In 1793 it was taken by the allies under the Duke of York, after a severe bombardment, which destroyed a part of the town: it was yielded back next year. In the grand square, or Place d'Armes, are situated the Hôtel de Ville, a Gothic building, the Theatre, and the Belfrey. The Church of St. Gery is reported to contain two paintings by Rubens. The celebrated Valenciennes lace is manufactured here, and a considerable quantity of fine cambric. This is the birth-place of Watteau the painter, of Froissart the historian, and of the minister D'Argenson. On entering France, passports must be delivered up here; and on quitting the country they are strictly examined by the police. Recent researches and excavations, in the neighbouring village of Famar (Fanum Martis), have brought to light a great many Roman antiquities, and traces of an ancient fortress. On quitting Valenciennes, the road passes through the rich coal field of Auzin; probably the most important for its produce in all France: 40 mines are worked in this district: some of them are 300 metres deep. Paris is supplied with a large quantity of coal from hence, by the canal of St. Quentin. The last or innermost Douane is at Douchy. 21 Bouchain, a fortress on the Scheldt, with about 1200 inhabitants. 2 CAMBRAI. Inns: Hôtel de l'Europe, excellent; Grand Canard. Another fortress on the Scheldt, with 17,000 inhabitants, principally remarkable for the fine muslin (batiste) manufactured here, named by the English, after the place where it is made, cambric. It was the episcopal see of the venerable Fénélon, author of Télémaque, who was buried here. The sacrilegious hands of the revolutionists, in 1793, tore his body from the peaceful grave, and melted the lead of his coffin into bullets. The beautiful Cathedral was utterly destroyed at the same time. By way of making some atonement for the outrage, a handsome monument was erected to his memory in 1825, in the present cathedral, decorated with his statue, and with 3 bas reliefs, representing memorable events of his life-the education of the Duke of Burgundy-the Archbishop attending the wounded soldier after the battle of Malplaquet-and the cow restored to the peasant. His remains are deposited beneath the monument, which is the work of David the sculptor. Of the 12 churches which existed before the Revolution 2 alone remain. The only other public building of consequence is the Hôtel de Ville, of modern construction. Cambrai is called Camaracum in the Itinerary of Antonine. The famous league against the republic of Venice was concocted here in 1508; and a treaty of peace between Charles V. and Francis I. was signed in 1529. The Canal of St. Quentin begins at Cambrai, where it issues out of the Scheldt: it joins the Oise at Chauny. It is of the highest importance in promoting the industry and prosperity of the district through which it passes. 11⁄2 Bonavy. Here the route to Paris by Peronne separates from that by St. Quentin. See next route. At Vendhuille, about 1 mile from the road, is the entrance of the tunnel through which the canal of St. Quentin is conducted, in a subterraneous course, for a distance of nearly 41 miles. This is a hilly stage. 1 Fins. 2 Peronne. Hôtel St. Martin; H. d'Angleterre. A fortress on the N. bank of the Somme. It bore the epithet la Pucelle, because it never was captured by an enemy down to 1815, when the Duke of Wellington took it by assault, and deprived it for ever of its virgin reputation. The 1st brigade of Guards formed the storming party who carried the outworks on that occasion. It is no longer worth while to keep up the fortifications, as they are commanded by neighbouring heights. Its ramparts are in consequence now planted with trees, and changed into agreeable walks, much embellished by the vicinity of the Somme. The number of inhabitants in the town exceeds 4000. It was in the castle of Peronne that Charles the Bold detained the crafty Louis XI. his prisoner, in the way so admirably described in Quentin Durward. The Church of St. Farcy is a handsome Gothic edifice. The situation of Peronne is exceedingly unwholesome, owing to the marshes which surround it. 1 Pont St. Maxence, a small town of 3000 inhabitants, on the bank of the Oise. 1 Senlis.- Inn, H. du Grand Cerf. A town of 5000 inhabitants, having a very fine cathedral. 1 La Chapelle en Serval. 1 Louvres; 2 leagues from this is the village of Ermenonville, where Rousseau died and was buried. On the right of the road is seen the Château of Ecouen, built by Francis I., destined by the will of the late Duke de Bourbon, who settled a revenue of 4000l. a year on it, as a seminary for the children of the Knights of St. Louis. Napoleon, during the empire, converted it into a school on the model of that of St. Cyr, and placed Madame Campan at the head of the establishment. 1 Bourget. It is recorded that Napoleon, on his flight from the field of Waterloo, lingered here two hours on the 20th of June, 1815, in order to avoid entering Paris by day light. The traveller enters Paris by the Barrière St. Martin. ROUTE XXXIII. BRUSSELS TO PARIS BY ST. QUENTIN. = 38 Fr. posts, 185 English miles, 40 posts are charged. This route, one post (5 English miles) longer than the preceding by Peronne, but identical with it as far as Bonavy, is taken by the French mail (malle poste). In the stage beyond Bonavy, the road traverses the little village of Castelet, near which, behind the gardens of Mont St. Martin, the Scheldt (l'Escaut) rises; it flows from an arch in the side of a hill. This and the following stage are hilly. 