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" as I imrsued my jonrnej, I spy^d a wrinkled Hag; with Age grown double, Picking dry Sticka, and mumbliDg to herselil" AOTUORaSD COPYRiaUT aSPRlA'T FRO^ 3tR. MURRAY'S PROOF Saua. TWO VOLUMES COMPLETE IN ONE. IP^ NEW.yOBK: GEORG'E P. PUTNAM, 155 BROADWAY. 1852, PREFACE. • •■ Kearly forty years ago I happened to be in Paris for three or four months. Lately, on a yery short notice, I had occasion to go to it again. Being detained there rather more than three weeks by an oculist, whose pre- scriptions confined me to the house several hours a day, I eked out the rest of my time by taking a few notes. In passing through London I had hastily obtained eight or ten letters of introduction ; but, as on reading Galignani's excellent guide-bookj I found that every thing I could reasonably desire to see would, on application in writing, or on the production of my passport, be thrown open to me — ^with almost a single exception — I returned the whole of them, preferring to throw myself on the hos- pitality of the public authorities of Paris, rather than be indebted to, and probably embarrassed by, private favours. During my brief residence in the French metropolis, excepting three days, I dined and breakfasted by myself. I never entered a theatre ; only once a cafd. I neither paid nor received visits. In short, I totally abstaiued from any other society than that which I had the happiness to enjoy in the public streets. Is PREFACE. My amusements solely consisted in collecting literary sticks, picked up exactly in the order and state in which I chanced to find them. They are thin, short, dry, sapless, crooked, headless, and pointless. In the depth of winter, however, a faggot of real French Sticks — although of little intrinsic value — may possibly enliven 'for a few moi^ents an English Fireside. I therefore with great diffidence offer them to my readers, and, hoping the fuel I have col- lected for them may be deemed worth burning, I beg leave most cordially to wish them "A MERRT Christmas and a happy Year." New i N. B. — Ab the foot-notes in these volumes contain nothing but trans- lations — ^for the assistance of those who do not understand French— of the sentences to which they refer, the general reader may ride over them without notice. f-^-j i I- y CONTENTS. ■i- - ■ r I ^ . " " '^ ■tt, >■ / », M A FAGGOT OF FKENCH STICKS. • ••■ THE START. At eleven o'clock of the night of the 29th of April, a.d. 1851, the London train, after two or three rejoicing whistles, reached Dover, and, in a few minutes, I was on the threshold of one — I know not which— of that long list of " excellent hotels " whose names, the instant I stepped out of the train, had been simultaneously dinned into my ear by every descrip- tion of voice, from squeaking treble, apparently just weaned, to a gruff hoarse double-bass, compounded in about equal parts of chronic cough, chronic cold, chronic sore throat, gin, rum, hoUands, bitters, brandy, hot water, and filberts. The narrow outline of the house-lad who, walking back- wards, had been elastically alluring me onwards, and the bent head of the sturdy house-porter, who, with my portman- teau on his back and my blue writing-box pendant in his right hand, was following me, so clearly explained my predi- cament, that, on entering a large coffee-room full of square and oblong mahogany tables, an over-tired waiter, in a white neckcloth, dozing in an arm-chair, no sooner caught a glimpse of the approaching group, than with the alacrity with which Isaac Walton would have twitched at his rod the instant his colored goose-quill bobbed under water, whirling a white napkin under his left arm, he shuffled on his heels towards a large tawdry chandelier, twisted with his right hand three or four gaslights to their maximum flare, and then, with the .1* 4V9Hm 10 A FAoooT or niKyai stivk>'<. jabber of a monkey, repeating to me the surnames of a variety 0^ joints of cold meat, ne ended by asking me " What X would S lease to take ?" In reply to his comprehensive question, I esired him to screw back all those lamps which were nearly blinding me, and, as soon as I had returned to the enjoyment of comparative darkness sufficient to be able to look calmly at his jaded face, in three words I withered all his hopes by quietly asking him for the very thing in creation which of ail others he would have plucked from my mind — " a bedroom candle." After turning on his heels and walking like a bankrupt towards the door, without the addition or subtraction of a single letter, he telegraphically repeated my words ; and ac- cordingly in less than a minute a very ordinary sort of a chambermaid, with a face and brass candlestick shining at each other, conducted me up two or three steps, then up about half a dozen more— of the exact number in both in- stances she carefully admonished me — then along a carpeted passage that sounded hollow as I trod upon it, then sharp to the left, and eventually, after all this magnificent peroration, into a very little room, almost entirely occupied by a large family four-post bed, the convex appearance of which corro- borated what was verbally explained to me — that the feathers were uppermost. As soon as mv conductress had deposited her candle on a little table, which, excepting a tiny washing- stand in the corner, was the only companion in the way of furniture the bed had in the room, she wished me good night ; in reply to which I asked her to promise me most faithfully that I should be called in time to '' cross" by the first packet. ** I will go and put it dow?i on,the slate, Sir !" she replied ; and as she seemed to hav« implicit confidence as to the re- sult, J. soon divested my mind and its body of all unneces- sary incumbrances, and, in a few minutes, lost to the world and to myself, I sank into oblivion and feathers. I had been dead and buried for an unknown period, when I was gradually and rather uncomfortably awaked by the re- petition of an unpleasant noise, which, on opening my ears and eyes, I discovered to be the pronunciation at intervals, from the mouth of a short, thin, pale, wiry young man, on whose pensive face, jacket, and trowsers were various little spots of Wacking, of the words "Four o'clock, Sir 1" -.V.--.--'V- f-t <.-ff*.'< "-.•. .._„^^'fel^^^^ man, oa THE START. || As the pao? 3t was not to sail till five, I had plenty of time to prepare, and yet I should have preferrecl to have been more hurried. As long as I was employed in washinc I got on very well ; but when in my secluded little aerial chamber I sat down to whet my razor, soap my ohin, brush it, turn it all white, and then look at it in a small swing-glasa, I could not help feeling that the next time those serious operations were performed, I should be out of old England, vagabondizing in a foreign land I It was as dull a morning as I ever remember to have be- held, and every thing seemed to be conspiring to make it so. From the chimnevs of the diminutive houses that appeared before me— one, if possible, more insignificant-looking than the other — there exuded no smoke. At the Custom-house there was nothing to cheer or excite me ; nothing in my bag- gage that elicited the smallest remark. The searcher looked as if he knew it would be perfectly uninteresting, and it was so. There was no sunshine, rain, hail, or sleet ; only a very little wind, and that foul. . On stepping on board the packet, the deck of which hav- ing been just washed was shining with wet, I found it con- tained four passengers besides myself. There Was no call- ing, hallooing, taking leave, or crying, but a few minutes past five the paddles began to move slowly ;- revolve ; splash. Without any one to watch us, follow us, or even from a little window wave a handkerchief at us, we glided away from the little houses, through the little harbour, alongside of the little pier — at the end of which stood a little man with a large spy-glass under his arm — and thus, taking leave of Great Britain, in a few minutes we were in the Channel. The water and the clouds were slate-colour ; there welre no waves, no white breakers, no sign of life in the sea except a sort of snoring heaving movement, as if, under the influence of chloroform, it were in a deep lethargic sleep. My fellow- passengers, I saw at a glance, were nothing in the whole world but two married couples ; and as I paced up and down the deck, while, on the contrary, they took up positions from which during the passage they never moved, I vibrated be- tween them. One young woman, apparently the wife of a London tradesman, sat on the wrong side of the vessel in the wrong place. Her little husband kept very kindly advising 12 A FAQGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. her to move away from the sprinkling of the paddle-wheel. She would catch cold ; — she would get her bonnet wet ;•— she would be more comfortable if she would sit anywhere else. She looked him full in the face, listened to every letter, every syllable, every word as he pronounced it : but no, there she sat, with red cheeks, bright eyes, and curly hair, as inani- mate as a doll. My other compagnons de voyage were a pair of well-dressed young persons of rank, apparently but lately married. On all subjects they seemed to think ex- actly alike, and on none more so than in being both equally uncomfortably affected by some slight smells and movements which assailed them. For a short time the young bride sat up, — then reclined a little, — ^then a very little more, — then— with a carpet-bag as a pillow — lay almost flat on the bench ; her well-formed features gradually losing colour until, shrouded by a large blue cloth cloak, for the rest of the passage they dis- appeared altogether from view. The husband in a mute si- lence sat sentinel over her ; but, long before her face had been hid, not only had his mustachios assumed a very mournful look, but his face had become a mixture of pipe-clay and tallow. As, without a human being to converse with, I continued walking backwards and forwards — a small circular space round the engine was the only dry spot on the deck — assailed sometimes by a hot puff, then by a cold one, then by a smoky one, and then by one rather warm and greasy, I observed, lying perfectly idle and close to the cabin stairs, a pile of about a dozen white washhand-basins, one placidly resting in the other. Pointing to them, I thought it but kind inquisi- tively to look at the young sentinel; and although with a slight bow he faintly and apparently rather gratefully shook his head, there was legibly imprinted on his countenance the answer which, in the Arabian Nights, the slave Morgiana gave to the question of the forty thieves, — ^" Not yet, but pre- sently." In the brief fleeting space of three quarters of an hour, diversified only by the few events I have recorded, we had' ?[uietly scuflled as nearly as possible half way across the de- ensive ditch on which Old England so insecurely rests for protection from invasion. Our course was here enlivened by small flights of wild fowl flying but a few inches above the water, with necks outstretched, as stiff as if they had been ( I W 'Ml as inani* THE START. i% fitted ; indeed, so straight was their coarse and so regalaf was the flapping of their wings, that a tiny column of smoka from each would have giyen them the appearance of flying by steam. The little low sand-hills which, in contradistinction to the chalky clifis of Albion, form the maritime boundaries of France, were now clearly delineated. In about ten minutes the church and lighthouse of Calais became visible, and in a few more we approached the extreme point of the long pier< On entering the harbour we passed a few soldiers and pedes* trians so rapidly that, as they dropped astern, they appeared, although evidently leaning forwards, to be in fact stepping backwards. The steep roofs and upper windows of houses were now to be seen peeping over the green ramparts that surrounded them ; and I had hardly time to look at them, and at the picturesque costumes, strange uniforms, ana foreign faces above us, when the words were given-** " Ease her — stop her — ^back her ;" a rope coiled in th4 hand of one of our sailors was heaved aloft, secured round a post, and thus in exactly one hour and forty-five minutes we made our passage from the pier of Dover, to that froitt whence a number of bearded and smooth-chinned faces were looking down upon us. Although some twenty feet beneath them, it is the property of an Englishman, as it is that of water, to find his own level, and, accordingly, no sooner wag a long wooden staircase lowered from the pier to the deck, than I slowly ascended, until I found first one foot and then the other firmly planted on the continent of Europe and in the republic of France. I was returning as well as I could the momentary glance of a great variety of eyes, and was trying to satiate my ouri" osity by looking at them all at once, when I observed ap- proaching me a venerable-looking gentleman, as grey-headed as myself, who, in a confidential tone of voice, amounting almost to a whisper, delivered himself of a speech which, com- ing out of him with the utmost fluency, appeared to explain most clearly the innumerable little advantages I should de- rive by givmg over to him immediately, all my English gold in exchange for French money. '^"''^ X^'^i The bold comprehensive view he took of the whole #o^ Ject was quite unanswerable. There was, however, upperm .A ■*■• 14 A FAGQOT OF FRENCH STICKS. in my mind, an anta^nist idea, as vigorous, as self-interested^ and, if possible, as incontrovertible, as that which had just given locomotion to his legs and movement to his lips. In answer, therefore, to his auriferous and argientine proposals, I eagerly, and I fear rather greedily, asked him in about half a dozen words, where I could get some breakfast. With great politeness he kindly pointed to the railway station close before us, and, with a continuation of the smile which had adorned his countenance from the first moment he had ad- dressed me, he was resuming his speech on the currency ques- tion, when away I hurried on the scent on which he had laid me, and in about half a minute found myself in a room which evidently contained all the things in this world I most wanted. As I had slightly interested myself in England on the subject of railway management, I should, I feel quite certain, if I had had time, have observed with considerable curiosity the interesting details of the scene before me. The wolf within me was, however, growling so fiercely, scratching with its fore paws so violently, biting and gnawing so voraciously, and behaving altogether so unmannerly, that with a faint glimmering of a kind excellent lady seated between an assort- ment of bottles as elegant if possible as herself, I have a dis- tinct recollection of nothing out — I think I see them now— tw^o very nice light rolls, a miserable insufficiency of exceed- ingly sweet butter, and a thick white china cup brim-full of cial^ au lait. ^ I remember quite well, on the sudden ringing of a bell, throwing on the table two English shillings ; then, as I was hurrying and munching along a platform, depositing in my coat-pocket half a handful of copper coin of odd-looking sizes; then the purchase of a ticket to Paris ; then an assurance in French from several mouths all at once that I need not think about my baggage, that it had not even been at the Pouane, that it would not be examined till I got to Paris, that I had better take i y seat ; and I had scarcely done so, when a bell took up th. lecture, rang farewell, — ^bonjour, adieu ; — at last the engine finished it by exclaiming, by one very loud whistle in plain English, " Hold on, my lads, for ' wir'te off ! . . . . blow me !" «Dhe day, which had promised nothing, turned out most ■^ Tm START. 15 beautiful. The sunshine gave to every object its most oheer* ful colours, and iof manv years of my life I do not remembet to have had more placid enjoyment than I experienced in viewing and reviewing the objects that appeared to be suc- cessively flying past m*e, and which had a double attraction, first from their novelty, and then from the series of recoUeo- tions they awakened from the grave of oblivion, in which fot nearly forty years they had lain buried. ^■. After quitting Calais, for many leagues the country wai not only flat, but appeared as if in a few hours it coi:dd all be put under water ; and as we flew along I observed, run- ning at right angles to our course, and at intervals seldom exceeding 100 yards, a series of ditches from 4 to 10 and 12 feet broad, the water in each of which flashed in the sun as We crossed it. At most of the towns and even villages we passed, agefl ago I had either been quartered or for a night or two had been billeted. Some I had entirely forgotten, others I re- membered more or less vividly. All of a sudden the innu- merable windmills around Lille, — ^which on horseback I had often in vain endeavoured to count And which I had never since thought of — appeared before me grinding, revolving, and competing one against another, just as they used to do, and so they vanished. Next came flitting by the fortifica- tions of Douay I had so often inspected. From the depart- ment of the Pas de Calais to Paris, excepting a few treed that appeared to encircle every town and village, the whole country is totally unenclosed, exactly as it was when I used to hunt and course over it without a single impediment for a horse even to look at, excepting now and then a few hollow roads, which I now beheld again meandering through the in- terminable landscape just as they used to do. On the surface of the republic not an animal of any sort was to be seen at liberty. In the vicinity even of every cow that was grazing there was, if one would but take the trouble to look for it, somewhere or other to be discovered a dark- coloured lump on the ground — the little girl, woman, or boy that was not only guarding it, but sometimes tethered to it. On land on which there seemed nothing to eat, sheep, as in old times, were browsing close to rich crops of clover, &o., whose only boundary was a temporary fence composed of twQ: •:•?-* H* A FAGGOT OF FRENGH STICKS. or tl^ee lean dogs that kept running backwards and forwards a^ right angles to each other. Herds of half-starved pigs w«re guarded in the same way. Indeed the only animal that had not at least one human or canine attendant was a goat^ occasionally to be seen by itself — tethered. . As we proceeded, I was surprised to observe into what a series of very small fields the ocean of country through which the train was flying had, since I last beheld it, by the (^ration of the late laws of France against primogeniture, bleen subdivided. It appeared as if I was travelling through Liiliput, or through a region of charitable allotments for children ; and when I considered that the legal security of these little properties has diminished with their dimensions, \ could not help feeling that, if poor Goldsmith had been in the train, he would have admitted the fallacy of those beauti- flU lines — " HI &re8 the land, to hastening ills a prey, Where wealth acoumulates and men decay." S- Exoejpting occasionally a slated high-roofed chateau, in bad repair, and now and then a picturesque cemetery, the ^hole population appeared to present one uniform character. jSverybody— -men, women, and children, whether riding, walk- ing) ploughing, harrowing, digging, washing, or doing nothing -!-were all dressed in blue ; and yet this single colour, repre- senting human nature, was everywhere contrasted With bright yellow rape in blossom, beautiful greens of various shades, pAtches of glittering water, and here and there diminutive ripctangular spaces of brown fallow land. It was a peaceful placid scene ; nevertheless I could not help every now and then involuntarily recollecting the fair surface of France a battlefield, leaving around, before, behind it, and especially op both sides of the great pav^s, broad furrows of desolation and of trampled crops, such as had marked the retreat of the French, and the advance of the allied army, from Waterloo to Paris. After flying along for about 200 miles through a uniform but highly interesting picture, there began to appear in the fiplds, like brilliant flowers, women, young and old, dressed in pink or crimson bodices. They were weeding, and even d^ing ; in fact, they wero at what might truly be called 1 THE START. 'Ml liar4 labor. The train, however, as it passed, seemed hea.^ noently to emancipate them ; and thus for many seconds, with scorched sunburnt faces, and with the implements of husbandry in their hands, they stood, for as long as we could see them, gazing at it, in various attitudes of repose. At about ten leagues from Paris we rapidly passed the remains of a railway-station that had been burnt in the revo- lution of 1 848 ; and ag&in, in about four leagues more, the' bla^ charred ruins of the station at Pontofse. That the conflagration had not attained its obje^^t, namely, liberty, equality, fraternity, was strikingly illustrated to my mind, by the appearance, in the middle of a field, of a woman work- ing hard with a pickaxe ! ^ ^ Throughout the region of little fields I had traversed, it was, however, but too evident that equality had very nearly been attained ; or, in other words, that everybody had suc- ceeded in preventing any one from possessing much more than was necessary for bare existence, thereby excluding those fine reaping-machines, ploughing-machines, and other economical mechanical powers which Science is gradually introducing, and which our Socialists, Red-Bepublicans, and ultra-levellers would do well to recollect can only be applied to farms covering a great breadth of land, and worked by* considerable capital ; and I was moreover reflecting on the intellectual poverty of such a state of rural existence, and, morally speaking, how true was the observation that " Paris is France," when a young man with mustachios, who had en- tered the carriage at the last station, politely offered me " Le National" newspaper of that morning. The important sub- ject before my mind, and the real scene before my eyes, were so much more interesting than any thing I could read in print, that I would willingly have declined his offer. I, how- ever, did not like to do so, and accordingly, still ruminating on the picture I had witnessed, of an agricultural population living from hand so mouth, with probably no better instructor than the village cur6, 1 opened the newspaper, and read aa follows : — Translation. — "The vacation (Easter holidays) of the National Aa> sembly terminates to-day. A great number of the representatives of thft jyiajdnty haVe profited by the eonjg4 which has juSt expired to visit their 18 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. departmontfl, where they hare been oble to consult th« spirit (Ttsprt^, aiid thb desire of the population." The newspaper, of coarse, proceeded to state that " the desire of the population" was " in favor of universal suf- frage, and the non-eligibility of the President." With the newspaper in my hand, and with my hand rest- ing on my knee, I was calmly reflecting on what I had just rjead, when a slight movement among my fellow travellers, who all at onco began to take down their hats from the roof, and their sticks and umbrellas from a neat little dormitory in which they had been consigned, announced to me we were near our terminus ; and accordingly, shaking off my reverie, I had scarcely followed their example when the speed of the train began evidently to relax, and in a few minutes, passing dose to the Barriere St. Denis, we went slower, slower, slower still, and the delightful little paragraph of my journey liad scarcely ended — as all paragraphs ought to do — ^by a full stop, when the noise of opening doors and of feet descending^ Kind then hurriedly trampling along a wooden platform, joy- fully informed me that although the sun, which had risen while I was fast asleep in a fourpost bed in Dover, was still three or four hours high above the western horizon, I was safe and sound in Paris ! The duty that majestically arose rather than rushed up permost in my mind was to obtain my portmanteau ; how •' ^ver, trusting — as in such cases I always like to do— im plicitly to its honour, I felt confident it would find Tne out, and accordingly, banishing it entirely from my thoughts, and sub- mitting myself to an apparently very well arranged little system of martial law, I with great pleasure marched here, — halted there, — turned to my left, — ^marched, — ^until halting again I found myself deployed into line with my fellow tra- vellers, standing before a long table on which, sure enough, I beheld the pieces of red string I had tied round both handles of my property for the purpose of readily recognizing it. On the production of my " billet de bagage," and of my key, it was, pro form^, opened, re-locked, and finally carried by a porter into a square full of omnibuses and carriages of all descriptions. To what part of Paris it was to go, it of course did not know, nor did I ; and as I bashfully felt rather liliwillin^ to diBclose this fact, I very, readily nodded V mS STAKT. IHf to the oonduoteur of a neat looking omnibus on whioh wag inscribed '' H6tel de Meurice." " I know we shall be well o£f there," said I, partly to my- self and partly to my portmanteau, " and at our leisure we can at any moment better ourselves if we should desire to do so." It appeared that a great many other people, and a great many other portmanteaus, and other articles of baggage, thought ex- actly as we did, for I and my property had scarcely taken our respective places inside and out, when various lumping sounds on the roof, and various ascending feet on the steps, continued to follow each other in quick succession, until in a few minutes the interior, and I believe exterior, of the carriage were stuff- ed as full as ever they could hold, and then away we all rolled and rumbled. Between the hats, bonnets, and shoulders of the row of people who sat before me in mute silence, I occasionally caught a glimpse, sometimes of something yellow, — then of something green, — then of a pane of glass or two,— then of a portion of a shop window, — then of part of the head of a gen- tleman on horseback ; but when, driving under an archway, we entered the little yard of the hdtel de Meurice, with be- coming modesty I frankly acknowledged to myself, that al- though in a handsome carriage I had just driven through the noblest, the finest, the most magnificent, and, in ancient and modern history, the most celebrated streets, boulevards, and " places" of Paris, I was unable to impart, either verbally or in writing, much information on the subject.. " With the assistance of a little time and reflection I hope to do better !" and suiting my action to the words of my thoughts, I was just going, as I got out of the 'bus, to look once around me to observe what the yard might contain, when I found myself surrounded and addressed by two or three waiters, who, with some fine bows, informed me, in French, that the table d'hdte had just been served, and that if I would like to dine there I could at once take my place. " Oh, Do !" whispered a well-known voice within me, and accordingly, influenced by it, following one of the " gardens" into a large, long, handsome room, I glided behind the backs, chairs, and bent heads of one row of people, and before the faces, glasses, tumblers^ lM>ttles of wine, knives, forks, and deep plates of another row of ladies and gentlemen, each of r. A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICX6 whom was more or less intently occupied in sipping or 8up« ping out of a silver spoon — soup. At the further end of this hospital of patients, all obediently taking the same medicine, were a few vacant chairs, which, almost before I could %\i down, were filled by my fellow travellers. As soon as the well-arranged feast was over, several per- sons arose from their chairs, and, joyfully following their ex- ample, I recovered possession of my hat and stick, and then, escaping into the yard, and walking out of the Porteoochdre, I became in one moment what, during almost the whole of the repast, I had been yearning to be — an atom of the gay, thoughtless, happy crowd that in every direction were swarm- ing along the streets of Paris. It would, no doubt, have been correct and proper that, re- gardless of the vain occupations of man, or of the ephemeral fashions of the day, I should have commenced my observation of the city of Paris by a calm, philosophical comparison be- , tween its architectural formation siz-ana-tbirty years ago, and its present structure. I had fully intended to do so ; but my ^ eyes would not allow my mind to reflect for a moment on any subject, and accordingly I had hardly proceeded ten yards be- fore, I am ashamed to acknowledge, I found myself gaping in- to a shop-window at a large doll, with a white handkerchief in her hand, and on her lap, a paper, on which was written, — . ■ "Ma tetb est en forcblaine: J'aI DES S(EVBS DE TOUTES QEANDEURS."* r 1 vV* Within, seated at a table, were three young women, very well dressed, never looking towards the street, but talking to each other, and sewing for their very lives. Beside me stood gaping, like myself, an old woman holding in her hand a roll nearly three feet long, and a soldier with a parcel in the folded sleeve of his one-armed uniform coat. On leaving the window, my attention was attracted by light green, dark green, light yellow, dark yellow, blue, and parti-coloured omnibuses, driven by coachmen sometimes in bright yellow, sometimes in pea-green hats, and in clothes of such brilliant colours that the equipages, as they successively * My head is made of china : I have isisten) of all sizes, \ w ■;i.. THE START. w > 21 passed, reminded me of the plumages of various descriptions of gaudy parrots, which in southern latitudes I had seen flying from tree to tree. Then there passed a paysanne on horse- back, with her little daughter behind her, both wearing hand- kerchiefs round their heads, the miserable horse also carrying two panniers full of sticks and other purchases he was evi- dently taking back to the country; then came rumbling by, driven by two soldiers in undress uniform, a rattling, badly painted, small low waggon, on which was inscribed, — "Tbbsor Pubuo."* Then passed, very slowly I thought, a " Hansom's cab," im< proved into a neat light chariot ; then approached a waggon drawn by four horses, in light-coloured harness, with scarlet tufts hanging from each side of the brow-band of the bridles, also dotted fuong the crupper, their collars, as also the wooden wings affixed to them, being covered with a deep dark-blue shaggy rug. Close behind this vehicle I observed, on extra- ordinary high wheels, a one-horse cart, marked '' Roulage," with shafts 25 feet long ! then rolled by, as if from another world, a sort of devil-may-care old-fashioned diligence, having on its top, in charge of a rude, undigested, and undigestible mass of baggage, a sandy-coloured, cook-eared dog, stamping with its fore-feet, and barking most furiously at everybody and at everything that moved. As I was advancing with one crowd, and at the same time meeting another, all, like myself, sauntering about for amuse- ment, I saw in a shop a watchmaker earnestly looking through a magnifying glass, stuck before his right eye, at the glitter- ing works of a watch, on which his black beard was restine like a brush. In another window were several double sets (^ pink gums, that by clockwork, kept slowly opening and shut- ting. In each, teeth, here and there moving from their sockets, went down the throats of their respective owners, leaving ser- rated gaps. In a short time up they slowly came again, re- suming their places so accurately that it was impossible to see joint or crevice of any sort. To any gentleman or lady who had happened to lose a front tooth, the moral was of course self-evident. * Public treasure. .? ; v ; « . . / . *. >r ■■ •. \ • A FAGGOT OF FRENOU STICKS. Within a handsome shop, over which was inscribed "Oafii et Glaces," * I observed seated at an exalted bar — on which appeared a large basin full of lumps of ice, a quantity of lem- ons in silver-mounted stands, and a double row of bottles con- taining fluids of various colours, — two young ladies, who, ac- cording to the fashion of the day, were not attired alike. Both were intently sewing. Before them were about thirty little marble tables, round, square, and oblong. At one a man, and apparently his old wife, seated opposite to each other, were playing together, at dominoes, some of which were lying with their speckled faces uppermost, the rest on their white edges waiting to be played. Reside this happy couple sat, watching the game, an old gentleman with — for some reason or other — a toothpick sticking out of his mouth, and, for some other very good and glorious reason, a red ribbon in one of his but- ton-holes. ' In several windows were advertisements, addressed ap- parently to people of large appetites and small fortunes. For instance, in one I observed — "Dejecnes X 25 sous par tSte. Ok a deux plats aux OHon; unk DEMI-BOUTEILLE DB YIN, UN DESSERT, ET FAIN X DISORETION.f In others were notices exclusively addressed to the Bri- tish people, such as — ^in one *'L'0MBBEIXE8.'*:f in another "B0TTE8 C0NFOBTABLES."§ A little shop selling a few faded vegetables and seeds, had magnificently entitled itself — " Hekbobistbbix." I On strolling to the Boulevards, which appeared to be a region of beards black, white, brown, sandy, foxy, red, long, * Coffee and ices. f Breakfasts at 25 sous a-head. Two dishes at choice, half a bottle of wine, a dessert, and as much bread as is desired. , , 1 Umbrellas. I Comfortable Boota. | An Herboristery. .r 1/ THE START. 29 short, shai^-pointed, round, — in short, it was evident that the beards of no two male members of the republic had been " born alike," — I came to a large " Caf£," before which were seated on chairs, twisted into various groups, a mass of men - enjoying the inestimable luxury of placidly puffing away half an hour or so of their existence. Some were reading, ox. rather — ^half mesmerised — were pretending to read a news< paper, which, in a different attitude, each held before his eyes or prostrate on his knees, by a mahoganv stick, in which the intelligence, &c., was securely affixed. Among all these indolent-looking men I observed very busily worming her way, a quietly-dressed, plump, pretty, modest-looking girl of about seventeen, supporting in her left arm a basketful of small bouquets, very tastefully arranged. Without the smallest attempt to extol her goods, and evidently without the slightest desire either to speak to or to be spoken to by any of the occupiers of the chairs, she quietly as she passed along put into the button-hole of the coat or waistcoat of each, a bloom- ing flower, which, without application for payment, she left in the breast of man to vegetate and grow into a penny, — two pence, — three pence, or to fade into nothing at all, as it might think proper, or rather, according to the soil on which it fell For some time I thought her speculation a complete failure. At last an old gentleman slowly raised his hand, and, on her approaching it, I perceived that from a variety of fingers of all ages there dropped into her basket a copper harvest. After wandering homewards for some little time, I read oi\ the corner of a street into which I entered, " Rue du 29 Juillet,"* which I was pleased to find was, as I expected, close to the point from which I had started, and accordingly, enter- ing Meurice's hotel, I ascended a staircase, — ^was conducted into the room that had been allotted for me, — and in a few minutes dropped off to sleep. * 29th of July Street. fc-1: 'm- A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS, r- a ,.»v t •' THE STBOLL. The next morning, after an early breakfast, and aftervirards writing a few letters, I sallied forth from beneath my archway, to enjoy the harmless liberty of looking about me ; but although the city had not yet awakened either to business or to pleasure, and although from its streets being comparatively empty, I had full opportunity for observation, and even for contemplation, — I must own that, had I not known I was in Paris, I should not have been informed of the fact by my memory. For the Picture had not only, by the chemical process of Time, beea issolved, but, excepting the old sky^ — ^whioh the artist pro- bably felt he could not very much improve, — he had re-painted and re-covered the whole of the canvas with new objects. For instance, with infinite labour, he had everywhere rubbed out that picturesque line of large, frail, creaky, cranky, crazy- looking lanterns, which — suspended over the middle of every street, were lowered to be lighted — used always to be seen dangling over the roofs of the carriages that rolled beneath them ; and in lieu thereof had substituted a double side series of beautiful gas lamps. Again, with great labour, he had not only scratched up and out that rude ill-constructed pavement of round stones for carriages, horses, and foot-passengers, which, inclining from the houses on each side, used — in the middle even of the gayest thoroughfares — to form a dirty gutter, which, in heavy rain, looked like a little trout stream ; but instead of this concave surface he had substituted a beau* tiful convex road, bounded on each side by a white, clean foot-pavement. The frontage of the shops he had also com- pletely altered ; but the greatest liberty he had taken — and when a young enthusiastic artist has a brush in his hand, there is scarcely any liberty that he will not take — ^was, that he had actually filled up the foreground of his fine new picture of Paris, by crowdmg the streets with French people I whereas, all the time /saw the city, I can faithfully declare that the only human beings one ever looked at were Eussians, Prussians, Austrians, Hanoverians, Belgians, British, and i TJIS STROLL, 95 wild-looking CoMaoks, carrying, on starved little horses, lanoen 80 disproportionately long that thuy looked as if they had Cjuixotically come from an immense distance, and from an ULoivilised region, to fight against the stars in the firmament of heaven ; in short, a nation of brave men, who, singlo- handed, had conquered the armies of almost every nation in Europe, were, from the insatiable ambition of one man, over* whelmed by the just and well-arranged union of half^t-doson powerful nations, united toffether to wage wa,r, not against France, but against the unrelenting enemy of niankind i I was enjoying this mixture of feelinffs, and, without hav- ing reflected whore I would go^ or what 1 would do with my- self, I was looking at everythmg at once, and esneoially tX the variety of moving objects around me, when tner« drove by a gaudy omnibus, on the back of which, among severitl other names, I observed inscribed the word "Passt." It was the little village about a league off at whieh I had last been quartered ; and although I had sinos scarcely ever thought of it, in one second I recollected the happy group among which I had lived an '^ enfant de famille." " The good old people will long ago have vanished ; the yeung ones will probably be grandmothers; however (waving my stick), I will, at all events, once again beat up their quarters." In compliance with my signal, the 'bus stopped ; and as it happened to be one of the few that carry passengers out- side, in a few seconds I found myself seated by the coach- man. '' C'est la maison du President,"* said he to me, point- ing with his whip to the trees of the Elys6e ; tiius evidently showing that before I had opened my mouth he was aware I was a raw stranger. As we were driving up the avenue of the Champs Elys^es I had an opportunity — in the prepara- tions for the approaching f£te of the republic— -of witnessing the latest improved method of making great men. On the summit of each of a series of lofty plaster pedestals, of elegant form, distant about 80 yards from each other, there had been inserted a sort of telegraphic signal, composed sometimes of a pingle beam, placed vertically, sometimes of a huge represen- tation of the letter A, terminating in the letter I, sometimes of the letter X, sometimes of the letter Y, sometimes of the * That is the house of the Presidenti ^ i ^ % A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKA letter V. " These pieces of stout timber were to form the legs, backbones, and occasionally extended arms of heroes or of statesmen ; and as the artists had not all commenced to- gether, and as some had evidently more assistance than others, the statues in diflFerent stages of progression, beauti- fully explained the secrets of their art. On one pedestal, excepting the wooden symbols I have described, appeared nothing but a pair of milk-white military jack-boots,, about six inches higher than the top of the head of the workman who was making them. On the grbuild lay the gigantic head with mustachios, looking at his boots; in short, calmly watching all that was doing. On the summit of the wooden hieroglyphic on another pedestal I observed an orator's head, beneath which the artist was very cleverly arranging a quan- tity of straw to bolster out some ribs and a large stomach that lay on the earth beneath. On another -pedestal the powerful head, arms, breast, covered with well-earned medals, crosses, &c., and back of a mar6chal of France, suddenly ' ended in a sort of kilt of rushes, which the artist, with the assistance of ropes, cord, packthread, and large bags of white plaster, which hardened almost as fast as it was applied, was modelling with great success into the upper portion of a pair of magnificent pantaloons. On all the statues, the drapery was very ingeniously and successfully created by swaddling the lofty statues in old pli- able canvas, no sooner bent and tastefully adjusted into ele- gant folds, than it was saturated with liquid cement, which ' almost immediately gave not only solidity to the mass, but the appearance of having been sculptured out of stone. '*' Although in the fabrication of these various statues it was occasionally almost impossible to help smiling at the contrast between the work completed and in embryo, yet it may truly be said that the workmanship exceeded the mate- rials. The attitudes of the several statues, as we passed them, appeared not only to be admirably devised, but to be executed with that fine taste and real talent which distin- guish the French people, and which it is pleasing to observe all classes of their community are competent to appreciate. Indeed it was with gratification, astonishment, and profit, I often afterwards for a few moments listened to the criti- cisms and observations of men in blouses, who, although in .•»^v THE STROLL. m humble life, miglit, from their remarks have passed for bro- ther artists of him who, unaware even of their presence, was intently modelling over their uplifted faces. After receiving from my intelligent companion a few words of voluntary information on almost everything and everybody we passed, my attention was directed to the ani- mals that were drawing us. They were a pair of small, pow- erful, short-legged, white entire horses, with thick crests and very small heads, somewhat resembling that of an Arab. They were as sleek in the coat, and as fleshy as moles ; and although according to English notions they were altogether disproportioned to the long lofty carriage they were drawing up the inclined plain of the Champs Elysees, it appeared to follow them from goodwill almost of its own accord. In their harness they had plenty of room to work ; pould ap- proach or recede sideways from the pole, as they felt dispos- ed ; and although, when necessary, th§y were guided with great precision, the reins, generally speaking, were dangling on their backs. Now and then, as we were jogging along, on the approach of another omnibus, carriage or cart, and occa- sionally for no apparent cause whatever, sometimes one and sometimes both of the little greys, would cock their ears, give a violent neigh, and in the same space of ground take about twice as many steps as before. Indeed, instead of be- ing, as might be expected, tired to death of the Champs Ely- sees, they appeared as much pleased with everything that passed as I was. The coachman told me these horses be- longed to a company, and that one of their principal stables was within a hundred yards of the Barriere de Neuilly we were then passing. He advised me to go and look at them ; and accordingly, with many thanks bidding him adieu, I pro- ceeded on foot along the boulevard on my left, for about a hundred yards, to a gate, at which I found a oonoicrge in a white cap, of whom I inquired, as I had been directed by the coachman, for " le piqueur."* " Entrez, monsieur !" she replied, " il est la en bas."t * Proceeding into a large barrack-square, I was looking at innumerable sets of harness hanging beneath a long shed out. .'«;> .£!•. H.^XA Tlie foreman. > f Walk in, Sir ! he is there below. Vi Hliii w « — *i 28 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. side a range of stables, when I was accosted by a wiell-dressed gentleman, with large mustaohios, who asked me very civilly what was my business % I at once told him my story, such as it was ; to which he replied that no one could visit the establishment without an - order, which, he added with a slight bow, *' No doubt Monsieur would instantly obtain ; and to assist me in doing so, he very kindly wrote in my memorandum book, '' M. Moreau, Ghas- tone, Adm!nistrateur-G6n6ral de TEntreprise des Omnibus, Avenue des Champs Blys6es, 68, de midi a quatre heures."* As it was only seven o'clock, and as it appeared M. Mo- reau was to be invisible till twelve, I strolled to the grand Arc de Triomphe, ascended some steps, through a door, and then, proceeding upwards, walked round and round for a con- siderable time. When nearly at the top I entered a feebly- lighted, low-looking prison, with a groined roof supported by six arches, four of which were closed by strong iron bars. At each of the two ends of this dismal chamber there ap- peared a stout barrier of iron railings, and I was fancying that by some mistake I had got into a sort of cul-de-sac, when beneath the sixth arch I perceived a passage, and then, as- cending for some time in total darkness, I at last arrived in the fresh, warm, open air, upon an exalted platform 1 50 feet in length by 23 in breadth, from which there suddenly flashed upon my eyes, or rather upon my mind, one of the most mag- nificent views I have ever beheld, the characteristic of which was that, like that from the top of the Calton Hill, at Edin- burgh, it afforded a panorama of scenery of the most opposite description. In front lay before me, towards the east, the broad, straight, macadamized road, boulevard, or, as it is more properly termed, " avenue," up which I had just been driven, terminating in the green trees of the gardens of the Tuileries. On each side of this great road there appeared expressly for foot passengers, a beautiful shaded space, in the middle of which was an asphalte path, broad enough for about six persons to walk abreast. The foot-roads were dotted with pedestrians, the carriage-road spot- ted with equestrians, military waggons, carts, public as well as * General-Superintendant of the Company of Omnibuses, No. 68, Avenue of the Champa Elysdee. From 12 to 4 o'clock. THE STROLL. 29 private vehicles, and 'buses, increasing in size until they passed beneath like toys before the eyes. This inagnificent arterial thoroughfare, nearly five times the TV idth of St. James's-street in London, nearly bisects Paris, the whole of which, as seen at a single glance, apponred com- posed of lofty houses of different shades of white (unlike the heads of human beings, the youngest are the whitest), light blue roofs of zino or slate, and Venetian windows, bearing si- lent testimony to the heat of the climate in summer. But what attracted my attention more than the sight of all the ob- jects in detail before me was the striking absence of what in England is invariably the characteristic of every large city or congregation of men — namely, smoke. Here and there a dark stream, slowly arising from the lofty minaret of a steam-engine, reminded me of the existence of commercial life, but with these few exceptions the beautiful clear city before me ap- feared to be either asleep or dead. During the few minutes gazed upon the scene, I several times looked attentively at the large stacks of chimneys which rose out of the blue roofs, but with a few exceptions not a vestige of smoke was to be seen. Of the two portions into which Paris by the triple road described is divided, that on the left — the largest — was bound- ed by the Hill of Montmartre, upor which, with great plea- sure, I observed' at work, apparently the very same four wind- mills which were always so busily grinding away when I last resided in their vicinity, ^hey had ground wheat for Napo- leon, for the Duke of Welliogton, for the allied Sovereigns^ of Europe, for Louis XVIII., for Charles X., for Louis-Philippe, for the leaders of the Red Republicans, and now they were grinding away just as merrily as ever for Prince Louis Napo- leon. In fact, whichever way the wind blew, they patriotically worked for the public good. Round the foot of Montmartre there had lately arisen a young city of new white houses. In the half of Paris on the right of the great triple road, there appeared resting against the clear blue sky the magnifi- cent domes of the Invalides, Pantheon, Val de Grace, and the Observatory. Beneath on each side I looked down upon a mixture of new buildings and of green trees which, in the ad- vent of May, had just joyously burst into full leaf. In contemplating the beauty of Paris from the summit of dm A FAGGOT OF FBENVU STICKS. the Arc de I'Etoile, it is impossible to refrain from remarking s that, vrith the exception of the three domes I have mentioned, | no one of which is for the purpose of worship, scarcely a churoh-looking building is to be seen. ^ The view from the opposite or west side of the summit of ^ the aro forms a striking contrast to the picture of a city as just -• described. Witn the exception of the Eort-du-Mont Valerien, [ on an eminence 580 yards off, the horizon is composed of hills f as blue, bleak, and houseless as the highlands of Scotland, ^ which indeed they faintly resemble. Between the fort and the ^ Arc lies prostrate the Bois de Boulogne. I had left it hacked : to death by the sabres and h&^^chets of the troops with whom ^ I had been bivouacked in it. But these unfriendly scars,, were, I rejoiced to see, all obliterated. A new generation of trees as of men had succeeded, and the large extensive dark- ^ green but rather cheerless-looking mass was enlivened only by ► tht old broad pave, running — as it always has run — as straight , as a sergeant's halbert to Neuilly, and at an angle to the left^; by an equally straight broad macadamized road — ^" the Avenue , de St. Cloud." I From the south side of the platform I looked down upon, OT rather into, the uncovered, gay, but tawdry Hippodrome, the exercises, amusements, and spectators of which can be al-^ most as clearly seen as by a hawk hovering over them. Be- ,' yond it appeared a mixture of houses, including Passy, com , posed of about two-thirds white buildings, and one-third greeu, trees. ^ rprom the foot of the north side of the Aro runs a short pav6 of about 200 yards, bounded on each side by houses and trees, which, by a sort of dissolving process, change into green , fields, across which were to be seen here and there little pic- and turesque streams of the white steam of the Versailles Northern Bailways, bounded by blue distant hills. I had changed from side to side more than once to enjoy the magnificent contrasts I have but very feebly described. I had returned to the northern side, and was watching the pro- gress of a tiny column of steam — the blessed emblem of peace to all nations, and to none a greater blessing than to France and England, when a human being — the only other one in creation besides myself on the platform, and he had only a moment or two ago crawled up and «ut from beneath — said to \ me,— THE STROUh 31 a ^^' Wonderful fine view, Sir! Do you see that houso down there, with four trees before it ?" On answering in the affirmative — indeed it TTOuld have been impossible for any one to have denied either the asser- tion or the question — ^he very good-humouredly added— " What do you think of it ?" I was destitute of thoughts' on the subject, and was going honestly to avow it, when he added — " I came here from England last Tuesday, to put my daughter to school there. What do you say of it ?*' I was not in a frame of mind all of a sudden and at such a height above the surface of the earth, to give away- for nothing at all an opinion concerning a house five stories high, with six windows in front, or about an Englishman educating a young daughter in France ; so, glancing at the b€|autiful steepleless city before me, and then whispering to myself, "• I would as soon put a chicken's egg under a duck as do what you have done," I said^ — " It seems a very substantial good house," which appeared to make him happy ; and as we had both gained our object, we nodded farewell and parted. I was about to bid adieu to the magnificent panorama I had been enjoying, and had approached the head of the pitch- dark staircase, when I heard beneath me the slow pacing of feet,— then a very little puffing, — then there gleamed upwards a feeble light, — and at^last appeared the black hat, thin fioce, and lean figure of an old gentleman carrying a lantern, fol- lowed by a lusty, very well-dressed lady, equally stricken in years, with an extremely red face,, and cheeks so healthy that they appeared considerably to embarrass her vision. Indeed, to speak plainly, she was so fat, and she had so many luxu- riant curls of artificial hair, that she could hardly see out of her black little shining eyes. Leaving her, however, to m^ke such use of them as she might think proper, I commenced noiy descent, and, in utter darkness, passed — -or rather stood stock-still, with my back against the wall, while there passed me — a party of young people, whose loud merry laughter denoted that at all events they had outgrown the age at which they might have been afraid of being in the dark. But they were quite right to come "without lant6rns, and I would advise any one who wishes to enjoy to the utmost the itplon- 32 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. did oonp>d'oeil I had just left, to burst upon it, as I had done, from pitch darkness. On reaching the bottom I observed a board, on which was written in French and also in English — I rejoiced to see the two languages standing together in the world hand in hand — the following notice : — . "TOBinCEPEBSOFTHK AsODETRIOMPHKUDOEXTma NO ^ SALASY FBOM GoVKBNMENT, , XBt YISaOBa ABE BOLICITBD TO GIVE THEM A TXE, WHICH IS ,,> LEFT AT THEQt OWN DISCBETION." _ ^ As twelve o'clock had just struck, I walked down the beautiful avenue of the Champs Elys^es to the house of M. Moreau, who, on my showing him my passport and explaining to him the favour I wished him to confer upon me, was good enough to desire his chief clerk to give me the following or- der, which I insert as an exemplification of the politeness of the French people to strangers :^ . '*AMon& Denavlt^ olief d'EtablissementrEtoile. " Entreprise 66n4rale des Omnibus, 6, Rue St Thomas du Louvre. " Monsieur Denault est autoi*i86 4 laiaser entrer dans son ^tabliese- ment, pour j ejuuniner le mode d'attacher les chevauz dans les ^curiea^ &0, porteur de la pr^nte. ^ "Paris le 80 Avril, 1861. A. Gbiyeau."* ^ With this letter in my hand I reascended the Champs Elysees, and passing close beneath the triumphal arch, turned to my left along the street indicated \mtil I once again en tered the great barrack-looking square, in the middle of which, very nearly on the spot where I had left him about an hour and » half ago, I saw M. Denault and his dark mustachios. On presenting to him my authority, his countenance as- sumed a grave, and I thought rather a serious, aspect ; as * To Mr. Denault, Chief of the Establishment at the Etoile General Association of Omnibuses, No. 6, Rue St. Thomas du Lonvre. Mr. Denault is authorised to allow to enter into his establishment^ for the pm'pose of esaminii^ the mode of attaching the horses in the stables, .<&o» .f . . . . c^e bearer. A. GaiviAU. Paris, April 8<\ 1861. , . ,, ■■-*' Tm: STROLL, 83 however his eyes glanced along line after line it rapidly re* laxed, until, looking at me with a pleasing smile, he told mo, with great politeness, that he should now be most happy to give me all the information in his power ; and waving his hand m signal to me to advance, he was preparing to follow me to the range of stables before hin^, when I asked him to be kind enough to explain to me the strength of his establishment. He told me that the Company to which he belonged had, in six establishments in Paris, 1500 horses, of which 300 were under his charge. In several of these establishments all the horses were entire- He had, however, about half of that de- scription, the remainder being about half mares and half horses, as in England. The long building before us, which, as I have stated, very much resembled cavalry barracks, was divided into a scries of 15 stables, each 80 feet long, containing 20 horses: 10 on each side, with a broad passage between them. On entering No. 1, I was much struck with the total ab- sence of the usual smell of a stable, and with the scene which unexpectedly presented itself. Of the 20 horses that belonged to it about one-third were out at work. Of the remainder, some were standing with their tails to their manger, looking at their comrades on the opposite side ; some munching , beautiful clean shiny wheat-straw ; while others, on litters of great thickness and equally clean, were lying as if dead, in a variety of attitudes. 'One or two at full length, were re- posing parallel to their mangers ; some occasionally groaned, or rather grunted, as they slept ; one gently raised his head to look at me, and then, as if I really was not worth a mo- ment's more notice, laid it flat down again. Two more, lying face to face, as if in each other's arms, were partly under the feet of a neighbour feeding from his manger. All were sleek and fat. In few stables in England have I ever seen litter in a cleaner state, horses in better health, or in a greater state of enjoyment. The reason was evident. The row of fifteen stables, instead of being, as in our cavalry barracks-M)r even as in our hunting-boxes — divided from each other by brick walls, were separted only by open wooden palings about eight feet high, which allowed the air to circulate throughout the whole length of the building, and escape through air- 4t 34 A FAGGOT OF FliFlNCJI STICKS. ohimnoys conBtructed for the purpose. Besides this, in the upper portion of the front and rear walls of each stable there had been constructed air-shutters for regulating the tempera- ture in each long compartment. " Vous avez encore trois degr^s de trop !"* said Monsieur Donault to a man in a blue jacket and blue trowsers, who, from the instant I had entered the stable, had not only fixed his eyes upon me, but had swallowed every observation I had made. * '' Ah I" said this man, nodding his head, " il va done tom« ber de l'eau."t In stable Nos 1, in which we stood, the horses — ^unsepa- rated by partitions, but divided in couples by swinging bails — were all tied and fed together in pairs. To each couple there was given per day 5 "kilos" of hay, 4 of straw, 15 litres of grain. In summer an additional litre of grain, and in very hot weather bran twice a week. j I mentioned to M. Denault, that in England oninibus horses are almost invariably fed on a mixture of chopped hay, chopped straw, and corn. He replied he was of opinion that, according to the common principles of gastronomy, horses, like men, prefer a variety of dishes. \ •' They enjoy their hay ; gain strength and sustenance from their corn ; et puis apres, Monsieur, ils mangent de la paille" — shrugging up his shoulders and showing mc the palms of both his hands — " pour s'amuser : (ja les occupe ; 9a lour distrait j 9a les emp^che de se battre !"| On my inquiring how many persons were employed to keep the stable as clean as I beheld it, he informed me that to every ten horses is attached one man, who feeds and takes care of them ; there are consequently two such attendants in each stable. For every ten liorses there is also a per- son appointed to clean their harness and the carriages they draw. On entering stable No. 2, which in point of cleanliness and ventilation was the fac-simile of the one I had just left, I found it contained nothing but entire horseSj who, unseparated even * You are too hot by three degrees 1 '^' + All 1 we shall hove rain then. f \ And after that, Sir, they eat straw to amiise themselves : it occupies tbem — ^it distractb their attention — it prevents them from fighting. THE STROLL. M by bails, fed; slept, worked, in short, lived together in pain ,* each couple, however '> ere divided from the adjoining ones on the right and left by . inging bars, susjpended by a rope from the ceiling at a height a little above the hooks. The horses before me were not only in tt^e enioyment of stout robust health, but their coats were particularly short, sleejc, and glossy. For the work they are required to perform they appeared al- most perfect in form. They are low punchy creatures, with short, stout, active-looking legs and small heads, bought by t^» company between four and five years of age, principally ia Normandy and Belgium, but the best come from the depart- ment des Ardennes. The price paid for them is from 500 tQ 000 francs, say about £22 sterling. As soon as they are re- ceived from the several sellers they are marked with what is called a " baptismal number," cut with scissors in the hair of the neck. After the period of trial has expired, if found to be sound, as warranted, uie same number is branded with a hot iron on the hind thigh^ just below the hip, and beneath it th« last figure of the year in which they were purchased. On receiving this information I expressed to M. BenauU my surprise that his company should be honest enough indeli- bly to record that which ladies and horse-masters in England are always so very particularly desirous to conceal, namely, the exact age ; but he replied, " When the Company m,Td once purchased a horse they never sell him until he becomes use- Jess." "Then," said I, with my eyes fixed upon the branded marks of an extremely powerful well-made entire horse that was before me, " do you d«signate them only by their num- Ibers ? — have they no names ?" " No," he replied, " we only know them by their numbers ,* they have no names." " Mais oui !" observed sharply and gruffly the stableman in blue, in charge of the horses, and who, like his comrade in the other stable, had been most attentively listening to every word that had come out of my mouth. " Mais oui," he repeated in broad patois; "je leur donne a chacun son nomi Gelui-oi, par example," pointing to the powerful, thickset, sleek, livelj grey horse whose brand I was still looking at, " j'appelle Jean- Battiste ; c'lui-la Fou."* * Oh yes 1 I give each of them his name. This on:^ for instance^ I call «»Jean-BaUister that one "Fool" A FAOaOT OF FRENCH STICKS, The latter word was hardly oat of his month, and most certainly eonld not have reached the roof of the stahle, wh^n all of a sadden, and for no apparent oaaae, John-Baptist, toss- ing his head in the air, and kicki|ig violently, gaye a most tre- mendons squeal, that really quite electrified mo. *^ Ah, Baor6 oochon I"* exclaimed his keeper^ with raised and uplifted eyebrows, as with both hands he raised his Ions wooden*pronged pitchfork perpendicularly above his head, ** qu'as tu done, v4euz coquin ?"t John made no answer, but at onoe, whatever might have been the point in dispute, gave it up, and then, nestlinff like a lamb towards his comrade, shared with him in a mouthful of clean straw. While i was ruminating at the hurricane which had so •luddenly subsided, a bell rang, and at the same pioment I ob- served that all the horses on one side of the stable began to {)rick their ears, move their feet, look behind them, and show ittle o«twar4 signs of inward satisfaction, such as occasionally may be seen very slightly ^o flit across the countenances of fine ladies and gentlemen when, after a dull, tedious, protracted period of waiting, their ears are suddenly refreshed by the sound I have just mentioned — the dinner-bell. In less than a minute the feeder entered, carrying on his shoulder a sack of com, which he placed on the ground, and he had scarcely com- menced to measure out three or four double handfuls into a large round sieve beside it, when all his ten horses began some to scream, aome to bite at each other, and all more or less to stamp on the ground. I asked M. Denault why the ten ani- mals before us remained perfectly quiet % "• Ah," muttered the keeper in blue, " c*est qu'ils connaissent bien que ce n'est pas pour eux P' % In about five minutes, however, when in his turn he went away for his sack of oata, his own horses, Jean Battiste, Fou, and all, became so excited that a good many " sacr^s," some long drawn and some sharp, were expended to subdue them ; indeed, I never saw a set of animals feed with greater voracity. While the twenty horses in profound silence, with their twenty mouths in the manger, with nothing about them moving but their jaws, — save occasionally an ear that very viciously '*W5 ki* WS -ft • Ah, abominable hog. ♦ What is the matter with you, you old rogue ? * 4 ^ because they know well enough it is not for them. v\ THE *J ROLL, 37 lay bftok wbetiever a comrade of the ^«t>oiir!ttr ¥m\\e , 6ii« tared to look at what they were oata —were tus busily oo* oupied, I asked M. D'^natdt whether th< did not %ight at night ? PointiDff to a large lamp suspended fWm ■ rafter in the cen- tre of toe stall, he told me that the two men before ns were always required to sleep in the stable. ^ Voil^ nos plumes Ik has I" * said my blue satellite, pointing to some straw on a wooden frame at the end of the stable. ''Ah, saor6!"t ke exclaimed, through his teeth, to a fine, sturdy, brown horse, that a few seconds ago had begun to nib- ble the mane of his comrade, and was biting harder and harder every instant. (' En place I" % said the opposite stableman to a pair of horses, warm and dirty, that had iust entered from their work. " En place I" he repeated ; the animals obeyed, and walked be- tween a pair of vacant bails to their own two halters. " Of the three descriptions of horses in your establishment, which," I said to Monsieur, " do you prefer?" He answered that, although entire horses are the most lia- ble to catch cold, and altogether are the most delicate, they are nevertheless the most enduring, and consequently the best adapted for long distances, '' pour les diligences ;" ^ in short, for " vitesse et vigueur." || For 'bus work, where they are lia- ble constantly to be stopped, the ordinary horse is only prefer- able on account of his being more calm and of his more docile temper : " ils se fatiguent moins, ils durent plus longtemps." % He said that mares were considered worst of all : and vmen I told him that almost an opposite opinion existed in England, he explained to me that it is the habit in Belgium, and in the departement des Ardennes, to sell mares in foal, in order that they should appear stout : a^d that, on being deprived of their offspring, they are usually assailed by a miEk fever, in conser quence of which they become weak. * "' I asked him how he managed to persuade his entire horses to live close together in pairs, witb nothing but a swinging bail between each couple ? He told me, with considerable ani- mation, that, when first put together in couples, "ils cherchent ~e * There are our feather beds ! f Ah, holy I % Into your place. § For stage work. J For speed and vigour* % They fetigue themselveB lees, and last longer. •a- ||. A FAGGOT OF FEENOJI STICKS. dispute, ils so battont pour quolquos jours."* Witn a groat deal of very ezprossive aotion, which mado him quite warm, bo showod me how thoy bit, how they fought, how they paw- ed, and how thoy kioked out behind at each other. " Mais," he added, with great oalmness, good sense, and good nature, " aprds quo chacun a compris le caraotdre de sou voisin ila deviennent bona camarados l"t He added that as soon as a young horse lately purohased has been found to be sound, besides being branded as des- cribed, " On lui fait la toilette fX that is to say, thoy out off his beard, pull his mane, remove any long hairs about his fet- locks, and, by other little delicate attentions, smarten him up fox Paris work. He told me, however, they never docked a horse's tail, as it was highly valuable, not only for flapping flies from himself, but from nis comrade in harness ; indeed, he said it was observed that horses at Paris which had no tails usually grow lean in summer. In the winter they adopt the English custom of singeing the roughest. •D I asked M. Denault what was the meaning of sometimes a little bit of straw, and sometimes of hay, which I here and there observed to be plaited in a lock of the tail of several of the horses 1 He replied that the stablemen, in washing over the horses' feet, were directed every day very attentively to observe whether any of them wanted either shoeing or nailing ; that in the former case they were required to insert in the tail a piece of straw ; and in the latter a piece of hay ; and thus, ;rhen the blacksmith made his daily visit, without being at the trouble to examine the feet of every one, he saw at a glance not only those that stood in need of him, but, by the bit of hay or straw, exactly what each wanted ; under this ingenious arrangement the stableman, and not the blacksmith, is very properly held responsible for a horse casting a shoe at work. On proceeding to 'the smith's shop, I found him engaged in shoeing a horse in the old French fashion of forty years ago ; that is to say, his assistant was holding up the animal's foot while he was driving in the nails. I told him, as he was * They look out for a quarrel, and fight for some days. \ But after each has comprehendea the charact«r of his neighbour, they become good comrades. \ They arrange his toilette for him. . TOE UTROLL, 39 hammering away, that in England both operations wore per- formed by one man, upon which ho looked at his assistant, — who looked at him — both grinned at each other — shook their black locks — and then proceeded with their work. The shocg he was putting on were very little heavier than those used iu England, a set of four weighing six pounds. The nails, how- over, are in Franco not only driven into the foot at a different angle from ^hat in which they are inserted in England, but tlie head of each is forced into a square hole, made exactly to fit it, by which arrangement, being flush with the shoe, they do not, it is urged, wear off; on the other hand, they of course, cannot, as in England, prevent the horse from slipping. Above the bent bodies of the smith and his mate I observed, suspended to the forgo, a quantitv of artificial roses, mixed up with an assemblage of smart rioands, blue, white, and red^ which, I was informed, had been placed there on the f&te de St. Eloi, the patron of blacksmiths, and that according to custom they would remain until the annual return of the same ffite, when they would be replaced by new ones. " In England," thought I to myself, " the patron of a blacksmith is whoever has last given him a pot of beer." There are two sorts of water in the establishment, one from pumps, used for washing the harness and carriages, the other from the Seine ; the latter, every four-and-twenty hours, is turned into large open- tanks, to which the horses are led to drink three times a day, it being a rule that no one is allowed to approach it until ho has been iu the stable two hours after his work. On entering the infirmary I fou:.d a veterinary surgeon, with a pair of very long yellow mustachios, with his coat off, and with a sort of apron round his body, busily employed iu drenching a sick horse with an enormous quantity of warm bran tea, his assistent being quite as vigorously occupied with the animal elsewhere. The poor thing's head was tied to a ring in the wall, and a noose having been passed round his upper jaw, it was, by a third assistant, hauled upwards towards another ring, inserted at a great height, by which means the doctor was enabled with perfect ease to pour wholesale down his throat the smoking draft ; in fact, there was no resisting the double treatment to which he was simultaneously subjected ' ^nd as I could eYidently do uo wore %\m earnestly hope ii - •♦■» ■ A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. might cure him of whatever Were his afflictions, I walked away, and was conducted by my obliging attendant to an im- mense magazine, five stories high, in which, piled on each floor, four or five feet high, I found a stock of black, sweet, but light chaffy oats, sufficient to keep the whole establish- ment for more than a year ; indeed, the building was so in- geniously and so admirably ventilated, that I was assured, with common precautions, corn could be kept in it for ten years. At some distance from this building was, also under cover, a very abundant supply of hay, tied up in bundles, " bottes," ready for use. It is under the treatment I have described that the omni- bus horses of the west end of Paris serve the public. The establishment reflects great credit upon the community in gene- ral, and upon M. Denault and M. Moreau in particular. By their unceasing care the horse's life is a wholesome, healthy, and happy mixture of enjoyment and work ; indeed, sweet, clean, and comfortable as are their stables, their harness is so easy and loose, the Paris air is so fresh, everything is so gay, there is so much for them to look at, and, apparently, wher- ever they go, and especially wherever they stop, there are such innumerable subjects — all apparently of such vast im- portance — for them to neigh abOut, that I really believe they are, if possible, happier in the streets than at home. It is true they do not go as fast as the omnibus horses of London, and that at Paris a man is considered to estimate time at somewhat more than its real value who, to purchase a few minutes, would inflict pain and suffering upon a race of ani- mals, especially created for his happiness and enjoyment. But, without checking fast driving in England, it is surely the duty of the public, if they determine to enjoy it, to obtain, by dint of a few moments' reflection, sweet air, pure water, and kind attentions for those noble creatures whose superior physical strength it is alike their duty and their interest to foster rather than exhaust. With this moral in my mind, I very gratefully thanked M. Denault for the obliging attention he had shown me, to which he replied by insisting on giving me an introduction to the manufacturer of the company's omnibus carriages, as also a note to the principal superintendent of the company's largest eetablishment of horses at the opposite or east side of I i y ENTBEPBISE GmSRALE DES OMNIBUS. i\ Paris, beyond the limits of the city, and of the Barri^re de Gharenton. • •• " EJTTREPBISB GJfiNERALE DES OMNIBUS. After taking leave of M. Denault I was conducted by his piqueur to a large gate, over which was inscribed " Entreprise Geii6rale des Omnibus." On ringing the bell, a side door opening into a large court flew open, and almost at the same moment there stood right before me, in a white cap, an old withered concierge, with a face not very unlike that of Cerberus, who was evidently un- willing to admit me until she had been informed that I had come there by order of M. Denault, upon which, relieving her conscience by a very slight shrug, and then turning her bent back upon me, she hobbled into her lodge, and my conductor, seeing he had effected his object, with a friendly salute re- turned to his stables. The chef of the establishment, a short intelligent-looking gentleman, with a bushy, brushy beard, walked towards me ; and as, although he said nothing, his attitude was very clearly interrogatjpry of what I wanted, I very briefly explained that I wished to be permitted to walk over his workshops. He replied very kindly that I might go wherever I liked; and exactly as I desired, he then left me t(^ speak to a workman who was evidently waiting for him. In the yard before me there stood, with high poles, and rounded tires to the wheels, several new omnibuses, elegantly constructed and handsomely varnished, divided inside into seats for seventeen persons (the two next the door are not separated), with breadth of passage in the middle sufficient to allow passengers ample room to enter and depart without rubbing against the knee-pans of those who are seated. To the roof was affixed a brass rod or hand-rail, to ensure rickety old gentlemen against reeling sideways into ladies' laps, and vice versd. For the purpose of entrance were two broad easy steps ; and on the left-hand back panel shone a transparent tell-tale dial, the black fingers of which, — ^in obedience to a 42 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS, . string which, wheneyer any one enters, the conductor is obliged to pull, and which also strikes a bell " one," — informs passengers inside, the public outside, and the proprietor at the end of the course or journey, how many fares have been received. . In Paris omnibuses have no doors, or rather the door is formed by the conductor, who stands on the upper step of the entrance, leaning against a broad strap, which in an instant he can unhook, for the ingress or egress of the public. In another part of the yard I observed near the wall three old, worn-out, dead, but not buried, " diligences," which in their day had been considered not only as vast improve- ments of the old form, but as imitations of the English mode of travelling. They were composed of four different sorts of carriages stuck together. The rear one, which was very low, held eight persons, four on each side, sitting with their shoulders towards the horses. The middle one six, sitting opposite to each other, three with their faces, and three with their backs, towards the horses. The front chariot three, above whose heads there grew out, like an immense fungus, a nondescript sort of cabriolet, with leather head and apron, for four more, behind this rude thing was a frame-work to enable baggage to be piled up to a fearful height. As might reasonably be expected, the under part of these antiquated quadruple vehicles was as clumsily constructed as the super- structure I have just described. The wheels were' low and heavy ; the tires, in five separate pieces, flat, and of double the present breadth -^.l^e springs unelastic : the pole stuck , out little above the horses' knees. .^ By the side of these old-fashioned travelling-machines were, in various stages of construction, several new carriages, with improved wheels, axles, and poles, handsomely stuffed and painted, but on the same principle — rather inconsistent, I thought, with that of a republio— of dividing the travelling community into four separate uncomfortable compartments or cages; thus creatinr* much unnecessary weight and expense. The carriages were certainly handsomely varnished ; but, as compared with the light omnibuses at the other end of tho yard, were like heavy over dressed dowagers sitting behind the rising generation, '' tripping on the light fantastic toe." I was looking a^t several workmen, who^ cooped within |)ne n 1 1 ENTERPRISE GENERALS DES OMNIBUS. 43 of these heavy vehicles, were ornamenting its drab cloth lining with handsome broad lace, when I observed the concierge opening the great gate to admit what at the moment formed, I thought, rather an affecting picture, namely, a lame 'bus coming into hospital. In some chance-medley it had been severely wounded in its side, and was now dragged forward by a low, punchy, light-hearted, merry little horse, who, on de- positing it in the yard, was no sooner tied by his halter to a ring in the wall than, suddenly looking behind him, first on one side and then on the other, he begaj. to neigh, as if he was determined that every living being in the establishment should know exactly how the accident had Ijappened — '• quorum pars magna fui" — in short, what an amazing deal, in some way or other, he had had to do with it. Nobody, however, listened to or even looked at him but myself ^ From the yard I proceeded into the workshops, in whichj with the assistance of a powerful steam-engine, a number of artificers were at work. Several circular saws, with a whizzing noise, were cutting out the main-frames of omnibuses in em- bryo, while three or four turning-lathes were as busily employ- ed in preparing useful and ornamental work of different de- scriptions, the whole of which was quietly but very neatly ex* ecuted. On entering the department of Vulcan, in which were several forges at work, I could not help being struck with the difference between French and English smiths, with the latter of whom I have had some little acquaiuoance. Both raise their sledge-hammers with equal vigour ; but the effort of the French " striker" seems to die away before it reaches the anvil ; whereas in England with the momentum it invariably quickens. The same difference was apparent to me in heavy filing. The French workman makes a great effort to get the file into its position, and afterwards half gives it up. The English smith prepares gently, and then works spitefully. In two words, the French smith appears to work very neatly in- deed, but, as we should term it, to niggle. m On entering a large shop, warmed by a stove, in which a number of men were busily employed in painting and in lining omnibuses, I observed a fine, tall, ruddy-faced, goodhumoured- looking man, with white mustaohios, in a jblue linen smock- , coat and trowsers, who had at his back, towering a couple of M\ 44 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. feet above his head, a machine, covered with crimson velvet, upon which were suspended on hooks four silver cups, like bells. Beneath them on each side of the man's hips there pro- jected from the apparatus he was carrying a short silver-plated pipe, ending in a similarly resplendent tap. As he proceeded he at intervals rang a merry bell, which appeared to create universal thirst, for without a single exception the workmen at every carriage he came to stopped for a moment to drink off, when it came to their turn, what he gave them, which I observed sometimes to be in a large cup and sometimes in a little one, the different doses bearing no relation whatever to the difference in size of those who received them. In due time the orimson-velveted cask was drained dry, and, as the man walked with it into retirement behind the body of an old 'bus, I followed him, and after conversing with him about the weather, the Great Exhibition in London, and a variety of other little introductory subjects, I asked him at last to explain to me what he was selling, and what he charged for it. The answer to the first question almost spoke for itself; or rather, the pump beside us, and two pots of stuff, one dread- fully sour and the other of a sweet citron taste, explained to me that the mixture he was concocting was an innocent de- scription of weak lemonade, which, while he was making it, I tasted, and paid him for with a piece of silver, that seemed at once to unlock the most secret recesses of his hec t, and he accordingly told me that every workman in the establishment contracted with him for a glass of lemonade, as oftentimes per day as he thought proper to administer it. He said that, ringing his beU to announce his approach, he usually paid them three or four visits a day. '' Mais quand 11 fait ohaud, ma foi, Monsieur, bien souvent o'est cinq fois !" • His charges for this luxury were, he informed me, eight sous (four pence) a fortnight for those who were satisfied with a little cup, ten sous a fortnight for those who generously al- lowed their stomachs the large one. As the crimson-velveted machine was now full again, and as I also was replete with the information I desired, we both, like country actors when the curtain draws up, again appear- ed before the public. Tinkling his bell, he walked straight * But when it gets hoi, faitb, Sir, it is often five times 1 // ! ( CAFE DE PARIS. 45 to the window of a green 'bus full of men lining it. I strolled towards an artist emblazoning with sundry ornaments the panels of a yellow one. After admiring the execution of his work, which caused his brush, I thought, to work with, if possible, a little more alacrity than before, I asked him, after a variety of small questions, what he thought of the revolution % " Monsieur," he replied, " I gained a little fortune from it in painting out coronets. I have since gained still more by painting them in again. Ma foi. Monsieur," suddenly ceasing to paint, and looking in my face with a pleasing smile. — ^" /don't care how often we have a revolution !" • ♦•• CAFE DE PARIS. As whatever is worth doing is always worth doing well, at about half past six in the evening of my first day in Paris, I inquired all of a sudden of a French gentleman who was passing with me across a street, where was the h^t place to dine % and as, after enumerating several which I forgot as fast as he mentioned them, he ended by advising me, on the whole, if I liked a good dinner, to go to the Caf6 de Paris, on the Boulevart des Italiens, I enjoyed the walk, and the re- flection it gave rise to, and, in due time reaching my goal, I found myself comfortably seated in a small octagonal room, chastely painted, brilliantly illuminated by gaslights, reflect- ed in and multiplied by plate glass, behind, before, in fact all around me. In this little chamber of Adonis, which looked into a larger saloon, were negligently scattered a quantity of small tables. On entering I had very carefully bowed to the two pre- Eiding ladies of the establishment. I had selected a seat, had deposited my hat and stick in perfect safety, and, pleased to think how admirably and almost intuitively I had done it all, I was going to take a long, placid, comfortable look at every body and every thing around me, — ^for in my little den there were evidently a great number of bodies and of things 46 w A FAGGOT OF FRENGIl STICKS. worth looking at, — ^when as straight as a bull-dog rushes at 4 bull there advanced towards me, whisking the tail of a v'ute napkin as if to intimidate me, a very respectable mau-of about thirty years of age, dressed in a white neck -cloth, a very well-made dark cloth jacket, but without any trowsers, breeches, or pantaloons, — at least I could not see any, be- cause the region they inhabit was completely covered with a white apron. As my object was to appear quite at my *'ase, I deter- mined to receive him without — ^at all events showing — the slightest emotion ; as soon, however, as he reached me, he laid down on the table before me, not only a long rigmarole written paper, but a very large book, and, submitting to me these data to compound an answer, he asked me in beautiful French, and with another whisk of his napkin, what I would desire for my dinner ? Now, six-and thirty years ago, it was, I recollected, considered as rather a dashing thing to answer a query of this nature by saying negligently, and apparently with unshaken reliance on the "honour" and good taste of the chef in a white nightcap below, " A cinq francs !" * I accordingly tried very hard not only to say but to look the words as youthfully as I had used to do. Instead, however, of receiving the grateful bow I had expected, the gentleman in waiting, with a shrug which I feared told everybody, every- where, that I was making to him some very mean unconscien- tious proposal, replied he would rather I would name what I would desire to have. Of course I instantly consented, ob- serving, with a wave of my hand for the purpose of getting rid of him, that I would let him know, upon which turning on his heel, and thereby averting from me his white apron, — which gave me an opportunity of observing that he wore black trowsers — ^he darted away to another table. '• * Now, although, when left completely to myself, I knew perfectly well that I wanted a good dinner, — indeed, that with malice prepense I had come on purpose for it, — ^yet, on looking into the encyclopaedia of dishes he had laid before me, I really did not know, and I therefore felt I should have considerable difl&culty in letting him know, "what I would desire to have." It was, however, a vast comfort to me to !||iTvj^; * For five francs 1 ■r$5W •=!' < * Keep this number in case of a complaint. 344 Conscrver co num6ro en cos do rdclamatiou.* t / I ,f / nOliSK ESTA nUSHMENT. 09 ornamental lamp-posts into plain wooden gibbets, with out- strctehod horizontal arms about four feet long, at the ex- tremity of which, swinging in tlic wind, hung an inferior de- scription of lamp. lu looking at them I could hardly help shuddering, so clearly did they explain to mo the horrid meaning of the cry, "A la lanterue!"* which had been the death-warrant of so many thousands of people. Indeed, if I had never heard of such a cry, it would have been impossible for me to have driven by all these gibbets without noticing their ghastly appearance. As soon as we arrived within about fifty yards of the point I had mentioned, the driver pulled gently at his reins, the horse very readily stopped — in fact, wo all dtopped. Leaning towards. the driver, I paid him 22 sous ; but instead of two more "pour boiro"t — the customary gratification — I gave him five, for which ho expressed himself exceedingly grateful ; and I was thinking how very little gratitude, friend- ship, or good fellowship one could buy in London for three halfpence, when I observed a douanier glance very scrupu- 1« sly at my pockets, while at the same moment his com- {)anion, opening the lid, peeped into a small basket in the lands of a poor woman walking beside mo. In short, we were passing the Barriere do Charenton, at which — as at all others around Paris — the ofl&cers of the octroi examine every- thing that enters or goes out of the metropolis. ^ Off inquiry I found that the great stables of the omnibus company I had come to visit were within a hundred yards, and as soon as I reached them I delivered to the chief of the establishment the note of introduction in my favour which M. Denault, near the Jiarriere of the Etoile, had been so obliging as to give to me. " Vous ^tes Anglais, Monsieur ?| said he, with a very friendly smile, as if an answer in the affirmative would be, as it evidently proved, pleasing to him. He then, with the ut- most kindness, took me over every portion of his establiE^- ment : hit, stables, infirmary, forges, supplies of water, and storehouses of corn, hay and straw. As it would be tedious to the generality of my readers * Away with him to the lamp-post I f Drink-money. ' X Ai-e you on Englishman, Su'? 54 A FAGGOI OF FEENCH STICKS. • 1 I » * were I to repeat the details I witnessed, but which to me were highly interesting, I will briefly state that, of 263 horses under his care, 200 were males, there not being a single mare within the building ; that the stables, instead of containing, as at the Barriere de I'Etoile, only 20 horses, held each from 40 to 50 ; that they were well ventilated ; that the horses were separated in couples by swinging bails ; that thoy were fed together in pairs with oats five times a-day ; that at night they had as much hay as they could eat, with straw in the day " pour s'amuser ;" * that each horse usually worked from 15 to 16 miles per day (the horses of the Paddington omnibuses, at greater speed, go only eleven miles per day); that one man was required to look after eight, and also to clean their harness ; and that by other men the carriages were washed every day. Lastly, that the sums paid by each passenger are as follows : — between any points within the barriers of Paris, 6 sous, with four additional if taken to places beyond the barriers. On Sundays the latter charge of 4 is increased to 6, the former charge remain- ing the same. The establishment at the Barriere de Charenton in all main points was very creditably kept. On the whole, how- ever, the horses were inferior to those working at the west end ; indeed, although their health and comforts were essen- tially attended to, the locality seemed to authorize less attention to outward appearances. "While I was looking at the st'rd, I asked the chief super- intendent what became of the company's horses — as they did not sell them — ^when no longer capable of public service ; and as he gave me the same answer I had received from M. Denault, namely, that they were usually sent to the horse- slaughterers, called " 6quarrisseurs," at a considerable distance in the Plaine des Vertus, I begged he would give me a note of introduction, that I might ascertain what was the real conclusion of their career. He readily complied with my request, and accordingly, after thanking him for his great kindness, I managed to find another four-wheeled carriage, in which I drove off. n * To amuse themselves with* -« tE»- -V A I THE EQUAEBISSEUB, 55 THE fiQUARRISSEUE. rge remain- As we proceeded, the houses of the environs of Paris rery &00U began to turn into small -habitations, dead walls, and at last altogether to die away. The road also appeared gradu- ally to be losing its senses, and to stagger as if it had no idea at all where it was going to; and as I also was destitute of any knowledge on the subject, I remained passive, excepting now and then when, in going over lumps of loose Stones, which ap- peared exceedingly disposed to upset us, I deemed it neces- sary with extended arms to hold on to each side of the car- riage. In about half an hour we drove through a temporary passage in the masonry of tb3 escarp of the line of fortifica- tions which surrounds the metropolis; and here, for a few mi- nutes, I descended from the carriage. The fortified line of enceinte round Paris, which has caused so much observation and discussion, is composed of a rampart, ditch, covered berm (broad enough to be manned by skir- mishers, or riflemen), and raised glacis, as accurately as I could measure them — ^which any person is allowed to do— of the following dimensions : — Feet. Height of the masoniy of the escarp, above which is an earthen parapet . . ' 88 Breadth of the ditch from 66 to ^ . 160 Height of crest of glacis above the bottom of the ditch ...... 26 The masonry of the escarp is so well covered in front that it would evidently be impossible to breach it from a distance; and the enceinte, being a bastioned line, is in every part tho- roughly well flanked ; besides which its extent is so great that, practically speaking, it possesses almost the advantage of be- ing a straight interminable front, which, of course, would pre- vent an enemy from enveloping its works for the purpose of enfilading them. The counterscarp ha;? not been riveted ; and thus not only has a great expense been saved, but, as the army of defence f m A FAQGOT OF FRENCIl STICKS. would always be on a very large scale, the slope upwards to tbe covered berm and crest of the glacis would enable columns of troops of 10,000 or 20,000 men to make sorties on extended fronts from the ditch, which would again afford them most easy and convenient shelter if repulsed. The passage through the enceinte for the highroads (similar to that in which my carriage was standing) would, of course, have proper gates^ barriers, and loopholed defences applied whenever there ap- peared any probability of their being required, and at the same time the works would be armed. The fortifying of Paris is generally acknowledged to have been lEt very judicious measure, and in this opinion I quite (JOnonr. Wars will hereaftei^ be more likely to be made by coali- tions than formerly, and France more than any other country likely to be attacked by a powerful coalition. The armies of the Continent of Europe are much larger than they used to be ; and from these facts combined it is undeniable that France may be assailed by 400,000 or SOOjC^O men at once. Under such circumstances the old lines oi' t ^ i 'er-fortresses would not, as they were intended, afford the .. ^r ;*oe of check- ing the enemy at the threshold for months, oecause he would have forces enough to mask or watch them, as also his com- munications, and to make a dash at the capital with 100,000 or 150,000 troops, as was done in 1814, and again after Wa- terloo, and as, on similar principles of his own originating, Napoleon did in 1809 and 1812, &o. Besides this-, the frontiers of France, by the peace of 1815, have been left comparatively open, as regards the covering by fortresses, and thus all the studies and labours of Yauban, Louis XIV., and Bonaparte, have been completely annulled. If Paris, therefore, could be made defensible, so as to afford time, before it were taken, to give to the government ar chance of re-organising new armies, and of then acting upon the more extended lines of operations of the invader, it would more than replace the advantages of the frontier-fortresses, in- asmuch as the movements against it would be much more diffi- cult to support, and consequently much more dangerous to attempt. ^i The practicability of giving to Paris sufficient defensive pQ:TerB depends upon two things :— .j^^ ^.^^^.^ ,^^ ^ ^^ THE EQUABBISSEUB, 57 1st, On its fortifications being compact, and with ground around them favourable in form, and in freedom from build* ings, enclosures, &o. AH, which are peculiarly the case at Paris. 2nd, On the constant presence of a garrison sufiicient in numbers and quality, without trenching upon the strength of the regular army 'for the field, — Which is found in the hundreds of thousands of ^National Guards, who, under a certain military organization, are well armed, equipped, and accustomed to turn out and take ordina^ nary military duties ; and although they would be very infe- rior as a manoeuvring army in the field, yet backed by all the resources of Paris and the greater part of the population, in- cluding the RcA}le Polytechnique and d,;■ ^ observed most of them had shoes on, I inquired the reason. " Ah !" said the man, very gravely, " o'est qu'ils Ont appartenu h, des personnes qui ne s'amusent pas hi les d6- ferrer."* He then conducted me to a covered building, where thii' bodies of the horses are boiled, and in which are steam presses, to extract "I'huile de cheval/' f after which is made Prussian blue, the residue being sold as manure; in the adjacent building there stood a number of casks full of the oil ex- tracted. • •• ra. THE POOB OF PARIS. 1^ France so much has been said and sung, so much written in ink and in blood, about liberty, fraternity, and equality, that on my arrival at Paris I might have expeci;ed to find that the innumerable gradations into which society in England and elsewhere is divided had been swept away ; that in the French metropolis wealth had no mountains, poverty no valleys, but that the whole family of mankind were living together on a "pays bas," — on one common level. The first hatter's shop \ came to, however, very clearly explained to me that the advo- cates of " equality" have preached infinitely more than they have practised. In one window, in the Hue St. Honors, and within a hun- * Ah ! it 18 because they belonged to people who did not care about (literally, '< ^ho ^id not amuse themselves by") taking tlie shoes ofL f Hoi'se-oil. 62 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS, dred yardd of my lodging, I beheld, the very first morning I left t, citizens' hats of various prices; cooked hats, helmets, and shakos, of various grades ; and, finally, servants' hats, finer, if possible, than all. Several had not only bands of broad silver or gold lace, but either the edges were broadly trimmed with the same costly material, or the hat was orna- mented vrith four rich silver cords from brim to crown, termi- nating in a fine gilt button. There were, also, for the pos- tilions of the republic, jockey caps of superfine blue cloth, ornamented by a oroad silver band, containing a gold stripe in the centre. In the principal streets, and especially in the Avenue of the Champs Elys6es^ are to be seen, during the hours of fash- ionable resort, every description of carriage, from four-in-hand chariots, and barouches, driven by coachmen in wigs with two tiers of curls, and bearing coronets of different ranks, down to the citadine containing a whoY^* family, who have probably hired it to enjoy the luxury of hour's drive. In rumbles behind I often saw two footmen in splendid liveries, with bouquets of flowers in their breasts, sitting " a I'Anglaise," in mute silence, with folded arms, terminating in milk-white gloves. On nearly every barouche-box is to be seen, beside the coach- man, a servant, more or less gaudy, in a similar attitude — the fa- vourite folly of the day. As these carriages, following each other in line, parade or vibrate from one end of the avenue to the other, " down the middle and up again," they pass or are passed by equestrians in every known costume. Some are so padded and stuffed, — so ornamented with fine frills in their bosoms and beautiful flowers at their breasts, — have such little feet and such small fingers, — in short, are altogether so fashiona- bly dressed, that one hardly knows whether thev are big girls or great men. Some are dressed as '' cavaliers," in complete rid- ing costume, others in shooting coats, a few in uniform, many in blouses. On the boulevards are to be seen at all times, and especially in hot weather, enormous crowds of people seated on chairs, or slowly lounging about, apparently with no business to perform, or other object to look forward to than to get rid of sultry wea- ther, by means of little cups of coffee, litUe glasses of brandy, tobacco-smoke, and repose. Of this crowd a proportion are ;/ THE J'OOB OF FABIS. 63 men who, having nourished no natural attachments, have sold the patrimony they inherited for a small annuity, and, like the candles at a Dutch auction, are living it out, Among the mass are a vast number of people who, according to the cus< tom of Paris, have got off their two or three children — ^not one half of the mothers suckle their own infants — by sending them, as soon, as they have become three or four years old, for eight or ten years to " pensions " in the country, where, entirely weaned from parental solicitude, they naturally become all so- cialists. In Paris a very large number of poor people associate as man and wife without being married ; and what is particularly demoralizing to the community, the generality of them live together very happily. Now, although all these various grades of society and dif* ferent modes of existence form a striking contrast to the words " Liberty, Fraternity, and Equality," which on every public building, and on most of the.churches of Paris, are to be seen inscribed in the coarsest, cheapest description of black paint, so bad that it must evidently m a very fe^r years peel off, crack off, or by rain or revolutions be washed off; yet, in she midst of varnished carriages with coronets, equestrians, pedestrians, chairs, little tables, coffee, brandy, and tobacco- smoke, I was constantly asking myself this important question, " Where are the poor ?" Now, it so happened that the same question had been in- truding itself on the mind of Lord Ashley; and as, in reply to his philanthropic inquiries on the subject, Dr. M'Carty, physician to the British Embassy at Paris, a gentleman of great ability and intelligence, had offered to conduct him to a few of the very worst and poorest parts of Paris, I gladly availed myself of Lord Ashley's kind invitation that I should accompany him. Accordingly, meeting by appointment at Meurice's hotel, his lordship, Dr. M'Carty, and myself, one af- ter another, walked up the crazy steps of a " voiture de place," at the window of which, as soon as we were all seated, there appeared, in the form of a note of interrogation, the hat. face, neckcloth, and waistcoat of the driver. " Au March6 des Patriarches,"* replied Dr. M'Carty, lean- • ing towards him. . * To the Market of the Fatriarchfil , ..i. <^ A FAGOOT OF FRENCH STICKS. " Bien, Monsienr !"• said our conductor, and then, Alotint- ing his box, he rumbled us along the magnificent Bue de Riv- oil, across the Place du Louvre, close to the beautiful Gardens of the Luxembourg, and at last into the Rue d'Enfer.f Said I to myself, as I read its name at the corner of the street, "This looks something like business." From thence we pro- ceeded along several clean streets, until Dr. M'Carty observed t?o us that we were approaching our object The words, how- ever, were hardly out of his month before we rattled by a nice small plot of open ground, covered with trees. I was so anx' ions to arrive at zero, that, strange to say, I felt quite disap- pointed at the fresh air which these trees seemed to enjoy, and at the cool agreeable shade they created ; and I had not re- covered from this feeling when the carriage stopped, the driver opened the door, and we one by one got out. As we stood to- gether in a group, I fancied we all looked a trifle smarter in our dress, and that the watch-chains in some of our waistcoat pockets glittered a little more, than when we had entered the Toiture de place ; but as no change could have come over us, the difference must have proceeded from our being now in a part of the city of inferior architecture, inhabited by people whose dress at once proclaimed them to belong to an infinitely less opulent portion of the community. Still everything and everybody I saw were neatj the caps of the women, whether walking in the streets, standing at their doors, or within their shops, were fresh and white. The shirts of the men were, considering it was Friday, very clean too; but as we followed Dr. M'Oarty, what struck me most was, that every man, woman, and child we met was habited in a national costume, expressive of his — I must not in a republio say rank, but — . . . avocation. The gold ear-rings, particular- shaped cap, )r handkerchief twisted round the bead, was something thai the wearer seemed not only authorised to carry, but proud to call her own. No doubt these deceitful orna- ments often bloomed over an aching heart, and a faint stomach; and there might, therefore, I felt, exist misery, which, as a passing stranger, I might ba incompetent to analyse, and con- seqoently unable to detect. Before, however, coming to any conclusion on the subject, I must observe that there existed before my eyes a difference, ♦Good, Sir! t Hell Street. /■ I le over us. TEE POOR OF PARIS. ^ if possible, still more remarkable, and which in a comparison between the poorest parts of Paris and London cannot with fairness be overlooked. In London, and even in England, people accustomed from their infancv to that moist healthy climate which gives verdure to animal life, red and white roses to the cheeks of our peasantry and to those of their lovely children, are really not aware that, under all circumstances, and at all periods of the year, they are living, in the country in a mist, and in London in an atmosphere of smoke, of more or less density. It is true, often in the country, and even in the metropolis, we have bright sunshiny days, in which we talk of the air being beautifully clear ; but^between the air of Eng- land and of Paris there is as much difference in clearness as between the colour of the water in the straits between Dover and Calais and that of the Atlantic and Paci^o Oceans, in which the blue sky of heaven appears to be reflected. But not only does the air of Paris possess a clearness I have never seen exceeded, or scarcely equalled, in any other portion of the globe, bat, from the absence of mist and smoke^ it is enabled' to receive, and it evidently does contain, infinitely more light than can possibly find room to exist in the moist <' half and half" air and water atmosphere of England. In the broad streets, in the great sonares, and especialfy from the gritty asphalt pavement of the Place de Concorde, the rever- beration of a superabundance of light generates green goggles for old eyes, crows' feet around middle-aged ones, and for a few moments lowering eyebrows, even above young ones. But it is in the poorest parts of Paris this remarkable amount of light, of dryness, and of clearness of the atmosphere, are most striking. Indeed, as I followed Dr. M'Carty, I remark- ed in every street we entered, that, as far as the eye could, reach, there was apparently no difference whatever between the clear, clean air on the pavement and that of the heavens over our head. Every distant moving object, every carriage, every horse, every man, every woman, every child, every dog, and every cat that, chased by the dog, scampered across the street, was as clearly visible as if it had passed close to us. In fact, the air was so clear that distance appeared unable, as in England, to dissolve the interesting picture which every street and alley we entered brought to view. ^ As in the case of the difference of dress, it must, however,' 66 A FAQ GOT OF FRENCH STICKS. be considered that, although the clearness I have described gives a churm, a cheerfuluoss, and a transcendent boauty to the streets of Paris, there may, and I believe there does, lio lurking within it an amount of impurity which, although it be invisible, renders Paris, on the wliole, infinitely less healthy than London. Without tracing the various baa smells which proceed from almost every floor of almost every house to their impure sources, it is eviaent that in the aggregate they must contaminate although they do not discolour; and it is no doubt for this reason — from the continued prevalence of this invisible agent — in fact, from inferior sanitary arrangements, and especially from defective drainage — that. While the comparative mortality of the population of Lon- don, exceeding two millions, is 2-5 per cent., the mortality of the population of Paris, rather less than one million, is 3 3 per cent. Again, while the ravages of the cholera in London were in the proportion of 14-601 per cent., in Paris they were 15- 196 per cent. The total average deaths in Paris are from 28,000 to 30,000 annually, which, on a population of 900,000, gives about 1 in 30. The deaths in London, varying from 1 in 28 in White- chapel to 1 in 56 in Hackney, average for the whole popula- tion 1 in 42 ; that is to say, about one-fourth less than at Pa- ris : and thus, from inferior sanitary arrangements, there die annually in clear bright Paris about 7000 persons more than, out of the same amount of population, die in smoky London. But although I summoned these statistics into my mind to prevent it being led astray by appearances which might be deceitful, yet I must own it was my impression, and I believe that of Lord Ashley, that the poverty we had come to witness bore no comparison whatever to that recklessness of personal appearance, that abject wretchedness, that squalid misery, which — dressed in the cast-oflf tattered garments of our aris- tocracy and wealthy classes, and in clothes perforated with holes not to be seen among the most savage tribes — Ireland annually pours out upon England, and which, in the crowded courts and alleys of London I have so often visited, produce among our own people, as it were by infection which no moral remedy has yet been able to curOj scenes not only revolting as ?^--.'»'- .-U .•■ n 1] - TII£ POOR OF FABia. 67 well as discreditable to human nature, but which are to be witncsHcd in no other portion, civilized or uncivilized, of the globe. As we wore anxious to get into the interior of some of the poorest of the houses around us, we entered the shop of a cob- oler, who as usual "liv'din a Btoll, Which served him for parlour, kitchen, and all." The poor follow was not only very indigent, but evidently did not like " rich aristocrats," which our dress, to his mind, pro- claimed us to be. — How little did he know that the arch-aris- tocrat of the party before liim was an English nobleman, who, regardless < f the alluremer :s of rank and station, had laboured during nearly his whole life to ameliorate the condition of those beneath him ! — Accordingly, as be sat hammering away, ho gave to our qaestious very short ansisrers. He was in fact a true republican: st!*», howe r, although he wanted exceed- ingly to get rid of us, he d ' not use towards us a word ap- proaching to incivility ; ..u.l I moreover observed that, what- ever might be hif ^>r verty or hw principles, he wore a clean shirt, and was oth.^rw se decently dressed. In passing along the next street, we entered a very large house, in which we perceived a great congr. gation of women, all busily engaged, each at her tub, in washing. Over their heads, and the steam that partially enveloped them, there hung from a rafter a large tricolor flag, above which were inscribed the words — " Vive la R^publique."* As our entrance naturally caused some little sensation, one of our party endeavoured to allay it by telling a stout lady, who had evidently the charge of the whole— what, under every circumstance, is alwavs the best — the truth ; namely, that we had Wv ^Ir/^d in to see her establishment. ? " VVyjz done, Monsieur!" said the stout woman, waving her right hand successively at all her assistants ; " il y a des jeunes et des vieilles." After a short pause she added, " Vous eii trouverez qui sent jolies. AUez !"t Their beauty, however, not being to Lord Ashley or any of * The republic for ever ! ^ f Look over it, Sir ; there are young and old. You wiU find among them some that are pretty. Anuhl vn:)a:ii*w-v ^s 68 A FAGGOT OF FRENCIl STICKS. ns a Subject of what is called primary importance, we venture J to make a few statistical inquiries : upon which the lady, evi- dently suspecting that our object must, in some way or other, be hostile to the flag under which she presided, suddenly became so exceedingly cautious, that, excepting seeing that there were no very distressing signs of poverty in her estab- lishment — which, indeed, was all We desired to ascertain — wo could obtain nothing in answer to our queries but a repetitioa of the words " Je n'en sais rien, Monsieur ! 9a ne m'occupe pas !"