Paris As It Was And As It Is - free ebook by Francis William Blagdon

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Paris As It Was And As It Is

Francis William Blagdon

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LETTER I.

LETTER I.

Calais, October 16, 1801. MY DEAR FRIEND, Had you not made it a particular request that I would give you the earliest account of my debarkation in France, I should, probably, not have been tempted to write to you till I reached Paris. I well know the great stress which you lay on first impressions; but what little I have now to communicate will poorly gratify your expectation. From the date of this letter, you will perceive that, since we parted yesterday, I have not been dilatory in my motions.

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LETTER II.

LETTER II.

Paris, October 19, 1801. Here I am safe arrived; that is, without any broken bones; though my arms, knees, and head are finely pummelled by the jolting of the carriage. Well might Ducrocq say that the roads were bad! In several places, they are not passable without danger—Indeed, the government is so fully aware of this, that an inspector has been dispatched to direct immediate repairs to be made against the arrival of the English ambassador; and, in some communes , the people are at work by tor

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LETTER III.

LETTER III.

Paris, October 21, 1801. On approaching this capital, my curiosity was excited in the highest degree; and, as the carriage passed rapidly along from the Barrière , through the Porte St. Denis , to the Rue neuve St. Roch , my eyes wandered in all directions, anxiously seeking every shade of distinction between monarchical and republican Paris. The first thing that attracted my attention, on entering the faubourg , was the vast number of inscriptions placed, during the revolution, on many of the p

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LETTER IV.

LETTER IV.

Paris, October 23, 1801. Since my arrival, I have been so much engaged in paying and receiving visits, that I really have not yet been able to take even a hasty view of any of the grand sights introduced here since the revolution, On Wednesday I dined with M. S----i, whose new 8vo edition of Buffon proceeds, I find, with becoming spirit. It is quite a journey to his residence; for he lives in one of the most retired quarters of Paris, However, I had no reason to repine at the distance, as the pa

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LETTER V.

LETTER V.

Paris, October 24, 1801. Last night I received yours of the 20th ult. and as Mr. M----y purposes to send off a dispatch this morning, and will do me the favour to forward this, with my former letters, I hasten to write you a few lines. I scarcely need assure you, my dear friend, that I will, with pleasure, communicate to you my remarks on this great city and its inhabitants, and describe to you, as far as I am able, the principal curiosities which it contains, particularizing, as you desire, tho

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LETTER VI

LETTER VI

Paris, October 26, 1801. From particular passages in your letter, I clearly perceive your anxiety to be introduced among those valuable antiques which now adorn the banks of the Seine. On that account, I determined to postpone all other matters, and pay my first visit to the CENTRAL MUSEUM OF THE ARTS, established in the LOUVRE. But, before, we enter the interior of this building, it may not be amiss to give you some account of its construction, and describe to you its exterior beauties. The ori

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LETTER VII.

LETTER VII.

Paris, October 28, 1801. Having, in my last letter, described to you the outside of the Louvre , (with the exception of the Great Gallery, of which I shall speak more at length in another place), I shall now proceed to give you an account of some of the principal national establishments contained within its walls. Before the revolution, the Louvre was, as I have said, the seat of different academies, such as the French Academy , the Academy of Sciences , the Academy of Inscriptions and Belles Le

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LETTER VIII.

LETTER VIII.

Paris, October 29, 1801. If the culture of the arts, by promoting industry and increasing commerce, improves civilization, and refines manners, what modern people can boast of such advantages as are now enjoyed by the French nation? While the sciences keep pace with the arts, good taste bids fair to spread, in time, from the capital throughout the country, and to become universal among them. In antiquity, Athens attests the truth of this proposition, by rising, through the same means, above all

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LETTER IX.

LETTER IX.

Paris, October 31, 1801. In answer to your question, I shall begin by informing you that I have not set eyes on the petit caporal , as some affect to style the Chief Consul. He spends much of his time, I am told, at Malmaison , his country-seat; and seldom appears in public, except in his box at the Opera, or at the French theatre; but at the grand monthly parade, I shall be certain to behold him, on the 15th of the present month of Brumaire, according to the republican calendar, which day answe

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LETTER X.

LETTER X.

Paris, November 2, 1801. On reaching Paris, every person, whether Jew or Gentile, foreigner or not, coming from any department of the republic, except that of La Seine , in which the capital is situated, is now bound to make his appearance at the Préfecture de Police . The new-comer, accompanied by two housekeepers, first repairs to the Police-office of the arrondissement , or district, in which he has taken up his residence, where he delivers his travelling passport; in lieu of which he receive

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LETTER XI.

LETTER XI.

Paris, November 5, 1801. I rise much later to-day than usual, in consequence of not having gone to bed till near seven o'clock this morning. Happening to call yesterday on a French lady of my acquaintance, I perceived some preparations which announced that she expected company. She did not leave me long in suspense, but invited me to her party for that evening. This good lady, who is no longer in the flower of her age, was still in bed, though it was four o'clock when I paid my visit. On express

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LETTER XII.

LETTER XII.

