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diff --git a/33473.txt b/33473.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..e9f1131 --- /dev/null +++ b/33473.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4650 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Memoranda on Tours, Touraine and Central +France., by J. H. Holdsworth + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Memoranda on Tours, Touraine and Central France. + Including remarks on the climate with a sketch of the + Botany And Geology of the Province also on the Wines and + Mineral Waters of France The maladies to which they are + applicable, and their effects upon the constitution. To + which is added an appendix containing a variety of useful + information to The Tourist. + +Author: J. H. Holdsworth + +Release Date: August 20, 2010 [EBook #33473] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MEMORANDA ON TOURS *** + + + + +Produced by Chuck Greif and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + + + + +Aside from the correction of obvious typographical errors, the text has +not been modernized; the original (some archaic) spellings have been +retained (Maderia for Madiera; marjorem for marjoram; Marsilles for +Marsailles; horison for horizon). [Note of etext transcriber.] + + + + +MEMORANDA + +ON + +TOURS, TOURAINE + +AND + +CENTRAL FRANCE. + +Tours.--Printed by A. MAME and Co. + + + + +MEMORANDA + +ON + +TOURS AND TOURAINE + +INCLUDING + +REMARKS ON THE CLIMATE + +with a sketch + +OF THE + +BOTANY AND GEOLOGY OF THE PROVINCE + +ALSO ON THE + +WINES + +AND + +MINERAL WATERS + +OF + +FRANCE + +The maladies to which they are applicable, and their effects upon the +constitution. To which is added an appendix containing a variety of +useful information to + +THE TOURIST + +BY + +J. H. HOLDSWORTH, M. D. + +TOURS, + +A. AIGRE, rue Royale. + +Messrs. CALIGNANIS, No 18, rue Vivienne, PARIS; +HENRY RENSHAW, No 356, Strand, LONDON; +And all other Booksellers. + +1842 + +"Thou, nature, art my Goddess; to thy law my services are bound." + +SHAKSPEARE. + + + + +TO + +LAWSON CAPE, M. D. + +Lecturer at Saint-Thomas's Hospital + +THIS SMALL VOLUME + +IS INSCRIBED + +As a slight testimony of friendship and esteem + +BY THE + +AUTHOR. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +The author of the present little volume in offering it to the public is +sensible how crude and imperfect is its form. The haste with which from +unavoidable circumstances, it has been composed and the difficulties he +has had to contend with in printing it in a foreign country will, he +trusts, be considered an excuse, however insufficient, for errors which +would otherwise be unpardonable. + +His object has been to convey information on subjects new to the +generality of those who resort to France for the restoration of their +health. In England, independent of the valetudinarian, not only the man +of wealth and fashion, but the economist of time and means,--in these +days of locomotive mania,--deem a visit to the continent almost +indispensable; and in the majority of cases, after the resolution to +take a trip abroad is formed the resolvent with a perfect indifference +as to _route_ or _locality_, becomes anxious to obtain information +concerning such places as may in reality be most calculated to conduce +to his health, pleasure, instruction or amusement,--either _en route_, +or as a temporary place of residence. + +Under a due consideration of these circumstances the author trusts +having endeavoured to blend information with utility and amusement in +so unpretending and general a form; he may be deemed to have +accomplished the ends to which he has humbly aspired. And should his +professional occupations at some future period, permit him to revise his +work, he will render its style more worthy of the reader. + +Tours, september 1842. + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + Page + +Description of the scenery of Touraine 1 + +Remarks on the climate of Touraine 8 + +Beneficial effects of the climate considered 13 + +Directions for invalid travellers 25 + +Hydropathic treatment 32 + +Wines of France 34 + +Description of various routes to Tours 42 + +Notices respecting Tours and its neighbourhood 49 + +Sporting 54 + +Ancient Chateaux of Touraine 55 + +Mettray Colony 73 + +Remarks on society at Tours 81 + +Botany of Touraine 88 + +Information respecting the growth and varieties +of the vine 97 + +Geology of Touraine 105 + +Spas of France 123 + +Spas of central France, their respective localities, +medicinal virtues, diseases to which +they are applicable, etc. 139 + +Classification of French wines, places where +grown, character, comparative qualities, +etc., etc. 186 + +Alcoholic strength of various wines and liquors 192 + +Meteorological Register for Tours 194 + +Reaumur's Thermometric scale turned into +Fahrenheit's 208 + +Appendix.--Passports, Cash, Coinage 209 + +Useful information for travellers, etc., etc. 217 + +Expense of living in France, etc. 230 + +[Illustration: VUE DE TOURS + +Lith. CLAREY-MARTINEAU. r de la harpe 16, TOURS.] + + + + +MEMORANDA + +OF + +TOURS, TOURAINE, + +AND + +CENTRAL FRANCE. + + + + +CHARACTER OF THE SCENERY OF TOURAINE. + + +Although there is little that can be denominated bold, or strikingly +romantic, in the general aspect of the country around Tours, it +nevertheless, possesses charms of a peculiar and novel nature, alike +calculated to gratify a lover of the picturesque, tranquillize the +mind, and renovate the enfeebled energies of the valetudinarian. + +Hence it has long been famed as a favourite resort, more especially, of +these classes of British Tourists, etc.; many adopting it as a temporary +place of residence, whilst others have permanently established +themselves in some of the beautiful sylvan retreats which characterize +the more immediate vicinity of the city. + +Throughout a vast area, the surface of the surrounding country is +pleasingly diversified by gentle undulations, considerable tracts of +which are adorned by dense masses of foliage, occasionally presenting +deeply indented vistas, embosoming some modern country house or ancient +Chateau, with its spacious, but somewhat formal pleasure grounds. Many +picturesque vales with their meandering streams, verdant meadows, and +towering poplars, also present themselves to the eye of the traveller, +but the characteristic rural features of this portion of France are its +wide spread _vineyards_, which may almost be said to occupy every slope, +and crown every upland. + +As throughout nearly the whole of these extensive tracts of fluttering +verdure, the walnut, the apple, and in many instances the peach, +apricot, cherry and almond, with innumerable elms, oaks, and gigantic +specimens of the Lombardy poplar are thickly and pretty uniformly +interspersed, the whole country assumes a remarkably foreign and sylvan +character; the peaceful beauty of which is much heightened by the +sequestered and vine clad abodes of the rural population, of the +majority of which, it may almost literally be said, that they are +surrounded by a terrestrial paradise, teeming with the most luscious and +grateful productions of all bounteous nature. + +Although such is the agreeable aspect of much of what may be termed the +table lands of Touraine, the picturesque character of the landscape is +much enhanced as we gradually descend into the capacious valley of the +Loire. + +On approaching the _Barriere de la Tranchee_, the ancient and handsome +city of Tours, with the dome capped towers of its magnificent cathedral, +and other churches, presents itself full in view, occupying a +considerable area on the opposite banks of the river, and being +encircled by a girdle of luxuriant foliage formed by its celebrated +_Mall (le Mail)_, a spacious avenue of fine elms; beyond which, a +fertile plain of about two miles broad extends to the Cher; which is +immediately succeeded by the richly wooded southern slopes of the vale, +thickly bespangled with the handsome white residences of the French +noblesse. + +The broad and voluminous waters of the Loire, are here, as in many other +localities, adorned by two rather large and well planted islands, +between which the noble bridge with its fifteen elliptic arches +stretches across the stream; opening a direct communication with the +spacious Rue Royale, said to be one of the handsomest streets in Europe. + +The two opposite slopes of the beautiful vale of the Loire, which are +sometimes deeply furrowed or intersected by denudated vallies, being +thickly studded with pretty villas, surrounded by ornamental grounds, +and intersected by thriving vineyards, with their sequestered villages, +sometimes alone detectable by the tall taper mineret of the Parish +church, piercing through the sombre masses of foliage that occasionally +project far into the hurrying current, or abruptly recede to crown some +bold projection of the adjacent heights, necessarily present, many +exceedingly interesting views, whose charming realities can alone be +correctly depicted by the pencil of the artist, and many of which do in +fact, merit to be delineated by the genius of a Claude. + +The expansive plain through which this noble river gracefully +serpentines, possesses an exceedingly fertile alluvial soil on a +substratum of gravel, and is chiefly devoted to agricultural purposes; +but, occasionally contains extensive tracts of pasture land, which +fattens the majority of the cattle consumed in the adjacent districts. +The soils of the table lands are comparatively poor and infertile, being +for the most part constituted of a light sandy loam and tenaceous +calcareous marl, in which frequently a gravelly debris prevails, or +innumerable flint stones are interspersed. + +The subformations of the country being chiefly composed of sandstone and +porous calcareous and siliceous rocks, renders the thin soils on these +higher tracts extremely dry and arid. And perhaps this is more +particularly the case where the white sandstone forms extensive mural +terraces along the northern borders of the vale of the Loire. At _la +Tranchee_ this rock being barely covered, and where it happens to be so +to any depth, by a porous loamy and gravelly deposit only,--this fact is +peculiarly and very happily demonstrated by the healthiness of the +place. + + + + +CLIMATE OF TOURAINE, ETC. + + +A characteristic freedom from terreous moisture and aqueous exhalations, +tends in no small degree to augment the natural salubrity of the +Tourainean climate, and perhaps it is mainly indebted to its peculiar +geological structure, which we shall presently consider more in detail, +for the preference awarded to certain of its localities by invalids, +over the somewhat milder but generally speaking more humid resorts of +southern France. + +The topographical situation also of Tours secures to it some +advantageous peculiarities not possessed by many of the frequented +places of the south. Pau in the south-west of France, one of its most +formidable rivals, is, in consequence of its proximity to the Pyrenees, +subject to considerable variations of temperature, and although a +considerable distance from the coast, is very much under the influence +of the Atlantic. All the changes though in some degree modified to which +it gives rise extending as far as that place. These effects cannot be +properly said to reach Tours, which is situated in a fine campaign +country, and is at least twice the distance of Pau from the sea, or +about one hundred and fifty miles; the temperature however of Tours is +subject to rather frequent but decidedly not great vicissitudes, the +thermometer being rarely above 80 deg. in summer or below 40 deg. in winter. + +The comparative statements given by Dr Playfair respecting the +climates of several places in the north and south of Europe, may +somewhat serve to illustrate that of Tours with regard to those +respective localities:[A] "The mean annual temperature of Pau is 4-1/2 deg. +higher than that of London, and about 3 deg. higher than that of Penzance; +it is about 5 deg. lower than that of Marsilles, Nice, and Rome, and 10 deg. +lower than that of Maderia. In winter it is 2 deg. warmer than London, 3 deg. +colder than Penzance, 6 deg. colder than Nice and Rome, and 18 deg. colder than +Maderia. But in _spring_ Pau is 6 deg. warmer than London, and 5 deg. warmer +than Penzance; only 2-1/2 deg. colder than Marsilles and Rome, and 7 deg. colder +than Maderia. + +The range of temperature, between the warmest and coldest months at Pau +is 32 deg.; this at London, and likewise at Rome is 26 deg.; at Penzance it is +only 18 deg., and at Maderia 14 deg.. The daily range of temperature at Pau is +7-1/2 deg., at Penzance it is 6-1/2 deg., at Nice 8-1/2 deg., at Rome 11 deg.." + +At Tours the prevailing winds are south westerly. Between however the +vernal equinox (the 21st of march and the latter part of april), +easterly winds are rather frequent, but the city is pretty effectually +protected from the effects of these and the north winds by the high +range of country which stretches out from nearly east to west along the +northern banks of the Loire. The long succession of handsome villas +pleasantly situated opposite Tours at the base of these high grounds, +occasionally climbing their slopes, and which are chiefly occupied by +English families, being entirely protected from them. + +The autumn which is peculiarly mild and may be said to be here +exceedingly charming,--especially where the red tinted leaves of the +vine impart a glowing richness to the vineyard clad landscape,--advances +with an agreeable and smiling aspect into the more dreary month of +december, when cold weather may, generally speaking, be said to have +commenced; though the middle of most days is still cheered by a warm and +genial sunshine. A good deal of heavy rain usually falls about the +autumnal equinox, but is quickly absorbed by the porous soil and +prevailing arenaceous formations of the neighbourhood, consequently, the +atmosphere is particularly free from humidity. + +A peculiar absence from cold winds may be strictly said to prevail the +greater portion of the year, but perhaps the characteristic qualities of +the climate are the equability of its seasons, and the comparative +mildness of its spring. Constituting in a high degree, that healthful +atmosphere so indispensable to the preservation and improvement of our +native energies both physical and mental. + +In all chronic pulmonary affections, the quality of the air which is +inspired into the lungs is well known to be a point of the most vital +consequence, and therefore invalids affected by inflammatory affections +of that organ experience much benefit by repairing to a climate like +this, more particularly during the vernal exacerbations of the disease. +Indeed experience has proved the climate of Tours to be peculiarly +efficacious in bronchial affections, being very beneficial in almost all +cases of irritation of the air passages, whether or not accompanied by +increased secretion. + +The mild equable temperature of the Touraine climate is peculiarly +adapted to afford essential relief to persons predisposed to phthisis +or consumption, and those suffering from laryngeal, bronchial, and +catarrhal affections, assimulating that disease. Also to invalids +labouring under chronic dyspepsia, gout, and rheumatic affections, a +_winter's_ residence particularly, in Tours, has frequently proved +highly serviceable, and no inconsiderable benefit is experienced by +persons who have contracted local disease from a residence in a tropical +or unhealthy climate. + +Most of the above mentioned diseases being generally induced by a +continued subjection to the suddenness and excess of atmospherical +vicissitudes, and which the efforts of medicine alone too frequently +fail to eradicate or alleviate, it is sufficiently evident, that a +removal to localities where these causes can be in a great measure +obviated, is in most cases, the more commendable course the afflicted +can pursue, as the one assuredly the most calculated to expedite the +remedial skill of the Physician through the renovating virtues of those +powerful and efficient agents, travelling and _change of air_. + +When it is considered how much the natural character of the subtle and +elastic fluid which surrounds the earth is changed and modified in +different localities by the geographical position and physical +peculiarities so variously distinguishing the respective regions of the +globe, it will, we trust, readily be conceived from what has been stated +of such circumstances, respecting Tours and its neighbourhood, that its +prevailing climatic qualities cannot fail to be of a highly healthful +tendency. + +Tours, we have intimated, is too remote from the Ocean, to be +prejudicially affected by its mutable influences, or by the vast stream +of aqueous vapours perpetually arising from the great western +waters;--it is environed by moderately elevated _absorbing_ +formations,--it is situated in a broad and extensive vale, whose fertile +soils are based upon a thick alluvial deposit of gravel;--while its +walls are bathed by the purifying waters of a wide, rapid and limpid +river. + +It is from such a happy combination of natural circumstances that its +atmosphere possesses the transparency and elasticity which so strikingly +characterizes it; and on which of course its peculiar adaptation for +the due and healthful performance of the animal functions mainly +depends. + +Lord Bacon thinks the best air is to be met with in open campaign +countries; where the soil is dry, not parched or sandy, and +spontaneously produces wild thyme, wild marjorem, and the like sweet +scented plants. + +It is in fact sufficiently obvious, that wherever the aerial currents +have a free and unobstructed circulation those injurious mixtures, in +the form of vapour known under the name of _miasmata_, cannot +disseminate their baneful seeds, the whole ingredients of the atmosphere +being thereby continually amalgamated together. + +The greater portion indeed of central France, it may justly be said, has +as strong and palpable claims to a genial and equable climate, as the +province of Touraine, with all its acknowledged local advantages. The +winters are of very short duration, and a powerful sun during the +greater part of the year dispenses heat and life through a cloudless and +lucid atmosphere. + +The present winter (1842), like its immediate predecessor has been +somewhat remarkable for an unusual though partial severity. This was +only experienced at Tours during the month of January, when a keen but +dry atmosphere prevailed. The cold about this period however, seems to +have been severely felt in the south of Europe generally, and in +countries where the temperature is usually very mild. At _Rome_ on the +ninth January 1842, there was a fall of snow which remained on the +ground several hours, and on the thirteenth the hills of Albano and +Tusculum were still covered with snow. The cold was twenty two degrees +below freezing point, which is a very rare circumstance in the Roman +states. At _Carthagena_, where severe cold is seldom known, the +thermometer fell for the first time to a degree and a half below zero. +The hills for the first time for many years were covered with snow. At +_Madrid_, the great basin of the Buen-Retiro was covered with ice +several inches thick, and two sentinels of the queen's palace were +frozen to death at their posts. At _Valencia_ the thermometer fell seven +degrees below freezing point. At _Burgois_, _Barcelona_, and _Cordova_, +the weather was equally severe. Even the shores of _Africa_ experienced +a similar visitation;--at _Algiers_ the thermometer stood at three +degrees below zero. So low a temperature had not been experienced for +twenty years. At _Trieste_ on the third of January, the roads were +blocked up with snow, and the Mails from France and Italy were two days +in arrears. + +During the same month at _Tours_, but a few very slight falls of snow +were experienced, and which throughout the whole winter, with the +exception of one or two days, did not cover the ground for more than a +few hours duration. + +On the third, the thermometer here, stood at thirty-six degrees of +Farenhenit in the shade, on the ninth at 24 deg., the thirteenth at 31 deg., +the fifteenth at 39 deg., the twentieth at 34 deg., and on the twenty-fifth at +forty-six degrees; the latter being the highest point the mercury +attained during the month, and seventeen at nine o'clock in the morning +of the tenth, the lowest, and which at midday rose to twenty-five +degrees. There were thirteen clear, sunny days, and but six in which +rain or snow fell. The north east winds prevailed until the tenth, when +west and south west winds set in, and continued until the end of the +month. The average daily range of temperature was four and a half. + +The weather of the succeeding month rapidly became still more +propitious, and the many days which a genial sun shone forth in +uninterrupted splendour, produced a very sensible effect upon +vegetation, the swelling buds of many of the deciduous trees, appeared +on the eve of expanding into full form and beauty, while the green +mantle of the plain assumed a lively and luxurious appearance. + +During the month of march the thermometer continues generally to range +between forty and fifty degrees; the vegetable world now resumes its +wonted vigour and activity with astonishing rapidity, and the whole face +of nature begins to wear a smiling and cheerful aspect. The warm glowing +sunshine of April completes the lovely picture, the tender plant is no +longer held in bondage by the opposing elements, a thousand pretty +odoriferous harbingers on every side remind us that the season of +universal florescence is at hand, regenerated, benificent nature, +rejoices beneath a serene and cloudless sky, and whilst a magical +brilliancy illumines the new born verdure, the embryo bud, the expanded +blossom, and the vigorous plant of spring, silently but eloquently give +joyful promise of the abundant fruits of Autumn. + +This is a pleasing but not overwrought picture of the forwardness and +redundant beauty of the springs of central France:-- + + Where the resplendant orb of day + Imparts the magic of his ray + Een'through the wintry blast! + And dormant nature forthwith springs, + Mounting to life with vig'rous wings + Triumphant oer the past. + For now the rural gods do reign, + Oer vine-clad hill and verdant plain, + To grace the teemful earth; + The clear, _elastic_ air is fill'd, + With sweets the flowerets have distill'd, + To consecrate their birth. + Redolent zephyrs play around, + And _health_ inspiring hills abound, + Beneath these bright blue skies; + New energy, new life to man they give, + Bidding his drooping spirit live, + And taste the _new-born-joys_. + + + + +DIRECTIONS FOR INVALID TRAVELLERS. + +It being a matter of the first importance to the valetudinarian to adopt +every precaution against the atmospheric effects to which he is +necessarily exposed in his transit from place to place, and also of +great consequence to be provided with such comforts and necessaries as +are probably not to be obtained in his route through the country; a few +observations on this point may here with propriety be introduced, and +which we think cannot be more judiciously stated than in the words, of a +popular writer, who has spent many years in travelling on the continent. +"It will add materially to the comforts and advantage of invalids who +travel _en poste_, to have a courier who rides before, to avoid the +delays at the post-stations, at frontiers, etc., and to have apartments +at the hotels ready prepared on the arrival of his employers, as these +circumstances often occasion a good deal of discomfort and annoyance to +persons in bad health. An easy English-built carriage from a maker's on +whom reliance can be placed, fitted