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is jammed together in a manner that from certain points of view makes it far from apparent which feature is which。 The museum occupies several chambers at the top of the hotel de ville； and is not an imposing collection。 It was closed； but I induced the portress to let me in； … a silent； cadaverous person； in a black coif； like a _beguine_； who sat knitting in one of the windows while I went the rounds。 The number of Roman fragments is small； and their quality is not the finest； I must add that this impression was hastily gathered。 There is indeed a work of art in one of the rooms which creates a presumption in favor of the place； … the portrait （rather a good one） of a citizen of Narbonne； whose name I forget； who is described as having devoted all his time and his intelligence to collecting the objects by which the。 visitor is sur… rounded。 This excellent man was a connoisseur； and the visitor is doubtless often an ignoramus。
XXV。
〃Cette； with its glistening houses white； Curves with the curving beach away To where the lighthouse beacons bright； Far in the bay。〃
That stanza of Matthew Arnold's； which I hap… pened to remember； gave a certain importance to the half…hour I spent in the buffet of the station at Cette while I waited for the train to Montpellier。 I had left Narbonne in the afternoon； and by the time I reached Cette the darkness had descended。 I therefore missed the sight of the glistening houses； and had to console myself with that of the beacon in the bay； as well as with a _bouillon_ of which I partook at the buffet afore… said； for； since the morning； I had not ventured to return to the table d'hote at Narbonne。 The Hotel Nevet； at Montpellier； which I reached an hour later； has an ancient renown all over the south of France； … advertises itself； I believe； as _le plus vaste du midi_。 It seemed to me the model of a good provincial inn； a big rambling； creaking establishment； with brown； labyrinthine corridors； a queer old open…air vestibule； into which the diligence； in the _bon temps_； used to penetrate； and an hospitality more expressive than that of the new caravansaries。 It dates from the days when Montpellier was still accounted a fine winter re… sidence for people with weak lungs； and this rather melancholy tradition； together with the former celebrity of the school of medicine still existing there； but from which the glory has departed； helps to account for its combination of high antiquity and vast proportions。 The old hotels were usually more concentrated； but the school of medicine passed for one of the attrac… tions of Montpellier。 Long before Mentone was dis… covered or Colorado invented； British invalids travelled down through France in the post…chaise or the public coach to spend their winters in the wonderful place which boasted both a climate and a faculty。 The air is mild； no doubt； but there are refinements of mild… ness which were not then suspected； and which in a more analytic age have carried the annual wave far beyond Montpellier。 The place is charming； all the same； and it served the purpose of John Locke； who made a long stay there； between 1675 and 1679； and became acquainted with a noble fellow…visitor； Lord Pembroke； to whom he dedicated the famous Essay。 There are places that please； without your being able to say wherefore； and Montpellier is one of the num… ber。 It has some charming views； from the great pro… menade of the Peyrou； but its position is not strikingly fair。 Beyond this it contains a good museum and the long facades of its school； but these are its only de… finite treasures。 Its cathedral struck me as quite the weakest I had seen； and I remember no other monu… ment that made up for it。 The place has neither the gayety of a modern nor the solemnity of an ancient town； and it is agreeable as certain women are agree… able who are neither beautiful nor clever。 An Italian would remark that it is sympathetic； a German would admit that it is _gemuthlich_。 I spent two days there； mostly in the rain； and even under these circum… stances I carried away a kindly impression。 I think the Hotel Nevet had something to do with it； and the sentiment of relief with which； in a quiet； even a luxurious； room that looked out on a garden； I reflected that I had washed my hands of Narbonne。 The phyl… loxera has destroyed the vines in the country that sur… rounds Montpellier； and at that moment I was capable of rejoicing in the thought that I should not breakfast with vintners。
The gem of the place is the Musee Fabre； one of the best collections of paintings in a provincial city。 Francois Fabre； a native of Montpellier； died there in 1837； after having spent a considerable part of his life in Italy； where he had collected a good many valuable pictures and some very poor ones； the latter class including several from his own hand。 He was the hero of a remarkable episode； having succeeded no less a person than Vittorio Alfieri in the affections of no less a person than Louise de Stolberg； Countess of Albany； widow of no less a person than Charles Edward Stuart； the second pretender to the British crown。 Surely no woman ever was associated senti… mentally with three figures more diverse； … a disqualified sovereign； an Italian dramatist； and a bad French painter。 The productions of M。 Fabre； who followed in the steps of David； bear the stamp of a cold me… diocrity； there is not much to be said even for the portrait of the genial countess （her life has been written by M。 Saint…Rene…Taillandier； who depicts her as de… lightful）； which hangs in Florence； in the gallery of the Uffizzi； and makes a pendant to a likeness of Alfieri by the same author。 Stendhal； in his 〃Me… moires d'un Touriste；〃 says that this work of art represents her as a cook who has pretty hands。 I am delighted to have an opportunity of quoting Stendhal； whose two volumes of the 〃Memoires d'un Touriste〃 every traveller in France should carry in his port… manteau。 I have had this opportunity more than once； for I have met him at Tours； at Nantes； at Bourges； and everywhere he is suggestive。 But he has the de… fect that he is never pictorial； that he never by any chance makes an image； and that his style is per… versely colorless； for a man so fond of contemplation。 His taste is often singularly false； it is the taste of the early years of the present century； the period that produced clocks surmounted with sentimental 〃sub… jects。〃 Stendhal does not admire these clocks； but he almost does。 He admires Domenichino and Guer… cino； and prizes the Bolognese school of painters be… cause they 〃spoke to the soul。〃 He is a votary of the new classic； is fond of tall； squire； regular buildings； and thinks Nantes； for instance； full of the 〃air noble。〃 It was a pleasure to me to reflect that five…and…forty years ago he had alighted in that city； at the very inn in which I spent a night； and which looks down on the Place Graslin and the theatre。 The hotel that was the best in 1837 appears to be the best to…day。 On the subject of Touraine； Stendhal is extremely refresh… ing； he finds the scenery meagre and much overrated； and proclaims his opinion with perfect frankness。 He does； however； s