Paris, November 7, 1801. My impatience is at length gratified. I have seen BONAPARTE. Yesterday, the 6th, as I mentioned in a former letter, was the day of the grand parade, which now takes place on the fifteenth only of every month of the Republican Calendar. The spot where this military spectacle is exhibited, is the court-yard of the palace of the Tuileries , which, as I have before observed, is enclosed by a low parapet wall, surmounted by a handsome iron railing. From the kind attention of

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LETTER XIII.

LETTER XIII.

Paris, November 8, 1801. Great preparations for the fête of to-morrow have, for several days, employed considerable numbers of people: it therefore becomes necessary that I should no longer delay to give you an idea of the principal scene of action. For that purpose, we must direct our steps to the JARDIN DES TUILERIES. This garden, which is the most magnificent in Paris, was laid out by the celebrated LE NOTRE in the reign of Lewis XIV. It covers a space of three hundred and sixty toises[ 1 ] l

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LETTER XIV.

LETTER XIV.

Paris, November 10, 1801. On the evening of the 8th, there was a representation gratis at all the theatres, it being the eve of the great day, of the occurrences of which I shall now, agreeably to my promise, endeavour to give you a narrative. I mean the NATIONAL FÉTE, IN HONOUR OF PEACE, Celebrated on the 18th of Brumaire, year X, the anniversary of BONAPARTE'S accession to the consulate . Notwithstanding the prayers which the Parisians had addressed to the sun for the preceding twenty-four hou

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LETTER XV.

LETTER XV.

Paris, November 11, 1801. What fortunate people are the Parisians! Yesterday evening so thick a fog came on, all at once, that it was almost impossible to discern the lamps in the streets, even when they were directly over-head. Had the fog occurred twenty-four hours earlier, the effect of the illuminations would have been entirely lost; and the blind would have had the advantage over the clear-sighted. This assertion experience has proved: for, some years ago, when there was, for several succes

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LETTER XVI.

LETTER XVI.

Paris, November 13, 1801. Enriched, as this capital now is, with the spoils of Greece and Italy, it may literally be termed the repository of the greatest curiosities existing. In the CENTRAL MUSEUM are collected all the prodigies of the fine arts, and, day after day, you may enjoy the sight of these wonders. I know not whether you are satisfied with the abridged account I gave you of the GALLERY OF ANTIQUES; but, on the presumption that you did not expect from me a description of every work of

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LETTER XVII.

LETTER XVII.

Paris, November 15, 1801. The more frequently I visit the CENTRAL MUSEUM OF THE ARTS, the more am I inclined to think that such a vast number of pictures, suspended together, lessen each other's effect. This is the first idea which now presents itself to me, whenever I enter the GALLERY OF THE LOUVRE. Were this collection rendered apparently less numerous by being subdivided into different apartments, the eye would certainly be less dazzled than it is, at present, by an assemblage of so many var

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LETTER XVIII.

LETTER XVIII.

Paris, November 17, 1801. The Louvre , the Tuileries , together with the National Fête in honour of Peace, and a crowd of interesting objects, have so engrossed our attention, that we seem to have overlooked the ci-devant Palais Royal . Let us then examine that noted edifice, which now bears the name of PALAIS DU TRIBUNAT. In 1629, Cardinal Richelieu began the construction of this palace. When finished, in 1636, he called it the Palais Cardinal , a denomination which was much criticized, as bein

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LETTER XIX.

LETTER XIX.

Paris, November 18, 1801. But if the ci-devant Palais Royal has been the mine of political explosions, so it still continues to be the epitome of all the trades in Paris. Under the arcades, on the ground-floor, here are, as formerly, shops of jewellers, haberdashers, artificial florists, milliners, perfumers, print-sellers, engravers, tailors, shoemakers, hatters, furriers, glovers, confectioners, provision-merchants, woollen-drapers, mercers, cutlers, toymen, money-changers, and booksellers, to

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LETTER XX.

LETTER XX.

Paris, November 20, 1801. One of the private entertainments here in great vogue, and which is understood to mark a certain pre-eminence in the savoir-vivre of the present day, is a nocturnal repast distinguished by the insignificant denomination of a THÉ. A stranger might, in all probability, be led to suppose that he was invited to a tea-drinking party, when he receives a note couched in the following terms: "Madame R------ prie Monsieur B--------- de lui faire l'honneur de venir au thé quelle

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LETTER XXI.

LETTER XXI.

Paris, November 21, 1801. Often as we have heard of the extraordinary number of places of public entertainment in Paris, few, if any, persons in England have an idea of its being so considerable as it is, even at the present moment. But, in 1799, at the very time when we were told over and over again in Parliament, that France was unable to raise the necessary supplies for carrying on the war, and would, as a matter of course, be compelled not only to relinquish her further projects of aggrandis

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LETTER XXII.

LETTER XXII.

Paris, November 23, 1801. Yesterday being the day appointed for the opening of the session of the Legislative Body, I was invited by a member to accompany him thither, in order to witness their proceedings. No one can be admitted without a ticket; and by the last constitution it is decreed, that not more than two hundred strangers are to be present at the sittings. The gallery allotted for the accommodation of the public, is small, even in proportion to that number, and, in general, extremely cr

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LETTER XXIII.

LETTER XXIII.

