These reposoirs are of more importance than you are aware of.  They consist of little spots, or spaces in the streets, garnished with flowers, and intersected by walks, marked with fine gravel, in the centre of which the Host rests, on its passing to and fro from the several parishes.  When I rose to dress, I observed the work of art—­which had been in progress during the night—­perfectly complete.  Passengers were forbidden to trespass by pieces of string fastened to different parts by way of a fence—­or, whoever chose to walk within, considered themselves bound to deposit a sous as the condition of gratifying their curiosity.  Upon the whole, this reposoir might be about sixteen feet square.  Towards eleven o’clock the different religious ceremonies began.  On one side the noise of the drum, and the march of the national guard, indicated that military mass was about to be performed; on the other, the procession of priests, robed and officiating—­the elevation of banners—­and the sonorous responses of both laity and clergy—­put the whole town into agitation, and made every inmate of every mansion thrust his head out of window, to gaze at the passing spectacle.  We were among the latter denomination of lookers on, and recognised, with no small gratification, our clerical friends Messieurs Mouton, Langevin, and the huge father confessor at Guibra, followed by a great number of respectable citizens, among whom the Comte de la Fresnaye and his amiable and intelligent son (recently married) made most respectable figures; They approached the reposoir in question.  The priests, with the Host, took their station within it; silence followed; one officiating clergyman then knelt down; shut, what seemed to be, the wooden covers of a book,—­with, considerable violence—­rose—­turned round, and the procession being again put in motion—­the whole marched away to the church of the Holy Trinity;—­whither I followed it; and where I witnessed what I was unable to comprehend, and what I should not feel much disposed to imitate.  But let every country be allowed to reverence and respect its own particular religious ceremonies.  We may endure what we cannot commend ... and insult and disrespect are among the last actions which a well regulated mind will shew in its treatment of such matters.  I should add, that these reposoirs, a few hours after the performance of the ceremony just described, are indiscriminately broken up:  the flowers and the little sand banks falling equally a prey to the winds and the feet of the passenger.

Opposite to the inn was an hospital for the female sick.  It had been formerly an establishment of very considerable extent and celebrity; but whether it was originally connected with the hospital of the Leproserie de Saint Lasare, (about which the Abbe Langevin’s History of Falaise is rather curious) the Hotel-Dieu, or the Hopital General, I cannot take upon me to pronounce.  Certain it is, however, that this establishment does great credit