488 
PARI 8. 
Before this fine bafin was conflrueted, the art of JJcaiting 
was very little known or praftifed in the French capital. 
Some young people born in the north, as fond of this ex- 
ercife as others are of the chafe, ufed to be reduced to the 
necellity of fkaiting upon the bafins in the Tuilleries, 
or at the place called La Garre. Many of thefe, however, 
not wifihing to be confounded with the loweft of the com¬ 
pany, contented themfelves with remaining fpeftators. 
This is now no longer the cafe ; the winter feafon, fo pro¬ 
lific in a variety of diverlions, has witneffed this accefiion 
of a new one, of which every clafs are now partakers. 
No fooner has the north wind begun to fet in, than the 
amateurs of fkaiting find it neceflary toconfult their ther¬ 
mometers. Even the mod circumfpeCt among them fel- 
dom wait till the ice is five or fix inches thick. It is then 
that the young and gay of both fexes alfemble from all 
points. The females in their rich furs cautioufly venture 
their trembling feet upon the glaffy furface, while the 
other fex, light as the gofi'amer, glide acrofs it with the 
velocity of Eolus. Beneath a tent, a female diftributes 
cakes, brandy, and eervelats ; while her hufband affilts the 
fkaiters in putting on their accoutrements. 
Another curious winter amufement is recently get up, 
called Lcs Montagues Ruffes, which have been all the rage. 
Thefe are artificial mountains on which the party Hides 
down in a car with an amazing velocity. It is a favourite 
amufement in winter on the banks of the Neva; where a 
timber mountain is conitrueled, and on its fide water, du¬ 
ring a keen froth, is poured dotvn, which freezing, forms 
a Hide for the Ruffian, of which he is amazingly fond. 
A Frenchman tried this amufement in France : he expen¬ 
ded nearly 4000I. fterling in making the experiment; it 
fucceeded beyond his moll fanguine hopes, and he has 
realized a fortune of 2o,oool. by it. This has induced 
many (peculators to invent orconftrufl fimilar ones. Hence 
the Illyrian Mountains, the Swifs Mountains, the Falls 
of Niagara, &c. &c.—In confequence of feveral accidents 
having happened, this dangerous amufement wasfuppref- 
l’ed by the police ; but we believe that it has been revived. 
Fountains. —Eighty fountains diftribute their pure 
and gratuitous ftreams to the numerous inhabitants of 
this great metropolis. Of thefe feventeen were con- 
ftriuffed by order of Bonaparte ; or, as the French would 
nowday, “ between the years 1804 and 1812.” The others 
are ancient. We can deferibe only a few' of the mod: re¬ 
markable. 
1. The Fontaine dc Crenelle, Rue deGrenelle, prefents 
a rich and (lately front, though in a very confined fitua- 
lion, and with no exuberance of w'ater. It was built by 
Bouchardon in 1739 > it is of a lemicircular form, 90 feet 
.iii length, and 36 in height. The City of Paris is repre- 
jented by a figure fitting on a pedeftal; below are two 
figures emblematic of the Seine and the Marne ; all three 
of white marble. In niches are the Four Seafons. The 
two (pouts of water that ifiue from this monument are too 
insignificant for the fize of the building. 
2. The Fontaine des Innoceiis, is fituated in the market 
of that name, and was erefted in 1551, by command of 
Henry TI. from the defigns of Jean Goujeon. As this 
elegant fountain was partly concealed among the adjoin¬ 
ing houfes, Napoleon had it taken to pieces and re-c&n- 
ftrudted, carefully preferving, however, the curious bas- 
reliefs of Goujeon : hence alio the letter H and the lilies 
appear as before, in tbofe parts where N and the eagle 
might have been expended to have been fubftituted. The 
profiles and proportions of this fountain are much ad¬ 
mired, as well as the Corinthian elegance of its decora¬ 
tions. It is a perfect fquare, and rifes about ten feet 
above its bafernent. Each of its fronts prefents an open¬ 
ing with two Corinthian pillars on each fide. Upon the 
pedeftal are bas-reliefs; and another above the cornice in 
the attic crowned by a triangular pediment; and the 
whole edifice terminates in a cupola covered with (heets 
of copper formed to refemble the feales of a fifii; the height 
of the. whole is 42 feet. Three of the Naiads which have 
2 
been added to the bas-reliefs were the work of M. Pajou, 
in imitation of the one made by jean Goujeon. At the 
corners of the lower bafernent are four lions of lead, from 
which jets of water are directed into the bafins; and yet 
higher, in the middle of an arch, is another bafin, eleva¬ 
ted on a pedeftal, from the centre of which fprings a jet 
d’eau, and from the fide are feveral little ftreams. Tlied 
naiads, water-gods, and tritons, in bas-relief, are re¬ 
markable for the gracefulnefs of their attitudes, the 
beauty of their forms, their finifhed execution, and the 
true antique air of their drapery. Little tablets of black 
marble bear the infeription, Fontium Nymphis, To the 
Nymphs of the Springs, or Fountains. 
