strangers to the country. Our hearts absolutely sunk within us as
we thought of the wretchedness of the interiors, the misery of being
obliged to inhabit any one of the numerous suites of apartments rising
tier above tier, and from which it would be absolutely impossible to
banish vermin of every description.

The French appear certainly to be beginning to study home comforts,
all the modern houses being built upon very commodious plans; still
the middling classes, in the towns at least, are miserably lodged,
in comparison with the same grades in England, families of apparently
great respectability inhabiting places so desolate as to strike one
with horror.

After picking our way through the least objectionable of the streets
in the heart of the city, we were glad to escape into the open air,
and solace ourselves with the views presented on the neighbouring
heights. Nothing can be finer than the landscapes round Rouen; every
necessary of life appears to be cheap and plentiful, and persons
desirous of a quiet and economical residence abroad might spend their
time very happily in the outskirts of this picturesque city.

We found the guests at the _table-d'hôte_ chiefly English, travellers
like ourselves, and some of our party recognised London acquaintance
among those who, upon hearing our intention to proceed the following
day up the Seine to Paris, recommended the boat by which they had
arrived--the _Etoile_.

Again we were summoned at four o'clock in the morning, and wended our
way, along the banks of the river, to the starting-place, which was
just beyond the second bridge. The one large boat, which conveyed