and was given up to the English as part of King John's ransom, after the battle of Crécy; but it soon returned to the possession of its own sovereign. The Germans held it 1870-1.

Some of the streets are pretty good, but the greater part are old-fashioned, narrow, and illpaved. Its houses are chiefly brick, with a few s'one buildings, and several ancient-looking ones, of wood. Trees are planted on the ramparts, but the view is not very enticing; yet at one time its reputation as an agreeable resort drew many persons of rank hither, whose houses have lately disappeared. Some traces of the castle of the Counts of Ponthieu are seen in the prison. Here Hugh Capet, the founder of the Capets, once resided. It has an old salt-house, once used for the gabelle, a communal college, theatre, foundling hospital, &c., and a public library of 25,000 volumes. At the latter are busts of natives (Sanson the geographer, Millevoye the poet, Lesueur the composer, &c., and a copy of the Gospels, in gold letters, on purple vellum, which Charlemagne gave to St. Riquier's Abbey.

At the house of M. Boucher de Perthes is a fine collection of spear-heads, hatchets, animal remains, and other marks of Celtic and pre-historic ages, discovered in the valley of the Somme, first at St. Achuel.

But the Gothic Cathedral of St. Wulfran is the most remarkable object. It has two towers, 171 feet high, in its noble west front, built by Cardinal d'Amboise, in the flamboyant style of the 16th century, and decorated with niched figures of saints. The triple portal is enriched with carvings of the apostles, the Annunciation of the Virgin, &c. The arches of the nave are also good, but the rest of the building is inferior.

Manufactures of fine linen (at the Champ de Feire, or Fair Field), first established by Colbert, velvets, carpets, muslins, cordage, leather; and a brisk trade in grain, wine, cider, linen, and woollen goods, &c.

Diligences from Abbeville to Dieppe, at 11 morn. and 3 aft.; also conveyances to Huxy-le-Château, Hesdin, Blangly, Neufchâtel, Crécy, and Agincourt. Boat to St. Valery.

[From Abbeville, along the road to Arras, we pass ST. RIQUIER (10 kil. east-north-east) and the re

mains of its abbey, founded by Dagobert, in the 7th century; enlarged by Charlemagne, and called Centule, from its hundred towers; now a college. The Church, partly restored, is worth notice for its beautiful front, full of niches and carvings, as well as for its carved stalls, iron gates, and curious frescoes (of the 16th century) in the treasury, including the Dance of the Three Dead and Three Living. An old belfry, and remains of the great town walls, are seen.

From Abbeville, along the road to St. Omer, you pass near the field of

CRESCY, or CRECY (16 kil. north-east), in a forest, where the Black Prince (1346) defeated the French, 30,000 being slain. The walls of the windmill, in which they say Edward III. stood to watch the battle, as related by Froissart, are crowded with names of Englishmen who have visited this memorable spot.

HESDIN (35 kil. from Abbeville, further on), in department Pas-de-Calais, on the Canche, was founded (1544) by the Dukes of Savoy, in the midst of a beautiful country, flat, but well wooded and cultivated. The air is healthy, and there is a good Hôtel de Ville. Abbé Prévost was a native. Population, 3,500. Near it are traces of Old Hesdin, or Hidisnum. AGINCOURT, OF AZINCOURT (12 kil. beyond), in the old province of Picardy, a small village, with traces of a castle, 16 miles from Crescy, and equally memorable for a great victory gained by Henry V., 25th of October, 1415, with 9,000 men, against a French force of about 55,000, chiefly by means of his archers, with their clothyard shafts, stationed in a wood still here. Shakspere's Henry V. speaks of 8,400 "knights, esquires, and gallant gentlemen," who fell, besides others. Fluellen, in that play, is the David Gam, or Squinting David, of Welsh history, who told the king on this occasion, after counting the enemy, that "there were enough to kill, enough to make prisoners, and enough to run away." This victory left Henry V. master of the best part of France, which was quickly overrun by the English, but as quickly lost in the next reign.

FRUGES (5 kil. from this), under a slope, has a mineral water. At 31 kil. beyond, is St. Omer (see Route 1.)]

The line ascends the Somme, after leaving Abbeville; the next station to which is

Rémy, or Pont-Rémy (5 miles), which has a ruined castle; then

Longpré (5 miles); from which a branch rail was opened 1872 to Doullens (see page 8) and Prevent.

Hangest (4 miles), near which is the camp of l'Etoile, an old Roman fort. The next is

Picquigny (5 miles), and its old castle, best known for the treaty signed here between Edward IV. and Louis XI., in 1475.

Ailly (3 miles) belonged to a noble family of that name, two of whom (according to Voltaire), father and son, taking opposite sides, fought hand to hand, at the battle of Ivry. At 6 miles beyond this is

Amiens, on the main line as in Route 1.

ROUTE 3.

Dunkirk to Hazebrouck and Paris. Distance to Hazebrouck, 41 kil. or 25 miles. Four trains daily.

DUNKIRK, or Dunkerque,

189 miles from Paris; about 40 from Dover. HOTELS.-Chapeau Rouge, clean and good; Du

Sauvage.

church.

