. To solace himself in his afflictions, he had recourse to his old favourite studies of medicine and music ; — and had in fact practised the former. " But come, Sir, (says he) come and do me the honour of a call — when it shall suit you." I settled it for the ensuing day. On break- ing up and taking leave, the amiable stranger modestly spoke of his History. It had cost him three years' toil ; and he seemed to mention, with an air of triumph, the frequent references in it to the Gallia Christiana, and to Chartularies and Family Records never before examined. On th^ next day I carried my projected visit into execution — towards seven in the evening. The lodgings of M. Langevin are on the second floor of a house belonging to a carpenter. The worthy priest received me on the landing-place, in the most cheerful and chatty manner. He has three small rooms on the same floor. In the first, his library is depo- FALAISE. 339 sited. On my asking him to let me see what OlD boofiiP he possessed, he turned gaily round, and replied — " Comment done, Monsieur, vous aimez les vieux livres ? A §a, voyons !" Whereupon he pulled away certain strips or pieces of wainscot, and shewed me his book-treasures within the recesses. On my recognis- ing a Colincsus and Henry Stephen^ ere he had read the title of the volumes, he seemed to marvel exceed- ingly, and to gaze at me as a conjuror. He betrayed more than ordinary satisfaction on shewing his Latin Galen and Hippocrates ; and the former, to the best of my recollection, contained Latin notes in the mar- gin, written by himself. These tomes were followed up by a few upon alchymy and astrology ; from which, and the consequent conversation, I was led to infer that the amiable possessor entertained due respect for those studies which had ravished our Dees and Ash- moles of old. In the second room stood an upright piano forte — the manufacture, as well as the property, of Monsieur Langevin. It bore the date of 1806 ; and was consi- dered as the first of the kind introduced into Nor- mandy. It was impossible not to be struck with the various rational sources of amusement, by means of which this estimable character had contrived to be- guile the hours of his misfortunes. There was a calm, collected, serenity of manner about him— a most un- feigned and unqualified resignation to the divine will — which marked him as an object at once of admiration 340 FALAISE. and esteem. There was no boast — no cant — no for- mal sermonising. You saw what religion had done for him. Her effects spake in his discourse and in his life . . . Over his piano hung a portrait of himself ; very indifferently executed — and not strongly resem- bling the original. " We can do something more faithful than this, sir, if you will allow it" — said I, pointing to Mr. Lewis : and it was agreed that he should give the latter a sitting on the morrow. The next day M. Langevin came punctually to his appoint- ment, for the purpose of having his portrait taken. On telling this original that the pencil drawing of Mr. Lewis (which by the bye was executed in about an hour and a half) should be engraved — inasmuch as he was the modern Historian of Falaise — he seemed absolutely astonished. He moved a few paces gently forwards, and turning round, with hands and eyes ele- vated, exclaimed, in a tremulous and heart-stricken tone of voice, ." Ah, mon Dieu !" I will not dissemble that I took leave of him with tears, which were with difficulty concealed. " Adieu, pour toujours !" — were words which he uttered with all the sincerity, and with yet more pathos, than was even shewn by Pierre Aime Lair at Caen. The landlord and landlady of this hotel are warm in their commendations of him : assur- ing me that his name is hardly ever pronounced with- out the mention of his virtues. He has just entered his sixty-second year.* * [Since the publication of this Tour, the amiable Moni. FALAISE. 34 1 It remains only to give an account of the progress of Printing and of Literature in this place : although the latter ought to precede the former. As a literary man, our worthy acquaintance the Comte de la Fresnaye takes the lead : yet he is rather an amateur than a professed critic. He has written upon the antiquities of the town ; but his work is justly considered inferior to that of Monsieur Langevin. He quotes Wace fre- quently, and with apparent satisfaction ; and he pro- mises a French version of his beloved Ingulph. Fa- laise is a quiet, dull place of resort, for those who form their notions of retirement as connected with the occasional bustle and animation of Caen and Rouen. But the situation is pleasing. The skies are serene : the temperature is mild, and the fruits of the earth are abundant and nutritious. Many of the more respectable inhabitants expressed their surprise to me that there were so few EngHsh resident in its neighbourhood — so much preferable, on many accounts Langevin has published " additions" to his historical account of Falaise ; and in those additions, he has been pleased to notice the account which is here given of his labours and character. It would be bad — at least hardly justifiable — taste, to quote that notice : yet I cannot dissemble the satisfaction to find that tiiere is more than one sympathising heart in Normandy, which appre- ciates this record of its excellence. I subjoin, therefore, with the greatest satisfaction, a fac-simile of the autograph of this amiable and learned man, as it appears written (at my request) iu the title-page of a copy of his" Researches." X. c»/wqe-ut"n_ Tjtve.' VOL, I. 342. FALAISE. to that of Caen. But our countrymen, you know, are sometimes a little capricious in the objects of their choice. Just now, it is the fashion for the English to reside at Caen ; yet when you consider that the major part of our countrymen reside there for the purpose of educating their children — and that Caen, from its nume- rous seminaries of education, contains masters of every description, whose lessons are sometimes as low as a frank for each — it is not surprising that Falaise is deserted for the former place. For myself — and for all those who love a select society, a sweet country, and rather a plentiful sprinkle of antiquarian art, — for such, in short, who would read the fabliaux of the old Norman bards in peace, comfort, and silence — there can be no question about the preference to be given to the spot from which I send this my last Norman despatch. I have before made mention of the fountains in this place. They are equally numerous and clear. The inn in which we reside has not fewer than three foun- tains — or rather of jets cVeau — constantly playing. Those in the Place St. Trinite Grand Rue, and Place St. Gervais, are the largest ; but every gutter trickles with water as if dissolved from the purest crystal. It has been hot weather during the greater part of our stay ; and the very sight of these translucent streams seems to refresh one's languid frame. But I pro- ceed chiefly to the productions of the Press. They do a good deal of business here in the way of ephe- FALAISE, 343 meral publications. Letellier, situated in the Grande Rue, is the chief printer of chap books : and if we judge from the general character of these, the Falai- sois seem to be marvellously addicted to the effusions of the muse. Indeed, their ballads, of all kinds, are innumerable. Read a few — which are to be found in the very commonest publications. There is some- thing rather original, and of a very pleasingly tender cast, in the first two : LE BAISER D'ADIEUX. Pres de toi I'heure du mystere Ne m'appellera plus demain, Vers ta deraeure solitaire Mes pas me guideront en vain : J'ai respire ta douce haleine, Et des pleurs ont mouill^ mes yeux, J'ai tout senti, plaisir et peine, -i J'ai reQu ton baiser d'adieux. J Tu pars, et malgr6 ta promesse Rien ne m'assure de ta foi, Niil souvenir de ta tendresse Ne vient me dire : Pense d moi. Ton amour qu'envain je reclame Ne me laisse, en quittant ces lieux. Que I'humide et brulaute flamme De ton dernier baiser d'adieux. Puisse au moins ton indifference Te garder d'un nouvel amour. Et le veuvage de I'absence Hater ton fortune retour ! 344 FALAISE. Puisse alors Pamant qui t'adore, Te revoyant aux memes lieux, Sur tes Ifevres vierges encore Retrouver son baiser d'adieux ! L'IMAGE DE LA VIE. Nous naissons et dans notre coeur, A peine aux portes de la vie, Tout au plaisir, tout au bonheur, Et nous invite et nous convie ; D'abord, simples amusements Savent contenter notre enfance ; Mais bientot auxjeuxinnocens, L'amour nous prend . . . sans qu'on y pense. Fillette h Page de quinze ans, OfiFre I'image de la rose. Qui dfes I'approche du printemps, Entr'ouvre sa feuille mi-close ; Bientot I'aiguillon du d^sir Vient ouvrir fleur d'innocence, Et sous la bouche du plaisir, EUe s'^clot . . . sans qu'elle y pense. Vous, qui pendant vos jeunes ans, Ne courtisez pas la folic, Songez done que cet heureux temps Ne dure pas toute la vie, Assez vite il nous faut quitter Tendres ardeurs, vives jouissances ; Et dans un coeur qui sait aimer. La raison vient . . . sans qu'on y pense. Mais enfin, surl'Sile du temps. On arrive au but du voyage. FALAISE. 345 Et Ton voit la glace des ans, Couronner nos fronts ^ cet &ge ; S'il fut sensible ^ la piti^, S'il cultiva la bienfaisance, Entre les bras de Tamitid L'homme fiuit . . . sans qu'il y pense You must know that they are here great lovers of royalty, and of course great supporters of the Bourbon Family. The King's printer is a Mons. Bree I'Aine. He is a very pleasant, well-bred man, and lives in the Place Trinite. I have paid him more than one visit, and always felt additional pleasure at every repetition of it. My first visit was marked with a somewhat ludi- crous circumstance. On entering the compositors' room, I observed, pasted upon the walls, in large ca- pital letters, the following well known words : GOD SAVE THE KING. Both Monsieur Bree I'Aine — and his workmen were equally gratified by my notice and commendation of this sentiment. " It is the favourite sentiment. Sir, of your country," — I'emarked the master. To this I readily assented. " It is also, Sir, the favourite one of our own," replied M. Bree I'Aine — and his men rea- dily attested their concurrence in the same reply. " Ah, Sir, if you would only favour us by singing the air, to which these words belong, you would infinitely oblige us all" . . . said a shrewd and intelligent-looking compositor. " With all my heart" — rejoined I — "but I must frankly tell you, that I shall sing it rather with 346 FALAISE. heart than with voice — being neither a vocal nor an instrumental performer." " No matter : give us only a notion of it." They all stood round in a circle, and I got through two stanzas as gravely and as efficiently as I was able. The usual " charmant !" followed my exertions. It was now my turn to ask a favour. " Sing to me your favourite national air of Robert and Ar- LETTE." " Most willingly, Sir," replied the foremen- tioned " shrewd and intelligent-looking compositor." " Tenez : un petit moment : je vais chercher mon violon. Ca ira mieux." He left the house in search of his violin. The tune of the National air which he sung was both agreeable and lively : and upon the whole it was difficult to say which seemed to be the better pleased with the respec- tive national airs. M. Bree shewed me his premises in detail. They had been formerly a portion of an old church ; and are situated on the edge of the great fosse which encircles the town. A garden, full of sweet blooming flowers, is behind them ; and the view backwards is cheerful and picturesque. There are generally five presses at work ; which, for a provincial printing office, shews business to be far from slack. Mons. B. sells a great number of almanacks, and prints all the leading publications connected with the town. In fact, his title, as Imprimeur du Roi, supposes him to take the principal lead as a printer. This agree- able man has a brother who is professor of rhetoric in the College Royale at Paris. FALAISE. 347.. Of Boiiquinistes, or dealers in old books, there are scarcely any. I spent three or four fruitless hours in a search after old chronicles and old poetry : and was compelled, almost from pure civility, to purchase of DuFouRS a Petit' s Virgil of 1529, foho — which will be hardly worth the carriage. I tried hard for a fine copy of Fauchet's Origines de la Poesie Fran^oise, 1581, 4to. with the head of the author, but in vain ; yet endeavoured to console myself by an old blue morocco copy ofLes regrets et tristes lamentations du Comte de Montgomery, by Demorenne, Rouen, 1574, 8vo. as well as a clean, fresh, and almost crackling copy of " Amoureuses occupations de la Taysomiiere, Lyon, 1555, Svo. — for two francs each — and both destined for the rich and choice library of our friend * * * *. Thus much for Falaise: for a spot, which, from the uniform serenity of the weather since I have been here — from the comfort of the inn — from the extreme civility and attention of the townspeople — and from the yet more interesting society of the Comte de la Fresnaye, the Curts Mouton and Langevin — together with the amenity of the surroundnig country, and the interesting and in part magnificent remains of antiquity — can never be erased from my recollection. It is here that the tourist and antiquary may find objects for admiration and materials for recording. I have done both : admired and recorded — happy, if the result of such occupations shall have contributed to the substantial gratification of yourself and of our 348 FALAISE. common friends. And now, farewell; not only to Falaise, but to Normandy. I shall leave it, from this delightful spot, in the most thorough good humour, and with more than ordinary regret that my stay has necessarily been short. I have taken my place in the Diligence, direct for Paris. " II n'y a qu'uN Paris" — said the Comte de la Fresnaye to me the other day, when I told him I had never been there — to which I replied, " Are there then two Londons ?" Thirty-six hours will settle all this. In the mean time, adieu. [ 349 ] LEITER XXI. JOURNEY TO PARIS. DREUX. HOUDAN. VERSAILLES. ENTRANCE INTO PARIS. Paris, Rue Faubourg Poissoniire, May 30, 1819. "Time and the hour runs through the roughest day." They must be protacted miseries indeed which do not, at some period or other, have something Hke a termi- nation. I am here, then my good friend — safe and sound at last ; comfortably situated in a boarding house, of which the mistress is an agreeable English- woman and the master an intelligent Swiss. I have sauntered, gazed, and wondered — and exchanged a thousand gracious civilities ! I have delivered my epis- tolary credentials : have shaken hands with Monsieur Van Praet; have paced the suite of rooms in which the renowned Bibliotheque du Roi is deposited : have traversed the Thuileries and the Louvre ; repeat- edly reconnoitred the Boulevards; viewed the gilt dome of the Hotel des Invalides, and the white flag upon the bronze pillar in the Place Vendome ; seen crowds of our countrymen at Meurice's and in the hotels about the Rue de la Paix ; partaken of the rival ices of Tortoni and the Caffc des Mille Colonncs ; 350 FALAISE. bought old French poetry at a Bouquiniste's : and drank Chambertin and Champagne at the richly gar- nished table of our ***•**. These are what may be called good foreground objects in the composition of a Pai'isian picture. Now for the filling up of the can- vas with appropriate and harmonizing detail. A second reflection corrects however the precipi- tancy of such a proposal ; for it cannot be, in this my frst despatch, that you are to receive any thing like an adequate notion of the topics thus hastily thrown together on the first impulse of Parisian inspiration. Wait patiently, therefore : and at least admire the methodical precision of my narrative. My last letter left me on the eve of departure from Falaise ; and it is precisely from that place that I take up the thread of my journal. We were to leave it, as I told you, in the Diligence — on the evening of the Sunday, immediately following the date of the despatch transmitted. I shall have reason to remember that journey for many a day to come; but, "post varies casus, &c." I am thank- ful to find myself safely settled in my present com- fortable abode. The Sabbath, on the evening of which the Diligence usually starts for Paris, happened to be a festival. Before dawn of day I heard inces- sant juvenile voices beneath the window of my bed- room at the Grand Turc ; What might this mean ? Between three and four, as the day began to break, I rose, and approaching the window, saw, from thence, a number of little boys and girls busied in making arti- FALAISE. 