,illustration3 ,,view of the ,,monastery of ,,la ,,trappe ,a ,,visit ,,to ,,the ,,monastery ,,of ,,la ,,trappe ,,in #ahag4 ,,with ,,notes ,,taken ,,during ,a ,,tour ,,through ,,le ,,perche1 ,,normandy1 ,,bretagne1 ,,poitou1 ,,anjou1 ,,le ,,bocage1 ,,touraine1 ,,orleanois1 ,,and ,,the ,,environs ,,of ,,paris4 ,,by ,w4,d4 ,,fellowes1 ,,esq4 ,,illustrated ,,with ,,numerous ,,coloured ,,engravings1 ,,from ,,drawings ,,made ,,on ,,the ,,spot4 ,,list ,,of ,,the ,,plates4 ,view of the ,monastery of ,la ,trappe ,ruins of the ,ancient ,church of ditto ,ruins of the ,gateway of the ancient ,chartreuse ,les ,noyades 7vignette7 ,grotto of ,hlose at ,clisson ,tomb of ,ablard and ,hlose ,ruins of ,ablard's ,house ,granite ,rock in the ,garenne ,le ,conntable de ,clisson 7outline7 ,ruins of ,clisson ,tour des ,plerins ,moulin aux chvres ,tour d',oudon on the ,river ,loire ,view of ,st4 ,florent ,tomb 7etching7 ,,preface4 ,in justice to the public and to myself1 ,i must disavow for the following pages any higher literary pretension than what is conveyed by the simple title of ,notes1 under which ,i have ventured to give them to the world4 ,i had no other aim in writing but to occupy as rationally as ,i could the hours of travel1 and no other object in publishing but to impart to others as plainly as ,i could a portion of the pleasure ,i myself experienced4 ,it has somewhere been remarked to this effect1 that if every man of common understanding were to put down the daily thoughts and occurrences of his life1 candidly and unaffectedly as he experienced them1 he must necessarily produce something of interest to his fellow men1 and make a book1 which1 though not enlivened by wit1 dignified by profundity of reasoning1 nor valuable by extent of research1 yet no man perhaps should throw aside with either weariness or disgust4 ,whether ,i shall prove fortunate enough not to excite these sensations in such readers as may honour my book with a perusal1 ,i fear to conjecture4 ,but it was my good fortune1 during a season of uncommon beauty1 to make a tour through some of the most interesting parts of ,france1 and to meet with persons who1 from situation and talents1 were highly calculated to give my journey every charm of society and information4 ,the natural face of the country through which ,i passed was peculiarly beautiful3 ,i could scarcely move a step without some novelty of picturesque enchantment1 and had the most perfect opportunities of contemplating ,nature in all her varied poetry1 from the grand and terrible graces of savage sublimity1 to the soft and playful loveliness of cultivated luxuriance4 ,there was scarcely a town or village where ,i arrived which romance or history1 religion or politics1 had not invested and adorned with every interest of mental association4 ,under such impressions1 and with such opportunities1 it was scarcely possible to resist recording something of what ,i saw and felt2 and if the publication of my hasty record be an error1 it will be deemed by my friends1 ,i hope1 a pardonable one4 ,my book can scarcely demand the serious attention of the critic2 nor could criticism well expect a better style from one whose profession is seldom supposed to allow much leisure to acquire nicety in the arts of composition4 ,i claim no other merit for my ,notes than having followed the advice 7of ,gray1 ,i believe7 that ten words put down at the moment upon the spot1 are worth a whole cart load of recollections4 ,i have not sought to add to their attraction 7if they should possess any7 by the embellishments of my invention1 or the graces of my periods--the decorative artifices of execution can never give value to falsehood1 and truth needs them not4 ,a simple landscape1 simply described from nature1 has always a charm above the most high-finished compositions of mere fancy2 and1 like a moderate painting from the same source1 still imparts a feeling of reality4 ,i hope1 therefore1 ,i shall be excused for attempting some description1 slight and unskilful as it may be1 of places and scenery where the human mind has exhibited some of its most curious and powerful features1 and which awaken reflections of the deepest interest--,i allude particularly to the monastery of ,la ,trappe1 and to the country of ,la ,vende4 ,the former had dwelt among the earliest impressions of youth1 with something like the wild and wonderful force of a romantic tale2 and ,i was anxious to become an eye-witness of what had so long been one of the most powerful objects of my imagination4 ,the gloomy and almost inaccessible situation chosen by this strange fraternity for their convent--their rigid separation from human intercourse--the infringible taciturnity imposed upon themselves--and the terrible severity of their penances1 are certainly circumstances more resembling the visionary indulgence of fantasy and fiction1 than actual realities to be met with among living men1 and in the present day4 ,with regard to the department of ,la ,vende1 whatever serves1 trivial as it may be1 to recall or illustrate the history of its wars and the character of its inhabitants1 must ever possess a charm for those who delight to sympathize with the noble struggles of a gallant people1 conscientiously devoting themselves to the cause of a fallen and persecuted monarchy1 and resisting the cruel and destructive ferocity of a licentious enemy1 who had broken down the most sacred fences of society1 and trampled upon the dearest ties of human nature4 ,in these ,notes1 slight as they are1 ,i can truly promise the reader that he will find nothing wilfully misrepresented1 nor advanced without just authority2 and if the rapid and cursory character of the observations1 allusions1 and anecdotes1 shall enable an hour to pass agreeably that has no better employment1 ,i am content1 and gratified with the attainment of all ,i ever hoped or designed by an unpretending publication1 which ,i cheerfully dedicate to all who love to unbend their minds from a critical attitude1 and can lounge goodnaturedly over leaves written by a traveller as idle and careless as themselves1 and who assures them that no one can think more humbly of his production than himself4 ,,march #ahah4 ,,contents4 ,,chapter ,i4 ,route from ,paris to ,mortagne4--,excursion to ,la ,trappe4--,state of the ,order since the restoration in #ahad4--;,its foundation and rules under the ,abb de ,ranc4 ,,chap4 ,,ii4 ,ruins of the ,convent of the ,chartreux4--,forests of ,le ,perche4--,mortagne4 ,,chap4 ,,iii4 ,from ,mortagne to ,rennes4--,soeurs de la ,charit4--,alenon4--,laval4--,vitr1 the celebrated residence of ,mad4 de ,svign4 ,,chap4 ,,iv4 ,rennes4--,route from ,rennes to ,nantes4--,city of ,nantes4--,historical anecdotes4 ,,chap4 ,v4 ,country south of the ,loire4--,le ,bocage4--,clisson4--,historical anecdotes4--,the ,garenne1 and ,river ,svres4 ,,chap4 ,,vi4 ,general appearance and limits of ,le ,bocage4--,nature of the mode of warfare of the ,vendeans4 ,,chap4 ,,vii4 ,the ,river ,loire1 from ,nantes to ,angers4 ,,chap4 ,,viii4 ,saumur to ,tours4--,tours to ,blois4--,orlans--and ,orlans to ,paris4 ,,chap4 ,,ix4 ,environs of ,paris4--,pre la ,chaise4--,castle of ,vincennes1 and ,chteau of ,saint ,germain4--,the ,forest1 and ,vicinity4--,conclusion4 ,a ,,visit ,,to ,,the ,,monastery ,,of ,,la ,,trappe ,,chap4 ,i4 ,,route ,,from ,,paris ,,to ,,mortagne4--,,excursion ,,to ,,la ,,trappe4--,,state ,,of ,,the ,,order ,,since ,,the ,,restoration ,,in #ahad4--;,,its ,,foundation ,,and ,,rules ,,under ,,the ,,abbe ,,de ,,rance4 ,i performed this journey during the months of ,june1 ,july1 ,august1 and ,september1 a distance of near one thousand miles1 and had the singular good fortune to enjoy the finest weather possible4 ,the perusal of ,madame de ,la ,roche-,jaquelin's interesting work on the ,vendean war1 first gave me the idea of visiting the country called le ,bocage1 the theatre of so many events1 and sufferings of the brave royalists2 and1 as the province of le ,perche1 in which is situated the ancient convent of ,la ,trappe1 was in my route to ,bretagne1 ,i resolved to make an excursion there1 in order to satisfy myself of the truth of those austerities which ,i had read of in the ,memoirs of the ,count de ,comminge4 ,the route from ,paris to ,mortagne1 in le ,perche1 leads through ,marly1 ,versailles1 ,saint ,cyr1 ,pont ,chartrain1 ,la ,queue1 ,houdon1 ,marrolles1 ,dreux1 ,nonancourt1 ,tillires1 ,verneuil1 and ,saint ,maurice4 ,the roads are excellent1 and the country beautiful4 ,the first post out of ,paris is ,nanterre4 ,two leagues and a half from the barriere1 the village of ,ruel1 and the park of ,malmaison1 form a continuation of neat buildings4 ,at ,nanterre1 in the campaign of #ahae1 the ,prussians1 after a severe engagement with the retreating troops of the ,french1 had one regiment of cavalry cut to pieces4 ,at ,ruel1 the celebrated ,cardinal ,richelieu had a palace1 which at the ,revolution became national property1 and was purchased by ,massena1 ,duc de ,rivoli1 ,prince ,d',essling1 lately deceased4 ,the ,duchess still resides there4 ,it was taken possession of by the allies in #ahae1 and1 like ,malmaison1 plundered by the troops4 ,there are extensive barracks for cavalry at this place1 at present occupied by the ,swiss guards4 ,a little farther1 between ,malmaison and ,marly1 is a beautiful chteau1 formerly belonging to ,general ,count ,bertrand1 who accompanied ,napoleon to ,saint ,helena2 it is now the property of ,m4 ,ouverard1 the banker3 nearly opposite is the residence of the celebrated ,abb ,sieys1 who lives in great retirement4 ,whatever may have been the political transgressions of ,bertrand1 there is something so noble in his devotion to the fallen fortunes of his master1 that it is impossible not to respect his character4 ,at ,marly1 the water-works and aqueduct for conveying the water from the river ,seine to the palace and gardens of ,versailles1 are very curious4 ,the palace of ,marly is destroyed2 but the basins1 which were constructed by order of ,louis ,,xiv4 are still to be seen1 though in ruins4 ,delille1 the poet1 in his description of the chteau and beautiful grounds of ,marly1 says3 ,c'est l que tout est grand1 que l'art n'est point timide2 ,l tout est enchant3 c'est le ,palais d',armide2 ,c'est le jardin d',alcine1 ou plutt d'un ,hros1 ,noble dans sa retraite et grand dans son repos4 ,qui cherche encore vaincre1 dompter des obstacles1 ,et ne marche jamais qu'entour de miracles4 ,on quitting ,paris1 ,i had procured a letter of introduction from ,count ,la ,cou to ,madame de ,bellou1 at ,mortagne1 a charming old lady of an ancient and noble family in that province1 who had never quitted the seat of her ancestors1 but remained quiet and respected during all the storms of the revolution4 ,she received me with kindness1 and politely introduced me to the ,sub-,prefect1 ,monsieur ,lamorelie1 who gave me a letter of introduction to the ,pre ,don ,augustin1 ,grand ,prior of ,la ,trappe4 ,the mayor of the commune of ,soligni1 who happened to be at the inn1 and learned from the ,aubergiste1 that a stranger intended visiting ,la ,trappe1 very civilly introduced himself to me1 and gave me every necessary direction how to proceed through the forest2 at the same time expressing his surprise that an ,englishman should take the trouble1 and undergo the fatigue of penetrating through such a country1 an attempt which few of his own countrymen had ever ventured to make4 ,it was singular enough that only one person in the town could be found to accompany me as a guide1 or who knew any thing of the track through the forest1 although the abbey is distant only twenty-five miles4 ,i set out with the guide just at day-break1 mounted on a small ,norman horse1 and armed with pistols and a sword-cane1 in case of meeting with wolves1 which the mayor of ,soligni had cautioned me against1 as abounding throughout the country4 ,we travelled1 after leaving the main road1 at the distance of a league1 through a country scarcely appearing to be inhabited4 ,here and there a lone cot1 a mere speck1 met the eye amidst a landscape composed of nothing but barren wastes and thick forests1 nearly impervious to the light4 ,we had penetrated about half a mile through one of the latter1 my attention occupied with the romantic wildness of the scene1 when we were alarmed by the howling of a wolf4 ,my guide crossed himself1 and began cracking his whip with the noise and singular dexterity peculiar to the ,french postillions2 and as we entered a part of the forest1 impenetrable but for traces known only to those who are accustomed to them1 he related 7by way of consolation1 ,i suppose17 several stories of the peasantry having been recently attacked1 and some destroyed1 by wolves2 and one instance of a woman having had her infant torn from her arms1 only a short time since1 in the neighbourhood4 ,on quitting the forest the track was now and then diversified by the ruins of a solitary cottage1 or the mouldering remains of a crucifix1 raised by pious hands to mark some event1 or to guide the traveller2 and after traversing a rocky plain1 covered with heath and wild thyme1 where some herds of sheep and goats were browsing1 attended by the shepherd1 we entered the ,forest of ,bellegarde4 ,this forest spreads over a large extent of country1 and is so dark and intricate1 that those best acquainted with it frequently lose their way4 ,no vestige of human footsteps or of the track of animals appeared2 a mark1 here and there1 on some of the trees1 was the only direction6 ,pursuing our way through turnings and windings the most perplexing1 we found ourselves to be on the overhanging brow of a hill1 the descent of which was so precipitous1 that we were under the necessity of dismounting2 and by a winding path1 hollowed out in its side1 descended through a sort of labyrinth towards the valley1 whose sides were clothed with lofty woods1 rising one above the other4 ,the valley itself is interspersed with three lakes1 connected with each other1 and forming a sort of moat around the ground2 in the centre of which appears the venerable abbey of ,la ,trappe1 with its dark gray towers1 the deep tone of whose bell had previously announced to us1 that we had nearly reached our journey's end4 ,the situation of this monastery was well adapted to the founder's views1 and to suggest the name it originally received of ,la ,trappe1 from the intricacy of the road which descends to it1 and the difficulty of access or egress1 which exists even to this day1 though the woods have been very much thinned since the revolution4 ,perhaps there never was any thing in the whole universe better calculated to inspire religious awe than the first view of this monastery4 ,it was imposing even to breathlessness4 ,the total solitude--the undisturbed and chilling silence1 which seem to have ever slept over the dark and ancient woods--the still lakes1 reflecting the deep solemnity of the objects around them--all impress a powerful image of utter seclusion and hopeless separation from living man1 and appear formed at once to court and gratify the sternest austerities of devotion--to nurse the fanaticism of diseased imaginations--to humour the wildest fancies--and promote the gloomiest schemes of penance and privation6 ,in descending the steep and intricate path the traveller frequently loses sight of the abbey1 until he has actually reached the bottom2 then emerging from the wood1 the following inscription is seen carved on a wooden cross3 ,c'est ici que la mort et que la vrit ,elvent leurs flambeaux terribles2 ,c'est de cette demeure1 au monde inaccessible1 ,que l'on passe l'ternit4 ,a venerable grove of oak trees1 which formerly surrounded the monastery1 was cut down in the revolution4 ,in the gateway of the outer court is a statue of ,saint ,bernard1 which has been mutilated by the republicans3 he is holding in one hand a church1 and in the other a spade--the emblems of devotion and labour4 ,this gateway leads into a court1 which opens into a second enclosure1 and around that are the granaries1 stables1 bakehouse1 and other offices necessary to the abbey1 which have all been happily preserved4 ,owing to the fatigue of the journey1 the heat of the weather1 and having frequently been obliged to retrace our steps1 from losing our way in the woods1 it was late before we arrived at the abbey4 ,to the west1 under the glow of the setting sun1 the forests were still tinged with the warmest yet softest colours that faded fast away2 and as we descended towards the ,convent1 quickening our pace to reach it before the last gleams of evening departed1 there was a silence around us1 which at such a moment1 and in such a spot1 sunk sorrowfully upon the heart6 ,just as ,i reached the gate the bell tolled in so solemn and melancholy a tone that it vibrated through my whole frame1 and called strongly to mind the beautiful lines in ,parisina3 ,the ,convent bells are ringing1 ,but mournfully and slow2 ,in the gray square turret swinging1 ,with a deep sound1 to and fro1 ,heavily to the heart they go6 ,on entering the gate1 a lay-brother received me on his knees2 and in a low and whispering voice informed me they were at vespers4 ,the stillness and gloom of the building--the last rays of the sun scarcely penetrating through its windows--the deep tones of the monks chanting the responses1 which occasionally broke the silence1 filled me with reverential emotions which ,i felt unwilling to disturb3 it was necessary however to present my letter of introduction1 and ,frre ,charle1 the secrtaire1 soon after came out1 and received me with great civility4 ,he appeared a young man about five-and-twenty1 with a handsome and prepossessing countenance4 ,he informed me that the ,pre ,abb was then absent1 visiting a convent of ,female ,trappistes1 a few leagues distant1 but that he should be happy to show me every attention2 and requested that in going over the ,convent1 ,i would neither speak nor ask him any questions in those places where ,i saw him kneel1 or in the presence of any of the ,monks4 ,i followed him to the chapel1 where1 as soon as the service was over1 the bell rung to summon them to supper4 ,ranged in double rows1 with their heads enveloped in a large cowl1 and bent down to the earth1 they chanted the grace1 and then seated themselves4 ,during the repast one of them1 standing1 read passages from scripture1 reminding them of death1 and of the shortness of human existence2 another went round the whole community1 and on his knees kissed their feet in succession1 throwing himself prostrate on the floor at intervals before the image of our ,saviour2 a third remained on his knees the whole time1 and in that attitude took his repast4 ,these penitents had committed some fault1 or neglected their religious duties1 of which1 according to the regulations1 they had accused themselves1 and were in consequence doomed to the above modes of penance4 ,the refectory was furnished with long wooden tables and benches2 each person was provided with a trencher1 a jug of water1 and a cup1 having on it the name of the brother to whom it is appropriated1 as ,frre ,paul1 ,frre ,franois1 c4 which name they assume on taking the vow4 ,their supper consisted of bread soaked in water1 a little salt1 and two raw carrots1 placed by each2 water alone is their beverage4 ,the dinner is varied with a little cabbage or other vegetables3 they very rarely have cheese1 and never meat1 fish1 or eggs4 ,the bread is of the coarsest kind possible4 ,their bed is a small truckle1 boarded1 with a single covering1 generally a blanket1 no mattress nor pillow2 and1 as in the former time1 no fire is allowed but one in the great hall1 which they never approach4 ,within these three years a small cabaret has been built near the ,convent for the accommodation of those who may occasionally visit it1 the buildings that remain being but barely sufficient for their own members1 which have been rapidly increasing since its restoration4 ,in this cabaret ,i took up my abode for the night1 in preference to the accommodation very kindly offered me by ,frre ,charle1 and retired to rest1 wearied with the day's excursion1 and fully satisfied1 that all ,i had heard1 all ,i had imagined of ,la ,trappe1 was infinitely short of the reality1 and that no adequate description could be given of its awful and dreary solitude2 ,monsieur ,elzar de ,sabran1 in a poem called ,le ,repentir1 lately published1 describing this ,monastery1 says very justly2 ,tmoins d'une commune et secrte souffrance1 ,ces frres de douleur1 martyrs de l'esprance1 ,d'une lente torture puisant les degrs1 ,constamment runis1 constamment spars1 ,l'un l'autre trangers1 ct l'un de l'autre1 ,joignent tout ce malheur encore tout le ntre1 ,jamais1 dans ses pareils cherchant un tendre appui1 ,un coeur ne s'ouvre aux coeurs qui souffrent comme lui4 ,the following morning the matin bell summoned me to the ,convent1 and ,frre ,charle attended me to the burial ground2 here have been deposited the remains of two of the brothers1 deceased since the restoration of their order in #ahad4 ,another grave was ready prepared2 as soon as an interment takes place1 one being always opened for the next that may die4 ,the two graves were marked with simple wooden crosses1 bearing the following inscriptions3 ,f4 ,nicolas4 ,frre ,,donn ,dcd4 le #bd ,fvrier #ahaf4 99 99 99 99 99 ,on the other3 ,f4 ,,augustinus4 ,,novitius die #bf mensis novembris ,,anno4 #ahaf ,,decessit4 ,,requiescat ,,in ,,pace ,,amen4 99 99 99 99 99 ,in the centre of the cemetery is the grave of ,m4 ,de ,ranc4 ,his monument1 with his figure carved at full length in a recumbent posture1 was removed when the destruction of the old church took place2 it is now a complete ruin1 and a few stones alone mark the spot of its ancient founder's grave1 which is kept free from weeds with pious reverence and care4 ,the revolution1 which like a torrent swept all before it1 did not even spare the dead4 ,illustration3 ,,ruins of the ,,ancient ,,church of ,,la ,,trappe4 ,while ,i was contemplating the ruins around me1 and watching the motions of a venerable figure in silent prayer at one of the angles1 the bell tolled1 when both ,frre ,charle and the ,monk dropped instantly on their knees4 ,how forcibly were the following lines of ,pope recalled to my mind6 ,lo1 the struck deer1 in some sequester'd part1 ,lies down to die1 7the arrow in his heart27 ,there1 hid in shades1 and wasting day by day1 ,inly he bleeds1 and pants his soul away4 ,the number of ,monks who have taken the vow are not in proportion to the others1 who are lay brothers1 and ,frres ,donns2 in all there are about one hundred1 besides novices1 who are principally composed of boys1 and who do not wear the same habit4 ,the ,trappistes1 who compose the first order1 are clothed in dark brown1 with brown mantle and hood2 the others are in white1 with brown mantle and hood4 ,i occasionally caught a glimpse of their faces1 but it was only momentarily2 and ,i can easily believe1 with their perpetual silence1 that two people well known to each other1 might inhabit the same spot1 without ever being aware of it1 so completely are their faces hidden by their large cowl4 ,the ,trappistes1 or first order1 are distinguished by the appellation of ,frres ,convers1 the others by that of ,religieux de ,coeur4 ,the hardships undergone by these