PARIS
AS IT WAS AND AS IT IS;
OR
A Sketch of the French Capital,
ILLUSTRATIVE OF
THE EFFECTS OF THE REVOLUTION,
WITH RESPECT TO
SCIENCES,
LITERATURE,
ARTS,
RELIGION,
EDUCATION,
MANNERS,
AND
AMUSEMENTS;
COMPRISING ALSO
A correct Account of the most remarkable National Establishments and PublicBuildings.
In a Series of Letters,
WRITTEN BY AN ENGLISH TRAVELLER,
DURING THE YEARS 1801-2,
TO A FRIEND IN LONDON.
Ipsâ varietate tentamus efficere, ut alia aliis, quædem fortasse omnibusplaceant. PLIN. Epist.
VOL. I
LONDON
1803
In the course of the following production, the Reader will meet withseveral references to a Plan of Paris, which it had been intended to prefix tothe work; but that intention having been frustrated by the rupture between thetwo countries, in consequence of which the copies for the whole of the Editionhave been detained at Calais, it is hoped that this apology will be acceptedfor the omission.
New Organization of the National Institute
LETTER I.
On the ratification of the preliminary treaty of peace, the author leavesLondon for Paris—He arrives at Calais on the 16th of October,1801—Apparent effect of the peace—After having obtained a passport,he proceeds to Paris, in company with a French naval officer.
LETTER II.
Journey from Calais to Paris—Improved state of agriculture—None ofthe French gun-boats off Boulogne moored with chains at the time of theattack—St. Denis—General sweep made, in 1793, among the sepulturesin that abbey—Arrival at Paris—Turnpikes now established throughoutPrance—Custom-house scrutiny.
LETTER III.
Objects which first strike the observer on arriving at Paris after an absenceof ten or twelve years—Tumult in the streets considerably diminishedsince the revolution—No liveries seen—Streets less dangerous thanformerly to pedestrians—Visits paid to different persons by theauthor—Price of lodgings nearly doubled since 1789—The author takesapartments in a private house.
LETTER IV.
Climate of Paris—Thermolampes or stoves which afford light andheat on an economical plan—Sword whose hilt was adorned with thePitt diamond, and others of considerable value, presented to the ChiefConsul.
LETTER V.
Plan on which these letters are written.
LETTER VI.
The Louvre or National Palace of Arts and Sciencesdescribed—Old Louvre—Horrors of St. Bartholomew'sday—From this palace Charles IX fired on his own subjects—Additionssuccessively made to it by different kings—Bernini, sent for byLewis XIV, forwarded the foundation of the New Louvre, and returned toItaly—Perrault produced the beautiful colonnade of theLouvre, the master-piece of French architecture—Anecdote of theQueen of England, relict of Charles I—Public exhibition of theproductions of French Industry.
LETTER VII.
Central Museum of the Arts—Gallery ofAntiques—Description of the different halls and of the mostremarkable statues contained in them, with original observations by the learnedconnoisseur, Visconti.