Paris, November 25, 1801. Of all the public edifices in this capital, I know of none whose interior astonishes so much, at first sight, and so justly claims admiration, especially from those who have a knowledge of architecture or mechanics, as the HALLE AU BLÉ. This building is destined for the reception of corn and flour: it was begun in 1762, on the site of the ancient Hôtel de Soissons , which was purchased by the city of Paris. In the space of three years, the hall and the circumjacent hous

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LETTER XXIV.

LETTER XXIV.

Paris, November 27, 1801. When we travel back in idea for the last ten years, and pass in review the internal commotions which have distracted France during that period, and the external struggle she has had to maintain for the security of her independence, we cannot refuse our admiration to the constancy which the French have manifested in forming institutions for the diffusion of knowledge, and repositories of objects tending to the advancement of the arts and sciences. In this respect, if we

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LETTER XXV.

LETTER XXV.

Paris, November 28, 1801 . Conceiving how interested you (who are not only a connoisseur, but an F.A.S.) must feel in contemplating the only repository in the world, I believe, which contains such a chronological history of the art of sculpture, I lose no time in conducting you to complete our survey of the MUSEUM OF FRENCH MONUMENTS in the Rue des Petits Augustins . Having examined those of the fifteenth century, during our former visit, we are at length arrived at the age of the Fine Arts in F

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LETTER XXVI.

LETTER XXVI.

Paris, December 1, 1801 . I was highly gratified the other day on finding myself in company with some of those men whom (to borrow Lord Thurlow's expression, in speaking of Warren Hastings,) I have known only as I know Alexander, by the greatness of their exploits; men whose names will be transmitted to posterity, and shine with distinguished lustre in the military annals of France. General A----y had already invited me to dine with him, in order to meet General B----r; but, on the day fixed, th

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LETTER XXVII

LETTER XXVII

Paris, December 3, 1801 . In this season, when the blasts of November have entirely stripped the trees of their few remaining leaves, and Winter has assumed his hoary reign, the garden of the Tuileries , loses much of the gaiety of its attractions. Besides, to frequent that walk, at present, is like visiting daily one of our theatres, you meet the same faces so often, that the scene soon becomes monotonous. As well for the sake of variety as exercise, I therefore now and then direct my steps alo

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LETTER XXVIII.

LETTER XXVIII.

Paris, December 4, 1802 . In one of your former letters you questioned me on a subject, which, though it had not escaped my notice, I was desirous to avoid, till I should be able to obtain on it some precise information. This I have done; and I hasten to present you with the following sketch, which will afford you a tolerably-correct idea of the FRENCH FUNDS, AND NATIONAL DEBT. The booked or consolidated debt is called TIERS CONSOLIDÉ, from its being the consolidated third of the national debt,

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LETTER XXIX.

LETTER XXIX.

Paris, December 7, 1801 . At the grand monthly parade of the 15th of last Brumaire, I had seen the First Consul chiefly on horseback: on which account, I determined to avail myself of that of the 15th of the present month of Frimaire, in order to obtain a nearer view of his person. On these occasions, none but officers in complete uniform are admitted into the palace of the Tuileries , unless provided with tickets, which are distributed to a certain number at the discretion of the governor. Gene

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LETTER XXX.

LETTER XXX.

Paris, Dccemler 8, 1801 . You desire that I will favour you with a particular account of the means employed to transfer from pannel to canvas those celebrated pictures which I mentioned in my letter of the 13th ult°. Like many other, things that appear simple on being known, so is this process; but it is not, on that account, the less ingenious and difficult in execution. Such is the great disadvantage of the art of painting that, while other productions of genius may survive the revolution of a

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LETTER XXXI.

LETTER XXXI.

Paris, December 10, 1801. "Of all the bridges that were ever built," says Sterne, "the whole world, who have passed over it, must own that the noblest—the grandest—the lightest—the longest—the broadest that ever conjoined land and land together upon the face of the terraqueous globe, is the PONT NEUF." The Pont Neuf is certainly the largest, and, on account of its situation[ 1 ], the most conspicuous, and most frequented of any of the bridges in Paris; but, in the environs of the capital, is one

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LETTER XXXII.

LETTER XXXII.

Paris, December 13, 1801. In this gay capital, balls succeed to balls in an almost incredible variety. There are actually an immense number every evening; so that persons fond of the amusement of dancing have full scope for the exercise of their talents in Paris. It is no longer a matter of surprise to me that the French women dance so well, since I find that they take frequent lessons from their master, and, almost every night, they are at a dance of one kind or another. Added to this, the same

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LETTER XXXIII.

LETTER XXXIII.

Paris, December 14, 1801. I have already spoken to you of the Pont Neuf . To the east of it, as you will see by the Plan of Paris, the small islands in the middle of the Seine are connected to its banks by several bridges; while to the west, there are two only, though a third is projected, and, previously to the late rise of the river, workmen were employed in driving piles for the foundation. I shall now describe to you these two bridges, beginning with the PONT NATIONAL. Before the revolution,

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LETTER XXXIV.

LETTER XXXIV.

Paris, December 16, 1801. No part of the engagement into which I have entered with you, so fully convinces me of my want of reflection, and shews that my zeal, at the time, got the better of my judgment, as my promising you some ideas on FRENCH LITERATURE. It would, I now perceive, be necessary to have inhabited France for several years past, with the determined intention of observing this great empire solely in that single point of view, to be able to keep my word in a manner worthy of you and

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LETTER XXXV.

