llage, for the first time, was not to be overlooked. For a country
church, I know of few finer ones than that of Arques.[30]

The site of the castle is admirable. My approach was to the western
extremity; which, as you look down, brings the village and church of Arques
in the back ground. If the eye were to be considered as a correct judge,
this venerable pile, composed of hard flint-stone, intermixed with brick,
would perhaps claim precedence, on the score of antiquity, over most of the
castles of the middle ages. A deep moat, now dry pasture land, with a bold
acclivity before you, should seem to bid defiance, even in times of old, to
the foot and the spear of the invader. There are circular towers at the
extremities, and a square citadel or donjon within. To the north, a good
deal of earth has been recently thrown against the bases of the wall. The
day harmonised admirably with the venerable object before me. The sunshine
lasted but for a minute: when afterwards a gloom prevailed, and not a
single catch of radiant light gilded any portion of the building. All was
quiet, and of a sombre aspect,--and what _you_, in your admiration of art,
would call in perfectly "fine keeping."

I descended the hill, bidding a long adieu to this venerable relic of the
hardihood of other times, and quickened my pace towards Dieppe. In gaining
upon the town, I began to discern groups of rustics, as well as of
bourgeoises, assembling and mingling in the dance. The women never think of
wearing bonnets, and you have little idea how picturesquely the red and
blue[31] (the colours of Raffaelle's Madonnas) glanced backwards and
forwards amidst the fruit trees, to the sound of the spirit-stirring
violin. The high, stiff, starched cauchoise, with its broad flappers, gave
the finishing stroke to the novelty and singularity of the scene; and to
their credit be it spoken, the women were much more tidily dressed than the
men. The couples are frequently female, for want of a sufficient number of
swains; but, whether correctly or incorrectly paired, they dance with
earnestness, if not with grace. It was a picture a la Teniers, without its
occasional grossness. This then, said I to myself, is what I have so often
heard of the sabbath-gambols of the French--and long may they enjoy them!
They are surely better than the brutal orgies of the pot-house, or the
fanatical ravings of the tabernacle.[32]

A late plain dinner, with my favourite vin ordinaire, rec