Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-08-06
5Nettrr from G1trope,
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE ADVERTISER


to 200 miles day. In carriage, stage or stsam-car
no. to count the walking through VINEYARDS and various
towns to see the curiosities and antiquities, had fix
ed rnon tho day when should arrive at Lyons as q
holiday. But, unfortunately, the rains which have
prevailed uninterruptedly in this district for the as
IS Gays, and hich have produced great feshet in
the Rhone, still continue, and / am comprll' to keet
my holiday in little on the fonrth floor Of The
Hotel de Unives. Under these circumstances, in Or
der TO make the time pass as ageeahly as possible,
nave imagined myself sitting in thu front pinzza at R.
jus. after Of May evening" and think hear
you complaining Of thu monorony of my description
of Vineyards, and enquiring if shut my eyes every
thing except stony soil and little Insignificant looking
vines all bare, kno,ted and knarled. assure you
have seen and observed great many other things
bnt TIM, did not feel like writing about them, they
have been described over and over again by every
traveller from Cesar to Murray. However. will al
lute to few Of the most striking objects The
as seen from other than Genealogical pnint of view
To commence with the Garonne: after observing my
cumpagnons de voyage on the little steam buat, (whost
great length, compared with its extreme narrnwness
would rrnder it n curiosity OH American waters,
among them soldier from The Cri nea telling of his
battles, II very Well educated gentleman from T"u-
louise, who gave me lecture French Literature,
and afterwards sent ticket TO the annual meeting
OF the Academic des Jeux Horeaux," at Tuulnuse.
which is the oldest literary society in Eurpe and l
only remaining monument of the celebrated Trouba.
donrs; and an extempnri-ng poet, who invited US into
the cabin to listen t" him. and offered to make any
given number OF verses, Of any required number Of
feet any subject that the company " ud propose
who, however, unfortunately for ne, met with tl-
usual fate of genius, and failed to obtain audience
circumstance whie the conducrurs Of the diligence
regretted exceedingly assuring me that he was mos
excellent poet and after chatting wtha farmer abun
his vines Il not going 10 tell y"u what he told mel
gave mys"lfup TO the sunshine, bad cigar aud the
contemplation of the banks of the Garunne, which wa
frequrnly interrupted by the excitement oil passing
under suspension bridge, Of which there are grra
number the river, and there was freshet at lh'
time we were obliged to lower the smoke stack ii
order to get throug and then only by gh, squeezr
The scenery is varied. There spreading prarirs
on level with the swollen stream, planted in Lucrrn.
aud crossed by rows Of pop'ars and aubers Til.
furmer trimmed TO the very tops so that you har.
a tree sometimes GO feet high without limb, III
only few small branches covered with three or fuu'
handsfnll nf leaves Turning spri Of Top knot Ther.
are swamps edged with tree which seemed to ME Il
be the same as our cUtion tree, and which filled th'
air with its white furry hlooms and there hills
Of considerable height which, coming down from
side and then from the other, Seem 10 endearour 1t
catch and hem the river in. This it adroi.ly avoid
by winding it's folds around eir bases and somelimes
when they have pushed too far, the stream has tor
them away and left jagged bluff Of jutling rock,
couple of hundred feet high, to mark the boundar!
she has pu, their advance. 1t is these hills lha
the traveller remarks now and then ruined town 1T
dsmantled wall that indicates the site Of an uld euda
castle. Frequently their mouldering halrmrnts vii
be ssen hanging over sheer precpire as il they wer
searching for the houses OF the hamlet which Inns
first fund shelter under its protecting wall hut mhic
had long ago left it 1" place themselves under TN
shadow Of the ombardu-go!hic church, whose sieeph
and cross rise from the narrow gorge below. AM
when you look at these little crowded villages, you
can almost Imagine that you sre them on the move
crcng round and clustering like uck of rice-birds
as close as can be 10 the church, while some strng.
gles, less active or more limurnus, had come sliding
down the steep slope, crouchng behind till the root
touches the hillside, and heightened oul or stories
III front as If 10 prevent too rapid descent.
There is moral of profound import for those who
will listen to it in these deserted castles, these old
grey churches, and these muss covered villages Turn
back 10 the eleventh century, when the castle in all
its power stood there upon the heights, and the feudai
lord marshaled his mailed knights and stout men-ai-
arms, 10 repe HUSTLE chief-nr in his turn 10
head foray into the surrounding country. Or See
him lead forth TO the sound of horn and hounds, hi.
retiune Of "fuire adyes" and gallant gentlemen aRe
gentle minsirels, 10 the cha.r-and mark how The
poor vil!sgers tumble le warlke array passes.
gaze with amazemrnt ct the display of beauty and
magmfc-nce. On the same day y"u might have se-,
ingspriest left by the " gay cumpanie," des'
cending, with difficulty, the rocky hill side. H.
makes his way inl" the vale, and greels, will
hearty welcome, strange looking party Of way.
Worn travellers, whom he meets there. They wear
swords and armour, but there is monastic air about
them Which makes you think they may be monks dl>
guised, and az y"u turn round you see where they
have be unloading their asses, The ground covere
with utensils uf all queer shapes. no are these NEIL
Wha brought them afar of here into this lonely
giUn, the daily uf robbing strife and boudsled
These are the brothers Of the old and respectable ord
Of Free Masons, who, educated in the busum Of ,ll.
church, make their way into the MOST rcn"te cuur
tries 10 erect edcrs, the perfect that have beer
built by he hand Of man for the worship" p"f " youn:
Jew with light halr," who, 1000 years before, ia.
preach 10 few fishermen and abandoned worri.
of Judea, aud had suffered IN gnUmini"us death o.
houni Calvary. The priest blesses the ground an
the quaint looking .rilsan travellers call down tn
villagers assist them in quarrying the sor.r an,
raising the walls Of The same church that you
standing there under the hill. And when it was fn
ishs there came other priests, Who prenchcd 10 tl'
villagers, and nursed them when they were Sick all
rUmIurred them when ey were distressed. In tin,
it turned uul you s.e it now. The great LurG an,
his strong castle and his sturdy warriors have passe
away, for The power was selfish puwer--nud lr
church which, besides its religion, nusrd and fuserc.
the great principles Of human association, aud til
Low. Of man fur man, still stands; and,l.r villag.n
have gathered round it, to seek counsel, aid and
fort.
All through this country tn people speak two Ian.
guag $, thu PaIuse md the FRENCH The latter inder"
bn, imperfecly, and sometimes moi ut all. Every dis
trci has its peculiar Putose but there is geierni
character belonging them all. Those which have
heard, being sp"ksn in country lying between SpaI
and laly, bear great resemblance to those two Ian
guages. And the reader Of Rabeais and old Frenrh
will catch great many words which have beer,
charged in modern times by the suppression Of letter.
and syables. The pronunciation s Aowing and we'll
anculnied thus The expression toute de SUITE which