nique charms of Treguier, Quimper, or
even of Le Mans, with its sublime choir, or of Evreux. As for even a
nodding acquaintance with Noyon or Soissons, two of the most
convincingly beautiful and impressive transitory types, they might as
well be in the wilds of Kamchatka, though they are both situated in a
region well travelled on all sides; while Laon, not far distant, is
hardly known at all, except as a way station _en route_ to Switzerland.
The cathedrals of mid-France are, it is to be feared, even less known
than would on first thoughts seem probable. A certain amount of
sentimentality attaches itself to the chateaux of the Loire, and some
acquaintance with their undeniable pleasing attributes is the portion of
most travellers; but, again, such cathedral cities as Besancon, Nantes,
and Langres are off the well-worn road, and their cathedrals might be
myths so far as a general acquaintance with them is concerned; while
the splendid churches of Bourges, Nevers, and Autun are likewise
practically unknown to the casual traveller.

Tours, Orleans, and Chartres alone appear to be the only recognized
representatives of this section of France which have hitherto attracted
due attention.

With the southland this volume does not deal; that is a subject to be
considered quite by itself,--and significantly, more real interest has
been shown with respect to the architectural monuments of Avignon,
Arles, Nimes, Le Puy, Perigueux, Carcassonne, and Poitiers than to those
of the Midi. Is it that the days of cheap travel and specially conducted
tours, when ten or fifteen guineas will take one to the Swiss or Italian
lakes, or e'en to Rome and Florence, has caused this apparent neglect of
the country lying between? Certainly our forefathers travelled more
wisely, but then prices and means of locomotion were on quite a
different scale in those days, and not infrequently they were obliged to
confine their travels and observations to more restricted areas.

Perhaps the most lucid arrangement of architectural species is that
given by De Caumont's "Abecedaire d'Architecture," which divides the
country ethnologically into Brittany; Normandy; Flanders, including
Artois and Picardy; Central France (the Isle of France, Champagne,
Orleanois, Main, Anjou, Touraine, and Berri); and Burgundy,
comprehending the former divisions of Franche Comte, Lorraine, Alsace
(now Belfort), Nivernois, Bourbonnois, and Lyonnois. Of the above
divisions, only th