S70 Notes and 'Reflections during a Tour : — 



What indeed could be expected from the common people, in 

 a country where the residence of a nobleman displayed such a 

 slovenly appearance as that of the Comte de Malartie at Totes ? 

 (p. 247.) 



The approach to Rouen, through an avenue of elm trees, 

 with the heights on which the town is built on the left, and 

 on the right the windings of a noble river, is rich and grand. 

 The sun was setting behind the spires and towers of the 

 town and the cathedral, and the streets in the outskirts and the 

 river exhibited all the bustle of a commercial city, with the 

 repose of long shadows, smooth water, and yellow light. 

 After passing through a number of narrow streets and lanes 

 full of people and horses seemingly returning from the labours 

 of the day, we were set down at the Hotel de Boulogne ; and 

 the first characteristic of a French country inn immediately 

 occurred, that of our being shown to our room through two 

 others occupied by a lady and her daughter ; of course we 

 concluded that this was the only passage. Dining shortly 

 after in the coffee-room, at a time when most of the customers 

 had supped, we had an opportunity of seeing the landlord, his 

 wife and family, and part of the servants, sit down to supper 

 together in one corner of the room; a custom which, though 

 very different from any thing which takes place in England, 

 we cannot help admiring for its patriarchal simplicity, and we 

 should think the effect would be favourable to the morality 

 and manners of servants. The same thing is practised in the 

 Swiss inns in the principal towns of Italy, and may be consi- 

 sidered as characterising a certain stage in the progress of 

 civilisation. In a country of manufactories and of poor-rates 

 such a custom could scarcely exist ; because the love of inde- 

 pendence, which the circumstances of such a country proniise 

 to gratify by the demand for labour, must necessarily weaken 

 every other tye. The potatoes, brought to table au natiirelle, 

 were a small, long, red kind, with numerous deeply sunk eyes. 

 dry and compact, but not very good ; the Cos lettuce was large 

 and excellent; and although the wine did not appear of the 

 first quality, yet, after being accustomed to consider it as some- 

 thing to be able to sip gravely one or two small glasses of 

 strong and dear port or sherry, we felt it pleasant to be able to 

 luxuriate a hon marclie^ and with impunity as to the morrow, 

 in bumpers. We were shown to our room, not as before, but 

 by a small back staircase ; and from various circumstances, 

 among others that of the room being over the kitchen, disco- 

 vered it to be one of the worst in the house. It is still worth 

 mentioning, because, however disagreeable at the time, it is of 

 interest in the remembrance; for otherwise we should pro- 

 bably have had nothing to say about it. This principle. 



