BORDEAUX

one of the most important cities of France, capital of the dep. of Gironde, is situated on the left bank of the Garonne, about 70 miles from the sea^ and 284 B.w. of Paris. The pop. is 194,241. It is built in a crescent form round a bend of the river, which is lined with fine quays for more than 3 miles, and is cro ed by a magnificent stone bridge of seventeen arches, finished in 1821 at a cost of £260,000. There is another bridge, a fine iron structure, for the railway from Paris. Bordeaux consists of an old and a new town, the boundary between them being formed by a wide and handsome street which, commencing at the quay near the centre of the crescent, stretches acro the city from e. to w. The old town, lying to the 8. of this street, is mostly composed of irregular squares and narrow crooked streets; while the new town is laid out with great regularity, and on a scale of magnificence hardly surpa ed by any provincial town in Europe. The objects chiefly deserving of notice in the old town are the arch called the Porte de Bourgogne at the extremity of the bridge, forming the principal entrance to the town; the cathedral, a fine Gothic edifice built at different periods; St. Michael's Church, with a lofty detached tower, and a superb front of florid Gothic; the Church of St. Croix, a specimen of goi^geo us Romanesque; the bourse or exchange, the customhouse, the Hotel de Ville, once the residence of the Archbishops of Bordeaux, and the Palais de Justice. The new town is not so rich in public buildings. The most conspicuous are the library (140,000 vols.), the museum, and the theatre, a Grecian structure, regarded as the handsomest edifice in Bordeaux. Among the beneficent establishments the first place is due to the grand hospital or infirmary, which occupies the highest site in the town and is admirably arranged. Few cities are so well supplied with extensive and finely-planted promenades. Bordeaux is the seat of a 'Court of appeal, of courts of the first instance and of commerce; and has an academy of sdenoe, literature, and art; a preparatory school of medicine and pharmacy; a lyoeum; a normal sdiool for female teachers; a school of hydrography and navigation; a school of painting and design; a botanic garden, an observatory, various literary and scientific a ociations, and a branch of the Bank of France. There are consuls resident here from all the states of Europe and North and South America. The position of Bordeaux gives it admirable facilities for trade, and enables it to rank next after Marseilles and Havre in respect of the tonnage employed. Large ve els can sail up to the town, which by railway, river, and canal communicates with the Mediterranean, with Spain, and with the manufacturing centres of France. The chief exports are wine and brandy; drugs, dyes, and fruits are also largely exported. Sugar and other colonial produce and wood are the chief imports. Ship-building is the chief branch of industry, and there are also sugar-refineries, woollen and cotton mills, potteries, soap-works, distilleries, . Bordeaux is the Burdigala of the Romans. In the fifth century it was in po e ion of the Goths, and it was pillaged and burned by the Normans. By the marriage of Eleonor, daughter of the last Duke of Aquitaine, to Louis VII., it fell into the hands of France. But in 1152 tiie prince was repudiated by her husband, and married to Henry of Anjou, who ascended the throne of England in 1154, as Henry II., and transferred Bordeaux to that crown. After the battle of Poictiers, Edward the Black Prince carried John, king of France, prisoner to Bordeaux, where he resided eleven years. Under Charles VII., in 1451, it was restored again to France. In 1548 the dtizens rebelled on account of a tax on salt, and the governor De Morems was put to death, for which the constable of Montmorency inflicted a severe punishment on the dty. During the revolution it was devastated as the rendezvous of the Girondists, by the Terrorists, almost as completely as Lyons and Marseilles. Tlie oppre ivene of the continental system to the trade of Bordeaux made the inhabitants disaffected to the government of Niq)ole on, so that they were the first to declare for the house of Bourbon, March 12, 1814. The Roman poet A us on i us was a native of Bordeaux. Montaigne and Montesquieu were bom in the neighbouring country, and the latter lies buried there in the church of St. Bernard. For the wines of Bordeaux, see Bordel a is Wines. BORDEL A IS WINES. The finer red wines of the Bordel a is (country round Bordeaux} are the best which France produces. They contain but little alcohol, keep well, and even improve by removal. As the origmal fermentation is complete, they are, if judidously managed, le subject to disorder and addity than the Burgundy wines. None of the very best quality, however, is exported pure; a bottle of the b^ Ch -Margaux, or Haut-Brion, is a rarity hardly to be procured in Bordeaux itself, at the rate of six or seven francs a bottle. For export, the secondary growths of M^doc are mingled with the rough Palus. The red wines of the Bordel a is are known in England and North America under the name of dartt. They have le aroma and spirit^ but more asttingency than the Burgundy wines. i The Bordel a is are the safest wines for daily use, they are among the most perfect of the light wines, and do not easily exdte intoxication. They have been accused of producing the gout, but without reason. Persons who drenoh themselves with madeira^ port, ., and indulge in an occasional debauch of claret, may, indeed, be visited in that way; because a transition from the strong, brandied wines to the lighter is always followed by a derangement of the digestive organs. The principal vineyards are those of M^oc, Graves, Palus, and Vignes Blanches; after these, those Entre-deuz-Mers, St. Emilion, and the Boui^geais are the most important. The first growth of Midoc, Graves, Palus, and Vignes Blanches; after these, those of Entoe-deux-Mers, St. Emilion, and the Bourgeais, are most important. The first growth of M^doc are the famous wines of Ghftteau-Mai^ux, Lafitte, and Latour. The Lafitte is characterized by its silky soft' ne on the palate, and a perfume partaking of violet and raspberry. The Latour is fuller, has more aroma, but le softne . The Chftteau-Marganx is lighter than the Latour, and delicate like the Lafitte, but has not so high a flavour. Of the second growth, we may mention the Rauran and the L^ville. The average produce of the first growth is 100 tonneaux (of 217 gallons each). The soil of M^oc is a sandy and calcareous loam. The gravelly lands {les Oraves) to the B. and w. of Bordeaux produce the Graves. The first growth of the red Graves is the Haut-Brion, which rivals the first growth of M^doc; it has more colour and body, but is inferior in aroma and taste. The principal white Graves are St. Bris and Carbonieux. The best M^oc ought to be kept three or four years before removal; the Graves five or six. The wines of Palus, which is a bed of rich alluvial deposits, are inferior to the preceding; they are stronger and more deeply coloured than those of M^oc. Being hard and rough, they are improved by a voyage, and are principally sent to the East Indies and America as rins de cargaUon, or are mixed with M^doc which is intended for exportation. By the voyage they 1:)eco me more light and delicate, but are not to be compared with the growths of M^doc and the Graves. The best are Queyries and Mont Ferrand. The former are deeply coloured, and have much body. Age «rives them an agreeable aroma, resembling that of raspberry. Among the white Bordel a is wines, besides those already mentioned, the finest growths are Sautemes» Preignac, Barsac, and Bommes. Martillac and St. M^dard are of a good quality, and have lightne and body. Dariste, formerly I)ulamon, is equal to St. Bris and Carbonieux. Among other red wines are the BouigeaiB, which are of a fine colour, and acquire by age lightne and an agreeable almond aroma: of all the Bordel a is wines they most resemble the Bur- ^^undy wines. The first growths are Debosquet, Chflteau-Kou et, Tajac, and Falfax. The Bourgeais wines were formerly preferred to Mddoc. The wines of St. Emilion have been much esteemed. The Pronsac and Canon are the best. Those of Entredcux-Mers become agreeable with age. The vina des CUcM are good vin$ ordindires; they are generally femut and hard, and improve by age. The best are those of Ba ens and Cenon. See Henderson's History of Ancient and Modem Wines. 299