LETTER XXXV.

Paris, December 18, 1801. Divided as Paris is by the Seine, it seldom happens that one has not occasion to cross it more than once in the course of the day. I shall therefore make you acquainted with the bridges which connect to its banks the islands situated in that part of the river I have not yet described. Being out of my general track, I might otherwise forget to make any further mention of them, which would be a manifest omission, now you have before you the Plan of Paris. We will also emb

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LETTER XXXVI.

LETTER XXXVI.

Paris, December 20, 1801. What a charming abode is Paris, for a man who can afford to live at the rate of a thousand or fifteen hundred pounds a year! Pleasures wait not for him to go in quest of them; they come to him of their own accord; they spring up, in a manner, under his very feet, and form around him an officious retinue. Every moment of the day can present a new gratification to him who knows how to enjoy it; and, with prudent management, the longest life even would not easily exhaust s

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LETTER XXXVII.

LETTER XXXVII.

Paris, December 21, 1801. If Paris affords a thousand enjoyments to the man of fortune, it may truly be said that, without money, Paris is the most melancholy abode in the world. Privations are then the more painful, because desires and even wants are rendered more poignant by the ostentatious display of every object which might satisfy them. What more cruel for an unfortunate fellow, with an empty purse, than to pass by the kitchen of a restaurateur , when, pinched by hunger, he has not the mea

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END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.

END OF THE FIRST VOLUME.

PARIS AS IT WAS AND AS IT IS; OR A Sketch of the French Capital, ILLUSTRATIVE OF THE EFFECTS OF THE REVOLUTION, WITH RESPECT TO SCIENCES, LITERATURE, ARTS, RELIGION, EDUCATION, MANNERS, AND AMUSEMENTS; COMPRISING ALSO A correct Account of the most remarkable National Establishments and Public Buildings. In a Series of Letters, WRITTEN BY AN ENGLISH TRAVELLER, DURING THE YEARS 1801-2, TO A FRIEND IN LONDON. Ipsâ varietate tentamus efficere, ut alia aliis, quædem fortasse omnibus placeant. PLIN. E

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LETTER XXXVIII.

LETTER XXXVIII.

Paris, December 23, 1801. An establishment at once deserving of the attention of men of feeling, particularly of those who, in cultivating literature, apply themselves to the science of metaphysics and grammar; an establishment extremely interesting to every one, the great difficulties of which mankind had, repeatedly, in the course of ages, endeavoured to encounter, and which had driven to despair all those who had ventured to engage in the undertaking; an establishment, in a word, which produc

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LETTER XXXIX.

LETTER XXXIX.

Paris, December 25, 1801. Much has been said of the general tone of immorality now prevailing in this capital, and so much, that it becomes necessary to look beyond the surface, and examine whether morals be really more corrupt here at the present day than before the revolution. To investigate the subject through all its various branches and ramifications, would lead me far beyond the limits of a letter. I shall therefore, as a criterion, take a comparative view of the increase or decrease of th

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LETTER XL.

LETTER XL.

Paris, December 27, 1801. About thirty years ago, a public insult offered to human nature, in the person of some unfortunate blind men belonging to the Hospital of the Quinze-vingts , and repeated daily for the space of two months, suggested to a spectator the idea of avenging it in a manner worthy of a true philanthropist. In a coffeehouse of the Foire St. Ovide , in Paris, were placed ten blind beggars, muffled up in grotesque dresses and long pointed caps, with large paste-board spectacles on

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LETTER XLI.

LETTER XLI.

Paris, December 29, 1801. Such a crowd of different objects present themselves to my mind, whenever I sit down to write to you, that, frequently as I have visited the Grand French Opera since my arrival here, I have been hesitating whether I should make it the subject of this letter. However, as it is one of the first objects of attraction to a stranger, and the first in a theatrical point of view, I think you cannot be too soon introduced to a knowledge of its allurements. Let us then pass in r

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LETTER XLII

LETTER XLII

Paris, December 30, 1801 . Dancing, like the other arts in France, has, during the revolution, experienced the vicissitudes of this new order of things; but also, like the other arts, it has made a progress equally astonishing and rapid. However, it must not thence be inferred that dancing, particularly theatrical, had not attained a certain degree of superiority long before the revolution; yet a most evident improvement has been made in it, not only by the old-established dancers, who then seem

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LETTER XLIII.

LETTER XLIII.

Paris, January 1, 1802. Fast locked in the arms of Morpheus, and not dreaming of what was to happen, as Lord North said, when the king caused him to be awakened, in the dead of the night, to deliver up the seals, so was I roused this morning by a message from an amiable French lady of my acquaintance, requesting me to send her some bonbons . " Bonbons !" exclaimed I, "in the name of wonder, Rosalie, is your mistress so childishly impatient as to send you trailing through the snow, on purpose to

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LETTER XLIV.

LETTER XLIV.

Paris, January 3, 1802. An almost uninterrupted succession of wet weather has, of late, precluded me from the regular enjoyment of a morning walk. But, with the new year, we had a heavy fall of snow, which has since been succeeded by a severe frost. I gladly availed myself of this opportunity of taking exercise, and yesterday, after viewing the skaiters in that part of the Champs Elysées which had been inundated, and is now frozen, I immediately proceeded to the HÔTEL DES INVALIDES. This majesti

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LETTER XLV.

