an act of Louis 16^th, became the property of the Orléans family.

The small detached chapel dedicated to St.-Hubert is much admired for its sculptural embellishments in alto-relievo.

The pleasure grounds attached to the castle which are partially laid out in the English fashion, are extensive and diversified, and the view of the adjacent country from the terraces is remarkable for its picturesque beauty.

The glittering waters of the princely Loire studded with its numerous little green Isles, and white sails of commerce, are seen rapidly coursing in intricate windings through the broad, rich plain of corn-fields, for many miles in extent, both to the east and west, and which is bordered by bold elevations, and cliffs of chalk and calcareous sandstone, surmounted by a succession of beautiful vineyards. And perhaps the most singular feature in this varied landscape, is the vast chain of human habitations, which, like a whitened irregular stratum may be seen stretching out as far as the eye can reach in opposite directions, along the whole slope of the southern elevations just adverted to. They contain a large population, principally constituted of the cultivators of the adjacent plain and hills, the slopes being chiefly occupied by pretty white villas belonging to the better classes, while in the abrupt intermediate precipices of rock, the poor have scooped out their indestructible dwellings. And which, certainly possess some considerable advantages over those of their more pretending neighbours, being warm in winter, cool in summer, and dry in all seasons. These subterranean abodes, together present an exceedingly curious and novel spectacle. Sometimes the excavations are continued a considerable height up the cliff, and the numerous doors and windows in the face of it, apprize the spectator that, his species here literally «live and have their being» in the foundations of the earth! A kind of fret work or fantastically wrought sculpture not unfrequently over-arches the entrance, or hangs like an ornamental frieze above entire dwellings, which on a close inspection we discover to be the mystical workings and embellishments of nature herself, being actually constituted of a bed of fossil zoophytes, which in the very spot they now occupy, vegetated at the bottom of the antediluvian Ocean! How strange the transformation! How astounding the physical revolutions time has here effected!—The identical bed of coral, over which the turbulent waves of the Ocean rolled for centuries, and amid which the finny tribe disported, now, in its pristine position, forms a roof for the permanent dwellings of man! Which, with their fruitful vines flourishing around the doors, and the smoke from the domestic hearth rising in graceful curls through the submarine production, or as sometimes seen, peering through some verdant knoll, present a singular, but pleasing picture of humble contentment security and peace.

Near the western visible extremity of these thickly peopled hills, the lofty turrets of Tours cathedral are distinctly visible in the horison.

But in our enumeration of the more striking features of this interesting panorama, we must not omit to mention the long island in the middle of the river, immediately below the castle, and which communicates with the town by a stone bridge of ten arches, and with the opposite bank by a curiously constructed wooden bridge of eleven arches. The portion of the island above the bridges, being covered with a verdant turf, and tall trees, affords a very agreeable and favourite promenade, while the part contiguous to the bridges being entirely occupied by houses, presents the curious appearance of a small town floating as it were on the hurrying current.

Visitors from Tours to this place sometimes extend their drive on the same day to Chenonceaux, a distance of ten miles through the extensive forest of Amboise, and return from thence to the city, a drive of twenty miles, along the interesting banks of the river Cher.

CASTLE OF CHENONCEAUX.

This a large and majestic structure, and being built upon arches constructed across the Cher exhibits a singular appearance, and its approach through a noble avenue of trees is one of striking beauty.

This beautiful chateau, supposed to have been erected in the thirteenth century, became crown property in 1535.

It was greatly improved and embellished by Diana of Poitiers, mistress of Henry 2^nd who however was afterwards compelled by Catherine de Médicis to exchange this splendid gift of her munificent lord, for Chaumont-sur-Loire.

Its extensive picture gallery contains a considerable variety of interesting paintings and ancient portraits. In short the general character and internal decorations of this spacious and antique building, its neat and extensive pleasure grounds, with the pretty sylvan park attached thereto, together render the place an object of very general interest.

PLESSIS-LES-TOURS.

In the plain, about a mile to the west-ward of Tours, a few comparatively inconsiderable remains of the royal Castle and appendages of Plessis-les-Tours, are still to be seen; they consist of an extensive wall about 15 feet high enclosing about 60 acres of arable land, an uninteresting habitable portion of the ancient structure, and a remnant of the once famous and beautiful Saint Hubert's Chapel. These solitary relics in fact barely suffice to attest the spot where high in the air, arose the noble and massive pile, which during the feudal times of darkness and of danger, was watched and defended with the most extreme and jealous care.

This castle was the favourite residence of Louis XI, and many were the strange and plotting scenes enacted here during the period it was dignified by the presence of his mysterious court. He is said to have been excessively superstitious, crafty, vindictive and cruel, and the vigilance and surveillance he caused to be exercised in the vicinity of his palace, by his not over scrupulous agents, continually filled the surrounding neighbourhood with awe and apprehension.

A vast enclosed chase, termed in latin of the middle ages, Plexitium, encircled the external enclosures surrounding the open esplanade which sloped up to the castle walls, rendering the precincts of the Royal domain as sombre and portentous in aspect, as were the dark and multiplied battlements which frowned above the monarchs of the surrounding forests.

The cruel and treacherous cardinal La Balue was a great favourite at this court, and for a considerable period basked in the smiles of royalty at Plessis-les-Tours, but Louis having strong grounds for suspecting that he had been mainly instrumental in betraying him to the duke of Burgundy,—his feuds with whom were highest about 1460—he ultimately caused him to be immured in one of the iron cages, we have referred to in our notice of Loches. In this horrid den, the invention of which some ascribe to Balue himself, he was confined eleven years, principally it is said at Plessis-les-Tours, nor did Louis permit him to be liberated till his last illness.

Such are a few of the historical facts associated with the crumbling memento which as yet remain of this favourite and beautiful demesne of a great and powerful monarch. All its proud bulwarks have long since fallen beneath the ruthless hand of time, and its noble and extensive forests been laid prostrate by the active axe of the cultivator, while the march of rural improvement which has entirely renewed the face of the plain, will ere long have swept every ancient vestige away leaving the antiquary to search for the locality of Plessis-les-Tours, alone in the page of History.

But what reasonable and enlightened mind will regret even such a consummation, for, as moral improvement advances towards the