use belonging to
a carpenter. The worthy priest received me on the landing-place, in the
most cheerful and chatty manner. He has three small rooms on the same
floor. In the first, his library is deposited. On my asking him to let me
see what _old books_ he possessed, he turned gaily round, and
replied--"Comment donc, Monsieur, vous aimez les vieux livres? A ca,
voyons!" Whereupon he pulled away certain strips or pieces of wainscot, and
shewed me his book-treasures within the recesses. On my recognising a
_Colinaeus_ and _Henry Stephen_, ere he had read the title of the volumes,
he seemed to marvel exceedingly, and to gaze at me as a conjuror. He
betrayed more than ordinary satisfaction on shewing his _Latin Galen_ and
_Hippocrates_; and the former, to the best of my recollection, contained
Latin notes in the margin, written by himself. These tomes were followed up
by a few upon _alchymy_ and _astrology_; from which, and the consequent
conversation, I was led to infer that the amiable possessor entertained due
respect for those studies which had ravished our DEES and ASHMOLES of old.

In the second room stood an upright piano forte--the _manufacture_, as well
as the property, of Monsieur Langevin. It bore the date of 1806; and was
considered as the first of the kind introduced into Normandy. It was
impossible not to be struck with the various rational sources of amusement,
by means of which this estimable character had contrived to beguile the
hours of his misfortunes. There was a calm, collected, serenity of manner
about him--a most unfeigned and unqualified resignation to the divine
will--which marked him as an object at once of admiration and esteem.
There was no boast--no cant--no formal sermonising. You _saw_ what
religion had done for him. Her effects _spake_ in his discourse and in
his life.... Over his piano hung a portrait of himself; very
indifferently executed--and not strongly resembling the original. "We
can do something more faithful than this, sir, if you will allow
it"--said I, pointing to Mr. Lewis: and it was agreed that he should
give the latter a sitting on the morrow. The next day M. Langevin came
punctually to his appointment, for the purpose of having his portrait
taken.

On telling this original that the pencil drawing of Mr. Lewis (which by the
bye was executed in about an hour and a half) should be
_engraved_--inasmuch as he was the modern _Historian of Falaise_--he seemed
absolutely astonished