86 
yal persons, meh, women, and children, 
either born blind, or rendered so by illness, 
now able to read, to write, to count, ‘to 
print, and to perform on different pieces of 
instrumental music. The mode by which 
they read is by feeling the letters, which are 
purposely raised on card ; and they did so 
with such rapidity, that it was difficult in 
hearing. them to discover their misfortune, 
What particularly struck me, was the inge- 
nuity of a blind woman, who had taught 
her child to read, an infant about five years 
old, not afflicted with this calamity. 
<¢ There is a manufactory of steel carried 
on in the building, in which the blind turn 
the wheel; and they also make whips, writ- 
ing cases, purses, and paper toys of all sorts, 
which are sold for their private emolument. 
There is likewise a press, or printing ma- 
chine, in which the whole process is per- 
formed by the blind ;,and I am told, books 
published by them, are more than com- 
monly correct. The women knit, sew, and 
perform other kinds of needlework ; and all 
of them either sing, or perform on some in- 
strument. They gave us a kind of concert, 
which, if not very good, proved, at least, 
that they understood the principles of mu- 
sic.” 
The apathy which prevails among 
the people of Paris, as to all public 
events, is scarcely credible ; a splendid 
féte was given in honour of the prelimi- 
naries, and of the anniversary of the con- 
sular government; a dead calm pre- 
vailed among the spectators, they looked 
on, walked about, and seemed enter- 
tained with the shows that were exhi- 
bited, yet no cries of triumph, no shouts 
of joy, expressed the public satisfaction! 
Some time afterwards the sound of can- 
non announced the news of the signa- 
ture of the definitive treaty; the fagade 
of the Thuilleries, its garden, Les In- 
valides, and the hotel of the minister of 
marine, were all speedily illuminated. 
<< It grieves me to add,” says our author, 
«¢ that this important intelligence has pro- 
duced no effect at Paris. It has scarcely 
been mentioned in society ;and I have walked 
about the whole evening, admiring the taste 
with which the public buildings were light- 
ed, and heattily joining in the satisfaction 
which occasioned them, without meeting 
one single group of French spectators.” 
The same indifference was apparent 
when Te Dewn was sung at Notre Dame, 
in honour ef the peace, andthe re-estab- 
lishment of religion. During the illu- 
mination there was no noise, and indeed 
no expression of joy; very few people 
were seen in the Thuilleries, though the 
weather was fine, and the day Sunday, 
«The more I see: of the French,” says 
our author, ‘© the more I am astonished 
and disgusted at the indifference wl.«h they 
‘ 
VOYAGES AND TRAVELS. 
have contracted ; their dulness is the more 
disagreeable from its being unnatural, and I 
cannot help exclaiming with Voltaire, 
Que je plains un Francois, quand il est sans 
galete ; f 
Loin de son 
jetté,” 
Indeed the character of the French 
seems to have undergone a considerable 
change: in their private societies they 
display but little of that vivacity which 
formerly distinguished them; it is now 
the affectation to converse on literary 
subjects, and he that has the most ee. 
bility and assumes the mostimperious 
tone of authority, has the best.of the ar- 
gument. From the account before us 
we gather that there is no restraint on 
conversation at Paris; persons in high 
office are spoken of with an asperity and 
freedom whicheveninthiscountrywould 
be considered as imprudent ; indeed the 
government has much less jealousy of © 
this sort than we are taught to imagine, — 
Our author attended several of the 
courts of justice: causes seem to be as — 
well conducted as they can be without 
a jury, which however is now introduced, 
it seems, in capital offences. An Italian 
was lately convicted of assassination; he 
underwent the punishment of the guillo. 
tine, being led to the scaffold in a red 
shirt, this disgrace being added to the 
sentence in cases of murder. 
élément le pauvre homme est 
Pe ORR 
«« T ought to mention,” says our author 
«© in honour of the present criminal laws 0 
France, that this is the first individual who 
has been condemned to death during the 
six months which I have passed at Paris.” 
Although we have devoted consider: 
able space to this little volume, it con- 
tains so much authentic and interesting 
information, concerning the manners and 
amusements of the Parisians, as to be 
amply entitled to that attention which 
many bulkier volumes merit not. .We 
shall, therefore, make no apology for 
extracting from the concluding Jetter 
some parts of the comparison which it 
contains between the state of Paris and 
of London. After“having noticed se- 
veral petty distresses which an English- 
man is more particularly susceptible of, 
our author proceeds thus: 
«« I must be permitted, howeyer, to ob- 
serve, that there are reasons of a much more 
serious nature, which make the English less 
easy to please than other foreigners. We 
come from a country where all the arts are 
carried to a degree of perfection; at least 
equal to what is attained on the same objects 
in France, and where, in many things, the 
ingenuity of our manufacturers is unrivalled, 
