44 
in Normandy before he introduced it into England. Outside 
Caen is the well-preserved Gothic abbey building known as the 
Abbaye d’Ardennes, whence we proceed to Bayeux. Its 
quaintness may be understood from the manner of street lighting. 
From the top of a tall poll on each side of the street is slung a 
wire cord from which is suspended an oil lamp, and similar oil 
lamps are suspended at regular intervals. The streets of London, 
Manchester, and our large towns, used to be lighted in this 
manner in former times. The good people of Bayeux hold in 
great reverence all things appertaining to Holy Mother Church. 
Here we see ecclesiastical processions which have become quite 
obsolete in Paris and the large busy towns. On the occasion of 
the Féte Dieu, the devout townspeople stretch long pieces of 
white calico or muslin decked with flowers on each side of the 
streets, which are then strewn with leaves or ferns. Here and 
there in convenient positions is erected an altar or reposoir, as 
it is termed. These reposoirs or street altars, are profusely 
decorated with flowers, moss, foliage, candles and ecclesiastical 
ornaments. The procession arrives. The host, carried in a 
golden vessel by a priest in gorgeous robes, under a magnificent 
scarlet and gold canopy, and surrounded by acolytes swinging 
censers of incense, is deposited on the altar, a prayer is chanted, 
and the chief priest pronounces a benediction with much 
swinging of incense and scattering of holy water upon the bare- 
headed kneeling people in the street. In the Cathedral of 
Bayeux, the famous Bayeux tapestry was formerly kept. This 
ancient tapestry is, however, a document of such important 
historical evidence, that it is now carefully preserved in the 
Museum. ‘The tapestry is a strip of coarse linen 20in. broad 
and 212ft. long, just exactly the width of the nave of the 
Cathedral across which the tapestry used formerly to be exhibited. 
It consists of 58 subjects or pictures representing the history of 
the Norman conquest from the death of Kdward the Confessor 
and Harold’s coronation, to the battle of Hastings and Harold’s 
death. It is not definitely known by whom the tapestry was 
designed and embroidered. Napoleon Bonaparte caused it to be 
exhibited in the theatres of the French towns with a view of 
inciting the people to another conquest of England, and so 
emulate their deeds of ancient times. The battle of Waterloo, 
however, put a stop to these proceedings. 
The lecturer concluded by an account of Mont 8. Michel, the 
most westerly point of the Norman coast. 
