The monuments of Paris, the gardens, promenades, markets,
libraries, etc.
In order to facilitate the progress of the reader in viewing the
monuments and different objects of interest in Paris, I shall classify
them within certain limits, so that they may be viewed in the shortest
possible time, stating those which are contiguous to each other, so that
a greater number may be visited in a day, than if the traveller went
from one distant quarter of Paris to the other promiscuously, as he
happened to hear of any building or monument he wished to see, and thus
have to return perhaps two or three times to the same neighbourhood
instead of finishing with one district first, then taking the others in
rotation; as I shall suppose that some of my readers can only afford ten
days or a fortnight to view Paris, I shall be as chary of their time as
possible; having been accustomed to show the lions to many different
friends or acquaintances from England, I trust I am tolerably _au fait_
at that operation. I shall begin with that part of Paris denominated La
Cité, because it is the most central and the most ancient; we will
therefore proceed to it by the Pont-Neuf, which as I have already stated
was built by Henry III about 1580. There are several shops upon it
contained within small stone buildings, which, when viewing the bridge
at a short distance, have rather a picturesque effect; it is ornamented
with a number of heads according to the taste of that day, and which now
give it rather an antique appearance. When well upon the bridge which
rises as it approaches the centre, I would advise the spectator to look
around him, as the view well repays the trouble, the quays having a most
noble appearance, adorned by the Louvre, the Tuileries, the Institute,
and other public buildings.
Now let us look about us at more immediate objects; what a noisy
bustling scene it is at present, and has been for centuries past, as in
the reign of Henry IV it is described as absolutely stunning; now you
are assailed by the hissing of fried potatoes, fish, and fritters, which
are bought up as fast as they are supplied, women and men are seated
with their little apparatus for shearing cats and dogs, and clipping
their tails and ears if required, which is a calling that appears to be
followed by numbers in Paris who all seem to take their stations on the
bridges; situated amongst them are several shoeblacks, who appear to
take their posts in uniform array with the trimmers of cats and dogs;
they operate upon your boots and shoes as you stand, therefore if you
wish to patronise them you may take that opportunity of looking about
and getting disburthened of some of the Paris mud, quite certain if it
be wet weather that you will soon get more. Fruit in all its variety,
books, prints, blacking, and nick-knacks of every description offer
themselves to your notice. But let us direct our attention to a more
interesting object; the fine bronze equestrian statue of Henry IV: one
could almost think the good and merry monarch was going to utter some of
his witty sallies. Now let us turn round and behold those antique
looking houses which face us and were built in his reign, at a distance
they have a sort of castellated appearance: before we quit the bridge
let us look down on the Baths Vigier with their pretty garden; we will
enter the place Dauphine, and then take one look at the bust of Desaix,
the victim of the battle of Marengo, and next we will turn on to the
Quai de l'Horloge and view the north side of the Palais de Justice; it
presents two round towers, which have the appearance of being very old,
and I was assured by an architect who employed much of his time in
poking about after such morsels of antiquity as he could find, that they
were built by the Romans, but I doubt it.
We must not miss the Tour de l'Horloge, which is certainly of the middle
ages, and the clock is I believe considered the oldest in Paris; turning
to the right we view the grand front of the Palais de Justice, a very
handsome iron grating in part gilded, decorates the entrance to the
front court, and you ascend a bold flight of steps to the principal
door; four doric pillars with figures representing Justice, Fortitude,
Plenty, and Prudence, adorn the grand façade of the building; an immense
hall to the right, in which is a noble statue of the good and venerable
Malesherbes, well worth attention, and is the apartment where formerly
ambassadors were received and the nuptial ceremonies of princes were
celebrated, but now the rendez-vous of lawyers, barristers, and their
clients.
Several other halls, chambers, galleries, corridors, etc, are worth
notice, and that which is beneath them, has a shuddering kind of
interest; it is called the Conciergerie, and if its victims were there
consigned by the harsh decree of rigid justice, surely mercy and charity
were not allowed to enter, whilst it formed the prison of the hapless
Marie Antoinette and the brave Pichegru, but we will draw a veil over
those scenes which are but fraught with sad reminiscences. Many of these
dark covered alleys, belonging to this extraordinary building, have been
long occupied by venders of shoes, slippers and a variety of articles
which remind one of the old Exeter Change.
This singular edifice which almost resembles a town is considered to
have been founded by Eudes, count of Paris, about the year 890, but the
most ancient part now standing, was built by Saint Louis who founded the
chapel, which is considered to be a complete type of the _pure_ gothic
architecture, and which in that respect is not exceeded by any other in
Europe; it has the most decided air of antiquity, with a richness and
elegance which certainly characterise it as the beau idéal of that
period. It is termed the Holy Chapel and now appropriated to the
conservation of ancient records. From this interesting monument we turn
with regret, but a new scene bursts upon us; it is the flower market,
which is held under trees and furnished with large bassins constantly
supplied with water; the numerous display of flowers mostly in pots done
up in such a manner with white paper so that it forms the background,
gives much light and life to the colours, buds, and blossoms, which
bloom on this enlivening spot. Wednesdays and Saturdays are the market
days, and I recommend the reader not to miss so pleasing a spectacle. On
the Quai du Marché-Neuf, on the southern bank of the island, a very
opposite sight may be seen, being the Morgue, a little building for
receiving all dead bodies found, and not owned.
We now proceed to Notre-Dame, which is in the form of a cross; it was
began about the year 1150, in the reign of Louis the Seventh, but
continued in that of Philippe-Auguste, and completed under Saint-Louis
in 1257, which date, as I have already stated, it now distinctly bears.
Its magnitude and extent surpasses every other church in Paris, it is in
the arabic style, and being now totally detached from any other building
has a most grand effect; it is only in the present reign that this great
improvement has been effected, as it was formerly joined on one side to
the archiepiscopal palace. The immense number of grotesque figures which
surround and surmount the doorway, give it a most rich appearance,
although they are in the rudest style of barbarism; above is a large
window called the rose, which is a most beautiful and curious object.
The interior at the first view has a most striking effect; one hundred
and twenty pillars supporting a range of arches afford a most splendid
_coup d'oeil_, the middle aisle presenting an uninterrupted view of
the whole church, which being very lofty has a most majestic appearance;
the sumptuous altar, the fine gloom pervading the pictures, the curious
Gobelin tapestry which decorate the sides, combine in affording a rich
effect which is still heightened by the chapels which are perceptible
between the columns. Although it might be urged that there is rather a
profusion of decoration with the bas-reliefs, and other ornaments, yet
the edifice is on so colossal a scale that it still presents so broad a
mass, that a tone of simplicity pervades the whole. The beautiful choir
is after a design by De Goste, the altar and sanctuary are of marble and
porphyry, whilst tesselated pavements and variegated shrines adorn the
numerous chapels. The pictures are good in general; as to the tapestry,
I think it had better be removed, which I dare say it will be as taste
refines. It is to be regretted that the towers of Notre-Dame have so
heavy and black appearance, which is increased by a parcel of dark
unseemly shutters. On the outside towards the north, there are some
pieces of sculpture well worth examination; they are beautifully
executed although much deteriorated by time, and appear to be works of
about the thirteenth century. There are some curious brasses which would
be very interesting to persons capable of decyphering them, one in
particular to the left on entering, but so much in the dark that it is
difficult to make it out, especially as the characters at best are not
easy to understand, but I recommend them to the inspection of those
persons who have time and inclination to study such subjects. The view
of the city from the towers affords an ample panorama, and displays the
positions of the principal monuments.
The Hôtel Dieu is one of the finest establishments of the kind in
Europe, it is an hospital for the sick, in which they can make up 1,500
beds, but there is nothing in its external appearance that is very
striking. The Archiepiscopal Palace had not a very attractive exterior,
but now, as they are partly demolishing and rebuilding it all, remarks
must be suspended until it be finished. No other object presents itself
particularly worth notice on this island, once the celebrated Lutetia,
but many of the houses have a very old appearance, and are some of them
probably of three or four hundred years standing; the curious observer
inspecting them will here and there find indications of the middle ages.
If the reader like to pass over to the Isle St. Louis, it will but take
him a few minutes, which is about as much as it is worth; the only
object exciting attention is the Hôtel Chamisot, No. 45, Rue St. Louis,
and the church of St. Louis, built in 1664. In this edifice there are
some pictures worthy remark and a curious spire. The Hôtel Lambert, No.
2, Rue St. Louis, also merits attention, being most richly adorned with
paintings, gilded mouldings, frescos, etc. Voltaire lived in it, and
Napoleon had a long conversation in the gallery in 1815 with his
minister, Montalivet, when he found all was lost.
I shall now conduct my reader from the little Isle St. Louis by the Pont
de Tournelle to the Quay de Tournelle, from which we proceed to that of
St. Bernard, where every one must be struck with the Halles aux Vins, or
Wine Halls; they are all arranged with extreme regularity, and forming
altogether a whole, have a most singular effect; the neatness of the
appearance is remarkable; and the extent is such that they might contain
sufficient inhabitants to people a small town. As we proceed along the
quay, we have a good view of the Pont d'Austerlitz, it is quite flat,
built of iron, and is extremely light and handsome.
