e sung was both agreeable and lively: and upon the whole it was
difficult to say which seemed to be the better pleased with the respective
national airs. M. Bree shewed me his premises in detail. They had been
formerly a portion of an old church; and are situated on the edge of the
great fosse which encircles the town. A garden, full of sweet blooming
flowers, is behind them; and the view backwards is cheerful and
picturesque. There are generally five presses at work; which, for a
provincial printing office, shews business to be far from slack. Mons. B.
sells a great number of almanacks, and prints all the leading publications
connected with the town. In fact, his title, as _Imprimeur du Roi_,
supposes him to take the principal lead as a printer. This agreeable man
has a brother who is professor of rhetoric in the College Royale at Paris.

Of _Bouquinistes_, or dealers in old books, there are scarcely any. I spent
three or four fruitless hours in a search after old chronicles and old
poetry: and was compelled, almost from pure civility, to purchase of
DUFOURS a _Petit's Virgil_ of 1529, folio--which will be hardly worth the
carriage. I tried hard for a fine copy of _Fauchet's Origines de la Poesie
Francoise_, 1581, 4to. with the head of the author, but in vain; yet
endeavoured to console myself by an old blue morocco copy of _Les regrets
et tristes lamentations du Comte de Montgomery_, by _Demorenne_, Rouen,
1574, 8vo. as well as a clean, fresh, and almost crackling copy of
_Amoureuses occupations de la Taysonniere_, Lyon, 1555, 8vo.--for two
francs each--and both destined for the rich and choice library of our
friend....

Thus much for FALAISE: for a spot, which, from the uniform serenity of the
weather since I have been here--from the comfort of the inn--from the
extreme civility and attention of the townspeople--and from the yet more
interesting society of the Comte de la Fresnaye, the _Cures_ Mouton and
Langevin--together with the amenity of the surrounding country, and the
interesting and in part magnificent remains of antiquity--can never be
erased from my recollection. It is here that the tourist and antiquary may
find objects for admiration and materials for recording. I have done both:
admired and recorded--happy, if the result of such occupations shall have
contributed to the substantial gratification of yourself and of our common
friends. And now, farewell; not only to Falaise, but to NORMANDY. I shall
leave