480 
PARIS. 
church is regarded as the chef d’osuvre of Frence archi- 
teffure, although it has been juftly remarked that the 
portal is too final] and too much divided to fuit the lofty 
building to which it condu< 5 fs. The interior of the dome 
was painted by Charles La Fofie, and reprefents the Apo- 
theoiis of St. Louis. Beneath it are the Twelve Apoftles, 
by Jouvenet. From the dome were fufpended the colours 
taken from different nations. They exceeded three 
thoufand. ft was a fublime idea to make the afylum of 
thefe veterans the depofitory of the choiceft fpoils of war. 
As they walked beneath the waving banners, perhaps 
the trophies of their own valour, every glorious exploit, 
in which they had borne a fhare, was recalled warm to 
their memory. They forgot their wounds, they forgot 
their age; again they fought the battles of their country; 
again they exulted in the (hout of vidfory. When the 
allies were about to enter Paris in 1814, the French in¬ 
valids tore down the banners, and made a bonfire of them, 
that it might never be faid they were retaken. The 
fword of the great Frederic was likewife depofited here: 
it was claimed by Blucher on the entrance of the allies 
into the capital, and relfored to Berlin, whence it had 
been taken by Bonaparte. The outfide of the dome, 
which is feen at a great diffance, was completely gilt by 
order of Bonaparte, and has on a fine day a molt fplendid 
eff’edf ; from the top is a grand view of Paris. The floor 
is extremely beautiful, entirely formed of teflelated mar¬ 
ble, and exquifitelv finifhed. 
In the vaults of the church are depofited the remains 
of the great Turenne; a name which ever recalls to the 
mind of the Frenchman and the foldier the ideas of in¬ 
vincible courage and unfullied honour. On each fide of 
the monument are figures reprefenting Wifdom and Va¬ 
lour deploring the lofs of the hero. In front is a bas-re¬ 
lief of the battle of Turckeim. The marfhal is expiring 
in the arms of Vidtory. The Ample name of Turenne 
is the only and the fublime infcription which the mau- 
foleum bears. Not far from him repofes Marfhal Vauban. 
Other objedls of curiofity in this building are, the in¬ 
firmary, attended by eighteen fceurs de la charite, the 
bakehoufe, kitchen, and refedfory, (the former particularly 
worthy of notice ;) the wells, the clock, the library/given 
by Bonaparte for the ufe of the officers, containing more 
than 20,000 volumes ; the council-chamber; and, before 
the laft capture of Paris by the allies, a grand gallery 
filled with plans in relief, niofl beautifully executed, of 
the principal fortrefles and ftrong towns in the French 
empire ; but moft of thefe became the prey of the Pruf- 
' flans, Auftrians, See. 
The hofpital is governed by a lieutenant-general, who 
lias 7000 brave men under his care ; and the revenues are 
“under the infpeftion of a vigilant and regular adminif- 
tration. The fick are attended by able phyficians, afiifted 
by the fifters of St. Vincent de Paul. Here thefe old war¬ 
riors find an afylum and a plentiful table; belides being 
treated in proportion to the rank they held in the army, 
or as their infirmities and the nature of their wounds may 
require. Nothing is fpared that can ameliorate their af¬ 
fliction, comfort their age, or tend to their repofe. In 
this Hotel, which is open from ten till four in the after¬ 
noon, every thing is interefting: whilft the order that 
prevails excites pleafure, the fpedfator always feels fome 
veneration for the brave men who occupy this edifice, 
whofe wounds recal their military virtues and their ex¬ 
ploits in the field. 
Lying-in and Foundling Hospital.— -In this hof¬ 
pital there are two diftindt departments, the lying-in and 
the nurfery, each of which occupies a feparate building. 
The lying-in rooms are kept very clean, and perfedily 
well-aired, containing not morethan fix women each. 