Upon our right is the great attraction, so interesting to all nations,
the Garden of Plants; the first view of it through the iron railing is
most striking, rows of sable looking trees, forming a fine contrast to
the broad expansive beds of flowers, their gay colours blooming forth so
thickly as to resemble at some distance the brightest and richest
carpet; broad walks are between these brilliant masses; at the end of
which is the building which contains the Museum of natural History; to
give the reader anything like an accurate idea of this establishment, it
is necessary to exercise one's ability in condensing to the utmost
degree, as to furnish a comprehensive analysis of the wonders of this
institution would require a folio volume. I knew an English couple who
took lodgings in the immediate neighbourhood for three months that they
might go every day and study the numberless interesting objects this
establishment contains. The long promenades are formed by picturesque
trees and shrubs which have been collected from every clime; the immense
number of labels, as one approaches more closely, rather disfigure the
display of flowers, but as usefulness is the object, it is impossible
otherwise than to approve the extreme order and regularity with which
every plant, according to its genus, is classified, affording a most
delectable treat to a regular botanist. This arrangement has been
effected under the superintendence of Monsieur du Jussieu himself, no
doubt one of the most scientific botanists thatever has appeared; his
residence and that of his family was in the gardens, when I was in Paris
twenty years back, and I believe some of them still are concerned in the
botanical arrangements of the institution.
The tremendous vocabulary of long latin names inscribed on the labels is
really enough to appal the most retentive memory that ever existed, and
to a person who has never dipped at all into the mysteries of botany I
can imagine the terms are rather alarming, words with nineteen letters
in them are but trifles compared to others, and a regular John Bull who
was scanning them very justly remarked, pointing to the flowers, that it
was certainly a favoured spot of Flora, and then alluding to the fruits
observed the same of Pomona, but added, he should like very much to know
who was the goddess of hard words as he would recommend her to descend
upon the same beds, as she would there find a more numerous progeny
than either of her rival goddesses. I believe that there are now nearly
10,000 plants arranged according to the system of De Jussieu, in the
most simple and perfect manner, so that the student is enabled at once
to comprehend the plan, and numbers of both sexes attend even as early
as six in the morning copying the names of plants and studying their
classification. Although this establishment is called the Garden of
Plants, it has many other objects of the highest interest besides what
its name indicates. It is at the same time a most extensive menagerie,
which first gave the idea that has since been adopted of the Zoological
Gardens in Regent's Park; formerly the arrangement exceedingly
interested and delighted the English visiter, but now that he has the
same thing at home, it has ceased to be a novelty. Each animal having
plenty of room to walk about in, was certainly a beautiful thought, and
great improvement on confining them in cages, which is now only found
necessary with ferocious animals. The bears form a great source of
amusement to the people, they are in large square pits about ten or
twelve feet below the level of the promenades, and each has a large pole
in the middle, with several branches upon which they climb, whilst the
visiters throwing bread to them are exceedingly diverted at their
successful or unsuccessful attempts to catch it. It would be superfluous
to enter upon a description of the great variety of animals assembled in
this collection, suffice it to say that I believe there is no living
animal who can exist in a Parisian climate, that is not to be found in
this garden; generally there are several of a kind, and in case one dies
it is immediately replaced by another. The monkeys are the principal
objects of attraction, and as soon as they are let out into their little
paddock in front of their dwellings, which is only when the day is
considered sufficiently warm, crowds of people assemble to witness their
grimaces and gambols; they and the bears may be considered as the
principal dramatis personæ of the menagerie, and who certainly perform
their parts most admirably, never failing to afford the utmost
entertainment to the audience: and it is indeed a sort of rivalry
between Jocko and Bruin which should play their _rôle_ the best; for my
own part I really think I give the preference to the latter, there is
something at once so comic and so good natured-looking in the bears,
that I feel almost inclined to descend into their pits and caress and
pet them as I would a favourite dog, but am only deterred by fearing
they would give me a reception rather too warm, and their friendly hug
be too overpowering for me to sustain.
There are several buildings in this garden which are applied to various
purposes, amongst the rest an Amphitheatre where lectures on all the
branches of natural history are delivered. A Cabinet of Anatomy most
richly stored occupies one mansion; dissections of the human form, as
well as those of almost every animal are here found, besides numerous
other curiosities. Amongst other things the progress of a chicken in the
egg is exemplified, from its first speck until it has life, which is
imitated with the most extraordinary exactness in wax, as also are
several fishes which cannot be preserved, besides a numerous collection
of foeti and monsters. To see these things properly; would require to
pass several days in these rooms; but a week would not suffice to do
justice to the grand Museum, every description of bird and beast that
has been known to exist in our days may be found here stuffed, and
preserved in glass cases with the nicest care; it appears strange to see
an enormous elephant and a tall ostrich within a glass case. Here also
are to be found every species of fungus, chrysalis, sea-weed, eggs, and
nests. But the shells, minerals, and fossils, form so extraordinary and
numerous a collection that they are the subject of admiration of every
beholder; the polish of the shells, the brilliance of the colours of the
plumage of the birds, and the glossy smoothness of the skins of the
beasts are as perfect as if they were living, but the same cannot
exactly be said of the fishes. The marbles, porphyry, and granite, the
lava, basaltes, barks of trees, bones of animals known and unknown, some
within stones, are arranged by the celebrated Cuvier, whilst the ores,
crystals, jaspers, and extraordinary varieties of ornamental articles
formed of these materials occupy several apartments.
In addition to all these objects of high interest, there is a most
excellent library, giving every possible information regarding the
contents of this delightful establishment; a statue of the great
illustrator of the wonders of nature, Buffon, is here most
appropriately placed, as also some paintings of plants and animals.
Hence it may be easily imagined that persons who have much leisure, and
are fond of the study of natural history, may well choose to take up
their abode in the neighbourhood, for the convenience of long poring
over the beauties of this wonderful Museum. From hence other schools of
botany are supplied with seeds, cuttings, suckers, etc., whilst the
hospitals of Paris are gratuitously furnished with whatever is requisite
for the purposes of medicine; nor must I omit to state that there is a
most beautiful aviary, the birds of which are choice selections of the
finest of their species, and for those of an aquatic nature, there is a
basin of water from the Seine. Even specimens of soils, manures,
ditches, ha-has, palisades, frames, and every thing necessary for
forming fences are to be found here in every variety. Even to persons
who have no scientific information nor desire to obtain knowledge, to
walk in the Jardin-des-Plantes (Garden of Plants) affords delight, the
number of attractions are such, and of so varied a description that even
the dullest mind must be awakened to a sense of pleasure, yet some
persons I have seen who regarded all the phenomena collected here with
the most stoical indifference; the fact is, that a number of people will
not take the trouble to think, and lose the enjoyment they might receive
from the wonders of nature; how different if they would but devote to
them a little reflexion.
With our minds still deeply impregnated with the impression of the
objects we have just contemplated, we will leave the garden, and turning
round to the right, we find ourselves upon the Boulevard de l'Hôpital,
just facing the Hôpital de la Salpêtrière, which makes up 500 beds for
females, who are lunatics, idiots, otherwise diseased, or 70 years of
age; it is of immense extent, and conducted with so much order, and such
cleanliness prevails both with regard to the inmates and the
establishment itself, that it may be considered one of the most
gratifying sights in Paris; in fact I have heard many English ladies,
much to their credit, declare that not any of the interesting objects
which they had seen in the French capital, afforded them more pleasure
and satisfaction. Just near it is the terminus for the Orleans railway,
which is worthy of observation, and then we will cross over to the horse
and dog market and observe the regular system with regard to the stalls
and other arrangements which are adopted; it is principally for
draught-horses, Wednesdays and Saturdays are the market days, and
Sundays for dogs. We must next glance at the Hôpital de la Pitié,
founded in 1612 for paupers, it has been since annexed to the
Hôtel-Dieu, and contains 600 beds; it is situated No. 1, rue Copeau.
Sainte-Pélagie being just by in the Rue de la Clef, we ought to afford
it a half hour; it was formerly a convent of nuns, political prisoners
are now here confined when committed for trial, or if sentenced to but
short terms of imprisonment; it is also appropriated for other offenders
whose sentence of confinement is of brief duration, but the military
surveillance within and around it is very strict.