monks appear almost insupportable to human nature1 and notwithstanding the immense number of deaths occasioned by their rigorous austerities1 the ,cnobites of ,la ,trappe1 at the suppression of their order1 amounted to one hundred monks1 sixty-nine lay brothers1 and fifty-six ,frres ,donns4 ,the inmates are classed under these three heads2 but the lay brothers1 who take the same vows1 and follow the same rules1 are principally employed as servants1 and in transacting the temporal concerns of the abbey4 ,the ,frres ,donns are brothers given for a time2 these last are not properly belonging to the order1 they are rather1 religious persons1 whose business or connexions prevent their joining the order absolutely1 but1 who wishing to renew serious impressions1 or to retire from the world for a given period1 come here and conform strictly to the regulations while they remain1 without wishing to join the order for life4 ,many persons on their first conversion1 or after some peculiar dispensations of ,providence1 retire here for a season4 ,in the refectory ,i observed a board hung up1 with ,table pour l',office ,divin1 written over it1 and under it the regulations or order of service to be performed for that week1 which are occasionally varied1 but never diminished in their rigour4 ,frre ,charle said1 that the whole were strictly observed1 and were frequently much more severe2 for the ,pre ,abb had instituted more austere regulations than formerly1 with the only one exception1 of the sick being allowed medicines2 and1 in cases of great debility1 a small quantity of meat4 ,the ,table pour l',office ,divin1 was as follows4 ,dimanche4444#ab ,leons et ,communion4 ,lundi4444444 #c ,leons4 ,mardi4444444#ab ,leons-- jeun--,travail4 ,mercredi4444#ab ,leons4 ,jeudi4444444 #c ,leons4 ,vendredi4444#ab ,leons-- jeun--,travail4 ,samedi444444#ab ,leons-- jeun--,travail4 ,their mode of life and regulations exist nearly in the same state as established by the founder2 in reciting them1 such horrible perversions of human nature and reason make it almost difficult to believe the existence of so severe an order1 and lead us to wonder at the artificial miseries1 which the ingenuity of pious but morbid enthusiasm can inflict upon itself4 ,the abstinence practised at ,la ,trappe allows not the use of meat1 fish1 eggs1 or butter2 and a very limited quantity of bread and vegetables4 ,they only eat twice a day2 which meals consist of a slender repast at about eleven in the morning1 and two ounces of bread and two raw carrots in the evening3 both together do not at any time exceed twelve ounces4 ,the same spirit of mortification is observable in their cells1 which are very small1 and have no other furniture than a bed of boards1 a human skull1 and a few religious books4 ,silence is at all times rigidly maintained2 conversation is never permitted3 should two of them even be seen standing near each other1 though pursuing their daily labour1 and preserving the strictest silence1 it is considered as a violation of their vow1 and highly criminal2 each member is therefore as completely insulated as if he alone existed in the ,monastery4 ,none but the ,pre ,abb knows the name1 age1 rank1 or even the native country of any member of the community3 every one1 at his first entrance1 assumes another name1 as ,i before observed1 and with his former appellation1 each is supposed to abjure1 not only the world1 but every recollection and memorial of himself and connexions3 no word ever escapes from his lips by which the others can possibly guess who he is1 or where he comes from2 and persons of the same name1 family1 and neighbourhood1 have often lived together in the ,convent for years1 unknown to each other1 without having suspected their proximity4 ,the abstraction of mind practised at ,la ,trappe1 and the prevention of all external communication with the world is such1 that few but the superior know any thing of what is passing in it4 ,it has been related1 that so little information of the affairs of mankind did these people receive1 that the death of ,louis ,,xiv4 was not known there for years1 except by the ,father ,abb2 and such was their state of seclusion1 that a ,nobleman having taken a journey of five hundred miles1 purposely to see the ,monastery1 could scarcely find in the neighbouring villages one person who knew where it was situated4 ,indeed1 at the present day1 it is quite astonishing how little is known of this place1 and how very few1 even among those in its immediate vicinity1 have ever visited it4#a ,on the great festivals they rise at midnight2 otherwise they are not called until three quarters past one3 at two they assemble in the ,chapel1 where they perform different services1 public and private1 until seven in the morning1 according to the regulations of the week1 as exemplified in the ,table pour l',office ,divin4 ,at this hour they go out to labour in the open air4 ,their work is of the most fatiguing kind1 is never intermitted1 winter or summer1 and admits of no relaxation from the state of the weather4 ,footnote #a3 ,among the most frequent visitors of ,la ,trappe1 was the unfortunate ,james the ,second4 ,his first visit was on the #bjth ,november1 #afij1 where he was received by ,m4 de ,ranc1 whose account of it is very interesting4 ,when their labour is over1 they go into ,chapel for a short time1 until eleven o'clock1 the hour of repast2 at a quarter after eleven they read till noon2 and afterwards lie down to rest for an hour3 they are then summoned into the garden1 where they again work until three2 then read again for three quarters of an hour1 and retire for another quarter to their private meditations1 by way of preparation for vespers1 which begin at four1 and end at six2 at seven they again enter the ,chapel1 and at eight they leave it1 and retire to rest4 ,at the hour of their first repast1 ,i again attended ,frre ,charle to the eating-room1 where nearly the same forms were observed as at their evening-meal2 a small basin of boiled cabbage1 two raw carrots1 and a small piece of black bread1 with a jug of water1 constituted their solitary meal4 ,a ,monk1 during the whole time1 read sentences from ,scripture2 and a small hand-bell filled up the intervals of his silence1 and proclaimed a cessation from eating1 or movement of any sort4 ,over the door of the ,refectory ,i observed the following inscription in ,latin3--,better is a dinner of herbs1 where love is1 than a stalled ox1 and hatred therewith4 ,frre ,charle invited me to partake of the frugal fare of his order4 ,he said1 ,you will forgive my laying before you a vegetable repast2 it is all that ,i have in my power to offer you1 but you will confer a pleasure by accepting it4 ,it was impossible to refuse1 for ,i felt ,i should appear ungrateful after the attentions that had been shown me1 if ,i had4 ,frre ,charle conducted me into an apartment1 in which ,i was gratified to observe a well executed portrait of the ,abb de ,ranc1 which1 at the destruction of the ,monastery1 had been preserved by the surgeon of the ancient fraternity1 who continued to reside there until the period of his death1 four or five years since4 ,this person was greatly respected by all the people round the country1 and resorted to by all who sought relief either from sickness or misery6--,had the other brothers followed his example of remaining1 in all probability their ,convent might have been spared1 for the accumulation of wealth could not be laid to their charge2 and as their monastic vows obliged them to remain within the ,monastery1 they were most unlikely to incur the suspicion of any political intrigues4--,how indeed could men1 whose whole existence was passed in solitude and penance1 and who never conversed even among themselves1 have been dangerous to those turbulent spirits who had overturned the government and all the religious institutions of their country6 ,in the portrait1 the ,abb is dressed in the habit of the order1 a white gown and hood1 and sitting with a book before him1 in which he appears to be writing2 on the same table1 before him1 are a crucifix and a skull4 ,the following inscription is painted in one corner by the artist3 ,,arm',d4 ,,le ,,boutthillier ,,de ,,rance4 ,s',r ,,scauant4 et clbre ,abb ,rformateur ,de ,la ,trappe4 ,mort en #agjj4 prs de #gg ans1 et de #dj ans de la plus austre pnitence4 ,the ,monastery of ,la ,trappe is one of the most ancient ,abbeys of the order of ,benedictins3 it was established under the pontificate of ,innocent the ,second1 during the reign of ,louis ,,vii4 in the year #aadj1 by ,rotrou1 the second ,count of ,perche1 and is said to have been built to accomplish a vow1 made in the peril of shipwreck4 ,in commemoration of this circumstance1 the roof was made in the shape of the bottom of a ship inverted4 ,it was founded under the auspices of ,saint ,bernard1 the first ,abbot of ,clairvaux1 the celebrated preacher in favour of the ,crusades4 ,many ages1 however1 had elapsed1 since its first institution1 when the ,father ,abbot de ,ranc1 the celebrated reformer of his time1 determined to become a member1 whose singular history and conversion was the subject of a poem by ,monsieur ,barthe4 ,the ,abb de ,ranc became a ,monk of the ,benedictin order of ,la ,trappe1 in #affj1 and his conversion was attributed to a lady whom he tenderly loved4 ,they had been separated for some time by her parents2 she having written to him to remove her for the purpose of becoming united in marriage1 he set off1 but1 during his journey1 she was seized with a fever and died4 ,totally ignorant of the circumstance1 he approached the house under cover of the night1 and got into her apartment through the window4 ,the first object he beheld was the coffin which contained the body of his beloved mistress6 ,it had been made of lead1 but being found to be too short1 they had1 with unheard of brutality2 severed her head from her body6 ,horror-struck with the shocking spectacle1 he1 from that hour1 renounced all connexion with the world1 and imposed upon himself the most rigid austerities1 which he continued until his death1 forty years after4 ,when ,m4 de ,ranc undertook the superintendance of the ,monastery1 it exhibited a melancholy picture1 of the greatest declension1 and it is curious to peruse the steps by which he effected so wonderful a change2#b and how men could ever feel it either an inclination or a duty to enter upon a mode of life so different from the common ways of thinking or feeling4 ,footnote #b3 ,rglements de ,l',abbaye1 ,la ,maison-,dieu ,notre ,dame de ,la ,trappe1 par ,dom4 ,armand de ,ranc4 ,the ,monks of ,la ,trappe were not only immersed in luxury and sloth1 but were abandoned to the most scandalous excesses2 most of them lived by robbery1 and several had committed assassinations on the travellers who had occasion to traverse the woods4 ,the neighbourhood shrunk with terror from the approach of men who never went abroad unarmed1 and whose excursions were marked with bloodshed and violence4 ,the ,banditti of ,la ,trappe was the appellation by which they were most generally distinguished4 ,such were the men amongst whom ,m4 de ,ranc resolved to fix his abode2 all his friends endeavouring to dissuade him from an undertaking1 they deemed alike hopeless and dangerous4 ,unarmed1 and unassisted1 #c says his historian1 but in the panoply of ,god1 and by his ,spirit1 he went alone amidst this company of ruffians1 every one of whom was bent on his destruction4 ,with undaunted boldness1 he began by proposing the strictest reform1 and not counting his life dear to him1 he described the full intent of his purpose1 and left them no choice but obedience or ,expulsion4 ,footnote #c3 ,the work from which ,i have taken this1 is a translation by ,mrs4 ,schimmelpenninck of ,dom4 ,claude ,lancelot's ,narrative1 published in #affg4 ,the present regulations not differing from the former1 ,i have extracted some of the most important4 ,many were the dangers ,m4 de ,ranc underwent2 plans were laid1 at various times1 to poison him1 to waylay and assassinate him1 and even once one of his monks shot at him2 but the pistol1 which was applied close to his head1 flashed in the pan1 and missed fire4 ,by the good providence of ,god all these plans were frustrated1 and ,m4 de ,ranc not only brought his reform to bear1 but several of his most violent persecutors became his most stedfast adherents2 many were1 after a short time1 won over by his piety--the rest left the ,monastery4 ,he especially1 who had shot at ,m4 de ,ranc1 became eminently distinguished for his piety and learning1 and was afterwards ,sub-,prior of ,la ,trappe4 ,m4 de ,ranc lived forty years at the head of this singular society1 and the same ardor and piety continued to distinguish him to the last4 ,the excess of self-denial and discipline1 exercised by this order1 which might readily be doubted1 became more known1 especially to this country1 at the time of the ,french ,revolution1 when they shared the fate of dissolution with the various religious orders in ,france4 ,on that occasion many of them sought an asylum in ,england1 and were settled in ,dorsetshire1 where they received the kind protection and benevolent assistance of ,mr4 ,weld1 until the restoration enabled most of them to return2 and1 surprising as it may appear in the present age1 notwithstanding the perpetual violence imposed by their regulations on every human feeling1 many are found anxious to enter the establishment4 ,when ,i was about to take my leave of ,frre ,charle1 he said1 he hoped ,i was pleased with my humble fare3 to such as it was ,i had been truly welcome4 ,indeed he had treated me with the kindest1 most unaffected hospitality2 he had laid the table1 spread the dishes before me1 stood the whole time by the side of my chair1 and pressed me to eat3 ,how could ,i not be thankful8 ,i requested he would be seated1 but he observed that it was not proper for him to be so4 ,his manners and general deportment bespoke him a well-bred gentleman2 and when ,i ventured to ask if ,i might make a memorandum of his name1 he bowed his head with meekness and resignation1 and said1 ,i have now no other but that which was bestowed on me when ,i took the vow1 which severs me from the world for ever6 ,it was impossible not to be affected at the manner and tone of voice in which he uttered this4 ,when ,i said that perhaps he would like that ,i should leave an acknowledgment in writing1 expressive of the gratitude ,i felt at my kind and hospitable reception1 he appeared much pleased1 and instantly procured me paper4 ,i left with him the following lines3 ,convent of ,la ,trappe1 ,july #bj1 #ahag4 ,i have this day visited the ,convent of ,la ,trappe1 and in the absence of the ,grand ,prior1 to whom ,i brought a letter of introduction from ,monsieur ,lamorelie1 ,sub-,prefect of ,mortagne1 ,i was received and have been entertained by ,frre ,charle ,marie1 his ,secretary4 ,it is quite impossible that ,i can do justice to the kind1 polite1 and hospitable reception ,i have met with from him1 by any expressions in writing4 ,i can only observe1 that it has made an impression on my mind never to be effaced6 ,if these worthy and pious people have abandoned the world for the solitude and austerities of ,la ,trappe1 they have not forgotten1 in their own self-denial1 the benevolence and benignity due to strangers4 ,may their self-devotion meet with its reward6 ,i now took my leave of the ,convent with feelings which ,i will not pretend to describe1 but which1 together with the impressions ,i received when ,i first entered it1 and the whole circumstances of my visit1 ,i am conscious of retaining while ,memory holds her seat4 ,the following lines1 by ,p4 ,mandard1 on quitting ,la ,trappe1 convey a very faithful and poetical picture of this extraordinary solitude3 --,saint dsert1 sjour pur et paisible1 ,solitude profonde1 au vice inaccessible2 ,imptueux torrens1 et vous sombres forts1 ,recevez mes adieux1 comme aussi mes regrets6 ,toujours pris de vous1 respectable retraite1 ,puiss-je1 dans le cours d'une vie inquite1 ,dans ce flux ternel de folie et d'erreur1 ,o flotte tristement notre malheureux coeur2 ,puiss-je1 pour charmer mes ennuis et mes peines1 ,souvent fuir en esprit au bord de vos fontaines1 ,egarer ma pense au milieu de vos bois1 ,par un doux souvenir rappeler mille fois ,de vos ,saints habitans les touchantes images1 ,pntrer1 sur leurs pas1 dans vos grottes sauvages1 ,me placer sur vos monts1 et l1 prennant l'essort1 ,aller chercher en ,dieu ma joie1 et mon trsor6 ,,chap4 ,,ii4 ,,val-,,dieu4--,,ruins ,,of ,,the ,,convent ,,of ,,the ,,chartreuse4--,,forests ,,of ,,le ,,perche1 ,,mortagne4 ,i quitted ,la ,trappe in the afternoon of the third day after my arrival there1 for the ,val-,dieu1 which lies three leagues to the east of ,mortagne1 taking the villages of ,rinrolles and ,prepotin in my way2 the latter stands in the midst of a forest4 ,by this road1 so bad that it scarcely deserves the name1 a great distance is saved1 but the romantic scenery of the approach to ,la ,trappe is lost4 ,the one we took through the forest of ,bellegarde more than doubles the distance2 but the ,abbey is seen as in the centre of a lake beneath1 and the continual beauty and wildness of the landscape render it far preferable4 ,until the ,revolution this was the only road1 the other having been made when the lands became national property1 and were sold to the peasantry4 ,after passing through the above villages1 we came round by ,tourouvre1 a village on a height1 which has a manufactory for glass4 ,i did not stop to view it1 having several leagues to go through a wooded country4 ,soon after crossing the main road leading into ,bretagne1 we rode by the side of cultivated lands and orchards resembling the western parts of ,devonshire1 of which the narrow lanes and high hedges reminded me very much1 until we entered the forest leading to the ,val-,dieu4 ,between eight and nine in the evening we came to the edge bounding that part of the ,vale by which it is approached1 in the direction we had taken4 ,it was very considerably out of our way1 owing to the guide having mistaken his road and turned to the left instead of the right4 ,after resting a few minutes on the brow of the hill1 we began our descent by a steep and narrow pathway4 ,when we were midway down the glen1 the ruins of the ancient ,chartreuse suddenly burst upon the view6 ,at this moment all the terrors of the declivity1 and the momentary expectation of meeting some of the wolves with which the forest abounds1 vanished from my mind before the feelings of delight which the enchanting scene called forth4 ,the almost perpendicular view of the ,vale beneath1 had an effect tremendous yet pleasing3 on the left was a lake1 seeming to encircle an ancient convent embosomed in a wood2 a thick forest covered the surrounding heights1 and before me stood the remains of the ancient ,priory1 with its gateway and lodge so perfect as to create no suspicion of the destruction within4 ,illustration3 ,,ruins of the ,,gateway of the ,,ancient ,,chartreuse4 ,this had been the hottest day and finest weather ,i had experienced during my journey4 ,it was a sweet evening1 and the rich tints of the departing sun-beams among the woods1 with the solitary calmness of the scenery around1 were circumstances that made a strong impression on my feelings4 ,those who have never traversed the forests of this country can form but a very imperfect idea of what they are1 or of the death-like awful stillness that reigns within them2 for many miles together they form a dense shade1 which1 like a dark awning1 completely conceals the sun from the view3 even on the brightest day the sun's rays are only visible as from the bottom of a deep well6 ,the forests in ,le ,perche are reckoned the most extensive in ,france1 and every where abound with vast quantities of game4 ,i was received on alighting from my horse by a ,m4 ,boderie1 a good humoured hospitable man1 who1 with his family1 are the only inhabitants of this lonesome spot4 ,i found afterwards that he had seen better days3 he informed me the ,val-,dieu property was purchased at the dissolution of the ,monastery by the present proprietor1 who resided at ,paris1 and allowed him1 being his friend1 to occupy that part of the building which had not been destroyed4 ,he made many apologies for the badness of the accommodations and the homeliness of the fare he had to offer me1 which ,i considered as unnecessary1 as what he possessed was tendered with unaffected cheerfulness4 ,the ,prussians in #ahae occupied this country1 and notwithstanding ,m4 ,boderie was absent at that time serving in the body guard of ,louis ,,xviii1 whom he had accompanied in his retreat to ,ghent1 they plundered him of every article1 not even leaving his wife a change of linen4 ,the numerous accounts ,i have heard from people of respectability and loyalty1 of the treatment experienced from the ,prussians1 excites the greatest regret that they were not able to distinguish the innocent from the guilty4 ,many families have been ruined1 or greatly distressed in their circumstances who were devoted to the cause of their ,sovereign4 ,such are the inevitable consequences of war6 ,the ,val-,dieu extends upwards of three miles in length1 surrounded by almost impenetrable woods1 except where paths have been cut4 ,it has three lakes1 one communicating with the other1 containing great quantities of fish4 ,the ,monastery1 it is evident from the remains of its ruins1 and from the boundary wall1 still entire1 must have been of prodigious extent4 ,m4 ,boderie informed me1 that the plan1 of which he had seen an engraving1 showed it to have been one of the most considerable in the kingdom3 some idea may be formed of its former celebrity and extent by the remains of six hundred fire-places being still traceable4 ,a colonnade surrounded the whole1 forming an oblong square1 in the centre of which was a jet d'eau1 with several smaller ones1 the basins of which are still to be seen2 the space within formed a garden1 with delicious walks1 resembling those in the ,palais ,royal4 ,the gate-way remains perfect1 excepting only that the images over the side doors have been mutilated4 ,the one in the centre 7over the great entrance7 is still in excellent preservation1 and appears to be finely executed3 it is the figure of the ,virgin ,mary in gray marble1 the size of life1 seated1 with the infant ,jesus in her arms4 ,on a scroll beneath are these letters3-- ,,ecce ,,mater ,,tva4 #agfj4 ,several old chesnut trees and elms still remain1 which once formed a fine avenue in front of the building1 from whence the prospect is strikingly beautiful4 ,the eye passes over rocks1 rugged1 broken1 and abrupt towards their summits1 crowned and darkened with wood2 and the narrow road winding between the trees1 until it loses itself in the forest1 forms a feature very gratifying to the traveller4 ,the solitude of the place1 as ,i viewed it at the close of day1 occasioned mingled sensations of pleasure and pain4 ,it was impossible to resist the imposing power of a situation1 where every natural object was deeply tinged with the poetical character1 and every remnant of architecture associated with the romance of religious feeling4 ,i recalled and dwelt upon various passages of the poets inspired by similar scenes1 and