LETTER XLV.

Paris, January 6, 1802. In speaking of the interior of the Louvre , in one of my former letters, I think I mentioned the various learned and scientific societies, which, under the name of Academies, formerly held their sittings in that palace. For the sake of facilitating a comparison between the past and the present, it may be necessary to state the professed object of those different institutions. French Academy . The preservation of the purity of the French language, its embellishment and aug

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LETTER XLVI.

LETTER XLVI.

Paris, January 7, 1802. Knowing you to be an amateur of Italian music, I am persuaded that you will wish to be made acquainted with the theatre where you may enjoy it in full perfection. It is distinguished by the appellation of OPÉRA BUFFA. This establishment is not new in the French metropolis. In 1788, Paris was in possession of an excellent company of Italian comedians, who then performed in the Théâtre de Monsieur , in the palace of the Tuileries , which is now converted into a hall for the

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LETTER XLVII.

LETTER XLVII.

Paris, January 9, 1802. The exaggerated accounts of the interior state of France which have reached us, through various channels, during the late obstinate struggle, have diffused so many contradictions, that it is by no means surprising we still continue so ill-informed in England on many points most intimately connected with the morals of the French nation. Respecting none of these, have we been more essentially mistaken than the PRESENT STATE OF PUBLIC WORSHIP. I am given to understand, from

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LETTER XLVIII.

LETTER XLVIII.

Paris, January 10, 1802. Going the other day to call on M. S----i, I stopped by the way, to examine an edifice which, when I first visited Paris in 1784, engaged no small share of public attention. It was, at that time, one of the principal objects pointed out to the curiosity of strangers. At one period of the revolution, you will, doubtless, recollect the frequent mention made of the PANTHEON. Conceive my surprise, on learning that this stately building, after having employed the hands of so m

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LETTER XLIX.

LETTER XLIX.

Paris, January 12,1802. As no city in Europe presents so many advantages as this for the cultivation of literature, arts, and sciences, it is not surprising that it should contain great numbers of literati, artists, and men of science, who form themselves into different associations. Independently of the National Institute, Paris can boast of several other SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES. The following are the names of those held in most esteem. SOCIÉTÉ PHILOTECHNIQUE. SOCIÉTÉ LIBRE DES SCIENCES, LETTRES,

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LETTER L.

LETTER L.

Paris, January 13, 1802. I have spoken to you of palaces, museum, churches, bridges, public gardens, playhouses, &amp;c. as they have chanced to fall under my observation; but there still remain houses of more than one description which I have not yet noticed, though they are certainly more numerous here than in any other city in Europe. I shall now speak of COFFEEHOUSES. Their number in Paris has been reckoned to exceed seven hundred; but they are very far from enjoying a comparative degree

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LETTER LI.

LETTER LI.

Paris, January 15, 1802. As after one of those awful and violent convulsions of nature which rend the bosom of the earth, and overthrow the edifices standing on its surface, men gradually repair the mischief it has occasioned, so the French, on the ruins of the ancient colleges and universities, which fell in the shock of the revolution, have from time to time reared new seminaries of learning, and endeavoured to organize, on a more liberal and patriotic scale, institutions for PUBLIC INSTRUCTIO

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LETTER LII.

LETTER LII.

Paris, January 18, 1802. Of all the private lodgings in Paris, none certainly can be more convenient for the residence of a single man than those of MILLINERS. I have already said that such is the profession of my landlady. Whenever I am disposed for a little lively chitchat, I have only to step to the next door but one into her magazin de modes , where, like a favourite courtier, under the old régime , I have both les grandes et les petites entrées , or, in plain English, I may either introduce

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LETTER LIII.

LETTER LIII.

Paris, January 19, 1802. When you expressed your impatience to be informed of the dramatic amusements in Paris, I promised to satisfy you as soon as I was able; for I knew that you would not be contented with a superficial examination. Therefore, in reviewing the principal scenic establishments, I shall, as I have done before, exert my endeavours not only to make you acquainted with the best performers in every department, but also with the best stock-pieces, in order that, by casting your eye o

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LETTER LIV.

LETTER LIV.

Paris, January 20, 1802. Let us now examine the merits of the principal performers belonging to the Théâtre Français . Noble Fathers, or characters of Kings . VANHOVE, MONVEL, ST. PRIX, and NAUDET. VANHOVE. This king of the Théâtre Français neither has majesty nor nobleness of manner. His countenance is mean, and his make common. His monotonous and heavy utterance is sometimes intermingled with yelping sounds. He possesses no sensibility, and substitutes noise for expression. His mediocrity caus

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LETTER LV.

LETTER LV.

Paris, January 22, 1802. The observation with which I concluded my last letter, might explain why the votaries of Thalia gain so little augmentation to their number; while those of Melpomene are daily increasing. I shall now proceed to investigate the merits of the former, at the Théâtre Français . Parts of noble Fathers. VANHOVE and NAUDET. VANHOVE. This actor is rather more sufferable in comedy than tragedy; but in both he is very monotonous, and justifies the lines applied to him by a modern

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LETTER LVI.