up with conveniences, and springs +and wheels suited to the continental roads, is requisite for those who +wish to travel in comfort. Many of the roads are paved, which sometimes +occasions considerable fatigue. For elderly and delicate persons who are +liable to be affected by the transitions of temperature, a post-chariot +is the best: for others a light travelling britscka, or _chaise de +poste_ will best answer the purpose. + +It is very advisable for invalids, as well as persons in health, not to +sit too long at a time in the carriage, but to get out now and then to +walk up the hills, or at the post-stations, as by so doing the fatigue +consequent upon the muscles being kept long in the same position will be +avoided. + +Those persons who labour under affections of the air passages should be +provided with a Jeffrey's respirator, though its too frequent use is not +to be recommended, as tending to render the respiratory organs more +susceptible. A pair of leather sheets may be placed beneath the +seat-cushions, as a precaution against damp beds, which, however, are +seldom met with in France or Italy. Essence of ginger is a useful +stimulant, and a teaspoonful in a cup of tea on arriving after a days +journey is very refreshing. Those who are in weak health, and travellers +in general, should eat very sparingly of animal food when on a journey, +as it tends to produce heat and flushing. Black tea is one of the most +useful articles travellers can be provided with, as it is seldom good +in small towns or at inns on the road. As an evening meal, tea, with a +little cold meat or chicken, is much preferable to a hot dinner or +supper, which not unfrequently is a cause of sleeplessness. Those who +are subject to cold feet should be provided with short boots of coarse +cloth, to slip on and off, over their ordinary boots, as occasion may +require, and a small feet-warmer should be placed in the carriage. A +large medicine chest, which is a constant companion of many families, +will be cumbersome and unnecessary, as almost all medicines of good +quality may be obtained in all the towns frequented by invalids. A small +chest containing a few articles likely to be required at out of the way +places (as lint, soap-plaster, James's powder, a small quantity of +calomel, laudanum, extracts of henbane and colocynth, a box of aperient +pills, spirits of ammonia, tartarised antimony, castor oil, rhubarb, +weights and scales,) will, however, be a useful precautionary addition +to the luggage." + +The cheering and beneficial influence of travelling through a succession +of novel and agreeable scenes, to a mind under the distressing moral +influences of grief, anxiety, or disappointment,--so frequently the +precursors of disease,--is too apparent to need any expatiatory remarks +on the subject; but we would particularly remind the valetudinarian who +naturally, may be tempted to a frequent enjoyment of the prevailing +sunshine of the winters of Touraine, that more, than an apparently +sufficient warmth of clothing is necessary for such occasions; for, +when the still powerful rays of the sun occasionally become suddenly +obscured by clouds, or after that luminary has disappeared below the +horizon, a rather formidable transition from a comparatively high to a +low temperature is here the common result. The proper time for such +persons to take exercise at this season of the year, is between twelve +and three o'clock. + +Nothing conduces more to a healthful action of the digestive functions, +a free circulation of the blood, and the due performances of the various +secretions, than a sufficiency of _daily walking exercise_, indeed than +the neglect of it, a more common predisposing cause of disease does not +exist:--a congestive state of particular organs, an impaired action of +the muscles of respiration thereby inducing a tendency to consumption; +and habitual cold feet, are among the multitudinous evils emanating from +a listless and sedentary mode of life. + +To persons addicted to travelling or who are necessarily much exposed to +atmospheric vicissitudes, we would particularly recommend the +hydropathic treatment, or perhaps more properly, what Dr Johnson terms +the "_Calido-frigid sponging, or lavation_." + +This consists in sponging the face, throat, and upper part of the chest, +night and morning, with _hot_ water, and then immediately with _cold_ +water. Children also should be habituated to this sponging all over the +body, as the means of inuring them to, and securing them from, the +injuries produced by atmospheric vicissitudes. It is the best +preservative against face-aches, toothaches (hot and cold water being +alternately used to rinse the mouth), earaches, catarrhs, etc., so +frequent and distressing in England. But its paramount virtue is that of +preserving many a constitution from pulmonary consumption, the causes of +which are often laid in repeated colds, and in the susceptibility to +atmospheric impressions. + +Invalids, on their arrival, should also pay great attention to their +diet and regimen. + + + + +WINES. + + +The wines of this country, should at first be but sparingly taken, for, +on account of their acidity, an ordinary use of them at the outset, will +frequently occasion considerable derangement of the digestive functions, +but when persons become sufficiently accustomed to them, they constitute +a light and wholesome beverage. + +It is indeed worthy of remark that the wines of France, rank before +those of other countries for their _Purely vinous_ qualities, and so +multitudinous are their diversities, that it is confidently affirmed +there is no variety in the world which might not find an approximation +to some one or another of her growths, and which invariably are +manufactured according to well-fixed scientific principles. + +The wines grown near Tours, are divided into three classes, namely, what +is called _rouge noble_, _vin du Cher_, and _rouge commun_. + +Those of Saint-Nicolas-de-Bourgueil, Joue, Saint-Cyr, Chambray, and +Saint-Avertin, are the most esteemed growths of Touraine. + +The _Champigny_ of Richelieu, and _Clos-Baudouin_ of Vouvray and +Rochecorbon, are also much in request. These red wines if of a genuine +quality, are remarkable for their flavour and soft bouquet, which is +balmy to the palate, and moderately taken are wholesome and +exhilarating. + +The price of the best Bourgueil is from one hundred and thirty francs +to one hundred and fifty francs per barique, of about three hundred and +fifty bottles; and the Joue and Chambray from eighty to ninety francs +per barique. Some tolerable effervescing white wines are produced in the +neighbourhood of Tours, the prices of which are a little under the red, +but they are for the most part heady and treacherous, and want the +perfume and vinosity of Champagne. + +The highly esteemed rose coloured champagne may be purchased for seven +francs per bottle, very tolerable may be had for three francs, and the +recently, and most successfully _Champagnized_ red Joue for two francs. +A very good effervescing wine is grown on an extensive scale at +Villandry, about twelve miles from Tours, and which is exported in +large quantities to Russia. + +Of the sounder, most delicate and _recherche_ of the red wines to be +readily obtained at Tours, we may particularly enumerate Bordeaux--which +even when prepared for the English markets, still possesses the fine +qualities of the pure wine;--and Burgundy, of which, the Romanee +Saint-Vivant, and Romanee Conti, are the best and most perfect. It may +also be observed that the _vin cremant d'Ay_ which is the least frothy +and fullest bodied of the effervescing wines, is held in high repute, +being grateful and stomachic. + +The Champagne wines are divided into sparkling (_mousseux_), demi +sparkling (_demi-mousseux_), and still wines (_non mousseux_). Their +effervescence is owing to the _carbonic acid gas_, produced in the +process of fermentation. And we are told that as this gas is produced in +the cask or (as more quickly) in the bottle, the saccharine and +tartarous principles are decomposed. + +If the latter principle predominates, the wine effervesces strongly, but +is weak; if the saccharine principle be considerable and the alcohol +found in sufficient quantity to limit its decomposition, the quality is +good. Wine of moderate effervescence is invariably selected by +connoisseurs in Champagne, and such wine carries the best price. + +Of the still class, a wine put into bottles when about ten or twelve +months old designated, _ptisannes_ of Champagne, is greatly recommended +as aperient and diuretic. + +The champagne wines are light in quality in respect to spirit, the +average of alcohol in the generality of them, according to professor +Brande, being but 12.61 per cent. + +It is a remarkable and well ascertained fact, that the alcohol in wine +combined in the _natural way_, when drank in that state, is not +productive of those complaints of the liver, and other diseases, which +arise from drinking the brandied wines of Portugal, in which the _spirit +is foreign_. The union of the alcohol, being mingled with the other +ingredients of the wine by artificial means, is never perfect, and is +beyond calculation more pernicious than the strongest natural product. + +The light wines of France may not on first acquaintance prove so +relishing or pleasant to the English palate accustomed to adulterated +or brandied wines; they however in reality, not only impart a +cheerfulness and exhilaration, a kind of pleasant easy buoyancy entirely +different from what arises from the use of port, or the spirituous +heavier wines but have when taken largely a much less injurious effect +upon the constitution. + +This remark would perhaps seem more strictly to apply to the wines made +for home consumption, as a small per centage of Brandy and syrup of +raisins are generally mingled with the French wines to please the +foreign palate. + +The generous juice of the grape, was undoubtedly bestowed upon man by +his benificent Creator, to impart health and vigour to his physical +energies, and a wholesome cheerfulness to his soul; and if he would +wish to avoid enervating the one or brutalizing the other, he will do +well to eschew all "mixed wine", which before the period of its +scriptural denunciation to the present, has ever and anon manifested +itself in the "living temples" of its besotted votaries in the character +of indigestion, apoplexy, dropsy, gout, delirium, tremours, and a long +train of diseases. + +"Strong drink is raging, and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise"; +but _pure_ wine upon a _healthy_ stomach, is grateful and precious as +the light of truth and the exercise of discretion, to a sound and +well-regulated mind.[B] + + + + +ROUTES. + + +Such are the facilities for travelling afforded by the two countries, +that a journey may now be performed with ease and comfort between London +and Tours, in the short space of fifty hours! being a distance of about +four hundred miles. This is to be effected by the railway from the +metropolis to Southampton, and thence by the splendid steam packets to +Havre, from which place a well appointed _malle-poste_ daily runs to +Tours.[C] + +The nearest way from Havre to Tours, being a distance of about one +hundred and sixty miles, is by Honfleur, Lizieux, Alencon and Le Mans, +which diligences regularly perform. But perhaps the most picturesque +routes are by way of Rouen. The post road from Havre to Rouen, along the +northern banks of the Seine, frequently presents the most beautiful and +varied prospects; but if possible, the picturesque scenery which +successively presents itself in an ascent by steam vessel up the Seine +to Rouen is of a more exquisitely charming character. Passing between +Harfleur and Honfleur, which are pleasantly situated on the opposite +elevated slopes, near the mouth of the river, a small but most beautiful +bay presents itself bounded by a series of gently rising, well wooded +hills, occasionally decorated with a spacious mansion, or bespangled +with neat cottages and elegant villas. On approaching Quillebeuf, near +which there is a spot, said to exceed in picturesque beauty the banks of +the Rhine, the river becomes narrower, and as we continue to follow its +exceedingly tortuous course, a rapid succession of lovely sylvan scenery +gratifies the eye. + +The heights which border the Seine, and which are constituted of the +chalk formation, are deeply furrowed by a continuous series of +transverse vallies, forming a succession of rounded elevations, which +together, present a remarkable natural phenomena, well worthy the +particular attention of the speculative geologist. Many of these heights +are clad with a rich garb of foliage, as are also most of their +concomitant vales, in some of which a pretty neat village is +sequesteredly ensconced, while its neighbouring hills are adorned by a +chateau, or the semblance of some noble ruin, in the bold indentations +of a grey rocky precipice peering through dense masses of foliage. + +As the vicinity of Rouen is approached, the opposite hills gradually +expand, leaving at their base an extensive plain of luxuriant pastures +and waving corn fields, around which the Seine winds in graceful folds, +till, on reaching the environs of Rouen, it encircles islands of the +richest verdure. At this point, the ancient capital of Normandy appears +in view, with its venerable temples, noble buildings, quays, and hosts +of sea and river craft; the whole being surrounded by an expansive +amphitheatre of thickly timbered hills. + +The distance from Havre to Rouen by land is fifty-three miles, but up +the Seine it is about eighty miles; the extra length however of the +journey occasioned by the extremely indirect course of the river, is +amply compensated for by the exquisite and ever varying prospects +afforded by the passage up the Seine. + +Another extremely interesting and convenient route to Tours might be +pointed out, to such as could bear the fatigues of a lengthened voyage +and long land trip, by way of the channel islands to Saint-Malo, and +thence by diligence, through the romantic primary districts of Britanny, +to Rennes and Nantes, the chief place of the department of +Loire-Inferieure, and one of the richest and most commercial towns of +France; it is situated on the right banks of the Loire, at the +confluence of the Indre and the Severe. From this place the traveller +may reach Tours by the regular conveyances, through Angers and Saumur; +or, by ascending the Loire in one of the neat steam packets which +perform regular trips between Nantes and Orleans: the fare by which to +Tours is but twelve francs, though the distance thus performed is +upwards of one hundred and forty miles. The land journey which is about +one hundred and thirty miles, is extremely diversified and pleasing, but +that by water is of surpassing beauty; the delighted voyager wends his +way where many a verdant isle smiles amid the stream, through an endless +variety of lake-like scenery, enriched on either hand in the highest +degree by rocky escarpments, and gently rising grounds clad with +vineyards, and numerous other choice productions of the vegetable +kingdom, now receding so as to form an expansive plain of verdant +pastures, and anon abruptly projecting with their lovely sylvan burdens +into the very centre of the broad and glittering stream. + +In closing these few descriptive remarks on the character of the most +prominent routes to Tours, from northern France, we must not omit to +remind the invalided especially, that the one from Dover to Calais, or +to Boulogne, and thence to Paris, Orleans, and Blois, is perhaps in many +cases, to be preferred on account of the _shortness_ of the sea passage; +and although one of a circuitous character, it necessarily presents many +natural and artificial features of stirring interest and beauty. + + + + +TOURS. + + +The city of Tours, may be divided into two compartments, the _ancient_ +and the modern. + +The modern portion is no less distinguished for its neatness and +elegance, than is the ancient for its antique character, and the number +of monuments it contains, illustrative of the histories of remote ages. + +Tours, now head quarters of the department of Indre-et-Loire, was before +the revolution, the capital of Touraine, and the seat of the governors; +it is one of the most ancient archbishoprics of France, and the station +of the fourth military division. + +Chroniclers have never been able to give a precise date and name to the +foundation and the founder of Tours. + +When _Caesar_ made his expedition into Gaul, it was the _Civitas Turonum_ +so often mentioned in the commentaries of the conquering historian. +Conquest, however, gave the city another name, and the Romans called it +Cessarodunum. It fell alternately into the power of the Goths and the +Francs. In 732 Charles-Martel gained under its walls a celebrated +victory over the Saracens, who attracted by the _mildness of the +climate_ tried to fix their wandering tents in its smiling plains: but +it was only in 1202 after having suffered all the miseries of barbarism +that Tours was at last reunited to the crown of France. + +This city was become so important by its central position and the +resources of its environs, that in the space of less than a century, +from 1470 to 1506, the states general assembled in it three times. Henry +3rd, pressed by the League, transferred the parliament to it in 1587. +If we believe the ancient chroniclers whom Froissart and Monstrelet +copied, the city of Tours had a much more ancient origin. It is to a +great prince named Turnus, who after the siege of Troy came into Gaul +and died not far from this city, where, say these chroniclers, his tomb +has long been seen, that Tours owes its origin and its name. + +Tours and its neighbourhood afford many resources for the active and +agreeable employment of the mind. It has long been pre-eminently +distinguished for the _agremens_ of its society. Elegance and urbanity +characterize the demeanour of the native noblesse; the British residents +and visitants are composed of the most respectable grades, amongst whom, +a reciprocation of friendly intercourse is cherished with perhaps more +than the ordinary assiduity so generally productive of affable +association among the English abroad. + +The French language is considered to be spoken in its greatest purity in +Touraine, a desideratum of much consequence to persons who resort to +France for the education of their children, and it may also be proper to +remark that there is a classical establishment for young gentlemen in +the immediate vicinity of the city. Tours also possesses a library +containing some valuable MSS., some of which are of the sixth century, +a museum of painting and natural history, a college, a society of +agriculture, science, art, and belles-lettres, a theatre, excellent +baths, and extensive umbrageous promenades. There are two English +episcopal chapels, one in Tours, and the other but recently opened is +situated on the Tranchee; an English club has long been established; +which is now supported with great spirit and liberality, affording all +the usual attractions of such institutions, and where many of the +English newspapers are daily received. + +The theatre is frequently open, and balls and routs prevail during the +winter season. The hotels are replete with every comfort and +accommodation. + +Tours also possesses an excellent English boarding house; and elegant +houses, villas and chateaux, well furnished, are to be readily obtained +in the town and its environs. All kinds of provisions are exceedingly +plentiful, which with the numerous fruits and wines are to be obtained +at very moderate prices. + + + + +SPORTING. + + +The lovers of rural sports and pastimes, may find much to interest them +in this and the neighbouring departments. The Loire and the Cher afford +excellent diversion to the angler, and occasionally to the fowler, being +during the autumnal and winter months sometimes frequented by large +flocks of aquatic birds. The wild boar and the _chevreuil_, a small but +elegant species of deer, are to be found in the forest; the vast +intermediate tracts of arable land are however for the most part but +thinly stocked with game. + + + + +CHATEAUX. + + +The ancient chateaux within an easy distance of Tours merit the +attention of the antiquarian, some of them possessing historical +associations of a highly interesting character. The principal are the +chateaux of Loches, Chenonceaux, Chinon, and Amboise; of which +respectively, for the gratification of those who feel a pleasure in +journeying to gaze upon these sombre and for the most part dilapidated +monitors of the "instability of all sublunary things," we will proceed +to enter upon a brief description. + + +LOCHES. + +The vast fortress of Loches,--which is twenty five miles from +Tours,--has been the residence of many of the kings of France, since it +was occupied by Philip Augustus. + +Within the range of its former precincts the Tomb of the famous Agnes +Sorel in black marble may still be seen. As may also the dungeon in +which Ludovico Sforce duke of Milan was confined in 1500. + +The castle, or rather prison, which it is said was founded during the +Roman domination in this part of the country, presents some striking +specimens of its pristine magnificence. + +We are informed that in this abode of terror, there were dungeons under +dungeons, some of them unknown even to the keepers themselves; men were +frequently doomed to pass the remainder of their lives here, breathing +impure air and subsisting on bread and water. At this formidable castle +were also those horrible places of confinement called _cages_, in which +the wretched prisoner could neither stand upright nor stretch himself at +length. + +The celebrated cardinal Balue was confined here by order of Louis +11th, for many years in one of these cages. The Duke of Alencon, +Charles de Melun and Philippe de Commines were also imprisoned in this +fortress. It was successively occupied by Charles 7th, Louis 11th, +Charles 8th, Louis 12th, Francis 1st, Henry 2nd and Charles +9th. + + +CHINON. + +THE CHATEAU OF CHINON, which in ancient times was a place of great +strength, it is said was once composed of three distinct castles, +erected at three different epochs. Ten kings of France had occasionally +made it their place of residence. Henry the second, and Richard the +First died here. Joan of Arc had an interview with Charles the 7th at +this place; the remains of the room in which it occurred are still +shewn. But a few dismantled towers and dilapidated walls now alone +remain to mark the elevated site of the magnificent superstructure, +which in days of yore proudly towered above the lovely sylvan scenery of +the fertile vale of the Vienne. + +Chinon is about thirty miles from Tours. + + +AMBOISE. + +THE CASTLE OF AMBOISE is a noble structure of great antiquity; and from +the beauty of its elevated situation on the southern banks of the Loire, +and the drive to it from Tours, of about twelve miles, being of a +romantic and very interesting character, it is an object of much +attraction to the general Tourist. + +Constantine rebuilt the fort soon after its destruction by Diocletian. +Charles the 8th, resided at this his birth place many years prior to +his ascending the French throne; and in 1498 he here expired. + +The two large towers which form a protected communication between the +castle and the town below, were built by this monarch. One of the towers +is remarkable for its internal spiral roadway, up which cavalry may +ascend four abreast. + +Louis 12th, Francis 1st, Henry 2nd, and Francis 2nd +respectively contributed towards the improvement and adornment of the +castle, and which by an act of Louis 16th, became the property of the +Orleans family. + +The small detached chapel dedicated to St.