Chateau dii Mailleraie. G^S 



Rouen to Mailleraie and Landin, September 4. — These 

 residences are situated on the left bank of the Seiiie, between 

 Rouen and Honfleur. The nearest road is on the right bank 

 of the river, probably 10 or 12 miles in length, exceedingly 

 hilly, grand, varied, and picturesque. The most agreeable 

 way of making the excursion is by water. A steam-boat sets 

 out on certain days for this purpose, and for affording a view 

 of the beautiful and rich scenery on the river, from Rouen to 

 Havre, said to be unequalled in France; but we had not time 

 to adopt this mode. In leaving Rouen we passed two or three 

 small villas, apparently in a better style than that near Quevilly 

 (p. 501.); the nursery of M. Morelle, in very perfect order; and, 

 near Duclaii', the Chateau du Tailly, a small residence, occupy- 

 ing a walled parallelogram of about two acres, surrounded by 

 an open corn country. This chateau, as far as could be seen 

 from the road, is about the date of the Tuilleries, and un- 

 chanffed in a single external feature, either in the house or 

 grounds. As a piece of antiquity we felt it to be extremely 

 interesting. We passed several cottages and gardens, and one 

 or two villages ; but, except some houses in the latter, we can- 

 not say that we saw much appearance of comfort. Most of 

 the cottages were in very bad repair, but almost all of them 

 seemed to have cow-houses, a place for pigs, and sometimes 

 for sheep. We learned afterwards that the occupiers were 

 for the greater part small farmers or proprietors. The road, 

 though of the secondary or cross-country description, was 

 bordered in most places by fruit trees, in genei-al young. The 

 surface of the country was undivided by hedges, except near 

 villages and cottages ; but it was occasionally varied by patches 

 of native wood. Clover, wheat, kidneybeans, and potatoes, 

 seemed to be grown by every one. Little could be said 

 in favour of the cottage gardens ; not so many vines were 

 planted against the houses as in the suburbs of Rouen, nor so 

 many flowers before thena as in the manufacturing district of 

 the Dieppe road (p. 369.). Still the soil was every where a 

 brown loam on limestone rock, the surface varied, and the dis- 

 tance agreeable or grand. The germs, therefore, of riches 

 and beauty exist every where; and future, and, we hope, not 

 distant, prosperity will call them into existence. 



The Chateau du Mailleraie is built close on the margin of 

 the river, on a bank somewhat higher than that opposite, but 

 not so much so as to give the situation anv decided advantage 

 in point of character or effect. Behind and on one side lies 

 the park scenei'y, chiefly avenues and woods in the ancient 

 style ; and on the other side the stable offices, kitchen-garden, 

 church, and village. The park, we were told, contains above 



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