351 ficial flower-beds and sand-borders, &c. Their tongues and their bodily movements were equally unintermit- ting. It was impossible for a stranger to guess at the meaning of such a proceeding ; but, opening the win- dow, I thought thei'e could be no harm in asking a very simple question — which I will confess to you was put in rather an irritable manner on my part . . . for I had been annoyed by their labours for more than the last hour. " What are you about, there ?" I exclaimed — " Ha, is it you Sir ?" replied a little arch boy — mis- taking me for some one else. " Yes, (resumed I) tell me what you are about there ?" " in truth, we are making Reposoirs for the Fete-Dieu : the Host will pass this way by and bye. Is it not a pretty thing. Sir?" exclaimed a sweetly modulated female voice. All my irritability was softened in a moment ; and I was instantly convinced that Solomon never delivered a wiser sentiment than when he said — " A soft answer turneth away wrath !" I admitted the prettiness of the thing without comprehending a particle of it : and telling them to speak in a lower key, shut the window, and sought my bed. But sleep had ceased to seek me : and the little urchins, instead of lowering their voices, seemed to break forth in a more general and incessant vociferation. In consequence, I was almost feverish from restlessness— when the fiUe de chambre announced that "it was eight o'clock, and the morning most beau- tiful." These reposoirs are of more importance than you 352 FALAISE. are aware of. They consist of little spots, or spaces in the streets, garnished with flowers, and intersected by walks, marked with fine gravel, in the centre of which the Host rests, on its passing to and fro from the several parishes. When I rose to dress, I observed the work of art — which had been in progress during the night — perfectly complete. Passengers were for- bidden to trespass by pieces of string fastened to diffe- rent parts by way of a fence — or, whoever chose to walk within, considered themselves bound to deposit a sous as the condition of gratifying their curiosity. Upon the whole, this reposoir might be about sixteen feet square. Towards eleven o'clock the different religious ceremonies began. On one side the noise of the drum, and the march of the national guard, indicated that military mass was about to be performed ; on the other, the procession of priests, robed and officiating — the elevation of banners — and the sonorous responses of both laity and clergy — put the Avhole town into agita- tion, and made every inmate of every mansion thrust his head out of window, to gaze at the passing spec- tacle. We were among the latter denomination of lookers on, and recognised, with no small gratification, our clerical friends Messieurs Mouton, Langevin, and the huge father confessor at Guibray — followed by a great number of respectable citizens, among whom the Comte de la Fresnaye and his amiable and intelligent son (recently married) made most respectable figures. They approached the reposoir in question. The FALAISE. 353 priests, with the Host, took their station within it ; silence followed ; one officiating clergyman then knelt down ; shut, what seemed to be, the wooden covers of a book, — with considerable violence — rose — turned round, and the procession being again put in motion — the whole marched away to the church of the Holy Trinity ; — whither I followed it ; and where I witnessed what I was unable to comprehend, and what I should not feel much disposed to imitate. But let every country be allowed to reverence and respect its own particular religious ceremonies. We may endure what we cannot commend . . and insult and disrespect are among the last actions which a well regulated mind will shew in its treatment of such matters. I should add, that these reposoirs, a few hours after the per- formance of the ceremony just described, are indiscri- minately broken up : the flowers and the little sand banks falling equally a prey to the winds and the feet of the passenger. Opposite to the inn was an hospital for the female sick. It had been formerly an establishment of very considerable extent and celebrity ; but whether it was originally connected with the hospital of the Leproserie de Saint Lazare, (about which the Abbe Langevin's History of Falaise is rather curious) the Hotel-Dieu, or the Hop'ital General, I cannot take upon me to pro- nounce. Certain it is, however, that this establish- ment does great credit to those who have the conduct of it. As foreigners, and particularly as Englishmen, 354 FALAISE. we were permitted to see the whole without reserve. On my return from witnessing the ceremony at the church of the Trinity, I visited this hospital : my com- panion having resumed his graphic operations before the Castle. I shall not easily forget the face and figure of the matron. To a countenance of mascu- Ime feature, and masculine complexion — including no ordinary growth of beard, of a raven tint — she added a sturdy, squat, muscular figure — which, when put into action, moved in a most decided manner. A large bunch of massive keys was suspended from a girdle at her side ; and her dress, which was black, was ren- dered more characteristic and striking, by the appear- ance of, what are yet called, bustles above her hips. As she moved, the keys and the floor seemed equally to shake beneath her steps. The elder Smirke would have painted this severe Duenna-like looking matron with inimitable force and truth. But . . . she no sooner opened her mouth, than all traits of severity vanished. Her voice was even musical, and her " fa9on de parler" most gracious. She shewed me the whole establish- ment with equal good humour and alertness ; and I don't know when I ever made such a number of bows (to the several female patients in the wards) within such limited time and space. The whole building has the air of a convent ; and there were several architec- tural relics, perhaps of the end of the fifteenth century, which I only regretted were not of portable dimen- sions ; as, upon making enquiry, little objection seemed to be made to the gratuitous disposal of them. FALAISE TO PARIS. 355 The hour for departure, after sun-set, having ar- rived, we were summoned to the Diligence — when, bidding adieu to the very worthy host and hostess of the Grand Tare, (whom I strongly recommend all Eng- lishmen to visit) I made up my mind for a thirty-six hour's journey — as I was to reach Paris on Tuesday morning. The day had been excessively hot for the season of the year ; and the night air was refreshing. But after a few snatches of sleep — greatly needed — there appeared manifest symptoms of decay and down- fall in the gloomy and comfortless machine in which we took our departure. In other words, towards day- light, and just as we approached UAigle, the left braces (which proved to be thoroughly rotted leather) broke in two ; and down slid, rather than tumbled, the Falaise Diligence ! There were two French gentle- men, and an elderly lady, besides ourselves in the coach. While we halted, in order to repair the machine, the Frenchmen found consolation in their misfortune by running to a caffe, (it was between four and five in the morning), rousing the master and mistress, and as I thought, peremptorily and impertinently asking for coffee : while they amused themselves with billiards during its preparation. I was in no humour for eating, drinking, or playing : for here was a second sleepless night ! Having repaired this crazy vehicle, we rum- bled on for Verneidl ; where it was exchanged for a diligence of more capacious dimensions. Here, about eleven o'clock, we had breakfast ; and from hence- 356 FALAISE TO PARIS. forth let it not be said that the art of eating and drink- ing belongs exclusively to our country : — for such mani- festations of appetite, and of attack upon substantials as well as fluids, I had scarcely ever before witnessed. I was well contented with coffee, tea, eggs, and bread — as who might not well be ? . . . but my companions, after taking these in flank, cut through the centre of a roast fowl and a dish of stewed veal : making diver- sions, in the mean while, upon sundry bottles of red and white wine ; the fingers, during the meal, being as instrumental as the white metal forks. We set off at a good round trot for Dreux : and, in the route thither, we ascended a long and steep hill, having Nonancoiirt to the left. Here we saw some very pretty country houses, and the whole landscape had an air of English comfort and picturesque beauty about it. Here, too, for the first time, I saw a vine- yard. At this early season of the year it has a most stiff and unseemly look ; presenting to the eye scarcely any thing but the brown sticks, obliquely put into the ground, against which the vine is trained. But the sloping banks, on each side of the ascending road, were covered with plantations of this precious tree ; and I was told that, if the autumn should prove as auspicious as appeared the spring, there would be a season of equal gaiety and abundance. I wished it with all my heart. Indeed I felt particularly interested in the whole aspect of the country about Nonancourt. The sun was fast descending as we entered the town BREUX. 357 oi Dreux — where I had resolved upon taking leave both of the dihgence and of my companions ; and of reaching Paris by post. At seven we dined, or rather perhaps made an early supper ; when my fellow tra- vellers sustained their reputation for their powers of attack upon fish, flesh, and fowl. Indeed the dinner was equally plentiful and well cooked ; and the charge moderate in proportion. But there is nothing, either on the score of provision or reasonableness of cost, like the table d'hote throughout France ; and he who cannot accommodate himself to the hour of dining (usually about one) must make up his mind to worse fare and treble charges. After dinner we strolled in the town, and upon the heights near the castle. We visited the principal church, St. Jean, which is very spacious, and upon the whole is a fine piece of architecture. I speak more particularly of the interior — where I witnessed, however, some of the most horrible devastations, aris- ing from the Revolution, which I had yet seen. In one of the side chapels, there had been a magnificent monument ; perhaps from sixteen to twenty feet in height — crowded with figures, as large as hfe, from the base to the summit. It appeared as if some trenchant instrument of an irresistible force, had shaved away many of the figures ; but more especially the heads and the arms. This was only one, but the most striking, specimen of revolutionary VandaHsm. There were plenty of similar proofs, on a reduced VOL. u A A 358 FALAISE TO PARIS. scale. In the midst of these traces of recent havoc, there was a pleasure mingled with melancholy, in look- ing up and viewing some exceedingly pretty specimens of old stained glass : — which had escaped the destruc- tion committed in the lower regions, and had preserved all their original freshness. Here and there, in the side chapels, the priests were robing themselves to attend confession ; while the suppliants, in kneeling attitudes, were expecting them by the side of the con- fessionals. From the church I bent my steps to the principal bookseller of the place, whom I found to be an intelligent, civil, and extremely good-natured trades- man. But his stock was too modern. " Donnez vous la peine de monter" — exclaimed he precipitately ; beg- ging me to follow him. His up-stairs collection was scarcely of a more ancient character than that below. There were more copies of Voltaire and Rousseau than I should have supposed he could sell in six years — but " on the contrary" (said he) " in six months' time, not a single copy will remain unsold !" I mar- velled and grieved at such intelligence ; because the poison was not extracted from the nourishment con- tained in these works. To an enquiry about my old typographical friends, Verard, Pigouchet, and Eustacej the worthy bibliopole replied " qu'il n'avoit jamais entendu parler de ces gens-la !" Again I marvelled ; and having no temptation to purchase, civilly wished him good evening. Meanwhile Mr. L. had attained the castle heights, DREUX. 