The Fountain Cuvier, at the corner of the street of that name, and the
Rue St. Victor, must claim a few minutes' attention; it is certainly one
amongst those of modern erection possessing great merit. In the Rue
Scipion we will cast one look at the great bakehouse for all the
hospitals in Paris, to which I have before alluded. The Amphitheatre of
Anatomy must occupy some attention, being a suite of anatomical schools
only recently built, on a most commodious scale; it forms a corner of
the Rues du Fer and Fossés St. Marcel. One thought in passing the
ancient Cimetière de Ste. Catherine, closed in 1815, must be devoted to
Pichegru, who lies buried there; we then hurry on without loss of time
to the manufacture of the Gobelin tapestry. As the little river Bièvre
is considered to be peculiarly adapted for dyeing, that process has been
carried on from a very remote period on the spot where the present
establishment now stands, which owes its foundation to Jean Gobelin in
1450, and under Louis the Fourteenth it was formed into a royal
manufactory. To me this is indeed one of the greatest wonders of Paris,
how such beautiful specimens of art can be produced when the work is all
done behind the frame, so that the artist cannot see the effect of what
he is doing, is to me most miraculous; the material used is woollen and
silken threads, so woven together, that a perfectly smooth surface is
produced, having all the softness and gradation of tints to be found in
the finest oil painting, without that glare which varnish produces; the
execution of these works is attended by a most tedious application,
requiring sometimes six years to complete one piece, which, at 18,000
francs, about seven hundred pounds, is not adequate to recompensing the
workmen equal to their merit and perseverance; about 120 men are
constantly employed, principally for the Government or the Royal Family.
Attached to this establishment is the Royal Carpet Manufactory; such as
are here produced are considered superior to those of Persia, with
regard to the evenness of the surface, the strength, durability, and
fineness of the workmanship, the beauty of the designs, and the
brilliance of the colours, which are such as can never be surpassed, but
if they were ever allowed to be sold, the price would be so enormous
that some would amount to 150,000 francs (6000_l._) The accuracy with
which the pictures of Rubens have been copied is most extraordinary, as
it may be said that the operative works in the dark. One carpet has been
produced for the Gallery of the Louvre, consisting of seventy-two
pieces, forming a total exceeding 1,300 feet which is supposed to be the
largest carpet ever made. The same facility exists for foreigners seeing
this exhibition, as with all others, the passport being presented,
Wednesdays and Saturdays, from one to three in winter, and from two to
four in the summer.
A curious old house, termed the Maison de St. Louis or de la Reine
Blanche, is worth notice, in the Rue des Marmouzets; it may have been
inhabited by a queen of that name, but certainly not the mother of St.
Louis, as it is not sufficiently ancient, being of about the time of
Charles the Seventh, when it was the rage to build houses in that style
of architecture, about the period of from 1440 to 1460. The church of
St. Medard, in the Rue Mouffetard, offers nothing remarkable, but a
mixture of different styles of architecture, according to the epochs at
which it was repaired and embellished; in 1561 a tremendous attack was
made upon it by the Calvinists, when several of the congregation were
killed, and the Abbé Paris, having been buried in the cemetery attached
in 1727, his tomb, it is pretended, had certain convulsions in 1730, and
was the origin of the sect called convulsionists, and the scenes which
occurred caused the cemetery to be closed in 1732. A picture of St.
Genenieve, by Watteau, in the chapel of that saint, must be admired,
having much merit. In the Rue de l'Oursine, No. 95, is an hospital which
is a refuge for sinning and afflicted females (something in the nature
of the Magdalen, in London), containing 300 beds. To the fountain of
Bacchus, at the corner of the Rue Censier, we will give a look _en
passant_, as also to the School of Pharmacy, formerly a convent, in the
garden of which was formed the first botanical garden, in 1580; there is
here a cabinet of specimens of drugs and a collection of mineralogy
worthy of examination; it is situated in the Rue de l'Arbalète, No. 13.
The Hôpital Militaire and Church of the Val de Grâce is in the Rue St.
Jacques (vide page 96) and is one which particularly merits attention of
the visiter; the vault of the dome is painted upon the stone by Mignard,
and is justly celebrated as one of the most splendid frescos in France;
the heart of Anne of Austria, the foundress of it, was sent here, as
also those of many succeeding members of the Royal Family. The interior
of the church is much admired for the richness of its architecture. At
No. 3, Rue de la Bourbe, is the Lying-in Hospital, formerly the Abbey of
Port Royal, containing 445 beds; any woman, eight months advanced in
pregnancy, is admitted, if there be room to receive her, without an
inquiry, if she be in distress; she enters into an engagement to support
the child, and if she cannot fulfil it, she must make a declaration and
it is sent to the Foundling Hospital, but if she retain it, clothing and
a small sum of money is given her on quitting the hospital. A school for
midwifery is established here, the practitioners being females, who,
when considered competent, receive a diploma from the physicians who are
appointed judges.
Just by this establishment is the Observatory, erected in the reign of
Louis XV; it is a most curious piece of architecture, having in it
neither wood nor iron; it is not a large building, but has a fine
appearance, and Perrault was the architect; it is vaulted throughout,
and a geometrical staircase, having a vacuity of 170 feet deep, merits
particular notice. There is a circular universal chart upon the pavement
of one of the apartments. By means of mechanical arrangements the roof
and cupola open, and every night, the weather permitting, astronomical
observations are taken. M. Arago, the most celebrated astronomer of
France, lectures here, where there is every facility, and every
instrument to be found requisite for the promotion of the science of
astronomy; there are two pluvia-meters, for ascertaining the quantity of
rain that falls in Paris during a year. There is a general map of
France, called the Carte de Cassini, containing 182 sheets, a marble
statue of Cassini (the author of the work) attests the high estimation
in which he was held; he died in 1712, aged eighty-seven. This
institution is the just admiration of all scientific men from every
civilized part of the world, but it is an astronomer alone who can
thoroughly appreciate its merits.
The little hospital, founded by M. Cochin, in 1780, being just by No. 45,
Rue du Faubourg St. Jacques, may claim our hasty look, it contains 114
beds, and the patients receive the attendance of the Soeurs de St.
Marthe. At No. 9, Rue des Capucins, Faubourg St. Jacques, is an hospital
for men and youths above fifteen, whose excesses have brought on
disease; it is styled Hôpital des Vénériens, and contains 300 beds; the
attendants are all males.
Near to the Barrière d'Enfer is the entrance to the Catacombs,
containing the bones of 3,000,000 persons which are all systematically
arranged so as to have the most extraordinary effect; they are formed
into galleries of an immense length, and occupy a considerable space of
ground under a great portion of Paris, on the south side of the Seine;
but now they cease to be such objects of interest as they formerly were,
as the public are not now permitted to visit them; they were formerly
large quarries from which the stone was drawn for building most part of
ancient Paris, and when it was decided to clear many of the cemeteries
within the capital, the bones were placed in these quarries in 1784, and
the operation of piling them as they now are was effected in 1810. In
the Rue d'Enfer, No. 86, is the Infirmary of Marie Thérèse, founded by
Madame la Vicomtesse de Chateaubriand, in 1819, named after the Duchess
d'Angoulême, its protectress; it is destined for females who have moved
in respectable society, the accommodations and food being far better
than are found in the generality of hospitals; the establishment
consists of fifty beds. At the Barrière of St. Jacques, the guillotine
is erected when criminals are to be executed. Beyond the Barrière
d'Enfer, on the Orleans road, No. 15, is the Hôpital de la
Rochefoucauld; it is devoted to the reception of old servants of
hospitals, and other aged persons, it also receives poor persons on
their paying, according to circumstances, 200 francs a-year, or upwards,
or on paying a sum on entering varying from 700 to 3000 francs. The
number of beds is 213.
As we descend the Rue d'Enfer, we find, at No. 74, the Foundling
Hospital, founded by the good and celebrated St. Vincent de Paule, in
1632. Any child is received at this institution on the mother making a
declaration that she has not the means of supporting it, when she
receives a certificate signed by a commissary of police; the average
number admitted in the last two or three years is rather over three
thousand; they are attended by the Soeurs de Charité (Sisters of
Charity) in the most praiseworthy manner; in the same building is the
Orphans' Hospital, where the children are placed when two years of age,
and of poor persons who fall ill and are obliged to go to an hospital,
the children may be sent here until the parents are cured. The children
are all taught reading, writing, and arithmetic, and are placed to
various trades at the proper ages; they are treated with the greatest
care and kindness, it is open to visiters, and the sight of it produces
the most heartfelt gratification; many of the most respectable members
of society have come from this institution. Turning into the Rue de
Faubourg St. Jacques, at the corner of the Rue des Deux Eglises, is the
institution for the Deaf and Dumb, founded by the benevolent Abbé de
l'Epée, who, with only 500_l._ a-year, took the charge of maintaining
and educating forty deaf and dumb pupils, whom he taught to write and
read, even on the most abstruse subjects.
The Abbé Sicard followed up the plan to the highest perfection; 80
pupils are now admitted gratis and are brought up to different trades,
others pay according to their means; the Chambers grant generally
4,000_l._ a year to this institution. At No. 67, Rue d'Enfer, is the
Convent of the Carmelites, where Mademoiselle de La Vallière, the
beautiful favourite of Louis XIV, took the veil. The church of St.
