1753, by P. Isaac; another is from the Revela tions, done in the year 1731, by T. de Febure; and a third shews Christ on the cross, by Vallerano, painted in 1710; beside a few other bad productions.

The interior of the church consists of a nave, with two aisles: the pavement is laid in black and white marble squares; and the great altar-piece is of marble, adorned with the Corinthian order. Although the church itself is in the Gothic style of architecture, there appears on the north side of it a Doric portico of a modern description.

The streets of this strongly-fortified town are of a good width, and tolerably well paved; but, like other places in France, they have no foot-pavement: and the only fresh water the inhabitants can obtain is the rain, which they carefully preserve in public cisterns and reservoirs.

Before a foreigner is permitted to leave Calais, his passport must be countersigned by the secretary of the commandant; who, at the same time, minutes down in a book a particular description. of his person.

From Calais I went in the diligence to Boulogne, the harbour of which, even at high water, is only capable of admitting small vessels: and thence I proceeded to Montreuil, which is well fortified on all sides. The streets of this town are open and clean, and the houses are built in a very neat style of architecture, stuccoed on the outside; but many of them are no more than two stories in height. Since the Revolution, this place, which was formerly much resorted to by the best families

in France for the salubrity of its air, being only a few miles from the sea, is now almost forsaken. Some fine Gothic churches and convents, which stood as ornaments to the town, were demolished at that unhappy period, and remain but heaps of rubbish. Montreuil is situated on an eminence, and commands a delightful view of the surrounding country.

Amiens, the capital of Picardy, was the next place of note I arrived at. This city boasts one of the finest Gothic cathedrals on the continent, built in the 13th century, and the architecture of it is so exquisite in point of workmanship, that the French significantly call it un beau morceau. At Amiens I was told that it was designed by an English architect. The plan is in the shape of a cross: the façade is loaded with an exuberance of figures, saints in niches, and sculpture of various devices; and the sides over the aisles have flying buttresses, with windows between: but the interior, though comparatively small, may be considered as a perfect model of this species of architecture in its more simple and unadorned character, somewhat resembling the west part of Winchester cathedral. In the front are three doors; and over the principal one, in the centre, between the two side-towers, appears the great window, which gives the largest share of light to the nave, as is usual in buildings of this description. About the large entrance, is a representation of the judgment-day, in sculpture, beside other emblems and decorations. The spire rises directly over the intersection of the cross, and is beautifully light: it decreases to a point, in ap

pearance as small as a needle, and is universally admired for its form and construction.

In this, as well as in many of the Gothic cathedrals of our own country, the interior is defaced by the improper introduction of Greek or Roman architecture. All the altar-pieces of the lateral chapels are of this description; which must ever give offence to a man of true taste and science: and although the association cannot be deemed so monstrous as what Horace mentions in the opening of his Art of Poetry, still I believe a man of nice discrimination would almost as soon see the one as the other; for what can be more absurd than the confounding of two absolute and distinct species of architecture in the same building? Were an architect to design a Corinthian entablature, supported with all the five orders in a promiscuous intercolumniation, he would not, in my opinion, commit a grosser solecism in the grammar of his art, nor do so much violence to the propriety and fitness of things: because, in the one instance, he only uses the same sort of architecture improperly; but in the other, he jumbles together indiscriminately two separate and incongruous styles, hostile to each other in all their proportions, principles, and character.

Behind the great altar appears a chef-d'œuvre of sculpture, representing the figure of a child weeping and so exquisitely well has the artist delineated the passion, that the tears really seem to run down his marble cheeks in "piteous chase."

The city swarms with beggars, who, the moment they hear an Englishman is arrived, beset the inn

in crowds, and become extremely troublesome by their importunities. When they look at Monsieur Anglois, they really fancy that his body, like the candlesticks of Solomon's temple, is made of pure gold. I had, however, resolved from the beginning, that my pocket should never be materially injured by my vanity; and I endeavoured, as much as was in my power, to persuade them to the contrary. The princely magnificence in which the Marquis Cornwallis lived while the negociation for peace was going on with France, and the noble liberality he so worthily displayed in his high situation to the poor during his residence at Amiens, induced them to think that the wealth of England is inexhaustible; and taught them to expect the same munificence on every occasion, without once considering the different degrees and conditions of those whom they solicit for charity.

The whole city is well planned, and the streets are open and spacious: the houses are stuccoed on the surface with considerable architectural decorations, and make altogether a handsome appearance.

Departing from Amiens for Paris, at a small distance out of the direct road lies the palace of Chantilly here are to be seen the remains of the superb dwelling of the family of Condé, formerly the boast of France. The principal building, which is a mixture of the French with the castellated style of architecture, has been defaced, and stripped of its ornaments both within and without; but the stables, perhaps the finest in Europe, are tolerably perfect.

Those richly-cultivated gardens-once adorned with sculpture, refreshed by fountains, and shaded with pines and orange-trees-in which the greatest men of France have walked with wonder and delight, are now despoiled of all their beauties, and appear, in a comparative sense, no better than a desert!

The road to Paris is rendered agreeable by a variety of vineyards to be seen on each side of it, combined with other pleasing scenery. Yet nothing can be more fatiguing than travelling through France, owing to the rough pavement of the roads, and the ponderous carriages in which you ride. Upon entering Paris, I was much struck with the noble gateway of Lewis XIV. designed by Blondel. It is composed of stone, and has a large archway in the centre: on each side appears a square passage for the convenience of persons on foot; and over these entrances are ornaments in the shape of pyramids, which are adorned with figures, beside shields, spears, armour, and other military instruments. On the top of the arch is an entablature of the Corinthian order, with a blocking above, enriched with scroll-work; and in the frieze is this inscription, "Ludovico magno." Immediately under the entablature is a long pannel, containing bass-reliefs relating to the history of Lewis XIV. Notwithstanding there is no column nor pilaster used in this structure, it has so striking an effect that it is impossible to pass it without admiration.

The dwelling-houses at Paris are generally very lofty, containing five and six stories, and sometimes more. They are mostly built with rough stones,