A tour in France, Savoy, Northern Italy, Switzerland, Germany, and the Netherlands, in the summer of 1825, etc

Front matter

A TOUR IN FRANCE, SAVOY, NORTHERN ITALY, SWITZERLAND, GERMANY and THE NETHERLANDS, IN THE SUMMER OF' 1825: INCLUDING SOME OBSERVATIONS ON THE SCENERY OF THE NECKAR AND THE RHINE : BY SETH WILLIAM STEVENSON. IN TWO VOLUMES. Vol. I. LONDON: PUBLISHED BY C. AND J. RIVINGTON, st. paul's church-yard, and waterloo-place, pall-m.ill ; ,>IATCHETT, STEVENSON, AND MATCHETT, NORWICH; DEIGHTON AND SONS CAMBRIDGE; J. PARKER, OXFORD; J. WOLSTENHOI.ME, YORK ; C. HOUGH, GLOUCESTER; AND BELL AND BRADFUTE, EDINBURGH. 1827. NORWICH : PRINTED BY MATCHETT, STEVENSON, AND MATCHETT. TO JOHN HOLMES, Esq. F.S.A. EAST RETFORD, NOTTS, THESE VOLUMES ARE INSCRIBED, AS A TOKEN OF ESTEEM AND RESPECT, BY HIS FAITHFUL AND AFFECTIONATE FRIEND, THE AUTHOR.

Preface

. In this Travelling age, and amidst the prevailing mania for writing Tours, to produce any thing novel in that way is a difficulty, which the Author is very far from pretending to have overcome. But, encouraged by the friendly approbation bestowed on a former volume,* he ventures to lay the present work before the Public. And should it be thought that he has dwelt too long on some subjects, or expressed himself too warmly on others ; the best apology he can offer is that the descriptions, remarks, and sentiments contained in the following pages, * " Journal of a Tour through part of France, Flanders, and Holland, including a Visit to Paris, and a " Walk over the Field of Waterloo, in 1816. — Printed, not for sale but, for private distribution. A

PREFACE.

. however they may fall short of establishing a just claim to the reader's attention, are the genuine result of impressions made on the eye and heart of the writer, by scenery replete with attractions of the sublime and beautiful, and by objects equally calculated to excite a spirit of inquiry and to awaken interest in the reflect ing mind. Nortoich, March 23, 1827. TABLE OF CONTENTS TO THE FIRST VOLUME. FRANCE rase Fontainebleau, Forest and Chateau . . 3, 5 Nevers . . . . 15 The Bourbonnois . . . .17 Moulins . . . 19 Roanne . . . . .22 Lyon . . . . 25 Churches . . . . .26 Hotel de Ville . . . 27 Palais des Arts . . . .28 Mont de Fourvi&re . . 30 Dauphiny . 39 Bourgoin . . . . .40 SAVOY 43 Road of the Echelles . , . .46 Chambery . .47 Valley of the Isere _, . . . 48 Valley of the Maurienne . . _ .54 Peasantry of Savoy . . . .56 Passage of Mont Cents _, . 62 PIEDMONT Susa . . . . 69 Valley of the Dora . . . .71 Turin . . . . . . 75 King's Palace . . . .76 Cathedral and other Churches . . . 77 Miracles . . . . .81 A2 CONTENTS.

PIEDMONT— (Continued). p*,Ke Turin— River Po . . 83 Religion and Politics . . . .85 LOMBARDY .93 Milan . . . . . .96 Cathedral . . . 97 Corso . . . . . . . 105 Palazza Reale . . . . . 106 Jesuits' Churcli .... 108 Theatre of La Scala . . . . 109 Picture Gallery of the Brera . . .111 Madonna delle Grazie . . . . 113 Leonardo da Vinci's Picture of " The Last Supper" . „. . .115 St. Ambrose ..... 116 St. Victor ..... 118 Catholic Ceremonies . . . . 119 Canobiana Theatre .... 120 Ambrosian Library . . . . 122 St. Laurence . . . . . 125 St. Eustorgio . ... 126 Indulgences ...... 127 Forum Buonaparte . . . 129 St. Celso — Miraculous Image . . . 131 Worship of the Virgin Mary . . . 132 The Kingdom of Italy under Napoleon . 138 The Lombardo- Venetian Kingdom under Austria 140 LakeofCoMO ..... 145 Villa Pliniana . . . . _ 154 Villa d'Este 158 CityofComo . . . . . 162 Varese . . . . . .166 Lago Maggiore . . 169 Borromean Isles . _ . m CONTENT'S. IX LOMBARDY-fCWmMed;.