-Hubert is much admired for +its sculptural embellishments in alto-relievo. + +The pleasure grounds attached to the castle which are partially laid out +in the English fashion, are extensive and diversified, and the view of +the adjacent country from the terraces is remarkable for its picturesque +beauty. + +The glittering waters of the princely Loire studded with its numerous +little green Isles, and white sails of commerce, are seen rapidly +coursing in intricate windings through the broad, rich plain of +corn-fields, for many miles in extent, both to the east and west, and +which is bordered by bold elevations, and cliffs of chalk and calcareous +sandstone, surmounted by a succession of beautiful vineyards. And +perhaps the most singular feature in this varied landscape, is the vast +chain of human habitations, which, like a whitened irregular stratum may +be seen stretching out as far as the eye can reach in opposite +directions, along the whole slope of the southern elevations just +adverted to. They contain a large population, principally constituted of +the cultivators of the adjacent plain and hills, the slopes being +chiefly occupied by pretty white villas belonging to the better classes, +while in the abrupt intermediate precipices of rock, the poor have +scooped out their indestructible dwellings. And which, certainly possess +some considerable advantages over those of their more pretending +neighbours, being warm in winter, cool in summer, and dry in all +seasons. These subterranean abodes, together present an exceedingly +curious and novel spectacle. Sometimes the excavations are continued a +considerable height up the cliff, and the numerous doors and windows in +the face of it, apprize the spectator that, his species here literally +"live and have their being" in the foundations of the earth! A kind of +fret work or fantastically wrought sculpture not unfrequently +over-arches the entrance, or hangs like an ornamental frieze above +entire dwellings, which on a close inspection we discover to be the +mystical workings and embellishments of nature herself, being actually +constituted of a bed of fossil zoophytes, which in the very spot they +now occupy, vegetated at the bottom of the antediluvian Ocean! How +strange the transformation! How astounding the physical revolutions +time has here effected!--The identical _bed of coral_, over which the +turbulent waves of the Ocean rolled for centuries, and amid which the +finny tribe disported, now, in its pristine position, forms a roof for +the permanent dwellings of man! Which, with their fruitful vines +flourishing around the doors, and the smoke from the domestic hearth +rising in graceful curls through the submarine production, or as +sometimes seen, peering through some verdant knoll, present a singular, +but pleasing picture of humble contentment security and peace. + +Near the western visible extremity of these thickly peopled hills, the +lofty turrets of Tours cathedral are distinctly visible in the horison. + +But in our enumeration of the more striking features of this +interesting panorama, we must not omit to mention the long island in the +middle of the river, immediately below the castle, and which +communicates with the town by a stone bridge of ten arches, and with the +opposite bank by a curiously constructed wooden bridge of eleven arches. +The portion of the island above the bridges, being covered with a +verdant turf, and tall trees, affords a very agreeable and favourite +promenade, while the part contiguous to the bridges being entirely +occupied by houses, presents the curious appearance of a small town +floating as it were on the hurrying current. + +Visitors from Tours to this place sometimes extend their drive on the +same day to Chenonceaux, a distance of ten miles through the extensive +forest of Amboise, and return from thence to the city, a drive of twenty +miles, along the interesting banks of the river Cher. + + +CASTLE OF CHENONCEAUX. + +This a large and majestic structure, and being built upon arches +constructed across the Cher exhibits a singular appearance, and its +approach through a noble avenue of trees is one of striking beauty. + +This beautiful chateau, supposed to have been erected in the thirteenth +century, became crown property in 1535. + +It was greatly improved and embellished by Diana of Poitiers, mistress +of Henry 2nd who however was afterwards compelled by Catherine de +Medicis to exchange this splendid gift of her munificent lord, for +Chaumont-sur-Loire. + +Its extensive picture gallery contains a considerable variety of +interesting paintings and ancient portraits. In short the general +character and internal decorations of this spacious and antique +building, its neat and extensive pleasure grounds, with the pretty +sylvan park attached thereto, together render the place an object of +very general interest. + + +PLESSIS-LES-TOURS. + +In the plain, about a mile to the west-ward of Tours, a few +comparatively inconsiderable remains of the royal Castle and appendages +of Plessis-les-Tours, are still to be seen; they consist of an +extensive wall about 15 feet high enclosing about 60 acres of arable +land, an uninteresting habitable portion of the ancient structure, and a +remnant of the once famous and beautiful Saint Hubert's Chapel. These +solitary relics in fact barely suffice to attest the spot where high in +the air, arose the noble and massive pile, which during the feudal times +of darkness and of danger, was watched and defended with the most +extreme and jealous care. + +This castle was the favourite residence of Louis XI, and many were the +strange and plotting scenes enacted here during the period it was +dignified by the presence of his mysterious court. He is said to have +been excessively superstitious, crafty, vindictive and cruel, and the +vigilance and surveillance he caused to be exercised in the vicinity of +his palace, by his not over scrupulous agents, continually filled the +surrounding neighbourhood with awe and apprehension. + +A vast enclosed chase, termed in latin of the middle ages, _Plexitium_, +encircled the external enclosures surrounding the open esplanade which +sloped up to the castle walls, rendering the precincts of the Royal +domain as sombre and portentous in aspect, as were the dark and +multiplied battlements which frowned above the monarchs of the +surrounding forests. + +The cruel and treacherous cardinal La Balue was a great favourite at +this court, and for a considerable period basked in the smiles of +royalty at Plessis-les-Tours, but Louis having strong grounds for +suspecting that he had been mainly instrumental in betraying him to the +duke of Burgundy,--his feuds with whom were highest about 1460--he +ultimately caused him to be immured in one of the iron cages, we have +referred to in our notice of Loches. In this horrid den, the invention +of which some ascribe to Balue himself, he was confined eleven years, +principally it is said at Plessis-les-Tours, nor did Louis permit him to +be liberated till his last illness. + +Such are a few of the historical facts associated with the crumbling +memento which as yet remain of this favourite and beautiful demesne of a +great and powerful monarch. All its proud bulwarks have long since +fallen beneath the ruthless hand of time, and its noble and extensive +forests been laid prostrate by the active axe of the cultivator, while +the march of rural improvement which has entirely renewed the face of +the plain, will ere long have swept every ancient vestige away leaving +the antiquary to search for the locality of Plessis-les-Tours, alone in +the page of History. + +But what reasonable and enlightened mind will regret even such a +consummation, for, as moral improvement advances towards the climax of +perfection, we every day see the face of nature rejoicing in its +progress, and her children enjoying the fruits of their industry in the +fullness of freedom and of unrestricted liberty. + +The clustering vine and the golden waving corn, now deck the place of +the arbitrary halls, and the dismal dungeons of the castle, the peaceful +hamlet with its neat and assiduously cultivated gardens, covers no +inconsiderable portion of the once exclusive and lordly precincts, while +its unsophisticated population pursue their daily avocations in +fearlessness and in peace. + +Old tottering ruins and dismantled Towers may of themselves under many +circumstances be justly deemed very picturesque objects, and merit to be +valued accordingly, but to preserve and venerate _all_ solely for their +historical associations, which at best, are but too frequently the dark +and ignominious doings of a clandestine and barbarous age, would seem to +argue a morbid sensibility, more befitting the devoted and infatuated +antiquarian, than the true and enlightened philosopher who sees +"language in stones and God in everything." + +There are a few other ancient Chateaux and some inconsiderable +architectural remains in the arrondisement, but as they present few or +no features of general interest, it would be a work of supererogation to +particularize them; we cannot however close these brief notices without +particularly adverting to a very laudable and attractive modern +institution, situated at the pretty sequestered village of Mettray, +about three miles from Tours. And this we shall do with the more +pleasure, as its philanthropic object, judicious development of its +practical plans, moral and religious administration, would do honor to +any nation in the world. + +The purport of this Institution, which is denominated an "Agricultural +Colony", is to reform juvenile delinquents; and by the inculcation of +moral and religious principles, aided by sober methodical and +industrious habits, to effect the great work of penitentiary reform. The +founders and devoted benefactors of the colony are Mr de Metz and +viscount de Bretigneres. These benevolent gentlemen took the sublime +idea of such a project from the reform colony founded by the worthy and +excellent Hickerr, at Horn near Hambourg in 1834. And they have so +zealously and skilfully executed their designs, as to have already +realized in all essential particulars, a beautiful model of their +admirable prototype. + +The colony is composed of a certain number of uniformly built +houses;--Each house contains forty children, divided into two sections, +and forming one family, headed by a chief, who has subject to his orders +two under teachers. + +The first Sunday of each month, a colonist is elected in the respective +sections, who takes the title of elder Brother; and serves as mediator +between the masters and the pupils. The houses are erected (30 feet) +distant from each other, and are united by sheds. The ground floor of +the "Maison de la Ville de Paris" occupied by the family A,--is +organized like the work shops at Horn, it contains work rooms of +tailors, shoemakers, saddlers, etc., and the rest are arranged in +nearly the same manner. The house of Count d'Aurches on the ground floor +contains six prison cells on the first story, the director's room, and +that of the agent of the agricultural works. On the second story, the +office and the lodging room of the accountable agent,--a forge and a +braziers work shop for the service of the house, are established under +the fourth shed. The adjacent large building is intended for a class of +300 scholars; the chaplain and the professor of gymnastics occupy the +house opposite those of the colonists. A handsome chapel has recently +been added to the establishment. + +The instruction given to the colonists is regulated by the station they +are likely to fill in the world. + +For the suppression of vice, a tribunal composed of the colonists +inscribed on the honourable list, is deputed to try serious offences, +the directors reserving to themselves the right of softening those +judgments which may be too severe. + +The heads of each family (young men of irreproachable conduct, selected +on the formation of the colony from poor but respectable familyies) +conduct their children to the fields, and the work rooms, which are +separated into several divisions by a partition of a yard in height; by +the manner of which distribution a single chief can at the same time +overlook the works of the whole. After the ordinary occupations of the +day, the children return to their respective families, where it is +sought to instil in their hardened minds those affections and good +feelings which the carelessness or depravity of their parents had +blighted. + +When a fresh pupil arrives at the establishment, he is placed under the +peculiar care of an intelligent person who studies his disposition, and +who each day gives to the director an account of the results of his +observations; after a certain period of trial, the child is admitted in +a family, where is performed a religious ceremony, and a sermon preached +to prove the blessing of finding a safe asylum after many +temptations;--it is then the new comer is reinstated in the eyes of the +colony and its directors; who take it on themselves, if he conducts +himself well, to place him, and to appoint him a zealous patron who +enjoys public esteem. + +Such is the philanthropic nature of the system adopted in this admirable +institution, already productive of the happiest results; and so +judiciously and efficaciously have the economical and industrial +departments been conducted, that it is confidently expected, the colony +will in two years support itself. + +The visitor will he highly gratified by a trip to this establishment, +the _tout ensemble_ of which on a fine summer's day, particularly, is +one of surpassing loveliness. Its pretty white Swisslike buildings are +completely environed by woods, groves, vineyards, and tastefully +decorated pleasure grounds, which, viewed as the hallowed precincts of +practical humanity and piety, are highly calculated to inspire the +reflective mind with the most pleasing thoughts and emotions. + + Peaceful abode! with rural beauty rife, + And charms that smooth the rugged paths of life; + Here human aid assumes a power divine, + And _Virtue's_ fix'd her gentle, hallowed shrine; + Erring, untutor'd youth, enraptur'd pause + Mid wild career, to recognize her laws. + _Vice_ with her direful train abash'd retires, + Nor dares to light her soul-consuming fires; + _Industry_ with her sober, powerful arm, + Guards the young mind, and keeps the passions calm: + While benign _religion_, with sweet controul, + Gently compels, the wild and wayward soul + To taste the various joys her truths impart, + And kiss the rod that rectifies the heart. + +The customary paved roads having in this department as in many other +provinces of France been broken up, and superseded by well formed +macadamized ones, trips into the surrounding country can be performed +with as much ease and facility as is afforded by the unequalled highways +of England. + +The steam packets which navigate the river as far down as Nantes, and up +to Orleans, offer every facility for agreeable excursions. + + + + +SOCIETY. + + +It is presumed that in closing these multifarious notices, a few words +touching the social habits and condition of the little _coterie_ of +English located at Tours, may prove acceptable to the general reader, as +well as to persons who contemplate an abode within its interesting +precincts. + +The established etiquette is, for those who have resolved on a period of +residence, _first_ to call upon such of the British residents as they +may feel disposed to visit, which acts of courtesy, are, generally +speaking, the prelude to a reciprocity of agreeable and social +intercourse. + +An air of high respectability, and elegance, is characteristic of the +Anglo-French circle of acquaintance pervading Tours and its environs; +the newly arrived man of social habits and fashion, may if he chooses, +soon possess the happy consciousness of feeling, that, though distant +from friends and native land, he has his customary social comforts, and +habitual pleasures and refinements of life, completely at his command. + +It is true, these enjoyments exist in a limited and circumscribed form, +but for this very reason, facility of intercourse and goodfellowship, +are distinguished by an acuteness of character, rarely to be found in +the far more expansive arrondisements of English society at home. + +The warm, generous heart of the Englishman, like the concentrated rays +of the genial orb of day, here, glows with the greater intensity on all +who come within the sphere of its vivifying influence. + +Behold him seated at his hospitable board, which groans beneath the +cheapened luxuries and substantial fare, alike of his native and his +adopted land, and gladdened by the presence of his selected countrymen, +who perhaps like himself, have quitted their native shores, to seek for +renewed pleasure, wonted repose, health, or it may be economy, abroad. +The sparkling champagne speedily thaws the icy formula which too often +envelopes and conceals the best, inherent feelings of his nature, and in +the exuberance of his zeal for the universal cultivation of the _social +principle_, and his lively sense of national toleration and liberality, +he rises to toast, with equal sincerity, the beloved Queen of old +England, or the citizen King of France. + +And in what a pretty sylvan retreat has he snugly domiciled +himself!--his white freestone villa, which presents a pleasing display +of architectural elegance, is replete with every internal comfort; a +smiling _parterre_, decked with many a fine specimen of the stately +cypress, a garden stored with rare and luscious fruits, and the generous +vine every where hanging in graceful festoons, are the most prominent +adjuncts of his sequestered retirement. + +There is in short, an exclusiveness, a completeness, spaciousness and +peacefulness, about this his foreign abode, which comports well with his +native feelings, and closely assimilates with the home of his childhood. + +Such are the brighter parts of a pleasing picture, and it would hardly +appear fair, were we to recount them without a glance at its darker +shades, which, circumscribed like some of the former; are also of an +intense character, and in the busy workings of the ill disposed +curiosity monger, often appear, as the concentrated essence of bold +conjecture. In plain terms, here, as in other small communities, the +condition, and character of individuals, are constantly subjected to the +microscopic investigations of the vigilant, and not over scrupulous +retailers of flying news, and _interesting on dits_. + +The good feeling of the well-bred, and liberal minded Frenchman, is ever +here, manifested towards the English, in a variety of pleasing +demonstrations, constituting a series of practical illustrations of that +native politeness, for which he is pre-eminently distinguished. + +And no one can, we think, be a spectator of these mutual good offices, +and growing interchange of kindly feeling, between the subjects of two +nations which have so long been led to regard each other as inveterate +foes,--without rejoicing at the liberal and peaceful policy which +maintains inviolate the present order of things. Beneath its fostering +and genial sway, the acceleration of the respective national interests +and energies, the reciprocal cultivation of the arts and sciences, the +advancement of true religion and benevolence, and the consolidation of +domestic happiness, though amongst the most prominent, are but a meagre +catalogue of the mutual benefits, which the two neighbouring nations, +cannot fail to realize, as the blessings of a _permanent peace_. + + + + +BOTANY OF TOURAINE. + + +In this rapid enumeration of the more prominently interesting features +of Indre-et-Loire, it would appear unpardonable were we to pass over +wholly unnoticed, the Botanical productions of the department, the great +variety and successful culture of which, have long since obtained for it +the enviable _sobriquet_ of the _garden of France_. And perhaps it +behoves us the more especially to glance at it in an essay of this +character, as the study of Botany has become so favorite and fashionable +a pursuit, that scarcely a person of any pretensions to elegant taste, +or to refined intellectual occupations, traverses a new or distant +region without endeavouring to increase the interesting riches of his +_Hortus siccus_: or at least to bestow some attention to its natural +floral and arborescent productions. + +It is justly observed that a Botanical taste, of all sources of +amusement, is, to an invalid, perhaps the most desirable. When exercise +is the only object it becomes irksome even in the loveliest scenery; the +Botanist is however beguiled onwards with a never ceasing fascination, +yet so leisurely as not to induce fatigue; and when his strength is +unequal to excursions of higher attainment, he can find beauties in the +humblest paths. + +Frenchmen take much delight in their gardens, which are often very +extensive and characterized by great neatness and uniformity, indeed in +the majority of instances regularity is carried to excess;--clipped +hedges, alleys laid out in straight lines, flower beds tortured into +fantastic shapes, trees cut in the form of pyramids, birds, animals, +etc., are the order of the day. The principles of good taste are however +beginning to manifest themselves in the adoption of a more natural and +elaborate style in the laying out of grounds which surround many of the +more modern mansions, etc. And they are frequently enriched by choice +and rare collections of exotic plants. Among the most conspicuous of the +arborescent kinds, which adorn the pleasure grounds of such +establishments, may be named the cypress de la Louisiane, the Pinus +Silvestris, the graceful Weeping-willow, and Acacia, which here grow to +great perfection; the Arbutus, Bay tree, Laurel, Fig tree, Chesnut, and +Majestic Cedar of Lebanon. They also frequently contain some fine +specimens of the beautiful family of mimosas, a variety of Pelargoniums, +with the elegant Coronille, and Annas. + +Between four hundred and five hundred plants are said to be cultivated +in the gardens. And upwards of twelve hundred wild plants have been +enumerated as belonging to Touraine, besides the _cryptogamia_, such as +the mosses, ferns, liverworts, and mushrooms. + +In the woods and forests are found from one hundred and fifty to two +hundred plants; amongst which may be mentioned the genera _Amentaceae_, +which flower and blossom. In the month of April the woods are bespangled +with the violet. _Viola._ Ficaria. Wind-flower. _Anemone nemorosa._ +Lung-wort. _Pulmonaria Officinalis._ etc. In May and June we there also +find the _Orchis. Mellitis._ Periwinkle. _Vinca Major._ Hyacinth or Blue +Bell. _Hyacinthus non-scriptus._ Hare Bell. _Campanula rotundifolia._ +St. John's Wort. _Hypericum-pulchrum._ Crane's Bill. _Geranium Molle._ +Bitter vetch. _Orobus tuberosus._ Strawberry leaved cinque-foil. +_Potentilla Frargariastrum._ Wood Angelica. _Angelica Sylvestris._ The +star of Bethlehem. _Ornithogalum pyrenaicum._ Black centaury. _Centaurea +Nigra._ Forget me not. _Myosotis palustris._ The above are to be found +in the Woods of Chatenay, etc. in the immediate neighbourhood of Tours. + +On the commons and higher arid tracts, are seen the cross leaved Heath. +_Erica Tetralix._ Fine leaved Heath. _Erica cineria._ Male Fern. +_Aspidium Felix Mas._ Common Broom. _Sparticum scoparium._ And the +Furze. _Ulex Europaeus._ When these hardy natives of the wold and the +waste, happen to be grouped together, which is very commonly the case, +the varied and vivid hues of their blossoms, present a striking +contrast, and a very pleasing appearance. + +Between two hundred and three hundred plants are common to the +cultivated fields, of which, may be named, the Corn Blue Bottle. +_Centaurea cyanus._ Red Poppy. _Papaver Rhoea._ Venus's