comme le vin de
Beaune." Bespeaking my dinner, I strolled towards the cathedral.

There is, in fact, no proper approach to this interesting edifice. The
western end is suffocated with houses. Here stands the post-office; and
with the most unsuspecting frankness, on the part of the owner, I had
permission to examine, with my own hands, within doors, every letter--under
the expectation that there were some for myself. Nor was I disappointed.
But you must come with me to the cathedral: and of course we must enter
together at the western front. There are five porticos: the central one
being rather large, and the two, on either side, comparatively small.
Formerly, these were covered with sculptured figures and ornaments; but the
Calvinists in the sixteenth, and the Revolutionists in the eighteenth
century, have contrived to render their present aspect mutilated and
repulsive in the extreme. On entering, I was struck with the two large
transverse Norman arches which bestride the area, or square, for the bases
of the two towers. It is the boldest and finest piece of masonry in the
whole building. The interior disappointed me. It is plain, solid, and
divested of ornament. A very large wooden crucifix is placed over the
screen of the choir, which has an effect--of its kind: but the monuments,
and mural ornaments, scarcely deserve mention. The richly ornamented
arches, on each side of the nave, springing from massive single pillars,
have rather an imposing effect: above them are Gothic ornaments of a later
period, but too thickly and injudiciously applied. Let me now suppose that
the dinner is over, and the "vin de Beaune" approved of--and that on a
second visit, immediately afterwards, there is both time and inclination
for a leisurely survey. On looking up, upon entering, within the side aisle
to the left, you observe, with infinite regret, a dark and filthy green
tint indicative of premature decay--arising from the lead (of that part of
the roof,) having been stript for the purpose of making bullets during the
Revolution. The extreme length of the interior is about 320 English feet,
by 76 high, and the same number of feet in width. The transepts are about
125 feet long, by 36 wide. The western towers, to the very top of the
spires, are about 250 English feet in height.

One of the most curious objects in the Cathedral, is the CRYPT; of which,
singularly enough, all knowledge had been long lost till the year 1412. The
circumsta