110 BEAUTIFUL SCENERY. One of the principal attractions to us in this part of Lower Normandy was the idea of seeing the Bocage country, and the towns of Mortain and Vire, the first celebrated for its collegiate church, a treasure to antiquaries, and the latter famous, besides its once fine castle, as being the birthplace of the author of those Vaux de vire, or Vaudevilles, so characteristic of France itself; in their origin songs in praise of wine, but since extending to the length of dramas. The road to Mortain is pretty, during the whole route: at Juvigny it becomes very fine, and the scenery improves in breadth and beauty as you approach the entrance of the town once so important in history, and now a wretched neglected place. Huge piles of grey rock on one side of the road look frowning down like giants guarding the path; far off appear through the trees the towers of the Abbaye Blanche in its sequestered nook; the soil is deep red, the cornfields cease and all the distance is uninterrupted bocage. CHAPTER VII. The Bocage.-Mortain.-Collegiate Church.-The young Guide. The Abbaye Blanche.-Waterfalls. Chascun oisel en son latin Chantoit parmi le vert bocage. ADAM RAYMONT OWEVER romantic and beauti ful the country might be on our approach to Mortain we could not but feel a chill to our enthusiasm when the ve hicle in which we travelled stopped at the only inn in the place. At first we felt disposed to demur, but on observing that imdiately opposite was the principal door and façade *The Bocage of Normandy must not be confounded with the sombre district generally recognized by that name in La Vendée. It is usual in France to distinguish a wooded country by the term pays du bocage. This particular part is thus described by geographers :-"Le Bocage; petit pays de France en Basse Normandie vers les sources des rivières of the collegiate church, we called to mind that our object in coming was to visit this monument, and that it was our duty to support all trials in such a cause. Arming ourselves, then, with resolution, we entered the black den of a kitchen, which was the only way by which the chamber assigned to us could be gained. We mounted a "narrow stair," and threaded the mazes of a corridor, shuddering at every step. Through the darkness we observed, entassé, beneath the stairs, a bed in which at night something human slept, and where a huge black dog indulged by day: at last we reached our room and found ourselves in one of good size with two windows, one exactly opposite the church: the floor was boarded, a great misfortune in France, as to scour is a process unknown in these regions, and the consequence of their being left uncleaned for ever may be imagined, not described! The cups for our coffee were rinced and the water thrown on the floor as if it had been bricked, and as all the other domestic arrangements are carried d'Elle, Drôme, Aure, Odon, Orne, Vire et Noireau. La première le borne au levant et la sépare de le campagne de Caen, la seconde le borne au couchant et le sépare de Coutentin," &c. Vire is the capital town of the Bocage, its bourgs are Torigni, Evreci, Clecy, Condé, Villers, Aunay, Vassi. Tinchebray, most of them mentioned as the scene of contention during the numerous Norman and English wars. COLLEGIATE CHURCH. 118 on with equal delicacy, the state of the apartment was anything but inviting. The beds, however, presented a singular contrast, though one not unusual in France, of neatness and even elegance; the crimson and white draperies tastefully hung, and the coverlids of quilted satin! moreover, as is invariably the case in the worst inns, the beds were very good. Our female attendant, the very soul of civility and goodnature, did all she could to satisfy us, even to producing her own goods for our accommodation; for, finding knives had been forgotten in the service, she offered us a clasp knife from her apron pocket with all the bonhommie imaginable! To do justice to the establishment, the linen was snow-white, spun and woven at Mortain, and bleached at Avranches; and all the viands were excellent. The bell of the collegiate church awoke us early next day, and we crossed the road to examine it. The interior has nothing to offer of the slightest interest, being entirely modern and in the worst taste. A party of priests, one of whom had been our travelling companion, assured me that there were some very fine pictures, which I was weak enough to credit and to look for. They had, I found, been just painted and sent from Paris. I was led to look at one from its VOL. I. I 114 COLLEGIATE CHURCH. subject, St. Guillaume, imagining it had reference to the Armed Hermit of Aquitaine, father of the fierce and fair Elinor; but found it was another saint of this neighbourhood, whose miracles were represented in and about, up and down the picture with a disregard of perspective worthy of primitive art, though somewhat less interesting! The detestably bad pictures which disfigure the chapels in every part of France, really astonish the traveller, who cannot form an idea of the state of degradation into which this style of ornament is fallen; indeed, the whole decorations of the altars, the bits of cut paper and tinsel, and faded artificial flowers disgust one at every turn. At the pretty church alone of St. Loup near Avranches, we saw with pleasure a charming offering peculiar apparently to that simple neighbourhood, viz. a distaff and hanks of thread, laid on the altar of the Virgin by the young girls of the village on occasion of their marriage. There are in the collegiate church the remains of some curiously carved seats or misereres round the choir, which is the only antique remain. A painful representation of the crucifixion, of enormous size, the wooden figure gaudily painted, is the admiration of the townspeople, and quite |