Mirror. +_Campanula speculum._ Corn Cockle. _Agrostemma Githago._ Corn Spurrey. +_Spergula Arvensis._ Common yellow Rattle. _Rhinanthus Crista-Galli._ +Great White Ox Eye. _Chrysanthemum_ _Leucanthemum._ All flowering in +July and August. + +In the meadows which occupy the vales, subject to occasional +inundations, a very great variety of plants luxuriate, consisting for +the most part of the Family _Graminaceae_ amongst them may be seen +shining the Pile-wort. _Ranunculus Ficaria._ Crow-foot. _Ranunculus +sceleratus._ And many others of this genus. The Cuckoo flower. +_Cardamime Pratensis._ Ragged Robin. _Lychnis Floscuculi._ White +Campion. _Lichnis vespertina._ Tale Red Rattle. _Pedicularis palustris._ +Queen of the Meadows. _Spiraea Ulmaria._ _Upatoria Cannabinum._ Common +Loosestrife. _Lysimachia vulgaris._ Also the _Parnassia Palustris._, +_Gentiana cruciata_, and _Colchicum Autumnale._ + +On the surface of the Pools and Brooks, many beautiful specimens of the +_Nymphaea_ are to be seen reposing, as those of the white water Lilly. +_Nymphaea Alba_, and yellow water Lilly. _Nymphaea Lutea._ On their banks +may also be found the Water Iris, or Flower de Luce. _Iris +Pseudacorus._--The emblem of France. The Flowering Rush. _Butomus +umbellatus._ Arrow Head. _Sagittaria sagittifolia_, and Water +ranunculus. _Ranunculus aquatilis._ + +Our limits will not admit of a further enumeration, but perhaps +sufficient has been stated to signify the interesting character of the +Botanical productions of the Province, and to induce the scientific +visitor, or the lover of nature, to prosecute his researches through its +sequestered glades and rural retreats; where in fact, he may on every +hand, behold prolific nature displaying her exquisite charms, in +elaborate perfections, rich profusion, and endless diversities. + +Of cultivated Fruit trees, the Pear, Peach, and Prune, are justly famed +for their size and richness of flavour; the Meddlar, Quince, and a great +variety of choice Apple trees are thickly dispersed throughout the +vineyards; some of the latter of which during the winter, present a very +singular appearance, from their being often thickly studded over with +the sombre tufts of the parasitical _Viscus_, or Misleto. A considerable +quantity of excellent cyder is made in the neighbourhood of Tours. + +The vineyards which occupy so large a portion of this district, contain +a great many varieties of the vine, which circumstance, together with +the prevailing difference of _soil_ and _aspect_, naturally produces +wines of very various flavour and opposite qualities. + +It is affirmed, that the first requisite to make good wine seems to be a +peculiar quality in the soil in which the fruit is grown, more than in +the species of vine itself; the second requisite to good wine is the +species of plant, aided by a judicious mode of training and cultivation. +It would naturally be supposed that the wine is excellent in proportion +to the size and luxuriance of the plant, but such is not the case, on +the contrary, good rich soils invigorating the growth of the tree never +produce even tolerable wine, but it is best as the soil is lighter and +drier;--sandy, calcareous, stony and porous soils are found to be most +friendly to the growth of the vine. The chalky soils particularly +produce wines of great freshness and lightness. + +Hence we may in a great degree account for the superiority of many of +the vinous productions of the neighbourhood of Tours; on both sides of +the vale of the Loire, the denudated or furrowed elevations naturally +afford many genial sites, whose southern aspects are always exposed to +the direct rays of the sun and which favoured situations are perhaps +more prevalent on the northern banks of the river; where, as on the +opposite slopes, the rather lofty chalky elevations, are mostly covered +by deep accumulations of adventitious and heterogeneous materials, +principally constituted of the debris of that cretaceous formation, and +partly composing the extensive deposit termed the argile et poudinge. + +It moreover appears, that the species of plant which is a favourite in +one district is discarded in another; and also that very celebrated +wines are produced in vineyards where the species of plant is by no +means held in high repute; but the most inexplicable circumstance +respecting the culture of the vine, is the fact, that the most delicious +wine is sometimes grown on one little spot only, in the midst of +vineyards which produce no others but of the ordinary quality: while in +another place the product of a vineyard, in proportion to its surface, +shall be incredibly small, yet of exquisite quality, at the same time, +in the soil, aspect, treatment as to culture, and species of plant, +there shall be no perceptible difference to the eye of the most +experienced wine grower. Possibly this may in some measure be accounted +for by the peculiar nature of the substratum which the roots of the +respective vines may chance to penetrate. + +The grape called _caux_ or _cos_, common on the banks of the Cher, +imparts colour and body to the red wines. + +The best vines for the more valuable white wines, are the species +denominated _sauvignon_, _semilion_, _rochalin_, _blanc doux_, +_pruneras_, _muscade_, and _blanc auba_. The _semilion_ should form +two-thirds of a vineyard consisting of these seven species of plants. + +Red Hermitage is produced from two varieties of plants named the little +and great _Scyras_. White Hermitage is produced from the greater and +lesser _Rousanne_ grape. + +The esteemed red wines of Saumur, are made from the _pineau_ plant. The +Haut Rhin is classed under the generic title of the _gentil_. Some +excellent black wines are produced from a grape named _cote-rouge_, as +also from _auxerrois_, or _pied de perdrix_ grape, so called because its +stalk is red. + +The best Bordeaux wine _de cotes_ is made with the grape called _noir de +pressac_, the _bochet_, and the _merlot_. + +The first class Burgundies, called _les tetes de cuves_, are from the +choicest vines, namely; the _noirien_ and _pineau_, grown on the best +spots of the vineyards having the finest aspect. + +The black grape called the "golden plant" (_plant dore_,) is cultivated +in all the most distinguished vineyards of Champagne, and from which is +produced the finest of those celebrated wines. + +The vines called the _semilion_ and _muscat-fou_ are very extensively +cultivated, those most noted are the black _morillon_, of two varieties, +the _madaleine_ and the vine of Ischia; the latter produces fine fruit +as high as north lat. 48 deg.. + +The bloom upon the grape, which so delicately tints the skin, is +considered in proportion to its prevalence a proof of attention or +negligence in the culture. + +The age of which the vine bears well, is from sixty to seventy years, or +more, but in the common course of things it is six or seven years +before it is in full bearing. The vines are pruned three times before +they bear fruit, when this operation is again repeated. In France the +vine is propagated by layers of buds, which are taken up after the +vintage, and by slips chosen from among the cuttings; vines from the +latter live longest and bear most fruit, though those from the layers +shoot earliest. The general method of training the vine in France, is +the "_tinge bas_" or low stem training, the young shoots of the year +being tied to stakes from four to five feet in height. + +The season of the vintage is one of stirring interest and alacrity, the +merry groups of grape gatherers now to be seen in almost every field, +commence their employment as early as possible after the sun has +dissipated the dew, and the gathering is uniformly continued with as +much rapidity as possible, if the weather continue fair, so as to +terminate the pressing in one day. + +In concluding this subject, we may very well exemplify the general +distribution of the vegetable tribes in this part of France, by +observing that merry _Bacchus_ presides over the cheerful hills, _Flora_ +and _Pomona_ grace the laughing vallies and the sylvan shades, while the +bountiful _Ceres_ extends her dominion over the upland plains, and the +smiling prairies of the fertilizing Cher and Loire. + + + + +GEOLOGY OF TOURAINE. + + +_The GEOLOGY of Touraine_, being of a nature particularly worthy the +attention of the scientific enquirer, we may properly close these +restricted remarks, by a few cursory observations on so interesting a +subject. In contemplating the geognostic structure of this department, +the eye of the investigator encounters none of those strikingly bold and +sublime operations of nature, almost every where to be met with in the +primitive and volcanic regions of the globe. + +Here with but a few solitary exceptions, the whole surface of the +province presents a continuous series of rounded and gentle undulations, +exhibiting to the careless glance of the unobservant, and to the +uninitiated, one vast homogeneous mass of earthy and stony materials. + +But when this wide spread, and apparently uninvestigable aggregation of +particles, comes under the scrutinizing _eye of science_, a beautiful +and systematic arrangement of undigenous formations are clearly +developed. Individually containing within themselves the marvellous and +decisive evidence of their comparative existence, in their present +relative positions. + +Those "_medallions of Nature_," the fossils which they contain not only +furnishing us with a chronological knowledge of the progressive +formation of the Earth's crust, but recording in language the most +intelligible, what were the peculiar states, and characteristics of +animal and vegetable existences at the distinct, and distant epochs of +the World. + +By the aid of these silent but eloquent intelligencers, we discover that +the strata which now constitute the table lands of Touraine, were among +the last, in the whole geological series, that emerged from the waves of +the Ocean. That, that grand instrument of transposition and renovation, +has in a general sense, ever since been restrained within its mighty +confines. And that at the time its waters last prevailed over these +regions now high and dry, many of the types of living testacea, etc. +were become identical with those of existing species. + +Touraine, or the department of Indre-et-Loire, may be said to be the +grand repository of the _tertiary_ formations of central France. It +constitutes the southern divisions of the great _Paris basin_, formed by +a vast depression in the chalk, and which is about 180 miles long and 90 +miles broad. This cretaceous or chalk basin terminates to the south a +short distance from Poitiers, where the oolites and certain other +formations older than the chalk, crop out from beneath it, and thence +forward, principally constitute the formations of the more southern +departments of the kingdom: and occasionally extend to the summits of +the gigantic Pyrenees. + +The long range of rocky precipices often constituting rather lofty +escarpments, along the northern borders of the valley of the Loire, are +a portion of the extensive cretaceous formations which surround Paris. +In the vicinity of Tours and many other places where its strata are +alike exposed to view, many beautiful specimens of some of its +characteristic fossils may be readily obtained; this formation here also +frequently contains its usual layers of flint, and which often assumes +the exact form of the zoophytes, and other organic structures, into +which it has percolated. + +But in this locality, as also in many instances in the chalk region +south of Angouleme, the mineralogical character of the formation is +often completely altered, chiefly appearing as a fine white calcareous +sandstone, occasionally passing into a compact siliceous limestone, +similar to the _calcaire siliceux_ of the superior freshwater limestone, +but for the most part destitute of the small sinuous cavities the +latter commonly contains. + +This calcareous sandstone is directly succeeded, in ascending order, by +the most extensive surface deposit of Touraine, termed by the French +geologist, argile et poudinge; a rather thick argillaceous deposit, in +which flint boulders are sometimes thickly embedded, and on which +reposes the _calc d'eau douce_ or freshwater limestone, both formations +belonging to the uppermost subdivision of the Parisian tertiary strata, +or newer Pliocene deposits. + +Immediately above the freshwater limestone just named, a series of +isolated masses occur, consisting of marine sand and marl, the whole +rarely exceeding fifty feet in thickness, and containing for the most +part a different and immense assemblage of fossils. This tertiary +formation which is provincially termed _faluns_, (broken shells) is +considered to belong to a period intermediate between that of the +Parisian and subapennine strata, and to assimulate in age to the crag +formation of England, which belongs to the Miocene or middle Tertiary. + +Mr Lyell who has closely examined the _faluns_[D], says that most of +the shells they contain do not depart from the Mediterranean type, +although a few would seem to indicate a tropical climate, among these +may be mentioned some large species of the genera _conus_, _terebra_, +_rynula_, _tasciolaria_, _cerithium_ and _cardita_. + +The species he considers for the most part marine, but that a few of +them belong to land and fluviatile genera. Among the former, _helix +turonensis_ (faluns Touraine) is the most abundant. + +Remains of terrestrial quadrupeds are here and there intermixed, +belonging to the genera mastodon, rhinoceros, hyppopotamus, deer and +others, and these are accompanied by cetacea, such as the lamantine, +morse, sea calf, and dolphin, all of extinct species. + +Out of two hundred and ninety species of shells from the _faluns_ Mr +Lyell says he found seventy-two identical with recent species, and that +out of the whole three hundred and two in his possession forty-five only +were found to be common to the suffolk crag. Nevertheless a similarity +of mineral composition, and the general analogy of the fossil shells and +zoophytes, together with the perfect identity of certain species, +strongly justifies the opinion that has long been pronounced, that the +faluns of Touraine, and the Suffolk crag are nearly contemporaneous. + +To this brief outline of what may properly be termed the regular +stratifications of Touraine, it only remains to be stated, that they are +frequently concealed by considerable deposits of alluvial and diluvian +beds of flinty gravel, sand, and adventitious clays, in some of which +numerous specimens of the rocks and fossils to be found existing in +_situ_ in the neighbourhood are interspersed. + +It is almost impossible to contemplate even the comparatively scanty +catalogue of geological facts just adverted to, without being forcibly +reminded of the remarkable physical transformations which the surface of +the country must have undergone, at distinct, and incalculably distant +epochs; and to speculate on the causes which effected; and the peculiar +circumstances characterizing those revolutionizing periods. + +Geology, may indeed, be truly said to be an inductive science, and while +pondering over its natural inferences we find ourselves most +marvellously progressing through a long concatenation of pre-existing +realities, which at every remove may be said to assume more and more the +features of romance! + +During the cretaceous period, _Touraine_ had not emerged from the +Ocean, which here was probably studded with Islands constituted of the +primary rocks of Brittany, and those of the older secondary formations +we have noticed as now principally occupying the more southern +provinces. These lands, we may reasonably infer, were adorned by the +luxuriant vegetation of a tropical climate, the fossil remains of which, +are found abundantly dispersed throughout the first formed members of +the tertiary series. + +Subsequent to the deposition of the chalk, a retiring of the sea from +this region, and a period of repose, are indicated by the presence of +the _freshwater formation_, but on examining the overlying deposits of +_faluns_, we have the most indubitable evidence, that this quiescent +state, was succeeded by another irruption of the Ocean, which desolated +the land, and deposited the wrecks of its animal and vegetable +productions as now discovered in that formation. As yet, the geologian +maintains, man had not been called into existence, and therefore the +huge quadrupeds whose remains are found in the _faluns_, unmolestedly +ranged through the umbrageous wilds of nature absolute Lords of the +creation. + +While the imagination is startled at the mystic nature of these +successive cosmological revolutions, it is no less puzzled to account +for the mighty causes which have effected them. The geologist however +has discovered in various parts of the world, the most positive evidence +of the upheaving and subsidence of immense tracts of territory, by the +stupendous operations of subterranean convulsions. + +At Alum Bay in the Isle of Wight we have an extraordinary and complete +example of this description; in the remarkable _vertical_ position of +the beautiful and variously coloured arenose stratifications of the +plastic clay, we are enabled to discover that the ponderous substrata of +chalk were uplifted subsequently to the deposition of the tertiary +formation. And it would not be unreasonable to believe that the same, or +a similar convulsion, finally raised the lands of Touraine to their +present elevation above the level of the sea. + +We have however in this country, as in almost every other part of the +globe, the most striking proofs of the mighty modifying operations of +the last grand _cataclysm_, the erosive power of whose turbulent waters +have denudated or scooped out deep vallies, frequently leaving--as +instanced in the faluns detached and widely scattered masses of +pre-existing formations, and heaping up their _debris_ in the vast and +variously shaped accumulations designated as diluvial deposits. + +These popular speculations have been touched upon rather with the view +of exciting the attention of the curious, and inviting the disquisitions +of the able student of nature, than a desire to attach any absolute +importance to existing theories; for in a progressive science like +geology, new and amazing facts are continually being developed, and it +is only when an immensely increased accumulation of such existing +evidences has been thoroughly scrutinized by the penetrating and +comprehensive genius of a _Newton in geology_, that we can hope to +arrive at any thing approaching a correct explication of its remarkable +and interesting phenomena. + +To the commonest observer however the present state of geology presents +an astounding exposition of divine power and goodness, and distinctively +marks the gigantic footsteps of that creative energy, which out of +stupendous confusion and disorder, the rocking earthquake, and the +"wreck of worlds," has caused to spring forth the existing order of +things; whose beauty, perfection, utility and harmony, charm our senses, +enhance our knowledge, and demand for their Creator, the constant +tribute, of our most grateful emanations. + +There are a few Chalybeate, and many calcareous springs in the +department, some of the latter of which incrust every substance over +which they flow, and it is not uncommon to find an assemblage of most +fancifully shaped stalactical incrustations in the caves of the +calcareous freestone, etc., being often singularly imitative of the +works both of nature and of art. Caves of this description known by the +name of the caves gouttieres are to be seen near the _village of +Savonnieres_ on the road from _Tours_ to Chinon, not far from the banks +of the Cher. But perhaps no less remarkable in the estimation of the +curious are the extraordinary series of excavations ranging nearly +opposite Tours. These artificial caverns which are hewn out of the +white calcareous sandstone rocks on the banks of the Loire, frequently +constitute entire dwellings, and are so free from humidity as to be +occupied by the peasantry during summer and winter, while others are +formed into extensive storehouses for the wines of the country. + +From the general and impartial review we have here taken of some of the +more attractive features, climatic advantages, and geological structure +of Touraine, it cannot but be admitted that it possesses inducements of +no ordinary description to the searcher after health or recreation. +Considerations, of more special importance to the hypochondriac and the +valetudinarian, who may feel themselves obliged to abandon the soothing +comforts of the domestic circle, for the purpose of obtaining relief +from a temporary residence abroad. + +In our just estimation of any country or locality, much however depends +on the spirit and manner in which we scrutinize its resources, to the +eye of the vacant and unobservant mind, the most beautiful and +soul-stirring facts and scenes possess neither novelty nor charms, while +the attentive and _intelligent investigator_ seldom fails to discover +and appreciate those extraordinary assemblages of creative perfections, +and wonders, with which the all bountiful hand of the Supreme Creator +has most amply stored every portion of the material Universe. + + + + +SPAS OF FRANCE. + + +A small work of this description will not admit of our entering into a +minute detail of all the mineral waters of France; we shall therefore +merely give a sketch of their physical characters, medicinal properties, +and of the different localities where they are found, to serve as a +superficial guide to Invalids; and conclude by giving a more general +description of the _Spas of Central France_. + +Mineral waters may be arranged into the four following classes; +_Saline_; _Acidulous_; _Chalybeate_; and _Sulphureous_. + +_Saline._ These waters owe their properties altogether to saline +compounds. Those which predominate and give their character to the +waters of this class are either, + +1. Salts, the basis of which is Lime. + +2. Muriate of Soda and Magnesia. + +3. Sulphate of Magnesia. + +4. Alkaline Carbonates, particularly Carbonate of Soda. + +They are mostly purgative, the powers of the salts they contain being +very much increased by the large proportion of water in which they are +exhibited. + +There are but few _Cold Saline Springs_ in France, viz: those of Andabre +or Camares in the department of Aveyron; Jouhe, dep: Jura; Pouillon, +dep: Landes; Niederbronn, dep: Lower Rhine. They are employed in +diseases which require continued and moderate intestinal evacuations; +such as dyspepsia hypochondriasis, chronic hepatitis, jaundice and +strumous swellings. They are more grateful to the stomach when carbonic +acid gas is also present; and when they contain Iron as in the springs +of Camares, their tonic powers combined with their purgative qualities, +render them still more useful in dyspeptic complaints and amenorrhoea. + +To this class the water of the Ocean belongs. The quantity of saline +matter _Sea Water_ contains varies in different latitudes thus, between +10 deg. and 20 deg. it is rather more than 1/24; at the equator it is 1/25; and +at 57 deg. north it is only 1/27. The saline ingredients in 10,000 parts of +sea water according to the last analysis of Dr. Murray, are, muriate of +Soda 220.01; muriate of lime, 7.84; muriate of Magnesia, 42.08; and +Sulphate of Soda 33.16. When brought up from a great depth, its taste is +purely saline; but when taken from the surface it is disagreeably +bitter, owing, perhaps, to the animal and vegetable matters suspended in +it. Its specific gravity varies from 1.0269 to 1.0285; and it does not +freeze until cooled down to 28.5 deg. Fahrenheit. Its medicinal properties +are the same as those of the saline purgative waters, but more powerful; +and as a bath, its efficacy is much superior to that of fresh water. + +The general effects of mineral waters are modified by temperature, +whether they be taken internally, or applied externally. + +In some _Warm Saline Springs_ as those of Plombieres, and Bains, in the +department of Vosges; Luxeuil, dep. Haute Saone; Bourbon-Lancy, dep. +Saone-et-Loire; Bourbonne-les-Bains, dep. Haute-Marne; Chaudes-Aigues, +dep. Cantal; Avene, Balaruc, dep. l'Herault; La Motte, dep. l'Isere; +Bagnols, dep. l'Orne; Aix-en-Provence; dep. Bouches-du-Rhone; +St.