359 and was lost in a sort of extacy at the surrounding scene. On entering the outer walls, and directing your steps towards the summit, you are enchanted with a beautiful architectural specimen — in the character of a zigzag early Norman arch — which had originally be- longed to a small church, recently taken down: The arch alone stands insulated. . beyond which, a new, and apparently a very handsome, church is erecting, chiefly under the care and at the expence of the present Duke of Orleans ; — as a mausoleum for his family — and in which, not many days before our arrival, the remains of one of his children had been deposited. I wished greatly for a perfect drawing of this arch . . but there was no time . . and my companion was exercising his pencil, on the summit, by a minute, bird's eye of the sweep of country to be seen from this elevated situa- tion — through the greater part of which, indeed, the diligence from Verneuil had recently conducted us, I should add, that not a relic of that Castle, which had once kept the town and the adjacent country in awe, is now to be seen : but its outer walls enclose a space hardly less than twenty acres : — the most considerable area which I had yet witnessed. To give a more interesting character to the scenery, the sun, broad and red, was just hiding the lower limb of his disk behind the edge of a purple hill. A quiet, mellow effect reigned throughout the landscape. I gazed on all sides ; and (wherefore, I cannot now say) as I sunk upon the grass, overwhelmed with fatigue 360 FALAISE TO PARIS. and the lassitude of two sleepless nights, wished, in my heart, I could have seen the effect of that glorious sun-set from the heights of Dover. Now and then, as when at school, one feels a little home-sick ; but the melancholy mood which then possessed me was purely a physical effect from a physical cause. The shadows of evening began to succeed to the glow of sun-set — when, starting from my recumbent position, (in which sleep was beginning to surprise me) I hastened down the heights, and by a nearer direction sought the town and our hotel. We retired betimes to rest — but not until, from an opposite coach maker, we had secured a phaeton-like carriage to convey us with post horses, the next day, to Paris. Excellent beds and undisturbed slumber put me in spirits for the grand entree into the metropolis of France. Breakfasting a little after nine — before ten, a pair of powerful black horses, one of which was surmounted by a sprucely-attired postilion — with the phaeton in the rear — were at the door of the hotel. Seeing all our baggage properly secured, we sprung into the conveyance and darted forward at a smart gallop. The animals seemed as if they could fly away with us — and the whip of the postilion made innume- rable circular flourishes above their heads. The sky was beautifully clear : and a briskly-stirring, but not unpleasantly penetrating, south-east wind, played in our faces as we seemed scarcely to be sensible of the road. What a contrast to the heat, vexation, and HOUDAN. 361 general uncomfortableness of the two preceding days of our journey ! We felt it sensibly, and enjoyed it in proportion. Our first place of halting, to change horses, was at Houdan; which may be about four leagues from Dreux ; and I verily believe we reached it in an hour. The route thither is through a flat and uninteresting country ; except that every feature of landscape (and more especially in our previous journeys through Normandy) seems to be thrown to a greater distance, than in England. This may account for the flatness of views, and the diminutiveness of objects. Houdan is a village-like town, containing a population of about 2000 inhabitants ; but much business is done on market days ; and of corn, in particular, I was told that they often sold several thousand sacks in a day. Its contiguity to Paris may account for the quantity of business done. In the outskirts of the town, — and flanked, rather than surrounded, by two or three rows of ti*ees, of scarcely three years growth — stands the " stiff and stower" remains of the Castle of Houdan. It is a very interesting relic, and to our eyes appeared of an unusual construction. The corner towers are small and circular ; and the intermediate portion of the outer wall is constructed with a swell, or a small curvature outwards. I paced the outside, but have forgotten the measurement. Certainly, it is not more than forty feet square. I tried to gain admittance into the interior, but without success, as the person pos- sessing the key was not to be found. I saw enough, 363 FALAISE TO PARIS. however, to convince me that the walls could not be less than twelve feet in thickness. The horses had been some time in readiness, and the fresh postilion seemed to be lost in amazement at the cause of our loitering so long at so insignificant a place. The day warmed as we pushed on for the far- famed " proud Versailles." The approach, from Hou- dan, is perhaps not the most favourable ; although we got peeps of the palace, which gave us rather elevated notions of its enormous extent. We drove to the Hotel de Bourbon, an excellent, clean mansion, close to the very fa9ade of the palace, after passing the Hotel de Ville ; and from whence you have an undis- turbed view of the broad, wide, direct road to Paris. I bespoke dinner, and prepared to lounge. The pa- lace — of which I purposely declined visiting the inte- rior — reserving Versailles for a future and entire day's gratification — is doubtless an immense fabric — of which the fagade just mentioned is composed of brick, and assumes any thing but a grand and imposing air: merely because it wants simplicity and uniformity of design. I observed some charming white stone houses, scattered on each side of this widely extended chaus- see — or route royale — and, upon the whole, Versailles appeared to us to be a magnificent and rather interest- ing spot. Two or three rows of trees, some forty or fifty generations more ancient than those constituting the boulevards at Houdan, formed avenues on each side of this noble road ; and all appeared life and VERSAILLES. 363 animation — savouring of the proximity of the metro- poUs. Carriages without number — chiefly upon hire, were going and returning ; and the gaits and dresses of individuals were of a more studied and of a gayer aspect. At length, we became a little impatient for our dinner, and for the moment of our departure. We hired one of these carriages ; which for nine francs, would convey us to the place of our destination. This appeared to me very reasonable ; and after being ex- travagant enough to drink Champagne at dinner, to commemorate our near approach to the metropolis, we set forward between five and six o'clock, resolving to strain our eyes to the utmost, and to be astonished at every thing we saw ! — especially as this is considered the most favourable approach to the capital. The Ecole Militaire, to the left, of which Marshal Ney had once the chief command, struck me as a noble estabUshment. But it was on approaching Sevre that all the bustle and population, attendant upon the immediate vicinity of a great metropolis, be- came evident. Single-horsed vehicles — in many of which not fewer than nine persons were pretty closely stowed — three upon a bench, and three benches under the roof — fiacres, barouches, and carriages of every description, among which we discovered a great num- ber from our own country — did not fail to occupy our unremitting attention. Sevre is a long, rambling, and chiefly single-street town ; but picturesquely situated, on a slope, and ornamented to the left by the windings 364 APPROACH TO PARIS. of the Seine. We were downright glad to renew our acquaintance with our old, and long-lost friend, the river Seine ; although it appeared to be sadly shorn of its majestic breadth since we had parted with it before the walls of Montmorenci castle, in our route to Havre. The new nine-arch bridge at Sevre is a sort of Wa- terloo bridge in miniature. Upon the heights, above it, I learnt that there was a beautiful view of the river in the foreground with Paris in the distance. We passed over the old bridge, and saw St. Cloud to the left : which of course interested us as the late residence of Bonaparte, but which, in truth, has nothing beyond the air of a large respectable country gentleman's man- sion in England. We pushed on, and began to have distinct perceptions of the great city. Of all the desi- rable places of retreat, whether for its elevated situa- tion, or respectable appearance, or commodious neigh- bourhood, nothing struck me more forcibly than the village of Passy, upon a commanding terrace, to the left ; some three or four English miles from Paris — and having a noble view both of the river and of the city. It is also considered to be remarkably healthy ; and carriages of every description, are constantly pass- ing thither to and from Paris. The dome of the Pantheon, and the gilded one of the Hotel des Invalides, together with the stunted towers of Notre Dame, were among the chief objects to the right : while the accompaniment of the Seine, aiForded a pleasing foreground to this architectural PARIS. 365 picture in the distance. But, my friend, I will frankly own to you, that I was disappointed . . . upon this first glimpse of the great city. In the first place, the sur- rounding country is flat ; with the exception of Mount Calvary, to the left, which has nothing to do with the metropolitan view from this situation. In the second place, what are the Pantheon and Notre Dame com- pared with St. PauVs and Westminster Abbey ? — to say nothing of the vicinity of London, as is connected with the beautifully undulating ground about Camberwell, Sydenham, Norwood, and Shooter's Hill — and, on the other side of the water, Hampstead, Highgate and Harrow : again, Wimbledon and Richmond ! . . What lovely vicinities are these compared with that of Mont Martre ? And if you take river scenery into the ac- count, what is the Seine, in the neighbourhood of Paris, compared with the Thames in that of London ? If the almost impenetrable smoke and filth from coal- fires were charmed away — shew me, I beseech you, any view of Paris, from thisj or from any point of approach, which shall presume to bear the semblance of compa- rison with that of London, from the descent from Shooter's Hill ! The most bewitched Frenchified-Eng- lishman, in the perfect possession of his eye sight, will not have the temerity to institute such "a comparison. But as you near the barriers, your admiration in- creases. Having got rid of all background of country — as you approach the capital — the foregoing objec- tions vanish. Here the officers of poUce affected to VOL. I. B B 366 PARIS. search our luggage. They were heartily welcome, and so I told them. This disarmed all suspicion. Accord- ingly we entered Paris by one of the noblest and one of the most celebrated of its Boulevards — the Champs Ely sees. As we gained the Place Louis Quince, with the Thuileries in front, with the Hotel des Invalides (the gilded dome of which latter reflected the strong rays of a setting sun) to the right — we were much struck with this combination of architectural splen- dour : indisputably much superior to any similar dis- play on the entrance into our own capital.* Turning to the left, the Place Vendome and the Rue de la Paix, with the extreme height of the houses, and the stone materials of their construction, completed our admira- tion. But the Boulevards Italiens — after passing the pillars of the proposed church of Ste. Madelaine, and turning to the right — helped to prolong our extreme gratification, till we reached the spot whence I am addressing you. Doubtless, at first glance, this is a most splendid and enchanting city. A particular de- tail must be necessarily reserved for the next despatch. I shall take all possible pains to make you acquainted with the treasures of past times — in the shape of IKtanu^cript^ and yrinteO 25ooft^. The Royal Li- brary has as much astonished me, as the Curators * [The above was \vi-itten in 1818-19. Now, what would be said by a foreigner, of his first drive from Westminster Bridge, through Regent Street to the stupendous Pantheon facing the termination of Portland Place ?] PARIS. 367 of it have charmed me by their extreme kindness and civility.* * [At this point, the labours of Mons. Licquet, as my trans- lator, cease ; and I will let him take leave of his task of transla- tion in his own words. " Ici se termine la tache qui m'a ^t6 confine. Aprils avoir r6fut6 franchement tout ce qui m'a sembl6 digne de I'ctre, je crois devoir declarer, en finissant, que mes ob- servations n'ont jamais eu la personne pour objet. Je reste per- suade, d'ailleurs, que le coeur de IM. D. est tout-k-fait innocent des dcarts de son esprit. Si I'on pent le condamner pour le fait, il faudra toujours I'absoudre pour I'intention .. ." The conclud- ing sentence need not be copied : it is bad taste to re-echo the notices of one's own good qualities. My Norman translator at least takes leave of me with the grace of a gentleman : although his thrusts have been occasionally direct and severely intended. The foil which he has used has not always had the button covered. The candid reader will, however, judge how these thrusts have been parried ; and if the " hits" on the part of my adversary, have been sometimes " pal- pable," those of the original author will not (it is presumed) be deemed feeble or unimpressive. After all, the sum total of " Er- rata" scarcely includes three of substantial moment : and wish- ing INlons Licquet " a very good day," I desire nothing better than to renew our critical coqueting on the floor of that Library of which he is the " Bibliothbcaire en Chef."] END OF VOL. I. London : Printed by W. Nicol, Cleveland-row, St. James's. SUPPLEMENT TO VOL. I. VOL. I. C C [ 371 ] OLD POEM THE SIEGE OF ROUEN. The City of Rouen makes too considerable a figure in the foregoing pages, and its history, as con- nected with our own country in the earlier part of the fifteenth century, is too interesting, to require any thing in the shape of apology for the matter which the Reader is about to peruse. This " matter" is necessarily incidental to the present edition of the " Tour ;" as it is only recently made public. An " Old Etiglish Poem" on our Henry the Fifth's *' Siege of Rouen'' is a theme likely to excite the at- tention of the literary Antiquary on cither side of the Channel. The late erudite, and ever to be lamented Rev. J. J. Conybeare, successively Professor of the Saxon language, and of English Poetry in the University of Oxford, discovered, in the exhaustless treasures of the Bodleian Library, a portion of the Old EngUsh Poem in question : but it was a portion only. In the 21st. vol. of the Archaeologia, Mr. Conybeare gave an 372 Old Poem on [Supplement. account of this fortunate discovery, and subjoined the poetical fragment. Mr. Frederick Madden, one of the Librarians attached to the MS. department in the British Museum, was perhaps yet more fortunate in the discovery of the portion which was lost : and in the 22d. vol. of the Archceologia, just published, (pp. 350 — 398), he has annexed an abstract of the re- maining fragment, with copious and learned notes. This fragment had found its way, in a prose attire, into the well-known English MS. Chronicle, called the Brute : — usually (but most absurdly) attributed to Caxton. It is not however to be found in all the copies of this Chronicle. On the contrary, Mr. Madden, after an examination of several copies of this MS. has found the poem only in four of them : namely, in two among the Harleian MSS. (Nos. 753, 2256— from which his transcript and collation have been made) in one belonging to Mr. Coke of Holkham, and in a fourth belonging to the Cotton Collection: — Galba E. viii. This latter MS. has a very close correspon- dence with the second Harl. MS. but is often faulty from errors of the Scribe. See Gentleman s Ma- gazine, May, 1829. So much for the history of the discovery of this precious old English Poem — which is allowed to be a contemporaneous production of the time of the Siege — namely, A. D. 11 18. A word as to its in- trinsic worth — from the testimony of the Critic most competent to appreciate it. " It will be admitted, I Supplement.] The Siege of Rouen. 