PARIS, 
« 
eftates, and other authentic afts. Attorneys in Paris do 
not, as in London, tranfaft any bufinefs of this kind. 
The difference between conveyancing-attorney and attor¬ 
ney at common law, is only voluntary in England; but it 
is not fo in France, where the avoue, or attorney at law, 
never makes conveyances, and the notary cannot aft in a 
court of law. 
Tribunal de Police Municipal , or Head Police-office.—■ 
The juftices of the peace lit here alternately, and judge 
all police-affairs from one franc to twenty-five francs. 
They are twelve in number, being one for each arrondiffe- 
ment, who fettle all trifling differences between individuals. 
They hold their fittings at different places, in the manner 
of our police-magiftrates, being all under the guidance 
of the minifter of the interior, formerly called lieutenant 
of the police. 
The royal police-guard, commiJJ'aires de police as they 
are called, are fimilar to our police-conftables. They at¬ 
tend at all public places to preferve order, and to arreft 
fufpicious perfons : they are in number 1217. There is 
alfo a battalion of 572 Tappers and firemen, to attend at 
any conflagrations that may happen in the city. 
The police of France, and of Paris in particular, has 
always been proverbially ftrift. Every one has heard or 
read how it was adminiftered during the reigns of Louis 
XV. and XVI. that it did not relax under Napoleon, we 
have given a proof in the article London, vol. xiii. p. 598. 
and, by a reference to p. 448 of the prefent article, it will 
be feen how low the fyftem of efpionage is carried at this 
time. Indeed it appears to us, that there is a continual 
ftruggle of the government (of the ultras at lead, though 
Contrary to the wifh of the king) to get rid of the char¬ 
ter, or fo to weaken it as to revert by degrees to the an¬ 
cient defpotifm. The following is part of the fpeech of M. 
Girardin in the chamber of deputies on the 9th of la if 
month, (Jan. 1821,) “ We fee. privilege introduced into 
our elections, p radically to deftroy the fir ft political right 
of the French people 5 lettres de cachet revived under ano¬ 
ther form to overthrow the fourth article of the charter; 
and the cenforlhip undertake to annihilate the eighth ar¬ 
ticle. A varnifh of legality renders this ftill more hate¬ 
ful and more formidable. Anarchy may fairly be faid to 
exift, where individual liberty has loft its fecurities ; where 
that of writing can be exercifed no longer; where the 
citizens are dragged from before their natural judges ; 
where the prifons are crowded—yes, where the prifons are 
crammed full, and where fecret captivity has replaced the 
torture. I myfelf have feen, gentlemen, thefe wretched 
captives; fome of them have I beheld fo near falling vic¬ 
tims to this cruelty, that in two days, it is probable, they 
will have perifhed.” Refuming the thread of the former 
paffage, he repeated ; “ Where fecret confinement has re¬ 
placed the torture; where juries are nothing better than 
commiffions from the crown ; party-fpirit is fubftituted 
for that of juftice ; where the police provokes diforders 
inftead of repreffing them, and hires numberlefs agents 
to organize confpiracies and to manufacture traitors; 
where government oppreffes the confciences of fuch of 
the electors as have public duties to difcharge; where 
informers are encouraged ; where certain favourite news¬ 
papers, at their own will and pleafure, libel the moft illus¬ 
trious citizens; &c. &c.” In fome parts of this fpeech, 
we feem to be reading the ftate of our own country, in¬ 
ftead of that of France. 
La Conciergerie— This prifon is fituated under the 
Palais de Juftice, and is appropriated for the reception of 
thofe who, convicted of crimes, await the fentence of 
the law. The entrance to this fabric is in the court of 
the palace, being rendered confpicuous by an ornamented 
arcade. Within the walls of this fatal building were con¬ 
fined, in 1794, the amiable and ingenious Lavoilier; alfo 
Malelherbes, Condorcet, and numerous other characters 
as renowned for their virtues as for their learning. 
Other prifons, which, as connected with the courts of 
juftice, may as well be noticed here, are— 
Vol, XVIII. No. 1257. 
