Paris. 345 



wc dined together at the extensive rooms of Champeaux, 

 restaurateur, in the Rue des Filles St Thomas, opposite to 

 the new Exchange. After a dessert of excellent peaches, 

 the tardives being still in season, we proceeded, under Mr 

 AtkiiVs guidance, to the celebrated 



Palais Royal. 

 The spacious court of this palace is planted with several 

 rows of limes ; but these, at this period, afforded little 

 shade : the ground is trodden hard by innumerable pro- 

 menaders, and the leaves of the trees had been shrivelled 

 by the parching heat and drought. Two grass-plats, how- 

 ever, surrounded by flower-borders, maintained the fresh- 

 est verdure, and presented flowers of the most lively hues. 

 But these are watered, night and morning, in dry weather, 

 by means of a long leathern tube, connected with a foun- 

 tain, and furnished with a perforated nozle, like the rose 

 of a watering-pot. In the centre of the court, between 

 the grass-plats, is a small pond, with a simple, yet 

 grand, jet-d'eau in the middle. This powerful jet has the 

 effect of refreshing the air all around ; and while the sun 

 shines upon it, the iris which results forms a very plea- 

 sing phenomenon. Under the piazzas many females and 

 boys were selling green walnuts ; and these having just 

 come in, seemed to meet with great demand. Vast quan- 

 tities of chesnuts are also retailed here : one chesnut-girl, 

 we are told, pays about 2000 francs a-year for a little stall 

 under the piazzas, where she disposes of these nuts, fresh, 

 roasted, and boiled. The best chesnuts are those brought 

 from the neighbourhood of Lyons ; but the title of Mar- 

 rons cle Lyons is, we understand, much abused, being fre- 

 quently bestowed on fruit gathered from common chesnut- 

 trees in the neighbourhood of Paris, 



