gh the effect of a
first view, therefore, was striking and delightful, and though to
the last we could not help acknowledging the richness of the land
and its high state of cultivation, its beauty soon began to pall.
The fact is, that an immense plain, however adorned by the
labour of man, is not an object upon which it is pleasing to gaze
for any length of time; the eye becomes wearied with the extent
of its own stretch, and as there is no boundary but the horizon,
the imagination is left to picture a continuance of the same
plain, till it becomes as tired of fancying as the eye is of
looking. Besides, we were not long in discovering that the
vineyards were unworthy to be compared, in point of luxuriant
appearance, with those of Spain and the more southern regions of
France. In this neighbourhood the vine is not permitted to grow
to a greater height than or four feet from the ground; whereas in
Spain, and on the borders, it climbs, like the hop-plant in
England, to the top of high poles, and hangs over from one row to
another, in the most graceful festoons. In spite of these
objections, however, no one could do otherwise than admit that
the change we had experienced was agreeable, and we continued to
move on with greater alacrity, till it was evident, from the increasing
number of seats and villas, that we were rapidly approaching the vicinity
of Bordeaux.

Nor was it long before the towers and buildings of that
magnificent city began to be discernible in the distance.
Prompted by I know not what impulse, we almost involuntarily
quickened our pace at the sight, and in a short time reached the
suburbs, which like those of most French towns, are composed of
low houses, inhabited by the poorest and meanest of the people.
Here we halted for a few minutes to refresh the men, when having
again resumed the line of march, we advanced under a triumphal
arch, originally erected in honour of Napoleon, but now inscribed
with the name of the Duke d'Angouleme, and ornamented with
garlands of flowers. Passing under this, we proceeded along one
or two handsome streets, till we reached the Military Hospital, a
large and commodious structure fitted up for the reception of
several thousands of sick, where it was arranged that we should
spend the night.

The city of Bordeaux has been too often described, and is too
well known to my countrymen, in general, to render any particular
account of it at all necessary from me; and were t