373 believe, (says Mr. Madden) by all who will take the trouble to compare the various contemporary narra- tives of the Siege of Rouen, that in point of simplicity, clearness, and minuteness of detail, there is no exist- ing document which can compare with the Poem before us. Its authenticity is sufficiently established, from the fact of the Author's having been an eye- witness of the whole. If we review the names of those Historians who lived at the same period, we shall have abundant reason to rejoice at so valuable an accession to our present stock of information on the subject." Archceologia, vol. xxii. p. ?i5^. The reader shall be no longer detained from a specimen or two of the poem itself, which should seem fully to justify the eulogy of the Critic. " On the day after the return of the twelve dele- gates sent by the City of Rouen to treat with Henry, the Poet proceeds to inform us, that the King caused two tents to be pitched, one for the English Commis- sioners, and the other for the French. On the En- glish side were appointed the Earl of Warwick, the Earl of Salisbury, the Lord Fitzhugh, and Sir Walter Hungerford, and on the French side, twelve discreet persons were chosen to meet them. Then says the writer, ' It was a sight of solempnity, For to behold both party ; To see the rich in their array. And on the wails the people that lay, 374 Old Poem on [Supplement. And on our people that were without, How thick that they walked about ; And the heraudis seemly to seene, How that they went ay between ; The king's heraudis and pursuivants, In coats of arms aniyantis. The English a beast, the French a flower, Of Portyngale both castle and tower. And other coats of diversity, As lords bearen in their degree.' "As a striking contrast to this display of pomp and splendour is described the deplorable condition of those unfortunate inhabitants who lay starving in the ditches without the walls of the City, deprived both of food and clothing. The affecting and simple rela- tion of our Poet, who was an eye-witness, is written with that display of feeling such a scene must natu- rally have excited, and affords perhaps one of the most favourable passages in the Poem to compare with the studied narratives of Elmham or Livius. In the first instance we behold misery literally in rags, and hiding herself in silence and obscurity, whilst in the other she is ostentatiously paraded before our eyes : ' There men might see a great pity, A child of two year or three Go about, and bid his bread. For Father and mother both lay dead. Supplement.] The Siege of Rouen. 375 And under them the water stood. And yet they lay crymg after food. Some storven to the death, And some stopped both eyen and breath. And some crooked in the knees, And as lean as any trees. And women holding in their arm A dead child, and nothing warm. And children sucking on the pap Within a dead woman's lap.' On Friday the 20th of January, King Henry V. made his public entry into Rouen. His personal appearance is thus described : ' He rode upon a brown steed. Of black damask was his weed, A Peytrelle of gold full bright About his neck hung down right, And a pendant behind him did honge Unto the earth, it was so long. And they that never before him did see, They knew by the cheer which was he.' " With the accustomed, but mistaken, piety for which Henry was ever distinguished, he first pro- ceeded to the monastery, where he aUghted from his charger, and was met by the chaplains of his house- hold, who walked before him, chanting Quis est mag- nus Dominus ? After the celebration of mass, the king 376 Old Poem on [Supplement, repaired to the Castle, where he took up his abode. By this termination of a siege, which, for its duration and the horrors it produced, is perhaps without a parallel in ancient or modern times, the city was again plentifully supplied with provisions, and recovered the shock so tedious and afflicting a contest had occa- sioned : ' And thus our gracious liege Made an end of his siege ; And all that have heard this reading, To his bliss Christ you bring, That for us died upon a tree. Amen say we all, pur charite ! ' The Duke of Exeter is appointed Governor of the City, and ordered by Henry to take possession of it the same night. The Duke mounts his horse, and rides strait to the Port de Bevesyne or Beauvais, attended by a retinue, to carry the commands of his sovereign into execution. His Entre, and the truly miserable condition of the besieged, together with the imposing appearance of Henry, shall now be described in the language of the poet. Thanne the duke of Excestre withoute bode Toke his hors and forth he rode. To bevesyne^ that porte so stronge, That he hadde ley bifore so longe. * bewesyns. Supplement.] The Siege of Rouen. 377 To that gate sone he kam,'' And with hym many a worthy*^ manne. There was neying of many a stede, And schynyng of many a gay wede, There was many a getoun** gay, With mychille^ and grete aray. And whanne the gate was openyd there. And thay weren*^ redy into fare, Trumpis^ blewgh her bemys** of bras, Pipis and clarionys forsothe ther was. And as thay entrid thay gaf a schowte With her' voyce that was fuUe stowte, * Seint George! seint George!' thay criden'' on height. And seide, * welcome oure kynges righte.' The Frensshe pepuUe of that Cite Were gederid by thousandes hem to see. Thay criden'' alle welcome in fere, * In siche tyme mote ye entre here, * Plesyng to God that it may be, * And to vs pees and vnyte.' And of that pepuUe, to telle the trewthe, It was a sighte of fulle grete ruthe. Mykelle of that folke therynne Thay weren' but verrey bonys and skynne. With eyen holowgh and"" nose scharpe, Vnnethe thay myght brethe or carpe, *• came. " worthy deest. <> A species of banner or streamer. See Note. ^ noble. ' were. ^ Trumpeters. " Trumpets. ' that. " cryed. ' were. " tcHh nose. 378 Old Poem on [Supplement. For her colowris was" wan as lede, Not like to lyue but sone ben dede. Disfigurid pateronys° and quaynte, And asP a dede kyng thay weren paynte. There men myght see an'' exampleyre. How fode makith the pepuUe faire/ In euery strete'summe lay dede, And hundriddis krying aftir brede. And aftir long many a day, Thay deyde as^ faste as* they myght be lad away. Into" that way God hem wisse, That thay may come to his blisse ! amen. Now'^ wille y more spelle. And of the duke of exestre to^ telle. To that Castelle firste he rode, And sythen^ the Cite alle abrode ; Lengthe and brede he it mette, And rich baneris he^ vp sette. Vpon the porte seint Hillare A Baner of the Trynyte. And at'' the port Kaux he sette evene A baner of the quene of heven. " were. ' patrons. — Workmens' models or figures. Patrone, forme to werke by. Prompt. Parvul. MS. Harl. 221. There is probably here an allusion to the waxen or wooden effigies placed on the hearse of distinguished personages. p as dede thyng they icere peynte. i /«. ■■ to fare. * as deest. ' «* cartes led awey. " ynto. " In MS. Harl. 753, a break is here made, and a large capital letter introduced. i to deest. ^ sithe. * vp he. b atte porte hauxoz. Supplement.] The Siege of Rouen. 379 And at'' port martvile he vppyght Of seint George a baner bryght. He sette vpon the Castelle to'' stonde The armys of Fr[a]unce and Englond. And on the Friday in the mornynge Into that Cite come oure kynge. And alle the Bisshoppis in her aray, And vij. abbottis with Crucchis^ gay; xUj/ crossis ther were of Rehgioune,^ And seculere, and alle thay went a precessioun, Agens that prince withoute the toune, And euery Cros as thay stode He blessid hem with milde mode, And holy water with her hande Thay gaf the prince of oure lande. And at'' the porte Kaux so wide He in passid withoute' pride ; Withoute pipe or bemys blaste, Our kyng worthyly he in paste. And as a conquerour in his righte Thankyng'' euer god almyghte ; And alle the pepulle in that Citie ' Wilcome our' lorde/ thay seide, ' so fre ! ' Wilcome into'" thyne owne righte, ' As it is the" wille of° god almyght.' c ff«^ porte. '^ that stounde. e Crosses. f xliiij. s religiouns. ^^ atte porte kauxoz. • The remainder of this, and the two following lines are omitted " TlKtnkfd. ' they seyde our lord so free. "' vuto. " the dcest. " to. 380 Old Poem on [Supplement. With that thay kryde alle * nowelle /' OsP heighe as thay myght yelle. He rode vpon a browne stede, Of blak damaske was his wede. A peytrelle^ of golde fulle bryght Aboute his necke hynge"^ doun right, And a pendaunte behynd him dide^ honge Vnto the erthe, it was so longe, And thay that neuer before hym dide' see, Thay knew by chere' wiche was he. To the mynster dide he fare. And of his horse he hghte there. His chapelle" mette hym at" the dore there, And wente bifore^ hym alle in fere, And songe a response^ fulle glorivs, Quis est magnus dominus. Messe he hirde and ofFrid thoo, And thanne to the Castelle dide he goo. That is a place of rialte. And a paleis of grete beaute. There he hym* loggid in the Toune, With rialle and grete renoune. And the'' cite dide faste encrece Of brede and wyne, fisshe, and fflesshe.*' And thus oure gracious liege Made an ende of his seege. P As. "J Poitrell, breast plate. "^ hangyng. » dide deest. • the chere. " The chaplains of his household. Lat. capella. » aW^ dore, /^^?'^ deest. y afore. '• respon. * logged hym. ^ his cite fast encrest. '^ heste. Supplement.] The Siege of Rouen. 381 And alle that'' haue hirde this redynge* To his*^ bhsse criste you brynge, That for vs deide vpon° a tre, Amen sey ^ we alle, pur cherite ! <> that tleest. <= tydyng. ' his deest. ' on. •■ set/de all/or charitee. There was many a getoun gmj.^ The following particulars relative to the getoun appear in MS. Harl. 838. " Euery baronet euery estat aboue hym shal have hys baner displeyd in y' field yf he be chyef capteyn, euery knyght his penoun, euery squier or gentleman hys getoun or standard." " Item, y" meyst lawfully fie fro y" standard and getoun, but not fro y^ baner ne penon." " Nota, a stremer shal stand in a top of a schyp or in y^ fore- castel : a stremer shal be slyt and so shal a standard as welle as a getoun : a getoun shal berr y*^ length of ij yardes, a standard of iii or 4 yardes, and a stremer of xii. xx. xl. or Ix. yardes longe." This account is confirmed by MS. Harl. 2258, and Lansd. 225. f. 431. as quoted by Mr. Nicholas, in the Retrosp. Rev. vol. i. N. S. The former of these MSS. states : Euery standard and Gtiydhome [whence the etymology of the word is obvious] to have in the chief the crosse of St. George, to be slitteat the ende, and to conteyne the creste or supporter, with the posey, worde, and devise of the owner." It adds, that " a guydhome must be two yardes and a halfe, or three yardes longe." This rule may some- times have been neglected, at least by artists, for in a bill of ex- pences for the Earl of Warwick, dated July 1437, and printed by Dugdale, (Warw. p. 32/.) we find the following entry ; "Item, a gyton for the shippe of viij. yerdis long, poudrid full of raggid staves, for the lymnyng and workmanship, ijs." The Grant of a guydon made in 1491 to Hugh Vaughan, is preserved in the Col- lege of Arms. It contains his crest placed longitudinally. Re- trospeclive Review, Neu- Scries, vol. i. p. 511. [ 382 ] BRONZE GILT ANTIQUE STATUE AT LILLEBONNE, p. 127-8. This Statue, as the above reference will testify, is now in the possession of Mr. Samuel Woodburn, of St. Martin's Lane. When the note relating to it was written, I could not place my hand upon a Brochure (in my possession) published at Rouen in 1823,* con- taining an archaeological description of this Statue by M. Revet, and a scientific account of its component parts by M. Houton La Billardiere, Professor of Chemistry at Rouen. The former embodied his re- marks in two letters addressed to the Prefect of the Lower Seine. A print of the figure in its then ex- tremely mutilated state, is prefixed ; but its omission would have been no great drawback to the publication — which, in its details, appears to be ingenious, learned, and satisfactory. The highest praise is given to the S tatue, as a work of art of the second century.f * " Description de la Statue Friiste, en Bronze Dor4, trouv^e a LiUebonne ^r. Suivie de V Analyse dii M^tal, avec le dessein de la Statue, et les Traces de quelques particularities relatives a la Confection de cette Antique." Rouen, 1823. pp. 56. f " Other details induce une to fix the period of its coraple- tion towards the end of the second century : and after the unheard of dithculties which the artist had to overcome, one would scarcely be believed if one said that every thing is executed in a high state of perfection." p. 34. Supplement.] antique statue. 383 Its identity seems to be yet a subject of disputation: — but M. Revet considers it as " the representation of some idolatrous divinity." The opinion of its being a representation of Bacchus, or of Apollo, or of a Constellation, he thinks might be regulated by a dis- covery of some emblem, or attribute, found in the vicinity of the Statue. Two other plates — lithogra- phised — relating to explanations of the pieces of the Statue, close this interesting performance. BIBLIOGRAPHICAL INDEX. VOL. I. D D 386 INDEX OF MANUSCRIPTS, AND OF PRINTED BOOKS, DESCRIBED, QUOTED, OR REFERRED TO. Vol. Page, .^neas Sylvius de Duobus Amantibus, no date, 4to. — in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - iii. 315 Msopus, Gr. 4to. Edit. prin. — in the Imperial Library at Vienna, _ _ . . ■ Lat. 1481, folio — in the Royal Library at Paris, — Ital. 1485, Tuppi, in the same library at Paris, Ital. 1491 and 1492, 4to. — in the Imperial Li- brary at Vienna, - - - - iii. 308 Hispan. 