oceeded somewhat thoughtfully, to an avenue of shady trees, where
groups of men and women were sitting or strolling--beneath the broad moon
beam--and chanting the popular airs of their country.

The next morning I quitted Nancy. The first place of halting was _St.
Nicholas_--of which the elegant towers had struck us on the other side of
Nancy. It was no post town: but we could not pass such an ecclesiastical
edifice without examining it with attention. The village itself is most
miserable; yet it could once boast of a _press_ which gave birth to the
_Liber Nanceidos_.[201] The space before the west front of the church is
absolutely choked by houses of the most squalid appearance--so that there
is hardly getting a good general view of the towers. The interior struck us
as exceedingly interesting. There are handsome transepts; in one of which
is a large, circular, central pillar; in the other, an equally large one,
but twisted. One is astonished at finding such a large and beautiful
building in such a situation; but formerly the place might have been large
and flourishing. The west front of this church may rival two-thirds of
similar edifices in France.

_Domballe_ was the next post: the drive thither being somewhat picturesque.
_Luneville_ is the immediately following post town. It is a large and
considerable place; looking however more picturesque at a distance than on
its near approach: owing to the red tiles of which the roofs are composed.
Here are handsome public buildings; a fountain, with eight jets d'eau--
barracks, a theatre, and the castle of Prince Charles, of Lorraine. A good
deal of business is carried on in the earthenware and cotton trade--of both
which there is a manufactory--together with that of porcelaine. This place
is known in modern history from the _Treaty of Luneville_ between the
Austrians and French in 1801. From hence we went to _Benamenil_, the next
stage; and in our way thither, we saw, for the first time since leaving
Paris, a _flock of geese!_ Dined at _Blamont_--the succeeding post town.
While our cutlets were preparing we strolled to the old castle, now in a
state of dilapidation. It is not spacious, but is a picturesque relic.
Within the exterior walls is a fine kitchen garden. From the top of what
might have been the donjon, we surveyed the surrounding country--at that
moment rendered hazy by an atmosphere of dense, heated, vapour. Indeed it
was uncommonly hot. Upon the whole, both the v