* and so we departed. As in the locality in which we stood we had failed to find any of those painful combinations of poverty and des- pair we had been led to expect. Dr. M'Carty was kind enough to propose to go with us in search of them to another district of Paris, commonly called, " la Petite Pologne." Here, however, we found the general condition of the poorer classes in no way worse than those we had just left. On entering a large house, four stories high, running round a small, square, hollow court, we ascertained that it contained rather more than 500 lodgers, usually grouped together in families or in little communities. In this barrack or warren, the rooms, paved with bricks, were about 15 feet long, 10 feet broad, and 8 feet high. We found them, generally speaking, cleaa and well ventilated, but the charge for each chamber unfur- nished was six francs per month. Dr. M'Carty now kindly proposed that we should return to the rich west end of Paris, to the most miserable 'district in that portion of the city. Here also we failed to meet with anything that could be said to add opprobrium to poverty. The inhabitants of the few houses we entered were, no doubt, existing upon very feeble subsistence, but in every case they appeared anxious to preserve polite manners, and to be clean in their dress. In the Rue du Roche, No. 2, we entered a lodging-house kept by a clean, pleasing-mannered woman, and as all her lodgers were out at work, we walked over her es- tabliishment. The rooms, which were about 8 teet 7 inches, in height, contained — nearly touching each other — from tliree to five double beds; for each of which she charged 10 sous per night, being 5 sous, or 2^^. for each sleeper (in Lon- . ^/w»«« ^ii3 fir* . . I < * I know nothing about it, Sir; it does not concern nw!"- ^-^ JABDJN DES PLANTES. 69 her. ■\ 1 don tlie charge is usually ^d.). The woman told us that to every bed she allowed clean sheets once a fortnight. Each room had one window, and we found every one in the house wide open. Although Dr. M'Carty had now shown us the poorest de- fscription of people of whose condition he was cognisant, I have no doubt that an agent of the police could have led us to scenes of greater misery than those I have described. • •> jj^/90 ;i fertif JARDIN DBS PLANTES. On coming out of the Boulevart de I'Hopital I found myself close to the Jardin des Plantes, and as I had procured an or- dinary order of admission, which happened to be in my pock- et-book, I walked into it. The politeness which distinguishes the French nation is not only retailed by every citizen of Paris, but with a liber- ality which merits the admiration of the civilized world, is administered wholesale by the French Government to every stranger who visits their metropolis. For instance, the mag- nificent cabinets of comparative anatomy, the gallery of zoo- logy, the specimens contained in the mineralogical and geo- logical galleries of the Jardin des Plantes, are only open to the citizens of Paris on Tuesdays and on Fridays ; whereas any traveller, however humble his station, on application in writing, or by merely producing his passport certifying that he is a stranger in the land of a great nation, is, in addition to the days mentioned, allowed free entrance on Mondays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. On Wednesdays the collections are closed for cleaning, and on Sundays no person is admit- ted. Dogs must always be muzzled, and, to prevent mischief, they are not allowed in any instance to enter that portion of the grounds in which the loose animals are kept. I had scarcely entered the gardens when I was accosted by a short, active man of about fifty-five years of age, with a brown face and an arched nose — it arched cqncavely, snout* wise — who in a few words, very logically explained to me — 70 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS, 1st, That I was evidently a foreigner ; ' 2ndly, That being a foreigner I must necessarily be total- ly ignorant of the localities of the Jardin des Plantes ; 3rdly, that being ignorant I should be lost in the intrica- cies of its curiosities ; 4thly, That he was an authorised commissionaire ; in short, that I knew nothing, he everything, and Therefore that / should gain infinitely by putting my- self under his care. The demonstration was so complete, that by the utterance of "Allons done!"* I gruffly consummated the alliance he proposed ; and the two syllables could notj I am sure, have flown twenty yards, before I and the brown-faced man with the arched nose were walking together rajbher vigorously along a broad path, shaded by trees, towards the gallery of zoology. I now discovered— as in hasty love matches has but too often proved to be the case — that my guide and I were un- happily missuited to each other, and the consequence was we had at least six quarrels — or, to state the case more fairly, he forced me to quarrel with him about half a dozen times — ^be- fore we had proceeded a hundred yards. The subject of our dispute, which I submit to the unprejudiced judgment of the reader, was as follows. I — looking upon the man -as my slave, and recollecting the American maxim " that every man has an undoubted right to flog his own nigger," — felt I was authorised to put to him little questions as fast as each, one after another, , Dubbled up in my mind ; but every time I at- tempted to do so, and before I had got out three words, he in- variably stopped me full butt by advising me to go and see the animals and the labyrinth, for reasons which I, in return, would not allow him to utter. In fact, just as a new member in the House of Commons, who, having written out his maiden speech, and learnt it by heart, cannot deliver himself of any other, so had my guide only one way of showing me what he thought I ought to see ; in fact, my ideas, whether first, second, or third-class passengers, were all to run on his rails. I told him I would not give a sou to see all the animals in the world ; that I detested a labyrinth ; and as he began to see I evidently disliked him too, and that I was seriously *^^"' ^' *• * Get on then I \ V ' V; • ; • JARDIN D£S PLANTES. f f thinking of' a divorce, he shrugged up his shoulders, and we walked in silence towards the gallery of zoology, a plain build- ing of three stories high, 390 feet in length, into which I was very glad to find that he, not being a stranger, was not allowed to enter. The magnificent collection in the seven great apartments of this establishment are classed according to the system of Baron Cuvier. In the first room stands a marble statue of Buflfon, appropriately surrounded in this and also in the fol- lowing room by a complete collection of highly-varnished turtles and tortoises of all sizes, little fishes and serpents in bottles, enormous large ones suspended from the ceiling, snakes in the corner, and aquatic birds of every possible descrip- tion in all directions. In the third are congregated more than 2000 reptiles of 500 different sorts, divided into four great families, namely, Chelonians, commonly called tortoises ; Sau- rians, or lizards, comprehending crocodiles, &c. ; Ophidians, or serpents ; and Batracians, vulgarly termed by the unini- tiated toads, frogs, &c. The fourth contains crustaceous spe- cies, comprehending brachyures, anomures, macroures, stoma- podes, amphipodes, and xyphosures. The fifth is enlivened by a great variety of stuffed apes, monkeys, ourang-outangs, and chimpanzees. In the sixth are zoophytes, sponges, nautili, and fossil shells. In the seventh is a beautiful statue in white marble, by Dupaty, representing vivifying Nature, surrounded by a quantity of stuffed goats, dogs, and llamas. From this splendid collection I ascended by a staircase, the walls of which — no doubt with a view to keep the pot of the mind of visitors constantly boiling — have been appropri- ately hung with dolphins, seals, and other marine animals, to the second story, composed of four vaulted rooms, in the first of which are various species of mammalia, such as foxes, bears, weasels, and kangaroos. The next room swarms with apes, armadillos, bears, wolves, hysenas, and ferrets. In the third, a long gallery, intersected by four arches, contains, principally in glass cases, upwards of 10,000 stuffed birds of 2500 differ- ent sorts, forming the most complete collection in Europe. In the centre of rooms Nos. 2, 3, and 4, just described, are arranged in glass cases a complete collection of polypterous and apterous insects, also nests of termites, hornets, and wasps, with specimens of the devastations effected in wood by / ^ A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. different gpeoies of worms; likewise a numerous collection of shells, moUusoa, zoophytes, echini, &o. On the ground-floor are two rooms full of duplicates of zoophytes and specimens preserved in spirits ; and in the third mammiferous animals of the largest class, such as ele phants, hippopotami, morses, rhinoceros, &c. On the whole the gallery of zoology of ijhe Jardin des Plantes is estimated to contain upwards of 200,000 specimens of the animal kingdom, among which are 2000 specimens of mammalia, of nearly 500 dii^rent species, and 5000 speci- mens of fishes of about 2500 species ; besides which there is a very complete variety of tubifores, madrepores, millepores, corallines, and sponges. While, with Galignani's guide-book in my hand, I was hastily passing through the chambers I have detailed, now stopping for a moment to look at a large specimen and then at a little one, I could not help acknowledging how pleased my guide — who had been trying in vain to allure me to the living animals of the Garden — ^would be could he but witness the feelings which, on very slippery boards, I experienced as I walked between scales of serpents, shells of tortoises, skins of animals, and the plumage of birds, whose bodies were all gone, and whose joyous lives had long been extinct ; all had been the captives of man ; all had died either by his hands, or in his hands ; and although their variety was infinite, their congregation astonishing, and the method of their arrange- ment most admirable, yet in point of beauty, every specimen — ^whether of a poor bird with wings extended always in the same attitude, of an animal with glass eyes and puffy legs, of a gouty-looking fish immoveably floating in spirits of wine — ^was but an unsightly mockery of the living creatures witn which it has pleased an Almighty Power to ornament and animate that tiny speck of his creation on which we live. On descending the slippery stairs into the fresh air, my guide — ^who had been waiting at the door like a cat watching for a mouse — instantly joined me, and probably having, like myself, had time to reflect on the subject of our disputes, he conducted me very obediently towards the point I had named, without once reverting to the labyrinth or to the animals^ which I have no doubt, were still meandering and swarming in his mind. Nevertheless, to every little question I was JAEDIN BES PLANTES. 78 about to put to him, he could not refrain from beginning to give me a long answer before I had said three syllables ; and his apprehension was so uncomfortably quick, and his reten- tion of speech so feeble, that I had become quite disgusted with him, when, as we were walking together rather quickly, he suddenly stopped. On the ground on my right, with her back against a row of iron rails, was seated a poor woman with two children by her side ; another, a little boy, had been playing with a ball ; and it was because the child had thrown his ball between the rails, out of his reach, and stood wistfully looking at it, that my guide had stopped in the very middle of a question I was asking him. " Pardon, Monsieur !"* said ho to me, leaning towards me, and taking out of my left hand my umbrella, with which, after a good deal of dexterous fishing, he managed to hook out the lost ball. The child joyfully seized it. " Qu'est-ce que vous allez dire a Monsieur ?"t said his mother to him. " Merci, Monsieur V''% said the boy, looking my guide full in the face, and slightly bowing to him. The man touched his hat to the poor woman, and then walked on. " Well !" said I to myself, " that scene is better worth beholding than a varnished Ssh, or a stuffed monkey !" and after witnessing it, and reflecting on it, somehow or other, I quarrelled no more with my guide. I had now been conducted, according to my desire, to the Cabinet of Comparative Anatomy, which, by the unwearied e^^^rtions. of Baron Cuvier, by whom it was arranged, and under whose direction most of the objects were prepared, has become the richest and mopt valuable collection in Europe. On entering thp ground, floor I gazed for some minutes at an assortment of skeletoiis of whales, — of a variety of ma- rine animals, — and of a male morse, — brought by Captain Parry from the Polar Regions ; then proceeding into the next room, and afterwards up stairs, I found myself surrounded by mummies, then by rows of human skulls r' renologioally arranged ; then appeared the skulls of various animals ; then * Pardon me, Sir ! + What are you going to say to the gentleman ? X Tlianljyou, Sir. ; ' ; 74 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. ¥ a model of the htinian head, which, on being taken to pieces, displayed all its anatomical secrets ; then a cast of the human figure, denuded of its skin, cleverly developing the muscles ; lastly, skulls and casts of great men, good men, and wicked men. Among these curiosities I stood for some time looking at a small group of skeletons, which had apparently been collected for the purpose of displaying comparative specimens of the different members of the nations of Europe. <> There was the skeleton of an Italian, twenty-five years of age ; of a Dutchman, aged forty ; of a " Flamand," sixty ; of a Frenchman (no age stated) ; and, lastly, one above which was written, — -. m " Anglais, * , Ag6 de 68 ans. De rHospice de la Piti6.''* I was looking at my countryman, who, poor fellow ! had it seemed ended his earthly career, whatever it might have been, under the friendly but distant roof of a French hospi- tal — the yearly average number of patients in which is 10,750 — ^when I observed, written upon his skull, in pencil, the words "Anglicus Supekbcs."! '' In glancing at the row of skeletons before me, I had naturally been so impressed with the truisms that in death all men are equal, and that, although the bones before me had never chanced to enter that grave in which, it is said, no dis- tinction exists, they were, at all events, now all alike, that it had never for a moment entered into my head to make any coi^parison between them. The words, however, in pencil, involuntarily drew my attention to the subject, and I then renrarked, what any one who may he .'eafter visit this little row of grim skeletons will instantly perceive, namely, ihat in the poor Englishman's chest there is, where his lungs and heart had lived, room for a clean shirt, a couple of neckcloths, and half-a-dozen pocket-handkerchiefs more than in the chest * An Englishman, Aged 68 yeai-s, From the Hospital of Pity. f The Proud Englisliman. , v , , JABDIN DES PLANTES. 75 of the Frenchman, Dutchman, Flamand, or Italian ; and although I was very far from entertaining any desire to be witty, and, above all, to abuse the privilege which by the French nation had been so generously granted to me, I cer- tainly did feel that, as an English translation of the words in pencil, ". Anglicus Superbus," on the head of my poor country- man, who had died in an hospital, there might fairly be inscribed " TJoLY Customer ;'* , for a more powerful frame I never beheld : indeed the breadth between his chest and back-bone, as compared with his com- panions, is most remarkable. Beside the group I have just described was a skeleton, over which, by authority of the museum, was inscribed, — " Sqnelette de Solyman, Instruit mais tr^s fanatique, Assassin de Kleber."* In what may be called a chamber of horrors I perceived the inside of an ourang outang. Also the interior of some hens, showing the gradual formation of their eggs ; and as a companion thereto, in a different portion of the room, were specimens showing the comparative size of infants of various ages. One of the most interesting objects I witnessed in this department of science was a distinct human form, looking as if it had been spun by an immense spider. It was a repre- sentation of nothing but the heart, veins, and arteries of a man. The whole secret of his life was here developed. The course of hia blood, rushing, flowing, ebbing back, creeping, and crawling to and from every part of his system, was so m;ititcly detailed, that the momentary passing blush across his cheek was clearly explained. On a board suspended against one of the walls of this room, I observed inscribed the following creditable appeal to the good sense and good feeling of the French people : — * The skeleton of Solyman, Learned, but a great fanatic, The assassin of Kleber. 76 A FAGGOT OF FBENCU STICKS. " Ces collcotioDB, Fropri^t^ Nationalcs, sont mises sous la sauve-gard« des citoyene."* G.-* As I felt that I could manago to crawl about the garden, or even occasionally to sit down and rest myself, without assistance, on coming out of the museum I paid off my brown- faced attendant to his entire satisfaction : and haying thus thrown off my allegiance to him, I determined for about half an hour to enjoy liberty, fraternity, and equality. I there- fore joined the crowd, and as every ^ody seemed to be stroll- ing about, he or she knew not where or why, I very luxu- riously did the same. Sometimes I found myself in an avenue of lime and chestnut trees ; — then in a large enclosure forming the botanical garden, and called the school of Botany ; — then in a nursery teeming with indigenous, exotic, and perennial plants ; — then looking over the railings of a sunk enclosure containing a beautiful assortment of flowering shrubs ; — then, after wandering about, I saw within a few feet on my right the bright eyes of a pair of beautiful antelopes, in an enclosure entirely their own ; — then some very odd sheep, that looked as if their grandfather had been a respect- able goat ; — then, with horns growing backwards, some buf- faloes ; — then a flock of llamas. Then I came to a poultry- yard, in the middle of which stood a magnificent peacock, with his tail spread so that every eye in it might look directly at the sun ; around him were a wife and an only child, a couple of cranes, some eccentric-looking geese, ducks, and other water-fowl, from various quart ors of the globe. In another direction were some long-lc,. j;ed ostriches and a cassowari. Then I passed a hexagonal building, with a projecting pavilion from each side, surrounded by railings, in which were a young rhinoceros, an Asiatic buffalo, a cabiai oi capybara from Brazil, and a brace of elephants, whose saga- cious minds, or rather trunks, were constantly occupied in analysing the contents of a great number of little outstretched hands, some of which contained a bit of orange-peel, — re- jected ; — half a bun, — accepted ; — the core and pips of an * These collections, the Property of the Nation, are placed under the protection of the citizens. JAKDLW 1)£S PLAi^TKS. apple, the rest of which a maidservant had oaten, — accepted ; — &c. In one enclosure were some Voftutiful zebras; in others South American buifaloes, antelopes, gazelles, and bisons. In the nianagerie, composed of two dens full of wild-beasts, were hyajnas, -wolves, jackals, leopards, lions and lionesses, safely secured by iron bars, through which a crowd of peof>le of all ages, in round hats, cocked hats, casquets, caps, bonnets, and with mouths gaping or closed, arc continually to be seen gaz- ing at the captives. The chief point of attraction, however — I mean that which appeared to be best suited to all sorts and conditions of men, women, and children, of senators, soldiers, and clergy — was a substantial stone building, divided into a number of little compartments, with a large circular playground in front, covered with wirework, in which were to be seen wet- nursing, caressing, squalling, quarrelling, gambolling, biting, pinching, pulling, jumping, vaulting, swinging by their tail, until tired by all these exertions they paused to rest and chat- ter, a large and complicated assortment of monkeys, daily al- lowed to enjoy sunshine and fresh air, and to hold a levee, un- til four o'clock, at which hour a couple of keepers with whips drive them into their respective colls, the doors of which— some not more than a foot square — shut them up for the re- mainder of the twenty-four hours, to ruminate on what they have seen, and digest as well as they can what they have eaten. After passing some very large, lazy, soft, flabby boa con- strictors under glass, and kept warm by blankets and hot air, in short, looking altogether very much like highly respectable aldermen after a civic feast, I came to a quantity of cages, con- taining all sorts of Eoman or hook nosed birds of prey, from the tiny sparrow-hawk up to the eagle, vulture, and, at last, the great condor of South America, whoso bald pate, bony legs, and muscular frame, I had never before seen in captivity ; among them I observed a dull, puny-looking, brown bird, with a particularly weak beak, over whose head, as he stood moping 01.^ his perch, was written — " surely," said I to myself, " by some royalist " — "AlGLE VULGAIRE DE CoRSE."* After strolling about some little time among a crowd of * Common (vulgar) Eagle of Corsica. 78 A FAGGOT OF FRENUl HTWKS. people, who seemed to bo as Imppy and as thoughtless as the birds singing in the trees around them, I saw several persona peeping over each other's shoulders at something beneath them, and, on my peeping too, over the bonnets and beautiful rib- ands of a lady, if possible, as old as myself, I perceived that the objects of their attention were some bears, in two or three deep pits, separated from each other by high walls, of tiio same altitude as those which surrounded them on the throe other sides. In one of these cells were two largo brown trans- atlantic specimens, living with all that can conveniently be granted to them to remind them of their distant homes ; and thus, in the middle of the universe of their small paved court, there has been placed a solitary pole, with iron bars instead of branches, to represent the great forest of North America. With these reminiscences before them they are perfectly at liberty to roam as far and to climb as high as they can. One of the captives, however, instead of doing either one or the other, stood on his hind legs, searching for benevolent faces that would give him apples, while, in the adjoining cell, a white bear looked up most piteously as if begging only for — cold. In another cell I observed poor Bruin cantering for exer- cise round his pit as steadily as if a horse-breaker had been lounging him ; and yet I remarked that even he now and then, like Rasselas, looked upwards, evidently longing to bo out. Among those who, like myself, were intently watching these poor captiveSj tvere two young fresh-coloured priests, in long black gowns, tight over their chests and loose downwards, three-cornered black hats, white bands, and white edges to their stocks. As they stood directly opposite, I found I could not conveniently raise my eyes from the animals without looking at them, and whenever I did so, and reflected, poor fellows ! on the unnatural lives that had been chalked out for them, I could not help feeling that, on the whole, the bears had the best of it. As I was retiring from the gardens in which, with so much pleasure, I had been a loiterer, just as I passed the barrier that contained the elephants the clock struck three. The sa- gacious creatures, who, resting first one huge fore leg and then the other, had been as attentive to the crowd as the latter had been to them, no sooner heard this signal than, turning their short apologies for tails towards the public and republic, and ' MESSAGERIES QJiNERALES DE FRANCE. 79 their heads towards their dormitories, they awaited with ap" parent impatience, — every now and then uttering a noise com- pounded of the cries of birds and beasts, — until in a few se- conds, the gates being thrown open, they walked in, and their doors being then closed, and there being nothing to be seen hut the empty court in which they had stood| everybody, like myself, walked away. -♦-♦^ '! i» MEfcoAaERIES GiJNERALES DE FRANCE* I WAS returning through La Rue Grenelle St. Honor6, when I was suddenly induced to turn to my right, uuder the lofty arch of a portecochere, over which was written in large letters the four words above described, and, on walking into a spa- cious paved yard, there instantly flashed before my eyes the yellow painted panels, bright scarlet borders, and black var- nished tops of a congregation of three-bodied carriages, each divided into " coup6," " int^rieur," and " rotunde," surround- ed by cabriolets of various shapes. On looking round the court, one of the most prominent objects in which was a large clock, I saw, written in compartments on the wall, " Angle- terre," Amsterdam, Aix-la-Chapelle, Besanqon et Geneve, St. Etienne et Ctermont, Orleans, Tours, Saumur, Ch&teauroux, Cherbourg, Caen, Brest, Rennes. The scene was one of well-arranged confusion. While the cracking of whips as- sailed my ears, (the French postilions can, they say, crack, sufficiently well to be recognised, any common tune,) I ob- served people diagonally hurrying across the yard, and across each yther, in all directions. " Par iei, Madame, s'il vous plait !"t said a porter, stand- ing close to the horses of a diligence, all ready to start. " Montez, Monsieur }"|'to a man, near him, carefully packed up for travelling. Behind the exalted cabriolets and on the roofs of several • '• * General Coach Office, «fec., of France. T^ + This way, Ma'am, if you please. X Get in or up, Sir ! • -'.»'■■ m o A FAGGOT OF FliEyCH STICKS. diligonoen about t* .>rt was oonapicuous a magazine or store- house of baggago, of ; \. name iieight as, and of the whole length of, the carriugo. The horBCS. whose pioturcBquo collars were ornamented with bells, which at every moment slightly tinkled, were standing in whity-brown harness, with narrow reins. Tlie driver or ooaohman of each vehicle was dressed in a hairy cap, a blouse apparently much bleached by wind and rain, and blue trowsers. The " conducteurs" in dark-cloth coats, covered with black lace, black filligree work, black frogs, and collars embroidered with silver. One had a scar- let sash round his waist. Standing in the yard beside them, were nearly a dozen women, some in white caps, some in black ones, but almost all with baskets in their hands. " Adieu !" said one. " Bon voyage, ma mdre ! !"* said another. There were gentlemen with watch-chains of gold or silver festooned across their waistcoats ; a dog vociferously barking in French ; a niiller, with a long beard all over flour ; yellow hand-barrows wheeling portmanteaus, trunks, bandboxes, and gaudy carpet-bags; yellow one-horse baggage-carts, with black canvass covers. In the principal " bureau," or oflice, I observed men wri- ting, in beards, with faces the perspiration on which seemed to say they might do very well without them. At last, "Montez, Madame!" "Allons!" Clack! clack ! . . clack ! clack clack ! When the huge reeling mass, dragged by five horses in hand, first moved off, it appeared impossible for the pair of humble little wheelers, — ^who, without touching the pole, trotted before it like a guard of honour, — ever to stop, or even to steer it out of the yard. Nevertheless, clack ! cFack ! clack ! clack ! clack ! rolling and tossing like a great vessel just out of harbour, it obeyed the helm ; and without the smallest difficulty — glori- ously rumbling along the pave as if it would shake the earth to its foundation — worming its way out of the court, it pass- ed under the arch in triumph ! To each yellow baggage-cart, whose duty it is to despatch throughout Paris the mass of parcels, &c., continually arriv- ing " par diligence," is attached a " facteur," to deliver the * A good jom'uey to you, mother I TllEATRK DE^ AmMAVX HAUVAGKfi. 81 packages, and a sous-factcur to drive the horse. Both of these birds of paradise are dressed in blue caps with silver embroidery, blue jackets, silver buttons, scarlet collar, blue trowsers, terminating in mock leather boots, sewed on to them. In a similar dress, but a shade or two finer, stands the " factour du bureau,"* who enregisters the " voyageurs,"t and eventually places, or, — in the case of an English travelling family who don't understand Frcnchj — politely stufl's them into their respective places. -•-•-«- / A THEATEE DES ANIMAUX SAUVAGES. I WAS strolling along the Boulevart des Italiens, when I observed on my left a number of people, without touching each other, standing in procession as if following soine hearse that for a few moments had stopped. On looking, however, at the head of the little line of march, I perceived it crowd- ing round a small hole about a foot square, into which they were paying money and receiving tickets. "What place is this, if you please?" said I to a gentle- man who was just passing. " Monsieur," he replied, " c'est le th^Atre des animaux sauvages." He proceeded politely to tell me it was very near the hour at which the beasts were fed ; and as he added I should have much pleasure in witnessing it, I obediently fell into the line of respectable-looking people who were approaching the little hole ; and on arriving at it, and stooping down my head to look into it, I saw the bearded face of a grim-looking personage, who asked me very quickly what ticket I would have, and, as I was evidently perfectly unable to tell him, he kindly put the proposition before me in another light — namely, " to which part of the theatre did Monsieur wish to go?" As I had not the least idea into how many compartments the portion allotted for * Head of the Office. \ Su' it's the theatre of wild beasts. 4* f Travellei-fl. A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. the spectators was divided, or what were their names, I was no better oflF than before, so I was obliged to ask him the prices of each ; and having selected, as an Englishman invariably does, the mOi?t costly, he instantly gave me a card and some large double sous in return for a small piece of silver I hardly looked at, and do not know what it was. After proceeding along a passage, I came to a man who with one hand received my ticket and with the other pointed out the particular lane I was to follow, and which conducted me into an open space or " parterre," immediately in front of the cages of a quantity of wild beasts ; on my right was a stout wooden nainted partition, about five feet high, above which, on benches slightly rising one above another, were seated those who for Qd. and Zd. had obtained cheaper tickets. As I had purchased the privilege of walking about, I spent nearly a quarter of an hour in looking — sometimes at two elephants who, each chained by one foot to a platform, stood see-sawing their huge bodies and slowly nodding their heads and trunks, their little sharp eyes all the time looking out in every direction for an extended hand with something white in it ; — sometimes at a large rhinoceros, also on a platform, at< tended by an Arab in gaudy costume ; — and sometimes at a series of cages in which were confined leopards, wolves, hyaenas, bears, tigers, lions, with a den swarming alive with monkeyS) swinging, chattering, fighting, squalling, screaming, and chasing each other in all directions, save into one corner, in which sat chained to the ground an immense, vindictive, desperate, blood- thirsty, red-republican looking chimpanzee. The monkeys sometimes got into such a violent commotion that a lad, whose principal duty it appeared consisted in beating them, opening a little door, entered among them with a whip. For some time he had been taking notes of their proceedings, and he now be- gan — with impartial justice — to flog them according to their ofifences. The operation, which caused a great rush of the specta- tors in the " parterre" to the cage, was certainly not without its effect, for the monkeys, as soon as it was over, sat for nearly a minute without indulging in a single frolic, until, one happen- ing to give a jump over the back of a comrade below, whose tail he most unfortunately twitched en passant, there revived, as in important diplomatic disputes, first of all grimaces, then a simultaneous display of innumerable sets of little white THEATRE JJES ANIMAUX SAUVACfES. ^ teeth, till chattering, and finally a declaration of general war, which, as usual, in due time was succeeded by another peace. As the seats in the theatre were now almost all occupied, and the parterre nearly half covered with spectators, the business of the evening commenced by a young man, in a chanting tone, — in which a great deal of magnificent emphasis was almost invariably heaped upon the wrong words, — ^giving to the com- pany the history of each of the largest of the animals. As soon as he had concluded, the turbiined AYab, with hooked nose and bright eyes, pointing with his sallow, lean, emaciated fore- finger at the rhinoceros, detailed in broken French the history of his capture, of his embarkation, of his violent conduct on board ship during a gale of wind, of his endeavours to break a hole in the ship's side, and of the necessity therefore of sawing off his horn. He showed his horn at three years old ; that which had grown out of him at seven ; and approaching the huge hairless creature, he then pointed to a stout stump about four inches long, which, for safety's sake, was all he was nov/ allowed to possess. He had scarcely concluded, when the young man who had described the other animals called out with a loud voice,-— " Charles va entrer dans le cage des leopards !"* — towards which the people in the parterre immediatelyhur- ried. After a pause of about half a minute I heard three loud startling taps at the back of the cage, as if there had been "■ a message from the Lord's ;" then the drawing back of an iron bolt ; at last a small low door opened, through which there ap- peared, stooping as he entered, " Charles," who, instantly as- suming an erect and rather theatrical attitude, stood in the midst of the beasts whose den he had invaded. He was a tall, thin, sinewy, handsome-looking man, with very black hair ; and whether it was necessary for his protection, or whether it was merely a pretence, I know not, but his first precaution was, by a most extraordinary expression of his eyes, to look with them into those of each of the beasts around him, who severally, one after another, seemed to turn from his glance as if from fear, abhor- rence, or both. However, whatever were their feelings, Charles very soon demonstrated that, in official language, " with senti- ments of the utmost respect, they had the honour to be his most obedient, humble servants." With his right hand catching one by the skin of his neck, * Charles is going into the cage of the leopards I 84 A FAGGOT OF FJiENCH STICKS. he pulled him, — pushed him, — shook his left fist at him, — Caught him by one fore-leg, — ^jerked it upwards, cast him on the ground, — and then, throwing liimself upon him, leaning his elbow on his captive's neck, resting his head on his hand, and looking at the audience as if to say, — " Now does not a leopard make a most easy chair ?" — r he received in acknowledgment a round of applause. After subduing each of the leopards in a different way, he began rather frantically to wave his arms : upon which first one of them jumped over him, then another, until at last they were seen running round and ov^r him in all directions. Charles, now looking to his right and then to his left, walked slowly backwards until he reached the little door, which opened, — allowed him to retire, — and then, as if with a sort of " shut sesame" influence, apparently closed of its own accord. After the audience in the parterres had in groups talked it all over, and after a general buzz of conversation through- out the theatre — everybody within it appearing either to be talking, sucking an orange, or munching a cake — a loud voice again proclaimed, — "Charles va entrer dans la cage des tigres."* The same three knocks, the same entering bend, the same erect attitude, and the same extraordinary glare of his eyes, accompanied by a corresponding grin with his teeth, formed the prelude of operations, of which, as it would be tedious to repeat them, I will only say that although it was evident much greater circumspection was evinced, Charles succeeded in drilling his captives with wonderful power into extraordi- nary obedience. They growled, roared, opened their mouths, but, the moment he put his face against their beards, they turned from him as if they had been suddenly converted into bits of floating iron, and he into the repellant end of a power- ful magnet. After a third announcement, Charles entered the den of five lions, who, as compared with the tigers, appeared to be passionless; indeed, one might have fancied them not. only to be beasts of burden rather than of prey, but that the bur- den they were especially intended to submit to was,— ill- . ,^. * Charles is going into the cage of the tigera. .,,,,,,' THEATRE DES ANIMAUX SAUVAGES. 85 treatment by man. The old shaggy father, or rather grand- father, of the family, seemed as if nothing could disturb hia equanimity. Charles shook his lean flabby cheeks, — "for his skin Like a lady's loose gown liung about him," closed his eyes, forced them open, pulled at his long shaggy mane with both hands. By main strength opening his wide mouth, and disclosing long yellow tushes, blunted and distort- ed by age, he put his face to his great broad nose, rubbing his mustachios against it as he kissed it ; then, again wrench- ing open his naouth, he slammed his jaws together with such violence that we heard the hard teeth clash. In a similar way Charles successively paid his addresses to the lioness, who growled a good deal, and to the other lions, who made a variety of noises, between a roar, a grumble, and a snarl. . He then drove them this way, that way, and all sorts of ways ; pushing one with his foot, pulling another by the tail, &c., «&c. ; at ] ist, going to one end of the cage and calling to the old grandfather, he made signs to him to come and lie down at his feet. The aged creature, who appeared to be dead sick of this world, of everything it contained, and especially of anything in it approaching to a joke, for some time looked at him most unwillingly, turning his head away as if to try and change the subject. At last, in obedience to repeated movements, especially of Charles's eyes, he got up, wormod his way between his wife or daughter-in-law, which- ever it 'vas, and the ret't of his fellow-captives, and with a deep groiiDi rolled over and lay motionless. Charles imme- dir^teh ;ie! to v/ork to arrange him as if he had been a corpse : pusVec' iiitJ gi i. head square, tucked in a huge fore-leg, ad- jus id a hind one, put his long tail to rights, and when he was completel^y ^ nrallel to the bars he ogled the lioness, who, e5.ceec;t)gly unwillingly, at last came forward and lay down with her head on the old lion's flank. When she also was squared, Charles, with dumb signs, and without the utterance of a single word, for he seemed to do his work almost entirely by his eyes, insisted upon the remaining three lying down one after anotli* r, each with his head upon the flank of the last recumbent, in the way described. It took him a consid- 86 A FAGGOT OF FBFNCH STICKS. I erable time to adjust them in a line, and, not satisfied with this, he then, with considerable force, put the upper fore paw of each over his bedfellow's neck, until they all formed one long confused mass of yellow hair, upon which he lay down " like a warrior taking his rest with his martial cloak around him."^ His triumph was greeted with general approbation. I could not, however, help feeling I was witnessing an exhibition which no civilized country, most espooially one like France, teeming with brave men, ought to allow. To maltreat a pris- oner under any circumstances is ungenerous ; deliberately to behave towards any living being with cruelty is discreditable ; but when man, calling himself " the Lord of Creation," gifted with reason, coolly, coldly, deliberately, and by slow but con- tinuous degrees, maltreats and tortures a wild animal distin- guished by his courage, and whose characteristic is ferocity, he commits a crime, guilty in proportion to its success ; indeed, a moment's reflection must surely convince any one how little cause any congregation of civilized beings have to rejoice in being able to demonstrate that, by a series of secret cruelties and by long-protracted indignities, man may at last succeed in subduing the courage, in cowing the spirit, in fact, in breaking the heart of a captive lion ! and yet, incredible as it may sound, the people of Bnglaud, but a few years ago, flocked in clouds to witness this unworthy triumph, little reflecting that while they were applauding Van Amburgh, and while they were cheering on English bulldogs to bite the ears and lacerate the jowl of a lion, apparently too noble to feel any- thing but astonishment at the foul treatment to which he was subjected, and which it is a well-known fact for a long time he disdained to resent, not only the people but the roy? ■ irms of England — " the lion and the unicorn fighting for the crown," — were publicly dishonoured and disgraced ; for the French army under Napoleon might just as well, during their march of tri- umph, have amused themselves by assembling in a theatre to behold one of their (iountrymen pluck every feather from a living eagle, whose figure' decorated alike their standards and their breasts, as a body of Englishmen publicly to torture that noble monarch of wild-beasts — one of the heraldic supporters of the British Crown ! But, under the beneficent dispensations of Providence, it i M io-'^J^' THEATRE BES ANJMAUX SAUVAGES. M| usaally happens that what is unbecoming for man to perform is not only unwise but unprofitable. No one can phrenologically look at the head of a tiger without perceiving that he is not gifted with brains enough to govern his passions ; and although a human being, boasting of reason^ may with impunity succeed for some time in putting his head into the mouth and between the jaws of his victim, yet it is evident that, if anything should suddenly inflame the heart of the beast, there docs not exist within his skull anything to counteract the catastrophe that occasionally has happened, and which in barbarous exhibitions of this sort is always liable to happen. For the preservation therefore of human life, and, what is infinitely more valuable, for the honour of human nature, it is to be hoped that the nations of Europe will by proper regulations prevent ferocious animals — properly enough exhibited as specimens of their race — from being treated, either in public or in private, with that cruelty or indignity which there can exist no doubt had been previously necessary to make hyaenas, tigers, wolves, and lions go through the mountebank feats I have described. However, " revenons a nos moutons."* Charles now appeared on the elephants' platform, m front of which the occupiers of the parterre swarmed, and towards which the eyes of the rows of heads arranged in tiers one over, another, were directed. As soon as the attendant had un- screwed the hcpvy chain just above the captive's foot, and which appeared to have pinched him a good deal, the huge creature walked up to Charles, and, as if determined — at all events as regarded politeness — to inf fcruct rather than be instructed, with a wave of his trunk he took off Charles's hat f IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) S 1.0 I.I UiilB |2.5 150 ""^ ■■■ U£ IM 12.2 ^ |i£ 12.0 u ._ WUI- L25 i U 116 o> ^ V ^1 '/ s Photographic Sciences Corporation 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. MS80 (716) •73-4503 '^ 94 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. square when I met several men, each wheeling in a barrow a large jet-black dead pig, the skin of which appeared to be slightly mottled in circles. As they passed me there passed also a slight whiff of smoke ; and I was on the point of asking a few questions on the subject when I found myself within the great slaughter-house of the establishment, a large barn, the walls and roof of which were as black as soot. The inside of the door, also black, was lined with iron. The floor was oovor- ed for several inches with burnt black straw, and upon it lay, here and there, a large black lump, of the shape of a huge hog, which it really was, covered over with the ashes of the straw that had just been used to burn his coat from his body. In vain I looked beneath my feet and around me to disco- ver the exact spots where all this murder had been committed ; but nowhere could I discover a pool, slop, or the smallest ves- tige of blood, or anything at all resembling it. In short, the whole floor was nothing but a mass of dry, crisp, black, char- red remains of burnt straw. It was certainly an odd-looking Elace ; but no one could have guessed it to be a slaughter- ouse. There was another mystery to be accounted for. In Eng- land, when anybody in one's little village, from the worthy rector at the top of the hill down to the little ale-house keeper at the bottom, kills a pig, the animal, who has no idea of " let- ting concealment, like a worm in the bud, prey on his damask cheek," invariably explains, seriatim^ to every person in the parish — dissenters and all — not only the transaction, but every circumstance relating to it ; and accordingly, whether you are very busily writing, reading, thinking, or talking about nothing at all to ladies in bonnets sitting on your sofa to pay you a morning visit, you know, and they know, perfectly well — though it is not deemed at all fashionable to notice it — the beginning, middle, and end, in short, the whole progress of the deed ; for, first of all, a little petulant noise proclaims that somebody somewhere is trying to catch a pig ; then the animal begins, all at once, with the utmost force of his lungs, to squall out, " They have caught me : — they are pulling at me : — they are trying to trip me up : — a fellow is kneeling upon me :— they are going to make what they call pork of me. dear I they have done for me I" (the sound gets weaker) '' I feel ex- ceedingly unwell ; — I'm getting flfcit ; — fainter ; — fainter still, ( I ABATTOIR DES COCHONS. w ) am — I shan't be able to squall .much longer !*' (a long pause " This very long little squall is my last, — 'Tis all over, — I ai dying — I'm dying — I'm dying : . . . I'm dead !" Now, during the short period I had been in the establish- ment, all the pigs before me had been killed ; and although I had come for no other earthly purpose but to look and listen ; although ever since I had entered the gate I had — ^to confess the truth — expected to hear a squall ; — was surprised I had not heard one ; — and was not only ready but really anxious, with the fidelity of a shorthand-writer, to have in- serted in my notebook in two lines of treble and bass the smallest quaver or demisemiquaver that should reach my ears, yet, I had not heard the slightest sound of discontent ! However, while I was engrossed with these serious reflec- tions, I heard some footsteps outside ; a man within opened the door slightly, and through the aperture in trotted, look- ing a little wild, a large loose pig, whose white, clean, delicate skin physically as well as morally formed a striking contrast with the black ruins around him. In a few seconds he stopped ; — ^put his snout down to the charred ground to smell it ; did not seem to like it at all ;— looked around him ; — then, one after another, at the super- intendent, at me, and the three men in blouses ; — appeared mistrustful of us all ; — and not knowing which of us to dis- like most, stood as if to keep us all at bay. No sooner, how- ever, had he assumed this theatrical attitude than a man who, with his eyes fixed upon him, had been holding in both hands the extremity of a long thin-handled round wooden mallet, walked up to him from behind, and, striking one blow on his forehead, the animal, without making thei smallest noise, rolled over on the black, charred dust, senseless, and, excepting a slight convulsive kick of his upper hind leg, mo- tionless. Two assistants immediately stepped forward, one with a knife in his hand, the other with a sort of iron frying- pan, which he put under the pig's neck ; his throat was then cut ; not a drop of blood was spilled ; but as soon as it had completely ceased to flow, it was poured from the frying-pan into a pail, where it was stirred by a stick, which caused it to remain fluid. Leaving the poor animal to be singed by a portion of the heap of white straw in a lOT corncy,*! followed the men who 96 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. with their barrows had come again for one of the black corpses, lying on the ground, into a large, light, airy building, as high as a church, as clean as a dairy, and with windows and doors on all sides. In the centre was a beautiful fountain playing, with water-cocks all round the walls. By this tfmple supply, proceeding from two large reservoirs, by steam power main- tained constantly full, the flagstones were kept perfectly clean, and were consequently, when I entered, as wet as a ' washhouse. As fast as the black pigs were wheeled in, they were by a running crane lifted up by the hind legs until they appear- ed suspended in rows. Their insides were here taken out, and carried to a set of large stone tables, where, by the as- sistance of the water-cocks and fountains, they were not only cleaned, but became the property or perquisite of the clean- ers. Their bodies were then scraped, until they became deadly white, in which state, to the number of about 300 per week, th\3y are restored at night to their respective proprietors in Paris. By the arrangements I have described, conducted by one receiver of the droits d'octroi (my friend), four surveillants, or foremen, and the necessary quantity of slaughterers, wheel- ers, cleaners, and scrapers, the poor animals, instead of being maltreated, half-frightened to death, and then inhumanly killed ; — instead of inflicting upon all classes the sounds and demoralizing sight of a pig's death ; — instead of contaminat- ing the air of the metropolis ; — ^undergo the treatment I have described, for the knowledge of which I am deeply indebted to the politeness of him who so justly expouitded to me the meaning of that golden law— - " PeRBONNE n'a LE DBOIT DE TUEB UN OOCHON EN PaWSI" -«-•-«- GARDENS OF THE TUILERIES. The principal characteristic of ^e facade of the Tuileries looking into the garden^ consii^ in exactly that which a GARDENS OF THE TUILEBIES. 97 stranger would not expect to find in a palace, namely its law- less irregularity. Sixty-one windows in frorlt are divided into nine compartments, some two, some three, and some four stories high, with a frontage of windows in each, as fol< lows, — 6.7.5.12.3.12.3.7.6. total 61. In one part near the centre, where the masonry is only three stories high, are no less than four tiers of windows in the blue slates above ; indeed, the roof is so high and grotesque that it not only looks as if the architect, for want either of money or stone, had been obliged to finish off the building with slates, but, having done so, had determined the {)Osition of the windows^ in the roof, by firing cannon-shot at it — every hit to be a window. The view from the centre of the Palace must be — for it had changed its masters so often that I felt no desire to enter it — ^very magnificent. In front, in the gardens full of fiowers of all colours, es- pecially yellow, is a circular basin of Water, from which radi- ate in all directions broad sanded walks, separating the various statues and ornaments, as also a wood of horse-chest- nut trees, when I beheld them in full blossom. Beyond is the picturesque Egyptian obelisk of Luxor, standing in front of the distant magnificent triumphal Arc de I'Etoile. Around the fountains I found a crowd of grown-up people and children, all apparently with equal anxiety watching several little 8hips,_brigs, and schooners, they hadilaunched. One, with the tricolor flag drooping from its tiny mast, had got into a corner, where it was becalmed ; another, veered round by a gentle breeze, was taken aback. On one, nearly in the middle, a gentleman, standing with his head uncovered, had embarked, to the delight of everybody, his black hat. On the centre stone, surrounded by the water, a large swan, with his neck elegantly bent, was cleaning his snow-white breast with his bright red bill bordered with black. As the vessel with the hat slowly approached him, he opened his wings from his sides in anger. Above him, on the empty stone cup, were hopping two or three sparrows, as if, in their little way, to demonstrate to the human race watching them the infinite variety of Nature. Around, in various direqiions, was a scene equally happy and innocent. Ladies with neautiful parasols were sitting on '6 9^' A FAQGOT OF FRENCH STICKS^ benches; on rush-bbttomed chairs, shaded by trees, ytett' groups of respeotable-iooking nurses ("bonnes"), wearing^, white aprons; some reading, some working with needles.; Then strolled by a stout Englishman in a predicament in which no Frenchman ever allows himself to appear in public, namely, with a lady oil each arm — -termed by the Parisians "Panier It deux anses."* Three Or four little girls were skipping, several had hoops, one or two large air balls ; here sat an old gentleman with his chin leaning on his gold-headed cane ; there strolled ailotg a party of soldiers. » > Three or fpur " bonnes " were sitting together, each with a sleeping baby prostrate on the very brink of her lap ; farther off was a younger nurse in a sugar-loaf cap, with flaps hanging down-r Wd^rds like a butterfly's wings, holding a parasot over her tiny charge; another was pretending to drive with broad scarlet' reins a little boy in a deep blue velvet frock. Before them- was a child three years old leading an Italian greyhound that kept jumping around it ; close to me, nurses with horizontal backs were stooping downwards, trying to make ehildren. walk. Everybody — ^nine-tenths of them were women and- children — seemed desirous to contribute to the picture some : beautiful or, at all events, some striking colour ; in short, it - was altogether a stange miixture of well-dressed people, qul-^ escent on chairs, and of bright colours in motion. I had been adnliring this joyous scene, the features of' which, besides their happiness, had to me the charm of novelty. Like Adam wandering about Paradise, I had been enjoying the discoveries which every moment and . almost every turn brou^t to view. I had gazed sometimes at a statue, then at a beautiful fountain ; then at the flowers of the horse-chestnut trees in bloom. I had admired the shadows, and then, ifi possible, still more the gorgeous sunshine of this world, when- all of a sudden, as I was searching for new pleasures, with an appetite that had increased in proportion as it had been* gratified, I saw, almost before me, a neat-looking summer-'- house or building, on which was inscribed the word " Cabinet.".- Now, besides being next door to a house oh which was in-t scribed "Salons et Cabinets," I had been reading that very: morning in Galignani's Guide all about: f Le Cabinet d'His-; ♦ A basket with two handles. ^ ;,ii« GARDENS OF THE TUILEBIES. ■ PAVILLON DE L'HORLOaE. In the Champs Elys6es, on the left of the grand prome- nade, I found standing a great crowd of persons, gazing ap- parently at an equal quantity sitting. I asked one of the former how I could become one of the latter. With his stick he pointed where I was to go. " What am I to pay ?" I inquired. " Nothing," he answered ; " you will merely order what you like." Proceeding in the direction indicated, I found myself in the recr of the sitting multitude, and, with nothing and no- body to obstruct my entrance, I slowly walked through them, until, arriving at a chair and a little table unoccupied, I sat down an " enfant de famille." The congregation was composed of thirty or forty rows of chairs and very small tables, at which were seated, in happy repose, groups of quietly dressed people and soldiers. On almost every table I observed either a bottle of water, a snlall glass of brandy with three lumps of sugar, coflFee and a glass of brandy, or one or two bottles of beer. In fact, as I had been informed, the rule is, that in lieu of paying any entrance-money, people are merely required, somehow or other, and in any way they best like, to spend 10 sous (5<3?.), for which, in addition to coffee, &c., they re- ceive an enjoyment of a very superior nature. Immediately in front of them was a beautiful little con- cave temple, the whole of the inside of which, brilliantly il- luminated with six. lustres full of imitation candles lighted ^y.g^s, was a mass of plate-glass, gold borders, flowers, and white enamelled paint. Within this small interior were five PAVILION DE VnOIiLOGE. 101 Toung ladies fashionably dressed, two in pale blue silk, two in straw-colored silk, and one in milk-white stiff muslin, with a pink sash. Mixed up with them were two dandified young men with short brushy beards, white neckcloths, and glossy hair neatly plastered to their heads. All held in their hands quite new wnite kid gloves. In front of this elevated tem- ple, which, in point of beauty and splendor, appeared fit for the reception of Venus herself, was an orchestra, containing four or five fiddles, as many wind instruments, two violoncel- los, and at each end a powerful able-bodied double-bass. On the right and left, outside the ground belonging to the pro- prietor, were to be seen the faces of the crowd I had left, economically waiting to catch for nothing as much as they could. Monsieur, ^u'est-ce que vous prendrez ?"* said to me one of six waiters, m white neckcloths and white aprons, in various directions, attending upon the seated audience. I was not quite prepared all of a sudden to drink beer, brandy, or coffee ; so, with an almost imperceptible but significant nod, as I told the garqon I would not trouble him, I slipped into his hand a franc, for which he did exactly what I did not want him to do — made me a low bow. One of the young ladies now rose from her chair, and, ac- companied by the orchestra, sang a pretty little song very nicely. As soon as it was concluded, and she had taken her seat, with the eyes of everybody shining full upon her, she re- ceived with well-affected modesty the compliments of the young ladies beside her ; and for a considerable time they sat making pretty mouths at each other, and pushing their finfors into their tight new white kid gloves. Sometimes — ju^*^ ^s poor, witty Theodore Hook used to pour out a glass of chai^ipagne, and then, as he said, " bow to the 6pergne " — one of them, looking straight before her over the heads of the audience, would, showing all her white teeth, smile at apparently nothing but empty space. With similar little innocent coquetries the inmates of the temple all sang in their turns. Their voices were not strong, but as the band carefully abstained from over- powering them, they performed their simple airs with consider- able taste, and appeared to give their attentive, respectable, and well-conducted audience streams of placid satisfaction. * What will you take, Sir? m A FAGGOT OF FBENOH STICKS. The eool air was deli^htfiil ; and as I happened to be to windt ward of tiie few smokers present, I oould not help feeling yerjr thankful I was not in the impure, heated atmosphere of an Opera-house. >•• LA MADELEINE. In crossing the Place de la Madeleine, I stopped for a few minutes to look at the beautiful facade of the church, and as several people were ascending its steps, I followed them intb its interior, during the performance of high mass. Ob entering I was much struck with the excellent musio '^resounding, tliroughout the building. In England, a church organ is very apt not only to be uproarious, but tyrannically to overwhelm the audience with its powers. Here it was sub- servient to the human voice. Sometimes it appeared to be dheeridg it on— ■» ometinies in silence to be listening to it, and only to chime in when absolutely required. The service was arranged and executed with great science afid taste. The best, the shrillest, as well as the sweetest voices, appeared to proceed from behind the altar, but, from wherever they came, they reached the roof as well as every portion of the building. . Before the altar there occasionally stood, with his back to- wards the .congriBgation, a single priest — ^then three alongside of each other- — ^then two, one before the other. " Then canie wandering by a sptirit like an angel" in white robes — he bowed in gliding by, " and so h6 vanished." On each side of the altar were a row of young handsome boys, dresse^4n bright scarlet caps, bright scarlet cloaks, oyer which were snow-white short surplices, confined rouhd the waist b^ a broad light-green sash, the ends of which hung at the left side. The changes wrought in. this picture by the simple move- ment 0^ this scarlet cap had evidently been well studied, and ' produced very striking effects. At a particular part of the setviee thd boy's black shinitfg hair was suddenly displayed, and the cap held in the off hand had apparently vanished. ^ LA MADELBINB, 108 r;»' At another moment the blbod-red ocip was seen, held by both rows of boys on their breasts next to the congregation — then it ky on their white laps — and then, on their rising from their feats, it suddenly appeared again on their heads. K4 In contrast to these boys there occasionally, from behind the altar, glided into view some pale-looking priests in jet black gowns, surmounted, like those of the boys, by short white surplices. During these ceremonies, and while two powerful assistants in white gowns, jet black hair, and crimson sashes, were swinging, incense, the shrill notes of a single boy behind the altar were suddenly drowned by a chorus of fine voices, which gradually subsided into the deep double bass notes of one or two priests. The service was on the whole admirably performed, and, ta those ^ho have been taught to revere it, must be highly im«' pressive. After the elevation of the host, the wafer was ad* ministered to several persons in the front row next to the altar, and a large basket of broken bread, in colour and consistency strongly resembling what is commonly called sponge cake^ was •distributed to the congregation, almost everv one of whom partook of it. It was carried throughout the church by a priest, preceded by a person upwards of six feet high, dressed an a gold-laced cooked hat, worn cross-ways, It la Napoleon, an embroidered coat, with an epaulette on one shoulder and crim- BOtt trappings on the other, a swurd, crimson plush knee-breeohea .ornamented with gold, white stockings, ana black shoes. « a- When the service was about three-quarters over, a man at one end of the church and a woman at the other, both velc^ gaudily dressed, were seen worming their way to every person present, from each of whom a slight money transaction was iw' -king place. Everybody gave something, and about every third •person teeeived back something. When the woman eame to me I gave her a frano, upon which she fumbled for some time in her pocket, and returned me an amount of cash apparently more than I had given to her. I felt it would not be decorous to decline to take it, or proper to inquire of my neighbour — even in> a whispeis — 'What was the object of the benevolence. It proved, however, to be a slight payment for the chair I had occupied. '•nii Vy. As soon as the service was over, more than three-quarters of the congregation left the church, and,i7ith a full intention to 104 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. follow the stream, I was lingering to take a last look at tke altar, when I oboaeryed two or three priests most aotiyely em- ployed in hurrying off every glittering object, and in oovering it with black trappings. At a side altar in the centre of the church similar preparations were making, and the alterations were scarcely effeeted, when the great gates of the church were thrown open, and a procession of people in mourning, marked with rain-drons, slowly walked up the aisle. In a few seconds there followed four well-dressed men, bearing, covered with dingy white serge trappings, a coffin, on which rested a milk- white wreath of immortelles. The coffin was deposited in the centre of the church, and those of the oongreeation not seated were gathering around it, when I heard a pnest say, " II y aura un autre I"* and the words were hardly out of his mouth when the " rap-a-tap-tap " of a couple of muffled drums was heard outside the great gates, which instantly rolled open to admit about twenty soldiers of the National Guard, followed by a crowd of persons of apparently every condition of life. As soon as all had entered, the corporal in command gave the word of command— > ** Beposez-vous sur vos armes T'f on which the butts of the muskets reverberated against the hard pavement. After wait- ing a few minutes, the word — " Portez vos armes 1";^ was given, in compliment to the coffin which now entered the church. On its lid were the scarlet epaulettes, the drawn sword and empty scabbard, the one crossed over the other, of its inmate, and the bodv, guarded by its comrades, proceeded towards the little altar, before which it halted. While the rich man's requiem was resounding from the great altar, the soldier's funeral was going on at the little one. There were the same words, — the same gestures, — and the same holy ceremonies. Oandles were burning round each of the two corpses, and while the service of the rich one was dignified and continuous, that of the soldier was interrupted not only by little words of command from the corporal, but, on the elevation of the host, by the sudden roll of tne two muffled drums. It was striking to see the power and authority of the Army existing within the Walls of the church, and the stiff, motionless, upright attitude of the soldiers, who during the whole ceremony wore * There will be another 1 f Order arms. \ Shoulder arms. ZA MADELiyS. 105 thoir shakos, was strangely oontrasted with the varied obeisanoos and white and black vestures of the bare-headed priest. The military service was first oonolnded, and on the depar- ture of the priest I was about also to move, when I observed that the ceremony was still not quite over. The last operation of the holy father had been to sprinkle with a hair brush, the silver handle of which was about eighteen inches long, the coffin, epaulettes, sword, and scabbard of the dead soldier with holy water. With the same brush the chief mourner slightly repeated the oeremony-~crossed himself — and then handed it to his next comrade, who, after goin^ through the same movements, handed it to the next in the procession, and so on. As there was no supply of water, the brush was of course nearly dry, and, as the ceremony appeared almost endless, I got quite tired of it, and was therefore just about to retire, when I observed among the procession, following some men in common blue linen frocks and trowsers, a few women, several of whom were in tears. The men in the blouses paid very little attention to the coffin, and merely made over it two or three apparently heart- less movements, — as, however, the women approached, I ob- served that their feelings became stronger. The first wo- man, on receiving the brush from the last man, was barely able to wave it over the immortelles, scarlet epaulettes, drawn sword and empty scabbard lying on the lid of the coffin ; — the second, a young person of about twenty, ex- hibited a picture I shall not readily forget. On receiving the brush she burst into bitter tears — trembled — tottered — could not look at the coffin. I thought she would have dropped ; at last, in a frenzy of grief, she stepped forward, waved the brush twice over the corpse — ^hurriedly delivered \i. to some one else, then, putting both her hands to her eyes and pressing them against her forehead, she reeled against me, and then, staggering onwards a few paces, she stood still, evidently bereft of her senses, and altogether overwhelmed. The third woman was also much grieved, but the remainder of the sex less or but little affected. The same ceremopy of pretending with a dry brush to sprinkle the coffin with holy water was afterwards performed over the body of the rich man by his relations and followers, JXB A FAGGOT OF FEFNCH STICKS. imtry. 108 A FAGGOT OF FEENCH STICKS, and between twelve lofty Corintliian columns, were a variety of tri'Ooloured flags, of which the blue and scarlet were par- ticularly vivid. In the middle was a large gold omament: as if to assimilate with the gilt horizontal bars and tops oi the iron railings which protect the bottom of the steps. On the right and left of the assembly was a long embryo colon- nade, composed at first of nothing but — at regular distances, and standing upright out of the ground — a series of logs of timber, which the next day appeared converted, by briok- nogging, into columns, connected together by horizonal logs. In this state I left them ; and, in the course of three or four hours repassing the spot, I found that, while I had been going over one public institution, the columns had almost aU not only been covered with painted canvas admirably represent- ing porphyry, with gilt capitals, but had been surmounted by shields and a beautiful set of vases, eight or ten feet hiirh, overflowing with flowers. ^ ^' Again, in passing in front of the Church de la Madeleine, before which the day previous I had observed some myste rious preparations, I found the whole of its front — excepting the superscription — "LiBKKTE, Fbaternh^ Eoalit^" above the great entrance door — completely covered with fes- toons and curtains of gold, silver, and crimson tissue, the columns being connected together by garlands of coloured lamps. Again, in approaching thej.Seine, I found on both sides of it, rejoicing in the air, and a|wost touching each other, a line of flags of various colours, all bright ; while I was admiring them, the various vessels, barges, and bathing-houses moored in the river, to join in the universal joy, were rapidly decked out with similar pieces of bunting, of which the blue, white, and red were particularly and appropriately conspicuous. Among all the beautiful preparations making to expend, as has been customary for many years, nearly 400,000 francs —-voted partly by the National Assembly and partly by tlie city — ^for a fete which latterly, on the 4th of May, has oelo* brated the anniversary of the Republic, there was one, how- ever which I own very much astonished me. I had been FETE OF THE BEPUBLIO. 109 delighted with the oonstmotion of the double row of magni- ficent colossi^l statues of great men who gradually before my eyes liad burst into existence ; had admired the preparations on the bridge leading to the National Assembly, as also those in front as well as oh the right and left of that handsome building; had taken quite an interest in the preparations for a regatta or boat-race on the Seine, as well as for the fire- works in the various localities in which they were to appear, and which severally had been appropriately decked out for the occasion ; but I could neither understand the propriety, nor altogether approve, of the preparations I witnessed for ornamenting what appeared to me to be already the most highly ornamented spot in creation, namely, the Place de la Concorde. For instance, I roughly counted in that strange magnificent place of many names (on which — ^bo it remem- bered — on the 21st of January, 1793, Louis XVI. was guil- lotined, and across which, on the 24th of February, 1848, Louis Philippe fied, never to return) no less than — 1. Two groups in marble, each representing a restive horse struggling with its keeper. 2. Two lions, each with his tail curled round his left leg. 3. Eighteen lofty gilt Oorinthian columns, each surmount- ed by a gilt globe, illuminated by two gilt lamps. 4. Thirty-eight smaller Corinthian columns, partially gilt, each bearing one gilt lamp. 5. Eight allegorical figures, representing the eight chief provincial towns in France. 6. Two magnificent fountains, each composed of ten fe- male figures of sea nymphs, &c., holding in their arms and — without metaphor — ^wet-nursing, with magnificent streams of cold water, sturdy dolphins; two gigantic male figures, and three children, all in bronze. 7. Thirteen beautiful colossal statues on lofty bases. 8. One magnificent central Egyptian red obelisk from Luxor, with gold inscription, surrounded by rails partially gilt. Now, on the common, homely principle of "letting well alone," one might have expected it would have been deemed not only unnecessary, but almost impossible, to make the Place de la Concorde more beautiful than it was. It had been de- termined, however, to give to it the greatest of all oharms-— no A FAQQOT OF FRENCH STICKS. especially in Pans— ^nanielV) that of novelty ; and aooordingly notwithstanding repeated showers of rain I observed men and boys, with cartloads and armsful of boughs, employed in con* verting all the semi-naked figures of both fountains into beau- tiful bushes of evergreens, atld their splendid basins into trel- lised baskets, which, first painted and while the colour was quite wet (indeed, it had not been brushed on two minutes), then partially gilt, were rapidly filled with artificial fruit and flowers, the whole being ornamented in all directions and in ,most beautiful festoons with coloured and. also with white semi- opaque ground glass lamps, increasing in magnitude from the extremities to the centre x>f each of the curved lines by which they were suspended. The fifty-dix gilt columns I have enumerated, not only ■around the circumference, but diaffonally across the centre of ■the place, were connected together i>y long and elegant wreaths of variegated lamps. The uumeirous statues, and innumerable gilt glittering Anted 43olumns were enlivened by a confused medley of brilliant tri- coloured pennants, some forked and some pointed, the whol^ bounded'on the left by the new, fresh peagreen foliage of the trees of the gardens of the Tuilerids, and on the right by those of the Champs ' Elys^es. ' The Yough asphalte p&vement was literally swarming alive with a dense mass of carriages, carts, horses, 'buses, and human beings in clothes and uniforms of all colours. Lastly, the sun of heaven was gilding and ' painting the whole scene in its gayest and gaudiest hues. . " Where," said I, to a man, nearly as old as myself, dressed .in a blouse, and who was standing close to me, " where, if you please, are the principal fireworks to take place ?" Either he or I had that morning, in anticipation of the f£te, been drinking a good deal of wine of rather a strong ^ smell; and accordingly, when ho grasped tightlv hold of my arm, and pointed with the forefinger of his left hand towarcis ^ .the distant dome of the Invalides, we both vibrated a little. ' }y Tenez, inon garqon !" * said my instructor, kindly trying, .notwithstanding pur staggering, to point the spot— which ap- parently kept moving — ^out to me. "C'est* • • • * -ment loind'ici! AUez!" * Why, my boy I its ***** -ly far firom herel Axrah. ABATTOIR DE MONTMABTME, lii ABATTOIR DB MONTMARTRE. • it About half a century ago there lited in a coantry Tillage in !England as maid-servant, a pleasing-looking young woman, of Buoh delicate sensibilities that, to use her own expression, " She couldn't abear to see a mouse killed." She married the bntcher. At about the same period, Napoleon, who cared no more for the effusion of human blood than the stormy petrel cares for the salt spray of the waves of the Atlantic Ocean, from similar sensibilities, determined to cleanse Paris from the blood of bullocks, sheep, pigs, an'' quadrupeds of all sorts, by suppress- ing every description oi slaughterhouse within the city, and by constructing in lieu thereof, beyond the walls, five great public abattoirs, besides smaller places of execution 'for pigs, and also for horses. The largest of these is that of Popincourt;; but^ as the greatest quantity of cattle are slaughtered at Montmartre, I drove to the avenue Trudame, where, on descending from my cabriolet,.! saw before mc a rectangular establishment, resemb- ling cavalry barracks, surrounded by walls 389 yards length- ways by 150 yards breadthways. On entering the iron gates, I found on my left a small bureau, which looked like a guard-room, and from which, on expressing my wish to go over the establishment, I was very civilly furnished with a conductor. In front of the entrance-gate was a space shaded by trees and bounded by a barrack-looking building of fifteen windows •in front, the residence of the principal officers. On the right and left, in three parallel rows, were six sets of buildings (twelve in all) separated from each Other by broad roads which isolated each. Affixed to the walls of this enclosure were other buildings, the j)urposes of which will.be consecu- tively described, as also two " abreuvoirs," or watering-places for cattle, and one fountain. The officers of the establishment consist of . » . ' * Slaughterhouse of MoBtmarti>(6.'^«i^''»Mf I ' a 12 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. An inspector of police, whose duty it is to see that the whole interior of the abattoir is clean and in a state of " salu* brity ;" that there are no disputes among the people employ- ed ; and that the animals are not beaten (''qu'on ne frappe pas les animaoz"). A principal inspector of the " Bouoheries." A fiub-inspeotor of ditto. Four guardians (surveillans) of the oxen, sheep, oalyes, &c. to be slaughtered. Two superintendents for skinning, '^ triperie," &o. Four men for cleaning the paved streets, &o., of the in- terior. One porter. One gate-keeper (concierge). The slaughtering department is composed of 64 slaugh- terers, each of whom has his slaughterhouse, his " bouverie," or stable for cattle, his loft and granary for hay and corn, and his chamber for dressing and undressing. On walking to the space in front of the entrance gate, and between it and the garden, belonging to the barrack-looking residence of the officers above named, I found within it, in two separate divisions called "parks," lying under the shade of lilac and laburnum trees in blossom, several sheep and bul- . looks just arrived. Immediately adjoining to these enclosures, common to all the 64 boucheries, I entered a lofty "bouverie" 150 feet long, admirably ventilated by windows above on all four sides. Down the middle there ran before me a broad passage, on each side of which were a series of square compartments, 25 feet long by 15 feet broad, separated from each other by wooden railings. In those on my right I Raw, lying on straw as clean as that in the show-stables of a London horse-dealer, a quantity of bullocks, two, three, or four in each cell. In corresponding cells on my left were standing or lyings separ rated from each other by a low partition, a number of sheep and calves. In the first of these cells, on the back of one of a small floi^k of sheep, I saw, lying fast asleep, a shepherd's dog. The bullocks and sheep were eating hay; the calves, my conductor told me, had " soupe." « What is it made of?" I asked. ABATTOIB DE MONTMARTRE. 113 '' De la farine, des oenfs, et de I'eau chaude,"* was the re^ ply ; and he added that throughont the " bouveries" there was warm water for the calves. Every cart-load of calves, the heads of which are never alloweoi to hang outside, is obliged to leave half of its straw for their use in the abattoir. There are eight 4)0uveries such as the one above described. Above each line of cells for bullocks and calves is a loft to supply them with hay, and adjoining, are, open to the air and protected by iron wire, a series of large rooms, contain- ing each a table and a chair, in which are to be seen, neatly arranged, the clothes and boots of the butchers, who, even if they had the inclination, are not allowed to offend the citi- zens of Paris by appearing in the streets in their professional garb. Passing the four ".cours de travail," t containing the 64 slaughtering-houses, I was next led to a large building, in which the blood of the animals slaughtered is subjected to a scientific chemical process, under which, after lying for some time in clean, round, shallow tin pans, it is poured into barrels : first, for the purpose of refining sugar ; and secondly, for ma- nuring the earth. The entrails, after being carefully emptied into a pit constructed for the purpose, and emptied every day, are well washed by an abundant supply of water. On entering the " triperie" department, I found a number of women employed in boiling, in a series of coppers supplied by three large vats of water, sheep's heads and calves' feet. An adjoining building appeared nearly full of sheep's feet, neatly tied up— not as Nature had arranged them, in fours, but — ^in dozens. On entering a range of 48 melting-houses, admirably ven- tilated, I was astonished to find that, although they were nearly full of pails of tallow, there was no unpleasant smell. Above are a series of apartments, in which reside the women and men employed in this operation, which I had always in- correctly fancied to be unavoidably very offensive. In proceeding towards the 64 bouoheries arranged in the middle of the entrance, I went into one of the bouveries, to look at a bullock that my conductor told me was just going to be slaughtered. * Meal, egge^ and warm wat«r. f Working yards. 114 A FAGOOT OF FBENCH STICKS. It was a beautiful morning, and, although the sun was hot, the atmosphere, where I stood, felt quite refreshing. He was lying in a cell by himself, perfectly tranquil, on clean straw, and, with his fore-legs doubled under him, was chewing the cud. His great black nose, which almost touched the white litter, was wet and healthy ; his eyes were bright ; his tail quiet, for, as the air was cool, thera was not even a fly to tease him. As we were gazing at each other, a butcher, carrying a short rope, followed by a boy holding in his right hand a stick, in which I particularly observed there was no goad, walked up to hita, and gently putting the noose over his horns, and then making him arise, he quietly conducted him to his doom. The poor creature walked slowly through the hot sunshine with perfect willingness, until he arrived at the threshold of the broad door of the slaughterhouse, where, suddenly stopping, he leant backwards, and stretched out his head, evidently alarmed at the smell of blood. The butcher now slightly pulled at the rope. Without barking of dogs olr hallooing of men, without the utterance of an imprecation or of a single word, four slight blows on the right hook with the boy's stick made him, after looking for a second or so fear- fully to the right and left, hurriedly enter, after which he in^ Btantly appeared to become quite quiet. The rope from his head was now gently passed under his off fore-leg, and, on its beiiig tightened, a couple of men in wooden shoes, clattering to- wards him over the wet slippery pavement, by a sudden push pn his near side tumbled him over. He was scarcely down when one blow of a mallet made him completely senseless, two others were given bim for precaution's sake, and a butcher then, forcing his knife into his broad chest, instantly withdrew it. There was a dead silence for some seconds ; notwithstand- ing the colour of the knife, the blade of which I observed pointing to the ground, Ao effect was produced. At last out i*ush6d a stream or *iver of blood, which, first black and then bright red, flowed in little waves along a gutter into a re- ceptacle made to contain it. As the great creature lay lifeless before me, I felt very foi^ oibly how extraordinary was the fact, that while the Demon of War — ^Napoleon Buonaparte — had, in 1811, established in ABATTOIR OF MONTMARTRK 115 Paris the merolful arrangements I had witnessed, it had taken the Goddess of Peace upwards of siz-and-thirty years to pre- vail upon the inhabitants of England in general, and upon the Lord Mayor and Corporation of London in particular, to abol- ish a system not only of barbarous cruelty, but which, by cre- ating feverish excitement, amounting occasionally to madness, has rendered more or less unwholesome the meat of every wretched victim that has been killed in a metropolis (consum- ing annually 240,000 bullocks, 1,700,000 sheep, 28,000 calves, and 35,000 pigs) whose inhabitants, as if in satirical ridicule of themselves, delight publicly in singing, when in krge con- gregations they sit down to dinner—^ " Oh, the roast beef of old Englnnd, And oh, tho old English roast beef 1" Several calves were now driven into a yard containing four or five tressels, upon which, one after another, they were placed on their sides by men in wooden shoes, who held them down, while butchers— also in sabots — ^not only cut their throats, but their heads quite off ; thus in a few seconds most effectually combining death with the operation of bleeding, which', in England, is cruelly, made to precede it. The blood of each calf was caught in a pan by the men who held it down. As fast as the animals were killed, skinned, and cleaned, their car- cases, by means of ropes and pulleys, were hung up, arranged in lines, and then wrapped up m linen cloths as white as snow. Observing to one of the butchers, who had rather a red- republican-looking countenance, that some of the sheep ap- peared to be very thin :— " Ah !" said he, with a slight shrug and a gentle sight, " il y a des gros et des maigres, comme il faut de la viande pour tout le monde,"* " And yet how does that agree," said I to myself, " with your fraternity and equality ?". » As the hours for slaughtering were now nearly over, I had an opportunity of seeing the simple process of sluicing, by iueans of an abundant supply of water from a cock in each of * There are fiit ones and lean ones, for we must have meat for every- Joodj. ■'■■■. . ' " v■\»■■■^^^ . 116 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. the 64 bouolieries, the red slippery floors of several ot the slaughterhouses, which in the course of a few minutes were made as sweet and clean as the flags of a washhouse. As soon as this was efiected, the butchers, washing themselves, and then slipping out of their wooden shoes, walked to their rooms to assume the decent dress in which they had entered, and in which they were about to return to their respective homes. The charge at the abattoirs for killing cattle is from one franc to one and a half per head ; besides which the butcher claims, as his perquisite^ the blood, brains, and entrails. If, when the animal is killed, its flesh is found to be dis> eased, or even bad, instead of being converted, as in London, into sausages for the rich or into pies and patties for the poor, it is confiscated by the Inspector of the Police residing within the establishment, who instantly sends it off to the Jardin des Flantes, to be eaten by the wild beasts, — by lions,— tigers, — bears, — by eagles, — ^by vultures, — and by other birds of prey. The meat for the inhabitants of the city is usually sent out at night only, but animals to be killed are received at any hour. The number slaughtered per week at the single abattoir of Montmartre amounts to about 900 oxen, 400 cows, 650 calves, and 3500 sheep. On leaving the establishment I walked completely round the lofty walls that enclose it ; but neither to windward nor to leeward could I detect the slightest smell indicative of the bloody business transacted within it. • •• GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY. As r was rather anxious to be permitted, during my short residence at Paris, to enjoy the professional pleasure of shak- ing the black hands of some of the Stokers and Pokers of the Great Northern Railway, — which connects Paris, not only vid Arras, Douai, and Valenciennes, with Brussels, Namur, and Liege, but by a branch railw.^^y from Creil with St. Quentin, OBEAT KORTJllSRN HAILWAT. 117 and by branch railways from Douai with Lille, Oalais, and Dunkorque, with Bruges and Ostende, and with Ghent and Antwerp, — Baron Rothschild, one of the leading directors, was good enough to desire that, without reserve, I should be shown over the whole of the establishment, and, accordingly, beckon- ing to a voiture de place, I sat within it, rumbling, ruminating, and looking at one button only on the driver's back — the other one was deficient, and yet, alas I there was the very spot on which it had lived — until, within the course of about half an hour, turning out of the Bue Lafayette, I found myself on an irregular, open, paved space, of a nondescript tipsy*looking shape, called " Place de Koubaiz," bounded on the south, east, and west, by the houses of Paris, and on the north by the " em- baroadere," or jnetropolitan terminus of the Great Northern Railway, — *■'• Chemin de Fer du Nord." As soon as I had dismissed my conveyance, I proceeded on foot across a paved square, separated from an interior yard by iron railing, at each extremity of which was an entrance gate leading to the station immediately in front of me, composed of a handsome looking zinc-roofed building, one story high, the outer facade of which was formed of eight lofty arches, four filled up with glazed windows, the rest with glass and doors. Oh a gable at one end there beamed an honest-faced clock ; on a corresponding gable at the other end a dial of the same diameter, above the black useful fingers of which was written, " Indicateur des Departs."* On the right of this interior yard I observed ranged in line beneath a covered shed, a motley row of that which every railway station most delights in, " 'buses," attached to each of which were standing, in placid matrimonial alliance, a pair of black, white, brown, bay, or piebald horses. On the left, ever- iastingly staring at them all, was " Bureau des Omnibus,"t and alongside of it several animaloula of the genus cabriolet. Lastly, in the middle of this handsome paved yard, there grew and flourished a very little tree. As fast as the various public and other carriages arrive, they drive up to one of the four great glass doors I have named, on entering one of which I found myself in a spacious paved hall, 231 feet long, 36 feet broad, and 24 feet high, * The indicator of depavtures. f Office for omnibuses. 118 A FAGGOT OF FRENCU STICKS. bounded on tbn entrance side bv tho eight lofty glasa Windows and doors, which reached nearly to the ceiling ; and on the opposite side by a wall divided into doors and compartments dusignated longitudinally, as follows : — if Bureau des Reiue|gnement«.* 8^*' des Bagagos Depart f S""- d'Attente de lo Grande L!flrne.t B""- de distribution des Billot0.g Ditto ditto Ditto ditto Ditto ditto Ditto ditto S"«- d'Attente de la BanlieueJ *^ Chemin de Fer de Boulogne.^— (The clerks within tlus office belong to a different company.) S"*- des Bagages Amv6e.** £ n 7 ' : After spending a short time in the bureau of the chief en-- gineer, whom I found very kindly disposed to give me what- ever information I desired, I proceeded with his assistance to a lengthy office in the long paved entrance promem^de I have, described, the " Salle des Bagages Depart," in the middle of which, throughout its whole length, I perceived a low table on which is placed, as fast as it can be weighed, each article of outward bound baggage, which, by attendant porters is piled, upon three- wheeled trucks apparently much more convenient, than those usually used in England, and then rolled along tho platform to the luggage van in which it is to travel. A single glance at the distance which intervenes between this office and the departing train is sufficient to show a mal-arrangemcnt, the inconvenience of which is acknowledged, but which, from want of space, was unavoidable. 'Parallel with and adjoining to this office I found, ranged within a narrow shed, and, as it were, framed and glazed, for each had his window, a row of clerks, whose duty it is to re* ceive goods and parcels to be despatched by passenger train^ Office for obtaining information. Hall for luggage outwards. Waiting-rooms for the main line. Offices for the deliveiy of ticketfl. Waiting-room for the short line. Boulogne railway. ** Hall foi* baggage that has aniVed. OREAT NORTHERN RAIL WAT, 119 '■'k-r: " Messageriea de grand vitesse."* Above thoir heads outside, were inscribed tlie names of the variotiB places of destination, for which there was a series of tioket-papfrs, about three inches by two, of a particu]een fixed by Goyernment. As we were walking through a catting, the embankment of which had been planted with trees, for the purpose of retaining the earth, there rushed by us, on its road to Paris, a train laden with three tiers of large pans full of milk, from cows gracing %nd ruminating about seventy miles off. At 1000 metres (1100 yards) n'om the station, we came to a distanoe-posty which constantly recurs at the same interval, and shortly after- wards there appeared before us a congregation of buildings— the object of my visit. The Company's establishment at this spot, called '' la Cha- pelle St. Denis," and which, with a great clock in the middle of it, straddles on both sides of the railway, over a^n irregular space, about 1100 yards long, and from 200 to 300 broad, is composed, on the eastern side of the rails, of magazines, &o., for the arrival and departure, at " petite vitesse " *— 4iay six leagues an hour — of heavy goods ; and on the left or western side, of workshops of various descriptions. Proceeding to the eastern side of the rails, I found, separ rated from each other by wide spaces, four large, lofty, light buildings, called " Salles d'Arrivfie :" f— 1. For the reception of sugar. 2. For mixed goods. 3. Po. do. 4. For oil, spirits, all that is liquid, and grain. Also, two similar '' salles " for despatching goods of all de- scriptions. The interior of each is composed of a wooden platform, about five feet above the ground, with rails all along one longi' tudinal side, and with a space for carts and waggons on the opposite side \ by which arrangement, in the arrival " salles," goods brought on railway-oars are transferred to wheels ; and in the departure salles, from the wheel-carriages in which they arrive are transferred to carriages to travel by rail. In the arrival "salle. No. 1," I saw, in large heaps, beet- root sugar in bags, tapped in so many places by the " doua- niers," \ that they looked as if they had been under the fire of musketry. In salle No. 2 were Dp.rs of iron, piles of oanvaai * Slow pace. ijo uja* i?u« f Halls of arri^lM' :( CuBtom-hotifle officers. '-^ -"' 124 A FAQOOT OF FRENCH STICKS. of paper three feet long, of matting, boxes of window-glass, barrels, and huge bags er less spite, with a little less energy, and with rather more nou- 1 ( GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY. 127 ''\ ohalanoe than in England. Adjoining was a shed for smalle]^ repairs, "petites reparations," of engines. ' •« I was now conducted into the " Rotonde," a beautiful cir- cular fabric for washing, cleaning, and overhauling engines and tenders, of which there were thirty-six, all named and num- bered. Among them I observed an engine and tender, united 80 as to form only one machine. The French engineers, copy- ing our language, call the tender " le taindair." At the end of this rotonde was a pit, and ingenious weighing machine for ascertaining and for adjusting the precise weight resting on each of the three pairs of wheels of every engine. , In a very large yard, in which are an immense turn-plate, an office, and a store of coke, is the " Bureaux des employes," or principal office of, the establishment: beyond it I entered another spacious covered hall or hospital for sick and wounded engines, which, standing on three sets of rails pitted beneath, were undergoing slight medical and surgical operations. I next paid a visit to the heart and lungs of the establishment, a thirty-horse power steam-engine, which, with a thrilling noise and rumbling motion, made my whole system appear to quiver. At a short distance from it was another steam-engine of twelve-horse power, for carpenters' work, and immediately adjoining a very fine hall 300 feet long by 150 broad, for the reparation of " vagons" and " voitures," all inscribed and num- bered in scarlet. In this department I found various circular saws and machines for cutting quoins for rails ; a colour-shop ; a tool-shop ; and a grinding-stone, which, to prevent it from splashing, was cleverly confined within a wrought-iron case, so as to leave uncovered only the part wanted, which could bo closed b^ a shutter when not in use. Against the wall surrounding the company's establishment were a series of sheds for lamps and tin-work, cushions, &c., extending to a large field covered with rails, &c., for the per- manent way. Parallel to these sheds is a long line of magnifi- bent stores, as light as day, for grain and flour, and of " salles " or workshops, warmed by stoves, for painting carriages. ^*^'^^'' Before the last revolution (the establishment then con- tained 2000 workmen), the company's carriages of all descrip- tions were made here, but, as they are now supplied by con- tract, the number of artificers has been reduced to 600. > Notwithstanding the accommodation these large halls a& rsr 128 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. ford (half of them were lately appropriated for packages going to the London Exhibition), I obseryed, standing in the open air, covered only by a brown canvas mantle, a splendid, richly painted, richly gilt, and richly ornamented carriage, formerly entitle^ while it carried Louis Phillippe, " Voiture Royale ;"• ever sinoe it has been devoted to the President of the Repub- lio it has been called " Vagon Nationale ;"t — it has neverthe- less lately been embellished, infinitely finer than before, and thus it has gained in splendour more than it had lost in name. I was now conducted by my obliging attendant to an ex- traordinary-looking double store of three galleries, like those of a Swiss cottage, with four flying bridges of communication. These communications, as light as open day, were divided into fiO^-four compartments, again subdivided into pigeon-holes, oontaining tools of every description, hair-brooms, mats, in short, every article — ^most of them ticketed — that a railway establishment could require. Beneath was a " bureau," or of- fice, over the door of which was written, " Interdite au pub- Uo."| On entering I found it full of bearded clerks, all sit- ting in caps excepting one, whose head was covered with an immense white wide-awake hat. At the principal stations the oap of the " chef de la gare"& is embroidered ; that of the sta- tion-master is plain ; and while on the subject of costume I may observe, that all men employed on the company's line aro dressed in blouses. Besides the spacious well-organized establishment, a mere outline of which I have now faintly delineated, there exist branch workshops at Amiens and at Lille. If the directors could have foreseen what lately happened, and what at any hour may recur, namely, that a revolution in Paris completely throws into the hands of the workmen at " La Chapelle St. Denis" the whole of the Company's valuable property compre- hended therein, instead of the vicinity of the metropolis they would no doubt have established their workshops, &c., at Lille, where they would have been beyond the familiar grasp of " LraERTY, Fraternity, and Equalitv." After walking by the side of the rails to the station at * Royal carriage. f K^ational wa^on. % "So admittanee for the public. § Chief Superinteudeut of the station. i ) GREAT NORTHERN RAILWAY. 129 Paris, I asoended a staircase which led me into a small room, where I found two gentlemen and three electric dials. be one on the left, which belongs to Government, and Wi.-oh is the most perfect, can work off with one hand 110 letters, or, with both hands, 180 letters per minute, three per se- cond. The other two, called " Cadrans alphab^tiques,"* are managed as follows. On the right of each machine there lies on the table before the operator a horizontal brass dial, of about ten inches in diameter, the circumference of which is marked with an alphabet and figures corresponding with those on the machine before him. By this arrangement; and by the assistance of a brass radius terminating in a little knob, the operator, working horizontally instead of vertically, ra- pidly moves the radius of the brass dial from one letter to another, and, as fast as he does so, the corresponding letter at the same instant is repeated on the dial before him', and at its destination ! Besides letters, there are used ciphers often expressive of a whole sentence. After thanking the chief engineer for the attention he had been kind enough to show me, I passed into the great covered promenade by which I had entered, and on looking along the range of offices inscribed on the wall, I perceived I had neglected to visit the " Bureau des Renseignemens." I accordingly opened its door and walked in. Within it I found an exceedingly intelligent gentleman, whose duty it is, fr.om half-past seven in the morning till nine at night, on every day of the week, Sundays and all, to be badgered by any man, woman, or child who, naturally or un- naturally, may be hungering or thirsting for railway infor- mation ; besides which he has to make, in writing, " recla- mations"! for every description of lost baggage. I felt ashamed to speak to him, but, as he instantly not only ad- .Iressed me, but, on ascertaining what I wanted, with the ut- most goodnature expressed an anxiety to explain to me every- thing that belonged to his department, I briefly ascertained from him that, during the summer, he and his assistant, then at rest, had to woik " enormement ;"| that of all travellers the country people of France give him most trouble ; that it takes sometimes a quarter of an hoar to explain to them uu- * Alpliabetical dials. 6* f Applicati. )iia. % Enormously. 130 A FAGGOT OF FliENOII ,'iTIVK8. necessary details which, after all, might be understood in two minutes ; tha^ of the various trains, the branches of the '' banlieue" (to short distances from Paris) are the most troublesome ; lastly, that all days in the year, f£te-days and festivities — ^which to all other people are moments of enjoy- ment — give him the most afflictmg amount of labour. While I was with him, two or three people, quickly pushing open the door, asked him for information almost at the same time ; and while one of them was bothering him with all sorts of little questions that appeared to me not to be worth a far- thing a dozen, I heard close to me, exclaimed in a tone of honest joy, " Here you are !" On looking round, I found a tall, strong, fine-looking young Englishman, pointing out with his finger to the upturned eyes of his comrade — a foot shorter than himself — the precise hour of departure of the to-morrow morning's train from Paris to Boulogne. "Old England for kverI" On walking, or rather crawling, out of the great yard — for I was very tired — I went straight into a cafe on the Place de Boubaix, and asked the waiter for a cup of coffee. In about half a minute he not only brought it to me, but, almost be- fore I could look at it, as a sort of codicil to the will I had expressed to him, to my horror he filled and left with me a little wine-glass with brandy, and then walked away. This evil custom has of late years become so general in Paris that, as I walked along the streets, I saw within the cafes almost everybody who had coffee, either sipping, or about to sip, a glass of brandy." In returning homewards I stopped for a few moments to look at an open empty black hearse, richly ornamented with silver, to which were harnessed, but standing stock still, a pair of horses smothered alive in black trappings, edged with silver, and covered with silver stars and silver tears. The reins were black and silver. The coachman, dressed in a black cloak, with a pair of large jack-boots, with white linen wrapped round his knees inside, had on his head a black cocked hat edged with silver. Close to the horses there stood, as chief mourner, a splendid, tall, well-fed man, dress* ed in a cocked hat, black coat with a collar of purple and sil- ver, and purple scarf edged with long silver bullion ; lastly, \i SUNDAY. m resting againat the w?ill of a shop, hunc with black cloth de- corated with silver, were four men in black. As I was gaz- ing at the horses, coachman, and tall man in black, purple, and silver, I observed that everybody that passed on either side of the street, without looking to the right or left, either took o£f his hat, or with his right hand touched its brim. I thought at first they were all saluting the empty hearse ; but on looking into the black shop, I saw withm it, resting on two trossles, and illuminated by eight candles, the coffin of a man whose name, obliterated by the black cloth that covered his remains, nobody stopped to inquire about ; who had died nobody knew why ; and who was going to be buried nobody knew where. The civility, however, in Paris bestowed upon the living, is as politely extended to them when they are dead. • •• SUNDAY, THE 4th MAY. ■y . At nine o'clock in the morning, with my umbrella in my hand, I sallied forth from my lodgings to behold the greftt ffite, the preparations for which had for so many days en- gaged the time and the talk of almost everybody in Paris. The weather was dirty, moist ; and as there was every appear- ance that it would become more dull and more moist, I hastened to the Place de la Concorde, the fountains of which, surrounded by people, I found converted, as I have described, into enormous gilt wicker baskets full of roses, red and yellow, variegated with ruddy-faced apples as big as melons. The goddesses' heads were now completely concealed by bushes formed of the tops of young fir-trees. Encircling the whole there gracefully hung, increasing in size from the ends towards the centres, wreaths composed of 212 ground-glass globe lamps. In various parts of the Place several men were busily fixing fireworks ; others, with large paint-brushes, rapidly converting a mass of huge wooden packing-cases into beautiful rocks, among which, entire fir-trees had been in- serted. In every direction was to bo heard the tap and roll 132 A FAGGOT OF FREyoil HTJVKS. of drams, preceding masses of moving bristling bayonets, dully shining over the heads of the crowd through which they were passing. On both banks of the Seine every vessel, and especially the long low baths moored close to the stone pier, were ornamented with flags. As I approached the Pont de la Concorde the concourse of people was immense. " Viol&, Messieurs !'' I heard every whore, from voices, high, low, male, female, but already more or loss hoarse and worn out, " le Programme d^taill^ de la F<5te ; la description dea SUtues, du Bocher de Cascade, pour la bagatelle d'un sou !"• - " Achetez, Monsieur ("f said to me a stout woman, with a brown, honest, healthy face, ornamented with a long pair of gold earrings, embedded in a white cap, beautifully plaited, as she offered me one of the armful of printed '' Programmes" she was describing. As I was complying with her request, several other hands were stretched towards her for a copy, which she supplied with great alacrity, continuing unceasingly, but every moment a little more hoarsely, to exclaim, '' Voila, Messieurs, le Pro< gramme d^tailU," &c. &c. &c. In the middle of her announcement, " Pardon, Madame," she suddenly said to one of her customers, " c'est une demoi- selle \"X ^he lady took back the money she had paid, and in exchange gave her the sou she had required. " What is a demoiselle, if you please ?" whispered I to the woman whose offering had been rejected. " Mais voyez. Monsieur !"^ she replied, presenting to me a copper coin, on which I saw the figure of Britannia. She had offered an English halfpenny instead of a French one. Here and there were to be seen standing bolt upright, or pacing backwards and forwards, a " sergent de ville " ( Angliod policeman), attired in a blue single-breasted coat, remarkably well made, with long broad skirts, edged round with small red cord, silver buttons — a silver ship, the arms of the city of Paris, embroidered on the collar — and a brass-hilted straight * Here, gentlemen, is a detailed account of the Fete ; a description of the statues and of the rocky cascade for the trifle of a halfpenny. J Buy, Sir! Your pardon, Madam I this is a young lady ! See, Su"! w \l SUNDAr. 133 Bword suspended perpendicularly by a black belt beneath the coat. These men, usually well grown, well made, and who, generally speaking, have countenances highly intelligent, wear inustachios, but no whiskers ; in lieu of which, from the end of their chins there projects a sharp-pointed beard, which seems to add, if possible, to the extreme sharpness of their appearance. After mingling with the vast concourse of people, — some looking over into the Seine — some at the new statues — some at the colonnade in front of the National Assembly, — I reluctantly left the joyous groups by which I had been sur- rounded, and walked to the Champs .Elys^es, where I found a scene of unadulterated happiness, nearly a mile long. The first group I stopped at was surrounding a small oblong table, at the end of which was a common wooden box with four holes in it, each about an inch and a half in diameter. Into them a number of men in blouses were trying to blow through a tube a little arrow. On the top of the box, perfectly happy, sat, quickly nibbling cabbage-leaves, — munching a little, — and then, apparently unconscious of the presence in creation of any beings but themselves, nibbling again, — six rabbits and a guinea-pig. All of a sudden I heard a slight general exclamation of triumph, caused by a competitor having shot into one of the holes ; and almost at the same moment the blouse-covered arm of the man who had done so was stretched towards the largest and fattest of the rabbits, who, while in extreme happiness he was nibbling a piece of the green cabbage-leaf which he had just broken off, was suddenly lifted up by the ears, to be killed, skinned, fricasseed, and eaten by the conqueror ; and yet his violently kicking hind-parts were scarcely out of reach of his quondam comrades, when, — so like mankind, — the remaining five went on, wiih 'heir long thin ears lying on their backs, placidly nibbling and munching, utterly regardless of the game of Death actually performing before their eyes. After passing several turnabouts, billiards, and amuse- ments of various sorts, I came to a lad of about seventeen dressed in a blouse, who, with a large table covered with square pieces of gingerbread of diflFerent sizes before him, was unceasingly exclaiming, " Ou les vend k un sou et a deux sous la piece. S'ils ne sont bons, on ne les pale pas ! Ou a 134 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. I'avantage de les goftter d'abord I"* Then looking upwards towards the clouds, from whidh a few drops of rain were now beginning to fall, he said, appealing to me, " Je croyais que le Bon-Dieu 6tait juste ! mais,' he added, covering over his gingerbread with a cloth, " il n'est pas juste du tout !"t^ It was Sunday ; and as I continued walking up the Champs Elysees, just ornamented by the completion, at the cost of six- teen pounds sterling apiece, of the colossal statues of Papin, Corneille, Poussin, Mole, Jean Bart, Jeanne Hachette, le Grand Cond6, Le Marechal Ney, Jacquart, Molidre, Jean Goujon, Le Cardinal Richelieu, Dugay-Trouin, Jeanne d'Arc, Le Grand Turenne, Le G6n6ral Kleber, I could not help feel- ing the inconsistence in a nation thus to honour her public men, and yet to live unmindful of the Omnipotent Power that created them I At the " Rond Point," or circular space, about halfway up the Champs Elysees, where six roads meet, I found completed, on its pedestal, an immense colossal statue of France, beauti- fully executed, holding, with extended arms, in each hand a crown of laurels. On both sides of the pedestal was appropri- ately inscribed, " Atjx Gloib£s de la Fbance.":]: Among the endless variety of modes of shooting for amuse- ment, I observed in the rain a number of people firing with percussion-caps at a man's head, whose eyes (two candles) were to be blown out by the air rushing from the barrel of the gun. A little further on, surrounded by a group of admirers, were a quantity of plaster figures, many of which had been more or less wounded by the crossbow bullets to which — three shots for a sou — they had been exposed. Beneath them, lying fast asleep, with his shaggy side completely covered with the debris of the broken images, was the rough black dog of the owner of the game. Without knowing what I was to see, I followed a man through * Going for a halfpenny and a penny a-piece. If they are not good, you need not pay for them. You have the advantage of tasting them first f I thought that God was just I but he is not just at all I 4 To the Glories of France. M ^ ^ ■■ *--^-^ *....^ f^.. ^>.-^ '-^^[V -"-' ,-— — t: — '--- * I/: SUNDAY. 135 a slit in q, canvas wall, within which I found a tame stag telling people what o'clock it was, &o. On coming out of it, " Est-ce que t. S., who almost immediately entered. In a very calm, impressive manner he gave directions to several patients, who, besides those dabbing, were seated in the room ; and with great pleasure I observed that to the ap- parently rich and poor — ^for he neither knew nor cared for the name of any of us — ^there was not in his manner, language, or .anxiety to explain himself, the slightest shade of difierence ; — ^his whole mind being evidently entirely engaged in curing them of their respective disorders. Proceeding for an instant into one comer of the room, he returned with a small squirt in his hand, and, walking up to a very pleasing-looking young woman, without the utterance of a single word, with his left fore finger he drew down the lower lid of her right eye, and then with his right hand squirted into it something which to my utter astonishment set her off spitting and malting horrible faces, just as if she had swal- lowed the most nauseous medicine ! " Ah !" she said in French, " I taste it all in my throat ; ah !" she repeated, spitting into her handkerchief several times, " que c'est mavauis !"