150 



worthy intentions, should his legacy be found 

 inadequate to the design. The court-house, on 

 the north side of Notre Dame-street, is a plain 

 handsome building, lately erected, 144 feet in 

 front, where the courts of civil and criminal 

 judicature are held. The interior is distributed 

 into halls for the sittings of the chief courts, 

 besides apartments for the business of the police 

 and courts of inferior decision. Within it is 

 also a spacious room, allotted to the use of the 

 public hbrary of the city, that contains several 

 thousand volumes of the best authors in ever}' 

 branch of literature : the good regulations under 

 which it is managed, and the method in which 

 the books are arranged, reflects great credit 

 upon the committee that has the superintend- 

 ance thereof, and greatly contributes to the 

 amusement of its numerous supporters. The 

 handsome appearance of this building is height' 

 ened by its standing some distance from the 

 street, with a grass-plot in front, enclosed by iron 

 railings; its proximity to the Champ de Mars 

 renders it extremely airy and agreeable. The 

 gaol of the district stands near the court-house ; 

 it is a substantial, spacious building, erected 

 about seven years ago, upon the site of the 

 old one that was destroyed by fire in 1803. 

 The salubrious situation of this spot is peculiarly 

 fitted for such an establishment ; the interior 



