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113 



CHAPTER YII. 



THE BOULEVARDS. 



Paris is famous for its parks, its squares, and its gardens, 

 but its noblest features, and those most worthy of imitation 

 in other cities, are its magnificent open streets, avenues, 

 and roads, called boulevards. There are people who 

 regard these as needless, simply created to serve the 

 designs of an astute autocrat, and only possible under 

 similar rule ; whereas the fact is, they are merely such 

 means of communication as would be found in every city of 

 the world, if cities were designed with any due regard to 

 their being fitting and healthy dwelling-places for hosts 

 of men. 



Parks and gardens are excellent in their way, but they 

 effect only a partial good if vast areas of densely-packed 

 streets are unrelieved by green open spots where whole- 

 some air may obtain a vantage ground in its ceaseless work 

 of removing impurities. The slight good that is effected by 

 fine parks here and there in or towards the outskirts of a 

 city is as nothing compared with what may be carried out 

 by so planning and planting streets and roads that the air 

 in which the people work and sleep may day and night be 

 comparatively pure and free, and the eye refreshed with 

 green at almost every point. 



Paris exhibits the noblest and most praiseworthy attempts 

 yet seen to render an originally close and dirty city healthy 

 and pleasant for man ; and this has been chiefly effected by 

 her vast system of boulevards — wide well-made open streets 

 and roads bordered with trees, and excellent footways as 

 wide as many of the old streets, or wider. They do not 

 simply pass through the city in one or several important 

 lines, but pierce it in every direction, and are designed 



