It may be worth subjoining, from the same interesting authority, that long after the time even of the publication just referred to, the town of Caen was surrounded by lofty and thick stone walls—­upon the tops of which three men could walk a-breast:  and from thence the inhabitants could discern, across those large and beautiful gardens, “the vessels sailing in the river Orne, and unloading their cargoes by the sides of walls.”  It appears indeed to have been a sort of lounge, or fashionable promenade—­by means of various ladders for the purposes of ascent and descent.

Among the old prints and bird’s-eye views of Caen, which I saw in the collection of DE BOZE at the Royal Library at Paris, there is one accompanied by three pages of printed description, which begins with the lines of Guillaume Breton “Villa potens, opulenta, situ spatiosa decora.”  See First Edition, vol. i. p. 274.  Evelyn, in 1644, thus describes the town of Caen.  “The whole town is handsomely built of that excellent stone so well knowne by that name in England.  I was lead to a pretty garden, planted with hedges of Alaternus, having at the entrance, at an exceeding height, accurately cut in topiary worke, with well understood architecture, consisting of pillars, niches, freezes, and other ornaments, with greate curiosity, &c. Life and Writings of J. Evelyn, 1818, 4to. vol. i. p. 52.

[102] See the OPPOSITE PLATE.

[103] It was a similar depot in Ducarel’s time.

[104] The story was in fact told us the very first night of our arrival, by
    M. Lagouelle, the master of the hotel royale.  He went through it with
    a method, emphasis, and energy, rendered the more striking from the
    obesity of his figure and the vulgarity of his countenance.  But he
    frankly allowed that “Monsieur l’Anglois se conduisait bien.”

[105] [The affair is now scarcely remembered; and the successful champion
    died a natural death within about three years afterwards.  Mons.
    Licquet slenderly doubts portions of this tragical tale:  but I have
    good reason to believe that it is not an exaggerated one.  As to what
    occurred after the death of one of the combatants, I am
    unwilling to revive unpleasant sensations by its recapitulation.]

[106] Bourgueville seems bitterly to lament the substitution of wells for
    fountains.  He proposes a plan, quite feasible in his own estimation,
    whereby this desirable object might be effected:  and then retorts upon
    his townsmen by reminding them of the commodious fountains at
    Lisieux, Falaise and Vire—­of which the inhabitants “n’ont rien
    espargne pour auoir ceste decoration et commodite en leurs
    villes.”—­spiritedly adding—­“si j’estois encore en auctorite, j’y
    ferois mon pouuoir, et ie y offre de mes biens.” p. 17.