* " Well . . . !" said I to myself, with a long sigh, " there is no end to the high-ways and by-Vays of this world !" Leaving her to make exactly what faces she liked. Dr. S. now walked to his secretary, who delivered to him my pre- scription which he read word by word, with an attention that appeared to engross his whole mind. He then not only read it again over to me, but explained it to me very carefully ; in short, his appearance, demeanour, and conduct, were alto- gether strongly corroboraiive of the high character he had attained, and which causes him to be engaged in the way I * How nasty it isi 7# 154 A FAQGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. have described, every dav ezoepting Saturday, until. two\ « o'clock, wl^en he drives in his carriage to patients who are too noh, too ill, or too idle to wait upon him. On leaving him, I deposited my prescription with Mi*, Swann, from whom during the few minutes I remained in his shop, I happened to learn a few of the innumerable clever ways in which medicine is now concocted in France. The most nauseous drug, in the form of paste, is wrapped np in a wafer paper made soft and pliable by being damped with perfectly sweet oil, by which means a very^ large m%ith< M of physic may be swallowed with exactly as much ease as a piece of turtle or a mass of masticated meat of the same size. For children, a peck of pills are sent at a time to a confec- tioner, to be covered over with so thick a coating of sugar, that they may be ver^r agreeably sucked for a lone time ; and thus, merely by making children promise faithmlly not to bite them, mediclQe is now administered in the form of sugar^plums i " Sttochi amari, ingannato, intanto, ei beve, E dall' iuganno suo, vita riceve." ■ ■ '•■♦» " h6tel des invalides. 1 HAD, for upwards of an hour, been gazing, or rather'gsping— everybody in Paris was doing the same — at the rows of col- oured lamps, magnificent statues, and other reminiscences of the grand by-gone f^te of yesterday, and, resting heavily on my stick, was standing on the Pont de GoncordWj||ween the group of sea-horses and the temporary colonnatiUjwhioh like a pair of wings had grown from each side of that magnificent edifice, thd National Assembly, when I observed that there had occasionally passed me several officers in full uniform, and several people dressed en bourgeois, whose -hurried pace, contrasted with the sauntering attitudes of the crowd through whom they had wound their way, evidently showedgtiiey were on some trail — in short, hunting w. : something. U^^. As I had nothing very partior : to do, I watdlb^ i^e SOTEL DUS mVAUDBS. 150 coarse thev pursued, and finding that as soon as they oame in front of the Assembly, they all, as. if b^ word of oommand. turned to the right, I proceeded to the point, and^ waited until there approached me, walking very quickly, ui officer in the uniform — -blue coat with broad red facings — of the Garde "SO- publicaine. On my asking him to be so obliging as to tell me ^here he was goj^, with the utmost kindness of manner he informed me he Was hastening to the H6tel des Invalides, to join in the fdte commemorative of the death of Napoleon, of whichj^i^ay, he added, was the anniversary. As soon as we ^^>fl|MH[^^ bowed to each other, my ' nant proceeded on hil^pp^, quite refreshed, and in a few seconds I found myself fife^ly following him along the Quai D'Or^ay, until on my left I|came to the magnificent esplanade, 1440 feet in length, bpirSO broad, leading from the Seine to that splendid pile of Duildings, the Hdtel des Invalides. This avenue, which of late years has been bounded on each side by low tem- porary barracks, one story high, capable of containing 7000 troops, was all alive with people, most of whom were arranged in twc^ows, leaving, in the broad pav6 in the centre of the road, a passage, which I soon learned was for Prinoe Louis Napoleon, whose arrival was momentarily expected. Instead of taking up a position at this point, I proceeded to the ir^n gates of the Garden, and without provoking a. dif- ficulty, Qt teazing anybody by asking questions, I walked into it as fpniliarly as if I had been born there. On each side of the handsome broad approach to the magnificent hospital be- fore n^ were drawn up in line the 3000 veterans who inhab- ited it^OOO of whom had served under " L'Emperevr" — and \ maxi interesting picture could scarcely be witnessed. Riding black nalberds, at the upper end of which was «' fmaS tricolor flag, surmounted by a piece of crape, they were dressed in ^ cocked hat, worn crossways, it la Napoleoii, blue ||0ose coat, lined with red, red cufis and sleeves, silver buttons, ft single white cross belt, and a short thin sabre. Among the ranks of brown faces enlivened with little ear-rings, here and there hung many an empty sleeve ; beneath them were to be jseen many a wooden leg. A few appeared hale; but the greater number were thin, shrivelled, bent, and toothless, i Some jSitood totterin^v and yet almost all looked gay, with ^,08 eiill sparkling with enthusiasm. One only was yawning. Ia the resui observed several inoving about on orutohes. / 156 A FAOQOT OF FRENCH STICKS. Not a l)eard was to be seen. They hpi lived without jt— iiad oonqaered without it — had received tiueir wounds without it, and very probably they now dsdained to adopt it. Com- paratively speaking, few even w^re mustachios, and it was pleasing to reflect, that, while the countenance of Europe has lately become overgrown with hair, the weather-beatca faces of the veterans of France and England -^niinue as closely shaved as when they grappled with each other on the bloody fields of Egypt, the Peninsula, and Waterloo. Besides those on duty in the two lines befoni me, and in the interior of the building, a number of the veterans were either standine or loitering about. Oocasionally their attention aS well as mv own waj at- tracted to some officer of rank, in full uniform, hastily walking up the space between them towards the great hospital After seveial had passed— each, I observed, was more or less oom- mentied upon — there strutted by, to my great astonishment, a remarkably stout, portly, handsome, well-fed, oily-looking priest in his canonical dress, with the cross and scarlet riband of *^ Grand Commandeur of the Legion of Honour" dangling on his black breast " What ! do they decorate the priests ?" said I, to a veteran by m^ side. With indescribable apathy, he replied,- " Oui. Monsieur, on leur donne les mdmes croiz que les militaires."* <' Was it so in the time of the Emperor?" I said. '' AJi que non l"t he exclaimed, tossing up his head with such haughty recollections that he lost his balance, and stag- gered backwards a little. " Sacre nom i" he added, as soon as e had recovered himself. One of the Old Guard now conversed with me for some time. He told me he had served in Paris an English noble- man (Lord • • • • • *) — ^"trds brave homme— jusqu'li son papa I'a rappel6."t Finding that I wished to get a good view of Prince Louis Napoleon, he advised me to walk vp to the entrance door of' the Invalides, at which he would — ^i^e said — descend from his carriage. I accordingly followed his advice, and, reaching the point, found no one there excepting a sentinel, and the * Ye% Sir, they give them the same oroBaes as the army. , , f Oh, no ! . . . Holy name I \ Yery fine feUow—until his papa called him home. HOTEL DE3 mVALWBS. isr Lieutcnant-Gorernor of the Invalides, General Petit, a fine- looking old soldier, with a healthy colour, white xnustaohioB, and an intelligent oountenanoe, evidently aooustomed to eom- mand. He was dressed in a hat bound round with very broad gold laoe ; a gold sash ; across his blue uniform and gold epaulettes he wore a broad crimson riband ; round his arm and the handlc^of his sword was a piece of crape. I had scarcely reached the spot, when I perceived by a movement among the veterans who were not on duty — ^for those in line stood as erect and as firm as they could — ^that the object of their expectation was in yiew. Instead, how- ever, of driving u^ to the Invalides, Prince Louis Napoleon descended from his carriage at the iron gate, and r soon saw him, followed by a numerous staff, advancing on foot along the road which traverses the garden, and which is about 160 yards in length. As he approachea me, I of course took off my hat, and without presuming to bow — many years a^o, whenne was in England, I had been slightly acquainted with him — I was standing uncovered with it in my hand, when to my surprise he was pleased to acknowledge me, with BO much apparent good will and kindness, of which I had af- terwards repeated proofs, that as soon as he passed I quietly slipped among his staff, and with the procession slowly marched- on — 1 hardly knew where. After several turns and twists, of which there remains in my mind but a confused dreamy sort of recollection, I found myself walking up the aisle of a chapel, — sixty-six feet high, the floor of which, 210 feet long, was covered with black cloth, — ^between two rows of soldiers wearing their caps, and holding in their hands halberds bearing a small tricolor flag surmounted by crape. Excepting compartments in which were shields bearing in silver the letter Ng ^^^ church was all hung with black. The whole wall aiound the altar — transparently veiled with crape — was covered with black cloth, and the chairs throughout the aisle were also black. In the time of Napoleon there were here suspended 3000 ban- ners of victory. On the evening, however, before the en- trance of the allied army into Paris (the 31st March, 1814), Joseph Buonaparte, through the Due de Feltro, minister of war, ordered them to be burnt, and the sword of Frederick the Great to be broken, before they were obeyed. Thrice were these orders given : 158 A FAGGOT OF FBENCH STICKS. Toward» the roof, the ohapel was ornamented with count- less flags and trophies faded, and in holes apparently from shot and musketry. Beneath them, in a gallery, were to Se seen a variety of beautiful bonnets, each encircling a couple of rows of flowers, and a face, I suppose — to tell the truth, I did not analyze them — representing either Spring, Summer, Autumn, or Winter. Excepting the aisle along which we passed, the body of the church was choke full of gentlemen, principally in nniform. The altar, veiled with crape, was but a temporary screen, behind which, and immediately beneath the lofty gilt cross on the summit of the great dome, reposed, after all its eventful travels, the body of Napoleon, in a tomb which has already cost 6,163,324 francs, of which 1,500,000 have be*en for the marble alone. His nephew, surrounded by the principal of&cers, took up his position on the left of this altar. Immediately above him, suspended from the roof, was the great parasol of the Emperor of Morocco. For about two or three minutes he stood — and of course everybody else stood — perfectly upright He appeared wrapt in thought, until, suddenly awakening from his medita- tions, he slightly bowed and sat down. In a few seconds those immediately about him sat down too, and then, like a third echo, a rustle was heard, caused by everybody else sit- ting down. '' Portez vos armes !" * exclaimed, in a firm, strong tone, the officer . commanding the veterans, standing with their cocked hats' h. la Napoleon. The muffled drums rolled. The priests, congregated in a small sc^uare space, half- . way up the church, now began the service of high mass, which, assisted by an organ, and also by a band, they performed with admirable voices and great effect. On the rails of the altar there hung a great round yellow wreath of immortelles, a foot and a half in diameter. The countenance of Prince Louis Napoleon throughout the whole ceremony wore that mild, pensive expression for which it is remarkable. Of the rest of the congregation, a , considerable proportion, especially the youngest, looking up at the gallery, instead of at the altar, seemed to be thinking more about the eyes of the living than the bones of the dead ; , — ^in fact, to say the truth, they were not yery partioidarly at- tentive. I * Moulder armst ,"v HOTEL DES INVALJDES. ^59 As soon as the solemn requiem was over, Prince Napo- leon rose, and, followed b^ his attendants, slowly walked down the aisle, and then quitting the ohapel proceeded into the great court, 315 feet long by 192 broad, called the " Gour 'Honneur,"* in which I found assembled for reyie\f the whole of the veterans of the establishment capable of stand- ing in the ranks, in which they were already arranged. Above them, on the outside of the south wall of the quadrangle, at the height of the second story, there stood, with folded arms, with a cocked-hat placed crossways on his nead, and with two or three circular wreaths of yellow "immortelles" at his feet, a bronze-coloured colossal statue of Napoleon, 12 feet high, a fac-simile, in plaster, of that on the summit of the Place de Yendftme. At any time it would have been to me a great enjoyment to witness this assemblage ; but there was one circumstance which rendered it particularly interesting. On the anniver sary of the death of Napoleon, the wreck of the great army who followed him with reckless enthusiasm wherever he went claim the privilege of appearing in the review which follows the requiem I had just witnessed, in the old-fashioned, eccen- tric, and almost grotesque uniforms in which they had fought and been wounded. As, therefore, I followed the Prince and his sta£f down the ranks of m?Ti, some of whom, with severely wounded faces, appeared so lean and wasted, as if the slightest puff of wind would blow them down, I occasionally passed mi- litary costumes which almost startled me, so different were they from that to which the eye had gradually become accus- tomed. Some of the jackets in front scarcely covered the breast-bone, and when viewed behind appeared to cover no- thing at all ; in fact, the wearer was all trowsers, epaulettes, and hairy cap. Several men wore bright-yellow leather pan- taloons, and Hessian boots bound with gold with gold tassels in front; some were dressed in black breeches, and long black gaiters strapped round above the knee ; some wore yellow trowsers, with the name of their regiment on the skirt-tails of their coat. As Prince Lor.TS Napoleon marched down the ranks of .bright, intelligent nazel eyes that, as he approached them, ap- .peared to be re-animated for the moment with pristine vigour, '" - * Court of Honour. 160 A FAOOOT OF FREyCH STICKS. he oooasionallv stopped before any veteran whose wounds, ap- pearance, or history made him particularly worthy of atten* tion, and spoke to him. While he was so engaged, the con- trast between his easy pliant manner and the straight, stiff, upright attitude of the veteran, of whose head nothing but the thin lips were seen to move, was very remarkable. At one of the soldiers who was thus distinguished I gazed, as I passed him, with great interest. He was a short, spure, diminutive, thorough-bred looking little creature, of Arap breed, with an aquiline nose, vigorous countenance, eyes bright as a hawk, and with a countenance altogether highly excited, probably by the reooUeotion of former days, by the sight of tne nephew of his old master, and by the few flattering words lust uttered to him. But what he seemed to be most proud of, and what seemed also to be ezoeedinsly proud of him, were four bullet- holes in the cloth-turbaned cap on his head. He had been one of Napoleon's body-guard ; had been constahtly about his person ; and he now stood before his nephew in the full cos- tume of the ancient corps to which he had belonged, well known and respected by the whole army : " Mameluke de la Garde I" The words wore evidently impressed in his brain. As soon as Prince Louis Napoleon had finished his inspec- tion, accompanied by his suite, he walked in procession through the garden to the iron entrance gate, where were assembled a large crowd, and, amidst loud cheers of ^ Vive Napoleon I" be entered his carriage and drove off; and as the veterans had already been dismissed from their parade, the garden in which I stood was soon thronged by them. The crowd outside, with faces pressing against the railings, seemed to look with intense in- terest and delight on the old uniforms stalking about before them, as if they and their wearers had Just arisen from the fields of Austerlitz, Jena, and Marengo. Several of those veterans, not members of the Hdtel des Invalides, as they walked into the crowd to return to their homes, were followed by a halo of people, almost treading on each other's heels, from over anx- iety to obtain a glimpse of the uniforms which had been " the Glory of the Empire." Even within the garden, many of the wearers of the old costumes were surrounded by their comrades clothed in the garb of the Invalides. The ^eat favorite, how- ever, was the fierce, fiery, fire-eating, enthusiastic little Mame- luke, with the four bullet-holes in his cap. I saw several old :i HOTEL DES JNVALWES. 161 grenadiers, almost as thin and emaciated as skeletons, one after another shake his uplifted small hand ; and when, after having received their welcome homage to his valor, he entered the crowd, it, I have no doubt, formed his guard of honor till he reached his humble dwelling in Paris. As soon as the excitement of the moment had subsided, when the crowd outside had dispersed, while a few groups only of veterans were to be seen conversing together, and when the leanest and most infirm had seated themselves on the benches which in various directions had been appropriated for their use, I looked for a few moments at the general outline of the magnificent building of the H6tel des Invalides, the en- trance-front of which, 612 feet in length, but: jounted in the rear by the spacious dome, is composed of four stories, wil tx an additional story or row of windows in its tall slated roof On the extreme left are the quarters— occupying io^^x win- dows in front — of Prince Jerome, Napoleon's brother, the governor of the establishment. On the extreme right are the quarters — also occupying four windows in front — o* Gene- ral Petit, the lieutenant-governor. Behind this splen ^lyl front are four infirmary squares, each of the four sides of wh:Gh is one story high, with one set of windows in the roof; also four officers' squares, of the same elevation. The groumd occupied by the buildings, courts, and gardens of the H6tel deb Inva- lides is sixteen acres. After looking about me for a short time, I sat lown on one bench and then on another, to converse with the veterans who were occupying it ; and although nothing oftentimes could be more frail than their bodies, yet I certainly waS very much struck, not only with their polite, highbred manners, but with the extraordinary vigour which, generally speaking, remained in their minds. To one of the most sturu . ;>f my companions I expressed a wish to walk over the buildiu^ j and as he cheer- fully proposed to be my guide, I felt I had oetter allow him to go his own way, and accordingly, just m if he had been exceed- ingly hungry, or had fancied that I was, he led me first of all into the cooking department, oompcsed of one small kitchen for the soldiers, and one large one for officers. In the former — ^whioL., although very high and well venti- lated, was scarcely 30 feet square, and which contained no open fire-plaoe — ^where two large hot plates, each containing max u 1^2 ^ FAOQOT OF FRENCH STICKS. , great patent oaldrons for boiling, and ovens for balkjing, all eated by coal. In this small space there can, by the admira- ble arrangements described, be cooked provisions for six thou- sand persons per day 1 In the caldrons, which were all sooia-. bly bubbling together, there appeared some green stu£f that looked like spinach, or smashed greens. On a table adjoining were large pewter plates full of brown beans, just peppered,, salted, and vinegared, and with a small heap of salad sitting on the top, Each of these messes was for twelve soldiers. There )yere also to be cooked for that day's consumption, for the vete- jrans alone, no less than 5,200 eggs. " Don't you give them any meat ?" I said to the head cook, a highly intelligent-looking man, dressed, Jiead and all, in milk- white. " Monsieur," he replied, " on Monday we shall kill thirty- five sheep for the men alone I" In the large kitchen for the officers were two oaldrons, simi- lar to those described, each capable of boiling 1,200 lbs. of meat, with a fireplace, before which appeared two spits of enor- mous length, covered from end to end with revolving joints of meat, roasting by wood, burning a few inches only above the ground. From the kitchen, the sole object of which was to sustain the hody^ my conductor very naturally led me to the larder instituted by Napoleon for the nourishment of the mind of his veterans, a library containing about 17,000 volumes of an ex- ceedingly tough nature — " indigestaque moles" — namely, juris- prudence, theologv, belles lettres, and strategy, ornamented with a model of the Hdtel, with a portrait of Louis Philippe swearing to observe the Charter, and with the well-known Eicturo of Napoleon riding up Mount St. Bernard, in so un- orseroanlike an attitude, that, had he ever assumed it, he must inevitably have rolled off backwards. After passing along, on the second story, a corridor or colonnade, forming in bad weather a beautiful promenade for the inmates of the establishment, I asked my guide to show xne the dormitories of the men. He said they did not like to be visited by the innumerable strangers who came to see the establishment, adding, with a smile, " as if they were wild beasts ;" however, the words were scarcely out of his mo^th, when, with that politeness which in France constitutes -the HOTEL DES INVALIDES. If63 wish of a stranger to be the law of the land, he opened a door, and led me through one of the largest, containing about fifty beds, composed of ft straw paliasse, wool mattress and bolster, separated from each other by a chair, for which there was just space enough. Over the pillow of each veteran: — several of them I observed, each in his uniform, either sitting ru- minating in his chair or reclining on his bed — ^was affixed a shelf, on which were folded clothes and articles of different sorts. The lot, however, whatever it was composed of, appeared invariably surmounted with a huge cocked-hat box, ' of colored pasteboard. There are in the first and second stories of the establishment eight of these spacious well-aired dormitories, bearing the following names :— Salle de Vauban ; d'Hautpool ; de Luxembourg ; de Mars ; d'Assas ; de Latour d'Auvergne; de Bayard ; de Kleber. Besides the above are several smaller dormitorier, containing from four to eight beds each. My guide now conducted me to a very busy and interest- ing scene. On entering a long corridor, open to the air, I found assembled a large number of old soldiers crowding round a door, into which they were apparently waiting for admission, but before which there was pacing up and down, as sentinel, a one-armed veteran,' who, for want of a, better, was holding in his left hand his drawn sword, the empty scabbard of which was suspended by a white belt across his chest. Each man in the crowd had an empty bottle in one hand, and in the other (if he had one) a white napkin, containing his knife, fork, and tin drinking-mug. Of those who were approaching, many were stone-blind, each tapping the ground hard with his stick at every step he took. In one instance I saw two sight- less old soldiers leading each other. In all directions was to be heard the stumping of wooden legs. One veteran wore a black cap, in consequence of a wound in the skull. Many were singing. The instant the clock struck four a general restless movement took place. A drum close behind me suddenly gave a loud and startling roll. At the words '' Allez f entrone ! "* uttered by several voices at once, the pne-armed sentinel stood aside, and the whole mass, without * C!omei let us enter I \\ 164 A FAQGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. pashing eadli other, but without losing a single instant of time, flowed through the door into an immense dining-room, 160 feet in length by 24 in breadth, in which in a few minutes I had the satisfaction of seeing them seated on wooden stools, around thirty-one circular tables, at each of which were twelve veterans. The walls which contained this interesting assemblage of old warriors, who, although seated, all wore either their cocked-hats or undress-caps, were covered with pictures of great battles, and at the end there very pro- perly appeared the portrait of Louis XIV., the founder of the establishment. As soon, as all were seated, and while a cheerful hum of conversation was resounding throughout the hall, a boll rang, in obedience to which there very shortly appeared entering at the door a quantity of men-cooks, carrying trays full of green stuff, embossed with poached eggs ; and m a few seconds the mouths which just before had been talking were all busily eating. A few, however, of the blind, who — ^like wounded animals separating themselves from the herd — ^preferred dining by themselves, got up, and with their dinners in their hands, and a bottle of wine (their daily allowance) under their arms, they tapped across the floor — out of the door — along the open passage — ^until, coming to the foot of a staircase — they ascended each to his own room of utter darkness. Those who have not appetite to eat their allowance of food, &c., may claim money instead ; and to those who have wooden logs their shoe money is honestly refunded. There are in the Hdtel des Invalides three other large dining-rooms, similar to that I have just described ; and as they all could not contain much above half the number of inmates, there are two services for each meal. One of the four large halls is used as a mess-room for the officers, who are served upon plate, the gift of Marie-Louise. It coutaius twelve tables, with \ reive chairs at each. As I had insisted on my attendant leaving ma to eat his dinner, I sat down on a stone bench close to the open door of the dining-hall, before which the one-armed sentinel continued to pace ; and as beside me theie reposed a fine old fellow twho was not to dine till the second service at five o'clock, we very soon entered into conversation. After talking very quietly on HOTEL J)£S INVALWES. 165 a Variety of srlj; cts, on all of which he appeared to be ex- ceedingly well in t'ormed, I asked him whether he was with the Emperor at Waterloo ? He said " No ;" he had been taken in Eussia, and at the period I referred to had been marching as a prisoner for nine months. " You muiBt have undergone great hardships in that Bus* sian campaign," I said to him. " Monsieur ! " he replied, with great energy, " depuis que ce monde a ^t6 un monde, jamais le soldat n'a tant souffert I"* " Alleis, mon vieux papa I "f he added, rising from the stone bench on which we were seated, to conduct by his long lean arm to the foot of the staircase a tall, old, blind fellow- comrade, who, tapping his stick at every step, was evidently from false reckoning bearing down right upon us. " You were beaten," said I to him, as soon as he had again quietly seated himself by my side, '' not by your ene- my, but by climate." " Non, Monsieur," he replied with great firmness, '^ faute de vivres ! "J " If a horse," he added, '' has nothing in his belly," — twitching himself up, he here put both his fists into the vacuum in his dark-blue cloth waistcoat — "- il ne pent pas aller ; c'est le mSme pour le soldat."^ " It is very true ;" I said, '' you must have had a rough time of it." " Ah !" he said, after several moments' mute reflection, " qa me parait un r^ve d'avoir 6chapp6 de ce que j'ai vu l"|| At this moment a veteran, with two worsted stripes on his arm, passed us. I asked my comrade what was his rank. He replied he was a corporal ; that a sergeant has one stripe in silver, a sergeant major two in silver ; the same as throughout the French service. He told me the soldiers of the army of France rank as follows ; — 1. Invalides ; 2. Les Marins ; 3. Garde R^publicaine : 4. Gendarmes Mobiles ; 5. La Troupe.1R^ * Sir ! since tlus world has be«n a world, never has the soldier suffered • BO much 1 This way. my old papa 1 From want of food. . Be can go no longer : it is the same with the soldier. Ahl it seems to me like a dream to have escaped from what I hav« eceni ■ ■ ^ •[ The Line. u i66 A FAQQOT OF FRMOE STICKS. As soon as we we're both safl|oiently rested we sepbrate^ In orossine the great entrance garden of the Inyalides I stopped to look at a long line of very highly ornamented brass guns and mortars, trophies of victory ft*om Prussia, Algeria, &o., overlooking the soarp-wall and fosse, or green ditch, which bound the northern front. About forty feet in the rear of these pieces of artillery there are, parallel with them, a row, with intervals between each, of stone benches, almost all of which were oooupied by the old soldiers^— many of whom had, no doubt, taken part in capturing the guns before them — some with a wooden leg or two sticking out horizontally ; some with one arm ; some with a patch before an eye, &o. &c. One was reading a newspaper ; many were smoking. On one of these benches I sat down, touching my hat to nobody and to nothing, an attention immediately returned in like manner by the old soldier beside me. In front, and between us and the guns, were strolling up and down the intervening terrace four French ladies beautifully dressed, with a footman in a gold-laced and gold bound hat, very gaudy livery, and milk-white gloves, stumping close behind them. On the back of the H6tel des Invalides I Lad observed, written in large black letters, " Li- bert6, Fraternity, Egalit6 ;" arid « yet," said I to myself, " the governor of the noble establishment on which these words are inscribed is a field-marshal and a prince ; the lieutenant-com- mandant is a general, having under him a colonel-mnjor, 3 ad- jutant-majors, 3 sub-adjutant-majors, 14 chefs de division, 14 adjutants de division, 14 sub-adjutants de division, 1 almoner, 2 chaplains, 1 head physician, 1 head surgeon, 1 head apothe- cary, 10 assistanto, 26 sisters of charity, and 260 servants of all kinds. The governor has 40,000 francs a year ; the lieu- tenant-general commanding 15,000; the intendant 12,000; the colonel-major 7000. The veteran soldiers are moreover divi- ded into sergeant-majors, sergeants, corporals, and privates ; and yet upon the Hdtel des Invalides — as upon everything in Paris — is there inscribed " Liberty, fraterfiifcy, and equality /" From both ends of the terrace on which I had been sitting, extending from it to the Hdtel des Invalides, I had observed, shaded by trees, a row of a hundred little gardens, each 30 feet long by 10 feet broad, all padlocked and full of paths, bor- ders, and flowers ; at the far end of each was a small arbour, bower, or smoking-house. As these tiny retreats are much HOTEL DES INVALIDES. ler sought for by many of the veterans, the goremor registers the names of all applicants, from whom, on the death of a tenant, the man of best character is selected. " Your garden," I said to a fine, tall, erect, but very old. soldier, who, with the corners of his cocked-hat over his thin shoulders, stood leaning on the long staiF of a little hoe in an attitude of repose and reflection that reminded me very forci- bly of Corporal Trim, " your garden is in beautiful order." " Ah I Monsieur," with a slight sigh replied the old veteran, who in tis younger days had probably marched over the greater portion of Eulope without once thinking about a gar- den, especially of one ten feet broad, " qa distrait un peu !"• In several of these little enclosures I observed, as I walked slowly by, the tenant, in full uniform, ruminating in his bower. In one instance the wooden-legged owner had taken off his cocked hat, and, half asleep; was sitting, with snow-white hair, which occasionally moved on his brown temples, as the air, as if fearful to awaken him, passed gently through it. In an- other of these small paradises I observed seated in the bower, opposite to a very old Adam wearing bushy mustachios, a bent Eve, apparently about seventy-five years of age. She was the old soldier's " auld wife," availing herself of the permission which used to be granted to the public to visit the establish- ment from morning till sunset. The veteran told me that, by a late order of the governor, every stranger — wives included-— were now restricted from entering till twelve and were turned out at four. " II n'est pas bien aim6 pour ^a — allez l"t added the old man. His partner said nothing. Although the remains upon earth of the fine army of Na- poleon have very properly declined to copy " young France*' in the last new fashion of turning her face into a hair-brush, yet within the Invalides there are, I am informed, four beards, paid for by the artists, who wish to insert them Vjx pictures representing the various battles of Algeria. I had now seen nearly all I desired. There, however, still remained a question, which for' some time I had wished to ask ; and as one of the old soldiers, whose flowers I had been admbringy invited me to enter his garden, and, eventually, * Ah 1 Sir, it diverts my attention a little, f He is iiot mueh liked for that—orrah! 168 A FAGOOT OF FSENCn STICKS. *' de me reposer on peu"* in his arbour^ after talking npon many details connected with the establishment, I asked him where his comrades, on their march from this world, were buried? He replied, pointing with his stick towards the south, " Dans le oimetiere de Mont Pamasse."t I asked him what was the average mortality. ^ Ma foi, Monsieur,"! he replied, shrugging up his shoul- ders, "in dying we follow no rule; each goes as ne is called for ; we go sometimes in crowds, sometimes one by one." " How many," said I, " marched last year ?" He replied, << Bather more than 300 1" The old man's manner was so dignified and gentlemanlike, I had enjoyed conversing with him so much, and I had such reason to be thanful for the courtesy he had shown me, that I felt it would be ungrateful to leave uppermost in his mind the subject on which we had been conversing : I therefore inquired about some of the various battles in which he had been engaged; and when, after patiently listening to the details he gave me, I observed that his heart was beating high from, and his -memory brimful of, noble recollections, I shook hands with him, and then left him seated in his arbour. On reaching the Place de Concorde there were walking before me in full uniform apparently two little boys, who had preceded me nearly all the way from the Invalides. One had m his hand a circular wreath of yellow " immortelles !" "What, if you please, is the uniform those boys are wear- ing?" said I to two officers who happened at the moment to be walking alongside of me. " Pardon, Monsieur i" replied he to whom I had particu- larly addressed myself, but who had fa.ied to hear what I had said. My question was again on the very brink of my lips when, one of the " boys^* before me taking o£f his military cap to cool himself, I perceived, to my astonishment, he was old and bald-headed I I therefore only inquired what was his uniform. His object was, I knew, to. deposit his wreath at the foot of a column in the Place de Venddme, and I accordingly walked there. While I was proceeding * To rest myself a little. f In the oemeterv of Monut PamaaauB, iFoith,Sirl \ MILITARY MODELS, 169 along the Kae de Oastiglione I observed a mai> as lie passed a shop take off his hat to a print of Napoleon. On reaching the column on the Place de Yanddme, before which a one- armed sentinel was proudly pacing, I found a little girl sitting in the rain selling round circular garlands of yellow flowers. An old gentleman, with a riband at his breast, purchased one, •—walked up to the rails, — ^hung it on one of them,-^-ana then, taking off his hat to it, turned on his heel and slowly walked away. The two little soldiers I had passed merrily threw theirs over the rails and then walked ota. At eight o'clock in the evening t met a boy of about eight years old going to dei>osit one — he was probably the son or grandsoii of some " vieux soldat de I'Empereur."* In the time of Louis-Philippe this practice was discour- aged ; few wreaths were deposited, and those were removed at night. This year there were, I was informed, more than usual, and yet, out of the population of Paris — among whom were 60,000 troops, besides the Ghir^e Nationale — there were only deposited 163 yellow wreaths and one blue one ! So much for military glory based upon unjust and insatiable ambition. ■••t MILITARY MODELS. The day before I left England I had been promised that a letter would be written in my favour to Colonel Augoyat, com- manding engineer in charge of the military models in the Hd- tel des Invalides ; and accordinglyj at about five o'clock in the evening, after having wound my waj i^p a sort of interminable square well-staircase in the northwestern angle of " Les Inva- lides," I came to a door and a bell. On pulling the latter, there appeared before me a servant, who told me the Colonel was not at home. I therefore left my card ; and as the man had explained to me that his master usually went out at eight in the morning, I said I would call to-morrow a few minutes biefore that hoiir, and accordingly on the following morning, at * Old soldier of the Emperor. 1^0 A FAGGOT OF FMENOE STICKS, five minutes before the tirine I had named, I walked dp th^ ▼ery same stairs, and, stretching out the same arm, pulled the very same bell again. Colonel Augoyat receivei me with the kindest and most polite attention ; and as of bis own accord he at once proposed to show me the models— which for many months mid been dosed to the public— I considered I was eyidentlv reaping the benefit of the introduction that had been promised to me ; and therefore, without re£arring to it, I accompanied him to the apartments over which he presides. The models were almost all covered over with paper pasted together, which, he informed me, kept out the dust better than linen sheets. With considerable trouble these coverings were removed. To describe the magnificent works which, one after another, and with great difficulty. Colonel Ausoyat was so good ^s to show me, would be uttefW impracticable. I will there- fore briefly enumerate those which nappened to interest me jthe most. 1. A model of Mont Cenis, 3850 yards high ; showing the pew and old roads, and giving a view of the difficulties which opposed their formation. 2. The city of Bayonne, showing the fortified' position the French army vnder Soult had occupied during three months. 3. Perpignan, in the Pyrenees, showing the surrounding mountains, which rise so abruptly that, from their summit, it appears as if stones might be chucked into the town beneath. 4. A magnificent model of Grenoble. 5. A most interesting model of Brest ; showing its pori| harbour, ships lying in the sea, roads, and ten leagues of sur- rounding country. 6. Cherbourg ; showing the artificial breakwater, — a nar- row spit a league long, composed of immense stones, — ^tho various harbours, and stupendous works by which they are defended. 7. Toulon, with its harbour and surrounding country. 8. The town of Strasbourg, and a portion of the Bmno; 9. The town of Meta. JO. One of the new forts round Paris. Although either by writiug or by drawing it is impos^bI« to give a description as vivid as the reality, yet — strange as it tb4 laziTAitr MODELS. nti may sound — ^the magnificent military models of flie Invaliclds evidently impart an idea of the surraoe of the world in gen- eral, and of the important places which they represent in pal^ tioular, infinit-ely more instmctiye than it is possible for any one even visiting the various localities to obtain. For instance, in reconnoitring a regnlar fortification from the exterior, little is to be seen bnt a series of green slepMS, running one into another, and terminatinff in the guns of tho citadel ; and even in inspecting it from the ifUerioTy all that an experienced officer can do is, visiting one front at a time, to look towards works the rev^tements of which have beeti purposely constructed to be concealed from the Une of fire, and consequently from the line of sight. He must thus visit them in detail, and, having gone through this tedious process with respect to every front, he has then, by dint of memory and power of mind, to connect all the tesselated data he hM obtained into one mosaio picture. Again, in surveying a river or a series of harbomrs, a naval officer may, in his boat, visit, seriatwn^ the various sinuositieii of each, which he has then mentally to add up, to form the general idea that is required. In like manner, an intelligent man, by riding aboizt a >)ountry, may view it from various points, from no one (^ which can he see either the opposite sides of the various hills that present themselves, or the features of the ground lying immediately behind them ; all, therefore, that he can do is, to connect, as skilfully and as fttithfully as his memory will allow, the details he has seen into one idei^ or, as it is called, general knowledge of the country. , Even from a balloon, in order to inspect thirty or forty sauare miles of country, it is necessary to rise to a height which, practically peaking, mystifies almost to obliteration the picture beneath. In the models, however, of the Invalides, not only are< the features of the country, with its various M;rioult«ral produce, accurately represented, both as to form and colour } not only is every portion of a fortification accurately represented, but th<^ whole, including rivers, harbours, and roads, are, by the reduc- tion of scale, concentrated within so small a space, that the super-inspecting eyes of the most inexperienced visitor can at ende obtain a Imowledge of the country, and ey6n Sk peroeptk)]^ tT2 A F40Q0T OF FRBNOH STICKS. of the general strenffth and pnrposes of the tarious military works repreeented, which the aotual localities would fail to Afford him. From these valuable representations we proceeded to the workshops in which they had been constructed, and in which I found a most interesting model, in embryo, of the siege and city of Rome, which, by means of tools of various sorts, had been neatly constructed out of large blocks of wood. After " le mo- delage"* is finished, it is supplied with what are termed " ses dteorations,"t composed of powdered silk, of various hues, for agricultural crops ; little trees of various descriptions ; tiny houses of different sorts ; slabs of looking-glass for water ; fila- ments of the finest white silk for smoke from artillery, &o. &c. &o. Not satisfied with having obligingly afforded me, at so early and so unusual an hour, the gratification of witnessing the models of the principal fortresses and naval arsenals of France, Colonel Augoyat requested me to accompany him into his office, where he wrote, and presented me wim, an order to visit <' le Mus^e d'Artillerie ;"| and as I felt that these repeated attentions were conferred on my friend in England rather than on myself, in taking leave of him I ventured to thank him in his name, as well as my own. To my utter astonishment. Colonel Augoyat informed me that he had not received any letter from our mutual friend respecting me, but, ha added, with a slight bow, which I shall never forget, and which it is my pleasing duty to record, that he had had pleasure in com- plying with the wishes of an Englishman and a stranger I In crossing the suspension-bridge, <^ le Pont des Invalides,*' I observed that, instead of a sentinel, there was written on each of the piers, ** Lob Fonts sont pluo^ sous la sauye-garde de la RSpulique. — Froolama- tion du GU)uveniement du 27 F^vrier, 1848."§ ** What a blessing it would be," thought I to myself, " if the Nations of Europe, instead of exhausting their finances by maintaining in time of peace such enormous military forces, would — ^from the same noble sentiment — join with England in * The modelling. f Its decoration. ^ « 1 The Museum of Artillery. § The bridges are placed under the protection of the Bepublio.— >By order of Government of the 21 th February, 1 848. MUSES DE VABTILLEBIE. 178 committing the peaoe of the World to the * sauve-garde' — to the good sense and good feelings— of the whole family of nxankind 1" ■• • »■ MUSfiE DB L'AETILLERIB. On turning to the right, I saw pass close before me in the street along which I had to proceed, a party of six people, two in uniform and one without his hat, carrying very fast a black tressel, on which, wrapped in a blanket, and with a white oir- oular wreath of immortelles on it, there lay a small coffin. As I did not feel disposed to hurry along with it — ^and in- deed as I had occasion to go into a shop where I remained /lome little time — I thought no n^ore of the little coffin, until| having arrived at the Mus^e de I'Artillerie five minutes before 12, the hour at which it was to be open to the public, on enter- ing the large church of St. Thomas d'Aquin, within fifty yards of me, there it was, resting on two tressels. Nobody appeared to take the slightest notice of it ; the six followers in waiting were gaping lubout them in any direction but towards it ; ana as I also looked about me, I observed written on the wall of the church the following notice :~^ "Atb. ' *' YouB dies instamment pri^s, par respect pour lo lieu saint, de ne pas cracher par terre." * As soon as the clock began to strike, the little crowd of visiters who for some minutes had been assembled around the gate of the Museum evinced a slight nervous movement, of short duration, for, simultaneous with the last stroke of the twelve, the doors were slowly thrown open, and, as if rejoicing at our freedonif.we all for a moment hurried into a passage, m which the first object that arrested my attention was an im- mense chain, 643 feet (about one-eighth of a mile) long, and * NonoB. • You are earnestly requested, in respect for thi£ holy place, no^ to spit on the ground. mm 174 A FAGQOT OF FMENvn STICKS. weighing 7896 pounds, luapended alons both walls. It. was oalled, in a oatalogue of 367 pages, which for tenpence I bad just purchased at the door, "• La Chalne du Danube," * from haying been used by the Turks for a pontoon bridge on that river, and was afterwards taken at Vienna by the French army. Beneath it, standing erect and lying prostrate, were groat guns of all characters and countries. Among them, looking like logs of timber, were two short, stumpy, wrought-iron cannon, alraut four feet long, which, in the year 1422, had been aban- doned by the English befoife the town of Meaux. f'rom this gauery I entered a small room, containing into- resting specimens of various pieces of ordnance, especiafly two magnificent large guns, covered with Arabic inscriptions, and standing on their breeches as erect as sentinels on each side of the entrance-door into the great ''Salle des Meddles," f around the walls of which, on a broad table, which throughout the whole length of the room occupies the centre, and on nar- tow tables affixed to all four walls, I beheld deposited, with* very great taste, almost every description of weapon and im- plement of war. Along the walls were arranged in family groups, all dated 1843 and wearing percussion-caps, specimen pistols, fusees, carbines, muskets, and bayonets, of Sweden, Belgium, Saxony, Sardinia, Bussia, Prussia, Norway, Holland, Hesse-Darmstadt, Denmark, Bavaria, Austria, England, Wurtemburg, and the United States of America. Of these weapons, those of Bus- sia, the stocks of which were oX. beautiful black iqralnut, appear- ed to me the best devised and appointed. Those of the United States, although inferior to Bussia, were very creditable^ Those of England were stout and substantial ; but in compa- insMi to the oorrespondine arms of one or two other countries, they appeared rudely made. In different parts of the room I observed no less than fif- teen or twenty French soldiers, in the uniform of various regi- JneDts of cavalry and infantry, intently scrutinizing these arms ; and in the course of my life I never felt more desirous to give away tenpenny pieces, than I did to slip into the hands of earfi of wiose soldiers who was referring to his catalogue the firano he bid paid for it. At all events, the simple fact of his * iS . «in of the Danube. f Hodel-room. r . MUSEE DS VABTILLEItlE. \n hiaving parohased it demonitratef indisputably the militftry vftluo and importance of a museum of this description. On the various tables, especially on those running down the middle of the room, were models of almost every known description of gun, mortar, howitcor, limber, carriages, ammu* nition-waggons, forage-carts ; also models of guns mounted en barbette, of ship-guns firing through port-hol^s, &o. On the ground were displayed shot and shells, both of stone and iron, of various weights and oallibres. After ascending a handsome well-lighted stone staircase I walked towards what is called ^ la Salle des Armures," * on en- tering lAatk there appeared before me, down the whole length of the room, mountea on ^een horses, a series of knights in armour, of various descriptions, supported on the right and left - by knights in coats of mail on foot. At the end of the room, on a table, there stood a little brass statue of the " Emperor Napoleon on horseback." From the roof hung various flags. On the walls, around and beneath a series of pcnrtraits of the master-generals of artilr lery of France, from 1373 to the present day, were arranged, sjbields, helmets, stirrups, spurs, and lances, of ancient form. Lastly, the floor was of old oak, waxed and polished till it was as slippery as glass. The armour of the first knight on horse- iMok Ja specimen of that worn in the reigns of Charles TI. and Charles VII. of France, and in England of Henry YL and Edward IV.) was not only exceedingly heavy, but his Soor horse stood, moreover, overwhelmed within a suit of pon- erous mail, that, like a lady's petticoat, reached almost to the. ground ; and I was wondering how, under such afflicting cir- cumstances, the green horse could ever have managed to get into a trot, when I observed that, as if to prevent him from doing so, there was in his mouth a curb-bit, fourteen inches Ipng 1 So much for the ^go-a-head" notions of ^'auld lang syne." From this knightj who, as I have stated, stands at the entrance of the S^e des Armures, there proceeds a gallery extending round four sides of a square, forming four salles. M the first there appeared, of various dates, halberts, ar- inour, coats of mail, heunets, cuirasses, Several of the latter . * Sail of Armour. 176 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. nearly pierced with two, three, and fonr balls, mnsket and grape shot. Also arrows, tomahawks, eros^-bowS) arque- buses, matchlocks, muskets, carbines, and pistole, of Tarious ages. In the seamd I found, very beautifully arranged, wall- pieces 14 feet long ; arquebuses, matchlocks, models of gnns ; also an assortment ot magnificent arms, of great value, in a glass case, &c., &o., &o. In the middle of this infinite series of instruments and weapons of every possible description, invented by the inge- nuity of man fo;' the mutilation and destruction of his race, I was rather surprised to see calmly sitting on the window-sill, and nearly surrounded by soldiers who were carefully in- specting the various weapons around them, a fine, mild, beard- less young priest, whose black gown, white bands, and eccen- tric-shaped cocked hat, appeared strangely contrasted with the scene around him. In the third gallery were mnskets and wall-pieces which appeared almost too heavy to wield ; yatagans, poignards, and daggers of all sorts ; battle-axes, models of pontoons of every known description; double-barrelled muskets, with a bayonet 6 inches long, like a strong knife. In the fourth I found swords, plain as well as serrated, as long and as straight as spits, as if the object of the inventor was not only at a time to run seven or eight men through the body, but afterwards, and at one operation, to saw off all their heads. There were weapons like scythes, for mowing people down ; immense battle-axes for splitting their skulls. There were also tastefully arranged in a glass case modem and an- cient swords, brightly ornamented, and of great value — on the blue steel blade of one of them I read, in letters of gold, " Vive le Koi !" — colour-lances crossed ; lastly, a serrated sword, two feet long, that could have sawn down an oak- tree. In this room I observed an unusual number of soldiers busily pointing out to each other the various weapons which happened to attract their attention ; and as their heads leant towards each object in succession, the bright brass helmets of the hussars, the oilskin covered shakos of the infantry, the bright plates in the caps of the artillery, and the red, green, and yellow epaulettes of each, formed altogether a mizturo POST-OFFICE. 177 that gave living interest to the collection, which contains no less thaii 3864 specimens of ancient and modem implements of war. During the campaigns of Napoleon the Mnsenm was greatly augmented by spoils from almost every nation in Europe; but in 1814— -when the hour of retribution arrive^ — the allied armies took possession of almost all that, had be* longed to their respective countries. The Prussians alone packed up and carried off 480 chests full of arms. To the Museum rs attached — solely for the use of the officers of the garrison of Paris, and consequently not open to the public — a valuable library of 6000 volumes, besides maps, plans, and naval charts. -•■«-•- POSTOFFICE. The French Post-office undertakes to deliver not only to every city, town, village, or hamlet in France, but to every house, cottage, and mill, within the territory of the republic, every letter that is addressed to it. There are in France no less than 500,000 persons in- cluding the heads of offices, pr6fetB, mayors of all sizes, &c., &c., who can frank letters on the subject of their res- pective departments ; but the President of the Republic and the Director-General of the iPost-office, M. Edouard Thayer, are the only two individuals who have unlimited power to frank letters to any one. They do so by a few words stamped in red, of which the following is a fac-simile. V7^l The council of administration, of which M. Thayer is president, is composed of M. Piron, also " administrateur" of the first and principal division of the department, and M. Langevin 8» m A FAGGOT OF FRMOR STICKS. r Oil my calling at the Fost-offioe to ask permiBsion to sec its details, M. Piron, who had happened to read a publieatibn by me descriptive of the London J?ost-offioe, was eood enough not only to insist on taking me over the whole, but he most obligingly introduced me to the president, M. Thayer, who also did me the honour to accompany me over a considerable part of the important establishment over which he presides. The business of the French Post-office department is sub- divided into, five branches. To M. Piron, as administrator, is solely committed the supervision, under various officers, of the following duties '.-- 1. The correspondence — the oxganization — and determina- tion of the routes of the couriers, and of the transportation of the mails by railways, mail-carts, or by private contract ; the preparation and d^pdt of maps and plans ; the arrangement of correspondence with the diSerent offices ; inquiries after lost packages of letters ; the drawing up of conventions and trea- ties with foreign offices, and correspondence relative to their ex- ecution. 2. The general superintendence and inspection of the let- ter postal service ; the employment of the officers of every grade ; the installation of the superintendents and letter-sor- ters ; the formation of the reports to be furnished to the In- spectors of Finance and of the Post-office ; investigation and correspondence relative to inquiries after letters and news- papers. 3. Cixrrespondence relative to exemptions and infractions ; expenses of the staff in all the departments ; repression of firaud ; disputed matters. 4. The verification and auditing of articles and accounts. 5. Examination of dead letters and papers ; also of those refused or unclaimed. To M. Langevin is committed — 1. The creation and suppression of relays ; the regulation and payment of the courier service— also of postmasters; drawing up the books of routes for the couriers ; arrangement of post-horses at Paris. 2. Superintendence of the contracts for the conveyance of (clespatches ; agreements for the construction and maintenance of the mail-carts, of the travelling post-offices and lettor-car- rii^es, and of aU the materiel necessary for the conveyance of POST-OITICF. ITd the mails ; superintendence of the couriers, porters, and mes- eengers of the Postofl&oe. sw li. 3. Steam-boat service. 4. Financial department. — Preparation of the budget and management of the expresses; the reimbursement of- sums improperly received ; payment of the salaries of the staff of Paris, and also in the departments. ' 5. The maintenance of steam-boats, &c. ; preparation of treaties to be made with contractors ; fabrication and delivery of postage stamps. 6. The superintendence of the receipts and expenditure at Paris and in the departments, &c., &c. The remainder of the business of the office is committed to M. Chocquet, M. de Leindre, and M. Babeau, each of whom- superintend details of considerable importance. Besides the bureaux in the General Post-office, there ar* also in Paris twelve principal and fifteen supplemental offices,' where the public can prepay or register letters for the depart- ments or for foreign countries, or forward or receive by post,- money. The principal offices, distinguished by the first twelve letters of the alphabet, are open to the public from eight in the morning till eight at night, excepting on Sundays and.fftter days, when they are closed at five o'clock. Under the system of centralization which characteri^ies every public office in France, an Englishman is constantly sur-. prised to see how very simply and scientifically operations,, clumsily executed in England, are pe^ff -'med in Paris. For, instance, after M. Piron had risen from*v.B multifarious papers to accompany me, I observed him gJve o > , cenf.le tap with the ; wooden holder of his pen against ilie I liilru v,^ll in front of his desk. His secretary immediatfli^ appea:i< He then touched a sort of spring which caui td a bell *.utdide the op- posite wall of the room to strike, i^ on whicu In came his messenger. Now, in England, to prod I'j these two articles, tt least twenty times as much noise would have heaa manu- factured ; indeed, in London, if one great man drives to the open door of another great man, tLe great man's porter imme- diately shuts it in the face of the great visitor's great footman, that he, the great visitor's great footman, may Kj ve an oppor- tunity of disturbing every man of genius in the nei, i^ZmSm \ , 182 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS, '' Aii^ sooii ail all these 'buses Kad merrily driven out of *Tie"^ yard, I returned with M. Piron to the interior of the build- ing, to witness the assortment ojF the letters for the depart- ments and for the rest of the world. For this operation is devoted the whole of the second floor, composed of spacious halls, admirably ventilated, and during the day lighted by large windows on each side, and befbre sunrise and after sun- set by gas lamps, surrounded by green shades. ' ' The country letters are divided into sixteen stations. Those which, by the pulley and rope, had ascended en masse to this floor, are poured out in about equal quantities upon a series of desks, at each of which presides an intelligent- XooYrng clerk with mustachios, and occasionally with a beard, "Vhu fjas before him, at the extremity of his t.;ole. sixteen piffeoM-holes, into wMoh he rapidly throws every ietter that be- lopf^ to the district written . above it. While he is proceed- lag, looking like a gamester dealing out cards, sixteen men, 4Ui a carrying a basket, proceed regularly from one sorting- tal.e to another; and as the pigeon-holes of each are all rmmbtjred alike, as they each cortaia letters for the same place, every basket-m* n, leaning over one sorting desk after another, abstrav^ts from the same pigeon-hole of each the let- ters for the same district, which, as fast as he collects, he takes to other tables, where, by other clerks in beards of every pos- sible fancy, they are finally arranged, and then, instead of being crammed into white leather sheepskin-bags, which, in consequence of the different shaped parcels conveyed by our post-office, are deemed necessary in England, they are packed in square parcelp, about 2 feet long by 16 inches broad and deep, wrapped up or swaddlod in brown paper, secured by very strong strinfy, of which an extraordinary quantifjr appeared to me to be T,aelessly expended. Indeed it was wound round twenty or thirty times without apparent method, reason, or neiJfesBitx . The operation of ?>f;aling these parcels is, how- ever, very cleverly performed. BenealKa large pot full of bard sealing-wax there is on each table ol the department an alcohol lamp, — ^the flame of which, by a micrometer screw, can be increased, diminished, or extinguished, — of sufficient power to liquify the mass in about twenty minutes. For the important process of sealing, the wax is, therefore, always ready, in a fluid state. ¥or the purpose of applying it, there. POST^QFFICK 183 & affixed, at right angles, to the handle of theseala Btibk, which the sealer dips into the liquid wax, and, as soon as he ha» transferred a snfficient qnantity of it to the paper and string, by a simple twist of his wrist he applies to it the seal. Be- fore the adoption of this ingenious process, which is only a year old. not only for every packet, but for eyery seal on each packet, it was deemed necessary, as is still the case in *tha English post-office, to raise a stick of hard wax to the flame of a candle, ignite it, wait a little, and then apply it. The smoke caused by the endless repetition of this rude operation, was not only unhealthy, but it blackened the walls and ceilf ings of the halls. Indeed, M. Piron pointed out to me on the Untels above and outside the windows, the deep black stain of the old discarded process. In wandering from table to table, looking at the sealing- up process I have described, I came to that portion of the establishment from which letters to foreign countries are des- patched. One of these compartments I could not help meas- uring; it was 7 feet 10 inches long, by 9 broad. "And this," said I to my obliging conductor, " in your universe, represents ' la Grande Bretagne ?' " M. Piron returned my smile, and at the same time pointed out to me, as was really the case, that England's little table was very much larger than that of any other nation of the globe. On the ringing of a bell, the whole of the sealed-up brown- paper parcels were carried off by porters and other employes to the interior yard, when they were quickly pushed into well-made, enclosed, four-wheeled vans, called " fourgons," of the shape of an English hearse, painted crimson, highly var-' nished, and bearing on the sides the words, " Transport des Dep6ches."* Each of these carriages was drawn by a pair of Capital, stout, active, sleek entire horses, and as fisist as they were filled were despatched, with a guard, to the metropolitan termini of the various railways. The scene was not oi^y very animating, but, as involving the correspondence of Paris with every portion of the civilized globe, was highly interest- ing. While the well-made fourgons were trotting out of the great yard they were often crossed by the heavy cabriolets of the department, which, with equal energy, were to be seea v. * Conveyance of loaik. !t 3 l jtai '«> p.j Miii .ui -•'j*: % VS4 A FAGGOT OF FBFNOH STICKS, trotting in, with the words '' Service des D^pdohes" painted on their backs, " B^publique Francjaise" on their sides, and drawn by stout and often well-bred horses, not only neighing •yery loudly as they entered, but carrying round their necks bells, which gave cheerfulness, and almost merriment, to their arrival. Indeed, between the horses that were entering and tho^ in cabriolets that had entered — and which, without be- ing unharnessed, without being tied up, and without any one to attend to them, were standing between the shafts of theirv respective carriages, with their faces to the dead wall — there was, by neighs, more or less loud, a constant interchange of post-office questions and answers, to which, however intently the mind might be occupied, it was impossible occasionally not to listen. The whole scene — ^rattling of wheels and neighing in- cluded— ^was, however, within the precincts of the post office. This, in France, is very properly considered as absolutely ne- cessary ; and it was observed to me, by one of the attendants, who had been in England, that he had been much astonished to find that in London the public are allowed to crowd around so important a service as that which at the moment he was per- forming. I told him, however, as regards the principal of- fice, he was mistaken, not only in his inference but in his fact : what had offended him he had probably witnessed at one of the branch offices of the London Post-office. As soon as the fourgons were all despatched, excepting the occasional tinkling of a restless bell, or a merry interjec- tional neigh, the great yard was quiet. I therefore proceed- ed to a part of the department particularly interesting to all foreigners. On entering a short narrow passage I saw before me three small windows, on one of which was inscribed " A to F ;" on the next " a to ;" and on the third 'J P to Z ;" thus un- equally dividing the alphabet into six, nine, and eleven let- ters. From these three windows are delivered the whole of the letters arriving at Paris from all parts of the world, ad- dressed " Poste Restante." In the interior, opposite to each window, is a box about three feet square, divided into small compartments, each containing the letters which alphabeti- cally belong to it. For the duties of this office, — ^which is open from eight in the morning until seven at night, every POST-OmCE. isir day in the week excepting on Sundays and on f^te-days, when it is closed at five a. m.,— one clerk at a time is found to be sufficient. While- 1 was in front of these three windows a French- man with mustachios was bothering this poor clerk most un- reasonably through the left one^ to look for a letter ho had lost out of his own pocket-book smce he had been at the win- dow, and which he supposed must somehow or other have got through it into the interior and into one of the compartments far out of his reach before him. With the utmost civility the clerk looked over all his compartments three times, and . yet the man was not satisfied. After looking them over again, he said, slightly bowing, bo a lady who was standing before the middle wmdow, "II n'y a rien pour vous, Ma- dame."* The poor thing looked dreadfully disappointed, and, being evidently unable to go away, she maintained her position. I, then delivering my card, asked if there was any- thing for me. I got three prizes, on the receipt of which I heard the poor lady beg the clerk to look again, as she was sv/re there must be one for her. With the utmost good- humour he did as he was requested. I did not, however, wait the result. Monsieur Piron was now kind enough to show me some of the " bureaux " by which the principal duties of the de- partment committed to his sole charge are transacted. Without describing their details, I will briefly state that, on the whole, the arrangements of the Paris Post-office for the receipt, sorting, and distribution of letters, are very credita- bly performed. Indeed, in the two or three instances I have mentioned, the French have an improved management which we might profitably adopt. In the attempt, however, which their House of Assembly has made to adopt the magnificent British system of postage invented by Mr. Rowland Hill, they have, I conceive, partly failed — ^for the simple reason that, under severe pecuniary embarrassments, they were afraid of sinking under the opera- tion ; and thus, unwilling to continue under their old system, and yet unable fully to adopt the new one, they have sought; for refuge in a half measure, which, of course, cannot even , _ *Thew is notbing for yofl, Madam 1 % H1 1 186 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. produce half results. The habits of the inhabitants of Parid are not fayourable to the adoption of Mr. Hill's system of pre- payment. A large proportion of the population live in re-, gions high above the pavement of the streets ; and although their letters are left for them with the concierge beloffr, they have no servant whom they could conveniently despatch and intrust with money for prepavment; and as, contrary to our regulations iv England, the charge is the same whether the letter be prepaid or not, the consequence is, that, of the let- iurs brought to the General Post-office from the receiving- houses around it, the postage oifom-Jifths is unpaid. Collection and Distribution of Letters in Fa/ris. There are daily in Paris seven collections of letters, cor- responding with the seven deliveries. The hours of the collections are regulated according to the distance between the several offices and the Central Post- office. The boxes situated at the extremities of the town are taken away at fixed hourc^ indicated for the commencement of each collection. One may calculate five minutes' delay, for every five hundred m^tnts in approaching the central (^00. Tbe boxes i^ithin a perimeter of 800 metres from the central oF.oe are **li:en away eveir half an hour after thoso of the Fauxbourgs, these of the General Post-office an hour later. In no case does the delivery of a letter of the city for the city require more than three hours. Letters deposited in t^ie box at the precise moment of the departure, or in, thoue of the perimdtre, are distributed an hour and a naif or : two hours at latest after the hour of the ]>ep6t deposit. • The first distribution, which commences at half-past seven, and terminates all over Paris at nine o'o?.Guk, comprehends the letters of the departments and of foreign countries, also those of Paris collected in the boxes the night before, from mne to. half-past nine at night. The second comprehends, besides the Paris letters col- lected in the boxes from half-past seven to a quarter past- e^ht, those of the second English courier, . . . . ..i The third, fourth, fifth, and sixth comprehend, besides the Paris letters coUeeted in the bozeft, these which at different POST-OFFICE. 18T. hours of the day haye arrived by supplementary couriers, or . by the railways. | The seventh comprehends the letters of Paris for Paris, collected in the boxes from five o'clock to forty-five minutes Sast five at night, the letters of supplementary couriers from larseilles and Lyons, letters from Italy, Algeria, &o. Money Letters^ or Regi9tered Letters. In each of the post'offices at Paris, are received money- letters and registered letters for all parts of France, for Al- geria, and for those places where France possesses post- offices. Pre-payment is obligatory " r money letters, and optionar (facultative) for registered | Both descriptions must always bo presented at the- offices. Money letters pay a double postage ; registered letters, be- sides the ordinary charge determined by weight, a fixed and supplementary tax of five sous. They, as well as registered letters, are required to be placed in an envelope, secured at least with two seals in wax, covering the four folds of the^ envelope ; both descriptions of letters are remitted on receipt at the domicile of tke person to whom they are directed. ' . Postage Stamps* The stamps or figures, sold by the administration, for the franking of letters, represent "five different values: the first, colour bistre, two sous; second, colour green, three sous; third, colour blue, five sous; fourth, orange colour, eight sous ; fifth, colour red, twenty sous, or one franc. The pub^ lie is at liberty to combine these, figures or stamps, the franking being complete in all cases where the stamps em- ployed represent a value equivalent tp the postage due. The stamps are sold at all the post-offices, by the postmen, re*' oeiving-houses, and by the sellers of tobacco. Charges, ' ( Letter^ of Paris for Paris are charged three sous (gneen stamp) when their weight does not exceed fifteen grammes ; si supplementary charge "of two sous is made for each addi- tional fifteen granuues, or fraction thereof \^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 1.25 ■ 50 "^^ M^H 1^ Ki2 12.2 s lift ™'^ U 11.6 — 6" 0> <^ 7 V Photogi'aphic Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STRiET WEBSTER, NY. MSSO (716) 872-4503 4^ 1^ - ■-■',■-■'■■-. : ■ ^ ■ , ' \ > t88 A F40Q0T OF FSmCH STICKS. M and other packets, exolueive of newspapers^ despatched by the General Post beyond the London > deliverv . . . . . . . . . 162,000 2. Letter^ pooka^ and other pMkets^ indnding duurgeable newspapers, deliyered within the 8-mile circle of the London disjbriot ' . . . ... . . 11S4,000 8. Newspapers and other doomnents allowed to be stamped as suds and despatched by the General Post, exdnsiye of non-chargieable newspapers (of which no record is kept^ ' poitted and deUveri^ Within the London district . . IHPOO Total . . , . 400^000^. • AMomdtreislOOOyards^liali. , .11 PSEFJST DE POUOm m PRi)FBT DB POLICE. A French genileman, who for many years had heen thd prefect of a department, and who had just returned from » Tisit to England to his peaceful domicil in the neighborhood of * *, expressed to me, as we happened to rest together on a stone bench in the Ayenue des Champs Elystes, his astonishment at the good order that preyailed in London, " In England," said he, '^ all people appear to respect the law. Here all evade it. ' In solidity you English are like the ancient Romans ; in yiyacity we resemble the Athenians : and yet, although in England you punish crime with great severity, you appear to be ignorant of the means of prevent^ ing it; in, fkct, you require an Act of Parliament to punish notorious evils prevented in Paris by a simple order of police, and in all the smallest commune by a simple order of the maire I" ^ Yes,*' said I, ^' but it is to that very sm^icUy^ as you term it, that we particularly objecot.'^ The system to which he alluded is, I believe, something as foUows. France is divided into eighty-six departments, to each of which there is appointed a pr^fet. Every department is subdivided into forty arrondisse- ments, to each of which there is a sous-prefect. Tne arrondissement is composed of various cantons, whioh are headless. Every canton is composed of from twenty to forty oom"* munes (the smallest fractional subdivision), eaeh of which has its maire, who, practically speaking, regulates his little district in whatever way he considers will oe most benefieial to the communitv. Now the prerect of the police, of Paris, the only prefect Of the police in France^ possesses on an enormous scale the same description of arbitrary power that is confided to every little mayor ; and thus, co-existent with the monarchy, the emperor, and the r^nblic, there has existed and there does m A FA&GOT dF mmas. sticks. \ \ etill exist in France a despbtio authority inconsistent' with powers which in theory are declared to be supreme. The prefecture ox police, an organization of enormous action, is composed of. various departments of active service, forming a cone of which the apex is the prefect, in whose office of government, as in a hive, upwards of three hundred l^usy worMbg clerks are constantly employed. The principal person in the department is the ^ Chef de la Police Munioi^ {>ale,"* under iHkom there «te-^ . 1. The "• Ch^ des Services de la Silreti^^ commanding a brigade of exceedingly adroit men, many of whom are not only in plain clothes, but, for the purpose of capturing murderers ana robbers, &c. often change their disguise three or four times A day, to suit the localities they have to visit 2. The « Cfuf d' Attribution des Hdtds Ocamiesi^ whoi besides suppressing clandestine gaming-houses, watch over all political refugees. 3. The ^ Chtfd? Attribution des MoBursJ^ for the regula> jfion of houses of ill-fame, &o. 4. The " Ch^ cPAMrtbution des VoUureSj for the r^ulation and observation of all public carriages. r Lastly; ^^ Bf^ades C^Mraleif" eompoBed 6t ei^rgentB de ville, who, in uniform and in various disguises, besides otheir M POUCm I iw by a ^ Commissaire de Folioe," who, in his buveau in tbe oen-' tre of his district, is, in faot^ the efficient head of the police ; and jet, although every person looks only to his own commis- s'aire, and although of the '' pr^fet de i)olice," it may truly be said or sung^ " Oh no, we never mention him," yet all the departments I have enumerated, under his sole direction, not, only work independeiatly, but harmoniously interlace together, playing into each other's hands, giving to each other every ^ information in their power, and even arresting for each other any one whom in the prosecution of their own duties they may: observe infringing upon the regulations of any other . depart' ment in the several services to which they belong ; in short,^ every one acts, not only for his own district, but for all Paris / and thus the eye of the prefecture of police, by night as well a8> by day, like Shakapeare's Ariel, is here, there, and everywhere ; indeed) almost a single anecdote will exemplify its powers. When Gaussidiere — ^now in London, and who was condemned with Louis Blano— owas in February, 1848, made ''prefect of the police of Paris," knowing that he had long been watched,> he inc^iured at the office over which he presided for his own ^}^ dossier." On reading it he exclaimed with astonishment) " Non seulement mes actions, mais mes jsens^ intimes il"*> ^ Again, in the case of am application for the arrest of* a British subj^'ot whose eccentricities in France had been con<, strued into insanity, and who in fact was mad, the polioe of Paris refused a wiarrant for his apprehension; aakd on being pressed to do so on the ground that at the very moment 1% question he was actually conducting lianiself before them as a madman, they produced his '' dossier"— composed by their own agents — showing not only how much eau-de-vie he had) drunk, but the plaoes and houses at which, on that very day^, he had, previously to appearing before them, swallowed " seveor glasses of it," aad, as it was therefore the brandy and not the rains in his head that Mpeared tobe in faulty the appUoatioiir for his detention was lieuised..' ^ . , ; ■ ]iTer:nn.:i':.i:;j--. ■ r,M v certain thickness and under a roof of very little substance. As regards the second, all manufactures of glue, size, and of everything deleterious to health, must be carried on far from buildings. As regards the third, any machinery or manufactory, hows* ever safe, however innocuous, and although it may have cost a couple of millions of francs, may, by a simple order of police, be shut up, if, from noise, from smell, or from any other cause, it prove " incommode " (inconvenient) to the neighborhoodL The outside of every domicile and jbuilding is watched by the department of the police, whose duty is to see that its fabric is secure, that its chimneys, gutters, &o., are. sound, and that no sign-board, blind, or anything else, projects farther than is con- venient to alL Every shopkeeper is rigidly prevented frqpi selling anything Injurious to the health of the community. Eor this reason no one is allowed to act as a chemist, to prepare or sell any medi- cine, untU he has passed a strict examination ; and after he has received his patent, he is prevented from selling any poisonous substance until he has appeared before the prraet de police to petition for permission to do so, and to inscribe the locally in which his establishment is situated, and even then he is rosr tricted from selling poison except under the prescription of a physician, surgeon, or apothecary, which must be dated, signed, imd in which not only the dose is designated, but the manner in which it is to be administered* The pharmacien or ehemist is reqjuired to copy the prescription at the moment of his ma- king it up, into his register, wnioh he , is reqiured to keep for i; PBEFET DE POLICE, 193 "•1 i n If' a le, le is 10 10 li- as as to in )Sr a Id, er St la* 'or w twenty years, to be submitted to tbe authorities whenever re- quired. Moreover, poisons of all sorts, kept by a chemist, are required to be secured by a look, the key of which must be in his own possession. Besides these securities, the commissaire de police, accom- panied by a doctor of medicine, or by professors of the " Ecole de Pharmaoie,"* occasionally visit the shops and laboratories of all chemists to ascertain that the drugs in their possession are of proper quality. As a further security to the public, the pr4fet de police is re(]^uired to arrest and punish all vendors of secret remedies which have not, as required by law, been submitted to a com- mission of five professors of medicine to examine the composi- tion and price of the medicine proposed to be administered to the public, and of which tho sale has not been authorised in- the bulletin of the National Academy of Medicine. No secret remedy can be sold or even be advertised by a chemist or by any one, unless it has been specially authorised by Government. li is the duty of the National Academy of Medicine to examine, and, if it approves of, to legalize, the sale of any medicine that has not been invented by a physician. The following judgments, which I copied from the news- papers while I was in Paris, will practically explain the manner in which the public are protected from the ignorant or careless sale of medicines or poisons : — -^ " Secret Remedies. — lA, Jean-Marie Toussaint^ jeweller, appeared before the Correctional Police for the illegal sale of medecine, ana of a secret remedy described by him as 'PoUdre d6purative.' The accused alleged in his defence that this powder is a secret of his family ; that he has cured, by means of this powder, many jwrsons of distinction. The tribunal con- demned the jeweller'physioian (bijoutier m^decin) to a fine of 100 franca." "Poiaonmta Substances. — ^M. H- , chemist, of Paris, has been f jn- demned by the Correctional Police to pay a fine of 100 francs, for having pT^ \m premises a poisonous substance not locked up." In the west end of Paris the police have lately permitted chemists to sell Morrison's pills, &c. ; as they were informed that unless they allowed the English to swallow their own quack medicines (remedes secretes), in short, that if they were to be stinted from their habit of taking medicine of the oompq- * School of Phainnacy. U 194 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS, sition of which they were utterly ignorant, they — th© Bull family — would probably leave Paris in disgust. On the same principle, and with the same objects in yiew, the police, attended by persons of science, inspect the cellars of wine-merchants to shield the public from adulteration or falsi- fication. They visit cooks'-shops to see that the meats sold are wholesome, and the apparatus (usually of brass) clean. Bakers are divided into four classes, and in order to ensure to Paris a constant supply of three months' flour in advance, class No. 1 are required always to have on hand 140 sacks ; class No. 2, 80 ; class No. 3, 60 ; and class No. 4, 50. The price of bread is regulated by the prefect every fortnight, according to that of grain in the corn-market ; and common bread is required not only to be of a certain weight, but to be pure, unadulterated, and to be baked in ovens of a proper construction. But besides watching over the lives, properties, health, safety, comfort, and food of the inhabitants of the city of Paris, the prefect of police, by stringent and very extraordinary ef- forts, is the supervisor of the morals — ^" attentats auz moeurs " — of the people. No house of bad conduct is allowed, as in England, of its own accord to fester up and break out wherever it likes ; but such evils, which it is deemed advisable not altogether to pre- vent, are licensed to exist in certain localities, and are forbid- den from others, especiallv from the vicinity of any school, public institution, or church. From the instant they are es- tablished the exterior and interior are placed under the con- stant and especial surveillance of a particular department of the police, the regulations of which appear to have no other object than despotically to reduce to the minimum the list of evils consequent upon that which, if not implanted, has delibe- rately been allowed to take root. For instance, each mistress of a house of this description is obliged, within twenty-four hours, to bring with her to be enregistered at the prefecture of Eolice every female who may be desirous to live with her. On er arrival there, the delinquent is seriously admonished to relinquish her intention ; and to induce, or rather to terrify and disgust her, she is informed in detail of the surveillance to which she will be subjected. If the candidate is very young, instead of this course she is, in the first instance, carried from the brink of ruin to the hospital of St. Lazare, where work is \ ■^ PRKFET DE POLICE, 195 given to her, and ondeavodm are made to reclaim her. If From the oountry, a letter is addressed by the police to her parents or nearest relatives, informing them of her position, and urging them to save her. If no answer be received, ana if her friends cannot be found out, a letter is written to the mayor of her commune, requesting him to endeavour to do so. If her friends decline to come forward, or if it be ascertained that she is friendless, a last effort is made in the hospital of St. Lazare to reclaim her, and, if that proves to be in vain, her name is then irrevocably inscribed ; and, destitute of character and of liberty, she passes the remainder of her life under the dreadful appellation of " une fille inscrite." Not only is every change of her domicile recorded in the books of the police, but on the ticket she is obliged to bear, — and which at any hour and by any person she may be required to produce — there must be inscribed the results of the weekly professional visits to which she is subjected. At no hour, or under any pretext, is she permitted, as in England, to appear at the windows ol her residence, and she is especially interdicted from appearing in the gardens of the Palais Boyal, the Tuileries, the Lnxem* bourg, or the Jardin du Roi. She is allowed only to walk in certain places ; not to appear without a bonnet ; she must be dressed in " toilette dficente,"* must not wear clothes " trop £clatantes."t On the contrary, if they be too gaudy, or if her conduct be in any way improper or obtrusive, she is liable then and there to be arrested by any member of the police, and im> prisoned in the Lazare for two months. Of the houses to which I have alluded only a certain pro- {>ortion are allowed to receive any females but their own regu- ar lodgers. A short time ago the Duchess of happened to pay a short visit to one of these abodes. On its being discovered by the police, they insisted on her name, like that of all the rest of its inmates, being "inscribed" in the books of the department ; and it was only by paying a very high fine that her Grace escaped from the regulation which would have sub- jected her — poor thing — for the rest of her life to the visits, at any hour and at any place, of that portion of the police who especially watch over " attentats aux moeurs." ! * Decent costume. f Too gaudy. 196 A FAQOOT OF FRENCH STICKS, o Besides the above precautions, It party of police, vrincipally disguised, are especially appointed to discover ana to make known to the police every female, " fille isol^e," in Paris of deoid^ bad oonduct-^termed " clandestine"-— in order that the^ also may be summoned and their names '' inscribed," from which moment, like the most destitute, they can nmer rid them- lelvM of the haunting presence and severe regulations of the police, which, utterly regardless of their feelings, despotically guards the public healtii. The authority which the police of Paris exercises over lap bourers and servants of various descriptions is — especially in ft republic*— most extraordinary. Every workman or labouring boy is obliged, all over France. 4o provide himself wi€h a book termed " un livret," endorsea in Paris by^ a commissaire of police, and in other towns by the mayor or his assistants, containing his description, name, age, birth-place, profession, and the name of the master by whom he is employed. In fact, no person, under a heavy fine, can employ a workman unless he produce a " livret" of the above description, bearing an acquittal of his engagements with his last master. Eve ry workman, after inscribing in his " livret" the day and terms of his engagement with a new master, is obliged to leave it in the hands of his said master, who is reouired, under a penalty, to restore it to him on the fulfilment of his engaee- ment Any workman, although he may produce a regular passport, found travelling without his book, is considered as *' vagabond," and as such may be arrested and punished with from three t-o six months' imprisonment, and, after that, sub- jected to the surveillance of the " haute police" for at least five and not exceeding ten years. No new ^ livret" can be endorsed until ite owner produces the old one filled up. In case of a workman losing his livret, he may, on the presentation of his passport, obtain provisional permission to work, but without authoritv to move to any other place until he can satisfy the officer of police that he is free from all engagements to his last master. Every workman coming to Paris with a passport is ifequired — '"*^'- "^"^ ' *'* • ^ ■ ■ -^ feoture endorsed, passport must obtain the " vis6" of the police to his " livret," PBEFET DE POLICE. wt \ Whioh, in fact, oontainf an abttraot history of his ^ vie indus- trielle."* As a description of the political department of the police of Paris woiila involve details, the ramifications of which would almost be endless, I will onlv briefly state, that from the masters of every famished hotel and lodging-house (who are required to insert in a register, endorsed by a commis- saire de police, the name, surname, profession, and usual do- micile of every person who sleeps in the house for a single night), and from readily obtained innumerable other sources, information is Concerning every person, and especially every stranger, residing in the metropolis. For instance, at the entrance of each lodging, and of almost every private house, there sits a being termed a ^ concierge," who knows the hour at which each inmate enters and goes out; who calls on him ; how many letters he receives ; by their post-marks, where they come from ; what parcels are left for nim ; what they appear to contain, &c. &c. &c. Again, at the comer of every principal street there is located, wearing the badge of the police, a " commissionaire," acquainted with all that out- wardly goes on within the radius of his Argus-eyed observa- tions. From these people, from the drivers of fiacres, from the sellers of vegetables, from fruiterers, and lastly, from the masters of wine-shops, who either from peojple sober, tipsy, or drunk, are in the habit of hearing an infinity of garrulous details, the police are enabled to track the conduct of almost any one, and if necessary to follow up their suspicions by their own agents, in disguises which, practically speaking, render them invisible. " You arcj" said very gravely to me a gentleman in Paris of high station, on whom I had had occasion to call, ^' a per- son of some consideration." Your object here is not understood, and you are therefore under the surveillance of the police." I asked him what that meant. " Wherever you go," he replied, " you are followed by an agent, of police. When one is tired, he hands you over to another. Whatever you do is known to them ; and at this moment there is one waiting in the street until you leav« me. II • ludustriallifo. liiit ri-iii MM mm 198 A FAGGOT OF FJiENCII STICKS. w i Although the above sketch, whioL, on the whole, I belier^ to be a faithful one, delineates, I am fully aware, a system which in England would be deemed intolerable, and which, indeed, I have not the smallest desire to defend, yet it must also be evident that, on the whole, it is productive of a series of very great benefits to the community. If a population such as swarms within Great Britain oould exist without any restriction whatever, it would, of course, en- joy what would justly be termed perfect liberty ; but if that be impracticable, and if laws and restrictions be necessary evils, it follows almost inevitably that the enjoyment of a very small liberty ought not to be considered of greater impor- tance than the attainment of a very great public benefit. For instance, in a land of perfect liberty, such as Califor- nia, any man ought to be entitled not only to sell medicinal drugs in any way he may think proper, but — as he has also a right to be utterly ignorant of their nature or effects — he ought to be allowed to keep coffee in one box, sugar of lead in another, tea in another, arsenic in another ; moreover, he has an undoubted right, after his dinner, to go to sleep, and while he snores aloud to leave his own shop-nigger to sell for him, to men, women, and children of any age, his own goods, in his own way. Again, in such a land of perfect liberty, every man ought to be allowed to endeavour to cure anybody that wants to be cured by him. He may be wrong in sup- posing that a mixture of sand vitriol, and water is good for the eyes ; that ink, lamp-black, and cobbler's wax, in equal parts, are good for the complexion ; that a very little arsenio and soft soap are good for digestion ; and that blistering a baby's feet draws inflammation from its gums : but if other free people not only agree with him in opinion, but from long distances come to him on purpose to give him two shillings and nine-pence for a packet of his remedy, he is no doubt fully entitled to sell it. In like manner, in a perfectly free country, every woman has an undoubted right to be admired or abhorred, or, in other words to lead a virtuous or an im- moral life, just as she may prefer. And yet, if the laws of God and man concur in punishing one individual for murder- ing another, there surely exists no very great inconsistency in depriving any member of a very large community, for the public good, of the tiny " liberty " of slowly undermining the W PREFET DE POLICE. 199 \ health, destroying the happiness, and ruining the prospects of •n unlimited number of his or her fellow-creatures. And yet, although this common axiom is as fully admitted in Great Britain as in France, there exists between the two countries a wide difference of opinion as to the extent to which it should be applied; and thus, while the French people, ages ago, surrendered themselves at discretion to the prmciples, f;ood, bad, or indifferent, to which I have referred, the Eng- ish, although they concur in the theory, very slowly and very cautiously have been and still are progressively carrying it into effect by the establishment of a " new" poor law, of a "new" London police, of laws forbidding the dead to be buried among the living, abolishing Smithfield market, pre- venting the sale of medicines by ignorant, illiterate people, &c. &c. &o. ; and although the ^^libefti/" of selling quack me- dicines ("remedes secretes") is still claimed and allowed, there can be no doubt that it, and various other little pet " liberties" of a similar description, will in due time be slowly, carefully, but effectually put to death. Between the English and the French systems of police there of course will and alwavs ought to remain the same dif- ference which characterizes the tastes, habits, and opinions of the two nations. It is, however, very gratifying to observe, that in the meanwhile both are satisfied with the efforts they have respectively been making to attain the same good object. In England, the " new poor law" and the " new police" are now almost as highly praised, as on their original establishment they were execrated and condemned ; nay, the establishment even of extramural burial-grounds and extramural slaughter- houses is by anticipation already far from being unpopular. In France, the intricate system I have but faintly de- scribed also gives satisfaction to the majority of the commu- nity; indeed, it is^an extraordinary fact, that, although the power of the monarchy, of the republic, of the empiire, and even of the army, one after another have been swept away, and although at almost every revolution the raw will of the people has for a certain period become the sole law of the land, yet the police of Paris has never foundered in the storms which have destroyed every other authority ; on the contrary, the system is al>out to be adopted in the great, populous, and free e'iy of Lyons. It is also a singular fact (at least on very high authority I was told so), that, besides this feeling from wiw- I i -#■ 200 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. I I dot, 80 strong an esprit de corps exists within the police of Paris, that no individual in its regular service has ever been known to betray it. Persons of any description who give nsc ful information to the department are paid for it ; but since 1827 no man of bad character \ii^ been retained in its regular service. As far as the narrow limtts of my own observation ex- tended, I feci bonnd to speak in its favour. Excepting a single habit of Frenchmen to which I cannot more distinctly alludC) during my residence iu Paris I never witnessed any public act of the slightest indelicacy ; on the contrary, I every- where beheld a polite and a well-conducted people, who ap- peared by their admirable bearing to each other, and above ^U to strangers, to have originated, rather than have been sul^eoted by, the organized force which like the atmosphere cveiiywhere prevailed around them. i The direction of every letter I received may have been scanned,— -every parcel ^ven to my concierge may have been peeped into, — the name of every person that called on me mav have been noted down : — I may have been wa tched, — dodged, — ^followed : wherever I went there may have appeared ttpon the wails and pavement I passed — as my shadow — ^the figure of a commissaire-deopolice in uniform, or in disguise : but i must own that, whenever these light amusing ideas gam- bolled across my mind, I did the French people the justice to place into the other scale the single heavy fact, that while I, unmolested, unembarrassed, and in perfect security, could wan- der wherever I liked, there lay self-imprisoned throughout the day in Paris, 30,000 people who— it is a well-known fact- dare not show their faces to the police, and who are as com- pletely subjected by its power, as the old-fashioned, bull3^ng, window-breaking mob of what were then very properly termed " blackguards," have been by the firm, admirable arrangements of our blue-clad London police. | If in visiting Paris, my object had been to conspire against the happiness of the people ; to endeavour to overthrow their government ; and to involve them once again in the horrors of another revolution, I should no doubt — to use a vulgar ex- pression — have deeply cursed " the eyes and limbs" of a power that would not only have confoun^d my politics, and have frustrated my knavish tricky, but have puuished me, promptiyi. 89^$i;oly) «& " But to return to the Commission. " Sometimes, when a beautiful woman passes by, a gentleman says to me. Commissioner, follow that lady, and try to find out her name ; you must bring me back her name and address; here is my card and direc- tion where I liye : get the name veiy exacts and bring me back the an- swer to my house at six o'clock this eyening : I will pay you liberally for your commission. I answer him, 'Sir, Madame, liyes in street' (shrug), (neyer mind where !), Ac. ' She is called Mademoiselle . Now, Sir, you can write to her, if that is agreeable to you.' This gentle- man then says to me, ' Come to-morrow morning at 9 o'clock : I will give you a letter to deliyer to Mademoiselle.' Now I go and caiTy the letter ; Monsieur sees me return. * Here is the answer to your letter I' ' Ah I I thank you. Commissioner! Well! how much do I owe you, Commis- sioner?" ' Sir, this young lady kept me waiting a long time for her an- swer ; so, Sir, it is well worth thirty sous ; you know it is a long way off 1' ' Well, here are thirty sous, Commissioner ; if I want you to-mor- row I shall pass by your station.' Now, this gentleman puts to me some JuestiouB. He asks me, 'Has this young lady got handsome furniture.' answer him, ' Yes, Sir (a shrug). I saw a good bed, a conyenient writ- ing-t(^ble, a beautiful clock on the chimney-piece, and the floor was oar- iMMlnHMIH ii08 A FAOQOT OF FRENCH STICKS. 1 * un tapis dou^ au parterre. Ainsi (shrug), Monsieur, voilA tout ce au« ' j'ai vu. Monsieur, je m'en retoume a ma station.' ' Eh bien I fa sunity ' commissionnaire 1 Bi Vai besoin de vous, je yous ferai demander.' ' Je ' yous remercie. Bon jour, Monsieur' (shrug). Maintenant^ qnand un * dergel seriez*vona aesez bon pour me donner le nom de cette grande * dame qui yient de rentrer toute seule l&f Le concierge me dit, ' Maia 'qu'est-ce que vous voulez faire de ce nom-l&f Je lui dis, G'estua * monsieur qui m'a ohargd la commiBsion de savoir le nom de cette de- ' moiselle-U (oorreoting Himself)^ de cette personne-ld,'— parceque je ne savais pas quelquefois si c'est une dame ou ime demoiselle. Le concierge me dit, 'Si c'est ainsi, pour vous obliger, je vais vous le donner. Cest ' Mademoiselle (un tel).' Moi je iais une honndtetd au concierge, en lui payant (^ug) uu verre de vin. " Alors il y a une autre question que je vais vous expliquer. Quand un Monsieur n a pas confiauce en sa lenmie, il la ^ait suivre par un com- missimraaire, quand elle est all^e se promener toute seule. Aiors le mon- sieur dit au commissionnaire, ' Suivez cette personne-ld,; vous me direz en * d6tail partout 06 elle s'est arr^t^e ; je viendrai prendre la r^ponse k votre ' station ce soir.' Alors je dis k monsieur, Monsieur, Madam s'est arr^t^e ' rue— (shrug), num^ro— (shrug). Madame est rest^e une demi-heure dans * cette maison-U ; pendant ce temps-U je faisais fiiction en &ce la porte- peted. In short (shrugX Sir, I have told you all I saw. Sir, I am going Dack to my station.' ♦ Well I that will do, Commissioner I If I want you I win let you know.* ' I thank you. Good day. Sir ' (shrug). Now, when a doorkeeper refuses to tell me the name of the person whom I de- scribe to him — for example, a tall fair lady who has iust come in, who has crossed over to the back of the courtyard, to the staircase on the right hand— I say to the doorkeeper, ' Monsieur doorkeeper 1 would you be so good as to tell me the name of that tall lady who has just gone in there all alone ?' The doorkeeper says to me, ' But what do you want with her name V I say to him, ' It is a gentleman who has given me the commis- sion to learn the name of that young lady (correcting himself) — of that person, because I have not known sometimes whether she was a mamed or an unmarried lady. The doorkeeper says to me, ' If such is the case, to oblige you, I will tell you. She is Mademoiselle ' (such a one\ On my part, I show a little civility to the doorkeeper, by giving him (shrug) a glass '>f ^fine. " Now there is another subject which I will explain to you. When a gentleman has no confidence in his wife, he employs a commissioner to follow her when she goes out alone. Then the gentleman says to the com- missioner, ' Follow that lady ; you must tell me in detail every place where she stops ; I shall come to your station this evening for an answer.' Then I say to ihe gentleman, ' Sir, Madame stopped in (shrug) Street, Number (shnig). Madame remained for half an hour in that house * during that time I walked up and down opposite the carriage-gate on the i / THE COMMISSIONNAIBE. $09 * oochdre de Taubre ctniA de la mo, pour Mvoir quand elle sortirait do cette ' rue-UL Madame a dtd au magrasin de nouveautds, rue — (shrug), num^ro ' — . De U Madame a montd dans une voiture citadine, qu'elle a arr6t6e ' dans le rue en sortant du magasin de nouveaut^s. Moi j'ai couru de ' toutes mes jambes pour luivre U yoiture. Madame est descendue rue — * (en fin viola), numero — . Madame a renyoy6 la voiture aprds avoir < pay& Madame est entree dans oette maison-lA, et elle y restait une * neure et demie. De \k sortio do cette maison-Ul, madame est all^e * directement chez elle. Madame est rentrde & cinq heures et demie. Je * n'ai vu personne, en fait, de monsit'ur qui a parlS k Madame. • Ainsi, ' Monsieur, voiU tous les renseignemonts et tous les details que je peux ii^ourd'hui.' Le tnonsieur me dit, ' O'est oien, * vous donner (shrug) pour a _ *■ commissionnaire ; combien vous dois-je V Je dis, ' Monsieur, vous dtea ' assez g^n^reux pour oomprendre combien que 9a vaut cette commission- * liL' ' Voici, commissionnaire, deux francs, Etes-vous content V ' Oui, * Monsieur, je suis content.' ' Si j'ai besoin de vous domain je vous feral * dire, ou j'irai vous dire moi-mdme & votre station.' Je lui dis, ' Oui, Mon- * sieur (shrug), c'est bien. Je vous remercie ; bon jour, Monsieur (shrug), * voiU' (ehrug). Le lendemain voild le monsieur qui arrive. ' Dites done, ' commissionnaire, faitos-moi la m^me commission qu'hier, — ^vous savez ? * Yenez avec moi ; vous vous tiendrez en fiioe de ma porte-cochdre ; quand ' il sortira une dame — une petite brune— elle doit sortir dans une demi- * heure ; elle a \axQ robe de soio Ecossaise, un chapeau vert, et mi grand ' scfaal, & fond bleu, d, flours rougos — vous suivrez cette dame lii, ; teuez- * vous & une distance, im peu 61oign6o, que cette dame-U ne se mifie pas other side of the street, in order to know when she would leave the street Madame went to the warehouse for novelties, Street (shrug), Nimx- ber ——. From thence Madame got into a hackney carriage, which she stopped in the street on coming out of the warehouse. As for me, I ran as fast as my legs coxild carry me to follow the carriage. Madame got out of it in Street, say Number — — . Madame sent away the carriage, after having paid for it Madam went into that house, where she remained an hour and a half On going out of that bouse, Madame went straight home. Madame returned home at half-past five. I did not see any description of you are generous enough to comprehend how much tbat commiauon is worth.' ' Here, Commissioner, are two francs. Are you satisfied t' ' Yes, 701 Sir, I am satisfied.' ' If I want you to-morrow, I will let you know, or I will go to your station myeelf.' I say to him, * Yery well, Sir (shrug), it is all right I thaiik yoa Good day. Sir' (shrug). Well (shrug), the next morning the gentleman arrives. ' Tell me, Commissioner, can you do the same commission for me that you did yesterday ? you imderstand } Come with me; you will keep yourself opposite my carriage-gate ; when a lady comes out — a little brunette — she u to come inhuf an hour; she has a gown of Tartan silk, a green bonnet, and a large shawl, with a blue ground and red flower»— you wUl follow hor. Keep your«just departed, and which, during the time of its measurement, had been lowered beneath to receive it. The exact contents of each cask were then officially marked upon it in red by gentlemen inhabiting a bureau or office in the middle of the twenty vats, in front of which were lying, wait- ing to be gauged, several rows of large butts of spirits. I was now conducted into an upper gallery, containing a series of cellars on each side, such as I have described, full of casks of wine of all descriptions. The odour was so strong, that, as my guide in his wooden shoes clattered along at my side, we often, I observed, were slightly disposed to reel against each other. Sometimes my hair and clothes smelt of brandy ; sometimes as a whiff of claret passed me I tossed up my head and thought for the moment of " absent friends," —a younger man would probably have put it "Sweethearts and wives," — in short, by the time I had visited the' contents of the Rue de Champagne, de Bourgogne, de Bordeaux, de Languedoc, and de la Cdte-d'Or, I felt that by highways and byways there had reached me rather more wine and brandy for HALLS AUX VMS. 215 than I had desired and yet my guide assured me that out of Paris at the Fort de Verois on the Seine, there are magazines of wine containing more than three times as much as in the whole of the cellars around us. How truly therefore may every inhabitant of Paris sing, in the air of " Vive Henri Quatre," " J'aimons le bon vin I" * At the west end of the establishment I found ranged in a row, and shaded by trees, twenty-three little wooden offices, of various colours, belonging to different wine-merchants, also six large offices for " sappeurs, pompeurs," &o. In my progress through the various streets and cellars I have described I did not see a single drunken or even intem- perate-looking man, and all (it was on a Monday) wore clean shirts. As I had now gone through the interior of the Halle aux Vins, I walked through the shaded Rue de Champagne, to the bureaux of the Government, situated close to the great gate by which I had entered. These offices, by notices over their re- spective doors, are described as follows : — " Conservation," " Inspection," " Contrdles et Comptes G6n6raux," " Declara- tion de sortir pour Paris," "Recette de l'Ootroi!"t above them is a story inhabited by the " employes" of the dep9,rt- ment. As I wished to speak to the " Conservateur," % I asked one of the porters in attendance if he was at home. The moment I opened my mouth I perceived the old man's coun- tenance gradually to lower, until at last out it came — head over heels — that he had been eight years in the English prison of Vorismooth" Poor fellow ! the recollection of it naturally enough haunted him ; but as he talked to me a little sulkily on the subject, I submitted to |)im that he had only suffered one of the numerous evils which his " Empereur" had without mercy inflicted upon the whole of Europe. The old porter shrugged his shoulders, his countenance relaxed, and we ended by a joyous talk together about war and wine. As fast as the one-horse carts, heavily laden with wine, * I love good vrine. f Geneml manngement, Inspection, Accountant's office, Dedaravon for Paris, Receipt of Duty. X Principal j:uannger. 216 A FAOQOT OF FRENCH STICKS. oontiniied entering the gate, they were severally stopped by two officials in blouses, who — one on each side — walking for-; ward, struck a gimlet into whichever barrel he fancied, ex- tracted the instrument, held a small pewter dish beneath the tiny hole it had made, caught a little of its contents, stuck a , peg into the hole, hammered it, broke it off, gave it a tap, tasted the wine, spit it out on the pavement, which was quite red with the operation, and then made a signal to the carman to drive on. As wines entering the Halle aux Vins do not pay the oo-. troi, the object of this analysis is merely to ascertain and re- cord the description of fluid contained in each cask ; but on my proceeding to the gate at which the wine goes out^ and at which the octroi is levied, I found the operation conducted with greater accuracy. The three tasters there had in front of their blouses a small pocket like that in a lady's apron full of little white pegs,^.^ the ends of one of which next for duty were almost constantly, to be seen protruding from their three mouths. Every day there pass them about fifteen hundred barrels, every one of which has to be tasted. As soon therefore as a cartload ar- rives, each of these men, walking quickly up to it, stabs a bar- rel from which usually there instantly — ^like what is called breathing a vein — spirted out a red stream, flowing sometimes vigorously, sometimes feebly, and sometimes so indolently that it merely trickled down the cask, in which case he pushed in a long wire, on extracting which, the wine flowed in a stream. The tasters are not only apparently steady, sober men, but I observed they had particularly clear complexions. While one of them was very busily labouring at his voca- tion, I ventured to ask him what was the amount of duty which wine paid on leaving the " Halle" to go into Paris. In- stead of being angry with me for bothering him, the man, with a kind countenance and with great politeness, after spitting' out half a mouthful of Bur^ndy on the pavement. between us, told me that whatever might be the quality, good, bad, or indifferent, the octroi was at the rate of twenty-one francs for 100 litres. On going out of the gate of the Halle aux Vins, open to the public from six to six in summer, and from seven to five in winter, I found on the banks of the whole of that portion of W VERSAILLES. 217 tlio Seine which bounds it on the north, a bcaoh or paved in> clined plane, sixty yards broad, on which were lying in groups barrels of wine that had just been disembarked. Beyond them in the river were moored four barges laden with wine ; and as I had now seen all that I or that Bacchus himself could have desired, I told my friend in his blouse and wooden shoes I was much obliged to him, and, suiting my action to my word, I made him a little present. " Gomme qa, mon garqon," said he, holding out his hand to me that I might shake it, which I did very cordially. " . . . Je vous remerole !" * and so we parted. • •• VERSAILLES. It was Sunday, and not only Sunday, but it was the Sunday which, in the chain of Time, followed the Sunday on which there had been the great Sunday f^te in celebration of the Re- public, I had therefore concluded that it would be a day of rest, instead of which I found myself between Scylla and Charybdis ; — that is to say, I was to choose whether I would remain in Paris, to be hurried with the crowd to see a magni- ficent boat-race, which by the inundation of the Seine had not been able to come off on Sunday last, or whether I would go with another crowd to a f6te at Versailles. Of the two evils I thought the latter was the least, and therefore, after church, I walked to the Versailles railway-station, took a first-class ticket, and having, as it were, got into the mouth of a funnel, I found myself without the slightest mental anxiety gently pressed and pushed out of the little end into a narrow passage, which I had scarcely entered when my " bright course to the Occident" was suddenly checked by two gentlemen in reddish- brown coats, with scarlet collars, scarlet edging, and scarlet stripes down their trowsers (the colour of the latter I really had not time to disoover), who politely asked me for my tioket, tore a piece off it, and then giving me the remainder, pointed * "Well, my boy . 