1496, folio — in the Royal Library at iii. 308 141 142 Paris, Germ. TFkhout Date, Sfc, in the same library, in the same library. ii. 142 ii. 142 ii. 142 Alain C/iartier, paraboles de, Verard, 1492, folio — upon VELLUM — in the Royal Library at Paris, - - ii. 134 Albert Durer ; original drawings of, in a Book of Pray- ers, in the Public Library at Munich, - - iii. 132 Alcuinus de Trinitate, Monast. Utimpurrha, 1500, folio — in the Public Library at Augsbourg, Aldine Classics, in the Royal Library at Paris, , in the Library of St. Genevifeve, ' , in the King's Private Library at Stutt- gart, ..... -, in the Public Library at Munich, iii. 101 ii. 145 ii. 177 iii. 41 iii. 146 Alexandrus Gallus, vulgo de Filla Dei Doctrinale. V. de Spira, folio — in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - iii. 315 Almanac historiqite — Ic Messager Boiteux — a chap book, extracts from, - - - - iii. 73 Anti-Christ — block book^'m the Public Library at Land- shut, - - - . . ill. 181 INDEX OF MANUSCRIPTS, &c. 387 yd. Page. Ambrosii Hexameron, 1472, folio — in the Public Library at Augsbourg, .... iii. 99 —^——— in the Public Library at Nurem- berg, _ . _ Supplement, iii. 430 Amours, chasse et depart, Ferard, 1509, folio— upon vel- lum, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - ii. 132 Antholog'xa Grceca, 1498, 4to. — upon vellum, in the Library of Ste. Genevieve, at Paris, - - ii. 176 , 1503, Aldus, UPON VELLUM, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 145 Antonii Archpi Opera Theologica, 1477, Koberger, folio — in the Public Library at Strasbourg, - - ii. 40^7 Apocalypse, block book, in the Royal Library at Stutt- gart, .-.--- iii. 26 in the Imperial Library at Vienna, .... . iii. 33 1 Apostles Creed, in German, block book, with fac simile— in the Public Library at Munich, - - iii. 137 Appianus, Lat. Ratdolt, 1478, folio — in the library of the Monastery of St. Florian, - - - iii. 236 Apuleius, 1469, folio — in the Royal Library at Paris, - ii. 128 ■ , in the Library of the Monastery of Clostemeuburg - - - - iii. 397 -, imperfect, in the Public Library at Munich, ... . - iii. 142 -, UPON VELLUM, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, .... iii. .308 — — , 1472, Jenson, folio — in the last mentioned library, - - _ . iii. 3O8 Aquinas, T., Sec. Secundts, Schoeffher, 1467, folio — upo.N VELLUM, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, iii. 316 , Opus Quartiscript. Schoeffher. 1469, folio — UPON VELLUM, in the same Library, - iii. 316 -, In Evang. Matt, et Marc. 1470, S. and Punnarlz, folio — in the same library, - - iii. 316 de v'lrtut. ct I'iliis. MenteUn — in the Pub- lic Library at Munich, .... iii. 141 Arbre dcs Balailles, Ferard, 1493, folio — upon vellum, in the Royal Library at Pai'is, - - - ii. 132 388 INDEX OF MANUSCRIPTS yol. Page. Aretinus de Bello Gothico, 1470, folio— in tlie Public Library at Caen, - - - - i- 208 Aristotelis Opera, Gr. Aldus, 1495, 6 vols. Two copies UPON VELLUM (the first volume in each copy wanting) in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 136 Ethica Ntcfiomachea. Gr. (Aldus) — remark- ably splendid copy of, in the Royal Library at Paris, ii. 138 Ars Memorandi, &c. — block book : five copies of, in the Public Library at Munich, _ - - iH. 135 — — . in the Public Library at Landshut, ... - iii. 181 in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - - iii« 332 in the Library of Giitt- wic Monastery, . _ - - iii. 428 Ars Moriendi, Germanic^ — 4to. — in the Royal Library at Stuttgart, ----- iii. 26 — — ^— — — Lat. block book — two editions, in the Pub- lic Library at Munich, - - - - iii. 136 Art de bien Mourir, Verard, no date, folio — upon vel- lum, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - ii. 133 Art and Crafte to know well to dye, Caxton, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - ii. 124 Artus Le Roy, MS. xiith century, — in the Royal Li- brary at Paris, - - - - ii. 94 Another MS. of the same Romance, in the same Library, ii. 94 Artaxani Summa, (1469) folio— in the Public Library at Augsbourg, ----- iii. 232 Augttstinus Sts. De Civ'itate Dei, 1467, folio — in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - ii. 113 _ jn the Li- brary of Ste. Genevieve at Paris, - - ii. 173 ■ — in the Im- perial Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 301 — . in the Li- brary of Closterneuburg Monastery, - - iii. 397 Sweynheym and Pannartz, 1470, folio, in the Public Library at Virc, - . - - - i. 297 AND OF PRINTED BOOKS. 389 y^ol. Page. Augustinus Sts. De Civitate Dei, 1467, folio, upon vel- lum, late in the Library of Chremsminster Monastery, iii. 221 — ■■■ in the Public Library at Landshut, - - - . iii. 181 SchoeffTier, 1473, folio — in the Library of the Monastery of Chremsminster, - - - - iii. 221 Jenson, 1475, folio— UPON VKLLVM, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, iii. 301 Confess'ionum Llbri XIII, 1475. 4to. — in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - . iii. 301 de singularitate Clericorum, 1467, 4to. in the King's Private Library at Stuttgart, - iii^ 40 AuGUSTixi Sti. in Psalmos, MS. xvth century — for- merly in the library of Corvinus, King of Hungary, and now in the Royal Library at Stuttgart, - iii. 36 Yppon. de Cons. Evang. 1473, folio — in the Public Library at Augsbourg, . - - iii. 101 Auhis GeUius, 1469, folio — in the Royal Library at Paris, ii. 127 UPON VELLUM, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - - iii 308 Aurbach's Meditations upon the Life of Christ, 1468, Printed by Guuther Zeiner. Pub. Lib. Augsbourg, - iii. 100 Ausonius, 1472, folio — in the Royal Library at Paris, - ii. 128 . in the Imperial Library at Vienna, iii. 309 Aldus, 1517, 8vo. Grolier's copy, on large paper, in the Royal Library at Paris, - ii. 148 Aymon, les quatrefilz, 1583, 4to. — in the Library of the Arsenal, at Paris - - - - ii. 163 B Ballads ; Bon Jour, Bon Soir : vol. i. 132 — Toujours, 389 : various, from the Faudevires of Olivier Basselin, 292-293-294 J Vive Le Rot, Five U Amour, i. 310; en arbor ant le drapeau blanc, at Falaise, i. 324 ; le Baiser d' Adieu, i. 343 ; D Image de la Vie, i. 344. Bartliuli Lectura. V. de Spira, 1471. Folio. In tlie Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 316 390 INDEX OF MANUSCRIPTS Aw/, Page. Bartsch, I. Adam de — Catalogue des Estampes, par, Sfc. 1818. 8vo. - ... - iii. 393 Bella (La) Mam, 1474, 4to. —in the Imperial Library at Vienna, . . . - - iii. 321 Bellovacensis Fine. Spec. Hist. 1473, folio — in the Im- perial Library at Vienna, - - - - iii. 317 Berlinghieri, Geograjia, folio — in the Imperial Library (Prince Eugene's copy) at Vienna, - - iii 321 Berinus et Aygrcs de Lamant, Bonfons, no date, in the Library of the Arsenal al Paris, - - ' - ii. 165 Bessarionis Epistolte, (1469) folio — in the Royal Library at Stuttgart, _ . . . iii. 24 BiBLiA Latina, MS. ixth century, of Charles the Bald — in the Royal Library at Paris, with a copper-plate engraving of that Monarch's portrait, - - ii. 65 xiith century, in the same library, ii. 67 xvth century, of the Emperor JVen- ceslaus — in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - iii. 290 BiBLiA Hist. Paraphrastica, MS. xvth century, - ii. 69 Biblia Polyglotta Comphit. 1516, &c. in the Public Li- brary at Coutances, - - - - i. 270 — copy belonging to Diane de Poicticrs, in the Royal Library at Paris, - ii. 149 1521, in the Public Library at Landshut, . . - . iii. 181 copy of Demetrius Chalcon- dylas, afterwards that of Eckius, in the Public Library at Landshut, .... iii. 181 Walton ; royal copy, in the Public Libi-ary at Caen, - - - - i. 211 with the origi- nal dedication, in the Public Library at Stuttgart, - iii. in the Library of the Monastery of St. Florian, in Austria, - iii. 237 Biblia Polyglotta, Le Jay : in the Library of the Lycee at Bayeux - - - - - i. 245 ' Hehraica, edit. Sonoinif 1488, in the Imperial Li- brary at Vienna, . - . - iii. 303 AND OF PRINTED BOOKS. 391 fol. Page. BiliUa Hehraica edit. Houhigant, 1753, in a Private Col- lection near Bayeiix, - - - - i. 235 Hahn, 1806, in the Library of the Monastery of Closterneuburg-, - - - iii. 396 Grteca, Aldus, 1518, folio — Francis Ist's copy. upon thick paper, in the Royal Library at Paris, - ii. 148 Aldus, upon thick paper, in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - ii. 157 the usual copy, in the King's Pri- vate Library at Stuttgart, _ . . Jii. 39 Diblia Latina, {edit. Maz. 1455) folio, 2 vols., two copies of, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 106 — a copy in the Ma- zarine Library at Paris, - - - - ii. 190 a copy in the Pub- lic Library at Munich, - - - iii. 139 a copy in the Im- perial Library at Vienna . _ . iii. 302 PJister, (1461) folio, 3 vols, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 108 two copies, 1592, 1603, in the Royal Library at Stuttgart - - ... iii. 39 in the Imperial Li- brary at Vienna, .... iii, 302 Fust and Schoeffher, 1462: folio — three copies, (two UPON vellum, u»d a third on paper) in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - ii. 154 VELLUM COPY, in the Library of Ste. Genenfeve, - - ii. 173 VELLUM COPY, in the Mazarine Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. 190 in the Public Library at Stuttgart, ..... iii. 22 (imperfect) in the Public Library at Landshut, - - - . iii. 181 in the Imperial Library at Vienna, ..... iij. 302 Biblia Latina MenteVm — in the Public Library at Stras- bourg, - - - - - ii. 404 392 INDEX OF MANUSCRIPTS Fol. Page. Biblia Latina Mentelin, in the Imperial Library at Vi- enna, . . . _ . iii. 302 ■ Eggesteyn, (ms. date, 1468) in the Public Library at Strasbourg, - - - ii. 404 ■ (ms. date, 1466) in the Public Library at Munich, - . . . iii. 141 Siceynheym and Pannartz, in the Impe- rial Library at Vienna - - - - iii. 302 supposed edition of Eggesteyn, in the Public Library at Strasbourg, _ _ - iii. 55 ■ 1475, folio, Frisner, &c.— in the Public Li- brary at Augsbourg, ... - iii. 96 (I475 edit. Gering) imperfect copy in the Chapter Library at Bayeux, - - - i. 244 Hailbrun, 1476, folio : two copies, of which one is upon vellum, in tlie Imperial Library at Vi- enna, - - - - - iii. 303 — — — Jenson, 1479, folio, in the Public Library at Strasbourg, . - - - ii. 405 ■ UPON VELLUM, in the Imperial Library at Vienna — and a second copy upon paper - - . . . iii. 303 1485, folio, in the Public Library at Caen, - - . - i. 208 Froben, 1495, Svo. in the Public Library at Vire, - . - - - i. 298 Biblia Germanica, MS. of the Emperor Wenceslaus, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - iii. 290 Biblia Germanica, Mentelin, folio — in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. 108 in the Public Library at Strasbourg, - - - - ii. 403 two copies, in the Pub- lic Library at Stuttgart, - - - iii. 21 two copies in the Public Library at Munich, - . . - iii, 140 in the Public Library at Landshut, .... iii. 180 AND OF PRINTED BOOKS. 393 Vol. Page. B'lbUa Germanica, Mentelin, folio, in the Library at Clos- terneuburg Monastery, - - - - iii. 397 ■ in the Public Library at Ratisbon, - - Supplement, iii. 418 in the Public Library at Nuremberg, - - Supplement, iii. 431 supposed first edition, in the Public Librarj' at Landshut, - - - iii. 180 supposed first edition, folio, in the Li- brary of Closterneuburg Monastery, - - iii. 39/ Biblia Germanica, Sorg-. Augsbourg, 1477, folio, in the Library of the Monastery of St. Florian, - - iii, 236 Peypus, 1524, folio — upon vellum, in the Public Library at Stuttgart, - - iii. 22 Biblia Italica ; Kalend. Augitsti, 1471 — folio — in the Ma- zarine Library, at Paris, - - - ii. 191 imperfect copy, in the Public Library at Stuttgart, - - iii. 22 ■ Kalend. Octobris, 1471, folio — in the Li- brary of Ste. Genevieve, at Paris, - - ii. 173 in the Public Library at Stuttgart, - - - - iii. 22 ■ in the Im- perial Library at Vienna, - . _ iji. 303 Bibl. Hist. Venet. 1492, folio — copy purchased of M. Fischeim at Munich, - - - - iii, 154 Biblia Bohemica, 1488, folio — in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. 109 Polonica, 1563, folio — in the same Library, - ii. 109 — — ^— — — — ^— — — in the Public Library at Stuttgart, ----- iii. 22 copy purchased by the Author at Augsbourg, - - . . iii, 96 in the Imperial Library at Vi- enna, - - - - - iii. 304 — — 1599, folio — in the Library of Ste. Ge- nevieve, - - - - - ii. 174 E s 394 INDEX OF MANUSCRIPTS Vol. Page. Biblia Hungaricu, 1565, folio — incomplete, in the King's Private Library at Stuttgart, - - - iii. 39 Sduvonkn, 1681, folio, in the Royal Library at Stuttgart, ----- iii. 22 1587, folio — in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. 109 Bible, La Sainte, 1669, folio ; large paper copy in the Public Library of Caen, - - - i, 211 Biblia— HisTORicA, MS. versibus germankls, Sec. xiv. — in the Royal Library at Stuttgart, - - iii. 29 Aurea Lat. I. Ze'iner, 1474, folio — in the tibrary of Chremsminster Monastery, - - - iii. 222 Pattperum, block book : in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. 108 block book, German, — in the Public Library at Stuttgart, - - - - iii. 26 Latine, first edition, in the same Li- brary, - - - - - iii. 27 ' block book — one German, and two Latin editions, in the Public Library at Munich, - iii. 136 in the Imperial Library at Vienna, iii. 331 Biography, Royal, of France, — xvith century — mag- nificent MS, in the Royal Library at Paris. - - ii. 87 Blazonry of Arms, Book of — xivth century, with fac- sunile portrait of Leopold de Sempach — in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - . - iii. 299 Block books ; at Paris, ii. 208, at Stuttgart, iii. 26, at Mu- nich, iii. 134 ; atLandshut, iii. 181 ; at Vienna, iii 331. Bocace, des Cas des Nobles Hommes et Femmes, MS. xvth century, in the Royal Library at Paris, two more MSS. of the same work, in the same Library, Boccace Rii'mes des Nobles Hommes, S^c. 1476, Colard Mansion, folio, in the Royal Library at Paris, Boccaccio Jl Decamerone, 1471, Valdarfer, folio — in the Royal Library at Paris, . _ . 1472, A. de Michaelibus, folio, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - . 84 85 126 ii. 125 126 AND OF PRINTED BOOKS. 395 Vol. Page. Boccaccio II Decamcrone, in the Public Library at Nu- remberg, . . - Supplement, iii. 431 1476, Zarotus, folio, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - iii- 321 Deo Gracias, Sine Anno .- for- «/« erf//. /;r/«. in the Public Library at Munich, - iii. 143 Nimphale, 14/7, 4to., in the Royal Library at Stuttgart, ----- iii. 26 Boctius, F. Johannes, 1474, 4to. in the Library of Ste. Genevifeve at Paris, - - - - ii. 1 76 Bonifacii Papce Libr. Decret, 1465, folio, upon vellum, in the Library of Molk Monastery, - - iii. 262 UPON VELLUM, in the Public Library at Nurem- berg, - - - Supplement, iii. 430 Bonnie vie, oil Madenie, Chambery, 1485, folio, in the Im- perial Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 326 Book of the Gospels of the Emperor Lotharius, Royal Library at Paris, - - - - ii. 67 Breviaire de Belleville, MS. xivth century, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 72 Breviary of John Duke of Bedford, MS. xvth cen- tury — in the Royal Library at Paris — with copper plate fac-siinilc of a portion of the Adoration of the Magi, from the same, - - - ii. T-i Breviare de M. de IMoNMORENCY, IMS. xvith century — in the Emperor of Austria's private collection at Vienna, - - - - - iii. 386 Breviarium Eccl. Liss. MS. ; in the Public Library at Caen - - - - - i. 20!) Brut d'Angletere, MS. xivth century — in the Im- perial Library at Vienna, . - - iii. ."300 Budcei Comment, in Ling. Gr. 1529, folio — Franci.