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dancers, of whom Monfieur Defhayes is the principal. His movements are more graceful, his agility more furprifing, and his ftep more light, firm, and elaftic, than thofe of any dancer whom I have ever feen. He is very justly confidered to be the first in Europe. The first conful has a private box here, on one fide of which, a lofty, hollow, decorative column rifes, the flutes of which are open, and through which he views, unfeen, the audience and performers. The beholder might be almost inclined to think that this furprifing man had borrowed from our immortal bard his notions of exciting the impreffion of dignity, by a rare, and well-timed difplay of his perfon.

"Thus did I keep my perfon fresh, and new
"My prefence like a robe pontifical,

Ne'er feen but wondered at: and fo my fate
"Seldom, but fumptuous fhewed, like a feaft
And won by rarenefs fuch folcinity."

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Madame Bonaparte's box is on the left fide of the ftage, over the door, in which the late haplefs queen has frequently difplayed her beautiful perfon to the enraptured audience.

The Feydeau theatre is very elegant; and on account of its excellent arrangements, good performers,. and exquifite machinery, is much reforted to, and is in general preferred to the fourteen other dramatic fpectacles which, in this diffipated city, almost every

night prefent their tribute of pleasure to the gay, and delighted Parifians. A Frenchman once obferved to me, that a Sunday in London was horrible, on account of there being no playhoufes open at night! The def corum and good manners which are even still obferv ed in all French places of public amufement, are very impreffive, and agreeable. Horfe and foot foldiers are ftationed at the avenues, to keep them clear, tə prevent depredation, and quell the first indicatians of popalar commotion.

I was much gratified by an excurfion to Verfailles, which had been fome time planned by the charming family of the S's. We fet off early in the morn ing, in one of the government carriages, and after a delightful ride, through a very rich, and luxuriant country, of about twelve miles, the vaft, and magnifi cent palace of Versailles, opened upon our view, at the end of a street nearly two miles long, lined on each fide with noble hotels, and gardens. It was on a Sunday, the day on which the palace is opened to the public. On the road, we paffed feveral hundreds of perfons in carriages, cabrioles, or walking; all with merry faces, in fhowy clothes, and adorned with bouquets, on their route to this fpot of favorite delight..

About four miles from Paris we faw Belle Vue, formerly the refidence of Mefdames ; foon afterwards we paffed the noble palace, and park of St. Cloud, which was preparing for the reception of the first conful

At the entrance of the village of St. Cloud, on the left, after we had paffed the bridge, we faw a very pretty house, and grounds, belonging to a tanner, who had amaffed confiderable wealth by a difcovery of tanning leather in twenty-four hours, fo as to render it fit for the currier. Whether he poffeffes this faculty or not, I cannot from my own experience fay, but I can venture to affirm, that the leather of France is very bad. In the village is a very noble porcelain manufactory, which unfortunately we had not time to inspect.

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Whilft our horfes were refreshing themselves with a little water, we were befet by the agents of the different hotels, and reftaurateurs of Versailles, who prefented us with little cards, announcing in a very pompous manner the fuperiority of their employers accommodations.

The ftables of Verfailles, to the right, and left, are from the defigns of Manfart, in the form of a crefcent, and have the appearance of princely refidences. Here the late King kept in the greatest style fix hundred of the finest horfes. On the left of the grand gateway, is a military lodge for the accommodation of cavalry. It represents in shape, an immenfe Turkish marquee. After we had paffed the pallifades of the first court, we more distinctly faw this amazing pile of irregular buildings, which confifts of the old caftle, the new palaces, the houses of the minifters of ftate, and fer

vants, two opera houses, the chapel, military schools,

mufeums, and the manufactory of arms, the whole of which are now confolidated, and form one palace.

The beautiful pavement of black and white marble in the court yards, is much defaced, and their fountains are totally destroyed.

The first place we vifited was the manufactory of finall arms; the refident workmen in which exceed two thoufand men. Here we faw all the ingenious process of constructing the musket, pistol, and sabre, of which there are an immenfe collection; and alfo feveral carbines, and fwords of honor, intended as I prefents from the firft conful to officers and foldiersof diftinguished merit.

From the manufactory of finall arms, we returned to the grand court, and entered a fuite of rooms, which contain the relics of the former valuable cabinet of curiofities. Several of those which we faw, were worthy of attention. From thefe rooms, we paffed to the late king's private opera houfe, which furpaffes in magnificence, and coftly decoration, every thing of the kind I ever beheld. The facing of the whole of the infide is of carved wood, richly gilt. The dome is beautifully painted. Upon the scenery of the stage being removed, and temporary columns, and galleries raifed; all of which can be effected in twenty-four hours, that part of the theatre prefents a counterpart of the other, and the whole forms a moft fplendid oblong ball room, very defervedly confidered to be the fineft in Europe: it ufed to be illuminated by ten thou

fand wax lights. The concert rooms, and retiring apartments are also very beautiful. From the opera, we vifited the chapel, which is very fine, and coftly, inwhich there are many large, and valuable paintings. After leaving this deferted place of royal worfhip, we paffed through the Halls of Plenty, Venus, Mars, Mercury, Apollo, and the Hall of the Billiard Table, finely painted by Houaffe, le Brun, Champagne, and other eminent artists, to the grand gallery, which is feventy-two yards long, and fourteen broad, and has seventeen lofty windows on one fide, which look into the gardens, and feventeen immenfe pier glaffes on the oppofite fide to correfpond. In this gallery, the kings of France were accustomed to receive ambaffadors, and minifters of ftate.

We next entered the bedroom of the late queen and beheld the door, which, on the night of the 6th October, 1789, the frantic, and fanguinary mob, headed by the infamous Legendre, burft open, for the purpose of dispatching her with daggers, in her bed, on that frightful night, which preceded the return of the royal family to Paris, under the protection of the marquis de la Fayette, through an enraged multitude, which extended itself from Verfailles to Paris.

The miferable queen faved herself by escaping into an adjoining apartment. Her bed was pierced through and through with poignards. The door is nailed up, but the marks of that horrible outrage ftill remain. In this, and in the adjoining chambers, are fome very