10 I thank you t 818 A FAGGOT OF FRENOH STICKS. to tlie one of the three large public rooms for first, second, and third class passengers, \7h1ch I was authorized to enter. The two latter waiting-rooms were nearly full of persons so -respcctablv dressed, that but a very slight shade of difference could be detected between them and the aristocratic chamber in which I had scarcely time to ruminate, when all of a sudden a large double sliding door on my right was rolled open, and, like the lifting of a curtain at a theatre, were to be seen on the wooden stage before us a number of officials in uniform in front of a long train of railway carriages, headed by a gUtter^*ng engine all hot, hissing, ready, and anxious to be off. As soon as the inmates of waiting-room No. 1 — thus enjoy- ing the precedence they had purchased — ^had left their hand- some chamber, a door communicating from it with the waiting- room No. 2 was unbolted, and a loud trampling of great feet and little ones, of thick shoes and thin ones, through No. 1, and then along the platform, had scarcely subsided, when, by the withdrawal of a similar bolt in a similar door in the parti- tion between waiting-rooms Nos. 2 and 3, the latter room, No. 2, having been also trapped, another rush of feet, of both sexes and of all ages, walking, trotting, and cantering, passed through Kos. 2 and 1, and along the platform, until, the whole of the passengers haying, under t'ue direction of three officers wearing scarlet collars richly embroidered (one of them I observed had on his breast the crimson riband of the Legion of Honour), taken their seats, a little flag, the emblem of liberty, fraternity, and equality, was slightly waved, the engine shrieked, gave a violent plunge, which made the heads of all passengers sitting towards it nod backwards, and the heads of those seated with their backs to it nod forwards, then a smaller one, after which, like a boat pushed from rough shingle into deep water, the train glided along, comparatively speaking, as smootMy as if its rails had been oiled. i Previous to starting I asked the superintendent why the first, second, and third class passengers had been cooped up in different waiting-rooms, instead of being allowed, as in England, to roam about the platform, and take their own places in their own way % " If," said he, " they were permitted ty congregate on the platform, they would never take their places." " What then, would they do?" I asked. 0?. 1 1 % V VERSAILLES. 219 le " Trt/^," he replied, " and the train would go off without them!" In the carriage in which to my great satisfaction I found myself, by myself, was appended a list of commandments I was especially directed not to break. I was not to enter without a ticket, or remain in it with a wrong ticket : I was not to smoke in it : I was not to jump out of it while it was in motion, or get out of it except by the door next to the station : I was not on any account to lie at full length on the cushion : lastly, I was not to do, or carry with me, anything hurtful or disagreeable to other passengers. As Paris has no suburbs, we were almost immediately in the open country, and, as I glided along, I soon perceived that the non-observance of the Sabbath was not confined to the metro- polis from which I was flying, or to Versailles, to which I was proceeding, for in the fields and nursery-gardens through which we flitted we not onljr passed several carts at work, but I saw on the roof of a white house as I rapidly glided close to it, several men employed in covering it with red tiles. Between the countenances of a Frenchman and of an Eng- lishman there exists only a trifling difference, but between the faces of France and Great Britain, said I to myself, there is no resemblance whatever ! The country was divided into little patches and long strips, in which nothing seemed to grow as it was growing in Eng- land ; besides which, there were small vineyards so full of lit- tle sticks, — in fact, displaying so much moire dry wood than green leaves, — that one might have fancied they were intended to grow barrels as well as wine. Excepting a young railway hedge close to Paris, and that a lath barrier, hardly strong enough to keep out chickens, nowhere in any direction, was a fence of any sort to be seen. Even the roads, which, except- ing the great pav6, all appeared as crooked as if they had been traced by a tipsy surveyor, were so destitute of boundary of any description whatever, that, on riding fast along them on a shying horse, a man would inevitably sometimes find himself galloping across a bed of spinach, sometimes through a row of peas, and sometimes over young asparagus, kidney beans, early rye, &c. In the iinmense plain nothing was conspicuous but the acropolis of Montmartre. Every now and then there flitted before my eyes, as if it were a living milestone or direction 220 A FAGGOT OF FRFNCE STICKS. post, the figure of a railway guardian dressed in a blouse with a scarlet collar, with a scarlet stripe down the legs of his blue trowsers, and with a hairy old cloak of deer-skin hanging neg- ligently but picturesquely on his shoulders. As the train rushed past him, his right hand, with its fingers extended, was invariably placed flat on his heart, and the forefinger of the other extended arm pointing to us, — ^upon his honour, — the way we were to go. As we flew along, here and there I saw labouring in the fields one or two women, in carnation-coloured bonnets, with lappets of the same covering their necks. The houses were mostly white with green Venetian blinds. The station men were dressed in blouses of a beautiful blue with crimson col< lars. Their whistles had silver chains. Their caps black peaks edged with brass. The four leagues we had to travel were very soon accom- plished, and accordingly, almost before I had begun to enjoy my journey it was over, and I found myself walking among a dense well-behaved, well-dressed crowd, all going I knew not where, to see I knew not what; for although I had heard over and over again there was to be a " f^te" and had come to witness it, of how many dishes, or of what description of cookery, it was to be composed, I had totally neglected to inquire ; indeed, as I was sure I should be perfectly satisfied with the repast, what- ever it was made out of, 1 d'd not even care to know. Nearly forty years ago I had been quartered for a few days at Versailles, but it or I was so altered ; it recollected so little of me or I of it ; that, as I walked in procession up its streets, I could recognise nothing I had ever seen before. The shops were all open, and, as nobody within them appeared to take the slightest notice of the ascending crowd of which I was an atom, it was evident to me that the arrival of a flock of visit- ors from Paris on Sunday was an object of very common oc- currence. After crossing a square we at last reached the limit of the upper portion of the town, and I was intently looking over a moving mass of hats, parasols, and beautiful bonnets, at the wild, magnificent glimpse I caught of the palace, w^en I found a considerable portion of my companions turn -ig «o the left, through some splendid iron gates, over which were inscribed, on a temporary board, in very large letters— « versailles. "republique francaise. c0nc0ur8 national d'animaux reproducteurs Males, ©'instruments, machines, et produits agricoles."* 221 Immediately within the gate sat a man with an immense pile of pamphlets before him, and, as everybody seemed to take one, when I reached the table I took one up too. In do- ing so, as a matter of course, I rapidly ejaculated the word stereotyped in the mind of every English traveller, and whi6h of its own accord comes out of his mouth whenever, wherever, and by whomsoever he is stopped, " Combien ?"t Without even raising his eyes to look at me, and yet slightly bowing to his own table, the man replied, " Rien h payer, Monsieur !"| and I thus found myself the proprietor of a large well-printed pamphlet of seventy-nine pages, con- taining the regulations and contents of the national show which all of a sudden I found myself gratuitously invited to witness. It appears that on the 22nd of January of the present year (1851) the minister of agriculture and of commerce, in concurrence with 'the report of a commission authorized to in- quire into the subject, ordered — 1. That a public exposition of male animals (d'animauz reproducteurs mftles) shall take place every year at Versailles, under the direction of the National Agronomic Institution. 2. That at the same time and in the same establishment there shall be every year an exposition, also public, of instru- ments, machines, implements and apparatus for the use of ag- ricultural industry. 3. An exposition of the different products of agriculture or of agricultural industry. The railings I had entered, the large open space in which /% I * FRENCH REPUBLIC. NATIONAL CONGREGATION OF REPRODUCING ANIMATES MALES, OF INSTRUMENTS, MACHINES, AND AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE. I How much? t Nothing to pay, Sir! 222 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. I stood, and the magnificent buildings around me, formed the northern half of what were formerly the royal stables of the palaoe to which they still belong. The other half, also enclos- ed by similar lofty iron railings, the tops of which are gilt, and which, on the other side of the " Avenue de Paris," forms a corresponding set of stables, are now occupied by troops. Following a crowd of people, each of whom, besides a stick, umbrella, or parasol, had the large white pamphlet in hand, I entered a magnificent arched stable 210 feet long, as high as a church, the walls coloured yellow, the floor covered with bright yellow sand, the lofty windows all open. On a litter of straw, as white and clean as if it had been just thrashed, and bound- ed by an exceedingly neat platted, border of straw, a yard broad, there lay in line throughout the whole length of this once royal and now republican stable — in the full enjoyment of Liberty, Fraternity, and Equality — seventy six bulls, so fat and so full that they were evidently careless not only of the nume- rous human eyes gazing at them, but of the heap of loose, coarse, fresh hay lying before them, close to the wall to which their long halters were affixed ; in fact, they cared for nothing and for nobody. Everybody, however, appeared to care a great deal about them ; and as moreover everybody — ladies and all — appeared first of all to look at a bull and then very inquisi- tively into the pamphlet for his history, I of course did the 9ame. My eyes rested on a red and white one my book told me was called " Vert-galant ;" that he was of the Durham breed "race;" that his "father" was Vespucius; his "mother" Martinette; that his great-great-great-great-great-great-great- grandmother, by Favourite, had been sold for one thousand guineas at the sale of Charles Colling, in 1810; and finally that by his father, the son of Europa, he belonged to a family of remarkable milkers, " une famille de laitieres remarquables." Another Durham bull, called " Ya-de-bon-coeur," was the son of " Willy, par Young Wellington, par Sir Thomas." His great-great-great-great-great-great grandmother had — the book said— been a cow of excellent character. The bull " Canning," who lay chewing his cud all the time I was looking at him, had, I found, a pedigree as bright as his eyes, and almost as long as his tail. After remaining for some time in this magnificent stable, in which not the slightest odour of bulls or of anything VERSAILLES. 228 disagreeable was perceptible, I wandered w the crowd into a very spacious yard, full of ploughs, implements, instruments, and agricultural inventions of isvory sort. Among the latter there stood, performing the double duty of a scarecrow and a weather-oock, the figure of a stout man, seven feet high, wearing green gloves, a blouse, a black glazed hat, an immense black beard, with long curling mustachios ; and although the very sisht of such a being would be sufficient, one would conceive, to throw a cock-sparrow or robin-redbreast at once into hysterics, the follow, as he kept turning with the wind, presented a gun which, by machinery, exploded at intervals. There were winnowing machines, scarifying machines, " ez- tirpateurs," carts, waggons, machines for brick-making, tile- making, and for the construction of draining pipes. Also new inventions of harness, with one of collars for heavy draft which appeared very likely to answer. I next visited a yard in which were standing 126 rams, horned and hornless. The first on the list, a powerful white ram called " llobert Peel," was the son of a ram which for the sum of 355 francs had been purchased by " M. le Dirccteur de la Colonic de P^tit-Bourg." The genealogy, which I could not understand, of another personage, whose crumpled horns had attracted my attention, was described as follows : — ^" Oe belier appartient & la sous-race cr66e k la Gharmolse par la reunion du sang New-Kent, du c6t6 des p^res, et des sangs solognots, berriohons, tourangeaux, et merinos par les meres."* Id another compartment I found a quantity of boars, so dread- fully fat, that as they lay on the ground on their sides, with their upper legs sticking out as helplessly as if they had been frozen, it was almost impossible for any one to succeed in making them exert themselves enough even to wink. I pulled at one of the ears of the son of '' Wiley et Duloinea del To- boso," imported from England, with nearly all my force, but in vain; he looked at me, breathed very short, but could do no more. The only exception was a lean creature, whose head was riot only curved ooicavely, but was literally half as long * This ram belongs to th oroBs breed created at Charmoise bv the re- union of the blood Kew-K* nt on the side of the fathei's, and of the bi*eeda of the Sologne, of Touraihe, of Betry, and merinoa on the mothera' side. 224 ^ FAGGOT OF FBENOE STICKS. as his body ; his snout turned upwards, his oars were bent, and so was his baok. I never before saw such a crooked creature, and, indeed, he was surrounded by so great a crowd of people, that I could succeed in getting only a glimpse of his extraor- dinary outline. I now entered another stable, as large and as hish as a oliuroh, full of bulls and stallions. The latter, a lot of coarse, half-bred brutes for harness, were making a vast deal of unne- cessary noise ; and as it was evident to me at a glance thoy were fit for nothing else, I left them alone in their glory. In the catalogue, which had nothing to say in their favour, the colour of each, called in French his " rwei^ was as follows : — " Gris olair, gris de fer, bai-rouge, rouan, eris pommels, rouge olair, bai chlltain, bai-brun maraud de feu, gris fonc^, gris blanc, bringee, rouge et blanche, &o. &o. In France everything is licked by the tongue of science into a magnificent shape, and accordingly, instead of using homely names, the " show" I had just witnessed was described ' on a long piece of canvas, surmounted by a tri-oolour flag, as " Institut Agronomique." The prizes and medals it annually bestows for the improve- ' ment of the breed of horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs, and which amount to 69,024 francs, are distributed equally among eight districts ("circonscriptions r^gionales") \j follows : — Prizes for animals acknowledged to be the most perfect for the uses for which they are respectively destined : — ^ Espdce Cheyaline (draft Btallions), not leas than % years old. ; Iflt Piize .... 1000 ) ■■t>. 2nd do 700 V 2200 > '' 8rd do. .... coo) ; Esp^ce Bovine (bnllis) not lees than 1 year old. let Prize .... 2000") 2nd da .... 1000 ( 8rd do. .... 800 f 4400 4th do. . , . .^ 600J Esp6ce Ovine (rams), not leas than 8 mouths. i 1st Prize .... COO ) 2nd do 800}. 1000 ' 8rd do, , . i . 200) ; •* -. . "'-f , -' ' ■ * VERSAILLES. Dspdce Porcine (Boors), not less than 6 monthai iBt Prize .... 800 ) 2nd do 200 >■ 600 8rd do. .... 100) All the first prizes are aooompanied by a gold medal, the others by a silver one. The sum of 500 francs for each of the eight regions is awarded with a medal to farm servants distin- guished by the care and intelligence they have bestowed on animals. Medals of gold, silver, and copper, are also given to the inventors of the best description of agricultural instru* ments, machines, and utensils ; moreover to the foremen and workmen who have most distinguished themselves in the con- struction and execution of the machinery, and of those imple* ments that gained the prizes. On coming out of the iron gate, which, with a correspond- ing range of iron railings, gilt at top and at bottom, enclose the magnificent stables and yards I had been perambulating, I found myself in front of the palace (Si Versailles, on the great Place d' Armes, a noble esplanade, 800 feet broad, formed by the concentration of the Avenue de St. Cloud, 98 yards broad ; the Avenue de Paris, and the Avenue de Sceauz, each 77 yards broad. On approaching the parapet and iron railings, which sepa- rate this esplanade from the Cour d'Honneur, I mingled with, and stood for some minutes among, a crowd of gentlemen, ladies, and children, watching a large covered van, choke-full of fire-works some men were tumbling very roughly to the ground, upon which there already lay several loads ; and while labourers in blouses were hauling at these fire-works, by pul- leys, to raise, adjust, and fix them to the lofty temporary scaf- foldings which had been constructed to receive them, soldiers were indolently smoking all round. In the upper part of the Cour d'Honneur, surrounded by various groups of figures in stone, and by sixteen marble sta- tues, removed in 1837 from the Pont de Concorde at Paris, I observed a splendid colossal equestrian statue of Louis XIV. : on the frieze of a pediment, supported by four Corinthian columns, and at the base of which, seated on a bench, were a number of soldiers in red trousers, listening to a brass- band playing beside them, there was inscribed, in large let- ters— 10* , " 226 A FAGGOT OF FJiFNC/l STICKS. "A tout«B les Gloires do la Franc*."* I now proceeded with a stream of people, who, regardless of fireworks, music, soldiers, or statues, were flowing — and ever since I had been on the Cour d'Honneur had been flowing — towards a door on the left of the palace, which I had scarcely entered when a person in uniform, pointing with his open ri|^ht hand to a small chamber, said to me very gravely, but with a slight bow, " Votre bftton, s'il vous plait, Monsieur, "f The little hooked stick of which he spoke was a gnarled, knotted piece of common English oak, for which I had paid in London fourpence ; and as at almost every institution at Paris open to the public, visitors are prevented from entering with umbrellas, or sticks of any sort, and as two sous are in- variably charged for taking care of the inadmissible article, I had already paid ten or twenty times as inuch for my stick as it had cost ; and as I naturally felt proud of the noble ad valorem revenue it was continually conferring upon the French people, with great pleasure I handed it and a penny to an elderly lady, whose daughter in return gave me, as she gently shook her curls, an infinitesimal portion of a smile and a blue card ; and as everybody who entered this chamber left it stickless, umbrellaless, but with a blue card, I instinctively followed them into the first of a magnificent suite of rooms, with polished oak floors, full of living people, gazing at, crowding around, and gliding past, most beautiful pictures of the dead. Almost the first that attracted my attention was a very exciting one, representing General Augereau at the battle and on the bridge of Arcole. At the head of the grenadiers of the guard, who, dressed in high fur caps, with their muskets in front of them, were impetuously leaning forward as they ad- vanced, was to be seen the General most gallantly leading them on to glory and victory. As a contrast, however, to his excessive valour, or rather as a representation of that discre- tion with which it is said the virtue should be accompanied, the painter had very ingeniously inserted a short sturdy drummer, who, leaning backwards the opposite way, in the attitude of a man holding a wilful pig by the tail, was tugging vW* * To all the Glories of France. X Your stick, Sir, if you please. »#. \ ! /».. VERSAILLES. 227 with a\\ his force at the skirt-tails of the coat of Q-eneral Augereau. A little farther on was a picture of Napoleon's marriage with Marie Louise, both being blessed before the altar by the Pope. I now found I bad entered a labyrinth of wonders, of a very small portion of which I could only enjoy a passing glance. Indeed, for hours I went through one splen- did suite of apartments after another, containing the armorial bearings of French knights who had fought in the Holy Land ; colossal pictures of battles during the Crusades ; portraits of the Kings of Franco, from Pharamond down to Louis Philippe, King of the French ; pictures illustrating all the most re- markable historical events ; all the principal battles, naval and military, which have, from the earliest periods, charac- terized the arms of France under the monarchy, the empire, and the republic. To attempt to delineate all I saw would be as impossible as it would be to depict every leaf of a forest. I can there- fore only say, that I followed the crowd through the interior of the palace of Versailles, with very little more knowledge than is experienced by a log of timber passing through the mazes of the block-machine at Portsmouth. Of the historical pictures, as might naturally be expected, a vast number represent the progress of Napoleon, who, not only in all his battles, but often in different attitudes, and in various positions in each, is represented with a spirit and effect which must be highly exciting to the French people, and which, indeed, I felt could not be witnessed even by a stranger without emotion. As his extraordinary history ap- proached its climax, a whole room was, and occasionally two rooms were, devoted to the victories of each year of his life. On entering room 1812 I began to feel curious and anxious to know in what manner the termination of his victories would be recorded on canvas. On entering room 1813 these feel- ings increased. On entering room 1814 they became intense, inasmuch as I felt that in the next room, 1815, I should see and know all ! The historian, however, had it appeared sud- denly broken his wand of office ; for from room 1814, when I entered what I expected to be room 1815, I was altogether bewildered at finding' myself in a chamber, the last but one of the whole suite, entitled 1823, containing among a chance- medley of pictures, an unusully large one of " Louis XVIII. 228 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. auz Tuileries."* At any other moment, and in anj other place, the subject might have been highly interesting to me; but when the human mind is in full cry on any other scent, it cannot suddenly run riot on another. Instead, therefore, of looking at the large picture, around which almost every other spectator was crowding, for a considerable time my eyes wandered vacantly from one wall to another, until, all of a sudden, they pounced upon a small insignificant space, not only over and between the windows, but devoid of light, in which there was a£Gized a picture simply representing a large flagstone, — some willows weeping over it, — some figures I could scarcely decipher standing beside it, and above the whole the brief inscription, — "SiFDLTOBX DE NaFOLEON 1 St. HELiNX^ 1821." f The moral it offered was so overwhelming that, to prevent observation, I deemed it right immediately to walk away into, the last room, where, without a possibility of wounding the high, sensitive feelings of any one, I was enabled to rest and reflect on the beginning, the middle, and the end of the career of that extraordinary man, whose pictorial history, like a dis- tempered dream, had for nearly two hours been rumbling and tumbling before my eyes. But oesides Napoleon's history, I had seen represented in : sculpture as well as in painting the chief events of the Empire, of the reign of Louis XYIII., of Charles X , and of the bat- ties fought in Algeria ; with portraits not only of the G-rand v Admirals, Constables, Marshals, and celebrated warriors, who, , individually and collectively, have reflected honour on the an- ^ nals of France, but of persons of note (including portraits of Pitt, Fox, George lY., and Duke of York) of aU ages and countries. In the '^ grands appartements," which occupy the whole of ; ' the first floor of the central projecting building facing the garden, I had seen the salons d'Hercule, de Diane, de Yenus, de I'Abondance, des Etats Gl^6n6raux, de Mars, de Mercure, d'AjpoUon, de la Guerre, du Conseil, &c. &c. I had beheld ceilings, paintings, and sculpture of great beauty ; and in the * Louis XVin. at the Tuileries. t "^^ Grave of Napoleon at St Helena, 1821. W t / "r^ u VERSAILLES. 229 <' ohambre a coucher " * of Louis XIY . I had seen opposite to the windows — the light from which shines directly upon it— the bed in which that despotic King had died. Its canopy and counterpane are of ancient tapestry ; but, with very ques- tionable taste, the ceilings and walls of the room have lately been completely covered with bright gold, which, like 31.' "The gay Btream of lightaome day, Gilds but to flout the ruins gi'ey." From the balcony of this chamber, which had never been slept in by any sovereign since the death of the monarch whose name it bears, on the 6th of October, 1789, Louis XYI., attended by hia wife and children, addressed the infu- riated mob, who, notwithstanding his remonstrances, forced him from them to his prison in Paris. In " the chambre ^ coucher de Marie Antoinette " I beheld the room not only in which that unfortunate Queen gave birth to the Duohesse d'AngoulSme, but from which, on the fatal night of the 5th of October, above referred to, she was aroused from her bed to escape, by a small corridor leading to the ''oeil de boeuf," from the mob which had burst into the palace. As I had followed the stream here, there, and everywhere— sometimes along a gallery, sometimes up a staircase, then into a chapel, then up another staircase, and then down one — I often observed with pleasure the interest which men in blouses, accompanied by their wives and daughters, seemed to take in the historical pictures, portraits, busts, statues, and monumental effigies, &c., which not only gave them a pretty good idea of the meaning of the superscription outside of the Museum — namely^ " A toute? les Gloires de la France," — l)ut which must have the effect of elevating their ideas. At all events, I can truly say that nothing could be better behaved than the con- duct and demeanour of the various grades of people with whom, in my peregrinations through the galleries, I had the pleasure to associate. After I had feasted on infinitely more pictures and works of sculpture than I had power to digest, from one of the cen- tral western windows of the palace I gazed through the mas- sive walls at various circles and a long, narrow, rectangular ' ' * Bedohamber. 230 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. pieee of water, ornamenting gardens, terraees, lawns, Isfarubbe- ries, and walks, all swarming alive with people ; and the busy scene on the foreground of the picture was strongly, strangely, and beautifully contrasted with the woodland scenery which, in its new May dress, bounded the horizon at a great dis- tance. On descending I found a contrast eq^ually remarkable, for, while nothing «ould exceed the ease with which the various groups of people were harmoniously enjoying themselves, it is scarcely possible to describe the stiff, rigid formality of the vegetable world they inhabited. Not only was every border in the garden as full of sharp, uncomfortable angles as an old maid, but the high, broad, lux- uriant box hedge which bounded it was chopped as fiat as a table. The trees— even the cypresses — ^were all cut into cones and pyramids ; the lawns were rectangular, every path was straight ; in short, lawns, paths, trees, and shrubs all looked as if, instead of being under the mild, gentle care of Nature and a Republic, they were subjected to the domination of a tyran- nical sergeant-major, who, just as I had entered the garden, had vociferated to them the word ^' Attention !" in obedience to which nothing moved, nothing even fluttered. After walking, or rather marching, for some minutes, I reached the commencement of the " tapis vert,"* a long lawn of grass beautifully green, but in substance as inferior to Eng- lish turf as a transparent Venetian carpet is to one of those thick luxurious ones from Axminster. On this space, at all times the principal rendezvous of the little world that sur- rounds it, I witnessed one of the most pleasing, quiet, orderly, tranquil scenes that can possibly be conceived. At the head of the lawn, attended by three sentinels, slowly pacing around them, was a brass band, holding in various atti- tudes all sorts and shapes of wind instruments, pot-bellied, straight, crooked and serpentine. In the middle of this soci- ety of odd fellows, whose cheeks sometimes appeared as pltimp as those of cherubim, and sometimes as concave as if they had suddenly become " sans teeth, sans everything," stood erect and conspicuous to the assembled multitude the band-master, beating time with his key-bugle, which he kept continually waving through the air, as if, besides giving lessons in music, * Green carpet i\^ VERSAILLES. S31 he was slowly performing the six outs of the broadsword exer- cise. Although this magio circle was surrounded by people of all classes in various attitudes of attention and of placid enjoy- ment, no one pressed either upon the band or upon each other, and accordingly the sentinels continued to pace to and fro, un- interrupting and uninterrupted. The music, executed with great taste, was usually soft, and consequently its occasional bursts produced a very striking effect. Among the crowd, who either stood silently around, or slowly sauntering in the vicin- ity, were a number of women in clean crimped white caps, and m en in blouses — the national costume of Frenchmen out of Paris — clean neckcloths, and good waistcoats. About one- third of the ladies had bonnets and parasols. Moving among this mass I observed here and there a hussar, whose bright blue jacket, silver helmet, and scarlet trousers flashed like a tropical bird or a fire-fly. On the tapis vert were to be seen a congregation of people of all descriptions and all ages, worming their way among each other with the greatest propriety ; indeed, to tell the truth, I repeatedly felt the propriety of the children to be quite pain- ful ; and as I looked at little girls of ten years old, dressed as if they were " out," looking as if they believed it, and walking under parasols, with little boys of four and five years of age, one of whom, gently brandishing a cane, wore spectacles — an- other had a cross and scarlet ribbon at his breast — I longed to set them all together by the ears ; make them cast aside their good behaviour ; thump each other's faces ; spoil each other's clothes ;— in short, do anything rather than continue such ar- tificial patterns of politeness. On each side of the lawn, seated in groups, on chairs hired for a penny, and of which the number appeared to be infinite, were a number of people, young and old. the former eagerly and sometimes rather ardently conversing with each other, the latter placidly enjoying the happy scene before them. From the " tapis vert" I strolled in various directions into the woods on either side ; but, go where I would, it was always in a straight line. In fact, it appeared to me that, inasmuch as the flower-borders of Versailles have evidently been con- trived by a geometrician instead of a gardener, so have the woods been intersected by broad paths for the object of demon- 232 A FAQGOr OF FRENGH STICKS. \\ strating somo of those simple theorems of Euclid which begin with " Let A B G be a triangle, A B C D a rectangle, &c. &c. On reaching the row of iron rails which separate the tapis vert and fountain of Apollo from the " grand canal," I came to a house or lodge, over which was inscribed " Secours aux Noy6s,"* at the door of which there appeared — sometimes sep- arately and sometimes together — a landlord and a landlady, grinning, happy, and in a state of violent perspiration, not so much from assisting drowning persons, as from selling innu- merable bottles of beer and unwholesome-looking cekes (it was Sunday) to a group of joyous, thirsty people, seated on chairs all round their door. In one of the magnificent, broad, green hunting rides into which the wood is here divided, I found about two hundred of > the young soldiers of St. Gyr, an establishment for the instruc- tion of officers for the French army, dressed in blue coats, scarlet trousers, blue shakos, and knapsacks, surmounted with a great-coat. While they were gambolling in a variety of t \ ways, their muskets with fixed bayonets were piled on the grass. Just as I arrived a drum beat, on which, running towards their respective piles, they grasped their weapons, fell in, in less than a minute with trailed arms marched away, and they were thus proceeding up a green road, when all of a sud- den they broke out into a loud manly song, which, keeping time with their feet, echoed and re-echoed through the woods. On returning through the forest to the palace, I found, just arrived from Paris by the train, apparently as great a crowd as ever of people who, in endless succession, first of all deposit their ticks and umbrellas at the little door, and then, over oak floors as slippery as glass, make the grand tour of those pic-- tures, statues, &c., which the living world, animal and vege- table, I had just left, had already almost obliterated from my . memory. On passing through the iron gates in my way to the rail- way station, I found on the " Place d' Armes " swarms of people watching the hoisting up of large wooden frames bristling with the fireworks, which were to conclude the f6te. In the town of Versailles, at the insertion of four large paved streets, I came to a dodecagonal grande place, in the oentre of which, on a pedestal, appeared the statue of an officer * Assbtaucc to di'owning people. \ i VERSAILLES. 233 in uniform, without any hat leaning on his sword ; beneath him was insoribed — Hoche, n6 a Versailles le24 Juin, 1768, Soldat & 16 ans, G^ndral en Chef ii 25, Mort a 29, Pacificateur de la Vendfie.* On reaching the railway station, the Paris train, heavily la- den with people, almost all of whom were evidently quite full and quite happy, started, and in less than an hour those who had been enjoying the f^te of Versailles, and those who, on the same Sabbath-day, had been enjoying the f^te of Paris were once again mingled together. As I was strolling towards my dinner through the Champs Elys6es, I found reposing beneath the shade of the trees, at some distance from the promenade, a congregation of rush- bottomed chairs, almost new, waiting to be hired. In front of them, and along the whole length of the avenue, on similar chairs, were seated in groups leaning towards each other, and puffing into one another's races, gentlemen dressed in the very height of the fashion : behind whom, on the cold hard stone benches of the avenue, sat ruminating, with their chins resting on their sticks, several veterans clothed in the respected uni- form of the Invalides. The object of the assembled multitude was to gaze at the endless chain of carriages of all descriptions that still kept continually rolling backwards and forwards. What, however, most attracted my attention were the eques- trians. I am quite unable to account for it, but it is a fact which must, I think, strike every stranger in Paris, namely, that the French, who excel us all in walking, dancing, and fencing, are, without exception, the worst riders in Europe. In all other * Hoche, born at Versailles , the 24th Jvine, 1*768, a Soldier at.l6 years of age, a General-in-Chief at 25, Died at 29, The Pacificator of Lei Vendue. 234 A FAGGOT OF FBENCH STICKS. countries, a man, grasping more or less firmly with his knees his saddle-flaps, aUows his body freely to partake of the motion of the horse, until, with our best riders, the two, as they skim together over rough ground, appear to form one animal. In France, however, the rule is diametrically the reverse, for, the moment the horse begins to canter, the rider's legs be- come like a pair of scissors astride an iron poker, and, while they appear useless, his back assumes the shape of a new moon. In fact, the French have no more seat on a horse than a parched pea has on a shovel ; and as they trot along, hopping up and down at one pace, while their fine English quadruped is boldly striding onwards at another, I have constantly expected to see, 'even a dragoon trotting along with a despatch, hop, hop, hop, over the tail, to his mother earth. In short, their uncomfort- able appearance always reminded me of the toast proposed by an inhabitant of the State of Mississippi : — " Gentlemen, I give ye ' A high-trotting horse, cobweb . . breeches, and a porcupine saddle, for the enemies of our glori- 1 \ cus.institutions!'" \ While the spectators in the Champs Elys^es were, like my- self, each indolently employed in making his own observations on the moving objects that in delightful succession passed before his eyes, workmen were employing their Sunday in taking down the ornaments of the bygone f6te of the preceding Sabbath; > Three I observed busily occupied in undoing the magnificent' colossal statue which had been constructed at the " Bond- Point." The arms of " France," with a crown of laurels in each hand, were still extended, and yet one man in a blouse, seated on her shoulders, and looking by comparison like a pig- my, was hammering at her neck ; another was destroying her middle ; of her legs nothing remained but bare poles. On the pedestal there, however, still survived the insonption :-^ ■T «Auz Gloires de la France 1" While the lower, labourer, without remorse, was pulling the straw out of France's belly, with my little English oak stick I pointed at this inscription to a couple of Frenchmen who were at my side, and, witir that good humour which distinguishes their race, they laughed at it as heartily as I did. , D£S JMUNES AVEVQLES. 235 •f* % INSTITUTION NATIONALE DBS JEUNES AVEUGLES. On arriving at the corner of tlie Boulevart and Bue de S^ vres, I saw before me a large handsome building, forming three sides of a square, of which the middle compartment contained fifteen windows in front, the two ends six windows each, — total of windows facing the Boulevart, twenty-seven. In the year 1784, a Monsieur Havy, who was himself sightless, benevolently established for blind children a school, which, in 1791, was created by Louis XVI. a Eoyal Institu- tion. In 1843 it was removed from the S^minaire St. Firman in the Eue St. Victor to the locality above described. The day on which the public are admitted to this admirable insti- tution is Wednesday, from one to five. Not being aware of this arrangement, I unfortunately went there on a Tuesday at two o'clock. As, however, I had re- ceived from a person in authority in Paris a note of general recommeildation in my favour, to be used if requisite, I deter- mined to avail myself of iuy firman, and I accordingly informed the concierge, wuose face, on my tolling the bell over which she presided, had appeared peeping through a gate which she continued to hold in her hand, that I wanted to see the gov- ernor of the establishment, and I had scarcely entered his apartment when the door opened, and in he walked. I found Monsieur Dufau, for such was his name, an exceedingly intel- ligent man. He was the author of a very able work on the treatment of the blind, which has been translated into German and Russian ; besides which he wore in the buttonhole of his coat the riband of the Legion of Honour. The first .part of the establishment to which he was so good as to conduct me, was a small airy room, in which the parents and friends of the blind are allowed to see and converse with them. Beyond it we entered the boys' dining-room, contain- ing two long tables, at the end of which, placed transversely, was a table for the professors, all of whom are blind. Be- neath i^ese tables was a row of small pigeon-holes, in each of '» 236 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. which was a napkin, knife, and fork, scientifically adjusted so as, when he was seaiited, to be exactly opposite the stomach of the person to whom they belonged. In another part of the establishment there existed a similar dining-room for the girls. We next proceeded into a nice garden, which we had scarcely entered when four blind boys, all walking together, arm in arm, passed us. The grounds were divided into two compartments, one for lads and 'big boys, the other for little ones. In both, the blind were amusing themselves by playing at ninepins, set up in a circular space of about five feet in diameter, which, as well as a passage along which they threw the balls, were sunk about a foot beneath the surface of the ground. Beneath the shade of trees many of the lads were exercising themselves at gymnastics. On entering the first hall of study I found a gentleman, with eyes, reading to several benches of blind boys history, the taste of which they certainly did not appear very particu- larly to relish : however, the good labourer in the vineyard was diligently sowing the seeds of knowledge, and I felt was only to be pitied if they fell, as I fear they did, on a sterile ground. We next entered a very large room, beautifully lighted, and, what was much more useful to those that could not see, admirably ventilated, in which there sat four blind professors, distinguished from their scholars by a uniform, the collars of which, for the purpose of distinction — luous a non lucendo — were clightly embroidered. On their right and left stood, indolently leaning against the wall, two large tall double-basses ; before them, in rows on long benches, sat, dressed in blouses, the blind pupils they were in the habit of teaching to sing. We afterwards enter- ed three other lecture-rooms, in which blind professors were teaching blind pupils reading, arithmetic and knowledge of various sorts. While we '^ere in a long healthy passage, communicating with these hails, all of a sudden, a bell rang, when up jump- ed the whole of the 120 students in order to proceed to their respective workshops. Several, with as much confidence as if they could see, ran by us ; a few — those, probably, who had lately joined — ^held out their hands ; but the rest, without any such precaution, walked along the passage until they DES JEUNES A VEUGlES. 237 came to theii* respeotivo staircases, down which they instant- ly disappeared from our view. Four or fiv6 I observed walking close along the side of the wall, at a particular part of which they not only stopped, but remained so closely packed that the breast of every boy, excepting the first, seemed to press against the back of the lad before him. Monsieur Dufau told me that the point at which they had halted was the door of the " Principal" Professor, and their object in doing so was to speak to him. After sufficient time had elapsed to allow the blind to reach the different points of their destination, we proceeded to a room containing compositors' frames, fitted in the usual way with tjy^pe, and several small printing-presses. By desire of Monsieur Dufau two or three blind lads and boys set up some type very adroitly ; but what most attract- ed my attention was a simple alphabet, invented by a blind professor of the establishment about ten years ago. In England the blind are, I believe, required by touch to read symbols invented for the eyes, and which, because they are perfectly well adapted for one sense, have not very logically been deemed equally valid for another, the two not having together an idea in common ; for instance, to the eye gifted with the power of looking over, almost at a glance, a territory of many miles' extent, it is but little trouble to ob- serve the diflference between the diphthongs oe and ae, or be- tween long-tailed and short-tailed letters of equally compli- cated forms. To the touch, however, which is stone blind, the operation is difficult, tedious, and, after all The following will, I believe, tion to which I have alluded : — », »x«vi »«, unnecessary, explain the practical inven- 238 A FAOaOT OF FRENCH STICKS. Ecriture h, I'usage des Aveugle.'<, proc^dd de L. Braille, Professeur cl rinstitut N^ des J?** Aveugles. « • • • « b . d 6 t g • • • h i f • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • ■ • • ■ • k 1 m n P q r 0- t • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 9 9 • • % u • • • • X • • y a 5 oin V ^ d • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • i 6 1 6 CI e I tt oe W ' an in on un • eu ou oi • oh « ill • ' • < • • • • • • f - i 6 89 eigne ian ion ien des nombres ^ • • ■ • • • • • ■ • • • • • • • • ■ • • • • • • • • • q 1 / V i( * » • • • • 8 9 Now, not only are Monsieur Braille's embossed symbols evidently better adapted to the touch than the letters and figures which have been so cleverly invented for eyesight^ but to the blind they possess an additional superiority of inesti- mable value, namely, that they, the blind, can not only read this type, but with the greatest possible ease make it ; and as I witnessed this very interesting operation, I will endea- vour briefly to describe it. DES JEUNES A VEUQLES. 239 1 A A blind boy was required to write down before me, ftrom the dictation of his blind professor, a long sentence. With a common awl, not only kept in line, but within nar- ror/ limits, by a brass groove, which the writer had the power to lower at tne termination of each line, the little fellow very rapidly poked holes tallying with the letters he wished to represent. There was no twisting of his head sideways — no contortion of face — no lifting up of his right heel — ^no screw- ing up of his mouth — ^no turning his tongue from beneath the nose towards one ear, and then towards the other, in sym- pathy with the tails of crooked letters, which, in great pain and difficulty, in ordinary writing, the schoolboy may be seen successively endeavouring to transcribe; On the con- trary, as the little fellow punched his holes he sat on his stool as upright as a cobbler hammering at the sole of a shoe. On the completion of the last letter he threw down his awl, took up his paper, and then, like a- young author proudly correct- ing his press, with his forefinger instead of his eyes, — ^which, Eoor fellow, looked like a pair of plover's eggs boiled hard,-— e touched in succession every letter^ and^ all proving to be correct, he stretched out his little hand and delivered to me his paper. To test the practical utility of the operation, a blind boy was sent for from another room. The embossed paper (for what was a hole on one side was, of course, a little mountain on the other) was put into his hands, and, exactly as fast as his finger could pass over the protuberances made by his comrade, he read aloud the awled sentence which I had heard dictated. I may observe that, besides letters and figures, notes of music are also done by the awl. In the room in which we stood, besides the printing- presses, were frames for the construction of embossed maps, not only showing the positions and relative heights of moun- tains, but by various distinctions of surface denoting the dif- ference between the aqueous and terrestrial portions of the globe ; and as all these divisions are originally traced from ordinary maps, it was, of course, found that, when by the moistening of the^paper the mountains, &c.,were embossed, a proportionate contraction of the superficial area of the paper unavoidably ensued. f240 FAGGOT OF FRENCn STICKS. This inoonvenionoe has been remedied by the very inge- nious invention of a blind man, which stretches the paper exactly sufficient to compensate for its contraction by em- bossment. After witnessing the various processes in the art of book- binding executed by boys who had never seen a book, bound or unbound, we proceeded to a shop, where I found several engaged in making brushes, under the direction of a trades- man of Paris, to whom they had all been apprenticed. In another room I found a gang of blind carpenters, one of whom was working with his foot a vertical saw, which, every moment, as I stood beside him, I expected would out his fingers off; he, however, managed it with great dexterity. In the next shop, full of turning-lathes at work, it was really astonishing to see boys stone-blind not 'only using, but with great rapidity continually selecting, the variety of edged tools requisite for lumps of ebony and ivory whirling beneath their faces. In a long room several were employed in weav- ing, others in knitting. Monsieur Dufau now led me to a part of the building, in a room of which I found., seated at a pianoforte, a blind teacher, before whom sat ten sightless boys, listening to the air he played. In a small chamber adjoining I saw a blind profes- sor of music, with a boy at his side, every half-hour exchang- ed for a fresh pupil. Several adjoining rooms contained a pianoforte and a blind boy with his mouth wide open, and the combined results of all their labours were to my ears anything but pleasing ; indeed^it appeared to me that all the boys in the universe were discordantly singing together. However, I was informed that those only were being instxuoted who had a " disposition pour la musique "* — namely, about one-third. I was going— ^I did not exactly know where — ^when, on en- tering a large and lofty door, I found myself in the chapel of the establishment, in the middle of which stood a large organ. Before me was the altar, painted blue, with pillars on each side ; in front of it was burning a solitary lamp, surrounded by a quantity of candles, above which was a picture which, in- ofudiug angels, was composed of thirty-four persons ; on the ceiling I observed a variety of gilt rosettes. Immediately in front of, and beneath, all these decorations and ornaments, in * Tofite for music ■ A DES JEUNES A VEUQLES. 241 two galleries — ono for boys, tbe other for girls — are to be seen arranged in tiers, one above another, the dull inanimate eyeballs of the blind inhabitants of the asylum. Every in- mate is allowed to follow the religion in which he or she wero educated by their parents. With the exception, However, of one Jew and one Protesant, all are Catholics of the Church of Kome. We now proceed to the opposite wing of the establishment, exclusively occupied by inmates of the gentler sex. In walk- ing down a long passage I observed through a glass door a blind girl of about fourteen playing on the pianoforte ; she was in a small room, entirely by herself As I was looking at her, a young person in black approached and passed me. It was a blind professor, in the garb of her oflSioe. Through another glass door I saw a blind teacher, i^eading from an awled book to a girl of about sixteen, who, from her dictation, was writing with, her a\Yl very fast. I then entered a large schopl, full of young persons knitting or plaiting straw ; but, although I was much interested in their beb.'>\, it was painful to me to witness in the rows of young faces before me how dull, sodden, and unintel- lectual the human countenance becomes when the mind of which it is the reflection has been immured — ab initio — in total darkness. Unlike the deaf and dumb I had visited, they could neither see what they, themselves were doing, nor what those around them were doing ; there was. therefore, no emulation ; in fact, they were engage^ in occupations which, though useful to the community at large, appeared to afford them no mental enjoyment. They are, however, all deeply indebted to the charitable institution into which they have been admitted for the absence of various sufferings to which they might otherwise have been exposed. Their three dormitories — into which I was next conducted -r-are exceedingly clean, airy, healthy rooms, teeming with iron bedsteads without curtains, divided from each other by a chair. Each girl has a separate bed, whicb she makes herself, and as it was covered with a nankeen counterpane, ornamented with two scarlet stripes, the appearance of the whole was very pleas- ing. For the boys, there are, in their department of the build- ing, five large, healthy dormitories similarly arranged. We next entered the girls' washing-roqm, a light and well- ventilated apartmient, on each side of which there protruded 11 \ » E i I l^ 242 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. from the wall ten water-taps, all of which flowed simultaneously into a leaden trough beneath. On entering the infirmary, which was beautifully arranged, and which contained clean beds with white cotton curtains, we were received by one of the four Sisters of Charity who bene- Tolently attend it. On descending to the ground-floor I was led into an airy kitchen, larger than that of the Hdtel des Invalides, which, as I have stated, is capable of cooking for 6000 persons. It con- tained, however, only one hot plate, composed of ovens and caldrons, with a variety of bright copper saucepans, of various depths — indeed, some appeared to have no depth at all — which are daily in requisition. The blind inmates of the establish- ment breakfast at eight, generally on soup ; at twelve they dine, sometimes on meat, and sometimes on eggs and vegetables ; at half-past three they have each a bit of bread ; at seven they have supper, and shortly afterwards go to bed. i\ '; As I fancied I had now seen everything, I endeavoured to express to M. Dufau my gratitude for the very obliging atten- tion he had shown me. He stopped me, however, by observ- ing, almost in the words of Portia— ** Tarry a little, there is something yet!" and he accordingly led me into a large chamber in the vicinity of the kitchen, in which I beheld sixteen large zinc baths, be- sides which there were scattered over the floor thirty large round iron pots, about 18 inches in diameter, with a small hole in the bottcm like a garden flower-pot; to each was attached a wooden stool. I could not conceive what these vessels and their satellite attendants could possibly be for. The utter darkness of my mind was, however, suddenly illuminated by M. Dufau kindly explaining to me that, with the assistance of the stools, the iron pots were baths for the feet ; and accord- ingly, on M. Dufau turning one of two cocks, marked hot and cold water, there arose in all the thirty pots at once the fluid to whatever height might be desired. When the blind bathers had left their stools, by turning another cock the whole of the water they have been using disappears. Between the bath-room and kitchen I observed two large courts, for the admission not only of provisions, cods, MONT DE PIETE. ^43 &o., for the use of the establishment, but of plenty of good nir. Into this well-conducted institution pauper children, be- tween the ages of eight and fifteen, are received gratuitously on the production of certificates of their birth, freedom from contagious disorders and from idiotcy. Children of persons capable of paying are received as boarders. On the last Saturday of every month there is an examination of the pupils of both sexes, at which foreigners are allowed to*be present; and four or five times a year public concerts are held in the chapel, to which any person is admitted. After taking leave of M. Dufau, on coming out I pro- ceeded, as I thought, towards an institution I was desirous to visit ; but somehow or somewhere taking a wrong turn, I went astray a little, then a little more, and then — as is usual — a great deal more, until I felt not only very hot ?iid tired, but quite bewildered. " Madame I" I said to a nice comfortable looking lady, of about forty years of age, who, grasping the handle of a para- sol she held so perpendicularly that it prevented her seeing me, happened to be passing at the moment I was pitying my- self, " will you be so kind as to inform me of the road to the Convent des Lazaristes ?" "Monsieur," she replied, lowering her parasol to the ground as if it had been the colours of her regiment and I her sovereign — " Monsieur," she replied, with a look of gen- eral benevolence, " vous prendrez la premiere rue a droite, la seconde a gauche, vous la suivrcz jusqu'a ce que vous arrivez a une statue d moitie nue ; c'est preque vis-a-vis,"* I thanked her, bowed, -and, implicitly following her prescrip- tion, in due time I reached, first the statue, and then the building in its vicinity. M-r -•-%-*- MONT DE PI£t£ In the yard of that portion of the building appropriated for the reception of pawned goods, " engagemens," there appeared + Sir, you muBt take the first turning to the right, then the second to the left until you come to a statue half-naked : it is nearly opposite. 244 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS, before me four covered hand-carts, just trundled in, laden with eflFeots that had been pledged at the branch establishments. On entering the portion of the department headed " En- gagemens," I proceeded up stairs, and along a rather crooked passage, to its " bureau," a little room in which I found a stove, a large open sort of window with a broad counter be- fore it, and round the other three sides of the apartment a wooden bench, on which were sitting in mute silence, with baskets or bundles on their laps, ten very poor people, of whom the greater portion were women. As I entered I was fol- lowed by an old man with a parcel in bis hand ; and without noticing or being noticed by any of those who had come be- fore us, we sat down together side by side on the bench, where we remained as silent as if we had been corpses. Before me was the back of a poor woman, looking upwards into the face of tfn employ6 wearing large long mustachios, who was untying the bundle she had humbly laid on the counter l^e- fore him. In about a minute, like a spider running away with a fly, he disappeared with it ; very shortly, however, after the poor woman had returned to her hard seat, he reappeared, looking as if he had forgotten all abovft it, and received from a man , a parcel of old wearing appal el — " most probably," said I to myself, "to be converted into food for a starving family I" The scene altogether was so simple and yet so sad, that I felt anxious to decamp from it ; however, before doing so I was determined, whatever might bo the penalty, I would peep into the window ; and accordingly, walking up to it, and to the broad counter before it, I saw on the right of the gen tleman in mustachios a large magazine fitted up from ceiling to floor with shelves, upon which were arranged the heteroge- neous goods as fast as they were pledged. In hurrying from the scene of misery I had witnessed, I almost ran against a man in the passage holding in his hand a frying-pan he was about to pledge, and into which I managed to drop a small piece of silver which fortunately for him happened to be lying loose in my waistcoat pocket. In an adjoining still smaller room, the furniture of which also consisted solely of a stove and wooden benches against the walls, and which was devoted, I believe, entirely to " bi- jouterie," or jewellery, I found a similar window and broad latticOj at which a poor woman was pledging a ring. After MONT LE PIETE. 24» Mr' she bad left it, there walked up to the pawning hole, leading a thin dog by a very old bit of string, a young girl, who do- posited a spoon. There were four or five other women, all of whom, as well as myself, became cognizant of every article that was brought to be pawned. Within the window before me, as well as within that of the chamber I had just left, there existed, out of sight of us all, an appraiser, whose duty it is to estimate everything offered, in order that the regulated proportion, namely, four-fifths of the value of gold and silver articles, and two-thirds of that of all other effects, might be offered to the owner of each. " Huit francs, Madame !"* said the man at the window who had received the ring ; the poor woman, whose heart had no doubt erred in over-estimating its value, began to grumble a little. Without a moment's delay a voice from within called the next number (for every article as it is taken is numbered), and the clerk in the window briefly informed the woman to whose property it had applied the amount of money she might obtain. Those satisfied with the sums they were to receive had to appear before a little door on which was written the word " Caisse,"t and underneath it " Le public n'entre qu'ik I'appel de son numero."| Accordingly, on the calling out of each number, I saw a poor person open it, disappear for a few seconds, and then come out with a yellow ticket, an acknow- ledgment by the Mont de Piet6 of the effects held in pawn, and for which, from the. hands of the cashier within, at a wire-work grating, covered with green dingy stuff, upon which is inscribed " Parlez bas, S. V. P.,"^ she received her money. There exist several bureaux similar to those above described. Having very cursorily witnessed the manner in which^ with the assistance of one " succursale," two other auxiliary ofl&ces, and twenty-two commissions, established in different quarters of the city, the Mont de Piete of Paris has received on an average of the last fifteen years, 1,313,000 articles, on which it has advanced per annuum 22,860,000 francs, averag- ing 17 francs 40 centimes for each, I proceeded to a different part of the building, upon which is inscribed " Comptoir da * Eight francs, Ma'am I f Cashier's office, j: No one to enter until his number is called. § Speak softly, if you please 1 246 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. 1ft Deliverance,"* in which I entered a large gloomy room, full of benches, separated by an iron rail from a narrow pas- sage leading close round the walls of two sides of the apart- ment to a small window. By this simple arrangement no one can take his seat on the parterre of benches until he has re- ceived from this little window, in acknowledgment of the re- payment of the money he had borrowed, a small ticket, on T^ioh is inscribed his " numero," and which forms his passport through a narrow wicket-gate, sufficient only for the passage of one person to the benches, in front of which is a long square opening, which can be closed by a sliding shutter. On the right of the benches, on which were seated in mute silence "about twenty persons, many of whom were very res- piectably dressed (one was a poor woman with a baby fast asleep on her lap, or rather, on the brink of her knees, for al- though her eyes were fixed upon it, she did not touch it with either of her hands), was inscribed on the walls the following notice : — "Toute personne qui aura attendu pendant troie quarts d'heuve la re- mise d'un nantissemeat est pri^e de se plaindi-e de ce retard k Messieurs les Chefs du Service du Magasin."f At the large open window stood an employe who succes- sively called out the numero of each person seated before him. In oDedience to his voice, I saw one respectably dressed wo- man rise from a bench, walk up to him, produce her numero, in return for which he handed over to her a bundle of clothing and a cigar-case. To another woman, on the production of her num6ro-paper, he professionally rolled out upon the coun- ter about a dozen silver spoons ; in short, as in the case of the act of pawning, everybody saw what everybody received. One respectable-looking woman of about forty, dressed in deep moummg and in a clean cap, on untying the bundle of liner which she had just redeemed, and which, in the moment of adversity, she had negligently huddled together, carefully folded up everv article, and then packed it in a clean basket, the lid of which was held open for the purpose by a nice ♦ Delivering Department f Any person who shall have waited three-quarters of an hour for the restoration of his pawned goods is requested to make a ccmplaiut of the same to the Superiuteudento. MONT DE PIETE. 247 little girl at her side : — the storm had blown over and sun- shine had returned ! As soon 9A each transaction was concluded, the recipient of the goods departed with them through a door pointed out by the words " Degagemens sortie." In the vicinity is ano- ther hall, similar to that just described. For the redemption of articles of jewellery a rather dif- ferent arrangement is pursued. At the end of a long passage T observed written upon the wall the words " D6Uvrance des effets."* Close to this inscription appeared three windows, over which were respectively written — 1*" Division, 2"" Divi- sion, S""* Division. To prevent applicants from crowding be- fore these windows there had been constructed in front of them a labyrinth of barriers reaching to the ceiling, of the following form : — ■Wi»d 2i •> 8 n H » 120 n 20 n >> according to their value. Corks of wine-bottles sold to the chemists, who> out them into phial corks . [2i The rest of the rubbish, consisting principally of salad, cab- bage, beans, refuse of vegetables, straw, ashes, cinders, &c., con- sidered by chiffoniers to be of no value, is, at about eight o'clock, carried away in the carts of the police. He told me that sometimes the ohiffonniers pick up articles of great value, which they are required to return to the houses from which the rubbish had proceeded, in failure of which the police deprives them of their plaquet. A few weeks since he himself had restored to a lady a silver spoon, thrown away with the salad in which it had lam concealed. ~ Some years ago, a chiffounier, he said, found and restored to its owner a portfolio containing bank bills amounting in value to 20,000 francs. If they find coin, they keep it. He informed me that on an aver^ age he found a silver ten-sous i)ieoe about once a fortnight: " Mais !" said he, very mildly, with a light shrug, <' qa depend de la Providence."! He added that the ohiffonniers of Paris worked during the hours at which people put out their rubbish, namely, from five in the morning till ten ; and at night from sunset till eleven ; that the latter hours were contrary to the regulations of the police, but that, as it was the habit, they were always in attendance. Lastly, he informed me that the unmarried ohiffonniers principally lodge in the Faubourg St. - * All sorts of thinssl f In short, Sir, I pick up all thtft there is! :|; But that dependft^on iSrovidenceh 252 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. Maroel, where they obtain half a bed for from two to four souf a night, which they are required to pay in adyanoe. I asked him how much the chiffonniers obtained per day. He replied that the value of the refuse depended a good deal on the district, and that aooordinglv they gained from ten to thirty sous per day, according to the localities in which they worked. He added that for several^ears he himself had gained thirty sous a day, but that since the departure of Louis Phi' lippe he had not, on an average, gained fifteen. '' In the month 01 February," he said, " we did nothing, parceque le monde B'6taitretir6."* " But now that tranquillity is restored," said I, " how comes it that you do not gain your thirty sous as before ? " " Monsieur," he replied, " depuis la revolution le monde est plus 6oonome; la consommation est moins grande dans les cuisines ; on jette moins d'os et de papier dans les rues."t He added that some families that used to consume ten pounds of meat a day subsisted now on only four, and consequently that the chiffonnier loses like the butcher. " Si la tranquillity vient, nous ferons peut-^tre quelque chose ; mais," he added, very pensively, and apparently without the slightest idea of the important moral contained in the words he was about to utter, " quand il n'y a pas de luxe, on ne fait rion !"t (a shrug). <' What a lesson," said I to myself, — looking at his brass plaquet, faded blouse, and pale, sunken cheeks, which, beneath his thin whiskers, kept quivering as he talked, — ^'' am I receiv- ing in the Capital of the Republic of France from a poor, half- starved chiffonnier ! What would the Radical Members of both Houses of the British Parliament, who unintentionally would level the distinction and wealth they I 'imselves are en- joying, say, if they could but hear from the lips oi' this street scavenger the practical truth that, when they shall have succeed- ed, they will deprive, not Qnly the lower, but the ve/y lowest classes of their community, of one half of the sustenance they are now receiving from the ' luxury' of the rich I " , ♦ Because everybody had left. f Sir, since the revolution people have become more economical ; the consumption in their kitchens is lees ; people throw less bones and paper into the streets. % If tranquillity comes, we shall, perhaps, do something; but when thitXQ is no luxury we can do nothing. MY LODGING. On my return from my stroll, at about ten o'clock p.m. of the day of my arrival in Paris, to Meurice's well-appointed hotel, I was conducted by one of the waiters to my " apparte- ment ;" and as on introducing myself to, or, to speak more correctly, into its bed, I found it to be a particularly warm, comfortable poultice, which seemed to draw from my body and bones every ache or sensation of fatigue, I soon ceased to admire it, France, England, or indeed, any body or any thing. " Heaven bless the man who first invented sleep !" The next morning early, awakening quite refreshed, and with a keen appetite for novelty of any description, I was amused to find not only that I myself had become, and as I lay in my bed was, a great curiosity, but that apparently the whole hotel was looking at me ! My room, an exceedingly small one, on the middle floor of six stories, owned only one blindless, shutterless, window, upon which, from above, from beneath, from the right, and from the left, glared, stared, and squinted, the oblong eyes of the windows of three sides of a hollow square, so narrow that it appeared like an air-shaft, excavatP'l in the middle of the enormous building of which in fact, it was the lantern. On each side of my window, like the lace frills on either side of a lady's cap, there elegantly hung a slight thin mus- lin curtain ; but, as in point of fortification this was utterly inadequate for the defences I required, I ventured after 254 A FAGGOT OF FREJStn STICKS. w breakfast to ask for a larger room that looked anywhere but into that square. Nothing could be more polite than M. Meurice iras on the subject, but eighty thousand strangers had flocked to Paris to attend the grand F^te of the Republic : his hotel was perfectly full ; and as it was evidently impossible for him to alter figures or facts, I sallied forth to seek what I wanted elsewhere. My applications were at first to the best hotels, then to the middling ones, and at last to the worst ; but good, bad, or indifferent, they were all full. " Monsieur, il n'y a pas de place !"* with a quick shake of the head, and with or without a shrug, was said to me not only everywhere, but usually on the threshold. , Finding it impossible to obtain shelter in a caravansary, I determined to take refuge in a lodging, and observing on a board close to me the very words I was in search of, namely, \\ " Chambres a louer,"t rang at the bell. On the door opening of itself I walked into a clean4ooking court, and addressing the concierge I had scarcely said two words when, as if she had become suddenly and violently disgusted with me, she shook her head, waved her hand before my face, and said, " Non ! Non ! ! Non ! ! ! Monsieur !" and turning on her heel left me. I had gcarcely .proceeded along the same street — the Rue de Rivoli — ^fifty yards, when I had come to an exactly simi- lar announcement, and as, on ringing the bell, I was vvery nearly, as before, interrupted by the same signs, the same actions, and the same demonstrations of disgust, I asked the porter, with a very small proportion of his own impatience, **' why, if he had no lodgings, he continued to display his board ? " Pas garnies. Monsieur \"\ he briefiy replied, and he then very civilly and good-humouredly explained to me that, had I not been a stranger, I should have known that^ from his advertisement being on white paper, whereas, by an order of the police, rooms to be let furnished must invariably be placarded in yellow. Brimful of knowledge, I now felt myself to be a Parisian, and accordingly, shinning the alluring invitations of several white boards, I determined with an air of importance, to pull * No room, Six* ! f Lodginga to let. % Not furnished. . .11 MY LODOIJSVS, 255 l\\ &t tho bell of a yellow board. In vain, however, I gearohed for one ; and although I was quite dcterminea to eraanci pate myself from the domination of those three Argus-eyed walls, the windows of which were still haunting me, I was beginning almost to despair, when, on passing a commis* eionnairo sitting reading a newspaper at the corner of a street, I enlisted him in my service, and then told him what I wanted. " Menez, Monsieur !"* he said with a smile which at once promised success : and sure enough, after walking and talk- ing for some little time, ho suddenly halted before a yellow board, on which were beautif. Uy imprinted the words I wanted. By the daughter of the concierge I w;.f' conducted up a broad stone staircase composed of innur«erable short flights of steps and little landing or puffing places up to viie veiy top of the house, where I was introduced to the f i o^rietress, a pleasing-looking, respectable, short lady aged about for*y. to whom, without hesitation, apology, or o- liminary ol-orva- tions of any sort, I at once, in French, popi>ed the important question, " Have you, Madame, a furnished apartment to let?" Not only her mouth, but her eyes, and every feature in her healthy countenance, said " Oui, Monsieur I" On my asking her to allow me to seo the room, she con- ducted me towards a door on the upper floor, on which she herself resided. On opening it I saw at a glance that its inte- rior pdssessed all the qualifications of the simple hermitage I desired. Nothing could overlook me but the blue slated roof of the houses on the opposite side of the broad, clean, handsome Rue de , one of the fine it streets in Paris. Outside the window, which opened down to the floor, was a narrow promenade, that ran along the whole length of the street, and which, in oas*> of fire, would, said I to myself, fully atone for the extra tr'^uble in ascending to such a height. A secretaire with shelves, two chests of drawers, a cupboard, and a clock, were exactly the sort of companions I wished to live with ; and accordingly, without a moment's hesitation, I told the landlady I should be delighted to ei^age her apartments. As, however, instead of looking as happy as I looked, there * This way, Sh- 1 256 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. was something latent in her heart which evidently remained to be divulged, I feared I had been too abrupt in concluding my arrangements in so few words. At last, out it came that she had a similar apartment, two stories lower, which was also at my service in case I should prefer it. Now I had taken such a fancy to the atrial abode in which I stood, that I felt quite disappointed at her intelligence. However, as in Paris high life is low life, and low life high life — that is to say, as it is reckoned a fine thing to live very near the earth, and unfashiona][)le to approach the blue sky — I descended with her to the second story of her house, where she introduced me to an apartment, a secretaire with shelves, two chests of drawers, a cupboard, and a clock, all exactly like those I had left, excepting they were all decidedly better dressed. The floor was more slippery, the furniture more highly polished, the dial more richly gilt ; lastly, in the price of the whole there decidedly existed more silvei'. Had I been fairly left to myself I should have remained faithful to my first attachment ; but Fashion, Folly, and Pride, first joining together hand in hand and then dancing around me, bewildered me with such a variety of false reasons, that, S3eing the landlady was also entirely on their side, I ended the short unequal struggle by telling her I would abandon the apartment above for that in which 1 stood. " Bien, Mon- sieur !" * she replied, with placid satisfaction ; and, as I had now become her lodger, instead of acting as if she felt that nothing remained but to get her rent and as much as she could besides, she instantly evinced a desire to shield me. from every possible imposition and to render me every friendly assistance in her power — duties, or rather virtues, which, during my residence under her roof, she unremittingly per- formed. As my hotel was scarcely a hundred yards off, I returned there for my portmanteau and letter-box, and after parting with M. Meurice, who again very civilly expressed his regret at his utter inability to accommodate me, I put my small amount of luggage into a voiture de place, and, walking by its side, returned to my own street, my own porte-cochere, my own concierge, my own staircase, and — on entering my apartment and dismissing the porter who had followed with my baggage to my own home. * Very good, Sir I W Mr LODGINGS. 257 Everything within it looked quiet, comfortable, and sub- stantial ; and as in the book of one's every-daj life there is no- thing like beginning from the very beginning, before I allowed myself to go into the street, or even to look out of my window at the charming novelties — for every thing in Paris was new to my eyes — that were passing and repassing, I unpacked my little property, put my clothes into my two chests of drawers, my papers into my secretaire, my portfolio, inkstand, pens, and pencil on a good- sized table, and then, completing my arrange- ments by carrying to and placing before the latter a comforta- ble arm-chair, like Robinson Crusoe I looked around me with an inward satisfaction it would be difficult to describe ; and I was standing very much in the attitude of a young artist joyously admiring the painting he has just concluded, when, with great velocity, there shot past my nose — to tell the truth, it actually hit it — an arrow of air, about a foot long, but no thicker than a piece of packthread, that did not smell as it ought to do. " It is the breath of envy," said I to myself, « mortified at my happiness !" and discarding the green-eyed monster from my thoughts, and again admiring my location, I bade it a short adieu, and descended into the street. At about six o'clock I returned to my apartment, and, like a young lover, was again admiring its charms, when another little arrow, from an unpleasant quiver, flew by mfe. " It's all fancy !" said I to myself; " it can't come from my kind landlady, nor from my che&ts of drawers. I'm two stories above the drains, and two stories below the gutters of this world. Paris is outside my window, and a passage outside my door. The thing" — I did not know exactly what to call it — " is impossible." , I had a most amusing dinner. I had left it entirely to my landlady to decide what was good for me ; and as I sat alone, sometimes I could scarcely help laughing aloud at her prescrip- tion, and from the end of a silver fork I was placing between my lips a small portion of one of the unknown ingredients, for the purpose of analysing its composition, when, as nearly as I could guess, about an inch and a half above it there whizzed by another very little arrow. In less than the twinkling of an eye it had completely passed, and where it had come from, or where it had gone to, I was alike utterly ignorant. After dinner I rambled about the streets until il was time • 258 A FAGGOT OF FBENCE STICKS. to go to my bed, which proved clean and comfortable. In tho morning— quite contrary to my habit — I awoke with a slight headache, and I was lying on my back conscientiously. recapitu- lating the nameless items of my dinner, when there rushed past the uppermost feature of my face, not an arrow, but a javelin. During the day, on being half a dozen times similarly as- sailed, I became slightly dispirited for a few moments, until, rallying my forces, — I mean looking at my chests of drawers, secretaire, and other comforts that surrounded me, — and nmt- \ tering the words " home, sweet home !" I determined during the ; day not to notice the contemptible little demon that was assail- ; ing me, but at night to remove my bedding from its alcove to * the floor near the window. I did so ; but again awaking with rather a worse headache, I felt it was in vain to endeavour to hold out, and that I had therefore better at once sound a re- treat. Accordingly, ringing my bell, I requested the garqon \sk ' ascertain whether Madame would be visible to me % In a few minutes she entered my room, with the same placid smile which had adorned her countenance when it last left me. " What," she kindly inquired, " could she do to serve me ?" It required the whole of my resolution, and, indeed, almost more than T possessed, to answer her friendly query by telling her, in broken sentences and in faltering accents, that the room was in every respect all I could desire, " but that ... it . . . had . . . at times a very unpleasant smell." " Noiij Monsieur !" she replied, with great gentleness. I assured her it was the case. '• Non, Monsieur !" she replied, with greater gentleness. " Madame," said I, " it has twice over given me a headache, from which," laying my right hand flat on my forehead, " I am suffering at this moment." " Non, Monsieur ! ! !" she replied, so gently and so faintly that I could hardly hear it. " But, Madame," I added, " I have no desire to leave you. Would you be kind enough to allow me to remove to the apartment at the top of the house which I first saw, for which I should wish to pay the same as for this one ?" '< Oertainement, Monsieur!"* she replied, gently bowing *«• * Certainly, Sir! Ttfii'iirn i i i ir i rT — ■>■— mmttm MY LODGINGS. 26» her bft^'i, and looking as placid, as kind, and as anxious to oblige me ajs ever, and, accordingly, in less than a quarter of an hour, with the assistance of the garqon and a commissionaire, not only the migration but the distribution of my property was effected. " On retonrne toujoura, toujours^ A son premier amour I"* From the above anecdote, trifling as it may sound, Mr. Chadwick and the Board of Health would no doubt be able to draw a most important moral. Leaving them, however, two stories below me, to trace to its secret source a tiny cause which in a region high above cesspools and drains had created a stratum of impure air, which, had it been inodorous, I should most certainly have remained in, and which, in a locality where nobody would look for it, has been and ever is ready to nourish fever, I must proceed with the history of my new abode, the outward appearance of which was, as if in a looking-glass, " veluti in speculum," reflected to me from the opposite side of the street by a range of windows each forming a sort of portico, opening to the floor exactly as mine did, and communicating with a narrow leaded passage, protected by a line of substantial iron balustrades. In the roof above me there was (at least so I conjectured from what I saw in the opposite houses) a tier of garrets in- habited by human beings of whom nothing was to be seen but occasionally a hand pushing a few inches upwards a glass win- dow that lay flat on the slates, and which opened like a valve at the bottom, the upper part being fixed by two hinges. The chimneys were as lofty, and the chimney-pots as grotesque, as those in London, and yet never, during the short periods that I looked at them, could I see exuding from them the slightest appearance of smoke. In the handsome, broad-paved street, which, on looking over the balustrades, appeared to be at an immeasurable dis- tance beneath, were to be heard the rattling of carriages — the rumbling now and then of a heavy diligence — the trot of cavalry — the beating of drums — the sound of bugles ; — in short, the sense of hearing at Paris has no protection. Every morning, from half -past seven till nine, martial music of au sorts an- yone always retums to one's first level 260 A FAGGOT OF FEENCH STICKS. nounced the inarch beneath of various bodies of troops to their respective guard-mountings. Sometimes fifteen soldiers would pass, preceded by a key-bugle ; — then eighteen, headed by a single drum. As they and their musical accompaniment passed, I almost invariably — stepping out on the leads — peeped over my balus- trade. A lady from the window adjoining mine as regularly did the same. I never looked at her — never spoke to her. She could have walked along the leads into* my room, but in the exalted region in which we lived it was a point of honour not to do so, and her honour, I am exceedingly happy to say, she never broke. In Paris a man may live like a gentleman in all sorts of ways — in a lofty palace, or " au sixi^me" in a house containing hall, parlour, bedroom, kitchen, &c. all squatted as flat as a pan- cake ; but, although the altitude of his lodging does not depress his position in society, although rather au uncomfortable smell . in his staircase is passed perfectly unnoticed, although economy \\ is respected, and although a person of small fortune in Paris is never by the French allowed to fed he is poor, yet no wealth can sugar over an ill-mannered man. 1 had hardly been in my new domicile two hours, when, all of a sudden there flitted by me, not an arrow or a javelin, but, without metaphor, an exceedingly strong smell of warm, . nourishing soup. Although almost in the clouds, I was evi- dently in the neighbourhood of a capital kitchen ! " however," said I to myself, " I am not to be driven from a post of im- portance by the smell of hot onions !" indeed, I found I had only to contrast this smell with t'other one, quite to enjoy it ; during, however, my rfesidenca in Paris, it never came again, and in every respect my lodging pleased me. My housemaid was a lad of about eighteen, who used, while he was sweeping the floor with a hair broom, to polish it with a brush affixed to one of his feet. To every wish I expressed he had a particularly soft gentle way of replying, " Bien, Monsieur !" His only fault was, that when I pulled at my bell he did not come ; but others, on five different jGioors, were pulling for him at the same time. My breakfast consisted of a large white cup a quarter of an inch thick ; a coffee-pot rot so high as the cup ; a shining tin cream-jug, with a little spout about the thicbiess of the iii«ri-[rniiiir'i MY LODGINGS. 261 small end of an English clay tobacco-pipe ; a long roll, and, on the first day, one pat of butter of about the size of a Spanish dollar, and as thick as the skin of a mushroom. " More butter !" I exclaimed in French. " Shall I bring another portion ?" said the garqon. " No ! half a dozen of them !" I answered. " Bien, Monsieur !" he gently and politely replied, to an order as preposterous, I dare say, in his mind, as if I had ordered for my dinner half a dozen legs of mutton. Just within the entrance of my porte-cochere lived in a small room my concierge, his wife, and his daughter. The first time I descended my staircase, the old woman, who was nearly seventy years of age, made a sign she wished to speak to me. On going into her room, she asked me to be so good as to give her my passport, that she might take it to the police to apprise them of my residence in the house. Hap- pening to have it in my pocket-book, I instantly complied with her request, and was about to leave her, when she very politely asked for my card, in case any person should call to see me. I immediately put one into her hands. She looked at it — handed it to her old husband, who looked at it too. They then both looked first at me — then at my card — ^then at each other. They were evidently quite puzzled. I had no gender ! I was not a monsieur, a madame, a mademoiselle, ar admiral, a general, colonel, captain, or lieutenant I My name they could not pronounce ; and so, after turning it into exactly twice its number of syllables, they bowed, and, with a very slight shrug, placed the enigma on their little mantel- piece, to speak for itself By the time I left Paris I had become thoroughly ac- quainted with my staircase. Within the porte-cochere, and immediately opposite to the tiny residence of the concierge, were two steps, leading to a swinging glass door, behind which, on the right, were ten steps, rising to a landing-place, on which was a mat. From it twelve steps led to another landing-place, in which, close to the ceiling, was a high window of two panes. Then came seven steps, leading to a landing-place, on which was a door marked A. Then, again, ten to a landing-place, on which^ apparently for variety's sake, was a small window of two panes close to the floor, also two panes touching the ceiling 262 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. (the one too high to look out of, the other too Jow). Then came seven to a landing-place, on which was a mat and three doors, on one of which was inscribed " ler Stage," on first floor. By a similar series of steps, passages, and odd win- dows, I ascended to floors 2, 3, and eventually to my aerial paradise. No. 4. Within the door marked " ler Etage " every lodger throughout the house was expected to deposit, on a hook numbered consecutively, the key of his room, which, whenever negligently left in the door, was invariably brought to this' rendezvous by any of the servants of the house, or by " Madame," the instant they or she discovered it. Under the arrangement just described it of course became necessary for every lodger to call at this point for his key. I found it, however, quite impossible during my short residence in Paris to learn this French rule, and accordingly, when after a heavy day's walk, I had ascended, quite tired, to my door, I almost invariably had to descend three stories to get my key, which I had negligently passed in my ascent. As soon as it became dark every one of these keys were taken from their hooks and deposited, according to their respective num- bers, each on the brass bed-room candlestick that belonged to it. One evening, at twilight, I was looking among this row for my candle, which, like all the rest of the lot, was about the thickness of my fore-finger. " Monsieur," said a servant, popping out of a small room adjoining, and making me a low bow, " votre flambeau n'est pas encore descendu."* On the "premier 6tage," or first floor, was a spacious drawing-room, very handsom ly furnished, open to every lodger in the house. I, however, never entered it, and only once peeped into it. On taking my first prescription from Dr. S. to the chemist, I ascertained that the ointment with which I was to rub my forehead and temples four times a day was as nearly as possible as black as new ink. This affliction, which was indeed a very great one, and which lasted almost the whole of the time I was at Paris, seemed at first not only to forbid my seeing any sights, but to make me a sight for any (^ne else * Sir, your flambeau has not been brought down yet FTrffl'TTrMBB MY LODGINGS. 263 to see ; however, after sitting in my sky-parlour for some minutes in an attitude of deep reflection, I determined to dis- {>ose, aud accordingly I did dispose, of my misfortune as fol- ows: — At five I used always to get up, and, after my usual ablu- tions, I obediently blackened myself in the way prescribed ; and, ornamented in this way. I occupied myself for an hour and a half in writing out the rough notes which, while walk- ing, talking, and often while rumbling along in 'buses, I had taken on the preceding day. At a quarter past seven I un- smutted myself, and walked about the streets until eight, when, on returning to my lodging, I rubbed my forehead black again, and sat down to breakfast. At a quarter before ten I — what maid-servants call — ^" cleaned myself," and, like Dr. Syntax, went forth in search of the Picturesque. At six I returned, and dressed for dinner, — that is to say, I anointed myself again. After my repast I unniggered my brow and went out. At ten o'clock p. m. I be-devilled myself again, and, after a sufficient interval, ended the strange process of the day by going to bed. While I was seated at breakfast or at dinner, painted like a wild Indian in the extraordinary way I have described, it repeatedly happened that, after a slight tap, my door was opened, sometimes by a shopman with a band-box, inquiring if I had ordered a hat ; sometimes by a boy, bringing a letter addressed to he knew not whom ; and two or three times by a lady, sometimes an old one, and sometimes a young one, who called on me, intending to call on somebody else. In all these cases a long apologetic dialogue ensued ; and although my visitors had thus abundant opportunity to observe my grotesque appearance, which in England would, I truly be- lieve, have made even the Bishop of London bite his lips or smile, yet such is the power of politeness in the French people, that in no one instance did any one of my visitors allow me to perceive from his or her eyes, or from any feature in his or her countenance, that he or she had even observed the magpie appearance of my face. While I was following my prescription I explained to the concierge that in case anybody called — I had no ac- quaintances in Paris — I was not at home. When it was over, which was only two days before I returned to England, the 264 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. old woman walked up stairs to congratulate mb, and then, addressing me and my tiny apartment, as if we were of vast importance, she said to me, " A present, Monsieur, que vous pouvez recevoir votre monde !"* On the dr.y I left Paris I received from my obliging landlady her account, in which in no instance was there the slightest departure from the agreement I had verbally made with her. I gave the servants and concierge what I chose, but no demand whatever was made upon me. And, " Adieu, Monsieur I bon voyage ! !"t were the last words of the old wife, as she waved her shrivelled hand to a foreigner whose occupations were incomprehensible, whose appellation was doubtful, and whose name was unpronounceable. -••«- IMPRIMERIE NATIONALS. -1 In the year 1552 Francis I. first established in the Louvre an Imprimerie Royale, a portion of which, under the appel- lation of Imprimerie des Bulletins des Lois, was in 1792 transferred to the Elys6e Bourbon, inhabited at present by Prince Louis Napoleon. In 1795 these two establishments were united in the H6tel de Toulouse, now the Bank of France, and in 1809 they were finally transferred to their' present locality. This public establishment is shown to visitors every Thursday, and accordingly, at ten minutes before the hour "precisely" indicated in the ordinary printed permission which, in compliance with the advice contained ill Galignani's giiide-book, I had obtained, I knocked at its gate, and walk- ing across a court and up a staircase, I was directed to go to t) * waiting-room, in which I expected to have found a hard stool or two to sit on, and sundry drops and slops of ink on the floor to look at. However, on reaching the landing-place I was shown into a drawing-room handsomely carpeted, con- * Now, Sir, that you can receive the world I f Good bye ! a good journey to you I JMPJtlMEBIJS NATtONALE. 265 iiJning foar pier-glasief. one on each wall; a scarlet damask ottoman: a scarlet olotn sofa; fourteen scarlet chairs; sear- let onrtams ; white blinds ; and in the middle a fine mahog- any table covered with green cloth. As I was the sole monarch of all I surveyed) I reclined on the sofa, and was admiring the arrangements made every- where in Paris for the reception of straneers, when the door opened, and in walked a gentleman with two young ladies, wno had scaroelv looked at themselves — ^'' vue et ajpprQuvSe" — in the glass almost immediately above me, when m walked four more young ladies and a gentleman, then three middle- aged ladies and two sentlemen. As soon as the clock of the establishment struck, there stood at the door a porter, making dumb signals to us to ad- vance, and accordingly nine bonnets and five black hats hastened towards him into the passage, where we found waiting, and ready to conduct us, an exceedingly pleasing- lookinff intellectual young man of about -twenty years of age. Everybody, excepting myself, appeared to be in tiptop spirits ; but as the object of my visit was solely to make myself ac- quainted with a very important establishment, I roould not help for a few moments inwardly groaning when I reflected that a guide of twentv years of age for thirteen people—- were he even to be fairly divided among them all — ^wouid be equal only to a sucking tutor rather more than a twelvemonth old for each ; besides which, it was but too evident that as my nine sisters, in the exercise of their undoubted preroga- tive, would very probably not only constantly encircle wie young guide, but would each and all at once be continually asking him questions of different degrees of importance,! should not only have no instruction at all, but should be obliged to go through the establishment exactly at the une«» qua! rate the nine ladies night prescribe ; that I should have to stop whenever they stopped, and, what was still worse, to hurry by whatever they happened at the moment to feel in- disposea to notice. As the disorder, however, was evidently incurable, I re- solved to join in and get through the merry dance aa well as X could. I therefore introduced myself to a partner, who, in return for the confidence I reposed in her, very obligingly teased the young guide until he told t^^r whatever I wanted ; 266 A FAOQOT OF FRENCH STICKS, \ \ and by means of tbis desoription of spoon-diet, I obtained, I think, rather more nourishment than my share. Our first introduotion was to a room which none of the ladies would stop to look at, surrounded by mahogany presses, containing the punches, matrices, and ligatures (the largest collection in Europe), including those for Greek type, for a fount of which, in 1692, the Uniyersity of Cambridge applied. On entering the exceedingly well-lighted hall. No. I. of the Imprimerie Nationale (in the whole of which nearly a thousand people are employed), the first object that caught my eyes was a large tricolor flag, upon which was inscribed in gold letters, — it "Vive la R^publique I" In different directions there appeared seven stoves, around four of which were standing, closely shaved, without coats ^r ' waistcoats, and in very clean shirts — the sleeves of which being tucked up disclosed their bare arms — five men at each stove, engaged in what a novice of their art might have sup- posed to be some strange religious ceremony, for they kept stretching out their right arms, — then closing both hands,-— then jerking them four . or five times over their heads, — pausing; and then, extending their riicrht hands, they repeat ed the operation commonly called type-casting, which may be explained as follows. From the stove before him each man with a ladle dips out a small quantity of liquid metal, which pouring into a small matrix he jerks upwards, until, cooled by its rapid passage through the air, he is enabled to drop the type he has created on the table before him, and repeat the process. ^ From these stoves the fluid metal, in the mode described, is converted into the type of forty-eight different alphabets, speaking the languages of almost every nation on the globe. Indeed, while Pope Pius the VII. was inspecting the estab- lishment, the Lord's Prayer was not only printed in one hun- dred and fifty languages, but was bound, up and presented to him. As satellites to the seven furnaces, I observed several men employed in breaking off to its proper length, as fast SB it was cast^ the type, then handed over to four old wo- ZMPBUIEBIE RATIONALE, ncr men, each wearing on her thumb and forefinger a thick black leather case, with which she first made each rough-oast letter smooth, and then — as our Universities treat *' a fresh- man" — she polished it. These types, packed in parcels, con- taining each only one letter, and which resemble octavo vol- umes, are then shut up in a dark closet adjoining, where they remain until summoned to perform their high literary du- ties. On entering a room of 150 feet in length, my heart re- joiced within me at the welcome sight of two long rows of compositors, all dressed in blouses and black silk neckcloths. At proper intervals were also to be seen, each within a wire cage, that valuable, well-educated member of every printing establishment — a reader. On the first coup-d'oeil the whole appeared in busy operation ; as, however, we passed along, one might have fancied we were a body of magicians, witches, and wizards, whose breath had power to stop the whole sys- tem ; for howev-er seduloutily the compositor had, from the small " case " before him, been snapping up letter after let- ter to fill his " stick ;" whatever might be the subject on which he was engaged ; he stood spell-bound in his operation, not only while we were approaching, but for several seconds afterwards he was to be seen standing with a type between his finger and thumb. " I Haw a smith stand with his hammer, thus^ The whilst his iron did on the anvil cool." The sudden appearance of six young ladies and three rather old ones produced ur^on 150 French compositors the, strange symptoms above described. Indeed, every workman — even the jaded reader — stopped to enjoy a good, long, hearty, refreshing look at them ; after which one by one faith- fully returned to his work. In another room, about 180 feet long, were distributed in a similar manner a double row of compositors, closely packed along each wall. On descending to the ground floor we passed through a long, dark store- room, which reminded me of a coal-mine, about 150 feet in length, filled almost from the floor to the ceiling with " type in forms," that is to say, in the square frames in which they had been fixed, and in which they were reposing until again ■\ S68 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. required for a reprint. Twelve thousand of these forms were BO arranged that, like the tray of a wardrobe, any could at pleasure be drawn out without moving the one above or be- low. The very first compartment of this dark receptacle, prin- oipally filled with government publications, was labelled — "GUBEEB."* From it we passed into a beautiful yard, covered with skylights like a greenhouse, and surrounded on every side by low cisterns, above each of which appeared, protruding from the wall, one or two cooks for filling them with water. In this cheerful workshop we found several men employed in damping paper for the press. We next entered a beautiful printing hall, 180 feet long — ^with hand-presses on each side — in which, in a glass frame, I observed inscribed in large letters — a " AtEUKR DB tA R6PUBUQUB."f On walking down this gallery we found it intersected in the middle by another at right angles of about 100 feet in length, also occupied by a double row of printing-presses. From this point the cruciform view was extremely interesting. Two hundred and thirty printers in shirts (it was Thursday) as clean as the paper they were imprinting, were to be seen at 115 presses, working not only the white paper to which I have just alluded, but of all colours, especially pink, blue, red, and yellow. Strange as it may sound to people accustomed to the cold, steady business habits of England, which nothing can either excite or subdue, the whole establishment stopped working, and for some minutes assumed a grin of delight at the sight of the ladies. Several of these pressmen, who were all remarkably well dressed, shook hands with three or four, who appeared to be well acquainted with them. One press- man, with very long block mustachios, offered the prettiest of the young ladies a pinch of snufT, which she accepted, and which caused her to stop — I suppose merely to thank him. — a considerable time ; and as our guide K>r the moment *War. f Workshop of the Republic IMP RIM EB IE NATION ALE, 260 in was oomplotely deserted, I managed to elicit from him that all the pressmen, as well as the compositors we had just left, work from seven in the morning till seven at night, ezoeptina from twelve to two, which period they devote to " dinner and recreation;" lastly, that they are paid according to the amount of work they perform. In these halls are daily struck off on an average above 350,000 sheets, besides about 12,000 sets of what are called in England court cards ; namelv, kings, queens, knaves, and aces, the printing of which, in France, is monopolised by the Government. So many of the pressmen were talking to our '' ladies," that the young guide had some little difiiculty in inducine them to follow him into a long chamber, in which we found seated nearly in pairs, and very busily at work, twelve young well-dressed men, with mustachios, and tT^elve very pretty- looking young ladies in caps of all colours. On the table at which they were seated stood basins full of flowers. The work they performed consisted mainly of now and then mak- ing a dot — then a little scratch — then a slight turn of the head — then a smile — then a very long scrub— then three dots — and so on ; in short, they were correcting and finishing off lithographic maps, painted in most beautiful colours; at which they continue to work from seven to seven, with two hours of " recreation,'* as aforesaid, which very probably con- sists of the dissyllable imprinted in the left hand corner of a London " At home " card of invitation, namely, " Dancing.^ About this happy hall we found sixteen lithogn^P presses, which besides the maps from below, were busily striking off government papers of various colours and sizes. At several tables I observed otherwise occupied well-dressed and apparently well-conducted persons of both sexes, and yet, as indeed throughout the whole establishment, it was evident that at a single blast of a trumpet the men, like Boderick- Bhu's " warriors true," would have, one and all, started up soldiers ! Below stairs we entered a room full of larger lithographic presses, and then a magazine that looked like a universe of white paper. We were now conducted into a large, light, airy chamber, in yrhich were to be seen, hard and steadily at work, four huge steam-presses, each of which, as compared with the I 2i&^ A FAGGOT OF FREJSUU STICKS. sti'eTigth of the human heings that environed it, looked likft' Q-uUiver snoring in the land of Lillipu^. On the summit of each of these powerful machines, in- stead of a boy, as in England, I observed sitting up aloft a yOung girl, who, at every aspiration of the giant over which she presided, fed him with a large sheet of cool damp milk- white paper, no sooner in his power than it was remorselessly hurried over a sort of iron cataract, at the bottom of which it came out printed, on both sides, into the hands of a young wo- man, a little older and a^ little stouter, by whom it was scarcely laid aside when, the operation having been repeated by the angel above, there came out, for our weal or woe, another sheet full of the knowledge of good or evil. With the assistance of its two hand-maidens, and of some men seated at tables close behind them, employed in preparing the papev for the opera- tion above described, each of these great presses, which cost 10,000 francs, strikes oflF from 1000 to 1200 sheets per hour In an adjoining room we witnessed a simple and very in- genious invention for rapidly drying the paper thus imprinted. A hot iron cylinder, of about six feet in diameter, encircled by coarse brown canvas, and made to revolve by the power of steam, is. attended by a woman, who keeps putting between the heated metal and its linen covering one sheet after another of printed paper, which is not only dried in the hotbed in which it is obliged to revolve, but, as in the case of the printing presses just described, is delivered into the hands of another woman seated by her side to receive it. There are three of these machines, each attended by tWD deliverers and two re- ceiving women. In the kaleidoscope we were viewing there next in an open yard appeared, guided by men, a powerful machine for cutting paper ; and in an adjoining well-ventilated chamber we found sixteen women and girls, very quietly and neatly dressed, em- ployed in placing each printed sheet between two pieces of glazed pasteboard, and in then submitting the whole to a hy- draulic pressure of 300,000 pounds. We were next conducted to a department of the establish- ment called " La Keglure," a long room, containing eleven ma- chines for ruling lines of various sorts. Each was attended by three youqg women ; one for regulating ii ; one for feeding it vith paper ; the other for receiving the paper when ruled. JMPBIMEmE NATIONALS. 271 The lines, twenty-eight of which can "be made at once, were drawn by pens supplied with ink?rom a roller. For official documents, in which the lines required were so numerous that they exceeded the breadth of the machines, other young women were employed in executing them by hand, by means of combs, the teeth of which, confined in an iron frame, were made to cor- respond in number and position with the lines require i. In consequence of this room being rather overheated, the young, women employed in it bad all a very high colour ; they were, moreover, not only exceedingly well dressed, but apparently quite as well behaved. Indeed, from their appearance and de- nieanour, no one in England would have judged them to be mechanics. In a small chamber we came to four tables, at each of which were sitting six young women, busily occupied in fold- ing and sewing sheets, under the direction of a superintendent, securely seated in a wired caged cell at the bottom of the apart- ment, which opened into an immense room, 400 feet long, in which we found in full operation the Binding Department, in all its branches. For nearly 100 yards we passed through piles of half-bound books — principally edged either with bright yel- low or bright scarlet — waiting to undergo that variety of taUor- ihg and millinery operations necessary to enable them to ap- pear before the literary world in quarter, half, or full dress. The labourers in this immense and important workshop were, as nearly as I could judge, composed, in about equal parts, of young men and young women ; and with the curiosity natural to their age, they all stppped work as our party passed. the ta- bles on the right and left, at which they respectively werer seat- ed ; however, I could not but feel they had as much right to be curious about us as we had about them. Like a hen preceding a brood of motley-coloured chickens, our young conductor now led us along a passage to the sum- mit of a very broad staircase, where, gradually stopping, he. turned round, took off his hat, and, with a slight bow, announc- ed to us that " we had seen all." My right hand, as in duty bound, dived straight into my pocket ; but as I felt it was grasping at a quantity of loose silver, of all sizes, without knowing how much to select, in a whisper I asked my fair inr terpreter who had been labouring hard in my behalf, to be so good as to ascertain for me what I ought to give. Our young i ; 272 A FAGGOT OF FBENCH STICKS, oonduotor must liave instinotiTely understood the question I was asking, for, with that pleasing manner and mild expres- sion of countenance which had distinguished him throughout the many weary hours we had been lathering him, he said to me, before the whole party, ^ Monsieur, il nous est ezpress^- mcnt d^fendu de rien reoevoir ("* Indeed I could not induce him to accept anything. His parting words, and a sketch of the interior of the draw- ing-room in which strangers are received in the " Imprimerie Niationale** of Paris, on^t, I submit, to be hung up in Prince Albert's Crystal Palace, as a specimen of French politeness, not only to be admired, but to oe copied by the governments and by the people of every other nation on the globe. • •• LA MOBGUE. At Paris every face I met appeared to be so exceedingly happy and so remarkably polite that from the hour of my ar« rival I had been in the habit, without the slightest precaution, of walking anywhere at any time of day or night. Happening, however, to mention to a French gentleman the late hour at which, entirely alone, I had passed along a certain district, he told me, very gravely, that there were in Paris — as indeed there are in all countries — ^great numbers of men, never to be seen in daylight, who subsist by robbery and occasionally by murder ; that after dark they haunt lonely spots, and that not unfrequently, after knocking down and robbing their victims, they have summarily chucked them over the bridges they were in the act of crossing into the Seine. '* Tou must, my dear (' mon cher'), be more careful," he said to me, with very great kindness, " or you will find your way to the Morgue !" and as I had often from others heard it was the place in which all dead bodies found in the streets of Paris or in the Seine are exposed, and as on the following day I had occasion to be in its neighbourhood, I determined I would fulfil my kind friend's prophecy by '' finding my way * Sir, we are expressly forbidden to receive anything t ■■'■•mmmmitSIm lA MOBOUE. 273 to it." Accordingly, walking along the Quai, I perceived on the banks of the Seine, close before me, touching the extremity of the March^ Neuf — ^indeed, the nice, fresh, green vegetables in the last of the booths ranged along the wall of the Quai actually touched it — a small, low, substantial Doric building, constructed of massive, roughly-hewn stones, as large as those commonly used in England for a county jail. On gazing at it attentively for a few minutes, a stranger might consider it to be a post-office, for a certain proportion of the crowd that was continually passing along the thorough- fare in which it stood, kept what is commonly called "popping in," while about the same number — just as if they had depos- ited their letters — were as regularly popping out, and then proceeding on their course. On the east wall of this little building there hung, singing in a cage, a bullfinch, belonging to one of the vegetable-selling women in the market. On the right, standin/ on a chair and surrounded by a gaping crowd, was a travelling conjuror, who appeared to possess the power of making every face of his attendant assembly smile or grin with more or less delight. After standing for some time, listening sometimes to the bullfinch, sometimes to the conjuror, but more '.onstantly looking towards the little building between them, I approached its door, from which, just as I entered it, there walked out arm-in-arm two well-dressed ladies, with flowers in their bon- nets. On entering a small roor.