-^ 1st. copy, UPON VELLUM, in the Royal Library at Paris, ii. 140 Burtrio, Anthon. de, Adam Rot, 1 172, folio, in the Li- brary of Closterneuburg Monastery, - - iii. 399 C Ceesar, 1469, folio — in the Royal Library at Paris, - ii. 128 396 INDEX OF MANUSCRIPTS Vol. Pa/re. C . - iii. 128 Regiomontani, block book in the Public Library at Munich, ... - iii. 138 Cantica Canticorum, Edit. Prin. three copies in the Public Library at Augsbourg, ... iii. 138 CttstiUe et Artus d'Algarbe, 1587. 4to., in the Libi*ary of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - - ii. 160 Catichisme h V usage des grandesfilles pour ttres mane's i. 89 Caterbia da Bologna, no Date. 4to. in the Imperial Li- brary at Vienna, - - - - iii. 332 —^—— da Sienna, 1477, 4to., in the Imperial Library at Vienna, ----- iii. 322 — — ^— de Senis, 1500, folio, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. 149 Catholicon, 1460, folio, upon vellum, in the Royal Li- brary Paris, - - - - ii. 1 14 1460, folio, in the Imp. Lib. at Vienna, - iii. 317 UPON vellum, in the Public Li- brary at Munich, . - - - iii. 143 ^^— — G. Ze'iner, 1469, upon vellum, in the Public Library at Munich, . - - - iii. 143 in the Monastic Library of Chrerasminster, - - - - iii. 221 ^— — — — ^— ^— ^— ^ UPON vellum, in the Im- perial Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 317 Catullus, Tibullus, et Propertius, 1472, in the Royal Li- brary at Paris, - - - - ii. 128 AND OF PRINTED BOOKS. 397 Vol. Page. Catullus, Tibullus, et Propertius, h\t\ieM&zar'meLihTSiYy ii. 193 — _ — ^ — — in the Public Library at Strasbourg, - - - - ii. 409 Caxton, boohs printed by, in the Royal Library at Paris, ii. 102 . in the Imperial Library at Vienna, . . - - - iii. 331 Celestina Commedla de, Anvers, 18mo., in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - ii. 162 Chaucer's Booh of Fame, Caxton, folio, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - iii. 332 Chess, Game of, metrical German version of, MS., see. XV., in the Royal Library at Stuttgart, - - iii. 154 Chevalier Delibre, 1488, 4to., in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - - iii. 326 Chevalier au Lion, MS., 1470, in the Public Library at Stuttgart, . _ . . iii. 33 Chivalry; see Tournaments. Chretien de Meckel, Cat. des Tableaux de la Galerie imp. et roy. de Vienne, 1/81, 8vo., - - - iii. 371 Foresii, Lat. 1474, folio, printed by Gotz, in the Public Library at Strasbourg, - - - ii. 405 ' Hungariae, 1485, 4to., in the Public Library at Augsbourg, - _ . - iii. 99 Chronicon Gottwicense, 1732, folio, 2 vols., some account of this rare and valuable work, - - iii. 436 — — referred to, <» iii. 271 Chrysostomi Comment., Gr. 1529, folio, copy of Diane de Poictiers, in the Public Library at Caen, - - i 213 Cicero de Officiis 1466, 4to., two copies upon vellum, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - iii. 309 1466, 4to., upon paper, in the Maza- rine Library at Paris, - - - - iii. 192 1466, 4to., UPON VELLUM, in the Royal Library at Stuttgart, . . . iii. 24 1466, 4to., UPON VELLUM, in the Imp. Lib, at Vienna, . _ . . iii. 309 {Aldus), 8vo., UPON VELLU.M, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 146 398 INDEX OF MANUSCRIPTS Vol. Page. Cicero Epistolee ad FamiUares, 1467, Cardinal Bessa- rion's copy in the Imperial Library at Vienna, iii. 310 — 1469, S. andPannarts, folio, in the same Library, - - - iii 310 1469, S. and Pannartz, folio, in the Public Library at Augsbourg, - - iii. 98 1469, /. de Spira, in the Royal Library at Stuttgart, - - - iii. 24 1502, Aldus, 8vo., upon vellum. in the possession of M. Renouard, bookseller, - ii. 222 Cicero, de Oratore, Monast. Svubiac, folio, in the Li- brary of Ste. Genevifeve, at Paris, - - ii. 1/3 V. de Spira, folio, in the Public Li- brary at Strasbourg, - - - - ii- 408 Opera Philosophica, Ulric Han, folio, in the Public Library at Munich, - - - iii- 142 De Natura Deorum, V. de Spira. 1471, folio, in the Mazarine Library, at Paris, - - - ii. 192 Rhetorica Fetus, Jensou, 1470, folio, upon vel- lum, in the Library of Ste. Genevibve, at Paris, - ii. 175 UPON vellum, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - iii. 310 Orotiones, S. and Pnnnurtz, 1471, folio, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 310 Faldarfer, 1471, folio, upon vellum. (wanting one leaf) in the Royal Library at Paris, - ii. 141 \b\9, Aldus, 8vo , upon vellum, first vo- lume only, in the Royal Library at Paris, - ii. 146 perfect copy, upon vel- lum, in the Library of St. Genevieve, - - ii. 177 Opera Omnia, 1498, folio, 4 vols., in the Library of Ste. Genevifeve, at Paris, - - - ii. 1 76 in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - iii. 310 1534, Giunla, folio, singular copy in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 152 Cidel Cavalero, 1627, 4 to,, in the Library of the Arsenal, at Paris : bound with Sei/s Romances del Cid Rwj Diaz dcBcmr, 1627, 4to. - - - - ii. 161 AND OF PRINTED BOOKS. .'i9<> / 'ol. Page. Cite de Dieu, MS., in the Royal Library at Paris, - ii. 82 Citides Dames, {Ferard) folio, upon velluji, in the Im- perial Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 327 Codex Ebneriantis, referred to - - - iii. 447 Compendium Morale, folio, iTON vellum, unique copy, late in the possession of the Baron Derschau, at Nu- remberg, - - - Supplement, iii. 443 CosTENTiN Du, MS., in the Public Library at Caen, - i. 209 Coutances, MS., biographical details connected with, in the Public Library at Caen, - - - i 210 Coutumes Anciennes, 1672, 12mo. at Caen, - - i. 211 Cronica del Cid. Seville. 4to., in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - . - - - iii. 327 Croniquede France, 1493, Ferard, urox vellum, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 130 de Florimont, 1529, 4to. — in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - - - ii. 1G4 de Cleriadus, 1529, 4to., — in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - - ii. 166 D. Daigremont et Fivian, 1538, 4to., in the Library of the Arsenal, at Paris, - - - - ii 166 Dante Numeister, 1472, folio, in the Mazarine Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. 193 — — — — in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - - iii. 322 Petrus Adam, 1472, folio, in the Library of Ste. Genevieve, at Paris, - - - - ii. 1/6 Neapoli, Tuppi, folio, in the Public Li- brary at Stuttgart, - - - - iii. 25 Milan, 14/8, with the comments of G. Tuzago, folio, in the same collection, - - iii. 25 1481, folio, perfect copy, \rith twenty copper plates, in the Public Library at Munich, - - iii. 144 1481, folio, with xx copper-plates, in the Impe- rial Library at Vienna, _ - . iij. 393 400 INDEX OF MANUSCRIPTS f'oL Page. Decor Puellarum, Jenson, 1461, 4to., in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - iii. 323 Defensio Immac. Concept. B. V. M. 1470, Uoch book, in the Public Library at Munich, - - - iii, 139 Delph'm Classics, fine set of, in the library of Chi'ems- minster Monastery, - - . • iii. 222 Der Veis Ritter, 1514, folio, unique copy, in the Public Library at Landshut, ... iii. 183 Dion Cassius, 1548, Gr. folio, edit, prin., Diane de Poic- tiers' copy, in the Royal Library at Paris, - ii. 152 Dio Chrysostom. de Regno, Valdarfer, 4to. upon vel- lum, in the Emperor's private collection at Vienna, iii. 388 DioscoRiDES, Gr^ce, MS., vith century, in the Impe- rial Library at Vienna, ... jii. 296 DiVERTISSMENTS TOUCHAXT LA GUERRE, MS., in the Public Library at Caen, - - - i. 209 Doolin de Mayence, Paris, Bonfons, 4to. in the Library of the Arsenal, - - - - ii. 167 Durandi Rationale, 1459, folio, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. 108 , in the Imperial Library Vienna, ----- iii. 317 Durandi Rationale, 1459, folio, in the Public Library at Nuremberj^, . - - Supplement, iii. 430 , 1474, /. Zeiner, folio, in the Library of Chremsminster Monastery, - - - iii. 222 EcHECS Amoreux. MS. folio — with copper-plate fac- simile in the Royal Library at Paris, - - ii. 83 Echec Jeu de, (Verard) no date — upon vellum, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 132 Ein nuizlich buchlin, Augs., 1498, 4to. — in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - iii. 327 Erasmus expurgatus iuxta cens. Acad. Lovan. 1579, folio, in the Public Library at Augsbourg. See Testament. Novum, 1516. - - - - - iii. 102 AND OF PRINTED BOOKS. 401 f^ol. Page. EvANGELiA QuATUOR, Lat. MS. vith century, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 64 — — _ VI nth century, in the Library at Chremsminster Monastery, - - iii. 224 ixth century — in the Public Library at Munich, - - - - iii. 123 xith century, in the same Library', - - - - iii 124 xth century, in the Public Library at Landshut, - - - iii. 179 xith century — in the Public Library at Stuttgart, - _ . iii. 2/ xivth century, in the Imperial Library at Vienna - - - iii. 291 EvANGELiuM Sti. Iohannis, MS. Lat. xith century, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 7 1 Evangelia cum EpistoUs : Ital. folio — in the Library of Gottmc Monastery, - _ _ - iii. 428 Evangelistariura, of Charlemagne, MS. folio, in the Pri- vate Library of the King, at Paris, - - ii. 199 EucUdes, 1482, folio, upon vellum, in the Royal Li- brary at Paris, - - - - ii. 139 four varying copies of, in the Public Library at Munich, - - - iii. 143 Ratdolt. 1485, in the Library of the Monas- tery of St. Florian, ... - iii. 236 Euripides, Gr., 1503, Aldus — upon vellum, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 145 Eastutltius in Homerum, 1542 — folio, ipon velluji, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 138 ' upon paper, in the same collection, - - - . - ii. 151 1559, folio, fine copy, upon paper, in the Public Library at Caeii, - - i. 211 Etitropius, 1471, Laver, folio— in the King's Private Library at Stuttgart, - - - - iii. 39 Exhortation against the Turks (1472) in the Public Li- brary at Munich, - . - - iii. 135 F F 402 INDEX OF MANUSCRIPTS l^ol. Page. F. Fait de la Guerre C. Mansion, folio — in the Royal Li- brary at Paris, - - - - ii. 127 Fasio Dita Mundi, 1474, folio — in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - - iii. 323 Ficheti Rhetorica — Gering — 4to. — upon vellum, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 317 Fiorio e Biancifiore, Bologna, 1480, folio — in the Library of the Arsenal, at Paris, - - - ii. 161 Fierbras, 1486, folio — Prince Eugene's copy, in the Im- perial Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 327 Fortalitium Fidei — folio — no date — in the Public Library, at Munich : curious printed advertisement in this copy, iii. 145 Frezzi II Quadriregio, 1481, folio — in the Imperial Li- brary at Vienna, - - - - iii. 323 Fulgosii Anteros — 1496 — folio — in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - iii. 323 FuNERAiLES DES Reines DE France, MS. folio — in the Emperor's Private Collection at Vienna, - - iii. 387 G. Galenus, Gr. 1525, folio. ^/(/k«— large paper, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 148 Galien et Jaqueline, 1525, folio — in the Library of tlie Arsenal, at Paris, - - - - ii. 163 Gallia Christiana, 1732, folio, in the Chapter Library at Bayeux, - - - - - ii. 244 Games of CItess, Cawton, folio, 2d. edit. — in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - iii. 332 Genesis — MS. of the icth century— fragments of Chap- ters of, account of — with fac-simile Illuminations, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, ... iii. 289 Gerard Comte de Nevers, 1526, 4to. — in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - - ii. 164 Geyler, Name. Fat. 1511, 4to. — in the Public Library at Augsbourg, ... . iii. 102 Gloria Mulierum Jenson, 4tu. — in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - . . _ jji. 324 AND OF PRINTED BOOKS. 403 Fol. Page. Godfrey of Boulogne, Caxton, folio— in the Ijuperial Li- brary at Vienna, - - - - iii. 333 Gospels, folio — MS. xiiith century — in the Emperor's Private Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 386 Grammatica RythmicUy 1466, folio — in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. 114 Gratian Opus. Decret. Schoefflier, 1472, folio, upon vel- lum, in the Library of Closterneuburg Monastery, - iii. 398 Guillaume de Palerne, 1552, 4to, in the Library of the Arsenal: another edition, 1634, 4to., - - ii. 166 Guy de Waric'ich, no date, 4to., in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - - ii. 159 Gyron Le Courtoy%, no date, Verard, upon vellum, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 130 H. Hartl'ieVs Chiromancy, block hook, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. 115 in the Imperial Library at Vienna, iii. 332 Helayne La Belle, 1528, 4to., in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - - ii. 166 Hecuba et Iphigenia in Aulide, Gr. et Lat. 1507, upon VELLUM, 8vo. - - - - ii. 145 Hector de Troye, Arnoullet, 4to., in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - - ii. 167 Heures, printed by Vostre, fine copy of, in the Public Li- brary at Caen, - - - - i. 210 Herodotus, Gr. 1502, Aldus, folio, large paper copy in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 150 HiSTORiA B. M. YiRGixis, MS., folio, xvth century, in the Public Library at Paris, - - - ii. 76 - ■ block book, folio, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - ii. 116 in the Public Li- brary at Stuttgart, - - - - iii. 26 in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - iii, 331 404 INDEX OF MANUSCRIPTS Fol. Page. Historice Augusta Scriptores, 1475, folio, P. de Lavagna, in the Public Library at Strasbourg, - - ii. 408 • ■ Aldus, 1521, 8vo., upon VBLLUM, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - ii. 147 History of Bohemia, by Pope Pius II. 1475, in the Public Library at Augsbourg-, _ . . iii. 99 HisToiRE RoMAiNE, MS, xvth century, folio, 3 vols. in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 87 Homeri Opera, Gr., 1488, folio, uncut, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - ii. 129 in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - - iii. 311 in the Public Library at Nuremberg, - - Supplement, iii. 432 — No date, Aldus, 8vo., upon vellum, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 145 — ■ in the Library of Ste. Genevifeve, - - ii. 177 1808, Bodoni, folio, upon vellum, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 129 Batrachomyomachia, Gr. 4to., edit. prin. in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - iii. 311 HoR^ B. M. ViRGiNis, MS., 8vo., in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. 