thought of the holy and enthusiastic minds which had here devoted themselves to the sublimest duties and severest sacrifices of the altar2 and felt1 that had ,i lived in those days1 ,i1 perhaps1 could have become an inmate of walls which seem to have been erected to exclude the evils of life1 and to nurture only the enchanting abstractions of unpolluted virtue and happiness3 but the present day has brought with it a general philosophy and knowledge of human nature1 which lessen the delight of contemplating the calm repose of such a seclusion1 and have taught that these retreats from the world were not always retreats from vice2 that the sacrifices of monkish privacy were not always those of selfish feelings2 and that the austerities once practised here1 as now at ,la ,trappe1 might perhaps arise more frequently from disappointed pride and ambition1 than from the pure feelings of pious resignation4 ,in the overthrow of the monarchy and that of the priesthood1 this venerable pile became the object of popular vengeance2 and had the ,revolution done no more than effected the dissolution of the different orders of monks and nuns1 every reflecting mind must have been pleased3 the removal of those abuses1 like the division of landed property into smaller portions1 7whereby the country in general became more cultivated and productive17 was serviceable to ,france2 and1 if any circumstance can restore permanent tranquillity1 it will be the interest which the different landholders have in the soil and the representative system1 which will serve to check the ambition of its future governors4 ,already the good effects of these are to be perceived2 and the excessive abuses1 insolence1 and profligacy1 of ancient ministerial oppression1 which paved the way for the downfall of the monarchy1 and1 like a pestilence1 destroyed that which was good with that which was evil1 will be prevented in future4 ,it is1 nevertheless1 melancholy to observe the traces of devastation visible in all directions3 the people themselves appear not to regard it1 but this may arise partly from the long and habitual feelings generated by the scenes to which the ,revolution daily gave rise1 and partly from the constitutional cheerfulness of the natives1 who seldom view objects through the same dark medium that ours are supposed to do1 and who1 though they are not celebrated for patience1 are of all mankind the least liable to despondency4 ,when ,i spoke to ,m4 ,boderie of my regret at the destruction of an ancient structure like the one in question1 his answer was1 immediately1 oui c'est bien malheureux2 mais enfin que voulez-vous8 ,he was desol or had le coeur trs sensible tout cela2 but finished by il faut se consoler4 ,with this sort of philosophy they are always ready to view the past1 and accept of consolation1 and in amusement1 seek to bear or dissipate the calamities inseparable from such a state of events1 without even appearing to repine4 ,none of them will ever enter into conversation on the subject if it can be avoided4 ,the following day1 having taken leave of my hospitable host1 who refused any compensation1 ,i returned to ,mortagne by another route1 through the ,forest of ,val-,dieu1 more dark and difficult to penetrate than the other2 but the guide was better acquainted with it1 and took the road by ,saint ,maure and ,saint ,eloi1 through a fine country1 highly cultivated1 and abounding in beautiful scenery and distant landscapes4 ,it was late at night before ,i reached ,mortagne1 greatly fatigued from the excessive heat of the weather4 ,i dined the following day with ,madame de ,bellou1 whose kind attention and elegant hospitality1 during the time ,i remained at ,mortagne1 ,i must ever remember with sentiments of sincere gratitude4 ,this lady had invited ,monsieur ,lamorelie1 the ,sub-,prefect1 one of the most elegant men ,i had met with in ,france1 with several other gentlemen and ladies1 to meet me4 ,among the party were ,madame de ,fontenay1 ,monsieur and ,mademoiselle ,claire de ,vanssay--very agreeable people3 the latter possessed1 without great beauty1 all the charms and vivacity of her countrywomen4 ,in the evening we went to an assembly1 where ,i had an opportunity of seeing1 and being presented to1 all the respectable families that yet remained in town2 for at this season many were at their country-seats4 ,the ease1 elegance1 and good manners of the company composing this society1 ,i never saw excelled in any country4 ,it is but common justice to observe1 that in ,mortagne1 which is the residence of all the best families in the province1 there is to be found all the characteristic good breeding for which the ,french were so long1 and so deservedly celebrated4 ,the town of ,mortagne stands on the declivity of a hill1 in the province of ,le ,perche1 bordering on ,normandy4 ,the high road to ,bretagne passes through it4 ,it has only one church remaining out of seven1 six having been destroyed at the ,revolution4 ,it has some manufactories for serges and coarse cloths1 and contains between five and six thousand inhabitants1 in the department of ,l',orne4 ,from its elevated position and chalky soil1 the air is pure and the situation healthy4 ,the inhabitants are under the necessity of supplying themselves with water from the valley1 as there are no wells on account of the rocky height it stands on1 which is attended with inconvenience and expense2 otherwise it would be a desirable residence for those who wish to unite economy with a change of climate4 ,during the ,vendean war1 this town became1 at different periods1 the victim of either party as they were successful2 and it suffered severely4 ,the hotel kept by ,gautier 7,les trois ,lions71 which is likewise la ,poste1 and le ,bureau des ,diligences1 is the best1 and the people are very obliging2 but it partakes of the same want of cleanliness1 that so invariably distinguishes all similar establishments in this country4 ,,chap4 ,,iii4 ,,from ,,mortagne ,,to ,,rennes1 ,,soeurs ,,de ,,la ,,charit4 ,,alen,,on1 ,,laval1 ,,vitr1 ,,the ,,residence ,,of ,,the ,,celebrated ,,madame ,,de ,s,,vign4 ,,rennes4 ,i travelled by the diligence from ,mortagne to ,alenon and ,laval3 we arrived at the former place to dinner1 and at the latter to remain all night4 ,the carriage was filled with ,soeurs de la ,charit1 ,qui1 pour le malheur seul connoissant la tendresse1 ,aux besoins du vieil-age immollent leur jeunesse1 on their way to different places in ,bretagne1 on charitable missions1 by the order of the ,superior at ,paris4 ,four of these were young and beautiful women1 none of whom could have attained the age of twenty2 yet these females had already devoted themselves to attend on the sick and poor wherever their services might be required1 for which purpose they receive a suitable education1 in an ,hospital at ,paris1 in such branches of medicine and surgery as may render them useful4 ,they are distributed throughout the kingdom to attend the hospitals and prisons1 which they do with the delicacy and attention peculiar to their sex4 ,of all the classes of females who thus devote themselves to a religious life1 and to acts of charity1 none are more respected1 or more truly serviceable to their fellow-creatures4 ,their dress consists of a coarse brown jacket and gown1 with a high linen cap1 sloping down over the shoulders1 and a rosary hanging round their waist4 ,quitting ,beauregard we crossed the river ,sart3 here the ,province of ,le ,perche terminates1 and we enter that of ,normandy4 ,for many miles1 travelling close to the ,forest of ,bourse1 the roads are excellent1 though hilly1 and the country highly cultivated in all directions4 ,the peasantry were getting in the hay and rye harvest1 and large tracts of wheat and barley were nearly ready for cutting4 ,the town of ,alenon is the capital of ,l',orne-sur-,sart4 ,it stands in the middle of a fertile plain4 ,the lace made here is the most valuable of any manufactured in ,france4 ,the ,hotel of the ,prefecture is a fine building4 ,after dinner ,i went to the theatre1 7formerly an old manufactory71 to see the ,hotel ,garni and ,les deux ,suisses3 both performances were of a very moderate cast4 ,the audience consisted principally of the military in garrison4 ,on the road from ,alenon to ,laval1 we were guarded the whole day by two troopers of the ,gendarmerie1 who are quartered along the whole line of road from the capital2 they are well armed and mounted1 and keep a very vigilant guard4 ,at every place we stopped our passports were examined4 ,the police of this country is observed with greater rigor than at any former period of its history1 with regard to passports4 ,the circumstances under which the restoration took place1 the political state of ,france1 in regard to other powers1 the conflicting interests and opinions of various parties1 probably render it highly expedient4 ,on the arrival of a stranger at ,paris1 his passport must be presented1 and inscribed in the police book4 ,the revision of the one under which the person has travelled is indispensably necessary4 ,it is then carried to the ,british ,ambassador1 7if the stranger be of that nation71 or to the minister of that country to which he belongs1 where it must obtain the ,ambassador's signature4 ,it is next taken to the office of the ,minister of ,foreign ,affairs1 where it is deposited until the following day1 for which ten livres are charged1 and afterwards to the ,prfecture of the ,police1 to be signed there in its turn3 and when all this is done no one can quit the capital for the interior without its being again signed at the ,prfecture of the police4 ,from ,alenon1 we passed the ,briante1 a small river1 at ,ville ,neuve1 where the road begins to skirt the ,forest of ,moultonue4 ,at ,mayenne1 the river of that name divides the provinces4 ,the whole of this country is singularly beautiful4 ,i observed vast quantities of buck wheat1 which the ,french call bled noir or sarazin4 ,the country was very much enclosed1 producing a great contrast to the vast tracts of land through which ,i had passed without a single division4 ,at two leagues from ,mayenne we crossed the river ,aisne1 winding through a beautiful valley1 between ,martign and ,louvern4 ,on the left the river forms a small lake1 surrounded by a wood at the foot of a very long and steep hill4 ,the town of ,mayenne is ancient and irregularly built1 the river ,mayenne running through it4 ,the ruins of an old wall and some decayed towers remain of the fortifications which were taken by assault1 after several bloody attempts1 during the siege by the ,english1 in #adbd4 ,at ,laval1 where ,i stopped1 after again crossing the ,mayenne1 ,i entered the province of ,bretagne3 it is an old dirty town1 completely intersected by the river1 and has a manufactory for coarse cloths and cottons4 ,the ,tte ,noire is one of the worst inns ,i have met with in the country4 ,the department of the ,isle-et-,vilaine commences here4 ,this place is celebrated in the history of the ,vendean war by the refuge ,madame de ,laroche-,jaquelin sought there1 after the deplorable defeat of the royalist army at the battle of ,mans1 where it received its death-blow4 ,the wreck of that army1 under ,m4 de ,laroche-,jaquelin1 were driven from it again on the following day1 and from that hour never rallied so as to make any stand against the victorious republicans4 ,quitting ,laval the day after my arrival1 ,i ascended a long and steep hill1 travelled by the side of the forest of ,petre1 and came to ,vitr1 where ,i remained all night for the purpose of visiting the chteau of the celebrated ,madame de ,svign1#d whose estate has descended to a distant branch of her family1 who had the good fortune to save it from destruction during the revolution4 ,the grounds are kept in excellent order4 ,her picture hangs in the apartment in which she composed her interesting and elegant letters1 and every article of furniture carefully preserved is shown to strangers4 ,the distance from ,vitr to ,rennes is seven leagues1 over a road which becomes gradually less and less ,interesting4 ,footnote #d3 ,marie de ,rabutin1 ,marchioness de ,sevign1 was the daughter of the ,baron de ,chantal1 and born in #afbf3 she espoused at the age of eighteen the ,marquis de ,svign1 who fell in a duel in #afea1 leaving her with one son and a daughter1 to whose education she paid strict attention3 the daughter married in #affi the ,count de ,grignan1 ,commandant in ,provence1 and it was on a visit to her that the ,marchioness caught a fever and died in #afif4 ,her son ,charles1 ,marquis de ,sevign1 was one of the admirers of ,ninon de ,l',enclos1 and had a dispute with ,madame ,dacier respecting the sense of a passage in ,horace4 ,he died in #agac4 7,moreri47 ,rennes is the chief city of the ,isle-et-,vilaine1 and in former times was the capital of ,bretagne4 ,it is a large ancient built town1 standing on a vast plain1 between the rivers ,isle and ,vilaine4 ,it has a hall of justice1 7,cour ,royale17 an episcopal palace1 and a foundry for cannon4 ,a more dismal dirty looking city1 or a more uninteresting one to a stranger1 is seldom to be seen4 ,few traces remain of its ancient splendor2 the old rampart1 which once encompassed it1 now forms a promenade4 ,its commerce is considerable1 being the entrept for grain and cattle1 with which it supplies ,paris and the ,southern ,provinces1 not so abundant in their produce4 ,jane of ,flanders1 ,countess of ,montfort1 the most extraordinary woman of her time1 resided here1 during the imprisonment of her husband in the palace of the ,louvre1 by ,philippe de ,valois1#e when ,edward the ,third of ,england invaded ,france4 ,hennebon1 when attacked by ,charles of ,blois1 was defended by the ,countess1 and relieved by ,sir ,walter ,manny1 whom ,edward had sent with a body of #f1jjj archers to her succour4 ,the garrison1 encouraged by so rare an example of female valour1 defended themselves against an immense army1 composed of ,french1 ,spaniards1 ,genoese1 and ,bretons1 who frequently assaulted it1 and were as vigorously repulsed4 ,on one occasion1 ,froissart mentions her sallying out at the head of a body of two hundred cavalry1 throwing the enemy into great confusion1 doing great execution among them1 and setting fire to the tents and magazines1 which were entirely destroyed4 ,footnote #e3 ,among the brave knights who engaged in so many battles and perilous adventures1 and other feats of arms1 ,froissart mentions ,philip1 as opposed to those heroes of high renown1 ,edward of ,england1 the ,prince of ,wales his son1 the ,duke of ,lancaster1 ,sir ,reginald ,lord ,cobham1 ,sir ,walter ,manny of ,hainault1 ,sir ,john ,chandos1 ,sir ,fulk ,harley1 and many others recorded in his book for worth and prowess4 ,in ,france also was found good chivalry1 strong of limb and stout of heart1 and in great abundance1 for the kingdom of ,france was never brought so low as to want men ever ready for combat4 ,such was ,king ,philipe de ,valois1 a bold and hardy knight1 and his son ,king ,john1 also ,john king of ,bohemia1 and ,charles ,count of ,alenon his son4 ,the population of ,rennes is #bg1jjj4 ,it is at present garrisoned by one thousand troops1 and people are of opinion that government finds it no easy task to keep down the spirit of the ,vendeans1 who are said to be1 plus ,royalistes que le ,roi4 ,there appears every where a strong spirit of dissatisfaction on the part of the ,royalists1 at the general preference given to those who were employed under the late ruler in places of public trust1 and who were avowed enemies to the restoration of ,louis ,,xviii4 ,,chap4 ,,iv4 ,,route ,,from ,,rennes ,,to ,,nantes4 ,,city ,,of ,,nantes4 ,,historical ,,anecdotes4 ,arriving at the first post1 we crossed the river ,vilaine1 and between this and ,rondun passed the river ,bruck1 and ascended a high mountain between ,rondun and ,la ,brharaye4 ,at this place we quitted the department of the ,isle-et-,vilaine4 ,crossing the ,cher1 we arrived at ,derval1 and from thence at ,nozai1 passing several large lakes1 and then over the river ,don4 ,the whole of this distance1 with the exception of the hill already mentioned1 is composed of flat sandy plains1 mostly uncultivated1 and the road is very rough4 ,from ,nozai to ,ancenis we crossed the river ,isac2 from thence to ,redon1 ,heri1 to ,la ,croix ,blanche1 along the bank of the river2 and after mounting another steep hill1 we descended into an extensive plain1 leading to ,gesvres and ,nantes4 ,the whole of this country north of the ,loire1 from ,rennes to ,nantes1 the triangular point resting upon ,angers1 is the country of the ,chouans1 which it is necessary1 in reference to the ,vendean war1 to distinguish from the country south of the ,loire1 in the department of the ,loire ,infrieure1 called le ,bocage1 or la ,vende4 ,although the latter was the scene of the more desperate warfare between the republicans and the royalists1 yet the former had its share of bloodshed and misery4 ,the whole country on both banks of the ,loire1 as far as ,angers1 is classic ground to those who revere the efforts by which the ,vendeans so long resisted the republicans4 ,the city of ,nantes is the chief seat of the ,prfecture of the department of the ,loire ,infrieure1 standing on the right bank of the river1 surrounded by its ancient rampart1 of a circular form1 and in good preservation3 on the opposite bank stand the ruined tower and mouldering bastions of ,permil4 ,this spot is interesting to an ,englishman1 from the memorable events to which the fatal pretensions of ,edward the ,third gave rise1 and which occupy the pages of ,french and ,english history1 during a period of more than a century#f4 ,footnote #f3 ,in #acdc1 ,edward the ,third laid siege to this place4 ,froissart mentions the ,english army being drawn out on a hill1 in battle array1 near the town4 ,the ground rises a little in this direction1 but1 ,i should suppose1 it must have been on the right bank1 as the country there is hilly1 and this ancient fortress must have defended the passage of the river4 ,the king himself1 says the ,chronicle1 with the rest of his army1 advanced towards ,rennes1 burning and ruining the country on all sides1 and was most joyfully received by the whole army who lay before it1 and had been there for a considerable time4 ,when he had tarried there five days1 he learned that the ,lord ,charles of ,blois was at ,nantes1 collecting a large force of men at arms4 ,he set out1 therefore1 leaving those whom he had found at ,rennes1 and came before ,nantes1 which he besieged as closely as he could1 but was unable to surround it1 such was its size and extent4 ,the marshals1 therefore1 and their people1 overran the country and destroyed it4 ,the king of ,england1 one day1 drew out his army in battle array on a hill near ,nantes1 in expectation that the ,lord ,charles would come forth and offer him an opportunity of fighting with him3 but1 having waited from morning until noon in vain1 they returned to their quarters3 the light horse1 however1 in their retreat1 galloped up to the barriers1 and set fire to the suburbs4 ,the king of ,england1 during the siege1 made frequent skirmishes1 but without success1 always losing some of his men2 when1 therefore1 he found he could gain nothing by his assaults1 and that the ,lord ,charles would not come out into the plains to fight him1 he established there the ,earl of ,oxford1 ,sir ,henry ,beaumont1 the ,lord ,percy1 the ,lord ,roos1 the ,lord ,mowbray1 the ,lord ,delawar1 ,sir ,reginald ,cobham1 ,sir ,john ,lisle1 with six hundred men armed1 and two hundred archers4 ,the king himself advanced into the country of ,bretagne1 wasting it wherever he went1 until he came to the town of ,dinant1 of which ,sir ,peter ,porteboeuf was governor4 ,he immediately laid siege to it all round1 and ordered it to be vigorously assaulted4 ,those within made a valiant resistance4 ,thus did the king of ,england in one season1 and in one day1 make an assault by himself1 or those ordered by him1 upon three cities in ,bretagne1 and a good town1 viz4 ,rennes1 ,vannes1 and ,nantes4 ,the brave ,sir ,walter ,manny was left before ,vannes1 with five hundred men at arms1 and six thousand archers1 while the king with the rest of his army advanced towards ,rennes and ,nantes4 ,this gallant soldier1 at the battle of ,calais1 had this singular honour conferred on him by his sovereign1 who1 with his valiant son the ,prince of ,wales1 both served under his banner4--,edward said to ,sir ,walter ,manny1 ,sir ,walter1 ,i will that you be the chief of this enterprise1 and ,i and my son will fight under your banner4 ,the lively and picturesque historian then gives a very interesting account of the above action1 which was fought the last day of ,december #acdh1 and of the gallantry of ,edward's conduct to his prisoner1 ,sir ,eustace de ,ribeaumont4 ,we will now speak of the ,king of ,england1 who was there incognito1 under ,sir ,walter ,manny's banner4 ,he advanced with his men on foot1 to meet the enemy1 who were formed in close order1 with their pikes shortened to five feet1 planted out before them4 ,the first attack was very sharp and severe4 ,the ,king singled out ,sir ,eustace de ,ribeaumont1 who was a strong and hardy knight3 he fought a long time marvellously well with the ,king1 so that it was a pleasure to see them2 but1 by the confusion of the engagement1 they were separated2 for two large bodies met where they were fighting1 and forced them to break off the combat4 ,on the side of the ,french there was excellent fighting1 by ,sir ,geoffrey de ,chargny1 ,sir ,john de ,landas1 ,sir ,hector1 and ,sir ,gavin de ,ballieul1 and others2 but they were all surpassed by ,sir ,eustace de ,ribeaumont1 who that day struck the ,king twice down on his knees3 at last1 however1 he was obliged to present his sword to the ,king1 saying1 ',sir ,knight1 ,i surrender myself your prisoner1 for the honour of the day must fall to the ,english4' ,all that belonged to ,sir ,geoffry de ,chargny were either slain or captured3 among the first was ,sir ,henry du ,bois1 and ,sir ,peppin de ,werr2 ,sir ,geoffry and the rest were taken prisoners4 ,the last that was taken1 and who in that day had excelled all1 was ,sir ,eustace de ,ribeaumont4 ,when the engagement was over1 the ,king returned to the ,castle at ,calais1 and ordered all the prisoners to be brought before him4 ,the ,french taken1 knew for the first time1 that the ,king of ,england had been there in person1 under the banner of ,sir ,walter de ,manny4 ,the ,king said he would this evening of the new year entertain them all at supper in the ,castle4 ,when the hour for supper was come1 the tables spread1 and the ,king and his ,knights dressed in new robes1 as well as the ,french1 who1 notwithstanding they were prisoners1 made good cheer 7for the ,king wished it should be so71 the ,king seated himself at table1 and made those ,knights do the same around him in a most honourable manner4 ,the gallant ,prince of ,wales1 and the ,knights of ,england1 served up the first course1 and waited on their guests4 ,at the second course1 they went and seated themselves at another table1 where they were served1 and attended on very quietly4 ,when supper was over1 and the tables removed1 the ,king remained in the ,hall among the ,english and ,french ,knights1 bare-headed1 except a chaplet