LETTER LVI.

Paris, January 24, 1802. Among the customs introduced here since the revolution, that of women appearing in public in male attire is very prevalent. The more the Police endeavours to put a stop to this extravagant whim, the more some females seek excuses for persisting in it: the one makes a pretext of business which obliges her to travel frequently, and thinks she is authorized to wear men's clothes as being more convenient on a journey; another, of truly-elegant form, dresses herself in this m

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LETTER LVII.

LETTER LVII.

Paris, January 25, 1802. I have already observed that the general effervescence to which the revolution gave birth, soon extended to the seminaries of learning. The alarm-bell resounded even in the most silent of those retreats. Bands of insurgents, intermixed with women, children, and men of every condition, came each moment to interrupt the studies, and, forcing the students to range themselves under their filthy banner, presented to them the spectacle of every excess. It required not all this

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LETTER LVIII.

LETTER LVIII.

Paris, January 17, 1802. If we do not consider the Opera Buffa as a national theatre, then the next in rank, after the Grand French Opera and the Théâtre Français , is the THÉÂTRE DE L'OPÉRA COMIQUE. This house, which is situated in the Rue Feydeau , near the Rue de la Loi , was opened for the first time in January 1791. The entrance to it is by a circular vestibule, externally decorated with caryatides, and sufficiently spacious for one carriage to enter while another drives off by an adjoining

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LETTER LIX.

LETTER LIX.

Paris, January 29, 1802. Whenever the pen of an impartial writer shall trace the history of the French revolution, through all its accompanying vicissitudes, it will be seen that this country owed its salvation to the savans or men of science. The arts and sciences, which were revived by their zeal and courage, united with unceasing activity to pave the way to victories abroad, and repair mischiefs at home. Nor can it be denied, that every thing which genius, labour, and perseverance could creat

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LETTER LX.

LETTER LX.

Paris, January 30, 1802. To judge from the records of the Old Bailey, one would conclude that, in proportion to the number of its inhabitants, London must contain a greater number of dishonest persons of both sexes than any metropolis in Europe. But, though more notorious thieves and daring robbers may perhaps, be found in London than in many other great cities, yet I will venture to affirm that Paris contains more PICKPOCKETS AND SHARPERS. However superior too our rogues may be in boldness, I a

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LETTER LXI.

LETTER LXI.

Paris, February 2, 1802. Independently of the general organization of Public Instruction, according to the new plan, of which I have before traced you the leading features, there exist several schools appropriate to different professions, solely devoted to the Public Service, and which require particular knowledge in the arts and sciences. Hence they bear the generic name of SCHOOLS FOR PUBLIC SERVICES. They are comprised under the following denominations. In order to be admitted into any of the

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LETTER LXII.

LETTER LXII.

Paris, February 5, 1802 . In one of your recent letters, you interrogated me respecting the changes which the revolution had produced in the ceremonies immediately connected with the increase and decrease of population. While the subject is fresh in my mind, I shall present the contrast which I have observed, in the years 1789-90 and 1801-2, in the ceremony of FUNERALS. Under the old régime , there was no medium in them; they were either very indecorous or very expensive. I have been positively

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LETTER LXIII.

LETTER LXIII.

Paris, February 6, 1803. The mode of life of the persons with whom I chiefly associate here, precludes me from reading as much as I could wish, either for instruction or amusement. This, you will say, I ought not to regret; for a traveller visits foreign countries to study mankind, not books. Unquestionably, the men who, like splendid folios in a library, make at present the most conspicuous figure in this metropolis, are worth studying; and, could we lay them open to our inspection, as we do bo

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LETTER LXIV.

LETTER LXIV.

Paris, February 8, 1803. Having complied with your desire in regard to the Bibliothèque Nationale , I shall confine myself to a hasty sketch of the other principal public libraries, beginning with the BIBLIOTHÈQUE MAZARINE. By his will, dated the 6th of March 1662, Cardinal MAZARIN bequeathed this library for the convenience of the literati. It was formed by GABRIEL NAUDÉ of every thing that could be found most rare and curious, as well in France as in foreign countries. It occupies one of the p

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LETTER LXV.

LETTER LXV.

Paris, February 9, 1802. Vive la danse! Vive la danse! seems now to prevail here universally over "Vive l'amour! Vive la bagatelle! " which was the rage in the time of LA FLEUR. I have already informed you that, in moments the most eventful, the inhabitants of this capital spent the greater part of their time in DANCING. However extraordinary the fact may appear, it is no less true. When the Prussians were at Châlons, the Austrians at Valenciennes, and Robespierre in the Convention, they danced.

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LETTER LXVI.

LETTER LXVI.

Paris, February 11, 1802. In order to confer handsome pensions on the men of science who had benefited mankind by their labours, and who, under the old régime , were poorly rewarded, in 1795, LAKANAL solicited and obtained the establishment of the BUREAU DES LONGITUDES. As members of this Board of Longitude, the first institution of the kind in France, LAGRANGE, LAPLACE, LALANDE, CASSINI,[ 1 ] MÉCHAIN, BORDA,[ 1 ] BOUGAINVILLE, FLEURIEU, MESSIER, BUACHE, and CARROCHÉ, the optician, had each 8,00

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LETTER LXVII.

