young walking
by the sides of them, hastening to the town, announced to us, that a
fair, and merry making was to be held there, on that day. Lisieux was
quite in a bustle. About six o'clock in the evening of the same day, we
arrived at Caen, the capital of Lower Normandy. My fare to this city
from Paris, amounted to thirty livres, including my luggage. I had not
completed my dinner at the Hotel de la Place, before an english servant
entered my room, to inform me, that his mistress, Mrs. P----, who, with
her daughters, and another young lady, had the rooms over mine,
presented her compliments to me, and requested me to take my coffee with
them that evening. I must confess I was at first a little surprised at
the message, for the english are not very remarkable for politeness and
attention to one another in a foreign country.

[Illustration: _Caen._]

After I had finished my desert, I made my bow to Mrs. P----, and her
family, who proved to be very pleasant, and accomplished people, and
were making the tour of France with english servants. They had been in
Caen near three weeks, where they had a large acquaintance of the first
respectability. This unexpected introduction became additionally
agreeable, upon my discovery at the Messagerie, that the diligence for
Cherbourg would not proceed, till three days from the time of my
arrival. The next morning I rambled with my new friends about the city,
which is large, and handsome, and is watered by the river Orne. It is
much celebrated for its lace trade; on that day I dined with Mrs. P----,
and a french party, and was regaled with an english dinner, cooked, and
served up by her own servants. The filth of the french kitchen is too
well known, to make it necessary for me to say how delicious such a
dinner was. The french admit themselves that their cooks are destitute
of cleanliness.

The Convent of the Benedictines, which is converted into the palace of
the prefect, is a noble building. The gardens belonging to it are well
arranged. The promenade called de la Cour is very charming, from which
the city is seen to great advantage. The water of the Orne is rather
nauseous, but is not considered unwholesome. The Palais de Justice is a
fine modern structure. In its courts of law, I had again an opportunity
of hearing the forensic elocution of Normandy. The gestures, and
vehemence of the orators here, as at Rouen, appeared to me to be
tinctured with the extravagance of frenzy. But