(j'Ofi Dibdhi's liiblio graphical Tour in France and Germany. 



spomed cnllectiMl (owitiioss our arrival. 

 From solitude we plunged at oiw-e 

 info tumult, bustle and noise. We 

 stoppe 1 at tlie Hotel d'lispafjne — a 

 I'Mge, but blaclc niul betrrimcd man- 

 sion. Here our luggage was fak<!U 

 down; and liere* we Mcie assailed by 

 gareous de place, with cards in llieir 

 bands, iufroafing us to put up at their 

 respective hotels. We liad souu^how got 

 a reeommendation (o (he Hotel Kuyale 

 in the IMaee Hoyale. and sueh a union 

 of royal adjuncts was irresislible. Ac- 

 cordingly, we resolvi^tl u])on moving 

 thither. In a trice our IriniUs were 

 ))laced upon barro^vs, and A\e marched 

 behind, '• in double ijulck time," in 

 order to secure our jjroperty. The 

 pl.ii'<e appeared to improve as we made 

 our diliereut turnings, and gainwl upon 

 our hotel. 



Caen is still life after Rouen : but it 

 has bcsen, and yet is, a town well de- 

 serving (Ite attention of the lounging 

 traveller and of the curious autiquaiy. 

 Its ecclesiastical edifices are more an- 

 cient, but less vast a'ld splendid, than 

 those of Rouen ; wliile the streets and 

 the bouses are much more wide anJ 

 comfor'abile. This ])Iace is the capital 

 of the department of Calvados, or of 

 lower Normandy; and its population 

 is estimated at forty t'lou^and souls. 

 It has a public library, a sclicol of art, 

 a college, mayoralty, and all the etce- 

 teras of a corporate society. 



In respei.'t to tiie trade of the town, 

 the two princi;>al branches are lace and 

 cap making. Tlie former trade is di- 

 vided with IJaycux; and both places 

 together give occupation to tAVcnty 

 tiiousand pair of hands. reo]de of all 

 asjes may be so employed; and the an- 

 nual gross receipts have been estimated 

 at ftuir millions of francs. But the 

 manufacturers of Lisicux form the chief 

 supplies of the deiiartment of Calvados. 

 Yet in cap making only, at Caen, four 

 tliousaud people have been constantly 

 engaged, and a gross produce of two mil- 

 lions of francs has been the result of such 

 branch of trade. A great part of this 

 manufacture was consumed at home; 

 but more than one half irsed to be ex- 

 ported to Spain, Portugal, and the colo- 

 nies belonging to France. They pretend 

 to say, however, that this article of 

 commerce is much diminished botii in 

 profit and reputation: while that of 

 table linen jsgainingproportionably in 

 both. . / ,.i . 



Tl*ere<«re'<wo distinct academies — 



1.'//" iT'/oi!j1;.i 



one for Science and Hclles Lettres, fhfr 

 other for Agriculture and Commerce. 

 The Lyc^e is a noble building, close to 

 tiie Abbey of St. Stephen : but I wish 

 its fa^-ade had been Gotliic, to harmo- 

 nise with this latter. Indeed, Caen 

 lias qnite tlie air of Oxford, frcni tin; 

 prevalent appearance of stone in its 

 jdiblic buildings. 



U|)on the whole, as to general ap- 

 pearance, and as to jiaiticular society, 

 t;"a<'n may be [)referred to Jloueu. The 

 costume and nianners of the common 

 people are pretty much, if not entirely, 

 the same ; except that, as to dress, the 

 cauchoise is rather moresimph; than at 

 Diepj)e and Rouen. Caen is called tln^ 

 d^jiot of the English. In truth tlier<> 

 is an amazing number of our country- 

 men here. Due family comes to reside 

 from motives of economy: another 

 from tliose of education; a third fi'om 

 those of lefirement ; and a fourlh from 

 pnre love of sifting down in a strange 

 place, ■with the chance of making some 

 plea -ant connexion, or of seeking some 

 strange adventure. Good and cheap 

 living, and novel society, are doubtless 

 the main attractions. 



Tiie public edifices, however, demand 

 a particular and appropriate descrip- 

 tion : and first of those of the ecclesias- 

 tical order. Let us begin, therefore, 

 wjth 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, inasmnch as thert^ 

 stood formerly a chapel on the same 

 scite, dedicated to him. The present 

 building was completed and solemnly 

 dedicated by William the Conqueror, 

 in' the presence of his Nylfc, liis two 

 sons, Robert and William, his favourite 

 ArchbishopLaufr.inc, John,Archbislio]t 

 cf Rouen, and Thomas, Archbishop of 

 York, towards the year lOSO. Of this 

 intericr, very much is changed from its 

 original character. The side aisles re- 

 tain their flattened arched r.oofs and 

 pillars ; and in tlie nave you observe 

 those roimded pilasters, or alto-relievo 

 like pillars, running from bottom to 

 top, which are to be seen in the Abbey 

 of Tumieges. The capitals of these 

 long pillars, are comparatively of mo- 

 dern date. To the left, on entrance, 

 within a side chapel, is the burial place 

 ol Matilda, the wife of the Conqueror. 

 The tombstone attesting her interment 

 is undoubtedly of tlietime. Generally 

 S{>eaking, the interior is cold, and dull 

 of effect. A desolate nakedness pre- 

 ..i'of.i:,, -11;. -i . . '>,irii fc« - vails 



