Photo by Arthur Stanley Riggs 



the; ruined facade of the great ROMAN theater at ORANGE, FRANCE 



Considered the finest and most imposing structure of its kind in France, notwithstanding 

 that it has lost almost all of its superficial decoration. This fagade is 121 feet high and 

 338 feet long. Every August in peace times the Comedie Franchise gives a series of per- 

 formances in the theater (see text, page 434). 



than of their historic and picturesque 

 background (see page 483). 



Nevers — and New Hampshire ! A 

 main street, with neat, separated houses 

 set well back from the precise sidewalk, 

 the blinds down to keep out the sun that 

 dapples lawns and road w T ith gold. But 

 there the similitude that strikes one at 

 first ends ; for Nevers is crowned with a 

 kingly old feudal chateau — now the Pal- 

 ace of Justice — that frowns down upon 

 the great, lazy serpent of the Loire smil- 

 ing indolently back of it. And there is 

 the strange, double-ended Cathedral of 

 St. Cyrus and the magical old square city 

 gateway, called the Croux, with its pro- 

 tecting barbican and outworks, as perfect 



a picture of medievalism as any artist 

 ever dreamed on canvas. 



Toward Bourges the landscape sug- 

 gests nothing in the world so much as 

 Sicily, with a blaze of purple and gold, 

 scarlet and white and green in countless 

 masses of delphinium, mustard, butter- 

 cups, poppies, and daisies that ravish 

 every sense. It is the most brilliant pay- 

 sage in France, and the snowy white cat- 

 tle, the tremendous horse-chestnuts, tow- 

 ering locusts, sturdy lindens and maples, 

 and the gray, old red-roofed farm-houses 

 that peep between give it solid strength 

 as well as consummate charm. Seeking 

 the Loire, the Allier slips through, broad 

 and shallow, its course marked by de- 



466 