Page Passage of the Simplon . . . . 183 Domo d' Ossola . 183 Val-di-Vedro ...... 185 Defile of Yeselles .... 187 Gallery of Gondo . . ... 189 Village of Simpelu .... 191 Glaciers . . . . . . 193 Brieg . . . . . .197 THE VALAIS . . . . .199 Sion ...... 204 Martigny . . •_ _, .208 Pass of the T&te Noire . . . 212 Glacier de Bois ..... 216 Chamouny ... . , . 217 Mer de Glace . ... 220 Col de Balme .... 229 Cascade of the Pisse Vache . . . 237 St. Maurice ..... 238 SWITZERLAND Pays de Vaud . . 239 Bex . . . . . .241 Lake of Geneva . . ... 242 Castle of Chillon . . . . 245 Clarens . . 246 Vevay . . . . .247 Protestant Worship . . . 249 Lausanne . . . ... 253 The Paragreles . .... 257 Ferney- Voltaire .... 259 Genrva .... . . . . 263 The Museum . . . . . 264 Public Library ..... 266 Hospital .....

X CONTENTS. SWITZERLAND— (Continued.) p*^ Geneva — Cathedral . . . . .271 Romish Relics — Calvinistic tolerance . . 273 Hotel de Ville .... 274 Steam-boats on the Lake . . . . 276 Village of Chene . . . .278 Secheron ....... 280 A Walk round the City . . . 283 Militia . . . . . .287 Petit Saconnex .... . 292 Autographs . . ... 294 Papal Indulgence .... 296 Letter of Buonaparte's . . . 304 Mont Saleve ..... 306 Historical Notices .... 307 Pecolat, Berthellier, and Bonnivard . . 312 Present Constitution and Government of Geneva 321 Sœurs de la Charite .... 327 Literature, Science, and Arts . . . 328 Canton of Vaud . . . .333 Morges ...... 334 Orbe . . . . . .337 Country Seats — Agriculture . . . 338 Yverdun . . . .* . . . 339 Roman Antiquities . . . . 340 Lake of Neuchatel .... 341 Protestant Church Discipline . . . 344 Roman Catholics .... . 346 Momiers ...... 347 Droits-de-Bourgeois . 348 Rousseau ..... 295, 349 Politics of the Pays-de-Vaud . . 352 Payerne . . . , 363 Canton of Fribourg ....

CONTENTS. XI SWITZERLAND— (Continued). Page Frieourg ...... 366 Convent of the Visitation . . . 368 Nuns of St. Ursula . . . 371 Church and College of the Jesuits . . 374 Observations on the re-establishment of that Order . . . . 379 The Cathedral ..... 384 Remarkable locality of Fribourg . . . 387 Costume of the Canton . . . 390 Canton of Berne . . . . . 392 Rural Notices . . . . . 393 Berne . . . . . 397 Cathedral — Steiguer's Monument . . 398 The Terrace . . . . 400 The Hospital . . . . .401 Museum . . . . . . 402 Arsenal ... . .. 405 Imposture of the Dominicans . . . 406 Chain of the Bernese Alps . . . 410 Costume . . . . . 411 Villages — Farms ..... 415 Thun ...... 419 Lake of Thun ..... A TOUR, &c.

Chapter I

Departure from Paris — Fromenteau — Essonne — Forest, Town, and Palace of Fonlainebleau — Family Breakfast — Nemours — Fonlenay Monlargis — Briare — The Loire — Cosne — Pouilly — The Vines — French Landscape Scenery and Country Towns — Nevers. V/N the 12th of July, accompanied hy my friend, Mr. Haiissermann, I set out from Paris on a journey to Milan. We travelled, extra poste, in an English-built caliche, taking the high road of Fontainebleau. Ville-juif and Fromenteau are the two first relays. — The road from the latter place runs in a straight line, nearly as far as the eye can reach, through a fine country. A line of woody heights to the right hand and another to the left reminded us of those at Thorpe and Crown Point, near my native city. The landscape, however, though B ESSONNE. considerably less verdant, is on a much more extensive scale than ours.