74 folio, belonging to Ann of Bri- TANNY, with copper plate engraving of her portrait therefrom, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - ii. 78 belonging to Pope Paul III. in the same Library, - - - - ii. 80 MS., xvth century, in the Royal Private Library at Stuttgart, - - - iii. 37 8vo., in the Emperor's private collection at Vienna, - - - iii. 386 Sti. Ludovici, MS., xiiith century, in the Li- brary of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - ii. 157 Gr. 1497, 12mo. printed by Aldus, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - ii. 103-147 purchase of a copy from Mr. Stiiger, at Munich, - - - - iii. 151 AND OF PRINTED BOOKS. 405 Vol. Page. HoRATius, M. S., xiith century in the Miilk Monastery, iii. 258 ■ . Edit. Prin. 4to., in the Public Library at Augsbourg, - - _ - iii. 96 Fenet. 1494, 4to., purchased of Mr. Fischeim, at Munich, ----- iii. 154 1501, Aldus, 8vo., UPON vellum, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 146 UPON VELLUM, in the Public Library at Munich, - - - - iii. 143 Horloge de Sapience, Ferard, 1493, folio, upon vellum, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 131 HoRTus Deliciarum, MS., xiith century, in the Public Library at Strasbourg, - - - ii. 401 HoRTULUs Anim.«, MS., xvth century, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - iii. 294 149S, 12ino., in the King's Private Library at Stuttgart, - . . iii. 38 Rosarum, SfC, 1499, 8vo., in the Public Li- brary at Augsbourg, - - - iii. 101 Hiiet, Demonstrat. Evang. 1690, (1679?) folio, unique copy in the Public Library at Caen, - - i. 211 Huon de Boin'deaiw, four editions of, in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - - ii. 163 I. Isocrates, Gr., Aldus, 1534, folio, large paper copy in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 148 Printed at Milan, 1493, folio, - ii. 149 Jason, Roman de, printed by Caxton, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. 103 same edition, in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - - ii. 155 Jason, printed by Caxton, \nX)it\m^.\Ah.^i\'vtvin^, - iii. 332 lehan de Saintre, Bon/ons, no date, 4to., in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - ii, 165 Paris, Bon/ons, no date, 4to.. in the same col- lection, - - - - - ii. 165 Jerome, St., Vie, Mort, et Miracles de, MS., xvth century, in the Public Library of Stuttgart, - iii. 31 406 INDEX OF MANUSCRIPTS Vol. Page. leronimi Episiolte, 1468, upon vellum, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - iii. 304 14/0, S. and Pannartz, folio, in the Li- brary of Closterneuburg Monastery, - - iii. 398 in the Public Library at Nuremberg, - - Supplement, iii. 431 1470, ScTioeffher, in the Public Li- brary at Strasbourg, - - - - ii. 406 in the Public Li- brary at Nuremberg, - Supplement, iii. 431 ParmcE, 1480, folio, in the Public Library at Augsbourg, - - . iij. 98 Josephus, Lat. 1480, folio, in the Library of the Monas- tery of St. Florian, - - - - iii. 236 Gallich, 1492, folio, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - - iii. 328 Jourdain de Blave, Paris, Chretien, no date, 4to., in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - ii. 166 Jouvencel le, 1497, Verard, folio, upon vellum, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 328 Juvenalis, folio, V, de Spira, edit. prin. in the Public Li- brary at Strasbourg, - - - ii. 409 Vlric. Han. typ. grand, folio, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - iii. 311 1474, folio, itt the Public Library at Caen, - i. 208 /. de Fii'izano, folio, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - _ - _ iii. 311 L. Lactantii Institutiones, 1465, folio, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. 112 in the Library of Ste. Genevieve, - - - - ii. 172 in the Imperial Li- brary at Vienna, - - - - iii. 305 1470, S. and Pannartz, folio, in the Mazarine Library at Paris, - - - ii. 192 Rostock, 1476, UPON VELLUM, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 305 AND OF PRLNTED BOOKS. 407 Vol. Page. Lancelot du Lac, MS., xivth century, in the Royal Library at Paris, ii. 88, : another MS. of about the same period, in the same Library, ii. 89; another MS. in the same library, - - - - ii. 89 — 1488, Verard, folio, in the Imperial Lii)rary (Prince Eugene's copy) at Vienna, - iii. 328 — ■ 1494, Verard, folio, upon vellum. in the Royal Library at Paris, - - iii. 130 1496, Verard, folio, upon vellum. in the Liiperial Library at Vienna, - - iii. 328 Lascarls Gram. Grcec. 1476, 4to., in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. 127 Leges Bavaric^, MS., xiiith century, in the Public Library at Landsbut, . . _ iii. 179 Legenda Aurea, (seu Sanctorum) Ital. Jenson, 1476, folio, in the Mazarine Library at Paris, - - ii. 191 UPON vellum, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - iii. 324 1475, Gering, folio, in the Public Li- brary at Caen, - - - - i. 208 Les Deiuv Amans, Verard, 1493, 4to., in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - iii. 328 Liber Generationis Ies. Xti. MS. viith century: in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 70 Liber Modorum s'lgmficandi, 1480, St. Albans, — in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 125 Liber Moralisat. Bibl. 1474, Ulm, folio — copy purchased of M. Fischeim, at Munich, - - - iii. 154 Liber Precum, cum not. et cant. MS. pervet. in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 7 1 MS. xvth century, in the Public Library at Munich, - - _ - _ iii. 131 Liber Regum, seu Vita Davidis — block book — in the Im- perial Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 331 Life of Christ, Hock book — in the Public Library at Munich, - - - - - iii. 134 Littleton^s Tenures, Lcllou, &c. folio — in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - . iii. 33:3 408 INDEX OF MANUSCRIFIS Fol. Page. Livius, MS. xvth century — in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - • • - iii- 298 . 1469, folio,— in the Royal Library at Paris, - ii. 122 • ■ in the Public Library at Munich, - iii. 142 1470, V. de Spira, folio, upon vellum, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - ii. 122 upon paper, in the same Li- brary, - - - - - ii. 122 in the Library of Closter- neuburg Monastery, - - - - iii, 397 1472, S. and Pann., folio, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. 123 Lombardi Petri Sentent. {Eggesteyn), folio, in the Li- brary of Closterneuburg Monastery, - - iii. 399 Lucamts, 1469, folio — in the Public Library at Munich, iii. 142 1475, folio, cum comment. Omniboni — in the Public Library at Stuttgart, - _ _ iii. 24 Luciani Opera, Gr. 1496, folio — fine copy, in the pos- session of M. Renouard, at Paris, - - ii. 230 1503, /ildus, folio — large paper copy, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 151 ' Opttsc. Qitced. Lai. 1494 — 4to. — upon VELLUM, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - iii. 311 Lucretius, 1486, folio — in the King's Private Collection at Stuttgart, - . _ _ iii. 39 Aldus, 1515, Svo. — UPON vellum, (supposed to be unique) in the Royal Library at Paris, - ii. 146 Luctus Christianorum, Jenson, 4to. — in the Imperial Li- brary at Vienna, - - - - iii. 324 Ludolphus Fita Christi {.Eggesteyn), 1474, folio, in the Public Library at Nancy, - - - ii. 363 . De Terra Sancia, &c. 4to. — in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - iii. 317 M. Malrian, 1625, 4to, — in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - - - ii. 163 AND OF PRINTED BOOKS. Maguelone, La Belle, 1492, Trepperel, 4to. — in the Im- perial Library at Vienna, - - - Mains, depropriet. prise, verb. 1477j folio — B. de Colonia — in the Public Library at Strasbourg, Mammotrectus, Schoeffher, 1470 — folio — upon vellum, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, -■■ in the Library of Closterneuburg-, - - - - H. de Helie, 1470, folio— in the Public Fol. Page. iii. 328 ii. 407 iii. 317 iii. 398 iii. 181 iii. 32 iii. 39 iii. 329 Library at Landshut, _ - _ Mandeville, MS. German — in the Public Library at Stuttgart, - . - - - Maniliiis, 1474, folio, — in the King's Private Library at Stuttgart, - - _ - - Marco Polo, Germ. 1477, folio — in the Imperial Li- brary at Vienna, . _ _ _ MarsUius Ficinus: In Dionysium Areopagitam, no Date, folio, in the Library of Ste. Genevifeve,at Paris, - ii. 176 Martialis, 1475, folio — in the Library of a Capuchin Monastery, near Vienna, . - _ iji. 403 Aldus, 1502, 8vo. two copies upon vel- lum, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - ii. 146 Mayni Iasonis Epitalamion, MS. 4to. — in the Empe- ror's Private Library at Vienna, - - iii. 387 Mayster of Sentence,Caxton, folio — ^in the Imperial Li- brary at Vienna, - - - - iii. 332 Meinart, St. Life of, block book : in the Public Library at Munich, - - - - iii. 137 Meltisina, Historie von der. Germ, no date, folio, in the King's Private Library at Stuttgart, - - iii. 41 Melusine, P. Le Noir, Ato. — in the Library of the Arsenal, ii. 167 Memoirs of the Transactions of the Society of Belles Let- tres, &c. at Rouen, vol. i. page 49, of a similar Society at Caen, . - - - - i. 185 Messer Nobile Socio, Miserie de It Amante di, 1533, 4to. in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - • ii. 159 Meurin Fils d'Oger, Paris, Bonfons, 4to.— in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - ii. 167 G G 410 INDEX OF MANUSCRIPTS Vol. Page. Milles et Amys, Verard, no date, folio — upon vellum, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 131 Rouen, 4to. — in the Library of the Arsenal at ditto, - - - - - ii. 162 Mirabilia Urbis Romte, block book, — in the Public Li- brary at Munich, - - - - iii. 137 MissALE, MS. xivth century, in the Public Library at Stuttgart, _ . - _ - iii. 30 — ^— — — — xvth century, two in the Public Library at Stuttgart, . - . _ Hi. 31 of Charles the Bold, xvth century — in the Imperial Library at Vienna, with fac-simile, - iii. 292 xvth century, — in the Public Library at Munich, - - ... - iii. 129 8vo. — belonging to Sigismund, King of Poland, in the Public Library at Landshut, - iii. 180 Herbipolense (1479), folio, upon vellum, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - iii. 306 - ' Venet. 1488, folio, — upon vel- lum, in the Emperor's Private Collection at Vienna, iii. 388 Pro. Patav. Eccl. Ritu, 1494, folio, in the Library of a Capuchin Monastery, near Vienna, - iii. 403 Mozarabicum, 1500, folio — with the Breviary 1502, in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - ii. 156 in the Library of Ste. Genevieve, - - - - ii. 178 — — — — in the Imperial Li- brary at Vienna, - - - - iii. 305 Parisietise, 1522, folio — upon vellum, in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - ii. 156 Missal of Henry IV. xvith century, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. 81 M'lssa Defunctorum, Viennee, 1499, folio, in the Library of a Capuchin INIonastery, near Vienna, . - - iii. 403 Montaigne's Essays, 1635, folio, large paper, in the Library at Caen, - - _ - i. 212 Monte Sancto di Dio, 1477, folio, — in the Royal Library, at Paris, - - - - - - ii. 134 AND OF PRINTED BOOKS. 411 f^ol. Page. Monte Sancto diDio, 1477, folio, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, ----- iii. 324 Moreri des Normans, par I. A. Guiat, MS. in the Public Library at Caen, - - - - i. 209 Morgant le Ge'ant, 1650, 4to. — in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - - ii. 164 Mori Tliomce Opera, edit. Lovan. 1566, folio, in the Li- brary of the Lycee at Bayeux,- - - - i. 245 Munsteri Cosmographia, 1556, folio, copy of, belonging to D. de Poictiers, in the Public Library at Caen, - ii. 214 Mureti Disticha, Lat. and Fr. chap book, at Vire, - i. 286 N. Nunceidos Liber, 1518, folio; copy of, with ms. notes of Bochart, in the Public Library at Caen, - - i. 212 ■ two copies of, one upon large paper, in the Public Library at Nancy, - - ii. 362 one, UPON VELLUM, in the pos- session of Messrs. Payne and Foss, - - - ii. 362 Nef des Folz du Monde, Verard, no date, folio — upon VELLUM, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - ii. 133 Printed by the same, upon VELLUM, in the same library, - - - ii. 133 Nef des Dames, Arnollet, a Lyon, 4to. — in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, . - - - ii. 160 Niger P., contra perfidos Judoeos, 1475, folio — in the King's Private Library at Stuttgart, - - iii. 41 Nonius MarceUits, 1471, folio, — in the Imperial Library at Vienna, ----- iii. 318 Nova Statuta, Macldinia, in the Royal Library at Paris, ii. 125 Novelas, por de Maria Zayas, 1637, 4to. — in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - ii. 160 Amorosas, 1624, 4to. in the same Library, - ii. 160 O. Officium B. M. Virginis, MS., xvth century, in the Emperor's private collection at Vienna, - - iii. 386 ■ MS,, xvith century, in the Public Library at Munich, - - - iii. 129 412 INDEX OF MANUSCRIPTS Vol. Page. Officium B. M. Virginis, MS., in the same library, iii. 13Q Ogier le Danois, 1525, folio, in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - - ii. 162 Ovidii Opera Omnia, Azoguidi, 1471, wanting two leaves, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 141 — ^— Fasti, Azoguidi, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, iii. 312 ■' Opera Omnia, S. and Pannartz, 1471, in the Im- perial Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 312 Epistoice et Fasti, folio, in the same collection, iii. 312 P. Paris et Vienne, Paris, no date, 4to., in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - ii, 164 Pentateuch, Hebr. 1491, folio, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. Ill Petrarcha Sonetti, 1470, Prince Eugene's copy in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 325 . • 1473, Zarotus, folio, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - iii. 325 Jenson, 1473, folio, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - iii. 325 Comment. Borstii, Bologn., 1475, folio, two copies in the Imperial Library at Vienna, of which one belonged to Prince Eugene, - - iii. 325 Bolog., 1476, folio, (Azoguidi*) with the comment of Philelphus, in the Public Library at Stuttgart, ----- iii. 25 Aldus, 1501, 8vo., UPON vellum, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 147 — — 1514, 8vo., UPON VELLUM, in the possession of M. Renouard, bookseller, - - ii. 229 1621, 12mo., in the King's Private Library at Stuttgart, . _ _ iii. 41 Sonetti cum Comment. Velutelli, 1546, 8vo. iii. 41 Hist. Griseldis, Lat., 1473, folio, — Prince Eugene's copy in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - iii. 318 * In the page referred to, I have conjectured it to be printed by Ulric Han or Reisinger. To these names, I add the above. AND OF PRINTED BOOKS. 