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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/17760-8.txt b/17760-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1738e9c --- /dev/null +++ b/17760-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,10674 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of How to Enjoy Paris in 1842, by F. Hervé + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: How to Enjoy Paris in 1842 + Intended to Serve as a Companion and Monitor, Containing + Historical, Political, Commercial, Artistical, Theatrical + And Statistical Information + +Author: F. Hervé + +Release Date: February 12, 2006 [EBook #17760] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOW TO ENJOY PARIS IN 1842 *** + + + + +Produced by R. Cedron, Janet Blenkinship and the Online +Distributed Proofreaders Europe at http://dp.rastko.net + + + + + ++--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ + Transcriber's Note: There are inconsistencies in spelling and hyphenation + which have been left as they were originally printed. ++--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ + + + + + HOW TO ENJOY PARIS IN 1842, + + + INTENDED TO SERVE AS A COMPANION AND MONITOR + + + Indicating all that is useful and interesting IN THE FRENCH METROPOLIS, + + Containing HISTORICAL, POLITICAL, COMMERCIAL, ARTISTICAL, THEATRICAL AND + STATISTICAL INFORMATION. + + AS ALSO A DESCRIPTION Of the manners and customs of the Parisians of the + present day; WITH INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE STRANGER. In Respect to Economy, + and Advice to his general proceedings with the French. + + + _By F. Hervé_ + + Author of _A Residence in Turkey and Greece_, etc, etc. + + + + + ILLUSTRATED BY LITHOGRAPHIC ENGRAVINGS. + + PARIS, PUBLISHED BY AMYOT, 6, RUE DE LA PAIX; AND BY G. BRIGGS, 421, + STRAND, LONDON, SUCCESSOR TO LEIGH & CO. + 1842. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +In offering the following pages to the public, the author has been +principally influenced by a desire of uniting _useful_ information with +that which he hopes may prove amusing to the reader, endeavouring as +much as possible to keep in view the spirit of the title "_How to enjoy +Paris;_" and having been accustomed to hear such constant and bitter +murmurings from the English, in consequence of their having been so +frequently imposed upon by the Paris shopkeepers, considerable pains and +attention have been devoted to guard the reader against his being +subjected to a similar evil; much development has therefore been +afforded towards recommending those establishments where the author +feels confident that the stranger will meet with fair dealing and due +civility. It may, perhaps, be thought by many that he has been rather +too prolix on the subject, but in order to know "_How to enjoy Paris_" +to its full extent, the first object, is to be informed of the best +means of dispensing one's modicum of lucre to the greatest advantage, +which will enable the visitor to stay the longer and see the more, just +in proportion as he avoids useless expenditure in suffering himself to +be victimised by over charges. + +As the present work includes the different subjects of History, +Antiquities, Politics, Manners, Customs, Army, Navy, Literature, +Painting, Music, Theatres, Performers, etc., etc., the author flatters +himself that readers of every taste will find a chapter which treats +upon some subject that may interest them, hoping that in the endeavour +to play the rôle of the Miller and his Ass, his efforts to please may be +more happy than those of that unfortunate individual. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + Hints to the English visiting Paris as to their demeanour towards + the Parisians, and advice as to the best mode of proceeding in + various transactions with them. An appeal to candour and justice + against national prejudice. + + +Happiness is the goal for which mankind is ever seeking, but of the many +roads which the imagination traces as the surest and nearest to that +_desideratum_, few, perhaps none, ever chance upon the right; too many +pursue a shadow instead of a substance, influenced by a phantom of their +own creation, engendered in most instances by pride, vanity, or +ambition. Although I do not presume to hope that I can pilot my readers +to the wished-for haven, yet I flatter myself I can afford them such +counsel as will greatly contribute towards their happiness during their +sojourn at Paris or in other parts of France. + +Patriotism is certainly a most exalted virtue, but however praiseworthy +it may be in Englishmen to cherish within their own breasts the +recollection that their fleets and armies have ever prevailed, that +their wealth and commerce surpass those of every other nation, etc. etc. +it is not absolutely necessary that they should in their outward +demeanour towards foreigners, bear the semblance of constantly +arrogating to themselves a superiority, of which however conscious and +assured they may be, they never can teach others to feel, and least of +any a Frenchman, who possesses an equal degree of national predilection +as the Englishman, and the moment that sentiment is attacked, or that +our Gallic neighbours conceive that an attempt is made to insinuate that +they are regarded in the light of inferiority, as compared with any +other nation, hatred to the individual who seeks to humiliate them or +their country is instantly engendered, and in all their transactions and +communications with their _soi-disant_ superior, they will either take +some advantage, behave with sullenness, or avail themselves of some +opportunity of displaying the ascerbid feeling which has been created: +not that I would wish an Englishman to subdue that just and natural +pride which he must ever feel when he reflects on the pinnacle of +greatness which his country has attained, through the genius, industry, +and valour of her sons; yet it is a _suaviter in modo_ which I wish him +to preserve in his outward bearing towards the French, without ever +compromising the _fortiter in re_. + +I shall now endeavour to illustrate the above theory by citing some +instances wherein its axioms were brought into practice under my own +observation, and which I trust will convince my readers that it is not +from visionary ideas I have formed my conclusions, and that the conduct +I recommend to the traveller in France must in a great degree tend to +the promotion of his happiness, whilst traversing or residing in foreign +climes; as although in other countries the same degree of sensitiveness +will not be found as that which exists amongst the French, a mild and +unassuming deportment is always appreciated on the Continent, where +tradespeople and even servants are not accustomed to be treated in that +haughty dictatorial manner, too often adopted by my countrymen towards +those to whom they are in the habit of giving their orders. + +It is now about twelve years since, whilst I was staying at the Hôtel de +Bourbon, at Calais, that I was much struck by the very opposite traits +of countenance and difference of demeanour of two gentlemen at the table +d'hôte, who appeared nevertheless to be most intimate friends; it was +evident they were both English and proved to be brothers. Ever +accustomed to study the physiognomies of those around me, I contemplated +theirs with peculiar attention, having discovered by their conversation +that they were to be my companions on my journey to Paris; and it +required no great powers of penetration to perceive that the elder was +decided upon viewing all with a jaundiced eye, whilst the younger was +disposed to be pleased and in good humour, with all around him. The +conducteur announcing that the Diligence was ready and that we must +speedily take our seats, abruptly interrupted all my physiognomical +meditations, and we quickly repaired to the heavy lumbering vehicle in +which we were destined to be dragged to the gay metropolis. Our names +being called over in rotation, I found that the brothers had engaged +places in the coupé as well as myself, but having priority of claim, had +wisely chosen the two corners, the vacant seat in the middle falling to +my lot; and I believe, as it proved, it was not a bad arrangement, as I +acted as a sort of sand-bag between two jars, which prevented their +_jarring_; in fact I formed a sort of _juste milieu_ between two +extremes, and no sooner were we installed in our respective places, than +my mediating powers were called into operation, as the following +dialogue will exemplify. + +"They gave us a very nice dinner, sir," said the good humoured brother +who sat on my left. + +I replied that I was very well satisfied with it. + +"But you don't know what their messes are made of. For my part I like to +know what, I eat," observed the discontented brother on my right, "and +you don't mean surely, sir, to say that such as they gave us was +anything to compare to a good English dinner." + +That, I remarked, was entirely an affair of taste; that I myself was +most partial to the simpler mode of living of the English, but not so +the high aristocracy of our country, with whom French cooks are in the +greatest estimation. + +"I was very much pleased with the _vin ordinaire_, as they call it, and +found it a pleasant light wine, particularly agreeable when one is +thirsty," said Good Humour. + +"_Light_ enough at any rate," returned Discontent, "and well named _vin +ordinaire_, for ordinary it is in every sense of the word, pretty much +like themselves for that; but if you like to have any when we are in +England, I'll make you some; take a little port wine, put some vinegar +and a good deal of water with it and there you have it at once; is not +that your opinion, sir?" + +I replied, that I considered it a beverage well adapted for a sort of +draught wine, but that it certainly had not the body that foreign wines +have that we are in the habit of drinking in England. + +Good Humour not appearing to relish his brother's receipt for making +_vin ordinaire_, changed the subject, by observing that a woman who was +standing at the door of an _auberge_ where we were stopping had a very +fine expression of countenance, although rather thin and pale, but that +there was a pensive cast which prevailed throughout her features and +rendered the _tout ensemble_ interesting. + +"Oh very _fine_, indeed," said Discontent, with a sarcastic smile, "as +complete a picture of skin and grief as one could wish to see. Pray, +sir, is she one of your beauties?" + +I admitted that her appearance was rather pleasing, but that beauty was +out of the question, nor did I understand his brother to have made any +remark conveying the idea that she possessed that charm so truly rare. + +"What a delightful house and garden," exclaimed. Good Humour, as we +passed by a residence, that had rather an inviting appearance; "now, is +it not an agreeable spot to live in," he continued, as he turned to me +with a look, so assured of confirmation on my part, that I could not +find it in my heart to disappoint him. But as I was about to answer, +Discontent grumbled out a few words, which I think were to the effect, +that where the country was so hideously frightful, that any thing that +was decent attracted notice, but that the same object in England would +not have been regarded; asking me if I had ever travelled through a more +ugly country in my life. + +However I felt inclined to check his tendency to condemn all he beheld, +yet I could not in truth otherwise than acknowledge that it was as +uninteresting as it was possible to be, of which every one must be aware +who has travelled from Calais to Boulogne. + +Good Humour, however, was still undaunted, and a rather jolly, and very +rosy, looking young female passing at the moment, elicited from him the +exclamation of "Oh, what a pretty girl, and good natured!" + +"The very type of fat contented ignorance," interrupted Discontent, +without allowing his brother to finish his sentence. + +Soon after we entered Boulogne, where the white houses, lively green +shutters, and cleanly appearance of the Grande Rue attracted the +admiration of Good Humour, who observed with his usual energetic +manner, "What a cheerful pleasant looking town, and how very pretty the +houses are!" + +"For outside show, well enough, which may be said of most things in +France," murmured Discontent; "but see the inside of those houses, and +you will find there is not a single window or door that shuts or fits as +it ought; and if they are inhabited by French people, you will find +cobwebs and dirt in almost every corner. Am I not right, sir," said he, +turning to me with a triumphant air. But before I could answer, Good +Humour took up the cause, observing, "Really, brother, you cannot speak +from what you have seen, as the Hôtel Bourbon is the only house we have +yet entered, and it was impossible to exceed the cleanliness observed +within it; therefore your remarks can only proceed from reports you have +had from others, whose vision, perhaps, was as clouded as your own +appears to be, by a pre-determination to view everything in France in +the most unfavourable light." Perceiving that Discontent, by the angry +look which he assumed, was about to reply in a bitter tone to his +brother, I thought the best means of averting the storm would be to +interpose a sort of middle course between them, and remarked that the +gentleman's observation, as to the windows and doors not fitting well, +was very correct, but with regard to the dirtiness of the French it had +been greatly exaggerated. + +Discontent declared that he had received his account of France from +persons who had lived long in the country, and on whose judgment he +could rely; "whereas," added he, "you perhaps have seen but little +either of the nation or of the people." + +I replied that I had known France nearly fourteen years. + +"Then," said he, "if you have known France so long as that, I suppose +you have become Frenchified yourself." + +I was about to make a sharp reply, but was prevented by the younger +brother remarking, "After you have said so much against the French, your +observation to the gentleman was anything but complimentary, and +savoured much of rudeness." + +"I merely said I was sure that his brother did not _mean_ to be rude, +and therefore I should not consider his observation in that light." + +"Rough and rude I always was, but I did not mean to give offence," added +Discontent in a somewhat softened tone. + +A fine looking old man, with a profusion of white hair, who was standing +at a cottage door, attracted the notice of Good Humour, who bid us +observe how benevolent was his expression, and what a fine venerable +head he presented. + +"As hoary headed an old sinner as ever existed, I'll be bound," said +Discontent, with a sarcastic smile, as he looked scornfully at his +brother. + +In this manner we continued to the end of our journey, Discontent +viewing all he encountered with an air of disgust and contempt, +appearing restless, miserable, unhappy and disagreeable, a burthen to +himself and an annoyance to others, whilst Good Humour saw every thing +en _couleur de rose_, was lively, amused, looking the picture of +kindness, and although pleased with a trifle, 'tis true, yet how much +wiser was his course, as it promoted his own happiness and was +calculated to cheer his fellow travellers. + +At length we arrived at Abbeville, and I soon perceived the effect that +the knitted brow and curling lip of Discontent had upon the girls that +waited at the table, who seemed but half disposed to attend, to his +demands; whereas the good natured confiding expression of his brother, +with his pleasing address, won all hearts, and he was served with +alacrity and scarcely needed to express his wants; it really is +astonishing how much influence suavity of manners has in France, in +procuring civility and attention, and how opposite is the case with a +repulsive mien. + +Before I quit the subject, I must relate one more instance, most +powerfully attesting the veracity of the assertion, which occurred to +myself; after having engaged apartments at the house belonging to a +female, named Fournier, at Boulogne, I was informed by several English +families who had preceded me in the same lodgings, that I had taken up +my abode with the most disagreeable people, who would impose upon us and +annoy us in every possible manner. One exception, however, to this +general report I met with in the account that was given me of our +hostess and family by a Colonel Barry, who with his lady and children +had resided some time with Madame Fournier, and they assured me that we +should find we had chanced upon most worthy people, who would do all in +their power to make us comfortable; but it so happened that the Colonel +and his family were persons of most conciliating manners, devoid of +hauteur in their demeanour, possessing in fact the very qualities +calculated to propitiate a good feeling on the part of the French. After +we had been in the house some time, we observed to those persons who +assured us we should be so ill treated, that we found the case quite the +reverse; and, the answer was, wait until the time comes when, you are +about to depart, and then when you are called upon to produce the +plates, crockery, glasses, knives, forks, etc., you will see who you +have to deal with; if there be any thing in the slightest degree +chipped, they will make you pay extravagantly for damages. But when at +last the awful day of departure arrived, I had every thing collected of +the description alluded to, and Madame Fournier would not even look at +them, and observed if there were any thing injured she was sure it was +to so trifling an amount that it was not worth noticing. But it was not +so with an English lady who was our fellow lodger; towards her they +certainly were neither obliging in their manner nor disposed to render +her any kind of accommodation beyond the strict letter of their +agreement; and the reason was, because she always addressed them as if +she was speaking to her servants; in short, with an arrogance of manner +that they could not brook. Thus whilst they were continually practising +little civilities and attentions towards us, which greatly contributed to +our _comfort_, they were following a totally opposite system towards +her, which rendered her very _uncomfortable_; therefore, had that lady +properly studied her happiness, she would have conducted herself towards +her hostess and family in a very different manner, and I hope my readers +who visit France will take advantage of the hint; yet I must admit that +the lady in question was a very amiable personage in every other +respect, but she detested the French, and liked, as she observed, to +pull down their pride, to make them feel their inferiority, and let them +know that the English were their masters. Madame Fournier, however, was +of a class superior to the generality of persons who let lodgings in +England; she was possessed of an independent property, her eldest +daughter was married to a Colonel, and her son a lieutenant in the navy, +but like many of the French, having a house considerably larger than she +could occupy, she let a part of it. I should always however recommend +the English when they are taking a house or apartment for any length of +time, or in fact entering into any engagement of importance with the +French, to have an agreement in writing, in case of misunderstanding, +which may arise from the English not comprehending, or not expressing +themselves in French so well as they imagine. It is always a document to +refer to which settles all differences, and is a check upon all bad +memories, either on the one side or the other; and as there are bad +people in France as well as other countries, it prevents strangers +becoming victims to those who are disposed to take advantage, when they +are aware that there is no legal instrument to hold them to their +contract. I have lodged in eighteen different houses in France, and +never had any other than a verbal agreement, and certainly had not in +any one instance cause to regret; but was fortunate enough, with one +exception, always to have met with good people; but as I wish my readers +during their sojourn in France to be secured from any unpleasant +discussions or altercations, I recommend them to be on the safe side. + +I must now appeal to my two most powerful allies, candour and justice, +against that invincible demon national prejudice. I am perfectly aware +that it is a hopeless attempt even to imagine that there is the +slightest chance of ameliorating its force. I consider it more +immoveable than a rock, because by dint of time you may cut that away, +or you may blast it with gunpowder; but I know of no means which can +soften the adamantine strength of national prejudice. One might +naturally suppose that a long communication between the two countries, a +mutual interchange of kindnesses, the number of intermarriages by which +the two nations have become so connected with each other, would have +contributed in some degree to diminish the asperity of that bitter +feeling against the French which we acquire in our school-boy days, but +which reason and commerce with the world, it might be expected, would +correct. As there is no argument so powerful as exemplification, I will +here cite two instances amongst the hundreds that have come within my +knowledge, of the extreme incorrigibility of the baneful sentiment to +which I allude. I once travelled with a Mr. Lewis from Paris to Dieppe, +and found him a man of considerable information, very gentlemanly in his +address and manners, and possessing such colloquial powers as +contributed to render the journey particularly agreeable; he was an +enthusiastic admirer of the arts, and was very fond of drawing, and +certainly excelled in that accomplishment, from the very beautiful +sketches he showed me which he had made in different parts of France, +and in fact was an amateur artist of considerable merit. He gave me a +very interesting account of his tour through France and of the kindness +he had met with from the inhabitants; that in many instances when he had +been sketching the chateaux of the nobility and gentry, how often it had +occurred that the proprietors had come out and invited him to breakfast +or dinner, according to the hour, or at any rate to take some +refreshment; and several sent for his portemanteau from the inn where he +had put up (sometimes without his knowledge), compelling him to pass the +night at their chateau. On my making some remark as to the urbanity of +the French, "Oh! don't think," he exclaimed, "that I am praising them as +a nation, for I hate them; I only speak of facts as they happened." I +then asked him how he was treated at the inns in the different +provinces, and whether he was much imposed upon. "I cannot say I was," +he replied, "or in any instance that I had reason to complain of my +treatment." + +From this gentleman's account of the reception he had met with in +France, would not any rational being have imagined that he would speak +well of the French? instead of which, I soon had the most powerful +proofs to the contrary. When we arrived at Dieppe we found a party +assembled at the _table d'hôte_, at the _hôtel_ at which we alighted, +consisting of a few French but, more of English; the former left the +room as soon as the cloth was withdrawn, and the latter remaining, the +conversation became general and very patriotic; and as the merits of +England and the English rose in the discussion, so did the demerits of +France and the French sink, and at last bumpers were drank to old +England for ever, in which we all joyously joined. This was all very +natural and proper, but this ebullition of national and praiseworthy +feeling had hardly subsided, when Mr. Lewis, the very man who had +admitted that he had been received with kindness and hospitality +wherever he had been in France, arose, and said, "Now, gentlemen, I have +another toast to propose to you, which I hope will be drank with the +same enthusiasm as the last; so "Here's a curse for France and the +French." All immediately drank it but myself and an elderly gentleman, +who declared he would not invoke a curse upon any land or any people. A +silent pause intervened; every one appeared to look at the other, as to +how they ought to act on their toast being refused, none caring to +assume the initiative. At last, one rising from his chair, who perhaps +began to view the affair temperately, observed, "Well, I think we had +better see about the packet-boat for Brighton before it is too late," +and they all quitted the room, except the elderly gentlemen and myself, +and he did certainly animadvert most severely against what he termed +their unchristianlike toast. Although it was impossible for me, feeling +as I did, otherwise than to agree with him on the principal points of +his argument, yet I observed that we might hope that it was merely in +words that the gentlemen would evince the violence of their prejudices, +as I felt convinced, from the general amiability of character so +apparent in the person who proposed the toast, that if he saw a +Frenchman in danger of his life, and that an exertion could save him, +that Mr. Lewis would use every effort to preserve a human being from +destruction, whatever might be his country. + +The other circumstance to which I am about to advert was less his +surprising, though equally powerful, in illustrating the strong tendency +towards prejudice against the French on the part of the English people, +the hero of my tale being a regular country squire, extremely kind +hearted, but whose fund of information did not extend much beyond his +estate, his horses and his hounds; not any consideration would have +induced him to quit England, but that of saving the life of an +individual, for whom, however worthless and ungrateful, he still +retained a sentiment of pity; a young man, whom he had brought up and +educated, in return for his kindness forged his name, and the evidence +of the squire was all that was requisite to hang him, therefore, as an +effectual means of avoiding to be forced to appear against him, he +quitted England; and, as France was the nearest, he there took up his +abode. A friend of mine, a Capt. W., who had resided long in France, +received a letter of introduction to the squire; although living at a +considerable distance from his residence, he took an opportunity of +presenting it. Having heard that the captain had been in France many +years, the Squire was not disposed to receive him very cordially, +considering that so doing was disgraceful on the part of an Englishman +unless he was forced to do so by circumstances such as had compelled +himself to quit his native country. The consequence was, that he eyed +the Captain in a manner that was far from flattering to his feelings; +but when he had read the highly recommendatory panegyric contained +within the letter, the Squire softened, and soon greeted the stranger +with a true hearty English welcome, and their respective families +afterwards became most intimately acquainted: the Squire, delighted to +find a countryman to whom he could communicate his execrations against +France and the French, whilst the Captain did all in his power to defend +them from all unjust attacks, having himself had favourable experience +of their urbanity and kindness. Some time after the Squire's arrival +the Captain removed to Boulogne, and as some grand ceremony was to be +there celebrated with military and ecclesiastical pomp and parade, in +the presence of the royal family, he invited the Squire and his family +to pass a few days with him, that they might witness so grand a +spectacle; adding, that there would be twenty thousand troops assembled +for the purpose. The Squire immediately flew into a violent passion, and +vowed he would accept the invitation on no other terms than that he +could take with him thirty thousand Englishman to cut their rascally +French throats. At length he gave his consent that his daughter should +pass a few days with the family of Capt. W., and at the same time +accompany them, to see the ceremony which was to take place. Partaking +of her father's feelings, all the way on the road she launched out +abusing every thing that was French and in fact all that she encountered +until the moment that she witnessed the imposing spectacle. She was then +standing within the church with the Captain amongst the crowd, but some +officers perceiving an English lady of genteel appearance, invited her +to join the circle composed of the Duchesses of Angoulême, of Berri, and +the ladies of the court, which she gladly accepted; and several fine +looking young men in their brilliant uniforms paying her the greatest +attentions, and taking the utmost pains that she should have the best +possible view of the sight, her heart was completely won, and when she +was re-conducted to Capt. W., her first exclamation was, "Well, as long +as I live, I never will speak against Frenchmen again; for I never was +treated with so much politeness and attention in my own country as I +have been here." But when she expressed the same feeling to her father, +his rage knew no bounds, and at the first moment he swore he would take +her off to England instanter, adding "I suppose I shall have my family +disgraced by your running off with some French mustachioed scoundrel or +another." The poor girl dared not say another word, and in a little time +the father recovered his equanimity. + +However furious the Squire was in expressions against the French, yet +his actions towards them were of a contrary bearing, having a well +stocked medicine chest, from which he liberally dispensed the contents +amongst the neighbouring poor, according to their different maladies, +until he received the cognomen of the English doctor who would never +take a fee. The people at last became so grateful for his kindness, that +when there was a report that war was likely to take place between the +two countries, as he displayed some uneasiness as to his being able to +return home, they assured him he should always be certain of cattle to +convey him to Calais, as, if he could not procure post horses, they +would find some in the neighbourhood for him, and if none could be +found, they would draw him themselves to the spot he desired. After +residing a few years in France, the Squire returned to his own country, +little enlightened by his trip, cursing the French before he came +amongst them, cursing them whilst he was living with them, and at the +same time whilst he was doing them every possible good, and cursing them +after his return to England; not that he could give any reason why, but +because it had become a habit with him since his childhood, and he had +been accustomed to hear his father and grandfather do so before him, and +I suppose he liked to keep up that which no doubt he thought a good old +custom. + +Having now, I trust, given sufficient examples of how the deep roots of +national prejudice defy every effort and circumstance to eradicate them, +I shall hope that my readers will endeavour to banish from their minds +any early impressions they may have received inimical to the French, and +resolve only to judge them as they find them, as reason must suggest +that all prepossessions cherished against any people must powerfully +militate against the traveller's happiness during his sojourn amongst +them. I fear that I may have been considered rather prolix upon the +subject, but besides the motive to which I have already alluded, I +always have cherished a most anxious desire to soften as much as +possible all national animosities. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + Different routes from London to Paris.--Aspect of the city as first + presented to the English traveller, according to the road by which + he may enter.--Its extent, population, etc. + + +The first measure to be adopted after any one has decided upon visiting +Paris, is to provide himself with a passport, which he will procure at +the French Ambassador's office in Poland street, for which there is no +charge, but it is requisite to state by which port you mean to proceed; +but in order to leave some latitude for caprice, you may mention two +places, as Calais or Boulogne, or Dieppe or Havre, etc. There are now +many different means of travelling to Paris; that which was once the +most frequently adopted was by coach to Dover, then embarking for +Calais, as those are the two ports which present the shortest distance +between the two countries, being only about twenty-one miles apart; many +however prefer embarking at Dover at once for Boulogne, thus avoiding +about twenty-five miles by land from Calais to Boulogne, which certainly +does not afford a single object of interest, and the distance by sea is +only increased eight miles. Another route is by railway to Brighton, +then crossing to Dieppe, and which is certainly the straightest line of +any of the routes from London to Paris; but on account of there being +more sea, the distance is not generally performed in so short a period +as the other routes, from the uncertainty of the Ocean. It is not +therefore so much frequented by travellers as those on which they can +reckon with more accuracy; the same may be said of the route by +Southampton, which is performed by railway to that town, and afterwards +by steam-packet to Havre, which includes above a hundred miles by sea, +consequently but little resorted to as compared with the former routes. +There was another means of reaching Paris, and that was from London to +St. Vallery by sea; which being near Abbeville and only 33 leagues from +Paris, there was the least of land travelling, consequently it was the +cheapest if all went smoothly, and this line was often adopted by strict +economists, who however have frequently found themselves much +disappointed, as sometimes it happened they could not make the port, and +have either been obliged to put back and lie off Ramsgate, or lay to, +for some hours, and perhaps after having landed, have been detained at +St. Vallery, from not having been able to find places in the diligences +for Paris. This means, however, of proceeding to Paris no longer exists, +as the steamers have been sold, but it is thought that they will be +replaced by others. The route which is by far the most frequented is +that of embarking from London direct for Boulogne, and is on the long +run the most economical, and maybe comfortably performed, living +included, for three pounds, at the present prices, which are 1_l._ in +the best Cabin from London to Boulogne, then about 1_l._ 4_s._, in the +inside from Boulogne to Paris; and the other expenses will amount to +about fifteen or sixteen shillings; with respect to the charges on the +other routes, they are so often varying that it might only deceive the +reader by stating them as they at present exist, when in a few weeks +they may be higher or lower as circumstances may arise. Some persons +choose, the route by Southampton and Havre as being the most +picturesque, as from the latter town to Rouen such exquisite scenery is +presented by the banks of the Seine, as you pass in the steamer between +them, that the passenger is at a loss on which side to bestow his +attention, whilst rapidly hurried through so delightful and fertile a +country; in fact, he is tempted for once to regret the velocity of steam +conveyance, in not permitting him to tarry awhile to contemplate the +beautiful scenes by which he is environed. Rouen, where the traveller +should at least remain some days, is an object of great attraction. As +my work is especially devoted to Paris, I cannot afford much space to +the description of towns on the road; but as the city of Rouen is the +largest, the most interesting, and the most connected with history and +English associations of any upon the routes to Paris, I cannot pass it +over without some comment. Its boulevards first strike the English, as +being not only most picturesque and beautiful, but as presenting a scene +to them wholly novel, the noble vistas formed by towering trees, +mingling their branches, shading beneath their foliage many a cheerful +group, the merchant's stone villas, seen amongst their bowers, the high +shelving grassy banks, and the lively bustle that is ever going forward, +has so animated an effect that the beholder cannot but catch the +infection and feel his spirits elevated by the enlivening spectacle. But +what a contrast on entering the city; the streets narrow, dark, and with +no foot pavement, have a mean and gloomy appearance, but many of them +being built mostly of wood, carved into fantastic forms, offer a rich +harvest to the artist, and those of our own country have amply profited +by the innumerable picturesque objects which Rouen presents. The +cathedral, built by William the Conqueror, is one of the most +interesting monuments of France; the Church of St.-Ouen is at least as +beautiful, and there are several others which well repay the visiter for +the time he may expend in visiting them. The statue of the Maid of +Orleans stands in the _Marché aux Veaux_, on the spot where she was +burnt as a sorceress under the sanction of the Duke of Bedford in 1431. +Above all, the traveller must not fail to visit Mount Catherine, which +rises just above the city, and commands a view equally beautiful and +extensive. The delightful environs of Rouen are displayed before him, +comprising almost every scenic beauty that a country can afford; even +the factories, which in most places rather deform the view than +otherwise, are here so constructed as to contribute to its ornament, +more resembling villas than buildings solely for utility. Hills, wood, +water, bridges, chateaux, cottages, corn fields and meadows are so +picturesquely intermingled, that every object which can give charm to a +landscape is here united. There are several hills round Rouen which +present prospects nearly equal to that which is witnessed from Mount +Catherine, and in fact it is difficult to imagine any situation which +affords so many pleasant walks and such enchanting scenery. Indeed, all +the way to Paris by this route (that is by what is called the lower +road) which for a considerable distance runs within sight of the Seine, +the country is most highly interesting, passing through Louvier, +Gaillon, Vernon, Mantes and St. Germains. + +Calais, as being the nearest point to the English coast, and at which we +so often obtain our first peep at France, merits some notice, and +although it offers but few attractions, and is surrounded by a flat +cheerless country, yet there are connected with it some associations +which are replete with interest; as who that has ever read Sterne's +Sentimental Journey can forget the simple but impressive description he +gives of the poor friar and other objects which he there met, and which +he has engraven on the minds of his readers, in his own peculiar style, +in characters never to be erased; for my part, as I first approached +Calais I thought but of Sterne and his plain, unvarnished tale, of the +trifles he encountered, around which he contrived to weave an interest +which is felt even by the inhabitants of Calais to this day; although +they knew his works but through the spoiling medium of translation, +still they never fail to exhibit to the Englishman the alcove in which +he is said to have written his adventures in Calais. As I entered the +town, instantly the works of Hogarth appeared before me, for who is +there that does not remember his excellent representation of the Gates +of Calais, with the meagre sentinel and still more skinny cook bending +under the weight of a dish crowned with an enormous sirloin of beef, no +doubt intended to regale some newly-arrived John Bull, whilst a fat monk +scans it with a longing eye. Next the bust of Eustache de St. Pierre +awakes the attention, and the surrender of Calais and his devoted +patriotism rises in one's memory. Another souvenir also must not be +forgotten, namely, the print of the foot of Louis the Eighteenth, which +is cut in the stone, and a piece of brass let in where he first stepped +on shore, and undoubtedly represents a very pretty little foot; but when +a Frenchman who was no amateur of the Bourbon dynasty was asked to +admire its symmetry, he observed it was very well, but that it would +look much better if it was turned t'other way, that is to say, going out +of the kingdom instead of coming into it. If the traveller have time, it +is worth while to mount a tower, at the top of which is a sort of +lantern capable of containing about a dozen persons, and commanding a +most extensive view over the sea, and on the opposite side the country +is visible for a considerable distance, bearing a most uninviting +appearance. There are a great number of hôtels at Calais, and I have +been at many of them, but have found that kept by M. Derhorter, called +the Hôtel Bourbon, the most comfortable and economical, and the civility +of the master cannot anywhere be surpassed. Dessin's, for the nobility +and those who have equipages, is still the favourite and has been for +time immemorial. + +Nothing worthy of note presents itself between Calais and Boulogne, +except the little village of Wimille, which made some impression upon my +mind, as being so much prettier and so much more village-like than any +other through which we had passed, and near here perished the +unfortunate æronauts Pilatre and Romain, falling from their balloon when +at a prodigious height from the ground and in sight of many spectators. +They were buried in the churchyard, in which a monument has been erected +commemorative of the event. About two miles from this hamlet Boulogne +appears in sight, cheering the spectator by its gay and animated aspect, +the numerous groups of genteel-looking persons constantly promenading +the streets, pier and port, give it a most lively appearance, which is +enhanced by the extreme cleanliness which is observed in all the +principal streets, and the cheerful air afforded by the white stone +houses with their green balconies and shutters. But the numerously +well-dressed portion of the population, which so greatly contribute +towards enlivening the scene, consists almost wholly of English, as the +few French families which still reside in Boulogne, above the rank of +the tradespeople, keep themselves very close and retired as in all other +provincial towns in France; and in Boulogne they are very suspicious of +the English, having had such numbers of bad characters who at first +preserved a very respectable appearance but ultimately proved to be +swindlers. The higher French families, therefore, decline any +association with the English, unless with persons who have come +highly-recommended, or have resided many years in the town with an +unimpeachable character. It so happened that circumstances brought me in +contact with two or three of these exclusive personages, and their +remarks about the English afforded me much amusement, and may be taken +as types of the general observations of the provincial French upon our +country-people. + +The worthy matrons of families have often said to me, "How is it, Sir, +that the wives and mothers of your country can manage their domestic +concerns, when they are seen almost continually walking about the +streets at hours when we find it indispensable to attend to our +household affairs." + +I replied, that after having given their orders they relied in a great +degree upon their servants executing them with punctuality. + +"Indeed!" was the exclamation; "how fortunate they must be to have such +immaculate servants that they can so entirely depend upon them: we +should be very happy if we could have such as did not require looking +after, but unfortunately French servants partake too much of human +nature for mistresses to be able to leave them wholly to themselves." + +I observed that perhaps English servants generally being more humble, +obedient, and subservient to their superiors, greater reliance might be +placed upon them, and undoubtedly more certainty as to their obeying the +instructions they received. + +"Then it is surprising," said the ladies, "that your country people do +not always bring servants with them, and very unlucky that in so many +instances when they have done so, that their domestics should so often +be brought before the Tribunals of Correction for different +irregularities." + +I replied, that many good and regular servants did not like to quit +their native land, and of those who were brought over, certainly in many +instances their employers had been disappointed; that in a foreign +country all was new to them, and they forgot their former regular +habits, and certainly in too many instances had misbehaved themselves. + +"Consequently," returned my interlocutors, "requiring a more vigilant +eye to superintend them. But there is another subject which affords us +much surprise, and that is the manner in which English parents permit +their daughters to go alone about the streets, or to walk with a +gentleman who is neither their father nor brother." + +I assigned as a reason for our allowing them so much liberty, that we +had such perfect confidence in them that we felt assured we could trust +to their own firmness and discretion to prevent any improper +consequences arising from the freedom they were permitted to enjoy. +"Unfortunately, that confidence is but too frequently abused," rejoined +one of the ladies, "if we are to judge from several lamentable +occurrences which have latterly taken place in this town amongst the +English young ladies." + +I felt the rebuke, as I knew to what circumstances they alluded, and +observed that the English society inhabiting Boulogne were by no means +what could, be termed the _élite_ of the nation, although there were +many families of the highest respectability. + +The ladies, perceiving by my manner that I was somewhat nettled, +endeavoured to soften what they had said, by observing that certainly it +would not be just to estimate the English people by the samples which +came to reside at Boulogne, as they had generally understood that they +were persons of indifferent reputation, who fled from their own country +because they could no longer live there in credit, but that amongst the +number there undoubtedly were some very quiet people. + +A stranger would not appreciate the degree of praise which is contained +in the word quiet when used by the French, who appear to consider it as +comprising all the cardinal virtues; when seeking a house or apartments, +if you say any thing favourable or unfavourable of them, they never fail +to remind you that they are so quiet. The same eulogy they will +pronounce on their daughters with peculiar pride and energy, when they +wish to extol them to the skies, and in good truth their _demoiselles_ +are quiet enough in all conscience, for it requires often a +considerable degree of ingenuity to extract from them more than +monosyllables. We have been accustomed to consider the French as a +restless, capricious, volatile people, and so I suppose they might have +been formerly, but now they are undoubtedly the reverse, being a quiet +routine plodding sort of people, particularly as regards the +provincials; and even amongst the Parisians there are thousands that +reside in one quarter of the city, which they seldom quit, never +approaching what they consider the gay portion of Paris, but live +amongst each other, visiting only within their own circle, consisting +almost entirely of their relations and family connexions. This feeling +is certainly exemplified still farther at Boulogne, as I knew an old +couple who lived in the upper town, which joins the lower town except by +the separation of the wall of the fortifications, and had not been in +the latter for five years, because they considered it was too bustling +and too much a place of pleasure for such quiet, homely, and orderly +folk as they professed to be and certainly were, in every sense of the +word. At Bordeaux I knew three old ladies who were born in that city, +and never had been in any other town during their whole lives, nor ever +desired to pass the walls of their native place. Many persons who have +been accustomed to spend their days in the provinces have a sort of +horror of Paris; I remember an old gentleman at Rouen, who with his +antiquated spouse lived a sort of Darby and Joan kind of life, their +only daughter being married and living elsewhere; and on my once asking +him if he had ever been to Paris, he replied that he was once so +situated as to be compelled to go upon urgent business that rendered his +presence indispensable, but that he saw very little of the place, +because he had always heard that it was a city replete with vice and +dissipation, and that during the few days his affairs compelled him to +stay he kept close to his apartment, only quitting it to proceed to the +house wherein he had to transact business, and then he went in a +_fiacre_, as, if he had walked perhaps he might have been jostled, run +over, robbed, or something unpleasant might have occurred. "Ah! that's +very true, you did quite right, and acted very prudently, my dear," +observed his wife, "and nobody knows the anxiety I felt till you came +back again." Although the rising generation of the French is not quite +so dormant in their ideas as that which is passing, yet there is not +even with them the same spirit of travel and enterprise which exist in +the English. That France has had, a reputation for restlessness, love of +change, and tumult, can only be explained by stating that until the +present time for the last two centuries, with the exception of Louis the +Eighteenth, she has been most unfortunate in her rulers, who have been +supporting a state of extravagant splendour which could alone be +sustained by being wrung from the middle and the lower classes; hence +the revolution in 1789, which might be considered as the ripened fruit +which the preceding reigns had been nurturing. Of the affair of the +three days in 1830, few I believe will deny the intensity of the +provocation, but then it will be said how do you account for their +having been so turbulent and discontented during the present reign? To +which I should answer in the same manner as an officer, who, defending +the character of his regiment, observed that it was composed of a +thousand men, of which nine hundred and fifty were peaceable and quiet +subjects, but the other fifty being very noisy they were constantly +heard of, and his corps had obtained the appellation of the noisy +regiment, as no one bestowed a thought upon the 'nine hundred and fifty +men who were orderly' because no one ever heard of them: thus it may be +said of France, the population may be estimated at about thirty-five +millions, of which perhaps one million may be discontented, and amongst +them are many persons connected with the press, who not only contrive by +that means to extend their war-whoop to every corner of France, but as +newspapers are conveyed to all the civilised parts of the world, and the +only medium by which a country is judged by those who have not an +opportunity of visiting it and making their own observations by a +residence amongst the people, it naturally is inferred in England and in +other nations that the French are a most dissatisfied and refractory +people. But a case in point may be cited, which proves that the +dissatisfaction is not general, nor has ever been during the present +reign. From the time that Louis-Philippe accepted the throne in 1830, +until June the 6th, 1832, a number of young men in the different +colleges at Paris occupied themselves constantly with the affairs of the +state, each forming a sort of political utopia, and however different +were their various theories, they all united in one object, and that was +to overthrow the existing government, and secretly took measures for +arming themselves, and mustering what strength they could collect in +point of numbers, which was but very insignificant compared to the +importance of the blow they intended to strike; but they counted on the +rising of the people, and the event proved they counted without their +host. June the 6th, 1832, being the day appointed for the funeral of +General Lamarque, they chose it for the development of their project, +and although the misguided youths fought with skill, constancy and +courage, even with a fanatic devotion to their cause, yet the populace +took no part with them, and the National Guard were the first to fire +upon them; and after two days hard fighting in the barricades they had +raised, scarcely any remained who were not either killed or wounded. +Since that, no attempt of the slightest importance has been made to +overthrow the government, and in fact I have ever found that ninety-nine +Parisians out of a hundred exclaim "_Tranquillité à tout prix_," that is +quiet at all prices, and all classes are interested in cherishing this +wish, the nobles and gentry that they may tranquilly enjoy what they +possess, the tradesman that he may obtain a sale for his goods, and the +workman that he may procure work. It is only a set of political +enthusiasts, to be found amongst the students, whose wild republican +schemes have dazzled others and induced the different outbreaks which +have occurred since the event of the three days, and having been treated +with lenity in the first instance, unprecedented in the annals of every +other government, they were emboldened to repeat their daring attempts. + +But let any one traverse the provinces of France, get acquainted with +the people, make inquiries around him and penetrate into their habits +and customs, and he will find that the predominant feeling is love of +the spot on which they are born; the farmer will keep on the farm his +ancestors tilled before him for ages, and if offered a better farm, if +it be far removed from his home and that of his fathers he will reject +it; with the same tenacity the labourer clings to his cottage and the +little bit of land he has always delved. But it is with the landed +proprietor that one finds the most powerful example of the durability of +their adhesion to the cradle of their birth. There are many persons +possessed of estates of no great extent, from eight to fifteen hundred a +year, which have regularly descended to them from their ancestors, to +whom they have been granted, at as remote a period as the time of +Charlemagne, and have descended to the present possessors from +generation to generation, whilst there does not appear to have been in +all that period any great elevation or depression in their +circumstances. The habit of living up to their incomes as in England is +very rare in France; if they have daughters, from the day they are born +the parents begin to save for their dowry; even the peasant will follow +that practice if he can only put by a sou a day. I have known many +landed proprietors of from fifteen hundred to two thousand a year that +did not support any thing like the style that a person with a similar +fortune would in England; if a Frenchman has more than two or three +children, he seldom spends half his income if it be possible to live +upon a quarter, his object is that he may leave all his children in an +equal pecuniary position without dividing his land; as although the law +of primogeniture does not exist, yet parents like that one son should +keep up the estate intact, and the one fixed upon for that purpose is +generally the eldest, the others receive their portions in money from +the father's savings, and are usually brought up to one of the liberal +professions, and in many instances are sufficiently fortunate as to +realize by promotion or their talents, emoluments equal with what +portion they inherit to place them in as favourable a position as the +brother on whom devolves the estate. In other instances the son who +holds the land is taxed to pay from it a certain amount to his brothers +and sisters, in order to render their situation in life somewhat upon a +par; but it so happens that very large families are not so frequent in +France as in England. A system of frugality is prevalent amongst all +classes of the French, and a habit of contenting themselves with but +little as regards their daily expenses; nor have they that ambition to +step out of their class so general throughout England. A farmer in +France works much the same as his men, dresses in a plain decent manner, +and considers himself very little superior to his men, whilst his wife +goes to market with her butter and eggs upon one of the farm horses; and +without any education herself she thinks she does wonders in having her +daughters taught to read, write and cypher, but invariably economises to +give them a marriage portion. This applies to most of the farmers +throughout France, and will be found descriptive of those inhabiting the +country from Calais to Paris; but in Normandy they are frequently what +is in French estimation considered very rich, and their habits and +expenses are in proportion; and about Melun and some few parts of France +where the farms are very large, the occupiers would even in England be +termed wealthy. The extreme of poverty or what may be designated misery +is but little known; the traveller is deceived by the number of beggars +which infest the high roads, and is induced to imagine that the lowest +orders must be in a most wretched state, but the fact is otherwise, and +begging is no other than a trade on the most frequented roads. Turn into +the by-lanes, penetrate the interior of the country and in the villages +distant from the highways and but few beggars are to be found, nor could +I ever hear of an instance of any one in the country parts of France +perishing from want; yet there are no forced poor rates, the landed +proprietors however regularly give so much a month voluntarily to those +who are past labour and have no relations to provide for them, and +houseless and pennyless wanderers are received and sheltered for a night +by the higher farmers and people of property, the mendicant having soup +and bread given him at night and the same when he starts in the morning. +Of these there are great numbers within the last few years, being +refugees from Spain, Italy and even Poland, driven to seek shelter where +they can find it by the political convulsions of their countries. In +this manner, the French have recently been severely taxed, but they +appear never to have the heart to deny shelter and food, although they +carry economy to such a height as would be styled by many of my affluent +countrymen absolute parsimony; which is perceptible in all their +transactions, and is in a great degree the cause of the miserable state +of their agriculture, which is also in some measure owing to the utter +ignorance of the farmers, who in all that tends towards improvement +display the stupidity of asses with the obstinacy of mules. There can be +no doubt that, generally speaking, the soil of France is capable of +producing half as much more than it at present yields; they still +persevere in the same system as existed in England in the year 1770, +when Arthur Young wrote his Agricultural Tour, describing the various +practices in the different counties throughout the kingdom. Two white +crops and a summer fallow is the usual course in France, sometimes +varied by a crop of clover, and very often they fallow for two years +together; they have no idea of leguminous crops as winter provision for +their cattle, and of the advantage to be derived from stall feeding they +are quite ignorant, except in a few provinces, as a part of Normandy and +Brittany. The same with regard to the drill system; they mostly plough +very shallow, and do not keep their land very clean, with a few +exceptions; the consequence is their crops are generally very light. +Thanks to the natural richness of their meadows in Normandy, they do +certainly produce some beasts of an immense weight for the exhibition +annually held on Shrove Tuesday. There are generally about a dozen +brought to Paris, and the finest is the one selected to be led about the +streets; the one chosen last year weighed 3,800 French pounds, and as +there are two ounces more than in the English pound the immense size of +the animal may be imagined. In the winter, they fatten their beasts with +hay, clover and corn, but oilcake is not known except in a few +instances, when beasts are fattened for prizes or exhibitions. Their +agricultural implements are in keeping with the rest of their system; I +have seen them ploughing even in the lightest land, with the great old +heavy turnwrest ploughs and four bulky horses, which might have been +effected just as well with a light Rotherham plough and one horse. +Recently, however, I have seen some slight ameliorations, and those +parts of France which are nearest England one might expect would improve +the soonest. The farming servants are generally a hard-working, quiet, +sober people, contented with very little, their living costing them a +mere trifle; in harvest-time an Englishman will pour beer down his +throat that will cost as much as would keep a whole French family; there +is a natural economy in their habits that tends to making their wages +more than equal to their demand. An Englishman must have the best +wheaten bread, and when he gets a pound of meat he is ready to eat it +all himself; the Frenchman is contented with a cheap brown bread, quite +as wholesome as the finest, and to his portion of meat he adds some +vegetables with which soup is made, and it gives comfort to the whole +family; and it is quite a mistake to imagine that beer and animal food +produce greater physical strength, as I have in several instances proved +that the French porter will carry much more than the English. I remember +when lodging in Salisbury Street, in the Strand, having packed up my +things for my departure for Paris, when a porter came to carry them to +the Golden Cross, he said it was impossible that any man could take them +at once, and the people of the house joined in saying that it was far +beyond one man's load, consisting of a moderate sized trunk, a large +portmanteau, and a well-stuffed carpet bag; when I declared that the +first porter I should meet with at Paris would take them all the same +distance without raising an objection, a sort of smile of incredulity +passed from one to the other, expressive of how absurd they thought such +an assertion. On arriving at Paris, however, the very first porter I +spoke to in the Diligence-yard took them all, without a question as to +their weight. In several cases, when persons have been quitting London +for Paris with me, I have proved to them how much heavier a burthen the +French porters will carry than the English. I believe the cause arises +in a great degree from the latter not being addicted to drinking ardent +spirits, which is ruinous to the strength and constitutions of such +numbers of the lower classes in London. But the Greek and Turkish +porters will carry twice as much as the French, and their beverage is +nothing but water and their food principally rice. In almost every +description of labour the Englishman has the advantage when what may be +styled knack or method be required; the consequence is, that they make +the most of what physical strength they possess; hence he will plough, +mow, or reap more in a day than a Frenchman. Not only is the machinery +which the Englishman employs much better, but he is what may be termed +more handy in making use of it; in every thing which relates to +husbandry or mechanism the Frenchman is generally awkward; a more +powerful instance cannot be cited than that of their always employing +two men to shoe a horse, one man being occupied to hold up the horse's +leg, whilst the farrier performs his part of the work; is it not +astonishing that after an uninterrupted communication with England for +twenty-seven years, that they should never have observed, that an +English farrier, by taking the animal's leg between his own, is able to +effect his purpose just as well as if two men were employed; but the +French must have remarked that custom in England; only, the besotted +prejudice that exists in that class against every species of innovation +causes them to persevere in their old habits. The agricultural +population in France are more wealthy and generally better clothed than +ours, particularly as regards the women; they pride themselves much upon +their stocks of linen and their bedding; instead of the men expending +their money in drink, what little they can save beyond their daily wants +they lay out in contributing to their solid comforts, and as spinning +and knitting are the constant occupation of the women in their leisure +hours, when their children marry they are enabled to furnish them with a +portion of the fruits of their industry; even the peasant girl has a +trousseau, as it is called, that is, some stock of linen at her +marriage, and a trifle of money wherewith to begin the world. Thus take +France throughout; it will be found, that, in consequence of temperance +and a persevering industry, the peasantry are generally passively happy; +there is a great difference in respect to their wages and comforts, +according to the province to which they belong; but although the +intention of this work is especially to treat upon Paris and its +population, yet as my readers must pass through a considerable portion +of France before they can arrive at Paris, I judged it right to give +them some information of the manners and habits of the population, with +which they must meet in the course of their journey; but without farther +delay will now at once conduct them to the Grand Capital, and as I +consider the first impressions are the most permanent, I will introduce +them by that entrance which presents so grand an appearance, as to +surpass that of any other country in Europe. In coming from England, +they may enter Paris at this point by the Rouen road. + +The first object that strikes the traveller, as he approaches Paris, is +the Triumphal Arch, erected with the view of commemorating the victories +of Napoleon, but as those victories were ultimately crowned by defeat, +it is more consistent to consider the Triumphal Arch as a triumph of art +than of arms; as certainly the magnificence and sublimity of the design +is only to be equalled by the exquisite beauty of the execution. Having +passed this noble monument and splendid specimen of architectural +talent, the Champs Elysées extend in all their beauty to the view of the +beholder, presenting a fine broad road with rows of lofty trees on +either side, whilst handsome buildings and superb fountains are +occasionally visible from behind the foliage; and one of the latter, +which rises exactly in the centre, has a most happy effect; from this +circle several roads diverge in different directions, displaying various +objects of interest, but none of so high an order as that of the +Hospital of Invalids, for aged and wounded soldiers, the whole expanse +of which is seen in the distance at the end of a long wide avenue of +trees. From the Triumphal Arch on either side extends a row of +ornamental lamps for nearly a mile, which when lighted have the most +brilliant effect; and when it is considered how very small the +distances are between each lamp, I believe the assertion to be correct, +that there is not another such display of gas anywhere to be found. +Arrived at the Place Louis Quinze, or Place de la Concorde, as it is now +called, such a coup d'oeil is presented as remains unrivalled in +Europe, or indeed, in any part of the world. On one side, at the end of +a handsome and regular street, called the Rue Royale, rises in majestic +height the Madeleine, with its noble columns crowned by its sculptured +entablature in mezzo relievo, and adorned by its numerous statues, yet +preserving a chaste simplicity throughout the whole. On the opposite +side facing it, in a direct line at the end of a bridge, is the Chamber +of Deputies, resembling a Roman temple; its style is severe and its +_tout ensemble_ has an air of heavy grandeur, which is consistent with +an edifice in which are to be discussed the affairs of so great a +nation. In the centre of the Place is an Egyptian column, which was with +much difficulty brought from Egypt, and raised with considerable +ingenuity where it now stands, without any accident; gorgeous fountains +of bronze and gold are constantly playing, whilst colossal statues, +being allegorical representations of the principal towns of France, are +placed at regular distances, and appear as it were in solemn +contemplation of the splendid scene by which they are surrounded. Two +noble buildings, the Garde Meuble and the Hôtel de la Marine, which may +be styled palaces, adorn each side of the Rue Royale, and form one side +of the magnificent square, whilst another is occupied by the Elysian +Fields, and that immediately opposite to the Tuileries gardens; but so +beautiful, so wonderful is the whole combined, that accustomed as I have +been to frequent it for upwards of twenty years, I cannot now traverse +it without remaining some time to admire the extraordinary combination +of so many beautiful objects centering in one vast area. Here no mean or +unseemly building meets the eye, but all is made tributary to one grand +effect; even the lamps with their supporters are of bronze and gold, +whilst in the distance the gilded dome of the Invalides peers above all, +and gives a brilliant termination to the sublimity of the scene. + +[Illustration: Champin del. Lith. Rigo Frères et Cie Triumphal Arch. +Published by F. Sinnett. 15, Grande rue Verle.] + +Thus much for the only entrance of Paris which has aught to boast, but +having, in fact, so many charms that it must be considered by the +visiter as compensating for the deficiencies of every other. In entering +from Boulogne or Calais, nothing can be conceived more discouraging than +the first appearance of Paris as you are borne through the Faubourg St. +Denis; the street, it is true, is wide and the houses large, but they +have a dirty gloomy forlorn aspect, which gives them an uninhabited +appearance, or as if the inmates did not belong to them; as no care +appears to have been taken to give them some degree of neatness and +comfort; in fact, to bestow upon them an air of home; the stranger +continues rattling over the stones between these great lumbering-looking +dwellings, until his eye is attracted by the Porte St. Denis, which is +a triumphal arch built by Louis the Fourteenth, and certainly presents a +most imposing mass of sculpture, which, although blackened by time, is +an object well worthy the attention of the observing traveller; and here +he crosses the Boulevards, by which he gets a little peep at the +inspiring gaiety of Paris, but is soon hurried into noisy streets until +his brain feels in a whirl; and on his arrival at the Diligence-yard, +when he hopes to obtain a little repose, he is annoyed by being asked +for the keys of his trunks, for the Custom House officers, to make +believe to look into them to ascertain that you have not smuggled any +liquors or other material within the walls of Paris. Those who are +fortunate enough to travel in their own carriages, are exempted from +such tiresome ceremony. Some of the other entries to Paris are somewhat +better, but none of them sufficiently so, to be worthy notice; perhaps +the best amongst the bad is by the Faubourg St. Antoine, the Barrières du +Trône, at the commencement and summit of the street, presenting a most +noble appearance; indeed, as far as the barriers are concerned, there +are many which are well worthy of notice, being mostly handsome stone +buildings with columns that give them an imposing effect, particularly +when we recollect the little turnpike gates at the principal entrances +of London, with the exception of the recent erections at Knightsbridge, +which sink into nothingness when compared to the Triumphal Arch at the +entrance already described; and, except foreigners, particularly the +English, enter by that quarter, the first aspect of Paris mostly +excites disappointment; the generality of the streets wanting that +straight line of regularity so prevalent throughout London, the French +capital has an incongruous patchy sort of effect, and its beauties and +objects of interest have to be sought, but to the eye of an artist it is +much more gratifying than that dull sameness which reigns throughout +London, which Canova very justly designated as consisting of walls with +square holes in them; for what otherwise can be said of our houses in +general, but that they are literally upright walls, with square holes +for doors and windows. Regent Street and a few others, which have been +recently erected, form an exception to the rule. But in almost every +street in Paris a draftsman finds subject for his pencil; their richly +carved gateways, their elaborately wrought iron balconies, their +ornamented windows, and even their protruding signs, all help to break +the formal straight line and afford ample food for sketching; and in +many of their old and least fashionable streets, an ancient church with +its gothic doorway, adorned by rich and crumbling sculpture, invites the +artist to pause and exercise his imitative art. Paris at first strikes a +stranger as still more bustling and noisy than London, as the streets +being narrower and hack vehicles more used in proportion, the +circulation gets sooner choked up, and the rattling over the stones of +the carriages is still more deafening, being within so confined a space; +hence also the confusion is greater; then there is always a sort of +bewilderment when one first arrives in a large city, that makes it +appear much more astounding than is found to be the case as soon as the +visiter becomes accustomed to its apparent labyrinth. + +According to comparative calculations, and taking the medium, Paris is +about twenty-two miles round, and the population, foreigners included, +one million; many estimate it at eleven hundred thousand, which I have +no doubt it may be, if several villages be included which absolutely +join Paris; such as Passy, Belleville, etc. The extreme height of the +houses would induce a belief, that a more, dense mass of people +inhabited the same space of ground than could be the case in London; but +to counterbalance that circumstance, it must be taken into consideration +that there are such an immense number of large gardens and court-yards +in Paris, which occupy a great extent of ground. I have often been +surprised to find, that in nasty dirty narrow streets, the back windows +of the houses looked over extensive gardens, with lofty trees; these are +oftener to be found in the old parts of Paris than in the modern +quarters. A much greater proportion of the population consists of +foreigners, than is the case in London, consequently it is more moving +and changeable. It is the great post town for almost all Europeans who +visit England, and hundreds of thousands come to Paris, who never think +of going to London, deterred by an exaggerated idea of the expense; +hence it will be found that very few persons from the Continent visit +London who have not already been to Paris, although, now that steam +conveyance affords such facilities of accommodation between London and +many of the large cities in Europe, the case is somewhat altered. But +Paris has been long regarded as the Museum of the Continent, and few men +possessing good fortunes from civilised countries, if gifted with +enquiring minds, consider their education complete if they have not +sojourned some time at Paris, which has for time immemorial had the +reputation of being the seat of the polite arts. Nearly a third of the +houses in Paris are designated hôtels, many of which do not provide +meals but merely furnished lodgings, and most of their inmates are +foreigners, others, persons from the provinces, consequently at least +one quarter of the population of Paris is constantly changing. But +perhaps no city is anywhere to be found where a stranger can sooner +accommodate himself in every respect, as the customs are such that a +person may live as he likes, go where he likes, and do as he likes, +provided he do no harm. In London, if a lady and gentleman from the +country arrive for the purpose of passing a day, and have no +acquaintances, there are no houses as in Paris where one can take a +wife, sister, or daughter to breakfast or dine, without being subject to +remark, unless indeed you can draw up to the door of a hôtel with an +equipage; then certainly every attention and accommodation is to be +found, but only such as will suit a very limited number of purses; +whereas, at Paris a family may find in most of the restaurateurs small +apartments where they can dine by themselves if they object to the +public room, but even in the latter they might take their meal very +undisturbed and without exciting the slightest observation, at various +prices that will either suit the economist or the wealthy individual. +This is amongst many of the conveniences of Paris; as also that of the +libraries being open to the public, any one having the privilege to call +for the book he wishes, where he may read as quietly as in his own +house. This is extremely useful to studious and literary men, as there +are so many works of reference too expensive to be within the compass of +a small private library, which may be found in the liberal +establishments in which Paris abounds. Museums, exhibitions, academies, +gardens, public buildings, etc., are, with a very few exceptions, +accessible to the foreigner merely on the exhibition of his passport. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +TO AN HISTORIAN. + + A very brief account of the foundation of Paris, its progress + during the most remarkable epochs, and under the reigns of some of + its most celebrated monarchs with its, gradual advance in + civilisation to the present period. Some allusions also to the + customs which existed in the earlier ages, and a statement of the + different dates as regards the erection and foundation of the + various monuments and institutions still extant. + +[Illustration: Paris in the 16th Century. View taken from the towers of +Notre Dame.] + + +France, under the ancient appellation of Gaul, is cited in history as +early as 622 years before the Christian era, when Belloveaus, a +celebrated leader from that country, defeated the Hetrurians and made +himself master of Piedmont and Lombardy, by crossing the Rhone and the +Alps with his army, which at that period had never before been +attempted. Increasing in power, we find, 180 years after, the Gauls, +headed by Brennus, sacking and burning Rome; and the same chief, after +having been defeated and cut off by Camillus, the Roman general, with +the loss of 40,000 men, again appears in the year 387 before Christ at +the head of 150,000 foot and 60,000 horse, invading Macedonia, and after +ravaging the country and being ultimately defeated in Greece, to have +put an end to his existence. Some idea may be formed of the ferocious +and obdurate spirit of the Gauls, from the circumstance of the women +fighting as bravely as the men against Marius, who successfully defended +Italy against them; and when these desperate amazons found that they +were overpowered, they slew themselves and their children rather than +surrender. This occurred 101 years anterior to the birth of our Saviour, +and from that period scarcely a century has passed in which history does +not record many instances of heroic devotion of Frenchwomen, often wrong +in its object, but ever displaying a determined courage, reckless of all +selfish consideration. The names of Joan of Arc, Jeanne Hachette, +Charlotte Corday, and the Chevalier d'Eon are known to all, and hundreds +of others must live in the memory of those who are familiar with the +history of France. After numerous encounters between the Romans and the +Gauls, the latter were at length wholly subdued about 50 years before +Christ, and although the records of this ancient people date nearly as +far back as the foundation of Rome, yet our first accounts of Paris are +derived from Cæsar and Strabo, who allude to it under the name of +Lutetia, the principal city of the Parisii; and from the most probable +statements which could be collected from aged persons at that period, it +is presumed that its foundation must have occurred not more than half a +century antecedent. It is supposed that the ground which Paris now +occupies formerly consisted of a number of small hills, which in the +process of time, building, paving, etc., have been somewhat reduced, by +the summits having been in a degree levelled; and the houses upon them +being generally not so high as those in the lower parts, the eminences +are not now so apparent. These hillocks were called by the French +_buttes_, and some of them are still very perceptible, such as in the +_rue des Saints-Pères_, by the _rue St-Guillaume_, the _rue Meslay_, the +_rue de l'Observance_, near the _École de Médecine_, and several other +places; indeed, on each side of the Seine Paris rises as you proceed to +the _Faubourgs_. Some of these little hills still bear the name of +_butte_, as _les Buttes St-Chaumont, la rue des Buttes_, etc., but the +most ancient part of Paris is that which is now termed La Cité and is +confined to an island formed by the Seine, and which is joined to the +opposite banks by the _Pont-Neuf_ (or New-Bridge), but certainly no +longer meriting that title, having been built in the reign of Henry the +Third about the year 1580. There are many histories of Paris which have +been handed down by oral record to some of the earliest authors amongst +the Gauls, but so ill authenticated that they do not merit repetition, +having being reputed as fabulous by most writers to whom credit can be +attached. There is, however, one account of the foundation of Paris +which may be cited more for its comic ingenuity than for its veracity, +beginning by tracing the Trojans to Samothès, the son of Japhet and +grandson of Noah; then following in the same line, they endeavour to +prove that at the destruction of Troy, Francus, the son of Hector, fled +to Gaul, of which he became king and no doubt bestowed upon it the name +of France, as the French have a most happy knack of cutting off the _us_ +at the end of names as, Titus Livius and Quintus Curtius they have +metamorphosed into Tite-Live and Quinte-Curce, and in fact with one or +two exceptions they have abbreviated the terminations of the ancient +Greek and Roman appellations entirely according to their own fashion. +This fortunate youth, Francus, at length fixed his abode in Champagne, +and built the town of Troyes, calling it after his native place, which +having accomplished, he repaired to the borders of the Seine and ever +partial to Trojan associations, built a city which he called Paris after +his uncle. + +However agreeable it may prove to the feelings of the Parisians to trace +their origin to the remotest antiquity, yet common sense suggests that +the account of the foundation of their city which is the most rational, +is that which is deduced from the Commentaries of Julius Cæsar, he +having been at some pains to ascertain from whence the Parisii sprung, +and was informed by persons who remembered the epoch, that they were a +people who had emigrated from their native country in consequence of the +persecutions and massacres of their enemies, and that they were supposed +to have belonged to some of the petty nations known under the common +appellation of the Belgæ, and arriving on the borders of the Seine +requested permission of the Senones, a powerful people of the Gauls, to +establish themselves on the frontiers of their territory, and place +themselves under their protection, agreeing at the same time to conform +to the laws of those whose hospitality they sought. That they were but a +very inconsiderable people on the arrival of Cæsar is proved by the +small contingent of warriors they were required to supply by the Gauls, +in their struggles against the Romans. The territory accorded to the +Parisii could not have exceeded more than ten or twelve leagues, +adjoining to the lands of a people termed Silvanectes on the one side, +and to those of the Carnutes on the other. It is conjectured that the +name of Parisii received its etymology from their being a people who +inhabited the borders, as Par and Bar are synonymous from the P and the +B having had the same signification, and which are often confused +together at the present time by the Germans; and Barisii or Barrisenses, +signifying a people inhabiting a space between other nations, hence it +is inferred that the Parisii received that appellation from their +occupying a spot on the frontiers of the Senones, separating them from +the Silvanectes and the Carnutes. Amongst the many suppositions which +have been formed as to the origin of the name of the Parisii, perhaps +the above is the most rational. Paris, or Lutetia, soon after the +conquest by Cæsar became a place of importance, as he selected that city +for a convocation of the different powers of Gaul when he required of +them supplies for his cavalry; and a short time after, when the Gallic +nation revolted from Cæsar's dominion, one of the most decided battles +which was fought was within sight of Paris, under Labienus, the Roman +general, whilst the chief of the Gauls, Camulogene, perished in the +combat with a considerable portion of his men, but the greater number +saved themselves by taking shelter in Paris, which was not attacked, +Labienus himself retreating to Agedineum. But although Cæsar fixed upon +Paris as the most convenient locality for the meeting of the Gallic +chiefs, yet it was little more than a fort like all the other towns in +Gaul, into which the natives retreated in the time of war with their +females, children, cattle and moveables; as they were accustomed in +time of peace to live in detached habitation in the midst of their +flocks, their pastures and their cornfields, only retreating within +their forts or cities for security when attacked. After the fall of +Camulogene, Gaul soon returned to the Roman yoke and Paris subsequently +became the residence of their prefects, governors and even emperors. In +1818, in digging deeply in the streets of Monceau and Martroi, near the +church of Saint Gervais, an ancient cemetery was discovered. In one of +the tombs was found a silver medal, in which a head was visible on one +side, and a head crowned on the other, having this inscription, +_Antonius Pius Aug._, who reigned from the years 138 to 161. It is +inferred from this circumstance, that the burying-place was of coeval +antiquity, but notwithstanding the many battles which occurred between +the Gauls and the Romans, Paris is not cited in history until the fourth +century, when Julian the Apostate appears to have there fixed his +residence, and in his Misopogon, which he wrote during his residence at +Antioch, often alludes to it under the name of his dear Lutetia, +although complaining that the cold was such during one winter as to +compel him to have a fire in his bed-room, expressing much +dissatisfaction at the odour emitted by the burning charcoal, to the +effects of which he was nearly falling a victim. His abode was what it +is now and has been for many ages, the Palace of Thermes, of which there +are still the remains, now converted into a museum for relics of the +Ancient Gauls; the entrance is in the Rue de la Harpe. Between the +numbers 61 and 65. Julian there resided with his wife Helen, sister of +the emperor Constantius, and in his address to the senate and people of +Athens speaks of the arrival of foreign auxiliary troops at Paris, and +of their tumultuously rising and surrounding his palace; and that it was +in a chamber adjoining that of his wife wherein he meditated on the +means of appeasing them. According to various historians, this +circumstance occurred in the year 360. Soon after this period, the same +palace was inhabited by the Emperors Valentinian and Valens. It is +supposed to have been built in the year 292, the evidence of which is +tolerably well authenticated. Whatever errors might fall to the share of +Julian, it is certain he rendered great service to Gaul, and +particularly to Paris: he cleared the adjacent country entirely of a set +of ferocious barbarians, who were eternally overrunning the different +states of Gaul. But the Parisians were not long doomed to enjoy the +quiet and prosperity which had been obtained for them by the equitable +laws instituted by Julian. In 406, hordes of enemies suddenly appeared +in all parts of Gaul, swarming in from different barbarous nations, in +such numbers that they swept all before them for ten successive years, +and about 465 the Franks succeeded in permanently establishing +themselves in Gaul, and of course Paris shared the fate of the +surrounding country; by them at length the Roman government was +overthrown, and that which was substituted was far less equitable or +calculated for the happiness of the people. + +The Franks were a powerful maritime people, coming from the north-west +of Germany, obtaining possession of the different towns which they met +with in their course, until they arrived at Tournai, which was +constituted their capital; and Childeric their king is reported to have +laid siege to Paris, which resisted for several years; but dying in the +year 481, he was succeeded by Clovis his son, who, at the head of a +numerous army defeated the Roman governor Seyagrius, gained possession +of his capital, and was styled the first King of Gaul. Many authors +assert that Pharamond was the first monarch who reigned over the Gallic +states, but Lidonius Appolinarus, who wrote only fifty years after the +death of Pharamond persists that he and his three successors, who were +all predecessors of Clovis, were only kings reigning over a portion of +Gaul, and resigned their sovereignties at the retirement of the Romans. +Clovis was celebrated as one of the greatest warriors of the period in +which he lived; in the year 500 he slew Alaric King of the Visigoths in +single combat in the plain of Vouillé, near Poitou, and afterwards +several other petty kings, thereby adding considerably to his dominions. +In 508 he fixed his residence in Paris, and died there in 511, and was +buried in a church called St. Peter and St. Paul, since styled St. +Genevieve. He was called the Most Christian King. The Pope having no +confidence in the professions of any other monarch at that time, Clovis +is synonymous with the name of Louis, as the latter was formerly written +Llouis, the double l signifying in the Celtic language cl, and +pronounced in that manner at present in Welsh, as Llandovery, Llandilo, +etc., have the sound of Clandovery, Clandilo, etc., whilst the v in +Clovis has in more modern times been transformed into a u, as in all old +writings the u and the v had the same signification; hence it will be +found that Clovis and Llouis are the same word. His government being +divided amongst his four sons, Childebert received the portion in which +Paris was situated, and was styled King of Paris, which was only +retained by a few of his successors, who assumed that of King of Gaul, +or of France. The power of the monarch at that period was much +restrained, by a class of men called Leudes, Anstrutions, or faithful, +being companions in arms of the king, and sharing with him whatever +lands or booty might be gained by conquest. As a proof of the tenacity +of these gentry as to an equitable division of the spoil, when Clovis +had taken Rheims, he demanded as an act of grace from his companions in +arms, that they would grant him a precious vase for which he had +conceived a peculiar predilection; his request was accorded by his +associates, except one, who gave the vase a violent blow with his +hatchet, saying, "No, thou shalt not have any thing beyond what thy lot +awards thee." Even under the dominion of the Romans there were dukes who +had a certain number of troops or armed men in the district where they +governed, and their power was arbitrary and they had counts under them +who also had a certain number of men subjected to their orders; +sometimes these nobles carried rapine, pillage and slaughter into each +other's territories, when the government had devolved upon the Franks; +and the king took no notice of their misdeeds, as long as they observed +a certain fealty towards him, and in some instances they put aside the +monarch if he acted in such a manner as to trench upon what they +considered their privileges. A third power soon began to assume a high +authority, which consisted of the bishops, who had greatly aided the +Francs in their invasion of Gaul by their influence and intrigues, and +obtained as reward considerable grants of lands and temporal power; and +in their dioceses they exercised a sovereign will, and on account of +their possessing some instruction they maintained a certain influence +over the ignorant nobility who had in some degree a sort of +superstitious awe of them, as they were regarded as the emissaries of +saints. Under the Romans the Gauls were considered a moral people, +having become Christians in consequence of the persevering endeavours of +the missionary prelates, whilst churches were founded and a purity of +faith disseminated; taught by the Romans, a love of the arts and +sciences was engendered amongst the Gauls, and much talent was elicited +from them, philosophy, physic, mathematics, jurisprudence, poetry, and +above all eloquence, had their respective professors of no mean +abilities from amongst the natives; one named Julius Florens is styled +by Quintilian the Prince of Eloquence. In fact a brilliant era appeared +as if beginning to dawn throughout the greater portion of Gaul, +academies were establishing, learning was revered, when suddenly every +spark of refinement and civilisation was banished, by the successful +aggression and permanent occupation of the country by hordes of +barbarians; the natives being obliged to have recourse to arms for their +defence against the common enemy, and the constant excitement of +continued hostility with their ferocious oppressors, afforded no time +for study nor cultivation of the arts. Clovis, however, during his reign +improved Paris, and was converted to christianity by St. Vedast. +Clotilda, his wife, and niece to Gondebaud, king of Burgundy, was +principally instrumental to the conversion of her husband. Indeed, +amidst their ferocity and barbarism some of the early Frank kings showed +much respect for religion and morality, as is proved by an ordonnance of +Childebert in the year 554; commanding his subjects to destroy wherever +they might be found all idols dedicated to the devil; also forbidding +all disorderly conduct committed in the nights of the eves of _fêtes_, +such as Christmas and Easter, when singing, drinking, and other excesses +were committed; women were also ordered to discontinue going about the +country dancing on a Sunday, as it was a practice offensive to God. It +appears certainly very singular that a comparatively barbarous king in +the sixth century should prohibit dancing of a Sunday as a desecration +of the Sabbath, and that in the nineteenth century there should be more +dancing on a Sunday than on any other day in the week, at a period which +is arrived at the highest state of civilisation, and under the reign of +a most enlightened monarch. But although Clovis and Childebert displayed +much enthusiasm in the cause of christianity, their career was marked +with every cruelty incidental to conquest, as wherever they bore their +victorious arms, murder, rapine, and robbery stained their diabolical +course; but they thought that they expiated their crimes by building +churches. Hence Clovis in 508 founded the first erected in Paris +dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, afterwards called St. Genevieve, +and on its site now stands the Pantheon. Childebert in 558 built the +church of St. Germain des Près, which is still standing and much +frequented; it was at first called St. Vincent and St. Croix, and he +endowed it so richly with the treasures he had stolen from other +countries, that it was called the golden palace of St. Germain. +Chilperic imitating his predecessors, hoping to absolve himself of his +enormous crimes, in the year 606 founded the very interesting and +curious church of St. Germain, opposite the Louvre, and still an object +of admiration to the lover of antiquity. His wife Fredegonde, imagining +no doubt by that act he had made his peace for the other world, thought +that the sooner he went there the better, before he committed any +farther sins, and had him assassinated that she might the more +conveniently pursue her own course of iniquity; perhaps never was the +page of history blackened by such a list of atrocities committed by +woman as those perpetrated by her and her rival Queen Brunehault, who +was ultimately tied to the tail of a wild horse and torn to pieces in +613. Paris, however, notwithstanding the wickedness, injustice, and +cruelty of its rulers, continued to increase, and would no doubt have +become a prosperous city, had it not been for the incursions of the +Normands, who in the ninth century entered Paris, burnt some of the +churches, and meeting with scarcely any resistance, made themselves +masters of all they could find, whilst the Emperor Charles the Bald, at +the head of an army, had the pusillanimity to treat with them, and +finally to give them seven thousand pounds of silver to quit Paris, +which was only an encouragement for them to return, which they did in a +few years after, carrying devastation wherever they appeared, the poor +citizens of Paris being obliged to save their lives by flight, leaving +all their property to the mercy of the brigands. At length, the +Parisians finding that there was no security either for themselves or +their possessions, prevailed on Charles the Bald to give the requisite +orders for fortifying the city, which was so far accomplished that it +resisted the attacks of the Normans for thirteen months, who as +constantly laid siege to the grand tower which was its principal +defence, without being able to take it; when at last Charles the Fat in +887 proved as weak as his predecessors, and although he was encamped +with his army at Montmartre, consented to give the barbarians fourteen +thousand marks of silver to get rid of them, and they quitted Paris to +go and pillage other parts of France, but as by the treaty they were not +allowed to pass the bridges, in order to ascend the Seine they were +obliged to carry their vessels over the land for about two thousand +yards and again launch them for the purpose of committing farther +depredations. From this period Paris was freed from the attacks of the +the Normans, yet commerce made but slow progress having constant +obstructions arising, to impede its prosperity. Paris having for a long +time ceased to be the royal residence, was no longer considered as the +capital, Charlemagne passed but a very short period of time there, +residing mostly at Aix-la-Chapelle and Ratisbon, and although he founded +many noble institutions in different parts of France, Paris derived but +little benefit from his talents, and his immediate successors displayed +such imbecility of purpose that they suffered their kingdom to become +the prey to marauders. Learning advanced but slowly, although there were +some schools at Paris which, elicited a few authors; amongst the rest +one named Abbon, who wrote a poem in latin upon the siege of Paris by +the Normans, which was not otherwise other-worthy of remark than for its +rarity at the epoch when it was written. Whilst the kings of France +continued to reside in other cities, Paris was confided to the +governments Counts, who held not a very high rank amongst the nobility +in the first instance, but gradually increased their power until Eudes, +Count of Paris, in 922 ultimately became King of France, which also was +the destiny of two other nobles who held the same title, Robert the +brother of Eudes, and Hugh Capet. + +The progress of Paris and indeed the whole of France was retarded +continually by famine, fourteen seasons of scarcity happening in the +course of twenty-three years; in fact, from 843 to 899 such was often +the state of desolation, that hunger impelled human beings to murder +each other to feed upon the flesh of their bodies, which in many +instances were sold, and bought with eagerness by those who were +famishing with want. Unwholesome food caused thousands to be afflicted +with a disease which was called the sacred fire, the ardent malady, and +the infernal evil, the sufferers feeling as if they were devoured by an +internal flame. To give some idea of the luxury of costume which existed +in those days at Paris, it is but requisite to quote an address of Abbon +the poet to the Parisians, written about the year 890, wherein hen +observes: "An _agraffe_ (a clasp) of gold fastens the upper part of +your dress; to keep off the cold you cover yourselves with the purple +of Tyre, you will have no other cloak than a chlamyde embroidered with +gold, your girdle must be ornamented with precious stones, and gold +must sparkle even upon your shoes, and on the cane which you carry. O +France! if you do not abandon such luxurious extravagance, you will +lose your courage and your country." Hugh Capet, who became king of +France in 987, fixed his residence at Paris, thus again constituting it +the capital of the kingdom, and his son and successor Robert, being a +strict devotee, built and repaired several churches which had been +greatly injured by the Normans, and Paris began in his reign to assume +an appearance of improvement, which continued until it received a check +from an ill-timed joke of Philippe the First, who made a satirical +remark upon William the Conqueror of England having become rather +unwieldy, which so provoked that choleric monarch that he laid waste a +great portion of Philippe's dominions; when his progress was checked by +his falling from his horse, which occasioned his death and thus +delivered Philippe from a most powerful enemy. In the following reign, +that of Lewis the Fat, learning began to make considerable progress, and +the colleges of Paris to acquire a high celebrity, and amongst the +professors whose reputation was of the highest, was Abelard, no one +before having succeeded in attracting so many pupils. In 1118 he +established a school in Paris, but from a variety of persecutions which +he endured, he was frequently obliged to retire to different parts of +France; his unfortunate attachment to Heloise is but too well known, and +she ultimately became the abbess of a convent which Abelard founded at +Nogent-sur-Seine, and which he called Paraclet. The number of pupils at +one time are stated to have been three thousand, and he instructed them +in the open air; it is also asserted that of his followers fifty became +either bishops or archbishops, twenty cardinals, and one pope, Celestin +II. In fact the fame of Abelard had arrived at such an altitude that he +was the means of giving a new era to Paris, which was designated the +city of letters; other professors became highly celebrated, and some +authors pretend that the immense concourse of students who ultimately +flocked to Paris, exceeded the number of the inhabitants, and there was +much difficulty in finding the means of lodging them; how great must +have been the anxiety for learning, as the masters were exceedingly +brutal and imparted their knowledge to the pupil by the force of blows, +which at length deterred many students from placing themselves under the +charge of such preceptors. This extraordinary desire for obtaining +education appears to have been almost a sudden impulse, as the immediate +descendants of Hugh Capet could not read or write, but were obliged to +make a mark as the signature to their edicts, whilst those who possessed +that accomplishment were styled clerks. Although much brilliance was +shed over the reign of Louis the Sixth by the learning of Abelard and +the professors who followed him, yet soon after the barbarous custom was +introduced of trial by combat; the idea might probably have been +suggested by Louis having challenged Henry the First of England to +decide their differences in a single encounter. Although Lewis the Fat +was so bulky as to have obtained the cognomen by which he was always +designated, he was one of the most active kings of France; constantly +harrassed by perpetual wars with his neighbours and nobles, which he +carried on personally and generally successfully, he first undertook the +fortifying of Paris and is supposed to have constructed the greater and +the lesser Châtelet, two towers on the opposite sides of the Seine, +although many authors pretend that they were of a much more ancient +date; he also built walls round a certain portion of the suburbs, which +by that time had become part of Paris. It was said of Lewis VI, "He +might have been a better king, a better man he could not." He died in +1137. + +In the succeeding reign of Louis VII, surnamed the Younger, many +privileges were granted to the Parisians which greatly increased the +prosperity of the city; several public buildings were erected, amongst +the rest an hospital which was the first ever built in Paris. But +according to the descriptions of all authors who wrote at that period +upon the subject, the streets were in a filthy condition in many parts +of the city, and the names which have long since been changed were as +dirty and indecent; some were absolutely ridiculous; as Did you find me +Hard, Bertrand Sleeps, Cut Bread, John Bread Calf (alluding to the leg); +the last still exists, as also Bad Advice, Bad Boys, etc. It was in this +reign that the first crusade from France took place, and Louis VII was +followed by 200,000 persons, and after various encounters with the +Saracens, he owed his preservation to his own personal prowess; he was +divorced from his Queen Eleanor, who afterwards married Henry II of +England, and proved herself a detestable character in both kingdoms. +Louis VII abolished one law which had long disgraced France, allowing +the officers of the King on his arrival in Paris or other towns in his +dominions, to enter any private house and take for the monarch's use +such bedding or other articles of furniture as his Majesty might +require. Louis also by force of arms compelled his nobles to desist from +robbing the merchants, dealers, and the poor of their property. At this +period the _Fête des Fous_, or feast of madmen was celebrated to its +full extent, and anything more absurd, more farcical, or more +irreverential cannot well be imagined. Dulaure, in his voluminous +History of Paris, gives a most detailed account of this extraordinary +mockery, of which I will give my readers a very brief abridgment. + +On the first of January the clergy went in procession to the bishop who +had been elected as the grand master of the fête, conducting him +solemnly to the church with all the ecclesiastical banners usually borne +on important occasions, amidst the ringing of bells; when arrived at the +choir, he was placed in the episcopal seat, and mass was performed with +the most extravagant gesticulations. The priests figuring away in the +most ridiculous dresses; some in the costume of buffoons, others in +female attire with their faces daubed with soot, or covered with hideous +masks, some dancing, others jumping, or playing different games, +drinking, and eating puddings, sausages, etc., offering them to the +high-priest whilst he was celebrating high mass; also burning old shoes +in the chalice, instead of incense, to produce a disagreeable scent; at +length, elevated by wine, their orgies began to have the appearance of +those of demons, roaring, howling, singing, and laughing until the walls +of the church echoed with their yells. This was often carried on until +they worked themselves up to a pitch of madness, and then they began +boxing each other until the floor of the church would be smeared with +blood; upon which most severe expiations were exacted from them; as, +however, much has been shed in the cause of the church, it was not to be +permitted that the holy sanctuary should ever be stained with aught so +impure. The ecclesiastics at last quitting the church, got into carts +filled with mud and filth, amusing themselves with flinging it upon the +crowds who followed them in such streets as were wide enough for a cart +to pass. It is conjectured that these festivities, with their +nonsensical ceremonies, were of pagan origin, and probably the +celebration of the Carnival is derived from the same source; many +attempts were made to abolish so disgraceful a custom as the continuance +of the Fêtes des Fous, with the absurdities incidental to its revelries, +but it was not until the Parisians became more enlightened that any +monarch could succeed in its entire suppression. + +In 1180 Philippe Auguste succeeded his father, and did more for Paris +than all the works of his predecessors united; he reconstructed Notre +Dame, and made it such as it now is with respect to the grand body of +the building; but the variety of little chapels contained within it, and +the elaborate workmanship, with the bas, mezzo and alto relievos with +which it abounds, occupied two centuries. On the exterior of the +building on the south side, about three feet and a half from the ground, +is an inscription in raised letters nearly two inches long, and the date +being perfectly distinct is 1257 written thus, MCCLVII. The two last +characters have dropped, but the impression of them is clearly visible; +the inscription itself is difficult to decypher, it is in Latin, and +some of the letters are missing, others so curiously formed as to render +them doubtful exactly as to their import. The greater part of the +characters are Roman, the others resemble more the Saxon, yet are not +quite so; at all events I recommend the inscription to the attention of +the curious. A vast space, which is now covered with streets, commencing +at the Rue des Saints Pères, and extending to the Invalids, consisted +entirely of meadows, and was called the Pré aux Clercs, or the Clerks' +Field, from the students and a number of young men who possessed some +education, usually enjoying their recreations in this spot, but +certainly not in the most innocent manner, in fact, the disorders +committed in this privileged piece of ground, which the students +considered as their own, were such as to be often named in history, and +to have formed the subject of a favourite Melo Drama; it retained its +character as being the scene of turbulence and disorder even to the +time of Louis XIV. + +Amongst other useful undertakings effected by Philippe Auguste was that +of establishing markets with covered stalls, and he it was that first +conceived the idea of paving Paris, which he partially effected, and +surrounded the town with a wall, part of which is still standing in the +Rue Clovis. Paris increased and flourished under his reign; he in fact +did all that was possible to augment its prosperity, and amongst other +measures he granted the utmost protection in his power to the students, +knowing that the more the population of the city increased, the more +flourishing was its condition; by such means he induced scholars to come +in numbers from the most distant parts to study in the colleges of +Paris, two of which he erected, as well as three hospitals; he also +instituted many good laws, which protected the tradespeople and +repressed the robberies and extortions of the nobles. But Paris was +still subject to calamities, a flood having occurred from the +overflowing of the Seine, which reached as high as the second floor +windows of some houses. A great part of Paris was occupied with +monasteries and convents, which with their gardens covered an immense +space; in the course of time, however, the monks found it advantageous +to dispose of their lands for the purpose of building dwelling-houses, +and in the Revolution numbers were suppressed; and in some quarters of +the city there are warehouses in the occupation of different tradesmen, +which formerly formed part of the old monasteries. Many of the streets +by their names still indicate the order of the convents by which they +were occupied, as the Rue Blanc Manteaux (White Cloaks), Rue des Saints +Pères (Holy Fathers), Filles de Dieu (Daughters of God), which now is +one of the narrowest and dirtiest streets in Paris, and inhabited by +daughters of a very different description. Such are the extraordinary +changes which time effects. Philippe Auguste dying in 1223, was +succeeded by his son Louis VIII, surnamed the Lion, whose short reign of +four years was occupied by war, leaving no leisure for effecting any +great improvement in Paris; but under his successor Lewis IX, styled +Saint-Louis, much was effected, although his efforts were principally +directed towards the erection of religious institutions, being much +under the dominion of the priests, and naturally possessing a fanatic +zeal. Churches at that period were too often but monuments of +superstition for the celebration of mummery, for sheltering criminals, +receptacles for pretended relics, and in fact instruments for +maintaining the power of priestcraft. This same Saint Louis, so lauded +by some authors, had some excellent notions of his own, and was very +fond of practising summary justice, recommending to his nobles that +whenever they met with any one who expressed any doubts regarding the +Christian religion, never to argue with the sceptist, but immediately +plunge their swords into his body. + +Rhetoric at this period was a study much followed and admired, but the +logic of Saint-Louis, I suspect, was the most forcible and best +calculated to remove all doubts, having a great objection to language +that was what some persons would style far too energetic; where an oath +was suffered to escape, he ordered the intemperate orator's tongue to be +pierced with a hot iron and his lips burnt; hence many of his subjects +were compelled to endure that operation; but this was considered in +those days all very saint-like. They had strange ideas in some +instances, in days of yore, according to our present notion of words and +things. Louis the First, surnamed the _Débonnaire_ (the gentle), had his +nephew Bernard's eyes bored out; this act was certainly very like a +_gentle_ man. Hugh the Great, so called on account of his splendid +virtues, in the year 1014 thought it proper that he should be present at +the burning of a few heretics, and his lady, with her ardent religious +zeal, stepped forward and poked out the eye of her confessor, who was +one of the victims, with her walking cane, before he was committed to +the flames. Louis however had some redeeming qualities; he founded the +Hospital of the Quinze-Vingts, which still exists; he also enlarged and +improved the Hôtel Dieu, the principal hospital in those days, in which +he even exceeded the munificence of his predecessor, Philippe Auguste, +who published an ordonnance commanding that all the straw which had been +used in his chamber should be given to the Hôtel Dieu, whenever he +quitted Paris and no longer wanted it; such overpowering kindness one +would imagine must have had the effect of curing some of the invalids +who were capable of appreciating the high honour conferred upon them, in +being suffered to lie upon straw which had been trodden by royal feet. +Saint Louis also founded the celebrated College of the Sorbonne, which +is still existing, and maintains a high character; he also built the +curious and interesting chapel adjoining the Palais de Justice, which is +well worth the amateur's attention; he founded the Hospital of Les +Filles de Dieu, for the purpose of reclaiming women of improper conduct. +The Mendicant Monks, the Augustines, and the Carmes were established in +France during his reign, and he founded the convents of the Beguines, +Mathurins, Jacobins, Carthusians, Cordeliers, and several others of +minor importance, in Paris, with the chapels attached to them; besides +different churches with which I shall not tire my reader with +recapitulating, as there are none of them now standing, except the +chapel belonging to the Palais de Justice; he also added several +fountains, contributing to the comforts of the Parisians, as well as +embellishing their city. The number of churches which have been +demolished in Paris within the last fifty years, exceeds the number of +those which are now standing, many of them during the Revolution, which +might have been expected; but an equal number under the Restoration in +the reigns of Louis the Eighteenth and Charles the Tenth, who being +rather devotees, one would have imagined might have been induced to +repair and preserve all religious monuments, also highly interesting as +specimens of the architecture of the different ages in which they were +founded. Louis Philippe has better kept up the spirit of the +_restoration_ in having rescued from demolition the ancient and +beautiful church of St Germain l'Auxerrois; which was to have been +pulled down to make way for a new street, according to the plan +projected by his predecessor; instead of which, it has been repaired +with the greatest judgment, carefully preserving the original style of +the building wherever ornaments or statues required to be renewed. Thus +this noble edifice has been preserved to the public, which would not +have been the case had the Revolution of the Three Days not occurred, as +its doom was sealed prior to that period. In fact, since the accession +to the throne of Louis Philippe, I do not believe that any church has +been pulled down, though several others have been built, and others +finished, which have greatly added to the embellishments of the city. +The memory of Louis IX has ever been cherished as that of a Saint, and +if a man be judged by the number of religious establishments he +instituted, certainly he deserved to be canonised; but however grand may +be the reputation of having founded and erected so many public +monuments, yet when it is considered that numbers of the inmates of the +different convents and monasteries erected by this Saint were obliged to +demand alms from house to house, and of persons passing along the +streets, it will be proved that the grand result of Saint Louis' +operations was to fill Paris with beggars; although it certainly must be +admitted that some of his other acts in a great degree compensated for +those into which he was led by superstition and religious fanaticism: he +was succeeded by his son Philippe the Bold in 1270, who suffered himself +to be governed by his favourite, La Brosse, formerly a barber, in which +it must be admitted that Philippe displayed rather a _barbarous_ taste, +which ended in his pet being hanged; his reign, however, was signalised +by the establishment of a College of Surgeons, who were designated by +the appellation of Surgeons of the Long Robe, whilst the barbers were +styled Surgeons of the Short Robe; he also recalled the Jews, whom his +father, after having persecuted in divers manners, banished and +confiscated their property; amongst other indignities which were put +upon them by Saint Louis, was that of forcing them to wear a patch of +red cloth on their garment both before and behind, in the shape of a +wheel, that they might be distinguished from Christians, and marked as +it were for insult. In Philippe's reign, however, merit found its +reward, no matter how low the origin from whence it sprang, and several +authors, particularly poets, wrote boldly against the extreme hypocrisy +which existed in the preceding reign, and literature made great +progress. + +In 1285 Philippe the Fair, so named on account of his handsome person, +succeeded to the throne of his father; in his ardent thirst for money he +changed the value of the coinage three times, and caused a riot which +ended by his hanging twenty-eight of the conspirators at the different +entrances of Paris, and had numbers of persons accused of crimes in +order to have them executed that he might obtain possession of their +property; thus hundreds were burned alive and tortured in various +manners. One act, however, threw a degree of lustre on his reign, and +that was the organisation of the Parliament at Paris, establishing it as +a sovereign court, their sittings being held in the Palais de Justice, +the residence at that period of the kings of France. For several +succeeding reigns Paris appeared to make but little progress; some +churches were built as also other establishments, but none which are now +standing, except some portions of them which may have escaped +destruction and are now in the occupation of different tradespeople. The +government became exceedingly poor, and several measures were adopted in +order to repair the finances of the state; amongst others, that of +suffering serfs to purchase their emancipation, of which many availed +themselves, but not sufficient effectually to replenish the exhausted +treasury. For the same reason the property of the Lombards was +confiscated, next recourse was had to the Jews, and even the exactions +imposed upon them were inadequate to the wants of the nation. The +succession of several weak kings had brought affairs into this state, +when Philippe the Sixth of Valois crowned the misfortunes of the country +by entering into a war with England, at a time when the funds of his +kingdom were at the lowest ebb; constantly engaged in hostilities, he +had not leisure or the means of attending to the welfare of the +Parisians, and the disasters he encountered caused his reign to be +remembered as a series of misfortunes. Several colleges, however, were +founded in his reign; amongst others, that of the Collége des Ecossais +(Scotch College) then in the Rue des Amandiers, but now existing in the +Rue des Fossés St. Victor. It was first instituted by David, Bishop of +Murray, in Scotland, but the present building was erected by Robert +Barclay in 1662. + +The Collége des Lombards was founded by a number of Italians, and was +some years afterwards deserted, but in 1633 was given by the government +to two Irish priests, and has from that period become an Irish seminary; +and several other colleges, which have either been abandoned or their +locality changed, and often united to other colleges, some of which are +still existing. On the death of Philippe, John, surnamed the Good, +ascended a throne of trouble in 1350, and encountered a succession of +misfortunes of which Paris had its share; from the immense number of +churches, monasteries, colleges, hospitals, and other public edifices, +the wall which surrounded Paris, built by Philippe-Auguste, enclosed too +limited a space to contain the houses of the increased population, which +continued to augment, notwithstanding all the impediments which bad +government could create. A more extended wall therefore became necessary +to protect those inhabitants who resided beyond the limits of the first, +and whose position was likely to be compromised by the position in +which France was placed by the battle of Poitiers, by a band of +ruffians called the Companions, who carried desolation wherever they +appeared, and by what was termed La Jacquerie, hordes of peasants who +were armed and levied contributions upon the peaceable inhabitants as +they traversed the country, in groups too numerous to be withstood by +the tranquil residents. The extension of the wall was erected under the +superintendence of Etienne Marcel, called _Prévôt des Marchands_; what +might be termed Mayor or Chief Magistrate of the tradespeople, a man of +extraordinary energy, which he exerted to the utmost for the benefit of +his fellow citizens, and at this period first began the custom of +putting chains at night across the streets as a measure of security, as +notwithstanding that Paris was menaced on all sides by enemies from +without, insurrections of the most violent nature took place within its +walls, commencing on account of the Dauphin, who was governor of Paris +and regent of the kingdom (in consequence of the imprisonment of his +father John in England), issuing a coinage consisting of base metal +which he was compelled to recall; but the fire-brand was kindled, other +grievances were mooted, thirty thousand armed Parisians assembled headed +by Etienne Marcel, who himself stabbed Robert de Clermont, Marshal of +Normandy, and Jean de Conflans, Marshal of Champagne, in the presence of +the Dauphin; but to save the latter from the fury of the people, Marcel +changed hats with the Prince, thus affording him a passport, by causing +him to wear a hat that bore the colours of the people, blue and red. +After a tremendous slaughter, Marcel and his principal friends were +themselves dispatched by the partisans of the Dauphin. During all these +convulsions in the interior of Paris, it was surrounded on one side by +the troops of the King of Navarre, whilst the forces of the Dauphin were +hovering under the walls, the different parties skirmishing with each +other, and all living upon the pillage and contributions levied on the +inhabitants of the adjacent country. + +Meantime famine thinned the population of Paris, cut off from any means +of receiving provisions from without; but on account of the wall +constructed by Marcel, Edward III of England found it impossible to make +any progress in the siege, and having exhausted the country for some +leagues of extent, was obliged to retreat for want of food to maintain +his army. The scarcity of money was such in Paris at that period, that +they were compelled to have a circulation of leather coin, with a little +nail of gold or silver stuck in the middle; yet when John returned from +his captivity in England, the streets were hung with carpets wherever he +had to pass, and a cloth of gold borne over his head, the fountains +poured forth wine, and the city made him a present of a silver buffet +weighing a thousand marcs. At this period schools existed in Paris +sanctioned by the government, when the pay for each scholar was so +contemptible that they must have been for the use of the middle +classes, whose means were very confined; they were called _Petites +Écoles_ (Little Schools), and paid a certain sum for having the +privilege to teach; the number in the reign of John was sixty-three, of +which forty-one were under masters, and twenty-two under mistresses. In +some of the streets of Paris it was the custom to have two large doors +or gates, which were closed at night, and the names of several streets +still bear evidence of that practice, as the _Rue des deux Portes_; the +_Rue des Deux-Portes-Saint-Jean_, _des Deux-Portes-Saint-Sauveur_, etc. + +During the reign of John, about 1350, a poem appeared, which contained +advice as to the conduct ladies ought to observe who wished to act with +propriety, and as my fair countrywomen are generally willing to _listen_ +to good counsel, no matter how remote the period from which it is +derived, I cannot resist giving them the benefit of some of the +recommendations of the sapient poet to the Parisian belles, some of +which are certainly highly commendable. The verses were written by a +monk, whose name I have forgotten. + +"In walking to church never trot or run, salute those you meet upon the +way, and even return the salutations of the poor; when at church it is +not proper to look either to the right or the left, neither to speak nor +to laugh out loud, but to rise to the Gospel and courteously make the +sign of the cross, to go to the offering without either laughing or +joking, at the moment of the elevation also to rise; then kneel and +pray for all Christians; to recite by heart her prayers, and _if she can +read_, to pray from her psalmody. + +"A courteous lady ought to salute all in going out of church, both great +and small. + +"Those whom nature have endowed with a good voice ought not to refuse to +sing when they are asked. + +"Cleanliness is so necessary for ladies, that it is an obligation for +them to cut their nails. + +"It is not proper for a lady to stop in passing the house of a +neighbour, to look into the interior, because people may be doing things +that they do not wish others to know. + +"When you go and visit a person, never enter abruptly, nor take any one +by surprise, but announce your coming by coughing. + +"At table, a lady should not speak nor laugh too much, and should always +turn the biggest and the best pieces to her guests, and not choose them +for herself. + +"Every time a lady has drank wine she should wipe her mouth with the +table-cloth, but not her eyes or her nose, and she should take care not +to soil and grease her fingers in eating, more than she can possibly +help." The reader must remember that forks were not used until the reign +of Henry III. The author also cautions the ladies to be very careful not +to drink to excess, observing that a lady loses talent, wit, beauty, and +every charm, when she is elevated with wine; they are also recommended +not to swear. + +He continues: "Ladies should not veil their faces before nobles; they +may do so when they are on horseback or when they go to church, but on +entering they should show their countenances, and particularly before +people of quality. + +"Ladies should never receive presents from gentlemen of jewels or other +things, except from a well intentioned near relation, otherwise it is +very blameable. + +"It is not becoming for ladies to wrestle with men, and they are also +cautioned not to lie or to steal." Then follow certain instructions for +ladies as to the answers they should make and the manner they should +conduct themselves when they receive a declaration. I hope English +ladies will be much edified by the above instructions. The cries of +Paris at this period were constant and absolutely stunning; Guillaume de +la Villeneuve observes that the criers were braying in the streets of +Paris from morning to night. Amongst the vegetables, garlick was the +most prevalent, which was then eaten with almost every thing, people +being in the habit of rubbing their bread with it: the flour of peas and +beans made into a thick paste was sold all hot; onions, chervil, +turnips, aniseed, leeks, etc., a variety of pears and apples of sorts +that are now scarcely known, except Calville, services, medlers, hips +and other small fruits now no longer heard of; nuts, chesnuts of +Lombardy, Malta grapes, etc.; for beverage, wine at about a farthing a +quart; mustard vinegar, verjuice, and walnut oil; pastry, fresh and +salted meat, eggs and honey. Others went about offering their services +to mend your clothes, some to repair your tubs, or polish your pewter; +candles, cotton for lamps, foreign soup, and almost every article that +can be imagined was sold in the streets, sometimes the price demanded +was a bit of bread. The millers also went bawling about to know if you +had any corn to grind, and amongst those that demanded alms were the +scholars, the monks, the nuns, the prisoners and the blind. + +It was the custom in those days, when a person wished to be revenged +upon another, to make an image of him in wax or mud, as much resembling +as possible. They then took it to a priest and had it named after the +person they wished to injure, with all the ceremonies of the church, and +anointed it, and lastly had certain invocations pronounced over the +unfortunate image. It was then supposed that the figure had some degree +of identity with the prototype, and any injury inflicted upon it would +be felt by the person they wished to harm; they therefore then set to +work to torture it according to their fancy, and at last would plunge a +sharp instrument into that part where the heart should be placed, +feeling quite satisfied they had wreaked their revenge on their enemy. +Sometimes persons were severely punished for the performance of this +farce, and when any individuals experienced some great misfortune, they +often imagined that it had arisen in consequence of their image having +been made by their enemy, and maltreated in the manner described. + +When Charles V ascended the throne in 1364, he soon began to display his +taste for civilisation by collecting books to form a library in the +Louvre, and rewarding merit, however humble the station of the +individual by whom it was possessed; and although he received the reins +of government at a period when France was surrounded with enemies, and +her finances in a ruined state, such was the prudence of his measures +that he completely retrieved her losses, and well earned the appellation +he received of Charles the Wise; he built several churches, colleges, +and hotels, none of which if standing are now appropriated to the +purposes originally intended; he also had several bridges constructed, +and embellished Paris with many edifices that were both useful and +ornamental. But all his efforts were paralysed in the following reign of +Charles VI, justly called the Simple, partly mad, partly imbecile, and +coming to the throne at twelve years of age, every misfortune that might +have been expected from a country surrounded by foreign enemies without, +and torn by intestine broils within, happened in the fullest force. The +English and the Burgundians united together in besieging Paris, which +was ultimately entered by both their armies; what with riots amongst the +Parisians, the intrigues of the Queen Isabeau de Baviere, the +dissensions of the King's uncles, and the brigandage of the nobility who +overran the country, never was a nation reduced to a more pitiable +condition; yet some monuments were added to Paris even during this +turbulent reign, the Church of St. Gervais being entirely reconstructed +in 1420, and that of St. Germain l'Auxerrois so considerably repaired as +to be almost rebuilt in 1425, besides several colleges, hospitals and +bridges; companies of archers, cross-bow men and armourers were also +established. Theatrical representations were first performed in this +reign in the grand hall of the Hospital of the Trinity, _Rue +Saint-Denis_, corner of the _Rue Grenetat_. The theatrical company +styled themselves "Masters, Governors and Brethren of the Passion and +Resurrection of our Lord." Under the reign of Charles VII, surnamed the +Victorious, France regained all she had lost, and was much indebted for +her success to the Maid of Orleans, and the gallant Dunois, who entered +Paris and defeated the English who retreated to the Bastille and +ultimately were allowed to retire to Rouen. But although more was +effected in this reign for the prosperity and glory of France, Paris +received no additions or embellishments: the King being wholly occupied +in vanquishing the enemies of his country; his son Lewis XI, who is +supposed to have conspired against the life of his father, ascended the +throne in 1461; notwithstanding his reign was disturbed by a series of +wars, he found time to occupy himself with useful institutions, and +founded that of the first society of printers in Paris; he also +established the School of Medicine, and the Post Office. Superstitious +and cruel, he first used iron cages as prisons, then instituted the +prayer styled the Angelus. Although he increased the power of France, +his tyranny, injustice, dissimulation, and avarice caused him to be +hated by his subjects. His successor Charles VIII was but thirteen when +called to the throne in 1483, inheriting the few virtues without the +many vices of his father, but showed much weakness in the administration +of his affairs; in the early part of his reign Anne his mother was the +person who principally governed as Regent, until he was of age, when he +passed the rest of his life in war, but was so beloved that two of his +servants died of grief for the loss of their master, who was surnamed +the Affable. He was succeeded by his cousin Lewis XII in 1498, who +obtained the title of Father of his People, certainly the most virtuous +monarch that ever swayed the sceptre of France; he observed that he +preferred seeing his courtiers laugh at his savings than to see his +people weep for his expenses. The Hôtel de Cluny and _Le Pont_ (the +bridge) _Notre-Dame_ were constructed in his reign and are still +standing; being the most ancient bridge in Paris. He died much +regretted, in 1515, and all France felt deeply the loss of a monarch, +whose measures were such as must have ensured the happiness of his +people could he have been spared to have accomplished the good work he +had begun. + +Francis I, his great nephew, succeeded him and was considered the _beau +idéal_ of chivalry; he had been conspicuous for his accomplishments +whilst Duke de Valois, although only twenty-one when he ascended the +throne, upon which he was no sooner installed than compelled to quit his +capital to oppose the enemies of France, leaving the management of the +state to his mother Louisa of Savoy, who was not destitute of talent, +but vain and intriguing, Francis, after performing prodigies of valour, +and killing many foes with his own hand at the battle of Pavia, was +taken prisoner and conveyed to Madrid. On returning to France he was +received with the utmost joy by his subjects; in this reign the +principles of protestantism were first promulgated and several persons +were burnt for subscribing to the tenets of Luther. Francis was occupied +constantly with war, from the commencement of his reign until the year +of his death. He had many virtues but they were sullied by infidelity to +his engagements, and his persecution of the protestants whom he +sacrificed as heretics. Notwithstanding that his time was so much +occupied by his enemies that a very short period of his reign was passed +at Paris, he found means to embellish that city; the Church of St-Merri +in the _Rue St-Martin_ was built by his orders, precisely as it now +stands, in the year 1520. The style is Sarrasenzic, much richness of +sculpture is displayed, particularly over and around the middle door, +well meriting the close attention of an amateur. At the same period were +many of the churches now standing extensively repaired and nearly +rebuilt, amongst which St. Eustache, St. Gervais, St. +Jacques-la-Boucherie, of which the tower only remains, St. +Germain-l'Auxerrois, etc., several colleges and hospitals were +instituted, fountains and hotels erected, but scarcely any of them are +now to be seen, or at any rate very few as constructed in their +original form. He was succeeded by his son Henry II in 1547, who like +his predecessors was constantly occupied with war, but gained one point, +that of taking the last place which the English retained in France, +being Calais, which surrendered to the Duke de Guise; after a reign of +thirteen years Henry was killed at a tournament held in the _Rue +St-Antoine_, by Montgomery, the captain of his guard. The cruelties of +which he was guilty towards the protestants entirely eclipse whatever +good qualities he possessed, which principally consisted in desperate +courage with extraordinary prowess; he was also zealous in his +friendships. According to Dulaure, that part of the Louvre which is the +oldest, was built by Henry II from the design of Pierre Lescot. I have +found other authors attribute the erection of a portion of the Louvre to +Francis, but it appears that his son had all pulled down which was then +standing, and had it built as it now remains, except the wing in which +the pictures are exhibited, which is of a more recent date, and was not +terminated until the time of Louis XIV. The augmentation of some few +colleges and hospitals were the only acts of this reign from which any +advantages to Paris were derived. + +In 1559, at the age of sixteen, Francis II ascended the throne; his name +is familiar to us as the first husband of the unfortunate Mary, Queen of +Scots; his mother, Catherine de Medici, of infamous memory, took the +reigns of government in her hands and wreaked all her fury upon the +protestants. Francis, too young to have displayed any decided tone of +character, expired in 1560; the persecution of the huguenots, as the +followers of the Reformed Church were styled, seems to have exclusively +occupied the whole time during this short reign, therefore no attention +was devoted to the improving of Paris, which was next brought under the +dominion of the young monster, Charles IX, or rather the continued reign +of his sanguinary mother, Catherine, he being but ten years of age. The +massacre of the night of St. Bartholomew is known to all. Charles +certainly had some revulsive feelings on the subject, and several times +would have given orders to stop it, but Catherine bade him assert the +claims of heaven, and be the noble instrument of its vengeance, "Go on, +then," exclaimed the King, "and let none remain to reproach me with the +deed," and after all, when daylight appeared, he placed himself at a +window of the Louvre, which overlooks the Seine, and with a carbine he +fired at the unfortunate fugitives who tried to save themselves by +swimming across the river. In his reign was built the Tuileries, he +himself laying the first stone; it was intended for the Queen Mother, +but Catherine did not inhabit it long, her conscience not permitting her +to enjoy repose anywhere. Charles died a few months after the dreadful +massacre of the protestants, a prey to all the pangs of remorse, and was +succeeded in 1574 by his brother Henry III. Brought up in the same +pernicious school, under the same infamous mother as his predecessor, +little could be hoped from such a being; he was inclined, however, to +be somewhat more tolerant than his brother, but was frightened into +persecuting the protestants; his mother died at the age of seventy, +goaded by the consciousness of the crimes she had committed; civil war +raged during the reign of Henry, and he was obliged to quit his capital +and join the protestants, whom he soon, however, betrayed; without +energy to adopt any certain line of conduct, he balanced between the two +parties of catholics and protestants, until both sects despised him, and +at length he was stabbed by a fanatic friar, named Jacques Clement. +Several convents and religious establishments were founded in his reign, +amongst the rest the Feuillans, which was extensive and had a church +attached, but in 1804 the whole was demolished, and on its site, and +that of the monastery of the Capucins, were built the Rue Rivoli, +Castiglione, and Monthabor, and a terrace of the gardens of the +Tuileries is still called the Feuillans. The Pont Neuf was also built in +this reign. In 1589, Henry IV, surnamed the Great, succeeded to the +throne; he was of the house of Bourbon, and descended from Robert, the +second son of Louis the Ninth. He was compelled to begin his reign by +laying siege to his own capital, which was in the hands of his enemies, +who defended it with 58,000 troops, and 1,500 armed priests, scholars +and monks, and after three years' vain endeavours he was obliged to +renounce the protestant religion, and conform to the catholic +ceremonies, which produced a truce, and Henry at last entered Paris. By +his mild and judicious conduct he regenerated the prosperity of France, +and published the famous edict of Nantes in favour of the protestants, +and acted with considerable wisdom under the difficult circumstances in +which he was placed, by the intemperate zeal of the catholics and +huguenots. At last, after many unsuccessful attempts upon his life, he +was stabbed in his own carriage by Ravaillac, a religious fanatic, who +conceived that the King was not sufficiently zealous in the cause of +catholicism; he was regretted by every worthy character throughout his +realms, for, although he had many of the faults common to men, yet he +had such redeeming qualities that he well merited the title of _Great_. +During his reign Paris was considerably embellished, the improvement of +the city being with him a favourite object. The Hospital of Saint Louis +was built by his orders, himself laying the first stone; it is still +standing, and is generally filled with patients, who receive the most +humane treatment. It is situated in the Rue Carême Prenant, near the +Barrière du Combat. He established a manufactory of Persian carpets, on +the _Quai de Billy_, No. 30. + +The Rue and Place Dauphine, the Place Royale, which still exhibits a +square of houses unaltered in style since the day they were built, owed +their construction to his mania for building and passion for augmenting +and improving his capital. Several other streets were extended and in +part rebuilt under his reign, besides which he founded different +institutions, had divers fountains and gates erected, as well as +bridges, and some other public edifices, which having since disappeared +or become the houses of individuals, workshops, warehouses, etc., it is +not worthwhile to recapitulate them, as they cease to be objects of +interest. Several theatres were established at this period for the first +time, the performers having merely given representations in large rooms +belonging to public buildings where they could get accommodation, +particularly in the Hôtel de Bourgoyne, in the Rue Mauconseil, which at +last acquired the name of a theatre; but a company of Italians received +such encouragement from Henry IV, that they were enabled, in a situation +assigned them regularly, to establish a theatre in the Hôtel d'Argent, +Rue de la Poterie, corner of the Rue de la Verrerie. He was equally the +patron of literature, and of the arts and sciences; the Tuileries and +Louvre, under his directions, received the material and superintendence +which was requisite for their completion, as far as the design extended +at that epoch. + +In 1610 Louis XIII, but nine years of age, became heir to the throne, +and Marie de Medici, his mother and widow of Henry IV, was nominated +Regent; her first act was to call into power all her husband's enemies, +which consisted of her own favourites, through whom she governed, and +when her regency ceased, her son followed her example and became the +instrument of others, until the power of governing was exclusively +acquired by Cardinal Richelieu, who devoted his extraordinary talents +in a degree to the interests of his country, but more especially to the +gratification of his vanity, and the promotion of his ambitious +projects; descending to the extremes of injustice, dissimulation, and +cruelty, to accomplish his object, he became the persecutor of Mary, who +had raised him from comparative obscurity, and caused her exile, in +which she died in poverty, which she certainly merited by her +misconduct, but not by the instigation of her _protégé_ Richelieu. But +with all his sins, he effected much good; he founded the Royal Printing +establishment, the French Academy, also the Garden of Plants; he built +the _Palais-Royal_ and rebuilt the Church and College of the Sorbonne. +In this reign more religious establishments were founded than in any +preceding, amongst which were the Convent of the _Carmes Déchaussés_, +No. 70, _Rue de Vaugirard_, the monks of which possessed a secret for +making a particular kind of liquid which is called _Eau des Carmes_, and +is still in demand; the church and building belonging to the +establishment are now standing, and were recently occupied by nuns. The +Convent of _Jacobins_ between the _Rues du Bac_ and _St-Dominique_, with +its Church, which still remains and is called _St-Thomas d'Aquin_, is +well worth notice, and the monastery is now occupied by the armoury +which is one of the most interesting sights of Paris. The _Bénédictines +Anglaises_, No. 269, _Rue St-Jacques_, was formerly occupied by English +monks, who fled their country on account of some persecution in the +reign of Henry VIII. + +In 1674, Father Joseph Shirburne, the prior of monastery, pulled down +the old building, and erected another in its place more commodious, also +a church attached to it in which James the Second of England was buried, +as also his daughter Mary Stuart. It has now become the property of an +individual, and is at present occupied as a factory of cotton. The +Oratoire in the _Rue Saint-Honoré_, since devoted to protestant worship, +was built in the year 1621 by M. de Berulle, since Cardinal, on the site +of the _Hôtel du Bouchage_, once the residence of Gabrielle d'Estrées, +the favourite mistress of Henry IV. The Convent of the Capucins, +situated in the _Place des Capucins_, at present an Hospital. _Séminaire +des Oratoriens_, _Rue du Faubourg Saint-Jacques_, 254, now occupied by +the Deaf and Dumb. _Collége des Jésuites_, at present College of +_Louis-le-Grand_. Convent of _Petits-Pères_: the church of which +still remains and is situated at the corner of the _Rue +Notre-Dame-des-Victoires_. The Monk Fiacre, called a Saint, was buried +in this church; thinking that his sanctity was a preservative against +evil, they stuck his portrait on all the hackney coaches, which was the +cause of their ever after being called Fiacre. + +A further recapitulation of these establishments would only be tedious +to the reader, particularly as they are now for the most part become +private houses; suffice it to say, that in the reign of Louis XIII +twenty monasteries were established at Paris. The nunnery of +_Ursulines_; No. 47, _Rue Sainte-Avoye_, now a Jews' synagogue. The +Convent of the Visitation of St. Mary, _Rue Saint-Antoine_, Nos. 214 +and 216; the church, still standing, was built in 1632 after the model +of _Notre-Dame-de-la-Rotonde_ at Rome, and is called +_Notre-Dame-des-Anges_. Another convent of the same order was built in +1623 in the _Rue Saint-Jacques_, Nos. 193 and 195, and is I believe +still occupied by nuns, as it was so very recently. The convent of +_Filles-de-la-Madeleine_, _Rue des Fontaines_, between the Nos. 14 and +16, which has now become a house of seclusion for women who have been +convicted of offences. The Convent of the Annonciades Celestes or Filles +Bleues, founded by the Marchioness de Verneuil, mistress of Henry IV, is +now in spite of all its pompous titles a waggon office in the _Rue +Culture-Sainte-Catherine_, No. 29. The Assumption, a convent for nuns, +of which the church is still standing in the _Rue Saint-Honoré_, between +the Nos. 369 and 371, is remarkable for its large dome, but appears +out of proportion with the rest of the building, which is otherwise not +destitute of merit. The _Val-de-Grâce_, a Benedictine Abbey, _Rue +Faubourg Saint-Jacques_, between the Nos. 277 and 279. The Queen Anne +of Austria founded the establishment in 1621; the church is still +preserved in perfect order, and is of very rich architecture, too +profuse in ornament. The rest of the building, once inhabited by +Benedictine nuns, is now an asylum for sick or wounded soldiers, being a +military hospital. _Port-Royal_, a convent for nuns, established in 1625 +in the _Rue de la Bourbe_, is now a lying-in hospital. The Convent of +the _Filles de Sainte-Elisabeth_; the first stone was laid by Marie de +Medici in 1628, but was, like a multitude of others, suppressed in 1790, +the church only remaining; it is situated in the _Rue du Temple_, +between Nos. 107 and 109. + +A Convent for Benedictine Nuns founded in 1636 in the _Rue de Sèvres_, +No. 3, being suppressed in 1778, was converted into the more useful +purpose of an hospital, and as such it still remains. The Convent of the +_Filles de la Ste-Croix_, situated No. 86, _Rue de Charonne_, was +occupied as recently as 1823 by nuns; it was founded in 1639. The noble +church of _St-Roch, Rue St-Honoré_, was commenced as a chapel in 1587, +and in 1622 was converted into a parish church, but was not entirely +finished until 1740. It is now the church attended by the royal family, +and is an object of interest to every one who visits Paris. The church +of _Ste-Marguerite_ was erected in 1625 in the _Rue St-Bernard_, Nos. +28 and 30, _Faubourg St-Antoine_, and is still attended by the +inhabitants of that quarter. _Maison de Scipion_ was founded in a street +of the same name in the year 1622 by an Italian gentleman named Scipio +Sardini, and is now the bakehouse for making bread for all the hospitals +in Paris. Such were the principal edifices instituted in Paris, during +the reign of Louis XIII, either as Convents, Monasteries, or Nunneries, +with churches attached to them; I have cited the most conspicuous of +those of which any vestiges remain, indicating their different +localities, besides a number of hospitals, most of which I have stated; +that of the _Incurables_ certainly merits attention, it was founded in +1632 in the _Rue de Sèvres_, and is now a refuge for those women of +whom no hopes can be cherished of ultimate recovery. The Palace of the +_Luxembourg_ was one of the most important edifices erected in this +reign by Mary de Medici whilst she was regent in 1615, in the _Rue +Vaugirard_, at present the Chamber of Peers, after having served the +purpose of a prison, for which a portion of it is still appropriated for +criminals against the state; but with its large and beautiful gardens it +merits a more detailed description, which will be given under the head +of public monuments. The whole number of religious establishments of all +descriptions built in the reign of Louis XIII, amount to forty-nine, +besides many Bridges, Fountains, Hôtels, Statues, etc., etc.; which +altogether so augmented Paris that it became requisite to have another +wall, affording the capital more extended dimensions, which was +accordingly constructed. Notwithstanding all these improvements the +streets of Paris were in a most filthy condition, constantly emitting a +disagreeable odour; they were very narrow and the greater portion of +them very ill paved, besides which they were infested with thieves, and +complaints were continually arising against the hosts of pages and +lackeys who insulted people in the streets, and were continually +committing some disorders, both during the day and the night, when +persons were frequently killed in the skirmishes that were constantly +taking place. Ordinances and edicts were continually appearing, +forbidding the pages and lackeys to wear arms, but all of no avail; when +any one was arrested, he was rescued by his companions, and the +officers of police sometimes killed. Louis XIII, ever feeble in mind, +and probably in constitution, died at the age of 42; it was supposed +from a premature decay. + +The history of the reign of Louis the Fourteenth and those which follow +to the present day are so well known to the English, that whatever I +might state respecting them would only be to my readers a repetition of +that of which they are already informed, as the continual wars for the +last two centuries between England and France have brought the nations +in constant contact; but prior to that period, even the most prominent +events of the French history are but little known to the English, and in +order to enhance the enjoyment of examining the old buildings in Paris, +I conceived it necessary to give a slight sketch of the monarchs under +whom they were erected, with the dates as accurately as could be +ascertained, but consider that it would be useless to do so as regards +those edifices constructed since the reign of Louis XIII, as they can +only afford pleasure as regards their utility or beauty; as if not two +hundred years old, the age of their date ceases to excite interest, +although I shall describe them in due course. I have often been +surprised that in all schools, although they give the history of Rome, +of Greece, and of course of England, yet of France, which is the country +the nearest to us, we are suffered to remain ignorant as to its history. +We have all heard of the battles of Cressy, Poitiers and Agincourt, and +remember that they were gained by the Edwards and Henry the Fifth, but +few persons know anything about who were the French kings under whom +they were lost; the only instances where the history of the French is +brought to our minds, is when any connexion by marriage has occurred +between the families of the sovereigns of the two nations. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + Paris as it is, being a general survey of the place itself, its + attractions, its demerits, the inhabitants, their manners to + strangers, towards each other, their customs, and occupations. + +[Illustration: Church of the Madeleine. +Published by F. Sinnett, 15, Grande rue Verte.] + + +I know no better means of obtaining a first general view of Paris and +its inmates, than by taking a walk upon the Boulevards, I therefore will +invite the reader to imagine himself promenading with me, we will begin +at the Madeleine, and occupy a short time in surveying that noble and +majestic building; it greatly reminds me of the Temple of Theseus, at +Athens; it is perhaps one of the most perfect monuments, as regards its +exterior, in Europe, the statues and sculpture are fine as to their +general effect, but the lofty handsome pillars lose much of their beauty +from the joins of the stones being too conspicuous, and having become +black, the fine broad mass is cut up, and gives one an idea of so many +cheeses placed one upon another, or rather they resemble the joints of a +caterpillar: the interior is certainly most gorgeous, and at first +strikes the beholder as a most splendid display of rich magnificence; +but a moment's reflection, and instantly he feels how inconsistent is +all that gilded mass and profusion of ornament with the beautiful and +chaste simplicity of the exterior. I never can conceive that all that +glitter of gold is in good keeping with the calm repose and dignity +which ought to reign throughout a church. The Madeleine was begun in the +reign of Louis the Fifteenth, and was intended for different purposes as +it slowly progressed through the different reigns which have since +occurred. Louis Philippe at length decided upon completing it with the +energy that had ever before been wanting. Several public monuments had +been suffered to remain dormant during the two preceding reigns, or +their operations were carried on with so sparing a hand, that whilst a +few workmen were employed at one end of a building, weeds and moss began +to grow on the other. This pigmy style of proceeding was well-satirised +during the reign of Charles X in one of the papers, which announced in +large letters, "the workmen at the Madeleine have been doubled! where +there was one, there are now two!" But soon after the present King came +to the throne, capital was found, and the industrious employed. Thus +much for this splendid work of art; let us turn round and look about +us: Ah! see, there are the works of nature, how gay and cheerful those +flowers appear so tastefully arranged in Madame Adde's shop, whilst she +herself looks as fresh and healthy as her plants which are blooming +around her; yet with that robust and country air she is a Parisian, but, +as she justly remarked to me, she was always brought up to work hard, +and as her labours have been well rewarded, health and content have +followed. She and her flowers have already been noticed in Mrs. Gore's +Season in Paris, who used to pay her frequent visits, for who indeed +would go anywhere else who had once dealt with her, for what more can +one desire than civility, good nature, reasonable charges, and a +constant variety of the choicest articles; I therefore can +conscientiously recommend all my readers who come to Paris, and are +amateurs of Flora, to call now and then on Madame Adde, No. 6, _Place +de la Madeleine_. + +Now having contemplated the beauties of art and of nature, let us +observe some animated specimens of her works: what a moving mass is +before us, 'tis a merry scene, the laughing children running after, and +dodging each other, rolling on the ground with the plenitude of their +mirth, the neat looking _bonnes_ (nursery maids) still smiling while +they chide, the jovial coachmen wrestling on their stands and playing +like boys together, but all in good humour, and content seems to sit on +every brow, and even the aged as they meet, greet each other with a +smile. How infectious is cheerfulness, when I have the blue devils I +always go and take a walk on the _Boulevards_; and what makes these +people so happy? is the natural question; because they are content with +a little, and pleased with a trifle; then they are a trifling people is +the reply. What boots it I would ask? happiness is all that we desire, +and I persist that those are the best philosophers who can obtain +happiness with the least means. But how the green trees, the white stone +houses, the gay looking shops, the broad road with the equipages rolling +along all contribute to heighten the animation of the scene. We are now +at the _Rue de la Paix_; it is certainly a noble street, and we will +turn down it to look at the statue of Napoleon on the column in the +_Place Vendôme_; the pillar, which was cast from the cannon taken from +the enemies of France, is decidedly a work of extraordinary merit and +beauty, and requires a good deal of study to appreciate the exquisite +workmanship displayed in its execution. But if it were not for the +reminiscences associated with the character of Napoleon, who could ever +admire his statue on the top of the column, in a costume so contrary to +all that is graceful and dignified; a little cocked hat with its horrid +stiff angles, a great coat with another angle sticking out, the _tout +ensemble_ presenting a deformity rather than an ornament: however there +he stands on the pinnacle of what he and men in general would call the +monument of his glory, a memento of blood, of tears of widows and +orphans. Could the names of those ruined and heart broken beings be +inscribed upon it, whose misery was wrought by his triumphs, it would +indeed tell a tale of woe. The _Place Vendôme_, in which the column +stands, has a very noble appearance, being a fine specimen of the style +of building of Louis the Fourteenth, in whose reign it was erected; and +he too fed his ambition with wholesale flow of blood, and with treasure +wreaked from the hard earned labour of his subjects, and the abridgments +of their comforts, but both were ultimately destined to chew the bitter +cud of mortification, and however bright the sun by which they rose to +imaginary glory, they were doomed to set in a starless night. But let us +turn from these lugubrious images of war, and regain the _Boulevards_ +and enjoy the pleasure of beholding a peaceful people. Do not let us +fail to observe that beautiful mansion at the corner of the _rue +Lafitte_; it is called the _Cité Italienne_, and can only be compared to +a palace, the richness of the carve-work surpassing any thing of the +description throughout the whole capital; although it has recently +become so much the mode to adorn their houses with sculpture, yet none +have arrived at the same degree of perfection displayed in the _Maison +d'or_: carved out on the solid stone is a boar hunt, which is really +executed with considerable talent; to give an accurate description of +all its beauties would much exceed the space I could afford it in +justice to other objects; it is very extensive, and is I believe three +houses united in one. I have understood that the sum total expended upon +it was 1,600,000 _francs_, or 64,000_l._ But that my readers may form +some idea of the interior, I recommend them to enter the _Ancien Café +Hardy_, which is established as a _Restaurant_ within this beautiful +building, and however interested my countrymen may feel in all that is +intellectual, yet at the same time they possess that much of the +sensual, as to have a very strong predilection for a good dinner, of the +quality of which few are better judges; but with them it is not only as +regards the excellence of the viands, but also they have their peculiar +tastes as to how and where it is served; knowing so well their ideas in +this respect, I can recommend them with confidence to _Messieurs Verdier +and Dauzier_, convinced that all their different fancies will be +gratified. If they wish to be exclusive, to enjoy their meal tête-a-tête +with their friend, they will find an elegant little apartment suited to +their wishes; if they be three or four or more persons, they will still +find they can be accommodated in such a manner that they may always +imagine themselves at home; in fact there are about twenty apartments of +different sizes, which are decorated in the most handsome style, yet all +varying with regard to the pattern of the furniture, and all uniting an +appearance of comfort and elegance, the sofa, chairs, and curtains of +each little cabinet being of the richest silk, and the other decorations +are consistently luxurious. The view from the windows presents all that +can be imagined that is amusing and animating, overlooking the most +agreeable part of the _Boulevards_, being that which is designated the +_Boulevard Italien_, and is the most fashionable resort in Paris. By the +aid of a _calorifère_, the whole establishment is heated to an +agreeable degree of warmth, but for those who like to see a cheering +blaze there are chimneys which afford them the means of having that +indulgence. If they prefer dining in the public saloon, for the sake of +seeing the variety of visiters by which it is frequented, they will find +a most splendid apartment brilliantly fitted up, being entirely of white +and gold, where every thing that is useful will be found, but always so +arranged as to be rendered ornamental; in the elegant chandeliers by +which the apartment is adorned, oil on a purified principle is burned; +no attention in short has been omitted which could tend towards +rendering the establishment an attraction for the English. I happened to +be there when an apartment was arranged for a wedding party, and nothing +could exceed the taste and elegance with which the table was disposed, +presenting a perfect picture, where splendour and luxury abounded, but +yet where a certain degree of consistency was preserved. With regard to +the superior quality of the different delicacies which are provided, and +the culinary talent displayed in their preparation, even Vatel himself +might be more than satisfied. I have visited all the most celebrated +_Restaurants_ in Paris, and should certainly say, that for the good +quality of the articles of the table, for the comfortable arrangements +of the apartments, and attentive civility of the attendants, there is +not any that can surpass the _Café Hardy_, although many there are which +are infinitely more expensive. Continuing our walk upon the +_Boulevards_, it is worthy of remark how richly some of the new houses +in and about the _Rue Richelieu_ are sculptured, so as to present the +appearance of a succession of palaces, we next arrive at the _Boulevard +Montmartre_, where the influx of people is the greatest: we pass by the +_Passage des Panoramas_ but do not enter it just now, although it +contains some of the handsomest shops in Paris, but it is too crowded, +we prefer keeping our course on the _Boulevards_ where we can look about +us at our ease and contemplate the physiognomies of the varied groups +before us; let us halt a while at the Theatre _des Variétés_ and remark +with what eagerness numbers stop to scan the programme of the +entertainments for the evening, amongst them are all ages, all classes, +the common soldier, porter, and servant girl, all possessing a high idea +of their judgment in theatrical affairs; passing on a little further the +Theatre _du Gymnase_ arrests the observer's notice, where _Bouffé_ has +so long displayed his comic powers, which certainly in my recollection +have never been surpassed, and I doubt if they ever have been equalled; +there is ever a chasteness in his acting, from which he never departs, +and keeps the audience in a roar of laughter without ever having +recourse to grimace or buffoonery. + +The stupendous _Porte_ (gate) _St Denis_ next strikes the eye, and has a +most imposing effect; it was built by Louis XIV in commemoration of his +victories, as I have before stated; the _bas-reliefs_ with which it is +adorned represent pyramids, and colossal allegorical figures of Holland +and the Rhine, the capture of Maestricht, the passage of the Rhine at +Tolhuys, which with two lions are its most conspicuous ornaments. Whilst +the mind is still occupied in reflecting upon this noble monument, +another awakens attention at a short distance from the last; it is the +_Porte St-Martin_, _Boulevard St-Martin_, which has been represented as +a copy of that of St-Severus at Rome; it owes its erection to the same +founder and was raised for the same purpose, that of publishing to +posterity the fame of his victories; he is allegorically represented as +Hercules defeating the Germans, the taking of Limburg, Besançon, etc. I +shall not attempt to enter into a minute detail of these objects, it +would only tire me to do so, and perhaps fatigue my reader still more; I +shall therefore content myself by stating that, taken as a whole, it has +an extremely fine effect. A few paces farther is the Theatre of the +_Porte St-Martin_, which was never a fashionable resort, but has often +produced me much entertainment, particularly when the celebrated +Mademoiselle George afforded it the benefits of her talents; proceeding +a few hundred yards distance, the Theatre of the _Ambigu-Comique_ +presents itself as worthy of remark; although of a minor rank, I +remember being much amused at the long trains of persons waiting, +according to the custom in France, at the doors of this Theatre for +admission when a popular piece was played, called Nostradamus; as two +persons can only pay at once no more are suffered to enter at a time; +hence they form in pairs behind each other until they extend sometimes, +the length of a furlong; they remain very quiet occasionally for hours, +the first comers standing close to the doors, and as others arrive they +regularly take their station behind the last persons of the _queue_, as +it is styled. I remember an Englishman coming up when the tail had +attained rather an inconvenient length, and he did not relish placing +himself at the end of it, and endeavoured to slip into one of the joints +as it was much nearer the door; but a _gendarme_, perceiving his drift, +very unceremoniously marched him to the end of the queue, as precedence +is allotted to persons in proportion as they arrive earlier or later and +the most perfect order is by that means preserved; how much better is +such an arrangement than that which prevails in England at the entering +of the theatres, where physical strength alone gives priority, and the +bigger the brute the sooner he enters, whilst screams and murmurs attest +the treading upon toes, squeezing of ribs, etc. + +The fountain of _St-Martin_ in front of the _Ambigu-Comique_ is one of +the most beautiful objects in Paris; a handsome font rises in the middle +from which the water falls in sheets of silvery profusion, whilst +around, lions disgorge liquid streams which all unite in the _grand +basin_; this sight is most beautiful to behold by the light of the moon. +We next enter the _Boulevard du Temple_, where there is such a number of +theatres and coffee-houses all joining each other, that there is really +some difficulty of ascertaining which is the one or the other. The +Theatre _de la Gaieté_, the resort principally of the middle or lower +classes, is one of the most conspicuous, as also the _Cirque Olympique_, +or Franconi's Theatre, where the performances resemble those at +Astley's. There is always an immense crowd on these _Boulevards_ amusing +themselves around a number of shows; or playing or looking at various +games which are constantly going forward, singers, musicians, conjurors, +merry andrews, fortune tellers, orators, dancers, tumblers, etc., are +all exerting their powers, to gain a little coin from the easily pleased +multitude; these _boulevards_ have in fact the appearance of a perpetual +_fête_ or fair, but the curious ideas that appear to me to have entered +the heads of these people in the nature of their performances, are such +as I should imagine none would ever have thought of but the French; nor +any lower orders but of that nation could have been found to appreciate +such singular exhibitions. One of this description particularly excited +my notice; a man came up with another man in his arms and popped him +down just as if he was a block; he had no sooner deposited his burden +than he began a long harangue upon the talents of the individual whom he +had just deposited before us, in acting a machine or automaton, he then +to prove his assertion gave him a knock on the back of the head, when it +fell forward just as if it had belonged to a figure made with joints; he +then gave it a chuck of the chin so violent that it sent the head back +so as to lean on the coat collar; at last he put it in its proper +position, he then operated upon the arms and legs of the image actor in +the same manner, and so perfectly lifeless did he appear, that many new +comers who had not heard the introductory speech of the showman, +absolutely thought that it was on inanimate figure made to imitate a man +that was before them, as the orator always designated his piece of still +life his _mécanique_, which means _machine_; in order to afford every +one the benefit of a close examination, he lifted up his automaton, then +flumped him directly opposite and close to the persons who formed part +of the circle and whom he judged were most likely to throw a sou, +bidding us observe that even the eye never winked and that there was not +the slightest breathing perceptible, and in justice I must say I never +saw an actor better play his part, for watch him as closely as you would +there never was the least symptom of life visible. I had often before +seen images made to imitate men, but never had till then seen a man +imitate an image: a few paces farther was a man acting a variety of +parts with extraordinary humour, an old nurse out of place, then a young +lover entreating his mistress to have pity on him, next a man in a +violent passion, presently, an epicure eating _bonbons_ on the verge of +the grave; the inexhaustible force of lungs, the incessant supply of +words and ideas that many of them appeared to possess, to me was quite a +matter of wonderment. At a short distance is a fort with cannon, whilst +persons take a cross-bow and shoot at it; if they can hit one of the +guns it naturally goes off; for the privilege of having a shot, a sou is +paid if he do not hit the cannon, but if he succeed in so doing, he +receives a sou; the reader may suppose that a miss takes place at the +rate of about seven times to a hit; and after several young countrymen +had been trying in vain, and had lost a good many pence, they began to +grumble and declare that it was next to impossible to hit the cannon +more than once in a hundred times, upon which the proprietor himself +took the cross-bow and at the same distance as the others stood, hit the +cannon five times running with the most perfect apparent ease, which +certainly silenced the grumblers, but convinced them of their own +awkwardness. My attention was next attracted by a pretty little building +surrounded by moss and trees, at the top of a large glass globe which +contained water with several gold and silver fish swimming in it, while +some canary birds, who were sometimes perching on the house, the moss, +or the trees, ever and anon flew to the bottom of the globe and were +seen fluttering about amongst the fish, then ascend to their little +building without having wetted a feather; the effect is very pretty and +the deception is pleasing, inasmuch as the birds require no torturing +tuition to perform their little parts; the secret consists in one globe +being placed in another considerably larger, the outer being filled with +water in which are the fish, whilst the inner wherein the birds are seen +is dry and empty. A fortress where canary birds are again the performers +is a sight which is extremely curious, as a proof of what these little +creatures are capable of executing under the management of a master, +where I fear gentleness has not only been exercised; a number of little +cannon are placed to which the birds apply a substance at the end of a +little stick which causes them to go off, when some fall and pretend to +die and the victors advance with their muskets, and strutting about give +you to understand that the fort is taken and that they are conquerors. + +To recapitulate all the curious manoeuvres which are constantly going +forward on the _Boulevards_ would swell a volume, we will therefore pass +on to the more retired parts, where the fine vistas of high trees have +been spared the havoc of the Three Days; these once extended throughout +the whole course of the _Boulevards_, but so many trees were cut down to +form barricades, that those beautiful arches formed by rows of lofty +elms, which were merely trained on the inner side, the outer being +suffered to grow in the wild luxuriance of nature, are only now to be +met with "few and far between." Near the spot where formerly stood the +much dreaded Bastille, now rises to the view the column erected to +commemorate the Revolution of 1830; inclining to the right, the +_Boulevards_ then lead to the Seine. In many parts of these delightful +promenades, double rows of chairs are placed, and persons of the highest +respectability come from different quarters and sit for hours in them, +amused with observing the happy moving scene around them; the seats on +the _Boulevard Italien_ are often occupied by persons of fashion, who +arrive in their equipages, then take chairs for an hour or two, whilst +their carriages wait for them; the charge for each chair is one sou, +but every one takes two, one for the purpose of resting the feet, and +generally takes ices which are served from Tortoni's, long celebrated +for the supply of that cooling refreshment. It is by night that the +_Boulevards_ are seen to the greatest advantage, the innumerable lights +blazing from the different theatres, the lamps placed before the +coffee-houses, the brilliant shops, the trees, the equipages, the sound +of music and singing, the houses, which resemble palaces, the gilded +cafés all united has the air of a fairy scene to any one brought +suddenly upon them. + +Some of the handsomest shops and coffee-houses are to be found on the +_Boulevards_, and dwellings where many of the most respectable persons +reside. There is always an humble traffic going on from an immense +number of stalls, in which various commodities are sold, and although +the assortment consists of a hundred different descriptions of articles, +yet all are at one price, consisting of everything that can well be +imagined, from a comb to a pair of bellows, the vender singing out the +price with stentorian lungs, perhaps twenty-five sous, more or less, and +as there is a great deal of opposition with these itinerant merchants, +they often try who can cry out the loudest, and succeed in raising a +terrific din, which amuses the mob, who consider that all is life and +spirit as long as there is noise and fun going forward; these +_Boulevards_, therefore, are just such as suit the Parisian lower +classes. Those on the south side of the Seine are an exact contrast, +most of them being so deserted, that in viewing the long lines of tall +arched elms, with scarcely an individual moving beneath them, one could +imagine that they were a hundred miles from any capital; but there is +something pleasing in retiring to these lone green shades, when fatigued +with the bustle and rattling noises of the city. The only individuals +usually to be met with in these quiet _Boulevards_ are now and then a +nursery-maid with a child, an old lady of the gone-by school, and her +female servant of the same era, who jog on at a slow and solemn pace as +they moan over the good old times that are passed, and sympathise in +expressions of horror at the vices of the present day; a tall thin +battered looking beau, whose youth was passed in the last century, meets +the antiquated pair, mutual salutations take place, the gentleman doffs +his hat, and with a graceful sort of turn and wave of the hand, at the +same time bows his body full half way to the ground, which, although +rather stiffened with age, still retains a shadow of the elegance of +former times. Madame makes a very pretty reverence, somewhat +ceremonious, according to the flippant ideas of the present day, +entreats Monsieur would put on his hat, would be in despair if he should +catch cold; he obeys, is enchanted to see her look so well, but +desolated to hear she has a little cold, and after expressing the most +fervent hopes for her getting better, he takes his leave, having too +good a notion of propriety to join the lady in her walk lest a _liaison_ +between them might be suspected. How different this worn-out remnant of +the days of Louis the Sixteenth from _la jeune France_ of the present +day, when the usual greeting between the young men would be a nod of the +head, "_Bon jour, ca va bien?_" adieu, and away, which is tantamount to +"How do, quite well, good bye," and off; with a lady the abruptness +would be a little softened, but any politeness that gives much trouble +is quite at a discount with such young men of the present day in France. +A solitary workman, a sentinel, and an old soldier, if near the Hospital +of the Invalids, are probably the only persons you will usually meet on +the southern _Boulevards_, except now and then I have seen a ladies' +boarding-school thread its course beneath the thick foliage, whose +mistress perchance selects a retired spot for giving her pupils a little +air and exercise, removed from the gaze of the city throng. + +Whatever pleasing impressions these shady retreats may have made upon +the mind, on re-entering Paris they are soon dissipated; if by the +public streets, the variety of noises which assail the ear, and the +confusion of so many people bustling along upon a little bit of pavement +not two feet wide, gives you plenty of occupation both to make your way, +and get out of the way; when, compelled to give place to some lady, you +descend from the narrow flags into the road, and whilst you are +manoeuvring to escape a cart you see coming towards you, "_Gare_" is +bawled out with stunning roar; you look round and find the pole of a +coach within an inch of your shoulder, you scramble out of the way as +fast as you can through mud and puddle, and are glad to clap your back +against a house to make room for some lumbering vehicle, where the naves +of the wheels stick out with menacing effect, happy to congratulate +yourself that there is just room enough for it to pass without jamming +you quite flat, and that you are quit of the danger at the expense of +being smeared with a little mud from the wheel; this is the case in many +of the streets in that part of Paris called the _Cité_, and others which +cross from the _Rue Saint-Denis_ to the _Rue Saint-Martin_ and _du +Temple_ etc. Happily for my readers, it is not very probable that many +of them will ever be called into those neighbourhoods, or if they be, it +will probably be in a carriage, when they will not stand near the same +chance of being crushed to death; but as I explore all parts and am +thereby the better enabled to give a faithful picture of Paris, I +consider it incumbent on me to inform my country people that there are +such streets that they may better know how to enjoy Paris by keeping out +of the way of them. To see Paris to the best advantage it is requisite +to get up early, that is about three o'clock in the morning in the +months of June or July, before any one is stirring; this indeed is +pretty much the case with all cities, but particularly the French +capital, because the streets being very narrow and crowded, you have not +room to look up and look about. Paris in the old quarters at that hour, +or in a bright moonlight when all are at rest, has the effect of a city +composed of chateaux or castles joined together, the height of the +houses, the great heavy _porte cochères_, the castellated style of the +attic windows and often projecting turrets, with the profusion of iron +work, combine in giving a degree of gloom that appears to tell a tale of +olden time, and many of the houses date as far back as Charles the +Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh, which is coeval with our Henry the Fourth, +Fifth, and Sixth. There is one house of which the ancient staircase +still remaining is as old as the year 1220; it is situated in the _Rue +du Four_, near the _Rue de la Harpe_, and called the _Maison Blanche_, +having been inhabited by the mother of _Saint-Louis_, but there is no +doubt that the only part now standing that could have been built at that +period is the staircase; in the same neighbourhood are many objects that +would interest the antiquary, to which I shall hereafter allude. Paris +is encircled by a double row of _Boulevards_, the north inner circle is +that which is the most frequented; the outer circle runs all along the +walls which encompass Paris, where the barriers are situated, of which +there are fifty-six, all rather handsome buildings than otherwise, and +no two of them quite alike. Many of the streets as you approach the +farthest _Boulevards_ of Paris have a very dull appearance, consisting +in many instances of high walls and habitations separated from each +other, with market gardens behind, but which cannot be seen from the +street as they are all enclosed, and grass growing here and there in +patches give them more the appearance of roads which have been +abandoned than of inhabited streets. Some of the modern parts of Paris +are extremely handsome and indeed all which has been built within the +last five-and-twenty years. The _Chaussée-d'Antin_ is the favourite +quarter; there the streets are of a fair width and are well paved, and +some very recently built are really beautiful, especially one just +finished called the _Rue Tronchet_, just behind the _Madeleine_. The +quarter round the _Place Vendôme_ is certainly one of the finest in +Paris, and most decidedly the dearest. I know persons who pay fourteen +thousand francs a year for unfurnished lodgings in the _Place Vendôme_, +that is 600_l._ a year; a whole house in a fashionable quarter of London +may be had for the same money; indeed on the _Boulevards_, in some of +the _Passages_ and the most fashionable streets in Paris, shops let for +more money than in any part of London; there is an instance of a single +shop letting for 600_l._ per annum, and not one of particularly +extensive dimensions, but situated on the _Boulevard Montmartre_, which +is perhaps the best position in Paris. One of the greatest attractions +is the _Passages_, something in the style of the Burlington Arcade but +mostly superior; of these there are from twenty to thirty, so that in +wet weather you may walk a considerable distance under cover. + +The _Palais-Royal_, the favourite resort of foreigners and provincials, +also affords that convenience. Although Paris on the whole is not so +regularly built as London, yet there is a sombre grandeur about it which +has a fine effect, owing in some degree to the large lofty houses of +which it is composed; the straightness, width, and neatness of the +streets of London form its beauty, but it is astonishing how foreigners +when they first behold it, are struck with the small size of the houses. +I remember entering London with an Italian gentleman who had ever before +been accustomed to the large massive palaces of Genoa, Florence, etc., +and the first remark he made upon our grand metropolis was that it +looked like a city of baby houses; another feature in our dwellings does +not please the foreign eye, and that is the dingy colour of our bricks, +which certainly has not so light an appearance as stone, of which the +houses on the Continent are generally built. The irremediable defect in +Paris is certainly the narrowness of the streets, although every +opportunity is turned to advantage by the government when houses are +taken down to compel the proprietors to rebuild them in such a manner as +to afford a yard more width to the public, whilst those streets that are +at present constructing are on a magnificent plan. The great beauty of +Paris consists in its public monuments, which certainly are not only +very numerous, but some upon the grandest scale, independent of those +which are generally conspicuous in a city; the Barriers and Fountains +form a considerable feature in Paris amongst its ornaments. + +The Parisians generally are a remarkably persevering and industrious +people, amongst the trading classes, particularly the women, who often +take as ostensible a part in business as their husbands; except that it +is an establishment upon a very large scale, the wife is usually the +cashier, and you will find her as stationary at the counter almost as +the counter itself. The idea that exists in England with respect to +married women in France is quite erroneous, for more domestic and stay +at home is impossible to be, that is amongst the middle classes; the +same remark applies to the lower orders. As to the higher classes they +never can be cited as forming a characteristic in any country; receiving +a highly finished education, they are all brought to the same degree of +polish, and the primitive features are entirely effaced. Good nature is +a very conspicuous trait in the French character, and that is +continually displayed towards any foreigner; ask your way in the street +in a polite manner, and generally the persons become interested in your +finding the place you want, and if they do not know themselves, they +will go into a shop and enquire for you, and not feel easy until they +have ascertained it for you, but it depends much upon the manner in +which you address them. A Doctor Smith related to me a circumstance +which proves how different is the effect of a courteous and an +uncourteous mode of speaking to a Frenchman; the Doctor had with him a +friend who was a regular John Bull, and they wishing to know their way +to some place, the latter stepped up to a butcher who was standing at +his door and asked him in a very rough manner, and received an evasive +reply; the Doctor then put the same question to the man but in a more +polite form, the butcher replied, "If you will wait a minute, Sir, I +will put on my coat and show you the way," which he did in the most good +humoured manner, but remarked to the Doctor that every one in France +liked to be treated as a fellow man, and not to be spoken to as if they +were brutes. Thus it appears that even butchers in France expect to be +treated with some degree of politeness. + +The women are still more tenacious in that respect than the men; they +consider, even down to a housemaid, that their sex demands a certain +tone of deference, however humble their position, and if a nobleman did +not touch his hat to them when they open or shut the door for them, with +the usual salutation of good day or good morning, they would pronounce +his manners brutal, and say, that although he was a man of title he was +not a gentleman; hence the very unceremonious manner that an Englishman +has of addressing servants, whether male or female, has kept them very +much out of favour with that class of the French community. A scullion, +or what may be termed a girl of all work, that has not met with that +degree of respect from some of our countrymen to which she considered +herself entitled, will remark, that the English may be very rich, but +they certainly are not enlightened as we are, with a little drawing up +of the head, implying their consciousness of superiority over us +semi-barbarians; your charwoman, your washerwoman's drudge, fishwoman, +or girl that cries turf about the streets, are all Madame and +Mademoiselle when they speak of each other, and with them there is no +such word as woman; if a female, she must be a lady, even if her +occupation be to pick up rags in the street. The French women certainly +excel in the art of dress and everything which appertains to the +decoration of the person, but the devotion which exists amongst them to +that passion tends greatly towards frivolising the mind; hence I find +their inferiority, generally speaking, to English women; in the latter +you will often meet, even amongst the middle classes, with a girl who +has received a good education; forming her pleasures from pursuits which +are purely intellectual, she will not only find enjoyment in that light +reading merely calculated to amuse, or that kind of music which consists +of pretty quadrilles, a few trifling songs, and two or three lessons +adapted for the display of execution, or that style of poetry and of +painting which is something of the same nature, just fit to please the +fancy without touching the heart; no, you will find that she enters into +the very soul of those mental recreations, nor does that interfere with +her domestic virtues; she is equally capable of performing every social +duty, but she devotes not so considerable a portion of her time and +thoughts to dress, nor is she so totally absorbed in the anticipation +and retrospection of balls and soirées, to the exclusion of every other +feeling, as long as the season for parties continues, which is but too +much the case with females in Paris, except with those whose business or +occupations prevent them from participating otherwise than very +sparingly in the gaieties of that description; but the class I allude +to in France, is that which consists of persons of independent fortune, +who have never been connected with anything in the shape of trade or +even professions, except army or navy, yet whose property is too small +to estimate them as belonging to the higher classes, whilst they would +consider themselves as degraded by an association with even the richer +tradespeople, generally coming under the denomination of middle classes. +This grade, immediately below the highest classes and above the middle, +is very numerous in Paris, their incomes varying from four hundred to a +thousand a-year; with the females in this class there is an exact +resemblance to those of the class above, only the sphere is more +confined; their education finished, they retain but little of what they +have learned, except dancing, singing, and music, because they are +calculated for display, and tell in society; drawing is laid aside, even +after much proficiency had been acquired, reading confined to the +reviews of the popular works of the day, the inexhaustible subjects of +conversation are the toilet, which is pre-eminent, balls, soirées, and +public places; if literature be introduced, you will find their +knowledge of it sufficient to escape the charge of ignorance, +particularly in history, as great pains are now taken with their +education, and which certainly is of the best description, whilst there +is a grace and sweetness of manner which is highly captivating; yet when +you become well acquainted with these ladies, whose surface was +enchanting, you find at last a want of soul. As a proof how seldom I +have found French females express any delight in beholding all the +phenomena of an extensive and beautiful country, and if the mind be dead +to that charm, how must it be lost to the enjoyments of descriptive +poetry and painting, as if the reality afford not pleasure how little +can be derived from the representation; I have found in France many +exceptions to this rule, women, in fact, whose society afforded a highly +intellectual treat. But they are rare, and when one speaks of a people +generally, the mass must be stated and not the exceptions. In England, +even amongst the classes of the highest fashion, many women are to be +met with, who, notwithstanding that they are whirled about in London for +months together to parties every night, sometimes to three or four in an +evening, to hear and say the nothings that pass current in assemblages +of that description, both deteriorating to health and mind, yet on +returning to their seats in the country, whilst the husband is following +the sports of the field, the females will have recourse to intellectual +occupations, and cultivate those seeds of knowledge which had been +instilled into their minds during their early youth, thus conferring +upon them those companionable powers, which are the great charm of life; +the rural scenes around them call their pencils into practice, whilst +the true spirit of poetry constantly appears to their feelings in the +forms of those beauties of nature which in fact are its life and soul. +Embosomed in the calm retirement found in such retreats, the various +objects in view engender the love of reading; hence the Englishwoman +recruits her mental powers after the frivolizing effects of a season in +town. The Frenchwoman goes into the country for the purpose of enjoying +the fresh air, she reads a little to kill time, and occupies much of it +with her embroidery and other fancy works, and after a short period +passed amongst the vine-clad hills, sighs once more to return to her +dear Paris, complains of ennui, wonders what the fashions will be at the +next Longchamp, and whether they will be such as become her or not, but +feeling herself bound to wear whatever may be pronounced the modes, and +trusts to her taste to arrange it in such a manner as to set her off to +the best advantage. + +My countrywomen are not so much slaves to fashion and do not care to put +on every thing that comes out, if they think it does not suit them, but +it must be admitted that they have not the same taste as the French in +regard to costume; it is a quality that is peculiar to them, and +acknowledged by all the civilised world; in England, Russia, even +Greece, ladies of the high ton must send to Paris for their hats and +bonnets, and have them from Madame de Barennes, in the _Place Vendôme_, +which is not merely an idea, but a fact that they really are replete +with that exquisite taste for which they are so justly famed; even the +manner in which her lofty and noble saloons are arranged display an +elegance of conception, there is a chasteness which pervades the whole, +the furniture as Well as the decorations of the room are either of +white or ebony and gold, preserving that degree of keeping which is +inseparable from a truly classical taste. + +I must confess that the most refined, the most charming and fascinating +women that I ever met with, were some English and Irish ladies who had +been some years in France, still retaining all those intellectual +qualities which are the brightest gems of the British female character, +united with that quiet grace which has so much of dignity and ease, and +that pleasing affability appearing but as nature in a truly elegant +Frenchwoman; at the same time I think my fair countrywomen are also much +improved when they have acquired the same degree of taste in the +arrangement of their costume for which the Parisian females have so well +merited a reputation. Of course in this comparison I am speaking of the +most well-bred females of both countries. Although I do not find the +French ladies possessing those high intellectual qualities, which are in +a great degree engendered and fostered by certain habits and early +associations, I do not conceive that the germs of talent are in the +least deficient, but on the contrary, we find them excelling in +literature and the arts, in ingenuity, and where exertion is required in +trying circumstances, that they are capable of heroism, but there is a +natural life and vivacity in the French character that inclines not to +study, nor strict application, unless the position in life renders it +necessary. The English very frequently are by nature disposed to +reflection and even like often to be alone, consequently are +undoubtedly a more thinking nation, although not so brilliant, but +experience has proved that patient and undeviating perseverance, +ultimately, outsteps the more showy and sparkling quality of genius. For +the sympathies of the heart I have found the French females most keenly +alive, no mothers can be more devotedly attached to their children than +they are, and it is repaid to them with interest by their offspring, as +a devotional affection towards parents is carried to an extreme; in some +instances I should say to a fault, as a daughter in general looks up +entirely to them, in regard to the man that they may choose with whom +she is to pass the rest of her life, without presuming that she ought to +make a selection for herself, considering that her marriage is the +affair of her parents, and that she has but to obey their wishes in +that, as well as in all other cases; hence it is rarely found that a +French young lady has aught of romance in her composition, but is on the +contrary the mild, docile, obedient, and affectionate pupil, and often +imitator of her mother. The English young lady is a little more +rebellious; possessing a more independent spirit, she very soon takes +the liberty of thinking for herself, particularly on that subject; and +could she totally have her will would act for herself also. Families are +much more united in France than in England, and agree together in a most +astonishing manner; thus when a daughter marries, instead of quitting +her home, the husband arranges his affairs so as to go and live with her +parents, and in many cases several families live together and form one +little community, which spares the pain of separation of parent and +child. The numerous offspring of the celebrated Marquis de Lafayette was +a remarkable instance of how whole families can live and agree under the +same roof; at his seat called La Grange, his married children and their +children and grandchildren were all residing together, whilst he, like +one of the ancient patriarchs, was the revered head of his people. I +know a case at Boulogne, where in one house there are living together, +two great grandfathers, one grandfather and grandmother, two fathers and +two mothers and their four children, and what renders it more curious is +that they are half English and half French, but all connected by their +sons and daughters intermarrying; but strange to say that the English +could not agree to live together in that manner, and it is a most +extraordinary circumstance much remarked by the French, that wherever +the English are settled in any town in France, they always contrive to +quarrel with each other, and find employment for the French lawyers; at +Boulogne they have at least twice as much practice for the English as +for the natives. + +With regard to the conduct of the French towards foreigners, speaking +from the long experience which I have had, I should certainly state that +it was kind and attentive when brought into contact in travelling or +from any other circumstances, provided that a person does not attempt to +support a haughty or supercilious air. I do not consider that, generally +speaking, the French are so hospitable as the English, not only as +regards foreigners but even amongst themselves; it is not so much their +habit. In many houses you may pass an hour or two of an evening, and +there will never be any question regarding refreshments; not having the +custom of taking tea of an evening, that social bond which unites the +family together at a certain hour in England not existing in France, +little domestic evening parties seldom occur. I have been to a few +amongst what I call the very quiet families of Paris, which are styled +the _demi fortunes_, and cakes, beer, wine, sugar and water, etc., were +given; in the high fashionable parties tea now is always introduced at +about twelve. To ask a friend to a family dinner is not so much the +practice in France as in England, as the custom existing in the former +of having so many dishes with such a trifle in each, the platters are +often pretty well cleared by the usual inmates of the establishment, and +they are not prepared for an additional person. With the English who are +accustomed to large joints, if two or three additional guests suddenly +enter, they are still prepared. The French have also an idea that if +they ask you to dinner that they must provide so great a variety, which +entails infinitely more trouble than the more simple and more wholesome +repast, I should say, of the English. + +There is a great sympathy in France towards each other in their +respective classes; if a quarrel take place in the street between one of +the lower and one of the middle class, all that pass by of the former +description will take the part of the individual of his own level; the +same will be the case with the other classes, often without inquiring +into the merits of the case. The impulse of feeling exists to a great +degree amongst the French, which is instantly displayed if a person +falls or is taken ill in the street, and much feeling is developed if +any little accident or misfortune occurs to a poor person passing by. I +remember an instance of a woman who was trudging away with a basket of +crockery and some eggs at the top, a poor man who was carrying a load +slipped, and in his fall upset the woman and broke the greater part of +her brittle goods; in this case both being poor persons, it became a +knotty point for the French to decide; very long and very warm were the +arguments adduced on both sides by the mob which had assembled, the man +declared he was too poor to have it in his power to pay for the damage +which he had caused, that he had hurt himself very much in the fall and +found that quite misfortune enough for him. The woman cried and vowed +she could not afford to lose the value of the articles broken, and the +eggs belonged to another person who had given her the money to buy them, +and persisted that the man ought to pay for what he had broken, although +she admitted it was a very hard case for him; what was to be done? a +subscription it was decided was the only means of settling the affair, +and one person giving half a franc by way of example, engaged to be +collector, and from the different bystanders, each giving a few sous, +the sum required was soon produced, and all parties departed with the +conviction that the affair had been equitably arranged. + +The French are in the habit of rising extremely early, especially the +lower classes, and even amongst the middle and higher ranks they are +rarely so late in all their operations as the English. Persons in easy +circumstances amongst the French generally take coffee, with a piece of +bread, as soon as they are up, and then breakfast _à la fourchette_ +about twelve, which consists of soup, meat, vegetables, fruit, and wine; +they dine about six or seven, which is a repetition of the breakfast, +with greater variety and more abundance. Wine is drank throughout the +dinner, and never after; but light as their _vin ordinaire_ generally +is, they always dilute it with water. Immediately after dinner, coffee, +without milk or cream, is taken, and lastly a glass of liqueur; no other +repast is thought of until the following day, as they neither take tea +nor supper, in their usual family habits. But in cases of invitation it +is quite another affair, several different wines of superior quality are +handed about at dinner, with which they do not mix water, and always +Champagne of course is drank without being diluted. When they give a +_soirée_, a variety of refreshments are produced, as different +descriptions of cakes, ices, orgeat and water, punch, warm wine, +limonade, etc., according to the season of the year; and often a supper +is given on a very liberal scale. Dancing, music, singing, and cards +form the amusements of the evening; the games which are played are +generally écarté and whist. + +The passion for dancing pervades all classes, and even amongst the +lowest orders they always find the means of gratifying themselves with +that pleasure, but in all their enjoyments down to the public-houses in +the worst quarters of Paris, there is a degree of decorum which +surprises an Englishman accustomed to the extreme grossness of similar +classes in our own country. Determined to see as much of life as I could +in all its stages during a carnival, accompanied by a countryman I +visited many of the lowest order of wine houses where balls were going +forward; the only payment required for entrance was the purchase of a +bottle of wine, costing six sous. We expected to see a good deal of +uproarious mirth and all kinds of pranks going forward, but were quite +astonished to find the order that prevailed; the men appeared as if they +were in such a hurry for a dance that they had not waited until they +washed their hands and faces, but had just come directly from their +work, although several of them had slipped on masquerade dresses; the +women were cleaner (I suspect they were not of the most immaculate +description), and were amusing themselves with quadrilles and waltzes +alternately. Being of course very differently attired from the rest of +the assemblage, we were very conspicuous, but they took no notice of us +whatever; if they happened to run against us whilst waltzing and +whirling about, they always said "Je vous 'mande pardon, Monsieur," and +nothing farther. We observed that the men paid for the musicians two +sous each dance and the women one, and we came away rather disappointed +at finding things so much more insipid than we expected; we visited +several houses of the same description and found the same sort of scene +going forward in them all. The working people in Paris are extremely +frugal in their mode of living; bread being full seven-eighths of their +food, what they eat with it varies according to the season; if in +summer, mostly such fruit as happens to be ripe, and perhaps once in the +day they take a bit of soft white-looking cheese with their bread. In +winter they often add instead, a little morsel of pork or bacon, but +more frequently stewed pears or roasted apples. On Sundays they always +put the _pot-au-feu_, as they call it, which means that they make soup, +or literally translated, that they put the pot on the fire. Henry IV +declared that he should not feel satisfied until he had so ameliorated +the condition of the poor, that every peasant should be able to have a +fowl in his pot every Sunday; had he not suddenly been cut off by +assassination, he might have lived to have seen his benevolent wish +accomplished. Many of the wives of the working people contrive to muster +some soup for their husbands when they get home at night, and almost all +manage to have a little wine in the course of the day. On the Sunday in +the summer time they contrive to have a degree of pleasure, and go to +one of the houses round Paris called _guinguettes_, something in the +nature of the tea-gardens about London, but in Paris and most parts of +France the husband takes his wife and even his children with him if they +are old enough; indeed, you generally see the whole train together. At +these houses they mostly take beer which is not very strong, but they +make it less so by mixing it with water, as they do almost every +beverage; sometimes they have wine, lemonade, or currant juice, which is +called _groseille_, and that from the black currant _cassis_; there they +will sit looking at the dances, in which they sometimes join, and return +home about ten o'clock. This is pretty much the routine of a _regularly +conducted_ working-man in Paris, and it must be admitted that they form +by far the greater number, particularly those who are married. + +Amongst the middle-classes, both husband and wife keep very steadily to +business, particularly the latter, and as they live frugally, they +generally calculate upon retiring from business in ten or twelve years, +and mostly effect their object, as they are perfectly contented when +they have amassed enough capital to produce three or four hundred a +year, which is the case with the major part of them; many are not +satisfied until four or five times that sum; but they are seldom +ambitious, nor care to get out of their class, as the persons with whom +they associate and are intimate, are mostly relations and connexions to +whom they are attached, and do not seem to fancy any pleasure in +extending their acquaintances. But before they retire from business they +have their occasional recreations; in fine weather they are very fond +of spending their Sundays in the country; in the winter they frequently +visit the theatres, but very rarely have company at home or pay visits, +except on the New Year, and in the Carnival they give one ball, and go +to several others given by their relations; this description alludes to +what may be termed the respectable class of shopkeepers. They have one +means of communication with each other, of which they avail themselves +for the advantages of business or for the purpose of recreation, if they +choose, which consists of what they term _Cercles_, much the same as we +should call clubs; they are establishments composed of perhaps 150 +members, more or less, who meet in a suite of apartments fitted up for +the purpose, and certainly most elegantly, both as regards the +decoration of the rooms and the furniture they contain. A clerk is +employed, whose business it is to collect information as to the +different merchants who arrive at Paris from the various parts of France +and other countries; they find out the particular branch in which he +deals, and that member whose business it is to vend the commodity likely +to be demanded, sends him a programme of his goods and his terms. If any +one receive a commission from any country which is not in his +department, he proclaims it to the Cercle, and gives a fellow-member the +benefit of the order; thus they play into each other's hands and greatly +promote their mutual interests. Billiard-tables are fitted up for the +amusement of the members, who also occupy themselves with other games, +whilst refreshments are to be had the same as in a coffee-house. There +are many of these establishments in Paris, which afford great facilities +for the promotion of business. Although the extraordinary increase of +trade in Paris is almost incredible, yet the bankrupts are more numerous +than they were formerly; one reason is, on account of the number of +persons in each business having so much increased, and the immense +expenses which they incur in the embellishment of their shops to try and +outvie each other. A person taking a place in the Palais Royal about +three years since, first gave the occupier 40,000 francs (1,600_l._) to +quit, and then expended 110,000 francs (4,400_l._) in fitting it up as +a restaurateur's; the rent being high in proportion, the success was not +commensurate with the expenditure and the speculation failed. This is +one of the many instances which have recently occurred at Paris, causing +bankruptcy; yet some persons have laid out more than double the amount +in the decorations for restaurateurs and coffee-houses, and yet have +succeeded. + +The occupations of the higher classes in Paris are much the same as they +are in other capitals; both sexes are more fond of taking baths than +they are in London, and even when they have that convenience in their +own houses, the men often prefer lounging to the most fashionable public +baths. The young sparks of fashion are very fond of sumptuous breakfasts +at the most stylish coffee-houses in Paris, and often begin by taking a +few dozen of oysters by way of giving them an appetite; beefsteaks +dressed in the English style, a few choice French dishes, two or three +sorts of wine, desert, and coffee, generally compose the repast until +the dinner hour. The time is filled up with walking, riding, driving, +practising gymnastic exercises, pistol-shooting, fencing, etc. After +dinner, which usually terminates about eight, and is in fact the same +thing as the breakfast on a more extensive scale, they proceed to the +theatres; those most in vogue with the beau monde are the Italian Opera, +the French Opera or Académie de Musique, the Comic Opera, and the +Théâtre Français. After the performances are over, they generally lounge +into some favourite coffee-house, and then close the day to recommence +another, following much the same course, with some trifling variation. +But now the favourite pursuit amongst young men of fashion, is that of +riding and every thing which is connected with horses, such as racing, +leaping, steeple chasing, and discussing their different qualities and +the various modes of breaking them in, in England and in France. + +But there is no subject upon which there is so much difference of +opinion between the two nations as upon that of equestrian exercises and +the management and training of horses. Our bold fox-hunters and daring +steeple chasers, I am aware, will not for an instant imagine that there +are any riders to be found equal to Englishmen, whilst the French, +although they give us credit for doing many things better than +themselves, do not at all admire our horsemanship. They admit that our +good riders are not easily thrown, and keep their seat under many +difficult and dangerous circumstances, but they contend that the English +generally have not sufficient command over their horses in making them +obey every wish of the rider, whilst the accomplished French cavalier +will make his horse go backwards, sideways, right, or left, in a direct +line, will cause him to stop in an instant whilst at full speed, will +make him bear on his near or off leg just as he chooses, or make him +place either foot on a five franc piece, and in fact have the same +command over his horse as if it were his child. There are many +riding-masters now in Paris of superior talent, but for rendering his +pupils dauntless horsemen, capable of mounting any animal however +restive, I do not think that any can be found to surpass M. de Fitte. I +have seen him place his best pupils upon a horse, which upon signals +given, will rear upon his hind or his forelegs, changing from one to the +other with such rapidity and in such constant succession that the rider +cannot the least foresee what prank the horse is about to play, and +therefore cannot be prepared for what he has to encounter, whilst he is +seated on a saddle without stirrups or bridle, as with folded arms he +defies every manoeuvre his steed essays to throw him. The +riding-school of Mr. Fitte is at No. 113, rue Montmartre, next to the +great establishment of the Messageries royales, from whence depart the +diligences for all parts of France. He has always about forty horses of +different countries and descriptions; amongst them are some especially +trained for ladies, and such as will be found well adapted to the most +bold and the most timid rider, which he lets out at very moderate terms. + +Any person must feel gratified at being present when he gives his +evening lessons to his pupils, as amongst other exercises he practises +them in what is called the _jeu de bague_, which consists of rings +loosely suspended from a post, whilst the rider carries a lance, and in +passing by at full gallop endeavours to run it through the ring, which +is about two inches in diameter, and is hung in such a manner that it +yields to the lance and remains upon it whilst the rider, without +stopping, proceeds at full speed and takes off the next. Two persons are +generally exercised together at this game, and he who takes off the most +rings wins. It is a useful practice now adopted in almost all the +riding-schools in Paris, as it teaches the pupil to forget his seat, +giving him another object to occupy his mind, till at last the young +pupil feels as easy upon a horse at full gallop as seated in his chair, +his whole attention being directed towards taking off more rings with +his lance than his competitor. Mr. Fitte during the lesson also himself +displays what can be done with different horses, in giving them that +sort of motion which he thinks proper, which is principally produced by +operating upon the animal with the muscles of the calves of the legs, of +which the French avail themselves much more in the management of a horse +than the English. + +It appears quite a new era in the annals of horsemanship that an +approved English riding-master should come over to France to place +himself for two years under a French riding-master, yet such I know to +be the case. Mr. F.W., the person to whom I allude, had long been +accustomed to mount horses of all descriptions, with the full confidence +of always being able to keep his seat; but when at Paris he met with a +master who could not only defy any horse to throw him, but under all +circumstances could always preserve a graceful position, even while +baffling every attempt of a horse to floor him. In order to try the +capabilities of Mr. W., the French master placed him on all kinds of +horses, and amongst the rest those which had been taught all sorts of +tricks to fling their riders, but W. resisted all their attempts, but it +was by keeping his seat in his own way, which he knew had an awkward +air, when compared to the graceful mien the Frenchman preserved +throughout the same evolutions. + +Another art he strove also to acquire from his master, that of +dominating the most vicious horse to a degree that shall render it so +docile that any moderate horseman may mount it in safety. This was +effected by the French riding-master (with whom W. placed himself), +under the most extraordinary circumstances; a horse was offered him of +extreme beauty, but so totally unmanageable that it had been given up by +three rough riders of regiments in England, and was almost considered as +worthless, as no one could be found to ride it; the Frenchman undertook +in one year so to tame its restive spirit as to render it a valuable +horse for any rider. The owner quitted France, but agreed to return in a +twelvemonth, when they were to divide the amount of what the horse might +sell for; but it so happened that the owner did not return for eighteen +months, and when the twelvemonth had expired the riding-master +considered the horse his own and sold it to Franconi for 20,000 francs +(800_l._), having so completely taught the horse to obey its master, as +to make it dance to music, to bear upon which leg he chose to dictate, +and in fact to do more than I shall venture to state, as were I to give +an accurate description it must appear an exaggeration, having met with +several Englishmen who with myself have declared they never could have +believed, had they not had ocular demonstration, that a horse could have +been taught to do that which the animal in question has nightly +exhibited at Franconi's. When the owner did return, he claimed the half +of the value the horse had fetched, but the riding-master pleaded that +the contract was annulled by his not making his claim at the time agreed +upon between them; the other persisting in his demand, the affair was +referred to a Court of Justice, and decided in favour of the +riding-master, and it is said that Franconi has since refused 40,000 +francs for the horse. + +There is one peculiarity in the English style of riding which is +remarked all over the Continent, and that is, the rising in the saddle, +or what is termed, adopting one's own motion, instead of that of the +horse, which is certainly much rougher and not so agreeable, and for my +own part I have found it a great relief when upon a long journey; of +course it is never adopted by our cavalry, and the French contend that +to sit as close as possible, partaking of the motion of the horse, as +soon as the rider is accustomed to it he will travel farther, and with +less fatigue than by what is termed the English method. M. de Fitte +however thinks differently from his countrymen in that respect. It is +also considered that in both our riding and driving we rein in our +horses far too much, the consequence being that the animal, accustomed +to be held up by the rider or driver, depends upon it, as what is called +his fifth leg, and if there be any negligence in thus sustaining him, he +immediately trips and often comes to the ground; whereas the horse who +is habituated to a looser rein goes more boldly, depending on the powers +nature has given him, and carries his head lower, and of course sees his +ground better, avoiding that which might occasion a false step; and +certainly the horses in France very seldom fall, except in frost or +snow, when strange to say the French have never had the wit to have them +rough-shod. + +Notwithstanding all that is said upon the subject I have found the +advantage of keeping a tighter rein upon my horse than they are in the +habit of practising in Turkey, as although in a journey which I had of +seven hundred miles on horseback in that country they found great fault +with my riding, yet I kept my seat, and my horse upon his legs, without +once coming to the ground, when the Tatar, the Surdjee, and my +travelling companion were alternately prostrated from the falling of +their horses, which I attribute to their not being able to check them in +time when they tripped, to prevent their totally sprawling; it is true +that some parts of the road could only be compared to a street having +been unpaved and all the stones left loose upon the ground over which we +had to ride, consequently I took the greatest care, never for an instant +neglecting any precaution to keep my hack from stumbling. But where a +horse is liable to come upon his knees, certainly the system of rising +in the saddle is most unsafe, and I never met with any one who could +better teach his pupils to sit close and firm even with the roughest +trot than M. de Fitte, who, not content with precept, himself furnishes +the example. Amongst his pupils, are many of the fair sex as the French +ladies are now beginning to imitate the gentlemen in their passion for +equestrian exercises, and frequently in the Champs-Élysées and Bois de +Boulogne display the progress they have made in the art. + +Although their pursuits are not so numerous nor so various as those of +the men, yet their opportunities of killing time are greater; as +shopping alone employs often some hours of the day, the importance +attached to a bonnet, a cap, a turban and above all to a dress, causes +many and long dissertations. Exhibitions and morning concerts frequently +occupy also much of the ladies' leisure, a little walking in the +Tuileries gardens at a certain hour and in a certain part whilst their +carriage waits for them, an airing in it, or a turn on horseback, fill +up the rest of the day, and after dinner, if not at the theatre, they +either receive or pay visits, as it is the fashion to do so of an +evening in Paris. + +I must not quit this sketch of the Parisians and their occupations +without giving my readers some idea of what is called _La Jeune France_, +which consists of a number of young men, who wear comical shaped hats, +their hair very long hanging below their ears, and let the greater part +of their beards grow; they also have their throats bare and their shirt +collars turned down; they have rather a wild look, and their political +theories are somewhat wilder than their looks; they are republican in +principle, and in manner, adopting a sort of rough abrupt style, as far +from courteous as can well be imagined. They amount to perhaps a few +thousands in Paris, comprising a number of the students in law and +medicine, many of the painters, musical professors, and at least half +the literary characters in Paris; some of them are either the editors +their subs or the communicators to two-thirds of the newspapers at +Paris. I must do them the justice to say that I believe they mean well, +and that they are actuated by pure principles of patriotism, full of +candour and of courage, but mistaken in their views, led away by false +notions imbibed from an enthusiastic admiration of the deeds of heroes, +recorded in the histories of Rome and Greece, until they imagine that +they are bound in modern days to re-enact the glorious examples of their +progenitors in their self devotion for their country; hence the +wonderful resistance that they made in 1832, which although in a bad +cause, proved their contempt for life, and how ready they were to risk +it in what they falsely thought their country's cause. + +But as they get older and reflect more, they become more temperate in +their mode of reasoning, at present, and indeed for some time past, they +have been more calm and one hears less of them. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + Anecdotes illustrative of the ideas, feelings, and characters of + the Parisians, also narrating some of their most striking national + peculiarities. + + +The French generally have been celebrated for possessing no +inconsiderable share of conceit, but in regard to a most exalted respect +for themselves, the Parisians far surpass all their provincial brethren; +the very circumstance of their happening to be born in Paris, they +imagine at once confers upon them a diploma of the very highest acme of +civilisation, causing them to feel a sort of pity for a person who is +born elsewhere; however, as one of these enlightened spirits once +observed to me, that a person might by coming to live at Paris in the +course of time imbibe the same tone of refinement. Now this was said in +all the true spirit of human kindness; he knew that I was not born in +Paris, and conceiving that I might feel the bitterness of that +misfortune, though it might afford me a degree of consolation to be +assured, that there were some means of repairing the disadvantages under +which I laboured, from not having made my entrance to the world in the +grand metropolis of France. + +It matters not how low may be the calling of a Parisian, he will still +flatter himself that the manner in which he acquits himself in the +department in which he is placed, evinces a degree of superiority over +his fellow labourer, and gratifies his _amour propre_ with the thought. +Even a scavenger would endeavour to persuade you that he has a peculiar +manner of sweeping the streets exclusively his own, and that his method +of shovelling up the mud and pitching it into the cart is quite unique, +and in fact that his innate talent is such that, it has eventually +placed him at the summit of his profession. This may appear, perhaps, to +some of my readers rather overdrawn, but the following instance which +came under my own observation is not much less extravagant. + +A man who was in the habit of cleaning my boots, had a most incorrigible +propensity for garrulity, and as I like in a foreign country to obtain +some insight into the ideas and feelings of all classes, I did not care +to check the poor fellow in the indulgence of his favourite _penchant_, +particularly as his remarks were always proffered with a tone of the +most profound respect for my august person. Finding one morning that my +boots had not been polished quite so well as usual, the next time I saw +the shoeblack I mentioned the circumstance to him. "_Ah! Sir_," he +exclaimed with a deep sigh, "that is one of the many instances of the +ingratitude of human nature; I confided those boots to the boy whom you +must have seen come with me to fetch yours and the other gentlemen's +shoes or clothes for brushing, etc. Well, sir, that young urchin is a +protégé of mine; I took him, sir, from the lowest obscurity and made him +what he is; I taught him my profession, I endowed him with all the +benefit of my experience, and with respect to blacking shoes, I have +initiated him into all the little mysteries of the art, and can declare +that there is not one in the business throughout all Paris that can +surpass him, when he chooses to exert his talents; and therefore it +renders it the more unpardonable that he should slight one of my best +customers." Judging, I suppose, from the expression of my countenance +that I did not appear to be deeply infused with a very exalted idea of +what he termed the mysteries of his art, he continued, "You may think as +you please, sir, but there is much more ability required in blacking +shoes than you may imagine, and that boy is well aware of it; he knows +how I began by first instructing him in all the fundamental principles +of the art; and gradually led him on until I accomplished him in giving +the last polish, and can now proudly say he is a true artist in the +profession." + +On entering a diligence once at Lyons, I found two persons in it, of +very decent aspect; the one a middle aged man, the other a youth of +about eighteen or nineteen; the former soon found an opportunity of +informing me that he was a Parisian, but lest that should not adequately +impress me with a sufficiently high idea of his importance, he added +that he was _chef de cuisine_ to the Duke of ----, and that Monsieur, +pointing to the youth opposite, was an _aspirant_, who had been placed +under his auspices. The young man bowed assent, and appeared most +sensibly to feel the vast magnitude of the honours to which he was +aspiring; but the whole was announced with such an air of solemnity and +consequence, that a minister of state with his secretary would never +have attempted to assume. An Englishman under the same circumstances +would have merely said, "I am head cook to the Duke of ---- and that +young man is my 'prentice." However, my travelling companions were +overpoweringly civil, and I of course was deeply awed by finding myself +in company with such elevated personages, of which they no doubt were +sensible, and where we stopped for dinner they gave us the benefit of +their professional talent, by entering the kitchen, giving the inmates +to understand who they were, and the advantage of advice gratis, as to +the arrangement of such dishes for which they were still in time to +superintend; and when we sat down at the table d'hôte, the _chef de +cuisine_ did not fail to inform me that he had done as much as laid in +his power to ensure our having a good dinner, as my being a foreigner he +was particularly anxious that France should sustain her high reputation +for the culinary art in my estimation; but regretted that in the first +place he arrived too late to effect much good, and indeed, had he come +before it would have been but of little avail; for the provincials were +such complete barbarians, that it was difficult for an enlightened +person to commune with them: that absolutely he and they appeared to be +quite of another species. + +It is a happy circumstance for the French, that their pride does not +consist in a desire to get out of their station, but an extreme anxiety +to exaggerate the importance of the station in which they are placed; a +cook, for example, has the most exalted idea of the art of cookery, and +wishes to impress everyone with the same idea of its high importance, +and all his ambition is to be considered a cook of the first-rate +talent. In England it is different, one of the great objects with a +tradesman is the hope, that by making his fortune he shall be enabled to +get out of his class and take a higher walk in society. For this purpose +they bring their sons up to the liberal professions, and often retire +into the country at a distance from London, where they flatter +themselves that the circumstance of their having been in business may +not travel; their plan seldom succeeds, but has in several instances +when they have come over to France, as being rich, appearing +respectable, and their children highly educated, they have obtained the +_entrée_ to French society, which has ultimately led to that of the +English. I remember one instance of a hatter marrying his five daughters +to persons of the higher classes, three to English and two to French, +who now with their father have that position in society, into which at +one period he never could have dreamed of entering; had they remained in +England, they would have had but little chance of emerging from their +original station, even with the aid of all their wealth. + +Street scenes often afford amusing exhibitions of natural +characteristics; I remember one which I witnessed, which developed a +feeling truly French; two common-looking men had been disputing for some +time, when one upbraided the other with want of delicacy and not having +a nice sense of honour, but finding his reproaches made but little +impression upon the accused, at last said, "As I see you are destitute +of any mental susceptibility, I must try if you have any bodily feeling, +and thrash you as I would a dog or any other brute." So saying, he +advanced to put his threat into execution, but the assailed proving far +the strongest, soon overcame the assailant and laid him prostrate; +rising from the ground, he regarded the conqueror with a dignified air, +and said, "Yes! you have the physical force, but I have the force of +reason," and with a flourish of the head he strutted off with as +triumphant a demeanour as if he had vanquished a host of enemies. + +The French are exceedingly fond of moralizing; a few days before the +Revolution occurred, whilst a man was driving me through the Place de la +Concorde, I observed a scaffolding in the middle, and asked what it was +for, and having informed me that it was for the purpose of erecting a +statue of Louis the Sixteenth, being the spot in which he was beheaded, +he exclaimed, "What an absurdity! but those Bourbons are incorrigible; +would it not be much better to let such events as those sink as much as +possible into oblivion, instead of endeavouring to perpetuate them. One +would have thought," continued he, "that the adversity and exile which +that besotted family had endured would have operated upon them as a +lesson, but they will never benefit from any lessons; one, however, will +be tried upon them very soon, if they do not mind what they are about, +and we shall see what impression that will make." The man's words came +to pass, they did indeed receive a severe lesson, which involved them in +ruin and disgrace. + +Having observed a number of persons assembled on the Boulevards, I asked +the cause, and was told that some cavalry was expected to pass in a few +minutes, for which the people were waiting. I took my station amongst +them, which happened to be next to two bakers' boys, who were in earnest +conversation, when I was edified by the following observations. "Do you +know why Alphonse left his place?" "Yes," replied the other, "because +his master gave him a cuff on the head." "That certainly was a very +great indignity;" observed the younger; "to receive a blow is very +humiliating." "That is true," replied the other, "but figure to yourself +the folly of a lad, for the sake of a paltry thump, to sacrifice all his +future prospects; in a few years, had he put up with the insult, he +might have been head man in a bakehouse in the Rue St. Denis, which is +one of the most populous quarters in Paris." "True," said the younger, +"it would have been wiser to have sayed; but when excited, reason does +not always come to one's aid." + +I have translated the discourse as literally as I could, that I might +preserve as nearly as possible the expressions which the boys used, as +it has often struck me how much more refined they are, than those to +which lads of the same age and class would have had recourse in England. + +Some of the scenes at the tribunals are very amusing; I remember a very +rough ferocious-looking man having been brought up for returning to +Paris, from which he had been sent away on account of some offences +which he had committed, and was ordered to some small obscure town in +the provinces, under _surveillance_. Finding his banishment very +irksome, an irresistible impulse brought him back to Paris, and +repairing to his old haunts, he sought the Rue de la Mortellerie, which +had in part been pulled down, on account of some improvements which were +going forward; whilst he was gaping about, looking in vain for his dear +Rue de la Mortellerie, he was recognised by a Serjeant of police and +very unwillingly lodged in the _Corps de Garde_ (guard-house), and +brought before the Tribunal of Correction; he was interrogated as to his +having dared, in defiance of the law, to return to Paris. He replied, +"indeed, Monsieur le President, I was so overcome with ennui, that I +found it impossible to exist there any longer; now, only imagine for an +instant, M. le President, the idea of a Parisian, as I am, to be sent to +a little bit of a place where there was no theatre, no promenade, not +even a public monument." + +He was interrupted by the President telling him, that whatever the place +might have been, there he should have staid to the end of his time, and +must be punished for returning to Paris. "But," continued the +delinquent, "the vile little hole to which I was exiled contained no +society whatever, the inhabitants were merely a set of illiterate +beings, and how could any enlightened person vegetate amongst such a +mic-mac of semi-barbarians; but tell me, M. le President, what has +become of the Rue de la Mortellerie?" + +Without deigning to answer, the President was proceeding to condemn the +prisoner, when interrupted by his exclaiming, "Now I intreat, M. le +President, that you who are no doubt a very enlightened personage, would +only place yourself in my position, and conceive how it was possible to +exist buried alive as it were among such a set of Goths, and above all +do tell me what has become of my Rue de la Mortellerie?" + +The President, out of all patience, sentenced him to imprisonment in one +of the goals of Paris for three years. + +"Well," said the garrulous and incorrigible offender, "I shall have one +satisfaction, that of knowing that I am still in Paris, that seat of the +arts, that centre of civilisation, and terrestrial paradise; but pray +tell me, M. le President, before we part, do tell me what have they done +with my dear Rue de la Mortellerie?" Without affording him time to +occupy the court any longer with his irrelevant questions and +explanations, they hurried him away, whilst he continued to murmur what +could possibly have gone with his dear Rue de la Mortellerie which was +no other than a little narrow filthy street which it would be difficult +to match in the worst neighbourhoods in London. + +I also recollect an instance of the deliberate coolness of a man who was +tried and found guilty of the robbery and murder of a farmer; being +asked if he knew his accomplice, he observed "As to knowing him, M. le +President, that is more than I can say; you must be aware that it is +extremely difficult to _know_ a person, you may have seen a person +often, and even conversed with him for years, and yet never _know_ him." + +"Are you acquainted with him," was the next question. + +"As to that," continued the prisoner, "I am a man who has very few +acquaintances, being naturally of a reserved character and rather +diffident in my nature, I shrink from entering much into society; being +of a reflecting habit, I like often to pass my hours alone, having +rather an indifferent opinion of human nature." + +How long he would have gone on in the same strain, it is impossible to +say, when he was imperatively demanded if he knew him by name, by sight, +and had talked, or walked, or ate, or drank with him. + +"Really you put so many questions to me at once that you tax my memory +beyond its means; I never was celebrated for having a very retentive +memory, my mother used to say." + +The court out of patience again interrupted him, but with all their +efforts could never elicit from him a direct answer; but the +circumstantial and testimonial evidence being perfectly convincing, he +and his accomplice were condemned to death. When he heard the sentence +he very coolly asked which would be guillotined first; he was answered +that the other would, and that it was to be hoped that the sight of his +companion's fate might bring him to some sense of his awful situation. +When the time arrived for their execution, he displayed the same +imperturbable audacity; as his accomplice was about to suffer, he +elbowed the person who was standing next to him, and pointing to his +fellow criminal, he smiled and said, "Look, poor wretch, he is afraid, I +declare he even trembles." When it came to his turn he mounted the +ladder with as cheerful an air as if he was merely going to his +breakfast, and to the last moment preserved the same sang-froid. + +A brutal sort of fellow, who was once condemned for an assault, in an +instant snatched off his wooden shoes and threw them at the head of the +President, who it appears had a good eye for avoiding a shot, and +managed to escape the missiles. + +Sometimes the avocats (barristers) avail themselves of causes in which +they are engaged, so as to render them vehicles for displaying their wit +or humour, and afford much amusement to the court; a case some time +since occurred which excited much interest and some mirth and +entertainment; the parties concerned were a Madame Dumoulin who had +invented stays of a peculiar nature. Another person who was English +styling herself the inventor, and making them in the same manner, +notwithstanding the former had been granted a patent, an action was the +consequence. It was observed that the hostile parties in this instance, +although French and English, were neither decked with helmets nor armed +with pistols, swords, nor muskets, but entered the scene of combat in +long shawls and velvet bonnets, announcing themselves without the aid of +heralds, the one representing the French army the other the English +host. The champion on the side of the former being a Monsieur Ch. Ledru, +against whom Monsieur Ducluseau entered the lists on the British side of +the question; what made it more remarkable, was, that the belligerents +resided in the same street, the residence of M. Ducluseau, the advocate +for the English defendant, merely separating the mansions of the two +combatants. + +Victory declared for Madame Dumoulin after many subtle and learned +arguments were adduced on both sides, and an English lady, the mother of +several daughters, tells me if I have any regard for my fair +countrywomen I must recommend to their notice the stays of Madame +Dumoulin, truly observing that as the object of my work was to render +every possible service to all my readers, certainly the ladies must have +a pre-eminent claim, and although there are certain articles of the +toilet with which it might be observed man should never meddle, as he +could not be any judge of such habiliments as ought only to be worn by +the ladies, and a few dandies who are neither one thing nor the other, +yet when three scientific societies condescend to award medals to the +inventor and patentee of the articles alluded to, I trust I shall be +pardoned if with an intention to serve the fair sex I trench upon their +privilege in calling their attention to the useful and ornamental +corsets, which have caused so much controversy. + +These stays are so contrived as to be totally without gussets, and adapt +themselves to the form with such perfect facility, that there is not +that restraint which, instead of bestowing grace to the female figure, +is rather calculated to deform, that, which, if left in a degree to +nature, would have displayed both elegance and ease. As an artist +accustomed to contemplate the beauty of feature and of form, I have +often regretted that common error into which such numbers of females +fall, by torturing themselves in tightening the waist to such an +unnatural degree, confining the person as it were in a vice, and totally +preventing that movement in the person, which is indispensable in giving +that elasticity in walking which alone can produce a graceful carriage, +devoid of that stiffness which is ever occasioned by too great a +restraint. The stays invented by Madame Dumoulin are universally admired +as aiding nature, in affording the utmost freedom to the wearer, at the +same time that they improve the figure. + +These stays, have not only received the approbation of the scientific +world by the presentation of three medals, but have also been +recommended by several distinguished members of the faculty, who +consider they are calculated rather to improve than deteriorate the +health of those who wear them. The action which Madame Dumoulin was +obliged to bring against her competitor has been of the utmost service +to her, not only by the triumph she has received and the confirmation of +her patent, but in giving her that vogue that not only the influential +Parisian ladies, but Russian, German and Spanish princesses have +patronised her ingenuity; her residence is Rue du 29 Juillet, no 5. + +In the Courts of Justice in France and particularly in Paris, I have +found that both the prisoners and the witnesses have far more self +possession than in the tribunals in England; they are not so soon +embarrassed by the brow-beating and examination of the counsel, and +sometimes give such replies as turn the sting upon their examiners; +having like the Irish a sort of tact for repartee, they are not often +to be taken aback; the lower classes in Paris are naturally extremely +shrewd and penetrating, they recognise a foreigner instantly, before he +speaks, as a friend of mine found to his cost, who although an +Englishman would anywhere in his own country be set down for a Frenchman +from his external appearance. On the Saturday following the three +glorious days, he was standing amongst one of the groups near the +Hôtel-de-Ville, when a man of a very rough appearance with his arms bare +and besmeared with proofs that he had been in the strife, turned to him +and asked what he thought of the Revolution. My friend, who was in +feeling a thorough bred John Bull, neither liking France, the French, +nor any of their proceedings, did not think it was exactly the moment to +give vent to all his feelings, answered that it was very fine. + +"Oh!" said the Frenchman, "you find it very fine, do you, you're a +foreigner, what countryman are you?" + +"I am an Englishman," was the reply. + +"An Englishman! eh!" muttered the Frenchman scanning him with a very +scrutinising eye, "and you find our Revolutionary fine, eh! well," added +he! "will you come and take a glass of wine with me?" + +The invitation was declined on the plea of business. + +"Business," repeated the Frenchman, "there can be no business to-day, it +is a day of fête;" upon which the Englishman, not seeing any means by +which he could well get off of it, said he would be happy to take wine +with him and should also have great pleasure in paying for it. + +"Pay for it," sternly said the Frenchman, "what do you talk of paying +for it, when you are invited, follow me;" the Englishman obeyed, but +wished himself well out of the scrape; his conductor took him to one of +the lowest sort of wine-houses and they entered a large room where there +were above twenty seated, drinking round a table. His new acquaintance +introduced him in due form, saying, I have brought you an Englishman who +finds our Revolution very fine; there was a degree of order amongst them +and they had a president and vice president, but were very much such +rough looking fellows as the one who announced him; as a stranger, he +was awarded the seat of honour to the right of the president, but had no +sooner been seated, than one man addressed him, saying, + +"I have been in England, I was a prisoner and very ill treated." + +"I am sorry for that," replied the Englishman. + +"I was almost starved," added the other. + +"That was not the fault of the people or the intention of the +government," observed my friend, "but was caused by a few rascally +contractors who received a handsome sum for the supply of the prisoners, +and to make the greater profit they provided bad articles." + +"Well," said another, "I have seen extracts from the English papers and +they speak very highly of our revolution, particularly the Times." + +They next proceeded to give accounts of the share they had taken in the +struggle which had just terminated, and some began to state the number +that they killed, all of which was far from edifying to my friend, who +sat upon thorns notwithstanding they all drank his health, hitting the +glasses together according to the custom of olden time. At several +periods he made an effort to go, but they assured him that they could +not part with him so soon, called him a _bon anglais_, now and then +giving him a smack on the shoulder as a proof of their friendly feeling +towards him. The Englishman began at last to wish himself anywhere but +where he was, and in that manner they kept him for three hours in +durance vile; at last he made a bold push for a retreat, declaring he +could not stay a minute longer. + +"Then," said his conductor, "I shall see you safe home to your door;" +now that was the very thing that my friend did not want, as he was +particularly desirous of dropping the acquaintance as soon as possible, +therefore did not wish him to know where he lived; so at last he thought +of a person with whom he dealt, and said he must go, and see a friend +there with whom he had an appointment; and the Frenchman accompanied him +to the door, always carrying his drawn sword with him, and when taking +leave asked the Englishman when and where he should see him again; my +friend answered he was going to England. + +"Going to England," repeated the other, "what are you going to England +for, if you find our Revolution so very fine, what do you want to go +away from it for, not to abuse it to your country people, I hope?" + +"Oh no," replied the Englishman, "I am only going to England for a +little while, on business, and shall be back soon, and shall have it in +my power to tell my countrymen all about the Revolution, and what an +heroic struggle it was." + +"Ah!" said the Frenchman; then holding out his great rough hand, bade +the Englishman "bon soir," and "bon voyage." + +My friend declared that it was impossible for him to describe to what a +degree he was rejoiced at seeing his new acquaintance depart, although, +however rough his appearance, the man might have been perfectly +harmless, except when called upon to fight for what he considered his +country's cause. + +I was myself living in Paris during the struggle of the Three Days, and +can bear witness to the humanity and moderation of the people during the +contest, and of their forbearance after their victory; they came to the +house at which I was living and asked for wine; but they brought with +them pails of water into which they threw what was given them, thereby +proving their extreme temperance and forbearance, but certainly a band +of a more ruffianlike looking set of fellows, it would be difficult to +imagine, and the manner in which they were at first armed, had something +in it of the horrible, and at the same time of the ludicrous; iron bars, +pokers, pitchforks, and in fact anything that could be converted into a +weapon was taken possession of by the unwashed horde, who swarmed +towards the centre of Paris from the manufacturing suburbs; soon, +however, the public armouries, and the gunsmiths' shops, the musquetry, +and other arms taken from the soldiers during the battle, contributed to +arm them more formidably. + +But in justice to the Parisians I must cite two circumstances; the one +is, that whatever they seized upon in the public institutions, as +instruments of offence and defence, were restored when the contest was +over; the librarian at the Royal Library told me that they took all the +ancient and modern arms from their establishment, but with the exception +of seven they were all brought back, and most likely the bearers of +those which were missing had been killed. + +The other instance which does high credit to the Parisian mob, is that +they would not permit of any robbing or pillage in any house or building +which they might enter, but, as might be expected, some of the regular +thieves of Paris mixed amongst the people; one at length being caught +purloining an image in the palace of the Tuileries, they formed a circle +round the thief, tried him in an instant, and shot him; this was summary +justice with a vengeance, and certainly not exactly what ought to have +been done, but it showed the principle which existed. In fact honesty is +undoubtedly a quality existing in France to a most extraordinary degree, +a greater proof of it cannot be adduced than the fact that when any +person quits a theatre with the idea of returning in a few minutes they +leave their handkerchiefs on their seats by way of retaining their +places, which custom is even practised at the lowest theatres, where the +admittance is only half a franc. + +Ingenuity and a tact for invention are certainly features peculiar to +the French character, but they are far behind the English in their +methods of transacting business; this remark is applicable even to most +of the public offices; that France is extremely flourishing, and Paris +more particularly so, cannot be denied, but were it in the hands of the +English there is no doubt their produce, manufactures, and commerce, +both home and foreign, would be considerably greater than it now is. +France has been most peculiarly favoured by nature, her soil produces +everything that can be grown in England, and besides three commodities +which are not genial to our climate, and are of immense value, oil, silk +and wine; hence the products of the soil of France amount annually to +the immense sum of 240,000,000_l._, or 6,000,000,000 francs; having such +a basis, or one may even say such a capital to work upon, to what an +incalculable extent might business be carried on, with the amazing +industry that exists in France, as in the first place their population +exceeds ours by nearly six millions; then their general temperance is +such, there is not so much time nor labour lost as there is in England, +consequently there are more hands available, and those generally for a +longer period of time, as every one who is familiar with many +manufacturing and even agricultural districts in England must be aware +that there are numbers of workmen who never appear on the Monday, +vulgarly called St. Monday, but spend it at the public houses. + +I myself have had farming men whom I hired by the day in Kent, who did +not appear until Wednesday morning, but that, however, is some years +since, and the evil is now correcting. The great deficiency in France is +not only want of great capitalists, but men of enterprise, who are not +afraid to enter upon colossal undertakings; and now, looking at the +speculative works of the greatest magnitude which exist in France, it +will be found that Englishmen are concerned in them, either as partners +in a firm, or the principal shareholders in any company or association. +The promptness of the English for adventuring their funds in all sorts +of schemes is the wonderment of all Europe; whenever there is any +discovery which may be rendered available for trade, an Englishman is on +the spot with his capital in his hand and his calculation in his head. +Recently a vein of coal was found near the coast of Brittany, three +Englishmen were there as if they had dropped from the clouds, quite +prepared to enter into all the arrangements requisite for working the +mine and rendering it productive of profit. + +But although the French are deficient in those qualities requisite for +commencing and conducting gigantic enterprises, yet they are rapidly +improving in every point that is necessary for the management of +business and augmenting their foreign commerce to a great extent, +particularly with America; from the town of New Orleans alone, last +summer, there were eighty merchants in Paris at one time, and the amount +from all the United States was estimated at two thousand; in fact if +France remain at peace, the increase of her prosperity in every branch +of industry must be certain, as if she obtain English machinery, which +she must ultimately, with those who know how to set it in motion also, +as provisions are cheaper, and always will be than with us, because she +needs not so much taxation, her debt being so much smaller than that of +England, labour must be lower, therefore she will have an advantage over +us which it will be impossible for England, with all her talents, to +circumvent. Already the Americans purchase, not only silks and fancy +articles in France, but also even cotton goods of the superior +qualities; the only obstacle which prevents the French from making still +more rapid advancement than is at present the case, is first timidity of +capitalists, deficiency of knowledge of the higher order of business, +and extreme slowness in proceeding with any grand national operation, as +for instance, her railroads, in which she has not only seen England +surpass her tenfold, but other neighbouring countries; but as there is a +sort of system of centralization in favour of the metropolis, Paris +improves more rapidly in proportion than the rest of France. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + The monuments of Paris, the gardens, promenades, markets, + libraries, etc. + + +In order to facilitate the progress of the reader in viewing the +monuments and different objects of interest in Paris, I shall classify +them within certain limits, so that they may be viewed in the shortest +possible time, stating those which are contiguous to each other, so that +a greater number may be visited in a day, than if the traveller went +from one distant quarter of Paris to the other promiscuously, as he +happened to hear of any building or monument he wished to see, and thus +have to return perhaps two or three times to the same neighbourhood +instead of finishing with one district first, then taking the others in +rotation; as I shall suppose that some of my readers can only afford ten +days or a fortnight to view Paris, I shall be as chary of their time as +possible; having been accustomed to show the lions to many different +friends or acquaintances from England, I trust I am tolerably _au fait_ +at that operation. I shall begin with that part of Paris denominated La +Cité, because it is the most central and the most ancient; we will +therefore proceed to it by the Pont-Neuf, which as I have already stated +was built by Henry III about 1580. There are several shops upon it +contained within small stone buildings, which, when viewing the bridge +at a short distance, have rather a picturesque effect; it is ornamented +with a number of heads according to the taste of that day, and which now +give it rather an antique appearance. When well upon the bridge which +rises as it approaches the centre, I would advise the spectator to look +around him, as the view well repays the trouble, the quays having a most +noble appearance, adorned by the Louvre, the Tuileries, the Institute, +and other public buildings. + +Now let us look about us at more immediate objects; what a noisy +bustling scene it is at present, and has been for centuries past, as in +the reign of Henry IV it is described as absolutely stunning; now you +are assailed by the hissing of fried potatoes, fish, and fritters, which +are bought up as fast as they are supplied, women and men are seated +with their little apparatus for shearing cats and dogs, and clipping +their tails and ears if required, which is a calling that appears to be +followed by numbers in Paris who all seem to take their stations on the +bridges; situated amongst them are several shoeblacks, who appear to +take their posts in uniform array with the trimmers of cats and dogs; +they operate upon your boots and shoes as you stand, therefore if you +wish to patronise them you may take that opportunity of looking about +and getting disburthened of some of the Paris mud, quite certain if it +be wet weather that you will soon get more. Fruit in all its variety, +books, prints, blacking, and nick-knacks of every description offer +themselves to your notice. But let us direct our attention to a more +interesting object; the fine bronze equestrian statue of Henry IV: one +could almost think the good and merry monarch was going to utter some of +his witty sallies. Now let us turn round and behold those antique +looking houses which face us and were built in his reign, at a distance +they have a sort of castellated appearance: before we quit the bridge +let us look down on the Baths Vigier with their pretty garden; we will +enter the place Dauphine, and then take one look at the bust of Desaix, +the victim of the battle of Marengo, and next we will turn on to the +Quai de l'Horloge and view the north side of the Palais de Justice; it +presents two round towers, which have the appearance of being very old, +and I was assured by an architect who employed much of his time in +poking about after such morsels of antiquity as he could find, that they +were built by the Romans, but I doubt it. + +We must not miss the Tour de l'Horloge, which is certainly of the middle +ages, and the clock is I believe considered the oldest in Paris; turning +to the right we view the grand front of the Palais de Justice, a very +handsome iron grating in part gilded, decorates the entrance to the +front court, and you ascend a bold flight of steps to the principal +door; four doric pillars with figures representing Justice, Fortitude, +Plenty, and Prudence, adorn the grand façade of the building; an immense +hall to the right, in which is a noble statue of the good and venerable +Malesherbes, well worth attention, and is the apartment where formerly +ambassadors were received and the nuptial ceremonies of princes were +celebrated, but now the rendez-vous of lawyers, barristers, and their +clients. + +Several other halls, chambers, galleries, corridors, etc, are worth +notice, and that which is beneath them, has a shuddering kind of +interest; it is called the Conciergerie, and if its victims were there +consigned by the harsh decree of rigid justice, surely mercy and charity +were not allowed to enter, whilst it formed the prison of the hapless +Marie Antoinette and the brave Pichegru, but we will draw a veil over +those scenes which are but fraught with sad reminiscences. Many of these +dark covered alleys, belonging to this extraordinary building, have been +long occupied by venders of shoes, slippers and a variety of articles +which remind one of the old Exeter Change. + +This singular edifice which almost resembles a town is considered to +have been founded by Eudes, count of Paris, about the year 890, but the +most ancient part now standing, was built by Saint Louis who founded the +chapel, which is considered to be a complete type of the _pure_ gothic +architecture, and which in that respect is not exceeded by any other in +Europe; it has the most decided air of antiquity, with a richness and +elegance which certainly characterise it as the beau idéal of that +period. It is termed the Holy Chapel and now appropriated to the +conservation of ancient records. From this interesting monument we turn +with regret, but a new scene bursts upon us; it is the flower market, +which is held under trees and furnished with large bassins constantly +supplied with water; the numerous display of flowers mostly in pots done +up in such a manner with white paper so that it forms the background, +gives much light and life to the colours, buds, and blossoms, which +bloom on this enlivening spot. Wednesdays and Saturdays are the market +days, and I recommend the reader not to miss so pleasing a spectacle. On +the Quai du Marché-Neuf, on the southern bank of the island, a very +opposite sight may be seen, being the Morgue, a little building for +receiving all dead bodies found, and not owned. + +We now proceed to Notre-Dame, which is in the form of a cross; it was +began about the year 1150, in the reign of Louis the Seventh, but +continued in that of Philippe-Auguste, and completed under Saint-Louis +in 1257, which date, as I have already stated, it now distinctly bears. +Its magnitude and extent surpasses every other church in Paris, it is in +the arabic style, and being now totally detached from any other building +has a most grand effect; it is only in the present reign that this great +improvement has been effected, as it was formerly joined on one side to +the archiepiscopal palace. The immense number of grotesque figures which +surround and surmount the doorway, give it a most rich appearance, +although they are in the rudest style of barbarism; above is a large +window called the rose, which is a most beautiful and curious object. +The interior at the first view has a most striking effect; one hundred +and twenty pillars supporting a range of arches afford a most splendid +_coup d'oeil_, the middle aisle presenting an uninterrupted view of +the whole church, which being very lofty has a most majestic appearance; +the sumptuous altar, the fine gloom pervading the pictures, the curious +Gobelin tapestry which decorate the sides, combine in affording a rich +effect which is still heightened by the chapels which are perceptible +between the columns. Although it might be urged that there is rather a +profusion of decoration with the bas-reliefs, and other ornaments, yet +the edifice is on so colossal a scale that it still presents so broad a +mass, that a tone of simplicity pervades the whole. The beautiful choir +is after a design by De Goste, the altar and sanctuary are of marble and +porphyry, whilst tesselated pavements and variegated shrines adorn the +numerous chapels. The pictures are good in general; as to the tapestry, +I think it had better be removed, which I dare say it will be as taste +refines. It is to be regretted that the towers of Notre-Dame have so +heavy and black appearance, which is increased by a parcel of dark +unseemly shutters. On the outside towards the north, there are some +pieces of sculpture well worth examination; they are beautifully +executed although much deteriorated by time, and appear to be works of +about the thirteenth century. There are some curious brasses which would +be very interesting to persons capable of decyphering them, one in +particular to the left on entering, but so much in the dark that it is +difficult to make it out, especially as the characters at best are not +easy to understand, but I recommend them to the inspection of those +persons who have time and inclination to study such subjects. The view +of the city from the towers affords an ample panorama, and displays the +positions of the principal monuments. + +The Hôtel Dieu is one of the finest establishments of the kind in +Europe, it is an hospital for the sick, in which they can make up 1,500 +beds, but there is nothing in its external appearance that is very +striking. The Archiepiscopal Palace had not a very attractive exterior, +but now, as they are partly demolishing and rebuilding it all, remarks +must be suspended until it be finished. No other object presents itself +particularly worth notice on this island, once the celebrated Lutetia, +but many of the houses have a very old appearance, and are some of them +probably of three or four hundred years standing; the curious observer +inspecting them will here and there find indications of the middle ages. +If the reader like to pass over to the Isle St. Louis, it will but take +him a few minutes, which is about as much as it is worth; the only +object exciting attention is the Hôtel Chamisot, No. 45, Rue St. Louis, +and the church of St. Louis, built in 1664. In this edifice there are +some pictures worthy remark and a curious spire. The Hôtel Lambert, No. +2, Rue St. Louis, also merits attention, being most richly adorned with +paintings, gilded mouldings, frescos, etc. Voltaire lived in it, and +Napoleon had a long conversation in the gallery in 1815 with his +minister, Montalivet, when he found all was lost. + +I shall now conduct my reader from the little Isle St. Louis by the Pont +de Tournelle to the Quay de Tournelle, from which we proceed to that of +St. Bernard, where every one must be struck with the Halles aux Vins, or +Wine Halls; they are all arranged with extreme regularity, and forming +altogether a whole, have a most singular effect; the neatness of the +appearance is remarkable; and the extent is such that they might contain +sufficient inhabitants to people a small town. As we proceed along the +quay, we have a good view of the Pont d'Austerlitz, it is quite flat, +built of iron, and is extremely light and handsome. + +Upon our right is the great attraction, so interesting to all nations, +the Garden of Plants; the first view of it through the iron railing is +most striking, rows of sable looking trees, forming a fine contrast to +the broad expansive beds of flowers, their gay colours blooming forth so +thickly as to resemble at some distance the brightest and richest +carpet; broad walks are between these brilliant masses; at the end of +which is the building which contains the Museum of natural History; to +give the reader anything like an accurate idea of this establishment, it +is necessary to exercise one's ability in condensing to the utmost +degree, as to furnish a comprehensive analysis of the wonders of this +institution would require a folio volume. I knew an English couple who +took lodgings in the immediate neighbourhood for three months that they +might go every day and study the numberless interesting objects this +establishment contains. The long promenades are formed by picturesque +trees and shrubs which have been collected from every clime; the immense +number of labels, as one approaches more closely, rather disfigure the +display of flowers, but as usefulness is the object, it is impossible +otherwise than to approve the extreme order and regularity with which +every plant, according to its genus, is classified, affording a most +delectable treat to a regular botanist. This arrangement has been +effected under the superintendence of Monsieur du Jussieu himself, no +doubt one of the most scientific botanists thatever has appeared; his +residence and that of his family was in the gardens, when I was in Paris +twenty years back, and I believe some of them still are concerned in the +botanical arrangements of the institution. + +The tremendous vocabulary of long latin names inscribed on the labels is +really enough to appal the most retentive memory that ever existed, and +to a person who has never dipped at all into the mysteries of botany I +can imagine the terms are rather alarming, words with nineteen letters +in them are but trifles compared to others, and a regular John Bull who +was scanning them very justly remarked, pointing to the flowers, that it +was certainly a favoured spot of Flora, and then alluding to the fruits +observed the same of Pomona, but added, he should like very much to know +who was the goddess of hard words as he would recommend her to descend +upon the same beds, as she would there find a more numerous progeny +than either of her rival goddesses. I believe that there are now nearly +10,000 plants arranged according to the system of De Jussieu, in the +most simple and perfect manner, so that the student is enabled at once +to comprehend the plan, and numbers of both sexes attend even as early +as six in the morning copying the names of plants and studying their +classification. Although this establishment is called the Garden of +Plants, it has many other objects of the highest interest besides what +its name indicates. It is at the same time a most extensive menagerie, +which first gave the idea that has since been adopted of the Zoological +Gardens in Regent's Park; formerly the arrangement exceedingly +interested and delighted the English visiter, but now that he has the +same thing at home, it has ceased to be a novelty. Each animal having +plenty of room to walk about in, was certainly a beautiful thought, and +great improvement on confining them in cages, which is now only found +necessary with ferocious animals. The bears form a great source of +amusement to the people, they are in large square pits about ten or +twelve feet below the level of the promenades, and each has a large pole +in the middle, with several branches upon which they climb, whilst the +visiters throwing bread to them are exceedingly diverted at their +successful or unsuccessful attempts to catch it. It would be superfluous +to enter upon a description of the great variety of animals assembled in +this collection, suffice it to say that I believe there is no living +animal who can exist in a Parisian climate, that is not to be found in +this garden; generally there are several of a kind, and in case one dies +it is immediately replaced by another. The monkeys are the principal +objects of attraction, and as soon as they are let out into their little +paddock in front of their dwellings, which is only when the day is +considered sufficiently warm, crowds of people assemble to witness their +grimaces and gambols; they and the bears may be considered as the +principal dramatis personæ of the menagerie, and who certainly perform +their parts most admirably, never failing to afford the utmost +entertainment to the audience: and it is indeed a sort of rivalry +between Jocko and Bruin which should play their _rôle_ the best; for my +own part I really think I give the preference to the latter, there is +something at once so comic and so good natured-looking in the bears, +that I feel almost inclined to descend into their pits and caress and +pet them as I would a favourite dog, but am only deterred by fearing +they would give me a reception rather too warm, and their friendly hug +be too overpowering for me to sustain. + +There are several buildings in this garden which are applied to various +purposes, amongst the rest an Amphitheatre where lectures on all the +branches of natural history are delivered. A Cabinet of Anatomy most +richly stored occupies one mansion; dissections of the human form, as +well as those of almost every animal are here found, besides numerous +other curiosities. Amongst other things the progress of a chicken in the +egg is exemplified, from its first speck until it has life, which is +imitated with the most extraordinary exactness in wax, as also are +several fishes which cannot be preserved, besides a numerous collection +of foeti and monsters. To see these things properly; would require to +pass several days in these rooms; but a week would not suffice to do +justice to the grand Museum, every description of bird and beast that +has been known to exist in our days may be found here stuffed, and +preserved in glass cases with the nicest care; it appears strange to see +an enormous elephant and a tall ostrich within a glass case. Here also +are to be found every species of fungus, chrysalis, sea-weed, eggs, and +nests. But the shells, minerals, and fossils, form so extraordinary and +numerous a collection that they are the subject of admiration of every +beholder; the polish of the shells, the brilliance of the colours of the +plumage of the birds, and the glossy smoothness of the skins of the +beasts are as perfect as if they were living, but the same cannot +exactly be said of the fishes. The marbles, porphyry, and granite, the +lava, basaltes, barks of trees, bones of animals known and unknown, some +within stones, are arranged by the celebrated Cuvier, whilst the ores, +crystals, jaspers, and extraordinary varieties of ornamental articles +formed of these materials occupy several apartments. + +In addition to all these objects of high interest, there is a most +excellent library, giving every possible information regarding the +contents of this delightful establishment; a statue of the great +illustrator of the wonders of nature, Buffon, is here most +appropriately placed, as also some paintings of plants and animals. +Hence it may be easily imagined that persons who have much leisure, and +are fond of the study of natural history, may well choose to take up +their abode in the neighbourhood, for the convenience of long poring +over the beauties of this wonderful Museum. From hence other schools of +botany are supplied with seeds, cuttings, suckers, etc., whilst the +hospitals of Paris are gratuitously furnished with whatever is requisite +for the purposes of medicine; nor must I omit to state that there is a +most beautiful aviary, the birds of which are choice selections of the +finest of their species, and for those of an aquatic nature, there is a +basin of water from the Seine. Even specimens of soils, manures, +ditches, ha-has, palisades, frames, and every thing necessary for +forming fences are to be found here in every variety. Even to persons +who have no scientific information nor desire to obtain knowledge, to +walk in the Jardin-des-Plantes (Garden of Plants) affords delight, the +number of attractions are such, and of so varied a description that even +the dullest mind must be awakened to a sense of pleasure, yet some +persons I have seen who regarded all the phenomena collected here with +the most stoical indifference; the fact is, that a number of people will +not take the trouble to think, and lose the enjoyment they might receive +from the wonders of nature; how different if they would but devote to +them a little reflexion. + +With our minds still deeply impregnated with the impression of the +objects we have just contemplated, we will leave the garden, and turning +round to the right, we find ourselves upon the Boulevard de l'Hôpital, +just facing the Hôpital de la Salpêtrière, which makes up 500 beds for +females, who are lunatics, idiots, otherwise diseased, or 70 years of +age; it is of immense extent, and conducted with so much order, and such +cleanliness prevails both with regard to the inmates and the +establishment itself, that it may be considered one of the most +gratifying sights in Paris; in fact I have heard many English ladies, +much to their credit, declare that not any of the interesting objects +which they had seen in the French capital, afforded them more pleasure +and satisfaction. Just near it is the terminus for the Orleans railway, +which is worthy of observation, and then we will cross over to the horse +and dog market and observe the regular system with regard to the stalls +and other arrangements which are adopted; it is principally for +draught-horses, Wednesdays and Saturdays are the market days, and +Sundays for dogs. We must next glance at the Hôpital de la Pitié, +founded in 1612 for paupers, it has been since annexed to the +Hôtel-Dieu, and contains 600 beds; it is situated No. 1, rue Copeau. +Sainte-Pélagie being just by in the Rue de la Clef, we ought to afford +it a half hour; it was formerly a convent of nuns, political prisoners +are now here confined when committed for trial, or if sentenced to but +short terms of imprisonment; it is also appropriated for other offenders +whose sentence of confinement is of brief duration, but the military +surveillance within and around it is very strict. + +The Fountain Cuvier, at the corner of the street of that name, and the +Rue St. Victor, must claim a few minutes' attention; it is certainly one +amongst those of modern erection possessing great merit. In the Rue +Scipion we will cast one look at the great bakehouse for all the +hospitals in Paris, to which I have before alluded. The Amphitheatre of +Anatomy must occupy some attention, being a suite of anatomical schools +only recently built, on a most commodious scale; it forms a corner of +the Rues du Fer and Fossés St. Marcel. One thought in passing the +ancient Cimetière de Ste. Catherine, closed in 1815, must be devoted to +Pichegru, who lies buried there; we then hurry on without loss of time +to the manufacture of the Gobelin tapestry. As the little river Bièvre +is considered to be peculiarly adapted for dyeing, that process has been +carried on from a very remote period on the spot where the present +establishment now stands, which owes its foundation to Jean Gobelin in +1450, and under Louis the Fourteenth it was formed into a royal +manufactory. To me this is indeed one of the greatest wonders of Paris, +how such beautiful specimens of art can be produced when the work is all +done behind the frame, so that the artist cannot see the effect of what +he is doing, is to me most miraculous; the material used is woollen and +silken threads, so woven together, that a perfectly smooth surface is +produced, having all the softness and gradation of tints to be found in +the finest oil painting, without that glare which varnish produces; the +execution of these works is attended by a most tedious application, +requiring sometimes six years to complete one piece, which, at 18,000 +francs, about seven hundred pounds, is not adequate to recompensing the +workmen equal to their merit and perseverance; about 120 men are +constantly employed, principally for the Government or the Royal Family. + +Attached to this establishment is the Royal Carpet Manufactory; such as +are here produced are considered superior to those of Persia, with +regard to the evenness of the surface, the strength, durability, and +fineness of the workmanship, the beauty of the designs, and the +brilliance of the colours, which are such as can never be surpassed, but +if they were ever allowed to be sold, the price would be so enormous +that some would amount to 150,000 francs (6000_l._) The accuracy with +which the pictures of Rubens have been copied is most extraordinary, as +it may be said that the operative works in the dark. One carpet has been +produced for the Gallery of the Louvre, consisting of seventy-two +pieces, forming a total exceeding 1,300 feet which is supposed to be the +largest carpet ever made. The same facility exists for foreigners seeing +this exhibition, as with all others, the passport being presented, +Wednesdays and Saturdays, from one to three in winter, and from two to +four in the summer. + +A curious old house, termed the Maison de St. Louis or de la Reine +Blanche, is worth notice, in the Rue des Marmouzets; it may have been +inhabited by a queen of that name, but certainly not the mother of St. +Louis, as it is not sufficiently ancient, being of about the time of +Charles the Seventh, when it was the rage to build houses in that style +of architecture, about the period of from 1440 to 1460. The church of +St. Medard, in the Rue Mouffetard, offers nothing remarkable, but a +mixture of different styles of architecture, according to the epochs at +which it was repaired and embellished; in 1561 a tremendous attack was +made upon it by the Calvinists, when several of the congregation were +killed, and the Abbé Paris, having been buried in the cemetery attached +in 1727, his tomb, it is pretended, had certain convulsions in 1730, and +was the origin of the sect called convulsionists, and the scenes which +occurred caused the cemetery to be closed in 1732. A picture of St. +Genenieve, by Watteau, in the chapel of that saint, must be admired, +having much merit. In the Rue de l'Oursine, No. 95, is an hospital which +is a refuge for sinning and afflicted females (something in the nature +of the Magdalen, in London), containing 300 beds. To the fountain of +Bacchus, at the corner of the Rue Censier, we will give a look _en +passant_, as also to the School of Pharmacy, formerly a convent, in the +garden of which was formed the first botanical garden, in 1580; there is +here a cabinet of specimens of drugs and a collection of mineralogy +worthy of examination; it is situated in the Rue de l'Arbalète, No. 13. + +The Hôpital Militaire and Church of the Val de Grâce is in the Rue St. +Jacques (vide page 96) and is one which particularly merits attention of +the visiter; the vault of the dome is painted upon the stone by Mignard, +and is justly celebrated as one of the most splendid frescos in France; +the heart of Anne of Austria, the foundress of it, was sent here, as +also those of many succeeding members of the Royal Family. The interior +of the church is much admired for the richness of its architecture. At +No. 3, Rue de la Bourbe, is the Lying-in Hospital, formerly the Abbey of +Port Royal, containing 445 beds; any woman, eight months advanced in +pregnancy, is admitted, if there be room to receive her, without an +inquiry, if she be in distress; she enters into an engagement to support +the child, and if she cannot fulfil it, she must make a declaration and +it is sent to the Foundling Hospital, but if she retain it, clothing and +a small sum of money is given her on quitting the hospital. A school for +midwifery is established here, the practitioners being females, who, +when considered competent, receive a diploma from the physicians who are +appointed judges. + +Just by this establishment is the Observatory, erected in the reign of +Louis XV; it is a most curious piece of architecture, having in it +neither wood nor iron; it is not a large building, but has a fine +appearance, and Perrault was the architect; it is vaulted throughout, +and a geometrical staircase, having a vacuity of 170 feet deep, merits +particular notice. There is a circular universal chart upon the pavement +of one of the apartments. By means of mechanical arrangements the roof +and cupola open, and every night, the weather permitting, astronomical +observations are taken. M. Arago, the most celebrated astronomer of +France, lectures here, where there is every facility, and every +instrument to be found requisite for the promotion of the science of +astronomy; there are two pluvia-meters, for ascertaining the quantity of +rain that falls in Paris during a year. There is a general map of +France, called the Carte de Cassini, containing 182 sheets, a marble +statue of Cassini (the author of the work) attests the high estimation +in which he was held; he died in 1712, aged eighty-seven. This +institution is the just admiration of all scientific men from every +civilized part of the world, but it is an astronomer alone who can +thoroughly appreciate its merits. + +The little hospital, founded by M. Cochin, in 1780, being just by No. 45, +Rue du Faubourg St. Jacques, may claim our hasty look, it contains 114 +beds, and the patients receive the attendance of the Soeurs de St. +Marthe. At No. 9, Rue des Capucins, Faubourg St. Jacques, is an hospital +for men and youths above fifteen, whose excesses have brought on +disease; it is styled Hôpital des Vénériens, and contains 300 beds; the +attendants are all males. + +Near to the Barrière d'Enfer is the entrance to the Catacombs, +containing the bones of 3,000,000 persons which are all systematically +arranged so as to have the most extraordinary effect; they are formed +into galleries of an immense length, and occupy a considerable space of +ground under a great portion of Paris, on the south side of the Seine; +but now they cease to be such objects of interest as they formerly were, +as the public are not now permitted to visit them; they were formerly +large quarries from which the stone was drawn for building most part of +ancient Paris, and when it was decided to clear many of the cemeteries +within the capital, the bones were placed in these quarries in 1784, and +the operation of piling them as they now are was effected in 1810. In +the Rue d'Enfer, No. 86, is the Infirmary of Marie Thérèse, founded by +Madame la Vicomtesse de Chateaubriand, in 1819, named after the Duchess +d'Angoulême, its protectress; it is destined for females who have moved +in respectable society, the accommodations and food being far better +than are found in the generality of hospitals; the establishment +consists of fifty beds. At the Barrière of St. Jacques, the guillotine +is erected when criminals are to be executed. Beyond the Barrière +d'Enfer, on the Orleans road, No. 15, is the Hôpital de la +Rochefoucauld; it is devoted to the reception of old servants of +hospitals, and other aged persons, it also receives poor persons on +their paying, according to circumstances, 200 francs a-year, or upwards, +or on paying a sum on entering varying from 700 to 3000 francs. The +number of beds is 213. + +As we descend the Rue d'Enfer, we find, at No. 74, the Foundling +Hospital, founded by the good and celebrated St. Vincent de Paule, in +1632. Any child is received at this institution on the mother making a +declaration that she has not the means of supporting it, when she +receives a certificate signed by a commissary of police; the average +number admitted in the last two or three years is rather over three +thousand; they are attended by the Soeurs de Charité (Sisters of +Charity) in the most praiseworthy manner; in the same building is the +Orphans' Hospital, where the children are placed when two years of age, +and of poor persons who fall ill and are obliged to go to an hospital, +the children may be sent here until the parents are cured. The children +are all taught reading, writing, and arithmetic, and are placed to +various trades at the proper ages; they are treated with the greatest +care and kindness, it is open to visiters, and the sight of it produces +the most heartfelt gratification; many of the most respectable members +of society have come from this institution. Turning into the Rue de +Faubourg St. Jacques, at the corner of the Rue des Deux Eglises, is the +institution for the Deaf and Dumb, founded by the benevolent Abbé de +l'Epée, who, with only 500_l._ a-year, took the charge of maintaining +and educating forty deaf and dumb pupils, whom he taught to write and +read, even on the most abstruse subjects. + +The Abbé Sicard followed up the plan to the highest perfection; 80 +pupils are now admitted gratis and are brought up to different trades, +others pay according to their means; the Chambers grant generally +4,000_l._ a year to this institution. At No. 67, Rue d'Enfer, is the +Convent of the Carmelites, where Mademoiselle de La Vallière, the +beautiful favourite of Louis XIV, took the veil. The church of St. +Jacques-du-Haut-Pas, which is at the opposite corner, offers nothing +very remarkable, the first stone was laid in 1630, by Gaston of Orleans, +brother to Louis XIII. Four fine paintings of Saints however are worthy +of notice. + +The Pantheon, formerly the church of Sainte Genevieve, stands to the +left as we descend the rue St. Jacques, and strikes upon the eye as a +most noble and imposing building; it was Louis XV who laid the first +stone in 1764, near the spot where stood the ancient but ruined church +of St. Genevieve. It is affirmed that he was persuaded by Madame de +Pompadour to erect this monument as a thanksgiving after his having had +a severe illness. The architect was Soufflot, the style is purely +Grecian. Twenty-two fluted Corinthian columns, 60 feet in height and 6 +in diameter, sustain the portico, and 32 the great dome, above which is +a lantern terminated by a figure in bronze 17 feet high. There is a +great deal of sculpture about the building, some allegorical, others +portraiture; its total height is 282 feet. The exterior is in the form +of a Grecian cross. The paintings are by the Barons Gros, and Gerard; +although a most noble structure, yet it is not consistently grand in all +its bearings. Monuments of the great men of France are now erected here; +and amongst the rest the immortal Lafayette. The stranger is recommended +to ascend the dome, from which a most amusing view is afforded. The +vaults beneath are extremely curious and interesting; whatever the +faults of this edifice may be, there is a solemnity about it which takes +great possession of the mind, particularly when there is a funeral and +the light of the torches are seen glimmering amongst the priests in the +"long drawn aisle," as they slowly and solemnly wend their way. + +In the Rue des Postes, No. 26, is the seminary for young men destined for +missionaries to the colonies; a bas relief representing a missionary +preaching, above the pediment of the church, is the only striking +object. At No. 3, Rue de Fourcy, is the Irish college, rather a handsome +building, with some trees about it which add to the effect. Many Irish +of distinction are buried here and it is still kept up, there being +about 100 students; the regulations are the same as in the English +Universities, about 25 priests are sent out from here to their own +country every year. In the rue des Fossés St. Victor is the Scotch +College (vide page 78), it is now a sort of school, but the tablet over +the door with Collége des Ecossais inscribed still remains, and there +are many interesting monuments of Scotch nobility. Next door is the +Convent of English Augustin Nuns, the only religious house never +molested during the Revolution; it contains a small chapel with some +English tombs, the inmates now occupy themselves with the education of +their young countrywomen. At the back of the Pantheon, rather to the +south-east, is the very curious and interesting church of St. +Etienne-du-Mont; it is an odd mixture of styles of architecture, a tower +and circular turret which are detached from the church, are supposed to +be of the date 1222; a staircase of most singular construction and of +peculiar lightness is the first object which strikes the spectator on +entering; there is a great deal of richness and scroll work, with some +Arabic, Greek and Gothic styles intermingled. Some of the pictures in +this church are exceedingly good, and are by Lebrun and Lesueur. The +pulpit is supported by Sampson, and there are other smaller figures, the +whole having a beautiful effect; the design is by La Hire, and executed +by Lestocard, it is altogether a church of high interest, often the +subject of the modern artists' pencils. There is a tomb which was found +in the vaults beneath, which is said to be that of St. Genevieve, and +bears the date of 511. + +The library of St. Genevieve is close by, and besides containing 200,000 +volumes, and 2,500 manuscripts, it possesses other objects of interest, +being a series of portraits from Philippe the Bold to Louis the XV, and +one of Mary Queen of Scots. This library belongs to the Collége Henry +IV, which on the side towards the Rue Clovis is very modern, but the +lower part of the curious old tower is supposed to have been built in +the reign of Clovis. The young princes of the reigning family in France +were educated at this College, there are 907 pupils, of whom 500 are +boarders. The École de Droit which stands in front of the Pantheon was +also erected in the reign of Louis XV, and Souflot, the architect. At No. +123, is the Collége de Louis-le-Grand, formerly the Collége de +Clermont, founded in 1560, but the present building was erected in +1618; it contains 1,180 pupils, of whom 520 are boarders. It possesses a +large library, and a good collection of philosophical instruments. +Behind this College, in the Rue de Rheims, at the corner of the Rue des +Chollets, a gateway and building of the time of Francis I. is worth +attention, supposed to belong to the old Collége des Chollets. The Royal +College of France, situated No. 1, Place Cambrai, was founded in 1529, by +Francis I, but the present edifice was erected in 1774. It is a spacious +building and very commodious, 23 professors attend and give gratuitous +lectures upon almost every subject, whether scientific or literary, and +particularly upon languages, both ancient and modern, Oriental and +European. In a court opposite the college is a very curious square tower +of the 12th century, called la Tour Bichat, or la Tour de St. +Jean-de-Latran; it is all that is remaining of the Hall of Knights +Hospitaliers, established in 1171, afterwards called Chevaliers de +Malte. + +The remains of a chapel of very ancient date will be found in the +adjoining Cour de la Vacherie, in the far corner to the right, now +occupied as a charcoal depot. We will next proceed to the rue de la +Montagne St. Genevieve, and view the Polytechnic School, formerly the +Collége de Navarre, and where still remain a hall and chapel of the 14th +century; a new façade much less interesting has been recently added, and +the establishment is altogether badly situated. There are many +emblematical bas-reliefs which possess no extraordinary merit. But the +institution itself is one that deserves the highest encomiums, the young +men are received at from 17 to 20, after they have passed the ordeal of +a very severe examination in Paris or their respective departments. They +are instructed in every branch of education connected with military +science, and are afterwards admissible in the engineers, artillery, +pontooners, miners, inspectors of highways, public works, etc; they pay +1,000 francs a year, find their own uniforms, and whatever may be +requisite for their studies; they remain two or three years, as +circumstances may demand. Strangers wishing to view this establishment +must have a permission from the Minister of War. + +The Rue des Carmes has an interesting appearance as containing some of +the old colleges, now otherwise appropriated. One was the College de +Lisieux; the buildings remain with a curious chapel, which fronts the +Marché des Carmes, but its entrance is at No. 5, Rue St. +Jean-de-Beauvais. In the Market there is a fountain in the middle built +in 1818; this Market is now designated la Place Maubert, and occupies +the site of the Convent des Carmes. Mounting a few steps in the Rue St. +Victor, we arrive at the church of St. Nicholas-du-Chardonnet; the body +of the building was completed in 1709, but the lower is of the 16th +century. The general effect of the interior is fine, but the paintings +in different chapels, on either side, are highly interesting; some of +them are extremely good, of the schools of Lesueur, Moise Valentin, and +Mignard, the ceiling of the chapel of St. Charles is painted by Lebrun; +there is also a monument of himself and his mother. At No. 68, Rue +St-Victor is the Royal Institution for the juvenile Blind, founded by M. +Haüy in 1791. There are here maintained 60 boys and 30 girls, at the +expense of the State, and as boarders, any blind children may be +admitted, either French or foreign; they are taught reading, music, +arithmetic, and writing, by means of characters raised in relief. +Admittance is freely accorded to strangers, but the establishment is +about to be removed to the corner of the Rue de Sèvres, on the Boulevard +des Invalides, where 250 pupils will be accommodated. At No. 18, Rue de +Pontoise, is the seminary of St. Nicholas du Chardonnet, and at No. 76, +the ancient College of Cardinal Lemoine, founded in 1300; some parts of +the original building exist, and on the doors are still seen a +cardinal's hat and arms, and numerous iron spear-heads. Close by, in the +Marché aux Veaux, is still one of the dormitories of the Convent of the +Bernardins, which must be of the 13th century, as also some remains of +their chapel, in a house adjoining the Market. On the Quai de la +Tournelle, No. 35, is the Hôtel de Nesmond, of the reign of Henry IV, +and at No. 5, the Pharmacie Centrale, for keeping all the drugs and +chemical preparations for the hospitals of Paris. + +The Rue de Fouarre, by which we will pass, is one of the meanest and +filthiest in Paris, but has been cited by Petrarch, Dante and Rabelais, +as in it were several of the schools where public disputations were +held; the Rue Galande, the Rue des Rats, and many other dirty streets of +the same description is the quarter where existed the old University, +and still known by the name of the Quartier Latin. + +Thus having completed our survey, which I shall call the south-east +division, we will proceed to the south-west, and begin by the church of +St. Severin at No. 3, in the street of the same name, called after a +hermit who died in the year 530, but had on this spot an oratory and +cells, where he conferred the monastic habit on St. Cloud. The present +building was erected in 1210, in the reign of Philippe Auguste, has been +repaired and enlarged at several different periods, which is perceptible +by the different styles displayed in the architecture; there is a great +deal of elaborate workmanship about this church that is exceedingly +beautiful and interesting, the lower part of the tower is coeval with +its first erection; a few good pictures of the old French school are +amongst the attractive objects contained within this edifice. + +Ascending the little unseemly streets des Prétres and Boutebrie, we find +ourselves in the Rue du Foin, No. 18, being called the Hôtel de la Reine +Blanche; she was living about the year 1210, when the church of St. +Severin close by was founded in the reign of her father-in-law, and very +probably resided in the neighbourhood, perhaps on the very spot where +the house stands which is now called after her, but evidently not in the +same building which is now shown as such, although the staircase is of +a very ancient appearance. + +In the same street, at the corner of the Rue Boutebrie, is the old +Collége de Maître Gervais, founded in 1370, at present appropriated as a +barrack for infantry. The visiter now must prepare for a grand treat, as +we turn round into the Rue de la Harpe, and at No. 63, we find the +venerable and crumbling remains of the Palais des Thermes (vide page +55). Julian, who was born in 332, inhabited it for some time, and many +imagine it was built by his grandfather, but others state that it was +alluded to at a still earlier period. Of what now remains there is +principally a large hall and a smaller, forming together one room; the +architecture is simple but noble, the walls are adorned by three grand +arcades, the middle being the loftiest. The vaulting of the roof rests +upon supports, representing the sterns of ships; human figures may be +distinguished in one of them. Beneath the hall are vaulted apartments +extending under most of the neighbouring houses. An aqueduct is traced +as having been brought from some leagues, for the purpose it is supposed +principally of supplying the baths. The masonry is alternately of stone +and brick, in parts covered with a thick stucco. It seems almost +incredible that a monument so ancient, and of such high interest should +have been for so long a period totally disregarded by the government, +and suffered to be occupied by a printer, a traiteur, and a cooper. The +Municipality of Paris have now however purchased it, and intend to +convert it into a museum for the reception of antiquities that can be +collected of the ancient Gauls. After the overthrow of the Roman yoke, +the Palais des Thermes was inhabited by the earliest kings of France. To +view these ruins the stranger must apply to the concierge, No. 68, Rue +de la Harpe, directly opposite, and a trifle should be given to the +party showing them. + +The Hôtel de Cluny which is almost adjoining, is also an object highly +meriting the attention of the observer. It is one of those edifices of +the middle ages, of which there are so few remaining. In 1505, in the +reign of Louis the Twelfth, this curious building was erected by Jacques +d'Amboise, Abbot of Cluny, on the site and with a part of the ruins of +the Palais des Thermes. There is a richness about the architecture and +the ornaments around the windows, that is particularly striking; the +chapel is most highly interesting, and in it was married Princess Mary, +the widow of Louis the Twelfth, and sister of Henry VIII, to the duke of +Suffolk, as also James V of Scotland to Magdalen, daughter of Francis I. +Having at length become the property of M. Sommérard, all the value of +his acquisition is duly appreciated, and he has formed within this +curious and beautiful edifice, a collection of specimens of the middle +ages, which are arranged chronologically; he is the author of a most +interesting work on the subject which may be procured upon the premises. +The stranger will find a visit to the Hôtel de Cluny one of the most +gratifying of any he can bestow, and on writing to M. Sommérard, he may +be certain of procuring admission. Following the Rue St. Benoît, we +arrive at the Theatre du Pantheon, Rue St. Jacques, opened in 1832; it +is partly formed by the church St. Benoît anciently that of St. Benedict +built in 1517, much famed during the ligue, where the assassination of +Henri III was applauded by Jean Boucher in his sermons. The performances +are vaudevilles and melodramas. Highest price two shillings, lowest +six-pence. + +We now re-enter the Rue de la Harpe, and notice the Royal College St. +Louis, originally founded by Raoul Harcourt in 1280; the present +building was erected in 1675, but part of the ancient edifice exists, +the greater portion of the structure was built in 1814; and the college +opened in 1820. There is a chapel attached, and at the lower end a +gateway, formerly the entrance to the Collége de Bayeux, founded in +1308, which bears an inscription to that effect, and probably of the +same date. A very few steps bring us to the Collége de la Sorbonne, +built on the site of a school founded by Robert Sorbon in 1253; it is +filled with historical associations, the church and all about it has a +very gloomy appearance, it is cruciform and of the corinthian order, +surmounted by a dome the interior of which is painted by Philippe de +Champagne. The tomb of Cardinal de Richelieu, in the southern transept, +is the chef-d'oeuvre of Gérardon. The college is a plain building of +sombre aspect, but the accommodation for the professors is on a handsome +scale; the lectures delivered are all gratuitous. + +We will now proceed to the School of Medicine in the street bearing the +same name. The first stone was laid by Louis XV, in 1769, it is a truly +elegant building, a peristyle of the ionic order with a quadruple range +of columns unite the two wings and support the library, and a fine +cabinet of anatomy. The grand court is 66 feet in length by 96 in +breadth, the amphitheatre which is opposite the entrance is capable of +containing 1,400 people; there are several allegorical and emblematical +bas-reliefs, and on the whole it is a building which excites much +admiration both in an ornamental and in a useful point of view, there +not being a single object that can in any manner facilitate the study of +medicine that is not to be found within this institution. At No. 5, in +the same street, is a gratuitous school of drawing, established in the +ancient amphitheatre of surgery, chiefly intended for artisans, to +instruct them in the principles of drawings and architecture, and +lectures are given on geometry, mensuration, etc. Opposite to the École +de Médecine, is the Hôpital clinique de la Faculté de Médecine, +established in the cloister of the Cordeliers, of which there are some +remains still visible; it is rather a handsome building and contains 140 +beds. The body of the building is in the Rue de l'Observance. In the +same street as the École de Médecine; is the Musée Dupuytren, being the +valuable pathological collection of that celebrated anatomist, bought by +the University of his heirs, and placed in the refectory of the +Cordeliers which has been fitted up in the style of the 15th century, +the date of its erection. + +Adjoining to this Museum is the School of practical Anatomy, being a set +of dissecting rooms for the use of the students. As we are so near I +must conduct the visiter to the Rue Hautefeuille; on the west side is a +house of the 16th century, which once belonged to a society of +Premonstratensian monks. In the same street, Nos. 23, 13, 9 and 5, and +at the corner of the Rue du Paon and Rue de l'École de Médecine, the +houses have ancient turrets, and are stated to have been built in the +reign of Charles VII. In the house, No. 18, of the latter street, in a +dirty backroom, Charlotte Corday stabbed that beau idéal of monsters, +Marat. We will now make our way to the Rue d'Enfer, and at No. 34 is the +Hôtel de Vendôme, at present the royal School of Mines; this noble +mansion was erected in 1707 by the Carthusian monks, but being purchased +by the Duchess of Vendôme was called after her. Every description of +tool or instrument used in mining will here be found, and perhaps the +extensive mineralogical collection is unrivalled anywhere in Europe, and +arranged in the most scientific manner by M. Haüy, with a ticket +attached to each explanatory of their quality and locality. The +geological specimens have been collected by Messrs. Cuvier and +Bronguiart; weeks might be passed in this museum by those partial to +studying mineralogy, geology, and conchology, and subjects for +examination and meditation would still not be exhausted. We will now +turn into the gardens of the Luxembourg Palace; they are in the true +French stiff style, but look at them in a slanting direction and all +the formality is lost; the statues are seen intermingled with the trees, +shrubs, flowers, parterres, walks, vases, fountains, etc. and the +coup-d'oeil has a most beautiful effect, and some of the retired walks +amongst the high trees have a very inviting though solitary appearance. + +The Palace (vide page 98) was erected by Marie de Medicis, and is now +with the recent additions a very extensive building, and taken in a +general sense is decidedly a very fine monument, but I certainly think +the pillars being in such bad taste with large square knobs sticking out +all the way up the columns, in a degree spoil the effect of the whole +edifice, still there is a heavy grandeur in the ensemble which has an +imposing appearance. After having been occupied by various royal +personages, it was given by Louis the Sixteenth to his brother +afterwards Louis XVIII, who resided in it until he quitted France in +1791; it has since been appropriated to many different purposes, and is +now used as the Chamber of Peers; for their discussions a new apartment +has been constructed 92 feet in diameter, the form is semi-circular. In +the middle of the axis is a recess in which the president's and +secretaries' seats are placed; above are a range of statues in recesses, +the chairs of the peers are arranged in an amphitheatrical manner and +occupy the space in front of the president; the peer who speaks takes +his place below the president's desk. + +There are altogether in this palace so many statues, apartments, +sculpture and galleries to describe, that it would monopolise far too +much space in my little volume if I were to attempt to do it justice. I +must therefore content myself with advising the reader to take the first +opportunity of viewing it with its beautiful gallery of pictures, many +of which are the chefs-d'oeuvre of the best living French artists. In +the new divisions which have been lately constructed there are some fine +specimens of painting from the pencils of Messrs. Delaroche, Scheffer, +Boulanger, Roqueplan, etc., and the chambers voted 800,000 fr. +(32,000_l._) for the artistical decorations of the recent erections +added to the original building. + +Le Petit Luxembourg is a large hotel contiguous and may be considered as +a dependency of the great palace, it was built by Cardinal Richelieu who +made it his residence whilst the Palais Royal was building, when he +afterwards gave it to his niece the Duchess d'Aiguillon. It is now +occupied by the Chancellor of France, as President of the House of +Peers; it also contains a small prison for persons committed for +political offences, and tried by the Court of Peers: the ministers of +Charles X were here confined in 1830. In the same street, No. 70, is the +Convent of the Carmelite Sisters, already mentioned, a portion of the +building is still devoted to sacred purposes, the chapel is dedicated to +St. Joseph, and of the Tuscan order, it was founded by Marie de Medicis. +Here first began the massacres in Paris of the 2nd of September, 1792, +when a number of priests here imprisoned were murdered. This is the +convent which has long been famed for the _Eau de Mélisse_ and _Blanc +des Carmes_, which are still sold here. + +At the southern gate of the Garden of the Luxembourg is the _Jardin +botanique de l'École de Médecine_, where every medicinal plant agreeing +with the climate is raised, and ticketed as classified by Jussieu. + +The Odéon Theatre which is near the Luxembourg has been twice burnt +down, but was finally restored in 1820; it is situated fronting the +street, and in the _place_ of the same name; it is certainly a very +handsome building both as to the exterior and the interior, which is +fitted up in a most superior style, but all exertions to render it +successful seem in vain, although the present director has it rent free +from the government; dramatic pieces in general are here represented, +but its situation prevents its ever being much frequented; the principal +front having a portico of eight doric columns ascended by nine steps has +a fine effect; it is capable of containing 1,600 persons. + +A very few steps bring us to the magnificent church of St. Sulpice. +Although the first stone was laid by Anne of Austria, in 1655, it was +not totally finished until 1777. The portico, by Servadoni, is splendid; +the two towers not being similar, rather spoil the effect, but the +interior baffles all description to do it justice; a simplicity and +grandeur pervades the whole, which is heightened by a soft light thrown +upon the Virgin directly behind the altar, who appears to be descending +midst the lightest clouds upon the earth, to which she presents her son. +The corinthian order prevails throughout the interior, the statues are +bold and finely conceived, some of the paintings are exquisite, that of +the ceiling, particularly. Two immense shells, placed within the +entrance, for containing holy water, resting on rocks of marble, were +presented to Francis I, by the Republic of Venice. The pulpit is +supported by two flights of steps, with the figures of Faith, Hope, and +Charity, producing a most splendid appearance. The organ is ornamented +with no less than seventeen figures playing on musical instruments, or +sustaining cornucopies carved in the most perfect manner. The pillars on +the different sides of this edifice comprise the four orders of doric, +ionic, corinthian, and composite. I cannot conceive a more sublime and +delightful sensation than that which is caused when the first low notes +of the organ begin to swell; the aisles being extremely lofty and +vaulted, the sound appears gradually to peal through the building with a +degree of softness which seems as if it came from a considerable +distance, and has a most extraordinary and enchanting effect. We will +now quit this noble edifice by the grand front, and looking to the left +cast an instant's glance upon a large plain building, which is the +Seminary of St. Sulpice, and has 210 students. + +Descending the Rue Mabillon a few paces, we come to the Market St. +Germains, where formerly flourished the great fair under the same name. +It was built in 1811 on a most commodious plan, and has every requisite +that can be thought of for the convenience of a market, with an +extremely handsome fountain in the middle, which the visiter should not +omit to observe. Quitting the Market by the Rue Montfaucon brings us in +front of the prison of the Abbaye, in the Rue St. Marguerite, now only +used for confining military offenders; here it was that some of the +greatest horrors were committed during the Revolution, it has a small +turret at each corner, and seems to be a building of about two hundred +years standing. Not many yards off is the very ancient church of St. +Germain des Près (vide page 61), which has often been pillaged, burnt, +and otherwise injured, but the lower part of the tower is coeval with +the foundation, 558. The document relative to the establishment of the +monastery and church is still preserved amongst the archives of the +kingdom, and bears the date 561. The nave is simple and of the time of +Abbot Modardus, in the year 900; additions and repairs have been made at +different periods, but in many instances the style of architecture +displays its early date, the capitals of the pillars are remarkable for +the grotesqueness of the devices. There are some pictures of merit, and +many interesting tombs, one of Casimir, the King of Poland, who +abdicated his throne in 1668, and died abbot of the monastery attached +to the church in 1672, also of the Duke and Earls of Douglas and Angus. +The Abbot's palace still stands at the east of the church, in the Rue de +l'Abbaye, directly facing the Rue Furstemberg; it was built in the year +1586 by Cardinal Bourbon. It is a large heavy-looking red brick +building faced with stone, with a large garden behind; it is at present +let out to different tenants. + +We shall now descend the Rue Furstemberg, and taking the Rue Jacob, to +the right shall get into the Rue de Seine, and mounting the little +Passage du Pont-Neuf, one of the oldest in Paris, we find ourselves +opposite the Rue Guénégaud cited by Sterne, as also the Quai Conti, on +which stands the Mint or Hôtel des Monnaies, a very extensive building +and rather handsome; it was built in the reign of Louis XV in 1771, +after designs furnished by M. Antoine; an entablature supported by ionic +columns forms the principal front, with six statues of Peace, Commerce, +Prudence, Fortitude, Plenty and Law. On the right is a noble staircase +ascending to apartments fitted up with the splendour of a palace. The +collection of coins and medals here are extremely interesting, the first +are two of Childebert, the dates being 511-568, and they are nearly +complete of the respective kings up to the present day, amongst others +are some of the gold pieces of 10 louis, each of the reign of Louis +XIII, very large and beautiful. A medal of Charlemagne of most exquisite +execution, and others of almost every country or celebrated monarch or +chief, with a collection of the ores in their mineral state, every +instrument used for coining and in fact every object appertaining to +such an establishment, which would demand much space and time to +describe, and a work is written solely on the subject. This interesting +museum is open to foreigners with their passports on Mondays and +Thursdays, from twelve till three. + +Contiguous and on the western side stands the Palais of the Institute, +or as we should call it the Royal Academy. It was founded by Cardinal +Mazarin in 1661, from designs by Levau. The segment of a circle +describes the front, whilst pavillions upon open arcades terminate the +extremities, a portico in the centre with corinthian colums surmounted +by a pediment, whilst a dome crowns the summit, and vases upon the +entablature combine to give it a fine effect. In the great hall of this +building the members of the Academy hold their sittings; the vestibules +are adorned by marble statues of men whose intellectual powers have +rendered their names renowned throughout the world, as Montesquieu, +Molière, Corneille, Racine, Sully, etc., etc. The Mazarine library is +attached to this institution and contains 120,000 printed volumes +besides 4,500 manuscripts. There is also under the same establishment +the library of the Institute, which includes 115,000 volumes; in the +gallery in which they are contained is a marble statue of Voltaire, by +Pigale, highly celebrated for its execution. This building was for some +time called the Palais des Quatre-Nations, as the founder at first +designed it for natives of Roussillon, Pignerol, Alsace, and Flanders. +The subjects discussed within the halls of this institution are the +Belles-Lettres, the fine Arts, moral and political Sciences, etc. +Persons desiring tickets for the meetings of the members must inscribe +their names at the office of the secretary of the Institute. Directly +opposite is a light elegant bridge, called the Pont-des-Arts, it is +constructed of iron and is merely for foot passengers. + +Passing to the Quai Voltaire we turn into the Rue des Petits-Augustins, +and stop before the front of the Palais and École des Beaux-Arts, or +School of fine Arts; this is one of the many institutions which exist in +Paris requiring a volume to describe all its beauties and utility, there +are a great number of professors belonging to the establishment which is +divided into two sections, the one for sculpture and painting, the other +for architecture, both of which the pupils are taught, and when they +excel, receive annual prizes. The present building was erected upon the +garden of the Convent of the Petits Augustins, but there are still some +remains of antiquity, which are rather strangely intermingled with the +modern erection, as the front of a château at Gaillon built in 1,500 and +transported here by M. Lenoir, who collected together on this spot +relicks of the middle ages, which are now again dispersed to the great +regret of every resident or visiter in Paris. There is also the portal +of the Château-d'Anet built by Henri II for Diana of Poitiers, with many +other objects extremely curious; amongst the rest a large stone basin +from the Abbey of St. Denis, 12 feet in diameter, ornamented with +grotesque heads, said to be a single piece of stone, some letters upon +it prove that it must be of the 13th century, and many other fragments +over which the antiquary likes to pore. Here every aid is given to the +young artist, that can facilitate his progress in his art, and he who is +adjudged to have painted the best piece upon a subject given, is sent to +Rome to study three years, at the expense of the government. The visiter +will here find paintings, sculpture, models, and in fact, every thing +connected with the fine arts. He must also visit the ancient chapel of +the convent, containing a most beautiful screen of stone and marble, and +on the walls are some very good paintings: Mr. Ingres, perhaps the most +celebrated draftsman now existing, made a present to this institution of +fifty pictures, copies he had executed at his expense in the Vatican, +from Raphael. Foreigners must apply with their passports for admission +at the office to the right on entering. + +We return on the Quay and remark the Pont du Carousel, an iron bridge of +three arches of an elegant construction, it was built by a company, who +have laid a toll both on foot and carriage passengers. No. 1, Rue de +Beaune, on the same quay, is the hôtel where Voltaire resided, and died +in 1788. His nephew, M. de Villette, and afterwards Madame de +Montmorenci, kept his apartments closed for forty-seven years. We must +now ascend the Rue des Saints Pères, and in passing by, notice the +Hôpital de la Charité, at the corner of the Rue Jacob, which has such a +dismal appearance outside, that it almost makes one ill to look at it; +indeed, to pass it often, one would soon be in a fit state to become +one of its inmates; it was founded by Marie de Medicis, as a religious +community, called Brothers of Charity, who were all surgeons and +apothecaries, administering relief both for body and soul; it contains +426 beds. Besides those belonging to the medical and chemical school +attached to it, there are several gardens in which the patients are +allowed to walk; the same diseases are here treated as at the Hôtel +Dieu, de la Pitié, etc. Turning to the right into the Rue St. Dominique, +at the end of the second street on the north we shall see the church of +St. Thomas d'Aquin; it was formerly a convent of Jacobins, founded by +Cardinal Richelieu. The present front was built in 1787, by Brother +Claude, one of the monks; it has two ranges of columns, doric and ionic, +surmounted by a pediment with a bas-relief representing Religion, +terminating with a cross. The interior is decorated with corinthian +pilasters, the effect is altogether fine, the high altar is of white +marble, and some of the pictures are extremely good; the nobility attend +much at this church, and it is rather famed for its preachers. The Musée +d'Artillerie is adjoining, and contains the armour worn from the +earliest ages, as also the weapons which have been used, and those of +different countries. Here will be found the armour of many heroes famed +in the annals of chivalry, as Bayard, Dunois, Duguesclin, etc., and an +equestrian figure of Francis I. There is also the helmet of Attila, who +was slain by Clovis, in 453; another, on which are some verses from the +Koran, of Abderama, killed by Charles Martel. The dagger with which +Ravillac assassinated Henri IV, having a black crape round it. There +are, besides, models of all kinds of machines connected with war; the +armour of Joan of Arc will be regarded with interest, as also of many +others whose names have been celebrated in history; a catalogue +descriptive of every object is to be had at the door for one franc. +There is a military library attached to the establishment, with naval +charts, etc. Strangers are admitted on Thursdays and Saturdays, from +twelve till four, with their passports. + +A few steps take us into the Rue du Bac, which we will ascend to the Rue +de Grenelle, and observe one of the finest fountains in Paris, erected +after the designs of Bouchardon, in the reign of Louis XV, began 1739 +and finished in 1745; it is most richly adorned by statues and +allegorical subjects. At No. 120, Rue du Bac, is the church of St. +Francois Xavier, or of Foreign Missionaries, it was built in 1683, +consisting of two parts, one on the ground floor, and the other above, +the lower is perfectly plain, the upper is of the ionic order; there are +some good paintings of the French school of the period. Behind is the +seminary for the instruction of young men intended as missionaries in +the requisite sciences and languages. The worthy Abbé Edgeworth, the +attendant of Louis XVI in his last moments, was one of the members of +this institution. + +Just by in the Rue de Babylone is a barrack for infantry, famed for the +attack and defence carried on in the Revolution of the three days. In +the rue Vanneau is a recently built house, a complete type of the style +of Francis I. In the Rue de Varennes are several grand hôtels of the +nobility of France, with their family names inscribed over the immense +gateways; it is in fact one of the most interesting streets in Paris; +amongst others, at No. 23, is the hôtel of the late Duchess de Bourbon, +now belonging to Mme Adélaïde d'Orléans. No. 35, is the hôtel d'Orsay, +recently restored and embellished, and several others of the same +description. At the north-west corner of the street stands the hôtel de +Biron, now converted into the celebrated convent and seminary of the +Sacré Coeur (Sacred Heart), where so many daughters of the French, +English and Irish catholic nobility have been brought up. No. 16, the +offices of the Minister of Commerce, and No. 10, Rue Hillerin-Bertin, is +the École royale des Ponts-et-Chaussées, established in 1747. The +pupils, who are all taken from the Polytechnique, are instructed in +every thing connected with the projection and construction of bridges, +canals, ports and public works. Their collection of plans, maps, and +models relative to these operations is very rich. But a few paces +southward bring us facing the ancient convent of Panthémont, now used as +a barrack for cavalry, forming the corner of the Rue de Belle-Chasse and +that of the Rue de Grenelle; the chapel, which has a dome, is an +interesting architectural object. + +This is one of the aristocratic streets of Paris, where the most +ancient families of France have their town residences; the Rue St. +Dominique is of the same description, and many others in this +neighbourhood, but in too many cases immense gateways and high walls are +all that are to be seen in the streets, as the hotels are situated +behind them at the end of large court-yards, similar to several houses +in Piccadilly the most of which are now pulled down: on the west side of +Cavendish square one is still standing (I believe Lord Harcourt's), and +several others in different parts of the west end of the town. The most +conspicuous hotels in the Rue St. Dominique, are those of the Duke de +Lynes, No. 33, the hotel of the late Duchess Dowager of Orléans, No. 58, +formerly inhabited by Cambacérès. The Hôtel de Grammont, No. 103, and +the Hôtel de Périgord, No. 105. At 82 and 86, are the residence and +offices of the Minister of War, where there is a very valuable library, +with a most interesting collection of plans, maps, and drawings. We will +now return to the Rue du Bac, and at No. 132, we shall notice the Hôtel +Châtillon, now occupied by the sisters of St. Vincent de Paule, better +known as the Sisters of Charity. + +At the top of the street we find the Rue de Sèvres, and turning to the +left we shall view, at the corner of the Rue de la Chaise, the old +Hospital entitled Hospices des Ménages; it was built in 1554 on the site +of an old establishment for afflicted children, and is now appropriated +to the reception of the aged, whether married couples or single; there +are 264 beds, and an extensive garden attached to the establishment. +Strangers may visit this hospital every day, and will find the detail of +the regulations very interesting. A few yards eastward bring us to the +Abbaye-aux-Bois, so called when it was founded in 1202 from being in the +midst of the woods; this church possesses a few good pictures, amongst +which are a Virgin and dead Christ, by Lebrun, and a portrait of Mlle de +la Vallière. Opposite is the Maison du Noviciat des Religieuses +Hospitalières de St. Thomas de Villeneuve. Still continuing in the Rue +de Sèvres, at No. 54, is the hospital for women who are incurable; it +was founded in 1634 by Cardinal de la Rochefoucault, which is indicated +by an inscription over the door; it contains 600 beds. There is a large +chapel attached, in which there are some pictures, and one bearing the +date of 1404 with a handsome monument of the founder. + +The Egyptian fountain in this street is well worth attention, it was +built in 1806, and is a very handsome monument. At No. 104, corner of +the Boulevards, is the convent of the Dames de St. Thomas de Villeneuve, +with a very pretty little gothic chapel. At No. 95 is that of the +Lazarists, with a small chapel fronting the street. At the corner of the +Boulevard on the north side are new buildings, erected for the reception +of the juvenile blind. No. 149 is the Hôpital des Enfants malades; it is +wholly appropriated to the reception of sick children, who are admitted +from 2 to 15 years of age; it contains 500 beds, which number is to be +considerably increased. Next door is an hospital founded by Madame +Necker in a building which formerly was a convent of Benedictine nuns; +it is for the reception of the sick in general, and contains 300 beds; +the chapel attached has two fine statues of Aaron and Melchizedek, in +marble, discovered in digging the foundations of a house; a short +distance farther on, is an Artesian well, which after many long, +expensive, and most laborious attempts, at last emits water from the +enormous depth of nearly 1800 feet; it rises to the height of 65 feet, +and falls into the respective conduits destined to receive it. It is +situated at the entrance of the Abattoir de Grenelle which is one of the +extensive slaughter-houses at the outskirts of Paris, all of which are +justly celebrated for the regularity of the buildings, the order with +which every thing is conducted, and the great convenience of their being +situated where they cannot be any source of annoyance to the inhabitants +of the interior of the capital. + +The École Militaire stands at the end of an avenue of trees, just before +us; it was founded by Louis XV, in 1751, for educating gratuitously 500 +young gentlemen, the sons of poor nobility, but it is now converted into +barracks for 4,000 men, either cavalry, artillery, or infantry. One +front, looking to the Champ de Mars, is adorned with ten corinthian +pillars, sustaining a pediment decorated with bas-reliefs, whilst a +quadrangular dome, rises from behind, with figures of Time and +Astronomy; there are besides in other parts of the edifice, rows of +tuscan, doric, and ionic pillars, the buildings surround two spacious +court-yards; on the first floor is the Salle de Conseil, embellished +with pictures and military emblems. The chapel attached to the +establishment is most splendid, the roof is supported by thirty fluted +corinthian columns: the entrance to the École Militaire is by the Place +de Fontenoy. + +The Champ-de-Mars is a most extensive oblong piece of ground, in which +has been celebrated many extraordinary epochs in the history of France; +the sloping embankments on each side were formed by the people of Paris; +as many as 60,000 persons of both sexes kept working at them until they +were finished, when the fête de la Fédération took place on the 14th +July, 1790. It was also the scene of several other public +demonstrations, and in 1837, on the 14th of June, during the rejoicings +for the celebration of the marriage of the Duke of Orléans, 24 persons +lost their lives by being either suffocated or trodden to death in +passing through the gates. The Paris races are held here in May and +September, as also the military reviews, inspections, manoeuvres, etc. +Proceeding by an avenue from the north-cast corner of the Champ-de-Mars +we arrive at the Hôtel des Invalides, which is certainly the grandest +monument that exists of the reign of Louis XIV. It is a most delightful +asylum for crippled or worn-out old soldiers, it was built after the +designs of Bruant, begun in 1671, and completed in 1700. The façade +towards the Seine, though heavy, is grand and imposing, adorned by the +statue of Louis the XIV, and colossal figures of Mars, Minerva, Justice +and Prudence, in bas-relief, and at the sides by emblematical +representations of the four nations conquered by the founder. + +The first court has the most pleasing appearance, the arcades render it +light and elegant, and although ornamented with figures, arms, horses, +and trophies, they are not exuberant, and its simplicity is not +deteriorated. The church is a most magnificent structure, presenting an +extraordinary mixture of military and religious decorations. The dome, +which has an effect truly noble, is adorned by paintings of the twelve +Apostles by Jouvenet, surmounted by a glory from the pencil of Lafosse, +with a beautiful tesselated pavement beneath; there are some other good +paintings, but many very bad. The gilding, although extremely gorgeous, +harmonises well with the varied colouring which prevails throughout this +beautiful edifice, and has not a gaudy appearance. There are monuments +of several of the governors of the hospital; numbers of portraits, and +banners taken from different countries, which amounted to as many as +3,000, but on the evening prior to the allies entering Paris, Joseph +Bonaparte ordered them to be burnt. To give any thing like a +comprehensive idea of this wonderful building, would require many pages, +there is such an immense number of interesting objects, the description +of which would compel the omission of other matter equally important; +but, whether taken for its exterior or its interior, it certainly is +one of the grandest monuments extant. The approaches to it are +particularly fine, being by long vistas of high trees, with a most noble +esplanade in front. A library belongs to the establishment which was +founded by Napoleon; it consists of 30,000 volumes, and his portrait by +Ingres is one of its valuable ornaments. It is gratifying to see so many +of the Invalids constantly in the library, amusing themselves with +reading; it is a pleasing sight to be there at meal-time to witness the +cleanliness and comfort which prevails. Besides board and lodging, every +soldier receives 2 francs a month, and officers and non-commissioned +officers in proportion; 5,000 is the number the establishment can +contain. + +In quitting this extraordinary building, the visiter must notice the +Hôtel du Châtelet at the corner of the Rue de Grenelle, now occupied by +the Austrian ambassador, being a fine specimen of the days of Louis XIV. +We then pass into the Rue St. Dominique, and at No. 185 find the Hospice +Leprince, so called after the founder, erected in 1819; it contains 10 +beds for men and 10 for women; almost opposite is the church of St. +Pierre-du-Gros-Caillou, which was built in 1822, and is much admired for +its beautiful symmetry; the whole is consistently of the tuscan order. +Farther to the west is the military hospital founded by the Duke de +Biron for the French guards, containing 700 beds and erections for 500 +more are to be added shortly. Directly opposite is the Fountain of Mars +built in 1813, a monument very well worth the visiter's attention. +Continuing a few yards farther to the west, we enter the Avenue de la +Bourdonnaye, and turning to the right we come to the Atteliers de +Sculpture, consisting of two handsome buildings where sculptors employed +by government on public monuments may proceed with their operations; +stone-yards, sheds, a house for the director, and the whole arrangement +is most complete for the attainment of the object; visiters may obtain +tickets from the Director of public Monuments, Palais du Quai d'Orsay. + +The royal Manufactory of Tobacco, Snuff, and Cigars is at a short +distance eastward, No. 57, Quai d'Orsay, an extensive establishment for +the preparation of the articles, with a handsome modern house for the +offices, and residence for the director. The profits of this +establishment in 1839 to the government were 66,001,841 francs, upwards +of 2,500,000£. We will now proceed along the quai, and notice the +bridges; first the Pont de Iena, terminated in 1813, it is completely in +a horizontal line, and is certainly a perfect structure, uniting +elegance, beauty, and simplicity. + +The Pont des Invalides is a handsome suspension bridge for carriages as +well as foot passengers; a toll is paid in passing over it. Pursuing our +course eastward we arrive at the Palais Bourbon, and Chamber of +Deputies, which was erected by the dowager Duchess of Bourbon, in 1722, +begun by the Italian architect Girardini, and continued by Mansard. It +was afterwards much enlarged when possessed by the Prince de Condé, but +not completed when the Revolution of 1789 occurred. In 1795 it was +appropriated as the Chamber for the sittings of the Council of Five +Hundred, and next occupied by the Corps Legislatif. At the Restoration +in 1814 the Prince de Condé retook possession, but so arranged that the +portion which had been converted into a locality for the sittings of the +Legislative Assembly, and which had been partly rebuilt, should be +appropriated to the use of the Deputies, and finally was bought by +government for 5,500,000 francs. At the death of the Duke de Bourbon +this palace devolved upon the Duke d'Aumale, and is leased to the +Chamber of Deputies for the residence of the President, but will soon +become the property of the country by a negociation at present pending. +The entrance of the Palais Bourbon is by the Rue de l'Université, and +being approached by a long avenue of trees has the air of a country +seat; formerly the apartments were gorgeously furnished, now simple +beauty and utility alone prevail; there are a few good pictures, and one +room decorated with bucks' horns, and different emblems of the chase; +there is a large garden laid out in the English style. The grand front +of the portion styled the Chamber of Deputies is exactly opposite the +handsome bridge called the Pont de la Concorde, and is from thence seen +to the best advantage; it is a noble massive building with colossal +statues of Sully, Colbert, l'Hôpital, and d'Aguesseau, there are besides +several allegorical figures, and 12 noble corinthian columns, +supporting a fine bas-relief recently completed, approached by a flight +of 29 steps; for so much weight as there appears in this building, I +should say there was not sufficient height, and the breadth is immense, +still the effect is dignified and imposing. + +The Chamber itself is a semi-circular hall with 24 white marble ionic +columns and bronze capitals gilt. The president's chair and the tribune +form the centre of the axis of the semi-circle, from whence the seats +rise of the 459 deputies, in the shape of an amphitheatre. A spacious +double gallery capable of containing 700 persons surrounds the +semi-circular part of the Chamber, arranged with tribunes for the royal +family, the corps diplomatique, officers of state and the public. There +are a number of very fine statues, as well as some extremely clever +pictures by the first French artists, and there, is a library of 50,000 +volumes. Anyone with a passport may visit the Chamber, but for the +debates a letter post-paid must be addressed to M. le Questeur de la +Chambre des Députés, who will send a ticket of admission. A short +distance to the east is the Palace of the Legion of Honour, erected in +1786 after designs by Rousseau for the Prince de Salm, after whom it was +called. The entrance is by a triumphal arch, and a colonnade of the +ionic order with two pavillions. At the end of a court yard is the +principal front consisting of a fine portico, adorned with large +corinthian pillars. The side which fronts the Seine is particularly +light and graceful, having a circular projection adorned with columns +supporting a balustrade with six statues. When the Prince de Salm was +beheaded in 1793, the hôtel was put up to lottery, and won by a journey +man hairdresser, and in 1803 it was appropriated to its present object; +strangers are admitted without any difficulty. + +The Palais du Quai D'Orsay is almost adjoining, and although one of the +most magnificent, yet one of the most chaste edifices in Paris; it has +never received any decided name. It was begun under Napoleon, and then +remained dormant until 1830, and in the present reign has been finished +in the most perfect style. The grand front which faces the river +presents a long series of windows formed by arches beneath a tuscan +colonnade on the ground-floor; the one above is similar, except being of +the ionic order, surmounted by a sort of corinthian attic; the court is +surrounded by a double series of Italian arcades, there are four +staircases, placed at each corner, one styled the escalier d'honneur, is +absolutely splendid, both as regards the construction and the richness +of its ornaments. The chief entrance is in the Rue de Lille, and there +are side gateways into other streets. The ground-floor is appropriated +to the Council of State and the offices attached, the first floor to the +Cour des Comptes, and the third to the conservation of the Archives of +these two public bodies. This noble structure has cost upwards of twelve +million francs. + +We will now cast one glance at the Hôtel Praslin, which also has its +entrance in the Rue de Lille, No. 54; its terrace is perceptible from +the quay, it is one of the most extensive and grandest mansions of the +old nobility. The next building is a barrack for cavalry, which is +totally devoid of any ornament or beauty. We now arrive at the Pont +Royal, an old but substantial bridge, built by a Dominican friar in +1684. The river here was formerly crossed by a ferry (bac), which gave +the name to the Rue du Bac. + +I shall now advise that we take a boat and see how Paris looks from the +water, affording us a good view of the quays as we pass between them; we +also get an excellent sight of the Point Neuf already described, and +which has a very fine effect as we approach it. We next come to the Pont +au Change, formerly a wooden bridge; in 1141 Louis VII fixed the +residence of the money changers upon it, hence it derived its name; the +present structure was built in 1639. The Pont Notre Dame soon after +arrests the eye (vide page 87), it was begun 1499 and finished in 1507, +after the designs of Jean Joconde; on the western side is an engine +called Pompe du Pont Notre Dame, consisting of a square tower erected +upon piles, having a reservoir into which water is elevated, by +machinery impelled by the current of the water. We next pass under the +Pont d'Arcole, built in 1828; it is a suspension bridge, and there is a +toll upon it. The circumstances from which it derives its name are very +singular. A young man, in 1830, during the murderous conflict which here +took place between the royal guard and the people, rushed on the bridge +with a flag in his hand, heading the patriots, and was killed under the +archway in the middle; his name was Arcole, and the same trait of +courage was displayed by Napoleon on the bridge of Arcola; hence its +present designation. + +A little farther on we pass close to the house where it is pretended +lived Fulbert, uncle of Heloise; the outward part of the building does +not bear the impression of being as old as the period when Abelard +lived, as he was born in 1080, and died in 1142; the cellars, however, +have a very ancient appearance; visiters are admitted, on applying to +the owner of the dwelling, which is situated No. 1, Rue des Chantres, on +the north-eastern side of the Isle de Paris, not far from Notre Dame. + +[Illustration: Paris in the 19th Century. Published by F. Sinnett, 15, +Grande rue Verte.] + +Resuming our course upon the water we come to the Pont Louis-Philippe, a +fine suspension bridge constructed in 1834, of iron wire, with two bold +arches of stone. The next bridge is called the Pont Marie, and was built +in 1641, but had two arches; and 22 houses, out of 50, which stood upon +it, were carried away by a flood in 1648. We now arrive at the Pont de +Damiette, another suspension bridge connecting the north and southern +quays of the Seine with the Ile Louviers, until very recently an immense +dépôt for fire wood, but now many handsome residences are being erected, +with which the whole of the little island will soon be covered. We shall +now land on the Quay des Célestins, and explore the north-east quarter +of Paris, beginning with the Arsenal which contains a library of +200,000 printed volumes, and 6,000 manuscripts, amongst which are some +beautiful missals. Henri IV having appointed Sully grand-master of the +artillery, he resided in the buildings constructed on this spot +purposely for him, and they now show a bed-room and a cabinet in which +he used to receive his royal visiter; they are richly gilt according to +the style of that period, and may be seen with passport by applying to +the Director. Close to the Arsenal on the Quai des Célestins are the +remains of the once celebrated Convent of the Célestins, and of their +small church which after that of St. Denis contained more tombs of +illustrious individuals than any in Paris. It was particularly remarked +for the chapel d'Orléans, which enclosed the remains of the brother of +Charles VI and his descendants. The architecture is interesting as being +a specimen of the pointed style prevailing in Paris in the 14th century, +a part of the convent buildings are converted into cavalry barracks, and +the rest are in a state of dilapidation. Facing the Arsenal is the +Grenier de Reserve, on the Boulevard Bourdon, which is an immense +storehouse for corn, grain and flour requisite for the consumption of +Paris for four months. + +It was began by Napoleon in 1807, it is 2,160 feet in length and 64 in +breath. Every baker in Paris is obliged to have constantly deposited +here 20 full sacks of flour, and as many more as he pleases by paying a +trifle for warehouse room. Just a few steps northward is the Government +Dépôt of powder and saltpetre. + +At a short distance in the Rue St. Antoine, No. 216, is the small church +of the Visitation built by Mansard in 1632, for the Sisters of the +Visitation. It has a dome supported by Corinthian pillars, and the +interior is richly ornamented with scroll work, wreaths of flowers, etc. +It is now appropriated to the protestant worship, and there is service +on Sundays, and festivals at half past 12. On the southern side of the +Boulevard St. Antoine is the Theatre St. Antoine, erected in 1836; the +performances are vaudevilles, little melodrama, and farces. The admission +is from 6_d._ to 2_s._ 6_d._ It contains 1,226 places. The Place de +la Bastille is now before us, and still may be seen the desolate remains +of the great plaster cast of the enormous elephant, intended by Napoleon +to have been placed on this spot, which is now decorated with what is +called the Column of July. The capital is said to be the largest piece +of bronze ever cast, the height is 163 feet, and it is surmounted by an +orb on which is placed the figure of Liberty; and is ornamented with +lions, heads, cocks, children bearing garlands and other emblematical +objects, but the effect of the whole is not happy, there is a sort of +indescribable deficiency, although the cost was 1,200,000f., besides an +immense outlay, years before, for the foundation. The ceremony of its +inauguration took place on the 28th of July, 1840, when fifty coffins, +each containing twelve patriots, were placed in the vaults for them +underneath. Many persons descend to view the arrangements where the +sarcophagi are stationed, which are 14 feet in length, and the trouble +is well repaid; as also for ascending to the summit of the monument, but +the staircase is not considered to be as solid and secure as could be +wished. + +At No. 38, Rue de Charenton, will be found the Hôpital Royal des Quinze +Vingts, devoted to the reception of the blind. This establishment was +originally founded by St. Louis, at the corner of the Rue St. Nicaise, +in the Rue St. Honoré, and ultimately removed to the present building. +There are as many as 300 families living in this Hospital, as the blind +are suffered to bring with them their wives and children, and encouraged +to marry, if single; there are besides 600 out-door pensioners. There is +a chapel attached to the institution, which was built in 1701, but +possesses no particular interest. At No. 128, Rue Faubourg St. Antoine, +is a building founded in 1660 by M. Aligre and his lady, for orphans, +but the children having been sent to another establishment, it is +intended to be formed into a Hospice for 400 old men. Just by, is the +Marché Beauveau, built in 1799, and is a sort of rag fair, well +appropriated to the neighbourhood in which it stands. At no 206, Rue +Faubourg St. Antoine, is the Hôpital St. Antoine, formerly the Abbey of +St. Antoine; the present building was erected in 1770, the number of +beds is 270, it is appropriated for the reception of the sick in +general, and may be visited by strangers upon any day. Some little +distance to the north, in the Rue St. Bernard, is the Church of St. +Marguerite, erected in 1625; it has no other attractions than that of +its pictures, which are numerous and some of them beautiful, and would +well repay the visiter for turning out of his way to view them, they are +principally of the old French school, but there are no records to state +how they ever came there. A few streets to the south-west, lead to the +Rue de Reuilly, where some barracks will be found in a large pile of +buildings, established by Colbert, for the Royal Glass Manufactory of +Mirrors (removed to 313, Rue St. Denis); a little further on, at the +south-eastern corner of the Rue Faubourg St. Antoine and that of Picpus, +is a great market for forage, and at No. 8 in the latter street, is the +Maison d'Enghien, founded by the mother of the unfortunate Duke of that +name, the Duchess of Bourbon, in 1819, and now supported by Madame +Adélaïde d'Orléans; it contains fifty beds, of which eighteen are for +women, and the utmost cleanliness and order prevail. + +At No. 18 is the Hôpital Militaire de Picpus. Somewhat farther on, at No. +16, was once a Convent of the Order of St. Augustin, now a +boarding-school, but the chapel still remains; attached to it is a +cemetery, where rest the remains of some of the noblest families of +France, as de Grammont, de Montaigu, de Noailles, and that purest and +most perfect of private and public characters, Lafayette, in a spot +hardly known, in a quiet corner, beneath a very simple tomb, beside his +wife, and in the midst of his relations. We shall now return westward, +and view the Barrière du Trône, which is still unfinished, but +consisting of two noble lofty columns; very conspicuous from their +height, with a fine open circular space, on which festivals are +celebrated on public days, and plans are now pursuing for finishing and +embellishing this spot. A pleasant walk along the Boulevards will bring +us to the celebrated cemetery of Père-La-Chaise, on which there has been +so much written by tourists, poets, and even novelists; thus I fear all +I can state upon the subject will appear but tame, after such choice +spirits have favoured the public with their inspirations on so +interesting a retreat, I shall, therefore, only attempt to give a few +matter of fact indications. + +It consists of a large tract of ground on the slope of a hill, was +celebrated for the beauty of its situation in the fourteenth century, +and under Louis the XIV as the abode of Père-La-Chaise, having for 150 +years been the favourite country house of the Jesuits, and at present +the favourite burying place of the Parisians. In the 14th century a +house was erected on the spot by a rich grocer, named Regnault, and was +by the people named La Folie Regnault; after belonging to different +parties, it was purchased for 160,000 francs, for its present purpose. +Its extent is nearly 100 acres; all that trees, shrubs, plants, and +flowers can avail towards embellishing a spot, has been effected; the +sculptor's hand has also been contributed in a most eminent degree, and +fancy seems to have exhausted her caprices in conceptions of forms and +fashions with regard to the monuments here assembled, and some are as +highly picturesque as can be well imagined; others are grand and +imposing, whilst a few there are, whose simplicity render them the most +interesting, so much is there in association that perhaps none is more +touching than that of Abelard and Heloïse; it is formed of stones +gathered from the ruins of the Abbey of Paraclete, founded by Abelard, +of which Heloïse was the first abbess. Amongst the number of monuments +here assembled, there will be found those whose names have lived and +will live in history: marshals, admirals, generals, authors, travellers, +senators, and celebrated characters of all nations, in fact what with +the extreme beauty of the scene, the splendid view that expands before +one, and the tone of reflexions that are engendered by the many +affecting appeals there are to the heart, upon the different monuments, +I know of no spot that one can visit, calculated to excite deeper +impressions. We have imitated near London the same description of +cemetery, but they will be long before they can arrive at the same +beauty; it has been observed, that Père-La-Chaise is not kept in such +nice order as those in England, and the remark is just, but I am not +quite sure but that I prefer the degree of wildness which there is in +the former, and although it may not be so neat and trim as the latter, +yet on the whole there is infinitely more of the sublime, aided no doubt +from the extreme beauty of the position, and the greater number of +splendid monuments, than an infant establishment can be expected to +possess. + +On quitting this delightful spot, we must pass by the Prison de la +Roquette, destined for the reception of prisoners condemned to the +galleys or to death; the excellent system that is here followed with +regard to the airiness, cleanliness, and strict order, is such that it +is styled the model prison; 318 is the number of prisoners that it can +contain. Just opposite to it is the Prison pour les jeunes Détenus, or +for juvenile offenders, and is a most extraordinary establishment; its +exterior has the air of a baronial castle, and the interior is so +arranged that it might answer the purpose of an hospital, as well as +that of correction; it has circular turrets at the angles, and the +central building is isolated from the others, and only approachable by +iron bridges; the whole of the upper part of the building is a chapel, +so contrived, that when the prisoners enter it from the different +divisions, although they are all together, they can only see the +individuals composing their own section, and the pulpit and altar; the +prisoners are arranged in the different wings, according to their ages, +and the degree of morality; there are about 500, and the different +regulations are so meritorious, and the plan of the building so curious +and ingenious, that the stranger will derive much pleasure from visiting +this singular establishment. Just by, is the Abattoir de Popincourt, or +de Ménilmontant, which is considered to be the largest and finest of all +the five immense slaughter-houses round Paris, and for those who are +curious of regarding such buildings, this should be the one they ought +to visit. At a few steps from the Abattoir, in the Rue Popincourt, is +the church of St. Ambroise, which was built for a convent of nuns called +the Annonciades in 1639; some tolerable pictures are the only +attractions it possesses for a stranger; a few doors from it is a large +barrack, and an ornamented Fountain. We must now descend the Rue du +Chemin-Vert, until we come to the Canal St. Martin, and just pause a +minute and notice its neat quays, and the good order in which its locks +are kept, and all arrangements connected with it, and then proceed to +the Boulevards: a short street, called Rue de la Mule, will take us into +the Place Royale, which stands upon the site of the celebrated Palais de +Tournelle, the court and offices of which extended to the Rue St. +Antoine, and over several of the neighbouring streets, but was pulled +down by order of Catherine de Medicis in 1565, on account of her husband +Henry II having been killed in one of the courts in a tournament. + +The Place Royale, as it now stands, was built in 1604, under Henri IV +(vide page 92), it is now inhabited by persons of small incomes who like +to have spacious and lofty apartments without incurring the expence of +such; in the more fashionable quarters, the arcades all round the +square, the fountains, the trees, and the handsome railing, give it a +very fine though curious appearance, and the houses have a most +venerable aspect. We will now leave the Place Royale by the southern +gateway, and enter the Rue St. Antoine, and nearly opposite to No. 143, +is the Hôtel de Sully; being the work of the celebrated architect +Ducerceau, and the residence of the noble character whose name it bears. +It is well preserved, and its court is richly adorned with sculpture. At +No. 120, in the same street, is the Collége de Charlemagne, formerly a +college of the Jesuits, founded in 1582, the buildings are only +remarkable for their extent. The Passage Charlemagne, No. 102, leads +through the court of the Hôtel de Jassau, or d'Aguesseau, 22, Rue des +Prêtres St. Paul, said to be the site of a palace, and a turret of the +time of Francis I still remains at the corner of the court, as also some +ornaments and figures. At the corner of the Rue St. Paul, and the Rue +des Lions, is a small square turret of the time of Henri IV, and a +little eastward, part of the church of St. Paul embodied in the house, +No. 29, Rue St. Paul. By the side of the College of Charlemagne is the +church of St. Paul and St. Louis, it was began in 1627, and finished in +1641, and within it Cardinal Richelieu performed the first mass in the +presence of Louis XIII and his court. The noble front rising from a +flight of steps, is adorned with three ranges of corinthian and +composite columns, and the interior is decorated with ornaments even to +profusion; a fine dome with figures of the Evangelists and four kings of +France give it altogether a very handsome appearance. Opposite the +College of Charlemagne, is the Fontaine de Birague; consisting of a +pentagonal tower, with a dome and lantern. Above a pediment supported by +doric pilasters is an attic with a naiad. At the corner of the Rue +Culture Ste. Catherine, is the Hôtel de Carnavalet, where resided Madame +de Sévigné and her daughter, a fine mansion of the 16th century, having +been erected in 1544; most of the sculpture is from the chisel of the +celebrated Jean Goujon, and is of a most interesting description; the +cabinet in which the letters of that highly gifted woman were written is +still shown, also a marble table upon which she and her daughter used to +dine under the sycamores in the garden, two of which remain. M. Viardot +occupies this Hôtel, and with pleasure shows it to strangers; he keeps +an academy and has written a history of the edifice, which may be had of +the porter. It was at the corner of this street that the Constable de +Clisson was assailed and severely wounded by 20 ruffians, headed by +Pierre de Graon, Chamberlain of the Duke of Orleans, who was murdered by +the Duke of Burgundy. + +In the Rue du Roi de Sicile is the prison of La Force, containing 700 +prisoners, and excellent regulations, but another, in a more retired +part of Paris, is soon to be constructed. This building was formerly the +Hôtel of the Duc de la Force, hence the origin of its name. In the Rue +Pavée, which is on one side of the prison, will be found, at No. 3, the +Hôtel de la Houze, and in the same street stood the Hôtels de Gaucher, +de Châtillon, and d'Herbouville, or de Savoisi. We will now go a little +out of our way to see the fine long and broad street of St. Louis, +which we shall soon reach by keeping straight on along the Rue Payenne, +and then turning to the east by the Rue Parc Royal, shall proceed to one +of the ornaments of the Rue St. Louis, the Church of St. Denis du +Sacrement; it is quite modern, but is conceived according to good taste; +the order is ionic, which is consistently preserved both throughout the +exterior and the interior, much chasteness of design, in fact has been +observed in the construction of this simple but elegant edifice. The +Fountain of St. Louis is worthy of attention _en passant_. Formerly this +street was filled with nobility, as even so late as the beginning of the +reign of Louis XV it was rather a fashionable quarter, at present it is +the cheapest in Paris. + +We must now retrace our steps, which will bring us to the Rue Francs +Bourgeois; No. 25 is an hôtel of the time of Henri IV, No. 7, Hôtel de +Jeanne d'Abret, of Louis XV's days, and No. 12, the former residence of +the Dukes de Roquelaure, and at the corner will be observed a little +turret belonging to a house, one side of which is in the Vieille Rue du +Temple; there is some curious work upon it, and it is supposed to have +been standing at the time the Duke of Orleans was murdered by order of +the Duke of Burgundy, which was just about this spot, in 1407. At No. 51, +Rue Franc Bourgeois, is the Hôtel de Hollande, so called from its having +belonged to the Dutch Ambassador, in the reign of Louis XIV; amongst the +sculpture is perceived the date of 1660; this handsome hôtel was once +the residence of Beaumarchais. At the corner of the Rue Pavée is the +Hôtel de Lamoignon, one of the handsomest mansions of the ancient +nobility. It is of the sixteenth century, some of the carved work is +most curious, and merits attentive examination; a picturesque turret and +balcony must excite the attention of every observer. A few steps further +is the large central establishment of the Mont de Pieté, No. 18, Rue des +Blancs Manteaux, lending money on pledges, much the same as our +pawnbrokers, only on more advantageous terms for the borrowers. In the +same street is Notre Dame des Blancs Manteaux, once the chapel of a +religious house, so called from their dress consisting of white +garments; there was formerly a monastery here, of which there may be +discovered some remains to the east, and evidently in the left wing of a +house at No. 25; the chapel remaining has a plain exterior, but the +corinthian style of the interior is handsome, and worth attention; there +is also a very admired picture of the Burial of St. Petronilla, which is +eighteen feet by eight, it is of the school of Guercini, but it is not +known by what means it came to be placed in this church. Facing this +street is the Market des Blancs Manteaux. + +At the corner of the Rue Vieille du Temple, and that of the Rue de +Quatre Fils, is the Palais Cardinal, now the Imprimerie Royale; it was +erected in 1712, and is named after its owner, the Cardinal de Rohan, +whose intriguing spirit so much involved Marie Antoinette; in this +hôtel the scenes occurred concerning that extraordinary affair; the +front of the building is quite plain, towards the garden it is +ornamented by columns, and as a mansion, is one of the largest in Paris. +It is now occupied as the Royal Printing Establishment, and it is +impossible to surpass the order and regularity with which it is +conducted; 750 men, women, and children, are employed in it. It is +considered to possess the richest collection in the world of matrices +and fonts of types, having them in every written language, and when Pope +Pius VII visited the establishment, he was presented the Lord's Prayer +in 150 languages. A library with specimens of typography, executed on +the premises, is an object of the highest gratification to every +visiter, even if they be not connaisseurs in the art. For admission to +this establishment, application must be made a few days beforehand to M. +le Directeur de l'Imprimerie Royale, who appoints a fixed hour on +Thursdays. Almost facing one part of the Imprimerie Royale, in the Rue +d'Orléans, is the Church of St. François d'Assise. Neither the exterior +nor the interior possess any striking beauty; it was founded and erected +in 1623. It contains some very good paintings, and the kneeling figure +of the saint of the church in his monastic dress; the hands and head are +of white marble, and it is supposed to be Egyptian; one of St. Denis is +opposite to it. + +Adjoining to the Imprimerie Royale, is the Hôtel des Archives du +Royaume, which is entered by the Rue du Chaume, No. 12. It was formerly +a palace of the Prince de Soubise and the family of the Rohans. The +south and western part of the edifice is of the 15th century, the turret +is probably what belonged to the gatehouse. The decorations of the +apartments are extremely rich with gilt cornices and paintings, some of +them possessing great merit. In the _petits appartements_ is a boudoir +which belonged to the Duchess de Guise, with a window looking into the +Rue du Chaume, from whence it is asserted that her lover precipitated +himself at the approach of the Duke. A new building has been added, the +first stone having been laid in 1838, which has cost a million of +francs. Under Napoleon the whole edifice was appropriated to the +preservation of the national archives. Amongst them are documents of +diplomas granted to different monastic institutions, by Childebert, +Dagobert, Clothaire and Clovis II. The collections of the different +acts, deeds, charters, administrative, domanial, historical, judicial, +legislative, etc., fill 60,000 portfolios. There is besides a library of +14,000 volumes, amongst which are the _Records Commission_ of England, +presented by the British Government. There are also in an iron chest, +the golden bulls and papal decrees, most of the keys of the Bastille, +the wills of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI, with his journal, autograph +letters of Napoleon, one written by him to Louis XVIII, with a variety +of other most interesting objects. For admission apply (post paid) to M. +le Garde General des Archives du Royaume, No. 12, Rue du Chaume. + +The Fontaine de la Naiade in the same street, has a clever bas-relief by +Mignot. By the Rue des Vieilles-Haudriettes we pass into the Rue +Ste-Avoye; No. 63 is worth notice, several of the houses here having +been the hôtels of nobility. No. 57 is the Hôtel St. Aignan, built by Le +Muet; on its site stood the Hôtel de Montmorency, it is an extensive +noble building, but has been spoiled by having had two stories added. +Henry II often resided in it when it was called Hôtel de Montmorency. + +Taking the Rue Ste. Croix de la Bretonnerie, we shall find that the +first turning in it is the Rue des Billettes, where stand the Lutheran +Church; it was built in 1745, and belonged to the Carmelite Friars. In +1808, it was bought by the city of Paris, and given about four years +after to the Protestants of the Augsburgh confession. It is a plain neat +building. The Duchess of Orléans attends service here when in Paris, +which is in German at 2 and in French at 12. From hence we cross the Rue +de la Verrerie, and proceeding by the Rue des Mauvais Garçons, we arrive +at the Church St. Gervais; an inscription under the first arch of the +northern aisle of the choir, states the church to have been dedicated in +1420, although other parts of the building would indicate a more recent +construction, but with all its incongruities, from its having been built +at various periods, it excites a deep interest; the light gleaming +through the painted glass gives a rich though rather sombre effect, the +windows behind the altar have a most imposing appearance. The western +front was began in 1616, Louis the XIII laying the first stone, and is +not equal to other parts of the building; some of the chapels of this +church are particularly fine. Amongst the pictures, of which there are +many very good, is one by Albert Durer, with the date upon it of 1500. +Scarron, the husband of Mme. de Maintenon, lies buried here, as also the +celebrated painter Philippe de Champagne, and one of his performances is +amongst the pictures which decorate the church, being that of Jesus with +Martha and Mary in the chapel of Ste. Genevieve; there are several other +objects in this noble edifice so interesting, that no person who visits +Paris should omit seeing it. We may now take the Rue de la Tixéranderie +where at the corner of the Rue du Coq is a house and turret of the 15th +and 16th century, most probably the former, according to the statements +of M. Dulaure. + +[Illustration: The Hôtel de Ville. +Published by F. Sinnett, 15. Grande rue Verte.] + +We now arrive at the Hôtel-de-Ville, Place de Grève; the first stone of +this interesting and venerable pile was laid in 1533, but was not +completely finished until 1606, in the reign of Henry IV. The style of +architecture is that which the French call La Renaissance des Arts, it +is rich, rather heavy, and has an antique appearance; it is exactly +according to the taste which prevailed in the 16th century, and was +brought into vogue by Italian architects. There is a great deal of +ornament about the building, and a profusion of statues, still they +appear consistent with the style of the building, and have not the +effect of redundancy. Over the doorway is a bronze equestrian statue of +Henry IV. Along the principal front is a flight of steps, and an arcade +and portico with ionic columns, between the arches facing the entrance +is a fine bronze statue of Louis XIV. The Grande Salle or Salle du Trône +is a most splendid apartment, and has been the scene of many most +important events, being the room where Robespierre held his council and +in which he attempted to destroy himself, and from which Louis XVI +addressed the people with the cap of liberty upon his head. Most +extensive additions and alterations have recently been effected, the +original façade having been doubled in length and the whole body of the +building nearly quadrupled, forming an immense quadrangle, preserving +the same style of architecture as the original. The expense of these +additions and improvements is estimated at four millions of francs, and +they have been effected with a rapidity that is quite surprising, +notwithstanding the number of public buildings in progress at the same +time in Paris. The multitude of apartments, the richness of their +decorations, and tasteful manner with which they are arranged, are only +to be equalled by the careful attention which has been devoted to their +distribution with regard to convenience and comfort. As Louis-Philippe +justly observed when he recently inspected the exterior of the whole +building, that it should no longer be called the Hôtel-de-Ville, but for +the future the City Palace, as the splendour within it is not exceeded +in any of the other palaces in Paris. The library belonging to this +establishment consists of 55,000 volumes, and is very rich in +manuscripts. + +The Place de Grève has been the scene of more sanguinary tragedies than +perhaps any spot of the same extent in Europe, and could the stones but +speak, each could tell a tale of blood. In the north-west corner is +still to be seen a relic of the middle ages, in a curious turret +attached to one of the houses. Taking the Rue Poterie, we shall get into +the Rue de la Verrerie, and proceeding westward will bring us to the +church St. Merri, but to view it properly must enter the Rue St. Martin, +and stand facing it, and well examine its curious and beautiful +sculpture (vide page 88), presenting all the minute and singular +characteristics of the period of its construction (1520); the carve-work +is quite like lace, so minutely elaborate. The interior possesses +several interesting objects in architecture, and some inconsistencies, +the pulpit is extremely curious, and its effect is very striking. There +are also some pictures above mediocrity, principally by French artists +of the past school. The tower of this church is famed from the desperate +resistance which was made from it by a few young men in 1832 against the +king's troops. + +We must follow the course of the Rue St. Martin, and observe No. 151, a +fine hôtel of the time of Louis XIV, with a front adorned by ionic +pilasters, and handsome entrance: a few paces farther on the opposite +side, is the church of St. Nicolas-des-Champs, the west front was +erected in 1420, as it now stands, and in 1576, the choir and chapels +behind were constructed, and the tower probably at that period or +since. A church has existed on the same spot ever since 1119, then +standing as the name indicates in the fields, but it is doubtful whether +any part of the old fabric remains. There is something fine and imposing +in the interior, with regard to its general effect, although there is +not any thing particularly remarkable in its architecture; the pictures +it contains form its most striking feature, some of which are very good; +many celebrated persons lie buried here, and amongst the rest +Mademoiselle Scuderi. + +A few steps to the north is the Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers. This +edifice was formerly the ancient abbey of St. Martin-des-Champs, the +chapel and refectory of which were built about the year 1240, and are +still standing, the latter is in excellent preservation, and is one of +the most curious and perfect specimens of the architecture of the period +at which it was built; at the eastern end of the chapel are the remains +of a building still more ancient, which is plain, and has not any thing +striking in its appearance. In this establishment is to be found every +description of machinery, and in fact all that ever can be imagined +relative to the promotion of industry; scarcely any invention has been +made public, of which there is not a model to be found in this curious +museum, with specimens of all the various mechanical contrivances which +Europe possesses. The celebrated Vaucanson, who was one of the greatest +contributors to this institution, having quarrelled with the people of +Lyons, vowed he would teach an ass to do what they did, and he +absolutely invented machinery of such a description that it could be +worked by that humble animal, and a piece of drugget with flowers is +shown, which was produced by the united ingenuity of M. Vaucanson and +the patient labour of the ass. Models of potteries, breweries, +smelting-houses, steam engines, railways, etc. are amongst the number of +interesting objects, and the names of our countrymen appear prominent, +as Watt, Maudsley, Barker, Atkins, etc., who have benefited the world by +their inventions. On ascending a very handsome staircase, the visiter +finds a range of apartments, with a wonderful collection of models of +pulpits (which in France are generally most ornamental objects), mills, +turning machines, engineering and surveying instruments, with an immense +number of others far too many to recapitulate, and an assortment of +coloured papers stamped, and some exquisitely cut out; fans of mother of +pearl of most elaborate workmanship, with other objects equally +ingenious and beautiful. This venerable abbey appears to advantage from +the garden, as a plain substantial old fashioned building, part of which +is used as the Mairie of the 6th Arrondissement, and lecture rooms for +the professors of the institution. + +A short distance from it, is the Fontaine St. Martin, which is erected +against a tower formerly belonging to the old abbey with which it was +connected by a wall with a series of towers, but there is now no other +remaining. Close by, is the market St. Martin, with 400 stalls, formerly +the abbey gardens; there is a handsome fountain in the middle, of +bronze, with three allegorical figures of the genii of hunting, fishing, +and agriculture, there are also smaller fountains, and at the back of +the market a little promenade planted with trees. From hence we pass +eastward by the Rue Royale, and turning to the left, we shall see the +Rue des Fontaines, in which we shall find the Maison d'Arrêt des +Madelonnettes, formerly belonging to nuns called the Filles de la +Madeleine, now appropriated to the temporary detention of 500 men and +boys. A few steps farther, and the Temple appears before us in the Rue +du Temple, now a nunnery occupied by the Dames Benedictines de +l'Adoration perpetuelle du St. Sacrement. It formerly belonged to the +society of Knights Templars, and afterwards to those of Malta; the +palace of the grand prior is all that now remains of the ancient +building, which was erected by Jacques de Souvré in 1566. The front has +a portico formed of doric colums, and on each side a fountain with a +colossal statue (by Pujol), upon a pedestal. The front towards the court +is adorned with eight coupled ionic columns, and above are figures of +Justice, Prudence, Hope and Abundance. A new chapel was built in 1823, +which belongs to the convent, it is of the ionic order throughout, and +though not particularly striking, is not inelegant, and remarkably neat; +it may be seen on application at the porter's lodge, but from the +nunnery strangers are most rigidly excluded. There was a tower +belonging to this building, where the unfortunate Louis XVI was +confined, as also Sir Sydney Smith and Toussaint-Louverture, but it was +demolished in 1805. Behind the Temple is an immense space of ground +called the Marché du Vieux Linge, containing 1888 shops or stalls, where +old clothes, linen, shoes, tools, hats, old iron, and a variety of other +articles are sold at low prices, and behind is an oval-formed arcaded +building, with shops erected on the site of the ancient Temple and its +dependencies. + +The Fontaine Vendôme, named after the Chevalier de Vendôme, grand prior +of France, was attached to the old wall of the Temple, it has a cupola +and a military trophy. At No. 107, Rue du Temple, is the church of Ste. +Élisabeth (vide page 96), which has had so many modern repairs and +additions, that there is not much left of the first construction, but +except the front it has little in it to attract notice; there are a few +pictures and some painted windows by an Englishman named White. In +proceeding northward to the Boulevards, we will just take a look at the +Rue Vendôme, as it is full of hôtels, amongst which are some of the +finest in Paris; on reaching the Boulevard du Temple, No. 50 may be +remarked, it is always pointed out to strangers as the house from whence +Fieschi discharged in 1835 his infernal machine (which is now to be seen +at Madame Tussaud's exhibition in Baker Street, London). By the means of +that diabolical affair, Marshal Mortier, Colonel Rieussec, and many +others, were killed and wounded, but the King, at whom it was aimed, +fortunately escaped. We shall now proceed by the Rue du Faubourg du +Temple; at No. 68 is a large barrack which has been formed for infantry, +but is a few steps out of the way, and hardly worth looking after, in an +architectural point of view. I should therefore advise turning to the +left, by the northern bank of the Canal St. Martin, and observing the +Grand Entrepôt des Sels, from whence annually 9,000,000 lbs. of salt are +distributed for the consumption of Paris. Opposite, on the southern +bank, is the Entrepôt de la Compagnie des Douanes, which was built in +1834 by a joint stock company, for receiving goods in bond, consisting +of a spacious area in which stand two large warehouses 250 feet in +length, with a court covered in between for stowage, besides a number of +sheds. They are constructed on a most solid plan, being built of stone +with brick arches, and the wood-work of oak enclosing pillars of iron. +It is altogether on a most extensive and commodious plan, with such +regulations as have rendered it highly serviceable to the purposes of +commerce. Adjoining are the warehouses of the Custom House, called the +Douanes de Paris, the entrance is in the Rue Neuve Sanson, the house of +the Director is attached, and particularly neat; the whole of the +buildings, although constructed upon a solid principle, are light and +handsome. + +The first turning to the right, brings us to the Rue de l'Hôpital, in +which is the hospital of St. Louis, a most noble establishment founded +by Henry IV, in 1607. It contains 800 beds, and is justly celebrated +for its excellent medicated and mineral baths. There is a chapel +attached to it, of which the first stone was laid by Henry IV. It was +called after St. Louis, from having been originally devoted to persons +infected with the plague, he having died of that disease at Turin in +1270. At present it is appropriated to such as are afflicted with +cutaneous complaints. As we cross the canal, we must notice the charcoal +market, close to which is the Hospital of Incurables, for men, No. 34, +Rue des Récollets, established in 1802 in the ancient convent of the +Récollets. The number of men admitted is 400, male children 70. Those +boys Who are capable, are encouraged to learn different trades, and at +20 years of age are sent to the Bicêtre. Strangers are admitted every +day except Sundays and festivals. The church of St. Laurent is facing, +in the Place de la Fidélité and Rue du Faubourg St. Martin; it was first +built in 1429, enlarged in 1543, and in part rebuilt in 1595, and the +porch and perhaps the lady chapel, added in 1622. A gridiron is the only +object which attracts notice on the exterior, and the interior offers +little more; the key stones of the vaulting ribs are deep pendent masses +of stone, carved into groups of figures, fruit, etc., and in the +vaulting there is some bold sculpture displayed in the northern aisle of +the choir, which is the most ancient part of the church. The Foire of +St. Laurent merits being visited, it is a market which has been built by +a company for the supply of this part of the capital. The design is +elegant, consisting of a parallelogram of two stories, with covered +galleries and a fountain in the middle of the court. The whole is +covered in by lateral windows, and a roof of glass. The street St. +Laurent conducts immediately to the Maison Royale de Santé, No. 112, Rue +Faubourg St. Denis, an institution in which invalids are received; +persons who cannot afford the means of sustaining an expensive illness +are admitted on paying from 3 to 6 francs a day, advice, medicine, +board, and if required, surgical operations included. It contains 175 +beds, the utmost attention is paid to the comforts of the patients. + +Opposite, at No. 117, is St. Lazare, formerly the ancient Convent of the +Lazarists, or Priests of the Mission, now a prison for female offenders. +It was once a place of much importance, the remains of the kings and +queens of France were carried to the convent of St. Lazare, prior to +being conveyed to St. Denis, the coffin being placed between the two +gates of the building on a tomb of state, with all the prelates of the +kingdom surrounding it, chanting the service of the dead, and sprinkling +it with holy water. It is now appropriated to the imprisonment of +misguided women, and every encouragement is afforded them to amend, for +which purpose they are allowed two-thirds of their earnings, and a +variety of occupations are constantly going on. Children, under sixteen +years of age, are kept by themselves; in all there are mostly from 900 +to 1000 persons confined in St. Lazare, but the order, cleanliness and +apparent comfort is such as to give an air of happiness to the whole +establishment, and for the humane, it is one of the most gratifying +sights in Paris. Attached to this institution is the general bakehouse, +laundry, and linen dépôt for all the prisons. A chapel is in the midst +of the building, and the women attend service every Sunday. We will now +return to the Boulevards, and taking the Rue de la Lune, we shall there +find the church of Notre Dame de Bonne Nouvelle: the old building was +destroyed during the wars of the League, in 1593, but was rebuilt in +1624; of this second construction the tower alone is still standing, the +body of the present church having been erected in 1825, it is a plain +edifice of the doric order, a fresco by Pujol merits attention, but is +the only object throughout the edifice which can excite much interest. +We must now retrace a few steps, and by the Rue St. Claude turn into the +Rue St. Denis, and proceeding southwards observe the establishment of +Les Bains St. Sauveur, at the corner of the street of that name, from +which a street communicates with the Rue Thevenot, and about here was +the Cour des Miracles, cited by Dulaure, and afterwards by Victor Hugo, +as the resort of thieves and beggars, where five hundred families lived +huddled together in the greatest state of filth that could be imagined; +it was not until the year 1667 that they were partly dispersed. The +stranger must not forget the manufactory of mirrors, No. 313, Rue St. +Denis, he will there find an immense plate glass warehouse; the concern +having been established since 1634; it is carried on to a great degree +of perfection. A Frenchman named Thévart first discovered the art of +casting glass, that of polishing it was invented by Rivière, and now +glasses may be had at this establishment 154 inches by 104. The largest +table of iron for polishing glass was made a few months since, weighing +twenty-five tons. At No. 121 is the Cour Batave, so called from being +erected by a company of Dutch merchants, in 1791; it is disfigured now +by shops, but had the original design been carried out, instead of +having been disturbed by the Revolution, it would have been one of the +handsomest monuments of the capital. + +A short distance northward, in the same street, is the church of St. Leu +and St. Gilles; on the spot a chapel was erected in 1230, and in a small +tower to the west a date is inscribed of 1230, but it has been repaired +several times since that period, particularly in 1320; the nave, +however, is supposed to be of the thirteenth century, and most likely of +the date of the foundation, but other parts of the building are +evidently of a more recent epoch, possibly of 1320; judging from the +style of the architecture. Amongst the pictures is one of St. Margaret, +Queen of Scotland, washing the feet of the poor; there are others which +are well worthy attention, as also a representation of the Creation, +which is a very curious piece of carve-work. As St. Leu had the credit +of healing the sick, the kings of France, on their accession to the +throne, for nine days successively used to visit this church to implore +the saint to grant them health. We must now proceed to the southern +extremity of the street, and take the last turning to the left, which is +called the Rue St. Jacques de la Boucherie, and in groping about amongst +some dirty streets, we shall find the tower of the same name; it is a +remarkably curious object, and it is much to be regretted that the +church belonging to it no longer stands it was begun in 1508; and +finished in 1522, it is 156 feet high, and had formerly a spire thirty +feet high; the style of architecture is rich and very singular, the +gargouilles, or gutter spouts, are of a tremendous size; as it has been +recently purchased by the Municipality of Paris from an individual, +there are hopes that this interesting monument will be fully repaired +and restored. Around its base a market is established for linen and old +clothes. A little filthy street to the south will take us into the Place +du Châtelet, where we can breathe a little fresh air; here stood the +celebrated Châtelet, at once a court of justice and prison of olden +time. In the middle is a fountain, from which rises a column +representing a palm-tree, and upon it are inscribed the victories of +Napoleon. Amongst other allegorical decorations, the statues of Justice, +Strength, Prudence, and Vigilance adorn the pedestal, and joining hands +encircle the column, the whole surmounted by a statue of Victory. At No. +1, upon the Place, is the chamber of notaries, where landed property and +houses are sold by auction. + +We must now return to the Rue St. Denis, and follow it until we come to +the Rue de la Ferronnerie, which is to the left, into which we must +proceed, and shall find that the second turning to the left is the Rue +des Déchargeurs, and at No. 11 is an edifice of the seventeenth century, +which is now the Dépôt général des Bonneteries (Hosiery) de France. + +Returning a few steps northward, brings us to the corner of the Rue St. +Honoré, and against No. 3 is a bust of Henry IV, and a stone with a +latin inscription, indicating that it was exactly opposite that spot +that he was stabbed by Ravaillac. The street was very narrow at that +period, and at the moment when the deed was perpetrated, the carriage of +Henri IV was stopped by a number of carts which choked up the passage. A +little street nearly opposite, takes into the Marché des Innocents, +which occupies an immense space formerly the cemetry of the Innocents. +In the middle of the area is a fountain built by Pierre Lescot, in 1551, +and is decidedly a most beautiful object, which is not sufficiently +noticed by strangers, as it is surrounded by a crowded market and not at +all hours easy of approach; the court-yard of a palace would be a more +appropriate situation for this elegant edifice, and I particularly +request my readers to pay it a visit. Around this fountain is certainly +the largest and most frequented market in Paris, not only each +description of vegetables, poultry, and almost all kind of eatables are +sold here, but cloth, a large building being purposely constructed for +that object 400 feet in length; another division is for every +description of herbs, the northern side is devoted to potatoes and +onions; a triangular building a little farther, is on purpose for +butter, eggs, and cheese, whilst another edifice is for fish. At a short +distance, in the Rue Mauconseil is the great hall for the sale of +leather, which was formerly the Hôtel de Bourgogne, where the players +used to perform scriptural pieces in the 15th century. To the west of +the Marché des Innocents is the curious street de la Tonnellerie, an +open passage running, through the ground floors of some of the houses, +inhabited mostly by dealers in rags, cloth, and old furniture; in this +street is the bread market, where it is sold cheaper than at the bakers +in Paris. At the south end of the street at No. 3, is the site of the +house where Molière was born, which was held by his father who was an +upholsterer and valet de chambre to Louis XII; against the house is a +bust of the author, with an inscription specifying the event. + +Following the Rue de la Tonnellerie brings us opposite St. Eustache, +which after Notre-Dame is the largest church in Paris, built on the site +of a chapel of St. Agnes. The present edifice was begun in 1532, but not +supposed to have been finished until 1642. The portico is more recent, +being after a design by Mansart de Jouy, and erected in 1754: combining +altogether a most incongruous mixture of styles and orders of +architecture, originally commenced with the design that it should be a +sort of mixed gothic, of which the southern door and front bear +evidence, whilst the western portico has doric and ionic columns, and +at the northern end are corinthian pillars, notwithstanding it is a bold +imposing structure, and the interior has the appearance of a fine abbey, +and is a monument which every stranger ought to visit. It is a pity that +a number of little square knobs have been suffered to remain sticking +out from different parts of the shafts of the columns of this church; it +is strange that the French could not be made to understand that the +beauty of a pillar in a great degree consists in a bold broad mass, +which should never be cut up into littlenesses, by rings or any +obtruding projections. In this church lie buried several celebrated +persons, amongst the rest the great Colbert, which is indicated by a +very handsome sarcophagus, sculptured by Coysevose. The sacred music +here is sometimes most exquisitely delightful, the organ being +particularly fine. Facing the southern front is the Marché des +Prouvaires, a sort of appendage to the Marché des Innocents, and +opposite the east side of the church, is the Fontaine de Tantale, at the +point formed by the two streets, Montmartre and Montorgueil, which will +repay the observer for a few minutes devoted to its examination. The +west front of the church faces the Rue Oblin, which we will take, as it +leads to the Halle au Blé, a fine extensive circular building, with a +noble dome, it is built on the site of the Hôtel de Soissons, erected +for Catherine de Médicis, in 1572, which in 1748 was demolished, and the +present Halle constructed in 1763; the roof has a round skylight, 31 +feet in diameter, and from the system adopted in its formation, it is +considered by connaiseurs a _chef d'oeuvre_ in the art of building. It +is indeed altogether so curious, and so commodious a building for the +purpose for which it is designed, that the visiter must be highly +gratified in viewing it: there is besides another attraction, which is +on the southern side, one of the immense doric columns which once +composed the noble Hôtel de Soissons; it was erected for the purposes of +astrology, and contains a winding staircase, and is ornamented with +emblematic symbols, of the widowhood of Catherine de Médicis, as broken +mirrors, C. and H. interlaced, etc. An ingenious sundial is placed on +its shaft, and a fountain in its pedestal. + +By taking the Rue Sartine we shall arrive at the Rue Jean-Jacques +Rousseau, and there find the Hôtel des Postes or General Post Office; it +was formerly an Hôtel belonging to the Duke d'Epernon, and was +afterwards inhabited by different proprietors, until 1757, when it was +purchased by government, for its present purposes. It is an extensive +building but badly situated amongst narrow streets, many additions have +been made since it has become government property. Taking the Rue +Verdelet, the street which runs along the north side of the building, +and proceeding westward, we come to the Place des Victoires, which was +built in 1685; in the centre is a very fine equestrian statue of Louis +XIV, in bronze, which although weighing 16,000 lbs is entirely sustained +by the hinder legs and the tail. It is the work of Bosio, and was +modelled in 1822. + +Proceeding to the south-west, by the Rue de la Petite-Vrillière, the +Bank of France is before us. It was formerly the Hôtel de Toulouse, +erected by Mansard, in 1720; for the Duke de la Vrillière; it is well +situated, and adapted to its present use, but it has no striking +architectural beauty. The Rue Vide Gousset, to the north-west of the +Place des Victoires, leads to the Église des Petits-Pères, or de +Notre-Dame des Victoires, erected in 1656. It was called Petits-Pères, +or little fathers, on account of Henry IV, on two of the community of +small stature having been introduced into his antechamber, asking, "who +are those little fathers?" The convent which was attached, is now used +as barracks for infantry. The portal of the church was built in 1739, +and is composed of columns of the ionic and corinthian orders. The +interior has some handsomely decorated chapels and altars; the pictures +by Vanloo also are fine. Lulli, the musical composer, lies buried here. +In the Rue Notre-Dame des Victoires is the immense establishment of the +Messageries Royales, from whence start diligences to all parts of +France; we will pass through the yard into the Rue Montmartre, at No. +44, is the Marché St. Joseph, at 166, the Fontaine de la Rue Montmartre, +and at No. 176, the Hôtel d'Uzès erected by Le Doux, considered one of +the finest hôtels in Paris. + +We will now enter the Boulevard Poissonnière, by turning to the right, +and in passing along to the Boulevard Bonne-Nouvelle must notice the +very handsome Bazaar called the Galeries de Commerce, and the noble +building called Maison du Pont de Fer with its curious iron bridge, +uniting the back and front premises with the Boulevard. Taking, the Rue +de l'Échiquier, to the left, will conduct us to the Rue du +Faubourg-Poissonnière, and opposite, at No. 23, we find the Garde Meuble +de la Couronne, containing all the furniture of the crown not in use, +the regalia, and other articles of immense value, but to obtain +admission is extremely difficult. Annexed to this building is the +Conservatoire de Musique and the Salle des Menus Plaisirs. In this +street are several handsome mansions particularly at Nos. 26 and 60, the +gateway of which, with its fine ionic columns, is one of the most +imposing in Paris; there also are large barracks for infantry with +military trophies over the entrance. From thence a few steps lead into +the Rue Lafayette, and will bring us to a new church which promises to +be, when quite finished, one of the most elegant in the capital, it is +situated at the summit of the Rue Hauteville. The order is ionic, which +is solely and consistently preserved throughout the building, all the +ornaments are in good taste, and the paintings promise to be in keeping +with the rest, so that it augurs well towards being quite a +chef-d'oeuvre of art. It is intended to replace the old church of St. +Vincent de Paule, which stands about a furlong from it to the west in +the Rue Montholon, to where we will proceed, and look at the +altar-piece, being the apotheosis of the philanthropist to whom it is +dedicated, and the only object in the church worth attention. + +Keeping straight on westward, we come to the beautiful church of +Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, finished in 1837, it is exactly fronting the Rue +Lafitte, from which the noble portico of corinthian columns has a most +beautiful effect. The interior is splendid, indeed gorgeous, all that +painting, sculpture, and gilding can produce, is here combined, and the +effect is dazzling, and excites almost universal admiration, and would +mine also were it a theatre, but the chaste, still solemnity of a holy +sanctuary exists not here, amongst the gay colours and lurid glare which +every where meets the eye from the glitter, which blazes around in this +too profusely decorated church. Yet one must do justice as one examines +it in detail, and admit that in point of execution all its different +departments are most exquisitely wrought, and magnificent as a whole, +only not consistent with our associations connected with a temple of +worship. + +We will now descend by the Rue Faubourg Montmartre to the Boulevards, +and bearing a little westward, shall come to the very handsome Rue +Vivienne, through which we will proceed until we are opposite the Bourse +(Exchange), and there we pause and contemplate what I consider the _beau +idéal_ of fine architecture; its noble range of 66 corinthian columns +have no unseemly projections to break the broad mass of light, which +sheds its full expanse upon their large rounded shafts, no profusion of +frittering ornaments spoil the chaste harmony which pervades the whole +character of this building, which to me appears faultless. If there were +any improvement possible, I should say that if the bold flight of steps +which leads to the front entrance had been carried all round the +building the effect would have been still more grand than it now is. The +interior is adorned with paintings in imitation of bas relief, which are +executed in the most masterly style. The grand Salle de la Bourse in the +centre of the building, where the stock-brokers and merchants meet, is +116 feet in length by 76 in breadth, entirely paved with marble. The +whole arrangements are such as to render it in every respect the most +commodious for all commercial purposes. + +From hence we proceed by the street opposite to the Rue Richelieu, and +turning to the left, we arrive at the Place Richelieu, and must pass a +few minutes in admiring the elegant bronze fountain in the centre with +its noble basins and four allegorical figures representing the Seine, +the Loire, the Saône, and the Garonne, round which the water falls from +above, and flows beneath, producing a most beautiful effect. + +Opposite is the Bibliothéque du Roi, or Royal Library, which certainly +is the most extensive and most complete of any in the world, possessing +nearly 1,000,000 books and printed pamphlets, 80,000 MSS, 100,000 +medals, 1,400,000 engravings, 300,000 maps and plans. This institution +may be considered to owe its foundation to St. Louis, who first made the +attempt of forming a public library, and arranged some volumes in an +apartment attached to the Holy Chapel; under successive reigns the +number gradually increased, whilst the locality assigned for them was +often changed, and it was not until the reign of Louis XV that they were +placed where they now are, in a most extensive building, formerly the +residence of Cardinal Mazarin, which, seen from the Rue Richelieu, +presents nothing but a great ugly dead wall, with a high roof to it, and +here and there a few square holes for windows, but when you enter the +court-yard, you find rather a fine building than otherwise, and the +interior displays, by the vast size of the apartments, some idea of what +its former grandeur must have been; the richness of the ornaments and +decorations in most instances are destroyed, and replaced by books, with +which the walls are covered. The engravings occupy the ground floor, and +amongst them are to be found fifty thousand portraits, including every +eminent character which Europe has produced, and presenting all the +varieties of costumes existing at the different epochs in which they +flourished; in one of the rooms where the prints are kept is an oil +portrait, in profile, of the unfortunate King John of France, which is +curious as an antiquity, being an original, and executed at a time when +the art of portrait painting was very little known, as John died in the +year 1364. On ascending the staircase to the right, a piece of framed +tapestry must be remarked, as having formed part of the furniture of the +chateau of Bayard. + +Those who are curious in typographical specimens must ask to see the +most ancient printed book _with a date_, being 1457, also the Bible, +called Mazarin, printed in 1456, with cut metal types. The oldest +manuscript is one of Josephus, and others are of the fifth and sixth +centuries; the amateurs of autography will be gratified in seeing +letters from Henri IV to Gabrielle d'Estrée, and the writing of Francis +I, Turenne, Madame de Maintenon, Voltaire, Rousseau, Racine, Corneille; +Boileau, Bossuet, etc. Amongst other interesting objects is the chair of +Dagobert, which is supposed to be much older even than his time, and of +ancient Roman fabric, the vase of the Ptolemies, the famous cameo +representing the apotheosis of Augustus, the seal of Michael Angelo, and +the armour of Francis I, and the admirers of _vertu_ must be delighted +with the collection of exquisitely beautiful intaglios and cameos. Two +globes, twelve feet in diameter, being the largest extant, cannot be +overlooked. Mount Parnassus in bronze, which the French poets and +musicians are ascending with Louis XIV on the summit, is a fine piece of +workmanship; there is also a model of the Pyramids of Egypt, with +figures and trees to denote their height. There are a few very good +paintings, and many objects calculated to excite the highest interest, +which it would take years properly to examine and appreciate. The +prayer-books of St. Louis and Anne of Brittany, and one which belonged +in succession to Charles V Charles IX, and Henri III, bearing their +signatures are exceedingly curious. Amongst the books and manuscripts +may be found some of every known language which has characters. This +noble institution is open daily for students; authors; etc., from ten +till three, except Sundays and festivals; and those who merely wish to +view the establishment may be admitted from ten till three on Tuesdays +and Fridays; except during the vacation, which is from the 1st September +to the 15th October. + +In the same street, a little farther southward, at the corner of the Rue +Traversière, the preparations will be observed for a statue to Molière, +on the spot where stood the house in which he died, and nearly opposite +is a small passage which passes under a house; and takes one opposite +another of a similar description, which leads into the Palais Royal: +suddenly emerging from the little dark alleys into a beautiful area, has +a most extraordinary and pleasing effect; you see before you a +parallelogram of 700 feet by 300, completely surrounded by a beautiful +building with arcades, and having flower-gardens; statues, and a +splendid fountain in the centre. To see this extraordinary scene to the +greatest advantage, the first visit should be by night, and the +impulsive coup-d'oeil tempts the beholder to imagine that he has +around him the realization of some gay dream of a fairy palace, the +immense glare of light glittering on the falling waters, the brilliance +of the illuminated shops; the magnificence and richness of the articles +therein displayed, with reflecting lamps so contrived as to throw a +powerful light on their sparkling jewels and glittering ware, the +vistas of trees, the borders of flowers, the well dressed company and +animated groups, with the gilded coffee-houses beaming all round, form +such a picture as it is more easy to imagine than describe. Four +galleries with shops encircle the garden of the Palais Royal, three of +them are under piazzas opening to the grand area, the fourth, called the +Galerie d'Orléans, is enclosed on both sides, and the roof is formed by +one immense skylight, whilst the effect of the whole is superb. Over the +shops are mostly either coffee-houses or restaurateurs, some of them +splendidly decorated and most brilliantly lighted; as may be imagined, +this amusing locality forms the lounge of thousands, and no stranger +ever comes to Paris without making an early visit to the Palais Royal. +It was originally intended by Cardinal Richelieu for his own residence, +but the magnificence which he had already developed, with intentions of +augmenting his design to so extravagant and luxurious a degree, began to +excite the jealousy of Louis XIII, and finally the Cardinal made him a +present of it shortly before his death. Since then it has been inhabited +by several royal visiters, and such changes have been made that the +original plan is scarcely to be traced, it having formerly been so much +more extensive as to occupy several of the surrounding streets. So +numerous are the shops, and so various are the articles within them, +that it has been observed that a person might live in the Palais Royal +without ever stirring out of it, finding all within it required to +supply the wants of a reasonable being. + +Although under the comprehensive title of Palais Royal, the whole extent +is included, not only garden but all the surrounding shops and the +stories above, yet that part which specifically is the Palais Royal, or +Royal Palace, is situated at the southern extremity, looking into two +court-yards, and where the present King with his family resided until +1831, when he removed to the Tuileries. It is entered by the Rue St. +Honoré, and may be considered rather a fine building; the doric, ionic, +and corinthian orders are visible in different parts of the edifice, in +the interior there are some extremely handsome apartments, beautifully +furnished but not very large for a palace; there are many very +interesting pictures, particularly those relative to the King's life, +from the period, of his teaching geography in a school in Switzerland, +to his return to Paris; also the subjects connected with the events of +the Palace are well worth attention, and many of them painted by the +first rate artists. The apartments may usually be seen on Sundays from 1 +till 4, on presentation of the passport. + +Opposite the Palais-Royal is an open space called the Place du Palais +Royal, on the southern side is the Château-d'Eau, a reservoir of water +for supplying the neighbouring fountains; it is decorated with statues, +and two pavilions. Just near it is the Rue St. Thomas-du-Louvre, where +formerly stood the famous Hôtel de Longueville, the residence of the +Duke de Longueville, and Elboeuf, where the intrigues of the Fronde +were carried on, during the minority of Louis XIV, against Mazarin; it +is now in part occupied by the king's stables, containing 160 horses, +and may be visited any day by applying at the porter's lodge. We will +now retrace a few steps eastward to the Rue St. Honoré, and passing by +the large establishment of Laffitte, Caillard, et Compagnie, for +diligences to all parts of France, we shall come to the Oratoire, built +for the Prêtres de l'Oratoire in 1621, but now devoted to the protestant +worship; it is adorned with doric columns, with a range of corinthian +pillars above, and in the interior, the roof of which is highly +ornamented. Service is performed in French every Sunday at half past 12. +Within a hundred yards eastward is the Fontaine de la Croix-du-Tiroir, +at the corner of the Rue de l'Arbre-Sec, rebuilt by Soufflot (on the +site of one erected under Francis I). Adorned by pilasters and a nymph, +which would have been graceful but is spoiled by their painting over it. + +The first turning in the Rue de l'Arbre-Sec, is the Rue des Fossés St. +Germain-l'Auxerrois, and at No. 14 is the house formerly called the +Hôtel Ponthieu, in which Admiral Coligni was assassinated on St. +Bartholomew's day, in 1572; in the very room where the event took place +the witty actress, Sophie Arnould, was born, in 1740, then called the +Hôtel Lisieux, and in 1747, it was occupied by Vanloo the celebrated +painter. We return to the Rue de l'Arbre-Sec, and a few steps southward +bring us in front of the venerable and mouldering church of St. +Germain-l'Auxerrois (vide page 61); the oldest part still standing and +supposed to be of the 14th century, is the western front; the porch was +built by Jean Gausel in 1431, several other parts have been built at +later periods; altogether it is a most interesting building and is +connected with many sad historical associations, it was the bell of this +church that tolled the signal for the massacre of the protestants on the +night of St. Bartholomew; in a little street adjoining the south side of +the church, is a house with a picturesque turret, supposed to have +belonged to some building attached to the church; there is a very +remarkable piece of carve-work in wood and some interesting pictures +within the church; we will now leave its tranquil vaulted aisles, and +quitting by the western porch, the most beautiful façade of the Louvre +rises before us, which was erected in the reign of Louis XIV, after a +design by Claude Perrault. + +[Illustration: Champin del. Lith. Rigo Frères Cie +St. Germain l'Auxerrois.] + +The Louvre has been so often described in works of so many different +natures, descending the different grades from histories to pamphlets, +that I shall not fatigue my readers with a too detailed review of its +wonders, but endeavour to give them some impression of its grandeur, +with as little prolixity as possible. I have already, in the historical +sketch of Paris, touched upon its foundation, and the various epochs at +which the different parts of the building were erected, and certainly +let any one place himself in the middle of the grand court, and behold +the four sides, and see if he can call to mind any thing equal to it, +take it, for its all in all; I am well aware that there is rather a +redundancy of ornament to satisfy the purest taste, and in that respect +there is undoubtedly a deviation from perfection, but the approach is +sufficiently near to excite the warmest admiration. Each side is 408 +feet, and although there is a degree of uniformity, taken _en masse_, +preserved, with two of the façades particularly, yet on examination the +ornaments are found to be different, each side requires much close study +after a _coup-d'oeil_ has been taken of the whole, and the more it is +inspected, the more beautiful will it be found; the statues and +different devices are by five different sculptors, the most celebrated +of their day, the order of the pillars is generally corinthian, but +there are some, which are composite. The external façades are by no +means burthened with ornament, the north and western sides being +perfectly plain, the south side has a noble effect, and faces the quay, +having plenty of room to admit of its being properly viewed and justice +rendered to its noble range of forty corinthian pilasters; this is by +Perrault, as well as the eastern side, which is certainly one of the +finest specimens of modern architecture that can be imagined. + +A grand colonnade composed of 28 coupled corinthian columns has the most +splendid effect, the basement story being perfectly simple, whilst the +central mass of the building which forms the gateway is crowned by a +pediment of stones, each 52 feet in length and three in thickness; all +is vast, all is grand about this noble front, which is justly the +admiration of every architectural connoisseur, no matter from what part +of the world he may come. + +Of the interior volumes might be said, I must first, after conducting my +reader to the great door on the southern side of the building, direct +his attention to the grand staircase, which is of a most splendid +character, as to design, and consistently beautiful as to execution. The +visiter after passing by a small room filled with very old paintings +enters a larger when the grand gallery extends before him, which is +unrivalled in the world, being above a quarter of a mile in length, and +42 feet in width, filled with paintings, principally from the old +masters, but of them I will treat in a future chapter; it contains 1406 +pictures some of them being of immense size. We will now pass on for the +moment to the other apartments. The bed-room of Henry IV must arrest our +attention, and the eye naturally falls on the alcove where his bed was +placed, the oak carving, and gilded mouldings have been preserved +exactly in the same state that they were when he died. We next proceed +to a suite of rooms containing paintings of the Spanish, French, +Flemish, and Italian schools; others devoted to drawings; of the latter +there are 1293. Another range of apartments is on the ground floor and +called the Museum of Antiquities, containing statues and various +specimens of sculpture, in all 1,116 objects. Other suites of rooms are +appropriated to Egyptian, Greek, and Roman antiquities, and in some of +the apartments are objects of great value; that the amount of real +worth of the contents of the Louvre must be incalculable, one casket +alone of Mary de Medicis is estimated at several thousand pounds, and +there are many articles equally costly. One portion of the building is +devoted to every thing that concerns naval architecture and an immense +variety of marine objects, with a number of curious models. The Louvre +may be entered on presenting the passport, every day, and new wonders +and beauties may be discovered at each visit, although they be repeated +for months together. + +We now pass on westward, and enter the Place du Carrousel, so called +from Louis XIV having held a grand tournament there in 1662, but it was +not then so extensive as at present. The triumphal arch erected by +Napoleon in 1806, first strikes the eye a beautiful monument composed of +different coloured marbles, of works in bronze with figures, and devices +relative to war, and commemorative of the campaigns of the French army +in 1805; all the different parts are admirable from the exquisite manner +of their execution. On our left is the grand picture-gallery of the +Louvre, communicating with the Tuileries, on the right, the same +description of building exists in part, but is not yet completed. Before +us spreads the extended dimensions of the palace of the Tuileries; with +all deficiences it must be admitted that it is a noble pile, and has a +grand, though heavy imposing air, the height of the roof is certainly a +deformity, but we will enter the grand court-yard, which is separated +from the Place du Carrousel by a handsome railing with gilt +spear-heads, and then pass under the palace, and view the façade on the +garden side, where the sameness of the building is relieved by a +handsome colonnade in the centre, adorned with statues, vases, etc.; the +wings also have a fine effect, they are more massive than the body of +the building, which although not a beauty as respects the edifice in +general, yet the execution of all the different parts is admirable in +the identical detail; having a fair share of ornament not injudiciously +disposed, situated as the Palace is seen, at the end of a splendid +garden, it has a most striking and beautiful effect. + +The interior contains many apartments which are, as might be expected, +exceedingly handsome, one termed the Galerie de Diane is 176 feet long +by 32 broad, it is of the time of Louis XIII, and rich in gilding and +paintings, but generally the furniture is not so magnificent as might be +imagined; those occupied by the Duke of Orléans are an exception; being +very splendid. Amongst the numerous objects of _vertu_ which here abound +is the large solid silver statue of Peace, presented to Napoleon by the +city of Paris after the treaty of Amiens. The pictures are generally by +the most eminent French artists. The Salle des Maréchaux contains the +portraits of the living Marshals of France; Soult, Molitor, and Grouchy +are the only remaining, whose names figured in the campaigns of +Napoleon; on the whole it may be remarked that the apartments generally +in the Tuileries are not equal in point of extent and decoration, to the +saloons of many of the nobility of Paris. When the King is absent, the +Palace may be viewed by applying to M. le Commandant du Château des +Tuileries, and the same is the case with the apartments of the Duke of +Orleans. + +The gardens present a most agreeable aspect, although too stiff and +formal to be in good taste, yet the mélange of noble high trees, wide +gravel walks, marble basins, beautiful fountains, the most classic +statues, beds of flowers, ornamental vases, and the commanding view to +the Triumphal Arch, certainly form an _ensemble_ which produces the most +delightful sensation; in fact, I never enter them, such is the cheering +effect upon me, without having but one unpleasant feeling, and that is, +to think that I have not time to go there oftener, and pass hours +amongst such charming scenes. To view the number of sweet merry looking +children, with their clean and neat _bonnes_ (nursery maids), all +playing so happily together, enlivens the heart, then the retired walks +between the dense foliage in the heat of summer invites the mind to +meditation. The exquisitely beautiful statues are also most interesting +objects of study, and I recommend them particularly to the attention of +the visiter. On the northern side of the gardens, extends the handsome +Rue Rivoli, with its noble colonnade; at No. 48, is the Hôtel des +Finances, a spacious building covering a large extent of ground, +containing several courts, with offices, and splendid apartments for the +Minister. We shall now cross the Rue Rivoli, and take the Rue des +Pyramides, also having an arcade all through the Rue St. Honoré, and +facing us rises the noble church of St. Roch (vide page 97). The +entrance is approached by a flight of steps, which have witnessed some +sanguinary scenes, when Napoleon poured forth the iron hail of his +artillery upon the opposing force which was there posted; again, in +1830, on the same spot, the people made a firm resistance against the +gendarmerie of Charles X. The portal has two ranges of columns of +corinthian and doric orders, the interior, although plain, has a fine +appearance, heightened by the effect produced by many handsome monuments +to illustrious characters who have been buried here, amongst the rest, +Corneille; painting as well as sculpture has lent its aid in decorating +this church, as it contains some fine pictures. The Royal Family attend +here, and the music is very fine, but generally there are such crowds +that it is difficult to enter. At No. 13 in the Rue d'Argenteuil, behind +St. Roch, in 1684, Corneille died. A black slab in the court-yard bears +an inscription and the bust of the poet. + +Returning to the Rue St. Honoré, we proceed westward, and pass by the +Rue Marché St. Honoré on our right, in which is a most commodious +market. Pursuing our course we look down the Rue Castiglione, which +communicates with the Rue Rivoli, and the Place Vendôme; it is +remarkably handsome, and has a fine colonnade, at the corner is a +fountain, which is plainer than they usually are, and a little farther +to the west, at No. 369, is the Assomption (vide page 96). This church +formerly belonged to a convent of nuns, styled Les Dames de +l'Assomption, the remains may be perceived in the Rue Neuve du +Luxembourg, and are now occupied as barracks. It was completed in 1676. +It contains some interesting pictures. A chapel is contiguous, dedicated +to St. Hyacinthe, which was erected in 1822. Continuing to follow the +Rue St. Honoré, we cross the Rue Royale, displaying the fountains of the +Place de la Concorde to our left, and the Madeleine on our right, we +enter the Rue Faubourg St. Honoré, in which are many most superb hôtels, +amongst the rest, the British Ambassador's, formerly the Hôtel Borghèse, +occupied by the Princess Pauline, sister of Bonaparte; the next hôtel is +that of the Baroness Pontalba, and is one of the most splendid in Paris, +which the visiter must not fail to remark. We next come to the Palais de +l'Elysée Bourbon, erected in 1718, and afterwards purchased and occupied +by Madame de Pompadour, since when it has had many masters, amongst the +rest, Murat, Napoleon, the Emperor of Russia, the Duke of Wellington, +and the Duke de Berri, but it now belongs to the crown, and combines an +appearance of splendid desolation, with a variety of associations, that +cause us to muse on the fall of the great. The library which is over the +council chamber was fitted up by Madame Murat, in the most exquisite +style, as a surprise for her husband after his return from one of his +campaigns; it next became the bed-room of Maria Louisa, and the +birthplace of the daughter of the Duke and Duchess de Berri. Here also +is shown the bed-room, and bed in which Napoleon last slept in Paris, +after the battle of Waterloo. The building itself is handsome, and +though not large, has an elegant appearance, some of the apartments are +very splendid, but now having a solitary aspect. The garden, which is +large, contains some noble trees, and is laid out in the Italian style. +To see this Palace, apply for admission to M. l'Intendant de la Liste +civile. + +Facing the Elysée Bourbon, is the Hôtel Beauveau, in the Place Beauveau, +occupied by the Neapolitan Ambassador. Still proceeding westward we come +to the church St. Philippe du Roule, which was completed in 1784. It has +but very little ornament, but is an exceedingly chaste production, the +columns of the portico are doric, and those of the interior are ionic. +It contains several good pictures. Nearly opposite is a handsome +building with tuscan columns, and is used as stables for the King, and +also a receptacle for his carriages. A short distance farther on is the +Hôpital Beaujon, founded by the banker of that name in 1824, a handsome +and well arranged building, having an air of health and cheerfulness; it +contains 400 beds, and the situation is particularly salubrious, and so +well ordered that the inspection of it will afford much gratification to +the visiter. The Chapelle Beaujon, opposite, is by the same founder as +the hospital, and may be considered as belonging to it. + +We must now travel back as far as the British Ambassador's, and facing +is the Rue d'Aguesseau, in which is the Episcopal Chapel, entirely +appropriated to the English protestant worship, a building well adapted +in every respect to the purposes for which it was erected. A few steps +farther we turn to the right, which will bring us to the Rue de la +Madeleine, in which we shall find the Chapelle Expiatoire, built over +the spot where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were buried, immediately +after their execution, and the interior is adorned by their statues; +their remains were afterwards removed to St. Denis. This chapel is one +of the most elegant and interesting monuments in Paris, it is in the +form of a cross, with a dome in the centre. A short distance eastward, +is the Collége Royal de Bourbon, No. 5, Rue St. Croix, which was built +for a Convent of Capuchins, in 1781. It consists of a doorway in the +centre, with columns, and two pavilions at the ends, one of which was +the chapel of the convent, but is now the church St. Louis, a plain +building of the doric order, but decorated by some fine fresco +paintings, and four large pictures of saints, painted in wax. From hence +we may take the Rue Joubert, opposite, and proceed until we arrive at +the Rue de la Victoire, formerly called the Rue Chantereine, where +resided Napoleon after his Italian campaign, and from hence went forth +to strike the _coup d'état_ which dissolved the government on the 18th +Brumaire. The house was built for the famous dancer Guimard, then passed +to Madame Talma, who sold it to madame Beauharnais, afterwards the +Empress Joséphine, who added the pavilion at the nearer end. Bertrand +inhabited this mansion a short time after his return from St. Helena, at +present it is untenanted, and undergoing repair; it belongs to the widow +of General Lefebvre Desnouettes. In the garden is a bust of Napoleon, +which certainly possesses no great merit. If disposed to extend our +walk, we may proceed northward to the Rue de Clichy and there find a +prison for debtors, in an airy, healthy situation, which is satisfactory +information for some of our prodigal countrymen, too many of whom, I +regret to say, have been, and are still, inhabitants of this building, +which contains from 150 to 200 persons. In returning we will amuse +ourselves in wandering about many of the streets of the +Chaussée-d'Antin, both right and left, which have in them some most +beautiful houses decorated with statues and the most elaborate +carve-work. On returning to the Boulevards by the Madeleine, as we pass +along we notice the Hôtel des Affaires Etrangères, or residence of the +Minister of Foreign Affairs, corner of the Rue Neuve-des-Capucines, +formerly belonging to Marshal Berthier, we then proceed to the eastward, +and turn down the Rue Neuve St. Augustin, which will bring us to the +point where the streets La Michodière and Port Mahon meet, at the +beautiful Fontaine de Louis-le-Grand, with the statue of a Genius +striking at a dolphin, with consistent ornaments extremely well +executed. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + A matter of fact chapter, more useful than amusing; advice to + Englishmen visiting or sojourning at Paris; several serviceable + establishments recommended; hints as to management and economy. + + +Although I have already afforded my readers a transient glance at the +Champs-Élysées on entering Paris, yet so charming a spot must not be +passed over altogether in so hurried a manner; possessing as it does so +many attractions for the happy portion of the Parisians, which do not +only consist of its fine vistas of high trees, its broad walks, flowing +fountains, etc., but a wide open space is left, where the people +recreate themselves with athletic games, whilst in other parts there are +swings, merry-go-rounds, shows, music, dancing, and every variety of +amusement that can afford pleasure to those who are merrily inclined. +Franconi has also a Theatre here for the display of horsemanship during +the summer, which is extremely well conducted, and constantly filled. +The prices are from 1 to 2 francs. In the south-western portion of the +Champs-Élysées, is a quarter called Chaillot, in which is situated, at +No. 78 bis, the Chapelle Marboeuf, where protestant service is +regularly performed every Sunday. At No. 99 is Sainte Perine, a refuge +for persons above 60 with small incomes, who by paying 600 francs a +year, are comfortably provided for, or by depositing a certain sum at +once, on entering. It was formerly a monastery, and can accommodate 180 +men and women. The church of St. Pierre is a little farther on, in which +there are a few pictures, and the choir is of the 15th century. There +are a great number of very handsome houses about the Champs-Elysées; +which is a favourite neighbourhood with the English, and it is an +agreeable vicinity, on account of its airy position, its picturesque +appearance, and affording pleasure in viewing the numbers who crowd +there for the purpose of enjoyment, and with the determination to enjoy. +It is also a fashionable resort for pedestrians, equestrians, and +carriages, and whilst I am dilating on the attractions of the +Champs-Elysées, I must not omit to direct the attention of my readers to +the very delightful establishment which Doctor Achille Hoffman has +formed in the Avenue Fortuné, which is called the _Villa Beaujon_, +uniting within its interior every object desirable for health, comfort, +and pleasure. + +This establishment has been formed by the Doctor on such a system, as to +render it in every respect a cheerful and agreeable residence for +boarders; hence every rational and intellectual amusement is provided +within its walls, a piano, and instruments for forming a quartetto, a +billiard room, newspapers, periodical works, baths, etc., alternately +present the inmates with a fund of amusement: possessing also the +greatest advantage in having Madame Hoffman at the head of the +establishment, who from the good society she has been accustomed to +frequent, and her mental qualifications, is enabled, by her +conversation, ever to cause the hours to pass most pleasantly with the +residents of the Villa, to whose comforts, and wants, she pays the most +unremitting attention, and unites the advantage of speaking English. +Doctor Hoffman is willing to receive any patients except such as may be +afflicted with either contagious complaints, or with mental alienation, +and to attend them upon the homoepathic principles, in which he has +attained considerable celebrity, having for many years practised upon +that system with the greatest success. The apartments are fitted up in a +style of elegance which at once convinces the spectator of the good +taste of the director, and although they are numerous, each has its +peculiar attraction, either in the view from the windows, or from the +internal arrangement: but the quality which is most recommendable in +this establishment, is the peculiar care which has been devoted to every +minutia which can in any degree tend to comfort, and particularly for +that season when it is most required, having by the means of two immense +calorifères, so contrived that the whole house is warmed by a pure air, +which is introduced from the garden, and conveyed not only into every +apartment, but also to the staircases, corridors, and even into the +closets, the degree of heat being regulated exactly to the grade +desired; thus a person may pass a whole winter in this little Elysium, +without ever feeling any of its baneful effects, which is a great +desideratum for persons of delicate health, or having the slightest +tendency to consumption, to whom the most powerful enemies are _cold_ +and _damp_, two intruders who are never permitted to enter under any +pretext the Villa Beaujon. + +For the pedestrian the greatest treat is afforded, as the neighbourhood +consists of a most numerous variety of delightful walks, and for those +who desire to enjoy the beauties of nature, without fatigue, the most +favourable opportunity is offered, a terrace having been formed at the +summit of the premises which commands a panoramic view for fifteen +leagues round, comprehending within its circle an immense variety of +villages, châteaux, hills, wood, water, and every description of +picturesque scenery. There is also a garden prettily arranged, and kept +in the nicest order, with kiosques and a _jet d'eau_, in fact there is +no attraction omitted which could possibly contribute towards rendering +the Villa a most desirable residence for every season; the charge is +moderate, and the treatment in every respect the most liberal, the +Doctor being in such a position that emolument is not an important +object. Amongst other advantages which the establishment possesses, is +that of always having one English servant. The situation which has been +selected by the Doctor for his residence, is not only the most agreeable +but considered decidedly one of the most healthy round Paris, as the few +houses which are immediately around it are of the better order and +environed by gardens, therefore the purity of the air is untainted by +smoke or any effluvia arising from closely inhabited cities; indeed in +that instance Paris has a great advantage over London, on account of +wood being the principal fuel burnt in the former, and coal in the +latter, hence Paris seen from a height, every object is visible from the +clearness of the atmosphere, whilst London under the same circumstances +is capped by a murky sort of cloud by which the greater part of the city +is generally obscured. + +Although the French capital is above three degrees south of the English, +yet the former is colder in the winter, only that it is dryer, +consequently more wholesome and the cold weather is of much shorter +duration, as the springs are always finer and forwarder than in England, +which is proved by the vegetables being much earlier in Paris, peas +being sold cheap about the streets on the 20th or 25th of May, and other +leguminous crops in proportion. The autumns are often very fine, +generally, indeed, I have known the month of November to be quite clear +and sunny, but of latter years the summers have been wet. The English in +most instances have their health better in France than in England, which +is considered to arise from several different causes; the lower and even +some of the middle classes in London and other large towns are much +addicted to drinking quantities of porter and ale, which are not so +accessible in Paris or in any town in France; hence after a time they +accustom themselves to the light wines of the country, and with the +higher classes of English the case is nearly similar, as they renounce +port, sherry, and Madeira, for Burgundy, Bordeaux, etc., and as a +draught wine _even_ good _ordinaire_, but a grand point is to obtain it +of the best quality, proportioned to the price; perhaps there is not a +town in the world where there are so many persons who sell wine as in +Paris, but as there is a great deal of quackery and compounding +practised, I must caution my countrymen not to purchase at any house to +which they are not particularly recommended. I shall therefore advise +them to give the preference to the old established house of Meunier, +which has existed ever since 1800, now conducted by Messrs. Debonnelle +et Guiard; I have myself long dealt there, as also my friends, and have +ever found their prices the most reasonable, and the qualities +unexceptionable; their tarif comprehends all descriptions of wine, and +the charges in proportion, commencing on so moderate a scale that they +are attainable to the most modest purse, and as there is no description +of known wine which they do not possess, of course some there are at +very high prices; the same case may be stated of their liqueurs, of +which they have every variety. In this establishment persons may either +be accommodated with a single bottle, or may purchase by the pipe, as +they carry on an extensive wholesale business; their great warehouses +are at Bercy which is the grand dépôt for the wine merchants of Paris. +This is one of those houses to which I have before alluded as having, +although nearly in the centre of the city, a delightful garden, and in +the present instance quite a little aviary of canary and other birds, +which is open to the street, situated No. 22, Rue des Saints-Pères, +Faubourg St. Germain. The present proprietors were clerks in the house +as long back as 1810, and have never since been absent from the +business, which has been considerably augmented by their extreme +attention and civility to their customers, and the reputation which they +have acquired for keeping good articles, and vending them at fair +prices. + +As a great object of my work is to render it as serviceable as possible +to my readers, I must not omit some cautionary remarks upon the +tradespeople of Paris; an opinion has generally existed of their +predisposition to overcharge the English, and in a great many instances +it has been the case, when they first came over to France; an idea +existed that they were extremely rich, and a bad feeling prevailed of +making the wealthy pay: even amongst their own country people, they do +the same, it is a common phrase with them, "Il est riche, alors +faites-lui payer," "He is rich, so make him pay," and that system of +calculating the weight of a person's means and making the charge, +accordingly, is still followed in a degree; even the government have in +some measure encouraged the practice, no doubt from a good motive, which +has prompted them at certain periods to enforce regulations, that some +articles should be sold for less to the poor, such as bread, and other +necessaries of life. Another circumstance caused the French to continue +their impositions upon the English, their having been duped by the +latter, and in many instances to a considerable amount, as amongst the +crowds who came over, were many persons who were not very scrupulous +with respect to paying their debts, to whom the French willingly gave +credit, the English name at that period having stood extremely high in +the estimation of the French, but having sustained several losses on +account of their too great facility in giving credit, they determined to +make such of the English as they could attract, pay a portion towards +what they had been mulcted by their runaway country-people. The French +are not alone in that respect, as some of the fashionable tailors in +London charge an immense price for their coats, because they say they +only get paid for two out of three, therefore they make those pay dearly +for such as do not pay at all. + +The system now is rather better in Paris, so many shopkeepers having +adopted the plan of selling at "Prix fixe" as they call it, which means +fixed prices, from which they seldom or ever depart; but then there is a +great difference with regard to the value of the articles in which they +deal, some shops being infinitely cheaper than others, I therefore have +been at considerable pains to discover those who conduct their business +in an honourable manner and shall give my readers the benefit of my +researches. With respect to provisions there certainly is a difference +with regard to the quarters, which are the more or the less fashionable, +the former being somewhat dearer than the latter, but there is a +proportionate difference with regard to the quality, and therefore in +some instances the higher priced articles are the cheapest in the end; +for instance, M. Rolland, of No. 363, Rue St. Honoré, sells none but the +very best meat; certainly in some of the obscurer parts of the town, and +in the markets it is to be had cheaper; but the quality far inferior. I +have heard the English complain of the meat not being so good in Paris +as it is in London, but if they dealt with M. Rolland they could not in +justice make the remark, he is always the possessor of the ox which is +exhibited on Shrove Tuesday, and which weighed the last time nearly +4,000lbs; he retains a well executed portrait of it, which he shows to +his customers, but he has often beasts approaching that weight, as about +a dozen every year are fatted by the Norman graziers for the prize, and +he is the principal purchaser; his other meat is proportionately fine, +therefore I fancy that a good manager will find that economy is promoted +by dealing with M. Holland in preference to any one who may sell at a +nominally lower price. + +Now that economy is on the _tapis_, I must endeavour to enlighten my +reader as much on that head as I can, by giving him all the advantage of +my own experience in the art, and as I am an old practitioner, I have +the vanity to flatter myself that my advice on that score may count for +something. On quitting England I advise my readers to disburthen +themselves of all their clothes, except such as are absolutely requisite +for travelling, and then on arriving at Paris to order those of which +they may stand in need; indeed for myself, when I return to England I +always provide a good stock of habiliments, convinced that the cloth +procured in France is so much more durable than that obtained in +England, and the workmen being paid much less, you have a superior +article in France for a lower charge. As to the difference of fashion or +cut, I leave that to be decided by a committee of dandies of the two +countries, and to prevent my readers from getting into bad hands, I +recommend them at once to M. Courtois, aux Montagnes Russes, No. 11, Rue +Neuve-des-Petits-Champs, facing the Rue Vivienne, there the stranger is +sure of being fairly treated with regard to the worth of the commodity, +the solidity and neatness of the execution, and punctuality in the +fulfillment of his engagements. The difference of prices between a +fashionable London and Parisian tailor is immense, the former will make +you pay 7_l._ 7_s._ for a coat of the best cloth, whilst M. Courtois +only charges 100 francs (4_l._) for the same article, equal in every +respect, and furnishes every other description of clothing on equally +moderate terms. + +I shall now bid my reader to doff his hat, and obtain one that will sit +so lightly on his brow, that he will scarcely be conscious that his head +is covered, of which I had experience under circumstances rather +ludicrous than otherwise. I entered a glover's shop with my mind I +suppose occupied with divers meditations, and like a true uncourteous +Englishman forgot to take off my hat to the Dame de Comptoir, as she is +styled, but having obtained what I sought, in the act of departing I +took up a hat which was on the counter, not dreaming that I had already +one upon my head, but as I was making my obeissance to the mistress of +the shop, she observed, very archly, that she should have thought +Monsieur might be satisfied with having a hat on his head, without +requiring to have one in his hand; surprised at finding myself +absolutely committing a robbery, I made the best excuses the subject +would admit, and retired after having furnished a subject of amusement +for Madame, for Monsieur whose hat I had so illegally appropriated to +myself, and to some pretty laughing-looking demoiselles who were +ensconced behind a counter. These aerial hats are to be procured of M. +Servas, No. 69, Rue Richelieu, who is the inventor, and for which he has +received a medal from a scientific society, they are of so light and +elastic a nature, that they do not cause the slightest pressure upon the +brow, nor leave that unsightly mark upon the forehead, that is often a +great annoyance to those gentlemen who object to having a stain upon the +_blanche_ purity of that feature, and as those who are tenacious in that +respect must naturally be so with regard to the form and the material of +which their hat is composed, they may rest assured on that point they +will be suited in those of M. Servas, which have long had an +acknowledged superiority and celebrity on that account, his +establishment having for upwards of 30 years been famed under the firm +of Coquel and Quesnoy, which by the ingenuity of his recent invention +he has considerably augmented. + +As I am now on a chapter devoted to usefulness, I must recommend my +readers to get well and _comfortably_ shod, particularly if they have +any intention of visiting the monuments and antiquities I have +described, for which purpose they must procure their shoes in Paris, the +leather being prepared in such a manner as to render it infinitely more +soft and flexible than it is in England, consequently one can walk twice +the distance, without tiring, in French shoes, than one can in English; +hence with the former all the tortures of new shoes are never felt, +being fully as easy as an old pair of the latter, and for this purpose +no one can better supply the article desired, than M. Deschamps, No. 14, +Galerie d'Orléans, Palais-Royal, who stands so high in the estimation of +my countrymen, that he is obliged to go to London twice a year to supply +their demands. An attention to comfort in this respect is to me so +essential, that in returning to England I always provide myself with a +plentiful stock of boots and shoes, although not to the same degree that +one of our celebrated tragedians practised this precaution, having +furnished himself with thirty-six pair to the no small amusement of the +Dover custom-house officers when they overhauled his luggage. One of the +great advantages of the French shoes is that the upper leather never +cracks nor bursts, and indeed I have not only found the material better, +but also the workmanship. M. Deschamps has acquired much celebrity for +the very elegant manner in which his shoes for balls and _soirées_ are +executed, after a system of his own, which have now become the fashion +in all the saloons in Paris. Perhaps my readers may think I have devoted +too much space to this subject, but being a great pedestrian, it is one +of peculiar importance, to me (and it is so natural to judge every one +by one's self), and in order to see all the interesting little bits of +architectural antiquity, which are so numerous in Paris, the visit must +be performed on foot, as it is sometimes requisite to go into little +courts and alleys where no carriage can possibly enter; besides an +antiquarian must peep and grope about in places where a vehicle would +only be an incumbrance. + +Whilst my memory is on, or, as some people would say, whilst my hand is +in, I must not forget to recommend the stationer's shop, No. 159, Rue +St. Honoré, next door to the Oratoire, as it is presumable that my +readers, who intend to sojourn a while at Paris, must want to pay some +visits, consequently will need visiting cards, with which they will +provide themselves at the above establishment on terms so reasonable as +quite to surprise a Londoner; also the visiter must write, and will here +find an assortment of sixty different descriptions of English metal pens +of Cuthbert's manufacture, and every variety of stationary that can be +desired, and the manner in which they get up cards and addresses, with +regard to the neatness of the engraving, printing, and quality of the +card, is really surprising, for the price; whilst the mistress receives +her customers with so much politeness, that having been once, is sure to +prove the cause for other visits, when any of the articles in which she +deals are required; and punctuality in the execution of the orders +received is a quality to be met with in her, and in good truth, I cannot +say much for the Parisians in general on that score, and one great cause +is that they have too much business, and far more than they can attend +to in a proper manner. + +In the same street, at No. 416, is an establishment of which the English +ought to be informed, being that of M. Renault, wherein good cutlery is +to be obtained at very moderate prices; there is every variety that can +be desired, either for the table or other purposes, all of the finest +description; his shop is situated in the quarter most convenient for the +English, being that in which they so frequently reside. + +As health is a desideratum which is requisite for the pursuit of every +occupation, and particularly for such as mean to enjoy Paris to its full +extent, which will require a considerable degree of exercise, I must +recommend the visiter a chymist and druggist on whom he may rely, where +he may find the means of re-establishing any relaxation of strength or +other malady to which all human nature is ever prone. There are +innumerable establishments of this nature in Paris, and especially of +those who announce English medicines, but the one which I have +understood as possessing such as are truly genuine both in French and +English pharmacy, is that of M. Joseau, and as a testimony of +confidence in the respectability of his establishment, it has been made +the chief depository of a medicine entitled the Copahine Mége, so +particularly recommended by the Royal Medicine Academy of France, who +have voted their thanks to the author, and granted him a patent for +fifteen years, having proved so efficacious where patients have by their +excesses deteriorated their health, and in fact, in all cases of +blennorrhagies. M. Joseau may be also useful to my countrymen, who are +in the habit of riding much on horseback, in providing them with belts +of his own invention, which are made of India rubber, and in general use +with the French cavalry. The establishment of M. Joseau is situated at +No. 161, corner of the Rue Montmartre, and of the Gallery Montmartre, +Passage Panorama, where my countrymen will be sure of meeting with the +most assiduous attention, both from himself and his assistants, and that +whatever they may require in his department will be of the best +description, and at the most moderate prices; I know of no business +whatever in which there is such an immense difference in the charges +both in London and Paris, that it appears to me that chemists and +druggists make you pay _ad libitum_, without having any fixed system, +therefore I never enter any of their shops without I have had them +particularly recommended. + +Before I quit this chapter of shreds and patches, although of solid +utility, a very useful establishment must be introduced to my readers, +belonging to Messrs. Danneville, No. 16, Rue d'Aguesseau, Faubourg St. +Honoré, facing the Protestant Chapel, consisting of every description of +earthenware and crockery, on a very extensive scale, with a very quiet +exterior, the premises having more the appearance of warehouses than +shops; the assortment is quite of a multitudinous description, including +vessels of the cheapest and most useful nature, at the same time +containing numbers of superior articles, wherein extreme taste is +displayed. The concern has been a long time established, and is quite in +the centre of the quarter which such numbers of English choose for their +residence; the proprietors are civil, quiet, unassuming people, and +their articles exceedingly reasonable. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + Novel introductions of different branches of industry.--Recent + inventions.--Extensions of commerce in various + departments.--Establishments of several new descriptions of + business, now flourishing, and formerly unknown. + + +The commerce of Paris has now extended to so vast a scale, that it has +become an immense entrepòt for all the productions and manufactures of +France; the foreign merchant now feels that in visiting Paris he shall +there find the cheapest, the choicest, and the most extensive assortment +of all that the nature of the country, aided by art, is able to produce; +he is aware that he need not repair to Lyons, to Lille, Rouen, or other +manufacturing districts, for their respective articles, for which they +are famed, as he knows that in the great emporium of the Continent, all +that the ingenuity of man can produce will there be found. Independent +of that advantage, there are many branches of industry confined to +Paris, first invented within its walls, improved, and wrought to a state +of perfection, which is unrivalled in any other capital, and affording +employ to an immense number of hands, from the multitude of +ramifications into which these branches diverge; so that Paris once +principally celebrated as a city of pleasure and gaiety, still retaining +that reputation, is now also renowned for its extraordinary +manufactures, and the curious and splendid specimens of art and +ingenuity emerging from its numerous _ateliers_, and which would require +an extent far beyond the limits of this work, to give a just and +accurate review of their merits; but some there are which being of a +nature totally novel in the annals of commerce, and having merely been +introduced within the last few years, we shall devote some space to +their description in order to afford our readers an idea of their beauty +and utility. + +Amongst the various articles of the above description, none perhaps +occupy a more prominent position for beauty, taste, and ingenuity, than +the extraordinary variety displayed in what is termed fancy stationary, +the fabrication of which is now extended to such a degree, as to have +become an important branch of the commerce of Paris. Its introduction is +but of recent date, as in the reign of Charles X all the paper required +for notes, letters, dispatches, etc., was procured from England, on +account of its extreme superiority over that of France; the Court never +using any other, the example was followed not only by the major part of +the French nobility, but by all foreigners of distinction who happened +to be sojourning at Paris, hence the importation of paper from England +was to a considerable amount. But when Louis Philippe came to the +throne, he with his usual policy observed, that paper of French +manufacture was good enough for his purposes, it was therefore adopted +at the Court, and the noblesse and gentry, following in the same line, +that encouragement was afforded to their countrymen, that engendered the +idea of rendering their own paper so tasteful and elegant that now the +affair is quite reversed, and England takes from France an immense +quantity of this beautiful manufacture, which employs even artists of +talent for designing the elegant and fanciful devices which ornament +their envelopes, with their enclosures of various sizes and forms, in +which the arts of drawing, painting, gilding, stamping, etc., combine to +render them so pretty and so gay, that one feels loath to destroy any of +these ornamental epistles, however trifling their import; the subjects +of the devices are as various as those which they are intended to +illustrate, history, the heathen mythology, religion, friendship, a more +tender passion, etc., are all allegorically or emblematically +represented, in the fancy stationary, offering the writer the means of +choosing a subject consistent with the text of his letter, as an +invitation to dinner is designated by paintings of pheasants, game, +etc., to a _soirée dansante_, the note is adorned by couples waltzing, +etc., to a whist party, the cards and players are introduced, and if to +tea, the cups and saucers of gilded and glowing hue, bedeck the gay +margin; so that before a word is written in the letter, it foretells its +errand. + +There are very many who have gradually contributed their talents to this +branch of industry, but it is M. Marion who may be considered the +inventor, he having availed himself with the most effect of their +abilities, and concentrated their respective merits, in which he has +displayed much perseverance, taste, and judgment, as also in the manner +in which he has organised this branch of commerce, and promoted its +extension. At his establishment at No. 14, Cité-Bergère, will be found a +most extensive assortment of fancy stationary, comprehending every +description of variety that the most fertile imagination could depict, +the prices of ordinary paper commencing at the very humble price of six +sheets for a sou, and according to the degree that it is ornamented, +gradually rising to 25 francs a sheet. M. Marion has also an +establishment in London, at No. 19, Mortimer Street, Cavendish Square, +exactly on a similar plan as that in Paris, containing an equal variety +of specimens of this new branch of art. + +When the visiter has a half hour to spare, he would not find it thrown +away in visiting the establishment of Madame Merckel, she having found +the means of applying the phosphorus and chemical matches, which she has +invented, to such a number of purposes, and of introducing them in so +curious and ingenious a manner into divers articles, calculated both for +utility and ornament, that her manufactory might be considered quite a +little museum; amongst a variety of pretty things, I was first struck +with a time-piece which acts as an alarum, and not only answers the +purpose of awakening you at any hour which you may desire, but a little +figure representing a magician, at the instant strikes a magic mirror, +by which means the taper he holds is ignited, and with all possible +grace, he presents you with a light just as you open your eyes. A night +lamp next attracted me, which represented Mount Vesuvius, and the means +by which it is lighted, proceeds from an enormous dragon emitting fire +from his throat; this article is equally useful as a paper press. +Another night lamp I found particularly elegant, though perfectly +simple, consisting merely of a gilded branch, gracefully carved into a +sort of festoon, from which was suspended a little lamp of most classic +form. The inkstands consist of an indescribable variety, displaying all +kinds of contrivances, some so portable as easily to go into the pocket, +and containing instantaneous light on touching a spring, with pens, ink, +seal and wax. Amongst the endless number of paper presses is one with a +blacksmith, who, when light is required, strikes the anvil and fire +appears; abundance of cigar stands with matches are arranged after a +variety of whimsical methods, some of them very tasteful, and having +quite an ornamental effect. Fortunately, Madame Merckel has in a great +degree met with the reward her ingenuity merits, receiving the greatest +encouragement from the public, and not only having had a patent granted +her to protect her inventions, but she has also been presented with +medals from three scientific Societies. As her prices are as various as +the objects are numerous, every purse may be accommodated, as there are +some as low as a sou, whilst there are others which rise as high as +twenty pounds, the charge elevating according to the degree of ornament +or utility. It appears surprising that a business which was not known +until within the last few years should have risen to such importance, as +Madame Merckel not only transmits her merchandise to every town in +France, but also to the principal cities throughout Europe. The +manufactory is No. 24, Rue du Bouloi, in the Cour des Fermes; there is +besides a similar establishment in London, at No. 30, Edmund Place, +Aldersgate Street, which is entirely furnished by Madame Merckel, +possessing the same varied assortment, and undertaking to execute the +same extent of supply. + +How very simple are some descriptions of inventions, and how very simple +one is apt to think one's self in not having before thought of that +which appears so trifling and easy when once known. So it is with a sort +of portable desk, invented by M. Tachet, for which he has procured a +patent; it needs no table nor any kind of support, as the student places +it under him, and his own weight keeps it perfectly firm and steady; the +plane (on which he writes or draws) being attached to the part on which +he sits, rises before him, capable of accommodating itself to such +elevation as may be desired; its principal utility is for sketching from +nature, but as females could not make use of this desk in the same +manner as men, M. Tachet has also such as are adapted to their +accommodation, the base lying on the lap, and fastened by a band round +the waist, which keeps it perfectly firm. M. Tachet has also devoted +much time and attention in forming a collection of angular and carved +pieces of wood, shaped and finished with extreme neatness, describing +almost every form that can well be imagined, and composed of such wood +as has been so well seasoned that it can never warp, either ebony, box, +pear-tree, or indeed of every different country which produces the +hardest woods; they are particularly used by engineers and architects, +for drawing plans or elevations of buildings, as every curve or angle of +any dimensions which can be required, may be traced by these curved and +angular rulers. In French, on account of the form resembling that of a +pistol, the curved pieces are called _pistolet_, which comprehends a +complete set, and great demands for them come from England. At the +establishment of M. Tachet will also be found almost every article that +is required by the artist, and it is in fact the only house in Paris +where there is any certainty of procuring _real English_ colours, as +there are so many counterfeits of them exposed in almost all the +colour-shops in Paris, with the names and arms upon them of some of the +most eminent English colour manufacturers. But I can assure my +countrymen that those they obtain from M. Tachet are genuine, and that +they may deal with him in the same confidence as they would with what we +call a true Englishman; he has likewise a most complete collection of +mathematical instruments; his shop is situated at No. 274, Rue St. +Honoré, at the bottom of the court-yard, and although it has not so +brilliant an appearance as many establishments of the same nature, it is +not the worse for its quiet exterior, but on the contrary, the same +articles will be found with him at a more moderate charge than they ever +can be procured of his dashing rivals. + +Another branch of industry which has risen into extreme importance +latterly is that of producing such exquisitely beautiful objects in cut +glass, for which the establishment of Messrs. Lahoche-Boin and Comp. has +for many years been celebrated, and ever conspicuous on account of its +glass staircase, but I should be afraid to trust myself with beginning +to describe the multitude of tasteful and elegant articles assembled in +this exhibition (for it is really much more worthy of being so called +than many that bear the name), lest I should be inveigled into too much +prolixity. Into many of their richly wrought services of glass, gold is +so happily introduced, that the two brilliant substances seem to +sparkle in rivalry of each other, and the deeper tone of bronze +sometimes lends its aid and heightens the effect of both. Glass is now +appropriated to a variety of purposes, formerly never thought of, as +balustrades, the handles of locks and plates to doors, instead of brass, +and a number of other objects; indeed from this establishment there is +always emanating something new, and for the beauty of the works which +they displayed at a national exhibition of specimens of art and +industry, they were awarded the gold medal. Amongst other articles which +attract the attention in their splendid collection, are some of the most +magnificent china vases, painted by talented artists in that department, +also services of Sèvres porcelain for the table, in the taste of times +past; others of glass, gilded and elaborately carved, which style was +also much in vogue with our ancestors; some likewise of a more simple +description but always possessing a degree of elegance which excites +admiration. The proprietors of this concern are merchants of +respectability, and besides furnishing the Royal Family of France, and +several of the courts of Europe, they have transactions with most parts +of the world, charging themselves with the execution of orders for any +country, and requiring the remuneration of a very moderate commission. +The establishment of Messrs. Lahoche-Boin and Comp. is at Nos. 152, 153, +Palais-Royal, and the carriage entrance, No. 19, Rue de Valois. This is +one of those houses in Paris (of which doubtless there are many) where +the stranger may feel every confidence that he will meet with none but +the most honourable treatment. + +For those of my countrymen who like to proceed to the fountain head, and +obtain articles from the manufacturer himself, instead of purchasing +them of the shopkeeper who vends them at a higher price, I would +recommend a visit to the establishment of M. Vincent, which is in fact +like a little town, the number of warehouses, workshops, offices, etc., +on the premises, amounting to no less than 84. In this manufactory an +endless variety of articles are produced, consisting of every +description of knick-knackery, if I may be allowed the term, as +snuff-boxes, cigar-cases, memorandum books, souvenirs, bon-bon boxes, +tablets, tooth-picks, card and needle-cases, pocket mirrors, housewives, +paper presses, port-crayons, rulers, seals, musical snuff-boxes, etc., +etc. The above articles being executed in every possible variety that +can be imagined, of tortoise-shell, ivory, or mother of pearl, inlaid +with gold and silver in the richest and most elaborate manner, miniature +frames of every description, composed of fancy woods, with chased +circles, metal gilt, stamped tortoise-shell, bronze and of every sort of +material adapted for the purpose, albums and pocket-books in great +variety, dressing-cases both for ladies and gentlemen, tea caddies, +work-boxes, and an infinity of articles too numerous to recapitulate, +for some of which patents have been obtained. It is from this +establishment that most of the showy shops in Paris, who deal in +articles of the same nature, are provided, hence much economy is +effected by purchasing of M. Vincent, the profit of the shopkeeper being +saved by procuring the object from the manufacturer. Tradesmen who come +to Paris from London, would find their interest in applying to this +establishment, where they could obtain the goods they require of the +descriptions stated, at considerably more advantageous terms than from +other quarters. I will cite one article which will prove how very low +are the charges compared to what we are accustomed to in London; the +musical mechanism of a snuff-box, 10 francs (eight shillings) playing +two airs, rising gradually in price to 90 francs, or about 3_l._ 12_s._ +playing six tunes, which of course can be afterwards set in any +description of box which the purchaser chooses, of gold, silver, or +tortoise-shell, as fancy directs. All other articles sold by M. Vincent +are equally reasonable. His residence is No. 4, Rue de Beauce, at the +corner of the Rue de Bretagne, near the Temple, certainly not in a very +desirable neighbourhood, but manufactories are seldom carried on in the +most agreeable vicinities. + +An art which has been recently brought to an astonishing degree of +perfection in Paris, is that of dyeing, cleaning, scouring, and +restoring almost all descriptions of habiliments; this has been effected +by M. Bonneau, but not until he had visited the principal manufacturing +towns, and had passed many years in studying the art scientifically, +aided by persevering researches into the depths of chymistry, to which +he is indebted for being able to perform that which has not until now +been accomplished. I have seen instances of a soiled, faded, cashmere +shawl, almost considered beyond redemption, committed to his charge, and +reappear so resuscitated that the owners could scarcely believe it was +the same dingy, deplorable-looking affair they had sent a fortnight +before. The same power of restoring is effected upon all descriptions of +satin, even that of the purest white, which, although so soiled as to be +of a dirty yellow colour, is brought forth perfectly clean and with all +its original lustre; with silks, merinos, gros de Naples of the +tenderest tints, the process adopted is equally successful; blonde, +guipure, and all descriptions of lace, no matter how discoloured, are +restored to their original whiteness. With the apparel of men, the same +advantages are obtained, silk, cashmere, velvet, and other waistcoats +that many would throw aside as totally spoiled, or too shabby to be worn +any longer, by being sent to M. Bonneau, are returned, having the +appearance of being quite new. His establishment, at No. 17, Rue +Lepelletier, just facing the French Opera, is well known to many English +families; but having heard so much of the wonders he performed in +reviving the lost colours of the elaborate borders of ladies' cashmeres, +and rendering them their pristine brilliance, I determined to visit his +premises, upon which he carried on his operations, in the Rue de Bondy, +No. 40. I there found everything conducted upon a most methodical system +of regularity and order, each room was appropriated to its peculiar +department, and heated and ventilated by a certain process, and that +which does M. Bonneau much honour, is, that all is so arranged, with the +utmost consideration for the health of his work-people, by taking care +that they shall be kept as dry as possible, and that a proper degree of +warmth and air shall be admitted into every chamber. When required, M. +Bonneau sends his men to clean furniture at persons' houses, which would +be rather incommodious to remove. When any article is sent to him, the +bearer is informed what day it will be completed, and is sure not to be +deceived, and he has an apartment so arranged for preserving whatever is +confided to him, from any injury which might be caused by moths or other +insects. + +Amongst those articles for which France used to depend upon England, but +wherein the case is reversed by England taking from France, is that of +pencil-cases, in which small pieces of lead are inserted, and emitted or +withdrawn at pleasure; numbers of these formerly were sent from London +and Birmingham to Paris, but recently M. Riottot has invented and +obtained a patent for a pencil-case which has a little elastic tube of +tempered steel placed at the end which is used, and into which the lead +is inserted, and tightly held within it, so that there is no risk of +breaking, either in the act of fixing in the lead, or from its +afterwards shaking, the steel tube operating as a spring, retains it so +firmly that it remains, even whilst writing with it, perfectly +immoveable; these are arranged in gold or silver cases, more or less +ornamental as may be required, and are found so infinitely more +serviceable than those on the former principle, that as they are +becoming more known in England, the demand for them continues to +increase. The term by which they are designated, is Porte Crayon à Pince +élastique; their advantages are such as tend to economy, as they are +neither liable to fall out nor break, besides the convenience of their +never moving about whilst one is using them, to which the previous +system was constantly liable. M. Riottot has also an assortment of pens +and pen-holders, either plated or of silver or gold, richly chased or +simple, with a variety of seals and other articles; he likewise retains +a stock of lead, properly prepared for inserting into the pencil-cases. +His address is at No. 27, Rue Phélippeaux, Passage de la Marmite, +Escalier A, completely in the quarter of Paris inhabited by the +operatives, surrounded by workshops of different descriptions, not +exactly calculated for very delicate ladies. + +For the benefit of a little purer air, we will quit the working +mechanics' rendez-vous, and take a lounge in the Palais-Royal, and as +soon as we breathe a little freely, we will examine the engraved seals +of M. Leteurtre-Maurisset, No. 33, Galerie d'Orléans, which, from the +extreme delicacy of the execution, are objects well worth attention; his +talents in this department have obtained him the distinction of being +engraver to the Chamber of Deputies and to the royal museums; some of +his specimens of armorial bearings, his designs for stamping +impressions, in relief and heraldric devices, are extremely clever; he +engraves on stones of different descriptions, with equal accuracy and on +any kind of metal, as plates for visiting cards, etc., and whatever he +undertakes he executes in the most perfect manner, that the nature of +the work will admit. As he is attached to his profession, however +trifling the order he may receive, he enters into it with the same zest +as if it were of the first importance, of course it is engraving +subjects for seals in which he finds the most pleasure, as it is in +those that he has the greatest scope for the display of his abilities, +and seldom fails to excel. + +Although the progress which France has made in almost every branch of +industry is most extraordinary, yet none is so striking as the advance +which has been effected in cutlery, as I well remember when I first came +to France, it was a common joke amongst the English, when speaking of +the rarity of an object, to observe that it was as scarce as a knife in +France that would cut, its appearance also was as dull as its edge, soon +however their cutlery, with their ideas, began to brighten, and to +sharpen; but even as recently as 1830, they were still so outshone by +England, that if it was known that you were going from Paris to London, +with the intention of returning, every lady asked you to bring her a +pair of scissors, every man a pair of razors, and by all medical friends +you were assailed to bring them over lancets or other machines for +cutting and maiming human flesh; thanks to the genius, talents, and +perseverance of M. Charrière, one is no longer troubled with such +commissions, he having improved every description of surgical +instruments to such a degree of perfection, that now many of our English +surgeons provide themselves from his establishment on returning to +England; not only has M. Charrière produced every variety of instrument +used by our faculty, but he has invented several others, which have +merited and obtained the thanks of his country, with letters and medals +from several scientific societies. Even foreigners from all parts of +Europe, from America, and from the East, are now becoming acquainted +with the utility of his inventions, which are already well known in +London and Edinburgh, and will soon be as much in demand in England as +they are now in France. Some idea may be formed of how far M. Charrière +has raised this branch of industry, when it is stated that but a few +years since, the whole number of workmen occupied in this department was +but 30 and now he alone employs 150! M. Charrière in fact possesses one +quality which generally ensures success, a passion for his art; he is +not to be regarded simply as a vender of cutlery, but as one possessing +a scientific knowledge of his profession, and as a mechanic of +considerable talent. To recapitulate all his inventions, with their +respective merits, and the approbatory letters that he has received from +different academical institutions, would half fill my little volume; +suffice it to say that he is the only person in his business, to whom +has ever been awarded the gold medal; besides which, the Royal Academy +of Sciences have presented him with 1800 francs, for the improvement he +has effected in surgical instruments. There is scarcely a disease and +certainly not a single operation that can be performed on the human +frame, for which M. Charrière has not the requisite materials in the +utmost perfection, even for the fabrication of artificial noses; and for +one invention he merits the gratitude of all mothers, the _biberon_, a +machine for the purpose of supplying an infant with milk, when +circumstances prevent the mother from affording that nourishment. This +instrument is so contrived that the part which meets the lips is in +point of texture exactly the same as that which nature provides, uniting +an equal degree of softness and elasticity, that the child takes to the +substitute, with the same zest as if it were the reality. I have known +instances where the lives of children have been saved by this machine, +the parents declaring to me that such was the case, and that they +considered that every mother ought to be provided with so useful an +instrument. The address of M. Charrière is No. 9, Rue de +l'Ecole-de-Médecine. A variety of cutlery is kept of as perfect a +description as those articles for which he has attained so high a +celebrity. + +It has generally in modern days been a reproach to France, that she has +been rather lax in regard of religious matters; what there may be in the +hearts of the inhabitants of that or other countries I shall not +presume to give an opinion, but can only say that I find the churches in +Paris, both protestant and catholic, always during service time nearly +full, and many to overflowing. Not only that, but the French are much +attached to holy associations, hence the prints of our Saviour, the +Virgin, and the Saints, have a most inexhaustible sale; I need give my +readers no greater proof than recommending them to visit the +establishment of M. Dopter, No. 21, Rue St. Jacques, they will there +find amongst his immense collection of engravings and lithographies, the +portrait of every saint that ever was heard of, an innumerable variety +of religious subjects for which there is a most extensive and incessant +demand. Some of these are stamped and illuminated in a most splendid +manner, and I verily believe there is scarcely a subject connected with +the christian religion, of which M. Dopter has not a representation; his +establishment is therefore known throughout all France, and many parts +of Europe, to which he transmits numbers of his publications. + +He likewise has a most useful assortment of maps and geographical +illustrations, with portraits of celebrated characters, particularly +those connected with the campaigns and adventures of Napoleon, as also +his battles, and remarkable events of his life, as well as a great +diversity of historical subjects, landscapes, academical studies, etc., +etc.; M. Dopter is also the inventor of the new style of covers for +binding, of which the present volume is a specimen, having them of an +innumerable variety of patterns, and of every size likely to be +demanded. + +It has often struck me that maps were very incomplete, in consequence of +their not being capable of giving the degrees of elevation of hills or +mountains except in a very inefficient manner; the same idea, I suppose, +actuated M. Bauerkeller, and induced him to invent those maps in relief, +which are now becoming so generally demanded, as giving such an accurate +illustration of the surface of a country, which is most beautifully +exemplified in many of his specimens, but most particularly in that of +Switzerland; every object having a degree of elevation proportioned to +the reality, and coloured in a great measure similar to the subject +intended to be represented, thus the snow-capped mountains of +Switzerland have their white summits distinctly expressed, their blue +lakes, their green meadows, grey rocks, etc., given with such fidelity, +that a person obtains a most perfect notion of regions he may never have +an opportunity to visit. This system of forming maps or plans upon +embossed paper, is peculiarly applicable to cities, as the public +buildings appear to such advantage, and M. Bauerkeller has already +executed those of London, Paris, St. Petersburg, Vienna, New York, the +city of Mexico, Hamburg, Basle, a Panorama of the Rhine from Coblentz to +Mayence, besides several other cities and countries, and there is no +doubt that in a short time the whole of Europe and many other distant +districts will be illustrated in the same manner, as he is constantly +adding to his collection which already excites the highest interest. M. +Bauerkeller's plan of executing charts, maps, or views in relief, can be +equally produced either upon velvet, silk, or leather, for the +illustration of a diversity of subjects which can be applied to an +innumerable variety of purposes, as shades for lamps, men's caps, +slippers, reticules, stands for decanters, screens, etc., etc.; already +he has extended his connexions to such a degree that he receives +applications from all parts of Europe and America for different articles +in which his invention is introduced. Some of his works which were +displayed at the national exhibition excited universal admiration, and +obtained him a medal; he has also been granted a patent for fifteen +years. This invention is not only valuable in having rendered maps more +ornamental, but it assists the study of geography; by the objects being +rendered so much more distinct, it increases the interest and +consequently makes a deeper impression on the memory; in fact, the +numerous advantages to be derived from this system of giving plans in +relief may be easily imagined, but are too long to be described. A +specimen of the art will be found at the beginning of this work: M. +Bauerkeller's address is No. 380, Rue St. Denis, Passage Lemoine. + +Amongst the number of inventions which are constantly emanating from the +brain of man, I know of few which unite more ingenuity, utility, and +simplicity than that of M. Martin (gun-maker at No. 36, Rue +Phélippeaux), relative to the improvement of every description of gun +that is impelled by percussion. According to the system he has +introduced, and for which he has obtained a patent, all the +inconvenience to which the sportsman is subjected in priming is entirely +obviated, as instead of having to place the percussion cap with one's +fingers, so disagreeable in very cold weather, it is at once effected by +the act of cocking, and the gun may be fired from 80 to 100 times, +always as it were priming itself, as the number of percussion caps +required are introduced through the butt, and conducted to the point +desired. The method of inserting the percussion caps is perfectly easy; +pressing a little button or nut at the bottom of the butt causes a plate +to open, when two spiral wire-springs must be taken out, as also a +moveable tube, from the interior of the gun, and the latter filled with +percussion caps, which must be poured into fixed tubes which communicate +with the anvil; they may contain from 40 to 50 each; when this number is +introduced replace the spiral wire-springs which press the percussion +caps exactly, regularly and successively as they are needed to the point +desired, then fasten in the springs with the little hook attached for +that purpose, lastly replace the moveable tube and shut the plate at the +bottom of the butt. This process is executed in a far shorter time than +it can be described. The _immense_ advantage of this invention may not +appear at the first view; but when it is considered how much more rapid +may be the fire of an army in consequence of the time gained, which +would be occupied in priming, the power it will give them over an enemy +must be evident, and there is no doubt but that in a very short time +they will be universally adopted. All such of my countrymen who come to +Paris I would recommend to call on M. Martin; he will give them every +possible explanation on the subject in the most obliging manner, and +also give them practical evidence of the manner in which it operates. + +However deficient the French were until a very few years since in almost +every thing which relates to mechanics, yet in some articles they have +now made such rapid strides, that it becomes a question whether they +will not surpass us, if we do not exert the same energy in the spirit of +improvement with which they have been recently actuated. Formerly the +inferiority of French pianos to ours was most evident, and perhaps, +generally speaking, I should still say it was the case, but there are a +few manufacturers, the tone of whose instruments is superb; of such a +description are those of M. Soufleto. It is really surprising how he has +been enabled, in a small upright piano, to produce the force and depth +of tone which he has found the means of uniting in comparatively so +small a volume, the bass having absolutely the power and roundness of an +organ; but that part of an instrument which most frequently fails, is +that which is composed of the additional keys or the highest notes, +which are apt to be thin and wiry, but with Mr. Soufleto's pianos it is +not the case, the tone being soft and full, with a proportionate degree +of force with the rest of the instrument. His merit has been duly +acknowledged, having not only received the King's patent, but having +been twice presented with medals, and appointed manufacturer to the +Queen. As most English families who come to Paris for the purpose of +residing or sojourning for a certain time, are desirous of hiring or +purchasing a _good_ piano, I can assure them that such they will find at +M. Soufleto's, No. 171, Rue Montmartre, and that his terms are extremely +moderate in consideration of the excellence of his instruments. + +I am sure my readers will approve of my directing their attention to the +establishment of M. Richond, styled the Phoenix, No. 17, Boulevard +Montmartre, near the Rue Richelieu. They will there find such a splendid +assortment of time-pieces, as constitutes a most beautiful sight, +equally gratifying to the artist and the amateur, many of the subjects +being perfectly classic, and exhibiting the tastes and costumes of +different ages; some of these magnificent time-pieces are adorned with +figures, either bronze or gilded, representing historical characters, +after the designs of the first masters, which are most admirably +executed, and indeed there is such a variety of subjects, that one might +pass hours in the shop, deriving the greatest pleasure from the +examination of so many interesting subjects. It is also a satisfaction +to know that the works of M. Richond's time-pieces are equal to their +external beauty. In fact it is a house that has been long established +and has ever supported a good name, having a considerable connexion, +not only throughout France, but in foreign countries, particularly with +England, and is by far the most recommendable of any in Paris in that +line of business. Every object has the price marked upon it, which is +always adhered to, and the charges are as moderate as could possibly be +expected from the superiority of the articles over those which are sold +in so many other shops in Paris; some time-pieces there are which of +course amount to a high price, consistent with their splendour. There is +a stamp fixed by government upon the internal works of each time-piece, +to prove that it is verified as being of the best quality. M. Richond +undertakes, at his own risk, the conveyance of time-pieces to London +which have been purchased at his shop, and warrants them against any +accident which may happen to the works in travelling, having a +correspondent in London who is in the same business, and is commissioned +to execute any repairs which may be requisite. + +Amongst other branches of industry which now have risen into +considerable importance, is one which at present constitutes an +extensive business of itself, although formerly only considered as a +minor department of different concerns; that to which I allude is what +the French term _chemisier_, which I can translate no otherwise than +shirt-maker. There are now many following this business in Paris, but +the largest establishment, and from which many others spring, is that of +M. Demarne, No. 39, Rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs, and he has so exerted +his ingenuity in this peculiar line that he has obtained a patent for +the perfection to which he has elevated it; he has been twice honourably +mentioned in the reports published of two national exhibitions in which +he had specimens of his works. His fame has already travelled throughout +the Continent, and he is patronised by the princes of several courts of +Europe, amongst others Prince Ernest of Cobourg, and noticing the names +of several of the English nobility, in a list which he showed me to +prove the encouragement he received from my _compatriots_, I remarked +that of a noble lord of sporting notoriety whose shirts were at the +price of _only_ 150 fr. (6_l._) each. However, it must not be supposed +that M. Demarne is dearer than other people, the price of all his +articles are proportioned to the nature of the materials of which they +are composed, and many are at the most moderate charges. At his +extensive establishment will also be found an assortment of shirt +collars, cravats, braces, silk handkerchiefs, etc., etc., arranged +according to the prevailing fashions. One of the most curious, ingenious +and incomprehensible inventions of any I have seen is that of M. Paris, +coiffeur to the Princes and Princesses, 25, Passage Choiseul, and 22, +Rue Dalayrac, near the new Italian Theatre, relating to all descriptions +of false hair, which he contrives to arrange in such a manner that the +skin of the head is seen through where the hair is parted, and the roots +represented as springing from the head in so natural a manner, that the +deception cannot be discerned even on the closest inspection; the +extreme delicacy of the work in these fronts and toupies is really +inimitable, a person may put one on the back of their hand, and the +division appears so transparent that the skin is seen under it as clear +as if not a single hair crossed it, and yet by some invisible means the +parts are held together, which can only be by light transparent hairs +which are not discernible to the naked eye. He has obtained a patent for +this invention, and although I know my countrywomen have generally very +fine heads of hair, yet as from fevers or other causes they are +sometimes deprived of it, also that grey hairs will intrude, I cannot +too strongly recommend them to patronise the talents of M. Paris, and +which under similar circumstances will be found equally serviceable to +gentlemen. + +Whilst dilating upon different inventions which either contribute to +comfort or convenience, I must not omit that of M. Cazal, who has +obtained two patents, and medals for the umbrellas and parasols he has +invented, with which he furnishes the Queen and Princesses, and which +are entirely superseding all those of any other construction. In such as +M. Cazal has brought into vogue, instead of the catches or springs which +retain the umbrella when open or shut, being inserted in the stick, +which always contributes towards weakening it, they are attached to the +wire frame-work, and by merely touching a little button will slide up or +down as required with the greatest facility, without those little +annoyances which so frequently happen in the old method, of either +pinching one's fingers, or the glove catching in the spring, or the +latter breaking or losing its elasticity, etc., etc. The stick by this +system, it must also be observed, is stronger, therefore can if desired +be thinner, and consequently lighter. Another description, called +travelling umbrellas, is also invented by M. Cazal and is particularly +convenient, containing a cane inside the stick, by which it may be used +as one or as the other, according as the weather or caprice may require; +these are extremely desirable for lame persons who require a stick, as +the umbrella when closed answers the purpose, and if required to be +opened the cane drawing out equally affords support. M. Cazal has an +assortment of canes and whips the most varied that can be imagined; it +would be difficult to fancy any pattern or form that is not to be found +in his numerous collection. His establishment is No. 23, Boulevard +Italien, where there is always some one in attendance who speaks +English. Whilst so near, I cannot resist mentioning so respectable a +tradesman as M. Frogé, tailor, with whom the fashionable Englishmen +sojourning at Paris have dealt for above twenty years, and ever found +him so honourable in his transactions that they still continue to afford +him their patronage; his address is No. 3, Boulevard des Capucines. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + To the ladies. + + +As I have set out with professing to render my work of as much utility +as possible, I am desirous of giving my fair countrywomen the benefit of +my own experience in Paris, by indicating to them those establishments +wherein they may abstract a portion of the contents of their purse, +without having cause to think that it has been recklessly dissipated, as +no one more than myself would regret to see their "glittering money fly +like chaff before the wind," so am I extremely tenacious that they +should only barter it for its full value, and as I know ladies must and +will have perfumes, however superfluous in most instances, for it is but +adding "sweets to the sweets," I shall conduct them to the emporium of +delicious odours, appertaining to M. Blanche, whose dealings I can +assure them are as pure as his name; he has besides the merit of being +an excellent chymist, and the still greater merit of having devoted his +talents to the fair sex, and in that point which they appreciate most +highly, the embellishment and preservation of their personal +attractions; he has therefore invented a peculiar description of +vegetable soap, called _Savon Végétal de Guimauve_, which is so renowned +amongst the Paris belles, that I should not be surprised at their +forming themselves into a committee, and voting an address of thanks to +M. Blanche for the signal services he has rendered to the cause of +beauty, as not only are the medicinal powers attributed to this _savon_, +of removing any impurities and softening the skin, but also that of +giving it a smooth satiny lustre, which may be compared to adding the +last _coup de grâce_ to the female charms. In addition to these +advantages it possesses that of having the most agreeable scent; its +merits have in fact obtained it a patent and it is only sold at the +establishment of M. Blanche, No. 48, Passage Choiseul, where also may be +procured every description of perfumery and a variety of other articles, +all good of their kind, as the proprietor would consider the vending of +an inferior quality as a stain upon his character and upon his _fair_ +name. + +Formerly the English ladies were very _sharp_ and _pointed_ in their +reflexions upon French needles, much more so indeed than the objects to +which their sarcasms were directed, which in fact were but blunt and +brittle ware, and the consequence was that they not only tried all their +own little arts to smuggle over as many as they could when they came +from England, but they exacted the same pecadillo from their unfortunate +friends; now of all things I most hate smuggling, principally I admit +from the fear of being caught; which I think excessively disagreeable. +Judge then how rejoiced I was when informed by some of my fair friends +that there were as good needles to be had at the Maison Bierri, à la +Ville de Lille, 32, Faubourg St. Honoré, as any that could be procured +in London, and one respectable matron insisted that it was a moral duty +incumbent upon me to mention an establishment so exceedingly useful to +my countrywomen, not only because it contains so many articles which +females are constantly requiring, but that every thing they have is of +so superior a quality; in fact nothing would satisfy the good lady but +my going myself to see how it was crowded with purchasers. + +I obeyed, and in good truth found the shop quite like a fair, but the +most perfect order and arrangement prevailing, the proprietor constantly +upon the watch to see that the young people were civil and attentive to +the customers, who were purchasing a variety of articles and +particularly ribbands; of which there appeared a most brilliant +assortment, and I heard it observed that in that department the Maison +Bierri had a celebrity _unique_. There were also as great diversity of +fringe, net, blonde, muslin, mercery, lace, jaconas, linings, worsteds, +all kinds of haberdashery, etc., etc. I also remarked that in every +drawer, containing the different articles which were produced, the +prices were marked, so that in case of the least demur regarding the +charge, a reference to the label decides the affair. By the excellence +of his goods, the regular system upon which the business is conducted, +and the assiduity of all concerned in the Maison Bierri, he has +attracted numbers of the English, and amongst the rest the Ambassadress, +and there is always some person attending who speaks their language. In +the exterior there is no attempt at display; like many of the most +respectable establishments, it depends so entirely on its extensive +connexions, as not to need any efforts to promote publicity, and every +one residing at Paris must have heard of the reputation of the Maison +Bierri; it is particularly convenient for the English, being in the +quarter in which they mostly dwell. + +As there is no department of the toilet by which ladies either so +disfigure or embellish themselves, as the hat, bonnet, or cap, I must +beseech my fair countrywomen to procure those articles from such persons +alone who have as it were obtained a diploma for good taste; as I am +most anxious that when Englishwomen are in France, that they should in +every respect appear to the best advantage; now as I consider that which +adorns the head as having so important a bearing upon the beauty of a +female, deep and frequent were my cogitations upon the subject, before I +could make up my mind what _modiste_ I should recommend to the patronage +of my countrywomen, as I would not have the sin upon my head, for all +the mines of Golconda, of having been accessary to an Englishwoman +putting on a hat or bonnet that did not become her; therefore, after +mature deliberation, I determined to call a council of all my female +acquaintances, and beg of them to hold a debate upon this knotty point; +the result was most satisfactory, the question being carried without a +division, in fact there was not one dissentient voice, the name of +Madame de Barenne being pronounced by one and all at the same moment; +it being observed that there were several persons who had attained a +certain degree of celebrity as _modistes_, but for uniting grace, +elegance and simplicity with an artistical _gusto_, there were none in +Paris who surpassed Madame de Barenne (14 place Vendôme). I have before +alluded to this lady, and certainly have observed that her manners, her +apartments, and every thing around her has an air _distingué_, and +although I would never have the presumption of giving an opinion upon +articles so far above my judgment, yet I can record the opinion of those +who are considered true connaisseurs, from whom I learn that at Madame +de Barenne's, hats, bonnets, caps, and turbans, of every variety, are +arranged with the utmost perfection, the materials being of the most +superior description consistent with the season of the year, adorned +with marabouts, bird of paradise feathers, aigrettes, flowers from the +celebrated Constantin, all selected from those houses which have the +most renown for the respective articles in which they deal, but which +are introduced with so much taste and judgment, that besides her +ingenuity, having obtained a patent, she has been specially appointed +modiste to the Queen of Belgium, the Princess Clémentine, and the +Duchess de Nemours. + +Not far from the English Ambassador's, in the centre as it were of what +may be termed the English quarter, is an establishment styled _La +Tentation_, which from the variety and excellence of its goods operates +on the visiter consistently with its title. It is a _Magasin de +Nouveautés_, containing almost every article appertaining to the toilet, +as linen, drapery, hosiery, fancy goods, etc., and is on that extensive +scale, that their assortment possesses every diversity that can be +desired, whilst even the most fastidious cannot fail of meeting that +which must suit their taste. This establishment is not like many in the +same way of business, who spend a little fortune in advertising their +goods, incurring tremendous expenses in obtruding themselves and their +merchandise before the public, and then making that public pay the +outlay they have made upon newspapers, pamphlets, etc., by either +charging higher prices, or laying in stock of inferior quality, thereby +even at an apparently moderate price they are enabled to obtain higher +profits, whilst by continuing their puffing advertisements, they hope +constantly to attract a new supply of dupes. + +_La Tentation_, on the contrary, calculate only upon obtaining and +retaining connexion, by keeping none but good articles, and selling them +at a small profit; strict attention and civility to their customers, and +having a stock ever consistent with the changes of the fashions and +seasons, by a constant adherence to these objects a durable success has +been effected. The progress of this establishment has been worthy of +remark, commencing under a humble roof upon a modest scale, until with +the process of time the proprietors were emboldened to enlarge their +premises when at length it increased to its present magnitude, occupying +a considerable portion of a noble mansion This has been achieved by a +judicious selection of stock, with constant perseverance, and conducting +their business on honourable principles, it is just such an +establishment as is calculated to please the English, where great +neatness and cleanliness is observed, and everything conducted in a +quiet and unassuming manner. The charges on each article are fixed at a +price that will admit of no diminution, and the English have the +satisfaction of knowing that they pay no more than the French, which +perhaps is not the case in all houses in Paris; persons wishing to view +the goods are not pressed to purchase unless they feel disposed to do +so, and however trifling may be the amount, they are not tormented, as +in too many shops, to buy more than they wish. Whatever articles are +selected are sent punctually to the residence of the parties at the time +required, and orders, whether personally or by letter, meet with the +strictest attention. There is always some person belonging to the +establishment who speaks English. La Tentation is situated No. 67, Rue +Faubourg St. Honoré, at the corner of the Avenue de Marigny. + +Perhaps there is no branch of the arts which has been wrought to so high +a perfection as that of making artificial flowers, and no place in the +world where it is practised to such an extent as Paris, or with so high +a degree of talent; but although it has been long and justly celebrated +for the exquisite taste developed in forming bouquets, wherein all the +varieties of colour are so assembled as to display each other to the +best advantage, yet so arranged that a certain harmony should pervade +the whole; still M. Constantin has discovered the means of availing +himself of the abilities of the Parisians in this department of the art, +that he has elevated it to a degree of altitude it had never before +attained, and in fact his flowers have become so exclusively the mode, +that if a lady wear any whatever, it would be offending her to suppose +that they were any other than those of M. Constantin. Indeed, it is +impossible to enter his apartments without feeling a thorough conviction +of the elegance of his taste, first passing through a long corridor +between two rows of real flowers, proving that he fears not the rivality +of nature, conscious that his own works unite the same beauties of tints +and colours which her highest powers can produce, and one room into +which his customers are introduced, unites a degree of taste in the +richness and splendour of its ornamental objects, with that proper tone +of keeping which is pleasing to the eye; but it is at his little boudoir +that the beholder is astonished, such luxuriant magnificence as is +therein displayed can only be imagined from a description presented in +the Arabian Nights! in fact the Dutch Ambassador was so delighted with +the exquisite arrangement of this superb specimen of sumptuous +decoration, that he requested permission to bring an artist to take an +exact copy of the elegant little chamber and its contents, to form a +similar boudoir for the Queen of Holland. As M. Constantin is now +arrived at the summit of his profession, he is enabled to command +prices commensurate with his talents, and has some bouquets as high as +1000 francs, but there are articles which may be purchased at the +moderate charge of 10 francs; his residence is No. 37, Rue Neuve St. +Augustin. M. Constantin possesses the recommendation of being extremely +particular as to the morality and propriety of conduct with his young +persons, and that degree of decorum is constantly preserved, that any +ladies visiting his apartments will find the same order and discipline +maintained as in the strictest boarding-schools. + +I know not whether it is the case with all men, but I believe it is, +that the first time I see a lady, I naturally look in her face, then my +next impulse is to look at her foot; now as I have already done my +utmost for my countrywomen for the ornamenting of the former, in +recommending them to Madame de Barenne, I must now endeavour to serve +them in respect to the latter, reminding them that in Lord Normandy's +novel of "Yes and No," he observes, speaking of the feet of Parisian +females, "How exquisitely they decorate that part of the person," and as +I have already remarked that I do not wish English ladies in any one +particular to yield to Parisian or any other ladies, I must request that +they will, as soon as possible after they arrive at Paris, apply to M. +Hoffman, No. 8, Rue de la Paix, who will fit them in such a light and +elegant manner, giving such a "_jolie tournure_" to the foot, that they +will scarcely know their own feet again, after having been accustomed to +be shod in the English fashion; for although I have a very exalted idea +of the transcendant talents of my countrymen, I do not consider that the +vein of their abilities at all runs in the shoemaking line. M. Hoffman's +residence is at the end of a court-yard, almost as quiet and as retired +as if it were in a convent; his articles will be found of the best +quality, both he and Madame speak English, and rival each other in +attention and civility to their customers; they have an assortment of +the different specimens of their work, consisting of every variety which +is worn, according with the fashion and season. + +I believe every lady before she quits England with the intention of +visiting Paris, has already made up her mind to make some purchase of +lace pretty soon after her arrival; to prevent them therefore from +falling into bad hands, I recommend them to go at once to one of the +most extensive and respectable establishments in that department of any +in Paris, indeed I believe I may truly add the most so. It is one of +those large wholesale houses of the French metropolis that transact +business with all parts of the world in lace, ribbands, and silks; it is +situated at No. 2ter, Rue Choiseul, the firm is Messrs. Bellart, Louys +and Delcambre, where every description of blonde and lace, in all its +multitudinous variety, from the most simple to the richest, rarest and +most costly, will be found, and at extremely reasonable prices, as so +many retail dealers furnish themselves from this establishment; besides +which, they are themselves manufacturers of black Chantilly lace and +white blonde. This concern has the character of being solely wholesale, +but they make an exception with regard to lace. Their collection of +ribbands is unrivalled both for the beauty and extent. They have also a +most valuable assortment of silks, satins, velvets, stuffs, brocade, +embroidery of gold and silver, etc., etc., selected with extreme taste +and judgment, and indeed Mme de Barenne owes a great portion of her +success to having supplied herself from this house with the material +which she required, as being of so very superior a quality, it gave +great vogue to whatever was produced by her ingenuity, to which +certainly her own talents contributed in the taste displayed in the +disposition and arrangement of the different articles, independent of +their own excellence. + +Whatever rivalry there may be between different countries, respecting +their divers produce and manufactures, with regard to gloves none would +have the audacity to cast the gauntlet at France, which has ever held +the supremacy over other nations in that department, yet it has recently +been elevated a step higher by an invention of M. Mayer, of No. 26, Rue +de la Paix, for which he has been granted a king's patent, consisting in +what are termed ball gloves, which are so made as to button and lace +about half way up the arm, which prevents them from slipping down upon +the wrist, they are besides furnished with trimmings also invented by M. +Mayer, which may either be of the utmost simplicity, or of the richest +description, and may be composed of either satin, velvet, lace, gold, or +even pearls and diamonds may be and are frequently introduced; they may +be also furnished with tassels which may be formed of materials equally +costly, thus the trimmings of these gloves may either be had for four +francs or may cost twenty guineas and upwards, according to the desires +of the wearers. In fact M. Mayer has introduced a degree of luxury and +splendour in the decorations of gloves, which has given them an +importance in the toilet which they never before possessed, and have +become so much the vogue with ladies of the highest distinction, that +they have obtained for M. Mayer the privilege of furnishing the royal +family of France, the Empress of Russia, the Queens of Naples, Spain, +Belgium, etc. M. Mayer also occupies himself with gentlemen's gloves, +and has just invented a peculiar description, without gussets between +the fingers, by which means they set closer to the hand, and are not so +liable to be come unsewed as by the former method; he has them likewise +so arranged as to button at the side instead of the middle, which always +left an unsightly aperture. Now I think of it, these last few lines had +no business in the ladies' chapter, as they allude to that which are +worn solely by gentlemen, but I dare say that my fair readers, if they +find M. Mayer's gloves merit my commendations, will be equally anxious +that their husbands, brothers, or sons should furnish themselves at the +same place and excuse the intrusion. M. Mayer has a private apartment +tastefully fitted up, appropriated for the ladies, where they can make +their selections as uninterrupted and unobserved as at their own homes. + +Next door to M. Mayer's, at No. 28, is an establishment which has +received very distinguished and extensive patronage, known by the +appellation of La Maison Lucy Hocquet, not only for hats, bonnets, +capotes and turbans, but also for pelerines, fichus à la paysanne, +_canzous_, chemisettes, collars, habit shirts, parures de spectacles, +etc.; in these articles they have been so celebrated for the taste and +elegance with which they are arranged, that the fame of their talents +has attracted around them many of the most influential ladies in Paris, +as also several of the most celebrated _artistes_ whose good taste and +jugement are proverbial; amongst others may be cited Mlle Rachel. La +Maison Lucy Hocquet likewise furnishes several crowned heads, as the +Empress of Russia, Queen of Portugal, etc., and amongst the leading +personages of Paris, the Princess Demidoff, the Duchesses d'Eckmühl, de +Montebello, de Valmy, Marquise d'Osmond, etc. To the above list might be +added many names of the English nobility, who still continue to be +supplied from this establishment, which independent of the merit which +is displayed in the arrangement of every article which it produces, is +also highly recommendable on account of the attentive civility which +they extend to all who may have occasion to apply to them. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + The present artists in France and their productions, improvements + in Paris, fortifications, humanity to animals, education of + females, personal appearance of the French, army and navy, + scientific Societies, and commercial enterprises. + + +Never perhaps at any period was there so much encouragement given to the +arts and sciences in general in France as at the present, nor ever was +there a monarch who reigned over the French, who so much endeavoured to +promote every object which tended to usefulness, or to the advancement +of the fine arts. No country in the world has such advantages as France +for nurturing talent, and giving it the opportunity of developing +itself, so numerous are the societies and institutions where lectures +and instruction are afforded gratuitously, hence the great assistance to +young artists; without any expense or trouble, they are admitted into a +drawing academy, where they may acquire the fundamental principles of +the graphic art; afterwards there are other different establishments +which they can enter as their studies progress, and when they attain any +degree of proficiency, they have a chance of being sent at the expense +of government to Rome, to complete their studies, and if they excel to a +moderate degree, are sure to be employed by the King, or some member of +the royal family, or by the nation. With all these immense advantages, +how much might be expected of the French artists, but the fact does not +realise those hopes that might be justly formed from the solid +rudimental education which they have the power of receiving. The +exhibition this year at the Louvre of the paintings of the living +artists was a complete illustration of what I have stated, as every one +allows that it was far inferior to that of last year, which was +considered much worse than those of former years. + +At the same time it must be admitted that several of the best artists +have not sent any pictures for the last few years, and particularly the +present, when amongst the absentees might be cited Ingres, Horace +Vernet, Ary Scheffer, Delaroche, etc., who it appears were all employed +by the King or government; the consequence was, although there was an +immense mass of large historical and scriptural subjects, it was what +might have been called a most sorry display. Amongst the number one +alone evinced a superiority of talent, and that was the taking of +Mazagran by Phillippoteaux, which really had considerable merit, and the +artist it appears passed some time in Algiers, and therefore was enabled +to give a faithful representation of the inhabitants of the country. Of +miscellaneous subjects, or what the French call _tableau de genre_, +there were many most exquisite pictures, amongst the rest, the Miller, +his Son and his Ass, by H. Bellangé, which was so full of character and +expression, that it needed not language to tell the tale; there were +also several other pieces by the same artist, possessing equal merit. +An Assembly of Protestants surprised by Catholic Troops, by Karl +Girardet, was a most superior picture in Wilkie's best style; Reading +the Bible, by Edward Girardet, also exceedingly clever; but one of the +most delightful pictures in the exhibition was by Gué, of Raymond of +Toulouse reconciling himself to the Church; I never yet saw any +performance of that artist but evinced some great merit, either the +finest imagination, the most beautiful execution, or the utmost truth to +nature, according to the subject he undertakes. I should certainly +pronounce Gué as one of the best artists who now send their pictures to +the Louvre; one he had two years since of the Crucifixion, at the annual +Exhibition, which certainly was a most sublime composition, the approach +of night, with a slight glare of parting light, was most admirably +represented, and gave a sort of wild gloom which so beautifully +harmonised with the nature of the subject; he had also introduced the +dead rising from their tombs, which contributed to augment the solemn +tone which pervaded the whole picture. However lightly or frivolously +the mind might be engaged, one glance at this exquisite painting must at +once strike awe into the beholder; it was true that there was a great +similarity with one on the same subject, in the Louvre, by Karel +Dujardin, but not sufficiently so to say it was borrowed, or to detract +from its merit. T. Johanot had but one picture this year, which was very +clever, as his always are; his subjects are mostly historical, and his +illustrations of Walter Scott are universally known and admired. +Schopin is another of the French artists whose pictures will always +live, his females are so truly graceful, such sweetness of expression in +their countenances; this year he did not shine so much as he has before, +having but one picture, which was from Ruth and Boaz, and the latter was +made to appear too old. A paralyzed old Man on an Ass, which his son was +leading, was a true picture of nature, by Leleux; the vigour of the one +and the feebleness of the other were admirably contrasted, although +rather flat from wanting more shade. + +Of this description there were far too many pictures possessing merit +than I can afford room to cite, but amongst the portraits there were +some such wretched daubs, that they would have been a disgrace to any +country; in fact this is a branch in which the French are peculiarly +deficient, and in which we far surpass them. The portrait painter who +has now the greatest vogue is Winterhatter, who certainly has a great +degree of merit, but rather sacrifices the face to the drapery; his +picture of the Queen was very justly admired in many respects, but the +laboured accuracy with which the lace was given, was rendered so +conspicuous, that the eye fell upon the costume before it lighted upon +the features; this pleases the ladies, I am aware, who like to have an +exact map of their blonde and guipure, and it certainly is too much the +case that an artist is obliged to be more or less the slave of his +sitters and their friends; his miscellaneous pieces, where his pencil +roves freely, are all that is delightful. His portrait of the Comte de +Paris and the Duchess de Nemours, certainly display considerable talent. +Two favourite and fashionable portrait painters are Dubuffe and Court, +the works of the former are well known in England, they are exceedingly +attractive from their softness and brilliance, but they want the +crispness and tone of nature, the drawing also is sometimes defective. +These observations equally apply to both these artists. The younger +Dubuffe is rising rapidly in the estimation of artists. I have seen some +portraits very true to life by Coignet, Roller, Laure, Rouilliard, and +Vinchon; one of Sébastiani, by the latter, was quite nature itself. +There are several very clever painters of marine subjects, amongst +others Gudin and Isabey, and there is not any department which is more +encouraged by the King and the government; for the last several years +the former has had orders for at least a dozen each year, of naval +combats between France and her enemies, but those subjects which he +paints from his own spontaneous suggestions, are infinitely superior to +such as he executes to order. Fruits and flowers are branches of the art +in which the French artists particularly excel, one piece of flowers by +Bergon I think was one of the most perfect I have met with. + +Latterly they have much advanced in their representation of cattle, +their sheep and cows are particularly good; some draught horses by Casey +were executed with infinite spirit, as also some wild horses by +Lepoitevin. Some delightful domestic pieces must excite admiration, of +fishermen, their wives and children, by Colin, very much in the style of +our own Collins, but not quite so good, as also others by Le Camus +Duval. Several interesting subjects attracted much of my attention, by +Henry Scheffer, Meissonnier, Bouchot, Dupré, Steuben, Rubio, Signol, +Charlet, Storelli, and a few others; in water colours the French are now +advancing with rapid strides, this year there were some exquisite +specimens in that department of painting, particularly by Heroult: but +the style in which the French now are most happy, is in what they call +_pastel_, which consists in a great variety of coloured chalks, rather +harder than what we understand by crayons; the manner in which they +execute portraits about a quarter the size of life, with these +materials, is surprising, it infinitely surpasses their oil portrait or +their miniatures. There are several foreign artists within the last two +years, who have sent their works to the Louvre which must not be passed +unnoticed, amongst the rest is a Spanish artist named Villa amil, whose +interiors are far above mediocrity, and who has given us some rich +specimens of Spanish monuments, which are now admirably illustrated in a +periodical lithographic work. Our countrymen, Messrs. Callow and Barker, +have also sent several pieces, which do them and their country credit, +the former, some beautiful subjects in water colours, and the latter of +varied descriptions, in some of which the game has been particularly +admired. + +Miniature painting in France I should decidedly say was much inferior to +that of England, they are very fond of thick muddy back-grounds, their +colouring partakes of the same dirty hue, there is generally a stiffness +in the position, and much high finish without effect; there are +certainly some exceptions to this rule, at the head of which is Madame +Lezinska de Mirbel, whose miniatures are broad, bold, and natural, but +always plainer than the originals; there are a few others who have come +forward latterly, whose performances are above mediocrity. There were +some landscapes which evinced much talent, both as to composition and +execution; the selection of subjects being from some of the wild +romantic provinces of France and Switzerland, aided greatly in affording +them a certain degree of interest. Taking a comparative view of the +artists of England and France, there is no doubt, generally speaking, +that the latter are superior in drawing, and the former in colouring; +many of the French artists have latterly adopted a leady tone in their +flesh tints, which gives their figures a half dead appearance. With +whatever faults he may possess, I doubt if there be any other man that +can do so much as Horace Vernet; many may be found who may excel him in +the separate objects which he must introduce in a general historical +subject, as a landscape, an architectural building, a ship, a horse, +etc., might be better executed by such artists as have exclusively +studied any one of those subjects, but I do not think there is any +painter now living who could produce the _ensemble_ so well, and manage +to give the effect to the composition in the same masterly style as +Horace Vernet. Delaroche also has completed many pictures which with his +name will be immortal; the same may be said of Ary Scheffer, whilst +Ingres is known and cited all over Europe for the perfection of his +drawing, supposed to be the only man who could correctly draw the naked +human figure in any position without a model. In portrait and miniature +painting, landscapes and water colours, the French are still decidedly +inferior to the English artists. + +With respect to sculpture, it is so far more encouraged in France than +in England, that of course the numbers who profess it are far more +numerous in the former country, and there is a great deal of talent to +be found amongst the present French sculptors, but perhaps not quite of +the highest class. I never have seen anything which I considered so +beautiful as Bailey's Eve, and I doubt whether there are any of them who +could produce a work equal to Gibson, or that could surpass Cockerill in +the representation of a horse, still most of their statues which have +been executed for the government, are certainly better than many of +those which have been placed in different parts of London. + +There is a great taste for sculptural subjects in general throughout +Paris, numbers of houses which have been recently built are adorned with +statues, and an immense variety of devices and ornaments of different +descriptions, all of which afford employment for the young sculptor; in +fact there exists now quite a mania for decoration, and those mansions +which still remain of the middle ages present the same predilection for +rich carve-work and elaborate ornament which is now revived, and +undoubtedly it gives a very picturesque richness to the aspect of a +city. As a department of sculpture I certainly must not omit to state to +what a high degree the French have wrought the art of casting in bronze, +and I am sure I shall be procuring my readers a treat in directing them +to the establishment of M. De Braux d'Anglure, No. 8, Rue Castiglione; +they will there find an infinite variety of very splendid subjects, some +executed with the most exquisite delicacy, others in fine broad masses, +as animals the size of life, and some equestrian figures of the middle +ages after the first masters displaying the full merit of the original +designs. But that which is still more interesting is to visit M. De +Braux's foundry, and atelier, No. 15, Rue d'Astorg, where he takes a +pleasure in explaining the whole process requisite in casting the +different objects, and showing them throughout the various stages +through which they pass before they are completed. The French have +brought this art to a high perfection, which it appears is facilitated +by their having a peculiar sort of sand near Paris (which they cannot +find elsewhere), particularly serviceable for the purpose of casting. +The orders which come from England for works in bronze is immense; +whilst I was at M. de Braux's he was at work upon a bust of the Duke of +Wellington, which was part of what was to be a figure the size of life, +destined as a national monument (as M. de Braux understood) for some +part of London. The great art which he now practises, is that of casting +whole masses at once, instead of small bits which were joined together +according to the former method. Every amateur of the arts will find the +highest gratification in viewing the number of interesting objects which +present themselves in various forms at M. de Braux's atelier. + +The shopkeepers and proprietors of coffee-houses, restaurants, etc., +also have afforded much occupation to artists of moderate talent, having +reliefs and paintings introduced upon their walls, that are by no means +contemptible, and it is quite an amusement, in walking the streets of +Paris, to observe to what an extent it is carried; many of the new +houses in the most frequented thoroughfares, above the shops, are now so +handsome that if they were appropriated for national purposes would be +admired as public monuments, some of these may be remarked even in +several of the narrow shabby streets, only (as already stated) they are +compelled, by the Municipality, to build them a few feet farther back, +to give greater width to the street. One of the beauties and attractions +of Paris at the present period, is the Passages, in which are to be +found some of the most splendid assortments of every article which the +most refined luxury can desire; of such a description are the Passages +des Panoramas, Saumon, Choiseul, Vero-Dodat, Vivienne, Opera and +Colbert; in the latter is a Magasin de Nouveauté, styled the Grand +Colbert, which peculiarly merits the attention, both of the amateur and +the connaisseurs of such merchandise as will be found there displayed. +In Paris there are many establishments of this nature on the most +colossal scales, even surpassing in extent the far famed Waterloo House, +but in none is the public more honourably served, or treated with a +greater degree of courtesy and attention, than at the Grand Colbert; the +taste and discernment with which their stock is selected, does the +highest credit to the proprietors, and their premises being arranged and +decorated so as to resemble a Moresque temple, as the purchasers behold +spread around them in gay profusion all the rich and glowing tints which +Cashmere can produce, they may almost fancy that they are in some +oriental Bazaar, where the costly manufactures of those climes are +displayed for the admiring gaze of the delighted spectator. In the +choice of silks is developed the beau idéal of all that the genius, art, +and industry of Lyons can effect, which has been selected as regards the +tints and designs, with an artistical tact. A great advantage of this +establishment is that one partner is French, possessing that degree of +taste for which his countrymen are so justly celebrated in all that +relates to fancy goods, whilst the other partner is English, partaking +of that truly national character which pries deeply into the worth and +solidity of every article, before it is presented to the public. Thus +far I can speak from experience, having for sixteen years been +accustomed to purchase every thing I required at the Grand Colbert, +either in linen, drapery, mercery, hosiery, lace, millinery, etc. The +premises are entered from two different points, the Rue Vivienne, and +the Rue Neuve-des-Petits-Champs, of which streets it forms the corner. +The central position adds another recommendation to the stranger, being +close to the Palais Royal, in a street communicating with the Bourse, +and the most fashionable part of the Boulevards, but a few minutes' walk +from all the principal Theatres, at the back of the Royal Library, and +in fact in the midst of the most attractive and frequented parts of +Paris. Whilst a long range of immense squares of plate glass not only +have an ornamental appearance but have the effect of throwing so +powerful a light upon the premises that every possible advantage may be +afforded for the examination of the goods. + +Just near this spot they are about to open a new street, which will be +on the spacious and handsome plan of those which have been recently +constructed; many others are projected on the same system, and will have +a most beneficial effect, in adding to the salubrity of the capital, by +clearing away a number of little dirty lanes and alleys, hundreds of +which have already been absorbed in the great improvements which have +been effected in Paris within my recollection. The extensive projects +which are in contemplation for the embellishing of the city, would cost +some hundreds of millions of francs to carry into effect, but could +have been executed, had not so large a sum been required for the +erection of the fortifications, which are proceeding, if not rapidly, at +any rate steadily. Concerning their utility or the policy of such a +measure, opinion is much divided, but the majority conceive that such +circumstances as could render them necessary are never likely to arrive, +as they consider that by keeping the frontiers always in the best state +of defense, there never could be any fear of an army reaching Paris, as +when it occurred under Napoleon, it was after the resources of France +had been exhausted by a war of upwards of twenty years, an event that in +all probability never could happen again, and that the immense outlay of +capital might be applied to purposes so much more calculated to promote +the welfare of the country. Others contend that supposing France to be +assailed by three armies, and even that she be victorious over two of +them, and it be not the case with the third, that force might march on +Paris, which might be immediately taken if it were open as at present, +whereas if fortified, the resistance it would be enabled to make would +give time for either of the victorious armies to come to its relief. +Whilst a third party pretend that the fortifications are intended more +to operate against Paris than in its defence; that in case of any +formidable popular commotion the surrounding cannon can be pointed +against the city and inhabitants, and any refractory bands that might be +disposed to pour in from the province to join the factious could be +effectually prevented entering Paris. Whatever may be the different +opinions on the subject, every one must regret such a tremendous expense +for almost a visionary object, whilst there is so much capital and +labour required for increasing the facilities of communication by means +of improved roads, canals, or railways from the opposite points of the +kingdom. + +With respect to the ameliorations which have already been effected in +Paris, one may say that wonders have been accomplished, particularly in +regard to cleansing and paving the streets, and in all possible cases +opening and widening every available spot of ground, whereby a freer air +could be admitted. I cannot conceive how people formerly could exist in +such dirty holes emitting horrible odours, of which there still remain +too many specimens, wherein even the physical appearance of persons one +would imagine certainly must be affected, yet I have often remarked in +the midst of the narrowest and most unsightly looking streets of Paris, +numbers of persons with fresh colours and having a most healthy +appearance; it is true that there are now open spaces in all quarters, +from which a person cannot live more than about two hundred yards, the +Boulevards encircling Paris, and the Seine running through it with its +large wide quays, afford a free current of air all through the heart of +the city, then there are such a number of spacious markets, of _places_, +or, as we call them, squares, and of large gardens, which all afford +ample breathing room; whereas in London that is not the case, in many +parts, such as the city end of Holborn, Cheapside, Cornhill, Leadenhall +street, Whitechapel, etc., where you must go a long way to get any thing +like fresh air. That part of Paris termed La Cité, was the worst in that +respect, but such numbers of houses have been swept away round +Notre-Dame, that they have now formed delightful promenades with trees +and gravelled walks. + +The French are extremely fond of anything in the shape of a garden, and +you come upon them sometimes where you would least expect to find them +at the backs of houses, in the very narrow nasty little streets to which +I have alluded, but if they have no space of ground in which they can +raise a bit of something green, they will avail themselves of their +balconies, their terraces, their roofs, parapets, and I have often seen +a sort of frame-work projecting from their windows, containing flowers +and plants. They evince the same partiality for animals, to whom they +are extremely kind, and in several parts of Paris there are hospitals +for dogs and cats, where they are attended with the utmost care. I was +much amused the first time I heard of such an establishment; I went with +a lady to pay a visit to a friend, and after the usual enquiries, the +question of how is Bijou was added, in a most anxious manner: the answer +was given with a sigh. "Oh! my dear, he is at the hospital," and then +continued the lady in a somewhat less doleful tone, "but fortunately he +is going on very well, and in another week we hope he will be able to +come out." I thought all the while that they must be alluding to a +servant of the family, who had been sent to the hospital, when the lady +I had accompanied exclaimed, "Poor dear little creature." This somewhat +puzzled me, and whilst I was pondering on what it could all mean, the +other lady observed, "It is such a nice affectionate animal," and at +last I found out it was a dog which excited so much sympathy. + +I have also observed the same kind consideration towards their horses, +and remember once seeing the driver of a cabriolet take off his great +coat to cover his horse with it, and certainly at present I do not +perceive any practical proof of what used to be said of Paris, that it +was a "hell for horses, and a heaven for women," and as to the latter +case it is very evident that the females work much more than they do in +England, particularly amongst the middle-classes; accounts being +strictly attended to in the course of their education, enables them to +render most important aid in the establishments either of their husbands +or brothers, to which they devote themselves with much cheerfulness and +assiduity, arising from the manner in which they are brought up. Indeed +the general system observed in female boarding-schools in Paris is very +commendable, and as there are numbers of the English whose circumstances +will not permit of their residing in France, yet are extremely desirous +that their children should acquire a perfect knowledge of the French +language, I know not any service that I can render such persons more +important than that of recommending a seminary, in which I can +confidently state that they will not only receive all the advantages of +an accomplished education, but also be treated with maternal care; of +such a description is the establishment of Madame Loiseau. Having known +several young ladies who had been there brought up, and hearing them +always express themselves in the most affectionate manner of its +mistress, whilst the parents added their encomiums to those of their +children, I was tempted to pay Madame Loiseau a visit, that I might be +empowered to recommend her establishment, by having the advantage of +ocular demonstration added to that of oral testimony. + +I have known several boarding-schools in my own country, but never any +one which was superior in regard to the extreme of neatness and +cleanliness, or possessing a more perfect system of regularity, which +appears to prevail in that of Madame Loiseau; although mine was rather +an early morning call, yet all was in the nicest order. The house, which +is in the Rue Neuve de Berri, No. 6, just close to the Champs Elysées, +the favourite quarter of the English, is most advantageously situated, +facing a park, and at the back is a good sized garden, with shaded +walks, well calculated for the recreation of the pupils, and there is +besides a spacious gymnasium, where the young ladies can always practise +those exercises so much recommended for the promotion of health, when +the weather will not permit of taking the air. The premises are so +extensive, that different rooms are appropriated for different studies, +the one for drawing, another for writing, several for music, etc., +etc.; there is a chapel attached to the establishment, which is adapted +to those who are of the Catholic persuasion, whilst the English +Protestant pupils are sent with a teacher of their own country, either +to the Ambassador's or to the Marboeuf English chapel, both of which +are near to the residence of Madame Loiseau. The masters for the +different accomplishments are judiciously selected, and although much +attention is devoted to enriching the minds of the pupils with the +beauties of literature, and elegant acquirements, Madame Loiseau takes +still more pains in instructing them in every social duty, towards +rendering them exemplary, either as daughters, wives, or mothers. In +case of any pupils proving unwell, apartments are appropriated to them, +separated from the dormitories, where they receive the most assiduous +attention; baths are amongst other conveniences contained within the +establishment. The table is most liberally supplied, and on those days +which are observed as fasts by the catholics, joints are prepared for +the protestants, the same as upon other days. The terms are moderate, +proportioned to the advantages which are offered. + +The physical appearance of the French strikes me as having undergone a +considerable change; when I was a child, I can remember a host of +emigrants who used to live mostly about Somers Town, and impressed me +with the idea of their being tall and meagre, exactly as I was +accustomed to see them represented in the caricatures; I remember +particularly remarking that they had thin visages, hollow cheeks, long +noses and chins, that I used to observe they were all features and no +face, they had besides a sort of grouty snuffy appearance; of the +females I have less recollection, except that I thought they looked +rather yellow, and generally took snuff. When I came to France, +therefore, I was very much struck with the change, particularly in the +young men, whom I found with small features, and generally round faces, +of the middle height, and well made, not so dark or so pale as I +expected to find them. The same description applies to the females; +there is not so much red and white as we are accustomed to see in +England, nor the soft blue eye, nor flaxen nor golden hair, nor +generally speaking such fine busts, and I know not why, but the French +women have almost always shorter necks, but they have mostly very pretty +little feet and ankles, and although their features may not be regular +or handsome, taken separately, yet the ensemble is generally pleasing; +their eyes are fine and expressive, and after all, in my opinion, +expression is the soul of beauty. The female peasantry of France take no +pains in guarding against the sun and wind, but merely wear caps, +consequently get very much tanned, and look old very soon: whereas the +Englishwomen preserve their appearance much longer by wearing bonnets, +and particularly pokes, which effectually shelter the face. The sun also +has more power in most parts of France, and the women work harder than +in England, therefore cannot wear so well. + +Proportioned to the price of provisions, wages are higher in France than +in England; you cannot have an able bodied man in Paris, for the lowest +description of work, for less than 40 sous a day, those who are now +working at the fortifications have 50, that being the minimum, and if a +person understand any trade, 3, 4, and 5 francs are the usual prices, +and those who are considered clever at their business often get more. +But many a young man's advancement in life is impeded by the +conscription; it often occurs that an industrious shopman, or artisan, +has with economy saved some hundred francs, when he is drawn for the +army, and glad to appropriate his little savings towards procuring him +some comforts more than the common soldier is allowed; the troops +generally are very quiet and orderly behaved, in the different towns +where they are quartered, but the infantry have not a very brilliant +appearance, having found small men so very active and serviceable in +climbing the rocks, enduring fatigue, and braving all kinds of +impediments, men two inches shorter than would have before been +received, were admitted into the ranks, the consequence is that the +regiments of the line now make but a poor display, as regards the height +of the men, and indeed in their manner of marching, and carrying their +muskets, some nearly upright others more horizontally, they have not a +regular orderly appearance, like many of the other troops on the +Continent; most of the largest sized men are taken up for the cavalry, +and very well looking fellows they many of them are, particularly in +the Carabineers, which, in regard to the height of the men, is a +remarkably fine regiment, but might be much more so, if the government +paid that attention which is devoted by other powers to the selections +for their choice regiments; in the Carabineers there are men as much as +six feet three, and four, and others as short as five feet ten, whilst +in other regiments, such as the Lancers and Dragoons, they have here and +there men above six feet, which if placed in the Carabineers, and those +who were the shortest in that corps removed into the others, all those +regiments would be improved, as being rendered more even, whilst the +Carabineers would then be equal in appearance, with regard to the men, +to any regiment in the world. With respect to the horses, it would be +more difficult to render it as perfect as our Life Guards, and as to +their bridles and equipments in general (except their regimentals) there +is often an inequality and want of care and attention as to uniformity +of appearance, but throughout all the French cavalry, the men have an +excellent command over their horses. I have been at many grand reviews +both in France and in England, and in the former I never saw a man +thrown, whereas in the latter it has frequently occurred, either from +the horse falling or other circumstances. + +With regard to the French army in general, the effect is that of the men +having individually a degree of independent appearance, or as if each +man acted for himself, instead of being as one solid machine set in +motion as it were by a sort of spring, which moving the whole mass, all +the parts must operate together. The French infantry, in point of +marching, are an exact contrast to the most highly disciplined troops of +Russia and Prussia, who pretend to assert that they have regiments who +can march with such extreme steadiness and regularity, that every man +may have a glass of wine upon his head and not a drop will be spilt; +attempt the same thing with a French regiment, and wine and glass would +soon be on the ground, and in all their military proceeding there is an +apparent slovenliness and irregularity, a want of closeness and +compactness in their movements; with regard to outward appearance, the +National Guard have the advantage on a field day, as there is a sort of +_esprit du corps_ between the legions, which causes them to take great +pains with regard to the _tenue_ of their respective battalions; but +after all, the great force of the French army is _enthusiasm_, and that +would be excited to a much greater degree in a war with England, than +with any other power, because they have been so taunted by the English +press, with the old absurd doctrine, viz., that one Englishman can beat +three Frenchmen, and several papers lately raked up the battles of +Cressy, Poitiers, Agincourt, etc., but the reply of the French is +indisputable, that those successes were most efficiently revenged, when +it is remembered that England was in possession of the whole of the +provinces of Guienne, Normandy, great part of Picardy and French +Flanders, some portions of which were under England for nearly 500 +years, but that we were overcome in such a succession of battles, that +ultimately we were beaten out of every acre we had left in France; +Calais, which surrendered to the Duke de Guise, in the reign of Mary, +being the last place which we retained. These of course, as historical +facts, cannot be denied. But I certainly do consider that portion of the +English press much to blame, in recurring to events so distant, for the +purpose of wounding national feeling; the effect has been to provoke +reply on the part of the French press, and in all the virulence of party +spirit, in defending their country against the odium cast upon her, they +have been led into some of the most illiberal statements which have had +a very baneful effect upon many persons, in exciting an extreme +irritation against England; but generally speaking, the French people, +if left alone, do not desire war with the English; if it were only for +the sake of their interests, it is natural for the French to wish for +peace with England, as her subjects are amongst the most liberal +purchasers of the produce of the soil and manufactures of France. + +The party the most anxious for war with England, is the navy, and they +bitterly feel the sting which goads within them, of their having been so +beaten by our fleets, and pant for an opportunity to efface the stain +which they certainly do feel now tarnishes the honour of their flag. +They consider, also, that the circumstances under which they were +opposed to the forces of England, were so disadvantageous, that no +other result could have been expected than such as occurred, as when the +war broke out in 1793, France had not one experienced admiral in the +service; all possessing any practical knowledge of naval affairs, being +staunch adherents to the royal cause, had either quitted France, or +retired from the navy, de Grasse, d'Éstaing, Entrecasteux, d'Orvilliers, +Suffren, Bougainville and several others. The consequence was, that the +command of the fleets were given to men who acquitted themselves very +ably in the management of a single vessel, but were not at all competent +to the office with which the necessity of circumstances invested them, +and although there were several encounters between the frigates of the +two nations, in which the reputation of both were well sustained, yet of +the power of so doing, the French were soon deprived, by Napoleon, who +at one period in his ardour for military glory, sacrificed the navy, by +taking from it the best gunners in order to supply his artillery; also +the choicest and ablest men were selected wherever they could be found, +to fill up the ranks of the army, which were being constantly thinned by +the universal war which he was always waging with the greater part of +Europe. The ships were then manned with whatever refuse could be picked +up, and a Lieutenant Diez told me, that the crew of the vessel to which +he belonged was such, that they had not above twenty men who could go +aloft, and had they met with an English vessel of the same size, they +must have been taken without the least difficulty. But the officers in +the present French navy know that the case is now very different, for +the last twenty years the greatest attention has been devoted to that +arm, which is candidly acknowledged on the part of our naval officers, +of which I remember an instance at Smyrna, whilst dining at the English +consul's with eight or ten of them, being the commanders of the ships +which composed the English fleet, then lying at Vourla, when the +conversation falling upon the French navy, it was observed that nothing +could be more perfect than its state at that period, every man, down to +a cabin boy, knowing well his duty, and all the regulations and +manoeuvres being carried on with such perfect order and regularity. +There are however some advantages which we still maintain, afforded by +our foreign commerce being the most extensive, enabling us always to +have a greater number of sailors, and generally speaking more +experienced seamen, and a French naval captain who has seen a good deal +of service, once observed that there was another point in which we had a +superiority, and that was with respect to our ship's carpenters, which +was particularly illustrated in the combat at Navarin, as the morning +after the action the English were far in advance of the French, with +regard to the repairs which had been rendered necessary from the damages +which had been sustained. + +The French now have several officers who are experienced practical men, +in whom the navy has great confidence, as, Admirals Duperré, Hugon, +Rosamel, Lalande, Beaudin, Roussin, Bergeret, Mackau, Casey, etc., all +of whose names have been before the public in different affairs in which +they have created their present reputation. During the present reign, +every means has been adopted to infuse within the minds of the French an +interest for naval affairs, hence apartments have been fitted up in the +Louvre, as before stated, with models, and representations of all +connected with a ship, whilst the best artists have been employed to +paint different naval actions, which have reflected honour on the French +flag, and really I had no idea that they could have cited so many +instances, in regard to encounters with our shipping, but on reference +to James's Naval History, they will be found mainly correct, giving some +latitude for a little exaggeration in their own favour, a habit to which +I believe every nation is more or less prone. The government have +certainly succeeded beyond their wishes, in engendering an extreme +anxiety in the people with regard to the navy, which has just been +elicited, in the singular anomaly of the opposition voting on the motion +of M. Lacrosse a greater sum by three millions of francs for the navy +than the minister demanded. With an eye also to the marine, +Louis-Philippe has made some sacrifices to the promotion and extension +of foreign commerce, and not without a considerable degree of success. + +There is not at present any branch of art, science, or industry, that +the French are not making great exertions to encourage, for that object +many societies and companies are formed, of which I will state a few of +the most important. There are four societies styled Athenæum, the Royal, +which is at the Palais-Royal, No. 2, devoted to literature, and three +others at the Hôtel de Ville for music, for medicine, and for the arts. +The Geographical Society, Rue de l'Université, 23. Royal Antiquarian +Society, Rue des Petits-Augustins, No. 16. Asiatic Society, and for +elementary Instruction, Agriculture, Moral Christianity, No. 12, Rue +Taranne. Society for universal French Statistics, Place Vendôme, 24. The +Protestant Bible Society of Paris, Rue Montorgueil. Geological Society, +Rue du Vieux-Colombier, No. 26. Philotechnic Society, No. 16, Rue des +Petits-Augustins. Philomatic Society, Entomological, and for natural +History, No. 6, Rue d'Anjou, Faubourg St. Germain. Society for +intellectual Emancipation, No. 11, Rue St. Georges, as also a variety of +other medical, surgical, phrenological, etc., etc., a number of schools +besides those I have already alluded to, veterinary, for mosaic work, +technography, and other purposes. + +Although I have observed that in great commercial undertakings, the +French are very slow and cautious, yet they are progressing visibly; +there are now thirty-four coal mines at work in various parts of France, +belonging to different public companies more or less flourishing, +besides private enterprises, 16 more in agitation where coal has been +found, and societies formed but not yet in active operation, and 15 now +working in Belgium, of which the sharers are principally French. There +are twenty Asphalte and Bitumen companies. Thirty-five Assurance +companies, between twenty and thirty railway ditto, about the same +number for canals and nearly as many for steam boats, and for bridges +projected about 20, for gas, 14, for the bringing into cultivation the +marshes and waste lands, 7, for markets, bazaars, and dépôts, 10, and +for manufactures of glass, earthenware, soap and a variety of other +things, there are about forty more public companies. These are such as +now still offer their shares for sale; there are many others which have +been for a length of time established, which no longer issue either +advertisement or prospectus, but when enterprises of this kind are +undertaken in France they generally succeed. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + The Literature of the time being, principal authors. Music; its + ancient date in France, performers, and singers. + + +Of the present state of literature in France, it is not possible to draw +a very flattering picture; there is a good deal of moderate talent but +certainly none that is transcendental, which remark may be applied to +statesmen, orators, authors, artists, etc.; as to poetry there appears +at present so little taste for it, and writers seem so thoroughly aware +of its being the case, that they have too much good sense to attempt to +obtrude it upon the public, and those who had obtained a certain +reputation as poets seem to write no more. The works of de Lamartine +certainly have many admirers, displaying a pleasing style of +versification fraught with beautiful imagery, a happy arrangement of +ideas enwreathed within the flowers of language, but little or no +originality. As if himself conscious of that circumstance, he brought +forth his Chute d'un Ange (the fall of an angel), which caused his own +_fall_ at the same time; if his sole desire was to attain originality, +he gained his point, but at the price of common sense; the majority of +the public appear to have been of this opinion, and M. de Lamartine +seems to have passed from poetry to politics, being now one of the best +and most conspicuous speakers in the Chamber of Deputies. A certain tone +runs through M. de Lamartine's works, that leads one to infer he has +deeply read and admired Lord Byron. M. Casimir Delavigne was a great +favourite at one period; it might be my want of taste, or a deficiency +in the knowledge of the French language sufficient to relish that class +of poetry, but certainly I found his works laboured and tedious, and +could not in spite of all my efforts derive any pleasure from their +perusal. The productions of Béranger are confined within a very small +compass, but containing that which causes one to regret that his works +are not more voluminous. The true nerve and genius of poetry, +continually sparkling throughout his writings, as a patriotic feeling +and a generous love of liberty formed the principal points in his +character. The efforts to suppress that spirit which was attempted in +the reign of Charles X called forth the powers of his muse, but since +the accession of the present monarch to the throne, as all has been +conducted on a more liberal system, his pen has lain dormant, which has +disappointed all who have read and admired those effusions of a free and +exalted mind, which he has at present published, and led to the hope +that they would be continued. Of Victor Hugo's productions I need say +but little, as they are so generally known in England, particularly his +Notre-Dame de Paris, which has been dramatised under the title of +Quasimodo and acted at Covent Garden, as well as at other theatres, and +few I believe there are who have not felt some sympathy for Esmeralda. +When Victor Hugo wrote this, the works of Sir Walter Scott I think were +bearing upon his mind; his poems and dramatic pieces at one period +created much sensation, and undoubtedly possess a certain tone of merit. +The Comte Alfred de Vigny is the author of one work which may be +considered as a gem amongst the mass of publications which emanate from +the French press of that nature; it is entitled, Cinq-Mars, an +historical novel, which is decidedly one of the best and most +interesting of any that have appeared either in England or in France for +several years past; he has also written a tragedy on the subject of the +unfortunate Chatterton, which at the time it came out excited a deep +interest, but M. de Vigny, like many of the present literary characters +in France, appears resting on his oars. Not so with Alexandre Dumas, +whose prolific pen appears like himself to be ever active; what with +travelling to different countries, then publishing accounts of his +wanderings, novels of divers descriptions, detached pieces, and dramatic +productions, he must be constantly on the _qui vive_. There are very +different opinions respecting his writings, they certainly possess a +good deal of spirit, some of them considerable feeling, and are +generally amusing. Of novel writers there are many, but unfortunately +the bad taste prevails of introducing subjects in them that prevent +their being read by females, with a few exceptions; those of Balzac are +by no means devoid of merit and are exceedingly entertaining, and some +there are which any one may peruse of Eugène Sue, who has lately been +knighted by the King of the Netherlands; the same may be said, although +of the latter description there exist but few. Those of Paul de Kock are +well known in other countries as well as France; they are very clever +and exceedingly amusing, but partake of the fault alluded to. As a +female writer and translator, Madame Tastu may be cited as having +produced works which do credit to her taste and judgment. Madame Emile +de Girardin, well known as Delphine Gay, is a talented writer, but would +have been more esteemed had she steered clear of political subjects. +Monsieur and Madame Ancelot both write tales and dramatic pieces, which +are justly admired; but the author to whom the stage is most indebted is +Scribe, who perhaps is one of the most multitudinous writers existing; +his works completely made and sustained the Theatre du Gymnase, besides +greatly contributing to the success of others. In consequence of their +having been so much translated, and adapted to the English stage, they +are almost as well known in one country as the other. M. Scribe is a man +who is highly esteemed on account of his liberality to literary +characters, and his extreme generosity to all who are in need of his +aid. Of authors on more solid subjects there are not many who now +continue to write, several of the most conspicuous having become +completely absorbed in politics; of such a description is M. Guizot, +whose works are generally known and admired, particularly his +Commentaries on the English Revolution; partly a continuation of the +same subject, it is stated he has now in preparation, but placed at the +helm of the nation, as he now is, his time is too much occupied to be +devoted to any other object than affairs of state, and his position is +such as requires the exertion of every power of thought and mind to +sustain, against its numerous and indefatigable assailants. + +M. Thiers owes his success in life to his literary productions, and his +talents as an author are universally admitted; his History of the French +Revolution is as well known in England as in France, and generally +allowed to be the best work upon the subject, but he is also so totally +engaged in political affairs, that the public cannot derive much +advantage from the effusions of his pen, as it is impossible that they +can be very voluminous, when his time and abilities are so exclusively +appropriated to a still more important object; but it is understood that +it is his intention to afford the world the benefit of other works which +are now in embryo. The same remarks may in a degree be applied to M. +Villemain, who has written upon literature, in which he has displayed +considerable ability, but having become an active Minister of +Instruction, of his publications there is at present a complete +cessation. Nearly a similar instance may be cited in M. Cousin, who has +written very ably upon philosophy and metaphysics, but as a peer of +France, literature has been forced to succumb to politics, his talents +also being directed into the latter channel. Amidst this general languor +which seems to have come over France, with regard to the exertions of +her most eminent authors, there are a few who occupy themselves with +history, which now appears to be the most favourite study with those who +devote their minds to reading; the very delightful work on the Norman +Conquest, by M. Thierri, I trust is well known to many of my readers, or +if not, I wish it may be so, as it cannot do otherwise than give them +pleasure; he has written several other things, and amongst the rest +Récit des Temps Mérovingiens, which is highly interesting. A work of +considerable merit, is l'Histoire des Ducs de Bourgogne, by Monsieur de +Barante. M. Capefigue has published many historical productions, and +amongst the rest a Life of Napoleon, which is perhaps one of the most +impartial extant, and very interesting, as containing a sort of +recapitulation of facts, without any endeavour to palliate such of his +actions as stern justice must condemn. M. Mignet has also chosen the +path of history, and has not followed it unsuccessfully; the foundation +of his present prosperity consisting entirely in his writings, there are +several other authors of minor note who have adopted the same course, +but not any who have created any great sensation, or effected any +permanent impression on the public. + +The only living author whose name is likely to descend to posterity is +that of Chateaubriand, who, although he has never been a writer of +poetry, may be considered the greatest poet in France, as there is so +much of imagination and of soul in his prose, so much of sublimity in +his ideas, that the works in verse of his contemporaries appear insipid +when compared to the wild flights of genius which ever emerge from his +pen, yet when they are closely studied, and deeply sounded for their +solid worth, it will be found that they consist merely of beautiful +imagery, elegantly turned phrases, a sort of flash of sentiment, which +catches the ear, but appeals not to the understanding, a gorgeous +superstructure, as it were, without a firm foundation for its basis. As +for example, in his preface to Attila, alluding to Napoleon, he observes +"Qu'il était envoyé par la Providence, comme une signe de réconciliation +quand elle était lasse de punir." Which may be rendered thus: that +Napoleon was sent upon earth by Providence as a sign of reconciliation, +when she was fatigued with punishing; this is certainly very pretty, but +I will appeal to common sense, whether there was aught of fact to +support such an assertion? Even those who were the most enthusiastic +admirers of the martial genius of Bonaparte, could not participate in +the fulsome compliment paid to their hero by M. Chateaubriand; but when +strictly scrutinized, all his works will generally be found of the same +tissue; yet, as there is so often a wild grandeur in his conceptions and +in his mode of expressing them, whilst they are arrayed in all the grace +and beauty which language can bestow, his volumes will always find a +place in every well-assorted library, when probably those of most of the +other French authors of the present period will be consigned to +oblivion, excepting such as have written upon history, which will always +maintain their ground, as they are in a degree works of reference. + +There are several very clever men who write for the newspapers, or what +may be styled pamphleteers, amongst whom are Jules Janin, and Alphonse +Karr; the latter publishes a satirical work called the Guêpe, which +possesses the talent of being very severe and stinging wherever it +fixes. M. Barthélemy has written some poetry much in the same strain, +which is rather pungent, but he latterly appears to have sunk into the +same slumber which seems to have enveloped so many of the present +literary men of France. M. Deschamps now and then produces some poetic +effusions which are pleasing, and prove the author to be possessed of +that ability which would induce a wish that his works were less brief +and more frequently before the public. But taking all into +consideration, this is by no means a literary era in France; the +nineteenth century has not yet produced any such names as Montesquieu, +Voltaire, Rousseau, and many others, who have shed a lustre on the +French name; there are no doubt many clever men still living who have +written scientific works upon medicine, surgery, natural history, +physiology, botany, astronomy, etc., whilst the names of De Jussieu and +Arago, as eminent in the latter sciences, are known all over Europe, as +well as many others who are celebrated in their different departments. + +Although the present age is not fecund in the production of French +genius as relates to the polite arts, yet there never was a period when +there was more anxiety for their promotion, and now all classes read; +but the reading of the lower orders consists principally of a political +nature; the newspapers now however have what is called a _feuilleton_, +which embraces many subjects, and appears to interest all; the +criticisms on the theatrical performances are perused with much avidity, +an extreme partiality for dramatic representations still forms a +considerable portion of the French character, as also a general love of +music, without being at all particular as to its quality; no matter how +trifling it be, as long as there is any thing of an air distinguishable +it will please. There are at present a host of composers in France +whose fame will probably be not so long as their lives; Paris is +inundated every year with a number of insignificant ballads which just +have their day, and if perchance there should be one or more that are +really clever amongst the mass of dross which comes forth, after a +twelvemonth no one would think of singing it because it has already been +pronounced _ancienne_, and it is completely laid aside, and in a few +years so totally cast in oblivion, that it cannot even be procured of +any of the music-sellers, or anywhere else: this was the case with some +delightful airs which appeared about ten years since, and which are now +nowhere to be found, although once having excited quite a sensation. The +French cannot certainly be considered as a musical nation, yet many of +their airs are full of life, and quite exhilarating, whilst others have +a degree of pathos which touches the heart; still none of their music +has the nerve, the depth, the sterling solidity of the German, nor the +elegance nor grace of the Italian. Yet some composers they have whose +works will have more than an ephemeral fame, amongst whom may be cited +Aubert, whose music is not only admired in France but throughout all +Europe; another author of extreme merit is Onslow, whose productions are +not so voluminous or so extensively known as those of Aubert, but +possessing that intrinsic worth which will increase in estimation as it +descends to posterity: the compositions of Halévy and Berlioz have also +some degree of merit. But amongst the numerous productions which have +emanated from the French composers for the last fifty years, one there +is that for soul and grandeur stands unrivalled, and that is the +Marseilles Hymn, or March, by Rouget de Lille; perhaps there exists no +air so calculated to inspire martial ardour, and there is no doubt but +that it had considerable effect upon the enthusiastic republicans in +exciting them to rush into what they considered the struggle for liberty +and honour; it appears to have been an inspiration which must have +suddenly lighted upon the composer, as none of his works either before +or since ever created any particular sensation. Although of far distant +date, the old air of Henry IV must certainly be placed amongst the gems +of French musical composition; there is a peculiar wildness in it, which +gives it a tone of romance, and reminds one of very olden time, there is +in it an originality, a something unlike anything else; the Breton and +Welsh airs alone resemble it in some degree, and in both those countries +they pretend that they are of Celtic origin. Music is of very ancient +origin in France: in 554 profane singing was forbidden on holy days; in +757, King Pepin received a present of an organ, from Constantin VI; a +tremendous quarrel occurred between the Roman and Gallic musicians, in +the time of Charlemagne, and two professors are cited, named Benedict +and Theodore, who were pupils of St. Gregory; but the most ancient +melodies extant, and which are perfectly well authenticated, are the +songs of the Troubadours of Provence, who principally flourished from +the year 1000 to the year 1300. Saint Louis was a great patron of +music, so much so that in 1235 he granted permission to the Paris +minstrels, who had formed themselves into a company, to pass free +through the barriers of the city, provided they entertained the +toll-keepers with a song and made their monkies dance. At that period +they had as many as thirty instruments in use; the form of some of them +are now totally lost. Rameau is the only French composer whose name and +compositions may be said to have had any permanent reputation, which +does not now stand particularly high out of his own country; Lulli, +Gluck, and Gretry were not born in France, although it was their +principal theatre of action. It remains to be proved whether the works +of Boïeldieu will stand the test of time, as also of those composers who +are still living and are the most esteemed. + +Much may be said of the French musical performers, who certainly may be +considered to excel upon several different instruments, particularly on +the harp, which all can testify who have ever heard Liebart. There are +also a number of ladies to be met with in private society who play +extremely well; the same may be said with regard to the piano-forte, but +although there are many professors who astonish by their execution, yet +they have not produced any equal to a Liszt or Thalberg; I have even +amongst amateurs known some young ladies develop a lightness and +rapidity of finger quite surprising, and far surpassing what I have +generally met with in England (except with the most accomplished +professors), but I do not consider that they play with so much feeling +and expression as I have often found even with female performers in my +own country, and which affords me a much higher gratification, as +fingering is after all but mechanical, which may astonish, but will +never enchant. On the violin they have produced some very fine players, +as also upon other instruments, and the bands at their operas can hardly +be too highly praised. But their music which has afforded me the most +delight has been the performances of their first masters on some of +their magnificent organs; on those occasions I heard the most exquisite +feeling and expression displayed, and have known the most powerful +sensations excited; this most superlative enjoyment I have experienced +at the churches of Notre-Dame, St. Sulpice, St. Eustache, and St. Roch, +but it happens only on particular and rare occasions, and it is +difficult to find out when such performances will take place; sometimes +it is announced in Galignani's paper but not always, and their sacred +music is often most exquisite particularly that which is vocal. + +In respect to singing, although the Conservatory of Music and the most +talented masters give every advantage to the pupil of theory and +science, yet they cannot confer a fine quality of voice where it has not +been afforded by nature, and that deficiency I find generally existing +with the French females; they will often attain an extreme height with +apparent facility, and even will manage notes at the same time so low +that no fault can be found with the compass of their voices, nor any +lack of flexibility; their execution being perfectly clean and correct. +I have frequently heard them run the chromatic scale with extreme +distinctness and apparent ease, and acquit themselves admirably in the +performance of the most intricate and difficult passages, all of which +is the result of good teaching and attentive application of the pupil, +but sweetness of tone exists not in their voices, which are generally +thin and wiry; they want that depth and roundness which gives the swell +of softness and beauty to the sound; hence there is generally a want of +expression in their singing as well as their playing. Of course there +are exceptions, and Madame Dorus-Gras may be cited as such, as well as +many others, who have won the admiration of the public. The voices of +the men are better, often very powerful, possessing extremely fine bass +notes, but many of them have even still a horrid habit of singing their +notes through the nose. I don't know whether it is that they regard +their nasal promontory in the light of a trumpet, so considering it as a +sort of instrumental accompaniment to their vocal performance, but +although it is a practice which is wearing off, there is a great deal +too much of it left. Nourrit had none of it, his voice was firm and +sweet, and few men have I ever heard sing with so much feeling. Duprez +is also a singer of no common stamp, and of whom any nation might be +proud, and I have often met men in society sing together most +delightfully, either duets, trios, or quartettos, and totally devoid of +the nasal twang, or, as the reader will observe, delightful it could not +be. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + Instructions for strangers; remarks upon the feelings and behaviour + of the lower classes of the Parisians. Political ideas prevailing + in Paris. Observations upon the present statesmen. + + +There are certain regulations to be observed at Paris which we are not +accustomed to in our own country; on a stranger's arrival he is +conducted to an hôtel, either to that to which he is recommended, or he +fixes upon one of which he hears the most extravagant praises from +persons who attend with cards, and even throw them into the carriage +before it stops; on whichever the traveller may make his selection the +same plan is to be followed, make your arrangement as to price before +you install yourself, either per day, per week, or per month; you may +make your agreement to take your meals from the people of the hôtel, or +to send for it from a restaurateur, or to go and dine at one, as you may +think proper; the latter plan is found the most agreeable for a +stranger, as he sees more of the people by so doing, and can try several +different restaurants, which he will find very amusing, and some of +them, from the beautiful manner of fitting up, are well worth seeing; +the prices vary from a franc to six or seven francs, according to their +celebrity. Every hôtel has a porter, to whom you must give your key +whenever you go out, and then the mistress of the house is answerable +for anything which may be missing, but if you leave your key in the door +whilst you are absent, you cannot make any claim for whatever may have +been lost; at night, on the contrary, after the gates are shut, when you +retire to bed, and you let it remain outside, should anything be stolen, +the mistress is accountable, as it is supposed that when all is closed +in, everything is then under the safeguard of the porter, for whose +conduct the mistress is considered liable. According to the style of the +hôtel in which you take up your abode, the porter will expect +remuneration; at one that is moderate, and not in a first-rate +situation, six sous a day is sufficient, but in most hôtels about the +fashionable quarters half a franc is the usual sum expected; for this +your bed is made, your boots and shoes cleaned, as also your room, and +your clothes brushed; they likewise take in messages or letters, and +answer all enquiries respecting you, direct the visiters to your +apartment, etc., but if you send them out anywhere, no matter how short +the distance, they always charge at least ten sous for it; it is one of +the dearest things I know in France, that of charging for every little +errand or commission. + +At some of the hôtels there are commissioners who make offers of their +services, to conduct strangers to different shops or warehouses, for the +purpose of making their purchases, but too much reliance must not be +placed on those gentry, as they often exact contributions from the +shopkeepers for bringing travellers to their shops, when they naturally +must charge so much the more upon the goods in order to pay the +commissioner. + +Tradesmen from London particularly are often misled in that manner, but +in proceeding to such establishments as those I have stated, which are +respectable wholesale houses, such as Messrs. Bellart, Louis, Delcambre, +for lace, ribband, and silk, 2ter Rue Choiseul, etc., they will +never be deceived; I will also add another establishment which has +existed for many years and always conducted their business on equitable +terms, being that of M. Langlais-Quignolot, No. 10, Rue Chapon, where he +executes orders for London on a most extensive scale for net gloves, +purses and reticules. He lives in the neighbourhood where many of the +wholesale houses are situated, and would willingly inform any stranger +of the most respectable in the different branches required. The +different articles to be seen at M. Langlais' warehouse are got up in a +most superior style and at prices so reasonable, that it is quite +surprising when compared to the charges made for the same goods in +London, where undoubtedly they have duty and carriage to pay. He has +lately brought into vogue some most beautiful little purses called +Rebecca, being exactly in the form of the pitcher with which she is +represented at the well; their appearance is most ornamental, and +although very small they distend so as to hold as much as most ladies +would like to lose in an evening at cards. M. Langlais has already sent +over numbers to London, which must now be making their appearance in +Regent Street, but I recommend my countrywomen when at Paris to pay him +a visit themselves, as he does not refuse a retail customer although his +is a wholesale house; he has a most extensive assortment of all +varieties of purses and net gloves and reticules, from which numbers of +shops in Paris and London are supplied, and of course being the fountain +head the articles may be procured on advantageous terms of M. Langlais. + +There is one precaution I would recommend all travellers to adopt, and +that is always to keep their passports, about them; in case they happen +to pass any exhibition or building that is open to a stranger on +producing his passport, it is well to be provided with it, or if he +should meet with any accident, or that any casuality should occur, it +will always be found useful. When you arrive at the port where you +disembark in coming from England, your passport is taken from you and +sent on to Paris, and what is called a Carte de Sûreté is given you +instead, for which you pay 2 francs; this you must give to the mistress +of the hôtel where you lodge at Paris, and she will procure your +original passport for you from the police, or if you choose you may go +for it yourself, and save the charge of the commissioner who would be +employed to fetch it. In returning to England, you take it to the +English Ambassador's to be signed, and from thence to the police for the +same purpose, but only state that you are going to the port from whence +you are to embark, as if you say that you are going to England they send +you to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for his signature, where there is +a charge of ten francs, which there is not the slightest necessity of +incurring. I have been very often from Paris to London and never paid by +following the plan I have stated, but for a permit to embark there is +always 30 sous to pay, at the port on quitting the country. + +In all the diligences throughout France the places are numbered, and he +who comes first has the first choice, in which case most persons choose +No. 1, but others who prefer sitting with their backs to the horses +select No. 3; this excellent regulation prevents any kind of dispute +about seats. If you have much luggage you are required to send it an +hour or so before the coach starts, and in travelling by the Malle-Poste +(or Mail) if your trunk be very large, and weighty, they will not take +it, therefore you must ascertain that point when you take your place; it +is always sent by a diligence which follows, but a delay is occasioned +which sometimes proves inconvenient. The mails are dearer than the +diligence, and some go eleven miles an hour. + +With regard to posting, the price is 2 francs each horse for a +miriametre or six miles and a quarter, and as many horses as there are +persons in the carriage must be paid for; 15 sous is what should be +given to the postillion, but most people give a franc. The posting is +entirely in the hands of government, and where the horses are kept is +not always an inn; but wherever it may be, printed regulations are kept +to which the traveller may demand a reference, if he imagine its rules +are not fulfilled. For 4 francs a book may be purchased which gives a +most detailed account of every thing connected with posting; all the +charges must be paid in advance. Coaches may be hired in Paris at from +20 to 30 francs a day, with which you may go into the country, but must +be back before midnight. An excellent and most useful establishment will +be found at No. 49, Rue de Miroménil, Faubourg St. Honoré, called +Etablissement d'Amsterdam, where there are above 300 carriages +constantly kept, either for hire, for sale, or for exchange; it is also +a locality where persons may sell or deposit their carriages for any +period of time they think proper, and can likewise have it repaired if +required; they will besides find every description of harness and +sadlery. Horses also are taken in to keep, or bought or sold. The +establishment is most complete in all its appointments, is very +extensive and kept in the most perfect state of order. There are some +carriages amongst the immense variety that may thoroughly answer the +purpose for travelling, which can be procured at extremely low prices, +whilst others there are, very handsome and perfectly new, which are of +course charged in proportion. The proprietors are extremely civil, and +ever ready to show their premises to any visiter who may wish to see +them. + +A fiacre, or hackney coach, is 30 sous each course, for which you may +go from barrier to barrier, which might be five miles; but if you only +go a few yards the price is the same. If you hire it per hour the first +is 45 sous and afterwards 30 sous; after midnight, 2 francs each course +and 3 per hour; a few sous are always given to the coachman, which may +be varied according to the length of the course. Chariots are 25 sous +per course, 35 first hour, afterwards 30. Cabriolets 20 sous the course +and first hour 35, afterwards 30; but as all these prices are subject to +change with new regulations, it is not worth while to give any farther +detail. The General Post-Office is in the Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, but +there are other places where you may put in your letters for England, +although not many if you wish to pay. In the exchange there is a box for +receiving letters for all parts; and in the square to the left is an +office where you can pay your letter, which is always 40 sous to London +if it be not over weight. Whatever you bring over that is liable to pay +duty at the custom-house, if you take it back with you on your return to +England, on producing the articles and the receipt of what you have +paid, you can reclaim whatever you have disbursed; this particularly +applies to carriages and to plate, only you must not neglect to demand a +receipt at the time you pay, and to take care of it, as I have known +many instances of persons losing them, and then their reclamations are +useless. I have never found them very severe in the custom-houses in +France, but am convinced that the best plan on both sides of the water +is to give your keys to the commissioner of the inn where you put up; by +displaying no anxiety on the subject, the officers conclude that you +have not any thing of importance, and will pass your things over more +lightly than if you were present, as when witnesses are by they like to +preserve the appearance of doing their duty strictly. I have seen some +of the English bluster and go in a passion about having their things +tumbled about, as they expressed it, but it only makes matters worse. I +have known the searchers in those cases to turn a large chest completely +topsy-turvy, so that not a single article has escaped examination, and +the whole has had to be re-packed. It is at best an unpleasant tax upon +travellers, but it is always better policy to submit to it with a good +grace. + +The passport is a grievance which is much complained of by Englishmen, +and certainly it does appear an infraction on liberty, that it should +not be possible to go from one part of the country to another, without +having to obtain permission; but it has other advantages: a criminal in +France can very seldom escape; by the regulations of the police it is +almost impossible for them to evade detection, as wherever he sleeps his +passport must be produced, and every master or mistress of every +description of lodging-house is bound to give an account of whatever +stranger sleeps under their roof, to the police, and their officers; or +the gendarmes, are authorised to demand the sight of the passport of any +person whom they may suspect. In England a passport is not so +necessary, because being an island the means of escape are not so easy, +as they must either embark at some port or they must hire a boat on +their own account, or enter into some proceeding which leads to +discovery; and notwithstanding those obstacles to leaving the country, +and the extreme vigilance of our police, felons do very often escape, +and murders remain undiscovered, as those of Mr. Westwood, Eliza +Greenwood, and many others. But those who are invested with authority in +France sustain it with a more courteous demeanour than is the case in +England, consequently it is less offensive. If your passport be asked +for, it is in a polite manner, whereas with the English, give the +butcher or the blacksmith the staff of office as constable, and he +exercises his brief authority very frequently in a manner which is not +the most engaging. Although a _politesse_ and refinement of expression +united with a smutted face, tucked-up sleeves, an apron and rough coarse +hands, has something in it of the ludicrous, yet it softens the +brutality to which uncultivated human nature is ever prone, but +instances of such inconsistencies sometimes occur which cannot otherwise +than excite a smile; a few days since a working man dropped a knife, a +dirty looking boy of about 12 years of age picked it up, and presented +it to the owner, with some degree of grace, saying, "Render unto Cæsar +that which is Cæsar's." Passing through the Rue des Arcis, which is a +mean narrow street, at one of the lowest descriptions of wine-houses +where dancing was going forward, perhaps amongst fishwomen and +scavengers, I noticed a large lantern hanging out over the door, upon +which was inscribed, "Bal séduisant, le Paradis des Dames," which may be +translated, "Seductive Ball, the Paradise of Ladies." The traveller may +remark on the road from Boulogne to Paris and within a few leagues of +the latter, in a small village at a house little better than a hut, +where the insignia of a barber is displayed, a board on which is +written; "Ici on embellit la nature," or "Here we embellish nature." + +Even in the lowest classes the French must have a little bit of +sentiment, and amongst them marriages occur principally from affection, +but almost always with the consent of the parents; it is lamentable to +think how many young couples destroy each other because they cannot +obtain the sanction of the father or mother to one of the parties, and +these mistaken lovers really think it less crime to commit suicide than +to marry against the consent of their parents, which they are by law +empowered to do, provided that they have three times made what is called +_les sommations respectueuses_, that is, having three times respectfully +asked their permission, without having obtained which, they cannot marry +if not of age under any circumstances; but when no longer minors, and +that they have conformed to what the law prescribes, they may be united +notwithstanding the opposition of their parents, but it is a case which +scarcely ever occurs. There is much more of family attachments and bond +of union between relations in France than there is with us, and at +marriages, funerals, and baptisms, the most distant cousins are all +brought together to be present at the ceremony, which amongst the higher +and middle classes has rather a pleasing effect; the bride arrayed in a +long white flowing veil decorated with orange flowers has a most +interesting appearance. Before being performed at the church, it must be +registered at the mayoralty. + +When any one is deceased, black drapery is hung up outside the house, +and the coffin is brought within sight and burning tapers fixed around +it, and every one who passes takes off his hat, and if he chooses, +sprinkles it with holy water; chaunting over the coffin at the church is +sometimes continued for two hours, and the effect is very impressive. +Wherever the funeral procession proceeds along the streets every one who +meets it takes off his hat; in fact in no country is there more respect +paid to the dead. When a child has lost both its parents, it generally +happens that some relation will take it, even sometimes a second or +third cousin; this will happen often amongst the poorer people, they +hold it as a sort of sacred duty for relations to assist each other, a +feeling that I could wish to see more general in England, as I have +known too many instances where even brothers exhibited instances of +affluence and poverty. In my own neighbourhood, there was a case of a +Mr. N. living in good style, with livery servants, etc., and his own +brother working for him at 1_s._ 8_d._ a day as a common labourer, +although his fall in life had been entirely caused by misfortune and not +by his prodigality or mismanagement; such a circumstance could not have +existed in France; the peasants would have hooted the rich brother every +time he showed his face. The French people are too apt to take those +affairs in their own hands, and express their indignation in no +unmeasured terms. They are very prone to act from the impulse of the +moment, and are easily aroused in any cause where they consider +injustice has been enacted, and many of the persons concerned in the +press are well aware of this, and by most artfully turned arguments they +work up their passions either for or against a party, as circumstances +may render it fitting for their purpose. + +But although some of the newspapers have certainly had some fire-brand +articles against England, yet it does not appear to me to have had any +effect of exciting a hatred against the English. I have never seen in +any one instance any manifestation of such a feeling; in fact the French +are much in the habit of separating the government from the people, and +even the most hostile portion of the press observe that there are +amongst the population in England numbers of individuals of the most +exalted characters; hence the French do not consider that the people are +amenable for the faults of their government, and are inclined to imagine +those of every country more or less corrupt. They never had a very +exalted opinion of their own; perhaps the most popular ministry they +have had for the last thirty years was that of M. Martignac, which +Charles X so suddenly dismissed and thereby laid the first foundation +for the glorious three days. With the present government I should say +that the majority of the people appear disposed to be passively +satisfied, not so much from a feeling of approbation of its proceedings, +but fearing that were there a change it might be for the worse; with the +present they have the assurance of peace, and tranquillity, and all +manufacturing and agricultural France know how destructive war would be +to their present prosperity; of this none are more sensible than the +Parisians, as it is really astonishing what sums of money the English +nobility expend even whilst they are residing in England, with the +tradesmen in Paris, principally for articles of art and luxury but also +for a great portion of that which is useful as well as ornamental; and +imagining that many of my readers may have as great an aversion to +copying letters as myself and at the same time be aware of the necessity +under many circumstances of keeping a duplicate, I must not forget to +mention an extremely useful invention which adds another evidence of the +prolific ingenuity of France. It consists in a machine for copying +letters, registers, deeds, or in fact any description of written +document, or stamped, or in relief, by which they can be repeated even a +thousand times if required and in a very short space of time; there have +been many who have attempted to attain the same object and have had a +partial success, but those of M. Poirier, No. 35, Rue du Faubourg St. +Martin, appear to unite advantages which none of the preceding ever +attained. They are called, Presses Auto-Zinco-Graphiques. For the merit +of this invention he has been granted a patent, and awarded a medal by +the Central Jury, appointed to examine the specimens of art and +ingenuity sent to the National Exhibition established for the purpose of +bringing them before the public. For merchants, solicitors, and all +persons keeping several clerks such a machine must be a great +acquisition, as in addition to the copies being effected more rapidly +than would be possible by hand, where there are numbers of letters of +which duplicates are requisite, the labour of one clerk at least must be +saved. M. Poirier has them executed in so beautiful a manner that they +really are quite a handsome piece of furniture, some of which are as +high as 350 fr. but the prices gradually descend to even as low as 10 +fr. which are so contrived for travelling that they contain pen, ink and +paper and only weigh one pound. I here subjoin the opinion of the +Central Jury addressed to M. Poirier. "These presses are certainly the +best executed of any which have been exhibited. Their merit consisting +in superior execution, cannot be too much encouraged, as the happiest +ideas often fail in the realisation, therefore that the jury may not be +deficient in recompensing M. Poirier they award him the bronze medal." + +All parties regard M. Guizot (Minister of Foreign Affairs) as a talented +man; and one of considerable firmness of character, who unflinchingly +maintains his ground whilst a host are baying at him, appearing as +unmoved as the rock that is pelted by the storm; he seems never taken by +surprise, but is ever ready with such answers and explanations as +generally baffle his accusers; still he cannot be called a popular +minister, because he is known to possess what is called the Anglo-mania, +that is, to have a most decided predilection for everything that is +English, and there is no doubt that he wishes to do all in his power to +conciliate England, without sacrificing the interests and honour of his +country; but in that respect his enemies think that he would not be too +delicate, but is determined to have peace with England _à tout prix_ (at +any price). M. Guizot is a protestant and was a professor in the +University. + +His immediate opponent, M. Thiers, has risen to eminence entirely by his +writings; he came to Paris from Aix in Provence (in 1820), and lived in +a room on the fourth floor in the Rue St. Honoré; here he wrote for the +newspapers, but being taken by the hand by M. Lafitte he and his works +speedily rose into notice; it is possible that he may be as anxious for +the welfare of his country as M. Guizot, but would carry things with a +higher hand, and although every one is aware of his extraordinary +abilities, yet the moderate and thinking part of the community remember +how near he was involving France in a war with her most powerful +neighbours, and however they smarted for a time under what they +conceived an affront offered to their country, yet there are very few +now but feel fully sensible of the benefits they derive from the +blessing of peace having been preserved. M. Thiers may be cited as one +of the most animated and effective speakers of any in the Chambers, and +his speeches often display a brilliance, energy, and ardour, which +create a forcible impression, but sometimes betray the orator into hasty +assertions, of which he may afterwards repent, but feeling too much +pride to recant, he prefers standing by the position he had hastily +assumed; consequently, he is then compelled to marshal all his powers of +argument to sustain that which in his own mind he may feel convinced is +erroneous. Yet although many from prudential motives did not approve his +policy, which had nearly involved France in hostility with England, they +rather admired the spirit and susceptibility which he displayed in +resenting the slight with which the French nation had been treated, and +looked upon him as a sort of champion of their cause, so that he may be +rather designated a popular statesman than otherwise, although he was +considered in the wrong on that one point, and the reflexions which he +flung upon England would have passed away as unmerited, and soon sunk +into oblivion, had not a portion of the English press so indulged in +abuse and ridicule of the French at that period, who often remark that +they were subdued by the allies combined, but that it is only the +_English press_ which is as it were triumphing over and insulting them, +by pretending such a superiority in their troops and seamen as to place +those of France in a most contemptible light, whilst all the other +powers, although equally their conquerors, give them credit for being a +brave military nation. I must confess that I have found more liberality +in the French with regard to rendering the merit due to the English +troops, than in any other country, and I remember a work which came out +in Berlin upon military movements, tactics, etc., and in a parenthesis +was this sentence, "It is well known that the English, though excellent +sailors, are inferior as troops to those of the other European powers." +I should have thought that the Prussians who have fought with us would +have known better of what metal English soldiers were composed. But to +return to M. Thiers; I should still say notwithstanding all that has +past, his talents are held in such estimation, that certain changes +might occur which would again place him at the helm of the nation. + +Having given a slight sketch of the two political chiefs who as it were +head the most powerful contending parties, I must be still more brief in +my notice of the other statesmen whose names, acts and speeches are +before the public, amongst the most conspicuous of whom is Odilon +Barrot, who is what may be termed decidedly liberal, or in plainer +language radical, and has long sustained his cause with talent, energy, +and consistence; he speaks well and boldly, and has hitherto acted in +that manner which might be expected from the tenor of his speeches; +sometimes however persons become calm, what others would call moderate, +or a slight tint manifests itself in the colour of their politics, +perhaps rendering them more harmonious with the reigning parties, but +which accord not with the ideas of the most staunch advocates of a more +_ultra_ liberal system; this appears to be somewhat the case with M. +Odilon Barrot, whose adherents judge from the support he gave to Thiers, +that he is not so warm in the cause as themselves; however he still may +be considered the chief of that division of the Chamber which he has +always led. M. Mauguin was at one time the most violent of the same +party, but during his visit to St. Petersburg he appears to have had +such an affectionate hug from the Russian Bear, that he has latterly +espoused the cause of Bruin, and would if he could induce France to +throw England overboard altogether, and cast herself entirely into the +arms of Russia. + +M. Arago, the celebrated astronomer, has ever proved himself an honest +undeviating radical, both in his speeches and his actions. As an orator, +many give the palm to M. Berryer, but as his party is not numerous, +being carlist, his talents do not receive the general appreciation that +they would, had he attached himself to a more popular cause, but he +deserves much credit for having faithfully and constantly adhered to his +principles. M. Lamartine, the poet, who professes to be independent of +any party, is also a very admired speaker, and so was Sébastiani, but +now he is passing fast into the vale of years, and has lost that spirit +and energy which formerly gave much force to his speeches. M. Molé is +another of those statesmen who has filled the most important political +stations, but now is getting old and more quiet. As to dilating upon the +merits and demerits of those persons who compose the present ministry, +it would be but time lost, as they are so often changed in France that +their brief authority is often _brief_ indeed, and with the exception of +M. Guizot, (who is certainly a host within himself), and Marshal Soult, +there is not any character that is particularly prominent, or remarkable +for any extraordinary talent. The career of the Marshal is, I presume, +well known to most of my readers, and the manner in which he was +received in England proves the degree of estimation in which he was +there held. He was the son of a notary at St. Amand, where he was born +in 1769, being the same year which gave birth to Napoleon, Wellington, +and Mehemet Ali. Admiral Duperré, the Minister of Marine, served with +great credit to himself throughout the war, and commanded the force +which defeated our attempt to take the Isle of France, in 1810, and the +naval portion of the expedition employed in the capture of Algiers, was +placed under his orders. There are yet a good many men whose names have +been long and well known in the political world, who still take a more +or less active part in the affairs of the nation, amongst whom may be +cited the Baron Pasquier, President of the Chamber of Peers; M. Sauzet, +President of the Chamber of Deputies, and the ministers Duchatel for the +interior, Cunin Gridaine for commerce, Teste for public works, and +Lacave Laplagne for finances; to whom may be added the Duke de Broglie, +the Comte Montalivet, Dufaure, Joubert, Salvandy, Delessert, Isambert, +Ganneron, etc., also the brothers Dupin, the eldest highly celebrated as +an avocat, and the younger (Charles), for his writings upon the naval +department, upon statistics in general, and a very clever work upon +England. Amongst the extreme radicals, Ledru Rollin may be cited, +General Thiard, Marie, a barrister of rising talent, and a young man +named Billaud, who is coming forward, and considered to be rather a +brilliant speaker. The foregoing names include several men who have had +much experience, and possess moderate abilities, merely passable as +orators, but having a fair practical knowledge of political business, +but not men of exalted genius, or such whose names will be likely to +figure in the page of history; perhaps it may be with truth said, that +the best statesman France now possesses, or even ever has possessed, is +the King, it being very doubtful whether any of his ministers, or indeed +any member of either of the chambers, is blest with that deep +discernment and profound knowledge of human nature which he has +displayed, by the correctness of his calculations upon the pulses of his +subjects, under the most trying difficulties, and which have enabled him +to weather the storm. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + The theatres, present state of the drama, and principal performers. + Collections of paintings. + + +It is rather extraordinary that in this age of superlative refinement, +the drama should rather be upon the decline than otherwise in regard to +the talent of the performers, but it appears to me that such is really +the case both in England and France. I can just remember when Mrs. +Siddons, John Kemble, Charles Kemble, Young, Mrs. Jordan, Irish Johnson, +Munden, Emery, etc. so well sustained the character of the English +stage. Alas! shall I ever see the like again? Theatrical representations +in France have had a similar decline, although _two_ stars there are who +uphold her histrionic fame with superior _éclat_, Mlle. Rachel for +tragedy, and Bouffé for comedy; it would be useless for me to attempt +any description of the powers of the former, as she is as well known in +London as in Paris, but with the latter my readers I believe are only +partially acquainted; he has been in London, but I rather think only +made but a short stay, certainly a more perfect representation of French +nature it would be impossible to imagine; even although he undertake +ever so opposite a description of character, the simple truth would be +given in them all; he has not recourse to grimace or buffoonery, or any +exaggerated action, but seems not to remember he is counterfeiting a +part, but appears to make the case his own, and not to have another +thought than that which must be supposed to occupy the mind of the +individual he is personifying. Pleased with Bouffé to our heart's full +content, we look around amongst all the range of actors to find some +approach to his inimitable talent, not being so unreasonable as to hope +to discover his equal, but our search ends in disappointment, we seek in +vain for the representatives of Perlet, Odry, Laporte, and Potier, to +whose comic powers we are indebted for many a laughing hour, but they +are now replaced, as well as many other of our old acquaintances, by +substitutes who are but sorry apologies for those we have lost; however, +although the French theatre has certainly retrograded in respect to its +dramatics personæ, it has gained surprisingly with regard to scenery, +decorations, and costumes, which very considerably enhance the interest +of a theatrical performance, particularly when it is historical, and it +is a satisfaction to know that no pains are spared to render the drapery +as exact as possible to that worn at the period the piece is intended to +represent; thus you have the most accurate peep into olden times that +can possibly be afforded, and Paris offers such extreme facilities for +ascertaining what description of dress was adopted at any particular +age, by means of their immense collection of engravings, and written +descriptions, contained in their old books, and manuscripts, which are +freely produced to any individual on making the proper application. Of +these advantages the managers of the theatres avail themselves to the +utmost extent, which enables them to be extremely correct, not only with +regard to the habiliments, but also the scenery, and all the +_accessoires_ are rendered strictly in keeping with the century in which +the events recorded have occurred. + +The Italian Opera in Paris is considered to be managed with great +perfection, the company is much the same with regard to the principal +singers as our own, consisting of Grisi, Persiani, Albertazzi, Lablache, +Tamburini, Rubini, Mario, etc., as they can be obtained, according to +their engagements in London or elsewhere, and the operas performed are +also similar, therefore any description of either would be superfluous; +altogether, the enjoyment afforded is not so great as at our own, as no +ballet is given, and the coup-d'oeil is not so splendid as in ours. +The Theatre de la Renaissance is devoted to the performance of the +Italian Opera, it is situated in the middle of a small square, opposite +the Rue Méhul, which turns out of the Rue Neuve des Petits Champs, from +which it is seen to the best advantage; the façade has a handsome +appearance, with the statues of Apollo and the nine Muses, supported by +doric and ionic columns. The prices of the places are from ten francs to +two francs, which last is the amphitheatre; the intermediate charges are +seven francs ten sous, six francs, five, four and three francs ten sous +the pit, and it is capable of containing 2,000 persons. The performance +begins at eight. + +The French Opera, or Académie Royale de Musique, in the Rue Pelletier, +near the Boulevard des Italiens, has nothing very striking in its +external appearance, but the arrangements and decorations of the +interior are certainly extremely handsome, and everything is conducted +on a most superior scale; the scenery and costumes are here in +perfection, the arrangements and accommodations for seats are excellent. +The great strength of the vocal performance consists in Duprez and +Madame Dorus Gras, to whom I have before alluded, and whose reputation +is too well established to need any comment. They are ably seconded by +Levasseur, Madame Stolz who is well known in London, and the fine deep +voice of Baroilhet, Boucher, Massol, and Mademoiselle Nau, possess a +moderate share of talent, there are also others whose abilities are of +minor force but sufficient to support the subordinate _rôles_. The +orchestra and chorusses are extremely good and numerously composed, and +on the whole it may be considered that they get up an opera in a very +superior manner. The ballet at this theatre was formerly the greatest +treat that could be imagined, derivable from performances of that +nature, but at the present period the strength they possess in that +department is by no means efficient. Carlotta Grisi stands alone as +having with youth any degree of talent above mediocrity; the same can +hardly be said of Mademoiselle Fitzjames, and Madame Dupont; Noblet is +past that age which is indispensable in exciting interest as a dancer, +notwithstanding she has still considerable ability, and there are not +any others who are worth mentioning amongst the females. Of the men, +when Petitpa is cited as having a grade more of ability than the rest, +nothing more in the shape of praise can be added with respect to their +present _corps de ballet_. This theatre is also capable of containing +2,000 persons, and the prices are from 2 francs 10 sous to 9 francs, the +pit is 3 francs 12 sous, and there are as many as 20 different parts of +the house cited with their respective charges. They sometimes begin at +7, more often 1/2 past, but never later. + +The Theatre of the Comic Opera is situated in the rue Marivaux, +Boulevard des Italiens, and the façade with its noble columns has a very +fine effect, which is fully equalled by the decorations of the interior. +Chollet, still remains their principal singer; his voice is good, so is +his knowledge of music, but he is now no longer young nor ever was +handsome, but always a favourite with the public; he is supported by +Roger who takes the _rôles_ of young lovers, by Grard who has a fine +bass voice, and Mocker with a good tenor; amongst the females is our +countrywoman Anna Thillon, who is exceedingly admired, and at present +the great attraction, she is pretty, lively, or sentimental, as her part +may require, her voice is pleasing and it may be said that she is quite +a pet with the Parisians; she is an excellent actress, and appears at +home in every part she undertakes. Mademoiselle Prevost has for many +years sustained a certain reputation as one of the principal singers at +this theatre, for my own part I always thought her rather heavy and a +want of feeling and expression both in her acting and singing. Madame +Rossi Caccia, although only just returned from Italy, belongs to the +company, she has a most admirable voice and is a great acquisition to +the theatre, at which, on the whole, the amusements are of the most +delightful description. The prices are from 30 sous to 7 francs 10 sous. +They begin at 7. + +The Théâtre-Français in the Rue Richelieu holds the first rank, for the +drama, of any theatre in France, where Talma, Duchesnois, Mars and +Georges have so often enchanted not only the French public, but persons +of all nations who were assembled in Paris, and on these boards Mlle +Rachel now displays her magic art; nor are the attractions of Mlle +Plessis to be passed over unnoticed, but as she has lately been to +London, my country people can form a better judgment of her than from +any description I can give. Mlle Anaïs is an actress who has been and is +still rather a favourite, although now not young. Mlle Mantes is a fine +woman upon a large scale, plays well and has been many years on the +stage, but never created any sensation; Mlle Maxime rather stands high +in the public estimation; Mlle Noblet and Mme Guyon possess moderate +talent acquit themselves well, and are much liked, generally speaking. +At present Ligier is considered their best tragedian, but principally +owes what fame he has, to their actors in that department being of so +mediocre a description, some people prefer Beauvallet but not the +majority, their abilities are very nearly of the same stamp. Guyon is a +fine young man, and plays the parts of young heroes very fairly. Geffroy +is another, possessing sufficient merit to escape condemnation. As comic +actors they have Regnier who may be placed upon the moderate list; +Samson is certainly much better, and in fact by no means destitute of +talent, which may decidedly be also stated of Firmin; Provost is +likewise a very passable actor. Comedy is indeed their fort, it is far +more pure than ours; I remember making that remark to the celebrated +John Kemble at the time he was residing at Toulouse, and adding that I +considered our comic actors gave way too much to grimace and buffoonery. +Kemble replied, "Don't blame the actors for that, it is owing to the bad +taste of the audience, by whom it is always applauded, and a thoroughly +chaste performance, without some caricature, would not stand the same +chance of success." The prices at the Théâtre Français are from 1 fr. 5 +sous varying up to 6 fr. 12 sous, according to that part of the house in +which you choose your seat; they begin sometimes 1/4 before 7. + +The Theatre du Gymnase, on the Boulevart Bonne-Nouvelle, was once one of +the most successful of any in Paris, but it does not sustain the high +reputation it formerly possessed. Bouffé is now its principal support, +and has indeed a most attractive power; there are also other actors of +merit, as Klein, Numa, Tisserant, and Volnys, who sustain their +respective parts extremely well; but when performing with such a star +as Bouffé, their minor talents are eclipsed, and little noticed. Mad. +Volnys (formerly Leontine Fay) still retains that high reputation which +she has so long and so justly merited, she ever was a most charming and +natural actress. Mesdames Julienne, Habeneck and Nathalie are all rather +above mediocrity, so that this theatre still affords the dramatic +amateur much rational enjoyment. They commence at 6, and the prices +range from 1 fr. 5 sous, to 5 fr. + +The Théâtre des Variétés always has been and is still a great favourite, +where they play vaudevilles, a sort of light comedy, which are generally +highly amusing; they have always contrived to have actors at this +theatre who were sure to draw full houses, and that is the case at +present. Lafont is an excellent actor and a very fine looking man, he +has performed in London; Lepeintre yields to few men for the very +general estimation in which his talents are held; Levassor is a man of +very gentlemanly appearance, not at all wanting in assurance, and always +at his ease in every _rôle_ he is destined to fill. For females they +have Mesdames Flore, Bressant, Boisgontier, Esther and Eugenie Sauvage, +the first rather too much inclined to embonpoint, but playing her part +none the worse for that, the last an actress of great merit, whilst the +others act so well that one would wonder what they wanted with so many; +besides which they have several others who are above mediocrity, and a +few hours may be passed any evening most agreeably at this theatre. The +performances commence at 7, the prices are the same as at the Gymnase +with regard to the minimum and maximum, but having altogether nineteen +different intermediate specifications. + +The Theatre du Palais-Royal, forming the corner of the Rues Montpensier +and Beaujolais, and having an entrance in the Palais-Royal, is one of +the most successful in Paris, and one of the very few which have proved +good speculations, and they continue to have such excellent actors as +cannot fail to attract. A. Tousez has much ability and is very comic, M. +and Mad. Lemesnil, M. and Mad. Ravel are very clever in their respective +parts, Sainville is not less so; then amongst their first rate actresses +they have Dejazet, who has been highly appreciated in London, Mlle +Pernon, young, talented, and pretty, and Mlle Fargueil, handsome, and +though youthful, already an excellent actress. The pit is only 1 fr. 5 +sous, from which it rises to 5 fr. for the best seats. They begin at +half-past six. + +The Vaudeville Theatre is facing the Exchange in the Place de la Bourse, +and retains a very good share of the patronage of the public; their +performances are, for the most part, very good, and the pieces which are +mostly played, are such as the name of the theatre indicates. Félix and +Lepeintre jeune are much liked, Bardou is an excellent actor, Arnal a +famous low comedian, M. and Mad. Taigny possessing very fair talent, and +are called the pretty couple. Mesdames Doche and Thénard not without +merit, and on the whole their corps dramatic is much above mediocrity. +Their light, comic, and amusing little pieces are well calculated to +chase away a heavy hour. They commence at a quarter past seven, and the +prices are much the same as at the Variété. + +To the Porte St. Martin I have already alluded, situated on the +Boulevart of the same name, although they often give very interesting +pieces as melodramas, light comedies, etc., and always had some very +good actors, yet it has seldom had the success to which the exertions of +the proprietors were entitled. After a total failure the theatre has +been re-opened, and amongst the actors there are some of known talent; +Frederick Lemaitre may be considered their brightest star, once so +celebrated in the rôle of Robert Macaire, Clarence, Raucour, Bocage, and +Melingue sustain their parts very fairly, and the same may be said of +Mesdames Klotz and Fitzjames, who are more than passable actresses. The +pieces begin as low as twelve sous, and rise to six francs. The +performances commence at seven. + +The Ambigu Comique is a theatre situated on the Boulevart St. Martin, +and also for melodramas and vaudevilles; it has not been much more +fortunate than its neighbour the Theatre Porte St. Martin, and the +representations are very similar at both. St. Ernest, as an actor, and +Madame Boutin, as an actress, appear to be the favourites amongst rather +a numerous company, of which some are far from being indifferent +performers. The prices are very modest, commencing at only ten sous, and +elevating to four francs; it begins at seven. + +The Gaieté, on the Boulevart du Temple, is another theatre of much the +same description; at present, however, the company is considered to be +very good: the strength consisting of Neuville, the brothers Francisque +and Deshays, and of the females, Madame Gautier, Clarisse, Leontine, +Abit, and Melanie are considered the best. Some pieces have come out at +this theatre that have had a great run. The prices begin at eight sous +and rise to five francs. They also commence at seven. + +The Theatre des Folies Dramatiques is likewise on the Boulevart du +Temple, and varies very slightly from the last, except being one grade +inferior, and the prices in proportion, commencing at six sous, and not +mounting higher than two francs five sous, and yet the performances are +often not by any means contemptible. They begin at half-past six. + +M. Comte has a theatre in the Passage Choiseul where children perform, +which may be considered as a sort of nursery for the theatres in +general; but what afford the most amusement are his extraordinary feats +of legerdemain, which are certainly wonderfully clever. The prices are +from about one franc to five francs. + +Although I have left it to the last, I must not entirely omit to mention +the Odéon theatre, to which I have already adverted; little can be +judged from it at present, having only just re-opened. Mlle. George is +endeavouring, in the eve of her days, to afford it the support of her +now declining powers; she is however ably sustained by Achard. Vernet +also is a good actor, and they have others who are by no means +deficient. It begins at 7, and the prices are from 1 franc to 5. + +In addition to those I have already stated, there are about a dozen more +theatres, inducting such as are just outside the Barriers, and although +theatrical speculations have generally been very unfortunate recently, +yet it does not appear to arise so much from the want of audiences, but +from paying the great performers too highly, and having too many of all +descriptions. There are besides several public concerts, of which the +one styled Muzard's, in the Rue Neuve-Vivienne, is the best; the price +of entrance to most of them is 1 franc. Several public balls are +constantly going forward in gardens during the summer, and in large +saloons in the winter; they are mostly attended by the lower order of +tradespeople, or by females of indifferent character, except in the +Carnival, and then more respectable characters go to the masked balls at +the theatres which are the most expensive; the ladies however only as +spectators, generally speaking, but their attractions are too +irresistible to many, for them to suffer the season to pass over without +once joining the gay throng, particularly to some who have a great +delight in mystifying a friend or acquaintance, and telling them a few +home truths under the protecting shield of a mask, having opportunities +of so doing at the public balls without fear of being recognised; +whereas concealment at private masquerades can seldom be preserved to +the last. It is most usual for ladies who visit the theatres to see the +masked balls only to remain in a box with their party, and from thence +to view the motley group; there are however some females even of rank +who cannot resist the charm of going entirely incognito, to puzzle and +perplex different persons whom they know will be there, only confiding +to one or two dearest friends their little enterprise, to whom they +recount the adventures of the evening. + +All strangers sojourning at Paris are generally directed to devote their +earliest attention to the Gallery of Pictures at the Louvre, and I had +intended to have bestowed much space to that object, but I find such +excellent works published on that subject at only one or two francs, +that I would recommend my readers to furnish themselves with one and +take it with them to the Louvre when they go there; they can procure +them of M. Amyot, No. 6, Rue de la Paix, where they will also find +almost every publication they are likely to require, and will meet with +the utmost civility and attention. There are continually changes taking +place in the arrangements of the pictures, consequently it would be +impossible to give any correct numerical indications. The works of +Rubens are particularly numerous, but I should not say they were the +_chefs d'oeuvre_ of that great artist, the women are so fat and +totally devoid of grace; I have seen several of his pictures in the +great Collection at Vienna which I like much better. The Louvre may be +also considered rich in the works of Titian, some fine subjects by +Guido, Murillo, Correggio, and Paul Veronese, of which the Marriage in +Cana is supposed to be the largest detached picture in the world; and +many of the figures are portraits, as of Francis I, Mary of England, +etc., who were contemporaries with the artist; in fact there are some +paintings of almost every celebrated Italian and Spanish master. The +Dutch and Flemish school is extremely rich, particularly in Vandycks, +but as might be expected specimens of the French school are the most +numerous, the principal gems of which are by Claude Lorraine, Poussin, +and Le Brun, infinitely superior to the productions of the present day. +There are besides many pictures by French artists of the time of David, +Gérard, Gros, etc., which I consider generally inferior to some of those +of their best painters now living. + +There are several private collections that are well worth the attention +of the visiter; amongst the number is that of Marshal Soult, consisting +of some of the most exquisite Murillos, I should decidedly say the +happiest efforts of his pencil, but I believe since I saw them he has +sold some of the best to an English nobleman. The gallery of M. Aguado +(Marquis de Las Marismas), contains undoubtedly some very fine subjects +of the Spanish school, and others that have considerable merit, but out +of the great number of paintings which are assembled together the +portion of copies is by no means small; still there is sufficient of +that which is very good to afford great pleasure to the amateur. The +residence of the Marquis was in the Rue Grange-Batelière, and it is to +be presumed that, notwithstanding his decease, the establishment will be +kept up as before. The collection of the Marquis de Pastoret, in the +Place de la Concorde, is well worth visiting if you have a good pair of +legs and lungs, for I believe you have upwards of a hundred steps and +stairs to mount; but an ample reward will be afforded in viewing some +very clever small cabinet paintings by celebrated Italian, French and +Flemish masters. + +The Baron d'Espagnac has at his hôtel in the Rue d'Aguesseau a selection +of paintings which may be considered one of the most _recherchée_ in +Paris; a landscape by Dominichino is quite a gem, and he has scarcely a +painting in his numerous collection but must be admired; his copy of the +Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci is perhaps the best that has ever been +executed, and affords a most exact idea of the original, which is now, +alas! nearly if not entirely defaced. To see these, as well as many +other very excellent private collections, it is merely necessary to +write to the owner and the request is immediately granted. + +Mr. Rickets, an English gentleman living at No. 9, Rue Royale, has about +400 pictures, amongst which are some of considerable merit and +particularly interesting, either for the execution, the subjects, or +certain associations connected with them; this selection presents a +singular variety of styles, wherein may be recognised all the most +celebrated schools; some of the smaller pictures are executed with the +most exquisite delicacy and require long examination to form an +adequate appreciation of their merit. This collection is only accessible +through the medium of an introduction. As many purchasers of pictures +often want them cleaned and restored, I would recommend them to a +countryman for that purpose, M. Penley, No. 11, Rue Romford, whose +efforts I have seen effect a complete resuscitation upon a dingy and +almost incomprehensible subject. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + The concluding Chapter; application of capital, information for + travellers, prices of provisions. + + +One of the first measures to be adopted on arriving in France, is to +acquire the knowledge of the value of the coin, which is indeed rather +intricate; first a sou, or what we should call a halfpenny, is four +liards or five centimes; then there are two sou pieces, which resemble +our penny pieces; there is likewise a little dingy looking copper coin, +with an N upon one side and 10 centimes on the other, that is also two +sous; they once had a little silver wash upon them, but it has now +disappeared. Next there is a little piece which looks like a bad +farthing, rather whitish from the silver not being quite worn away, +which passes for a sou and a half or six liards. We then rise to a +quarter franc, or 5 sous, which is a very neat little silver coin; next +the half franc, then a fifteen sous piece, which is copper washed over +with silver, with a head of Louis on one side and a figure on the other; +double the size but exactly similar is the 30 sous piece; the franc is +20 sous, the two francs 40 sous, both of which are neat silver coin, as +also the 5 francs piece. The gold circulation consists in ten, twenty, +and forty franc pieces. There are no notes in Paris for less than 500 +francs, which are of the Bank of France; the visiter on arriving in +Paris will require to change his English money, and there are many money +changers; I have had transactions with most of them, but have found +Madame Emerique, of No. 32, Palais-Royal, Galerie Montpensier, (there is +an entrance also Rue Montpensier, No. 22,) the most liberal and just of +any, and I am quite certain that any stranger might go there with a +total ignorance of the value of the money he presented, and would +receive the full amount according to the state of exchange at the time. +Much credit is due to Madame Emerique from our country-people with +regard to her conduct respecting stolen Bank of England notes; she takes +great pains to obtain a list of such as are stolen, that she may not be +unconsciously accessary in aiding the success of crime, by giving the +value for that which had been obtained by theft, and adopts every means +that the presenters should be detained; if all the money changers were +as particular in that respect, thieves would derive no benefit in coming +over to France with their stolen notes. The office of Madame Emerique +has been the longest established of any, and the high respectability of +her family and connexions are a certain guarantee for the foreigner +against being imposed upon. The number of hôtels in Paris is immense; as +I always frequent the same which I have known for nearly 20 years, of +course I can recommend it, both as regards the extreme respectability of +the persons by whom it is kept and the moderation of the charges; it is +situated at No. 71, Rue Richelieu, and is called the Hôtel de Valois, +Baths abound in Paris, but the Bains Chinois, Boulevart des Italiens, +are of the oldest date, and have been visited by the most illustrious +persons. Amongst the rest, the proprietor declares that William the +Fourth attended them at the time he was sojourning incognito at Paris. +Amongst the numerous list of Bankers, those which are most frequented by +the English are Madame Luc Callaghan and Son, No. 40, Rue de la +Ferme-des-Mathurins; Monsieur le Baron Rothschild, Rue Laffitte, and +Messrs. Laffitte, Blount and Comp., No. 52, Rue Basse-du-Rempart. + +Amongst the multitude of interesting spots which surround Paris, +Versailles is pre-eminent, not only for the grandeur of the palace, the +beauty of the gardens, etc., but it has now received so many objects of +art, and its collection of pictures is so immense, that it may be +considered the Museum of France; but there are so many works written +upon it, and its description must be so voluminous to render it any +justice, that I must content myself with referring my readers to those +publications which have already appeared on the subject. St. Cloud, St. +Germains, St. Denis and Fontainebleau are too remarkable to be lightly +touched, particularly the two latter, upon which there are publications +giving the most ample details of all which they contain that is +interesting; those works therefore I must also recommend for the +visiter's perusal. + +Before I bid adieu to my readers, I must not omit to mention an +institution formed in Paris, which does honour to the English character; +it is entitled the British Charitable Fund, and was founded in 1822, +under the patronage of the British Ambassador, and is entirely supported +by voluntary contributions, for the purpose of relieving old and +distressed British subjects, or of sending them to their native country; +suffice it to say, that there have been within the last ten years 11,500 +persons relieved, and 2,571 sent to Great Britain. + +There are quite a host of steam-boat establishments, having their agents +and offices in Paris, but that for which the agency has been confided to +M. Chauteauneuf, No. 8, Boulevart Montmartre, embraces so wide a field +that I consider in recommending my readers to him, I afford them the +opportunity of obtaining all the information they can require upon the +subject; the Company could not have selected any one more capable of +fulfilling the duties of such an office, as besides his extreme civility +and attention to all applicants, he speaks many different languages, as +French, English, Spanish, Italian, etc. The boats for which he is agent +proceed from Dunkirk to St. Petersburg, touching direct at Copenhagen, +and privileged by the Emperor of Russia; the passage is effected in 6 or +7 days. Dunkirk to Hamburg in 36 or 40 hours, corresponding with all the +steamers on the Baltic and the Elbe. Dunkirk to Rotterdam in 10 or 12 +hours, communicating with all the navigation upon the Rhine. Boulogne to +London by the Commercial Steam Company. Antwerp to New York, touching at +Southampton; Marseilles to Nice, Genoa, Leghorn, Civita Vecchia, Naples, +Sicily, Malta and the Levant, by the steamers of the Neapolitan Company. +The above vessels are fitted up in the most efficient and solid manner, +with English machinery. At Lyons there is a corresponding office for the +navigation of the interior, held by Messrs. Jackson, Dufour, and Comp., +No. 7, Quai St. Clair. M. Chateauneuf is very obliging in explaining all +the details of the different tarifs of the custom duties of the various +countries with which the steamers communicate. + +A very great convenience exists in Paris, which I think much wanted in +London, and that is what are termed Cabinets de Lecture, where you may +read all the principal papers and periodical pamphlets for the small +expense of 3 sous; some are higher, where English newspapers are taken, +when the price is five sous; they are mostly circulating libraries at +the same time. But those who wish to see all or the greater part of the +London and some provincial and foreign papers, will find them at +Galignani's, and at an English reading room established in the Rue +Neuve St. Augustin, No. 55, near the Rue de la Paix; at both these +establishments the admittance is ten sous. The only English newspaper at +present published in Paris is by Galignani, which contains extracts +judiciously selected from the French and English papers, besides other +useful information. + +The investment of capital in land in France will rarely produce more +than 31/2 per cent and very frequently less; in the purchase of houses in +Paris 5 or 51/2, sometimes 6, is obtained; in the funds about 41/2. Numbers +of persons in France place their money on _hypothèque_, or mortgage, by +which they make 5 per cent; the affair is arranged by means of a +_notaire_, but often the most lucrative manner of placing money is what +is called _en commandite_, that is, they invest a fixed sum in different +descriptions of business, from which they receive a certain share, not +appearing in the concern otherwise than having deposited a stated amount +of money in it, for which alone, in case of bankruptcy, they are liable. +A considerable portion of the French lend their money to different +tradespeople, getting the best security they can, sometimes merely +personal; 6 per cent is the regular interest that is given, and it is a +very rare case that the capital is lost, as the lender takes great +precautions in ascertaining the exact state of the borrower's affairs. + +Although rents are so immensely high in the centre of Paris, one house, +No. 104, Rue Richelieu, letting for 120,000 francs, (4,800_l._) a year, +yet as you diverge in any direction towards the walls of the city a +house may be had for much less under the same circumstances than in +London, and just outside a substantial dwelling of eight or ten rooms, +with an acre of garden beautifully laid out, will only be 40_l._, a year. +Some of the villages round Paris are very agreeably situated, but are +dreadfully cut up by the fortifications, particularly the favourite spot +of the Parisians, the Bois de Boulogne, where many families amongst the +tradespeople go and pass their whole Sunday under the trees; and the +innumerable rides and walks through the wood, and its very picturesque +appearance tempt all ranks at all hours of the day; part of it remains +unspoiled by the walls and forts constructing for the defence of Paris, +but it was much to be regretted that any portion should have been +destroyed for an object, the utility of which still seems an enigma. + +As prices of provisions are so constantly varying that I determined to +leave them entirely to the last, that I might be enabled to give the +latest information respecting them; in most instances they are much +dearer than they were a few years since, particularly meat, which now +may be quoted on an average of 8_d._ a pound, and veal, if the choice +parts be selected, 1_d._ or even 2_d._ more at some seasons, but joints +where there is much proportion of bone may be had for 7_d._; best +wheaten bread is at present 13/4d., a pound; butter, best quality, +_s._ 6_d._; cheese 10_d._ Poultry is much higher than formerly; a fine +fowl 3_s._ a duck, 2_s._; a goose 4_s._; a turkey 6_s._ and much dearer +at some periods of the year; pigeons' eggs 81/2_d._ each; a hare +4_s._; a rabbit 1_s._ 6_d._ Vegetables are generally pretty cheap, +potatoes hardly 1/2_d._ a pound, cauliflowers, brocoli, and asparagus at a +much less price than in London; the finer sorts of fruits, as peaches, +nectarines, apricots, greengages, grapes, etc., are very reasonable, but +on the whole Paris is very little cheaper than London; the principal +difference is in the wine, which is to be had at all prices from 5_d._ +to 5_s._ a bottle, but by arranging with the Maison Meunier, 22, Rue des +Saints-Pères, the house I have recommended, by taking a certain +quantity, very good Bordeaux may be had, which will only come to about +1_s._ 6_d._ a bottle. Fuel is the dearest article in Paris; coals, of +which there is not much consumption, are considerably higher than in +London, but yet much cheaper than burning wood. In the best part of +Paris a well furnished sitting and bed room is 4_l._ a month; in other +parts only half the price. Brandy and liqueurs are much cheaper than in +England; beer from 2_d._ to 4_d._ a bottle, but taking a cask it comes +cheaper. Best white sugar 10_d._ Tea from 4_s._ upwards, coffee 2_s._ to +3_s._ It must be remembered that the pound weight in France has two +ounces more than in England. + +There is one peculiarity the stranger should remark in Paris which will +much assist him in finding a house he may be seeking; the even numbers +are always on one side of a street and the odd on the other and in all +the streets running south and north the numbers commence from the Seine, +so that the farther you get from the river the higher the figure +amounts; and, as you proceed from that source the even numbers will be +found on the right side and the uneven on the left. Those streets which +run east and west commence their numbers from the Hôtel-de-Ville, or +Town-Hall, the even numbers also being on the right hand side and uneven +on the opposite. + + * * * * * + +Aware that my countrymen are ever amateurs of engravings, lithographies, +etc., I must repair the omission of having forgotten to mention Mr. +Sinnett, the only English publisher of engravings living in Paris, and +as he has an enthusiastic passion for the arts, accompanied by the most +correct judgment, the selection of his subjects are such as cannot fail +to gratify every person of taste; he also acts as an agent both for the +Paris and London print-sellers, and by the arrangements into which he +has entered, is enabled to furnish individuals with engravings of both +countries on the most advantageous terms, foregoing those charges which +it is customary to impose under similar circumstances. The English have +it, therefore, in their power to procure from Mr. Sinnett any print, +whether published in England or France, at a lower price than in any +other house in Paris. His address is No. 15, grande rue Verte, faubourg +Saint-Honoré. + + +THE END. + + + + + INDEX. + + Pages. + Abattoir 215 + Academic royale 207 + Actors et actresses 396 to 404 + Agriculture 37 + Arago 186, 391 + Archives 237 + Arches, triumphal 42, 270 + Armour 216 + Army 353 + Arsenal 225 + Artificial flowers 326 + Artists 334 + Athenæum 359 + Auber 369 + Authors 360 + + Balls 405 + Bank 257 + Bankers 411 + Barriers 45 + Barrot. Odilon 390 + Bears 177 + Béranger 361 + Berryer 391 + Bièvre 182 + Boarding house 279 + Boarding-schools 348 + Bonnets 332 + Boots 289 + Bouffé 107 + Boulevart 100 + Boulogne 26 + Bourse 259 + Breakfasts 137 + Bronze 341 + + Cabriolets 379 + Café Hardy 405 + Calais 24 + Canes 319 + Caps 332 + Carnival 405 + Carriages 379 + Catacombs 186 + Cavalry 352 + Cercles 136 + Chamber of Deputies 220 + Chamber of Peers 201 + Champs-Élysées 42, 278 + Champ de Mars 216 + Chapelle Beaujon 275 + -- Episcopal 276 + -- Expiatoire 276 + -- Marboeuf 278 + -- Sainte 171 + Chateaubriand 366 + China 301 + Churches, Abbaye-aux-Bois 214 + -- L'Assomption 96, 369 + -- La Madeleine 400 + -- Notre-Dame 69, 472 + -- des Blancs-Manteaux 236 + -- des Victoires or des Petits-Pères 257 + -- de Loretto 259 + -- Saint-Ambroise 232 + -- Saint-Denis 235 + -- Sainte-Elisabeth 246 + -- Saint-Etienne-du Mont 190 + -- Saint-Eustache 254 + -- Saint-François-d'Assises 237 + -- Saint-François-Xavier 217 + -- St.-Germ.-l'Auxerrois 61, 237 + -- St-Germain-des-Prés 61, 205 + -- Saint-Gervais 239 + -- St-Jacques-du-Haut-Pas 189 + -- Saint-Laurent 248 + -- Saint-Leo-et-Saint-Gilles 251 + -- Saint-Louis en I'lle 174 + -- Ste. Marguerite 228 + -- St. Medard 184 + -- St. Merry 88, 242 + -- St. Nicholas-des-Champs 242 + -- St. Nicholas-du-Chardonnet 193 + -- St. Paul et St. Louis 238 + -- St. Philippe-du-Roule 275 + -- St. Pierre-de-Chaillot 279 + -- St. Pierre-du-Gros-Caillou 218 + -- St. Roch 97, 273 + -- St. Severin 195 + -- St. Sulpice, 203 + -- St. Thomas-d'Aquin, 210 + -- St. Vincent-de-Paul, 258 + -- Luthérien, 239 + -- Oratoire, 266 + -- Sorbonne, 196 + -- Val-de-Grâce, 184 + -- Visitation, 226 + Clothes, 287 + Coiffeur, 317 + Coffee-houses, 137 + Collections of pictures, 407 + Colleges, Bourbon, 276 + -- Charlemagne, 233 + -- Henry IV, 191 + -- De France, 192 + -- Louis-le-Grand, 191 + -- St. Louis, 198 + -- Irish, 190 + -- Scotch, 190 + -- Sorbonne, 196 + Colours, 300 + Columns, 43, 103, 226 + Conservatory of Arts et Trades, 243 + -- of music, 258 + Convents of Benedictines, 245 + -- Carmelites, 202 + -- English Augustines, 190 + -- Dames de St. Thomas, 214 + -- Lazarists, 214 + -- Noviciat religieuses Hospitalières, 214 + -- Sâcré-Coeur, 212 + Copying machine, 386 + Crockery, 293 + Custom-House, 380 + Cutlery, 201 + + Diligences, 378 + Dinners, 105 + Dress, 123 + Dressing-cases, 302 + Dyeing et cleansing, 304 + + Earthen-ware, 293 + École militaire, 215 + Economy, 286 + Education, 124 + Elysée-Bourbon, 274 + Engravings, 417 + + Fancy Stationary, 294 + Fashions, 324 + Fiacres, 379 + Flowers, 102 + + _Principal Fountains._ + + Fountain, Boulevart-St. Martin, 109 + -- des Champs-Elysées, 42, 278 + -- du Châtelet, 252 + -- Cuvier, 182 + -- de Grenelle, 211 + -- du marché des Innocents, 253 + -- de la place de la Concorde, 43 + -- de la Place Richelieu, 260 + Funerals, 384 + + Garde-Meuble, 43, 258 + Gardens, des Plantes, 175 + -- Luxembourg, 200 + -- Tuileries, 272 + George-Mademoiselle, 404 + Glass, 301 + Gloves, 330 + Gobelin tapestry, 132 + Guizot, 364, 387 + Guns, 312 + + Haberdashery, 322 + Hats, 288 + Homeopathie, 280 + Horsemanship, 138 + + _Principal Hospitals._ + + D'Accouchement, 185 + Blind, 227 + ----- Children, 194 + Deaf and Dumb, 188 + Hôtel-Dieu, 174 + Incurables (men), 248 + ---------- (women), 214 + Invalids, 216 + Orphan, 188 + De la Pitié, 181 + Salpêtrière, 181 + St. Louis, 247 + Sick children, 214 + Val-de-Grâce, 184 + Hôtels de Cluny, 197 + -- de Carnavalet, 234 + -- des Invalides, 210 + -- de la Monnaie, 206 + -- de Soubise, 238 + -- de Sully, 233 + -- de Valois, 411 + -- de Ville, 240 + + Institut, 207 + Infantry, 352 + Lamartine, 361 + + Lace, 329 + + _Principal public Libraries._ + + Arsenal, 225 + Hôtel-de-Ville, 240 + Mazarine, 207 + Royal, 260 + Sainte-Geneviève, 191 + Linen drapery, 325 + Liqueurs, 283 + Literature, 360 + Lithographies, 310 + Lodgings, 416 + Louis-Philippe, 32, 101, 358 + Louvre, 89, 267, 406 + Luxembourg, 98, 200 + + Mails, 378 + Maps et plans in relief, 311 + Marriage, 128, 383 + + _Principal Markets._ + + -- Corn, or Halle an Blé, 255 + -- Flowers, 171 + -- Innocents, 353 + -- St. Germain, 204 + -- St. Honoré, 273 + -- St. Laurent, 248 + -- St. Martin, 245 + Meat, 286 + Medicines, 292 + Middle classes, 123, 135 + Ministers, 302 + Mint, 200 + Mirrors (manufacture of), 228 + Money-changers, 410 + Modes, 324 + Mont-de-Piété, 236 + Morgue, 172 + Music, 368 + Musical snuff-boxes, 302 + + National guards, 354 + Navy, 355 + Needles, 321 + Newspapers, 414 + + Observatory, 185 + + Palais-royal, 263 + -- de-Justice, 170 + -- de la Legion-d'Honneur, 221 + -- du Quai d'Orsay, 222 + -- des Beaux-Arts, 208 + Pantheon, 189 + Passports, 381 + Pens, 290 + Pencil-cases, 305 + Père La Chaise, 229 + Perfumery, 320 + Phosphorus matches et boxes, 297 + Piano-fortes, 314 + Plate-glass manufacture, 250 + Polytechnic, 192 + Post-office, 380 + Press, English, 354 + Press, French, 355, 385 + Printing establishment, royal, 237 + Prints, 417 + + _Principal Prisons._ + + -- Abbaye, 205 + -- Conciergerie, 171 + -- Debtors, 277 + -- La Force, 234 + -- Jeunes Détenus, 231 + -- De la Roquette, 231 + -- Saint-Lazare, 249 + -- Sainte-Pélagie, 181 + Purses, 376 + + Rachel, 394 + Reading-rooms, 413 + Religion, 309 + Restaurateurs, 105 + Rents, 119 + Riding-school, 140 + Rouen, 22 + + Seal engraver, 306 + + _Principal Seminaries._ + + -- Foreign Missionaries, 211 + -- St. Nicolas Chardonnet, 194 + -- St. Sulpice, 204 + Shirts, 316 + Silk mercery and fancy goods, 343 + Sisters of Charity, 188, 243 + School of Medicine, 199 + -- Drawing, 199 + -- Mines, 200 + -- Pharmacy, 134 + -- Ponts et Chaussées, 212 + Shoes, ladies, 328 + -- gentlemen, 289 + Societies, scientific, 359 + Soult, 392 + Stays, 157 + Steam, boats, 412 + Surgical instruments, 307 + + Tailors, 287, 319 + Temple, 245 + + _Principal Theatres._ + + -- Italian Opera, 397 + -- French Opera 398 + -- Comique Opera, 399 + -- Theatre Français, 400 + -- Gymnase, 401 + -- Variétés, 401 + -- Vaudeville, 402 + -- Palais Royal, 143 + -- Porte St. Martin, 405 + -- Ambigu Comique, 405 + -- La Gaîté, 404 + -- Cirque Olympique, 110 + -- Fulies Dramatiques, 404 + -- Odéon, 404 + Thiers, 388 + Timepieces, 315 + Tuileries, 270 + + Umbrellas et parasols, 319 + + Whips, 319 + Wine, 283 + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of How to Enjoy Paris in 1842, by F. 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Herve. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + div.trans-note {border-style: solid; border-width: 1px; + margin: 3em 15%; padding: 1em; text-align: center;} + + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;} + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + visibility: hidden; + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + } /* page numbers */ + + .linenum {position: absolute; top: auto; left: 4%;} /* poetry number */ + .blockquot{margin-left: 5%; margin-right: 10%;} + + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .u {text-decoration: underline;} + + .caption {font-weight: bold;} + + .figcenter {margin: auto; text-align: center;} + + // --> + /* XML end ]]>*/ + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of How to Enjoy Paris in 1842, by F. Hervé + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: How to Enjoy Paris in 1842 + Intended to Serve as a Companion and Monitor, Containing + Historical, Political, Commercial, Artistical, Theatrical + And Statistical Information + +Author: F. Hervé + +Release Date: February 12, 2006 [EBook #17760] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOW TO ENJOY PARIS IN 1842 *** + + + + +Produced by R. Cedron, Janet Blenkinship and the Online +Distributed Proofreaders Europe at http://dp.rastko.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class="trans-note"> + Transcriber's Note: There are inconsistencies in spelling and hyphenation + which have been left as they were originally printed. + </div> + + + +<h1>HOW TO ENJOY PARIS IN 1842,</h1> + +<h4>INTENDED TO SERVE AS A</h4> + +<h2>COMPANION AND MONITOR</h2> + +<h4>Indicating all that is useful and interesting</h4> + +<h3>IN THE FRENCH METROPOLIS,</h3> + +<p class='center'><b>Containing</b></p> + +<h4>HISTORICAL, POLITICAL, COMMERCIAL, ARTISTICAL, THEATRICAL AND +STATISTICAL INFORMATION.</h4> + +<h3>AS ALSO A DESCRIPTION</h3> + +<p class='center'><b>Of the manners and customs of the Parisians of the +present day;</b></p> + +<h4>WITH INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE STRANGER.</h4> + +<p class='center'><b>In Respect to Economy, +and Advice to his general proceedings with the French.</b></p> + +<h3><i>By F. Hervé</i></h3> + +<p class='center'>Author of <i>A Residence in Turkey and Greece</i>, etc, etc.</p> + + + +<h4>ILLUSTRATED BY LITHOGRAPHIC ENGRAVINGS.</h4> + + +<p class='center'>PARIS,<br />PUBLISHED BY AMYOT, 6, RUE DE LA PAIX;<br />AND BY G. BRIGGS, 421, +STRAND, LONDON, SUCCESSOR TO LEIGH & CO.<br /> +1842.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><br /></p> +<h2><a name="PREFACE" id="PREFACE"></a><b>PREFACE.</b></h2> + + +<p>In offering the following pages to the public, the author has been +principally influenced by a desire of uniting <i>useful</i> information with +that which he hopes may prove amusing to the reader, endeavouring as +much as possible to keep in view the spirit of the title <i>"How to enjoy +Paris;"</i> and having been accustomed to hear such constant and bitter +murmurings from the English, in consequence of their having been so +frequently imposed upon by the Paris shopkeepers, considerable pains and +attention have been devoted to guard the reader against his being +subjected to a similar evil; much development has therefore been +afforded towards recommending those establishments where the author +feels confident that the stranger will meet with fair dealing and due +civility. It may, perhaps, be thought by many that he has been rather +too prolix on the subject, but in order to know "<i>How to enjoy Paris</i>" +to its full extent, the first object, is to be informed of the best +means of dispensing one's modicum of lucre to the greatest advantage, +which will enable the visitor to stay the longer and see the more, just +in proportion as he avoids useless expenditure in suffering himself to +be victimised by over charges.</p> + +<p>As the present work includes the different subjects of History, +Antiquities, Politics, Manners, Customs, Army, Navy, Literature, +Painting, Music, Theatres, Performers, etc., etc., the author flatters +himself that readers of every taste will find a chapter which treats +upon some subject that may interest them, hoping that in the endeavour +to play the rôle of the Miller and his Ass, his efforts to please may be +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span>more happy than those of that unfortunate individual.</p> + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<p><br /></p> + +<table border="0" cellpadding="4" width="50%" cellspacing="0" summary="TABLE OF CONTENTS"> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#PREFACE">PREFACE.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV.</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><a href="#INDEX">INDEX.</a></td></tr> +</table> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I.</h2> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Hints to the English visiting Paris as to their demeanour towards +the Parisians, and advice as to the best mode of proceeding in +various transactions with them. An appeal to candour and justice +against national prejudice.</p></div> + +<p>Happiness is the goal for which mankind is ever seeking, but of the many +roads which the imagination traces as the surest and nearest to that +<i>desideratum</i>, few, perhaps none, ever chance upon the right; too many +pursue a shadow instead of a substance, influenced by a phantom of their +own creation, engendered in most instances by pride, vanity, or +ambition. Although I do not presume to hope that I can pilot my readers +to the wished-for haven, yet I flatter myself I can afford them such +counsel as will greatly contribute towards their happiness during their +sojourn at Paris or in other parts of France.</p> + +<p>Patriotism is certainly a most exalted virtue, but however praiseworthy +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span>it may be in Englishmen to cherish within their own breasts the +recollection that their fleets and armies have ever prevailed, that +their wealth and commerce surpass those of every other nation, etc. etc. +it is not absolutely necessary that they should in their outward +demeanour towards foreigners, bear the semblance of constantly +arrogating to themselves a superiority, of which however conscious and +assured they may be, they never can teach others to feel, and least of +any a Frenchman, who possesses an equal degree of national predilection +as the Englishman, and the moment that sentiment is attacked, or that +our Gallic neighbours conceive that an attempt is made to insinuate that +they are regarded in the light of inferiority, as compared with any +other nation, hatred to the individual who seeks to humiliate them or +their country is instantly engendered, and in all their transactions and +communications with their <i>soi-disant</i> superior, they will either take +some advantage, behave with sullenness, or avail themselves of some +opportunity of displaying the ascerbid feeling which has been created: +not that I would wish an Englishman to subdue that just and natural +pride which he must ever feel when he reflects on the pinnacle of +greatness which his country has attained, through the genius, industry, +and valour of her sons; yet it is a <i>suaviter in modo</i> which I wish him +to preserve in his outward bearing towards the French, without ever +compromising the <i>fortiter in re</i>.</p> + +<p>I shall now endeavour to illustrate the above theory by citing some +instances wherein its axioms were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span> brought into practice under my own +observation, and which I trust will convince my readers that it is not +from visionary ideas I have formed my conclusions, and that the conduct +I recommend to the traveller in France must in a great degree tend to +the promotion of his happiness, whilst traversing or residing in foreign +climes; as although in other countries the same degree of sensitiveness +will not be found as that which exists amongst the French, a mild and +unassuming deportment is always appreciated on the Continent, where +tradespeople and even servants are not accustomed to be treated in that +haughty dictatorial manner, too often adopted by my countrymen towards +those to whom they are in the habit of giving their orders.</p> + +<p>It is now about twelve years since, whilst I was staying at the Hôtel de +Bourbon, at Calais, that I was much struck by the very opposite traits +of countenance and difference of demeanour of two gentlemen at the table +d'hôte, who appeared nevertheless to be most intimate friends; it was +evident they were both English and proved to be brothers. Ever +accustomed to study the physiognomies of those around me, I contemplated +theirs with peculiar attention, having discovered by their conversation +that they were to be my companions on my journey to Paris; and it +required no great powers of penetration to perceive that the elder was +decided upon viewing all with a jaundiced eye, whilst the younger was +disposed to be pleased and in good humour, with all around him. The +conduc<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span>teur announcing that the Diligence was ready and that we must +speedily take our seats, abruptly interrupted all my physiognomical +meditations, and we quickly repaired to the heavy lumbering vehicle in +which we were destined to be dragged to the gay metropolis. Our names +being called over in rotation, I found that the brothers had engaged +places in the coupé as well as myself, but having priority of claim, had +wisely chosen the two corners, the vacant seat in the middle falling to +my lot; and I believe, as it proved, it was not a bad arrangement, as I +acted as a sort of sand-bag between two jars, which prevented their +<i>jarring</i>; in fact I formed a sort of <i>juste milieu</i> between two +extremes, and no sooner were we installed in our respective places, than +my mediating powers were called into operation, as the following +dialogue will exemplify.</p> + +<p>"They gave us a very nice dinner, sir," said the good humoured brother +who sat on my left.</p> + +<p>I replied that I was very well satisfied with it.</p> + +<p>"But you don't know what their messes are made of. For my part I like to +know what, I eat," observed the discontented brother on my right, "and +you don't mean surely, sir, to say that such as they gave us was +anything to compare to a good English dinner."</p> + +<p>That, I remarked, was entirely an affair of taste; that I myself was +most partial to the simpler mode of living of the English, but not so +the high aristocracy of our country, with whom French cooks are in the +greatest estimation.</p> + +<p>"I was very much pleased with the <i>vin ordinaire</i>, as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> they call it, and +found it a pleasant light wine, particularly agreeable when one is +thirsty," said Good Humour.</p> + +<p>"<i>Light</i> enough at any rate," returned Discontent, "and well named <i>vin +ordinaire</i>, for ordinary it is in every sense of the word, pretty much +like themselves for that; but if you like to have any when we are in +England, I'll make you some; take a little port wine, put some vinegar +and a good deal of water with it and there you have it at once; is not +that your opinion, sir?"</p> + +<p>I replied, that I considered it a beverage well adapted for a sort of +draught wine, but that it certainly had not the body that foreign wines +have that we are in the habit of drinking in England.</p> + +<p>Good Humour not appearing to relish his brother's receipt for making +<i>vin ordinaire</i>, changed the subject, by observing that a woman who was +standing at the door of an <i>auberge</i> where we were stopping had a very +fine expression of countenance, although rather thin and pale, but that +there was a pensive cast which prevailed throughout her features and +rendered the <i>tout ensemble</i> interesting.</p> + +<p>"Oh very <i>fine</i>, indeed," said Discontent, with a sarcastic smile, "as +complete a picture of skin and grief as one could wish to see. Pray, +sir, is she one of your beauties?"</p> + +<p>I admitted that her appearance was rather pleasing, but that beauty was +out of the question, nor did I understand his brother to have made any +remark conveying the idea that she possessed that charm so truly rare.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span></p> + +<p>"What a delightful house and garden," exclaimed. Good Humour, as we +passed by a residence, that had rather an inviting appearance; "now, is +it not an agreeable spot to live in," he continued, as he turned to me +with a look, so assured of confirmation on my part, that I could not +find it in my heart to disappoint him. But as I was about to answer, +Discontent grumbled out a few words, which I think were to the effect, +that where the country was so hideously frightful, that any thing that +was decent attracted notice, but that the same object in England would +not have been regarded; asking me if I had ever travelled through a more +ugly country in my life.</p> + +<p>However I felt inclined to check his tendency to condemn all he beheld, +yet I could not in truth otherwise than acknowledge that it was as +uninteresting as it was possible to be, of which every one must be aware +who has travelled from Calais to Boulogne.</p> + +<p>Good Humour, however, was still undaunted, and a rather jolly, and very +rosy, looking young female passing at the moment, elicited from him the +exclamation of "Oh, what a pretty girl, and good natured!"</p> + +<p>"The very type of fat contented ignorance," interrupted Discontent, +without allowing his brother to finish his sentence.</p> + +<p>Soon after we entered Boulogne, where the white houses, lively green +shutters, and cleanly appearance of the Grande Rue attracted the +admiration of Good Humour, who observed with his usual energetic<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span> +manner, "What a cheerful pleasant looking town, and how very pretty the +houses are!"</p> + +<p>"For outside show, well enough, which may be said of most things in +France," murmured Discontent; "but see the inside of those houses, and +you will find there is not a single window or door that shuts or fits as +it ought; and if they are inhabited by French people, you will find +cobwebs and dirt in almost every corner. Am I not right, sir," said he, +turning to me with a triumphant air. But before I could answer, Good +Humour took up the cause, observing, "Really, brother, you cannot speak +from what you have seen, as the Hôtel Bourbon is the only house we have +yet entered, and it was impossible to exceed the cleanliness observed +within it; therefore your remarks can only proceed from reports you have +had from others, whose vision, perhaps, was as clouded as your own +appears to be, by a pre-determination to view everything in France in +the most unfavourable light." Perceiving that Discontent, by the angry +look which he assumed, was about to reply in a bitter tone to his +brother, I thought the best means of averting the storm would be to +interpose a sort of middle course between them, and remarked that the +gentleman's observation, as to the windows and doors not fitting well, +was very correct, but with regard to the dirtiness of the French it had +been greatly exaggerated.</p> + +<p>Discontent declared that he had received his account of France from +persons who had lived long in the country, and on whose judgment he +could rely;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span> "whereas," added he, "you perhaps have seen but little +either of the nation or of the people."</p> + +<p>I replied that I had known France nearly fourteen years.</p> + +<p>"Then," said he, "if you have known France so long as that, I suppose +you have become Frenchified yourself."</p> + +<p>I was about to make a sharp reply, but was prevented by the younger +brother remarking, "After you have said so much against the French, your +observation to the gentleman was anything but complimentary, and +savoured much of rudeness."</p> + +<p>"I merely said I was sure that his brother did not <i>mean</i> to be rude, +and therefore I should not consider his observation in that light."</p> + +<p>"Rough and rude I always was, but I did not mean to give offence," added +Discontent in a somewhat softened tone.</p> + +<p>A fine looking old man, with a profusion of white hair, who was standing +at a cottage door, attracted the notice of Good Humour, who bid us +observe how benevolent was his expression, and what a fine venerable +head he presented.</p> + +<p>"As hoary headed an old sinner as ever existed, I'll be bound," said +Discontent, with a sarcastic smile, as he looked scornfully at his +brother.</p> + +<p>In this manner we continued to the end of our journey, Discontent +viewing all he encountered with an air of disgust and contempt, +appearing restless, miserable, unhappy and disagreeable, a burthen to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span> +himself and an annoyance to others, whilst Good Humour saw every thing +en <i>couleur de rose</i>, was lively, amused, looking the picture of +kindness, and although pleased with a trifle, 'tis true, yet how much +wiser was his course, as it promoted his own happiness and was +calculated to cheer his fellow travellers.</p> + +<p>At length we arrived at Abbeville, and I soon perceived the effect that +the knitted brow and curling lip of Discontent had upon the girls that +waited at the table, who seemed but half disposed to attend, to his +demands; whereas the good natured confiding expression of his brother, +with his pleasing address, won all hearts, and he was served with +alacrity and scarcely needed to express his wants; it really is +astonishing how much influence suavity of manners has in France, in +procuring civility and attention, and how opposite is the case with a +repulsive mien.</p> + +<p>Before I quit the subject, I must relate one more instance, most +powerfully attesting the veracity of the assertion, which occurred to +myself; after having engaged apartments at the house belonging to a +female, named Fournier, at Boulogne, I was informed by several English +families who had preceded me in the same lodgings, that I had taken up +my abode with the most disagreeable people, who would impose upon us and +annoy us in every possible manner. One exception, however, to this +general report I met with in the account that was given me of our +hostess and family by a Colonel Barry, who with his lady and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span> children +had resided some time with Madame Fournier, and they assured me that we +should find we had chanced upon most worthy people, who would do all in +their power to make us comfortable; but it so happened that the Colonel +and his family were persons of most conciliating manners, devoid of +hauteur in their demeanour, possessing in fact the very qualities +calculated to propitiate a good feeling on the part of the French. After +we had been in the house some time, we observed to those persons who +assured us we should be so ill treated, that we found the case quite the +reverse; and, the answer was, wait until the time comes when, you are +about to depart, and then when you are called upon to produce the +plates, crockery, glasses, knives, forks, etc., you will see who you +have to deal with; if there be any thing in the slightest degree +chipped, they will make you pay extravagantly for damages. But when at +last the awful day of departure arrived, I had every thing collected of +the description alluded to, and Madame Fournier would not even look at +them, and observed if there were any thing injured she was sure it was +to so trifling an amount that it was not worth noticing. But it was not +so with an English lady who was our fellow lodger; towards her they +certainly were neither obliging in their manner nor disposed to render +her any kind of accommodation beyond the strict letter of their +agreement; and the reason was, because she always addressed them as if +she was speaking to her servants; in short, with an arrogance<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> of manner +that they could not brook. Thus whilst they were continually practising +little civilities and attentions towards us, which greatly contributed to +our <i>comfort</i>, they were following a totally opposite system towards +her, which rendered her very <i>uncomfortable</i>; therefore, had that lady +properly studied her happiness, she would have conducted herself towards +her hostess and family in a very different manner, and I hope my readers +who visit France will take advantage of the hint; yet I must admit that +the lady in question was a very amiable personage in every other +respect, but she detested the French, and liked, as she observed, to +pull down their pride, to make them feel their inferiority, and let them +know that the English were their masters. Madame Fournier, however, was +of a class superior to the generality of persons who let lodgings in +England; she was possessed of an independent property, her eldest +daughter was married to a Colonel, and her son a lieutenant in the navy, +but like many of the French, having a house considerably larger than she +could occupy, she let a part of it. I should always however recommend +the English when they are taking a house or apartment for any length of +time, or in fact entering into any engagement of importance with the +French, to have an agreement in writing, in case of misunderstanding, +which may arise from the English not comprehending, or not expressing +themselves in French so well as they imagine. It is always a document to +refer to which settles all differences, and is a check upon all<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> bad +memories, either on the one side or the other; and as there are bad +people in France as well as other countries, it prevents strangers +becoming victims to those who are disposed to take advantage, when they +are aware that there is no legal instrument to hold them to their +contract. I have lodged in eighteen different houses in France, and +never had any other than a verbal agreement, and certainly had not in +any one instance cause to regret; but was fortunate enough, with one +exception, always to have met with good people; but as I wish my readers +during their sojourn in France to be secured from any unpleasant +discussions or altercations, I recommend them to be on the safe side.</p> + +<p>I must now appeal to my two most powerful allies, candour and justice, +against that invincible demon national prejudice. I am perfectly aware +that it is a hopeless attempt even to imagine that there is the +slightest chance of ameliorating its force. I consider it more +immoveable than a rock, because by dint of time you may cut that away, +or you may blast it with gunpowder; but I know of no means which can +soften the adamantine strength of national prejudice. One might +naturally suppose that a long communication between the two countries, a +mutual interchange of kindnesses, the number of intermarriages by which +the two nations have become so connected with each other, would have +contributed in some degree to diminish the asperity of that bitter +feeling against the French which we acquire in our school-boy days,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> but +which reason and commerce with the world, it might be expected, would +correct. As there is no argument so powerful as exemplification, I will +here cite two instances amongst the hundreds that have come within my +knowledge, of the extreme incorrigibility of the baneful sentiment to +which I allude. I once travelled with a Mr. Lewis from Paris to Dieppe, +and found him a man of considerable information, very gentlemanly in his +address and manners, and possessing such colloquial powers as +contributed to render the journey particularly agreeable; he was an +enthusiastic admirer of the arts, and was very fond of drawing, and +certainly excelled in that accomplishment, from the very beautiful +sketches he showed me which he had made in different parts of France, +and in fact was an amateur artist of considerable merit. He gave me a +very interesting account of his tour through France and of the kindness +he had met with from the inhabitants; that in many instances when he had +been sketching the chateaux of the nobility and gentry, how often it had +occurred that the proprietors had come out and invited him to breakfast +or dinner, according to the hour, or at any rate to take some +refreshment; and several sent for his portemanteau from the inn where he +had put up (sometimes without his knowledge), compelling him to pass the +night at their chateau. On my making some remark as to the urbanity of +the French, "Oh! don't think," he exclaimed, "that I am praising them as +a nation, for I hate them; I only speak of facts as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> they happened." I +then asked him how he was treated at the inns in the different +provinces, and whether he was much imposed upon. "I cannot say I was," +he replied, "or in any instance that I had reason to complain of my +treatment."</p> + +<p>From this gentleman's account of the reception he had met with in +France, would not any rational being have imagined that he would speak +well of the French? instead of which, I soon had the most powerful +proofs to the contrary. When we arrived at Dieppe we found a party +assembled at the <i>table d'hôte</i>, at the <i>hôtel</i> at which we alighted, +consisting of a few French but, more of English; the former left the +room as soon as the cloth was withdrawn, and the latter remaining, the +conversation became general and very patriotic; and as the merits of +England and the English rose in the discussion, so did the demerits of +France and the French sink, and at last bumpers were drank to old +England for ever, in which we all joyously joined. This was all very +natural and proper, but this ebullition of national and praiseworthy +feeling had hardly subsided, when Mr. Lewis, the very man who had +admitted that he had been received with kindness and hospitality +wherever he had been in France, arose, and said, "Now, gentlemen, I have +another toast to propose to you, which I hope will be drank with the +same enthusiasm as the last; so "Here's a curse for France and the +French." All immediately drank it but myself and an elderly gentleman, +who declared he would not invoke a curse upon any land or any people. A +silent<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> pause intervened; every one appeared to look at the other, as to +how they ought to act on their toast being refused, none caring to +assume the initiative. At last, one rising from his chair, who perhaps +began to view the affair temperately, observed, "Well, I think we had +better see about the packet-boat for Brighton before it is too late," +and they all quitted the room, except the elderly gentlemen and myself, +and he did certainly animadvert most severely against what he termed +their unchristianlike toast. Although it was impossible for me, feeling +as I did, otherwise than to agree with him on the principal points of +his argument, yet I observed that we might hope that it was merely in +words that the gentlemen would evince the violence of their prejudices, +as I felt convinced, from the general amiability of character so +apparent in the person who proposed the toast, that if he saw a +Frenchman in danger of his life, and that an exertion could save him, +that Mr. Lewis would use every effort to preserve a human being from +destruction, whatever might be his country.</p> + +<p>The other circumstance to which I am about to advert was less his +surprising, though equally powerful, in illustrating the strong tendency +towards prejudice against the French on the part of the English people, +the hero of my tale being a regular country squire, extremely kind +hearted, but whose fund of information did not extend much beyond his +estate, his horses and his hounds; not any consideration would have +induced him to quit England, but that of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> saving the life of an +individual, for whom, however worthless and ungrateful, he still +retained a sentiment of pity; a young man, whom he had brought up and +educated, in return for his kindness forged his name, and the evidence +of the squire was all that was requisite to hang him, therefore, as an +effectual means of avoiding to be forced to appear against him, he +quitted England; and, as France was the nearest, he there took up his +abode. A friend of mine, a Capt. W., who had resided long in France, +received a letter of introduction to the squire; although living at a +considerable distance from his residence, he took an opportunity of +presenting it. Having heard that the captain had been in France many +years, the Squire was not disposed to receive him very cordially, +considering that so doing was disgraceful on the part of an Englishman +unless he was forced to do so by circumstances such as had compelled +himself to quit his native country. The consequence was, that he eyed +the Captain in a manner that was far from flattering to his feelings; +but when he had read the highly recommendatory panegyric contained +within the letter, the Squire softened, and soon greeted the stranger +with a true hearty English welcome, and their respective families +afterwards became most intimately acquainted: the Squire, delighted to +find a countryman to whom he could communicate his execrations against +France and the French, whilst the Captain did all in his power to defend +them from all unjust attacks, having himself had favourable experience +of their ur<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span>banity and kindness. Some time after the Squire's arrival +the Captain removed to Boulogne, and as some grand ceremony was to be +there celebrated with military and ecclesiastical pomp and parade, in +the presence of the royal family, he invited the Squire and his family +to pass a few days with him, that they might witness so grand a +spectacle; adding, that there would be twenty thousand troops assembled +for the purpose. The Squire immediately flew into a violent passion, and +vowed he would accept the invitation on no other terms than that he +could take with him thirty thousand Englishman to cut their rascally +French throats. At length he gave his consent that his daughter should +pass a few days with the family of Capt. W., and at the same time +accompany them, to see the ceremony which was to take place. Partaking +of her father's feelings, all the way on the road she launched out +abusing every thing that was French and in fact all that she encountered +until the moment that she witnessed the imposing spectacle. She was then +standing within the church with the Captain amongst the crowd, but some +officers perceiving an English lady of genteel appearance, invited her +to join the circle composed of the Duchesses of Angoulême, of Berri, and +the ladies of the court, which she gladly accepted; and several fine +looking young men in their brilliant uniforms paying her the greatest +attentions, and taking the utmost pains that she should have the best +possible view of the sight, her heart was completely won, and when she +was re-conducted to Capt. W.,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> her first exclamation was, "Well, as long +as I live, I never will speak against Frenchmen again; for I never was +treated with so much politeness and attention in my own country as I +have been here." But when she expressed the same feeling to her father, +his rage knew no bounds, and at the first moment he swore he would take +her off to England instanter, adding "I suppose I shall have my family +disgraced by your running off with some French mustachioed scoundrel or +another." The poor girl dared not say another word, and in a little time +the father recovered his equanimity.</p> + +<p>However furious the Squire was in expressions against the French, yet +his actions towards them were of a contrary bearing, having a well +stocked medicine chest, from which he liberally dispensed the contents +amongst the neighbouring poor, according to their different maladies, +until he received the cognomen of the English doctor who would never +take a fee. The people at last became so grateful for his kindness, that +when there was a report that war was likely to take place between the +two countries, as he displayed some uneasiness as to his being able to +return home, they assured him he should always be certain of cattle to +convey him to Calais, as, if he could not procure post horses, they +would find some in the neighbourhood for him, and if none could be +found, they would draw him themselves to the spot he desired. After +residing a few years in France, the Squire returned to his own country, +little enlightened by his trip, cursing the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> French before he came +amongst them, cursing them whilst he was living with them, and at the +same time whilst he was doing them every possible good, and cursing them +after his return to England; not that he could give any reason why, but +because it had become a habit with him since his childhood, and he had +been accustomed to hear his father and grandfather do so before him, and +I suppose he liked to keep up that which no doubt he thought a good old +custom.</p> + +<p>Having now, I trust, given sufficient examples of how the deep roots of +national prejudice defy every effort and circumstance to eradicate them, +I shall hope that my readers will endeavour to banish from their minds +any early impressions they may have received inimical to the French, and +resolve only to judge them as they find them, as reason must suggest +that all prepossessions cherished against any people must powerfully +militate against the traveller's happiness during his sojourn amongst +them. I fear that I may have been considered rather prolix upon the +subject, but besides the motive to which I have already alluded, I +always have cherished a most anxious desire to soften as much as +possible all national animosities.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II.</h2> + + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Different routes from London to Paris.—Aspect of the city as first +presented to the English traveller, according to the road by which +he may enter.—Its extent, population, etc.</p></div> + + +<p>The first measure to be adopted after any one has decided upon visiting +Paris, is to provide himself with a passport, which he will procure at +the French Ambassador's office in Poland street, for which there is no +charge, but it is requisite to state by which port you mean to proceed; +but in order to leave some latitude for caprice, you may mention two +places, as Calais or Boulogne, or Dieppe or Havre, etc. There are now +many different means of travelling to Paris; that which was once the +most frequently adopted was by coach to Dover, then embarking for +Calais, as those are the two ports which present the shortest distance +between the two countries, being only about twenty-one miles apart; many +however prefer embarking at Dover at once for Boulogne, thus avoiding +about twenty-five miles by land from Calais to Boulogne, which certainly +does not afford a single object of interest, and the distance by sea is +only increased eight miles. Another route is by railway to Brighton, +then crossing to Dieppe, and which is certainly the straightest line of +any of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> routes from London to Paris; but on account of there being +more sea, the distance is not generally performed in so short a period +as the other routes, from the uncertainty of the Ocean. It is not +therefore so much frequented by travellers as those on which they can +reckon with more accuracy; the same may be said of the route by +Southampton, which is performed by railway to that town, and afterwards +by steam-packet to Havre, which includes above a hundred miles by sea, +consequently but little resorted to as compared with the former routes. +There was another means of reaching Paris, and that was from London to +St. Vallery by sea; which being near Abbeville and only 33 leagues from +Paris, there was the least of land travelling, consequently it was the +cheapest if all went smoothly, and this line was often adopted by strict +economists, who however have frequently found themselves much +disappointed, as sometimes it happened they could not make the port, and +have either been obliged to put back and lie off Ramsgate, or lay to, +for some hours, and perhaps after having landed, have been detained at +St. Vallery, from not having been able to find places in the diligences +for Paris. This means, however, of proceeding to Paris no longer exists, +as the steamers have been sold, but it is thought that they will be +replaced by others. The route which is by far the most frequented is +that of embarking from London direct for Boulogne, and is on the long +run the most economical, and maybe comfortably performed, living +included, for three pounds, at the present prices, which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> are 1<i>l</i>. in +the best Cabin from London to Boulogne, then about 1<i>l</i> 4<i>s</i>., in the +inside from Boulogne to Paris; and the other expenses will amount to +about fifteen or sixteen shillings; with respect to the charges on the +other routes, they are so often varying that it might only deceive the +reader by stating them as they at present exist, when in a few weeks +they may be higher or lower as circumstances may arise. Some persons +choose, the route by Southampton and Havre as being the most +picturesque, as from the latter town to Rouen such exquisite scenery is +presented by the banks of the Seine, as you pass in the steamer between +them, that the passenger is at a loss on which side to bestow his +attention, whilst rapidly hurried through so delightful and fertile a +country; in fact, he is tempted for once to regret the velocity of steam +conveyance, in not permitting him to tarry awhile to contemplate the +beautiful scenes by which he is environed. Rouen, where the traveller +should at least remain some days, is an object of great attraction. As +my work is especially devoted to Paris, I cannot afford much space to +the description of towns on the road; but as the city of Rouen is the +largest, the most interesting, and the most connected with history and +English associations of any upon the routes to Paris, I cannot pass it +over without some comment. Its boulevards first strike the English, as +being not only most picturesque and beautiful, but as presenting a scene +to them wholly novel, the noble vistas formed by towering trees, +mingling their branches, shading beneath their foliage<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> many a cheerful +group, the merchant's stone villas, seen amongst their bowers, the high +shelving grassy banks, and the lively bustle that is ever going forward, +has so animated an effect that the beholder cannot but catch the +infection and feel his spirits elevated by the enlivening spectacle. But +what a contrast on entering the city; the streets narrow, dark, and with +no foot pavement, have a mean and gloomy appearance, but many of them +being built mostly of wood, carved into fantastic forms, offer a rich +harvest to the artist, and those of our own country have amply profited +by the innumerable picturesque objects which Rouen presents. The +cathedral, built by William the Conqueror, is one of the most +interesting monuments of France; the Church of St.-Ouen is at least as +beautiful, and there are several others which well repay the visiter for +the time he may expend in visiting them. The statue of the Maid of +Orleans stands in the <i>Marché aux Veaux</i>, on the spot where she was +burnt as a sorceress under the sanction of the Duke of Bedford in 1431. +Above all, the traveller must not fail to visit Mount Catherine, which +rises just above the city, and commands a view equally beautiful and +extensive. The delightful environs of Rouen are displayed before him, +comprising almost every scenic beauty that a country can afford; even +the factories, which in most places rather deform the view than +otherwise, are here so constructed as to contribute to its ornament, +more resembling villas than buildings solely for utility. Hills, wood, +water, bridges, chateaux, cottages,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> corn fields and meadows are so +picturesquely intermingled, that every object which can give charm to a +landscape is here united. There are several hills round Rouen which +present prospects nearly equal to that which is witnessed from Mount +Catherine, and in fact it is difficult to imagine any situation which +affords so many pleasant walks and such enchanting scenery. Indeed, all +the way to Paris by this route (that is by what is called the lower +road) which for a considerable distance runs within sight of the Seine, +the country is most highly interesting, passing through Louvier, +Gaillon, Vernon, Mantes and St. Germains.</p> + +<p>Calais, as being the nearest point to the English coast, and at which +we so often obtain our first peep at France, merits some notice, and +although it offers but few attractions, and is surrounded by a flat +cheerless country, yet there are connected with it some associations +which are replete with interest; as who that has ever read Sterne's +Sentimental Journey can forget the simple but impressive description he +gives of the poor friar and other objects which he there met, and which +he has engraven on the minds of his readers, in his own peculiar style, +in characters never to be erased; for my part, as I first approached +Calais I thought but of Sterne and his plain, unvarnished tale, of the +trifles he encountered, around which he contrived to weave an interest +which is felt even by the inhabitants of Calais to this day; although +they knew his works but through the spoiling medium of translation, +still they never fail to exhibit to the Eng<span class='pagenum'><a +name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span>lishman the alcove in +which he is said to have written his adventures in Calais. As I entered +the town, instantly the works of Hogarth appeared before me, for who is +there that does not remember his excellent representation of the Gates +of Calais, with the meagre sentinel and still more skinny cook bending +under the weight of a dish crowned with an enormous sirloin of beef, no +doubt intended to regale some newly-arrived John Bull, whilst a fat monk +scans it with a longing eye. Next the bust of Eustache de St. Pierre +awakes the attention, and the surrender of Calais and his devoted +patriotism rises in one's memory. Another souvenir also must not be +forgotten, namely, the print of the foot of Louis the Eighteenth, which +is cut in the stone, and a piece of brass let in where he first stepped +on shore, and undoubtedly represents a very pretty little foot; but when +a Frenchman who was no amateur of the Bourbon dynasty was asked to +admire its symmetry, he observed it was very well, but that it would +look much better if it was turned t'other way, that is to say, going out +of the kingdom instead of coming into it. If the traveller have time, it +is worth while to mount a tower, at the top of which is a sort of +lantern capable of containing about a dozen persons, and commanding a +most extensive view over the sea, and on the opposite side the country +is visible for a considerable distance, bearing a most uninviting +appearance. There are a great number of hôtels at Calais, and I +have been at many of them, but have found that kept by M. +Derhorter,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg +26]</a></span> called the Hôtel Bourbon, the most comfortable and +economical, and the civility of the master cannot anywhere be surpassed. +Dessin's, for the nobility and those who have equipages, is still the +favourite and has been for time immemorial.</p> + +<p>Nothing worthy of note presents itself between Calais and Boulogne, +except the little village of Wimille, which made some impression upon my +mind, as being so much prettier and so much more village-like than any +other through which we had passed, and near here perished the +unfortunate æronauts Pilatre and Romain, falling from their balloon when +at a prodigious height from the ground and in sight of many spectators. +They were buried in the churchyard, in which a monument has been erected +commemorative of the event. About two miles from this hamlet Boulogne +appears in sight, cheering the spectator by its gay and animated aspect, +the numerous groups of genteel-looking persons constantly promenading +the streets, pier and port, give it a most lively appearance, which is +enhanced by the extreme cleanliness which is observed in all the +principal streets, and the cheerful air afforded by the white stone +houses with their green balconies and shutters. But the numerously +well-dressed portion of the population, which so greatly contribute +towards enlivening the scene, consists almost wholly of English, as the +few French families which still reside in Boulogne, above the rank of +the tradespeople, keep themselves very close and retired as in all other +provincial towns in France; and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> in Boulogne they are very suspicious of +the English, having had such numbers of bad characters who at first +preserved a very respectable appearance but ultimately proved to be +swindlers. The higher French families, therefore, decline any +association with the English, unless with persons who have come +highly-recommended, or have resided many years in the town with an +unimpeachable character. It so happened that circumstances brought me in +contact with two or three of these exclusive personages, and their +remarks about the English afforded me much amusement, and may be taken +as types of the general observations of the provincial French upon our +country-people.</p> + +<p>The worthy matrons of families have often said to me, "How is it, Sir, +that the wives and mothers of your country can manage their domestic +concerns, when they are seen almost continually walking about the +streets at hours when we find it indispensable to attend to our +household affairs."</p> + +<p>I replied, that after having given their orders they relied in a great +degree upon their servants executing them with punctuality.</p> + +<p>"Indeed!" was the exclamation; "how fortunate they must be to have such +immaculate servants that they can so entirely depend upon them: we +should be very happy if we could have such as did not require looking +after, but unfortunately French servants partake too much of human +nature for mistresses to be able to leave them wholly to themselves."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span></p> + +<p>I observed that perhaps English servants generally being more humble, +obedient, and subservient to their superiors, greater reliance might be +placed upon them, and undoubtedly more certainty as to their obeying the +instructions they received.</p> + +<p>"Then it is surprising," said the ladies, "that your country people do +not always bring servants with them, and very unlucky that in so many +instances when they have done so, that their domestics should so often +be brought before the Tribunals of Correction for different +irregularities."</p> + +<p>I replied, that many good and regular servants did not like to quit +their native land, and of those who were brought over, certainly in many +instances their employers had been disappointed; that in a foreign +country all was new to them, and they forgot their former regular +habits, and certainly in too many instances had misbehaved themselves.</p> + +<p>"Consequently," returned my interlocutors, "requiring a more vigilant +eye to superintend them. But there is another subject which affords us +much surprise, and that is the manner in which English parents permit +their daughters to go alone about the streets, or to walk with a +gentleman who is neither their father nor brother."</p> + +<p>I assigned as a reason for our allowing them so much liberty, that we +had such perfect confidence in them that we felt assured we could trust +to their own firmness and discretion to prevent any improper +consequences arising from the freedom they were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span> permitted to enjoy. +"Unfortunately, that confidence is but too frequently abused," rejoined +one of the ladies, "if we are to judge from several lamentable +occurrences which have latterly taken place in this town amongst the +English young ladies."</p> + +<p>I felt the rebuke, as I knew to what circumstances they alluded, and +observed that the English society inhabiting Boulogne were by no means +what could, be termed the <i>élite</i> of the nation, although there were +many families of the highest respectability.</p> + +<p>The ladies, perceiving by my manner that I was somewhat nettled, +endeavoured to soften what they had said, by observing that certainly it +would not be just to estimate the English people by the samples which +came to reside at Boulogne, as they had generally understood that they +were persons of indifferent reputation, who fled from their own country +because they could no longer live there in credit, but that amongst the +number there undoubtedly were some very quiet people.</p> + +<p>A stranger would not appreciate the degree of praise which is contained +in the word quiet when used by the French, who appear to consider it as +comprising all the cardinal virtues; when seeking a house or apartments, +if you say any thing favourable or unfavourable of them, they never fail +to remind you that they are so quiet. The same eulogy they will +pronounce on their daughters with peculiar pride and energy, when they +wish to extol them to the skies, and in good truth their <i>demoiselles</i> +are quiet enough in all<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> conscience, for it requires often a +considerable degree of ingenuity to extract from them more than +monosyllables. We have been accustomed to consider the French as a +restless, capricious, volatile people, and so I suppose they might have +been formerly, but now they are undoubtedly the reverse, being a quiet +routine plodding sort of people, particularly as regards the +provincials; and even amongst the Parisians there are thousands that +reside in one quarter of the city, which they seldom quit, never +approaching what they consider the gay portion of Paris, but live +amongst each other, visiting only within their own circle, consisting +almost entirely of their relations and family connexions. This feeling +is certainly exemplified still farther at Boulogne, as I knew an old +couple who lived in the upper town, which joins the lower town except by +the separation of the wall of the fortifications, and had not been in +the latter for five years, because they considered it was too bustling +and too much a place of pleasure for such quiet, homely, and orderly +folk as they professed to be and certainly were, in every sense of the +word. At Bordeaux I knew three old ladies who were born in that city, +and never had been in any other town during their whole lives, nor ever +desired to pass the walls of their native place. Many persons who have +been accustomed to spend their days in the provinces have a sort of +horror of Paris; I remember an old gentleman at Rouen, who with his +antiquated spouse lived a sort of Darby and Joan kind of life, their +only daughter being married<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> and living elsewhere; and on my once asking +him if he had ever been to Paris, he replied that he was once so +situated as to be compelled to go upon urgent business that rendered his +presence indispensable, but that he saw very little of the place, +because he had always heard that it was a city replete with vice and +dissipation, and that during the few days his affairs compelled him to +stay he kept close to his apartment, only quitting it to proceed to the +house wherein he had to transact business, and then he went in a +<i>fiacre</i>, as, if he had walked perhaps he might have been jostled, run +over, robbed, or something unpleasant might have occurred. "Ah! that's +very true, you did quite right, and acted very prudently, my dear," +observed his wife, "and nobody knows the anxiety I felt till you came +back again." Although the rising generation of the French is not quite +so dormant in their ideas as that which is passing, yet there is not +even with them the same spirit of travel and enterprise which exist in +the English. That France has had, a reputation for restlessness, love of +change, and tumult, can only be explained by stating that until the +present time for the last two centuries, with the exception of Louis the +Eighteenth, she has been most unfortunate in her rulers, who have been +supporting a state of extravagant splendour which could alone be +sustained by being wrung from the middle and the lower classes; hence +the revolution in 1789, which might be considered as the ripened fruit +which the preceding reigns had been nurturing. Of the affair<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> of the +three days in 1830, few I believe will deny the intensity of the +provocation, but then it will be said how do you account for their +having been so turbulent and discontented during the present reign? To +which I should answer in the same manner as an officer, who, defending +the character of his regiment, observed that it was composed of a +thousand men, of which nine hundred and fifty were peaceable and quiet +subjects, but the other fifty being very noisy they were constantly +heard of, and his corps had obtained the appellation of the noisy +regiment, as no one bestowed a thought upon the 'nine hundred and fifty +men who were orderly' because no one ever heard of them: thus it may be +said of France, the population may be estimated at about thirty-five +millions, of which perhaps one million may be discontented, and amongst +them are many persons connected with the press, who not only contrive by +that means to extend their war-whoop to every corner of France, but as +newspapers are conveyed to all the civilised parts of the world, and the +only medium by which a country is judged by those who have not an +opportunity of visiting it and making their own observations by a +residence amongst the people, it naturally is inferred in England and in +other nations that the French are a most dissatisfied and refractory +people. But a case in point may be cited, which proves that the +dissatisfaction is not general, nor has ever been during the present +reign. From the time that Louis-Philippe accepted the throne in 1830, +until June the 6th, 1832, a number of young<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> men in the different +colleges at Paris occupied themselves constantly with the affairs of the +state, each forming a sort of political utopia, and however different +were their various theories, they all united in one object, and that was +to overthrow the existing government, and secretly took measures for +arming themselves, and mustering what strength they could collect in +point of numbers, which was but very insignificant compared to the +importance of the blow they intended to strike; but they counted on the +rising of the people, and the event proved they counted without their +host. June the 6th, 1832, being the day appointed for the funeral of +General Lamarque, they chose it for the development of their project, +and although the misguided youths fought with skill, constancy and +courage, even with a fanatic devotion to their cause, yet the populace +took no part with them, and the National Guard were the first to fire +upon them; and after two days hard fighting in the barricades they had +raised, scarcely any remained who were not either killed or wounded. +Since that, no attempt of the slightest importance has been made to +overthrow the government, and in fact I have ever found that ninety-nine +Parisians out of a hundred exclaim "<i>Tranquillité à tout prix</i>," that is +quiet at all prices, and all classes are interested in cherishing this +wish, the nobles and gentry that they may tranquilly enjoy what they +possess, the tradesman that he may obtain a sale for his goods, and the +workman that he may procure work. It is only a set of political +enthusiasts, to be found amongst<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> the students, whose wild republican +schemes have dazzled others and induced the different outbreaks which +have occurred since the event of the three days, and having been treated +with lenity in the first instance, unprecedented in the annals of every +other government, they were emboldened to repeat their daring attempts.</p> + +<p>But let any one traverse the provinces of France, get acquainted with +the people, make inquiries around him and penetrate into their habits +and customs, and he will find that the predominant feeling is love of +the spot on which they are born; the farmer will keep on the farm his +ancestors tilled before him for ages, and if offered a better farm, if +it be far removed from his home and that of his fathers he will reject +it; with the same tenacity the labourer clings to his cottage and the +little bit of land he has always delved. But it is with the landed +proprietor that one finds the most powerful example of the durability of +their adhesion to the cradle of their birth. There are many persons +possessed of estates of no great extent, from eight to fifteen hundred a +year, which have regularly descended to them from their ancestors, to +whom they have been granted, at as remote a period as the time of +Charlemagne, and have descended to the present possessors from +generation to generation, whilst there does not appear to have been in +all that period any great elevation or depression in their +circumstances. The habit of living up to their incomes as in England is +very rare in France; if they have daughters, from the day they are<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> born +the parents begin to save for their dowry; even the peasant will follow +that practice if he can only put by a sou a day. I have known many +landed proprietors of from fifteen hundred to two thousand a year that +did not support any thing like the style that a person with a similar +fortune would in England; if a Frenchman has more than two or three +children, he seldom spends half his income if it be possible to live +upon a quarter, his object is that he may leave all his children in an +equal pecuniary position without dividing his land; as although the law +of primogeniture does not exist, yet parents like that one son should +keep up the estate intact, and the one fixed upon for that purpose is +generally the eldest, the others receive their portions in money from +the father's savings, and are usually brought up to one of the liberal +professions, and in many instances are sufficiently fortunate as to +realize by promotion or their talents, emoluments equal with what +portion they inherit to place them in as favourable a position as the +brother on whom devolves the estate. In other instances the son who +holds the land is taxed to pay from it a certain amount to his brothers +and sisters, in order to render their situation in life somewhat upon a +par; but it so happens that very large families are not so frequent in +France as in England. A system of frugality is prevalent amongst all +classes of the French, and a habit of contenting themselves with but +little as regards their daily expenses; nor have they that ambition to +step out of their class so general throughout England.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> A farmer in +France works much the same as his men, dresses in a plain decent manner, +and considers himself very little superior to his men, whilst his wife +goes to market with her butter and eggs upon one of the farm horses; and +without any education herself she thinks she does wonders in having her +daughters taught to read, write and cypher, but invariably economises to +give them a marriage portion. This applies to most of the farmers +throughout France, and will be found descriptive of those inhabiting the +country from Calais to Paris; but in Normandy they are frequently what +is in French estimation considered very rich, and their habits and +expenses are in proportion; and about Melun and some few parts of France +where the farms are very large, the occupiers would even in England be +termed wealthy. The extreme of poverty or what may be designated misery +is but little known; the traveller is deceived by the number of beggars +which infest the high roads, and is induced to imagine that the lowest +orders must be in a most wretched state, but the fact is otherwise, and +begging is no other than a trade on the most frequented roads. Turn into +the by-lanes, penetrate the interior of the country and in the villages +distant from the highways and but few beggars are to be found, nor could +I ever hear of an instance of any one in the country parts of France +perishing from want; yet there are no forced poor rates, the landed +proprietors however regularly give so much a month voluntarily to those +who are past labour and have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span> no relations to provide for them, and +houseless and pennyless wanderers are received and sheltered for a night +by the higher farmers and people of property, the mendicant having soup +and bread given him at night and the same when he starts in the morning. +Of these there are great numbers within the last few years, being +refugees from Spain, Italy and even Poland, driven to seek shelter where +they can find it by the political convulsions of their countries. In +this manner, the French have recently been severely taxed, but they +appear never to have the heart to deny shelter and food, although they +carry economy to such a height as would be styled by many of my affluent +countrymen absolute parsimony; which is perceptible in all their +transactions, and is in a great degree the cause of the miserable state +of their agriculture, which is also in some measure owing to the utter +ignorance of the farmers, who in all that tends towards improvement +display the stupidity of asses with the obstinacy of mules. There can be +no doubt that, generally speaking, the soil of France is capable of +producing half as much more than it at present yields; they still +persevere in the same system as existed in England in the year 1770, +when Arthur Young wrote his Agricultural Tour, describing the various +practices in the different counties throughout the kingdom. Two white +crops and a summer fallow is the usual course in France, sometimes +varied by a crop of clover, and very often they fallow for two years +together; they have no idea of leguminous crops as winter provision<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> for +their cattle, and of the advantage to be derived from stall feeding they +are quite ignorant, except in a few provinces, as a part of Normandy and +Brittany. The same with regard to the drill system; they mostly plough +very shallow, and do not keep their land very clean, with a few +exceptions; the consequence is their crops are generally very light. +Thanks to the natural richness of their meadows in Normandy, they do +certainly produce some beasts of an immense weight for the exhibition +annually held on Shrove Tuesday. There are generally about a dozen +brought to Paris, and the finest is the one selected to be led about the +streets; the one chosen last year weighed 3,800 French pounds, and as +there are two ounces more than in the English pound the immense size of +the animal may be imagined. In the winter, they fatten their beasts with +hay, clover and corn, but oilcake is not known except in a few +instances, when beasts are fattened for prizes or exhibitions. Their +agricultural implements are in keeping with the rest of their system; I +have seen them ploughing even in the lightest land, with the great old +heavy turnwrest ploughs and four bulky horses, which might have been +effected just as well with a light Rotherham plough and one horse. +Recently, however, I have seen some slight ameliorations, and those +parts of France which are nearest England one might expect would improve +the soonest. The farming servants are generally a hard-working, quiet, +sober people, contented with very little, their living costing them a +mere trifle; in harvest-time an<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> Englishman will pour beer down his +throat that will cost as much as would keep a whole French family; there +is a natural economy in their habits that tends to making their wages +more than equal to their demand. An Englishman must have the best +wheaten bread, and when he gets a pound of meat he is ready to eat it +all himself; the Frenchman is contented with a cheap brown bread, quite +as wholesome as the finest, and to his portion of meat he adds some +vegetables with which soup is made, and it gives comfort to the whole +family; and it is quite a mistake to imagine that beer and animal food +produce greater physical strength, as I have in several instances proved +that the French porter will carry much more than the English. I remember +when lodging in Salisbury Street, in the Strand, having packed up my +things for my departure for Paris, when a porter came to carry them to +the Golden Cross, he said it was impossible that any man could take them +at once, and the people of the house joined in saying that it was far +beyond one man's load, consisting of a moderate sized trunk, a large +portmanteau, and a well-stuffed carpet bag; when I declared that the +first porter I should meet with at Paris would take them all the same +distance without raising an objection, a sort of smile of incredulity +passed from one to the other, expressive of how absurd they thought such +an assertion. On arriving at Paris, however, the very first porter I +spoke to in the Diligence-yard took them all, without a question as to +their weight. In several cases, when persons have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> been quitting London +for Paris with me, I have proved to them how much heavier a burthen the +French porters will carry than the English. I believe the cause arises +in a great degree from the latter not being addicted to drinking ardent +spirits, which is ruinous to the strength and constitutions of such +numbers of the lower classes in London. But the Greek and Turkish +porters will carry twice as much as the French, and their beverage is +nothing but water and their food principally rice. In almost every +description of labour the Englishman has the advantage when what may be +styled knack or method be required; the consequence is, that they make +the most of what physical strength they possess; hence he will plough, +mow, or reap more in a day than a Frenchman. Not only is the machinery +which the Englishman employs much better, but he is what may be termed +more handy in making use of it; in every thing which relates to +husbandry or mechanism the Frenchman is generally awkward; a more +powerful instance cannot be cited than that of their always employing +two men to shoe a horse, one man being occupied to hold up the horse's +leg, whilst the farrier performs his part of the work; is it not +astonishing that after an uninterrupted communication with England for +twenty-seven years, that they should never have observed, that an +English farrier, by taking the animal's leg between his own, is able to +effect his purpose just as well as if two men were employed; but the +French must have remarked that custom in England; only,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span> the besotted +prejudice that exists in that class against every species of innovation +causes them to persevere in their old habits. The agricultural +population in France are more wealthy and generally better clothed than +ours, particularly as regards the women; they pride themselves much upon +their stocks of linen and their bedding; instead of the men expending +their money in drink, what little they can save beyond their daily wants +they lay out in contributing to their solid comforts, and as spinning +and knitting are the constant occupation of the women in their leisure +hours, when their children marry they are enabled to furnish them with a +portion of the fruits of their industry; even the peasant girl has a +trousseau, as it is called, that is, some stock of linen at her +marriage, and a trifle of money wherewith to begin the world. Thus take +France throughout; it will be found, that, in consequence of temperance +and a persevering industry, the peasantry are generally passively happy; +there is a great difference in respect to their wages and comforts, +according to the province to which they belong; but although the +intention of this work is especially to treat upon Paris and its +population, yet as my readers must pass through a considerable portion +of France before they can arrive at Paris, I judged it right to give +them some information of the manners and habits of the population, with +which they must meet in the course of their journey; but without farther +delay will now at once conduct them to the Grand Capital, and as I +consider the first im<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span>pressions are the most permanent, I will introduce +them by that entrance which presents so grand an appearance, as to +surpass that of any other country in Europe. In coming from England, +they may enter Paris at this point by the Rouen road.</p> + +<p>The first object that strikes the traveller, as he approaches Paris, is +the Triumphal Arch, erected with the view of commemorating the victories +of Napoleon, but as those victories were ultimately crowned by defeat, +it is more consistent to consider the Triumphal Arch as a triumph of art +than of arms; as certainly the magnificence and sublimity of the design +is only to be equalled by the exquisite beauty of the execution. Having +passed this noble monument and splendid specimen of architectural +talent, the Champs Elysées extend in all their beauty to the view of the +beholder, presenting a fine broad road with rows of lofty trees on +either side, whilst handsome buildings and superb fountains are +occasionally visible from behind the foliage; and one of the latter, +which rises exactly in the centre, has a most happy effect; from this +circle several roads diverge in different directions, displaying various +objects of interest, but none of so high an order as that of the +Hospital of Invalids, for aged and wounded soldiers, the whole expanse +of which is seen in the distance at the end of a long wide avenue of +trees. From the Triumphal Arch on either side extends a row of +ornamental lamps for nearly a mile, which when lighted have the most +brilliant effect; and when it is considered how very small the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span>distances are between each lamp, I believe the assertion to be correct, +that there is not another such display of gas anywhere to be found. +Arrived at the Place Louis Quinze, or Place de la Concorde, as it is now +called, such a coup d'œil is presented as remains unrivalled in +Europe, or indeed, in any part of the world. On one side, at the end of +a handsome and regular street, called the Rue Royale, rises in majestic +height the Madeleine, with its noble columns crowned by its sculptured +entablature in mezzo relievo, and adorned by its numerous statues, yet +preserving a chaste simplicity throughout the whole. On the opposite +side facing it, in a direct line at the end of a bridge, is the Chamber +of Deputies, resembling a Roman temple; its style is severe and its +<i>tout ensemble</i> has an air of heavy grandeur, which is consistent with +an edifice in which are to be discussed the affairs of so great a +nation. In the centre of the Place is an Egyptian column, which was with +much difficulty brought from Egypt, and raised with considerable +ingenuity where it now stands, without any accident; gorgeous fountains +of bronze and gold are constantly playing, whilst colossal statues, +being allegorical representations of the principal towns of France, are +placed at regular distances, and appear as it were in solemn +contemplation of the splendid scene by which they are surrounded. Two +noble buildings, the Garde Meuble and the Hôtel de la Marine, which may +be styled palaces, adorn each side of the Rue Royale, and form one side +of the magnificent square, whilst<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> another is occupied by the Elysian +Fields, and that immediately opposite to the Tuileries gardens; but so +beautiful, so wonderful is the whole combined, that accustomed as I have +been to frequent it for upwards of twenty years, I cannot now traverse +it without remaining some time to admire the extraordinary combination +of so many beautiful objects centering in one vast area. Here no mean or +unseemly building meets the eye, but all is made tributary to one grand +effect; even the lamps with their supporters are of bronze and gold, +whilst in the distance the gilded dome of the Invalides peers above all, +and gives a brilliant termination to the sublimity of the scene.</p> + + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/img46.jpg" alt="Triumphal Arch." title="Triumphal Arch." /></div> +<h4>Champin del. Lith. Rigo Frères et C<sup>ie</sup> Triumphal Arch. +Published by F. Sinnett. 15, Grande rue Verle.</h4> + + +<p>Thus much for the only entrance of Paris which has aught to boast, but +having, in fact, so many charms that it must be considered by the +visiter as compensating for the deficiencies of every other. In entering +from Boulogne or Calais, nothing can be conceived more discouraging than +the first appearance of Paris as you are borne through the Faubourg St. +Denis; the street, it is true, is wide and the houses large, but they +have a dirty gloomy forlorn aspect, which gives them an uninhabited +appearance, or as if the inmates did not belong to them; as no care +appears to have been taken to give them some degree of neatness and +comfort; in fact, to bestow upon them an air of home; the stranger +continues rattling over the stones between these great lumbering-looking +dwellings, until his eye is attracted by the Porte St. Denis, which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span> is +a triumphal arch built by Louis the Fourteenth, and certainly presents a +most imposing mass of sculpture, which, although blackened by time, is +an object well worthy the attention of the observing traveller; and here +he crosses the Boulevards, by which he gets a little peep at the +inspiring gaiety of Paris, but is soon hurried into noisy streets until +his brain feels in a whirl; and on his arrival at the Diligence-yard, +when he hopes to obtain a little repose, he is annoyed by being asked +for the keys of his trunks, for the Custom House officers, to make +believe to look into them to ascertain that you have not smuggled any +liquors or other material within the walls of Paris. Those who are +fortunate enough to travel in their own carriages, are exempted from +such tiresome ceremony. Some of the other entries to Paris are somewhat +better, but none of them sufficiently so, to be worthy notice; perhaps +the best amongst the bad is by the Faubourg St. Antoine, the Barrièrs du +Trône, at the commencement and summit of the street, presenting a most +noble appearance; indeed, as far as the barriers are concerned, there +are many which are well worthy of notice, being mostly handsome stone +buildings with columns that give them an imposing effect, particularly +when we recollect the little turnpike gates at the principal entrances +of London, with the exception of the recent erections at Knightsbridge, +which sink into nothingness when compared to the Triumphal Arch at the +entrance already described; and, except foreigners, particularly the +English, enter<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> by that quarter, the first aspect of Paris mostly +excites disappointment; the generality of the streets wanting that +straight line of regularity so prevalent throughout London, the French +capital has an incongruous patchy sort of effect, and its beauties and +objects of interest have to be sought, but to the eye of an artist it is +much more gratifying than that dull sameness which reigns throughout +London, which Canova very justly designated as consisting of walls with +square holes in them; for what otherwise can be said of our houses in +general, but that they are literally upright walls, with square holes +for doors and windows. Regent Street and a few others, which have been +recently erected, form an exception to the rule. But in almost every +street in Paris a draftsman finds subject for his pencil; their richly +carved gateways, their elaborately wrought iron balconies, their +ornamented windows, and even their protruding signs, all help to break +the formal straight line and afford ample food for sketching; and in +many of their old and least fashionable streets, an ancient church with +its gothic doorway, adorned by rich and crumbling sculpture, invites the +artist to pause and exercise his imitative art. Paris at first strikes a +stranger as still more bustling and noisy than London, as the streets +being narrower and hack vehicles more used in proportion, the +circulation gets sooner choked up, and the rattling over the stones of +the carriages is still more deafening, being within so confined a space; +hence also the confusion is greater; then there is always a sort of +be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span>wilderment when one first arrives in a large city, that makes it +appear much more astounding than is found to be the case as soon as the +visiter becomes accustomed to its apparent labyrinth.</p> + +<p>According to comparative calculations, and taking the medium, Paris is +about twenty-two miles round, and the population, foreigners included, +one million; many estimate it at eleven hundred thousand, which I have +no doubt it may be, if several villages be included which absolutely +join Paris; such as Passy, Belleville, etc. The extreme height of the +houses would induce a belief, that a more, dense mass of people +inhabited the same space of ground than could be the case in London; but +to counterbalance that circumstance, it must be taken into consideration +that there are such an immense number of large gardens and court-yards +in Paris, which occupy a great extent of ground. I have often been +surprised to find, that in nasty dirty narrow streets, the back windows +of the houses looked over extensive gardens, with lofty trees; these are +oftener to be found in the old parts of Paris than in the modern +quarters. A much greater proportion of the population consists of +foreigners, than is the case in London, consequently it is more moving +and changeable. It is the great post town for almost all Europeans who +visit England, and hundreds of thousands come to Paris, who never think +of going to London, deterred by an exaggerated idea of the expense; +hence it will be found that very few persons from the Continent visit +London who have not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span> already been to Paris, although, now that steam +conveyance affords such facilities of accommodation between London and +many of the large cities in Europe, the case is somewhat altered. But +Paris has been long regarded as the Museum of the Continent, and few men +possessing good fortunes from civilised countries, if gifted with +enquiring minds, consider their education complete if they have not +sojourned some time at Paris, which has for time immemorial had the +reputation of being the seat of the polite arts. Nearly a third of the +houses in Paris are designated hôtels, many of which do not provide +meals but merely furnished lodgings, and most of their inmates are +foreigners, others, persons from the provinces, consequently at least +one quarter of the population of Paris is constantly changing. But +perhaps no city is anywhere to be found where a stranger can sooner +accommodate himself in every respect, as the customs are such that a +person may live as he likes, go where he likes, and do as he likes, +provided he do no harm. In London, if a lady and gentleman from the +country arrive for the purpose of passing a day, and have no +acquaintances, there are no houses as in Paris where one can take a +wife, sister, or daughter to breakfast or dine, without being subject to +remark, unless indeed you can draw up to the door of a hôtel with an +equipage; then certainly every attention and accommodation is to be +found, but only such as will suit a very limited number of purses; +whereas, at Paris a family may find in most of the restaurateurs<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> small +apartments where they can dine by themselves if they object to the +public room, but even in the latter they might take their meal very +undisturbed and without exciting the slightest observation, at various +prices that will either suit the economist or the wealthy individual. +This is amongst many of the conveniences of Paris; as also that of the +libraries being open to the public, any one having the privilege to call +for the book he wishes, where he may read as quietly as in his own +house. This is extremely useful to studious and literary men, as there +are so many works of reference too expensive to be within the compass of +a small private library, which may be found in the liberal +establishments in which Paris abounds. Museums, exhibitions, academies, +gardens, public buildings, etc., are, with a very few exceptions, +accessible to the foreigner merely on the exhibition of his passport.</p> + + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III.</h2> + +<h4>TO AN HISTORIAN.</h4> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>A very brief account of the foundation of Paris, its progress +during the most remarkable epochs, and under the reigns of some of +its most celebrated monarchs with its, gradual advance in +civilisation to the present period. Some allusions also to the +customs which existed in the earlier ages, and <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span>a statement of the +different dates as regards the erection and foundation of the +various monuments and institutions still extant.</p></div> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/img54.jpg" alt="Paris in the 16th Century." title="Paris in the 16th Century." /></div> +<h4>Paris in the 16<sup>th</sup> Century. View taken from the towers of +Notre Dame.</h4> + +<p>France, under the ancient appellation of Gaul, is cited in history as +early as 622 years before the Christian era, when Belloveaus, a +celebrated leader from that country, defeated the Hetrurians and made +himself master of Piedmont and Lombardy, by crossing the Rhone and the +Alps with his army, which at that period had never before been +attempted. Increasing in power, we find, 180 years after, the Gauls, +headed by Brennus, sacking and burning Rome; and the same chief, after +having been defeated and cut off by Camillus, the Roman general, with +the loss of 40,000 men, again appears in the year 387 before Christ at +the head of 150,000 foot and 60,000 horse, invading Macedonia, and after +ravaging the country and being ultimately defeated in Greece, to have +put an end to his existence. Some idea may be formed of the ferocious +and obdurate spirit of the Gauls, from the circumstance of the women +fighting as bravely as the men against Marius, who successfully defended +Italy against them; and when these desperate amazons found that they +were overpowered, they slew themselves and their children rather than +surrender. This occurred 101 years anterior to the birth of our Saviour, +and from that period scarcely a century has passed in which history does +not record many instances of heroic devotion of Frenchwomen, often wrong +in its object, but ever displaying a determined courage, reckless of all +selfish consideration. The names of Joan of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> Arc, Jeanne Hachette, +Charlotte Corday, and the Chevalier d'Eon are known to all, and hundreds +of others must live in the memory of those who are familiar with the +history of France. After numerous encounters between the Romans and the +Gauls, the latter were at length wholly subdued about 50 years before +Christ, and although the records of this ancient people date nearly as +far back as the foundation of Rome, yet our first accounts of Paris are +derived from Cæsar and Strabo, who allude to it under the name of +Lutetia, the principal city of the Parisii; and from the most probable +statements which could be collected from aged persons at that period, it +is presumed that its foundation must have occurred not more than half a +century antecedent. It is supposed that the ground which Paris now +occupies formerly consisted of a number of small hills, which in the +process of time, building, paving, etc., have been somewhat reduced, by +the summits having been in a degree levelled; and the houses upon them +being generally not so high as those in the lower parts, the eminences +are not now so apparent. These hillocks were called by the French +<i>buttes</i>, and some of them are still very perceptible, such as in the +<i>rue des Saints-Pères</i>, by the <i>rue St-Guillaume</i>, the <i>rue Meslay</i>, the +<i>rue de l'Observance</i>, near the <i>École de Médecine</i>, and several other +places; indeed, on each side of the Seine Paris rises as you proceed to +the <i>Faubourgs</i>. Some of these little hills still bear the name of +<i>butte</i>, as <i>les Buttes St-Chaumont, la rue des Buttes</i>, etc.,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> but the +most ancient part of Paris is that which is now termed La Cité and is +confined to an island formed by the Seine, and which is joined to the +opposite banks by the <i>Pont-Neuf</i> (or New-Bridge), but certainly no +longer meriting that title, having been built in the reign of Henry the +Third about the year 1580. There are many histories of Paris which have +been handed down by oral record to some of the earliest authors amongst +the Gauls, but so ill authenticated that they do not merit repetition, +having being reputed as fabulous by most writers to whom credit can be +attached. There is, however, one account of the foundation of Paris +which may be cited more for its comic ingenuity than for its veracity, +beginning by tracing the Trojans to Samothès, the son of Japhet and +grandson of Noah; then following in the same line, they endeavour to +prove that at the destruction of Troy, Francus, the son of Hector, fled +to Gaul, of which he became king and no doubt bestowed upon it the name +of France, as the French have a most happy knack of cutting off the <i>us</i> +at the end of names as, Titus Livius and Quintus Curtius they have +metamorphosed into Tite-Live and Quinte-Curce, and in fact with one or +two exceptions they have abbreviated the terminations of the ancient +Greek and Roman appellations entirely according to their own fashion. +This fortunate youth, Francus, at length fixed his abode in Champagne, +and built the town of Troyes, calling it after his native place, which +having accomplished, he repaired to the borders of the Seine<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span> and ever +partial to Trojan associations, built a city which he called Paris after +his uncle.</p> + +<p>However agreeable it may prove to the feelings of the Parisians to trace +their origin to the remotest antiquity, yet common sense suggests that +the account of the foundation of their city which is the most rational, +is that which is deduced from the Commentaries of Julius Cæsar, he +having been at some pains to ascertain from whence the Parisii sprung, +and was informed by persons who remembered the epoch, that they were a +people who had emigrated from their native country in consequence of the +persecutions and massacres of their enemies, and that they were supposed +to have belonged to some of the petty nations known under the common +appellation of the Belgæ, and arriving on the borders of the Seine +requested permission of the Senones, a powerful people of the Gauls, to +establish themselves on the frontiers of their territory, and place +themselves under their protection, agreeing at the same time to conform +to the laws of those whose hospitality they sought. That they were but a +very inconsiderable people on the arrival of Cæsar is proved by the +small contingent of warriors they were required to supply by the Gauls, +in their struggles against the Romans. The territory accorded to the +Parisii could not have exceeded more than ten or twelve leagues, +adjoining to the lands of a people termed Silvanectes on the one side, +and to those of the Carnutes on the other. It is conjectured that the +name of Parisii received its<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> etymology from their being a people who +inhabited the borders, as Par and Bar are synonymous from the P and the +B having had the same signification, and which are often confused +together at the present time by the Germans; and Barisii or Barrisenses, +signifying a people inhabiting a space between other nations, hence it +is inferred that the Parisii received that appellation from their +occupying a spot on the frontiers of the Senones, separating them from +the Silvanectes and the Carnutes. Amongst the many suppositions which +have been formed as to the origin of the name of the Parisii, perhaps +the above is the most rational. Paris, or Lutetia, soon after the +conquest by Cæsar became a place of importance, as he selected that city +for a convocation of the different powers of Gaul when he required of +them supplies for his cavalry; and a short time after, when the Gallic +nation revolted from Cæsar's dominion, one of the most decided battles +which was fought was within sight of Paris, under Labienus, the Roman +general, whilst the chief of the Gauls, Camulogene, perished in the +combat with a considerable portion of his men, but the greater number +saved themselves by taking shelter in Paris, which was not attacked, +Labienus himself retreating to Agedineum. But although Cæsar fixed upon +Paris as the most convenient locality for the meeting of the Gallic +chiefs, yet it was little more than a fort like all the other towns in +Gaul, into which the natives retreated in the time of war with their +females, children, cattle and moveables; as they were accus<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span>tomed in +time of peace to live in detached habitation in the midst of their +flocks, their pastures and their cornfields, only retreating within +their forts or cities for security when attacked. After the fall of +Camulogene, Gaul soon returned to the Roman yoke and Paris subsequently +became the residence of their prefects, governors and even emperors. In +1818, in digging deeply in the streets of Monceau and Martroi, near the +church of Saint Gervais, an ancient cemetery was discovered. In one of +the tombs was found a silver medal, in which a head was visible on one +side, and a head crowned on the other, having this inscription, +<i>Antonius Pius Aug.</i>, who reigned from the years 138 to 161. It is +inferred from this circumstance, that the burying-place was of coeval +antiquity, but notwithstanding the many battles which occurred between +the Gauls and the Romans, Paris is not cited in history until the fourth +century, when Julian the Apostate appears to have there fixed his +residence, and in his Misopogon, which he wrote during his residence at +Antioch, often alludes to it under the name of his dear Lutetia, +although complaining that the cold was such during one winter as to +compel him to have a fire in his bed-room, expressing much +dissatisfaction at the odour emitted by the burning charcoal, to the +effects of which he was nearly falling a victim. His abode was what it +is now and has been for many ages, the Palace of Thermes, of which there +are still the remains, now converted into a museum for relics of the +Ancient Gauls; the entrance is in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span> Rue de la Harpe. Between the +numbers 61 and 65. Julian there resided with his wife Helen, sister of +the emperor Constantius, and in his address to the senate and people of +Athens speaks of the arrival of foreign auxiliary troops at Paris, and +of their tumultuously rising and surrounding his palace; and that it was +in a chamber adjoining that of his wife wherein he meditated on the +means of appeasing them. According to various historians, this +circumstance occurred in the year 360. Soon after this period, the same +palace was inhabited by the Emperors Valentinian and Valens. It is +supposed to have been built in the year 292, the evidence of which is +tolerably well authenticated. Whatever errors might fall to the share of +Julian, it is certain he rendered great service to Gaul, and +particularly to Paris: he cleared the adjacent country entirely of a set +of ferocious barbarians, who were eternally overrunning the different +states of Gaul. But the Parisians were not long doomed to enjoy the +quiet and prosperity which had been obtained for them by the equitable +laws instituted by Julian. In 406, hordes of enemies suddenly appeared +in all parts of Gaul, swarming in from different barbarous nations, in +such numbers that they swept all before them for ten successive years, +and about 465 the Franks succeeded in permanently establishing +themselves in Gaul, and of course Paris shared the fate of the +surrounding country; by them at length the Roman government was +overthrown, and that which was substituted was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> far less equitable or +calculated for the happiness of the people.</p> + +<p>The Franks were a powerful maritime people, coming from the north-west +of Germany, obtaining possession of the different towns which they met +with in their course, until they arrived at Tournai, which was +constituted their capital; and Childeric their king is reported to have +laid siege to Paris, which resisted for several years; but dying in the +year 481, he was succeeded by Clovis his son, who, at the head of a +numerous army defeated the Roman governor Seyagrius, gained possession +of his capital, and was styled the first King of Gaul. Many authors +assert that Pharamond was the first monarch who reigned over the Gallic +states, but Lidonius Appolinarus, who wrote only fifty years after the +death of Pharamond persists that he and his three successors, who were +all predecessors of Clovis, were only kings reigning over a portion of +Gaul, and resigned their sovereignties at the retirement of the Romans. +Clovis was celebrated as one of the greatest warriors of the period in +which he lived; in the year 500 he slew Alaric King of the Visigoths in +single combat in the plain of Vouillé, near Poitou, and afterwards +several other petty kings, thereby adding considerably to his dominions. +In 508 he fixed his residence in Paris, and died there in 511, and was +buried in a church called St. Peter and St. Paul, since styled St. +Genevieve. He was called the Most Christian King. The Pope having no +confidence in the professions of any other monarch<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> at that time, Clovis +is synonymous with the name of Louis, as the latter was formerly written +Llouis, the double l signifying in the Celtic language cl, and +pronounced in that manner at present in Welsh, as Llandovery, Llandilo, +etc., have the sound of Clandovery, Clandilo, etc., whilst the v in +Clovis has in more modern times been transformed into a u, as in all old +writings the u and the v had the same signification; hence it will be +found that Clovis and Llouis are the same word. His government being +divided amongst his four sons, Childebert received the portion in which +Paris was situated, and was styled King of Paris, which was only +retained by a few of his successors, who assumed that of King of Gaul, +or of France. The power of the monarch at that period was much +restrained, by a class of men called Leudes, Anstrutions, or faithful, +being companions in arms of the king, and sharing with him whatever +lands or booty might be gained by conquest. As a proof of the tenacity +of these gentry as to an equitable division of the spoil, when Clovis +had taken Rheims, he demanded as an act of grace from his companions in +arms, that they would grant him a precious vase for which he had +conceived a peculiar predilection; his request was accorded by his +associates, except one, who gave the vase a violent blow with his +hatchet, saying, "No, thou shalt not have any thing beyond what thy lot +awards thee." Even under the dominion of the Romans there were dukes who +had a certain number of troops or armed men in the district<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> where they +governed, and their power was arbitrary and they had counts under them +who also had a certain number of men subjected to their orders; +sometimes these nobles carried rapine, pillage and slaughter into each +other's territories, when the government had devolved upon the Franks; +and the king took no notice of their misdeeds, as long as they observed +a certain fealty towards him, and in some instances they put aside the +monarch if he acted in such a manner as to trench upon what they +considered their privileges. A third power soon began to assume a high +authority, which consisted of the bishops, who had greatly aided the +Francs in their invasion of Gaul by their influence and intrigues, and +obtained as reward considerable grants of lands and temporal power; and +in their dioceses they exercised a sovereign will, and on account of +their possessing some instruction they maintained a certain influence +over the ignorant nobility who had in some degree a sort of +superstitious awe of them, as they were regarded as the emissaries of +saints. Under the Romans the Gauls were considered a moral people, +having become Christians in consequence of the persevering endeavours of +the missionary prelates, whilst churches were founded and a purity of +faith disseminated; taught by the Romans, a love of the arts and +sciences was engendered amongst the Gauls, and much talent was elicited +from them, philosophy, physic, mathematics, jurisprudence, poetry, and +above all eloquence, had their respective professors<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> of no mean +abilities from amongst the natives; one named Julius Florens is styled +by Quintilian the Prince of Eloquence. In fact a brilliant era appeared +as if beginning to dawn throughout the greater portion of Gaul, +academies were establishing, learning was revered, when suddenly every +spark of refinement and civilisation was banished, by the successful +aggression and permanent occupation of the country by hordes of +barbarians; the natives being obliged to have recourse to arms for their +defence against the common enemy, and the constant excitement of +continued hostility with their ferocious oppressors, afforded no time +for study nor cultivation of the arts. Clovis, however, during his reign +improved Paris, and was converted to christianity by St. Vedast. +Clotilda, his wife, and niece to Gondebaud, king of Burgundy, was +principally instrumental to the conversion of her husband. Indeed, +amidst their ferocity and barbarism some of the early Frank kings showed +much respect for religion and morality, as is proved by an ordonnance of +Childebert in the year 554; commanding his subjects to destroy wherever +they might be found all idols dedicated to the devil; also forbidding +all disorderly conduct committed in the nights of the eves of <i>fêtes</i>, +such as Christmas and Easter, when singing, drinking, and other excesses +were committed; women were also ordered to discontinue going about the +country dancing on a Sunday, as it was a practice offensive to God. It +appears certainly very singular that a comparatively barbarous king in +the sixth century should<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span> prohibit dancing of a Sunday as a desecration +of the Sabbath, and that in the nineteenth century there should be more +dancing on a Sunday than on any other day in the week, at a period which +is arrived at the highest state of civilisation, and under the reign of +a most enlightened monarch. But although Clovis and Childebert displayed +much enthusiasm in the cause of christianity, their career was marked +with every cruelty incidental to conquest, as wherever they bore their +victorious arms, murder, rapine, and robbery stained their diabolical +course; but they thought that they expiated their crimes by building +churches. Hence Clovis in 508 founded the first erected in Paris +dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, afterwards called St. Genevieve, +and on its site now stands the Pantheon. Childebert in 558 built the +church of St. Germain des Près, which is still standing and much +frequented; it was at first called St. Vincent and St. Croix, and he +endowed it so richly with the treasures he had stolen from other +countries, that it was called the golden palace of St. Germain. +Chilperic imitating his predecessors, hoping to absolve himself of his +enormous crimes, in the year 606 founded the very interesting and +curious church of St. Germain, opposite the Louvre, and still an object +of admiration to the lover of antiquity. His wife Fredegonde, imagining +no doubt by that act he had made his peace for the other world, thought +that the sooner he went there the better, before he committed any +farther sins, and had him assassinated that she might<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> the more +conveniently pursue her own course of iniquity; perhaps never was the +page of history blackened by such a list of atrocities committed by +woman as those perpetrated by her and her rival Queen Brunehault, who +was ultimately tied to the tail of a wild horse and torn to pieces in +613. Paris, however, notwithstanding the wickedness, injustice, and +cruelty of its rulers, continued to increase, and would no doubt have +become a prosperous city, had it not been for the incursions of the +Normands, who in the ninth century entered Paris, burnt some of the +churches, and meeting with scarcely any resistance, made themselves +masters of all they could find, whilst the Emperor Charles the Bald, at +the head of an army, had the pusillanimity to treat with them, and +finally to give them seven thousand pounds of silver to quit Paris, +which was only an encouragement for them to return, which they did in a +few years after, carrying devastation wherever they appeared, the poor +citizens of Paris being obliged to save their lives by flight, leaving +all their property to the mercy of the brigands. At length, the +Parisians finding that there was no security either for themselves or +their possessions, prevailed on Charles the Bald to give the requisite +orders for fortifying the city, which was so far accomplished that it +resisted the attacks of the Normans for thirteen months, who as +constantly laid siege to the grand tower which was its principal +defence, without being able to take it; when at last Charles the Fat in +887 proved as weak as his predecessors, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> although he was encamped +with his army at Montmartre, consented to give the barbarians fourteen +thousand marks of silver to get rid of them, and they quitted Paris to +go and pillage other parts of France, but as by the treaty they were not +allowed to pass the bridges, in order to ascend the Seine they were +obliged to carry their vessels over the land for about two thousand +yards and again launch them for the purpose of committing farther +depredations. From this period Paris was freed from the attacks of the +the Normans, yet commerce made but slow progress having constant +obstructions arising, to impede its prosperity. Paris having for a long +time ceased to be the royal residence, was no longer considered as the +capital, Charlemagne passed but a very short period of time there, +residing mostly at Aix-la-Chapelle and Ratisbon, and although he founded +many noble institutions in different parts of France, Paris derived but +little benefit from his talents, and his immediate successors displayed +such imbecility of purpose that they suffered their kingdom to become +the prey to marauders. Learning advanced but slowly, although there were +some schools at Paris which, elicited a few authors; amongst the rest +one named Abbon, who wrote a poem in latin upon the siege of Paris by +the Normans, which was not otherwise other-worthy of remark than for its +rarity at the epoch when it was written. Whilst the kings of France +continued to reside in other cities, Paris was confided to the +governments Counts, who held not a very high<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> rank amongst the nobility +in the first instance, but gradually increased their power until Eudes, +Count of Paris, in 922 ultimately became King of France, which also was +the destiny of two other nobles who held the same title, Robert the +brother of Eudes, and Hugh Capet.