of fine pearls1 which was round his head4 ,he conversed with all of them2 but when he came to ,sir ,geoffry de ,chargny1 his countenance altered1 and looking at him askance1 he said1 ',sir ,geoffry1 ,i have but little reason to love you1 when you wished to seize upon me by stealth last night1 what had given me so much trouble to acquire1 and cost me such sums of money' 7,sir ,geoffry had endeavoured to bribe the garrison to put him in possession of it in the night previous to the battle73 ',i am1 however1 rejoiced to have caught you thus in attempting it4'--,when he came to ,sir ,eustace de ,ribeaumont1 he assumed a cheerful look1 and said with a smile1 ',sir ,eustace1 you are the most valiant knight in ,christendom that ,i ever saw attack his enemy1 or defend himself4 ,i never yet found any one in battle1 who1 body to body1 had given me so much to do as you have done this day4 ,i adjudge to you the prize of valour1 above all the knights of my ,court1 as what is justly due to you4'--,the ,king then took off his chaplet1 which was very rich and handsome1 and placing it on the head of ,sir ,eustace1 said1 ',sir ,eustace1 ,i present you with this chaplet1 as being the best combatant this day1 either within or without doors2 and ,i beg of you to wear it this year for the love of me4 ,i know that you are lively and amorous1 and love the company of ladies and damsels2 therefore say1 wherever you go1 that ,i gave it to you4 ,i also give you your liberty1 free of ransom2 and you may set out to-morrow1 and go whither you will4' ,the river ,loire1 which is crossed by seven bridges1 winds through the town4 ,they are the ,pont ,rousseau1 ,de ,permil1 ,d',aiguillon1 ,feydeau1 ,de la ,belle ,croix1 ,brisebois1 and ,toussaint4 ,the houses are regular and handsome1 having in some places a very singular appearance1 from the ground having sunk1 and the foundations given way1 causing them to lean in various directions from the perpendicular line4 ,in point of commerce1 at one period antecedent to the ,revolution1 ,nantes was the most considerable sea-port in ,france3 since the loss of its ,west ,india trade1 especially with ,saint ,domingo1 it has been greatly reduced4 ,the rich plains which surround it on three sides1 in the form of an amphitheatre1 and the river covered with vessels and boats1 give it a most lively appearance4 ,it has a large ,theatre1 a ,royal ,college 7lately the ,lyceum71 a ,commercial ,tribunal1 a handsome ,exchange1 a ,bishop's ,palace1 ,hall of the ,prfecture1 ,public ,library1 ,anatomical and ,surgical ,academies1 ,botanical ,garden1 ,museum of ,natural ,history1 and a foundry for cannon4 ,the latter is in the old and decaying ,chteau on the bank of the river1 called ,goulemme4 ,one of its bastions was blown up a few years since by accident1 which has shaken and destroyed the whole fabric2 but it is still capable of holding a garrison1 and is a fine monument of ancient fortification4 ,it was once the residence of ,henry ,,iv4 of ,france1 at the time he signed the celebrated edict1 7#aeih17 in favour of the reformed religion1 afterwards revoked by ,louis ,,xiv4 in #afhe1 and which occasioned such deplorable consequences to the ,french nation4 ,m4 de ,sainte ,foix1 in his historical ,essays upon ,paris1 vol4 i4 p4 #aac1 speaking of the ,rue de ,grenelle1 in the quarter of ,saint ,eustache1 gives the following curious account of the birth of this great ,king1 whose memory is revered in ,france1 beyond that of all the other monarchs who have swayed the ,gallic sceptre4 ,jeanne d',albret1 being desirous of following her husband to the wars of ,picardy1 the ,king her father told her1 that in case she proved with child1 he wanted her to come and lie-in at his house2 and that he would bring up the child himself1 whether a boy or a girl4 ,this ,princess finding herself pregnant1 and in her ninth month1 set out from ,compigne1 passed through all ,france as far as the ,pyrenees1 and arrived in fifteen days at ,pau in ,barn4 ,she was very desirous to see her father's will4 ,it was contained in a thick gold box1 on which was a gold chain1 that would have gone twenty-five or thirty times round her neck4 ,she asked it of him3--',it shall be yours1' said he1 'as soon as you have shown me the child that you now carry2 and that you may not bring into the world a crying or a pouting child1 ,i promise you the whole1 provided that whilst you are in labour1 you sing the ,bearnese song ,notre ,dame du bout du ,pont aidez-moi en cette heure4 ,no sooner was the ,princess safely delivered1 than her father1 placing the gold chain on her neck1 and giving her the gold box wherein was his will1 said to her3 ',these are for you1 daughter1 but this is for me2' and took the child in his gown1 without waiting for its being dressed in form1 and carried it into his chamber4 ,the little ,prince was brought up in such a manner as to be able to undergo fatigue and hardship2 frequently eating nothing but common bread4 ,the good ,king his grandfather ordered it thus1 and would not let him be delicately pampered1 in order that from his infancy he might be inured to privation4 ,he has often been seen1 according to the custom of the country1 amongst the other children of the ,castle and village of ,coirazze1 bare-footed and bare-headed1 as well in winter as in summer4 ,who was this ,prince8--,henry ,,iv4 ,being descended from the ,kings of ,france1 he became the heir to that ,kingdom2 but as he was educated a ,protestant1 his claim was resisted4 ,he early distinguished himself by feats of arms4 ,after the peace of ,saint ,germain1 in #aegj1 he was taken to the ,french ,court1 and two years afterwards married ,margaret1 sister of ,charles ,,ix4 7,at the rejoicings on this occasion the infamous massacre of ,la ,saint ,barthlmy took place47 ,in #aehi he succeeded to the throne of ,france2 but his religion proving an obstacle to his coronation1 he consented to abjure it in #aeic4 ,in #aeih he issued the edict of ,nantes1 granting toleration to the ,protestants4 ,mezeray1 speaking of the marriage of the ,king of ,navarre 7afterwards ,henry ,,iv47 with ,margaret de ,valois1 says1 ,there were many diversions1 tournaments1 and ballets at ,court2 and amongst others1 one which seemed to presage the calamity that was so near bursting out upon the ,huguenots--the ,king and his brothers defending ,paradise against the ,king of ,navarre and his brothers1 who were repulsed and banished to ,hell2 and ,sainte ,foix1 in his relation of the horrible massacre1 gives a detail1 which in the present age appears almost incredible4 ,catherine of ,medicis1 whose abominable politics had corrupted the disposition of her son1 was at the head of the cabinet council who agreed to the murder of more than one hundred thousand ,protestants2 and the miserable bigot ,charles ,,ix4 stationed during the massacre at the window of a house then belonging to the ,constable of ,bourbon1 fired with his own hands upon the ,huguenots with a long blunderbuss1 whilst they were trying to escape across the river4 ,the ,river ,erdr runs northward of the city1 and forms a beautiful feature1 winding for many miles among cultivated fields and woodlands1 through a country agreeably diversified with villas1 to which the wealthier inhabitants retire during the summer months4 ,the river resembles a lake for the greater part of its course1 and is called the ,barban4 ,the ,gothic church of ,saint ,pierre1 built by the ,english in #adcd1 is a fine old structure3 having been much neglected for many years1 and greatly defaced during the ,revolution1 it was at this time restoring4 ,among the monuments about to be replaced1 was an excellent one of ,anne de ,bretagne1 whose effigy1 and that of her husband1 are as large as life4 ,the allegorical figures of ,justice1 ,temperance1 ,prudence1 and ,fortitude1 the twelve ,apostles1 and the supporters to the ,arms 7a greyhound and a lion71 are all executed in the finest white marble4 ,they were hidden during the ,revolution1 and have only very lately been discovered1 as have also some capital paintings piously preserved for the ,church4 ,anne was first married to ,charles ,,viii4 in #adii1 and afterwards to ,louis ,,xii4 ,she died at the ,chteau de ,blois in #aead1 and ,louis in #aeae4 ,the climate of ,nantes is mild1 and reckoned remarkably healthy3 every article of life is cheap1 and from its mild temperature it abounds in the finest fruits and most excellent wines4 ,its population is estimated at #fj1jjj inhabitants4 ,the numbers that were destroyed during the ,revolution1 or1 as the ,french emphatically term it1 ,le rgne de la ,terreur1 were never ascertained2 but the frightful history of that bloody period would probably justify the computation at half the number of its present population1 many having fallen victims to the murders that were termed ,noyades1 independent of those who perished in the ,vendean war4 ,the spot where the gallant ,charette was shot1 with several other leaders of the ,vendean army1 is shown2 and in the cemetery1 a large mound of earth marks the place where the bodies were thrown in1 at the time of the ,fuzillades when the infamous ,carrier presided at the execution of the brave ,royalists4#g ,the print beneath represents this monster on the banks of the ,loire directing the ,noyades4 ,illustration ,footnote #g3 ,chaque nuit on venait en prendre par centaines1 pour les mettre sur les bateaux4 ,l on liait les malheureux deux deux1 et on les poussait dans l'eau coups de baonette4 ,on saisissait indistinctement tout ce qui se trouvait l'entrept1 tellement qu'on noya un jour l'tat major d'une corvette ,anglaise1 qui tait prisonnier de guerre4 ,une autre fois1 ,carrier1 voulant donner un exemple de l'austrit des moeurs rpublicaines1 fit enfermer trois cent filles publiques de la ville1 et les malheureuses cratures furent noyes4 ,enfin1 l'on estime qu'il a pri l'entrept quinze mille personnes en un mois4--,mmoires de ,madame la ,marquise de ,laroche-,jaquelin4 ,at the end of a fine avenue of trees1 on the ,boulevard1 is a large and splendid mansion built by that ,deputy1 and which is at present inhabited by a merchant4 ,carrier's mistress 7to whom he left it1 together with a very considerable fortune1 amassed from the spoils of his plunder1 and the murder of the innocent inhabitants7 was very lately sentenced to two years' hard labour for some crime she had committed3 and it is no less remarkable1 that1 of the remaining inhabitants known to have participated in the atrocities of that frightful period1 there is not one but is reduced to poverty1 and most of them in the extreme of wretchedness1 shunned by all1 and suffering the ignominy they have so justly merited6 ,,chap4 ,v4 ,,country ,,south ,,of ,,the ,,loire4--,,le ,,bocage4--,,clisson4--,,historical ,,anecdotes4--,,the ,,garenne1 ,,and ,,river ,s,,vres4 ,the best method of travelling in this country is on horseback3 in fact1 it is impossible to proceed in any other way1 after quitting the main road4 ,having procured a guide and horses1 ,i set out early in the morning1 crossing the ,loire by the ,pont ,rosseau1 to ,verton1 keeping along the banks of the ,river ,svres4 ,verton is a romantic village standing on a hill3 most of the houses are in ruins1 from the effect of the destructive war of ,la ,vende4 ,from thence to ,le ,palet1 most intricate narrow roads1 or more properly speaking1 pathways1 darkened by the overhanging branches of trees1 and in many parts deep with mire1 from the sun's rays not being able to dry the ground1 make it difficult to proceed1 and we several times lost our way4 ,it was late before we reached ,le ,palet1 and though ,i had not tasted food for many hours1 ,i could not resist stopping to view so interesting a spot1 and making a hasty sketch of the ruins of the house in which ,ablard was born1 and in which ,hlose resided with him before their final separation4 ,the ruins of the ,house of ,brenger1 the father of ,ablard1 are close to the church of ,palet1 on the left of the high road1 three miles distant from ,clisson4 ,le ,palet is thus described by a ,french author1 in the history of the ,province4 ,cet homme si clbre par son savoir1 ses amours1 et ses infortunes1 amena ,hlose au ,palet lorsqu'il l'et enleve de chez le ,chanoine ,fulbert1 pour la soustraire au ressentiment de cet oncle jaloux et barbare2 mais1 oblig de quitter cette retraite paisible pour retourner ,paris1 o l'appelaient ses nombreux disciples1 le soin de sa gloire et de sa fortune1 ,ablard confia sa soeur sa chre ,hlose et le gage prcieux qu'elle portait dans son sein4 ,elle accoucha au ,palet d'un fils d'une si rare beaut1 qu'elle le nomma ,astralabe1 c'est--dire1 astre brillant2 mais l'absence de celui qu'elle adorait rendait moins vifs pour elle les doux plaisirs de la maternit2 son me expansive et brlante tait livre sans cesse une inquite et sombre mlancholie qu'elle ne parvenait sans doute dissiper qu'en venant sur les bords de la ,svres rver l'objet de sa tendresse1 et soupirer aprs son retour4 ,sept sicles se sont couls depuis cette poque1 et les noms d',ablard et d',hlose embellissent toujours ce dlicieux ravage4 ,on interroge avec une curiosit avide ces roches ternelles et ces grottes mystrieuses qui furent les tmoins discrets de leurs peines et de leurs plaisirs4 ,on se reporte ces temps reculs o ces amants venaient dans cette solitude enchanteresse1 se confier mutuellement leur vifs inquitudes2 on croit les voir s'garer sous ces riants ombrages1 et s'abandonner toutes les inspirations de l'loquence1 toutes les illusions de l'amour4 ,i arrived at ,clisson just as the sun was disappearing1 and its rays were only sufficiently strong to reflect the ruined towers of the ,castle in the river which runs at its foot4 ,it will be much easier to imagine1 than for me to convey the sensations ,i felt when ,i first caught a glimpse of it1 with the story of ,la ,roche-,jaquelin full in my recollection6 ,i alighted at a small cabaret1 dignified by the appellation of the ,hotel de la ,providence1 which seemed preferable to another recommended to me by my guide1--such an one1 indeed1 as might be expected in a remote place like this3 part of the roof was off1 and1 like most of the houses in the place1 bore evident marks of the desolating war that had been carried on here3 many are still in ruins4 ,the descent into the town is very steep and rugged1 the road being formed out of the solid rock4 ,the master of the cabaret was sitting with his family at the door1 but the appearance of his mansion was so unpromising1 that ,i thought it best to make some agreement1 and a few inquiries before dismounting2--these preliminaries being settled1 and having consented to pay him fifty sous for supper and my bed1 and thirty for breakfast1 ,i entered the house3 and never recollect having a keener relish for a meal1 or enjoying one more heartily1 for ,i had been sixteen hours on horseback4 ,fatigued and exhausted as ,i was1 ,i rambled after dinner towards the delightful grounds of ,la ,garenne1 belonging to ,monsieur ,la ,motte1 who has embellished them in a most interesting and romantic manner4 ,the river ,svres runs along the side1 and separates them from the fine old ,castle of ,clisson1 whose high and decaying towers and battlements give the beholder a noble idea of its ancient grandeur4 ,the evening was a very fine one1--one of those delightful soft1 clear skies usual at this season1 the latter end of ,july4 ,i sat myself down in the grotto of ,hlose1--a spot of the deepest seclusion1 formed1 by the hand of ,nature1 of large masses of granite4 ,the nightingales were singing in the lofty trees at the back2 on the sides were shrubs of every description intermingled with fruit trees1 and the river having several falls and little rocky islets1 gave an air of delightful enchantment to this most romantic scene4 ,hlose6 ce nom1 qui ne doit s'attendrir8 ,comme elle sut aimer6 comme elle sut souffrir6 ,at the entrance of the grotto are engraved these lines1 nearly effaced by the hand of time4 ,hlose peut-tre erra sur ce rivage1 ,quand1 aux yeux des jaloux drobant son sjour1 ,dans les murs du ,palet elle vint mettre au jour ,un fils1 cher et malheureux gage ,de ses plaisirs furtifs et de son tendre amour4 ,peut-tre en ce rduit sauvage1 ,seule1 plus d'une fois1 elle vint soupirer1 ,et goter librement la douceur de pleurer2 ,peut-tre sur ce roc assise ,elle rvait son malheur4 ,j'y veux rver aussi2 j'y veux remplir mon coeur ,du doux souvenir d',hlose4 ,i had but a few weeks before seen the tomb of ,ablard and ,hlose in the ,cemetery of ,pre la ,chaise at ,paris1 whither it had been recently removed from the ,convent of the ,augustins1 at which latter place ,i had formerly made the annexed drawing of it4 ,i had likewise been very lately at ,argenteuil1 once the place of her asylum described by ,pope3 ,in these deep solitudes and awful cells-- and had the same day witnessed the ruins of the house in which ,ablard was born1 and in which ,hlose resided and became a mother1 and from whence she used to make frequent visits to this spot3 all these circumstances combined1 gave the scene before me a most powerful interest4 ,i rose early the next day1 anxious to revisit a place which had afforded me such delight the previous evening4 ,wandering by the beautiful banks of the river1 along its green meadows1 in a woody recess1 ,i observed the following lines beneath an urn1 cut in the rock on which it rested3 ,consacrer dans l'obscurit1 ,ses loisirs l'tude1 l'amiti sa vie1 ,sont des plaisirs dignes d'envie2 ,etre chri vaut mieux qu'tre vant6 ,illustration3 ,,ruins ,,of ,,ab,,lard',s ,,house4 ,a little further on1 is a stone pillar1 with a venerable accacia tree spreading its leaves over it4 ,it has the following ,latin inscription3 ,,vii ,,im ,,caesar ,,avgvstvs ,,pontifex ,,max ,,viam4 ,,olim ,a ,,conivinco ,,ad ,,limonem ,,imp4 ,,caesar4 ,,traj4 ,,adrianvs ,,avg ,,pm4 ,,trib4 ,,pot4 ,,viam ,,ab ,,avgvsto ,,statam ,,reficit4#h ,footnote #h3 ,auguste tendit jusqu' ,la ,loire ,la ,gaule ,aquitanique1 autrefois borne par la ,garonne1 et comprit ,l',armorique dans la ,province ,celtique ou ,lyonnaise4 ,l',empereur ,adrian1 ayant fait depuis une nouvelle distribution des ,gaules1 divisa ,la ,lyonnaise en deux1 et mit ,l',armorique dans la seconde2 enfin cette ,lyonnaise ou ,celtique ayant t encore divise en deux1 ,tours devint la ,mtropole de la troisime1 qui comprenait la ,touraine1 le ,maine1 l',anjou1 et la ,bretagne4--,histoire de ,bret4 ,illustration3 ,,grotto of ,h,,lo,,se at ,,clisson4 ,illustration3 ,,tomb of ,,ab,,lard and ,h,,lo,,se4 ,farther on several large blocks of granite are piled together in so strange and curious a manner1 that it must have been the work of ,nature alone3--one of them has these beautiful lines carved on it3 ,o6 ,limpide ,rivire6 ,o ,rivire chrie6 ,puisse la sotte vanit ,ne jamais ddaigner ta rive humble et fleurie6 ,que ton simple sentier ne soit point frquent ,par aucun tourment de la vie ,tels que l'ambition1 l'envie1 ,l'avarice1 et la fausset6 ,un bocage si frais1 un sjour si tranquille1 ,aux tendres sentiments doit seul servir d'azile4 ,ces rameaux amoureux entrelasss exprs ,aux ,muses1 aux ,amours1 offrent leur voile pais2 ,et ce cristal d'une onde pure ,a jamais ne doit rflchir ,que les grces de la nature ,et les images du plaisir4 ,close to the brink of the river stands a prodigiously large granite rock1 immediately facing the waterfall called le ,bassin de ,diane3 on it are these words3 ,,sa ,,masse ,,indestrvctible ,a ,,fatigv ,,le ,,tems4 a quotation from ,delille4 ,illustration3 ,,granite ,,rock in the ,,garenne4 ,the ,french writers1 speaking of this interesting place1 observe3 ,comment souponner en effet qu'au milieu de cette terrible ,vende1 qu'au centre de cet impntrable et sombre ,bocage1 il existe un pays dlicieux et fertile1 couvert de mines sculaires qui rappelent tous les souvenirs historiques de notre ancienne ,france1 comme le caractre de ses habitans en rappele les moeurs1 le courage1 et la loyaut4 ,on the opposite side of the river1 a little to the right1 stands the ancient ,chteau de ,clisson1 celebrated in the modern as well as the ancient history of ,bretagne4 ,its lofty turrets1 and decaying bastions1 extend a considerable distance along the shore of the ,svres1 recalling to mind the ancient days of chivalry1 when bravery1 love1 and religion1 were so singularly blended together1 and gave a romantic half-polished manner to the greatest barbarians4 ,in later times it became the scene of events which no one can contemplate without the deepest interest4 ,in viewing this magnificent ruin1 it is impossible not to regret that a place so frequently the theatre of noble achievements1 inhabited by one of the greatest men that ,france has produced1 ,franois ,i4 ,conntable de ,clisson1#i father to ,anne of ,bretagne1 should have been so recently the scene of such savage horrors and bloodshed6 ,now1 all is silence and solitude3 and amidst the noble ruins which were once decorated with banners1 and the hard-earned trophies of victory1--where high-born knights and splendid dames mingled in mirth and festivity to the echoes of the minstrels1 singing lays of love or battle1--are now only to be seen and heard the birds of prey1 hovering over a solitary tree1 planted to mark the spot where a deed was committed which has not often its parallel in the darkest histories of the most ferocious nations4 ,footnote #i3 ,in the ,histoire ,gnalogique de ,france1 tom4 vi4 is an account of the ,constable's death4 ,the ,duke of ,orleans1 brother to the king1 was very fond of a ,jewess1 whom he privately visited4 ,having some reason to suspect that ,peter de ,craon1 ,lord of ,sabl and de la ,fert-,bernard1 his chamberlain and favourite1 had joked with the ,duchess of ,orleans upon his intrigue1 he turned him out of his house with infamy4 ,craon imputed his disgrace partly to the ,constable of ,clisson4 ,on the night of the #acth ,june1 having waited for him at the corner of the street ,coulture ,ste4 ,catherine1 and finding he had but little company with him1 he fell upon him at the head of a score of ruffians4 ,clisson defended himself for some time without any other weapon than a small cutlass2 but after receiving three wounds1 fell from his horse1 and pitched against a door1 which flew open4 ,the report of this assassination reached the king's ears just as he was stepping into bed4 ,he put on a great coat and his shoes1 and repaired to the place where he was informed his constable had been killed4 ,he found him in a baker's shop1 wallowing in his blood4 ,after his wounds were examined1 ,constable1 7said he to him71 nothing was or ever will he so severely punished4 ,it was given out that ,clisson made his will the next day1 and there was a mighty outcry about the sum of #a1gjj1jjj livres1 which it amounted to4 ,it should be observed1 that during twenty-five years that he was in the service of ,france1 he had sought for and beaten the ,english every where2 that he gained the famous battle of ,robeck1 and chastised the ,flemish2 that he enjoyed for twelve years the salary and appointments of ,constable2 and that1 moreover1 his landed estate1 7which included many castles inherited from his ancestors1 in ,bretagne and ,poitou17 was very considerable4 ,during the ,vendean war1 the royalists had been driven out of ,clisson by the