Jacques-du-Haut-Pas, which is at the opposite corner, offers nothing
very remarkable, the first stone was laid in 1630, by Gaston of Orleans,
brother to Louis XIII. Four fine paintings of Saints however are worthy
of notice.
The Pantheon, formerly the church of Sainte Genevieve, stands to the
left as we descend the rue St. Jacques, and strikes upon the eye as a
most noble and imposing building; it was Louis XV who laid the first
stone in 1764, near the spot where stood the ancient but ruined church
of St. Genevieve. It is affirmed that he was persuaded by Madame de
Pompadour to erect this monument as a thanksgiving after his having had
a severe illness. The architect was Soufflot, the style is purely
Grecian. Twenty-two fluted Corinthian columns, 60 feet in height and 6
in diameter, sustain the portico, and 32 the great dome, above which is
a lantern terminated by a figure in bronze 17 feet high. There is a
great deal of sculpture about the building, some allegorical, others
portraiture; its total height is 282 feet. The exterior is in the form
of a Grecian cross. The paintings are by the Barons Gros, and Gerard;
although a most noble structure, yet it is not consistently grand in all
its bearings. Monuments of the great men of France are now erected here;
and amongst the rest the immortal Lafayette. The stranger is recommended
to ascend the dome, from which a most amusing view is afforded. The
vaults beneath are extremely curious and interesting; whatever the
faults of this edifice may be, there is a solemnity about it which takes
great possession of the mind, particularly when there is a funeral and
the light of the torches are seen glimmering amongst the priests in the
"long drawn aisle," as they slowly and solemnly wend their way.
In the Rue des Postes, No. 26, is the seminary for young men destined for
missionaries to the colonies; a bas relief representing a missionary
preaching, above the pediment of the church, is the only striking
object. At No. 3, Rue de Fourcy, is the Irish college, rather a handsome
building, with some trees about it which add to the effect. Many Irish
of distinction are buried here and it is still kept up, there being
about 100 students; the regulations are the same as in the English
Universities, about 25 priests are sent out from here to their own
country every year. In the rue des Fossés St. Victor is the Scotch
College (vide page 78), it is now a sort of school, but the tablet over
the door with Collége des Ecossais inscribed still remains, and there
are many interesting monuments of Scotch nobility. Next door is the
Convent of English Augustin Nuns, the only religious house never
molested during the Revolution; it contains a small chapel with some
English tombs, the inmates now occupy themselves with the education of
their young countrywomen. At the back of the Pantheon, rather to the
south-east, is the very curious and interesting church of St.
Etienne-du-Mont; it is an odd mixture of styles of architecture, a tower
and circular turret which are detached from the church, are supposed to
be of the date 1222; a staircase of most singular construction and of
peculiar lightness is the first object which strikes the spectator on
entering; there is a great deal of richness and scroll work, with some
Arabic, Greek and Gothic styles intermingled. Some of the pictures in
this church are exceedingly good, and are by Lebrun and Lesueur. The
pulpit is supported by Sampson, and there are other smaller figures, the
whole having a beautiful effect; the design is by La Hire, and executed
by Lestocard, it is altogether a church of high interest, often the
subject of the modern artists' pencils. There is a tomb which was found
in the vaults beneath, which is said to be that of St. Genevieve, and
bears the date of 511.
The library of St. Genevieve is close by, and besides containing 200,000
volumes, and 2,500 manuscripts, it possesses other objects of interest,
being a series of portraits from Philippe the Bold to Louis the XV, and
one of Mary Queen of Scots. This library belongs to the Collége Henry
IV, which on the side towards the Rue Clovis is very modern, but the
lower part of the curious old tower is supposed to have been built in
the reign of Clovis. The young princes of the reigning family in France
were educated at this College, there are 907 pupils, of whom 500 are
boarders. The École de Droit which stands in front of the Pantheon was
also erected in the reign of Louis XV, and Souflot, the architect. At No.
123, is the Collége de Louis-le-Grand, formerly the Collége de
Clermont, founded in 1560, but the present building was erected in
1618; it contains 1,180 pupils, of whom 520 are boarders. It possesses a
large library, and a good collection of philosophical instruments.
Behind this College, in the Rue de Rheims, at the corner of the Rue des
Chollets, a gateway and building of the time of Francis I. is worth
attention, supposed to belong to the old Collége des Chollets. The Royal
College of France, situated No. 1, Place Cambrai, was founded in 1529, by
Francis I, but the present edifice was erected in 1774. It is a spacious
building and very commodious, 23 professors attend and give gratuitous
lectures upon almost every subject, whether scientific or literary, and
particularly upon languages, both ancient and modern, Oriental and
European. In a court opposite the college is a very curious square tower
of the 12th century, called la Tour Bichat, or la Tour de St.
Jean-de-Latran; it is all that is remaining of the Hall of Knights
Hospitaliers, established in 1171, afterwards called Chevaliers de
Malte.
The remains of a chapel of very ancient date will be found in the
adjoining Cour de la Vacherie, in the far corner to the right, now
occupied as a charcoal depot. We will next proceed to the rue de la
Montagne St. Genevieve, and view the Polytechnic School, formerly the
Collége de Navarre, and where still remain a hall and chapel of the 14th
century; a new façade much less interesting has been recently added, and
the establishment is altogether badly situated. There are many
emblematical bas-reliefs which possess no extraordinary merit. But the
institution itself is one that deserves the highest encomiums, the young
men are received at from 17 to 20, after they have passed the ordeal of
a very severe examination in Paris or their respective departments. They
are instructed in every branch of education connected with military
science, and are afterwards admissible in the engineers, artillery,
pontooners, miners, inspectors of highways, public works, etc; they pay
1,000 francs a year, find their own uniforms, and whatever may be
requisite for their studies; they remain two or three years, as
circumstances may demand. Strangers wishing to view this establishment
must have a permission from the Minister of War.
The Rue des Carmes has an interesting appearance as containing some of
the old colleges, now otherwise appropriated. One was the College de
Lisieux; the buildings remain with a curious chapel, which fronts the
Marché des Carmes, but its entrance is at No. 5, Rue St.
Jean-de-Beauvais. In the Market there is a fountain in the middle built
in 1818; this Market is now designated la Place Maubert, and occupies
the site of the Convent des Carmes. Mounting a few steps in the Rue St.
Victor, we arrive at the church of St. Nicholas-du-Chardonnet; the body
of the building was completed in 1709, but the lower is of the 16th
century. The general effect of the interior is fine, but the paintings
in different chapels, on either side, are highly interesting; some of
them are extremely good, of the schools of Lesueur, Moise Valentin, and
Mignard, the ceiling of the chapel of St. Charles is painted by Lebrun;
there is also a monument of himself and his mother. At No. 68, Rue
St-Victor is the Royal Institution for the juvenile Blind, founded by M.
Haüy in 1791. There are here maintained 60 boys and 30 girls, at the
expense of the State, and as boarders, any blind children may be
admitted, either French or foreign; they are taught reading, music,
arithmetic, and writing, by means of characters raised in relief.
Admittance is freely accorded to strangers, but the establishment is
about to be removed to the corner of the Rue de Sèvres, on the Boulevard
des Invalides, where 250 pupils will be accommodated. At No. 18, Rue de
Pontoise, is the seminary of St. Nicholas du Chardonnet, and at No. 76,
the ancient College of Cardinal Lemoine, founded in 1300; some parts of
the original building exist, and on the doors are still seen a
cardinal's hat and arms, and numerous iron spear-heads. Close by, in the
Marché aux Veaux, is still one of the dormitories of the Convent of the
Bernardins, which must be of the 13th century, as also some remains of
their chapel, in a house adjoining the Market. On the Quai de la
Tournelle, No. 35, is the Hôtel de Nesmond, of the reign of Henry IV,
and at No. 5, the Pharmacie Centrale, for keeping all the drugs and
chemical preparations for the hospitals of Paris.
The Rue de Fouarre, by which we will pass, is one of the meanest and
filthiest in Paris, but has been cited by Petrarch, Dante and Rabelais,
as in it were several of the schools where public disputations were
held; the Rue Galande, the Rue des Rats, and many other dirty streets of
the same description is the quarter where existed the old University,
and still known by the name of the Quartier Latin.
Thus having completed our survey, which I shall call the south-east
division, we will proceed to the south-west, and begin by the church of
St. Severin at No. 3, in the street of the same name, called after a
hermit who died in the year 530, but had on this spot an oratory and
cells, where he conferred the monastic habit on St. Cloud. The present
building was erected in 1210, in the reign of Philippe Auguste, has been
repaired and enlarged at several different periods, which is perceptible
by the different styles displayed in the architecture; there is a great
deal of elaborate workmanship about this church that is exceedingly
beautiful and interesting, the lower part of the tower is coeval with
its first erection; a few good pictures of the old French school are
amongst the attractive objects contained within this edifice.
Ascending the little unseemly streets des Prétres and Boutebrie, we find
ourselves in the Rue du Foin, No. 18, being called the Hôtel de la Reine
Blanche; she was living about the year 1210, when the church of St.