LETTER LXVII.

Paris, February 14, 1802. After speaking of the Board of Longitude and the National Observatory , I must not omit to say a few words of an establishment much wanted in England. I mean the DÉPÔT DE LA MARINE. This general repository of maps, charts, plans, journals, and archives of the Navy and the Colonies, is under the direction of a flag-officer. It is situated in the Rue de la Place Vendôme ; but the archives are still kept in an office at Versailles. To this Dépôt are attached the Hydrograph

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LETTER LXVIII.

LETTER LXVIII.

Paris, February 15, 1802. After the beautiful theatre of the old Comédie Française , under its new title of l'Odéon , became a prey to flames, as I have before mentioned, the comedians belonging it were dispersed on all sides. At length, PICARD assembled a part of them in a house, built at the beginning of the revolution, which, from the name of the street where it is situated, is called the THÉÂTRE LOUVOIS. No colonnade, no exterior decoration announces it as a place of public amusement, and an

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LETTER LXIX.

LETTER LXIX.

Paris, February 17, 1802. After having traversed the Pont Neuf , from the north side of the Seine, you cannot avoid noticing a handsome building to the right, situated on the Quai de Conti , facing the river. This is the Mint, or HÔTEL DE LA MONNAIE. The construction of this edifice was suggested by M. LAVERDY, Minister of State, and executed under the direction of M. ANTOINE, architect. I do not recollect any building of the kind in Europe that can be compared to it, since it far surpasses the

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LETTER LXX.

LETTER LXX.

Paris, February 20, 1802 . Having fully described to you all the theatres here of the first and second rank, I shall confine myself to a rapid sketch of those which may be classed in the third order.[ 1 ] THÉÂTRE MONTANSIER. This house stands at the north-west angle of the Palais du Tribunat . It is of an oval form, and contains three tiers of boxes, exclusively of a large amphitheatre. Before the revolution, it bore the name of Théâtre des Petits Comédiens du Comte de Beaujolais , and was famou

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LETTER LXXI.

LETTER LXXI.

Paris, February 22, 1802. The variety of matter which crowds itself on the mind of a man who attempts to describe this immense capital, forms such a chaos, that you will, I trust, give me credit for the assertion, when I assure you that it is not from neglect or inattention I sometimes take more time than may appear strictly necessary to comply with your wishes. Considering how deeply it involves the peace and comfort of strangers, as well as inhabitants, I am not at all surprised at the anxiety

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LETTER LXXII.

LETTER LXXII.

Paris, February 26, 1802. Referring to an expression made use of in my letter of the 16th of December last,[ 1 ] you ask me "What the sciences, or rather the savans or men of science, have done for this people?" With the assistance of a young Professor in the Collège de France , who bids fair to eclipse all his competitors, it will not be difficult for me to answer your question. Let me premise, however, that the savans to whom I allude, must not be confounded with the philosophers, called Encyc

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LETTER LXXIII

LETTER LXXIII

Paris, February 28, 1802. In all great cities, one may naturally expect to find great vices; but in regard to gaming, this capital presents a scene which, I will venture to affirm, is not to be matched in any part of the world. No where is the passion, the rage for play so prevalent, so universal: no where does it cause so much havock and ruin. In every class of society here, gamesters abound. From men revelling in wealth to those scarcely above beggary, every one flies to the gaming-table; so t

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LETTER LXXIV.

LETTER LXXIV.

Paris, March 1, 1802 . Of all the institutions subsisting here before the revolution, that which has experienced the greatest enlargement is the MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY. This establishment, formerly called Le Jardin du Roi , and now more commonly known by the name of Le Jardin des Plantes , received its present denomination by a decree of the National Convention, dated the 10th of June 1793. It is situated on the south bank of the Seine, nearly facing the Arsenal, and consists of a botanical g

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LETTER LXXV.

LETTER LXXV.

Paris, March 3, 1802. It has been repeatedly observed that civilized nations adhere to their ancient customs for no other reason than because they are ancient. The French have, above all, a most decided partiality for those which afford them opportunities of amusement. It must therefore have been a subject of no small regret to them, on the annual return of those periods, to find the government taking every measure for the suppression of old habits. For some years since the revolution, all disgu

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LETTER LXXVI.

LETTER LXXVI.

Paris, March 5, 1802. As I foresee that my private affairs will, probably, require my presence in England sooner than I expected, I hasten to give you an idea of the principal public edifices which I have not, yet noticed. One of these is the Luxembourg Palace, now called the PALAIS DU SÉNAT CONSERVATEUR. Mary of Medicis, relict of Henry IV, having purchased of the Duke of Luxembourg his hotel and its dependencies, erected on their site this palace. It was built in 1616, under the direction of J

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LETTER LXXVII

LETTER LXXVII

Paris, March 8, 1802 . Nothing would give me greater pleasure than to be always able to answer your inquiries without hesitation. Considering the round of amusements in which I live, I flatter myself you will readily admit that it requires no small share of good-will and perseverance to devote so much time to scribbling for your entertainment. As for information, you will, on your arrival in Paris, know how much or how little you have derived from the perusal of my letters. You will then have it

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LETTER LXXVIII

LETTER LXXVIII

Paris, March 9, 1802. Among the national establishments in this metropolis, I know of none that have experienced so great an amelioration, since the revolution, as the HOSPITALS AND OTHER CHARITABLE INSTITUTIONS; The civil hospitals in Paris now form two distinct classes. The one comprehends the hospitals for the sick: the other, those for the indigent. The former are devoted to the relief of suffering human nature; the latter serve as an asylum to children, to the infirm, and to the aged indige

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LETTER LXXIX.