The fields are open, and the rye and oat harvest in them had already commenced. Essonne is agreeably situated on the river of that name; but, as usual with French towns of this (I had almost said every other) class, the principal thoroughfare has a slovenly and poverty-struck appearance. It presents a long street of large dilapidated houses; in the midst of which, if we may believe the inscription over the door-way, is a Salon des Muses. But, in spite of their directive power, the men are rude loun gers, the females dirty, the children half naked, and the beggars exceedingly troublesome. The banks of the river serve as a general theatre of operations for the washer-women, who with their flat mallets thump the linen into quite as good condition as their compatriotes do in Paris. At the top of the hill is a newly-erected shrine and figure of Notre-Dame-des-Champs.

There are several manufacturing establishments* near Essonne, said to be in a very prosperous state, and their shew of business accords with the favourable report concerning them. The view of ridges covered with vines and with grain of all kinds, would have been yet more pleasing but for the burning heats that had parched up the vegetation of a chalky soil. Proceeding to Ponthierry over high grounds, you have the Seine winding below you through a fertile valley, the populousness of which is indicated by numerous spires and habitations. Now and then a chateau looks * For cotton-thread spinning, calico printing, &c. FOREST OF FONTAINEBLEAU. grand : but the houses ofthe affluent class are very seldom to be seen near the main road ; and " the embellished scene" forms no constituent of the picture.* If the first stages of our journey to Fontainebleau were rendered irksome by the excessively long drought bringing upon us suffocating clouds of dust, we were amply recompensed, when, entering the vast Forest as the sun declined, we beheld the richest lustre of his even ing rays penetrating the deep shade of vegetable vaults, and partially dispelling their majestic gloom.

Being desirous of seeing as much of tbe interior parts as the time would allow, we soon quitted the common path, and pursued our way amidst a succession of the noblest timbers. The thick and tall stems ofthe oaks, beeches, and poplars shew how well each of those kinds thrive even on poor land. Our postillion stopped op posite an oak, and requested us to observe that it is called "Le Bouquet du Roi;" the trunk has attained sixty feet in height, before a single bough springs from it. Manifold are the features of this great sylvan domain. Its broad and branching alleys form a sheltered and delicious ride of several miles, whilst the light occasionally breaks in with enchanting brightness. Sometimes, leaving the carriage, we " pierced into the midnight depth," of groves of enormous growth — - * "The embellished scene (Mr. Gilpin has justly observed), is one ofthe peculiar features of English Landscape.

Though not enough marked with the bold free characters of Nature, it is still, under proper regulations, a very beautiful species of landscape. It hath beauties peculiar to itself: and if it astonish us not with grandeur and sublimity, it pleases with sym metry and elegance " — See Observations on Picturesque Beauty. B2 FOREST OF FONTAINEBLEAU. " That forming high in air a woodland quire, " Nod o'er tho mount beneath. At every step " Solemn, and slow, the shadows blacker fall, " And all is awful listening gloom around." At length emergingfrom these umbrageous scenes, we found ourselves in a spacious amphitheatre of rocks, some worn hare and smooth, others covered with moss and foliage, and the whole piled in huge and chaotic masses. The " Hermitage" and the " Rocher qui p leur e," to which some youthful guides conducted us, are situated amidst these wild and fantastic combinations.

I cannot better describe them than by saying, that the spot on which they exhibit themselves appears as if it had been rent by an earthquake, then inundated by a deluge, and afterwards planted with germes of the largest trees as well as of the smallest shrubs, in promiscuous abundance, by the hand of Nature. Effects of light and shade, such as artists love to study, can no where perhaps be viewed iu presentations more beautiful, or in varieties more contrasted, than in the long-drawn avenues and intricate labyrinths of Fontaiuebleau forest — still the resort of the stag, the wild boar, and even ofthe wolf; formerly a harbour also for the lynx, and, worse than all, for lawless and ferocious man.* Thanks, however, to Messieurs les Gens d'armes, there is now nothing to be feared from banditti ; and the Garde-chasses have been equally successful in thin ning, though not in wholly extirpating, the breed of savage beasts.

It were well if no longer in fear of (what Quentin Durward calls) " flayers on the highway," the traveller now-a-days could promise himself the same security in La Belle France, from " flayers in the hostelrie," * See Evelyn's Memoirs, vol. 1, p. 47. FONTAINEBLEAU. Arrived at Fontainebleau, our evening promenade in face ofthe palisades of the castle court (for it was too late to obtain admission) proved congenial to the influence of those impressions, which a sight of this celebrated and once favourite residence of the French Monarchs is cal culated to produce on any one who remembers its local and political history. The vastness of the quadrangle, and the defiance of uniformity which marks its architectural character, entitle it to the appellation which has quaintly been assigned to it, of the rendez-vous des Cha teaux.