Severin close by was founded in the reign of her father-in-law, and very
probably resided in the neighbourhood, perhaps on the very spot where
the house stands which is now called after her, but evidently not in the
same building which is now shown as such, although the staircase is of
a very ancient appearance.
In the same street, at the corner of the Rue Boutebrie, is the old
Collége de Maître Gervais, founded in 1370, at present appropriated as a
barrack for infantry. The visiter now must prepare for a grand treat, as
we turn round into the Rue de la Harpe, and at No. 63, we find the
venerable and crumbling remains of the Palais des Thermes (vide page
55). Julian, who was born in 332, inhabited it for some time, and many
imagine it was built by his grandfather, but others state that it was
alluded to at a still earlier period. Of what now remains there is
principally a large hall and a smaller, forming together one room; the
architecture is simple but noble, the walls are adorned by three grand
arcades, the middle being the loftiest. The vaulting of the roof rests
upon supports, representing the sterns of ships; human figures may be
distinguished in one of them. Beneath the hall are vaulted apartments
extending under most of the neighbouring houses. An aqueduct is traced
as having been brought from some leagues, for the purpose it is supposed
principally of supplying the baths. The masonry is alternately of stone
and brick, in parts covered with a thick stucco. It seems almost
incredible that a monument so ancient, and of such high interest should
have been for so long a period totally disregarded by the government,
and suffered to be occupied by a printer, a traiteur, and a cooper. The
Municipality of Paris have now however purchased it, and intend to
convert it into a museum for the reception of antiquities that can be
collected of the ancient Gauls. After the overthrow of the Roman yoke,
the Palais des Thermes was inhabited by the earliest kings of France. To
view these ruins the stranger must apply to the concierge, No. 68, Rue
de la Harpe, directly opposite, and a trifle should be given to the
party showing them.
The Hôtel de Cluny which is almost adjoining, is also an object highly
meriting the attention of the observer. It is one of those edifices of
the middle ages, of which there are so few remaining. In 1505, in the
reign of Louis the Twelfth, this curious building was erected by Jacques
d'Amboise, Abbot of Cluny, on the site and with a part of the ruins of
the Palais des Thermes. There is a richness about the architecture and
the ornaments around the windows, that is particularly striking; the
chapel is most highly interesting, and in it was married Princess Mary,
the widow of Louis the Twelfth, and sister of Henry VIII, to the duke of
Suffolk, as also James V of Scotland to Magdalen, daughter of Francis I.
Having at length become the property of M. Sommérard, all the value of
his acquisition is duly appreciated, and he has formed within this
curious and beautiful edifice, a collection of specimens of the middle
ages, which are arranged chronologically; he is the author of a most
interesting work on the subject which may be procured upon the premises.
The stranger will find a visit to the Hôtel de Cluny one of the most
gratifying of any he can bestow, and on writing to M. Sommérard, he may
be certain of procuring admission. Following the Rue St. Benoît, we
arrive at the Theatre du Pantheon, Rue St. Jacques, opened in 1832; it
is partly formed by the church St. Benoît anciently that of St. Benedict
built in 1517, much famed during the ligue, where the assassination of
Henri III was applauded by Jean Boucher in his sermons. The performances
are vaudevilles and melodramas. Highest price two shillings, lowest
six-pence.
We now re-enter the Rue de la Harpe, and notice the Royal College St.
Louis, originally founded by Raoul Harcourt in 1280; the present
building was erected in 1675, but part of the ancient edifice exists,
the greater portion of the structure was built in 1814; and the college
opened in 1820. There is a chapel attached, and at the lower end a
gateway, formerly the entrance to the Collége de Bayeux, founded in
1308, which bears an inscription to that effect, and probably of the
same date. A very few steps bring us to the Collége de la Sorbonne,
built on the site of a school founded by Robert Sorbon in 1253; it is
filled with historical associations, the church and all about it has a
very gloomy appearance, it is cruciform and of the corinthian order,
surmounted by a dome the interior of which is painted by Philippe de
Champagne. The tomb of Cardinal de Richelieu, in the southern transept,
is the chef-d'oeuvre of Gérardon. The college is a plain building of
sombre aspect, but the accommodation for the professors is on a handsome
scale; the lectures delivered are all gratuitous.
We will now proceed to the School of Medicine in the street bearing the
same name. The first stone was laid by Louis XV, in 1769, it is a truly
elegant building, a peristyle of the ionic order with a quadruple range
of columns unite the two wings and support the library, and a fine
cabinet of anatomy. The grand court is 66 feet in length by 96 in
breadth, the amphitheatre which is opposite the entrance is capable of
containing 1,400 people; there are several allegorical and emblematical
bas-reliefs, and on the whole it is a building which excites much
admiration both in an ornamental and in a useful point of view, there
not being a single object that can in any manner facilitate the study of
medicine that is not to be found within this institution. At No. 5, in
the same street, is a gratuitous school of drawing, established in the
ancient amphitheatre of surgery, chiefly intended for artisans, to
instruct them in the principles of drawings and architecture, and
lectures are given on geometry, mensuration, etc. Opposite to the École
de Médecine, is the Hôpital clinique de la Faculté de Médecine,
established in the cloister of the Cordeliers, of which there are some
remains still visible; it is rather a handsome building and contains 140
beds. The body of the building is in the Rue de l'Observance. In the
same street as the École de Médecine; is the Musée Dupuytren, being the
valuable pathological collection of that celebrated anatomist, bought by
the University of his heirs, and placed in the refectory of the
Cordeliers which has been fitted up in the style of the 15th century,
the date of its erection.
Adjoining to this Museum is the School of practical Anatomy, being a set
of dissecting rooms for the use of the students. As we are so near I
must conduct the visiter to the Rue Hautefeuille; on the west side is a
house of the 16th century, which once belonged to a society of
Premonstratensian monks. In the same street, Nos. 23, 13, 9 and 5, and
at the corner of the Rue du Paon and Rue de l'École de Médecine, the
houses have ancient turrets, and are stated to have been built in the
reign of Charles VII. In the house, No. 18, of the latter street, in a
dirty backroom, Charlotte Corday stabbed that beau idéal of monsters,
Marat. We will now make our way to the Rue d'Enfer, and at No. 34 is the
Hôtel de Vendôme, at present the royal School of Mines; this noble
mansion was erected in 1707 by the Carthusian monks, but being purchased
by the Duchess of Vendôme was called after her. Every description of
tool or instrument used in mining will here be found, and perhaps the
extensive mineralogical collection is unrivalled anywhere in Europe, and
arranged in the most scientific manner by M. Haüy, with a ticket
attached to each explanatory of their quality and locality. The
geological specimens have been collected by Messrs. Cuvier and
Bronguiart; weeks might be passed in this museum by those partial to
studying mineralogy, geology, and conchology, and subjects for
examination and meditation would still not be exhausted. We will now
turn into the gardens of the Luxembourg Palace; they are in the true
French stiff style, but look at them in a slanting direction and all
the formality is lost; the statues are seen intermingled with the trees,
shrubs, flowers, parterres, walks, vases, fountains, etc. and the
coup-d'oeil has a most beautiful effect, and some of the retired walks
amongst the high trees have a very inviting though solitary appearance.
The Palace (vide page 98) was erected by Marie de Medicis, and is now
with the recent additions a very extensive building, and taken in a
general sense is decidedly a very fine monument, but I certainly think
the pillars being in such bad taste with large square knobs sticking out
all the way up the columns, in a degree spoil the effect of the whole
edifice, still there is a heavy grandeur in the ensemble which has an
imposing appearance. After having been occupied by various royal
personages, it was given by Louis the Sixteenth to his brother
afterwards Louis XVIII, who resided in it until he quitted France in
1791; it has since been appropriated to many different purposes, and is
now used as the Chamber of Peers; for their discussions a new apartment
has been constructed 92 feet in diameter, the form is semi-circular. In
the middle of the axis is a recess in which the president's and
secretaries' seats are placed; above are a range of statues in recesses,
the chairs of the peers are arranged in an amphitheatrical manner and
occupy the space in front of the president; the peer who speaks takes
his place below the president's desk.
There are altogether in this palace so many statues, apartments,
sculpture and galleries to describe, that it would monopolise far too
much space in my little volume if I were to attempt to do it justice. I
must therefore content myself with advising the reader to take the first
opportunity of viewing it with its beautiful gallery of pictures, many
of which are the chefs-d'oeuvre of the best living French artists. In
the new divisions which have been lately constructed there are some fine
specimens of painting from the pencils of Messrs. Delaroche, Scheffer,
Boulanger, Roqueplan, etc., and the chambers voted 800,000 fr.
(32,000_l._) for the artistical decorations of the recent erections
added to the original building.