LETTER LXXIX.

Paris, March 12, 1802. From the account I have given you of the Public Schools here, you will have perceived that, since the revolution, nothing has been neglected which could contribute to the mental improvement of the male part of the rising generation. But as some parents are averse to sending their children to these National Schools, there are now established in Paris a great number of PRIVATE SEMINARIES FOR YOUTH OF BOTH SEXES. Several of these are far superior to any that previously existe

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LETTER LXXX.

LETTER LXXX.

Paris, March 14, 1802 . I plead guilty to your censure in not having yet furnished you with any remarks on the origin of this capital; but you will recollect that I engaged only to give you a mere sketch; indeed, it would require more time and talent than I can command to present you with a finished picture. I speak of things just as they happen to occur to my mind; and provided my letters bring you acquainted with such objects here as are most deserving of attention, my purpose will be fully ac

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LETTER LXXXI.

LETTER LXXXI.

Paris, March 17, 1802. An object which must infallibly strike the eye of the attentive observer, who has not visited this capital within the last ten years, is the change in the style of FRENCH FURNITURE. This remark may, at first sight, appear trivial; but a second view of the subject will produce reflections on the frivolity of this people, even amidst their intestine commotions, and at the same time shew that they are, in no small degree, indebted to the influence of those events for the tast

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LETTER LXXXII.

LETTER LXXXII.

Paris, March 19, 1802. As the period of my stay here is drawing rapidly towards a conclusion, I find much less leisure for writing; otherwise I should, in my last letter, have made you acquainted with an establishment not irrelevant to the leading subject of it, and which, when completed, cannot fail to attract general notice and admiration. Every one has heard of the PIRANESI. In the year 1800, PIETRO and FRANCESCO, the surviving sons of the celebrated GIOVANNI-BATTISTA, transported to France t

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LETTER LXXXIII.

LETTER LXXXIII.

Paris, March 22, 1802. As to the mechanical arts, if you are desirous to view some of the modern improvements and inventions in that line, you must accompany me to the Rue St. Martin , where, in the ci-devant priory, is an establishment of recent date, entitled the CONSERVATORY OF ARTS AND TRADES. Here is a numerous collection of machines of every description employed in the mechanical arts. Among these is the belier hydraulique , newly invented by MONTGOLFIER, by means of which a stream of wate

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LETTER LXXXIV.

LETTER LXXXIV.

Paris, March 23, 1802. In the richness of her territory, the abundance of her population, the activity of her inhabitants, and the knowledge comprised in her bosom, France possesses great natural advantages; but the effect which they might have produced on her industry, has been counteracted by the errors of her old government, and the calamities attendant on the revolution. Some public-spirited men, thinking the moment favourable for restoring to them all their influence, have lately met; and f

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LETTER LXXXV.

LETTER LXXXV.

Paris, March 26, 1802. In visiting a foreign country, and more especially its capital, the traveller, whose object is instruction, enters into the most minute details, in order to obtain a complete knowledge of the various classes of its inhabitants. As Seneca justly observes, in his epistles, what benefit can a person reap from his travels, who spends all his time in examining the beauty and magnificence of public buildings? Will the contemplation of them render him more wise, more temperate, m

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LETTER LXXXVI.

LETTER LXXXVI.

Paris, March 28, 1802. Whatever changes may have been introduced by the revolution, in one respect at least, the Parisians still preserve towards foreigners that urbanity for which they were remarkable half a century ago, when Sterne paid them a visit. If you ask a shopkeeper here, of either sex, the way to a place, perhaps at some distance, he or she neglects the occupation of the moment to direct you, with as much solicitude and attention as though a considerable advantage was to be the result

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LETTER LXXXVII

LETTER LXXXVII

Paris, March 31, 1802. If I mistake not, I have answered most of the questions contained in your letters; I shall now reply to you on the subject of DIVORCE. The number of divorced women to be met with here, especially among the more affluent classes, exceeds any moderate calculation. Nothing can more clearly manifest the necessity of erecting some dike against the torrent of immorality, which has almost inundated this capital, and threatens to spread over all the departments. Before the revolut

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LETTER LXXXVIII.

LETTER LXXXVIII.

Paris, April 3, 1802 . Circumstances have at length occurred to recall me to England, and as this will, probably, be the last letter that you will receive from me before I have the pleasure of taking you by the hand, I shall devote it to miscellaneous subjects, and, without studying any particular arrangement, speak of them at random, just as they chance to present themselves. A fellow-creature, whose care-worn countenance and emaciated body claimed a mite from any one who had a mite to bestow,

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THE END.

THE END.

The new organisation of the National Institute, referred to in Letter XLV of this volume, will be found among the prefaratory matter in Vol. I, immediately preceding the Introduction....

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