13 Bellecourt. At the castle of Tronquoi, not far from St. Quentin, is the entrance to the subterranean passage which conducts the canal of St. Quentin for 7020 yards through the solid rock: it is 20 feet high and 20 broad; it admits only one barge to pass at a time, towed by men who walk along the side. By means of this canal, a communication is opened between the river Scheldt and the extreme eastern departments of France and the Atlantic, through the rivers Somme, Seine, and Loire; it was completed by Napoleon in 1810; it enters the Oise at Chauny. 1 ST. QUENTIN. Inns H. du Cigne; H. d'Angleterre ; H. de l'Ange. A town of about 18,000 inhabitants, on the Somme, called by Cæsar Samarobriva. It is the centre of the muslin (batiste) manufacture; nearly 5000 spinners and from 300 to 500 weavers are employed on this branch of industry; besides which it has 29 cotton factories. Both the Town House and the Church are fine buildings, the latter in particular; the interior bears a strong resemblance to St. Bertin at St. Omer before it was reduced to a ruin. Under its walls was fought the memorable battle of St. Quentin, or St. Laurent, in which of Savoy, defeated the French, and took their General, Montmorency, prisoner, 1557. Its Queen Mary of England aided her husband Philip II. on this occasion with a considerable levy of English troops, under the command of the Earl of Pembroke, which contributed not a little to the victory. Outside of St. Quentin our road passes near the field of battle. 1 Roupy. 1 Ham. A small town on the Somme, with 2000 inhabitants. citadel has been much strengthened by modern works, so as to be now a fortress of importance: it serves as a state prison, for which purpose it is well fitted: the central tower, or donjon, is 100 feet high, 100 feet wide, and the walls are of masonry, 36 feet thick. The Prince de Polignac, and three other ministers of Charles X., who signed the fatal ordonnances of July 25th, 1830, were confined here. having been begun in the time of Pepin, and finished by Charlemagne. The Bishop's Palace is a considerable building. 1 Ribecourt. The road runs by the side of the Oise. 1 Compiègne. - Inn, Lion d'Or. A town of 7000 inhabitants, on the bank of the Oise, a little below its junction with the Aisne. The Romans gave it the name Compendium, because their military stores and ammunition of all sorts were kept here. The first organ ever seen in France was placed in the Church of St. Cor. neile by Pepin-le-bref, who received it as a present from Constantinople. He held several councils here; the most memorable was that in which Louis le Débonnaire was declared incapable of governing. The Royal Palace, originally built, 876, by Charles the Bald, Duke of Burgundy, has been a favourite residence of the kings of France, who often repaired hither to enjoy the The Abbey Church of Ham is said pleasures of the chase in its very exto be an interesting building. General Foy was born here. In the next stage, the road crosses the ridge which divides the waters of the Somme from those of the Seine. Between Ham and a village called Nesle, Henry V. crossed the Somme, by a ford which the French had left unguarded, with his brave army, which two days after fought and gained the battle of Agincourt, 1415. 1 Guiscard, or Magny Guiscard. A hilly stage. 1 Noyon.-Inn, H. des Chevalets. A very ancient town on the right side of the Oise, with 7000 inhabitants, remarkable as the birth-place of the reformer, John Calvin, and of General Dumouriez. It was besieged by Julius Cæsar, who calls it Noviodunum Belgarum in after-times, Hugues Capet was elected by his vassals King of France at this place in 987. The Cathedral is of great antiquity, tensive park and neighbouring forest. The building was augmented and improved by Francis I.; a new façade was built by Louis XIV. Napoleon added a splendid hall or gallery: it was here that he met his bride Marie Louisa. Charles X. spent much of his time here, in his favourite sport of shooting. The interior of the palace is elegantly furnished. It was under the walls of Compiègne that the heroic Joan of Arc was made prisoner by the English, 1430, with her charmed banner in her hands; she had attempted an unsuccessful sally from the gates, and was endeavouring to re-enter the town when her retreat was cut off, and she was taken into captivity, which ended only with her death. 1 La Croix St. Ouen. 183 26. Passports. SECTION III. GERMANY. 27. Inns and Expenses. 28. Beds. 30. Custom-Houses. Travelling, Posting. Lohnkutscher. 29. Valets-de-Place. -32. Modes of ·31. Distances, Travelling Map. 33. Diligences, or Eilwagens. -34. Voiturier, or 35. Cost of Travelling.—36. Baggage. ·37. Some peculiarities of German Manners, Titles, Salutations, Recreations, Public Gardens, Kirmes, The Turnpikeman, Travelling Journeymen. -38. German Watering Places. 39. German Towns, Fire-watch, Woodcutters. 41. Burial Grounds. 