FOSSE DU CHAPEAU ROUGE, BORDEAUX.

71

was sometimes, through the zeal of those who administered the blow, practised with so much violence as materially to injure the victim; on one occasion, it was known to have forced out the eye of a poor insulted Jew. The barbarity of the practice. becoming, in consequence, too glaring, it was henceforth commuted for a tribute, which was appropriated to the use of the church of St. Sernin.

FOSSE DU CHAPEAU ROUGE, BORDEAU X.

"Then would a splendid city rise to view,
With carts and cars, and coaches roaring all;
Wide-pour'd abroad, behold the giddy crew,
See how they dash along from wall to wall."

THOMSON.

THE splendour of the ancient city laid the foundation of that grand style of architectural embellishment for which the modern city is remarkable; and public benefactors, who select this great public haunt of man for a display of their liberality, are prepared to execute their designs in a manner corresponding with the magnificent monuments already existing.

The Romans had temples, and theatres and tombs here, all designed in their best style, and constructed irrespective of expense, or rather, labour. The Visigoths also adorned this favourite locality, and the modern French have expended infinite labour and boundless treasures in rendering the Bordeaux of to-day superior to the city that stood here in preceding ages. St. Sernin's, and St. Michael's churches illustrate the dignity which the Goths introduced into the architecture of this place: the Exchange, Archiepiscopal Palace, and grand Theatre, will represent, with equal efficacy, the taste and treasures bestowed on civic structures here by their successors to the possession of the soil. The front of these buildings resembles the Palais-Royal at Paris; the palace, a magnificent pile, has been converted into the Hotel of the Prefecture, and the grand theatre is the handsomest edifice, devoted to the representation of the drama, in all France; even the Odeon at Paris, in its most prosperous days, was not equal to it. The principal front is towards the Alleys of Tournay, the most agreeable promenade in Bordeaux; and one flank faces the Chapeau Rouge, the broadest avenue in the city. The majesty and effect of the design are much improved by the building being completely insulated, admitting every part of it to be viewed at distances suited to the best effects. The side that is turned to the Chapeau Rouge is regular, adorned with panels in the basement, round-headed windows and interesting Corinthian pilasters on the story above, and, higher still, with a richly indented cornice, supporting a decorated attic. The principal front is more adorned; it consists of a noble colonnade, above which is a balcony with a stone balustrade, ou which are placed

statues of Apollo and the Muses. The scenery within the theatre is often, of course, interesting, faithful, and beautiful: but the natural view from the balcony above the colonnade, comprehends the whole of this noble city, the sweeping course of the Garonne, and the rich country around, with its luxuriant vegetation of various kinds; and far surpasses the best efforts of the most magic pencil.

GRENOBLE, WITH THE MOUNTAINS OF THE GRANDE CHARTREUSE.

66 Here piety with up-cast eyes
Dissolves in holy ecstasies,

And scorning ought of this vile earth,
That Heaven seeks that gave her birth:
Here Charity, above the rest,

E'en in the desert spreads a feast."

THE shattered pinnacles of the Grande Chartreuse lowering over the wide-spread plain of Grenoble, are singular, solemn, and sublime. They indicate operations of nature-a power possessed by Providence, so superior to all human efforts of productiveness, that few can contemplate the scene without being rapidly affected by ideas of the greatness of the Creator, the insignificance of the creature. The composition represents great rather than pleasing qualities; the mountains are vast, of broken outline, indented fronts, separated by huge chasms, and terminated by lofty isolated rocky pinnacles. The plain that lies below them stretches far and wide, reducing by its immensity all objects on its surface to mere specks and dots; and the course of the Isere, which varies the monotonous character of the plains of Grenoble, adds to the ideas of its extent by the distance to which its windings may be followed by a spectator from the mountains above the city. Less lofty than the Alps, these rugged cliff's are more picturesque and striking, from their peculiar position, than any other chain in France; and, in a panorama, including the characters of sublimity, contrast, and extent, few scenes in any part of Europe exceed the plain of Grenoble, and its impending mountains.

It is amidst those stupendous cliff's, within hearing of the ever-falling torrents, within sight of perpetual snows, and surrounded by all the gloomy horrors of remote and almost inaccessible mountain-districts, that the pious community of St. Bruno established their religious palace, and devoted themselves to lives of penitence and prayer. Each member of the community had a cell, with a little garden adjoining. In this cell he ate, slept, and worked, excepting during the hours of out-door exercise, which each passed in cultivating his own little garden. By this means, the recluses, however numerous, had no communication with each other. They never saw each other, but in the hour of public service; excepting on a Sunday, when they were Vide p. 39, ante.