-it was La Morgan —I saw immediately before me a partitic v 'composed of large clean windows, through each of wb'ch a ^^.n all gvDup of people, look- ing over each other's heads, wer iiten'^i gazing. Within this partition, on the wall opr .sire to r o, xras hanging, and apparently dripping, a long, thiu mass of worthless and non- descript substance that looked uko old rags. Oa approaching the smallest of the groups I ^aw ck. ^e to me, on the other side of the glass partition, five black inclined planes, on one of whieh there lay on its back, with a nose crushed flat like a negro, with its cheeks swelled out exactly as if it were loudly blowing a trumpet, the naked, livid cor']pse of a robust, well- formed young woman of about twenty years of age. The face, throat, chest, arms, and legs below the knees were deeply dis- coloured, and yet, for some reason, the thij^hs were quite white ' The soles of her feet, which were sdffly upturned, 12* 9r$ A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. . I bad been so coddled bj the water in which she had been drowned, that they appeared to be almost honeyoombQd. From the wall above there projected eight little streams, about the siie of those which flow from the rose of an ordinary garden watering-pot. arranged to fall on her face, throat, neck and legs (round her middle there was wrapped a narrow piece of oil-cloth), to keep the body wet and cool. Above her, hanging on pegs, was the miserable inventory of her (iress : a pair of worn-out shoes, ragged stockings, shift, and the dripping mass (her spotted cotton gown and petticoat) which I iaad already observed. A more revolting, ghastly, horrid, painful sight I fancied at the moment I had never be- fore beheld ; and yet the living picture immediately in front of it was so infinitely more appalling, it offered for reflection so important a moral, that my eyes soon turned from the dead to the various groups of people who were gazing upon it ; aind as my object was to observe rather than be observed, I managed, with some difficulty, to get into the right-hand cor- ner of the partition, where I was not only close to the glass, but could see the countenance of everybody within the " Morgue." At first I endeavoured to write down, in short-hand, merely the sexes and apparent ages of the people who kept dropping in ; the tide, however, in and out was so great, the stream of coming-in faces and departing backs was so continuous and conflicting, that I found it to be utterly impossible, and I can, therefore, offer but a faint sketch of what I witnessed. Among those whose eyes were steadily fixed upon the corpse, were four or five young men with beards ; among them stood several women, old and young, two or three of whom had children in their arms. One boy, of about five years old, came in, carrying an infant on his back. Many people en- tered with baskets in their hands. One man had on his shoulders, and towering above his head, half a sack of coals. " Oh, Dieu ! que vilain .'" said an old woman ia a white cap, uplifting the palms of both hands, and stepping backwards as her eyes first caught sight of the corpse. Then came in two soldiers ; then a fashionably and exceedingly well dressed lady, with two daughters, pne about sixteen, the other about eleven, all three with flowers in their bonnets ; then a well- dressed maid, carrying an infant. " Mon Dieu ! ! !" exclaimed LA MORGUE. 275 an old woman (the old women appeared to me to shrink from the sight most of all), as on a glance at the corpse she turned on her heel and walked out ; then in ran a number of lads ; a wrinkled old grandmother, with ail her strength, lifted up a fine, pretty boy of about three years old, without his hat. The point at which I stood, I was afterwards informed, that which had been selected by a well-known French was actress, who, with an esprit dc corps, to say the least, of an extraordinary character, has been in the habit of repeatedly yisiting La Morgue professionally to study the sudden changes of countenance of those who, as they continually pour into it, first see the ghastly objects purposely laid out for their in- spection ; and certainly a more dreadful reality could not be beheld, and yet, the more I reflected on what I saw, the more dreadful it appeared. The flashes of horror and disgust that suddenly distorted the faces of most of those who consecu- tively approached the glass windows, were certainly very re- markable ; and yet the utter nonchalance of others, both young and old. and of both sexes, approaching sometimes almost to a smile, was infinitely more appalling, because it but too clearly proved how easily and how effectually those beautiful feelings in the human heart which are most admired may, by the scene I have imperfectly described, be completely ruined. Of the dreadful history of the bruised, livid, young crea- ture lying prostrate close to me, I was, of course, utterly ignorant. Her mind might have been ornamented with every virtue ; she might have fallen into the river by accident. On the other hand, she might have committed every description of crime, and in retribuuoD thereof have been murdered by some one as criminal a^ herself, with whom she had criminally been living ; and yet, whatever might have been her guilt, to be exposed for three days (for such was the time she had been sentenced to lie in La Morgue) naked, in a great metropolis, to the gaze of all ranks and conditions of lif^ — to men of all ages — was, I deeply felt, a punishment so cruel and inhuman that it might almost be said to have exceeded her offence ; and yet, if she could have felt the shame that was inflicted upon her, her sufferings individually would have been utterly unimportant when compared to the wholesale injury — and, may I not add, disgrace ? — which the people of Paris were Buffering, from the possibility of being, first, by curiosity al- are A FAQGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. JA \M'"'^- lured, and, after that, bv yioioni inclinatioiw babituaied, to a scene more contaminating to the morals of all classes than anything it could be 4SonceiTed the ingenuity of man could have devised. Indeed, when I looked at the mingled faces of young men, young women, children, infants, and old peojole, all pointing towards an object which modesty, nay, which common decency would haye told them — at all events in combination — to avoid, I could scarcely believe that I was existiTig within 800 yards of the Louvre, the guest of a brave and intellectuid people, whose politeness and amiable civilities I had so much reason to acknowledge I And the more I re- flected, the greater was my astonishment ; for not only was the exposition Mfore me cruel to the dead, and destructive of the morals of the living, but, after all, it was OL^terly useless I A person's clothes, instead of beinf an impediment, are the greatest possible assistance in substantiating his identity ; and accordingly in a court of justice it is not unusual for a witness, who had previously been unable to recognise the prisoner at the bar, to exclaim, the instant the latter is forcect to put on his head the hat he had ;;een holding in his hand, that he is the person who had comrrdtted the crime alleged against him. A set of dripping-wet clothes and rags, hanging on pegs over .^ body which, when living, had prowbly rarely, if ever, been seen by any one uncoirered, are, practically speaking, al- most useless ; whereas, if a corpse were to be exposed in the well-known dress in which it had been found, not only every garment individually, but all collectively, would form the best possible evidence of its identity. In snort, leaving morality out of the question, nothing surely can be more foolish than for a nation, a government, a police, and a people, to devise to- gether a mode of identification which, while it jumbles and conorviilB all useful data, exposes in their stead data which, in niy/jty-nine cases out of one hundred, are practically useless. Iiadecid, the fallacy of the system was lately demonstrated as follows : — A pocr monQtebank, in passing La Morgue, follow- ing the example of many of tho gentlefolks who had walked' be- fore him, strolled into it for a louijige. On one of the black in- clined planes he beheld, lying between the jiaked corpses of two men, his own '^ auld respited mither t" To redeem her from such a neighbourhood, and from such neighbours, he de- termined to spend, if necessary, all he had ; and accordingly, DOG MARKET. 277 with praisewortby affection, he followed her to her narrow grave, in the " fosse commune" of the cemetery of Mont Par- nasse. He was, however, so haunted by the horrid picture he had witnessed, that, to relieve his mind, and also to console his only surviving sister, he determined to return to his distant motherless home, and on his arrival at its door he was, as he well deserved, most affectionately embraced — ^by .... his mother I It need not be said that the person he had ^een ly- ing on the table of La' Morgue, disfigured by death, was not hers ; whereas, had the corpse, instead of being naked, been dressed, he would, no doubt, have at once perceived that it was not his mother, whose costume du pays, and particular dress, were, of course, imprinted in his mind. The number of bodies annually exposed for three days in La Morgue amount to about 300, of which above five-sixths are males. The clothes of one of the latter who had been buried without being reclaimed were still hanging near me. A considerable proportion of the corpses are those of suicides and of people who have been murdered. On the whole, I left my position in the comer impressed with an opinion, since strengthened by reflection, that La Morgue at Paris is a plague-spot that must inevitably, more or less, demoralise every person who views it. On going out of the door I observed dangling over my head a small tricolor flag, garnished as usual with the words " Liberty, Fraternity, and Equality." — '■ >•• iroa MARKET. At Paris, on one day in every week, namely, on Sunday^ there is a dog market, held in a place which on Wednesdays and Saturdays is a horse market, and which, wearing, as is lawful in heraldry, its highest title, is called " Le March6 aux Ghe- vaux »« On proceeding there on Sunday, at about half past one * Horse-market. . , 278 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. o'elook, I found myself in a rectangular open spaoe, 240 yards' long by 44 yards broad, surrounded by a high wall, divided lengthways down the middle by a stdut oaken post and rail fence, on each side of which was a paved road, Dounded by grass, shaded by a triple row of trees. In the centre of the oak fence was a large fountain of water. Beneath the trees, and parallel with the two paved roads, were stout oaken rails divided into pens, each bearing the name of the horsedealer to whom it belonffed, and which, even if empty, no one unautho- rised by himself can use. ■ The horses, affixed to these rails by rings which continue the whole length, of the market, stand shaded by the trees. Near to them is an office on which is {>ainted, in large black letters, " Bureau du Y^t^rinaire et de 'Inspecteur charges de la surveillance du March6 auz Ghe- vaux."* At the entrance of the market there exists a little wooden office, on which is written, in letters bearing in size about the same proportion to those of the above superscription that a dog does to a horse, — "Le conciei^e revolt le signalement dea chiens perdns, et en fait les recherches. S'addressei* sous la vestibule en face, la porte a gauche."f , Taking off my hat, I introduced myself as a stranger seek- ing for in^rmation to the concierge, or keeper of the dog mar- ket, before whose tiny office were arranged on a table — several were hanging on both sides of the door — a great variety of muzzles to be hired for the day by dogs, none of whom are al- lowed, under any pretext, to enter the market without one. After talking some time to the concierge during the short intervals in which he was not professionally engaged, I entered the market, in which I found about 280 arrant curs, all wear- ing very odd-looking wire nose-gear, which, projecting about two inches beneath their lower jaws, gave their mouths the ap- pearance of being what is called " underhung." Dogs were barking — dogs were yelping — dogs were squeal- ing in all directions. Several were surrounded by a crowd of * OflSce of the veterinary surgeon and of the inspector charged with the superintendence of the horse-market. f The concierge receives the description of lost d<^ and endeavours to recover them. Apply under the arohway in fronts to the left DOQ MARKET. 27gf B]|)eotator8, silently ^apins down at them. In one direction I saw a fox-dog — retained dj a Btrins tied to the oaken horse- rails — on his hind legs, pawing with both feet to get to an- other dog about twenty vards off, that appeared equally anx- ious to oome to him. On the ground tnere lay panting a larse, coarse-looking Newfoundland dog ; near him a basket of fat puppies whining ; behind them a woman nursing one of the family in her lap. A sdrrant-maid, as she kept strolling about, was leading, as if it had been a child, an Italian grey- bound. One sandy-oo loured dog, little bigger than a very large rat, and with cropped ears which made him look as sharp as a flea, I was assured was a year old. Near him stood a dog barking to get at his master, dressed in a blouse, who had not only tied him to a post, but who every now and then " sacrebleued" him for barking. Beside him, looking at the faithful creature with infinitely kinder feelings, was standing in wooden sabots, with a crimson-coloured handkerchief wound round her head so as to leave the ends sticking out, the dog's master's wife, — ^in short, his own " missus," who evidently did not like to see him sold. In another direction I observed a great mastiff standing near two women, one of whom held in her arms two puppies, the other a small dog with very lank rough hair, that stuck out all around him like the prickles of a hedgehog. Close to a very savage-looking yard- dog tied to a rail, which no one seemed disposed to approach, two women were seated on the ground, each with a dog in her lap. Near them a stout, tall peasant in a blouse held out and up in one hand, at arm's length, a puppy, looking, in comparison to his own size, like a mouse. On the ground were seated several men, with baskets full of yellow greasy-looking cakes ; beside them appeared stretched out for sale an immense dog-skin. The owner of every dog pays for the use of the muzzle— if he has hired one — five sous, but the animal himself is ad- mitted into the market free ; whereas on Wednesdays and Saturdays each horse pays 10 sou3, carriages on two wheels 15 sous, on four wheels 25 sous, goats and asses 4 sous apiece. At the farther end of the market is a place of trial of strength of the draught horses, composed of a steep, circular, payed ascending and descending road, surrounded by posts 880 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. • and rails, and shaded by trees. At th^ entrance stands a . small bureau, for leyyinff a payment of five sous for each horse, and a chain for preventing its admission until the money has been paid. As there is nothing like getting to the butt/ m of a sub< ject, on leaying the dog-market I walked for some little dis- tance to the Rue Poliveau, a large paved street^ principally bounded on each side by dead walls, between whicn meeting an old woman, I asked her to be so good as to tell me where " La Fourridre "• was. A dog, about thirty yards oflF, imme- diately answered mjr question by a loud melancholy bark; and as the woman pointed to the direction from which it pro* ceeded, and as I now distinctly heard there other barks, I walked towards them, until, entering a large gate, I found in a small yard seven or eight poor unfortunate dogs, tied up by chains and collars to a rail inserted in the wall. I was in the dog-pound of Paris, to which all dogs straying about the streets are sent by the police to be kept for a week, and then, if not owned, to be soldi, if they are worth anything, and, if not, to be killed. The dogs impounded — ^who were evidently leading a very dull life, and who all looked at me with more or less atttrtion — consisted of two Italian grey- hounds ; a mastiff, with a collar and a padlock ; a mongrel pointer ; a dog very ill, that never moved, and that lay coiled up :2. a circle, with his dry nose resting on his empty flank ; and various othtT curs. One, standing at the extremity of his chain on his hind legs and pawing at me, whined and barked incessantly. The latter noise was so sharp that it went entirely through my head and partly through my heart. The poor creature seemed to know he was going to be hanged merely because he was friendless, and his pawing proposal to me was that /should be his master; in short, by noises, as well as by gestures, he entreated me io take him away. In the yard there was nothing but stables, and I could find no human being to converse with, until; looking upwards, i saw the face, shoulders, and stout arms of a great, strong, coarse-looking woman, looking down at me from a second- story windoW) over which, and immediately over the lady's head, was written on the whitewashed stone in buff letters the word "Fanny." * ThepomidL "^ HOSPICE DE LA VIEILLE8SK m ' £ talked to her a short time about doss in generr*!, and about the dogs in the fourridre, over which she and her bus* band presided, in particular ; but as she answered my ques* tions rather gruffly, and as the poor dogs' countenances had told me all and infinitely more than I desired to remember, our missuited acquaintance soon came to an end. After leaving the poor animals to their fate, I passed, as I was walking alonff a large street, an immense timber-yard, in which the scantlings for a large roof were all planned and lying on the ground. Among tnem, with bare throats and moist faces, I saw, hard at work, thirty men dressed in blouses. Further on I observed forty or fifty men, paid partly by Gov- ernment and partly by the c busily employed in completing the demolition of a conde d street. It was Sunday. I may here remark thJEit, out of the seven days of the week, the second Sunday in May of the fourth year of the presidentship has, by a law of the Bepublic, been selected for the hardest political work known, namely, the election throughout France of a new President. -•-•-•- HOSPICE DE LA VIEILLESSE. With my mind overrun in all directions by dogs whining, Jrelping, and barking, I proceeded along the Boulevart de 'H6pital until I found myself on a large esplanade of grass, dotted with trees. Across it were two paved roads converg- ing to a handsome Doric gateway, supported by a pair of massive lofty columns, above which were inscribed in black paint, " Libert6, Egalit6, Fraternity," and beneath, deeply engraved— Hospice de la Yieilleese FemmesL* This magnificent hospital, commonly called '' La Salp^ triere," — ^frovi its standing on ground formerly occupied as a * Hospital for Aged Women. IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I lii|2B 12.5 ■^ 1^ 12.2 "^ 1^ IIIIIM 11.25 i 1.4 — 6" a m vl /: '>/ > y /A Photographic Sdences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. MStO (716) 872-4503 ^ 28a A PAGGOT OF FBMCH STICKS. ', \ saltpetre manufactory — and which in the year 1662 contained nearly ten thousand poor, is 120 yards more than a quarter of a mile in length, by 36 yards more than a fifth of a mile in breadth. On arriving at its gate, always open to the pub- lic every day in the week, from ten in the morning till four in the afternoon, I was accosted, and after a few words of civility on both sides, was accompanied, by a very intelligent red-faced o£Gicial, dressed in a blue coat, scarlet collar, with cocked hat worn crossways it la Napoleon, and ornamented with a tricoloured cockade, who conducted me into a fine, large, healthy, grass square, teeming with old women, sur- rounded by trees, bounded in the rear, right, and left by buildings, and in front of the entrance-gate by a very hand- some church, subdivided cruciformly into four chapels. As we were walking across this spacious promenade my guide informed me that there were present in the Hospice about five thousand old women, all of whom — excepting on Sundays and f6te-days, when they are allowed to dress as they like — wear the uniform of the establishment, which is blue in sum- mer and grey in winter. He added that -their qualification for admission was either bodily or mental infirmities, or with- out either of those afflictions, having attained seventy years of age. On the principal of the four altars in the church, I found eighty wax Oandles standing before a statue of the Virgin, behind which was the wall, painted light blue, thickly covered with silver stars. In front of the whole of this costly finery I observed upon her knees, on the hard pavement, a poor old woman. Beyond the church I was conducte.d through a variety of extensive gardensi, grass plots covered with trees and in- tersected by paths, in which old women in all directions were enjoying themselves ; indeed, although the institution is, I believe, the largest of its sort in the world, it had the appear- ance only of a place of pleasure. ^ ; Here were to be seen old women ruminating on benches ; there others seated in groups on grass emerald green. On Sundays and Thursdays their friends are allowed to come and see them ; and aocoMingly, in ma^ny places I observed a young woman neatly, and, by comparison, very fashionablv dressed, sitting on a stone bench by the side of her aged mother clad occasion- ally in the uniform of this noble charity. HOSPICE DE LA VIEILLESSE. 283 w On entering the laboratory, a detached-building, instead of finding in it, as I expected, nothing but a strong smell of rhubarb and jalap, I perceived several perSons engaged in preparing, in five great caldrons, what they called " tisane" a sort of weak gruel, which in large zinc pails — a variety of which of different sizes were in waiting — ^is carried all over the establishment. Adjoining is the " Pharmacie" a light, airy room, in which, ranged on shelves, were a number of bottles containing the various elixirs — ^whatever they may be — that are good for old women, and which appeared, at all events, to be inodorous. I was next conducted to the hospital, a splendid detached building of twenty-four windows in front, and three stories Tirith an attic in height. On entering its iron gates, adjoining a porter's lodge, I found myself in a court full of lilacs in blossom. In this hospital, which can contain 400 persons^. there were 300 sick old women in twenty-four " salles des malades."* In walking through one of them I found, in twenty-four beds protected by white curtains, and arranged throughout the whole length of the hall in two rows, very nearly two dozen of old women, who, apparently without sufier- ings of any sort, were just going off, or rather out. Naturally attached to the fashions of their early days, most of them had tawdry-colored handkerchiefs wound round their heads ; and as the bright eyes that still enlivened the fine features of several were consecutively fixed on me, as I slowly walked by them on a floor so slippery that every instant I expected to fall on the back of my head, I could not help feeling that I had lived to see withering before me many of those beautiful flowers which, in the year 1815, when ihey were in full bloom, had been unkindly accused of assuming as their motto, " Vivent nos amis les ennemis !" In the garden attached to this hospital, and which was full of large beds of tulips, &c., in flower, I found only one old woman. She was sitting on a chair, reading, with her right foot resting on a pillow lying on a stool. At a little distance beyond her I came to a "rotunde," entitled "salle aux bain8,"t containing sixteen baths, each surrounded by white curtains, and heated by a large '^ohaudiere"| adjoining. ♦ Siok-wards. f Bath-room. X Stove. S84 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS, After meetinff and overtaking a number of old wom^ crawl- ihg and hobbling in various directions, I was conducted into the kitcben of the establishment, a long, narrow room, con- taining, in separate compartments heated by coal, three hot plates, each comprehending twelve coppers. There ^was also an oven for roasting. The gods and goddesses of this crea- tion consisted of seven young men-cooks, in white jackets, white waistcoats, white trowsers, white night-caps, and two maids in nice black gowns and black caps edged with white. From the kitchen I proceeded to an eating-hall (there are five of them), admirably lighted at both sides, containing three rows of tables of light oak colour, at which on rush- bottomed chairs, 700 old women, in two batches, dine per day. , . It appears that between sunrise and sunset these tooth- less old goodies are fed three times, as follows : from seven to eight, in two squads, they drink, in their second infancy, warm milk ; between eleven and twelve they have soup, with the beef that made it ; between four and five they mtinch " legumes et dessert,"* the precise meaning of which it would be very difficult to detail. There are forty-six dormitories, some of which contain 100 beds. The one I entered, and which, as is usual at Paris, was lighted throughout its whole length on both sides, con- tained in thjree rows forty-six beds. The. pillows, counter- panes, and window curtains were all white. v In a large detached building are 1200 lunatic women, who, I have been informed, are admirably attended to, but whom the public are very properly not allowed to visit. I was now conducted to a range of buildings, built by Cardinal Mazarin, upon which I observed inscribed '' B^ti- ment Mazarin, lere Piv. Reposantes," a receptacle for aged and infirm women who, during their youth, were servants in the establishment, and who, in consideration thereof, besides gratuitous lodging, have the same food which they had been in the habit of receiving, but no wages. In 1662 nearly ten thousand, poor people were received here. At present the number of " reposantes" amounts only to 350, divided^ into three grades : — >• * Vegetables and denert 1 1 w ' ♦ ONSERVATCJiE' DE8 ARTS ST METIEltS. 885 \\ ■ 1st. Those who were '' surreillantes"* have three rooms each. 2nd. " Sous-surveillanteB,"t two rooms each. 3rd. " Filles de servioe,"| one room each. Beyond this building is the ''^oours d'oavriers,"& contain- ing shops for carpenters, joiners, carriages, and eignt horses for bringing provisions to the establishment. As I had now hastily gone oyer this magnificent hospital, I re- turned with my guide through the great green entrance square,, and a more merry, happy scene I never beheld. Not a bon- net was to be seen, but either in caps white as snow, or in gaudy-coloured handkerchiefs, the old women were walkine. talking, and sitting with their friends, who, as I have stated, on Sundays are allowed to visit them from twelve to four, during the whole of which time a sergent de ville (agent of police), in his cocked hat, uniform, and sword, is to be seen walking magnificently up and down before the great entrance gate, to guard the establishment from improper intruders. • ••■ CONSERVATOIRE DES ARTS ET METIERS. B From the Hospice de la Yieillesse I hastened in a small four-wheeled citadine to a vast building in the Rue St. Martin, formerly the ancient abbey of >'St. Martin des Champs," upon the outside of which is inscribed— /» , « Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers:" a magnificent establishment, maintained by the public purse, for the instruction, — ^by eratuitous lectures, especially on Sundays, and by the exhibition of machines, models, draw- ings, and apparatus of the most scientific nature, — of mechan- • " * ■ * Saperintendenta t Female servants, f Aasbtant ditto. gWork-yards. I Museum of Arts and Trades. 286 A FAQGOT OF FBENOE STICKS. ioB and workmen of every desoription. In this < laudable object are employed fifteen professors of practical geometry and mechanics, natural philosophy, manufaotural economy, agriculture, manufaotural mechanics, descriptive geometry, ' manufaoturid legislation, practical chemistry, and the oeramio art. * _ O^^p^ring the great gate of this college for the indus- trial j^i^es, gratuitously open to Ihe public on Sundays and Thursdays, from ten to four, and before which I found pacing two sentinels, I passed through, in succession, a series of |i]plendid exhibition rooms, of which I can only attempt to W-lfi ft. very faint outline. ^ in'^e. lower halls I found, admirably arranged and beau- tifully lighted, models of cranes and of machines of various descriptions, of powder-mills^ and of the apparatus employed for elevating the obelisk of Luxor to its present site on the Place de Concorde. At the latter a mechanic, dressed in ft n blouse, was vory clearly explaining to three or four workmen, \\ similarly attired, the power and application of the ten sets of double blocks that had principally performed this mechan- ical feat. Adjoining, two soldiers in green worsted epaulets were pointing out to each other the operative powers of a spinning-machine ; a little farther on, groups of people were looking in silence at models of silk-mills under glass, of various powerful processes, furnaces, gasometers, &o. In a lar^e arched hall, lighted at both sides, I found in two divisions a variety of ploughs, spades, shovels, &nd tools of all possible and impossible forms of application; waggons, carts, harrows ; model of a horse skinned, showing the posi- tion and mechanical bearing of all the great muscles ; models of windmills, threshing machines, farm-buildings, farm har- ness, ^0., &c. After ascending a very handsome double stone staircase, I entered on its summit a fine hall, close to the door of which was appended the following notice : — . *' Ayis-Conform^ment aux ordres de M. le Minisire de rAgriculture et du Commerce, et de I'Avis da Ck>nBeil de Perfectionnement : — ' Lci belle colleotion d'instruments de physique que poss^de le ConsATatoii>e dee Arts et M^era sera ouverte a ravenir,-— CONSEBVATOIBE DM ABTS ET METIERS, 387 w lique, etc., les Jeudis et les DimaDches, a partir du Jeudi, 24 Janvier. " ' L'AdminiBtrat«ur du Conservatoire, "•A.MOBDf.'» " Paris, 22 Janvier, 1860." In a room headed '' Physique et M^caniqne," besides chemical and physical instruments of various sorts, were col- lected models of railroads, locomotive engines, tenders, car- riages, furnaces, air-pumps, galvanic batteries, also a powerful electrifying machine, which apparently possessed the faculty of attracting to itself every human being within sight of it. On approaching it I perceived a circle of faces, all convulse.d with laughter at the sudden loud, healthy squall of a fine- looking young woman who, from possessing in her composi- tion a very little of Eve's curiosity, had just received a smart shock. " Tout-partout !"t she exclaimed, as soon as she recovered herself, to the inquiry of her little sister, who, with an uplift^ ed face of fearful anxiety, affectionately asked her '^ Where it had struck her?" In a department headed " Verrerie" I found on one side models of glass houses of various constructions, and on the other an omnium-gatherum of locks, padlocks, mechanical instruments, and models of various descriptions. In this room I passed, carrying an infant, a maid-servant dressed in a conical cap like a sugar-loaf, more than a yard high. In a hall headed " G^om6trie" were models of breakwa^ ters, bridges, arches, staircases, cast-iron roofs, of all descrip- tions ; also, a model of a temple. In a splendid gallery 136 yards long, and headed ^' Ceramique," were various specimens of glass, porcelain, &o. In a room headed "OhauffageSj ^ Eclairages" were patterns of lamps, stoves, and furnaces. * Notice. — ^By order of the Minister of Agriculture and Commeree, and by the advice of the Ck»uncil, — The beautiful collection of instruments, ibo., for the improvement of arts and trades, shall be opened in future, — To men of science, artiste, and workmen, on Thursdays and Sundays^ from the 24th Januaiy. A. MoBiir, Paris, 22nd Jan., 1860. Chief of the Museum. f All over me I r<»"** dsa A FAOQOT OF FMMCH STICKS, • In one, not very oorreotly named '^ Aobnstique, G^dtfsie,'* I fottnd almost every visitor within it congregated in the vicinity of some mirrors that so -distorted the countenances of every one who looked at them that several ladies, in spite of the most earnest entreaties, pdsitively refused to approach them. The few who did, suddenly screamed, and, putting both hands before their faces, ran away amidst roars of laughter. On looking into the first I was introduced to my own face flattened in so extraordinary a manner that it resembled John Bull himself, under a free-trade pressure that had made his features twenty times as broad as they were high. On standing before the next I appeared as if I had suddenly had the honour of being created President of the United States, for my face,- which was a couple of feet long, was as sharp and narrow as the edge of a hatchet, and yet every feature was distinctly perceptible. On coming out of this admirable institution I inquired of a very intelligent young man dressed in a blouse the way to the General Post Office, at the '' Bureau Restunte" of which I had been informed there were lying some letters to my address ; and although it was raining, he insisted on accom- panying me through three crooked streets, in which he said LTwas afraid I should otherwise lose my way. As we were walking he told me he was a "• m^oanicien," and that he had just returned to Paris fr^m the Great Exhi- bition in Lolddon, where he had been employed to unpack and arrange the machinery he had taken over. I asked him how he had fared. He replied, " Parfaitement bien I"* but after praising the intelligence of the English people, he said, '' II Y a trop de s^v6rit6 dans leurs moeurs ;"t and he then theoret- ically explained to me what apparently unconsciously he was in person practically demonstrating, namely, the advantages to a countrv of politeness. In reply to these remarks I repeat- ed to him the observation of an American who, in preaching on the same text, very cleverly and truly said '' 1 guess, my friends, you can catch more flies with molasses wan with vinegar !" ♦ Perfectly weU I \ f There is too much severity in their mamierR. it i »» «3W*V" PANTHEON. 289 JN / PANTHEON. I On getting ont at the office of the Omnibus, I saw immediately before me, in the middle of a great square, a magnificent building, composed apparently of an ancient temple and a church. The former — ^whioh forms, in fact, the portico of the latter, and which stands above a flight of eleven steps, extending for its whole length, and overlooking the iron railing that divides it from the square — is composed of a triangular pediment 129 feet long by 22 feet high, supported by eighteen very handsome Corinthian columns 6 feet in diameter and 60 feet high. The ohuroh-looking building contains three domes — a very large one, a smaller one, and a lantern surrounded by a gallery and balustrade — one above another. The object of this splendid pile— for it is not a church — is sufficiently explained* by a series of figures in relief by David, representing on the triangular pediment of the portico, France, a figure 15 feet high, attended by Liberty and History, sur- rounded by, and dispensing honour to, Voltaire, Lafayette, Fen^lon, Bousseau, Mirabeau, Manuel, Garnet, David, and, of course. Napoleon and the principal heroes of the republican and imperial armies. Beneath, in letters of gold, is th^:: fol< lowing inscription: — *im^ " Aux Grands Hommes la Fatrie Reconnaissante."* On entering this splendid edifice, the interior of which, 80 ^ feet high, is a cruciform, 302 feet long by 255 broad, enlightened from above by the beautiful dome and cupola, surmounted by ' the lantern I have described, and by six semi-circular windows ' in the massive walls of the building, I was much surprised to ^nd that, comparatively speaking, it was as empty as an empty barn ! From the lofty cupola there slowly vibrated a pendu lum, the lower extremity of which, slightly touching some ^ ^ * To great men by a grateful countiy. t290 A FAGGOT OF FBENCH STICKS. loose sand on the pavement, was yery beantifully demonstrating the earth's moyemont round the sun. Within the immense almost vacant space I ohserved three statues, namely, of Clemency, of Justice, and, lastly, of Im- mortality, who, in June, 1848, while she was standing with a pen in one hand to record the " deeds " of Frenchmen, and with a crown of glory in the other to reward them, was sud^, denly almost shivered to pieces by a cannon-shot, which for the moment threatened, so far as she was concerned, for ever to destroy the immortality she was so generously dispensing to others. After, however, having been very cleverly stuck together again, she returned to her everlasting occupation and, so far as I could judge from looking at her, is not a bit the worse for the accident. On the four pilasters that support the gr^at dome there is inscribed — v>\ "Noms des Citojens Moris poor la defense dcs Lois et de la Liberty Les 27, :b3, 29 JuiUet^ 1880."* Amyk \\ Their names rere, however, in letters so small that I could not read them, and I was beginning to think I had come a long way to see a very little, when I observed a handsome- looking priest, three or four soldiers, and two persons dressed en bonr^ois following an official very finely attired, who had a lantern in one hand with a few tallow candles dangling in the other ; and I had scarcely joined the party when we were con- ducted by our magnificent guide to a door or opening, where we descended some steps into a series of vaults containing, in various descriptions of tombs, the bones of great men, whose names the guiae repeated so monotonously, so glibly, and so fast that it was with difficulty I could only occasionally com- prehend him. At the tomb of Voltaire, whose splendid tal- ents had been so grievously misapplied, I had but jnst time very hastily, by the light of one little thin tallow candle, to copy the following inscription: "Auz manes de Voltaire, ♦ Names of Citizens ^ who died in the defence of the Laws and of Liberty, ' ' on the 28th, 27th, 29th of July, 1830. vA PANTHEON, -:\ K. 2dr I'AssembUe Nationale a d«or6t6 le 30 Mars, 1791, qu'il ayaii m^ritd les honneurs dus aux grands hommes I"* From it the guide, in mnte silence, led as circuitoosly into a comer in whion was apparently nothing at all to be seen ; he however, struck the wall yer^ violently with a board, lyinf on purpose beside it, and there immediately resounded from all directions a lou«! report which echoed and re-echoed along the passaees and bver the bones of the dead. We now retraced our steps through darkness rendered vis- ible by the gleam of liffht the thin little candle occasionally oast upon the soldiers' l)right buttons and on the gold lace ^ the cocked hat of our guide. On ascending into the world— that is to say, into the Pantheon — ^we all trudged hastily across its stone and marble pavement to the foot of a small staircase, leading by 441 steps to the highest of the three domes. The young, idle soldiers abandoned the undertaking, but the two citizens followed the guide, the priest followed them, and I f(d^ lowed him. On reaching the top of the first dome, from which we were enabled to look down into the great Pantheon beneath, " Mon- sieur l'Abb6," as we all called him, who, I had observed, had been slightly puffing for some time, took out from underneath his veiy handsome gown, a large tobacco-bag, a lucifer-matoh, a small pipe, \diioh he lighted, and then, adjusting his three- cornered hat, and looking at us all very good-humouredly, he fltuok the thing into his mouth, its wire cover, suspended by a short, little, silvered chain, dangling beneath it. He was a remarkably fine, handsome, able-bodied, useful-looking man of about thirty-five years of age, and his black bands, edged with white, ornamented a neck and throat of unusual strength and thickness. On arriving at the top of the interior dome, supported by thirty-two Corinthian columns, resting on the lower dome, we all found ourselves more or less out of breath. " Sacre nom !"* said Monsieur l'Abb€, wiping his brow with his hand, as his stout foot attained the last step. Above us on the ceiling of the dome I beheld a picture, containing 3256 superficial feet, of Glovis, Charlemagne, St. Louis, Louis * To the Manes of Voltaire, the National Assembjy decreed on the 8Qih; of March, 1*791, that he bad merited the hououi's due to great men. ^rrU fHolvnamel 202 A FAOOOT OF FliENClI STICKS. XYIII., and three gigantic fluttering naked avgols, holding in their hands a scroll, on which, in large letters, was iuscribod the word " Gharte,"* garnished with innumerable heads and wings. Daring the third ascent, the staircase, although not very narrow, was so steep that mv face was constantly within a few inches of the black, stout balustrade calves of the legs of Monsieur I'Abb^, whose gown, twitched up by a loop, left them at liberty ; and somehow or other I was thinking of English '' navvies," when, happening to look upwards, I saw descending, feet foremost, a pair of white-stockinged legs of a totally dif- ferent description. I can say no more of them, for infinitely sooner than I can write the words there rustled by me a lady's silk gown. On arriving at the object of our ambition — the small balus- trude surrounding the lantern which forms the summit of the Pantheon — there burst upon us all a magnificent panorama it would be utterly impossible to describe. The whole of Paris —every window, every chimney, were distinguishable ; and as the atmosphere was as clear as that of the ocean, and as tho sun was shining with its full power, the contrasts between strong lights and deep shadows was most beautiful. Immedi- ately beneath was the green water of the reservoir. From it my eyes irregularly wandered — or rather revelled — along the course of the Seine wHh its various bridges, to palaces in all directions ; to the Tuileries ; to the Louvre ; to the Arc Tri- omphale de I'Etoile ; to the dome of the Invalides ; to Mont- martre ; to the distant Fort St. Yal^rien ; to the Gardens of the Luxembourg ; to the gilt, dazzling. Mercurial-looking figure on the suminitt of the monument on the Place de la Bastille, &o. Amidst the mass of houses in all directions prostrate beneath me, two or three broad, straight paved streets, diverging to their respective destinations, were strikingly contrasted with the in- numerable crooked ones which here, there, and everywhere ap- peared for a short distance until they dissolved into roofs and stacks of chimneys of different colours and shapes. In an an- cient picture of Paris forty-six years before Christ, which but the day before I had been looking at, the isle of Paris only contained a few rudely-constructed huts without chimneys I The view was as instructive as it was fascinating, and I should say no one can truly declare he has seen the metropolis of France who has not witnessed it. . ■ t . * Tlie Charter. rASTJIEOX 293 m- On tlio summit of the Pantheon I was so impressed with the uttor iusi^nificanoe of the deeds of " great men," in compar rison with light, air, and other natural beauties and blessings of creation, that I would fain have enjoyed mv location. As, however, my worthy comrades. Monsieur I'Abbd, and the rest of my party, had, I found, on looking around for them, left me, and as I was afraid if I remained i might be locked up, I de- scended to the cold paV^sment of the interior beneath, and after again wondering at its emptiness I determined to take my de- parture. On approaching the door I observed on the walls the following notice, which appeared at the moment to be rather inconsistent with the inscription on the magnificent triangular pediment above it : — "L'Inspecteur du Pantheon Boussign6 declare que les huit gardiens de ce monument n'out d'autre aalaire que ce que donuent lea visiteurs.— BOUOAULT." * On coming into the warm open air my ideas of grandeur were also, I m.ust own, a little disconcerted by seeing on the iron railings which encircled the Pantheon, on a tiny tricolor flag, afi&xed to a staff not bigger or longer than a mopstick, the words " Liberte, Fraternite, Egalit6." Crossing the square, I descended in a cabriolet on two wheels towards the Seine, through a street (the Bue St. Jacques) so delightfully crooked, irregular, and so sociably narrow, that people living in opposite houses could, apparently, from their windows shake hands with each other. Beside me, in the carriage, sitting on a piece of sheep-skin doubled, was the driver, dressed in rusty black, with a broad piece of dingy crape round his hat. He had a club-foot, only half a nose, but was, nevertheless, loquacious, and so, almost of his own accord, he explained to me that a small four-wheeled publio carriage that passed us was called " un milord;" that a "cita- dine " is also sometimes called a '' coup6 ;" and that a '' fiacre " has two horses. As, according to custom in Paris, he was driving me on the wrong side of everything we met, I asked him whether he found any difference, good or bad, in his occupation since the Bevo- * The Inspector of the Pantheon declares that the eight guardians of Uiis monument have no other salary than that given to ti^em by viaitont. Signed BouoAUW. , ^ s>i*« ,>*,^ua. 4* ,***»» f • mmmmmmm 294 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. lution ? He answered he did not gain now half as much as l>efore. "Why?" said I. - " Monsieur," he replied, " quand le commerce marohe " — here he gave his poor horse a hard whip on his shoulder — "■ il y a beaucoup de gens qui font leurs courses , quand il n'y a pas de commerce, ib font leurs courses h pied." * " Have you ever been to the top of *the Pantheon?" said I, ruminating on the magnificent prospect it had afforded me. " No, never," he replied. " I have been thirty years in Paris," ne added, '< but have never mounted to that !'*' £>r -♦•♦-•- i HOSPICE DBS ENFANS TROUVtJS. f - Once upon a time, a gentleman, entering a fiacre after rather too good a dinner, desired the coachman to drive him "to ttie Demi." After rumbling through Paris for some time the carriage stopped suddenly at the corner of a street. " Quel numSro, Monsieur ?" f said the driver, speaking very quietly over Lis shoulder. The gentleman, on looking to his right, saw just above him, inscribed on the wall, " Rue d'Enfer " ! | In the sam^ street, almost immediately opposite to that mag- nificent observatory — ^the eastern front of which is considered to be the latitude of Paris; in one of the rooms of which French philosophers have also traced its longitude ; in which are telescopes for looking into the heavens ; an anenometer for indicating the direction of the wind ; pluviometers for ascer • taining the amount of rain that falls at Paris during the year ; astronomical instruments of every description ; a theatre capa- ble of holding 800 persons, in which ML Arago gives bis lec- tures; also a magnificent library of 45,000 volumes — I came, before dinner, to a small tricoloured flag, dangling at the end of a sort of barber's pole, pointing upwards, over a square hole in a wall, about 18 inches high by 20 inches broad, filled up * When trade prospers^ a number of people ride ; when there is no trade, they walk. f What number, Su>f f Hell-etreet '^; •'i.'<> w f ' HOSPICE DBS ENFANS TROUVES. i295 W up no witH a black circular board, that looked as if it were a letter- box, but which is iu fact, a ** tour," or little turn-about, for the reception of ** babbies ;" and as the idea, on the mere showing of the case, appeared an odd one, and as the institution is open to the public, 1 ran^ at the large eate, and as soon as it was Ojpened I was intending to explain the object of my visit, when the porter, who knew what I wanted before I mentioned it, told me to sit down on a bench in the hall, and then, ringing a bell, added that a person would almost immediately come to attend me. .] With the concierge or porter, who now walked into a small room in front of me, there sat a nice, homely, benevolent-look- ing Soeur de la Charity, placidly occupied in mending, through dpectaeles, her coarse rough blue serge gown, which having, for that purpose, been turned up on her lap, showed me about a foot and a half of a white, very thick, soft, warm, comfortable- looking cotton petticoat. After I had been sitting about three or four minutes, the bell I had pulled rang again, and the porter, who had admitted me, opening it, a woman in a bright scarlet eloak, surmounted by a white cap with a profusion of blue ribbons, entered, stating she had just come from Yalen- dennes to see her r'ece. The porter looked as stout as if he himself were Koins to be confined,-^! mean by gout. His collar was red, nis face was red, and, apparently from constitutional reasons, rather tban from any other cause, it instantly became much redder. Somehow or other, the woman in scarlet, rightly or wrongly I know not, had inflamed it. She very quietly, after passing by die, walked into the little room opposite. " Madame est tres cavaliere 1 " * said the porter to the aoeur, pointing to the person who had offended him ; the soeur, however, desisting from her work, but without dropping her gown, spoke to the culprit softly, gently, and kindly. A door on my left now opened, and I perceived a respecta- ble-looking woman, who, without entering, by a signal with her hand gave me to understand she was ready to accompany me. As soon as I was beyond the door she had opened, I found myself in a large hollow square, formerly the convent of the Pr6tres de I'Oratoire, surrounded by the buildings of the in- stitution. In the centre of the front range, three stories high,, there beamed that emblem of order and regularity which ohft- ^ " "^ * Madame is rather too free t 296 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. racterisea every public establisliinent in Paris, a elook. On the left were inscribed over two adjoining doors the generic words "Bureaux," " Eoonomal." On the right was a lofty chapel, containing two tiers of windows. t 'j . About eighteen years ago there were in France no less than 296 foundling-hospitals, into which babies — often carried through the streets three or four together in a basket at the back of a porter employed to collect them — ^were injected without the slightest inquiry. In 1833, in consequence of the great mortality that had been observed to take place among them, and for other equally cogent reasons, the permission to do so was so far restricted that it was deemed necessary the infants should be presented with '' a certificate of abandon- ment," signed by a commissary of police, who, although he was permitted to admonish the mother or person abandoning the child, was not authorised to refuse the certificate required. This check, natural as it sounds, reduced the number of found- ling hospitals to 152. The restraint, however, was so unpopu- lar that in 1848 forty-four councils general, out of fifty-five, voted for its abolition ; and accordingly at present babies are received through the black turn-about as before. They are also received from almost any mothers who declare themselves unable to support them ; besides which, by order of the Pre- fect of Police, the establishment is obliged to accept orphans (from two to fourteen years of age), and also the children of any persons who will certify that they are too poor to maintain them. Almost as fast as the babies arrive, the healthv ones are despatched into the country to women who receive K>r them, at first, four francs per month, which, if they live to grow older, is gradually increased to eight ; and it has not unfrequently happened that a young mother, who had abandoned her own child, has applied to the foundling hospital into which she had poked it, to job, for the sake of the money, as a public nursling, an infant who, for aught she knows, may possibly be her own ! With these extraordinary data rumbling about in my mind I followed my attendant, who was evidently in a great hurry, into a very large, long apartment, called the " Creche." ] Before me, but rather to the left, I saw, as might be ex- pected, the head of a baby noddling in the arms of a woman, and, walking up to her, I found seated with her, on sixteen chairs which touched each other, sixteen country-looking wo- HOSPICE DES ENFANS THOVVES. 297 ex- an, ■een men, each in a peasant's dress, everyone of them with a baby'0 head resting or noddling on her left arm ; and the reason of its noddling was, that the whole of the rest of its person was swaddled as tight as if it had been a portion of the limb of a tree. As several of these women appeared to me to be old enough to be grandmothers, I was not at all astonished at hearing sev- eral of the infants, as I walked in front of them, cry ; the noise, however, was altogether greater— the chorus infinitely louder — than I could account for, and I was alike stunned and astonished by it, when, on reaching the end of the line, I feaw, to my utter astonishment, lying in one tray, jammed closer to each other than the notes of a piano-forte, in little black-edged caps, twelve babies, apparently born at the same minute, rather less than a week ago. Such a series of brown, red, yellow, pimpled, ugly, little faces I never beheld. Every one of them were not only squalling, but with every conceivable, as well as inconceivable, grimace, were twisting their little lips from one ear towards the other, as if all their mouths had been filled with rhubarb, jalap, aloes, mustard, in short, with anything out of the pharmacopoeia, of this world but what they wanted. There appeared to be no chance of their ever becoming quiet ; for one squalled because its tiny neighbour on each side squalled, and that set them all squalling ; and indeed, when the chorus, like a gale of wind, for the reasons explained in Colonel Reid's history of hurricanes, to a slight degree occasionally subsided, their little countenances evinced such real discomfort, that if they had had no voices, and for want of them had made no noise at all, it would have been impossible to have helped pitying them. Nobody, how- ever, but myself took the slightest notice of them. : The nurses walked about the room ; the sixteen women, leaning their bodies sometimes a little backwards, and sometimes a little forwards, seemed to be thinking only of lulling to rest their own new charge. For some time my attendant had been trying to hurry me away to what she considered more important scenes, but, without attending to her repeated solicitations, I stood for some minutes riveted to the ground ; and afterwards, in turning round to take a last, lingering, farewell view of the tray-full of babies, I observed, pinned at the back of each of their caps, a piece of I 298 A FAGGOT OF FBENCH STICKS. w paper, which my attendant told me was the infant's numberi whioh, in the register, records the day or night and hour at which it was received, — ^but too often that is all that is known 9s\ earth of its unfortunate history. As I was walking through this lofty and well-liehted room, the floor of wUoh I was astonished to find so polished and so slippery that, even without an infant in m;^ arms, I could scarcely keep on my legs, I perceived, on looking around me, that I was in a little world of babies ; in fact, there were no less than 120 iron cradles 1^11 of them. In different places I ob- served several women feeding them with flat glass bottles, in- tended to represent their mothers. At the end of the room stood a statue of our Saviour. ^ > My attendant now led me into a hall fuU of babies' cradles on one side, and beds for matrons on the other. Then to another room, containing thirty-eight cradles ; but as soon as, on the threshold of the door, she informed me they were full of infants with all sorts of diseases in their eyes, I whisked round, and, without giving her my reasons, told her I had rather not enter it. I, however, followed her through a long room full of cradles, surrounded by blue curtains, within every one of which was a sick infant, many afflicted with the measles ; and such a variety of little coughings, sneezings, cryings, and here and there violent squallings, as loud as if the child had some cuta- neous disorder, and they were skinning it, it would be very difl'.cult to describe. There were two rows of buildings, which I had observed from the windows, and which my attendant told me were full of great children, whom the public are not allowed to see. She, however, with evident pride, showed me a large laundry, two stories high, and a drying ground ; a farm-yard for cows and pigs ; some large gardens ; and an establishment of thirty yel- low 'buses, with a cabriolet on the top, for transporting sixteen country nurses at a time (the very number I had seen sitting in a row waiting for their 'bus), with their sixteen babies, to the various termini of the railways on which they were to be in- jected into the country. My attendant told me that the number of babies and chil- dren the establishment received last year amounted to about 5000 ; besides which, they have, in what she called " en dep6t," 1500, belonging to women who are ill and in hospital, in which case the establishment relieves thom of all their children. Of SOSPICE DES ENFANS TROUVES, ^ as. Ilie $000, all will bd strj^^orted by the " Hospice " until they are twenty-one years of age, or are apprenticed, or otherwise jprovided for. Besides the necessary amount of servants and nurses, there are thirty-four Sceurs do la Charity, three Priests (freres), and one " Instituteur." The total expense of the in- stitution amounted, in 1848, to 1,378,213 francs. My attendant now led me to what, instead of the last, ought to have been the first letter of her alphabet, namely, the <' tour," or turn-about, in which babies, as soon as the lamps are lighted, are received. At first I saw nothing but a small piece of dis- mal-looking dark wood, but on turning it round, there ffradually bpened to view a little cushion of straW; covered with fitded green stuff; and yet, simple as it was, I felt it impossible to look at it without being deeply impressed with tne political fallacy that, with good .ntentions, offers to the women of France in general, and of Paris in particular, a description of relief and assistance which, strange and dreadful to say, of all the animals in creation, no other living mother but a woman would accept f On inserting an infant into this tiny receptacle, — which not only severs it for ever from maternal care, but which I have no doubt has produced, on the hard pavement of the dark street in which the act has been so repeatedly committed, unutterable feelings and raving attitudes of misery, altogether beyond the power of the poet or the painter to describe, — a bell is either rung by the depositor, or, on the child squalling, it is turned round by the guardian in waiting, lifted out, numbered, and on the following day baptised with a name. I was now at the door at which I had entered ; but as I had been thinking of a few statistics I wished to obtain, after remunerating my attendant, I walked by myself across the interior hollow square into the department headed " Bureaux." The superintendent was out, and, seated in the office, I was awaiting his return, when, looking into an interior room, I saw several of the clerks engaged in kindly trying to pacify a gen- tleman who, for some reason or other, appeared considerably excited, and who, after various gesticulations, such as placing his two elbows almost together in front of his chest, opening and clenching the fingers of both hands, and lifting up one foot after ^mother, as if the floor was unpleasantly hot, at last, in a very squeaking tone, and with tearful eyes and cheeks, expressive of the most bitter grief, cried exactly like a child. The picture under any piroumstancea would have attracted a 300 A FAQQOT OF FRENCH STICKS.. w moment's attention ; but what rendered it to my mind more than ordinarily amusing was, that the fellow had a very long, well-oombed, black beard, which, as he shook it in crying, kept tapping the buttons of his waistooat 1 -•-•-•- LBFATB ET LAFITTB. My purse, when I left London, had contained but little money, and as that little, for a variety of very small reasons, no one of which could I recollect, had every day grown rather less, unlocking my writing-box, I opened my letter of credit, which, I felt quite proud to read, was adrcssed to what appeared to me to bo the California of Paris — ^namely, " Lafitte and Co. Maison Dor6e,* Bue Lafitte." Carefully putting it into my pocket, I descended my staircase into my street ; and while everything, influenced probably by my letter, was appearing to me ''en couleur do rose," I saw approaching me a 'bus, driven by a coachman in a beautiful glazed, bright yellow hat, a crimson waistcoat, a nice chocolate coat with crimson facings, and fine blue trousers, perched high above two white very little punchy horses, carrying their heads low, and at perfect ease. The picture exactly corresponded with my mind, and accordingly, holding up my stick, I soon found myself in the interior rumbling sideways along the Rue de la Paix. Unfor- tunately, however, alike unknown to myself and to her, I had sat on the cowl of a young Soeur de la Charity. I had never seen her face, and probably never should, had It not been that, as I sat in silence by her side, I felt a very little twitch, and, looking round, to my deep regret found that, in turning her head, her cowl had twisted itself, — or rather I had twisted it, — so that what ought to have been exactly under her chin was on her cheek. I looked very sorry; she looked very kind ; as quickly as I could I jumped up ; she gently shook her feathers, and then everything appeared as delightful as before. After proceeding a short way along the Boulovart des Ita? * The gilt house. -r ad LEFAYE ET LAFITTE. ^ fj^^. liebs; tlie conductor stopped the carriage, and, moving .his hand at me, I walked alons the. 'bus, descended the steps, and at the corner of the street oefore me read the cheering words " Bue de Lafitte." On inquiring in a shop for the house of Mon* sieur Lafitte, I was desired to go nearly to the end of the street, to No. 24. As, however, I approached my goal, I began to feel that either I or the numbers of the houses were a little tipsy, for above my head I read 15 and 21, then 17 and 23, and then 25. At last, after gaping around me for at least two minutes, I discovered over a rich substantial-looking door the number I wanted, and, accordingly, ringing at the bell, I told the concierge, apparently I have no doubt rather haughtily, but really and truly with harmless joy, that I wanted to see " Monsieur Lafitte." " II ne reste plus ici. Monsieur !" said the woman ; and on my declaring to her that he did^ she added very quietly, ''Non, Monsieur, il est mort, et sa femme aussi !"* r " He can't be dead !" said I to myself, as, slowly walking away, I took from my pocket the letter of credit which had so delightfully inflated me. I was wondering where in the whole world I should find the house of " Lafitte," when, close before me, I saw, in large letters, the word " Lepaye." The house of Lefaye, as it stood before my eyes, was com- posed of a thin narrow shop-door, immediately above which was a little dark boarded-up window, flanked on each side by a Venetian blind, a few inches long and broad, giving air to some dark interior cupboard. Above, was a tiny window of four panes, surmounted by an arch. One side of Lefaye's door from top to bottom was garnished with a bunch of onions, a small bundle of feather brushes, some dry and very old let- tuces, six little rush brooms, and four bundles of yellow things that looked like carrots stunted by adversity into radishes. On the other side of the door, above a tiny window, was inscribed in three lines — Bonilon et Boeuf ; n on the right of which, one above another, hung four bundles of yellow radishes, a little salad, and a bunch of carrots. * No, Sii*, ho is dead, and bis wife too. tJtiti l^i'^^ i m A FAGGOT OF FRmOB STICKS. W ^ The. whole of the house of poor '^Lefaye" oconpied a feipaee of about twelve feet broad by fifteen in height, and as I looked at it I oould soarcely believe that close to it in some direction or other was the <' Maison Dor^e" of " Lafitte." As, however, the above address was contained on my letter of credit, with the utmost reliance on its integrity I asked the first gentleman I met to be so good as to tell me where was the " Maison Dor6e." With a kind bow he in- formed me it was at the corner of the Boulevart des Italiens, and, accordingly, retracing my steps to the point indicated,— that at which 1 had descended from the 'bus, — \ saw sure enough a large house, of which the doors, windows, balconies, Und spikes on the roof were all gilt I The whole of the lower floor, however, consisted of a magnificent cafft ; and as that I knew was a place for spending money and not for receiving it, I ascended a staircase which conducted me into rather a handsome passage, at the end of which I indistinctly saw a harmless, infirm-looking gentleman, towards whom I walked, intending to ask him whereabouts in the Maison Dor^e I oould discover Monsieur Lafitte? On approaching him, I found he was myself! or rather a reflection of myself in a very handsome looking-glass, which covered the whole of the end of the passage. I turned back, and in due time, at tho end of the opposite passage, I saw myself again ! and as I could see nobody else, I descended the staircase, and, going into the cafS, ascertained that Lafitte and Co. lived within the porte-cochere adjoining the staircase I had ascended; and, accordingly, within a very handsome yard, and occupying very good apartments, I succeeded, after shooting so often at the large target of Bue Lafitte, in placing my arrow into the golden ball. In returning homewards through the Boulevart des Italiens, I found the whole breadth of the footway occupied by a crowd of well-dressed people watching a man balancing four eggs on the points of four spikes which he had ajffixed in the ground. A little farther on was rather a smaller crowd around a man jabbering praises, till he almost foamed at the mouth, in behalf of a combined inkstand, penknife, and pencilcase, tho parta of which, with a great deal of action, and with the finger and thumb only of each hand, he kept separating and \ LEFAYB ET LAFITTR 303 then aniting. Beside him, with a tuft of hair on the point of his ohin, and with his sword pendent at his side, was pacing very slowly a sergent de police, but, as is usual with respect to every thing that a£fords amusement in Paris.no notice was taken of the ohstruotion of the highway, whicn in London, where pleasure is subservient to business, would not have been allowed to exist for two minutes. Farther on a tall man in mustachios was selling cotton eravats. He trhew down on the pavement, with a theatrical air, a large bundle of them, from which, after extolling them for a long time, he selected a black one, then a green one, then a spotted one, which with much action he successively tied round his own handsome bare throat, the eyes of the crowd gravely following every handkerchief throughout its various manoeuvres. A short dowdy-looking shopkeeper: stepping forward, purchased a red one, with which he walked off, no doubt expecting that it would look as well around his neck as it had just appeared around that of the tall seller. ^ As I was observing this group there passed me several girls of about 13 or 14 years of age, dressed in white, and half veiled, exactly like brides. Many were accompanied by boys of their own age, in new clothes, with a white and silver scarf on one arm. On inquiry I found they were going to be confirmed, and I then recollected having observed, in shop windows, a quantity of little manniken shirt-fronts, with turned down collars, over which were inscribed, '' Chemises pour Irs Communistes."* t On turning round the comer I almost ran against four soldiers, carrying on their shoulders a bier or tressel, con- cealed by little hoops about two feet high, covered with brown canvas, and evidently containing a human body. On inquiry I ascertained it was a sick soldier, going to hospital. The streets of Paris at once announce to any strangeir that he is in a dry climate, inhabited by a gay people. In passing along them, on whatever subject I was reflect- ing, the extraordinary startling clearness of the atmosphere, which descended to the very pavement, continually attracted my attention. I used sometimes to fancy I saw before me the picture of a town with people walking about it, in which % * Slm'ta for first Commttnicanta. iili ■*f'^'3i\'^vv .at 804 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. w tho painter, like the man who built his house without a stair- case, had- forgotten to insert the smoke. The air was as clear as, indeed much clearer than, English country air usually is. Early in the morning the roofs and grotesque shapes of the tall crooked chimneys were to be seen reflected in sunshine on the opposite houses, while the remaining portion of the build- ings, as well as the pavement, which had just been swept, were cool, clean, and distinct. But the streets, especially the narrow ones, have at all times a picturesque appearance, the cause of which I was unable, for some time, to comprehend After a little observa- tion, however, I found it proceeded from the jumbled com- bination of an infinite variety of facades. For instance, even in the Rue St. Honors, the houses are like a box of mixed candles, composed of short sixes, long fours, " bed-rooms," and rushlights ; and, besides being of different heights, the aligne- ments are different. Some of the houses have stepped a few inches forward, some have retired backward: again, some have attics, aome have spikes on the roof, others neither the one nor the other. Some have balconies only at top, some only at bottom, others from top to bottom. Again, the shops are not only on the basement, but often in the middle, and occasionally at the very top of a house. There exist scarcely two together of the same height. Some have two, some three, advertising boards over them. Above the row of shops on the ground floor there exists an entresol, or low, inter- mediate story, exhibiting a stratum of windows of the most astonishing variety: one contains a single pane of glass, in the next house are seen two one above another, in the next two alongside of each other, then sixteen, then four, then an arched window. In one single compartment of the Rue St. Honor6, namely, between the Rue des Frondeurs and Rue St. Roch, the number of panes of glass in this stratum eccen- trically run as follows,— 20, 4, 8, 12, 12, 4, 16, 2, 2, 8, 8, 8, 9, 4, 9, 16, 16, 12, 12, 12, 12, 4, 12, 2, 2, 8, 2, 12, 8, 8, 16, 6, 2, 18, 12. Of the above the smaller number often form larger windows than the greater, and of those marked 16 and 12 almost all are of different shapes. Lastly, the chimney-stacks and chimney-pots are of every possible shape, size, and color ; and as the street itself is not straight, but writhes, its motley- colored architecture appears twisted and convulsed into all p- THE ELY SEE: 305 sorts of jpiotoresque forms. But besides this extraordinary variety I found, at first to my utter surprise, that the houses of Paris during the day actually change their shapes, and that an outline, which in the morning had been imprinted in my memory, appeared in the evening to be quite different, simply because every house in the French metropolis has Venetian blinds, which, according to the position of the sun, and occasionally in spite of the sun, at the whim of the inmates of the different stories, are opened and closed in an endless variety of forms. There is one other change which often attracted my attention. In driving through Paris towards the east, I always observed that, as the poor horse that was drawing my oitadine slowly trotted on, the wealth of the shops, especially in the Rue St. Honord, appeared gradually to die away. During spring, summer, and autumn, the people of Paris, as' might naturally be expected, are infinitely fonder of their atmosphere than the inhabitants of London. Besides balls and concerts in the open air, in the boulevards, avenues, and outside all the great caf6s, crowds of people are to be seen seated al fresco on chairs. The windows of the 'buses, no one of which has a door, are, eveii when it is cold, usually all down, and not only are many windows in the streets wide open, but they are almost invariably made with a contrivance for keeping them throughout the day ajar. But the climate of Paris has two extremes, and I was informed that in winter, just as if all had suddenly become chilly, the clear, fresh air, so profusely enjoyed in summer, is carefully shut out from almost every habitation. ^ •■•■1 fi >•» .1 ,! I THE ]fcLYS]fiB. As the ordinary Paris fiacres, which go anywhere within the city for twenty-five sous, are not allowed to drive into the great gate of the Elys^e, the residence of the President of the Republic, and as the " entree" is granted to those of forty sous, regardless of expense I hired one of the latter, and had not rumbled in it a hundred yards when I came to the line •-.*' VV^'W^x**-"*'** — jr.it'^ Titv'j'^a^.a:^^ i7.^m •00 A FAQOOT OF FUmOIl STICKS. of oarriagea proceeding there. Aa my coaohman, however, was for the occasion gifted with an ambasBador'a pass, we were permitted to break the line^ and we accordingly at once drove into the Court, in which 1 found assembled a strong ^ard of honour. On walking up the long ste|>s, and enter- ing the great hall, I saw in array before me, in very hand- iome liveries ornamented with broad lace, several stout, fine- lookinff, well-behaved servants, ono of whom took my hat, for which he gave me a slight bow and a substantial round wood- en counter. I then proceeded into the first of a handsome suit of small rooms, in which I found Prince Louis Napoleon, surrounded by a circle of people, principally in uniform. He looked pale and, generally speaking, pensive, but he had somethinff kind to say to everyoodv ; his manner was exceed- ingly mild, afiable, and gentlemanlike ; and yet it was inter- esting and at times almost painful to me to observe that, al- though at every new introduction his countenance beamed with momentary pleasure, it almost as invariably gradually relapsed into deep thought ; indeed, his position — from what is termed the mere showing of the case — ^was evidently an impracticable one. For a considerable time his visitors, of their own accord, appeared around him in a formal circle, of which he was the ornamental centre, and then all of a sudden — ^like the change in a kaleidoscope — ^the party broke into little groups, and he stood almost alone : nay, in the mere act of bowing, at one moment the scene, as it were instinctively, represented mo- narchy — and the next, as if the visitors had suddenly and uncomfortablv recollected something, a republic. Nevertheless, throughout the wnole of the rooms, there existed that striking anomaly which characterises the French nation — a crowd without pressure. In conversing with one of the principal aides-de-camps I asked him which was the room in which Napolebn had passed hie; last night (I did not say slept) before he took leave for ever of Paris. In reply he was obliging enough to take me into a privati9 chamber, when, pointing to the ceiling above our heads, he said to me — « Le voil^ !"• On returning to the suit of rooms which, constructed in 1718 £)r the Count d'Evreux,had since been the residence of ♦TWaislt! *^» ^ \ » MARCIIB DU VIEUX LINGS. 807 • Madame de Pompadour, mistrens of Louis XV., of the Mar- quis de MariffD^, of M. Beaujon, (a great banker), of the GoTernment rrmting office, of Marat, of Mapoleon, of the Emperor of Russia, of Napulcon agahi, of the Duke of Wel- lington, of the Duke de Berri, uf the Duke de Bordeaux, and bow of Prince Louis Napoleon, President of the Hepublio, I stood for some lime close to two of the boarded party called Red Republicans, and, having thus rapidly glanced at all I desired, I retired into the entrance-hall, where I received my hat from one richly-dressed servant, pust as another liveried menial of Democracy, with a magnificent voice, was calling out very lustily and with becoming importance — ^" La Voi- ture de Madame la Gomtesse de II"* As the strange political history of the building I was leaving flitted across my mind, " Here," Baid I to mytsel^ " wo ffo up^ up^ up^ Here we so down, down, down ; Here we go baokwards and forwardfl^ And here we go rotmd, roundi round I** >•> MAR0H6 DU VIEUX LINGE.t " What do you lack ? What do you lack ?" — ^^ Qu'est-ce que vous cherchez, Monsieur ?"| said a ^oung woman to me very sweetly : " Qu'est-oe que vous d^sirez ?"^ repeated one of my own age, rather hoarsely, ''qu'est-ce qu'il vous faut?"|| " Dites done, Monsieur I" said another. What I really wanted was to be allowed to walk through the busy hive I had entered unmolested, but that I soon found was utterly impossible. I had evidently come to buy something, and innumerable mouths of all ages, on my right and on my left, one after another, and occasionally half a * The Cotmtefls of . . . . \ Rag-market. % What do yon desire I .'a carriage stop? the way f " What are you loo! What do you want I ge BWj'v tu« wnjr i 1 Wh at are you looldng for t •"1: 308 A FAGGOT OF FliENCU STICKS. dozen together, were anxiously inquiring of me what that something was : " Qu'est-ce que e'est que Monsieur desire ?"* The ancient Temple of Paris built in 1222, originally contained — ^besides the Palace of the Grand Prior of the Or- der of Knights Templars of Jerusalem, with hotels, gardens, and dwellings in which debtors might seek refuge from arrest — a large tower flanked by four turrets, in which Louis XVI. and his family were not only iinprisoned, but from which, on the 21st of January, 1793, he was separated from them for ever, to be murdered on the Place de Louis XV. In 1805 the tower — every dog has its day— was demolished, and in 1809 Napoleon, whose extrordinary mind in the middle of all his victories conceived the formation at Paris of a rag- market ! converted a portion of the ancient Temple into the {)resent " Marchfi du Vieux Linge," which consists of an estab- ishment of 1888 little low shops, about the size of an English four-post bedstead, covering a space of ground 580 feet in length by 246 in breadth, divided by a cruciform path, in the centre of which, isolated from the hive, is a bureau full of Ar- gus-eyed windows looking in all directions. Besides the four divisions T have mentioned, this rectangular space, covered by an immense wooden roof, is subdivided lengthways into thirty- six alleys or paths, barely broad enough for two persons to walk together ; and breadthways into thirteen passages of the same narrow dimensions. Each little shop is usually com- posed of two large sea-chests, which at night contain its pro- perty and by day form its counter. From the name which this market bears I had fully ex- pected to find within it nothing but a sort of rag-fair, instead of which, its little shops contain an infinite variety of cheap mil- linery, linen, clothes, boots, shoes, and iron-work, old and new. As, like Gulliver, I strolled through the strets of this Lilli- putian city, which appeared to be almost exclusively inhabited by females, I was pleased to find as much propriety and polite- ness within it as could exist in the Bue St. Honors ; and ac- cordingly, although everybody was bargaining for rags, &o., with more or less energy, I heard " Owi, Madame I" " iVbw, Madame !" resounding from various directions. ' 's In one tiny shop as I passed it I observed a lusty pay- sanne. with a good deal of agony in her countenance, sitting UM^ * What does the gentlemon desire I Si' » I MARcnE Lu vmnx linge. '■*■ 309 with her sturdy right leg cocked out and up as if it had been of wood. " Ca vous va tris bien, Madame!"* observed the lady of the shop, who had just succeeded in forcing her cus- tomer's big foot into a little narrow shoe, at which, with well- feigned admiration, she kept bowing her head with delight. As I was sauntering through the next alley I saw a woman all of a sudden dart out of a shop and whip a diminutive, new, bright blue satin cap on the head of an infant in the arms of a very short countrywoman, who for some time had been de- murely waddling on before me, and who, indeed, was so stout that there had been hardly space enough for me to pass her. The poor good mother had no more intention of buying a little bright blue satin cap than I had, but hef child looked so beau- tiful in it that she evidently had not heart enough to take it oflF, and I left her firmly fascinated to the spot, which I have no doubt she never quitted until she had been persuaded to buy the cap. Again, a milliner had inveigled in a shop, about the size of a sea-steward's cabin, a young lady who, as I passed, was in the dangerous attitude of looking into a large glass, while the woman, with a delightful smile on her face, was gracefully tying under her victim's chin the strings of a new bonnet. For a considerable time I wandered between shops full of old iron, locks, thousands of old keys, warining-pans, saws, sauce-pans, rat-traps ; then through a region of old and new slippers, shoes, half-boots, boots, and jack-boots. Then I got into the latitude of darned stockings, as clean as new ; shirts, old and new ; empty stays that had, once upon a time, evidently been brimful ; faded handkerchiefs, washed till the spots had almost disappeared; gloves, blankets, coloured gowns, that, had — as if in the river Styx — ^been washed into the pale ghosts of what they had been. In one of these shops I observed an old woman trying to sell an old sheet to another old woman, whose shrivelled forefinger was unkindly pointing to a great hole in it. On changing my longitude I found myself amidst new mil- linery, artificial flowers, fine gold sprigs : " Qu'est-ce qu'il vous faut, Monsieur?" said a pretty milliner, screwing up her mouth, to me as I passed her. Then I came to parasols, and my mind finally rested on ^ whole world of mattresses. - ^ •'■ ■•♦ It fits you beautifully. ' " 310! A FAGGOT OF FRENCU STICKS, 11 On entering the little isolated glass "bureau," or office, iti the middle of the establishment I had just visited, I found two officers, one of whom, to a question that I put to him, briefly replying, " Je ne sais pas, Monsieur,"* walked out. As soon as he was out of sight the other officer, with great politeness, expressed to me his regret that, as a stranger, I should have received an answer " si malhonnSte ;"t he begged me to pardon it, to give myself the trouble to sit down, and to allow nim to afford me every information in his power. Accordingly, he told me that the 1888 shops committed to his surveillance, and open from sunrise to sunset throughout the year, are let by the week at one frank and forty centimes each, with an extra charge for insurance of five sous a- week, for which the chef of the establishment not only furnishes guards by day and four watchmen by night, but holds himself responsible for theft, which he added had, although a large portion of the goods are left on the counters at night, scarcely ever been committed ; indeed, the demand for these shops is so great that there are many respectable people who have been applying for one to the police for upwards of three years. He added, that the four squares formed by the two cruci- form roads, which in each direction bisect the establishment, are— 1. The " Palais Royal," containing modistes, soieries, robes de bal: in short, said he, it contains "tout ce qu'il y a de beau!"t 2. Le Oarr^-Nouf, containing " modistes et lingeries."^ 3. Le Oarr6, containing " batteries de cuisine en lingerie." || 4. The ForSt Noir,^ containing shoes, with old ironmon- gery of all descriptions. He informed me that in the establishment many persons had occupied their stalls since they were originally constructed by Napoleon in 1809, and that several had made "fortunes colossales."** Lastly, he told me that underneath the " March6 du Vieux Linge," in the centre of which we were sitting, are sub- terranean vaults which for many ages had been used as prisons. At a short distance eastward from the market just de- * I don't know, Sir. jh Milliners, silks, ball § Millinera and linen. t The Black Forest f So uncivil, every thing that is beautiful. I Kitchen utensils and linen. ** Colossal fc;*tanes. .V2A»\m LA CBECEE. •K 311 Boribed is a circular bailding, erected in 1788, when the Temple -was a sanctuary for debtors, called the " Rotonde," composed of arcaded shops overflowing with all sorts of old uniforms, from that of a drummer to a field-marshal. In one I saw piles of old epaulettes, belts, and shakos ; in others, knapsacks, {>ouches, and red tufts ; in another, bales of dragoons' old eather-lined trowsers, neatly folded ; in another, a medley of military gloves, cocked hats, and gaiters ; in another, heaps of blue trousers ; in another, a quantity of old trunks, also balls, two feet in diameter, of broad woollen list. With brains almost addled by the variety of old clothes I had been visiting, on leaving the Rotonde I stood for a few moments before the only part of the Temple that now exists, namely, the ancient palace of the Grand Prior : which, built in 1566, was converted in 1814 into a convent belonging to the '' Dames Benedictines de TAdoration du St. Sacrement." Over the entrance-gate of the ancient chapel of the Temple I ob- served, deeply engraved, the words *' Venite adoremus :" and strangely mixed up with this sacred invitation there appeared on each side, painted in large black letters, i.{ " LIBERTE, BGALITi, PRATERNIT^." • V'-J. M-..- • •• LA CRECHE. ^"^ V"m)rf^^' ^H ,^t^*m In the Rue St. Lazare, over a gateway, No. 148, leading into a small yard, I observed, printed in letters of various sizes, the following inscriptions : — - "Le Roy, Peintre."* •'Ds. Ride, SeiTurier."f ■' "Fleury, Tourneur sur Bois en tons genres." \ '\\ Lastly, — " Creches St. Louis d'Antin." > I, . ; ^ On the right of the gateway, on a board, was written, " A * Le Roy, Painter. f L. Ride, Lockmaker. i ' ?^' % Fleury, Turner of wood of nil soi-ts. 312 A FAGGOT OF FBENCE STICKS. lour de suite, grand et petit atelier."* On the left was af- \ fixed a little red box, bearing the word " trono,"t and in . white letters below, — » "Pour les pauvres petits enfents/'t In the yard I saw the staircase of the creche I had come to visit, and accordingly, ascending it, after two little turns, hardly worth recording, I found myself in the first of a suite of three small rooms lighted by ten windows, several of which were closed only by Venetian blinds. The rooms were full of iron cradles, and the cradles were full of babies, and the babies were evidently brimful of something or other, for they were as silent and quiet as if they were dead. At the end, on the wall of the first room, was a statue of our Saviour on the cross. In the second, dressed in coarso black gowns, on the shoulders of which hung a white napkin, covering the , headj stood two Soeurs de la Oharite ; and as one, wearing a long black rosary terminating in a black cross, on which, there appeared a figure of Christ in silver, was very young and pretty, I addressed myself to the other, a nice, warm, comfortable, honest-faced, ruddy woman, of about forty-five, who was leaning against a desk, over which was affixed a statue of the Virgin and Child, with the following inscrip- tion: — *' 3EI« troubmrtt Tjentant toutl&t Irana une ntt\t, ti, oubrant Uvxn trwors, luC offrirint taa Irons. "§ In each of the twelve arrondissements of Paris is estab- lished a " creche," or house of reception for enfants, under the following regulations : — 1. That the mother be poor. / " 2. That she works out of her own house. 3. That she conducts herself well. 4. That her infant is not sick. ^^, ;- -i.-' ,, 5. That it has been vaccinated. _ ' « . r * To let, a large and a small workshop. ^ ' f Money-box. •^ X For the poor little children. § They found the child lying in a manger, and opening their treas- ures they oflfered him giftst '^^T LA CRECHE. 8ld treaa- 6. That its age does not exceed two years. ^' Each creche is governed by a Conseil d' Administration, composed of two or three priests, three or four gentlemen, and two or three ladies ; a committee of ladies, composed of Madame la Presidente, six vice-presidents, Madame la Tr6- soriere, the President of the Medical Committee, and about forty or fifty Ladies Inspectresses ; a Medical Committee, composed of three or four physicians and an oculist ; and, lastly, a Lady Treasurer. These twelve little petticoat legis- latures are under the direction of a central committee or par- liament, which from time to time frame and issue general regulations for the government of the whole. Every creche is open from half-past five in the morning till half-past eight at night every day, excepting f^te-days, for the reception of all who have been recommended by the Ijfdies vice-presidents, and infants examined by one of the physicians of the creche. The mother is required to bfing her child in a clean state, to furnish linen for the day, and, if she can afFord it, to pay twenty centimes (2c?.) per diem for its management. She is required to suckle it when she brings it ; to come and repeat the dose twice during the day, and again at night, when she takes the thing (" la creatura") away ; for under no circumstances is it permitted to sleep in the creche. The kind sister, having very good-humouredly explained to me these preliminaries, conducted me into room No. 1, in the centre of which there was what she called a " poupon- niere," or pound, in which those little errant infants that can stand are allowed to scramble round a small circular en- closure, composed of a rail, just high enough for them to hold. Within it were seven or eight, all dressed in red caps, little blue frocks covered with white spots, and very clean white pinafores, in winter exchanged for colored ones with sleeves. Every child on its arrival in the morning is stripped of its own clothes, which are hung up in a closet, and instead there- of it wears throughout the day the costume, or, as my scour termed it, " I'uniforme de la creche," as described. At night it is again washed and re-dressed in its own clothes. Around the pouponniere, against the walls of the room, there stood shaded by white curtains fourteen little iron bed- steads, 2 feet 8 inches hia;h. on each of which was appended a 814 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. \ black plate of iron, bearing, in white letters, the name of the charitable person who had given it (the bedstead, not the baby) to the creche. The bedding consists of two clean mattresses, both filled with oat-chaff, a soft white pillow, blankets, but no sheets. In every one of these cradle bedsteads, in each of the three rooms, I found, as, in passing along with the soeur, I peeped into it, an infant in a pink cap fast asleep. One, as I gently ^ withdrew its curtains, suddenly twisted round, as if I had stuck a long pin through it. Another lay quite exhausted, with its little toothless mouth wide open, and with a fly on its nose. One had flushed cheeks like roses. Another, only twenty-five days old, looked flabby, and breathed very quick- ly. Another was sleeping with a fist on its left eye. Another had his right arm extended, with its tiny empty hand wide open. Some were lying on their sides, some on their backs. One, with its eyes open, was sucking the whole of its hand. Another was crumpled up with its head under the clothes, and its little wrong end on the pillow. One slept with its elbow up ; one, with its hand under its cap, was pinching and pulling at its own ear. Of one nothing was to be seen but the back of its pink nightcap. In each room, close to the windows, which were all wide open, stood a row of white basins, with two small sponges in each. In the middle of the room hung a thermometer. Out- side the windows of the three chambers, in a balcony 30 feet long and 4 feet broad, covered with a chequered awning, and wired at the sides, I found a number of infants in " uniforme," enjoying the fresh air. The soeur, now taking hold of a bunch of polished keys, which, beneath the black rosary, had been dangling by her side, led me to the door of a cupboard, quite full of bottles of nau- seous-looking medicine of various sorts. She then showed me the " lingerie," a large wardrobe, replete with blue and white clothes, neatly folded, and beautifully clean; a passage, in which the clothes belonging to the children were hanging for the day; a small kitchen, about 10 feet square, containing in the middle a hot plate, not a yard square, with a number of little pans hanging on the walls ; and, lastly, a little room, containing two rows of exceedingly small, low, rush-bottomed chairs, all possessing a certain strong family likeness, which need not more accurately be described. ZA ORECIIE. ^ ^ifj * As we were walking through the establishment, I observed, attending to the children, three or four young women, dressed in blue gowns, with white handkerchiefs coverir^g their heads, and ending in a corner down their backs. Each of these " ber- ceuses" is required to take charge of six infants not weaned, or twelve that are weaned, or twenty that can eat and run alone. The youngest, besides the natural nourishment their mothers are required to give to them, are kept quiet {i e. full) during the day by means of what the soeur called a " biberon," Anglice, a bottle with a zinc top. The weaned are collected together into a pouponni^re, where they are filled With soup and bread. Among a long list of very sensible regulations, by which the creches of Paris are conducted, and which the soeur was good enough to explain to me, the following are submitted for the consideration, not only of such of my young readers as may lately have happened to set up a baby, but of any one who secretly believes that some of these days he, she, or both, may perhaps have one or possibly two : — No flowers are admitted into the creche. No bonbons — no cakes — ^no painted toys to suck. .' The curtains of cradles should never be entirely closed. Every baby should enjoy " pieds chauds, ventre libre, t6te fratche." * It should never be lifted by one arm. It should be caressed, but — (the following regulation applies only to the bahy) — seldom kissed. It should not be awakened when asleep. It should be seldom scolded — never beaten. If an infant begins to squall, the best way to quiet it — "calmer ses cris" — is to play to it gently on an accordion. Lastly, its mother, however poor, should teach it " h, dtre aimable, aimant, poli, bon, reconnaissant." f The good soeur, now taking me to her desk, showed me a book, containing the daily report of the physician, whose state- ments, open to the public, may thus be verified or complained of ; also one, ruled like an almanac, containing the addresses of the sixty children (the present number of inmates), to whose names she is required to make a cross every day they come ; * Warm feet, an unconfiaed stomach, and a cool head. f To be amiable, loving, polite, good, grateful. •' 816 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. another book, for the lady inspeotresses of the day (there are no less than sixty of them), stating, in a report wnich they then sign, the number of children received ; another, detailing not only the number of children admitted per annum, but a little history of each, i. e. their names, residences, dates of ad- mission and departure ; deaths, if any ; their parents, with the profession of each. An account-book, very clearly written, of receipts and expenses. Lastly, a list of the contents of the creche. In this inventory the furniture of the rooms is de- scribed as follows : — Boom No. 1. " Un Christ, un b^nitier, un tronc." Boom 2. " Une vierge, une horloge, et un autre tronc." * Lastly, the soeur gave me the following blank printed for- mula, which the ladies inspectresses (among them are twenty- three baronnes, one comtesse, and one marquise) are daily re- quired to fill up : — Questionnaire mr la Tenue de la Crhche pour Jf "•••• les Inspeetricea. f Mesdames les Inspeetricea sont prices de donner un rapport dans le cou- rant de chaque mois. Ce rapport continent les r^ponses aux questions ; et si Madame I'lnspectrice juge k propos d'y mettre quelques observations, le Comit6 les examinera tr6s attentivement i . i^ ;, Jour et heure de la visite: 1. L'escalier est-U propre ? / ' ' 2. Combien de degr^s marque le thermom^tre ? 8. Les salles ont-elles de I'odeur ? 4. Sout-elles bien rang^es 8 f last of Questions on the State of the Crhche for the Lady Inspectresses, The Lady Inspectresses are requested to give a report in tlie course of each month. This report contains the answers to the questions ; and if the Lady Inspectress thinks proper to add any observations to it, the Com- mittee ■wiU examine them very attentively. The day and hour of the visit : 1. Is the staircase clean ? 2. At how many degrees does the thermometer stand? 8. Is there any bad smell in the rooms ? 4. Are they well an-anged ? * A Christ, a holy-water pot, and a money-box. A Virgin, a clock, and another money-box. <> LA CBECHE. 317 5. Reste-t-il des vdtements accrochda au mur t ^ 6. Les couches s^chent-elles autour des ponies I ■7. Les lits sont-Ufl propres ? 8. Les paillassons sont-ila mouillSs } 9. La cuisine est-elle propre ? 10. Les potages sont-ils bien faits ? 11. Les berceuses sont-elles propres sor elles ( 12. Sont-elles toutes d leur poste ? 18. S'occupent-elles bien des enfants ? 14. Ne regoivcnt-elles pas de visites particulidres 9 15. Ne travaillent-elles pas pour elles ? Parlent-elles durement ou grossi^rement aux enfiants 9 Mangent-elles dans les saUes des aliments qui ont de I'odeur t R^pondent-elles avec politesse aux Inspectrices et aux visiteurs 9 Surveillent-elles les enfants lorsqu'ils sont aux lieux d'aisances ? 'Nq laisseut-elles pas trainer des ^pingles 4 terre ou sur lea bof* 16. 17 18. 19. 20. ceaux? 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. enfants? Les enfants sont-ils bien propres ? La surveillante est-elle 4 son poste) La lingerie est-elle en ordre ? . Les registres sont-ils bien tenus? Les inures sont-elles contentes des soins que la Or^che doiinei leuM 5. Are there any clothes left hanging up on the wall f 6. Are the children's napkins drying around tne stoves 9 7. Are the beds clean 9 8. Are the straw mats wet 9 ■ 9. Is the kitchen clean 9 10. Are the broths well made 9 1 1 . Are the nurses neat and clean in their persons 9 12. Are they all at their posts 9 ' ,, . - . 18. Do they attend carefully to the children 9 ' ■' '• • ■' - - 14. Do they not receive private visits 9 16. Do they not work for themselves 9 16. Do they speak harshly or coarsely to the children 9 17. Do they in the rooms eat any food with a strong smell 9 ■ 18. Do they answer with politeness the lady patronesses and visiters? 19. Do they watch the children when they are on their chairs 9 - 20. Do they not di'op pins on the floor or on the cradles 8 21. Are the children perfectly clean? -, 22. Is the Superintendent at her post 9 23. Is the linen in good order ? 24. Are the registers carefully kept ? 26. Are the mothers satisfied with the cai'e and attei ion bestowed on their children at the Creche ? .■>*«'J , '■ '?M.", V,v'-j' ...Av•■^• :■ :^ ■ti.i'--U^l-'\l . )...'i;i;V;^ii' •! 8iflr A FAGGOT OF FUEHiVn HTlVJiS. ■■*> \ U INSTITUTION NATIONALE PES SOURDS-MUETS.* This charitible institution (situated in the Rue de St. Jacques), for the reception of deaf and dumb children, from eight to fifteen years of age, whose parents have not the means of edu- cating them, is open to public inspection on Mondays, Wednes- days, and Fridays, from three to five o'clock, and accordingly, on calling on the latter day at the hour appointed, I was po- litely received, and cheerfully conducted by one of its princi- pal superintendents into a sort of garden, in which I found, under the charge of the " surveillant en chef," himself deaf and dumb, 116 fine, healthy-looking deaf and dumb boys, dressed in blouses, amusing themselves at gymnastic exer- cises, at bowls, and at a Frenchified description of leapfrog. - A happier, ruddier, and more joyous set of countenances I have seldom beheld, and I was returning to several of them a small portion of the smile or grin with which they had greeted when all of a sudden a drum beat, on which, just an if me they had heard its roll, they all instantly desisted from thoir games, fell into line, and by beat of drum, with which their feet kept perfect time, they marched away, following the drum- mer-boy, who was tilso deaf and dumb. " They cannot be perfectly deaf^^ I said, " if they hear that drum?" In reply my guide informed me its roll had no effect on their ears, but created an immediate vibration in their chests, which, although in describing it he had put his hand thereon, he termed " dans I'estomao." As we were following the young soldiers, " Where are the sixty little girls ?" said I. Stopping shortly, he replied, very gravely, " Visitors are never allowed to see them}"^ " Why ?" I asked. " Monsieur," he replied, " parce qu'elles ont des yeux. EUep * National Institution for the Deaf and Dumb. mSTITUTION NATIONALS DES SOURDS-MUETS. 319 ne sont pas comme des aveuglis. II n'y a que les pr^tres qui peuvent y entrer !" • On entering the Salle des Excrcioes, which I found full of empty benches, and in which I was introduced to an exceed- ingly intelligent-looking deaf and dumb professor, wearing a long black beard, I was shown a fine picture of the original founder of the establishment, the Abb6 de I'Ep^e, embracing the young deaf and dumb Count de Toulouse, whom he had educated. There was, moreoyer, a bust of the founder, as also one of the Abb6 de Sicard, who, on the death of the Abb6 de r£p6e, in 1796, undertook the management of the establish- ment, which, during the revolution of 1789, had been trans- ferred from a convent of Oelestines to the buildings of the S^minaire de St. Magloire, where it now exists. After proceeding along a passage, my guide opened the door of a large room, which I found nearly full of the boys I had found playing, now as busily engaged in tailoring, under a person for whose benefit, in return for his imttruotion, they were sewing and stitching with great alacrity. On my asking this professor of the needle and shears whe- ther his pupils understood him when he spoke to them, he good-humouredly replied, " We have no occasion for many words ; they see by my eyes if I am not satisfied." I next en- tered a room in which about twenty boys were engaged in lithography, the details of which they executed very credit- ably. Several of their drawings on paper, afterwards to be transferred to stone, were very beautiful, and, while they were thus engaged, others at the end of the room were working the lithograthic presses. In the next room we entered I found seated on stools, hammering, grinning, laughing, and altogether looking as merry as grigs, twenty-two young shoemakers, among whom I recognised the drummer. To this boy, while the professor was gravely explaining to me his own duties, I made a slight military movement with my wrists and elbows, at which he in- stantly grinned, and the boys all — for all had watched me from the moment I had entered — grinned too ; the professor smiled, my guide smiled, and I left them happy and hammering, as I had found them, to enter a room in which, under a deaf and * Sir, because they have eyes. They ai-e not like the blind, persons but priests are allowed to go to them. No ' ( 320 "^ . A FAOaOT OF FRENCH STICKS. dumb instructor, I found a number of boys employed in turning. In the drawing room are eight double benches, on whioh Bucoessively every boy in the establishment takes his seat, for, although in other studies they are allowed to a certain dcgrco to follow the bias of their own inclinations, yet all are taught to draw, for the purpose of enabling them with facility to de- lineate the signs and the alphabet by whioh they are enabled mutually to communicate their ideas to each other. The dis- position of their time is as follows : — throughout the year they rise at five, in order at half-past to be at their studies, at which they remain till seven, when they breakfast, and at half- past seven enter the various workshops, in whioh they continue till ten, when they are taught reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, and history till twelve. From noon until half-past they have their dinner, or, as my guide called it, their " grand dlje(tn6." * They then play for naif an hour till one, when they go, on alternate days, to writing for an hour, till two. They are employed in reading, &c., till four, when they have half an hour allowed them for a '■petit repas"t &nd play. From half-past four, for two hours and a half, they are again in the workshops, and from half- past six at study till half-past seven, when they go to supper ; after which they are again allowed recreation till half-past eight, when they all go to bed. In a long room supported in the middle by a set of plain stone columns, lighted by windows on each side, also at both ends, and with a floor of oak, waxed, polished, and as slippery as glass, I found sixty plain iron bedsteads, each of which, be- sides comfortable bedding, had an exceedingly clean counter- pane. At the foot of every bed was suspended the name of its temporary tenant, and between each bedstead a small " ta- ble de nuit." At one end of this airy hall there stood a large, luxurious bed, in which, blinded by curtains, and deaf and dumb, reposes and snores the " Surveillant :" J at the other end, in a smaller bed, lies, ourtainless, the " Garqon de Salle."^ Between the two, on little iron pedestals, I observed, stand- ing erect, six glass tumbers, half full of oil, to give a feeble light at night. The lofty windows on both sides, as also at * Great breakfast. % The superinlendent. + Slight refreshment. 3 The hall servant. mSTITUTION riTJONALE DES SOUBDS-MUETS. 321 each end, wcro wido open, and at each end of the hall was a large orifice in brass for the admission of hot air in winter. Adjoining to this healthy, well-ventilated dormitory, I found an admirable long waHhing-room, containing along its two sides a leaden trough, above which protruded from the wall sixty water-cocks, and above them a pole, on which hung, touching each other, sixty towels. In the corner was a large tap, which on being turned by my guide, there instantlv rushed very violently from each of the sixty smaller ones, along the walls of the room, a little stream, by which arrangement every boy enjoys exclusively his place, towel, stream, and, moreover, his proportion of that commonwealth the public trough. In the middle of the room was a long table, or dresser, beneath which in pigeon-hole shelves were their dressing-boxes. On entering the chapel, I saw above a plain homely altar — surrounded by rails, and on which there were only six can- dles — a fine and appropriate picture of Jesus Christ giving words to the dumb and hearing to the deaf. There was also an uifecting picture, drawn by Peyson, a deaf and dumb artist, of the demise of the good Abb6 de I'Ep^e, around whose death-bed there appear the Abbe Sicard, and a young man, Antoine Dubois, now ninety-four years of age, who was a pupil of the Abb6 de I'Epee, under whose will he continues to enjoy the benefits of the institution. In the middle of the chapel there stood in rows twenty oak benches for the boys, and above them a gallery for the girls scientifically arranged, so as to allow them to see the altar without being able to look at the boys. The service is con- ducted in the ordinary manner, — that is to say, the priest, sometimes facing his deaf and dumb congregation, and some- times turning his back upon them, chants and sings to them just as if they all heard him. Although, in an establishment open to the public three days a week, visiters are, as I have stated, not allowed to in- trude into the department allotted to the girls, and although every judicious precaution seems to be taken to shield the whole of the young inmates from evil, all are very properly allowed to go to their parents whenever they may apply for them ; moreover, on Thursdays and Saturdays they are taken out to enjoy a walk through the gay noisy idtreets of Paris, which to their senses must appear as silent as the grave. "' i 322 A FAGGOT OF FEENC.H STICKS. r 1^'foiu the chapel I was conducted into the cleanest and most airy dining-room that can possibly be conceived. On each side of this hall, the floor of which was flagged very neatly in squares placed diagonally, were a series of lofty windows, most of them wide open, and in the middle three long tables of conglomerated red and yellow marble, beneath which, on a narrow wooden shelf, were arranged the napkin and silver mug of each boy ; besides which, I observed, lying close to one of the common benches which suri^ounded these three tables, a very large basket brim-full of silver spoons and silver four-pronged forks, marked with the letters " S. and M." — a just satire, I whispered to myself, on the inconsistency of feeding with plate deaf and dumb boys, whose certificate for admission into the establishment must be "utter destitution V^ At each end of the hall are arranged crossways three tables in a row for the masters and professors — all deaf and dumb. I was now conducted into the open air to a sanded prome- nade or terrace for the boys, broad enough and handsome enough for a palace, overlooking a large walled well-stocked kitchen-garden, full of fruit, at which they are permitted only to look. From the end of this terrace was a flight of steps descending into a large space shaded by trees, the playground and gymnasium in which I had found the boys. From the dining-room I secretly prophesied that I should be — and I was — conducted into the kitchen, which, in keeping with the rest of the establishment, was light and airy. In it, as ifl usual in all the public establishments of Paris, I found the application of heat so scientifically arranged, that within one hot plate, only eight feet in length by five in breadth, the smoke of which was carried down below, the whole diurnal cookery for governor, professors, boys, girls, and servants was easily performed. In this well-arranged charity, the deaf and dumb inmates of both sexes are instructed by means of two different lan- guages, namely, by alphabet, and by what is significantly termed " signes mimiques."* In their various studies, where ax}curacy of expression is required, the formtr only is permit- ted : for the purposes of rapid conversation the latter is not only taught, but is generally used. The one slowly but surely reaches its point, while the other dashes towards it with a ge- nius and impetuosity which are highly interesting to witness. * Mimic sigua, " n INSTITUTION NATIONALS DES SOUEDS-MUETS. 333 For in8tan«e, as I was desoending a winding staircase, conversing with my guide, I observed a fine hetdthy merry boy rapidly but inquisitively, as he passed us, touch with the fore-finger of his right hand his eyes and mouth. It was to ask if the chief superintendent (he who sees all and talks all) was coming. Another boy, in running fast by us, interroga- tively made with his right hand two slight undulating motions. I asked my guide what that meant. ^ " He asked me," he replied, " whether you were not a for- eigner (' d'outre-mer'),* which he represented by figuring with his hand the waves of the sea. You might have perceived as I was talking to you I repeated his ' signe mimique/ by which I informed him that you were ' d'outre-mer.' " In taking leave of this interesting establishment, I stood for a few moments in the entrance square to look at an object of great curiosity, — an enormous elm (orme), 246 years of age and 90 feet in height, which had been planted by Sully, minis- ter of Henry IV. For about fifty feet its tall straight stem has, in accordance with the fashion of the day, been lopped, but the remaining forty feet of branches, the bark, and fabric, show no signs of age ; indeed, it is considered to be the finest tree in the neighbourhood of Paris. On re-enteriiJg the Rue de St. Jacques, I met a procession of children, from three to five years of age, preceding a crooked, withered woman, who from old age was apparently able to hobble on just about as fast as they had learned to walk. One little follow, without a hat, and with black shaggy hair, had on the bosom of his frock a snip of scarlet riband, from which dangled an eight-pointed cross of some sort, the ancient order of sugar-plums, I suppose. As I was looking at them, we were overtaken by a line of schoolboys, dressed, as is usual in Paris, in tight blue coats edged with red, with a jiggamaree ornament embroidered on their collars. All this is well enough ; but when I reflected that a boy's stomach is the en- gine that is to propel him to advancement in the army, navy, law, church, — ^in fact, in every profession of life, — I could not but lament the foolish French practice of allowing the rising generation to pinch in their waists with black patent leather belts, which must surely not only impede the circulation of their young blood, but seriously interfere with the healthy * Fi'om beyond the eea. 324 \ 1 A FAGGOT OF FEENCII STICKS. digestion of their food ; and, as all the schoolboys in Paris are thus waspified, the distinction, after all, is nil I -♦-•••- ROULAGE. I HAD rumbled along for a (considerable time in an omnibus, when the conductor— dressed as usual in a blue coat, em- broidered silver collar, blue trowsers, with black leather imi- tation boots, silver plaquet, and a variety of little silver chains dangling across his breast — ^pulling his string to stop the carriage, made a signal to me to get out, and, as soon as I had obeyed him, pointing to a small office, the carriage drove off. On entering it I found no one but its superintendent, who in exchange for my ticket gave me another, and he had hard- ly done so when several people, one after another, came in to wait for the same 'bus I was waiting for. On its arrival it was raining hard, and, although I was pressed for time, I felt that, as those who were in the room were principally ladies, it was hopeless for me to expect to get away, especially as the carriage, excepting one place, was full, and therefore, while most of the expectants walked towards it, I remained in the office. All of a sudden, however, I heard the superintendent call out " Numero 1," and, as that was my number, I emerged from my den, ascended the step, and had scarcely filled the vacant place when the vehicle drove on, leaving all the ladies in the street, and the carriage being now full, the conductor affixed to it, over his head, a board on which was inscribed the word " complet," a signal to lusty ladies and gentlemen not, as in England, uselessly to run after it. On sitting down, withoxit looking at anybody, but, on the contrary, fixing my eyes on that part of the woodwork of the roof imniediately before my eyes, I, with the forefinger of my right hand, slightly touched the brim of my hat. The effect it produced was that which I had repeatedly observed. The people of Paris, though they are too polite to appear even to notice it, are constantly offended by the devil-may- ■^^X'''''¥■^ BOULAGE. tl>>i.