Tours was formerly celebrated for its silk manufactory, and enough of it
still remains to invite and to gratify the curiosity of a traveller. The
attention of the French Government is now unintermittingly occupied in
efforts to raise the manufactures of the kingdom, but whilst the war
makes such large demands, trade must necessarily be cramped. The
manufactories, however, still continue to work, and produce some
beautiful flowered damasks, and brilliant stuffs. The weavers for the
most part work at their own houses, and have so much by the piece, the
silk being furnished them by their employers. The prices vary with the
pattern and quality of the work; two livres per day is the average of
what can be earned by the weavers. The women weave as well as the men,
and their earnings may be estimated at about one half. Upon the whole,
however, these manufactures are in a very drooping condition, and are
scarcely visible to a foreign visitant, unless the immediate object of
his inquiry. There is likewise a ribbon manufactory, but the ribbons are
very inferior to those of England. About 1000 persons may be employed in
these two manufactories.

We visited the castle of Plessis les Tours, which is not more than a
mile from the city. This chateau was built by that execrable tyrant,
Louis the Eleventh, was his constant residence during his life-time, and
the scene of his horrible death. This monarch is one of those whom all
concur in mentioning with execration; Richard of England has found
apologists in this ingenious age, but no one has come forward to defend
the memory of the French Tiberius. The castle is built of brick, and is
very pleasantly situated, being surrounded by woods. In the chapel is a
portrait of Louis the Eleventh; he is painted as in the act of saluting
the Virgin Mary, and our Saviour as an infant. His features are harsh,
and something of the tyrant is legible even through the adulation of the
painter. The castle, though built about 1450, is still perfect in all
its parts, and has some large apartments.

I believe I have already mentioned, that when I had occasion to stop in
any town, which I thought had a _prima facie_ appearance of being a
place of pleasant residence or settlement for a foreigner, the main
object of my inquiries went to ascertain all those points which were
necessary to determine this question. Of all the cities which I had yet
seen, Tours appeared to me the best adapted for such a residenc