employed to pump up the water and extract the coal, which is exported in large quantities to Paris by the long line of inland navigation connecting these mines with the French metropolis. It has been calculated that a population of nearly 23,000 persons are employed in and about the mines of the coalfield of Mons. There are also in the neighbourhood extensive bleaching grounds. The principal buildings are the Church of St. Waudrun, a very handsome Gothic edifice, begun in 1460, but not completed till 1580. The Castle, a high tower

or beffroi, built in 1662, on the site of Cæsar's Castrum, as is reported. The Gothic Town-hall was built in 1440.

Mons was the native place of Orlando Lassus, the celebrated musician of the XVIth century. A communication is opened between the town of Mons and the Scheldt by the Canal de Condé; a new branch, called Canal d'Antoing, has recently been cut to avoid the French territory altogether, and to enter the Scheldt lower down, at a point where both banks of that river belong to Belgium. At the distance of about 10 miles from Mons, but within the French frontier, was fought the bloody battle of Malplaquet, 1709, where the Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene beat the French, though with a loss of 20,000 men.

On quitting Mons the road crosses the river Trouille, runs along the dyke of the Canal de Condé, and passes close to the sluices of St. Ghislain, by means of which the whole country around might be inundated. Between Mons and the village of Quaregnon lies that of Jemappes, celebrated for the victory gained by the French, under General Dumouriez and the Duke de Char. tres, now King Louis-Philippe, in 1792, over the Austrians. Three coal pits were filled with dead bodies of men and horses after the battle. The result of this victory was to make

the French masters of Belgium. A stone has been set up close to the road to mark the scene of the battle.

1 Hornu, is a populous and increasing colony, already numbering more than 3000 inhabitants, though of recent origin, having been established by the late M. Legrand. It is composed principally of miners and iron forgers, who are maintained by the mines of coal and iron here. The village is built with straight streets on a uniform plan, the houses being of the same height.

1 Quievrain, a small village, is the station of the Belgian custom house officers. About mile further on, the small river l'Aunelle marks the boundary of France. There is a triple row of French custom houses on this frontier, and the repeated searches to which the traveller is subjected is often very annoying, and occasions considerable delay.

1 VALENCIENNES. Inns, La Poste Le Canard: La Biche: La Cour de France. A fortress of the second class, constructed by the engineer Vauban it lies on the Scheldt, and has a population of 20,000 souls. In 1793 it was taken by the allies under the Duke of York, after a severe bombardment which destroyed part of the town; it was yielded back next year. In the grand square or

a

Place d'Armes are situated the Hôtel de Ville, a Gothic building, the Theatre, and the Belfry. 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 antiqui- | ties 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, Grand Canard; -H. de Hollande, another fortress on the Scheldt, with 17,000 inhabitants, principally remarkable for the fine muslin (batiste) manufactured here, and 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 áre 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 Hótel de Ville, of modern construction. Cambrai is called Camaracum in the Itinerary of Antónine.

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.

1 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 4 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 Bald 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 Marché le pot. 1 Fonches.

1 Roye:-Inn, Grand Cerf, 1 Conchy les pots. 1 Cuvilly.

1 Gournay sur Aronde.

I

1 Bois de Lihus.

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 Chateau of Ecouen, built by Francis I., destined by the will of the late Duke de Bourbon, who settled a revenue of 4000. 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 Barriere St. Martin. 1 PARIS.

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. Under its walls was fought the memorable battle of St. Quentin or St. Laurent, in which the Spaniards, under Philibert, Duke of Savoy, defeated the French, and took their General, Montmorency, prisoner, 1557. 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. Its 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 Po lignac, and three other unfortunate ministers of Charles X., who signed the fatal ordonnances of July 25th, 1830, are now confined here.

The Abbey Church of Ham is said to 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.

mans 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. Corneille 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 pleasures of the chase in its very extensive 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 Maria 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. 1 Verberie.

Senlis to Paris. See Route XXXII.