Le Petit Luxembourg is a large hotel contiguous and may be considered as
a dependency of the great palace, it was built by Cardinal Richelieu who
made it his residence whilst the Palais Royal was building, when he
afterwards gave it to his niece the Duchess d'Aiguillon. It is now
occupied by the Chancellor of France, as President of the House of
Peers; it also contains a small prison for persons committed for
political offences, and tried by the Court of Peers: the ministers of
Charles X were here confined in 1830. In the same street, No. 70, is the
Convent of the Carmelite Sisters, already mentioned, a portion of the
building is still devoted to sacred purposes, the chapel is dedicated to
St. Joseph, and of the Tuscan order, it was founded by Marie de Medicis.
Here first began the massacres in Paris of the 2nd of September, 1792,
when a number of priests here imprisoned were murdered. This is the
convent which has long been famed for the _Eau de Mélisse_ and _Blanc
des Carmes_, which are still sold here.
At the southern gate of the Garden of the Luxembourg is the _Jardin
botanique de l'École de Médecine_, where every medicinal plant agreeing
with the climate is raised, and ticketed as classified by Jussieu.
The Odéon Theatre which is near the Luxembourg has been twice burnt
down, but was finally restored in 1820; it is situated fronting the
street, and in the _place_ of the same name; it is certainly a very
handsome building both as to the exterior and the interior, which is
fitted up in a most superior style, but all exertions to render it
successful seem in vain, although the present director has it rent free
from the government; dramatic pieces in general are here represented,
but its situation prevents its ever being much frequented; the principal
front having a portico of eight doric columns ascended by nine steps has
a fine effect; it is capable of containing 1,600 persons.
A very few steps bring us to the magnificent church of St. Sulpice.
Although the first stone was laid by Anne of Austria, in 1655, it was
not totally finished until 1777. The portico, by Servadoni, is splendid;
the two towers not being similar, rather spoil the effect, but the
interior baffles all description to do it justice; a simplicity and
grandeur pervades the whole, which is heightened by a soft light thrown
upon the Virgin directly behind the altar, who appears to be descending
midst the lightest clouds upon the earth, to which she presents her son.
The corinthian order prevails throughout the interior, the statues are
bold and finely conceived, some of the paintings are exquisite, that of
the ceiling, particularly. Two immense shells, placed within the
entrance, for containing holy water, resting on rocks of marble, were
presented to Francis I, by the Republic of Venice. The pulpit is
supported by two flights of steps, with the figures of Faith, Hope, and
Charity, producing a most splendid appearance. The organ is ornamented
with no less than seventeen figures playing on musical instruments, or
sustaining cornucopies carved in the most perfect manner. The pillars on
the different sides of this edifice comprise the four orders of doric,
ionic, corinthian, and composite. I cannot conceive a more sublime and
delightful sensation than that which is caused when the first low notes
of the organ begin to swell; the aisles being extremely lofty and
vaulted, the sound appears gradually to peal through the building with a
degree of softness which seems as if it came from a considerable
distance, and has a most extraordinary and enchanting effect. We will
now quit this noble edifice by the grand front, and looking to the left
cast an instant's glance upon a large plain building, which is the
Seminary of St. Sulpice, and has 210 students.
Descending the Rue Mabillon a few paces, we come to the Market St.
Germains, where formerly flourished the great fair under the same name.
It was built in 1811 on a most commodious plan, and has every requisite
that can be thought of for the convenience of a market, with an
extremely handsome fountain in the middle, which the visiter should not
omit to observe. Quitting the Market by the Rue Montfaucon brings us in
front of the prison of the Abbaye, in the Rue St. Marguerite, now only
used for confining military offenders; here it was that some of the
greatest horrors were committed during the Revolution, it has a small
turret at each corner, and seems to be a building of about two hundred
years standing. Not many yards off is the very ancient church of St.
Germain des Près (vide page 61), which has often been pillaged, burnt,
and otherwise injured, but the lower part of the tower is coeval with
the foundation, 558. The document relative to the establishment of the
monastery and church is still preserved amongst the archives of the
kingdom, and bears the date 561. The nave is simple and of the time of
Abbot Modardus, in the year 900; additions and repairs have been made at
different periods, but in many instances the style of architecture
displays its early date, the capitals of the pillars are remarkable for
the grotesqueness of the devices. There are some pictures of merit, and
many interesting tombs, one of Casimir, the King of Poland, who
abdicated his throne in 1668, and died abbot of the monastery attached
to the church in 1672, also of the Duke and Earls of Douglas and Angus.
The Abbot's palace still stands at the east of the church, in the Rue de
l'Abbaye, directly facing the Rue Furstemberg; it was built in the year
1586 by Cardinal Bourbon. It is a large heavy-looking red brick
building faced with stone, with a large garden behind; it is at present
let out to different tenants.
We shall now descend the Rue Furstemberg, and taking the Rue Jacob, to
the right shall get into the Rue de Seine, and mounting the little
Passage du Pont-Neuf, one of the oldest in Paris, we find ourselves
opposite the Rue Guénégaud cited by Sterne, as also the Quai Conti, on
which stands the Mint or Hôtel des Monnaies, a very extensive building
and rather handsome; it was built in the reign of Louis XV in 1771,
after designs furnished by M. Antoine; an entablature supported by ionic
columns forms the principal front, with six statues of Peace, Commerce,
Prudence, Fortitude, Plenty and Law. On the right is a noble staircase
ascending to apartments fitted up with the splendour of a palace. The
collection of coins and medals here are extremely interesting, the first
are two of Childebert, the dates being 511-568, and they are nearly
complete of the respective kings up to the present day, amongst others
are some of the gold pieces of 10 louis, each of the reign of Louis
XIII, very large and beautiful. A medal of Charlemagne of most exquisite
execution, and others of almost every country or celebrated monarch or
chief, with a collection of the ores in their mineral state, every
instrument used for coining and in fact every object appertaining to
such an establishment, which would demand much space and time to
describe, and a work is written solely on the subject. This interesting
museum is open to foreigners with their passports on Mondays and
Thursdays, from twelve till three.
Contiguous and on the western side stands the Palais of the Institute,
or as we should call it the Royal Academy. It was founded by Cardinal
Mazarin in 1661, from designs by Levau. The segment of a circle
describes the front, whilst pavillions upon open arcades terminate the
extremities, a portico in the centre with corinthian colums surmounted
by a pediment, whilst a dome crowns the summit, and vases upon the
entablature combine to give it a fine effect. In the great hall of this
building the members of the Academy hold their sittings; the vestibules
are adorned by marble statues of men whose intellectual powers have
rendered their names renowned throughout the world, as Montesquieu,
Molière, Corneille, Racine, Sully, etc., etc. The Mazarine library is
attached to this institution and contains 120,000 printed volumes
besides 4,500 manuscripts. There is also under the same establishment
the library of the Institute, which includes 115,000 volumes; in the
gallery in which they are contained is a marble statue of Voltaire, by
Pigale, highly celebrated for its execution. This building was for some
time called the Palais des Quatre-Nations, as the founder at first
designed it for natives of Roussillon, Pignerol, Alsace, and Flanders.
The subjects discussed within the halls of this institution are the
Belles-Lettres, the fine Arts, moral and political Sciences, etc.
Persons desiring tickets for the meetings of the members must inscribe
their names at the office of the secretary of the Institute. Directly
opposite is a light elegant bridge, called the Pont-des-Arts, it is
constructed of iron and is merely for foot passengers.
Passing to the Quai Voltaire we turn into the Rue des Petits-Augustins,
and stop before the front of the Palais and École des Beaux-Arts, or
School of fine Arts; this is one of the many institutions which exist in
Paris requiring a volume to describe all its beauties and utility, there
are a great number of professors belonging to the establishment which is
divided into two sections, the one for sculpture and painting, the other
for architecture, both of which the pupils are taught, and when they
excel, receive annual prizes. The present building was erected upon the
garden of the Convent of the Petits Augustins, but there are still some
remains of antiquity, which are rather strangely intermingled with the
modern erection, as the front of a château at Gaillon built in 1,500 and
transported here by M. Lenoir, who collected together on this spot
relicks of the middle ages, which are now again dispersed to the great
regret of every resident or visiter in Paris. There is also the portal
of the Château-d'Anet built by Henri II for Diana of Poitiers, with many
other objects extremely curious; amongst the rest a large stone basin
from the Abbey of St. Denis, 12 feet in diameter, ornamented with
grotesque heads, said to be a single piece of stone, some letters upon
it prove that it must be of the 13th century, and many other fragments
over which the antiquary likes to pore. Here every aid is given to the
young artist, that can facilitate his progress in his art, and he who is
adjudged to have painted the best piece upon a subject given, is sent to
Rome to study three years, at the expense of the government. The visiter
will here find paintings, sculpture, models, and in fact, every thing
connected with the fine arts. He must also visit the ancient chapel of
the convent, containing a most beautiful screen of stone and marble, and
on the walls are some very good paintings: Mr. Ingres, perhaps the most
celebrated draftsman now existing, made a present to this institution of
fifty pictures, copies he had executed at his expense in the Vatican,
from Raphael. Foreigners must apply with their passports for admission
at the office to the right on entering.