40. Clubs. [N. B. The information contained in this Section is of a general character, and applicable to the whole of Germany. The details peculiar to different kingdoms of Germany will be found respectively under the Heads Prussia, Saxony, Bavaria, Austria, &c.] : 26. PASSPORTS AND POLICE REGULATIONS. On entering a frontier town of Prussia, or any other part of Germany, and in most of the large towns of Austria and Bavaria, the traveller is requested at the gate to produce his passport. If it be a town of some importance, and he intend to sleep there, in all probability the passport must be forwarded to the Police-bureau to be examined and counter-signed (visé), in which case he will receive in exchange a ticket or receipt (schein), enabling him to get his passport back in minor towns this proceeding may not be necessary, and the passport is merely detained two or three minutes, till the name be registered, and then is respectively returned to the owner. It generally happens, however, that the traveller is requested to name the inn at which he proposes to take up his residence, in order that the passport may be sent after him: he is glad to avoid unnecessary delay, and the gate-keeper to have an opportunity of receiving a gratuity for his trouble, in taking the passport to the inn. As matters of this sort are totally foreign to English habits, and it is to travellers of this nation that the Hand-book is addressed, we shall dwell on a few particulars, which may be new to them, and useful to know. "All innkeepers are compelled to submit to the inspection of the police, the daily arrivals and departure of their guests; and not merely the name, surname, and country, but frequently the age, condition, whether married or single, profession, religion, motives for travelling, and other particulars are required. A book (called das Fremden Buch, Strangers' Book) ruled into columns, and methodically classed, is presented to the traveller for him to fill up. Simple as the queries are, one cannot but be surprised to see how often our countrymen in particular mistake their object, and how vaguely they write their insertions: two of the principal questions — namely, the place last left, and the place intended to be next visited, always refer to such towns of importance as may be within a reasonable distance; and a moment's reflection will show the utility of such a proceeding; what then can be more absurd than for kingdom some hundreds of miles off, as Rome or Naples, because he happens to have left his home for the sole purpose of wintering there: and yet how often in Italy, or Switzerland, or some place equally vague, are heedlessly inserted, when, perhaps, the next town, en route, may be the capital of a grand duchy!" [S.] Before he has remained two days in the place (the period of time is different in different countries), he is required, under penalty of a fine, to present himself in person at the Police Office (Polizei Direction). He must take with him the ticket he received at the gate, and if he intends remaining any time on the spot, he will, upon showing it, receive a permission of residence (Aufenthalts schein — permission de sejour) for a certain period, at the expiration of which he must again repair to the Police, to obtain a renewal of the same. When he has made up his mind to quit the place, his passport will be returned to him. It must be then visé : first, by the Police; next by his own minister (if there be any resident English minister); and lastly, by the Ambassadors of the countries to which he is going, and through which he may pass. The arrangement of the passport should be attended to a day or two before the traveller's departure, as the necessary signatures are often not to be got in a single day. As a general rule, never pass out of one state into another without having the signature of the minister of the state you are about to enter, upon your passport. On leaving a great Capital to pass through the dominions of several sovereigns, the passport should be signed by the ministers of all these sovereigns resident at the capital. The Bavarian Minister's signature is now indispensable for those about to enter Bavaria. See Hand-book for S. Germany, $76. Attention to the passport is particularly necessary when the traveller intends to enter Italy, or any part of the Austrian dominions. It cannot be too often repeated, to impress it on the traveller's mind, that without the signature of some Austrian ambassador, or minister, no one is ever allowed on any condition to cross the Austrian frontier. The instances of delay, vexation, and trouble which annually occur to persons who, from ignorance of this, proceed to the frontier, and are there stopped, are innumerable. 27. INNS. Great care has been taken in this work, to furnish the traveller with the names of the best inns throughout Germany and the north of Europe, derived principally from personal experience, or that of friends, and trusting as little as possible to the usual recommendation of Guide Books, unless they were ascertained to be well founded. As it is the first information which a traveller requires on reaching a place, the names of the inns in all instances stand first. German innkeepers are, on the whole, a very respectable class; they usually preside at their own tables-d'hôte, entering familiarly into conversation with their guests. It is rarely necessary to make a bargain beforehand with a German landlord, a precaution almost indispensable in Holland, Italy, and Switzerland. When, however, a traveller intends to take up his residence for several weeks or longer in an hotel, it is a good plan, as well as customary, to come to an agreement with the landlord, who, under these circumstances is usually willing to make an abatement of one-third from his usual charges. It is also a common practice to purchase a dozen or twenty tickets for the table-d'hôte, which, when taken in such a number, are charged at a lower rate. The apartments are classed as to price, according to the stories on which they are |