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play the different taftes of the English, French, and Dutch nations, whose respective names they bore. Thefe gardens are interfected by little canals, upon which feveral perfons were amufing themselves with the diverfion of canoe racing. The whole was illu minated by large patent reflecting lamps, which fled a luftre almost as brilliant as the day. A few Eng lish were prefent, amongst them were the duchefs of Cumberland, and a few other ladies. previous to the revolution, were the property of a wealthy minifter of France, who, it is faid expended near one hundred thousand pounds fterling, in bringing them to perfection, which he just saw accomplished, when he clofed his eyes upon the fcaffold. The nation became their next proprietor, who fold them for a large fum of money to their prefent owners.

Thefe gardens

From this place we went to Frefcati, which is the promenade of the first beauty, and fashion of Paris, who generally affemble about half paft ten o'clock, after the opera is concluded. No admiffion money is required, but fingular as it may feem, no improper intruder has yet appeared, a circumstance which may be accounted for by the awe which well bred fociety ever maintained over vulgarity. Frefcati is fituated in the Italian Boulevard; was formerly the refidence of a nobleman of large fortune, and has alfo undergone the ufual transition of revolutionary confifcation. The ftreets leading to it were filled with carriages.

After afcending a flight of fteps, from a handfome court-yard, we entered a beautiful hall, which was lined with pier glaffes, and decorated with feftoons of artificial flowers, at the end of it was a fine statue of Venus de Medicis. On one fide of this image was an arch, which led into a fuite of fix magnificent apartments, which were fuperbly gilt, painted, and alfo covered with pier glaffes, and luftres of fine diamond cut glass, which latter, looked like so many little glittering cascades. Each room was in a blaze of light, and filled with parties, who were taking ices, or drinking coffee. Each room communicated with the others, by arches, or folding doors of mirrors. The garden is fmall, but very taftefully difpofed. It is compofed of three walks, which are lined with or-, ange and acacia trees, and vafes of rofes. At the end is a tower mounted on a rock, temples, and ruftic bridges; and on each fide of the walks, are little labyrinth bowers, On the fide next to the Boulevard, is a terrace which commands the whole fcene, is lined on each fide with beautiful vases of flowers, and is terminated at each end by alcoves, which are lined with mirrors.

Here, in the courfe of an hour, the astonished and admiring ftranger, may fee near three thousand fe males of the first beauty and diftinction in Paris,, whofe cheeks are no longer disfigued by the corrosion, of rouge, and who, by their fymmetry and grace,, would induce him to believe that the lovelieft figures

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of Greece, in her proudeft æra, were revived, and moving before him, top bon

CHAPTER XIV.

Convent of blue Nuns.Ducheffe de Biron. The bloody Key-Courts of Justice-Public Library.-G. belines. Mifs Linwood.Garden of Plants.-French Accommodation.-Boot Cleaners-Cat and Dog Shearers.-Monfieur S, and Family.

THE English convent, or as it is called, the convent of blue nuns, in the Rue de St. Victoire, is the only establishment of the kind, which throughout the republic, has furvived the revolution. To what cause its exclufive protection is attributable, is not I believe correctly known. But though this fpot of facred feclufion, has efcaped the final ftroke of extermination, it has fuftained an ample share of the general defolation. During the reign of terror it was converted into the crowded prifon of the female nobility, who were confined, and afterwards dragged from its cloisters, and butchered by the guillotine, or the daggers of the affaffins. I had a letter of introduction to Mrs. S, one of the fifterhood, a lady of diftinguished family in England. I found her in the refectory. A dignified dejection overfpread her countenance, and her figure feemed much emaciated by the scenes of horror through which she had

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paffed. She informed me, that when the nuns were in a state of arreftation by the order of Robespierre, the convent was fo crowded with prifoners, that they were obliged to eat their wretched meals in three different divifions. The places of the unhappy beings who were led off to execution, were immediately filled by fresh victims.

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Amongst thofe who fuffered, was the beautiful young ducheffe de Biron, faid to be one of the lovelieft women of the French court. Her fate was fingular, and horrible. One morning, two of the affiftant executioners came into one of the rooms, and called upon the female citizen Biron to come forward, meaning the old ducheffe de Biron, the mother, who was here immured with her daughter; fome one faid, which of them do you require? the hellhounds replied, "Our order was for one only, but "as there are two, we will have both that there "may be no error." The mother and daughter were taken away locked fenfelefs in each others arms. When the cart which carried them arrived at the foot of the fcaffold, the chief executioner looked at his paper, which contained a lift of his victims, and faw the name of only one Biron; the affiftants informed him that they found two of that name in the convent, and to prevent mistake, they had brought both. The principal, with perfect fang froid, faid it was all well, wrote with his pencil the article "les" before the name Biron, to which he added an s, and immediately beheaded both!!!!

CHAP. XIV.

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Mrs. S led me to the chapel, to fhow me the havoc which the unfparing impious hands of the revolution had there produced. She put into my hand an immenfe maffy key to open the door of the choir. That key," faid fhe, "was made for the master key of the convent, by the order of Robefpierre. "In the time of terror, our gaoler wore it at his belt. "A thousand times has my foul funk within me, "when it loudly pushed the bolt of the lock afide. "When the door opened, it was either a fignal to prefor inftant death to fome of those who were pare "within, or for the gloomy purpose of admitting « new victims.” When we entered the chapel, my furprise and abhorrence were equally excited. The windows were beaten thro', the hangings were flapping in the wind, the altar was fhattered in pieces and proftrate, the pavement was every where torn up, and the caves of the dead were still yawning upon us. From their folemn and hallowed depths, the mouldering relics of the departed had been raised, by torch light, and heaped in frightful piles of unfinished decay, against the walls, for the purpose of converting the lead, which contained thefe wretched fragments of mortality into balls for the mufketry of the revolution. The gardens behind the chapel must have been once very pleasant, but they then had the appearance of a wilderness. The painful uncertainty of many years, had occafioned the neglect and ruin in which I faw them. Some of the nuns were reading

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