-Laurent-Les-Bains, dep. l'Ardeche; Sylvanes, dep. l'Aveyron; +Cap-Bern, Bagneres, Bigorre, dep. Upper Pyrenees; Encausse, dep. +Haute-Garonne; Neris, dep. l'Allier; their virtues depend principally on +the height of temperature. And in others which have been found to +contain scarcely any foreign matter, the simple diluent power of the +pure water seems to produce the benefit that results from drinking them. + +ACIDULOUS. Waters of this class owe their properties chiefly to Carbonic +Acid. They sparkle when drawn from the spring, or when poured into a +glass; have an acidulous taste, and become vapid when exposed to the +air. Besides free carbonic acid, on the presence of which these +qualities depend, acidulous waters contain generally carbonates of Soda, +of Lime, of Magnesia, and of Iron; and sometimes muriate of Soda. + +They may be divided into _thermal_ or _warm acidulous waters_, and _cold +acidulous waters_. + +The temperature of the former rarely exceeds 72 deg. F. while that of the +latter is generally about 55 deg. F. Of the warm acidulous waters are those +of Mont-D'or, Saint Nectaire, Clermont-Ferrand, in the department of +Puy-de-Dome; Vichy, Bourbon-l'Archambault, dep. l'Allier; Audinac, +Ussat, dep. l'Arriege; Chateauneuf, Saint-Mart, Chatel-guion, dep. +Puy-de-Dome; Dax, dep. Landes; Saint Alban on the left of the river +Loire. + +Of the _cold acidulous waters_ there is Pougues in the department of +Nievre; Chateldon, Bar, Saint-Myon, Medague, Vic-le-Comte, dep. +Puy-de-Dome; Mont-Brison, Saint-Galmier, dep. Loire; Langeac, dep. +Haute-Loire. They are tonic and diuretic; and in large doses produce a +sensible degree of exhilaration. + +They all afford a grateful and moderate stimulus to the stomach, but the +_warm acidulous springs_ are to be preferred as there are few of this +kind that do not contain a small portion of Iron and a larger portion of +carbonic acid gas, and are especially useful in all cases of impaired +digestion; while those which contain alkaline carbonates, as Pougues and +Saint-Galmier, are more particularly employed as palliatives in +calculous affections. + +CHALYBEATE. Waters thus named owe their properties to iron in +combination generally with carbonic acid; and as the latter is usually +in excess, they are often acidulous as well as chalybeate. The metal is +found also in the form of a sulphate, but the instances of this are very +rare. + +Chalybeate waters have a styptic or inky taste: they are, when fresh +drawn, transparent, but become black when mixed with tincture of +nut-galls; but an ochery sediment soon falls, and the water loses its +taste. If the iron be in the state of sulphate, however, no sediment +falls; and the black colour is produced by the above test, even after +the water has been boiled and filtered. Chalybeate springs are very +numerous in France, some of the following are much frequented: +Rennes-Les-bains, in the department of l'Aude; Saint-Honore, Passy, near +Paris; Forges, Aumale, Rouen, dep. Seine-inferieure; Contrexeville, dep. +Vosges; Bussang, Provins, dep. Seine-et-Marne; La Chapelle-Godefroi, +dep. of l'Aube; Saint-Gondon, Noyers, dep. Loiret; Fontenelle, dep. +Vendee; Watweiler, Upper-Rhine; Cransac, dep. l'Aveyron; Sainte-Marie, +dep. Cantal; Sermaise, dep. Marne; Ferrieres, Segray, dep. Loiret; +Alais, dep. Gard; Boulogne-sur-Mer, dep. Pas-de-Calais; Vals, dep. +l'Ardeche. + +Chalybeate waters are powerful tonics, and are employed in dyspepsia, +scrofulous affections, cancer, amenorrhoea, chlorosis, and other +diseases of debility for which the artificial preparations of iron are +used. Much of the benefit derived from the use of chalybeate waters +depends on the extreme division of the metalic salts they contain, as +well as the vehicle in which it is held in solution; while at the same +time their operation is much modified by the carbonic acid gas by which +the iron is suspended. When the water is a carbonated chalybeate, it +should be drunk the moment it is drawn from the spring; but the same +precaution is not necessary with a water containing sulphate of iron. + +SULPHUREOUS. Waters classed under this head derive their character +chiefly from sulphureted hydrogen gas; which in some of them is +uncombined, while in others it is united with lime or an alkali. They +are transparent when newly drawn from the spring, and have a foetid +odour which is gradually lost from exposure to the air, and the water +becomes turbid. When they are strongly impregnated with the gas, they +redden infusion of litmus, and exhibit some other of the characteristics +of acids; and, even in a weak state, they blacken silver and lead. + +Besides containing sulphureted hydrogen gas, they are not unfrequently, +also, impregnated with carbonic acid. They generally contain muriate of +Magnesia or other saline matters, which modify their powers as a remedy. + +The _warm sulphureous springs_ in France are those of Bareges, +Saint-Sauveur, dep. Upper Pyrenees; Cauterets, Bonnes, Cambo, dep. Lower +Pyrenees; Bagneres-de-Luchon, dep. Haute-Garonne; Ax, dep. l'Arriege; +Greoult, Digne, dep. Lower Alpes; Castera-Verduzan, dep. Gers; Bagnols, +dep. Lozere; Evaux, dep. Creuse; Saint-Amand, dep. Nord; Loeche, right +of the Rhone; Aix-la-Chapelle. The _cold sulphureous waters_ are those +of Enghien-les-Bains, in the department of Seine-et-Oise; La +Roche-Posay, dep. Vienne; Uriage, near Grenoble. + +These waters are resorted to chiefly by patients who labour under +cutaneous affections and are applied locally as well as drunk. + +They are slightly sudorific and diuretic, and apt to occasion in some +patients headache of short duration, directly after they are taken. + +They are also employed for curing visceral and scrofulous obstructions, +torpor of the intestines, chronic engorgements of the joints: sprains of +long standing, obstinate catarrhs, rheumatism, etc, and in some +dyspeptic and hypochondriacal cases. + +The _warm_ sulphureous waters are to be preferred; attention however +should be paid to the state of the bowels during their course which +ought to be kept free from any accumulation by the aid of some mild +aperient medicine; Spa Doctors trust almost entirely to the aperient +operation of the waters and doubtless, the crises, spa-fevers, and +re-actions described by foreign writers on the spas are often +attributable to the want of combining some mild mercurial alterative and +aperient with the use of the waters, and that many cures are prevented +or rendered ineffectual by the dread of mercury entertained by +continental Physicians. The following what Dr. Johnson terms the +_Auxilio-Preservative_ will be found of essential service taken every +night before drinking the morning waters. + + R, + + Ext: Col: Co: + + Pil: Rhei: Co: a a gr. XL + + Pil: Hydrarg: -- gr. X + + Ol: Caryoph: -- gr. VI + + ft. pil: XX capt. 1 vel: ij hora somni. + +It is however absolutely necessary on patients arriving at any spa, to +consult the resident Physician. + +With respect to the use of mineral waters in general, we consider them +as most important, and extremely beneficial in the treatment of disease; +some of the good effects of all of them however, must be allowed to +proceed from change of air and scene; relaxation from business, +amusement, temperance, and regular hours, and under these circumstances +the drinking the waters at the springs possesses advantages which cannot +be obtained from artificial waters, however excellent the imitations may +be, nor even from the natural water, when bottled and conveyed to a +distance from the springs. + + + + +SPAS + +OF + +CENTRAL FRANCE. + + + + +THERMAL SALINE WATERS, + + +PLOMBIERES. + +_Plombiers_, a small town in the department of Vosges, twenty-four +leagues from Nancy, is situated between mountains in a deep narrow +valley watered by the Augrome. + +According to a careful analysis made by M. Vauquelin, these waters +contain Subcarbonate of Soda, Sulphate of Soda, Chloride of Sodium, +Subcarbonate of Lime, and Silex. He affirms that they also contain an +animal matter greatly resembling gelatine, which performs an important +part in their action upon the animal economy; to this ingredient he +attributes the fetid odour which occasionally arises from the waters. + +The thermal waters of Plombieres, are classed as follows:--1st The +_Bain des Dames_; having a heat of 126 deg. Fahr 2nd--The _Source du +Chene_, or _du Crucifix_; this is the only one of the waters not used +for bathing, but solely for drinking. 3d--The _source du Grand-Bain_ +or _du milieu_, the temperature of the former is 130 deg.: and of the latter +142 deg. Fah. The _Grand Bain_ is called the _Bain des pauvres_. +4th--The _Bain-tempere_, which is supplied by two sources; one at +90 deg. and the other at 113 deg. Fah. 5th--The _Petit-Bain_ or _Capucins_, +is 113 deg. Fah. Its basin is divided into two parts, the temperature of the +water there being 95 deg. to 97 deg. Fah. 6th--The _Bain-Neuf_ or _Royal_, +has a square basin which receives the waters from a source formerly +called _l'enfer_, and had originally, a temperature of 153 deg. Fah. being +the hottest of the number. 7th--There is another source, called the +source _de Bassompierre_, situated at the upper part of the town. + +These waters are stimulant, giving increased activity to the +circulation, and in great reputation for the cure of Chlorosis (green +sickness) chronic enteritis, neuralgia, scrofula, and in the chronic +and painful stages of gout and rhumatism. Although rarely beneficial in +severe cutaneous diseases they are in much esteem for their unctuous +qualities, which impart softness to the skin and allay superficial +irritations. + +The season for taking these waters is from May to September, and this +place is then much frequented; the accommodations are very good, in the +principal street are arcades built by Stanislaus, king of Poland, under +which the company promenade. + + +LUXEUIL. + +The great esteem in which these waters were anciently held is attested +by the vast ruins and immense number of antiquities which have been +found here; at present Luxeuil is a small but agreeable town in the +department of the Haute-Saone, twelve leagues from Besancon, situated in +a plain, and intersected by a street called the _rue des Romains_. The +bathing establishment, which is much admired, was built about the middle +of the last century, is adorned with a beautiful garden. + +There are five Baths namely the _Bain des Femmes_; the _Bain des +Hommes_; the _Bain Neuf_; the _Grand-Bain_; the _Petit-Bain_. + +The analysis of these waters is very incomplete; they are stated to +contain muriate of Soda, Lime, sulphate of Potash and a small portion of +Iron. + +They have proved very beneficial in chronic rheumatism, paralysis, +chronic catarrh, alterations in the abdominal viscera, and in some +nervous affections. As these waters are less exciting than those of +Plombieres, they are more suitable to persons of a feeble and delicate +constitution. + +The Baths are under the superintendance of a medical practitioner. A +Hotel, called the Lion d'Or, affords ample accommodation for persons who +come for the benefit of the waters. This place has been much frequented +of late. + + +BOURBON-LANCY. + +The mineral waters of this place, containing a population of 2700, are +in the department of Saone-et-Loire, twelve leagues from Autun and +eighty from Paris. + +Dr de Verchere, a talented and philanthropic man, who long had the +establishment under his management, reports numerous cures having been +effected by the waters. + +Their celebrity is of ancient date, and they have at various times been +visited by several kings of France. + +The town of Bourbon-Lancy is placed on the side of a hill, and +constitutes a striking feature in a beautiful landscape. The air is +extremely salubrious, and the place has long been remarkable for its +freedom from epidemics. + +It abounds in the comforts and luxuries of life, and commodious +accommodations are provided for visitors, near the Baths. + +The _Bread_ made here is said to be of a very superior quality, which +the inhabitants attribute to its being kneaded with the mineral waters. + +Numerous kinds of excellent fish are furnished by the Loire. + +The mineral waters of Bourbon-Lancy have apparently one common source +but appear at the surface of the earth in seven distinct springs. The +1st is called _le Lymbe_, from its great heat, as much as 135 deg. Fah. +2nd The _Fontaine de Saint-Leger_ temperature 100 deg. Fah. 3rd The +_Fontaine de la Reine_ temp: 108 deg. Fah. 4th The _Fontaine des Ecures_, +which take its name from the person who discovered the spring in 1600. +temp: 140 deg. Fah. 5th The _Bain Royal_, temp: 104 deg. Fah. + +Mr Jacquemont's analysis of these waters exhibits the presence of +Carbonic Acid, and Muriate of Soda in excess, also the Sulphate of Soda, +Carbonate of Lime, Oxide of Iron and Silex. + +It is to be regretted that a more minute analysis of the waters has not +been effected, for their continual boiling, and the saline efflorescence +which forms upon the sides of the pipes, would seem to indicate the +prevalence of fixed and volatile principles, the proportions of which it +would be important to demonstrate. + +Their heat and stimulating qualities peculiarly adapt them for the cure +of obstinate chronic rheumatism, diseases of the lymphatics, chlorosis, +incipient disorganization of the stomach, bowels, and other abdominal +viscera. They have also been found highly beneficial in old gun shot +wounds. + +The Bourbon waters are administered in different doses, according to the +constitution of the patient, and the nature of the disease, it is usual +to take several glasses in the morning at intervals of a quarter of an +hour. + +The Baths varying in temperature from 90 deg. to 104 deg. Fah. are the most +commonly used, and with the greatest success. But the most active baths +are those varying from 113 deg. to 122 deg. Fah. but they require great caution +in their administration. + +There are several kinds of douches at Bourbon as the ascending, +descending, fumigating, which are frequently used in torpidity of the +intestines and obstinate constipations; resource is also had to them in +some affections of the uterus and urinary organs. There are also _mud_ +baths at this place. + + +BAGNOLES. + +Bagnoles is a village in the department of l'Orne, the efficacy of the +mineral waters at this place, was discovered by the following singular +circumstance. An old horse having a disease of the skin, being covered +all over with sores, was about to be delivered up to the knacker when +his master calling to mind his good qualities, resolved upon turning him +into the _Coppice of Roches-Noires_. Two months after happening to pass +through the end of the valley, he descried an animal which he thought +much resembled his own discarded steed. The horse trotted up, approached +him familiarly, and though fat and sleek, was speedily recognised by his +owner, who wishing to ascertain the cause of such an unexpected and +astonishing cure, carefully watched the animal's movements, and +presently saw him roll himself with much apparent satisfaction in a +neighbouring bog, which upon putting his hand into it, he found to +contain much internal heat. This circumstance occasioned the clearing +out of the bog, when the source of a hot spring very limpid and very +abundant was discovered. + +This cure, originated the idea of forming the present establishment +which since 1812 has been rapidly increasing in reputation. It stands at +the foot of a mountain between two rocky escarpments, in one of the +most beautiful and picturesque vallies in France. + +Through this, winds the little river _la Vee_, the banks of which, +adjacent to the Baths, are prettily planted, and intersected with +numerous gravel walks, forming shady and agreeable promenades. The +luxuriance of the trees and meadows which adorn this fertile valley, +contrasted with the savage aspect of the vast rugged rocks by which it +is bordered, together with the pretty scattered villas, and the +salubrity of the air form a _tout ensemble_ rarely to be witnessed, and +which contributes not a little to the recovery of the numerous visitors +who resort to this fine establishment. + +The mineral springs are received into a square cistern from whence they +are conducted into the bathing rooms; they are extremely clear, unctuous +to the touch, taste slightly acid, and emit a sulphureted hydrogen +odour: air bubbles continually ascend with the water, and break as they +reach the surface. The waters are found on analysis to contain carbonic +acid, and muriate of Soda, in excess; a very small quantity of sulphate +and muriate of lime, and muriate of Barytes. The sediment of the general +receptacle contains some sulphur and Iron. + +The Bagnoles waters are at once tonic and purgative; they excite the +appetite, giving more activity to the digestive system, and have a +general tendency favourable to the promotion of healthy secretions and +excretions; particularly of the skin kidneys and glandular organs +generally. + +Administered as Baths, they have a very salutary action upon the skin, +imparting to it a remarkable flexibility and softness. + +M. Piette, who was forty years physician to this establishment, +published a report upon the efficacy of these waters, in obstinate +rheumatism, chronic catarrh, paralysis, chlorosis, leucorrhoea, +chronic gastritis, etc. After enumerating their other virtues he says: +"On lit dans les vieilles chroniques que les dames de la Normandie +allaient autrefois a Bagnoles pour porter remede a leur sterilite." + +From three to six glasses constitute a dose of the waters, they are +taken in the morning. + +The Bath rooms and appendages are judiciously arranged; when the natural +heat of the water--(from 82 deg. to 90 deg. Fah.) is deemed insufficient by the +physician, it can easily be increased by the aid of artificial heat, +without materially deteriorating the medicinal virtues of the water. + +Many Spa Doctors however assert (Dr Granville amongst the number) +"that the _caloric_ of mineral waters is of a _specific_ kind, analogous +to the heat of the body." A heat incorporated with the water by a +chemico-vital process. And as no external warmth can supply the body +with _vital_ heat, so no artificially created temperature can be a real +substitute for the natural heat of thermal springs. + +The temperature of the water of Bagnoles being about that of the +blood--98 deg. Fah. immersion in it produces but a slight sensation of heat; +the temperature of our bodies being below that of our blood. The +sensation is that of comfort. + +Bagnoles is sixty leagues from Paris, and one league from the high road +leading from Alencon to Domfront, lying nearly on the route from Havre +to Tours. + + +CHAUDES-AIGUES. + +This is a small town in the department of Cantal, six leagues from +Saint-Flour, on the road between Clermont and Toulouse, and derives its +name from its thermal waters, which were much resorted to in the +fifteenth century, and then called _Calentes Baiae_. + +The temperature of the springs vary from 167 deg. to 189 deg. Fah. The resident +poor turn this high temperature to many economical purposes, frequently +cooking their entire meals by the natural heat of the waters; an egg is +boiled hard by five minutes immersion. + +The waters are extensively used by Curriers, Tanners, stuff and Flannel +manufacturers, etc, their alkaline principles being found peculiarly +adapted to many essential processes in these respective trades; to +coloured articles, they are considered to give brilliancy and permanence +to the dyes. + +The _Belle Fontaine du Parc_, the highest in temperature of the spring, +contains muriate of Soda, carbonate of lime; carbonate of Iron, and +Silex. + +These waters were held in high repute by the Romans and are particularly +mentioned by one of their historians; "Calentes nunc te Baiae, et scabris +cavernatim ructata pumicibus aqua sulfuris atque jecorosis ac +phthisiscentibus languidis medicabilis piscina delectat." + +They have an _alterative_ or _deobstruent_ action, are therefore +applicable to a long catalogue of maladies arising from congestion and +obstructions of the abdominal viscera. + + + + +WARM ACIDULOUS AND GASEOUS WATERS, + + + +VICHY. + +Vichy is situated in the department of the Allier, 87 leagues from +Paris, fifteen from Moulins and thirty two from Lyon, in a valley +surrounded by beautiful and fertile hills. The excellent roads which +lead to this town, the purity of the air, the comfort and amusement +which may be found in it combine to render it one of the most frequented +watering places in France. + +Its mineral waters were known to the Romans, and vestiges of ancient +baths, coins etc. have frequently been found here. In the 14th +century a monastery of the order of Celestins was founded at Vichy by +Louis 2nd Duke of Bourbon, and in the following century, during the +wars of the Praguerie this town was beseiged by Charles the 7th, and +although fortified, taken by him in 1440. + +Both Madame de Sevigne and the famous Flechier speak in the highest +terms of the charms of this delightful place and vie with each other in +its praise. It was visited in 1814 by the duchess of Angouleme, since +which it has rapidly risen into notice, and owing to the exertions of +the inhabitants to accommodate the numbers who now flock to these justly +celebrated waters, few towns offer more resources to the invalid than +Vichy. + +The names of the principal Baths are, + +1st--The _Grande-Grille_, temperature 104 deg. to 108 deg. Fah: + +2nd--The _Petit-Puits carre_, temp. 113 deg. Fah: + +3rd--The _Grande-Puits carre_, 113 deg. Fah: which supplies the Baths. +These three springs are in the Bath house, under the gallery where +persons taking the waters promenade. + +4th--The _Petit-Boulet_, temp. 95 deg. Fah: + +5th--The _Gros-Boulet_ or the _Hopital_, temp. 99 deg. Fah: + +6th--The _source Lucas_, temp. 97 deg. + +7th--The _Fontaine des Celestins_, temp. 74 deg. Fah: + +All situated in a neat building near the Allier, and at the foot of a +mountain. + +The following is an analysis of the _Grande-Grille_;--free carbonic +acid, carbonate of Soda, carbonate of Lime, carbonate of Magnesia, +muriate of Soda, sulphate of Soda, oxide of Iron and Silex. + +The other Baths contain the same ingredients, but the proportions +slightly differ; from all the water presents nearly the same appearance. +It is clear and colourless, and filled with a great quantity of bubbles +rising continually to its surface: its taste is sharp and slightly +acidulated. + +The waters of Vichy are recommended in most chronic affections, +particularly of the stomach, congestions of the liver and abdominal +organs generally; haemorrhoids, leucorrhoea, engorgements and +indurations of the uterus, ovaries, etc; colic, cramps and epigastric +pains; disorders of the urinary organs, nervous and intermittent fevers +of long standing. Having a tranquillizing effect upon the nervous +system, they are peculiarly adapted to cases of hypochondriasis, +neuralgia, chorea, etc. + +The season at Vichy begins on the 13th of May, and finishes on the +20th of September, but precaution must be used in taking these waters +during excessively hot or stormy weather. Their general effects upon the +constitution are said to be very analogous to those of the