appropinques huc; solve calceamentum de pe dibus tuis. » These crypts are composed of low arches, supported by small pillars ornamented with capitals; the galleries, the altar, and the chapel, are arranged like upper stories. The wall appears to have been re-painted, about the beginning of the last century, and the inscriptions which point out the spots that contain the bodies of the Saints, seem to have been executed at the same time. Several of the tombs are still entire, but many others have been broken open by profane hands. The crypts in general were despoiled by the revolutionary army, as well as by the galleyslaves and prisoners of war, who were confined here at various periods.

The Cathedral, dedicated to St. Stephen, next attracts our attention; the portal is ornamented with an infinity of sculptures; the choir is very fine, but the canopy is in bad taste. The whole building is feebly lighted, and has a religious obscurity favourable to reverie. The stained windows are of the finest kind, though in part destroyed; the rest of this grand building is in good preservation. At the entrance of the choir is the tomb of Nicholas Colbert, bishop of Auxerre, who died in 1676. This church formerly had some very remarkable customs. The Festival of Fools was celebrated here till the year 1407, and it was not till the year 1538 that the custom of playing at ball in the nave was abolished. On Easter-day the junior canon furnished the ball, and presented it to the dean, who tossed it about to his companions, and

the game finished by a banquet, at which wine was not spared. One of the most singular customs was the heirship to the dignity of canon in the house of Chastellux, in memory of Claude de Beauvoir, Lord of Chastellux, who retook the town of Cravant from a troop of banditti, and restored it, without plunder to the chapter of St. Stephen, to which it had previously belonged. The officiating canon, after preaching the customary sermon presented himself at the entrance of the choir in a military dress, with boots and spurs, while over this dress he wore a fine white surplice, neatly plaited; a large belt was thrown over all, to which his sword was suspended; the spruce canon had gloves on both hands, a falcon on his fist, an amesse (an ornament which canons use when they go to the holy office,) on the left arm, while in his right hand he held a hat, adorned with white feathers.

The musical instrument called the Serpent was invented, in 1590, for the use of this church, by a canon named Edmé Guillaume. In this cathedral is the tomb of Amyot, the translator of Plutarch.

The Church of Saint Pierre, called by the inhabitants St. Perè, presents a singular mixture of gothic and modern architecture. The tour d'horloge, is worthy of notice. The clock is placed over an arch, near a tower, terminated by a pyramid, covered with lead, and originally intended for a belfry; one of the points of the index represents the sun, aud the other the moon, which have their respective

motions; the last also shows the phases. Jean, who executed this master-piece in 1469, had his eyes put out, that he might never be able to construct such another. The library contains some very curious books, and a number of Roman antiquities, busts, urns, inscriptions, etc. Near the street Joubert, are the remains of the ancient walls constructed with large hewn stones by the Romans. Auxerre possesses an episcopal palace, baths, a theatre, a manufacture of wax, and a great trade in wine. 200,000 cordes of wood are annually floated by Auxerre, to their different destinations. Population, 12,000. The coche d'eau, or watercoach, from this place to Paris, puts up at Lacour's.

Quitting Auxerre, near the bridge, is a handsome modern house, a delightful prospect, and some charming landscapes on the right, The borders of the Yonne are generally covered with felled wood, ready to be floated down or put into boats. This river seems to have been nobly adapted for commerce, even in the time of ancient Gaul, but its name is not to be found in the classic authors. It is of great importance to trade, and is of easy navigation; after issuing from the mountains of Morvan, in the department of the Nievre, where it has its source, it passes on to Clamecy, where it becomes navigable, and thence proceeds to Auxerre and to Sens, carrying with its stream immense barges, laden with the richest presents of Bacchus. After having received the Cure at Cravant, and the Vanne

at Sens, it empties itself into the Seine at Montereau.

The long and narrow rafts, called traises, pass with the rapidity of a bird's flight, and convey to Paris a great part of the wood necessary for the consumption of that great city. This wood is cut in the forest; they sell it in bundles to burn, or square it for the

carpenter. The timber intended for the latter use is conveyed by land-carriage to the river, when the boats are laden with it. The billets bear the mark of the proprietor, and are conveyed to the small rivers which join the Yonne, and into which they are thrown pell-mell. A watch is kept along the shores of the rivers, so vigilant that not a single piece is ever lost. The Cure, the Armançon, and the Yonne, are the rivers which conduct these floating logs. The overseers distinguish by the marks to whom they belong. The billets, bound with withes, are laid on casks, placed at equal distances, forming rafts, and are conducted by three men to Paris. These hardy pilots turn dexterously round the points of the shore, and avoid the flats, with which they are well acquainted; but particularly in shooting the bridges, under which they pass with the rapidity of lightning, they show the most perfect address and management; scarcely has the head of the raft appeared in view, than it is again almost out of sight. As soon as the raft is arrived at Paris, men plunge into the river up to the middle, loose the bundles, and put the billets in a heap into the waggon; however

a sudden fall of rain, or a hard frost, occasions at times serious accidents, and sometimes, from a moment's negligence in steering these fragile vehicles, the raft strikes against the piles of a bridge, is broken in an instant, and the waters covered with the wrecks, which are taken up by the boatmen, but of which the owner seldom recovers more than a very small part.

Vermanton, situated on the Cure, has a great trade in wine, and excellent wood for fuel. About five miles south of this town are the celebrated grottoes of Arcy, which have been compared to those of Antiparos. They are composed of a suite of large chambers, narrow passages, small rooms, and galleries, incrusted with stalactites that equal marble in beauty, and stone in hardness, and assume the most fantastic shapes and figures. We can enter at one end, and go out at the other, without retracing our steps. Near the entrance is a small lake. The post-masters of Vermanton and Lucy-le-bois, will convey travellers thither, and it is not more than three miles out of the way. Before we arrive at the next post, we pass on our left, the road to Dijon and Lyons, by Tonnere. If we take this route, we pass through Montbard. Here may be seen the house in which BUFFON spent the greatest part of his life. It is in the high street, and the court is behind. You ascend a staircase to go into the garden, raised on the ruins of the ancient mansion, of which the walls make the terraces. On the top there still remains a lofty octagon tower, where