republicans1 under the command of a ferocious jacobin4 ,the town was pillaged and burnt before they quitted it4 ,twenty-seven females had1 during the battle1 concealed themselves among the ruins3 when information of it was given to the troops1 who had already quitted the place1 they were ordered to return1 and the whole of these unhappy women were thrown alive into a well1 where they perished666 ,it has since been filled up1 and the lonely tree1 just mentioned1 now records the bloody and inhuman deed4 ,in the account of ,clisson1 by a late ,french author1 no notice is taken of this circumstance4 ,he merely observes1 when mentioning the destruction of the place1 after the de la ,roche-,jaquelin had quitted it1 ,les ,rives ombrages de la ,svres1 si sduisante par ses belles cascades et l'ensemble de ce paysage potique1 feroient de cette contre un sjour dlicieux1 si de tristes dbris1 qui heureusement disparoissent tous les jours1 ne rappelaient encore le souvenir affligeant de nos discordes civiles4 ,les armes ,rvolutionnaires qui combattirent les ,vendens1 en #agic et en #agid1 employrent inutilement pour les rduire le fer et le feu2 la flamme atteignit les villes1 les villages1 les mtairies1 et jusqu'aux humbles chaumires2 et1 dans ce vaste et pouvantable incendie1 ,clisson ne put chapper une ruine complte4 ,jamais peut-tre cette petite ville ne se seroit entirement rdifi1 sans une circonstance particulire qui contribua puissamment la faire renotre de ces cendres4 ,in the town of ,clisson was born the celebrated ,barin de la ,galissonniere1 ,admiral of ,france1 who fought the well-known action off ,mahon1 in the month of ,june1 #agef1 with ,admiral ,byng1 who1 in consequence of his conduct on that occasion1 was brought to a court martial and shot4 ,the ,french writers make the following absurd remark1 as to the cause of his fate3 ,les ,anglais1 furieux d'avoir t vaincus par un ,amiral ,franois1 firent fusiller l',amiral ,byng4 ,it is now well known that he was sacrificed to an unprincipled ministerial faction4 ,the ancient ,chteau de ,clisson is built on a rock1 on the bank of the ,svres1 facing the mouth of the river1 called ,le ,moine1 which empties itself into the ,svres at this place1 so that the town of ,clisson stands between the two rivers at their junction4 ,an ancient bridge1 from whence this view is taken1 joins one part of the town to the other1 and leads to the castle1 which was once considered the barrier of ,bretagne4 ,the two rivers run over a bed of granite rock1 which1 in some places1 forming a cataract1 adds considerably to the surrounding scenery3 large masses of this rock in many parts seem as if piled up by nature for the purpose of giving it a more romantic effect4 ,the whole forms a most picturesque object1 when viewed from the opposite shore1 from whence the sketch of the temple erected on the ruin of ,st4 ,gilles is taken2 and the remembrance of its recent fate throws over the scene a strong and melancholy interest4 ,illustration3 ,,ruins ,,of ,,clisson4 ,the castle is supposed to have been first erected by the ,romans1 as the ,province formed a part of the ,gaule ,aquitanique1 under the ,emperors ,augustus and ,adrian4 ,the ,french repaired it during the reign of ,louis ,,viii4 in #abbc1 under ,olivier ,i4 ,sire de ,clisson1 as he is styled2 and it was made a regular fortification1 and surrounded by a wall a century after1 by the ,conntable3 in #adfd the ,duc de ,bretagne1 ,francis ,,ii4 entirely finished it4 ,the ,sire de ,clisson1 ,olivier ,i4 who had served during one of the ,crusades in ,palestine1 was knighted with several others1 in #abah4 ,un nombre prodigieux de ,seigneurs ,anglais1 ,normands1 ,angevins1 ,manceaux1 ,tourangeaux1 et ,bretons1 prirent la ,croix2 ,le ,pape1 ,innocent ,,iii4 envoya en ,bretagne1 en #aaig1 ,helvain1 ,moine de ,st4 ,denis1 pour y prcher une croisade4 ,une grande quantit de ,bretons se laissrent conduire en ,syrie par ce ,moine2 et1 en #abah1 plusieurs ,seigneurs ,bretons suivirent leur exemple1 entre autres1 ,herv de ,lon1 ,morvau1 ,vicomte du ,fou1 et le ,sire de ,clisson4 ,from the construction of the towers and bastions1 it is supposed that at his return from the ,holy ,land1 he had copied the ,syrian style of building2 and one of the towers1 which is represented in the sketch of the gateway of the ,chteau de ,clisson1 is still called ,la ,tour des ,plerins4 ,this tower1 which has been used as a dungeon1 is the most perfect of any remaining4 ,in it are subterranean galleries1 anciently used as a prison1 and appropriated by the republicans to the same purpose4 ,it is dreadful to think of the horrors that have been practised within its walls1 in our own time4 ,illustration3 ,,tour des ,p,,lerins4 ,from the top of this tower the prospect is very extensive1 and1 during the year #agic1 when the republican army quartered themselves in it1 a sentinel was placed there to give notice in case of the approach of an enemy4 ,the historian of that period1 speaking of the entrance to this tower1 observes1 in reference to the cruelties committed there in the ,vendean war3 ,il existait au milieu de la dernire cour un trs beau puits1 taill dans le roc et extrmement profond3 il est actuellement combl1 et ma plume se refuse tracer les scnes horribles qui ensanglantrent ce lieu en #agic et en #agie1 tristes et pouvantables effets des guerres civiles6 ,this passage alludes1 ,i imagine1 to the circumstance related in page #ij4 ,within its walls are various inscriptions1 many of them in characters so difficult to decypher1 that they remain unknown4 ,the following has been rendered into more modern ,french by ,cerutti4 ,j'ai gravi1 mesur ces ruines sublimes2 ,mon coeur s'en est mu6 ,de nos vaillants aeux ,tout y reprsentait les tournois magnanimes1 ,ils semblaient reparitre et combattre mes yeux2 ,j'entendois sous leurs coups retentir les abmes2 ,juge de leurs combats1 idole de leur coeur1 ,du haut des tours1 la dame admiroit le vainqueur4 ,casques et boucliers1 cuirasses gigantesques1 ,cris d'armes1 mot d'amour1 devises de l'honneur1 ,carlets pour l'infidle ou pour le suborneur1 ,tout garde sur ces murs vraiment chevaleresques4 ,la mmoire d'un sicle o l'pe1 o la foi1 ,o la galanterie taient la seule loi4 ,louis ,,ix4 and ,blanche of ,castille1 his queen1 retired to ,clisson1 at the time the ,english1 under ,henry ,,iii4 penetrated into ,poitou1 and were received by ,olivier de ,clisson1 who then garrisoned it4 ,in the war of the ,league1 which convulsed the kingdom of ,france1 ,clisson remained faithful to ,henry ,,iii4 and during the early part of the reign of his successor ,henry ,,iv4 ,the ,protestants were there protected1 and established themselves in the fauxbourg4 ,from the period at which ,henry ,,iv4 signed the edict at ,nantes1 #aeth ,april1 #aeih1 until the war of ,la ,vende1 this celebrated fortress is no where mentioned by any of the ,french historians3 it became neglected when the feudal system declined1 and the republican army completed its ruin4 ,the sad events of this period1 and the destruction and carnage which followed1 can never be effaced from the page of history4 ,the ruined towns and villages prove the melancholy truth1 that the general corruption of a nation prepares the way for general anarchy1 and that the blindness of political rage is always more vindictive than even private hatred4 ,i can never sufficiently lament the absence1 at this time1 of ,madame de ,la ,roche-,jaquelin from the country1 as she occasionally resides in the neighbourhood1 since the restoration of her property1 7although her once noble residence is now in a state of ruin17 occupying a small chteau at some small distance1 which had partly escaped the fire and destruction that had been fatal to most houses in the district4 ,who can read the interesting memoirs of this ,lady1 and not sympathize in the sufferings of herself1 and of those brave and loyal people whose heroic struggle against their republican oppressors lasted with little intermission from the overthrow of the monarchy until its final restoration8 ,among the number of heroic females who1 like ,madame de la ,roche-,jaquelin1 thus distinguished themselves1 was ,madame de ,la ,rochefoucault who1 like her admirer ,charette1 was put to death at ,nantes4 ,this lady1 of an ancient and noble family1 and of great beauty1 signalized herself on various occasions1 but being taken prisoner at the battle of the ,moulin aux ,chvres1 she was immediately shot6 ,illustration3 ,,mill ,,aux ,,ch,,vres4 ,the whole history of this terrible war is filled with the noble devotion of heroic females4 ,the chiefs were attended in the most sanguinary battles by ladies1 who had themselves ornamented their standards with loyal and chivalrous emblems of the cause for which they were prepared to sacrifice themselves1 and who were frequently seen rallying the broken troops1 and falling1 covered with wounds1 by the hands of their enemies6 ,the annexed view of the ,moulin aux ,chvres1 which is rendered interesting from the account given by ,madame de la ,roche-,jaquelin of the battle fought near it1 will convey a tolerable idea of the scenery of the country4 ,the prodigious growth of the willow tree in ,bretagne1 is such as to claim the peculiar notice of travellers3 here they attain a gigantic height1 no where else to be seen4 ,batard1 in his ,notices sur les ,vgtaux mentions one in the commune of ,pommeraie in the arrondissement de ,beauprau1 whose age was supposed to be nearly two thousand years4 ,within the ,chteau at ,clisson are some very old ones1 but the finest ,i observed were at the ,moulin aux ,chvres4 ,,chap4 ,,vi4 ,,limits ,,and ,,general ,,appearance ,,of ,,le ,,bocage4 ,,mode ,,of ,,warfare ,,practised ,,by ,,the ,,vendeans4 ,my opportunity of becoming acquainted with that singular district called ,le ,bocage1 will be best understood by very briefly sketching my route through it4 ,i traversed it1 and the district called ,le ,loroux1 by the route of ,montaigne and ,lege1 and on my return ,i passed through ,clisson1 ,vallet1 and ,loroux1 along the banks of the ,loire4 ,by pursuing this route1 ,i had every where the interesting opportunity of exploring the scene of that destructive warfare which had ravaged the towns and villages of this part of ,france4 ,at one period1 the war of ,la ,vende extended to the north of the ,loire1 as far as ,rennes1 forming a triangle1 the eastern point of which rested on the town of ,angers4 ,to the south of the ,loire it spread nearly as far as la ,rochelle2 and as in this part also it extended nearly to ,angers1 the tract over which it spread its ravages formed nearly a square4 ,the district called ,loroux runs parallel with the ,loire3 ,le ,bocage1 which occupies both districts1 and the whole country south of that river1 is comprehended under the general appellation of ,la ,vende4 ,under the old divisions of ,france ,le ,bocage formed part of the province of ,poitou1 and ,le ,loroux part of the provinces of ,anjou and ,bretagne3 but when1 at the revolution1 ,france was divided into departments1 these two districts were denominated ,la ,vende1 ,les deux ,svres1 ,la ,loire ,infrieure1 and ,mayenne and ,loire4 ,la ,vende is an extremely interesting district1 not merely on account of the singular and heroic warfare that was carried on there so long1 but also from the appearance of the country1 and the manners1 opinions1 and general character of its inhabitants2 and ,le ,bocage is1 in all these respects1 the most interesting part of ,la ,vende4 ,in ,le ,bocage1 the war was carried on with most wonderful vigour and pertinacity1 as well as with almost unparalleled destruction and cruelty4 ,those who are acquainted only with the other parts of ,france1 can form no idea of the aspect of this district1 or of the manners of its inhabitants2 they differ so widely and essentially1 that they seem to belong to another portion of the globe4 ,it has always been regarded as the most fertile country in ,france2 and1 before the revolution1 it was undoubtedly one of the most populous4 ,there are only two roads in the whole country3 one of them runs from ,nantes to la ,rochelle1 and the other from ,bordeaux to ,tours1 through ,poitou3 all the rest of this district is a complete labyrinth3 there are indeed numerous pathways1 so very winding and narrow1 that they are much more calculated to harass and mislead1 than to assist a traveller in his journey3 these pathways are flanked by wide and deep ditches1 and almost rendered completely dark by lofty hedges on each side of them1 the trees of which meet at top1 and thus form an arch3 hence they are rough and uneven in summer1 besides being intolerably hot1 and deep and miry in winter4 ,to add to these inconveniences1 the bed of a rivulet flowing along them frequently constitutes the only passage4 ,even when the traveller1 after toiling along these dreadful pathways1 comes near a town or village1 he generally finds that the approach to it is practicable only by ascending irregular steps1 cut out of the solid rock1 on which they are built4 ,the inhabitants themselves even are frequently puzzled by these pathways2 and1 after wandering for a considerable length of time1 at last find out that they have been travelling in a wrong direction4 ,the whole country bears the appearance of an extensive and thick forest3 this arises from the nature of the enclosures2 they are extremely small1 often not more than fifty or sixty perches1 surrounded with strong hedges planted in the banks4 ,these circumstances alone would give the appearance just noticed2 but the effect is much increased from other causes4 ,on each side of the banks1 on which the trees are planted1 there are ditches and drains1 and the moisture which they constantly supply to their roots1 renders their growth very rapid and luxuriant2 so that when we consider the number of the trees and their great size1 we shall not be surprised that the country looks like an immense forest4 ,sometimes the trees are so disposed as to answer the purpose of a palisade2 and this purpose they answer most effectually1 not only from the great size and strength of the trees themselves1 but also from the intervening spaces between them being filled up with strong and impassable underwood #aj4 ,footnote #aj3 ,a tract of about #aej miles square1 at the mouth and on the southern bank of the ,loire1 comprehends the scene of those deplorable hostilities4 ,the most inland part of the district1 and that in which the insurrection first broke out1 is called ,le ,bocage2 and seems to have been almost as singular in its physical conformation1 as in the state and condition of its population4 ,a series of detached eminences1 of no great elevation1 rose over the whole face of the country1 with little rills trickling in the hollows and occasional cliffs by their sides4 ,the whole space was divided into small enclosures1 each surrounded with tall wild hedges1 and rows of pollard trees2 so that though there were few large woods1 the whole region had a sylvan and impenetrable appearance4 ,the ground was mostly in pasturage2 and the landscape had1 for the most part1 an aspect of wild verdure1 except that in the autumn some patches of yellow corn appeared here and there athwart their green enclosures4 ,only two great roads traversed this sequestered region1 running nearly parallel1 at a distance of more than seventy miles from each other4 ,in the intermediate space1 there was nothing but a labyrinth of wild and devious paths1 crossing each other at the extremity of almost every field--often serving1 at the same time1 as channels for the winter torrents1 and winding so capriciously among the innumerable hillocks1 and beneath the meeting hedge-rows1 that the natives themselves were always in danger of losing their way when they went a league or two from their own habitations4 ,the country1 though rather thickly peopled1 contained1 as may be supposed1 few large towns2 and the inhabitants1 devoted almost entirely to rural occupations1 enjoyed a great deal of leisure4 ,the noblesse or gentry of the country were very generally resident on their estates1 where they lived in a style of simplicity and homeliness which had long disappeared from every other part of the kingdom4 ,no grand parks1 fine gardens1 or ornamented villas2 but spacious clumsy chateaux1 surrounded with farm offices and cottages for the labourers4 ,their manners and way of life1 too1 partook of the same primitive rusticity4 ,there was great cordiality1 and even much familiarity1 in the intercourse of the seigneurs with their dependants4 ,they were followed by large trains of them in their hunting expeditions1 which occupied so great a part of their time4 ,every man had his fowling-piece1 and was a marksman of fame or pretensions4 ,they were posted in various quarters1 to intercept or drive back the game2 and were thus trained1 by anticipation1 to that sort of discipline and concert1 in which their whole art of war was afterwards found to consist4 ,nor was their intimacy confined to their sports4 ,the peasants resorted familiarly to their landlords for advice1 both legal and medical2 and they repaid the visits in their daily rambles1 and entered with interest into all the details of their agricultural operations4 ,they came to the weddings of their children1 drank with their guests1 and made little presents to the young people4 ,on ,sundays and holidays1 all the retainers of the family assembled at the chteau1 and danced in the barn or the court-yard1 according to the season4 ,the ladies of the house joined in the festivity1 and that without any airs of condescension or of mockery2 for1 in their own life1 there was little splendour or luxurious refinement4 ,they travelled on horseback1 or in heavy carriages drawn by oxen2 and had little other amusement than in the care of their dependants1 and the familiar intercourse of neighbours among whom there was no rivalry or principle of ostentation4 ,from all this there resulted1 as ,madame de ,l4 assures us1 a certain innocence and kindliness of character1 joined with great hardihood and gaiety1--which reminds us of ,henry ,,iv4 and his ,barnois1--and carries with it1 perhaps on account of that association1 an idea of something more chivalrous and romantic--more honest and unsophisticated1 than any thing we expect to meet with in this modern world of artifice and derision4 ,there was great purity of morals accordingly1 ,mad4 de ,l4 informs us1 and general cheerfulness and content in all this district2--crimes were never heard of1 and lawsuits almost unknown4 ,though not very well educated1 the population was exceedingly devout2--though theirs was a kind of superstitious and traditional devotion1 it must he owned1 rather than an enlightened or rational faith4 ,they had the greatest veneration for crucifixes and images of their saints1 and had no idea of any duty more imperious than that of attending on all the solemnities of religion4 ,they were singularly attached also to their curs1 who were almost all born and bred in the country1 spoke their patois1 and shared in all their pastimes and occupations4 ,when a hunting-match was to take place1 the clergyman announced it from the pulpit after prayers1--and then took his fowling-piece1 and accompanied his congregation to the thicket4 ,it was on behalf of these curs1 in fact1 that the first disturbances were excited4--,edin4 ,rev4 for ,feb4 #ahaf4 ,this luxuriance of growth does not proceed entirely from the moisture supplied by the ditches and drains2 the soil naturally is uncommonly fertile3 and whatever springs from it1 whether planted by the hand of man1 and nourished1 while growing1 by his attention and skill1 or its spontaneous production1 bears witness to this uncommon fertility4 ,the country abounds in corn and vineyards2 the produce of the latter consists principally in white vines4 ,at the season of the year when ,i passed through it1 the intermixture of the rich and soft yellow of the wheat nearly ripe1 with the light green foliage of the vines1 produced a most pleasing effect4 ,in ,poitou and ,anjou1 the harvest generally begins about the latter end of ,june3 this year it was late every where1 but very abundant4 ,the vineyards had mostly failed4 ,le ,marais1 which is also comprehended within the limits of ,le ,bocage1 is that part of ,lower ,poitou1 adjacent to the sea4 ,there the country is open and flat1 and the passes are impracticable during the winter1 and very difficult at other seasons of the year4 ,the inhabitants of ,le ,marais formed a division of the army of the celebrated chief ,charette4 ,la ,vende was divided into two circuits2 each army had its own1 until the junction of the whole under ,la ,roche-,jaquelin1 c2 that of ,charette occupied the district of ,chalans1 ,machecoul1 la ,roche ,sur ,yon1 les ,sables1 a part of the districts of ,st4 ,florent1 ,vehiers1 ,chollet1 ,chtillon1 la ,chtaigneraie1 a great part of the districts of ,clisson1 ,montaigne1 ,thouars1 ,parthenay1 and ,fontenay-le-peuple4 ,although the locality of ,le ,bocage is a perfect contrast to that of le ,marais1 nature seems to have exerted all her power in forming these two districts into one extensive fortress1 capable of opposing every thing to an attack1 and presenting so many means of defence1 that it was rarely possible for the enemy to lead a column1 or to regulate its movements so as to preserve union in its marches or manoeuvres1 dispositions for an attack1 or retreat4 ,the positions of the ,vendeans could never be understood1 or their projects foreseen1 in a country where the frequent undulations of land1 hedges1 trees1 and bushes1 obstructing the surface1 would not admit of seeing fifty paces round2 and one of the republican generals1 writing to the ,convention1 thus speaks of ,charette's movements4 ,it is no easy matter to find ,charette1 particularly to bring him to action4 ,to-day at the head of ten thousand men1 the next day wandering with a score of horsemen1 it is very rare that one can come up with him4 ,when we believed him to be in our front1 he was in our rear4 ,yesterday he threatened such a post1 to-day he is ten leagues from it2 more able to avoid than fight us1 he almost always disconcerts1 and often1 without knowing it1 all our combinations4 ,he endeavours to surprise us1 to carry off our patroles1 and to kill our stragglers4 ,the inhabitants of le ,marais and le ,bocage for a long period confined themselves to defensive warfare1 for which nature seems to have formed their country4 ,the situation of le ,marais enabled the brave royalists to receive succours from the ,english1 and to facilitate and protect the debarkation of such as they wished to procure from the ,north side of the ,loire1 the coast being flat and easy of access by sea4 ,the ,vendeans1 favoured by every natural advantage1 had a peculiar tactic which they knew perfectly well how to apply to their position and local circumstances1 and adopted a mode of fighting hitherto unknown1 and practicable in that country alone4 ,confident in the superiority which their mode of attack gave them1 they never suffered themselves to be anticipated1 they never engaged but when and where they pleased4 ,their dexterity in the use of fire arms was such1 that no people1 however well skilled in manoeuvring1 could make such good use of a gun2 the huntsman of ,loroux1 and the poacher of