</p> + +<p>The progress of Paris and indeed the whole of France was retarded +continually by famine, fourteen seasons of scarcity happening in the +course of twenty-three years; in fact, from 843 to 899 such was often +the state of desolation, that hunger impelled human beings to murder +each other to feed upon the flesh of their bodies, which in many +instances were sold, and bought with eagerness by those who were +famishing with want. Unwholesome food caused thousands to be afflicted +with a disease which was called the sacred fire, the ardent malady, and +the infernal evil, the sufferers feeling as if they were devoured by an +internal flame. To give some idea of the luxury of costume which existed +in those days at Paris, it is but requisite to quote an address of Abbon +the poet to the Parisians, written about the year 890, wherein hen +observes: "An <i>agraffe</i> (a clasp) of gold fastens the upper part of +your dress; to keep off the cold you cover yourselves with the purple +of Tyre, you will have no other cloak than a chlamyde embroidered with +gold, your girdle must be ornamented with precious stones, and gold +must sparkle even upon your shoes, and on the cane which you carry. O +France! if you do not abandon such luxurious<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span> extravagance, you will +lose your courage and your country." Hugh Capet, who became king of +France in 987, fixed his residence at Paris, thus again constituting it +the capital of the kingdom, and his son and successor Robert, being a +strict devotee, built and repaired several churches which had been +greatly injured by the Normans, and Paris began in his reign to assume +an appearance of improvement, which continued until it received a check +from an ill-timed joke of Philippe the First, who made a satirical +remark upon William the Conqueror of England having become rather +unwieldy, which so provoked that choleric monarch that he laid waste a +great portion of Philippe's dominions; when his progress was checked by +his falling from his horse, which occasioned his death and thus +delivered Philippe from a most powerful enemy. In the following reign, +that of Lewis the Fat, learning began to make considerable progress, and +the colleges of Paris to acquire a high celebrity, and amongst the +professors whose reputation was of the highest, was Abelard, no one +before having succeeded in attracting so many pupils. In 1118 he +established a school in Paris, but from a variety of persecutions which +he endured, he was frequently obliged to retire to different parts of +France; his unfortunate attachment to Héloise is but too well known, and +she ultimately became the abbess of a convent which Abelard founded at +Nogent-sur-Seine, and which he called Paraclet. The number of pupils at +one time are stated to have been three thousand, and he instructed them +in the open air; it is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span> also asserted that of his followers fifty became +either bishops or archbishops, twenty cardinals, and one pope, Celestin +II. In fact the fame of Abelard had arrived at such an altitude that he +was the means of giving a new era to Paris, which was designated the +city of letters; other professors became highly celebrated, and some +authors pretend that the immense concourse of students who ultimately +flocked to Paris, exceeded the number of the inhabitants, and there was +much difficulty in finding the means of lodging them; how great must +have been the anxiety for learning, as the masters were exceedingly +brutal and imparted their knowledge to the pupil by the force of blows, +which at length deterred many students from placing themselves under the +charge of such preceptors. This extraordinary desire for obtaining +education appears to have been almost a sudden impulse, as the immediate +descendants of Hugh Capet could not read or write, but were obliged to +make a mark as the signature to their edicts, whilst those who possessed +that accomplishment were styled clerks. Although much brilliance was +shed over the reign of Louis the Sixth by the learning of Abelard and +the professors who followed him, yet soon after the barbarous custom was +introduced of trial by combat; the idea might probably have been +suggested by Louis having challenged Henry the First of England to +decide their differences in a single encounter. Although Lewis the Fat +was so bulky as to have obtained the cognomen by which he was always +designated, he was one of the most ac<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span>tive kings of France; constantly +harrassed by perpetual wars with his neighbours and nobles, which he +carried on personally and generally successfully, he first undertook the +fortifying of Paris and is supposed to have constructed the greater and +the lesser Châtelet, two towers on the opposite sides of the Seine, +although many authors pretend that they were of a much more ancient +date; he also built walls round a certain portion of the suburbs, which +by that time had become part of Paris. It was said of Lewis VI, "He +might have been a better king, a better man he could not." He died in +1137.</p> + +<p>In the succeeding reign of Louis VII, surnamed the Younger, many +privileges were granted to the Parisians which greatly increased the +prosperity of the city; several public buildings were erected, amongst +the rest an hospital which was the first ever built in Paris. But +according to the descriptions of all authors who wrote at that period +upon the subject, the streets were in a filthy condition in many parts +of the city, and the names which have long since been changed were as +dirty and indecent; some were absolutely ridiculous; as Did you find me +Hard, Bertrand Sleeps, Cut Bread, John Bread Calf (alluding to the leg); +the last still exists, as also Bad Advice, Bad Boys, etc. It was in this +reign that the first crusade from France took place, and Louis VII was +followed by 200,000 persons, and after various encounters with the +Saracens, he owed his preservation to his own personal prowess; he was +divorced from his Queen Eleanor,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> who afterwards married Henry II of +England, and proved herself a detestable character in both kingdoms. +Louis VII abolished one law which had long disgraced France, allowing +the officers of the King on his arrival in Paris or other towns in his +dominions, to enter any private house and take for the monarch's use +such bedding or other articles of furniture as his Majesty might +require. Louis also by force of arms compelled his nobles to desist from +robbing the merchants, dealers, and the poor of their property. At this +period the <i>Fête des Fous</i>, or feast of madmen was celebrated to its +full extent, and anything more absurd, more farcical, or more +irreverential cannot well be imagined. Dulaure, in his voluminous +History of Paris, gives a most detailed account of this extraordinary +mockery, of which I will give my readers a very brief abridgment.</p> + +<p>On the first of January the clergy went in procession to the bishop who +had been elected as the grand master of the fête, conducting him +solemnly to the church with all the ecclesiastical banners usually borne +on important occasions, amidst the ringing of bells; when arrived at the +choir, he was placed in the episcopal seat, and mass was performed with +the most extravagant gesticulations. The priests figuring away in the +most ridiculous dresses; some in the costume of buffoons, others in +female attire with their faces daubed with soot, or covered with hideous +masks, some dancing, others jumping, or playing different games, +drinking, and eating puddings, sau<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span>sages, etc., offering them to the +high-priest whilst he was celebrating high mass; also burning old shoes +in the chalice, instead of incense, to produce a disagreeable scent; at +length, elevated by wine, their orgies began to have the appearance of +those of demons, roaring, howling, singing, and laughing until the walls +of the church echoed with their yells. This was often carried on until +they worked themselves up to a pitch of madness, and then they began +boxing each other until the floor of the church would be smeared with +blood; upon which most severe expiations were exacted from them; as, +however, much has been shed in the cause of the church, it was not to be +permitted that the holy sanctuary should ever be stained with aught so +impure. The ecclesiastics at last quitting the church, got into carts +filled with mud and filth, amusing themselves with flinging it upon the +crowds who followed them in such streets as were wide enough for a cart +to pass. It is conjectured that these festivities, with their +nonsensical ceremonies, were of pagan origin, and probably the +celebration of the Carnival is derived from the same source; many +attempts were made to abolish so disgraceful a custom as the continuance +of the Fêtes des Fous, with the absurdities incidental to its revelries, +but it was not until the Parisians became more enlightened that any +monarch could succeed in its entire suppression.</p> + +<p>In 1180 Philippe Auguste succeeded his father, and did more for Paris +than all the works of his predecessors united; he reconstructed Notre +Dame, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span> made it such as it now is with respect to the grand body of +the building; but the variety of little chapels contained within it, and +the elaborate workmanship, with the bas, mezzo and alto relievos with +which it abounds, occupied two centuries. On the exterior of the +building on the south side, about three feet and a half from the ground, +is an inscription in raised letters nearly two inches long, and the date +being perfectly distinct is 1257 written thus, MCCLVII. The two last +characters have dropped, but the impression of them is clearly visible; +the inscription itself is difficult to decypher, it is in Latin, and +some of the letters are missing, others so curiously formed as to render +them doubtful exactly as to their import. The greater part of the +characters are Roman, the others resemble more the Saxon, yet are not +quite so; at all events I recommend the inscription to the attention of +the curious. A vast space, which is now covered with streets, commencing +at the Rue des Saints Pères, and extending to the Invalids, consisted +entirely of meadows, and was called the Pré aux Clercs, or the Clerks' +Field, from the students and a number of young men who possessed some +education, usually enjoying their recreations in this spot, but +certainly not in the most innocent manner, in fact, the disorders +committed in this privileged piece of ground, which the students +considered as their own, were such as to be often named in history, and +to have formed the subject of a favourite Melo Drama; it retained its +character as being the scene of turbulence<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span> and disorder even to the +time of Louis XIV.</p> + +<p>Amongst other useful undertakings effected by Philippe Auguste was that +of establishing markets with covered stalls, and he it was that first +conceived the idea of paving Paris, which he partially effected, and +surrounded the town with a wall, part of which is still standing in the +Rue Clovis. Paris increased and flourished under his reign; he in fact +did all that was possible to augment its prosperity, and amongst other +measures he granted the utmost protection in his power to the students, +knowing that the more the population of the city increased, the more +flourishing was its condition; by such means he induced scholars to come +in numbers from the most distant parts to study in the colleges of +Paris, two of which he erected, as well as three hospitals; he also +instituted many good laws, which protected the tradespeople and +repressed the robberies and extortions of the nobles. But Paris was +still subject to calamities, a flood having occurred from the +overflowing of the Seine, which reached as high as the second floor +windows of some houses. A great part of Paris was occupied with +monasteries and convents, which with their gardens covered an immense +space; in the course of time, however, the monks found it advantageous +to dispose of their lands for the purpose of building dwelling-houses, +and in the Revolution numbers were suppressed; and in some quarters of +the city there are warehouses in the occupation of different tradesmen, +which formerly formed part of the old monas<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span>teries. Many of the streets +by their names still indicate the order of the convents by which they +were occupied, as the Rue Blanc Manteaux (White Cloaks), Rue des Saints +Pères (Holy Fathers), Filles de Dieu (Daughters of God), which now is +one of the narrowest and dirtiest streets in Paris, and inhabited by +daughters of a very different description. Such are the extraordinary +changes which time effects. Philippe Auguste dying in 1223, was +succeeded by his son Louis VIII, surnamed the Lion, whose short reign of +four years was occupied by war, leaving no leisure for effecting any +great improvement in Paris; but under his successor Lewis IX, styled +Saint-Louis, much was effected, although his efforts were principally +directed towards the erection of religious institutions, being much +under the dominion of the priests, and naturally possessing a fanatic +zeal. Churches at that period were too often but monuments of +superstition for the celebration of mummery, for sheltering criminals, +receptacles for pretended relics, and in fact instruments for +maintaining the power of priestcraft. This same Saint Louis, so lauded +by some authors, had some excellent notions of his own, and was very +fond of practising summary justice, recommending to his nobles that +whenever they met with any one who expressed any doubts regarding the +Christian religion, never to argue with the sceptist, but immediately +plunge their swords into his body.</p> + +<p>Rhetoric at this period was a study much followed and admired, but the +logic of Saint-Louis, I suspect,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> was the most forcible and best +calculated to remove all doubts, having a great objection to language +that was what some persons would style far too energetic; where an oath +was suffered to escape, he ordered the intemperate orator's tongue to be +pierced with a hot iron and his lips burnt; hence many of his subjects +were compelled to endure that operation; but this was considered in +those days all very saint-like. They had strange ideas in some +instances, in days of yore, according to our present notion of words and +things. Louis the First, surnamed the <i>Débonnaire</i> (the gentle), had his +nephew Bernard's eyes bored out; this act was certainly very like a +<i>gentle</i> man. Hugh the Great, so called on account of his splendid +virtues, in the year 1014 thought it proper that he should be present at +the burning of a few heretics, and his lady, with her ardent religious +zeal, stepped forward and poked out the eye of her confessor, who was +one of the victims, with her walking cane, before he was committed to +the flames. Louis however had some redeeming qualities; he founded the +Hospital of the Quinze-Vingts, which still exists; he also enlarged and +improved the Hôtel Dieu, the principal hospital in those days, in which +he even exceeded the munificence of his predecessor, Philippe Auguste, +who published an ordonnance commanding that all the straw which had been +used in his chamber should be given to the Hôtel Dieu, whenever he +quitted Paris and no longer wanted it; such overpowering kindness one +would imagine must have had the effect of curing some of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> the invalids +who were capable of appreciating the high honour conferred upon them, in +being suffered to lie upon straw which had been trodden by royal feet. +Saint Louis also founded the celebrated College of the Sorbonne, which +is still existing, and maintains a high character; he also built the +curious and interesting chapel adjoining the Palais de Justice, which is +well worth the amateur's attention; he founded the Hospital of Les +Filles de Dieu, for the purpose of reclaiming women of improper conduct. +The Mendicant Monks, the Augustines, and the Carmes were established in +France during his reign, and he founded the convents of the Beguines, +Mathurins, Jacobins, Carthusians, Cordeliers, and several others of +minor importance, in Paris, with the chapels attached to them; besides +different churches with which I shall not tire my reader with +recapitulating, as there are none of them now standing, except the +chapel belonging to the Palais de Justice; he also added several +fountains, contributing to the comforts of the Parisians, as well as +embellishing their city. The number of churches which have been +demolished in Paris within the last fifty years, exceeds the number of +those which are now standing, many of them during the Revolution, which +might have been expected; but an equal number under the Restoration in +the reigns of Louis the Eighteenth and Charles the Tenth, who being +rather devotees, one would have imagined might have been induced to +repair and preserve all religious monuments, also highly interesting as +specimens of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> the architecture of the different ages in which they were +founded. Louis Philippe has better kept up the spirit of the +<i>restoration</i> in having rescued from demolition the ancient and +beautiful church of St Germain l'Auxerrois; which was to have been +pulled down to make way for a new street, according to the plan +projected by his predecessor; instead of which, it has been repaired +with the greatest judgment, carefully preserving the original style of +the building wherever ornaments or statues required to be renewed. Thus +this noble edifice has been preserved to the public, which would not +have been the case had the Revolution of the Three Days not occurred, as +its doom was sealed prior to that period. In fact, since the accession +to the throne of Louis Philippe, I do not believe that any church has +been pulled down, though several others have been built, and others +finished, which have greatly added to the embellishments of the city. +The memory of Louis IX has ever been cherished as that of a Saint, and +if a man be judged by the number of religious establishments he +instituted, certainly he deserved to be canonised; but however grand may +be the reputation of having founded and erected so many public +monuments, yet when it is considered that numbers of the inmates of the +different convents and monasteries erected by this Saint were obliged to +demand alms from house to house, and of persons passing along the +streets, it will be proved that the grand result of Saint Louis' +operations was to fill Paris with beggars; although it certainly must be +admitted that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> some of his other acts in a great degree compensated for +those into which he was led by superstition and religious fanaticism: he +was succeeded by his son Philippe the Bold in 1270, who suffered himself +to be governed by his favourite, La Brosse, formerly a barber, in which +it must be admitted that Philippe displayed rather a <i>barbarous</i> taste, +which ended in his pet being hanged; his reign, however, was signalised +by the establishment of a College of Surgeons, who were designated by +the appellation of Surgeons of the Long Robe, whilst the barbers were +styled Surgeons of the Short Robe; he also recalled the Jews, whom his +father, after having persecuted in divers manners, banished and +confiscated their property; amongst other indignities which were put +upon them by Saint Louis, was that of forcing them to wear a patch of +red cloth on their garment both before and behind, in the shape of a +wheel, that they might be distinguished from Christians, and marked as +it were for insult. In Philippe's reign, however, merit found its +reward, no matter how low the origin from whence it sprang, and several +authors, particularly poets, wrote boldly against the extreme hypocrisy +which existed in the preceding reign, and literature made great +progress.</p> + +<p>In 1285 Philippe the Fair, so named on account of his handsome person, +succeeded to the throne of his father; in his ardent thirst for money he +changed the value of the coinage three times, and caused a riot which +ended by his hanging twenty-eight of the conspirators at the different +entrances of Paris, and had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span> numbers of persons accused of crimes in +order to have them executed that he might obtain possession of their +property; thus hundreds were burned alive and tortured in various +manners. One act, however, threw a degree of lustre on his reign, and +that was the organisation of the Parliament at Paris, establishing it as +a sovereign court, their sittings being held in the Palais de Justice, +the residence at that period of the kings of France. For several +succeeding reigns Paris appeared to make but little progress; some +churches were built as also other establishments, but none which are now +standing, except some portions of them which may have escaped +destruction and are now in the occupation of different tradespeople. The +government became exceedingly poor, and several measures were adopted in +order to repair the finances of the state; amongst others, that of +suffering serfs to purchase their emancipation, of which many availed +themselves, but not sufficient effectually to replenish the exhausted +treasury. For the same reason the property of the Lombards was +confiscated, next recourse was had to the Jews, and even the exactions +imposed upon them were inadequate to the wants of the nation. The +succession of several weak kings had brought affairs into this state, +when Philippe the Sixth of Valois crowned the misfortunes of the country +by entering into a war with England, at a time when the funds of his +kingdom were at the lowest ebb; constantly engaged in hostilities, he +had not leisure or the means of attending to the welfare of the +Pari<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span>sians, and the disasters he encountered caused his reign to be +remembered as a series of misfortunes. Several colleges, however, were +founded in his reign; amongst others, that of the Collége des Ecossais +(Scotch College) then in the Rue des Amandiers, but now existing in the +Rue des Fossés St. Victor. It was first instituted by David, Bishop of +Murray, in Scotland, but the present building was erected by Robert +Barclay in 1662.</p> + +<p>The Collége des Lombards was founded by a number of Italians, and was +some years afterwards deserted, but in 1633 was given by the government +to two Irish priests, and has from that period become an Irish seminary; +and several other colleges, which have either been abandoned or their +locality changed, and often united to other colleges, some of which are +still existing. On the death of Philippe, John, surnamed the Good, +ascended a throne of trouble in 1350, and encountered a succession of +misfortunes of which Paris had its share; from the immense number of +churches, monasteries, colleges, hospitals, and other public edifices, +the wall which surrounded Paris, built by Philippe-Auguste, enclosed too +limited a space to contain the houses of the increased population, which +continued to augment, notwithstanding all the impediments which bad +government could create. A more extended wall therefore became necessary +to protect those inhabitants who resided beyond the limits of the first, +and whose position was likely to be compromised by the position in +which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> France was placed by the battle of Poitiers, by a band of +ruffians called the Companions, who carried desolation wherever they +appeared, and by what was termed La Jacquerie, hordes of peasants who +were armed and levied contributions upon the peaceable inhabitants as +they traversed the country, in groups too numerous to be withstood by +the tranquil residents. The extension of the wall was erected under the +superintendence of Etienne Marcel, called <i>Prévôt des Marchands</i>; what +might be termed Mayor or Chief Magistrate of the tradespeople, a man of +extraordinary energy, which he exerted to the utmost for the benefit of +his fellow citizens, and at this period first began the custom of +putting chains at night across the streets as a measure of security, as +notwithstanding that Paris was menaced on all sides by enemies from +without, insurrections of the most violent nature took place within its +walls, commencing on account of the Dauphin, who was governor of Paris +and regent of the kingdom (in consequence of the imprisonment of his +father John in England), issuing a coinage consisting of base metal +which he was compelled to recall; but the fire-brand was kindled, other +grievances were mooted, thirty thousand armed Parisians assembled headed +by Etienne Marcel, who himself stabbed Robert de Clermont, Marshal of +Normandy, and Jean de Conflans, Marshal of Champagne, in the presence of +the Dauphin; but to save the latter from the fury of the people, Marcel +changed hats with the Prince, thus af<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span>fording him a passport, by causing +him to wear a hat that bore the colours of the people, blue and red. +After a tremendous slaughter, Marcel and his principal friends were +themselves dispatched by the partisans of the Dauphin. During all these +convulsions in the interior of Paris, it was surrounded on one side by +the troops of the King of Navarre, whilst the forces of the Dauphin were +hovering under the walls, the different parties skirmishing with each +other, and all living upon the pillage and contributions levied on the +inhabitants of the adjacent country.</p> + +<p>Meantime famine thinned the population of Paris, cut off from any means +of receiving provisions from without; but on account of the wall +constructed by Marcel, Edward III of England found it impossible to make +any progress in the siege, and having exhausted the country for some +leagues of extent, was obliged to retreat for want of food to maintain +his army. The scarcity of money was such in Paris at that period, that +they were compelled to have a circulation of leather coin, with a little +nail of gold or silver stuck in the middle; yet when John returned from +his captivity in England, the streets were hung with carpets wherever he +had to pass, and a cloth of gold borne over his head, the fountains +poured forth wine, and the city made him a present of a silver buffet +weighing a thousand marcs. At this period schools existed in Paris +sanctioned by the government, when the pay for each scholar was so +contemptible that they must have been for the use of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> the middle +classes, whose means were very confined; they were called <i>Petites +Écoles</i> (Little Schools), and paid a certain sum for having the +privilege to teach; the number in the reign of John was sixty-three, of +which forty-one were under masters, and twenty-two under mistresses. In +some of the streets of Paris it was the custom to have two large doors +or gates, which were closed at night, and the names of several streets +still bear evidence of that practice, as the <i>Rue des deux Portes</i>; the +<i>Rue des Deux-Portes-Saint-Jean</i>, <i>des Deux-Portes-Saint-Sauveur</i>, etc.</p> + +<p>During the reign of John, about 1350, a poem appeared, which contained +advice as to the conduct ladies ought to observe who wished to act with +propriety, and as my fair countrywomen are generally willing to <i>listen</i> +to good counsel, no matter how remote the period from which it is +derived, I cannot resist giving them the benefit of some of the +recommendations of the sapient poet to the Parisian belles, some of +which are certainly highly commendable. The verses were written by a +monk, whose name I have forgotten.</p> + +<p>"In walking to church never trot or run, salute those you meet upon the +way, and even return the salutations of the poor; when at church it is +not proper to look either to the right or the left, neither to speak nor +to laugh out loud, but to rise to the Gospel and courteously make the +sign of the cross, to go to the offering without either laughing or +joking, at the moment of the elevation also to rise; then kneel<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span> and +pray for all Christians; to recite by heart her prayers, and <i>if she can +read</i>, to pray from her psalmody.</p> + +<p>"A courteous lady ought to salute all in going out of church, both great +and small.</p> + +<p>"Those whom nature have endowed with a good voice ought not to refuse to +sing when they are asked.</p> + +<p>"Cleanliness is so necessary for ladies, that it is an obligation for +them to cut their nails.</p> + +<p>"It is not proper for a lady to stop in passing the house of a +neighbour, to look into the interior, because people may be doing things +that they do not wish others to know.</p> + +<p>"When you go and visit a person, never enter abruptly, nor take any one +by surprise, but announce your coming by coughing.</p> + +<p>"At table, a lady should not speak nor laugh too much, and should always +turn the biggest and the best pieces to her guests, and not choose them +for herself.</p> + +<p>"Every time a lady has drank wine she should wipe her mouth with the +table-cloth, but not her eyes or her nose, and she should take care not +to soil and grease her fingers in eating, more than she can possibly +help." The reader must remember that forks were not used until the reign +of Henry III. The author also cautions the ladies to be very careful not +to drink to excess, observing that a lady loses talent, wit, beauty, and +every charm, when she is elevated with wine; they are also recommended +not to swear.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span></p> + +<p>He continues: "Ladies should not veil their faces before nobles; they +may do so when they are on horseback or when they go to church, but on +entering they should show their countenances, and particularly before +people of quality.</p> + +<p>"Ladies should never receive presents from gentlemen of jewels or other +things, except from a well intentioned near relation, otherwise it is +very blameable.</p> + +<p>"It is not becoming for ladies to wrestle with men, and they are also +cautioned not to lie or to steal." Then follow certain instructions for +ladies as to the answers they should make and the manner they should +conduct themselves when they receive a declaration. I hope English +ladies will be much edified by the above instructions. The cries of +Paris at this period were constant and absolutely stunning; Guillaume de +la Villeneuve observes that the criers were braying in the streets of +Paris from morning to night. Amongst the vegetables, garlick was the +most prevalent, which was then eaten with almost every thing, people +being in the habit of rubbing their bread with it: the flour of peas and +beans made into a thick paste was sold all hot; onions, chervil, +turnips, aniseed, leeks, etc., a variety of pears and apples of sorts +that are now scarcely known, except Calville, services, medlers, hips +and other small fruits now no longer heard of; nuts, chesnuts of +Lombardy, Malta grapes, etc.; for beverage, wine at about a farthing a +quart; mustard vinegar, verjuice, and walnut oil; pastry, fresh and +salted meat, eggs and honey. Others went about offering<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> their services +to mend your clothes, some to repair your tubs, or polish your pewter; +candles, cotton for lamps, foreign soup, and almost every article that +can be imagined was sold in the streets, sometimes the price demanded +was a bit of bread. The millers also went bawling about to know if you +had any corn to grind, and amongst those that demanded alms were the +scholars, the monks, the nuns, the prisoners and the blind.</p> + +<p>It was the custom in those days, when a person wished to be revenged +upon another, to make an image of him in wax or mud, as much resembling +as possible. They then took it to a priest and had it named after the +person they wished to injure, with all the ceremonies of the church, and +anointed it, and lastly had certain invocations pronounced over the +unfortunate image. It was then supposed that the figure had some degree +of identity with the prototype, and any injury inflicted upon it would +be felt by the person they wished to harm; they therefore then set to +work to torture it according to their fancy, and at last would plunge a +sharp instrument into that part where the heart should be placed, +feeling quite satisfied they had wreaked their revenge on their enemy. +Sometimes persons were severely punished for the performance of this +farce, and when any individuals experienced some great misfortune, they +often imagined that it had arisen in consequence of their image having +been made by their enemy, and maltreated in the manner described.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span></p> + +<p>When Charles V ascended the throne in 1364, he soon began to display his +taste for civilisation by collecting books to form a library in the +Louvre, and rewarding merit, however humble the station of the +individual by whom it was possessed; and although he received the reins +of government at a period when France was surrounded with enemies, and +her finances in a ruined state, such was the prudence of his measures +that he completely retrieved her losses, and well earned the appellation +he received of Charles the Wise; he built several churches, colleges, +and hotels, none of which if standing are now appropriated to the +purposes originally intended; he also had several bridges constructed, +and embellished Paris with many edifices that were both useful and +ornamental. But all his efforts were paralysed in the following reign of +Charles VI, justly called the Simple, partly mad, partly imbecile, and +coming to the throne at twelve years of age, every misfortune that might +have been expected from a country surrounded by foreign enemies without, +and torn by intestine broils within, happened in the fullest force. The +English and the Burgundians united together in besieging Paris, which +was ultimately entered by both their armies; what with riots amongst the +Parisians, the intrigues of the Queen Isabeau de Baviere, the +dissensions of the King's uncles, and the brigandage of the nobility who +overran the country, never was a nation reduced to a more pitiable +condition; yet some monuments were added to Paris even during this +turbulent reign, the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> Church of St. Gervais being entirely reconstructed +in 1420, and that of St. Germain l'Auxerrois so considerably repaired as +to be almost rebuilt in 1425, besides several colleges, hospitals and +bridges; companies of archers, cross-bow men and armourers were also +established. Theatrical representations were first performed in this +reign in the grand hall of the Hospital of the Trinity, <i>Rue +Saint-Denis</i>, corner of the <i>Rue Grenetat</i>. The theatrical company +styled themselves "Masters, Governors and Brethren of the Passion and +Resurrection of our Lord." Under the reign of Charles VII, surnamed the +Victorious, France regained all she had lost, and was much indebted for +her success to the Maid of Orleans, and the gallant Dunois, who entered +Paris and defeated the English who retreated to the Bastille and +ultimately were allowed to retire to Rouen. But although more was +effected in this reign for the prosperity and glory of France, Paris +received no additions or embellishments: the King being wholly occupied +in vanquishing the enemies of his country; his son Lewis XI, who is +supposed to have conspired against the life of his father, ascended the +throne in 1461; notwithstanding his reign was disturbed by a series of +wars, he found time to occupy himself with useful institutions, and +founded that of the first society of printers in Paris; he also +established the School of Medicine, and the Post Office. Superstitious +and cruel, he first used iron cages as prisons, then instituted the +prayer styled the Angelus. Although he increased the power of France, +his tyranny, in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span>justice, dissimulation, and avarice caused him to be +hated by his subjects. His successor Charles VIII was but thirteen when +called to the throne in 1483, inheriting the few virtues without the +many vices of his father, but showed much weakness in the administration +of his affairs; in the early part of his reign Anne his mother was the +person who principally governed as Regent, until he was of age, when he +passed the rest of his life in war, but was so beloved that two of his +servants died of grief for the loss of their master, who was surnamed +the Affable. He was succeeded by his cousin Lewis XII in 1498, who +obtained the title of Father of his People, certainly the most virtuous +monarch that ever swayed the sceptre of France; he observed that he +preferred seeing his courtiers laugh at his savings than to see his +people weep for his expenses. The Hôtel de Cluny and <i>Le Pont</i> (the +bridge) <i>Notre-Dame</i> were constructed in his reign and are still +standing; being the most ancient bridge in Paris. He died much +regretted, in 1515, and all France felt deeply the loss of a monarch, +whose measures were such as must have ensured the happiness of his +people could he have been spared to have accomplished the good work he +had begun.</p> + +<p>Francis I, his great nephew, succeeded him and was considered the <i>beau +idéal</i> of chivalry; he had been conspicuous for his accomplishments +whilst Duke de Valois, although only twenty-one when he ascended the +throne, upon which he was no sooner installed than compelled to quit his +capital to oppose the enemies of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> France, leaving the management of the +state to his mother Louisa of Savoy, who was not destitute of talent, +but vain and intriguing, Francis, after performing prodigies of valour, +and killing many foes with his own hand at the battle of Pavia, was +taken prisoner and conveyed to Madrid. On returning to France he was +received with the utmost joy by his subjects; in this reign the +principles of protestantism were first promulgated and several persons +were burnt for subscribing to the tenets of Luther. Francis was occupied +constantly with war, from the commencement of his reign until the year +of his death. He had many virtues but they were sullied by infidelity to +his engagements, and his persecution of the protestants whom he +sacrificed as heretics. Notwithstanding that his time was so much +occupied by his enemies that a very short period of his reign was passed +at Paris, he found means to embellish that city; the Church of St-Merri +in the <i>Rue St-Martin</i> was built by his orders, precisely as it now +stands, in the year 1520. The style is Sarrasenzic, much richness of +sculpture is displayed, particularly over and around the middle door, +well meriting the close attention of an amateur. At the same period were +many of the churches now standing extensively repaired and nearly +rebuilt, amongst which St. Eustache, St. Gervais, St. +Jacques-la-Boucherie, of which the tower only remains, St. +Germain-l'Auxerrois, etc., several colleges and hospitals were +instituted, fountains and hotels erected, but scarcely any of them are +now to be seen, or at any rate very<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span> few as constructed in their +original form. He was succeeded by his son Henry II in 1547, who like +his predecessors was constantly occupied with war, but gained one point, +that of taking the last place which the English retained in France, +being Calais, which surrendered to the Duke de Guise; after a reign of +thirteen years Henry was killed at a tournament held in the <i>Rue +St-Antoine</i>, by Montgomery, the captain of his guard. The cruelties of +which he was guilty towards the protestants entirely eclipse whatever +good qualities he possessed, which principally consisted in desperate +courage with extraordinary prowess; he was also zealous in his +friendships. According to Dulaure, that part of the Louvre which is the +oldest, was built by Henry II from the design of Pierre Lescot. I have +found other authors attribute the erection of a portion of the Louvre to +Francis, but it appears that his son had all pulled down which was then +standing, and had it built as it now remains, except the wing in which +the pictures are exhibited, which is of a more recent date, and was not +terminated until the time of Louis XIV. The augmentation of some few +colleges and hospitals were the only acts of this reign from which any +advantages to Paris were derived.</p> + +<p>In 1559, at the age of sixteen, Francis II ascended the throne; his name +is familiar to us as the first husband of the unfortunate Mary, Queen of +Scots; his mother, Catherine de Medici, of infamous memory, took the +reigns of government in her hands and wreaked all her fury upon the +protestants. Francis,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span> too young to have displayed any decided tone of +character, expired in 1560; the persecution of the huguenots, as the +followers of the Reformed Church were styled, seems to have exclusively +occupied the whole time during this short reign, therefore no attention +was devoted to the improving of Paris, which was next brought under the +dominion of the young monster, Charles IX, or rather the continued reign +of his sanguinary mother, Catherine, he being but ten years of age. The +massacre of the night of St. Bartholomew is known to all. Charles +certainly had some revulsive feelings on the subject, and several times +would have given orders to stop it, but Catherine bade him assert the +claims of heaven, and be the noble instrument of its vengeance, "Go on, +then," exclaimed the King, "and let none remain to reproach me with the +deed," and after all, when daylight appeared, he placed himself at a +window of the Louvre, which overlooks the Seine, and with a carbine he +fired at the unfortunate fugitives who tried to save themselves by +swimming across the river. In his reign was built the Tuileries, he +himself laying the first stone; it was intended for the Queen Mother, +but Catherine did not inhabit it long, her conscience not permitting her +to enjoy repose anywhere. Charles died a few months after the dreadful +massacre of the protestants, a prey to all the pangs of remorse, and was +succeeded in 1574 by his brother Henry III. Brought up in the same +pernicious school, under the same infamous mother as his predecessor, +little could<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> be hoped from such a being; he was inclined, however, to +be somewhat more tolerant than his brother, but was frightened into +persecuting the protestants; his mother died at the age of seventy, +goaded by the consciousness of the crimes she had committed; civil war +raged during the reign of Henry, and he was obliged to quit his capital +and join the protestants, whom he soon, however, betrayed; without +energy to adopt any certain line of conduct, he balanced between the two +parties of catholics and protestants, until both sects despised him, and +at length he was stabbed by a fanatic friar, named Jacques Clement. +Several convents and religious establishments were founded in his reign, +amongst the rest the Feuillans, which was extensive and had a church +attached, but in 1804 the whole was demolished, and on its site, and +that of the monastery of the Capucins, were built the Rue Rivoli, +Castiglione, and Monthabor, and a terrace of the gardens of the +Tuileries is still called the Feuillans. The Pont Neuf was also built in +this reign. In 1589, Henry IV, surnamed the Great, succeeded to the +throne; he was of the house of Bourbon, and descended from Robert, the +second son of Louis the Ninth. He was compelled to begin his reign by +laying siege to his own capital, which was in the hands of his enemies, +who defended it with 58,000 troops, and 1,500 armed priests, scholars +and monks, and after three years' vain endeavours he was obliged to +renounce the protestant religion, and conform to the catholic +ceremonies, which produced a truce, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> Henry at last entered Paris. By +his mild and judicious conduct he regenerated the prosperity of France, +and published the famous edict of Nantes in favour of the protestants, +and acted with considerable wisdom under the difficult circumstances in +which he was placed, by the intemperate zeal of the catholics and +huguenots. At last, after many unsuccessful attempts upon his life, he +was stabbed in his own carriage by Ravaillac, a religious fanatic, who +conceived that the King was not sufficiently zealous in the cause of +catholicism; he was regretted by every worthy character throughout his +realms, for, although he had many of the faults common to men, yet he +had such redeeming qualities that he well merited the title of <i>Great</i>. +During his reign Paris was considerably embellished, the improvement of +the city being with him a favourite object. The Hospital of Saint Louis +was built by his orders, himself laying the first stone; it is still +standing, and is generally filled with patients, who receive the most +humane treatment. It is situated in the Rue Carême Prenant, near the +Barrière du Combat. He established a manufactory of Persian carpets, on +the <i>Quai de Billy</i>, No. 30.</p> + +<p>The Rue and Place Dauphine, the Place Royale, which still exhibits a +square of houses unaltered in style since the day they were built, owed +their construction to his mania for building and passion for augmenting +and improving his capital. Several other streets were extended and in +part rebuilt under his reign, besides which he founded different +institutions,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> had divers fountains and gates erected, as well as +bridges, and some other public edifices, which having since disappeared +or become the houses of individuals, workshops, warehouses, etc., it is +not worthwhile to recapitulate them, as they cease to be objects of +interest. Several theatres were established at this period for the first +time, the performers having merely given representations in large rooms +belonging to public buildings where they could get accommodation, +particularly in the Hôtel de Bourgoyne, in the Rue Mauconseil, which at +last acquired the name of a theatre; but a company of Italians received +such encouragement from Henry IV, that they were enabled, in a situation +assigned them regularly, to establish a theatre in the Hôtel d'Argent, +Rue de la Poterie, corner of the Rue de la Verrerie. He was equally the +patron of literature, and of the arts and sciences; the Tuileries and +Louvre, under his directions, received the material and superintendence +which was requisite for their completion, as far as the design extended +at that epoch.</p> + +<p>In 1610 Louis XIII, but nine years of age, became heir to the throne, +and Marie de Medici, his mother and widow of Henry IV, was nominated +Regent; her first act was to call into power all her husband's enemies, +which consisted of her own favourites, through whom she governed, and +when her regency ceased, her son followed her example and became the +instrument of others, until the power of governing was exclusively +acquired by Cardinal Richelieu, who devoted<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> his extraordinary talents +in a degree to the interests of his country, but more especially to the +gratification of his vanity, and the promotion of his ambitious +projects; descending to the extremes of injustice, dissimulation, and +cruelty, to accomplish his object, he became the persecutor of Mary, who +had raised him from comparative obscurity, and caused her exile, in +which she died in poverty, which she certainly merited by her +misconduct, but not by the instigation of her <i>protégé</i> Richelieu. But +with all his sins, he effected much good; he founded the Royal Printing +establishment, the French Academy, also the Garden of Plants; he built +the <i>Palais-Royal</i> and rebuilt the Church and College of the Sorbonne. +In this reign more religious establishments were founded than in any +preceding, amongst which were the Convent of the <i>Carmes Déchaussés</i>, +No. 70, <i>Rue de Vaugirard</i>, the monks of which possessed a secret for +making a particular kind of liquid which is called <i>Eau des Carmes</i>, and +is still in demand; the church and building belonging to the +establishment are now standing, and were recently occupied by nuns. The +Convent of <i>Jacobins</i> between the <i>Rues du Bac</i> and <i>St-Dominique</i>, with +its Church, which still remains and is called <i>St-Thomas d'Aquin</i>, is +well worth notice, and the monastery is now occupied by the armoury +which is one of the most interesting sights of Paris. The <i>Bénédictines +Anglaises</i>, No. 269, <i>Rue St-Jacques</i>, was formerly occupied by English +monks, who fled their country on account of some persecution in the +reign of Henry VIII.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span></p> + +<p>In 1674, Father Joseph Shirburne, the prior of monastery, pulled down +the old building, and erected another in its place more commodious, also +a church attached to it in which James the Second of England was buried, +as also his daughter Mary Stuart. It has now become the property of an +individual, and is at present occupied as a factory of cotton. The +Oratoire in the <i>Rue Saint-Honoré</i>, since devoted to protestant worship, +was built in the year 1621 by M. de Berulle, since Cardinal, on the site +of the <i>Hôtel du Bouchage</i>, once the residence of Gabrielle d'Estrées, +the favourite mistress of Henry IV. The Convent of the Capucins, +situated in the <i>Place des Capucins</i>, at present an Hospital. <i>Séminaire +des Oratoriens</i>, <i>Rue du Faubourg Saint-Jacques</i>, 254, now occupied by +the Deaf and Dumb. <i>Collége des Jésuites</i>, at present College of +<i>Louis-le-Grand</i>. Convent of <i>Petits-Pères</i>: the church of which still +remains and is situated at the corner of the <i>Rue +Notre-Dame-des-Victoires</i>. The Monk Fiacre, called a Saint, was buried +in this church; thinking that his sanctity was a preservative against +evil, they stuck his portrait on all the hackney coaches, which was the +cause of their ever after being called Fiacre.</p> + +<p>A further recapitulation of these establishments would only be tedious +to the reader, particularly as they are now for the most part become +private houses; suffice it to say, that in the reign of Louis XIII +twenty monasteries were established at Paris. The nunnery of +<i>Ursulines</i>; No. 47, <i>Rue Sainte-Avoye</i>, now a Jews' synagogue. The +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span>Convent of the Visitation of St. Mary, <i>Rue Saint-Antoine</i>, Nos. 214 +and 216; the church, still standing, was built in 1632 after the model +of <i>Notre-Dame-de-la-Rotonde</i> at Rome, and is called +<i>Notre-Dame-des-Anges</i>. Another convent of the same order was built in +1623 in the <i>Rue Saint-Jacques</i>, Nos. 193 and 195, and is I believe +still occupied by nuns, as it was so very recently. The convent of +<i>Filles-de-la-Madeleine</i>, <i>Rue des Fontaines</i>, between the Nos. 14 and +16, which has now become a house of seclusion for women who have been +convicted of offences. The Convent of the Annonciades Celestes or Filles +Bleues, founded by the Marchioness de Verneuil, mistress of Henry IV, is +now in spite of all its pompous titles a waggon office in the <i>Rue +Culture-Sainte-Catherine</i>, No. 29. The Assumption, a convent for nuns, +of which the church is still standing in the <i>Rue Saint-Honoré</i>, between +the Nos. 369 and 371, is remarkable for its large dome, but appears +out of proportion with the rest of the building, which is otherwise not +destitute of merit. The <i>Val-de-Grâce</i>, a Benedictine Abbey, <i>Rue +Faubourg Saint-Jacques</i>, between the Nos. 277 and 279. The Queen Anne +of Austria founded the establishment in 1621; the church is still +preserved in perfect order, and is of very rich architecture, too +profuse in ornament. The rest of the building, once inhabited by +Benedictine nuns, is now an asylum for sick or wounded soldiers, being a +military hospital. <i>Port-Royal</i>, a convent for nuns, established in 1625 +in the <i>Rue de la Bourbe</i>, is now a lying-in hospital. The Convent of +the <i>Filles de Sainte-Elisabeth</i>; the first stone was laid by Marie de<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span> +Medici in 1628, but was, like a multitude of others, suppressed in 1790, +the church only remaining; it is situated in the <i>Rue du Temple</i>, +between Nos. 107 and 109.</p> + +<p>A Convent for Benedictine Nuns founded in 1636 in the <i>Rue de Sèvres</i>, +No. 3, being suppressed in 1778, was converted into the more useful +purpose of an hospital, and as such it still remains. The Convent of the +<i>Filles de la Ste-Croix</i>, situated No. 86, <i>Rue de Charonne</i>, was +occupied as recently as 1823 by nuns; it was founded in 1639. The noble +church of <i>St-Roch, Rue St-Honoré</i>, was commenced as a chapel in 1587, +and in 1622 was converted into a parish church, but was not entirely +finished until 1740. It is now the church attended by the royal family, +and is an object of interest to every one who visits Paris. The church +of <i>Ste-Marguerite</i> was erected in 1625 in the <i>Rue St-Bernard</i>, Nos. +28 and 30, <i>Faubourg St-Antoine</i>, and is still attended by the +inhabitants of that quarter. <i>Maison de Scipion</i> was founded in a street +of the same name in the year 1622 by an Italian gentleman named Scipio +Sardini, and is now the bakehouse for making bread for all the hospitals +in Paris. Such were the principal edifices instituted in Paris, during +the reign of Louis XIII, either as Convents, Monasteries, or Nunneries, +with churches attached to them; I have cited the most conspicuous of +those of which any vestiges remain, indicating their different +localities, besides a number of hospitals, most of which I have stated; +that of the <i>Incurables</i> certainly merits attention, it was founded in +1632 in the <i>Rue de<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> Sèvres</i>, and is now a refuge for those women of +whom no hopes can be cherished of ultimate recovery. The Palace of the +<i>Luxembourg</i> was one of the most important edifices erected in this +reign by Mary de Medici whilst she was regent in 1615, in the <i>Rue +Vaugirard</i>, at present the Chamber of Peers, after having served the +purpose of a prison, for which a portion of it is still appropriated for +criminals against the state; but with its large and beautiful gardens it +merits a more detailed description, which will be given under the head +of public monuments. The whole number of religious establishments of all +descriptions built in the reign of Louis XIII, amount to forty-nine, +besides many Bridges, Fountains, Hôtels, Statues, etc., etc.; which +altogether so augmented Paris that it became requisite to have another +wall, affording the capital more extended dimensions, which was +accordingly constructed. Notwithstanding all these improvements the +streets of Paris were in a most filthy condition, constantly emitting a +disagreeable odour; they were very narrow and the greater portion of +them very ill paved, besides which they were infested with thieves, and +complaints were continually arising against the hosts of pages and +lackeys who insulted people in the streets, and were continually +committing some disorders, both during the day and the night, when +persons were frequently killed in the skirmishes that were constantly +taking place. Ordinances and edicts were continually appearing, +forbidding the pages and lackeys to wear arms, but all of no avail; when +any one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> was arrested, he was rescued by his companions, and the +officers of police sometimes killed. Louis XIII, ever feeble in mind, +and probably in constitution, died at the age of 42; it was supposed +from a premature decay.</p> + +<p>The history of the reign of Louis the Fourteenth and those which follow +to the present day are so well known to the English, that whatever I +might state respecting them would only be to my readers a repetition of +that of which they are already informed, as the continual wars for the +last two centuries between England and France have brought the nations +in constant contact; but prior to that period, even the most prominent +events of the French history are but little known to the English, and in +order to enhance the enjoyment of examining the old buildings in Paris, +I conceived it necessary to give a slight sketch of the monarchs under +whom they were erected, with the dates as accurately as could be +ascertained, but consider that it would be useless to do so as regards +those edifices constructed since the reign of Louis XIII, as they can +only afford pleasure as regards their utility or beauty; as if not two +hundred years old, the age of their date ceases to excite interest, +although I shall describe them in due course. I have often been +surprised that in all schools, although they give the history of Rome, +of Greece, and of course of England, yet of France, which is the country +the nearest to us, we are suffered to remain ignorant as to its history. +We have all heard of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> battles of Cressy, Poitiers and Agincourt, and +remember that they were gained by the Edwards and Henry the Fifth, but +few persons know anything about who were the French kings under whom +they were lost; the only instances where the history of the French is +brought to our minds, is when any connexion by marriage has occurred +between the families of the sovereigns of the two nations.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV.</h2> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Paris as it is, being a general survey of the place itself, its +attractions, its demerits, the inhabitants, their manners to +strangers, towards each other, their customs, and occupations.</p></div> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/img106.jpg" alt="Church of the Madeleine." title="Church of the Madeleine." /></div> +<h4>Church of the Madeleine. Published by F. Sinnett, 15, Grande rue Verte.</h4> + +<p>I know no better means of obtaining a first general view of Paris and +its inmates, than by taking a walk upon the Boulevards, I therefore will +invite the reader to imagine himself promenading with me, we will begin +at the Madeleine, and occupy a short time in surveying that noble and +majestic building; it greatly reminds me of the Temple of Theseus, at +Athens; it is perhaps one of the most perfect monuments, as regards its +exterior, in Europe, the statues and sculpture are fine as to their +general effect, but the lofty handsome pillars lose much of their beauty +from the joins of the stones being too conspicuous, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span>having become +black, the fine broad mass is cut up, and gives one an idea of so many +cheeses placed one upon another, or rather they resemble the joints of a +caterpillar: the interior is certainly most gorgeous, and at first +strikes the beholder as a most splendid display of rich magnificence; +but a moment's reflection, and instantly he feels how inconsistent is +all that gilded mass and profusion of ornament with the beautiful and +chaste simplicity of the exterior. I never can conceive that all that +glitter of gold is in good keeping with the calm repose and dignity +which ought to reign throughout a church. The Madeleine was begun in the +reign of Louis the Fifteenth, and was intended for different purposes as +it slowly progressed through the different reigns which have since +occurred. Louis Philippe at length decided upon completing it with the +energy that had ever before been wanting. Several public monuments had +been suffered to remain dormant during the two preceding reigns, or +their operations were carried on with so sparing a hand, that whilst a +few workmen were employed at one end of a building, weeds and moss began +to grow on the other. This pigmy style of proceeding was well-satirised +during the reign of Charles X in one of the papers, which announced in +large letters, "the workmen at the Madeleine have been doubled! where +there was one, there are now two!" But soon after the present King came +to the throne, capital was found, and the industrious employed. Thus +much for this splendid work of art; let us turn<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> round and look about +us: Ah! see, there are the works of nature, how gay and cheerful those +flowers appear so tastefully arranged in Madame Adde's shop, whilst she +herself looks as fresh and healthy as her plants which are blooming +around her; yet with that robust and country air she is a Parisian, but, +as she justly remarked to me, she was always brought up to work hard, +and as her labours have been well rewarded, health and content have +followed. She and her flowers have already been noticed in Mrs. Gore's +Season in Paris, who used to pay her frequent visits, for who indeed +would go anywhere else who had once dealt with her, for what more can +one desire than civility, good nature, reasonable charges, and a +constant variety of the choicest articles; I therefore can +conscientiously recommend all my readers who come to Paris, and are +amateurs of Flora, to call now and then on Madame Adde, No. 6, <i>Place +de la Madeleine</i>.</p> + +<p>Now having contemplated the beauties of art and of nature, let us +observe some animated specimens of her works: what a moving mass is +before us, 'tis a merry scene, the laughing children running after, and +dodging each other, rolling on the ground with the plenitude of their +mirth, the neat looking <i>bonnes</i> (nursery maids) still smiling while +they chide, the jovial coachmen wrestling on their stands and playing +like boys together, but all in good humour, and content seems to sit on +every brow, and even the aged as they meet, greet each other with a +smile. How infectious is cheerfulness, when I have the blue devils I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span> +always go and take a walk on the <i>Boulevards</i>; and what makes these +people so happy? is the natural question; because they are content with +a little, and pleased with a trifle; then they are a trifling people is +the reply. What boots it I would ask? happiness is all that we desire, +and I persist that those are the best philosophers who can obtain +happiness with the least means. But how the green trees, the white stone +houses, the gay looking shops, the broad road with the equipages rolling +along all contribute to heighten the animation of the scene. We are now +at the <i>Rue de la Paix</i>; it is certainly a noble street, and we will +turn down it to look at the statue of Napoleon on the column in the +<i>Place Vendôme</i>; the pillar, which was cast from the cannon taken from +the enemies of France, is decidedly a work of extraordinary merit and +beauty, and requires a good deal of study to appreciate the exquisite +workmanship displayed in its execution. But if it were not for the +reminiscences associated with the character of Napoleon, who could ever +admire his statue on the top of the column, in a costume so contrary to +all that is graceful and dignified; a little cocked hat with its horrid +stiff angles, a great coat with another angle sticking out, the <i>tout +ensemble</i> presenting a deformity rather than an ornament: however there +he stands on the pinnacle of what he and men in general would call the +monument of his glory, a memento of blood, of tears of widows and +orphans. Could the names of those ruined and heart broken beings be +inscribed upon it, whose<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> misery was wrought by his triumphs, it would +indeed tell a tale of woe. The <i>Place Vendôme</i>, in which the column +stands, has a very noble appearance, being a fine specimen of the style +of building of Louis the Fourteenth, in whose reign it was erected; and +he too fed his ambition with wholesale flow of blood, and with treasure +wreaked from the hard earned labour of his subjects, and the abridgments +of their comforts, but both were ultimately destined to chew the bitter +cud of mortification, and however bright the sun by which they rose to +imaginary glory, they were doomed to set in a starless night. But let us +turn from these lugubrious images of war, and regain the <i>Boulevards</i> +and enjoy the pleasure of beholding a peaceful people. Do not let us +fail to observe that beautiful mansion at the corner of the <i>rue +Lafitte</i>; it is called the <i>Cité Italienne</i>, and can only be compared to +a palace, the richness of the carve-work surpassing any thing of the +description throughout the whole capital; although it has recently +become so much the mode to adorn their houses with sculpture, yet none +have arrived at the same degree of perfection displayed in the <i>Maison +d'or</i>: carved out on the solid stone is a boar hunt, which is really +executed with considerable talent; to give an accurate description of +all its beauties would much exceed the space I could afford it in +justice to other objects; it is very extensive, and is I believe three +houses united in one. I have understood that the sum total expended upon +it was 1,600,000 <i>francs</i>, or 64,000<i>l.</i> But that my readers may form +some idea of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> the interior, I recommend them to enter the <i>Ancien Café +Hardy</i>, which is established as a <i>Restaurant</i> within this beautiful +building, and however interested my countrymen may feel in all that is +intellectual, yet at the same time they possess that much of the +sensual, as to have a very strong predilection for a good dinner, of the +quality of which few are better judges; but with them it is not only as +regards the excellence of the viands, but also they have their peculiar +tastes as to how and where it is served; knowing so well their ideas in +this respect, I can recommend them with confidence to <i>Messieurs Verdier +and Dauzier</i>, convinced that all their different fancies will be +gratified. If they wish to be exclusive, to enjoy their meal tête-a-tête +with their friend, they will find an elegant little apartment suited to +their wishes; if they be three or four or more persons, they will still +find they can be accommodated in such a manner that they may always +imagine themselves at home; in fact there are about twenty apartments of +different sizes, which are decorated in the most handsome style, yet all +varying with regard to the pattern of the furniture, and all uniting an +appearance of comfort and elegance, the sofa, chairs, and curtains of +each little cabinet being of the richest silk, and the other decorations +are consistently luxurious. The view from the windows presents all that +can be imagined that is amusing and animating, overlooking the most +agreeable part of the <i>Boulevards</i>, being that which is designated the +<i>Boulevard Italien</i>, and is the most fashionable resort in Paris. By the +aid of a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> <i>calorifère</i>, the whole establishment is heated to an +agreeable degree of warmth, but for those who like to see a cheering +blaze there are chimneys which afford them the means of having that +indulgence. If they prefer dining in the public saloon, for the sake of +seeing the variety of visiters by which it is frequented, they will find +a most splendid apartment brilliantly fitted up, being entirely of white +and gold, where every thing that is useful will be found, but always so +arranged as to be rendered ornamental; in the elegant chandeliers by +which the apartment is adorned, oil on a purified principle is burned; +no attention in short has been omitted which could tend towards +rendering the establishment an attraction for the English. I happened to +be there when an apartment was arranged for a wedding party, and nothing +could exceed the taste and elegance with which the table was disposed, +presenting a perfect picture, where splendour and luxury abounded, but +yet where a certain degree of consistency was preserved. With regard to +the superior quality of the different delicacies which are provided, and +the culinary talent displayed in their preparation, even Vatel himself +might be more than satisfied. I have visited all the most celebrated +<i>Restaurants</i> in Paris, and should certainly say, that for the good +quality of the articles of the table, for the comfortable arrangements +of the apartments, and attentive civility of the attendants, there is +not any that can surpass the <i>Café Hardy</i>, although many there are which +are infinitely more expensive. Continuing our<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> walk upon the +<i>Boulevards</i>, it is worthy of remark how richly some of the new houses +in and about the <i>Rue Richelieu</i> are sculptured, so as to present the +appearance of a succession of palaces, we next arrive at the <i>Boulevard +Montmartre</i>, where the influx of people is the greatest: we pass by the +<i>Passage des Panoramas</i> but do not enter it just now, although it +contains some of the handsomest shops in Paris, but it is too crowded, +we prefer keeping our course on the <i>Boulevards</i> where we can look about +us at our ease and contemplate the physiognomies of the varied groups +before us; let us halt a while at the Theatre <i>des Variétés</i> and remark +with what eagerness numbers stop to scan the programme of the +entertainments for the evening, amongst them are all ages, all classes, +the common soldier, porter, and servant girl, all possessing a high idea +of their judgment in theatrical affairs; passing on a little further the +Theatre <i>du Gymnase</i> arrests the observer's notice, where <i>Bouffé</i> has +so long displayed his comic powers, which certainly in my recollection +have never been surpassed, and I doubt if they ever have been equalled; +there is ever a chasteness in his acting, from which he never departs, +and keeps the audience in a roar of laughter without ever having +recourse to grimace or buffoonery.</p> + +<p>The stupendous <i>Porte</i> (gate) <i>St Denis</i> next strikes the eye, and has a +most imposing effect; it was built by Louis XIV in commemoration of his +victories, as I have before stated; the <i>bas-reliefs</i> with which it is +adorned represent pyramids, and colossal allegorical<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> figures of Holland +and the Rhine, the capture of Maestricht, the passage of the Rhine at +Tolhuys, which with two lions are its most conspicuous ornaments. Whilst +the mind is still occupied in reflecting upon this noble monument, +another awakens attention at a short distance from the last; it is the +<i>Porte St-Martin</i>, <i>Boulevard St-Martin</i>, which has been represented as +a copy of that of St-Severus at Rome; it owes its erection to the same +founder and was raised for the same purpose, that of publishing to +posterity the fame of his victories; he is allegorically represented as +Hercules defeating the Germans, the taking of Limburg, Besançon, etc. I +shall not attempt to enter into a minute detail of these objects, it +would only tire me to do so, and perhaps fatigue my reader still more; I +shall therefore content myself by stating that, taken as a whole, it has +an extremely fine effect. A few paces farther is the Theatre of the +<i>Porte St-Martin</i>, which was never a fashionable resort, but has often +produced me much entertainment, particularly when the celebrated +Mademoiselle George afforded it the benefits of her talents; proceeding +a few hundred yards distance, the Theatre of the <i>Ambigu-Comique</i> +presents itself as worthy of remark; although of a minor rank, I +remember being much amused at the long trains of persons waiting, +according to the custom in France, at the doors of this Theatre for +admission when a popular piece was played, called Nostradamus; as two +persons can only pay at once no more are suffered to enter at a time; +hence they form in pairs behind each<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> other until they extend sometimes, +the length of a furlong; they remain very quiet occasionally for hours, +the first comers standing close to the doors, and as others arrive they +regularly take their station behind the last persons of the <i>queue</i>, as +it is styled. I remember an Englishman coming up when the tail had +attained rather an inconvenient length, and he did not relish placing +himself at the end of it, and endeavoured to slip into one of the joints +as it was much nearer the door; but a <i>gendarme</i>, perceiving his drift, +very unceremoniously marched him to the end of the queue, as precedence +is allotted to persons in proportion as they arrive earlier or later and +the most perfect order is by that means preserved; how much better is +such an arrangement than that which prevails in England at the entering +of the theatres, where physical strength alone gives priority, and the +bigger the brute the sooner he enters, whilst screams and murmurs attest +the treading upon toes, squeezing of ribs, etc.</p> + +<p>The fountain of <i>St-Martin</i> in front of the <i>Ambigu-Comique</i> is one of +the most beautiful objects in Paris; a handsome font rises in the middle +from which the water falls in sheets of silvery profusion, whilst +around, lions disgorge liquid streams which all unite in the <i>grand +basin</i>; this sight is most beautiful to behold by the light of the moon. +We next enter the <i>Boulevard du Temple</i>, where there is such a number of +theatres and coffee-houses all joining each other, that there is really +some difficulty of ascertaining which is the one or the other. The +Theatre <i>de la Gaieté</i>, the resort<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> principally of the middle or lower +classes, is one of the most conspicuous, as also the <i>Cirque Olympique</i>, +or Franconi's Theatre, where the performances resemble those at +Astley's. There is always an immense crowd on these <i>Boulevards</i> amusing +themselves around a number of shows; or playing or looking at various +games which are constantly going forward, singers, musicians, conjurors, +merry andrews, fortune tellers, orators, dancers, tumblers, etc., are +all exerting their powers, to gain a little coin from the easily pleased +multitude; these <i>boulevards</i> have in fact the appearance of a perpetual +<i>fête</i> or fair, but the curious ideas that appear to me to have entered +the heads of these people in the nature of their performances, are such +as I should imagine none would ever have thought of but the French; nor +any lower orders but of that nation could have been found to appreciate +such singular exhibitions. One of this description particularly excited +my notice; a man came up with another man in his arms and popped him +down just as if he was a block; he had no sooner deposited his burden +than he began a long harangue upon the talents of the individual whom he +had just deposited before us, in acting a machine or automaton, he then +to prove his assertion gave him a knock on the back of the head, when it +fell forward just as if it had belonged to a figure made with joints; he +then gave it a chuck of the chin so violent that it sent the head back +so as to lean on the coat collar; at last he put it in its proper +position, he then operated upon the arms and legs of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> the image actor in +the same manner, and so perfectly lifeless did he appear, that many new +comers who had not heard the introductory speech of the showman, +absolutely thought that it was on inanimate figure made to imitate a man +that was before them, as the orator always designated his piece of still +life his <i>mécanique</i>, which means <i>machine</i>; in order to afford every +one the benefit of a close examination, he lifted up his automaton, then +flumped him directly opposite and close to the persons who formed part +of the circle and whom he judged were most likely to throw a sou, +bidding us observe that even the eye never winked and that there was not +the slightest breathing perceptible, and in justice I must say I never +saw an actor better play his part, for watch him as closely as you would +there never was the least symptom of life visible. I had often before +seen images made to imitate men, but never had till then seen a man +imitate an image: a few paces farther was a man acting a variety of +parts with extraordinary humour, an old nurse out of place, then a young +lover entreating his mistress to have pity on him, next a man in a +violent passion, presently, an epicure eating <i>bonbons</i> on the verge of +the grave; the inexhaustible force of lungs, the incessant supply of +words and ideas that many of them appeared to possess, to me was quite a +matter of wonderment. At a short distance is a fort with cannon, whilst +persons take a cross-bow and shoot at it; if they can hit one of the +guns it naturally goes off; for the privilege of having a shot, a sou is +paid if he do not hit the,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> cannon, but if he succeed in so doing, he +receives a sou; the reader may suppose that a miss takes place at the +rate of about seven times to a hit; and after several young countrymen +had been trying in vain, and had lost a good many pence, they began to +grumble and declare that it was next to impossible to hit the cannon +more than once in a hundred times, upon which the proprietor himself +took the cross-bow and at the same distance as the others stood, hit the +cannon five times running with the most perfect apparent ease, which +certainly silenced the grumblers, but convinced them of their own +awkwardness. My attention was next attracted by a pretty little building +surrounded by moss and trees, at the top of a large glass globe which +contained water with several gold and silver fish swimming in it, while +some canary birds, who were sometimes perching on the house, the moss, +or the trees, ever and anon flew to the bottom of the globe and were +seen fluttering about amongst the fish, then ascend to their little +building without having wetted a feather; the effect is very pretty and +the deception is pleasing, inasmuch as the birds require no torturing +tuition to perform their little parts; the secret consists in one globe +being placed in another considerably larger, the outer being filled with +water in which are the fish, whilst the inner wherein the birds are seen +is dry and empty. A fortress where canary birds are again the performers +is a sight which is extremely curious, as a proof of what these little +creatures are capable of executing under the manage<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span>ment of a master, +where I fear gentleness has not only been exercised; a number of little +cannon are placed to which the birds apply a substance at the end of a +little stick which causes them to go off, when some fall and pretend to +die and the victors advance with their muskets, and strutting about give +you to understand that the fort is taken and that they are conquerors.</p> + +<p>To recapitulate all the curious manœuvres which are constantly going +forward on the <i>Boulevards</i> would swell a volume, we will therefore pass +on to the more retired parts, where the fine vistas of high trees have +been spared the havoc of the Three Days; these once extended throughout +the whole course of the <i>Boulevards</i>, but so many trees were cut down to +form barricades, that those beautiful arches formed by rows of lofty +elms, which were merely trained on the inner side, the outer being +suffered to grow in the wild luxuriance of nature, are only now to be +met with "few and far between." Near the spot where formerly stood the +much dreaded Bastille, now rises to the view the column erected to +commemorate the Revolution of 1830; inclining to the right, the +<i>Boulevards</i> then lead to the Seine. In many parts of these delightful +promenades, double rows of chairs are placed, and persons of the highest +respectability come from different quarters and sit for hours in them, +amused with observing the happy moving scene around them; the seats on +the <i>Boulevard Italien</i> are often occupied by persons of fashion, who +arrive in their equipages, then take chairs for an hour or two, whilst +their carriages<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> wait for them; the charge for each chair is one sou, +but every one takes two, one for the purpose of resting the feet, and +generally takes ices which are served from Tortoni's, long celebrated +for the supply of that cooling refreshment. It is by night that the +<i>Boulevards</i> are seen to the greatest advantage, the innumerable lights +blazing from the different theatres, the lamps placed before the +coffee-houses, the brilliant shops, the trees, the equipages, the sound +of music and singing, the houses, which resemble palaces, the gilded +cafés all united has the air of a fairy scene to any one brought +suddenly upon them.</p> + +<p>Some of the handsomest shops and coffee-houses are to be found on the +<i>Boulevards</i>, and dwellings where many of the most respectable persons +reside. There is always an humble traffic going on from an immense +number of stalls, in which various commodities are sold, and although +the assortment consists of a hundred different descriptions of articles, +yet all are at one price, consisting of everything that can well be +imagined, from a comb to a pair of bellows, the vender singing out the +price with stentorian lungs, perhaps twenty-five sous, more or less, and +as there is a great deal of opposition with these itinerant merchants, +they often try who can cry out the loudest, and succeed in raising a +terrific din, which amuses the mob, who consider that all is life and +spirit as long as there is noise and fun going forward; these +<i>Boulevards</i>, therefore, are just such as suit the Parisian lower +classes. Those on the south side of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span> Seine are an exact contrast, +most of them being so deserted, that in viewing the long lines of tall +arched elms, with scarcely an individual moving beneath them, one could +imagine that they were a hundred miles from any capital; but there is +something pleasing in retiring to these lone green shades, when fatigued +with the bustle and rattling noises of the city. The only individuals +usually to be met with in these quiet <i>Boulevards</i> are now and then a +nursery-maid with a child, an old lady of the gone-by school, and her +female servant of the same era, who jog on at a slow and solemn pace as +they moan over the good old times that are passed, and sympathise in +expressions of horror at the vices of the present day; a tall thin +battered looking beau, whose youth was passed in the last century, meets +the antiquated pair, mutual salutations take place, the gentleman doffs +his hat, and with a graceful sort of turn and wave of the hand, at the +same time bows his body full half way to the ground, which, although +rather stiffened with age, still retains a shadow of the elegance of +former times. Madame makes a very pretty reverence, somewhat +ceremonious, according to the flippant ideas of the present day, +entreats Monsieur would put on his hat, would be in despair if he should +catch cold; he obeys, is enchanted to see her look so well, but +desolated to hear she has a little cold, and after expressing the most +fervent hopes for her getting better, he takes his leave, having too +good a notion of propriety to join the lady in her walk lest a <i>liaison</i> +between them might be suspected.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> How different this worn-out remnant of +the days of Louis the Sixteenth from <i>la jeune France</i> of the present +day, when the usual greeting between the young men would be a nod of the +head, <i>"Bon jour, ca va bien?"</i> adieu, and away, which is tantamount to +"How do, quite well, good bye," and off; with a lady the abruptness +would be a little softened, but any politeness that gives much trouble +is quite at a discount with such young men of the present day in France. +A solitary workman, a sentinel, and an old soldier, if near the Hospital +of the Invalids, are probably the only persons you will usually meet on +the southern <i>Boulevards</i>, except now and then I have seen a ladies' +boarding-school thread its course beneath the thick foliage, whose +mistress perchance selects a retired spot for giving her pupils a little +air and exercise, removed from the gaze of the city throng.</p> + +<p>Whatever pleasing impressions these shady retreats may have made upon +the mind, on re-entering Paris they are soon dissipated; if by the +public streets, the variety of noises which assail the ear, and the +confusion of so many people bustling along upon a little bit of pavement +not two feet wide, gives you plenty of occupation both to make your way, +and get out of the way; when, compelled to give place to some lady, you +descend from the narrow flags into the road, and whilst you are +manœuvring to escape a cart you see coming towards you, <i>"Gare"</i> is +bawled out with stunning roar; you look round and find the pole of a +coach within an inch of your shoulder, you scramble<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span> out of the way as +fast as you can through mud and puddle, and are glad to clap your back +against a house to make room for some lumbering vehicle, where the naves +of the wheels stick out with menacing effect, happy to congratulate +yourself that there is just room enough for it to pass without jamming +you quite flat, and that you are quit of the danger at the expense of +being smeared with a little mud from the wheel; this is the case in many +of the streets in that part of Paris called the <i>Cité</i>, and others which +cross from the <i>Rue Saint-Denis</i> to the <i>Rue Saint-Martin</i> and <i>du +Temple</i> etc. Happily for my readers, it is not very probable that many +of them will ever be called into those neighbourhoods, or if they be, it +will probably be in a carriage, when they will not stand near the same +chance of being crushed to death; but as I explore all parts and am +thereby the better enabled to give a faithful picture of Paris, I +consider it incumbent on me to inform my country people that there are +such streets that they may better know how to enjoy Paris by keeping out +of the way of them. To see Paris to the best advantage it is requisite +to get up early, that is about three o'clock in the morning in the +months of June or July, before any one is stirring; this indeed is +pretty much the case with all cities, but particularly the French +capital, because the streets being very narrow and crowded, you have not +room to look up and look about. Paris in the old quarters at that hour, +or in a bright moonlight when all are at rest, has the effect of a city +composed of chateaux or castles joined<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> together, the height of the +houses, the great heavy <i>porte cochères</i>, the castellated style of the +attic windows and often projecting turrets, with the profusion of iron +work, combine in giving a degree of gloom that appears to tell a tale of +olden time, and many of the houses date as far back as Charles the +Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh, which is coeval with our Henry the Fourth, +Fifth, and Sixth. There is one house of which the ancient staircase +still remaining is as old as the year 1220; it is situated in the <i>Rue +du Four</i>, near the <i>Rue de la Harpe</i>, and called the <i>Maison Blanche</i>, +having been inhabited by the mother of <i>Saint-Louis</i>, but there is no +doubt that the only part now standing that could have been built at that +period is the staircase; in the same neighbourhood are many objects that +would interest the antiquary, to which I shall hereafter allude. Paris +is encircled by a double row of <i>Boulevards</i>, the north inner circle is +that which is the most frequented; the outer circle runs all along the +walls which encompass Paris, where the barriers are situated, of which +there are fifty-six, all rather handsome buildings than otherwise, and +no two of them quite alike. Many of the streets as you approach the +farthest <i>Boulevards</i> of Paris have a very dull appearance, consisting +in many instances of high walls and habitations separated from each +other, with market gardens behind, but which cannot be seen from the +street as they are all enclosed, and grass growing here and there in +patches give them more the appearance of roads which have been +abandoned<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span> than of inhabited streets. Some of the modern parts of Paris +are extremely handsome and indeed all which has been built within the +last five-and-twenty years. The <i>Chaussée-d'Antin</i> is the favourite +quarter; there the streets are of a fair width and are well paved, and +some very recently built are really beautiful, especially one just +finished called the <i>Rue Tronchet</i>, just behind the <i>Madeleine</i>. The +quarter round the <i>Place Vendôme</i> is certainly one of the finest in +Paris, and most decidedly the dearest. I know persons who pay fourteen +thousand francs a year for unfurnished lodgings in the <i>Place Vendôme</i>, +that is 600<i>l.</i> a year; a whole house in a fashionable quarter of London +may be had for the same money; indeed on the <i>Boulevards</i>, in some of +the <i>Passages</i> and the most fashionable streets in Paris, shops let for +more money than in any part of London; there is an instance of a single +shop letting for 600<i>l.</i> per annum, and not one of particularly +extensive dimensions, but situated on the <i>Boulevard Montmartre</i>, which +is perhaps the best position in Paris. One of the greatest attractions +is the <i>Passages</i>, something in the style of the Burlington Arcade but +mostly superior; of these there are from twenty to thirty, so that in +wet weather you may walk a considerable distance under cover.</p> + +<p>The <i>Palais-Royal</i>, the favourite resort of foreigners and provincials, +also affords that convenience. Although Paris on the whole is not so +regularly built as London, yet there is a sombre grandeur about it which +has a fine effect, owing in some degree to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span> large lofty houses of +which it is composed; the straightness, width, and neatness of the +streets of London form its beauty, but it is astonishing how foreigners +when they first behold it, are struck with the small size of the houses. +I remember entering London with an Italian gentleman who had ever before +been accustomed to the large massive palaces of Genoa, Florence, etc., +and the first remark he made upon our grand metropolis was that it +looked like a city of baby houses; another feature in our dwellings does +not please the foreign eye, and that is the dingy colour of our bricks, +which certainly has not so light an appearance as stone, of which the +houses on the Continent are generally built. The irremediable defect in +Paris is certainly the narrowness of the streets, although every +opportunity is turned to advantage by the government when houses are +taken down to compel the proprietors to rebuild them in such a manner as +to afford a yard more width to the public, whilst those streets that are +at present constructing are on a magnificent plan. The great beauty of +Paris consists in its public monuments, which certainly are not only +very numerous, but some upon the grandest scale, independent of those +which are generally conspicuous in a city; the Barriers and Fountains +form a considerable feature in Paris amongst its ornaments.</p> + +<p>The Parisians generally are a remarkably persevering and industrious +people, amongst the trading classes, particularly the women, who often +take as ostensible a part in business as their husbands; except<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span> that it +is an establishment upon a very large scale, the wife is usually the +cashier, and you will find her as stationary at the counter almost as +the counter itself. The idea that exists in England with respect to +married women in France is quite erroneous, for more domestic and stay +at home is impossible to be, that is amongst the middle classes; the +same remark applies to the lower orders. As to the higher classes they +never can be cited as forming a characteristic in any country; receiving +a highly finished education, they are all brought to the same degree of +polish, and the primitive features are entirely effaced. Good nature is +a very conspicuous trait in the French character, and that is +continually displayed towards any foreigner; ask your way in the street +in a polite manner, and generally the persons become interested in your +finding the place you want, and if they do not know themselves, they +will go into a shop and enquire for you, and not feel easy until they +have ascertained it for you, but it depends much upon the manner in +which you address them. A Doctor Smith related to me a circumstance +which proves how different is the effect of a courteous and an +uncourteous mode of speaking to a Frenchman; the Doctor had with him a +friend who was a regular John Bull, and they wishing to know their way +to some place, the latter stepped up to a butcher who was standing at +his door and asked him in a very rough manner, and received an evasive +reply; the Doctor then put the same question to the man but in a more +polite form, the butcher replied, "If you<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> will wait a minute, Sir, I +will put on my coat and show you the way," which he did in the most good +humoured manner, but remarked to the Doctor that every one in France +liked to be treated as a fellow man, and not to be spoken to as if they +were brutes. Thus it appears that even butchers in France expect to be +treated with some degree of politeness.</p> + +<p>The women are still more tenacious in that respect than the men; they +consider, even down to a housemaid, that their sex demands a certain +tone of deference, however humble their position, and if a nobleman did +not touch his hat to them when they open or shut the door for them, with +the usual salutation of good day or good morning, they would pronounce +his manners brutal, and say, that although he was a man of title he was +not a gentleman; hence the very unceremonious manner that an Englishman +has of addressing servants, whether male or female, has kept them very +much out of favour with that class of the French community. A scullion, +or what may be termed a girl of all work, that has not met with that +degree of respect from some of our countrymen to which she considered +herself entitled, will remark, that the English may be very rich, but +they certainly are not enlightened as we are, with a little drawing up +of the head, implying their consciousness of superiority over us +semi-barbarians; your charwoman, your washerwoman's drudge, fishwoman, +or girl that cries turf about the streets, are all Madame and +Mademoiselle when they speak of each other, and with them there<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span> is no +such word as woman; if a female, she must be a lady, even if her +occupation be to pick up rags in the street. The French women certainly +excel in the art of dress and everything which appertains to the +decoration of the person, but the devotion which exists amongst them to +that passion tends greatly towards frivolising the mind; hence I find +their inferiority, generally speaking, to English women; in the latter +you will often meet, even amongst the middle classes, with a girl who +has received a good education; forming her pleasures from pursuits which +are purely intellectual, she will not only find enjoyment in that light +reading merely calculated to amuse, or that kind of music which consists +of pretty quadrilles, a few trifling songs, and two or three lessons +adapted for the display of execution, or that style of poetry and of +painting which is something of the same nature, just fit to please the +fancy without touching the heart; no, you will find that she enters into +the very soul of those mental recreations, nor does that interfere with +her domestic virtues; she is equally capable of performing every social +duty, but she devotes not so considerable a portion of her time and +thoughts to dress, nor is she so totally absorbed in the anticipation +and retrospection of balls and soirées, to the exclusion of every other +feeling, as long as the season for parties continues, which is but too +much the case with females in Paris, except with those whose business or +occupations prevent them from participating otherwise than very +sparingly in the gaieties of that description; but<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span> the class I allude +to in France, is that which consists of persons of independent fortune, +who have never been connected with anything in the shape of trade or +even professions, except army or navy, yet whose property is too small +to estimate them as belonging to the higher classes, whilst they would +consider themselves as degraded by an association with even the richer +tradespeople, generally coming under the denomination of middle classes. +This grade, immediately below the highest classes and above the middle, +is very numerous in Paris, their incomes varying from four hundred to a +thousand a-year; with the females in this class there is an exact +resemblance to those of the class above, only the sphere is more +confined; their education finished, they retain but little of what they +have learned, except dancing, singing, and music, because they are +calculated for display, and tell in society; drawing is laid aside, even +after much proficiency had been acquired, reading confined to the +reviews of the popular works of the day, the inexhaustible subjects of +conversation are the toilet, which is pre-eminent, balls, soirées, and +public places; if literature be introduced, you will find their +knowledge of it sufficient to escape the charge of ignorance, +particularly in history, as great pains are now taken with their +education, and which certainly is of the best description, whilst there +is a grace and sweetness of manner which is highly captivating; yet when +you become well acquainted with these ladies, whose surface was +enchanting, you find at last<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span> a want of soul. As a proof how seldom I +have found French females express any delight in beholding all the +phenomena of an extensive and beautiful country, and if the mind be dead +to that charm, how must it be lost to the enjoyments of descriptive +poetry and painting, as if the reality afford not pleasure how little +can be derived from the representation; I have found in France many +exceptions to this rule, women, in fact, whose society afforded a highly +intellectual treat. But they are rare, and when one speaks of a people +generally, the mass must be stated and not the exceptions. In England, +even amongst the classes of the highest fashion, many women are to be +met with, who, notwithstanding that they are whirled about in London for +months together to parties every night, sometimes to three or four in an +evening, to hear and say the nothings that pass current in assemblages +of that description, both deteriorating to health and mind, yet on +returning to their seats in the country, whilst the husband is following +the sports of the field, the females will have recourse to intellectual +occupations, and cultivate those seeds of knowledge which had been +instilled into their minds during their early youth, thus conferring +upon them those companionable powers, which are the great charm of life; +the rural scenes around them call their pencils into practice, whilst +the true spirit of poetry constantly appears to their feelings in the +forms of those beauties of nature which in fact are its life and soul. +Embosomed in the calm retirement found in such retreats, the various<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span> +objects in view engender the love of reading; hence the Englishwoman +recruits her mental powers after the frivolizing effects of a season in +town. The Frenchwoman goes into the country for the purpose of enjoying +the fresh air, she reads a little to kill time, and occupies much of it +with her embroidery and other fancy works, and after a short period +passed amongst the vine-clad hills, sighs once more to return to her +dear Paris, complains of ennui, wonders what the fashions will be at the +next Longchamp, and whether they will be such as become her or not, but +feeling herself bound to wear whatever may be pronounced the modes, and +trusts to her taste to arrange it in such a manner as to set her off to +the best advantage.</p> + +<p>My countrywomen are not so much slaves to fashion and do not care to put +on every thing that comes out, if they think it does not suit them, but +it must be admitted that they have not the same taste as the French in +regard to costume; it is a quality that is peculiar to them, and +acknowledged by all the civilised world; in England, Russia, even +Greece, ladies of the high ton must send to Paris for their hats and +bonnets, and have them from Madame de Barennes, in the <i>Place Vendôme</i>, +which is not merely an idea, but a fact that they really are replete +with that exquisite taste for which they are so justly famed; even the +manner in which her lofty and noble saloons are arranged display an +elegance of conception, there is a chasteness which pervades the whole, +the furniture as Well as the decorations of the room are either of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span> +white or ebony and gold, preserving that degree of keeping which is +inseparable from a truly classical taste.</p> + +<p>I must confess that the most refined, the most charming and fascinating +women that I ever met with, were some English and Irish ladies who had +been some years in France, still retaining all those intellectual +qualities which are the brightest gems of the British female character, +united with that quiet grace which has so much of dignity and ease, and +that pleasing affability appearing but as nature in a truly elegant +Frenchwoman; at the same time I think my fair countrywomen are also much +improved when they have acquired the same degree of taste in the +arrangement of their costume for which the Parisian females have so well +merited a reputation. Of course in this comparison I am speaking of the +most well-bred females of both countries. Although I do not find the +French ladies possessing those high intellectual qualities, which are in +a great degree engendered and fostered by certain habits and early +associations, I do not conceive that the germs of talent are in the +least deficient, but on the contrary, we find them excelling in +literature and the arts, in ingenuity, and where exertion is required in +trying circumstances, that they are capable of heroism, but there is a +natural life and vivacity in the French character that inclines not to +study, nor strict application, unless the position in life renders it +necessary. The English very frequently are by nature disposed to +reflection and even like often to be alone, consequently are +undoubtedly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> a more thinking nation, although not so brilliant, but +experience has proved that patient and undeviating perseverance, +ultimately, outsteps the more showy and sparkling quality of genius. For +the sympathies of the heart I have found the French females most keenly +alive, no mothers can be more devotedly attached to their children than +they are, and it is repaid to them with interest by their offspring, as +a devotional affection towards parents is carried to an extreme; in some +instances I should say to a fault, as a daughter in general looks up +entirely to them, in regard to the man that they may choose with whom +she is to pass the rest of her life, without presuming that she ought to +make a selection for herself, considering that her marriage is the +affair of her parents, and that she has but to obey their wishes in +that, as well as in all other cases; hence it is rarely found that a +French young lady has aught of romance in her composition, but is on the +contrary the mild, docile, obedient, and affectionate pupil, and often +imitator of her mother. The English young lady is a little more +rebellious; possessing a more independent spirit, she very soon takes +the liberty of thinking for herself, particularly on that subject; and +could she totally have her will would act for herself also. Families are +much more united in France than in England, and agree together in a most +astonishing manner; thus when a daughter marries, instead of quitting +her home, the husband arranges his affairs so as to go and live with her +parents, and in many cases several<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> families live together and form one +little community, which spares the pain of separation of parent and +child. The numerous offspring of the celebrated Marquis de Lafayette was +a remarkable instance of how whole families can live and agree under the +same roof; at his seat called La Grange, his married children and their +children and grandchildren were all residing together, whilst he, like +one of the ancient patriarchs, was the revered head of his people. I +know a case at Boulogne, where in one house there are living together, +two great grandfathers, one grandfather and grandmother, two fathers and +two mothers and their four children, and what renders it more curious is +that they are half English and half French, but all connected by their +sons and daughters intermarrying; but strange to say that the English +could not agree to live together in that manner, and it is a most +extraordinary circumstance much remarked by the French, that wherever +the English are settled in any town in France, they always contrive to +quarrel with each other, and find employment for the French lawyers; at +Boulogne they have at least twice as much practice for the English as +for the natives.</p> + +<p>With regard to the conduct of the French towards foreigners, speaking +from the long experience which I have had, I should certainly state that +it was kind and attentive when brought into contact in travelling or +from any other circumstances, provided that a person does not attempt to +support a haughty or supercilious air. I do not consider that, generally +speaking, the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span> French are so hospitable as the English, not only as +regards foreigners but even amongst themselves; it is not so much their +habit. In many houses you may pass an hour or two of an evening, and +there will never be any question regarding refreshments; not having the +custom of taking tea of an evening, that social bond which unites the +family together at a certain hour in England not existing in France, +little domestic evening parties seldom occur. I have been to a few +amongst what I call the very quiet families of Paris, which are styled +the <i>demi fortunes</i>, and cakes, beer, wine, sugar and water, etc., were +given; in the high fashionable parties tea now is always introduced at +about twelve. To ask a friend to a family dinner is not so much the +practice in France as in England, as the custom existing in the former +of having so many dishes with such a trifle in each, the platters are +often pretty well cleared by the usual inmates of the establishment, and +they are not prepared for an additional person. With the English who are +accustomed to large joints, if two or three additional guests suddenly +enter, they are still prepared. The French have also an idea that if +they ask you to dinner that they must provide so great a variety, which +entails infinitely more trouble than the more simple and more wholesome +repast, I should say, of the English.</p> + +<p>There is a great sympathy in France towards each other in their +respective classes; if a quarrel take place in the street between one of +the lower and one of the middle class, all that pass by of the former +descrip<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span>tion will take the part of the individual of his own level; the +same will be the case with the other classes, often without inquiring +into the merits of the case. The impulse of feeling exists to a great +degree amongst the French, which is instantly displayed if a person +falls or is taken ill in the street, and much feeling is developed if +any little accident or misfortune occurs to a poor person passing by. I +remember an instance of a woman who was trudging away with a basket of +crockery and some eggs at the top, a poor man who was carrying a load +slipped, and in his fall upset the woman and broke the greater part of +her brittle goods; in this case both being poor persons, it became a +knotty point for the French to decide; very long and very warm were the +arguments adduced on both sides by the mob which had assembled, the man +declared he was too poor to have it in his power to pay for the damage +which he had caused, that he had hurt himself very much in the fall and +found that quite misfortune enough for him. The woman cried and vowed +she could not afford to lose the value of the articles broken, and the +eggs belonged to another person who had given her the money to buy them, +and persisted that the man ought to pay for what he had broken, although +she admitted it was a very hard case for him; what was to be done? a +subscription it was decided was the only means of settling the affair, +and one person giving half a franc by way of example, engaged to be +collector, and from the different bystanders, each giving a few sous, +the sum re<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span>quired was soon produced, and all parties departed with the +conviction that the affair had been equitably arranged.</p> + +<p>The French are in the habit of rising extremely early, especially the +lower classes, and even amongst the middle and higher ranks they are +rarely so late in all their operations as the English. Persons in easy +circumstances amongst the French generally take coffee, with a piece of +bread, as soon as they are up, and then breakfast <i>à la fourchette</i> +about twelve, which consists of soup, meat, vegetables, fruit, and wine; +they dine about six or seven, which is a repetition of the breakfast, +with greater variety and more abundance. Wine is drank throughout the +dinner, and never after; but light as their <i>vin ordinaire</i> generally +is, they always dilute it with water. Immediately after dinner, coffee, +without milk or cream, is taken, and lastly a glass of liqueur; no other +repast is thought of until the following day, as they neither take tea +nor supper, in their usual family habits. But in cases of invitation it +is quite another affair, several different wines of superior quality are +handed about at dinner, with which they do not mix water, and always +Champagne of course is drank without being diluted. When they give a +<i>soirée</i>, a variety of refreshments are produced, as different +descriptions of cakes, ices, orgeat and water, punch, warm wine, +limonade, etc., according to the season of the year; and often a supper +is given on a very liberal scale. Dancing, music, singing, and cards +form the amusements of the even<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span>ing; the games which are played are +generally écarté and whist.</p> + +<p>The passion for dancing pervades all classes, and even amongst the +lowest orders they always find the means of gratifying themselves with +that pleasure, but in all their enjoyments down to the public-houses in +the worst quarters of Paris, there is a degree of decorum which +surprises an Englishman accustomed to the extreme grossness of similar +classes in our own country. Determined to see as much of life as I could +in all its stages during a carnival, accompanied by a countryman I +visited many of the lowest order of wine houses where balls were going +forward; the only payment required for entrance was the purchase of a +bottle of wine, costing six sous. We expected to see a good deal of +uproarious mirth and all kinds of pranks going forward, but were quite +astonished to find the order that prevailed; the men appeared as if they +were in such a hurry for a dance that they had not waited until they +washed their hands and faces, but had just come directly from their +work, although several of them had slipped on masquerade dresses; the +women were cleaner (I suspect they were not of the most immaculate +description), and were amusing themselves with quadrilles and waltzes +alternately. Being of course very differently attired from the rest of +the assemblage, we were very conspicuous, but they took no notice of us +whatever; if they happened to run against us whilst waltzing and +whirling about, they always said "Je vous 'mande pardon, Monsieur," and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span> +nothing farther. We observed that the men paid for the musicians two +sous each dance and the women one, and we came away rather disappointed +at finding things so much more insipid than we expected; we visited +several houses of the same description and found the same sort of scene +going forward in them all. The working people in Paris are extremely +frugal in their mode of living; bread being full seven-eighths of their +food, what they eat with it varies according to the season; if in +summer, mostly such fruit as happens to be ripe, and perhaps once in the +day they take a bit of soft white-looking cheese with their bread. In +winter they often add instead, a little morsel of pork or bacon, but +more frequently stewed pears or roasted apples. On Sundays they always +put the <i>pot-au-feu</i>, as they call it, which means that they make soup, +or literally translated, that they put the pot on the fire. Henry IV +declared that he should not feel satisfied until he had so ameliorated +the condition of the poor, that every peasant should be able to have a +fowl in his pot every Sunday; had he not suddenly been cut off by +assassination, he might have lived to have seen his benevolent wish +accomplished. Many of the wives of the working people contrive to muster +some soup for their husbands when they get home at night, and almost all +manage to have a little wine in the course of the day. On the Sunday in +the summer time they contrive to have a degree of pleasure, and go to +one of the houses round Paris called <i>guinguettes</i>, something in the +nature of the tea-gar<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span>dens about London, but in Paris and most parts of +France the husband takes his wife and even his children with him if they +are old enough; indeed, you generally see the whole train together. At +these houses they mostly take beer which is not very strong, but they +make it less so by mixing it with water, as they do almost every +beverage; sometimes they have wine, lemonade, or currant juice, which is +called <i>groseille</i>, and that from the black currant <i>cassis</i>; there they +will sit looking at the dances, in which they sometimes join, and return +home about ten o'clock. This is pretty much the routine of a <i>regularly +conducted</i> working-man in Paris, and it must be admitted that they form +by far the greater number, particularly those who are married.</p> + +<p>Amongst the middle-classes, both husband and wife keep very steadily to +business, particularly the latter, and as they live frugally, they +generally calculate upon retiring from business in ten or twelve years, +and mostly effect their object, as they are perfectly contented when +they have amassed enough capital to produce three or four hundred a +year, which is the case with the major part of them; many are not +satisfied until four or five times that sum; but they are seldom +ambitious, nor care to get out of their class, as the persons with whom +they associate and are intimate, are mostly relations and connexions to +whom they are attached, and do not seem to fancy any pleasure in +extending their acquaintances. But before they retire from business they +have their occasional<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span> recreations; in fine weather they are very fond +of spending their Sundays in the country; in the winter they frequently +visit the theatres, but very rarely have company at home or pay visits, +except on the New Year, and in the Carnival they give one ball, and go +to several others given by their relations; this description alludes to +what may be termed the respectable class of shopkeepers. They have one +means of communication with each other, of which they avail themselves +for the advantages of business or for the purpose of recreation, if they +choose, which consists of what they term <i>Cercles</i>, much the same as we +should call clubs; they are establishments composed of perhaps 150 +members, more or less, who meet in a suite of apartments fitted up for +the purpose, and certainly most elegantly, both as regards the +decoration of the rooms and the furniture they contain. A clerk is +employed, whose business it is to collect information as to the +different merchants who arrive at Paris from the various parts of France +and other countries; they find out the particular branch in which he +deals, and that member whose business it is to vend the commodity likely +to be demanded, sends him a programme of his goods and his terms. If any +one receive a commission from any country which is not in his +department, he proclaims it to the Cercle, and gives a fellow-member the +benefit of the order; thus they play into each other's hands and greatly +promote their mutual interests. Billiard-tables are fitted up for the +amusement of the members, who also occupy them<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span>selves with other games, +whilst refreshments are to be had the same as in a coffee-house. There +are many of these establishments in Paris, which afford great facilities +for the promotion of business. Although the extraordinary increase of +trade in Paris is almost incredible, yet the bankrupts are more numerous +than they were formerly; one reason is, on account of the number of +persons in each business having so much increased, and the immense +expenses which they incur in the embellishment of their shops to try and +outvie each other. A person taking a place in the Palais Royal about +three years since, first gave the occupier 40,000 francs (1,600 <i>l</i>.) to +quit, and then expended 110,000 francs (4,400 <i>l</i>.) in fitting it up as +a restaurateur's; the rent being high in proportion, the success was not +commensurate with the expenditure and the speculation failed. This is +one of the many instances which have recently occurred at Paris, causing +bankruptcy; yet some persons have laid out more than double the amount +in the decorations for restaurateurs and coffee-houses, and yet have +succeeded.</p> + +<p>The occupations of the higher classes in Paris are much the same as they +are in other capitals; both sexes are more fond of taking baths than +they are in London, and even when they have that convenience in their +own houses, the men often prefer lounging to the most fashionable public +baths. The young sparks of fashion are very fond of sumptuous breakfasts +at the most stylish coffee-houses in Paris, and often begin by taking a +few dozen of oysters by way of giving<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span> them an appetite; beefsteaks +dressed in the English style, a few choice French dishes, two or three +sorts of wine, desert, and coffee, generally compose the repast until +the dinner hour. The time is filled up with walking, riding, driving, +practising gymnastic exercises, pistol-shooting, fencing, etc. After +dinner, which usually terminates about eight, and is in fact the same +thing as the breakfast on a more extensive scale, they proceed to the +theatres; those most in vogue with the beau monde are the Italian Opera, +the French Opera or Académie de Musique, the Comic Opera, and the +Théâtre Français. After the performances are over, they generally lounge +into some favourite coffee-house, and then close the day to recommence +another, following much the same course, with some trifling variation. +But now the favourite pursuit amongst young men of fashion, is that of +riding and every thing which is connected with horses, such as racing, +leaping, steeple chasing, and discussing their different qualities and +the various modes of breaking them in, in England and in France.</p> + +<p>But there is no subject upon which there is so much difference of +opinion between the two nations as upon that of equestrian exercises and +the management and training of horses. Our bold fox-hunters and daring +steeple chasers, I am aware, will not for an instant imagine that there +are any riders to be found equal to Englishmen, whilst the French, +although they give us credit for doing many things better than +themselves, do not at all admire our horsemanship. They<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span> admit that our +good riders are not easily thrown, and keep their seat under many +difficult and dangerous circumstances, but they contend that the English +generally have not sufficient command over their horses in making them +obey every wish of the rider, whilst the accomplished French cavalier +will make his horse go backwards, sideways, right, or left, in a direct +line, will cause him to stop in an instant whilst at full speed, will +make him bear on his near or off leg just as he chooses, or make him +place either foot on a five franc piece, and in fact have the same +command over his horse as if it were his child. There are many +riding-masters now in Paris of superior talent, but for rendering his +pupils dauntless horsemen, capable of mounting any animal however +restive, I do not think that any can be found to surpass M. de Fitte. I +have seen him place his best pupils upon a horse, which upon signals +given, will rear upon his hind or his forelegs, changing from one to the +other with such rapidity and in such constant succession that the rider +cannot the least foresee what prank the horse is about to play, and +therefore cannot be prepared for what he has to encounter, whilst he is +seated on a saddle without stirrups or bridle, as with folded arms he +defies every manœuvre his steed essays to throw him. The +riding-school of Mr. Fitte is at No. 113, rue Montmartre, next to the +great establishment of the Messageries royales, from whence depart the +diligences for all parts of France. He has always about forty horses of +different countries and descriptions; amongst<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span> them are some especially +trained for ladies, and such as will be found well adapted to the most +bold and the most timid rider, which he lets out at very moderate terms.</p> + +<p>Any person must feel gratified at being present when he gives his +evening lessons to his pupils, as amongst other exercises he practises +them in what is called the <i>jeu de bague</i>, which consists of rings +loosely suspended from a post, whilst the rider carries a lance, and in +passing by at full gallop endeavours to run it through the ring, which +is about two inches in diameter, and is hung in such a manner that it +yields to the lance and remains upon it whilst the rider, without +stopping, proceeds at full speed and takes off the next. Two persons are +generally exercised together at this game, and he who takes off the most +rings wins. It is a useful practice now adopted in almost all the +riding-schools in Paris, as it teaches the pupil to forget his seat, +giving him another object to occupy his mind, till at last the young +pupil feels as easy upon a horse at full gallop as seated in his chair, +his whole attention being directed towards taking off more rings with +his lance than his competitor. Mr. Fitte during the lesson also himself +displays what can be done with different horses, in giving them that +sort of motion which he thinks proper, which is principally produced by +operating upon the animal with the muscles of the calves of the legs, of +which the French avail themselves much more in the management of a horse +than the English.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span></p> + +<p>It appears quite a new era in the annals of horsemanship that an +approved English riding-master should come over to France to place +himself for two years under a French riding-master, yet such I know to +be the case. Mr. F.W., the person to whom I allude, had long been +accustomed to mount horses of all descriptions, with the full confidence +of always being able to keep his seat; but when at Paris he met with a +master who could not only defy any horse to throw him, but under all +circumstances could always preserve a graceful position, even while +baffling every attempt of a horse to floor him. In order to try the +capabilities of Mr. W., the French master placed him on all kinds of +horses, and amongst the rest those which had been taught all sorts of +tricks to fling their riders, but W. resisted all their attempts, but it +was by keeping his seat in his own way, which he knew had an awkward +air, when compared to the graceful mien the Frenchman preserved +throughout the same evolutions.</p> + +<p>Another art he strove also to acquire from his master, that of +dominating the most vicious horse to a degree that shall render it so +docile that any moderate horseman may mount it in safety. This was +effected by the French riding-master (with whom W. placed himself), +under the most extraordinary circumstances; a horse was offered him of +extreme beauty, but so totally unmanageable that it had been given up by +three rough riders of regiments in England, and was almost considered as +worthless, as no<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span> one could be found to ride it; the Frenchman undertook +in one year so to tame its restive spirit as to render it a valuable +horse for any rider. The owner quitted France, but agreed to return in a +twelvemonth, when they were to divide the amount of what the horse might +sell for; but it so happened that the owner did not return for eighteen +months, and when the twelvemonth had expired the riding-master +considered the horse his own and sold it to Franconi for 20,000 francs +(800 <i>l</i>.), having so completely taught the horse to obey its master, as +to make it dance to music, to bear upon which leg he chose to dictate, +and in fact to do more than I shall venture to state, as were I to give +an accurate description it must appear an exaggeration, having met with +several Englishmen who with myself have declared they never could have +believed, had they not had ocular demonstration, that a horse could have +been taught to do that which the animal in question has nightly +exhibited at Franconi's. When the owner did return, he claimed the half +of the value the horse had fetched, but the riding-master pleaded that +the contract was annulled by his not making his claim at the time agreed +upon between them; the other persisting in his demand, the affair was +referred to a Court of Justice, and decided in favour of the +riding-master, and it is said that Franconi has since refused 40,000 +francs for the horse.</p> + +<p>There is one peculiarity in the English style of riding which is +remarked all over the Continent, and that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span> is, the rising in the saddle, +or what is termed, adopting one's own motion, instead of that of the +horse, which is certainly much rougher and not so agreeable, and for my +own part I have found it a great relief when upon a long journey; of +course it is never adopted by our cavalry, and the French contend that +to sit as close as possible, partaking of the motion of the horse, as +soon as the rider is accustomed to it he will travel farther, and with +less fatigue than by what is termed the English method. M. de Fitte +however thinks differently from his countrymen in that respect. It is +also considered that in both our riding and driving we rein in our +horses far too much, the consequence being that the animal, accustomed +to be held up by the rider or driver, depends upon it, as what is called +his fifth leg, and if there be any negligence in thus sustaining him, he +immediately trips and often comes to the ground; whereas the horse who +is habituated to a looser rein goes more boldly, depending on the powers +nature has given him, and carries his head lower, and of course sees his +ground better, avoiding that which might occasion a false step; and +certainly the horses in France very seldom fall, except in frost or +snow, when strange to say the French have never had the wit to have them +rough-shod.</p> + +<p>Notwithstanding all that is said upon the subject I have found the +advantage of keeping a tighter rein upon my horse than they are in the +habit of practising in Turkey, as although in a journey which I had of +seven hundred miles on horseback in that country they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> found great fault +with my riding, yet I kept my seat, and my horse upon his legs, without +once coming to the ground, when the Tatar, the Surdjee, and my +travelling companion were alternately prostrated from the falling of +their horses, which I attribute to their not being able to check them in +time when they tripped, to prevent their totally sprawling; it is true +that some parts of the road could only be compared to a street having +been unpaved and all the stones left loose upon the ground over which we +had to ride, consequently I took the greatest care, never for an instant +neglecting any precaution to keep my hack from stumbling. But where a +horse is liable to come upon his knees, certainly the system of rising +in the saddle is most unsafe, and I never met with any one who could +better teach his pupils to sit close and firm even with the roughest +trot than M. de Fitte, who, not content with precept, himself furnishes +the example. Amongst his pupils, are many of the fair sex as the French +ladies are now beginning to imitate the gentlemen in their passion for +equestrian exercises, and frequently in the Champs-Élysées and Bois de +Boulogne display the progress they have made in the art.</p> + +<p>Although their pursuits are not so numerous nor so various as those of +the men, yet their opportunities of killing time are greater; as +shopping alone employs often some hours of the day, the importance +attached to a bonnet, a cap, a turban and above all to a dress, causes +many and long dissertations. Exhibitions and morning concerts frequently +occupy also<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span> much of the ladies' leisure, a little walking in the +Tuileries gardens at a certain hour and in a certain part whilst their +carriage waits for them, an airing in it, or a turn on horseback, fill +up the rest of the day, and after dinner, if not at the theatre, they +either receive or pay visits, as it is the fashion to do so of an +evening in Paris.</p> + +<p>I must not quit this sketch of the Parisians and their occupations +without giving my readers some idea of what is called <i>La Jeune France</i>, +which consists of a number of young men, who wear comical shaped hats, +their hair very long hanging below their ears, and let the greater part +of their beards grow; they also have their throats bare and their shirt +collars turned down; they have rather a wild look, and their political +theories are somewhat wilder than their looks; they are republican in +principle, and in manner, adopting a sort of rough abrupt style, as far +from courteous as can well be imagined. They amount to perhaps a few +thousands in Paris, comprising a number of the students in law and +medicine, many of the painters, musical professors, and at least half +the literary characters in Paris; some of them are either the editors +their subs or the communicators to two-thirds of the newspapers at +Paris. I must do them the justice to say that I believe they mean well, +and that they are actuated by pure principles of patriotism, full of +candour and of courage, but mistaken in their views, led away by false +notions imbibed from an enthusiastic admiration of the deeds of heroes, +recorded in the his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span>tories of Rome and Greece, until they imagine that +they are bound in modern days to re-enact the glorious examples of their +progenitors in their self devotion for their country; hence the +wonderful resistance that they made in 1832, which although in a bad +cause, proved their contempt for life, and how ready they were to risk +it in what they falsely thought their country's cause.</p> + +<p>But as they get older and reflect more, they become more temperate in +their mode of reasoning, at present, and indeed for some time past, they +have been more calm and one hears less of them.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V.</h2> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Anecdotes illustrative of the ideas, feelings, and characters of +the Parisians, also narrating some of their most striking national +peculiarities.</p></div> + + +<p>The French generally have been celebrated for possessing no +inconsiderable share of conceit, but in regard to a most exalted respect +for themselves, the Parisians far surpass all their provincial brethren; +the very circumstance of their happening in Paris, they +imagine at once confers upon them a diploma of the very highest acme of +civilisation, causing them to feel a sort of pity for a person who is +born elsewhere; however, as one of these enlightened spirits once +observed to me, that a person might by coming to live at Paris in the +course of time imbibe<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span> the same tone of refinement. Now this was said in +all the true spirit of human kindness; he knew that I was not born in +Paris, and conceiving that I might feel the bitterness of that +misfortune, though it might afford me a degree of consolation to be +assured, that there were some means of repairing the disadvantages under +which I laboured, from not having made my entrance to the world in the +grand metropolis of France.</p> + +<p>It matters not how low may be the calling of a Parisian, he will still +flatter himself that the manner in which he acquits himself in the +department in which he is placed, evinces a degree of superiority over +his fellow labourer, and gratifies his <i>amour propre</i> with the thought. +Even a scavenger would endeavour to persuade you that he has a peculiar +manner of sweeping the streets exclusively his own, and that his method +of shovelling up the mud and pitching it into the cart is quite unique, +and in fact that his innate talent is such that, it has eventually +placed him at the summit of his profession. This may appear, perhaps, to +some of my readers rather overdrawn, but the following instance which +came under my own observation is not much less extravagant.</p> + +<p>A man who was in the habit of cleaning my boots, had a most incorrigible +propensity for garrulity, and as I like in a foreign country to obtain +some insight into the ideas and feelings of all classes, I did not care +to check the poor fellow in the indulgence of his favourite <i>penchant</i>, +particularly as his remarks were al<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span>ways proffered with a tone of the +most profound respect for my august person. Finding one morning that my +boots had not been polished quite so well as usual, the next time I saw +the shoeblack I mentioned the circumstance to him. "<i>Ah! Sir</i>," he +exclaimed with a deep sigh, "that is one of the many instances of the +ingratitude of human nature; I confided those boots to the boy whom you +must have seen come with me to fetch yours and the other gentlemen's +shoes or clothes for brushing, etc. Well, sir, that young urchin is a +protégé of mine; I took him, sir, from the lowest obscurity and made him +what he is; I taught him my profession, I endowed him with all the +benefit of my experience, and with respect to blacking shoes, I have +initiated him into all the little mysteries of the art, and can declare +that there is not one in the business throughout all Paris that can +surpass him, when he chooses to exert his talents; and therefore it +renders it the more unpardonable that he should slight one of my best +customers." Judging, I suppose, from the expression of my countenance +that I did not appear to be deeply infused with a very exalted idea of +what he termed the mysteries of his art, he continued, "You may think as +you please, sir, but there is much more ability required in blacking +shoes than you may imagine, and that boy is well aware of it; he knows +how I began by first instructing him in all the fundamental principles +of the art; and gradually led him on until I accomplished him in giving +the last polish, and can<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span> now proudly say he is a true artist in the +profession."</p> + +<p>On entering a diligence once at Lyons, I found two persons in it, of +very decent aspect; the one a middle aged man, the other a youth of +about eighteen or nineteen; the former soon found an opportunity of +informing me that he was a Parisian, but lest that should not adequately +impress me with a sufficiently high idea of his importance, he added +that he was <i>chef de cuisine</i> to the Duke of ——, and that Monsieur, +pointing to the youth opposite, was an <i>aspirant</i>, who had been placed +under his auspices. The young man bowed assent, and appeared most +sensibly to feel the vast magnitude of the honours to which he was +aspiring; but the whole was announced with such an air of solemnity and +consequence, that a minister of state with his secretary would never +have attempted to assume. An Englishman under the same circumstances +would have merely said, "I am head cook to the Duke of —— and that +young man is my 'prentice." However, my travelling companions were +overpoweringly civil, and I of course was deeply awed by finding myself +in company with such elevated personages, of which they no doubt were +sensible, and where we stopped for dinner they gave us the benefit of +their professional talent, by entering the kitchen, giving the inmates +to understand who they were, and the advantage of advice gratis, as to +the arrangement of such dishes for which they were still in time to +superintend; and when we sat down at the table d'hôte, the <i>chef de +cuisine</i> did not fail to inform me that he had done as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span> much as laid in +his power to ensure our having a good dinner, as my being a foreigner he +was particularly anxious that France should sustain her high reputation +for the culinary art in my estimation; but regretted that in the first +place he arrived too late to effect much good, and indeed, had he come +before it would have been but of little avail; for the provincials were +such complete barbarians, that it was difficult for an enlightened +person to commune with them: that absolutely he and they appeared to be +quite of another species.</p> + +<p>It is a happy circumstance for the French, that their pride does not +consist in a desire to get out of their station, but an extreme anxiety +to exaggerate the importance of the station in which they are placed; a +cook, for example, has the most exalted idea of the art of cookery, and +wishes to impress everyone with the same idea of its high importance, +and all his ambition is to be considered a cook of the first-rate +talent. In England it is different, one of the great objects with a +tradesman is the hope, that by making his fortune he shall be enabled to +get out of his class and take a higher walk in society. For this purpose +they bring their sons up to the liberal professions, and often retire +into the country at a distance from London, where they flatter +themselves that the circumstance of their having been in business may +not travel; their plan seldom succeeds, but has in several instances +when they have come over to France, as being rich, appearing +respectable, and their children highly edu<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span>cated, they have obtained the +<i>entrée</i> to French society, which has ultimately led to that of the +English. I remember one instance of a hatter marrying his five daughters +to persons of the higher classes, three to English and two to French, +who now with their father have that position in society, into which at +one period he never could have dreamed of entering; had they remained in +England, they would have had but little chance of emerging from their +original station, even with the aid of all their wealth.</p> + +<p>Street scenes often afford amusing exhibitions of natural +characteristics; I remember one which I witnessed, which developed a +feeling truly French; two common-looking men had been disputing for some +time, when one upbraided the other with want of delicacy and not having +a nice sense of honour, but finding his reproaches made but little +impression upon the accused, at last said, "As I see you are destitute +of any mental susceptibility, I must try if you have any bodily feeling, +and thrash you as I would a dog or any other brute." So saying, he +advanced to put his threat into execution, but the assailed proving far +the strongest, soon overcame the assailant and laid him prostrate; +rising from the ground, he regarded the conqueror with a dignified air, +and said, "Yes! you have the physical force, but I have the force of +reason," and with a flourish of the head he strutted off with as +triumphant a demeanour as if he had vanquished a host of enemies.</p> + +<p>The French are exceedingly fond of moralizing; a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span> few days before the +Revolution occurred, whilst a man was driving me through the Place de la +Concorde, I observed a scaffolding in the middle, and asked what it was +for, and having informed me that it was for the purpose of erecting a +statue of Louis the Sixteenth, being the spot in which he was beheaded, +he exclaimed, "What an absurdity! but those Bourbons are incorrigible; +would it not be much better to let such events as those sink as much as +possible into oblivion, instead of endeavouring to perpetuate them. One +would have thought," continued he, "that the adversity and exile which +that besotted family had endured would have operated upon them as a +lesson, but they will never benefit from any lessons; one, however, will +be tried upon them very soon, if they do not mind what they are about, +and we shall see what impression that will make." The man's words came +to pass, they did indeed receive a severe lesson, which involved them in +ruin and disgrace.</p> + +<p>Having observed a number of persons assembled on the Boulevards, I asked +the cause, and was told that some cavalry was expected to pass in a few +minutes, for which the people were waiting. I took my station amongst +them, which happened to be next to two bakers' boys, who were in earnest +conversation, when I was edified by the following observations. "Do you +know why Alphonse left his place?" "Yes," replied the other, "because +his master gave him a cuff on the head." "That certainly was a very<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span> +great indignity;" observed the younger; "to receive a blow is very +humiliating." "That is true," replied the other, "but figure to yourself +the folly of a lad, for the sake of a paltry thump, to sacrifice all his +future prospects; in a few years, had he put up with the insult, he +might have been head man in a bakehouse in the Rue St. Denis, which is +one of the most populous quarters in Paris." "True," said the younger, +"it would have been wiser to have sayed; but when excited, reason does +not always come to one's aid."</p> + +<p>I have translated the discourse as literally as I could, that I might +preserve as nearly as possible the expressions which the boys used, as +it has often struck me how much more refined they are, than those to +which lads of the same age and class would have had recourse in England.</p> + +<p>Some of the scenes at the tribunals are very amusing; I remember a very +rough ferocious-looking man having been brought up for returning to +Paris, from which he had been sent away on account of some offences +which he had committed, and was ordered to some small obscure town in +the provinces, under <i>surveillance</i>. Finding his banishment very +irksome, an irresistible impulse brought him back to Paris, and +repairing to his old haunts, he sought the Rue de la Mortellerie, which +had in part been pulled down, on account of some improvements which were +going forward; whilst he was gaping about, looking in vain for his dear +Rue de la Mortellerie, he was recognised<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span> by a Serjeant of police and +very unwillingly lodged in the <i>Corps de Garde</i> (guard-house), and +brought before the Tribunal of Correction; he was interrogated as to his +having dared, in defiance of the law, to return to Paris. He replied, +"indeed, Monsieur le President, I was so overcome with ennui, that I +found it impossible to exist there any longer; now, only imagine for an +instant, M. le President, the idea of a Parisian, as I am, to be sent to +a little bit of a place where there was no theatre, no promenade, not +even a public monument."</p> + +<p>He was interrupted by the President telling him, that whatever the place +might have been, there he should have staid to the end of his time, and +must be punished for returning to Paris. "But," continued the +delinquent, "the vile little hole to which I was exiled contained no +society whatever, the inhabitants were merely a set of illiterate +beings, and how could any enlightened person vegetate amongst such a +mic-mac of semi-barbarians; but tell me, M. le President, what has +become of the Rue de la Mortellerie?"</p> + +<p>Without deigning to answer, the President was proceeding to condemn the +prisoner, when interrupted by his exclaiming, "Now I intreat, M. le +President, that you who are no doubt a very enlightened personage, would +only place yourself in my position, and conceive how it was possible to +exist buried alive as it were among such a set of Goths, and above all +do tell me what has become of my Rue de la Mortellerie?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span>"</p> + +<p>The President, out of all patience, sentenced him to imprisonment in one +of the goals of Paris for three years.</p> + +<p>"Well," said the garrulous and incorrigible offender, "I shall have one +satisfaction, that of knowing that I am still in Paris, that seat of the +arts, that centre of civilisation, and terrestrial paradise; but pray +tell me, M. le President, before we part, do tell me what have they done +with my dear Rue de la Mortellerie?" Without affording him time to +occupy the court any longer with his irrelevant questions and +explanations, they hurried him away, whilst he continued to murmur what +could possibly have gone with his dear Rue de la Mortellerie which was +no other than a little narrow filthy street which it would be difficult +to match in the worst neighbourhoods in London.</p> + +<p>I also recollect an instance of the deliberate coolness of a man who was +tried and found guilty of the robbery and murder of a farmer; being +asked if he knew his accomplice, he observed "As to knowing him, M. le +President, that is more than I can say; you must be aware that it is +extremely difficult to <i>know</i> a person, you may have seen a person +often, and even conversed with him for years, and yet never <i>know</i> him."</p> + +<p>"Are you acquainted with him," was the next question.</p> + +<p>"As to that," continued the prisoner, "I am a man who has very few +acquaintances, being naturally of a reserved character and rather +diffident in my nature, I shrink from entering much into society; being +of a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span> reflecting habit, I like often to pass my hours alone, having +rather an indifferent opinion of human nature."</p> + +<p>How long he would have gone on in the same strain, it is impossible to +say, when he was imperatively demanded if he knew him by name, by sight, +and had talked, or walked, or ate, or drank with him.</p> + +<p>"Really you put so many questions to me at once that you tax my memory +beyond its means; I never was celebrated for having a very retentive +memory, my mother used to say."</p> + +<p>The court out of patience again interrupted him, but with all their +efforts could never elicit from him a direct answer; but the +circumstantial and testimonial evidence being perfectly convincing, he +and his accomplice were condemned to death. When he heard the sentence +he very coolly asked which would be guillotined first; he was answered +that the other would, and that it was to be hoped that the sight of his +companion's fate might bring him to some sense of his awful situation. +When the time arrived for their execution, he displayed the same +imperturbable audacity; as his accomplice was about to suffer, he +elbowed the person who was standing next to him, and pointing to his +fellow criminal, he smiled and said, "Look, poor wretch, he is afraid, I +declare he even trembles." When it came to his turn he mounted the +ladder with as cheerful an air as if he was merely going to his +breakfast, and to the last moment preserved the same sang-froid.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span></p> + +<p>A brutal sort of fellow, who was once condemned for an assault, in an +instant snatched off his wooden shoes and threw them at the head of the +President, who it appears had a good eye for avoiding a shot, and +managed to escape the missiles.</p> + +<p>Sometimes the avocats (barristers) avail themselves of causes in which +they are engaged, so as to render them vehicles for displaying their wit +or humour, and afford much amusement to the court; a case some time +since occurred which excited much interest and some mirth and +entertainment; the parties concerned were a Madame Dumoulin who had +invented stays of a peculiar nature. Another person who was English +styling herself the inventor, and making them in the same manner, +notwithstanding the former had been granted a patent, an action was the +consequence. It was observed that the hostile parties in this instance, +although French and English, were neither decked with helmets nor armed +with pistols, swords, nor muskets, but entered the scene of combat in +long shawls and velvet bonnets, announcing themselves without the aid of +heralds, the one representing the French army the other the English +host. The champion on the side of the former being a Monsieur Ch. Ledru, +against whom Monsieur Ducluseau entered the lists on the British side of +the question; what made it more remarkable, was, that the belligerents +resided in the same street, the residence of M. Ducluseau, the advocate +for the English defendant, merely separating the mansions of the two +combatants.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span></p> + +<p>Victory declared for Madame Dumoulin after many subtle and learned +arguments were adduced on both sides, and an English lady, the mother of +several daughters, tells me if I have any regard for my fair +countrywomen I must recommend to their notice the stays of Madame +Dumoulin, truly observing that as the object of my work was to render +every possible service to all my readers, certainly the ladies must have +a pre-eminent claim, and although there are certain articles of the +toilet with which it might be observed man should never meddle, as he +could not be any judge of such habiliments as ought only to be worn by +the ladies, and a few dandies who are neither one thing nor the other, +yet when three scientific societies condescend to award medals to the +inventor and patentee of the articles alluded to, I trust I shall be +pardoned if with an intention to serve the fair sex I trench upon their +privilege in calling their attention to the useful and ornamental +corsets, which have caused so much controversy.</p> + +<p>These stays are so contrived as to be totally without gussets, and adapt +themselves to the form with such perfect facility, that there is not +that restraint which, instead of bestowing grace to the female figure, +is rather calculated to deform, that, which, if left in a degree to +nature, would have displayed both elegance and ease. As an artist +accustomed to contemplate the beauty of feature and of form, I have +often regretted that common error into which such numbers of females +fall, by torturing themselves in tightening the waist to such<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span> an +unnatural degree, confining the person as it were in a vice, and totally +preventing that movement in the person, which is indispensable in giving +that elasticity in walking which alone can produce a graceful carriage, +devoid of that stiffness which is ever occasioned by too great a +restraint. The stays invented by Madame Dumoulin are universally admired +as aiding nature, in affording the utmost freedom to the wearer, at the +same time that they improve the figure.</p> + +<p>These stays, have not only received the approbation of the scientific +world by the presentation of three medals, but have also been +recommended by several distinguished members of the faculty, who +consider they are calculated rather to improve than deteriorate the +health of those who wear them. The action which Madame Dumoulin was +obliged to bring against her competitor has been of the utmost service +to her, not only by the triumph she has received and the confirmation of +her patent, but in giving her that vogue that not only the influential +Parisian ladies, but Russian, German and Spanish princesses have +patronised her ingenuity; her residence is Rue du 29 Juillet, no 5.</p> + +<p>In the Courts of Justice in France and particularly in Paris, I have +found that both the prisoners and the witnesses have far more self +possession than in the tribunals in England; they are not so soon +embarrassed by the brow-beating and examination of the counsel, and +sometimes give such replies as turn the sting upon their examiners; +having like the Irish a sort of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span> tact for repartee, they are not often +to be taken aback; the lower classes in Paris are naturally extremely +shrewd and penetrating, they recognise a foreigner instantly, before he +speaks, as a friend of mine found to his cost, who although an +Englishman would anywhere in his own country be set down for a Frenchman +from his external appearance. On the Saturday following the three +glorious days, he was standing amongst one of the groups near the +Hôtel-de-Ville, when a man of a very rough appearance with his arms bare +and besmeared with proofs that he had been in the strife, turned to him +and asked what he thought of the Revolution. My friend, who was in +feeling a thorough bred John Bull, neither liking France, the French, +nor any of their proceedings, did not think it was exactly the moment to +give vent to all his feelings, answered that it was very fine.</p> + +<p>"Oh!" said the Frenchman, "you find it very fine, do you, you're a +foreigner, what countryman are you?"</p> + +<p>"I am an Englishman," was the reply.</p> + +<p>"An Englishman! eh!" muttered the Frenchman scanning him with a very +scrutinising eye, "and you find our Revolutionary fine, eh! well," added +he! "will you come and take a glass of wine with me?"</p> + +<p>The invitation was declined on the plea of business.</p> + +<p>"Business," repeated the Frenchman, "there can be no business to-day, it +is a day of fête;" upon which the Englishman, not seeing any means by +which he could well get off of it, said he would be happy to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span> take wine +with him and should also have great pleasure in paying for it.</p> + +<p>"Pay for it," sternly said the Frenchman, "what do you talk of paying +for it, when you are invited, follow me;" the Englishman obeyed, but +wished himself well out of the scrape; his conductor took him to one of +the lowest sort of wine-houses and they entered a large room where there +were above twenty seated, drinking round a table. His new acquaintance +introduced him in due form, saying, I have brought you an Englishman who +finds our Revolution very fine; there was a degree of order amongst them +and they had a president and vice president, but were very much such +rough looking fellows as the one who announced him; as a stranger, he +was awarded the seat of honour to the right of the president, but had no +sooner been seated, than one man addressed him, saying,</p> + +<p>"I have been in England, I was a prisoner and very ill treated."</p> + +<p>"I am sorry for that," replied the Englishman.</p> + +<p>"I was almost starved," added the other.</p> + +<p>"That was not the fault of the people or the intention of the +government," observed my friend, "but was caused by a few rascally +contractors who received a handsome sum for the supply of the prisoners, +and to make the greater profit they provided bad articles."</p> + +<p>"Well," said another, "I have seen extracts from the English papers and +they speak very highly of our revolution, particularly the Times."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span></p> + +<p>They next proceeded to give accounts of the share they had taken in the +struggle which had just terminated, and some began to state the number +that they killed, all of which was far from edifying to my friend, who +sat upon thorns notwithstanding they all drank his health, hitting the +glasses together according to the custom of olden time. At several +periods he made an effort to go, but they assured him that they could +not part with him so soon, called him a <i>bon anglais</i>, now and then +giving him a smack on the shoulder as a proof of their friendly feeling +towards him. The Englishman began at last to wish himself anywhere but +where he was, and in that manner they kept him for three hours in +durance vile; at last he made a bold push for a retreat, declaring he +could not stay a minute longer.</p> + +<p>"Then," said his conductor, "I shall see you safe home to your door;" +now that was the very thing that my friend did not want, as he was +particularly desirous of dropping the acquaintance as soon as possible, +therefore did not wish him to know where he lived; so at last he thought +of a person with whom he dealt, and said he must go, and see a friend +there with whom he had an appointment; and the Frenchman accompanied him +to the door, always carrying his drawn sword with him, and when taking +leave asked the Englishman when and where he should see him again; my +friend answered he was going to England.</p> + +<p>"Going to England," repeated the other, "what are you going to England +for, if you find our Revolution<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> so very fine, what do you want to go +away from it for, not to abuse it to your country people, I hope?"</p> + +<p>"Oh no," replied the Englishman, "I am only going to England for a +little while, on business, and shall be back soon, and shall have it in +my power to tell my countrymen all about the Revolution, and what an +heroic struggle it was."</p> + +<p>"Ah!" said the Frenchman; then holding out his great rough hand, bade +the Englishman "bon soir," and "bon voyage."</p> + +<p>My friend declared that it was impossible for him to describe to what a +degree he was rejoiced at seeing his new acquaintance depart, although, +however rough his appearance, the man might have been perfectly +harmless, except when called upon to fight for what he considered his +country's cause.</p> + +<p>I was myself living in Paris during the struggle of the Three Days, and +can bear witness to the humanity and moderation of the people during the +contest, and of their forbearance after their victory; they came to the +house at which I was living and asked for wine; but they brought with +them pails of water into which they threw what was given them, thereby +proving their extreme temperance and forbearance, but certainly a band +of a more ruffianlike looking set of fellows, it would be difficult to +imagine, and the manner in which they were at first armed, had something +in it of the horrible, and at the same time of the ludicrous; iron bars, +pokers, pitchforks, and in fact anything that could be converted into a +weapon was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span> taken possession of by the unwashed horde, who swarmed +towards the centre of Paris from the manufacturing suburbs; soon, +however, the public armouries, and the gunsmiths' shops, the musquetry, +and other arms taken from the soldiers during the battle, contributed to +arm them more formidably.</p> + +<p>But in justice to the Parisians I must cite two circumstances; the one +is, that whatever they seized upon in the public institutions, as +instruments of offence and defence, were restored when the contest was +over; the librarian at the Royal Library told me that they took all the +ancient and modern arms from their establishment, but with the exception +of seven they were all brought back, and most likely the bearers of +those which were missing had been killed.</p> + +<p>The other instance which does high credit to the Parisian mob, is that +they would not permit of any robbing or pillage in any house or building +which they might enter, but, as might be expected, some of the regular +thieves of Paris mixed amongst the people; one at length being caught +purloining an image in the palace of the Tuileries, they formed a circle +round the thief, tried him in an instant, and shot him; this was summary +justice with a vengeance, and certainly not exactly what ought to have +been done, but it showed the principle which existed. In fact honesty is +undoubtedly a quality existing in France to a most extraordinary degree, +a greater proof of it cannot be adduced than the fact that when any +person quits a theatre with the idea of returning in a few minutes<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span> they +leave their handkerchiefs on their seats by way of retaining their +places, which custom is even practised at the lowest theatres, where the +admittance is only half a franc.</p> + +<p>Ingenuity and a tact for invention are certainly features peculiar to +the French character, but they are far behind the English in their +methods of transacting business; this remark is applicable even to most +of the public offices; that France is extremely flourishing, and Paris +more particularly so, cannot be denied, but were it in the hands of the +English there is no doubt their produce, manufactures, and commerce, +both home and foreign, would be considerably greater than it now is. +France has been most peculiarly favoured by nature, her soil produces +everything that can be grown in England, and besides three commodities +which are not genial to our climate, and are of immense value, oil, silk +and wine; hence the products of the soil of France amount annually to +the immense sum of 240,000,000<i>l</i>, or 6,000,000,000 francs; having such +a basis, or one may even say such a capital to work upon, to what an +incalculable extent might business be carried on, with the amazing +industry that exists in France, as in the first place their population +exceeds ours by nearly six millions; then their general temperance is +such, there is not so much time nor labour lost as there is in England, +consequently there are more hands available, and those generally for a +longer period of time, as every one who is familiar with many +manufacturing and even agricultural districts<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span> in England must be aware +that there are numbers of workmen who never appear on the Monday, +vulgarly called St. Monday, but spend it at the public houses.</p> + +<p>I myself have had farming men whom I hired by the day in Kent, who did +not appear until Wednesday morning, but that, however, is some years +since, and the evil is now correcting. The great deficiency in France is +not only want of great capitalists, but men of enterprise, who are not +afraid to enter upon colossal undertakings; and now, looking at the +speculative works of the greatest magnitude which exist in France, it +will be found that Englishmen are concerned in them, either as partners +in a firm, or the principal shareholders in any company or association. +The promptness of the English for adventuring their funds in all sorts +of schemes is the wonderment of all Europe; whenever there is any +discovery which may be rendered available for trade, an Englishman is on +the spot with his capital in his hand and his calculation in his head. +Recently a vein of coal was found near the coast of Brittany, three +Englishmen were there as if they had dropped from the clouds, quite +prepared to enter into all the arrangements requisite for working the +mine and rendering it productive of profit.</p> + +<p>But although the French are deficient in those qualities requisite for +commencing and conducting gigantic enterprises, yet they are rapidly +improving in every point that is necessary for the management of +business and augmenting their foreign commerce to a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span> great extent, +particularly with America; from the town of New Orleans alone, last +summer, there were eighty merchants in Paris at one time, and the amount +from all the United States was estimated at two thousand; in fact if +France remain at peace, the increase of her prosperity in every branch +of industry must be certain, as if she obtain English machinery, which +she must ultimately, with those who know how to set it in motion also, +as provisions are cheaper, and always will be than with us, because she +needs not so much taxation, her debt being so much smaller than that of +England, labour must be lower, therefore she will have an advantage over +us which it will be impossible for England, with all her talents, to +circumvent. Already the Americans purchase, not only silks and fancy +articles in France, but also even cotton goods of the superior +qualities; the only obstacle which prevents the French from making still +more rapid advancement than is at present the case, is first timidity of +capitalists, deficiency of knowledge of the higher order of business, +and extreme slowness in proceeding with any grand national operation, as +for instance, her railroads, in which she has not only seen England +surpass her tenfold, but other neighbouring countries; but as there is a +sort of system of centralization in favour of the metropolis, Paris +improves more rapidly in proportion than the rest of France.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI.</h2> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>The monuments of Paris, the gardens, promenades, markets, +libraries, etc.</p></div> + + +<p>In order to facilitate the progress of the reader in viewing the +monuments and different objects of interest in Paris, I shall classify +them within certain limits, so that they may be viewed in the shortest +possible time, stating those which are contiguous to each other, so that +a greater number may be visited in a day, than if the traveller went +from one distant quarter of Paris to the other promiscuously, as he +happened to hear of any building or monument he wished to see, and thus +have to return perhaps two or three times to the same neighbourhood +instead of finishing with one district first, then taking the others in +rotation; as I shall suppose that some of my readers can only afford ten +days or a fortnight to view Paris, I shall be as chary of their time as +possible; having been accustomed to show the lions to many different +friends or acquaintances from England, I trust I am tolerably <i>au fait</i> +at that operation. I shall begin with that part of Paris denominated La +Cité, because it is the most central and the most ancient; we will +therefore proceed to it by the Pont-Neuf, which as I have already stated +was built by Henry III about 1580. There are several shops upon it +contained within small stone buildings, which, when viewing the bridge +at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span> a short distance, have rather a picturesque effect; it is ornamented +with a number of heads according to the taste of that day, and which now +give it rather an antique appearance. When well upon the bridge which +rises as it approaches the centre, I would advise the spectator to look +around him, as the view well repays the trouble, the quays having a most +noble appearance, adorned by the Louvre, the Tuileries, the Institute, +and other public buildings.</p> + +<p>Now let us look about us at more immediate objects; what a noisy +bustling scene it is at present, and has been for centuries past, as in +the reign of Henry IV it is described as absolutely stunning; now you +are assailed by the hissing of fried potatoes, fish, and fritters, which +are bought up as fast as they are supplied, women and men are seated +with their little apparatus for shearing cats and dogs, and clipping +their tails and ears if required, which is a calling that appears to be +followed by numbers in Paris who all seem to take their stations on the +bridges; situated amongst them are several shoeblacks, who appear to +take their posts in uniform array with the trimmers of cats and dogs; +they operate upon your boots and shoes as you stand, therefore if you +wish to patronise them you may take that opportunity of looking about +and getting disburthened of some of the Paris mud, quite certain if it +be wet weather that you will soon get more. Fruit in all its variety, +books, prints, blacking, and nick-knacks of every description offer +themselves to your notice. But let us direct our attention to a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span> more +interesting object; the fine bronze equestrian statue of Henry IV: one +could almost think the good and merry monarch was going to utter some of +his witty sallies. Now let us turn round and behold those antique +looking houses which face us and were built in his reign, at a distance +they have a sort of castellated appearance: before we quit the bridge +let us look down on the Baths Vigier with their pretty garden; we will +enter the place Dauphine, and then take one look at the bust of Desaix, +the victim of the battle of Marengo, and next we will turn on to the +Quai de l'Horloge and view the north side of the Palais de Justice; it +presents two round towers, which have the appearance of being very old, +and I was assured by an architect who employed much of his time in +poking about after such morsels of antiquity as he could find, that they +were built by the Romans, but I doubt it.</p> + +<p>We must not miss the Tour de l'Horloge, which is certainly of the middle +ages, and the clock is I believe considered the oldest in Paris; turning +to the right we view the grand front of the Palais de Justice, a very +handsome iron grating in part gilded, decorates the entrance to the +front court, and you ascend a bold flight of steps to the principal +door; four doric pillars with figures representing Justice, Fortitude, +Plenty, and Prudence, adorn the grand façade of the building; an immense +hall to the right, in which is a noble statue of the good and venerable +Malesherbes, well worth attention, and is the apartment where formerly +ambassadors were received and the nuptial ceremonies of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span> princes were +celebrated, but now the rendez-vous of lawyers, barristers, and their +clients.</p> + +<p>Several other halls, chambers, galleries, corridors, etc, are worth +notice, and that which is beneath them, has a shuddering kind of +interest; it is called the Conciergerie, and if its victims were there +consigned by the harsh decree of rigid justice, surely mercy and charity +were not allowed to enter, whilst it formed the prison of the hapless +Marie Antoinette and the brave Pichegru, but we will draw a veil over +those scenes which are but fraught with sad reminiscences. Many of these +dark covered alleys, belonging to this extraordinary building, have been +long occupied by venders of shoes, slippers and a variety of articles +which remind one of the old Exeter Change.</p> + +<p>This singular edifice which almost resembles a town is considered to +have been founded by Eudes, count of Paris, about the year 890, but the +most ancient part now standing, was built by Saint Louis who founded the +chapel, which is considered to be a complete type of the <i>pure</i> gothic +architecture, and which in that respect is not exceeded by any other in +Europe; it has the most decided air of antiquity, with a richness and +elegance which certainly characterise it as the beau ideal of that +period. It is termed the Holy Chapel and now appropriated to the +conservation of ancient records. From this interesting monument we turn +with regret, but a new scene bursts upon us; it is the flower market, +which is held under trees and furnished with large bassins con<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span>stantly +supplied with water; the numerous display of flowers mostly in pots done +up in such a manner with white paper so that it forms the background, +gives much light and life to the colours, buds, and blossoms, which +bloom on this enlivening spot. Wednesdays and Saturdays are the market +days, and I recommend the reader not to miss so pleasing a spectacle. On +the Quai du Marché-Neuf, on the southern bank of the island, a very +opposite sight may be seen, being the Morgue, a little building for +receiving all dead bodies found, and not owned.</p> + +<p>We now proceed to Notre-Dame, which is in the form of a cross; it was +began about the year 1150, in the reign of Louis the Seventh, but +continued in that of Philippe-Auguste, and completed under Saint-Louis +in 1257, which date, as I have already stated, it now distinctly bears. +Its magnitude and extent surpasses every other church in Paris, it is in +the arabic style, and being now totally detached from any other building +has a most grand effect; it is only in the present reign that this great +improvement has been effected, as it was formerly joined on one side to +the archiepiscopal palace. The immense number of grotesque figures which +surround and surmount the doorway, give it a most rich appearance, +although they are in the rudest style of barbarism; above is a large +window called the rose, which is a most beautiful and curious object. +The interior at the first view has a most striking effect; one hundred +and twenty pillars supporting a range of arches afford a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span> most splendid +<i>coup d'œil</i>, the middle aisle presenting an uninterrupted view of +the whole church, which being very lofty has a most majestic appearance; +the sumptuous altar, the fine gloom pervading the pictures, the curious +Gobelin tapestry which decorate the sides, combine in affording a rich +effect which is still heightened by the chapels which are perceptible +between the columns. Although it might be urged that there is rather a +profusion of decoration with the bas-reliefs, and other ornaments, yet +the edifice is on so colossal a scale that it still presents so broad a +mass, that a tone of simplicity pervades the whole. The beautiful choir +is after a design by De Goste, the altar and sanctuary are of marble and +porphyry, whilst tesselated pavements and variegated shrines adorn the +numerous chapels. The pictures are good in general; as to the tapestry, +I think it had better be removed, which I dare say it will be as taste +refines. It is to be regretted that the towers of Notre-Dame have so +heavy and black appearance, which is increased by a parcel of dark +unseemly shutters. On the outside towards the north, there are some +pieces of sculpture well worth examination; they are beautifully +executed although much deteriorated by time, and appear to be works of +about the thirteenth century. There are some curious brasses which would +be very interesting to persons capable of decyphering them, one in +particular to the left on entering, but so much in the dark that it is +difficult to make it out, especially as the characters at best are not +easy to understand, but I recom<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span>mend them to the inspection of those +persons who have time and inclination to study such subjects. The view +of the city from the towers affords an ample panorama, and displays the +positions of the principal monuments.</p> + +<p>The Hôtel Dieu is one of the finest establishments of the kind in +Europe, it is an hospital for the sick, in which they can make up 1,500 +beds, but there is nothing in its external appearance that is very +striking. The Archiepiscopal Palace had not a very attractive exterior, +but now, as they are partly demolishing and rebuilding it all, remarks +must be suspended until it be finished. No other object presents itself +particularly worth notice on this island, once the celebrated Lutetia, +but many of the houses have a very old appearance, and are some of them +probably of three or four hundred years standing; the curious observer +inspecting them will here and there find indications of the middle ages. +If the reader like to pass over to the Isle St. Louis, it will but take +him a few minutes, which is about as much as it is worth; the only +object exciting attention is the Hôtel Chamisot, No. 45, Rue St. Louis, +and the church of St. Louis, built in 1664. In this edifice there are +some pictures worthy remark and a curious spire. The Hôtel Lambert, No. +2, Rue St. Louis, also merits attention, being most richly adorned with +paintings, gilded mouldings, frescos, etc. Voltaire lived in it, and +Napoleon had a long conversation in the gallery in 1815 with his +minister, Montalivet, when he found all was lost.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span></p> + +<p>I shall now conduct my reader from the little Isle St. Louis by the Pont +de Tournelle to the Quay de Tournelle, from which we proceed to that of +St. Bernard, where every one must be struck with the Halles aux Vins, or +Wine Halls; they are all arranged with extreme regularity, and forming +altogether a whole, have a most singular effect; the neatness of the +appearance is remarkable; and the extent is such that they might contain +sufficient inhabitants to people a small town. As we proceed along the +quay, we have a good view of the Pont d'Austerlitz, it is quite flat, +built of iron, and is extremely light and handsome.</p> + +<p>Upon our right is the great attraction, so interesting to all nations, +the Garden of Plants; the first view of it through the iron railing is +most striking, rows of sable looking trees, forming a fine contrast to +the broad expansive beds of flowers, their gay colours blooming forth so +thickly as to resemble at some distance the brightest and richest +carpet; broad walks are between these brilliant masses; at the end of +which is the building which contains the Museum of natural History; to +give the reader anything like an accurate idea of this establishment, it +is necessary to exercise one's ability in condensing to the utmost +degree, as to furnish a comprehensive analysis of the wonders of this +institution would require a folio volume. I knew an English couple who +took lodgings in the immediate neighbourhood for three months that they +might go every day and study the numberless interesting objects this +establishment contains. The<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span> long promenades are formed by picturesque +trees and shrubs which have been collected from every clime; the immense +number of labels, as one approaches more closely, rather disfigure the +display of flowers, but as usefulness is the object, it is impossible +otherwise than to approve the extreme order and regularity with which +every plant, according to its genus, is classified, affording a most +delectable treat to a regular botanist. This arrangement has been +effected under the superintendence of Monsieur du Jussieu himself, no +doubt one of the most scientific botanists thatever has appeared; his +residence and that of his family was in the gardens, when I was in Paris +twenty years back, and I believe some of them still are concerned in the +botanical arrangements of the institution.</p> + +<p>The tremendous vocabulary of long latin names inscribed on the labels is +really enough to appal the most retentive memory that ever existed, and +to a person who has never dipped at all into the mysteries of botany I +can imagine the terms are rather alarming, words with nineteen letters +in them are but trifles compared to others, and a regular John Bull who +was scanning them very justly remarked, pointing to the flowers, that it +was certainly a favoured spot of Flora, and then alluding to the fruits +observed the same of Pomona, but added, he should like very much to know +who was the goddess of hard words as he would recommend her to descend +upon the same beds, as she would there find a more numerous progeny +than<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span> either of her rival goddesses. I believe that there are now nearly +10,000 plants arranged according to the system of De Jussieu, in the +most simple and perfect manner, so that the student is enabled at once +to comprehend the plan, and numbers of both sexes attend even as early +as six in the morning copying the names of plants and studying their +classification. Although this establishment is called the Garden of +Plants, it has many other objects of the highest interest besides what +its name indicates. It is at the same time a most extensive menagerie, +which first gave the idea that has since been adopted of the Zoological +Gardens in Regent's Park; formerly the arrangement exceedingly +interested and delighted the English visiter, but now that he has the +same thing at home, it has ceased to be a novelty. Each animal having +plenty of room to walk about in, was certainly a beautiful thought, and +great improvement on confining them in cages, which is now only found +necessary with ferocious animals. The bears form a great source of +amusement to the people, they are in large square pits about ten or +twelve feet below the level of the promenades, and each has a large pole +in the middle, with several branches upon which they climb, whilst the +visiters throwing bread to them are exceedingly diverted at their +successful or unsuccessful attempts to catch it. It would be superfluous +to enter upon a description of the great variety of animals assembled in +this collection, suffice it to say that I believe there is no living +animal who can exist in a Parisian climate, that is not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span> to be found in +this garden; generally there are several of a kind, and in case one dies +it is immediately replaced by another. The monkeys are the principal +objects of attraction, and as soon as they are let out into their little +paddock in front of their dwellings, which is only when the day is +considered sufficiently warm, crowds of people assemble to witness their +grimaces and gambols; they and the bears may be considered as the +principal dramatis personæ of the menagerie, and who certainly perform +their parts most admirably, never failing to afford the utmost +entertainment to the audience: and it is indeed a sort of rivalry +between Jocko and Bruin which should play their <i>rôle</i> the best; for my +own part I really think I give the preference to the latter, there is +something at once so comic and so good natured-looking in the bears, +that I feel almost inclined to descend into their pits and caress and +pet them as I would a favourite dog, but am only deterred by fearing +they would give me a reception rather too warm, and their friendly hug +be too overpowering for me to sustain.</p> + +<p>There are several buildings in this garden which are applied to various +purposes, amongst the rest an Amphitheatre where lectures on all the +branches of natural history are delivered. A Cabinet of Anatomy most +richly stored occupies one mansion; dissections of the human form, as +well as those of almost every animal are here found, besides numerous +other curiosities. Amongst other things the progress of a chicken in the +egg is exemplified, from its first speck until it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span> has life, which is +imitated with the most extraordinary exactness in wax, as also are +several fishes which cannot be preserved, besides a numerous collection +of fœti and monsters. To see these things properly; would require to +pass several days in these rooms; but a week would not suffice to do +justice to the grand Museum, every description of bird and beast that +has been known to exist in our days may be found here stuffed, and +preserved in glass cases with the nicest care; it appears strange to see +an enormous elephant and a tall ostrich within a glass case. Here also +are to be found every species of fungus, chrysalis, sea-weed, eggs, and +nests. But the shells, minerals, and fossils, form so extraordinary and +numerous a collection that they are the subject of admiration of every +beholder; the polish of the shells, the brilliance of the colours of the +plumage of the birds, and the glossy smoothness of the skins of the +beasts are as perfect as if they were living, but the same cannot +exactly be said of the fishes. The marbles, porphyry, and granite, the +lava, basaltes, barks of trees, bones of animals known and unknown, some +within stones, are arranged by the celebrated Cuvier, whilst the ores, +crystals, jaspers, and extraordinary varieties of ornamental articles +formed of these materials occupy several apartments.</p> + +<p>In addition to all these objects of high interest, there is a most +excellent library, giving every possible information regarding the +contents of this delightful establishment; a statue of the great +illustrator of the wonders of nature, Buffon, is here most +appropriately<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span> placed, as also some paintings of plants and animals. +Hence it may be easily imagined that persons who have much leisure, and +are fond of the study of natural history, may well choose to take up +their abode in the neighbourhood, for the convenience of long poring +over the beauties of this wonderful Museum. From hence other schools of +botany are supplied with seeds, cuttings, suckers, etc., whilst the +hospitals of Paris are gratuitously furnished with whatever is requisite +for the purposes of medicine; nor must I omit to state that there is a +most beautiful aviary, the birds of which are choice selections of the +finest of their species, and for those of an aquatic nature, there is a +basin of water from the Seine. Even specimens of soils, manures, +ditches, ha-has, palisades, frames, and every thing necessary for +forming fences are to be found here in every variety. Even to persons +who have no scientific information nor desire to obtain knowledge, to +walk in the Jardin-des-Plantes (Garden of Plants) affords delight, the +number of attractions are such, and of so varied a description that even +the dullest mind must be awakened to a sense of pleasure, yet some +persons I have seen who regarded all the phenomena collected here with +the most stoical indifference; the fact is, that a number of people will +not take the trouble to think, and lose the enjoyment they might receive +from the wonders of nature; how different if they would but devote to +them a little reflexion.</p> + +<p>With our minds still deeply impregnated with the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span> impression of the +objects we have just contemplated, we will leave the garden, and turning +round to the right, we find ourselves upon the Boulevard de l'Hôpital, +just facing the Hôpital de la Salpêtrière, which makes up 500 beds for +females, who are lunatics, idiots, otherwise diseased, or 70 years of +age; it is of immense extent, and conducted with so much order, and such +cleanliness prevails both with regard to the inmates and the +establishment itself, that it may be considered one of the most +gratifying sights in Paris; in fact I have heard many English ladies, +much to their credit, declare that not any of the interesting objects +which they had seen in the French capital, afforded them more pleasure +and satisfaction. Just near it is the terminus for the Orleans railway, +which is worthy of observation, and then we will cross over to the horse +and dog market and observe the regular system with regard to the stalls +and other arrangements which are adopted; it is principally for +draught-horses, Wednesdays and Saturdays are the market days, and +Sundays for dogs. We must next glance at the Hôpital de la Pitié, +founded in 1612 for paupers, it has been since annexed to the +Hôtel-Dieu, and contains 600 beds; it is situated No. 1, rue Copeau. +Sainte-Pélagie being just by in the Rue de la Clef, we ought to afford +it a half hour; it was formerly a convent of nuns, political prisoners +are now here confined when committed for trial, or if sentenced to but +short terms of imprisonment; it is also appropriated for other offenders +whose sentence of confinement is of brief duration,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span> but the military +surveillance within and around it is very strict.</p> + +<p>The Fountain Cuvier, at the corner of the street of that name, and the +Rue St. Victor, must claim a few minutes' attention; it is certainly one +amongst those of modern erection possessing great merit. In the Rue +Scipion we will cast one look at the great bakehouse for all the +hospitals in Paris, to which I have before alluded. The Amphitheatre of +Anatomy must occupy some attention, being a suite of anatomical schools +only recently built, on a most commodious scale; it forms a corner of +the Rues du Fer and Fossés St. Marcel. One thought in passing the +ancient Cimetière de Ste. Catherine, closed in 1815, must be devoted to +Pichegru, who lies buried there; we then hurry on without loss of time +to the manufacture of the Gobelin tapestry. As the little river Bièvre +is considered to be peculiarly adapted for dyeing, that process has been +carried on from a very remote period on the spot where the present +establishment now stands, which owes its foundation to Jean Gobelin in +1450, and under Louis the Fourteenth it was formed into a royal +manufactory. To me this is indeed one of the greatest wonders of Paris, +how such beautiful specimens of art can be produced when the work is all +done behind the frame, so that the artist cannot see the effect of what +he is doing, is to me most miraculous; the material used is woollen and +silken threads, so woven together, that a perfectly smooth surface is +produced, having all the softness and gra<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span>dation of tints to be found in +the finest oil painting, without that glare which varnish produces; the +execution of these works is attended by a most tedious application, +requiring sometimes six years to complete one piece, which, at 18,000 +francs, about seven hundred pounds, is not adequate to recompensing the +workmen equal to their merit and perseverance; about 120 men are +constantly employed, principally for the Government or the Royal Family.</p> + +<p>Attached to this establishment is the Royal Carpet Manufactory; such as +are here produced are considered superior to those of Persia, with +regard to the evenness of the surface, the strength, durability, and +fineness of the workmanship, the beauty of the designs, and the +brilliance of the colours, which are such as can never be surpassed, but +if they were ever allowed to be sold, the price would be so enormous +that some would amount to 150,000 francs (6000<i>l.</i>) The accuracy with +which the pictures of Rubens have been copied is most extraordinary, as +it may be said that the operative works in the dark. One carpet has been +produced for the Gallery of the Louvre, consisting of seventy-two +pieces, forming a total exceeding 1,300 feet which is supposed to be the +largest carpet ever made. The same facility exists for foreigners seeing +this exhibition, as with all others, the passport being presented, +Wednesdays and Saturdays, from one to three in winter, and from two to +four in the summer.</p> + +<p>A curious old house, termed the Maison de St. Louis or de la Reine +Blanche, is worth notice, in the Rue<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span> des Marmouzets; it may have been +inhabited by a queen of that name, but certainly not the mother of St. +Louis, as it is not sufficiently ancient, being of about the time of +Charles the Seventh, when it was the rage to build houses in that style +of architecture, about the period of from 1440 to 1460. The church of +St. Medard, in the Rue Mouffetard, offers nothing remarkable, but a +mixture of different styles of architecture, according to the epochs at +which it was repaired and embellished; in 1561 a tremendous attack was +made upon it by the Calvinists, when several of the congregation were +killed, and the Abbé Paris, having been buried in the cemetery attached +in 1727, his tomb, it is pretended, had certain convulsions in 1730, and +was the origin of the sect called convulsionists, and the scenes which +occurred caused the cemetery to be closed in 1732. A picture of St. +Genenieve, by Watteau, in the chapel of that saint, must be admired, +having much merit. In the Rue de l'Oursine, No. 95, is an hospital which +is a refuge for sinning and afflicted females (something in the nature +of the Magdalen, in London), containing 300 beds. To the fountain of +Bacchus, at the corner of the Rue Censier, we will give a look <i>en +passant</i>, as also to the School of Pharmacy, formerly a convent, in the +garden of which was formed the first botanical garden, in 1580; there is +here a cabinet of specimens of drugs and a collection of mineralogy +worthy of examination; it is situated in the Rue de l'Arbalète, No. 13.</p> + +<p>The Hôpital Militaire and Church of the Val de<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span> Grâce is in the Rue St. +Jacques (vide page 96) and is one which particularly merits attention of +the visiter; the vault of the dome is painted upon the stone by Mignard, +and is justly celebrated as one of the most splendid frescos in France; +the heart of Anne of Austria, the foundress of it, was sent here, as +also those of many succeeding members of the Royal Family. The interior +of the church is much admired for the richness of its architecture. At +No. 3, Rue de la Bourbe, is the Lying-in Hospital, formerly the Abbey of +Port Royal, containing 445 beds; any woman, eight months advanced in +pregnancy, is admitted, if there be room to receive her, without an +inquiry, if she be in distress; she enters into an engagement to support +the child, and if she cannot fulfil it, she must make a declaration and +it is sent to the Foundling Hospital, but if she retain it, clothing and +a small sum of money is given her on quitting the hospital. A school for +midwifery is established here, the practitioners being females, who, +when considered competent, receive a diploma from the physicians who are +appointed judges.</p> + +<p>Just by this establishment is the Observatory, erected in the reign of +Louis XV; it is a most curious piece of architecture, having in it +neither wood nor iron; it is not a large building, but has a fine +appearance, and Perrault was the architect; it is vaulted throughout, +and a geometrical staircase, having a vacuity of 170 feet deep, merits +particular notice. There is a circular universal chart upon the pavement +of one of the apartments. By means of mechanical ar<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span>rangements the roof +and cupola open, and every night, the weather permitting, astronomical +observations are taken. M. Arago, the most celebrated astronomer of +France, lectures here, where there is every facility, and every +instrument to be found requisite for the promotion of the science of +astronomy; there are two pluvia-meters, for ascertaining the quantity of +rain that falls in Paris during a year. There is a general map of +France, called the Carte de Cassini, containing 182 sheets, a marble +statue of Cassini (the author of the work) attests the high estimation +in which he was held; he died in 1712, aged eighty-seven. This +institution is the just admiration of all scientific men from every +civilized part of the world, but it is an astronomer alone who can +thoroughly appreciate its merits.</p> + +<p>The little hospital, founded by M. Cochin, in 1780, being just by No. 45, +Rue du Faubourg St. Jacques, may claim our hasty look, it contains 114 +beds, and the patients receive the attendance of the Sœurs de St. +Marthe. At No. 9, Rue des Capucins, Faubourg St. Jacques, is an hospital +for men and youths above fifteen, whose excesses have brought on +disease; it is styled Hôpital des Vénériens, and contains 300 beds; the +attendants are all males.</p> + +<p>Near to the Barrière d'Enfer is the entrance to the Catacombs, +containing the bones of 3,000,000 persons which are all systematically +arranged so as to have the most extraordinary effect; they are formed +into galleries of an immense length, and occupy a con<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span>siderable space of +ground under a great portion of Paris, on the south side of the Seine; +but now they cease to be such objects of interest as they formerly were, +as the public are not now permitted to visit them; they were formerly +large quarries from which the stone was drawn for building most part of +ancient Paris, and when it was decided to clear many of the cemeteries +within the capital, the bones were placed in these quarries in 1784, and +the operation of piling them as they now are was effected in 1810. In +the Rue d'Enfer, No. 86, is the Infirmary of Marie Thérèse, founded by +Madame la Vicomtesse de Chateaubriand, in 1819, named after the Duchess +d'Angoulême, its protectress; it is destined for females who have moved +in respectable society, the accommodations and food being far better +than are found in the generality of hospitals; the establishment +consists of fifty beds. At the Barrière of St. Jacques, the guillotine +is erected when criminals are to be executed. Beyond the Barrière +d'Enfer, on the Orleans road, No. 15, is the Hôpital de la +Rochefoucauld; it is devoted to the reception of old servants of +hospitals, and other aged persons, it also receives poor persons on +their paying, according to circumstances, 200 francs a-year, or upwards, +or on paying a sum on entering varying from 700 to 3000 francs. The +number of beds is 213.</p> + +<p>As we descend the Rue d'Enfer, we find, at No. 74, the Foundling +Hospital, founded by the good and celebrated St. Vincent de Paule, in +1632. Any child is received at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span> this institution on the mother making a +declaration that she has not the means of supporting it, when she +receives a certificate signed by a commissary of police; the average +number admitted in the last two or three years is rather over three +thousand; they are attended by the Sœurs de Charité (Sisters of +Charity) in the most praiseworthy manner; in the same building is the +Orphans' Hospital, where the children are placed when two years of age, +and of poor persons who fall ill and are obliged to go to an hospital, +the children may be sent here until the parents are cured. The children +are all taught reading, writing, and arithmetic, and are placed to +various trades at the proper ages; they are treated with the greatest +care and kindness, it is open to visiters, and the sight of it produces +the most heartfelt gratification; many of the most respectable members +of society have come from this institution. Turning into the Rue de +Faubourg St. Jacques, at the corner of the Rue des Deux Eglises, is the +institution for the Deaf and Dumb, founded by the benevolent Abbé de +l'Epée, who, with only 500<i>l.</i> a-year, took the charge of maintaining +and educating forty deaf and dumb pupils, whom he taught to write and +read, even on the most abstruse subjects.</p> + +<p>The Abbé Sicard followed up the plan to the highest perfection; 80 +pupils are now admitted gratis and are brought up to different trades, +others pay according to their means; the Chambers grant generally +4,000<i>l.</i> a year to this institution. At No. 67, Rue d'Enfer, is the +Convent of the Carmelites, where Mademoiselle<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span> de La Vallière, the +beautiful favourite of Louis XIV, took the veil. The church of St. +Jacques-du-Haut-Pas, which is at the opposite corner, offers nothing +very remarkable, the first stone was laid in 1630, by Gaston of Orleans, +brother to Louis XIII. Four fine paintings of Saints however are worthy +of notice.</p> + +<p>The Pantheon, formerly the church of Sainte Genevieve, stands to the +left as we descend the rue St. Jacques, and strikes upon the eye as a +most noble and imposing building; it was Louis XV who laid the first +stone in 1764, near the spot where stood the ancient but ruined church +of St. Genevieve. It is affirmed that he was persuaded by Madame de +Pompadour to erect this monument as a thanksgiving after his having had +a severe illness. The architect was Soufflot, the style is purely +Grecian. Twenty-two fluted Corinthian columns, 60 feet in height and 6 +in diameter, sustain the portico, and 32 the great dome, above which is +a lantern terminated by a figure in bronze 17 feet high. There is a +great deal of sculpture about the building, some allegorical, others +portraiture; its total height is 282 feet. The exterior is in the form +of a Grecian cross. The paintings are by the Barons Gros, and Gerard; +although a most noble structure, yet it is not consistently grand in all +its bearings. Monuments of the great men of France are now erected here; +and amongst the rest the immortal Lafayette. The stranger is recommended +to ascend the dome, from which a most amusing view is afforded. The +vaults beneath are extremely curious<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span> and interesting; whatever the +faults of this edifice may be, there is a solemnity about it which takes +great possession of the mind, particularly when there is a funeral and +the light of the torches are seen glimmering amongst the priests in the +"long drawn aisle," as they slowly and solemnly wend their way.</p> + +<p>In the Rue des Postes, No. 26, is the seminary for young men destined for +missionaries to the colonies; a bas relief representing a missionary +preaching, above the pediment of the church, is the only striking +object. At No. 3, Rue de Fourcy, is the Irish college, rather a handsome +building, with some trees about it which add to the effect. Many Irish +of distinction are buried here and it is still kept up, there being +about 100 students; the regulations are the same as in the English +Universities, about 25 priests are sent out from here to their own +country every year. In the rue des Fossés St. Victor is the Scotch +College (vide page 78), it is now a sort of school, but the tablet over +the door with Collége des Ecossais inscribed still remains, and there +are many interesting monuments of Scotch nobility. Next door is the +Convent of English Augustin Nuns, the only religious house never +molested during the Revolution; it contains a small chapel with some +English tombs, the inmates now occupy themselves with the education of +their young countrywomen. At the back of the Pantheon, rather to the +south-east, is the very curious and interesting church of St. +Etienne-du-Mont; it is an odd mixture of styles of architecture, a tower +and circular turret which are detached from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span> the church, are supposed to +be of the date 1222; a staircase of most singular construction and of +peculiar lightness is the first object which strikes the spectator on +entering; there is a great deal of richness and scroll work, with some +Arabic, Greek and Gothic styles intermingled. Some of the pictures in +this church are exceedingly good, and are by Lebrun and Lesueur. The +pulpit is supported by Sampson, and there are other smaller figures, the +whole having a beautiful effect; the design is by La Hire, and executed +by Lestocard, it is altogether a church of high interest, often the +subject of the modern artists' pencils. There is a tomb which was found +in the vaults beneath, which is said to be that of St. Genevieve, and +bears the date of 511.</p> + +<p>The library of St. Genevieve is close by, and besides containing 200,000 +volumes, and 2,500 manuscripts, it possesses other objects of interest, +being a series of portraits from Philippe the Bold to Louis the XV, and +one of Mary Queen of Scots. This library belongs to the Collége Henry +IV, which on the side towards the Rue Clovis is very modern, but the +lower part of the curious old tower is supposed to have been built in +the reign of Clovis. The young princes of the reigning family in France +were educated at this College, there are 907 pupils, of whom 500 are +boarders. The École de Droit which stands in front of the Pantheon was +also erected in the reign of Louis XV, and Souflot, the architect. At No. +123, is the Collége de Louis-le-Grand, formerly the Collége de +Clermont,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span> founded in 1560, but the present building was erected in +1618; it contains 1,180 pupils, of whom 520 are boarders. It possesses a +large library, and a good collection of philosophical instruments. +Behind this College, in the Rue de Rheims, at the corner of the Rue des +Chollets, a gateway and building of the time of Francis I. is worth +attention, supposed to belong to the old Collége des Chollets. The Royal +College of France, situated No. 1, Place Cambrai, was founded in 1529, by +Francis I, but the present edifice was erected in 1774. It is a spacious +building and very commodious, 23 professors attend and give gratuitous +lectures upon almost every subject, whether scientific or literary, and +particularly upon languages, both ancient and modern, Oriental and +European. In a court opposite the college is a very curious square tower +of the 12th century, called la Tour Bichat, or la Tour de St. +Jean-de-Latran; it is all that is remaining of the Hall of Knights +Hospitaliers, established in 1171, afterwards called Chevaliers de +Malte.</p> + +<p>The remains of a chapel of very ancient date will be found in the +adjoining Cour de la Vacherie, in the far corner to the right, now +occupied as a charcoal depot. We will next proceed to the rue de la +Montagne St. Genevieve, and view the Polytechnic School, formerly the +Collége de Navarre, and where still remain a hall and chapel of the 14th +century; a new façade much less interesting has been recently added, and +the establishment is altogether badly situated. There are many +emblematical bas-reliefs which possess<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span> no extraordinary merit. But the +institution itself is one that deserves the highest encomiums, the young +men are received at from 17 to 20, after they have passed the ordeal of +a very severe examination in Paris or their respective departments. They +are instructed in every branch of education connected with military +science, and are afterwards admissible in the engineers, artillery, +pontooners, miners, inspectors of highways, public works, etc; they pay +1,000 francs a year, find their own uniforms, and whatever may be +requisite for their studies; they remain two or three years, as +circumstances may demand. Strangers wishing to view this establishment +must have a permission from the Minister of War.</p> + +<p>The Rue des Carmes has an interesting appearance as containing some of +the old colleges, now otherwise appropriated. One was the College de +Lisieux; the buildings remain with a curious chapel, which fronts the +Marché des Carmes, but its entrance is at No. 5, Rue St. +Jean-de-Beauvais. In the Market there is a fountain in the middle built +in 1818; this Market is now designated la Place Maubert, and occupies +the site of the Convent des Carmes. Mounting a few steps in the Rue St. +Victor, we arrive at the church of St. Nicholas-du-Chardonnet; the body +of the building was completed in 1709, but the lower is of the 16th +century. The general effect of the interior is fine, but the paintings +in different chapels, on either side, are highly interesting; some of +them are extremely good, of the schools of Lesueur, Moise Va<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span>lentin, and +Mignard, the ceiling of the chapel of St. Charles is painted by Lebrun; +there is also a monument of himself and his mother. At No. 68, Rue +St-Victor is the Royal Institution for the juvenile Blind, founded by M. +Haüy in 1791. There are here maintained 60 boys and 30 girls, at the +expense of the State, and as boarders, any blind children may be +admitted, either French or foreign; they are taught reading, music, +arithmetic, and writing, by means of characters raised in relief. +Admittance is freely accorded to strangers, but the establishment is +about to be removed to the corner of the Rue de Sèvres, on the Boulevard +des Invalides, where 250 pupils will be accommodated. At No. 18, Rue de +Pontoise, is the seminary of St. Nicholas du Chardonnet, and at No. 76, +the ancient College of Cardinal Lemoine, founded in 1300; some parts of +the original building exist, and on the doors are still seen a +cardinal's hat and arms, and numerous iron spear-heads. Close by, in the +Marché aux Veaux, is still one of the dormitories of the Convent of the +Bernardins, which must be of the 13th century, as also some remains of +their chapel, in a house adjoining the Market. On the Quai de la +Tournelle, No. 35, is the Hôtel de Nesmond, of the reign of Henry IV, +and at No. 5, the Pharmacie Centrale, for keeping all the drugs and +chemical preparations for the hospitals of Paris.</p> + +<p>The Rue de Fouarre, by which we will pass, is one of the meanest and +filthiest in Paris, but has been cited by Petrarch, Dante and Rabelais, +as in it were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span> several of the schools where public disputations were +held; the Rue Galande, the Rue des Rats, and many other dirty streets of +the same description is the quarter where existed the old University, +and still known by the name of the Quartier Latin.</p> + +<p>Thus having completed our survey, which I shall call the south-east +division, we will proceed to the south-west, and begin by the church of +St. Severin at No. 3, in the street of the same name, called after a +hermit who died in the year 530, but had on this spot an oratory and +cells, where he conferred the monastic habit on St. Cloud. The present +building was erected in 1210, in the reign of Philippe Auguste, has been +repaired and enlarged at several different periods, which is perceptible +by the different styles displayed in the architecture; there is a great +deal of elaborate workmanship about this church that is exceedingly +beautiful and interesting, the lower part of the tower is coeval with +its first erection; a few good pictures of the old French school are +amongst the attractive objects contained within this edifice.</p> + +<p>Ascending the little unseemly streets des Prétres and Boutebrie, we find +ourselves in the Rue du Foin, No. 18, being called the Hôtel de la Reine +Blanche; she was living about the year 1210, when the church of St. +Severin close by was founded in the reign of her father-in-law, and very +probably resided in the neighbourhood, perhaps on the very spot where +the house stands which is now called after her, but evidently not in the +same building which is now shown as such,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span> although the staircase is of +a very ancient appearance.</p> + +<p>In the same street, at the corner of the Rue Boutebrie, is the old +Collége de Maître Gervais, founded in 1370, at present appropriated as a +barrack for infantry. The visiter now must prepare for a grand treat, as +we turn round into the Rue de la Harpe, and at No. 63, we find the +venerable and crumbling remains of the Palais des Thermes (vide page +55). Julian, who was born in 332, inhabited it for some time, and many +imagine it was built by his grandfather, but others state that it was +alluded to at a still earlier period. Of what now remains there is +principally a large hall and a smaller, forming together one room; the +architecture is simple but noble, the walls are adorned by three grand +arcades, the middle being the loftiest. The vaulting of the roof rests +upon supports, representing the sterns of ships; human figures may be +distinguished in one of them. Beneath the hall are vaulted apartments +extending under most of the neighbouring houses. An aqueduct is traced +as having been brought from some leagues, for the purpose it is supposed +principally of supplying the baths. The masonry is alternately of stone +and brick, in parts covered with a thick stucco. It seems almost +incredible that a monument so ancient, and of such high interest should +have been for so long a period totally disregarded by the government, +and suffered to be occupied by a printer, a traiteur, and a cooper. The +Municipality of Paris have now however purchased it, and intend to +convert it into a museum for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span> the reception of antiquities that can be +collected of the ancient Gauls. After the overthrow of the Roman yoke, +the Palais des Thermes was inhabited by the earliest kings of France. To +view these ruins the stranger must apply to the concierge, No. 68, Rue +de la Harpe, directly opposite, and a trifle should be given to the +party showing them.</p> + +<p>The Hôtel de Cluny which is almost adjoining, is also an object highly +meriting the attention of the observer. It is one of those edifices of +the middle ages, of which there are so few remaining. In 1505, in the +reign of Louis the Twelfth, this curious building was erected by Jacques +d'Amboise, Abbot of Cluny, on the site and with a part of the ruins of +the Palais des Thermes. There is a richness about the architecture and +the ornaments around the windows, that is particularly striking; the +chapel is most highly interesting, and in it was married Princess Mary, +the widow of Louis the Twelfth, and sister of Henry VIII, to the duke of +Suffolk, as also James V of Scotland to Magdalen, daughter of Francis I. +Having at length become the property of M. Sommérard, all the value of +his acquisition is duly appreciated, and he has formed within this +curious and beautiful edifice, a collection of specimens of the middle +ages, which are arranged chronologically; he is the author of a most +interesting work on the subject which may be procured upon the premises. +The stranger will find a visit to the Hôtel de Cluny one of the most +gratifying of any he can bestow, and on writing to M. Sommérard, he may +be certain<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span> of procuring admission. Following the Rue St. Benoît, we +arrive at the Theatre du Pantheon, Rue St. Jacques, opened in 1832; it +is partly formed by the church St. Benoît anciently that of St. Benedict +built in 1517, much famed during the ligue, where the assassination of +Henri III was applauded by Jean Boucher in his sermons. The performances +are vaudevilles and melodramas. Highest price two shillings, lowest +six-pence.</p> + +<p>We now re-enter the Rue de la Harpe, and notice the Royal College St. +Louis, originally founded by Raoul Harcourt in 1280; the present +building was erected in 1675, but part of the ancient edifice exists, +the greater portion of the structure was built in 1814; and the college +opened in 1820. There is a chapel attached, and at the lower end a +gateway, formerly the entrance to the Collége de Bayeux, founded in +1308, which bears an inscription to that effect, and probably of the +same date. A very few steps bring us to the Collége de la Sorbonne, +built on the site of a school founded by Robert Sorbon in 1253; it is +filled with historical associations, the church and all about it has a +very gloomy appearance, it is cruciform and of the corinthian order, +surmounted by a dome the interior of which is painted by Philippe de +Champagne. The tomb of Cardinal de Richelieu, in the southern transept, +is the chef-d'œuvre of Gérardon. The college is a plain building of +sombre aspect, but the accommodation for the professors is on a handsome +scale; the lectures delivered are all gratuitous.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span></p> + +<p>We will now proceed to the School of Medicine in the street bearing the +same name. The first stone was laid by Louis XV, in 1769, it is a truly +elegant building, a peristyle of the ionic order with a quadruple range +of columns unite the two wings and support the library, and a fine +cabinet of anatomy. The grand court is 66 feet in length by 96 in +breadth, the amphitheatre which is opposite the entrance is capable of +containing 1,400 people; there are several allegorical and emblematical +bas-reliefs, and on the whole it is a building which excites much +admiration both in an ornamental and in a useful point of view, there +not being a single object that can in any manner facilitate the study of +medicine that is not to be found within this institution. At No. 5, in +the same street, is a gratuitous school of drawing, established in the +ancient amphitheatre of surgery, chiefly intended for artisans, to +instruct them in the principles of drawings and architecture, and +lectures are given on geometry, mensuration, etc. Opposite to the École +de Médecine, is the Hôpital clinique de la Faculté de Médecine, +established in the cloister of the Cordeliers, of which there are some +remains still visible; it is rather a handsome building and contains 140 +beds. The body of the building is in the Rue de l'Observance. In the +same street as the École de Médecine; is the Musée Dupuytren, being the +valuable pathological collection of that celebrated anatomist, bought by +the University of his heirs, and placed in the refectory of the +Cordeliers which has been fitted up in the style of the 15th century, +the date of its erection.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span></p> + +<p>Adjoining to this Museum is the School of practical Anatomy, being a set +of dissecting rooms for the use of the students. As we are so near I +must conduct the visiter to the Rue Hautefeuille; on the west side is a +house of the 16th century, which once belonged to a society of +Premonstratensian monks. In the same street, Nos. 23, 13, 9 and 5, and +at the corner of the Rue du Paon and Rue de l'École de Médecine, the +houses have ancient turrets, and are stated to have been built in the +reign of Charles VII. In the house, No. 18, of the latter street, in a +dirty backroom, Charlotte Corday stabbed that beau idéal of monsters, +Marat. We will now make our way to the Rue d'Enfer, and at No. 34 is the +Hôtel de Vendôme, at present the royal School of Mines; this noble +mansion was erected in 1707 by the Carthusian monks, but being purchased +by the Duchess of Vendôme was called after her. Every description of +tool or instrument used in mining will here be found, and perhaps the +extensive mineralogical collection is unrivalled anywhere in Europe, and +arranged in the most scientific manner by M. Haüy, with a ticket +attached to each explanatory of their quality and locality. The +geological specimens have been collected by Messrs. Cuvier and +Bronguiart; weeks might be passed in this museum by those partial to +studying mineralogy, geology, and conchology, and subjects for +examination and meditation would still not be exhausted. We will now +turn into the gardens of the Luxembourg Palace; they are in the true +French stiff style, but look at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span> them in a slanting direction and all +the formality is lost; the statues are seen intermingled with the trees, +shrubs, flowers, parterres, walks, vases, fountains, etc. and the +coup-d'œil has a most beautiful effect, and some of the retired walks +amongst the high trees have a very inviting though solitary appearance.</p> + +<p>The Palace (vide page 98) was erected by Marie de Medicis, and is now +with the recent additions a very extensive building, and taken in a +general sense is decidedly a very fine monument, but I certainly think +the pillars being in such bad taste with large square knobs sticking out +all the way up the columns, in a degree spoil the effect of the whole +edifice, still there is a heavy grandeur in the ensemble which has an +imposing appearance. After having been occupied by various royal +personages, it was given by Louis the Sixteenth to his brother +afterwards Louis XVIII, who resided in it until he quitted France in +1791; it has since been appropriated to many different purposes, and is +now used as the Chamber of Peers; for their discussions a new apartment +has been constructed 92 feet in diameter, the form is semi-circular. In +the middle of the axis is a recess in which the president's and +secretaries' seats are placed; above are a range of statues in recesses, +the chairs of the peers are arranged in an amphitheatrical manner and +occupy the space in front of the president; the peer who speaks takes +his place below the president's desk.</p> + +<p>There are altogether in this palace so many statues, apartments, +sculpture and galleries to describe, that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span> it would monopolise far too +much space in my little volume if I were to attempt to do it justice. I +must therefore content myself with advising the reader to take the first +opportunity of viewing it with its beautiful gallery of pictures, many +of which are the chefs-d'œuvre of the best living French artists. In +the new divisions which have been lately constructed there are some fine +specimens of painting from the pencils of Messrs. Delaroche, Scheffer, +Boulanger, Roqueplan, etc., and the chambers voted 800,000 fr. (32,000 +<i>l.</i>) for the artistical decorations of the recent erections added to +the original building.</p> + +<p>Le Petit Luxembourg is a large hotel contiguous and may be considered as +a dependency of the great palace, it was built by Cardinal Richelieu who +made it his residence whilst the Palais Royal was building, when he +afterwards gave it to his niece the Duchess d'Aiguillon. It is now +occupied by the Chancellor of France, as President of the House of +Peers; it also contains a small prison for persons committed for +political offences, and tried by the Court of Peers: the ministers of +Charles X were here confined in 1830. In the same street, No. 70, is the +Convent of the Carmelite Sisters, already mentioned, a portion of the +building is still devoted to sacred purposes, the chapel is dedicated to +St. Joseph, and of the Tuscan order, it was founded by Marie de Medicis. +Here first began the massacres in Paris of the 2nd of September, 1792, +when a number of priests here imprisoned were murdered. This is the +convent which has long been famed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span> for the <i>Eau de Mélisse</i> and <i>Blanc +des Carmes</i>, which are still sold here.</p> + +<p>At the southern gate of the Garden of the Luxembourg is the <i>Jardin +botanique de l'École de Médecine</i>, where every medicinal plant agreeing +with the climate is raised, and ticketed as classified by Jussieu.</p> + +<p>The Odéon Theatre which is near the Luxembourg has been twice burnt +down, but was finally restored in 1820; it is situated fronting the +street, and in the <i>place</i> of the same name; it is certainly a very +handsome building both as to the exterior and the interior, which is +fitted up in a most superior style, but all exertions to render it +successful seem in vain, although the present director has it rent free +from the government; dramatic pieces in general are here represented, +but its situation prevents its ever being much frequented; the principal +front having a portico of eight doric columns ascended by nine steps has +a fine effect; it is capable of containing 1,600 persons.</p> + +<p>A very few steps bring us to the magnificent church of St. Sulpice. +Although the first stone was laid by Anne of Austria, in 1655, it was +not totally finished until 1777. The portico, by Servadoni, is splendid; +the two towers not being similar, rather spoil the effect, but the +interior baffles all description to do it justice; a simplicity and +grandeur pervades the whole, which is heightened by a soft light thrown +upon the Virgin directly behind the altar, who appears to be descending +midst the lightest clouds upon the earth, to which she presents her son. +The corinthian order<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span> prevails throughout the interior, the statues are +bold and finely conceived, some of the paintings are exquisite, that of +the ceiling, particularly. Two immense shells, placed within the +entrance, for containing holy water, resting on rocks of marble, were +presented to Francis I, by the Republic of Venice. The pulpit is +supported by two flights of steps, with the figures of Faith, Hope, and +Charity, producing a most splendid appearance. The organ is ornamented +with no less than seventeen figures playing on musical instruments, or +sustaining cornucopies carved in the most perfect manner. The pillars on +the different sides of this edifice comprise the four orders of doric, +ionic, corinthian, and composite. I cannot conceive a more sublime and +delightful sensation than that which is caused when the first low notes +of the organ begin to swell; the aisles being extremely lofty and +vaulted, the sound appears gradually to peal through the building with a +degree of softness which seems as if it came from a considerable +distance, and has a most extraordinary and enchanting effect. We will +now quit this noble edifice by the grand front, and looking to the left +cast an instant's glance upon a large plain building, which is the +Seminary of St. Sulpice, and has 210 students.</p> + +<p>Descending the Rue Mabillon a few paces, we come to the Market St. +Germains, where formerly flourished the great fair under the same name. +It was built in 1811 on a most commodious plan, and has every requisite +that can be thought of for the convenience<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span> of a market, with an +extremely handsome fountain in the middle, which the visiter should not +omit to observe. Quitting the Market by the Rue Montfaucon brings us in +front of the prison of the Abbaye, in the Rue St. Marguerite, now only +used for confining military offenders; here it was that some of the +greatest horrors were committed during the Revolution, it has a small +turret at each corner, and seems to be a building of about two hundred +years standing. Not many yards off is the very ancient church of St. +Germain des Près (vide page 61), which has often been pillaged, burnt, +and otherwise injured, but the lower part of the tower is coeval with +the foundation, 558. The document relative to the establishment of the +monastery and church is still preserved amongst the archives of the +kingdom, and bears the date 561. The nave is simple and of the time of +Abbot Modardus, in the year 900; additions and repairs have been made at +different periods, but in many instances the style of architecture +displays its early date, the capitals of the pillars are remarkable for +the grotesqueness of the devices. There are some pictures of merit, and +many interesting tombs, one of Casimir, the King of Poland, who +abdicated his throne in 1668, and died abbot of the monastery attached +to the church in 1672, also of the Duke and Earls of Douglas and Angus. +The Abbot's palace still stands at the east of the church, in the Rue de +l'Abbaye, directly facing the Rue Furstemberg; it was built in the year +1586 by Cardinal Bourbon. It is a large heavy-looking<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span> red brick +building faced with stone, with a large garden behind; it is at present +let out to different tenants.</p> + +<p>We shall now descend the Rue Furstemberg, and taking the Rue Jacob, to +the right shall get into the Rue de Seine, and mounting the little +Passage du Pont-Neuf, one of the oldest in Paris, we find ourselves +opposite the Rue Guénégaud cited by Sterne, as also the Quai Conti, on +which stands the Mint or Hôtel des Monnaies, a very extensive building +and rather handsome; it was built in the reign of Louis XV in 1771, +after designs furnished by M. Antoine; an entablature supported by ionic +columns forms the principal front, with six statues of Peace, Commerce, +Prudence, Fortitude, Plenty and Law. On the right is a noble staircase +ascending to apartments fitted up with the splendour of a palace. The +collection of coins and medals here are extremely interesting, the first +are two of Childebert, the dates being 511-568, and they are nearly +complete of the respective kings up to the present day, amongst others +are some of the gold pieces of 10 louis, each of the reign of Louis +XIII, very large and beautiful. A medal of Charlemagne of most exquisite +execution, and others of almost every country or celebrated monarch or +chief, with a collection of the ores in their mineral state, every +instrument used for coining and in fact every object appertaining to +such an establishment, which would demand much space and time to +describe, and a work is written solely on the subject. This inte<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span>resting +museum is open to foreigners with their passports on Mondays and +Thursdays, from twelve till three.</p> + +<p>Contiguous and on the western side stands the Palais of the Institute, +or as we should call it the Royal Academy. It was founded by Cardinal +Mazarin in 1661, from designs by Levau. The segment of a circle +describes the front, whilst pavillions upon open arcades terminate the +extremities, a portico in the centre with corinthian colums surmounted +by a pediment, whilst a dome crowns the summit, and vases upon the +entablature combine to give it a fine effect. In the great hall of this +building the members of the Academy hold their sittings; the vestibules +are adorned by marble statues of men whose intellectual powers have +rendered their names renowned throughout the world, as Montesquieu, +Molière, Corneille, Racine, Sully, etc., etc. The Mazarine library is +attached to this institution and contains 120,000 printed volumes +besides 4,500 manuscripts. There is also under the same establishment +the library of the Institute, which includes 115,000 volumes; in the +gallery in which they are contained is a marble statue of Voltaire, by +Pigale, highly celebrated for its execution. This building was for some +time called the Palais des Quatre-Nations, as the founder at first +designed it for natives of Roussillon, Pignerol, Alsace, and Flanders. +The subjects discussed within the halls of this institution are the +Belles-Lettres, the fine Arts, moral and political Sciences, etc. +Persons desiring tickets for the meet<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span>ings of the members must inscribe +their names at the office of the secretary of the Institute. Directly +opposite is a light elegant bridge, called the Pont-des-Arts, it is +constructed of iron and is merely for foot passengers.</p> + +<p>Passing to the Quai Voltaire we turn into the Rue des Petits-Augustins, +and stop before the front of the Palais and École des Beaux-Arts, or +School of fine Arts; this is one of the many institutions which exist in +Paris requiring a volume to describe all its beauties and utility, there +are a great number of professors belonging to the establishment which is +divided into two sections, the one for sculpture and painting, the other +for architecture, both of which the pupils are taught, and when they +excel, receive annual prizes. The present building was erected upon the +garden of the Convent of the Petits Augustins, but there are still some +remains of antiquity, which are rather strangely intermingled with the +modern erection, as the front of a château at Gaillon built in 1,500 and +transported here by M. Lenoir, who collected together on this spot +relicks of the middle ages, which are now again dispersed to the great +regret of every resident or visiter in Paris. There is also the portal +of the Château-d'Anet built by Henri II for Diana of Poitiers, with many +other objects extremely curious; amongst the rest a large stone basin +from the Abbey of St. Denis, 12 feet in diameter, ornamented with +grotesque heads, said to be a single piece of stone, some letters upon +it prove that it must be of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span> 13th century, and many other fragments +over which the antiquary likes to pore. Here every aid is given to the +young artist, that can facilitate his progress in his art, and he who is +adjudged to have painted the best piece upon a subject given, is sent to +Rome to study three years, at the expense of the government. The visiter +will here find paintings, sculpture, models, and in fact, every thing +connected with the fine arts. He must also visit the ancient chapel of +the convent, containing a most beautiful screen of stone and marble, and +on the walls are some very good paintings: Mr. Ingres, perhaps the most +celebrated draftsman now existing, made a present to this institution of +fifty pictures, copies he had executed at his expense in the Vatican, +from Raphael. Foreigners must apply with their passports for admission +at the office to the right on entering.</p> + +<p>We return on the Quay and remark the Pont du Carousel, an iron bridge of +three arches of an elegant construction, it was built by a company, who +have laid a toll both on foot and carriage passengers. No. 1, Rue de +Beaune, on the same quay, is the hôtel where Voltaire resided, and died +in 1788. His nephew, M. de Villette, and afterwards Madame de +Montmorenci, kept his apartments closed for forty-seven years. We must +now ascend the Rue des Saints Pères, and in passing by, notice the +Hôpital de la Charité, at the corner of the Rue Jacob, which has such a +dismal appearance outside, that it almost makes one ill to look at it; +indeed, to pass it often,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span> one would soon be in a fit state to become +one of its inmates; it was founded by Marie de Medicis, as a religious +community, called Brothers of Charity, who were all surgeons and +apothecaries, administering relief both for body and soul; it contains +426 beds. Besides those belonging to the medical and chemical school +attached to it, there are several gardens in which the patients are +allowed to walk; the same diseases are here treated as at the Hôtel +Dieu, de la Pitié, etc. Turning to the right into the Rue St. Dominique, +at the end of the second street on the north we shall see the church of +St. Thomas d'Aquin; it was formerly a convent of Jacobins, founded by +Cardinal Richelieu. The present front was built in 1787, by Brother +Claude, one of the monks; it has two ranges of columns, doric and ionic, +surmounted by a pediment with a bas-relief representing Religion, +terminating with a cross. The interior is decorated with corinthian +pilasters, the effect is altogether fine, the high altar is of white +marble, and some of the pictures are extremely good; the nobility attend +much at this church, and it is rather famed for its preachers. The Musée +d'Artillerie is adjoining, and contains the armour worn from the +earliest ages, as also the weapons which have been used, and those of +different countries. Here will be found the armour of many heroes famed +in the annals of chivalry, as Bayard, Dunois, Duguesclin, etc., and an +equestrian figure of Francis I. There is also the helmet of Attila, who +was slain by Clovis, in 453; another, on which are<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span> some verses from the +Koran, of Abderama, killed by Charles Martel. The dagger with which +Ravillac assassinated Henri IV, having a black crape round it. There +are, besides, models of all kinds of machines connected with war; the +armour of Joan of Arc will be regarded with interest, as also of many +others whose names have been celebrated in history; a catalogue +descriptive of every object is to be had at the door for one franc. +There is a military library attached to the establishment, with naval +charts, etc. Strangers are admitted on Thursdays and Saturdays, from +twelve till four, with their passports.</p> + +<p>A few steps take us into the Rue du Bac, which we will ascend to the Rue +de Grenelle, and observe one of the finest fountains in Paris, erected +after the designs of Bouchardon, in the reign of Louis XV, began 1739 +and finished in 1745; it is most richly adorned by statues and +allegorical subjects. At No. 120, Rue du Bac, is the church of St. +Francois Xavier, or of Foreign Missionaries, it was built in 1683, +consisting of two parts, one on the ground floor, and the other above, +the lower is perfectly plain, the upper is of the ionic order; there are +some good paintings of the French school of the period. Behind is the +seminary for the instruction of young men intended as missionaries in +the requisite sciences and languages. The worthy Abbé Edgeworth, the +attendant of Louis XVI in his last moments, was one of the members of +this institution.</p> + +<p>Just by in the Rue de Babylone is a barrack for in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span>fantry, famed for the +attack and defence carried on in the Revolution of the three days. In +the rue Vanneau is a recently built house, a complete type of the style +of Francis I. In the Rue de Varennes are several grand hôtels of the +nobility of France, with their family names inscribed over the immense +gateways; it is in fact one of the most interesting streets in Paris; +amongst others, at No. 23, is the hôtel of the late Duchess de Bourbon, +now belonging to Mme Adélaïde d'Orléans. No. 35, is the hôtel d'Orsay, +recently restored and embellished, and several others of the same +description. At the north-west corner of the street stands the hôtel de +Biron, now converted into the celebrated convent and seminary of the +Sacré Cœur (Sacred Heart), where so many daughters of the French, +English and Irish catholic nobility have been brought up. No. 16, the +offices of the Minister of Commerce, and No. 10, Rue Hillerin-Bertin, is +the École royale des Ponts-et-Chaussées, established in 1747. The +pupils, who are all taken from the Polytechnique, are instructed in +every thing connected with the projection and construction of bridges, +canals, ports and public works. Their collection of plans, maps, and +models relative to these operations is very rich. But a few paces +southward bring us facing the ancient convent of Panthémont, now used as +a barrack for cavalry, forming the corner of the Rue de Belle-Chasse and +that of the Rue de Grenelle; the chapel, which has a dome, is an +interesting architectural object.</p> + +<p>This is one of the aristocratic streets of Paris, where<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span> the most +ancient families of France have their town residences; the Rue St. +Dominique is of the same description, and many others in this +neighbourhood, but in too many cases immense gateways and high walls are +all that are to be seen in the streets, as the hotels are situated +behind them at the end of large court-yards, similar to several houses +in Piccadilly the most of which are now pulled down: on the west side of +Cavendish square one is still standing (I believe Lord Harcourt's), and +several others in different parts of the west end of the town. The most +conspicuous hotels in the Rue St. Dominique, are those of the Duke de +Lynes, No. 33, the hotel of the late Duchess Dowager of Orléans, No. 58, +formerly inhabited by Cambacérès. The Hôtel de Grammont, No. 103, and +the Hôtel de Périgord, No. 105. At 82 and 86, are the residence and +offices of the Minister of War, where there is a very valuable library, +with a most interesting collection of plans, maps, and drawings. We will +now return to the Rue du Bac, and at No. 132, we shall notice the Hôtel +Châtillon, now occupied by the sisters of St. Vincent de Paule, better +known as the Sisters of Charity.</p> + +<p>At the top of the street we find the Rue de Sèvres, and turning to the +left we shall view, at the corner of the Rue de la Chaise, the old +Hospital entitled Hospices des Ménages; it was built in 1554 on the site +of an old establishment for afflicted children, and is now appropriated +to the reception of the aged, whether married couples or single; there +are 264 beds, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span> an extensive garden attached to the establishment. +Strangers may visit this hospital every day, and will find the detail of +the regulations very interesting. A few yards eastward bring us to the +Abbaye-aux-Bois, so called when it was founded in 1202 from being in the +midst of the woods; this church possesses a few good pictures, amongst +which are a Virgin and dead Christ, by Lebrun, and a portrait of Mlle de +la Vallière. Opposite is the Maison du Noviciat des Religieuses +Hospitalières de St. Thomas de Villeneuve. Still continuing in the Rue +de Sèvres, at No. 54, is the hospital for women who are incurable; it +was founded in 1634 by Cardinal de la Rochefoucault, which is indicated +by an inscription over the door; it contains 600 beds. There is a large +chapel attached, in which there are some pictures, and one bearing the +date of 1404 with a handsome monument of the founder.</p> + +<p>The Egyptian fountain in this street is well worth attention, it was +built in 1806, and is a very handsome monument. At No. 104, corner of +the Boulevards, is the convent of the Dames de St. Thomas de Villeneuve, +with a very pretty little gothic chapel. At No. 95 is that of the +Lazarists, with a small chapel fronting the street. At the corner of the +Boulevard on the north side are new buildings, erected for the reception +of the juvenile blind. No. 149 is the Hôpital des Enfants malades; it is +wholly appropriated to the reception of sick children, who are admitted +from 2 to 15 years of age; it contains 500 beds, which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span> number is to be +considerably increased. Next door is an hospital founded by Madame +Necker in a building which formerly was a convent of Benedictine nuns; +it is for the reception of the sick in general, and contains 300 beds; +the chapel attached has two fine statues of Aaron and Melchizedek, in +marble, discovered in digging the foundations of a house; a short +distance farther on, is an Artesian well, which after many long, +expensive, and most laborious attempts, at last emits water from the +enormous depth of nearly 1800 feet; it rises to the height of 65 feet, +and falls into the respective conduits destined to receive it. It is +situated at the entrance of the Abattoir de Grenelle which is one of the +extensive slaughter-houses at the outskirts of Paris, all of which are +justly celebrated for the regularity of the buildings, the order with +which every thing is conducted, and the great convenience of their being +situated where they cannot be any source of annoyance to the inhabitants +of the interior of the capital.</p> + +<p>The École Militaire stands at the end of an avenue of trees, just before +us; it was founded by Louis XV, in 1751, for educating gratuitously 500 +young gentlemen, the sons of poor nobility, but it is now converted into +barracks for 4,000 men, either cavalry, artillery, or infantry. One +front, looking to the Champ de Mars, is adorned with ten corinthian +pillars, sustaining a pediment decorated with bas-reliefs, whilst a +quadrangular dome, rises from behind, with figures of Time and +Astronomy; there are besides in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span> other parts of the edifice, rows of +tuscan, doric, and ionic pillars, the buildings surround two spacious +court-yards; on the first floor is the Salle de Conseil, embellished +with pictures and military emblems. The chapel attached to the +establishment is most splendid, the roof is supported by thirty fluted +corinthian columns: the entrance to the École Militaire is by the Place +de Fontenoy.</p> + +<p>The Champ-de-Mars is a most extensive oblong piece of ground, in which +has been celebrated many extraordinary epochs in the history of France; +the sloping embankments on each side were formed by the people of Paris; +as many as 60,000 persons of both sexes kept working at them until they +were finished, when the fête de la Fédération took place on the 14th +July, 1790. It was also the scene of several other public +demonstrations, and in 1837, on the 14th of June, during the rejoicings +for the celebration of the marriage of the Duke of Orléans, 24 persons +lost their lives by being either suffocated or trodden to death in +passing through the gates. The Paris races are held here in May and +September, as also the military reviews, inspections, manœuvres, etc. +Proceeding by an avenue from the north-cast corner of the Champ-de-Mars +we arrive at the Hôtel des Invalides, which is certainly the grandest +monument that exists of the reign of Louis XIV. It is a most delightful +asylum for crippled or worn-out old soldiers, it was built after the +designs of Bruant, begun in 1671, and completed in 1700. The façade +towards the Seine, though<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span> heavy, is grand and imposing, adorned by the +statue of Louis the XIV, and colossal figures of Mars, Minerva, Justice +and Prudence, in bas-relief, and at the sides by emblematical +representations of the four nations conquered by the founder.</p> + +<p>The first court has the most pleasing appearance, the arcades render it +light and elegant, and although ornamented with figures, arms, horses, +and trophies, they are not exuberant, and its simplicity is not +deteriorated. The church is a most magnificent structure, presenting an +extraordinary mixture of military and religious decorations. The dome, +which has an effect truly noble, is adorned by paintings of the twelve +Apostles by Jouvenet, surmounted by a glory from the pencil of Lafosse, +with a beautiful tesselated pavement beneath; there are some other good +paintings, but many very bad. The gilding, although extremely gorgeous, +harmonises well with the varied colouring which prevails throughout this +beautiful edifice, and has not a gaudy appearance. There are monuments +of several of the governors of the hospital; numbers of portraits, and +banners taken from different countries, which amounted to as many as +3,000, but on the evening prior to the allies entering Paris, Joseph +Bonaparte ordered them to be burnt. To give any thing like a +comprehensive idea of this wonderful building, would require many pages, +there is such an immense number of interesting objects, the description +of which would compel the omission of other matter equally important; +but, whether taken for its<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</a></span> exterior or its interior, it certainly is +one of the grandest monuments extant. The approaches to it are +particularly fine, being by long vistas of high trees, with a most noble +esplanade in front. A library belongs to the establishment which was +founded by Napoleon; it consists of 30,000 volumes, and his portrait by +Ingres is one of its valuable ornaments. It is gratifying to see so many +of the Invalids constantly in the library, amusing themselves with +reading; it is a pleasing sight to be there at meal-time to witness the +cleanliness and comfort which prevails. Besides board and lodging, every +soldier receives 2 francs a month, and officers and non-commissioned +officers in proportion; 5,000 is the number the establishment can +contain.</p> + +<p>In quitting this extraordinary building, the visiter must notice the +Hôtel du Châtelet at the corner of the Rue de Grenelle, now occupied by +the Austrian ambassador, being a fine specimen of the days of Louis XIV. +We then pass into the Rue St. Dominique, and at No. 185 find the Hospice +Leprince, so called after the founder, erected in 1819; it contains 10 +beds for men and 10 for women; almost opposite is the church of St. +Pierre-du-Gros-Caillou, which was built in 1822, and is much admired for +its beautiful symmetry; the whole is consistently of the tuscan order. +Farther to the west is the military hospital founded by the Duke de +Biron for the French guards, containing 700 beds and erections for 500 +more are to be added shortly. Directly opposite is the Fountain of Mars +built in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</a></span> 1813, a monument very well worth the visiter's attention. +Continuing a few yards farther to the west, we enter the Avenue de la +Bourdonnaye, and turning to the right we come to the Atteliers de +Sculpture, consisting of two handsome buildings where sculptors employed +by government on public monuments may proceed with their operations; +stone-yards, sheds, a house for the director, and the whole arrangement +is most complete for the attainment of the object; visiters may obtain +tickets from the Director of public Monuments, Palais du Quai d'Orsay.</p> + +<p>The royal Manufactory of Tobacco, Snuff, and Cigars is at a short +distance eastward, No. 57, Quai d'Orsay, an extensive establishment for +the preparation of the articles, with a handsome modern house for the +offices, and residence for the director. The profits of this +establishment in 1839 to the government were 66,001,841 francs, upwards +of 2,500,000£. We will now proceed along the quai, and notice the +bridges; first the Pont de Iena, terminated in 1813, it is completely in +a horizontal line, and is certainly a perfect structure, uniting +elegance, beauty, and simplicity.</p> + +<p>The Pont des Invalides is a handsome suspension bridge for carriages as +well as foot passengers; a toll is paid in passing over it. Pursuing our +course eastward we arrive at the Palais Bourbon, and Chamber of +Deputies, which was erected by the dowager Duchess of Bourbon, in 1722, +begun by the Italian architect Girardini, and continued by Mansard. It +was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</a></span> afterwards much enlarged when possessed by the Prince de Condé, but +not completed when the Revolution of 1789 occurred. In 1795 it was +appropriated as the Chamber for the sittings of the Council of Five +Hundred, and next occupied by the Corps Legislatif. At the Restoration +in 1814 the Prince de Condé retook possession, but so arranged that the +portion which had been converted into a locality for the sittings of the +Legislative Assembly, and which had been partly rebuilt, should be +appropriated to the use of the Deputies, and finally was bought by +government for 5,500,000 francs. At the death of the Duke de Bourbon +this palace devolved upon the Duke d'Aumale, and is leased to the +Chamber of Deputies for the residence of the President, but will soon +become the property of the country by a negociation at present pending. +The entrance of the Palais Bourbon is by the Rue de l'Université, and +being approached by a long avenue of trees has the air of a country +seat; formerly the apartments were gorgeously furnished, now simple +beauty and utility alone prevail; there are a few good pictures, and one +room decorated with bucks' horns, and different emblems of the chase; +there is a large garden laid out in the English style. The grand front +of the portion styled the Chamber of Deputies is exactly opposite the +handsome bridge called the Pont de la Concorde, and is from thence seen +to the best advantage; it is a noble massive building with colossal +statues of Sully, Colbert, l'Hôpital, and d'Aguesseau, there are besides +several alle<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</a></span>gorical figures, and 12 noble corinthian columns, +supporting a fine bas-relief recently completed, approached by a flight +of 29 steps; for so much weight as there appears in this building, I +should say there was not sufficient height, and the breadth is immense, +still the effect is dignified and imposing.</p> + +<p>The Chamber itself is a semi-circular hall with 24 white marble ionic +columns and bronze capitals gilt. The president's chair and the tribune +form the centre of the axis of the semi-circle, from whence the seats +rise of the 459 deputies, in the shape of an amphitheatre. A spacious +double gallery capable of containing 700 persons surrounds the +semi-circular part of the Chamber, arranged with tribunes for the royal +family, the corps diplomatique, officers of state and the public. There +are a number of very fine statues, as well as some extremely clever +pictures by the first French artists, and there, is a library of 50,000 +volumes. Anyone with a passport may visit the Chamber, but for the +debates a letter post-paid must be addressed to M. le Questeur de la +Chambre des Députés, who will send a ticket of admission. A short +distance to the east is the Palace of the Legion of Honour, erected in +1786 after designs by Rousseau for the Prince de Salm, after whom it was +called. The entrance is by a triumphal arch, and a colonnade of the +ionic order with two pavillions. At the end of a court yard is the +principal front consisting of a fine portico, adorned with large +corinthian pillars. The side which fronts the Seine is particularly +light and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</a></span> graceful, having a circular projection adorned with columns +supporting a balustrade with six statues. When the Prince de Salm was +beheaded in 1793, the hôtel was put up to lottery, and won by a journey +man hairdresser, and in 1803 it was appropriated to its present object; +strangers are admitted without any difficulty.