^i' 325 Ssh on the of the of my effeot The care way in which an Englishman, pulling his hat over his eyes, takes his place in a public conveyance ; whereas, if he will perform but the slight homage to their presence I have described, he will perceive by a variety of little movements that his desire has not only been understood, but appreciated. By performing this small magic ceremony, I observed that the 'busful of people were anxious to befriend me in anyway, and although it is not the custom in France to talk in an om- nibus, yet even that rule was broken in my favour ; indeed, I had scarcely seated myself when a young Frenchman oppo- site to me spoke to me in English ; and, as I wished in return to please Idm, I told him, in reply to his query, that I under- stood him perfectly, and, to reward him still more, I repeat- ed it in French, that everybody in the 'bus — they were all listening — might hear it. With satisfaction that could scarcely conceal his humility, he told me could read English quite as well as French : " Boat," said he, pronouncing every sylla- ble very slowly, " eye arm vairi opaque een spaking de Aing- leesh." I told him that, on the contrary, he expressed himself very transparently. In a Paris 'bus it is, very properly, deemed unpolite to encumber fellow-passengers, especially ladies, with help ; and as the carriage has been made broad enough for its purpose, and as to the roof are afi&xed two brass hand-rails, people enter and exeunt without touching or being touched by any one. One of the most pleasing of the domestic habits of the French 'bus is, that it is left to everybody's honour to pay his fare. As people keep thronging in, they sit down, and, al- most on purpose, look as if they were thinking of anything but money ; the conducteur also looks anywhere but towards them ; however, in due time, they are observed to fumble in their pockets or in their reticules, and at last out comes the six sous, which, handed from one to another — ^from a priest to a peasant, and from an ofl&cer to a Sister of Charity — at last reaches him whose duty it is to pay to his employers the number of fares denoted by the finger of the tell-tale clock, which, as I have before stated, is required to toll " one" on the entrance of e^ery passenger whose age exceeds four years. Statesmen, warriors, and divines who have not attained that period of life enjoy the privilege of travelling free. % 326 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. There are in Paris thirty-five establishments, " message- ries," for the transport by " roulage" of heavy goods. The largest in the Bue de Chabronne, I had intended to visit ; but as, after leaving my 'bus, I was walking through the Rue de Quatre Fils, happening to see on my left, through a great porte-cochere, one of these establishments, on the spur of the moment I reeled into it. Under a large shed, covered with packages of all sorts, I found only one crane in a space in which, in London, there would have been seen half a dozen, lifting and dry-nursing all descriptions of goods. The consequence was, that a vast amount of unnecessary labour, set to music by a deal of un- necessary taPiing, was being expended in hauling at, and ar- guing with, heavy packages, hanging in the air, that might have been made to fly in silence to the carts that were wait- ing to receive them. There was, however, one feat which in Paris I constantly admired, and which might be introduced into England with great advantage — namely, the mode of packing an enormous amount of weight and bulk on a vehicle of two high wheels, which not only pass easier, but only once, over every obstacle in the road which the low wheels of waggons have twice to encounter and surmount. Behind and beneath the warehouse, in rear of the plat- form, I found a number of stables, very fairly ventilated, for the horses of the establishment. As I was returning home through the Rue de G-renelle St. Germain, I observed, a few feet from the outside of the second story of the line of houses on the south side, fourteen wires of the electric telegraph, along which intelligence of every possible description was flying at the rate of 280,000 mile's per second. '• What a contrast," said I to myself, " to the one-horse carts I have just been admiring !" ■'"•V- "" :ft'*' -.^.i} t / RO&PIQE D£S FEMMES INVUIiABLES. 327 m -*'• HOSPICE DBS FEMMES INCURABLES. On arriving at No. 42, Rue de Sevres, I saw on my left the vast establishment I had come to visit, namely, the hospital for poor, old, indigent, incurable women. As it is open to the public every day from one to four, and as the great portal of entrance happened to be unclosed, instead of addressing myself to the concierge, or even looking towards his windows, I walked quickly by them into a large, square, open court, in which I found myself surrounded on all sides by the buildings of the charity. Immediately before me stood a church, erected expressly and exclusively for the pauper inmates of the institution. On entering it I was surprised to find it exceedingly handsome and highly ornamented. Before a small side altar, on her knees, motionless as a statue, was a Soeur de la Charit6, whose attitude and devotion I could not but respect. At the great altar appeared a workman, dressed in a blouse, with a ladder, and a Soeur de la Charite assisting him to hang up some roses, gilt festoons, &c. Sometimes the soeur mounted to the very tip-top of the ladder, which was nearly fourteen feet high, to fix some rectangular pieces of crimson velvet, about four feet long by eighteen inches broad, trimmed with gold lace and gold bullion, and containing in the middle a device beautifully embroidered. Then the workman ascended with his arms full of wreaths of artificial roses with large gold leaves ; then they hung up some bunches of grapes in gold, and then some in silver. At this single altar, in four handsome lustres and in two gilt candelabras, I counted eighty-two wax candles, besides eight more, each about eight feet high. There were also can- dles at the two small altars, especially at that at which the soeur was kneeling. The windows in rear were covered with figures in stained glass. In front of the great altar, which the workman and the Soeur de la Charity were adorning, were endless rows of rush-bottomed chairs, on several of which 328 A FAGGOT OF FHFACII UTICKS. \ reposed cushions, so roughly made out ot such coarse mate- rials, of so many conflicting colours, that it was evident they had been created only to be soft. A couple of these homely seats were occupied by two poor incurables, who, with the Boeurs, the workman, and myself, were the only persons present in the church. On coming out into the court of entrance, I saw above my head the largest dial I have ever beheld. The minute-hand was dreadfully infirm, and, like an old, poor, incurable wo- man, who was traversing beneath, it kept tottering as it went. I asked a man belonging to the establishment, who stood evidently longing to talk to me, why they were decorating the great altar of the church ? " Ah !" he replied, with a shrug, " c'est pour une petite cer^monie !"* After a short pause up came and out came what, ever since I entered, had been lying uppermost in my mind, namely — " Whether Monsieur would approve of his taking him over the establishment?" I told him he was exactly the person I wanted, and pleas- ed with the compliment, and still more so with the fact, with- out further ratification of our treaty he led me off with that sort of indescribable triumph with which an expert angler plays with a salmon he has hooked, to the refectory of Notre , Dame, a large, long, brick-floored hall, full of windows. The floor was paved with octagonal red glazed bricks, and along its whole length were two narrow green dining-tables, studded on each side with rush-bottomed chairs. The number of in- curables that can dine in this room is 206. In his eagerness to take me into the eating-room — which I observed in the various charities of Paris is usually looked upon by the servants as the point of primary importance — my conductor neglected to conduct me through the mazes of the establishment he had proposed to show me according to any fixed plan. I am, therefore, only able to describe what I saw in the order in which he was pleased to show it to me. The first infirmary we entered was more than 200 feet long ; it contained two rows of nice clean-looking beds with \ white curtains, and at different distances in the fore-ground, i.':.«^t* * Ah ! it la for a little ceremony ! \\ HOSPICE DES FEMMES INCURABLES. 329 in the middle, and in the ba k-ground of the picture, I ob- served, circulating among the beds, several sisters of charity, strong, good-looking women, with great benevolence of man- ner, and, generally speaking, with very pleasing counte- nances. As, following my conductor, I was walking slowly through this long ward, from the third bed I heard a little cough, and, looking towards it, I saw, considerably raised on three pillows (all the beds have this number), a fine-looking old woman, with an arched nose, bright eyes, and with a brilliant-coloured handkerchief wound round her head. Then I passed an old woman taking from the Soeur de la Charite a glass full of what every feature in her face declared to be exceedingly nasty physic. In the next bed another was reading a prayer- book. Then I passed one sitting almost upright, with a buff handkerchief fantastically twisted round her head, and with a pair of spectacles pinching her nose — as school-boys say — " for fun," for she was doing nothing. Then one seated on a chair at her bedside, with her right foot resting on a cushion. In the middle of this long room I found against the wall a nice, plain, white statue of the Virgin and Child, a few flow- ers, a little "sacristie," two small, white plaster angels, and a couple of candles. Beyond them a poor woman lay in her bed fast asleep ; in a chair by her bedside, there sat another knitting. We next entered a long room paved with octagonal bricks, with windows not only at both sides but also at both ends. It was as light as the open air, and although it contained twenty beds, half of which were occupied, and although it was an exceedingly cold day, I observed with much astonishment that ten of the windows were wide open from top to bottom. On inquiring I was informed that it was because they had just been cleaning the room. As I was proceeding through it I saw, lying on a small table on my right, a large quarto book, bound in purple leather, with a cross in gold stamped on the top of it. Hoping — and, indeed, believing that it was the Bible, I tried to turn over the leaves, instead of which I opened the lid of .a writing-desk. In one of the beds I ob- served a poor old woman, very ill, indeed, intently reading a letter. In a room for convalescents, containing eight beds, I found 830 A FAGGOT OF FBENGH STIOKS. all sitting up except one, bitterly sobbing about something. In the adjoining room, containing four beds, were two old women. In the upper story of this compartment of the build- ing were nine beds, exceedingly clean, airy, and all empty. Their owners, seated at a table at work, were thin, but healthy. In another room I found, sewing, nine old women, in very clean white caps, around which several had twisted bright scarlet handkerchiefs, exactly in the fashion which had flour- ished at Paris in 1815. In a long, rectangular room, containing windows on all four sides, and twenty-six beds, were a variety of aged women, who, fixing their bright, hazel eyes upon me, often bowed feebly to me as I passed ; and in a garret above I counted eighteen beds as clean as the rest. As I looked up at the clear blue sky through the window at the summit of the building, I was not a little pleased to think I had got to the end of my job ; indeed, I fancied I must have seen nearly all the incurable old women of this world. My attendant, however, led me down stairs, and then ..along a^ passage, until, opening a door, I found myself in a new creation, called " La Salle des Grands Bideaux," composed of four long rooms, or galleries, radiating at right angles from one central point, at which, as soon as I reached it, I found a nice-looking altar, with pots of real flowers before it. For some minutes I stood at this point, admiring the perspective of the four great roads, fall of clean beds, which diverged from me towards the east, west, north and south. The picture was, indeed, most interesting ; but as I found it quite impossible to count or even to guess at the number of beds in any one of the four galleries, I inquired of my attendant how many there were? " Ma soeur Anne !" he said gently to a Sister of Charity who happened to be passing at the moment, " ce monsieur V-'Udrait bien compter combien Uy a de lits en tout?"* The good sister, addressing me with great kindness, said she would most readily give me whatever information I desir- ed. Pointing to the names of each of the rooms which I h^d " * Sister Amie! the gentleman wishes to know how many beds there are in alL nOSPICE DES FEMME^ INCUliABLES. 331 not before observed were written on the walls of each, exactly in the position and in the manner in whioh the streets of Paris are designated, she informed me that the number of beds in each of the four halls was as follows : — In Ste. Julie, Ste. Ludevine, Ste. Th^rdse, H^ 4 Ste. Catherine, ■I .,,-■,,.... .- Total, 26 beds. 22 « 22 « 22 « 92 B A Altar. B Stove. I may here observe that every chamber and dining room in the establishment is called after some saint, whose name is inscribed over the entrance-door. In each of these four halls a number of old women were strolling about ; several hobbling together arm in arm. On one of the beds I observed as I passed it a counterpane of beautiful patchwork. At the head of many was affixed, about a yard over the pillow, a statue of our Saviour on the cross. In others, at about the same place, were little altars, fitted up with great taste. On proceeding to the first floor of another compartment of the building, I was conducted into the " grand infirmary," com- posed of four long halls, at right angles, exactly like those just described, excepting that they were occupied by the most infirm of the old women. ''' Ma soeur Therese !" excliamed my attendant, of his own accord, "combie'li y a-t-il de lits dans les quatre apparte- ments V'^ The sister carefully counted all her fingers — put * Sister Therese! how many beds are there in these four apartments I 332 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. one of them to her lips — then, turning her head a little aside, reflected — then looked up one ward — then up another — then reflected again — at last she kindly told me there were in all 131. In this ward I saw a great number of the " Soeurs de la Charity," benevolently employed in nursing, waiting-upon, and watching over poor fellow-creatures, to whose expiring wants they were so devotedly attentive, that I passed almost all without their being even aware of the presence of a stranger in the room. On several pillows I beheld faces sometimes })ale as death, sometimes fearfully flushed as if the spark of ife was making one last convulsive effort to shine before it be- came extinct for ever ! In one bed I heard a poor creature breathing very hard ; immediately over her head was the face of a soeur of whom I could see nothing but her black bent back. I had now as I thought finished my mournful job, and I would willingly have ruminated for a few moments on what I had beheld, but 'my relentless conductor led me to the ground floor, into another set of four long halls, of the same shape and dimensions. Instead, however, of forming open roads, each hall, leaving a narrow passage in common, was parcelled off into little compartments, giving to each of ninety-two old wo- men a tiny room, in which she could end her days with the in- estimable enjoyment of a dulce domum. Accordingly, peeping out of one of the roomy, I beheld with great satisfaction, glar- ing at me, the yellow, oblong eyes of a tabby cat, the only one I had seen in the establishment. " We have now finished ?" said I to my conductor. " No," he replied, with great unkindness ; " there exists in the story above us another set of four halls, divided into rooms similar to those before us." " Bless me ! !" said I to myself, " all the incurable old women in creation must surely be here !" However, I did not like to give up, so, resolutely sighing out the word " Aliens !" I followed him up stairs, where I found exactly what he had described, and nothing more. In descending into the great court, — the excessive fresh- ness and freedom of which I perceived I had before completely neglected to appreciate, — after passing the church, we ehtered a lofty sacristy, lighted by seven windows, full of altar orna- HOSPICE DES FEMMES INCVRABLES. 333 ir orna* monts packed in milliners' long pasteboard boxes. From them we went into the kitchen, as usual composed of one hot plate, containing six boilers, surrounded on all sides with shining, healthy -faced copper saucepans. From them we proceeded to some shady walks in two gr.rdens, to which it was evident very little attention had been paid, but the inmates were no doubt too old to enjoy them. My conductor, who, like an evil companion, kept on lead- ing me I knew not where, now brought me to a door on which was inscribed " Lingerie G6n6rale,"* composed of six long chambers running into each other, full of shelves up to the ceil- ing, filled with strata of coarse linen, which looked and smelt beautifully clean and fresh. The waxed floor was not only as slippery as ice, but as clean as the sheets, pillow-cases, and towels ranged above it ; indeed, I quite fell in love with the nice toothless old soeur who had charge of the establishment, and whom I perceived gliding or rather skating along the floor, on two pieces of quilted green baize, cut rather bigger' than her shoes. On her kindly proposing to show me the contents of her shelves, seeing there was on the floor a spare pair of these baizes, I stepped upon them. " Oh ! ne vous donnez pas la peine, Monsieur !"t I an- swered I would not dirty her floor for the whole world. So we glided and slided together, thinking of and talking about nothing but linen, until we came to the sixth room, at the end of which I saw, sitting remarkably still on a very low chair, a little Sister of Charity that appeared to be scarcely three feet high. On walking up to her, I found her to be a doll. Her •cap and white stomacher, most beautifully worked, formed a striking contrast with her course black gown, and with three black crosses suspended from her neck. In her right hand was a prayer-book, and on her lap a little empty green boat. Pointing to it — for I did not know how to call it — I asked the good soeur what it was for. To my great satisfaction she an- swered, 'i Pour les pauvres !":|: She then led me into a small room called " le Pliage," in which I found, busily occupied in arranging and folding clean linen, three work-women in ordinary clothes and frilled caps, * Linen Department. I Oh ! do not give youi'self the trouble, Sir. I For the poor I 334 A FAGGOT OF FliENCn STICKS, and two Sisters of Charity, one of whom, a tall, slight, elegant looking, very young person, appeared to me to be transcend- ently beautiful. My eyes, however, through life have so re- peatedly deceived me ; I have so often on quitting the desert regions fancied every gnarled tree and patch of stunted paS' ture I beheld to be " transcendently beautiful ;" that, having for nearly two hours gazed very attentively upon nothing but incurable old women of every possible description, I think it more than possible my erring vision, on suddenly beholding a young woman, altogether over-estimated the intrinsic value of her appearance ; and accordingly that her " transcendent beauty" might correctly be denominated mere fancy. " Tutto il bello che voi Avete '■•■■' £ un' id6a che in noi si fal" My conductor, v;'th a significant bow which seemed in some way or other to be indescribably connected, although very dis- tantly, with my pocket and his own, now informed me " I had seen all." There immediately flashes across my memory the following lines : — " As I was going to St Ives, I met seven wives ; .' '. Each wife had seven sacks; "' '" ' ' * "''^ Each sack liad seven cats ; • ' Eacli cat had seven kits. Kits, cats, sacks, and wives- How many were there going to St. Ives?" ' '4;' * " How many incurable old women have I seen ?" said I to him. " He could not," he replied, " tell me exactly, but I could easily inform myself at the bureau ;" so, after settling accounts with my friend, whose hand had scarcely left mine when he vanished I hardly know where, I walked into the ofl&ce, where I was very obligingly informed that the number of aged" inmates in the various buildings I had visited was 595 ; that on an average about 60 die off per annum ; that there are, as as- sistants in the establishment, 36 Soeurs de la Charite and 18 " gardens." Of the former I feel it impossible to speak too highly. During my short residence in Paris, into whatever abode of poverty and misery I entered, whether for helpless nOSPWE DES FEMMES INCURABLES. 335 infancy, for those suffering under siekness, or from imbecilo old age, there I found them intently occupied in doing good to their fellow-creatures. To say that all cannot bo perfect is but to repeat the threadbare axiom of human nature. I deem it, however, only iust to these good people to say that, in reply to several inquiries I made respecting them, of persons who I well know would willingly have scoffed at the high principles which guided the earthly career of these Sisters of Charity, I was invariably informed that the breath of slander, even in Paris, has not ventured to impeach the purity of their conduct. If this be true they are indeed objects of admiration and respect. As my watch told me I should just have time enough to visit the Artesian well nearly a mile off, I was walking towards it about as fast as I could, when I suddenly stopped for a few seconds at the corner of la Rue Mayet, spell-bound by a picture, superscribed by the name of " M™"- Perez," and subscribed by the appellation, " Sage Femmo."* On attentively studying this painting, it ap^^cared to be as follows : — On rather a handsome chair was seated a lady dressed in a cap, with flowers for each cheek, and in a blue gown, the body of which half thrown aside disclosed the lady's bare neck and arms, from one of which, in a most beautiful arch, there was, into a quart basin beneath, flowing a stream of blood, from which a maid on her knees, in order to hold the basin, was averting her eyes and face. During the whole of this operation the arm of the lady in the cap and flowers and blue gown was firmly grasped by " M*"*- Perez," the " Sage Femme," a tall and exceedingly fashionable-looking young lady, dressed in a black gown, without any cap, and with long curls. The " wisdom" of the woman, the resignation of the lady, and the modesty of the maid, mixed all up together, formed as interesting a subject as poet could imagine, or as artist could desire to execute. * Midwife. TtA>^-f 336 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. THE ARTESIAN WELL. In driving through the gay, beautiful streets, squares and boulevards of Paris, a stranger has every reason to believe that the capital he is admiring is singularly endowed from the laboratory of Nature not only with the purest description of air, but a superabundant supply of water, which from upwards of a hundred different fountains is to be seen, like fireworks of various names, furiously rushing, rising, streaming upwards, breaking, and then, in myriads of small particles, slowly de- scending in prismatic radiance to the earth from whence they sprang. Nevertheless, notwithstanding this magnificent out- ward demonstration, Paris is very poorly supplied with water ; indeed, while the fountains of the city are gambolling, dancing, and revelling in the way I have described, lean horses and jaded donkeys, with drooping heads, are drawing carts full of this simple necessary of life, amounting in cost to four million francs per annum. A considerable number of houses, from top to bottom, are supplied with water from large barrels on wheels, which no sooner arrive at their doors than the donkey- driver going to the rear, is seen to pull out a plug, from which there instantly flows into a bright tin pail, which but a moment before he had placed at a considerable distance off, a stream of water that looks exactly like a very long semi-parabola of glass. As soon as one pail is full, with scarcely the loss of a drop it is replaced by another, and when that is filled and the plug stopped, both, suspended, fore and aft, across one shoulder on a short stick, are carried across the foot pavement, and up stairs to their destinr.tion, often the highest story of the house. With this uncomfortable fact sticking fest in the gizzard of my mind, I own I never passed a fountain in Paris without com- paring it to the immense ring which in certain countries so often glitters on a very dirty forefinger, or to the flashy waist- coat and gaudy stock which are in every region occasionally to be seen blooming together over a rumpled shirt. "Verily, ^ I swear 'tis better to be lowly bom, And mnge with humble livei-s in content, - Than to be perk'd up in a glistering grief, And wear a golJen sori'ow. THE ABTEHIAN WELL. 337 As the rocky strata on which Paris stands are to a great depth barren of springs, immense sums have at different periods been expended in bringing water to the city. In 1613 Louis XIII. laid the first stonaof a magnificent aqueduct, 18,200 yards long, from Aroueil to the Chateau d'Eau, near the Observatoire, and which crosses the valley of Arcueil upon 25 arches, 72 feet high ; this aqueduct was repaired in 1 777, since which period the municipal aTuthorities of Paris, at a con- siderable cost, have enabled it to supply the city with 36,000 hogsheads per day. From the Canal de TOurcq, 24 leagues in length, and which cost 25,000,000 francs, about 260,820 cubic metres of water per day are consumed for the purposes of the navigation, for the lockage of the two canals St. Denis and St. Martin, and for the supply of the public fountains, markets, and houses of the capital. In 1809 an immense reservoir, 740 yards long by 77 ' broad, called the " Bassin de laVillette," was constructed outside the Barriere de Pantin to receive the water from the northern extremity of the Canal de I'Ourcq. From this reservoir there is an aqueduct 10,300 yards in length, called l'Aq[ueduc de Ceinture, which, boundiog Paris on the north, supplies by five branches — 1. The Chateau d'Eau, Boulevart St. Martin, la Place des Vosges, le March6 des Innocents; 2. The Faux- bourgs Montmartre and Poissonniere, with the Palais National ; 3. The Chauss^e d'Antin, the Quartier des Capucines, and the March^ St. Honors ; 4. The Champs Elysees, the TuileAes, the Invalides, and the Ecole Militaire ; 5. The splendid foun- tains in the Place de la Concorde. From the suburb of Belleville, buiH on a hill abounding in springs, there is conducted into two large reservoirs (one of which, situated at the Barriere de Menilmontant, receives . 432 hogsheads per day) a considerable supply of water. From the heights of Romainville, Bruyeres, and also from Menil- montant, flow per day into a reservoir about 648 hogsheads of water. From the Seine pipes are also laid across the plain of St. Denis for the supply of BatignoUes and Montmartre. At the corner of the Rue St. Paul, in a building a portion of which was formerly a royal residence, is an establishment be- longing to a company for distributing the water of the Seine, raised by a steam-engine, and filtered through char- coal. There are in Paris, at Montniartre, Belleville, and 15 . 338 A FAOGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. Passy, eight great reservoirs ; besides which the cit^i has lately voted a million of francs for the construction of a very large one near Buc, capable of containing 1,000,000 cubic metres of water. Of the water which flows into the large reservoirs enume- rated, a considerable portion has, under Providence, been summoned by science to arise from a dark subterranean depth, exceeding, by 100 feet, five times the height of the cross on the summit of St. Paul's church in London I Although I was aware that there exists in the locality in which this feat has been performed but little to behold, I felt on arriving at the gate of Grenelle, that sort of satisfaction which every pilgrim enjoys in reaching the shrine he has long desired to worship. On ringing the bell, the gate was quickly opened by a very young lady in curls ; and on my stating I had come — I was so tired that I must have looked as if I had walked from Jerusalem — to see the Artesian well, she replied, with evident satisfaction, that she would be happy to show it to me, and accordingly, without putting on her bonnet, or granting me the smallest opening to remonstrate, she con- ducted me, tripping by my side, to the foot of a weather- beaten scaffolding, 112 feet high, containing a rude ladder- Staircase, and encircling three iron pipes. My first object was to get myself quietly divorced ; and as soon as this im- pqjr tant measurse — ^which, after all, only cost me a few ci'7il words, two or three bows, and tenpence — was consummated, I enjoyed for some moments reflections which, like the water passing up the central tube before me, arose from beneath the jp'ound on which 1 stood. On the first day of the year 1834, M. Mulct, after having entered into the contract which eventually immortalised his name, commenced the work that had been entrusted to him, of endeavoring to tap the subterranean sujJply of water which it had been calculated must exist about 1200 feet beneath the dry, deep, rocky strata upon, which the gay city of Paris has been constructed. During the operation of piercing through successive beds of flint and chalk, the borer several times broke, and the fragment, by dropping to the bottom of the e"«:cavation,^ — deserting as it were to the enemy, — suddenly became the most serious opponent of the power in whoee service it had Tnn ARTESIAN WELL. 33d 1been enlisted. Indeed, on the occasion of one of these acci- dents, it required, at a depth of no less than 1335 feet, four- teen months' incessant labour to recover it ! After working for rather more than seven years without any apparent encouragement, on or about the 20th February there was drawn up a small amount of greenish-coloured sand, indicating that the borer was approaching water. At two ' o'clock on the 26th February, 1841, there arose through the tube a tiny thread of the element which had been the object of such ardent and long-protracted hopes ; and the welcome omen of success had scarcely diffused joy and gladness among those who witnessed it, when, as if the trumpet of victory had been sounded, there arose from the depth of 1800 feet a col- - umn of warm water of 83f ° of Fahrenheit, which, bursting through the machinery that had called it into existence, rushed upwards with a fury it appeared almost incapable to * control. The height U v-Mch through an iron pipe it rises above the earth is, as ^ Iv^en stated, 112 feet; and thus not only is Paris gifted „Lju an everlasting supply of water amount- , ing, at the surface, to 660 gallons per minute, and at the sum- mit of the pipe to 316, but the latter quantity, in virtue of its elevation, and in obedience to the laws of hydrostatics which it is s^orn to obey, can be made to ascend to the vari- ous floors, including the uppermost, on which, one above an- other, the inhabitants of Paris reside. The concealed tube or passage, through which, by the magic influence of science, this valuable supply of water is now constantly arising from the deep, dark caverns in which it had been eollected, into the lightsome painted chambers of the most beautiful metropolis on the surface of the globe, has been lined throughout with galvanised iron. Its diameter is, at the bottom, about 7 inches, and at the tope 21 inches. The water, when I tasted it, was not only warm, but strongly impregnated with iroin. As a dog grows savage in proportion to the length of time it has been chained to a bar- rel, so does the temperature of imprisoned water increase with its subterranean depth ; and accordingly it has been calcu- lated by M. Arago and by M. "Walferdin that the heat of the water of an Artesian well which, previous to the revolution of 1848, it had been proposed to bore in the Jardin des 340 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. Plantes to a depth of 3000 feet (nearly nine times the height of the cross on the top of St. Paul's), .would amount to about 100° of Fahrenheit, sufficient not only to cheer the tropical birds and monkeys, the liothouses and greenhouses of the establishment, but to give warm baths to the inhabitants of Paris. As the Artesian well of Grenelle is within the precincts of the abattoir or slaughter-house for cattle of that name, I felt desirous to look over it, particularly as the hour (it was past six o'clock) was one at which it is rarely visited by strangers. Without repeating details which, I am aware, are not very acceptable to most people, I will briefly state for the infor- mation of the few who take an interest in the subject, that, although the establishment is not as showy as the abattoirs of Montmartre and of Popincourt, it is essentially the same. On entering the several bouveries, in which there was plenty of straw, with an abundance of cool fresh air, I found the bullocks that next day were to be slaughtered tranquilly, nay, happily, occupied in eating up plenty of good hay. The sheep, most of. whom were also lying down with their knees tucked under them, appeared perfectly quiet and undisturbed ; and although certainly a few odd strange sounds occasionally assailed their ears, they munched, looked at me only one mo- ment, and then, with their lower jaws moving sideways — thoughtless of to-morrow as those for whom they were to be slaughtered — they went munching on. -•-•-«- HOTT^L DES MONNAIES. In ancient times the Koyal Mint of France existed somewhere in the Royal Palace of the " He de la Cit6 ; it was next domiciled in a part of the metropolis which still bears the name of '' Rue de la Monnaie ;" and was finally established on the site of the H6tel do Conti in its present structure, the foundation stono of which was laid on the 30th of April, 1768, by the Abb6 HOTEL DES MONNAIES. 341 Terray, comptroller-general of the finances, under- whose di- rection it was completed in 1775. This vast building, including no less than eight courts, is situated on the Quai Gonti, between the Pont Neuf and the Pont des Arts, and consequently nearly opposite to the muse- um of the Louvre. Its principal facade, which looks upon the Seine, is composed of three stories, 360 feet in length and 78 feet in height, containing 27 windows in each. In the centre is a projecting mass of five arcades on the ground floor, form- ing a basement for six columns of the Ionic order, supporting an entablature and an altar, ornamented with festoons and sis statues. { The front facing the Eue Gu^n^gaud is 348 feet in length. Two pavilions rise at its extremities, and a third in the centre, surmounted by a square cupola. On the altar are to be seen four statues, representing a " happy family," namely, fire, air, earth, and watei. The establishment of the Hdtel des Monnaies is composed — 1st, of the laboratory, workshops, and machinery of the mint, for permission to see which it is only necessary for a for- eigner to address a letter by post to the " President de la Com- mission des Monnaies ;" and 2ndly, of a museum of coins, &o., open to the inhabitants of France, and to strangers, on Tues- days and Fridays, from twelve to three, besides which, on their merely producing their passports, the museum most liberally again opens its doors to foreigners on Mondays and Thursdays during the same hours. On arriving at the Hdtel at a few minutes before noon, with my passport, I found assembled there about half a dozen other persons, each of whom I observed had dangling in his hand a printed authority, and accordingly, as soon as twelve strokes of the clock announced to us all that our broth jr traveller the sun had finished one half of his daily work before we had be- gun ours, and, indeed, before many people in Paris had had their breakfast, the door of the museum was opened, and in we all walked. In a suite of rooms, the principal one of which is called the Musee Mon^taire, I found admirably arranged a most in- teresting series of copper, silver, and gold coins, detailing chronologically the principal events of the world in general, and of France in particular. There were, also, most valuable 342 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. apeoimeikB of the coins of different countries which had been current in various ages, but at which the stranger now gazes with astonishment. For instance, there was Mexican money, composed simply of square lumps of gold, their value being that of the weight stamped upon them ; Turkish money, of almost pure gold; specimens of rude money of the United States of America ; of some money roughly stamped by Na- poleon during the siege of Gattaro, &o., &o. These moneys and historical coins were beautifully arrang- ed in glass cases, lying on a series of low narrow tables in each room ; and as every apartment was brimful of light, the study, to any one competent to appreciate it. must be highly gratifying : tor instance, in brown copper history I observed a series of the most remarkable events, chronologically arranged in cases as follows :— 1. ^om Charlemagne to Francis I. 2. Heigns of Henry U. and Charles IX. 8. To Heniy III. and Henry IV. 4. To Lonis XIH. 6. Ditto. 6. Supplement to ditto. n. To Louis XIV. 8. Suite to ditto. 9, 10, 11, 12. Ditto. 18. Tx)uisXV. 14. Ditto. 15. Louis XVI. Id, Louis XVI. and Re- public. 17. Republic. 18. Louis XVIIL 19. Charles X. 20. Particular Medals of Louis XVm. and Charles X. 21. Do. of Louis Philippe I. 22. Do. (The Largest m this lot is one of Louis Philippe I., Eoi des Francis.) * 28. Particular Medals of Louis Philippe. 24. Ditto. 26. Ditto, down to case 84. In glancing over these historicsil medals, as well as those in the succeeding rooms, there were some which for a few mo- ments particularly attracted my attention ; for instance, in Table No. 17, which concludes the history of the French Re- public, the details of which, even when represented to me in cold copper, I found it difficult to recall to mind without one or two involuntary shudders, I observed on the last medal of the lot iasoribed, of all words in the dictic ^v of this world,— " Innooknob Rboonnub."* * Innocence acknowledge . HOTEL DISS MONNAIES. 343 ianoe, in Again, on the largest medal of the twelve tables full, com- memorative of the history of that poor exiled monarch who died last year at Glaremont, there had been inscribed by him those fatal words, which he had vainly hoped would have raised him to distinction, — < steadily labouring before me, without the smallest apparent desire either to hurry or rest, two large sturdy steam-machines, ^ of 32-horse power. At every pulsation each of these moun- tains in labour produced, I observed, an exceedingly littl^^ * ^Metallic Gallery of the great men of France. •' f Condusioh of the campaigns and reign of tlie Emperor. HOT£L D£S MONNAIES. 84« mouse, or, to speak without metaphor, at eaoh stroke they punched out what only appeared to be a small copper button. Near the engine I perceived, strewed on the ground, a quantity of thin, white, metallic bars, about two feet long ; and lying about in various directions were baskets full of very large, round, white, dull, stupid-looking ploughmen's buttons, which, in fact, were five-franc pieces. The bars were of sil- ver of the exact thickness of a five-franc piece, rather more than twice its breadth, and rather more than twelve times its length. From each bar, therefore, were formed twenty-four pieces of a total current value of 120 francs. As fast as these large basketfuls of white buttcns were punched into life they were carried off to an adjoining table, to be — ^like jockeys starting for the Derby — ^weighed. Those " .t caused the scale in which they were tossed to preponder- to^e were again chucked into the basket, while every one that proved to be too light was sent back to the foundry to under- go the uncomfortable operations of being re-melted, re-cast into bars, re-rolled to the proper thickness, re-punched by one of the steam-engines, — in short, by main predestined force, utterly impossible to resist, to be born again as a button. As I proceeded through the great hall I came to a table covered with a heap of those large silver buttons which had caused the weighing scale to preponderate. The workmen to whom they had been handed over, taking them up one by one, scrubbed each, rubbed each, or filed each, — in fact, teaz- ed it in all sorts of ways until it became exactly of the proper weight, when off it and its comrades were despatched to be coined. While I was witnessing this operation, which reminded me a good deal of the way in which all our great statesmen, divines, lawyers, generals, and admirals, were dealt with, when boys at school, there passed me in a wheelbarrow a quantity of what appeared to be brass busks for ladies' stayp, — thin plates of gold, going to be punched. On reaching that part of the building in which the opera- tion of coining is performed, I came first of all to a machine the strong arm of which was slowly, without intermission, ascending and decending. Beside it stood an attendant whose sole and simple duty was every now and then to feed or drop into a small upright pipe a handful of very small 15* 346 ' ^ FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. oo^per buttons, which, just as the head of a man who is guil* lotined falls neatly into the canvas bag placed on purpose ^o receive it, kept dropping out through a spout into a little sack, into which they arrived coined on both sides, also beau- tifully milled round the edges. The rate at which they fell I counted to be one per second. There were in the room before me thirteen of these machines. The largest and stoutest, which stood eight feet high, were for coining five- franc pieces ; the rest, only five feet, were for smaller gold and copper money. At the time I visited the Mint it had refrained for about a fortnight to coin silver, in consequence of the National Assembly not having decided as to the new coinage ; they had, however, been stamping about a million of francs, in gold per day, and a trifling quantity of small copper money, the form and impression on which are to be altered as soon as the Assembly can devise the means of overcoming the inconvenience that would arise from the necessity of calling in all the old copper of the monarchy. In fact, like the population of France, a republic of bags of buttons, gold, silver, and copper, are quietly waiting to know, if possible, which way the political cat of their destiny next intends to jump. The H6tel des Monnaies, which has the exclusive privi- lege of coining medals, gained by the monopoly, in 1848, the the sum of 25,637 francs. In that year it coined — Qold medals 663 Silver 76,029 Flatina 2 Copper or broiuse - - - - - - It,! 18 Besides the above the Mint has coined — Medals of Saints .-..-. 212,000 At the hdtel are also performed the varioTis operations for assaying articles of jewelry, of gold and silver, which, until duly stamped, are not allowed to be offered for sale. On quitting the Hdtel des Monnaies I found my mind so uncomfortably full of a confused mass of rumbling, indi- gestible, windy recollections of all I had witnessed , of gold HOTEL DE8 MONNAI£S. 347 bosks; silver bars; of conjuring machines, wbioh stood swallowing buttons, and handing out bullion ; of long histo- ries in copper, of battles, conquests, revolutions ; of military government, civil government, glory, and all of a sudden no government at all ; in short, a series of chronological events, — "Never ending, still beginning^ Fighting still, and still destroying,"— that, to change the subject, turning to my right, I stood with my face to a dead wall, to look at a quantity of cheap prints and pictures hanging on strings upon it ; and as among them was one the subject of which I nad often before observed, and had wished to obtain, I managed, without rudely pushing any of my fellow gapers, to get before it. As soon, howev- er, as I began to copy what I wanted, so many ^es were fix- ed upon me, that, shutting up my little book, I went away. In a few minutes the crowd I had left, having been satiated, were replaced by another set of idlers; accordingly, as a stranger to them all, I walked up to the old man that owned the pictures, and who, like a spider watching his net, was sitting concealed in a little wooden shanty just big enough to hold his chair, and, describing to him the one I wished to look at, I gave him half a franc for permission to turn him out of his habitation, and to occupy his chair ; in short, for a few moments to reign in his stead. The proprietor was quite delighted with the reckless liberality of my proposal ; and accordingly I had scarcely been seated a min ite when I saw him at the door with the print in question, entitled as follows : — "TABLEAU DES PRINOIPAUX GRANDS HOMMES Qfti se 8ont illuatrSt dam toutea Zes Parties du Monde Fab leubs bblles Actions, lkub Genie, ou Leub Coubage."* « TABLE OP THE PRINCIPAL GREAT MEN Who have made themselves illtutrious in all Parts of the World Bt their qbeat AonoNS, thbib GbNIUS, OB TUJBia COUBAOB. 348 A FAOQOT OF FRENCH STICKS, Beneath this heading was of courno a large picture of the Temjple of Fame, upon the pediment of which there appeared inscribed— On both sides of this Temple was an alleged portrait or like- ness, with a short history, of each of the following list, which had tickled my fancy, not so much for the names it contained as for those it omitted : — Moees. Charlemagne. Solomoa Haroun. Romulus. Ouillaume le Oonqud- Ooofudua. rant Th^mistode. Saladin. LSonidas. EicLard Coeur de lion. Cyrus. Geq^dskan. P6riclea. Louis JX. Socrate. Ouillaume TelL Alexandre. Edward III. AnnibaL Duguesclin,^ Gonstantin le Orand. Tamerlan. B^lisaire. Charles le T^m^raire. Eosrou le Orand. Christoi^e Colomb. Mahomet Oonsalve de Cordoue. Omar ler. Ferdinand V. Arama Oama. * ToillustriouBmen, Leon X. Bayard. Oustave Wasa. Francois L Jules IL Charles Quint. Sixte V. Henry IL CrorawelL Turenne. Condd. Louis XIV. Pierre le Orand Charles XIL Cook. Washington. Napoleon Buonaparte. WASHING BOATS. 340 WASHING BOATS. On the south wall of the line of " Quais" that overlook the Seine are neatly arranged for sale a great quantity of secondhand books, ticketed in batches, from two sous a volume to a franc, a franc and a half, two francs, and occasionally more. I had bought and sent to my lodging a few of them, and was sa m- tering along the banks of the Seine on the Quai de la Megis- serie, when I observed beneath me in the river, hauled along- side of the wharf and of each other, several barges laden with charcoal ; and as in each of these boats was a gang of men whose profession it is to unload them, I walked down to look at them. Their faces, clothes, and hands were of course all professionally begrimed with black. On their heads were im- mense broad-brimmed wideawake hats, several of which, to my astonishment, were ornamented with a long ostrich feather, full of the black dust of charcoal "Are there many of you that wear feathers like that?" said I to one of them. " Mais oui, Monsieur I"* replied the republican, quietly spitting into the water. " What would our London coalwhippers say to such a fine hat?" I muttered to myself as I walked away. Along the banks of the river, moored close to the quay, were several long, covered boats, full of women washing clothes. On stepping into one, the chef, a short, intelligent ^ooVing man of about forty, walking up to me, inquired very "' .illy what I wanted ? and as soon as I told him, with the greatest kindness and politeness he said he would have much pleasure in showing me everything. On each side or gunwale, 104 yards long 8dd about two feet above the water, was a table fifteen inches broad, before which, under cover of a flat zinc roof, containing in the centre a series of glass frames, I found, every one separated from her neighbour by a small compartment, 320 women, in the act, * Oh yes I 350 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. flagrante delicto^ of belabouring, beating, and scrubbing to death clothes of all descriptions. Each pays eight sous (fourpence) a-day for permission to wash with cold water only from five o'clock in the morning till nine at night ; her implements of torture, such as brushes for scrubbing, and flat boards like battledores for beating, she finds for herself For permission to boil her clothes (if she wishes to do so) the cost is two sous a bundle. The charge for washing for a single hour is one sou and a half. The 320 women were all dressed in clean caps. Besides the narrow tables on the gunwales, was a parallel and broader one within the boat, on which they completed their work; and accordingly, they were to be seen, first, with their faces towards the city, dipping their linen into the Seine, rapidly running beside them, and then lustily beating it on the narrow board; and afterwards with their backs to the metropolis, smoothing and laying out their clothes on the opposite boards of their cell, within each of which was just room enough for an industrious, lusty woman to turn herself round. In that 'por- tion of the Seine which flows through Paris there are no less than twenty of these boats, large and sipall, in which the linen of the poor and some of that of the wealthier classes is pum- melled till it is clean. As the chef was conducting me to a portion of the boat in yt}- '■ h was a little steam-bcdler 'or heating water, one of the 32i/ women suddenly stopped in the act of belabouring an aged shirt, and, with it in one hand, and with her wooden battledore uplifted in the other, she made to me a very short, shrewd re- mark, indirectly expressive of thirst. "C'est une malhon- nStet^," said the chef to her, with a very angry countenance, " de vous adresser comme qa a un stranger !"* The woman, with great humility and volubility, assured him she did not mean the slightest harm. He told her she ought to be ashamed of herself, that it was not her first offence, that she was much too fond of talking, that she talked to everybody. " Si le bon Dieu viendrait abord," said he to her, shaking his hand close to her face, " vous lui parleriez !"t The chef, kindly accompanying me to the gunwale of his boat, now took o£f his hat and gave me his " adieu ;" and as it * It is very uncivil of you to speak to a stranger like that ! f If the Almighty were to come on board you would spetdc to Him ! WASHINQ BOATS. 851 was raining and hailing hard, I ran across the streefc into a little wine-shop, the counter of which was covered with very small tumblers. Close beside me stood a gentleman who, to save his new hat from the rain, had economically put over it a white pocket-handkerchief, the ends of which were amusingly con- trasted with the black beard under which they were tied. During the few minutes I was in this cabaret, men in blouses and women in white caps and occasionally in gold ear-rings kept dropping in to drink a glass, and sometimes two, of bright red wine (worth about fifteen sous a bottle, containing eight glasses), for each of which they paid two sous ; and as soon as the amount purchased was tossed off, the customer, sometimes wiping and sometimes licking his or her healthy lips, walked out of the door, which, even during the storm, was always wide open. What a difference between this simple refreshment and the horrid interior of our fine London gin-palaces, in which, in an atmosphere stinking of gin, young girls, old women, " ladies " with parasols and silk bags ; men of all ages, from shabby genteel attire down to jackets out at elbows, and with a bit of shirt inquisitively poking out of trousers behind, are to be seen entering through a swinging door, constructed on purpose to conceal them, to drink, at a zinc table slopped by the unstea'dy hands ranged in front of it, a liquid, the first effects of whiclr may be seen in the ghastly countenances and collapsed attitudes of a row of drunkards seated on a bench opposite to the counter, in order to recover their senses sufli- ciently to enable them to walk " homeP The poisonous consequences of a system which, by en- feebling the stomach, enervating the mind, debilitating the frame, and eventually ruining the happiness, character, and prospects of hundreds of thousands of people, may roughly be estimated by the dreadful fact {^ide our Parliamentary re- turns) that there is annually consumed by the lower classes of Great Britain and Ireland, in beer, spirits, and tobacco, the enormous sum of fifty-seven millions sterling, and in spirits alone thirty millions ! On leaving the cabaret I had occasion to call at a shop, on the counter of which were lying a number of extremely dear but very good British tooth-brushes. The owner, a Scotchman, told me he sold a great number of that price and 352 A FAGGOT OF FRENGH STICKS. quality ; " and yet," said he, with a slight smile, " one house in Paris sent to England last year a thousand dozen of cheap bad ones 1" • ••- THE PLACE DE GRilVE. Among the various colours and the innumerable lights and shadows composing those pictures which the painter is in the habit of exhibiting to the eye, and the moralist to the mind, of man, there exists no contrast more striking than that which distinguishes the present and past tenses of the his- tory of Paris. In the metropolis of France the surface of society is so smooth and unruffled, there exists everywhere such highly polished politeness, such gaiety of heart, such hospitality to strangers, so many amusements, and such a variety of apparently innocent amusements, that I often felt it almost impossible to believe that the place on which I stood basking in the sunshine I have described had been the scene of, and the people around me the actors in, a series of trage- dies exhibiting the most furious passions and the most fear- ful results. The Place de Greve is, in the history of Paris, one of the most revolting localities the stranger could be in- duced to visit. For many centuries it was the spot on which criminals were executed ; and besides having been thus ap- propriated to scenes of horror, its pavement has been stained with the blood of the victims of almost every revolution that has occurred. On the 17th of March, 1848, it was the scene of a frightful mutiny in favour of the Provisional Govern- ment ; and on the 16th of the following month an attempt to overturn that Government was foiled here by the steady attitude of the National Guard. I was desirous to visit the apartments in the H6tel de Yille, and having, in reply to a written application in the form recommended by Galignani,' obtained from the Prefect of the Seine the usual authority granted to strangers to do so, I got with it into an omnibus, in which I proceeded until the conducteur — ^who remembers everybody's wishes — after pulling his string to apprise the coachman, told me, as soon THE PLACF DB QREVE. 353 scene as the yehicle had <]^mte stopped, that I had reached the point of my destination ; and accordingly, on descending I saw immediately before me the magnificent facade of the H6tel de Ville, which formed one entire side of a large long paved space of no shape at all. In rumbling side-foremost through Paris in an omnibus, one is so constantly disturbed by an endless variety oL little tantalizing peeps at objects passing and being passed ; there enter and depart so many people whose costume and counte- nances urgently require a few moments' observation ; there are such a variety of little jolts; and lastly, in crawling towards the door behind, one is so exceedingly anxious not to tread upon anybody's tpes, sit in anybody's lap, or fall into anybody's arms^ that after the vehicle had driven away I invari- ably found it desirable to give to the feathers of my mind a few minutes to become smooth again. Instead, therefore, of walking straight to the Hdtel de Ville, for some minutes I stood still, exactly where, as an utter stranger, I had been dropped, amusing myself in looking at the merry little world upon which I had descended. Almost close beside me was a small crowd, composed of happy people of all ages, listening to a man singing. Before him stood his wife, very attentive- ly watching his mouth, and fiddling to it as it sang as fol- lows : — LE SOLDAT R^JPUBLICAN.* .4»r— du "Retour en France." Avec ardeur je veux servir la France. Oh 1 chers parents dont j'emporte ramonr, Consolez-vouB du temps de mon absence, Bien fier je veux vous revenir un jour. Alors la croix de mon noble courage * THE REPUBLICAN SOLDIER. Air—^ The Return to France." With ardour I will serve France. Oh 1 dear parents, whose love I carry with me, Oonsole yourselves diiring my absence, With pnde shall I return to you some day. Then the cross of my noble courage ^ 354 ^ FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. 1 Peut-^tre bieu brillera sur moa sein. On me dira, revenaDt au village, Honneur d toi, soldat republican 1 The rest of the open space was animated by an endless variety of objects. There were .the red tufts, bright cap- plates, light-grey great-coats, and loose scarlet trousers of soldiers sauntering about everywhere, excepting at their guard-room, round which a large number stood swarming together like bees. There were blouses of dark and of light blue, beards of various shapes, women's caps, of various dimensions, two dogs of different breeds ; different coloured carriages, and occasionally very gaudy carts, appeared, slow- ly passed, and then vanished. But what most attracted my attention was the extraordinary contrast between the magni- ficent faqade of the H6tel de Ville and the irregular archi- tecture and colouring of the buildings which bounded the opposite sides of the odd-shaped space before me. ~ Not only were the houses of all sorts of forms, heights, and Lues, but it was evident the inhabitants had been contending with each other in painting upon the outside walls of the strata at which they respectively lived, in bright colours, their names, their trades, pictures of pots and kettles, and sometimes full- length portraits of great heroes, &c., &c. For instance, I observed announced on one floor " Baths " in light blue ; a " Caf6 ' (the whole house) in bright yellow ; the lower stories of the " Commerce de Vins " in light-green ; an omnibus establishment, bright scarlet ; above that, in different colours, " Maison Poulin," " Bureau de Gardens Mds. ;" a restaura- teur, four stories high ; a dentist, two stories. In another direction, at a considerable distance, " Mds. de Vin," in yel- low ; " Remplacements Militaires," in yellow on bright blue ; above that a grand tableau of a charge of cavalry with drawn sabres, the leading dragoon in the act of cutting down a man who, with uplifted arms, is piteously begging him on no account to do so. On the top of all, on a wall painted jet black — Will perhaps shine brightly on my breast It will be said to me, on returning to my village, Honour to thee, republican soidierl THE PLACE DE GBEVE. 355 "Arh^teldeviUe ^rande Teintuner pour Deuil :"* the whole surmoimted by different-shaped chimneys, some of the pots of which were red, some yellow, some of long grey zinc, purposely bent into various angular forms. After admiring for a few minutes the gaudy, gay, cheer- ful locality in which the 'bus had dropped me, I felt anxious to inform myself what it was called, but, instead of being gratified I almost shuddered when, in reply to my question, a clean, quiet, happy-looking woman at my side said to me, " Monsieur, c'est la Place de Grive." Never had I before witnessed what, with reference to its past history, might be more truly termed a painted sepulchre ! On entering the great portal of the H6tel de Ville, the finest of the municipal buildings of Paris, the residence of the Pr^fet, and containing the various offices of his department, I found myself almost immediately lost in a complication 01 magnificent staircases, landing-places, corridors enriched with gorgeous sculpture, ending in grand arterial and in very little venous passages. Not seeing any one, and not knowing how or wh'ere to proceed, I opened a door which happened to be on my right, entered, and I had only got as far in my simple history as " S'il vous plait. Monsieur !"t when the gentleman to whom I had addressed myself, apparently knowing what I wanted before I had explained it, said, very civilly, but very shortly — " Montez au premier ! "X Poor, man! I have no doubt that, as almost every stranger in Paris who visits the H6tel de Ville loses his way in the intricacies I have described, he is bored to death by inquisitive Englishmen throughout every day in the year poking in their faces at his door, and saying to him, " Mon- sieur, s'il vous plait !" On ascending to the next landing-place I found an official, who, on receiving my order of admission, ushered me with a bow into an ante-chamber ornamented with gilt leather * At the sign of the H6tel de Ville — ^Dyer for mourning. + If you please, Sir! f Go to the stoiy above I 356 A FAOGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. hangings, in imitation of the ancient furniture of Italy and Flanders, and leading into a suite of apartments infinitely more handsome than I had expected to see. Of these magnificent rooms, the state apartments of the Prefect, the first is the "Salle d' Introduction ;" its walls are of red damask, ornamented by a frieze painted by Court. From the ceiling hang handsome gilt lustres. This room contains a bronze statue of Henry lY. in his youth, and an equestrian one of the same, a copy of that on the Pont Neuf, by Leiuot, also in bronze. The walls, as also the chairs, of the second, called the " Salle de Jeu," are covered with light-blue satin ; the ceiling and frieze are richly gilt and painted. In this apartment there are no tables. The third, the " Salle de Bal," is a magnificent hall, about 90 fee^ long by 45 broad, 22 high, divided by pilasters into three compartments ; the chairs, sofas, and ottomans in which are covered with crimson damask, with bullions of gold about nine inches long. The whole is lighted by fourteen superb lustres, also by thirty-six gilt candelabras against the wall, each holding nine candles, besides two candelabras on chim- ney-pieces, containing twenty-four more. In fact, my mind shuddered and my eyes almost smarted as I counted pandles enough to vitiate the air, ruin the lungs, and destroy the eye- sight, not only of the dancers, but of the spectators of the dance of death. On the ceiling I observed a large allegorical painting by Pirot, representing Paris environed by the Mufces and the attributes of art ; in the background appeared an assembly of the most eminent men in France. The whole is surrounded by ten hexagonal compartments, containing allegorical figures of Theology, Medicine, Mechanics, Agriculture, Law, Com- merce, Natural Philosophy, Chemistry, Justice, and Geometry. In the first section of this splendid chamber the compartments of the ceiling are charged with the signs of the Zodiac, and allegorical representations of Night and Day. Those of the extreme section contain Genii holding scrolls, on which are inscribed the names of celebrated artists. The two central compartments represent Truth and Genius. Over the doors are medallions of Louis XIV. and Louis Philippe, the latter of which have been seriously damaged, The walls are beauti- THE PLACE DE GREVE. 857 fully painted in arabesque, and in the centre is a circular divan, in which stands a gilt pedestal of bronze supporting the figures of Agriculture, Commerce, and the Fine Arts. All over the world dancing requires refreshment, and accordingly, after the magnificent red ball-room comes, quite naturally, the ." salon de cafe," a beautiful room, hung with - yellow silk embroidered with white. Lastly, there appears, as a "piece de resistance" to the gorgeous feast which the eye has just enjoyed, a substantial dining-room, the walls of which are painted in imitation of oak \ the uncarpeted floor being of the real wood, waxed, rubbed, and slipperified as usual. The frieze is appropriately ornamented with subjects belonging to the chase, to the fisheries, &c. ; beneath are spacious kitchens, sufl&oient to provide a banquet for one thousand persons. On returning through this splendid suite of rooms, the fioors of which, excepting the last, are all covered with handsome thick crimson carpet, over which hang the series of gilt chandeliers I have described, I found, by pacing them, that they are altogether about 270 feet in length. Opposite the antechamber of entrance and the passage leading thereto, is a door, through which I passed into the ancient " salon du roi," in which, when the present H6tel de Villo was a royal residence, the several Kings of France used to dine. On the first story is the " Salle de Horloge," formerly called the " Salle de Trdne," occupying the whole length of the central portion of the building. The walls of this mag- nificent apartment are adorned with velvet hangings trimmed with gold ; the vast fireplaces, ornamented with recumbent figures in white marble of the same date as the staircase, are surmounted by mantel-pieces, on which in those on the right is a splendid allegorical painting of the Bepublic by Hesse ; while on the opposite one appear, richly execilted, the arms of the city, gules a ship argent. The square compartments of the ceiling are charged with armorial bearings. This splendid room has, like the fatal " Place de G-reve " beneath it, witnessed many of the most fearful acts of the Revolution with which France has been afilicted. From the central window of the G-rand Salle, Louis XVL, with the cap of liberty on that head which shortly afterwards dropped lifeless on the scaffold, went through the mockery of addressing " the 358 A FAGGOT OF FEENCH STICKS. people." The room in which Robespierre held his oonnoil and in which he attempted to destroy himself is shown, as also the window at which, in 1830, General Lafayette, em- bracing Louis Philippe, presented him to " the people," from whom — from army, fortifications of Paris, and all — in 1848 he fled to save his life I On descending the beautiful staircase, and on returning again to the Place de Greve, I paced along the western and northern fronts, which I found to be respectively about 420 and 270 feet in breadth. The south front next to the Seine looks upon a pleasing garden. On the north workmen were busily employed in demolishing houses for the purpose of ez- tuiiding the Place de Greve, which now forms an esplanade only on the western side ; this expense will be exclusive of the fifteen millions of francs lately expended in additions and in embellishments to the building, which, as if nourished by the bloodshed and devastation it has witnessed, has gradually increased in. size and grandeur ever since 1357, when the municipality of Paris, or Corps de Ville (whose meetings had formerly been held, first in a house called " la Maison de la Marchandise," situated in the Yallee de la Misere, west of the Grand Chdtelet, and afterwards in a residence called "Parlouer aux Bourgeois," in the vicinity of the Place St. Michel), pur- chased for the sum of 2880 livres de Paris " la Maison de la Greve," which had formerly belonged to Philip Augustus, and had frequently been a royal residence. I had crossed the Pont Neuf, and, tired and weary, was walking slowly towards the fashionable west end of Paris, when the owner of a blacking-shop with a slight bow politely pointed out to me that my boots were very dusty, and accord- ingly, thanking him for the hint, I ascended his tribune, or exalted seat, which magnificently overlooked the crowd of foot passengers passing to and fro beneath. I was scarcely seated when he put into my hand a news- paper, and leaving me on scarlet plush, and with a large looking-glass behind me to study its contents in an attitude and position strange enough to form half-a-dozen magnificent leading articles in the " Times," he set to work with a brush in each hand to put me to rights. \ As the sun was very hot the application of the wet black- ing was rather refreshing, and the polishing process, which 1848 ENTBBPRISl'S DES POMPES FUNEBRES. 359 almost instantly ensued, was, I should say, something like be- ing shampooed ; but what seemed to me infinitely more delight- ful than all was, to observe that, during the whole of the time I sat in this description of exalted pillory, not a single indi- vidual of thQ hundreds that passed for a moment looked at me. The bench was arranged so that six persons, each seated on Loarlet plush, and each with a looking-glass at his back, and each with a newspaper in his hand, could be polished off at once ! ■ ••• ENTREPRISB DES POMPES FUNEBRES. In walking along the Rue St. Honors I observed the outside of the large church of St. Roch to be in mounting ; and as I had a few minutes to spare, I walked in. The organ, and some magnificent deep voices, which appeared to be reverbe- rating together from every portion of the ceiling above me and of the walls around me, were assisting in the performance of high mass for one whose earthly remains were in a coffin before, but at some distance from, the great altar, hung with black c^^th covered with white fig-shaped spots, representing tears ; the steps, and everything near and around th^m, were covered with black ; there was moreover a large congregation of priests, all clothed in black and silver. While this scene of woe and of deep-sounding lamentations was going on at the great altar, I perceived a small but dense crowd of people engaged at one of the little ones, from which there also proceeded chanting and prayer, which occasionally clashed and occasionally amicably mingled ^ith the loud swelling sounds of the organ and its mournful accompani- ments. I was observing the performance of this double service, looking sometimes, towards the little altar, and then at the horizontal backs of the large crowd of men and women who with bent bodies were joining in the last sad requiem to the dead, when I saw a slight movement among the small crowd, which began to approach me, following a bride white all over ; 860 A FAQQOT OF FRENCH STICKS. in short, at one end of the church they had heen most joyfully marrying a couple, while in the middle they were as mourn- fully hurying a man. It was on the 1st of May, and, as nearly as i could calculate, the Queen of England and Prince Albert were at that moment within the Crystal Palace opening the Exhibition of the Industry of all Nations. In front of the bride there strutted, with as much pride as if she had wholly and solely belonged to him, a tall man in a cocked-hat, splendid uniform coat, and black breeches, carrying in his right hand a very tall staff, with which he occasionally tapped the stone pavement of the church, to admonish the toes of bystanders to get out of his way. I had observed him only a minute be-, fore close to the coffin, from which he must have hurried to honour and clear a road for the bride and bridegroom to their carriage. While they were escaping, as people in such a pre- dicament usually do, from a little side door of the church, I walked towards the great portal, close to which I observed standing, or rather tottering, an old man, holding in his right hand a brush, wet with holy water, which most people as they passed him touched with a finger or two, and then, with the same, crossed their faces ; and although the exertion of hold- ing a damp brush is not great, the poor fellow seemed as if it was altogether too much for him ; in fact, he appeared com- pletely worn out, and all but dead and — as all people dyin^ in Paris are entombed within twenty-four hours of their demise — buried. As soon as I go,t into the fresh air I saw before me in the street several mourning-carriages and the hearse, a sort of open barouche surmounted with black ostrich feathers and black trappings, heavily laden with silver lace. The horses were hidden in black clothes covered with silver stars, and traversed and bound with silver lace. The coachmap, dressed in clothes of black and argent, wore a black cocked-hat, orna- mente I with silver lace. The large entrance door and front wall of the church were completely covered with black cloth, silver lace, and rich similar bullion six inches long. Lastly, above the three doors, namely, the large centre one and small one on each side of it — from one of which there had just flown the beautiful white bridal butterfly, who in the chrysalis state had been brought before the little altar — there was inscribed in large letters, "LiBERTE, FaATERNrri, Egaijt6.'* \. ENTBEPBISE DES P0MPE8 FUNEBBES. 36,1 In the afternoon, ai( I was returning home very tired, iii passing the Church of St. Rooh I perceived two dingy blaok Tans, into which some men dressed in rusty clothes were stuffing ' all the dark costly finery which, on the interior walls, stepH of altar, and exterior of the church, had been displayed at the morning ceremony I had witnessed. After watching the operation for some minutes, I asked a man in a cooked-hat, very vigorously assisting, where all the black bales ho was load- ing were going. " Monsieur," he replied, '* tout appartic ,t auz Pompes Funebrea!"* moreover, in reply to my further in- quiries he was good enough to add — as with the sleeve of his dingy coat he wiped a stratum of perspiration from the small portion of his face that remained uncovered with hair — that the office was at the top of the Rue Miromenil, just beyond the residence of the British Ambassador ; and as I was anx- ious to get to the bottom of my subject, I determined, instead of going to my dinner, to walk there. '^ I shall now," said I to myself, " see, I suppose, a blaok world I" and yet I own I was not quite prepared after a weary walk to find, on turning out of the Rue St. Honors into the one he had named, that the venr water running in the gutters down the street was black I " Very odd ! isn't it ?" thought I ; however, as I never allowed my mind to remain in Pans one moment in ignorance of anything anybody passing me was acquainted with, I asked a 'shopman who was crossing from his door what might be the cause of the colour of the bubbling fluid to which I pointed. " Monsieur, qa vient d'un teinturier a c6t6 un peu plus hUut ;" f and accordingly, tracing it trul^ enough to that source, I continued to ascend the street, until on the left I saw before me in large letters " Service G6n6ral des Inhumations et Pompes Funebres de la Yille de Paris." % Beneath an arch was the " Bureau," which I had scarcely entered, when I perceived from the face \>f the person to whom I addressed myself that I was very particularly welcome. " What was my wish ? What would be my orders ?" As soon, however, as I replied that as a stranger I only wanted to know what were the charges for different descriptions of funerals, t;he clerk, with a countenance sickening almost unto death, po- * Sir, it all belongs to the Faneral-pomp Association! + Sir, it comes from a dyer a little higher up ! i General Bui'ial and Funeral-Pomp Aaeociation of the City of Vvm. 16 862 A FAOGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. litely referred me to his superior, who as politely told nie I oould only get the information I wanted from the "ohef " of the establishment. He happened to be in the yard, and re- ceived me with groat civility ; but although there can exist, one would think, no objection whatever to telling the living what is charged for burying their dead, yet, as soon as this stout gentleman found I was really a nonentity in creation, that is to say, that I possessed nobody I desired to bury, he told me frankly he did not wish to give the information I desired ; he, however, readily allowed me to walk through his establishment. On entering the first stable I found in it no less than one hundred and thirty horses, all black. Above their heads and mangers were affixed upon the wall the names of each. I ex- pected that among them I should, of course, find " Pluto," " Minos," " Charon," " Cerberus," or other such appropriate ap- pellations ; however, in France the sound of the drum seems more or less to influence everything, and, accordingly, almost the first funeral horse I came to was called '' Pistol," the next (( Eagle," then stood munching '•'' Pollux," and, at last, appro- Eriately came " Yictoire !" The stable was not ventilated, the orses were only three feet apart, leaving scarcely room to pass with safety between the heels of the two rows attached to op- posite walls ; they nevertheless — no doubt from the quantity of walking exercise they professionally enjoyed — all looked sleek and healthy. After going through the remainder of the stables, I crossed the Bue Miromeml into a yard full of mys- terious uncomfortable-looking planks, tressels, and ladders, be- yond which was a large building like a barn, replete with re- publican hearses of all conceivable and inconceivable forms, from one apparently made of silver and as fine as the state coach of the Lord Mayor of London, down to a rattletrap bier on wheels, with side rails barely high enough to prevent a coffiQ from being jolted out. • •• fiCOLE POLYTECHNIQUE. By a decree of the National Assembly, dated 11 th March, 1794, there was established in Paris a Board of Public Works, the ECOLE POL TTECIINIQ UE. 363 central school of which, by a subsequent decree, dated 1st Sep- tember, 1795, took the name of Eoole Poly technique. Its ob- ject, as its name partly defines, is to shelter every branch of Boicnco ; and accordingly, from this noble institution, into which about 300 6l6ves, from sixteen to twenty years of age, are received for two years, and occasionally for three, there are continually- flowing streams of useful knowledge, of greater or less magnitude, into the following channels : — 1. The military corps of Engineers, } whose school of ap- 2. The military corps of Artillery, S plication is at Metz. 3. The " Marine," or naval service. 4. The corps of Maritime Engineers, whose school is at Lorient. 5. The Artillery of the Marine, whose school is at Metz. 6. The « Ecole d'etat Major," at Paris. 7. The Ecole des Mines, ) , i. i r i» 8. The Eoole des Pontset chaus- J^^,?'^^'^^^^^''^''^-^ . i cation are at Pans. 9. The School of "Poudres et Salpdtres."* 10. The System of Telegraphs, under the direction of the Minister of the Interior. 11. The National Manufactures of Tobacco, composed of ten manufactories, dependent on the central one at 63, Qnai d'Orsay, at Paris. 12. The Department of Finances, under the Minister of Fi- nance. After looking for a short time at the new front, containing a bas-relief appropriately representing an amicable combination of implements of war and machines of peace, I entered the gate of the Ecole Polytechnique, and, on producing my order, was introduced to an officer, who was good enough, in reply to a f«w queries, to give me the following preliminary information. The establishment is governed and regulated by — Military. 1 General. 1 Colonel. 6 Captains. 6 Adjutants. 4 Serjeant Majors. 6 Drummers. 1 Soldier for the infirmary. * Gunpowder and saltpetre. ' $64 A FAGGOT OF FBENCH STICKS. Civil. 1 Direotor-in-chief of the Studies. 6 Professors. 1 Administrateur, who has sole charge of the arrangements of the school and buildings. 1 Treasurer. 1 Assistant ditto. 1 Commis du MatSriol, i:i charge of linen, furniture, and bil- liards. 1 Assistant ditto. 1 Commis de Vivres, in charge of the provisions. 3 Commis des Bureaux, for the accounts, and for correspond- ence. 1 M^decin, of the rank of chirurgien-major. 1 Assistant ditto. 15 Garqons. servants. For board, lodging, and education, the Aleves pay, for the first year, 1500 francs (60^.; for the second, 1000 (40/.). The expenses of about twenty young men of distinguished talents, but who have no money, are every year defrayed by Govern- ment. Their studies commence at six in the morning, and end at nine at night ; between those hours they breakfast at eight, dine at two, from half-past two to five are allowed recre- ation, sup at nine, and at half-past nine go to bed. They are not permitted to go out of the establishment except on Wed- nesdays, from two till ten, and on Sundays, when they may be absent from eight in the morning till ten at night. Before 1830 they possesse'd a church, but since that period have had none. " How do they manage," said I, " without one ?" " Oh !" replied the officer, with an appropriate shrug, " on n'y va pas !"* " So much," said I to myself, " for abolishing what are termed the musty evils of an established church." On entering the " Cabinet de Physique," I saw before me all sorts of philosophical instruments, with an electric machine of the newest description. Among them were several tables, on which the eleves are required to make, as well as to witness, a variety of experiments. In the " salle" of fortification and artillery, among an as- sortment of shot, shells, models of fortresses and boats, I re* * Why, they don't go to one ! f il ECOLE POLYTECIINIQUE. 865 marked a model showing the modern system of defenoe adopted in the forts lately constructed round Paris ; also a section of the new musket used by the chasseurs de Yincennes, which is capable of producing such fearful effects. The invention prin- cipally consists of a short barrel, containing inside a flight spi- ral groove, down which is forced, instead of a round ball, a piece of lead cast in the combined form of a cone and cylinder ; the cylindrical end (in the lower portion of which there exists a small iron cup or thimble) is inserted first. At the extrem- ity of the ramrod is a conical hole, which, exactly fitting that of the lead, thrusts it down without compressing it. By the force of the discharge the iron cup expands the side of the bul- let, which entering into the groove of the barrel receives from it a rotary motion, and the centre of gravity of the ball, in con- sequence of the vacuum in its rear, being well forward, its pointed end always goes foremost. By this simple alteration of the old principle, this new French musket has a range of 1000 yards, equal to that of a nine-pounder camion with twcHi-; degrees of elevation. .. In the department of Chemistry I found, opening into ai yard shaded by trees, ten small laboratories, in each of which were eight furnaces, with two eleves working at each. Adjoin- ing is an amphitheatre of chemistry, capable of holding 300 students, composed of lofty benches, gradually lowering towards the professor's large circular table, which I observed covered with the objects upon which he was lecturing. Behind him, o%j the wall opposite to his audience, was a large black board, and, in a room adjoining, laboratories, in which we found his assist- ants preparing the experiments he was about to explain. Af-,^ ter passing through three fencing-rooms, in which several of the students were displaying great dexterity, and a " salle de danse," empty and fiddleless, I came to eight rooms, each con- taining a pianoforte, before most of which was seated a profesn i sor in rusty clothes playing : behind one. looking at white music-paper about two feet from his nose, was standing in an easy negligent attitude, with eyes and mouth wide open, a stu- dent singing. On each side of a very long passage, I passed twenty-eight " salles d'etude,"* with one window in each.^ Above, in a gallery of the same length, were ranged the black belts, bayonetp., and muskets of the students, who, on first join- , . . * Halls of study. 366 A FAGGOT OF FRENOll STICKS. ing the £oole, are exercised for three 'months daily, and after that twice a week during the months of June and July only. • In the " Cabinet des Modeles d' Architecture"* are some very beautiful models of arches of various descriptions, stair- cases, steam-engines, cranes, also of an ancient temple. After looking into two amphitheatres " d'analise physique,"! I passed through two small gritty " yards of recreation," into a capital billiard-room, adjoining which was a room entitled " CoiflFeur," for hair-cutting. I now proceeded to the dormitories, composed of fortyrtwo exceedingly clean, light, airy sleeping apartments, each contain- ing from seven to ten iron bedsteads, with neat check side-cur- tains. Above every white pillow there hung horizontally a brass-handled sword, over which was a shelf bearing a wooden cocked-hat box. In four long dining-halls, surrounded by wooden benches, were five marble tables, at each of which sat from eight to ten students, and in the middle of every table, instead of an 6pergne with artificial flowers, &c., was a tin circular basin, into which the students as they were eating chucked their scraps. In the vestibule were three cocks, and troughs for washing dirty hands and hungry faces. The kitchen, which, though exceedingly small, by admirable arrangements was quite large enough for _^ its purpose, contained four great caldrons. I was now led to the penal department, consisting of four- teen prisons, ten feet square, containing each a table, a. stool, and a window boarded up to the upper panes. In tiaese cells refractory students are subjected to solitary confinement from * four to a period not exceeding fifteen days. In a detached building of twelve windows in front, and three stories high, is the infirmary, or hospital. In the upper portion, which only contained six patients, I was conducted in- to two apartments, with one floor, if possible, more dangerously slippery than the other, containing in shelvec and pigeon-holes " lingerie," beautifully clean and neat, and a woman as clean, as neat, and with a mind as strongly imbued with soap, as the linen over which she presided. She told me with great pride that every pigeon-hole (they were each one foot ten inohep v square) had its 61eve — or, rather, said she, correcting herself, it - contained the linen of ej,ch 61eve, every article of which, she. * Museum of architectural models. f Physical onalyaia. \ y ECOLE NATION ALE DES FONTS ET CHAUSSEES. 367 showed me, was marked with his number. She added, they were allowed clean sheets once a fortnight in winter, and onoe in three weeks during summer. In a small, gritty entrance-yard the Aleves receive their friends, who are not allowed, when visiting them, to enter any farther. Opposite, but within the walls of this admirable, use- ful, and well-organised establishment, is a munificent house, the quarters of the general commanding. Twice a month, by order of the Grovernment, there is an inspection, " en grande tenue," of the general, colonel, captains, and adjutants ; and the Aleves, about once a week in like man- ner, are inspected by the general After going through the various studies I have enumerated a certain number of the students are sent to the Ecole Nationalo des Fonts et Chauss^es to pass through another and a higher course of studies, which I will now briefly descride. ■• • >■ fiCOLE NATIONALE DES FONTS ET CHAUSSfiES.* Above my head, and over a lofty gate, in la Rue des Saints Feres, I saw drooping and dripping — for it was raining 1\ ird — a tricolor flag, and under it, in gold letters, " Ecole Nat^^k \le DES Fonts et Chaussees." On each side was injoiibe i xt. iei- ters of black paint — " Fropri:iSt:iS Nationals, f LffiERTE, FraternitiS, Egalitje." After passing the lodge of the concierge, and crossing a large open court, I ascended by a small staircase to the room of the principal inspector, whom I found ready to attend me, and who informed me — as I was aware — that ho had, through the Director, received a special order from the Minister of Fub- lio Works to give me whatever information I desired. Commencing at the upper story, in which was his own * National School for Bridges arifl Roads, f National Proporty. , „.„ ^„ 366 A FAGOOT OF FEENCB STICKS. apiartm^ttl he eonducted me to » passage, m whidi are eight < snaall rooiaa of study, each containing ten desks. r Around the walls of every room, in woo(ien frames, threes f feet high, covered with glass, were arranged drawings relating to the particular course of study of each, ia order that the stu- "i d ;nts, when not otherwise occupied, might have an opportunity f of regarding them. These rooms and tbe whole establishment '(. are warmed by hot water (iftot steam), according to the system^ * now generally adopted in all the government buildings in Paris. At the end of the passage we came to a door, on which was ' written " Office de Service." Here reside two retired officers ; of artillery, who form the " Police " of the establishment, who'- restrain any irregularity, and who thus divest the professors and director of all responsibility on that subject. In the wall ' is a "boite aux lettres," or box for letters, written by the stu- • dents, all of which, whether for the pmrpose of science or ad^ ' dressed merely to their friends, are, as an indulgence, franked to their respective destinations by the •' Ministre des Travaux Publics."* On public occasions the eleves wear a uniform, slightly em- broidered on the collar ; at their studies they may dress as they like. They are, however, strictly forbidden to wear the uniform of the Ecole Poly technique, and are not allowed to smoke or play at cards. We now proceeded to a vestibule where was a spacious oak ; table, from the middle of which protrudt*' and arose a large ^ stove. In the adjoining library — a fine solid room, containing 16,000 volumes and 3000 brochures, warmed by two stoves, and having at one end, on a small platform, the elevated desk of the librarian — were four tables covered with books and inkstands, lying on loose green cloth. At each table were ten chairs, five on each side. In this reading-room, open from twelve to five and from seven to ten, absolute silence must prevail. " Le si- lence le plus absolu y est de rigueur." A third library contains, in cabinets, lettered, numbered, and closely packed in shelves only a few inches asunder, 3000 valuable drawings of railways, bridges of stone, wood, and iron, and other engineering subjects. Attached to these three rooms is a small one, a peaceful re< . treat for the librarian. On descending to the ground floor I entered a laboratory, * Minister of Public Works. i ECOLE NATIONALS DBS FONTS ET CHAVSSEES. 359 in which twelve students at a time, each at his severely burned table, and with a compartment of shelves of his own, covered with bottles, and containing his '^ Pharmaoie," analyse their limes, cements, ^c. I was now led into a very handsome stone promenade, com- municating with a small and a large amphitheatre. In the former I found thirty scholars, on benches, One above another. In front of them was a large black board, at the foot of which, in an elbow-chair, before a rectangular oak table, sat the pro- fessor. In the grand amphitheatre, which, by a similar arrangement, can contain two hundred students, each bench, divided into twelve separate seats, is numbered in front by a brass shining plate. On the wall, close to the black board, hangs in a glass case a tell-tale list of the names of the occupiers of each seat, so that the professor, without moving anything but his head, or without a word of inquiry, can by a glance at once inform himself of the name of any one who disturbs him. Behind, in the small private room of the professor, I found a similar black board, exactly of the same dimensions, "pour s'amuser."* In these amphitheatres, besides mathematical and geometrical demonstrations, the students are instructed in geology, miney- alogy, political economy, architecture, surveying, levelling, irri- gation, draining, the construction of roads, canals, bridges, and in the German and English languages. On opening a door on the left, over which was inscribed "Galerie des Modeles,"t I entered a lofty long hall, containing' models of machinery of almost every description, of different sorts of bridges, li{;^'thouses, of the principal aqueducts of France and of foreign countries, also plans of the best modes of irrigation. There were likewise, admirably arranged and lighted, fragments of the most important portions of the interior of steam-engines : among these I observed a locomotive engine, sawed and separated into two pieces, so as to enable the stu- dents, as it were by dissection, to anatomise the reality of these powerful bodies. Adjoining were plans explaining the con- struction of atmospheric railways ; a very interesting model of the " Pont au double " near Notre Dame in Paris, which, although of a span of 1 15 yards, with a rise in the arch of only * To amuae luruself with. 16* f Grttllery of Models. *SP^" 370 A FAQGOT OF FMENCH STICKS. ten feet, is composed of nothing but a conglomeration of broken stones and cement. Among the drawings are some showing an infinity of pur- posely confused details, exhibited as a style which, instead of being imitated, should be shunned. I here inspected a variety of plans, elevations, and sections by the students, many admi- rably and beautifully executed. JBeyond this interesting gallerly I entered one devoted en- tirely to harbours and canals, containing, besides various models of both, dredging machines, bridges of boats, &c. Above i? ^. gailory full of theodolites, spirit-levels, and a variety of o'ber mathematical instruments, the cost of whic'a in Paris I oV.; orved to be less than half the prices in Englp^.oi. J.ut'tjy I was conducted into a hall full of specii^ions of " xni^/mXo^j })reviou3 to leaving which I ascertained from the «.i^>er?oi' thai^, for the elucidation of the details I had witnessed, tl; >re aic employed fifteen professors ; that the Government lil ?rallv yy efc« to each student 150 francs ? month during the three yes»ra which form the course of his education in this valuable establishment ; besides which, there exists in " la Rue des Couiures S' Gervais" a private one on a similar plan, entitled " Ecole des Arts et Manufactures,"* for the edu- cation of young persons (above sixteen years, and possessing a certain knowledge of algebra, .geometry, and mathemetioal drawing) who are desirous, by the aid of science, to be made competent to practise as civil engineers, as builders, or as directors of factories. -♦-•-•- LES CASERNESt As the momentum or force wit)\ which a oannari shot strikes any thing that opposes its progress does not depend solely on its weight, or solely on its velocity, but on the product of both, BO does the real power of an army depend not solely on its numbers, or solely on its military knowledge, but on the com- bined powers of both ; and thus, just as a small shot can, by * Hchool of Ai'ta and Manufactures. f The barracks* LES CASERNES. 371 ?;reaier velocity, be. made to strike a heavier blow than a much arger one propelled with little velocity, it is evident that, although in point of numbers the army and militia in Q-reat Britain, Ireland, and the Channel Islands, as compared with tiie Garde Nationale and army of France and Algeria, are in the proportion of one to thirty-nine, superior acquirements in the smaller body might compensate for its deficiency in phy- sical force. With this reasoning in my mind, I felt anxious, during my short residence in Paris, to ascertain, as accurately as I could, the precise point of military knowledge the Frencn army has attained ; and yet, although in Paris almost every tliing belonging to the public, with the utmost liberality, is thrown open to the inspection of the inhabitants of Paris in general, and of strangers in particular, I found that to all ordinary applications to visit the barracks the answer* of the general commanding invariably was, " Persoune n'est permis de visiter les casernes,"* the only reason being, that the sol- diers, very naturally and very properly, do not like to be treated, as they say, " like wild beasts." I found it necessary, therefore, to obtain a special order from the Minister at War, authorizing me to visit the various military institutions within, and in. the neighbourhood of, Paris. With it in my pocket, I proceeded towards the Ecole Mi^'taire ; but on passing the entrance-gate to the temporary barracks, one story high, for 7,000 men, lately constructed on both sides of the Esplanade des Invalides, I determined to test the validity of my firman, and accordingly, on being stopped by the sentinel as I was going into the barrack-yard, I told him I wished to speak to the commanding officer. To my surprise, he informed me all the officers lived at Paris, and that no one of them was in the barracks excepting the ad< jutant ! ' " I will, then," said I, " call upon him." "Non, Monsieur!' said the sentinel, "personne ne peut entrer !"t He would, however, send for the adjutant, and according./ the Serjeant of the guard, whom he called, despatched one of the men on duty to the quarters of this officer, who, very shortly coming to the gate, on reading my order, politely told ■ * Nobody is allowed to visit our barrack t I No sir] nobody is allowed to enter! uff WQ a7jj A FAGGOT OF FJRENCB STICKS. me I was at liberty to enter, and he, moreqver, deaired one 4>f tjie guard to take me wherever I wished. «?if0 i^ni^Gt My guide, who was an exceedingly intelligent fine young Qoldier, appeared, before I had said half a dozen words to him, to understand exactly what I wanted, and accordingly he led me into a barrack-room (they are all alike) numbered to con- tain 108 men, but in which were 75 beds, the amount of men in one company. On entering it I found several of the soldiers singing, others lying on their beds reading, and, as I walked ftmong them, looking, possibly, as if I was not altogether unac- customed to them, I attracted very little observation. Bound the room, which had a brick floor^ — no ceiling but the rafters of the roof, — and which was lighted and ventilated longitudi- nally by windows on both sides, — were arranged, at intervals of 18 inches asunder, a series of iron bedsteads, for each of which, on a slightly inclined plane, 18 inches above the ground, were supplied a straw palliasse, — a good wool mattress, — a straw bolster, — a wool pillow, — a blanket, — a pair of sheets, changed once a fortnight in summer, and three weeks in win- ter, — and over all a neat clean counterpane of a brownish-red colour. During the day, on .every alternate bedstead, is placed two sets of bedding, and thus one half of the bedsteads form soft sofas on which the men may rest, and the other half hard, healthy ones, on which they may sit. Over the head of each bed is a shelf for the soldier's kit, including a round tin soup- pan, with cover, holding about five pints English ; beneath a row of pegs for his side-arms, and bag for his brushes. At the bottom of the range of beds, every here and there, was a stand for arms, numbered and ticketed.. Opposite to the door, at the end of the room, there hung, shining like burnished gold, a drum. On asking one of the men in the room what was the sum total of the " charge " or weight which k French soldier of the Ipe carried, I was instantly surrounded by a quantity of com- rades in mustachios, who appeared to vie with each other in explaining to me that it was nominally 60 lbs. (French), but in reality never &o much. '' The musket and bayonet," said one, " weighs from 9 lbs. to lOlbs " His circle of comrades nodded assent. i our " Our knapsack full," said another^ " from 20 lbs. to 30 lbs. j cooking litensils about 4 lbs.', ^^ *,'«". ,;t <«• LES CASEli::ES. a73 ^ I asked what articles the knapsack contained. In reply, several voices said, "We are allowed to carry what we like!" " For instance" (" par ezemple"), said one, "we may oar*y two or three pairs of pantaloons." The knapsack, however, which is inspected every two or three months, contains usually two pairs of shoes, one pair of drawers, a pair of pantaloons, three shirts, two collars, two pairs of gloves, two pairs of white gaiters, three pocket-hand- kerchiefs, and one bonnet-de-nuit. " What !" said I with a smile, " does a French soldier re-' quire a nightcap to sleep in ?" " Mais oui !"* replied several voices. Passing the door of several similar rooms, I now proceeded to the canteen, open from day-break till half-past nine at night. In it I found a room in which, at one small table, dine the serjeant-major and Serjeants, and at two long ones the remain- ing sous-ofl&ciers, above the rank of corporals, who live in bar- racks with the men. In the corner were neatly arranged, on a small counter, glasses, bottles of wine and spirits, for sale. Every regiment of 1500 men {i. e. three battalions of 500) is allowed to have four cantiniers. who, as they require female assistance, must be married. Four washerwomen are also allowed to live in barracks ; but no soldier in the regiment is allowed to marry, unless a cantiniere is wanted. I asked my guide whether it was the case, that, beyond the number specified, soldiers' wives were not recognised ? He said that in military law they were not recognised, " mais," he added, with a shrug, " il n'y en a pas."t '• What !" said I, " are none of the men in these barracks for 6000 soldiers married V " Not one !" he replied. " The tambour-major, the maitre d'armes, and the chef de ouisine,":|: he added, correcting him- self, " may marry, but no one else !" In each regiment of 1500 men about fifteen hoys^ of two years of age, are, as " children of the regiment," allowed the same rations as soldiers, until they are eighteen years of age, * Oh yea! t ^^t there are none. % Dram-major, fendsg^master, and chief cook. 374 A FAGGOT OF FRENOH STICKS. when tliey may enlist or depart, as they may prefer ; but no girls of any age whatever are admitted into barracks. In the kitchen, a hall, lighted and ventilated on three sides by windows, and paved with round stones like those of a pav6, 1 found one hot plate, 14 feet long by 3 feet 4 in. broad, containing eighl. semi-elliptical '' marmites," or cop- pers, 2 feet by 1 foot 5 in. ; each of which, I was astonished to learn, couked for a company of from seventy-five to ninety men ! Bound the room was a table, or dresser, of the ordi- nary height, 2 feet 6 in. broad, and above it a shelf 1 foot broad. On the former were lying, in heaps, bread for soup, cut into slices, and basins of white beans. On the ground tubs of cabbages, with a few potatoes. The meals of each company are prepared by two of its soldiers, changed every day ; and the French army is thus composed of regiments, not orly of soldiers^ but of professed cooks. The ration of the French soldier consists of a loaf of 3 lbs. for two days ; \ lb. of meat per day, eaten at two meals of \ lb. each, morning and evening ; ^ lb. of white long bread for soup ; one to two sous worth of vegetables ; and lastly the soup in which the meat is boiled. " How much wine have you?" said I to my young guide. " None !'• he re .lied, with a toss of his head, " a la fou taine !"* adding, " in summer, when it is very hot, we are al- lowed one small glass of wine per day." ' " Has the soldier any other allowance ?" I asked. " Oh yes !" he replied, with a grin. " He has ' en pro- yinoe' one sou, and in Paris two sous per day, pour B'amuser."t " Happy the soldier that lives on his pay 1" ' We now proceeded into a small fenelng-room, in the mid- dle of which were sunk into the ground three broad boards, separated by wooden platforms, which, in fact, were the re- mainder of the floor. Upon these three sunken boards, in constant succession, three privates in masks were learning thd use of the sword under an experienced maltre d'armes, as- sisted in each regiment by six pr6v6ts, who, besides being ex- empt from all other dutie^s, receive from the maltre " quelque * We go to the pump! f To amuse ourselves witii. . ■'[- LKS OASEJiAJiS. 375 ohose. "* CloBO to this " salle d'armes" were the boarded-up windows of a prison, in which, as there is no bed, the inmates sleep, from two nights to a month, on the floor. Adjoining is a " salle de police," containing palliasses on the floor, in which men are confined two months, or more. On returning to the end of the barracks at which I had entered, I found a range of offices, superscribed as loUows : — " Salle de Rapport et Accessoires" (for the colonel and adju- tant) ; " Corps de Garde, et Salles de Police" (adjutant and sous-officiers sleep here) ; " Compagnies hors Rang" (soldiers' tailors and shoemakers, very badly paid) ; " Sorgents-ma- jors et Fourriers." (There is one sergeant-majo ''^r ^ach company; the "fourrier" ranks between him a Aie ser- geant.) In these temporary barracks there were, at the moment I visited thera, 5500 men, forming four regiments, namely : — Two battalions of chasseurs a pied. Two regiments of the line, composed of very young sol- diers. In France men are drawn by the conscription at twenty, and become soldiers at twenty-one. Volunteers, formerly allowed to enter at eighteen, are now received at seventeen. My intelligent guide was a volunteer of nineteen. On leaving him, passing round two sides of the H6tel des Invalides, I proceeded along the Avenue Lowendal to the Place de Fontenoy, in which is the principal iron-railed en- trance gate of the Ecole Militaire, founded by Louis XV. ^ for the education principally of the sons of officers killed in action: transformed into barracks in 1789; afterwards used as the headquarters of Napoleon ; and now again become the principal of the forty casernes, which in Paris, even in the immediate vicinity of the palace of the President, are in every direction to be found swarming alive with soldiers. On being stopped by the sentinel I told him I wantad to see the commandant. The matter was referred to the ser- geant, who informed me that one of his guard must accom- pany me, and, accordingly, I found myself walking with a soldier by my side across a spacious esplanade towards the quarters of the general. In a sort of corridor I passed two I * A trifle besides. ^*.,^l vi«.jy. y 1.^^^ 'LHJH'-.* IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) %o :/. w 1.0 I.I 11.25 rM Ki 2.2 mm - 6" Mtat. 1.4 11.6 % '*y v^* v: /^ w^^ '/ Photographic Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STRIIT WnSTM.N.Y. MStO (716) S73-4S03 ^*.'^\^'^ ^1*!i> ^ l^fH/fM*^* 376 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. sbMieiii, %ith long mlistaohios and in uniform, sitting astride a bench and playing at draughts with bits of stone of differ- eiit colours, over which, with their chains resting on their hands, they were reflecting as deeply as if they were at chess. On arriving at the Q^eneral's house, the door was opened by a soldier, who conducted me to another private, with mus- t'achios and dress exactly like him, who was writing, and who told me the General was in Paris, and he wanted me to take my order there to him : however, after he had read it, he carried it away with him into another room, and after a short absence returned, and told the soldier of the guard who had brou^t me he was to accompany me wherever I wished. " And where would you like to go ?" said my attendant, t^ sooti as we got outside the door. I told him I did not at all know ; that I wanted to see the casernes, &c. ; and that, as he understood what they con- tained infinitely better than I did, I would follow him. " Bien, Monsieur !" replied the soldier, with a look not only of great intelligence, but of apparent satisfaction at the confidence I had reposed in him ; and stepping suddenly for- wards as if I had pronounced to him the word " March !" he led me up a handsome staircase into a noble apartment, from which we walked out upon a sort of spacious balcony, beneath a projecting portico, formed bj four lofty Corinthian co- lumns, supporting a pediment, richly sculptured. From this exalted position, which I could not help recollecting had re. peatedly been occupied by Napoleon, we had a most magni- ficent view of the Champ de Marl, a plain of sand, bounded on the east and west by avenues of trees, on the south by the Ecole Militaire, in which I stood, and on the north by the bridge of I6na, and the Seine. £ After reflecting for some little time on the various import* ftnt scenes which had occurred on the great open space before me, we retired into the " Salle de Conseil," and other apart- ments, the past and present appearance of which also form- ed a striking contrast. On the lofty walls, as hatchments or memorials of departed grandeur, appeared immense gold frames, richly ornamented, but empty ; the pictures they hdd contained were all gone, and the floor, composed of oak, beau- tifully dovetailed, was liberally strewed with dust and dirt. LES CASERNES. 3rr ' As we Were descending the staircase, my guide explained ib me that the casernes of the Ecole Militaire, capable of holding 10,000 men, at present contained only five regimentS) namely, — One of hussars ; The 56th and 4 1 st of the line ; One of chasseurs h. pied ; ' And the 3rd regiment of artillery : Forming a total of 4356 men. He then conducted me through two magnificent barrack squares, 690 feet long, separated from each other only by an iron railing. In one were several hundred soldiers (all very young) listening to the soft, pure, beautiful music of their band. The barrack-rooms, although of different sizes, wc^re much smaller than those I had seen in the morning. On entering one, I found in it, neatly arranged around the room, nineteen iron bedsteads, 13 inches asunder. Upon them were three boards, altogether 2 feet 2^ in. broad, and 6 feet 3 in. in length, supporting the same amount of bedding I had found in the temporary barracks, with a counterpane, dark drab, with a yellow border. Above each bed, on a high shelf, there ap- peared the soldier's cap and knapsack ; on another, beneath, Were^ neatly folded, two pairs of scarlet trousers, a uniform coat, and, as ornaments at each side, a yellow epaulette ; be- low the whole were eight iron cramps, for holding bayonet, cartouch-boz, &o. The nineteen muskets were on a stand near the door. I took up one; the movement of the lock was excellent. In the middle of the room, suspended from the ceiling, was a tray full of loaves of bread. In every room is constantly a^ lump of loose sand beneath. Two or three jumped in this way from the top of the gibbet, fourteen feet high. Just be- 880< A FAGOOT OF FRENCH STICKS. fore I entered this gymnasium for the second time, I had 1iap< ' pened — within the Eoole Militaire-~to meet Colonel Wood, stho so gallantly distinguished himself in India on I^ord Har- dinge's staff; and as we evidently took much interest in the feats we were witnessing, the two oncers on duty called to- gether a number of the men. Eight were made to stoop, with their shoulders resting against each other, and, while they were in this position, three or four of their comrades, one after an- other, running quickly along a spring board, not only jumped over them, but, making a summerset in the air, landed very cleverly on their feet, and the officers, seeing we were some- what astonished, increased the number of stoopers from eight to fourteen, over the whole of whom two or three men, follow- ing each other in quick succession, making a summerset in the air, and landing lightly on their feet, ran on as if no such parenthesis in their lives had occurred. From one of the officers I ascertained that all the soldiers under thirty years of age within the Ecole Militaire were required to perform gymnastic exercises twice a week for two hours at a time ; but that after the iige mentioned their attendance ceased to be compulsory. Having now rapidly passed through the largest of the permanent and temporary oarracks in Paris, I determined, as the next step in my inquiry, to ascertain the amount of edu- cation given by /France to candidates for commissions in Ker army. ■••■ »' b'COLB SPlSCIALB MILITAIRE DB ST. CYR. From Yersailles there runs a fine new, straight, glistening railway to St. Oyr ; but I had just come from Paris to the for- mer place by rail, and therefore preferred, as a change, pro- ceeding by road. Accordingly, clambering to the top of a 'bus, which, poor little thing, was working in opposition to the St. Cyr railway, I. sat looking at the pair of small punohy whijbe horses that belonged to it, until, there proving to be no other passengers from the train, the coachman mounted beside me, and ,on we all tottled. OOLE SPECIALS MILITAIRE DE ST. CTB. 381 The saddle-pads had been born red ; but as the rest of the harness, which was equally old, was blaokish, and the reins whitish, I asked the driver what was the rtjcison of these differ- ences. He told me that the white untanned leather of France, from its strength, is excellent for reins, but that, as " transpi- ration" — called at a London city-ball "^perspiration"— ♦decom- poses it, black leather is infinitely better for the back-bands, traces, and breeching. With a long whip my companion was continually threaten- ing rather than striking his horses ; but as it was evidently out of their power to go beyond the first rudiments of 'a trot, his interminable conversation to me all the way to St. Cyr (two or three leagues) was about once every ten seconds inter- larded by three exceedingly long, but distinctly different, drawling exclamations, which in writing can only very imper- fectly be described as follows (N. B. The vowels must bo pronounced in French patois) : — A ....««; a i] u . . . , i. To tell the truth, the latter was almost invariably followed very quickly by "Ore! ore!" by " Saore oochon!" "Sacra matin !" and, although the horses were, as I have distinctly stated, milk-white, by " Sacre bleu /" " VoilA qu'ils se reposent jusqu'au chien !"