3. Fontaine da Chalelet. —In noticing the Egyptian co¬ 
lumn, which (lands in the middle of the Place du Chate- 
let, p. 601, 2, we omitted to obferve, that the column 
(lands in a bafin of water,.and forms one of the fountains 
of Paris. The bafe of the column is compofed of a 
(ingle (lone in the centre of the bafin. Above that ap¬ 
pears the imperial eagle, with a cornucopia on each fide 
terminating in a dolpiiin’s mouth, which (pouts out 
water. Surrounding the foot of the column itfelf are 
the llatues we have mentioned, which are admirably pro¬ 
portioned, and among them is introduced the Gallic cock. 
This column is intended to commemorate fome of the 
earlier victories of Bonaparte, the inferiptions being in 
the following order, beginning from the bottom : Lodi, 
Pyramides, Ulm, Dantzick. 
4. Fontaine de /’ Ecole de Medecinc. —The form of this 
fountain is remarkable. It confills of a kind of grotto, 
formed by four Doric pillars, from the roof of which the 
water defeends like rain, and is received in a femicircular 
bafin at the bafe. 
The Fontaine St. Eujlache, in the market of that name. 
— In a niche of a ruftic form, furrounded by icicles and 
incruftations, is placed a vafe, whence defeends a (heet of 
water. It is firlt received in a (hell, and thence efcapes 
into a femicircular ciftern. Above the fheli is placed the 
head of a Tantalus, crowned with flowers, w ith his mouth 
open, and his eyes eagerly fixed on the defeending water, 
which he is utterly unable to reach. 
6. The Fontaine de la Rue Cenjier. —A fatyr, furrounded 
by all the attributes of Bacchus, offers the water with an 
air of derifion. 
7. The Fontaine de Popiucourt. —This quarter of the 
city is induftrious, but very poor. The ornaments of 
the fountain are appropriately chofen : Charity is lead¬ 
ing one little child, hiding another in the folds of her 
robe, and offering the nutritious draught to two others. 
8. The Fontaine de VEjplana.de du Boulevard de Bondi . 
—The plan of this immenfe fountain is (imple, and the 
effeft is (triking. It is compofed of three circular and 
concentric bafins. Four lions pour a dream of water into 
the uppennoft, and thence it pleadingly flow's from bafin 
to bafin. 
9. The Fontaine de la Place Royale. —The only thing 
remarkable in this fountain is, that the water, in iffuing 
from the jets, forms a beautiful fleur-de-lis.. The effect 
is pleating, and the imitation perfect. 
10. The Fontaine dc St. Martin. —The new fountain on 
the Boulevard de St. Martin, is the nobleft ornament of the 
kind in Paris, and derives a confiderable degree of beauty 
from its magnitude, its form, its materials, and its decora¬ 
tions. The form is circular, the ornaments are lions, the 
materials "are granite and bronze, and the quantity of 
water is abundant. The trees which line the Boulevard 
are a very pleafing accompaniment. 
All thefe fountains were intended to be furpafied by, 
11. The Fontaine de VElipliant. — Near the fpot ou 
which the Baftille once flood, is erected an arch, on which 
was to have been placed an immenfe elephant of bronze, 
72 feet high, with a tower on his back, out of whole 
trunk the water was to have flowed. 
The model is complete, and is exhibited near the fpot 
tinder an immenfe (lied. The itupendsus dimenflons of 
the 
