Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-04-09
SKETCHES OF FRENCH SCENERY, &c.
BY AN ENGLISH PEDESTRIAN.

I
/ y The Seine is, without exception the most
beautiful of all the rivers The banks on each
side are perpetuay changing in variety of and in
terest-woods villages ancient chateaus highly orna
mented churches with islands covered with verdure
ing upon you at every Of the winding stream it is
purity itself cleanliness and transparency The banks
in places amount to cliffs in height and grandeur with
alternate gades and gens running far into the country
in high luck in meeting with the very incest party
Of American tourists it my good fortune be-
come acquainted with shall long consider this voyage
as one of the agreeable in my "reminiscences Scene
ry like this in such society, may well deserve the
tourists grateful recollection We had most excellent
dedar- ourchete on board the steamer and enjoyed
ourselves amazingly till we landed at Rouen long before
we thought or hoped we had got half the distance
/ Every body knows Ronen, Joan of Arc, and all that
tale which the railway has made doubly stale
stayed but few days at the Hotel de Rouen and re-
turned foot by the banks of the river as far as the
pretty little town Of Caudebec, when took the steamer
| pulling up at Honfeur, where intend making my head
quarters for month, marching for four or five DAYS TO-
! gether to different points Of the country.
/ My first walk was to Trcuve, by the sea- The view
after leaving Honheur mile or two is magnificent the
mouth of the Seine about miles broad the white
cliffs, woods, and hills, make most brilliant prospect
Many of the lanes mount the sides Of deep gens and are
overhung with trees, forming quite bocage.
crossed the river, and walked through very fine
country making detour to Pont lie Vogue and Lseux
Rich pasturage crops of grain with orchards and woods
fill the landscape but you miss the hedge-rows occa
sonal patch of common and village green of England
for there of these with white
guide posts that give such variety to high road here
all is straight and prose ITSELF though each side it is
no doubt the garden of France. From Honheur Cour
seue the land good enough feed any thing alive and
only wonder the beef is not Of better quality coming
| from such source.
The country round Honheur is exceedingly romantic:
the approach to the town by the Caen road is certainly
the very finest ever beleld You have an avenue Of
lofty trees quite miles long, with the fair Seine and
white cliffs completing the view 1t being gradual de-
scent, they are ever before you it is unrvaed
trance indeed
The view from the Cote du Craze is magnificent You
have all the mouth Of the Sene the opposite banks and
distant glimpse of Havre. The nyirons of Hondeur
altogether very picturesque.
the town of Coutances and all the coast of Bri-
tany very plainly from the jersey by aid of my
glass, from which am divergng terribly but agree
ably to my "reminiscences promised no compass from
the first my pen drifts in fancys currents do tintend
even to try to control it.
i = An introduction to a French family of the
better class any word avoid that horrid one gen.
tee is most pleasant and ayaata geous Itisagreeable
in the extreme if you admitted terms of intimacy
which they very careful in allowing. The unaffected
elegant yet simple manners, decorum and refinement in
families of this class is delg htfu witness less so
the attention and genuine hospitality you receive their
hands French families OF this description appear to
to be thoroughly and innatey amabe and afectonate
among themselves uniting sincere yet playful fondness
from their Oldest to their youngest member.
/ u
whom had the good fortune to know, and tes-
tmony to the truth of this l exceedingly pleased
with its arrangements uniting they did all the French
elegance in furniture with the solid English comforts my
| host had picked up when staying amongst
After dinner all walked in large forest pulling
flowers, and conversing in the easy pleasing man
ner had all the best views pointed my notice.
tea prepared out of compliment myself and took my
leave, highly gratifed with my days excursion Such
people little into public and sees only table,
dhote society in France he form but poor notion of
the families living in their ehaeaux They are quite
exclusive in wishing clear of the vulgar inter-
course of the world any of renowned "west-
enders. Well they may be careful, for n more horrd
clustering impairment forward set of cavaliers does not
exist than the comms-voyageurs Of France who take
the best seats at every abedh6te with opinion they
are equal to any prince clean well-behayed man in
| Christendom.
The airs, language and department of these CONNER
cia magnfcos is something than disgusting it is
absolutely terrifying to quiet people.
The route TO Luc, by Leon, is through a
most highly cultivated farming district rich waving
undulating plain, teeming with a plenteous harvest
(which devoutly hope my own dearly-loved England
may be equally blessed with There appears to be no
division in the FARMS all stretching for leagues in
broken succession of produce-arge reaches Of wheat
barley oats rye ares clover mangel wurze cnque-
on and lucerne in the greatest luxuriance apple and
plum trees loaded all sides apparently untouched
Ii is point of honor in these matters, highly chvarous
in the French school lads You hear of o paltry
theft and feel in my apartments when alb
sent oil through France if my property under my
own eye.
In walking back to Caen there are numerous villages
with their beautiful church spires these and the distant
hills, complete the scene in which rambed with great
pleasure. The world just is like n l-bown ma
tronhe partner Of your joys every thing is gushing
with ripeness, with sufficient beauty left give you no
recopsc (much less regret the spring that
has passed away. This is it should be and when
winter let close round the fire. have cheerful
looks and mutually comfort each other Then the sum-
mer will follow the spring, and leave unrepinng,
though deeply sensible of the many exquisite delights
have enjoyed and grateful for the harvest we have gather
cd TO our barns
HAvRE, lst Of Ssptem6er-Eyery is preparing for
fla chasse you hear nothing else spoken Of from
ing till night, as If there really game in the country
Nothing win escape these indefatgabe chasseurs every
flying creeping, and jumping thing from frog to night
ingale, will suffer in the campaign il the most artfu
stratagem can accomplish its destruction. Quail and
Perdrx in every mouth they set the tongue rafting
in the imaginary slaughter and tickle the palate in the
fancied dainty
assured though they great purpose afording
constant topic for conversation and in putting every thing
warke footing Fusils, ours, and capacious game
bags are in great request eahern CATERS with immense
buckles, brigand-lookng apparel with the features of
pioneer service form the terrible looking Chasseur of
France, he marches solemnly against the poor stw
terng foe The understanding between master and dog
verbally expressed by the former is something exqu
SITE The encouragement to work the frequent caution
and awful threats make the woods and fields ring with
oaths and soothngs, alternately complimentary and f
rious. once saw battle between chasseur and his
dog in which the latter whose blood more than
Of bull and mas got considerably the best Of
IT, This interesting took place in field of Mlloc
far from the Pyrenees; the dogs name was "a stor