The streets of Fontainebleau are well pierced, like the roads through the forest by which it is surrounded : but the town has a deserted and melancholy aspect: there was a stillness in its streets well suited to check a stranger's disposition to hilarity. July 13th. — At an early hour this morning we visited the Palace, and were agreeably surprised to find the in terior of that grand edifice not only highly interesting from its antiquity, but also truly admirable for the rich decora tions of tapestry, pictures, and furniture, displayed in its numerous suites of apartments. The Gallery of Francis the F"irst; the very handsome rooms (and very agreeable too for any man to occupy, except as a prison), appropriated to Pope Pius the Vllth, whilst detained there by Buona parte 5 and that in which Napoleon signed his abdication in 1814; have each their source of interest in histo rical associations.

As the scene of so important an event, the last mentioned room is designated by the following inscription, on a brass plate fixed to the under side of a small round table of oak, viz. : — f Le cinq Avril dix-huit cent quatorze Napoleon Buonaparte signa son Abdication sur cette table, dans le cabinet du travail du FONTAINEBLEAU. Roi, pres la chambre a coucher, a Fontainebleau." Iu this cabinet is a picture, by (I think) Le Brun, of Racine reading his Tragedies to Louis XIV. and the Queen. A few paces taken in the long and lofty Gallery of Francis the First will suffice to convince you of the strong claim to attention, which it derives from the circumstance of its having been constructed under the eye of a princely patron of the Fine Arts, in an age when reviving Genius called loudly for support and encouragement.

The superb paintings and carvings that embellish this royal chamber are evidently the untouched relics of a stile, whose Italian originators in the fifteenth, and whose French adopters in the sixteenth century, seem alike to have delighted in over-laying with the utmost exuberance of florid ornament, those simple and chaste forms, which the science and taste of ancient Rome had taught her to select as the proper models of architecture. We breakfasted at the house of a Friend ; a gentleman of good family, of truly hospitable disposition, and of paternal suavity of manners. Mons. La G. had long held an active and responsible office under Government, in the department of Engineers, and about two years ago, at the age of 77, having been brought nearly to death's door by the effects of an accident, submitted to the ampu tation of his leg with heroic fortitude.

His resignation under painful affliction, and his courage at the most trying of moments, have been rewarded with a renovated state of health : and he was enabled on this occasion to receive us in the cheer fulness of that social spirit which seems to characterise him, and with an astonishing degree of personal activity. A French Breakfast is upon no starving principle, in respectable society. In compliment to his English guests, FONTAINEBLEAU. 7 green tea was added, by order of our worthy host, to the usual bill of fare, which consisted of the following articles : Soup (potage), ham, eggs, mutton chops, coffee, Bur gundy wine (premiere qualite), apricots, currants, and cherries. His house, situated in the outskirts of the town, and consequently bordering on the forest, to which it had immediate access, was what in England we should call a heavy building.

The custom of placing thick wooden shutters on the outside of the windows clashes materially with neatness and lightness of external appearance. But it was necessary for us merely to feel the fervid power of the sun, in order to be brought to a candid acknowledg ment that without such effectual means of excluding its beams during the greater part of the day, no habitation at this period ofthe year could be dwelt in with the slightest portion of comfort. The people prefer sitting cool, but almost in the dark, to gaining light by admitting the heat. And I am of opinion that of two evils they, in this case, choose the least. We walked into our friend's garden, which, fruitful though not extensive, called to our remem brance at every turn, that we moved beneath a ripening sky, upon the glowing soil that produces a celebrated grape to perfection.* In the afternoon we left the Hotel de la Ville de Lyon,t and quitting the town of Fontainebleau, again entered the forest, through which we had to travel the greater part of our way to Nemours.

The prospects vary in ex- * The Chasselas de Fontainebleau. t The GaUre, nearly opposite the Chateau, is a larger and appears a bet ter Inn. But Mrs. Marianne Baillie complains of the Bugs there. Now that, not even excepting a landlord who does not know his business, is the greatest nuisance of the " Ville de Lyon." NF.MOURS. tent, but on the whole are sufficiently attractive. The whiteness of the chalk hills, whose tops appear above the trees, gives a singular effect to the more distant parts of the landscape. But we did not mistake them either for the Alps or the Pyrenees.* The vivid reflection of the sand, an excess of heat and dust, and an Egyptian plague of flies, made us glad to stop awhile at Nemours, in which town there is nothing remarkable, although ils castle was long the seat of the Ducal family of that name, and its church served as their burial place.

