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During the revolution, this august edifice was converted into a fulphur and gun-powder manufactory, by which impious proftitution, the pillars are defaced, and broken, and the whole is blackened and dingy.

The coftly cenotaphs of white marble, enriched with valuable ornaments containing the hearts of our Henry III. and Richard I. kings of England, and dukes of Normandy, which were formerly placed on each fide of the grand altar-piece were removed dur ing the revolution.

The altarpiece is very fine. Grand preparations were making for the inauguration of the archbishop, which was to take place the following Sunday. There were not many people at mass; those who were prefent, appeared to be chiefly compofed of old women, and young children. Over the charity box faftened to one of the pillars was a board upon which was written in large letters "Hofpices reconnoiffance et prospérité a l'homme géneréux et fenfible." I faw few people affected by this benedictory appeal.» I next visited the church of St. Ouens, which is not fo large as the cathedral, but furpaffes that, and every other facred edifice I ever beheld, in point of elegance. This graceful pile, has alfo had its fhare of fufferings, during the reign of revolutiouary barbarifm. Its chafte, and elegant pillars have been violated by the smoke of fulphur and wood; and in many places, prefent to the diftreffed eye, chafms, produced by maffy forges, which were erected against

them, for cafting ball. The coftly railing of brass, gilt, which half furrounded the altar, has been torn up, and melted into cannon. The large circular stained window over the entrance called La Rose du Portail is very beautiful, and wholy unimpaired. The organs in all the churches are broken and useless. They experienced this fate, in consequence of their having been confidered as fanatical inftruments during the time of terror. is in this predicament, and will require much cost to repair it.*

The fine organ of St. Ouens

I cannot help admiring the good sense which in all the churches of France is difplayed, by placing the organ upon a gallery over the grand entrance, by which the fpectator has an uninterrupted view, and commands the whole length of the interior building. In the English cathedrals, it is always placed midway between the choir and church, by which, this defired effect is loft.-St. Ouens is now open for worship.

In spite of all the devastations of atheistic Vandalism, this exquifite building, like the holy cause to which it is confecrated, having withstood the affailing ftorm, and elevating its meek, but magnificent head above its enemies, is mildly ready to receive them

* The ornaments of the churches of England experienced a fimilar fate from the commiffioners of the Long parliament, in 1643.

into the bofom, ftill disfigured with the traces of blind

and barbarous ferocity.

Behind the altar, I met the celebrated prince of Waldec. He, who poffeffed of royal honors, and ample domains, revolted in the day of battle, from his imperial mafter, and joined the victorious and purfuing foe. I beheld him in a shaded corner of one of the cloisters of St. Ouens, in poor attire, with an old umbrella under his arm, fcantily provided for, and scarcely noticed by his new friends. A melancholy, but just example of the rewards due to treachery and desertion.

I have described thefe churches only generally, it cannot be expected of me to enter into an elaborate hiftory of them, or of any other public edifices. The detail, if attempted, might prove dull, and is altogether incompatible with the limited time, and nature of my excurfion.

After we left St. Quens, we visited the fquare aux Vaux, where the celebrated heroine of Lorrain, Joan d'Arc, commonly called the Maid of Orleans was cruelly burnt at the stake, for a pretended forceress, but in fact to gratify the barbarous revenge of the. duke of Bedford, the then regent of France; because after fignal fucceffes, the conducted her fovereign, Charles, in fafety, to Rheims, where he was crowned, and obtained decifive victories over the English arms. We here faw the ftatue erected by the French,

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to the memory of this remarkable woman, which as an object of fculpture feems to poffefs very little worthy of notice.

CHAPTER VI.

First Conful's Advertisement.-Something ridiculous. Eggs.-Criminal Military Tribunal.-French Female Confidence.-Town Houfe.-Convent of Jef uits.-Guillotine.Governor W

UPON looking up against the corner wall of a street, furrounded by particoloured advertisements of quack medicines, wonderful cures, new invented effences, judgments of caffation, rewards for robbers, and bills of the opera, I beheld Bonaparte's address to the people of France, to elect him firft conful for life. Itook it for granted that the Spanish proverb of "tell me with whom you are, and I will tell you "what you are," was not to be applied in this inftance, on account of the company in which the Confular application, by a mere fortuitous coincidence, happened to be placed.

A circumftance occurred at this time, respecting this election, which was rather ridiculous, and excited confiderable mirth at Paris. Upon the firft appearance of the election book of the first conful, in one of the departments, fome wag, inftead of fub

fubfcribing his name, immediately under the title of the page," fhall Napoleon Bonaparte be first conful for life?" wrote the following words, "I can't tell."

This trifling affair affords rather a favorable impreffion of the mildness of that government, which could infpire fufficient confidence to hazard fuch a ftroke of pleafantry. It reached Mal Maison with great speed, but is faid to have occafioned no other fenfation there, than a little merriment. Carnot's bold negative was a little talked of, but as it was folitary, it was confidered harmlefs. To the love of finery which the French still retain to a certain degree, I could alone attribute the gay appearance of the eggs in the market; upon which had been beftowed a very fmart ftain of lilac color. The effect was fo fingular that I could not help noting it down.

On the third day after our arrival in this city, we attended the trial of a man who belonged to one of the banditti which infeft the country round this city. The court was held in the hall of the ancient parliament houfe, and was compofed of, three civil judges (one of whom prefided) three military judges, and two citizens. The arrangements of the court, which was crowded, were excellent, and afforded uninterrupted accommodation to all its members, by feparate doors and paffages allotted to each, and alfo to the people, who were permitted to occupy the large area in front, which gradually rofe from the laft feats of the perfons belonging to the court, and enabled every

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