413 Vol. Page. Phalarts Epist., 1471, 4to., in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - . . . iii. 318 LVWc ^an, folio, in the same collection, iii. 319 Philostratus, Lat., MS., xvth century in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - . . iji. 297 Pierre de Provence et la belle Maguelonne, 1490, 4to. in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - ii. 165 Pindarus, Gr. 1502, yildi, 12mo., in the Library of the IMonastcry of St. Florian, - - - iii. 237 Plautus, 1472, folio, edit. prin. in the Mazarine Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. 192 1522, Aldus, 4to., Grolier's copy, apparently /ar^^ joa/)fr, in the Royal Library at Paris, - ii. 148 Plinius Senior, 1469, folio, one copy, upon vellum, and another upon paper, in the Royal Library at Paris, ii. 120 in the Library of Ste. Gene- vieve, - - - - - ii. 174 — ^-^-^— — — ^^■^— UPON VELLUM, in the Im- perial Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 312 Jenson, 1472, folio, upon vellum, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 120 Jenson, 1472, folio, upon vellum, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 313 upon paper, in the Li- brary of Closterneuburg ^Monastery, - - iii. 398 Ital. 1476, Jenson, folio, upon vellum. in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 121 • upon paper, in the same collection, - - - ii. 121 • upon paper, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 313 Pluiarchi Vitee Parallellce, ltd., folio, Litt. R., in the Public Library at Strasbourg, - - - ii. 409 the same edition in the Mo- nastic Library at Closterneuburg, - - iii. 398 Plutarchi Opuscula Moralia, Gr„ 1509, Aldus, upon vellum, in the Rojal Library' at Paris, - - ii. 137 Poetee Grceci Principes, Gr., 1566, folio, large paper, De Thou's copy in the Royal Library at Paris, - ii. 152 414 INDEX OF MANUSCRIPTS f^oL Page. Pogii FacetidB, Monast. Euseb., folio, in the Imperial Li- brary at Vienna. - - - - iii. 319 Hist. Fiorent., 1476, folio, upon vellum and paper, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - iii. 326 PoLYBius, Gr. MS., sec. XVI,, Diane dePoictiers's copy, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - ii. 99 Poltfhius, Lat., S. and Pannartz, 1473, folio, in the Li- brary of Clostemeuburg Monastery, - - iii. 398 Prayer Book of Charles the Bald, 111. MS. 4to, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 67 Prisc'umus, 1470, F. de Spira, folio, upon vellum, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 139 . ■ in the Imperial Li- brary at Vienna, - - - - iii. 319 • Ulric Han, folio— in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - - iii. 319 -, Mdtts, 1527, 8vo., Grolier's copy, upon large paper, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - ii. 148 -, Printed by V. de Spira, upon vellum, in the Library of Ste. Genevieve. - - - ii. 1 75 Psalterium, MS., ixth century, of Charles the Bald ; in the Public Library at Paris ; - - - ii. 66 — , Sti. Ludovici, xiiith century, in the same library, - - - - ii. 68 -, xith century, in the Public Library at Stuttgart, - . _ _ iu. 27 — — , xiith century, in the same Collection, iii. 28 -, xiith century, in the Royal Private Library at Stuttgart, . _ _ iii. 36 -, xiith century, in the Public Library at Munich, . . . , iii. 125 -, with most splendid illuminations, of the xvith century, in the same library - - iii. 133 -, St. Austin, xvth century, in the Public Library at Stuttgart, - - - iii. 33 Lutine, 1457, Fust and Schoeffher, folio, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 104 -, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - . . . . iii. 306 AND OF PRINTED BOOKS. 415 f^ol. Page. Psalteriwn Latine, 1469, folio— in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. 105 , 1490, folio, Sclioeffher, UPON VELLUM, in the Royal Library at Paris, - ii. 105 , 1502, folio, Schoeffher, in the same library, - - - - — 106 , UPON VELLUM, Printed Iti/ SchoeJ^her's Son, \5\6, folio, - - - ii. lOG , without date — in the Im- perial Library at Vienna, - _ - Hi. 307 , Lips. 1486, 4to. — in the Public Library at Landshut, ----- iii. 181 Ptolem^us, Lat. MS. folio — in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. 85 IMS. folio, in the Public Library at bourg, - - - - - ii. 59 , 1462, folio, in the Public Library at Munich, - - - - - iii. 142 -, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, ----- iii. 319 -, Printed by Buckitich, 1478, folio, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 320 Q Quintilianus, I. de Lignam. 1470, folio, in the Library of Ste. Genevieve, at Paris, - - - ii. 175 , 1471, Jenson, folio, in the Public Library at Nuremberg, - - Supplement, iii. 431 . R. Ratdolt, specimens of the types from his press, in the Public Library at Munich, - - - iii. 144 Recueil des Uistoires de Troye, printed by Caxton, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 102 printed by Verard, upon VELLUM, in the same Library, - - ii. 102 Regnars, les, 8fc. Verard, 4to. Prince Eugene's copy in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 329 Regiilce, Confitend. peccata sua. Ital., 1473, 4to., in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 326 416 INDEX OF MANUSCRIPTS y^ol. Page. Repertorium Statut. Ord. Carth. 1510, folio, in the Pub- lic Library at Caen, - - - - i. 202 Richard sans Peur, Janot, no date, 4to., in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - ii. 158 Bonfons, no date^ 4to., in the same library, - - - - - ii. 158 Robert le Diable, Janot, no date, 4to., in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - ii. 158 Romances, MS., in the Royal Library at Paris, - ii. 88 , /)nn^«'rf, in the same Library, - - ii. 131 — , in the Public Library at Strasbourg, ii. 407 , in the Public Library at Munich, iii. 126 i?n«5«rf^, 1584, folio, in the Public Library at Caen, - i. 212 Rose, Roman de la, MS. xivth century, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - ii. 95 MS. xivth century, in the Public Library at Stuttgart, - - - - iii. 31 Verard, no date, upon vellum, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 131 Rossei opus elegans, S^c, Pynson, 1523, 4to., the author's copy, afterwards that of Sir Thomas More, in the Public Library at Landshut, - - - iii. 183 Sacramentarium, seu Missa Pap. Greg., MS., vith century, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - iii. 290 Sanchez de Matrim. Sacrum., copy in the chapter Library at Bayeux, i. 244, in the Library of the Lyc^e at Bayeux, - - - - - i. 245 Sannazarii Arcadia, 1514, Aldus, 8vo., Grolier's copy, on large paper, in the Royal Library at Paris, - ii. 148 Sannazariiis deparlu Firginis, Aldi, 1527, 12rao. in the King's Private Library at Stuttgart, - - iii. 41 Schakzabel, Der, MS. 1400 or 1450, in the Public Library at Stuttgart, _ _ - iii. 32 S^guin, Histore Militaire des Bocains, quoted, i. 300, 301, 302, sur Vhistoire de Vindustrie du Socage en g^- n&al, et de la ville de Fire sa capitale en pariiculi^re, 1810, 8vo., - - - - - i. 303 AND OF PRINTED BOOKS. 417 Vol. Page. Servius In Firgilium, see Firgiltus. Sforziada La, 1480, folio, upon vellum, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - ii. 134 Shyppe of Fools, 1509, 8vo. printed by W. Worde, upon ^ VELLUM, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - ii. 103 SiBJL«, &c., MS., xvth century, in the Public Library at Munich, - - - - iii. 127 S'llius ItaVicus, Laver, 1471, folio, in the Mazarine Li- brary at Paris, - - - - ii. 1 93 in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - . . _ iii. 313 S. and Pannartz, 1471, folio, in the Im- perial Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 313 in the Public Library at Stuttg-art, - - . . . iii. 26 ■ in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - - iii. 332 Spec. Hum. Salv. 1476, folio, printed by Richel, in the Public Library at Strasbourg-, - - - ii. 407 Spec. Morale P. Bellovacensis, 14/6, folio, - - ii. 405 Judiciale Durandus, Printed by Hussner and Re- kenhub, 14/3, folio, - - - . ii. 405 Speculum Stultorum, no date, 4to., in the Public Library at Caen, - - - - - i. 211 Statius inusum Delphini, 4to., two copies, in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - ii. 156 beautiful copy in the Library of Chrems- minster monastery, - - - - iii. 222 Statutes of Richard III. MachVtnia, in the the Royal Li- brary at Paris, - - _ - ii. 124 — — ^— — ^— ^— — — -^— in the King's Private Library at Stuttgart, - - - - iii. 41 Stephani, H. Gloss. Grcec. 1573, &c., folio— c?m notis mss : Bocharti, copy of, in the Public Library at Caen, i. 211 Successosy Prodigosde Amor, 1626, 4to., in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - ii. 161 Suetonius I. de Lignamine, 1470, folio — in the Library of Ste. Genevieve, at Paris, - . - ii. 1/5 II H 418 INDEX OF MANUSCRIPTS yol. Page. Suetonius S. and Pannarts, 1470, folio — in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - iii. 313 Jemon, 1471, 4to., — in the same collection, iii. 313 Retsinger, 4to., — without date, in the private royal collection at Stuttgart, - - - iii. 39 Suidas, Gr., 1499, folio — Lambecius's copy, in the Im- perial Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 314 1503, folio, Aldus — ^large paper copy, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 151 Sypperts de Finevaulx, Paris, no date, 4to. — in the Li- brary of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - ii. 159 Tacitus, I. de Spira, folio, edit. prin. in the Public Li- brary at Stuttgart, - - - - iii. 24 , in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - iii. 314 Tasso, Gerusalemme Conquistata, the author's autograph — in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - iii. 300 Terentius, Mentelin, folio— in the Imperial Library at Vienna, . . . _ - iii. 314 , Ulric Han, folio — in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. 136 -, Reisinger, folio — in the Public Library at Stuttgart, - - - - - iii. 23 Testamentum Novum, HoUandic^ et Russ., 1717> folio, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - ii. 110 — ^— — — , Bohemice, Sec. xv— in the Impe- rial Library at Vienna, _ . . iii. 307 -, GrcEct Erasmi, in the King's Pri- rate Library at Stuttgart, _ - - iii. 39 -, R. Stephani, 1550, folio — Diane de Poictiers's copy — in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. 150 Teirrdanchhs, 1517, folio — upon vbllum, in the Library of Ste. Genevibve, at Paris, - - - ii. 179 -^ , two copies of, in the Public Library at Munich, - - iii- 147 AND OF PRINTED BOOKS. 419 Fol. Page. Tewrdanckhs, 1517, folio, upon vellum, two copies of, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - iii. 329 , in the Library of the Monas- tery of St. Florian, . - - - iii. 238 Theophrastus, 1497, Gr. Aldus, — Diane de Poictiers's copy, in the possession of M. Renouard at Paris, - ii. 231 Thucydide, Gourmont, folio, Ferard — upon vellum, in the Imperial Library at Vienna — Prince Eugene's copy, iii. 330 TiTE Live, MS. folio — in the Royal Library at Paris, ii. 86 Tityrell and P/artzival, 1477, folio— in the Public Li- brary at Landshut, - - - iii. 181 in the Library of the Monastery of St. Florian, . . . iii. 236 Tournaments, Book of, MS. xvth century — in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - ii. 96 duplicate and more re- cent copy of, - - - - ii. 99 Tracts, Printed by Pfister, at Bamberg, folio, - - ii. 1 11 Trebisond, Paris, 4to. — in the Library of the Arsenal at Paris, - - - - - ii. 167 Tristan, MS. xivth century, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - - ii. 91 — — — — ^— , another MS. in the same library, - - - - ii. 91 ■■■ , a third MS. in the same library, - - - - - ii. 92 Gall. Sec. xiii., in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - - iii. 299 , another MS. in the same Collection, - - . . iii. 300 Tristran, Ferard, folio — in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - - - iii. 330 Trhhemii Annales Hirsaugiemes, 1690, folio — hi the Library of the Monastery of Chremsminster, - iii. 227 , in the Library of a Capuchin Monastery, near Vienna, - - iii. 403 Troys fit z de Roys, Paris, no date, 4to.— in the Library of the Arsenal, - - - - ii. 164 420 INDEX OF MANUSCRIPTS yol. Page. TuUyofOld Jge, Cascton — in the Royal Library at Paris, ii. 124 Turrecremata I. de Meditationes, Ulric Han, 1467, folio — in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - iii. 320 in the Public Library at Nuremberg, Supplement, iii. 430 , 1473, in the Imperial Library at Vienna, - - - iii. 307 V. Valerius Maximus, MS. xvth century — in the Im- perial Library at Vienna, - - -iii. 298 ■ MenteVm, folio — two copies in the Public Library at Strasbourg, - - - ii. 408 - ■ in the Imperial Library at Vienna, . - - iii. 314 1. in the Royal Library at Stuttgart, - - - iii- 24 . 1475, Cces Ss Stol, folio— in the Public Library at Caen, - . - i. 208 Aldus, 1534, Bvo. Grolier's copy, on large paper, in the Royal Library at Paris, ii. 148 Falttinus De Re Militari, 1472, folio — in the Imperial Library (Prince Eugene's copy) at Vienna, - - iii. 321 Faudevires, Basselin, ISll, - - ■• i. 212-289 Fie des Peres, 1494, folio, at Caen, - - i. 208 Firgilms, S. S^ Pannartz, (1469) folio — in the Royal Li- brary at Paris, - - - - ii. 116 ' ■■ in the Public Library at Strasbourg — incomplete, - - - ii. 408 in the Imperial Library at Vienna, ----- iii. 314 1470, F. de Spira, upon vellum, in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - ii. 1 1 7 ■ upon paper, in the Royal Li- brary at Paris, - - - - - ii. 117 in the Imperial Library at Vienna, ----- iii. 314 1471, *S'. and Pannartz, folio — in the Royal Library at Paris, - - - - iii. 118 AND OF PRINTED BOOKS. 421 f^ol Page. Firgilius, 1471, S. and Pannartz, late ia the Public Library at Stuttgart, - _ - . iii. 23 — — ^— — 14/1, ^. de Spira, folio — in the Imperial •*' Library at Vienna, - - - . iii. 316 14/1, Adam, folio — late in the Public Li- brary at Stuttgart, - - - - iii. 23 Sen'ius in Firgiliuin. Ulrlc Han, folio — Diane de Poictiers's copy, in the Mazarine Library at Paris, ii. 191 Valdarfer, 1471, folio— in the Public Library at Strasbourg, - - ii. 408 1478, Gering, 4to., in the Royal Li- brary at Paris, - - - - ii. 119 Aldus, 1501, 8vo. — UPON vellum, in the Public Library at Munich, - - - iii. 146 1505, Svo. — in the possession of M. Re- nouard, bookseller, - - - - ii. 230 S. and Pannartz, (1469) folio — in the Library of Ste. Genevieve, - - - - ii. 174 G(dlic^, 1582, folio~-in the Public Library at Caen, - - - - - i. 212 ViT^ Sanctorum, MS. Sec. xii.— in the Public Library at Stuttgart, _ _ . . iii. 29 Vitruvius G'ucntce, 1513, Svo. — upon vellum, in the Li- brary of Ste. Genevieve at Paris, - - ii. 178 Vocabularius, Bechtermuntze, 1467, 4to. - - ii. 115 U. Utino, T. de, Sermones, printed by Gering — in the Public Library at Vire, - - - - i. 297 W. WiLLiBROODi Sti. Vita. Auct. Alcuino. MS. xith century, in the Private Royal Library at Stuttgart, iii. 38 PRINTED BY WILLIAM NICOL, AT THE ^ i\- c5:(^iHi VJ GETTY RESEARCH INSTITUTE iiiiiiii mil nil mill ii nil iii iiiiii iiiiiilllllllll 3 3125 01024 0725 ^.?lii -,-^ k.