The road thence (without pave) proceeds along the borders of a pretty stream called the Loing. On the left we had a long line of heights, sprinkled with enormous fragments of stone, some of them of grotesque forms, and seemingly ready to pre cipitate themselves into the road ; on our right was a tract of beautiful meadows, planted with poplars and willows, whose lively foliage breaks the monotony of green pasturages. When the eyes have long been irritated with the impalpable powder, and fatigued with the glare, of the road, how gladly do you repose them on verdure mellowed by the golden tints of Summer's evening sun. It is seldom that you see a water mill on the river; and rocks and shallows prevent it from being made navigable. Not a gentleman's house, nor even a respectable habitation, is to be recognized except at very long intervals of space, though the country offers the most desirable situations.

The crops were forward, but seemed literally burnt up. The villages, when they do present themselves, look handsomely at a distance, but on passing through you find almost every thing out of order: the peasantry for the most part appearing wretchedly poor. * See M. Reichard's Guide des Voyageurs en Europe, v. 2, p. 171. F0NTENAV. Approaching La Croisiere, we noticed considerable numbers of cattle and sheep feeding in the valley : a sight hitherto of very rare occurrence. The cows are hand some. The horses are of all sizes, except the very large, and indefatigably strong. ' From this stage we had a pair of uncommonly pretty greys. A great deal of hemp is grown along the course of the Loing; and turkies are here bred in abundance. The rocky chain, at the foot of which we had been proceeding from Fontainebleau, ter minates near La Croisiere.

Double rows of the tallest poplars line the road. Hereabouts it was full harvest, the corn being completely ripe. The vineyards too began to look luxuriant. At Fontenay is a bridge of twelve arches ; its construc tion is evidently referable to a very ancient date ; but the oval form of the arch, and the stile of masonry, which is rude, do not favour the opinion that assigns it to the Romans, lhe centre arch has fallen in, and the vacuum is supplied with planks, iu the usual slovenly way of the French. The forest of Montargis (to whom has not the story of canine fidelity not rendered this name familiar?) covers a lofty ridge to our left: it is not much less extensive than that of Fontainebleau. Here and there a huge old chateau shews itself embosomed in its fine timber. When we entered the very ancient town of Montargis, there was yet light enough left to reveal, amidst its narrow streets, the strongly marked features of the olden time.

The river Loing, and the canal of Briare (aSully's project), both pass through this place, whose name makes some figure in the history of the wars between the English and the French, during the contemporaneous reigns of Charles C MONTARGIS. — NOGENT SUR VERNISSON. the Seventh of France and our Sixth Harry. The post-master, an intelligent man, appeared to be conver sant with its local curiosities, and acquainted us that, there are, about two leagues from Montargis, the remains of a Roman circus, in a very interesting state of preservation. Notwithstanding its antiquarian' allurements, the absolute necessity of proceeding under cover of the night, made us resolve to quit Montargis* as soon as a change of horses could be procured ; and in a cool dry air, which would have been perfectly delightful but for the noisome dust, we travelled on as far as Nogent sur Ver nisson.

At the Hotel du Puy de Dome, kept by Chirade, we slept undisturbed on clean and well-aired beds. — In other respects the house is quite after the ancien re gime of inns in this country — chambers with pantile floors — staircases that seem never to have experienced the surprise of an ablution — a filthy kitchen — and a dingy salle d manger. July 14th. — We pursued our course betimes through a country flat, dreary, and parched for want of rain : not a drop had fallen in these districts for nearly two months. Instead of poplars, as iu our progress yesterday, a double row of chesnut trees here lines the road side. At the poor little village of La Bussiere is a Chateau, formerly belonging to the family of M. Tilly, President du Par lement. It is a curious specimen of the domestic archi- • " The Castle built by Charles V. formed for a considerable period, part of the domain of the Crown, and the French Monarchs often held their Court there.