le ,bocage1 having been always proverbial as excellent marksmen4 ,it was no unusual thing for the ,vendeans when at the plough1 to carry with them a musket2 and whenever they observed a blue coat1 7as they called the republican soldiers7 they stopt their plough1 took up their musket1 and fired at him2 it seldom happened that they missed the object of their vengeance4 ,a melancholy circumstance1 connected with this mode of warfare1 took place3 the son of one of the ,vendean farmers1 or ploughmen1 had been compelled to join the republican army2 but having succeeded in escaping1 he was hastening1 in his republican uniform1 to rejoin his relations1 when being observed by his father1 while at the plough1 the latter1 unable from the distance to recognize his son1 and seeing only the uniform of an enemy1 fired and shot him4 ,their attacks were always dreadful1 sudden1 and almost unforeseen1 because it was very difficult to reconnoitre or obtain information so as to guard against surprise4 ,their order of battle was generally in the form of a crescent1 their wings being composed of the most expert marksmen1 who never fired without taking aim1 and seldom ever missed4 ,their retreat was so precipitate that it was difficult to come up with them1 as they dispersed themselves through rough fields1 hedges1 woods1 and bushes1 knew all the bye-roads1 secret escapes and defiles1 and were acquainted with all the obstacles which could obstruct their flight1 and the means of avoiding them4 ,their mode of warfare was according to the locality of the country1 well calculated to prolong the struggle and waste the strength of the forces sent to oppose them4 ,in the district of les ,sables1 intersected by canals1 rivulets1 and salt marshes1 where there were scarcely carriage roads1 but chiefly bye-ways1 and raised paths1 a species of natural fortification was every where formed3 this rendered any attack against them dangerous1 and consequently it was most favourable for defence1 particularly to the inhabitants4 ,the canals are in general from thirty to forty feet wide on the upper extremity of the banks4 ,the ,vendean1 carrying his musket in a bandoleer1 and leaning upon a long pole1 leaped from one bank to the other with amazing facility4 ,when the pressure of the enemy would not admit of his doing this1 without exposing himself to their fire1 he threw himself into a niole1 7a kind of small boat17 very flat1 and light1 and crossed the canal with great rapidity1 being always sufficiently shut up to hide himself from his pursuers3 but he soon appeared again1 and firing at his enemy1 again disappeared4 ,the republican soldier to whom this mode of fighting was unknown1 was obliged to be continually upon his guard1 to march along the shores of the canals1 and to follow slowly their circuitous track1 supporting at the same time frequent skirmishes1 while it took him several hours to traverse a space which the ,vendean commonly accomplished in a few minutes4 ,among the difficulties which the execution of all military plans met with in ,la ,vende1 the nature and degree of which may be judged of from the local dispositions and the kind of warfare carried on by the royalists1 there was one which was invincible1 and which singularly retarded the operations of the republicans4 ,whenever they were desirous of sending an order from head quarters to a division at the distance of twelve or fifteen leagues1 the messenger was often obliged to travel fifty or sixty in order to avoid passing through the revolted country4 ,hence the impossibility of attempting any expedition1 however necessary or desirable1 which required to be executed without delay4 ,the ,vendeans would appear one day at a certain point to the number of several thousand men2 measures were concerted for attacking them the next day1 but before that arrived they were eight or ten leagues distant from the place where they had showed themselves the day before4 ,thus were the republicans exposed to fruitless victories or disastrous checks1 which exhausted their men and resources4 ,masters of the field of battle1 they found1 says one of their generals1 nothing but wooden shoes and some slain1 never any arms or ammunition4 ,the ,vendean when perceived1 would either hide or break his gun1 and in surrendering his life1 seldom left his weapon4 ,being well acquainted with the country1 and more dexterous than the republicans1 they carried scarcely any artillery with them1 four or five pieces sufficed for an army of thirty or forty thousand men2 these were generally light field pieces4 ,equally sparing of ammunition1 they took but few waggons1 one alone served the pieces1 as they well knew it was not artillery that would procure them the victory2 thence1 when the republicans met with any disastrous affair1 they lost from twenty to thirty pieces of cannon1 and waggons in proportion2 whereas when they gained a victory they acquired only two or three pieces of cannon1 with scarcely any ammunition4 ,from this slight sketch of the nature of the country1 so disadvantageous to the invaders1 and of the mode in which the ,vendeans carried on this unfortunate war1 our surprise will cease at the determined and protracted resistance made to the republicans by this loyal and brave people4 ,for many years they defended their beloved country1 and endured privations1 and accumulated miseries1 such as human nature has seldom been exposed to4 ,to use the words of a republican general1 ,a girdle of fire enveloped the revolted country2 fire1 terror1 and death1 preceded the march4 ,but the principal cause of the long resistance of the ,vendeans must be sought for in their moral character2 they were most honourably distinguished by an inviolable attachment to their party1 and unlimited and unshaken confidence in their chiefs2 and an earnest1 warm1 but steady zeal1 which supplied the place of discipline4 ,their invincible courage1 both active and passive1 was proof against every kind of danger1 fatigue1 and want4 ,it has been well observed that irregular and undisciplined wars are naturally far more prolific of extraordinary incidents1 unexpected turns of fortune1 and striking displays of individual talent1 of vice and virtue1 than the more solemn movements of national hostility1 where every thing is in a great measure provided and foreseen2 and where the inflexible subordination of rank1 and the severe exactions of a limited duty not only take away the inducement1 but the opportunity for those exaltations of personal feeling and adventure which produce the most lively interest1 and lead to the most animating results4 ,in the unconcerted proceedings of an insurgent population1 all is experiment and all is passion4 ,the heroic daring of a simple peasant lifts him at once to the rank of a leader1 and kindles a general enthusiasm to which all things become possible4 ,from the operation of these causes the ,vendeans were enabled to send forth formidable armies3 and such was the confidence of the chiefs in the troops1 that they never would have been subdued if they had not lost their leaders in the various hard fought actions1 or been deprived of their services by their mutual jealousy4 ,another circumstance proved equally fatal to them2 after the fall of the gallant ,lescure1 they most imprudently quitted the strong country for the open plains on the left bank of the ,loire4 ,,chap4 ,,vii4 ,,river ,,loire1 ,,from ,,nantes ,,to ,,angers4 ,the ,loire is one of the finest rivers in ,france2 and perhaps there is no river in the world1 that equals that part of it1 which flows from ,angers to ,nantes3 the breadth of the stream2 the islands of wood2 the boldness1 culture1 and richness of its banks1 all conspire to render it worthy of this character4 ,as a useful river it is equally celebrated3 its banks being bordered by rich and populous cities2 and the benefits it renders to industry and commerce being incalculable4 ,its stream is so rapid and strong1 that in ascending it is generally necessary from ,nantes to ,angers1 to track the barge3 this mode of proceeding1 though slow1 has its advantages2 as it gives greater time and opportunity for observing all the various beauties of scenery which present themselves at every turn of the river4 ,i embarked early in the morning with a favourable breeze from the west3 we soon began to be interested1 and almost enchanted1 with the rich and beautiful scenery1 which almost every moment opened to our view in endless variety4 ,this scenery not only pleased the eye and imagination by its beauty1 but also excited high and deep interest by the fertility which it displayed4 ,the banks were lined with corn fields1 vineyards1 or orchards4 ,occasionally the nature and interest of the prospect were agreeably diversified by the spire of a convent or the turrets of a chateau1 rising above gardens or groves1 or rich woodlands4 ,at other places there were still more decided marks of population1 for villages1 country-houses1 and farms1 caught the eye1 and added to the charms by which it was so willingly and powerfully detained4 ,the whole country on each side is well cultivated4 ,but even this part of ,france1 interesting and beautiful as it is1 cannot be traversed without the recollection of the horrors of the revolution breaking in upon1 and greatly damping the interest and pleasure derived from the view of the scenery4 ,as we approached the ruined tower of ,oudon1 it was impossible not to feel a melancholy regret at the scenes of unparalleled bloodshed that took place on the rich and delightful banks of this river during the phrenzy of the revolution4 ,these dreadful recollections assailed us most powerfully as we came in view of ,ancenis on the left1 and of ,saint ,florent le ,viel to the right4 ,at the latter place we stopped for the night4 ,it was a fine serene evening1 the wind had left us1 and we were forced to track the shore for some distance before we reached it3 just as the sun was setting ,i made a sketch of its ruined convent on the hill4 ,illustration3 ,,tour ,d',,oudon on the ,,river ,,loire4 ,illustration ,after the defeat of the ,vendean army1 and their retreat across the ,loire at this place1 says a ,french writer1 ,there were seen upon the right bank1 following the army1 which increased prodigiously1 a multitude of bishops1 priests1 monks1 religious persons1 old countesses1 baronesses1 c4 c4 who were carried off by cart-loads1 and which did nothing but embarrass the army4#aa ,there were a great many of them killed at the battle of ,mans4 ,footnote #aa3 ,on gaining the heights of ,st4 ,florent1 one of the most mournful1 and at the same time most magnificent spectacles1 burst upon the eye4 ,these heights form a vast semicircle2 at the bottom of which a broad bare plain extends to the edge of the water4 ,near an hundred thousand unhappy souls now blackened over that dreary expanse1--old men1 infants and women1 mingled1 with the half-armed soldiery1 caravans1 crowded baggage waggons and teams of oxen1 all full of despair1 impatience1 anxiety and terror3--,behind1 were the smoke of their burning villages1 and the thunder of the hostile artillery2--before1 the broad stream of the ,loire1 divided by a long low island1 also covered with the fugitives1--twenty frail barks plying in the stream--and1 on the far banks1 the disorderly movements of those who had effected the passage1 and were waiting there to be rejoined by their companions4 ,such1 ,mad4 de ,l4 assures us1 was the tumult and terror of the scene1 and so awful the recollections it inspired1 that it can never be effaced from the memory of any of those who beheld it2 and that many of its awe-struck spectators have concurred in stating1 that it brought forcibly to their imaginations the unspeakable terrors of the great day of judgment4--,edinb4 ,rev4 ,no4 ,,li4 p4 #bd4 ,it is said that when the ,prince ,talmont1 with the royalists1 crossed over from ,saint ,florent1 under the fire of the republican troops who had taken possession of the heights1 they consisted of thirty thousand individuals1 but that there were not twenty thousand warriors2 among them were five thousand women3 arrived in the open country1 without warlike stores1 they soon wanted provisions4 ,this multitude created a famine wherever it went1 and suffered a famine itself4 ,the first unsuccessful enterprize produced discouragement1 and necessarily the desertion of the army3 it diminished two-thirds when it was repulsed at ,angers2 and when the chiefs1 despairing 7after the battle of ,mans7 of not being able to recross the ,loire at ,ancenis1 led back the wrecks of the army to ,savenay1 it consisted only of fifteen thousand men1 half dead with hunger and misery3 the major part of these were exterminated by the republicans2 the rest dispersed themselves1 and from that time all efforts ceased4 ,prince de ,talmont was arrested near ,erne1 tried at ,rennes1 and executed at ,laval3 of the fate of ,lescure and the other chiefs1 a melancholy catalogue is furnished by ,madame de la ,roche-,jaquelin4 ,the wind favoring us the day following1 we sailed at break of day1 and arrived at ,angers at the close of a beautiful evening4 ,the approach to this town1 in sailing up the river ,mayenne1 is highly picturesque2 its ancient castle is situated on a high rock overhanging the river2 its walls and antique towers1 built by the ,english1 have an imposing effect4 ,the town stands in a plain1 which1 in the distance1 being fringed with wood1 together with the corn and meadow ground1 give it that richness and beauty that characterizes the whole country between ,nantes and ,angers4 ,the river ,mayenne1 and a small branch of the ,loire1 divide the town4 ,it is the chief seat of the province of ,maine-et-,loire1 formerly the capital of ,anjou4 ,it is a large ancient city1 with a fine cathedral1 a botanical garden1 museum1 and several manufactories of cottons2 one of them in imitation of ,india handkerchiefs4 ,here the last effort was made by the ,vendeans1 whose flight from it was immediately followed by the bloody and disastrous affair of ,mans4 ,i had now passed the provinces of ,bretagne and ,poitou1 as they border the ,loire2 and1 in point of beautiful and romantic scenery1 this district can scarcely be surpassed4 ,the left bank of the river1 running along the country of ,le ,bocage1 from ,nantes to ,angers1 a distance of seventy-two miles1 is a continued range of lofty hills1 agreeably diversified with corn lands1 and studded with vineyards4 ,the opposite bank is a more flat and variegated country1 with pleasant eminences and broad plains1 watered by branches of the ,loire1 which in many parts contains small islands covered with trees4 ,the whole course of this fine river1 as the eye sweeps and ranges over its banks1 presents at almost every bend the view of villas enriched with gardens1 orchards1 and vineyards2 castles1 convents1 and villages in ruins6 bearing innumerable evidences of the desolating war that has destroyed them4 ,the religious communities1 whose love of scenery and retirement in general led them to prefer the most sequestered valleys1 have in these provinces chosen the most elevated and picturesque spots for the erection of their monasteries2 and these1 notwithstanding their deserted and decaying state1 prove the good taste of their ancient possessors1 and the skill and industry with which they embellished them4 ,no situations could have been selected more abounding in picturesque combinations of magnificent landscapes4 ,the pleasure of the traveller in surveying such scenes1 cannot but be frequently interrupted1 by the recollection of the various atrocities which the inhabitants of these fine provinces committed against each other1 and of the immense number of innocent victims that were driven from their abode to perish by famine or the sword4 ,,chap4 ,,viii4 ,,saumur ,,to ,,tours--,,tours--,,tours ,,to ,,blois--,,orleans--,,and ,,orleans ,,to ,,paris4 ,i hired a small carriage1 called a patache1 to convey me to ,saumur and ,tours2 it is driven by a postillion with two horses1 and is open in front1 giving the traveller a better opportunity of viewing the country than in a close vehicle4 ,the town of ,saumur is built on both banks of the ,loire1 with a handsome stone bridge over it2 an ancient castle1 built on a high rock1 commands the whole town4 ,the road from ,angers to this place is a high raised causeway1 paved1 and runs parallel to the river1 within a few paces of its banks1 the whole distance4 ,here we entered into ,touraine from the province of ,anjou4 ,from ,saumur to ,tours1 the road is like the former4 ,the river ,loire is on the right hand1 and a flat level country on the left1 covered with orchards1 groves1 and meadows4 ,the road is every where raised so high1 that it forms a very steep declivity1 with narrow pathways down to the entrance of the cottages and villages1 which are most romantically situated1--some in orchards1 some amidst vineyards1 some in gardens1 and others in recesses peeping from between the trees4 ,the fences are fantastically interwoven with wreaths of the vines1 which frequently creep up the trunk of a pear or a cherry-tree1 and cover the slated roofs of the houses1 thereby1 from the natural luxuriance and wildness of their spreading branches in the fruit season1 answering at once the purposes of utility and ornament2 for the slates1 retaining the heat1 ripen the grape sooner than any other mode of training4 ,the corn was now ripe1 and added to the interest and beauty of the scenes2 in many of the fields the reapers were at work1 and the harvest 7which happily for ,france had not been so abundant for many years7 was going on with the assistance of the female peasantry1 who on all occasions partake and cheer the labours of the field4 ,approaching nearer to ,tours1 ,i had a fine view of the bridge1 which is esteemed the handsomest in ,france4 ,between the branches of the trees1 ,i now and then caught a glimpse of the spires of the church and buildings1 encompassed by extensive orchards and groves1 and open vales between1 varied by vineyards4 ,it was a jour de fte1 and as ,i drove through the town the streets were gay with holyday people1 and crowded in some places with groups of women and girls1 whose cheerful countenances proved the admiration with which they viewed the performances of some mountebanks4#ab ,tours is the chief seat of the prfecture of the ,indre-et-,loire1 formerly the capital of the province of ,touraine1 and is built on a plain on the bank of the ,loire4 ,the houses are of a white stone1 and in the principal streets well built and lofty3 it is altogether one of the handsomest towns in ,france4 ,the main street1 the rue ,royale1 can boast of a foot pavement1 which is seldom to be met with in this country4 ,the environs of the town are also very beautiful2 the luxuriance of the soil1 abounding in vines1 fruits1 and every article of life1 has attracted such numbers of ,english to its vicinity1 that ,tours may be almost considered an ,english colony4 ,footnote #ab3 ,there is no city in ,europe where there are more of these sort of people to be seen than at ,paris1 on the boulevards and different carrefours4 ,the fondness of the ,parisians for shows has existed for ages4 ,in a tariff of ,saint ,lewis for regulating the duties upon the different articles brought into ,paris by the gate of the little ,chtelet1 it is ordained1 7,hist4 ,,lviii4 cxxxiii47 that whosoever fetches a monkey into the city for sale1 shall pay four deniers2 but if the monkey belongs to a merry-andrew1 the merry-andrew shall be exempted from paying the duty1 as well upon the said monkey as on every thing else he carries along with him1 by causing his monkey to play and dance before the collector6 ,hence is derived the proverb ,payer en monnoie de singe1 i4e4 to laugh at a man instead of paying him4 ,by another article1 it is specified1 that jugglers shall likewise be exempt from all imposts1 provided they sing a couplet of a song before the toll-gatherer4 ,its ancient cathedral is in good preservation1 notwithstanding it became a prey to the licentious fanaticism of the republicans4 ,the hotel ,saint ,julien1 where ,i resided during my stay1 stands upon the cloisters of an ancient abbey2 and the church1 with its fine ,gothic pillars1 and chapels1 remains a monument of those destructive and desolating times6 ,the side aisles are stalls for horses and cattle1 and the centre is a remise for carriages and the public diligences which run to this inn6 ,the best hotel is the hotel du ,faisan4 ,the vast number of ,english who keep pouring into all the western provinces of this country1 by degrees has affected the markets1 and will continue to do so1 as long as the rage for emigration lasts4 ,at ,tours1 every article is one third dearer than at ,nantes1 and in proportion as the capital is approached every thing becomes more expensive2 yet notwithstanding this1 living is1 and must ever be1 infinitely cheaper than in ,england4 ,it certainly is no exaggeration to say1 that ,france is richer in the production of fruits and vegetables than any country in ,europe1 for in no other can be found so many productions of the same climates of the earth1 or a soil more naturally abundant4 ,with the exception of some of the northern provinces1 every part of ,france has wine1 and the culture of that delicious fruit which produces it is mentioned in its earliest records4 ,by a happy distribution1 those provinces which do not bear the vine1 are abundantly supplied with other productions4 ,normandy and ,bretagne abound in the finest fruits2 ,picardy1 and the adjoining provinces1 in corn4 ,the riches of ,lorraine are in its woods2 ,touraine has ever been famous for its plums and its pears4 ,the banks of the ,loire1 and the valleys of ,dauphin1 are celebrated for the richness of their verdure and vegetation2 and the more southern provinces of ,languedoc and ,provence1 partake of the climate and productions of ,italy and ,spain4 ,between ,tours and ,amboise1 ,i passed the once celebrated ,chteau of ,chanteloup1 formerly the property of the ,duc de ,choiseuil1 now the residence of the ,comte de ,chaptal1 who became the purchaser when it was sold as national property4 ,at the distance of six miles from ,blois1 the road leads near enough to ,valenay to have a good view of its magnificent palace and grounds2 this place1 now belonging to ,m4 de ,talleyrand1 ,prince et ,duc de ,benevento1 7one of the most extraordinary characters who have figured so conspicuously during the present age17 is the more interesting1 from having been so long the place of confinement of ,ferdinand the present ,king of ,spain2 and from whence our government tried to extricate him through the agency of ,baron de ,kolly1 who lost his life in the attempt4 ,this singular transaction has appeared in all the public papers1 but having had an opportunity of collecting the particulars through a channel of undoubted authority1 ,i consider it an anecdote of too interesting a nature1 as connected with the subject before me1 not to insert it here4 ,in #ahaj1 our government laid a plan to liberate ,king ,ferdinand ,,vii4 of ,spain1 similar to the one which had already effected the escape of the ,marquis de la ,romana4 ,the person entrusted with this commission1 assumed the name of ,baron de ,kolly1 and besides the necessary credit and credentials1 he was