* said he to me, pointing with his chin to a poor man, a poor wife, three poor children, and a lean dog, who, lying on their backs, sides, or curled in a ring, were all six fast asleep by the road-side. As we were jogging along I observed on my right a series of grass parks, separated from each other by high palings, in each of which were a thorough-bred mare and foal. They were the government parks for breeding horses. " O'est nne jument I^rlandaise l"t said my comrade, pointing to a fine-looking mare. About 100 yards farther he pointed out to me with his whip an English mare, which, he said — so like an English mother-j-would not allow man or animal to come near her foal. On arriving at our destination, I walked towards the mag- nificent buildings and extensive lands I had come to visit. In the year 1686 Madame de Maintenon prevailed upon Louis XI V. to found, in the obscure little village of St. Cyr, * Look at 'em nil resting themBelvea— down to the very dog ! j f Thut'd an Irish mare. fjgmn.Mm^t-'!'- 382 A FAOQOT OF FBEIWH STICKS. for the education of 250 noble young ladies, the celebrated Maieon de St. Cyr, to which, on the death of the King, she herself retired, and in which, in 1719, she actually died. In the revolution of 1793 this female establishment was converted into an hospital for soldiers, in which capacity it continued to be used until 1805, when, by a second transmigration, Madame de Maintenon's establishment for young ladies was converted by Napoleon into " I'Ecole Sp^ciale Militaire de St. Cyr," to which were immediately removed the young students of the military school of Fontainebleau. On producing my order of admission to the officer com- manding, he was good enough to accompany me over a portion of the establishment, and to order one of the captains to take me to the remainder, and, moreover, to give me copies of vari- ous lithographed papers he had shown to me. The precautions which the French nation, under every description of government, and under every species of adver- sity, political or pecuniary, take to provide their army with offi- cers competent to command, are very remarkable. The commandant of the establishment of St. Cyr told me he had at present under his charge 500 young men, who, as candidates for commissions in the line, had at the age of eighteen engaged themselves to serve for seven years, if requi- site, as private soldiers ; that during their residence it had been customary for them to pay for their education, &c. 1000 francs a year, with a trousseau (bounty) of 500 francs for the two years, the usual period of their course of study ; that it had lately been recommended in the National Assembly they should be educated gratis ; but that, although that proposal had for the present been rejected, several, in consequence of certificates, had lately been allowed to pay only half the sums named, and a few nothing. If they conduct themselves well, and succeed in passing their examinations in the course of two years, they are pre- sented with the commission of sous-lieutenant of cavalry, or of the line. If the former, they are required to go for two years more to the military establishment at Saumur; if the latter, they are ordered at once to join their respective regiments. If, during their residence at St. Cyr, they misbehave, for slight misdemeanours they are either drilled during the hours of recreation in heavy marching order, or are put under the po- ECOLE SPECIALE MILITAISE DL ST. C7R. 883 lioe ; for heayier offences they are sent to the military prison at Paris, where they are treated exactly as soldiers ; and if they fail altogether to attend to their studies, they are des« patched as privates to a regiment in any situation. Without permission of the general, granted only in extreme oases, no friends or even parents of the dldyes can see them, except on Sundays, from twelve to two ; but, twice a month, if all their 'vrork is well done, they are allowed a holiday, from 9 in the morning till 9 at night, but never to sleep out. A& the number of young men averages from 600 to 600, and as tbeir (course of education usually occupies two years, there axe annually poured into the army from 250 to 300 oflBi- oers, as foUowK: — Of those who ha^e moe* dislioguiahed themselves there are yearly sent to the Ecole d'Etat Major, to go through the whole course of that establishment (^hich ^Ul shortly be described), about 20 To the military establishment at Saumur, to go through the Cavalry course of education, as th«>rein ptflscriloed, about . . 60 To officer regiments of the Linft . ., , Total, frwm 260to 800. firom 180 to 280 Besides the practical education which will briefly be delin- eated, the young soldiers of St. Cyit are theoretically instruct- ed in tho art of war, legislative administration, toj^ography, forti- fication, descriptive geometry, mathematics, geography and his- tory, natural philosophy, mechanics, chemistry, and drawing. The following list of officers and professors, &c., will clear- ly show the extraordinary pecuniary efforts which the French nation, however low may be its finances, make to iropart to candidates for commissions in their army a competcio know- ledge of the art of war : — Military. General of Brigade, Oommandant. Colonel, Commandant en Second. Colonel, Director of the Studies. Chef de Bataillon, commanding the battalion. Captains, Assistant-Directors of the Studies. Captains, commanding the four divisions, each composed of two companies (or of one eighth of the effective of the whole). 1 1 1 1 2 4 ■fff^«^'JHS^t9---r'*'- 864 I A. A FAOGOT OF FRENCH STICKS, 8 LieutenantB, oommandiDg oompaniea 8 SouB-LieutenantA. 1 Chef d'Esoadron of ^ Artillery > For the instraotion of Artillery. 1 Captain ditto ) 1 Oaptain of EnffiDoerg > For the instruotion of Fortifica* 2 Lieutenants ditto \ tion, &o. 1 Oaptain of Engineers > For the instruction of the 'VAf< 2 Lieutenants do. \ Militaire." 1 Captain of the Corps d'Etat ^ Major > Topography. ,. 1 Lieutenant ditto } 1 M^deoin Militaire. ,r ./' Civil. ,/ 2 Surgeons ; 1 Director of the Sfludics (an officer of Engi- neers, of the rank of Chef de JBatailJon) ; 1 professor of His- tory ; 1 Assistant dittos 1 Professor of Geography ; 1 Assis- tant ditto; 1 Professor of German; 2 Assistant ditto; 2 Professors of Mathematics ; 4 Assistant ditto ; 3 Professors of Drawing ; 1 Professor 6f Belles Lettres ; 1 Professor of "Physique;" 2 AsBistan* ditto; 1 Professor of Mechanics ; 2 Assistant ditto ; 1 Professor of Chemistry ; 2 Assistant ditto. The buildings of St. Cyr are composed of an entrance « cour iongue," or long, lofty, covered promenade, parallel to and within which are three handsome courts, named Cour d'AuBterlitz, Oour de Marenso, Cour de Rivoli, running oon- 8ee detailed as follows : — Mathematics. — Arithmetic, algebra, logarithms, geometry. Descriptive Geometry. — Construction of straight lines, curves, and tangents ; with the Various lines separating light and shade ; principles of perspective. Trigonometry and Topography. — ^Use of the plain table, compass, spirit level, principles of reconnaissance. 17* w 394 A FAQQOT OF FRENCH STIOKS. Cosmography. — Movement, diurnal, of the earth, of tho Ban, moon, planets, satellites, comets, and stars. Geogra'phy. — Detailed description of t^e surface of the globe, also of the various governments and populations. Natural PhUosophy. — A slight course of. Chemistry. — ^Ditto. Artillery. — Description of the implements of war of the ancients ; of those of every sort now in use ; of the armament of different branches of the army ; fabrication of gunpowder ; construction of gabions, fascines, platforms, &c. ; principles of firing artillery ; general idea of the employment of artillery in the attack and defence of fortified places. Field Fortificatian. — Explanation of the various profiles of field-works ; application of abatis, palissades, fraises, chevaux- de-frise, trous de loup, &o. ; general j)rinciples of tracing out works, such as redans, lunettes, t^te-de-pontSj redouts, star- works, barbet batteries, &c. Permanent Fortification. — Description of the systems of Yauban, Oormantaigne, &c. ; also of the new French system. A^umU and IMence of Places. — Description of lines of ciroumvallation ana contravallation ; of approach ; of open and covered sap ; description of an attack from the opening of the trenches to the passage of the ditch. Military Administration. — Interior administration of companies' pay, subsistence, forage, fuel, clothing, linen, shoes, arms, equipment, harness, shoeing, service on the march, lodg- ing, infirmary, hospitals, field hospitals, military accounts, mili- tary justice. Art Militaire. — The organization, tactics, and manoeuvres of infantry, ofiensive and defensive. Ditto of cavalry. Ex- planation and use of outpost duties ; of rounds and patrols ; of the conduct of detachments near the enemy ; duties of the different fractions of a detachment under various circum- stances ; of topographical reconnaissances; of armed recon- naissances ; of the means necessarv for reconnaisanoes; guides, spies, deserters, prisoners, travellers, &c. ; of convoys, their destination, rules to be observed on their march, mode of parking them or defending them ; special rules for the convoy of prisoners ; of the attack of convoys. Defence and attack of villages, of woods, of defiles, according to their respective characters; of ambuscades, and Also of surprises, different EOOLS D^JSTAT MAJOB. 895 modes of preparing and carryins them into effect under vari« ous oiroumstaneeB ; of foraging by force, &o. ; of cantonments, rnles to be observed ; choice of the best positions for encamp- ments, for the biyoaao of infantry, cavalry, and artillery. Bules of castrametation for troops of all arms, under canvas, or, in barracks, billets, &o. Manauvres. — Of every description. French IMeratu/re^ Latin^ and German Language.'^ Grammar, prose, poetry of each ; rhetoric ; different descrip- tions of public speaking. F^mcing. — In the usual way. Smmming, — Ditto. Horsemanship. — To each student are givei^ ninety-four lessonS) consisting, besides riding, of lectures on the anatomy of the horse, of his principal diseases, of his treatment, food, water, ventilation of stables ; on shoeing ; on rest ; work ; precautions to be taken on a march, and in a campaign ; on the purchase of horses ; and lastly, how to proceed in cases of false warranty. After conversing some time with the Colonel and com- mandant of the establishment, I followed him into one of the halls of study, in which I found ten or twelve fine intelligent- looking young men, employed in drawing plans of fortification, the works of a siege, breaches, flying bridges, and reconnais- sances of country 2200 yards (one mile and a quarter) broad, by 3300 yards (about two miles) long, taken by themselves by compass only ; and as these reconnaissances had all been laid down on the same scale, the colonel, on placing two or three of them together, pointed out to me how accurately they coin- cided, so as to form altogether, for a general officer, a continu- ous oarte-du-pays. Those engaged in plan-drawing were ori- ginating their own delineations from plaster models of the dif- ferent features of a country. He was also good enough to show me a plan of Toulouse, with a written report thereon, by one student ; a plan of Besanqon, with an historical mili- tary memoir, by another ; a plan of Dieppe by another. He informed me that three times a-week the students learn land- scape-drawing, of which he laid before me some specimens of extraordinary talent. In another room he was kind enough to show me plans by the students of the principal sieges of Spain, with drawings by them of artillery of all descriptions. v\ 896 A FAQOOT OF FBENCH STICKS. In the mathematioal hall I found around a black bQard| a . horseshoe tbble containing twenty-^ye desks ; and in the libra*' Tj. to which government every year gives a certain sum, 8000 volumes on professional subjects. The hospital was what Mr. * • * *, M.P., in advocatins economy, contemptuouslv calls a " sinecMr," — Anglicd, it did not contain a single student ; indeed the colonel told me that any one who occupies it more than thirty-five days is consi- dered to^have lost nis year's study ; and as this led to the sub- ject of discipline, I ascertained that the punishments of the students consist of, — 1. A simple order of arrest by any o£5icer of the establish- ment, which, while it confines them to theur room, does not exempt them from study. %. An ^' arr^t de rigneur," with or without a sentinel, which confines them in their rooms from study. 3. Confinement in a military prison, to which the culprit is conducted by the officer on duty for the week, who beings back to the fiela-marshal commandant a receipt from the jailer for his person. The students are required strictlv to attend to the orders respecting their dress, composed of a ^' grande tenue," * the uniform of the '' Corpu d'Etat Major," minus the embroidery and aiguillette ; a "petite tenue," f consisting simply of a uni- form Coat, epaulettes, hat, and sword ; and a " tenue de . tra- vail,'*! of a unifoi^m coat Without epaulettes. The form, shape, and colour of every article of their clothing is strictly regu- lated by martial law ; for instance, the dimensions of their hats — totally irrespective of the different amount of brains within each — are decreed to be as follows : — MUlem«trM. (Before ..... 140 1 Behind . . . . . 206 Before ...... 080 ' Behind 025 . ' 126 070 Diameier of the loop ..... 080 Breadth of the twist of the loop . . 042 Height . Arch . . Length BreadtH Lastly, the students are required, in the ^ Eoole" and out j^of it, to salute all officers of rank superior to their own ; and to * FulldreflB. f Undrefldb % Working dresi. BCOLE IfETAT UAJOB. aor assemble, wheneyer called upon to do so, by beat of drum, l^yery day they are allowed to be absent from the Eoole from fiye in the eyening till eleyen at night, excepting on Saturday, when they may be out till midniffht ; and four times a month they are permitted to be out ^ night, but — ^what sounds reasonable enough — ^not two nights oonsecutiyely. If at the yearly examination they do not attain a certain sum total of proficiency, they are summarily discarded from the "Ecol^ d'BtcU Major j" and at once appointed to regiments in the army. I was pow conducted into a stable containing fifty horses, maintained for the instruction of the students. As is usual in the French seryice, the name of each was appended over his mangier: among them I obseryed a mare entitled " La Milady," and a slight, long-legged horse, called ^Le Genttemann." From the stables the colonel led me into an unusually large and lofty riding-school, 264 feet in diameter, around whioL followed by a groom on horseback, there was cantering, at tne rate of very nearly three miles an hour, a thin, old, erect gentleman — he was a stranger, and had no connection with the establish- ment — ^who, with a red ribbon in his button-hole, with hands bent like the paws of a dancing-bear, and with the points of his toes gently resting in his stirrups, was taking, as medicine, his daily dose of horse exercise. The dormitories are composed of moderate-sized rooms; containing sometimes one, and sometimes two, beds. Lastly, I was conducted into a good garden. The hours of labour are in summer eleyen, and in winter nine, every day in the week except Sundays and f^te-days. Of the year, eight months are devoted to studies within the " Ecole," three, to exterior reconnaissances and actual surveys under officers of engineers, and one for the examination in two divisions of all the students. The period of residence at the " Eoole" is two years. The number of students fifty, oi whom twenty-five every year, after passing their examinations in the various studies enumerated (which in the aggregate are considered as a preliminary portion of their education) are, with the rank only they held at the f' Ecole " namely that of sous-lieutenant, employed ./br ttoa yea/n as " aide-majors" (assistant-adjutants) in a regiment of cavalry. They then, with the rank of Ueutenjsmt, are required to serve for two years more as aide-majors in a regiment of infantry; 398 A FAOGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. and afterwards, oooasionally but not always, are sent for a year, in the same oapaoity, first to the artillery, and then to the. engineers, which completes the oonrse of military ednoation which France deems it advisable to give to its " Oorps d'Etat Major," a national nursery for generals whom the country may reasonably deem competent to command under any circum- stances the various armies on which the destinies and honour of the nation are supposed to depend. From the education they have received they are also deemed competent to be placed at the disposition of the French minister for foreign affairs, to be attached to embassies, or employed in diplomatic missions. As I was walking through the garden, I asked the colonel to be so good as to explain to me who had the patronage of appointing to the " Eoole d'Etat Major" the twenty-five stu- dents requisite to replace that number who were annually pro- moted from it to be, with the rank of lieutenants, aide-majors (assistant adjutants) of cavalry. He told me that no such influence was allowed to interfere with the Eoole d'Etat Major ; and, accordingly, that by an order of G-overnment, the yearly de- ficiency, without any patronage whatever, is supplied bv three of the most distinguished scholars of the Ecole Polytechniaue, and by twenty-two who in like manner have most distinguished themselves in their progress through the military odlege of St. Cyr. This sensible arrangement, which, regardless of expense, gives to the brightest talents the country can produce the best professional education it can devise, accords with the whole military system of the French army, which, among other regula- tions, has ordained that no one can be appointed to the rank of sous-lieutenant until he has either served at least two years as a non-commissioned officer (sous-offioier) in some corps of the army, or for two years has been an ^leve of the Eoole Militaire de St. Cyr or Polyteohnique, and has, moreover, passed all the etaminations thereof As I was walking homewards I could not help comparing the system of military education I had witnessed in the Casernes, and m the Eooles Polyteohnique, Ponts et Chaus6es, Sp^oiale Militaire de St. Cyr, and d'Etat Major of France, with the course pursued in my own country ; and as this painful subject id of vital importance to every member of our community, it will I trust be deemed not unworthy of a few minutes' patient consideration. ECOLE D'ETAT MAJOR. 399 According to the regulations of the British armv no young man, whatever interest he may possess, can enter the corps (n Boyal Engineers, or the Koyal Regiment of Artillery, without going through the military academy at Woolwich. As a school of preparation for the remainder of the army,— the cavalay, infantry, and staff, — there has also existed lonff ago at Great Marlow, and latterly at Sandhurst, a Royal Mill- tary College ; and as it and the army have been and are under the same power, it would have been natural to conceive either that the expenses of the college, if useless, would have been abolished, or, if deemed useful, that by a simple regulation every candidate for a comn^ission would, as in the case of the Woolwich academy, have been required to pass through it ; by which arrangement, whatever amount of education from time to time might be deemed necessary would be equally imparted to all our young officers, who, on joining their respective regiments, would be known to possess military knowledge up at least to the point prescribed. Instead, however, of issuing any such regulation — strange to say — it has been, and still is, left to the father, mother, guardian, uncle, grandfather, or grandmother •9f every young man who enters the army, to determine, accord- ing to his or her ignorance or prejudices, whether he shall ac- cept this national course of education or not I and accordingly it is an indisputable fact that a large proportion of the ensigns of the British army have joined their respective regiments without having received any military education whatever. Now, instead of correcting this anomaly by the simple establishment of one general system, there has lately been adopted a medium course, which, by many very faithful ad- mirers of the power from whence it has emanated, is considered to be a very serious mistake ; and as I most reluctantly own that I concur in this opinion, I will endeavour to explain the . objections urged against the following order, the portions of which that are considered to be very loosely worded, are printed in italics :-^ Memorandum: of the points upon which Mr. — will have to be exa- mined when selected by the Oommander-in-Chief for a Commission in the Army. In order to have some certainty that the applicants for commissions in her MMCSty's service have been educated as gentlemen, it is directed that eadi of them shall be examined by persons appointed by the Commander- 400 A FAOGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. in>Obief for thai purpose, particularly on the following poiota, before they can be recommondeu for commiHions : — 1. The candidate muat be able to read Engliah correctly, and write it firom dictation. 2. In arithmetio, he must be acquainted with the first four rules (simple and compound) and vroportiotu 8. In languages, he must be able to construe any part of CcBsar's ' Oom« mentaries ' (exclusive of the portion ascribed to Hirtius), and parse ; or, if he ahould riot have received a claaaical edtuation, he must translate into English a given passage from a French or German author, a$ he may him- »el/ prefer, and parse. 4. in history, he must be able to answer auch queatioM aa may b« put to him by tJie examinera. 6. In geography, he must possess a knowledge of the general division* of the world ; the name of the capital of each nation, in Europe ; the prin- cipal rivers, seaports, and military posts in Qreat Britain and Ireland ; her Jutyeat^a domiiiiona in every part of the world. 6. In fortification, he must be able to trace upon pap«r, in presence of the examiners, a front of fortification, according to vauban's first system. If this is done correctlvby the candidate, it will be received aa evidence, at the same time, of his having acquired bomk knmeledgf of drawing. *l. If the candidate be a member of the Church of England, he will have to produce a certificate of having been confirmed. If not a member of the Church of England, he will be required to produce a certificate from a miniater or priett, stating that he has been well instructed in the prin- ciples of the religion in which he has been brought up. 8. A medical examination will take place to ascertain that the candi- date is in every point of view fit for military service. Now, without stopping to notice any of the paragraphs in italics — ^which (especially in requirement No. 4) are evidently so indefinite that if the ^^ person" appointed as examiner should happen to be a little bilious or out of humour on the particular morning, he may make the examination so severe as to reject any candidate he pleases — it may be at once stated that the main objection to the above regulations is, that, without imparting to a candidate for a commission mili- tary information of ant/ practical value, they materially injure the raw material from which the British army has hitherto been supplied, by forcing every candidate for a commission to leave our great public sahools in order to obtain, in wbat is commonly called a '' cramming establishment," on Shooter's Hill, Hammersmith, or some of the purlieus of London, ex- actly the amount of mathematics, plan-drawing, French, and German, that will enable him to pass the examination, or, in it it is technically termed by the advertisers, " bring him u^ to the mark." SOOLS D'ETAT MAJOR, 401 . ■ Let OS for a moment fairly weigl^ what is lost and what i« gained by this arrangement. Altliough in our public schools education is unfortunately almost coniined to a well-grounded knowledge of those two ancient duud languages on which our own is founded, yet there c. n be no doubt thoy offer to can- didates for the army adyauta^es of an inestimable nature. In their play-grounds and in their rooms courage is uniyersally admired, cowardice or meanness universally despised ; manly feelings, noble sentiments^ and generous conduct are fostered and encouraged ; the spoiled child of rank, whose face had formerly always been most ob..equiously smoothed fi?ot<;nwar,ds, by the rough nand of the school is rubbed towards, until his admiration of himself, of hfs family, and of tne extraordinary talents of his m^aden aunt, are exchanged for a corrector estimate, which i^yentually makes him a better, a wiser, and a happier man. In short, the unwritten code of honour, which like a halo shines around the playgrounds of our public schools, ever has done, and ever will do, all that can be per- formed to make those who have the good fortune to exist under it Gentlemen. Now when a fine, handsome, hi^h-minded young nobleman is torn away from advantages oi this nature to be " crammed" at a solitary house, in what position does he find himself? Instead of the delightful society he has enjoyed, he finds himself the guest of a needy man, whose silly wife^ and whose three or four plump daughters, are as proud of him as if he had descended among them from the sun. They show him off at church, have him to tea, and afraid to rebuke him, think themselves highly honoured by almost every thing he says or does. His companions a«e probably half a dozen different shaped lads, from various ranks in life.* They per- haps also spoil him, and even if they do not, the association is altogether on so small a scale, the education is in its cha- racter of so low a caste— one in which the sons of school- masters, surveyors, and the lower orders of professions are sure to excel— that, although it may ensure him passing his examination, his young mind becomes unavoidably injured by the three-cornered ideas on all subjects which have been stuffed into it. And now, if this be true (al8*( I will any one that has r#yeUed in the playground of an English public school deny 402 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. it ?), is it not extraordinary to reflect that this alteration in the qualification for a commission from the society and educa* tion of a gentleman to that which would be appropriate to a clerk, to a young civil engineer, or to a superior class of me- chanic, has been concocted to prevent tne very evil it is creating ; in short, the young nobleman {vide the " Memo- randum ") is to be transplanted from Eton to Shooter's Hill, " in order to have some certainty that the applicants for com- missions in Her Majesty's Service have been educated as GENTLEMEN ! I " Again, it is generally considered that the Memorandum, dated Horse Guards, 4th July, 1851, detailing the examina- tion for the rank of captain, is not only far too severe to be requited from all officers, but will lead to great hardships and inconveniences. A man may be an excellent officer; may have served for many years with great gallantry and distinc- tion ; he may, moreover, possess sound sense, judgment, and zeal ; and yet be quite unequal — especially if his services have been in remote colonies — to undergo the examination required, and which, after all, has but very little to do with his regimental duties, namely ; — " The first six books of Euclid. Geometry ; geometry on the ground. Algebra, comprisiDg addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, the ex- traction of the square root', and the solution of simple equations. Piano trigonometry, comprehending the solutions of plane triangles in the three principal cases, with applications to the determinations of heights and dis- tances ; examples to be worked logarithmically. Mensuration, including the determination of the areas of plane figures, rectilinear and circular, with the volumes and surfaces of solids, t&c, t&c." And thus,Vhile in France, under a regular and continuous system of military education, the soldiers^ the officers^ and the' staff of the army, in the various schools I have described, and afterwards in extensive encampments, are studiously learning grand manoeuvres and evolutions, siege-duties, ball-firing, as well as the minutest details of field exercise, the promotion of our officers, to whom no such advantages are allowed, will occasionally be stopped because they are unable to pass through a severe examination in geometry ! — just as if, according to Mr. Cobden's theory, disputes between nations were hereafter to be settled by logic instead of by bullets and cold steel. i:COLE D'ETAT MAJOR. 403 " I really carCt understand this fifth book of Euclid /" eaid many years ago a Woolwich cadet to that celebrated mathematician and philosopher, John Bonnycastle. " / don^t wonder at it, bot/" was the reply ; " I can hardly undo'stand it myself !" The British nation may pride itself on its wealth, and the British army on its logic, and yet before our faces Mr. Hobbs picks our locks, while Mr. Colt's revolvers, the French mus- ket, and the superior sailing of the yacht " America," unde- niably promise to kill and outstrip us by land and by sea. There certainly seems to be a fatality hanging over the protection of our country which, like a channel fog, renders everything connected with it invisible. Considering the abject respect which Truth meets with in England from persons of all politics, it is certainly inexpli- cable that on the single subject of the defences of the whole property of the nation, figures and facts have no specific gravity whatever ! On every other question they are not only scrupulously weighed, but in every possible variety of combination they are, by all ranks of people, most ingeniously weighed over and over and over again. On the subject of the Catholic religion, "of corn-laws, game-laws, poor-laws, free-trade, &c. &o. &c., meetings can be convened at almost any notice, at almost any time, and at al- most any place ; petitions can be plentifully signed ; the sub- ject, year after year, can be brought forward in the House of Commons, debated, twisted, turned over in every possible way ; and yet no sooner have 650 gentlemen tired themselves and everybody else almost to death by talking about it, than— iust as if it rose out of the ground in which it had been buried — it majestically reappears in the House of Lords, where all its " facts and figures" are reweighed, and every argument rediscussed. On the publication of their lordships' speeches the subject is again debated throughout the country, and so on, almost ad i7ifi?iitum. But besides this unwearied investigation of great subjects, every newspaper in the United Kingdom professes to weigh, with accuracy and impartiality, the minutest transactions, not only of Great Britain but of every other country in the world. The reasons for and against everything that occurs therein are analysed ; indeed, whenever a" common railway or the w 404 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. most uuinteresting description of private accident occurs, the community are never satisfied, until by a coroner's inquest, or by some other ofl&cial inquiry, they have been informed of what are popularly called " the facts of the case ;" and yet, if any one ventures to submit to the people of England, — ' 1st, Figures showing that, in point of numbers, the army of G-reat Britain is to that of France, in the proportion of rather less than an inch to a yard. 2nd. Facts showing the superior military education of the army of France as compared with that of the army of Great Britain, — every eye is averted from the figures, every ear is hermetically closed against the facts ! And thus, while every item of property within the British dominions is, as it is termed, " ensured from loss," the kingdom itself, almost by acclamation, is allowed, day after day, month after month, and year after year, to exist unprotected, save by that Al- mighty power by which it has hitherto been maintained. -•••■ LA GRANDE CHAUMlijRB. In Galignani's detailed account of the variety of balls which in every quarter of Paris are to be found suited to all classes of society, I read as follows : — " Grande Chaumi^re, TSo. 96, Boulevart du Mont Pamasse, is the habi- tual resort of students and etudiantes, a title familiarly given to those membeijs of thcsofter sex who worship Minerva under the garb of her youthful followers of the Quartier Latin. The garden of the ChaumiSre is laid out in shady walks — * Time out of mind the favourite haunts of love ' The dancing here is rather more liveli/ than at the place already described, and might possibly elicit an austere shake of the head of a sombre moral- ist, who might also think the walks above alluded to somewhat too shady." ' " Where am I to conduct you ?" turning himself round 0© his box to receive my*'orders, said the oonntenance, but not ZA GRANDE GHAUMIERE. 405 tlie lips, of the driver of a citadine in which I had all of a sudden seated myself at nine o'clock at night. " A la Grande Chaumiere !" I replied. " Tres-bien, Monsieur !" said the man who, suiting, as he thought, his action to the word, gave the poor horse a hard cut with his whip. We went I hardly knew where, turning and twisting for about half an hour ; at last, when close to the Barriere d'Enfer, the carriage stopped, and I was informed we had ar- rived at the point of my destination. As soon as I had paid my drivel' I saw before- me, illumi- nated with lamps, two lodges, at one of which I was required, as usual, to leave my stick, and at the other, before which a sentinel was pacing, to pay a trifle for admission. These preliminaries having been concluded, I walked slowly along a broad sanded path, lighted by variegated lamps, and bounded on each side by great ' cubical green wooden boxes, containing very large orange trees. As I pro- ceeded I heard before me a band playing, and occasionally a strange rumbling noise like thunder. On my right I indis- tinctly saw the figures of several people, principally la'dies, joy- ously whirling in a circle on whirligig horses ; at last, after passing under a bower, I came all at once on the grand es- planade, on which, under the canopy of heaven, in an open-air ball-room, beneath a magnificent chandelier of thirty large cut-glass lamps, with fifteen more of the same form round the magic circle, I perceived the heads of about thirty or forty couple of happy people, waltzing in time to a band Of fourteen instruments seated on an elevated covered platform, shelter- ed by a boarded roof through which passed the stems of two large umbrageous trees, besides which, by other trees the re- mainder of the esplanade' was also overshadowed. Around the railing which enclosed the dancers were seat- ed in chairs a crowd of young people, more or less hot, who had either taken part in the dance or were waiting to do so, also a number of colder and older ones acting the part only of spectators. At each end of the dancing ellipse there stood erect, in uniform, low cocked hat, and a straight sword, point- ing like a lightning conductor to the ground, a sergent de ville attentively watching, by order of the police, the move- ments of the dancers. On the outside of the persons seated jf 406 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. in chairs, sauntering, talking, and listening to the music, was a moving crowd, among whom were conspicuous the white belts, shining sword-handles, and scarlet epaulettes of several, soldiers. Immediately facing the band, and on the left of the en- trance, there appeared, surrounded by a border full of pots containing beautiful flowers, an elevated refreshment platform, brilliantly lighted, and full of tables, from which people, luxuriously sipping coffee, punch, lemonade, &c., were look- ing, over the heads of the walking and sitting company, at the young, dancing beneath lamps and the green branches of horse-chestnut trees in flower. As they sat, the mysterious rumbling sound, occasionally for a moment overpowered, and then dying away, harmoniously blenrled with the music. Whenever the dancing, merely to give a short interval of rest to the players, suddenly ceased, everybody appeared in- stinctively to stroll into a labyrinth of little intricate dark paths, shaded by trees and bounded by perpendicular embank- ments about two feet high. Here and there, like angels' visits, " few and far between," there twinkled, father than shone, a little lamp. Here and there was ingeniously carved out of the happy chaos a small dark circular space, containing some- times two or three plain, imassuming rush-bottomed stools, for people to sit and talk on, and sometimes, in addition to these simple luxuries, a little table. In this chiaroscuro picture there was occasionally a sort of dreamy appearance of waiters, in white aprons, hurrying forwards with white coffee cups in trays. As I happened not to be wearing a gold-edged cocked hat, gaudy epaulettes, shining buttons, but on the contrary was dressed from hat to foot in dark apparel, I glided through this scene I believe almost unobserved, and yet, as I was not alto- gether unobserving, I must do it and the Grande Chaumi^re the justice to say, that neither in the dancing nor in the laby- rinths did I witness anything to complain of A great many very young people were, with a great deal of animation, emphasis, and gesture, certainly endeavouring to explain to each gther a freat many things, probably of no very great importance, but can faithfully declare that I saw no quarrelling nor miscon- duct of any sort. As at the last blast and scraping stroke of the band the LA GRANDE CHAUMIEBE. m SIC, was rumbling noise I have alluded to invariably began to increase and to recur at shorter intervals, I resolved to worm my way to the point from which it invariably proceeded, and accord- ingly, returning to the dancing esplanade, I proceeded from it along a broad path, on the right of which I passed an inclined billiard-table, covered with green cloth, lighted by three bright lamps, and surrounded by a crowd of people who were playing for prizes — little china ornaments very alluringly displayed. Proceeding in my course, I soon arrived at the foot of a sort of square scaffolding, containing a small winding staircase, which, on ascending, led me to diminutive platforms one above another, in succession, like a Swiss cottage. On reaching the summit I found myself on a level with a platform surrounded by trellis-work, about thirty feet square, at the edge of which I perceived a sentinel in uniform standing by the side of an old woman seated before a little table, who, as soon as I camo up to her, said to me very civilly — " Cinq sous. Monsieur, s'il vous plait."* I had long been yearning to pay something to somebody, and, accordingly, with great pleasure I put into her withered hand the twopence halfpenny she desired. On the little ele- vated platform, over which the sentinel and this old woman, like Mars and Venus, presided, I perceived, arranged in three lines, eighteen very easy padded arm-chairs each on four iron wheels. In one a young gentleman had just seated a young lady ; and he had scarcely taken possession of another chair himself, when, as if I were detaining them, as indeed I uncon- sciously was, two men in blouses, pointing to a third chair, energetically beckoned to me to advance. I did so ; and one of the men had scarcely passed a leather strap across my stomach when we all three were slowly pushed along our res- pective set of parallel rails to the edge of a Montagne Russe, down which, with an astounding thundering noise, and between lamps that seemed to flash as we passed them, we rushed, un- til, on reaching the bottom, leaving their rails, the three chairs run over some loose tan, until, eventually, they slightly bump- ed against a wall padded with a woolsack. The instant this occurred, without allowing me a moment's reflection on what I had been doing, or rather on what I had done, four or five men rushed towards us, unhooked our three straps, handed us out of our chairs, and then, passing through a gate, in less than * Five sous, Sir, if you please. ^Od A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. two minates from the time I had been launched from the ^hA^. jjfbrm, we were all — ^iust as if nothing had happened-— quietly sauntering among the crowd. On returning to the band I stood for two or three minutes close to one of the serffents de yille ( Anglio6, policemen) watch- ing the dancers, which gave me an opportunity of observ- ing that the ladies were waltzing not onlv in bonnets, but in their cloaks of silk, and occasionally of velvet, which of course made them look hot and olumsy; On the right, at about thirty yards from the circle in which, in the open air, they were enjoying themselves, I found a large, long, low, boarded, unlighted ball-room, with a series of looking-glasses opposite the windows. In it, although it was almost dark, four young, foolish people, were dancing. There now began to blister up in my mind a desire to know how the chair on which I had so lately been precipitated from the platform was ever to get back' to it ? and as I felt myself incompetent to determine the problem, I asked one of these young dancers, who at the moment with his partner on his arm was resting from his labour, to be so good as to explain it ; and no sooner did he tell me of what the power consisted than I determined I would not leave the gardens until I had search- ed it out. Accordingly, returning towards the series of plat- forms by which I had ascended, 1 looked about me in all di- rections, until) passing under an arch which supported the summit of the artificial Montague Busse, I saw on my right a dark-looking cell, containing about a dozen old chairs ; beyond it I heard a slight but unceasing noise, and, proceeding to- wards it, I found, attached firmly by a wooden yolk to the outer extremity of a triangle of beams, one of which was re- volving perpendicularly, a thin, powerful horse, with blindfold- ed eyes, and with his head drawn by a strap sideways. Within a little track hollowed out by his own feet, he was slowly walk- ing round and round a square log-house, just large enough for his circle. As long as the band was playing he enjoyed com- parative rest ; as soon as it ceased he knew that he would be set to work. The sound of human feet ascending the series of platforms warned him that his labour was approaching. The merry voice of happiness above him told him that he ii;iust soon suffer ; and whenever the heavy chains rolled like thun- der over his head, he knew but too well that he would be oblig- ed by main force to pull them all up again. In short, when LA ORANLE CHAUMIERE. 409 the company were happy, he worked; as the evening advan- ced, his labour increased ; and it was exactly in proportion as the strength and spirits of the visiters flagged, that he enjoy- ed longer and longer intervals of rest. From the top of a tall post a small lamp shone upon him, but he was blindfolded and could not see it; its flickering light, however, piercing the dark, lofty, mysterious-looking space above him, faintly shone on a variety of beams one over another. As I was looking at the poor creature his pace gradually slackened till it stopped, " Ae i" exclaimed a voice abovo us. The animal did not obey it. " A-i-i !" — he continued to stand still. " A-i-i-e !" — he immediately leant heavily forwards and put the machinery into motion. " Aiie, sacve !" exclaimed the voice, on which he immediately quickened his pace ; and he was working, I thought, very steadily, when suddenly the little lamp feebly illuminated the form of a man who, entering close to where I stood, hastily walked towards the horse. He had no whip, but he went up, walked alongside of, and did something to him — I suppose he pricked him, for the poor jaded creature instantly increased his pace, and for a few steps, straining his hind fetlocks, hurried rapidly round his doom. I had now been at the Grande Chaumiere nearly an hour, and as I had seen all that — and, as regards its horse, rather more than — I desired, I returned to the esplanade, retraced my steps along the illumined path, until, reaching the two lodges, I redeemed my stick and with it walked out. On coming outside the gate the driver of a citadine asked me where he could conduct me ? and as at the moment I was thinking I should much like to see a specimen of the lowest description of the balls of Paris, I desired him to drive to one which, on my naming it to him, he told me was in the imme- diate neighbourhood. Accordingly, in a few minutes he de- posited me close to a very large house, two stories high, with twelve windows in front, all glaring with internal light. On the walls of the uppermost story there appeared in largo letters '* A LA VILLB DE ToMNlltE ',"* - --' - - - -'■■-■ "'"■ ■■ "- ■ .. f ■' .■'-■■ .-' * The city of Tonn^re. • .,.:. / ;_•. 48.. ....... . ......-::.; 410 A FAOOOT OF FSENCn STICKS, and beneath, "• Salons de 1200 couverts poar nooes et ban- quets."* On entering I saw on the ground-floor, in different places, the words " Caf6," " Restaurateur," " Billiards," »nd at the bottom of a staircase a little bureau, at irhioh I paid for ad- mission a few sous. On reaching its isummit I entered a large room, lighted by four chandeliers and sixteen single gas-burners surrounded by upright glass shades, containing seventy little tables, ranged around it, so as to leave in the centre ample space for dancing. Over the windows, which ivere all open, was a scarlet frame froih which hung, waving occasionally in the air, exceedingly clean white muslin cur- tains. The walls painted in oak were varnished, the floor had been watered. Above, in aii orchestra, were, under the command of a thin, intelligent, bald-headed master, with mustachios like a rat, a band of seven iiiUsicians, and one dog ii^ith a white napkin tied round his body. Around the tables, each of which was covered with a White linen cloth, were ranged a number of people, looking at others dancing. I seated myself at one, and by the utterance of the two words " Gar9on, cafS !" I found no one took the slightest notice of me. Among the spectators •who, like myself, were sipping either wine or coffee, I observed two soldiers of the garde re- publicaine, and two of cavalry ; the elegant bright brass hel- mets, with polished steel fronts, of the latter were lying on the table, their sabres were leaning Against the wall. Several of the party were in blouses, three or four in white linen smock-frocks, and the remainder in the dress of the lowest classes of bourgeois. All the dancers, as well as those leafed, had their hats oh, excepting one of the two dragoons (he had a horsehoe on his arm), who danced not only wiuiout his helmet but without his stock — the reason, I suppose, being that his scarlet trou- sers, lined all round the bottom, all inside the legs, and also up in front, with stout black leather, inade him feel a little Warm; — one man wore a tremendous beard. The ladies, many of whom were upwards of forty, were all overladen with clothes which came up to their throats, and which made them get and appear very hot ; indeed, it made me feel hot too, even to look at them. ^ Aoconunodation for 1200 persons— for taaniages and partieak ,, I ZA GRANDE CHAUMIEBE. 411 I, the floor " Voulez-vous, Monsieur," said to me a waiter in a ite apron, as he passed me with a small tray in his hand, " Voulez-vous, Monsieur, que je vous cherche une dame ?"* Pointing to my little oak stick on the table, I shook my head very infirmly and said "Non !" The dancing was rough, and much more inelegant than I expected to see in France. There was a vast deal of rude joy demonstrated by kicking out violently sideways, some- times with one leg and then with the other. The improprie- ties, of which I had heard much, and which I had been assur- ed were such that no Englishwoman of any description could witness them, consisted — > 1. Of the gentleman in waltzing not only swinging his partner enough to pull her arms off, but also sometimes actu- ally swinging her legs off — the ground. 2. Of the gentleman in waltzing invariably placing one hand on his partner's thickly wadded shoulders, and the other on her gown at too great a distance below her waist. 3. Of the gentleman occasionally ending waltzing by giving his partner, during a period of about six seconds, a downright, or rather upright, good, jolly, unmistakable hug. 4. After the dance was over, of both ladies and gentlemen sitting together at their tables, refreshing themselves by sip- ping from soup-plates hot sugared wine ; in doing which they occasionally tapped each other's glasses, appearing on the whole to be exceedingly happy, and to pay no attention what- ever to the waiter, who, while they were refreshing themselves, was occupied in watering the floor. For every dance each gentleman was required to pay to the chancellor of the exche- quer, who collected it from him then and there, the sum of four sous. (N. B. It was to obtain this twopence that the waiter had, apparently so kindly, proposed ''de me cheroher une dame.") The ladies were allowed to exercise gratis. Having now, as is common in fashionable life, attended two balls in one night, I bade adieu to the merry dance, at a mo< ment when the young farrier without his stock was particularly distinguishing himself. On descending the staircase a; d walking along the passage * Would you like me, Sir, to get you a partner I 412 A FAOGOT OF FRENGH STICKS. into the avenue, I got into a 'bus that was just starting, and, Btoppinff close to the column on the Place de Vendbme, I got out, without any headache, within twenty yards of my home. ■■•»» THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY. While I was walkine across the Pont de la Concorde, and, indeed, long before I had approached it, I saw at a distance, immediately before me, the magnificent faqade of the National Assembly, consisting of a triangular pediment, 100 feet long, supported by twelve Corinthian columns, resting on a 'oroad pavement, appro&ched from the bridge by twenty-nine steps of the whole length of the faqade. The bas-relief is composed of a figure 1 4 feet high, represent- ing France holding in her right hand the Constitution. Beside her are Force and Justice, with groups of figures, allegorically personifying Peace, Elomience, Industry, Commerce, Agricul- ture, the River Seine, the Kiver Marne,the Navy, and the Army. At the foot of the whole is a strong, tall, iroL ailing, to protect the members of the Assembly from being suddonly, as they were on the 15th May, 1848, ousted from their seats by the mob. As the gates in these railings were closed, and as the long steps and the exalted broad stone platform beneath the pediment were swarming alive with armed soldiers, who, lolling in vari- ous attitudes, or moving slowly one among another, presented a confused mixture of greyish-blue and scarlet cloth, glittering brass ornaments, walnut-wood and cold steel, on reachiDg the Assembly I inquired for the gate of entrance, and, according to the instructions I received, turning to the left, I walked round the building till I came to a lofty gateway on my right, which conducted me into a large court, where I wandered about, till again, finding myself surrounded by soldiers, I was direct- ed by one of them to rather a small door, on entering which I was requested to leave my little stick, in lieu of which I re- ceived a ticket. Ascending a small staircase, I found a door- keeper, who not only conducted me into the "Tribune du Corps Diplomatique," for which I had a ticket, but who within THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY. 413 it sold to me, for a frano, a most valuable plan of the Assem* bly, showing the particular desk and the name of every one of its members. On taking my seat, I observed to him that he and I were the only persons in the house, which, he explained to me, was from my having come half an hour too soon. I, however, d^d not regret my mistake, as it gave me an opportu- nity of quietly looking around me. The construction and interior arrangements of the building are so simple and so sensibly adapted S)r its object, that at a single glance it is easily understood. The house is in the horseshoe form. At the heel end, surrounded, in front, by a small empty space, ajid on each side by two others called the " c6t6 gauche" and " c6te droit," is the platform of the Presi- dent, on which, elevated about six feet above the floor of the house, appear his desk, an ordinary library writing-table, sup- ported in front by four brass legs, and his elbow chair, a size larger than that usual in a library. Behind, on the same plat- form, but about a foot lower, stand, with their backs against the wall, six common, English-looking mahogany dining-room chairs, with black horse-hair seats ; and on the right and left, and about three feet below, a line of eight chairs and desks for secretaries. Beneath, and immediately in front of the Presi- dent's chair, is the " tribune" or pulpit, from which every mem- ber may be required to speak, composed of a very small plat- form, about three feet above the floor of the house, bounded in front only by a low narrow table, about eight feet long, and about a foot broad, covered with red velvet, which screens and conceals about the lower half of the speaker's person. The re- mainder of the house, excepting its narrow floor, is composed of eleven tiers of seats, rising, like those of an ancient amphi- theatre, one above another, and intersected at right angles by twelve narrow passages, radiating, by twenty steps, upwards from the floor to the hexagonal walls of that portion of the house occupied by members. Each tier, which is two steps higher than that beneath, is subdivided into separate desks, behind each of which is a seat with iron elbows, covered with green cloth, by which arrangement 750 members, whose faces more or less converge upon the tribune, are completely separat- ed one from the other. The interior of the house, which has plenty of light and air, is exceedingly plain. On the wall, at the back of the Pre- sident's chair, is inscribed, in gold letters, — 414 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. ** BApubliquic FRANyAni^ * ' FoATxaNim" Round the walls, which have been painted of a dingy iight grey, appear arranged, in various wajrs, sixty-two tricolor flags. The members' desks are, in front, painted oak-colour ; behind, covered with green cloth. The ceiling is very coarsely white- washed ; the floor of the house and the President's platform are covered with crimson carpet. The prevailing colours of the whole therefore are oak, green, and crimson. The upper surface of each of the members' desks, which are about the breadth of an ordinary dining-room chair, and pretty closely packed, are as like those of schoolboys as can well be imagined ; that is to say, they are of common wood, well spotted with ink, with a little lid that opens. The stock in trade of each consists of a tiny round inkstand, about an inch and a half in diameter, let into the desk ; a steel pen ; half a quire of note paper ; an upright slit for holding envelopes, and a hole for wafers. On some of the desks were lying quite na- turally ^' blue books," in quarto. Tne ventilation of the house appears to have been very carefully attended to. In the ceiling are nine large circular ventilators ; and in a sort of entresol, between the upper and lower galleries, which, divided into various compart* . ments for different descriptions of strangers, extend round the walls nearly the whole of the house, there are eighty more. In the upper windows, occupying a space where there exist only one set of galleries, are twenty panes of glass that can be opened ; and in the floor of the house I counted six large air-holes. Lastly, in the walls directly opposite to the speaker, as also in the walls on his right and left, are three large clocks constantly ticking to each other. Before any member had made his appearance there entered at the door on the right of the President's platform six or eight well-dressed, closely-shaved persons, — in white neck-cloths, black coats, black waistcoats, black trousers, black gaiters, shiny shoes, and swords with glittering silver hilts, — ^who, tra- versing the chamber in all directions, kept dropping on the tables of the members a pamphlet-copy of tiie bill for debate. Three of these persons had on the left breasts of their black coats a long piece of bright scarlet ribbon, to which was ap- pended a sUver medal. THE NATIONAL ASSEUBLY, 415 At five minutci before two, three or four members strolled in, with their hats on ; thea came in two, then three, then seyen or eight ; until in a very short time the floor of the house waa completely eovored ; besides which, several members, who had taken possessioi of their seats, were already opening their desks, and ferreting within them. Most of the legislators were well dressed, in dark coats and waistcoats, with grey trousers. A very few had waistcoats of dark cheque, but none at all fine. Their countenances, generally speaking, were highly intelligenfe and intellectual. Of the two tiers of galleries on the right and left, behind • the speaker's platform, the front seats were entirely occupied, by ladies ; among the remaining benches, principally occupied by the softer sex, were here and there a sprinkling of rougher r faces. On the left of the dock, in front of the speaker, th« ^ galleries were crammed full of soldiers. Immediately on my right was the " Tribune du President de la B6publiquo." Before me were the '' tribunes" or galleries for the press. On the whole, the coup d'ceil of the well'ventilated house was exceed* • ingl^ plain, grave, compact, and on a plan admirably adapted \ ioit its object. , All of a sudden, three or four of the gentlemen in black clothes, scarlet ribbons, medals, and straight swords, entering with hurried pomp, cried out, "Ohapeaux has I s'il vous plait 1"* and after a short pause, there walked in, beardless and closely shaved, the President or Speaker— it was not M. Dupin — dressed in a black stock, black coat, with a small piece of red ribbon peeping ou^< of a button-hole, French-grey trous- ers, and boots. With the perfect ease of a gentleman, he sat down, smiled, looked up behind, first over his right shoulder, and then over his left, at the gallery full of ladies, rubbed his hands together, and, .after a minute or two's most agreeaJble rumiif^t on, he made a little bell with a horizontal handle be- fore him doubly strike its dapper three times. A clerk below him instantly read the head of some paper, which nobody seemed to eare about. Ho then, just as if the work of the day was all over, relapsed into easy enjoyment, and for some time talked to a member, who, with an elbow on his desk, rested his head on his hand. Throughout the chamber was a general good* humoured buzz of conversation. *Ha|spfi;ifT0U]|>l4||sei 416 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. ^ The house was now very full ; and I was surprised to Wrw ceiye that, excepting in the upper rows of benches on the left, occupied by the party Bouge, or radicals, there were fewer beards than, on an average, I had been in the habit of meeting in the streets. In a button-hole in the coats of a great many was a slight appearance, about as broad as a piece of bobbin, of a red rilmon. Behind the President, on his right and left, on the platform on which he himself sat, and immediately beneath the inscrip- tion, Liberty, Fraternity, Egalit^, were two tables, occupied by six clerks, one of whom, in black clothes and a long beard, I repeat- edly observed intently mending a long white goose-quill pen ; ano- ther, also in black, wore a bright scarlet ribbon ; another a lon^ scarlet one, and also a long yellow one. In front of the Presi- dent, on his right and left, but below him appeared also dressed in black, and seated in chairs, eight secretaries undecorated. The buzz of oonyersation lasted nearly half an hour ; the floor of the house was covered with members in groups ; and I was admiring the scene, and inwardly wishing its simplicity and sensible arrangements could be copied by the British House of Commons, when three consecutive double rings of the President's little bell were followed by a call, by the black-coated gentlemen with silver-hilted swords, of " En place t en place I"* 2 i The President, totally unsupported by any distinction of dress, struck the table with a ruler, and then rang again. At this moment a man in black, ascending the steps of his plat- form, brought him, in a white soup-plate, a tumUer full of yel- low-looking water, apparently wealk lemonade. " En place ! en place !" resounded from all parts of the house. The President rang again, struck the table again with his ruler, waved it at an unruly member, shook bis head violently in disapproba- tion, and, to my utter astonishment, all of a sudden, and in one single instant, just as if a wasp had stung him, he ad- dressed the house in a state of extraordinary excitement. As soon as order was obtained, a member rose from his seat, and said a few words whici elicited loud sounds of objeo- tion. He instantly fell into an astonishing passion : shaking his right hand at the Bouge party on the upper benches, who answer od him furiously, he became most violently exoited, ]an< til, suddenly stopping, he sat down in a regular rage. The second speaker, who, from the tribune below the Pr6«, * Take your seats t THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY. 417 sident, addressed the house for about ten minutes, spoke with more energy and action than is usual among Englishmen, but with great propriety. As, however, the members throughout the house, leaning towards each other, were all talking — indeed, apparently no one was listening to him — ^the President, some* times sitting, sometimes standing with his arms hanging down, and sometimes folding them across his breast, repeatedly tapped hard with his ruler, but in vain. A member, stepping into the tribune, replied for about five minutes ; then the first speaker came back and renewed his arguments in favor of inserting in the railway bill (which I now began to understand was the subject of discussion) a clause, insisting on a third-class car- riage accompanying every train, as was, he said, the case in England. At this moment M. Thiers, entering at the door near the speaker, slowly walked up the floor of the house to his desk. His gait was plain, quiet, and easy. He was very short, had a brown face, totally devoid of any other colour, and gray, or rather grizzled, hair. Directly ' opposite to me were Generals Gavaignao and Lamoriciere, who for some time sat talking together. General Cavaignac's form was tall, elegant, and erect ; his hair, cut close all over, was a little bald on the top. He was dressed in a light olive-green coat, buttoned close up, so as to show no shirt. With great apparent aflfability he occasionally conversed with several other members ; but whenever he was not talking he continued, without intermission, whirling his eye-glass very rapidly round the forefinger of his right hand, and then imme- diately whirling it as rapidly back again. The next speaker, on addressing the house from his seat, was interrupted by murmurs from different parts of the house, of " On n'entend pas !"* A great disturbance and loud cries continued, which forced him to leave his seat and ascend the tribune. The President now appeared to take part in the de- bate. He called, he ranted, he rang, but no one appeared to hear either him or his bell. At this moment Lord Normanby, the British Ambassador, entered the " Tribune of the Presi- dent of the Republic," and separated only by a low partition, sat down beside me. I could not help thinking how symbolic the uncontrolled and uncontrollable scene before us was of the extreme difficulties he must occasionally have to encounter. * We can't hear I 18* 418 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. As 80011 as order was restored, or rather as soon as disor- der was satiated, several members — * few from their seats, but principally from the tribune — made short speeches on the various clauses of the bill. On commencing, a glassful of yellow fluid, in a white saucer, was invariably placed at their right hand, on the narrow red velvet table of the tribune, by a servant in a blue coat, red collar, and red waistcoat. Usu- ally just before they began to speak they raised it to their lips ; in the middle of the speeches they kept sipping it ; and on concluding, as a sort of perquisite, they invariably, on leaving the tribune, swigged off whatever was left, and then gently licking their lips, and sometimes their mustachios, walked quietly towards their seats. Several, in the course of their speeches, drank two glasses full. A young man now ascended the tribune, and with a su- perabundfince of galvanic-looking action, which really neither explained nor expressed anything, he opposed, in a short speech, one of the sixty clauses of the bill. The next member began his speech from his place. A nuniber of voices instantly called out, "On n'entend pas!" on which, with the whole energy Of his mind, he gave one great cbnvubive shrug of his entire person, and then with great dignity walked to the tribune. In merely explaining that the line he advocated would be more direct from Paris to Cherbourg than the one proposed in the bill, he threw away an extraordinary quanty of action, and On reading a long list of cold figures, he gradually be- came so miraculously excited — he got into such a violent perspiration, and evinced so much activity and gesticulation — that literally I expected to see him jump over the rails of the tribune. One of the ministers, M. Leon Faucher, now rose, and, in repelling some accusations which had been made against tho Government, spoke with more than English energy^ but with great dignity, eloquence, and eflfect. In the course of his speech, starting up from his seat close to the wall on the up- permost line of benches on the left, one of the Red Republi- can members, with his hair almost cut to the quick, with a beard nearly a foot long, and with his right arm diagonally uplifted, suddenly, furiously, and very loudly exclaimed, twice THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY. 419 over, alluding, I believe, to some statement in the Government newspaper, " (Test un calomnicUeur!"* On M. Thiers ascending the tribune a marked and very complimentary silence prevailed. Notwithstanding the dis- advantages of his voice, which is not only little, but that little squeaky, he spoke with great ability and effect. Occasionally his wit caused from all parts of the house a joyous laugh (de- scribed by the reporters by the word " hilarit6 "). Very fre- quently, after making an assertion, he interlaced his short arms upon his chest, but almost before the action — " I pause for a reply !" — was completed, he entirely spoiled its dignity by quickly unfolding them. In the course of his speech, which was not long, to my utter astonishment, I saw him drink off, one after another, three tumblers of the light yellow mixture. •* Something that he said — I could scarcely comprehend a word of it — seemed suddenly to prick very acutely the feel- ings of the house, for he was contradicted on all sides. A general conversation took place, and for a few seconds every- body seemed as vigorously employed in making the utmost possible noise as the fiddlers at a London oratorio, piled above each other up to the ceiling, when they come to the word " Fortissimo?^ Amidst this scene, or rather at the heel end of it, the Pre- sident, on his platform, sat ringing, — then arose, — then stood beating the table, — ^then waved his ruler violently at an un- ruly member, — then shook his left hand quickly in disappro- bation, — and then, with both hands uplifted, appeared as if entreating, — ^but to no purpose whatever. Several members now spoke ; the House, however, all of a sudden appeared to be tired ; and as the black fingers of eacli of the three clocks pointed to 6h. 5m., the impatience increas- ed. The Speaker, by bell, by ruler, and by actions of dumb entreaty, endeavoured to prevail on the House to allow the speech from the tribune to come to its close. Everybody, however, seemed to object, and their determination reaching its climax, the House, at 6h. 10m., arose, as if by acciamaition, and the members, crossinjg each other in various dir^ctiQQSi all w.4ked oat. 1; He is a calumniator ! 420 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. On coming into the fresh air I found the conrts of the' Assembly — as I had left them — swarming alive with soldiers. In various directions I heard sharp words of command follow- ed by the sound of butts of muskets in masses heavily strik- ing the pavement. On passing beneath the great entrance arch, from the summit of which a tricolor flag was fliying, and on each side of which was a dragon with a drawn sword, on horseback, I saw before me a large clock, and beneath it, ia long large letters, the words . r "LiBEaTB, EOAUTX^ FBATBaMim" Lastly, in the square before the entrance-gate, on a pedes- tal surrounded by iron railings, was seated a colossal statue, iiolding in her left hand a long staff surmounted by a human hand ; her right arm was resting on a shield or tablet, on which was deeply engraved in large letters — DROITS DE L'HOMME.* • • •■ LYONS RAILWAY. Although my rapid inspection of the terminus and workshops of the " Chemin de Fer du Nord" had made me slightly ac- quainted with the mode of working their line by the principal railway company in France, yet, as I aifterwards learned that the Paris and Lyons railway was not only under the manage- ment of the French Government, but that every effort had been made by it ^the Government) to construct the line on the most scientific principles that could be devised, I obtained from the J' Ing^nieur en Chef" f an order, stamped and signed, author- ising me. without limitation, to enter every portion of the works I might wish to inspect ; and as he was further obliging enough to provide me with a very intelligent guide, I proceeded * The Bights of Man. f Chief Engineer. ! ■ .h LYONS RAILWAY. 421 to the metropolitan terminas of this important railway, for the purpose not of tediously going over the whole of its de- tails, but merely to make that sort of rapid inspection of them which would enable me to judge whether in the great system of the French there existed any striking new arrangements which might profitably be adopted by our railways in England. On arriving at the " embarcadere" or metropolitan terminus, situated between the barri^res of Beroy and Gharenton, close to the Boulevart Mazas, and opposite to the prison of that name, I was conducted by my guide into what appeared to me — ^who had only read of the exhibition in London — to be a palace of glass, into which, from which, and under which, the various carriages employed in the working of the railway either enter, depart, or repose. This magnificent and beautifully-constructed receptacle, the two ends and roof of which are principally composed of plate-glass, not only extends 55 feet over six sets of rails, but over a promenade on each side of them, 20 feet broad. Adjoining to and communicating with each of these pro- menades are the parallel ranges of offices, waiting-rooms, &o., that respectively belong to them, and which I will very briefly enumerate in the order I entered them. Ok. the north or departure side the range of buildings con- nected with the glass roof are composed of, — 1. An uncovered wharf for the embarkation of public and private carriages and horses, allowing plenty of room to em- bark five at a time. 2. A small room for a " corps de garde," composed of the servants of the company oflf duty. 3. A refreshment-hall. 4. A magnificent building, 165 feet long by 33 broad, the interior of which, as lofty as a church, is divided into five par- titions, namely, one waiting-room for first-class passengers ; two for second class, and two for third class. On the end of the wall of the compartment for the latter class of travellers hangs a very clearly-defined railway map of Europe. ''" The partitions dividing the fiVe waiting-rooms above enu- merated are of oak. In the third-class room I observed oak forms ; in the second class, benches covered with clean, black, bright, shining horse-hair, well stuffed. In the first class, on a very slippery floor, chairs, sofas, and ottomans, Uned with 422 A FAGQOT OF FBENOH STICKS. l)eautiful green plush, and a table oovered with green oloth. The walls are adorned with lookingTglasses ; and on the ohim- ney-pieoe stands, steadily ticking, an exceedingly handsome clock. (On the outside of the above four oompartmentB, oommu' nicating with them all, is a magnificent ball or promenade ; in a portion of it passengers for departure apply ror their tickets through five windows, around each of which there is plenty of elbow-room.) 5. A hall for baggage, containing a table 240 feet long, for the reception and weighing of passengers' luggage. 6, and lastly. A magazine and ol^oe for merchandise and parcels not belonging to passengers, to be despatched by trains " k grande vitesse." * Beneath the whole length of the " gare" or establishment I have described are a range of subterranean stores, very valuable and dry, containing a stove or caloriform, ^or warming the establishment. Beyond, but in line with them, there exists, in the air, a small office supported by up- right timbers, between which diligences are lifted from their own wheels, and deposited upon trucks on rails. The length of the office and waiting-room attached to the glass roof is 726 feet ; but the whole of what is called the " Gour de De- part," is 1419 feet, or 33 yards more than a quarter of a mile ! On the souths or arrival side, of the six sets of rails, there are, opposite to the series of offices just enumerated, a corres- ponding range of buildings, containing — 1. Under arches, two small shops. 2. An office for baggage from Lyons. 3. An office for baggage from Troyes. 4. Bureau restante, n)r the guardianship of passengers' 5. For the reception of baggage of " grande vitesse," to be delivered in Paris, &o., on its arrival, without delay. 6. A hall, containing two parallel tables, 219 feet in length, ^nd about 10 feet asunder. On the first of these the baggage unopened is delivered by the company's porters to the holders of the tickets corresponding with the numbers on ea^h pack- age; and every passenger navin^ thus secured his own bag- gage, it is ppened and examined in his presence at the second lii^le. * Fast troiiuL LYONS RAILWAY. 423 7. A hall of departure, oommunicating with the above, entitled " Sortie des VoyagenrB aveo bagages." * 8 and 9. Two halls, entitled << Sortie des Yoyagenrs sang bagages." t On the outside of the above, and of the other halls enumer- ated, are arranged, under covered sheds, 'buses, public and pri- vate carriages of all descriptions. Adjoining to the three halls of departure, and in continua- tion of the same range of buildings, are, — 10. An office — " Bureau de 1' Octroi" — ^for registering the duties that have been paid. 11. An office for the *' Oommissaire de Police." 12. A room, or " Corps de Garde," for the company's ser- vants off duty. 13. Within the remaining six windows of the concluding portion of the building are a rail and interior platform, especially appropriated for the reception of milk from the country. Having hastily passed through the series of halls and offices for the departure and for the arrival of the passenger trains, we walked among the six sets of rails basking under the glass roof, which are appropriated as follows : — One for all trains of arrival. One for the return of the engine of ditto. One for first-class carriages ^ One for second-class do. > in waiting. One for third-class do. ) One for trains of departure. For the construction of a train, the requisite number of first, second, and third class carriages are easily transferred to the pair of rails of departure, by means of a large central turn- table, communicating with a pair of rails at right angles to those of the line. Thefirst-dass carriages, punted chocolate colour, are lined in the mterior with light drab cloth, handsomely padded and stuffed. The roof, in which is a lamp, is an imitation of maple varnished. , The carpet drab and scarlet.. The long seats are divided into two compartments : the windows are of plate-glass. In the coup6 I OMerved an ingenious spring-table; and * Door of depftrtnre for travellers with baggage. f Ditto without baggage. 424 A FAGQOT OF FRENCH STICKS. throughout the whole of the carriage, beneath the carpet, is an arrangement for warming the feet of the passengers with hoi^ water, changed at the principal places of stopping. The second-class^ painted yellow, and lined with blue cloth, have well-stuffed seats and baoks; one large and two small plate-glass windows on each side, and a lamp at top. The seat is divided into two compartments. TJie third-class, painted green, are completely closed, The interior, which has no stuffing or padding of any sort, is painted oak colour, the windows are of common glass. Four sets of these third-class carriages connected together ar« divided into compartments 5 feet wide, so as to enable the air to circulate throughout all. 7%e luggage-waggons, arranged on rails outside the glass covering which shelters the first, second, and third class car- riages, are substantial vans, handsomely painted in dark green. From the above description it will, no doubt, be evident to the reader, as it was on a moment's inspection to me. that even under a monarchy, and much more under a republic, a second- class railway carriage, lined, padded, and stuffed in the way I have described, must necessarilv supersede the use of any more costly conveyance ; and accordingly, on inquiry at the office, I ascertained that, excepting occas,ionally a few foolish, purse- proud English, people very rarely travelled in the company's first-class carriages. Leaving the station, the six sets of rails, and the three classes of carriages to bask within their magnificent glass-case, we came out upon a space of ground belonging to the company, which, including the station, exceeds, by 77 yards, a mile m length, and whose greatest breadth is 66 yards more than a quarter of a mile. When the Paris and Lyons railway was the property, as it originally was, of a private company, only a portion of this vast area belonged to it ; but on ite being pur- chased by the Government, the additional ground was secured for purposes I will now briefly detail. Immediately o' .dide the glass house are nine sets of rails, of which the two on the right are for the disembarkation of carriages, and the other seven for manoeuvring, according to oiroumstanoes, the arrival and departure trains. v About 100 yards farther on (towards Lyons) are a series of connected bmldings (seven in number, U5 yards long by 3 e LYONS RAILWAY- 425 34 broad, with stone walls and zino roofs, lighted in the sides, ends, and roof, with very spacious glass windows and sky> lights), in which were reposing the company's spare carriages ; in front of them was an emplacement for the wheels of dili- gences, after their bodies, lifted from them by a crane and chains, had migrated with the train. I next came to a row of sheds, 130 yards long, for the repair of carriages ; then to a little " bureau," or office, for this department ; then to a space on my right, containing eight sets of rails for carriages ; then to another large open area on my left, containing twenty sets of rails for spare wheels and axles ; then to a very spacious building for the reception and repair of locomotives. Close to the latter I entered a magnificent smith's hall, 120 yards in length, by 28 in breadth, teeming with light and fresh air, and full of forges, scientifically covered by iron shades, terminating in chimneys for carrying off the heat. At the end of this es- tablishment was a door communicating with a square, lofty, well lighted hall full of turning lathes, and closely adjoining to it a long and very handsome building full of engines ; beyond which I found a large yard for the reception of carriages re- quiring repairs. I here ascertained a fact worthy, I submit, of very careful investigation. On all our railways in England, the respective companies, as well as the public, very constantly suffer expensive and very troublesome delays from what are professionally called " hot axles," which sufficiently proves that the nice-looKing yellow mixture which at almost every stop- page endeavours to prevent the evil, is inadequate for the ob- ject for which it has been concocted. Now, the French Government, invoking the aid of chemis- try, have scientifically ordained on the Paris and Lyons Bail- way the use of three desoripiions of anti-attrition ointment, namely, one for hot (pour la chaleur), one for frost (pour la gel6e), and one for wet weather (pour I'humidit^). I was as- sured by the engineer that the result has been most successful ; and as everybody who travels by rail in England would depre- cate the idea of a huifian being using one sort of dress for every description of weather, so it sounds only reasonable that railway axles should not be ignorantly restricted to one single medicine, to be " taken when shaken," as a cure for the innu- merable ills to which under various temperatures they are ex-- posed. 436 A FAGGOT OF FBENCH STICKS. In ftn 'adjoining space I stood for a few minutes to admire a magnificent crane (by Oavd, the celebrated mechanic, who has made the French transatlantic steamers, and wLo was, ori< ginally, a simple workman), composed of an enormous lion erect, firmly pressing his upper paws against the azlo of the wheel, as if to enable him mechanically to retain between his teeth the extremity of the lower limb of the crane, from the chain of which there was dangling in the air the greater por- tion of a locomotive engine. From this ^oint, from which there is a ffood view, I ob- served that the immense area I have described as belonging to the company is surrounded by a stone wall 20 feet high. Oontinuing mv course on the left of the main line of rails, I found close to them a handsome circular building (Botonde No. 1) full of rails and intervening pits converging to a cen- tre, for the examination and repair, above, around, and be- neath, of locomotive engines. From this building three sets- of rails a hundred yards long led us to Rotonde No. 2, in the centre of which was a turn-table of 36 feet in diameter, capa- ble of receiving an engine and tender together. Beyond is the field for coke ; and as on the left of the rails there now re- mained nothing to visit, we crossed over to the right, whero close to us and to the line we found the company's establish- ment for merchandise, composed of three covered platforms, each 800 feet long by 30 broad, for the reception and delivery of heavy goods. Observing to one of the company's officers that, in com- parison with the buildings I had just been witnessing, thoso oefore us were rudely constructed, with rather inefficient roofs — "Ah, Monsieur," he replied, "oe n'est que provisoire;" adding, with a good-humoured smile, " comme le gouvernement de France I"* at wl^ioh we all grinned in silence. Each of these platforms, which, by a series of upright posts supporting the roof, appeared divided into Stations, the names of which were inscribed, had subservient rails on one side, with a road for waggons and carts on the other. The first was for goods outward bound, " depart de Lyons ;" the second for homeward bound, " arriv^e de Lyons ;" the third, for meroh^n(jlise to and from " Troyes," belonged tip a * It is only provisional, like the government of France 1 ' / V' LYONS RAILWAY, 427 separate company. On both sides was an office or "bureau" for enregistering floods of arrival or for departure. Lastly, beyond these sheds were three temporary " corps de garde, " for the company's servants to take shelter in and rest when off duty. > The above establishment for the reception and despatch of merchandise, works from six in the morning till eight at night. Whole wag^'on-loads of goods, each packed and covered with its cloth, leaving their wheels behind them, are despatched on trucks by rail to the nearest point of their destination, where, lifted and deposited upon other wheels, they proceed into the interior. In cases where the communication is partly by rail, partly by road, and then again .by rail, spare wheels are car- ried. The height of these loaded waggons is, if necessary, tested by running them under an iron arch, of the exact height 01 the lowest bridge on the line. The merchandise amvo/ warehouse has been purposely placed on a spot which, happening exactly to be beyond the limits of Paris, relieves the government (the directors of the railwaj. ) of the botheration of the octroi, which must accord- ingly be paid by the owners of the goods on their arrival at the Barrieres de Bercy or de Charenton, almost immediately adjoining. Outside the walls of the railway establishment there lay beneath us at a short distance the " Camionage/' or establish- ment for transporting merchandise to and from their three platforms, and I was much interested in observing the ease with which loaded " camions," or vans, each drawn by three horses abreast, were to be seen trotting away in various direc- tions. I happened at the moment to be surrounded by seve- ral of the company's servants, and as I was expressing to one of them how much obliged I felt to the " Ing^nieur en chef" for the gratification he had afforded me, his comrade, standing beside me, exclaimed, evidently from' his heart, " Ah, o'est la or^me des hommes !"* From the very slight survey, which I had now concluded, of the metropolitan terminus of the Paris and Lyons railway, I am of opinion that, although the buildings, viewed separate- ly, have been admirably planned, and in most cages very scien- tifically devised for their respective purposes, they just at * Ah, he ia the cream of menl 428 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. |)rc8ent straddle over too muoh ground, and, with referenoo to their existing traffic, would therefore be more valuable, if, like those at Euston and Oamden^stations, in London, they had been more oompaot. It must be remembered, however, that even in England the railway is but an infant of scarcely eighteen years' growth ; that during that time its passenger and goods traffic have in- creased in a ratio infinitely greater than was expected ; and that it is beyond the power of the human mind to foresee to what in future ages they will amount. In the meanwhile, the London and North-Western Railway Company, notwithstand- ing the foresight and admirable arrangements of its chairman, is beginning to feel that its termini in and near London are not big enough for its traffic; and as, in proportion to its suc- cess, buildings crowding around in all directions have in- creased the value of land which was before, from its price, al- most unpurohasable, the time may arrive when the Paris and Lyouh. railway will derive inestimable advantages from the grand scale on which their metropolitan terminus has been purchased, constructed, and arranged. In the mean while, as compared with its trade, Ii resembles a fine healthy boy strut- ting about in " papa's boots." But among the facts and arrangements I had witnessed, there were others which I consider offered to those interested in the success of railways — and who among us is not? — a very important moral. Although in the establishment belonging to the terminus of the Chemin de Fer du Nord at " La Ghapelle " were lately employed upwards of 2000 workmen, in all the ateliers (work- shops) of the Paris and Lyons terminus there were working when I visited it only 120 men I Now the reason of this appears to be as follows. With the purest desire to work the line in the most scientific and best manner possible, the French Government, like the Eng- lish or any other government, are no sooner observed to pos- sess the power of enriching any one than, at all points, they are assailed by the most ungenerous applications, so intricately connected with parliamentary interest, that it is really out of human power to unravel them. The only way of not offehd- ipg all, or ratlier of giving to each the minimum of offence, is to divide as fairly as possible among all, that which each in- LYONS RAILWAY. 490 dividuftlly would wholly engross, either for himself or for his locality. Accordingly, instead of constructing the undermentioiied articles by wholesale, on a space of ground a mile long, walled- in and enriched with eyory description of workshop for the purpose, the French Government — i repeat, as the English or any other Government would, I believe, have done, had it un- dertaken the management of a great railway — has obtained what is necessary for the working of the line as follows :— The locomotives are made at Paris and Bouen : The tenders at St. Etionne and Le Greus6t : The first-class carriages at the Messageries Nationales de Paris : The second and third class carriages at Arras, Lille, Alsace, and Munich : Coke from Valenciennes, Alsace, D'Anzin, &o. &o. &o. Again, from narrowminded but irresistible political pres- sure from without, the government railway has been forced, by lining, padding, and stuffing sec^ m-class carriages (a luxury which no railwav company in France has allowed), to make them and the third-class carriages so comfortable, that, by attractions of their own creation, they have actually desolated the first-class carriages. The comparative receipts, in English money, of all the principal French railways (namely, the Northern, Rouen, Havre, Orleans, Bordeaux, Viorzon, Boulogne, Nantes, Stras- burg, Bdle, Montreau, Marseilles, Lyons, Ghartres), and the receipts, for the same periods, of the single British London and North- Western Railway, have been as follows : — For the middle week of May, 1861 : — Per Week, Receipts of the French Railways above enumerated, £66,180 Of the British London and North- Western Railway, 48,041 For the week ending 10th of August, 1861 : — Receipts of the French Railways above enumerated, I 84,826 Of the British London and North-Western Railway, | 70,230 Per Day. £9,447 6,868 12,046 10,082 Just beyond the barridre of Oharenton, the limits of Paris, I observed, outside a butcher s shop tied to an iron ring A FAGGOT OF FBENCE STICKS, in the wall, ft &t ox, over whose ruminating liead wfts iiiBcribecl "Durham." . " Why," said I to his lord and master, who was standing at the door, '' |iaye you decked his horns with laurel leaves, co- loured ribands, and with those two tricoloured flags?" " Monsieur," he replied with great gravity and pride, ^'o'est pour lui faire honnenr." Which, I suppose, said I to myself, in plain English means to turn him into Ibeef. • •• REVIEW. TlNnER the old-fashioned monarchical institutions of Europe there has long existed, and there still exists, a time-honour- ed series of forms of invitation, gradually descending by a flight of steps, each very accurately measured, from " I am commanded to invite you," down to '' Gome along and dine with us!" In the Republic of France a penultimate step has been adopted, and, accordingly, the printed form of invitation to dine at the paiaoe of the Elys^e runs as follows : — Priaidence de la Rijyubliqtte. Le Pi'^sident de la R^publique prie M ■ r de venir diner chez lui Le & 7 heures.* K Lepio. Having had the honour to receive a card of this descrip- tion, on the day and at the hour appointed I drove to the Elysfie, where, after having been received in the entrance-hall by the well-appointed arrangements I have previously desorib- The Preudent of the Republic requests cmemim^ wifli him on ^Prmdmcy of the Hepublk. at 7 o'olook. to a, xJOnOt BEVIEW. 431 ed, I slowly walked through two or three handsome rooms en suite, full of interesting pictures, into a drawing-room, in which I found assemhled, in about equal proportions, about fifty Well-dressed ladieS and gentlemen, the latter being priu' oipally officers, whose countenances, not less clearly than the decorations on their breasts, announced them to be persons of distinction. The long sofias and chairs, as if they had only just come out — or rather, as if they had just come up from the country to come out — ^had arranged themselves so very formally, and alto- gether behaved so very awkwardly, that it was almost impossible for the company assembled to appear as much at their ease as, from their position, education, and manners, they really were ; and accordingly, biassed by the furniture, they kept moving, and bowing, and curtsyine, and '' sotto-voce " talking, until they got into a parallelogram, m the centre of which stood, distin- guished by a broad riband and by a mild, thoughtful, benevolent countenance, Prince Louis Napoleon, whose gentle and gentle- man-like bearing to every person who approached him entitled him to that monarchical homage in which the majority evidentlv delighted, but which it was alike his policy as well as his incli- nation — at all events to appear — to suppress ; and accordingly the parallelogram, which, generally speaking, was at the point of congelation, sometimes and of its own accord froze into the formality of a court, and then all of a sudden appeared to recol- lect that the " Prince " was the " President," and that the whole party had assembled to enjoy liberty, fraternity, and 6galit6. As 1 was observing the various phases that one after another presented themselves to view, the principal officer of the house- hold came up to me, and, in a quiet and appropriate tone of voice, requested me to do two things, one of which appeared to me to be rather easy, and the other — or rather to do both — ex- tremely difficult. By an inclination of his forehead he pointed to two la(^ies of rank, whose names he mentioned to me, but with whom I was perfectly unacquainted, seated on the sofas at different points of the parallelogram. " When dinner is an- nounced, you will be so good," he said, "as to offer your arm to " (the one), "and to seat yourself next to " (the other). Of course, I silently bowed assent ; but while the offiocir who had spoken tQ xne Wbs giting similar insi^dtions to otheir gentlemen, I own t. felt a little nervous l6£(t, di:(ring the poUt»B 432 A FAGGOT OF FRENGH STICKS. scramble in which I was about to engage, like the dog in the fable, grasping at the shadow of the second lady, I might lose the substance of the first, or vice yers&. However, when the doors were thrown open, I very quickly^with a profound rever- ence, obtained my prize, and at once confiding to her — ^for had I deliberated I should have been lost — the remainder of the pleasing duty it had been predestined I was to have the honour to perform, we glided through couples darting in various direc- tions for similar ol]^ects, until, finding ourselves in a formal procession sufficiently near to the lady in question, we proceeded, at a funereal pace, towards our doom, which proved to be a most delightful one. Seated in obedience to the orders I had received, we found ourselves exactly opposite " Le Prince," who had, of course, on his right and left, the. two ladies of highest rank. The table was very richly ornamented, and it was quite delightful to ob- serve at a glance what probably in mathematics or even in phi- losophy it might have been rather troublesome to explain — namely, the extraordinary difference which existed between forty or fifty ladies and gentlemen standing in a parallelogram in a drawing-room and the very same number and the very same faces rectilinearly seated in the very same form in a dining room. It was the difference between sterility and fertility, between health and sickness, between joy and sorrow, between winter and summer ; in fact, between countenances frozen into Lap- land formality and glowing with tropical animation and delight. Everybody's mouth had apparently something kind to say to its neighbour's eyes ; and the only alloy was, that, as each per- son had two neighbours, his lips, under a sort of " embarras des richesses," occasionally found it rather difficult to express all that was polite and pleasing to. both. In a short space of time I had the good fortune to gain — sometimes through my right ear, sometimes through my left, and not unfrequently through both at once — a great deal of pleasing useful knowledge, among which were the names and histories of the guests present, especially of those opposite. While I was thus delightfully engaged, about every two minutes a fine, strong, manly voice, in a tone which, though heard by no one else, was distinctly audible to me, pronounced, close to the back of my head, a little sentence — every consonant and every vowel beautifully accented — composed of from three HEVIEW. 438 to ten words of vital importance. Unfortunately, I bad not the slightest idea of its meaning. On the oUier hand, as I had no objection whatever to add to the intellectual pleasure I was re< cciving the honest enjoyment of a good dinner, instead of al- ways shaking my head " k T A^glaise," as if to say " nong-tong- paw," I very often boldly r^n the risk of nodding it ; and in the pause that ensued, although I was conversing on various little topics alien to the subject, and had now and then a glass of iced champa^oe to drink, my mind enjoyed, beyond all power of description, the glorious uncertainty as to the contents of the approaching plate, which in due tune, in compliance with my nod, was placed before me. What I rejected I shall probably never know ; on the other hand, although I could often hardly discriminate whether I was eating fish, flesh, or fowl, I must say that in my lottery every ticket I drew proved to be a prize. Indeed, as the French are proverbially the best cooks in the world, and as the President is said to have the best cook in th' Republic of France, it dould not very well have been oth- fc. England the capacity of a lady and the capacity <^a gentleman (I do not offensively allude to their intellects) are, by the statute law* of society, de(»reed to be as different from each other as a pint and a quart, as a peck and a bushel, or, as in wool measure, a tod and a last. In France, however, their capacities are politely considered to be identical ; and accord- ingly, as soon as the ladles had enjoyed as much refreshment as their delicate constitutions required, the whole party, like a covey of partridges, arose at once, and, in the order in which they had departed from it, they amicably returned arm-in-arm in pairs towards the drawing-room. As they wore in proces- sion, I observed that one gentleman only had given to his partner his left arm, by which mistake he walked conspicuously amonff the long line of ladies, while his partner— curls, bare throat, and gown — as incongruously appeared in that of short hair, whisk- ers, blue and black cloth backs, and scarlet legs of trousers. The error was obvious and amusing to all, and yet, while I pitied it, I could not help feeling that the sinner, poor fellow, was, after all, correct : for unless Fashion has ordained that man belongs to the weaker sex, and consequently that it is the duty of every young woman to protect him, surely the propei place for a lady is — to say nothing of his heart — on his left side, • 19 ■■, . ... 434 A FAQGOT OF FRSNCH SUCKS. tbus granting to his right arm the power as well as the privi< lege and inclination to defend her. As fast as the procession came in sight of the formal paral- lelogram of furniture, from which between two or three hours ago it had been emancipated, its malign influence was strikingly perceptible. Each lady, one after attother, the instant she saw It, withdrew her arm, the gentleman made to her a low, cold, reverential bow, and, the innocent and pleatnug alliance between them having been thus divorced, the sofas were again to be seen fringed by rows of satin shoes, while the carpet, in all other directions, was subjected to the pressure of boots, that often Remained for a short time motionless as before. A general buzz of conversation, however, soon enlivened the room ; and the President, gladly availing himself of it, mingled familiarly with the crowd. ^ In the course of the evening he had more than once ex- |>ressed to me his wish that I would accompany him to a review which was to take place the following day ; and as, after con- versing with him a considerable time, he ended by repeating the wish, I told him that, although I had made all my arrange- ments for returning to England early the following morning, I would defer them to have the honour of attending, as he had desired. " Will you go ?" said he, very kindly to me, " en voiture or on horseback ?" Of course I said I should prefer the latter, on which he was good enough to say he would provide me with a horse, and that I had better call upon him in the morning, a few minutes before half-past eleven, the moment at which he would set out. As it was my habit to rise at five, I amused myself, as nsual, for two or three hours, in walking about the streets ; and after returning to breakfast, and writing out a few of my notes T made the trifling arrangements that were necessary in my touette for attending the review in plain clothes. Among BO many brilliant uniforms, I deemed it would be advisable I should wear a simple star ; and as the weather was very fine, the pavement very clean, and the distance to the Elys6e very short, I determined to walk there; and accordingly, that I might pass along the streets enjoying the inestimable luxury of being unobserved, I wrapped myself comfortably up in an old ' / \ ii REVIEW. 4^5 and easy great-coat, which I knew I oould discard, if necessary, without regret. " Fare thee well 1 and if for ever. Still for ever fare thee well I" I hiid scarcely from the Rue Gastiglione entered the Eue St. Honore when I heard behind me a loud clatter of horses, and, looking backwards, I saw a mass of upwards of a hun- dred marshals, generals, aides-de-camp, and other staff officers, in full uniform, riding towards the Elys6e,.to accompany the President to the review ; and as they proceeded faster than I desired to follow, they had not only entered but had filled the great yard of the palace before I had reached the sentinels and body of police, who, to keep off the crowd that werfl pressing to peep into it, were pacing up and down the street before it. I had some little difficulties to encounter in getting to the gate, and I was inwardly rejoicing in having overcome them, when, on my entering the yard, I was suddenly stopped by the porter at the lodge, who, placing his long right arm before me, said to me, very properly but very firmly, — '• On n'entre pas. Monsieur !"* I told him that by request of the President I had come to ride with him to the review. " Has Monsieur any letter of invitation ?" I replied " No." " Has Monsieur any card of invitation?" I replied " No." " Will Monsieur have the goodness to show me his card ?" I happened not to have one with me, and I accordingly told him so, but I begged he wov^d allow me to write my name in his lodge, and he did so. On reading it, he seemed — as was always the case — not very clearly to decipher it, and casting, I fancied, a single look of incredulity at me, or rather at my very comfortable, warm, good old English coat, he called to a soldier, and, putting my paper into his hand, he said, rather pompously and loud enough for a number of the officers on horseback to hear him,— * No one can enter, Sir! ^ - 496 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. '7r " Tons direz qtxe o^est iin monsieur qui est yenu monter ^ oheval aveo le Prince !"* It certainly sounded a little like an imposition ; nevertheless, in a very short time the soldier was seen beckoning me to ad- vance. There were, however, so many restless horses in the great court, and so many pairs of spurs making them restless, that I wal a little time in worming my way through them all to the foot of the flight of long stone steps, where I found standing — ^very handsomely caparisoned — the President's horse, held by a groom on foot, and another fine, high-bred looking English horse, with a plain saddle and double bridle, with pink rosettes, held by a second groom on foot. After ascending the steps, and crossing the spacious stone landing-place, I deposited with one of the numerous servants who, with several officers in waiting, filled the entrance-hall, my great-coat ; and as I had refieoted that on the President's de- parture every body and every horse would be in a flutter, I descended to the second horse I have described, and, ascertain- ing from the groom it was for me, I mounted him, and in a few seconds, after having adjusted my stirrup leathers to the proper length, I returned to the Elys^e, where I entered the audience-chamber, in which several officers were assembled. The principal aide-de-camp requested me to advance into the next adjoining room, in wnich I found standing alone, in uni- form, an officer whom I knew to be the " Ministre de la Guerre,"! although I was not personally acquainted with him. In a few minutes a door opposite to that which I had en- tered opened, and in walked the President, who, after shaking hands with the minister, introduced me to him in a capacity I own I was totaly unprepared to hear recognized in France — namely, as having served the British nation in North America ftS of . Proceeding immediately to the large room, he walked — l)owing on each side to the officers assembled there, and who instantly formed a passage for his departure — to the stone platform, where putting on his hat, he descended the steps to his horse, mounted him, and in a few seconds, followed by the prancing steeds of his fc "''nnt staff, he was, amid the cheers * You will say that it ia a /k <»ieur who is come to ride with the Prince 1 f Minister of War. « .W > •*/ i » REVIEW. 437 > j'-i of people wbo had long been waiting on both sides, riding down the handsome " Avenue Marigny." As I found myself the only person in plain clothes, I purposely kept myself in the rear of the procession, When an aide-de-camp, reining back his horse till I reached him, told me that " the Prince wished me to come up to him." From the unfortunate political position of France in general, and of Paris in particular, the cheers were mt either as hearty or as unanimous as in England ; indeed, af^ .^me little time they subsided altogether. Of the upper clbsses, most of them, as the President passed, took off their hats ; the lowest orders, generally speaking, very properly appeared to think it inconsistent with democracy to do so. " Vive Napoleon !" ex- claimed a stentorian voice. The President smiled as, looking upwards, he saw close to him, on the headless shoulders of one of the colossal temporary statues that had been erected for the F6te of the Bepublio on the Champs Elys6es, a fine-looking young workman in a blouse engaged in destroying the statue by a hatchet, with which he had just chopped off its head, and which, as he kept calling " Vive Napoleon !" he vigorously waved over his hrad. At times — like the swelling notes on an Eolian harp — there arose a strong feeling in his favour ; but noises of that description are so utterly valueless, that I really hardly noticed them. At one point I observed, standing with bent backs, bent knees, bent elbows, large round open eyes, and protruding chins — in short, in- the attitude of tall, zinc, crooked chimney-pots — a group of about thirty dyera, with faces, baje throats, and hands deeply tinged with black : " Vive LA Republique I" they all shouted at once, at the motion of a darkly begrimed fugleman. Poor fellows ! they little knew how closely they resembled what they shouted for ! The shouts of France, which vary like all other factions, at present consist of four degrees of comparison : — 1. Vive I'Empereur ! 2. Vive Napoleon ! 3. Vive la Republique. ^ 4f Vive la Republique Sociale et D^mocratique. • Now, strange to say, on something like the jBank of Eng- land restriction principle, which says, — " Sham Abraham you may, But you must not sham Abitiham Ifewland." — 438 A FAGGOT OF FRE^^GII STICKS. it is considered criminal to dliout " Vive la E^publique SocUite et Df,mocratique /" and yet, as we rode along, on every public building I saw inscribed '- Libert^, Fraternity, Egalit^ I" ! ! I When O'Connell — reprimanded in the H'-use of Com- mons on all sides for having use ^ against it the two words '< beastly bellowing" — had, much against his will, retracted the latter, some one, dissatisfied with his apology, urgently com- plained that the former word remained uncancelled. " And Bure I" said O'Connell, turning his burly head suddenly round upon his enemy, " did anybody ever hear of bellowing that was not bastely ?" By similar reasoning, I always felt while I was at Paris, and particularly while I was riding with the President, that, as nobody ever heard of a republic that was not " democratic,^^ or of a " fraternity" that was not at least supposed to \> ^ '' social" it was alike foolish and tyrannical of the police k» continue to imprison people for the cry I have named ; how- ever, as the President rode along, I heard no single person use it ; and indeed, with the exception of the gang of blue-faced dyers, whom I have no doubt the Red Republicans had paid for the job, I heard nothing but " Vive Napoleon !" By this time my horse and I were on terms of intimate friendship. When first I mounted him he took me, I sup- pose, to be a Frenchman, and, accordingly, there were a variety of little nameless things that he was evidently disposed to do, provided I would merely spur him gently and pull rather hard at his curb rein. But when he found I rode him loosely on the snaffle, just as if I had shown him my passport bearing the word " Palmerston," he conducted himself as a high-bred Eng- lish horse always desires to do, that is to say, he walked in procession quite quietly. As soon, however, as we had passed the bridge of Jena, the President, who proverbially in France is " parfaitement bon cavalier,"* started off in a gallop ; and accordingly, between the troops that on each side were drawn up in line, and whose bands successively struck up as we reached them, we had a scurry across the Champ de Mars which was really quite delightful ; indeed, my horse SQ^ed BO pleased with it, that, had it not been for my curb rein, I to- lieve, very much against my will, he would have, what is com- monly oalled," come in first." * A perfect horseman. / '■ ■■ REVIEW. 489 as we ) Mars "• Kii^T receiving the salute of the general commanding the ground, and going through a few other formalities, the Presi- dent commenced his inspection of the troops assembled, by slowly riding down the line of infantry, who, with brown faces, scarlet trousers and with presented arms, stood mo- tionless as he passed. After proceeding about two hundred yards, reining In his horse, he spoke in the kindest possible manner to a fine-look- ing private, who, without altering a feature of his counte- nance, or moving a hair of his mustachios, allowed every now and then a monosyllable I could not hear to come out of his mouth, which appeared to address itself to the musket that remained immovably before it. The colonel of the regiment, lately from Algeria, bowing, said something, and on a slight signal from the President a sergeant on foot opened a despatch-boz be was carrying ; the President took from it a bright red riband of the Legion of Honour : bending over his horse's neck, he spoke to the sol- dier with an unmilitary mildness of manner that was really quite affecting ; he then presented the riband to the man, who, holding his firelock with his left hand only, received with the other not only it, but before all the assembled staff and troops, a hearty, good old English shake of the hand, which, though it and its accompaniment' no doubt went to the man's heart, did not shake the firm gravity of his counte- nance. The President told me, with evident sstisfactioil, that when, of his own accord, he stopped to speak to that man, he was not aware his name was on the list of those whose conduct and services had entitled them to be recom- mended for decoration. As we were proceeding along the ranks I was altogether astonished to find, standing immediately on the right of every, regiment, in line with the troops, and as immovably erect as themselves, one or two very nice-looking young women^dress- ited in scarlet regimental trousers, little sho.t white aprons, {u|d. neatly ornamented blue loose frocks. Under each of Majt left arms they held, supported by a strap that passed IRagonally across their breasts, a small barrel, beautifully painted blue, white, and red, from which there protruded a bright silver cock ; on their heads sat a tricolor sort of Scotch bonnet. The dress altogether was wildly picturesque ; and 440 A FAOGOT OF FBENCH STICKS. th« oontnwt between the soft smooth ohinis, sle.ider hands, and small feet of the wearers, compared with the formal uniformed dark hairy faces, and rough limbs of the troops, was most striking. They were the "cantinidres" of the different regi- ments; and being, aa in my description of the '- Casernes" I have explained, the only women in the regiment, they are> naturally enough petted and adorned in the way I have de- scribed. At about the centre of the line the President again reined in his horse, opposite to an officer whose sword, stretched out. in salute, was pointing diagonally to the ground. The ser-> geant with the olue despatoh-box came quickly up ; and while the President, with a riband and cross dangling from his ritfht hand, was in his peculiar unassuming manner parentally aildressing the offiee|, an ungoyernable joy, a slight flush in his cheeks, and an increased animation in his eyes, sufficiently expressed his sense of the honour that was about to be confer- red upon him. On receiying it, with the same hearty shake of the hand which I have described, the President rode on, and, looking, behind me, I saw several officers of the staff, as they rode by the recipient, heartily congratulating him by gestures ana expressions, which, with his sword still pointing to the ground, he invariably acknowledged by a happy smile. At nearly the end of the line of infantry one more riband was given to a private, and, on the inspection on that side being concluded, we had another glorious hustling gallop up the Champ de Mars to the right of the cavalry, which in like manner were slowly inspected. As the President approached each regiment ita brass band struck up. That of the 9th Hussars played " Partant pour la Syrie" so magnificently, that I eould not help expressing to an offieer who was near to me a remark on the subject. He replied " it was considered to be the finest band in the French army." When the inspection of the cavalry was concluded, the President, again riding up the Clamp de Mars, took up his position near the grand stone platform on the outside the^ Eoole Militaire, beneath the magnificent pedimeni| ' which his uncle Napoleon had so often stood, now crowdec with a mass of well-dressed spectators in bonnets, shawls, hats, and uniforms. ^ In th^ QOUTse of about a quarter of an hour, dusing which f •. snyjAiv. 