SECRETARY'S REPORT. 251 



various members from falling behind others. A constant 

 comparison has a constant stimulus to exertion, and if it docs 

 not lead to rapid progress, it keeps the whole village, that is, 

 the whole surrounding farming population, along a pretty 

 nearly equal pace. 



What a contrast between the farmer's situation in those 

 parts of Europe, and our own ! With our isolated home- 

 steads we can hardly meet our neighbors more than once a 

 week ; often not that. We may go to church once a week. 

 Their churches are open constantly, and though they do not 

 stop to hear a long sermon, they go in and out freely ; very 

 many of them every day. The effect of this close neighbor- 

 hood may, in some respects, be bad ; but in others it must, 

 it seems to me, be very beneficial. 



We arrived at Dijon about dusk, not knowing where we 

 should lodge, but soon found agreeable and commodious rooms 

 at the Hotel de Jura, near the station. The next morning, 

 long before the inhabitants of that quiet town were stirring, 

 we were " doing the place." Near the gate we found the ruins 

 of an ancient church converted into a barn, the nave and 

 lofty arches filled with hay. Old ruins, to one fresh from a 

 new world, had their charm, of course, and so had this old 

 barn. The museum, which we visited later in the day, contains 

 a large collection of old Roman relics collected in the vicinity, 

 many of which possess great interest, especially to the traveller 

 who sees them for the first time. 



Among the many excellent paintings, an exquisite St. Cecelia, 

 presented by the emperor, was the most beautiful. The color- 

 ing is superior to any thing we had seen in Europe. We 

 learned afterwards that most of the museums of the inland 

 towns contained works of art of high merit, from the same 

 source. The emperor evidently means to keep himself before 

 the people. 



After leaving Dijon for Lyons, we soon come to the river 

 Soane and follow down its winding course, passing Chalons, 

 Macon, and other prominent towns situated upon its banks. 

 Here commences the great south-eastern division of France, 

 tiie principal characteristic feature of which are the great valleys 

 of the Rhone and its tributaries, of which the Soane is one. 

 In general prosperity this district is the second in France, a 