The Queens resorted thither previous to their accouche ment, on account of the purity of the air, which circumstance obtained for it the name of the Cradle of the Children of France sBerceau des enfant de France" ) — Reichard, vol. ii. p. 172. BRIARE. 11 tecture of the 15th century. Though all continues open field (a hedge being the greatest possible rarity), and tho' the plain is bounded only by the circle of the horizon, yet cultivation is carried on in mere strips of various pro duce: thus, whilst the country is on the grand, farming is on the small, scale; This indicates a more numerous distribution of agricultural occupations; and as far as the picturesque is concerned, exhibits a pleasing effect. — The wheat having acquired sufficient strength of straw and perfection of ear before the drought commenced, had been saved, but the crops of oats and other later grain it was feared would greatly fail.

We met some large droves of horned oxen, fine beasts. The sheep are very small. At Briare we breakfasted. This town gives its name to the canal which passes through it, and which creates some shew of inland navigation and commercial affairs. — As we passed the bridge, a crowd of watermen and labourers were assembled on it, swearingall the sacre dieus and diantre morbleus in the world at each other, but without coming to blows. A fiftieth part of the foul abuse and provoking gesticulations which these fellows were indulging in, would, under similar circumstances, among our own countrymen have inevitably resulted in a battle royal. Here the country improves ; and we gain our first sight of the Loire, from amidst a checquered assemblage of vines, barley, potatoes, beans, and fruit trees intermixed with them. — At Neuvy-sur-Loire the exterior of the church, from its very ancient character, attracted our cur sory regard.

The women were sitting at the doors of their forlorn habitations employed chiefly in knitting; but like their ragged children, totally destitute of shoes and C2 NEUVY SUR LOIRE. COSNE. stockings. Near this village, the Loire is seen meandering through a spacious valley, in a broad stream, studded with islets of sand. For a wonder, we spied a barge sailing upon it. The landscape here amplifies to a vast extent, and its components, wood, water, and fruitful fields, would impart a yet more pleasing interest were they graced with tbe delicious verdure which is so distinguishing a charm of our English prospects. At noon we arrived at Cosne, a large manufacturing town : it has a population of about 15,000 souls, and is still celebrated, in France, for its cutlery. But every thing in that branch is here fabricated by dint of manual labour, with scarcely any assistance from machinery : improvement in workmanship and increase of production are therefore both equally out of the question.

The streets are filled with beggars, and the generality of the houses are apparently as replete with dirt. Most of the churches in this part of France have circular ends and arches, to the east: in the other parts of these buildings tbe pointed stile prevails. We looked into the principal church at Cosne, which, with the exception of the architectural circumstance above alluded to, has nothing particularly to be noted. From a lofty eminence overlooking the well situated but wretched village of Pouilly-sur-Loire, a view of sur prising extent breaks upon ue. It is a truly fine per spective of " The vine-covered hills and gay regions of France." Highland and valley are each filled with the cultured tendril that bears the juicy grape. We were indeed on a favourite soil of the vine ; and much both for beauty POUILLY. and utility, does the country owe to its cultivation.

A very thin super-stratum of light-coloured mould over a basis of brown crumbling stone, seems to prove that it is the sun's heat, and not the earth's richness, that consti tutes the great desideratum to the vineyard. The vine dressers were at work on the slopes and in the dells on each side of our road; and the temperature to which these poor creatures were exposed, must have pretty much resembled that of a fiery furnace. Of the vin de Pouilly we tasted on the spot a very relishable specimen at mine host's of the Swan (tho post-house, kept by M. Passot). It is a white wine, of generous quality and agreeable flavour, resembling Champagne: forty sous the bottle. In consequence of the increased and increas ing demand, they are, as we are informed, manufacturing iu Burgundy from the light white wines of that district, an article which they have succeeded in substituting, and in many instances doubtless in passing off, for genuine Champagne.

The labouring class (and we seldom see any other), are " steeped iu poverty to the very lips." It has already been incidentally remarked that the female cot tagers wear no stockings, and for th e most part no shoes. Even those whose garments are in other respects decent, sitting in groups before tbe door of their dwellings, make a display of naked legs far more striking than engaging. At Pouilly we noticed, in a gateway leading into tbe street, a coffin resting on a bier : it was a mere shell of planks, with a white cloth partially thrown over, and a cross at the head of it. Nobody stood near to guard the remains. Proceeding onwards in the direction of Nevers, we have the Loire still close on our left, spreading forth her shallow waters through a vast expanse, in the midst LA CHARITE. POUGUES. of which the Collines de Berri, a lofty range of wooded hills, similar in their contour to those of Malvern, but of greater magnitude, form another striking feature of the prospect.