441 the troops hud been moving into their proper positions, the in* fiftntry, formed into companies three deep— every regimept WM preceded by a detachment of pioneers with long beards and white leather aprons, each carrying his axe horizontally on his right shoulder — marching past in the ordinarv "pas acc6ler6"* of 120 paces per minute. (By regulation it is 100, that of British troops 108). They were exceedingly small men, and their tread, although quicker, was not so neavy as that of British troops. When the regiments of the line had all passed there ensued a short pause, after which I saw ap- proaching us the cavalry, headed by an infanty regiment of " chasseurs a pied," who, I was astonished to observe, were advancing very rapidly. As it approached, there first of all trotted very proudly by the President, with bodies half shaved and tails entirely shaved, two white poodle-dogs of the regiment. Then came trotting by on foot, waving an ornamented pole, a magnifi- cently-dressed tall tambour-major,t followed by his brass band, all of whom, playing as they advanced, trotted by, and then, suddenly wheeling to their left, formed in front of the President, where they continued, tambour-majox and all, dancing up and down, keeping time to the air they played. As each company rapidly advanced their appearance was not only astonishing but truly beautiful. Although, according to French regulations, they had come to the review, not only in heavy marching order (knapsacks and great-coats), but laden with camp kettles and pans for ioup, &o. (they are not allowed when reviewed to leave anything behind), they ad- vanced and passed with an ease and lightness of step it is quite impossible to describe, and which I am sensible can scarcely be believed, unless it has been witnessed. In this way they preceded the cavalry, who were at a trot ; and as soon as the last company had passed the President, the band and tambour-major, who had never ceased dancing for an in- stant, accompanied by the two white half-shaved poodle dogs, darted after them, uatil the whole disappeared from view. On expressing my astonishment at the pace at which thej had passed, I was assured by two or three general oflGicers, as well as by the President himself, that the " chasseurs a pied" * Quick march. f Drum-major. Ai^ A FAGGOT OF FEFNCII STICKS. ^ in tlie French service can, in heavy marching, keep up with *1he cavalry at a trot for two leagues; indeed, they added, if necessary, for a couple of hours ; — the eflfeot no doubt of the gymnastic exercises I had witnessed, and which I had been truly told by the French officers superintending them were instituted for the purpose of giving actisity and celerity of • movement to the troops. The chasseurs h. pied are armed with the new internally grooved French carbine, the extraor- dinary range of which I have described; and as their fire is deadly at a distance more than three times greater than that of the English ordinary musket, their power of speedilv advancing, and, if necessary, as speedily running away, all added together, form advantages which, it is submitted, are worthy of the very serious consideration of the British na- tion. After a variety o^ manoeuvres of infantry and cavalry, separately and cpTixbined, the latter charged up the Champ de Mars in line. The sound of their approaching was like that of distant thunder ; but as their pace freshened, their disorder increased, until, on the word " Halt !" being sound- ed, they wore far from forming a compact line. During the charge a horse fell, and the President, riding up to the man, very kindly inquired of him whether he was much hurt. His trousers were rubbed into holes ; he had taken his stock o£f ; and was altogether considerably jumbled both in body and mind ; however, with a comrade on each side, and a surgeon on foot behind him, he managed, sometimes walking and sometimes reeling a little, to get off the field. The review was now over, and accordingly the President (after the expression in a very pleasing tone and manner of a few words of approbation to the General commanding and to the principal officers of his staff ^ returned along the ave- nue of the Champ de Elys6es to his palace, in the yard of which he took leave of the same crowd of officers assembled there in the morning, and who during the day had accom- panied him. * i PHISOS MODELE, 448 PEISON MODilLB. From the Elys^e, as I was haBtening to my lodging, I ordered , the Gommiflsionaire standing at the corner of my street to get ine a fiacre ; during the few moments he was employed in doing so I changed my clothing, and in the course of httle more thffu half an hour found myself, by myself, standing gazing at tho lofty loopholed dead walls, 30 feet hiffh, and ^^zterior massive gate of the great Prison commonly called " La Nouvelle I'oroe" or " Prison Module," on the outside of which, in grcj coaip, red epaulettes, and scarlet trousers, were reposing on stone benches a guard, composed of a lieutenant, two sergeants, four corpo- rals, and 51 soldiers, who watch dver the building night and day. All looked indolent or half asleep, save a f-^w^ wLv), as if to keep themselyes awake, were smoking — s ..vling—- smoking — " Aud thuB on ti\l wisdom is push'd out of life.** On ringing the bell tho gate slowly opened, and, passing across a short space, I was, on the production of my special or- der of admission, conducted through another gate into the inte- rior of the prison, which during the horrors of the revolution of 1792 was twice in the hands of the infuriated populace, who, in September of that dreadful year, in cold blood massacred within it 160 persons, among whom was the unfortunate Princesse de Lamballe. On arriving at the " Bureau Oentral da Brigadier,"* I en- tered a small detached o£Bice, containing six windows, from each of which, like a large, fat, black spider looking at once over half of his web, I saw radiating befcve me six passages, each 264 feet long, separating six set^i of buildings, three stories high. Every one of these buildings, or rather narrow slices ot a building, was a prison, containing on each of its three floors 70 separate cells, or altogether 210 cells. From the oentral office my eye consequently glanced along passages below and ~ « Oentral OflBce of the Brigadier. - - "?^ y> 444 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS, galleries above, communioating altogether with 1260 separate cells. On asking the superintendent to be so good as to explain to me the nature of the ourious-looking establishment over which he presided, Ike told me its olijects were two-fold — 1st. The prevention of crime ; 2nd. The retention of those who were supposed to have committed crime. * £[e added that it contained only males, the first class beggars and <' vagabonds" forwarded by the police to be retained fox three or four weeks; the second (who composed by far the greater proportion) robbers and assassins, usually confined three or four months previous to their trial ; and having given me this information, he obli^in^ly desired one of his subordi- nates to ti^e me over the buildmgs. At the entrance of each of the six passages, I found on a level with my face three hooks and a little round mouth-piece. The former were bells, communicating with the galleries of the three stories ; 1^ latter a speaking-trumpet, or " porte-voix," commu- nicating with each and common to all. By this simple arrange-, ment the superintendent, if he wishes to communicate with the surveillant or keeper of anv one of the three galleries of any one of the six prisons which converge upon his office, has only first. to call his attention by ringing his oell, and then, tbrougn the mouth-piece, t'^ whisper into his ear through the speaking- trumpet wnatever he may wish to say ; moreover, by putting his own ear to the " porte-voix," he can hear whatever answer tlbie surveillant may have to give to him. On the ground-door are constructed, for each of the six prisons, seven cells "de Pairloir." On opening one, I saw almost touching the door, which had receded from it, a wooden bench, immediately opposite to which was an open grating or window, secured by three iron bars ; beyond, at a digtance of three feet, was another crating, similarly barre4 and secured. The object of this triple arrangement is to enable the prison- ers — ^robbers, assassins, and all — to receive the visits of their friends from eleven to tliree on Mondays and Fridays: the interview is curiously arranged as follows : — The prisoner, carefully conducted from his cell, is allowed to enter and sit upon the bench of one of the seven « Parloirs," or speaking cells, the door of which, at his back, is then closed m. PmSON MODELS. 449 and locked ; between the two gratings in front of him is sta- tioned a keeper, beyond whom the culprit sees, as in a kit-kat. picture, the hair, face, throat, body, arms, and hands, of the wife, father, mother, sister, brother, or friend, male or female, who has come to see him. The duty of the keeper, caged between both, is not only to listen to all that is said, but to pirevent the transmission between the parties of any substance^ whatever. On each of the three galleries of each of the six prisons are constantly patrolling two surveillants, six for each prison. Every cell is ten feet long, six feet broad, and, including its vaulted roof, nine feet high. At the top of the wall, opposite to the door, over which reposes a shelf 15 inches broad, is a small window of four panes of plate glass fluted, so as to admit liglit and yet completely to -disturb the line of viRion. On the oak: floor lies a palliasse and blanket ; also a small table, and in the corner a well-arranged water-closet. The cell, as well as the whole interior of the prison, is maintained at a proper temperature by pipes of hot water. On a prisoner being led into his cell, he is given by his conductor a black "plaquet," or round ticket, on which is inscribed on one side, in white letters, the numbers of the division, story, and cell, in which he is confined ; hung on the outside of his door, it indicates the cell is full. On the other side of the plaquet is inscribed " Au Palais,"* and when by reversing the ticket this iiotice is made to appear, the inspector, keeper, or any one passing along the gallery, who reads it, is reminded that the tenant of that cell is absent on his trial. Any prisoner, by pulling a sort of bell-handle in his cell, can cause to dart out into the passage an iron blade, " indicateur," indicative to the keeper that he wishes to speak to him. In each cell is a bee's-wing of gas, which, lighted at dark, is allowed to remain burning till 9 p. m., when, by the turning of a handle, the captives throughout the prison are simultane- ously thrown into utter darkness. In the door is a small hole covered, through which the keepers alone — ^for strangers are not allowed to do so — can peep at the prisoner without his knowledge; below is a small wicket-shutter, a foot long by seven inches broad, for the admission of his food. Every prisoner is allowed a clean shirt once a week, and sheets onoe a fortnight. * At the Court of Justice. 446 A FAGGOT OF FRENGE STICKS. We next proceeded to sixteen cells on the ground-floor, . each containing a zinc bath, supplied with hot and cold water, in which every prisoner ia soaked and scrubbed on his arrival, and afterwards whenever prescribed by "le M6decin." In each of the six prisons are 25 double cells, to enable a nurse or keeper, when necessary, to sleep in the cell of a sick pris- oner. My conductor now led me into the " Pharmaoie," in which, as the principal medicine, I found boiling four large caldrons full of " tisane," which, in the public charities of Paris, appears to be a specific for all disorders. To communicate with the upper cells, there appears, out- side the doors of all, a narrow gallery, only 2 ft. 10 in. broad, on the exterior rail of which is a contrivance to admit a small train of trays, full of food, for each meal, to run on wheels as on a railway, by which means, and by the additional assistance on the uppermost story of a wheel and axle, provisions can be distributed throughout the whole prison, to all the cells, in twenty minutes. The prisoners have for breakfast, bread and soup ; for dinner, vegetables, potatoes, haricos, and three days a week, one-third of a pound of meat ; for supper, bread. Those who have money — strange to say — are allowed to pur- chase from a woman (cantiniere), within the prison, whatever diet they like ; the only limit being, that these suffering sin- ners must not — ^poor fellows — drink more than a bottle of wine per day. Each of the six divisions, or prisons, has a circular court, called a Promenoir, subdivided by 20 walls, 10 feet high, run- ning in the form of radii from the centre, where, in a small tower, containing a spiral staircase, is posted a surveillant, who, by merely turning on his heel, can look into each of the 20 subdivisions, which are 42 feet in length, three in breadth at the end near the watch-tower, 1 5 at the far end, and which, encircled by a wall, are bounded by iron railings, also 10 feet high. In each of these 20 wedge-shaped courts, at the broad end of which is a small shed for rainy weather, a prisoner is allowed to enjoy air and exercise for one hour every day, com- mencing at 8 o'clock. Concentric with the railings that form the exterior of the circular promenade is a paved space, round which a .keeper may walk, looking successively into each court. In following along this narrow space, I observed that the suryeilla,nt who was I PEISON MODELS. 447 conducting rje apparently purposely avoided even to glance into any of tiie courts. I, however, looked very directly into one, in which I beheld a human being whose appearance I shall not easily forget. He was a tall thin man, of about 35 years of age, dressed in the prison garb, coarse grey clothes and wooden sabots. His hair, cut quite close, wildly contrasted with his long dishevelled beard and mustachios. Confinement appeared to have inflamed all his wicked passions to a state bordering on madness ; and the look he first darted at me, and the ferocity which seemed to be rapidly increasing with- in him every instant he glared at me, were such that I really almost expected to see him spring like a wild beast against the bars of his cage. After I had passed him, the conductor told me he was an assassin of the worst description. Beturning to the " Bureau Central du Brigadier," from which I had commenced, we ascended a small staircase to an upper story, where I found a little chapel, looking down all the six alleys at once, containing a marble altar 5ft. Gin. long by four Teet deep, surmounted by a small, white plaster statue of the Virgin, and above that a large gilt one of our Saviour on the Cross : before this altar the priest of the estab lishment performs mass to the whole of the 1260 prisoners, whose doors, by means of a chain, which allows them to be ajar, are slightly opened in order to allow each to catch a squinting glimpse of the various movements of the holy man, whose prayers I should think could not possibly be wafted to all. We next entered several magazines, full of materials for such of the prisoners as choose to work, in which case they are paid for what they do. It appears that the inmates, be- sides enjoying food according to their money, may, according to their inclination, be industrious or idle as they think proper. My conductor, opening a door, now led me into a library, containing about 1600 volumes, historical and religious, lent to those who desire to read. As soon as I entered, from the opposite end there slowly approached me, just like one of the three cats shut up in the warehouse of lost goods at the railway terminus of the Chemin de Fer du Nord, the poor li- brarian, who seemed thankful, not only for every word I ut« tered to him, but even for the sight of the face of a stranger. 448 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH .STICKS. \ In proceeding towards the cooking diepartment I camd iu; a yard to several sets of rails, on which were some little car-" riages 4^ feet long by three feet broad, containing 12 mova-' ble iron shelves or trays, each containing the rations of 18; men. I followed the train for about 100 yards to its termi- nus, where the carriages all descended from view to a series of subterranean rails, along which they proceeded until they came beneath machinery, by which each was hoisted by pulleys up a square chimney to the gallery to which it was consigned. On entering the kitchen, I found the cookery of the whole de- partment, 1 260 prisoners, officers, servants, and all, scientifi- cally performed in six caldrons, over which hung a canopy for carrying away the steam and smoke. My guide now informed me, in reply to my queries on the subject, that the "personnel" or strength of the establishment is composed as follows :— Director, Clerks, Priests, Medecin ou Pharmacien, Lauudry-woman, in charge of the linen washed by con- 1 4 2 1 1 tract, 1 4 Brigadier-en-chef des Surveillants, Sous-Brigadiers, 62 Surveillants (keepers), 4 Cooks, assisted by three of the prisoners. Total— 81. Besides the Model Prison in which I stood, there are in Paris, under the jurisdiction of the Prefect of Police, eight others, as also a military prison, under the Minister of War. In the whole of France there exist 391 prisons of diflferent descriptions (namely, maisons d'arr^t, maisons centrales, and bagnes), containing 66,091 persons. As I was about to leave this establishment I was inform- ed I had overlooked 30 cells, 15 on each side of the entrance gate, in which prisoners are received and detained, until cer- tain formalities have been performed, and until the baths are ready for their reception. However, as I had now arrived at the last set of bolts that were to be undrawn to allow me to depart, I had not fortitude enough to return to the interior, and, accordingly, proceeding onwards, I have seldom enjoyed *• ( I -, y^ 'V: PERE LA CHAISE. 440 a" more agreeable contrast than when, on coming into the space in front of the great prison from which I had just been refeased, I beheld close before me the Embarcadere or ter- minus of the Lyons Railway, the emblem of liberty and loco- motion. • • • Pi:RE LA CHAISE. ff As on the morning previous to the review I had received from my oculist his last prescription, I was exceedingly anx- ious to take it and my eyes to Old England. On reflection, however, I felt there remained half a day's work for each of them to perform. On the Place de la Bastille I therefore stopped a fiacre that was hobbling by, and having taken my seat, and by means of a handle inside having very carefully fastened the door, I told the coachman's large face, which on looking upwards I found close to my own, where it was to go ; and, accordingly, out of the innumerable streets which in all directions radiate from the place from which we were about to start, he selected that which, without turning to the right or left, ran straight to the scene I was desirous to visit, — the cemetery of Pere la Chaise. I had taken so much interest in the various objects I had hitherto visited, that almost habitually as I approached them I had experienced, by anticipation, a portion of the pleasure the realization of my curiosity subsequently afforded me. In the present instance, however, every time the poor horse nod- ded his jaded head, every time the driver whipped his neck, and every time the carriage jolted over the commonest des- cription of loose stones, I felt that somehow or other I was a loser by the ojperation ; that something pleasurable had been shaken out of me ; in fact, that as I approached the mansions of the dead I was infinitesimally becoming less and less cheerful ; and what in my sinking condition appeared to me to be anything but consoling was that the Rue de la Ro- quette at every step of the horse was evidently also becoming more and more gloomy. 450 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. The gaiety of Paris appeared not only to be fading away, but to be rapidly dying. At first the houses merely grew poor-looking and a little smaller; then came a dead wall, then an open shop full of tombstones, then a few houses, then a rather long dead wall, then a good many houses, then a shop full of bright round wreaths of yellow immortelles, then a couple of houses, then a shop full of nothing but jet black wreaths and white ones, then one teeming with yellow ones: at last, after passing another dead wall, we came to a climax of woe, made up of shops full, one after another, of monu- ments, images, statues, and crosses, of all shapes, sizes, and prices. After gradually ascending for nearly half a mile along the paved gloomy valley of the shadow of death above described, the caleche, after having passed the Barriere d'Aunay, stopped at the lofty iron entrance gates of the cemetery of Pere la Chaise, and as soon as I had dismissed my driver, I found myself in the centre of a scene which really quite amazed me. Between the railings of the iron gate, and towering above the dead wall that surrounds the cemetery, I caught a glimpse of a confused variety of the monuments, obelisks, crosses, &c,, I had expressly come to visit. But what arrested, and indeed for some minutes entirely engrossed my attention, was a crowd of women seated for a considerable length on each side of the wall, close to different-coloured umbrellas protecting from the sun large piles of bright yellow, snow-white, and rusty black round " forget-me-not" immortelles of various sizes, and yet, not satisfied with such a stock, these women were busily oc- cupied in making sepulchral wreath . faster than one would conceive it could be possible to sell them. Besides which there were tastily arranged and suspended upon the dead wall garlands and crosses of everlasting flowers of all colours — ^blue, yellow, green, orange, with spotted blue and white. In what- ever direction I walked, sometimes before me, sometimes be- hind me, sometimes on each side, and sometimes from all sides at once, cheerful-looking women in different voices were ear- nestly advising me to buy either a sepulchral wreath, cross, or garland. The only sister of the lot that did not address me was a very ugly one with an olive-coloured face, black hair, brown comb, and no cap, employed in eating with a stick, out of a dark-coloured earthen pot, grass-green spinach. 1 / '^ \ \V PEIiE LA CJIAISE. 451 On passing through the iron gates, between two lodges, on one of whioh I observed inscribed in large letters — " Bepvbuque Feanqaisi^" and on the other *'LlBEBTil, FBATERNrrE, EgAUTB,"— my eyes and mind were completely bewildered by the sudden appearance of a forest of monuments, which looked as if the tenants of the innumerable graves before me had, one and all, in the various attitudes of their respective tombs, arisen to declare that even in the republic below ground there exists the same desire for distinction which the soi-disant republicans of Paris, in mockery of their own theory, are everywhere dis- playing. Not knowing how to grapple with such a variety of forms, I stopped almost in despair at the very first monument on my left ; a little house or chapel about six feet square, and about ten feet high, surmounted by a cross, beneath which was inscribed — " Sepulture Chevalier-Quyot et de la Famille Gaidon."* On peeping through the open latticed work which formed the upper naif of the door, I saw within, a marble altar, upon which appeared a long plated-silver cross, two lofty plated- silvcr candlesticks, two opaque glass vases full of flowers, a plated-silver mug for holding holy water, and a silver-handled hair-brush for sprinkling it, In front of the altar and touch- ing it were a pair of china flower-pots, containing artificial flowers, with two ebony-backed Prie-Dieu chairs. On the walls hung a couple of yellow wreaths of immortelles, and ten white one& ; on one of the latter W8S inscribed in black letters, " a mon amU." \ The next monument I looked into had been similarly fur- nished, except that at the back of the altar was a window of stained glass, and on one of four yellow immortelles the words • Tomb of the Chevalier Guyot and of the family Gaidon. f To my friend. % My father. 453 A FAGGOT OF FJiFJVCff STICKS. For a few moments I stopped before several flat tombstones, surrounded by iron rails supporting an iron trough reversed,' under whioh, protected from rain, bung a quantity of yellow wreaths. As I was loitering among these stones, I observed a re-' speotable-looking man of about 50 years of age, watching me like a wolf; and as I was quite as much in want of him as he of me, I beckoned to him, and with great pleasure enlisted him in my service. As soon, however, as I began to interro- gate my ally (one of the official guides of the cemetery) he began to dispute, and his remonstrances became so lotid, he shrugged up his shoulders so violently, and with the palms of his hands upwards, he extended his arms to such an extra- ordinary length, that, as I did not wish to be seen engaged in a colloquial duel among the tombs, I was obliged very quietly to decline to proceed with him, unless he would consent to be guided by my notions — ^in short, follow my wishes instead of his own. The subject of our altercation was briefly as follows : — In the cemeteries of Paris there are three descriptions of graves— 1st. Those occupied in perpetuity ; 2nd. Those leased for six years ; 3rd. Those in which the dead poor are gratuitously al- lowed a caravansar;^ or resting-place for five years. Now what my friend wanted to do was to hurry me straight off to that part of the cemetery occupied by the permanent graves, in order that then and there he might zigzaggedly con- duct me to the, monuments either of the most celebrated men, or of the finest sculpture. He assured me, and afterwards in- sisted, that that was the usual, regular, best, and only way of procedure ; and, with a scoffing movement of his right hand, he added that, if he was to stop where I wanted him to stop, and to continue to give me the trifling information I appeared to desire, I should see nothing, learn nothing, and, lastly, should occupy the whole of his day. Now, as the sting of all his objections evidently lay not in tiie head but in the tail or conclusion of his remarks, I oon-- sidered it unnecessary to wound his feelings by confessing to him my total disregard for the bones, masonry, iron, and sil- ver, which he appeared to venerate. In answer, therefore, to his numerous shrugs and objections, I merely expounded to i ' PERE LA CHAISE. 453 &im vei*y clearly that, inasmuoli as it was my intention to paj ' him very liberally by the Jiour^ the more of his time I wasted the better it would be for him ; and as an idea, like lightning, travels infinitely faster than the heavy thundering words by which it is conveyed, so, long before my explanation was con- cluded, every line of argument had not only relaxed from his countenance, but had vanished from his figure, both of which seemed to say, "It must be so— Plato, thou reasonest welll" As soon as we had, in perfect good fellowship, sufficiently smiled at each other, I asked him to be so good as to take me to the common pit, " fosse commune." " Bien, Monsieur !" he replied ; and suiting his action to the words, off he merrily led me across an open uninteresting space of about sixteen acres, which looked very like a ploughed field, but as we were cross- ing it T ascertained that its history is much more remarkable than its appearance. Only a few years ago this area, which had been completely filled with " temporary graves," was cov- ered with a beautiful shrubbery of cypresses. At the expira- tion, however, of the lease the living had granted to the dead, it was deemed advisable to convert the ground from a level to the acclivity which forms the characteristic feature of the cemetery. Instead, therefore, of ejecting the tenants, they were completely covered by an avalanche of new-made earth, that was rolled over all, and thus, at a depth in some places of 30 feet, these sixteen acres of pauper corpses will lie undis- turbed beneath the stratum of new graves which in due time will be imposed upon them. My guide had scarcely given me this information when I saw immediately on my left a hearse driven by a man in a cocked hat, and followed by three persons, of whom two were in mourning ; and as the party were evidently proceeding to the " fosse commune," I hurried on, and reached the spot a few seconds before it arrived. Just tit the moment it stopped, my attention was attracted by a deep broad ditch beneath me, in which was a man rather oddly dressed standing beside a long series of coffins, placed together in threes side by side, and I had scarcely glanced on them when, on looking round for the hearse, I saw it trotting away, probably for another poor person's coffin. That which 454 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. it had brought was in the hands of four men in rusty black clothes, who, walking rather quickly to the edge of the ditch, lowered it by moans of ropes to the labourer beneath, who in a few seconds placed it in its destination. As it lay there I ob- served that it, the coffin, was made of common white wood, had a semi-hexagonal top, on which there appeared nothing but a few black letters designating the name of the man who had made it, and a little bit of lead, about an inch and a half square, upon which was impressed the number, or "num^ro," of tlie dead. In front of the hearse I had observed, only for a moment (for ho was quite unpleasant to look at), strutting as if he con- sidered himself to be of vast importance, a tall, stout person, or personage, dressed in a cocked hat, black coat of superfine clotli fitting uncomfortably tight, and a fine belt, who, as soon as the four men in dingy black had handed down the coffin, put himself at their head and marched off. In a whisper I asked my guide who he was. " Monsieur," he replied, with a coun- tenance overflowing with respect and astonishment at my igno- rance, " c'est I'ordonnateur aux pompes funebres !"* Two of the three persons who had followed the hearse also immediately departed ; the last remaining friend, walking to the edge of the pit, and then stooping downwards, handed to the man beneath, who had received the coffin, two round bright yellow immortelles, with a paper upon which was written the name of the deceased, and he also then walked quickly away. When the last spark of affection had been thus extinguished, the gravedigger, whose face and arms were sunburnt and brown, and was dressed in a white shirt, with blue trousers, confined round the waist by an old scarlet and white belt, finally adjusted the coffin, then threw over it with his spade a covering of earth about half an inch thick; then affixed in the perpendicular bank the paper and two yellow immortelles that belonged to it, and then, there being nothing else in the whole world for him to do, leaning on his spade he rested against the bank, evidently waiting for another coffin. The arrangement appeared so simple and so sensible, that I could not help expressing to my guide, that, however he might admire the infinite variety which characterised the " per- petual graves," it must at least be said of those before us that their inmates found in them a republic in which all are equal. "Non, Monsieur," said my attendant, gradually closing his * Sir, he i» director of the Pompes-Funfebrea. I i FERE LA CHAISE. 455 right nostril with the forefinger of his dexter hand ; and he then proceeded to explain to me, that, with respect to the de- scription of funeral I had just witnessed, the city of Paris grants only to those who can give proofs of their poverty — 1st. The "convoi," i. e. hearse with the ordonnateur des Porapes Funebres and his attendants ; 2nd. The coffin; 3rd. The grave, or resting-place for the dead, ' That a corpse failing to give this proof of its poverty has to pay to the city a tax of 20 francs (" du droit"), also seven francs for hs coffin ; the grave only being given, to it gratis. He added, that although in the " fosse commune" the stratum ^ of dead are so closely packed that their coffins, like paving- stones, touch each other all round, yet, in memory of each, even the very poorest, there is invariably erected, either over the coffin or as near it as possible, a little rectangular oak railing, 18 Inches high, enclosing a tiny garden, subsequently orna- mented according to the circumstances of the deceased, or to those of his friends — ^generally with cypresses and a small wooden chapel ; sometimes only with a cross ; indeed, in cases of extreme poverty, some friend of the dead has been known, within the little railing I have described, to erect and leave be- hind him his walking-stick, as the sole bearer of the inscription which, under all circumstances, records, within the railing that commemorates the grave, the name, age, and date of death of the departed. The cost of the little distinctions which in dif- ferent grades ornament the gariien graves of the very poorest inhabitants of that portion of the city f5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th arrondissements) that are buried in the cemetery of Pere la Chaise, of course increases or diminishes according to thpir value. To give, however, to the reader a general idea of the cheapness with which such work is executed in Paris, I may state that the usual charge for the " entourage" (railing of oak), two cypresses, and flowers for a grave in the " fosse commune," is only 15 francs. At the expiration of about seven years, or of five if deemed necessary, all these slight remembrances are levelled, and a new set of tenants, and a new set of ornaments and distinctions, reign in their stead — *' Nations and empires rise and fall, flourish and decay." Leaving the gravedigger in his trench still leaning against the bank, and without consulting my guide, I walked to a 4-50 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. beautiful grove or shrubbery of young cypressei, wliich ap: E eared to cover the acclivity of the hill, on the summit of which ad been constructed the finest portion of the permanent monuments. On entering this interesting wilderness I found it composed of the " fosses temporairos," " temporary graves," six feet long and three broad, each of which, surrounded by its little oak railing, was almost concealed by the cypresses and roses that flourished and bloomed above it. Along these graves, which appeared very regularly arranged side by side, were a series of paths, running east and west, with others at right angles : by ^ which arrangement, the cypress labyrinth, that contained them all, could be penetrated in any direction, and thus every grave could easily be visited by whomsoever it might be held dear. These graves were somewhat larger than those of the " fosse commune ;" but with that exception, there was no difference, save that within and beneath the small padlocked space the body it commemorated actually reposed ; whereas in the garden graves of the " fosse commune" it unavoidably lay some feet off in a direction unknown. The expenses of burial in these temporary abodes, taken on a lease for not less than five, and not exceeding ten years, are various. For instance, for a poor man, whose family desire the cheapest possible form, the charges are, ) To the church For the ground For the coffin room-frdhi Heai'se, ordonnateur, dec. . 10 franc& . 60 7 to 10 . 27 »» I* Total from 94 to 97 (For the above tho rich pay from 200 to 1000 franns, and for first-class ceremonies there have been charged 7000.) These funeral expenses do not include the decorations of the garden, which can be executed for about 40 francs, as follows : — An "entourage" (railing) in oak, 2^ feet high 16 francs Croea in oak and inscription . . . 10 „ Couvi'e-couronne in zinc . . . . 6 „ Four cypress-trees and and a sanded path in form of a cross, and edged with box . 10 „ Total . 41 ■Ml i I A«- PERS LA OIIAISK For* tomUtoM th* •xtr* eott U from 10 to 12 ffanoii Enffraving way 100 letters at the rate of one frano for every ten letten . . . 10 „ Total 22 ., 457 Although my gaide refrained from expressing his opinions, it was evident he took no interest whatever in any portion of the cemeterv but that which he conceived to be immortalized by stone, brick, and stout iron railings ; and as it was distressing to mo to observe how his mind kept yearning and his eyes turning towards the hill before me, I told nim I was now at his service, and would follow him wherever he liked. With a bright countenance, a light heart, and a quick step, he of course in- stantly posted up the hill ; at the summit of which I observed that a portion of the beautiful range of " temporary graves" I had been admiring had been lately levelled, in order, I sup- pose, to replace the subterranean tenantry by permanent land- lords of the soil The oak railings had oompletely disappeared; in some places the cypresses I had so much admired were lying brown and dead on the ground ; in other parts strong, rich grass was waving in the sunshine, and as I passed through the mass I now and then trod on a round flowerless immortelle showing the straw of which it had been made. The first monument to which my guide conducted me, perched on the very summit of the hill, consisted of a lofty pyramid with a gilt conical top, the whole large enough, solid enough, and high enough for a lighthouse, which indeed it much resembled. It had been erected by a person of no celebrity, beyond wealth, appropriately called " Monsieur de Beau-jour."* As I did not much enioy the taste of this sample, I talked to my guide about himself; and after ascertaining where he lived, and what family he nad, I asked him whether the late revolutions in Paris had in any way affected him. He told me that previous to 1848 he had been very well off, — " j'ai bien gagn6 ma vie "f — ^but since that period he had scarcely earned half of what he used to earn. " For a consider- able time," said he, " after the revolution we had no travellers, no English ; et enfin," he added with a shrug, " les gens qui * Mr. Fine-day, ^flV f I gained a good livelihood. 458 A FAGQOT OF FRENCH STICKS. nous oherohent ^ present nous donnent pen de obose."* With a countenance full of contempt be added, " lis ne sont que des Italiens, et des nations boulevers6es."t On reaching the highest part of the cemetery, from which of course there is the finest view, I was much surprised to find the uppermost portion principally occupied by monuments, marked with the usual words, " Concession a perp6tuit6,"| bearing English inscriptions. On the first that attracted my attention was inscribed-— •' Fanny, Wife of Henry T. Anderson, of New York. Januaiy 1, 1844. A few yards farther I came to a very handsome one in white marble, unmutilated and unsullied even by an observa- tion in pencil, bearing the following inscription, which I copied while two birds close to me were singing, as delightfully as if they had been hatched in England :— > " Sir William Sidney Smith, Admiral of. the Red, Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath, and Orand Crow of several Foreign Orders, «fec i Born 21st of June, 1V64, ' Died 26th of May, 1840. s't % '- Peace to the hero who undaunted stood, « - ^ When Acre's streets were red with Turkish blood I In warlike France, where gi'eat Napoleon rose. The man who check'd his conquests finds repose : England, who claims his triumphs as her own, Has raised for him this monumental stone ; This tomb which marks his grave, is now supplied By friends with whom he lived, midst whom he died— > A tribute to his memory. Here beneath Lies the bold heart of England's Sidney Smith." * And after all, the people who now seek for us give us very little. \ They are nothing out Italians^ and the inhabitants of overturned nations. X Leased for ever. h im'ii 'M ' l! PEBE LA CHAISE, '459 Nearly opposite I observed a chaste and simple white mar- ble monument to "The Right Hon. '* ^ Sir William Keppel, Knight Grand Croas of the Military Order of the Bath.' f For a considerable time I wandered through an immense confusion of sarcophagi, pyramids, obelisks, mausoleums, tem- ples, chapels, columns, urns, cenotaphs, and sepulchral monu- ments of all heights, shapes, and sizes, most of them surrounded by iron railings, within which sometimes I found beautiful flowers, sometimes weeds, and sometimes nothing but stinging- nettles ; in short, one might as well attempt to describe a great battle by writing a history of every soldier that was pre- sent at it, as to. endeavour to describe the cemetery of Pere la Chaise by merely enumerating the herd of constructions that at a cost of upwards of five millions sterling have been erected within it. In peeping in^o the sepulchral chapels I perceived on the altar of one a quantity of flowers quite fresh, in water ; on another were a large cross, four tall candlesticks, three little images, and a silver-handled brush (aspersoir) for sprinkling holy water. " Ah que c'est gentil !"* exclaimed my guide, whose face occupied the square glassless compartment in the window next to that through which I was looking. The simplest monument within the cemetery is a stone pyramid about six feet high, surrounded by a little neat box border, dedicated to . , "E. Volney, Pair de France."f As I was wending my way through cenotaphs, obelisks, and temples, many of which must have been exceedingly costly, I perceived about 30 yards distant on my right a very odd-look- ing chapel, made entirely of zinc, and painted bright blue. I im- mediately stopped, and, after looking at it for some time, I asked my guide, "Why is the door open?" " C'est sa femme dedans :" and he then added, " Quand il * 0, how beautiful ! I Peer of France. 460 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. fait beau, she"* (the widow of the deceased man to whom this monument had been erected) '■ visits it sometimes for half a day." I was so struck with this unusual mark of fidelity and affec- tion, that I not only felt but expressed an irresistible desire to witness it. My guide proposed to accompany me, but, as I thought he might possibly be rather too inquisitive, I begged him to remain where he stood, and to allow me hastily to walk past the open door. I accordingly proceeded to do so, and I was wondering by what description of feelings I should be as- sailed, and in what attitude I should find the widow, when, to my utter astonishment, I was taken all aback by suddenly seeing close to me, not in the chapel, but seated on a chair just before it, a lady dressed in bright blue of exactly the tint of the zinc chapel. " EUe aime beaucoup le liku ! "f said my guide to me with a smile as soon as I returned to him. " She does, indeed !" was all I could manage to say in re- ply : however, as my friend perceived I was altogether flabber- gasted by what I had seen, he explained to me of his own ac- cord that the lady's mind is slightly disordered, and that, when- ever she has " un r^ve," or dream of her husband, she writes a letter to him, brings it, and files it within the blue tomb, in which he said there existed a great heap of her correspondence with her departed husband. After passing an endless variety of tombs I came to a spot where a body of workmen in blouses were employed in con- structing a permanent vault for twelve persons, to be deposited in two tiers or strata of six each, separated from each other by iron bars imbedded in the masonry. The cost of a single permanent grave "emplacement" of one metre (3 feet 3 1-3 inches English) broad, and two metres long, is 500 francs. The sum of 1000 are, however, demanded for the very same space so often as it may be required in ad- ditmi to the first allotment ; and as the vault before me was 3 metres broad by two in longth, the charges were to be as fol- lows : — * Hifl wjf<' 18 inside. When it is fine weather, Ac. f "Very fond uf blue! :'* ■ PEBE LA CHAISE. 461 Francs. The cost of the ground alone had amounted to 2500 The cost of digging, and of the masonry for the 12 graves 720 For fixing a cm*b stone around the whole . 160 For a handsome iron railing .... 400 Total 8770 about 150i. sterling. To sand the little paths of a grave, and keep weeds out costs (per annum) . , . 12 In addition to the above to maintain a succes- sion of flowers (per annum) ... 20 The city of Paris, foreseeing that the perpetual graves, which already amount in number to 102,000, would ere long take exclusive possession of the cemetery of Pere la Chaise, have lately declined to give perpetual titles, in lieu of T^hich they now grant leases for a given period, subject to re aewal. The result it is expected will be, that a considerable number of families will decline — or, as it will be fashionably termed, ss'^ forget — to purchase the renewal, and these monuments, many of which are evidently already totally neglected, will then be quietly removed. And even as regards those tLat bear the inscription " Concession a Perpetuity," if the certi- ficate, or " Lettre de Propriete,"* should be lost, it is under- stood the city will resume possession of the ground for what is very properly termed " utilite publiquc.'v After conversing for some little time with the workmen in blouses, who, beneath the surfac'^ of the srouv.d, were con- structing the twelve graves before ro; I asl ^" one of the most intelligent whether the late ir ■Dtical ev »'L8 in France had in any way affected their profits. " We gr 'ned," replied the man, leaning his trowel upon the graui he was construct- ing, and looking upwards full in my face, a good deal in 1849 by the cholera, but, excepting that, we have not obtained in the last three years as much as in the time of Louis Philippe we got in one !" I observed that I could not comprehend how that could be, for " Surely," I added, " it is Death, and not LoL\is Philippe or Louis Napoleon, who fills fDr you the cemetery ^f Pdre la * Title-deed. f The public bonefit. i 'If liiUJji,! if \. t - 1 462 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. Chaise ?" " C'est, Monsieur," he replied, " parce que les grandes families sont expatriees, c'est a dire en leurs cam- pagnes :"* in consequence of which, and of the general un- settled state of the public mind, he explained at some length that everybody now had a ch«ap grave. My guide, who by various little fidgeting movements of his face and feet evidently disapproved of the time I had been losing at this grave, at last prevailed upon me once again to accompany him. Instead, however, of prosecuting any path, ho wormed his way among monuments closely huddled together, and yet his course on the whole was so sitraight, and his step so quick, that I felt confi- dent he was on a trail of importance, and, as if I had been fol- lowing a red Indian, I was wondering what description of game we were about to overtake, when my friend, suddenly stopping before a small garden about sixteen feet long and ten broad, surrounded by wired iron railings about five feet high, and which, as a solitary exception to all the tombs I had beheld, contained neither monument nor inscription of any sort, said to me with great solemnity, as, standing bolt upright, he point- ed his finger to the little enclosure before us, " Monsieur, viola le corjjs du Mar^chal Ney ! "f My guide informed me that during the reign of Louis Philippe, the relations and friends of the Greneral were given to understand that the erection of what they would consider to be an appropriate monument to his memory would not be allowed ; that since the establishment of the Bepublic his corpse had remained unhononred, under the idea that the na- tion would erect a magnificent monument. In the mean while, within the narrow precincts of the rails, there slightly waved above his grave eight cypresses, whose height rudely marked the era of his interment. In the middle is a small circular border of China roses, and ranged against the rails are rows of laurels, excepting at the entrance gate, each side of which I observed a lilac-tree in blossom. Close to the border there lay on the ground one circular wreath of white immortelles, bearing in blue letters the word * It is, Sir, because our great families ai*e expatriated, that is to sajf^ are living at their country seats. f Sir, there is the body of Marshal Ney. \ ^ 'iii. FERE LA CHAISE. 46a I had, for more than an hour, been so bothered by the Ba- bel confusion of tongues of the various monumcr ts which, in every sort of attitude, jostling, crowding, and pushing against each other, were all at once each extolling nothing in creation but the corpse beneath, that, as I stood looking into the libtlo garden before me, I must own I felt it was the most striking monument — the most successful effort — of the lot :— in short, that there was more real eloquence in its silence than in all the laboured panegyrics to which my guide had directed my at- tention, and which had occasionally made me feel almopt sea- sick to read. " Aliens !" I said ; upon which my attendant stretched out his bands between the rails, picked a laurel-leaf, and presented it to me. On shaking my head, and saying rather resolutely, " Non ! non !" he chucked it somewhat indig- nantly upon the grave. As I was following him in silence, I passed close to a group of four Frenchmen who had witnessed the trifling occurrence, and who looked rather hard at me as I walked by them. What they saw in me I could not know, nor did I care, but, to avoid misconstruction, I took an early op- portunity of explaining to my guide, that iu England every- body is instructed under all circumstances " to keep his hands from picking and stealing," and that there is no species of theft more disreputable than for a traveller, in return for the civilities he has received in France, to pilfer from the grave of an old soldier the smallest portion, however trifling, of the honours, whatever they may be. that consecrate his tomb. My guide now led me to. an<' for some little distance down, the great paved arterial road that, from the lofty iron en- trance gates, meanders \n its ascent to, and then along, the whol? length of the cemetery, and, although no visitor is al- lowed, on any pretence whatever, to drive here, the stones were literally, in some places, wo;*n into ruts by the hearses and mourning carriages that had walked over them. As we proceeded along this broad avenue, I met several ladies and merry children, fashionably dressed, carrying iu their hands, gently swinging by their sides, circular wreaths of immortelles of different diameters and colours, which they were about to deposit, as touching marks of their affection, at the graves of their fathers, mothers, or other relations or friends ; after which they usually rest themselves, for more or less time, on one of the many seats which, for purposes of this nature, are scattered ovor the cemetery. m It: 464 A FAGGOT OF FEENOH STICKS. \ It ■ In a few minutes we came to the " Bond Point/' Where the paved road forms a sort of circle of obeisance round a beautiful statue, resiting on a very lofty pedestal, erected in 1 832, by public subscription, in honour of Casimir P6rier, late Prime Minister of Franco, and, after visiting several other monuments of less importance, my guide led me downwards to a most beautiful four-fronted chapel, supported by fourteen columns, not only erected to the memory of Heloisa and Abe- lard — statues of whom, admirably sculptured, are within — but constructed from the ruins of the celebrated abbey of the Pa- raclete, founded by the latter, and of which the former was the Urst abbess, and as we were now within a ^ihort distance of the great entrance gate, and as it was about ^ue hour at which strangers usually arrive, I took out my watch, fulfilled my agreeiuent with my guide, and, moreover, heaping up the measure to his heart's content, he left me among the dead, to endeavour to hook, if possible, another " Anglais," which, in I. lie ocean of this world, are everywhere looked upon by guides of all sorts as the best fish that swim. Close beside me stood a very tall wall — ^without metaphor, stone dea(^ — which I felt exceedingly anxious to surmount; its height, however, was so forbidding that, after walking close along it for some distance, I was about to leave it in despair, when I observed some polos which had been brought into the cemetery for the repair of a monument, by means of which I managed, without difficulty, to reach and sit upon the thin mural barrier that divides the cemetery of Pere la Chaise from a very tiny reotangulai' piece of ground, entitled tho burial-place of tho Jews, which, at a single glance, I perceived to be very creditably kept, and to contain several very neat and handsome monuments. In point of dimensions, however, it did not bear the proportion to the great Christian cemetery that the palm of my Imnd did to my whole body, and as I sat looking from the gveat cowietery to the little one, and vice versd^ I could not ho.lp feeling what r- striking corroboration was before me of thai. Uiysterious dispensation of the Almighty which, in all ages and in all countries, has not only stamped the intellectual countenance of the Jew by distinguishing lines, often of great beauty, which every man can read as ho runs, but which has maintained the race as distinct and sepa- rate from the rest of the human species as the dark-coloured '1' PERE LA CHAISE. \ \. 465 little Btf earn from Ohippewa, which, without the slightest ad- mixture with the mass of clear green water from Lakes Supe- rior, Huron, and Erie, is eternally rolling with it, side by side, over the Falls of Niagara. And yet, from the very showing of the case, it has been argued that the distinction which Christians call by the fine-sounding name of a " dispensation of the Almighty " is in fact nothing but that unclean human spirit which, in almost every portion of the globe, has induced the larger body to persecute and oppress the little one. But the cemeteries on each side of me unanswerably confuted this human doctrine, for, instead of the large sect having rejected an alliance with the little one, it is the little sect that has re- fused, and still refuses, to join in any description of partner- ship with the large one. In the gri?at Christian cemetery a corpse of any politics, of any country, of any religion, or of no religion at all, is freely allowed to be buried in the " fosse commune," in the " fosse temporaire," or in a " concession a perp6tuit6," with any ceremony, or with no ceremony, just as his executors or his relations may desire. Priests of any church may preach over him, choristers of any creed may chant over him, relations may howl over him, or, without a single follower, he may, if he has so wished it, be buried with no more pomp, ceremony, exclamation, or feeling, than if ho were the roughest description of cur. But although the iron gates of the big Christian cemetery are, most good-humouredly, always wide open for the admis- sion of the Jews, the narrow door of the little Jewish ceme- tery scorns to admit a Christian corpse. Its opposition is an honest one ; it denies the divinity of Jesus Christ. And yet, said the Prime Minister of Queen Victoria in his able speeCh on the third reading of the Oath of Abjuration (Jew) Bill — " So loug as Jews are prevented from sitting in the House of Com- mons, whenevci' there comes a popular election a premium is actually given to the Jew as against the Christian in that election (hear), because, while the Christian stands on his own merits, the Jew would say — *Iu me you behold a persecuted man I and if you value the principle of Re- ligious Liberty, you will send me to the House of Commons !' " On the subject of the admission of Jews into the British House of Commons I have hitherto abstained from expressing even in private any opinion whatever ; '20* as, however, I sat toSfl^rJJ 466 A FAGGOT OF FMENCH STICKS. \ aata'ide on the wall separating the two cemeteries, the skele- ton facts of the case flitted before my mind in the following order. For nearly a thousand years the British people, under Christian sovereigns, have been governed by a suooession of Parliaments exclusively Christian, and accordingly, — 1st. The proceedings of the House of Commons have been, and still are, daily opened by Christian prayers offered up by the Speaker's Chaplain. 2nd. In the House of Lords the practice has been, and is, similar, except that the junior of the bench of Christian Bishops is ex-offioio the Chaplain who reads the prayers. 3rd. The Christian character of the Sovereign may be de- lineated as follows : — On Thursday the 28th of June, 1838, in the Abbey Church of St. Peter, Westminster, the Sovereign of Great Britain and Ireland, by the Grace of God Defender of the Faith (vide the printed Form and Order of the Service and Ceremonies ob- served in the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Victoria), supported by the two Bishops of Durham and Bath and Wells ; attended by the Dean of Westminster, the Lord Chancellor, Lord Great Chamberlain, Lord High Constable and Earl Marshal, the Lords who carry the Eegalia, &c. &c., and in presence of the people assembled within the church, replied to the Archbishop of Canterbury as follows : — ' Archbishop. — Madam, is Your Majesty willing to take the Oath?" Queen. — 1 am willing. Archbishop. — Will You to the utmost of Your Power maintain the Laws of«God, the true Profession of the Gospel and the Reformed Protestant Re- ligion established by law ? And will you maintain and preserve inviolably the Settlement of tne United Church of England and Ireland, and the Doc- trine, Worship, Discipline, and Government thereof, as by law established, within England and Ireland and the Territories thereunto belonging ? And will You preserve unto the Bishops and Clergy of England and Ireland, and to the Churches there committed to their Charge, all such Rights and Privileges as by Law do or shall appertain to Them, or any of Them ? Queen. — All this I promise to do. Then the Qtceen arising out of Her Chair, attended by Her Supporters, and assisted by the Lord Great Chamberlain, the Sword of State being car' ried before Her, went to the Altar, and there made Her Solemn Oath in the sight of all the People to observe the Premises : Laying Her right hand upon the Holy Gospel in the Great Bible which had been carried in the •^ ^ FEES LA CHAISE. 467 ProeevA«tit atidtMnnow brought from, tht Altar by tht Arehbiahop, wd tendered to Her at She knelt upon the Steps, the said these vords^— Tixe things -which I have here before promiaed, I will perform and keep^ ', So help me God. Then, the Queen kissed the Book and signed the Oath. ^ It need hardly be said that the Statute of thd 12 and 13 William III., confirming the limitation of the Suocesaion of the Crown " from time to time to such person or persons be- ing Protestants," the oath taken by every member of the House of Commons, " On the ti'ue faith of a Christian," the daily prayer of both Houses of Parliament, and the Corona- tion Oath required from the Sovereign, are not only in accord- ance with, but in obedience to, the Will of the British people, whose aggregate attachment to the Christian Religion, and whose attention — in such degree only as each thinks proper— to Christian worship, need not be described. Now, the whole of this system of Christian deference to Almighty God, by which the British Empire has hitherto been cemented, from the oath required from the Sovereign, down to that taken by every Member of the House of Com mons, is very properly abhorred by the Jews, simply because they believe the Redeemer of the Christians to have been an impostor; and firmly impressed with tliis opinion, which, whenever necessary, they have, as in duty bound, been ready to seal with their blood, they dpcline to be buried in the same ground with Christians, — to unite themselves in marriage with a Christian ; indeed tboir great charities, — such, for instance, as " The Jews' Fkee School in Bell Lane, Spitalfields, Lon- don," containing 650 boys and 350 girls, total 1000, — have been so exclusive, that to the simple blessings of educa- tion no Christian child is admitted. Firm in attachment to their own religion, and in contempt of that which they espe- cially abhor, in many countries they consider the mere touch of a Christian to be pollution ; and accordingly, I myself have seen a Jew, with a withering look, as if I had poured a cup of poison into it, throw away a large tub of water from which, out of my hand, I had without the slightest intention of offence, drunk a few drops. Now, how have th6 British people resented this conscien- tious, firm, unflinching, uncompromising bigotry? Why, 463 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. -with that high-minded generosity that oharaterizes them, they not only allow Jews to eat from the same sources, ^Irink from the same fountains, and, unmolested, live in whatevf ?• locali- ties they like, but, I am proud to add, they have extended to their persons and to their property the same legal protcotion which tVe Christian Parliament have enacted for the benefit of the Christian people. Nay, every Jew throughout the British dominions has been made capable of acting as a ma< gistrate, of filling any municipal office, of sitting in judgment upon Christians on matters of lifje and death. And yet, al- though on the liberty, and on property of every kind, belong- ing to Christians, they have the power to adjudicate, from blind zoal and immovable prejudices, as a body, they obdu- rately refuse, even as corpses, to associate with the Christian community. As however, the noblest object in exposing error is to avoid it, it is evident that, the more intolerant Jews are to Christians, the more should the latter be disposed to forgive and forget antagonist opinions, which, after all, proceed from consciencious disbelief, asd it has therefore liberally, and I think very properly, been decreed that, utterly irrespective of the conduct of Jews to v/ards Christians, every possible in- dulge xZQ shouM be granted to them, and every possible re- striction upon them removed. ^ To remove, however, the only restriction that remains, by raising them to be legislators for Christians, is surely, almost from the mere showing of the case, not only impolitic, but it is asking Jews to do what morally and religiously it is out of their power to perform. In fact, it is placing them on the horns of a dilemma ; for if in the enactment of Laws for the government of a Chris- tian people they were to endeavour to promote that mild re- ligion which in domestic life regubtes,moreor less, the great mass of the community, they would be faithless to their own dreed ; and on the other hand, if, faithful to their creed, by every means in their power they should endeavour, directly as well as indirectly, to eradicate a religion they conscien- tiously believe to be erroneous, they would be faithless to the* people for whom they are required to legislate. In short, it is evident, even grammatically speaking, that a Jew in a Christian Parliament is a confusion of terms, which can onljf PEBE LA CHAISE. K 46d I ! be reconciled by the expulsion of the Jew, or by the oblitera- tion of the term " Christian ;" for what is Jewish cannot be Christian, nor can what is Christian be Jewish, But it has been plausibly enough argued, that of two evils a mere breach of grammar is of less importance than the " illiberality " of excluding a Jew from the House of Com- mons ; which, it is added, if conceded, would " settle the ques- tion^" and thus create throughout the empire harmony, hap- piness, and content. Now, on reflection, it will, I bolieve, be evident to every one that that this argument wit^ -esistible force recoila upon the proposal ; for on the ver^ o trine, that of two evils a sensible man should choose the least, a Jew ought to be excluded from our Christian Parliament, because his admis- sion would create several embarrassments, each greater than the solitary one it is liberally intended to allay. For instance, in the House of Commons, where all men are " Peers " — that is to say, sit together on terms of perfect equality, — it would evidently be unjust to maintain for the majority a form of devotion in which the minority could not, owing to the religion they profess, join. It would therefore be necessary, either to persist in the injustice, or for the House to alter its form of prayer to a joint superstitious sup- plication — ayi/uKTro) 0€<3 — ^" To the unknown God," which St. Paul so truly declared at Athens to be " ignorant worship." Again, would it be just for the Christian party to possess the power of forcing their " Peer" to abandon either his conscience or a bill in which he was deeply interested, by bringing it up for discussion on a Saturday ; and would it be just on that day to force him to attend on a Committee 1 On the other hand,. would it be just to force him to rest from his political labours on Sunday, on Good Friday, and on Christmas-day ? Says the Christian, Man's Sabbath is on Sunday. Says the Jew, it is no such thing, it is on Satur- day. The House, therefore, must either openly violate the religious freedom it has vainly attempted to establish, by forcing the Sabbath of the majority on the minority, and, for the convenience of the majority, by depriving the minority of their day of holy rest, or compromise the dispute by ami- cably (liberally) agreeing together that there shall be no Sabbath at all. t .,. r , . - Again, would it be just to allow the Bishops of one faith m M ^4%. > IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) %^ 1.0 I.I ■JO ^^ us lU u 140 |Z2 1 2.0 IE ™ IIIIM ^ ^ 6" ► Hiotografiuc Sciences Corporation 23 WIST MAIN STMET WnSTIR.N.Y. USSO (716)l72-4';03 SJ \ ^Q^^ N> 4^ 6^ c^ X 470 A FAGGOT OF FRENQB STICKS. to form part of a Legislature from which the Bahbis of the other faith are excluded % OertainW not. It would, there- fore, be necessary, either that the Christian Bishops should be deprived pf their seats in the House of Lords, or that the Jewish Rabbis should, ex officio, for the avowed purpose of neutralisation, be invested with the privilege of sitting beside them. Again, the instant the British Parliament is made Jewish, as well as Christian, the siiyle and title of the Sovereign must be altered ; for if, in mockery of the Jews, it continue to be " By the Grace of God Defender of the Faith," it will justly be asked, of what faith ? And unless the answer be, '> Of the Jewish-Christian faith 1" it is evident diat the Sovereign will be the Defender of the wrong faith or, in other words, will be of only one Beligion, while the House of Commons will be of TWO. Lastly, it has hitherto been the happy characteristic of the British Kingdom that its Parliament and its People have been, as it were, the reflection of each other, and accordingly the religious sentiments of the one have not only been protected but fostered bv the other. If, therefore, for the sake of a few Jews who faithfully avow themselves to belong to a kingdom limited to the seed of Abraham, Parliament abjures its religion, that of the people will sympathetically wither ; In fact, a Par- liament without a religion legislating for a Christian people is an anomaly that can only be got rid of, either by the Legisla- ture, like the prodigal son, returning to its creed, or by the people, for whom they are legislating, for the sake of political unanimity, abandoning theirs. Without enumerating many other embarrassments that might be detailed, the above are, it is submitted, su£Gicient to demonstrate, that, even on the dangerous theory^ that of a choice of evils the least is to be selected, the proposed alteration should be rejected. But having shown what the great Christian community would /b^e, let us for a moment endeavour to calculate what the tiny Jewish sect residing " pro tem." among us might Ibe sup- posed to gain by a measure which the most devout of the He- brew nation honestly declare to be inconsistent with their religious expectations. In the speeches in favour of the Abrogation Bill, it has been truly stated that a Jew is as deeply interested in every \i PERU LA CHAISE. 47t law enacted by Parliament for liihe protection of life and pro* pertj as any Christian member oif tne community ; but, anom- alous as it may sound, for that very reason he ought to e/enVtf to remain excluded from the British Parliament ; for does there exist in the United Kingdom a liberal man of sound Judgment who is not inwardly convinced that religious principles are the strongest incentives to induce a populous nation not only to do what is right, but to abstain from doing what is wrong? The lives of British people (Jews included) are protected by laws, , the just execution of which depends upon evidence on oaZh^ jurors on oath,^ judges sworn to administer impartial justice. British property is similarly protected. In fact, the credit of the country is based upon those unalterable principles and commandments which the Christian religion fosters and enfor- ces ; and yet, so sensitive are moneyed mon'of any difficulty which in the slightest degree threatens to impair this credit of the country, that very trifling events cause their barometer, the funds, to rise or fall; and if it be true that, for instance, the sudden death of Prince Louis Napoleon would cause the whole of the funded property of England to sink in value, what might be its depreciation in the market of the world when it was announced that the British Parliament, -whose word had hitherto been its bond, had — ^by abjuring its reli gion — deliberately cut away the mainstay of British credit % Let the Rothschilds, Goldsmids, and other members of the Jewish persuasion, who live in England deservedly respected by us, reflect, and then answer whether the trifling honour of sitting in the House of Commons (where, as an argument in favour of their admission, it is always stated they would form so miserable a minority that in matters of religion, handcuffed and harmless, they could have no influence) would atone, even to them, for the depreciation of their ftroperty and for the insecurity of their lives under laws and aw-makers that by the proposed new-fangled system are to recognise no religion at all. When a young colony, like a bird flying from its nest^ separates itself from its mother country, it has been usual for it to proclaim to the world the list of " grievances" which have induced it to do -so. Now, as regards that allegiance to Almighty God which it is proposed Parliament shall publicly repudiate, let us for a moment consider what are the prominent £&ots of the case. 4Wl«. 7|^.m;i*«^ 9«» J^-:i9 \iF2J 47{i A FAGGOT OF FRENGH STICKS. 1st. It is an historical faot that, in prosperity, as well » Mn adversity, the Parliament, fleets, armies, and people of the United Kinffdom^ haye, for many centuries, been in the habit of periodically joining together, as a Christian family, in o£fer- ing up to the Omnipotent Author of the religion they haye been taught to yenerate, thanksgiving for every signal act of protection, and prayers for the aversion of every great cala- mity. 2nd. It is a political fact that, co-existent with this habit, the British people have gradually prospered to a degree utterly impracticable to detail. Upon their empire the sun never sets. Upon their wealth it unceasingly shines. Upon their integrity the civilized world relies. In short, while the nations of Eu- rope have all more or less suffered from the storm that has lately assailed them, British liberty and happiness excite not only the admiration but the envy of mankind. It might reasonably be expected that a people of such cool judgment as the English would, from the above two facts which for ages have been in juxta-position, perceive that the Divine protection the nation has religiously invoked has been reward- ed by the blessings it enjoys ; and accordingly, from the man- ner in which throughout England, Ireland, and Scotland the Sabbath is observed, — ^&om the general habit of private devo- tion, — from the short prayers which in every well-regulated man-of-war are read previous to going into action, — ^and from the marked public devotion of our most illustrious military and naval Commanders to the ordinances of the Christian reli- gion, it is evident the devout principles of the community remain unaltered. And yet, although no one among us has ever offered a contrary opinion, although the power and good- ness of the Almighty are patent to us all, yet for the attain- ment of an object, comparatively speaking, of no value what- ever, it has been virtually proposed in the " Oath of Abjura- tion (Jew) Bill," that on a certain day the Sovereign of Great Britain and Ireland, surrounded by her brilliant court, shall, after the roar of cannon, the acclamation of the multitude, the flourish of trumpets, and the obeisance of Peers and Peeresses have subsided, formally issue from her throne to mankind in general, and to the Parliament and people of the British Empire in particular, a declaration of independence, severing for evermore that Christian connection which has hitherto ex- isted between the people she governs and the Almighty Power PEBE LA CHAISE. 4kft UnAet whom they live ! in fact, the Bill virtually proposes that, in violation of Her Coronation Oath, Her Majesty, Defender of the Faith, shall, by assenting to the same, erase forever from the venerable brow of the Imperial Parliament the word " Christian ;" and thus, while every subject of the Crown will be allowed unmolested to continue to follow the revered reli- gion of his ancestors, " Religious Liberty " will in future bd the new and only Deity acknowledged by the Parliament of Great Britain. In short, while allegiance to an earthly Sovereign is very properly considered by the Imperial Parliament to be in no way incompatible with civil Liberty — indeed that the Mon- archy under which we live is the Basis of our Freedom — ^it is proposed that the very same Parliament, in the very same breath, shall, by a joint and public abjuration of its faith, declare that its time-honoured allegiance to the Almighty Buler of the universe has become incompatible with the enjoyment of Religious Liberty ! To live under a network of myriads of laws which the Imperial Parliament has spun and is ever spinning, , is not considered incompatible with Civil Liberty ; and yet the i endurance of the single religious link which connects us with futurity, is before God and man to be declared an ignominious embarrassment incompatible with the enjoyment of Religious Liberty ! What punishments may be inflicted upon us in every' quarter of the globe for this awful act — ^nothing more nor , less than Cobbett's " application of the sponge " to the Chris- tian character of the British Empire — it is altogether beyond the power of the human mind to imagine. Before, however, it be committed, let every member of the community who believes in a future state of existence ; who acknowledges the . protection and distinctions it has pleased Almighty God to bestow upon the British People and upon the British Name ; who reflects upon the climates, the hurricanes, the plagues, wars, pestilences, and famine to which in distant regions of the Globe we are more or less exposed ; and lastly, who con- siders our utterly defenceless condition, ask himself this plain question. Leaving ingratitude out of the question, is it wise < or safe to jeopardize the lives and property, the happiness and future state of the present generation, as well as of countless inhabitants of unborn ages, by exchanging a system that has practically answered, for one which will not only bring upon: ! i .0 nJJiiftT/ - £ i>^.. dm iii ms>a ^i>oai«'«r 474 A FAGGOT OF FSFNOH STICKS. US, afl renegades, the soom of every honest nation under the sun, but whioh, after all, will fail even to benefit that small sect who honestly tell us that, far from desiring Gentile pri- vileges, they are only remaining with us until the arrival of their own Messiah ; their faithful attachment to whom forma a. striking contrast, a bitter sarcasm on the proposed public abandonment by a great Christian nation of their Bedebmeb % Lastly, let the High Court of Parliament, which for so many centuries has been invested with Majesty, Bank, Pri- vileges, and Power, for the advancement of the Glory of God, the Good of His Church, the safety, honour, and welfare of our Sovereign and Her dominions, before it suicidally destroys its own authority, — before it betrays what it has solemnly sworn to defend, — ^before it brings darkness upon a happy land by disreputably selling, for the attainment of an object, comparatively speaking, of no importance whatever, the in- estimable blessings which a just, a moral, and a religious peo- ple are enjoying, — ^recall to mind, ere it be too late, the fol- lowing words, which prophetically bear upon its case :-~ "Then Judaa, whioh had betrayed him [Jeeras], when he saw that h* was condemned, repented himself; and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders^ saving, I nave sinned, in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said, What is that to ust see thou to that And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple^ and departed, and went and hanged himself." On descending from the wall on which for some minutes I had been resting, I regained the large paved avenue, and had arrived nearly at the gate, when I saw at a short distance on my right, a poor person's funeral procession, proceeding towards the " fosse commune," and, although the sun was very powerful, and my eyes half roasted, I could not help follow' ii^ it. In front of the heaiso, which, as before, was driven by a coachman in a cocked hat, there stalked, also in a cocked hat, a man dressed in the superfine black cloth coat already des- cribed, holding in his hand, like a drum-major, a long black' cane, headed with a white ivory knob. Behind the hearse followed two men in black, one of whom, looking on the ground as he walked, held in his right hand a oiroalar wreath of PEBE LA CHRISS. 479 yellow immortelles. On arriving at the common fosse the procession halted, and, on the ^or person's coffin being taken out, it was received by an officer, dressed in light blue uni> form, a cocked hat with silver cockade, a silver breast-plate, a sword-belt bound with silver, and a brass-handled sword. In the way I have already described, the semi-hezagonal topped coffin was lowered into the deep chasm beneath, where it was received, and slowly arranged and adjusted by the grave-dig- ger, in the mode previously stated. A simple ceremony of this nature, however often it may be witnessed, naturally creates serious reflections, and I was, to a certain degree, under their influence, when all of a sudden I heard a voice close to, in a loud and impassioned tone, exclaim '' Adieu ma m^e !"* I instantly glanced round, and saw the chief mourner standing on the brink of the long ditch beneath him, with his face directed towards the ground, with his eyes fixed on the coffin, with his hat in his left hand, and in his extended right arm the yellow wreath I had just before observed him carry- ing. For about six seconds he stood in the attitude describ- ed, and, as if choked by his feelings, did not utter a word ; at last, in the same loud, fervent tone of voice, proceeding with his address, he enumerated to the corpse beneath him the many marks of a£feotion she had shown him, and concluding with the words " Acceptez mon dernier devoir /"f he gently tossed before him the yellow wreath, which, feathering' through the air, had no sooner fallen, with a slight noise on the^ lid of the coffin beneath, than he suddenly turned on his heel, and walked slowly off. On joining the young man in black who had accompanied him in rear of the hearse they talked together for a few seconds, and then, arm in arm, quietly walked home. The hearse had long ago been gone, — ^the officers in light blue were gone, — the ordonnateur and his men were gone,-^ ' and I therefore found myself on the edge of the " fosse com- mune," with, excepting my guide, no other living being but the man with the sunburnt arms, white shirt, blue trousers, and red sash beneath me. In the earth of the perpendicular bank behind him was affixed a long iron skewer, upon which were hanging a hand- ^\ * Adieu my mother! f Accept my last duty! ^4. 1*1 I 476 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. ful of pieces of common packthread, each about two feet long. Turning roT nd and selecting one of them, he with it tied the name of tae corpse he had just adjusted, and the yellow wreath that belonged to it, to the black cross which had been lowered down with the coffin, and he then stuck the black gross into the ground at its head. For some moments I stood looking at the extraordinary scene in all directions around me. On my right the ^ound appropriated for the common graves was seen working its way upwards, towards the green limits of those, who, in tem- porary graves, were lying on lease for six years. In front there existed, over a surface of 10 or 12 acres of common graves, a scene of confusion it appeared almost hupossible for the eye to analyse — ^indeed it was not until I had steadily looked at it for some minutes, that I perceived it to be a dis- solving view, in which nothing but black crosses gradually turned into crosses and rails ; rails, crosses, and little chapels ; cypresses, chapels, crosses, and rails. On walking into this mass, which, by means of little nar- row rectangular paths, I was enabled to penetrate in all direc- tions, I ascertained the manner in which the system is ar- ranged. As soon as a certain quantity of the '' fosse commune " is filled with coffins, placed three abreast, and sanded over with about half an inch of soil, in the way described, workmen are employed to bury them under 4^ feet of ground, which is then f§.intly marked out into paths, and tiny graves, 4 feet in length, by 2 in breadth, at the head of each of which is stuck the black cross, the name, and, if any, the wreaths of immortelles that belong to it. The City of Paris having thus very liber- ally done all that it deems neceslsary, the friends of each corpse, taking care not to intrude upon the space retained for the commoii path, surround the little cell allotted as the grave with an oak railing, about 18 inches high, the interior of which they ornament in any way they think proper. In many of those only lately enclosed I perceived nothing but four thin cypress-plants, scarcely a foot high ; in others, these four seed- ling plants and some flowers. As I proceeded I found, at the head of the grave, in addition to the cypresses which every- where existed, a little wooded black box, about a foot and a half square, enclosed in front with a single common-sized pan<> PERE LA CHAISE. 477 of window-glass. Within this tiny ohapel was usually a little doll, and an altar, ornamented with uandles about the thick- ness and length of a common luoifer-matoh. On the black cross of every grave appeared, in white paint, an inscription, sometimes very long indeed, and sometimes very short ; for instance, on the cross of one poor man there was merely written — "Lafonqb." At the foot of this latter cross was a white plaster of Paris angel, about six inches high, firmly tied to the black wood by a piece of tarred whipcord round its neck. As I advanced I found in the graves, besides the ornaments I have enumerated China roses and flowers. One of the little chapels contained, on its altar, a white " forget-me-not " wreath, a child's bonnet, and a child's whis- tle. In another, the humble tribute of affection, which the poor mother of the deceased had often, no doubt, eome to visit, was a white garland, inscribed — beneath was the child's toy, a horse drawing a red water-cart on wheels, which must have cost about two sous. As I was wandering among these little memorials, which I felt to be infinitely more affecting than huge ugly specimens of bad sculpture which usually so inadequately explain what they are intended to represent, fancying I W8 ;^ntirely by myself, I almost trod upon a man dressed in a blouH ', on his hands and knees arranging one of the gardens I have described. The creel, or basket, he had carried on his back, and which was resting against the oak railing, had contained all the require- ments for a poor man's grave, namely, about half a bushel of garden earth, four little cypresses, box enough to border a path made in the form of a cross, and a stick to drill it in. He had just completed very neatly his job, and seemed much pleased at my admiring it. As I approached the extremity of the space allotted for common graves, the roses and cypresses became gradually so high that they completely overshadowed their respective terri- tories. * My beloved child 1 I 478 A FAGGOT OF FRENCH STICKS. On leaving this compartment of the cemetery I walked to the temporary graves, which, at a short distance, appeared to be a beautiful forest of cypresses, elegantly waving in the wind, and which, when closely inspected, were equally inter- esting. The grass, which, generally speaking, had resumed possession, was very nearly of the height (30 inches) of the little oak fences, within which, although here and there were to be discovered roses in bloom, the " immortelles " were faded and decayed. In short, vegetable life had apparently nearly extinguished human affections — the one had vigorously in- creased, the other had almost expired. Unhampered by a guide, I wandered about these narrow paths, up hill and down dale, with the greatest pleasure, turning suddenly to the right, then to the left, through paths so narrow that the boughs of the cypresses on each side bent as I passed through them. In several graves I perceived lurking, with sundry little holes in their faces, breasts, wings, and legs, the remains of dilapidated small plaster statues. In one grave was a honey-suckle in bloom, shedding fragrance around it to a considerable distance. '3n reaching the upper portion of the hill, there lay beneath me, at a distance, in the pays bas of the cemetery, the " fosses surrounded on three sides by the green wilderness communes of the tenant portion. Among the permanent graves, which looked so grotesque, stiff, and formal, that for some seconds I paused on the threshold of their dominion, unwilling to enter, I observed, in front of an obelisk, and leaning against its iron rails in an attitude of pensive reflection rather than of prayer, a tall lady of an elegant figure, exceedingly well-dressed. After walking for a considerable distance diagonally through the space allotted to permanent graves, I came, very nearly in the middle of the cemetery, to its chapel, a small, well-constructed, substantial, plain, appropriate building, con- taining a number of homely chairs, among which were two wo- men very devoutly kneeling, and, as I was unwilling to disturb them; I continued my course until I reached the paved avenue leading to the lofty iron entrance gates, towards which, under a very burning sun and in a glaring light, I was descending, vhen I observed approaching mo a stout and very short well- dressed gentleman, of about forty, who, with blue spectacles resting op rather a small upturned nose, and with his face run- ning down with perspiration, was affectionately puffing up the \ i PEBE LA CHAISE. 479 hill, with the head of a small snow-white plaster aagel in each of his hot hands, leaving the wings, body, ana legs not only pendent, hut vibrating in the air through which he walked. He had probably just bought them from one of the numberless shops in the Bue de la Roquette leading to the cemetery, and was on his road to deposit them on some grave as a tribute of hia affection. Although in the various little scenes I witnessed, and which I have faithfully described, exactly in the order, or rather disorder, in which they chanced to occur, there were occasionally some which may appear to the reader, as thev appeared to me, to be less impressive than they were intended to be, yet in approach- ing the gate of the cemetery of P^ro la Chaise I could not but admit that the arrangements I had witnessed are on the whole not only highly creditable to the people of Paris, but that they form a striking contrast to those foul fashions — that horrid and unnatural mixture of the living and the dead — tijiat have hitherto disgraced the metropolis of England. In Paris, within twenty-four hours of the death of every inhabitant, the corpse, with any pomp or at any cost which its relatives may feel desirous to expend — or, if it be that of a Soor person, at no cost at all — is by law delivered to the Or- onnateur des Pojiipes Fun^bres to be carried beyond the bar- riers of the city, where, under official supervision, it is depos- ited in a sufficiently deep grave, subsequently ornamented in any way the pride, taste, or affection of survivors may dic- tate. In London, under the tyranny of barbarous habits, which it has been deemed a fine thing to support, at exorbitant charges discreditable to the rich and ruinous to the poor, corpses, ornamented with frills, caps, and garments more or less fine, have, by the laws of fashion, been required, usually for a week, and often longer, not only to pollute the atmosphere of the living, but, as if to perpetuate the evil, they have afterwards been interred around almost every place of worship in the me- tropolis, — ^nay, even deposited beneath the very pavement on which the living have been congregating for prayer. The corruption of hundreds of thousands of human bodies has, below ground, polluted the springs of water, while, above, it is a well^nown fact that the miasma from the corpses of the inhabitants of London first attaches itself to, and then cor' 480 A FAGGOT OF FREJSOH STICKS. rupts, meat saspended in the larders of the nei^hboarhood: and thus people of fashion and high rank, and in beautiful olothes, every day ^houMike drink up and eat up a portion of the oaroases of their dead I It is not so in Paris. In addition to the cemetery of Pdre ]a Chaise for the eastern district, there are that of Montmar tre for the northern, that of Mont Parnasse for the southern, besides a cemetery appropriated for the use of hospitals and for the interment of criminals. ■•-•-♦- CONCLUSION. ■.m In our parting scene my kind landlady had such a reyolving series of last words to say to me, that on reaching the £)mbar- cadere of the Great Northern Railway I had only time to take my ticket for Boulogne, and my seat, when the train started ; and as a vessel sails out of harbour into open sea, so, on looking out of the windows on either side, I soon found myself flying through that boundless space of little unenclosed fields which of various shapes and colours compose the gay chequered surface of France. The carriage was full, or, as it is called in French, was " complet." Most of my fellow travellers had, either at their side or beneath their feet, a basket full of eatables, a bottle and a glass. Immediately opposite to me sat a large grave Frenchman of about forty. His omnium-gatherum of provi- sions lived in a red handkerchief ; and after he had undone it, looked them all over, and tied them all up again, he took from his waistcoat-pocket a small short saw of black horn, with which he slowly flattened and reflattened every hair on his head, and then, looking me full in the face all the time he was doing it, he as carefully combed out his mustachios. I have no doubt whatever that during the journey a variety of other little equally important circumstances occurred; I have, however, no recollection of them, for my truant mind, a^ ' if it had escaped out of the open window at my side, flew back to Paris to ruminate on the various subjects that had there oo* W ooyoLusios, 481 00* eapiad its tttention ; in short, I felt it imposiiUe to leiyo tho neighbourhood of Uw metropolis of France without enumerat> ing to myself a series of oirilities and kindnesses which, so long as my memory lasts, will form a subject of agreeaUe re- flection : indeed, to be able to add to those for whom one has • lasting re^rd a whole nation, oucht to be considered an aec^tti- sition of mestimable yalue, a blessing to intellectual vision, which, as it cheers in darkness as well as in daylight, is greater even than that in the power of the oculist to bestow. The political state of France naturally next engrossed my attention, and although my Tcrv short residence at Paris did not enable me, and indeed would not entitle me, to presume to enter deeply on the subject, the following vague sketch has the solitary advantage of being drawn at least b^ a friendly hand^ Whatever may abstractedly be said agamst a Bepublic, it is undeniable that that established in France in UB48 was the result of a far-sighted, louff-oonsidered, deliberate dee ire on the part of the French people to exchange Monarchy for Demo* cracy; and accordingly, in spite of every precaution that di- plomacy and military science united could devise, in spite of rank, wealth, patronage, fortifications, and an army of enor^ mous force, the power of the Monarchy, at a giv«i moment,, was precipitated, as suddenly, as an element in chemistry falls in impalpable powder through a liquid, which, from a prdTeren* tial affinity for something else, refuses any longer to hold it in solution. Wh^ the French people disliked Monarchy, or tohy ihej preferred a Republic, no foreigner has any right to inquire ;> and accordingly feeling it to be my bounden duty not to enter upon this vexed question, on arriving at Paris all I desired was mutely and inoffensively to observe, as carefully as I was able, the movements of a piece of political machinery, which I conceived at all events possessed the inestimable qiudifioation of pleasing tibe proprietors to whom it belonged. In this de- sire, people in England, I believe, generally concur, for, although nobody believes l£%t the present state of Franoe will last, many consider it as an interesting pplitical experiment they are de- sirous of watching carefully But impartially. They are look- ing at it step by step : but the end they truly say is not yet pome, and therefore they do not want to near a hasty sentence pronoiinced before the trial has been completed. 81 482 A FAGGOT OF FXENOH STICKS. With these impressicins on my mind I conoeiTed it woold "be exceedingly diffioalt to arrive at any correct conclusion on the subject. I expected to find the new system unpalatable to ril who had been nourished L7 the old one ; and as those whose rank had elevated them above the condition of their fellow creatures, and who directly or inc^reotly had profited by ex- pensive government, were very numerous, I fully anticipated they would, one and all, exactly as loudly as they dared, aisaih prove of the changes that had been effected. I own, however, I was not prepared, nay, that I was alto- gether what is commonly called *' taken aback" at ascertaining, almost at a glance, that with scarcely an exception, everybody at Paris not only confesses, but openly declares to any foreigner and utter stranger who will do them the favour to listen to them, that the revolution they themselves have effected has been productive tb them of most injurious results, every day becoming more and more intolerable I The depression of rank, fashion, and folly, has not only, as might be expected, been unpalatable to their respective votaries, but has cutoff the supplies from hundre,ds of thousands of de- serving people of no rank, no fashion, and no folly, who directly or indirecdy had been subsisting on an artificial system of ex-^ penditure profitable to them all. Although, therefore, there was not the slightest fear of any immediate outbreak, and al- though generally spejiking nothing could exceed the friendly bearing of all classes towards each other, yet a period of mo- netary terror existed, the effects of which depressed all classes of the community ; indeed, I sain faithfully declare that every shopkeeper I enquired of told me, without reservation, that the Bevolution of 1848 was ruining him; and as I found that con- versing with them on the subject gave them no offence — on the contrary, that, like people suffering from bodily pain, they liked to explain their ailments — I invariably put to them this plain question : . Can you tell me of any one set of people who have gained by your revolution ? All replied in the negative, excepting one man, who, with a good-humoured smile, said, " Our representa- tives in the Assembly have gained their wages (25 francs a-day) by it." t So dearly do the most respectable of the labouring clashes see the error that has been committed, that in at least twenty 5on- Ithe CONOLWSTOJf. - \^ of the grefti *f Paris thete haogs. placarded by the workmen themselvee, the following " a^ohe r " ]bi an DinmBTT vm TMXLm poixnouB ov D'nmBODxnuB nn Jovinaox vo> unQDis DAMS i.'atklieb. La vsjoo^bs woWf cm joaaaat pb 26 gbntdceb. 2-60. 8— iLAPOBTK."* ^^^_ ^^j " It is," however, ** an ill wind that blows no one any good ;** and, aocordinely, on ascertaining that the whole of the upper and respectable classes agreed together in deprecating the new system, I own I expected that the very lowest orders must ne- cessarily be the gainers of what the others were the losers : to my astonishment, however, I found them, if possible, more ■clearly convinced of the error that had been committed, and better able to explain it, than the well-educated classes ; and thus, as in preceding chapters I have detailed, commission- naires, guides, gravediggers, the drivers of fiacres, down to the very scavengers who subsisted on the offal of the street^, all declared, in different attitudes and in different accents, that they had grown leaner tnder the system which they had ez- ]^eoted would have fattened them ; in short, the very men who, with extraordinary bravery and with the greatest fuiy, had fought to obtain — and who triumphantly did obtain — a Repub- lic, hungry, sorrowful, and emaciated, now unite together to substantiate a moral . interesting to the whole family of man- kind, namely,'how little good revolution has done them ; on the contrary, how much mischief ! ¥ But although I affirm what any person in a few hours can ascertain for himself, that all ranks and conditions of men at Paris are dissatisfied with their present political condition, it must not be inferred that thergore all are opposed to a Be- public. ' That democracy is utterly inconsistent with a Frenchman's ideas of rank, order, grandeur, and glory, is undeniable. Many, however, adhere to the Bepublio, fearing that a change might produce something worse. A much larger number adhere to it as the partizans of chiefs whom for evident reasons they are desirous to invest with patronage and power. The Red party, who term the present state of order " a Monarchy disguised," * It is forbidden to talk politics, or to introduce xK>litica] newspapera -faito M% workshop For the 1st offence, a fine of 26 centimea. The Slid, 50. The third, out with him. , _ , „v,* *-— ...-^ ' m A FAOGOjF ^F FUmCH STICKS. mpport-A BepnUio^ Woanse iher believe it &vIe -for ibelro- iationB. They ate men who, if they pvt «p an ,«atfaorit7 to- day, wonld pml it down to-morrow merely to erect some other |)ower in its stead ; in fkot, 4ike the Ameriean backwoodsmen, tts soon 88 ther have Oflfected one dearanoe they yearn to re- tnm to the wudemess for tho pure love of encountering fresli •diffionltiefl. in the present Assembty the number of Socialists is abot^ 150. After the next deotion there will probably not be 50. Lastly, there are in Paris, in favour of the Republic, 30,000 for^ts, or convicted men who only appear at night — ^who, when they get up in the morning, not knowing where to break fiuit, live partly by robbery, partly by the support of women, and partly by tiiat of "les cloobs" (political clubs), who fancy they may require them. It was prmcipally by these people thi^t the horrors of the late revolutions were perpetrated. *^ Je suis hien vene^P* exclaimed one of them as he was about to be shot, and who^ suiting his action to his words, drew from his pocketf^ and with savage triumph threw down upon the S round, 15 or 16 human tongues ) Another wretch of thig escriptlon, caught mutilating the bo^es of the dead, was torn into quarters by four dragoons, who, attaching a cord to each of his arms and legs and wen to their saddles, trotted off in opposite directions. Of the real r^epublioans who effected the Revolution, many are dead (it is well known that thirty thousand people were kiUed in that of July) ; many are tired of it ; many worn out by it With respect to (M Napoleon, people of all parties delight to dream of the glory of the past, of tne battles of Rivoli, the Pyramids, Marengo, and Austerlitz; his popularity however throughout France rests on his restoration, religious, moral, administrative, and political, of society that had been demol- ished hj the Revolutionists,— K>n his having Improved or reorganised the finances of the country,— on his having re-es- tablished the administration of justice, and of havi t created a code of lawB which, as they have never been formally abolished, form to this day a sort of arsenal to which the Government, whatever it may be, resorts when necessary. A majority of the Assembly, of the inhabitants of France, and the army of AJgeria, are supposed to be in &voiir oi the restoration of Monarchy. coNcursiom I8» ^noe, f't It is evident, from the mere showing of the oMe, thtt these vsrioos elements, were thej to remain nnoontroued, wonld Terj quickly reproduce fermentation. The overwhelming army of Franoe, however, at an enor^ mens expense, effeotnally maintains the public peace; and without entering into political discussions, and without inter* fering with any alterations that may constitutionally be propos* ed, it laoonioaUy, like the schoolboy's dialogue, replies to any one who, impatient of deliberation, would overturn ^ Bepub* Ho by force, as follows : — * "Who pat it there t A better man than yon,— Tondiitifyondardl'' Under these extraordinary circumstances the French peoplef are now deliberating in what manner they shall constitational- ty, and without blo^shed, effect another revolution. Excepting the Socialists, the interest of all parties is ideh- tical — that is to say, all desire tranquillity and commercial prosperity, and ^et. with so laudable an object in view, it is distressing to witness the almost insuperable difficulties which a brave, intellectual, amiable, and highly civHiKed people are suffering from having, by their own act and deed, placed them- selves in a predicament in which their judgment is assailed by feelings it is out of the feeble power ox human nature to over- eome. It must be clear to them, as it is dear to every calm obser- ver of their position, that they have to settle two plain ques-- tions of very unequal importance, namely — 1st. Under what description of Government they would wish to live % And, when tMU great point is determined, 2ndly. Who is the piq^tor penKmage they would wish to place at its head % Now if it were possible abstractedly to bring before the consideration of the French people the first only of these two questions, a most extraordinary unanimity would prevail in &- Tour of discarding with ignominy-^in fitct of drumming out of the country — a Bepublio which has been found to be practical- ly unsuitea to the polite, orderly^ high*bred notione of the nation; but such is-human nature, so dunning is the human niind-Hi» orally and so cautions where self-interest is conoem* 486 A FAGGOT OF FBSNOU STICKS. ^d-^thtt, do what they idll, the consideratidn of the iMMtond question takes preoedenoe of the first; and thus, instead of forming one great dignified assembly, the nation has split it- self into seotions><-may I, without offenoe, say faotions-~eaoh of which, overlooking the main prescription, is now solely oc- cupied in advancing by every j>ossible means their johief tain Prince A, the Duke of B, the Count of 0, or General D, to be the head of ... . they know not what II , -($ *|The plan of the Begentist fiaction," says the latest ac- count from Paris, '*is, that in the event of the Prince de Join- ville being elected a representative of the people, the Assem- bly would name him its President, and that he, in turn, would appoint General Ghangamier Commander of the Forces, con- sidered by him (General C.) necessary for the protection of ^atbody." 1 With these antagonist objects in view, the difierent par- tie^, violently canvassing, become not only jealous but so mis- trustful of each othjer, that the difficulty of their deliberating together on the main point to be settled daily increases. In the meanwhile, just as an ancient knight used often to faint from the weight of his armour Jtheir own army of oocupatipn iJB almost, without metaphor, eating them up; and accordingly the annual defioienoy in their exchequer, caused not only by enormous military expenses, but by public works continued by each minister to buv tranquillity for the country and popular- ity for himself, has to be supplied by successive issues of Bona Boyaui^ or Exchequer Bills, which the 3ank of France take in emplovment of tneir large deposits, a febrifuge which will last until the day of payment comes, or until a political crisis cAdl pause a discredit of Government securities. Btmcffia? i*OR 186a. {Bethie0dfrom the Projet de Lot of February 8, 1861, at the exchange ef Ow4 :w Hi 26yV'aftc«j)«rjM>tmi«ut invidiously mentipning namee, it is matter of bi»}i OONOLUSION. mt iorj that, amottg the Tarioiu oandidates fbr the offioe he now holds, three hare not only openly ezpreBsed their opinion at to the practicability, but their readiness to invade foreign conn- tries, especially England, to assist their inhabitants in consti- tuting a repubuo : a procedure which, besides creating mischief and misery that could be of service to no one, would inevitably add to the war expenses, impair the commerce, and increase the embarrassments of that great nation, whose speedy extrication from her present diffioutics every liberal fingUshnmn must ardently desire. > • With these reflections in my mind, I could not help recol- lecting how often, during my residence in Paris, people to whom I was an utter stran|;er, after explaining to me the miserable political condition m which they were placed, ended their lamentations bv a generous and unc[ualified expression of their admiration of we British Oonstitution. In offering, how- ever, what, no doubt, they considered to be a compliment, they. little knew the pain they inflicted upon me. 1 ^ Although I nave throughout my life rigidly abstained from taking any part m EngHsh politicsj have never once attended a political meeting, and have never voted at an election, I have not been insensibfo of the inestimable blessings we enjo;|r under institutions which have effectually protected liberty, life, and property. It is, however, lamentable to observe the inex- plicable course which the upper classes in England are pursuing. One would conceive that a loss to our country of ten mu- lions of money by the bad faith of the North American Be- public, added to the lamentable results which have arisen from the establishment of a Republic in France, would, when con- trasted with our national credit, order, and prosperity, have convinced us of the miserable consequences of transferring the government of the affairs of a great nation from men of educa- tion and intelligence-— in fact, from men of business — ^to the ilHte^ta I^ however, the latter class, notwithstanding their utter incapacity to protect property they do not possess, had the will and the power to undertake such difficult duties, it would, of course, be useless to endeavour to withhold it from them. But the truth is, the illiterate classes of the United Kingdom aro Afflioted mi^ no ^iw^ jdeslre \ they evince no wish to trace m-- \. 492 A FAGGOT OF FBXNOE STI0K3, ndlwayi, make drawingi of liffhthooMS, pl»Bfl of hsriwuri) w<,^ tions.ana elevations of public bnildinss, but, leaTing oonoeptiiMi to those who better understand snob troublesome things, all tiiej want is to be emnlojed on these works ; in shorty to oet fidr wages for flur work, with a elear understanding that, if we country shall fiul to give than ftnr work, it shall m bound bv law to be at the expense of supporting them) in fkilure of whion they will, very naturaUjj help thenumres. In like manner tho illiterate pear determined not oidy by an unwise ecctenribn of the suf^ frage to force the illiterate to take put in vihtM they do not understand, but to do< so by means which, strange to say, are revolting to the fe^ngs of the British pcN^ple^ sor instance, it is known to every m«i of education that the commermal credit of England rests «n tiie maintenance of her public fiuth; that as long aa she maintains her ftith she is the greatest nation on the globe; on the other hand, as soon as she loses i^ that not only the whole fkbrio ol her prosperity will fidl to^ pieces, but anarchv, ruin, and' Uoodshed must ensua Protected by these fiiots^ it is evident that our national futh ^ is secoxe, for the simple reason that it is utterly impossible for fti majority of tiie country to incur the stuume of epenly advocat- ing the repudiation of the public debt; and yet, i^ instead of ' voting in dayMght^ the question were to be settled in the dark > by the movement of olean and dirty fingers belonging nobody koowa to whem} there eziste lu) 4eiibt whatevei^ ^st^ thai thie^' CONCLUSION, 498 (MiMBiiiiktioii of our oredit would be eiSBotod to-morrow; and Moondly, that nobody would own to the blune I Now, if underhand dealing was the oharaoteriatie of the English peasant, if, like the owl and the bat, he had a propen- sity for darkness, it would, of ooorse, be eai^ to prevail imon him to avoid the dayli^t ; bat instead of this being his ohar- aoter, even in fighting with his antagonist he disdains to strike a foul blow. Look at our railways : they have thrown out o^ employment hundreds of thousands of hud-working men, who honestly gained their subsistenoe Jby a system of travelling that has been suddenly superseded. Why have these poor men ab- stained from revengina themselves bv placing at midnight some obstmotion on tine iron path that has ruined themf Why, simply beoause as Englishmen it is out of their nature to assassinate even property. Far, therefore^ from entertain- ing any oowardlv desire to vote in ucret^ their notion of free- dom is to drink strong beer till they can hardly see ; then arm-in-arm, with colours streaming from their hats, to walk to the hustings, roaring, with barn-door mouths, all the way they go, <* Squire and Indbpbndxmcb roa svra I ▲ labob LOAF, AND NO PoPBKT 1"^ "^ ' Now, instead of enoourai^ng open dealing-^the Inrthright of an Englishman — our uppermost olawMs, sad to say, are making every endeavour to inculcate in the minds of the illit- erate a depraved desire for power to assassinate in the dark not only our Public Faith ana the continuance of a Oivil List for the support of the Orown, but irresponsibly and with the Utmost facility to sweep away every enactment that now pre- vents them from socially dividing among themselves that im- mense property of the country which industry and intelligence have graduallv amassed, and which our institutions have nith- ierto protected. For instance, in our leading newspaper there has latelv been made, by a member of the House of Oommons, the fol- lowing extraordinary announcement :— > "To THE Editob or TBX 'Tdodb.' *' Observing in the * Times' of to-day that yon describe the snecesB of the question of the biQlot during the late session of Parliament as one ^ the aecisive defeats of the present Ministir, I submit to yon that snoh a statement is erroneous. Lord John RusseH has always considered the 404 A FAGOOT OF FUXStOff STICKS. 'mmnmuMk optn quwtlon, and iUi prineipal rappart ki d«riT«d ittm memben of hii Lordship's QovernnMnt Thu^ in the laa^ division, with its oofitoomitdnt list of pairs, you will find that the Master of the RolK the Attorney and Solicitor Generals, a m^ority of the Lords of the Ad> miralty, an oqnal division of the ofBoers oi the Ordnance, and a mi^rity of the Qneen's Household, fsanotetm th> baixot. « - "I am, Sir, yFiiniin&& ** Tomi obediently, , " F. HniBT F. BvuLKun; ^ Vktoria Square, Aug, 0(A, 1861." In ,what a fitlaepoBition does this announoement place the British nation I How justly may the ruling statesmen and capitalists of Europe say to us, " in the name of common hon- 9Sty, what doM all this mean ? Are you Englishmen faithful to your noble institutions, or are you not ? If you are, whT are you hurrying vour people towards democracy, whion wiU ruin first you and then them as it is ruining us 9 Tour illit- erate classes are not asking for baUot,-r-haye no hankering to he placed under Jewish legislators ; wh^ therefore force these changes upon them? And above all, in attempting to do so, how in the face of Christendom can yon presume to exert the influence of the British Grown for measures inconsistent with your reli|;ion, your monarchy, and, as you well ^nou^ incoin- patible with tne maintenance of your public faith ? ^' While we, in our respective countries, are pointing to your , Institutions as the legislative model of sound practical .Liberty, your people, in the name of their Sovereign, are not only encouraged, but by the Ministers of Her Grown, in both Houses of Parliament, are invited^ to demand extensions of the suffrage^ which the instant it be made universal consti- tutes a republic j and theiH-alas i when it is too late — ^your virtuous Queen, in poverty and retirement, for the remainder of her davs, will mourn with us over the irreligion, woe, deso- lation and destruction of property, that unnecessarily and un- naturally have been effected in Her Name I" • • • « • - Although on arriving at Boulogne we found a smoking steamer awaiting the train, I could hardly shake off the mel- ancholy reflections which, on leaving the Bepublio of France, had most unwelcomely been occupying my mind. I had, how- ever, scarcely descended about fourteen feet from the pier to the deck of the packet, when the ladder was hauled up, and in CONCLUSION, 416 the same in8t«nt there was loudly exclaimed in a boy's voice, dose to me, " ]Jeav« OSTABN I" For upwards of three weeks I had scarcely spoken my own language ; and as Johnson's Dictionary does not contain two words that at the moment could have been more acceptable to me, my heart thrilled as I heard them. A slight little long grey stain in the sky, about as broad as my thumb-nail, just above the western horizon, gradually became more and more perceptible, until, in the -course ox rather more than two hours, being converted into white cliffs. I not only gazed upon what did my eves more good than all the hot ana cold lotions to which they had been subjected, but I eventually landed on — never| I hope, to leave it again — my own country. "Enolaio), wttr aix rat fatjltb, I lovs thbb smxl" THE END.