461 
Le Temple, Rue de la Corderie.—The tower of the 
Temple was ufed as a place of confinement for prifoners 
of ftate. It was particularly interefting to the traveller 
as having been the laft refidence of the unfortunate Louis 
XVI. and his family, who only quitted its gloomy pre- 
cinfts to afeend the fcaft’old. The gallant fir Sidney 
Smith was confined here ; and within thefe walls the un¬ 
fortunate captain Wright loft his life. The pile of build¬ 
ings which originally occupied the enclofure of the Tem¬ 
ple has been partly demoliffied ; and ftreets have been 
erefted on the fite communicating with the Corderie. 
The Temple was built in 1200, and was the principal 
refidence of the Knights Templars. Their increafing 
numbers, wealth, and power, rendered them an objeft 
of jealoufy to the fovereigns in whofe dominions they re- 
fided ; and the pope and the king of France confpired to¬ 
gether to diffolve the order, and to feize on all their riches. 
They were accufed of the moft horrible crimes, were con¬ 
demned almoft unheard, and 54 of them were burnt 
with a flow fire on the Pont Neuf. 
La Force , or Grande Force, near the Place Royal.— 
This is a vaft and ftrong prifon. The maffive vaulting of 
the great entrance prefents a very fine fpecimen of modern 
architecture, and is the only one of this kind in Paris. 
This edifice is divided into fix departments, each having 
a court-yard, covered gallery, infirmary, a ftore for com¬ 
mon ufe, and refleftors which are kept burning all night. 
La Petite Force , Rue Pavee aux Marais—is a prifon 
for proftitutes. 
St. Pelagie, Rue de la Clef.—-This building, erefted 
in 1665 for the reception of female penitents, was con¬ 
verted into a prifon at the commencement of the revolu¬ 
tion. It is large, commodious, well diftributed, and well 
ventilated. It is now a place of confinement for debtors, 
and for thofe who are detained by the police. 
Les Madelonnettes, Rue des Fontaines.—It was formerly 
a monaftery, but is now transformed into a prifon for wo¬ 
men convifted of crimes. 
The Bicetre —is fituated on the road to Fontainebleau, 
about a league and a half from Paris. In the'centre of 
an hofpital for the blind and infane is a ftrong prifon 
in which thofe who are condemned to the galleys are con¬ 
fined until the time of their departure. They who are 
adjudged to fuft’er a certain period of imprilbnment are 
likewife often fent here ; and many who are fufpefted of 
crimes againft the ftate are lodged within thefe walls. 
St. La-are, Rue St. Denis.—Women fentenced to differ¬ 
ent periods of imprifonment are confined here, under an 
excellent fyftem of management, and being compelled to 
work, are frequently taught habits of induftry. The beau¬ 
tiful needle-work of the inhabitants of St. Lazare, is uni- 
verfally admired. 
The Abbaye, Rue St. Marguerite.—This was the the¬ 
atre of the moft dreadful maflacres in September 1792. It 
is now a military prifon ; as is alfo the Montaigne, in the 
Rue des Sept Voies. 
The internal management of all thefe places has been 
much improved within the laft ten years. The prifoners 
are employed in work for themfelves; they are well treated 
and have plenty of food. No one is allowed to fee them 
without permiffion from the prefecture of police. Regard 
is had to the proper claffification of prifoners, according 
to their age and fex; juft complaints are liftened to, and 
abufes are promptly red re fled. 
The Pont an Change —is clofe to the Palace of Juftice ; 
and was formerly defignated Grand Pont and Pont Oifeaux, 
the Great Bridge, and the Bridge of Birds. It is of 
great antiquity, and aflumed its prefent name when Louis 
the Young firft eftablifhed the Exchange. It has been 
often fwept away by inundations and by ice. It was 
deftroyed by fire in 1621 and 1639, reconftrufted in ftone 
in 1647, and repaired in 1788, at which period it was 
diverted of the houfes which had hitherto encumbered it. 
The Place du Chatelet is at the foot of the Pont au 
Change.—Its form is quadrilateral; and in the centre is 
6 B a column 
