ici qu'il faut en chercher de belles épreuves. C'est à Paris."

I parried this delicate thrust by observing that I was well acquainted with
the fine productions of _Didot_, and had also seen the less aspiring ones
of himself; of which indeed I had reason to think his townsmen might be
proud. This I spoke with the utmost sincerity. My first visit concluded
with two elegant little book-presents, on the part of M. Megard--one being
_Heures de Rouen, à l'usage du Diocese_, 1814, 12mo. and the other
_Etrennes nouvelles commodes et utiles_; 1815, 12mo.--the former bound in
green morocco; and the latter in calf, with gilt leaves, but printed on a
sort of apricot-tinted paper--producing no unpleasing effect. Both are
exceedingly well executed. My visits to M. Mégard were rather frequent. He
has a son at the Collége Royale, or Lycée, whither I accompanied him, one
Sunday morning, and took the church of that establishment in the way. It is
built entirely in the Italian style of architecture: is exceedingly
spacious: has a fine organ, and is numerously attended. The pictures I saw
in it, although by no means of first-rate merit, quite convince me that it
is in churches of _Roman_, and not of _Gothic_ architecture, that paintings
produce the most harmonious effect. This college and church form a noble
establishment, situated in one of the most commanding eminences of the
town. From some parts of it, the flying buttresses of the nave of the Abbey
of St. Ouen, with the Seine at a short distance, surmounted by the hills
and woods of Canteleu as a back ground, are seen in the most gloriously
picturesque manner.

But the printer who does the most business--or rather whose business lies
in the lower department of the art, in bringing forth what are called _chap
books_--is LECRENE-LABBEY--_imprimeur-libraire et marchand de papiers_. The
very title imports a sort of _Dan Newberry's_ repository. I believe however
that Lecrêne-Labbey's business is much diminished. He once lived in the