celebrated +waters of Carlsbad in Germany. + + +SAINT-ALBAN. + +This small hamlet two leagues from Roanne on the left bank of the Loire, +is much indebted to being situated in the vicinity of Lyon, for the +celebrity the waters have attained, and still maintain. Those invalids +who come for the purpose of drinking the waters will find good +accommodation. + +These mineral waters are pungent and acidulous to the taste, and very +limpid, the presence of carbonic acid is perceptible every moment by the +immense quantity of bubbles which break on the surface of the water. +Their temperature is 65 deg. Fah: + +Their analysis demonstrates the presence of nitrate of Lime, carbonate +of Soda, sulphate of Lime, carbonate of Lime and oxide of Iron. Of the +volatile principles carbonic acid gas predominates. + +The waters are found very beneficial in almost all chronic diseases, +they are taken chiefly in the spring, and are heated to be used as +Baths. + + + + +COLD ACIDULOUS AND GASEOUS WATERS, + + +POUGUES. + +Pougues is a small well built town, upon the high road leading from +Paris to Lyons by Moulins; it is situated between Nevers and +Charite-sur-Loire, in a fine rich valley a quarter of a league long. The +air is very salubrious, and the neighbouring vineyards produce excellent +wine. + +The accommodations for visitors are on an extensive scale, and from its +proximity to Nevers, every necessary of life can be readily obtained. + +The waters of this place greatly resemble those of Spa and Seltzer; +they are received into two fountains, called _Saint-Leger_ and +_Saint-Marcel_ which are surrounded by a prettily laid out garden and a +covered promenade. + +The mineral waters of Pougues have been analyzed several times, but the +preference is given to that of _Hassenfratz_, who shows the presence of +free carbonic acid, carbonate of Lime, carbonate of Soda, muriate of +Soda, carbonate of Magnesia, Alum, Silex, and the oxide of Iron. + +Monsieur le docteur Martin affirms that these waters are essentially +tonic and purgative, that they are suitable in all cases of debility of +the digestive organs, in affections of the liver and spleen, in +inveterate jaundice, irregular menstruation, nephritic complaints, +removing heat of the kidneys and bladder and in expelling gravel. + +These waters may be beneficially taken in various forms of dyspepsia, +proceeding from a sedentary life, from torpor of the bowels; etc; also +by corpulent persons who indulge too much in the pleasures of the table, +taking but little exercise; and in obstinate constipations as they +invigorate the primae viae, and dislodge from them all accumulations and +impurities. + +From four to six glasses of the waters constitute a dose, which should +be taken fasting early in the morning; twenty or thirty days are +considered necessary for a complete course. + + +SAINT-GALMIER. + +A small village situated upon the side of a hill near de la Coyse, in +the department of the Loire, and three leagues from Mont-Brison. Its +mineral spring is called _Font-Forte_. + +The water is limpid and has a very agreeable vinous flavour, there arise +from the spring, large bubbles of air which sparkle at the surface of +the water, the source of which is lost in the little Brook _Couasse_. + +The proportion of carbonic acid which the waters of Saint-Galmier +contain is very considerable, one portion is found free, and the other +combined with an alkaline base, which appears to be the carbonate of +Soda a small trace of sulphate of Lime is also found. + +The medical men who have observed the effects of these waters speak +highly of their salutary action in chronic catarrhal diseases of old +men, in calculous affections of the kidneys, and in Polysarcia, +(Obesity). + +They administer a pint in the morning for a dose, in lithontriptic +complaints; it is commonly mixed with the wine drank at meals. + + + + +CHALYBEATE WATERS, + + +SAINT-HONORE. + +Saint-Honore is a small town agreeably situated in the hills of Morvan, +thirteen leagues from Nevers, eight from Autun, and four from +Chateau-Chinon. The inhabitants of this district are remarkable for +their stature and their robust and healthy constitutions. + +In ancient times the Baths of this place enjoyed great reputation. The +Romans formed some magnificent establishments here, which have however +long since disappeared. + +Mr Vauquelin's analysis of these waters exhibits the presence of the +carbonates of Lime, Iron, and Magnesia, and the subcarbonate of Lime, +muriate of Soda, and some Silex. As also a quantity of imponderable +sulphur, and vegeto-animal matter. + +The ordinary temperature of the Baths is 70 deg. Fah: + +The waters are successfully employed in chronic diseases of the +abdominal organs, spasmodic asthma, rheumatism and gout. Besides their +internal use, they are advantageously applied, in common, vapour, and +shower Baths. + + +PASSY. + +Passy which has long been distinguished for its mineral waters is +situated contiguous to one of the barrieres of Paris, on the right bank +of the River Seine. + +This water is remarkably clear and has a chalybeate taste. It contains +sulphate of Lime, proto-sulphate of Iron, sulphate of Magnesia, muriate +of Soda, Alum, carbonate of Iron, carbonic acid and some traces of +bituminous matter. + +Owing to the very large proportion of sulphate of Iron and the saline +substances, which are found in it, this water is seldom administered +internally until it has been allowed to deposit for some time, it is +then given in obstructions of the viscera, in dyspepsia, inappetence, +hypochondriasis, and in all relaxed and cachectic states of the +constitution. Dr Alibert who has frequently prescribed it in debility +of the digestive organs, chlorosis and in passive haemorrhages, +considers it may be classed amongst the most powerful of Chalybeate +waters. + +The dose is from two to three glasses daily, it is purgative when taken +in a large quantity. + +When used as Baths it is transported to the bathing establishment, or +_maison de sante_, at a short distance from the spring. + + +ROUEN. + +Chief town of the department of the Seine-Inferieure, thirty leagues +from Paris. + +Mineral springs of a ferruginous and calcareous nature, abound in the +town and neighbourhood. + +Those of the _Fontaine Marecquerie_ are the most common in use. The +three sources which supply these fountains are respectively designated; + +The _Royale_, the _Dauphine_, and the _Reinette_. + +The waters have been analyzed by Mr Duboc of Rouen, who thereby +demonstrates that every pint of the _Marecquerie_ water, contains one +grain of carbonate of Iron, three grains of muriate of Lime, three +fourths of a grain of carbonate of Soda, two grains of a vegetable +extractive matter, and carbonic acid gas. + +Several of the medical practitioners in Rouen, strongly recommend these +waters in obstinate intermittent fevers, engorgements of the Liver, +uterus and in leucorrhoea depending on general debility, and some +cutaneous eruptions. + +Three or four glasses constitute a dose of the waters of the +_Marecquerie_, they should be drank at the fountain, as they soon become +tainted. + + +SAINT-GONDON. + +A small town in the department of Loiret, near the banks of the Loire, +three leagues from Sully; its mineral waters rise a short distance from +the town. + +The analysis of these waters is very incomplete, besides containing a +little carbonic acid gas, they hold in solution the carbonates of Iron, +Lime, Magnesia, etc. + +The action of the Saint-Gondon mineral waters seem to affect more +particularly the urinary organs, the secretions of which, they increase +in a marked degree; they may be advantageously used in feebleness of the +bladder, as also in chronic catarrh which attacks this organ in old men. + +In some cases they are purgative. One pint every morning is the +customary dose. + + +FORGES. + +A small town in the department of the Seine-Inferieure, situated on a +height; twenty-five leagues from Paris, and nine from Rouen. + +Its mineral waters, which have their source in the pleasant valley of +Bray, were celebrated as far back as the time of Louis 13th who with +the cardinal Richelieu, derived signal benefit from their use. + +There are three springs called the _Reinette_, the _Royale_, and the +_Cardinale_. + +M. Robert who analyzed these waters demonstrates that they contain in +different proportions, according to their source, Carbonic Acid, +Carbonate of Lime, Carbonate of Iron, Muriate of Soda, Sulphate of Lime, +Muriate of Magnesia, Sulphate of Magnesia, and Silex. + +The waters are under the superintendance of a physician. They are an +excellent tonic, and administered in leucorrhoea, dropsy, engorgements +of the abdominal organs, paralysis, and sterility. + +We think this water might be prescribed with much advantage in all cases +of pure debility, unattended with fever or local inflammation; and in +leucoplegmatic constitutions; the pallid female affected with complaints +peculiar to her sex, may reasonably anticipate the glow of health, and a +return of bodily strength to result from a proper course of these +waters. + +General preference is given to the _Reinette_ spring, but when it is +desired to produce a more powerful effect upon the system, as in +paralysis, the _Cardinale_ is recommended, and which must be commenced +with by taking one glass only. The season for taking these waters is +from July to the middle of September. + + + + +SULPHUREOUS WATERS, + + +LA ROCHE-POSAY. + +These mineral waters are situated in the department of the Vienne, five +leagues from Chatellerault, nine from Poitiers and sixty-six from Paris. + +The springs of which there are three rise at the foot of a small +mountain, about a quarter of a league from the town. + +The accommodations for visitors are of a superior description, the +surrounding country exceedingly picturesque, and the air salubrious. + +According to the analysis of M. le docteur Josle, the waters contain a +large proportion of sulphureted Hydrogen gas, Sulphate of Lime, +Carbonate of Lime, Muriate of Soda, and Carbonate of Magnesia. + +They are recommended for their utility in rheumatism, scrofula, chronic +affections of the abdominal viscera, leucorrhoea, chlorosis, but more +particularly in diseases of the skin. + +Dr Johnson observes that the French and Germans are universally +imbued with the doctrine that the repression of a certain malady which +has got the musical sobriquet of (_Scotch-Fiddle_) is the cause of half +the evils which flesh is heir to. On this account the continental folks +have a great longing (or rather a violent itching) for sulphureous +waters, and hence the slightest odour of sulphureted hydrogen gas in a +newly discovered spring is considered a real treasure, and in the old +ones it is sure to preserve a reputation for endless ages! + +The sulphureous and alkaline properties of the waters of Roche-Posay may +enable them to resolve obstructions, and free the functions of the skin, +kidneys, and other secreting organs, to correct morbid bile as well as +acidities, thus proving mildly aperient. Much benefit may also be +expected to result from their use in cutaneous complaints. + +The waters are drank at their source by the glass, the dose is from +eight ounces to two pints; and some persons take them mixed with the +wine drank during their repast. + + +ENGHIEN-LES-BAINS. + +This village four leagues north of Paris is situated in a district +remarkable for its beautiful scenery on the banks of the lake of St. +Gratien, between the heights of Montmorency and the wood of St. Gratien. + +The sulphureous spring to which it owes its celebrity as a bathing +place, was discovered in 1766, by Pere Cotte, the learned rector of +Montmorency. + +The celebrated Fourcroy ascertained by analysis, that the waters contain +sulphureted Hydrogen gas, Carbonic acid gas, Sulphate of Lime, Sulphate +of Magnesia crystalized, Carbonate of Lime, Carbonate of Magnesia, +Muriate of Magnesia crystalized, Muriate of Soda, Silicium and +Extractive matter. + +The usual temperature of these waters is 59 deg. Fah: but they may be heated +to a much higher degree without materially losing their properties. + +These waters are stimulating causing an abundant perspiration, and an +increased secretion of urine. They are employed both internally and +externally in many cases; in scabious eruptions and many other cutaneous +affections, in chronic catarrhs, when it is necessary to stimulate in a +gentle manner the mucous membrane which lines the bronchial and +pulmonary cells, in the treatment of scrofulous affections, and of +enlargement of the lymphatic glands. + +They are also used with much success in asthma, particularly where this +state depends upon latent gout, rheumatism, or repelled cutaneous +affections, and in intestinal chronic affections, chlorosis, and nervous +disorders. + +Their alkaline properties empower them to resolve obstructions, and free +the functions of the skin, kidneys etc. and to correct acidities, their +intimate connexion with sulphureted Hydrogen and Carbonic acid gas +enables them to give activity to the secreting vessels and evacuate +unhealthy humours, while at the same time they give vigour to the whole +organism oppressed by chronic disease. + +Visitors will find ample accommodation in the commodious establishments, +which are formed on the border of the lake, especially at the _Hotel des +quatre Pavillons_, the _Hotel des Cygnes_, the _Bain de la Pecherie_: +besides these are several good boarding houses, as well as public +gardens and places of amusement. On the lake of St.-Gratien, in the +centre of which is a small and pretty Island with a kiosk upon it, those +fond of aquatic excursions will find boats adapted for sailing or +rowing. Horses and Asses are kept ready saddled for those who may be +inclined to visit the several delightful villages in the neighbourhood, +and the balls which are given here during the season attract the +Parisians in great numbers. The baths of Enghien are every year +increasing in repute. + + + + +CLASSIFICATION OF FRENCH WINES. + + +WINES OF THE FIRST CLASS. + + -------------------------+-------------+----------------------------- + WINES. |PLACE. |CHARACTER. + -------------------------+-------------+----------------------------- + | | + Romanee Conti |Cote-d'Or. } The first and most delicate + Chamberlin |Ditto. } red wines in the + Richebourg |Ditto. } world, full of rich perfume, + Clos Vougeot |Ditto. } of exquisite bouquet + Romanee St.-Vivant |Ditto. } and fine purple colour, + La Tache |Ditto. } light, yet with body + St.-Georges |Ditto. } and spirit sufficient to + Corton |Ditto. } render them pleasant and + | } healthful in use. + | | + First growths of Premaux |Ditto. } + Musigny |Ditto. } Burgundies, closely + Clos du Tart. |Ditto. } resembling the above + Saint-Jean |Ditto. } growths in aroma, and + Perriere |Ditto. } in all their other qualities. + Veroilles |Ditto. } + Morgeot |Ditto. } + | | + Mont Rachet |Ditto. } White, high perfume + | } and nutty flavor. + | | + Lafitte |Gironde. } Fine colour and delicate + Latour |Ditto. } flavour, light, less + Chateau Margaux |Ditto. } warm than Burgundy, + Haut Brion |Ditto. } with a violet perfume, + | } and rich purple hue. + | | + Beaume |La Drome. } Wines of the Rhone, + Muret |Ditto. } darker in colour than the + Bessas, Burges, Landes |Ditto. } preceding. Red Hermitage + Meal and Grefieux |Ditto. } the most noted of these + Racoule, Guioniere |Ditto. } of good body, and a fine + | } flavour of the rasberry. + | | + Sillery |Marne. } White, still, dry; of an + | } amber colour; generally + | } iced for drinking. + Ay. |Marne. } Fine effervescing wine, + | } bright in colour, slightly + | } frothing. + | | + Mareuil |Ditto. } The best of the white + Hautvilliers |Ditto. } wines of Champagne, + Pierry |Ditto. } being all of the first + Dizy |Ditto. } quality, but differing a + Epernay "Closet" |Ditto. } little in colour and + | } effervescence. + | | + Saint-Bris |Gironde. } Fine white wines of + Carbonnieux |Ditto. } excellent quality, lightish + Pontac |Ditto. } brown in colour, aroma + Sauterne |Ditto. } most agreeable, and + Barsac |Ditto. } some of rather sweet taste. + | | + Preignac and Beaumes |Ditto. } Description resembles + Chateau Grillet |La Loire. } the preceding. + | | + } } Full of body, spirit, + Hermitage }Rhone. } and perfume. The finest + } } of all white wines. + | | + Rivesaltes }Pyrenees } A rich muscadine. + }orientales. } + | | + Colmar, Olwiller }Haut-Rhin. } Straw wines, rich and + Kaiserberg } } luscious. + | | + Kientzheim, Ammerschwin |Ditto. |Ditto. + | | + Hermitage de Paille |Rhone. |Ditto. + -------------------------+-------------+-------------------------- + +The dry wines of the first class will bear no mixture, except with their +own growths; are too delicate to be adulterated without instant +detection; are the pure offspring of the grape, and rank nearest to +perfection of any known wines, of ancient or modern times. + + +WINES OF THE SECOND CLASS. + + -------------------------+-----------------+--------------------------- + WINES. |PLACE. |CHARACTER. + -------------------------+-----------------+--------------------------- + | | + Verzy, Verzenay, Mailly, } } + St.-Basle, Bouzy, } Marne. } Red wines of Champagne. + St.-Thierry } } + | | + Vosne, Nuits, Chambolle, } } Excellent red Burgundies, + Volnay, Pomard, } Cote-d'Or. } very little inferior + Beaune, Morey, Savigny, } } to first growths. + Meursalt } } + | | + Olivotes, Pitoy, Perriere| Yonne } + Preaux, Chainette, | } Good wines. + Migrenne | Ditto. } + | | + Moulin a Vent, Torins, } Saone-et-Loire } Red. + Thenas } Rhone. } + | | + Hermitage, 2.d growths. | Rhone. | Red. + | | + Cote Rotie | Ditto. | Red. + | | + Rozan, Gorze, Leoville, } } + Larose, Branne-Mouton, } Gironde. } Red. + Pichon-Longueville, } } + Calon } } + | | + Coteau Brule | Vaucluse. | Red. + | | + Jurancon, Gan | Basses-Pyrenees.| Red. + | | + Rousillon, Bagnols, } Pyrenees } Red. + Cosperon, Collioure, } orientales. } + Toremila, Terrats } } + | | + Cramant, Avize, Oger, } Marne. } White champagne wines, + Menil } } of good quality. + | | + La Perriere, Combotte, } } White Burgundies, of + Goutte d'Or, Genevriere, } Cote-d'Or. } high repute in France. + Charmes et Meursalt } } + | | + Guebwillers, Turkeim, } } + Wolxheim, Molsheim, } Haut-Rhin. } Dry, white, and _vins de + and Rangen, in Belfont } Bas-Rhin. } paille_, of good repute. + | | + Arbois, Pupillin, } Jura. } Good wine, _mousseux_ + Chateau Chalons } } and still. + | | + | } A white wine, which keeps + Coudrieu | Rhone. } long, of fine _seve_ + | } and perfume. + | | + Langon, Cerons, } Gironde. } White wines capable of + Podensac. } } endurance. + Montbazillac, Teaulet, } Dordogne. } Good white wines of + Raulis, Suma, Sance. } } the country. + | | + Buzet, Amazon, Vianne. } Lot-et-Garonne. } Generous white wines, + } } of good body. + | | + | } Delicate _mousseux_ and + St.-Peray, St.-Jean | Ardeche. } _non mousseux_, of + | } agreeable flavour. + | | + Jurancon } Basses-Pyrenees.} White, with an agreeable + } } perfume of the truffle. + | | + Frontignan, and Lunel } Herault. } Sweet, rich, and luscious; + Mazet } } white. + | | + Bagnols, Collioure, } Pyrenees } Red, styled de _Grenache_, + Rodez } Orientales. } rich and sweet. + | | + Maccabeo of Salces | Ditto. | Sweet, _vins de liqueur_. + -------------------------+-----------------+--------------------------- + + +WINES OF THE THIRD CLASS. + + -------------------------+-----------------+---------------------------- + WINES. |PLACE. |CHARACTER. + -------------------------+-----------------+---------------------------- + | | + Hautvilliers, Mareuil, } } + Dizy, Pierry, Epernay, } } Red Champagne wines + Taisy, Ludes, Chigny, } Marne. } of the second quality; + Villers-Allerand, } } light and agreeable. + Cumieres } } + | | + Ricey, Avirey, Bagneux } Aube. } Resembling the preceding. + la Fosse } } + | | + Gevrey, Chassagne, } } + Aloxe, Savigny sous } Cote-d'Or. } Good Burgundies of the + Beaune, Blagny, Santenay,} } third quality. + Chenove } } + | | + Clarion, Bonvin | Yonne. | Ditto. + | | + Fleury, Romaneche, } Saone-et-Loire } Ditto. + Chapelle, Guinchay } } + | | + Chantergues, Montjuset. | Puy-de-Dome. | Not wines of note; red. + } } Resembling red Hermitage, + } } a little less full + Crozes, Mercurol, } Drome. } and fine, might be called + Gervant } } Hermitage of the third + } } quality. + | | + Seyssuel, Revantin | Isere. } Red wines, very middling + | } of the class. + | | + Verinay | Rhone. | Resembling Cote Rotie. + | | + Pouillac, Margaux, } } Pouillac, Saint-Estephe, + Pessac, St.-Estephe, } } good light red wines; + St.-Julien, Castelnau de } Gironde. } Castelnau mediocre; the + Medoc, Cantenac, Talence,} } other growths agreeable. + Merignac, Canon } } + | | + Farcies, Terrasse, } Dordogne. } Resembling St-Emilion; + Campreal } } keeping well. + | | + Cape Breton, Soustons } Landes. } Red; light coloured, + } } with a harsh taste. + | | + Chuzelan, Travel, } } Red wines grown on + St.-Genies, Virac, } Gard. } the banks of the Rhone; + Ledenon, } } will not keep good more + St.-Laurent-des-Arbres } } than six years. + | | + Chateauneuf } Vaucluse. } Good red wines; keep + } } well. + | | + Riceys } Aube. } Champagne, light and + } } agreeable, white. + | | + Rougeot de Meursalt } Cote-d'Or. } Tolerable wine; not + } } exported. + | | + Vaumorillon, Grises, } } In considerable esteem + Valmure, Grenouille, } } in Paris as wines of the + Vaudesir, Bourgereau, } Yonne. } table. + Mont de Milieu et } } + Chablis } } They are all white. + | | + Pouilly and Fuisse } Saone-et-Loire } Much the same as the + } } preceding. + | | + Etoile Quintignil | Jura. | White. + | | + Pujols, Ilats, Landiras, } } + Virelade, St.-Croix du } Gironde. } Ditto, of middling quality. + Mont, Loupiac } } + | | + St.-Michel sous Condrieu } Loire. } Ditto; consumed in the + } } country. + | | + | } Second growths of those + Frontignan and Lunel | Herault. } famous and rich white + | } wines. + + Vins de Picardan of } } Rich luscious sweet + Marseillan and Pommerols.} } wines, prepared in the + Vins de Calabria, de } Herault. } department of Herault; + Malaga } } and very little exported, + } } also muscadines. + | | + Roquevaire, Cassis, } } Rich sweet wines, boiled + Ciotat }Bouches-du-Rhone.