466 
PARIS. 
The ball which is next entered is of a different defcrip- 
tion. It is devoted to improvements in architecture, and 
contains models of public and private buildings of every 
defcription, beautifully executed in wood and ivory. 
The ftranger is next introduced into the church of 
the ancient priory. It is principally filled with hydraulic 
machines. Among them is the ingenious and fimple con¬ 
trivance of Montgolfier, to raife w'ater, commonly called 
his Ram. Different kinds of fire-engines are next in luc- 
ceffion, with fome interefting models of fire-ladders and 
fire-efcapes. Numerous mills and ploughs fill the remain¬ 
ing part of the church 5 but the improvements which the 
Englifh have made in the latter, have left the boafted 
agriculture of France far behind. 
The traveller is next fliown models of every veffel of 
earthen or ftone ware, as appropriated to economical or 
culinary purpofes. To thefe fucceed an infinite variety 
of lamps} of every form and principle. That which is 
known in London by the name of the hydroftatic lamp was 
copied from one preferved here. In another lamp the oil 
is curioufly railed by clock-work. The (hades of the lamps, 
of many different materials, and of an endlefs variety of 
patterns, will amufe and pleafe. The embellifhments on 
fome of them are executed with inimitable tafte and 
elegance. 
The fleam-engines next fucceed ; but the-Englifhman 
who has feen the grand improvements of Watt and Bol¬ 
ton, w'ill fcarcely deem them worth his notice. Numerous 
fyphons, and contrivances for decanting liquors, are in¬ 
genious. 
The implements of agriculture are now once more 
brought under review. A great variety of ploughs, har¬ 
rows, clumfy threfhing and winnowing machines, and 
wine-preffes, offer themfelves in long fucceffion, inter- 
fperfed with models of pales, fences, gates, &c. &c. 
The next divifion pofTeffes confiderable intereft. It is 
a long range of grates, ftoves, chimneys, and furnaces, of 
various conllruCtions, and on almoft every principle. 
Among thefe is a model of the kitchen of St. Marie, an 
hofpital at Florence, where twelve pots are boiled, and 
meat is roafted on three (pits, all at the fame time, with a 
very fmall fire. 
A handfome ftaircafe conduCls-to numerous apartments 
above. The firft objeCt which prefents itfelf is an -im- 
menfe model of the machine of Marli. To this fucceeds 
a long range of models, fuperior in intereft to any thing 
which the traveller has yet feen. It is a difplay of every 
kind of art and manufacture. Small houfes, refembling 
the buildings in which the manufactures are ufually car¬ 
ried on, are open in front, and exhibit in their different 
apartments the various implements and machines em¬ 
ployed in each and every ftage of the bufinefs, from the 
firft operation on the rough material, to its transforma¬ 
tion int.o fome elegant or ufeful article. Nothing can be 
conceived more pleating, inftruCtive, and ufeful, than this. 
No young perfon ftiould vilit Paris without devoting one 
or two mornings to the Confervatory, and efpecially to 
this divifion of it. From the molt complicated and im¬ 
portant manufactory, to the (hop of the carpenter, and 
the forge of the blackfmith, every thing is perfeCt; not 
the moft infignificant tool is omitted, nor one procefs 
forgotten. 
Having fatisfied his curiofity here, if indeed one or many 
vifits can fatisfyit, the ftranger is conduCled to the models 
of telegraphs, pile-engines, waggons, carts, carriages of 
every kind, windlaffes, and boats. 
Next follow Specimens of China, earthenware, and glafs ; 
numerous varieties of paper, coloured, (lamped, or beau¬ 
tifully cut; types, letters, ornaments for printing and 
book-binding; contrivances for remedying deficiencies 
or diftorfions in the human (hape; artificial legs, arms, 
and eyes; more cotton and (ilk machines, with a fuperb 
and matchlefs affortment of ribands and filks, not inte¬ 
refting merely to the female vifiter, but a pleafing objeCt 
to every eye; fans of mother-of-pearl and fteel; models 
to facilitate the ftudy of perfpeftive; models of pulpits, 
objeCts of much importance in every French religious edi¬ 
fice; balances of every defcription ; turning-lathes, with 
exquifite fpecimens of their effeCts ; thermometers, baro¬ 
meters, magnets, and bronze ornaments; watches, chro¬ 
nometers, and clocks, of every conftruCtion. One clock, 
is much admired ; it lets in motion an organ, and has on 
its top an armillary fphere, with a fmall orrery in the cen¬ 
tre, beautifully difplaying the motions of every planet. 
