,from June 28. to August \Q. 1840. 195 



France men are not afraid of stating their opinions either in con- 

 versation or in books. Here it is necessary to consider what 

 opinions are marketable ; and, in tiie case of an author, for 

 example, what will sell. The real opinions of persons in France, 

 except perhaps in politics, are seldom either disguised on the 

 one hand, or, when expressed, taken any notice of on the other. 

 In short, with a police incomparably more rigid than ours, and 

 even, as it said, with a system of espionage, the expression of 

 thought is much more free in France than in England. 



The Asphalte Pavements are among the most striking external 

 improvements in Paris, and in fact they are operating a revolu- 

 tion in all the towns in France. The surface is as smooth as 

 that of a board, and it has a soft agreeable feeling to the feet, 

 quite different from that of walking on the smoothest stone, and 

 which we can only compare to walking on a carpet. In some of 

 the very narrowest of the streets there are footpaths of this 

 material with narrow kerb-stones, which, to save room, are pro- 

 jected over the gutter, as in Jig. 23. ; 

 and in the Place de la Concorde there 



is a smooth continuous surface of as- ^^ttt— ^ — -J^ - -> - -, -^ 

 phalte, without a single seam or inequa- ' ~ ^^^ 



lity, upwards of 50 ft. broad, by 200 or Fig. 23. p,ojcUiHg Ku/,.,tone. 

 300 feet long. A greater good to France, in the way of clean- 

 liness and comfort, than this asphalte, can hardly be conceived. 

 The only thing against asphalte for garden walks is its dark 

 colour, and in England its expense ; but in England it has this 

 advantage, that the climate not being so hot, it may be used for 

 covering roofs. It has been tried for barn floors, and will make 

 most comfortable flooring for cottages both in France and 

 England, 



The Butchers' ShojJS of London are generally considered the 

 first in the world, not only for excellent meat, but for cleanli- 

 ness and order. In 1815 and 1819, those of Paris were bad in 

 both these respects, but they are now, in point of excellence of 

 meat, not far inferior to those of London, and in point of clean- 

 liness and order superior. In short, next to the asphalte, these 

 butchers' shops made on us the strongest impression. 



The Streetshave been widened, and many new ones built ; and, 

 with respect to the narrow streets, plans are fixed on by the 

 municipal government, by which, when any house in a nar- 

 row street is pulled down, it cannot be built up again exactly in 

 the same place, but must be set back, and have a foot pavement 

 in front. We saw this done in several })laces, and were informed 

 by an intelligent architect, M. Daly, the Editor of the Eevue 

 Generale (V Architecture et des Travaux Publics, that arrangements 

 were made for this being done not only in Paris but in every 



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