business or to pleasure. For the former,
you must visit the quays; for the latter, you must promenade the high
street, and more especially the _Boulevards_, towards the heights. The sun
shone merrily, as it were, upon the thousands of busy, bustling, and
bawling human creatures.. who were in constant locomotion in this latter
place.

What a difference between the respective appearances of the quays of Dieppe
and Havre? Although even _here_ things would assume a rubbishing and
littered aspect compared with the quays at _Liverpool_ or at _Hull_, yet it
must be admitted, for the credit of Gallico-Norman commerce, that the quays
of Havre make a very respectable appearance. You see men fiddling, dancing,
sleeping, sitting, and of course talking _a pleine gorge_, in groups
without end--but no drunkenness!.. not even an English oath saluted my ear.
The Southampton packets land their crews at Havre. I saw the arrival of one
of these packets; and was cruel enough to contrast the animated and elastic
spirits of a host of French _laqnais de place_, tradespeople,
&c.--attacking the passengers with cards of their address--with the feeble
movements and dejected countenances of the objects of their attack.

From the quays, I sauntered along the ramparts, which are flanked by broad
ditches--of course plentifully supplied with water; and passing over the
drawbridge, by which all carriages enter the town--and which absolutely
trembles as if about to sink beneath you, as the _diligence_ rolls over
it.--I made for the boulevards and tea-gardens; to which, business being
well nigh over, the inhabitants of Havre flock by hundreds and by
thousands. A fine afternoon throws every thing into "good keeping"--as the
artists say. The trees, and meadows, and upper lands, were not only bright
with the sun-beam, but the human countenance was lighted up with gladness.
The occupations partook of this joyful character. Accordingly there was
dancing and singing on all sides; a little beyond, appeared to sit a group
of philosophers, or politicians, upon a fantastically cut seat, beneath
laburnums streaming with gold; while, still further, gradually becoming
invisible from the foliage and winding path, strolled pairs in more gentle
discourse! Meanwhile the whoop and halloo of school-boys, in rapid and
ceaseless evolutions, resounded through the air, and heightened the
gratification of the scene....

And young and old came out to play
Upon a sun-shine