rooms were hung with old-fashioned English engravings, which were exhibited to us as valuable works of art. Among a crowd of worthless paintings, I was struck with a finely executed, though hideous, representation of a large grinning mastiff of most ferocious appearance; and, expressing my opinion of its merits, our guide related to me a story so horrible, that I can only hope his native Breton love for the marvellous and the frightful inspired him, and that truth had little to do with it. He recounted that this portrait was that of the last of fourteen of those remarkably ferocious animals, who were regularly entertained by the town of Rennes as a protection. They were shut up during the day, and let loose to prowl about the streets all night as watchers; their howlings re-echoing through the squares and lanes like veritable Loup-garoux. For a series of years, these monsters were permitted to keep their horrible watch, and less than a century ago were in full force; but, at length, a party of strangers, not aware of the custom, were incautious enough to pass along the streets after the time when they were let loose, and being set upon by them, were all torn to pieces. This tragedy opened the eyes of the magistrates and towns-people to the danger of permitting such patrols, and the animals

THE ENFER AND PARADIS.

289

were not as one would naturally suppose, destroyed, but dispersed, sent to various parts of the country, and the portraiture of this worthy was painted as a memorial for the town. We could not help thinking that our disagreeable acquaintance of La Garaye must have been of this breed.

The public walks of Rennes, called Mont Thabor, are very fine, more so than almost in any town I have seen; long rows of magnificent old trees form the most beautiful groves, and lead to delightful promenades, from whence the views of the extensive, though flat, country are admirable. The Enfer and Paradis reminded us of the same arrangement at Stow, and extremely agreeable these retreats are. The Jardin des Plantes is good, and in a good situation; the column erected to the Braves of the Three Days is peculiarly rich and elegant, and has a fine effect. There is a large statue of Du Guesclin in one of the squares, but its size is its only merit. The Eveché and its gardens are fine, but present nothing antique, nor is there a church in Rennes of the slightest interest, which surprised us the more, as it is one of the oldest towns in Brittany, as well as formerly the capital. A magnificent fountain, in a very grand position, has been erected;

VOL. I.

U

290

PUBLIC LIBRARY.

but, unfortunately, it is discovered too late that the water cannot be made to rise to the height required, and after great labour and expense, it remains unused and without utility. All the public buildings are on a peculiarly massive and extensive scale, and some of them exhibit admirable architecture.

The Salle de Spectacle is extremely grand, and the fine range of shops under its arcades have an imposing appearance. The Palaces are all large, and the surrounding houses well built: the Palais de Justice is a noble structure, and the interior halls spacious and fine; one Salle, in particular, preserves its original gilding and ornaments, which are in exquisite taste. The ceilings and panels are by Jouvenet, very elegantly imagined and executed; groups of the prettiest Cupids in the world chained together by glowing garlands, as fresh and flourishing as if just gathered. This room reminds one of several at the Palace of Fontainebleau, though not of equal antiquity with some of the finest there. The date of that we most admired was of 1670. The public library is rich in choice illuminated MSS., which, thanks to the kind courtesy of M. Baron du Taya, we were permitted to see, and to his polite attentions we owed a visit, after the usual hour, to the Hotel

THE MONK LOVER.

291

de Ville. Our object in going there was to see a picture, of which we had heard much, painted by no other hand than that of le bon Roi René, the best illuminator of his day, as well as an encourager of chivalry and the fine arts. I grieve, however, to be obliged to confess that the extraordinary, dingy, black, mis-shapen table we beheld, gives but little idea of the royal troubadour's skill. The subject of the picture appears to be the Judgment of Solomon, but there are so many allegorical accompaniments, and the colouring is so completely faded, that it would be difficult to decide positively what the intention of the painter might have been.

There is a fine Rubens, in one of the halls, the subject, lions attacking travellers, and a few good modern pictures; amongst them, one which attracted our attention, more from its story than its execution; it is a legend of the Count de Comminges, who, unable to marry the lady of his love, entered the convent of La Trappe, and became celebrated for his piety: there was another brother of the community who was equally distinguished for holiness and goodness, and who remained an inmate of the same house for several years; at length he was attacked by a malady which no skill could avert, and he died. It was then, and then only, that

292

THE CISELEUR.

the real sex of the holy person was discovered, and the Count de Comminges recognised the Dame de ses Pensées. The moment chosen is that of her death, when he has thrown himself on her dead body in a fit of agonised despair love triumphing over philosophy and religious resignation. It is touchingly told, and has considerable merit.

But that which excited our interest more than any other of the lions of Rennes was an introduction we obtained by means of our kind friend M. du Taya, whose fondness for art is only equalled by his devotion to the antiquities of his country and by his urbanity and goodness. There lives at Rennes, but little known beyond his own neighbourhood, a genius of a very high order, whose works require only to be seen by connoisseurs to be appreciated as they merit. He inhabits a little low house in one of the squares, and his modest window is filled with plates, locks, and barrels, indicating his occupation of gunsmith you enter his small crowded shop, and behold a venerable-looking old man with an agreeable and very intelligent countenance, in an apron and cap, and busily engaged at his work. It is not difficult to get him upon his favourite topic, and he then enters with infinite spirit on the mysteries of his craft: a thousand little