Approaching Abbeville by a long descent, its cathedral, proudly elevating its beautiful Gothic front above the other buildings (dingy in colour, and unpicturesque in form) was the only redeeming point in the view; but that _was_ an interesting one. The town, however, pleased us, though its streets are rather narrow and dirty. Found our old friends the hussars of the Brunswick auxiliaries and my old troop (G) quartered here. _8th._--Started at a little after seven A.M. Our postilion was the first one we had had, who astonished F. by wearing jack-boots. Breakfasted at Flixcourt: little slop-basins instead of cups, with large spoons; as usual, sour bread and soapy butter--for all which the charge was exorbitant. During breakfast the beautiful band of the 1st Hussars, K.G.L., was playing on an open space near the house, where the regiment had its morning parade. At Pecquigny met a bridal--all in their best; men and boys firing guns, and the bride carrying a little flag. A young rogue who stood by our carriage whilst changing horses begging in a most piteous accent, observing me start when the first gun was fired, just before the procession came in sight, could not resist the desire of amusing himself at my expense, whom he no doubt took for some Cockney, and shouted, in a voice of affected alarm, “C’est l’ennemi, monsieur!” and seeing that his _coup_ had _manqué_, burst into laughter. Beyond Pecquigny came on the valley of the Somme; and the scenery became somewhat interesting. Amiens we found full of Prussians, and only stopped to change horses--Maître de Poste quite a gentlemanly man, riding a managed horse. Fine old town and splendid cathedral. Stopped for the night at Breteuil. Inn an immense old-fashioned house, like an old convent; great rambling wainscoted corridor; and our room large, lofty, and the walls hung with old faded tapestry, and two old-fashioned beds with curtains of yellow damask; sitting-room quite on a par with it. Our attendant Josephine (a very pretty girl) told us our teeth must be bad, because we complained of our fowl being tough; and to our complaint of knives, she said they were too sharp, for that she had just cut her finger with one of them. Apropos of knives, there seems but one pattern all over France, and that a very coarse one, which, however costly the table-service in other respects, appears everywhere to spoil the whole. Its sharp point one sees constantly used as a tooth-pick; and over and over again I have seen it taken from that employment and plunged unhesitatingly into some dish, &c. Soup served in a regular white jorden; however, we find fine Sevres porcelain coffee-services everywhere. Wine here all out of one cask, though Josephine protested that the fifty different kinds she enumerated were literally and truly each from the place named. F. astonished at the immense long loaves. An English family had arrived in a smart barouche, with servants in a cabriolet.