Upon an average, the number of women is about 200; 
in general fewer in fummer than in winter; 1500 women 
are annually delivered in this hofpital. Here married 
pregnant females are received, as well as thofe who have 
become mothers without the fandlion of the law. Hence 
the horrid crime of infanticide, and other abominable 
practices, fo common in England, are unknown in France, 
and indeed on the continent in general. This plan, 
however, was only adopted in J792. A female performs 
the office of midwife. The nurfery department is by far 
the moil confiderable ; the plan of it is very ingenious. 
There is one room appropriated to the reception of the 
new-born children, and the feeding them till they are 
provided with nurfes. This ward of fifty or fixty infants, 
who are all in their cradles, ranged in lines, forms a moft 
interefting fpedtacle. The total number of children, an¬ 
nually born or received into the hofpital, is between 5 and 
6000. In the year 1790 the number received was 5842 ; 
but in the year 1793, a fuppofed period of general difi’o- 
lutenefs, there were not more than 300a taken within the 
walls of the hofpital. Another foundling hofpital is the 
HoJ'pice des Orphelins. —Infants deprived by death of 
their parents, or abandoned by them, are received here 
without queilion, recommendation, or inquiry ; and are 
nurfed with tendernefs, well fed, properly educated, and 
laftly qualified for fome trade orprofefiion, in which they 
are afterwards placed at the public expenfe. Their in¬ 
fancy is pafied in the hofpital ; but they are fent into 
the country at a certain age for the benefit of the air, 
and then return to complete their education. 
Bureau des Nourrices, Eftablifhment for Nurfes.—La¬ 
dies, who are unable to nurfe their own children, may at 
all times find here nurfes, in whom they can place unli¬ 
mited confidence. The health and morals of thefe nurfes 
are fcrupuloufiy examined, and their condudl diligently 
obferved by agents of the bureau, from whom they re¬ 
ceive their falary, and who are refponflble for their beha¬ 
viour. Infants may likewife be fent here to be nurfed. 
Young married women of good charadter eafily gain ad- 
mifiion here for themfelves and their infants, on the condi¬ 
tion that they will take the charge of another child. They 
are comfortably lodged, and have a fufficient gratuity. 
The ward prefents a curious and interefting fpedtacle. 
Every bed is placed between two cradles, one for the sieve, 
and the other for the nurfe’s own child. 
The Sociitc maternelle —viflts pregnant women, and 
provides for their lying-in, and for the fuckling of their 
infants. 
Hopital de la Charite'— -was founded by Mary de 
Medicis in 1602. It receives only men attacked by acute 
difeafes, or who have fuffered by accidents ; and can ac¬ 
commodate 230. A Clinical School is now ellablifhed 
here. The dilpofition of the different baths is very in¬ 
genious. 
Etabliffement pour las Blejfes Indigens, Eftablifhment for 
the Wounded Poor.—M, Dumont, a celebrated 1 ’urgeon, 
had long gratuitoufly attended to the accidents of the poor. 
His patients became fo numerous that his private fortune 
w-as not fufficient to fupply them with the neceflary ban¬ 
dages and medicines. To enable him to continue his 
benevolent undertaking, government now allows him 
2000 francs per annum. 
Maison de Sante', Faubourg St. Martin.—The regula¬ 
tions of this houfe are peculiar. Every patient is com¬ 
pelled to pay two francs a-day for adiniflion into the com¬ 
mon wards. For three francs each patient has a chamber 
to himfelf. This eftablifhment is ingenioufty and hu¬ 
manely contrived for thofe who are unable to procure 
proper medical afliftance, yet whofe pride will not per¬ 
mit them to apply to a common hofpital. 
Hospice des Quinze-vingts, Hofpital for the Blind ; 
Rue de Charenton.—It was founded fo long ago as 1260, 
by St. Louis. Here are maintained 420 blind perfons, 
moft of whom are taught to do fomething towards their 
fupport; 120 out of this number are young perfons, and 
are formed into a fchool, called InJ'titution des JeUiies 
Aveugles. The public examinations are on the 26th of 
every month. Among the different employments injwhicli 
they are engaged, is a cloth-rrjpnufadfory. At thefe public 
meetings, blind perfons, men, women, and children, may 
3 be 
