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 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 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. 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.
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 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 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'œuvre 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'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, 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'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 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 Elbœuf, 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.