43& PALAIS ROYAL, 



We come now to the period when the palais royal h 

 to take quite another form, and to unite to the capti- 

 vating advantages of the old, a thoufand new ones, 

 more magnificent and refined. 



It is pretty publicly faid at Paris that the new dif- 

 pofition of the palais royal is a mere fpeculation in fi- 

 nance of the duke of Orleans ; and every appearance is 

 fo much in favour of this affertion, that I fhall not 

 prefume to advance any thing to the contrary. The 

 idea was fo natural, that a head acquainted with the 

 paris public, its humours and longings, muft. have fal- 

 len upon it of courfe. This head however was not that 

 of the duke of Orleans, but belonged to one of his 

 cafh-keepers, who well knew what fums of money his 

 mailer was in want of, how little his old rents were 

 adequate to the fupply of his incredible expences, 

 and how profitably every fquare foot of ground behind 

 his palace might be employed in augmenting his re- 

 venue. Hence proceeded the plan by which the gar- 

 den of the palais royal, now become indifpenfably 

 neceffary to the public, was made to furnilTi them with 

 every thing in addition to thofe delights it already af- 

 forded : I mean ready-furnifhed hotels, tradefmen's 

 fhops, gaming-houfes, cofTee-houfes, eating-houfes, 

 bookfeller's fhops, fhows; in fhort, gratifications for 

 ail the fenfes in the greater! variety. Four wings, as 

 an enclofure to the garden, would comprehend all 

 thefe, and even form a little town within the city, 

 which fhould afford whatever could be had in the city, 

 and even of a fuperior quality and in a finer tafle* 

 The greatnefs and novelty of this plan were imper- 

 ceptibly 



3 