furnished with the original letter1 written by ,charles ,,iv4 to ,george ,,iii4 in #ahjb1 notifying the marriage of his son1 the ,prince of the ,asturias1 and containing a marginal note from the ,marquis ,w4444 in corroboration of his mission4 ,a small squadron was also sent to cruize off that part of the coast most contiguous to ,valenay1 under the orders of ,commodore ,c4444 to be in readiness to receive the royal fugitive4 ,on a sudden the ,baron de ,kolly was seized1 and the plan frustrated1 but the real particulars were never known until after the events of the campaign of #ahae4 ,in the course of the passage to ,st4 ,helena1 ,admiral ,c4444 7who had been entrusted with the project7 expressed a wish to know of ,buonaparte1 by what means de ,kolly had been discovered and arrested1 and the true circumstances of the affair so totally unknown in ,england1 adding1 that if no motive of state policy intervened1 he was anxious to hear the whole disclosure4 ,buonaparte readily consented1 and told him that de ,kolly arrived at ,paris and lived in the greatest obscurity1 dressed shabbily1 and eating his meals only at cheap traiteurs in the ,fauxbourg ,st4 ,antoine4 ,however1 he was not satisfied with the common wine served up1 and would ask for the best ,bordeaux1 for which he paid five francs per bottle4 ,this contrast of poverty and luxury excited suspicions in the waiters of the two houses he thus frequented1 who being in the pay of the police1 immediately sent in a report4 ,de ,kolly was watched1 and soon afterwards seized with all his papers4 ,buonaparte said he then procured a person1 as nearly resembling de ,kolly as could be found1 to carry on the ,english stratagem1 under a hope that ,ferdinand would have fallen into the trap2 and with all the original credentials1 this agent of the ,french police went into the castle of ,valenay1 under a pretext of selling some trinkets4 ,ferdinand however1 said ,buonaparte1 was too great a coward to enter into the views proposed to him1 but instantly gave information of what had been communicated1 to his first chamberlain1 ,amazada1 in a letter written to the governor of the castle6--,by this means ,ferdinand escaped being placed at the mercy of ,buonaparte1 whose intention was to intercept him in his flight4 ,although the conduct of ,ferdinand was in this instance pusillanimous and cruel1 it was next to an impossibility that he could have effected his escape4 ,he was surrounded by guards and spies of every description1 under the superintendence of ,m4 ,darberg1 ,auditor of the ,council of ,state1 and without whose leave no admittance could be obtained4 ,twenty-five horse gendarmes regularly mounted guard about the castle1 and every person found in its vicinity without a regular passport1 was confined and strictly examined4 ,at a small distance1 is the residence of ,marshal ,victor1 ,duc de ,belluno1 whom ,i met walking in the grounds4 ,i was very civilly permitted to enter1 on sending a message desiring permission1 as a traveller1 to see it4 ,it stands at the entrance of the village of ,mnard1 and was once the favourite residence of ,madame de ,pompadour1 the mistress of ,louis ,,xv4 ,the river ,loire winds beautifully beneath the terrace4 ,the grounds are of a vast extent1 and tastefully laid out4 ,over the entrance1 the workmen were then placing the arms of the ,marshal1 finely executed in stone4 ,the country is thickly enclosed on each side of the river1 varied with hill and dale1 clothed with vineyards4 ,the villages and small towns along the banks1 as far as ,orlans1 are numerous and invariably picturesque4 ,nothing can be more beautiful than the natural festoons which are formed by the long shoots of the vines as they project over the road4 ,the peasants and the vignerons live in the midst of their vineyards2 their dwellings are excavations in chalky strata of the solid rock1 which afford them warm and dry habitations2 some of them were so covered with the vines that the entrance was scarcely visible1 and the comparison of them to so many birds nests is not badly imagined4 ,the hedges were covered with wild thyme and rosemary2 and the clematis interwoven with honeysuckles and other fragrant flowers1 richly perfumed the air4 ,the grapes in ,touraine and ,orlanois are not abundant this year1 but the wine that is expected to be made1 will1 it is supposed1 from the dryness of the summer1 be of an excellent quality4 ,the town of ,orlans is memorable for the siege it sustained against the ,english in #adbh1 when the maid of ,orlans acquired so much renown1 and whose barbarous execution at ,rouen1 cannot be remembered without feelings of horror and indignation1 and must ever remain a stain on the memory of that brave soldier the ,duke of ,bedford4 ,the transactions subsequent to that event1 led to the almost entire expulsion of the ,english from ,france2 and those glittering conquests which were an object of more glory than interest1 and had been purchased at such an expense of blood and treasure1 were from that time lost to the ,english nation4 ,during the ,revolution1 the ancient statue of this celebrated female was taken down and unfortunately destroyed1 and one more modern1 but less interesting1 finely executed in bronze1 has been since erected4 ,she is habited in armour1 with a lance and shield1 supposed to be leading on the victorious troops4 ,at the four angles1 are the emblematical figures in relief1 of the principal events of her singular career4 ,on a marble pedestal1 is inscribed3 ,a ,,jeanne ,d',,arc4 ,orlans is the chief seat of the department of the ,loiret1 formerly the capital of ,orlanais1 on the river ,loire1 over which it has a handsome bridge like the one at ,tours1 though not of such extent1 as the river here is not so wide1 and very shallow4 ,the communication by water with ,paris is carried on by means of a canal4 ,the church is one of the finest specimens of ,gothic architecture ,i have seen in ,france4 ,the towers are of open fretwork1 and in excellent preservation4 ,more cheerful scenes of exuberant fertility are nowhere to be met with than along the banks of the river1 and in the country surrounding the town4 ,from ,orlans to ,etampes1 there is a plain of eighteen leagues in extent1 the whole of which was covered with one entire tract of corn and vines2 not an intervening hill or hillock2 and the scene was doubly interesting from the harvest carrying on in every direction as ,i traversed it4 ,leaving ,etampes1 ,i passed through the beautiful villages of ,sceaux1 ,bourg-la-,reine1 and ,fontenay-aux-,roses2 the latter still contains the ruins of the ,palace of ,colbert1 the celebrated minister of ,louis ,,xiv4 ,the village of ,fontenay-aux-,roses1 is situated in a valley six miles from ,paris1 and takes its name from the culture of roses1 which cover large tracts of ground4 ,the proprietors sell the flowers to the distillers for making rose water and essences1 and the flower market is supplied with the choicest bouquets2 it is likewise celebrated for its produce of the finest strawberries and peaches4 ,the beauty of its situation1 and the association of its name with the sweetest of flowers1 has attracted many of the wealthy inhabitants of the metropolis to reside in its vicinity1 where they have summer houses2 among them is the ,maire de ,fontenay1 ,monsieur ,ledru1 whose history is singular and interesting4 ,his father1 who was very wealthy1 and a great miser1 sent for him one morning1 at the time he had just attained his eighteenth year1 and said to him3 ,i began life at your age with half a crown2 there is one for you--go1 and be as fortunate as ,i have been2--saying which1 he turned him out of the house1 and shut the door in his face4 ,undismayed at such unexpected and unnatural conduct on the part of his parent1 whom he had never offended1 the youth sought the advice and assistance of a friend1 by whose opinion he applied himself to the study of medicine4 ,after an indefatigable study at the ,hotel ,dieu1 he became celebrated in his profession1 and had the good fortune to be employed by a lady of great wealth1 whose life he saved4 ,out of gratitude1 she proposed to become his wife1 and to settle upon him an income of fifty thousand livres1 that he might give up his medical pursuits2 which1 having accepted1 he rewarded her by an attention and kindness suitable to the noble generosity of her conduct4 ,the revolution soon after occurred1 and in the general wreck of property she lost all her fortune1 it having been invested1 either in the funds1 or public securities4 ,it then became the turn of ,mons4 ,ledru to support his wife1 by renewing the practice of his profession1 which soon placed them again in affluent circumstances4 ,at the death of his father1 who left an immense fortune to be divided between ,mons4 ,ledru and his two maiden sisters1 he took possession of the estate at ,fontenay-aux-,roses1 from whence he had been cruelly banished when a boy1 and which the unkindness of his parent had never after permitted him to enter4 ,fortune1 which had hitherto played a wayward and capricious game with him1 had not yet ceased her freaks4 ,in removing a mirror from over a chimney-piece which required an alteration1 he discovered a prodigious treasure that had been concealed there by his father6 ,with that generosity and nobleness of character1 which make him esteemed and beloved by all his acquaintance1 and adored by the whole commune over which he presides1 he instantly sent for his sisters and divided it with them4 ,his wife did not long survive this last event1 and since her death he has continued to reside at ,fontenay-aux-,roses with his sisters1 where he exercises his authority with mildness2 and by constant acts of beneficence and charity1 is justly styled1 ,le ,pre de ,fontenay6 ,between ,fontenay-aux-,roses and ,paris1 to the right of the road1 is the village of ,gentilly1 whose numerous guinguettes are much frequented by the ,parisians in fine weather4 ,it being a holyday we met crowds of well dressed citizens1 in all sorts of vehicles1 driving towards it4 ,an interesting circumstance had been related to me of the cur of this village1 ,m4 ,dtruissart2 and on asking permission to visit his rural habitation1 ,i found the story to be true4 ,his garden1 which is not above half an acre1 has been laid out with such art and ingenuity1 as to give an idea of considerable extent1 and to add to the charms of this little spot1 which he calls his bonheur1 there are a variety of inscriptions of his own composition2 over an arbour of vines is the following3-- ,,ma ,,solitude4 ,loin des mchans1 du bruit1 des temptes du monde1 ,sous un simple berceau dont la treille est fconde1 ,sous un modeste tot1 dans de rians jardins1 ,dessins1 levs1 cultivs par mes mains4444 ,c'est dans ces lieux chris que s'coule ma vie ,dans une paix profonde1 une tranquillit ,qui sans cesse rappele mon ame ravie ,le temps de l'ge d'or et ma flicit3 ,mais1 quelque doux qu'il soit1 mon sort est peu de chose2 ,car enfin1 aprs tout1 je dois mourir bientt6 ,ne ressemblons-nous pas la feuille de rose ,qui parot un instant et qui sche aussitt6 ,it was in the practice of the moral conveyed by these lines1 and in the pursuit of literature1 and constant acts of charity1 that ,mons4 ,dtruissart passed his life1 which was rewarded by the esteem and affection of all his parishioners1 of which they gave a remarkable proof on the #dth of ,july1 #ahae1 when the ,prussian troops took post at ,gentilly1 from whence they had driven the ,french the preceding evening into ,paris4 ,the poor cur1 with many other of the inhabitants1 sought refuge in the capital1 leaving his house at the mercy of the enemy1 who commenced plundering in all directions2 the humble and modest appearance of ,m4 ,dtruissart's cottage not attracting their notice1 it remained untouched1 when a single word from any of the inhabitants would have devoted it to ruin2 but such was their esteem for him1 that at his return he found every thing as he had left it4 ,i entered ,paris1 leaving ,bictre to my right1 by the barrire d',enfer1 after one of the most agreeable and interesting journeys ,i ever performed4 ,,chap4 ,,ix4 ,,environs ,,of ,,paris--,,pere ,,la ,,chaise--,,castle ,,of ,,vincennes--,,and ,,chateau ,,of ,,st4 ,,germain--,,its ,,forest ,,and ,,vicinity4 ,prior to the revolution1 the ,french1 like most other ,european nations1 were in the practice of depositing their dead in churches and cemeteries within the most populous towns1 in compliance with those precepts of evangelical doctrine which recommend us unceasingly to reflect on death2 and hence originated a custom which cannot but be attended with most pernicious consequences to health1 when we reflect that the decomposition of human bodies is productive of putrid exhalations1 and consequently pregnant with the causes of contagious disorders4 ,it is indeed surprising that some regulations have not hitherto been adopted in ,england regarding the interment of the dead1 from the example of other countries4 ,in the year #agic1 a decree was passed by the ,national ,assembly1 to prevent burying in churches1 or in church-yards1 within the city of ,paris4 ,since which period1 there have been three places selected in its immediate neighbourhood for that purpose--,montmartre1 called ,le ,champ du ,repos--,vaugirard1 and ,pre ,la ,chaise4 ,quitting the ,boulevards1 at the extremity of the ,boulevards ,neufs1 eastward of the city1 and passing through the ,barrire d',aulnay1 ,i arrived at the ,pre ,la ,chaise4 ,at the entrance1 through large folding gates1 is a spacious court-yard1 having at one angle the dwelling of the ,concierge1 or ,keeper4 ,the enclosure contains one hundred and twenty acres1 on a gently rising ground1 in the centre of which stands the ancient mansion constructed by ,louis ,,xiv4 for his confessor1 ,pre la ,chaise1 the celebrated ,jesuit1 who1 with ,madame de ,maintenon1 governed ,france4 ,rising above the thousands of tombs which surround it1 it displays itself a wrecked and mouldering monument of ancient splendour1 and the mutability of human affairs6 ,this spot became afterwards a place of public promenade and great resort1 from the beauty of its position overlooking all ,paris2 and though so often the scene of festivity and pleasure1 now presents to the eye of the beholder a mournfully interesting sight of tombs and sarcophagi1 intermixed with various fruit trees1 cypress groves1 the choicest flowers1 and rarest shrubs4 ,from the rising ground1 above the building of ,pre ,la ,chaise1 a most delightful view displays itself4 ,the city of ,paris appears to stand in the centre of a vast amphitheatre4 ,the heights of ,belleville1 ,montmartre1 and ,mnilmontant1 in the west4 ,to the east1 the beautiful plain of ,saint-,mand1 ,montreuil1 and ,vincennes1 with the lofty towers of its fortress4--,the fertile banks of the river ,marne1 are on the ,north1 and in the ,south1 the horizon encircles ,bictre and ,meudon4 ,the various tombs are placed without order or regularity3 they are mostly enclosed with trellis work of wood1 sometimes by iron railing2 and consist of a small marble column1 a pyramid1 a sarcophagus1 or a single slab1 just as may have suited the fancy or the taste of the friends of the departed4--,some surrounded with cypress1 some with roses1 myrtles1 and the choicest exotics2 others with evergreens1 and not unfrequently a single weeping willow1 with the addition of a rose tree6 ,this intermixture of the sweetest scented flowers and fruit trees1 in a burying ground1 among the finest pieces of sculptured marble1 with evergreens growing over them1 in the form of arbours1 and furnished with seats1 cannot fail to produce in the mind of the person who views it for the first time1 peculiar and uncommon feelings of domestic melancholy1 mingled with pleasing tenderness4 ,who could be otherwise than powerfully affected1 as ,i was1 by the first objects that presented themselves to me on entering the place8--,a mother and her two sons1 kneeling in pious devotion at the foot of the husband's and the father's grave6 ,at a short distance1 a female of elegant form1 watering and dressing the earth around some plants at her lover's tomb6--not a day1 and seldom an hour1 passes1 but some one is seen either weeping over the remains of a departed relative1 or watching with pious solicitude the flowers that spring up around it4 ,among the many interesting objects that presented themselves at my first visit1 was the tomb of ,ablard and ,hlose1 which had not long since been removed from the convent of the ,augustins1 where ,i had seen it in #ahae4 ,at a little distance1 to the left of the former1 was the burial place of ,labdoyre4 ,the fate of this brave and unfortunate officer is well known2 his youth1 and misled zeal1 have procured him a sympathy which his fellow sufferer ,marshal ,ney did not find1 and did not merit4 ,in the centre of a square plot of ground enclosed with lattice work1 is erected a wooden cross1 painted black4 ,neither marble1 nor stone1 nor letters1 indicate his name4 ,two pots of roses1 and a tuft of violets1 alone marked the spot1 which is carefully weeded4 ,there is something more affecting in all this simplicity1 something1 in my mind1 that goes more directly home to the heart1 than in the most splendid monument or the most studied eulogium4 ,as we came suddenly up we saw two females clad in deep mourning1 weeping over it2 at each arm of the cross was suspended a garland of flowers2 we were about to retire again immediately1 from the fear of disturbing their melancholy devotions1 when the concierge1 with a brutality indescribable1 rushed forward1 and removing the garlands1 threw them among the shrubs at a considerable distance4 ,the friend who accompanied me1 after searching1 recovered one of the garlands1 and with more gallantry perhaps than policy1 immediately replaced it1 and reproaching the keeper with his unmanly conduct1 vowed vengeance if he dared to interrupt the ladies1 again1 when bowing to them we retired4 ,as we were about to quit the place some time after1 we were arrested by two gendarmes1 and it was not till after a detention of some hours1 and a long discussion between the police officers who had been summoned to attend1 and being threatened to be sent to the ,conciergerie prison1 that we were allowed to depart4 ,the following words were engraved on a plain marble slab that covered the remains of ,marshal ,ney4 ,,ci ,,git ,,le ,,mar,,chal ,,ney ,,duc ,d',,echlingen ,,prince ,,de ,,moscowa ,d,c,d le #g1 ,decembre1 #ahae4 ,the grave of the ,marshal1 as well as that of ,labdoyre1 when ,i again visited the spot1 had been stripped of every thing1 and the railing around them removed so as to prevent any one from discovering the place of their interment4 ,the monument of ,madame ,cottin1 the author of ,elizabeth and of ,mathilde1 is1 like her writings1 simple and affecting6-,surrounded by a trellis work in the form of an arbour1 planted with rose trees1 stands a pillar of the whitest marble1 highly polished1 inclining forwards1 and engraved with3 ,,ici ,,repose ,marie-,sophie ,risteav ,veuve de ,j4,m4 ,cottin ,dcde le #be ,aot4 #ahae4 ,near this is the tomb of the esteemed and celebrated poet ,delille1 the ,songster of the ,gardens1 as the ,french term him4 ,the monument is enclosed in a small garden1 planted with the choicest flowers and shrubs3 it is of white marble1 of large dimensions1 and approached by an alle verte4 ,the door leading to the vault is of brass1 with emblematical figures in relief3 above the entrance is inscribed in letters of gold4 ,,jacqves-,,delille4 ,the linden tree1 intermixed with various evergreens1 form an interesting and beautiful bouquet around it4 ,beyond this1 to the right1 are the tombs of ,grtry the composer1 ,fourcroy the great chemist1 ,fontenelle1 ,boileau1 ,racine1 and of ,mademoiselle ,raucourt1 the celebrated actress1 to whom the bigotry of the clergy refused burial in consecrated ground in #ahae6 a circumstance which gave rise to much clamour and dissatisfaction4 ,it is surprising1 that after such events as have been experienced in ,france1 the folly of denying the right of consecrated ground to a comedian should have been persevered in1 after the restoration of ,louis ,,xviii6 ,close to the tomb of ,mad'lle ,raucourt1 is one1 which for its affecting simplicity and modesty1 struck me very forcibly3 in a little garden of roses and lilies1 and amidst some tufts of mignonette which appeared to have been newly watered1 stood a plain marble column1 with the words as represented in the annexed sketch--an accacia shaded it from the sun's rays4 ,in #ahad1 when the ,allies approached ,paris1 this height1 like the others commanding the capital1 was fortified1 and occupied by the students of the ,polytechnical ,school1 who defended it with great gallantry4 ,the walls were perforated with holes for the musketry3 the marks are still visible where they have been since filled up4 ,on the #cjth of ,march1 #ahad1 this position was vigorously attacked1 with great slaughter on both sides3 the assailants and the assailed fell in heaps1 and it was not until the chief part of a ,prussian corps1 7that afterwards carried it by assault7 had been annihilated1 that the brave youths gave way4 ,illustration ,the tomb of my early friend and brother officer1 the brave and unfortunate ,captain ,wright1 who was murdered in the ,temple1 is in the cemetery of ,vaugirard4 ,i had searched for it in vain at ,pre la ,chaise1 where it was reported he had been buried4 ,it has on it the following inscription1 written to his memory by his companion in arms1 and in imprisonment1 the gallant ,sir ,sidney ,smith3 ,,here ,,lies ,,inhumed ,,john ,,wesley ,,wright1 ,,by ,,birth ,,an ,,englishman1 ,,captain ,,in ,,the ,,british ,,navy ,distinguished both among his own ,countrymen and ,foreigners ,for skill and courage2 ,to whom1 ,of those things which lead to the summit of glory1 ,nothing was wanting but opportunity3 ,his ancestors1 whose virtues he inherited1 ,he honoured by his deeds4 ,quick in apprehending his orders1 ,active and bold in the execution of them2 ,in success modest1 ,in adverse circumstances firm1 ,in doubtful enterprises1 wise and prudent4 ,awhile successful in his career2 ,at length assailed by adverse winds1 and on an hostile shore1 ,he was captured2 ,and being soon after brought to ,paris1 ,was confined in the prison called the ,temple1 ,infamous for midnight murders1 ,and placed in the most rigid custody3 ,but in bonds1 ,and suffering severities still more oppressive1 ,his fortitude of mind and fidelity to his country ,remained unshaken4 ,a short time after1 ,he was found in the morning with his throat cut4 ,and dead in his bed3 ,he died the #bhth ,october1 #ahje1 aged #cf4 ,to be lamented by his ,country1 ,avenged by his ,god6 ,,the ,,donjon1 ,,or ,,castle ,,of ,,vincennes4 ,this ancient fortress is situate at the entrance of the forest of ,vincennes1 7now reduced to a wood of small trees1 the large timber having been cut down during the revolution7 and surrounded by a deep ditch of great width1 about two miles from the ,barrire du ,trne4 ,during many ages1 it had been the casual residence of the sovereigns of ,france4 ,philip de ,valois added considerably to its dimensions in #accg4 ,john continued the works1 and during his captivity in ,england1 ,charles his son1 then regent of the kingdom1 finished it4 ,during the reign of ,charles ,,vii4 in #adbb1 ,henry ,,vi4 of ,england died in this castle4 ,from this time ,vincennes became a royal residence1 until the reign of ,louis ,,xiv4 when that monarch fixed himself at ,versailles1 from which period it has never been used but as a prison#ac4 ,footnote #ac3 ,monstrelet relates a curious anecdote1 during the residence at the ,castle of ,vincennes of ,isabeau de ,bavire1 strongly illustrative of the barbarous manners of those times4 ,lewis de ,bourbon1 who was handsome and well made1 and had signalized himself upon various occasions1 and amongst others at the battle of ,agincourt1 going one night1 as was customary1 to visit the ,queen1 ,isabeau de ,bavire1 at the ,castle of ,vincennes1 met the ,king 7,charles ,,vi472 he saluted him1 without either stopping or alighting from his horse1 but continued galloping on4 ,the ,king having recollected him1 ordered ,tangui du ,chatel1 prvost of ,paris1 to pursue1 and to confine him in prison4 ,at night the question was applied1 and he was afterwards tied up in a sack and cast into the ,seine1 with this inscription upon the sack1 ',let the ,king's justice take place4' ,dulaure1 a ,french writer1 in speaking of the persons who were confined here1 observes1 it would be difficult to enumerate the number of individuals that have been shut up in this prison within these few years4 ,we will merely notice1 he says1 the celebrated ,count ,mirabeau1 who was confined from #aggg to #aghj2 here it was that he translated his ,tibulle1 and ,joannes ,secundus1 and wrote his ',lettres originales' to his mistress1 ,madame ,lemonnier1 which abound with passages as affecting as the letters of ,hlose4 ,this prison was thrown open during the reign of the unfortunate ,louis ,,xvi4 by the ,baron de ,breteuil1 ,minister of the ,department of ,paris in #aghd4 ,in going over it1 every one was penetrated with horror2 and feelings of the most melancholy interest were excited by reading the various inscriptions on the walls1 indicative of the hopeless misery that had been experienced within them6 ,many were expressive of piety and resignation at the approach of death6--others complaining of the cruel oppression which had immured them6 ,on one wall was written1 ,il faut mourir1 mon frere2 mon frere il faut mourir1 quand il plaira ,dieu4 ,on the door of another prison were1 ,beati qui persecutionem patiuntur propter justitiam1 quoniam ipsorum est regnum caelorum4 ,on the same spot were1 ,carcer ,socratis1 templum honoris4 ,this ,donjon remained unoccupied until #agia4 ,at this period1 the prisons of the capital being filled with criminals1 ,government ordered it to be prepared for the reception of that class of prisoners2 but on the massacres that followed1 the mob either murdered or released them all1 after a bloody contest1 and it remained again without prisoners until the ,imperial ,government under ,buonaparte4 ,it was then garrisoned by a detachment of the ,imperial ,guard1 and multitudes of victims were transferred there whose fate remains1 and probably ever will remain1 unknown4 ,it was to this place that the ,duke ,d',enghien1 who was arrested the #aeth ,march1 #ahjd1 at ,ettenheim1 in the ,electorate of ,baden1 was conducted the #bjth of the same month1 at five in the evening1 and condemned to death the night following1 by a military commission1 at which ,murat presided4 ,he was accordingly shot on the #bast1 at half past four in the evening1 in the ditch of the castle which looks towards the forest1 on the north side1 and his body thrown into a grave1 ready dug to receive it1 where he fell4 ,the details of this cruel and wanton act of barbarity are too well known to need any repetition here4 ,this spot is now marked by a wooden cross1 enclosed by an iron railing4 ,the remains of the ,prince were dug out on the #bjth ,march1 #ahaf1 by order of ,louis ,,xviii4 and deposited with solemn funeral ceremony in a coffin which is placed in the same apartment where the council of war condemned him to suffer6 since transformed info a chapel4 ,under a cenotaph1 covered with a cloth of gold1 is placed the coffin1 with a prodigious large stone lying on it1 the same that was found lying on his head1 and which from its weight had crushed his skull6 ,the apartment is hung with black cloth1 and remains continually lighted1 with a guard placed over it4 ,mass is daily performed for the repose of his soul1 agreeable to the ,catholic religion4 ,on the lid of the coffin is the following inscription3 ,ici est ,le ,corps ,de ,trs-,haut1 ,trs-,puissant ,prince ,louis-,antoine-,henri ,de ,bourbon ,duc ,d',enghien1 ,prince du ,sang ,pair de ,france ,mort ,a ,vincennes1 ,le #ba ,mars #ahjd ,a ,l'age de ,,xxxi ,ans ,,vii mois ,,xviii ,jours4 ,a marble bust of the ,prince1 by ,bosio1 is placed at the entrance4 ,during the periods of #ahad and #ahae1 when ,paris was in possession of the ,allies1 ,vincennes continued under the command of ,general ,daumesnil1 who declared that he held it for his country until the ,government was settled1 and would not open its gates to a foreign army4 ,it was not attacked either of the times4 ,it is approached by two gates1 with drawbridges1 and defended by cannon on all sides4 ,the foss is of great depth1 and dry1 extending1 ,i should suppose1 nearly a quarter of a mile4 ,it has nine towers1 of prodigious height and solidity3 the largest1 at the south western angle1 called the ,donjon1 is considerably more elevated than the others4 ,the principal entrance is fronting the forest1 on the north side1 in the form of a triumphal arch1 with six pillars1 ornamented in bas-reliefs1 and was decorated with marble statues1 which were destroyed when it was seized by the mob4 ,the ,donjon is surrounded by a separate ditch1 within the other1 of forty feet depth1 and is approached by two draw-bridges2 one for carriages1 the other for foot passengers2 and the main tower is flanked by four other angular ones1 each having a high turret4 ,the windows are treble barred within and without1 so as to admit but a faint glimmering light6 ,three gates of great solidity are to be passed at the entrance2 that which communicates with the draw-bridge of the castle is secured both within and without4 ,after passing the three gates1 there is a court1 in the middle of which stands the ,donjon4 ,three other immense gates guard its entrance6 ,the form of the ,donjon is a square4 ,the towers at the four angles are divided into five floors1 each having a separate stair-case1 and each floor is vaulted1 with an apartment in the centre1 sustained by pillars1 which are chimneys4 ,at each of the four corners of the apartment in the centre is a cell thirteen feet square4 ,the towers are encompassed on the third story by a large gallery on the outside1 and on the top of each there is a small circular terrace4 ,such is the strength and prodigious solidity of this building1 that it is said to be capable of resisting the heaviest cannon1 and is bomb proof4 ,the hand of time appears not to have made any impression on its outward surface4 ,the first hall is called ,la chambre de la question3 its name indicates sufficiently the horrid purposes to which it was appropriated6 ,so late as the year #agij were to be seen chairs formed of stone1 where the unhappy victims were seated1 with iron collars fixed to the wall by heavy chains1 that confined them to the spot while undergoing the torture6 ,in these prisons1 deprived of air and light1 were beds of timber1 on which they were allowed to repose during the interval of their sufferings4 ,the upper floor1 named ,la salle du conseil1 from the ,kings holding their council there1 while it was a royal residence1 is secured by a door of great solidity1 and each prison at the angles had three doors covered with iron plates1 with double locks and treble bolts4 ,the doors were so contrived as to open crossways1 each serving as a security to the other4 ,the first acted as a bar to the second1 and this to the third1 so that it was necessary to close one before the other could be opened4--,such was the mode of confinement in this prison1 the walls of which are sixteen feet thick1 and the arches thirty feet high4 ,the other eight towers were also prisons4 ,the one called ,la tour de la surintendance contains cells six feet square2 the bed places are of stone4 ,there is a square hole to descend into the vaults beneath1 where1 like a tomb1 the miserable prisoner was immured for ever666 ,often1 alas6 for imaginary crimes1 or for causes which make us shudder at their wantonness and barbarity1 an unfortunate victim has been torn from the bosom of his family1 to perish unheard of and unknown6 ,the ,french ,government have1 ,i understand1 issued an order to prevent any one from entering this place from motives of curiosity2 and let us hope that the humane and enlightened policy of the restored ,monarch will close its cells for ever6 ,the following beautiful lines1 with which ,i close an account of the most horribly interesting spot ,i ever visited1 are from the pen of ,delille3 44444444444444444444444444 ,voyez gmir en proie sa longue torture1 ,ce mortel confin dans sa noire clture4 ,pour unique plaisir et pour seul passe-temps1 ,de sa lente journe il compte les instans1 ,ou de son noir cachot mesure l'tendue1 ,ou mdite en secret sa fuite inattendue2 ,ou1 de ceux qu'avant lui renferma la prison1 ,lit1 sur ces tristes murs1 la complainte et le nom3 ,et lui-mme y traant sa douloureuse histoire1 ,a ceux qui le suivront en transmet la mmoire4 ,c'est peu d'tre enchan dans ces tristes tombeaux1 ,combien de souvenirs viennent aigrir ses maux6 ,hlas6 tandis qu'auprs de leurs jeunes compagnes2 ,dans les riches cits1 dans les vastes campagnes2 ,ses amis d'autrefois errent en libert1 ,lorsque l'heure propice la socit1 ,reconduit chaque soir la jeunesse foltre ,aux entretiens joyeux1 la danse1 au thtre1 ,ou1 d'un plaisir plus doux annonant le retour1 ,du moment fortun vient avertir l'amour1 ,il est seul2 444 en un long et lugubre silence1 ,pour lui le jour s'achve1 et le jour recommence2 ,il n'entend point l'accent de la tendre amiti1 ,il ne voit point les pleurs de la douce piti3 ,n'ayant de mouvement que pour traner des chnes1 ,un coeur que pour l'ennui1 des sens que pour les peines1 ,pour lui1 plus de beaux jours1 de ruisseau1 de gazon2 ,cette vute est son ciel1 ces murs son horizon1 ,son regard1 lev vers les flambeaux clestes1 ,vient mourir dans la nuit de ses cachots funestes2 ,rien n'gaie ses yeux leur morne obscurit2 ,ou si1 par des barreaux avares de clart1 ,un faible jour se glisse en ces antres funbres1 ,il redouble pour lui les horreurs des tnbres1 ,et1 le coeur consum d'un regret sans espoir1 ,il cherche la lumire et gmit de la voir4 ,,delille4 ,,chateau ,,de ,,saint ,,germain4 ,this ancient pile of building is now a barrack for the ,king's ,gardes du ,corps1 containing two troops1 one of ,luxembourg1 and the other of ,grammont1 which are relieved every three months4 ,it is supposed to have been built in the reign of ,robert1 but there appears to be no certainty as to the exact period4 ,it is interesting to the ,english traveller1 from having been the last refuge of ,james the ,second of ,england1 and the residence1 at various times1 of very celebrated and distinguished characters4 ,it was taken1 and pillaged1 and partly burnt1 during the reign of ,philip ,,vi1 in #acdf1 by ,edward the ,third1 and again by the ,english in #adai1 and rebuilt by ,francis the ,first4 ,during the war of the ,league in #aegd1 ,catherine de ,medicis retired to this ,castle1 but from the predictions of an astrologer1 that she would die there1 quitted it shortly after1 and returned to the ,tuilleries1 which ,palace she had founded4#ad ,henry the ,fourth often frequented ,saint ,germain4 ,the ,chteau ,neuf1 and one of the towers1 called ,le ,pavilion de ,gabrielle1 which is still in good preservation1 were erected by him1 close to the ,castle1 for the residence of his favourite1 ,la belle ,gabrielle3#ae and the superb terrace was begun in his reign4 ,from this spot the view is very interesting and extensive3 nothing can surpass the admirable assemblage of hills1 meadows1 gardens1 and vineyards1 which charm the eye1 and which as they are viewed from its different points on a clear summer's evening1 appear at every turn1 in new beauty1 and endless variety4 ,footnote #ad3 ,according to ,mezeray1 this palace had its name from the spot whereon it is situated1 which was called ,les ,tuilleries1 because tiles 7des tuiles7 were made here4 ,catherine de ,medicis built it #aefd4 ,it consisted of nothing but the large square pavilion in the middle1 the two wings1 and the two pavilions which terminate the wings4 ,henry ,,iv4 ,louis ,,xiii4 and ,louis ,,xiv4 afterwards extended1 elevated1 and embellished it4 ,it is said to be neither so well proportioned1 so beautiful1 or so regular1 as it was at first4 ,the ,tuilleries is1 nevertheless1 a very splendid palace4 ,an astrologer having predicted to ,catherine de ,medicis1 that she would die near ,st4 ,germain1 she immediately flew1 in a most superstitious manner1 from all places and churches that bore this name2 she no more resorted to ,st4 ,germain-en-,laye1 and because her palace of the ,tuilleries was situated in the parish of ,saint ,germain l',auxerrois1 she was at the expense of building another1 which was the ,hotel de ,soissons1 near the church of ,st4 ,eustache4 ,when it was known to be ,laurence de ,saint ,germain1 ,bishop of ,nazareth1 who had attended her upon her death-bed1 people infatuated with astrology averred that the prediction had been accomplished4 ,footnote #ae3 ,henri ,,iv se plaisait beaucoup ,saint-,germain1 et y vint souvent1 quand son coeur fut pris des charmes de la belle ,gabrielle4 ,ce prince galant et libral1 qui dj lui avait prouv son amour par le don d'une infinit de maisons de campagne1 aux environs de ,paris1 voulut encore lui donner une preuve de sa tendresse1 en btissant pour elle1 deux cents toises de l'ancien chteau1 une nouvelle et belle habitation1 qu'on appela le ,chteau ,neuf4 ,elev sur les dessins de l'architecte ,marchand1 il tait surtout remarquable par son architecture simple1 ses nombreuses devises1 les chiffres amoureux et les emblmes allgoriques qui le dcoroient1 et qui faisoient une ingnieuse allusion la passion du monarque pour sa mitresse4 ,l'une des ailes de ce chteau s'appelait mme le ,pavillon de ,gabrielle4--,hist4 ,topo4 des ,environs de ,paris4 ,the ,city of ,paris is seen in the distance4 ,the fine aqueduct of ,marly1 the mountain de ,coeur volant1 ,mount ,calvary1#af and ,malmaison to the right2 in front the forest of ,vsinet1 and beyond it the vale of ,saint ,denis2 on the left the hills which encompass the beautiful vale of ,montmorency2 the ,seine winding at the foot1 and extending its course until it loses itself in the distance--all within one sweep of the eye6--,such is the enchanting prospect which presents itself4 ,it was at different times the residence of ,louis ,,xiii4#ag of ,anne of ,austria1 ,christiana of ,sweden1 and of ,madame ,la ,valire1 when ,madame de ,montespan rivalled her in the affections of ,louis ,,xiv4 ,after the former had retired to the ,convent of the ,carmelites at ,paris1 it was assigned in #afhi to the unfortunate ,james the ,second1 whose bigotry had driven him from the throne of ,england4 ,here1 together with his ,queen1 and those of his court who fled with him to seek an asylum in ,france1 and surrounded by those priests and monks1 whose pernicious councils had led to his fall1 the unhappy ,james remained until his death1 the #afth ,sept4 #agja4 ,the apartment in which he breathed his last is still preserved2 but the whole of the interior has been very much neglected4 ,it served as a quarter for a body of ,prussians in #ahae1 and the following year was a barrack for the ,english troops quartered at ,st4 ,germain4 ,a ,french poet of his time wrote these lines descriptive of the life he led in his retirement4 ,c'est ici que ,jacques second1 ,sans ,ministres et sans matresse1 ,le matin allait la ,messe1 ,et le soir allait au sermon4 ,footnote #af3 ,on the top of this height is the ,pavilion de ,lucienne1 built by ,madame ,dubarry1 ,mistress to ,louis ,,xv4 afterwards the property of ,madame ,la ,princesse de ,conti1 now the residence of ,m4 de ,puy3 at the foot is the village of ,lucienne1 surrounded by numerous villas3 among the most remarkable is the residence of ,general ,comte ,campon4 ,footnote #ag3 ,lewis ,,xiv4 would not reside here1 because the steeples of the ,abbey of ,st4 ,denis1 where he was to be interred1 could be seen from the ,chteau4 ,the amount of the immense treasure which the consequent erection of the ,palace of ,versailles cost was never known1 the ,king ,mary ,stewart1 daughter of ,james1 died here in ,april #agab1 and his ,queen1 in ,may #agah4 ,these were the last persons of any consequence who inhabited this palace1 which in its exterior still preserves all its ancient appearance of grandeur4 ,it is built of stone1 with a facing of red brick1 the windows are of great height1 and the whole is surrounded by a deep ditch1 forming a very striking contrast to the buildings of the present age1 having destroyed the bills with his own hand4 ,in the neighbourhood of ,versailles stands the celebrated ,military ,school of ,st4 ,cyr1 which was originally an establishment for the gratuitous admission of two hundred and fifty young ladies of rank1 who were to receive an education correspondent to their situation in life4 ,madame de ,maintenon is buried in the ,chapel of the ,convent4 ,,forest ,,of ,,saint ,,germain4 ,this forest is enclosed by a wall of thirty miles in circumference1 according to ,m4 ,prudhomme4 ,it is now preserved exclusively for the ,duc de ,berri1 who is the ,ranger4 ,of all the ancient forests with which ,paris is surrounded1 this is the most extensive4 ,it is stocked with prodigious quantities of game1 with deer1 and wild boar4 ,the pheasants and partridges are reared in an extensive faisanderie1 in the centre of the forest1 enclosed by a high wall1 and such vigilance is exercised by the keepers1 that no person can possibly destroy the game4 ,it is guarded by a captain and two lieutenants1 who have under them a corps of gardes de chasse4 ,the royal chace is1 at the commencement of the season1 quite a state ceremony1 at which all the royal family and the court assemble to be spectators4 ,the dress of the hunt is green and gold1 with gold laced cocked hats and swords4 ,the ,duke invites his party1 and gives them permission to wear the uniform1 which is considered a high honour4 ,nothing can be more delightful than the walks and rides through this forest2 the roads are kept in the best possible state4 ,at intervals are large open spaces called ,etoiles1 from whence branch off sometimes ten and twelve roads with direction posts1 each bearing a separate name1 either from some memorable event1 or remarkable person2 as the croix de ,poissy1 croix de la ,pucelle1 croix de ,montchevreuil1 croix de ,berri1 and croix de ,noailles1 c4 c4 ,a story is related of a lamentable occurrence which took place the #gth ,june #ahab1 at the ,etoile des ,marres1 and a similar one happened in ,august this year1 near the same spot4 ,the first of these events was occasioned by the parents of a young lady having refused their consent to her being married to her lover1 whose want of fortune was the chief obstacle4 ,the lovers1 in despair1 came to the fatal resolution of putting a period to their lives1 and this forest was fixed upon as the spot for the dreadful deed6 ,having partaken of a repast which they had brought with them1 and sworn to love each other 7if it were permitted them7 after death1 they discharged1 at the same moment1 their pistols at themselves4 ,the unhappy girl fell dead1 but the hand of her lover having missed its aim1 he was only wounded4 ,having no other means left of accomplishing his dreadful purpose1 he took the handkerchief from her bosom and suspended himself by it to a tree4 ,in this state they were discovered1 and their bodies deposited in the same grave6 ,the other circumstance was of the same romantic and melancholy nature4#ah ,this forest supplies ,paris with great quantities of wood4 ,in #ahad1 and in #ahae1 the palisades that were made to surround ,paris for its defence against the ,allied armies1 were cut in this wood1 and the large timber has consequently been greatly thinned4 ,footnote #ah3 ,there never was known in this country so many fatal instances of suicide as at the present period2 few days pass over without some persons throwing themselves out of their windows1 or into the river ,seine2 and among the disappointed partizans of the late ruler1 it has been usual to hurl themselves from the top of the column in the ,place ,vendme1 which has been shut up in consequence by an order from ,government4 ,among the instances of deliberate self-destruction1 the following is a remarkable fact1 inasmuch as it serves to prove the pernicious effects of the writings of ,voltaire and ,rousseau in the minds of youth1 when at an age incapable of discriminating between fanaticism and real piety6 ,the person in question was a youth not turned sixteen1 who destroyed himself last summer1 while at college1 and who left the following paper as his last will4 ,the lady who gave it me copied it from the original4 ,testament de ,villemain4 ,samedi4 ,july #fth1 #ahaf4 ,je donne mon corps aux ,pdants3 je lgue mon me aux manes de ,voltaire et de ,j4,j4 ,rousseau1 qui m'ont appris mpriser toutes les vaines superstitions de ce monde1 et tous les vains prjugs qu'a enfants la grossiret des hommes1 et surtout les subtiles noirceurs des fourbes de ,prtres4 ,j'ai toujours reconnu un ,etre suprme1 et ma religion a toujours t la religion naturelle4 ,quant mes biens terrestres1 je donne3 7,here he mentions various articles to his favorite school-fellows74 ,a ,mondsir1 mon dernier soupir4 ,j'ai toujours connu1 je l'ai dit plus haut1 reconnu un ,etre suprme1 j'ai toujours pens que la seul religion digne de lui1 etait la vertu et la probt6 ,j'ose dire que je m'en suis rarement cart malgr la faiblesse1 et la fragilit humaine4 ,je parois devant l',etre suprme en disant avec ,voltaire3 ',un ,bonze1 honnte homme1 un ,dervis1 charitable1 trouveront plutt grce ses yeux1 qu'un ,pontife ambitieux4' ,then follows a ,latin quotation1 ,all things are due to death1 and without delay1 sooner or later1 hasten to the same goal3 ,hither we all tend3 ,this is our last asylum4 ,de tout les ,pdants qui m'ont le plus tourment je compte surtout ,poir1 son ,jeannes et ,veissier1 qui sont la cause du vol que je fais la nature en tranchant moi mme le fil de mes jours2 je leur pardonne1 l'quit le fait aussi3 ,je n'ai cess de rpter avec ,rousseau avant de mourir4 ',tu veux cesser de vivre1 sais-tu si tu as commenc4' ,adieu666 ,mortels et foiblesses6 ,,villemain4 ,here conclude my notes1 and if my reader has condescended to accompany me through my little ,tour without feeling fatigue or displeasure at his ,compagnon de ,voyage1 my aim and ambition as an author are satisfied--so wishing that all the journeys he may ever take1 may prove as delightful to him as this has been to me1 ,i sincerely thank him for his attention1 and kindly bid him ,farewell6 ,,finis4