Eloi, called the "Church of the Dunes," from the dunes, downs, or sand-hillocks, which line this terribly flat coast. It has an anchorage lying at some distance, in the road, and is as noted for smugglers in peace, as for its privateering exploits during war. Its most special hero is Jean Bart, who was a native, and whose statue is in Place Royale. Jean Gauthier, Jean Lion, who styled himself Godts Vrient, i. e., God's Friend, Koster, and the Jacobsons, are almost equally celebrated personages here.

Canals run inland to Bergues, Ostend, Bruges, &c. White brick houses of two stories make up the neat broad streets, but there is a want of good water. Many of the people, workmen and others, live in cellars. The town is defended by ramparts, the citadel, Fort Risbau, &c.; and has two Basins, one of which was restored 1794, and frigates launched in it. There is a jetty at the quay, besides a long pier over the flats. A Light-tower, 194 feet high, stands near the basin for the chassemarées, at the mouth of the canal which leads up to the Port.

The Hôtel de Ville, built 1644, is an old-fashioned pile, with a low spire. A solid square clock-tower, of brick, 154 feet high, called Tour de l'Eglise, because one part of the church is now cut off from it by the road. This Church (St. Eloi's) is Gothic, with a handsome Grecian portico of ten pillars, added by Louis, and contains some paintings. At the Church of St. Jean are two pictures by Vandyke and Guido, to be seen for a fee. The Jesuits' church is replaced by the college; the public The Museum is library contains 7,000 volumes.

rich in Flemish pictures. Large barracks are also seen, a salle de spectacle, school of navigation, &c.; and there are sea and other baths. The Fishermen's Chapel des Dunes, near the shore, is, as usual, crowded with votive offerings. Genuine Flemish is spoken all round Dunkirk.

Its position has made it the scene of many contests. A castle was built by the Counts of Flanders, which the English burnt, 1388; they took the town, 1538, but gave it up to Spain the next year. The French (under Condé) took it, 1558, but restored it immediately; again, in 1658, it was taken by Turenne at the Battle of the Dunes, given up to Cromwell, but sold, in 1662, by Charles II. to

Louis XIV., who fortified it. This happened when Clarendon was building his great house in Piccadilly, which the mob nicknamed "Dunkirk House." The fortifications were razed, 1715, but afterwards restored. The Duke of York tried to take it, 1793, but without success. Admiral Roussin was born here.

Manufactures of ropes, sugar, candles, &c., and a good trade in eaux-de-vie, gin, soap, salt, tobacco, butter, fish, cheese, beer, grain, pottery, &c.

Conveyances: By rail, to Lille, Brussels, Paris, &c. By steamer to Havre, on Saturday (10 and 20 francs, in 20 hours), to Rotterdam (10 and 20 francs, in 12 hours), Hamburg, Copenhagen; by canal-boat to Bourbourg (6 hours), Ostend, &c.; by packet to Ramsgate and London, Hull, Dundee, &c. (See BRADSHAW'S Continental Railway Guide.)

[From Dunkirk, along the coast, you pass LAFRENOUCK (3 miles); then Laytcoote, near the Belgian border (6 miles from Dunkirk), across which, the first place you come to is Furnes, with its two churches.]

The first station from Dunkirk, towards Paris, is Bergues (5 miles), a small frontier post, on the Colme, and a canal, which brings vessels of 300 tens up from the sea. It stands among marshes, and has often suffered from war, having been taken or pillaged about sixteen times. It has an Hôtel de Ville, built 1664, with a good collection of pictures; a fine belfry, 164 feet high, shaped like St. George's new tower at Westminster; two towers of St. Winnoc's abbey, which serve for sea marks; and a good public library of 5,000 volumes. Cardinal Dubois was abbot of St. Winnoc's, which was destroyed in 1753.

The trade is in butter, cheese, grain (for which there is a large market), lace, eaux-de-vie, &c. Population, 6,030.

Esquelbecq (5 miles), is followed by
Arneeke (44 miles); then

Cassel (44 miles), an old town, once fortified, and having a parish church of the 13th century, part of a Jesuits' convent, a Flemish mairie, two (out of six) gates, &c., is most remarkable for the prospect it commands from the hill on which it stands (800 feet high), over the flat and populous country around. It was once a Roman station; and an anchor found here, 1815, about 12 feet down,

B

and other signs, show that this flat was once covered by the sea. The view takes in part of the North Sea (even to Dover in clear weather), 32 fortified towns, and about 100 villages, including Dunkirk, Nieuport, Ostend, Bruges, Ypres, Courtray, Lille, Bethune, St. Omer, Calais, Hazebrouck, Gravelines, &c., extending above 30 miles every way. General Vandamme, who fought at Waterloo, was born here; and his house and gardens are shown.

Hazebrouck (6 miles), on the main line, as in Route 1. Here the line to Poperinge (13 miles), and Ypres (6 miles), over the Belgian frontier, parts off.

ROUTE 4.

Paris to Douai, Valenciennes, Mons, and Brussels.

Distance, 231 miles, or 370 kil. Trains, in 8 to

12 hours.