We return on the Quay and remark the Pont du Carousel, an iron bridge of
three arches of an elegant construction, it was built by a company, who
have laid a toll both on foot and carriage passengers. No. 1, Rue de
Beaune, on the same quay, is the hôtel where Voltaire resided, and died
in 1788. His nephew, M. de Villette, and afterwards Madame de
Montmorenci, kept his apartments closed for forty-seven years. We must
now ascend the Rue des Saints Pères, and in passing by, notice the
Hôpital de la Charité, at the corner of the Rue Jacob, which has such a
dismal appearance outside, that it almost makes one ill to look at it;
indeed, to pass it often, one would soon be in a fit state to become
one of its inmates; it was founded by Marie de Medicis, as a religious
community, called Brothers of Charity, who were all surgeons and
apothecaries, administering relief both for body and soul; it contains
426 beds. Besides those belonging to the medical and chemical school
attached to it, there are several gardens in which the patients are
allowed to walk; the same diseases are here treated as at the Hôtel
Dieu, de la Pitié, etc. Turning to the right into the Rue St. Dominique,
at the end of the second street on the north we shall see the church of
St. Thomas d'Aquin; it was formerly a convent of Jacobins, founded by
Cardinal Richelieu. The present front was built in 1787, by Brother
Claude, one of the monks; it has two ranges of columns, doric and ionic,
surmounted by a pediment with a bas-relief representing Religion,
terminating with a cross. The interior is decorated with corinthian
pilasters, the effect is altogether fine, the high altar is of white
marble, and some of the pictures are extremely good; the nobility attend
much at this church, and it is rather famed for its preachers. The Musée
d'Artillerie is adjoining, and contains the armour worn from the
earliest ages, as also the weapons which have been used, and those of
different countries. Here will be found the armour of many heroes famed
in the annals of chivalry, as Bayard, Dunois, Duguesclin, etc., and an
equestrian figure of Francis I. There is also the helmet of Attila, who
was slain by Clovis, in 453; another, on which are some verses from the
Koran, of Abderama, killed by Charles Martel. The dagger with which
Ravillac assassinated Henri IV, having a black crape round it. There
are, besides, models of all kinds of machines connected with war; the
armour of Joan of Arc will be regarded with interest, as also of many
others whose names have been celebrated in history; a catalogue
descriptive of every object is to be had at the door for one franc.
There is a military library attached to the establishment, with naval
charts, etc. Strangers are admitted on Thursdays and Saturdays, from
twelve till four, with their passports.
A few steps take us into the Rue du Bac, which we will ascend to the Rue
de Grenelle, and observe one of the finest fountains in Paris, erected
after the designs of Bouchardon, in the reign of Louis XV, began 1739
and finished in 1745; it is most richly adorned by statues and
allegorical subjects. At No. 120, Rue du Bac, is the church of St.
Francois Xavier, or of Foreign Missionaries, it was built in 1683,
consisting of two parts, one on the ground floor, and the other above,
the lower is perfectly plain, the upper is of the ionic order; there are
some good paintings of the French school of the period. Behind is the
seminary for the instruction of young men intended as missionaries in
the requisite sciences and languages. The worthy Abbé Edgeworth, the
attendant of Louis XVI in his last moments, was one of the members of
this institution.
Just by in the Rue de Babylone is a barrack for infantry, famed for the
attack and defence carried on in the Revolution of the three days. In
the rue Vanneau is a recently built house, a complete type of the style
of Francis I. In the Rue de Varennes are several grand hôtels of the
nobility of France, with their family names inscribed over the immense
gateways; it is in fact one of the most interesting streets in Paris;
amongst others, at No. 23, is the hôtel of the late Duchess de Bourbon,
now belonging to Mme Adélaïde d'Orléans. No. 35, is the hôtel d'Orsay,
recently restored and embellished, and several others of the same
description. At the north-west corner of the street stands the hôtel de
Biron, now converted into the celebrated convent and seminary of the
Sacré Coeur (Sacred Heart), where so many daughters of the French,
English and Irish catholic nobility have been brought up. No. 16, the
offices of the Minister of Commerce, and No. 10, Rue Hillerin-Bertin, is
the École royale des Ponts-et-Chaussées, established in 1747. The
pupils, who are all taken from the Polytechnique, are instructed in
every thing connected with the projection and construction of bridges,
canals, ports and public works. Their collection of plans, maps, and
models relative to these operations is very rich. But a few paces
southward bring us facing the ancient convent of Panthémont, now used as
a barrack for cavalry, forming the corner of the Rue de Belle-Chasse and
that of the Rue de Grenelle; the chapel, which has a dome, is an
interesting architectural object.
This is one of the aristocratic streets of Paris, where the most
ancient families of France have their town residences; the Rue St.
Dominique is of the same description, and many others in this
neighbourhood, but in too many cases immense gateways and high walls are
all that are to be seen in the streets, as the hotels are situated
behind them at the end of large court-yards, similar to several houses
in Piccadilly the most of which are now pulled down: on the west side of
Cavendish square one is still standing (I believe Lord Harcourt's), and
several others in different parts of the west end of the town. The most
conspicuous hotels in the Rue St. Dominique, are those of the Duke de
Lynes, No. 33, the hotel of the late Duchess Dowager of Orléans, No. 58,
formerly inhabited by Cambacérès. The Hôtel de Grammont, No. 103, and
the Hôtel de Périgord, No. 105. At 82 and 86, are the residence and
offices of the Minister of War, where there is a very valuable library,
with a most interesting collection of plans, maps, and drawings. We will
now return to the Rue du Bac, and at No. 132, we shall notice the Hôtel
Châtillon, now occupied by the sisters of St. Vincent de Paule, better
known as the Sisters of Charity.
At the top of the street we find the Rue de Sèvres, and turning to the
left we shall view, at the corner of the Rue de la Chaise, the old
Hospital entitled Hospices des Ménages; it was built in 1554 on the site
of an old establishment for afflicted children, and is now appropriated
to the reception of the aged, whether married couples or single; there
are 264 beds, and an extensive garden attached to the establishment.
Strangers may visit this hospital every day, and will find the detail of
the regulations very interesting. A few yards eastward bring us to the
Abbaye-aux-Bois, so called when it was founded in 1202 from being in the
midst of the woods; this church possesses a few good pictures, amongst
which are a Virgin and dead Christ, by Lebrun, and a portrait of Mlle de
la Vallière. Opposite is the Maison du Noviciat des Religieuses
Hospitalières de St. Thomas de Villeneuve. Still continuing in the Rue
de Sèvres, at No. 54, is the hospital for women who are incurable; it
was founded in 1634 by Cardinal de la Rochefoucault, which is indicated
by an inscription over the door; it contains 600 beds. There is a large
chapel attached, in which there are some pictures, and one bearing the
date of 1404 with a handsome monument of the founder.
The Egyptian fountain in this street is well worth attention, it was
built in 1806, and is a very handsome monument. At No. 104, corner of
the Boulevards, is the convent of the Dames de St. Thomas de Villeneuve,
with a very pretty little gothic chapel. At No. 95 is that of the
Lazarists, with a small chapel fronting the street. At the corner of the
Boulevard on the north side are new buildings, erected for the reception
of the juvenile blind. No. 149 is the Hôpital des Enfants malades; it is
wholly appropriated to the reception of sick children, who are admitted
from 2 to 15 years of age; it contains 500 beds, which number is to be
considerably increased. Next door is an hospital founded by Madame
Necker in a building which formerly was a convent of Benedictine nuns;
it is for the reception of the sick in general, and contains 300 beds;
the chapel attached has two fine statues of Aaron and Melchizedek, in
marble, discovered in digging the foundations of a house; a short
distance farther on, is an Artesian well, which after many long,
expensive, and most laborious attempts, at last emits water from the
enormous depth of nearly 1800 feet; it rises to the height of 65 feet,
and falls into the respective conduits destined to receive it. It is
situated at the entrance of the Abattoir de Grenelle which is one of the
extensive slaughter-houses at the outskirts of Paris, all of which are
justly celebrated for the regularity of the buildings, the order with
which every thing is conducted, and the great convenience of their being
situated where they cannot be any source of annoyance to the inhabitants
of the interior of the capital.
The École Militaire stands at the end of an avenue of trees, just before
us; it was founded by Louis XV, in 1751, for educating gratuitously 500
young gentlemen, the sons of poor nobility, but it is now converted into
barracks for 4,000 men, either cavalry, artillery, or infantry. One
front, looking to the Champ de Mars, is adorned with ten corinthian
pillars, sustaining a pediment decorated with bas-reliefs, whilst a
quadrangular dome, rises from behind, with figures of Time and
Astronomy; there are besides in other parts of the edifice, rows of
tuscan, doric, and ionic pillars, the buildings surround two spacious
court-yards; on the first floor is the Salle de Conseil, embellished
with pictures and military emblems. The chapel attached to the
establishment is most splendid, the roof is supported by thirty fluted
corinthian columns: the entrance to the École Militaire is by the Place
de Fontenoy.