</p> + +<p>The Palais du Quai D'Orsay is almost adjoining, and although one of the +most magnificent, yet one of the most chaste edifices in Paris; it has +never received any decided name. It was begun under Napoleon, and then +remained dormant until 1830, and in the present reign has been finished +in the most perfect style. The grand front which faces the river +presents a long series of windows formed by arches beneath a tuscan +colonnade on the ground-floor; the one above is similar, except being of +the ionic order, surmounted by a sort of corinthian attic; the court is +surrounded by a double series of Italian arcades, there are four +staircases, placed at each corner, one styled the escalier d'honneur, is +absolutely splendid, both as regards the construction and the richness +of its ornaments. The chief entrance is in the Rue de Lille, and there +are side gateways into other streets. The ground-floor is appropriated +to the Council of State and the offices attached, the first floor to the +Cour des Comptes, and the third to the conservation of the Archives of +these two public bodies. This noble structure has cost upwards of twelve +million francs.</p> + +<p>We will now cast one glance at the Hôtel Praslin,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</a></span> which also has its +entrance in the Rue de Lille, No. 54; its terrace is perceptible from +the quay, it is one of the most extensive and grandest mansions of the +old nobility. The next building is a barrack for cavalry, which is +totally devoid of any ornament or beauty. We now arrive at the Pont +Royal, an old but substantial bridge, built by a Dominican friar in +1684. The river here was formerly crossed by a ferry (bac), which gave +the name to the Rue du Bac.</p> + +<p>I shall now advise that we take a boat and see how Paris looks from the +water, affording us a good view of the quays as we pass between them; we +also get an excellent sight of the Point Neuf already described, and +which has a very fine effect as we approach it. We next come to the Pont +au Change, formerly a wooden bridge; in 1141 Louis VII fixed the +residence of the money changers upon it, hence it derived its name; the +present structure was built in 1639. The Pont Notre Dame soon after +arrests the eye (vide page 87), it was begun 1499 and finished in 1507, +after the designs of Jean Joconde; on the western side is an engine +called Pompe du Pont Notre Dame, consisting of a square tower erected +upon piles, having a reservoir into which water is elevated, by +machinery impelled by the current of the water. We next pass under the +Pont d'Arcole, built in 1828; it is a suspension bridge, and there is a +toll upon it. The circumstances from which it derives its name are very +singular. A young man, in 1830, during the murderous conflict which here +took place between the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</a></span> royal guard and the people, rushed on the bridge +with a flag in his hand, heading the patriots, and was killed under the +archway in the middle; his name was Arcole, and the same trait of +courage was displayed by Napoleon on the bridge of Arcola; hence its +present designation.</p> + +<p>A little farther on we pass close to the house where it is pretended +lived Fulbert, uncle of Heloise; the outward part of the building does +not bear the impression of being as old as the period when Abelard +lived, as he was born in 1080, and died in 1142; the cellars, however, +have a very ancient appearance; visiters are admitted, on applying to +the owner of the dwelling, which is situated No. 1, Rue des Chantres, on +the north-eastern side of the Isle de Paris, not far from Notre Dame.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/img231.jpg" alt="Paris in the 19th Century." title="Paris in the 19th Century." /></div> +<h4>Paris in the 19<sup>th</sup> Century. Published by F. Sinnett, 15, +Grande rue Verte.</h4> + +<p>Resuming our course upon the water we come to the Pont Louis-Philippe, a +fine suspension bridge constructed in 1834, of iron wire, with two bold +arches of stone. The next bridge is called the Pont Marie, and was built +in 1641, but had two arches; and 22 houses, out of 50, which stood upon +it, were carried away by a flood in 1648. We now arrive at the Pont de +Damiette, another suspension bridge connecting the north and southern +quays of the Seine with the Ile Louviers, until very recently an immense +dépôt for fire wood, but now many handsome residences are being erected, +with which the whole of the little island will soon be covered. We shall +now land on the Quay des Célestins, and explore the north-east quarter +of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</a></span> <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</a></span>Paris, beginning with the Arsenal which contains a library of +200,000 printed volumes, and 6,000 manuscripts, amongst which are some +beautiful missals. Henri IV having appointed Sully grand-master of the +artillery, he resided in the buildings constructed on this spot +purposely for him, and they now show a bed-room and a cabinet in which +he used to receive his royal visiter; they are richly gilt according to +the style of that period, and may be seen with passport by applying to +the Director. Close to the Arsenal on the Quai des Célestins are the +remains of the once celebrated Convent of the Célestins, and of their +small church which after that of St. Denis contained more tombs of +illustrious individuals than any in Paris. It was particularly remarked +for the chapel d'Orléans, which enclosed the remains of the brother of +Charles VI and his descendants. The architecture is interesting as being +a specimen of the pointed style prevailing in Paris in the 14th century, +a part of the convent buildings are converted into cavalry barracks, and +the rest are in a state of dilapidation. Facing the Arsenal is the +Grenier de Reserve, on the Boulevard Bourdon, which is an immense +storehouse for corn, grain and flour requisite for the consumption of +Paris for four months.</p> + +<p>It was began by Napoleon in 1807, it is 2,160 feet in length and 64 in +breath. Every baker in Paris is obliged to have constantly deposited +here 20 full sacks of flour, and as many more as he pleases by paying a +trifle for warehouse room. Just a few steps northward<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</a></span> is the Government +Dépôt of powder and saltpetre.</p> + +<p>At a short distance in the Rue St. Antoine, No. 216, is the small church +of the Visitation built by Mansard in 1632, for the Sisters of the +Visitation. It has a dome supported by Corinthian pillars, and the +interior is richly ornamented with scroll work, wreaths of flowers, etc. +It is now appropriated to the protestant worship, and there is service +on Sundays, and festivals at half past 12. On the southern side of the +Boulevard St. Antoine is the Theatre St. Antoine, erected in 1836; the +performances are vaudevilles, little melodrama, and farces. The +admission is from 6d to 2s. 6d. It contains 1,226 places. The Place de +la Bastille is now before us, and still may be seen the desolate remains +of the great plaster cast of the enormous elephant, intended by Napoleon +to have been placed on this spot, which is now decorated with what is +called the Column of July. The capital is said to be the largest piece +of bronze ever cast, the height is 163 feet, and it is surmounted by an +orb on which is placed the figure of Liberty; and is ornamented with +lions, heads, cocks, children bearing garlands and other emblematical +objects, but the effect of the whole is not happy, there is a sort of +indescribable deficiency, although the cost was 1,200,000f., besides an +immense outlay, years before, for the foundation. The ceremony of its +inauguration took place on the 28th of July, 1840, when fifty coffins, +each containing twelve patriots, were placed in the vaults for them +underneath. Many persons descend to view<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</a></span> the arrangements where the +sarcophagi are stationed, which are 14 feet in length, and the trouble +is well repaid; as also for ascending to the summit of the monument, but +the staircase is not considered to be as solid and secure as could be +wished.</p> + +<p>At No. 38, Rue de Charenton, will be found the Hôpital Royal des Quinze +Vingts, devoted to the reception of the blind. This establishment was +originally founded by St. Louis, at the corner of the Rue St. Nicaise, +in the Rue St. Honoré, and ultimately removed to the present building. +There are as many as 300 families living in this Hospital, as the blind +are suffered to bring with them their wives and children, and encouraged +to marry, if single; there are besides 600 out-door pensioners. There is +a chapel attached to the institution, which was built in 1701, but +possesses no particular interest. At No. 128, Rue Faubourg St. Antoine, +is a building founded in 1660 by M. Aligre and his lady, for orphans, +but the children having been sent to another establishment, it is +intended to be formed into a Hospice for 400 old men. Just by, is the +Marché Beauveau, built in 1799,and is a sort of rag fair, well +appropriated to the neighbourhood in which it stands. At no 206, Rue +Faubourg St. Antoine, is the Hôpital St. Antoine, formerly the Abbey of +St. Antoine; the present building was erected in 1770, the number of +beds is 270, it is appropriated for the reception of the sick in +general, and may be visited by strangers upon any day. Some little +distance to the north, in the Rue St. Bernard,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</a></span> is the Church of St. +Marguerite, erected in 1625; it has no other attractions than that of +its pictures, which are numerous and some of them beautiful, and would +well repay the visiter for turning out of his way to view them, they are +principally of the old French school, but there are no records to state +how they ever came there. A few streets to the south-west, lead to the +Rue de Reuilly, where some barracks will be found in a large pile of +buildings, established by Colbert, for the Royal Glass Manufactory of +Mirrors (removed to 313, Rue St. Denis); a little further on, at the +south-eastern corner of the Rue Faubourg St. Antoine and that of Picpus, +is a great market for forage, and at No. 8 in the latter street, is the +Maison d'Enghien, founded by the mother of the unfortunate Duke of that +name, the Duchess of Bourbon, in 1819, and now supported by Madame +Adélaïde d'Orléans; it contains fifty beds, of which eighteen are for +women, and the utmost cleanliness and order prevail.</p> + +<p>At No. 18 is the Hôpital Militaire de Picpus. Somewhat farther on, at No. +16, was once a Convent of the Order of St. Augustin, now a +boarding-school, but the chapel still remains; attached to it is a +cemetery, where rest the remains of some of the noblest families of +France, as de Grammont, de Montaigu, de Noailles, and that purest and +most perfect of private and public characters, Lafayette, in a spot +hardly known, in a quiet corner, beneath a very simple tomb, beside his +wife, and in the midst of his relations. We shall now return westward, +and view the Barrière du<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</a></span> Trône, which is still unfinished, but +consisting of two noble lofty columns; very conspicuous from their +height, with a fine open circular space, on which festivals are +celebrated on public days, and plans are now pursuing for finishing and +embellishing this spot. A pleasant walk along the Boulevards will bring +us to the celebrated cemetery of Père-La-Chaise, on which there has been +so much written by tourists, poets, and even novelists; thus I fear all +I can state upon the subject will appear but tame, after such choice +spirits have favoured the public with their inspirations on so +interesting a retreat, I shall, therefore, only attempt to give a few +matter of fact indications.</p> + +<p>It consists of a large tract of ground on the slope of a hill, was +celebrated for the beauty of its situation in the fourteenth century, +and under Louis the XIV as the abode of Père-La-Chaise, having for 150 +years been the favourite country house of the Jesuits, and at present +the favourite burying place of the Parisians. In the 14th century a +house was erected on the spot by a rich grocer, named Regnault, and was +by the people named La Folie Regnault; after belonging to different +parties, it was purchased for 160,000 francs, for its present purpose. +Its extent is nearly 100 acres; all that trees, shrubs, plants, and +flowers can avail towards embellishing a spot, has been effected; the +sculptor's hand has also been contributed in a most eminent degree, and +fancy seems to have exhausted her caprices in conceptions of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</a></span> forms and +fashions with regard to the monuments here assembled, and some are as +highly picturesque as can be well imagined; others are grand and +imposing, whilst a few there are, whose simplicity render them the most +interesting, so much is there in association that perhaps none is more +touching than that of Abelard and Heloïse; it is formed of stones +gathered from the ruins of the Abbey of Paraclete, founded by Abelard, +of which Heloïse was the first abbess. Amongst the number of monuments +here assembled, there will be found those whose names have lived and +will live in history: marshals, admirals, generals, authors, travellers, +senators, and celebrated characters of all nations, in fact what with +the extreme beauty of the scene, the splendid view that expands before +one, and the tone of reflexions that are engendered by the many +affecting appeals there are to the heart, upon the different monuments, +I know of no spot that one can visit, calculated to excite deeper +impressions. We have imitated near London the same description of +cemetery, but they will be long before they can arrive at the same +beauty; it has been observed, that Père-La-Chaise is not kept in such +nice order as those in England, and the remark is just, but I am not +quite sure but that I prefer the degree of wildness which there is in +the former, and although it may not be so neat and trim as the latter, +yet on the whole there is infinitely more of the sublime, aided no doubt +from the extreme beauty of the position, and the greater number of +splendid mo<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</a></span>numents, than an infant establishment can be expected to +possess.</p> + +<p>On quitting this delightful spot, we must pass by the Prison de la +Roquette, destined for the reception of prisoners condemned to the +galleys or to death; the excellent system that is here followed with +regard to the airiness, cleanliness, and strict order, is such that it +is styled the model prison; 318 is the number of prisoners that it can +contain. Just opposite to it is the Prison pour les jeunes Détenus, or +for juvenile offenders, and is a most extraordinary establishment; its +exterior has the air of a baronial castle, and the interior is so +arranged that it might answer the purpose of an hospital, as well as +that of correction; it has circular turrets at the angles, and the +central building is isolated from the others, and only approachable by +iron bridges; the whole of the upper part of the building is a chapel, +so contrived, that when the prisoners enter it from the different +divisions, although they are all together, they can only see the +individuals composing their own section, and the pulpit and altar; the +prisoners are arranged in the different wings, according to their ages, +and the degree of morality; there are about 500, and the different +regulations are so meritorious, and the plan of the building so curious +and ingenious, that the stranger will derive much pleasure from visiting +this singular establishment. Just by, is the Abattoir de Popincourt, or +de Ménilmontant, which is considered to be the largest and finest of all +the five immense slaughter-<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</a></span>houses round Paris, and for those who are +curious of regarding such buildings, this should be the one they ought +to visit. At a few steps from the Abattoir, in the Rue Popincourt, is +the church of St. Ambroise, which was built for a convent of nuns called +the Annonciades in 1639; some tolerable pictures are the only +attractions it possesses for a stranger; a few doors from it is a large +barrack, and an ornamented Fountain. We must now descend the Rue du +Chemin-Vert, until we come to the Canal St. Martin, and just pause a +minute and notice its neat quays, and the good order in which its locks +are kept, and all arrangements connected with it, and then proceed to +the Boulevards: a short street, called Rue de la Mule, will take us into +the Place Royale, which stands upon the site of the celebrated Palais de +Tournelle, the court and offices of which extended to the Rue St. +Antoine, and over several of the neighbouring streets, but was pulled +down by order of Catherine de Medicis in 1565, on account of her husband +Henry II having been killed in one of the courts in a tournament.</p> + +<p>The Place Royale, as it now stands, was built in 1604, under Henri IV +(vide page 92), it is now inhabited by persons of small incomes who like +to have spacious and lofty apartments without incurring the expence of +such; in the more fashionable quarters, the arcades all round the +square, the fountains, the trees, and the handsome railing, give it a +very fine though curious appearance, and the houses have a most +venerable aspect. We will now leave the Place<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</a></span> Royale by the southern +gateway, and enter the Rue St. Antoine, and nearly opposite to No. 143, +is the Hôtel de Sully; being the work of the celebrated architect +Ducerceau, and the residence of the noble character whose name it bears. +It is well preserved, and its court is richly adorned with sculpture. At +No. 120, in the same street, is the Collége de Charlemagne, formerly a +college of the Jesuits, founded in 1582, the buildings are only +remarkable for their extent. The Passage Charlemagne, No. 102, leads +through the court of the Hôtel de Jassau, or d'Aguesseau, 22, Rue des +Prêtres St. Paul, said to be the site of a palace, and a turret of the +time of Francis I still remains at the corner of the court, as also some +ornaments and figures. At the corner of the Rue St. Paul, and the Rue +des Lions, is a small square turret of the time of Henri IV, and a +little eastward, part of the church of St. Paul embodied in the house, +No. 29, Rue St. Paul. By the side of the College of Charlemagne is the +church of St. Paul and St. Louis, it was began in 1627, and finished in +1641, and within it Cardinal Richelieu performed the first mass in the +presence of Louis XIII and his court. The noble front rising from a +flight of steps, is adorned with three ranges of corinthian and +composite columns, and the interior is decorated with ornaments even to +profusion; a fine dome with figures of the Evangelists and four kings of +France give it altogether a very handsome appearance. Opposite the +College of Charlemagne, is the Fontaine de Birague; consisting of a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</a></span> +pentagonal tower, with a dome and lantern. Above a pediment supported by +doric pilasters is an attic with a naiad. At the corner of the Rue +Culture Ste. Catherine, is the Hôtel de Carnavalet, where resided Madame +de Sévigné and her daughter, a fine mansion of the 16th century, having +been erected in 1544; most of the sculpture is from the chisel of the +celebrated Jean Goujon, and is of a most interesting description; the +cabinet in which the letters of that highly gifted woman were written is +still shown, also a marble table upon which she and her daughter used to +dine under the sycamores in the garden, two of which remain. M. Viardot +occupies this Hôtel, and with pleasure shows it to strangers; he keeps +an academy and has written a history of the edifice, which may be had of +the porter. It was at the corner of this street that the Constable de +Clisson was assailed and severely wounded by 20 ruffians, headed by +Pierre de Graon, Chamberlain of the Duke of Orleans, who was murdered by +the Duke of Burgundy.</p> + +<p>In the Rue du Roi de Sicile is the prison of La Force, containing 700 +prisoners, and excellent regulations, but another, in a more retired +part of Paris, is soon to be constructed. This building was formerly the +Hôtel of the Duc de la Force, hence the origin of its name. In the Rue +Pavée, which is on one side of the prison, will be found, at No. 3, the +Hôtel de la Houze, and in the same street stood the Hôtels de Gaucher, +de Châtillon, and d'Herbouville, or de Savoisi. We will now go a little +out of our way<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</a></span> to see the fine long and broad street of St. Louis, +which we shall soon reach by keeping straight on along the Rue Payenne, +and then turning to the east by the Rue Parc Royal, shall proceed to one +of the ornaments of the Rue St. Louis, the Church of St. Denis du +Sacrement; it is quite modern, but is conceived according to good taste; +the order is ionic, which is consistently preserved both throughout the +exterior and the interior, much chasteness of design, in fact has been +observed in the construction of this simple but elegant edifice. The +Fountain of St. Louis is worthy of attention <i>en passant</i>. Formerly this +street was filled with nobility, as even so late as the beginning of the +reign of Louis XV it was rather a fashionable quarter, at present it is +the cheapest in Paris.</p> + +<p>We must now retrace our steps, which will bring us to the Rue Francs +Bourgeois; No. 25 is an hôtel of the time of Henri IV, No. 7, Hôtel de +Jeanne d'Abret, of Louis XV's days, and No. 12, the former residence of +the Dukes de Roquelaure, and at the corner will be observed a little +turret belonging to a house, one side of which is in the Vieille Rue du +Temple; there is some curious work upon it, and it is supposed to have +been standing at the time the Duke of Orleans was murdered by order of +the Duke of Burgundy, which was just about this spot, in 1407. At No. 51, +Rue Franc Bourgeois, is the Hôtel de Hollande, so called from its having +belonged to the Dutch Ambassador, in the reign of Louis XIV; amongst the +sculp<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</a></span>ture is perceived the date of 1660; this handsome hôtel was once +the residence of Beaumarchais. At the corner of the Rue Pavée is the +Hôtel de Lamoignon, one of the handsomest mansions of the ancient +nobility. It is of the sixteenth century, some of the carved work is +most curious, and merits attentive examination; a picturesque turret and +balcony must excite the attention of every observer. A few steps further +is the large central establishment of the Mont de Pieté, No. 18, Rue des +Blancs Manteaux, lending money on pledges, much the same as our +pawnbrokers, only on more advantageous terms for the borrowers. In the +same street is Notre Dame des Blancs Manteaux, once the chapel of a +religious house, so called from their dress consisting of white +garments; there was formerly a monastery here, of which there may be +discovered some remains to the east, and evidently in the left wing of a +house at No. 25; the chapel remaining has a plain exterior, but the +corinthian style of the interior is handsome, and worth attention; there +is also a very admired picture of the Burial of St. Petronilla, which is +eighteen feet by eight, it is of the school of Guercini, but it is not +known by what means it came to be placed in this church. Facing this +street is the Market des Blancs Manteaux.</p> + +<p>At the corner of the Rue Vieille du Temple, and that of the Rue de +Quatre Fils, is the Palais Cardinal, now the Imprimerie Royale; it was +erected in 1712, and is named after its owner, the Cardinal de Rohan, +whose intriguing spirit so much involved Marie An<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</a></span>toinette; in this +hôtel the scenes occurred concerning that extraordinary affair; the +front of the building is quite plain, towards the garden it is +ornamented by columns, and as a mansion, is one of the largest in Paris. +It is now occupied as the Royal Printing Establishment, and it is +impossible to surpass the order and regularity with which it is +conducted; 750 men, women, and children, are employed in it. It is +considered to possess the richest collection in the world of matrices +and fonts of types, having them in every written language, and when Pope +Pius VII visited the establishment, he was presented the Lord's Prayer +in 150 languages. A library with specimens of typography, executed on +the premises, is an object of the highest gratification to every +visiter, even if they be not connaisseurs in the art. For admission to +this establishment, application must be made a few days beforehand to M. +le Directeur de l'Imprimerie Royale, who appoints a fixed hour on +Thursdays. Almost facing one part of the Imprimerie Royale, in the Rue +d'Orléans, is the Church of St. François d'Assise. Neither the exterior +nor the interior possess any striking beauty; it was founded and erected +in 1623. It contains some very good paintings, and the kneeling figure +of the saint of the church in his monastic dress; the hands and head are +of white marble, and it is supposed to be Egyptian; one of St. Denis is +opposite to it.</p> + +<p>Adjoining to the Imprimerie Royale, is the Hôtel des Archives du +Royaume, which is entered by the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</a></span> Rue du Chaume, No. 12. It was formerly +a palace of the Prince de Soubise and the family of the Rohans. The +south and western part of the edifice is of the 15th century, the turret +is probably what belonged to the gatehouse. The decorations of the +apartments are extremely rich with gilt cornices and paintings, some of +them possessing great merit. In the <i>petits appartements</i> is a boudoir +which belonged to the Duchess de Guise, with a window looking into the +Rue du Chaume, from whence it is asserted that her lover precipitated +himself at the approach of the Duke. A new building has been added, the +first stone having been laid in 1838, which has cost a million of +francs. Under Napoleon the whole edifice was appropriated to the +preservation of the national archives. Amongst them are documents of +diplomas granted to different monastic institutions, by Childebert, +Dagobert, Clothaire and Clovis II. The collections of the different +acts, deeds, charters, administrative, domanial, historical, judicial, +legislative, etc., fill 60,000 portfolios. There is besides a library of +14,000 volumes, amongst which are the <i>Records Commission</i> of England, +presented by the British Government. There are also in an iron chest, +the golden bulls and papal decrees, most of the keys of the Bastille, +the wills of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI, with his journal, autograph +letters of Napoleon, one written by him to Louis XVIII, with a variety +of other most interesting objects. For admission apply (post paid) to M. +le Garde General des Archives du Royaume, No. 12, Rue du Chaume.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</a></span></p> + +<p>The Fontaine de la Naiade in the same street, has a clever bas-relief by +Mignot. By the Rue des Vieilles-Haudriettes we pass into the Rue +Ste-Avoye; No. 63 is worth notice, several of the houses here having +been the hôtels of nobility. No. 57 is the Hôtel St. Aignan, built by Le +Muet; on its site stood the Hôtel de Montmorency, it is an extensive +noble building, but has been spoiled by having had two stories added. +Henry II often resided in it when it was called Hôtel de Montmorency.</p> + +<p>Taking the Rue Ste. Croix de la Bretonnerie, we shall find that the +first turning in it is the Rue des Billettes, where stand the Lutheran +Church; it was built in 1745, and belonged to the Carmelite Friars. In +1808, it was bought by the city of Paris, and given about four years +after to the Protestants of the Augsburgh confession. It is a plain neat +building. The Duchess of Orléans attends service here when in Paris, +which is in German at 2 and in French at 12. From hence we cross the Rue +de la Verrerie, and proceeding by the Rue des Mauvais Garçons, we arrive +at the Church St. Gervais; an inscription under the first arch of the +northern aisle of the choir, states the church to have been dedicated in +1420, although other parts of the building would indicate a more recent +construction, but with all its incongruities, from its having been built +at various periods, it excites a deep interest; the light gleaming +through the painted glass gives a rich though rather sombre effect, the +windows behind the altar have a most imposing appearance.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</a></span> The western +front was began in 1616, Louis the XIII laying the first stone, and is +not equal to other parts of the building; some of the chapels of this +church are particularly fine. Amongst the pictures, of which there are +many very good, is one by Albert Durer, with the date upon it of 1500. +Scarron, the husband of Mme. de Maintenon, lies buried here, as also the +celebrated painter Philippe de Champagne, and one of his performances is +amongst the pictures which decorate the church, being that of Jesus with +Martha and Mary in the chapel of Ste. Geneviève; there are several other +objects in this noble edifice so interesting, that no person who visits +Paris should omit seeing it. We may now take the Rue de la Tixéranderie +where at the corner of the Rue du Coq is a house and turret of the 15th +and 16th century, most probably the former, according to the statements +of M. Dulaure.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/img248.jpg" alt="The Hotel de Ville." title="The Hotel de Ville." /></div> +<h4>The Hôtel de Ville. +Published by F. Sinnett, 15. Grande rue Verte.</h4> + +<p>We now arrive at the Hôtel-de-Ville, Place de Grève; the first stone of +this interesting and venerable pile was laid in 1533, but was not +completely finished until 1606, in the reign of Henry IV. The style of +architecture is that which the French call La Renaissance des Arts, it +is rich, rather heavy, and has an antique appearance; it is exactly +according to the taste which prevailed in the 16th century, and was +brought into vogue by Italian architects. There is a great deal of +ornament about the building, and a profusion of statues, still they +appear consistent with the style of the building, and have not the +effect of redundancy. Over the doorway is a bronze equestrian statue of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</a></span> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</a></span>Henry IV. Along the principal front is a flight of steps, and an arcade +and portico with ionic columns, between the arches facing the entrance +is a fine bronze statue of Louis XIV. The Grande Salle or Salle du Trône +is a most splendid apartment, and has been the scene of many most +important events, being the room where Robespierre held his council and +in which he attempted to destroy himself, and from which Louis XVI +addressed the people with the cap of liberty upon his head. Most +extensive additions and alterations have recently been effected, the +original façade having been doubled in length and the whole body of the +building nearly quadrupled, forming an immense quadrangle, preserving +the same style of architecture as the original. The expense of these +additions and improvements is estimated at four millions of francs, and +they have been effected with a rapidity that is quite surprising, +notwithstanding the number of public buildings in progress at the same +time in Paris. The multitude of apartments, the richness of their +decorations, and tasteful manner with which they are arranged, are only +to be equalled by the careful attention which has been devoted to their +distribution with regard to convenience and comfort. As Louis-Philippe +justly observed when he recently inspected the exterior of the whole +building, that it should no longer be called the Hôtel-de-Ville, but for +the future the City Palace, as the splendour within it is not exceeded +in any of the other palaces in Paris. The library belonging to this +establishment consists<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</a></span> of 55,000 volumes, and is very rich in +manuscripts.</p> + +<p>The Place de Grève has been the scene of more sanguinary tragedies than +perhaps any spot of the same extent in Europe, and could the stones but +speak, each could tell a tale of blood. In the north-west corner is +still to be seen a relic of the middle ages, in a curious turret +attached to one of the houses. Taking the Rue Poterie, we shall get into +the Rue de la Verrerie, and proceeding westward will bring us to the +church St. Merri, but to view it properly must enter the Rue St. Martin, +and stand facing it, and well examine its curious and beautiful +sculpture (vide page 88), presenting all the minute and singular +characteristics of the period of its construction (1520); the carve-work +is quite like lace, so minutely elaborate. The interior possesses +several interesting objects in architecture, and some inconsistencies, +the pulpit is extremely curious, and its effect is very striking. There +are also some pictures above mediocrity, principally by French artists +of the past school. The tower of this church is famed from the desperate +resistance which was made from it by a few young men in 1832 against the +king's troops.</p> + +<p>We must follow the course of the Rue St. Martin, and observe No. 151, a +fine hôtel of the time of Louis XIV, with a front adorned by ionic +pilasters, and handsome entrance: a few paces farther on the opposite +side, is the church of St. Nicolas-des-Champs, the west front was +erected in 1420, as it now stands, and in 1576, the choir and chapels +behind were con<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</a></span>structed, and the tower probably at that period or +since. A church has existed on the same spot ever since 1119, then +standing as the name indicates in the fields, but it is doubtful whether +any part of the old fabric remains. There is something fine and imposing +in the interior, with regard to its general effect, although there is +not any thing particularly remarkable in its architecture; the pictures +it contains form its most striking feature, some of which are very good; +many celebrated persons lie buried here, and amongst the rest +Mademoiselle Scuderi.</p> + +<p>A few steps to the north is the Conservatoire des Arts et Métiers. This +edifice was formerly the ancient abbey of St. Martin-des-Champs, the +chapel and refectory of which were built about the year 1240, and are +still standing, the latter is in excellent preservation, and is one of +the most curious and perfect specimens of the architecture of the period +at which it was built; at the eastern end of the chapel are the remains +of a building still more ancient, which is plain, and has not any thing +striking in its appearance. In this establishment is to be found every +description of machinery, and in fact all that ever can be imagined +relative to the promotion of industry; scarcely any invention has been +made public, of which there is not a model to be found in this curious +museum, with specimens of all the various mechanical contrivances which +Europe possesses. The celebrated Vaucanson, who was one of the greatest +contributors to this institution, having quarrelled with the people of +Lyons,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</a></span> vowed he would teach an ass to do what they did, and he +absolutely invented machinery of such a description that it could be +worked by that humble animal, and a piece of drugget with flowers is +shown, which was produced by the united ingenuity of M. Vaucanson and +the patient labour of the ass. Models of potteries, breweries, +smelting-houses, steam engines, railways, etc. are amongst the number of +interesting objects, and the names of our countrymen appear prominent, +as Watt, Maudsley, Barker, Atkins, etc., who have benefited the world by +their inventions. On ascending a very handsome staircase, the visiter +finds a range of apartments, with a wonderful collection of models of +pulpits (which in France are generally most ornamental objects), mills, +turning machines, engineering and surveying instruments, with an immense +number of others far too many to recapitulate, and an assortment of +coloured papers stamped, and some exquisitely cut out; fans of mother of +pearl of most elaborate workmanship, with other objects equally +ingenious and beautiful. This venerable abbey appears to advantage from +the garden, as a plain substantial old fashioned building, part of which +is used as the Mairie of the 6th Arrondissement, and lecture rooms for +the professors of the institution.</p> + +<p>A short distance from it, is the Fontaine St. Martin, which is erected +against a tower formerly belonging to the old abbey with which it was +connected by a wall with a series of towers, but there is now no<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[Pg 250]</a></span> other +remaining. Close by, is the market St. Martin, with 400 stalls, formerly +the abbey gardens; there is a handsome fountain in the middle, of +bronze, with three allegorical figures of the genii of hunting, fishing, +and agriculture, there are also smaller fountains, and at the back of +the market a little promenade planted with trees. From hence we pass +eastward by the Rue Royale, and turning to the left, we shall see the +Rue des Fontaines, in which we shall find the Maison d'Arrêt des +Madelonnettes, formerly belonging to nuns called the Filles de la +Madeleine, now appropriated to the temporary detention of 500 men and +boys. A few steps farther, and the Temple appears before us in the Rue +du Temple, now a nunnery occupied by the Dames Benedictines de +l'Adoration perpetuelle du St. Sacrement. It formerly belonged to the +society of Knights Templars, and afterwards to those of Malta; the +palace of the grand prior is all that now remains of the ancient +building, which was erected by Jacques de Souvré in 1566. The front has +a portico formed of doric colums, and on each side a fountain with a +colossal statue (by Pujol), upon a pedestal. The front towards the court +is adorned with eight coupled ionic columns, and above are figures of +Justice, Prudence, Hope and Abundance. A new chapel was built in 1823, +which belongs to the convent, it is of the ionic order throughout, and +though not particularly striking, is not inelegant, and remarkably neat; +it may be seen on application at the porter's lodge, but from the +nunnery strangers are<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[Pg 251]</a></span> most rigidly excluded. There was a tower +belonging to this building, where the unfortunate Louis XVI was +confined, as also Sir Sydney Smith and Toussaint-Louverture, but it was +demolished in 1805. Behind the Temple is an immense space of ground +called the Marché du Vieux Linge, containing 1888 shops or stalls, where +old clothes, linen, shoes, tools, hats, old iron, and a variety of other +articles are sold at low prices, and behind is an oval-formed arcaded +building, with shops erected on the site of the ancient Temple and its +dependencies.</p> + +<p>The Fontaine Vendôme, named after the Chevalier de Vendôme, grand prior +of France, was attached to the old wall of the Temple, it has a cupola +and a military trophy. At No. 107, Rue du Temple, is the church of Ste. +Élisabeth (vide page 96), which has had so many modern repairs and +additions, that there is not much left of the first construction, but +except the front it has little in it to attract notice; there are a few +pictures and some painted windows by an Englishman named White. In +proceeding northward to the Boulevards, we will just take a look at the +Rue Vendôme, as it is full of hôtels, amongst which are some of the +finest in Paris; on reaching the Boulevard du Temple, No. 50 may be +remarked, it is always pointed out to strangers as the house from whence +Fieschi discharged in 1835 his infernal machine (which is now to be seen +at Madame Tussaud's exhibition in Baker Street, London). By the means of +that diabolical affair, Marshal Mortier, Colonel Rieussec, and many +others, were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[Pg 252]</a></span> killed and wounded, but the King, at whom it was aimed, +fortunately escaped. We shall now proceed by the Rue du Faubourg du +Temple; at No. 68 is a large barrack which has been formed for infantry, +but is a few steps out of the way, and hardly worth looking after, in an +architectural point of view. I should therefore advise turning to the +left, by the northern bank of the Canal St. Martin, and observing the +Grand Entrepôt des Sels, from whence annually 9,000,000 lbs. of salt are +distributed for the consumption of Paris. Opposite, on the southern +bank, is the Entrepôt de la Compagnie des Douanes, which was built in +1834 by a joint stock company, for receiving goods in bond, consisting +of a spacious area in which stand two large warehouses 250 feet in +length, with a court covered in between for stowage, besides a number of +sheds. They are constructed on a most solid plan, being built of stone +with brick arches, and the wood-work of oak enclosing pillars of iron. +It is altogether on a most extensive and commodious plan, with such +regulations as have rendered it highly serviceable to the purposes of +commerce. Adjoining are the warehouses of the Custom House, called the +Douanes de Paris, the entrance is in the Rue Neuve Sanson, the house of +the Director is attached, and particularly neat; the whole of the +buildings, although constructed upon a solid principle, are light and +handsome.</p> + +<p>The first turning to the right, brings us to the Rue de l'Hôpital, in +which is the hospital of St. Louis, a most noble establishment founded +by Henry IV, in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[Pg 253]</a></span> 1607. It contains 800 beds, and is justly celebrated +for its excellent medicated and mineral baths. There is a chapel +attached to it, of which the first stone was laid by Henry IV. It was +called after St. Louis, from having been originally devoted to persons +infected with the plague, he having died of that disease at Turin in +1270. At present it is appropriated to such as are afflicted with +cutaneous complaints. As we cross the canal, we must notice the charcoal +market, close to which is the Hospital of Incurables, for men, No. 34, +Rue des Récollets, established in 1802 in the ancient convent of the +Récollets. The number of men admitted is 400, male children 70. Those +boys Who are capable, are encouraged to learn different trades, and at +20 years of age are sent to the Bicêtre. Strangers are admitted every +day except Sundays and festivals. The church of St. Laurent is facing, +in the Place de la Fidélité and Rue du Faubourg St. Martin; it was first +built in 1429, enlarged in 1543, and in part rebuilt in 1595, and the +porch and perhaps the lady chapel, added in 1622. A gridiron is the only +object which attracts notice on the exterior, and the interior offers +little more; the key stones of the vaulting ribs are deep pendent masses +of stone, carved into groups of figures, fruit, etc., and in the +vaulting there is some bold sculpture displayed in the northern aisle of +the choir, which is the most ancient part of the church. The Foire of +St. Laurent merits being visited, it is a market which has been built by +a company for the supply of this part of the capital. The<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[Pg 254]</a></span> design is +elegant, consisting of a parallelogram of two stories, with covered +galleries and a fountain in the middle of the court. The whole is +covered in by lateral windows, and a roof of glass. The street St. +Laurent conducts immediately to the Maison Royale de Santé, No. 112, Rue +Faubourg St. Denis, an institution in which invalids are received; +persons who cannot afford the means of sustaining an expensive illness +are admitted on paying from 3 to 6 francs a day, advice, medicine, +board, and if required, surgical operations included. It contains 175 +beds, the utmost attention is paid to the comforts of the patients.</p> + +<p>Opposite, at No. 117, is St. Lazare, formerly the ancient Convent of the +Lazarists, or Priests of the Mission, now a prison for female offenders. +It was once a place of much importance, the remains of the kings and +queens of France were carried to the convent of St. Lazare, prior to +being conveyed to St. Denis, the coffin being placed between the two +gates of the building on a tomb of state, with all the prelates of the +kingdom surrounding it, chanting the service of the dead, and sprinkling +it with holy water. It is now appropriated to the imprisonment of +misguided women, and every encouragement is afforded them to amend, for +which purpose they are allowed two-thirds of their earnings, and a +variety of occupations are constantly going on. Children, under sixteen +years of age, are kept by themselves; in all there are mostly from 900 +to 1000 persons confined in St. Lazare, but the order, cleanliness and +apparent comfort is such<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[Pg 255]</a></span> as to give an air of happiness to the whole +establishment, and for the humane, it is one of the most gratifying +sights in Paris. Attached to this institution is the general bakehouse, +laundry, and linen depôt for all the prisons. A chapel is in the midst +of the building, and the women attend service every Sunday. We will now +return to the Boulevards, and taking the Rue de la Lune, we shall there +find the church of Notre Dame de Bonne Nouvelle: the old building was +destroyed during the wars of the League, in 1593, but was rebuilt in +1624; of this second construction the tower alone is still standing, the +body of the present church having been erected in 1825, it is a plain +edifice of the doric order, a fresco by Pujol merits attention, but is +the only object throughout the edifice which can excite much interest. +We must now retrace a few steps, and by the Rue St. Claude turn into the +Rue St. Denis, and proceeding southwards observe the establishment of +Les Bains St. Sauveur, at the corner of the street of that name, from +which a street communicates with the Rue Thevenot, and about here was +the Cour des Miracles, cited by Dulaure, and afterwards by Victor Hugo, +as the resort of thieves and beggars, where five hundred families lived +huddled together in the greatest state of filth that could be imagined; +it was not until the year 1667 that they were partly dispersed. The +stranger must not forget the manufactory of mirrors, No. 313, Rue St. +Denis, he will there find an immense plate glass warehouse; the concern +having been establish<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[Pg 256]</a></span>ed since 1634; it is carried on to a great degree +of perfection. A Frenchman named Thévart first discovered the art of +casting glass, that of polishing it was invented by Rivière, and now +glasses may be had at this establishment 154 inches by 104. The largest +table of iron for polishing glass was made a few months since, weighing +twenty-five tons. At No. 121 is the Cour Batave, so called from being +erected by a company of Dutch merchants, in 1791; it is disfigured now +by shops, but had the original design been carried out, instead of +having been disturbed by the Revolution, it would have been one of the +handsomest monuments of the capital.</p> + +<p>A short distance northward, in the same street, is the church of St. Leu +and St. Gilles; on the spot a chapel was erected in 1230, and in a small +tower to the west a date is inscribed of 1230, but it has been repaired +several times since that period, particularly in 1320; the nave, +however, is supposed to be of the thirteenth century, and most likely of +the date of the foundation, but other parts of the building are +evidently of a more recent epoch, possibly of 1320; judging from the +style of the architecture. Amongst the pictures is one of St. Margaret, +Queen of Scotland, washing the feet of the poor; there are others which +are well worthy attention, as also a representation of the Creation, +which is a very curious piece of carve-work. As St. Leu had the credit +of healing the sick, the kings of France, on their accession to the +throne, for nine days successively used to visit this church to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[Pg 257]</a></span> implore +the saint to grant them health. We must now proceed to the southern +extremity of the street, and take the last turning to the left, which is +called the Rue St. Jacques de la Boucherie, and in groping about amongst +some dirty streets, we shall find the tower of the same name; it is a +remarkably curious object, and it is much to be regretted that the +church belonging to it no longer stands it was begun in 1508; and +finished in 1522, it is 156 feet high, and had formerly a spire thirty +feet high; the style of architecture is rich and very singular, the +gargouilles, or gutter spouts, are of a tremendous size; as it has been +recently purchased by the Municipality of Paris from an individual, +there are hopes that this interesting monument will be fully repaired +and restored. Around its base a market is established for linen and old +clothes. A little filthy street to the south will take us into the Place +du Châtelet, where we can breathe a little fresh air; here stood the +celebrated Châtelet, at once a court of justice and prison of olden +time. In the middle is a fountain, from which rises a column +representing a palm-tree, and upon it are inscribed the victories of +Napoleon. Amongst other allegorical decorations, the statues of Justice, +Strength, Prudence, and Vigilance adorn the pedestal, and joining hands +encircle the column, the whole surmounted by a statue of Victory. At No. +1, upon the Place, is the chamber of notaries, where landed property and +houses are sold by auction.</p> + +<p>We must now return to the Rue St. Denis, and fol<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[Pg 258]</a></span>low it until we come to +the Rue de la Ferronnerie, which is to the left, into which we must +proceed, and shall find that the second turning to the left is the Rue +des Déchargeurs, and at No. 11 is an edifice of the seventeenth century, +which is now the Dépôt général des Bonneteries (Hosiery) de France.</p> + +<p>Returning a few steps northward, brings us to the corner of the Rue St. +Honoré, and against No. 3 is a bust of Henry IV, and a stone with a +latin inscription, indicating that it was exactly opposite that spot +that he was stabbed by Ravaillac. The street was very narrow at that +period, and at the moment when the deed was perpetrated, the carriage of +Henri IV was stopped by a number of carts which choked up the passage. A +little street nearly opposite, takes into the Marché des Innocents, +which occupies an immense space formerly the cemetry of the Innocents. +In the middle of the area is a fountain built by Pierre Lescot, in 1551, +and is decidedly a most beautiful object, which is not sufficiently +noticed by strangers, as it is surrounded by a crowded market and not at +all hours easy of approach; the court-yard of a palace would be a more +appropriate situation for this elegant edifice, and I particularly +request my readers to pay it a visit. Around this fountain is certainly +the largest and most frequented market in Paris, not only each +description of vegetables, poultry, and almost all kind of eatables are +sold here, but cloth, a large building being purposely constructed for +that object 400 feet in length; another division is for every +description of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[Pg 259]</a></span> herbs, the northern side is devoted to potatoes and +onions; a triangular building a little farther, is on purpose for +butter, eggs, and cheese, whilst another edifice is for fish. At a short +distance, in the Rue Mauconseil is the great hall for the sale of +leather, which was formerly the Hôtel de Bourgogne, where the players +used to perform scriptural pieces in the 15th century. To the west of +the Marché des Innocents is the curious street de la Tonnellerie, an +open passage running, through the ground floors of some of the houses, +inhabited mostly by dealers in rags, cloth, and old furniture; in this +street is the bread market, where it is sold cheaper than at the bakers +in Paris. At the south end of the street at No. 3, is the site of the +house where Molière was born, which was held by his father who was an +upholsterer and valet de chambre to Louis XII; against the house is a +bust of the author, with an inscription specifying the event.</p> + +<p>Following the Rue de la Tonnellerie brings us opposite St. Eustache, +which after Notre-Dame is the largest church in Paris, built on the site +of a chapel of St. Agnes. The present edifice was begun in 1532, but not +supposed to have been finished until 1642. The portico is more recent, +being after a design by Mansart de Jouy, and erected in 1754: combining +altogether a most incongruous mixture of styles and orders of +architecture, originally commenced with the design that it should be a +sort of mixed gothic, of which the southern door and front bear +evidence, whilst the western portico has doric and ionic columns,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[Pg 260]</a></span> and +at the northern end are corinthian pillars, notwithstanding it is a bold +imposing structure, and the interior has the appearance of a fine abbey, +and is a monument which every stranger ought to visit. It is a pity that +a number of little square knobs have been suffered to remain sticking +out from different parts of the shafts of the columns of this church; it +is strange that the French could not be made to understand that the +beauty of a pillar in a great degree consists in a bold broad mass, +which should never be cut up into littlenesses, by rings or any +obtruding projections. In this church lie buried several celebrated +persons, amongst the rest the great Colbert, which is indicated by a +very handsome sarcophagus, sculptured by Coysevose. The sacred music +here is sometimes most exquisitely delightful, the organ being +particularly fine. Facing the southern front is the Marché des +Prouvaires, a sort of appendage to the Marché des Innocents, and +opposite the east side of the church, is the Fontaine de Tantale, at the +point formed by the two streets, Montmartre and Montorgueil, which will +repay the observer for a few minutes devoted to its examination. The +west front of the church faces the Rue Oblin, which we will take, as it +leads to the Halle au Blé, a fine extensive circular building, with a +noble dome, it is built on the site of the Hôtel de Soissons, erected +for Catherine de Médicis, in 1572, which in 1748 was demolished, and the +present Halle constructed in 1763; the roof has a round skylight, 31 +feet in diameter, and from the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[Pg 261]</a></span> system adopted in its formation, it is +considered by connaiseurs a <i>chef d'œuvre</i> in the art of building. It +is indeed altogether so curious, and so commodious a building for the +purpose for which it is designed, that the visiter must be highly +gratified in viewing it: there is besides another attraction, which is +on the southern side, one of the immense doric columns which once +composed the noble Hôtel de Soissons; it was erected for the purposes of +astrology, and contains a winding staircase, and is ornamented with +emblematic symbols, of the widowhood of Catherine de Médicis, as broken +mirrors, C. and H. interlaced, etc. An ingenious sundial is placed on +its shaft, and a fountain in its pedestal.</p> + +<p>By taking the Rue Sartine we shall arrive at the Rue Jean-Jacques +Rousseau, and there find the Hôtel des Postes or General Post Office; it +was formerly an Hôtel belonging to the Duke d'Epernon, and was +afterwards inhabited by different proprietors, until 1757, when it was +purchased by government, for its present purposes. It is an extensive +building but badly situated amongst narrow streets, many additions have +been made since it has become government property. Taking the Rue +Verdelet, the street which runs along the north side of the building, +and proceeding westward, we come to the Place des Victoires, which was +built in 1685; in the centre is a very fine equestrian statue of Louis +XIV, in bronze, which although weighing 16,000 lbs is entirely sustained +by the hinder legs and the tail. It is the work of Bosio, and was +modelled in 1822.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[Pg 262]</a></span></p> + +<p>Proceeding to the south-west, by the Rue de la Petite-Vrillière, the +Bank of France is before us. It was formerly the Hôtel de Toulouse, +erected by Mansard, in 1720; for the Duke de la Vrillière; it is well +situated, and adapted to its present use, but it has no striking +architectural beauty. The Rue Vide Gousset, to the north-west of the +Place des Victoires, leads to the Église des Petits-Pères, or de +Notre-Dame des Victoires, erected in 1656. It was called Petits-Pères, +or little fathers, on account of Henry IV, on two of the community of +small stature having been introduced into his antechamber, asking, "who +are those little fathers?" The convent which was attached, is now used +as barracks for infantry. The portal of the church was built in 1739, +and is composed of columns of the ionic and corinthian orders. The +interior has some handsomely decorated chapels and altars; the pictures +by Vanloo also are fine. Lulli, the musical composer, lies buried here. +In the Rue Notre-Dame des Victoires is the immense establishment of the +Messageries Royales, from whence start diligences to all parts of +France; we will pass through the yard into the Rue Montmartre, at No. +44, is the Marché St. Joseph, at 166, the Fontaine de la Rue Montmartre, +and at No. 176, the Hôtel d'Uzès erected by Le Doux, considered one of +the finest hôtels in Paris.</p> + +<p>We will now enter the Boulevard Poissonnière, by turning to the right, +and in passing along to the Boulevard Bonne-Nouvelle must notice the +very hand<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[Pg 263]</a></span>some Bazaar called the Galeries de Commerce, and the noble +building called Maison du Pont de Fer with its curious iron bridge, +uniting the back and front premises with the Boulevard. Taking, the Rue +de l'Échiquier, to the left, will conduct us to the Rue du +Faubourg-Poissonnière, and opposite, at No. 23, we find the Garde Meuble +de la Couronne, containing all the furniture of the crown not in use, +the regalia, and other articles of immense value, but to obtain +admission is extremely difficult. Annexed to this building is the +Conservatoire de Musique and the Salle des Menus Plaisirs. In this +street are several handsome mansions particularly at Nos. 26 and 60, the +gateway of which, with its fine ionic columns, is one of the most +imposing in Paris; there also are large barracks for infantry with +military trophies over the entrance. From thence a few steps lead into +the Rue Lafayette, and will bring us to a new church which promises to +be, when quite finished, one of the most elegant in the capital, it is +situated at the summit of the Rue Hauteville. The order is ionic, which +is solely and consistently preserved throughout the building, all the +ornaments are in good taste, and the paintings promise to be in keeping +with the rest, so that it augurs well towards being quite a +chef-d'œuvre of art. It is intended to replace the old church of St. +Vincent de Paule, which stands about a furlong from it to the west in +the Rue Montholon, to where we will proceed, and look at the +altar-piece, being the apotheosis of the philanthropist to whom it is +dedicated,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[Pg 264]</a></span> and the only object in the church worth attention.</p> + +<p>Keeping straight on westward, we come to the beautiful church of +Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, finished in 1837, it is exactly fronting the Rue +Lafitte, from which the noble portico of corinthian columns has a most +beautiful effect. The interior is splendid, indeed gorgeous, all that +painting, sculpture, and gilding can produce, is here combined, and the +effect is dazzling, and excites almost universal admiration, and would +mine also were it a theatre, but the chaste, still solemnity of a holy +sanctuary exists not here, amongst the gay colours and lurid glare which +every where meets the eye from the glitter, which blazes around in this +too profusely decorated church. Yet one must do justice as one examines +it in detail, and admit that in point of execution all its different +departments are most exquisitely wrought, and magnificent as a whole, +only not consistent with our associations connected with a temple of +worship.</p> + +<p>We will now descend by the Rue Faubourg Montmartre to the Boulevards, +and bearing a little westward, shall come to the very handsome Rue +Vivienne, through which we will proceed until we are opposite the Bourse +(Exchange), and there we pause and contemplate what I consider the <i>beau +idéal</i> of fine architecture; its noble range of 66 corinthian columns +have no unseemly projections to break the broad mass of light, which +sheds its full expanse upon their large rounded shafts, no profusion of +frittering ornaments spoil the chaste harmony which pervades the whole<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[Pg 265]</a></span> +character of this building, which to me appears faultless. If there were +any improvement possible, I should say that if the bold flight of steps +which leads to the front entrance had been carried all round the +building the effect would have been still more grand than it now is. The +interior is adorned with paintings in imitation of bas relief, which are +executed in the most masterly style. The grand Salle de la Bourse in the +centre of the building, where the stock-brokers and merchants meet, is +116 feet in length by 76 in breadth, entirely paved with marble. The +whole arrangements are such as to render it in every respect the most +commodious for all commercial purposes.</p> + +<p>From hence we proceed by the street opposite to the Rue Richelieu, and +turning to the left, we arrive at the Place Richelieu, and must pass a +few minutes in admiring the elegant bronze fountain in the centre with +its noble basins and four allegorical figures representing the Seine, +the Loire, the Saône, and the Garonne, round which the water falls from +above, and flows beneath, producing a most beautiful effect.</p> + +<p>Opposite is the Bibliothéque du Roi, or Royal Library, which certainly +is the most extensive and most complete of any in the world, possessing +nearly 1,000,000 books and printed pamphlets, 80,000 MSS, 100,000 +medals, 1,400,000 engravings, 300,000 maps and plans. This institution +may be considered to owe its foundation to St. Louis, who first made the +attempt of forming a public library, and arranged some volumes in an +apartment attached to the Holy<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[Pg 266]</a></span> Chapel; under successive reigns the +number gradually increased, whilst the locality assigned for them was +often changed, and it was not until the reign of Louis XV that they were +placed where they now are, in a most extensive building, formerly the +residence of Cardinal Mazarin, which, seen from the Rue Richelieu, +presents nothing but a great ugly dead wall, with a high roof to it, and +here and there a few square holes for windows, but when you enter the +court-yard, you find rather a fine building than otherwise, and the +interior displays, by the vast size of the apartments, some idea of what +its former grandeur must have been; the richness of the ornaments and +decorations in most instances are destroyed, and replaced by books, with +which the walls are covered. The engravings occupy the ground floor, and +amongst them are to be found fifty thousand portraits, including every +eminent character which Europe has produced, and presenting all the +varieties of costumes existing at the different epochs in which they +flourished; in one of the rooms where the prints are kept is an oil +portrait, in profile, of the unfortunate King John of France, which is +curious as an antiquity, being an original, and executed at a time when +the art of portrait painting was very little known, as John died in the +year 1364. On ascending the staircase to the right, a piece of framed +tapestry must be remarked, as having formed part of the furniture of the +chateau of Bayard.</p> + +<p>Those who are curious in typographical specimens<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[Pg 267]</a></span> must ask to see the +most ancient printed book <i>with a date</i>, being 1457, also the Bible, +called Mazarin, printed in 1456, with cut metal types. The oldest +manuscript is one of Josephus, and others are of the fifth and sixth +centuries; the amateurs of autography will be gratified in seeing +letters from Henri IV to Gabrielle d'Estrée, and the writing of Francis +I, Turenne, Madame de Maintenon, Voltaire, Rousseau, Racine, Corneille; +Boileau, Bossuet, etc. Amongst other interesting objects is the chair of +Dagobert, which is supposed to be much older even than his time, and of +ancient Roman fabric, the vase of the Ptolemies, the famous cameo +representing the apotheosis of Augustus, the seal of Michael Angelo, and +the armour of Francis I, and the admirers of <i>vertu</i> must be delighted +with the collection of exquisitely beautiful intaglios and cameos. Two +globes, twelve feet in diameter, being the largest extant, cannot be +overlooked. Mount Parnassus in bronze, which the French poets and +musicians are ascending with Louis XIV on the summit, is a fine piece of +workmanship; there is also a model of the Pyramids of Egypt, with +figures and trees to denote their height. There are a few very good +paintings, and many objects calculated to excite the highest interest, +which it would take years properly to examine and appreciate. The +prayer-books of St. Louis and Anne of Brittany, and one which belonged +in succession to Charles V Charles IX, and Henri III, bearing their +signatures are exceedingly curious. Amongst the books and manu<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[Pg 268]</a></span>scripts +may be found some of every known language which has characters. This +noble institution is open daily for students; authors; etc., from ten +till three, except Sundays and festivals; and those who merely wish to +view the establishment may be admitted from ten till three on Tuesdays +and Fridays; except during the vacation, which is from the 1st September +to the 15th October.</p> + +<p>In the same street, a little farther southward, at the corner of the Rue +Traversière, the preparations will be observed for a statue to Molière, +on the spot where stood the house in which he died, and nearly opposite +is a small passage which passes under a house; and takes one opposite +another of a similar description, which leads into the Palais Royal: +suddenly emerging from the little dark alleys into a beautiful area, has +a most extraordinary and pleasing effect; you see before you a +parallelogram of 700 feet by 300, completely surrounded by a beautiful +building with arcades, and having flower-gardens; statues, and a +splendid fountain in the centre. To see this extraordinary scene to the +greatest advantage, the first visit should be by night, and the +impulsive coup-d'œil tempts the beholder to imagine that he has +around him the realization of some gay dream of a fairy palace, the +immense glare of light glittering on the falling waters, the brilliance +of the illuminated shops; the magnificence and richness of the articles +therein displayed, with reflecting lamps so contrived as to throw a +powerful light on their sparkling jewels and glittering<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[Pg 269]</a></span> ware, the +vistas of trees, the borders of flowers, the well dressed company and +animated groups, with the gilded coffee-houses beaming all round, form +such a picture as it is more easy to imagine than describe. Four +galleries with shops encircle the garden of the Palais Royal, three of +them are under piazzas opening to the grand area, the fourth, called the +Galerie d'Orléans, is enclosed on both sides, and the roof is formed by +one immense skylight, whilst the effect of the whole is superb. Over the +shops are mostly either coffee-houses or restaurateurs, some of them +splendidly decorated and most brilliantly lighted; as may be imagined, +this amusing locality forms the lounge of thousands, and no stranger +ever comes to Paris without making an early visit to the Palais Royal. +It was originally intended by Cardinal Richelieu for his own residence, +but the magnificence which he had already developed, with intentions of +augmenting his design to so extravagant and luxurious a degree, began to +excite the jealousy of Louis XIII, and finally the Cardinal made him a +present of it shortly before his death. Since then it has been inhabited +by several royal visiters, and such changes have been made that the +original plan is scarcely to be traced, it having formerly been so much +more extensive as to occupy several of the surrounding streets. So +numerous are the shops, and so various are the articles within them, +that it has been observed that a person might live in the Palais Royal +without ever stirring out of it, finding all within it required to +supply the wants of a reasonable being.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[Pg 270]</a></span></p> + +<p>Although under the comprehensive title of Palais Royal, the whole extent +is included, not only garden but all the surrounding shops and the +stories above, yet that part which specifically is the Palais Royal, or +Royal Palace, is situated at the southern extremity, looking into two +court-yards, and where the present King with his family resided until +1831, when he removed to the Tuileries. It is entered by the Rue St. +Honoré, and may be considered rather a fine building; the doric, ionic, +and corinthian orders are visible in different parts of the edifice, in +the interior there are some extremely handsome apartments, beautifully +furnished but not very large for a palace; there are many very +interesting pictures, particularly those relative to the King's life, +from the period, of his teaching geography in a school in Switzerland, +to his return to Paris; also the subjects connected with the events of +the Palace are well worth attention, and many of them painted by the +first rate artists. The apartments may usually be seen on Sundays from 1 +till 4, on presentation of the passport.</p> + +<p>Opposite the Palais-Royal is an open space called the Place du Palais +Royal, on the southern side is the Château-d'Eau, a reservoir of water +for supplying the neighbouring fountains; it is decorated with statues, +and two pavilions. Just near it is the Rue St. Thomas-du-Louvre, where +formerly stood the famous Hôtel de Longueville, the residence of the +Duke de Longueville, and Elbœuf, where the intrigues of the Fronde +were carried on, during the minority of Louis<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[Pg 271]</a></span> XIV, against Mazarin; it +is now in part occupied by the king's stables, containing 160 horses, +and may be visited any day by applying at the porter's lodge. We will +now retrace a few steps eastward to the Rue St. Honoré, and passing by +the large establishment of Laffitte, Caillard, et Compagnie, for +diligences to all parts of France, we shall come to the Oratoire, built +for the Prêtres de l'Oratoire in 1621, but now devoted to the protestant +worship; it is adorned with doric columns, with a range of corinthian +pillars above, and in the interior, the roof of which is highly +ornamented. Service is performed in French every Sunday at half past 12. +Within a hundred yards eastward is the Fontaine de la Croix-du-Tiroir, +at the corner of the Rue de l'Arbre-Sec, rebuilt by Soufflot (on the +site of one erected under Francis I). Adorned by pilasters and a nymph, +which would have been graceful but is spoiled by their painting over it.</p> + +<p>The first turning in the Rue de l'Arbre-Sec, is the Rue des Fossés St. +Germain-l'Auxerrois, and at No. 14 is the house formerly called the +Hôtel Ponthieu, in which Admiral Coligni was assassinated on St. +Bartholomew's day, in 1572; in the very room where the event took place +the witty actress, Sophie Arnould, was born, in 1740, then called the +Hôtel Lisieux, and in 1747, it was occupied by Vanloo the celebrated +painter. We return to the Rue de l'Arbre-Sec, and a few steps southward +bring us in front of the venerable and mouldering church of St. +Germain-l'Auxerrois (vide page 61); the oldest part still standing and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[Pg 272]</a></span> +supposed to be of the 14th century, is the western front; the porch was +built by Jean Gausel in 1431, several other parts have been built at +later periods; altogether it is a most interesting building and is +connected with many sad historical associations, it was the bell of this +church that tolled the signal for the massacre of the protestants on the +night of St. Bartholomew; in a little street adjoining the south side of +the church, is a house with a picturesque turret, supposed to have +belonged to some building attached to the church; there is a very +remarkable piece of carve-work in wood and some interesting pictures +within the church; we will now leave its tranquil vaulted aisles, and +quitting by the western porch, the most beautiful façade of the Louvre +rises before us, which was erected in the reign of Louis XIV, after a +design by Claude Perrault.</p> + +<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/img276.jpg" alt="St Germain l'Auxerrois." title="St Germain l'Auxerrois." /></div> +<h4>Champin del. Lith. Rigo Frères C<sup>ie</sup> +S<sup>t</sup>. Germain l'Auxerrois.</h4> + +<p>The Louvre has been so often described in works of so many different +natures, descending the different grades from histories to pamphlets, +that I shall not fatigue my readers with a too detailed review of its +wonders, but endeavour to give them some impression of its grandeur, +with as little prolixity as possible. I have already, in the historical +sketch of Paris, touched upon its foundation, and the various epochs at +which the different parts of the building were erected, and certainly +let any one place himself in the middle of the grand court, and behold +the four sides, and see if he can call to mind any thing equal to it, +take it, for its all in all; I am well aware that there is rather<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[Pg 273]</a></span> <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[Pg 274]</a></span>a +redundancy of ornament to satisfy the purest taste, and in that respect +there is undoubtedly a deviation from perfection, but the approach is +sufficiently near to excite the warmest admiration. Each side is 408 +feet, and although there is a degree of uniformity, taken <i>en masse</i>, +preserved, with two of the façades particularly, yet on examination the +ornaments are found to be different, each side requires much close study +after a <i>coup-d'œil</i> has been taken of the whole, and the more it is +inspected, the more beautiful will it be found; the statues and +different devices are by five different sculptors, the most celebrated +of their day, the order of the pillars is generally corinthian, but +there are some, which are composite. The external façades are by no +means burthened with ornament, the north and western sides being +perfectly plain, the south side has a noble effect, and faces the quay, +having plenty of room to admit of its being properly viewed and justice +rendered to its noble range of forty corinthian pilasters; this is by +Perrault, as well as the eastern side, which is certainly one of the +finest specimens of modern architecture that can be imagined.</p> + +<p>A grand colonnade composed of 28 coupled corinthian columns has the most +splendid effect, the basement story being perfectly simple, whilst the +central mass of the building which forms the gateway is crowned by a +pediment of stones, each 52 feet in length and three in thickness; all +is vast, all is grand about this noble front, which is justly the +admiration<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[Pg 275]</a></span> of every architectural connoisseur, no matter from what part +of the world he may come.</p> + +<p>Of the interior volumes might be said, I must first, after conducting my +reader to the great door on the southern side of the building, direct +his attention to the grand staircase, which is of a most splendid +character, as to design, and consistently beautiful as to execution. The +visiter after passing by a small room filled with very old paintings +enters a larger when the grand gallery extends before him, which is +unrivalled in the world, being above a quarter of a mile in length, and +42 feet in width, filled with paintings, principally from the old +masters, but of them I will treat in a future chapter; it contains 1406 +pictures some of them being of immense size. We will now pass on for the +moment to the other apartments. The bed-room of Henry IV must arrest our +attention, and the eye naturally falls on the alcove where his bed was +placed, the oak carving, and gilded mouldings have been preserved +exactly in the same state that they were when he died. We next proceed +to a suite of rooms containing paintings of the Spanish, French, +Flemish, and Italian schools; others devoted to drawings; of the latter +there are 1293. Another range of apartments is on the ground floor and +called the Museum of Antiquities, containing statues and various +specimens of sculpture, in all 1,116 objects. Other suites of rooms are +appropriated to Egyptian, Greek, and Roman antiquities, and in some of +the apartments are objects of great value; that the amount of real<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[Pg 276]</a></span> +worth of the contents of the Louvre must be incalculable, one casket +alone of Mary de Medicis is estimated at several thousand pounds, and +there are many articles equally costly. One portion of the building is +devoted to every thing that concerns naval architecture and an immense +variety of marine objects, with a number of curious models. The Louvre +may be entered on presenting the passport, every day, and new wonders +and beauties may be discovered at each visit, although they be repeated +for months together.</p> + +<p>We now pass on westward, and enter the Place du Carrousel, so called +from Louis XIV having held a grand tournament there in 1662, but it was +not then so extensive as at present. The triumphal arch erected by +Napoleon in 1806, first strikes the eye a beautiful monument composed of +different coloured marbles, of works in bronze with figures, and devices +relative to war, and commemorative of the campaigns of the French army +in 1805; all the different parts are admirable from the exquisite manner +of their execution. On our left is the grand picture-gallery of the +Louvre, communicating with the Tuileries, on the right, the same +description of building exists in part, but is not yet completed. Before +us spreads the extended dimensions of the palace of the Tuileries; with +all deficiences it must be admitted that it is a noble pile, and has a +grand, though heavy imposing air, the height of the roof is certainly a +deformity, but we will enter the grand court-yard, which is separated +from the Place du Carrousel by a handsome railing with gilt<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[Pg 277]</a></span> +spear-heads, and then pass under the palace, and view the façade on the +garden side, where the sameness of the building is relieved by a +handsome colonnade in the centre, adorned with statues, vases, etc.; the +wings also have a fine effect, they are more massive than the body of +the building, which although not a beauty as respects the edifice in +general, yet the execution of all the different parts is admirable in +the identical detail; having a fair share of ornament not injudiciously +disposed, situated as the Palace is seen, at the end of a splendid +garden, it has a most striking and beautiful effect.</p> + +<p>The interior contains many apartments which are, as might be expected, +exceedingly handsome, one termed the Galerie de Diane is 176 feet long +by 32 broad, it is of the time of Louis XIII, and rich in gilding and +paintings, but generally the furniture is not so magnificent as might be +imagined; those occupied by the Duke of Orléans are an exception; being +very splendid. Amongst the numerous objects of<i>vertu</i> which here abound +is the large solid silver statue of Peace, presented to Napoleon by the +city of Paris after the treaty of Amiens. The pictures are generally by +the most eminent French artists. The Salle des Maréchaux contains the +portraits of the living Marshals of France; Soult, Molitor, and Grouchy +are the only remaining, whose names figured in the campaigns of +Napoleon; on the whole it may be remarked that the apartments generally +in the Tuileries are not equal in point of extent and decoration, to the +saloons of many<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[Pg 278]</a></span> of the nobility of Paris. When the King is absent, the +Palace may be viewed by applying to M. le Commandant du Château des +Tuileries, and the same is the case with the apartments of the Duke of +Orleans.</p> + +<p>The gardens present a most agreeable aspect, although too stiff and +formal to be in good taste, yet the mélange of noble high trees, wide +gravel walks, marble basins, beautiful fountains, the most classic +statues, beds of flowers, ornamental vases, and the commanding view to +the Triumphal Arch, certainly form an <i>ensemble</i> which produces the most +delightful sensation; in fact, I never enter them, such is the cheering +effect upon me, without having but one unpleasant feeling, and that is, +to think that I have not time to go there oftener, and pass hours +amongst such charming scenes. To view the number of sweet merry looking +children, with their clean and neat <i>bonnes</i> (nursery maids), all +playing so happily together, enlivens the heart, then the retired walks +between the dense foliage in the heat of summer invites the mind to +meditation. The exquisitely beautiful statues are also most interesting +objects of study, and I recommend them particularly to the attention of +the visiter. On the northern side of the gardens, extends the handsome +Rue Rivoli, with its noble colonnade; at No. 48, is the Hôtel des +Finances, a spacious building covering a large extent of ground, +containing several courts, with offices, and splendid apartments for the +Minister. We shall now cross the Rue Rivoli, and take the Rue des +Pyramides, also<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[Pg 279]</a></span> having an arcade all through the Rue St. Honoré, and +facing us rises the noble church of St. Roch (vide page 97). The +entrance is approached by a flight of steps, which have witnessed some +sanguinary scenes, when Napoleon poured forth the iron hail of his +artillery upon the opposing force which was there posted; again, in +1830, on the same spot, the people made a firm resistance against the +gendarmerie of Charles X. The portal has two ranges of columns of +corinthian and doric orders, the interior, although plain, has a fine +appearance, heightened by the effect produced by many handsome monuments +to illustrious characters who have been buried here, amongst the rest, +Corneille; painting as well as sculpture has lent its aid in decorating +this church, as it contains some fine pictures. The Royal Family attend +here, and the music is very fine, but generally there are such crowds +that it is difficult to enter. At No. 13 in the Rue d'Argenteuil, behind +St. Roch, in 1684, Corneille died. A black slab in the court-yard bears +an inscription and the bust of the poet.</p> + +<p>Returning to the Rue St. Honoré, we proceed westward, and pass by the +Rue Marché St. Honoré on our right, in which is a most commodious +market. Pursuing our course we look down the Rue Castiglione, which +communicates with the Rue Rivoli, and the Place Vendôme; it is +remarkably handsome, and has a fine colonnade, at the corner is a +fountain, which is plainer than they usually are, and a little farther +to the west, at No. 369, is the Assomption (vide page 96).<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[Pg 280]</a></span> This church +formerly belonged to a convent of nuns, styled Les Dames de +l'Assomption, the remains may be perceived in the Rue Neuve du +Luxembourg, and are now occupied as barracks. It was completed in 1676. +It contains some interesting pictures. A chapel is contiguous, dedicated +to St. Hyacinthe, which was erected in 1822. Continuing to follow the +Rue St. Honoré, we cross the Rue Royale, displaying the fountains of the +Place de la Concorde to our left, and the Madeleine on our right, we +enter the Rue Faubourg St. Honoré, in which are many most superb hôtels, +amongst the rest, the British Ambassador's, formerly the Hôtel Borghèse, +occupied by the Princess Pauline, sister of Bonaparte; the next hôtel is +that of the Baroness Pontalba, and is one of the most splendid in Paris, +which the visiter must not fail to remark. We next come to the Palais de +l'Elysée Bourbon, erected in 1718, and afterwards purchased and occupied +by Madame de Pompadour, since when it has had many masters, amongst the +rest, Murat, Napoleon, the Emperor of Russia, the Duke of Wellington, +and the Duke de Berri, but it now belongs to the crown, and combines an +appearance of splendid desolation, with a variety of associations, that +cause us to muse on the fall of the great. The library which is over the +council chamber was fitted up by Madame Murat, in the most exquisite +style, as a surprise for her husband after his return from one of his +campaigns; it next became the bed-room of Maria Louisa, and the +birthplace of the daughter of the Duke and Duchess de<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[Pg 281]</a></span> Berri. Here also +is shown the bed-room, and bed in which Napoleon last slept in Paris, +after the battle of Waterloo. The building itself is handsome, and +though not large, has an elegant appearance, some of the apartments are +very splendid, but now having a solitary aspect. The garden, which is +large, contains some noble trees, and is laid out in the Italian style. +To see this Palace, apply for admission to M. l'Intendant de la Liste +civile.</p> + +<p>Facing the Elysée Bourbon, is the Hôtel Beauveau, in the Place Beauveau, +occupied by the Neapolitan Ambassador. Still proceeding westward we come +to the church St. Philippe du Roule, which was completed in 1784. It has +but very little ornament, but is an exceedingly chaste production, the +columns of the portico are doric, and those of the interior are ionic. +It contains several good pictures. Nearly opposite is a handsome +building with tuscan columns, and is used as stables for the King, and +also a receptacle for his carriages. A short distance farther on is the +Hôpital Beaujon, founded by the banker of that name in 1824, a handsome +and well arranged building, having an air of health and cheerfulness; it +contains 400 beds, and the situation is particularly salubrious, and so +well ordered that the inspection of it will afford much gratification to +the visiter. The Chapelle Beaujon, opposite, is by the same founder as +the hospital, and may be considered as belonging to it.</p> + +<p>We must now travel back as far as the British Ambassador's, and facing +is the Rue d'Aguesseau, in which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[Pg 282]</a></span> is the Episcopal Chapel, entirely +appropriated to the English protestant worship, a building well adapted +in every respect to the purposes for which it was erected. A few steps +farther we turn to the right, which will bring us to the Rue de la +Madeleine, in which we shall find the Chapelle Expiatoire, built over +the spot where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were buried, immediately +after their execution, and the interior is adorned by their statues; +their remains were afterwards removed to St. Denis. This chapel is one +of the most elegant and interesting monuments in Paris, it is in the +form of a cross, with a dome in the centre. A short distance eastward, +is the Collége Royal de Bourbon, No. 5, Rue St. Croix, which was built +for a Convent of Capuchins, in 1781. It consists of a doorway in the +centre, with columns, and two pavilions at the ends, one of which was +the chapel of the convent, but is now the church St. Louis, a plain +building of the doric order, but decorated by some fine fresco +paintings, and four large pictures of saints, painted in wax. From hence +we may take the Rue Joubert, opposite, and proceed until we arrive at +the Rue de la Victoire, formerly called the Rue Chantereine, where +resided Napoleon after his Italian campaign, and from hence went forth +to strike the <i>coup d'état</i> which dissolved the government on the 18th +Brumaire. The house was built for the famous dancer Guimard, then passed +to Madame Talma, who sold it to madame Beauharnais, afterwards the +Empress Joséphine, who added the pavilion at the nearer end.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[Pg 283]</a></span> Bertrand +inhabited this mansion a short time after his return from St. Helena, at +present it is untenanted, and undergoing repair; it belongs to the widow +of General Lefebvre Desnouettes. In the garden is a bust of Napoleon, +which certainly possesses no great merit. If disposed to extend our +walk, we may proceed northward to the Rue de Clichy and there find a +prison for debtors, in an airy, healthy situation, which is satisfactory +information for some of our prodigal countrymen, too many of whom, I +regret to say, have been, and are still, inhabitants of this building, +which contains from 150 to 200 persons. In returning we will amuse +ourselves in wandering about many of the streets of the +Chaussée-d'Antin, both right and left, which have in them some most +beautiful houses decorated with statues and the most elaborate +carve-work. On returning to the Boulevards by the Madeleine, as we pass +along we notice the Hôtel des Affaires Etrangères, or residence of the +Minister of Foreign Affairs, corner of the Rue Neuve-des-Capucines, +formerly belonging to Marshal Berthier, we then proceed to the eastward, +and turn down the Rue Neuve St. Augustin, which will bring us to the +point where the streets La Michodière and Port Mahon meet, at the +beautiful Fontaine de Louis-le-Grand, with the statue of a Genius +striking at a dolphin, with consistent ornaments extremely well +executed.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[Pg 284]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII.</h2> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>A matter of fact chapter, more useful than amusing; advice to +Englishmen visiting or sojourning at Paris; several serviceable +establishments recommended; hints as to management and economy.</p></div> + + +<p>Although I have already afforded my readers a transient glance at the +Champs-Élysées on entering Paris, yet so charming a spot must not be +passed over altogether in so hurried a manner; possessing as it does so +many attractions for the happy portion of the Parisians, which do not +only consist of its fine vistas of high trees, its broad walks, flowing +fountains, etc., but a wide open space is left, where the people +recreate themselves with athletic games, whilst in other parts there are +swings, merry-go-rounds, shows, music, dancing, and every variety of +amusement that can afford pleasure to those who are merrily inclined. +Franconi has also a Theatre here for the display of horsemanship during +the summer, which is extremely well conducted, and constantly filled. +The prices are from 1 to 2 francs. In the south-western portion of the +Champs-Élysées, is a quarter called Chaillot, in which is situated, at +No. 78 bis, the Chapelle Marbœuf, where protestant service is +regularly performed every Sunday. At No. 99 is Sainte Perine, a refuge +for persons above 60 with small incomes, who by paying 600 francs a +year, are comfortably provided<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[Pg 285]</a></span> for, or by depositing a certain sum at +once, on entering. It was formerly a monastery, and can accommodate 180 +men and women. The church of St. Pierre is a little farther on, in which +there are a few pictures, and the choir is of the 15th century. There +are a great number of very handsome houses about the Champs-Elysées; +which is a favourite neighbourhood with the English, and it is an +agreeable vicinity, on account of its airy position, its picturesque +appearance, and affording pleasure in viewing the numbers who crowd +there for the purpose of enjoyment, and with the determination to enjoy. +It is also a fashionable resort for pedestrians, equestrians, and +carriages, and whilst I am dilating on the attractions of the +Champs-Elysées, I must not omit to direct the attention of my readers to +the very delightful establishment which Doctor Achille Hoffman has +formed in the Avenue Fortuné, which is called the <i>Villa Beaujon</i>, +uniting within its interior every object desirable for health, comfort, +and pleasure.</p> + +<p>This establishment has been formed by the Doctor on such a system, as to +render it in every respect a cheerful and agreeable residence for +boarders; hence every rational and intellectual amusement is provided +within its walls, a piano, and instruments for forming a quartetto, a +billiard room, newspapers, periodical works, baths, etc., alternately +present the inmates with a fund of amusement: possessing also the +greatest advantage in having Madame Hoffman at the head of the +establishment, who from the good society she has<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[Pg 286]</a></span> been accustomed to +frequent, and her mental qualifications, is enabled, by her +conversation, ever to cause the hours to pass most pleasantly with the +residents of the Villa, to whose comforts, and wants, she pays the most +unremitting attention, and unites the advantage of speaking English. +Doctor Hoffman is willing to receive any patients except such as may be +afflicted with either contagious complaints, or with mental alienation, +and to attend them upon the homœpathic principles, in which he has +attained considerable celebrity, having for many years practised upon +that system with the greatest success. The apartments are fitted up in a +style of elegance which at once convinces the spectator of the good +taste of the director, and although they are numerous, each has its +peculiar attraction, either in the view from the windows, or from the +internal arrangement: but the quality which is most recommendable in +this establishment, is the peculiar care which has been devoted to every +minutia which can in any degree tend to comfort, and particularly for +that season when it is most required, having by the means of two immense +calorifères, so contrived that the whole house is warmed by a pure air, +which is introduced from the garden, and conveyed not only into every +apartment, but also to the staircases, corridors, and even into the +closets, the degree of heat being regulated exactly to the grade +desired; thus a person may pass a whole winter in this little Elysium, +without ever feeling any of its baneful effects, which is a great +desideratum for persons of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[Pg 287]</a></span> delicate health, or having the slightest +tendency to consumption, to whom the most powerful enemies are <i>cold</i> +and <i>damp</i>, two intruders who are never permitted to enter under any +pretext the Villa Beaujon.</p> + +<p>For the pedestrian the greatest treat is afforded, as the neighbourhood +consists of a most numerous variety of delightful walks, and for those +who desire to enjoy the beauties of nature, without fatigue, the most +favourable opportunity is offered, a terrace having been formed at the +summit of the premises which commands a panoramic view for fifteen +leagues round, comprehending within its circle an immense variety of +villages, châteaux, hills, wood, water, and every description of +picturesque scenery. There is also a garden prettily arranged, and kept +in the nicest order, with kiosques and a <i>jet d'eau</i>, in fact there is +no attraction omitted which could possibly contribute towards rendering +the Villa a most desirable residence for every season; the charge is +moderate, and the treatment in every respect the most liberal, the +Doctor being in such a position that emolument is not an important +object. Amongst other advantages which the establishment possesses, is +that of always having one English servant. The situation which has been +selected by the Doctor for his residence, is not only the most agreeable +but considered decidedly one of the most healthy round Paris, as the few +houses which are immediately around it are of the better order and +environed by gardens, therefore the purity of the air is untainted by +smoke or any effluvia arising from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[Pg 288]</a></span> closely inhabited cities; indeed in +that instance Paris has a great advantage over London, on account of +wood being the principal fuel burnt in the former, and coal in the +latter, hence Paris seen from a height, every object is visible from the +clearness of the atmosphere, whilst London under the same circumstances +is capped by a murky sort of cloud by which the greater part of the city +is generally obscured.</p> + +<p>Although the French capital is above three degrees south of the English, +yet the former is colder in the winter, only that it is dryer, +consequently more wholesome and the cold weather is of much shorter +duration, as the springs are always finer and forwarder than in England, +which is proved by the vegetables being much earlier in Paris, peas +being sold cheap about the streets on the 20th or 25th of May, and other +leguminous crops in proportion. The autumns are often very fine, +generally, indeed, I have known the month of November to be quite clear +and sunny, but of latter years the summers have been wet. The English in +most instances have their health better in France than in England, which +is considered to arise from several different causes; the lower and even +some of the middle classes in London and other large towns are much +addicted to drinking quantities of porter and ale, which are not so +accessible in Paris or in any town in France; hence after a time they +accustom themselves to the light wines of the country, and with the +higher classes of English the case is nearly similar, as they renounce +port, sherry, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[Pg 289]</a></span> Madeira, for Burgundy, Bordeaux, etc., and as a +draught <i>wine even</i> good <i>ordinaire</i>, but a grand point is to obtain it +of the best quality, proportioned to the price; perhaps there is not a +town in the world where there are so many persons who sell wine as in +Paris, but as there is a great deal of quackery and compounding +practised, I must caution my countrymen not to purchase at any house to +which they are not particularly recommended. I shall therefore advise +them to give the preference to the old established house of Meunier, +which has existed ever since 1800, now conducted by Messrs. Debonnelle +et Guiard; I have myself long dealt there, as also my friends, and have +ever found their prices the most reasonable, and the qualities +unexceptionable; their tarif comprehends all descriptions of wine, and +the charges in proportion, commencing on so moderate a scale that they +are attainable to the most modest purse, and as there is no description +of known wine which they do not possess, of course some there are at +very high prices; the same case may be stated of their liqueurs, of +which they have every variety. In this establishment persons may either +be accommodated with a single bottle, or may purchase by the pipe, as +they carry on an extensive wholesale business; their great warehouses +are at Bercy which is the grand dépôt for the wine merchants of Paris. +This is one of those houses to which I have before alluded as having, +although nearly in the centre of the city, a delightful garden, and in +the present instance quite a little<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[Pg 290]</a></span> aviary of canary and other birds, +which is open to the street, situated No. 22, Rue des Saints-Pères, +Faubourg St. Germain. The present proprietors were clerks in the house +as long back as 1810, and have never since been absent from the +business, which has been considerably augmented by their extreme +attention and civility to their customers, and the reputation which they +have acquired for keeping good articles, and vending them at fair +prices.</p> + +<p>As a great object of my work is to render it as serviceable as possible +to my readers, I must not omit some cautionary remarks upon the +tradespeople of Paris; an opinion has generally existed of their +predisposition to overcharge the English, and in a great many instances +it has been the case, when they first came over to France; an idea +existed that they were extremely rich, and a bad feeling prevailed of +making the wealthy pay: even amongst their own country people, they do +the same, it is a common phrase with them, "Il est riche, alors +faites-lui payer," "He is rich, so make him pay," and that system of +calculating the weight of a person's means and making the charge, +accordingly, is still followed in a degree; even the government have in +some measure encouraged the practice, no doubt from a good motive, which +has prompted them at certain periods to enforce regulations, that some +articles should be sold for less to the poor, such as bread, and other +necessaries of life. Another circumstance caused the French to continue +their impositions upon the English, their having been duped by<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[Pg 291]</a></span> the +latter, and in many instances to a considerable amount, as amongst the +crowds who came over, were many persons who were not very scrupulous +with respect to paying their debts, to whom the French willingly gave +credit, the English name at that period having stood extremely high in +the estimation of the French, but having sustained several losses on +account of their too great facility in giving credit, they determined to +make such of the English as they could attract, pay a portion towards +what they had been mulcted by their runaway country-people. The French +are not alone in that respect, as some of the fashionable tailors in +London charge an immense price for their coats, because they say they +only get paid for two out of three, therefore they make those pay dearly +for such as do not pay at all.</p> + +<p>The system now is rather better in Paris, so many shopkeepers having +adopted the plan of selling at "Prix fixe" as they call it, which means +fixed prices, from which they seldom or ever depart; but then there is a +great difference with regard to the value of the articles in which they +deal, some shops being infinitely cheaper than others, I therefore have +been at considerable pains to discover those who conduct their business +in an honourable manner and shall give my readers the benefit of my +researches. With respect to provisions there certainly is a difference +with regard to the quarters, which are the more or the less fashionable, +the former being somewhat dearer than the latter, but there is a +proportionate difference with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[Pg 292]</a></span> regard to the quality, and therefore in +some instances the higher priced articles are the cheapest in the end; +for instance, M. Rolland, of No. 363, Rue St. Honoré, sells none but the +very best meat; certainly in some of the obscurer parts of the town, and +in the markets it is to be had cheaper; but the quality far inferior. I +have heard the English complain of the meat not being so good in Paris +as it is in London, but if they dealt with M. Rolland they could not in +justice make the remark, he is always the possessor of the ox which is +exhibited on Shrove Tuesday, and which weighed the last time nearly +4,000lbs; he retains a well executed portrait of it, which he shows to +his customers, but he has often beasts approaching that weight, as about +a dozen every year are fatted by the Norman graziers for the prize, and +he is the principal purchaser; his other meat is proportionately fine, +therefore I fancy that a good manager will find that economy is promoted +by dealing with M. Holland in preference to any one who may sell at a +nominally lower price.</p> + +<p>Now that economy is on the <i>tapis</i>, I must endeavour to enlighten my +reader as much on that head as I can, by giving him all the advantage of +my own experience in the art, and as I am an old practitioner, I have +the vanity to flatter myself that my advice on that score may count for +something. On quitting England I advise my readers to disburthen +themselves of all their clothes, except such as are absolutely requisite +for travelling, and then on arriving at Paris to order<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[Pg 293]</a></span> those of which +they may stand in need; indeed for myself, when I return to England I +always provide a good stock of habiliments, convinced that the cloth +procured in France is so much more durable than that obtained in +England, and the workmen being paid much less, you have a superior +article in France for a lower charge. As to the difference of fashion or +cut, I leave that to be decided by a committee of dandies of the two +countries, and to prevent my readers from getting into bad hands, I +recommend them at once to M. Courtois, aux Montagnes Russes, No. 11, Rue +Neuve-des-Petits-Champs, facing the Rue Vivienne, there the stranger is +sure of being fairly treated with regard to the worth of the commodity, +the solidity and neatness of the execution, and punctuality in the +fulfillment of his engagements. The difference of prices between a +fashionable London and Parisian tailor is immense, the former will make +you pay 7<i>l.</i> 7<i>s.</i> for a coat of the best cloth, whilst M. Courtois +only charges 100 francs (4<i>l.</i>) for the same article, equal in every +respect, and furnishes every other description of clothing on equally +moderate terms.</p> + +<p>I shall now bid my reader to doff his hat, and obtain one that will sit +so lightly on his brow, that he will scarcely be conscious that his head +is covered, of which I had experience under circumstances rather +ludicrous than otherwise. I entered a glover's shop with my mind I +suppose occupied with divers meditations, and like a true uncourteous +Englishman forgot to take off my hat to the Dame de Comptoir, as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[Pg 294]</a></span> she is +styled, but having obtained what I sought, in the act of departing I +took up a hat which was on the counter, not dreaming that I had already +one upon my head, but as I was making my obeissance to the mistress of +the shop, she observed, very archly, that she should have thought +Monsieur might be satisfied with having a hat on his head, without +requiring to have one in his hand; surprised at finding myself +absolutely committing a robbery, I made the best excuses the subject +would admit, and retired after having furnished a subject of amusement +for Madame, for Monsieur whose hat I had so illegally appropriated to +myself, and to some pretty laughing-looking demoiselles who were +ensconced behind a counter. These aerial hats are to be procured of M. +Servas, No. 69, Rue Richelieu, who is the inventor, and for which he has +received a medal from a scientific society, they are of so light and +elastic a nature, that they do not cause the slightest pressure upon the +brow, nor leave that unsightly mark upon the forehead, that is often a +great annoyance to those gentlemen who object to having a stain upon the +<i>blanche</i> purity of that feature, and as those who are tenacious in that +respect must naturally be so with regard to the form and the material of +which their hat is composed, they may rest assured on that point they +will be suited in those of M. Servas, which have long had an +acknowledged superiority and celebrity on that account, his +establishment having for upwards of 30 years been famed under the firm +of Coquel and Quesnoy, which by the in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[Pg 295]</a></span>genuity of his recent invention +he has considerably augmented.</p> + +<p>As I am now on a chapter devoted to usefulness, I must recommend my +readers to get well and <i>comfortably</i> shod, particularly if they have +any intention of visiting the monuments and antiquities I have +described, for which purpose they must procure their shoes in Paris, the +leather being prepared in such a manner as to render it infinitely more +soft and flexible than it is in England, consequently one can walk twice +the distance, without tiring, in French shoes, than one can in English; +hence with the former all the tortures of new shoes are never felt, +being fully as easy as an old pair of the latter, and for this purpose +no one can better supply the article desired, than M. Deschamps, No. 14, +Galerie d'Orléans, Palais-Royal, who stands so high in the estimation of +my countrymen, that he is obliged to go to London twice a year to supply +their demands. An attention to comfort in this respect is to me so +essential, that in returning to England I always provide myself with a +plentiful stock of boots and shoes, although not to the same degree that +one of our celebrated tragedians practised this precaution, having +furnished himself with thirty-six pair to the no small amusement of the +Dover custom-house officers when they overhauled his luggage. One of the +great advantages of the French shoes is that the upper leather never +cracks nor bursts, and indeed I have not only found the material better, +but also the workmanship. M. Deschamps has acquired much cele<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[Pg 296]</a></span>brity for +the very elegant manner in which his shoes for balls and <i>soirées</i> are +executed, after a system of his own, which have now become the fashion +in all the saloons in Paris. Perhaps my readers may think I have devoted +too much space to this subject, but being a great pedestrian, it is one +of peculiar importance, to me (and it is so natural to judge every one +by one's self), and in order to see all the interesting little bits of +architectural antiquity, which are so numerous in Paris, the visit must +be performed on foot, as it is sometimes requisite to go into little +courts and alleys where no carriage can possibly enter; besides an +antiquarian must peep and grope about in places where a vehicle would +only be an incumbrance.</p> + +<p>Whilst my memory is on, or, as some people would say, whilst my hand is +in, I must not forget to recommend the stationer's shop, No. 159, Rue +St. Honoré, next door to the Oratoire, as it is presumable that my +readers, who intend to sojourn a while at Paris, must want to pay some +visits, consequently will need visiting cards, with which they will +provide themselves at the above establishment on terms so reasonable as +quite to surprise a Londoner; also the visiter must write, and will here +find an assortment of sixty different descriptions of English metal pens +of Cuthbert's manufacture, and every variety of stationary that can be +desired, and the manner in which they get up cards and addresses, with +regard to the neatness of the engraving, printing, and quality of the +card, is really surprising, for the price; whilst the mistress receives<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[Pg 297]</a></span> +her customers with so much politeness, that having been once, is sure to +prove the cause for other visits, when any of the articles in which she +deals are required; and punctuality in the execution of the orders +received is a quality to be met with in her, and in good truth, I cannot +say much for the Parisians in general on that score, and one great cause +is that they have too much business, and far more than they can attend +to in a proper manner.</p> + +<p>In the same street, at No. 416, is an establishment of which the English +ought to be informed, being that of M. Renault, wherein good cutlery is +to be obtained at very moderate prices; there is every variety that can +be desired, either for the table or other purposes, all of the finest +description; his shop is situated in the quarter most convenient for the +English, being that in which they so frequently reside.</p> + +<p>As health is a desideratum which is requisite for the pursuit of every +occupation, and particularly for such as mean to enjoy Paris to its full +extent, which will require a considerable degree of exercise, I must +recommend the visiter a chymist and druggist on whom he may rely, where +he may find the means of re-establishing any relaxation of strength or +other malady to which all human nature is ever prone. There are +innumerable establishments of this nature in Paris, and especially of +those who announce English medicines, but the one which I have +understood as possessing such as are truly genuine both in French and +English pharmacy, is that of M. Joseau, and as a tes<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[Pg 298]</a></span>timony of +confidence in the respectability of his establishment, it has been made +the chief depository of a medicine entitled the Copahine Mége, so +particularly recommended by the Royal Medicine Academy of France, who +have voted their thanks to the author, and granted him a patent for +fifteen years, having proved so efficacious where patients have by their +excesses deteriorated their health, and in fact, in all cases of +blennorrhagies. M. Joseau may be also useful to my countrymen, who are +in the habit of riding much on horseback, in providing them with belts +of his own invention, which are made of India rubber, and in general use +with the French cavalry. The establishment of M. Joseau is situated at +No. 161, corner of the Rue Montmartre, and of the Gallery Montmartre, +Passage Panorama, where my countrymen will be sure of meeting with the +most assiduous attention, both from himself and his assistants, and that +whatever they may require in his department will be of the best +description, and at the most moderate prices; I know of no business +whatever in which there is such an immense difference in the charges +both in London and Paris, that it appears to me that chemists and +druggists make you pay <i>ad libitum</i>, without having any fixed system, +therefore I never enter any of their shops without I have had them +particularly recommended.</p> + +<p>Before I quit this chapter of shreds and patches, although of solid +utility, a very useful establishment must be introduced to my readers, +belonging to Messrs.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[Pg 299]</a></span> Danneville, No. 16, Rue d'Aguesseau, Faubourg St. +Honoré, facing the Protestant Chapel, consisting of every description of +earthenware and crockery, on a very extensive scale, with a very quiet +exterior, the premises having more the appearance of warehouses than +shops; the assortment is quite of a multitudinous description, including +vessels of the cheapest and most useful nature, at the same time +containing numbers of superior articles, wherein extreme taste is +displayed. The concern has been a long time established, and is quite in +the centre of the quarter which such numbers of English choose for their +residence; the proprietors are civil, quiet, unassuming people, and +their articles exceedingly reasonable.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII.</h2> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Novel introductions of different branches of industry.—Recent +inventions.—Extensions of commerce in various +departments.—Establishments of several new descriptions of +business, now flourishing, and formerly unknown.</p></div> + + +<p>The commerce of Paris has now extended to so vast a scale, that it has +become an immense entrepòt for all the productions and manufactures of +France; the foreign merchant now feels that in visiting Paris he shall +there find the cheapest, the choicest, and the most extensive assortment +of all that the nature of the country, aided by art, is able to produce; +he is aware that he need not repair to Lyons, to Lille,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[Pg 300]</a></span> Rouen, or other +manufacturing districts, for their respective articles, for which they +are famed, as he knows that in the great emporium of the Continent, all +that the ingenuity of man can produce will there be found. Independent +of that advantage, there are many branches of industry confined to +Paris, first invented within its walls, improved, and wrought to a state +of perfection, which is unrivalled in any other capital, and affording +employ to an immense number of hands, from the multitude of +ramifications into which these branches diverge; so that Paris once +principally celebrated as a city of pleasure and gaiety, still retaining +that reputation, is now also renowned for its extraordinary +manufactures, and the curious and splendid specimens of art and +ingenuity emerging from its numerous <i>ateliers</i>, and which would require +an extent far beyond the limits of this work, to give a just and +accurate review of their merits; but some there are which being of a +nature totally novel in the annals of commerce, and having merely been +introduced within the last few years, we shall devote some space to +their description in order to afford our readers an idea of their beauty +and utility.</p> + +<p>Amongst the various articles of the above description, none perhaps +occupy a more prominent position for beauty, taste, and ingenuity, than +the extraordinary variety displayed in what is termed fancy stationary, +the fabrication of which is now extended to such a degree, as to have +become an important branch of the commerce of Paris. Its introduction is +but of recent<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[Pg 301]</a></span> date, as in the reign of Charles X all the paper required +for notes, letters, dispatches, etc., was procured from England, on +account of its extreme superiority over that of France; the Court never +using any other, the example was followed not only by the major part of +the French nobility, but by all foreigners of distinction who happened +to be sojourning at Paris, hence the importation of paper from England +was to a considerable amount. But when Louis Philippe came to the +throne, he with his usual policy observed, that paper of French +manufacture was good enough for his purposes, it was therefore adopted +at the Court, and the noblesse and gentry, following in the same line, +that encouragement was afforded to their countrymen, that engendered the +idea of rendering their own paper so tasteful and elegant that now the +affair is quite reversed, and England takes from France an immense +quantity of this beautiful manufacture, which employs even artists of +talent for designing the elegant and fanciful devices which ornament +their envelopes, with their enclosures of various sizes and forms, in +which the arts of drawing, painting, gilding, stamping, etc., combine to +render them so pretty and so gay, that one feels loath to destroy any of +these ornamental epistles, however trifling their import; the subjects +of the devices are as various as those which they are intended to +illustrate, history, the heathen mythology, religion, friendship, a more +tender passion, etc., are all allegorically or emblematically +represented, in the fancy stationary, offering the writer the means of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[Pg 302]</a></span> +choosing a subject consistent with the text of his letter, as an +invitation to dinner is designated by paintings of pheasants, game, +etc., to a <i>soirée dansante</i>, the note is adorned by couples waltzing, +etc., to a whist party, the cards and players are introduced, and if to +tea, the cups and saucers of gilded and glowing hue, bedeck the gay +margin; so that before a word is written in the letter, it foretells its +errand.</p> + +<p>There are very many who have gradually contributed their talents to this +branch of industry, but it is M. Marion who may be considered the +inventor, he having availed himself with the most effect of their +abilities, and concentrated their respective merits, in which he has +displayed much perseverance, taste, and judgment, as also in the manner +in which he has organised this branch of commerce, and promoted its +extension. At his establishment at No. 14, Cité-Bergère, will be found a +most extensive assortment of fancy stationary, comprehending every +description of variety that the most fertile imagination could depict, +the prices of ordinary paper commencing at the very humble price of six +sheets for a sou, and according to the degree that it is ornamented, +gradually rising to 25 francs a sheet. M. Marion has also an +establishment in London, at No. 19, Mortimer Street, Cavendish Square, +exactly on a similar plan as that in Paris, containing an equal variety +of specimens of this new branch of art.</p> + +<p>When the visiter has a half hour to spare, he would not find it thrown +away in visiting the establishment<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[Pg 303]</a></span> of Madame Merckel, she having found +the means of applying the phosphorus and chemical matches, which she has +invented, to such a number of purposes, and of introducing them in so +curious and ingenious a manner into divers articles, calculated both for +utility and ornament, that her manufactory might be considered quite a +little museum; amongst a variety of pretty things, I was first struck +with a time-piece which acts as an alarum, and not only answers the +purpose of awakening you at any hour which you may desire, but a little +figure representing a magician, at the instant strikes a magic mirror, +by which means the taper he holds is ignited, and with all possible +grace, he presents you with a light just as you open your eyes. A night +lamp next attracted me, which represented Mount Vesuvius, and the means +by which it is lighted, proceeds from an enormous dragon emitting fire +from his throat; this article is equally useful as a paper press. +Another night lamp I found particularly elegant, though perfectly +simple, consisting merely of a gilded branch, gracefully carved into a +sort of festoon, from which was suspended a little lamp of most classic +form. The inkstands consist of an indescribable variety, displaying all +kinds of contrivances, some so portable as easily to go into the pocket, +and containing instantaneous light on touching a spring, with pens, ink, +seal and wax. Amongst the endless number of paper presses is one with a +blacksmith, who, when light is required, strikes the anvil and fire +appears; abundance of cigar stands with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[Pg 304]</a></span> matches are arranged after a +variety of whimsical methods, some of them very tasteful, and having +quite an ornamental effect. Fortunately, Madame Merckel has in a great +degree met with the reward her ingenuity merits, receiving the greatest +encouragement from the public, and not only having had a patent granted +her to protect her inventions, but she has also been presented with +medals from three scientific Societies. As her prices are as various as +the objects are numerous, every purse may be accommodated, as there are +some as low as a sou, whilst there are others which rise as high as +twenty pounds, the charge elevating according to the degree of ornament +or utility. It appears surprising that a business which was not known +until within the last few years should have risen to such importance, as +Madame Merckel not only transmits her merchandise to every town in +France, but also to the principal cities throughout Europe. The +manufactory is No. 24, Rue du Bouloi, in the Cour des Fermes; there is +besides a similar establishment in London, at No. 30, Edmund Place, +Aldersgate Street, which is entirely furnished by Madame Merckel, +possessing the same varied assortment, and undertaking to execute the +same extent of supply.</p> + +<p>How very simple are some descriptions of inventions, and how very simple +one is apt to think one's self in not having before thought of that +which appears so trifling and easy when once known. So it is with a sort +of portable desk, invented by M. Tachet, for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">[Pg 305]</a></span> which he has procured a +patent; it needs no table nor any kind of support, as the student places +it under him, and his own weight keeps it perfectly firm and steady; the +plane (on which he writes or draws) being attached to the part on which +he sits, rises before him, capable of accommodating itself to such +elevation as may be desired; its principal utility is for sketching from +nature, but as females could not make use of this desk in the same +manner as men, M. Tachet has also such as are adapted to their +accommodation, the base lying on the lap, and fastened by a band round +the waist, which keeps it perfectly firm. M. Tachet has also devoted +much time and attention in forming a collection of angular and carved +pieces of wood, shaped and finished with extreme neatness, describing +almost every form that can well be imagined, and composed of such wood +as has been so well seasoned that it can never warp, either ebony, box, +pear-tree, or indeed of every different country which produces the +hardest woods; they are particularly used by engineers and architects, +for drawing plans or elevations of buildings, as every curve or angle of +any dimensions which can be required, may be traced by these curved and +angular rulers. In French, on account of the form resembling that of a +pistol, the curved pieces are called <i>pistolet</i>, which comprehends a +complete set, and great demands for them come from England. At the +establishment of M. Tachet will also be found almost every article that +is required by the artist, and it is in fact the only house in Paris +where there is any<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">[Pg 306]</a></span> certainty of procuring <i>real English</i> colours, as +there are so many counterfeits of them exposed in almost all the +colour-shops in Paris, with the names and arms upon them of some of the +most eminent English colour manufacturers. But I can assure my +countrymen that those they obtain from M. Tachet are genuine, and that +they may deal with him in the same confidence as they would with what we +call a true Englishman; he has likewise a most complete collection of +mathematical instruments; his shop is situated at No. 274, Rue St. +Honoré, at the bottom of the court-yard, and although it has not so +brilliant an appearance as many establishments of the same nature, it is +not the worse for its quiet exterior, but on the contrary, the same +articles will be found with him at a more moderate charge than they ever +can be procured of his dashing rivals.</p> + +<p>Another branch of industry which has risen into extreme importance +latterly is that of producing such exquisitely beautiful objects in cut +glass, for which the establishment of Messrs. Lahoche-Boin and Comp. has +for many years been celebrated, and ever conspicuous on account of its +glass staircase, but I should be afraid to trust myself with beginning +to describe the multitude of tasteful and elegant articles assembled in +this exhibition (for it is really much more worthy of being so called +than many that bear the name), lest I should be inveigled into too much +prolixity. Into many of their richly wrought services of glass, gold is +so happily introduced, that the two brilliant sub<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">[Pg 307]</a></span>stances seem to +sparkle in rivalry of each other, and the deeper tone of bronze +sometimes lends its aid and heightens the effect of both. Glass is now +appropriated to a variety of purposes, formerly never thought of, as +balustrades, the handles of locks and plates to doors, instead of brass, +and a number of other objects; indeed from this establishment there is +always emanating something new, and for the beauty of the works which +they displayed at a national exhibition of specimens of art and +industry, they were awarded the gold medal. Amongst other articles which +attract the attention in their splendid collection, are some of the most +magnificent china vases, painted by talented artists in that department, +also services of Sèvres porcelain for the table, in the taste of times +past; others of glass, gilded and elaborately carved, which style was +also much in vogue with our ancestors; some likewise of a more simple +description but always possessing a degree of elegance which excites +admiration. The proprietors of this concern are merchants of +respectability, and besides furnishing the Royal Family of France, and +several of the courts of Europe, they have transactions with most parts +of the world, charging themselves with the execution of orders for any +country, and requiring the remuneration of a very moderate commission. +The establishment of Messrs. Lahoche-Boin and Comp. is at Nos. 152, 153, +Palais-Royal, and the carriage entrance, No. 19, Rue de Valois. This is +one of those houses in Paris (of which doubtless there are many) where +the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">[Pg 308]</a></span> stranger may feel every confidence that he will meet with none but +the most honourable treatment.</p> + +<p>For those of my countrymen who like to proceed to the fountain head, and +obtain articles from the manufacturer himself, instead of purchasing +them of the shopkeeper who vends them at a higher price, I would +recommend a visit to the establishment of M. Vincent, which is in fact +like a little town, the number of warehouses, workshops, offices, etc., +on the premises, amounting to no less than 84. In this manufactory an +endless variety of articles are produced, consisting of every +description of knick-knackery, if I may be allowed the term, as +snuff-boxes, cigar-cases, memorandum books, souvenirs, bon-bon boxes, +tablets, tooth-picks, card and needle-cases, pocket mirrors, housewives, +paper presses, port-crayons, rulers, seals, musical snuff-boxes, etc., +etc. The above articles being executed in every possible variety that +can be imagined, of tortoise-shell, ivory, or mother of pearl, inlaid +with gold and silver in the richest and most elaborate manner, miniature +frames of every description, composed of fancy woods, with chased +circles, metal gilt, stamped tortoise-shell, bronze and of every sort of +material adapted for the purpose, albums and pocket-books in great +variety, dressing-cases both for ladies and gentlemen, tea caddies, +work-boxes, and an infinity of articles too numerous to recapitulate, +for some of which patents have been obtained. It is from this +establishment that most of the showy shops in Paris, who deal in +articles of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">[Pg 309]</a></span> same nature, are provided, hence much economy is +effected by purchasing of M. Vincent, the profit of the shopkeeper being +saved by procuring the object from the manufacturer. Tradesmen who come +to Paris from London, would find their interest in applying to this +establishment, where they could obtain the goods they require of the +descriptions stated, at considerably more advantageous terms than from +other quarters. I will cite one article which will prove how very low +are the charges compared to what we are accustomed to in London; the +musical mechanism of a snuff-box, 10 francs (eight shillings) playing +two airs, rising gradually in price to 90 francs, or about 3<i>l.</i> 12<i>s.</i> +playing six tunes, which of course can be afterwards set in any +description of box which the purchaser chooses, of gold, silver, or +tortoise-shell, as fancy directs. All other articles sold by M. Vincent +are equally reasonable. His residence is No. 4, Rue de Beauce, at the +corner of the Rue de Bretagne, near the Temple, certainly not in a very +desirable neighbourhood, but manufactories are seldom carried on in the +most agreeable vicinities.</p> + +<p>An art which has been recently brought to an astonishing degree of +perfection in Paris, is that of dyeing, cleaning, scouring, and +restoring almost all descriptions of habiliments; this has been effected +by M. Bonneau, but not until he had visited the principal manufacturing +towns, and had passed many years in studying the art scientifically, +aided by persevering researches into the depths of chymistry, to which +he is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">[Pg 310]</a></span> indebted for being able to perform that which has not until now +been accomplished. I have seen instances of a soiled, faded, cashmere +shawl, almost considered beyond redemption, committed to his charge, and +reappear so resuscitated that the owners could scarcely believe it was +the same dingy, deplorable-looking affair they had sent a fortnight +before. The same power of restoring is effected upon all descriptions of +satin, even that of the purest white, which, although so soiled as to be +of a dirty yellow colour, is brought forth perfectly clean and with all +its original lustre; with silks, merinos, gros de Naples of the +tenderest tints, the process adopted is equally successful; blonde, +guipure, and all descriptions of lace, no matter how discoloured, are +restored to their original whiteness. With the apparel of men, the same +advantages are obtained, silk, cashmere, velvet, and other waistcoats +that many would throw aside as totally spoiled, or too shabby to be worn +any longer, by being sent to M. Bonneau, are returned, having the +appearance of being quite new. His establishment, at No. 17, Rue +Lepelletier, just facing the French Opera, is well known to many English +families; but having heard so much of the wonders he performed in +reviving the lost colours of the elaborate borders of ladies' cashmeres, +and rendering them their pristine brilliance, I determined to visit his +premises, upon which he carried on his operations, in the Rue de Bondy, +No. 40. I there found everything conducted upon a most methodical system +of regularity and order,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">[Pg 311]</a></span> each room was appropriated to its peculiar +department, and heated and ventilated by a certain process, and that +which does M. Bonneau much honour, is, that all is so arranged, with the +utmost consideration for the health of his work-people, by taking care +that they shall be kept as dry as possible, and that a proper degree of +warmth and air shall be admitted into every chamber. When required, M. +Bonneau sends his men to clean furniture at persons' houses, which would +be rather incommodious to remove. When any article is sent to him, the +bearer is informed what day it will be completed, and is sure not to be +deceived, and he has an apartment so arranged for preserving whatever is +confided to him, from any injury which might be caused by moths or other +insects.</p> + +<p>Amongst those articles for which France used to depend upon England, but +wherein the case is reversed by England taking from France, is that of +pencil-cases, in which small pieces of lead are inserted, and emitted or +withdrawn at pleasure; numbers of these formerly were sent from London +and Birmingham to Paris, but recently M. Riottot has invented and +obtained a patent for a pencil-case which has a little elastic tube of +tempered steel placed at the end which is used, and into which the lead +is inserted, and tightly held within it, so that there is no risk of +breaking, either in the act of fixing in the lead, or from its +afterwards shaking, the steel tube operating as a spring, retains it so +firmly that it remains, even whilst writing with it, perfectly +immoveable; these are arranged in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">[Pg 312]</a></span> gold or silver cases, more or less +ornamental as may be required, and are found so infinitely more +serviceable than those on the former principle, that as they are +becoming more known in England, the demand for them continues to +increase. The term by which they are designated, is Porte Crayon à Pince +élastique; their advantages are such as tend to economy, as they are +neither liable to fall out nor break, besides the convenience of their +never moving about whilst one is using them, to which the previous +system was constantly liable. M. Riottot has also an assortment of pens +and pen-holders, either plated or of silver or gold, richly chased or +simple, with a variety of seals and other articles; he likewise retains +a stock of lead, properly prepared for inserting into the pencil-cases. +His address is at No. 27, Rue Phélippeaux, Passage de la Marmite, +Escalier A, completely in the quarter of Paris inhabited by the +operatives, surrounded by workshops of different descriptions, not +exactly calculated for very delicate ladies.</p> + +<p>For the benefit of a little purer air, we will quit the working +mechanics' rendez-vous, and take a lounge in the Palais-Royal, and as +soon as we breathe a little freely, we will examine the engraved seals +of M. Leteurtre-Maurisset, No. 33, Galerie d'Orléans, which, from the +extreme delicacy of the execution, are objects well worth attention; his +talents in this department have obtained him the distinction of being +engraver to the Chamber of Deputies and to the royal museums; some of +his specimens of armorial bearings, his designs<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">[Pg 313]</a></span> for stamping +impressions, in relief and heraldric devices, are extremely clever; he +engraves on stones of different descriptions, with equal accuracy and on +any kind of metal, as plates for visiting cards, etc., and whatever he +undertakes he executes in the most perfect manner, that the nature of +the work will admit. As he is attached to his profession, however +trifling the order he may receive, he enters into it with the same zest +as if it were of the first importance, of course it is engraving +subjects for seals in which he finds the most pleasure, as it is in +those that he has the greatest scope for the display of his abilities, +and seldom fails to excel.</p> + +<p>Although the progress which France has made in almost every branch of +industry is most extraordinary, yet none is so striking as the advance +which has been effected in cutlery, as I well remember when I first came +to France, it was a common joke amongst the English, when speaking of +the rarity of an object, to observe that it was as scarce as a knife in +France that would cut, its appearance also was as dull as its edge, soon +however their cutlery, with their ideas, began to brighten, and to +sharpen; but even as recently as 1830, they were still so outshone by +England, that if it was known that you were going from Paris to London, +with the intention of returning, every lady asked you to bring her a +pair of scissors, every man a pair of razors, and by all medical friends +you were assailed to bring them over lancets or other machines for +cutting and maiming human flesh;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">[Pg 314]</a></span> thanks to the genius, talents, and +perseverance of M. Charrière, one is no longer troubled with such +commissions, he having improved every description of surgical +instruments to such a degree of perfection, that now many of our English +surgeons provide themselves from his establishment on returning to +England; not only has M. Charrière produced every variety of instrument +used by our faculty, but he has invented several others, which have +merited and obtained the thanks of his country, with letters and medals +from several scientific societies. Even foreigners from all parts of +Europe, from America, and from the East, are now becoming acquainted +with the utility of his inventions, which are already well known in +London and Edinburgh, and will soon be as much in demand in England as +they are now in France. Some idea may be formed of how far M. Charrière +has raised this branch of industry, when it is stated that but a few +years since, the whole number of workmen occupied in this department was +but 30 and now he alone employs 150! M. Charrière in fact possesses one +quality which generally ensures success, a passion for his art; he is +not to be regarded simply as a vender of cutlery, but as one possessing +a scientific knowledge of his profession, and as a mechanic of +considerable talent. To recapitulate all his inventions, with their +respective merits, and the approbatory letters that he has received from +different academical institutions, would half fill my little volume; +suffice it to say that he is the only person in his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">[Pg 315]</a></span> business, to whom +has ever been awarded the gold medal; besides which, the Royal Academy +of Sciences have presented him with 1800 francs, for the improvement he +has effected in surgical instruments. There is scarcely a disease and +certainly not a single operation that can be performed on the human +frame, for which M. Charrière has not the requisite materials in the +utmost perfection, even for the fabrication of artificial noses; and for +one invention he merits the gratitude of all mothers, the <i>biberon</i>, a +machine for the purpose of supplying an infant with milk, when +circumstances prevent the mother from affording that nourishment. This +instrument is so contrived that the part which meets the lips is in +point of texture exactly the same as that which nature provides, uniting +an equal degree of softness and elasticity, that the child takes to the +substitute, with the same zest as if it were the reality. I have known +instances where the lives of children have been saved by this machine, +the parents declaring to me that such was the case, and that they +considered that every mother ought to be provided with so useful an +instrument. The address of M. Charrière is No. 9, Rue de +l'Ecole-de-Médecine. A variety of cutlery is kept of as perfect a +description as those articles for which he has attained so high a +celebrity.</p> + +<p>It has generally in modern days been a reproach to France, that she has +been rather lax in regard of religious matters; what there may be in the +hearts of the inhabitants of that or other countries I shall not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316">[Pg 316]</a></span> +presume to give an opinion, but can only say that I find the churches in +Paris, both protestant and catholic, always during service time nearly +full, and many to overflowing. Not only that, but the French are much +attached to holy associations, hence the prints of our Saviour, the +Virgin, and the Saints, have a most inexhaustible sale; I need give my +readers no greater proof than recommending them to visit the +establishment of M. Dopter, No. 21, Rue St. Jacques, they will there +find amongst his immense collection of engravings and lithographies, the +portrait of every saint that ever was heard of, an innumerable variety +of religious subjects for which there is a most extensive and incessant +demand. Some of these are stamped and illuminated in a most splendid +manner, and I verily believe there is scarcely a subject connected with +the christian religion, of which M. Dopter has not a representation; his +establishment is therefore known throughout all France, and many parts +of Europe, to which he transmits numbers of his publications.</p> + +<p>He likewise has a most useful assortment of maps and geographical +illustrations, with portraits of celebrated characters, particularly +those connected with the campaigns and adventures of Napoleon, as also +his battles, and remarkable events of his life, as well as a great +diversity of historical subjects, landscapes, academical studies, etc., +etc.; M. Dopter is also the inventor of the new style of covers for +binding, of which the present volume is a specimen, having<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317">[Pg 317]</a></span> them of an +innumerable variety of patterns, and of every size likely to be +demanded.</p> + +<p>It has often struck me that maps were very incomplete, in consequence of +their not being capable of giving the degrees of elevation of hills or +mountains except in a very inefficient manner; the same idea, I suppose, +actuated M. Bauerkeller, and induced him to invent those maps in relief, +which are now becoming so generally demanded, as giving such an accurate +illustration of the surface of a country, which is most beautifully +exemplified in many of his specimens, but most particularly in that of +Switzerland; every object having a degree of elevation proportioned to +the reality, and coloured in a great measure similar to the subject +intended to be represented, thus the snow-capped mountains of +Switzerland have their white summits distinctly expressed, their blue +lakes, their green meadows, grey rocks, etc., given with such fidelity, +that a person obtains a most perfect notion of regions he may never have +an opportunity to visit. This system of forming maps or plans upon +embossed paper, is peculiarly applicable to cities, as the public +buildings appear to such advantage, and M. Bauerkeller has already +executed those of London, Paris, St. Petersburg, Vienna, New York, the +city of Mexico, Hamburg, Basle, a Panorama of the Rhine from Coblentz to +Mayence, besides several other cities and countries, and there is no +doubt that in a short time the whole of Europe and many other distant +districts will be illustrated in the same manner, as he is con<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318">[Pg 318]</a></span>stantly +adding to his collection which already excites the highest interest. M. +Bauerkeller's plan of executing charts, maps, or views in relief, can be +equally produced either upon velvet, silk, or leather, for the +illustration of a diversity of subjects which can be applied to an +innumerable variety of purposes, as shades for lamps, men's caps, +slippers, reticules, stands for decanters, screens, etc., etc.; already +he has extended his connexions to such a degree that he receives +applications from all parts of Europe and America for different articles +in which his invention is introduced. Some of his works which were +displayed at the national exhibition excited universal admiration, and +obtained him a medal; he has also been granted a patent for fifteen +years. This invention is not only valuable in having rendered maps more +ornamental, but it assists the study of geography; by the objects being +rendered so much more distinct, it increases the interest and +consequently makes a deeper impression on the memory; in fact, the +numerous advantages to be derived from this system of giving plans in +relief may be easily imagined, but are too long to be described. A +specimen of the art will be found at the beginning of this work: M. +Bauerkeller's address is No. 380, Rue St. Denis, Passage Lemoine.</p> + +<p>Amongst the number of inventions which are constantly emanating from the +brain of man, I know of few which unite more ingenuity, utility, and +simplicity than that of M. Martin (gun-maker at No. 36, Rue +Phélippeaux), relative to the improvement of every<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319">[Pg 319]</a></span> description of gun +that is impelled by percussion. According to the system he has +introduced, and for which he has obtained a patent, all the +inconvenience to which the sportsman is subjected in priming is entirely +obviated, as instead of having to place the percussion cap with one's +fingers, so disagreeable in very cold weather, it is at once effected by +the act of cocking, and the gun may be fired from 80 to 100 times, +always as it were priming itself, as the number of percussion caps +required are introduced through the butt, and conducted to the point +desired. The method of inserting the percussion caps is perfectly easy; +pressing a little button or nut at the bottom of the butt causes a plate +to open, when two spiral wire-springs must be taken out, as also a +moveable tube, from the interior of the gun, and the latter filled with +percussion caps, which must be poured into fixed tubes which communicate +with the anvil; they may contain from 40 to 50 each; when this number is +introduced replace the spiral wire-springs which press the percussion +caps exactly, regularly and successively as they are needed to the point +desired, then fasten in the springs with the little hook attached for +that purpose, lastly replace the moveable tube and shut the plate at the +bottom of the butt. This process is executed in a far shorter time than +it can be described. The <i>immense</i> advantage of this invention may not +appear at the first view; but when it is considered how much more rapid +may be the fire of an army in consequence of the time gained, which +would be oc<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320">[Pg 320]</a></span>cupied in priming, the power it will give them over an enemy +must be evident, and there is no doubt but that in a very short time +they will be universally adopted. All such of my countrymen who come to +Paris I would recommend to call on M. Martin; he will give them every +possible explanation on the subject in the most obliging manner, and +also give them practical evidence of the manner in which it operates.</p> + +<p>However deficient the French were until a very few years since in almost +every thing which relates to mechanics, yet in some articles they have +now made such rapid strides, that it becomes a question whether they +will not surpass us, if we do not exert the same energy in the spirit of +improvement with which they have been recently actuated. Formerly the +inferiority of French pianos to ours was most evident, and perhaps, +generally speaking, I should still say it was the case, but there are a +few manufacturers, the tone of whose instruments is superb; of such a +description are those of M. Soufleto. It is really surprising how he has +been enabled, in a small upright piano, to produce the force and depth +of tone which he has found the means of uniting in comparatively so +small a volume, the bass having absolutely the power and roundness of an +organ; but that part of an instrument which most frequently fails, is +that which is composed of the additional keys or the highest notes, +which are apt to be thin and wiry, but with Mr. Soufleto's pianos it is +not the case, the tone being soft and full, with a proportionate degree +of force with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321">[Pg 321]</a></span> the rest of the instrument. His merit has been duly +acknowledged, having not only received the King's patent, but having +been twice presented with medals, and appointed manufacturer to the +Queen. As most English families who come to Paris for the purpose of +residing or sojourning for a certain time, are desirous of hiring or +purchasing a <i>good</i> piano, I can assure them that such they will find at +M. Soufleto's, No. 171, Rue Montmartre, and that his terms are extremely +moderate in consideration of the excellence of his instruments.</p> + +<p>I am sure my readers will approve of my directing their attention to the +establishment of M. Richond, styled the Phœnix, No. 17, Boulevard +Montmartre, near the Rue Richelieu. They will there find such a splendid +assortment of time-pieces, as constitutes a most beautiful sight, +equally gratifying to the artist and the amateur, many of the subjects +being perfectly classic, and exhibiting the tastes and costumes of +different ages; some of these magnificent time-pieces are adorned with +figures, either bronze or gilded, representing historical characters, +after the designs of the first masters, which are most admirably +executed, and indeed there is such a variety of subjects, that one might +pass hours in the shop, deriving the greatest pleasure from the +examination of so many interesting subjects. It is also a satisfaction +to know that the works of M. Richond's time-pieces are equal to their +external beauty. In fact it is a house that has been long established +and has ever supported a good name,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_322" id="Page_322">[Pg 322]</a></span> having a considerable connexion, +not only throughout France, but in foreign countries, particularly with +England, and is by far the most recommendable of any in Paris in that +line of business. Every object has the price marked upon it, which is +always adhered to, and the charges are as moderate as could possibly be +expected from the superiority of the articles over those which are sold +in so many other shops in Paris; some time-pieces there are which of +course amount to a high price, consistent with their splendour. There is +a stamp fixed by government upon the internal works of each time-piece, +to prove that it is verified as being of the best quality. M. Richond +undertakes, at his own risk, the conveyance of time-pieces to London +which have been purchased at his shop, and warrants them against any +accident which may happen to the works in travelling, having a +correspondent in London who is in the same business, and is commissioned +to execute any repairs which may be requisite.</p> + +<p>Amongst other branches of industry which now have risen into +considerable importance, is one which at present constitutes an +extensive business of itself, although formerly only considered as a +minor department of different concerns; that to which I allude is what +the French term <i>chemisier</i>, which I can translate no otherwise than +shirt-maker. There are now many following this business in Paris, but +the largest establishment, and from which many others spring, is that of +M. Demarne, No. 39, Rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323">[Pg 323]</a></span> and he has so exerted +his ingenuity in this peculiar line that he has obtained a patent for +the perfection to which he has elevated it; he has been twice honourably +mentioned in the reports published of two national exhibitions in which +he had specimens of his works. His fame has already travelled throughout +the Continent, and he is patronised by the princes of several courts of +Europe, amongst others Prince Ernest of Cobourg, and noticing the names +of several of the English nobility, in a list which he showed me to +prove the encouragement he received from my <i>compatriots</i>, I remarked +that of a noble lord of sporting notoriety whose shirts were at the +price of <i>only</i> 150 fr. (6<i>l.</i>) each. However, it must not be supposed +that M. Demarne is dearer than other people, the price of all his +articles are proportioned to the nature of the materials of which they +are composed, and many are at the most moderate charges. At his +extensive establishment will also be found an assortment of shirt +collars, cravats, braces, silk handkerchiefs, etc., etc., arranged +according to the prevailing fashions. One of the most curious, ingenious +and incomprehensible inventions of any I have seen is that of M. Paris, +coiffeur to the Princes and Princesses, 25, Passage Choiseul, and 22, +Rue Dalayrac, near the new Italian Theatre, relating to all descriptions +of false hair, which he contrives to arrange in such a manner that the +skin of the head is seen through where the hair is parted, and the roots +represented as springing from the head in so natural a manner, that the +deception cannot be dis<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324">[Pg 324]</a></span>cerned even on the closest inspection; the +extreme delicacy of the work in these fronts and toupies is really +inimitable, a person may put one on the back of their hand, and the +division appears so transparent that the skin is seen under it as clear +as if not a single hair crossed it, and yet by some invisible means the +parts are held together, which can only be by light transparent hairs +which are not discernible to the naked eye. He has obtained a patent for +this invention, and although I know my countrywomen have generally very +fine heads of hair, yet as from fevers or other causes they are +sometimes deprived of it, also that grey hairs will intrude, I cannot +too strongly recommend them to patronise the talents of M. Paris, and +which under similar circumstances will be found equally serviceable to +gentlemen.</p> + +<p>Whilst dilating upon different inventions which either contribute to +comfort or convenience, I must not omit that of M. Cazal, who has +obtained two patents, and medals for the umbrellas and parasols he has +invented, with which he furnishes the Queen and Princesses, and which +are entirely superseding all those of any other construction. In such as +M. Cazal has brought into vogue, instead of the catches or springs which +retain the umbrella when open or shut, being inserted in the stick, +which always contributes towards weakening it, they are attached to the +wire frame-work, and by merely touching a little button will slide up or +down as required with the greatest facility, without those little +annoyances which so fre<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325">[Pg 325]</a></span>quently happen in the old method, of either +pinching one's fingers, or the glove catching in the spring, or the +latter breaking or losing its elasticity, etc., etc. The stick by this +system, it must also be observed, is stronger, therefore can if desired +be thinner, and consequently lighter. Another description, called +travelling umbrellas, is also invented by M. Cazal and is particularly +convenient, containing a cane inside the stick, by which it may be used +as one or as the other, according as the weather or caprice may require; +these are extremely desirable for lame persons who require a stick, as +the umbrella when closed answers the purpose, and if required to be +opened the cane drawing out equally affords support. M. Cazal has an +assortment of canes and whips the most varied that can be imagined; it +would be difficult to fancy any pattern or form that is not to be found +in his numerous collection. His establishment is No. 23, Boulevard +Italien, where there is always some one in attendance who speaks +English. Whilst so near, I cannot resist mentioning so respectable a +tradesman as M. Frogé, tailor, with whom the fashionable Englishmen +sojourning at Paris have dealt for above twenty years, and ever found +him so honourable in his transactions that they still continue to afford +him their patronage; his address is No. 3, Boulevard des Capucines.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326">[Pg 326]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX.</h2> + +<p class='center'>To the ladies.</p> + + +<p>As I have set out with professing to render my work of as much utility +as possible, I am desirous of giving my fair countrywomen the benefit of +my own experience in Paris, by indicating to them those establishments +wherein they may abstract a portion of the contents of their purse, +without having cause to think that it has been recklessly dissipated, as +no one more than myself would regret to see their "glittering money fly +like chaff before the wind," so am I extremely tenacious that they +should only barter it for its full value, and as I know ladies must and +will have perfumes, however superfluous in most instances, for it is but +adding "sweets to the sweets," I shall conduct them to the emporium of +delicious odours, appertaining to M. Blanche, whose dealings I can +assure them are as pure as his name; he has besides the merit of being +an excellent chymist, and the still greater merit of having devoted his +talents to the fair sex, and in that point which they appreciate most +highly, the embellishment and preservation of their personal +attractions; he has therefore invented a peculiar description of +vegetable soap, called <i>Savon Végétal de Guimauve</i>, which is so renowned +amongst the Paris belles, that I should not be surprised at their +forming themselves into a committee, and voting an address<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327">[Pg 327]</a></span> of thanks to +M. Blanche for the signal services he has rendered to the cause of +beauty, as not only are the medicinal powers attributed to this <i>savon</i>, +of removing any impurities and softening the skin, but also that of +giving it a smooth satiny lustre, which may be compared to adding the +last <i>coup de grâce</i> to the female charms. In addition to these +advantages it possesses that of having the most agreeable scent; its +merits have in fact obtained it a patent and it is only sold at the +establishment of M. Blanche, No. 48, Passage Choiseul, where also may be +procured every description of perfumery and a variety of other articles, +all good of their kind, as the proprietor would consider the vending of +an inferior quality as a stain upon his character and upon his <i>fair</i> +name.</p> + +<p>Formerly the English ladies were very <i>sharp</i> and <i>pointed</i> in their +reflexions upon French needles, much more so indeed than the objects to +which their sarcasms were directed, which in fact were but blunt and +brittle ware, and the consequence was that they not only tried all their +own little arts to smuggle over as many as they could when they came +from England, but they exacted the same pecadillo from their unfortunate +friends; now of all things I most hate smuggling, principally I admit +from the fear of being caught; which I think excessively disagreeable. +Judge then how rejoiced I was when informed by some of my fair friends +that there were as good needles to be had at the Maison Bierri, à la +Ville de Lille, 32, Faubourg St. Honoré, as any that could be procured +in London,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328">[Pg 328]</a></span> and one respectable matron insisted that it was a moral duty +incumbent upon me to mention an establishment so exceedingly useful to +my countrywomen, not only because it contains so many articles which +females are constantly requiring, but that every thing they have is of +so superior a quality; in fact nothing would satisfy the good lady but +my going myself to see how it was crowded with purchasers.</p> + +<p>I obeyed, and in good truth found the shop quite like a fair, but the +most perfect order and arrangement prevailing, the proprietor constantly +upon the watch to see that the young people were civil and attentive to +the customers, who were purchasing a variety of articles and +particularly ribbands; of which there appeared a most brilliant +assortment, and I heard it observed that in that department the Maison +Bierri had a celebrity <i>unique</i>. There were also as great diversity of +fringe, net, blonde, muslin, mercery, lace, jaconas, linings, worsteds, +all kinds of haberdashery, etc., etc. I also remarked that in every +drawer, containing the different articles which were produced, the +prices were marked, so that in case of the least demur regarding the +charge, a reference to the label decides the affair. By the excellence +of his goods, the regular system upon which the business is conducted, +and the assiduity of all concerned in the Maison Bierri, he has +attracted numbers of the English, and amongst the rest the Ambassadress, +and there is always some person attending who speaks their language. In +the exterior there is no attempt at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329">[Pg 329]</a></span> display; like many of the most +respectable establishments, it depends so entirely on its extensive +connexions, as not to need any efforts to promote publicity, and every +one residing at Paris must have heard of the reputation of the Maison +Bierri; it is particularly convenient for the English, being in the +quarter in which they mostly dwell.</p> + +<p>As there is no department of the toilet by which ladies either so +disfigure or embellish themselves, as the hat, bonnet, or cap, I must +beseech my fair countrywomen to procure those articles from such persons +alone who have as it were obtained a diploma for good taste; as I am +most anxious that when Englishwomen are in France, that they should in +every respect appear to the best advantage; now as I consider that which +adorns the head as having so important a bearing upon the beauty of a +female, deep and frequent were my cogitations upon the subject, before I +could make up my mind what <i>modiste</i> I should recommend to the patronage +of my countrywomen, as I would not have the sin upon my head, for all +the mines of Golconda, of having been accessary to an Englishwoman +putting on a hat or bonnet that did not become her; therefore, after +mature deliberation, I determined to call a council of all my female +acquaintances, and beg of them to hold a debate upon this knotty point; +the result was most satisfactory, the question being carried without a +division, in fact there was not one dissentient voice, the name of +Madame de Barenne being pronounced by one and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330">[Pg 330]</a></span> all at the same moment; +it being observed that there were several persons who had attained a +certain degree of celebrity as <i>modistes</i>, but for uniting grace, +elegance and simplicity with an artistical <i>gusto</i>, there were none in +Paris who surpassed Madame de Barenne (14 place Vendôme). I have before +alluded to this lady, and certainly have observed that her manners, her +apartments, and every thing around her has an air <i>distingué</i>, and +although I would never have the presumption of giving an opinion upon +articles so far above my judgment, yet I can record the opinion of those +who are considered true connaisseurs, from whom I learn that at Madame +de Barenne's, hats, bonnets, caps, and turbans, of every variety, are +arranged with the utmost perfection, the materials being of the most +superior description consistent with the season of the year, adorned +with marabouts, bird of paradise feathers, aigrettes, flowers from the +celebrated Constantin, all selected from those houses which have the +most renown for the respective articles in which they deal, but which +are introduced with so much taste and judgment, that besides her +ingenuity, having obtained a patent, she has been specially appointed +modiste to the Queen of Belgium, the Princess Clémentine, and the +Duchess de Nemours.</p> + +<p>Not far from the English Ambassador's, in the centre as it were of what +may be termed the English quarter, is an establishment styled <i>La +Tentation</i>, which from the variety and excellence of its goods operates +on the visiter consistently with its title. It is a <i>Ma<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331">[Pg 331]</a></span>gasin de +Nouveautés</i>, containing almost every article appertaining to the toilet, +as linen, drapery, hosiery, fancy goods, etc., and is on that extensive +scale, that their assortment possesses every diversity that can be +desired, whilst even the most fastidious cannot fail of meeting that +which must suit their taste. This establishment is not like many in the +same way of business, who spend a little fortune in advertising their +goods, incurring tremendous expenses in obtruding themselves and their +merchandise before the public, and then making that public pay the +outlay they have made upon newspapers, pamphlets, etc., by either +charging higher prices, or laying in stock of inferior quality, thereby +even at an apparently moderate price they are enabled to obtain higher +profits, whilst by continuing their puffing advertisements, they hope +constantly to attract a new supply of dupes.</p> + +<p><i>La Tentation</i>, on the contrary, calculate only upon obtaining and +retaining connexion, by keeping none but good articles, and selling them +at a small profit; strict attention and civility to their customers, and +having a stock ever consistent with the changes of the fashions and +seasons, by a constant adherence to these objects a durable success has +been effected. The progress of this establishment has been worthy of +remark, commencing under a humble roof upon a modest scale, until with +the process of time the proprietors were emboldened to enlarge their +premises when at length it increased to its present magnitude, occupying +a considerable portion of a noble mansion<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332">[Pg 332]</a></span> This has been achieved by a +judicious selection of stock, with constant perseverance, and conducting +their business on honourable principles, it is just such an +establishment as is calculated to please the English, where great +neatness and cleanliness is observed, and everything conducted in a +quiet and unassuming manner. The charges on each article are fixed at a +price that will admit of no diminution, and the English have the +satisfaction of knowing that they pay no more than the French, which +perhaps is not the case in all houses in Paris; persons wishing to view +the goods are not pressed to purchase unless they feel disposed to do +so, and however trifling may be the amount, they are not tormented, as +in too many shops, to buy more than they wish. Whatever articles are +selected are sent punctually to the residence of the parties at the time +required, and orders, whether personally or by letter, meet with the +strictest attention. There is always some person belonging to the +establishment who speaks English. La Tentation is situated No. 67, Rue +Faubourg St. Honoré, at the corner of the Avenue de Marigny.</p> + +<p>Perhaps there is no branch of the arts which has been wrought to so high +a perfection as that of making artificial flowers, and no place in the +world where it is practised to such an extent as Paris, or with so high +a degree of talent; but although it has been long and justly celebrated +for the exquisite taste developed in forming bouquets, wherein all the +varieties of colour are so assembled as to display each other to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333">[Pg 333]</a></span> the +best advantage, yet so arranged that a certain harmony should pervade +the whole; still M. Constantin has discovered the means of availing +himself of the abilities of the Parisians in this department of the art, +that he has elevated it to a degree of altitude it had never before +attained, and in fact his flowers have become so exclusively the mode, +that if a lady wear any whatever, it would be offending her to suppose +that they were any other than those of M. Constantin. Indeed, it is +impossible to enter his apartments without feeling a thorough conviction +of the elegance of his taste, first passing through a long corridor +between two rows of real flowers, proving that he fears not the rivality +of nature, conscious that his own works unite the same beauties of tints +and colours which her highest powers can produce, and one room into +which his customers are introduced, unites a degree of taste in the +richness and splendour of its ornamental objects, with that proper tone +of keeping which is pleasing to the eye; but it is at his little boudoir +that the beholder is astonished, such luxuriant magnificence as is +therein displayed can only be imagined from a description presented in +the Arabian Nights! in fact the Dutch Ambassador was so delighted with +the exquisite arrangement of this superb specimen of sumptuous +decoration, that he requested permission to bring an artist to take an +exact copy of the elegant little chamber and its contents, to form a +similar boudoir for the Queen of Holland. As M. Constantin is now +arrived at the summit of his profession, he is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334">[Pg 334]</a></span> enabled to command +prices commensurate with his talents, and has some bouquets as high as +1000 francs, but there are articles which may be purchased at the +moderate charge of 10 francs; his residence is No. 37, Rue Neuve St. +Augustin. M. Constantin possesses the recommendation of being extremely +particular as to the morality and propriety of conduct with his young +persons, and that degree of decorum is constantly preserved, that any +ladies visiting his apartments will find the same order and discipline +maintained as in the strictest boarding-schools.</p> + +<p>I know not whether it is the case with all men, but I believe it is, +that the first time I see a lady, I naturally look in her face, then my +next impulse is to look at her foot; now as I have already done my +utmost for my countrywomen for the ornamenting of the former, in +recommending them to Madame de Barenne, I must now endeavour to serve +them in respect to the latter, reminding them that in Lord Normandy's +novel of "Yes and No," he observes, speaking of the feet of Parisian +females, "How exquisitely they decorate that part of the person," and as +I have already remarked that I do not wish English ladies in any one +particular to yield to Parisian or any other ladies, I must request that +they will, as soon as possible after they arrive at Paris, apply to M. +Hoffman, No. 8, Rue de la Paix, who will fit them in such a light and +elegant manner, giving such a "<i>jolie tournure</i>" to the foot, that they +will scarcely know their own feet again, after having been accustomed to +be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335">[Pg 335]</a></span> shod in the English fashion; for although I have a very exalted idea +of the transcendant talents of my countrymen, I do not consider that the +vein of their abilities at all runs in the shoemaking line. M. Hoffman's +residence is at the end of a court-yard, almost as quiet and as retired +as if it were in a convent; his articles will be found of the best +quality, both he and Madame speak English, and rival each other in +attention and civility to their customers; they have an assortment of +the different specimens of their work, consisting of every variety which +is worn, according with the fashion and season.</p> + +<p>I believe every lady before she quits England with the intention of +visiting Paris, has already made up her mind to make some purchase of +lace pretty soon after her arrival; to prevent them therefore from +falling into bad hands, I recommend them to go at once to one of the +most extensive and respectable establishments in that department of any +in Paris, indeed I believe I may truly add the most so. It is one of +those large wholesale houses of the French metropolis that transact +business with all parts of the world in lace, ribbands, and silks; it is +situated at No. 2<sup>ter</sup>, Rue Choiseul, the firm is Messrs. Bellart, Louys +and Delcambre, where every description of blonde and lace, in all its +multitudinous variety, from the most simple to the richest, rarest and +most costly, will be found, and at extremely reasonable prices, as so +many retail dealers furnish themselves from this establishment; besides +which, they are themselves manufacturers of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_336" id="Page_336">[Pg 336]</a></span> black Chantilly lace and +white blonde. This concern has the character of being solely wholesale, +but they make an exception with regard to lace. Their collection of +ribbands is unrivalled both for the beauty and extent. They have also a +most valuable assortment of silks, satins, velvets, stuffs, brocade, +embroidery of gold and silver, etc., etc., selected with extreme taste +and judgment, and indeed Mme de Barenne owes a great portion of her +success to having supplied herself from this house with the material +which she required, as being of so very superior a quality, it gave +great vogue to whatever was produced by her ingenuity, to which +certainly her own talents contributed in the taste displayed in the +disposition and arrangement of the different articles, independent of +their own excellence.</p> + +<p>Whatever rivalry there may be between different countries, respecting +their divers produce and manufactures, with regard to gloves none would +have the audacity to cast the gauntlet at France, which has ever held +the supremacy over other nations in that department, yet it has recently +been elevated a step higher by an invention of M. Mayer, of No. 26, Rue +de la Paix, for which he has been granted a king's patent, consisting in +what are termed ball gloves, which are so made as to button and lace +about half way up the arm, which prevents them from slipping down upon +the wrist, they are besides furnished with trimmings also invented by M. +Mayer, which may either be of the utmost simplicity, or of the richest<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_337" id="Page_337">[Pg 337]</a></span> +description, and may be composed of either satin, velvet, lace, gold, or +even pearls and diamonds may be and are frequently introduced; they may +be also furnished with tassels which may be formed of materials equally +costly, thus the trimmings of these gloves may either be had for four +francs or may cost twenty guineas and upwards, according to the desires +of the wearers. In fact M. Mayer has introduced a degree of luxury and +splendour in the decorations of gloves, which has given them an +importance in the toilet which they never before possessed, and have +become so much the vogue with ladies of the highest distinction, that +they have obtained for M. Mayer the privilege of furnishing the royal +family of France, the Empress of Russia, the Queens of Naples, Spain, +Belgium, etc. M. Mayer also occupies himself with gentlemen's gloves, +and has just invented a peculiar description, without gussets between +the fingers, by which means they set closer to the hand, and are not so +liable to be come unsewed as by the former method; he has them likewise +so arranged as to button at the side instead of the middle, which always +left an unsightly aperture. Now I think of it, these last few lines had +no business in the ladies' chapter, as they allude to that which are +worn solely by gentlemen, but I dare say that my fair readers, if they +find M. Mayer's gloves merit my commendations, will be equally anxious +that their husbands, brothers, or sons should furnish themselves at the +same place and excuse the intrusion. M. Mayer<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_338" id="Page_338">[Pg 338]</a></span> has a private apartment +tastefully fitted up, appropriated for the ladies, where they can make +their selections as uninterrupted and unobserved as at their own homes.</p> + +<p>Next door to M. Mayer's, at No. 28, is an establishment which has +received very distinguished and extensive patronage, known by the +appellation of La Maison Lucy Hocquet, not only for hats, bonnets, +capotes and turbans, but also for pelerines, fichus à la paysanne, +<i>canzous</i>, chemisettes, collars, habit shirts, parures de spectacles, +etc.; in these articles they have been so celebrated for the taste and +elegance with which they are arranged, that the fame of their talents +has attracted around them many of the most influential ladies in Paris, +as also several of the most celebrated <i>artistes</i> whose good taste and +jugement are proverbial; amongst others may be cited Mlle Rachel. La +Maison Lucy Hocquet likewise furnishes several crowned heads, as the +Empress of Russia, Queen of Portugal, etc., and amongst the leading +personages of Paris, the Princess Demidoff, the Duchesses d'Eckmühl, de +Montebello, de Valmy, Marquise d'Osmond, etc. To the above list might be +added many names of the English nobility, who still continue to be +supplied from this establishment, which independent of the merit which +is displayed in the arrangement of every article which it produces, is +also highly recommendable on account of the attentive civility which +they extend to all who may have occasion to apply to them.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_339" id="Page_339">[Pg 339]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X.</h2> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>The present artists in France and their productions, improvements +in Paris, fortifications, humanity to animals, education of +females, personal appearance of the French, army and navy, +scientific Societies, and commercial enterprises.</p></div> + + +<p>Never perhaps at any period was there so much encouragement given to the +arts and sciences in general in France as at the present, nor ever was +there a monarch who reigned over the French, who so much endeavoured to +promote every object which tended to usefulness, or to the advancement +of the fine arts. No country in the world has such advantages as France +for nurturing talent, and giving it the opportunity of developing +itself, so numerous are the societies and institutions where lectures +and instruction are afforded gratuitously, hence the great assistance to +young artists; without any expense or trouble, they are admitted into a +drawing academy, where they may acquire the fundamental principles of +the graphic art; afterwards there are other different establishments +which they can enter as their studies progress, and when they attain any +degree of proficiency, they have a chance of being sent at the expense +of government to Rome, to complete their studies, and if they excel to a +moderate degree, are sure to be employed by the King, or some member of +the royal family, or by the nation. With all these immense advantages, +how much<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_340" id="Page_340">[Pg 340]</a></span> might be expected of the French artists, but the fact does not +realise those hopes that might be justly formed from the solid +rudimental education which they have the power of receiving. The +exhibition this year at the Louvre of the paintings of the living +artists was a complete illustration of what I have stated, as every one +allows that it was far inferior to that of last year, which was +considered much worse than those of former years.</p> + +<p>At the same time it must be admitted that several of the best artists +have not sent any pictures for the last few years, and particularly the +present, when amongst the absentees might be cited Ingres, Horace +Vernet, Ary Scheffer, Delaroche, etc., who it appears were all employed +by the King or government; the consequence was, although there was an +immense mass of large historical and scriptural subjects, it was what +might have been called a most sorry display. Amongst the number one +alone evinced a superiority of talent, and that was the taking of +Mazagran by Phillippoteaux, which really had considerable merit, and the +artist it appears passed some time in Algiers, and therefore was enabled +to give a faithful representation of the inhabitants of the country. Of +miscellaneous subjects, or what the French call <i>tableau de genre</i>, +there were many most exquisite pictures, amongst the rest, the Miller, +his Son and his Ass, by H. Bellangé, which was so full of character and +expression, that it needed not language to tell the tale; there were +also several other pieces by the same artist, pos<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_341" id="Page_341">[Pg 341]</a></span>sessing equal merit. +An Assembly of Protestants surprised by Catholic Troops, by Karl +Girardet, was a most superior picture in Wilkie's best style; Reading +the Bible, by Edward Girardet, also exceedingly clever; but one of the +most delightful pictures in the exhibition was by Gué, of Raymond of +Toulouse reconciling himself to the Church; I never yet saw any +performance of that artist but evinced some great merit, either the +finest imagination, the most beautiful execution, or the utmost truth to +nature, according to the subject he undertakes. I should certainly +pronounce Gué as one of the best artists who now send their pictures to +the Louvre; one he had two years since of the Crucifixion, at the annual +Exhibition, which certainly was a most sublime composition, the approach +of night, with a slight glare of parting light, was most admirably +represented, and gave a sort of wild gloom which so beautifully +harmonised with the nature of the subject; he had also introduced the +dead rising from their tombs, which contributed to augment the solemn +tone which pervaded the whole picture. However lightly or frivolously +the mind might be engaged, one glance at this exquisite painting must at +once strike awe into the beholder; it was true that there was a great +similarity with one on the same subject, in the Louvre, by Karel +Dujardin, but not sufficiently so to say it was borrowed, or to detract +from its merit. T. Johanot had but one picture this year, which was very +clever, as his always are; his subjects are mostly historical, and his +illustrations of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_342" id="Page_342">[Pg 342]</a></span> Walter Scott are universally known and admired. +Schopin is another of the French artists whose pictures will always +live, his females are so truly graceful, such sweetness of expression in +their countenances; this year he did not shine so much as he has before, +having but one picture, which was from Ruth and Boaz, and the latter was +made to appear too old. A paralyzed old Man on an Ass, which his son was +leading, was a true picture of nature, by Leleux; the vigour of the one +and the feebleness of the other were admirably contrasted, although +rather flat from wanting more shade.</p> + +<p>Of this description there were far too many pictures possessing merit +than I can afford room to cite, but amongst the portraits there were +some such wretched daubs, that they would have been a disgrace to any +country; in fact this is a branch in which the French are peculiarly +deficient, and in which we far surpass them. The portrait painter who +has now the greatest vogue is Winterhatter, who certainly has a great +degree of merit, but rather sacrifices the face to the drapery; his +picture of the Queen was very justly admired in many respects, but the +laboured accuracy with which the lace was given, was rendered so +conspicuous, that the eye fell upon the costume before it lighted upon +the features; this pleases the ladies, I am aware, who like to have an +exact map of their blonde and guipure, and it certainly is too much the +case that an artist is obliged to be more or less the slave of his +sitters and their friends; his miscellaneous<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_343" id="Page_343">[Pg 343]</a></span> pieces, where his pencil +roves freely, are all that is delightful. His portrait of the Comte de +Paris and the Duchess de Nemours, certainly display considerable talent. +Two favourite and fashionable portrait painters are Dubuffe and Court, +the works of the former are well known in England, they are exceedingly +attractive from their softness and brilliance, but they want the +crispness and tone of nature, the drawing also is sometimes defective. +These observations equally apply to both these artists. The younger +Dubuffe is rising rapidly in the estimation of artists. I have seen some +portraits very true to life by Coignet, Roller, Laure, Rouilliard, and +Vinchon; one of Sébastiani, by the latter, was quite nature itself. +There are several very clever painters of marine subjects, amongst +others Gudin and Isabey, and there is not any department which is more +encouraged by the King and the government; for the last several years +the former has had orders for at least a dozen each year, of naval +combats between France and her enemies, but those subjects which he +paints from his own spontaneous suggestions, are infinitely superior to +such as he executes to order. Fruits and flowers are branches of the art +in which the French artists particularly excel, one piece of flowers by +Bergon I think was one of the most perfect I have met with.</p> + +<p>Latterly they have much advanced in their representation of cattle, +their sheep and cows are particularly good; some draught horses by Casey +were executed with infinite spirit, as also some wild horses by<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_344" id="Page_344">[Pg 344]</a></span> +Lepoitevin. Some delightful domestic pieces must excite admiration, of +fishermen, their wives and children, by Colin, very much in the style of +our own Collins, but not quite so good, as also others by Le Camus +Duval. Several interesting subjects attracted much of my attention, by +Henry Scheffer, Meissonnier, Bouchot, Dupré, Steuben, Rubio, Signol, +Charlet, Storelli, and a few others; in water colours the French are now +advancing with rapid strides, this year there were some exquisite +specimens in that department of painting, particularly by Heroult: but +the style in which the French now are most happy, is in what they call +<i>pastel</i>, which consists in a great variety of coloured chalks, rather +harder than what we understand by crayons; the manner in which they +execute portraits about a quarter the size of life, with these +materials, is surprising, it infinitely surpasses their oil portrait or +their miniatures. There are several foreign artists within the last two +years, who have sent their works to the Louvre which must not be passed +unnoticed, amongst the rest is a Spanish artist named Villa amil, whose +interiors are far above mediocrity, and who has given us some rich +specimens of Spanish monuments, which are now admirably illustrated in a +periodical lithographic work. Our countrymen, Messrs. Callow and Barker, +have also sent several pieces, which do them and their country credit, +the former, some beautiful subjects in water colours, and the latter of +varied descriptions, in some of which the game has been particularly +admired.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_345" id="Page_345">[Pg 345]</a></span></p> + +<p>Miniature painting in France I should decidedly say was much inferior to +that of England, they are very fond of thick muddy back-grounds, their +colouring partakes of the same dirty hue, there is generally a stiffness +in the position, and much high finish without effect; there are +certainly some exceptions to this rule, at the head of which is Madame +Lezinska de Mirbel, whose miniatures are broad, bold, and natural, but +always plainer than the originals; there are a few others who have come +forward latterly, whose performances are above mediocrity. There were +some landscapes which evinced much talent, both as to composition and +execution; the selection of subjects being from some of the wild +romantic provinces of France and Switzerland, aided greatly in affording +them a certain degree of interest. Taking a comparative view of the +artists of England and France, there is no doubt, generally speaking, +that the latter are superior in drawing, and the former in colouring; +many of the French artists have latterly adopted a leady tone in their +flesh tints, which gives their figures a half dead appearance. With +whatever faults he may possess, I doubt if there be any other man that +can do so much as Horace Vernet; many may be found who may excel him in +the separate objects which he must introduce in a general historical +subject, as a landscape, an architectural building, a ship, a horse, +etc., might be better executed by such artists as have exclusively +studied any one of those subjects, but I do not think there is any +painter now living who could<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_346" id="Page_346">[Pg 346]</a></span> produce the <i>ensemble</i> so well, and manage +to give the effect to the composition in the same masterly style as +Horace Vernet. Delaroche also has completed many pictures which with his +name will be immortal; the same may be said of Ary Scheffer, whilst +Ingres is known and cited all over Europe for the perfection of his +drawing, supposed to be the only man who could correctly draw the naked +human figure in any position without a model. In portrait and miniature +painting, landscapes and water colours, the French are still decidedly +inferior to the English artists.</p> + +<p>With respect to sculpture, it is so far more encouraged in France than +in England, that of course the numbers who profess it are far more +numerous in the former country, and there is a great deal of talent to +be found amongst the present French sculptors, but perhaps not quite of +the highest class. I never have seen anything which I considered so +beautiful as Bailey's Eve, and I doubt whether there are any of them who +could produce a work equal to Gibson, or that could surpass Cockerill in +the representation of a horse, still most of their statues which have +been executed for the government, are certainly better than many of +those which have been placed in different parts of London.</p> + +<p>There is a great taste for sculptural subjects in general throughout +Paris, numbers of houses which have been recently built are adorned with +statues, and an immense variety of devices and ornaments of different +descriptions, all of which afford employment<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_347" id="Page_347">[Pg 347]</a></span> for the young sculptor; in +fact there exists now quite a mania for decoration, and those mansions +which still remain of the middle ages present the same predilection for +rich carve-work and elaborate ornament which is now revived, and +undoubtedly it gives a very picturesque richness to the aspect of a +city. As a department of sculpture I certainly must not omit to state to +what a high degree the French have wrought the art of casting in bronze, +and I am sure I shall be procuring my readers a treat in directing them +to the establishment of M. De Braux d'Anglure, No. 8, Rue Castiglione; +they will there find an infinite variety of very splendid subjects, some +executed with the most exquisite delicacy, others in fine broad masses, +as animals the size of life, and some equestrian figures of the middle +ages after the first masters displaying the full merit of the original +designs. But that which is still more interesting is to visit M. De +Braux's foundry, and atelier, No. 15, Rue d'Astorg, where he takes a +pleasure in explaining the whole process requisite in casting the +different objects, and showing them throughout the various stages +through which they pass before they are completed. The French have +brought this art to a high perfection, which it appears is facilitated +by their having a peculiar sort of sand near Paris (which they cannot +find elsewhere), particularly serviceable for the purpose of casting. +The orders which come from England for works in bronze is immense; +whilst I was at M. de Braux's he was at work upon a bust of the Duke of +Wellington, which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_348" id="Page_348">[Pg 348]</a></span> was part of what was to be a figure the size of life, +destined as a national monument (as M. de Braux understood) for some +part of London. The great art which he now practises, is that of casting +whole masses at once, instead of small bits which were joined together +according to the former method. Every amateur of the arts will find the +highest gratification in viewing the number of interesting objects which +present themselves in various forms at M. de Braux's atelier.</p> + +<p>The shopkeepers and proprietors of coffee-houses, restaurants, etc., +also have afforded much occupation to artists of moderate talent, having +reliefs and paintings introduced upon their walls, that are by no means +contemptible, and it is quite an amusement, in walking the streets of +Paris, to observe to what an extent it is carried; many of the new +houses in the most frequented thoroughfares, above the shops, are now so +handsome that if they were appropriated for national purposes would be +admired as public monuments, some of these may be remarked even in +several of the narrow shabby streets, only (as already stated) they are +compelled, by the Municipality, to build them a few feet farther back, +to give greater width to the street. One of the beauties and attractions +of Paris at the present period, is the Passages, in which are to be +found some of the most splendid assortments of every article which the +most refined luxury can desire; of such a description are the Passages +des Panoramas, Saumon, Choiseul, Vero-Dodat,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_349" id="Page_349">[Pg 349]</a></span> Vivienne, Opera and +Colbert; in the latter is a Magasin de Nouveauté, styled the Grand +Colbert, which peculiarly merits the attention, both of the amateur and +the connaisseurs of such merchandise as will be found there displayed. +In Paris there are many establishments of this nature on the most +colossal scales, even surpassing in extent the far famed Waterloo House, +but in none is the public more honourably served, or treated with a +greater degree of courtesy and attention, than at the Grand Colbert; the +taste and discernment with which their stock is selected, does the +highest credit to the proprietors, and their premises being arranged and +decorated so as to resemble a Moresque temple, as the purchasers behold +spread around them in gay profusion all the rich and glowing tints which +Cashmere can produce, they may almost fancy that they are in some +oriental Bazaar, where the costly manufactures of those climes are +displayed for the admiring gaze of the delighted spectator. In the +choice of silks is developed the beau ideal of all that the genius, art, +and industry of Lyons can effect, which has been selected as regards the +tints and designs, with an artistical tact. A great advantage of this +establishment is that one partner is French, possessing that degree of +taste for which his countrymen are so justly celebrated in all that +relates to fancy goods, whilst the other partner is English, partaking +of that truly national character which pries deeply into the worth and +solidity of every article, before it is presented to the public. Thus +far I can<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_350" id="Page_350">[Pg 350]</a></span> speak from experience, having for sixteen years been +accustomed to purchase every thing I required at the Grand Colbert, +either in linen, drapery, mercery, hosiery, lace, millinery, etc. The +premises are entered from two different points, the Rue Vivienne, and +the Rue Neuve-des-Petits-Champs, of which streets it forms the corner. +The central position adds another recommendation to the stranger, being +close to the Palais Royal, in a street communicating with the Bourse, +and the most fashionable part of the Boulevards, but a few minutes' walk +from all the principal Theatres, at the back of the Royal Library, and +in fact in the midst of the most attractive and frequented parts of +Paris. Whilst a long range of immense squares of plate glass not only +have an ornamental appearance but have the effect of throwing so +powerful a light upon the premises that every possible advantage may be +afforded for the examination of the goods.</p> + +<p>Just near this spot they are about to open a new street, which will be +on the spacious and handsome plan of those which have been recently +constructed; many others are projected on the same system, and will have +a most beneficial effect, in adding to the salubrity of the capital, by +clearing away a number of little dirty lanes and alleys, hundreds of +which have already been absorbed in the great improvements which have +been effected in Paris within my recollection. The extensive projects +which are in contemplation for the embellishing of the city, would cost +some hundreds of millions of francs to carry into<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_351" id="Page_351">[Pg 351]</a></span> effect, but could +have been executed, had not so large a sum been required for the +erection of the fortifications, which are proceeding, if not rapidly, at +any rate steadily. Concerning their utility or the policy of such a +measure, opinion is much divided, but the majority conceive that such +circumstances as could render them necessary are never likely to arrive, +as they consider that by keeping the frontiers always in the best state +of defense, there never could be any fear of an army reaching Paris, as +when it occurred under Napoleon, it was after the resources of France +had been exhausted by a war of upwards of twenty years, an event that in +all probability never could happen again, and that the immense outlay of +capital might be applied to purposes so much more calculated to promote +the welfare of the country. Others contend that supposing France to be +assailed by three armies, and even that she be victorious over two of +them, and it be not the case with the third, that force might march on +Paris, which might be immediately taken if it were open as at present, +whereas if fortified, the resistance it would be enabled to make would +give time for either of the victorious armies to come to its relief. +Whilst a third party pretend that the fortifications are intended more +to operate against Paris than in its defence; that in case of any +formidable popular commotion the surrounding cannon can be pointed +against the city and inhabitants, and any refractory bands that might be +disposed to pour in from the province to join the factious could be +effectually prevented entering Paris. Whatever<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_352" id="Page_352">[Pg 352]</a></span> may be the different +opinions on the subject, every one must regret such a tremendous expense +for almost a visionary object, whilst there is so much capital and +labour required for increasing the facilities of communication by means +of improved roads, canals, or railways from the opposite points of the +kingdom.</p> + +<p>With respect to the ameliorations which have already been effected in +Paris, one may say that wonders have been accomplished, particularly in +regard to cleansing and paving the streets, and in all possible cases +opening and widening every available spot of ground, whereby a freer air +could be admitted. I cannot conceive how people formerly could exist in +such dirty holes emitting horrible odours, of which there still remain +too many specimens, wherein even the physical appearance of persons one +would imagine certainly must be affected, yet I have often remarked in +the midst of the narrowest and most unsightly looking streets of Paris, +numbers of persons with fresh colours and having a most healthy +appearance; it is true that there are now open spaces in all quarters, +from which a person cannot live more than about two hundred yards, the +Boulevards encircling Paris, and the Seine running through it with its +large wide quays, afford a free current of air all through the heart of +the city, then there are such a number of spacious markets, of <i>places</i>, +or, as we call them, squares, and of large gardens, which all afford +ample breathing room; whereas in London that is not the case, in many +parts, such as the city end of Holborn, Cheapside,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_353" id="Page_353">[Pg 353]</a></span> Cornhill, Leadenhall +street, Whitechapel, etc., where you must go a long way to get any thing +like fresh air. That part of Paris termed La Cité, was the worst in that +respect, but such numbers of houses have been swept away round +Notre-Dame, that they have now formed delightful promenades with trees +and gravelled walks.</p> + +<p>The French are extremely fond of anything in the shape of a garden, and +you come upon them sometimes where you would least expect to find them +at the backs of houses, in the very narrow nasty little streets to which +I have alluded, but if they have no space of ground in which they can +raise a bit of something green, they will avail themselves of their +balconies, their terraces, their roofs, parapets, and I have often seen +a sort of frame-work projecting from their windows, containing flowers +and plants. They evince the same partiality for animals, to whom they +are extremely kind, and in several parts of Paris there are hospitals +for dogs and cats, where they are attended with the utmost care. I was +much amused the first time I heard of such an establishment; I went with +a lady to pay a visit to a friend, and after the usual enquiries, the +question of how is Bijou was added, in a most anxious manner: the answer +was given with a sigh. "Oh! my dear, he is at the hospital," and then +continued the lady in a somewhat less doleful tone, "but fortunately he +is going on very well, and in another week we hope he will be able to +come out." I thought all the while that they must be allud<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_354" id="Page_354">[Pg 354]</a></span>ing to a +servant of the family, who had been sent to the hospital, when the lady +I had accompanied exclaimed, "Poor dear little creature." This somewhat +puzzled me, and whilst I was pondering on what it could all mean, the +other lady observed, "It is such a nice affectionate animal," and at +last I found out it was a dog which excited so much sympathy.</p> + +<p>I have also observed the same kind consideration towards their horses, +and remember once seeing the driver of a cabriolet take off his great +coat to cover his horse with it, and certainly at present I do not +perceive any practical proof of what used to be said of Paris, that it +was a "hell for horses, and a heaven for women," and as to the latter +case it is very evident that the females work much more than they do in +England, particularly amongst the middle-classes; accounts being +strictly attended to in the course of their education, enables them to +render most important aid in the establishments either of their husbands +or brothers, to which they devote themselves with much cheerfulness and +assiduity, arising from the manner in which they are brought up. Indeed +the general system observed in female boarding-schools in Paris is very +commendable, and as there are numbers of the English whose circumstances +will not permit of their residing in France, yet are extremely desirous +that their children should acquire a perfect knowledge of the French +language, I know not any service that I can render such persons more +important than that of recommending a seminary, in which I can +con<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_355" id="Page_355">[Pg 355]</a></span>fidently state that they will not only receive all the advantages of +an accomplished education, but also be treated with maternal care; of +such a description is the establishment of Madame Loiseau. Having known +several young ladies who had been there brought up, and hearing them +always express themselves in the most affectionate manner of its +mistress, whilst the parents added their encomiums to those of their +children, I was tempted to pay Madame Loiseau a visit, that I might be +empowered to recommend her establishment, by having the advantage of +ocular demonstration added to that of oral testimony.</p> + +<p>I have known several boarding-schools in my own country, but never any +one which was superior in regard to the extreme of neatness and +cleanliness, or possessing a more perfect system of regularity, which +appears to prevail in that of Madame Loiseau; although mine was rather +an early morning call, yet all was in the nicest order. The house, which +is in the Rue Neuve de Berri, No. 6, just close to the Champs Elysées, +the favourite quarter of the English, is most advantageously situated, +facing a park, and at the back is a good sized garden, with shaded +walks, well calculated for the recreation of the pupils, and there is +besides a spacious gymnasium, where the young ladies can always practise +those exercises so much recommended for the promotion of health, when +the weather will not permit of taking the air. The premises are so +extensive, that different rooms are appropriated for different studies, +the one for drawing, another for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_356" id="Page_356">[Pg 356]</a></span> writing, several for music, etc., +etc.; there is a chapel attached to the establishment, which is adapted +to those who are of the Catholic persuasion, whilst the English +Protestant pupils are sent with a teacher of their own country, either +to the Ambassador's or to the Marbœuf English chapel, both of which +are near to the residence of Madame Loiseau. The masters for the +different accomplishments are judiciously selected, and although much +attention is devoted to enriching the minds of the pupils with the +beauties of literature, and elegant acquirements, Madame Loiseau takes +still more pains in instructing them in every social duty, towards +rendering them exemplary, either as daughters, wives, or mothers. In +case of any pupils proving unwell, apartments are appropriated to them, +separated from the dormitories, where they receive the most assiduous +attention; baths are amongst other conveniences contained within the +establishment. The table is most liberally supplied, and on those days +which are observed as fasts by the catholics, joints are prepared for +the protestants, the same as upon other days. The terms are moderate, +proportioned to the advantages which are offered.</p> + +<p>The physical appearance of the French strikes me as having undergone a +considerable change; when I was a child, I can remember a host of +emigrants who used to live mostly about Somers Town, and impressed me +with the idea of their being tall and meagre, exactly as I was +accustomed to see them represented in the caricatures; I remember +particularly remarking that they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_357" id="Page_357">[Pg 357]</a></span> had thin visages, hollow cheeks, long +noses and chins, that I used to observe they were all features and no +face, they had besides a sort of grouty snuffy appearance; of the +females I have less recollection, except that I thought they looked +rather yellow, and generally took snuff. When I came to France, +therefore, I was very much struck with the change, particularly in the +young men, whom I found with small features, and generally round faces, +of the middle height, and well made, not so dark or so pale as I +expected to find them. The same description applies to the females; +there is not so much red and white as we are accustomed to see in +England, nor the soft blue eye, nor flaxen nor golden hair, nor +generally speaking such fine busts, and I know not why, but the French +women have almost always shorter necks, but they have mostly very pretty +little feet and ankles, and although their features may not be regular +or handsome, taken separately, yet the ensemble is generally pleasing; +their eyes are fine and expressive, and after all, in my opinion, +expression is the soul of beauty. The female peasantry of France take no +pains in guarding against the sun and wind, but merely wear caps, +consequently get very much tanned, and look old very soon: whereas the +Englishwomen preserve their appearance much longer by wearing bonnets, +and particularly pokes, which effectually shelter the face. The sun also +has more power in most parts of France, and the women work harder than +in England, therefore cannot wear so well.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_358" id="Page_358">[Pg 358]</a></span></p> + +<p>Proportioned to the price of provisions, wages are higher in France than +in England; you cannot have an able bodied man in Paris, for the lowest +description of work, for less than 40 sous a day, those who are now +working at the fortifications have 50, that being the minimum, and if a +person understand any trade, 3, 4, and 5 francs are the usual prices, +and those who are considered clever at their business often get more. +But many a young man's advancement in life is impeded by the +conscription; it often occurs that an industrious shopman, or artisan, +has with economy saved some hundred francs, when he is drawn for the +army, and glad to appropriate his little savings towards procuring him +some comforts more than the common soldier is allowed; the troops +generally are very quiet and orderly behaved, in the different towns +where they are quartered, but the infantry have not a very brilliant +appearance, having found small men so very active and serviceable in +climbing the rocks, enduring fatigue, and braving all kinds of +impediments, men two inches shorter than would have before been +received, were admitted into the ranks, the consequence is that the +regiments of the line now make but a poor display, as regards the height +of the men, and indeed in their manner of marching, and carrying their +muskets, some nearly upright others more horizontally, they have not a +regular orderly appearance, like many of the other troops on the +Continent; most of the largest sized men are taken up for the cavalry, +and very well looking fellows they many of them are,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_359" id="Page_359">[Pg 359]</a></span> particularly in +the Carabineers, which, in regard to the height of the men, is a +remarkably fine regiment, but might be much more so, if the government +paid that attention which is devoted by other powers to the selections +for their choice regiments; in the Carabineers there are men as much as +six feet three, and four, and others as short as five feet ten, whilst +in other regiments, such as the Lancers and Dragoons, they have here and +there men above six feet, which if placed in the Carabineers, and those +who were the shortest in that corps removed into the others, all those +regiments would be improved, as being rendered more even, whilst the +Carabineers would then be equal in appearance, with regard to the men, +to any regiment in the world. With respect to the horses, it would be +more difficult to render it as perfect as our Life Guards, and as to +their bridles and equipments in general (except their regimentals) there +is often an inequality and want of care and attention as to uniformity +of appearance, but throughout all the French cavalry, the men have an +excellent command over their horses. I have been at many grand reviews +both in France and in England, and in the former I never saw a man +thrown, whereas in the latter it has frequently occurred, either from +the horse falling or other circumstances.</p> + +<p>With regard to the French army in general, the effect is that of the men +having individually a degree of independent appearance, or as if each +man acted for himself, instead of being as one solid machine set<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_360" id="Page_360">[Pg 360]</a></span> in +motion as it were by a sort of spring, which moving the whole mass, all +the parts must operate together. The French infantry, in point of +marching, are an exact contrast to the most highly disciplined troops of +Russia and Prussia, who pretend to assert that they have regiments who +can march with such extreme steadiness and regularity, that every man +may have a glass of wine upon his head and not a drop will be spilt; +attempt the same thing with a French regiment, and wine and glass would +soon be on the ground, and in all their military proceeding there is an +apparent slovenliness and irregularity, a want of closeness and +compactness in their movements; with regard to outward appearance, the +National Guard have the advantage on a field day, as there is a sort of +<i>esprit du corps</i> between the legions, which causes them to take great +pains with regard to the <i>tenue</i> of their respective battalions; but +after all, the great force of the French army is <i>enthusiasm</i>, and that +would be excited to a much greater degree in a war with England, than +with any other power, because they have been so taunted by the English +press, with the old absurd doctrine, viz., that one Englishman can beat +three Frenchmen, and several papers lately raked up the battles of +Cressy, Poitiers, Agincourt, etc., but the reply of the French is +indisputable, that those successes were most efficiently revenged, when +it is remembered that England was in possession of the whole of the +provinces of Guienne, Normandy, great part of Picardy and French +Flanders, some portions<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_361" id="Page_361">[Pg 361]</a></span> of which were under England for nearly 500 +years, but that we were overcome in such a succession of battles, that +ultimately we were beaten out of every acre we had left in France; +Calais, which surrendered to the Duke de Guise, in the reign of Mary, +being the last place which we retained. These of course, as historical +facts, cannot be denied. But I certainly do consider that portion of the +English press much to blame, in recurring to events so distant, for the +purpose of wounding national feeling; the effect has been to provoke +reply on the part of the French press, and in all the virulence of party +spirit, in defending their country against the odium cast upon her, they +have been led into some of the most illiberal statements which have had +a very baneful effect upon many persons, in exciting an extreme +irritation against England; but generally speaking, the French people, +if left alone, do not desire war with the English; if it were only for +the sake of their interests, it is natural for the French to wish for +peace with England, as her subjects are amongst the most liberal +purchasers of the produce of the soil and manufactures of France.</p> + +<p>The party the most anxious for war with England, is the navy, and they +bitterly feel the sting which goads within them, of their having been so +beaten by our fleets, and pant for an opportunity to efface the stain +which they certainly do feel now tarnishes the honour of their flag. +They consider, also, that the circumstances under which they were +opposed to the forces of England, were so disadvantageous, that no<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_362" id="Page_362">[Pg 362]</a></span> +other result could have been expected than such as occurred, as when the +war broke out in 1793, France had not one experienced admiral in the +service; all possessing any practical knowledge of naval affairs, being +staunch adherents to the royal cause, had either quitted France, or +retired from the navy, de Grasse, d'Éstaing, Entrecasteux, d'Orvilliers, +Suffren, Bougainville and several others. The consequence was, that the +command of the fleets were given to men who acquitted themselves very +ably in the management of a single vessel, but were not at all competent +to the office with which the necessity of circumstances invested them, +and although there were several encounters between the frigates of the +two nations, in which the reputation of both were well sustained, yet of +the power of so doing, the French were soon deprived, by Napoleon, who +at one period in his ardour for military glory, sacrificed the navy, by +taking from it the best gunners in order to supply his artillery; also +the choicest and ablest men were selected wherever they could be found, +to fill up the ranks of the army, which were being constantly thinned by +the universal war which he was always waging with the greater part of +Europe. The ships were then manned with whatever refuse could be picked +up, and a Lieutenant Diez told me, that the crew of the vessel to which +he belonged was such, that they had not above twenty men who could go +aloft, and had they met with an English vessel of the same size, they +must have been taken without the least difficulty. But the officers in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_363" id="Page_363">[Pg 363]</a></span> +the present French navy know that the case is now very different, for +the last twenty years the greatest attention has been devoted to that +arm, which is candidly acknowledged on the part of our naval officers, +of which I remember an instance at Smyrna, whilst dining at the English +consul's with eight or ten of them, being the commanders of the ships +which composed the English fleet, then lying at Vourla, when the +conversation falling upon the French navy, it was observed that nothing +could be more perfect than its state at that period, every man, down to +a cabin boy, knowing well his duty, and all the regulations and +manœuvres being carried on with such perfect order and regularity. +There are however some advantages which we still maintain, afforded by +our foreign commerce being the most extensive, enabling us always to +have a greater number of sailors, and generally speaking more +experienced seamen, and a French naval captain who has seen a good deal +of service, once observed that there was another point in which we had a +superiority, and that was with respect to our ship's carpenters, which +was particularly illustrated in the combat at Navarin, as the morning +after the action the English were far in advance of the French, with +regard to the repairs which had been rendered necessary from the damages +which had been sustained.</p> + +<p>The French now have several officers who are experienced practical men, +in whom the navy has great confidence, as, Admirals Duperré, Hugon, +Rosamel, Lalande, Beaudin, Roussin, Bergeret, Mackau,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_364" id="Page_364">[Pg 364]</a></span> Casey, etc., all +of whose names have been before the public in different affairs in which +they have created their present reputation. During the present reign, +every means has been adopted to infuse within the minds of the French an +interest for naval affairs, hence apartments have been fitted up in the +Louvre, as before stated, with models, and representations of all +connected with a ship, whilst the best artists have been employed to +paint different naval actions, which have reflected honour on the French +flag, and really I had no idea that they could have cited so many +instances, in regard to encounters with our shipping, but on reference +to James's Naval History, they will be found mainly correct, giving some +latitude for a little exaggeration in their own favour, a habit to which +I believe every nation is more or less prone. The government have +certainly succeeded beyond their wishes, in engendering an extreme +anxiety in the people with regard to the navy, which has just been +elicited, in the singular anomaly of the opposition voting on the motion +of M. Lacrosse a greater sum by three millions of francs for the navy +than the minister demanded. With an eye also to the marine, +Louis-Philippe has made some sacrifices to the promotion and extension +of foreign commerce, and not without a considerable degree of success.</p> + +<p>There is not at present any branch of art, science, or industry, that +the French are not making great exertions to encourage, for that object +many societies and companies are formed, of which I will state a few<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_365" id="Page_365">[Pg 365]</a></span> of +the most important. There are four societies styled Athenæum, the Royal, +which is at the Palais-Royal, No. 2, devoted to literature, and three +others at the Hôtel de Ville for music, for medicine, and for the arts. +The Geographical Society, Rue de l'Université, 23. Royal Antiquarian +Society, Rue des Petits-Augustins, No. 16. Asiatic Society, and for +elementary Instruction, Agriculture, Moral Christianity, No. 12, Rue +Taranne. Society for universal French Statistics, Place Vendôme, 24. The +Protestant Bible Society of Paris, Rue Montorgueil. Geological Society, +Rue du Vieux-Colombier, No. 26. Philotechnic Society, No. 16, Rue des +Petits-Augustins. Philomatic Society, Entomological, and for natural +History, No. 6, Rue d'Anjou, Faubourg St. Germain. Society for +intellectual Emancipation, No. 11, Rue St. Georges, as also a variety of +other medical, surgical, phrenological, etc., etc., a number of schools +besides those I have already alluded to, veterinary, for mosaic work, +technography, and other purposes.</p> + +<p>Although I have observed that in great commercial undertakings, the +French are very slow and cautious, yet they are progressing visibly; +there are now thirty-four coal mines at work in various parts of France, +belonging to different public companies more or less flourishing, +besides private enterprises, 16 more in agitation where coal has been +found, and societies formed but not yet in active operation, and 15 now +working in Belgium, of which the sharers are principally French. There +are twenty Asphalte and Bitumen<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_366" id="Page_366">[Pg 366]</a></span> companies. Thirty-five Assurance +companies, between twenty and thirty railway ditto, about the same +number for canals and nearly as many for steam boats, and for bridges +projected about 20, for gas, 14, for the bringing into cultivation the +marshes and waste lands, 7, for markets, bazaars, and dépôts, 10, and +for manufactures of glass, earthenware, soap and a variety of other +things, there are about forty more public companies. These are such as +now still offer their shares for sale; there are many others which have +been for a length of time established, which no longer issue either +advertisement or prospectus, but when enterprises of this kind are +undertaken in France they generally succeed.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI.</h2> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>The Literature of the time being, principal authors. Music; its +ancient date in France, performers, and singers.</p></div> + + +<p>Of the present state of literature in France, it is not possible to draw +a very flattering picture; there is a good deal of moderate talent but +certainly none that is transcendental, which remark may be applied to +statesmen, orators, authors, artists, etc.; as to poetry there appears +at present so little taste for it, and writers seem so thoroughly aware +of its being the case, that they have too much good sense to attempt to +obtrude it upon the public, and those who had ob<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_367" id="Page_367">[Pg 367]</a></span>tained a certain +reputation as poets seem to write no more. The works of de Lamartine +certainly have many admirers, displaying a pleasing style of +versification fraught with beautiful imagery, a happy arrangement of +ideas enwreathed within the flowers of language, but little or no +originality. As if himself conscious of that circumstance, he brought +forth his Chute d'un Ange (the fall of an angel), which caused his own +<i>fall</i> at the same time; if his sole desire was to attain originality, +he gained his point, but at the price of common sense; the majority of +the public appear to have been of this opinion, and M. de Lamartine +seems to have passed from poetry to politics, being now one of the best +and most conspicuous speakers in the Chamber of Deputies. A certain tone +runs through M. de Lamartine's works, that leads one to infer he has +deeply read and admired Lord Byron. M. Casimir Delavigne was a great +favourite at one period; it might be my want of taste, or a deficiency +in the knowledge of the French language sufficient to relish that class +of poetry, but certainly I found his works laboured and tedious, and +could not in spite of all my efforts derive any pleasure from their +perusal. The productions of Béranger are confined within a very small +compass, but containing that which causes one to regret that his works +are not more voluminous. The true nerve and genius of poetry, +continually sparkling throughout his writings, as a patriotic feeling +and a generous love of liberty formed the principal points in his +character. The ef<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_368" id="Page_368">[Pg 368]</a></span>forts to suppress that spirit which was attempted in +the reign of Charles X called forth the powers of his muse, but since +the accession of the present monarch to the throne, as all has been +conducted on a more liberal system, his pen has lain dormant, which has +disappointed all who have read and admired those effusions of a free and +exalted mind, which he has at present published, and led to the hope +that they would be continued. Of Victor Hugo's productions I need say +but little, as they are so generally known in England, particularly his +Notre-Dame de Paris, which has been dramatised under the title of +Quasimodo and acted at Covent Garden, as well as at other theatres, and +few I believe there are who have not felt some sympathy for Esmeralda. +When Victor Hugo wrote this, the works of Sir Walter Scott I think were +bearing upon his mind; his poems and dramatic pieces at one period +created much sensation, and undoubtedly possess a certain tone of merit. +The Comte Alfred de Vigny is the author of one work which may be +considered as a gem amongst the mass of publications which emanate from +the French press of that nature; it is entitled, Cinq-Mars, an +historical novel, which is decidedly one of the best and most +interesting of any that have appeared either in England or in France for +several years past; he has also written a tragedy on the subject of the +unfortunate Chatterton, which at the time it came out excited a deep +interest, but M. de Vigny, like many of the present literary characters +in France, appears resting on his oars. Not so with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_369" id="Page_369">[Pg 369]</a></span> Alexandre Dumas, +whose prolific pen appears like himself to be ever active; what with +travelling to different countries, then publishing accounts of his +wanderings, novels of divers descriptions, detached pieces, and dramatic +productions, he must be constantly on the <i>qui vive</i>. There are very +different opinions respecting his writings, they certainly possess a +good deal of spirit, some of them considerable feeling, and are +generally amusing. Of novel writers there are many, but unfortunately +the bad taste prevails of introducing subjects in them that prevent +their being read by females, with a few exceptions; those of Balzac are +by no means devoid of merit and are exceedingly entertaining, and some +there are which any one may peruse of Eugène Sue, who has lately been +knighted by the King of the Netherlands; the same may be said, although +of the latter description there exist but few. Those of Paul de Kock are +well known in other countries as well as France; they are very clever +and exceedingly amusing, but partake of the fault alluded to. As a +female writer and translator, Madame Tastu may be cited as having +produced works which do credit to her taste and judgment. Madame Emile +de Girardin, well known as Delphine Gay, is a talented writer, but would +have been more esteemed had she steered clear of political subjects. +Monsieur and Madame Ancelot both write tales and dramatic pieces, which +are justly admired; but the author to whom the stage is most indebted is +Scribe, who perhaps is one of the most multitudinous writers<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_370" id="Page_370">[Pg 370]</a></span> existing; +his works completely made and sustained the Theatre du Gymnase, besides +greatly contributing to the success of others. In consequence of their +having been so much translated, and adapted to the English stage, they +are almost as well known in one country as the other. M. Scribe is a man +who is highly esteemed on account of his liberality to literary +characters, and his extreme generosity to all who are in need of his +aid. Of authors on more solid subjects there are not many who now +continue to write, several of the most conspicuous having become +completely absorbed in politics; of such a description is M. Guizot, +whose works are generally known and admired, particularly his +Commentaries on the English Revolution; partly a continuation of the +same subject, it is stated he has now in preparation, but placed at the +helm of the nation, as he now is, his time is too much occupied to be +devoted to any other object than affairs of state, and his position is +such as requires the exertion of every power of thought and mind to +sustain, against its numerous and indefatigable assailants.</p> + +<p>M. Thiers owes his success in life to his literary productions, and his +talents as an author are universally admitted; his History of the French +Revolution is as well known in England as in France, and generally +allowed to be the best work upon the subject, but he is also so totally +engaged in political affairs, that the public cannot derive much +advantage from the effusions of his pen, as it is impossible that they +can be very voluminous, when his time and abi<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_371" id="Page_371">[Pg 371]</a></span>lities are so exclusively +appropriated to a still more important object; but it is understood that +it is his intention to afford the world the benefit of other works which +are now in embryo. The same remarks may in a degree be applied to M. +Villemain, who has written upon literature, in which he has displayed +considerable ability, but having become an active Minister of +Instruction, of his publications there is at present a complete +cessation. Nearly a similar instance may be cited in M. Cousin, who has +written very ably upon philosophy and metaphysics, but as a peer of +France, literature has been forced to succumb to politics, his talents +also being directed into the latter channel. Amidst this general languor +which seems to have come over France, with regard to the exertions of +her most eminent authors, there are a few who occupy themselves with +history, which now appears to be the most favourite study with those who +devote their minds to reading; the very delightful work on the Norman +Conquest, by M. Thierri, I trust is well known to many of my readers, or +if not, I wish it may be so, as it cannot do otherwise than give them +pleasure; he has written several other things, and amongst the rest +Récit des Temps Mérovingiens, which is highly interesting. A work of +considerable merit, is l'Histoire des Ducs de Bourgogne, by Monsieur de +Barante. M. Capefigue has published many historical productions, and +amongst the rest a Life of Napoleon, which is perhaps one of the most +impartial extant, and very interest<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_372" id="Page_372">[Pg 372]</a></span>ing, as containing a sort of +recapitulation of facts, without any endeavour to palliate such of his +actions as stern justice must condemn. M. Mignet has also chosen the +path of history, and has not followed it unsuccessfully; the foundation +of his present prosperity consisting entirely in his writings, there are +several other authors of minor note who have adopted the same course, +but not any who have created any great sensation, or effected any +permanent impression on the public.</p> + +<p>The only living author whose name is likely to descend to posterity is +that of Chateaubriand, who, although he has never been a writer of +poetry, may be considered the greatest poet in France, as there is so +much of imagination and of soul in his prose, so much of sublimity in +his ideas, that the works in verse of his contemporaries appear insipid +when compared to the wild flights of genius which ever emerge from his +pen, yet when they are closely studied, and deeply sounded for their +solid worth, it will be found that they consist merely of beautiful +imagery, elegantly turned phrases, a sort of flash of sentiment, which +catches the ear, but appeals not to the understanding, a gorgeous +superstructure, as it were, without a firm foundation for its basis. As +for example, in his preface to Attila, alluding to Napoleon, he observes +"Qu'il était envoyé par la Providence, comme une signe de réconciliation +quand elle était lasse de punir." Which may be rendered thus: that +Napoleon was sent upon earth by Providence as a sign of re<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_373" id="Page_373">[Pg 373]</a></span>conciliation, +when she was fatigued with punishing; this is certainly very pretty, but +I will appeal to common sense, whether there was aught of fact to +support such an assertion? Even those who were the most enthusiastic +admirers of the martial genius of Bonaparte, could not participate in +the fulsome compliment paid to their hero by M. Chateaubriand; but when +strictly scrutinized, all his works will generally be found of the same +tissue; yet, as there is so often a wild grandeur in his conceptions and +in his mode of expressing them, whilst they are arrayed in all the grace +and beauty which language can bestow, his volumes will always find a +place in every well-assorted library, when probably those of most of the +other French authors of the present period will be consigned to +oblivion, excepting such as have written upon history, which will always +maintain their ground, as they are in a degree works of reference.</p> + +<p>There are several very clever men who write for the newspapers, or what +may be styled pamphleteers, amongst whom are Jules Janin, and Alphonse +Karr; the latter publishes a satirical work called the Guêpe, which +possesses the talent of being very severe and stinging wherever it +fixes. M. Barthélemy has written some poetry much in the same strain, +which is rather pungent, but he latterly appears to have sunk into the +same slumber which seems to have enveloped so many of the present +literary men of France. M. Deschamps now and then produces some poetic +effusions which are pleasing, and prove the author to be pos<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_374" id="Page_374">[Pg 374]</a></span>sessed of +that ability which would induce a wish that his works were less brief +and more frequently before the public. But taking all into +consideration, this is by no means a literary era in France; the +nineteenth century has not yet produced any such names as Montesquieu, +Voltaire, Rousseau, and many others, who have shed a lustre on the +French name; there are no doubt many clever men still living who have +written scientific works upon medicine, surgery, natural history, +physiology, botany, astronomy, etc., whilst the names of De Jussieu and +Arago, as eminent in the latter sciences, are known all over Europe, as +well as many others who are celebrated in their different departments.</p> + +<p>Although the present age is not fecund in the production of French +genius as relates to the polite arts, yet there never was a period when +there was more anxiety for their promotion, and now all classes read; +but the reading of the lower orders consists principally of a political +nature; the newspapers now however have what is called a <i>feuilleton</i>, +which embraces many subjects, and appears to interest all; the +criticisms on the theatrical performances are perused with much avidity, +an extreme partiality for dramatic representations still forms a +considerable portion of the French character, as also a general love of +music, without being at all particular as to its quality; no matter how +trifling it be, as long as there is any thing of an air distinguishable +it will please. There are at present a host of composers in France +whose<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_375" id="Page_375">[Pg 375]</a></span> fame will probably be not so long as their lives; Paris is +inundated every year with a number of insignificant ballads which just +have their day, and if perchance there should be one or more that are +really clever amongst the mass of dross which comes forth, after a +twelvemonth no one would think of singing it because it has already been +pronounced <i>ancienne</i>, and it is completely laid aside, and in a few +years so totally cast in oblivion, that it cannot even be procured of +any of the music-sellers, or anywhere else: this was the case with some +delightful airs which appeared about ten years since, and which are now +nowhere to be found, although once having excited quite a sensation. The +French cannot certainly be considered as a musical nation, yet many of +their airs are full of life, and quite exhilarating, whilst others have +a degree of pathos which touches the heart; still none of their music +has the nerve, the depth, the sterling solidity of the German, nor the +elegance nor grace of the Italian. Yet some composers they have whose +works will have more than an ephemeral fame, amongst whom may be cited +Aubert, whose music is not only admired in France but throughout all +Europe; another author of extreme merit is Onslow, whose productions are +not so voluminous or so extensively known as those of Aubert, but +possessing that intrinsic worth which will increase in estimation as it +descends to posterity: the compositions of Halévy and Berlioz have also +some degree of merit. But amongst the numerous productions which have +emanated from the French<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_376" id="Page_376">[Pg 376]</a></span> composers for the last fifty years, one there +is that for soul and grandeur stands unrivalled, and that is the +Marseilles Hymn, or March, by Rouget de Lille; perhaps there exists no +air so calculated to inspire martial ardour, and there is no doubt but +that it had considerable effect upon the enthusiastic republicans in +exciting them to rush into what they considered the struggle for liberty +and honour; it appears to have been an inspiration which must have +suddenly lighted upon the composer, as none of his works either before +or since ever created any particular sensation. Although of far distant +date, the old air of Henry IV must certainly be placed amongst the gems +of French musical composition; there is a peculiar wildness in it, which +gives it a tone of romance, and reminds one of very olden time, there is +in it an originality, a something unlike anything else; the Breton and +Welsh airs alone resemble it in some degree, and in both those countries +they pretend that they are of Celtic origin. Music is of very ancient +origin in France: in 554 profane singing was forbidden on holy days; in +757, King Pepin received a present of an organ, from Constantin VI; a +tremendous quarrel occurred between the Roman and Gallic musicians, in +the time of Charlemagne, and two professors are cited, named Benedict +and Theodore, who were pupils of St. Gregory; but the most ancient +melodies extant, and which are perfectly well authenticated, are the +songs of the Troubadours of Provence, who principally flourished from +the year 1000 to the year<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_377" id="Page_377">[Pg 377]</a></span> 1300. Saint Louis was a great patron of +music, so much so that in 1235 he granted permission to the Paris +minstrels, who had formed themselves into a company, to pass free +through the barriers of the city, provided they entertained the +toll-keepers with a song and made their monkies dance. At that period +they had as many as thirty instruments in use; the form of some of them +are now totally lost. Rameau is the only French composer whose name and +compositions may be said to have had any permanent reputation, which +does not now stand particularly high out of his own country; Lulli, +Gluck, and Gretry were not born in France, although it was their +principal theatre of action. It remains to be proved whether the works +of Boïeldieu will stand the test of time, as also of those composers who +are still living and are the most esteemed.</p> + +<p>Much may be said of the French musical performers, who certainly may be +considered to excel upon several different instruments, particularly on +the harp, which all can testify who have ever heard Liebart. There are +also a number of ladies to be met with in private society who play +extremely well; the same may be said with regard to the piano-forte, but +although there are many professors who astonish by their execution, yet +they have not produced any equal to a Liszt or Thalberg; I have even +amongst amateurs known some young ladies develop a lightness and +rapidity of finger quite surprising, and far surpassing what I have +generally met with in England (except<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_378" id="Page_378">[Pg 378]</a></span> with the most accomplished +professors), but I do not consider that they play with so much feeling +and expression as I have often found even with female performers in my +own country, and which affords me a much higher gratification, as +fingering is after all but mechanical, which may astonish, but will +never enchant. On the violin they have produced some very fine players, +as also upon other instruments, and the bands at their operas can hardly +be too highly praised. But their music which has afforded me the most +delight has been the performances of their first masters on some of +their magnificent organs; on those occasions I heard the most exquisite +feeling and expression displayed, and have known the most powerful +sensations excited; this most superlative enjoyment I have experienced +at the churches of Notre-Dame, St. Sulpice, St. Eustache, and St. Roch, +but it happens only on particular and rare occasions, and it is +difficult to find out when such performances will take place; sometimes +it is announced in Galignani's paper but not always, and their sacred +music is often most exquisite particularly that which is vocal.</p> + +<p>In respect to singing, although the Conservatory of Music and the most +talented masters give every advantage to the pupil of theory and +science, yet they cannot confer a fine quality of voice where it has not +been afforded by nature, and that deficiency I find generally existing +with the French females; they will often attain an extreme height with +apparent facility, and even will manage notes at the same time so low<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_379" id="Page_379">[Pg 379]</a></span> +that no fault can be found with the compass of their voices, nor any +lack of flexibility; their execution being perfectly clean and correct. +I have frequently heard them run the chromatic scale with extreme +distinctness and apparent ease, and acquit themselves admirably in the +performance of the most intricate and difficult passages, all of which +is the result of good teaching and attentive application of the pupil, +but sweetness of tone exists not in their voices, which are generally +thin and wiry; they want that depth and roundness which gives the swell +of softness and beauty to the sound; hence there is generally a want of +expression in their singing as well as their playing. Of course there +are exceptions, and Madame Dorus-Gras may be cited as such, as well as +many others, who have won the admiration of the public. The voices of +the men are better, often very powerful, possessing extremely fine bass +notes, but many of them have even still a horrid habit of singing their +notes through the nose. I don't know whether it is that they regard +their nasal promontory in the light of a trumpet, so considering it as a +sort of instrumental accompaniment to their vocal performance, but +although it is a practice which is wearing off, there is a great deal +too much of it left. Nourrit had none of it, his voice was firm and +sweet, and few men have I ever heard sing with so much feeling. Duprez +is also a singer of no common stamp, and of whom any nation might be +proud, and I have often met men in society sing together most +delightfully, either duets,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_380" id="Page_380">[Pg 380]</a></span> trios, or quartettos, and totally devoid of +the nasal twang, or, as the reader will observe, delightful it could not +be.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII.</h2> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>Instructions for strangers; remarks upon the feelings and behaviour +of the lower classes of the Parisians. Political ideas prevailing +in Paris. Observations upon the present statesmen.</p></div> + + +<p>There are certain regulations to be observed at Paris which we are not +accustomed to in our own country; on a stranger's arrival he is +conducted to an hôtel, either to that to which he is recommended, or he +fixes upon one of which he hears the most extravagant praises from +persons who attend with cards, and even throw them into the carriage +before it stops; on whichever the traveller may make his selection the +same plan is to be followed, make your arrangement as to price before +you install yourself, either per day, per week, or per month; you may +make your agreement to take your meals from the people of the hôtel, or +to send for it from a restaurateur, or to go and dine at one, as you may +think proper; the latter plan is found the most agreeable for a +stranger, as he sees more of the people by so doing, and can try several +different restaurants, which he will find very amusing, and some of +them, from the beautiful manner of fitting up, are well worth seeing; +the prices vary from a franc to six or seven francs, according to their +celebrity. Every hôtel has a porter, to whom you must<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_381" id="Page_381">[Pg 381]</a></span> give your key +whenever you go out, and then the mistress of the house is answerable +for anything which may be missing, but if you leave your key in the door +whilst you are absent, you cannot make any claim for whatever may have +been lost; at night, on the contrary, after the gates are shut, when you +retire to bed, and you let it remain outside, should anything be stolen, +the mistress is accountable, as it is supposed that when all is closed +in, everything is then under the safeguard of the porter, for whose +conduct the mistress is considered liable. According to the style of the +hôtel in which you take up your abode, the porter will expect +remuneration; at one that is moderate, and not in a first-rate +situation, six sous a day is sufficient, but in most hôtels about the +fashionable quarters half a franc is the usual sum expected; for this +your bed is made, your boots and shoes cleaned, as also your room, and +your clothes brushed; they likewise take in messages or letters, and +answer all enquiries respecting you, direct the visiters to your +apartment, etc., but if you send them out anywhere, no matter how short +the distance, they always charge at least ten sous for it; it is one of +the dearest things I know in France, that of charging for every little +errand or commission.</p> + +<p>At some of the hôtels there are commissioners who make offers of their +services, to conduct strangers to different shops or warehouses, for the +purpose of making their purchases, but too much reliance must not be +placed on those gentry, as they often exact<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_382" id="Page_382">[Pg 382]</a></span> contributions from the +shopkeepers for bringing travellers to their shops, when they naturally +must charge so much the more upon the goods in order to pay the +commissioner.</p> + +<p>Tradesmen from London particularly are often misled in that manner, but +in proceeding to such establishments as those I have stated, which are +respectable wholesale houses, such as Messrs. Bellart, Louis, Delcambre, +for lace, ribband, and silk, 2<sup>ter</sup> Rue Choiseul, etc., they will +never be deceived; I will also add another establishment which has +existed for many years and always conducted their business on equitable +terms, being that of M. Langlais-Quignolot, No. 10, Rue Chapon, where he +executes orders for London on a most extensive scale for net gloves, +purses and reticules. He lives in the neighbourhood where many of the +wholesale houses are situated, and would willingly inform any stranger +of the most respectable in the different branches required. The +different articles to be seen at M. Langlais' warehouse are got up in a +most superior style and at prices so reasonable, that it is quite +surprising when compared to the charges made for the same goods in +London, where undoubtedly they have duty and carriage to pay. He has +lately brought into vogue some most beautiful little purses called +Rebecca, being exactly in the form of the pitcher with which she is +represented at the well; their appearance is most ornamental, and +although very small they distend so as to hold as much as most ladies +would like to lose<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_383" id="Page_383">[Pg 383]</a></span> in an evening at cards. M. Langlais has already sent +over numbers to London, which must now be making their appearance in +Regent Street, but I recommend my countrywomen when at Paris to pay him +a visit themselves, as he does not refuse a retail customer although his +is a wholesale house; he has a most extensive assortment of all +varieties of purses and net gloves and reticules, from which numbers of +shops in Paris and London are supplied, and of course being the fountain +head the articles may be procured on advantageous terms of M. Langlais.