Doual, as in Route 1. The next station is
Montigny (5 miles); then

Somain (4 miles), where the junction of the branch from Busigny, on the St. Quentin line, takes place, by way of Cambrai and Bouchain. Between the latter (a small fortress and sous-préfecture) and Somain, there is, at Denain, a line to the ccal mines of St. Anzin, near Valenciennes; with a pillar standing on the spot where Marshal Villars routed the Allies, 1712.

Wallers (53 miles), in a forest. Then

Raismes (3 miles), with its coal mines and foundries; and 44 miles further is

VALENCIENNES,

173 miles from Paris. Travellers from Belgium are examined by the douaniers at the station. HOTELS.-Du Commerce; Des Princes; Du Mouton Blanc; De Moulin; De Brussels; Des Flandre.

OBJECTS OF NOTICE.-Rubens' pictures, at the Hôtel de Ville and St. Gery's Church-Theatro -Museum.

A sous-préfecture, in department Nord, a large strongly-fortified town, and second-class military station on the frontier, formerly the capital of Hainault, in the midst of a coalfield and thriving manufactures. It is well built, and divided into two parts by the Estcaut, or Schelde, and has one of Vauban's citadels. Population, 25,000.

Among the best buildings aro-St. Gery's Church,

walks around are extremely pleasant. Coaches to Soissons, Pierrefonds-les-Bains.

Compiègne (7 miles), 63 miles from Paris. Hotels.-De la Cloche; De France; Du Soleil d'Or. A sous-préfecture of 12,140 souls, on a slant of the Oise, where the Aisne joins. It is a quiet place, except when frequented by the court, with narrow ill-built streets. Near its great Forest stood the Roman Compendium, with a small hunting-seat of the time of Clovis and Charles the Bold, who built an abbey and château here. Louis le Bègue and Louis V. were buried in the abbey (which was pulled down at the Revolution); and it was held for Charles VII. by Jeanne d'Arc, when she was taken prisoner (1430), in a sally from Vieux Pont Gate, by the Burgundians, who sold her to the English. This gate is close to the Tour de la Pucelle. The Château, as rebuilt by Louis XV., and finished by Napoléon I. (who first met his bride, Marie Louise, here), was the residence of Charles of Spain, in 1808. It was a favourite resort of the Emperor Napoléon, both for hunting and for the Reviews at the Camp, which was first formed by Louis XIV. The noble front, towards the forest, is 624 feet wide. In the grand gallery, of 100 feet, are Napoléon's victories, painted by Girodet. It became the head-quarters of the German Army of occupation, under General Manteuffel, 1871. An avenue of nearly a mile leads from the château to the Forest, which covers 29,600 acres (46 square miles). One road, now called Brunehaut, was a Roman way leading to Soissons.

Its

St. Corneille, or the Abbey Church, contains some old royal tombs, and had the organ (the first brought into Europe) which Constantine Copronymous, the Greek emperor, gave to Pepin, 755. tower is surmounted by a turret. St. André and St. Antoine are Gothic; St. Jacques partly in the Renaissance style. At the Carmelites' church is the tomb of the Count of Toulouse, by Lemoine. One of the best buildings is the picturesque Gothic Hôtel de Ville, with its delicate carvings, high roof, carved spire turrets, and fine spire belfry. The three-arched Pont Neuf has a pyramid, 33 feet high, in the middle of it. There is a public library of

Thourotte (5 miles).

Ribecourt (3 miles).

Ourscamps (2 miles). Here spinning is carried on in the remains of an Abbey.

Noyon (4 miles), the Roman Noviadunum, became the seat of a bishop, 511, and was the place where Hugh Capet was elected king, 987. It stands on a hill side, among gardens, in the valley of Chaunay, on the Vorse, near the Oise; and is well built, having four gates, and the house in which is said) John Cauvin, or Calvin, was born, 1509, his father being diocesan secretary. He went to the school of the Capettes here, and, through favour of the bishop, received a benefice when he was only twelve; two years after, to escape the plague, he was sent to Paris.

The cathedral Church is chiefly Romanesque, of the 13th century (an earlier one was begun by Pepin), 351 feet long, and 217 high at the west towers. The interior is very imposing. One of its bishops was Pope Innocent I.

Trade in grain, leather, linen, cottons, coal, &c. Population, 6,400.

Hotels.-Du Nord; Des Chevalets.

Coaches to Roye, Nesles, Guiscard, Ham. [ROYE (15 kil. north-west), a small old place, on the Avre, in department Somme (part of Picardy), is said to be the ancient Rodium, and has suffered from eleven sieges and three plagues. It has a church with excellent stained windows; a carved timber house on the Place; public baths, mineral springs, and manufactures of stockings, &c. Population, 4,000. A sect of Guerinets, so called after their leader, Guerin, the curé here, were extirpated, 1626.] Appilly (5 miles), in department Aisne.

Chauny (54 miles), a decayed fortified town, on the Oise, where the St. Quentin canal joins, in a fertile plain. Linens are made; and there are large works for polishing the plate glass made at the important factory of St. Gobain, 10 miles southeast by branch rail, first established by Louvois. Population, 8,200. The canal opens a way between the Oise and Somme.