} wines, and malmseys, + Vins Cuits } } of good quality. + -------------------------+-----------------+---------------------------- + +The above are the three first classes of French wines, including all +which are commonly exported; there are, according to the best +authorities, six classes of red, seven of white, and four of _vins de +liqueur_. In these (exclusive of the list above comprising the choicest +kinds), there are two hundred and forty-three white, nine _vins de +liqueur_, and four hundred and sixty-three red wines classed, commencing +with the fourth. The wines of Champagne descend six degrees in class and +quality, hence the importance of ascertaining the proper class by those +who purchase them. + + + + +_Alcoholic strength of Wines and Liquors; according to the analysis of +professor Brande_. + + + PURE ALCOHOL + PER CENT. + + Burgundy, average of } 14.57 + four samples } + Ditto, lowest of the four | 11.95 + Ditto, highest of ditto | 16.60 + Champagne, four samples; } 12.61 + average } + Ditto, still | 13.80 + Ditto, mousseux | 12.80 + Cote Rotie | 12.32 + Frontignan | 12.79 + Red Hermitage | 12.32 + Sauterne | 14.22 + Lunel | 15.52 + White Hermitage | 17.43 + Vin de Grave | 13.94 + Ditto, second sample | 12.80 + Barsac | 13.86 + Rousillon | 19.00 + Ditto, second sample | 17.26 + Claret[E] | 17.11 + Ditto | 16.32 + Ditto | 14.08 + Ditto | 12.91 + Average | 15.10 + Grenache | 21.24 + Malaga, 1666 | 18.94 + Ditto | 17.26 + Sherry; average of four } 19.17 + kinds } + Teneriffe | 19.79 + Vidonia | 19.25 + Alba Flora | 17.26 + Tent | 13.20 + Hockheimer | 14.37 + Hock | 13.00 + Ditto, old | 8.88 + Colares Port | 19.75 + Port; average of seven } 22.96 + specimens } + Lisbon | 18.94 + Carcavellos | 19.20 + Ditto | 18.10 + Bucellas | 18.49 + Madeira Malmsey | 16.40 + Madeira Malmsey, red | 22.30 + Ditto | 18.40 + Madeira | 24.42 + Ditto | 23.93 + Sercial | 21.40 + Ditto | 19.41 + Average | 22.27 + Marsala; average of two } 25.09 + specimens } + Lacryma Christi | 19.70 + Lissa | 26.47 + Ditto | 24.35 + Syracuse | 15.28 + Etna | 30.00 + Aleatico | 16.20 + Constantia, white | 19.75 + Ditto, red | 18.92 + Cape muscat | 18.25 + Ditto Madeira | 22.94 + Average of three samples | 20.51 + Shiraz, white | 19.80 + Ditto, red | 15.52 + Tokay | 9.88 + Nice | 14.63 + Raisin wine | 26.40 + Average of three specimens | 25.12 + Currant Wine | 20.55 + Gooseberry | 11.84 + Orange; average of six } 11.26 + samples } + Elder wine | 9.87 + Scotch Whiskey | 54.32 + Irish ditto | 53.90 + Rum | 53.68 + Brandy | 53.39 + Gin | 51.60 + Cider, 9.87 and 5.21 } 7.84 + average } + Perry; four samples | 7.26 + Mead | 7.32 + Burton Ale | 8.88 + Edinburgh | 6.20 + Dorchester | 5.56 + London Porter | 4.20 + Brown Stout | 6.80 + London small Beer | 1.28 + + + + +METEOROLOGICAL REGISTER. + + +The annexed tabular statement exhibits the variation of temperature in +the shade, direction of the wind, and state of the atmosphere, for each +day, from February the fourth, 1840, to January the thirty first, 1841, +as carefully noted, and registered, at TOURS, twice per diem; namely, at +9 o'clock in the morning, and 12 o'clock at noon. + + +FEBRUARY 1840. + + ---+-----------+-----------------+----------------------------------- + DAYS + OF THE MONTH. + | FAHRENHEIT'S + | THERMOMETER. + | | DIRECTION + | | OF THE WIND. + | | | STATE OF THE WEATHER. + ---+-----------+-----------------+----------------------------------- + |9 A.M. Mer.| 9 A.M. Mer. | 9 A. M. Meridian. + | | | + 4 | 43 deg. 47 deg. | S. W. S. W. | Showery. Showery. + 5 | 42 47 | N. W. N. W. | Fair but Cloudy. Ditto. + 6 | 41 49 | Ditto. Ditto. | Clear. Cloudy. + 7 | 48 53 | S. W. W. | Misty. Ditto. + 8 | 45 50 | W. N. W. | Clear. Clear. + 9 | 41 51 | Ditto. W. | Ditto. Ditto. + 10 | 45 51 | S. W. S. W. | Cloudy. Cloudy. + 11 | 46 49 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Clear. + 12 | 42 53 | S. S. W. | Clear. Ditto. + 13 | 46 47 | S. W. Ditto. | Rainy. Ditto. + 14 | 42 48 | N. N. | Clear. Ditto. + 15 | 39 41 | N. W. N. W. | Ditto. Cloudy. + 16 | 45 48 | S. W. S. W. | Cloudy. Rainy. + 17 | 47 52 | Ditto. S. E. | Rainy. Clear. + 18 | 46 46 | N. E. N. E. | Clear. Ditto. + 19 | 35 36 | E. E. | Ditto. Ditto. + 20 | 27 29 | N. E. N. E. | Ditto. Ditto. + 21 | 29 33 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 22 | 23 25 | Ditto. Ditto. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 23 | 25 35 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 24 | 31 38 | Ditto. S. E. | Cloudy. Cloudy. + 25 | 32 41 | S. E. Ditto. | Bright sunshine. Bright sunshine. + 26 | 31 38 | N. E. N. E. | Ditto. Ditto. + 27 | 30 38 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 28 | 30 38 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 29 | 30 39 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + + +MARCH. + + ---+-----------+-----------------+----------------------------------- + DAYS + OF THE MONTH. + | FAHRENHEIT'S + | THERMOMETER. + | | DIRECTION + | | OF THE WIND. + | | | STATE OF THE WEATHER. + ---+-----------+-----------------+----------------------------------- + |9 A.M. Mer.| 9 A.M. Mer. | 9 A. M. Meridian. + | | | + 1 | 28 deg. 36 deg. | N. E. N. E. | Bright sunshine. Bright sunshine. + 2 | 29 38 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 3 | 34 41 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 4 | 35 45 | Ditto. S. E. | Ditto. Ditto. + 5 | 37 48 | S. E. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 6 | 37 49 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 7 | 36 48 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 8 | 37 50 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 9 | 37 51 | N. E. N. E. | Ditto. Ditto. + 10 | 37 45 | Ditto. Ditto. | Cloudy. Ditto. + 11 | 45 49 | Ditto. Ditto. | Clear. Clear. + 12 | 39 45 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 13 | 43 46 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 14 | 45 48 | N. W. N. W. | Cloudy. Ditto. + 15 | 46 51 | Ditto. Ditto. | Clear. Ditto. + 16 | 45 47 | Ditto. N. E. | Ditto. Cloudy. + 17 | 40 46 | N. E. Ditto. | Cloudy. Clear. + 18 | 42 | N. E. | Clear. Ditto. + 19 | 44 | Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 20 | 38 | Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 21 | | | + 22 | 44 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 23 | 42 48 | Ditto. Ditto. | A few flakes Sunshine. + | | | of snow. + 24 | 38 39 | Ditto. | Snowing fast with hail. + 25 | 34 | Ditto. | Snow in the morning. + 26 | 33 | Ditto. | Snowing. + 27 | 38 | Ditto. | Ditto. + 28 | 34 | Ditto. | Clear. + 29 | 38 | Ditto. | Dull and cloudy. + 30 | 43 | Ditto. | Ditto. + 31 | 46 | N. W. | Ditto. + + +APRIL. + + ---+-----------+-----------------+----------------------------------- + DAYS + OF THE MONTH. + | FAHRENHEIT'S + | THERMOMETER. + | | DIRECTION + | | OF THE WIND. + | | | STATE OF THE WEATHER. + ---+-----------+-----------------+----------------------------------- + |9 A.M. Mer.| 9 A.M. Mer. | 9 A. M. Meridian. + | | | + 1 | 44 deg. 56 deg. | S. S. W. | Bright sunshine. Bright sunshine. + 2 | 47 60 | Ditto. S. | Ditto. Ditto. + 3 | 50 62 | E. E. | Ditto. Ditto. + 4 | 49 57 | N. E. N. E. | Ditto. Ditto. + 5 | 46 58 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 6 | 52 59 | N. W. N. W. | Ditto. Ditto. + 7 | 52 46 | W. Ditto. | Clear. Rainy. + 8 | 46 48 | N. W. Ditto. | Rainy. Ditto. + 9 | 44 47 | N. E. N. E. | Cloudy. Cloudy. + 10 | 44 49 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Clear. + 11 | 49 56 | Ditto. Ditto. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 12 | 54 62 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 13 | 56 63 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 14 | 51 62 | W. S. W. | Cloudy. Sunshine. + 15 | 55 62 | N. W. W. | Ditto. Sunshine. + 16 | 59 70 | N. E. N. E. | Sunshine. Ditto. + 17 | 57 66 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 18 | 58 67 | S. W. S. W. | Ditto. Ditto. + 19 | 55 | S. E. S. E. | Dull. Rain in the even.g + 20 | 62 69 | N. E. N. E. | Clear. Sunshine. + 21 | 57 67 | N. W. W. | Sunshine. Ditto. + 22 | 59 68 | Ditto. N. W. | Dull. Sunshine. + 23 | 62 71 | N. E. N. E. | Clear. Sunshine. + 24 | 65 74 | E. E. | Sunshine. Ditto. + 25 | 65 78 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 26 | 69 78 | N. N. | Ditto. Ditto. + 27 | 71 79 | N. E. N. E. | Ditto. Ditto. + 28 | 72 82 | E. E. | Ditto. Ditto. + 29 | 74 80 | N. E. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 30 | 74 80 | E. | Ditto. Ditto. + + +MAY. + + ---+-----------+-----------------+----------------------------------- + DAYS + OF THE MONTH. + | FAHRENHEIT'S + | THERMOMETER. + | | DIRECTION + | | OF THE WIND. + | | | STATE OF THE WEATHER. + ---+-----------+-----------------+--------------------------------- + |9 A.M. Mer.| 9 A.M. Mer. | 9 A. M. Meridian. + | | | + 1 | 71 deg. 78 deg. | E. E. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 2 | 70 76 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 3 | 69 76 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Thunder and rain + | | | during the night. + 4 | 64 72 | S. W. N. W. | Showery. Showery. + 5 | 70 76 | N. W. W. | Clear. Sunshine. + 6 | 69 76 | W. S. W. | Clear. Rainy. + 7 | 63 62 | Ditto. W. | Rainy. Rainy. + 8 | 64 69 | Ditto. S. W. | Clear. Sunshine. + 9 | 63 65 | S. W. Ditto. | Cloudy. Cloudy. + 10 | 60 68 | S. S. | Showery. Showery. + 11 | 55 62 | N. W. N. W. | Ditto. Ditto. + 12 | 59 61 | S. W. S. W. | Ditto. Continued Rain. + 13 | 60 66 | Ditto. Ditto. | Cloudy. Clear. + 14 | 61 65 | Ditto. Ditto. | Showery. Showery. + 15 | 62 66 | W. W. | Ditto. Ditto. + 16 | 60 61 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 17 | 61 66 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Much rain + | | | in the night. + 18 | 55 62 | N. W. N. W. | Cloudy. Clear. + 19 | 57 60 | E. E. | Clear. Rainy. + 20 | 53 59 | N. E. N. E. | Cloudy. Sunshine. + 21 | 55 59 | N. W. N. W. | Showery. Showery. + 22 | 57 60 | Ditto. Ditto. | Clear. Sunshine. + 23 | 61 63 | N. E. N. E. | Sunshine. Ditto. + 24 | 66 71 | W. W. | Sunshine. Cloudy. + 25 | 62 68 | Ditto. Ditto. | Cloudy. Cloudy. + 26 | 63 70 | Ditto. Ditto. | Clear. Clear. + 27 | 65 70 | N. W. W. | Gentle showers. Sunshine. + 28 | 71 75 | E. E. | Clear. Clear. + 29 | 67 73 | N. W. N. W. | Ditto. Ditto. + 30 | 69 72 | N. N. E. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 31 | 73 75 | E. E. | Ditto. Ditto. + + +JUNE. + + ---+-----------+-----------------+----------------------------------- + DAYS + OF THE MONTH. + | FAHRENHEIT'S + | THERMOMETER. + | | DIRECTION + | | OF THE WIND. + | | | STATE OF THE WEATHER. + ---+-----------+-----------------+----------------------------------- + |9 A.M. Mer.| 9 A.M. Mer. | 9 A. M. Meridian. + | | | + 1 | 76 deg. 81 deg. | E. S. E. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 2 | 81 83 | S. W. S. W. | Ditto. Ditto a thunder + | | | storm at 2 P. M. + 3 | 67 69 | N. W. N. W. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 4 | 67 69 | N. N. | Ditto. Ditto. + 5 | 72 73 | N. E. | Ditto. Ditto. + 6 | 75 75 | S. S. W. | Cloudy. Gentle rain. + 7 | 65 71 | N. W. N. W. | Cloudy. Sunshine. + 8 | 74 74 | N. W. S. E. | Sunshine. Ditto. + 9 | 74 72 | S. E. W. | Clear. Cloudy. + 10 | 70 74 | W. W. | Cloudy. Showery. + 11 | 67 71 | N. W. N. W. | Cloudy. Clear. + 12 | 72 76 | Ditto. Ditto. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 13 | 73 76 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 14 | 78 81 | E. E. | Ditto. Ditto. + 15 | 76 80 | N. N. | Ditto. Ditto. + 16 | 76 79 | N. W. W. | Ditto. Ditto. + 17 | 76 80 | W. W. | Ditto. Showery. + 18 | 71 75 | N. W. N. W. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 19 | 71 75 | W. W. | Ditto. Ditto. + 20 | 69 73 | W. N. W. | Cloudy. Clear. + 21 | 74 81 | W. W. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 22 | 78 81 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 23 | 69 72 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 24 | 67 69 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 25 | 68 68 | N. W. N. W. | Ditto. Ditto. + 26 | 68 72 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 27 | 71 74 | E. E. | Ditto. Ditto. + 28 | 71 73 | N. E. N. E. | Cloudy. Sunshine. + 29 | 72 74 | N. N. | Sunshine. Ditto. + 30 | 75 77 | N. N. W. | Ditto. Ditto. + + +JULY. + + ---+-----------+-----------------+----------------------------------- + DAYS + OF THE MONTH. + | FAHRENHEIT'S + | THERMOMETER. + | | DIRECTION + | | OF THE WIND. + | | | STATE OF THE WEATHER. + ---+-----------+-----------------+----------------------------------- + |9 A.M. Mer.| 9 A.M. Mer. | 9 A. M. Meridian. + | | | + 1 | 75 deg. 79 deg. | W. W. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 2 | 73 78 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 3 | 69 72 | S. W. S. W. | Cloudy. Rain-ceased-at + | | | 2 P.M. + 4 | 64 69 | W. W. | Cloudy. Cloudy. + 5 | 66 66 | Ditto. Ditto. | Gentle rain. Gentle rain. + 6 | 68 71 | Ditto. Ditto. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 7 | 69 71 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 8 | 66 71 | Ditto. Ditto. | Sunshine. Showery. + 9 | 65 68 | Ditto. Ditto. | Sunshine. Clear. + 10 | 68 70 | Ditto. Ditto. | Clear. Clear. + 11 | 64 68 | N. W. N. W. | Showery. Clear. + 12 | 65 71 | Ditto. Ditto. | Clear Sunshine. + 13 | 59 63 | N. N. W. | Showery. Showery. + 14 | 63 88 | N. E. N. E. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 15 | 68 72 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 16 | 73 78 | E. E. | Ditto. Ditto. + 17 | 69 78 | N. N. | Ditto. Ditto. + 18 | 70 76 | W. W. | Ditto. Ditto. + 19 | 74 79 | S. W. S. W. | Ditto. Cloudy. + 20 | 69 74 | W. W. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 21 | 67 69 | Ditto. S. W. | Clear. Cloudy. + 22 | 69 65 | W. S. W. | Sunshine. Thundershowers. + 23 | 66 69 | S. W. Ditto. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 24 | 69 73 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 25 | 68 74 | Ditto. Ditto. | Cloudy. Showery. + 26 | 63 67 | Ditto. W. | Showery. Ditto. + 27 | 67 69 | N. W. N. W. | Sunshine. Clear. + 28 | 68 72 | W. W. | Sunshine. Slight shower. + 29 | 69 76 | N. W. N. W. | Cloudy. Sunshine. + 30 | 74 72 | N. W. | Sunshine. Showery. + 31 | 71 74 | N. N. W. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + + +AUGUST. + + ---+-----------+-----------------+----------------------------------- + DAYS + OF THE MONTH. + | FAHRENHEIT'S + | THERMOMETER. + | | DIRECTION + | | OF THE WIND. + | | | STATE OF THE WEATHER. + ---+-----------+-----------------+--------------------------------- + |9 A.M. Mer.| 9 A.M. Mer. | 9 A. M. Meridian. + | | | + 1 | 66 deg. 72 deg. | S. E. S. E. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 2 | 69 74 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 3 | 73 79 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 4 | 76 83 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 5 | 76 86 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 6 | 72 82 | S. W. S. W. | Cloudy. Sunshine + | | | (Thunder in the night.) + 7 | 75 81 | Ditto. Ditto. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 8 | 68 71 | Ditto. Ditto. | Cloudy. Sunshine. + 9 | 71 77 | Ditto. Ditto. | Sunshine. Ditto. + 10 | 69 78 | E. E. | Ditto. Ditto. + 11 | 70 76 | S. W. | Ditto. Cloudy. + 12 | 67 73 | W. Ditto. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 13 | 67 71 | S. W. S. W. | Showery. Showery. + 14 | 67 71 | W. W. | Ditto. Ditto. + 15 | 67 73 | Ditto. Ditto. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 16 | 67 72 | N. W. W. | Ditto. Clear. + 17 | 66 66 | S. W. S. W. | Clear. Gentle rain. + 18 | 64 69 | W. W. | Showery. Clear. + 19 | 67 75 | S. W. W. | Gentle rain. Showery. + 20 | 68 74 | W. W. | Showery. Sunshine. + 21 | 69 79 | S. E. S. E. | Cloudy. Sunshine. + 22 | 69 76 | N. W. N. W. | Cloudy. Clear. + 23 | 67 74 | Ditto. Ditto. | Clear. Sunshine. + 24 | 69 76 | N. E. N. E. | Sunshine. Ditto. + | | | (Thunder storm + | | | in the night) + 25 | 70 78 | N. W. N. W. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 26 | 70 76 | N. N. | Ditto. Ditto. + 27 | 73 80 | S. S. E. | Ditto. Ditto. + 28 | 73 80 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 29 | 77 85 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 30 | 77 86 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 31 | 75 83 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + + +SEPTEMBER. + + ---+-----------+-----------------+----------------------------------- + DAYS + OF THE MONTH. + | FAHRENHEIT'S + | THERMOMETER. + | | DIRECTION + | | OF THE WIND. + | | | STATE OF THE WEATHER. + ---+-----------+-----------------+----------------------------------- + |9 A.M. Mer.| 9 A.M. Mer. | 9 A. M. Meridian. + | | | + 1 | 75 deg. 80 deg. | E. S. | Sunshine. Clear--Thunder + | | | storm P. M. + 2 | 76 81 | S. W. S. W. | Sunshine. Rain. + 3 | 61 67 | N. W. N. W. | Rain. Sunshine. + 4 | 65 71 | W. W. | Sunshine. Ditto. + 5 | 65 69 | Ditto. Ditto. | Rainy. Cloudy. + 6 | 67 71 | N. E. N. E. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 7 | 63 71 | E. E. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 8 | 68 72 | N. N. W. | Clear. Clear. + 9 | 66 74 | N. W. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 10 | 63 73 | W. W. | Clear. Sunshine. + 11 | 66 75 | N. N. | Sunshine. Ditto. + 12 | 65 71 | N. E. N. E. | Ditto. Clear. + 13 | 58 61 | Ditto. Ditto. | Rain. Clear. + 14 | 50 61 | W. W. | Clear. Cloudy. + 15 | 58 65 | N. W. N. W. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 16 | 59 65 | W. W. | Rain. Sunshine. + 17 | 56 63 | S. W. W. | Showery. Sunshine. + 18 | 54 55 | N. E. N. E. | Heavy showers. Heavy showers. + 19 | 55 61 | N. W. N. W. | Clear. Clear. + 20 | 52 61 | Ditto. Ditto. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 21 | 51 62 | Ditto. S. W. | Ditto. Ditto. + 22 | 59 63 | S. W. S. W. | Ditto. Showery. + 23 | 55 57 | Ditto. Ditto. | Heavy rain. Rain. + 24 | 55 63 | W. S. W. | Sunshine. Showery. + 25 | 57 61 | W. N. W. | Showery. Cloudy. + 26 | 57 63 | N. W. S. W. | Sunshine. Cloudy. + 27 | 61 63 | W. W. | Rain. Rain. + 28 | 65 68 | W. W. | Showery. Cloudy. + 29 | 63 " | W. N. W. | Showery. Heavy rain. + 30 | 57 63 | W. N. W. | Sunshine. Clear. + + +OCTOBER. + + ---+-----------+-----------------+----------------------------------- + DAYS + OF + THE + MONTH. + | FAHRENHEIT'S + | THERMOMETER. + | | DIRECTION + | | OF THE WIND. + | | | STATE OF THE WEATHER. + ---+-----------+-----------------+----------------------------------- + |9 A.M. Mer.| 9 A.M. Mer. | 9 A. M. Meridian. + | | | + 1 | 52 deg. 62 deg. | N. W. N. W. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 2 | 55 63 | N. E. | Ditto. Ditto. + 3 | 55 57 | N. E. N. E. | Clear. Clear. + 4 | 51 57 | Ditto. Ditto. | Sunshine. Cloudy. + 5 | 51 59 | Ditto. Ditto. | Sunshine. Clear. + 6 | 51 61 | N. N. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 7 | 51 61 | E. E. | Ditto. Clear. + 8 | 53 61 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Sunshine. + 9 | 51 57 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 10 | 50 59 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 11 | 49 57 | N. E. N. E. | Clear. Clear. + 12 | 51 59 | Ditto. Ditto. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 13 | 51 59 | E. E. | Ditto. Ditto. + 14 | 50 59 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 15 | 50 61 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 16 | 46 51 | Ditto. Ditto. | Clear. Hazy. + 17 | 52 58 | W. W. | Cloudy. Rain from 2 P.M. + 18 | 53 60 | N. W. N. W. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 19 | 53 58 | W. W. | Cloudy. Cloudy. + 20 | 53 57 | N. W. N. | Sunshine. Cloudy. + 21 | 50 55 | N. N. E. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 22 | 49 57 | W. W. | Showery. Showery. + 23 | 52 56 | N. W. N. W. | Sunshine. Clear. + 24 | 53 55 | W. N. W. | Rain. Sunshine. + 25 | 49 54 | N. W. Ditto. | Sunshine. Clear. + 26 | 43 53 | W. W. | Sunshine. Cloudy. + 27 | 48 53 | S. W. S. W. | Rain. Rain. + 28 | 47 54 | Ditto. Ditto. | Showery. Clear. + 29 | 49 54 | E. S. | Clear. Clear. + 30 | 45 57 | S. E. S. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 31 | 49 58 | S. W. S. W. | Ditto. Ditto. + + +NOVEMBER. + + ---+-----------+-----------------+----------------------------------- + DAYS + OF THE MONTH. + | FAHRENHEIT'S + | THERMOMETER. + | | DIRECTION + | | OF THE WIND. + | | | STATE OF THE WEATHER. + ---+-----------+-----------------+----------------------------------- + |9 A.M. Mer.| 9 A.M. Mer. | 9 A. M. Meridian. + | | | + 1 | 47 deg. 54 deg. | S. E. S. E. | Showery. High winds. + 2 | 49 59 | Ditto. Ditto. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 3 | 53 61 | Ditto. S. | Ditto. Ditto. + 4 | 55 57 | S. W. W. | Clear. Rain. + 5 | 53 57 | Ditto. S. W. | Showery. Sunshine, rain 4 P. + 6 | 54 57 | Ditto. W. | Rain. Showery. + 7 | 51 51 | S. W. S. W. | Showery. Rain. + 8 | 52 58 | Ditto. Ditto. | Showery. Showery. + 9 | 55 57 | Ditto. W. | Clear. Showery. + 10 | 50 55 | W. W. | Showery. Showery. + 11 | 49 49 | S. W. S. W. | Showery. Rain. + 12 | 47 52 | W. W. | Dull. Rain. + 13 | 55 59 | S. W. S. W. | Rain. Showery. + 14 | 49 55 | W. W. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 15 | 51 55 | Ditto. Ditto. | Rain. Rain. + 16 | 59 61 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 17 | 61 66 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Sunshine + | | | and showers. + 18 | 53 57 | S. S. W. | Clear. Rain. + 19 | 54 55 | S. W. Ditto. | Rain. Rain. + 20 | 43 48 | N. E. N. E. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 21 | 42 45 | W. W. | Cloudy. Rain. + 22 | 48 53 | N. W. N. | Sunshine. Showery. + 23 | 39 47 | N. N. W. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 24 | 47 49 | W. W. | Foggy. Foggy. + 25 | 46 49 | E. E. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 26 | 36 42 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 27 | 38 41 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 28 | 33 41 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 29 | 33 41 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 30 | 32 41 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + + +DECEMBER. + + ---+-----------+-----------------+----------------------------------- + DAYS + OF THE MONTH. + | FAHRENHEIT'S + | THERMOMETER. + | | DIRECTION + | | OF THE WIND. + | | | STATE OF THE WEATHER. + ---+-----------+-----------------+----------------------------------- + |9 A.M. Mer.| 9 A.M. Mer. | 9 A. M. Meridian. + | | | + 1 | 34 deg. 39 deg. | E. E. | Foggy. Clear. + 2 | 37 42 | Ditto. N. E. | Clear. Rain. + 3 | 38 42 | N. E. Ditto. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 4 | 37 41 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 5 | 32 38 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 6 | 29 36 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 7 | 32 32 | S. W. S. W. | Cloudy. Dull. + 8 | 35 41 | S. S. | Clear. Heavy rain. + 9 | 33 40 | W. W. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 10 | 31 35 | E. E. | Fog. Fog. + 11 | 37 46 | W. S. W. | Heavy rain. Showery. + 12 | 41 39 | N. W. N. W. | Dull. Cloudy. + 13 | 31 31 | Ditto. Ditto. | Cloudy. Cloudy. + 14 | 23 25 | Ditto. Ditto. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 15 | 19 23 | N. E. N. E. | Ditto. Ditto. + 16 | 14 18 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 17 | 12 17 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 18 | 19 25 | Ditto. Ditto. | Snow. Snow. + 19 | 36 37 | E. S. E. | Thawing fast. Thawing fast. + 20 | 33 37 | W. W. | Foggy. Thawing. + 21 | 29 29 | N. E. N. E. | Sharp frost. Snowing. + 22 | 27 33 | E. E. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 23 | 25 28 | Ditto. Ditto. | Clear. Clear. + 24 | 19 26 | N. E. N. E. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 25 | 26 34 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 26 | 26 33 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 27 | 25 27 | E. E. | Clear. Clear. + 28 | 24 29 | Ditto. Ditto. | Ditto. Ditto. + 29 | 33 39 | Ditto. S. E. | Hazy. Clear and + | | | thawing rapidly. + 30 | 35 40 | E. E. | Thawing. Cloudy. + 31 | 34 37 | E. W. | Snowing. Rain. + + +JANUARY 1841. + + ---+-----------+-----------------+----------------------------------- + DAYS + OF THE MONTH. + | FAHRENHEIT'S + | THERMOMETER. + | | DIRECTION + | | OF THE WIND. + | | | STATE OF THE WEATHER. + ---+-----------+-----------------+----------------------------------- + |9 A.M. Mer.| 9 A.M. Mer. | 9 A. M. Meridian. + | | | + 1 | 36 deg. 38 deg. | N. W. N. W. | Clear. Hazy. + 2 | 39 41 | W. N. W. | Fog. Clear. + 3 | 39 43 | S. W. S. W. | Cloudy. Snowing. + 4 | 31 36 | W. S. W. | Sunshine. Cloudy. + 5 | 30 35 | N. W. N. W. | Snowing. Sunshine. + 6 | 31 33 | S. W. S. W. | Cloudy. Sleet. + 7 | 29 33 | Ditto. Ditto. | Cloudy. Sunshine. + 8 | 18 17 | N. E. E. | Sunshine. Ditto. + 9 | 24 28 | S. S. | Cloudy. Sunshine. + 10 | 36 39 | S. W. W. | Foggy and Thaw. Rain. + 11 | 39 41 | W. S. W. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 12 | 38 41 | W. W. | Cloudy. Showery. + 13 | 41 44 | S. S. W. | Rain. Rain. + 14 | 48 53 | S. W. Ditto. | Rain. Clear. + 15 | 45 49 | W. W. | Clear. Clear. + 16 | 49 52 | S. W. S. | Rain. Showery. + 17 | 50 57 | S. W. S. W. | Clear. Sunshine. + 18 | 48 52 | S. W. Ditto. | Clear. Clear. + 19 | 47 49 | W. W. | Clear. Showery. + 20 | 34 40 | N. W. N. W. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 21 | 32 37 | N. N. E. | Cloudy. Cloudy. + 22 | 37 41 | N. N. W. | Clear. Clear. + 23 | 40 44 | W. W. | Rain. Rain. + 24 | 37 41 | W. S. W. | Rain. Stormy. + 25 | 33 39 | N. W. N. | Clear. Sunshine. + 26 | 35 41 | W. W. | Cloudy. Rain. + 27 | 45 48 | Ditto. Ditto. | Fog. Clear. + 28 | 43 47 | N. W. N. W. | Clear. Sunshine. + 29 | 37 41 | Ditto. Ditto. | Hazy. Cloudy. + 30 | 33 37 | N. E. N. | Sunshine. Sunshine. + 31 | 31 36 | E. E. | Sunshine. Frost. + +On a careful inspection of this interesting register, it will appear +sufficiently obvious, that the climate of Touraine, is of a mild and +equable character, and when it is recollected that the winter of 1840, +was almost every where marked by extraordinary vicissitudes of +temperature, and unusual severity, it would hardly appear a fair +criterion of the _natural salubrity_ of the climate of this country. + +A really correct knowledge of the distinguishing characteristics of any +climate can of course, only be obtained by taking the average of +correctly observed and registered, meteorological phenomena of a series +of years; and too much credit cannot be awarded to persons who bestow a +portion of their time and attention in the acquirement of such important +data; which must, ultimately tend to the advancement of science, and +public utility. + + + + +Reaumur's Thermometric Scale turned into Fahrenheits. + + _______________________________________ + R. F. |R. F. |R. F. |R. F. + | | | + 80 212.00|51 146.75|23 83.75| 5 20.75 + 79 209.75|50 144.50|22 81.50| 6 18.50 + 78 207.50|49 142.25|21 79.25| 7 16.25 + 77 205.25|48 140.00|20 77.00| 8 14.00 + 76 203.00|47 137.75|19 74.75| 9 11.75 + 75 200.75|46 135.50|18 72.50|10 9.50 + 74 198.50|45 133.25|17 70.25|11 7.25 + 73 196.25|44 131.00|16 68.00|12 5.00 + 72 194.00|43 128.75|15 65.75|13 2.75 + 71 191.75|42 126.50|14 63.50|14 0.50 + 70 189.50|41 124.25|13 61.25|15 1.75 + 69 187.25|40 122.00|12 59.00|16 4.00 + 68 185.00|39 119.75|11 56.75|17 6.25 + 67 182.75|38 117.50|10 54.50|18 8.50 + 66 180.50|37 115.25| 9 52.25|19 10.75 + 65 178.25|36 113.00| 8 50.00|20 13.00 + 64 176.00|35 110.75| 7 47.75|21 15.25 + 63 173.75|34 108.50| 6 45.50|22 17.50 + 62 171.50|33 106.25| 5 43.25|23 19.75 + 61 169.25|32 104.00| 4 41.00|24 22.00 + 60 167.00|31 101.75| 3 38.75|25 24.25 + 59 164.75|30 99.50| 2 36.50|26 26.50 + 58 162.50|29 97.25| 1 34.25|27 28.75 + 57 160.25|28 95.00| 0 32.00|28 31.00 + 56 158.00|27 92.75| 1 29.75|29 33.25 + 55 155.75|26 90.50| 2 27.50|30 35.50 + 54 153.50|25 88.25| 3 25.25|31 37.75 + 53 151.25|24 86.00| 4 23.00|32 40.00 + 52 149.00| + +The circle is divided by the French into 400 degrees; by the English +into 360. Hence 10 French circular degrees equal 9 English. + + + + +APPENDIX. + +A FEW USEFUL HINTS FOR TRAVELLERS. + + +Passports.--The office for passports in London is at Nē 6 Poland +street, Oxford street, where an under-secretary of the embassy attends +daily (generally from one till three.) Applications personal or written +stating the name, profession and nation, is made one day and the +passport is granted (gratis) the following one, on personal applications +only. + +To expedite the procuring of a passport, in a case of emergency, +applications may be made to the French Consul, Nē 3, Copthal +Buildings, where a fee of ten shillings is expected. + +Members of the same family may have their names inserted in the same +passport, but persons travelling in company should provide themselves +with separate passports. Couriers and male servants should each have a +passport. + +A traveller intending to visit any other territory should have the +passports _vise_ (backed) by the Ambassador or Consul of each country +traversed. + +Consuls residing at the outports also give passports, so likewise do +British Consuls resident at foreign seaports. + +The British Ambassador's residence, in Paris, is Nē 39, rue du +faubourg saint Honore. + +If the traveller should omit to obtain a passport till he reach Dover, +or Brighton, or Southampton, he may procure one from the French Consul +at any one of these places, on the first application, it will cost him +ten shillings. + + +CASH.--The traveller will find English Bank-Notes, particularly of large +amount the most profitable money he can take to France. The course of +exchange has for several years been about six per cent in favor of +England. Should he however object to carry a large sum with him, he may +take _Circular_ or _transferable Exchange notes_. The object of these +notes is to supply _travellers_ on the continent with money where they +may require it, without there being any necessity for determining the +route before hand; and to supply _other individuals_, who may have +remittances to make abroad, with bills upon any particular place that +they may desire. For this purpose a correspondence is established with +all the principal places in Europe. + +Notes on this plan may be obtained of Messrs. Coutts and Cē., Strand; +Foreign Banking Company, (la banque Anglo-Etrangere), 82, Lombard +Street, and of Messrs. Glynn and Cē., Lombard Street. + + +COIN.--The modern gold coins of France are pieces of 40 fr. and 20 fr. +The silver coins are 5 fr., 2 fr., 1 fr., 1/2 fr., 1/4 fr.. The coins of +billon (a mixed metal) and copper are pieces of one decime, or 2 sous, +pieces of 6 liards, or 1-1/2 sou, of 5 centimes, or one sou, and of one +centime. There are also liards and double liards, which are 1/4 and 1/2 +of a sou. + +In the monetary system of France, the coins, if accurately minted, may +serve also as weights. Thus 5 francs in copper, 50 in billon, 200 in +standard silver, or 3,100 in standard gold, should weigh one kilogramme. +Hence the piece of one fr. weighs 5 grammes, and any other piece in the +above proportion. + +The gold coins of 20 fr. and 40 fr., struck under the government of +Bonaparte, were called napoleons and double-napoleons, and such is the +force of habit, that these, as well as pieces of the same value struck +since 1814, continue to be so called. + +They are also designated pieces de vingt francs and pieces de quarante +francs. The silver coins of 5 francs each are frequently called pieces +de cent sous; a piece of 2 francs is called piece de quarante sous, and +so on. + +The only notes issued by the Bank of France are of 500 fr. and 1,000 fr. +These are changeable into silver at the Bank, without discount, except +the charge of 3 sous for the bag which contains the change; or, at a +premium, into silver or gold, at the different money changers. + +The French money, being divided into decimal parts, in reckoning, +instead of 25 sous it is said 1 fr. 25 centimes, instead of 30 sous, 1 +fr 50 cent., and so on. When the course of exchange is at par between +France and England, 25 fr. are considered equal to the pound sterling. + +The gold as well as silver coins of France contain 1--10th. alloy. + +Since the English sovereign contains of pure gold 7.318444035 grammes, +and the gold coin of 20 fr. contains of pure gold 5.806449 grammes, +therefore the _intrinsic_ value of the sovereign, in French money, is +25.2079 fr., or 25 fr. 20 c. Hence the respective intrinsic value of the +following coins will be: + + Guinea 26 fr. 47 c. + Crown 5 fr. 80 c. + Shilling 1 fr. 16 c. + + Napoleon 15 s. 10-1/4 d. .9 + Franc 9 d. 05 + +The rate of exchange, at Paris and the principal towns of France, is +commonly 25 fr. 50 c. for L. 1 sterling: but it varies, and especially +in the smaller towns, from 25 fr. to 25 fr. 75 c. If we assume it to be +25 fr. to L. 1 sterling, we have an easy proportion, by which we may +find the value of the money of either country in the money of the other. +Thus since 25 fr. are equal to 20 shillings, 5 francs are equal to 4 +shillings, and therefore, any number of francs are equal to 4-5ths of +the same number of shillings; and any number of shillings are equal to +5-4ths of the same number of francs. Thus 100 fr. will equal 80 +shillings, or L. 4; and L. 5, or 100 shillings, will equal 125 fr. +Hence. + + Sovereign 25 fr. + Crown 6 fr. 25 c. + Shilling 1 fr. 25 c. + Penny 10 c. nearly. + + Napoleon 16 s. 0 d. + Franc 9 d. 3/4 nearly + Sou 1/2 nearly. + or 1/4 9. + +This rule will be found very useful for all small sums and the common +purposes of life. + + + + +TRAVELLING. + + +LONDON TO CALAIS.--Persons who leave London by the evening coaches +abridge their journey by not sleeping at Dover, and are equally in time +for the packet-boats, the coaches always arriving before the packets +sail, early the next morning either to Calais or Boulogne, whence safety +coaches set out twice a day for Paris; by which, according to the +quickness of the passage, the traveller pressed for time may go either +that same evening or early the next morning, and will reach the French +metropolis the day after. + +Considerable saving will be experienced by booking throughout, and the +best places secured in the coach. The coaches from the Golden Cross; +41, Regent Circus; and the Cross Keys, Wood-Street, are in connexion +with the Messageries royales, rue Notre-Dame-des-Victoires, at Paris. +Those from the spread Eagle office; Webbs hotel, 220, Piccadilly; and +the Spread Eagle, and Cross Keys, Grace-church-street, are in connexion +with the Messageries generales, Lafitte's company, Nos 9 and 24, rue du +Bouloy, at Paris. Those from the White Bear Piccadilly, are in connexion +with l'Aigle; the Eagle an opposition company, Nē 23, rue du Bouloy, +Paris. The office at Calais is in rue St.-Michel, that at Boulogne is at +the Hotel du Nord. + +Steam packets go from the Tower stairs to Calais three or four times a +week during the summer months, and once or twice during the greater part +of the winter. The passage is generally performed within twelve hours. +Carriages and heavy baggage must be sent by twelve o'clock on the day +previous to starting. The passage from Dover to Calais, is performed in +three hours or three hours and a half. + + +LONDON TO HAVRE.--The voyage is performed by companies, one French, one +English. Havre is now greatly preferred to Dieppe. + + +SOUTHAMPTON has become a favourite place for embarkation, owing to the +_Railway_, the London terminus of which is at nine Elms, near Vauxhall. +Steam-Packets go four times a week, during the summer months. They call +off Portsmouth, for passengers, and on their arrival at Havre meet the +steam vessel which plies between that place and _Rouen_. Further +particulars may be obtained either at Nē 25, Coventry street; at +Portsmouth, or at Southampton. A sailing vessel also goes every week +from Southampton to Havre; distance between the two ports, 139 miles. + + +POSTING. There are three modes of travelling in France: in private +carriages (_voitures_), a hired carriage (_chaise de poste_), and the +public diligence. As all English carriages have poles, it will be +advisable, if the company do not exceed three in number, to have their +poles replaced by shafts, by which means one-third of the expense of +posting will be saved; for, instead of four horses and two postilions, +they will only pay for three horses and one postilion. If more than +three persons travel in the same cabriolet or limoniere, the postmaster +will charge one franc per post extra for each person beyond that number. + +The arrangements for posting are attended to with scrupulous exactness. +There is no competition: and those who arrive first are uniformly first +accommodated. + +A book called the _livre de poste_ is published every year by the French +government containing every information for the traveller which he may +consult at any post-house, as the postmaster is compelled to keep a +copy. + +TRAVELLING BY THE MAIL IN FRANCE. + +Persons who wish to proceed rapidly may travel by the mails. These light +and commodious vehicles are made to carry four persons, and are supplied +with horses at the post-houses. Each passenger may carry a sac de nuit +or portmanteau, weighing fifteen kilograms. The price of each place is 1 +franc, 50 centimes per post, and 75 centimes per post to the guard. + +There are mails on the following roads:--From Paris to Caen; Calais; +Lille; Valenciennes; Mezieres; Strasbourg, through Metz, and through +Nancy; Belfort; Besancon; Lyons, through Chalons, and through Moulins; +Toulouse, Bordeaux; Nantes, through le Mans, and through Vendome, and +Brest. + +Also from Tours to Havre, from Lyon to Strasbourg, and to Marseilles; +from Avignon to Toulouse; from Toulouse to Bayonne; from Bordeaux to +Bayonne and to Toulouse; from Limoges to Bordeaux; from +Chalons-sur-Marne to Metz, from Bonnieres to Rouen; and from Troyes to +Mulhausen. + + +DILIGENCE.--A conductor is attached to each machine: his proper business +is to take care of the baggage, and this duty he discharges with the +strictest integrity. When the traveller's portmanteau or parcels have +once been consigned to him, every fear with regard to their safety may +be dismissed. He usually presides at the dinner table of the passengers, +and does full justice to what is provided. He accompanies the diligence +through the whole of the journey, and at the close of it expects a +gratuity of four or five francs. The latter sum includes the driver. + +Fifteen pounds of luggage are allowed, and twenty-one francs per cent is +charged for the overplus. The usual charges for meals to the passengers +in the diligence are, for dinner 4 fr.; for supper 3-1/2 fr; for +breakfast 3-1/2 fr. The average expense of travelling by the diligence, +including the pour-boire of the coachman and conductor, is about 75 +centimes per league. They usually travel about two leagues an hour. + +Offices in Paris from which the Tours diligences set out.--Rue du +Bouloy, Nos 9 and 24--Rue N.-D. des Victoires, Nē 22. + +On travellers arriving in Paris we would strongly recommend Lawson's +Bedfort hotel N. 323 rue St-Honore and N. 24 rue Rivoli where they will +meet with every attention and English comforts at reasonable charges. It +is situated in the most agreeable part of Paris adjacent to the palace +and garden of the Tuileries. Apartments may be had by the day, week, or +month; breakfasts are served in the coffee-room or in private +apartments, and visitors may dine at the table-d'hote or in their own +rooms. The greatest regularity prevails in forwarding and delivering +letters, parcels, and information of every kind is furnished. + + +DILIGENCES start every day from Tours, to Paris, Bordeaux, la Rochelle, +Poitiers, Nantes, le Mans, Caen, Chartres, Chinon, Orleans, Laval, and +Mayenne. + +The principal hotels in Tours are, the Boule d'Or; the Faisan; Hotel de +Londres; Hotel d'Angleterre; and Saint-Julien. + + + + +DISTANCE TABLES. + +The following tables have been expressly calculated to give the exact +distance and intermediate distances, with reference to posting between +Havre and Tours, on some of the routes referred to in the Memoranda. + +FROM HAVRE TO TOURS, THROUGH ROUEN. + + ------------------------------------ + | M | | | | | | | + | y | K | | F | | | | + | r | i | M | u | Y | | I | + | i | l | i | r | a | F | n | + | a | o | l | l | r | e | c | + | m | m | e | o | d | e | h | + | e | e | s | n | s | t | e | + | t | t | . | g | . | . | s | + | r | r | | s | | | . | + | e | e | | . | | | | + _Havre to_, | . | . | | | | | | + |----------------------------------| + La Botte | 1 | 6 | | | | | | + Lillebonne | 1 | 9 | | | | | | + Caucleber | 1 | 5 | | | | | | + Duclair | 1 | 6 | | | | | | + Rouen | 2 | | 53 | 0 | 22 | 1 | 10-1/3 | + Grande Couronne | 1 | 2 | | | | | | + Bourg Theroulde | 1 | 5 | | | | | | + Brionne | 1 | 8 | | | | | | + Bernay | 1 | 5 | | | | | | + Broglie | 1 | 1 | | | | | | + Monnai | 1 | 6 | | | | | | + Gace | 1 | 4 | | | | | | + Nonant | 1 | 2 | | | | | | + Seez | 1 | 2 | | | | | | + Alencon | 2 | 1 | 90 | 2 | 18 | 2 | 4-1/3 | + Le Mans | 5 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 69 | 1 | 9 | + Tours | 8 | 1 | 50 | 2 | 59 | 2 | 9-1/3 | + |----------------------------------| + |36 | 3 |224 | 4 |171 | 2 | 9 | + ------------------------------------ + + +FROM HAVRE TO TOURS, THROUGH HONFLEUR. + + _Havre to Honfleur|Myria-|Kilo- |miles.|Furlongs.|Yards.|Feet.|Inches.| + by steam packet, |metre.|metre.| | | | | | + Honfleur to,_ | | | | | | | | + |------|------|------|---------|------|-----|-------| + Pont-Leveque | 1 | 7 | | | | | | + Lisieux | 1 | 7 | | | | | | + Linarot | 1 | 8 | | | | | | + Nimoutier | | 9 | | | | | | + Gace | 1 | 8 | | | | | | + Nonant | 1 | 2 | | | | | | + Seez | 1 | 2 | | | | | | + Alencon | 2 | 1 | 76 | 5 | 181 | 1 | 1-1/3| + Le Mans | 5 | 0 | 31 | 0 | 69 | 1 | 9 | + Tours | 8 | 1 | 50 | 2 | 59 | 2 | 9-1/3| + |______|______|______|_________|______|_____|_______| + | 25 | 5 | 158 | 0 | 80 | 2 | 7-2/3| + + +FROM HAVRE TO TOURS, THROUGH CAEN. + + _Havre to Caen per|Myria-|Kilo- |miles.|Furlongs.|Yards.|Feet.|Inches.| + steam packet,_ |metre.|metre.| | | | | | + |______|______|______|_________|______|_____|_______| + Langannerie | 2 | 1 | | | | | | + Falaise | 1 | 4 | | | | | | + Argentan | 2 | 2 | | | | | | + Seez | 2 | 3 | | | | | | + Alencon | 2 | 1 | 62 | 5 | 131 | 2 | 3-1/3| + La Hutte | 1 | 4 | | | | | | + Beaut-sur-Sarthe | | 9 | | | | | | + Bazoge | 1 | 5 | | | | | | + Le Mans | 1 | 2 | 31 | 0 | 69 | 1 | 9 | + Ecommoy | 2 | 1 | | | | | | + Chateau-du-Loir | 1 | 9 | | | | | | + La Roue | 2 | | | | | | | + Tours | 2 | 1 | 50 | 2 | 59 | 2 | 9-1/3| + |______|______|______|_________|______|_____|_______| + | 23 | 2 | 144 | 0 | 41 | 0 | 9-1/3| + +12 Inches, 1 foot.--3 Feet, 1 Yard, 220 Yards 1 Furlong, 8 Furlongs 1 +Mile. + + +TABLES OF FRENCH AND ENGLISH LONG MEASURE. + + +----------------------------------+ + | K | H | D | | D | C | m | + | i | e | e | | e | e | i | + | l | c | c | m | c | n | l | + | o | t | a | e | i | t | l | + | - | o | - | t | - | i | i | + _English measure_. | m | - | m | r | m | - | - | + | e | m | e | e | e | m | m | + | t | e | t | . | t | e | e | + | r | t | r | | r | t | t | + | e | r | e | | e | r | r | + | . | e | . | | . | e | e | + | | . | | | | . | . | + |----|----|----|----|----|----|----| + One mile | 1 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | + Do. furlong | | 2 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | + Do. yard | | | | | 9 | 1 | 5 | + Do. foot | | | | | 3 | 0 | 5 | + Do. inch | | | | | | 2 | 5 | + ------------------------------------------------------| + _French_ | _Quantity_. | _English_. | + _measure_. | | | + ----- | ----- |-----------------------| + | | | F | | | | + | | m | u | Y | | I | + | | i | r | a | F | n | + | | l | l | r | e | c | + | | e | o | d | e | h | + | | s | n | s | t | e | + | | . | g | . | . | s | + | | | s | | | . | + | | | . | | | | + |----------------|---|---|---|---|------ | + Myria-metre. |10,000 metres. | 6 | 1 |145| 2 |9 | + Kilo-metre. | 1,000 do. | | 4 |212| 1 |9-1/3 | + Hecto-metre. | 100 do. | | |109| 0 |9-1/3 | + Deca-metre. | 10 do. | | | 10| 2 |9-1/3 | + Metre. |Unity of length | | | | 3 |3-1/3 | + Deci-metre. | Tenth part of | | | | |3-15/16| + | a metre. | | | | | | + Centi-metre. | Hundredth | | | | | | + |part of a metre.| | | | | | + Milli-metre. | Thousandth | | | | | | + |part of a metre.| | | | | | + +-----------------------+ + +On the Loire, the Rhone, the Seine, Garonne, and other large Rivers in +France, steamers called _Coches d'Eau_, are established; the average +expense of which conveyances is about 15 centimes per league. + +The _Seine_ has become a favorite route to _Paris_,--by way of Havre, +Honfleur, Rouen, etc. + + + + +EXPENSE OF LIVING + +IN FRANCE. + + +The vicinity of Paris is, of course, dearer than other parts of France, +but families in good circumstances, who wish to be near the metropolis, +should fix themselves at Versailles or St.-Germain. + +Persons who wish to economize must resort to the banks of the Loire and +Lower Normandy, which are both much frequented by the English, who may +here enjoy the comforts of life at a third less than in one of the +provincial towns of their own country. A still greater reduction of +expense will be found in the retired parts of Brittany, or in the towns +of Saumur and Avranches, where living is one-fourth cheaper than at Caen +or Tours. These situations are, however, inconvenient, as there are +neither good schools nor genteel society. + +Rouen, Dieppe, Boulogne, are little cheaper than Paris. + +From the following statement, some idea may be formed of the expenses +likely to be incurred by a family, residing in Tours or any of the towns +in the central and Northern parts of France: + +RENT. An unfurnished house, of eight or ten rooms, with a garden, may be +had from 30 l. to 50 l. a year. + +TAXES. Payable by the tenant, about 5 l. a year. + +FUEL. Three fires in winter, and a fire in the kitchen throughout the +year, will cost 25 l. to 30 l. a year. The usual fuel is wood: coals may +be had in some districts. They are in use in Tours, but are expensive; +coke is however to be obtained at more reasonable prices. + +MEAT.--Beef, mutton, veal, 4 d. to 5 d.; pork, 5 d. to 6 d. per pound. + +POULTRY. Fowls, 1 s. 6 d. to 3 s. the couple; a goose or turkey, from 2 +s. to 4 s. + +EGGS. About 5 d. a dozen. + +BUTTER. Fresh, in summer, from 9 d. to 1 s. + +MILK. From 2 d. to 3 d. a quart. + +BREAD. Generally very good, about 1-1/2 d. the pound. + +FISH. Near the coast, is plentiful and cheap. + +GROCERY. Is much the same as in England. + +TEA. Is rather cheaper, and sugar rather dearer. + +WAGES. A man servant, 10 l. or 12 l. a year; a woman Cook, 8 l. to 12 +l.; a house maid, 6 l. to 8 l. A mechanic 2 s. to 2 s. 6 d. per day; a +labourer, 1 s. to 1 s. 3 d. + +CLOTHES. Linens and silks cheaper; cottons dearer than in England; +wollen articles dearer. + +EDUCATION. Boarding-schools from 25 l. to 35 l. a year including extras. +Board in a Family, with private tuition, boys 50 l. per year; girls from +35 l. to 40 l. Private lessons by the hour, in French, 2 s. to 4 s.; in +music, 2 s. 6 d. to 5 s. + +In the south of France wine is much cheaper, but other provisions are +charged much the same as in the north and central parts. The brandy of +the country, may be purchased in Tours for 1 s. 6 d. per bottle, and +_Cognac_ of the best quality for 2 s. 6. d. per bottle. + +The _city of Tours_,--which contains upwards of 28,000 inhabitants,--is +at all times most abundantly supplied with the common necessaries and +the luxuries of life. It has two market days, Wednesday and Saturday; +the latter at all seasons presents an extremely animated and bustling +appearance, it being frequented by great numbers of the surrounding +rural population, who bring in vast quantities of marketable commodities +from the adjacent districts. Such as fruit, vegetables, game, fowls, +turkeys, geese, etc.; the latter being supplied in such abundance as to +enable the venders after the ordinary sales of the market, to send off +weekly, considerable quantities to Havre, Rouen, Paris, and other large +towns. + +Beef, mutton, and pork is also extremely plentiful and of very superior +quality. + + +END. + + +Tours.--Printed by A. Mame and Co. + + + + +ERRATA. + +(corrected in this etext) + + +Page 7, _for_ constitued, _read_ constituted. + +--15, _for_ continuous, _read_ continued. + +--21, _for_ Farehenit, _read_ Fahrenheit. + +--77, _for_ Family, _read_ Families. + +--94, _for_ Gramina, _read_ Graminaceae. + +--119, _for_ thinks, _read_ things. + +--136, _for_ Fxt: _read_ Ext:. + +--110, _for_ ascending other, _read_ ascending order. + +--120, _for_ stalagmitical, _read_ stalactical. + +--135, _for_ rhumatism, _read_ rheumatism. + + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[A] See the meteorological Register. + +[B] See Table of alcoholic strength of wines and liquors. As also the +classification of french wines. + +[C] See distance Table. + +[D] The _faluns_ may be seen to advantage near _Manthelan_, and +Semblancay. + +[E] Claret, from the French _Clairet_, signifying red or rose coloured, +is a manufactured wine, being a mixture of several sorts, often of Beni +Carlos and Bordeaux, and sometimes Hermitage or Alicant with Bordeaux. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Memoranda on Tours, Touraine and +Central France., by J. H. 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