THE SEINE, MARNE, AND OISE. 275 



In another old house, called Long-Vetu, Rue de 

 Ceres, we read the following : 



JEAN BAPTISTE COLBERT, 



MINISTRE D'ETAT sous LOUIS xrv. 



EST NE DANS CETTE MAISON 

 LE 29 AOUT 1619. 



In the Eue du Marc there is another house with this 

 inscription : 



ANTOINE PLUCHE, 



AUTEUR DU SPECTACLE DE LA NATURE, 



L'UN DES BIENFAITEURS DE LA VILLE, 



EST NE DANS CETTE MAISON 



LE 13 NOVEMBRE 1668. 



From Rheims to Soissons, the Vesle continues to be a 

 favourable stream for angling purposes; inasmuch as the 

 waters are of such a character as to give a single-handed 

 rod a complete command over the entire river. The 

 Vesle joins the Aisne a short distance above Soissons, 

 which is situated on its left bank. This is a very old 

 place, beyond in fact any historical records. In the 

 cathedral there is a picture by Rubens, called the 

 " Adoration of the Shepherds." The generous artist 

 bestowed this noble painting on the Gray Friars of the 

 city, in grateful remembrance of their disinterested kind- 

 ness and attention to him, during a severe fit of illness, 

 while he sojourned a mere stranger in this town. 



The Oise from Compeigne to the place where it joins 

 the Seine, a distance, according to the course of the river, 

 of above sixty miles, is very favourable for the purposes 

 of the angler, especially if he troll with the minnow. 

 Trout of a very large size are frequently taken out of 



