y flocked
around me--and from one man, in particular, I obtained exact intelligence
about the havoc which had been committed during the Revolution upon the
abbey, The roof had been battered down for the sake of the _lead_--to make
bullets; the pews, altars, and iron-work, had been converted into other
destructive purposes of warfare; and the great bell had been sold to some
speculators in a cannon-foundery at Rouen.[84] The revolutionary mania had
even brutalized the Abbot. This man, who must be considered as

....damned to everlasting fame,

had been a monk of the monastery; and as soon as he had attained the
headship of it, he disposed of every movable piece of furniture, to gratify
the revolutionary pack which were daily howling at the gates of the abbey
for entrance! Nor could he plead _compulsion_ as an excuse. He seemed
to enjoy the work of destruction, of which he had the uncontrouled
direction. But enough of this wretch.

The next resting-place was CAUDEBEC: a very considerable village, or rather
a small town. You go down a steep descent, on entering it by the route we
came. As you look about, there are singular appearances on all sides--of
houses, and hanging gardens, and elaborately cut avenues--upon summits,
declivities, and on the plain. But the charm of the view, at least to my
old-fashioned feelings, was a fine old gothic church, and a very fine spire
of what _appeared_ to belong to another. As the evening had completely
set in, I resolved to reserve my admiration of the place till the morrow.

[78] [I am ignorant of his present destination; but learn that he has
quitted the above situation a long time.]

[79] [Mr. COTMAN has published views of the West Front, the South East, the
West Entrance, and the South Transept, with sculptured capitals and
basso-relievos, &c. In the whole, seven plates.]

[80] [Mr. Cotman has published etchings of the West Front: the Towers,
somewhat fore-shortened; the Elevation of the Nave--and doorway of the
Abbey: the latter an extremely interesting specimen of art. A somewhat
particular and animated description of it will be found in _Lieut.
Hall's Travels in France_, 8vo. p. 57, 1819. [In the first edition,
I had called the west end towers of the Abbey--"small." Mons. Licquet
has suggested that I must have meant "_comparatively_" small;--in
contradistinction to the centre-tower, which would have been larger.
We learn also