FRANCE. 



Vino of one of the Entrances to Pans. 



the richest stulFs, the most precious trinkets, and every production of the arts. A general 

 ntoxication of pleasure may be said to jirevail in this enclosure of luxuries, which is the con- 

 stant resort of strangers always flocking to Paris. It is the centre of trade, the focus of wealth, 

 business, idleness, festivity, literature, the arts, and of every species of industry, talent, and 

 dissipation. The world has nothing elsewhere like it. The Bourse, or Exchange, is the 

 handsomest building of the kind in Europe. 



The libraries of Paris are very large, and formed upon the most liberal principles. Most 

 of them are public, and accessible at all times to the rich and poor. The Royal Library con- 

 tains above 500,000 volumes, besides 80,000 manuscripts, 100,000 medals, many hundreds 



of thousands of tracts, and 1.000,000 

 engravings. This library is crowded 

 constantly by persons of all classes, in 

 pursuit of knowledge. The other libra- 

 ries have from 150,000 volumes down- 

 ward . 



There are about 30 theatres, large 

 and small, in Paris. All the theatres 

 in France pay a tenth part of their re- 

 ceipts to the poor. The houses in the 

 older parts of Paris are very high. The 

 streets are generally without side-walks, 

 and some are paved with flat stones. 

 All those parts without the Boulevards 

 are called fauxbourgs. The gates of the 

 city are denominated barriers, and here 

 passengers must exhibit their passports, 

 and merchandise pay a duty on enter- 

 ing the city.* 



The most famous of the ceme- 

 teries, is that called Pere La Chaise 

 (Father La Chaise), from the name 

 of a priest, to whom the ground 

 formerly belonged. It is prettily 

 laid out, with shaded walks, adorn- 

 ed with flowers, and contains many 

 handsome monuments. 



The manufactures of Paris are 

 various and extensive. The book 

 trade and printing business exceed 

 those of any other city in the world. 

 The shawls, clocks, and watches, 

 jewelry, gloves, furniture, and in- 

 numerable articles of luxury, fash- 

 ion, ornament, and use, which are 

 made here, occupy great numbers 

 of the inhabitants. The catacombs 



of oil. The ordinary watering and cleaning of the streets 

 is done by the inhabitants. In an average year, there are 

 consumed, in Paris, 7] .600.000 bottles of wine; 659,154 

 gallons of cider ; 2,034,263 gallons of beer; 359,298 gal 

 Ions of vinegar; 71,750 bullocks; 8,500 cows; 76,500 

 calves; 339,650 sheep; 70,500 hogs; 931,000 pigeons; 

 174,0110 ducks; 1,289,(101) chickens; 251,000 capons; 

 549,000 turkeys; 328,000 geese; 131,000 partridges; 

 177,000 rabbits ; 29,000 hares ; butter and eggs to the value 

 of 10,348,800 francs; oysters, 599,400 francs; sea-fish, 

 3,417,600 francs ; fresh-water fish, 333,400 francs. There 

 are 3,500 coffee houses in Paris. The receipts of the the- 

 atres, balls, gardens, and public spectacles, amount annu- 

 ally to 6,500,000 francs. Thus the p-ublic aniusements 

 of the capital pay annually to the poor a sum equal to 

 120,250 dollars of American money 



Pere La Chaise. 



' Paris exports, annually, objects of industry to the 

 3iTiount of 47,000,000 francs ; of which, 14,000,000 are in 

 shawls, and 6,000,000 in jewelry. There are, in the city, 

 520 watchmakers, who employ 2,056 workmen, and man- 

 ufactu re annually 8(),0(K) gold watches, 1.5,000 silver 

 watches, and 15,000 clocks, valued at 19,7(15,000 francs. 

 There are 10,0.53 vehicles for the interior service of Paris, 

 ^nd 733 for the exterior ; 500 water carriages, drawn by 

 horses, and 1,300 drawn by men; 484 diligences; 240 

 small stages, and .500 cabriolets for the exterior ; making 

 13,919 vehicles of every description. Among the strangers 

 who visit the city, the Enrrlish are the most numerous ; in 

 1821, there were 20,184 English at Paris. 



An eighth part of the paving of Paris is renewed annu- 

 ally. The streets, bridges, and squares are lighted by 

 4 553 lanterns, which cons'inie annually 608,397 pounds 

 70 