Every Frenchman is compelled to depofit in this mu- 
feum a model of all the inftruments or machines which 
he may invent or improve, with a detailed account of their 
conftruCtion and ufe, and the whole procefs of the manu¬ 
factories in which they are employed. 
In one of the halls is a fuperb library, containing every 
publication, in every language, on the different fubjeCts 
connected with this excellent inftitution; and, to render 
the eftablifhment yet more ufeful, leCtures are delivered 
by the ableft profeffors, on geometry and natural phiio-^ 
fophy, as applied to the arts and conftruCtion of machines, 
and the procefles of different manufactures. Thefe lec¬ 
tures, however, are confined to pupils, who are recom¬ 
mended by the minifter of the interior. 
The Confervatory is open to the public on Sunday and 
Thurfday, from ten to four; but foreigners are admitted 
every day, except Friday and Saturday, on producing 
their paffports. This mufeum was religioufly refpeCted 
during the occupation of Paris by the allies. 
Mvfeutn of Artillery, Rue de l’LJniverfite.—This is the 
depot of every machine invented for the deftruClion of 
human beings. It likewife contains a valuable collection 
of the different kinds of armour ufed in every period of 
French hiftory. Among them is the complete armour of 
Joan of Arc, Godfrey de Bouillon, Francis I. Louis XI. 
Henry IV. and Louis XIV. Admittance may be obtained 
on Sunday from eleven until two, by written application 
to the director. 
The Royal Obfervatory, Rue St. Jacques.—This building 
was ereCted by Perrault, under the great Colbert, in 1667. 
Its exterior is grand, and its afpeCt impofing. The fimpli- 
city of its defign, and the harmony of its parts, announce 
a public edifice of the firft order, though ereCted on a fu- 
perficies too contracted. 
The principal mafs is a fquare with oCtagonal towers at 
two of the angles, and a projecting building on the op- 
pofite fide. It (lands exaCtly north and fouth, and a me¬ 
ridional line runs through the great hall. It is completely 
vaulted throughout, and has neither wood nor iron in its 
whole conftruCtion. In this edifice is preferved a circular 
univerfal chart, defigned upon the pavement of one of the 
large chambers by Chazelle and Sedillan. There is, alfo, 
particularly deferving of notice, a geometrical ftaircafe, 
which leaves a vacuity or well, 170 feet deep, at the bot¬ 
tom of which the heavenly bodies are vifible at noon-day. 
It was conftruCted to meafure the acceleration of falling 
bodies. Connected with this, well are a feries of caverns 
for experiments on congelation, &c. They communicate 
with the fubterranean galleries formed under Paris by the 
ancient quarries. Many of the ftalaClites, formed by the 
water filtering through the rocks, are of an enormous fize, 
and very beautiful. It is dangerous toenter thele caverns 
without a guide. Three aftronomers are always refident 
onthefpot, who have accefs to a complete aftronomical 
library, and who are furnilhed with a fuperb aftronomical 
apparatus. 
In addition to this grand obfervatory,. there are five 
others of confiderable confequence, namely, in the Royal 
College; at the Hotel Cluny; at the Pantheon ; at the 
Military School; and at the former monaltery of the Ca¬ 
puchin Friars, in the Rue St. Honore. 
This place commands a fine view of the palace and gar¬ 
den of the Luxembourg. 
Universite' Royal de France : Rue de Bourbon.— 
The Royal Univerlity is indebted for its origin to the il- 
lultrious Charlemagne. It was fupprefied in 1792, but 
has 
