New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-10-27
BOSTON.
,,rrpAPY NOTES.

urA
ON TOWNS TRENCH WATERING PLACEs-A AN
rvuoRTATIoN TO YOUNG AMERICA.
-, . REGULAR CORRESPONDENT on TUE TmnUFEI
posrov Oct. 24.-Few books could toe more
,,os.autlv profitable to the would-be voysgem than
~Normandy Picturesque" by Henry Blackburn. o. X
Iseood Il Coz The style is agreeable and fluent WIN
out being especially pOetoaL The hight that never
was on sea OF land" which Browning and Miss ThacK
sray and the author Of "Unawares" have shed upon
some portions the French landscape never Hoods M
RIackburns sensible pages but he writes with moro
rractic6l aim, and aecOmplshes II WIN o"
II not brilliant success. English people Nv a..
discovered will, en- the Autumn follow the b"ano" ~
ting south though they leave thus, thelr o"n WI, 90
at tie ovenest But 20 they will tney nI1a.ns
wen 80 protitably, and easily and cheapS' Sa1,,,
out and describes a tour into Normandy-t p -,
sleepy Reelection Night Cap Country ,.,,Saa ,ro,D
a. the little northwest corner OF Fr""0o' 49, -. ;,
England by the British Channel IL occupi's az
But about hundred and hfty mics W 80 ons
and includes the departments OF Caivaoos Eu,e ~"
"a D.r, n, a Mauehe In this small compass MT BLACK
mr., ,oposs 20 show ample space and ample interest
for a summer tour. The following Is his route.
Crossing the Channel from southampton 10 bavpe NV
- once 10 the town of POnt Audemer situated about sx
es from Quillebeuf and eight from Honieur both On
nut 80, SsnF M the Seine From Havre Pont Audemer
may reached ~ few hours 10y TSseT Smn iU
eaton rom Isieax - Caen Bayeux C6erbOurg
sna en- TO- enhances Granville and After
visit to the island of Mont ST. Michael we may return
1ny dNiceuce) by way of Mortain Vlre ana Falalsei
shence and by the valley OF the SEINE 10 'he
TIE whole Journey Is a short and inexpensive one, and
may occupy fortnight month, or three mouths lno
latter long, and may be made simple poEdse
ds paisr turned good account for artistic study
There 10 one curious difficulty about tins simple route
aud that IT, that everywhere they viii take TOT grant
ed that you going TO Paris you lido not looK OUT
you will be whizzed of there IN some express Tram IN
Oh, nfnnt
conceivable that any should be in reach OF fas anu
NOT 20 there The outline above given is for the ord
nary pleasure seeking traveller An ARTIST or an "Tcec
might take only first four towns on the isl ana nu
enough 10 last him a summer-hnd, II he he a stranger
10 Normandy an astethic treat beyond his dreams
He will have bis idols both of wood and stone-Woou
for dwelling, and stone for worship-at FONT
audemer the simple Domestic architecture OF
Lhe Middle Ages, and at Lisieux the moIe
ornate and luxurious. Passing on to Caen' Ne VIII
have the memorial churches OF Wlhsm tne tOon
oueror; and in the neighboring city of Bayeux exam
rlet IN the same building Of the early as well rs TIE
more oborate Gothic OF the middle ages" Both artist
and amateur M find everfresh delight IN the beauty
Of the landscape variety OF form ana color III he ola
bndngs in the costume Of the people, but II seems
@ me that both artist and amateur must stand not upon
the order Of going but At once II they woud see
Pcturesoue Normandy, as il has BEEN before the demon
Of modern innovation land progress has worked his
wicked VIII with IT.. 1s1
At PoDt Audemer the first town the route, already
there have been great changes since MI Blackburn
made his notes OF travel and the changes will travel
further inland sooD. Pont Audemer he makes most
fascinating picture with ITS quaint Old gables, Its tot,
rng housests bits of Gothic, its projecting windows
fArved oak galleries and streets Of time worn buildings
centuries old. A quiet people dwell there VINO orees
And tan hides and make merry las their fathers did be-
lore them They build their houses 10 last and they
have kind OF supplemented conservatism rare among
people their class Long ago Pont Audener was war
and legend first used here
IL warfare But the old place s peaceful enough now,
and its people cOntented witb%'its repose
Ike Venice. 10 has = ate q. {" silent Z highways
and pike Venice, only On "a smaller SCALE its
old facades and ntes dropping TO theiwaters ledge
There are few monuments churches TO examine
tbe fine old Church OF 81. OueD, and the ruins OF
twelfth century CASTLE OF Montfort exhausting the list;
but treasure houses indeed The archl-
Eeet finds in them suggestions for ornament IN WOOD
carving for panels door and the Ike so good as
charming and old as 70 be new TO the people OF
today lie uds here streng simplicity, grace, and
beauty design, speaking 70 him OF past age Win
morethan the eloQuenee OF histOryss $50 >sest4l
Prom Pont Audemer with Its ancient quaintness It's
beautiful wbe-capped peasant girls it's contented peo'
ME our traveller goes on 10 ieux and finds there fresh
delights The churches are scarcely as remarkable as
the domestic architecture though one must not neglect
20 examine the pointed Gothic Of the 18th century IN
the Cathedral Pierre, and the fine stained glass in
The Church OF St. Jacques But more attractive still
are such streets az the celebrated Rue Fepr5 with
their curously constructed, richly decorated houses
Yhore IL one in this street the entire front OF
which is covered with grotesQuey carved figures, i'm
troate patterns aud graceful pillars, The exterior
woodwork blackened with age, and the whole build
ing fall upon the cafe keeper whos It's pres
eut tenant. The style of architecture is more
varied here than at Pont Audemer. Stone as well as
wood used the construction Of the houses and the
FOODS are deliberately decorated But the eIte
IiOr carving aud the curious signs engraved on the
tmestaiued wood the most distinctive features IN
odd corners Old aud legends carved on the
panels; and amid groups Of clustering leaves or upon
beraldc shields may trace the names Of the found
ss or the architects Of these old houses in which
tratious OF simple men have lived and died To build
house those old days labor Of love, and to be
architect an aspiration of boyhooda growth Of
artistic instinct They worked out their quaint, pic
tnresque original designs, witboutk consideration OF
nine or cost And why should they think OF either
when the buildings TO last for aud those were
not the days Of estimates MI Blackburn suggests
~ follows
Let ns stay quietly at sieux II have time and see
exceed n in interest and the way 10 BEST aud TO
remember IT, is undoubtedly to sketch Let US make out
wood and stone-twgs and mOs and birds with delicate
wngs spray Of the serene head Of Msdonns,
color and marks Of age We may sketch them and
may dwell upon them, here with the enthusiasm OF an
again; have the scorchng these panels
aud burning the gded shields and we have seen snow
fakes fall upon scuptured caves silently, softly
tcky-ke the dust upon the bronze ngures OF Ghibet-
US gates at Forence-so thcky fall, so soon dlspeIse
leaving dark outlines sharp and clear against the SKY
The WOOD almost as uDharmed as the bronze -ssss.s
Similar delights await us all through Normandy Csen
bas its noble church OF St PereIt has also its goody
company Of English people, who have cOlOniEed IT,
because OF the ehespness OF living There no place 10