her conduct by this time the sun was down, and with the sun my spirits also.

Next day we crossed to Honfleur, in about an hour and a quarter, in a steam-boat full of passengers of all descriptions. The Seine here is very wide; the view of the Côte d' Ingouville is very pretty, covered with wood, and interspersed with the country houses of French and English merchants. Before we landed at Honfleur, we were boarded by at least twentyfive of the dirtiest creatures imaginable, in blue carters' frocks: they were not particular in their mode of entrance, jumping in at all parts, not heeding who they fell against or upon.

The chattering of these men, the escaping of the steam from the safety-valve, the directions of the steersman, added to a ridiculous pompous quarrel between the Captain and a gentleman passenger, who protested against the forcible entrance of these people, are altogether difficult to describe, though excessively amusing. Like locusts, they seized

upon every thing they could get, and soon emptied the boat of the luggage: these men are perfectly honest, which, from only seeing them, would be difficult of belief, for they have the appearance of complete ruffians, and their chief maintenance is gained by the unloading of vessels.

Honfleur is a small town, with the remains of a castle: the road from it to Pont l'Evêque is much wooded, with deep valleys on either side of the road. The style of the farms is different in this part of the country from Dieppe to Havre they are surrounded by trees and hedges; they look like little islands in the open country round, and seem to contain all that is required in their comfortable-looking wooded enclosures: the people appear industrious and well off. From Honfleur the farms are no longer enclosed in the same way, but the face of the country is more hilly, and richly wooded: the orchards are fine, and the principal drink of the people, cider.

Arrived late at Caen: next morning, walked to the library; it contains 40,000 volumes, and is

in the Hôtel de Ville; from thence to the church of the Abbaye-aux-Hommes of St. Etienne, where is William the Conqueror's tomb: the Abbaye is now a college. The church is said to have been built by William; but almost all the churches at Caen have been partly rebuilt and beautified, in the thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth centuries. The Hôtel de Ville was a convent founded by the Eudistes; and what is now the library, was the church. The great Hospital was, formerly, also an Abbaye-aux-Dames, the St. Trinité: in the church is buried Matilda, wife of William the Conqueror to this convent no nuns were admitted, excepting such as were of noble birth. The Hospital can accommodate 500 patients.

In all the villages on our road from Caen, the first day, we saw large groups of women and children sitting in front of their houses, making lace. The groups, with their high, peculiarly-shaped caps, and bright-coloured garments, enliven much the monotony of a day's journey these caps vary in some degree, but are a costly, necessary part of the paraphernalia of a well-dressed peasant on a fète

day they cost from 80 to 90 and 100 francs each; and must, without doubt, be the most inconvenient and uncomfortable head-gear in a high wind.

We slept at Vire, a curious little old town, with narrow streets, and houses of mixed wood and plaster, the wood painted black: we travelled all the next day and night, not being able to get beds at Dinant: a great many English live in this part of France, both in the towns and the country houses. Near Guingamp, where we dined, we met great numbers of country people, returning from a fête in the neighbourhood. When we got to the village where the fête was held, we found a large concourse of people still remaining: we alighted from the carriage, to see nearer the sports that were going on; they were dancing in a large field, the women hand-in-hand, facing outward, in a great circle; the men also hand-in-hand, in an outer circle, facing the women: each party advanced a few feet in measured steps, then retired; at the same time the two circles moved gradually round: it was a pretty gay

sight, and both men and women were orderly and well dressed.

Morlaix, ugly and dirty town; went over a large manufactory of tobacco belonging to Government, which keeps 400 men in constant employment.

Brest.-A handsome promenade down by the sea, formed by rows of fine old lime-trees : it is nearly half a mile in length, and crowned at one end by the Old Castle, which stands high, and overlooks the harbour. Over the dock-yard the first day at Brest; the next to the model-room, and on board L'Orion line-of-battle ship, where forty-six young gentlemen are instructed for the navy: here they remain for two years without going on shore, excepting one month's holidays each year. This is the only school for midshipmen now in France; and the number thus limited, I was told, was to insure promotion. Went over the Bagne or Prison, where above 2000 convicts are confined for crimes of all degrees: convict was pointed out to us, who, in the Peninsular war, was servant to the Comte St.

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