The winter proved unusually severe; from the middle of November to the end of December, it continued wet; from this time to the latter part of February, it was excessively cold; and at the end of January, the ground was covered with snow for a fortnight together. For an uninterrupted week, during some part of the twenty-four hours, Fahrenheit’s thermometer stood at from 9° to 11° below Zero. The Garonne for the first time for thirty years, was frozen over, the ice being found to the thickness of nine inches. The end of March, and beginning of April, however, became so fine and warm in the middle of the day, as to make walking irksome. I now began to contemplate breaking up my winter quarters, in order to proceed to Montpellier. On inquiry, I found two modes of conveyance to this place, one by the Grand Canal de Languedoc, the other by diligence; and having made my arrangements for being conveyed by the latter, I prepared, on the 13th of April, to bid adieu to Toulouse. I must not, however, leave this city, without paying a due tribute of respect to the worthy family with whom I have been resident, whose innumerable acts of kindness, and attention to a whimsical invalid, will ever claim his gratitude. But let me not exclude my English friends from this expression of feeling. Mrs. W⸺ and Miss S⸺ are, in particular, entitled to my sincerest acknowledgments; and who were not only the first to receive me at Toulouse, but the last to take leave of me. They will ever retain a place in the recollections of a grateful heart. CHAP. VI. MONTPELLIER. We left Toulouse in the afternoon, and travelling during the whole night, reached Narbonne on the following day for dinner; at nine o’clock in the evening we halted for a short time at Beziers, where we were left, under cover from a heavy rain, in a kind of stable-yard, while our conducteur transacted some business in the town. After this we again proceeded throughout the night, and at day-break arrived in sight of the Mediterranean Sea, afterward reaching Montpellier about ten o’clock.