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THE PLAINEST CITY IN EUROPE, 



The fixed perspective of Paris neither elongates nor 

 contracts with any change of atmosphere, so that the 

 apparent distance from one point to another remains 

 always the same. Reduced to the simplest elements 

 the street architecture of Paris consists of two parallel 

 lines, which to the eye appear to gradually converge. 

 In sunshine and shade the sides of the street approach 

 in an unvarying ratio ; a cloud goes over, and the lines 

 do not soften; brilliant light succeeds, and is merely 

 light — no effect accompanies it. The architecture 

 conquers, and is always architecture ; it resists the 

 sun, the air, the rain, being without expression. The 

 geometry of the street can never be forgotten. Mov- 

 ing along it you have merely advanced so far along a 

 perspective, between the two lines which tutors rule 

 to teach drawing. By-and-by, when you reach the 

 other end and look back, the perspective is accurately 

 reversed. This is now the large end of the street, 

 and that which has been left the small. The houses 

 seen from this end present precisely the same fa9ade 

 as they did at starting, so that were it not for the 

 sense of weariness from walking it would be easy to 

 imagine that no movement had taken place. Each 



