ncluded a little
narrative of some kindness which he had received, by saying, "if the
english and my country are not friends, it shall not be for want of my
prayers. I fled from France without tears, for the preservation of my
life, but when I left England, I confess it, I could not help shedding
some." They did not disgrace the generous abbe--such a nation was worthy
of such feelings.

Our horses were of the norman breed, small, stout, short, and full of
spirit, and to the honour of those who have the care of them, in
excellent condition. I was surprised to see these little animals running
away with our cumbrous machine, at the rate of six or seven miles an
hour.

We traced the desolating hand of the revolution as soon as we ascended
the first hill.

Our road lay through a charming country. Upon the sides of its
acclivities, surrounded by the most romantic scenery of woods and corn
fields, we saw ruined convents, and roofless village churches, through
the shattered casements of which the wind had free admission.

We breakfasted at a neat town called Bolbec, seven leagues from Havre,
where we had excellent coffee, butter, and rolls. All the household of
our inn looked clean, happy, and sprightly.

This is the principal town of the province of Caux, the women of which
dress their heads in a very peculiar, and in my humble opinion,
unbecoming manner. I made a hasty sketch of one of them who entered the
yard of the inn with apples for sale.

[Illustration: _A Woman of the province of Caux in Normandy._]

Such a promontory of cap and lace I never before beheld. She had been at
a village marriage that morning, and was bedecked in all her finery. The
people of this province are industrious and rich, and consequently
respectable. At the theatre at Rouen I afterwards saw, in one of the
front boxes, a lady from this country, dressed after its fashion; the
effect was so singular that it immediately induced me to distinguish
her, from the rest of the audience, but her appearance seemed to excite
no curiosity with any other person. Our breakfast cost us each fifteen
sous, to which may be added two sols more, for the maids, who waited
upon us with cheerful smiles, and habited in the full cushvois costume,
and which also entitled us to kisses and curtsies. I beg leave to oppose
our breakfast charge to the rumours which prevailed in England, that
this part of France was then in a state of famine. From this town, the
road was