beautiful. It improves much upon coming near Pezenas, where the fields
are divided into green meadows, and interspersed with little gardens, in
which, although it is now only April, the fruit trees are in full
blossom, and giving to the view an uncommon beauty. The blossom of the
pears, peach, and apple-trees, is, I think, richer than I ever saw in
England. The season is not only much more advanced here than at Aix, but
the warmth and mildness of the climate gives to the fields and flowers a
more than common luxuriancy. Many of the meadows are thickly sown with
the white narcissus, and the hedges, which form their inclosures, are
covered with the deepest verdure, which is finely contrasted with the
pink-flowers of the almond trees, rising at intervals in the hedge-rows.
The wheat round Montpellier was now, in the middle of April, in the ear.
We set off to-morrow at half-past five, in order to get into the _coches
d'eau_ at Beziers before 12 (the hour of starting). Hitherto we have
proceeded without the slightest molestation. The English, I am now
thoroughly convinced, are not popular amongst the lower orders; but as
we are the couriers of good news, we are at present well received. Could
it be believed by an Englishman, that we, who travel at the miserable
rate of 30 miles a-day, _should be the first to spread the news wherever
we go_. The reason is, that we get the authentic news through our
friends and bankers, and circulate it in the inns, instead of the
ridiculous stories invented by those groping in ignorance. The feelings
of the people seem excellent every where; the troops alone maintain a
gloomy silence. The country, from Montpellier, is the same as hitherto,
flat and insipid: but the crops are much farther advanced than in
Provence. We had some fine peeps at the Mediterranean this morning. The
town of Pezenas is prettily situated, and is surrounded by numbers of
beautiful gardens, though on a small scale. All the fruit trees are here
in blossom: Green peas a foot and a half high. The ploughs in this part
of the country are more antiquated than any I have seen. The ploughing
is very shallow; but nature does all in France.----Distance about 34
miles.

* * *

_Wednesday_, 22d.--Left Pezenas at half past five, and arrived to
breakfast at half past nine at Beziers. We went to see the _coches
d'eau_, described as _superbes_ and _magnifiques_ by our French friends.
Their ideas differ from ours. It would be perfectly