The Champ-de-Mars is a most extensive oblong piece of ground, in which
has been celebrated many extraordinary epochs in the history of France;
the sloping embankments on each side were formed by the people of Paris;
as many as 60,000 persons of both sexes kept working at them until they
were finished, when the fête de la Fédération took place on the 14th
July, 1790. It was also the scene of several other public
demonstrations, and in 1837, on the 14th of June, during the rejoicings
for the celebration of the marriage of the Duke of Orléans, 24 persons
lost their lives by being either suffocated or trodden to death in
passing through the gates. The Paris races are held here in May and
September, as also the military reviews, inspections, manoeuvres, etc.
Proceeding by an avenue from the north-cast corner of the Champ-de-Mars
we arrive at the Hôtel des Invalides, which is certainly the grandest
monument that exists of the reign of Louis XIV. It is a most delightful
asylum for crippled or worn-out old soldiers, it was built after the
designs of Bruant, begun in 1671, and completed in 1700. The façade
towards the Seine, though heavy, is grand and imposing, adorned by the
statue of Louis the XIV, and colossal figures of Mars, Minerva, Justice
and Prudence, in bas-relief, and at the sides by emblematical
representations of the four nations conquered by the founder.
The first court has the most pleasing appearance, the arcades render it
light and elegant, and although ornamented with figures, arms, horses,
and trophies, they are not exuberant, and its simplicity is not
deteriorated. The church is a most magnificent structure, presenting an
extraordinary mixture of military and religious decorations. The dome,
which has an effect truly noble, is adorned by paintings of the twelve
Apostles by Jouvenet, surmounted by a glory from the pencil of Lafosse,
with a beautiful tesselated pavement beneath; there are some other good
paintings, but many very bad. The gilding, although extremely gorgeous,
harmonises well with the varied colouring which prevails throughout this
beautiful edifice, and has not a gaudy appearance. There are monuments
of several of the governors of the hospital; numbers of portraits, and
banners taken from different countries, which amounted to as many as
3,000, but on the evening prior to the allies entering Paris, Joseph
Bonaparte ordered them to be burnt. To give any thing like a
comprehensive idea of this wonderful building, would require many pages,
there is such an immense number of interesting objects, the description
of which would compel the omission of other matter equally important;
but, whether taken for its exterior or its interior, it certainly is
one of the grandest monuments extant. The approaches to it are
particularly fine, being by long vistas of high trees, with a most noble
esplanade in front. A library belongs to the establishment which was
founded by Napoleon; it consists of 30,000 volumes, and his portrait by
Ingres is one of its valuable ornaments. It is gratifying to see so many
of the Invalids constantly in the library, amusing themselves with
reading; it is a pleasing sight to be there at meal-time to witness the
cleanliness and comfort which prevails. Besides board and lodging, every
soldier receives 2 francs a month, and officers and non-commissioned
officers in proportion; 5,000 is the number the establishment can
contain.
In quitting this extraordinary building, the visiter must notice the
Hôtel du Châtelet at the corner of the Rue de Grenelle, now occupied by
the Austrian ambassador, being a fine specimen of the days of Louis XIV.
We then pass into the Rue St. Dominique, and at No. 185 find the Hospice
Leprince, so called after the founder, erected in 1819; it contains 10
beds for men and 10 for women; almost opposite is the church of St.
Pierre-du-Gros-Caillou, which was built in 1822, and is much admired for
its beautiful symmetry; the whole is consistently of the tuscan order.
Farther to the west is the military hospital founded by the Duke de
Biron for the French guards, containing 700 beds and erections for 500
more are to be added shortly. Directly opposite is the Fountain of Mars
built in 1813, a monument very well worth the visiter's attention.
Continuing a few yards farther to the west, we enter the Avenue de la
Bourdonnaye, and turning to the right we come to the Atteliers de
Sculpture, consisting of two handsome buildings where sculptors employed
by government on public monuments may proceed with their operations;
stone-yards, sheds, a house for the director, and the whole arrangement
is most complete for the attainment of the object; visiters may obtain
tickets from the Director of public Monuments, Palais du Quai d'Orsay.
The royal Manufactory of Tobacco, Snuff, and Cigars is at a short
distance eastward, No. 57, Quai d'Orsay, an extensive establishment for
the preparation of the articles, with a handsome modern house for the
offices, and residence for the director. The profits of this
establishment in 1839 to the government were 66,001,841 francs, upwards
of 2,500,000£. We will now proceed along the quai, and notice the
bridges; first the Pont de Iena, terminated in 1813, it is completely in
a horizontal line, and is certainly a perfect structure, uniting
elegance, beauty, and simplicity.
The Pont des Invalides is a handsome suspension bridge for carriages as
well as foot passengers; a toll is paid in passing over it. Pursuing our
course eastward we arrive at the Palais Bourbon, and Chamber of
Deputies, which was erected by the dowager Duchess of Bourbon, in 1722,
begun by the Italian architect Girardini, and continued by Mansard. It
was afterwards much enlarged when possessed by the Prince de Condé, but
not completed when the Revolution of 1789 occurred. In 1795 it was
appropriated as the Chamber for the sittings of the Council of Five
Hundred, and next occupied by the Corps Legislatif. At the Restoration
in 1814 the Prince de Condé retook possession, but so arranged that the
portion which had been converted into a locality for the sittings of the
Legislative Assembly, and which had been partly rebuilt, should be
appropriated to the use of the Deputies, and finally was bought by
government for 5,500,000 francs. At the death of the Duke de Bourbon
this palace devolved upon the Duke d'Aumale, and is leased to the
Chamber of Deputies for the residence of the President, but will soon
become the property of the country by a negociation at present pending.
The entrance of the Palais Bourbon is by the Rue de l'Université, and
being approached by a long avenue of trees has the air of a country
seat; formerly the apartments were gorgeously furnished, now simple
beauty and utility alone prevail; there are a few good pictures, and one
room decorated with bucks' horns, and different emblems of the chase;
there is a large garden laid out in the English style. The grand front
of the portion styled the Chamber of Deputies is exactly opposite the
handsome bridge called the Pont de la Concorde, and is from thence seen
to the best advantage; it is a noble massive building with colossal
statues of Sully, Colbert, l'Hôpital, and d'Aguesseau, there are besides
several allegorical figures, and 12 noble corinthian columns,
supporting a fine bas-relief recently completed, approached by a flight
of 29 steps; for so much weight as there appears in this building, I
should say there was not sufficient height, and the breadth is immense,
still the effect is dignified and imposing.
The Chamber itself is a semi-circular hall with 24 white marble ionic
columns and bronze capitals gilt. The president's chair and the tribune
form the centre of the axis of the semi-circle, from whence the seats
rise of the 459 deputies, in the shape of an amphitheatre. A spacious
double gallery capable of containing 700 persons surrounds the
semi-circular part of the Chamber, arranged with tribunes for the royal
family, the corps diplomatique, officers of state and the public. There
are a number of very fine statues, as well as some extremely clever
pictures by the first French artists, and there, is a library of 50,000
volumes. Anyone with a passport may visit the Chamber, but for the
debates a letter post-paid must be addressed to M. le Questeur de la
Chambre des Députés, who will send a ticket of admission. A short
distance to the east is the Palace of the Legion of Honour, erected in
1786 after designs by Rousseau for the Prince de Salm, after whom it was
called. The entrance is by a triumphal arch, and a colonnade of the
ionic order with two pavillions. At the end of a court yard is the
principal front consisting of a fine portico, adorned with large
corinthian pillars. The side which fronts the Seine is particularly
light and graceful, having a circular projection adorned with columns
supporting a balustrade with six statues. When the Prince de Salm was
beheaded in 1793, the hôtel was put up to lottery, and won by a journey
man hairdresser, and in 1803 it was appropriated to its present object;
strangers are admitted without any difficulty.
The Palais du Quai D'Orsay is almost adjoining, and although one of the
most magnificent, yet one of the most chaste edifices in Paris; it has
never received any decided name. It was begun under Napoleon, and then
remained dormant until 1830, and in the present reign has been finished
in the most perfect style. The grand front which faces the river
presents a long series of windows formed by arches beneath a tuscan
colonnade on the ground-floor; the one above is similar, except being of
the ionic order, surmounted by a sort of corinthian attic; the court is
surrounded by a double series of Italian arcades, there are four
staircases, placed at each corner, one styled the escalier d'honneur, is
absolutely splendid, both as regards the construction and the richness
of its ornaments. The chief entrance is in the Rue de Lille, and there
are side gateways into other streets. The ground-floor is appropriated
to the Council of State and the offices attached, the first floor to the
Cour des Comptes, and the third to the conservation of the Archives of
these two public bodies. This noble structure has cost upwards of twelve
million francs.