MUSEUM OF FRENCH MONUMENTS.

to visit a very curious and interesting exhibition, the Museum of French Monuments; for the reception of which, the ancient convent of the monks of the Order of les Petits Augustines, is appropriated. This national institution is intended to exhibit the progress of monumental taste in France, for several centuries past, the specimens of which have chiefly been collected from St. Denis, which formerly was the burial place of the monarchs of France, and from other churches..

It will be remembered by the reader, that in the year 1793, Henriot, a vulgar and furious republican, proposed setting off for the former church, at the head of the sans culottes, to destroy all these curious and valuable relics,, "to strike," as he said, "the tyrants in their tombs," but was prevented by some other republicans of influence, who had not parted with their veneration for works of taste,. from this impious and impotent. outrage..

In the first hall, which is very large, and' impresses a similar awe to that which is generally felt upon entering a cathedral, are the tombs of the twelfth century. Amongst them I chiefly distinguished that of Henry II, upon which are three beautiful mourning figures, supporting a cup, containing his heart.

In the second hall, are the monuments of the thirteenth century, most of them are very fine; that of Lewis the XIIth and his queen, is well worthy of notice. I did not find much to gratify me in the hall of the fourteenth century. In that of the fifteenth century are several noble tombs, and beautiful windows of stained glass. In the hall of the sixteenth century is a fine statue of Henry the IVth, by Franchville, which is considered

223

СНАР.

XX.

224

CHAP.

XX.

MUSEUM OF FRENCH MONUMENTS.

considered to be an admirable likeness of that wonderful man. In the hall of the seventeenth century, is a noble figure, representing religion, by Girardon.

In the cloisters are several curious statues, stained glass windows, and tesselated pavement. There is here also a good bust of Alexis Peron, with this singular epitaph,

Ci git qui ne fut rien,

Pas même académicien.

In the square garden within the cloisters, are several ancient urns, and tombs. Amongst them is the vase which contains the ashes, if any remain, of Abelard and Heloise, which has been removed from the Paraclete to the Museum. It is covered with the graceful shade of an Acacia tree, which seems to wave proudly over its celebrated deposit. Upon approaching this treasurable antique, all those feelings rushed in upon me, which the beautiful, and affecting narrative of those disastrous lovers, by Pope, has often excited in me. The melancholy Heloise seemed to breathe from her tomb here,

"If ever chance two wandering lovers brings,
"O'er the pale marble shall they join their heads,
"And drink the falling tear each other sheds :
"Then sadly say, with mutual pity mov'd,

"Oh! may we never love, as these have lov'd.”

National guards are stationed in every apartment of the Museum, and present rather an unaccording appearance, amidst

the

MUSEUM OF FRENCH MONUMENTS.

the peaceful solemnity of the surrounding objects. This ex-
hibition is not yet completed, but, in its present condition, is
very interesting. Some hints, not altogether useless, may be
collected from it. In England, our churches are charnel
houses. The pews of the congregation are raised upon foun-
dations of putrefaction. For six days and nights the temple of
devotion is filled with the pestilent vapours of the dead, and on
the seventh they are absorbed by the living. Surely it is high
time to subdue prejudices, which endanger health without
promoting piety. The scotch never bury in their churches,
and their burial places are upon the confines of their towns.
The eye of adoration is filled with a pensive pleasure, in ob-
serving itself surrounded with the endeavours of taste and in-
genuity, to lift the remembrance of the great and good be-
yond the
grave, in that very spot where the frailty of our na-
ture is so often inculcated.

Such a display, in such a place, is rational, suitable, and admonitory. The silent tomb becomes auxiliary to the eloquence of the pulpit. But the custom which converts the place of worship into a catacomb, can afford but a mistaken consolation to posthumous pride, and must, in some degree, contaminate the atmosphere which is contained within its walls. One evening as I was passing through the Boulevard Italien, in company with a gentleman from Toulon, we met a tall, dark, hollow eyed, ferocious looking man, of whom he related the following story.

Immediately after the evacuation of Toulon by the english, all the principal toulonese citizens were ordered to repair to the

G G

225

СНАР.

XX.

226.

СНАР.
XX.

REVOLUTIONARY AGENTS.

the market place; where they were surrounded by a great military force.

This man who, for his offences, had been committed to prison, was liberated by the french agents, in consequence of his undertaking to select those of the inhabitants who had in any manner favoured the capitulation of the town, or who had shown any hospitality to the english, whilst they were in pos-session of it. The miscreant passed before the citizens, who were drawn out in lines, amounting to near three thousand. Amongst whom he pointed out about one thousand four hun-dred persons to the fury of the government; without any other evidence, or further examination, they were all immediately adjudged to be shot. For this purpose a suitable number of soldiers were drawn out. The unhappy victims were marched up to their destruction, upon the quay, in sets of three hundred, and butchered..

The carnage was dreadful. In the last of these unfortunate groups, were two gentlemen of great respectability, who received no wound from the fire, but, to preserve themselves, dropped with the rest, and exhibited all the appearances of having participated in the general fate..

This execution took place in the evening: immediately after its close, the soldiers, fatigued, and sick with cold-blooded slaughter, marched back to their quarters, without examining. whether every person upon whom they had fired, had fallen a victim to the murderous bullet.. Soon after the soldiers had retired, the women of Toulon, allured by plunder, proceeded to the fatal spot. Mounted upon the bodies of the

fallen,