Dibdin'^ Bibliographical Tour in Franee and Germany. 605 



the unroofed rooms, I could not help 

 iuimiring the painted horders, ehiefly 

 of .a red colour, which run along tlie 

 tipper part of the walls, or wainscols — 

 giviutj indication not only of a good, 

 hut of a splendid taste. Did I tell you 

 (hat this sort of ornament was to be 

 seen in some parts of the eastern end 

 of the Abbey of Tuinieges? Here, in- 

 deed, they afforded evidence on evi- 

 dence, miuoled with melancholy sen- 

 sations, on conviction of the probable 

 state of maguificence which once reigned 

 throughout tlie 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 extensive view of the 

 embouchure of the river. It is the 

 property of a speculator residhig at 

 Havre. Parallel with this terrace, 

 runs the more modernised part of the 

 castle, which the last residing owner 

 inhabited. It may have been built 

 about fifty years ago, and is — or ra- 

 ther the remains of it are — quite in the 

 modern style of domestic architecfure. 

 The rooms are large, lofty, and com- 

 modious — yet nothing but the shells 

 of them remain. The revolutionary 

 patriots completely gutted them of 

 eveiy useful and every valuable piece of 

 furniture ; and even the bare walls are 

 beginning to grow damp, and threaten 

 immediate decay. 



I made several memoranda upon the 

 spot, which have been unluckily, and 

 I fear irretrievably misplaced ; so that 

 of this once vast, and yet commanding 

 and interesting edifice, I regret that I 

 am compelled to send you so short and 

 so meagre an account. Farewell — a 

 long and perhaps perpetual farewell — 

 to the castle of Montmorenci ! 



CAEN. 



Well, my friend ! 1 have at length 



visited the interior of the Abbey of St. 

 Stephen, and have walked over the 

 grave of ^yilliam the Conqueror, and 

 of Matilda, his wife. I am here very 

 comfortably situated, and shall not 

 think of quitting this place for a week, 

 at least. But as you dearly love the 

 gossip of a travelling journal, I shall 

 take up the thread of my narrative from 

 the si)ot in which I last addressed you ; 

 particularly as our route hither was 

 marked by some circumstances not un- 

 worthy of recital. 



All the way to Troarn (the last stage 

 on this side of Caen) the country pre- 

 sents a truly lovely picture of pasture 



Monthly IMao. No. 350. 



land. There are occasionally som<' 

 wooded heights. In whicli English 

 wealth and Englisli taste would have 

 raised villas of the prettiest forms, and 

 u'ith most commanding views. Yet 

 there is nothing to be mentioned in the 

 same breath wiih the country about 

 Rod well in Gloucestersliire. Nor are the 

 trees of thesarae bulk and luxuriant foli- 

 age as are those in our own country. A 

 fine oak is as rai-e as an uncut Wynkyn 

 de Worde; but creeping rivulets, rich 

 coppice wood, avenues of elms and 

 limes, and meadows begemmed with 

 butter-cups — these are the characteris- 

 tics of the country through which we 

 were p"ss!ng. 



It is in vain, however, you look 

 for neat villas or consequential farm- 

 houses s and as rarely do you see groups 

 of villagers reposing or in action. A 

 dearth of population gives to French 

 landscape a melancholy and solitary 

 cast of character. It is in cities that 

 you must look for human beings^— and 

 for cities the French seem to have been 

 created. Not any thing like an exem- 

 plification of Watteau's enchanting 

 pieces — but I check myself — ladies and 

 gentlemen do not stir abroad to dance, 

 swing, romp, and enjoy a f^te chani- 

 petre 



When storms and clouds obscure the sky, 

 And thunders roll and lightiiing-s fly. 

 Yet I siiall not easily forget the sweep 

 ofcountrj', or continuation of pasture 

 land, between Pont L'Evequeand Tro- 

 arn. This latter village is sufficiently 

 poor, y/e passed a good house to the 

 left, and a delicious trout stream to the 

 right : but the road itself was absolute- 

 ly flooded with rain. 



The country from Troarn to Caen, 

 gets more into the arable kind; but, 

 though flatter and less ornamented with 

 trees, it is fruitful and more agreeable 

 to the eye. Unluckily the sun had set, 

 and the horizon had become gloomy, 

 when we first discovered the spires to 

 St. Stephen's Abbey — the principal ec- 

 clesiastical edifice at Caen. It was 

 hard upon nine o'clock ; and the even- 

 ing being extremely dusky, w6 had 

 necessarily a very indistinct view of 

 the other churches ; but to my eyes, as 

 seen in a lengthened view, and through 

 a treacherous atmosphere, Caen had 

 the appearance of Oxford upon a dimi- 

 nutive scale. The town itself, like our 

 famous university, is built in a slanting 

 direction; though tlie surrounding 

 country is yet flatter than about Oxford. 

 As we entered it, all the population 

 4 G seemed 