</p> + +<p>There is one precaution I would recommend all travellers to adopt, and +that is always to keep their passports, about them; in case they happen +to pass any exhibition or building that is open to a stranger on +producing his passport, it is well to be provided with it, or if he +should meet with any accident, or that any casuality should occur, it +will always be found useful. When you arrive at the port where you +disembark in coming from England, your passport is taken from you and +sent on to Paris, and what is called a Carte de Sûreté is given you +instead, for which you pay 2 francs; this you must give to the mistress +of the hôtel where you lodge at Paris, and she will procure your +original passport for you from the police, or if you choose you may go +for it yourself, and save the charge of the commissioner who would be +employed to fetch it. In returning to England, you take it to the +English Ambassador's to be signed, and from thence to the police for the +same purpose, but only<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_384" id="Page_384">[Pg 384]</a></span> state that you are going to the port from whence +you are to embark, as if you say that you are going to England they send +you to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for his signature, where there is +a charge of ten francs, which there is not the slightest necessity of +incurring. I have been very often from Paris to London and never paid by +following the plan I have stated, but for a permit to embark there is +always 30 sous to pay, at the port on quitting the country.</p> + +<p>In all the diligences throughout France the places are numbered, and he +who comes first has the first choice, in which case most persons choose +No. 1, but others who prefer sitting with their backs to the horses +select No. 3; this excellent regulation prevents any kind of dispute +about seats. If you have much luggage you are required to send it an +hour or so before the coach starts, and in travelling by the Malle-Poste +(or Mail) if your trunk be very large, and weighty, they will not take +it, therefore you must ascertain that point when you take your place; it +is always sent by a diligence which follows, but a delay is occasioned +which sometimes proves inconvenient. The mails are dearer than the +diligence, and some go eleven miles an hour.</p> + +<p>With regard to posting, the price is 2 francs each horse for a +miriametre or six miles and a quarter, and as many horses as there are +persons in the carriage must be paid for; 15 sous is what should be +given to the postillion, but most people give a franc. The posting is +entirely in the hands of government, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_385" id="Page_385">[Pg 385]</a></span> where the horses are kept is +not always an inn; but wherever it may be, printed regulations are kept +to which the traveller may demand a reference, if he imagine its rules +are not fulfilled. For 4 francs a book may be purchased which gives a +most detailed account of every thing connected with posting; all the +charges must be paid in advance. Coaches may be hired in Paris at from +20 to 30 francs a day, with which you may go into the country, but must +be back before midnight. An excellent and most useful establishment will +be found at No. 49, Rue de Miroménil, Faubourg St. Honoré, called +Etablissement d'Amsterdam, where there are above 300 carriages +constantly kept, either for hire, for sale, or for exchange; it is also +a locality where persons may sell or deposit their carriages for any +period of time they think proper, and can likewise have it repaired if +required; they will besides find every description of harness and +sadlery. Horses also are taken in to keep, or bought or sold. The +establishment is most complete in all its appointments, is very +extensive and kept in the most perfect state of order. There are some +carriages amongst the immense variety that may thoroughly answer the +purpose for travelling, which can be procured at extremely low prices, +whilst others there are, very handsome and perfectly new, which are of +course charged in proportion. The proprietors are extremely civil, and +ever ready to show their premises to any visiter who may wish to see +them.</p> + +<p>A fiacre, or hackney coach, is 30 sous each course,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_386" id="Page_386">[Pg 386]</a></span> for which you may +go from barrier to barrier, which might be five miles; but if you only +go a few yards the price is the same. If you hire it per hour the first +is 45 sous and afterwards 30 sous; after midnight, 2 francs each course +and 3 per hour; a few sous are always given to the coachman, which may +be varied according to the length of the course. Chariots are 25 sous +per course, 35 first hour, afterwards 30. Cabriolets 20 sous the course +and first hour 35, afterwards 30; but as all these prices are subject to +change with new regulations, it is not worth while to give any farther +detail. The General Post-Office is in the Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, but +there are other places where you may put in your letters for England, +although not many if you wish to pay. In the exchange there is a box for +receiving letters for all parts; and in the square to the left is an +office where you can pay your letter, which is always 40 sous to London +if it be not over weight. Whatever you bring over that is liable to pay +duty at the custom-house, if you take it back with you on your return to +England, on producing the articles and the receipt of what you have +paid, you can reclaim whatever you have disbursed; this particularly +applies to carriages and to plate, only you must not neglect to demand a +receipt at the time you pay, and to take care of it, as I have known +many instances of persons losing them, and then their reclamations are +useless. I have never found them very severe in the custom-houses in +France, but am convinced that the best plan on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_387" id="Page_387">[Pg 387]</a></span> both sides of the water +is to give your keys to the commissioner of the inn where you put up; by +displaying no anxiety on the subject, the officers conclude that you +have not any thing of importance, and will pass your things over more +lightly than if you were present, as when witnesses are by they like to +preserve the appearance of doing their duty strictly. I have seen some +of the English bluster and go in a passion about having their things +tumbled about, as they expressed it, but it only makes matters worse. I +have known the searchers in those cases to turn a large chest completely +topsy-turvy, so that not a single article has escaped examination, and +the whole has had to be re-packed. It is at best an unpleasant tax upon +travellers, but it is always better policy to submit to it with a good +grace.</p> + +<p>The passport is a grievance which is much complained of by Englishmen, +and certainly it does appear an infraction on liberty, that it should +not be possible to go from one part of the country to another, without +having to obtain permission; but it has other advantages: a criminal in +France can very seldom escape; by the regulations of the police it is +almost impossible for them to evade detection, as wherever he sleeps his +passport must be produced, and every master or mistress of every +description of lodging-house is bound to give an account of whatever +stranger sleeps under their roof, to the police, and their officers; or +the gendarmes, are authorised to demand the sight of the passport of any +person whom they may suspect.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_388" id="Page_388">[Pg 388]</a></span> In England a passport is not so +necessary, because being an island the means of escape are not so easy, +as they must either embark at some port or they must hire a boat on +their own account, or enter into some proceeding which leads to +discovery; and notwithstanding those obstacles to leaving the country, +and the extreme vigilance of our police, felons do very often escape, +and murders remain undiscovered, as those of Mr. Westwood, Eliza +Greenwood, and many others. But those who are invested with authority in +France sustain it with a more courteous demeanour than is the case in +England, consequently it is less offensive. If your passport be asked +for, it is in a polite manner, whereas with the English, give the +butcher or the blacksmith the staff of office as constable, and he +exercises his brief authority very frequently in a manner which is not +the most engaging. Although a <i>politesse</i> and refinement of expression +united with a smutted face, tucked-up sleeves, an apron and rough coarse +hands, has something in it of the ludicrous, yet it softens the +brutality to which uncultivated human nature is ever prone, but +instances of such inconsistencies sometimes occur which cannot otherwise +than excite a smile; a few days since a working man dropped a knife, a +dirty looking boy of about 12 years of age picked it up, and presented +it to the owner, with some degree of grace, saying, "Render unto Cæsar +that which is Cæsar's." Passing through the Rue des Arcis, which is a +mean narrow street, at one of the lowest descriptions of wine-houses +where dancing was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_389" id="Page_389">[Pg 389]</a></span> going forward, perhaps amongst fishwomen and +scavengers, I noticed a large lantern hanging out over the door, upon +which was inscribed, "Bal séduisant, le Paradis des Dames," which may be +translated, "Seductive Ball, the Paradise of Ladies." The traveller may +remark on the road from Boulogne to Paris and within a few leagues of +the latter, in a small village at a house little better than a hut, +where the insignia of a barber is displayed, a board on which is +written; "Ici on embellit la nature," or "Here we embellish nature."</p> + +<p>Even in the lowest classes the French must have a little bit of +sentiment, and amongst them marriages occur principally from affection, +but almost always with the consent of the parents; it is lamentable to +think how many young couples destroy each other because they cannot +obtain the sanction of the father or mother to one of the parties, and +these mistaken lovers really think it less crime to commit suicide than +to marry against the consent of their parents, which they are by law +empowered to do, provided that they have three times made what is called +<i>les sommations respectueuses</i>, that is, having three times respectfully +asked their permission, without having obtained which, they cannot marry +if not of age under any circumstances; but when no longer minors, and +that they have conformed to what the law prescribes, they may be united +notwithstanding the opposition of their parents, but it is a case which +scarcely ever occurs. There is much more of family attachments<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_390" id="Page_390">[Pg 390]</a></span> and bond +of union between relations in France than there is with us, and at +marriages, funerals, and baptisms, the most distant cousins are all +brought together to be present at the ceremony, which amongst the higher +and middle classes has rather a pleasing effect; the bride arrayed in a +long white flowing veil decorated with orange flowers has a most +interesting appearance. Before being performed at the church, it must be +registered at the mayoralty.</p> + +<p>When any one is deceased, black drapery is hung up outside the house, +and the coffin is brought within sight and burning tapers fixed around +it, and every one who passes takes off his hat, and if he chooses, +sprinkles it with holy water; chaunting over the coffin at the church is +sometimes continued for two hours, and the effect is very impressive. +Wherever the funeral procession proceeds along the streets every one who +meets it takes off his hat; in fact in no country is there more respect +paid to the dead. When a child has lost both its parents, it generally +happens that some relation will take it, even sometimes a second or +third cousin; this will happen often amongst the poorer people, they +hold it as a sort of sacred duty for relations to assist each other, a +feeling that I could wish to see more general in England, as I have +known too many instances where even brothers exhibited instances of +affluence and poverty. In my own neighbourhood, there was a case of a +Mr. N. living in good style, with livery servants, etc., and his own +brother working for him at 1s. 8d. a day as a common la<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_391" id="Page_391">[Pg 391]</a></span>bourer, +although his fall in life had been entirely caused by misfortune and not +by his prodigality or mismanagement; such a circumstance could not have +existed in France; the peasants would have hooted the rich brother every +time he showed his face. The French people are too apt to take those +affairs in their own hands, and express their indignation in no +unmeasured terms. They are very prone to act from the impulse of the +moment, and are easily aroused in any cause where they consider +injustice has been enacted, and many of the persons concerned in the +press are well aware of this, and by most artfully turned arguments they +work up their passions either for or against a party, as circumstances +may render it fitting for their purpose.</p> + +<p>But although some of the newspapers have certainly had some fire-brand +articles against England, yet it does not appear to me to have had any +effect of exciting a hatred against the English. I have never seen in +any one instance any manifestation of such a feeling; in fact the French +are much in the habit of separating the government from the people, and +even the most hostile portion of the press observe that there are +amongst the population in England numbers of individuals of the most +exalted characters; hence the French do not consider that the people are +amenable for the faults of their government, and are inclined to imagine +those of every country more or less corrupt. They never had a very +exalted opinion of their own; perhaps the most popular ministry they +have had for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_392" id="Page_392">[Pg 392]</a></span> the last thirty years was that of M. Martignac, which +Charles X so suddenly dismissed and thereby laid the first foundation +for the glorious three days. With the present government I should say +that the majority of the people appear disposed to be passively +satisfied, not so much from a feeling of approbation of its proceedings, +but fearing that were there a change it might be for the worse; with the +present they have the assurance of peace, and tranquillity, and all +manufacturing and agricultural France know how destructive war would be +to their present prosperity; of this none are more sensible than the +Parisians, as it is really astonishing what sums of money the English +nobility expend even whilst they are residing in England, with the +tradesmen in Paris, principally for articles of art and luxury but also +for a great portion of that which is useful as well as ornamental; and +imagining that many of my readers may have as great an aversion to +copying letters as myself and at the same time be aware of the necessity +under many circumstances of keeping a duplicate, I must not forget to +mention an extremely useful invention which adds another evidence of the +prolific ingenuity of France. It consists in a machine for copying +letters, registers, deeds, or in fact any description of written +document, or stamped, or in relief, by which they can be repeated even a +thousand times if required and in a very short space of time; there have +been many who have attempted to attain the same object and have had a +partial success, but those of M. Poirier, No. 35, Rue<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_393" id="Page_393">[Pg 393]</a></span> du Faubourg St. +Martin, appear to unite advantages which none of the preceding ever +attained. They are called, Presses Auto-Zinco-Graphiques. For the merit +of this invention he has been granted a patent, and awarded a medal by +the Central Jury, appointed to examine the specimens of art and +ingenuity sent to the National Exhibition established for the purpose of +bringing them before the public. For merchants, solicitors, and all +persons keeping several clerks such a machine must be a great +acquisition, as in addition to the copies being effected more rapidly +than would be possible by hand, where there are numbers of letters of +which duplicates are requisite, the labour of one clerk at least must be +saved. M. Poirier has them executed in so beautiful a manner that they +really are quite a handsome piece of furniture, some of which are as +high as 350 fr. but the prices gradually descend to even as low as 10 +fr. which are so contrived for travelling that they contain pen, ink and +paper and only weigh one pound. I here subjoin the opinion of the +Central Jury addressed to M. Poirier. "These presses are certainly the +best executed of any which have been exhibited. Their merit consisting +in superior execution, cannot be too much encouraged, as the happiest +ideas often fail in the realisation, therefore that the jury may not be +deficient in recompensing M. Poirier they award him the bronze medal."</p> + +<p>All parties regard M. Guizot (Minister of Foreign Affairs) as a talented +man; and one of considerable firmness of character, who unflinchingly +maintains<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_394" id="Page_394">[Pg 394]</a></span> his ground whilst a host are baying at him, appearing as +unmoved as the rock that is pelted by the storm; he seems never taken by +surprise, but is ever ready with such answers and explanations as +generally baffle his accusers; still he cannot be called a popular +minister, because he is known to possess what is called the Anglo-mania, +that is, to have a most decided predilection for everything that is +English, and there is no doubt that he wishes to do all in his power to +conciliate England, without sacrificing the interests and honour of his +country; but in that respect his enemies think that he would not be too +delicate, but is determined to have peace with England <i>à tout prix</i> (at +any price). M. Guizot is a protestant and was a professor in the +University.</p> + +<p>His immediate opponent, M. Thiers, has risen to eminence entirely by his +writings; he came to Paris from Aix in Provence (in 1820), and lived in +a room on the fourth floor in the Rue St. Honoré; here he wrote for the +newspapers, but being taken by the hand by M. Lafitte he and his works +speedily rose into notice; it is possible that he may be as anxious for +the welfare of his country as M. Guizot, but would carry things with a +higher hand, and although every one is aware of his extraordinary +abilities, yet the moderate and thinking part of the community remember +how near he was involving France in a war with her most powerful +neighbours, and however they smarted for a time under what they +conceived an affront offered to their country, yet there are very few +now but feel<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_395" id="Page_395">[Pg 395]</a></span> fully sensible of the benefits they derive from the +blessing of peace having been preserved. M. Thiers may be cited as one +of the most animated and effective speakers of any in the Chambers, and +his speeches often display a brilliance, energy, and ardour, which +create a forcible impression, but sometimes betray the orator into hasty +assertions, of which he may afterwards repent, but feeling too much +pride to recant, he prefers standing by the position he had hastily +assumed; consequently, he is then compelled to marshal all his powers of +argument to sustain that which in his own mind he may feel convinced is +erroneous. Yet although many from prudential motives did not approve his +policy, which had nearly involved France in hostility with England, they +rather admired the spirit and susceptibility which he displayed in +resenting the slight with which the French nation had been treated, and +looked upon him as a sort of champion of their cause, so that he may be +rather designated a popular statesman than otherwise, although he was +considered in the wrong on that one point, and the reflexions which he +flung upon England would have passed away as unmerited, and soon sunk +into oblivion, had not a portion of the English press so indulged in +abuse and ridicule of the French at that period, who often remark that +they were subdued by the allies combined, but that it is only the +<i>English press</i> which is as it were triumphing over and insulting them, +by pretending such a superiority in their troops and seamen as to place +those of France in a most contemp<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_396" id="Page_396">[Pg 396]</a></span>tible light, whilst all the other +powers, although equally their conquerors, give them credit for being a +brave military nation. I must confess that I have found more liberality +in the French with regard to rendering the merit due to the English +troops, than in any other country, and I remember a work which came out +in Berlin upon military movements, tactics, etc., and in a parenthesis +was this sentence, "It is well known that the English, though excellent +sailors, are inferior as troops to those of the other European powers." +I should have thought that the Prussians who have fought with us would +have known better of what metal English soldiers were composed. But to +return to M. Thiers; I should still say notwithstanding all that has +past, his talents are held in such estimation, that certain changes +might occur which would again place him at the helm of the nation.</p> + +<p>Having given a slight sketch of the two political chiefs who as it were +head the most powerful contending parties, I must be still more brief in +my notice of the other statesmen whose names, acts and speeches are +before the public, amongst the most conspicuous of whom is Odilon +Barrot, who is what may be termed decidedly liberal, or in plainer +language radical, and has long sustained his cause with talent, energy, +and consistence; he speaks well and boldly, and has hitherto acted in +that manner which might be expected from the tenor of his speeches; +sometimes however persons become calm, what others would call moderate, +or a slight tint manifests itself<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_397" id="Page_397">[Pg 397]</a></span> in the colour of their politics, +perhaps rendering them more harmonious with the reigning parties, but +which accord not with the ideas of the most staunch advocates of a more +<i>ultra</i> liberal system; this appears to be somewhat the case with M. +Odilon Barrot, whose adherents judge from the support he gave to Thiers, +that he is not so warm in the cause as themselves; however he still may +be considered the chief of that division of the Chamber which he has +always led. M. Mauguin was at one time the most violent of the same +party, but during his visit to St. Petersburg he appears to have had +such an affectionate hug from the Russian Bear, that he has latterly +espoused the cause of Bruin, and would if he could induce France to +throw England overboard altogether, and cast herself entirely into the +arms of Russia.</p> + +<p>M. Arago, the celebrated astronomer, has ever proved himself an honest +undeviating radical, both in his speeches and his actions. As an orator, +many give the palm to M. Berryer, but as his party is not numerous, +being carlist, his talents do not receive the general appreciation that +they would, had he attached himself to a more popular cause, but he +deserves much credit for having faithfully and constantly adhered to his +principles. M. Lamartine, the poet, who professes to be independent of +any party, is also a very admired speaker, and so was Sébastiani, but +now he is passing fast into the vale of years, and has lost that spirit +and energy which formerly gave much force to his speeches. M. Molé is +another of those statesmen<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_398" id="Page_398">[Pg 398]</a></span> who has filled the most important political +stations, but now is getting old and more quiet. As to dilating upon the +merits and demerits of those persons who compose the present ministry, +it would be but time lost, as they are so often changed in France that +their brief authority is often <i>brief</i> indeed, and with the exception of +M. Guizot, (who is certainly a host within himself), and Marshal Soult, +there is not any character that is particularly prominent, or remarkable +for any extraordinary talent. The career of the Marshal is, I presume, +well known to most of my readers, and the manner in which he was +received in England proves the degree of estimation in which he was +there held. He was the son of a notary at St. Amand, where he was born +in 1769, being the same year which gave birth to Napoleon, Wellington, +and Mehemet Ali. Admiral Duperré, the Minister of Marine, served with +great credit to himself throughout the war, and commanded the force +which defeated our attempt to take the Isle of France, in 1810, and the +naval portion of the expedition employed in the capture of Algiers, was +placed under his orders. There are yet a good many men whose names have +been long and well known in the political world, who still take a more +or less active part in the affairs of the nation, amongst whom may be +cited the Baron Pasquier, President of the Chamber of Peers; M. Sauzet, +President of the Chamber of Deputies, and the ministers Duchatel for the +interior, Cunin Gridaine for commerce, Teste for public works, and +Lacave Laplagne for finances; to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_399" id="Page_399">[Pg 399]</a></span> whom may be added the Duke de Broglie, +the Comte Montalivet, Dufaure, Joubert, Salvandy, Delessert, Isambert, +Ganneron, etc., also the brothers Dupin, the eldest highly celebrated as +an avocat, and the younger (Charles), for his writings upon the naval +department, upon statistics in general, and a very clever work upon +England. Amongst the extreme radicals, Ledru Rollin may be cited, +General Thiard, Marie, a barrister of rising talent, and a young man +named Billaud, who is coming forward, and considered to be rather a +brilliant speaker. The foregoing names include several men who have had +much experience, and possess moderate abilities, merely passable as +orators, but having a fair practical knowledge of political business, +but not men of exalted genius, or such whose names will be likely to +figure in the page of history; perhaps it may be with truth said, that +the best statesman France now possesses, or even ever has possessed, is +the King, it being very doubtful whether any of his ministers, or indeed +any member of either of the chambers, is blest with that deep +discernment and profound knowledge of human nature which he has +displayed, by the correctness of his calculations upon the pulses of his +subjects, under the most trying difficulties, and which have enabled him +to weather the storm.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_400" id="Page_400">[Pg 400]</a></span></p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII.</h2> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>The theatres, present state of the drama, and principal performers. +Collections of paintings.</p></div> + + +<p>It is rather extraordinary that in this age of superlative refinement, +the drama should rather be upon the decline than otherwise in regard to +the talent of the performers, but it appears to me that such is really +the case both in England and France. I can just remember when Mrs. +Siddons, John Kemble, Charles Kemble, Young, Mrs. Jordan, Irish Johnson, +Munden, Emery, etc. so well sustained the character of the English +stage. Alas! shall I ever see the like again? Theatrical representations +in France have had a similar decline, although <i>two</i> stars there are who +uphold her histrionic fame with superior <i>éclat</i>, Mlle. Rachel for +tragedy, and Bouffé for comedy; it would be useless for me to attempt +any description of the powers of the former, as she is as well known in +London as in Paris, but with the latter my readers I believe are only +partially acquainted; he has been in London, but I rather think only +made but a short stay, certainly a more perfect representation of French +nature it would be impossible to imagine; even although he undertake +ever so opposite a description of character, the simple truth would be +given in them all; he has not recourse to grimace or buffoonery, or any +exaggerated action, but seems not to remember he is counterfeit<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_401" id="Page_401">[Pg 401]</a></span>ing a +part, but appears to make the case his own, and not to have another +thought than that which must be supposed to occupy the mind of the +individual he is personifying. Pleased with Bouffé to our heart's full +content, we look around amongst all the range of actors to find some +approach to his inimitable talent, not being so unreasonable as to hope +to discover his equal, but our search ends in disappointment, we seek in +vain for the representatives of Perlet, Odry, Laporte, and Potier, to +whose comic powers we are indebted for many a laughing hour, but they +are now replaced, as well as many other of our old acquaintances, by +substitutes who are but sorry apologies for those we have lost; however, +although the French theatre has certainly retrograded in respect to its +dramatics personæ, it has gained surprisingly with regard to scenery, +decorations, and costumes, which very considerably enhance the interest +of a theatrical performance, particularly when it is historical, and it +is a satisfaction to know that no pains are spared to render the drapery +as exact as possible to that worn at the period the piece is intended to +represent; thus you have the most accurate peep into olden times that +can possibly be afforded, and Paris offers such extreme facilities for +ascertaining what description of dress was adopted at any particular +age, by means of their immense collection of engravings, and written +descriptions, contained in their old books, and manuscripts, which are +freely produced to any individual on making the proper application. Of +these advan<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_402" id="Page_402">[Pg 402]</a></span>tages the managers of the theatres avail themselves to the +utmost extent, which enables them to be extremely correct, not only with +regard to the habiliments, but also the scenery, and all the +<i>accessoires</i> are rendered strictly in keeping with the century in which +the events recorded have occurred.</p> + +<p>The Italian Opera in Paris is considered to be managed with great +perfection, the company is much the same with regard to the principal +singers as our own, consisting of Grisi, Persiani, Albertazzi, Lablache, +Tamburini, Rubini, Mario, etc., as they can be obtained, according to +their engagements in London or elsewhere, and the operas performed are +also similar, therefore any description of either would be superfluous; +altogether, the enjoyment afforded is not so great as at our own, as no +ballet is given, and the coup-d'œil is not so splendid as in ours. +The Theatre de la Renaissance is devoted to the performance of the +Italian Opera, it is situated in the middle of a small square, opposite +the Rue Méhul, which turns out of the Rue Neuve des Petits Champs, from +which it is seen to the best advantage; the façade has a handsome +appearance, with the statues of Apollo and the nine Muses, supported by +doric and ionic columns. The prices of the places are from ten francs to +two francs, which last is the amphitheatre; the intermediate charges are +seven francs ten sous, six francs, five, four and three francs ten sous +the pit, and it is capable of containing 2,000 persons. The performance +begins at eight.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_403" id="Page_403">[Pg 403]</a></span></p> + +<p>The French Opera, or Académie Royale de Musique, in the Rue Pelletier, +near the Boulevard des Italiens, has nothing very striking in its +external appearance, but the arrangements and decorations of the +interior are certainly extremely handsome, and everything is conducted +on a most superior scale; the scenery and costumes are here in +perfection, the arrangements and accommodations for seats are excellent. +The great strength of the vocal performance consists in Duprez and +Madame Dorus Gras, to whom I have before alluded, and whose reputation +is too well established to need any comment. They are ably seconded by +Levasseur, Madame Stolz who is well known in London, and the fine deep +voice of Baroilhet, Boucher, Massol, and Mademoiselle Nau, possess a +moderate share of talent, there are also others whose abilities are of +minor force but sufficient to support the subordinate <i>rôles</i>. The +orchestra and chorusses are extremely good and numerously composed, and +on the whole it may be considered that they get up an opera in a very +superior manner. The ballet at this theatre was formerly the greatest +treat that could be imagined, derivable from performances of that +nature, but at the present period the strength they possess in that +department is by no means efficient. Carlotta Grisi stands alone as +having with youth any degree of talent above mediocrity; the same can +hardly be said of Mademoiselle Fitzjames, and Madame Dupont; Noblet is +past that age which is indispensable in exciting interest as a dancer, +notwithstanding she has still<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_404" id="Page_404">[Pg 404]</a></span> considerable ability, and there are not +any others who are worth mentioning amongst the females. Of the men, +when Petitpa is cited as having a grade more of ability than the rest, +nothing more in the shape of praise can be added with respect to their +present <i>corps de ballet</i>. This theatre is also capable of containing +2,000 persons, and the prices are from 2 francs 10 sous to 9 francs, the +pit is 3 francs 12 sous, and there are as many as 20 different parts of +the house cited with their respective charges. They sometimes begin at +7, more often 1/2 past, but never later.</p> + +<p>The Theatre of the Comic Opera is situated in the rue Marivaux, +Boulevard des Italiens, and the façade with its noble columns has a very +fine effect, which is fully equalled by the decorations of the interior. +Chollet, still remains their principal singer; his voice is good, so is +his knowledge of music, but he is now no longer young nor ever was +handsome, but always a favourite with the public; he is supported by +Roger who takes the <i>rôles</i> of young lovers, by Grard who has a fine +bass voice, and Mocker with a good tenor; amongst the females is our +countrywoman Anna Thillon, who is exceedingly admired, and at present +the great attraction, she is pretty, lively, or sentimental, as her part +may require, her voice is pleasing and it may be said that she is quite +a pet with the Parisians; she is an excellent actress, and appears at +home in every part she undertakes. Mademoiselle Prevost has for many +years sustained a certain reputation as one of the principal singers at +this theatre, for my own<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_405" id="Page_405">[Pg 405]</a></span> part I always thought her rather heavy and a +want of feeling and expression both in her acting and singing. Madame +Rossi Caccia, although only just returned from Italy, belongs to the +company, she has a most admirable voice and is a great acquisition to +the theatre, at which, on the whole, the amusements are of the most +delightful description. The prices are from 30 sous to 7 francs 10 sous. +They begin at 7.</p> + +<p>The Théâtre-Français in the Rue Richelieu holds the first rank, for the +drama, of any theatre in France, where Talma, Duchesnois, Mars and +Georges have so often enchanted not only the French public, but persons +of all nations who were assembled in Paris, and on these boards Mlle +Rachel now displays her magic art; nor are the attractions of Mlle +Plessis to be passed over unnoticed, but as she has lately been to +London, my country people can form a better judgment of her than from +any description I can give. Mlle Anaïs is an actress who has been and is +still rather a favourite, although now not young. Mlle Mantes is a fine +woman upon a large scale, plays well and has been many years on the +stage, but never created any sensation; Mlle Maxime rather stands high +in the public estimation; Mlle Noblet and Mme Guyon possess moderate +talent acquit themselves well, and are much liked, generally speaking. +At present Ligier is considered their best tragedian, but principally +owes what fame he has, to their actors in that department being of so +mediocre a description, some people prefer Beauvallet but not the +majority, their<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_406" id="Page_406">[Pg 406]</a></span> abilities are very nearly of the same stamp. Guyon is a +fine young man, and plays the parts of young heroes very fairly. Geffroy +is another, possessing sufficient merit to escape condemnation. As comic +actors they have Regnier who may be placed upon the moderate list; +Samson is certainly much better, and in fact by no means destitute of +talent, which may decidedly be also stated of Firmin; Provost is +likewise a very passable actor. Comedy is indeed their fort, it is far +more pure than ours; I remember making that remark to the celebrated +John Kemble at the time he was residing at Toulouse, and adding that I +considered our comic actors gave way too much to grimace and buffoonery. +Kemble replied, "Don't blame the actors for that, it is owing to the bad +taste of the audience, by whom it is always applauded, and a thoroughly +chaste performance, without some caricature, would not stand the same +chance of success." The prices at the Théâtre Français are from 1 fr. 5 +sous varying up to 6 fr. 12 sous, according to that part of the house in +which you choose your seat; they begin sometimes ¼ before 7.</p> + +<p>The Theatre du Gymnase, on the Boulevart Bonne-Nouvelle, was once one of +the most successful of any in Paris, but it does not sustain the high +reputation it formerly possessed. Bouffé is now its principal support, +and has indeed a most attractive power; there are also other actors of +merit, as Klein, Numa, Tisserant, and Volnys, who sustain their +respective parts extremely well; but when performing with such a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_407" id="Page_407">[Pg 407]</a></span> star +as Bouffé, their minor talents are eclipsed, and little noticed. Mad. +Volnys (formerly Leontine Fay) still retains that high reputation which +she has so long and so justly merited, she ever was a most charming and +natural actress. Mesdames Julienne, Habeneck and Nathalie are all rather +above mediocrity, so that this theatre still affords the dramatic +amateur much rational enjoyment. They commence at 6, and the prices +range from 1 fr. 5 sous, to 5 fr.</p> + +<p>The Théatre des Variétés always has been and is still a great favourite, +where they play vaudevilles, a sort of light comedy, which are generally +highly amusing; they have always contrived to have actors at this +theatre who were sure to draw full houses, and that is the case at +present. Lafont is an excellent actor and a very fine looking man, he +has performed in London; Lepeintre yields to few men for the very +general estimation in which his talents are held; Levassor is a man of +very gentlemanly appearance, not at all wanting in assurance, and always +at his ease in every <i>rôle</i> he is destined to fill. For females they +have Mesdames Flore, Bressant, Boisgontier, Esther and Eugenie Sauvage, +the first rather too much inclined to embonpoint, but playing her part +none the worse for that, the last an actress of great merit, whilst the +others act so well that one would wonder what they wanted with so many; +besides which they have several others who are above mediocrity, and a +few hours may be passed any evening most agreeably at this theatre. The +performances commence at 7, the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_408" id="Page_408">[Pg 408]</a></span> prices are the same as at the Gymnase +with regard to the minimum and maximum, but having altogether nineteen +different intermediate specifications.</p> + +<p>The Theatre du Palais-Royal, forming the corner of the Rues Montpensier +and Beaujolais, and having an entrance in the Palais-Royal, is one of +the most successful in Paris, and one of the very few which have proved +good speculations, and they continue to have such excellent actors as +cannot fail to attract. A. Tousez has much ability and is very comic, M. +and Mad. Lemesnil, M. and Mad. Ravel are very clever in their respective +parts, Sainville is not less so; then amongst their first rate actresses +they have Dejazet, who has been highly appreciated in London, Mlle +Pernon, young, talented, and pretty, and Mlle Fargueil, handsome, and +though youthful, already an excellent actress. The pit is only 1 fr. 5 +sous, from which it rises to 5 fr. for the best seats. They begin at +half-past six.</p> + +<p>The Vaudeville Theatre is facing the Exchange in the Place de la Bourse, +and retains a very good share of the patronage of the public; their +performances are, for the most part, very good, and the pieces which are +mostly played, are such as the name of the theatre indicates. Félix and +Lepeintre jeune are much liked, Bardou is an excellent actor, Arnal a +famous low comedian, M. and Mad. Taigny possessing very fair talent, and +are called the pretty couple. Mesdames Doche and Thénard not without +merit, and on the whole their corps dramatic is much above mediocrity. +Their light, comic, and amusing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_409" id="Page_409">[Pg 409]</a></span> little pieces are well calculated to +chase away a heavy hour. They commence at a quarter past seven, and the +prices are much the same as at the Variété.</p> + +<p>To the Porte St. Martin I have already alluded, situated on the +Boulevart of the same name, although they often give very interesting +pieces as melodramas, light comedies, etc., and always had some very +good actors, yet it has seldom had the success to which the exertions of +the proprietors were entitled. After a total failure the theatre has +been re-opened, and amongst the actors there are some of known talent; +Frederick Lemaitre may be considered their brightest star, once so +celebrated in the rôle of Robert Macaire, Clarence, Raucour, Bocage, and +Melingue sustain their parts very fairly, and the same may be said of +Mesdames Klotz and Fitzjames, who are more than passable actresses. The +pieces begin as low as twelve sous, and rise to six francs. The +performances commence at seven.</p> + +<p>The Ambigu Comique is a theatre situated on the Boulevart St. Martin, +and also for melodramas and vaudevilles; it has not been much more +fortunate than its neighbour the Theatre Porte St. Martin, and the +representations are very similar at both. St. Ernest, as an actor, and +Madame Boutin, as an actress, appear to be the favourites amongst rather +a numerous company, of which some are far from being indifferent +performers. The prices are very modest, commencing at only ten sous, and +elevating to four francs; it begins at seven.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_410" id="Page_410">[Pg 410]</a></span></p> + +<p>The Gaieté, on the Boulevart du Temple, is another theatre of much the +same description; at present, however, the company is considered to be +very good: the strength consisting of Neuville, the brothers Francisque +and Deshays, and of the females, Madame Gautier, Clarisse, Leontine, +Abit, and Melanie are considered the best. Some pieces have come out at +this theatre that have had a great run. The prices begin at eight sous +and rise to five francs. They also commence at seven.</p> + +<p>The Theatre des Folies Dramatiques is likewise on the Boulevart du +Temple, and varies very slightly from the last, except being one grade +inferior, and the prices in proportion, commencing at six sous, and not +mounting higher than two francs five sous, and yet the performances are +often not by any means contemptible. They begin at half-past six.</p> + +<p>M. Comte has a theatre in the Passage Choiseul where children perform, +which may be considered as a sort of nursery for the theatres in +general; but what afford the most amusement are his extraordinary feats +of legerdemain, which are certainly wonderfully clever. The prices are +from about one franc to five francs.</p> + +<p>Although I have left it to the last, I must not entirely omit to mention +the Odéon theatre, to which I have already adverted; little can be +judged from it at present, having only just re-opened. Mlle. George is +endeavouring, in the eve of her days, to afford it the support of her +now declining powers; she is however<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_411" id="Page_411">[Pg 411]</a></span> ably sustained by Achard. Vernet +also is a good actor, and they have others who are by no means +deficient. It begins at 7, and the prices are from 1 franc to 5.</p> + +<p>In addition to those I have already stated, there are about a dozen more +theatres, inducting such as are just outside the Barriers, and although +theatrical speculations have generally been very unfortunate recently, +yet it does not appear to arise so much from the want of audiences, but +from paying the great performers too highly, and having too many of all +descriptions. There are besides several public concerts, of which the +one styled Muzard's, in the Rue Neuve-Vivienne, is the best; the price +of entrance to most of them is 1 franc. Several public balls are +constantly going forward in gardens during the summer, and in large +saloons in the winter; they are mostly attended by the lower order of +tradespeople, or by females of indifferent character, except in the +Carnival, and then more respectable characters go to the masked balls at +the theatres which are the most expensive; the ladies however only as +spectators, generally speaking, but their attractions are too +irresistible to many, for them to suffer the season to pass over without +once joining the gay throng, particularly to some who have a great +delight in mystifying a friend or acquaintance, and telling them a few +home truths under the protecting shield of a mask, having opportunities +of so doing at the public balls without fear of being recognised; +whereas concealment at private masquerades<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_412" id="Page_412">[Pg 412]</a></span> can seldom be preserved to +the last. It is most usual for ladies who visit the theatres to see the +masked balls only to remain in a box with their party, and from thence +to view the motley group; there are however some females even of rank +who cannot resist the charm of going entirely incognito, to puzzle and +perplex different persons whom they know will be there, only confiding +to one or two dearest friends their little enterprise, to whom they +recount the adventures of the evening.</p> + +<p>All strangers sojourning at Paris are generally directed to devote their +earliest attention to the Gallery of Pictures at the Louvre, and I had +intended to have bestowed much space to that object, but I find such +excellent works published on that subject at only one or two francs, +that I would recommend my readers to furnish themselves with one and +take it with them to the Louvre when they go there; they can procure +them of M. Amyot, No. 6, Rue de la Paix, where they will also find +almost every publication they are likely to require, and will meet with +the utmost civility and attention. There are continually changes taking +place in the arrangements of the pictures, consequently it would be +impossible to give any correct numerical indications. The works of +Rubens are particularly numerous, but I should not say they were the +<i>chefs d'œuvre</i> of that great artist, the women are so fat and +totally devoid of grace; I have seen several of his pictures in the +great Collection at Vienna which I like much better. The Louvre may be +also considered rich in the works of Titian,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_413" id="Page_413">[Pg 413]</a></span> some fine subjects by +Guido, Murillo, Correggio, and Paul Veronese, of which the Marriage in +Cana is supposed to be the largest detached picture in the world; and +many of the figures are portraits, as of Francis I, Mary of England, +etc., who were contemporaries with the artist; in fact there are some +paintings of almost every celebrated Italian and Spanish master. The +Dutch and Flemish school is extremely rich, particularly in Vandycks, +but as might be expected specimens of the French school are the most +numerous, the principal gems of which are by Claude Lorraine, Poussin, +and Le Brun, infinitely superior to the productions of the present day. +There are besides many pictures by French artists of the time of David, +Gérard, Gros, etc., which I consider generally inferior to some of those +of their best painters now living.</p> + +<p>There are several private collections that are well worth the attention +of the visiter; amongst the number is that of Marshal Soult, consisting +of some of the most exquisite Murillos, I should decidedly say the +happiest efforts of his pencil, but I believe since I saw them he has +sold some of the best to an English nobleman. The gallery of M. Aguado +(Marquis de Las Marismas), contains undoubtedly some very fine subjects +of the Spanish school, and others that have considerable merit, but out +of the great number of paintings which are assembled together the +portion of copies is by no means small; still there is sufficient of +that which is very good to afford great pleasure to the amateur. The +residence of the Marquis was in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_414" id="Page_414">[Pg 414]</a></span> the Rue Grange-Batelière, and it is to +be presumed that, notwithstanding his decease, the establishment will be +kept up as before. The collection of the Marquis de Pastoret, in the +Place de la Concorde, is well worth visiting if you have a good pair of +legs and lungs, for I believe you have upwards of a hundred steps and +stairs to mount; but an ample reward will be afforded in viewing some +very clever small cabinet paintings by celebrated Italian, French and +Flemish masters.</p> + +<p>The Baron d'Espagnac has at his hôtel in the Rue d'Aguesseau a selection +of paintings which may be considered one of the most <i>recherchée</i> in +Paris; a landscape by Dominichino is quite a gem, and he has scarcely a +painting in his numerous collection but must be admired; his copy of the +Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci is perhaps the best that has ever been +executed, and affords a most exact idea of the original, which is now, +alas! nearly if not entirely defaced. To see these, as well as many +other very excellent private collections, it is merely necessary to +write to the owner and the request is immediately granted.</p> + +<p>Mr. Rickets, an English gentleman living at No. 9, Rue Royale, has about +400 pictures, amongst which are some of considerable merit and +particularly interesting, either for the execution, the subjects, or +certain associations connected with them; this selection presents a +singular variety of styles, wherein may be recognised all the most +celebrated schools; some of the smaller pictures are executed with the +most<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_415" id="Page_415">[Pg 415]</a></span> exquisite delicacy and require long examination to form an +adequate appreciation of their merit. This collection is only accessible +through the medium of an introduction. As many purchasers of pictures +often want them cleaned and restored, I would recommend them to a +countryman for that purpose, M. Penley, No. 11, Rue Romford, whose +efforts I have seen effect a complete resuscitation upon a dingy and +almost incomprehensible subject.</p> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV.</h2> + +<div class="blockquot"><p>The concluding Chapter; application of capital, information for +travellers, prices of provisions.</p></div> + + +<p>One of the first measures to be adopted on arriving in France, is to +acquire the knowledge of the value of the coin, which is indeed rather +intricate; first a sou, or what we should call a halfpenny, is four +liards or five centimes; then there are two sou pieces, which resemble +our penny pieces; there is likewise a little dingy looking copper coin, +with an N upon one side and 10 centimes on the other, that is also two +sous; they once had a little silver wash upon them, but it has now +disappeared. Next there is a little piece which looks like a bad +farthing, rather whitish from the silver not being quite worn away, +which passes for a sou and a half or six liards. We then rise to a +quarter franc, or 5 sous, which is a very neat little<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_416" id="Page_416">[Pg 416]</a></span> silver coin; next +the half franc, then a fifteen sous piece, which is copper washed over +with silver, with a head of Louis on one side and a figure on the other; +double the size but exactly similar is the 30 sous piece; the franc is +20 sous, the two francs 40 sous, both of which are neat silver coin, as +also the 5 francs piece. The gold circulation consists in ten, twenty, +and forty franc pieces. There are no notes in Paris for less than 500 +francs, which are of the Bank of France; the visiter on arriving in +Paris will require to change his English money, and there are many money +changers; I have had transactions with most of them, but have found +Madame Emerique, of No. 32, Palais-Royal, Galerie Montpensier, (there is +an entrance also Rue Montpensier, No. 22,) the most liberal and just of +any, and I am quite certain that any stranger might go there with a +total ignorance of the value of the money he presented, and would +receive the full amount according to the state of exchange at the time. +Much credit is due to Madame Emerique from our country-people with +regard to her conduct respecting stolen Bank of England notes; she takes +great pains to obtain a list of such as are stolen, that she may not be +unconsciously accessary in aiding the success of crime, by giving the +value for that which had been obtained by theft, and adopts every means +that the presenters should be detained; if all the money changers were +as particular in that respect, thieves would derive no benefit in coming +over to France with their stolen notes. The office of Ma<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_417" id="Page_417">[Pg 417]</a></span>dame Emerique +has been the longest established of any, and the high respectability of +her family and connexions are a certain guarantee for the foreigner +against being imposed upon. The number of hôtels in Paris is immense; as +I always frequent the same which I have known for nearly 20 years, of +course I can recommend it, both as regards the extreme respectability of +the persons by whom it is kept and the moderation of the charges; it is +situated at No. 71, Rue Richelieu, and is called the Hôtel de Valois, +Baths abound in Paris, but the Bains Chinois, Boulevart des Italiens, +are of the oldest date, and have been visited by the most illustrious +persons. Amongst the rest, the proprietor declares that William the +Fourth attended them at the time he was sojourning incognito at Paris. +Amongst the numerous list of Bankers, those which are most frequented by +the English are Madame Luc Callaghan and Son, No. 40, Rue de la +Ferme-des-Mathurins; Monsieur le Baron Rothschild, Rue Laffitte, and +Messrs. Laffitte, Blount and Comp., No. 52, Rue Basse-du-Rempart.</p> + +<p>Amongst the multitude of interesting spots which surround Paris, +Versailles is pre-eminent, not only for the grandeur of the palace, the +beauty of the gardens, etc., but it has now received so many objects of +art, and its collection of pictures is so immense, that it may be +considered the Museum of France; but there are so many works written +upon it, and its description must be so voluminous to render it any +justice, that I must content myself with referring my readers<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_418" id="Page_418">[Pg 418]</a></span> to those +publications which have already appeared on the subject. St. Cloud, St. +Germains, St. Denis and Fontainebleau are too remarkable to be lightly +touched, particularly the two latter, upon which there are publications +giving the most ample details of all which they contain that is +interesting; those works therefore I must also recommend for the +visiter's perusal.</p> + +<p>Before I bid adieu to my readers, I must not omit to mention an +institution formed in Paris, which does honour to the English character; +it is entitled the British Charitable Fund, and was founded in 1822, +under the patronage of the British Ambassador, and is entirely supported +by voluntary contributions, for the purpose of relieving old and +distressed British subjects, or of sending them to their native country; +suffice it to say, that there have been within the last ten years 11,500 +persons relieved, and 2,571 sent to Great Britain.</p> + +<p>There are quite a host of steam-boat establishments, having their agents +and offices in Paris, but that for which the agency has been confided to +M. Chauteauneuf, No. 8, Boulevart Montmartre, embraces so wide a field +that I consider in recommending my readers to him, I afford them the +opportunity of obtaining all the information they can require upon the +subject; the Company could not have selected any one more capable of +fulfilling the duties of such an office, as besides his extreme civility +and attention to all applicants, he speaks many different languages, as +French, English, Spanish, Italian, etc. The boats<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_419" id="Page_419">[Pg 419]</a></span> for which he is agent +proceed from Dunkirk to St. Petersburg, touching direct at Copenhagen, +and privileged by the Emperor of Russia; the passage is effected in 6 or +7 days. Dunkirk to Hamburg in 36 or 40 hours, corresponding with all the +steamers on the Baltic and the Elbe. Dunkirk to Rotterdam in 10 or 12 +hours, communicating with all the navigation upon the Rhine. Boulogne to +London by the Commercial Steam Company. Antwerp to New York, touching at +Southampton; Marseilles to Nice, Genoa, Leghorn, Civita Vecchia, Naples, +Sicily, Malta and the Levant, by the steamers of the Neapolitan Company. +The above vessels are fitted up in the most efficient and solid manner, +with English machinery. At Lyons there is a corresponding office for the +navigation of the interior, held by Messrs. Jackson, Dufour, and Comp., +No. 7, Quai St. Clair. M. Chateauneuf is very obliging in explaining all +the details of the different tarifs of the custom duties of the various +countries with which the steamers communicate.</p> + +<p>A very great convenience exists in Paris, which I think much wanted in +London, and that is what are termed Cabinets de Lecture, where you may +read all the principal papers and periodical pamphlets for the small +expense of 3 sous; some are higher, where English newspapers are taken, +when the price is five sous; they are mostly circulating libraries at +the same time. But those who wish to see all or the greater part of the +London and some provincial and foreign papers, will find them at +Galignani's, and at an English<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_420" id="Page_420">[Pg 420]</a></span> reading room established in the Rue +Neuve St. Augustin, No. 55, near the Rue de la Paix; at both these +establishments the admittance is ten sous. The only English newspaper at +present published in Paris is by Galignani, which contains extracts +judiciously selected from the French and English papers, besides other +useful information.</p> + +<p>The investment of capital in land in France will rarely produce more +than 3½ per cent and very frequently less; in the purchase of houses in +Paris 5 or 5½, sometimes 6, is obtained; in the funds about 4½. Numbers +of persons in France place their money on <i>hypothèque</i>, or mortgage, by +which they make 5 per cent; the affair is arranged by means of a +<i>notaire</i>, but often the most lucrative manner of placing money is what +is called <i>en commandite</i>, that is, they invest a fixed sum in different +descriptions of business, from which they receive a certain share, not +appearing in the concern otherwise than having deposited a stated amount +of money in it, for which alone, in case of bankruptcy, they are liable. +A considerable portion of the French lend their money to different +tradespeople, getting the best security they can, sometimes merely +personal; 6 per cent is the regular interest that is given, and it is a +very rare case that the capital is lost, as the lender takes great +precautions in ascertaining the exact state of the borrower's affairs.</p> + +<p>Although rents are so immensely high in the centre of Paris, one house, +No. 104, Rue Richelieu, letting<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_421" id="Page_421">[Pg 421]</a></span> for 120,000 francs, (4,800<i>l</i>.) a year, +yet as you diverge in any direction towards the walls of the city a +house may be had for much less under the same circumstances than in +London, and just outside a substantial dwelling of eight or ten rooms, +with an acre of garden beautifully laid out, will only be 40<i>l</i>, a year. +Some of the villages round Paris are very agreeably situated, but are +dreadfully cut up by the fortifications, particularly the favourite spot +of the Parisians, the Bois de Boulogne, where many families amongst the +tradespeople go and pass their whole Sunday under the trees; and the +innumerable rides and walks through the wood, and its very picturesque +appearance tempt all ranks at all hours of the day; part of it remains +unspoiled by the walls and forts constructing for the defence of Paris, +but it was much to be regretted that any portion should have been +destroyed for an object, the utility of which still seems an enigma.</p> + +<p>As prices of provisions are so constantly varying that I determined to +leave them entirely to the last, that I might be enabled to give the +latest information respecting them; in most instances they are much +dearer than they were a few years since, particularly meat, which now +may be quoted on an average of 8<i>d.</i> a pound, and veal, if the choice +parts be selected, 1<i>d.</i> or even 2<i>d.</i> more at some seasons, but joints +where there is much proportion of bone may be had for 7<i>d.</i>; best +wheaten bread is at present 1 ¾<i>d.</i>, a pound; butter, best quality, +1<i>s.</i> 6<i>d.</i>; cheese 10<i>d.</i> Poultry is much<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_422" id="Page_422">[Pg 422]</a></span> higher than formerly; a fine +fowl 3<i>s.</i> a duck, 2<i>s.</i>; a goose 4<i>s.</i>; a turkey 6<i>s.</i> and much dearer +at some periods of the year; pigeons' eggs 8<i>d.</i> ½<i>d.</i> each; a hare +4<i>s.</i>; a rabbit 1<i>s.</i> 6<i>d.</i> Vegetables are generally pretty cheap, +potatoes hardly ½<i>d.</i> a pound, cauliflowers, brocoli, and asparagus at a +much less price than in London; the finer sorts of fruits, as peaches, +nectarines, apricots, greengages, grapes, etc., are very reasonable, but +on the whole Paris is very little cheaper than London; the principal +difference is in the wine, which is to be had at all prices from 5<i>d.</i> +to 5<i>s.</i> a bottle, but by arranging with the Maison Meunier, 22, Rue des +Saints-Pères, the house I have recommended, by taking a certain +quantity, very good Bordeaux may be had, which will only come to about +1<i>s.</i> 6<i>d.</i> a bottle. Fuel is the dearest article in Paris; coals, of +which there is not much consumption, are considerably higher than in +London, but yet much cheaper than burning wood. In the best part of +Paris a well furnished sitting and bed room is 4<i>l.</i> a month; in other +parts only half the price. Brandy and liqueurs are much cheaper than in +England; beer from 2<i>d.</i> to 4<i>d.</i> a bottle, but taking a cask it comes +cheaper. Best white sugar 10<i>d.</i> Tea from 4<i>s.</i> upwards, coffee 2<i>s.</i> to +3<i>s.</i> It must be remembered that the pound weight in France has two +ounces more than in England.</p> + +<p>There is one peculiarity the stranger should remark in Paris which will +much assist him in finding a house he may be seeking; the even numbers +are always on one side of a street and the odd on the other<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_423" id="Page_423">[Pg 423]</a></span> and in all +the streets running south and north the numbers commence from the Seine, +so that the farther you get from the river the higher the figure +amounts; and, as you proceed from that source the even numbers will be +found on the right side and the uneven on the left. Those streets which +run east and west commence their numbers from the Hôtel-de-Ville, or +Town-Hall, the even numbers also being on the right hand side and uneven +on the opposite.</p> + +<hr style='width: 45%;' /> + +<p>Aware that my countrymen are ever amateurs of engravings, lithographies, +etc., I must repair the omission of having forgotten to mention Mr. +Sinnett, the only English publisher of engravings living in Paris, and +as he has an enthusiastic passion for the arts, accompanied by the most +correct judgment, the selection of his subjects are such as cannot fail +to gratify every person of taste; he also acts as an agent both for the +Paris and London print-sellers, and by the arrangements into which he +has entered, is enabled to furnish individuals with engravings of both +countries on the most advantageous terms, foregoing those charges which +it is customary to impose under similar circumstances. The English have +it, therefore, in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_424" id="Page_424">[Pg 424]</a></span> their power to procure from Mr. Sinnett any print, +whether published in England or France, at a lower price than in any +other house in Paris. His address is No. 15, grande rue Verte, faubourg +Saint-Honoré.</p> + + +<h3>THE END.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_425" id="Page_425">[Pg 425]</a></span></h3> + + + +<hr style="width: 65%;" /> +<h2><a name="INDEX" id="INDEX"></a>INDEX.</h2> + + + +<div class='center'> +<table border="0" cellpadding="1" cellspacing="0" summary="INDEX"> +<tr><td align='left'>Abattoir</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_215'>215</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Academic royale</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_207'>207</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Actors et actresses</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_396'>396</a> to <a href='#Page_404'>404</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Agriculture</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_37'>37</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Arago</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_186'>186</a>, <a href='#Page_391'>391</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Archives</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_237'>237</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Arches, triumphal</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_42'>42</a>, <a href='#Page_270'>270</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Armour</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_216'>216</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Army</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_353'>353</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Arsenal</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_225'>225</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Artificial flowers</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_326'>326</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Artists</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_334'>334</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Athenæum</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_359'>359</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Auber</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_369'>369</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Authors</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_360'>360</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Balls</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_405'>405</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Bank</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_257'>257</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Bankers</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_411'>411</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Barriers</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_45'>45</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Barrot. Odilon</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_390'>390</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Bears</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_177'>177</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Béranger</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_361'>361</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Berryer</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_391'>391</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Bièvre</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_182'>182</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Boarding house</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_279'>279</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Boarding-schools</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_348'>348</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Bonnets</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_332'>332</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Boots</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_289'>289</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Bouffé</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_107'>107</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Boulevart</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_100'>100</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Boulogne</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_26'>26</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Bourse</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_259'>259</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Breakfasts</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_137'>137</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Bronze</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_341'>341</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Cabriolets</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_379'>379</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Café Hardy</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_405'>405</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Calais</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_24'>24</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Canes</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_319'>319</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Caps</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_332'>332</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Carnival</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_405'>405</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Carriages</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_379'>379</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Catacombs</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_186'>186</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Cavalry</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_352'>352</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Cercles</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_136'>136</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Chamber of Deputies</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_220'>220</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Chamber of Peers</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_201'>201</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Champs-Élysées</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_42'>42</a>, <a href='#Page_278'>278</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Champ de Mars</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_216'>216</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Chapelle Beaujon</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_275'>275</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>--Episcopal</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_276'>276</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>--Expiatoire</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_276'>276</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>--Marbœuf</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_278'>278</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>--Sainte</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_171'>171</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Chateaubriand</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_366'>366</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>China</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_301'>301</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Churches, Abbaye-aux-Bois</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_214'>214</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>--L'Assomption</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_96'>96</a>, <a href='#Page_369'>369</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>--La Madeleine</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_400'>400</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>--Notre-Dame</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_69'>69</a>, <a href='#Page_172'>172</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- des Blancs-Manteaux</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_236'>236</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- des Victoires or des Petits-Pères</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_257'>257</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- de Loretto</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_259'>259</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Saint-Ambroise</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_232'>232</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Saint-Denis</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_235'>235</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Sainte-Elisabeth</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_246'>246</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Saint-Etienne-du Mont</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_190'>190</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Saint-Eustache</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_254'>254</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Saint-François-d'Assises</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_237'>237</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Saint-François-Xavier</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_217'>217</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St.-Germ.-l'Auxerrois</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_61'>61</a>, <a href='#Page_237'>237</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St-Germain-des-Prés</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_61'>61</a>, <a href='#Page_205'>205</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Saint-Gervais</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_239'>239</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St-Jacques-du-Haut-Pas</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_189'>189</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Saint-Laurent</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_248'>248</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Saint-Leo-et-Saint-Gilles</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_251'>251</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Saint-Louis en I'lle</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_174'>174</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Ste. Marguerite</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_228'>228</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St. Medard</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_184'>184</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St. Merry</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_88'>88</a>, <a href='#Page_242'>242</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St. Nicholas-des-Champs</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_242'>242</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St. Nicholas-du-Chardonnet</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_193'>193</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St. Paul et St. Louis</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_238'>238</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St. Philippe-du-Roule</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_275'>275</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St. Pierre-de-Chaillot</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_279'>279</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St. Pierre-du-Gros-Caillou</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_218'>218</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St. Roch</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_97'>97</a>, <a href='#Page_273'>273</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St. Severin</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_195'>195</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St. Sulpice,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_203'>203</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St. Thomas-d'Aquin,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_210'>210</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St. Vincent-de-Paul,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_258'>258</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Luthérien,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_239'>239</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Oratoire,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_266'>266</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Sorbonne,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_196'>196</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Val-de-Grâce,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_184'>184</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Visitation,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_226'>226</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Clothes,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_287'>287</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Coiffeur,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_317'>317</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Coffee-houses,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_137'>137</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Collections of pictures,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_407'>407</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Colleges, Bourbon,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_2'>2</a>,</td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Charlemagne,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_233'>233</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Henry IV,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_191'>191</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- De France,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_192'>192</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Louis-le-Grand,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_191'>191</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St. Louis,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_198'>198</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Irish,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_190'>190</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Scotch,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_190'>190</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Sorbonne,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_196'>196</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Colours,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_300'>300</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Columns,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_43'>43</a>, <a href='#Page_103'>103</a>, <a href='#Page_226'>226</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Conservatory of Arts et Trades,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_243'>243</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- of music,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_258'>258</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Convents of Benedictines,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_245'>245</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Carmelites,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_202'>202</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- English Augustines,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_190'>190</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Dames de St. Thomas,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_214'>214</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Lazarists,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_214'>214</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Noviciat religieuses Hospitalières,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_214'>214</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Sâcré-Cœur,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_212'>212</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Copying machine,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_386'>386</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Crockery,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_293'>293</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Custom-House,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_380'>380</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Cutlery,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_201'>201</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Diligences,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_378'>378</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Dinners,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_105'>105</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Dress,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_123'>123</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Dressing-cases,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_302'>302</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Dyeing et cleansing,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_304'>304</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Earthen-ware,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_293'>293</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>École militaire,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_215'>215</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Economy,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_286'>286</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Education,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_124'>124</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Elysée-Bourbon,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_274'>274</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Engravings,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_417'>417</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Fancy Stationary,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_294'>294</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Fashions,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_324'>324</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Fiacres,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_379'>379</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Flowers,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_102'>102</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><i>Principal Fountains.</i></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Fountain, Boulevart-St. Martin,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_109'>109</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- des Champs-Elysées,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_42'>42</a>, <a href='#Page_278'>278</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- du Châtelet,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_252'>252</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Cuvier,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_182'>182</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- de Grenelle,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_211'>211</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- du marché des Innocents,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_253'>253</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- de la place de la Concorde,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_43'>43</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- de la Place Richelieu,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_260'>260</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Funerals,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_384'>384</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Garde-Meuble,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_43'>43</a>, <a href='#Page_258'>258</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Gardens, des Plantes,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_175'>175</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Luxembourg,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_200'>200</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Tuileries,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_272'>272</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>George-Mademoiselle,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_404'>404</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Glass,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_301'>301</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Gloves,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_330'>330</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Gobelin tapestry,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_132'>132</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Guizot,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_364'>364</a>, <a href='#Page_387'>387</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Guns,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_312'>312</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Haberdashery,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_322'>322</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Hats,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_288'>288</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Homœopathie,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_280'>280</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Horsemanship,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_138'>138</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><i>Principal Hospitals.</i></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>D'Accouchement,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_185'>185</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Blind,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_227'>227</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>----Children,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_194'>194</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Deaf and Dumb,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_188'>188</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Hôtel-Dieu,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_174'>174</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Incurables (men),</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_248'>248</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>----------(women),</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_214'>214</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Invalids,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_216'>216</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Orphan,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_188'>188</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>De la Pitié,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_181'>181</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Salpêtrière,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_181'>181</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>St. Louis,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_247'>247</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Sick children,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_214'>214</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Val-de-Grâce,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_184'>184</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Hotels de Cluny,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_197'>197</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- de Carnavalet,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_234'>234</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- des Invalides,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_210'>210</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- de la Monnaie,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_206'>206</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- de Soubise,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_238'>238</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- de Sully,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_233'>233</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- de Valois,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_411'>411</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- de Ville,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_240'>240</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Institut,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_207'>207</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Infantry,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_352'>352</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Lamartine,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_361'>361</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Lace,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_329'>329</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><i>Principal public Libraries.</i></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Arsenal,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_225'>225</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Hôtel-de-Ville,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_240'>240</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Mazarine,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_207'>207</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Royal,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_260'>260</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Sainte-Geneviève,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_191'>191</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Linen drapery,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_325'>325</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Liqueurs,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_283'>283</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Literature,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_360'>360</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Lithographies,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_310'>310</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Lodgings,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_416'>416</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Louis-Philippe,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_32'>32</a>, <a href='#Page_101'>101</a>, <a href='#Page_358'>358</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Louvre,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_89'>89</a>, <a href='#Page_267'>267</a>, <a href='#Page_406'>406</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Luxembourg,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_98'>98</a>, <a href='#Page_200'>200</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Mails,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_378'>378</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Maps et plans in relief,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_311'>311</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Marriage,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_128'>128</a>, <a href='#Page_383'>383</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><i>Principal Markets</i>.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Corn, or Halle an Blé,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_255'>255</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Flowers,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_171'>171</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Innocents,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_353'>353</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St. Germain,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_204'>204</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St. Honoré,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_273'>273</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St. Laurent,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_248'>248</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St. Martin,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_245'>245</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Meat,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_286'>286</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Medicines,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_292'>292</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Middle classes,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_123'>123</a>, <a href='#Page_135'>135</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Ministers,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_302'>302</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Mint,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_200'>200</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Mirrors (manufacture of),</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_228'>228</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Money-changers,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_410'>410</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Modes,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_324'>324</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Mont-de-Piété,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_236'>236</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Morgue,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_172'>172</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Music,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_368'>368</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Musical snuff-boxes,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_302'>302</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>National guards,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_354'>354</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Navy,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_355'>355</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Needles,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_321'>321</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Newspapers,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_414'>414</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Observatory,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_185'>185</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Palais-royal,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_263'>263</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- de-Justice,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_170'>170</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- de la Legion-d'Honneur,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_221'>221</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- du Quai d'Orsay,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_222'>222</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- des Beaux-Arts,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_208'>208</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Pantheon,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_189'>189</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Passports,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_381'>381</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Pens,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_290'>290</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Pencil-cases,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_305'>305</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Père La Chaise,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_229'>229</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Perfumery,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_320'>320</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Phosphorus matches et boxes,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_297'>297</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Piano-fortes,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_314'>314</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Plate-glass manufacture,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_250'>250</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Polytechnic,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_192'>192</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Post-office,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_380'>380</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Press, English,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_354'>354</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Press, French,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_355'>355</a>, <a href='#Page_385'>385</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Printing establishment, royal,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_237'>237</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Prints,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_417'>417</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><i>Principal Prisons</i>.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Abbaye,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_205'>205</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Conciergerie,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_171'>171</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Debtors,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_277'>277</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- La Force,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_234'>234</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Jeunes Détenus,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_231'>231</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- De la Roquette,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_231'>231</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Saint-Lazare,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_249'>249</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Sainte-Pélagie,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_181'>181</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Purses,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_376'>376</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Rachel,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_394'>394</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Reading-rooms,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_413'>413</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Religion,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_309'>309</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Restaurateurs,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_105'>105</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Rents,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_119'>119</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Riding-school,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_140'>140</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Rouen,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_22'>22</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Seal engraver,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_306'>306</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><i>Principal Seminaries</i>.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Foreign Missionaries,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_211'>211</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St. Nicolas Chardonnet,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_194'>194</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- St. Sulpice,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_204'>204</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Shirts,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_316'>316</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Silk mercery and fancy goods,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_343'>343</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Sisters of Charity,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_188'>188</a>, <a href='#Page_243'>243</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>School of Medicine,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_199'>199</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Drawing,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_199'>199</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Mines,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_200'>200</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Pharmacy,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_134'>134</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Ponts et Chaussées,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_212'>212</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Shoes, ladies,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_328'>328</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-----gentlemen,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_289'>289</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Societies, scientific,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_359'>359</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Soult,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_392'>392</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Stays,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_157'>157</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Steam, boats,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_412'>412</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Surgical instruments,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_307'>307</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Tailors,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_287'>287</a>, <a href='#Page_319'>319</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Temple,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_245'>245</a></td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'><i>Principal Theatres</i>.</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan="2"> </td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Italian Opera,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_397'>397</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- French Opera,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_398'>398</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Comique Opera,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_399'>399</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Theatre Français,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_400'>400</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Gymnase,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_401'>401</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Variétés,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_401'>401</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Vaudeville,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_402'>402</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Palais Royal,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_143'>143</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Porte St. Martin,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_405'>405</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Ambigu Comique,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_405'>405</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- La Gaîté,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_404'>404</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Cirque Olympique,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_110'>110</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Fulies Dramatiques,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_404'>404</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>-- Odéon,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_404'>404</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Thiers,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_388'>388</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Timepieces,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_315'>315</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Tuileries,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_270'>270</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Umbrellas et parasols,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_319'>319</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Whips,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_319'>319</a></td></tr> +<tr><td align='left'>Wine,</td><td align='left'><a href='#Page_283'>283</a></td></tr> +</table></div> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of How to Enjoy Paris in 1842, by F. 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Herve + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: How to Enjoy Paris in 1842 + Intended to Serve as a Companion and Monitor, Containing + Historical, Political, Commercial, Artistical, Theatrical + And Statistical Information + +Author: F. Herve + +Release Date: February 12, 2006 [EBook #17760] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HOW TO ENJOY PARIS IN 1842 *** + + + + +Produced by R. Cedron, Janet Blenkinship and the Online +Distributed Proofreaders Europe at http://dp.rastko.net + + + + + ++--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ + Transcriber's Note: There are inconsistencies in spelling and hyphenation + which have been left as they were originally printed. ++--------------------------------------------------------------------------+ + + + + + HOW TO ENJOY PARIS IN 1842, + + + INTENDED TO SERVE AS A COMPANION AND MONITOR + + + Indicating all that is useful and interesting IN THE FRENCH METROPOLIS, + + Containing HISTORICAL, POLITICAL, COMMERCIAL, ARTISTICAL, THEATRICAL AND + STATISTICAL INFORMATION. + + AS ALSO A DESCRIPTION Of the manners and customs of the Parisians of the + present day; WITH INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE STRANGER. In Respect to Economy, + and Advice to his general proceedings with the French. + + + _By F. Herve_ + + Author of _A Residence in Turkey and Greece_, etc, etc. + + + + + ILLUSTRATED BY LITHOGRAPHIC ENGRAVINGS. + + PARIS, PUBLISHED BY AMYOT, 6, RUE DE LA PAIX; AND BY G. BRIGGS, 421, + STRAND, LONDON, SUCCESSOR TO LEIGH & CO. + 1842. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +In offering the following pages to the public, the author has been +principally influenced by a desire of uniting _useful_ information with +that which he hopes may prove amusing to the reader, endeavouring as +much as possible to keep in view the spirit of the title "_How to enjoy +Paris;_" and having been accustomed to hear such constant and bitter +murmurings from the English, in consequence of their having been so +frequently imposed upon by the Paris shopkeepers, considerable pains and +attention have been devoted to guard the reader against his being +subjected to a similar evil; much development has therefore been +afforded towards recommending those establishments where the author +feels confident that the stranger will meet with fair dealing and due +civility. It may, perhaps, be thought by many that he has been rather +too prolix on the subject, but in order to know "_How to enjoy Paris_" +to its full extent, the first object, is to be informed of the best +means of dispensing one's modicum of lucre to the greatest advantage, +which will enable the visitor to stay the longer and see the more, just +in proportion as he avoids useless expenditure in suffering himself to +be victimised by over charges. + +As the present work includes the different subjects of History, +Antiquities, Politics, Manners, Customs, Army, Navy, Literature, +Painting, Music, Theatres, Performers, etc., etc., the author flatters +himself that readers of every taste will find a chapter which treats +upon some subject that may interest them, hoping that in the endeavour +to play the role of the Miller and his Ass, his efforts to please may be +more happy than those of that unfortunate individual. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + + Hints to the English visiting Paris as to their demeanour towards + the Parisians, and advice as to the best mode of proceeding in + various transactions with them. An appeal to candour and justice + against national prejudice. + + +Happiness is the goal for which mankind is ever seeking, but of the many +roads which the imagination traces as the surest and nearest to that +_desideratum_, few, perhaps none, ever chance upon the right; too many +pursue a shadow instead of a substance, influenced by a phantom of their +own creation, engendered in most instances by pride, vanity, or +ambition. Although I do not presume to hope that I can pilot my readers +to the wished-for haven, yet I flatter myself I can afford them such +counsel as will greatly contribute towards their happiness during their +sojourn at Paris or in other parts of France. + +Patriotism is certainly a most exalted virtue, but however praiseworthy +it may be in Englishmen to cherish within their own breasts the +recollection that their fleets and armies have ever prevailed, that +their wealth and commerce surpass those of every other nation, etc. etc. +it is not absolutely necessary that they should in their outward +demeanour towards foreigners, bear the semblance of constantly +arrogating to themselves a superiority, of which however conscious and +assured they may be, they never can teach others to feel, and least of +any a Frenchman, who possesses an equal degree of national predilection +as the Englishman, and the moment that sentiment is attacked, or that +our Gallic neighbours conceive that an attempt is made to insinuate that +they are regarded in the light of inferiority, as compared with any +other nation, hatred to the individual who seeks to humiliate them or +their country is instantly engendered, and in all their transactions and +communications with their _soi-disant_ superior, they will either take +some advantage, behave with sullenness, or avail themselves of some +opportunity of displaying the ascerbid feeling which has been created: +not that I would wish an Englishman to subdue that just and natural +pride which he must ever feel when he reflects on the pinnacle of +greatness which his country has attained, through the genius, industry, +and valour of her sons; yet it is a _suaviter in modo_ which I wish him +to preserve in his outward bearing towards the French, without ever +compromising the _fortiter in re_. + +I shall now endeavour to illustrate the above theory by citing some +instances wherein its axioms were brought into practice under my own +observation, and which I trust will convince my readers that it is not +from visionary ideas I have formed my conclusions, and that the conduct +I recommend to the traveller in France must in a great degree tend to +the promotion of his happiness, whilst traversing or residing in foreign +climes; as although in other countries the same degree of sensitiveness +will not be found as that which exists amongst the French, a mild and +unassuming deportment is always appreciated on the Continent, where +tradespeople and even servants are not accustomed to be treated in that +haughty dictatorial manner, too often adopted by my countrymen towards +those to whom they are in the habit of giving their orders. + +It is now about twelve years since, whilst I was staying at the Hotel de +Bourbon, at Calais, that I was much struck by the very opposite traits +of countenance and difference of demeanour of two gentlemen at the table +d'hote, who appeared nevertheless to be most intimate friends; it was +evident they were both English and proved to be brothers. Ever +accustomed to study the physiognomies of those around me, I contemplated +theirs with peculiar attention, having discovered by their conversation +that they were to be my companions on my journey to Paris; and it +required no great powers of penetration to perceive that the elder was +decided upon viewing all with a jaundiced eye, whilst the younger was +disposed to be pleased and in good humour, with all around him. The +conducteur announcing that the Diligence was ready and that we must +speedily take our seats, abruptly interrupted all my physiognomical +meditations, and we quickly repaired to the heavy lumbering vehicle in +which we were destined to be dragged to the gay metropolis. Our names +being called over in rotation, I found that the brothers had engaged +places in the coupe as well as myself, but having priority of claim, had +wisely chosen the two corners, the vacant seat in the middle falling to +my lot; and I believe, as it proved, it was not a bad arrangement, as I +acted as a sort of sand-bag between two jars, which prevented their +_jarring_; in fact I formed a sort of _juste milieu_ between two +extremes, and no sooner were we installed in our respective places, than +my mediating powers were called into operation, as the following +dialogue will exemplify. + +"They gave us a very nice dinner, sir," said the good humoured brother +who sat on my left. + +I replied that I was very well satisfied with it. + +"But you don't know what their messes are made of. For my part I like to +know what, I eat," observed the discontented brother on my right, "and +you don't mean surely, sir, to say that such as they gave us was +anything to compare to a good English dinner." + +That, I remarked, was entirely an affair of taste; that I myself was +most partial to the simpler mode of living of the English, but not so +the high aristocracy of our country, with whom French cooks are in the +greatest estimation. + +"I was very much pleased with the _vin ordinaire_, as they call it, and +found it a pleasant light wine, particularly agreeable when one is +thirsty," said Good Humour. + +"_Light_ enough at any rate," returned Discontent, "and well named _vin +ordinaire_, for ordinary it is in every sense of the word, pretty much +like themselves for that; but if you like to have any when we are in +England, I'll make you some; take a little port wine, put some vinegar +and a good deal of water with it and there you have it at once; is not +that your opinion, sir?" + +I replied, that I considered it a beverage well adapted for a sort of +draught wine, but that it certainly had not the body that foreign wines +have that we are in the habit of drinking in England. + +Good Humour not appearing to relish his brother's receipt for making +_vin ordinaire_, changed the subject, by observing that a woman who was +standing at the door of an _auberge_ where we were stopping had a very +fine expression of countenance, although rather thin and pale, but that +there was a pensive cast which prevailed throughout her features and +rendered the _tout ensemble_ interesting. + +"Oh very _fine_, indeed," said Discontent, with a sarcastic smile, "as +complete a picture of skin and grief as one could wish to see. Pray, +sir, is she one of your beauties?" + +I admitted that her appearance was rather pleasing, but that beauty was +out of the question, nor did I understand his brother to have made any +remark conveying the idea that she possessed that charm so truly rare. + +"What a delightful house and garden," exclaimed. Good Humour, as we +passed by a residence, that had rather an inviting appearance; "now, is +it not an agreeable spot to live in," he continued, as he turned to me +with a look, so assured of confirmation on my part, that I could not +find it in my heart to disappoint him. But as I was about to answer, +Discontent grumbled out a few words, which I think were to the effect, +that where the country was so hideously frightful, that any thing that +was decent attracted notice, but that the same object in England would +not have been regarded; asking me if I had ever travelled through a more +ugly country in my life. + +However I felt inclined to check his tendency to condemn all he beheld, +yet I could not in truth otherwise than acknowledge that it was as +uninteresting as it was possible to be, of which every one must be aware +who has travelled from Calais to Boulogne. + +Good Humour, however, was still undaunted, and a rather jolly, and very +rosy, looking young female passing at the moment, elicited from him the +exclamation of "Oh, what a pretty girl, and good natured!" + +"The very type of fat contented ignorance," interrupted Discontent, +without allowing his brother to finish his sentence. + +Soon after we entered Boulogne, where the white houses, lively green +shutters, and cleanly appearance of the Grande Rue attracted the +admiration of Good Humour, who observed with his usual energetic +manner, "What a cheerful pleasant looking town, and how very pretty the +houses are!" + +"For outside show, well enough, which may be said of most things in +France," murmured Discontent; "but see the inside of those houses, and +you will find there is not a single window or door that shuts or fits as +it ought; and if they are inhabited by French people, you will find +cobwebs and dirt in almost every corner. Am I not right, sir," said he, +turning to me with a triumphant air. But before I could answer, Good +Humour took up the cause, observing, "Really, brother, you cannot speak +from what you have seen, as the Hotel Bourbon is the only house we have +yet entered, and it was impossible to exceed the cleanliness observed +within it; therefore your remarks can only proceed from reports you have +had from others, whose vision, perhaps, was as clouded as your own +appears to be, by a pre-determination to view everything in France in +the most unfavourable light." Perceiving that Discontent, by the angry +look which he assumed, was about to reply in a bitter tone to his +brother, I thought the best means of averting the storm would be to +interpose a sort of middle course between them, and remarked that the +gentleman's observation, as to the windows and doors not fitting well, +was very correct, but with regard to the dirtiness of the French it had +been greatly exaggerated. + +Discontent declared that he had received his account of France from +persons who had lived long in the country, and on whose judgment he +could rely; "whereas," added he, "you perhaps have seen but little +either of the nation or of the people." + +I replied that I had known France nearly fourteen years. + +"Then," said he, "if you have known France so long as that, I suppose +you have become Frenchified yourself." + +I was about to make a sharp reply, but was prevented by the younger +brother remarking, "After you have said so much against the French, your +observation to the gentleman was anything but complimentary, and +savoured much of rudeness." + +"I merely said I was sure that his brother did not _mean_ to be rude, +and therefore I should not consider his observation in that light." + +"Rough and rude I always was, but I did not mean to give offence," added +Discontent in a somewhat softened tone. + +A fine looking old man, with a profusion of white hair, who was standing +at a cottage door, attracted the notice of Good Humour, who bid us +observe how benevolent was his expression, and what a fine venerable +head he presented. + +"As hoary headed an old sinner as ever existed, I'll be bound," said +Discontent, with a sarcastic smile, as he looked scornfully at his +brother. + +In this manner we continued to the end of our journey, Discontent +viewing all he encountered with an air of disgust and contempt, +appearing restless, miserable, unhappy and disagreeable, a burthen to +himself and an annoyance to others, whilst Good Humour saw every thing +en _couleur de rose_, was lively, amused, looking the picture of +kindness, and although pleased with a trifle, 'tis true, yet how much +wiser was his course, as it promoted his own happiness and was +calculated to cheer his fellow travellers. + +At length we arrived at Abbeville, and I soon perceived the effect that +the knitted brow and curling lip of Discontent had upon the girls that +waited at the table, who seemed but half disposed to attend, to his +demands; whereas the good natured confiding expression of his brother, +with his pleasing address, won all hearts, and he was served with +alacrity and scarcely needed to express his wants; it really is +astonishing how much influence suavity of manners has in France, in +procuring civility and attention, and how opposite is the case with a +repulsive mien. + +Before I quit the subject, I must relate one more instance, most +powerfully attesting the veracity of the assertion, which occurred to +myself; after having engaged apartments at the house belonging to a +female, named Fournier, at Boulogne, I was informed by several English +families who had preceded me in the same lodgings, that I had taken up +my abode with the most disagreeable people, who would impose upon us and +annoy us in every possible manner. One exception, however, to this +general report I met with in the account that was given me of our +hostess and family by a Colonel Barry, who with his lady and children +had resided some time with Madame Fournier, and they assured me that we +should find we had chanced upon most worthy people, who would do all in +their power to make us comfortable; but it so happened that the Colonel +and his family were persons of most conciliating manners, devoid of +hauteur in their demeanour, possessing in fact the very qualities +calculated to propitiate a good feeling on the part of the French. After +we had been in the house some time, we observed to those persons who +assured us we should be so ill treated, that we found the case quite the +reverse; and, the answer was, wait until the time comes when, you are +about to depart, and then when you are called upon to produce the +plates, crockery, glasses, knives, forks, etc., you will see who you +have to deal with; if there be any thing in the slightest degree +chipped, they will make you pay extravagantly for damages. But when at +last the awful day of departure arrived, I had every thing collected of +the description alluded to, and Madame Fournier would not even look at +them, and observed if there were any thing injured she was sure it was +to so trifling an amount that it was not worth noticing. But it was not +so with an English lady who was our fellow lodger; towards her they +certainly were neither obliging in their manner nor disposed to render +her any kind of accommodation beyond the strict letter of their +agreement; and the reason was, because she always addressed them as if +she was speaking to her servants; in short, with an arrogance of manner +that they could not brook. Thus whilst they were continually practising +little civilities and attentions towards us, which greatly contributed to +our _comfort_, they were following a totally opposite system towards +her, which rendered her very _uncomfortable_; therefore, had that lady +properly studied her happiness, she would have conducted herself towards +her hostess and family in a very different manner, and I hope my readers +who visit France will take advantage of the hint; yet I must admit that +the lady in question was a very amiable personage in every other +respect, but she detested the French, and liked, as she observed, to +pull down their pride, to make them feel their inferiority, and let them +know that the English were their masters. Madame Fournier, however, was +of a class superior to the generality of persons who let lodgings in +England; she was possessed of an independent property, her eldest +daughter was married to a Colonel, and her son a lieutenant in the navy, +but like many of the French, having a house considerably larger than she +could occupy, she let a part of it. I should always however recommend +the English when they are taking a house or apartment for any length of +time, or in fact entering into any engagement of importance with the +French, to have an agreement in writing, in case of misunderstanding, +which may arise from the English not comprehending, or not expressing +themselves in French so well as they imagine. It is always a document to +refer to which settles all differences, and is a check upon all bad +memories, either on the one side or the other; and as there are bad +people in France as well as other countries, it prevents strangers +becoming victims to those who are disposed to take advantage, when they +are aware that there is no legal instrument to hold them to their +contract. I have lodged in eighteen different houses in France, and +never had any other than a verbal agreement, and certainly had not in +any one instance cause to regret; but was fortunate enough, with one +exception, always to have met with good people; but as I wish my readers +during their sojourn in France to be secured from any unpleasant +discussions or altercations, I recommend them to be on the safe side. + +I must now appeal to my two most powerful allies, candour and justice, +against that invincible demon national prejudice. I am perfectly aware +that it is a hopeless attempt even to imagine that there is the +slightest chance of ameliorating its force. I consider it more +immoveable than a rock, because by dint of time you may cut that away, +or you may blast it with gunpowder; but I know of no means which can +soften the adamantine strength of national prejudice. One might +naturally suppose that a long communication between the two countries, a +mutual interchange of kindnesses, the number of intermarriages by which +the two nations have become so connected with each other, would have +contributed in some degree to diminish the asperity of that bitter +feeling against the French which we acquire in our school-boy days, but +which reason and commerce with the world, it might be expected, would +correct. As there is no argument so powerful as exemplification, I will +here cite two instances amongst the hundreds that have come within my +knowledge, of the extreme incorrigibility of the baneful sentiment to +which I allude. I once travelled with a Mr. Lewis from Paris to Dieppe, +and found him a man of considerable information, very gentlemanly in his +address and manners, and possessing such colloquial powers as +contributed to render the journey particularly agreeable; he was an +enthusiastic admirer of the arts, and was very fond of drawing, and +certainly excelled in that accomplishment, from the very beautiful +sketches he showed me which he had made in different parts of France, +and in fact was an amateur artist of considerable merit. He gave me a +very interesting account of his tour through France and of the kindness +he had met with from the inhabitants; that in many instances when he had +been sketching the chateaux of the nobility and gentry, how often it had +occurred that the proprietors had come out and invited him to breakfast +or dinner, according to the hour, or at any rate to take some +refreshment; and several sent for his portemanteau from the inn where he +had put up (sometimes without his knowledge), compelling him to pass the +night at their chateau. On my making some remark as to the urbanity of +the French, "Oh! don't think," he exclaimed, "that I am praising them as +a nation, for I hate them; I only speak of facts as they happened." I +then asked him how he was treated at the inns in the different +provinces, and whether he was much imposed upon. "I cannot say I was," +he replied, "or in any instance that I had reason to complain of my +treatment." + +From this gentleman's account of the reception he had met with in +France, would not any rational being have imagined that he would speak +well of the French? instead of which, I soon had the most powerful +proofs to the contrary. When we arrived at Dieppe we found a party +assembled at the _table d'hote_, at the _hotel_ at which we alighted, +consisting of a few French but, more of English; the former left the +room as soon as the cloth was withdrawn, and the latter remaining, the +conversation became general and very patriotic; and as the merits of +England and the English rose in the discussion, so did the demerits of +France and the French sink, and at last bumpers were drank to old +England for ever, in which we all joyously joined. This was all very +natural and proper, but this ebullition of national and praiseworthy +feeling had hardly subsided, when Mr. Lewis, the very man who had +admitted that he had been received with kindness and hospitality +wherever he had been in France, arose, and said, "Now, gentlemen, I have +another toast to propose to you, which I hope will be drank with the +same enthusiasm as the last; so "Here's a curse for France and the +French." All immediately drank it but myself and an elderly gentleman, +who declared he would not invoke a curse upon any land or any people. A +silent pause intervened; every one appeared to look at the other, as to +how they ought to act on their toast being refused, none caring to +assume the initiative. At last, one rising from his chair, who perhaps +began to view the affair temperately, observed, "Well, I think we had +better see about the packet-boat for Brighton before it is too late," +and they all quitted the room, except the elderly gentlemen and myself, +and he did certainly animadvert most severely against what he termed +their unchristianlike toast. Although it was impossible for me, feeling +as I did, otherwise than to agree with him on the principal points of +his argument, yet I observed that we might hope that it was merely in +words that the gentlemen would evince the violence of their prejudices, +as I felt convinced, from the general amiability of character so +apparent in the person who proposed the toast, that if he saw a +Frenchman in danger of his life, and that an exertion could save him, +that Mr. Lewis would use every effort to preserve a human being from +destruction, whatever might be his country. + +The other circumstance to which I am about to advert was less his +surprising, though equally powerful, in illustrating the strong tendency +towards prejudice against the French on the part of the English people, +the hero of my tale being a regular country squire, extremely kind +hearted, but whose fund of information did not extend much beyond his +estate, his horses and his hounds; not any consideration would have +induced him to quit England, but that of saving the life of an +individual, for whom, however worthless and ungrateful, he still +retained a sentiment of pity; a young man, whom he had brought up and +educated, in return for his kindness forged his name, and the evidence +of the squire was all that was requisite to hang him, therefore, as an +effectual means of avoiding to be forced to appear against him, he +quitted England; and, as France was the nearest, he there took up his +abode. A friend of mine, a Capt. W., who had resided long in France, +received a letter of introduction to the squire; although living at a +considerable distance from his residence, he took an opportunity of +presenting it. Having heard that the captain had been in France many +years, the Squire was not disposed to receive him very cordially, +considering that so doing was disgraceful on the part of an Englishman +unless he was forced to do so by circumstances such as had compelled +himself to quit his native country. The consequence was, that he eyed +the Captain in a manner that was far from flattering to his feelings; +but when he had read the highly recommendatory panegyric contained +within the letter, the Squire softened, and soon greeted the stranger +with a true hearty English welcome, and their respective families +afterwards became most intimately acquainted: the Squire, delighted to +find a countryman to whom he could communicate his execrations against +France and the French, whilst the Captain did all in his power to defend +them from all unjust attacks, having himself had favourable experience +of their urbanity and kindness. Some time after the Squire's arrival +the Captain removed to Boulogne, and as some grand ceremony was to be +there celebrated with military and ecclesiastical pomp and parade, in +the presence of the royal family, he invited the Squire and his family +to pass a few days with him, that they might witness so grand a +spectacle; adding, that there would be twenty thousand troops assembled +for the purpose. The Squire immediately flew into a violent passion, and +vowed he would accept the invitation on no other terms than that he +could take with him thirty thousand Englishman to cut their rascally +French throats. At length he gave his consent that his daughter should +pass a few days with the family of Capt. W., and at the same time +accompany them, to see the ceremony which was to take place. Partaking +of her father's feelings, all the way on the road she launched out +abusing every thing that was French and in fact all that she encountered +until the moment that she witnessed the imposing spectacle. She was then +standing within the church with the Captain amongst the crowd, but some +officers perceiving an English lady of genteel appearance, invited her +to join the circle composed of the Duchesses of Angouleme, of Berri, and +the ladies of the court, which she gladly accepted; and several fine +looking young men in their brilliant uniforms paying her the greatest +attentions, and taking the utmost pains that she should have the best +possible view of the sight, her heart was completely won, and when she +was re-conducted to Capt. W., her first exclamation was, "Well, as long +as I live, I never will speak against Frenchmen again; for I never was +treated with so much politeness and attention in my own country as I +have been here." But when she expressed the same feeling to her father, +his rage knew no bounds, and at the first moment he swore he would take +her off to England instanter, adding "I suppose I shall have my family +disgraced by your running off with some French mustachioed scoundrel or +another." The poor girl dared not say another word, and in a little time +the father recovered his equanimity. + +However furious the Squire was in expressions against the French, yet +his actions towards them were of a contrary bearing, having a well +stocked medicine chest, from which he liberally dispensed the contents +amongst the neighbouring poor, according to their different maladies, +until he received the cognomen of the English doctor who would never +take a fee. The people at last became so grateful for his kindness, that +when there was a report that war was likely to take place between the +two countries, as he displayed some uneasiness as to his being able to +return home, they assured him he should always be certain of cattle to +convey him to Calais, as, if he could not procure post horses, they +would find some in the neighbourhood for him, and if none could be +found, they would draw him themselves to the spot he desired. After +residing a few years in France, the Squire returned to his own country, +little enlightened by his trip, cursing the French before he came +amongst them, cursing them whilst he was living with them, and at the +same time whilst he was doing them every possible good, and cursing them +after his return to England; not that he could give any reason why, but +because it had become a habit with him since his childhood, and he had +been accustomed to hear his father and grandfather do so before him, and +I suppose he liked to keep up that which no doubt he thought a good old +custom. + +Having now, I trust, given sufficient examples of how the deep roots of +national prejudice defy every effort and circumstance to eradicate them, +I shall hope that my readers will endeavour to banish from their minds +any early impressions they may have received inimical to the French, and +resolve only to judge them as they find them, as reason must suggest +that all prepossessions cherished against any people must powerfully +militate against the traveller's happiness during his sojourn amongst +them. I fear that I may have been considered rather prolix upon the +subject, but besides the motive to which I have already alluded, I +always have cherished a most anxious desire to soften as much as +possible all national animosities. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + + Different routes from London to Paris.--Aspect of the city as first + presented to the English traveller, according to the road by which + he may enter.--Its extent, population, etc. + + +The first measure to be adopted after any one has decided upon visiting +Paris, is to provide himself with a passport, which he will procure at +the French Ambassador's office in Poland street, for which there is no +charge, but it is requisite to state by which port you mean to proceed; +but in order to leave some latitude for caprice, you may mention two +places, as Calais or Boulogne, or Dieppe or Havre, etc. There are now +many different means of travelling to Paris; that which was once the +most frequently adopted was by coach to Dover, then embarking for +Calais, as those are the two ports which present the shortest distance +between the two countries, being only about twenty-one miles apart; many +however prefer embarking at Dover at once for Boulogne, thus avoiding +about twenty-five miles by land from Calais to Boulogne, which certainly +does not afford a single object of interest, and the distance by sea is +only increased eight miles. Another route is by railway to Brighton, +then crossing to Dieppe, and which is certainly the straightest line of +any of the routes from London to Paris; but on account of there being +more sea, the distance is not generally performed in so short a period +as the other routes, from the uncertainty of the Ocean. It is not +therefore so much frequented by travellers as those on which they can +reckon with more accuracy; the same may be said of the route by +Southampton, which is performed by railway to that town, and afterwards +by steam-packet to Havre, which includes above a hundred miles by sea, +consequently but little resorted to as compared with the former routes. +There was another means of reaching Paris, and that was from London to +St. Vallery by sea; which being near Abbeville and only 33 leagues from +Paris, there was the least of land travelling, consequently it was the +cheapest if all went smoothly, and this line was often adopted by strict +economists, who however have frequently found themselves much +disappointed, as sometimes it happened they could not make the port, and +have either been obliged to put back and lie off Ramsgate, or lay to, +for some hours, and perhaps after having landed, have been detained at +St. Vallery, from not having been able to find places in the diligences +for Paris. This means, however, of proceeding to Paris no longer exists, +as the steamers have been sold, but it is thought that they will be +replaced by others. The route which is by far the most frequented is +that of embarking from London direct for Boulogne, and is on the long +run the most economical, and maybe comfortably performed, living +included, for three pounds, at the present prices, which are 1_l._ in +the best Cabin from London to Boulogne, then about 1_l._ 4_s._, in the +inside from Boulogne to Paris; and the other expenses will amount to +about fifteen or sixteen shillings; with respect to the charges on the +other routes, they are so often varying that it might only deceive the +reader by stating them as they at present exist, when in a few weeks +they may be higher or lower as circumstances may arise. Some persons +choose, the route by Southampton and Havre as being the most +picturesque, as from the latter town to Rouen such exquisite scenery is +presented by the banks of the Seine, as you pass in the steamer between +them, that the passenger is at a loss on which side to bestow his +attention, whilst rapidly hurried through so delightful and fertile a +country; in fact, he is tempted for once to regret the velocity of steam +conveyance, in not permitting him to tarry awhile to contemplate the +beautiful scenes by which he is environed. Rouen, where the traveller +should at least remain some days, is an object of great attraction. As +my work is especially devoted to Paris, I cannot afford much space to +the description of towns on the road; but as the city of Rouen is the +largest, the most interesting, and the most connected with history and +English associations of any upon the routes to Paris, I cannot pass it +over without some comment. Its boulevards first strike the English, as +being not only most picturesque and beautiful, but as presenting a scene +to them wholly novel, the noble vistas formed by towering trees, +mingling their branches, shading beneath their foliage many a cheerful +group, the merchant's stone villas, seen amongst their bowers, the high +shelving grassy banks, and the lively bustle that is ever going forward, +has so animated an effect that the beholder cannot but catch the +infection and feel his spirits elevated by the enlivening spectacle. But +what a contrast on entering the city; the streets narrow, dark, and with +no foot pavement, have a mean and gloomy appearance, but many of them +being built mostly of wood, carved into fantastic forms, offer a rich +harvest to the artist, and those of our own country have amply profited +by the innumerable picturesque objects which Rouen presents. The +cathedral, built by William the Conqueror, is one of the most +interesting monuments of France; the Church of St.-Ouen is at least as +beautiful, and there are several others which well repay the visiter for +the time he may expend in visiting them. The statue of the Maid of +Orleans stands in the _Marche aux Veaux_, on the spot where she was +burnt as a sorceress under the sanction of the Duke of Bedford in 1431. +Above all, the traveller must not fail to visit Mount Catherine, which +rises just above the city, and commands a view equally beautiful and +extensive. The delightful environs of Rouen are displayed before him, +comprising almost every scenic beauty that a country can afford; even +the factories, which in most places rather deform the view than +otherwise, are here so constructed as to contribute to its ornament, +more resembling villas than buildings solely for utility. Hills, wood, +water, bridges, chateaux, cottages, corn fields and meadows are so +picturesquely intermingled, that every object which can give charm to a +landscape is here united. There are several hills round Rouen which +present prospects nearly equal to that which is witnessed from Mount +Catherine, and in fact it is difficult to imagine any situation which +affords so many pleasant walks and such enchanting scenery. Indeed, all +the way to Paris by this route (that is by what is called the lower +road) which for a considerable distance runs within sight of the Seine, +the country is most highly interesting, passing through Louvier, +Gaillon, Vernon, Mantes and St. Germains. + +Calais, as being the nearest point to the English coast, and at which we +so often obtain our first peep at France, merits some notice, and +although it offers but few attractions, and is surrounded by a flat +cheerless country, yet there are connected with it some associations +which are replete with interest; as who that has ever read Sterne's +Sentimental Journey can forget the simple but impressive description he +gives of the poor friar and other objects which he there met, and which +he has engraven on the minds of his readers, in his own peculiar style, +in characters never to be erased; for my part, as I first approached +Calais I thought but of Sterne and his plain, unvarnished tale, of the +trifles he encountered, around which he contrived to weave an interest +which is felt even by the inhabitants of Calais to this day; although +they knew his works but through the spoiling medium of translation, +still they never fail to exhibit to the Englishman the alcove in which +he is said to have written his adventures in Calais. As I entered the +town, instantly the works of Hogarth appeared before me, for who is +there that does not remember his excellent representation of the Gates +of Calais, with the meagre sentinel and still more skinny cook bending +under the weight of a dish crowned with an enormous sirloin of beef, no +doubt intended to regale some newly-arrived John Bull, whilst a fat monk +scans it with a longing eye. Next the bust of Eustache de St. Pierre +awakes the attention, and the surrender of Calais and his devoted +patriotism rises in one's memory. Another souvenir also must not be +forgotten, namely, the print of the foot of Louis the Eighteenth, which +is cut in the stone, and a piece of brass let in where he first stepped +on shore, and undoubtedly represents a very pretty little foot; but when +a Frenchman who was no amateur of the Bourbon dynasty was asked to +admire its symmetry, he observed it was very well, but that it would +look much better if it was turned t'other way, that is to say, going out +of the kingdom instead of coming into it. If the traveller have time, it +is worth while to mount a tower, at the top of which is a sort of +lantern capable of containing about a dozen persons, and commanding a +most extensive view over the sea, and on the opposite side the country +is visible for a considerable distance, bearing a most uninviting +appearance. There are a great number of hotels at Calais, and I have +been at many of them, but have found that kept by M. Derhorter, called +the Hotel Bourbon, the most comfortable and economical, and the civility +of the master cannot anywhere be surpassed. Dessin's, for the nobility +and those who have equipages, is still the favourite and has been for +time immemorial. + +Nothing worthy of note presents itself between Calais and Boulogne, +except the little village of Wimille, which made some impression upon my +mind, as being so much prettier and so much more village-like than any +other through which we had passed, and near here perished the +unfortunate aeronauts Pilatre and Romain, falling from their balloon when +at a prodigious height from the ground and in sight of many spectators. +They were buried in the churchyard, in which a monument has been erected +commemorative of the event. About two miles from this hamlet Boulogne +appears in sight, cheering the spectator by its gay and animated aspect, +the numerous groups of genteel-looking persons constantly promenading +the streets, pier and port, give it a most lively appearance, which is +enhanced by the extreme cleanliness which is observed in all the +principal streets, and the cheerful air afforded by the white stone +houses with their green balconies and shutters. But the numerously +well-dressed portion of the population, which so greatly contribute +towards enlivening the scene, consists almost wholly of English, as the +few French families which still reside in Boulogne, above the rank of +the tradespeople, keep themselves very close and retired as in all other +provincial towns in France; and in Boulogne they are very suspicious of +the English, having had such numbers of bad characters who at first +preserved a very respectable appearance but ultimately proved to be +swindlers. The higher French families, therefore, decline any +association with the English, unless with persons who have come +highly-recommended, or have resided many years in the town with an +unimpeachable character. It so happened that circumstances brought me in +contact with two or three of these exclusive personages, and their +remarks about the English afforded me much amusement, and may be taken +as types of the general observations of the provincial French upon our +country-people. + +The worthy matrons of families have often said to me, "How is it, Sir, +that the wives and mothers of your country can manage their domestic +concerns, when they are seen almost continually walking about the +streets at hours when we find it indispensable to attend to our +household affairs." + +I replied, that after having given their orders they relied in a great +degree upon their servants executing them with punctuality. + +"Indeed!" was the exclamation; "how fortunate they must be to have such +immaculate servants that they can so entirely depend upon them: we +should be very happy if we could have such as did not require looking +after, but unfortunately French servants partake too much of human +nature for mistresses to be able to leave them wholly to themselves." + +I observed that perhaps English servants generally being more humble, +obedient, and subservient to their superiors, greater reliance might be +placed upon them, and undoubtedly more certainty as to their obeying the +instructions they received. + +"Then it is surprising," said the ladies, "that your country people do +not always bring servants with them, and very unlucky that in so many +instances when they have done so, that their domestics should so often +be brought before the Tribunals of Correction for different +irregularities." + +I replied, that many good and regular servants did not like to quit +their native land, and of those who were brought over, certainly in many +instances their employers had been disappointed; that in a foreign +country all was new to them, and they forgot their former regular +habits, and certainly in too many instances had misbehaved themselves. + +"Consequently," returned my interlocutors, "requiring a more vigilant +eye to superintend them. But there is another subject which affords us +much surprise, and that is the manner in which English parents permit +their daughters to go alone about the streets, or to walk with a +gentleman who is neither their father nor brother." + +I assigned as a reason for our allowing them so much liberty, that we +had such perfect confidence in them that we felt assured we could trust +to their own firmness and discretion to prevent any improper +consequences arising from the freedom they were permitted to enjoy. +"Unfortunately, that confidence is but too frequently abused," rejoined +one of the ladies, "if we are to judge from several lamentable +occurrences which have latterly taken place in this town amongst the +English young ladies." + +I felt the rebuke, as I knew to what circumstances they alluded, and +observed that the English society inhabiting Boulogne were by no means +what could, be termed the _elite_ of the nation, although there were +many families of the highest respectability. + +The ladies, perceiving by my manner that I was somewhat nettled, +endeavoured to soften what they had said, by observing that certainly it +would not be just to estimate the English people by the samples which +came to reside at Boulogne, as they had generally understood that they +were persons of indifferent reputation, who fled from their own country +because they could no longer live there in credit, but that amongst the +number there undoubtedly were some very quiet people. + +A stranger would not appreciate the degree of praise which is contained +in the word quiet when used by the French, who appear to consider it as +comprising all the cardinal virtues; when seeking a house or apartments, +if you say any thing favourable or unfavourable of them, they never fail +to remind you that they are so quiet. The same eulogy they will +pronounce on their daughters with peculiar pride and energy, when they +wish to extol them to the skies, and in good truth their _demoiselles_ +are quiet enough in all conscience, for it requires often a +considerable degree of ingenuity to extract from them more than +monosyllables. We have been accustomed to consider the French as a +restless, capricious, volatile people, and so I suppose they might have +been formerly, but now they are undoubtedly the reverse, being a quiet +routine plodding sort of people, particularly as regards the +provincials; and even amongst the Parisians there are thousands that +reside in one quarter of the city, which they seldom quit, never +approaching what they consider the gay portion of Paris, but live +amongst each other, visiting only within their own circle, consisting +almost entirely of their relations and family connexions. This feeling +is certainly exemplified still farther at Boulogne, as I knew an old +couple who lived in the upper town, which joins the lower town except by +the separation of the wall of the fortifications, and had not been in +the latter for five years, because they considered it was too bustling +and too much a place of pleasure for such quiet, homely, and orderly +folk as they professed to be and certainly were, in every sense of the +word. At Bordeaux I knew three old ladies who were born in that city, +and never had been in any other town during their whole lives, nor ever +desired to pass the walls of their native place. Many persons who have +been accustomed to spend their days in the provinces have a sort of +horror of Paris; I remember an old gentleman at Rouen, who with his +antiquated spouse lived a sort of Darby and Joan kind of life, their +only daughter being married and living elsewhere; and on my once asking +him if he had ever been to Paris, he replied that he was once so +situated as to be compelled to go upon urgent business that rendered his +presence indispensable, but that he saw very little of the place, +because he had always heard that it was a city replete with vice and +dissipation, and that during the few days his affairs compelled him to +stay he kept close to his apartment, only quitting it to proceed to the +house wherein he had to transact business, and then he went in a +_fiacre_, as, if he had walked perhaps he might have been jostled, run +over, robbed, or something unpleasant might have occurred. "Ah! that's +very true, you did quite right, and acted very prudently, my dear," +observed his wife, "and nobody knows the anxiety I felt till you came +back again." Although the rising generation of the French is not quite +so dormant in their ideas as that which is passing, yet there is not +even with them the same spirit of travel and enterprise which exist in +the English. That France has had, a reputation for restlessness, love of +change, and tumult, can only be explained by stating that until the +present time for the last two centuries, with the exception of Louis the +Eighteenth, she has been most unfortunate in her rulers, who have been +supporting a state of extravagant splendour which could alone be +sustained by being wrung from the middle and the lower classes; hence +the revolution in 1789, which might be considered as the ripened fruit +which the preceding reigns had been nurturing. Of the affair of the +three days in 1830, few I believe will deny the intensity of the +provocation, but then it will be said how do you account for their +having been so turbulent and discontented during the present reign? To +which I should answer in the same manner as an officer, who, defending +the character of his regiment, observed that it was composed of a +thousand men, of which nine hundred and fifty were peaceable and quiet +subjects, but the other fifty being very noisy they were constantly +heard of, and his corps had obtained the appellation of the noisy +regiment, as no one bestowed a thought upon the 'nine hundred and fifty +men who were orderly' because no one ever heard of them: thus it may be +said of France, the population may be estimated at about thirty-five +millions, of which perhaps one million may be discontented, and amongst +them are many persons connected with the press, who not only contrive by +that means to extend their war-whoop to every corner of France, but as +newspapers are conveyed to all the civilised parts of the world, and the +only medium by which a country is judged by those who have not an +opportunity of visiting it and making their own observations by a +residence amongst the people, it naturally is inferred in England and in +other nations that the French are a most dissatisfied and refractory +people. But a case in point may be cited, which proves that the +dissatisfaction is not general, nor has ever been during the present +reign. From the time that Louis-Philippe accepted the throne in 1830, +until June the 6th, 1832, a number of young men in the different +colleges at Paris occupied themselves constantly with the affairs of the +state, each forming a sort of political utopia, and however different +were their various theories, they all united in one object, and that was +to overthrow the existing government, and secretly took measures for +arming themselves, and mustering what strength they could collect in +point of numbers, which was but very insignificant compared to the +importance of the blow they intended to strike; but they counted on the +rising of the people, and the event proved they counted without their +host. June the 6th, 1832, being the day appointed for the funeral of +General Lamarque, they chose it for the development of their project, +and although the misguided youths fought with skill, constancy and +courage, even with a fanatic devotion to their cause, yet the populace +took no part with them, and the National Guard were the first to fire +upon them; and after two days hard fighting in the barricades they had +raised, scarcely any remained who were not either killed or wounded. +Since that, no attempt of the slightest importance has been made to +overthrow the government, and in fact I have ever found that ninety-nine +Parisians out of a hundred exclaim "_Tranquillite a tout prix_," that is +quiet at all prices, and all classes are interested in cherishing this +wish, the nobles and gentry that they may tranquilly enjoy what they +possess, the tradesman that he may obtain a sale for his goods, and the +workman that he may procure work. It is only a set of political +enthusiasts, to be found amongst the students, whose wild republican +schemes have dazzled others and induced the different outbreaks which +have occurred since the event of the three days, and having been treated +with lenity in the first instance, unprecedented in the annals of every +other government, they were emboldened to repeat their daring attempts. + +But let any one traverse the provinces of France, get acquainted with +the people, make inquiries around him and penetrate into their habits +and customs, and he will find that the predominant feeling is love of +the spot on which they are born; the farmer will keep on the farm his +ancestors tilled before him for ages, and if offered a better farm, if +it be far removed from his home and that of his fathers he will reject +it; with the same tenacity the labourer clings to his cottage and the +little bit of land he has always delved. But it is with the landed +proprietor that one finds the most powerful example of the durability of +their adhesion to the cradle of their birth. There are many persons +possessed of estates of no great extent, from eight to fifteen hundred a +year, which have regularly descended to them from their ancestors, to +whom they have been granted, at as remote a period as the time of +Charlemagne, and have descended to the present possessors from +generation to generation, whilst there does not appear to have been in +all that period any great elevation or depression in their +circumstances. The habit of living up to their incomes as in England is +very rare in France; if they have daughters, from the day they are born +the parents begin to save for their dowry; even the peasant will follow +that practice if he can only put by a sou a day. I have known many +landed proprietors of from fifteen hundred to two thousand a year that +did not support any thing like the style that a person with a similar +fortune would in England; if a Frenchman has more than two or three +children, he seldom spends half his income if it be possible to live +upon a quarter, his object is that he may leave all his children in an +equal pecuniary position without dividing his land; as although the law +of primogeniture does not exist, yet parents like that one son should +keep up the estate intact, and the one fixed upon for that purpose is +generally the eldest, the others receive their portions in money from +the father's savings, and are usually brought up to one of the liberal +professions, and in many instances are sufficiently fortunate as to +realize by promotion or their talents, emoluments equal with what +portion they inherit to place them in as favourable a position as the +brother on whom devolves the estate. In other instances the son who +holds the land is taxed to pay from it a certain amount to his brothers +and sisters, in order to render their situation in life somewhat upon a +par; but it so happens that very large families are not so frequent in +France as in England. A system of frugality is prevalent amongst all +classes of the French, and a habit of contenting themselves with but +little as regards their daily expenses; nor have they that ambition to +step out of their class so general throughout England. A farmer in +France works much the same as his men, dresses in a plain decent manner, +and considers himself very little superior to his men, whilst his wife +goes to market with her butter and eggs upon one of the farm horses; and +without any education herself she thinks she does wonders in having her +daughters taught to read, write and cypher, but invariably economises to +give them a marriage portion. This applies to most of the farmers +throughout France, and will be found descriptive of those inhabiting the +country from Calais to Paris; but in Normandy they are frequently what +is in French estimation considered very rich, and their habits and +expenses are in proportion; and about Melun and some few parts of France +where the farms are very large, the occupiers would even in England be +termed wealthy. The extreme of poverty or what may be designated misery +is but little known; the traveller is deceived by the number of beggars +which infest the high roads, and is induced to imagine that the lowest +orders must be in a most wretched state, but the fact is otherwise, and +begging is no other than a trade on the most frequented roads. Turn into +the by-lanes, penetrate the interior of the country and in the villages +distant from the highways and but few beggars are to be found, nor could +I ever hear of an instance of any one in the country parts of France +perishing from want; yet there are no forced poor rates, the landed +proprietors however regularly give so much a month voluntarily to those +who are past labour and have no relations to provide for them, and +houseless and pennyless wanderers are received and sheltered for a night +by the higher farmers and people of property, the mendicant having soup +and bread given him at night and the same when he starts in the morning. +Of these there are great numbers within the last few years, being +refugees from Spain, Italy and even Poland, driven to seek shelter where +they can find it by the political convulsions of their countries. In +this manner, the French have recently been severely taxed, but they +appear never to have the heart to deny shelter and food, although they +carry economy to such a height as would be styled by many of my affluent +countrymen absolute parsimony; which is perceptible in all their +transactions, and is in a great degree the cause of the miserable state +of their agriculture, which is also in some measure owing to the utter +ignorance of the farmers, who in all that tends towards improvement +display the stupidity of asses with the obstinacy of mules. There can be +no doubt that, generally speaking, the soil of France is capable of +producing half as much more than it at present yields; they still +persevere in the same system as existed in England in the year 1770, +when Arthur Young wrote his Agricultural Tour, describing the various +practices in the different counties throughout the kingdom. Two white +crops and a summer fallow is the usual course in France, sometimes +varied by a crop of clover, and very often they fallow for two years +together; they have no idea of leguminous crops as winter provision for +their cattle, and of the advantage to be derived from stall feeding they +are quite ignorant, except in a few provinces, as a part of Normandy and +Brittany. The same with regard to the drill system; they mostly plough +very shallow, and do not keep their land very clean, with a few +exceptions; the consequence is their crops are generally very light. +Thanks to the natural richness of their meadows in Normandy, they do +certainly produce some beasts of an immense weight for the exhibition +annually held on Shrove Tuesday. There are generally about a dozen +brought to Paris, and the finest is the one selected to be led about the +streets; the one chosen last year weighed 3,800 French pounds, and as +there are two ounces more than in the English pound the immense size of +the animal may be imagined. In the winter, they fatten their beasts with +hay, clover and corn, but oilcake is not known except in a few +instances, when beasts are fattened for prizes or exhibitions. Their +agricultural implements are in keeping with the rest of their system; I +have seen them ploughing even in the lightest land, with the great old +heavy turnwrest ploughs and four bulky horses, which might have been +effected just as well with a light Rotherham plough and one horse. +Recently, however, I have seen some slight ameliorations, and those +parts of France which are nearest England one might expect would improve +the soonest. The farming servants are generally a hard-working, quiet, +sober people, contented with very little, their living costing them a +mere trifle; in harvest-time an Englishman will pour beer down his +throat that will cost as much as would keep a whole French family; there +is a natural economy in their habits that tends to making their wages +more than equal to their demand. An Englishman must have the best +wheaten bread, and when he gets a pound of meat he is ready to eat it +all himself; the Frenchman is contented with a cheap brown bread, quite +as wholesome as the finest, and to his portion of meat he adds some +vegetables with which soup is made, and it gives comfort to the whole +family; and it is quite a mistake to imagine that beer and animal food +produce greater physical strength, as I have in several instances proved +that the French porter will carry much more than the English. I remember +when lodging in Salisbury Street, in the Strand, having packed up my +things for my departure for Paris, when a porter came to carry them to +the Golden Cross, he said it was impossible that any man could take them +at once, and the people of the house joined in saying that it was far +beyond one man's load, consisting of a moderate sized trunk, a large +portmanteau, and a well-stuffed carpet bag; when I declared that the +first porter I should meet with at Paris would take them all the same +distance without raising an objection, a sort of smile of incredulity +passed from one to the other, expressive of how absurd they thought such +an assertion. On arriving at Paris, however, the very first porter I +spoke to in the Diligence-yard took them all, without a question as to +their weight. In several cases, when persons have been quitting London +for Paris with me, I have proved to them how much heavier a burthen the +French porters will carry than the English. I believe the cause arises +in a great degree from the latter not being addicted to drinking ardent +spirits, which is ruinous to the strength and constitutions of such +numbers of the lower classes in London. But the Greek and Turkish +porters will carry twice as much as the French, and their beverage is +nothing but water and their food principally rice. In almost every +description of labour the Englishman has the advantage when what may be +styled knack or method be required; the consequence is, that they make +the most of what physical strength they possess; hence he will plough, +mow, or reap more in a day than a Frenchman. Not only is the machinery +which the Englishman employs much better, but he is what may be termed +more handy in making use of it; in every thing which relates to +husbandry or mechanism the Frenchman is generally awkward; a more +powerful instance cannot be cited than that of their always employing +two men to shoe a horse, one man being occupied to hold up the horse's +leg, whilst the farrier performs his part of the work; is it not +astonishing that after an uninterrupted communication with England for +twenty-seven years, that they should never have observed, that an +English farrier, by taking the animal's leg between his own, is able to +effect his purpose just as well as if two men were employed; but the +French must have remarked that custom in England; only, the besotted +prejudice that exists in that class against every species of innovation +causes them to persevere in their old habits. The agricultural +population in France are more wealthy and generally better clothed than +ours, particularly as regards the women; they pride themselves much upon +their stocks of linen and their bedding; instead of the men expending +their money in drink, what little they can save beyond their daily wants +they lay out in contributing to their solid comforts, and as spinning +and knitting are the constant occupation of the women in their leisure +hours, when their children marry they are enabled to furnish them with a +portion of the fruits of their industry; even the peasant girl has a +trousseau, as it is called, that is, some stock of linen at her +marriage, and a trifle of money wherewith to begin the world. Thus take +France throughout; it will be found, that, in consequence of temperance +and a persevering industry, the peasantry are generally passively happy; +there is a great difference in respect to their wages and comforts, +according to the province to which they belong; but although the +intention of this work is especially to treat upon Paris and its +population, yet as my readers must pass through a considerable portion +of France before they can arrive at Paris, I judged it right to give +them some information of the manners and habits of the population, with +which they must meet in the course of their journey; but without farther +delay will now at once conduct them to the Grand Capital, and as I +consider the first impressions are the most permanent, I will introduce +them by that entrance which presents so grand an appearance, as to +surpass that of any other country in Europe. In coming from England, +they may enter Paris at this point by the Rouen road. + +The first object that strikes the traveller, as he approaches Paris, is +the Triumphal Arch, erected with the view of commemorating the victories +of Napoleon, but as those victories were ultimately crowned by defeat, +it is more consistent to consider the Triumphal Arch as a triumph of art +than of arms; as certainly the magnificence and sublimity of the design +is only to be equalled by the exquisite beauty of the execution. Having +passed this noble monument and splendid specimen of architectural +talent, the Champs Elysees extend in all their beauty to the view of the +beholder, presenting a fine broad road with rows of lofty trees on +either side, whilst handsome buildings and superb fountains are +occasionally visible from behind the foliage; and one of the latter, +which rises exactly in the centre, has a most happy effect; from this +circle several roads diverge in different directions, displaying various +objects of interest, but none of so high an order as that of the +Hospital of Invalids, for aged and wounded soldiers, the whole expanse +of which is seen in the distance at the end of a long wide avenue of +trees. From the Triumphal Arch on either side extends a row of +ornamental lamps for nearly a mile, which when lighted have the most +brilliant effect; and when it is considered how very small the +distances are between each lamp, I believe the assertion to be correct, +that there is not another such display of gas anywhere to be found. +Arrived at the Place Louis Quinze, or Place de la Concorde, as it is now +called, such a coup d'oeil is presented as remains unrivalled in +Europe, or indeed, in any part of the world. On one side, at the end of +a handsome and regular street, called the Rue Royale, rises in majestic +height the Madeleine, with its noble columns crowned by its sculptured +entablature in mezzo relievo, and adorned by its numerous statues, yet +preserving a chaste simplicity throughout the whole. On the opposite +side facing it, in a direct line at the end of a bridge, is the Chamber +of Deputies, resembling a Roman temple; its style is severe and its +_tout ensemble_ has an air of heavy grandeur, which is consistent with +an edifice in which are to be discussed the affairs of so great a +nation. In the centre of the Place is an Egyptian column, which was with +much difficulty brought from Egypt, and raised with considerable +ingenuity where it now stands, without any accident; gorgeous fountains +of bronze and gold are constantly playing, whilst colossal statues, +being allegorical representations of the principal towns of France, are +placed at regular distances, and appear as it were in solemn +contemplation of the splendid scene by which they are surrounded. Two +noble buildings, the Garde Meuble and the Hotel de la Marine, which may +be styled palaces, adorn each side of the Rue Royale, and form one side +of the magnificent square, whilst another is occupied by the Elysian +Fields, and that immediately opposite to the Tuileries gardens; but so +beautiful, so wonderful is the whole combined, that accustomed as I have +been to frequent it for upwards of twenty years, I cannot now traverse +it without remaining some time to admire the extraordinary combination +of so many beautiful objects centering in one vast area. Here no mean or +unseemly building meets the eye, but all is made tributary to one grand +effect; even the lamps with their supporters are of bronze and gold, +whilst in the distance the gilded dome of the Invalides peers above all, +and gives a brilliant termination to the sublimity of the scene. + +[Illustration: Champin del. Lith. Rigo Freres et Cie Triumphal Arch. +Published by F. Sinnett. 15, Grande rue Verle.] + +Thus much for the only entrance of Paris which has aught to boast, but +having, in fact, so many charms that it must be considered by the +visiter as compensating for the deficiencies of every other. In entering +from Boulogne or Calais, nothing can be conceived more discouraging than +the first appearance of Paris as you are borne through the Faubourg St. +Denis; the street, it is true, is wide and the houses large, but they +have a dirty gloomy forlorn aspect, which gives them an uninhabited +appearance, or as if the inmates did not belong to them; as no care +appears to have been taken to give them some degree of neatness and +comfort; in fact, to bestow upon them an air of home; the stranger +continues rattling over the stones between these great lumbering-looking +dwellings, until his eye is attracted by the Porte St. Denis, which is +a triumphal arch built by Louis the Fourteenth, and certainly presents a +most imposing mass of sculpture, which, although blackened by time, is +an object well worthy the attention of the observing traveller; and here +he crosses the Boulevards, by which he gets a little peep at the +inspiring gaiety of Paris, but is soon hurried into noisy streets until +his brain feels in a whirl; and on his arrival at the Diligence-yard, +when he hopes to obtain a little repose, he is annoyed by being asked +for the keys of his trunks, for the Custom House officers, to make +believe to look into them to ascertain that you have not smuggled any +liquors or other material within the walls of Paris. Those who are +fortunate enough to travel in their own carriages, are exempted from +such tiresome ceremony. Some of the other entries to Paris are somewhat +better, but none of them sufficiently so, to be worthy notice; perhaps +the best amongst the bad is by the Faubourg St. Antoine, the Barrieres du +Trone, at the commencement and summit of the street, presenting a most +noble appearance; indeed, as far as the barriers are concerned, there +are many which are well worthy of notice, being mostly handsome stone +buildings with columns that give them an imposing effect, particularly +when we recollect the little turnpike gates at the principal entrances +of London, with the exception of the recent erections at Knightsbridge, +which sink into nothingness when compared to the Triumphal Arch at the +entrance already described; and, except foreigners, particularly the +English, enter by that quarter, the first aspect of Paris mostly +excites disappointment; the generality of the streets wanting that +straight line of regularity so prevalent throughout London, the French +capital has an incongruous patchy sort of effect, and its beauties and +objects of interest have to be sought, but to the eye of an artist it is +much more gratifying than that dull sameness which reigns throughout +London, which Canova very justly designated as consisting of walls with +square holes in them; for what otherwise can be said of our houses in +general, but that they are literally upright walls, with square holes +for doors and windows. Regent Street and a few others, which have been +recently erected, form an exception to the rule. But in almost every +street in Paris a draftsman finds subject for his pencil; their richly +carved gateways, their elaborately wrought iron balconies, their +ornamented windows, and even their protruding signs, all help to break +the formal straight line and afford ample food for sketching; and in +many of their old and least fashionable streets, an ancient church with +its gothic doorway, adorned by rich and crumbling sculpture, invites the +artist to pause and exercise his imitative art. Paris at first strikes a +stranger as still more bustling and noisy than London, as the streets +being narrower and hack vehicles more used in proportion, the +circulation gets sooner choked up, and the rattling over the stones of +the carriages is still more deafening, being within so confined a space; +hence also the confusion is greater; then there is always a sort of +bewilderment when one first arrives in a large city, that makes it +appear much more astounding than is found to be the case as soon as the +visiter becomes accustomed to its apparent labyrinth. + +According to comparative calculations, and taking the medium, Paris is +about twenty-two miles round, and the population, foreigners included, +one million; many estimate it at eleven hundred thousand, which I have +no doubt it may be, if several villages be included which absolutely +join Paris; such as Passy, Belleville, etc. The extreme height of the +houses would induce a belief, that a more, dense mass of people +inhabited the same space of ground than could be the case in London; but +to counterbalance that circumstance, it must be taken into consideration +that there are such an immense number of large gardens and court-yards +in Paris, which occupy a great extent of ground. I have often been +surprised to find, that in nasty dirty narrow streets, the back windows +of the houses looked over extensive gardens, with lofty trees; these are +oftener to be found in the old parts of Paris than in the modern +quarters. A much greater proportion of the population consists of +foreigners, than is the case in London, consequently it is more moving +and changeable. It is the great post town for almost all Europeans who +visit England, and hundreds of thousands come to Paris, who never think +of going to London, deterred by an exaggerated idea of the expense; +hence it will be found that very few persons from the Continent visit +London who have not already been to Paris, although, now that steam +conveyance affords such facilities of accommodation between London and +many of the large cities in Europe, the case is somewhat altered. But +Paris has been long regarded as the Museum of the Continent, and few men +possessing good fortunes from civilised countries, if gifted with +enquiring minds, consider their education complete if they have not +sojourned some time at Paris, which has for time immemorial had the +reputation of being the seat of the polite arts. Nearly a third of the +houses in Paris are designated hotels, many of which do not provide +meals but merely furnished lodgings, and most of their inmates are +foreigners, others, persons from the provinces, consequently at least +one quarter of the population of Paris is constantly changing. But +perhaps no city is anywhere to be found where a stranger can sooner +accommodate himself in every respect, as the customs are such that a +person may live as he likes, go where he likes, and do as he likes, +provided he do no harm. In London, if a lady and gentleman from the +country arrive for the purpose of passing a day, and have no +acquaintances, there are no houses as in Paris where one can take a +wife, sister, or daughter to breakfast or dine, without being subject to +remark, unless indeed you can draw up to the door of a hotel with an +equipage; then certainly every attention and accommodation is to be +found, but only such as will suit a very limited number of purses; +whereas, at Paris a family may find in most of the restaurateurs small +apartments where they can dine by themselves if they object to the +public room, but even in the latter they might take their meal very +undisturbed and without exciting the slightest observation, at various +prices that will either suit the economist or the wealthy individual. +This is amongst many of the conveniences of Paris; as also that of the +libraries being open to the public, any one having the privilege to call +for the book he wishes, where he may read as quietly as in his own +house. This is extremely useful to studious and literary men, as there +are so many works of reference too expensive to be within the compass of +a small private library, which may be found in the liberal +establishments in which Paris abounds. Museums, exhibitions, academies, +gardens, public buildings, etc., are, with a very few exceptions, +accessible to the foreigner merely on the exhibition of his passport. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +TO AN HISTORIAN. + + A very brief account of the foundation of Paris, its progress + during the most remarkable epochs, and under the reigns of some of + its most celebrated monarchs with its, gradual advance in + civilisation to the present period. Some allusions also to the + customs which existed in the earlier ages, and a statement of the + different dates as regards the erection and foundation of the + various monuments and institutions still extant. + +[Illustration: Paris in the 16th Century. View taken from the towers of +Notre Dame.] + + +France, under the ancient appellation of Gaul, is cited in history as +early as 622 years before the Christian era, when Belloveaus, a +celebrated leader from that country, defeated the Hetrurians and made +himself master of Piedmont and Lombardy, by crossing the Rhone and the +Alps with his army, which at that period had never before been +attempted. Increasing in power, we find, 180 years after, the Gauls, +headed by Brennus, sacking and burning Rome; and the same chief, after +having been defeated and cut off by Camillus, the Roman general, with +the loss of 40,000 men, again appears in the year 387 before Christ at +the head of 150,000 foot and 60,000 horse, invading Macedonia, and after +ravaging the country and being ultimately defeated in Greece, to have +put an end to his existence. Some idea may be formed of the ferocious +and obdurate spirit of the Gauls, from the circumstance of the women +fighting as bravely as the men against Marius, who successfully defended +Italy against them; and when these desperate amazons found that they +were overpowered, they slew themselves and their children rather than +surrender. This occurred 101 years anterior to the birth of our Saviour, +and from that period scarcely a century has passed in which history does +not record many instances of heroic devotion of Frenchwomen, often wrong +in its object, but ever displaying a determined courage, reckless of all +selfish consideration. The names of Joan of Arc, Jeanne Hachette, +Charlotte Corday, and the Chevalier d'Eon are known to all, and hundreds +of others must live in the memory of those who are familiar with the +history of France. After numerous encounters between the Romans and the +Gauls, the latter were at length wholly subdued about 50 years before +Christ, and although the records of this ancient people date nearly as +far back as the foundation of Rome, yet our first accounts of Paris are +derived from Caesar and Strabo, who allude to it under the name of +Lutetia, the principal city of the Parisii; and from the most probable +statements which could be collected from aged persons at that period, it +is presumed that its foundation must have occurred not more than half a +century antecedent. It is supposed that the ground which Paris now +occupies formerly consisted of a number of small hills, which in the +process of time, building, paving, etc., have been somewhat reduced, by +the summits having been in a degree levelled; and the houses upon them +being generally not so high as those in the lower parts, the eminences +are not now so apparent. These hillocks were called by the French +_buttes_, and some of them are still very perceptible, such as in the +_rue des Saints-Peres_, by the _rue St-Guillaume_, the _rue Meslay_, the +_rue de l'Observance_, near the _Ecole de Medecine_, and several other +places; indeed, on each side of the Seine Paris rises as you proceed to +the _Faubourgs_. Some of these little hills still bear the name of +_butte_, as _les Buttes St-Chaumont, la rue des Buttes_, etc., but the +most ancient part of Paris is that which is now termed La Cite and is +confined to an island formed by the Seine, and which is joined to the +opposite banks by the _Pont-Neuf_ (or New-Bridge), but certainly no +longer meriting that title, having been built in the reign of Henry the +Third about the year 1580. There are many histories of Paris which have +been handed down by oral record to some of the earliest authors amongst +the Gauls, but so ill authenticated that they do not merit repetition, +having being reputed as fabulous by most writers to whom credit can be +attached. There is, however, one account of the foundation of Paris +which may be cited more for its comic ingenuity than for its veracity, +beginning by tracing the Trojans to Samothes, the son of Japhet and +grandson of Noah; then following in the same line, they endeavour to +prove that at the destruction of Troy, Francus, the son of Hector, fled +to Gaul, of which he became king and no doubt bestowed upon it the name +of France, as the French have a most happy knack of cutting off the _us_ +at the end of names as, Titus Livius and Quintus Curtius they have +metamorphosed into Tite-Live and Quinte-Curce, and in fact with one or +two exceptions they have abbreviated the terminations of the ancient +Greek and Roman appellations entirely according to their own fashion. +This fortunate youth, Francus, at length fixed his abode in Champagne, +and built the town of Troyes, calling it after his native place, which +having accomplished, he repaired to the borders of the Seine and ever +partial to Trojan associations, built a city which he called Paris after +his uncle. + +However agreeable it may prove to the feelings of the Parisians to trace +their origin to the remotest antiquity, yet common sense suggests that +the account of the foundation of their city which is the most rational, +is that which is deduced from the Commentaries of Julius Caesar, he +having been at some pains to ascertain from whence the Parisii sprung, +and was informed by persons who remembered the epoch, that they were a +people who had emigrated from their native country in consequence of the +persecutions and massacres of their enemies, and that they were supposed +to have belonged to some of the petty nations known under the common +appellation of the Belgae, and arriving on the borders of the Seine +requested permission of the Senones, a powerful people of the Gauls, to +establish themselves on the frontiers of their territory, and place +themselves under their protection, agreeing at the same time to conform +to the laws of those whose hospitality they sought. That they were but a +very inconsiderable people on the arrival of Caesar is proved by the +small contingent of warriors they were required to supply by the Gauls, +in their struggles against the Romans. The territory accorded to the +Parisii could not have exceeded more than ten or twelve leagues, +adjoining to the lands of a people termed Silvanectes on the one side, +and to those of the Carnutes on the other. It is conjectured that the +name of Parisii received its etymology from their being a people who +inhabited the borders, as Par and Bar are synonymous from the P and the +B having had the same signification, and which are often confused +together at the present time by the Germans; and Barisii or Barrisenses, +signifying a people inhabiting a space between other nations, hence it +is inferred that the Parisii received that appellation from their +occupying a spot on the frontiers of the Senones, separating them from +the Silvanectes and the Carnutes. Amongst the many suppositions which +have been formed as to the origin of the name of the Parisii, perhaps +the above is the most rational. Paris, or Lutetia, soon after the +conquest by Caesar became a place of importance, as he selected that city +for a convocation of the different powers of Gaul when he required of +them supplies for his cavalry; and a short time after, when the Gallic +nation revolted from Caesar's dominion, one of the most decided battles +which was fought was within sight of Paris, under Labienus, the Roman +general, whilst the chief of the Gauls, Camulogene, perished in the +combat with a considerable portion of his men, but the greater number +saved themselves by taking shelter in Paris, which was not attacked, +Labienus himself retreating to Agedineum. But although Caesar fixed upon +Paris as the most convenient locality for the meeting of the Gallic +chiefs, yet it was little more than a fort like all the other towns in +Gaul, into which the natives retreated in the time of war with their +females, children, cattle and moveables; as they were accustomed in +time of peace to live in detached habitation in the midst of their +flocks, their pastures and their cornfields, only retreating within +their forts or cities for security when attacked. After the fall of +Camulogene, Gaul soon returned to the Roman yoke and Paris subsequently +became the residence of their prefects, governors and even emperors. In +1818, in digging deeply in the streets of Monceau and Martroi, near the +church of Saint Gervais, an ancient cemetery was discovered. In one of +the tombs was found a silver medal, in which a head was visible on one +side, and a head crowned on the other, having this inscription, +_Antonius Pius Aug._, who reigned from the years 138 to 161. It is +inferred from this circumstance, that the burying-place was of coeval +antiquity, but notwithstanding the many battles which occurred between +the Gauls and the Romans, Paris is not cited in history until the fourth +century, when Julian the Apostate appears to have there fixed his +residence, and in his Misopogon, which he wrote during his residence at +Antioch, often alludes to it under the name of his dear Lutetia, +although complaining that the cold was such during one winter as to +compel him to have a fire in his bed-room, expressing much +dissatisfaction at the odour emitted by the burning charcoal, to the +effects of which he was nearly falling a victim. His abode was what it +is now and has been for many ages, the Palace of Thermes, of which there +are still the remains, now converted into a museum for relics of the +Ancient Gauls; the entrance is in the Rue de la Harpe. Between the +numbers 61 and 65. Julian there resided with his wife Helen, sister of +the emperor Constantius, and in his address to the senate and people of +Athens speaks of the arrival of foreign auxiliary troops at Paris, and +of their tumultuously rising and surrounding his palace; and that it was +in a chamber adjoining that of his wife wherein he meditated on the +means of appeasing them. According to various historians, this +circumstance occurred in the year 360. Soon after this period, the same +palace was inhabited by the Emperors Valentinian and Valens. It is +supposed to have been built in the year 292, the evidence of which is +tolerably well authenticated. Whatever errors might fall to the share of +Julian, it is certain he rendered great service to Gaul, and +particularly to Paris: he cleared the adjacent country entirely of a set +of ferocious barbarians, who were eternally overrunning the different +states of Gaul. But the Parisians were not long doomed to enjoy the +quiet and prosperity which had been obtained for them by the equitable +laws instituted by Julian. In 406, hordes of enemies suddenly appeared +in all parts of Gaul, swarming in from different barbarous nations, in +such numbers that they swept all before them for ten successive years, +and about 465 the Franks succeeded in permanently establishing +themselves in Gaul, and of course Paris shared the fate of the +surrounding country; by them at length the Roman government was +overthrown, and that which was substituted was far less equitable or +calculated for the happiness of the people. + +The Franks were a powerful maritime people, coming from the north-west +of Germany, obtaining possession of the different towns which they met +with in their course, until they arrived at Tournai, which was +constituted their capital; and Childeric their king is reported to have +laid siege to Paris, which resisted for several years; but dying in the +year 481, he was succeeded by Clovis his son, who, at the head of a +numerous army defeated the Roman governor Seyagrius, gained possession +of his capital, and was styled the first King of Gaul. Many authors +assert that Pharamond was the first monarch who reigned over the Gallic +states, but Lidonius Appolinarus, who wrote only fifty years after the +death of Pharamond persists that he and his three successors, who were +all predecessors of Clovis, were only kings reigning over a portion of +Gaul, and resigned their sovereignties at the retirement of the Romans. +Clovis was celebrated as one of the greatest warriors of the period in +which he lived; in the year 500 he slew Alaric King of the Visigoths in +single combat in the plain of Vouille, near Poitou, and afterwards +several other petty kings, thereby adding considerably to his dominions. +In 508 he fixed his residence in Paris, and died there in 511, and was +buried in a church called St. Peter and St. Paul, since styled St. +Genevieve. He was called the Most Christian King. The Pope having no +confidence in the professions of any other monarch at that time, Clovis +is synonymous with the name of Louis, as the latter was formerly written +Llouis, the double l signifying in the Celtic language cl, and +pronounced in that manner at present in Welsh, as Llandovery, Llandilo, +etc., have the sound of Clandovery, Clandilo, etc., whilst the v in +Clovis has in more modern times been transformed into a u, as in all old +writings the u and the v had the same signification; hence it will be +found that Clovis and Llouis are the same word. His government being +divided amongst his four sons, Childebert received the portion in which +Paris was situated, and was styled King of Paris, which was only +retained by a few of his successors, who assumed that of King of Gaul, +or of France. The power of the monarch at that period was much +restrained, by a class of men called Leudes, Anstrutions, or faithful, +being companions in arms of the king, and sharing with him whatever +lands or booty might be gained by conquest. As a proof of the tenacity +of these gentry as to an equitable division of the spoil, when Clovis +had taken Rheims, he demanded as an act of grace from his companions in +arms, that they would grant him a precious vase for which he had +conceived a peculiar predilection; his request was accorded by his +associates, except one, who gave the vase a violent blow with his +hatchet, saying, "No, thou shalt not have any thing beyond what thy lot +awards thee." Even under the dominion of the Romans there were dukes who +had a certain number of troops or armed men in the district where they +governed, and their power was arbitrary and they had counts under them +who also had a certain number of men subjected to their orders; +sometimes these nobles carried rapine, pillage and slaughter into each +other's territories, when the government had devolved upon the Franks; +and the king took no notice of their misdeeds, as long as they observed +a certain fealty towards him, and in some instances they put aside the +monarch if he acted in such a manner as to trench upon what they +considered their privileges. A third power soon began to assume a high +authority, which consisted of the bishops, who had greatly aided the +Francs in their invasion of Gaul by their influence and intrigues, and +obtained as reward considerable grants of lands and temporal power; and +in their dioceses they exercised a sovereign will, and on account of +their possessing some instruction they maintained a certain influence +over the ignorant nobility who had in some degree a sort of +superstitious awe of them, as they were regarded as the emissaries of +saints. Under the Romans the Gauls were considered a moral people, +having become Christians in consequence of the persevering endeavours of +the missionary prelates, whilst churches were founded and a purity of +faith disseminated; taught by the Romans, a love of the arts and +sciences was engendered amongst the Gauls, and much talent was elicited +from them, philosophy, physic, mathematics, jurisprudence, poetry, and +above all eloquence, had their respective professors of no mean +abilities from amongst the natives; one named Julius Florens is styled +by Quintilian the Prince of Eloquence. In fact a brilliant era appeared +as if beginning to dawn throughout the greater portion of Gaul, +academies were establishing, learning was revered, when suddenly every +spark of refinement and civilisation was banished, by the successful +aggression and permanent occupation of the country by hordes of +barbarians; the natives being obliged to have recourse to arms for their +defence against the common enemy, and the constant excitement of +continued hostility with their ferocious oppressors, afforded no time +for study nor cultivation of the arts. Clovis, however, during his reign +improved Paris, and was converted to christianity by St. Vedast. +Clotilda, his wife, and niece to Gondebaud, king of Burgundy, was +principally instrumental to the conversion of her husband. Indeed, +amidst their ferocity and barbarism some of the early Frank kings showed +much respect for religion and morality, as is proved by an ordonnance of +Childebert in the year 554; commanding his subjects to destroy wherever +they might be found all idols dedicated to the devil; also forbidding +all disorderly conduct committed in the nights of the eves of _fetes_, +such as Christmas and Easter, when singing, drinking, and other excesses +were committed; women were also ordered to discontinue going about the +country dancing on a Sunday, as it was a practice offensive to God. It +appears certainly very singular that a comparatively barbarous king in +the sixth century should prohibit dancing of a Sunday as a desecration +of the Sabbath, and that in the nineteenth century there should be more +dancing on a Sunday than on any other day in the week, at a period which +is arrived at the highest state of civilisation, and under the reign of +a most enlightened monarch. But although Clovis and Childebert displayed +much enthusiasm in the cause of christianity, their career was marked +with every cruelty incidental to conquest, as wherever they bore their +victorious arms, murder, rapine, and robbery stained their diabolical +course; but they thought that they expiated their crimes by building +churches. Hence Clovis in 508 founded the first erected in Paris +dedicated to St. Peter and St. Paul, afterwards called St. Genevieve, +and on its site now stands the Pantheon. Childebert in 558 built the +church of St. Germain des Pres, which is still standing and much +frequented; it was at first called St. Vincent and St. Croix, and he +endowed it so richly with the treasures he had stolen from other +countries, that it was called the golden palace of St. Germain. +Chilperic imitating his predecessors, hoping to absolve himself of his +enormous crimes, in the year 606 founded the very interesting and +curious church of St. Germain, opposite the Louvre, and still an object +of admiration to the lover of antiquity. His wife Fredegonde, imagining +no doubt by that act he had made his peace for the other world, thought +that the sooner he went there the better, before he committed any +farther sins, and had him assassinated that she might the more +conveniently pursue her own course of iniquity; perhaps never was the +page of history blackened by such a list of atrocities committed by +woman as those perpetrated by her and her rival Queen Brunehault, who +was ultimately tied to the tail of a wild horse and torn to pieces in +613. Paris, however, notwithstanding the wickedness, injustice, and +cruelty of its rulers, continued to increase, and would no doubt have +become a prosperous city, had it not been for the incursions of the +Normands, who in the ninth century entered Paris, burnt some of the +churches, and meeting with scarcely any resistance, made themselves +masters of all they could find, whilst the Emperor Charles the Bald, at +the head of an army, had the pusillanimity to treat with them, and +finally to give them seven thousand pounds of silver to quit Paris, +which was only an encouragement for them to return, which they did in a +few years after, carrying devastation wherever they appeared, the poor +citizens of Paris being obliged to save their lives by flight, leaving +all their property to the mercy of the brigands. At length, the +Parisians finding that there was no security either for themselves or +their possessions, prevailed on Charles the Bald to give the requisite +orders for fortifying the city, which was so far accomplished that it +resisted the attacks of the Normans for thirteen months, who as +constantly laid siege to the grand tower which was its principal +defence, without being able to take it; when at last Charles the Fat in +887 proved as weak as his predecessors, and although he was encamped +with his army at Montmartre, consented to give the barbarians fourteen +thousand marks of silver to get rid of them, and they quitted Paris to +go and pillage other parts of France, but as by the treaty they were not +allowed to pass the bridges, in order to ascend the Seine they were +obliged to carry their vessels over the land for about two thousand +yards and again launch them for the purpose of committing farther +depredations. From this period Paris was freed from the attacks of the +the Normans, yet commerce made but slow progress having constant +obstructions arising, to impede its prosperity. Paris having for a long +time ceased to be the royal residence, was no longer considered as the +capital, Charlemagne passed but a very short period of time there, +residing mostly at Aix-la-Chapelle and Ratisbon, and although he founded +many noble institutions in different parts of France, Paris derived but +little benefit from his talents, and his immediate successors displayed +such imbecility of purpose that they suffered their kingdom to become +the prey to marauders. Learning advanced but slowly, although there were +some schools at Paris which, elicited a few authors; amongst the rest +one named Abbon, who wrote a poem in latin upon the siege of Paris by +the Normans, which was not otherwise other-worthy of remark than for its +rarity at the epoch when it was written. Whilst the kings of France +continued to reside in other cities, Paris was confided to the +governments Counts, who held not a very high rank amongst the nobility +in the first instance, but gradually increased their power until Eudes, +Count of Paris, in 922 ultimately became King of France, which also was +the destiny of two other nobles who held the same title, Robert the +brother of Eudes, and Hugh Capet. + +The progress of Paris and indeed the whole of France was retarded +continually by famine, fourteen seasons of scarcity happening in the +course of twenty-three years; in fact, from 843 to 899 such was often +the state of desolation, that hunger impelled human beings to murder +each other to feed upon the flesh of their bodies, which in many +instances were sold, and bought with eagerness by those who were +famishing with want. Unwholesome food caused thousands to be afflicted +with a disease which was called the sacred fire, the ardent malady, and +the infernal evil, the sufferers feeling as if they were devoured by an +internal flame. To give some idea of the luxury of costume which existed +in those days at Paris, it is but requisite to quote an address of Abbon +the poet to the Parisians, written about the year 890, wherein hen +observes: "An _agraffe_ (a clasp) of gold fastens the upper part of +your dress; to keep off the cold you cover yourselves with the purple +of Tyre, you will have no other cloak than a chlamyde embroidered with +gold, your girdle must be ornamented with precious stones, and gold +must sparkle even upon your shoes, and on the cane which you carry. O +France! if you do not abandon such luxurious extravagance, you will +lose your courage and your country." Hugh Capet, who became king of +France in 987, fixed his residence at Paris, thus again constituting it +the capital of the kingdom, and his son and successor Robert, being a +strict devotee, built and repaired several churches which had been +greatly injured by the Normans, and Paris began in his reign to assume +an appearance of improvement, which continued until it received a check +from an ill-timed joke of Philippe the First, who made a satirical +remark upon William the Conqueror of England having become rather +unwieldy, which so provoked that choleric monarch that he laid waste a +great portion of Philippe's dominions; when his progress was checked by +his falling from his horse, which occasioned his death and thus +delivered Philippe from a most powerful enemy. In the following reign, +that of Lewis the Fat, learning began to make considerable progress, and +the colleges of Paris to acquire a high celebrity, and amongst the +professors whose reputation was of the highest, was Abelard, no one +before having succeeded in attracting so many pupils. In 1118 he +established a school in Paris, but from a variety of persecutions which +he endured, he was frequently obliged to retire to different parts of +France; his unfortunate attachment to Heloise is but too well known, and +she ultimately became the abbess of a convent which Abelard founded at +Nogent-sur-Seine, and which he called Paraclet. The number of pupils at +one time are stated to have been three thousand, and he instructed them +in the open air; it is also asserted that of his followers fifty became +either bishops or archbishops, twenty cardinals, and one pope, Celestin +II. In fact the fame of Abelard had arrived at such an altitude that he +was the means of giving a new era to Paris, which was designated the +city of letters; other professors became highly celebrated, and some +authors pretend that the immense concourse of students who ultimately +flocked to Paris, exceeded the number of the inhabitants, and there was +much difficulty in finding the means of lodging them; how great must +have been the anxiety for learning, as the masters were exceedingly +brutal and imparted their knowledge to the pupil by the force of blows, +which at length deterred many students from placing themselves under the +charge of such preceptors. This extraordinary desire for obtaining +education appears to have been almost a sudden impulse, as the immediate +descendants of Hugh Capet could not read or write, but were obliged to +make a mark as the signature to their edicts, whilst those who possessed +that accomplishment were styled clerks. Although much brilliance was +shed over the reign of Louis the Sixth by the learning of Abelard and +the professors who followed him, yet soon after the barbarous custom was +introduced of trial by combat; the idea might probably have been +suggested by Louis having challenged Henry the First of England to +decide their differences in a single encounter. Although Lewis the Fat +was so bulky as to have obtained the cognomen by which he was always +designated, he was one of the most active kings of France; constantly +harrassed by perpetual wars with his neighbours and nobles, which he +carried on personally and generally successfully, he first undertook the +fortifying of Paris and is supposed to have constructed the greater and +the lesser Chatelet, two towers on the opposite sides of the Seine, +although many authors pretend that they were of a much more ancient +date; he also built walls round a certain portion of the suburbs, which +by that time had become part of Paris. It was said of Lewis VI, "He +might have been a better king, a better man he could not." He died in +1137. + +In the succeeding reign of Louis VII, surnamed the Younger, many +privileges were granted to the Parisians which greatly increased the +prosperity of the city; several public buildings were erected, amongst +the rest an hospital which was the first ever built in Paris. But +according to the descriptions of all authors who wrote at that period +upon the subject, the streets were in a filthy condition in many parts +of the city, and the names which have long since been changed were as +dirty and indecent; some were absolutely ridiculous; as Did you find me +Hard, Bertrand Sleeps, Cut Bread, John Bread Calf (alluding to the leg); +the last still exists, as also Bad Advice, Bad Boys, etc. It was in this +reign that the first crusade from France took place, and Louis VII was +followed by 200,000 persons, and after various encounters with the +Saracens, he owed his preservation to his own personal prowess; he was +divorced from his Queen Eleanor, who afterwards married Henry II of +England, and proved herself a detestable character in both kingdoms. +Louis VII abolished one law which had long disgraced France, allowing +the officers of the King on his arrival in Paris or other towns in his +dominions, to enter any private house and take for the monarch's use +such bedding or other articles of furniture as his Majesty might +require. Louis also by force of arms compelled his nobles to desist from +robbing the merchants, dealers, and the poor of their property. At this +period the _Fete des Fous_, or feast of madmen was celebrated to its +full extent, and anything more absurd, more farcical, or more +irreverential cannot well be imagined. Dulaure, in his voluminous +History of Paris, gives a most detailed account of this extraordinary +mockery, of which I will give my readers a very brief abridgment. + +On the first of January the clergy went in procession to the bishop who +had been elected as the grand master of the fete, conducting him +solemnly to the church with all the ecclesiastical banners usually borne +on important occasions, amidst the ringing of bells; when arrived at the +choir, he was placed in the episcopal seat, and mass was performed with +the most extravagant gesticulations. The priests figuring away in the +most ridiculous dresses; some in the costume of buffoons, others in +female attire with their faces daubed with soot, or covered with hideous +masks, some dancing, others jumping, or playing different games, +drinking, and eating puddings, sausages, etc., offering them to the +high-priest whilst he was celebrating high mass; also burning old shoes +in the chalice, instead of incense, to produce a disagreeable scent; at +length, elevated by wine, their orgies began to have the appearance of +those of demons, roaring, howling, singing, and laughing until the walls +of the church echoed with their yells. This was often carried on until +they worked themselves up to a pitch of madness, and then they began +boxing each other until the floor of the church would be smeared with +blood; upon which most severe expiations were exacted from them; as, +however, much has been shed in the cause of the church, it was not to be +permitted that the holy sanctuary should ever be stained with aught so +impure. The ecclesiastics at last quitting the church, got into carts +filled with mud and filth, amusing themselves with flinging it upon the +crowds who followed them in such streets as were wide enough for a cart +to pass. It is conjectured that these festivities, with their +nonsensical ceremonies, were of pagan origin, and probably the +celebration of the Carnival is derived from the same source; many +attempts were made to abolish so disgraceful a custom as the continuance +of the Fetes des Fous, with the absurdities incidental to its revelries, +but it was not until the Parisians became more enlightened that any +monarch could succeed in its entire suppression. + +In 1180 Philippe Auguste succeeded his father, and did more for Paris +than all the works of his predecessors united; he reconstructed Notre +Dame, and made it such as it now is with respect to the grand body of +the building; but the variety of little chapels contained within it, and +the elaborate workmanship, with the bas, mezzo and alto relievos with +which it abounds, occupied two centuries. On the exterior of the +building on the south side, about three feet and a half from the ground, +is an inscription in raised letters nearly two inches long, and the date +being perfectly distinct is 1257 written thus, MCCLVII. The two last +characters have dropped, but the impression of them is clearly visible; +the inscription itself is difficult to decypher, it is in Latin, and +some of the letters are missing, others so curiously formed as to render +them doubtful exactly as to their import. The greater part of the +characters are Roman, the others resemble more the Saxon, yet are not +quite so; at all events I recommend the inscription to the attention of +the curious. A vast space, which is now covered with streets, commencing +at the Rue des Saints Peres, and extending to the Invalids, consisted +entirely of meadows, and was called the Pre aux Clercs, or the Clerks' +Field, from the students and a number of young men who possessed some +education, usually enjoying their recreations in this spot, but +certainly not in the most innocent manner, in fact, the disorders +committed in this privileged piece of ground, which the students +considered as their own, were such as to be often named in history, and +to have formed the subject of a favourite Melo Drama; it retained its +character as being the scene of turbulence and disorder even to the +time of Louis XIV. + +Amongst other useful undertakings effected by Philippe Auguste was that +of establishing markets with covered stalls, and he it was that first +conceived the idea of paving Paris, which he partially effected, and +surrounded the town with a wall, part of which is still standing in the +Rue Clovis. Paris increased and flourished under his reign; he in fact +did all that was possible to augment its prosperity, and amongst other +measures he granted the utmost protection in his power to the students, +knowing that the more the population of the city increased, the more +flourishing was its condition; by such means he induced scholars to come +in numbers from the most distant parts to study in the colleges of +Paris, two of which he erected, as well as three hospitals; he also +instituted many good laws, which protected the tradespeople and +repressed the robberies and extortions of the nobles. But Paris was +still subject to calamities, a flood having occurred from the +overflowing of the Seine, which reached as high as the second floor +windows of some houses. A great part of Paris was occupied with +monasteries and convents, which with their gardens covered an immense +space; in the course of time, however, the monks found it advantageous +to dispose of their lands for the purpose of building dwelling-houses, +and in the Revolution numbers were suppressed; and in some quarters of +the city there are warehouses in the occupation of different tradesmen, +which formerly formed part of the old monasteries. Many of the streets +by their names still indicate the order of the convents by which they +were occupied, as the Rue Blanc Manteaux (White Cloaks), Rue des Saints +Peres (Holy Fathers), Filles de Dieu (Daughters of God), which now is +one of the narrowest and dirtiest streets in Paris, and inhabited by +daughters of a very different description. Such are the extraordinary +changes which time effects. Philippe Auguste dying in 1223, was +succeeded by his son Louis VIII, surnamed the Lion, whose short reign of +four years was occupied by war, leaving no leisure for effecting any +great improvement in Paris; but under his successor Lewis IX, styled +Saint-Louis, much was effected, although his efforts were principally +directed towards the erection of religious institutions, being much +under the dominion of the priests, and naturally possessing a fanatic +zeal. Churches at that period were too often but monuments of +superstition for the celebration of mummery, for sheltering criminals, +receptacles for pretended relics, and in fact instruments for +maintaining the power of priestcraft. This same Saint Louis, so lauded +by some authors, had some excellent notions of his own, and was very +fond of practising summary justice, recommending to his nobles that +whenever they met with any one who expressed any doubts regarding the +Christian religion, never to argue with the sceptist, but immediately +plunge their swords into his body. + +Rhetoric at this period was a study much followed and admired, but the +logic of Saint-Louis, I suspect, was the most forcible and best +calculated to remove all doubts, having a great objection to language +that was what some persons would style far too energetic; where an oath +was suffered to escape, he ordered the intemperate orator's tongue to be +pierced with a hot iron and his lips burnt; hence many of his subjects +were compelled to endure that operation; but this was considered in +those days all very saint-like. They had strange ideas in some +instances, in days of yore, according to our present notion of words and +things. Louis the First, surnamed the _Debonnaire_ (the gentle), had his +nephew Bernard's eyes bored out; this act was certainly very like a +_gentle_ man. Hugh the Great, so called on account of his splendid +virtues, in the year 1014 thought it proper that he should be present at +the burning of a few heretics, and his lady, with her ardent religious +zeal, stepped forward and poked out the eye of her confessor, who was +one of the victims, with her walking cane, before he was committed to +the flames. Louis however had some redeeming qualities; he founded the +Hospital of the Quinze-Vingts, which still exists; he also enlarged and +improved the Hotel Dieu, the principal hospital in those days, in which +he even exceeded the munificence of his predecessor, Philippe Auguste, +who published an ordonnance commanding that all the straw which had been +used in his chamber should be given to the Hotel Dieu, whenever he +quitted Paris and no longer wanted it; such overpowering kindness one +would imagine must have had the effect of curing some of the invalids +who were capable of appreciating the high honour conferred upon them, in +being suffered to lie upon straw which had been trodden by royal feet. +Saint Louis also founded the celebrated College of the Sorbonne, which +is still existing, and maintains a high character; he also built the +curious and interesting chapel adjoining the Palais de Justice, which is +well worth the amateur's attention; he founded the Hospital of Les +Filles de Dieu, for the purpose of reclaiming women of improper conduct. +The Mendicant Monks, the Augustines, and the Carmes were established in +France during his reign, and he founded the convents of the Beguines, +Mathurins, Jacobins, Carthusians, Cordeliers, and several others of +minor importance, in Paris, with the chapels attached to them; besides +different churches with which I shall not tire my reader with +recapitulating, as there are none of them now standing, except the +chapel belonging to the Palais de Justice; he also added several +fountains, contributing to the comforts of the Parisians, as well as +embellishing their city. The number of churches which have been +demolished in Paris within the last fifty years, exceeds the number of +those which are now standing, many of them during the Revolution, which +might have been expected; but an equal number under the Restoration in +the reigns of Louis the Eighteenth and Charles the Tenth, who being +rather devotees, one would have imagined might have been induced to +repair and preserve all religious monuments, also highly interesting as +specimens of the architecture of the different ages in which they were +founded. Louis Philippe has better kept up the spirit of the +_restoration_ in having rescued from demolition the ancient and +beautiful church of St Germain l'Auxerrois; which was to have been +pulled down to make way for a new street, according to the plan +projected by his predecessor; instead of which, it has been repaired +with the greatest judgment, carefully preserving the original style of +the building wherever ornaments or statues required to be renewed. Thus +this noble edifice has been preserved to the public, which would not +have been the case had the Revolution of the Three Days not occurred, as +its doom was sealed prior to that period. In fact, since the accession +to the throne of Louis Philippe, I do not believe that any church has +been pulled down, though several others have been built, and others +finished, which have greatly added to the embellishments of the city. +The memory of Louis IX has ever been cherished as that of a Saint, and +if a man be judged by the number of religious establishments he +instituted, certainly he deserved to be canonised; but however grand may +be the reputation of having founded and erected so many public +monuments, yet when it is considered that numbers of the inmates of the +different convents and monasteries erected by this Saint were obliged to +demand alms from house to house, and of persons passing along the +streets, it will be proved that the grand result of Saint Louis' +operations was to fill Paris with beggars; although it certainly must be +admitted that some of his other acts in a great degree compensated for +those into which he was led by superstition and religious fanaticism: he +was succeeded by his son Philippe the Bold in 1270, who suffered himself +to be governed by his favourite, La Brosse, formerly a barber, in which +it must be admitted that Philippe displayed rather a _barbarous_ taste, +which ended in his pet being hanged; his reign, however, was signalised +by the establishment of a College of Surgeons, who were designated by +the appellation of Surgeons of the Long Robe, whilst the barbers were +styled Surgeons of the Short Robe; he also recalled the Jews, whom his +father, after having persecuted in divers manners, banished and +confiscated their property; amongst other indignities which were put +upon them by Saint Louis, was that of forcing them to wear a patch of +red cloth on their garment both before and behind, in the shape of a +wheel, that they might be distinguished from Christians, and marked as +it were for insult. In Philippe's reign, however, merit found its +reward, no matter how low the origin from whence it sprang, and several +authors, particularly poets, wrote boldly against the extreme hypocrisy +which existed in the preceding reign, and literature made great +progress. + +In 1285 Philippe the Fair, so named on account of his handsome person, +succeeded to the throne of his father; in his ardent thirst for money he +changed the value of the coinage three times, and caused a riot which +ended by his hanging twenty-eight of the conspirators at the different +entrances of Paris, and had numbers of persons accused of crimes in +order to have them executed that he might obtain possession of their +property; thus hundreds were burned alive and tortured in various +manners. One act, however, threw a degree of lustre on his reign, and +that was the organisation of the Parliament at Paris, establishing it as +a sovereign court, their sittings being held in the Palais de Justice, +the residence at that period of the kings of France. For several +succeeding reigns Paris appeared to make but little progress; some +churches were built as also other establishments, but none which are now +standing, except some portions of them which may have escaped +destruction and are now in the occupation of different tradespeople. The +government became exceedingly poor, and several measures were adopted in +order to repair the finances of the state; amongst others, that of +suffering serfs to purchase their emancipation, of which many availed +themselves, but not sufficient effectually to replenish the exhausted +treasury. For the same reason the property of the Lombards was +confiscated, next recourse was had to the Jews, and even the exactions +imposed upon them were inadequate to the wants of the nation. The +succession of several weak kings had brought affairs into this state, +when Philippe the Sixth of Valois crowned the misfortunes of the country +by entering into a war with England, at a time when the funds of his +kingdom were at the lowest ebb; constantly engaged in hostilities, he +had not leisure or the means of attending to the welfare of the +Parisians, and the disasters he encountered caused his reign to be +remembered as a series of misfortunes. Several colleges, however, were +founded in his reign; amongst others, that of the College des Ecossais +(Scotch College) then in the Rue des Amandiers, but now existing in the +Rue des Fosses St. Victor. It was first instituted by David, Bishop of +Murray, in Scotland, but the present building was erected by Robert +Barclay in 1662. + +The College des Lombards was founded by a number of Italians, and was +some years afterwards deserted, but in 1633 was given by the government +to two Irish priests, and has from that period become an Irish seminary; +and several other colleges, which have either been abandoned or their +locality changed, and often united to other colleges, some of which are +still existing. On the death of Philippe, John, surnamed the Good, +ascended a throne of trouble in 1350, and encountered a succession of +misfortunes of which Paris had its share; from the immense number of +churches, monasteries, colleges, hospitals, and other public edifices, +the wall which surrounded Paris, built by Philippe-Auguste, enclosed too +limited a space to contain the houses of the increased population, which +continued to augment, notwithstanding all the impediments which bad +government could create. A more extended wall therefore became necessary +to protect those inhabitants who resided beyond the limits of the first, +and whose position was likely to be compromised by the position in +which France was placed by the battle of Poitiers, by a band of +ruffians called the Companions, who carried desolation wherever they +appeared, and by what was termed La Jacquerie, hordes of peasants who +were armed and levied contributions upon the peaceable inhabitants as +they traversed the country, in groups too numerous to be withstood by +the tranquil residents. The extension of the wall was erected under the +superintendence of Etienne Marcel, called _Prevot des Marchands_; what +might be termed Mayor or Chief Magistrate of the tradespeople, a man of +extraordinary energy, which he exerted to the utmost for the benefit of +his fellow citizens, and at this period first began the custom of +putting chains at night across the streets as a measure of security, as +notwithstanding that Paris was menaced on all sides by enemies from +without, insurrections of the most violent nature took place within its +walls, commencing on account of the Dauphin, who was governor of Paris +and regent of the kingdom (in consequence of the imprisonment of his +father John in England), issuing a coinage consisting of base metal +which he was compelled to recall; but the fire-brand was kindled, other +grievances were mooted, thirty thousand armed Parisians assembled headed +by Etienne Marcel, who himself stabbed Robert de Clermont, Marshal of +Normandy, and Jean de Conflans, Marshal of Champagne, in the presence of +the Dauphin; but to save the latter from the fury of the people, Marcel +changed hats with the Prince, thus affording him a passport, by causing +him to wear a hat that bore the colours of the people, blue and red. +After a tremendous slaughter, Marcel and his principal friends were +themselves dispatched by the partisans of the Dauphin. During all these +convulsions in the interior of Paris, it was surrounded on one side by +the troops of the King of Navarre, whilst the forces of the Dauphin were +hovering under the walls, the different parties skirmishing with each +other, and all living upon the pillage and contributions levied on the +inhabitants of the adjacent country. + +Meantime famine thinned the population of Paris, cut off from any means +of receiving provisions from without; but on account of the wall +constructed by Marcel, Edward III of England found it impossible to make +any progress in the siege, and having exhausted the country for some +leagues of extent, was obliged to retreat for want of food to maintain +his army. The scarcity of money was such in Paris at that period, that +they were compelled to have a circulation of leather coin, with a little +nail of gold or silver stuck in the middle; yet when John returned from +his captivity in England, the streets were hung with carpets wherever he +had to pass, and a cloth of gold borne over his head, the fountains +poured forth wine, and the city made him a present of a silver buffet +weighing a thousand marcs. At this period schools existed in Paris +sanctioned by the government, when the pay for each scholar was so +contemptible that they must have been for the use of the middle +classes, whose means were very confined; they were called _Petites +Ecoles_ (Little Schools), and paid a certain sum for having the +privilege to teach; the number in the reign of John was sixty-three, of +which forty-one were under masters, and twenty-two under mistresses. In +some of the streets of Paris it was the custom to have two large doors +or gates, which were closed at night, and the names of several streets +still bear evidence of that practice, as the _Rue des deux Portes_; the +_Rue des Deux-Portes-Saint-Jean_, _des Deux-Portes-Saint-Sauveur_, etc. + +During the reign of John, about 1350, a poem appeared, which contained +advice as to the conduct ladies ought to observe who wished to act with +propriety, and as my fair countrywomen are generally willing to _listen_ +to good counsel, no matter how remote the period from which it is +derived, I cannot resist giving them the benefit of some of the +recommendations of the sapient poet to the Parisian belles, some of +which are certainly highly commendable. The verses were written by a +monk, whose name I have forgotten. + +"In walking to church never trot or run, salute those you meet upon the +way, and even return the salutations of the poor; when at church it is +not proper to look either to the right or the left, neither to speak nor +to laugh out loud, but to rise to the Gospel and courteously make the +sign of the cross, to go to the offering without either laughing or +joking, at the moment of the elevation also to rise; then kneel and +pray for all Christians; to recite by heart her prayers, and _if she can +read_, to pray from her psalmody. + +"A courteous lady ought to salute all in going out of church, both great +and small. + +"Those whom nature have endowed with a good voice ought not to refuse to +sing when they are asked. + +"Cleanliness is so necessary for ladies, that it is an obligation for +them to cut their nails. + +"It is not proper for a lady to stop in passing the house of a +neighbour, to look into the interior, because people may be doing things +that they do not wish others to know. + +"When you go and visit a person, never enter abruptly, nor take any one +by surprise, but announce your coming by coughing. + +"At table, a lady should not speak nor laugh too much, and should always +turn the biggest and the best pieces to her guests, and not choose them +for herself. + +"Every time a lady has drank wine she should wipe her mouth with the +table-cloth, but not her eyes or her nose, and she should take care not +to soil and grease her fingers in eating, more than she can possibly +help." The reader must remember that forks were not used until the reign +of Henry III. The author also cautions the ladies to be very careful not +to drink to excess, observing that a lady loses talent, wit, beauty, and +every charm, when she is elevated with wine; they are also recommended +not to swear. + +He continues: "Ladies should not veil their faces before nobles; they +may do so when they are on horseback or when they go to church, but on +entering they should show their countenances, and particularly before +people of quality. + +"Ladies should never receive presents from gentlemen of jewels or other +things, except from a well intentioned near relation, otherwise it is +very blameable. + +"It is not becoming for ladies to wrestle with men, and they are also +cautioned not to lie or to steal." Then follow certain instructions for +ladies as to the answers they should make and the manner they should +conduct themselves when they receive a declaration. I hope English +ladies will be much edified by the above instructions. The cries of +Paris at this period were constant and absolutely stunning; Guillaume de +la Villeneuve observes that the criers were braying in the streets of +Paris from morning to night. Amongst the vegetables, garlick was the +most prevalent, which was then eaten with almost every thing, people +being in the habit of rubbing their bread with it: the flour of peas and +beans made into a thick paste was sold all hot; onions, chervil, +turnips, aniseed, leeks, etc., a variety of pears and apples of sorts +that are now scarcely known, except Calville, services, medlers, hips +and other small fruits now no longer heard of; nuts, chesnuts of +Lombardy, Malta grapes, etc.; for beverage, wine at about a farthing a +quart; mustard vinegar, verjuice, and walnut oil; pastry, fresh and +salted meat, eggs and honey. Others went about offering their services +to mend your clothes, some to repair your tubs, or polish your pewter; +candles, cotton for lamps, foreign soup, and almost every article that +can be imagined was sold in the streets, sometimes the price demanded +was a bit of bread. The millers also went bawling about to know if you +had any corn to grind, and amongst those that demanded alms were the +scholars, the monks, the nuns, the prisoners and the blind. + +It was the custom in those days, when a person wished to be revenged +upon another, to make an image of him in wax or mud, as much resembling +as possible. They then took it to a priest and had it named after the +person they wished to injure, with all the ceremonies of the church, and +anointed it, and lastly had certain invocations pronounced over the +unfortunate image. It was then supposed that the figure had some degree +of identity with the prototype, and any injury inflicted upon it would +be felt by the person they wished to harm; they therefore then set to +work to torture it according to their fancy, and at last would plunge a +sharp instrument into that part where the heart should be placed, +feeling quite satisfied they had wreaked their revenge on their enemy. +Sometimes persons were severely punished for the performance of this +farce, and when any individuals experienced some great misfortune, they +often imagined that it had arisen in consequence of their image having +been made by their enemy, and maltreated in the manner described. + +When Charles V ascended the throne in 1364, he soon began to display his +taste for civilisation by collecting books to form a library in the +Louvre, and rewarding merit, however humble the station of the +individual by whom it was possessed; and although he received the reins +of government at a period when France was surrounded with enemies, and +her finances in a ruined state, such was the prudence of his measures +that he completely retrieved her losses, and well earned the appellation +he received of Charles the Wise; he built several churches, colleges, +and hotels, none of which if standing are now appropriated to the +purposes originally intended; he also had several bridges constructed, +and embellished Paris with many edifices that were both useful and +ornamental. But all his efforts were paralysed in the following reign of +Charles VI, justly called the Simple, partly mad, partly imbecile, and +coming to the throne at twelve years of age, every misfortune that might +have been expected from a country surrounded by foreign enemies without, +and torn by intestine broils within, happened in the fullest force. The +English and the Burgundians united together in besieging Paris, which +was ultimately entered by both their armies; what with riots amongst the +Parisians, the intrigues of the Queen Isabeau de Baviere, the +dissensions of the King's uncles, and the brigandage of the nobility who +overran the country, never was a nation reduced to a more pitiable +condition; yet some monuments were added to Paris even during this +turbulent reign, the Church of St. Gervais being entirely reconstructed +in 1420, and that of St. Germain l'Auxerrois so considerably repaired as +to be almost rebuilt in 1425, besides several colleges, hospitals and +bridges; companies of archers, cross-bow men and armourers were also +established. Theatrical representations were first performed in this +reign in the grand hall of the Hospital of the Trinity, _Rue +Saint-Denis_, corner of the _Rue Grenetat_. The theatrical company +styled themselves "Masters, Governors and Brethren of the Passion and +Resurrection of our Lord." Under the reign of Charles VII, surnamed the +Victorious, France regained all she had lost, and was much indebted for +her success to the Maid of Orleans, and the gallant Dunois, who entered +Paris and defeated the English who retreated to the Bastille and +ultimately were allowed to retire to Rouen. But although more was +effected in this reign for the prosperity and glory of France, Paris +received no additions or embellishments: the King being wholly occupied +in vanquishing the enemies of his country; his son Lewis XI, who is +supposed to have conspired against the life of his father, ascended the +throne in 1461; notwithstanding his reign was disturbed by a series of +wars, he found time to occupy himself with useful institutions, and +founded that of the first society of printers in Paris; he also +established the School of Medicine, and the Post Office. Superstitious +and cruel, he first used iron cages as prisons, then instituted the +prayer styled the Angelus. Although he increased the power of France, +his tyranny, injustice, dissimulation, and avarice caused him to be +hated by his subjects. His successor Charles VIII was but thirteen when +called to the throne in 1483, inheriting the few virtues without the +many vices of his father, but showed much weakness in the administration +of his affairs; in the early part of his reign Anne his mother was the +person who principally governed as Regent, until he was of age, when he +passed the rest of his life in war, but was so beloved that two of his +servants died of grief for the loss of their master, who was surnamed +the Affable. He was succeeded by his cousin Lewis XII in 1498, who +obtained the title of Father of his People, certainly the most virtuous +monarch that ever swayed the sceptre of France; he observed that he +preferred seeing his courtiers laugh at his savings than to see his +people weep for his expenses. The Hotel de Cluny and _Le Pont_ (the +bridge) _Notre-Dame_ were constructed in his reign and are still +standing; being the most ancient bridge in Paris. He died much +regretted, in 1515, and all France felt deeply the loss of a monarch, +whose measures were such as must have ensured the happiness of his +people could he have been spared to have accomplished the good work he +had begun. + +Francis I, his great nephew, succeeded him and was considered the _beau +ideal_ of chivalry; he had been conspicuous for his accomplishments +whilst Duke de Valois, although only twenty-one when he ascended the +throne, upon which he was no sooner installed than compelled to quit his +capital to oppose the enemies of France, leaving the management of the +state to his mother Louisa of Savoy, who was not destitute of talent, +but vain and intriguing, Francis, after performing prodigies of valour, +and killing many foes with his own hand at the battle of Pavia, was +taken prisoner and conveyed to Madrid. On returning to France he was +received with the utmost joy by his subjects; in this reign the +principles of protestantism were first promulgated and several persons +were burnt for subscribing to the tenets of Luther. Francis was occupied +constantly with war, from the commencement of his reign until the year +of his death. He had many virtues but they were sullied by infidelity to +his engagements, and his persecution of the protestants whom he +sacrificed as heretics. Notwithstanding that his time was so much +occupied by his enemies that a very short period of his reign was passed +at Paris, he found means to embellish that city; the Church of St-Merri +in the _Rue St-Martin_ was built by his orders, precisely as it now +stands, in the year 1520. The style is Sarrasenzic, much richness of +sculpture is displayed, particularly over and around the middle door, +well meriting the close attention of an amateur. At the same period were +many of the churches now standing extensively repaired and nearly +rebuilt, amongst which St. Eustache, St. Gervais, St. +Jacques-la-Boucherie, of which the tower only remains, St. +Germain-l'Auxerrois, etc., several colleges and hospitals were +instituted, fountains and hotels erected, but scarcely any of them are +now to be seen, or at any rate very few as constructed in their +original form. He was succeeded by his son Henry II in 1547, who like +his predecessors was constantly occupied with war, but gained one point, +that of taking the last place which the English retained in France, +being Calais, which surrendered to the Duke de Guise; after a reign of +thirteen years Henry was killed at a tournament held in the _Rue +St-Antoine_, by Montgomery, the captain of his guard. The cruelties of +which he was guilty towards the protestants entirely eclipse whatever +good qualities he possessed, which principally consisted in desperate +courage with extraordinary prowess; he was also zealous in his +friendships. According to Dulaure, that part of the Louvre which is the +oldest, was built by Henry II from the design of Pierre Lescot. I have +found other authors attribute the erection of a portion of the Louvre to +Francis, but it appears that his son had all pulled down which was then +standing, and had it built as it now remains, except the wing in which +the pictures are exhibited, which is of a more recent date, and was not +terminated until the time of Louis XIV. The augmentation of some few +colleges and hospitals were the only acts of this reign from which any +advantages to Paris were derived. + +In 1559, at the age of sixteen, Francis II ascended the throne; his name +is familiar to us as the first husband of the unfortunate Mary, Queen of +Scots; his mother, Catherine de Medici, of infamous memory, took the +reigns of government in her hands and wreaked all her fury upon the +protestants. Francis, too young to have displayed any decided tone of +character, expired in 1560; the persecution of the huguenots, as the +followers of the Reformed Church were styled, seems to have exclusively +occupied the whole time during this short reign, therefore no attention +was devoted to the improving of Paris, which was next brought under the +dominion of the young monster, Charles IX, or rather the continued reign +of his sanguinary mother, Catherine, he being but ten years of age. The +massacre of the night of St. Bartholomew is known to all. Charles +certainly had some revulsive feelings on the subject, and several times +would have given orders to stop it, but Catherine bade him assert the +claims of heaven, and be the noble instrument of its vengeance, "Go on, +then," exclaimed the King, "and let none remain to reproach me with the +deed," and after all, when daylight appeared, he placed himself at a +window of the Louvre, which overlooks the Seine, and with a carbine he +fired at the unfortunate fugitives who tried to save themselves by +swimming across the river. In his reign was built the Tuileries, he +himself laying the first stone; it was intended for the Queen Mother, +but Catherine did not inhabit it long, her conscience not permitting her +to enjoy repose anywhere. Charles died a few months after the dreadful +massacre of the protestants, a prey to all the pangs of remorse, and was +succeeded in 1574 by his brother Henry III. Brought up in the same +pernicious school, under the same infamous mother as his predecessor, +little could be hoped from such a being; he was inclined, however, to +be somewhat more tolerant than his brother, but was frightened into +persecuting the protestants; his mother died at the age of seventy, +goaded by the consciousness of the crimes she had committed; civil war +raged during the reign of Henry, and he was obliged to quit his capital +and join the protestants, whom he soon, however, betrayed; without +energy to adopt any certain line of conduct, he balanced between the two +parties of catholics and protestants, until both sects despised him, and +at length he was stabbed by a fanatic friar, named Jacques Clement. +Several convents and religious establishments were founded in his reign, +amongst the rest the Feuillans, which was extensive and had a church +attached, but in 1804 the whole was demolished, and on its site, and +that of the monastery of the Capucins, were built the Rue Rivoli, +Castiglione, and Monthabor, and a terrace of the gardens of the +Tuileries is still called the Feuillans. The Pont Neuf was also built in +this reign. In 1589, Henry IV, surnamed the Great, succeeded to the +throne; he was of the house of Bourbon, and descended from Robert, the +second son of Louis the Ninth. He was compelled to begin his reign by +laying siege to his own capital, which was in the hands of his enemies, +who defended it with 58,000 troops, and 1,500 armed priests, scholars +and monks, and after three years' vain endeavours he was obliged to +renounce the protestant religion, and conform to the catholic +ceremonies, which produced a truce, and Henry at last entered Paris. By +his mild and judicious conduct he regenerated the prosperity of France, +and published the famous edict of Nantes in favour of the protestants, +and acted with considerable wisdom under the difficult circumstances in +which he was placed, by the intemperate zeal of the catholics and +huguenots. At last, after many unsuccessful attempts upon his life, he +was stabbed in his own carriage by Ravaillac, a religious fanatic, who +conceived that the King was not sufficiently zealous in the cause of +catholicism; he was regretted by every worthy character throughout his +realms, for, although he had many of the faults common to men, yet he +had such redeeming qualities that he well merited the title of _Great_. +During his reign Paris was considerably embellished, the improvement of +the city being with him a favourite object. The Hospital of Saint Louis +was built by his orders, himself laying the first stone; it is still +standing, and is generally filled with patients, who receive the most +humane treatment. It is situated in the Rue Careme Prenant, near the +Barriere du Combat. He established a manufactory of Persian carpets, on +the _Quai de Billy_, No. 30. + +The Rue and Place Dauphine, the Place Royale, which still exhibits a +square of houses unaltered in style since the day they were built, owed +their construction to his mania for building and passion for augmenting +and improving his capital. Several other streets were extended and in +part rebuilt under his reign, besides which he founded different +institutions, had divers fountains and gates erected, as well as +bridges, and some other public edifices, which having since disappeared +or become the houses of individuals, workshops, warehouses, etc., it is +not worthwhile to recapitulate them, as they cease to be objects of +interest. Several theatres were established at this period for the first +time, the performers having merely given representations in large rooms +belonging to public buildings where they could get accommodation, +particularly in the Hotel de Bourgoyne, in the Rue Mauconseil, which at +last acquired the name of a theatre; but a company of Italians received +such encouragement from Henry IV, that they were enabled, in a situation +assigned them regularly, to establish a theatre in the Hotel d'Argent, +Rue de la Poterie, corner of the Rue de la Verrerie. He was equally the +patron of literature, and of the arts and sciences; the Tuileries and +Louvre, under his directions, received the material and superintendence +which was requisite for their completion, as far as the design extended +at that epoch. + +In 1610 Louis XIII, but nine years of age, became heir to the throne, +and Marie de Medici, his mother and widow of Henry IV, was nominated +Regent; her first act was to call into power all her husband's enemies, +which consisted of her own favourites, through whom she governed, and +when her regency ceased, her son followed her example and became the +instrument of others, until the power of governing was exclusively +acquired by Cardinal Richelieu, who devoted his extraordinary talents +in a degree to the interests of his country, but more especially to the +gratification of his vanity, and the promotion of his ambitious +projects; descending to the extremes of injustice, dissimulation, and +cruelty, to accomplish his object, he became the persecutor of Mary, who +had raised him from comparative obscurity, and caused her exile, in +which she died in poverty, which she certainly merited by her +misconduct, but not by the instigation of her _protege_ Richelieu. But +with all his sins, he effected much good; he founded the Royal Printing +establishment, the French Academy, also the Garden of Plants; he built +the _Palais-Royal_ and rebuilt the Church and College of the Sorbonne. +In this reign more religious establishments were founded than in any +preceding, amongst which were the Convent of the _Carmes Dechausses_, +No. 70, _Rue de Vaugirard_, the monks of which possessed a secret for +making a particular kind of liquid which is called _Eau des Carmes_, and +is still in demand; the church and building belonging to the +establishment are now standing, and were recently occupied by nuns. The +Convent of _Jacobins_ between the _Rues du Bac_ and _St-Dominique_, with +its Church, which still remains and is called _St-Thomas d'Aquin_, is +well worth notice, and the monastery is now occupied by the armoury +which is one of the most interesting sights of Paris. The _Benedictines +Anglaises_, No. 269, _Rue St-Jacques_, was formerly occupied by English +monks, who fled their country on account of some persecution in the +reign of Henry VIII. + +In 1674, Father Joseph Shirburne, the prior of monastery, pulled down +the old building, and erected another in its place more commodious, also +a church attached to it in which James the Second of England was buried, +as also his daughter Mary Stuart. It has now become the property of an +individual, and is at present occupied as a factory of cotton. The +Oratoire in the _Rue Saint-Honore_, since devoted to protestant worship, +was built in the year 1621 by M. de Berulle, since Cardinal, on the site +of the _Hotel du Bouchage_, once the residence of Gabrielle d'Estrees, +the favourite mistress of Henry IV. The Convent of the Capucins, +situated in the _Place des Capucins_, at present an Hospital. _Seminaire +des Oratoriens_, _Rue du Faubourg Saint-Jacques_, 254, now occupied by +the Deaf and Dumb. _College des Jesuites_, at present College of +_Louis-le-Grand_. Convent of _Petits-Peres_: the church of which +still remains and is situated at the corner of the _Rue +Notre-Dame-des-Victoires_. The Monk Fiacre, called a Saint, was buried +in this church; thinking that his sanctity was a preservative against +evil, they stuck his portrait on all the hackney coaches, which was the +cause of their ever after being called Fiacre. + +A further recapitulation of these establishments would only be tedious +to the reader, particularly as they are now for the most part become +private houses; suffice it to say, that in the reign of Louis XIII +twenty monasteries were established at Paris. The nunnery of +_Ursulines_; No. 47, _Rue Sainte-Avoye_, now a Jews' synagogue. The +Convent of the Visitation of St. Mary, _Rue Saint-Antoine_, Nos. 214 +and 216; the church, still standing, was built in 1632 after the model +of _Notre-Dame-de-la-Rotonde_ at Rome, and is called +_Notre-Dame-des-Anges_. Another convent of the same order was built in +1623 in the _Rue Saint-Jacques_, Nos. 193 and 195, and is I believe +still occupied by nuns, as it was so very recently. The convent of +_Filles-de-la-Madeleine_, _Rue des Fontaines_, between the Nos. 14 and +16, which has now become a house of seclusion for women who have been +convicted of offences. The Convent of the Annonciades Celestes or Filles +Bleues, founded by the Marchioness de Verneuil, mistress of Henry IV, is +now in spite of all its pompous titles a waggon office in the _Rue +Culture-Sainte-Catherine_, No. 29. The Assumption, a convent for nuns, +of which the church is still standing in the _Rue Saint-Honore_, between +the Nos. 369 and 371, is remarkable for its large dome, but appears +out of proportion with the rest of the building, which is otherwise not +destitute of merit. The _Val-de-Grace_, a Benedictine Abbey, _Rue +Faubourg Saint-Jacques_, between the Nos. 277 and 279. The Queen Anne +of Austria founded the establishment in 1621; the church is still +preserved in perfect order, and is of very rich architecture, too +profuse in ornament. The rest of the building, once inhabited by +Benedictine nuns, is now an asylum for sick or wounded soldiers, being a +military hospital. _Port-Royal_, a convent for nuns, established in 1625 +in the _Rue de la Bourbe_, is now a lying-in hospital. The Convent of +the _Filles de Sainte-Elisabeth_; the first stone was laid by Marie de +Medici in 1628, but was, like a multitude of others, suppressed in 1790, +the church only remaining; it is situated in the _Rue du Temple_, +between Nos. 107 and 109. + +A Convent for Benedictine Nuns founded in 1636 in the _Rue de Sevres_, +No. 3, being suppressed in 1778, was converted into the more useful +purpose of an hospital, and as such it still remains. The Convent of the +_Filles de la Ste-Croix_, situated No. 86, _Rue de Charonne_, was +occupied as recently as 1823 by nuns; it was founded in 1639. The noble +church of _St-Roch, Rue St-Honore_, was commenced as a chapel in 1587, +and in 1622 was converted into a parish church, but was not entirely +finished until 1740. It is now the church attended by the royal family, +and is an object of interest to every one who visits Paris. The church +of _Ste-Marguerite_ was erected in 1625 in the _Rue St-Bernard_, Nos. +28 and 30, _Faubourg St-Antoine_, and is still attended by the +inhabitants of that quarter. _Maison de Scipion_ was founded in a street +of the same name in the year 1622 by an Italian gentleman named Scipio +Sardini, and is now the bakehouse for making bread for all the hospitals +in Paris. Such were the principal edifices instituted in Paris, during +the reign of Louis XIII, either as Convents, Monasteries, or Nunneries, +with churches attached to them; I have cited the most conspicuous of +those of which any vestiges remain, indicating their different +localities, besides a number of hospitals, most of which I have stated; +that of the _Incurables_ certainly merits attention, it was founded in +1632 in the _Rue de Sevres_, and is now a refuge for those women of +whom no hopes can be cherished of ultimate recovery. The Palace of the +_Luxembourg_ was one of the most important edifices erected in this +reign by Mary de Medici whilst she was regent in 1615, in the _Rue +Vaugirard_, at present the Chamber of Peers, after having served the +purpose of a prison, for which a portion of it is still appropriated for +criminals against the state; but with its large and beautiful gardens it +merits a more detailed description, which will be given under the head +of public monuments. The whole number of religious establishments of all +descriptions built in the reign of Louis XIII, amount to forty-nine, +besides many Bridges, Fountains, Hotels, Statues, etc., etc.; which +altogether so augmented Paris that it became requisite to have another +wall, affording the capital more extended dimensions, which was +accordingly constructed. Notwithstanding all these improvements the +streets of Paris were in a most filthy condition, constantly emitting a +disagreeable odour; they were very narrow and the greater portion of +them very ill paved, besides which they were infested with thieves, and +complaints were continually arising against the hosts of pages and +lackeys who insulted people in the streets, and were continually +committing some disorders, both during the day and the night, when +persons were frequently killed in the skirmishes that were constantly +taking place. Ordinances and edicts were continually appearing, +forbidding the pages and lackeys to wear arms, but all of no avail; when +any one was arrested, he was rescued by his companions, and the +officers of police sometimes killed. Louis XIII, ever feeble in mind, +and probably in constitution, died at the age of 42; it was supposed +from a premature decay. + +The history of the reign of Louis the Fourteenth and those which follow +to the present day are so well known to the English, that whatever I +might state respecting them would only be to my readers a repetition of +that of which they are already informed, as the continual wars for the +last two centuries between England and France have brought the nations +in constant contact; but prior to that period, even the most prominent +events of the French history are but little known to the English, and in +order to enhance the enjoyment of examining the old buildings in Paris, +I conceived it necessary to give a slight sketch of the monarchs under +whom they were erected, with the dates as accurately as could be +ascertained, but consider that it would be useless to do so as regards +those edifices constructed since the reign of Louis XIII, as they can +only afford pleasure as regards their utility or beauty; as if not two +hundred years old, the age of their date ceases to excite interest, +although I shall describe them in due course. I have often been +surprised that in all schools, although they give the history of Rome, +of Greece, and of course of England, yet of France, which is the country +the nearest to us, we are suffered to remain ignorant as to its history. +We have all heard of the battles of Cressy, Poitiers and Agincourt, and +remember that they were gained by the Edwards and Henry the Fifth, but +few persons know anything about who were the French kings under whom +they were lost; the only instances where the history of the French is +brought to our minds, is when any connexion by marriage has occurred +between the families of the sovereigns of the two nations. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + + Paris as it is, being a general survey of the place itself, its + attractions, its demerits, the inhabitants, their manners to + strangers, towards each other, their customs, and occupations. + +[Illustration: Church of the Madeleine. +Published by F. Sinnett, 15, Grande rue Verte.] + + +I know no better means of obtaining a first general view of Paris and +its inmates, than by taking a walk upon the Boulevards, I therefore will +invite the reader to imagine himself promenading with me, we will begin +at the Madeleine, and occupy a short time in surveying that noble and +majestic building; it greatly reminds me of the Temple of Theseus, at +Athens; it is perhaps one of the most perfect monuments, as regards its +exterior, in Europe, the statues and sculpture are fine as to their +general effect, but the lofty handsome pillars lose much of their beauty +from the joins of the stones being too conspicuous, and having become +black, the fine broad mass is cut up, and gives one an idea of so many +cheeses placed one upon another, or rather they resemble the joints of a +caterpillar: the interior is certainly most gorgeous, and at first +strikes the beholder as a most splendid display of rich magnificence; +but a moment's reflection, and instantly he feels how inconsistent is +all that gilded mass and profusion of ornament with the beautiful and +chaste simplicity of the exterior. I never can conceive that all that +glitter of gold is in good keeping with the calm repose and dignity +which ought to reign throughout a church. The Madeleine was begun in the +reign of Louis the Fifteenth, and was intended for different purposes as +it slowly progressed through the different reigns which have since +occurred. Louis Philippe at length decided upon completing it with the +energy that had ever before been wanting. Several public monuments had +been suffered to remain dormant during the two preceding reigns, or +their operations were carried on with so sparing a hand, that whilst a +few workmen were employed at one end of a building, weeds and moss began +to grow on the other. This pigmy style of proceeding was well-satirised +during the reign of Charles X in one of the papers, which announced in +large letters, "the workmen at the Madeleine have been doubled! where +there was one, there are now two!" But soon after the present King came +to the throne, capital was found, and the industrious employed. Thus +much for this splendid work of art; let us turn round and look about +us: Ah! see, there are the works of nature, how gay and cheerful those +flowers appear so tastefully arranged in Madame Adde's shop, whilst she +herself looks as fresh and healthy as her plants which are blooming +around her; yet with that robust and country air she is a Parisian, but, +as she justly remarked to me, she was always brought up to work hard, +and as her labours have been well rewarded, health and content have +followed. She and her flowers have already been noticed in Mrs. Gore's +Season in Paris, who used to pay her frequent visits, for who indeed +would go anywhere else who had once dealt with her, for what more can +one desire than civility, good nature, reasonable charges, and a +constant variety of the choicest articles; I therefore can +conscientiously recommend all my readers who come to Paris, and are +amateurs of Flora, to call now and then on Madame Adde, No. 6, _Place +de la Madeleine_. + +Now having contemplated the beauties of art and of nature, let us +observe some animated specimens of her works: what a moving mass is +before us, 'tis a merry scene, the laughing children running after, and +dodging each other, rolling on the ground with the plenitude of their +mirth, the neat looking _bonnes_ (nursery maids) still smiling while +they chide, the jovial coachmen wrestling on their stands and playing +like boys together, but all in good humour, and content seems to sit on +every brow, and even the aged as they meet, greet each other with a +smile. How infectious is cheerfulness, when I have the blue devils I +always go and take a walk on the _Boulevards_; and what makes these +people so happy? is the natural question; because they are content with +a little, and pleased with a trifle; then they are a trifling people is +the reply. What boots it I would ask? happiness is all that we desire, +and I persist that those are the best philosophers who can obtain +happiness with the least means. But how the green trees, the white stone +houses, the gay looking shops, the broad road with the equipages rolling +along all contribute to heighten the animation of the scene. We are now +at the _Rue de la Paix_; it is certainly a noble street, and we will +turn down it to look at the statue of Napoleon on the column in the +_Place Vendome_; the pillar, which was cast from the cannon taken from +the enemies of France, is decidedly a work of extraordinary merit and +beauty, and requires a good deal of study to appreciate the exquisite +workmanship displayed in its execution. But if it were not for the +reminiscences associated with the character of Napoleon, who could ever +admire his statue on the top of the column, in a costume so contrary to +all that is graceful and dignified; a little cocked hat with its horrid +stiff angles, a great coat with another angle sticking out, the _tout +ensemble_ presenting a deformity rather than an ornament: however there +he stands on the pinnacle of what he and men in general would call the +monument of his glory, a memento of blood, of tears of widows and +orphans. Could the names of those ruined and heart broken beings be +inscribed upon it, whose misery was wrought by his triumphs, it would +indeed tell a tale of woe. The _Place Vendome_, in which the column +stands, has a very noble appearance, being a fine specimen of the style +of building of Louis the Fourteenth, in whose reign it was erected; and +he too fed his ambition with wholesale flow of blood, and with treasure +wreaked from the hard earned labour of his subjects, and the abridgments +of their comforts, but both were ultimately destined to chew the bitter +cud of mortification, and however bright the sun by which they rose to +imaginary glory, they were doomed to set in a starless night. But let us +turn from these lugubrious images of war, and regain the _Boulevards_ +and enjoy the pleasure of beholding a peaceful people. Do not let us +fail to observe that beautiful mansion at the corner of the _rue +Lafitte_; it is called the _Cite Italienne_, and can only be compared to +a palace, the richness of the carve-work surpassing any thing of the +description throughout the whole capital; although it has recently +become so much the mode to adorn their houses with sculpture, yet none +have arrived at the same degree of perfection displayed in the _Maison +d'or_: carved out on the solid stone is a boar hunt, which is really +executed with considerable talent; to give an accurate description of +all its beauties would much exceed the space I could afford it in +justice to other objects; it is very extensive, and is I believe three +houses united in one. I have understood that the sum total expended upon +it was 1,600,000 _francs_, or 64,000_l._ But that my readers may form +some idea of the interior, I recommend them to enter the _Ancien Cafe +Hardy_, which is established as a _Restaurant_ within this beautiful +building, and however interested my countrymen may feel in all that is +intellectual, yet at the same time they possess that much of the +sensual, as to have a very strong predilection for a good dinner, of the +quality of which few are better judges; but with them it is not only as +regards the excellence of the viands, but also they have their peculiar +tastes as to how and where it is served; knowing so well their ideas in +this respect, I can recommend them with confidence to _Messieurs Verdier +and Dauzier_, convinced that all their different fancies will be +gratified. If they wish to be exclusive, to enjoy their meal tete-a-tete +with their friend, they will find an elegant little apartment suited to +their wishes; if they be three or four or more persons, they will still +find they can be accommodated in such a manner that they may always +imagine themselves at home; in fact there are about twenty apartments of +different sizes, which are decorated in the most handsome style, yet all +varying with regard to the pattern of the furniture, and all uniting an +appearance of comfort and elegance, the sofa, chairs, and curtains of +each little cabinet being of the richest silk, and the other decorations +are consistently luxurious. The view from the windows presents all that +can be imagined that is amusing and animating, overlooking the most +agreeable part of the _Boulevards_, being that which is designated the +_Boulevard Italien_, and is the most fashionable resort in Paris. By the +aid of a _calorifere_, the whole establishment is heated to an +agreeable degree of warmth, but for those who like to see a cheering +blaze there are chimneys which afford them the means of having that +indulgence. If they prefer dining in the public saloon, for the sake of +seeing the variety of visiters by which it is frequented, they will find +a most splendid apartment brilliantly fitted up, being entirely of white +and gold, where every thing that is useful will be found, but always so +arranged as to be rendered ornamental; in the elegant chandeliers by +which the apartment is adorned, oil on a purified principle is burned; +no attention in short has been omitted which could tend towards +rendering the establishment an attraction for the English. I happened to +be there when an apartment was arranged for a wedding party, and nothing +could exceed the taste and elegance with which the table was disposed, +presenting a perfect picture, where splendour and luxury abounded, but +yet where a certain degree of consistency was preserved. With regard to +the superior quality of the different delicacies which are provided, and +the culinary talent displayed in their preparation, even Vatel himself +might be more than satisfied. I have visited all the most celebrated +_Restaurants_ in Paris, and should certainly say, that for the good +quality of the articles of the table, for the comfortable arrangements +of the apartments, and attentive civility of the attendants, there is +not any that can surpass the _Cafe Hardy_, although many there are which +are infinitely more expensive. Continuing our walk upon the +_Boulevards_, it is worthy of remark how richly some of the new houses +in and about the _Rue Richelieu_ are sculptured, so as to present the +appearance of a succession of palaces, we next arrive at the _Boulevard +Montmartre_, where the influx of people is the greatest: we pass by the +_Passage des Panoramas_ but do not enter it just now, although it +contains some of the handsomest shops in Paris, but it is too crowded, +we prefer keeping our course on the _Boulevards_ where we can look about +us at our ease and contemplate the physiognomies of the varied groups +before us; let us halt a while at the Theatre _des Varietes_ and remark +with what eagerness numbers stop to scan the programme of the +entertainments for the evening, amongst them are all ages, all classes, +the common soldier, porter, and servant girl, all possessing a high idea +of their judgment in theatrical affairs; passing on a little further the +Theatre _du Gymnase_ arrests the observer's notice, where _Bouffe_ has +so long displayed his comic powers, which certainly in my recollection +have never been surpassed, and I doubt if they ever have been equalled; +there is ever a chasteness in his acting, from which he never departs, +and keeps the audience in a roar of laughter without ever having +recourse to grimace or buffoonery. + +The stupendous _Porte_ (gate) _St Denis_ next strikes the eye, and has a +most imposing effect; it was built by Louis XIV in commemoration of his +victories, as I have before stated; the _bas-reliefs_ with which it is +adorned represent pyramids, and colossal allegorical figures of Holland +and the Rhine, the capture of Maestricht, the passage of the Rhine at +Tolhuys, which with two lions are its most conspicuous ornaments. Whilst +the mind is still occupied in reflecting upon this noble monument, +another awakens attention at a short distance from the last; it is the +_Porte St-Martin_, _Boulevard St-Martin_, which has been represented as +a copy of that of St-Severus at Rome; it owes its erection to the same +founder and was raised for the same purpose, that of publishing to +posterity the fame of his victories; he is allegorically represented as +Hercules defeating the Germans, the taking of Limburg, Besancon, etc. I +shall not attempt to enter into a minute detail of these objects, it +would only tire me to do so, and perhaps fatigue my reader still more; I +shall therefore content myself by stating that, taken as a whole, it has +an extremely fine effect. A few paces farther is the Theatre of the +_Porte St-Martin_, which was never a fashionable resort, but has often +produced me much entertainment, particularly when the celebrated +Mademoiselle George afforded it the benefits of her talents; proceeding +a few hundred yards distance, the Theatre of the _Ambigu-Comique_ +presents itself as worthy of remark; although of a minor rank, I +remember being much amused at the long trains of persons waiting, +according to the custom in France, at the doors of this Theatre for +admission when a popular piece was played, called Nostradamus; as two +persons can only pay at once no more are suffered to enter at a time; +hence they form in pairs behind each other until they extend sometimes, +the length of a furlong; they remain very quiet occasionally for hours, +the first comers standing close to the doors, and as others arrive they +regularly take their station behind the last persons of the _queue_, as +it is styled. I remember an Englishman coming up when the tail had +attained rather an inconvenient length, and he did not relish placing +himself at the end of it, and endeavoured to slip into one of the joints +as it was much nearer the door; but a _gendarme_, perceiving his drift, +very unceremoniously marched him to the end of the queue, as precedence +is allotted to persons in proportion as they arrive earlier or later and +the most perfect order is by that means preserved; how much better is +such an arrangement than that which prevails in England at the entering +of the theatres, where physical strength alone gives priority, and the +bigger the brute the sooner he enters, whilst screams and murmurs attest +the treading upon toes, squeezing of ribs, etc. + +The fountain of _St-Martin_ in front of the _Ambigu-Comique_ is one of +the most beautiful objects in Paris; a handsome font rises in the middle +from which the water falls in sheets of silvery profusion, whilst +around, lions disgorge liquid streams which all unite in the _grand +basin_; this sight is most beautiful to behold by the light of the moon. +We next enter the _Boulevard du Temple_, where there is such a number of +theatres and coffee-houses all joining each other, that there is really +some difficulty of ascertaining which is the one or the other. The +Theatre _de la Gaiete_, the resort principally of the middle or lower +classes, is one of the most conspicuous, as also the _Cirque Olympique_, +or Franconi's Theatre, where the performances resemble those at +Astley's. There is always an immense crowd on these _Boulevards_ amusing +themselves around a number of shows; or playing or looking at various +games which are constantly going forward, singers, musicians, conjurors, +merry andrews, fortune tellers, orators, dancers, tumblers, etc., are +all exerting their powers, to gain a little coin from the easily pleased +multitude; these _boulevards_ have in fact the appearance of a perpetual +_fete_ or fair, but the curious ideas that appear to me to have entered +the heads of these people in the nature of their performances, are such +as I should imagine none would ever have thought of but the French; nor +any lower orders but of that nation could have been found to appreciate +such singular exhibitions. One of this description particularly excited +my notice; a man came up with another man in his arms and popped him +down just as if he was a block; he had no sooner deposited his burden +than he began a long harangue upon the talents of the individual whom he +had just deposited before us, in acting a machine or automaton, he then +to prove his assertion gave him a knock on the back of the head, when it +fell forward just as if it had belonged to a figure made with joints; he +then gave it a chuck of the chin so violent that it sent the head back +so as to lean on the coat collar; at last he put it in its proper +position, he then operated upon the arms and legs of the image actor in +the same manner, and so perfectly lifeless did he appear, that many new +comers who had not heard the introductory speech of the showman, +absolutely thought that it was on inanimate figure made to imitate a man +that was before them, as the orator always designated his piece of still +life his _mecanique_, which means _machine_; in order to afford every +one the benefit of a close examination, he lifted up his automaton, then +flumped him directly opposite and close to the persons who formed part +of the circle and whom he judged were most likely to throw a sou, +bidding us observe that even the eye never winked and that there was not +the slightest breathing perceptible, and in justice I must say I never +saw an actor better play his part, for watch him as closely as you would +there never was the least symptom of life visible. I had often before +seen images made to imitate men, but never had till then seen a man +imitate an image: a few paces farther was a man acting a variety of +parts with extraordinary humour, an old nurse out of place, then a young +lover entreating his mistress to have pity on him, next a man in a +violent passion, presently, an epicure eating _bonbons_ on the verge of +the grave; the inexhaustible force of lungs, the incessant supply of +words and ideas that many of them appeared to possess, to me was quite a +matter of wonderment. At a short distance is a fort with cannon, whilst +persons take a cross-bow and shoot at it; if they can hit one of the +guns it naturally goes off; for the privilege of having a shot, a sou is +paid if he do not hit the cannon, but if he succeed in so doing, he +receives a sou; the reader may suppose that a miss takes place at the +rate of about seven times to a hit; and after several young countrymen +had been trying in vain, and had lost a good many pence, they began to +grumble and declare that it was next to impossible to hit the cannon +more than once in a hundred times, upon which the proprietor himself +took the cross-bow and at the same distance as the others stood, hit the +cannon five times running with the most perfect apparent ease, which +certainly silenced the grumblers, but convinced them of their own +awkwardness. My attention was next attracted by a pretty little building +surrounded by moss and trees, at the top of a large glass globe which +contained water with several gold and silver fish swimming in it, while +some canary birds, who were sometimes perching on the house, the moss, +or the trees, ever and anon flew to the bottom of the globe and were +seen fluttering about amongst the fish, then ascend to their little +building without having wetted a feather; the effect is very pretty and +the deception is pleasing, inasmuch as the birds require no torturing +tuition to perform their little parts; the secret consists in one globe +being placed in another considerably larger, the outer being filled with +water in which are the fish, whilst the inner wherein the birds are seen +is dry and empty. A fortress where canary birds are again the performers +is a sight which is extremely curious, as a proof of what these little +creatures are capable of executing under the management of a master, +where I fear gentleness has not only been exercised; a number of little +cannon are placed to which the birds apply a substance at the end of a +little stick which causes them to go off, when some fall and pretend to +die and the victors advance with their muskets, and strutting about give +you to understand that the fort is taken and that they are conquerors. + +To recapitulate all the curious manoeuvres which are constantly going +forward on the _Boulevards_ would swell a volume, we will therefore pass +on to the more retired parts, where the fine vistas of high trees have +been spared the havoc of the Three Days; these once extended throughout +the whole course of the _Boulevards_, but so many trees were cut down to +form barricades, that those beautiful arches formed by rows of lofty +elms, which were merely trained on the inner side, the outer being +suffered to grow in the wild luxuriance of nature, are only now to be +met with "few and far between." Near the spot where formerly stood the +much dreaded Bastille, now rises to the view the column erected to +commemorate the Revolution of 1830; inclining to the right, the +_Boulevards_ then lead to the Seine. In many parts of these delightful +promenades, double rows of chairs are placed, and persons of the highest +respectability come from different quarters and sit for hours in them, +amused with observing the happy moving scene around them; the seats on +the _Boulevard Italien_ are often occupied by persons of fashion, who +arrive in their equipages, then take chairs for an hour or two, whilst +their carriages wait for them; the charge for each chair is one sou, +but every one takes two, one for the purpose of resting the feet, and +generally takes ices which are served from Tortoni's, long celebrated +for the supply of that cooling refreshment. It is by night that the +_Boulevards_ are seen to the greatest advantage, the innumerable lights +blazing from the different theatres, the lamps placed before the +coffee-houses, the brilliant shops, the trees, the equipages, the sound +of music and singing, the houses, which resemble palaces, the gilded +cafes all united has the air of a fairy scene to any one brought +suddenly upon them. + +Some of the handsomest shops and coffee-houses are to be found on the +_Boulevards_, and dwellings where many of the most respectable persons +reside. There is always an humble traffic going on from an immense +number of stalls, in which various commodities are sold, and although +the assortment consists of a hundred different descriptions of articles, +yet all are at one price, consisting of everything that can well be +imagined, from a comb to a pair of bellows, the vender singing out the +price with stentorian lungs, perhaps twenty-five sous, more or less, and +as there is a great deal of opposition with these itinerant merchants, +they often try who can cry out the loudest, and succeed in raising a +terrific din, which amuses the mob, who consider that all is life and +spirit as long as there is noise and fun going forward; these +_Boulevards_, therefore, are just such as suit the Parisian lower +classes. Those on the south side of the Seine are an exact contrast, +most of them being so deserted, that in viewing the long lines of tall +arched elms, with scarcely an individual moving beneath them, one could +imagine that they were a hundred miles from any capital; but there is +something pleasing in retiring to these lone green shades, when fatigued +with the bustle and rattling noises of the city. The only individuals +usually to be met with in these quiet _Boulevards_ are now and then a +nursery-maid with a child, an old lady of the gone-by school, and her +female servant of the same era, who jog on at a slow and solemn pace as +they moan over the good old times that are passed, and sympathise in +expressions of horror at the vices of the present day; a tall thin +battered looking beau, whose youth was passed in the last century, meets +the antiquated pair, mutual salutations take place, the gentleman doffs +his hat, and with a graceful sort of turn and wave of the hand, at the +same time bows his body full half way to the ground, which, although +rather stiffened with age, still retains a shadow of the elegance of +former times. Madame makes a very pretty reverence, somewhat +ceremonious, according to the flippant ideas of the present day, +entreats Monsieur would put on his hat, would be in despair if he should +catch cold; he obeys, is enchanted to see her look so well, but +desolated to hear she has a little cold, and after expressing the most +fervent hopes for her getting better, he takes his leave, having too +good a notion of propriety to join the lady in her walk lest a _liaison_ +between them might be suspected. How different this worn-out remnant of +the days of Louis the Sixteenth from _la jeune France_ of the present +day, when the usual greeting between the young men would be a nod of the +head, "_Bon jour, ca va bien?_" adieu, and away, which is tantamount to +"How do, quite well, good bye," and off; with a lady the abruptness +would be a little softened, but any politeness that gives much trouble +is quite at a discount with such young men of the present day in France. +A solitary workman, a sentinel, and an old soldier, if near the Hospital +of the Invalids, are probably the only persons you will usually meet on +the southern _Boulevards_, except now and then I have seen a ladies' +boarding-school thread its course beneath the thick foliage, whose +mistress perchance selects a retired spot for giving her pupils a little +air and exercise, removed from the gaze of the city throng. + +Whatever pleasing impressions these shady retreats may have made upon +the mind, on re-entering Paris they are soon dissipated; if by the +public streets, the variety of noises which assail the ear, and the +confusion of so many people bustling along upon a little bit of pavement +not two feet wide, gives you plenty of occupation both to make your way, +and get out of the way; when, compelled to give place to some lady, you +descend from the narrow flags into the road, and whilst you are +manoeuvring to escape a cart you see coming towards you, "_Gare_" is +bawled out with stunning roar; you look round and find the pole of a +coach within an inch of your shoulder, you scramble out of the way as +fast as you can through mud and puddle, and are glad to clap your back +against a house to make room for some lumbering vehicle, where the naves +of the wheels stick out with menacing effect, happy to congratulate +yourself that there is just room enough for it to pass without jamming +you quite flat, and that you are quit of the danger at the expense of +being smeared with a little mud from the wheel; this is the case in many +of the streets in that part of Paris called the _Cite_, and others which +cross from the _Rue Saint-Denis_ to the _Rue Saint-Martin_ and _du +Temple_ etc. Happily for my readers, it is not very probable that many +of them will ever be called into those neighbourhoods, or if they be, it +will probably be in a carriage, when they will not stand near the same +chance of being crushed to death; but as I explore all parts and am +thereby the better enabled to give a faithful picture of Paris, I +consider it incumbent on me to inform my country people that there are +such streets that they may better know how to enjoy Paris by keeping out +of the way of them. To see Paris to the best advantage it is requisite +to get up early, that is about three o'clock in the morning in the +months of June or July, before any one is stirring; this indeed is +pretty much the case with all cities, but particularly the French +capital, because the streets being very narrow and crowded, you have not +room to look up and look about. Paris in the old quarters at that hour, +or in a bright moonlight when all are at rest, has the effect of a city +composed of chateaux or castles joined together, the height of the +houses, the great heavy _porte cocheres_, the castellated style of the +attic windows and often projecting turrets, with the profusion of iron +work, combine in giving a degree of gloom that appears to tell a tale of +olden time, and many of the houses date as far back as Charles the +Fifth, Sixth, and Seventh, which is coeval with our Henry the Fourth, +Fifth, and Sixth. There is one house of which the ancient staircase +still remaining is as old as the year 1220; it is situated in the _Rue +du Four_, near the _Rue de la Harpe_, and called the _Maison Blanche_, +having been inhabited by the mother of _Saint-Louis_, but there is no +doubt that the only part now standing that could have been built at that +period is the staircase; in the same neighbourhood are many objects that +would interest the antiquary, to which I shall hereafter allude. Paris +is encircled by a double row of _Boulevards_, the north inner circle is +that which is the most frequented; the outer circle runs all along the +walls which encompass Paris, where the barriers are situated, of which +there are fifty-six, all rather handsome buildings than otherwise, and +no two of them quite alike. Many of the streets as you approach the +farthest _Boulevards_ of Paris have a very dull appearance, consisting +in many instances of high walls and habitations separated from each +other, with market gardens behind, but which cannot be seen from the +street as they are all enclosed, and grass growing here and there in +patches give them more the appearance of roads which have been +abandoned than of inhabited streets. Some of the modern parts of Paris +are extremely handsome and indeed all which has been built within the +last five-and-twenty years. The _Chaussee-d'Antin_ is the favourite +quarter; there the streets are of a fair width and are well paved, and +some very recently built are really beautiful, especially one just +finished called the _Rue Tronchet_, just behind the _Madeleine_. The +quarter round the _Place Vendome_ is certainly one of the finest in +Paris, and most decidedly the dearest. I know persons who pay fourteen +thousand francs a year for unfurnished lodgings in the _Place Vendome_, +that is 600_l._ a year; a whole house in a fashionable quarter of London +may be had for the same money; indeed on the _Boulevards_, in some of +the _Passages_ and the most fashionable streets in Paris, shops let for +more money than in any part of London; there is an instance of a single +shop letting for 600_l._ per annum, and not one of particularly +extensive dimensions, but situated on the _Boulevard Montmartre_, which +is perhaps the best position in Paris. One of the greatest attractions +is the _Passages_, something in the style of the Burlington Arcade but +mostly superior; of these there are from twenty to thirty, so that in +wet weather you may walk a considerable distance under cover. + +The _Palais-Royal_, the favourite resort of foreigners and provincials, +also affords that convenience. Although Paris on the whole is not so +regularly built as London, yet there is a sombre grandeur about it which +has a fine effect, owing in some degree to the large lofty houses of +which it is composed; the straightness, width, and neatness of the +streets of London form its beauty, but it is astonishing how foreigners +when they first behold it, are struck with the small size of the houses. +I remember entering London with an Italian gentleman who had ever before +been accustomed to the large massive palaces of Genoa, Florence, etc., +and the first remark he made upon our grand metropolis was that it +looked like a city of baby houses; another feature in our dwellings does +not please the foreign eye, and that is the dingy colour of our bricks, +which certainly has not so light an appearance as stone, of which the +houses on the Continent are generally built. The irremediable defect in +Paris is certainly the narrowness of the streets, although every +opportunity is turned to advantage by the government when houses are +taken down to compel the proprietors to rebuild them in such a manner as +to afford a yard more width to the public, whilst those streets that are +at present constructing are on a magnificent plan. The great beauty of +Paris consists in its public monuments, which certainly are not only +very numerous, but some upon the grandest scale, independent of those +which are generally conspicuous in a city; the Barriers and Fountains +form a considerable feature in Paris amongst its ornaments. + +The Parisians generally are a remarkably persevering and industrious +people, amongst the trading classes, particularly the women, who often +take as ostensible a part in business as their husbands; except that it +is an establishment upon a very large scale, the wife is usually the +cashier, and you will find her as stationary at the counter almost as +the counter itself. The idea that exists in England with respect to +married women in France is quite erroneous, for more domestic and stay +at home is impossible to be, that is amongst the middle classes; the +same remark applies to the lower orders. As to the higher classes they +never can be cited as forming a characteristic in any country; receiving +a highly finished education, they are all brought to the same degree of +polish, and the primitive features are entirely effaced. Good nature is +a very conspicuous trait in the French character, and that is +continually displayed towards any foreigner; ask your way in the street +in a polite manner, and generally the persons become interested in your +finding the place you want, and if they do not know themselves, they +will go into a shop and enquire for you, and not feel easy until they +have ascertained it for you, but it depends much upon the manner in +which you address them. A Doctor Smith related to me a circumstance +which proves how different is the effect of a courteous and an +uncourteous mode of speaking to a Frenchman; the Doctor had with him a +friend who was a regular John Bull, and they wishing to know their way +to some place, the latter stepped up to a butcher who was standing at +his door and asked him in a very rough manner, and received an evasive +reply; the Doctor then put the same question to the man but in a more +polite form, the butcher replied, "If you will wait a minute, Sir, I +will put on my coat and show you the way," which he did in the most good +humoured manner, but remarked to the Doctor that every one in France +liked to be treated as a fellow man, and not to be spoken to as if they +were brutes. Thus it appears that even butchers in France expect to be +treated with some degree of politeness. + +The women are still more tenacious in that respect than the men; they +consider, even down to a housemaid, that their sex demands a certain +tone of deference, however humble their position, and if a nobleman did +not touch his hat to them when they open or shut the door for them, with +the usual salutation of good day or good morning, they would pronounce +his manners brutal, and say, that although he was a man of title he was +not a gentleman; hence the very unceremonious manner that an Englishman +has of addressing servants, whether male or female, has kept them very +much out of favour with that class of the French community. A scullion, +or what may be termed a girl of all work, that has not met with that +degree of respect from some of our countrymen to which she considered +herself entitled, will remark, that the English may be very rich, but +they certainly are not enlightened as we are, with a little drawing up +of the head, implying their consciousness of superiority over us +semi-barbarians; your charwoman, your washerwoman's drudge, fishwoman, +or girl that cries turf about the streets, are all Madame and +Mademoiselle when they speak of each other, and with them there is no +such word as woman; if a female, she must be a lady, even if her +occupation be to pick up rags in the street. The French women certainly +excel in the art of dress and everything which appertains to the +decoration of the person, but the devotion which exists amongst them to +that passion tends greatly towards frivolising the mind; hence I find +their inferiority, generally speaking, to English women; in the latter +you will often meet, even amongst the middle classes, with a girl who +has received a good education; forming her pleasures from pursuits which +are purely intellectual, she will not only find enjoyment in that light +reading merely calculated to amuse, or that kind of music which consists +of pretty quadrilles, a few trifling songs, and two or three lessons +adapted for the display of execution, or that style of poetry and of +painting which is something of the same nature, just fit to please the +fancy without touching the heart; no, you will find that she enters into +the very soul of those mental recreations, nor does that interfere with +her domestic virtues; she is equally capable of performing every social +duty, but she devotes not so considerable a portion of her time and +thoughts to dress, nor is she so totally absorbed in the anticipation +and retrospection of balls and soirees, to the exclusion of every other +feeling, as long as the season for parties continues, which is but too +much the case with females in Paris, except with those whose business or +occupations prevent them from participating otherwise than very +sparingly in the gaieties of that description; but the class I allude +to in France, is that which consists of persons of independent fortune, +who have never been connected with anything in the shape of trade or +even professions, except army or navy, yet whose property is too small +to estimate them as belonging to the higher classes, whilst they would +consider themselves as degraded by an association with even the richer +tradespeople, generally coming under the denomination of middle classes. +This grade, immediately below the highest classes and above the middle, +is very numerous in Paris, their incomes varying from four hundred to a +thousand a-year; with the females in this class there is an exact +resemblance to those of the class above, only the sphere is more +confined; their education finished, they retain but little of what they +have learned, except dancing, singing, and music, because they are +calculated for display, and tell in society; drawing is laid aside, even +after much proficiency had been acquired, reading confined to the +reviews of the popular works of the day, the inexhaustible subjects of +conversation are the toilet, which is pre-eminent, balls, soirees, and +public places; if literature be introduced, you will find their +knowledge of it sufficient to escape the charge of ignorance, +particularly in history, as great pains are now taken with their +education, and which certainly is of the best description, whilst there +is a grace and sweetness of manner which is highly captivating; yet when +you become well acquainted with these ladies, whose surface was +enchanting, you find at last a want of soul. As a proof how seldom I +have found French females express any delight in beholding all the +phenomena of an extensive and beautiful country, and if the mind be dead +to that charm, how must it be lost to the enjoyments of descriptive +poetry and painting, as if the reality afford not pleasure how little +can be derived from the representation; I have found in France many +exceptions to this rule, women, in fact, whose society afforded a highly +intellectual treat. But they are rare, and when one speaks of a people +generally, the mass must be stated and not the exceptions. In England, +even amongst the classes of the highest fashion, many women are to be +met with, who, notwithstanding that they are whirled about in London for +months together to parties every night, sometimes to three or four in an +evening, to hear and say the nothings that pass current in assemblages +of that description, both deteriorating to health and mind, yet on +returning to their seats in the country, whilst the husband is following +the sports of the field, the females will have recourse to intellectual +occupations, and cultivate those seeds of knowledge which had been +instilled into their minds during their early youth, thus conferring +upon them those companionable powers, which are the great charm of life; +the rural scenes around them call their pencils into practice, whilst +the true spirit of poetry constantly appears to their feelings in the +forms of those beauties of nature which in fact are its life and soul. +Embosomed in the calm retirement found in such retreats, the various +objects in view engender the love of reading; hence the Englishwoman +recruits her mental powers after the frivolizing effects of a season in +town. The Frenchwoman goes into the country for the purpose of enjoying +the fresh air, she reads a little to kill time, and occupies much of it +with her embroidery and other fancy works, and after a short period +passed amongst the vine-clad hills, sighs once more to return to her +dear Paris, complains of ennui, wonders what the fashions will be at the +next Longchamp, and whether they will be such as become her or not, but +feeling herself bound to wear whatever may be pronounced the modes, and +trusts to her taste to arrange it in such a manner as to set her off to +the best advantage. + +My countrywomen are not so much slaves to fashion and do not care to put +on every thing that comes out, if they think it does not suit them, but +it must be admitted that they have not the same taste as the French in +regard to costume; it is a quality that is peculiar to them, and +acknowledged by all the civilised world; in England, Russia, even +Greece, ladies of the high ton must send to Paris for their hats and +bonnets, and have them from Madame de Barennes, in the _Place Vendome_, +which is not merely an idea, but a fact that they really are replete +with that exquisite taste for which they are so justly famed; even the +manner in which her lofty and noble saloons are arranged display an +elegance of conception, there is a chasteness which pervades the whole, +the furniture as Well as the decorations of the room are either of +white or ebony and gold, preserving that degree of keeping which is +inseparable from a truly classical taste. + +I must confess that the most refined, the most charming and fascinating +women that I ever met with, were some English and Irish ladies who had +been some years in France, still retaining all those intellectual +qualities which are the brightest gems of the British female character, +united with that quiet grace which has so much of dignity and ease, and +that pleasing affability appearing but as nature in a truly elegant +Frenchwoman; at the same time I think my fair countrywomen are also much +improved when they have acquired the same degree of taste in the +arrangement of their costume for which the Parisian females have so well +merited a reputation. Of course in this comparison I am speaking of the +most well-bred females of both countries. Although I do not find the +French ladies possessing those high intellectual qualities, which are in +a great degree engendered and fostered by certain habits and early +associations, I do not conceive that the germs of talent are in the +least deficient, but on the contrary, we find them excelling in +literature and the arts, in ingenuity, and where exertion is required in +trying circumstances, that they are capable of heroism, but there is a +natural life and vivacity in the French character that inclines not to +study, nor strict application, unless the position in life renders it +necessary. The English very frequently are by nature disposed to +reflection and even like often to be alone, consequently are +undoubtedly a more thinking nation, although not so brilliant, but +experience has proved that patient and undeviating perseverance, +ultimately, outsteps the more showy and sparkling quality of genius. For +the sympathies of the heart I have found the French females most keenly +alive, no mothers can be more devotedly attached to their children than +they are, and it is repaid to them with interest by their offspring, as +a devotional affection towards parents is carried to an extreme; in some +instances I should say to a fault, as a daughter in general looks up +entirely to them, in regard to the man that they may choose with whom +she is to pass the rest of her life, without presuming that she ought to +make a selection for herself, considering that her marriage is the +affair of her parents, and that she has but to obey their wishes in +that, as well as in all other cases; hence it is rarely found that a +French young lady has aught of romance in her composition, but is on the +contrary the mild, docile, obedient, and affectionate pupil, and often +imitator of her mother. The English young lady is a little more +rebellious; possessing a more independent spirit, she very soon takes +the liberty of thinking for herself, particularly on that subject; and +could she totally have her will would act for herself also. Families are +much more united in France than in England, and agree together in a most +astonishing manner; thus when a daughter marries, instead of quitting +her home, the husband arranges his affairs so as to go and live with her +parents, and in many cases several families live together and form one +little community, which spares the pain of separation of parent and +child. The numerous offspring of the celebrated Marquis de Lafayette was +a remarkable instance of how whole families can live and agree under the +same roof; at his seat called La Grange, his married children and their +children and grandchildren were all residing together, whilst he, like +one of the ancient patriarchs, was the revered head of his people. I +know a case at Boulogne, where in one house there are living together, +two great grandfathers, one grandfather and grandmother, two fathers and +two mothers and their four children, and what renders it more curious is +that they are half English and half French, but all connected by their +sons and daughters intermarrying; but strange to say that the English +could not agree to live together in that manner, and it is a most +extraordinary circumstance much remarked by the French, that wherever +the English are settled in any town in France, they always contrive to +quarrel with each other, and find employment for the French lawyers; at +Boulogne they have at least twice as much practice for the English as +for the natives. + +With regard to the conduct of the French towards foreigners, speaking +from the long experience which I have had, I should certainly state that +it was kind and attentive when brought into contact in travelling or +from any other circumstances, provided that a person does not attempt to +support a haughty or supercilious air. I do not consider that, generally +speaking, the French are so hospitable as the English, not only as +regards foreigners but even amongst themselves; it is not so much their +habit. In many houses you may pass an hour or two of an evening, and +there will never be any question regarding refreshments; not having the +custom of taking tea of an evening, that social bond which unites the +family together at a certain hour in England not existing in France, +little domestic evening parties seldom occur. I have been to a few +amongst what I call the very quiet families of Paris, which are styled +the _demi fortunes_, and cakes, beer, wine, sugar and water, etc., were +given; in the high fashionable parties tea now is always introduced at +about twelve. To ask a friend to a family dinner is not so much the +practice in France as in England, as the custom existing in the former +of having so many dishes with such a trifle in each, the platters are +often pretty well cleared by the usual inmates of the establishment, and +they are not prepared for an additional person. With the English who are +accustomed to large joints, if two or three additional guests suddenly +enter, they are still prepared. The French have also an idea that if +they ask you to dinner that they must provide so great a variety, which +entails infinitely more trouble than the more simple and more wholesome +repast, I should say, of the English. + +There is a great sympathy in France towards each other in their +respective classes; if a quarrel take place in the street between one of +the lower and one of the middle class, all that pass by of the former +description will take the part of the individual of his own level; the +same will be the case with the other classes, often without inquiring +into the merits of the case. The impulse of feeling exists to a great +degree amongst the French, which is instantly displayed if a person +falls or is taken ill in the street, and much feeling is developed if +any little accident or misfortune occurs to a poor person passing by. I +remember an instance of a woman who was trudging away with a basket of +crockery and some eggs at the top, a poor man who was carrying a load +slipped, and in his fall upset the woman and broke the greater part of +her brittle goods; in this case both being poor persons, it became a +knotty point for the French to decide; very long and very warm were the +arguments adduced on both sides by the mob which had assembled, the man +declared he was too poor to have it in his power to pay for the damage +which he had caused, that he had hurt himself very much in the fall and +found that quite misfortune enough for him. The woman cried and vowed +she could not afford to lose the value of the articles broken, and the +eggs belonged to another person who had given her the money to buy them, +and persisted that the man ought to pay for what he had broken, although +she admitted it was a very hard case for him; what was to be done? a +subscription it was decided was the only means of settling the affair, +and one person giving half a franc by way of example, engaged to be +collector, and from the different bystanders, each giving a few sous, +the sum required was soon produced, and all parties departed with the +conviction that the affair had been equitably arranged. + +The French are in the habit of rising extremely early, especially the +lower classes, and even amongst the middle and higher ranks they are +rarely so late in all their operations as the English. Persons in easy +circumstances amongst the French generally take coffee, with a piece of +bread, as soon as they are up, and then breakfast _a la fourchette_ +about twelve, which consists of soup, meat, vegetables, fruit, and wine; +they dine about six or seven, which is a repetition of the breakfast, +with greater variety and more abundance. Wine is drank throughout the +dinner, and never after; but light as their _vin ordinaire_ generally +is, they always dilute it with water. Immediately after dinner, coffee, +without milk or cream, is taken, and lastly a glass of liqueur; no other +repast is thought of until the following day, as they neither take tea +nor supper, in their usual family habits. But in cases of invitation it +is quite another affair, several different wines of superior quality are +handed about at dinner, with which they do not mix water, and always +Champagne of course is drank without being diluted. When they give a +_soiree_, a variety of refreshments are produced, as different +descriptions of cakes, ices, orgeat and water, punch, warm wine, +limonade, etc., according to the season of the year; and often a supper +is given on a very liberal scale. Dancing, music, singing, and cards +form the amusements of the evening; the games which are played are +generally ecarte and whist. + +The passion for dancing pervades all classes, and even amongst the +lowest orders they always find the means of gratifying themselves with +that pleasure, but in all their enjoyments down to the public-houses in +the worst quarters of Paris, there is a degree of decorum which +surprises an Englishman accustomed to the extreme grossness of similar +classes in our own country. Determined to see as much of life as I could +in all its stages during a carnival, accompanied by a countryman I +visited many of the lowest order of wine houses where balls were going +forward; the only payment required for entrance was the purchase of a +bottle of wine, costing six sous. We expected to see a good deal of +uproarious mirth and all kinds of pranks going forward, but were quite +astonished to find the order that prevailed; the men appeared as if they +were in such a hurry for a dance that they had not waited until they +washed their hands and faces, but had just come directly from their +work, although several of them had slipped on masquerade dresses; the +women were cleaner (I suspect they were not of the most immaculate +description), and were amusing themselves with quadrilles and waltzes +alternately. Being of course very differently attired from the rest of +the assemblage, we were very conspicuous, but they took no notice of us +whatever; if they happened to run against us whilst waltzing and +whirling about, they always said "Je vous 'mande pardon, Monsieur," and +nothing farther. We observed that the men paid for the musicians two +sous each dance and the women one, and we came away rather disappointed +at finding things so much more insipid than we expected; we visited +several houses of the same description and found the same sort of scene +going forward in them all. The working people in Paris are extremely +frugal in their mode of living; bread being full seven-eighths of their +food, what they eat with it varies according to the season; if in +summer, mostly such fruit as happens to be ripe, and perhaps once in the +day they take a bit of soft white-looking cheese with their bread. In +winter they often add instead, a little morsel of pork or bacon, but +more frequently stewed pears or roasted apples. On Sundays they always +put the _pot-au-feu_, as they call it, which means that they make soup, +or literally translated, that they put the pot on the fire. Henry IV +declared that he should not feel satisfied until he had so ameliorated +the condition of the poor, that every peasant should be able to have a +fowl in his pot every Sunday; had he not suddenly been cut off by +assassination, he might have lived to have seen his benevolent wish +accomplished. Many of the wives of the working people contrive to muster +some soup for their husbands when they get home at night, and almost all +manage to have a little wine in the course of the day. On the Sunday in +the summer time they contrive to have a degree of pleasure, and go to +one of the houses round Paris called _guinguettes_, something in the +nature of the tea-gardens about London, but in Paris and most parts of +France the husband takes his wife and even his children with him if they +are old enough; indeed, you generally see the whole train together. At +these houses they mostly take beer which is not very strong, but they +make it less so by mixing it with water, as they do almost every +beverage; sometimes they have wine, lemonade, or currant juice, which is +called _groseille_, and that from the black currant _cassis_; there they +will sit looking at the dances, in which they sometimes join, and return +home about ten o'clock. This is pretty much the routine of a _regularly +conducted_ working-man in Paris, and it must be admitted that they form +by far the greater number, particularly those who are married. + +Amongst the middle-classes, both husband and wife keep very steadily to +business, particularly the latter, and as they live frugally, they +generally calculate upon retiring from business in ten or twelve years, +and mostly effect their object, as they are perfectly contented when +they have amassed enough capital to produce three or four hundred a +year, which is the case with the major part of them; many are not +satisfied until four or five times that sum; but they are seldom +ambitious, nor care to get out of their class, as the persons with whom +they associate and are intimate, are mostly relations and connexions to +whom they are attached, and do not seem to fancy any pleasure in +extending their acquaintances. But before they retire from business they +have their occasional recreations; in fine weather they are very fond +of spending their Sundays in the country; in the winter they frequently +visit the theatres, but very rarely have company at home or pay visits, +except on the New Year, and in the Carnival they give one ball, and go +to several others given by their relations; this description alludes to +what may be termed the respectable class of shopkeepers. They have one +means of communication with each other, of which they avail themselves +for the advantages of business or for the purpose of recreation, if they +choose, which consists of what they term _Cercles_, much the same as we +should call clubs; they are establishments composed of perhaps 150 +members, more or less, who meet in a suite of apartments fitted up for +the purpose, and certainly most elegantly, both as regards the +decoration of the rooms and the furniture they contain. A clerk is +employed, whose business it is to collect information as to the +different merchants who arrive at Paris from the various parts of France +and other countries; they find out the particular branch in which he +deals, and that member whose business it is to vend the commodity likely +to be demanded, sends him a programme of his goods and his terms. If any +one receive a commission from any country which is not in his +department, he proclaims it to the Cercle, and gives a fellow-member the +benefit of the order; thus they play into each other's hands and greatly +promote their mutual interests. Billiard-tables are fitted up for the +amusement of the members, who also occupy themselves with other games, +whilst refreshments are to be had the same as in a coffee-house. There +are many of these establishments in Paris, which afford great facilities +for the promotion of business. Although the extraordinary increase of +trade in Paris is almost incredible, yet the bankrupts are more numerous +than they were formerly; one reason is, on account of the number of +persons in each business having so much increased, and the immense +expenses which they incur in the embellishment of their shops to try and +outvie each other. A person taking a place in the Palais Royal about +three years since, first gave the occupier 40,000 francs (1,600_l._) to +quit, and then expended 110,000 francs (4,400_l._) in fitting it up as +a restaurateur's; the rent being high in proportion, the success was not +commensurate with the expenditure and the speculation failed. This is +one of the many instances which have recently occurred at Paris, causing +bankruptcy; yet some persons have laid out more than double the amount +in the decorations for restaurateurs and coffee-houses, and yet have +succeeded. + +The occupations of the higher classes in Paris are much the same as they +are in other capitals; both sexes are more fond of taking baths than +they are in London, and even when they have that convenience in their +own houses, the men often prefer lounging to the most fashionable public +baths. The young sparks of fashion are very fond of sumptuous breakfasts +at the most stylish coffee-houses in Paris, and often begin by taking a +few dozen of oysters by way of giving them an appetite; beefsteaks +dressed in the English style, a few choice French dishes, two or three +sorts of wine, desert, and coffee, generally compose the repast until +the dinner hour. The time is filled up with walking, riding, driving, +practising gymnastic exercises, pistol-shooting, fencing, etc. After +dinner, which usually terminates about eight, and is in fact the same +thing as the breakfast on a more extensive scale, they proceed to the +theatres; those most in vogue with the beau monde are the Italian Opera, +the French Opera or Academie de Musique, the Comic Opera, and the +Theatre Francais. After the performances are over, they generally lounge +into some favourite coffee-house, and then close the day to recommence +another, following much the same course, with some trifling variation. +But now the favourite pursuit amongst young men of fashion, is that of +riding and every thing which is connected with horses, such as racing, +leaping, steeple chasing, and discussing their different qualities and +the various modes of breaking them in, in England and in France. + +But there is no subject upon which there is so much difference of +opinion between the two nations as upon that of equestrian exercises and +the management and training of horses. Our bold fox-hunters and daring +steeple chasers, I am aware, will not for an instant imagine that there +are any riders to be found equal to Englishmen, whilst the French, +although they give us credit for doing many things better than +themselves, do not at all admire our horsemanship. They admit that our +good riders are not easily thrown, and keep their seat under many +difficult and dangerous circumstances, but they contend that the English +generally have not sufficient command over their horses in making them +obey every wish of the rider, whilst the accomplished French cavalier +will make his horse go backwards, sideways, right, or left, in a direct +line, will cause him to stop in an instant whilst at full speed, will +make him bear on his near or off leg just as he chooses, or make him +place either foot on a five franc piece, and in fact have the same +command over his horse as if it were his child. There are many +riding-masters now in Paris of superior talent, but for rendering his +pupils dauntless horsemen, capable of mounting any animal however +restive, I do not think that any can be found to surpass M. de Fitte. I +have seen him place his best pupils upon a horse, which upon signals +given, will rear upon his hind or his forelegs, changing from one to the +other with such rapidity and in such constant succession that the rider +cannot the least foresee what prank the horse is about to play, and +therefore cannot be prepared for what he has to encounter, whilst he is +seated on a saddle without stirrups or bridle, as with folded arms he +defies every manoeuvre his steed essays to throw him. The +riding-school of Mr. Fitte is at No. 113, rue Montmartre, next to the +great establishment of the Messageries royales, from whence depart the +diligences for all parts of France. He has always about forty horses of +different countries and descriptions; amongst them are some especially +trained for ladies, and such as will be found well adapted to the most +bold and the most timid rider, which he lets out at very moderate terms. + +Any person must feel gratified at being present when he gives his +evening lessons to his pupils, as amongst other exercises he practises +them in what is called the _jeu de bague_, which consists of rings +loosely suspended from a post, whilst the rider carries a lance, and in +passing by at full gallop endeavours to run it through the ring, which +is about two inches in diameter, and is hung in such a manner that it +yields to the lance and remains upon it whilst the rider, without +stopping, proceeds at full speed and takes off the next. Two persons are +generally exercised together at this game, and he who takes off the most +rings wins. It is a useful practice now adopted in almost all the +riding-schools in Paris, as it teaches the pupil to forget his seat, +giving him another object to occupy his mind, till at last the young +pupil feels as easy upon a horse at full gallop as seated in his chair, +his whole attention being directed towards taking off more rings with +his lance than his competitor. Mr. Fitte during the lesson also himself +displays what can be done with different horses, in giving them that +sort of motion which he thinks proper, which is principally produced by +operating upon the animal with the muscles of the calves of the legs, of +which the French avail themselves much more in the management of a horse +than the English. + +It appears quite a new era in the annals of horsemanship that an +approved English riding-master should come over to France to place +himself for two years under a French riding-master, yet such I know to +be the case. Mr. F.W., the person to whom I allude, had long been +accustomed to mount horses of all descriptions, with the full confidence +of always being able to keep his seat; but when at Paris he met with a +master who could not only defy any horse to throw him, but under all +circumstances could always preserve a graceful position, even while +baffling every attempt of a horse to floor him. In order to try the +capabilities of Mr. W., the French master placed him on all kinds of +horses, and amongst the rest those which had been taught all sorts of +tricks to fling their riders, but W. resisted all their attempts, but it +was by keeping his seat in his own way, which he knew had an awkward +air, when compared to the graceful mien the Frenchman preserved +throughout the same evolutions. + +Another art he strove also to acquire from his master, that of +dominating the most vicious horse to a degree that shall render it so +docile that any moderate horseman may mount it in safety. This was +effected by the French riding-master (with whom W. placed himself), +under the most extraordinary circumstances; a horse was offered him of +extreme beauty, but so totally unmanageable that it had been given up by +three rough riders of regiments in England, and was almost considered as +worthless, as no one could be found to ride it; the Frenchman undertook +in one year so to tame its restive spirit as to render it a valuable +horse for any rider. The owner quitted France, but agreed to return in a +twelvemonth, when they were to divide the amount of what the horse might +sell for; but it so happened that the owner did not return for eighteen +months, and when the twelvemonth had expired the riding-master +considered the horse his own and sold it to Franconi for 20,000 francs +(800_l._), having so completely taught the horse to obey its master, as +to make it dance to music, to bear upon which leg he chose to dictate, +and in fact to do more than I shall venture to state, as were I to give +an accurate description it must appear an exaggeration, having met with +several Englishmen who with myself have declared they never could have +believed, had they not had ocular demonstration, that a horse could have +been taught to do that which the animal in question has nightly +exhibited at Franconi's. When the owner did return, he claimed the half +of the value the horse had fetched, but the riding-master pleaded that +the contract was annulled by his not making his claim at the time agreed +upon between them; the other persisting in his demand, the affair was +referred to a Court of Justice, and decided in favour of the +riding-master, and it is said that Franconi has since refused 40,000 +francs for the horse. + +There is one peculiarity in the English style of riding which is +remarked all over the Continent, and that is, the rising in the saddle, +or what is termed, adopting one's own motion, instead of that of the +horse, which is certainly much rougher and not so agreeable, and for my +own part I have found it a great relief when upon a long journey; of +course it is never adopted by our cavalry, and the French contend that +to sit as close as possible, partaking of the motion of the horse, as +soon as the rider is accustomed to it he will travel farther, and with +less fatigue than by what is termed the English method. M. de Fitte +however thinks differently from his countrymen in that respect. It is +also considered that in both our riding and driving we rein in our +horses far too much, the consequence being that the animal, accustomed +to be held up by the rider or driver, depends upon it, as what is called +his fifth leg, and if there be any negligence in thus sustaining him, he +immediately trips and often comes to the ground; whereas the horse who +is habituated to a looser rein goes more boldly, depending on the powers +nature has given him, and carries his head lower, and of course sees his +ground better, avoiding that which might occasion a false step; and +certainly the horses in France very seldom fall, except in frost or +snow, when strange to say the French have never had the wit to have them +rough-shod. + +Notwithstanding all that is said upon the subject I have found the +advantage of keeping a tighter rein upon my horse than they are in the +habit of practising in Turkey, as although in a journey which I had of +seven hundred miles on horseback in that country they found great fault +with my riding, yet I kept my seat, and my horse upon his legs, without +once coming to the ground, when the Tatar, the Surdjee, and my +travelling companion were alternately prostrated from the falling of +their horses, which I attribute to their not being able to check them in +time when they tripped, to prevent their totally sprawling; it is true +that some parts of the road could only be compared to a street having +been unpaved and all the stones left loose upon the ground over which we +had to ride, consequently I took the greatest care, never for an instant +neglecting any precaution to keep my hack from stumbling. But where a +horse is liable to come upon his knees, certainly the system of rising +in the saddle is most unsafe, and I never met with any one who could +better teach his pupils to sit close and firm even with the roughest +trot than M. de Fitte, who, not content with precept, himself furnishes +the example. Amongst his pupils, are many of the fair sex as the French +ladies are now beginning to imitate the gentlemen in their passion for +equestrian exercises, and frequently in the Champs-Elysees and Bois de +Boulogne display the progress they have made in the art. + +Although their pursuits are not so numerous nor so various as those of +the men, yet their opportunities of killing time are greater; as +shopping alone employs often some hours of the day, the importance +attached to a bonnet, a cap, a turban and above all to a dress, causes +many and long dissertations. Exhibitions and morning concerts frequently +occupy also much of the ladies' leisure, a little walking in the +Tuileries gardens at a certain hour and in a certain part whilst their +carriage waits for them, an airing in it, or a turn on horseback, fill +up the rest of the day, and after dinner, if not at the theatre, they +either receive or pay visits, as it is the fashion to do so of an +evening in Paris. + +I must not quit this sketch of the Parisians and their occupations +without giving my readers some idea of what is called _La Jeune France_, +which consists of a number of young men, who wear comical shaped hats, +their hair very long hanging below their ears, and let the greater part +of their beards grow; they also have their throats bare and their shirt +collars turned down; they have rather a wild look, and their political +theories are somewhat wilder than their looks; they are republican in +principle, and in manner, adopting a sort of rough abrupt style, as far +from courteous as can well be imagined. They amount to perhaps a few +thousands in Paris, comprising a number of the students in law and +medicine, many of the painters, musical professors, and at least half +the literary characters in Paris; some of them are either the editors +their subs or the communicators to two-thirds of the newspapers at +Paris. I must do them the justice to say that I believe they mean well, +and that they are actuated by pure principles of patriotism, full of +candour and of courage, but mistaken in their views, led away by false +notions imbibed from an enthusiastic admiration of the deeds of heroes, +recorded in the histories of Rome and Greece, until they imagine that +they are bound in modern days to re-enact the glorious examples of their +progenitors in their self devotion for their country; hence the +wonderful resistance that they made in 1832, which although in a bad +cause, proved their contempt for life, and how ready they were to risk +it in what they falsely thought their country's cause. + +But as they get older and reflect more, they become more temperate in +their mode of reasoning, at present, and indeed for some time past, they +have been more calm and one hears less of them. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + + Anecdotes illustrative of the ideas, feelings, and characters of + the Parisians, also narrating some of their most striking national + peculiarities. + + +The French generally have been celebrated for possessing no +inconsiderable share of conceit, but in regard to a most exalted respect +for themselves, the Parisians far surpass all their provincial brethren; +the very circumstance of their happening to be born in Paris, they +imagine at once confers upon them a diploma of the very highest acme of +civilisation, causing them to feel a sort of pity for a person who is +born elsewhere; however, as one of these enlightened spirits once +observed to me, that a person might by coming to live at Paris in the +course of time imbibe the same tone of refinement. Now this was said in +all the true spirit of human kindness; he knew that I was not born in +Paris, and conceiving that I might feel the bitterness of that +misfortune, though it might afford me a degree of consolation to be +assured, that there were some means of repairing the disadvantages under +which I laboured, from not having made my entrance to the world in the +grand metropolis of France. + +It matters not how low may be the calling of a Parisian, he will still +flatter himself that the manner in which he acquits himself in the +department in which he is placed, evinces a degree of superiority over +his fellow labourer, and gratifies his _amour propre_ with the thought. +Even a scavenger would endeavour to persuade you that he has a peculiar +manner of sweeping the streets exclusively his own, and that his method +of shovelling up the mud and pitching it into the cart is quite unique, +and in fact that his innate talent is such that, it has eventually +placed him at the summit of his profession. This may appear, perhaps, to +some of my readers rather overdrawn, but the following instance which +came under my own observation is not much less extravagant. + +A man who was in the habit of cleaning my boots, had a most incorrigible +propensity for garrulity, and as I like in a foreign country to obtain +some insight into the ideas and feelings of all classes, I did not care +to check the poor fellow in the indulgence of his favourite _penchant_, +particularly as his remarks were always proffered with a tone of the +most profound respect for my august person. Finding one morning that my +boots had not been polished quite so well as usual, the next time I saw +the shoeblack I mentioned the circumstance to him. "_Ah! Sir_," he +exclaimed with a deep sigh, "that is one of the many instances of the +ingratitude of human nature; I confided those boots to the boy whom you +must have seen come with me to fetch yours and the other gentlemen's +shoes or clothes for brushing, etc. Well, sir, that young urchin is a +protege of mine; I took him, sir, from the lowest obscurity and made him +what he is; I taught him my profession, I endowed him with all the +benefit of my experience, and with respect to blacking shoes, I have +initiated him into all the little mysteries of the art, and can declare +that there is not one in the business throughout all Paris that can +surpass him, when he chooses to exert his talents; and therefore it +renders it the more unpardonable that he should slight one of my best +customers." Judging, I suppose, from the expression of my countenance +that I did not appear to be deeply infused with a very exalted idea of +what he termed the mysteries of his art, he continued, "You may think as +you please, sir, but there is much more ability required in blacking +shoes than you may imagine, and that boy is well aware of it; he knows +how I began by first instructing him in all the fundamental principles +of the art; and gradually led him on until I accomplished him in giving +the last polish, and can now proudly say he is a true artist in the +profession." + +On entering a diligence once at Lyons, I found two persons in it, of +very decent aspect; the one a middle aged man, the other a youth of +about eighteen or nineteen; the former soon found an opportunity of +informing me that he was a Parisian, but lest that should not adequately +impress me with a sufficiently high idea of his importance, he added +that he was _chef de cuisine_ to the Duke of ----, and that Monsieur, +pointing to the youth opposite, was an _aspirant_, who had been placed +under his auspices. The young man bowed assent, and appeared most +sensibly to feel the vast magnitude of the honours to which he was +aspiring; but the whole was announced with such an air of solemnity and +consequence, that a minister of state with his secretary would never +have attempted to assume. An Englishman under the same circumstances +would have merely said, "I am head cook to the Duke of ---- and that +young man is my 'prentice." However, my travelling companions were +overpoweringly civil, and I of course was deeply awed by finding myself +in company with such elevated personages, of which they no doubt were +sensible, and where we stopped for dinner they gave us the benefit of +their professional talent, by entering the kitchen, giving the inmates +to understand who they were, and the advantage of advice gratis, as to +the arrangement of such dishes for which they were still in time to +superintend; and when we sat down at the table d'hote, the _chef de +cuisine_ did not fail to inform me that he had done as much as laid in +his power to ensure our having a good dinner, as my being a foreigner he +was particularly anxious that France should sustain her high reputation +for the culinary art in my estimation; but regretted that in the first +place he arrived too late to effect much good, and indeed, had he come +before it would have been but of little avail; for the provincials were +such complete barbarians, that it was difficult for an enlightened +person to commune with them: that absolutely he and they appeared to be +quite of another species. + +It is a happy circumstance for the French, that their pride does not +consist in a desire to get out of their station, but an extreme anxiety +to exaggerate the importance of the station in which they are placed; a +cook, for example, has the most exalted idea of the art of cookery, and +wishes to impress everyone with the same idea of its high importance, +and all his ambition is to be considered a cook of the first-rate +talent. In England it is different, one of the great objects with a +tradesman is the hope, that by making his fortune he shall be enabled to +get out of his class and take a higher walk in society. For this purpose +they bring their sons up to the liberal professions, and often retire +into the country at a distance from London, where they flatter +themselves that the circumstance of their having been in business may +not travel; their plan seldom succeeds, but has in several instances +when they have come over to France, as being rich, appearing +respectable, and their children highly educated, they have obtained the +_entree_ to French society, which has ultimately led to that of the +English. I remember one instance of a hatter marrying his five daughters +to persons of the higher classes, three to English and two to French, +who now with their father have that position in society, into which at +one period he never could have dreamed of entering; had they remained in +England, they would have had but little chance of emerging from their +original station, even with the aid of all their wealth. + +Street scenes often afford amusing exhibitions of natural +characteristics; I remember one which I witnessed, which developed a +feeling truly French; two common-looking men had been disputing for some +time, when one upbraided the other with want of delicacy and not having +a nice sense of honour, but finding his reproaches made but little +impression upon the accused, at last said, "As I see you are destitute +of any mental susceptibility, I must try if you have any bodily feeling, +and thrash you as I would a dog or any other brute." So saying, he +advanced to put his threat into execution, but the assailed proving far +the strongest, soon overcame the assailant and laid him prostrate; +rising from the ground, he regarded the conqueror with a dignified air, +and said, "Yes! you have the physical force, but I have the force of +reason," and with a flourish of the head he strutted off with as +triumphant a demeanour as if he had vanquished a host of enemies. + +The French are exceedingly fond of moralizing; a few days before the +Revolution occurred, whilst a man was driving me through the Place de la +Concorde, I observed a scaffolding in the middle, and asked what it was +for, and having informed me that it was for the purpose of erecting a +statue of Louis the Sixteenth, being the spot in which he was beheaded, +he exclaimed, "What an absurdity! but those Bourbons are incorrigible; +would it not be much better to let such events as those sink as much as +possible into oblivion, instead of endeavouring to perpetuate them. One +would have thought," continued he, "that the adversity and exile which +that besotted family had endured would have operated upon them as a +lesson, but they will never benefit from any lessons; one, however, will +be tried upon them very soon, if they do not mind what they are about, +and we shall see what impression that will make." The man's words came +to pass, they did indeed receive a severe lesson, which involved them in +ruin and disgrace. + +Having observed a number of persons assembled on the Boulevards, I asked +the cause, and was told that some cavalry was expected to pass in a few +minutes, for which the people were waiting. I took my station amongst +them, which happened to be next to two bakers' boys, who were in earnest +conversation, when I was edified by the following observations. "Do you +know why Alphonse left his place?" "Yes," replied the other, "because +his master gave him a cuff on the head." "That certainly was a very +great indignity;" observed the younger; "to receive a blow is very +humiliating." "That is true," replied the other, "but figure to yourself +the folly of a lad, for the sake of a paltry thump, to sacrifice all his +future prospects; in a few years, had he put up with the insult, he +might have been head man in a bakehouse in the Rue St. Denis, which is +one of the most populous quarters in Paris." "True," said the younger, +"it would have been wiser to have sayed; but when excited, reason does +not always come to one's aid." + +I have translated the discourse as literally as I could, that I might +preserve as nearly as possible the expressions which the boys used, as +it has often struck me how much more refined they are, than those to +which lads of the same age and class would have had recourse in England. + +Some of the scenes at the tribunals are very amusing; I remember a very +rough ferocious-looking man having been brought up for returning to +Paris, from which he had been sent away on account of some offences +which he had committed, and was ordered to some small obscure town in +the provinces, under _surveillance_. Finding his banishment very +irksome, an irresistible impulse brought him back to Paris, and +repairing to his old haunts, he sought the Rue de la Mortellerie, which +had in part been pulled down, on account of some improvements which were +going forward; whilst he was gaping about, looking in vain for his dear +Rue de la Mortellerie, he was recognised by a Serjeant of police and +very unwillingly lodged in the _Corps de Garde_ (guard-house), and +brought before the Tribunal of Correction; he was interrogated as to his +having dared, in defiance of the law, to return to Paris. He replied, +"indeed, Monsieur le President, I was so overcome with ennui, that I +found it impossible to exist there any longer; now, only imagine for an +instant, M. le President, the idea of a Parisian, as I am, to be sent to +a little bit of a place where there was no theatre, no promenade, not +even a public monument." + +He was interrupted by the President telling him, that whatever the place +might have been, there he should have staid to the end of his time, and +must be punished for returning to Paris. "But," continued the +delinquent, "the vile little hole to which I was exiled contained no +society whatever, the inhabitants were merely a set of illiterate +beings, and how could any enlightened person vegetate amongst such a +mic-mac of semi-barbarians; but tell me, M. le President, what has +become of the Rue de la Mortellerie?" + +Without deigning to answer, the President was proceeding to condemn the +prisoner, when interrupted by his exclaiming, "Now I intreat, M. le +President, that you who are no doubt a very enlightened personage, would +only place yourself in my position, and conceive how it was possible to +exist buried alive as it were among such a set of Goths, and above all +do tell me what has become of my Rue de la Mortellerie?" + +The President, out of all patience, sentenced him to imprisonment in one +of the goals of Paris for three years. + +"Well," said the garrulous and incorrigible offender, "I shall have one +satisfaction, that of knowing that I am still in Paris, that seat of the +arts, that centre of civilisation, and terrestrial paradise; but pray +tell me, M. le President, before we part, do tell me what have they done +with my dear Rue de la Mortellerie?" Without affording him time to +occupy the court any longer with his irrelevant questions and +explanations, they hurried him away, whilst he continued to murmur what +could possibly have gone with his dear Rue de la Mortellerie which was +no other than a little narrow filthy street which it would be difficult +to match in the worst neighbourhoods in London. + +I also recollect an instance of the deliberate coolness of a man who was +tried and found guilty of the robbery and murder of a farmer; being +asked if he knew his accomplice, he observed "As to knowing him, M. le +President, that is more than I can say; you must be aware that it is +extremely difficult to _know_ a person, you may have seen a person +often, and even conversed with him for years, and yet never _know_ him." + +"Are you acquainted with him," was the next question. + +"As to that," continued the prisoner, "I am a man who has very few +acquaintances, being naturally of a reserved character and rather +diffident in my nature, I shrink from entering much into society; being +of a reflecting habit, I like often to pass my hours alone, having +rather an indifferent opinion of human nature." + +How long he would have gone on in the same strain, it is impossible to +say, when he was imperatively demanded if he knew him by name, by sight, +and had talked, or walked, or ate, or drank with him. + +"Really you put so many questions to me at once that you tax my memory +beyond its means; I never was celebrated for having a very retentive +memory, my mother used to say." + +The court out of patience again interrupted him, but with all their +efforts could never elicit from him a direct answer; but the +circumstantial and testimonial evidence being perfectly convincing, he +and his accomplice were condemned to death. When he heard the sentence +he very coolly asked which would be guillotined first; he was answered +that the other would, and that it was to be hoped that the sight of his +companion's fate might bring him to some sense of his awful situation. +When the time arrived for their execution, he displayed the same +imperturbable audacity; as his accomplice was about to suffer, he +elbowed the person who was standing next to him, and pointing to his +fellow criminal, he smiled and said, "Look, poor wretch, he is afraid, I +declare he even trembles." When it came to his turn he mounted the +ladder with as cheerful an air as if he was merely going to his +breakfast, and to the last moment preserved the same sang-froid. + +A brutal sort of fellow, who was once condemned for an assault, in an +instant snatched off his wooden shoes and threw them at the head of the +President, who it appears had a good eye for avoiding a shot, and +managed to escape the missiles. + +Sometimes the avocats (barristers) avail themselves of causes in which +they are engaged, so as to render them vehicles for displaying their wit +or humour, and afford much amusement to the court; a case some time +since occurred which excited much interest and some mirth and +entertainment; the parties concerned were a Madame Dumoulin who had +invented stays of a peculiar nature. Another person who was English +styling herself the inventor, and making them in the same manner, +notwithstanding the former had been granted a patent, an action was the +consequence. It was observed that the hostile parties in this instance, +although French and English, were neither decked with helmets nor armed +with pistols, swords, nor muskets, but entered the scene of combat in +long shawls and velvet bonnets, announcing themselves without the aid of +heralds, the one representing the French army the other the English +host. The champion on the side of the former being a Monsieur Ch. Ledru, +against whom Monsieur Ducluseau entered the lists on the British side of +the question; what made it more remarkable, was, that the belligerents +resided in the same street, the residence of M. Ducluseau, the advocate +for the English defendant, merely separating the mansions of the two +combatants. + +Victory declared for Madame Dumoulin after many subtle and learned +arguments were adduced on both sides, and an English lady, the mother of +several daughters, tells me if I have any regard for my fair +countrywomen I must recommend to their notice the stays of Madame +Dumoulin, truly observing that as the object of my work was to render +every possible service to all my readers, certainly the ladies must have +a pre-eminent claim, and although there are certain articles of the +toilet with which it might be observed man should never meddle, as he +could not be any judge of such habiliments as ought only to be worn by +the ladies, and a few dandies who are neither one thing nor the other, +yet when three scientific societies condescend to award medals to the +inventor and patentee of the articles alluded to, I trust I shall be +pardoned if with an intention to serve the fair sex I trench upon their +privilege in calling their attention to the useful and ornamental +corsets, which have caused so much controversy. + +These stays are so contrived as to be totally without gussets, and adapt +themselves to the form with such perfect facility, that there is not +that restraint which, instead of bestowing grace to the female figure, +is rather calculated to deform, that, which, if left in a degree to +nature, would have displayed both elegance and ease. As an artist +accustomed to contemplate the beauty of feature and of form, I have +often regretted that common error into which such numbers of females +fall, by torturing themselves in tightening the waist to such an +unnatural degree, confining the person as it were in a vice, and totally +preventing that movement in the person, which is indispensable in giving +that elasticity in walking which alone can produce a graceful carriage, +devoid of that stiffness which is ever occasioned by too great a +restraint. The stays invented by Madame Dumoulin are universally admired +as aiding nature, in affording the utmost freedom to the wearer, at the +same time that they improve the figure. + +These stays, have not only received the approbation of the scientific +world by the presentation of three medals, but have also been +recommended by several distinguished members of the faculty, who +consider they are calculated rather to improve than deteriorate the +health of those who wear them. The action which Madame Dumoulin was +obliged to bring against her competitor has been of the utmost service +to her, not only by the triumph she has received and the confirmation of +her patent, but in giving her that vogue that not only the influential +Parisian ladies, but Russian, German and Spanish princesses have +patronised her ingenuity; her residence is Rue du 29 Juillet, no 5. + +In the Courts of Justice in France and particularly in Paris, I have +found that both the prisoners and the witnesses have far more self +possession than in the tribunals in England; they are not so soon +embarrassed by the brow-beating and examination of the counsel, and +sometimes give such replies as turn the sting upon their examiners; +having like the Irish a sort of tact for repartee, they are not often +to be taken aback; the lower classes in Paris are naturally extremely +shrewd and penetrating, they recognise a foreigner instantly, before he +speaks, as a friend of mine found to his cost, who although an +Englishman would anywhere in his own country be set down for a Frenchman +from his external appearance. On the Saturday following the three +glorious days, he was standing amongst one of the groups near the +Hotel-de-Ville, when a man of a very rough appearance with his arms bare +and besmeared with proofs that he had been in the strife, turned to him +and asked what he thought of the Revolution. My friend, who was in +feeling a thorough bred John Bull, neither liking France, the French, +nor any of their proceedings, did not think it was exactly the moment to +give vent to all his feelings, answered that it was very fine. + +"Oh!" said the Frenchman, "you find it very fine, do you, you're a +foreigner, what countryman are you?" + +"I am an Englishman," was the reply. + +"An Englishman! eh!" muttered the Frenchman scanning him with a very +scrutinising eye, "and you find our Revolutionary fine, eh! well," added +he! "will you come and take a glass of wine with me?" + +The invitation was declined on the plea of business. + +"Business," repeated the Frenchman, "there can be no business to-day, it +is a day of fete;" upon which the Englishman, not seeing any means by +which he could well get off of it, said he would be happy to take wine +with him and should also have great pleasure in paying for it. + +"Pay for it," sternly said the Frenchman, "what do you talk of paying +for it, when you are invited, follow me;" the Englishman obeyed, but +wished himself well out of the scrape; his conductor took him to one of +the lowest sort of wine-houses and they entered a large room where there +were above twenty seated, drinking round a table. His new acquaintance +introduced him in due form, saying, I have brought you an Englishman who +finds our Revolution very fine; there was a degree of order amongst them +and they had a president and vice president, but were very much such +rough looking fellows as the one who announced him; as a stranger, he +was awarded the seat of honour to the right of the president, but had no +sooner been seated, than one man addressed him, saying, + +"I have been in England, I was a prisoner and very ill treated." + +"I am sorry for that," replied the Englishman. + +"I was almost starved," added the other. + +"That was not the fault of the people or the intention of the +government," observed my friend, "but was caused by a few rascally +contractors who received a handsome sum for the supply of the prisoners, +and to make the greater profit they provided bad articles." + +"Well," said another, "I have seen extracts from the English papers and +they speak very highly of our revolution, particularly the Times." + +They next proceeded to give accounts of the share they had taken in the +struggle which had just terminated, and some began to state the number +that they killed, all of which was far from edifying to my friend, who +sat upon thorns notwithstanding they all drank his health, hitting the +glasses together according to the custom of olden time. At several +periods he made an effort to go, but they assured him that they could +not part with him so soon, called him a _bon anglais_, now and then +giving him a smack on the shoulder as a proof of their friendly feeling +towards him. The Englishman began at last to wish himself anywhere but +where he was, and in that manner they kept him for three hours in +durance vile; at last he made a bold push for a retreat, declaring he +could not stay a minute longer. + +"Then," said his conductor, "I shall see you safe home to your door;" +now that was the very thing that my friend did not want, as he was +particularly desirous of dropping the acquaintance as soon as possible, +therefore did not wish him to know where he lived; so at last he thought +of a person with whom he dealt, and said he must go, and see a friend +there with whom he had an appointment; and the Frenchman accompanied him +to the door, always carrying his drawn sword with him, and when taking +leave asked the Englishman when and where he should see him again; my +friend answered he was going to England. + +"Going to England," repeated the other, "what are you going to England +for, if you find our Revolution so very fine, what do you want to go +away from it for, not to abuse it to your country people, I hope?" + +"Oh no," replied the Englishman, "I am only going to England for a +little while, on business, and shall be back soon, and shall have it in +my power to tell my countrymen all about the Revolution, and what an +heroic struggle it was." + +"Ah!" said the Frenchman; then holding out his great rough hand, bade +the Englishman "bon soir," and "bon voyage." + +My friend declared that it was impossible for him to describe to what a +degree he was rejoiced at seeing his new acquaintance depart, although, +however rough his appearance, the man might have been perfectly +harmless, except when called upon to fight for what he considered his +country's cause. + +I was myself living in Paris during the struggle of the Three Days, and +can bear witness to the humanity and moderation of the people during the +contest, and of their forbearance after their victory; they came to the +house at which I was living and asked for wine; but they brought with +them pails of water into which they threw what was given them, thereby +proving their extreme temperance and forbearance, but certainly a band +of a more ruffianlike looking set of fellows, it would be difficult to +imagine, and the manner in which they were at first armed, had something +in it of the horrible, and at the same time of the ludicrous; iron bars, +pokers, pitchforks, and in fact anything that could be converted into a +weapon was taken possession of by the unwashed horde, who swarmed +towards the centre of Paris from the manufacturing suburbs; soon, +however, the public armouries, and the gunsmiths' shops, the musquetry, +and other arms taken from the soldiers during the battle, contributed to +arm them more formidably. + +But in justice to the Parisians I must cite two circumstances; the one +is, that whatever they seized upon in the public institutions, as +instruments of offence and defence, were restored when the contest was +over; the librarian at the Royal Library told me that they took all the +ancient and modern arms from their establishment, but with the exception +of seven they were all brought back, and most likely the bearers of +those which were missing had been killed. + +The other instance which does high credit to the Parisian mob, is that +they would not permit of any robbing or pillage in any house or building +which they might enter, but, as might be expected, some of the regular +thieves of Paris mixed amongst the people; one at length being caught +purloining an image in the palace of the Tuileries, they formed a circle +round the thief, tried him in an instant, and shot him; this was summary +justice with a vengeance, and certainly not exactly what ought to have +been done, but it showed the principle which existed. In fact honesty is +undoubtedly a quality existing in France to a most extraordinary degree, +a greater proof of it cannot be adduced than the fact that when any +person quits a theatre with the idea of returning in a few minutes they +leave their handkerchiefs on their seats by way of retaining their +places, which custom is even practised at the lowest theatres, where the +admittance is only half a franc. + +Ingenuity and a tact for invention are certainly features peculiar to +the French character, but they are far behind the English in their +methods of transacting business; this remark is applicable even to most +of the public offices; that France is extremely flourishing, and Paris +more particularly so, cannot be denied, but were it in the hands of the +English there is no doubt their produce, manufactures, and commerce, +both home and foreign, would be considerably greater than it now is. +France has been most peculiarly favoured by nature, her soil produces +everything that can be grown in England, and besides three commodities +which are not genial to our climate, and are of immense value, oil, silk +and wine; hence the products of the soil of France amount annually to +the immense sum of 240,000,000_l._, or 6,000,000,000 francs; having such +a basis, or one may even say such a capital to work upon, to what an +incalculable extent might business be carried on, with the amazing +industry that exists in France, as in the first place their population +exceeds ours by nearly six millions; then their general temperance is +such, there is not so much time nor labour lost as there is in England, +consequently there are more hands available, and those generally for a +longer period of time, as every one who is familiar with many +manufacturing and even agricultural districts in England must be aware +that there are numbers of workmen who never appear on the Monday, +vulgarly called St. Monday, but spend it at the public houses. + +I myself have had farming men whom I hired by the day in Kent, who did +not appear until Wednesday morning, but that, however, is some years +since, and the evil is now correcting. The great deficiency in France is +not only want of great capitalists, but men of enterprise, who are not +afraid to enter upon colossal undertakings; and now, looking at the +speculative works of the greatest magnitude which exist in France, it +will be found that Englishmen are concerned in them, either as partners +in a firm, or the principal shareholders in any company or association. +The promptness of the English for adventuring their funds in all sorts +of schemes is the wonderment of all Europe; whenever there is any +discovery which may be rendered available for trade, an Englishman is on +the spot with his capital in his hand and his calculation in his head. +Recently a vein of coal was found near the coast of Brittany, three +Englishmen were there as if they had dropped from the clouds, quite +prepared to enter into all the arrangements requisite for working the +mine and rendering it productive of profit. + +But although the French are deficient in those qualities requisite for +commencing and conducting gigantic enterprises, yet they are rapidly +improving in every point that is necessary for the management of +business and augmenting their foreign commerce to a great extent, +particularly with America; from the town of New Orleans alone, last +summer, there were eighty merchants in Paris at one time, and the amount +from all the United States was estimated at two thousand; in fact if +France remain at peace, the increase of her prosperity in every branch +of industry must be certain, as if she obtain English machinery, which +she must ultimately, with those who know how to set it in motion also, +as provisions are cheaper, and always will be than with us, because she +needs not so much taxation, her debt being so much smaller than that of +England, labour must be lower, therefore she will have an advantage over +us which it will be impossible for England, with all her talents, to +circumvent. Already the Americans purchase, not only silks and fancy +articles in France, but also even cotton goods of the superior +qualities; the only obstacle which prevents the French from making still +more rapid advancement than is at present the case, is first timidity of +capitalists, deficiency of knowledge of the higher order of business, +and extreme slowness in proceeding with any grand national operation, as +for instance, her railroads, in which she has not only seen England +surpass her tenfold, but other neighbouring countries; but as there is a +sort of system of centralization in favour of the metropolis, Paris +improves more rapidly in proportion than the rest of France. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + + The monuments of Paris, the gardens, promenades, markets, + libraries, etc. + + +In order to facilitate the progress of the reader in viewing the +monuments and different objects of interest in Paris, I shall classify +them within certain limits, so that they may be viewed in the shortest +possible time, stating those which are contiguous to each other, so that +a greater number may be visited in a day, than if the traveller went +from one distant quarter of Paris to the other promiscuously, as he +happened to hear of any building or monument he wished to see, and thus +have to return perhaps two or three times to the same neighbourhood +instead of finishing with one district first, then taking the others in +rotation; as I shall suppose that some of my readers can only afford ten +days or a fortnight to view Paris, I shall be as chary of their time as +possible; having been accustomed to show the lions to many different +friends or acquaintances from England, I trust I am tolerably _au fait_ +at that operation. I shall begin with that part of Paris denominated La +Cite, because it is the most central and the most ancient; we will +therefore proceed to it by the Pont-Neuf, which as I have already stated +was built by Henry III about 1580. There are several shops upon it +contained within small stone buildings, which, when viewing the bridge +at a short distance, have rather a picturesque effect; it is ornamented +with a number of heads according to the taste of that day, and which now +give it rather an antique appearance. When well upon the bridge which +rises as it approaches the centre, I would advise the spectator to look +around him, as the view well repays the trouble, the quays having a most +noble appearance, adorned by the Louvre, the Tuileries, the Institute, +and other public buildings. + +Now let us look about us at more immediate objects; what a noisy +bustling scene it is at present, and has been for centuries past, as in +the reign of Henry IV it is described as absolutely stunning; now you +are assailed by the hissing of fried potatoes, fish, and fritters, which +are bought up as fast as they are supplied, women and men are seated +with their little apparatus for shearing cats and dogs, and clipping +their tails and ears if required, which is a calling that appears to be +followed by numbers in Paris who all seem to take their stations on the +bridges; situated amongst them are several shoeblacks, who appear to +take their posts in uniform array with the trimmers of cats and dogs; +they operate upon your boots and shoes as you stand, therefore if you +wish to patronise them you may take that opportunity of looking about +and getting disburthened of some of the Paris mud, quite certain if it +be wet weather that you will soon get more. Fruit in all its variety, +books, prints, blacking, and nick-knacks of every description offer +themselves to your notice. But let us direct our attention to a more +interesting object; the fine bronze equestrian statue of Henry IV: one +could almost think the good and merry monarch was going to utter some of +his witty sallies. Now let us turn round and behold those antique +looking houses which face us and were built in his reign, at a distance +they have a sort of castellated appearance: before we quit the bridge +let us look down on the Baths Vigier with their pretty garden; we will +enter the place Dauphine, and then take one look at the bust of Desaix, +the victim of the battle of Marengo, and next we will turn on to the +Quai de l'Horloge and view the north side of the Palais de Justice; it +presents two round towers, which have the appearance of being very old, +and I was assured by an architect who employed much of his time in +poking about after such morsels of antiquity as he could find, that they +were built by the Romans, but I doubt it. + +We must not miss the Tour de l'Horloge, which is certainly of the middle +ages, and the clock is I believe considered the oldest in Paris; turning +to the right we view the grand front of the Palais de Justice, a very +handsome iron grating in part gilded, decorates the entrance to the +front court, and you ascend a bold flight of steps to the principal +door; four doric pillars with figures representing Justice, Fortitude, +Plenty, and Prudence, adorn the grand facade of the building; an immense +hall to the right, in which is a noble statue of the good and venerable +Malesherbes, well worth attention, and is the apartment where formerly +ambassadors were received and the nuptial ceremonies of princes were +celebrated, but now the rendez-vous of lawyers, barristers, and their +clients. + +Several other halls, chambers, galleries, corridors, etc, are worth +notice, and that which is beneath them, has a shuddering kind of +interest; it is called the Conciergerie, and if its victims were there +consigned by the harsh decree of rigid justice, surely mercy and charity +were not allowed to enter, whilst it formed the prison of the hapless +Marie Antoinette and the brave Pichegru, but we will draw a veil over +those scenes which are but fraught with sad reminiscences. Many of these +dark covered alleys, belonging to this extraordinary building, have been +long occupied by venders of shoes, slippers and a variety of articles +which remind one of the old Exeter Change. + +This singular edifice which almost resembles a town is considered to +have been founded by Eudes, count of Paris, about the year 890, but the +most ancient part now standing, was built by Saint Louis who founded the +chapel, which is considered to be a complete type of the _pure_ gothic +architecture, and which in that respect is not exceeded by any other in +Europe; it has the most decided air of antiquity, with a richness and +elegance which certainly characterise it as the beau ideal of that +period. It is termed the Holy Chapel and now appropriated to the +conservation of ancient records. From this interesting monument we turn +with regret, but a new scene bursts upon us; it is the flower market, +which is held under trees and furnished with large bassins constantly +supplied with water; the numerous display of flowers mostly in pots done +up in such a manner with white paper so that it forms the background, +gives much light and life to the colours, buds, and blossoms, which +bloom on this enlivening spot. Wednesdays and Saturdays are the market +days, and I recommend the reader not to miss so pleasing a spectacle. On +the Quai du Marche-Neuf, on the southern bank of the island, a very +opposite sight may be seen, being the Morgue, a little building for +receiving all dead bodies found, and not owned. + +We now proceed to Notre-Dame, which is in the form of a cross; it was +began about the year 1150, in the reign of Louis the Seventh, but +continued in that of Philippe-Auguste, and completed under Saint-Louis +in 1257, which date, as I have already stated, it now distinctly bears. +Its magnitude and extent surpasses every other church in Paris, it is in +the arabic style, and being now totally detached from any other building +has a most grand effect; it is only in the present reign that this great +improvement has been effected, as it was formerly joined on one side to +the archiepiscopal palace. The immense number of grotesque figures which +surround and surmount the doorway, give it a most rich appearance, +although they are in the rudest style of barbarism; above is a large +window called the rose, which is a most beautiful and curious object. +The interior at the first view has a most striking effect; one hundred +and twenty pillars supporting a range of arches afford a most splendid +_coup d'oeil_, the middle aisle presenting an uninterrupted view of +the whole church, which being very lofty has a most majestic appearance; +the sumptuous altar, the fine gloom pervading the pictures, the curious +Gobelin tapestry which decorate the sides, combine in affording a rich +effect which is still heightened by the chapels which are perceptible +between the columns. Although it might be urged that there is rather a +profusion of decoration with the bas-reliefs, and other ornaments, yet +the edifice is on so colossal a scale that it still presents so broad a +mass, that a tone of simplicity pervades the whole. The beautiful choir +is after a design by De Goste, the altar and sanctuary are of marble and +porphyry, whilst tesselated pavements and variegated shrines adorn the +numerous chapels. The pictures are good in general; as to the tapestry, +I think it had better be removed, which I dare say it will be as taste +refines. It is to be regretted that the towers of Notre-Dame have so +heavy and black appearance, which is increased by a parcel of dark +unseemly shutters. On the outside towards the north, there are some +pieces of sculpture well worth examination; they are beautifully +executed although much deteriorated by time, and appear to be works of +about the thirteenth century. There are some curious brasses which would +be very interesting to persons capable of decyphering them, one in +particular to the left on entering, but so much in the dark that it is +difficult to make it out, especially as the characters at best are not +easy to understand, but I recommend them to the inspection of those +persons who have time and inclination to study such subjects. The view +of the city from the towers affords an ample panorama, and displays the +positions of the principal monuments. + +The Hotel Dieu is one of the finest establishments of the kind in +Europe, it is an hospital for the sick, in which they can make up 1,500 +beds, but there is nothing in its external appearance that is very +striking. The Archiepiscopal Palace had not a very attractive exterior, +but now, as they are partly demolishing and rebuilding it all, remarks +must be suspended until it be finished. No other object presents itself +particularly worth notice on this island, once the celebrated Lutetia, +but many of the houses have a very old appearance, and are some of them +probably of three or four hundred years standing; the curious observer +inspecting them will here and there find indications of the middle ages. +If the reader like to pass over to the Isle St. Louis, it will but take +him a few minutes, which is about as much as it is worth; the only +object exciting attention is the Hotel Chamisot, No. 45, Rue St. Louis, +and the church of St. Louis, built in 1664. In this edifice there are +some pictures worthy remark and a curious spire. The Hotel Lambert, No. +2, Rue St. Louis, also merits attention, being most richly adorned with +paintings, gilded mouldings, frescos, etc. Voltaire lived in it, and +Napoleon had a long conversation in the gallery in 1815 with his +minister, Montalivet, when he found all was lost. + +I shall now conduct my reader from the little Isle St. Louis by the Pont +de Tournelle to the Quay de Tournelle, from which we proceed to that of +St. Bernard, where every one must be struck with the Halles aux Vins, or +Wine Halls; they are all arranged with extreme regularity, and forming +altogether a whole, have a most singular effect; the neatness of the +appearance is remarkable; and the extent is such that they might contain +sufficient inhabitants to people a small town. As we proceed along the +quay, we have a good view of the Pont d'Austerlitz, it is quite flat, +built of iron, and is extremely light and handsome. + +Upon our right is the great attraction, so interesting to all nations, +the Garden of Plants; the first view of it through the iron railing is +most striking, rows of sable looking trees, forming a fine contrast to +the broad expansive beds of flowers, their gay colours blooming forth so +thickly as to resemble at some distance the brightest and richest +carpet; broad walks are between these brilliant masses; at the end of +which is the building which contains the Museum of natural History; to +give the reader anything like an accurate idea of this establishment, it +is necessary to exercise one's ability in condensing to the utmost +degree, as to furnish a comprehensive analysis of the wonders of this +institution would require a folio volume. I knew an English couple who +took lodgings in the immediate neighbourhood for three months that they +might go every day and study the numberless interesting objects this +establishment contains. The long promenades are formed by picturesque +trees and shrubs which have been collected from every clime; the immense +number of labels, as one approaches more closely, rather disfigure the +display of flowers, but as usefulness is the object, it is impossible +otherwise than to approve the extreme order and regularity with which +every plant, according to its genus, is classified, affording a most +delectable treat to a regular botanist. This arrangement has been +effected under the superintendence of Monsieur du Jussieu himself, no +doubt one of the most scientific botanists thatever has appeared; his +residence and that of his family was in the gardens, when I was in Paris +twenty years back, and I believe some of them still are concerned in the +botanical arrangements of the institution. + +The tremendous vocabulary of long latin names inscribed on the labels is +really enough to appal the most retentive memory that ever existed, and +to a person who has never dipped at all into the mysteries of botany I +can imagine the terms are rather alarming, words with nineteen letters +in them are but trifles compared to others, and a regular John Bull who +was scanning them very justly remarked, pointing to the flowers, that it +was certainly a favoured spot of Flora, and then alluding to the fruits +observed the same of Pomona, but added, he should like very much to know +who was the goddess of hard words as he would recommend her to descend +upon the same beds, as she would there find a more numerous progeny +than either of her rival goddesses. I believe that there are now nearly +10,000 plants arranged according to the system of De Jussieu, in the +most simple and perfect manner, so that the student is enabled at once +to comprehend the plan, and numbers of both sexes attend even as early +as six in the morning copying the names of plants and studying their +classification. Although this establishment is called the Garden of +Plants, it has many other objects of the highest interest besides what +its name indicates. It is at the same time a most extensive menagerie, +which first gave the idea that has since been adopted of the Zoological +Gardens in Regent's Park; formerly the arrangement exceedingly +interested and delighted the English visiter, but now that he has the +same thing at home, it has ceased to be a novelty. Each animal having +plenty of room to walk about in, was certainly a beautiful thought, and +great improvement on confining them in cages, which is now only found +necessary with ferocious animals. The bears form a great source of +amusement to the people, they are in large square pits about ten or +twelve feet below the level of the promenades, and each has a large pole +in the middle, with several branches upon which they climb, whilst the +visiters throwing bread to them are exceedingly diverted at their +successful or unsuccessful attempts to catch it. It would be superfluous +to enter upon a description of the great variety of animals assembled in +this collection, suffice it to say that I believe there is no living +animal who can exist in a Parisian climate, that is not to be found in +this garden; generally there are several of a kind, and in case one dies +it is immediately replaced by another. The monkeys are the principal +objects of attraction, and as soon as they are let out into their little +paddock in front of their dwellings, which is only when the day is +considered sufficiently warm, crowds of people assemble to witness their +grimaces and gambols; they and the bears may be considered as the +principal dramatis personae of the menagerie, and who certainly perform +their parts most admirably, never failing to afford the utmost +entertainment to the audience: and it is indeed a sort of rivalry +between Jocko and Bruin which should play their _role_ the best; for my +own part I really think I give the preference to the latter, there is +something at once so comic and so good natured-looking in the bears, +that I feel almost inclined to descend into their pits and caress and +pet them as I would a favourite dog, but am only deterred by fearing +they would give me a reception rather too warm, and their friendly hug +be too overpowering for me to sustain. + +There are several buildings in this garden which are applied to various +purposes, amongst the rest an Amphitheatre where lectures on all the +branches of natural history are delivered. A Cabinet of Anatomy most +richly stored occupies one mansion; dissections of the human form, as +well as those of almost every animal are here found, besides numerous +other curiosities. Amongst other things the progress of a chicken in the +egg is exemplified, from its first speck until it has life, which is +imitated with the most extraordinary exactness in wax, as also are +several fishes which cannot be preserved, besides a numerous collection +of foeti and monsters. To see these things properly; would require to +pass several days in these rooms; but a week would not suffice to do +justice to the grand Museum, every description of bird and beast that +has been known to exist in our days may be found here stuffed, and +preserved in glass cases with the nicest care; it appears strange to see +an enormous elephant and a tall ostrich within a glass case. Here also +are to be found every species of fungus, chrysalis, sea-weed, eggs, and +nests. But the shells, minerals, and fossils, form so extraordinary and +numerous a collection that they are the subject of admiration of every +beholder; the polish of the shells, the brilliance of the colours of the +plumage of the birds, and the glossy smoothness of the skins of the +beasts are as perfect as if they were living, but the same cannot +exactly be said of the fishes. The marbles, porphyry, and granite, the +lava, basaltes, barks of trees, bones of animals known and unknown, some +within stones, are arranged by the celebrated Cuvier, whilst the ores, +crystals, jaspers, and extraordinary varieties of ornamental articles +formed of these materials occupy several apartments. + +In addition to all these objects of high interest, there is a most +excellent library, giving every possible information regarding the +contents of this delightful establishment; a statue of the great +illustrator of the wonders of nature, Buffon, is here most +appropriately placed, as also some paintings of plants and animals. +Hence it may be easily imagined that persons who have much leisure, and +are fond of the study of natural history, may well choose to take up +their abode in the neighbourhood, for the convenience of long poring +over the beauties of this wonderful Museum. From hence other schools of +botany are supplied with seeds, cuttings, suckers, etc., whilst the +hospitals of Paris are gratuitously furnished with whatever is requisite +for the purposes of medicine; nor must I omit to state that there is a +most beautiful aviary, the birds of which are choice selections of the +finest of their species, and for those of an aquatic nature, there is a +basin of water from the Seine. Even specimens of soils, manures, +ditches, ha-has, palisades, frames, and every thing necessary for +forming fences are to be found here in every variety. Even to persons +who have no scientific information nor desire to obtain knowledge, to +walk in the Jardin-des-Plantes (Garden of Plants) affords delight, the +number of attractions are such, and of so varied a description that even +the dullest mind must be awakened to a sense of pleasure, yet some +persons I have seen who regarded all the phenomena collected here with +the most stoical indifference; the fact is, that a number of people will +not take the trouble to think, and lose the enjoyment they might receive +from the wonders of nature; how different if they would but devote to +them a little reflexion. + +With our minds still deeply impregnated with the impression of the +objects we have just contemplated, we will leave the garden, and turning +round to the right, we find ourselves upon the Boulevard de l'Hopital, +just facing the Hopital de la Salpetriere, which makes up 500 beds for +females, who are lunatics, idiots, otherwise diseased, or 70 years of +age; it is of immense extent, and conducted with so much order, and such +cleanliness prevails both with regard to the inmates and the +establishment itself, that it may be considered one of the most +gratifying sights in Paris; in fact I have heard many English ladies, +much to their credit, declare that not any of the interesting objects +which they had seen in the French capital, afforded them more pleasure +and satisfaction. Just near it is the terminus for the Orleans railway, +which is worthy of observation, and then we will cross over to the horse +and dog market and observe the regular system with regard to the stalls +and other arrangements which are adopted; it is principally for +draught-horses, Wednesdays and Saturdays are the market days, and +Sundays for dogs. We must next glance at the Hopital de la Pitie, +founded in 1612 for paupers, it has been since annexed to the +Hotel-Dieu, and contains 600 beds; it is situated No. 1, rue Copeau. +Sainte-Pelagie being just by in the Rue de la Clef, we ought to afford +it a half hour; it was formerly a convent of nuns, political prisoners +are now here confined when committed for trial, or if sentenced to but +short terms of imprisonment; it is also appropriated for other offenders +whose sentence of confinement is of brief duration, but the military +surveillance within and around it is very strict. + +The Fountain Cuvier, at the corner of the street of that name, and the +Rue St. Victor, must claim a few minutes' attention; it is certainly one +amongst those of modern erection possessing great merit. In the Rue +Scipion we will cast one look at the great bakehouse for all the +hospitals in Paris, to which I have before alluded. The Amphitheatre of +Anatomy must occupy some attention, being a suite of anatomical schools +only recently built, on a most commodious scale; it forms a corner of +the Rues du Fer and Fosses St. Marcel. One thought in passing the +ancient Cimetiere de Ste. Catherine, closed in 1815, must be devoted to +Pichegru, who lies buried there; we then hurry on without loss of time +to the manufacture of the Gobelin tapestry. As the little river Bievre +is considered to be peculiarly adapted for dyeing, that process has been +carried on from a very remote period on the spot where the present +establishment now stands, which owes its foundation to Jean Gobelin in +1450, and under Louis the Fourteenth it was formed into a royal +manufactory. To me this is indeed one of the greatest wonders of Paris, +how such beautiful specimens of art can be produced when the work is all +done behind the frame, so that the artist cannot see the effect of what +he is doing, is to me most miraculous; the material used is woollen and +silken threads, so woven together, that a perfectly smooth surface is +produced, having all the softness and gradation of tints to be found in +the finest oil painting, without that glare which varnish produces; the +execution of these works is attended by a most tedious application, +requiring sometimes six years to complete one piece, which, at 18,000 +francs, about seven hundred pounds, is not adequate to recompensing the +workmen equal to their merit and perseverance; about 120 men are +constantly employed, principally for the Government or the Royal Family. + +Attached to this establishment is the Royal Carpet Manufactory; such as +are here produced are considered superior to those of Persia, with +regard to the evenness of the surface, the strength, durability, and +fineness of the workmanship, the beauty of the designs, and the +brilliance of the colours, which are such as can never be surpassed, but +if they were ever allowed to be sold, the price would be so enormous +that some would amount to 150,000 francs (6000_l._) The accuracy with +which the pictures of Rubens have been copied is most extraordinary, as +it may be said that the operative works in the dark. One carpet has been +produced for the Gallery of the Louvre, consisting of seventy-two +pieces, forming a total exceeding 1,300 feet which is supposed to be the +largest carpet ever made. The same facility exists for foreigners seeing +this exhibition, as with all others, the passport being presented, +Wednesdays and Saturdays, from one to three in winter, and from two to +four in the summer. + +A curious old house, termed the Maison de St. Louis or de la Reine +Blanche, is worth notice, in the Rue des Marmouzets; it may have been +inhabited by a queen of that name, but certainly not the mother of St. +Louis, as it is not sufficiently ancient, being of about the time of +Charles the Seventh, when it was the rage to build houses in that style +of architecture, about the period of from 1440 to 1460. The church of +St. Medard, in the Rue Mouffetard, offers nothing remarkable, but a +mixture of different styles of architecture, according to the epochs at +which it was repaired and embellished; in 1561 a tremendous attack was +made upon it by the Calvinists, when several of the congregation were +killed, and the Abbe Paris, having been buried in the cemetery attached +in 1727, his tomb, it is pretended, had certain convulsions in 1730, and +was the origin of the sect called convulsionists, and the scenes which +occurred caused the cemetery to be closed in 1732. A picture of St. +Genenieve, by Watteau, in the chapel of that saint, must be admired, +having much merit. In the Rue de l'Oursine, No. 95, is an hospital which +is a refuge for sinning and afflicted females (something in the nature +of the Magdalen, in London), containing 300 beds. To the fountain of +Bacchus, at the corner of the Rue Censier, we will give a look _en +passant_, as also to the School of Pharmacy, formerly a convent, in the +garden of which was formed the first botanical garden, in 1580; there is +here a cabinet of specimens of drugs and a collection of mineralogy +worthy of examination; it is situated in the Rue de l'Arbalete, No. 13. + +The Hopital Militaire and Church of the Val de Grace is in the Rue St. +Jacques (vide page 96) and is one which particularly merits attention of +the visiter; the vault of the dome is painted upon the stone by Mignard, +and is justly celebrated as one of the most splendid frescos in France; +the heart of Anne of Austria, the foundress of it, was sent here, as +also those of many succeeding members of the Royal Family. The interior +of the church is much admired for the richness of its architecture. At +No. 3, Rue de la Bourbe, is the Lying-in Hospital, formerly the Abbey of +Port Royal, containing 445 beds; any woman, eight months advanced in +pregnancy, is admitted, if there be room to receive her, without an +inquiry, if she be in distress; she enters into an engagement to support +the child, and if she cannot fulfil it, she must make a declaration and +it is sent to the Foundling Hospital, but if she retain it, clothing and +a small sum of money is given her on quitting the hospital. A school for +midwifery is established here, the practitioners being females, who, +when considered competent, receive a diploma from the physicians who are +appointed judges. + +Just by this establishment is the Observatory, erected in the reign of +Louis XV; it is a most curious piece of architecture, having in it +neither wood nor iron; it is not a large building, but has a fine +appearance, and Perrault was the architect; it is vaulted throughout, +and a geometrical staircase, having a vacuity of 170 feet deep, merits +particular notice. There is a circular universal chart upon the pavement +of one of the apartments. By means of mechanical arrangements the roof +and cupola open, and every night, the weather permitting, astronomical +observations are taken. M. Arago, the most celebrated astronomer of +France, lectures here, where there is every facility, and every +instrument to be found requisite for the promotion of the science of +astronomy; there are two pluvia-meters, for ascertaining the quantity of +rain that falls in Paris during a year. There is a general map of +France, called the Carte de Cassini, containing 182 sheets, a marble +statue of Cassini (the author of the work) attests the high estimation +in which he was held; he died in 1712, aged eighty-seven. This +institution is the just admiration of all scientific men from every +civilized part of the world, but it is an astronomer alone who can +thoroughly appreciate its merits. + +The little hospital, founded by M. Cochin, in 1780, being just by No. 45, +Rue du Faubourg St. Jacques, may claim our hasty look, it contains 114 +beds, and the patients receive the attendance of the Soeurs de St. +Marthe. At No. 9, Rue des Capucins, Faubourg St. Jacques, is an hospital +for men and youths above fifteen, whose excesses have brought on +disease; it is styled Hopital des Veneriens, and contains 300 beds; the +attendants are all males. + +Near to the Barriere d'Enfer is the entrance to the Catacombs, +containing the bones of 3,000,000 persons which are all systematically +arranged so as to have the most extraordinary effect; they are formed +into galleries of an immense length, and occupy a considerable space of +ground under a great portion of Paris, on the south side of the Seine; +but now they cease to be such objects of interest as they formerly were, +as the public are not now permitted to visit them; they were formerly +large quarries from which the stone was drawn for building most part of +ancient Paris, and when it was decided to clear many of the cemeteries +within the capital, the bones were placed in these quarries in 1784, and +the operation of piling them as they now are was effected in 1810. In +the Rue d'Enfer, No. 86, is the Infirmary of Marie Therese, founded by +Madame la Vicomtesse de Chateaubriand, in 1819, named after the Duchess +d'Angouleme, its protectress; it is destined for females who have moved +in respectable society, the accommodations and food being far better +than are found in the generality of hospitals; the establishment +consists of fifty beds. At the Barriere of St. Jacques, the guillotine +is erected when criminals are to be executed. Beyond the Barriere +d'Enfer, on the Orleans road, No. 15, is the Hopital de la +Rochefoucauld; it is devoted to the reception of old servants of +hospitals, and other aged persons, it also receives poor persons on +their paying, according to circumstances, 200 francs a-year, or upwards, +or on paying a sum on entering varying from 700 to 3000 francs. The +number of beds is 213. + +As we descend the Rue d'Enfer, we find, at No. 74, the Foundling +Hospital, founded by the good and celebrated St. Vincent de Paule, in +1632. Any child is received at this institution on the mother making a +declaration that she has not the means of supporting it, when she +receives a certificate signed by a commissary of police; the average +number admitted in the last two or three years is rather over three +thousand; they are attended by the Soeurs de Charite (Sisters of +Charity) in the most praiseworthy manner; in the same building is the +Orphans' Hospital, where the children are placed when two years of age, +and of poor persons who fall ill and are obliged to go to an hospital, +the children may be sent here until the parents are cured. The children +are all taught reading, writing, and arithmetic, and are placed to +various trades at the proper ages; they are treated with the greatest +care and kindness, it is open to visiters, and the sight of it produces +the most heartfelt gratification; many of the most respectable members +of society have come from this institution. Turning into the Rue de +Faubourg St. Jacques, at the corner of the Rue des Deux Eglises, is the +institution for the Deaf and Dumb, founded by the benevolent Abbe de +l'Epee, who, with only 500_l._ a-year, took the charge of maintaining +and educating forty deaf and dumb pupils, whom he taught to write and +read, even on the most abstruse subjects. + +The Abbe Sicard followed up the plan to the highest perfection; 80 +pupils are now admitted gratis and are brought up to different trades, +others pay according to their means; the Chambers grant generally +4,000_l._ a year to this institution. At No. 67, Rue d'Enfer, is the +Convent of the Carmelites, where Mademoiselle de La Valliere, the +beautiful favourite of Louis XIV, took the veil. The church of St. +Jacques-du-Haut-Pas, which is at the opposite corner, offers nothing +very remarkable, the first stone was laid in 1630, by Gaston of Orleans, +brother to Louis XIII. Four fine paintings of Saints however are worthy +of notice. + +The Pantheon, formerly the church of Sainte Genevieve, stands to the +left as we descend the rue St. Jacques, and strikes upon the eye as a +most noble and imposing building; it was Louis XV who laid the first +stone in 1764, near the spot where stood the ancient but ruined church +of St. Genevieve. It is affirmed that he was persuaded by Madame de +Pompadour to erect this monument as a thanksgiving after his having had +a severe illness. The architect was Soufflot, the style is purely +Grecian. Twenty-two fluted Corinthian columns, 60 feet in height and 6 +in diameter, sustain the portico, and 32 the great dome, above which is +a lantern terminated by a figure in bronze 17 feet high. There is a +great deal of sculpture about the building, some allegorical, others +portraiture; its total height is 282 feet. The exterior is in the form +of a Grecian cross. The paintings are by the Barons Gros, and Gerard; +although a most noble structure, yet it is not consistently grand in all +its bearings. Monuments of the great men of France are now erected here; +and amongst the rest the immortal Lafayette. The stranger is recommended +to ascend the dome, from which a most amusing view is afforded. The +vaults beneath are extremely curious and interesting; whatever the +faults of this edifice may be, there is a solemnity about it which takes +great possession of the mind, particularly when there is a funeral and +the light of the torches are seen glimmering amongst the priests in the +"long drawn aisle," as they slowly and solemnly wend their way. + +In the Rue des Postes, No. 26, is the seminary for young men destined for +missionaries to the colonies; a bas relief representing a missionary +preaching, above the pediment of the church, is the only striking +object. At No. 3, Rue de Fourcy, is the Irish college, rather a handsome +building, with some trees about it which add to the effect. Many Irish +of distinction are buried here and it is still kept up, there being +about 100 students; the regulations are the same as in the English +Universities, about 25 priests are sent out from here to their own +country every year. In the rue des Fosses St. Victor is the Scotch +College (vide page 78), it is now a sort of school, but the tablet over +the door with College des Ecossais inscribed still remains, and there +are many interesting monuments of Scotch nobility. Next door is the +Convent of English Augustin Nuns, the only religious house never +molested during the Revolution; it contains a small chapel with some +English tombs, the inmates now occupy themselves with the education of +their young countrywomen. At the back of the Pantheon, rather to the +south-east, is the very curious and interesting church of St. +Etienne-du-Mont; it is an odd mixture of styles of architecture, a tower +and circular turret which are detached from the church, are supposed to +be of the date 1222; a staircase of most singular construction and of +peculiar lightness is the first object which strikes the spectator on +entering; there is a great deal of richness and scroll work, with some +Arabic, Greek and Gothic styles intermingled. Some of the pictures in +this church are exceedingly good, and are by Lebrun and Lesueur. The +pulpit is supported by Sampson, and there are other smaller figures, the +whole having a beautiful effect; the design is by La Hire, and executed +by Lestocard, it is altogether a church of high interest, often the +subject of the modern artists' pencils. There is a tomb which was found +in the vaults beneath, which is said to be that of St. Genevieve, and +bears the date of 511. + +The library of St. Genevieve is close by, and besides containing 200,000 +volumes, and 2,500 manuscripts, it possesses other objects of interest, +being a series of portraits from Philippe the Bold to Louis the XV, and +one of Mary Queen of Scots. This library belongs to the College Henry +IV, which on the side towards the Rue Clovis is very modern, but the +lower part of the curious old tower is supposed to have been built in +the reign of Clovis. The young princes of the reigning family in France +were educated at this College, there are 907 pupils, of whom 500 are +boarders. The Ecole de Droit which stands in front of the Pantheon was +also erected in the reign of Louis XV, and Souflot, the architect. At No. +123, is the College de Louis-le-Grand, formerly the College de +Clermont, founded in 1560, but the present building was erected in +1618; it contains 1,180 pupils, of whom 520 are boarders. It possesses a +large library, and a good collection of philosophical instruments. +Behind this College, in the Rue de Rheims, at the corner of the Rue des +Chollets, a gateway and building of the time of Francis I. is worth +attention, supposed to belong to the old College des Chollets. The Royal +College of France, situated No. 1, Place Cambrai, was founded in 1529, by +Francis I, but the present edifice was erected in 1774. It is a spacious +building and very commodious, 23 professors attend and give gratuitous +lectures upon almost every subject, whether scientific or literary, and +particularly upon languages, both ancient and modern, Oriental and +European. In a court opposite the college is a very curious square tower +of the 12th century, called la Tour Bichat, or la Tour de St. +Jean-de-Latran; it is all that is remaining of the Hall of Knights +Hospitaliers, established in 1171, afterwards called Chevaliers de +Malte. + +The remains of a chapel of very ancient date will be found in the +adjoining Cour de la Vacherie, in the far corner to the right, now +occupied as a charcoal depot. We will next proceed to the rue de la +Montagne St. Genevieve, and view the Polytechnic School, formerly the +College de Navarre, and where still remain a hall and chapel of the 14th +century; a new facade much less interesting has been recently added, and +the establishment is altogether badly situated. There are many +emblematical bas-reliefs which possess no extraordinary merit. But the +institution itself is one that deserves the highest encomiums, the young +men are received at from 17 to 20, after they have passed the ordeal of +a very severe examination in Paris or their respective departments. They +are instructed in every branch of education connected with military +science, and are afterwards admissible in the engineers, artillery, +pontooners, miners, inspectors of highways, public works, etc; they pay +1,000 francs a year, find their own uniforms, and whatever may be +requisite for their studies; they remain two or three years, as +circumstances may demand. Strangers wishing to view this establishment +must have a permission from the Minister of War. + +The Rue des Carmes has an interesting appearance as containing some of +the old colleges, now otherwise appropriated. One was the College de +Lisieux; the buildings remain with a curious chapel, which fronts the +Marche des Carmes, but its entrance is at No. 5, Rue St. +Jean-de-Beauvais. In the Market there is a fountain in the middle built +in 1818; this Market is now designated la Place Maubert, and occupies +the site of the Convent des Carmes. Mounting a few steps in the Rue St. +Victor, we arrive at the church of St. Nicholas-du-Chardonnet; the body +of the building was completed in 1709, but the lower is of the 16th +century. The general effect of the interior is fine, but the paintings +in different chapels, on either side, are highly interesting; some of +them are extremely good, of the schools of Lesueur, Moise Valentin, and +Mignard, the ceiling of the chapel of St. Charles is painted by Lebrun; +there is also a monument of himself and his mother. At No. 68, Rue +St-Victor is the Royal Institution for the juvenile Blind, founded by M. +Hauey in 1791. There are here maintained 60 boys and 30 girls, at the +expense of the State, and as boarders, any blind children may be +admitted, either French or foreign; they are taught reading, music, +arithmetic, and writing, by means of characters raised in relief. +Admittance is freely accorded to strangers, but the establishment is +about to be removed to the corner of the Rue de Sevres, on the Boulevard +des Invalides, where 250 pupils will be accommodated. At No. 18, Rue de +Pontoise, is the seminary of St. Nicholas du Chardonnet, and at No. 76, +the ancient College of Cardinal Lemoine, founded in 1300; some parts of +the original building exist, and on the doors are still seen a +cardinal's hat and arms, and numerous iron spear-heads. Close by, in the +Marche aux Veaux, is still one of the dormitories of the Convent of the +Bernardins, which must be of the 13th century, as also some remains of +their chapel, in a house adjoining the Market. On the Quai de la +Tournelle, No. 35, is the Hotel de Nesmond, of the reign of Henry IV, +and at No. 5, the Pharmacie Centrale, for keeping all the drugs and +chemical preparations for the hospitals of Paris. + +The Rue de Fouarre, by which we will pass, is one of the meanest and +filthiest in Paris, but has been cited by Petrarch, Dante and Rabelais, +as in it were several of the schools where public disputations were +held; the Rue Galande, the Rue des Rats, and many other dirty streets of +the same description is the quarter where existed the old University, +and still known by the name of the Quartier Latin. + +Thus having completed our survey, which I shall call the south-east +division, we will proceed to the south-west, and begin by the church of +St. Severin at No. 3, in the street of the same name, called after a +hermit who died in the year 530, but had on this spot an oratory and +cells, where he conferred the monastic habit on St. Cloud. The present +building was erected in 1210, in the reign of Philippe Auguste, has been +repaired and enlarged at several different periods, which is perceptible +by the different styles displayed in the architecture; there is a great +deal of elaborate workmanship about this church that is exceedingly +beautiful and interesting, the lower part of the tower is coeval with +its first erection; a few good pictures of the old French school are +amongst the attractive objects contained within this edifice. + +Ascending the little unseemly streets des Pretres and Boutebrie, we find +ourselves in the Rue du Foin, No. 18, being called the Hotel de la Reine +Blanche; she was living about the year 1210, when the church of St. +Severin close by was founded in the reign of her father-in-law, and very +probably resided in the neighbourhood, perhaps on the very spot where +the house stands which is now called after her, but evidently not in the +same building which is now shown as such, although the staircase is of +a very ancient appearance. + +In the same street, at the corner of the Rue Boutebrie, is the old +College de Maitre Gervais, founded in 1370, at present appropriated as a +barrack for infantry. The visiter now must prepare for a grand treat, as +we turn round into the Rue de la Harpe, and at No. 63, we find the +venerable and crumbling remains of the Palais des Thermes (vide page +55). Julian, who was born in 332, inhabited it for some time, and many +imagine it was built by his grandfather, but others state that it was +alluded to at a still earlier period. Of what now remains there is +principally a large hall and a smaller, forming together one room; the +architecture is simple but noble, the walls are adorned by three grand +arcades, the middle being the loftiest. The vaulting of the roof rests +upon supports, representing the sterns of ships; human figures may be +distinguished in one of them. Beneath the hall are vaulted apartments +extending under most of the neighbouring houses. An aqueduct is traced +as having been brought from some leagues, for the purpose it is supposed +principally of supplying the baths. The masonry is alternately of stone +and brick, in parts covered with a thick stucco. It seems almost +incredible that a monument so ancient, and of such high interest should +have been for so long a period totally disregarded by the government, +and suffered to be occupied by a printer, a traiteur, and a cooper. The +Municipality of Paris have now however purchased it, and intend to +convert it into a museum for the reception of antiquities that can be +collected of the ancient Gauls. After the overthrow of the Roman yoke, +the Palais des Thermes was inhabited by the earliest kings of France. To +view these ruins the stranger must apply to the concierge, No. 68, Rue +de la Harpe, directly opposite, and a trifle should be given to the +party showing them. + +The Hotel de Cluny which is almost adjoining, is also an object highly +meriting the attention of the observer. It is one of those edifices of +the middle ages, of which there are so few remaining. In 1505, in the +reign of Louis the Twelfth, this curious building was erected by Jacques +d'Amboise, Abbot of Cluny, on the site and with a part of the ruins of +the Palais des Thermes. There is a richness about the architecture and +the ornaments around the windows, that is particularly striking; the +chapel is most highly interesting, and in it was married Princess Mary, +the widow of Louis the Twelfth, and sister of Henry VIII, to the duke of +Suffolk, as also James V of Scotland to Magdalen, daughter of Francis I. +Having at length become the property of M. Sommerard, all the value of +his acquisition is duly appreciated, and he has formed within this +curious and beautiful edifice, a collection of specimens of the middle +ages, which are arranged chronologically; he is the author of a most +interesting work on the subject which may be procured upon the premises. +The stranger will find a visit to the Hotel de Cluny one of the most +gratifying of any he can bestow, and on writing to M. Sommerard, he may +be certain of procuring admission. Following the Rue St. Benoit, we +arrive at the Theatre du Pantheon, Rue St. Jacques, opened in 1832; it +is partly formed by the church St. Benoit anciently that of St. Benedict +built in 1517, much famed during the ligue, where the assassination of +Henri III was applauded by Jean Boucher in his sermons. The performances +are vaudevilles and melodramas. Highest price two shillings, lowest +six-pence. + +We now re-enter the Rue de la Harpe, and notice the Royal College St. +Louis, originally founded by Raoul Harcourt in 1280; the present +building was erected in 1675, but part of the ancient edifice exists, +the greater portion of the structure was built in 1814; and the college +opened in 1820. There is a chapel attached, and at the lower end a +gateway, formerly the entrance to the College de Bayeux, founded in +1308, which bears an inscription to that effect, and probably of the +same date. A very few steps bring us to the College de la Sorbonne, +built on the site of a school founded by Robert Sorbon in 1253; it is +filled with historical associations, the church and all about it has a +very gloomy appearance, it is cruciform and of the corinthian order, +surmounted by a dome the interior of which is painted by Philippe de +Champagne. The tomb of Cardinal de Richelieu, in the southern transept, +is the chef-d'oeuvre of Gerardon. The college is a plain building of +sombre aspect, but the accommodation for the professors is on a handsome +scale; the lectures delivered are all gratuitous. + +We will now proceed to the School of Medicine in the street bearing the +same name. The first stone was laid by Louis XV, in 1769, it is a truly +elegant building, a peristyle of the ionic order with a quadruple range +of columns unite the two wings and support the library, and a fine +cabinet of anatomy. The grand court is 66 feet in length by 96 in +breadth, the amphitheatre which is opposite the entrance is capable of +containing 1,400 people; there are several allegorical and emblematical +bas-reliefs, and on the whole it is a building which excites much +admiration both in an ornamental and in a useful point of view, there +not being a single object that can in any manner facilitate the study of +medicine that is not to be found within this institution. At No. 5, in +the same street, is a gratuitous school of drawing, established in the +ancient amphitheatre of surgery, chiefly intended for artisans, to +instruct them in the principles of drawings and architecture, and +lectures are given on geometry, mensuration, etc. Opposite to the Ecole +de Medecine, is the Hopital clinique de la Faculte de Medecine, +established in the cloister of the Cordeliers, of which there are some +remains still visible; it is rather a handsome building and contains 140 +beds. The body of the building is in the Rue de l'Observance. In the +same street as the Ecole de Medecine; is the Musee Dupuytren, being the +valuable pathological collection of that celebrated anatomist, bought by +the University of his heirs, and placed in the refectory of the +Cordeliers which has been fitted up in the style of the 15th century, +the date of its erection. + +Adjoining to this Museum is the School of practical Anatomy, being a set +of dissecting rooms for the use of the students. As we are so near I +must conduct the visiter to the Rue Hautefeuille; on the west side is a +house of the 16th century, which once belonged to a society of +Premonstratensian monks. In the same street, Nos. 23, 13, 9 and 5, and +at the corner of the Rue du Paon and Rue de l'Ecole de Medecine, the +houses have ancient turrets, and are stated to have been built in the +reign of Charles VII. In the house, No. 18, of the latter street, in a +dirty backroom, Charlotte Corday stabbed that beau ideal of monsters, +Marat. We will now make our way to the Rue d'Enfer, and at No. 34 is the +Hotel de Vendome, at present the royal School of Mines; this noble +mansion was erected in 1707 by the Carthusian monks, but being purchased +by the Duchess of Vendome was called after her. Every description of +tool or instrument used in mining will here be found, and perhaps the +extensive mineralogical collection is unrivalled anywhere in Europe, and +arranged in the most scientific manner by M. Hauey, with a ticket +attached to each explanatory of their quality and locality. The +geological specimens have been collected by Messrs. Cuvier and +Bronguiart; weeks might be passed in this museum by those partial to +studying mineralogy, geology, and conchology, and subjects for +examination and meditation would still not be exhausted. We will now +turn into the gardens of the Luxembourg Palace; they are in the true +French stiff style, but look at them in a slanting direction and all +the formality is lost; the statues are seen intermingled with the trees, +shrubs, flowers, parterres, walks, vases, fountains, etc. and the +coup-d'oeil has a most beautiful effect, and some of the retired walks +amongst the high trees have a very inviting though solitary appearance. + +The Palace (vide page 98) was erected by Marie de Medicis, and is now +with the recent additions a very extensive building, and taken in a +general sense is decidedly a very fine monument, but I certainly think +the pillars being in such bad taste with large square knobs sticking out +all the way up the columns, in a degree spoil the effect of the whole +edifice, still there is a heavy grandeur in the ensemble which has an +imposing appearance. After having been occupied by various royal +personages, it was given by Louis the Sixteenth to his brother +afterwards Louis XVIII, who resided in it until he quitted France in +1791; it has since been appropriated to many different purposes, and is +now used as the Chamber of Peers; for their discussions a new apartment +has been constructed 92 feet in diameter, the form is semi-circular. In +the middle of the axis is a recess in which the president's and +secretaries' seats are placed; above are a range of statues in recesses, +the chairs of the peers are arranged in an amphitheatrical manner and +occupy the space in front of the president; the peer who speaks takes +his place below the president's desk. + +There are altogether in this palace so many statues, apartments, +sculpture and galleries to describe, that it would monopolise far too +much space in my little volume if I were to attempt to do it justice. I +must therefore content myself with advising the reader to take the first +opportunity of viewing it with its beautiful gallery of pictures, many +of which are the chefs-d'oeuvre of the best living French artists. In +the new divisions which have been lately constructed there are some fine +specimens of painting from the pencils of Messrs. Delaroche, Scheffer, +Boulanger, Roqueplan, etc., and the chambers voted 800,000 fr. +(32,000_l._) for the artistical decorations of the recent erections +added to the original building. + +Le Petit Luxembourg is a large hotel contiguous and may be considered as +a dependency of the great palace, it was built by Cardinal Richelieu who +made it his residence whilst the Palais Royal was building, when he +afterwards gave it to his niece the Duchess d'Aiguillon. It is now +occupied by the Chancellor of France, as President of the House of +Peers; it also contains a small prison for persons committed for +political offences, and tried by the Court of Peers: the ministers of +Charles X were here confined in 1830. In the same street, No. 70, is the +Convent of the Carmelite Sisters, already mentioned, a portion of the +building is still devoted to sacred purposes, the chapel is dedicated to +St. Joseph, and of the Tuscan order, it was founded by Marie de Medicis. +Here first began the massacres in Paris of the 2nd of September, 1792, +when a number of priests here imprisoned were murdered. This is the +convent which has long been famed for the _Eau de Melisse_ and _Blanc +des Carmes_, which are still sold here. + +At the southern gate of the Garden of the Luxembourg is the _Jardin +botanique de l'Ecole de Medecine_, where every medicinal plant agreeing +with the climate is raised, and ticketed as classified by Jussieu. + +The Odeon Theatre which is near the Luxembourg has been twice burnt +down, but was finally restored in 1820; it is situated fronting the +street, and in the _place_ of the same name; it is certainly a very +handsome building both as to the exterior and the interior, which is +fitted up in a most superior style, but all exertions to render it +successful seem in vain, although the present director has it rent free +from the government; dramatic pieces in general are here represented, +but its situation prevents its ever being much frequented; the principal +front having a portico of eight doric columns ascended by nine steps has +a fine effect; it is capable of containing 1,600 persons. + +A very few steps bring us to the magnificent church of St. Sulpice. +Although the first stone was laid by Anne of Austria, in 1655, it was +not totally finished until 1777. The portico, by Servadoni, is splendid; +the two towers not being similar, rather spoil the effect, but the +interior baffles all description to do it justice; a simplicity and +grandeur pervades the whole, which is heightened by a soft light thrown +upon the Virgin directly behind the altar, who appears to be descending +midst the lightest clouds upon the earth, to which she presents her son. +The corinthian order prevails throughout the interior, the statues are +bold and finely conceived, some of the paintings are exquisite, that of +the ceiling, particularly. Two immense shells, placed within the +entrance, for containing holy water, resting on rocks of marble, were +presented to Francis I, by the Republic of Venice. The pulpit is +supported by two flights of steps, with the figures of Faith, Hope, and +Charity, producing a most splendid appearance. The organ is ornamented +with no less than seventeen figures playing on musical instruments, or +sustaining cornucopies carved in the most perfect manner. The pillars on +the different sides of this edifice comprise the four orders of doric, +ionic, corinthian, and composite. I cannot conceive a more sublime and +delightful sensation than that which is caused when the first low notes +of the organ begin to swell; the aisles being extremely lofty and +vaulted, the sound appears gradually to peal through the building with a +degree of softness which seems as if it came from a considerable +distance, and has a most extraordinary and enchanting effect. We will +now quit this noble edifice by the grand front, and looking to the left +cast an instant's glance upon a large plain building, which is the +Seminary of St. Sulpice, and has 210 students. + +Descending the Rue Mabillon a few paces, we come to the Market St. +Germains, where formerly flourished the great fair under the same name. +It was built in 1811 on a most commodious plan, and has every requisite +that can be thought of for the convenience of a market, with an +extremely handsome fountain in the middle, which the visiter should not +omit to observe. Quitting the Market by the Rue Montfaucon brings us in +front of the prison of the Abbaye, in the Rue St. Marguerite, now only +used for confining military offenders; here it was that some of the +greatest horrors were committed during the Revolution, it has a small +turret at each corner, and seems to be a building of about two hundred +years standing. Not many yards off is the very ancient church of St. +Germain des Pres (vide page 61), which has often been pillaged, burnt, +and otherwise injured, but the lower part of the tower is coeval with +the foundation, 558. The document relative to the establishment of the +monastery and church is still preserved amongst the archives of the +kingdom, and bears the date 561. The nave is simple and of the time of +Abbot Modardus, in the year 900; additions and repairs have been made at +different periods, but in many instances the style of architecture +displays its early date, the capitals of the pillars are remarkable for +the grotesqueness of the devices. There are some pictures of merit, and +many interesting tombs, one of Casimir, the King of Poland, who +abdicated his throne in 1668, and died abbot of the monastery attached +to the church in 1672, also of the Duke and Earls of Douglas and Angus. +The Abbot's palace still stands at the east of the church, in the Rue de +l'Abbaye, directly facing the Rue Furstemberg; it was built in the year +1586 by Cardinal Bourbon. It is a large heavy-looking red brick +building faced with stone, with a large garden behind; it is at present +let out to different tenants. + +We shall now descend the Rue Furstemberg, and taking the Rue Jacob, to +the right shall get into the Rue de Seine, and mounting the little +Passage du Pont-Neuf, one of the oldest in Paris, we find ourselves +opposite the Rue Guenegaud cited by Sterne, as also the Quai Conti, on +which stands the Mint or Hotel des Monnaies, a very extensive building +and rather handsome; it was built in the reign of Louis XV in 1771, +after designs furnished by M. Antoine; an entablature supported by ionic +columns forms the principal front, with six statues of Peace, Commerce, +Prudence, Fortitude, Plenty and Law. On the right is a noble staircase +ascending to apartments fitted up with the splendour of a palace. The +collection of coins and medals here are extremely interesting, the first +are two of Childebert, the dates being 511-568, and they are nearly +complete of the respective kings up to the present day, amongst others +are some of the gold pieces of 10 louis, each of the reign of Louis +XIII, very large and beautiful. A medal of Charlemagne of most exquisite +execution, and others of almost every country or celebrated monarch or +chief, with a collection of the ores in their mineral state, every +instrument used for coining and in fact every object appertaining to +such an establishment, which would demand much space and time to +describe, and a work is written solely on the subject. This interesting +museum is open to foreigners with their passports on Mondays and +Thursdays, from twelve till three. + +Contiguous and on the western side stands the Palais of the Institute, +or as we should call it the Royal Academy. It was founded by Cardinal +Mazarin in 1661, from designs by Levau. The segment of a circle +describes the front, whilst pavillions upon open arcades terminate the +extremities, a portico in the centre with corinthian colums surmounted +by a pediment, whilst a dome crowns the summit, and vases upon the +entablature combine to give it a fine effect. In the great hall of this +building the members of the Academy hold their sittings; the vestibules +are adorned by marble statues of men whose intellectual powers have +rendered their names renowned throughout the world, as Montesquieu, +Moliere, Corneille, Racine, Sully, etc., etc. The Mazarine library is +attached to this institution and contains 120,000 printed volumes +besides 4,500 manuscripts. There is also under the same establishment +the library of the Institute, which includes 115,000 volumes; in the +gallery in which they are contained is a marble statue of Voltaire, by +Pigale, highly celebrated for its execution. This building was for some +time called the Palais des Quatre-Nations, as the founder at first +designed it for natives of Roussillon, Pignerol, Alsace, and Flanders. +The subjects discussed within the halls of this institution are the +Belles-Lettres, the fine Arts, moral and political Sciences, etc. +Persons desiring tickets for the meetings of the members must inscribe +their names at the office of the secretary of the Institute. Directly +opposite is a light elegant bridge, called the Pont-des-Arts, it is +constructed of iron and is merely for foot passengers. + +Passing to the Quai Voltaire we turn into the Rue des Petits-Augustins, +and stop before the front of the Palais and Ecole des Beaux-Arts, or +School of fine Arts; this is one of the many institutions which exist in +Paris requiring a volume to describe all its beauties and utility, there +are a great number of professors belonging to the establishment which is +divided into two sections, the one for sculpture and painting, the other +for architecture, both of which the pupils are taught, and when they +excel, receive annual prizes. The present building was erected upon the +garden of the Convent of the Petits Augustins, but there are still some +remains of antiquity, which are rather strangely intermingled with the +modern erection, as the front of a chateau at Gaillon built in 1,500 and +transported here by M. Lenoir, who collected together on this spot +relicks of the middle ages, which are now again dispersed to the great +regret of every resident or visiter in Paris. There is also the portal +of the Chateau-d'Anet built by Henri II for Diana of Poitiers, with many +other objects extremely curious; amongst the rest a large stone basin +from the Abbey of St. Denis, 12 feet in diameter, ornamented with +grotesque heads, said to be a single piece of stone, some letters upon +it prove that it must be of the 13th century, and many other fragments +over which the antiquary likes to pore. Here every aid is given to the +young artist, that can facilitate his progress in his art, and he who is +adjudged to have painted the best piece upon a subject given, is sent to +Rome to study three years, at the expense of the government. The visiter +will here find paintings, sculpture, models, and in fact, every thing +connected with the fine arts. He must also visit the ancient chapel of +the convent, containing a most beautiful screen of stone and marble, and +on the walls are some very good paintings: Mr. Ingres, perhaps the most +celebrated draftsman now existing, made a present to this institution of +fifty pictures, copies he had executed at his expense in the Vatican, +from Raphael. Foreigners must apply with their passports for admission +at the office to the right on entering. + +We return on the Quay and remark the Pont du Carousel, an iron bridge of +three arches of an elegant construction, it was built by a company, who +have laid a toll both on foot and carriage passengers. No. 1, Rue de +Beaune, on the same quay, is the hotel where Voltaire resided, and died +in 1788. His nephew, M. de Villette, and afterwards Madame de +Montmorenci, kept his apartments closed for forty-seven years. We must +now ascend the Rue des Saints Peres, and in passing by, notice the +Hopital de la Charite, at the corner of the Rue Jacob, which has such a +dismal appearance outside, that it almost makes one ill to look at it; +indeed, to pass it often, one would soon be in a fit state to become +one of its inmates; it was founded by Marie de Medicis, as a religious +community, called Brothers of Charity, who were all surgeons and +apothecaries, administering relief both for body and soul; it contains +426 beds. Besides those belonging to the medical and chemical school +attached to it, there are several gardens in which the patients are +allowed to walk; the same diseases are here treated as at the Hotel +Dieu, de la Pitie, etc. Turning to the right into the Rue St. Dominique, +at the end of the second street on the north we shall see the church of +St. Thomas d'Aquin; it was formerly a convent of Jacobins, founded by +Cardinal Richelieu. The present front was built in 1787, by Brother +Claude, one of the monks; it has two ranges of columns, doric and ionic, +surmounted by a pediment with a bas-relief representing Religion, +terminating with a cross. The interior is decorated with corinthian +pilasters, the effect is altogether fine, the high altar is of white +marble, and some of the pictures are extremely good; the nobility attend +much at this church, and it is rather famed for its preachers. The Musee +d'Artillerie is adjoining, and contains the armour worn from the +earliest ages, as also the weapons which have been used, and those of +different countries. Here will be found the armour of many heroes famed +in the annals of chivalry, as Bayard, Dunois, Duguesclin, etc., and an +equestrian figure of Francis I. There is also the helmet of Attila, who +was slain by Clovis, in 453; another, on which are some verses from the +Koran, of Abderama, killed by Charles Martel. The dagger with which +Ravillac assassinated Henri IV, having a black crape round it. There +are, besides, models of all kinds of machines connected with war; the +armour of Joan of Arc will be regarded with interest, as also of many +others whose names have been celebrated in history; a catalogue +descriptive of every object is to be had at the door for one franc. +There is a military library attached to the establishment, with naval +charts, etc. Strangers are admitted on Thursdays and Saturdays, from +twelve till four, with their passports. + +A few steps take us into the Rue du Bac, which we will ascend to the Rue +de Grenelle, and observe one of the finest fountains in Paris, erected +after the designs of Bouchardon, in the reign of Louis XV, began 1739 +and finished in 1745; it is most richly adorned by statues and +allegorical subjects. At No. 120, Rue du Bac, is the church of St. +Francois Xavier, or of Foreign Missionaries, it was built in 1683, +consisting of two parts, one on the ground floor, and the other above, +the lower is perfectly plain, the upper is of the ionic order; there are +some good paintings of the French school of the period. Behind is the +seminary for the instruction of young men intended as missionaries in +the requisite sciences and languages. The worthy Abbe Edgeworth, the +attendant of Louis XVI in his last moments, was one of the members of +this institution. + +Just by in the Rue de Babylone is a barrack for infantry, famed for the +attack and defence carried on in the Revolution of the three days. In +the rue Vanneau is a recently built house, a complete type of the style +of Francis I. In the Rue de Varennes are several grand hotels of the +nobility of France, with their family names inscribed over the immense +gateways; it is in fact one of the most interesting streets in Paris; +amongst others, at No. 23, is the hotel of the late Duchess de Bourbon, +now belonging to Mme Adelaide d'Orleans. No. 35, is the hotel d'Orsay, +recently restored and embellished, and several others of the same +description. At the north-west corner of the street stands the hotel de +Biron, now converted into the celebrated convent and seminary of the +Sacre Coeur (Sacred Heart), where so many daughters of the French, +English and Irish catholic nobility have been brought up. No. 16, the +offices of the Minister of Commerce, and No. 10, Rue Hillerin-Bertin, is +the Ecole royale des Ponts-et-Chaussees, established in 1747. The +pupils, who are all taken from the Polytechnique, are instructed in +every thing connected with the projection and construction of bridges, +canals, ports and public works. Their collection of plans, maps, and +models relative to these operations is very rich. But a few paces +southward bring us facing the ancient convent of Panthemont, now used as +a barrack for cavalry, forming the corner of the Rue de Belle-Chasse and +that of the Rue de Grenelle; the chapel, which has a dome, is an +interesting architectural object. + +This is one of the aristocratic streets of Paris, where the most +ancient families of France have their town residences; the Rue St. +Dominique is of the same description, and many others in this +neighbourhood, but in too many cases immense gateways and high walls are +all that are to be seen in the streets, as the hotels are situated +behind them at the end of large court-yards, similar to several houses +in Piccadilly the most of which are now pulled down: on the west side of +Cavendish square one is still standing (I believe Lord Harcourt's), and +several others in different parts of the west end of the town. The most +conspicuous hotels in the Rue St. Dominique, are those of the Duke de +Lynes, No. 33, the hotel of the late Duchess Dowager of Orleans, No. 58, +formerly inhabited by Cambaceres. The Hotel de Grammont, No. 103, and +the Hotel de Perigord, No. 105. At 82 and 86, are the residence and +offices of the Minister of War, where there is a very valuable library, +with a most interesting collection of plans, maps, and drawings. We will +now return to the Rue du Bac, and at No. 132, we shall notice the Hotel +Chatillon, now occupied by the sisters of St. Vincent de Paule, better +known as the Sisters of Charity. + +At the top of the street we find the Rue de Sevres, and turning to the +left we shall view, at the corner of the Rue de la Chaise, the old +Hospital entitled Hospices des Menages; it was built in 1554 on the site +of an old establishment for afflicted children, and is now appropriated +to the reception of the aged, whether married couples or single; there +are 264 beds, and an extensive garden attached to the establishment. +Strangers may visit this hospital every day, and will find the detail of +the regulations very interesting. A few yards eastward bring us to the +Abbaye-aux-Bois, so called when it was founded in 1202 from being in the +midst of the woods; this church possesses a few good pictures, amongst +which are a Virgin and dead Christ, by Lebrun, and a portrait of Mlle de +la Valliere. Opposite is the Maison du Noviciat des Religieuses +Hospitalieres de St. Thomas de Villeneuve. Still continuing in the Rue +de Sevres, at No. 54, is the hospital for women who are incurable; it +was founded in 1634 by Cardinal de la Rochefoucault, which is indicated +by an inscription over the door; it contains 600 beds. There is a large +chapel attached, in which there are some pictures, and one bearing the +date of 1404 with a handsome monument of the founder. + +The Egyptian fountain in this street is well worth attention, it was +built in 1806, and is a very handsome monument. At No. 104, corner of +the Boulevards, is the convent of the Dames de St. Thomas de Villeneuve, +with a very pretty little gothic chapel. At No. 95 is that of the +Lazarists, with a small chapel fronting the street. At the corner of the +Boulevard on the north side are new buildings, erected for the reception +of the juvenile blind. No. 149 is the Hopital des Enfants malades; it is +wholly appropriated to the reception of sick children, who are admitted +from 2 to 15 years of age; it contains 500 beds, which number is to be +considerably increased. Next door is an hospital founded by Madame +Necker in a building which formerly was a convent of Benedictine nuns; +it is for the reception of the sick in general, and contains 300 beds; +the chapel attached has two fine statues of Aaron and Melchizedek, in +marble, discovered in digging the foundations of a house; a short +distance farther on, is an Artesian well, which after many long, +expensive, and most laborious attempts, at last emits water from the +enormous depth of nearly 1800 feet; it rises to the height of 65 feet, +and falls into the respective conduits destined to receive it. It is +situated at the entrance of the Abattoir de Grenelle which is one of the +extensive slaughter-houses at the outskirts of Paris, all of which are +justly celebrated for the regularity of the buildings, the order with +which every thing is conducted, and the great convenience of their being +situated where they cannot be any source of annoyance to the inhabitants +of the interior of the capital. + +The Ecole Militaire stands at the end of an avenue of trees, just before +us; it was founded by Louis XV, in 1751, for educating gratuitously 500 +young gentlemen, the sons of poor nobility, but it is now converted into +barracks for 4,000 men, either cavalry, artillery, or infantry. One +front, looking to the Champ de Mars, is adorned with ten corinthian +pillars, sustaining a pediment decorated with bas-reliefs, whilst a +quadrangular dome, rises from behind, with figures of Time and +Astronomy; there are besides in other parts of the edifice, rows of +tuscan, doric, and ionic pillars, the buildings surround two spacious +court-yards; on the first floor is the Salle de Conseil, embellished +with pictures and military emblems. The chapel attached to the +establishment is most splendid, the roof is supported by thirty fluted +corinthian columns: the entrance to the Ecole Militaire is by the Place +de Fontenoy. + +The Champ-de-Mars is a most extensive oblong piece of ground, in which +has been celebrated many extraordinary epochs in the history of France; +the sloping embankments on each side were formed by the people of Paris; +as many as 60,000 persons of both sexes kept working at them until they +were finished, when the fete de la Federation took place on the 14th +July, 1790. It was also the scene of several other public +demonstrations, and in 1837, on the 14th of June, during the rejoicings +for the celebration of the marriage of the Duke of Orleans, 24 persons +lost their lives by being either suffocated or trodden to death in +passing through the gates. The Paris races are held here in May and +September, as also the military reviews, inspections, manoeuvres, etc. +Proceeding by an avenue from the north-cast corner of the Champ-de-Mars +we arrive at the Hotel des Invalides, which is certainly the grandest +monument that exists of the reign of Louis XIV. It is a most delightful +asylum for crippled or worn-out old soldiers, it was built after the +designs of Bruant, begun in 1671, and completed in 1700. The facade +towards the Seine, though heavy, is grand and imposing, adorned by the +statue of Louis the XIV, and colossal figures of Mars, Minerva, Justice +and Prudence, in bas-relief, and at the sides by emblematical +representations of the four nations conquered by the founder. + +The first court has the most pleasing appearance, the arcades render it +light and elegant, and although ornamented with figures, arms, horses, +and trophies, they are not exuberant, and its simplicity is not +deteriorated. The church is a most magnificent structure, presenting an +extraordinary mixture of military and religious decorations. The dome, +which has an effect truly noble, is adorned by paintings of the twelve +Apostles by Jouvenet, surmounted by a glory from the pencil of Lafosse, +with a beautiful tesselated pavement beneath; there are some other good +paintings, but many very bad. The gilding, although extremely gorgeous, +harmonises well with the varied colouring which prevails throughout this +beautiful edifice, and has not a gaudy appearance. There are monuments +of several of the governors of the hospital; numbers of portraits, and +banners taken from different countries, which amounted to as many as +3,000, but on the evening prior to the allies entering Paris, Joseph +Bonaparte ordered them to be burnt. To give any thing like a +comprehensive idea of this wonderful building, would require many pages, +there is such an immense number of interesting objects, the description +of which would compel the omission of other matter equally important; +but, whether taken for its exterior or its interior, it certainly is +one of the grandest monuments extant. The approaches to it are +particularly fine, being by long vistas of high trees, with a most noble +esplanade in front. A library belongs to the establishment which was +founded by Napoleon; it consists of 30,000 volumes, and his portrait by +Ingres is one of its valuable ornaments. It is gratifying to see so many +of the Invalids constantly in the library, amusing themselves with +reading; it is a pleasing sight to be there at meal-time to witness the +cleanliness and comfort which prevails. Besides board and lodging, every +soldier receives 2 francs a month, and officers and non-commissioned +officers in proportion; 5,000 is the number the establishment can +contain. + +In quitting this extraordinary building, the visiter must notice the +Hotel du Chatelet at the corner of the Rue de Grenelle, now occupied by +the Austrian ambassador, being a fine specimen of the days of Louis XIV. +We then pass into the Rue St. Dominique, and at No. 185 find the Hospice +Leprince, so called after the founder, erected in 1819; it contains 10 +beds for men and 10 for women; almost opposite is the church of St. +Pierre-du-Gros-Caillou, which was built in 1822, and is much admired for +its beautiful symmetry; the whole is consistently of the tuscan order. +Farther to the west is the military hospital founded by the Duke de +Biron for the French guards, containing 700 beds and erections for 500 +more are to be added shortly. Directly opposite is the Fountain of Mars +built in 1813, a monument very well worth the visiter's attention. +Continuing a few yards farther to the west, we enter the Avenue de la +Bourdonnaye, and turning to the right we come to the Atteliers de +Sculpture, consisting of two handsome buildings where sculptors employed +by government on public monuments may proceed with their operations; +stone-yards, sheds, a house for the director, and the whole arrangement +is most complete for the attainment of the object; visiters may obtain +tickets from the Director of public Monuments, Palais du Quai d'Orsay. + +The royal Manufactory of Tobacco, Snuff, and Cigars is at a short +distance eastward, No. 57, Quai d'Orsay, an extensive establishment for +the preparation of the articles, with a handsome modern house for the +offices, and residence for the director. The profits of this +establishment in 1839 to the government were 66,001,841 francs, upwards +of 2,500,000L. We will now proceed along the quai, and notice the +bridges; first the Pont de Iena, terminated in 1813, it is completely in +a horizontal line, and is certainly a perfect structure, uniting +elegance, beauty, and simplicity. + +The Pont des Invalides is a handsome suspension bridge for carriages as +well as foot passengers; a toll is paid in passing over it. Pursuing our +course eastward we arrive at the Palais Bourbon, and Chamber of +Deputies, which was erected by the dowager Duchess of Bourbon, in 1722, +begun by the Italian architect Girardini, and continued by Mansard. It +was afterwards much enlarged when possessed by the Prince de Conde, but +not completed when the Revolution of 1789 occurred. In 1795 it was +appropriated as the Chamber for the sittings of the Council of Five +Hundred, and next occupied by the Corps Legislatif. At the Restoration +in 1814 the Prince de Conde retook possession, but so arranged that the +portion which had been converted into a locality for the sittings of the +Legislative Assembly, and which had been partly rebuilt, should be +appropriated to the use of the Deputies, and finally was bought by +government for 5,500,000 francs. At the death of the Duke de Bourbon +this palace devolved upon the Duke d'Aumale, and is leased to the +Chamber of Deputies for the residence of the President, but will soon +become the property of the country by a negociation at present pending. +The entrance of the Palais Bourbon is by the Rue de l'Universite, and +being approached by a long avenue of trees has the air of a country +seat; formerly the apartments were gorgeously furnished, now simple +beauty and utility alone prevail; there are a few good pictures, and one +room decorated with bucks' horns, and different emblems of the chase; +there is a large garden laid out in the English style. The grand front +of the portion styled the Chamber of Deputies is exactly opposite the +handsome bridge called the Pont de la Concorde, and is from thence seen +to the best advantage; it is a noble massive building with colossal +statues of Sully, Colbert, l'Hopital, and d'Aguesseau, there are besides +several allegorical figures, and 12 noble corinthian columns, +supporting a fine bas-relief recently completed, approached by a flight +of 29 steps; for so much weight as there appears in this building, I +should say there was not sufficient height, and the breadth is immense, +still the effect is dignified and imposing. + +The Chamber itself is a semi-circular hall with 24 white marble ionic +columns and bronze capitals gilt. The president's chair and the tribune +form the centre of the axis of the semi-circle, from whence the seats +rise of the 459 deputies, in the shape of an amphitheatre. A spacious +double gallery capable of containing 700 persons surrounds the +semi-circular part of the Chamber, arranged with tribunes for the royal +family, the corps diplomatique, officers of state and the public. There +are a number of very fine statues, as well as some extremely clever +pictures by the first French artists, and there, is a library of 50,000 +volumes. Anyone with a passport may visit the Chamber, but for the +debates a letter post-paid must be addressed to M. le Questeur de la +Chambre des Deputes, who will send a ticket of admission. A short +distance to the east is the Palace of the Legion of Honour, erected in +1786 after designs by Rousseau for the Prince de Salm, after whom it was +called. The entrance is by a triumphal arch, and a colonnade of the +ionic order with two pavillions. At the end of a court yard is the +principal front consisting of a fine portico, adorned with large +corinthian pillars. The side which fronts the Seine is particularly +light and graceful, having a circular projection adorned with columns +supporting a balustrade with six statues. When the Prince de Salm was +beheaded in 1793, the hotel was put up to lottery, and won by a journey +man hairdresser, and in 1803 it was appropriated to its present object; +strangers are admitted without any difficulty. + +The Palais du Quai D'Orsay is almost adjoining, and although one of the +most magnificent, yet one of the most chaste edifices in Paris; it has +never received any decided name. It was begun under Napoleon, and then +remained dormant until 1830, and in the present reign has been finished +in the most perfect style. The grand front which faces the river +presents a long series of windows formed by arches beneath a tuscan +colonnade on the ground-floor; the one above is similar, except being of +the ionic order, surmounted by a sort of corinthian attic; the court is +surrounded by a double series of Italian arcades, there are four +staircases, placed at each corner, one styled the escalier d'honneur, is +absolutely splendid, both as regards the construction and the richness +of its ornaments. The chief entrance is in the Rue de Lille, and there +are side gateways into other streets. The ground-floor is appropriated +to the Council of State and the offices attached, the first floor to the +Cour des Comptes, and the third to the conservation of the Archives of +these two public bodies. This noble structure has cost upwards of twelve +million francs. + +We will now cast one glance at the Hotel Praslin, which also has its +entrance in the Rue de Lille, No. 54; its terrace is perceptible from +the quay, it is one of the most extensive and grandest mansions of the +old nobility. The next building is a barrack for cavalry, which is +totally devoid of any ornament or beauty. We now arrive at the Pont +Royal, an old but substantial bridge, built by a Dominican friar in +1684. The river here was formerly crossed by a ferry (bac), which gave +the name to the Rue du Bac. + +I shall now advise that we take a boat and see how Paris looks from the +water, affording us a good view of the quays as we pass between them; we +also get an excellent sight of the Point Neuf already described, and +which has a very fine effect as we approach it. We next come to the Pont +au Change, formerly a wooden bridge; in 1141 Louis VII fixed the +residence of the money changers upon it, hence it derived its name; the +present structure was built in 1639. The Pont Notre Dame soon after +arrests the eye (vide page 87), it was begun 1499 and finished in 1507, +after the designs of Jean Joconde; on the western side is an engine +called Pompe du Pont Notre Dame, consisting of a square tower erected +upon piles, having a reservoir into which water is elevated, by +machinery impelled by the current of the water. We next pass under the +Pont d'Arcole, built in 1828; it is a suspension bridge, and there is a +toll upon it. The circumstances from which it derives its name are very +singular. A young man, in 1830, during the murderous conflict which here +took place between the royal guard and the people, rushed on the bridge +with a flag in his hand, heading the patriots, and was killed under the +archway in the middle; his name was Arcole, and the same trait of +courage was displayed by Napoleon on the bridge of Arcola; hence its +present designation. + +A little farther on we pass close to the house where it is pretended +lived Fulbert, uncle of Heloise; the outward part of the building does +not bear the impression of being as old as the period when Abelard +lived, as he was born in 1080, and died in 1142; the cellars, however, +have a very ancient appearance; visiters are admitted, on applying to +the owner of the dwelling, which is situated No. 1, Rue des Chantres, on +the north-eastern side of the Isle de Paris, not far from Notre Dame. + +[Illustration: Paris in the 19th Century. Published by F. Sinnett, 15, +Grande rue Verte.] + +Resuming our course upon the water we come to the Pont Louis-Philippe, a +fine suspension bridge constructed in 1834, of iron wire, with two bold +arches of stone. The next bridge is called the Pont Marie, and was built +in 1641, but had two arches; and 22 houses, out of 50, which stood upon +it, were carried away by a flood in 1648. We now arrive at the Pont de +Damiette, another suspension bridge connecting the north and southern +quays of the Seine with the Ile Louviers, until very recently an immense +depot for fire wood, but now many handsome residences are being erected, +with which the whole of the little island will soon be covered. We shall +now land on the Quay des Celestins, and explore the north-east quarter +of Paris, beginning with the Arsenal which contains a library of +200,000 printed volumes, and 6,000 manuscripts, amongst which are some +beautiful missals. Henri IV having appointed Sully grand-master of the +artillery, he resided in the buildings constructed on this spot +purposely for him, and they now show a bed-room and a cabinet in which +he used to receive his royal visiter; they are richly gilt according to +the style of that period, and may be seen with passport by applying to +the Director. Close to the Arsenal on the Quai des Celestins are the +remains of the once celebrated Convent of the Celestins, and of their +small church which after that of St. Denis contained more tombs of +illustrious individuals than any in Paris. It was particularly remarked +for the chapel d'Orleans, which enclosed the remains of the brother of +Charles VI and his descendants. The architecture is interesting as being +a specimen of the pointed style prevailing in Paris in the 14th century, +a part of the convent buildings are converted into cavalry barracks, and +the rest are in a state of dilapidation. Facing the Arsenal is the +Grenier de Reserve, on the Boulevard Bourdon, which is an immense +storehouse for corn, grain and flour requisite for the consumption of +Paris for four months. + +It was began by Napoleon in 1807, it is 2,160 feet in length and 64 in +breath. Every baker in Paris is obliged to have constantly deposited +here 20 full sacks of flour, and as many more as he pleases by paying a +trifle for warehouse room. Just a few steps northward is the Government +Depot of powder and saltpetre. + +At a short distance in the Rue St. Antoine, No. 216, is the small church +of the Visitation built by Mansard in 1632, for the Sisters of the +Visitation. It has a dome supported by Corinthian pillars, and the +interior is richly ornamented with scroll work, wreaths of flowers, etc. +It is now appropriated to the protestant worship, and there is service +on Sundays, and festivals at half past 12. On the southern side of the +Boulevard St. Antoine is the Theatre St. Antoine, erected in 1836; the +performances are vaudevilles, little melodrama, and farces. The admission +is from 6_d._ to 2_s._ 6_d._ It contains 1,226 places. The Place de +la Bastille is now before us, and still may be seen the desolate remains +of the great plaster cast of the enormous elephant, intended by Napoleon +to have been placed on this spot, which is now decorated with what is +called the Column of July. The capital is said to be the largest piece +of bronze ever cast, the height is 163 feet, and it is surmounted by an +orb on which is placed the figure of Liberty; and is ornamented with +lions, heads, cocks, children bearing garlands and other emblematical +objects, but the effect of the whole is not happy, there is a sort of +indescribable deficiency, although the cost was 1,200,000f., besides an +immense outlay, years before, for the foundation. The ceremony of its +inauguration took place on the 28th of July, 1840, when fifty coffins, +each containing twelve patriots, were placed in the vaults for them +underneath. Many persons descend to view the arrangements where the +sarcophagi are stationed, which are 14 feet in length, and the trouble +is well repaid; as also for ascending to the summit of the monument, but +the staircase is not considered to be as solid and secure as could be +wished. + +At No. 38, Rue de Charenton, will be found the Hopital Royal des Quinze +Vingts, devoted to the reception of the blind. This establishment was +originally founded by St. Louis, at the corner of the Rue St. Nicaise, +in the Rue St. Honore, and ultimately removed to the present building. +There are as many as 300 families living in this Hospital, as the blind +are suffered to bring with them their wives and children, and encouraged +to marry, if single; there are besides 600 out-door pensioners. There is +a chapel attached to the institution, which was built in 1701, but +possesses no particular interest. At No. 128, Rue Faubourg St. Antoine, +is a building founded in 1660 by M. Aligre and his lady, for orphans, +but the children having been sent to another establishment, it is +intended to be formed into a Hospice for 400 old men. Just by, is the +Marche Beauveau, built in 1799, and is a sort of rag fair, well +appropriated to the neighbourhood in which it stands. At no 206, Rue +Faubourg St. Antoine, is the Hopital St. Antoine, formerly the Abbey of +St. Antoine; the present building was erected in 1770, the number of +beds is 270, it is appropriated for the reception of the sick in +general, and may be visited by strangers upon any day. Some little +distance to the north, in the Rue St. Bernard, is the Church of St. +Marguerite, erected in 1625; it has no other attractions than that of +its pictures, which are numerous and some of them beautiful, and would +well repay the visiter for turning out of his way to view them, they are +principally of the old French school, but there are no records to state +how they ever came there. A few streets to the south-west, lead to the +Rue de Reuilly, where some barracks will be found in a large pile of +buildings, established by Colbert, for the Royal Glass Manufactory of +Mirrors (removed to 313, Rue St. Denis); a little further on, at the +south-eastern corner of the Rue Faubourg St. Antoine and that of Picpus, +is a great market for forage, and at No. 8 in the latter street, is the +Maison d'Enghien, founded by the mother of the unfortunate Duke of that +name, the Duchess of Bourbon, in 1819, and now supported by Madame +Adelaide d'Orleans; it contains fifty beds, of which eighteen are for +women, and the utmost cleanliness and order prevail. + +At No. 18 is the Hopital Militaire de Picpus. Somewhat farther on, at No. +16, was once a Convent of the Order of St. Augustin, now a +boarding-school, but the chapel still remains; attached to it is a +cemetery, where rest the remains of some of the noblest families of +France, as de Grammont, de Montaigu, de Noailles, and that purest and +most perfect of private and public characters, Lafayette, in a spot +hardly known, in a quiet corner, beneath a very simple tomb, beside his +wife, and in the midst of his relations. We shall now return westward, +and view the Barriere du Trone, which is still unfinished, but +consisting of two noble lofty columns; very conspicuous from their +height, with a fine open circular space, on which festivals are +celebrated on public days, and plans are now pursuing for finishing and +embellishing this spot. A pleasant walk along the Boulevards will bring +us to the celebrated cemetery of Pere-La-Chaise, on which there has been +so much written by tourists, poets, and even novelists; thus I fear all +I can state upon the subject will appear but tame, after such choice +spirits have favoured the public with their inspirations on so +interesting a retreat, I shall, therefore, only attempt to give a few +matter of fact indications. + +It consists of a large tract of ground on the slope of a hill, was +celebrated for the beauty of its situation in the fourteenth century, +and under Louis the XIV as the abode of Pere-La-Chaise, having for 150 +years been the favourite country house of the Jesuits, and at present +the favourite burying place of the Parisians. In the 14th century a +house was erected on the spot by a rich grocer, named Regnault, and was +by the people named La Folie Regnault; after belonging to different +parties, it was purchased for 160,000 francs, for its present purpose. +Its extent is nearly 100 acres; all that trees, shrubs, plants, and +flowers can avail towards embellishing a spot, has been effected; the +sculptor's hand has also been contributed in a most eminent degree, and +fancy seems to have exhausted her caprices in conceptions of forms and +fashions with regard to the monuments here assembled, and some are as +highly picturesque as can be well imagined; others are grand and +imposing, whilst a few there are, whose simplicity render them the most +interesting, so much is there in association that perhaps none is more +touching than that of Abelard and Heloise; it is formed of stones +gathered from the ruins of the Abbey of Paraclete, founded by Abelard, +of which Heloise was the first abbess. Amongst the number of monuments +here assembled, there will be found those whose names have lived and +will live in history: marshals, admirals, generals, authors, travellers, +senators, and celebrated characters of all nations, in fact what with +the extreme beauty of the scene, the splendid view that expands before +one, and the tone of reflexions that are engendered by the many +affecting appeals there are to the heart, upon the different monuments, +I know of no spot that one can visit, calculated to excite deeper +impressions. We have imitated near London the same description of +cemetery, but they will be long before they can arrive at the same +beauty; it has been observed, that Pere-La-Chaise is not kept in such +nice order as those in England, and the remark is just, but I am not +quite sure but that I prefer the degree of wildness which there is in +the former, and although it may not be so neat and trim as the latter, +yet on the whole there is infinitely more of the sublime, aided no doubt +from the extreme beauty of the position, and the greater number of +splendid monuments, than an infant establishment can be expected to +possess. + +On quitting this delightful spot, we must pass by the Prison de la +Roquette, destined for the reception of prisoners condemned to the +galleys or to death; the excellent system that is here followed with +regard to the airiness, cleanliness, and strict order, is such that it +is styled the model prison; 318 is the number of prisoners that it can +contain. Just opposite to it is the Prison pour les jeunes Detenus, or +for juvenile offenders, and is a most extraordinary establishment; its +exterior has the air of a baronial castle, and the interior is so +arranged that it might answer the purpose of an hospital, as well as +that of correction; it has circular turrets at the angles, and the +central building is isolated from the others, and only approachable by +iron bridges; the whole of the upper part of the building is a chapel, +so contrived, that when the prisoners enter it from the different +divisions, although they are all together, they can only see the +individuals composing their own section, and the pulpit and altar; the +prisoners are arranged in the different wings, according to their ages, +and the degree of morality; there are about 500, and the different +regulations are so meritorious, and the plan of the building so curious +and ingenious, that the stranger will derive much pleasure from visiting +this singular establishment. Just by, is the Abattoir de Popincourt, or +de Menilmontant, which is considered to be the largest and finest of all +the five immense slaughter-houses round Paris, and for those who are +curious of regarding such buildings, this should be the one they ought +to visit. At a few steps from the Abattoir, in the Rue Popincourt, is +the church of St. Ambroise, which was built for a convent of nuns called +the Annonciades in 1639; some tolerable pictures are the only +attractions it possesses for a stranger; a few doors from it is a large +barrack, and an ornamented Fountain. We must now descend the Rue du +Chemin-Vert, until we come to the Canal St. Martin, and just pause a +minute and notice its neat quays, and the good order in which its locks +are kept, and all arrangements connected with it, and then proceed to +the Boulevards: a short street, called Rue de la Mule, will take us into +the Place Royale, which stands upon the site of the celebrated Palais de +Tournelle, the court and offices of which extended to the Rue St. +Antoine, and over several of the neighbouring streets, but was pulled +down by order of Catherine de Medicis in 1565, on account of her husband +Henry II having been killed in one of the courts in a tournament. + +The Place Royale, as it now stands, was built in 1604, under Henri IV +(vide page 92), it is now inhabited by persons of small incomes who like +to have spacious and lofty apartments without incurring the expence of +such; in the more fashionable quarters, the arcades all round the +square, the fountains, the trees, and the handsome railing, give it a +very fine though curious appearance, and the houses have a most +venerable aspect. We will now leave the Place Royale by the southern +gateway, and enter the Rue St. Antoine, and nearly opposite to No. 143, +is the Hotel de Sully; being the work of the celebrated architect +Ducerceau, and the residence of the noble character whose name it bears. +It is well preserved, and its court is richly adorned with sculpture. At +No. 120, in the same street, is the College de Charlemagne, formerly a +college of the Jesuits, founded in 1582, the buildings are only +remarkable for their extent. The Passage Charlemagne, No. 102, leads +through the court of the Hotel de Jassau, or d'Aguesseau, 22, Rue des +Pretres St. Paul, said to be the site of a palace, and a turret of the +time of Francis I still remains at the corner of the court, as also some +ornaments and figures. At the corner of the Rue St. Paul, and the Rue +des Lions, is a small square turret of the time of Henri IV, and a +little eastward, part of the church of St. Paul embodied in the house, +No. 29, Rue St. Paul. By the side of the College of Charlemagne is the +church of St. Paul and St. Louis, it was began in 1627, and finished in +1641, and within it Cardinal Richelieu performed the first mass in the +presence of Louis XIII and his court. The noble front rising from a +flight of steps, is adorned with three ranges of corinthian and +composite columns, and the interior is decorated with ornaments even to +profusion; a fine dome with figures of the Evangelists and four kings of +France give it altogether a very handsome appearance. Opposite the +College of Charlemagne, is the Fontaine de Birague; consisting of a +pentagonal tower, with a dome and lantern. Above a pediment supported by +doric pilasters is an attic with a naiad. At the corner of the Rue +Culture Ste. Catherine, is the Hotel de Carnavalet, where resided Madame +de Sevigne and her daughter, a fine mansion of the 16th century, having +been erected in 1544; most of the sculpture is from the chisel of the +celebrated Jean Goujon, and is of a most interesting description; the +cabinet in which the letters of that highly gifted woman were written is +still shown, also a marble table upon which she and her daughter used to +dine under the sycamores in the garden, two of which remain. M. Viardot +occupies this Hotel, and with pleasure shows it to strangers; he keeps +an academy and has written a history of the edifice, which may be had of +the porter. It was at the corner of this street that the Constable de +Clisson was assailed and severely wounded by 20 ruffians, headed by +Pierre de Graon, Chamberlain of the Duke of Orleans, who was murdered by +the Duke of Burgundy. + +In the Rue du Roi de Sicile is the prison of La Force, containing 700 +prisoners, and excellent regulations, but another, in a more retired +part of Paris, is soon to be constructed. This building was formerly the +Hotel of the Duc de la Force, hence the origin of its name. In the Rue +Pavee, which is on one side of the prison, will be found, at No. 3, the +Hotel de la Houze, and in the same street stood the Hotels de Gaucher, +de Chatillon, and d'Herbouville, or de Savoisi. We will now go a little +out of our way to see the fine long and broad street of St. Louis, +which we shall soon reach by keeping straight on along the Rue Payenne, +and then turning to the east by the Rue Parc Royal, shall proceed to one +of the ornaments of the Rue St. Louis, the Church of St. Denis du +Sacrement; it is quite modern, but is conceived according to good taste; +the order is ionic, which is consistently preserved both throughout the +exterior and the interior, much chasteness of design, in fact has been +observed in the construction of this simple but elegant edifice. The +Fountain of St. Louis is worthy of attention _en passant_. Formerly this +street was filled with nobility, as even so late as the beginning of the +reign of Louis XV it was rather a fashionable quarter, at present it is +the cheapest in Paris. + +We must now retrace our steps, which will bring us to the Rue Francs +Bourgeois; No. 25 is an hotel of the time of Henri IV, No. 7, Hotel de +Jeanne d'Abret, of Louis XV's days, and No. 12, the former residence of +the Dukes de Roquelaure, and at the corner will be observed a little +turret belonging to a house, one side of which is in the Vieille Rue du +Temple; there is some curious work upon it, and it is supposed to have +been standing at the time the Duke of Orleans was murdered by order of +the Duke of Burgundy, which was just about this spot, in 1407. At No. 51, +Rue Franc Bourgeois, is the Hotel de Hollande, so called from its having +belonged to the Dutch Ambassador, in the reign of Louis XIV; amongst the +sculpture is perceived the date of 1660; this handsome hotel was once +the residence of Beaumarchais. At the corner of the Rue Pavee is the +Hotel de Lamoignon, one of the handsomest mansions of the ancient +nobility. It is of the sixteenth century, some of the carved work is +most curious, and merits attentive examination; a picturesque turret and +balcony must excite the attention of every observer. A few steps further +is the large central establishment of the Mont de Piete, No. 18, Rue des +Blancs Manteaux, lending money on pledges, much the same as our +pawnbrokers, only on more advantageous terms for the borrowers. In the +same street is Notre Dame des Blancs Manteaux, once the chapel of a +religious house, so called from their dress consisting of white +garments; there was formerly a monastery here, of which there may be +discovered some remains to the east, and evidently in the left wing of a +house at No. 25; the chapel remaining has a plain exterior, but the +corinthian style of the interior is handsome, and worth attention; there +is also a very admired picture of the Burial of St. Petronilla, which is +eighteen feet by eight, it is of the school of Guercini, but it is not +known by what means it came to be placed in this church. Facing this +street is the Market des Blancs Manteaux. + +At the corner of the Rue Vieille du Temple, and that of the Rue de +Quatre Fils, is the Palais Cardinal, now the Imprimerie Royale; it was +erected in 1712, and is named after its owner, the Cardinal de Rohan, +whose intriguing spirit so much involved Marie Antoinette; in this +hotel the scenes occurred concerning that extraordinary affair; the +front of the building is quite plain, towards the garden it is +ornamented by columns, and as a mansion, is one of the largest in Paris. +It is now occupied as the Royal Printing Establishment, and it is +impossible to surpass the order and regularity with which it is +conducted; 750 men, women, and children, are employed in it. It is +considered to possess the richest collection in the world of matrices +and fonts of types, having them in every written language, and when Pope +Pius VII visited the establishment, he was presented the Lord's Prayer +in 150 languages. A library with specimens of typography, executed on +the premises, is an object of the highest gratification to every +visiter, even if they be not connaisseurs in the art. For admission to +this establishment, application must be made a few days beforehand to M. +le Directeur de l'Imprimerie Royale, who appoints a fixed hour on +Thursdays. Almost facing one part of the Imprimerie Royale, in the Rue +d'Orleans, is the Church of St. Francois d'Assise. Neither the exterior +nor the interior possess any striking beauty; it was founded and erected +in 1623. It contains some very good paintings, and the kneeling figure +of the saint of the church in his monastic dress; the hands and head are +of white marble, and it is supposed to be Egyptian; one of St. Denis is +opposite to it. + +Adjoining to the Imprimerie Royale, is the Hotel des Archives du +Royaume, which is entered by the Rue du Chaume, No. 12. It was formerly +a palace of the Prince de Soubise and the family of the Rohans. The +south and western part of the edifice is of the 15th century, the turret +is probably what belonged to the gatehouse. The decorations of the +apartments are extremely rich with gilt cornices and paintings, some of +them possessing great merit. In the _petits appartements_ is a boudoir +which belonged to the Duchess de Guise, with a window looking into the +Rue du Chaume, from whence it is asserted that her lover precipitated +himself at the approach of the Duke. A new building has been added, the +first stone having been laid in 1838, which has cost a million of +francs. Under Napoleon the whole edifice was appropriated to the +preservation of the national archives. Amongst them are documents of +diplomas granted to different monastic institutions, by Childebert, +Dagobert, Clothaire and Clovis II. The collections of the different +acts, deeds, charters, administrative, domanial, historical, judicial, +legislative, etc., fill 60,000 portfolios. There is besides a library of +14,000 volumes, amongst which are the _Records Commission_ of England, +presented by the British Government. There are also in an iron chest, +the golden bulls and papal decrees, most of the keys of the Bastille, +the wills of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI, with his journal, autograph +letters of Napoleon, one written by him to Louis XVIII, with a variety +of other most interesting objects. For admission apply (post paid) to M. +le Garde General des Archives du Royaume, No. 12, Rue du Chaume. + +The Fontaine de la Naiade in the same street, has a clever bas-relief by +Mignot. By the Rue des Vieilles-Haudriettes we pass into the Rue +Ste-Avoye; No. 63 is worth notice, several of the houses here having +been the hotels of nobility. No. 57 is the Hotel St. Aignan, built by Le +Muet; on its site stood the Hotel de Montmorency, it is an extensive +noble building, but has been spoiled by having had two stories added. +Henry II often resided in it when it was called Hotel de Montmorency. + +Taking the Rue Ste. Croix de la Bretonnerie, we shall find that the +first turning in it is the Rue des Billettes, where stand the Lutheran +Church; it was built in 1745, and belonged to the Carmelite Friars. In +1808, it was bought by the city of Paris, and given about four years +after to the Protestants of the Augsburgh confession. It is a plain neat +building. The Duchess of Orleans attends service here when in Paris, +which is in German at 2 and in French at 12. From hence we cross the Rue +de la Verrerie, and proceeding by the Rue des Mauvais Garcons, we arrive +at the Church St. Gervais; an inscription under the first arch of the +northern aisle of the choir, states the church to have been dedicated in +1420, although other parts of the building would indicate a more recent +construction, but with all its incongruities, from its having been built +at various periods, it excites a deep interest; the light gleaming +through the painted glass gives a rich though rather sombre effect, the +windows behind the altar have a most imposing appearance. The western +front was began in 1616, Louis the XIII laying the first stone, and is +not equal to other parts of the building; some of the chapels of this +church are particularly fine. Amongst the pictures, of which there are +many very good, is one by Albert Durer, with the date upon it of 1500. +Scarron, the husband of Mme. de Maintenon, lies buried here, as also the +celebrated painter Philippe de Champagne, and one of his performances is +amongst the pictures which decorate the church, being that of Jesus with +Martha and Mary in the chapel of Ste. Genevieve; there are several other +objects in this noble edifice so interesting, that no person who visits +Paris should omit seeing it. We may now take the Rue de la Tixeranderie +where at the corner of the Rue du Coq is a house and turret of the 15th +and 16th century, most probably the former, according to the statements +of M. Dulaure. + +[Illustration: The Hotel de Ville. +Published by F. Sinnett, 15. Grande rue Verte.] + +We now arrive at the Hotel-de-Ville, Place de Greve; the first stone of +this interesting and venerable pile was laid in 1533, but was not +completely finished until 1606, in the reign of Henry IV. The style of +architecture is that which the French call La Renaissance des Arts, it +is rich, rather heavy, and has an antique appearance; it is exactly +according to the taste which prevailed in the 16th century, and was +brought into vogue by Italian architects. There is a great deal of +ornament about the building, and a profusion of statues, still they +appear consistent with the style of the building, and have not the +effect of redundancy. Over the doorway is a bronze equestrian statue of +Henry IV. Along the principal front is a flight of steps, and an arcade +and portico with ionic columns, between the arches facing the entrance +is a fine bronze statue of Louis XIV. The Grande Salle or Salle du Trone +is a most splendid apartment, and has been the scene of many most +important events, being the room where Robespierre held his council and +in which he attempted to destroy himself, and from which Louis XVI +addressed the people with the cap of liberty upon his head. Most +extensive additions and alterations have recently been effected, the +original facade having been doubled in length and the whole body of the +building nearly quadrupled, forming an immense quadrangle, preserving +the same style of architecture as the original. The expense of these +additions and improvements is estimated at four millions of francs, and +they have been effected with a rapidity that is quite surprising, +notwithstanding the number of public buildings in progress at the same +time in Paris. The multitude of apartments, the richness of their +decorations, and tasteful manner with which they are arranged, are only +to be equalled by the careful attention which has been devoted to their +distribution with regard to convenience and comfort. As Louis-Philippe +justly observed when he recently inspected the exterior of the whole +building, that it should no longer be called the Hotel-de-Ville, but for +the future the City Palace, as the splendour within it is not exceeded +in any of the other palaces in Paris. The library belonging to this +establishment consists of 55,000 volumes, and is very rich in +manuscripts. + +The Place de Greve has been the scene of more sanguinary tragedies than +perhaps any spot of the same extent in Europe, and could the stones but +speak, each could tell a tale of blood. In the north-west corner is +still to be seen a relic of the middle ages, in a curious turret +attached to one of the houses. Taking the Rue Poterie, we shall get into +the Rue de la Verrerie, and proceeding westward will bring us to the +church St. Merri, but to view it properly must enter the Rue St. Martin, +and stand facing it, and well examine its curious and beautiful +sculpture (vide page 88), presenting all the minute and singular +characteristics of the period of its construction (1520); the carve-work +is quite like lace, so minutely elaborate. The interior possesses +several interesting objects in architecture, and some inconsistencies, +the pulpit is extremely curious, and its effect is very striking. There +are also some pictures above mediocrity, principally by French artists +of the past school. The tower of this church is famed from the desperate +resistance which was made from it by a few young men in 1832 against the +king's troops. + +We must follow the course of the Rue St. Martin, and observe No. 151, a +fine hotel of the time of Louis XIV, with a front adorned by ionic +pilasters, and handsome entrance: a few paces farther on the opposite +side, is the church of St. Nicolas-des-Champs, the west front was +erected in 1420, as it now stands, and in 1576, the choir and chapels +behind were constructed, and the tower probably at that period or +since. A church has existed on the same spot ever since 1119, then +standing as the name indicates in the fields, but it is doubtful whether +any part of the old fabric remains. There is something fine and imposing +in the interior, with regard to its general effect, although there is +not any thing particularly remarkable in its architecture; the pictures +it contains form its most striking feature, some of which are very good; +many celebrated persons lie buried here, and amongst the rest +Mademoiselle Scuderi. + +A few steps to the north is the Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers. This +edifice was formerly the ancient abbey of St. Martin-des-Champs, the +chapel and refectory of which were built about the year 1240, and are +still standing, the latter is in excellent preservation, and is one of +the most curious and perfect specimens of the architecture of the period +at which it was built; at the eastern end of the chapel are the remains +of a building still more ancient, which is plain, and has not any thing +striking in its appearance. In this establishment is to be found every +description of machinery, and in fact all that ever can be imagined +relative to the promotion of industry; scarcely any invention has been +made public, of which there is not a model to be found in this curious +museum, with specimens of all the various mechanical contrivances which +Europe possesses. The celebrated Vaucanson, who was one of the greatest +contributors to this institution, having quarrelled with the people of +Lyons, vowed he would teach an ass to do what they did, and he +absolutely invented machinery of such a description that it could be +worked by that humble animal, and a piece of drugget with flowers is +shown, which was produced by the united ingenuity of M. Vaucanson and +the patient labour of the ass. Models of potteries, breweries, +smelting-houses, steam engines, railways, etc. are amongst the number of +interesting objects, and the names of our countrymen appear prominent, +as Watt, Maudsley, Barker, Atkins, etc., who have benefited the world by +their inventions. On ascending a very handsome staircase, the visiter +finds a range of apartments, with a wonderful collection of models of +pulpits (which in France are generally most ornamental objects), mills, +turning machines, engineering and surveying instruments, with an immense +number of others far too many to recapitulate, and an assortment of +coloured papers stamped, and some exquisitely cut out; fans of mother of +pearl of most elaborate workmanship, with other objects equally +ingenious and beautiful. This venerable abbey appears to advantage from +the garden, as a plain substantial old fashioned building, part of which +is used as the Mairie of the 6th Arrondissement, and lecture rooms for +the professors of the institution. + +A short distance from it, is the Fontaine St. Martin, which is erected +against a tower formerly belonging to the old abbey with which it was +connected by a wall with a series of towers, but there is now no other +remaining. Close by, is the market St. Martin, with 400 stalls, formerly +the abbey gardens; there is a handsome fountain in the middle, of +bronze, with three allegorical figures of the genii of hunting, fishing, +and agriculture, there are also smaller fountains, and at the back of +the market a little promenade planted with trees. From hence we pass +eastward by the Rue Royale, and turning to the left, we shall see the +Rue des Fontaines, in which we shall find the Maison d'Arret des +Madelonnettes, formerly belonging to nuns called the Filles de la +Madeleine, now appropriated to the temporary detention of 500 men and +boys. A few steps farther, and the Temple appears before us in the Rue +du Temple, now a nunnery occupied by the Dames Benedictines de +l'Adoration perpetuelle du St. Sacrement. It formerly belonged to the +society of Knights Templars, and afterwards to those of Malta; the +palace of the grand prior is all that now remains of the ancient +building, which was erected by Jacques de Souvre in 1566. The front has +a portico formed of doric colums, and on each side a fountain with a +colossal statue (by Pujol), upon a pedestal. The front towards the court +is adorned with eight coupled ionic columns, and above are figures of +Justice, Prudence, Hope and Abundance. A new chapel was built in 1823, +which belongs to the convent, it is of the ionic order throughout, and +though not particularly striking, is not inelegant, and remarkably neat; +it may be seen on application at the porter's lodge, but from the +nunnery strangers are most rigidly excluded. There was a tower +belonging to this building, where the unfortunate Louis XVI was +confined, as also Sir Sydney Smith and Toussaint-Louverture, but it was +demolished in 1805. Behind the Temple is an immense space of ground +called the Marche du Vieux Linge, containing 1888 shops or stalls, where +old clothes, linen, shoes, tools, hats, old iron, and a variety of other +articles are sold at low prices, and behind is an oval-formed arcaded +building, with shops erected on the site of the ancient Temple and its +dependencies. + +The Fontaine Vendome, named after the Chevalier de Vendome, grand prior +of France, was attached to the old wall of the Temple, it has a cupola +and a military trophy. At No. 107, Rue du Temple, is the church of Ste. +Elisabeth (vide page 96), which has had so many modern repairs and +additions, that there is not much left of the first construction, but +except the front it has little in it to attract notice; there are a few +pictures and some painted windows by an Englishman named White. In +proceeding northward to the Boulevards, we will just take a look at the +Rue Vendome, as it is full of hotels, amongst which are some of the +finest in Paris; on reaching the Boulevard du Temple, No. 50 may be +remarked, it is always pointed out to strangers as the house from whence +Fieschi discharged in 1835 his infernal machine (which is now to be seen +at Madame Tussaud's exhibition in Baker Street, London). By the means of +that diabolical affair, Marshal Mortier, Colonel Rieussec, and many +others, were killed and wounded, but the King, at whom it was aimed, +fortunately escaped. We shall now proceed by the Rue du Faubourg du +Temple; at No. 68 is a large barrack which has been formed for infantry, +but is a few steps out of the way, and hardly worth looking after, in an +architectural point of view. I should therefore advise turning to the +left, by the northern bank of the Canal St. Martin, and observing the +Grand Entrepot des Sels, from whence annually 9,000,000 lbs. of salt are +distributed for the consumption of Paris. Opposite, on the southern +bank, is the Entrepot de la Compagnie des Douanes, which was built in +1834 by a joint stock company, for receiving goods in bond, consisting +of a spacious area in which stand two large warehouses 250 feet in +length, with a court covered in between for stowage, besides a number of +sheds. They are constructed on a most solid plan, being built of stone +with brick arches, and the wood-work of oak enclosing pillars of iron. +It is altogether on a most extensive and commodious plan, with such +regulations as have rendered it highly serviceable to the purposes of +commerce. Adjoining are the warehouses of the Custom House, called the +Douanes de Paris, the entrance is in the Rue Neuve Sanson, the house of +the Director is attached, and particularly neat; the whole of the +buildings, although constructed upon a solid principle, are light and +handsome. + +The first turning to the right, brings us to the Rue de l'Hopital, in +which is the hospital of St. Louis, a most noble establishment founded +by Henry IV, in 1607. It contains 800 beds, and is justly celebrated +for its excellent medicated and mineral baths. There is a chapel +attached to it, of which the first stone was laid by Henry IV. It was +called after St. Louis, from having been originally devoted to persons +infected with the plague, he having died of that disease at Turin in +1270. At present it is appropriated to such as are afflicted with +cutaneous complaints. As we cross the canal, we must notice the charcoal +market, close to which is the Hospital of Incurables, for men, No. 34, +Rue des Recollets, established in 1802 in the ancient convent of the +Recollets. The number of men admitted is 400, male children 70. Those +boys Who are capable, are encouraged to learn different trades, and at +20 years of age are sent to the Bicetre. Strangers are admitted every +day except Sundays and festivals. The church of St. Laurent is facing, +in the Place de la Fidelite and Rue du Faubourg St. Martin; it was first +built in 1429, enlarged in 1543, and in part rebuilt in 1595, and the +porch and perhaps the lady chapel, added in 1622. A gridiron is the only +object which attracts notice on the exterior, and the interior offers +little more; the key stones of the vaulting ribs are deep pendent masses +of stone, carved into groups of figures, fruit, etc., and in the +vaulting there is some bold sculpture displayed in the northern aisle of +the choir, which is the most ancient part of the church. The Foire of +St. Laurent merits being visited, it is a market which has been built by +a company for the supply of this part of the capital. The design is +elegant, consisting of a parallelogram of two stories, with covered +galleries and a fountain in the middle of the court. The whole is +covered in by lateral windows, and a roof of glass. The street St. +Laurent conducts immediately to the Maison Royale de Sante, No. 112, Rue +Faubourg St. Denis, an institution in which invalids are received; +persons who cannot afford the means of sustaining an expensive illness +are admitted on paying from 3 to 6 francs a day, advice, medicine, +board, and if required, surgical operations included. It contains 175 +beds, the utmost attention is paid to the comforts of the patients. + +Opposite, at No. 117, is St. Lazare, formerly the ancient Convent of the +Lazarists, or Priests of the Mission, now a prison for female offenders. +It was once a place of much importance, the remains of the kings and +queens of France were carried to the convent of St. Lazare, prior to +being conveyed to St. Denis, the coffin being placed between the two +gates of the building on a tomb of state, with all the prelates of the +kingdom surrounding it, chanting the service of the dead, and sprinkling +it with holy water. It is now appropriated to the imprisonment of +misguided women, and every encouragement is afforded them to amend, for +which purpose they are allowed two-thirds of their earnings, and a +variety of occupations are constantly going on. Children, under sixteen +years of age, are kept by themselves; in all there are mostly from 900 +to 1000 persons confined in St. Lazare, but the order, cleanliness and +apparent comfort is such as to give an air of happiness to the whole +establishment, and for the humane, it is one of the most gratifying +sights in Paris. Attached to this institution is the general bakehouse, +laundry, and linen depot for all the prisons. A chapel is in the midst +of the building, and the women attend service every Sunday. We will now +return to the Boulevards, and taking the Rue de la Lune, we shall there +find the church of Notre Dame de Bonne Nouvelle: the old building was +destroyed during the wars of the League, in 1593, but was rebuilt in +1624; of this second construction the tower alone is still standing, the +body of the present church having been erected in 1825, it is a plain +edifice of the doric order, a fresco by Pujol merits attention, but is +the only object throughout the edifice which can excite much interest. +We must now retrace a few steps, and by the Rue St. Claude turn into the +Rue St. Denis, and proceeding southwards observe the establishment of +Les Bains St. Sauveur, at the corner of the street of that name, from +which a street communicates with the Rue Thevenot, and about here was +the Cour des Miracles, cited by Dulaure, and afterwards by Victor Hugo, +as the resort of thieves and beggars, where five hundred families lived +huddled together in the greatest state of filth that could be imagined; +it was not until the year 1667 that they were partly dispersed. The +stranger must not forget the manufactory of mirrors, No. 313, Rue St. +Denis, he will there find an immense plate glass warehouse; the concern +having been established since 1634; it is carried on to a great degree +of perfection. A Frenchman named Thevart first discovered the art of +casting glass, that of polishing it was invented by Riviere, and now +glasses may be had at this establishment 154 inches by 104. The largest +table of iron for polishing glass was made a few months since, weighing +twenty-five tons. At No. 121 is the Cour Batave, so called from being +erected by a company of Dutch merchants, in 1791; it is disfigured now +by shops, but had the original design been carried out, instead of +having been disturbed by the Revolution, it would have been one of the +handsomest monuments of the capital. + +A short distance northward, in the same street, is the church of St. Leu +and St. Gilles; on the spot a chapel was erected in 1230, and in a small +tower to the west a date is inscribed of 1230, but it has been repaired +several times since that period, particularly in 1320; the nave, +however, is supposed to be of the thirteenth century, and most likely of +the date of the foundation, but other parts of the building are +evidently of a more recent epoch, possibly of 1320; judging from the +style of the architecture. Amongst the pictures is one of St. Margaret, +Queen of Scotland, washing the feet of the poor; there are others which +are well worthy attention, as also a representation of the Creation, +which is a very curious piece of carve-work. As St. Leu had the credit +of healing the sick, the kings of France, on their accession to the +throne, for nine days successively used to visit this church to implore +the saint to grant them health. We must now proceed to the southern +extremity of the street, and take the last turning to the left, which is +called the Rue St. Jacques de la Boucherie, and in groping about amongst +some dirty streets, we shall find the tower of the same name; it is a +remarkably curious object, and it is much to be regretted that the +church belonging to it no longer stands it was begun in 1508; and +finished in 1522, it is 156 feet high, and had formerly a spire thirty +feet high; the style of architecture is rich and very singular, the +gargouilles, or gutter spouts, are of a tremendous size; as it has been +recently purchased by the Municipality of Paris from an individual, +there are hopes that this interesting monument will be fully repaired +and restored. Around its base a market is established for linen and old +clothes. A little filthy street to the south will take us into the Place +du Chatelet, where we can breathe a little fresh air; here stood the +celebrated Chatelet, at once a court of justice and prison of olden +time. In the middle is a fountain, from which rises a column +representing a palm-tree, and upon it are inscribed the victories of +Napoleon. Amongst other allegorical decorations, the statues of Justice, +Strength, Prudence, and Vigilance adorn the pedestal, and joining hands +encircle the column, the whole surmounted by a statue of Victory. At No. +1, upon the Place, is the chamber of notaries, where landed property and +houses are sold by auction. + +We must now return to the Rue St. Denis, and follow it until we come to +the Rue de la Ferronnerie, which is to the left, into which we must +proceed, and shall find that the second turning to the left is the Rue +des Dechargeurs, and at No. 11 is an edifice of the seventeenth century, +which is now the Depot general des Bonneteries (Hosiery) de France. + +Returning a few steps northward, brings us to the corner of the Rue St. +Honore, and against No. 3 is a bust of Henry IV, and a stone with a +latin inscription, indicating that it was exactly opposite that spot +that he was stabbed by Ravaillac. The street was very narrow at that +period, and at the moment when the deed was perpetrated, the carriage of +Henri IV was stopped by a number of carts which choked up the passage. A +little street nearly opposite, takes into the Marche des Innocents, +which occupies an immense space formerly the cemetry of the Innocents. +In the middle of the area is a fountain built by Pierre Lescot, in 1551, +and is decidedly a most beautiful object, which is not sufficiently +noticed by strangers, as it is surrounded by a crowded market and not at +all hours easy of approach; the court-yard of a palace would be a more +appropriate situation for this elegant edifice, and I particularly +request my readers to pay it a visit. Around this fountain is certainly +the largest and most frequented market in Paris, not only each +description of vegetables, poultry, and almost all kind of eatables are +sold here, but cloth, a large building being purposely constructed for +that object 400 feet in length; another division is for every +description of herbs, the northern side is devoted to potatoes and +onions; a triangular building a little farther, is on purpose for +butter, eggs, and cheese, whilst another edifice is for fish. At a short +distance, in the Rue Mauconseil is the great hall for the sale of +leather, which was formerly the Hotel de Bourgogne, where the players +used to perform scriptural pieces in the 15th century. To the west of +the Marche des Innocents is the curious street de la Tonnellerie, an +open passage running, through the ground floors of some of the houses, +inhabited mostly by dealers in rags, cloth, and old furniture; in this +street is the bread market, where it is sold cheaper than at the bakers +in Paris. At the south end of the street at No. 3, is the site of the +house where Moliere was born, which was held by his father who was an +upholsterer and valet de chambre to Louis XII; against the house is a +bust of the author, with an inscription specifying the event. + +Following the Rue de la Tonnellerie brings us opposite St. Eustache, +which after Notre-Dame is the largest church in Paris, built on the site +of a chapel of St. Agnes. The present edifice was begun in 1532, but not +supposed to have been finished until 1642. The portico is more recent, +being after a design by Mansart de Jouy, and erected in 1754: combining +altogether a most incongruous mixture of styles and orders of +architecture, originally commenced with the design that it should be a +sort of mixed gothic, of which the southern door and front bear +evidence, whilst the western portico has doric and ionic columns, and +at the northern end are corinthian pillars, notwithstanding it is a bold +imposing structure, and the interior has the appearance of a fine abbey, +and is a monument which every stranger ought to visit. It is a pity that +a number of little square knobs have been suffered to remain sticking +out from different parts of the shafts of the columns of this church; it +is strange that the French could not be made to understand that the +beauty of a pillar in a great degree consists in a bold broad mass, +which should never be cut up into littlenesses, by rings or any +obtruding projections. In this church lie buried several celebrated +persons, amongst the rest the great Colbert, which is indicated by a +very handsome sarcophagus, sculptured by Coysevose. The sacred music +here is sometimes most exquisitely delightful, the organ being +particularly fine. Facing the southern front is the Marche des +Prouvaires, a sort of appendage to the Marche des Innocents, and +opposite the east side of the church, is the Fontaine de Tantale, at the +point formed by the two streets, Montmartre and Montorgueil, which will +repay the observer for a few minutes devoted to its examination. The +west front of the church faces the Rue Oblin, which we will take, as it +leads to the Halle au Ble, a fine extensive circular building, with a +noble dome, it is built on the site of the Hotel de Soissons, erected +for Catherine de Medicis, in 1572, which in 1748 was demolished, and the +present Halle constructed in 1763; the roof has a round skylight, 31 +feet in diameter, and from the system adopted in its formation, it is +considered by connaiseurs a _chef d'oeuvre_ in the art of building. It +is indeed altogether so curious, and so commodious a building for the +purpose for which it is designed, that the visiter must be highly +gratified in viewing it: there is besides another attraction, which is +on the southern side, one of the immense doric columns which once +composed the noble Hotel de Soissons; it was erected for the purposes of +astrology, and contains a winding staircase, and is ornamented with +emblematic symbols, of the widowhood of Catherine de Medicis, as broken +mirrors, C. and H. interlaced, etc. An ingenious sundial is placed on +its shaft, and a fountain in its pedestal. + +By taking the Rue Sartine we shall arrive at the Rue Jean-Jacques +Rousseau, and there find the Hotel des Postes or General Post Office; it +was formerly an Hotel belonging to the Duke d'Epernon, and was +afterwards inhabited by different proprietors, until 1757, when it was +purchased by government, for its present purposes. It is an extensive +building but badly situated amongst narrow streets, many additions have +been made since it has become government property. Taking the Rue +Verdelet, the street which runs along the north side of the building, +and proceeding westward, we come to the Place des Victoires, which was +built in 1685; in the centre is a very fine equestrian statue of Louis +XIV, in bronze, which although weighing 16,000 lbs is entirely sustained +by the hinder legs and the tail. It is the work of Bosio, and was +modelled in 1822. + +Proceeding to the south-west, by the Rue de la Petite-Vrilliere, the +Bank of France is before us. It was formerly the Hotel de Toulouse, +erected by Mansard, in 1720; for the Duke de la Vrilliere; it is well +situated, and adapted to its present use, but it has no striking +architectural beauty. The Rue Vide Gousset, to the north-west of the +Place des Victoires, leads to the Eglise des Petits-Peres, or de +Notre-Dame des Victoires, erected in 1656. It was called Petits-Peres, +or little fathers, on account of Henry IV, on two of the community of +small stature having been introduced into his antechamber, asking, "who +are those little fathers?" The convent which was attached, is now used +as barracks for infantry. The portal of the church was built in 1739, +and is composed of columns of the ionic and corinthian orders. The +interior has some handsomely decorated chapels and altars; the pictures +by Vanloo also are fine. Lulli, the musical composer, lies buried here. +In the Rue Notre-Dame des Victoires is the immense establishment of the +Messageries Royales, from whence start diligences to all parts of +France; we will pass through the yard into the Rue Montmartre, at No. +44, is the Marche St. Joseph, at 166, the Fontaine de la Rue Montmartre, +and at No. 176, the Hotel d'Uzes erected by Le Doux, considered one of +the finest hotels in Paris. + +We will now enter the Boulevard Poissonniere, by turning to the right, +and in passing along to the Boulevard Bonne-Nouvelle must notice the +very handsome Bazaar called the Galeries de Commerce, and the noble +building called Maison du Pont de Fer with its curious iron bridge, +uniting the back and front premises with the Boulevard. Taking, the Rue +de l'Echiquier, to the left, will conduct us to the Rue du +Faubourg-Poissonniere, and opposite, at No. 23, we find the Garde Meuble +de la Couronne, containing all the furniture of the crown not in use, +the regalia, and other articles of immense value, but to obtain +admission is extremely difficult. Annexed to this building is the +Conservatoire de Musique and the Salle des Menus Plaisirs. In this +street are several handsome mansions particularly at Nos. 26 and 60, the +gateway of which, with its fine ionic columns, is one of the most +imposing in Paris; there also are large barracks for infantry with +military trophies over the entrance. From thence a few steps lead into +the Rue Lafayette, and will bring us to a new church which promises to +be, when quite finished, one of the most elegant in the capital, it is +situated at the summit of the Rue Hauteville. The order is ionic, which +is solely and consistently preserved throughout the building, all the +ornaments are in good taste, and the paintings promise to be in keeping +with the rest, so that it augurs well towards being quite a +chef-d'oeuvre of art. It is intended to replace the old church of St. +Vincent de Paule, which stands about a furlong from it to the west in +the Rue Montholon, to where we will proceed, and look at the +altar-piece, being the apotheosis of the philanthropist to whom it is +dedicated, and the only object in the church worth attention. + +Keeping straight on westward, we come to the beautiful church of +Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, finished in 1837, it is exactly fronting the Rue +Lafitte, from which the noble portico of corinthian columns has a most +beautiful effect. The interior is splendid, indeed gorgeous, all that +painting, sculpture, and gilding can produce, is here combined, and the +effect is dazzling, and excites almost universal admiration, and would +mine also were it a theatre, but the chaste, still solemnity of a holy +sanctuary exists not here, amongst the gay colours and lurid glare which +every where meets the eye from the glitter, which blazes around in this +too profusely decorated church. Yet one must do justice as one examines +it in detail, and admit that in point of execution all its different +departments are most exquisitely wrought, and magnificent as a whole, +only not consistent with our associations connected with a temple of +worship. + +We will now descend by the Rue Faubourg Montmartre to the Boulevards, +and bearing a little westward, shall come to the very handsome Rue +Vivienne, through which we will proceed until we are opposite the Bourse +(Exchange), and there we pause and contemplate what I consider the _beau +ideal_ of fine architecture; its noble range of 66 corinthian columns +have no unseemly projections to break the broad mass of light, which +sheds its full expanse upon their large rounded shafts, no profusion of +frittering ornaments spoil the chaste harmony which pervades the whole +character of this building, which to me appears faultless. If there were +any improvement possible, I should say that if the bold flight of steps +which leads to the front entrance had been carried all round the +building the effect would have been still more grand than it now is. The +interior is adorned with paintings in imitation of bas relief, which are +executed in the most masterly style. The grand Salle de la Bourse in the +centre of the building, where the stock-brokers and merchants meet, is +116 feet in length by 76 in breadth, entirely paved with marble. The +whole arrangements are such as to render it in every respect the most +commodious for all commercial purposes. + +From hence we proceed by the street opposite to the Rue Richelieu, and +turning to the left, we arrive at the Place Richelieu, and must pass a +few minutes in admiring the elegant bronze fountain in the centre with +its noble basins and four allegorical figures representing the Seine, +the Loire, the Saone, and the Garonne, round which the water falls from +above, and flows beneath, producing a most beautiful effect. + +Opposite is the Bibliotheque du Roi, or Royal Library, which certainly +is the most extensive and most complete of any in the world, possessing +nearly 1,000,000 books and printed pamphlets, 80,000 MSS, 100,000 +medals, 1,400,000 engravings, 300,000 maps and plans. This institution +may be considered to owe its foundation to St. Louis, who first made the +attempt of forming a public library, and arranged some volumes in an +apartment attached to the Holy Chapel; under successive reigns the +number gradually increased, whilst the locality assigned for them was +often changed, and it was not until the reign of Louis XV that they were +placed where they now are, in a most extensive building, formerly the +residence of Cardinal Mazarin, which, seen from the Rue Richelieu, +presents nothing but a great ugly dead wall, with a high roof to it, and +here and there a few square holes for windows, but when you enter the +court-yard, you find rather a fine building than otherwise, and the +interior displays, by the vast size of the apartments, some idea of what +its former grandeur must have been; the richness of the ornaments and +decorations in most instances are destroyed, and replaced by books, with +which the walls are covered. The engravings occupy the ground floor, and +amongst them are to be found fifty thousand portraits, including every +eminent character which Europe has produced, and presenting all the +varieties of costumes existing at the different epochs in which they +flourished; in one of the rooms where the prints are kept is an oil +portrait, in profile, of the unfortunate King John of France, which is +curious as an antiquity, being an original, and executed at a time when +the art of portrait painting was very little known, as John died in the +year 1364. On ascending the staircase to the right, a piece of framed +tapestry must be remarked, as having formed part of the furniture of the +chateau of Bayard. + +Those who are curious in typographical specimens must ask to see the +most ancient printed book _with a date_, being 1457, also the Bible, +called Mazarin, printed in 1456, with cut metal types. The oldest +manuscript is one of Josephus, and others are of the fifth and sixth +centuries; the amateurs of autography will be gratified in seeing +letters from Henri IV to Gabrielle d'Estree, and the writing of Francis +I, Turenne, Madame de Maintenon, Voltaire, Rousseau, Racine, Corneille; +Boileau, Bossuet, etc. Amongst other interesting objects is the chair of +Dagobert, which is supposed to be much older even than his time, and of +ancient Roman fabric, the vase of the Ptolemies, the famous cameo +representing the apotheosis of Augustus, the seal of Michael Angelo, and +the armour of Francis I, and the admirers of _vertu_ must be delighted +with the collection of exquisitely beautiful intaglios and cameos. Two +globes, twelve feet in diameter, being the largest extant, cannot be +overlooked. Mount Parnassus in bronze, which the French poets and +musicians are ascending with Louis XIV on the summit, is a fine piece of +workmanship; there is also a model of the Pyramids of Egypt, with +figures and trees to denote their height. There are a few very good +paintings, and many objects calculated to excite the highest interest, +which it would take years properly to examine and appreciate. The +prayer-books of St. Louis and Anne of Brittany, and one which belonged +in succession to Charles V Charles IX, and Henri III, bearing their +signatures are exceedingly curious. Amongst the books and manuscripts +may be found some of every known language which has characters. This +noble institution is open daily for students; authors; etc., from ten +till three, except Sundays and festivals; and those who merely wish to +view the establishment may be admitted from ten till three on Tuesdays +and Fridays; except during the vacation, which is from the 1st September +to the 15th October. + +In the same street, a little farther southward, at the corner of the Rue +Traversiere, the preparations will be observed for a statue to Moliere, +on the spot where stood the house in which he died, and nearly opposite +is a small passage which passes under a house; and takes one opposite +another of a similar description, which leads into the Palais Royal: +suddenly emerging from the little dark alleys into a beautiful area, has +a most extraordinary and pleasing effect; you see before you a +parallelogram of 700 feet by 300, completely surrounded by a beautiful +building with arcades, and having flower-gardens; statues, and a +splendid fountain in the centre. To see this extraordinary scene to the +greatest advantage, the first visit should be by night, and the +impulsive coup-d'oeil tempts the beholder to imagine that he has +around him the realization of some gay dream of a fairy palace, the +immense glare of light glittering on the falling waters, the brilliance +of the illuminated shops; the magnificence and richness of the articles +therein displayed, with reflecting lamps so contrived as to throw a +powerful light on their sparkling jewels and glittering ware, the +vistas of trees, the borders of flowers, the well dressed company and +animated groups, with the gilded coffee-houses beaming all round, form +such a picture as it is more easy to imagine than describe. Four +galleries with shops encircle the garden of the Palais Royal, three of +them are under piazzas opening to the grand area, the fourth, called the +Galerie d'Orleans, is enclosed on both sides, and the roof is formed by +one immense skylight, whilst the effect of the whole is superb. Over the +shops are mostly either coffee-houses or restaurateurs, some of them +splendidly decorated and most brilliantly lighted; as may be imagined, +this amusing locality forms the lounge of thousands, and no stranger +ever comes to Paris without making an early visit to the Palais Royal. +It was originally intended by Cardinal Richelieu for his own residence, +but the magnificence which he had already developed, with intentions of +augmenting his design to so extravagant and luxurious a degree, began to +excite the jealousy of Louis XIII, and finally the Cardinal made him a +present of it shortly before his death. Since then it has been inhabited +by several royal visiters, and such changes have been made that the +original plan is scarcely to be traced, it having formerly been so much +more extensive as to occupy several of the surrounding streets. So +numerous are the shops, and so various are the articles within them, +that it has been observed that a person might live in the Palais Royal +without ever stirring out of it, finding all within it required to +supply the wants of a reasonable being. + +Although under the comprehensive title of Palais Royal, the whole extent +is included, not only garden but all the surrounding shops and the +stories above, yet that part which specifically is the Palais Royal, or +Royal Palace, is situated at the southern extremity, looking into two +court-yards, and where the present King with his family resided until +1831, when he removed to the Tuileries. It is entered by the Rue St. +Honore, and may be considered rather a fine building; the doric, ionic, +and corinthian orders are visible in different parts of the edifice, in +the interior there are some extremely handsome apartments, beautifully +furnished but not very large for a palace; there are many very +interesting pictures, particularly those relative to the King's life, +from the period, of his teaching geography in a school in Switzerland, +to his return to Paris; also the subjects connected with the events of +the Palace are well worth attention, and many of them painted by the +first rate artists. The apartments may usually be seen on Sundays from 1 +till 4, on presentation of the passport. + +Opposite the Palais-Royal is an open space called the Place du Palais +Royal, on the southern side is the Chateau-d'Eau, a reservoir of water +for supplying the neighbouring fountains; it is decorated with statues, +and two pavilions. Just near it is the Rue St. Thomas-du-Louvre, where +formerly stood the famous Hotel de Longueville, the residence of the +Duke de Longueville, and Elboeuf, where the intrigues of the Fronde +were carried on, during the minority of Louis XIV, against Mazarin; it +is now in part occupied by the king's stables, containing 160 horses, +and may be visited any day by applying at the porter's lodge. We will +now retrace a few steps eastward to the Rue St. Honore, and passing by +the large establishment of Laffitte, Caillard, et Compagnie, for +diligences to all parts of France, we shall come to the Oratoire, built +for the Pretres de l'Oratoire in 1621, but now devoted to the protestant +worship; it is adorned with doric columns, with a range of corinthian +pillars above, and in the interior, the roof of which is highly +ornamented. Service is performed in French every Sunday at half past 12. +Within a hundred yards eastward is the Fontaine de la Croix-du-Tiroir, +at the corner of the Rue de l'Arbre-Sec, rebuilt by Soufflot (on the +site of one erected under Francis I). Adorned by pilasters and a nymph, +which would have been graceful but is spoiled by their painting over it. + +The first turning in the Rue de l'Arbre-Sec, is the Rue des Fosses St. +Germain-l'Auxerrois, and at No. 14 is the house formerly called the +Hotel Ponthieu, in which Admiral Coligni was assassinated on St. +Bartholomew's day, in 1572; in the very room where the event took place +the witty actress, Sophie Arnould, was born, in 1740, then called the +Hotel Lisieux, and in 1747, it was occupied by Vanloo the celebrated +painter. We return to the Rue de l'Arbre-Sec, and a few steps southward +bring us in front of the venerable and mouldering church of St. +Germain-l'Auxerrois (vide page 61); the oldest part still standing and +supposed to be of the 14th century, is the western front; the porch was +built by Jean Gausel in 1431, several other parts have been built at +later periods; altogether it is a most interesting building and is +connected with many sad historical associations, it was the bell of this +church that tolled the signal for the massacre of the protestants on the +night of St. Bartholomew; in a little street adjoining the south side of +the church, is a house with a picturesque turret, supposed to have +belonged to some building attached to the church; there is a very +remarkable piece of carve-work in wood and some interesting pictures +within the church; we will now leave its tranquil vaulted aisles, and +quitting by the western porch, the most beautiful facade of the Louvre +rises before us, which was erected in the reign of Louis XIV, after a +design by Claude Perrault. + +[Illustration: Champin del. Lith. Rigo Freres Cie +St. Germain l'Auxerrois.] + +The Louvre has been so often described in works of so many different +natures, descending the different grades from histories to pamphlets, +that I shall not fatigue my readers with a too detailed review of its +wonders, but endeavour to give them some impression of its grandeur, +with as little prolixity as possible. I have already, in the historical +sketch of Paris, touched upon its foundation, and the various epochs at +which the different parts of the building were erected, and certainly +let any one place himself in the middle of the grand court, and behold +the four sides, and see if he can call to mind any thing equal to it, +take it, for its all in all; I am well aware that there is rather a +redundancy of ornament to satisfy the purest taste, and in that respect +there is undoubtedly a deviation from perfection, but the approach is +sufficiently near to excite the warmest admiration. Each side is 408 +feet, and although there is a degree of uniformity, taken _en masse_, +preserved, with two of the facades particularly, yet on examination the +ornaments are found to be different, each side requires much close study +after a _coup-d'oeil_ has been taken of the whole, and the more it is +inspected, the more beautiful will it be found; the statues and +different devices are by five different sculptors, the most celebrated +of their day, the order of the pillars is generally corinthian, but +there are some, which are composite. The external facades are by no +means burthened with ornament, the north and western sides being +perfectly plain, the south side has a noble effect, and faces the quay, +having plenty of room to admit of its being properly viewed and justice +rendered to its noble range of forty corinthian pilasters; this is by +Perrault, as well as the eastern side, which is certainly one of the +finest specimens of modern architecture that can be imagined. + +A grand colonnade composed of 28 coupled corinthian columns has the most +splendid effect, the basement story being perfectly simple, whilst the +central mass of the building which forms the gateway is crowned by a +pediment of stones, each 52 feet in length and three in thickness; all +is vast, all is grand about this noble front, which is justly the +admiration of every architectural connoisseur, no matter from what part +of the world he may come. + +Of the interior volumes might be said, I must first, after conducting my +reader to the great door on the southern side of the building, direct +his attention to the grand staircase, which is of a most splendid +character, as to design, and consistently beautiful as to execution. The +visiter after passing by a small room filled with very old paintings +enters a larger when the grand gallery extends before him, which is +unrivalled in the world, being above a quarter of a mile in length, and +42 feet in width, filled with paintings, principally from the old +masters, but of them I will treat in a future chapter; it contains 1406 +pictures some of them being of immense size. We will now pass on for the +moment to the other apartments. The bed-room of Henry IV must arrest our +attention, and the eye naturally falls on the alcove where his bed was +placed, the oak carving, and gilded mouldings have been preserved +exactly in the same state that they were when he died. We next proceed +to a suite of rooms containing paintings of the Spanish, French, +Flemish, and Italian schools; others devoted to drawings; of the latter +there are 1293. Another range of apartments is on the ground floor and +called the Museum of Antiquities, containing statues and various +specimens of sculpture, in all 1,116 objects. Other suites of rooms are +appropriated to Egyptian, Greek, and Roman antiquities, and in some of +the apartments are objects of great value; that the amount of real +worth of the contents of the Louvre must be incalculable, one casket +alone of Mary de Medicis is estimated at several thousand pounds, and +there are many articles equally costly. One portion of the building is +devoted to every thing that concerns naval architecture and an immense +variety of marine objects, with a number of curious models. The Louvre +may be entered on presenting the passport, every day, and new wonders +and beauties may be discovered at each visit, although they be repeated +for months together. + +We now pass on westward, and enter the Place du Carrousel, so called +from Louis XIV having held a grand tournament there in 1662, but it was +not then so extensive as at present. The triumphal arch erected by +Napoleon in 1806, first strikes the eye a beautiful monument composed of +different coloured marbles, of works in bronze with figures, and devices +relative to war, and commemorative of the campaigns of the French army +in 1805; all the different parts are admirable from the exquisite manner +of their execution. On our left is the grand picture-gallery of the +Louvre, communicating with the Tuileries, on the right, the same +description of building exists in part, but is not yet completed. Before +us spreads the extended dimensions of the palace of the Tuileries; with +all deficiences it must be admitted that it is a noble pile, and has a +grand, though heavy imposing air, the height of the roof is certainly a +deformity, but we will enter the grand court-yard, which is separated +from the Place du Carrousel by a handsome railing with gilt +spear-heads, and then pass under the palace, and view the facade on the +garden side, where the sameness of the building is relieved by a +handsome colonnade in the centre, adorned with statues, vases, etc.; the +wings also have a fine effect, they are more massive than the body of +the building, which although not a beauty as respects the edifice in +general, yet the execution of all the different parts is admirable in +the identical detail; having a fair share of ornament not injudiciously +disposed, situated as the Palace is seen, at the end of a splendid +garden, it has a most striking and beautiful effect. + +The interior contains many apartments which are, as might be expected, +exceedingly handsome, one termed the Galerie de Diane is 176 feet long +by 32 broad, it is of the time of Louis XIII, and rich in gilding and +paintings, but generally the furniture is not so magnificent as might be +imagined; those occupied by the Duke of Orleans are an exception; being +very splendid. Amongst the numerous objects of _vertu_ which here abound +is the large solid silver statue of Peace, presented to Napoleon by the +city of Paris after the treaty of Amiens. The pictures are generally by +the most eminent French artists. The Salle des Marechaux contains the +portraits of the living Marshals of France; Soult, Molitor, and Grouchy +are the only remaining, whose names figured in the campaigns of +Napoleon; on the whole it may be remarked that the apartments generally +in the Tuileries are not equal in point of extent and decoration, to the +saloons of many of the nobility of Paris. When the King is absent, the +Palace may be viewed by applying to M. le Commandant du Chateau des +Tuileries, and the same is the case with the apartments of the Duke of +Orleans. + +The gardens present a most agreeable aspect, although too stiff and +formal to be in good taste, yet the melange of noble high trees, wide +gravel walks, marble basins, beautiful fountains, the most classic +statues, beds of flowers, ornamental vases, and the commanding view to +the Triumphal Arch, certainly form an _ensemble_ which produces the most +delightful sensation; in fact, I never enter them, such is the cheering +effect upon me, without having but one unpleasant feeling, and that is, +to think that I have not time to go there oftener, and pass hours +amongst such charming scenes. To view the number of sweet merry looking +children, with their clean and neat _bonnes_ (nursery maids), all +playing so happily together, enlivens the heart, then the retired walks +between the dense foliage in the heat of summer invites the mind to +meditation. The exquisitely beautiful statues are also most interesting +objects of study, and I recommend them particularly to the attention of +the visiter. On the northern side of the gardens, extends the handsome +Rue Rivoli, with its noble colonnade; at No. 48, is the Hotel des +Finances, a spacious building covering a large extent of ground, +containing several courts, with offices, and splendid apartments for the +Minister. We shall now cross the Rue Rivoli, and take the Rue des +Pyramides, also having an arcade all through the Rue St. Honore, and +facing us rises the noble church of St. Roch (vide page 97). The +entrance is approached by a flight of steps, which have witnessed some +sanguinary scenes, when Napoleon poured forth the iron hail of his +artillery upon the opposing force which was there posted; again, in +1830, on the same spot, the people made a firm resistance against the +gendarmerie of Charles X. The portal has two ranges of columns of +corinthian and doric orders, the interior, although plain, has a fine +appearance, heightened by the effect produced by many handsome monuments +to illustrious characters who have been buried here, amongst the rest, +Corneille; painting as well as sculpture has lent its aid in decorating +this church, as it contains some fine pictures. The Royal Family attend +here, and the music is very fine, but generally there are such crowds +that it is difficult to enter. At No. 13 in the Rue d'Argenteuil, behind +St. Roch, in 1684, Corneille died. A black slab in the court-yard bears +an inscription and the bust of the poet. + +Returning to the Rue St. Honore, we proceed westward, and pass by the +Rue Marche St. Honore on our right, in which is a most commodious +market. Pursuing our course we look down the Rue Castiglione, which +communicates with the Rue Rivoli, and the Place Vendome; it is +remarkably handsome, and has a fine colonnade, at the corner is a +fountain, which is plainer than they usually are, and a little farther +to the west, at No. 369, is the Assomption (vide page 96). This church +formerly belonged to a convent of nuns, styled Les Dames de +l'Assomption, the remains may be perceived in the Rue Neuve du +Luxembourg, and are now occupied as barracks. It was completed in 1676. +It contains some interesting pictures. A chapel is contiguous, dedicated +to St. Hyacinthe, which was erected in 1822. Continuing to follow the +Rue St. Honore, we cross the Rue Royale, displaying the fountains of the +Place de la Concorde to our left, and the Madeleine on our right, we +enter the Rue Faubourg St. Honore, in which are many most superb hotels, +amongst the rest, the British Ambassador's, formerly the Hotel Borghese, +occupied by the Princess Pauline, sister of Bonaparte; the next hotel is +that of the Baroness Pontalba, and is one of the most splendid in Paris, +which the visiter must not fail to remark. We next come to the Palais de +l'Elysee Bourbon, erected in 1718, and afterwards purchased and occupied +by Madame de Pompadour, since when it has had many masters, amongst the +rest, Murat, Napoleon, the Emperor of Russia, the Duke of Wellington, +and the Duke de Berri, but it now belongs to the crown, and combines an +appearance of splendid desolation, with a variety of associations, that +cause us to muse on the fall of the great. The library which is over the +council chamber was fitted up by Madame Murat, in the most exquisite +style, as a surprise for her husband after his return from one of his +campaigns; it next became the bed-room of Maria Louisa, and the +birthplace of the daughter of the Duke and Duchess de Berri. Here also +is shown the bed-room, and bed in which Napoleon last slept in Paris, +after the battle of Waterloo. The building itself is handsome, and +though not large, has an elegant appearance, some of the apartments are +very splendid, but now having a solitary aspect. The garden, which is +large, contains some noble trees, and is laid out in the Italian style. +To see this Palace, apply for admission to M. l'Intendant de la Liste +civile. + +Facing the Elysee Bourbon, is the Hotel Beauveau, in the Place Beauveau, +occupied by the Neapolitan Ambassador. Still proceeding westward we come +to the church St. Philippe du Roule, which was completed in 1784. It has +but very little ornament, but is an exceedingly chaste production, the +columns of the portico are doric, and those of the interior are ionic. +It contains several good pictures. Nearly opposite is a handsome +building with tuscan columns, and is used as stables for the King, and +also a receptacle for his carriages. A short distance farther on is the +Hopital Beaujon, founded by the banker of that name in 1824, a handsome +and well arranged building, having an air of health and cheerfulness; it +contains 400 beds, and the situation is particularly salubrious, and so +well ordered that the inspection of it will afford much gratification to +the visiter. The Chapelle Beaujon, opposite, is by the same founder as +the hospital, and may be considered as belonging to it. + +We must now travel back as far as the British Ambassador's, and facing +is the Rue d'Aguesseau, in which is the Episcopal Chapel, entirely +appropriated to the English protestant worship, a building well adapted +in every respect to the purposes for which it was erected. A few steps +farther we turn to the right, which will bring us to the Rue de la +Madeleine, in which we shall find the Chapelle Expiatoire, built over +the spot where Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette were buried, immediately +after their execution, and the interior is adorned by their statues; +their remains were afterwards removed to St. Denis. This chapel is one +of the most elegant and interesting monuments in Paris, it is in the +form of a cross, with a dome in the centre. A short distance eastward, +is the College Royal de Bourbon, No. 5, Rue St. Croix, which was built +for a Convent of Capuchins, in 1781. It consists of a doorway in the +centre, with columns, and two pavilions at the ends, one of which was +the chapel of the convent, but is now the church St. Louis, a plain +building of the doric order, but decorated by some fine fresco +paintings, and four large pictures of saints, painted in wax. From hence +we may take the Rue Joubert, opposite, and proceed until we arrive at +the Rue de la Victoire, formerly called the Rue Chantereine, where +resided Napoleon after his Italian campaign, and from hence went forth +to strike the _coup d'etat_ which dissolved the government on the 18th +Brumaire. The house was built for the famous dancer Guimard, then passed +to Madame Talma, who sold it to madame Beauharnais, afterwards the +Empress Josephine, who added the pavilion at the nearer end. Bertrand +inhabited this mansion a short time after his return from St. Helena, at +present it is untenanted, and undergoing repair; it belongs to the widow +of General Lefebvre Desnouettes. In the garden is a bust of Napoleon, +which certainly possesses no great merit. If disposed to extend our +walk, we may proceed northward to the Rue de Clichy and there find a +prison for debtors, in an airy, healthy situation, which is satisfactory +information for some of our prodigal countrymen, too many of whom, I +regret to say, have been, and are still, inhabitants of this building, +which contains from 150 to 200 persons. In returning we will amuse +ourselves in wandering about many of the streets of the +Chaussee-d'Antin, both right and left, which have in them some most +beautiful houses decorated with statues and the most elaborate +carve-work. On returning to the Boulevards by the Madeleine, as we pass +along we notice the Hotel des Affaires Etrangeres, or residence of the +Minister of Foreign Affairs, corner of the Rue Neuve-des-Capucines, +formerly belonging to Marshal Berthier, we then proceed to the eastward, +and turn down the Rue Neuve St. Augustin, which will bring us to the +point where the streets La Michodiere and Port Mahon meet, at the +beautiful Fontaine de Louis-le-Grand, with the statue of a Genius +striking at a dolphin, with consistent ornaments extremely well +executed. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + + A matter of fact chapter, more useful than amusing; advice to + Englishmen visiting or sojourning at Paris; several serviceable + establishments recommended; hints as to management and economy. + + +Although I have already afforded my readers a transient glance at the +Champs-Elysees on entering Paris, yet so charming a spot must not be +passed over altogether in so hurried a manner; possessing as it does so +many attractions for the happy portion of the Parisians, which do not +only consist of its fine vistas of high trees, its broad walks, flowing +fountains, etc., but a wide open space is left, where the people +recreate themselves with athletic games, whilst in other parts there are +swings, merry-go-rounds, shows, music, dancing, and every variety of +amusement that can afford pleasure to those who are merrily inclined. +Franconi has also a Theatre here for the display of horsemanship during +the summer, which is extremely well conducted, and constantly filled. +The prices are from 1 to 2 francs. In the south-western portion of the +Champs-Elysees, is a quarter called Chaillot, in which is situated, at +No. 78 bis, the Chapelle Marboeuf, where protestant service is +regularly performed every Sunday. At No. 99 is Sainte Perine, a refuge +for persons above 60 with small incomes, who by paying 600 francs a +year, are comfortably provided for, or by depositing a certain sum at +once, on entering. It was formerly a monastery, and can accommodate 180 +men and women. The church of St. Pierre is a little farther on, in which +there are a few pictures, and the choir is of the 15th century. There +are a great number of very handsome houses about the Champs-Elysees; +which is a favourite neighbourhood with the English, and it is an +agreeable vicinity, on account of its airy position, its picturesque +appearance, and affording pleasure in viewing the numbers who crowd +there for the purpose of enjoyment, and with the determination to enjoy. +It is also a fashionable resort for pedestrians, equestrians, and +carriages, and whilst I am dilating on the attractions of the +Champs-Elysees, I must not omit to direct the attention of my readers to +the very delightful establishment which Doctor Achille Hoffman has +formed in the Avenue Fortune, which is called the _Villa Beaujon_, +uniting within its interior every object desirable for health, comfort, +and pleasure. + +This establishment has been formed by the Doctor on such a system, as to +render it in every respect a cheerful and agreeable residence for +boarders; hence every rational and intellectual amusement is provided +within its walls, a piano, and instruments for forming a quartetto, a +billiard room, newspapers, periodical works, baths, etc., alternately +present the inmates with a fund of amusement: possessing also the +greatest advantage in having Madame Hoffman at the head of the +establishment, who from the good society she has been accustomed to +frequent, and her mental qualifications, is enabled, by her +conversation, ever to cause the hours to pass most pleasantly with the +residents of the Villa, to whose comforts, and wants, she pays the most +unremitting attention, and unites the advantage of speaking English. +Doctor Hoffman is willing to receive any patients except such as may be +afflicted with either contagious complaints, or with mental alienation, +and to attend them upon the homoepathic principles, in which he has +attained considerable celebrity, having for many years practised upon +that system with the greatest success. The apartments are fitted up in a +style of elegance which at once convinces the spectator of the good +taste of the director, and although they are numerous, each has its +peculiar attraction, either in the view from the windows, or from the +internal arrangement: but the quality which is most recommendable in +this establishment, is the peculiar care which has been devoted to every +minutia which can in any degree tend to comfort, and particularly for +that season when it is most required, having by the means of two immense +caloriferes, so contrived that the whole house is warmed by a pure air, +which is introduced from the garden, and conveyed not only into every +apartment, but also to the staircases, corridors, and even into the +closets, the degree of heat being regulated exactly to the grade +desired; thus a person may pass a whole winter in this little Elysium, +without ever feeling any of its baneful effects, which is a great +desideratum for persons of delicate health, or having the slightest +tendency to consumption, to whom the most powerful enemies are _cold_ +and _damp_, two intruders who are never permitted to enter under any +pretext the Villa Beaujon. + +For the pedestrian the greatest treat is afforded, as the neighbourhood +consists of a most numerous variety of delightful walks, and for those +who desire to enjoy the beauties of nature, without fatigue, the most +favourable opportunity is offered, a terrace having been formed at the +summit of the premises which commands a panoramic view for fifteen +leagues round, comprehending within its circle an immense variety of +villages, chateaux, hills, wood, water, and every description of +picturesque scenery. There is also a garden prettily arranged, and kept +in the nicest order, with kiosques and a _jet d'eau_, in fact there is +no attraction omitted which could possibly contribute towards rendering +the Villa a most desirable residence for every season; the charge is +moderate, and the treatment in every respect the most liberal, the +Doctor being in such a position that emolument is not an important +object. Amongst other advantages which the establishment possesses, is +that of always having one English servant. The situation which has been +selected by the Doctor for his residence, is not only the most agreeable +but considered decidedly one of the most healthy round Paris, as the few +houses which are immediately around it are of the better order and +environed by gardens, therefore the purity of the air is untainted by +smoke or any effluvia arising from closely inhabited cities; indeed in +that instance Paris has a great advantage over London, on account of +wood being the principal fuel burnt in the former, and coal in the +latter, hence Paris seen from a height, every object is visible from the +clearness of the atmosphere, whilst London under the same circumstances +is capped by a murky sort of cloud by which the greater part of the city +is generally obscured. + +Although the French capital is above three degrees south of the English, +yet the former is colder in the winter, only that it is dryer, +consequently more wholesome and the cold weather is of much shorter +duration, as the springs are always finer and forwarder than in England, +which is proved by the vegetables being much earlier in Paris, peas +being sold cheap about the streets on the 20th or 25th of May, and other +leguminous crops in proportion. The autumns are often very fine, +generally, indeed, I have known the month of November to be quite clear +and sunny, but of latter years the summers have been wet. The English in +most instances have their health better in France than in England, which +is considered to arise from several different causes; the lower and even +some of the middle classes in London and other large towns are much +addicted to drinking quantities of porter and ale, which are not so +accessible in Paris or in any town in France; hence after a time they +accustom themselves to the light wines of the country, and with the +higher classes of English the case is nearly similar, as they renounce +port, sherry, and Madeira, for Burgundy, Bordeaux, etc., and as a +draught wine _even_ good _ordinaire_, but a grand point is to obtain it +of the best quality, proportioned to the price; perhaps there is not a +town in the world where there are so many persons who sell wine as in +Paris, but as there is a great deal of quackery and compounding +practised, I must caution my countrymen not to purchase at any house to +which they are not particularly recommended. I shall therefore advise +them to give the preference to the old established house of Meunier, +which has existed ever since 1800, now conducted by Messrs. Debonnelle +et Guiard; I have myself long dealt there, as also my friends, and have +ever found their prices the most reasonable, and the qualities +unexceptionable; their tarif comprehends all descriptions of wine, and +the charges in proportion, commencing on so moderate a scale that they +are attainable to the most modest purse, and as there is no description +of known wine which they do not possess, of course some there are at +very high prices; the same case may be stated of their liqueurs, of +which they have every variety. In this establishment persons may either +be accommodated with a single bottle, or may purchase by the pipe, as +they carry on an extensive wholesale business; their great warehouses +are at Bercy which is the grand depot for the wine merchants of Paris. +This is one of those houses to which I have before alluded as having, +although nearly in the centre of the city, a delightful garden, and in +the present instance quite a little aviary of canary and other birds, +which is open to the street, situated No. 22, Rue des Saints-Peres, +Faubourg St. Germain. The present proprietors were clerks in the house +as long back as 1810, and have never since been absent from the +business, which has been considerably augmented by their extreme +attention and civility to their customers, and the reputation which they +have acquired for keeping good articles, and vending them at fair +prices. + +As a great object of my work is to render it as serviceable as possible +to my readers, I must not omit some cautionary remarks upon the +tradespeople of Paris; an opinion has generally existed of their +predisposition to overcharge the English, and in a great many instances +it has been the case, when they first came over to France; an idea +existed that they were extremely rich, and a bad feeling prevailed of +making the wealthy pay: even amongst their own country people, they do +the same, it is a common phrase with them, "Il est riche, alors +faites-lui payer," "He is rich, so make him pay," and that system of +calculating the weight of a person's means and making the charge, +accordingly, is still followed in a degree; even the government have in +some measure encouraged the practice, no doubt from a good motive, which +has prompted them at certain periods to enforce regulations, that some +articles should be sold for less to the poor, such as bread, and other +necessaries of life. Another circumstance caused the French to continue +their impositions upon the English, their having been duped by the +latter, and in many instances to a considerable amount, as amongst the +crowds who came over, were many persons who were not very scrupulous +with respect to paying their debts, to whom the French willingly gave +credit, the English name at that period having stood extremely high in +the estimation of the French, but having sustained several losses on +account of their too great facility in giving credit, they determined to +make such of the English as they could attract, pay a portion towards +what they had been mulcted by their runaway country-people. The French +are not alone in that respect, as some of the fashionable tailors in +London charge an immense price for their coats, because they say they +only get paid for two out of three, therefore they make those pay dearly +for such as do not pay at all. + +The system now is rather better in Paris, so many shopkeepers having +adopted the plan of selling at "Prix fixe" as they call it, which means +fixed prices, from which they seldom or ever depart; but then there is a +great difference with regard to the value of the articles in which they +deal, some shops being infinitely cheaper than others, I therefore have +been at considerable pains to discover those who conduct their business +in an honourable manner and shall give my readers the benefit of my +researches. With respect to provisions there certainly is a difference +with regard to the quarters, which are the more or the less fashionable, +the former being somewhat dearer than the latter, but there is a +proportionate difference with regard to the quality, and therefore in +some instances the higher priced articles are the cheapest in the end; +for instance, M. Rolland, of No. 363, Rue St. Honore, sells none but the +very best meat; certainly in some of the obscurer parts of the town, and +in the markets it is to be had cheaper; but the quality far inferior. I +have heard the English complain of the meat not being so good in Paris +as it is in London, but if they dealt with M. Rolland they could not in +justice make the remark, he is always the possessor of the ox which is +exhibited on Shrove Tuesday, and which weighed the last time nearly +4,000lbs; he retains a well executed portrait of it, which he shows to +his customers, but he has often beasts approaching that weight, as about +a dozen every year are fatted by the Norman graziers for the prize, and +he is the principal purchaser; his other meat is proportionately fine, +therefore I fancy that a good manager will find that economy is promoted +by dealing with M. Holland in preference to any one who may sell at a +nominally lower price. + +Now that economy is on the _tapis_, I must endeavour to enlighten my +reader as much on that head as I can, by giving him all the advantage of +my own experience in the art, and as I am an old practitioner, I have +the vanity to flatter myself that my advice on that score may count for +something. On quitting England I advise my readers to disburthen +themselves of all their clothes, except such as are absolutely requisite +for travelling, and then on arriving at Paris to order those of which +they may stand in need; indeed for myself, when I return to England I +always provide a good stock of habiliments, convinced that the cloth +procured in France is so much more durable than that obtained in +England, and the workmen being paid much less, you have a superior +article in France for a lower charge. As to the difference of fashion or +cut, I leave that to be decided by a committee of dandies of the two +countries, and to prevent my readers from getting into bad hands, I +recommend them at once to M. Courtois, aux Montagnes Russes, No. 11, Rue +Neuve-des-Petits-Champs, facing the Rue Vivienne, there the stranger is +sure of being fairly treated with regard to the worth of the commodity, +the solidity and neatness of the execution, and punctuality in the +fulfillment of his engagements. The difference of prices between a +fashionable London and Parisian tailor is immense, the former will make +you pay 7_l._ 7_s._ for a coat of the best cloth, whilst M. Courtois +only charges 100 francs (4_l._) for the same article, equal in every +respect, and furnishes every other description of clothing on equally +moderate terms. + +I shall now bid my reader to doff his hat, and obtain one that will sit +so lightly on his brow, that he will scarcely be conscious that his head +is covered, of which I had experience under circumstances rather +ludicrous than otherwise. I entered a glover's shop with my mind I +suppose occupied with divers meditations, and like a true uncourteous +Englishman forgot to take off my hat to the Dame de Comptoir, as she is +styled, but having obtained what I sought, in the act of departing I +took up a hat which was on the counter, not dreaming that I had already +one upon my head, but as I was making my obeissance to the mistress of +the shop, she observed, very archly, that she should have thought +Monsieur might be satisfied with having a hat on his head, without +requiring to have one in his hand; surprised at finding myself +absolutely committing a robbery, I made the best excuses the subject +would admit, and retired after having furnished a subject of amusement +for Madame, for Monsieur whose hat I had so illegally appropriated to +myself, and to some pretty laughing-looking demoiselles who were +ensconced behind a counter. These aerial hats are to be procured of M. +Servas, No. 69, Rue Richelieu, who is the inventor, and for which he has +received a medal from a scientific society, they are of so light and +elastic a nature, that they do not cause the slightest pressure upon the +brow, nor leave that unsightly mark upon the forehead, that is often a +great annoyance to those gentlemen who object to having a stain upon the +_blanche_ purity of that feature, and as those who are tenacious in that +respect must naturally be so with regard to the form and the material of +which their hat is composed, they may rest assured on that point they +will be suited in those of M. Servas, which have long had an +acknowledged superiority and celebrity on that account, his +establishment having for upwards of 30 years been famed under the firm +of Coquel and Quesnoy, which by the ingenuity of his recent invention +he has considerably augmented. + +As I am now on a chapter devoted to usefulness, I must recommend my +readers to get well and _comfortably_ shod, particularly if they have +any intention of visiting the monuments and antiquities I have +described, for which purpose they must procure their shoes in Paris, the +leather being prepared in such a manner as to render it infinitely more +soft and flexible than it is in England, consequently one can walk twice +the distance, without tiring, in French shoes, than one can in English; +hence with the former all the tortures of new shoes are never felt, +being fully as easy as an old pair of the latter, and for this purpose +no one can better supply the article desired, than M. Deschamps, No. 14, +Galerie d'Orleans, Palais-Royal, who stands so high in the estimation of +my countrymen, that he is obliged to go to London twice a year to supply +their demands. An attention to comfort in this respect is to me so +essential, that in returning to England I always provide myself with a +plentiful stock of boots and shoes, although not to the same degree that +one of our celebrated tragedians practised this precaution, having +furnished himself with thirty-six pair to the no small amusement of the +Dover custom-house officers when they overhauled his luggage. One of the +great advantages of the French shoes is that the upper leather never +cracks nor bursts, and indeed I have not only found the material better, +but also the workmanship. M. Deschamps has acquired much celebrity for +the very elegant manner in which his shoes for balls and _soirees_ are +executed, after a system of his own, which have now become the fashion +in all the saloons in Paris. Perhaps my readers may think I have devoted +too much space to this subject, but being a great pedestrian, it is one +of peculiar importance, to me (and it is so natural to judge every one +by one's self), and in order to see all the interesting little bits of +architectural antiquity, which are so numerous in Paris, the visit must +be performed on foot, as it is sometimes requisite to go into little +courts and alleys where no carriage can possibly enter; besides an +antiquarian must peep and grope about in places where a vehicle would +only be an incumbrance. + +Whilst my memory is on, or, as some people would say, whilst my hand is +in, I must not forget to recommend the stationer's shop, No. 159, Rue +St. Honore, next door to the Oratoire, as it is presumable that my +readers, who intend to sojourn a while at Paris, must want to pay some +visits, consequently will need visiting cards, with which they will +provide themselves at the above establishment on terms so reasonable as +quite to surprise a Londoner; also the visiter must write, and will here +find an assortment of sixty different descriptions of English metal pens +of Cuthbert's manufacture, and every variety of stationary that can be +desired, and the manner in which they get up cards and addresses, with +regard to the neatness of the engraving, printing, and quality of the +card, is really surprising, for the price; whilst the mistress receives +her customers with so much politeness, that having been once, is sure to +prove the cause for other visits, when any of the articles in which she +deals are required; and punctuality in the execution of the orders +received is a quality to be met with in her, and in good truth, I cannot +say much for the Parisians in general on that score, and one great cause +is that they have too much business, and far more than they can attend +to in a proper manner. + +In the same street, at No. 416, is an establishment of which the English +ought to be informed, being that of M. Renault, wherein good cutlery is +to be obtained at very moderate prices; there is every variety that can +be desired, either for the table or other purposes, all of the finest +description; his shop is situated in the quarter most convenient for the +English, being that in which they so frequently reside. + +As health is a desideratum which is requisite for the pursuit of every +occupation, and particularly for such as mean to enjoy Paris to its full +extent, which will require a considerable degree of exercise, I must +recommend the visiter a chymist and druggist on whom he may rely, where +he may find the means of re-establishing any relaxation of strength or +other malady to which all human nature is ever prone. There are +innumerable establishments of this nature in Paris, and especially of +those who announce English medicines, but the one which I have +understood as possessing such as are truly genuine both in French and +English pharmacy, is that of M. Joseau, and as a testimony of +confidence in the respectability of his establishment, it has been made +the chief depository of a medicine entitled the Copahine Mege, so +particularly recommended by the Royal Medicine Academy of France, who +have voted their thanks to the author, and granted him a patent for +fifteen years, having proved so efficacious where patients have by their +excesses deteriorated their health, and in fact, in all cases of +blennorrhagies. M. Joseau may be also useful to my countrymen, who are +in the habit of riding much on horseback, in providing them with belts +of his own invention, which are made of India rubber, and in general use +with the French cavalry. The establishment of M. Joseau is situated at +No. 161, corner of the Rue Montmartre, and of the Gallery Montmartre, +Passage Panorama, where my countrymen will be sure of meeting with the +most assiduous attention, both from himself and his assistants, and that +whatever they may require in his department will be of the best +description, and at the most moderate prices; I know of no business +whatever in which there is such an immense difference in the charges +both in London and Paris, that it appears to me that chemists and +druggists make you pay _ad libitum_, without having any fixed system, +therefore I never enter any of their shops without I have had them +particularly recommended. + +Before I quit this chapter of shreds and patches, although of solid +utility, a very useful establishment must be introduced to my readers, +belonging to Messrs. Danneville, No. 16, Rue d'Aguesseau, Faubourg St. +Honore, facing the Protestant Chapel, consisting of every description of +earthenware and crockery, on a very extensive scale, with a very quiet +exterior, the premises having more the appearance of warehouses than +shops; the assortment is quite of a multitudinous description, including +vessels of the cheapest and most useful nature, at the same time +containing numbers of superior articles, wherein extreme taste is +displayed. The concern has been a long time established, and is quite in +the centre of the quarter which such numbers of English choose for their +residence; the proprietors are civil, quiet, unassuming people, and +their articles exceedingly reasonable. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + + Novel introductions of different branches of industry.--Recent + inventions.--Extensions of commerce in various + departments.--Establishments of several new descriptions of + business, now flourishing, and formerly unknown. + + +The commerce of Paris has now extended to so vast a scale, that it has +become an immense entrepot for all the productions and manufactures of +France; the foreign merchant now feels that in visiting Paris he shall +there find the cheapest, the choicest, and the most extensive assortment +of all that the nature of the country, aided by art, is able to produce; +he is aware that he need not repair to Lyons, to Lille, Rouen, or other +manufacturing districts, for their respective articles, for which they +are famed, as he knows that in the great emporium of the Continent, all +that the ingenuity of man can produce will there be found. Independent +of that advantage, there are many branches of industry confined to +Paris, first invented within its walls, improved, and wrought to a state +of perfection, which is unrivalled in any other capital, and affording +employ to an immense number of hands, from the multitude of +ramifications into which these branches diverge; so that Paris once +principally celebrated as a city of pleasure and gaiety, still retaining +that reputation, is now also renowned for its extraordinary +manufactures, and the curious and splendid specimens of art and +ingenuity emerging from its numerous _ateliers_, and which would require +an extent far beyond the limits of this work, to give a just and +accurate review of their merits; but some there are which being of a +nature totally novel in the annals of commerce, and having merely been +introduced within the last few years, we shall devote some space to +their description in order to afford our readers an idea of their beauty +and utility. + +Amongst the various articles of the above description, none perhaps +occupy a more prominent position for beauty, taste, and ingenuity, than +the extraordinary variety displayed in what is termed fancy stationary, +the fabrication of which is now extended to such a degree, as to have +become an important branch of the commerce of Paris. Its introduction is +but of recent date, as in the reign of Charles X all the paper required +for notes, letters, dispatches, etc., was procured from England, on +account of its extreme superiority over that of France; the Court never +using any other, the example was followed not only by the major part of +the French nobility, but by all foreigners of distinction who happened +to be sojourning at Paris, hence the importation of paper from England +was to a considerable amount. But when Louis Philippe came to the +throne, he with his usual policy observed, that paper of French +manufacture was good enough for his purposes, it was therefore adopted +at the Court, and the noblesse and gentry, following in the same line, +that encouragement was afforded to their countrymen, that engendered the +idea of rendering their own paper so tasteful and elegant that now the +affair is quite reversed, and England takes from France an immense +quantity of this beautiful manufacture, which employs even artists of +talent for designing the elegant and fanciful devices which ornament +their envelopes, with their enclosures of various sizes and forms, in +which the arts of drawing, painting, gilding, stamping, etc., combine to +render them so pretty and so gay, that one feels loath to destroy any of +these ornamental epistles, however trifling their import; the subjects +of the devices are as various as those which they are intended to +illustrate, history, the heathen mythology, religion, friendship, a more +tender passion, etc., are all allegorically or emblematically +represented, in the fancy stationary, offering the writer the means of +choosing a subject consistent with the text of his letter, as an +invitation to dinner is designated by paintings of pheasants, game, +etc., to a _soiree dansante_, the note is adorned by couples waltzing, +etc., to a whist party, the cards and players are introduced, and if to +tea, the cups and saucers of gilded and glowing hue, bedeck the gay +margin; so that before a word is written in the letter, it foretells its +errand. + +There are very many who have gradually contributed their talents to this +branch of industry, but it is M. Marion who may be considered the +inventor, he having availed himself with the most effect of their +abilities, and concentrated their respective merits, in which he has +displayed much perseverance, taste, and judgment, as also in the manner +in which he has organised this branch of commerce, and promoted its +extension. At his establishment at No. 14, Cite-Bergere, will be found a +most extensive assortment of fancy stationary, comprehending every +description of variety that the most fertile imagination could depict, +the prices of ordinary paper commencing at the very humble price of six +sheets for a sou, and according to the degree that it is ornamented, +gradually rising to 25 francs a sheet. M. Marion has also an +establishment in London, at No. 19, Mortimer Street, Cavendish Square, +exactly on a similar plan as that in Paris, containing an equal variety +of specimens of this new branch of art. + +When the visiter has a half hour to spare, he would not find it thrown +away in visiting the establishment of Madame Merckel, she having found +the means of applying the phosphorus and chemical matches, which she has +invented, to such a number of purposes, and of introducing them in so +curious and ingenious a manner into divers articles, calculated both for +utility and ornament, that her manufactory might be considered quite a +little museum; amongst a variety of pretty things, I was first struck +with a time-piece which acts as an alarum, and not only answers the +purpose of awakening you at any hour which you may desire, but a little +figure representing a magician, at the instant strikes a magic mirror, +by which means the taper he holds is ignited, and with all possible +grace, he presents you with a light just as you open your eyes. A night +lamp next attracted me, which represented Mount Vesuvius, and the means +by which it is lighted, proceeds from an enormous dragon emitting fire +from his throat; this article is equally useful as a paper press. +Another night lamp I found particularly elegant, though perfectly +simple, consisting merely of a gilded branch, gracefully carved into a +sort of festoon, from which was suspended a little lamp of most classic +form. The inkstands consist of an indescribable variety, displaying all +kinds of contrivances, some so portable as easily to go into the pocket, +and containing instantaneous light on touching a spring, with pens, ink, +seal and wax. Amongst the endless number of paper presses is one with a +blacksmith, who, when light is required, strikes the anvil and fire +appears; abundance of cigar stands with matches are arranged after a +variety of whimsical methods, some of them very tasteful, and having +quite an ornamental effect. Fortunately, Madame Merckel has in a great +degree met with the reward her ingenuity merits, receiving the greatest +encouragement from the public, and not only having had a patent granted +her to protect her inventions, but she has also been presented with +medals from three scientific Societies. As her prices are as various as +the objects are numerous, every purse may be accommodated, as there are +some as low as a sou, whilst there are others which rise as high as +twenty pounds, the charge elevating according to the degree of ornament +or utility. It appears surprising that a business which was not known +until within the last few years should have risen to such importance, as +Madame Merckel not only transmits her merchandise to every town in +France, but also to the principal cities throughout Europe. The +manufactory is No. 24, Rue du Bouloi, in the Cour des Fermes; there is +besides a similar establishment in London, at No. 30, Edmund Place, +Aldersgate Street, which is entirely furnished by Madame Merckel, +possessing the same varied assortment, and undertaking to execute the +same extent of supply. + +How very simple are some descriptions of inventions, and how very simple +one is apt to think one's self in not having before thought of that +which appears so trifling and easy when once known. So it is with a sort +of portable desk, invented by M. Tachet, for which he has procured a +patent; it needs no table nor any kind of support, as the student places +it under him, and his own weight keeps it perfectly firm and steady; the +plane (on which he writes or draws) being attached to the part on which +he sits, rises before him, capable of accommodating itself to such +elevation as may be desired; its principal utility is for sketching from +nature, but as females could not make use of this desk in the same +manner as men, M. Tachet has also such as are adapted to their +accommodation, the base lying on the lap, and fastened by a band round +the waist, which keeps it perfectly firm. M. Tachet has also devoted +much time and attention in forming a collection of angular and carved +pieces of wood, shaped and finished with extreme neatness, describing +almost every form that can well be imagined, and composed of such wood +as has been so well seasoned that it can never warp, either ebony, box, +pear-tree, or indeed of every different country which produces the +hardest woods; they are particularly used by engineers and architects, +for drawing plans or elevations of buildings, as every curve or angle of +any dimensions which can be required, may be traced by these curved and +angular rulers. In French, on account of the form resembling that of a +pistol, the curved pieces are called _pistolet_, which comprehends a +complete set, and great demands for them come from England. At the +establishment of M. Tachet will also be found almost every article that +is required by the artist, and it is in fact the only house in Paris +where there is any certainty of procuring _real English_ colours, as +there are so many counterfeits of them exposed in almost all the +colour-shops in Paris, with the names and arms upon them of some of the +most eminent English colour manufacturers. But I can assure my +countrymen that those they obtain from M. Tachet are genuine, and that +they may deal with him in the same confidence as they would with what we +call a true Englishman; he has likewise a most complete collection of +mathematical instruments; his shop is situated at No. 274, Rue St. +Honore, at the bottom of the court-yard, and although it has not so +brilliant an appearance as many establishments of the same nature, it is +not the worse for its quiet exterior, but on the contrary, the same +articles will be found with him at a more moderate charge than they ever +can be procured of his dashing rivals. + +Another branch of industry which has risen into extreme importance +latterly is that of producing such exquisitely beautiful objects in cut +glass, for which the establishment of Messrs. Lahoche-Boin and Comp. has +for many years been celebrated, and ever conspicuous on account of its +glass staircase, but I should be afraid to trust myself with beginning +to describe the multitude of tasteful and elegant articles assembled in +this exhibition (for it is really much more worthy of being so called +than many that bear the name), lest I should be inveigled into too much +prolixity. Into many of their richly wrought services of glass, gold is +so happily introduced, that the two brilliant substances seem to +sparkle in rivalry of each other, and the deeper tone of bronze +sometimes lends its aid and heightens the effect of both. Glass is now +appropriated to a variety of purposes, formerly never thought of, as +balustrades, the handles of locks and plates to doors, instead of brass, +and a number of other objects; indeed from this establishment there is +always emanating something new, and for the beauty of the works which +they displayed at a national exhibition of specimens of art and +industry, they were awarded the gold medal. Amongst other articles which +attract the attention in their splendid collection, are some of the most +magnificent china vases, painted by talented artists in that department, +also services of Sevres porcelain for the table, in the taste of times +past; others of glass, gilded and elaborately carved, which style was +also much in vogue with our ancestors; some likewise of a more simple +description but always possessing a degree of elegance which excites +admiration. The proprietors of this concern are merchants of +respectability, and besides furnishing the Royal Family of France, and +several of the courts of Europe, they have transactions with most parts +of the world, charging themselves with the execution of orders for any +country, and requiring the remuneration of a very moderate commission. +The establishment of Messrs. Lahoche-Boin and Comp. is at Nos. 152, 153, +Palais-Royal, and the carriage entrance, No. 19, Rue de Valois. This is +one of those houses in Paris (of which doubtless there are many) where +the stranger may feel every confidence that he will meet with none but +the most honourable treatment. + +For those of my countrymen who like to proceed to the fountain head, and +obtain articles from the manufacturer himself, instead of purchasing +them of the shopkeeper who vends them at a higher price, I would +recommend a visit to the establishment of M. Vincent, which is in fact +like a little town, the number of warehouses, workshops, offices, etc., +on the premises, amounting to no less than 84. In this manufactory an +endless variety of articles are produced, consisting of every +description of knick-knackery, if I may be allowed the term, as +snuff-boxes, cigar-cases, memorandum books, souvenirs, bon-bon boxes, +tablets, tooth-picks, card and needle-cases, pocket mirrors, housewives, +paper presses, port-crayons, rulers, seals, musical snuff-boxes, etc., +etc. The above articles being executed in every possible variety that +can be imagined, of tortoise-shell, ivory, or mother of pearl, inlaid +with gold and silver in the richest and most elaborate manner, miniature +frames of every description, composed of fancy woods, with chased +circles, metal gilt, stamped tortoise-shell, bronze and of every sort of +material adapted for the purpose, albums and pocket-books in great +variety, dressing-cases both for ladies and gentlemen, tea caddies, +work-boxes, and an infinity of articles too numerous to recapitulate, +for some of which patents have been obtained. It is from this +establishment that most of the showy shops in Paris, who deal in +articles of the same nature, are provided, hence much economy is +effected by purchasing of M. Vincent, the profit of the shopkeeper being +saved by procuring the object from the manufacturer. Tradesmen who come +to Paris from London, would find their interest in applying to this +establishment, where they could obtain the goods they require of the +descriptions stated, at considerably more advantageous terms than from +other quarters. I will cite one article which will prove how very low +are the charges compared to what we are accustomed to in London; the +musical mechanism of a snuff-box, 10 francs (eight shillings) playing +two airs, rising gradually in price to 90 francs, or about 3_l._ 12_s._ +playing six tunes, which of course can be afterwards set in any +description of box which the purchaser chooses, of gold, silver, or +tortoise-shell, as fancy directs. All other articles sold by M. Vincent +are equally reasonable. His residence is No. 4, Rue de Beauce, at the +corner of the Rue de Bretagne, near the Temple, certainly not in a very +desirable neighbourhood, but manufactories are seldom carried on in the +most agreeable vicinities. + +An art which has been recently brought to an astonishing degree of +perfection in Paris, is that of dyeing, cleaning, scouring, and +restoring almost all descriptions of habiliments; this has been effected +by M. Bonneau, but not until he had visited the principal manufacturing +towns, and had passed many years in studying the art scientifically, +aided by persevering researches into the depths of chymistry, to which +he is indebted for being able to perform that which has not until now +been accomplished. I have seen instances of a soiled, faded, cashmere +shawl, almost considered beyond redemption, committed to his charge, and +reappear so resuscitated that the owners could scarcely believe it was +the same dingy, deplorable-looking affair they had sent a fortnight +before. The same power of restoring is effected upon all descriptions of +satin, even that of the purest white, which, although so soiled as to be +of a dirty yellow colour, is brought forth perfectly clean and with all +its original lustre; with silks, merinos, gros de Naples of the +tenderest tints, the process adopted is equally successful; blonde, +guipure, and all descriptions of lace, no matter how discoloured, are +restored to their original whiteness. With the apparel of men, the same +advantages are obtained, silk, cashmere, velvet, and other waistcoats +that many would throw aside as totally spoiled, or too shabby to be worn +any longer, by being sent to M. Bonneau, are returned, having the +appearance of being quite new. His establishment, at No. 17, Rue +Lepelletier, just facing the French Opera, is well known to many English +families; but having heard so much of the wonders he performed in +reviving the lost colours of the elaborate borders of ladies' cashmeres, +and rendering them their pristine brilliance, I determined to visit his +premises, upon which he carried on his operations, in the Rue de Bondy, +No. 40. I there found everything conducted upon a most methodical system +of regularity and order, each room was appropriated to its peculiar +department, and heated and ventilated by a certain process, and that +which does M. Bonneau much honour, is, that all is so arranged, with the +utmost consideration for the health of his work-people, by taking care +that they shall be kept as dry as possible, and that a proper degree of +warmth and air shall be admitted into every chamber. When required, M. +Bonneau sends his men to clean furniture at persons' houses, which would +be rather incommodious to remove. When any article is sent to him, the +bearer is informed what day it will be completed, and is sure not to be +deceived, and he has an apartment so arranged for preserving whatever is +confided to him, from any injury which might be caused by moths or other +insects. + +Amongst those articles for which France used to depend upon England, but +wherein the case is reversed by England taking from France, is that of +pencil-cases, in which small pieces of lead are inserted, and emitted or +withdrawn at pleasure; numbers of these formerly were sent from London +and Birmingham to Paris, but recently M. Riottot has invented and +obtained a patent for a pencil-case which has a little elastic tube of +tempered steel placed at the end which is used, and into which the lead +is inserted, and tightly held within it, so that there is no risk of +breaking, either in the act of fixing in the lead, or from its +afterwards shaking, the steel tube operating as a spring, retains it so +firmly that it remains, even whilst writing with it, perfectly +immoveable; these are arranged in gold or silver cases, more or less +ornamental as may be required, and are found so infinitely more +serviceable than those on the former principle, that as they are +becoming more known in England, the demand for them continues to +increase. The term by which they are designated, is Porte Crayon a Pince +elastique; their advantages are such as tend to economy, as they are +neither liable to fall out nor break, besides the convenience of their +never moving about whilst one is using them, to which the previous +system was constantly liable. M. Riottot has also an assortment of pens +and pen-holders, either plated or of silver or gold, richly chased or +simple, with a variety of seals and other articles; he likewise retains +a stock of lead, properly prepared for inserting into the pencil-cases. +His address is at No. 27, Rue Phelippeaux, Passage de la Marmite, +Escalier A, completely in the quarter of Paris inhabited by the +operatives, surrounded by workshops of different descriptions, not +exactly calculated for very delicate ladies. + +For the benefit of a little purer air, we will quit the working +mechanics' rendez-vous, and take a lounge in the Palais-Royal, and as +soon as we breathe a little freely, we will examine the engraved seals +of M. Leteurtre-Maurisset, No. 33, Galerie d'Orleans, which, from the +extreme delicacy of the execution, are objects well worth attention; his +talents in this department have obtained him the distinction of being +engraver to the Chamber of Deputies and to the royal museums; some of +his specimens of armorial bearings, his designs for stamping +impressions, in relief and heraldric devices, are extremely clever; he +engraves on stones of different descriptions, with equal accuracy and on +any kind of metal, as plates for visiting cards, etc., and whatever he +undertakes he executes in the most perfect manner, that the nature of +the work will admit. As he is attached to his profession, however +trifling the order he may receive, he enters into it with the same zest +as if it were of the first importance, of course it is engraving +subjects for seals in which he finds the most pleasure, as it is in +those that he has the greatest scope for the display of his abilities, +and seldom fails to excel. + +Although the progress which France has made in almost every branch of +industry is most extraordinary, yet none is so striking as the advance +which has been effected in cutlery, as I well remember when I first came +to France, it was a common joke amongst the English, when speaking of +the rarity of an object, to observe that it was as scarce as a knife in +France that would cut, its appearance also was as dull as its edge, soon +however their cutlery, with their ideas, began to brighten, and to +sharpen; but even as recently as 1830, they were still so outshone by +England, that if it was known that you were going from Paris to London, +with the intention of returning, every lady asked you to bring her a +pair of scissors, every man a pair of razors, and by all medical friends +you were assailed to bring them over lancets or other machines for +cutting and maiming human flesh; thanks to the genius, talents, and +perseverance of M. Charriere, one is no longer troubled with such +commissions, he having improved every description of surgical +instruments to such a degree of perfection, that now many of our English +surgeons provide themselves from his establishment on returning to +England; not only has M. Charriere produced every variety of instrument +used by our faculty, but he has invented several others, which have +merited and obtained the thanks of his country, with letters and medals +from several scientific societies. Even foreigners from all parts of +Europe, from America, and from the East, are now becoming acquainted +with the utility of his inventions, which are already well known in +London and Edinburgh, and will soon be as much in demand in England as +they are now in France. Some idea may be formed of how far M. Charriere +has raised this branch of industry, when it is stated that but a few +years since, the whole number of workmen occupied in this department was +but 30 and now he alone employs 150! M. Charriere in fact possesses one +quality which generally ensures success, a passion for his art; he is +not to be regarded simply as a vender of cutlery, but as one possessing +a scientific knowledge of his profession, and as a mechanic of +considerable talent. To recapitulate all his inventions, with their +respective merits, and the approbatory letters that he has received from +different academical institutions, would half fill my little volume; +suffice it to say that he is the only person in his business, to whom +has ever been awarded the gold medal; besides which, the Royal Academy +of Sciences have presented him with 1800 francs, for the improvement he +has effected in surgical instruments. There is scarcely a disease and +certainly not a single operation that can be performed on the human +frame, for which M. Charriere has not the requisite materials in the +utmost perfection, even for the fabrication of artificial noses; and for +one invention he merits the gratitude of all mothers, the _biberon_, a +machine for the purpose of supplying an infant with milk, when +circumstances prevent the mother from affording that nourishment. This +instrument is so contrived that the part which meets the lips is in +point of texture exactly the same as that which nature provides, uniting +an equal degree of softness and elasticity, that the child takes to the +substitute, with the same zest as if it were the reality. I have known +instances where the lives of children have been saved by this machine, +the parents declaring to me that such was the case, and that they +considered that every mother ought to be provided with so useful an +instrument. The address of M. Charriere is No. 9, Rue de +l'Ecole-de-Medecine. A variety of cutlery is kept of as perfect a +description as those articles for which he has attained so high a +celebrity. + +It has generally in modern days been a reproach to France, that she has +been rather lax in regard of religious matters; what there may be in the +hearts of the inhabitants of that or other countries I shall not +presume to give an opinion, but can only say that I find the churches in +Paris, both protestant and catholic, always during service time nearly +full, and many to overflowing. Not only that, but the French are much +attached to holy associations, hence the prints of our Saviour, the +Virgin, and the Saints, have a most inexhaustible sale; I need give my +readers no greater proof than recommending them to visit the +establishment of M. Dopter, No. 21, Rue St. Jacques, they will there +find amongst his immense collection of engravings and lithographies, the +portrait of every saint that ever was heard of, an innumerable variety +of religious subjects for which there is a most extensive and incessant +demand. Some of these are stamped and illuminated in a most splendid +manner, and I verily believe there is scarcely a subject connected with +the christian religion, of which M. Dopter has not a representation; his +establishment is therefore known throughout all France, and many parts +of Europe, to which he transmits numbers of his publications. + +He likewise has a most useful assortment of maps and geographical +illustrations, with portraits of celebrated characters, particularly +those connected with the campaigns and adventures of Napoleon, as also +his battles, and remarkable events of his life, as well as a great +diversity of historical subjects, landscapes, academical studies, etc., +etc.; M. Dopter is also the inventor of the new style of covers for +binding, of which the present volume is a specimen, having them of an +innumerable variety of patterns, and of every size likely to be +demanded. + +It has often struck me that maps were very incomplete, in consequence of +their not being capable of giving the degrees of elevation of hills or +mountains except in a very inefficient manner; the same idea, I suppose, +actuated M. Bauerkeller, and induced him to invent those maps in relief, +which are now becoming so generally demanded, as giving such an accurate +illustration of the surface of a country, which is most beautifully +exemplified in many of his specimens, but most particularly in that of +Switzerland; every object having a degree of elevation proportioned to +the reality, and coloured in a great measure similar to the subject +intended to be represented, thus the snow-capped mountains of +Switzerland have their white summits distinctly expressed, their blue +lakes, their green meadows, grey rocks, etc., given with such fidelity, +that a person obtains a most perfect notion of regions he may never have +an opportunity to visit. This system of forming maps or plans upon +embossed paper, is peculiarly applicable to cities, as the public +buildings appear to such advantage, and M. Bauerkeller has already +executed those of London, Paris, St. Petersburg, Vienna, New York, the +city of Mexico, Hamburg, Basle, a Panorama of the Rhine from Coblentz to +Mayence, besides several other cities and countries, and there is no +doubt that in a short time the whole of Europe and many other distant +districts will be illustrated in the same manner, as he is constantly +adding to his collection which already excites the highest interest. M. +Bauerkeller's plan of executing charts, maps, or views in relief, can be +equally produced either upon velvet, silk, or leather, for the +illustration of a diversity of subjects which can be applied to an +innumerable variety of purposes, as shades for lamps, men's caps, +slippers, reticules, stands for decanters, screens, etc., etc.; already +he has extended his connexions to such a degree that he receives +applications from all parts of Europe and America for different articles +in which his invention is introduced. Some of his works which were +displayed at the national exhibition excited universal admiration, and +obtained him a medal; he has also been granted a patent for fifteen +years. This invention is not only valuable in having rendered maps more +ornamental, but it assists the study of geography; by the objects being +rendered so much more distinct, it increases the interest and +consequently makes a deeper impression on the memory; in fact, the +numerous advantages to be derived from this system of giving plans in +relief may be easily imagined, but are too long to be described. A +specimen of the art will be found at the beginning of this work: M. +Bauerkeller's address is No. 380, Rue St. Denis, Passage Lemoine. + +Amongst the number of inventions which are constantly emanating from the +brain of man, I know of few which unite more ingenuity, utility, and +simplicity than that of M. Martin (gun-maker at No. 36, Rue +Phelippeaux), relative to the improvement of every description of gun +that is impelled by percussion. According to the system he has +introduced, and for which he has obtained a patent, all the +inconvenience to which the sportsman is subjected in priming is entirely +obviated, as instead of having to place the percussion cap with one's +fingers, so disagreeable in very cold weather, it is at once effected by +the act of cocking, and the gun may be fired from 80 to 100 times, +always as it were priming itself, as the number of percussion caps +required are introduced through the butt, and conducted to the point +desired. The method of inserting the percussion caps is perfectly easy; +pressing a little button or nut at the bottom of the butt causes a plate +to open, when two spiral wire-springs must be taken out, as also a +moveable tube, from the interior of the gun, and the latter filled with +percussion caps, which must be poured into fixed tubes which communicate +with the anvil; they may contain from 40 to 50 each; when this number is +introduced replace the spiral wire-springs which press the percussion +caps exactly, regularly and successively as they are needed to the point +desired, then fasten in the springs with the little hook attached for +that purpose, lastly replace the moveable tube and shut the plate at the +bottom of the butt. This process is executed in a far shorter time than +it can be described. The _immense_ advantage of this invention may not +appear at the first view; but when it is considered how much more rapid +may be the fire of an army in consequence of the time gained, which +would be occupied in priming, the power it will give them over an enemy +must be evident, and there is no doubt but that in a very short time +they will be universally adopted. All such of my countrymen who come to +Paris I would recommend to call on M. Martin; he will give them every +possible explanation on the subject in the most obliging manner, and +also give them practical evidence of the manner in which it operates. + +However deficient the French were until a very few years since in almost +every thing which relates to mechanics, yet in some articles they have +now made such rapid strides, that it becomes a question whether they +will not surpass us, if we do not exert the same energy in the spirit of +improvement with which they have been recently actuated. Formerly the +inferiority of French pianos to ours was most evident, and perhaps, +generally speaking, I should still say it was the case, but there are a +few manufacturers, the tone of whose instruments is superb; of such a +description are those of M. Soufleto. It is really surprising how he has +been enabled, in a small upright piano, to produce the force and depth +of tone which he has found the means of uniting in comparatively so +small a volume, the bass having absolutely the power and roundness of an +organ; but that part of an instrument which most frequently fails, is +that which is composed of the additional keys or the highest notes, +which are apt to be thin and wiry, but with Mr. Soufleto's pianos it is +not the case, the tone being soft and full, with a proportionate degree +of force with the rest of the instrument. His merit has been duly +acknowledged, having not only received the King's patent, but having +been twice presented with medals, and appointed manufacturer to the +Queen. As most English families who come to Paris for the purpose of +residing or sojourning for a certain time, are desirous of hiring or +purchasing a _good_ piano, I can assure them that such they will find at +M. Soufleto's, No. 171, Rue Montmartre, and that his terms are extremely +moderate in consideration of the excellence of his instruments. + +I am sure my readers will approve of my directing their attention to the +establishment of M. Richond, styled the Phoenix, No. 17, Boulevard +Montmartre, near the Rue Richelieu. They will there find such a splendid +assortment of time-pieces, as constitutes a most beautiful sight, +equally gratifying to the artist and the amateur, many of the subjects +being perfectly classic, and exhibiting the tastes and costumes of +different ages; some of these magnificent time-pieces are adorned with +figures, either bronze or gilded, representing historical characters, +after the designs of the first masters, which are most admirably +executed, and indeed there is such a variety of subjects, that one might +pass hours in the shop, deriving the greatest pleasure from the +examination of so many interesting subjects. It is also a satisfaction +to know that the works of M. Richond's time-pieces are equal to their +external beauty. In fact it is a house that has been long established +and has ever supported a good name, having a considerable connexion, +not only throughout France, but in foreign countries, particularly with +England, and is by far the most recommendable of any in Paris in that +line of business. Every object has the price marked upon it, which is +always adhered to, and the charges are as moderate as could possibly be +expected from the superiority of the articles over those which are sold +in so many other shops in Paris; some time-pieces there are which of +course amount to a high price, consistent with their splendour. There is +a stamp fixed by government upon the internal works of each time-piece, +to prove that it is verified as being of the best quality. M. Richond +undertakes, at his own risk, the conveyance of time-pieces to London +which have been purchased at his shop, and warrants them against any +accident which may happen to the works in travelling, having a +correspondent in London who is in the same business, and is commissioned +to execute any repairs which may be requisite. + +Amongst other branches of industry which now have risen into +considerable importance, is one which at present constitutes an +extensive business of itself, although formerly only considered as a +minor department of different concerns; that to which I allude is what +the French term _chemisier_, which I can translate no otherwise than +shirt-maker. There are now many following this business in Paris, but +the largest establishment, and from which many others spring, is that of +M. Demarne, No. 39, Rue Croix-des-Petits-Champs, and he has so exerted +his ingenuity in this peculiar line that he has obtained a patent for +the perfection to which he has elevated it; he has been twice honourably +mentioned in the reports published of two national exhibitions in which +he had specimens of his works. His fame has already travelled throughout +the Continent, and he is patronised by the princes of several courts of +Europe, amongst others Prince Ernest of Cobourg, and noticing the names +of several of the English nobility, in a list which he showed me to +prove the encouragement he received from my _compatriots_, I remarked +that of a noble lord of sporting notoriety whose shirts were at the +price of _only_ 150 fr. (6_l._) each. However, it must not be supposed +that M. Demarne is dearer than other people, the price of all his +articles are proportioned to the nature of the materials of which they +are composed, and many are at the most moderate charges. At his +extensive establishment will also be found an assortment of shirt +collars, cravats, braces, silk handkerchiefs, etc., etc., arranged +according to the prevailing fashions. One of the most curious, ingenious +and incomprehensible inventions of any I have seen is that of M. Paris, +coiffeur to the Princes and Princesses, 25, Passage Choiseul, and 22, +Rue Dalayrac, near the new Italian Theatre, relating to all descriptions +of false hair, which he contrives to arrange in such a manner that the +skin of the head is seen through where the hair is parted, and the roots +represented as springing from the head in so natural a manner, that the +deception cannot be discerned even on the closest inspection; the +extreme delicacy of the work in these fronts and toupies is really +inimitable, a person may put one on the back of their hand, and the +division appears so transparent that the skin is seen under it as clear +as if not a single hair crossed it, and yet by some invisible means the +parts are held together, which can only be by light transparent hairs +which are not discernible to the naked eye. He has obtained a patent for +this invention, and although I know my countrywomen have generally very +fine heads of hair, yet as from fevers or other causes they are +sometimes deprived of it, also that grey hairs will intrude, I cannot +too strongly recommend them to patronise the talents of M. Paris, and +which under similar circumstances will be found equally serviceable to +gentlemen. + +Whilst dilating upon different inventions which either contribute to +comfort or convenience, I must not omit that of M. Cazal, who has +obtained two patents, and medals for the umbrellas and parasols he has +invented, with which he furnishes the Queen and Princesses, and which +are entirely superseding all those of any other construction. In such as +M. Cazal has brought into vogue, instead of the catches or springs which +retain the umbrella when open or shut, being inserted in the stick, +which always contributes towards weakening it, they are attached to the +wire frame-work, and by merely touching a little button will slide up or +down as required with the greatest facility, without those little +annoyances which so frequently happen in the old method, of either +pinching one's fingers, or the glove catching in the spring, or the +latter breaking or losing its elasticity, etc., etc. The stick by this +system, it must also be observed, is stronger, therefore can if desired +be thinner, and consequently lighter. Another description, called +travelling umbrellas, is also invented by M. Cazal and is particularly +convenient, containing a cane inside the stick, by which it may be used +as one or as the other, according as the weather or caprice may require; +these are extremely desirable for lame persons who require a stick, as +the umbrella when closed answers the purpose, and if required to be +opened the cane drawing out equally affords support. M. Cazal has an +assortment of canes and whips the most varied that can be imagined; it +would be difficult to fancy any pattern or form that is not to be found +in his numerous collection. His establishment is No. 23, Boulevard +Italien, where there is always some one in attendance who speaks +English. Whilst so near, I cannot resist mentioning so respectable a +tradesman as M. Froge, tailor, with whom the fashionable Englishmen +sojourning at Paris have dealt for above twenty years, and ever found +him so honourable in his transactions that they still continue to afford +him their patronage; his address is No. 3, Boulevard des Capucines. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + + To the ladies. + + +As I have set out with professing to render my work of as much utility +as possible, I am desirous of giving my fair countrywomen the benefit of +my own experience in Paris, by indicating to them those establishments +wherein they may abstract a portion of the contents of their purse, +without having cause to think that it has been recklessly dissipated, as +no one more than myself would regret to see their "glittering money fly +like chaff before the wind," so am I extremely tenacious that they +should only barter it for its full value, and as I know ladies must and +will have perfumes, however superfluous in most instances, for it is but +adding "sweets to the sweets," I shall conduct them to the emporium of +delicious odours, appertaining to M. Blanche, whose dealings I can +assure them are as pure as his name; he has besides the merit of being +an excellent chymist, and the still greater merit of having devoted his +talents to the fair sex, and in that point which they appreciate most +highly, the embellishment and preservation of their personal +attractions; he has therefore invented a peculiar description of +vegetable soap, called _Savon Vegetal de Guimauve_, which is so renowned +amongst the Paris belles, that I should not be surprised at their +forming themselves into a committee, and voting an address of thanks to +M. Blanche for the signal services he has rendered to the cause of +beauty, as not only are the medicinal powers attributed to this _savon_, +of removing any impurities and softening the skin, but also that of +giving it a smooth satiny lustre, which may be compared to adding the +last _coup de grace_ to the female charms. In addition to these +advantages it possesses that of having the most agreeable scent; its +merits have in fact obtained it a patent and it is only sold at the +establishment of M. Blanche, No. 48, Passage Choiseul, where also may be +procured every description of perfumery and a variety of other articles, +all good of their kind, as the proprietor would consider the vending of +an inferior quality as a stain upon his character and upon his _fair_ +name. + +Formerly the English ladies were very _sharp_ and _pointed_ in their +reflexions upon French needles, much more so indeed than the objects to +which their sarcasms were directed, which in fact were but blunt and +brittle ware, and the consequence was that they not only tried all their +own little arts to smuggle over as many as they could when they came +from England, but they exacted the same pecadillo from their unfortunate +friends; now of all things I most hate smuggling, principally I admit +from the fear of being caught; which I think excessively disagreeable. +Judge then how rejoiced I was when informed by some of my fair friends +that there were as good needles to be had at the Maison Bierri, a la +Ville de Lille, 32, Faubourg St. Honore, as any that could be procured +in London, and one respectable matron insisted that it was a moral duty +incumbent upon me to mention an establishment so exceedingly useful to +my countrywomen, not only because it contains so many articles which +females are constantly requiring, but that every thing they have is of +so superior a quality; in fact nothing would satisfy the good lady but +my going myself to see how it was crowded with purchasers. + +I obeyed, and in good truth found the shop quite like a fair, but the +most perfect order and arrangement prevailing, the proprietor constantly +upon the watch to see that the young people were civil and attentive to +the customers, who were purchasing a variety of articles and +particularly ribbands; of which there appeared a most brilliant +assortment, and I heard it observed that in that department the Maison +Bierri had a celebrity _unique_. There were also as great diversity of +fringe, net, blonde, muslin, mercery, lace, jaconas, linings, worsteds, +all kinds of haberdashery, etc., etc. I also remarked that in every +drawer, containing the different articles which were produced, the +prices were marked, so that in case of the least demur regarding the +charge, a reference to the label decides the affair. By the excellence +of his goods, the regular system upon which the business is conducted, +and the assiduity of all concerned in the Maison Bierri, he has +attracted numbers of the English, and amongst the rest the Ambassadress, +and there is always some person attending who speaks their language. In +the exterior there is no attempt at display; like many of the most +respectable establishments, it depends so entirely on its extensive +connexions, as not to need any efforts to promote publicity, and every +one residing at Paris must have heard of the reputation of the Maison +Bierri; it is particularly convenient for the English, being in the +quarter in which they mostly dwell. + +As there is no department of the toilet by which ladies either so +disfigure or embellish themselves, as the hat, bonnet, or cap, I must +beseech my fair countrywomen to procure those articles from such persons +alone who have as it were obtained a diploma for good taste; as I am +most anxious that when Englishwomen are in France, that they should in +every respect appear to the best advantage; now as I consider that which +adorns the head as having so important a bearing upon the beauty of a +female, deep and frequent were my cogitations upon the subject, before I +could make up my mind what _modiste_ I should recommend to the patronage +of my countrywomen, as I would not have the sin upon my head, for all +the mines of Golconda, of having been accessary to an Englishwoman +putting on a hat or bonnet that did not become her; therefore, after +mature deliberation, I determined to call a council of all my female +acquaintances, and beg of them to hold a debate upon this knotty point; +the result was most satisfactory, the question being carried without a +division, in fact there was not one dissentient voice, the name of +Madame de Barenne being pronounced by one and all at the same moment; +it being observed that there were several persons who had attained a +certain degree of celebrity as _modistes_, but for uniting grace, +elegance and simplicity with an artistical _gusto_, there were none in +Paris who surpassed Madame de Barenne (14 place Vendome). I have before +alluded to this lady, and certainly have observed that her manners, her +apartments, and every thing around her has an air _distingue_, and +although I would never have the presumption of giving an opinion upon +articles so far above my judgment, yet I can record the opinion of those +who are considered true connaisseurs, from whom I learn that at Madame +de Barenne's, hats, bonnets, caps, and turbans, of every variety, are +arranged with the utmost perfection, the materials being of the most +superior description consistent with the season of the year, adorned +with marabouts, bird of paradise feathers, aigrettes, flowers from the +celebrated Constantin, all selected from those houses which have the +most renown for the respective articles in which they deal, but which +are introduced with so much taste and judgment, that besides her +ingenuity, having obtained a patent, she has been specially appointed +modiste to the Queen of Belgium, the Princess Clementine, and the +Duchess de Nemours. + +Not far from the English Ambassador's, in the centre as it were of what +may be termed the English quarter, is an establishment styled _La +Tentation_, which from the variety and excellence of its goods operates +on the visiter consistently with its title. It is a _Magasin de +Nouveautes_, containing almost every article appertaining to the toilet, +as linen, drapery, hosiery, fancy goods, etc., and is on that extensive +scale, that their assortment possesses every diversity that can be +desired, whilst even the most fastidious cannot fail of meeting that +which must suit their taste. This establishment is not like many in the +same way of business, who spend a little fortune in advertising their +goods, incurring tremendous expenses in obtruding themselves and their +merchandise before the public, and then making that public pay the +outlay they have made upon newspapers, pamphlets, etc., by either +charging higher prices, or laying in stock of inferior quality, thereby +even at an apparently moderate price they are enabled to obtain higher +profits, whilst by continuing their puffing advertisements, they hope +constantly to attract a new supply of dupes. + +_La Tentation_, on the contrary, calculate only upon obtaining and +retaining connexion, by keeping none but good articles, and selling them +at a small profit; strict attention and civility to their customers, and +having a stock ever consistent with the changes of the fashions and +seasons, by a constant adherence to these objects a durable success has +been effected. The progress of this establishment has been worthy of +remark, commencing under a humble roof upon a modest scale, until with +the process of time the proprietors were emboldened to enlarge their +premises when at length it increased to its present magnitude, occupying +a considerable portion of a noble mansion This has been achieved by a +judicious selection of stock, with constant perseverance, and conducting +their business on honourable principles, it is just such an +establishment as is calculated to please the English, where great +neatness and cleanliness is observed, and everything conducted in a +quiet and unassuming manner. The charges on each article are fixed at a +price that will admit of no diminution, and the English have the +satisfaction of knowing that they pay no more than the French, which +perhaps is not the case in all houses in Paris; persons wishing to view +the goods are not pressed to purchase unless they feel disposed to do +so, and however trifling may be the amount, they are not tormented, as +in too many shops, to buy more than they wish. Whatever articles are +selected are sent punctually to the residence of the parties at the time +required, and orders, whether personally or by letter, meet with the +strictest attention. There is always some person belonging to the +establishment who speaks English. La Tentation is situated No. 67, Rue +Faubourg St. Honore, at the corner of the Avenue de Marigny. + +Perhaps there is no branch of the arts which has been wrought to so high +a perfection as that of making artificial flowers, and no place in the +world where it is practised to such an extent as Paris, or with so high +a degree of talent; but although it has been long and justly celebrated +for the exquisite taste developed in forming bouquets, wherein all the +varieties of colour are so assembled as to display each other to the +best advantage, yet so arranged that a certain harmony should pervade +the whole; still M. Constantin has discovered the means of availing +himself of the abilities of the Parisians in this department of the art, +that he has elevated it to a degree of altitude it had never before +attained, and in fact his flowers have become so exclusively the mode, +that if a lady wear any whatever, it would be offending her to suppose +that they were any other than those of M. Constantin. Indeed, it is +impossible to enter his apartments without feeling a thorough conviction +of the elegance of his taste, first passing through a long corridor +between two rows of real flowers, proving that he fears not the rivality +of nature, conscious that his own works unite the same beauties of tints +and colours which her highest powers can produce, and one room into +which his customers are introduced, unites a degree of taste in the +richness and splendour of its ornamental objects, with that proper tone +of keeping which is pleasing to the eye; but it is at his little boudoir +that the beholder is astonished, such luxuriant magnificence as is +therein displayed can only be imagined from a description presented in +the Arabian Nights! in fact the Dutch Ambassador was so delighted with +the exquisite arrangement of this superb specimen of sumptuous +decoration, that he requested permission to bring an artist to take an +exact copy of the elegant little chamber and its contents, to form a +similar boudoir for the Queen of Holland. As M. Constantin is now +arrived at the summit of his profession, he is enabled to command +prices commensurate with his talents, and has some bouquets as high as +1000 francs, but there are articles which may be purchased at the +moderate charge of 10 francs; his residence is No. 37, Rue Neuve St. +Augustin. M. Constantin possesses the recommendation of being extremely +particular as to the morality and propriety of conduct with his young +persons, and that degree of decorum is constantly preserved, that any +ladies visiting his apartments will find the same order and discipline +maintained as in the strictest boarding-schools. + +I know not whether it is the case with all men, but I believe it is, +that the first time I see a lady, I naturally look in her face, then my +next impulse is to look at her foot; now as I have already done my +utmost for my countrywomen for the ornamenting of the former, in +recommending them to Madame de Barenne, I must now endeavour to serve +them in respect to the latter, reminding them that in Lord Normandy's +novel of "Yes and No," he observes, speaking of the feet of Parisian +females, "How exquisitely they decorate that part of the person," and as +I have already remarked that I do not wish English ladies in any one +particular to yield to Parisian or any other ladies, I must request that +they will, as soon as possible after they arrive at Paris, apply to M. +Hoffman, No. 8, Rue de la Paix, who will fit them in such a light and +elegant manner, giving such a "_jolie tournure_" to the foot, that they +will scarcely know their own feet again, after having been accustomed to +be shod in the English fashion; for although I have a very exalted idea +of the transcendant talents of my countrymen, I do not consider that the +vein of their abilities at all runs in the shoemaking line. M. Hoffman's +residence is at the end of a court-yard, almost as quiet and as retired +as if it were in a convent; his articles will be found of the best +quality, both he and Madame speak English, and rival each other in +attention and civility to their customers; they have an assortment of +the different specimens of their work, consisting of every variety which +is worn, according with the fashion and season. + +I believe every lady before she quits England with the intention of +visiting Paris, has already made up her mind to make some purchase of +lace pretty soon after her arrival; to prevent them therefore from +falling into bad hands, I recommend them to go at once to one of the +most extensive and respectable establishments in that department of any +in Paris, indeed I believe I may truly add the most so. It is one of +those large wholesale houses of the French metropolis that transact +business with all parts of the world in lace, ribbands, and silks; it is +situated at No. 2ter, Rue Choiseul, the firm is Messrs. Bellart, Louys +and Delcambre, where every description of blonde and lace, in all its +multitudinous variety, from the most simple to the richest, rarest and +most costly, will be found, and at extremely reasonable prices, as so +many retail dealers furnish themselves from this establishment; besides +which, they are themselves manufacturers of black Chantilly lace and +white blonde. This concern has the character of being solely wholesale, +but they make an exception with regard to lace. Their collection of +ribbands is unrivalled both for the beauty and extent. They have also a +most valuable assortment of silks, satins, velvets, stuffs, brocade, +embroidery of gold and silver, etc., etc., selected with extreme taste +and judgment, and indeed Mme de Barenne owes a great portion of her +success to having supplied herself from this house with the material +which she required, as being of so very superior a quality, it gave +great vogue to whatever was produced by her ingenuity, to which +certainly her own talents contributed in the taste displayed in the +disposition and arrangement of the different articles, independent of +their own excellence. + +Whatever rivalry there may be between different countries, respecting +their divers produce and manufactures, with regard to gloves none would +have the audacity to cast the gauntlet at France, which has ever held +the supremacy over other nations in that department, yet it has recently +been elevated a step higher by an invention of M. Mayer, of No. 26, Rue +de la Paix, for which he has been granted a king's patent, consisting in +what are termed ball gloves, which are so made as to button and lace +about half way up the arm, which prevents them from slipping down upon +the wrist, they are besides furnished with trimmings also invented by M. +Mayer, which may either be of the utmost simplicity, or of the richest +description, and may be composed of either satin, velvet, lace, gold, or +even pearls and diamonds may be and are frequently introduced; they may +be also furnished with tassels which may be formed of materials equally +costly, thus the trimmings of these gloves may either be had for four +francs or may cost twenty guineas and upwards, according to the desires +of the wearers. In fact M. Mayer has introduced a degree of luxury and +splendour in the decorations of gloves, which has given them an +importance in the toilet which they never before possessed, and have +become so much the vogue with ladies of the highest distinction, that +they have obtained for M. Mayer the privilege of furnishing the royal +family of France, the Empress of Russia, the Queens of Naples, Spain, +Belgium, etc. M. Mayer also occupies himself with gentlemen's gloves, +and has just invented a peculiar description, without gussets between +the fingers, by which means they set closer to the hand, and are not so +liable to be come unsewed as by the former method; he has them likewise +so arranged as to button at the side instead of the middle, which always +left an unsightly aperture. Now I think of it, these last few lines had +no business in the ladies' chapter, as they allude to that which are +worn solely by gentlemen, but I dare say that my fair readers, if they +find M. Mayer's gloves merit my commendations, will be equally anxious +that their husbands, brothers, or sons should furnish themselves at the +same place and excuse the intrusion. M. Mayer has a private apartment +tastefully fitted up, appropriated for the ladies, where they can make +their selections as uninterrupted and unobserved as at their own homes. + +Next door to M. Mayer's, at No. 28, is an establishment which has +received very distinguished and extensive patronage, known by the +appellation of La Maison Lucy Hocquet, not only for hats, bonnets, +capotes and turbans, but also for pelerines, fichus a la paysanne, +_canzous_, chemisettes, collars, habit shirts, parures de spectacles, +etc.; in these articles they have been so celebrated for the taste and +elegance with which they are arranged, that the fame of their talents +has attracted around them many of the most influential ladies in Paris, +as also several of the most celebrated _artistes_ whose good taste and +jugement are proverbial; amongst others may be cited Mlle Rachel. La +Maison Lucy Hocquet likewise furnishes several crowned heads, as the +Empress of Russia, Queen of Portugal, etc., and amongst the leading +personages of Paris, the Princess Demidoff, the Duchesses d'Eckmuehl, de +Montebello, de Valmy, Marquise d'Osmond, etc. To the above list might be +added many names of the English nobility, who still continue to be +supplied from this establishment, which independent of the merit which +is displayed in the arrangement of every article which it produces, is +also highly recommendable on account of the attentive civility which +they extend to all who may have occasion to apply to them. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + + The present artists in France and their productions, improvements + in Paris, fortifications, humanity to animals, education of + females, personal appearance of the French, army and navy, + scientific Societies, and commercial enterprises. + + +Never perhaps at any period was there so much encouragement given to the +arts and sciences in general in France as at the present, nor ever was +there a monarch who reigned over the French, who so much endeavoured to +promote every object which tended to usefulness, or to the advancement +of the fine arts. No country in the world has such advantages as France +for nurturing talent, and giving it the opportunity of developing +itself, so numerous are the societies and institutions where lectures +and instruction are afforded gratuitously, hence the great assistance to +young artists; without any expense or trouble, they are admitted into a +drawing academy, where they may acquire the fundamental principles of +the graphic art; afterwards there are other different establishments +which they can enter as their studies progress, and when they attain any +degree of proficiency, they have a chance of being sent at the expense +of government to Rome, to complete their studies, and if they excel to a +moderate degree, are sure to be employed by the King, or some member of +the royal family, or by the nation. With all these immense advantages, +how much might be expected of the French artists, but the fact does not +realise those hopes that might be justly formed from the solid +rudimental education which they have the power of receiving. The +exhibition this year at the Louvre of the paintings of the living +artists was a complete illustration of what I have stated, as every one +allows that it was far inferior to that of last year, which was +considered much worse than those of former years. + +At the same time it must be admitted that several of the best artists +have not sent any pictures for the last few years, and particularly the +present, when amongst the absentees might be cited Ingres, Horace +Vernet, Ary Scheffer, Delaroche, etc., who it appears were all employed +by the King or government; the consequence was, although there was an +immense mass of large historical and scriptural subjects, it was what +might have been called a most sorry display. Amongst the number one +alone evinced a superiority of talent, and that was the taking of +Mazagran by Phillippoteaux, which really had considerable merit, and the +artist it appears passed some time in Algiers, and therefore was enabled +to give a faithful representation of the inhabitants of the country. Of +miscellaneous subjects, or what the French call _tableau de genre_, +there were many most exquisite pictures, amongst the rest, the Miller, +his Son and his Ass, by H. Bellange, which was so full of character and +expression, that it needed not language to tell the tale; there were +also several other pieces by the same artist, possessing equal merit. +An Assembly of Protestants surprised by Catholic Troops, by Karl +Girardet, was a most superior picture in Wilkie's best style; Reading +the Bible, by Edward Girardet, also exceedingly clever; but one of the +most delightful pictures in the exhibition was by Gue, of Raymond of +Toulouse reconciling himself to the Church; I never yet saw any +performance of that artist but evinced some great merit, either the +finest imagination, the most beautiful execution, or the utmost truth to +nature, according to the subject he undertakes. I should certainly +pronounce Gue as one of the best artists who now send their pictures to +the Louvre; one he had two years since of the Crucifixion, at the annual +Exhibition, which certainly was a most sublime composition, the approach +of night, with a slight glare of parting light, was most admirably +represented, and gave a sort of wild gloom which so beautifully +harmonised with the nature of the subject; he had also introduced the +dead rising from their tombs, which contributed to augment the solemn +tone which pervaded the whole picture. However lightly or frivolously +the mind might be engaged, one glance at this exquisite painting must at +once strike awe into the beholder; it was true that there was a great +similarity with one on the same subject, in the Louvre, by Karel +Dujardin, but not sufficiently so to say it was borrowed, or to detract +from its merit. T. Johanot had but one picture this year, which was very +clever, as his always are; his subjects are mostly historical, and his +illustrations of Walter Scott are universally known and admired. +Schopin is another of the French artists whose pictures will always +live, his females are so truly graceful, such sweetness of expression in +their countenances; this year he did not shine so much as he has before, +having but one picture, which was from Ruth and Boaz, and the latter was +made to appear too old. A paralyzed old Man on an Ass, which his son was +leading, was a true picture of nature, by Leleux; the vigour of the one +and the feebleness of the other were admirably contrasted, although +rather flat from wanting more shade. + +Of this description there were far too many pictures possessing merit +than I can afford room to cite, but amongst the portraits there were +some such wretched daubs, that they would have been a disgrace to any +country; in fact this is a branch in which the French are peculiarly +deficient, and in which we far surpass them. The portrait painter who +has now the greatest vogue is Winterhatter, who certainly has a great +degree of merit, but rather sacrifices the face to the drapery; his +picture of the Queen was very justly admired in many respects, but the +laboured accuracy with which the lace was given, was rendered so +conspicuous, that the eye fell upon the costume before it lighted upon +the features; this pleases the ladies, I am aware, who like to have an +exact map of their blonde and guipure, and it certainly is too much the +case that an artist is obliged to be more or less the slave of his +sitters and their friends; his miscellaneous pieces, where his pencil +roves freely, are all that is delightful. His portrait of the Comte de +Paris and the Duchess de Nemours, certainly display considerable talent. +Two favourite and fashionable portrait painters are Dubuffe and Court, +the works of the former are well known in England, they are exceedingly +attractive from their softness and brilliance, but they want the +crispness and tone of nature, the drawing also is sometimes defective. +These observations equally apply to both these artists. The younger +Dubuffe is rising rapidly in the estimation of artists. I have seen some +portraits very true to life by Coignet, Roller, Laure, Rouilliard, and +Vinchon; one of Sebastiani, by the latter, was quite nature itself. +There are several very clever painters of marine subjects, amongst +others Gudin and Isabey, and there is not any department which is more +encouraged by the King and the government; for the last several years +the former has had orders for at least a dozen each year, of naval +combats between France and her enemies, but those subjects which he +paints from his own spontaneous suggestions, are infinitely superior to +such as he executes to order. Fruits and flowers are branches of the art +in which the French artists particularly excel, one piece of flowers by +Bergon I think was one of the most perfect I have met with. + +Latterly they have much advanced in their representation of cattle, +their sheep and cows are particularly good; some draught horses by Casey +were executed with infinite spirit, as also some wild horses by +Lepoitevin. Some delightful domestic pieces must excite admiration, of +fishermen, their wives and children, by Colin, very much in the style of +our own Collins, but not quite so good, as also others by Le Camus +Duval. Several interesting subjects attracted much of my attention, by +Henry Scheffer, Meissonnier, Bouchot, Dupre, Steuben, Rubio, Signol, +Charlet, Storelli, and a few others; in water colours the French are now +advancing with rapid strides, this year there were some exquisite +specimens in that department of painting, particularly by Heroult: but +the style in which the French now are most happy, is in what they call +_pastel_, which consists in a great variety of coloured chalks, rather +harder than what we understand by crayons; the manner in which they +execute portraits about a quarter the size of life, with these +materials, is surprising, it infinitely surpasses their oil portrait or +their miniatures. There are several foreign artists within the last two +years, who have sent their works to the Louvre which must not be passed +unnoticed, amongst the rest is a Spanish artist named Villa amil, whose +interiors are far above mediocrity, and who has given us some rich +specimens of Spanish monuments, which are now admirably illustrated in a +periodical lithographic work. Our countrymen, Messrs. Callow and Barker, +have also sent several pieces, which do them and their country credit, +the former, some beautiful subjects in water colours, and the latter of +varied descriptions, in some of which the game has been particularly +admired. + +Miniature painting in France I should decidedly say was much inferior to +that of England, they are very fond of thick muddy back-grounds, their +colouring partakes of the same dirty hue, there is generally a stiffness +in the position, and much high finish without effect; there are +certainly some exceptions to this rule, at the head of which is Madame +Lezinska de Mirbel, whose miniatures are broad, bold, and natural, but +always plainer than the originals; there are a few others who have come +forward latterly, whose performances are above mediocrity. There were +some landscapes which evinced much talent, both as to composition and +execution; the selection of subjects being from some of the wild +romantic provinces of France and Switzerland, aided greatly in affording +them a certain degree of interest. Taking a comparative view of the +artists of England and France, there is no doubt, generally speaking, +that the latter are superior in drawing, and the former in colouring; +many of the French artists have latterly adopted a leady tone in their +flesh tints, which gives their figures a half dead appearance. With +whatever faults he may possess, I doubt if there be any other man that +can do so much as Horace Vernet; many may be found who may excel him in +the separate objects which he must introduce in a general historical +subject, as a landscape, an architectural building, a ship, a horse, +etc., might be better executed by such artists as have exclusively +studied any one of those subjects, but I do not think there is any +painter now living who could produce the _ensemble_ so well, and manage +to give the effect to the composition in the same masterly style as +Horace Vernet. Delaroche also has completed many pictures which with his +name will be immortal; the same may be said of Ary Scheffer, whilst +Ingres is known and cited all over Europe for the perfection of his +drawing, supposed to be the only man who could correctly draw the naked +human figure in any position without a model. In portrait and miniature +painting, landscapes and water colours, the French are still decidedly +inferior to the English artists. + +With respect to sculpture, it is so far more encouraged in France than +in England, that of course the numbers who profess it are far more +numerous in the former country, and there is a great deal of talent to +be found amongst the present French sculptors, but perhaps not quite of +the highest class. I never have seen anything which I considered so +beautiful as Bailey's Eve, and I doubt whether there are any of them who +could produce a work equal to Gibson, or that could surpass Cockerill in +the representation of a horse, still most of their statues which have +been executed for the government, are certainly better than many of +those which have been placed in different parts of London. + +There is a great taste for sculptural subjects in general throughout +Paris, numbers of houses which have been recently built are adorned with +statues, and an immense variety of devices and ornaments of different +descriptions, all of which afford employment for the young sculptor; in +fact there exists now quite a mania for decoration, and those mansions +which still remain of the middle ages present the same predilection for +rich carve-work and elaborate ornament which is now revived, and +undoubtedly it gives a very picturesque richness to the aspect of a +city. As a department of sculpture I certainly must not omit to state to +what a high degree the French have wrought the art of casting in bronze, +and I am sure I shall be procuring my readers a treat in directing them +to the establishment of M. De Braux d'Anglure, No. 8, Rue Castiglione; +they will there find an infinite variety of very splendid subjects, some +executed with the most exquisite delicacy, others in fine broad masses, +as animals the size of life, and some equestrian figures of the middle +ages after the first masters displaying the full merit of the original +designs. But that which is still more interesting is to visit M. De +Braux's foundry, and atelier, No. 15, Rue d'Astorg, where he takes a +pleasure in explaining the whole process requisite in casting the +different objects, and showing them throughout the various stages +through which they pass before they are completed. The French have +brought this art to a high perfection, which it appears is facilitated +by their having a peculiar sort of sand near Paris (which they cannot +find elsewhere), particularly serviceable for the purpose of casting. +The orders which come from England for works in bronze is immense; +whilst I was at M. de Braux's he was at work upon a bust of the Duke of +Wellington, which was part of what was to be a figure the size of life, +destined as a national monument (as M. de Braux understood) for some +part of London. The great art which he now practises, is that of casting +whole masses at once, instead of small bits which were joined together +according to the former method. Every amateur of the arts will find the +highest gratification in viewing the number of interesting objects which +present themselves in various forms at M. de Braux's atelier. + +The shopkeepers and proprietors of coffee-houses, restaurants, etc., +also have afforded much occupation to artists of moderate talent, having +reliefs and paintings introduced upon their walls, that are by no means +contemptible, and it is quite an amusement, in walking the streets of +Paris, to observe to what an extent it is carried; many of the new +houses in the most frequented thoroughfares, above the shops, are now so +handsome that if they were appropriated for national purposes would be +admired as public monuments, some of these may be remarked even in +several of the narrow shabby streets, only (as already stated) they are +compelled, by the Municipality, to build them a few feet farther back, +to give greater width to the street. One of the beauties and attractions +of Paris at the present period, is the Passages, in which are to be +found some of the most splendid assortments of every article which the +most refined luxury can desire; of such a description are the Passages +des Panoramas, Saumon, Choiseul, Vero-Dodat, Vivienne, Opera and +Colbert; in the latter is a Magasin de Nouveaute, styled the Grand +Colbert, which peculiarly merits the attention, both of the amateur and +the connaisseurs of such merchandise as will be found there displayed. +In Paris there are many establishments of this nature on the most +colossal scales, even surpassing in extent the far famed Waterloo House, +but in none is the public more honourably served, or treated with a +greater degree of courtesy and attention, than at the Grand Colbert; the +taste and discernment with which their stock is selected, does the +highest credit to the proprietors, and their premises being arranged and +decorated so as to resemble a Moresque temple, as the purchasers behold +spread around them in gay profusion all the rich and glowing tints which +Cashmere can produce, they may almost fancy that they are in some +oriental Bazaar, where the costly manufactures of those climes are +displayed for the admiring gaze of the delighted spectator. In the +choice of silks is developed the beau ideal of all that the genius, art, +and industry of Lyons can effect, which has been selected as regards the +tints and designs, with an artistical tact. A great advantage of this +establishment is that one partner is French, possessing that degree of +taste for which his countrymen are so justly celebrated in all that +relates to fancy goods, whilst the other partner is English, partaking +of that truly national character which pries deeply into the worth and +solidity of every article, before it is presented to the public. Thus +far I can speak from experience, having for sixteen years been +accustomed to purchase every thing I required at the Grand Colbert, +either in linen, drapery, mercery, hosiery, lace, millinery, etc. The +premises are entered from two different points, the Rue Vivienne, and +the Rue Neuve-des-Petits-Champs, of which streets it forms the corner. +The central position adds another recommendation to the stranger, being +close to the Palais Royal, in a street communicating with the Bourse, +and the most fashionable part of the Boulevards, but a few minutes' walk +from all the principal Theatres, at the back of the Royal Library, and +in fact in the midst of the most attractive and frequented parts of +Paris. Whilst a long range of immense squares of plate glass not only +have an ornamental appearance but have the effect of throwing so +powerful a light upon the premises that every possible advantage may be +afforded for the examination of the goods. + +Just near this spot they are about to open a new street, which will be +on the spacious and handsome plan of those which have been recently +constructed; many others are projected on the same system, and will have +a most beneficial effect, in adding to the salubrity of the capital, by +clearing away a number of little dirty lanes and alleys, hundreds of +which have already been absorbed in the great improvements which have +been effected in Paris within my recollection. The extensive projects +which are in contemplation for the embellishing of the city, would cost +some hundreds of millions of francs to carry into effect, but could +have been executed, had not so large a sum been required for the +erection of the fortifications, which are proceeding, if not rapidly, at +any rate steadily. Concerning their utility or the policy of such a +measure, opinion is much divided, but the majority conceive that such +circumstances as could render them necessary are never likely to arrive, +as they consider that by keeping the frontiers always in the best state +of defense, there never could be any fear of an army reaching Paris, as +when it occurred under Napoleon, it was after the resources of France +had been exhausted by a war of upwards of twenty years, an event that in +all probability never could happen again, and that the immense outlay of +capital might be applied to purposes so much more calculated to promote +the welfare of the country. Others contend that supposing France to be +assailed by three armies, and even that she be victorious over two of +them, and it be not the case with the third, that force might march on +Paris, which might be immediately taken if it were open as at present, +whereas if fortified, the resistance it would be enabled to make would +give time for either of the victorious armies to come to its relief. +Whilst a third party pretend that the fortifications are intended more +to operate against Paris than in its defence; that in case of any +formidable popular commotion the surrounding cannon can be pointed +against the city and inhabitants, and any refractory bands that might be +disposed to pour in from the province to join the factious could be +effectually prevented entering Paris. Whatever may be the different +opinions on the subject, every one must regret such a tremendous expense +for almost a visionary object, whilst there is so much capital and +labour required for increasing the facilities of communication by means +of improved roads, canals, or railways from the opposite points of the +kingdom. + +With respect to the ameliorations which have already been effected in +Paris, one may say that wonders have been accomplished, particularly in +regard to cleansing and paving the streets, and in all possible cases +opening and widening every available spot of ground, whereby a freer air +could be admitted. I cannot conceive how people formerly could exist in +such dirty holes emitting horrible odours, of which there still remain +too many specimens, wherein even the physical appearance of persons one +would imagine certainly must be affected, yet I have often remarked in +the midst of the narrowest and most unsightly looking streets of Paris, +numbers of persons with fresh colours and having a most healthy +appearance; it is true that there are now open spaces in all quarters, +from which a person cannot live more than about two hundred yards, the +Boulevards encircling Paris, and the Seine running through it with its +large wide quays, afford a free current of air all through the heart of +the city, then there are such a number of spacious markets, of _places_, +or, as we call them, squares, and of large gardens, which all afford +ample breathing room; whereas in London that is not the case, in many +parts, such as the city end of Holborn, Cheapside, Cornhill, Leadenhall +street, Whitechapel, etc., where you must go a long way to get any thing +like fresh air. That part of Paris termed La Cite, was the worst in that +respect, but such numbers of houses have been swept away round +Notre-Dame, that they have now formed delightful promenades with trees +and gravelled walks. + +The French are extremely fond of anything in the shape of a garden, and +you come upon them sometimes where you would least expect to find them +at the backs of houses, in the very narrow nasty little streets to which +I have alluded, but if they have no space of ground in which they can +raise a bit of something green, they will avail themselves of their +balconies, their terraces, their roofs, parapets, and I have often seen +a sort of frame-work projecting from their windows, containing flowers +and plants. They evince the same partiality for animals, to whom they +are extremely kind, and in several parts of Paris there are hospitals +for dogs and cats, where they are attended with the utmost care. I was +much amused the first time I heard of such an establishment; I went with +a lady to pay a visit to a friend, and after the usual enquiries, the +question of how is Bijou was added, in a most anxious manner: the answer +was given with a sigh. "Oh! my dear, he is at the hospital," and then +continued the lady in a somewhat less doleful tone, "but fortunately he +is going on very well, and in another week we hope he will be able to +come out." I thought all the while that they must be alluding to a +servant of the family, who had been sent to the hospital, when the lady +I had accompanied exclaimed, "Poor dear little creature." This somewhat +puzzled me, and whilst I was pondering on what it could all mean, the +other lady observed, "It is such a nice affectionate animal," and at +last I found out it was a dog which excited so much sympathy. + +I have also observed the same kind consideration towards their horses, +and remember once seeing the driver of a cabriolet take off his great +coat to cover his horse with it, and certainly at present I do not +perceive any practical proof of what used to be said of Paris, that it +was a "hell for horses, and a heaven for women," and as to the latter +case it is very evident that the females work much more than they do in +England, particularly amongst the middle-classes; accounts being +strictly attended to in the course of their education, enables them to +render most important aid in the establishments either of their husbands +or brothers, to which they devote themselves with much cheerfulness and +assiduity, arising from the manner in which they are brought up. Indeed +the general system observed in female boarding-schools in Paris is very +commendable, and as there are numbers of the English whose circumstances +will not permit of their residing in France, yet are extremely desirous +that their children should acquire a perfect knowledge of the French +language, I know not any service that I can render such persons more +important than that of recommending a seminary, in which I can +confidently state that they will not only receive all the advantages of +an accomplished education, but also be treated with maternal care; of +such a description is the establishment of Madame Loiseau. Having known +several young ladies who had been there brought up, and hearing them +always express themselves in the most affectionate manner of its +mistress, whilst the parents added their encomiums to those of their +children, I was tempted to pay Madame Loiseau a visit, that I might be +empowered to recommend her establishment, by having the advantage of +ocular demonstration added to that of oral testimony. + +I have known several boarding-schools in my own country, but never any +one which was superior in regard to the extreme of neatness and +cleanliness, or possessing a more perfect system of regularity, which +appears to prevail in that of Madame Loiseau; although mine was rather +an early morning call, yet all was in the nicest order. The house, which +is in the Rue Neuve de Berri, No. 6, just close to the Champs Elysees, +the favourite quarter of the English, is most advantageously situated, +facing a park, and at the back is a good sized garden, with shaded +walks, well calculated for the recreation of the pupils, and there is +besides a spacious gymnasium, where the young ladies can always practise +those exercises so much recommended for the promotion of health, when +the weather will not permit of taking the air. The premises are so +extensive, that different rooms are appropriated for different studies, +the one for drawing, another for writing, several for music, etc., +etc.; there is a chapel attached to the establishment, which is adapted +to those who are of the Catholic persuasion, whilst the English +Protestant pupils are sent with a teacher of their own country, either +to the Ambassador's or to the Marboeuf English chapel, both of which +are near to the residence of Madame Loiseau. The masters for the +different accomplishments are judiciously selected, and although much +attention is devoted to enriching the minds of the pupils with the +beauties of literature, and elegant acquirements, Madame Loiseau takes +still more pains in instructing them in every social duty, towards +rendering them exemplary, either as daughters, wives, or mothers. In +case of any pupils proving unwell, apartments are appropriated to them, +separated from the dormitories, where they receive the most assiduous +attention; baths are amongst other conveniences contained within the +establishment. The table is most liberally supplied, and on those days +which are observed as fasts by the catholics, joints are prepared for +the protestants, the same as upon other days. The terms are moderate, +proportioned to the advantages which are offered. + +The physical appearance of the French strikes me as having undergone a +considerable change; when I was a child, I can remember a host of +emigrants who used to live mostly about Somers Town, and impressed me +with the idea of their being tall and meagre, exactly as I was +accustomed to see them represented in the caricatures; I remember +particularly remarking that they had thin visages, hollow cheeks, long +noses and chins, that I used to observe they were all features and no +face, they had besides a sort of grouty snuffy appearance; of the +females I have less recollection, except that I thought they looked +rather yellow, and generally took snuff. When I came to France, +therefore, I was very much struck with the change, particularly in the +young men, whom I found with small features, and generally round faces, +of the middle height, and well made, not so dark or so pale as I +expected to find them. The same description applies to the females; +there is not so much red and white as we are accustomed to see in +England, nor the soft blue eye, nor flaxen nor golden hair, nor +generally speaking such fine busts, and I know not why, but the French +women have almost always shorter necks, but they have mostly very pretty +little feet and ankles, and although their features may not be regular +or handsome, taken separately, yet the ensemble is generally pleasing; +their eyes are fine and expressive, and after all, in my opinion, +expression is the soul of beauty. The female peasantry of France take no +pains in guarding against the sun and wind, but merely wear caps, +consequently get very much tanned, and look old very soon: whereas the +Englishwomen preserve their appearance much longer by wearing bonnets, +and particularly pokes, which effectually shelter the face. The sun also +has more power in most parts of France, and the women work harder than +in England, therefore cannot wear so well. + +Proportioned to the price of provisions, wages are higher in France than +in England; you cannot have an able bodied man in Paris, for the lowest +description of work, for less than 40 sous a day, those who are now +working at the fortifications have 50, that being the minimum, and if a +person understand any trade, 3, 4, and 5 francs are the usual prices, +and those who are considered clever at their business often get more. +But many a young man's advancement in life is impeded by the +conscription; it often occurs that an industrious shopman, or artisan, +has with economy saved some hundred francs, when he is drawn for the +army, and glad to appropriate his little savings towards procuring him +some comforts more than the common soldier is allowed; the troops +generally are very quiet and orderly behaved, in the different towns +where they are quartered, but the infantry have not a very brilliant +appearance, having found small men so very active and serviceable in +climbing the rocks, enduring fatigue, and braving all kinds of +impediments, men two inches shorter than would have before been +received, were admitted into the ranks, the consequence is that the +regiments of the line now make but a poor display, as regards the height +of the men, and indeed in their manner of marching, and carrying their +muskets, some nearly upright others more horizontally, they have not a +regular orderly appearance, like many of the other troops on the +Continent; most of the largest sized men are taken up for the cavalry, +and very well looking fellows they many of them are, particularly in +the Carabineers, which, in regard to the height of the men, is a +remarkably fine regiment, but might be much more so, if the government +paid that attention which is devoted by other powers to the selections +for their choice regiments; in the Carabineers there are men as much as +six feet three, and four, and others as short as five feet ten, whilst +in other regiments, such as the Lancers and Dragoons, they have here and +there men above six feet, which if placed in the Carabineers, and those +who were the shortest in that corps removed into the others, all those +regiments would be improved, as being rendered more even, whilst the +Carabineers would then be equal in appearance, with regard to the men, +to any regiment in the world. With respect to the horses, it would be +more difficult to render it as perfect as our Life Guards, and as to +their bridles and equipments in general (except their regimentals) there +is often an inequality and want of care and attention as to uniformity +of appearance, but throughout all the French cavalry, the men have an +excellent command over their horses. I have been at many grand reviews +both in France and in England, and in the former I never saw a man +thrown, whereas in the latter it has frequently occurred, either from +the horse falling or other circumstances. + +With regard to the French army in general, the effect is that of the men +having individually a degree of independent appearance, or as if each +man acted for himself, instead of being as one solid machine set in +motion as it were by a sort of spring, which moving the whole mass, all +the parts must operate together. The French infantry, in point of +marching, are an exact contrast to the most highly disciplined troops of +Russia and Prussia, who pretend to assert that they have regiments who +can march with such extreme steadiness and regularity, that every man +may have a glass of wine upon his head and not a drop will be spilt; +attempt the same thing with a French regiment, and wine and glass would +soon be on the ground, and in all their military proceeding there is an +apparent slovenliness and irregularity, a want of closeness and +compactness in their movements; with regard to outward appearance, the +National Guard have the advantage on a field day, as there is a sort of +_esprit du corps_ between the legions, which causes them to take great +pains with regard to the _tenue_ of their respective battalions; but +after all, the great force of the French army is _enthusiasm_, and that +would be excited to a much greater degree in a war with England, than +with any other power, because they have been so taunted by the English +press, with the old absurd doctrine, viz., that one Englishman can beat +three Frenchmen, and several papers lately raked up the battles of +Cressy, Poitiers, Agincourt, etc., but the reply of the French is +indisputable, that those successes were most efficiently revenged, when +it is remembered that England was in possession of the whole of the +provinces of Guienne, Normandy, great part of Picardy and French +Flanders, some portions of which were under England for nearly 500 +years, but that we were overcome in such a succession of battles, that +ultimately we were beaten out of every acre we had left in France; +Calais, which surrendered to the Duke de Guise, in the reign of Mary, +being the last place which we retained. These of course, as historical +facts, cannot be denied. But I certainly do consider that portion of the +English press much to blame, in recurring to events so distant, for the +purpose of wounding national feeling; the effect has been to provoke +reply on the part of the French press, and in all the virulence of party +spirit, in defending their country against the odium cast upon her, they +have been led into some of the most illiberal statements which have had +a very baneful effect upon many persons, in exciting an extreme +irritation against England; but generally speaking, the French people, +if left alone, do not desire war with the English; if it were only for +the sake of their interests, it is natural for the French to wish for +peace with England, as her subjects are amongst the most liberal +purchasers of the produce of the soil and manufactures of France. + +The party the most anxious for war with England, is the navy, and they +bitterly feel the sting which goads within them, of their having been so +beaten by our fleets, and pant for an opportunity to efface the stain +which they certainly do feel now tarnishes the honour of their flag. +They consider, also, that the circumstances under which they were +opposed to the forces of England, were so disadvantageous, that no +other result could have been expected than such as occurred, as when the +war broke out in 1793, France had not one experienced admiral in the +service; all possessing any practical knowledge of naval affairs, being +staunch adherents to the royal cause, had either quitted France, or +retired from the navy, de Grasse, d'Estaing, Entrecasteux, d'Orvilliers, +Suffren, Bougainville and several others. The consequence was, that the +command of the fleets were given to men who acquitted themselves very +ably in the management of a single vessel, but were not at all competent +to the office with which the necessity of circumstances invested them, +and although there were several encounters between the frigates of the +two nations, in which the reputation of both were well sustained, yet of +the power of so doing, the French were soon deprived, by Napoleon, who +at one period in his ardour for military glory, sacrificed the navy, by +taking from it the best gunners in order to supply his artillery; also +the choicest and ablest men were selected wherever they could be found, +to fill up the ranks of the army, which were being constantly thinned by +the universal war which he was always waging with the greater part of +Europe. The ships were then manned with whatever refuse could be picked +up, and a Lieutenant Diez told me, that the crew of the vessel to which +he belonged was such, that they had not above twenty men who could go +aloft, and had they met with an English vessel of the same size, they +must have been taken without the least difficulty. But the officers in +the present French navy know that the case is now very different, for +the last twenty years the greatest attention has been devoted to that +arm, which is candidly acknowledged on the part of our naval officers, +of which I remember an instance at Smyrna, whilst dining at the English +consul's with eight or ten of them, being the commanders of the ships +which composed the English fleet, then lying at Vourla, when the +conversation falling upon the French navy, it was observed that nothing +could be more perfect than its state at that period, every man, down to +a cabin boy, knowing well his duty, and all the regulations and +manoeuvres being carried on with such perfect order and regularity. +There are however some advantages which we still maintain, afforded by +our foreign commerce being the most extensive, enabling us always to +have a greater number of sailors, and generally speaking more +experienced seamen, and a French naval captain who has seen a good deal +of service, once observed that there was another point in which we had a +superiority, and that was with respect to our ship's carpenters, which +was particularly illustrated in the combat at Navarin, as the morning +after the action the English were far in advance of the French, with +regard to the repairs which had been rendered necessary from the damages +which had been sustained. + +The French now have several officers who are experienced practical men, +in whom the navy has great confidence, as, Admirals Duperre, Hugon, +Rosamel, Lalande, Beaudin, Roussin, Bergeret, Mackau, Casey, etc., all +of whose names have been before the public in different affairs in which +they have created their present reputation. During the present reign, +every means has been adopted to infuse within the minds of the French an +interest for naval affairs, hence apartments have been fitted up in the +Louvre, as before stated, with models, and representations of all +connected with a ship, whilst the best artists have been employed to +paint different naval actions, which have reflected honour on the French +flag, and really I had no idea that they could have cited so many +instances, in regard to encounters with our shipping, but on reference +to James's Naval History, they will be found mainly correct, giving some +latitude for a little exaggeration in their own favour, a habit to which +I believe every nation is more or less prone. The government have +certainly succeeded beyond their wishes, in engendering an extreme +anxiety in the people with regard to the navy, which has just been +elicited, in the singular anomaly of the opposition voting on the motion +of M. Lacrosse a greater sum by three millions of francs for the navy +than the minister demanded. With an eye also to the marine, +Louis-Philippe has made some sacrifices to the promotion and extension +of foreign commerce, and not without a considerable degree of success. + +There is not at present any branch of art, science, or industry, that +the French are not making great exertions to encourage, for that object +many societies and companies are formed, of which I will state a few of +the most important. There are four societies styled Athenaeum, the Royal, +which is at the Palais-Royal, No. 2, devoted to literature, and three +others at the Hotel de Ville for music, for medicine, and for the arts. +The Geographical Society, Rue de l'Universite, 23. Royal Antiquarian +Society, Rue des Petits-Augustins, No. 16. Asiatic Society, and for +elementary Instruction, Agriculture, Moral Christianity, No. 12, Rue +Taranne. Society for universal French Statistics, Place Vendome, 24. The +Protestant Bible Society of Paris, Rue Montorgueil. Geological Society, +Rue du Vieux-Colombier, No. 26. Philotechnic Society, No. 16, Rue des +Petits-Augustins. Philomatic Society, Entomological, and for natural +History, No. 6, Rue d'Anjou, Faubourg St. Germain. Society for +intellectual Emancipation, No. 11, Rue St. Georges, as also a variety of +other medical, surgical, phrenological, etc., etc., a number of schools +besides those I have already alluded to, veterinary, for mosaic work, +technography, and other purposes. + +Although I have observed that in great commercial undertakings, the +French are very slow and cautious, yet they are progressing visibly; +there are now thirty-four coal mines at work in various parts of France, +belonging to different public companies more or less flourishing, +besides private enterprises, 16 more in agitation where coal has been +found, and societies formed but not yet in active operation, and 15 now +working in Belgium, of which the sharers are principally French. There +are twenty Asphalte and Bitumen companies. Thirty-five Assurance +companies, between twenty and thirty railway ditto, about the same +number for canals and nearly as many for steam boats, and for bridges +projected about 20, for gas, 14, for the bringing into cultivation the +marshes and waste lands, 7, for markets, bazaars, and depots, 10, and +for manufactures of glass, earthenware, soap and a variety of other +things, there are about forty more public companies. These are such as +now still offer their shares for sale; there are many others which have +been for a length of time established, which no longer issue either +advertisement or prospectus, but when enterprises of this kind are +undertaken in France they generally succeed. + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + + The Literature of the time being, principal authors. Music; its + ancient date in France, performers, and singers. + + +Of the present state of literature in France, it is not possible to draw +a very flattering picture; there is a good deal of moderate talent but +certainly none that is transcendental, which remark may be applied to +statesmen, orators, authors, artists, etc.; as to poetry there appears +at present so little taste for it, and writers seem so thoroughly aware +of its being the case, that they have too much good sense to attempt to +obtrude it upon the public, and those who had obtained a certain +reputation as poets seem to write no more. The works of de Lamartine +certainly have many admirers, displaying a pleasing style of +versification fraught with beautiful imagery, a happy arrangement of +ideas enwreathed within the flowers of language, but little or no +originality. As if himself conscious of that circumstance, he brought +forth his Chute d'un Ange (the fall of an angel), which caused his own +_fall_ at the same time; if his sole desire was to attain originality, +he gained his point, but at the price of common sense; the majority of +the public appear to have been of this opinion, and M. de Lamartine +seems to have passed from poetry to politics, being now one of the best +and most conspicuous speakers in the Chamber of Deputies. A certain tone +runs through M. de Lamartine's works, that leads one to infer he has +deeply read and admired Lord Byron. M. Casimir Delavigne was a great +favourite at one period; it might be my want of taste, or a deficiency +in the knowledge of the French language sufficient to relish that class +of poetry, but certainly I found his works laboured and tedious, and +could not in spite of all my efforts derive any pleasure from their +perusal. The productions of Beranger are confined within a very small +compass, but containing that which causes one to regret that his works +are not more voluminous. The true nerve and genius of poetry, +continually sparkling throughout his writings, as a patriotic feeling +and a generous love of liberty formed the principal points in his +character. The efforts to suppress that spirit which was attempted in +the reign of Charles X called forth the powers of his muse, but since +the accession of the present monarch to the throne, as all has been +conducted on a more liberal system, his pen has lain dormant, which has +disappointed all who have read and admired those effusions of a free and +exalted mind, which he has at present published, and led to the hope +that they would be continued. Of Victor Hugo's productions I need say +but little, as they are so generally known in England, particularly his +Notre-Dame de Paris, which has been dramatised under the title of +Quasimodo and acted at Covent Garden, as well as at other theatres, and +few I believe there are who have not felt some sympathy for Esmeralda. +When Victor Hugo wrote this, the works of Sir Walter Scott I think were +bearing upon his mind; his poems and dramatic pieces at one period +created much sensation, and undoubtedly possess a certain tone of merit. +The Comte Alfred de Vigny is the author of one work which may be +considered as a gem amongst the mass of publications which emanate from +the French press of that nature; it is entitled, Cinq-Mars, an +historical novel, which is decidedly one of the best and most +interesting of any that have appeared either in England or in France for +several years past; he has also written a tragedy on the subject of the +unfortunate Chatterton, which at the time it came out excited a deep +interest, but M. de Vigny, like many of the present literary characters +in France, appears resting on his oars. Not so with Alexandre Dumas, +whose prolific pen appears like himself to be ever active; what with +travelling to different countries, then publishing accounts of his +wanderings, novels of divers descriptions, detached pieces, and dramatic +productions, he must be constantly on the _qui vive_. There are very +different opinions respecting his writings, they certainly possess a +good deal of spirit, some of them considerable feeling, and are +generally amusing. Of novel writers there are many, but unfortunately +the bad taste prevails of introducing subjects in them that prevent +their being read by females, with a few exceptions; those of Balzac are +by no means devoid of merit and are exceedingly entertaining, and some +there are which any one may peruse of Eugene Sue, who has lately been +knighted by the King of the Netherlands; the same may be said, although +of the latter description there exist but few. Those of Paul de Kock are +well known in other countries as well as France; they are very clever +and exceedingly amusing, but partake of the fault alluded to. As a +female writer and translator, Madame Tastu may be cited as having +produced works which do credit to her taste and judgment. Madame Emile +de Girardin, well known as Delphine Gay, is a talented writer, but would +have been more esteemed had she steered clear of political subjects. +Monsieur and Madame Ancelot both write tales and dramatic pieces, which +are justly admired; but the author to whom the stage is most indebted is +Scribe, who perhaps is one of the most multitudinous writers existing; +his works completely made and sustained the Theatre du Gymnase, besides +greatly contributing to the success of others. In consequence of their +having been so much translated, and adapted to the English stage, they +are almost as well known in one country as the other. M. Scribe is a man +who is highly esteemed on account of his liberality to literary +characters, and his extreme generosity to all who are in need of his +aid. Of authors on more solid subjects there are not many who now +continue to write, several of the most conspicuous having become +completely absorbed in politics; of such a description is M. Guizot, +whose works are generally known and admired, particularly his +Commentaries on the English Revolution; partly a continuation of the +same subject, it is stated he has now in preparation, but placed at the +helm of the nation, as he now is, his time is too much occupied to be +devoted to any other object than affairs of state, and his position is +such as requires the exertion of every power of thought and mind to +sustain, against its numerous and indefatigable assailants. + +M. Thiers owes his success in life to his literary productions, and his +talents as an author are universally admitted; his History of the French +Revolution is as well known in England as in France, and generally +allowed to be the best work upon the subject, but he is also so totally +engaged in political affairs, that the public cannot derive much +advantage from the effusions of his pen, as it is impossible that they +can be very voluminous, when his time and abilities are so exclusively +appropriated to a still more important object; but it is understood that +it is his intention to afford the world the benefit of other works which +are now in embryo. The same remarks may in a degree be applied to M. +Villemain, who has written upon literature, in which he has displayed +considerable ability, but having become an active Minister of +Instruction, of his publications there is at present a complete +cessation. Nearly a similar instance may be cited in M. Cousin, who has +written very ably upon philosophy and metaphysics, but as a peer of +France, literature has been forced to succumb to politics, his talents +also being directed into the latter channel. Amidst this general languor +which seems to have come over France, with regard to the exertions of +her most eminent authors, there are a few who occupy themselves with +history, which now appears to be the most favourite study with those who +devote their minds to reading; the very delightful work on the Norman +Conquest, by M. Thierri, I trust is well known to many of my readers, or +if not, I wish it may be so, as it cannot do otherwise than give them +pleasure; he has written several other things, and amongst the rest +Recit des Temps Merovingiens, which is highly interesting. A work of +considerable merit, is l'Histoire des Ducs de Bourgogne, by Monsieur de +Barante. M. Capefigue has published many historical productions, and +amongst the rest a Life of Napoleon, which is perhaps one of the most +impartial extant, and very interesting, as containing a sort of +recapitulation of facts, without any endeavour to palliate such of his +actions as stern justice must condemn. M. Mignet has also chosen the +path of history, and has not followed it unsuccessfully; the foundation +of his present prosperity consisting entirely in his writings, there are +several other authors of minor note who have adopted the same course, +but not any who have created any great sensation, or effected any +permanent impression on the public. + +The only living author whose name is likely to descend to posterity is +that of Chateaubriand, who, although he has never been a writer of +poetry, may be considered the greatest poet in France, as there is so +much of imagination and of soul in his prose, so much of sublimity in +his ideas, that the works in verse of his contemporaries appear insipid +when compared to the wild flights of genius which ever emerge from his +pen, yet when they are closely studied, and deeply sounded for their +solid worth, it will be found that they consist merely of beautiful +imagery, elegantly turned phrases, a sort of flash of sentiment, which +catches the ear, but appeals not to the understanding, a gorgeous +superstructure, as it were, without a firm foundation for its basis. As +for example, in his preface to Attila, alluding to Napoleon, he observes +"Qu'il etait envoye par la Providence, comme une signe de reconciliation +quand elle etait lasse de punir." Which may be rendered thus: that +Napoleon was sent upon earth by Providence as a sign of reconciliation, +when she was fatigued with punishing; this is certainly very pretty, but +I will appeal to common sense, whether there was aught of fact to +support such an assertion? Even those who were the most enthusiastic +admirers of the martial genius of Bonaparte, could not participate in +the fulsome compliment paid to their hero by M. Chateaubriand; but when +strictly scrutinized, all his works will generally be found of the same +tissue; yet, as there is so often a wild grandeur in his conceptions and +in his mode of expressing them, whilst they are arrayed in all the grace +and beauty which language can bestow, his volumes will always find a +place in every well-assorted library, when probably those of most of the +other French authors of the present period will be consigned to +oblivion, excepting such as have written upon history, which will always +maintain their ground, as they are in a degree works of reference. + +There are several very clever men who write for the newspapers, or what +may be styled pamphleteers, amongst whom are Jules Janin, and Alphonse +Karr; the latter publishes a satirical work called the Guepe, which +possesses the talent of being very severe and stinging wherever it +fixes. M. Barthelemy has written some poetry much in the same strain, +which is rather pungent, but he latterly appears to have sunk into the +same slumber which seems to have enveloped so many of the present +literary men of France. M. Deschamps now and then produces some poetic +effusions which are pleasing, and prove the author to be possessed of +that ability which would induce a wish that his works were less brief +and more frequently before the public. But taking all into +consideration, this is by no means a literary era in France; the +nineteenth century has not yet produced any such names as Montesquieu, +Voltaire, Rousseau, and many others, who have shed a lustre on the +French name; there are no doubt many clever men still living who have +written scientific works upon medicine, surgery, natural history, +physiology, botany, astronomy, etc., whilst the names of De Jussieu and +Arago, as eminent in the latter sciences, are known all over Europe, as +well as many others who are celebrated in their different departments. + +Although the present age is not fecund in the production of French +genius as relates to the polite arts, yet there never was a period when +there was more anxiety for their promotion, and now all classes read; +but the reading of the lower orders consists principally of a political +nature; the newspapers now however have what is called a _feuilleton_, +which embraces many subjects, and appears to interest all; the +criticisms on the theatrical performances are perused with much avidity, +an extreme partiality for dramatic representations still forms a +considerable portion of the French character, as also a general love of +music, without being at all particular as to its quality; no matter how +trifling it be, as long as there is any thing of an air distinguishable +it will please. There are at present a host of composers in France +whose fame will probably be not so long as their lives; Paris is +inundated every year with a number of insignificant ballads which just +have their day, and if perchance there should be one or more that are +really clever amongst the mass of dross which comes forth, after a +twelvemonth no one would think of singing it because it has already been +pronounced _ancienne_, and it is completely laid aside, and in a few +years so totally cast in oblivion, that it cannot even be procured of +any of the music-sellers, or anywhere else: this was the case with some +delightful airs which appeared about ten years since, and which are now +nowhere to be found, although once having excited quite a sensation. The +French cannot certainly be considered as a musical nation, yet many of +their airs are full of life, and quite exhilarating, whilst others have +a degree of pathos which touches the heart; still none of their music +has the nerve, the depth, the sterling solidity of the German, nor the +elegance nor grace of the Italian. Yet some composers they have whose +works will have more than an ephemeral fame, amongst whom may be cited +Aubert, whose music is not only admired in France but throughout all +Europe; another author of extreme merit is Onslow, whose productions are +not so voluminous or so extensively known as those of Aubert, but +possessing that intrinsic worth which will increase in estimation as it +descends to posterity: the compositions of Halevy and Berlioz have also +some degree of merit. But amongst the numerous productions which have +emanated from the French composers for the last fifty years, one there +is that for soul and grandeur stands unrivalled, and that is the +Marseilles Hymn, or March, by Rouget de Lille; perhaps there exists no +air so calculated to inspire martial ardour, and there is no doubt but +that it had considerable effect upon the enthusiastic republicans in +exciting them to rush into what they considered the struggle for liberty +and honour; it appears to have been an inspiration which must have +suddenly lighted upon the composer, as none of his works either before +or since ever created any particular sensation. Although of far distant +date, the old air of Henry IV must certainly be placed amongst the gems +of French musical composition; there is a peculiar wildness in it, which +gives it a tone of romance, and reminds one of very olden time, there is +in it an originality, a something unlike anything else; the Breton and +Welsh airs alone resemble it in some degree, and in both those countries +they pretend that they are of Celtic origin. Music is of very ancient +origin in France: in 554 profane singing was forbidden on holy days; in +757, King Pepin received a present of an organ, from Constantin VI; a +tremendous quarrel occurred between the Roman and Gallic musicians, in +the time of Charlemagne, and two professors are cited, named Benedict +and Theodore, who were pupils of St. Gregory; but the most ancient +melodies extant, and which are perfectly well authenticated, are the +songs of the Troubadours of Provence, who principally flourished from +the year 1000 to the year 1300. Saint Louis was a great patron of +music, so much so that in 1235 he granted permission to the Paris +minstrels, who had formed themselves into a company, to pass free +through the barriers of the city, provided they entertained the +toll-keepers with a song and made their monkies dance. At that period +they had as many as thirty instruments in use; the form of some of them +are now totally lost. Rameau is the only French composer whose name and +compositions may be said to have had any permanent reputation, which +does not now stand particularly high out of his own country; Lulli, +Gluck, and Gretry were not born in France, although it was their +principal theatre of action. It remains to be proved whether the works +of Boieldieu will stand the test of time, as also of those composers who +are still living and are the most esteemed. + +Much may be said of the French musical performers, who certainly may be +considered to excel upon several different instruments, particularly on +the harp, which all can testify who have ever heard Liebart. There are +also a number of ladies to be met with in private society who play +extremely well; the same may be said with regard to the piano-forte, but +although there are many professors who astonish by their execution, yet +they have not produced any equal to a Liszt or Thalberg; I have even +amongst amateurs known some young ladies develop a lightness and +rapidity of finger quite surprising, and far surpassing what I have +generally met with in England (except with the most accomplished +professors), but I do not consider that they play with so much feeling +and expression as I have often found even with female performers in my +own country, and which affords me a much higher gratification, as +fingering is after all but mechanical, which may astonish, but will +never enchant. On the violin they have produced some very fine players, +as also upon other instruments, and the bands at their operas can hardly +be too highly praised. But their music which has afforded me the most +delight has been the performances of their first masters on some of +their magnificent organs; on those occasions I heard the most exquisite +feeling and expression displayed, and have known the most powerful +sensations excited; this most superlative enjoyment I have experienced +at the churches of Notre-Dame, St. Sulpice, St. Eustache, and St. Roch, +but it happens only on particular and rare occasions, and it is +difficult to find out when such performances will take place; sometimes +it is announced in Galignani's paper but not always, and their sacred +music is often most exquisite particularly that which is vocal. + +In respect to singing, although the Conservatory of Music and the most +talented masters give every advantage to the pupil of theory and +science, yet they cannot confer a fine quality of voice where it has not +been afforded by nature, and that deficiency I find generally existing +with the French females; they will often attain an extreme height with +apparent facility, and even will manage notes at the same time so low +that no fault can be found with the compass of their voices, nor any +lack of flexibility; their execution being perfectly clean and correct. +I have frequently heard them run the chromatic scale with extreme +distinctness and apparent ease, and acquit themselves admirably in the +performance of the most intricate and difficult passages, all of which +is the result of good teaching and attentive application of the pupil, +but sweetness of tone exists not in their voices, which are generally +thin and wiry; they want that depth and roundness which gives the swell +of softness and beauty to the sound; hence there is generally a want of +expression in their singing as well as their playing. Of course there +are exceptions, and Madame Dorus-Gras may be cited as such, as well as +many others, who have won the admiration of the public. The voices of +the men are better, often very powerful, possessing extremely fine bass +notes, but many of them have even still a horrid habit of singing their +notes through the nose. I don't know whether it is that they regard +their nasal promontory in the light of a trumpet, so considering it as a +sort of instrumental accompaniment to their vocal performance, but +although it is a practice which is wearing off, there is a great deal +too much of it left. Nourrit had none of it, his voice was firm and +sweet, and few men have I ever heard sing with so much feeling. Duprez +is also a singer of no common stamp, and of whom any nation might be +proud, and I have often met men in society sing together most +delightfully, either duets, trios, or quartettos, and totally devoid of +the nasal twang, or, as the reader will observe, delightful it could not +be. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + + Instructions for strangers; remarks upon the feelings and behaviour + of the lower classes of the Parisians. Political ideas prevailing + in Paris. Observations upon the present statesmen. + + +There are certain regulations to be observed at Paris which we are not +accustomed to in our own country; on a stranger's arrival he is +conducted to an hotel, either to that to which he is recommended, or he +fixes upon one of which he hears the most extravagant praises from +persons who attend with cards, and even throw them into the carriage +before it stops; on whichever the traveller may make his selection the +same plan is to be followed, make your arrangement as to price before +you install yourself, either per day, per week, or per month; you may +make your agreement to take your meals from the people of the hotel, or +to send for it from a restaurateur, or to go and dine at one, as you may +think proper; the latter plan is found the most agreeable for a +stranger, as he sees more of the people by so doing, and can try several +different restaurants, which he will find very amusing, and some of +them, from the beautiful manner of fitting up, are well worth seeing; +the prices vary from a franc to six or seven francs, according to their +celebrity. Every hotel has a porter, to whom you must give your key +whenever you go out, and then the mistress of the house is answerable +for anything which may be missing, but if you leave your key in the door +whilst you are absent, you cannot make any claim for whatever may have +been lost; at night, on the contrary, after the gates are shut, when you +retire to bed, and you let it remain outside, should anything be stolen, +the mistress is accountable, as it is supposed that when all is closed +in, everything is then under the safeguard of the porter, for whose +conduct the mistress is considered liable. According to the style of the +hotel in which you take up your abode, the porter will expect +remuneration; at one that is moderate, and not in a first-rate +situation, six sous a day is sufficient, but in most hotels about the +fashionable quarters half a franc is the usual sum expected; for this +your bed is made, your boots and shoes cleaned, as also your room, and +your clothes brushed; they likewise take in messages or letters, and +answer all enquiries respecting you, direct the visiters to your +apartment, etc., but if you send them out anywhere, no matter how short +the distance, they always charge at least ten sous for it; it is one of +the dearest things I know in France, that of charging for every little +errand or commission. + +At some of the hotels there are commissioners who make offers of their +services, to conduct strangers to different shops or warehouses, for the +purpose of making their purchases, but too much reliance must not be +placed on those gentry, as they often exact contributions from the +shopkeepers for bringing travellers to their shops, when they naturally +must charge so much the more upon the goods in order to pay the +commissioner. + +Tradesmen from London particularly are often misled in that manner, but +in proceeding to such establishments as those I have stated, which are +respectable wholesale houses, such as Messrs. Bellart, Louis, Delcambre, +for lace, ribband, and silk, 2ter Rue Choiseul, etc., they will +never be deceived; I will also add another establishment which has +existed for many years and always conducted their business on equitable +terms, being that of M. Langlais-Quignolot, No. 10, Rue Chapon, where he +executes orders for London on a most extensive scale for net gloves, +purses and reticules. He lives in the neighbourhood where many of the +wholesale houses are situated, and would willingly inform any stranger +of the most respectable in the different branches required. The +different articles to be seen at M. Langlais' warehouse are got up in a +most superior style and at prices so reasonable, that it is quite +surprising when compared to the charges made for the same goods in +London, where undoubtedly they have duty and carriage to pay. He has +lately brought into vogue some most beautiful little purses called +Rebecca, being exactly in the form of the pitcher with which she is +represented at the well; their appearance is most ornamental, and +although very small they distend so as to hold as much as most ladies +would like to lose in an evening at cards. M. Langlais has already sent +over numbers to London, which must now be making their appearance in +Regent Street, but I recommend my countrywomen when at Paris to pay him +a visit themselves, as he does not refuse a retail customer although his +is a wholesale house; he has a most extensive assortment of all +varieties of purses and net gloves and reticules, from which numbers of +shops in Paris and London are supplied, and of course being the fountain +head the articles may be procured on advantageous terms of M. Langlais. + +There is one precaution I would recommend all travellers to adopt, and +that is always to keep their passports, about them; in case they happen +to pass any exhibition or building that is open to a stranger on +producing his passport, it is well to be provided with it, or if he +should meet with any accident, or that any casuality should occur, it +will always be found useful. When you arrive at the port where you +disembark in coming from England, your passport is taken from you and +sent on to Paris, and what is called a Carte de Surete is given you +instead, for which you pay 2 francs; this you must give to the mistress +of the hotel where you lodge at Paris, and she will procure your +original passport for you from the police, or if you choose you may go +for it yourself, and save the charge of the commissioner who would be +employed to fetch it. In returning to England, you take it to the +English Ambassador's to be signed, and from thence to the police for the +same purpose, but only state that you are going to the port from whence +you are to embark, as if you say that you are going to England they send +you to the Minister of Foreign Affairs for his signature, where there is +a charge of ten francs, which there is not the slightest necessity of +incurring. I have been very often from Paris to London and never paid by +following the plan I have stated, but for a permit to embark there is +always 30 sous to pay, at the port on quitting the country. + +In all the diligences throughout France the places are numbered, and he +who comes first has the first choice, in which case most persons choose +No. 1, but others who prefer sitting with their backs to the horses +select No. 3; this excellent regulation prevents any kind of dispute +about seats. If you have much luggage you are required to send it an +hour or so before the coach starts, and in travelling by the Malle-Poste +(or Mail) if your trunk be very large, and weighty, they will not take +it, therefore you must ascertain that point when you take your place; it +is always sent by a diligence which follows, but a delay is occasioned +which sometimes proves inconvenient. The mails are dearer than the +diligence, and some go eleven miles an hour. + +With regard to posting, the price is 2 francs each horse for a +miriametre or six miles and a quarter, and as many horses as there are +persons in the carriage must be paid for; 15 sous is what should be +given to the postillion, but most people give a franc. The posting is +entirely in the hands of government, and where the horses are kept is +not always an inn; but wherever it may be, printed regulations are kept +to which the traveller may demand a reference, if he imagine its rules +are not fulfilled. For 4 francs a book may be purchased which gives a +most detailed account of every thing connected with posting; all the +charges must be paid in advance. Coaches may be hired in Paris at from +20 to 30 francs a day, with which you may go into the country, but must +be back before midnight. An excellent and most useful establishment will +be found at No. 49, Rue de Miromenil, Faubourg St. Honore, called +Etablissement d'Amsterdam, where there are above 300 carriages +constantly kept, either for hire, for sale, or for exchange; it is also +a locality where persons may sell or deposit their carriages for any +period of time they think proper, and can likewise have it repaired if +required; they will besides find every description of harness and +sadlery. Horses also are taken in to keep, or bought or sold. The +establishment is most complete in all its appointments, is very +extensive and kept in the most perfect state of order. There are some +carriages amongst the immense variety that may thoroughly answer the +purpose for travelling, which can be procured at extremely low prices, +whilst others there are, very handsome and perfectly new, which are of +course charged in proportion. The proprietors are extremely civil, and +ever ready to show their premises to any visiter who may wish to see +them. + +A fiacre, or hackney coach, is 30 sous each course, for which you may +go from barrier to barrier, which might be five miles; but if you only +go a few yards the price is the same. If you hire it per hour the first +is 45 sous and afterwards 30 sous; after midnight, 2 francs each course +and 3 per hour; a few sous are always given to the coachman, which may +be varied according to the length of the course. Chariots are 25 sous +per course, 35 first hour, afterwards 30. Cabriolets 20 sous the course +and first hour 35, afterwards 30; but as all these prices are subject to +change with new regulations, it is not worth while to give any farther +detail. The General Post-Office is in the Rue Jean-Jacques Rousseau, but +there are other places where you may put in your letters for England, +although not many if you wish to pay. In the exchange there is a box for +receiving letters for all parts; and in the square to the left is an +office where you can pay your letter, which is always 40 sous to London +if it be not over weight. Whatever you bring over that is liable to pay +duty at the custom-house, if you take it back with you on your return to +England, on producing the articles and the receipt of what you have +paid, you can reclaim whatever you have disbursed; this particularly +applies to carriages and to plate, only you must not neglect to demand a +receipt at the time you pay, and to take care of it, as I have known +many instances of persons losing them, and then their reclamations are +useless. I have never found them very severe in the custom-houses in +France, but am convinced that the best plan on both sides of the water +is to give your keys to the commissioner of the inn where you put up; by +displaying no anxiety on the subject, the officers conclude that you +have not any thing of importance, and will pass your things over more +lightly than if you were present, as when witnesses are by they like to +preserve the appearance of doing their duty strictly. I have seen some +of the English bluster and go in a passion about having their things +tumbled about, as they expressed it, but it only makes matters worse. I +have known the searchers in those cases to turn a large chest completely +topsy-turvy, so that not a single article has escaped examination, and +the whole has had to be re-packed. It is at best an unpleasant tax upon +travellers, but it is always better policy to submit to it with a good +grace. + +The passport is a grievance which is much complained of by Englishmen, +and certainly it does appear an infraction on liberty, that it should +not be possible to go from one part of the country to another, without +having to obtain permission; but it has other advantages: a criminal in +France can very seldom escape; by the regulations of the police it is +almost impossible for them to evade detection, as wherever he sleeps his +passport must be produced, and every master or mistress of every +description of lodging-house is bound to give an account of whatever +stranger sleeps under their roof, to the police, and their officers; or +the gendarmes, are authorised to demand the sight of the passport of any +person whom they may suspect. In England a passport is not so +necessary, because being an island the means of escape are not so easy, +as they must either embark at some port or they must hire a boat on +their own account, or enter into some proceeding which leads to +discovery; and notwithstanding those obstacles to leaving the country, +and the extreme vigilance of our police, felons do very often escape, +and murders remain undiscovered, as those of Mr. Westwood, Eliza +Greenwood, and many others. But those who are invested with authority in +France sustain it with a more courteous demeanour than is the case in +England, consequently it is less offensive. If your passport be asked +for, it is in a polite manner, whereas with the English, give the +butcher or the blacksmith the staff of office as constable, and he +exercises his brief authority very frequently in a manner which is not +the most engaging. Although a _politesse_ and refinement of expression +united with a smutted face, tucked-up sleeves, an apron and rough coarse +hands, has something in it of the ludicrous, yet it softens the +brutality to which uncultivated human nature is ever prone, but +instances of such inconsistencies sometimes occur which cannot otherwise +than excite a smile; a few days since a working man dropped a knife, a +dirty looking boy of about 12 years of age picked it up, and presented +it to the owner, with some degree of grace, saying, "Render unto Caesar +that which is Caesar's." Passing through the Rue des Arcis, which is a +mean narrow street, at one of the lowest descriptions of wine-houses +where dancing was going forward, perhaps amongst fishwomen and +scavengers, I noticed a large lantern hanging out over the door, upon +which was inscribed, "Bal seduisant, le Paradis des Dames," which may be +translated, "Seductive Ball, the Paradise of Ladies." The traveller may +remark on the road from Boulogne to Paris and within a few leagues of +the latter, in a small village at a house little better than a hut, +where the insignia of a barber is displayed, a board on which is +written; "Ici on embellit la nature," or "Here we embellish nature." + +Even in the lowest classes the French must have a little bit of +sentiment, and amongst them marriages occur principally from affection, +but almost always with the consent of the parents; it is lamentable to +think how many young couples destroy each other because they cannot +obtain the sanction of the father or mother to one of the parties, and +these mistaken lovers really think it less crime to commit suicide than +to marry against the consent of their parents, which they are by law +empowered to do, provided that they have three times made what is called +_les sommations respectueuses_, that is, having three times respectfully +asked their permission, without having obtained which, they cannot marry +if not of age under any circumstances; but when no longer minors, and +that they have conformed to what the law prescribes, they may be united +notwithstanding the opposition of their parents, but it is a case which +scarcely ever occurs. There is much more of family attachments and bond +of union between relations in France than there is with us, and at +marriages, funerals, and baptisms, the most distant cousins are all +brought together to be present at the ceremony, which amongst the higher +and middle classes has rather a pleasing effect; the bride arrayed in a +long white flowing veil decorated with orange flowers has a most +interesting appearance. Before being performed at the church, it must be +registered at the mayoralty. + +When any one is deceased, black drapery is hung up outside the house, +and the coffin is brought within sight and burning tapers fixed around +it, and every one who passes takes off his hat, and if he chooses, +sprinkles it with holy water; chaunting over the coffin at the church is +sometimes continued for two hours, and the effect is very impressive. +Wherever the funeral procession proceeds along the streets every one who +meets it takes off his hat; in fact in no country is there more respect +paid to the dead. When a child has lost both its parents, it generally +happens that some relation will take it, even sometimes a second or +third cousin; this will happen often amongst the poorer people, they +hold it as a sort of sacred duty for relations to assist each other, a +feeling that I could wish to see more general in England, as I have +known too many instances where even brothers exhibited instances of +affluence and poverty. In my own neighbourhood, there was a case of a +Mr. N. living in good style, with livery servants, etc., and his own +brother working for him at 1_s._ 8_d._ a day as a common labourer, +although his fall in life had been entirely caused by misfortune and not +by his prodigality or mismanagement; such a circumstance could not have +existed in France; the peasants would have hooted the rich brother every +time he showed his face. The French people are too apt to take those +affairs in their own hands, and express their indignation in no +unmeasured terms. They are very prone to act from the impulse of the +moment, and are easily aroused in any cause where they consider +injustice has been enacted, and many of the persons concerned in the +press are well aware of this, and by most artfully turned arguments they +work up their passions either for or against a party, as circumstances +may render it fitting for their purpose. + +But although some of the newspapers have certainly had some fire-brand +articles against England, yet it does not appear to me to have had any +effect of exciting a hatred against the English. I have never seen in +any one instance any manifestation of such a feeling; in fact the French +are much in the habit of separating the government from the people, and +even the most hostile portion of the press observe that there are +amongst the population in England numbers of individuals of the most +exalted characters; hence the French do not consider that the people are +amenable for the faults of their government, and are inclined to imagine +those of every country more or less corrupt. They never had a very +exalted opinion of their own; perhaps the most popular ministry they +have had for the last thirty years was that of M. Martignac, which +Charles X so suddenly dismissed and thereby laid the first foundation +for the glorious three days. With the present government I should say +that the majority of the people appear disposed to be passively +satisfied, not so much from a feeling of approbation of its proceedings, +but fearing that were there a change it might be for the worse; with the +present they have the assurance of peace, and tranquillity, and all +manufacturing and agricultural France know how destructive war would be +to their present prosperity; of this none are more sensible than the +Parisians, as it is really astonishing what sums of money the English +nobility expend even whilst they are residing in England, with the +tradesmen in Paris, principally for articles of art and luxury but also +for a great portion of that which is useful as well as ornamental; and +imagining that many of my readers may have as great an aversion to +copying letters as myself and at the same time be aware of the necessity +under many circumstances of keeping a duplicate, I must not forget to +mention an extremely useful invention which adds another evidence of the +prolific ingenuity of France. It consists in a machine for copying +letters, registers, deeds, or in fact any description of written +document, or stamped, or in relief, by which they can be repeated even a +thousand times if required and in a very short space of time; there have +been many who have attempted to attain the same object and have had a +partial success, but those of M. Poirier, No. 35, Rue du Faubourg St. +Martin, appear to unite advantages which none of the preceding ever +attained. They are called, Presses Auto-Zinco-Graphiques. For the merit +of this invention he has been granted a patent, and awarded a medal by +the Central Jury, appointed to examine the specimens of art and +ingenuity sent to the National Exhibition established for the purpose of +bringing them before the public. For merchants, solicitors, and all +persons keeping several clerks such a machine must be a great +acquisition, as in addition to the copies being effected more rapidly +than would be possible by hand, where there are numbers of letters of +which duplicates are requisite, the labour of one clerk at least must be +saved. M. Poirier has them executed in so beautiful a manner that they +really are quite a handsome piece of furniture, some of which are as +high as 350 fr. but the prices gradually descend to even as low as 10 +fr. which are so contrived for travelling that they contain pen, ink and +paper and only weigh one pound. I here subjoin the opinion of the +Central Jury addressed to M. Poirier. "These presses are certainly the +best executed of any which have been exhibited. Their merit consisting +in superior execution, cannot be too much encouraged, as the happiest +ideas often fail in the realisation, therefore that the jury may not be +deficient in recompensing M. Poirier they award him the bronze medal." + +All parties regard M. Guizot (Minister of Foreign Affairs) as a talented +man; and one of considerable firmness of character, who unflinchingly +maintains his ground whilst a host are baying at him, appearing as +unmoved as the rock that is pelted by the storm; he seems never taken by +surprise, but is ever ready with such answers and explanations as +generally baffle his accusers; still he cannot be called a popular +minister, because he is known to possess what is called the Anglo-mania, +that is, to have a most decided predilection for everything that is +English, and there is no doubt that he wishes to do all in his power to +conciliate England, without sacrificing the interests and honour of his +country; but in that respect his enemies think that he would not be too +delicate, but is determined to have peace with England _a tout prix_ (at +any price). M. Guizot is a protestant and was a professor in the +University. + +His immediate opponent, M. Thiers, has risen to eminence entirely by his +writings; he came to Paris from Aix in Provence (in 1820), and lived in +a room on the fourth floor in the Rue St. Honore; here he wrote for the +newspapers, but being taken by the hand by M. Lafitte he and his works +speedily rose into notice; it is possible that he may be as anxious for +the welfare of his country as M. Guizot, but would carry things with a +higher hand, and although every one is aware of his extraordinary +abilities, yet the moderate and thinking part of the community remember +how near he was involving France in a war with her most powerful +neighbours, and however they smarted for a time under what they +conceived an affront offered to their country, yet there are very few +now but feel fully sensible of the benefits they derive from the +blessing of peace having been preserved. M. Thiers may be cited as one +of the most animated and effective speakers of any in the Chambers, and +his speeches often display a brilliance, energy, and ardour, which +create a forcible impression, but sometimes betray the orator into hasty +assertions, of which he may afterwards repent, but feeling too much +pride to recant, he prefers standing by the position he had hastily +assumed; consequently, he is then compelled to marshal all his powers of +argument to sustain that which in his own mind he may feel convinced is +erroneous. Yet although many from prudential motives did not approve his +policy, which had nearly involved France in hostility with England, they +rather admired the spirit and susceptibility which he displayed in +resenting the slight with which the French nation had been treated, and +looked upon him as a sort of champion of their cause, so that he may be +rather designated a popular statesman than otherwise, although he was +considered in the wrong on that one point, and the reflexions which he +flung upon England would have passed away as unmerited, and soon sunk +into oblivion, had not a portion of the English press so indulged in +abuse and ridicule of the French at that period, who often remark that +they were subdued by the allies combined, but that it is only the +_English press_ which is as it were triumphing over and insulting them, +by pretending such a superiority in their troops and seamen as to place +those of France in a most contemptible light, whilst all the other +powers, although equally their conquerors, give them credit for being a +brave military nation. I must confess that I have found more liberality +in the French with regard to rendering the merit due to the English +troops, than in any other country, and I remember a work which came out +in Berlin upon military movements, tactics, etc., and in a parenthesis +was this sentence, "It is well known that the English, though excellent +sailors, are inferior as troops to those of the other European powers." +I should have thought that the Prussians who have fought with us would +have known better of what metal English soldiers were composed. But to +return to M. Thiers; I should still say notwithstanding all that has +past, his talents are held in such estimation, that certain changes +might occur which would again place him at the helm of the nation. + +Having given a slight sketch of the two political chiefs who as it were +head the most powerful contending parties, I must be still more brief in +my notice of the other statesmen whose names, acts and speeches are +before the public, amongst the most conspicuous of whom is Odilon +Barrot, who is what may be termed decidedly liberal, or in plainer +language radical, and has long sustained his cause with talent, energy, +and consistence; he speaks well and boldly, and has hitherto acted in +that manner which might be expected from the tenor of his speeches; +sometimes however persons become calm, what others would call moderate, +or a slight tint manifests itself in the colour of their politics, +perhaps rendering them more harmonious with the reigning parties, but +which accord not with the ideas of the most staunch advocates of a more +_ultra_ liberal system; this appears to be somewhat the case with M. +Odilon Barrot, whose adherents judge from the support he gave to Thiers, +that he is not so warm in the cause as themselves; however he still may +be considered the chief of that division of the Chamber which he has +always led. M. Mauguin was at one time the most violent of the same +party, but during his visit to St. Petersburg he appears to have had +such an affectionate hug from the Russian Bear, that he has latterly +espoused the cause of Bruin, and would if he could induce France to +throw England overboard altogether, and cast herself entirely into the +arms of Russia. + +M. Arago, the celebrated astronomer, has ever proved himself an honest +undeviating radical, both in his speeches and his actions. As an orator, +many give the palm to M. Berryer, but as his party is not numerous, +being carlist, his talents do not receive the general appreciation that +they would, had he attached himself to a more popular cause, but he +deserves much credit for having faithfully and constantly adhered to his +principles. M. Lamartine, the poet, who professes to be independent of +any party, is also a very admired speaker, and so was Sebastiani, but +now he is passing fast into the vale of years, and has lost that spirit +and energy which formerly gave much force to his speeches. M. Mole is +another of those statesmen who has filled the most important political +stations, but now is getting old and more quiet. As to dilating upon the +merits and demerits of those persons who compose the present ministry, +it would be but time lost, as they are so often changed in France that +their brief authority is often _brief_ indeed, and with the exception of +M. Guizot, (who is certainly a host within himself), and Marshal Soult, +there is not any character that is particularly prominent, or remarkable +for any extraordinary talent. The career of the Marshal is, I presume, +well known to most of my readers, and the manner in which he was +received in England proves the degree of estimation in which he was +there held. He was the son of a notary at St. Amand, where he was born +in 1769, being the same year which gave birth to Napoleon, Wellington, +and Mehemet Ali. Admiral Duperre, the Minister of Marine, served with +great credit to himself throughout the war, and commanded the force +which defeated our attempt to take the Isle of France, in 1810, and the +naval portion of the expedition employed in the capture of Algiers, was +placed under his orders. There are yet a good many men whose names have +been long and well known in the political world, who still take a more +or less active part in the affairs of the nation, amongst whom may be +cited the Baron Pasquier, President of the Chamber of Peers; M. Sauzet, +President of the Chamber of Deputies, and the ministers Duchatel for the +interior, Cunin Gridaine for commerce, Teste for public works, and +Lacave Laplagne for finances; to whom may be added the Duke de Broglie, +the Comte Montalivet, Dufaure, Joubert, Salvandy, Delessert, Isambert, +Ganneron, etc., also the brothers Dupin, the eldest highly celebrated as +an avocat, and the younger (Charles), for his writings upon the naval +department, upon statistics in general, and a very clever work upon +England. Amongst the extreme radicals, Ledru Rollin may be cited, +General Thiard, Marie, a barrister of rising talent, and a young man +named Billaud, who is coming forward, and considered to be rather a +brilliant speaker. The foregoing names include several men who have had +much experience, and possess moderate abilities, merely passable as +orators, but having a fair practical knowledge of political business, +but not men of exalted genius, or such whose names will be likely to +figure in the page of history; perhaps it may be with truth said, that +the best statesman France now possesses, or even ever has possessed, is +the King, it being very doubtful whether any of his ministers, or indeed +any member of either of the chambers, is blest with that deep +discernment and profound knowledge of human nature which he has +displayed, by the correctness of his calculations upon the pulses of his +subjects, under the most trying difficulties, and which have enabled him +to weather the storm. + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + + The theatres, present state of the drama, and principal performers. + Collections of paintings. + + +It is rather extraordinary that in this age of superlative refinement, +the drama should rather be upon the decline than otherwise in regard to +the talent of the performers, but it appears to me that such is really +the case both in England and France. I can just remember when Mrs. +Siddons, John Kemble, Charles Kemble, Young, Mrs. Jordan, Irish Johnson, +Munden, Emery, etc. so well sustained the character of the English +stage. Alas! shall I ever see the like again? Theatrical representations +in France have had a similar decline, although _two_ stars there are who +uphold her histrionic fame with superior _eclat_, Mlle. Rachel for +tragedy, and Bouffe for comedy; it would be useless for me to attempt +any description of the powers of the former, as she is as well known in +London as in Paris, but with the latter my readers I believe are only +partially acquainted; he has been in London, but I rather think only +made but a short stay, certainly a more perfect representation of French +nature it would be impossible to imagine; even although he undertake +ever so opposite a description of character, the simple truth would be +given in them all; he has not recourse to grimace or buffoonery, or any +exaggerated action, but seems not to remember he is counterfeiting a +part, but appears to make the case his own, and not to have another +thought than that which must be supposed to occupy the mind of the +individual he is personifying. Pleased with Bouffe to our heart's full +content, we look around amongst all the range of actors to find some +approach to his inimitable talent, not being so unreasonable as to hope +to discover his equal, but our search ends in disappointment, we seek in +vain for the representatives of Perlet, Odry, Laporte, and Potier, to +whose comic powers we are indebted for many a laughing hour, but they +are now replaced, as well as many other of our old acquaintances, by +substitutes who are but sorry apologies for those we have lost; however, +although the French theatre has certainly retrograded in respect to its +dramatics personae, it has gained surprisingly with regard to scenery, +decorations, and costumes, which very considerably enhance the interest +of a theatrical performance, particularly when it is historical, and it +is a satisfaction to know that no pains are spared to render the drapery +as exact as possible to that worn at the period the piece is intended to +represent; thus you have the most accurate peep into olden times that +can possibly be afforded, and Paris offers such extreme facilities for +ascertaining what description of dress was adopted at any particular +age, by means of their immense collection of engravings, and written +descriptions, contained in their old books, and manuscripts, which are +freely produced to any individual on making the proper application. Of +these advantages the managers of the theatres avail themselves to the +utmost extent, which enables them to be extremely correct, not only with +regard to the habiliments, but also the scenery, and all the +_accessoires_ are rendered strictly in keeping with the century in which +the events recorded have occurred. + +The Italian Opera in Paris is considered to be managed with great +perfection, the company is much the same with regard to the principal +singers as our own, consisting of Grisi, Persiani, Albertazzi, Lablache, +Tamburini, Rubini, Mario, etc., as they can be obtained, according to +their engagements in London or elsewhere, and the operas performed are +also similar, therefore any description of either would be superfluous; +altogether, the enjoyment afforded is not so great as at our own, as no +ballet is given, and the coup-d'oeil is not so splendid as in ours. +The Theatre de la Renaissance is devoted to the performance of the +Italian Opera, it is situated in the middle of a small square, opposite +the Rue Mehul, which turns out of the Rue Neuve des Petits Champs, from +which it is seen to the best advantage; the facade has a handsome +appearance, with the statues of Apollo and the nine Muses, supported by +doric and ionic columns. The prices of the places are from ten francs to +two francs, which last is the amphitheatre; the intermediate charges are +seven francs ten sous, six francs, five, four and three francs ten sous +the pit, and it is capable of containing 2,000 persons. The performance +begins at eight. + +The French Opera, or Academie Royale de Musique, in the Rue Pelletier, +near the Boulevard des Italiens, has nothing very striking in its +external appearance, but the arrangements and decorations of the +interior are certainly extremely handsome, and everything is conducted +on a most superior scale; the scenery and costumes are here in +perfection, the arrangements and accommodations for seats are excellent. +The great strength of the vocal performance consists in Duprez and +Madame Dorus Gras, to whom I have before alluded, and whose reputation +is too well established to need any comment. They are ably seconded by +Levasseur, Madame Stolz who is well known in London, and the fine deep +voice of Baroilhet, Boucher, Massol, and Mademoiselle Nau, possess a +moderate share of talent, there are also others whose abilities are of +minor force but sufficient to support the subordinate _roles_. The +orchestra and chorusses are extremely good and numerously composed, and +on the whole it may be considered that they get up an opera in a very +superior manner. The ballet at this theatre was formerly the greatest +treat that could be imagined, derivable from performances of that +nature, but at the present period the strength they possess in that +department is by no means efficient. Carlotta Grisi stands alone as +having with youth any degree of talent above mediocrity; the same can +hardly be said of Mademoiselle Fitzjames, and Madame Dupont; Noblet is +past that age which is indispensable in exciting interest as a dancer, +notwithstanding she has still considerable ability, and there are not +any others who are worth mentioning amongst the females. Of the men, +when Petitpa is cited as having a grade more of ability than the rest, +nothing more in the shape of praise can be added with respect to their +present _corps de ballet_. This theatre is also capable of containing +2,000 persons, and the prices are from 2 francs 10 sous to 9 francs, the +pit is 3 francs 12 sous, and there are as many as 20 different parts of +the house cited with their respective charges. They sometimes begin at +7, more often 1/2 past, but never later. + +The Theatre of the Comic Opera is situated in the rue Marivaux, +Boulevard des Italiens, and the facade with its noble columns has a very +fine effect, which is fully equalled by the decorations of the interior. +Chollet, still remains their principal singer; his voice is good, so is +his knowledge of music, but he is now no longer young nor ever was +handsome, but always a favourite with the public; he is supported by +Roger who takes the _roles_ of young lovers, by Grard who has a fine +bass voice, and Mocker with a good tenor; amongst the females is our +countrywoman Anna Thillon, who is exceedingly admired, and at present +the great attraction, she is pretty, lively, or sentimental, as her part +may require, her voice is pleasing and it may be said that she is quite +a pet with the Parisians; she is an excellent actress, and appears at +home in every part she undertakes. Mademoiselle Prevost has for many +years sustained a certain reputation as one of the principal singers at +this theatre, for my own part I always thought her rather heavy and a +want of feeling and expression both in her acting and singing. Madame +Rossi Caccia, although only just returned from Italy, belongs to the +company, she has a most admirable voice and is a great acquisition to +the theatre, at which, on the whole, the amusements are of the most +delightful description. The prices are from 30 sous to 7 francs 10 sous. +They begin at 7. + +The Theatre-Francais in the Rue Richelieu holds the first rank, for the +drama, of any theatre in France, where Talma, Duchesnois, Mars and +Georges have so often enchanted not only the French public, but persons +of all nations who were assembled in Paris, and on these boards Mlle +Rachel now displays her magic art; nor are the attractions of Mlle +Plessis to be passed over unnoticed, but as she has lately been to +London, my country people can form a better judgment of her than from +any description I can give. Mlle Anais is an actress who has been and is +still rather a favourite, although now not young. Mlle Mantes is a fine +woman upon a large scale, plays well and has been many years on the +stage, but never created any sensation; Mlle Maxime rather stands high +in the public estimation; Mlle Noblet and Mme Guyon possess moderate +talent acquit themselves well, and are much liked, generally speaking. +At present Ligier is considered their best tragedian, but principally +owes what fame he has, to their actors in that department being of so +mediocre a description, some people prefer Beauvallet but not the +majority, their abilities are very nearly of the same stamp. Guyon is a +fine young man, and plays the parts of young heroes very fairly. Geffroy +is another, possessing sufficient merit to escape condemnation. As comic +actors they have Regnier who may be placed upon the moderate list; +Samson is certainly much better, and in fact by no means destitute of +talent, which may decidedly be also stated of Firmin; Provost is +likewise a very passable actor. Comedy is indeed their fort, it is far +more pure than ours; I remember making that remark to the celebrated +John Kemble at the time he was residing at Toulouse, and adding that I +considered our comic actors gave way too much to grimace and buffoonery. +Kemble replied, "Don't blame the actors for that, it is owing to the bad +taste of the audience, by whom it is always applauded, and a thoroughly +chaste performance, without some caricature, would not stand the same +chance of success." The prices at the Theatre Francais are from 1 fr. 5 +sous varying up to 6 fr. 12 sous, according to that part of the house in +which you choose your seat; they begin sometimes 1/4 before 7. + +The Theatre du Gymnase, on the Boulevart Bonne-Nouvelle, was once one of +the most successful of any in Paris, but it does not sustain the high +reputation it formerly possessed. Bouffe is now its principal support, +and has indeed a most attractive power; there are also other actors of +merit, as Klein, Numa, Tisserant, and Volnys, who sustain their +respective parts extremely well; but when performing with such a star +as Bouffe, their minor talents are eclipsed, and little noticed. Mad. +Volnys (formerly Leontine Fay) still retains that high reputation which +she has so long and so justly merited, she ever was a most charming and +natural actress. Mesdames Julienne, Habeneck and Nathalie are all rather +above mediocrity, so that this theatre still affords the dramatic +amateur much rational enjoyment. They commence at 6, and the prices +range from 1 fr. 5 sous, to 5 fr. + +The Theatre des Varietes always has been and is still a great favourite, +where they play vaudevilles, a sort of light comedy, which are generally +highly amusing; they have always contrived to have actors at this +theatre who were sure to draw full houses, and that is the case at +present. Lafont is an excellent actor and a very fine looking man, he +has performed in London; Lepeintre yields to few men for the very +general estimation in which his talents are held; Levassor is a man of +very gentlemanly appearance, not at all wanting in assurance, and always +at his ease in every _role_ he is destined to fill. For females they +have Mesdames Flore, Bressant, Boisgontier, Esther and Eugenie Sauvage, +the first rather too much inclined to embonpoint, but playing her part +none the worse for that, the last an actress of great merit, whilst the +others act so well that one would wonder what they wanted with so many; +besides which they have several others who are above mediocrity, and a +few hours may be passed any evening most agreeably at this theatre. The +performances commence at 7, the prices are the same as at the Gymnase +with regard to the minimum and maximum, but having altogether nineteen +different intermediate specifications. + +The Theatre du Palais-Royal, forming the corner of the Rues Montpensier +and Beaujolais, and having an entrance in the Palais-Royal, is one of +the most successful in Paris, and one of the very few which have proved +good speculations, and they continue to have such excellent actors as +cannot fail to attract. A. Tousez has much ability and is very comic, M. +and Mad. Lemesnil, M. and Mad. Ravel are very clever in their respective +parts, Sainville is not less so; then amongst their first rate actresses +they have Dejazet, who has been highly appreciated in London, Mlle +Pernon, young, talented, and pretty, and Mlle Fargueil, handsome, and +though youthful, already an excellent actress. The pit is only 1 fr. 5 +sous, from which it rises to 5 fr. for the best seats. They begin at +half-past six. + +The Vaudeville Theatre is facing the Exchange in the Place de la Bourse, +and retains a very good share of the patronage of the public; their +performances are, for the most part, very good, and the pieces which are +mostly played, are such as the name of the theatre indicates. Felix and +Lepeintre jeune are much liked, Bardou is an excellent actor, Arnal a +famous low comedian, M. and Mad. Taigny possessing very fair talent, and +are called the pretty couple. Mesdames Doche and Thenard not without +merit, and on the whole their corps dramatic is much above mediocrity. +Their light, comic, and amusing little pieces are well calculated to +chase away a heavy hour. They commence at a quarter past seven, and the +prices are much the same as at the Variete. + +To the Porte St. Martin I have already alluded, situated on the +Boulevart of the same name, although they often give very interesting +pieces as melodramas, light comedies, etc., and always had some very +good actors, yet it has seldom had the success to which the exertions of +the proprietors were entitled. After a total failure the theatre has +been re-opened, and amongst the actors there are some of known talent; +Frederick Lemaitre may be considered their brightest star, once so +celebrated in the role of Robert Macaire, Clarence, Raucour, Bocage, and +Melingue sustain their parts very fairly, and the same may be said of +Mesdames Klotz and Fitzjames, who are more than passable actresses. The +pieces begin as low as twelve sous, and rise to six francs. The +performances commence at seven. + +The Ambigu Comique is a theatre situated on the Boulevart St. Martin, +and also for melodramas and vaudevilles; it has not been much more +fortunate than its neighbour the Theatre Porte St. Martin, and the +representations are very similar at both. St. Ernest, as an actor, and +Madame Boutin, as an actress, appear to be the favourites amongst rather +a numerous company, of which some are far from being indifferent +performers. The prices are very modest, commencing at only ten sous, and +elevating to four francs; it begins at seven. + +The Gaiete, on the Boulevart du Temple, is another theatre of much the +same description; at present, however, the company is considered to be +very good: the strength consisting of Neuville, the brothers Francisque +and Deshays, and of the females, Madame Gautier, Clarisse, Leontine, +Abit, and Melanie are considered the best. Some pieces have come out at +this theatre that have had a great run. The prices begin at eight sous +and rise to five francs. They also commence at seven. + +The Theatre des Folies Dramatiques is likewise on the Boulevart du +Temple, and varies very slightly from the last, except being one grade +inferior, and the prices in proportion, commencing at six sous, and not +mounting higher than two francs five sous, and yet the performances are +often not by any means contemptible. They begin at half-past six. + +M. Comte has a theatre in the Passage Choiseul where children perform, +which may be considered as a sort of nursery for the theatres in +general; but what afford the most amusement are his extraordinary feats +of legerdemain, which are certainly wonderfully clever. The prices are +from about one franc to five francs. + +Although I have left it to the last, I must not entirely omit to mention +the Odeon theatre, to which I have already adverted; little can be +judged from it at present, having only just re-opened. Mlle. George is +endeavouring, in the eve of her days, to afford it the support of her +now declining powers; she is however ably sustained by Achard. Vernet +also is a good actor, and they have others who are by no means +deficient. It begins at 7, and the prices are from 1 franc to 5. + +In addition to those I have already stated, there are about a dozen more +theatres, inducting such as are just outside the Barriers, and although +theatrical speculations have generally been very unfortunate recently, +yet it does not appear to arise so much from the want of audiences, but +from paying the great performers too highly, and having too many of all +descriptions. There are besides several public concerts, of which the +one styled Muzard's, in the Rue Neuve-Vivienne, is the best; the price +of entrance to most of them is 1 franc. Several public balls are +constantly going forward in gardens during the summer, and in large +saloons in the winter; they are mostly attended by the lower order of +tradespeople, or by females of indifferent character, except in the +Carnival, and then more respectable characters go to the masked balls at +the theatres which are the most expensive; the ladies however only as +spectators, generally speaking, but their attractions are too +irresistible to many, for them to suffer the season to pass over without +once joining the gay throng, particularly to some who have a great +delight in mystifying a friend or acquaintance, and telling them a few +home truths under the protecting shield of a mask, having opportunities +of so doing at the public balls without fear of being recognised; +whereas concealment at private masquerades can seldom be preserved to +the last. It is most usual for ladies who visit the theatres to see the +masked balls only to remain in a box with their party, and from thence +to view the motley group; there are however some females even of rank +who cannot resist the charm of going entirely incognito, to puzzle and +perplex different persons whom they know will be there, only confiding +to one or two dearest friends their little enterprise, to whom they +recount the adventures of the evening. + +All strangers sojourning at Paris are generally directed to devote their +earliest attention to the Gallery of Pictures at the Louvre, and I had +intended to have bestowed much space to that object, but I find such +excellent works published on that subject at only one or two francs, +that I would recommend my readers to furnish themselves with one and +take it with them to the Louvre when they go there; they can procure +them of M. Amyot, No. 6, Rue de la Paix, where they will also find +almost every publication they are likely to require, and will meet with +the utmost civility and attention. There are continually changes taking +place in the arrangements of the pictures, consequently it would be +impossible to give any correct numerical indications. The works of +Rubens are particularly numerous, but I should not say they were the +_chefs d'oeuvre_ of that great artist, the women are so fat and +totally devoid of grace; I have seen several of his pictures in the +great Collection at Vienna which I like much better. The Louvre may be +also considered rich in the works of Titian, some fine subjects by +Guido, Murillo, Correggio, and Paul Veronese, of which the Marriage in +Cana is supposed to be the largest detached picture in the world; and +many of the figures are portraits, as of Francis I, Mary of England, +etc., who were contemporaries with the artist; in fact there are some +paintings of almost every celebrated Italian and Spanish master. The +Dutch and Flemish school is extremely rich, particularly in Vandycks, +but as might be expected specimens of the French school are the most +numerous, the principal gems of which are by Claude Lorraine, Poussin, +and Le Brun, infinitely superior to the productions of the present day. +There are besides many pictures by French artists of the time of David, +Gerard, Gros, etc., which I consider generally inferior to some of those +of their best painters now living. + +There are several private collections that are well worth the attention +of the visiter; amongst the number is that of Marshal Soult, consisting +of some of the most exquisite Murillos, I should decidedly say the +happiest efforts of his pencil, but I believe since I saw them he has +sold some of the best to an English nobleman. The gallery of M. Aguado +(Marquis de Las Marismas), contains undoubtedly some very fine subjects +of the Spanish school, and others that have considerable merit, but out +of the great number of paintings which are assembled together the +portion of copies is by no means small; still there is sufficient of +that which is very good to afford great pleasure to the amateur. The +residence of the Marquis was in the Rue Grange-Bateliere, and it is to +be presumed that, notwithstanding his decease, the establishment will be +kept up as before. The collection of the Marquis de Pastoret, in the +Place de la Concorde, is well worth visiting if you have a good pair of +legs and lungs, for I believe you have upwards of a hundred steps and +stairs to mount; but an ample reward will be afforded in viewing some +very clever small cabinet paintings by celebrated Italian, French and +Flemish masters. + +The Baron d'Espagnac has at his hotel in the Rue d'Aguesseau a selection +of paintings which may be considered one of the most _recherchee_ in +Paris; a landscape by Dominichino is quite a gem, and he has scarcely a +painting in his numerous collection but must be admired; his copy of the +Last Supper by Leonardo da Vinci is perhaps the best that has ever been +executed, and affords a most exact idea of the original, which is now, +alas! nearly if not entirely defaced. To see these, as well as many +other very excellent private collections, it is merely necessary to +write to the owner and the request is immediately granted. + +Mr. Rickets, an English gentleman living at No. 9, Rue Royale, has about +400 pictures, amongst which are some of considerable merit and +particularly interesting, either for the execution, the subjects, or +certain associations connected with them; this selection presents a +singular variety of styles, wherein may be recognised all the most +celebrated schools; some of the smaller pictures are executed with the +most exquisite delicacy and require long examination to form an +adequate appreciation of their merit. This collection is only accessible +through the medium of an introduction. As many purchasers of pictures +often want them cleaned and restored, I would recommend them to a +countryman for that purpose, M. Penley, No. 11, Rue Romford, whose +efforts I have seen effect a complete resuscitation upon a dingy and +almost incomprehensible subject. + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + + The concluding Chapter; application of capital, information for + travellers, prices of provisions. + + +One of the first measures to be adopted on arriving in France, is to +acquire the knowledge of the value of the coin, which is indeed rather +intricate; first a sou, or what we should call a halfpenny, is four +liards or five centimes; then there are two sou pieces, which resemble +our penny pieces; there is likewise a little dingy looking copper coin, +with an N upon one side and 10 centimes on the other, that is also two +sous; they once had a little silver wash upon them, but it has now +disappeared. Next there is a little piece which looks like a bad +farthing, rather whitish from the silver not being quite worn away, +which passes for a sou and a half or six liards. We then rise to a +quarter franc, or 5 sous, which is a very neat little silver coin; next +the half franc, then a fifteen sous piece, which is copper washed over +with silver, with a head of Louis on one side and a figure on the other; +double the size but exactly similar is the 30 sous piece; the franc is +20 sous, the two francs 40 sous, both of which are neat silver coin, as +also the 5 francs piece. The gold circulation consists in ten, twenty, +and forty franc pieces. There are no notes in Paris for less than 500 +francs, which are of the Bank of France; the visiter on arriving in +Paris will require to change his English money, and there are many money +changers; I have had transactions with most of them, but have found +Madame Emerique, of No. 32, Palais-Royal, Galerie Montpensier, (there is +an entrance also Rue Montpensier, No. 22,) the most liberal and just of +any, and I am quite certain that any stranger might go there with a +total ignorance of the value of the money he presented, and would +receive the full amount according to the state of exchange at the time. +Much credit is due to Madame Emerique from our country-people with +regard to her conduct respecting stolen Bank of England notes; she takes +great pains to obtain a list of such as are stolen, that she may not be +unconsciously accessary in aiding the success of crime, by giving the +value for that which had been obtained by theft, and adopts every means +that the presenters should be detained; if all the money changers were +as particular in that respect, thieves would derive no benefit in coming +over to France with their stolen notes. The office of Madame Emerique +has been the longest established of any, and the high respectability of +her family and connexions are a certain guarantee for the foreigner +against being imposed upon. The number of hotels in Paris is immense; as +I always frequent the same which I have known for nearly 20 years, of +course I can recommend it, both as regards the extreme respectability of +the persons by whom it is kept and the moderation of the charges; it is +situated at No. 71, Rue Richelieu, and is called the Hotel de Valois, +Baths abound in Paris, but the Bains Chinois, Boulevart des Italiens, +are of the oldest date, and have been visited by the most illustrious +persons. Amongst the rest, the proprietor declares that William the +Fourth attended them at the time he was sojourning incognito at Paris. +Amongst the numerous list of Bankers, those which are most frequented by +the English are Madame Luc Callaghan and Son, No. 40, Rue de la +Ferme-des-Mathurins; Monsieur le Baron Rothschild, Rue Laffitte, and +Messrs. Laffitte, Blount and Comp., No. 52, Rue Basse-du-Rempart. + +Amongst the multitude of interesting spots which surround Paris, +Versailles is pre-eminent, not only for the grandeur of the palace, the +beauty of the gardens, etc., but it has now received so many objects of +art, and its collection of pictures is so immense, that it may be +considered the Museum of France; but there are so many works written +upon it, and its description must be so voluminous to render it any +justice, that I must content myself with referring my readers to those +publications which have already appeared on the subject. St. Cloud, St. +Germains, St. Denis and Fontainebleau are too remarkable to be lightly +touched, particularly the two latter, upon which there are publications +giving the most ample details of all which they contain that is +interesting; those works therefore I must also recommend for the +visiter's perusal. + +Before I bid adieu to my readers, I must not omit to mention an +institution formed in Paris, which does honour to the English character; +it is entitled the British Charitable Fund, and was founded in 1822, +under the patronage of the British Ambassador, and is entirely supported +by voluntary contributions, for the purpose of relieving old and +distressed British subjects, or of sending them to their native country; +suffice it to say, that there have been within the last ten years 11,500 +persons relieved, and 2,571 sent to Great Britain. + +There are quite a host of steam-boat establishments, having their agents +and offices in Paris, but that for which the agency has been confided to +M. Chauteauneuf, No. 8, Boulevart Montmartre, embraces so wide a field +that I consider in recommending my readers to him, I afford them the +opportunity of obtaining all the information they can require upon the +subject; the Company could not have selected any one more capable of +fulfilling the duties of such an office, as besides his extreme civility +and attention to all applicants, he speaks many different languages, as +French, English, Spanish, Italian, etc. The boats for which he is agent +proceed from Dunkirk to St. Petersburg, touching direct at Copenhagen, +and privileged by the Emperor of Russia; the passage is effected in 6 or +7 days. Dunkirk to Hamburg in 36 or 40 hours, corresponding with all the +steamers on the Baltic and the Elbe. Dunkirk to Rotterdam in 10 or 12 +hours, communicating with all the navigation upon the Rhine. Boulogne to +London by the Commercial Steam Company. Antwerp to New York, touching at +Southampton; Marseilles to Nice, Genoa, Leghorn, Civita Vecchia, Naples, +Sicily, Malta and the Levant, by the steamers of the Neapolitan Company. +The above vessels are fitted up in the most efficient and solid manner, +with English machinery. At Lyons there is a corresponding office for the +navigation of the interior, held by Messrs. Jackson, Dufour, and Comp., +No. 7, Quai St. Clair. M. Chateauneuf is very obliging in explaining all +the details of the different tarifs of the custom duties of the various +countries with which the steamers communicate. + +A very great convenience exists in Paris, which I think much wanted in +London, and that is what are termed Cabinets de Lecture, where you may +read all the principal papers and periodical pamphlets for the small +expense of 3 sous; some are higher, where English newspapers are taken, +when the price is five sous; they are mostly circulating libraries at +the same time. But those who wish to see all or the greater part of the +London and some provincial and foreign papers, will find them at +Galignani's, and at an English reading room established in the Rue +Neuve St. Augustin, No. 55, near the Rue de la Paix; at both these +establishments the admittance is ten sous. The only English newspaper at +present published in Paris is by Galignani, which contains extracts +judiciously selected from the French and English papers, besides other +useful information. + +The investment of capital in land in France will rarely produce more +than 31/2 per cent and very frequently less; in the purchase of houses in +Paris 5 or 51/2, sometimes 6, is obtained; in the funds about 41/2. Numbers +of persons in France place their money on _hypotheque_, or mortgage, by +which they make 5 per cent; the affair is arranged by means of a +_notaire_, but often the most lucrative manner of placing money is what +is called _en commandite_, that is, they invest a fixed sum in different +descriptions of business, from which they receive a certain share, not +appearing in the concern otherwise than having deposited a stated amount +of money in it, for which alone, in case of bankruptcy, they are liable. +A considerable portion of the French lend their money to different +tradespeople, getting the best security they can, sometimes merely +personal; 6 per cent is the regular interest that is given, and it is a +very rare case that the capital is lost, as the lender takes great +precautions in ascertaining the exact state of the borrower's affairs. + +Although rents are so immensely high in the centre of Paris, one house, +No. 104, Rue Richelieu, letting for 120,000 francs, (4,800_l._) a year, +yet as you diverge in any direction towards the walls of the city a +house may be had for much less under the same circumstances than in +London, and just outside a substantial dwelling of eight or ten rooms, +with an acre of garden beautifully laid out, will only be 40_l._, a year. +Some of the villages round Paris are very agreeably situated, but are +dreadfully cut up by the fortifications, particularly the favourite spot +of the Parisians, the Bois de Boulogne, where many families amongst the +tradespeople go and pass their whole Sunday under the trees; and the +innumerable rides and walks through the wood, and its very picturesque +appearance tempt all ranks at all hours of the day; part of it remains +unspoiled by the walls and forts constructing for the defence of Paris, +but it was much to be regretted that any portion should have been +destroyed for an object, the utility of which still seems an enigma. + +As prices of provisions are so constantly varying that I determined to +leave them entirely to the last, that I might be enabled to give the +latest information respecting them; in most instances they are much +dearer than they were a few years since, particularly meat, which now +may be quoted on an average of 8_d._ a pound, and veal, if the choice +parts be selected, 1_d._ or even 2_d._ more at some seasons, but joints +where there is much proportion of bone may be had for 7_d._; best +wheaten bread is at present 13/4d., a pound; butter, best quality, +_s._ 6_d._; cheese 10_d._ Poultry is much higher than formerly; a fine +fowl 3_s._ a duck, 2_s._; a goose 4_s._; a turkey 6_s._ and much dearer +at some periods of the year; pigeons' eggs 81/2_d._ each; a hare +4_s._; a rabbit 1_s._ 6_d._ Vegetables are generally pretty cheap, +potatoes hardly 1/2_d._ a pound, cauliflowers, brocoli, and asparagus at a +much less price than in London; the finer sorts of fruits, as peaches, +nectarines, apricots, greengages, grapes, etc., are very reasonable, but +on the whole Paris is very little cheaper than London; the principal +difference is in the wine, which is to be had at all prices from 5_d._ +to 5_s._ a bottle, but by arranging with the Maison Meunier, 22, Rue des +Saints-Peres, the house I have recommended, by taking a certain +quantity, very good Bordeaux may be had, which will only come to about +1_s._ 6_d._ a bottle. Fuel is the dearest article in Paris; coals, of +which there is not much consumption, are considerably higher than in +London, but yet much cheaper than burning wood. In the best part of +Paris a well furnished sitting and bed room is 4_l._ a month; in other +parts only half the price. Brandy and liqueurs are much cheaper than in +England; beer from 2_d._ to 4_d._ a bottle, but taking a cask it comes +cheaper. Best white sugar 10_d._ Tea from 4_s._ upwards, coffee 2_s._ to +3_s._ It must be remembered that the pound weight in France has two +ounces more than in England. + +There is one peculiarity the stranger should remark in Paris which will +much assist him in finding a house he may be seeking; the even numbers +are always on one side of a street and the odd on the other and in all +the streets running south and north the numbers commence from the Seine, +so that the farther you get from the river the higher the figure +amounts; and, as you proceed from that source the even numbers will be +found on the right side and the uneven on the left. Those streets which +run east and west commence their numbers from the Hotel-de-Ville, or +Town-Hall, the even numbers also being on the right hand side and uneven +on the opposite. + + * * * * * + +Aware that my countrymen are ever amateurs of engravings, lithographies, +etc., I must repair the omission of having forgotten to mention Mr. +Sinnett, the only English publisher of engravings living in Paris, and +as he has an enthusiastic passion for the arts, accompanied by the most +correct judgment, the selection of his subjects are such as cannot fail +to gratify every person of taste; he also acts as an agent both for the +Paris and London print-sellers, and by the arrangements into which he +has entered, is enabled to furnish individuals with engravings of both +countries on the most advantageous terms, foregoing those charges which +it is customary to impose under similar circumstances. The English have +it, therefore, in their power to procure from Mr. Sinnett any print, +whether published in England or France, at a lower price than in any +other house in Paris. His address is No. 15, grande rue Verte, faubourg +Saint-Honore. + + +THE END. + + + + + INDEX. + + Pages. + Abattoir 215 + Academic royale 207 + Actors et actresses 396 to 404 + Agriculture 37 + Arago 186, 391 + Archives 237 + Arches, triumphal 42, 270 + Armour 216 + Army 353 + Arsenal 225 + Artificial flowers 326 + Artists 334 + Athenaeum 359 + Auber 369 + Authors 360 + + Balls 405 + Bank 257 + Bankers 411 + Barriers 45 + Barrot. Odilon 390 + Bears 177 + Beranger 361 + Berryer 391 + Bievre 182 + Boarding house 279 + Boarding-schools 348 + Bonnets 332 + Boots 289 + Bouffe 107 + Boulevart 100 + Boulogne 26 + Bourse 259 + Breakfasts 137 + Bronze 341 + + Cabriolets 379 + Cafe Hardy 405 + Calais 24 + Canes 319 + Caps 332 + Carnival 405 + Carriages 379 + Catacombs 186 + Cavalry 352 + Cercles 136 + Chamber of Deputies 220 + Chamber of Peers 201 + Champs-Elysees 42, 278 + Champ de Mars 216 + Chapelle Beaujon 275 + -- Episcopal 276 + -- Expiatoire 276 + -- Marboeuf 278 + -- Sainte 171 + Chateaubriand 366 + China 301 + Churches, Abbaye-aux-Bois 214 + -- L'Assomption 96, 369 + -- La Madeleine 400 + -- Notre-Dame 69, 472 + -- des Blancs-Manteaux 236 + -- des Victoires or des Petits-Peres 257 + -- de Loretto 259 + -- Saint-Ambroise 232 + -- Saint-Denis 235 + -- Sainte-Elisabeth 246 + -- Saint-Etienne-du Mont 190 + -- Saint-Eustache 254 + -- Saint-Francois-d'Assises 237 + -- Saint-Francois-Xavier 217 + -- St.-Germ.-l'Auxerrois 61, 237 + -- St-Germain-des-Pres 61, 205 + -- Saint-Gervais 239 + -- St-Jacques-du-Haut-Pas 189 + -- Saint-Laurent 248 + -- Saint-Leo-et-Saint-Gilles 251 + -- Saint-Louis en I'lle 174 + -- Ste. Marguerite 228 + -- St. Medard 184 + -- St. Merry 88, 242 + -- St. Nicholas-des-Champs 242 + -- St. Nicholas-du-Chardonnet 193 + -- St. Paul et St. Louis 238 + -- St. Philippe-du-Roule 275 + -- St. Pierre-de-Chaillot 279 + -- St. Pierre-du-Gros-Caillou 218 + -- St. Roch 97, 273 + -- St. Severin 195 + -- St. Sulpice, 203 + -- St. Thomas-d'Aquin, 210 + -- St. Vincent-de-Paul, 258 + -- Lutherien, 239 + -- Oratoire, 266 + -- Sorbonne, 196 + -- Val-de-Grace, 184 + -- Visitation, 226 + Clothes, 287 + Coiffeur, 317 + Coffee-houses, 137 + Collections of pictures, 407 + Colleges, Bourbon, 276 + -- Charlemagne, 233 + -- Henry IV, 191 + -- De France, 192 + -- Louis-le-Grand, 191 + -- St. Louis, 198 + -- Irish, 190 + -- Scotch, 190 + -- Sorbonne, 196 + Colours, 300 + Columns, 43, 103, 226 + Conservatory of Arts et Trades, 243 + -- of music, 258 + Convents of Benedictines, 245 + -- Carmelites, 202 + -- English Augustines, 190 + -- Dames de St. Thomas, 214 + -- Lazarists, 214 + -- Noviciat religieuses Hospitalieres, 214 + -- Sacre-Coeur, 212 + Copying machine, 386 + Crockery, 293 + Custom-House, 380 + Cutlery, 201 + + Diligences, 378 + Dinners, 105 + Dress, 123 + Dressing-cases, 302 + Dyeing et cleansing, 304 + + Earthen-ware, 293 + Ecole militaire, 215 + Economy, 286 + Education, 124 + Elysee-Bourbon, 274 + Engravings, 417 + + Fancy Stationary, 294 + Fashions, 324 + Fiacres, 379 + Flowers, 102 + + _Principal Fountains._ + + Fountain, Boulevart-St. Martin, 109 + -- des Champs-Elysees, 42, 278 + -- du Chatelet, 252 + -- Cuvier, 182 + -- de Grenelle, 211 + -- du marche des Innocents, 253 + -- de la place de la Concorde, 43 + -- de la Place Richelieu, 260 + Funerals, 384 + + Garde-Meuble, 43, 258 + Gardens, des Plantes, 175 + -- Luxembourg, 200 + -- Tuileries, 272 + George-Mademoiselle, 404 + Glass, 301 + Gloves, 330 + Gobelin tapestry, 132 + Guizot, 364, 387 + Guns, 312 + + Haberdashery, 322 + Hats, 288 + Homeopathie, 280 + Horsemanship, 138 + + _Principal Hospitals._ + + D'Accouchement, 185 + Blind, 227 + ----- Children, 194 + Deaf and Dumb, 188 + Hotel-Dieu, 174 + Incurables (men), 248 + ---------- (women), 214 + Invalids, 216 + Orphan, 188 + De la Pitie, 181 + Salpetriere, 181 + St. Louis, 247 + Sick children, 214 + Val-de-Grace, 184 + Hotels de Cluny, 197 + -- de Carnavalet, 234 + -- des Invalides, 210 + -- de la Monnaie, 206 + -- de Soubise, 238 + -- de Sully, 233 + -- de Valois, 411 + -- de Ville, 240 + + Institut, 207 + Infantry, 352 + Lamartine, 361 + + Lace, 329 + + _Principal public Libraries._ + + Arsenal, 225 + Hotel-de-Ville, 240 + Mazarine, 207 + Royal, 260 + Sainte-Genevieve, 191 + Linen drapery, 325 + Liqueurs, 283 + Literature, 360 + Lithographies, 310 + Lodgings, 416 + Louis-Philippe, 32, 101, 358 + Louvre, 89, 267, 406 + Luxembourg, 98, 200 + + Mails, 378 + Maps et plans in relief, 311 + Marriage, 128, 383 + + _Principal Markets._ + + -- Corn, or Halle an Ble, 255 + -- Flowers, 171 + -- Innocents, 353 + -- St. Germain, 204 + -- St. Honore, 273 + -- St. Laurent, 248 + -- St. Martin, 245 + Meat, 286 + Medicines, 292 + Middle classes, 123, 135 + Ministers, 302 + Mint, 200 + Mirrors (manufacture of), 228 + Money-changers, 410 + Modes, 324 + Mont-de-Piete, 236 + Morgue, 172 + Music, 368 + Musical snuff-boxes, 302 + + National guards, 354 + Navy, 355 + Needles, 321 + Newspapers, 414 + + Observatory, 185 + + Palais-royal, 263 + -- de-Justice, 170 + -- de la Legion-d'Honneur, 221 + -- du Quai d'Orsay, 222 + -- des Beaux-Arts, 208 + Pantheon, 189 + Passports, 381 + Pens, 290 + Pencil-cases, 305 + Pere La Chaise, 229 + Perfumery, 320 + Phosphorus matches et boxes, 297 + Piano-fortes, 314 + Plate-glass manufacture, 250 + Polytechnic, 192 + Post-office, 380 + Press, English, 354 + Press, French, 355, 385 + Printing establishment, royal, 237 + Prints, 417 + + _Principal Prisons._ + + -- Abbaye, 205 + -- Conciergerie, 171 + -- Debtors, 277 + -- La Force, 234 + -- Jeunes Detenus, 231 + -- De la Roquette, 231 + -- Saint-Lazare, 249 + -- Sainte-Pelagie, 181 + Purses, 376 + + Rachel, 394 + Reading-rooms, 413 + Religion, 309 + Restaurateurs, 105 + Rents, 119 + Riding-school, 140 + Rouen, 22 + + Seal engraver, 306 + + _Principal Seminaries._ + + -- Foreign Missionaries, 211 + -- St. Nicolas Chardonnet, 194 + -- St. Sulpice, 204 + Shirts, 316 + Silk mercery and fancy goods, 343 + Sisters of Charity, 188, 243 + School of Medicine, 199 + -- Drawing, 199 + -- Mines, 200 + -- Pharmacy, 134 + -- Ponts et Chaussees, 212 + Shoes, ladies, 328 + -- gentlemen, 289 + Societies, scientific, 359 + Soult, 392 + Stays, 157 + Steam, boats, 412 + Surgical instruments, 307 + + Tailors, 287, 319 + Temple, 245 + + _Principal Theatres._ + + -- Italian Opera, 397 + -- French Opera 398 + -- Comique Opera, 399 + -- Theatre Francais, 400 + -- Gymnase, 401 + -- Varietes, 401 + -- Vaudeville, 402 + -- Palais Royal, 143 + -- Porte St. Martin, 405 + -- Ambigu Comique, 405 + -- La Gaite, 404 + -- Cirque Olympique, 110 + -- Fulies Dramatiques, 404 + -- Odeon, 404 + Thiers, 388 + Timepieces, 315 + Tuileries, 270 + + Umbrellas et parasols, 319 + + Whips, 319 + Wine, 283 + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of How to Enjoy Paris in 1842, by F. 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