We will now cast one glance at the Hôtel Praslin, which also has its entrance in the Rue de Lille, No. 54; its terrace is perceptible from the quay, it is one of the most extensive and grandest mansions of the old nobility. The next building is a barrack for cavalry, which is totally devoid of any ornament or beauty. We now arrive at the Pont Royal, an old but substantial bridge, built by a Dominican friar in 1684. The river here was formerly crossed by a ferry (bac), which gave the name to the Rue du Bac.
I shall now advise that we take a boat and see how Paris looks from the water, affording us a good view of the quays as we pass between them; we also get an excellent sight of the Point Neuf already described, and which has a very fine effect as we approach it. We next come to the Pont au Change, formerly a wooden bridge; in 1141 Louis VII fixed the residence of the money changers upon it, hence it derived its name; the present structure was built in 1639. The Pont Notre Dame soon after arrests the eye (vide page 87), it was begun 1499 and finished in 1507, after the designs of Jean Joconde; on the western side is an engine called Pompe du Pont Notre Dame, consisting of a square tower erected upon piles, having a reservoir into which water is elevated, by machinery impelled by the current of the water. We next pass under the Pont d'Arcole, built in 1828; it is a suspension bridge, and there is a toll upon it. The circumstances from which it derives its name are very singular. A young man, in 1830, during the murderous conflict which here took place between the royal guard and the people, rushed on the bridge with a flag in his hand, heading the patriots, and was killed under the archway in the middle; his name was Arcole, and the same trait of courage was displayed by Napoleon on the bridge of Arcola; hence its present designation.
A little farther on we pass close to the house where it is pretended lived Fulbert, uncle of Heloise; the outward part of the building does not bear the impression of being as old as the period when Abelard lived, as he was born in 1080, and died in 1142; the cellars, however, have a very ancient appearance; visiters are admitted, on applying to the owner of the dwelling, which is situated No. 1, Rue des Chantres, on the north-eastern side of the Isle de Paris, not far from Notre Dame.
Paris in the 19th Century. Published by F. Sinnett, 15, Grande rue Verte.
Resuming our course upon the water we come to the Pont Louis-Philippe, a fine suspension bridge constructed in 1834, of iron wire, with two bold arches of stone. The next bridge is called the Pont Marie, and was built in 1641, but had two arches; and 22 houses, out of 50, which stood upon it, were carried away by a flood in 1648. We now arrive at the Pont de Damiette, another suspension bridge connecting the north and southern quays of the Seine with the Ile Louviers, until very recently an immense dépôt for fire wood, but now many handsome residences are being erected, with which the whole of the little island will soon be covered. We shall now land on the Quay des Célestins, and explore the north-east quarter of Paris, beginning with the Arsenal which contains a library of 200,000 printed volumes, and 6,000 manuscripts, amongst which are some beautiful missals. Henri IV having appointed Sully grand-master of the artillery, he resided in the buildings constructed on this spot purposely for him, and they now show a bed-room and a cabinet in which he used to receive his royal visiter; they are richly gilt according to the style of that period, and may be seen with passport by applying to the Director. Close to the Arsenal on the Quai des Célestins are the remains of the once celebrated Convent of the Célestins, and of their small church which after that of St. Denis contained more tombs of illustrious individuals than any in Paris. It was particularly remarked for the chapel d'Orléans, which enclosed the remains of the brother of Charles VI and his descendants. The architecture is interesting as being a specimen of the pointed style prevailing in Paris in the 14th century, a part of the convent buildings are converted into cavalry barracks, and the rest are in a state of dilapidation. Facing the Arsenal is the Grenier de Reserve, on the Boulevard Bourdon, which is an immense storehouse for corn, grain and flour requisite for the consumption of Paris for four months.
It was began by Napoleon in 1807, it is 2,160 feet in length and 64 in breath. Every baker in Paris is obliged to have constantly deposited here 20 full sacks of flour, and as many more as he pleases by paying a trifle for warehouse room. Just a few steps northward is the Government Dépôt of powder and saltpetre.
At a short distance in the Rue St. Antoine, No. 216, is the small church of the Visitation built by Mansard in 1632, for the Sisters of the Visitation. It has a dome supported by Corinthian pillars, and the interior is richly ornamented with scroll work, wreaths of flowers, etc. It is now appropriated to the protestant worship, and there is service on Sundays, and festivals at half past 12. On the southern side of the Boulevard St. Antoine is the Theatre St. Antoine, erected in 1836; the performances are vaudevilles, little melodrama, and farces. The admission is from 6d to 2s. 6d. It contains 1,226 places. The Place de la Bastille is now before us, and still may be seen the desolate remains of the great plaster cast of the enormous elephant, intended by Napoleon to have been placed on this spot, which is now decorated with what is called the Column of July. The capital is said to be the largest piece of bronze ever cast, the height is 163 feet, and it is surmounted by an orb on which is placed the figure of Liberty; and is ornamented with lions, heads, cocks, children bearing garlands and other emblematical objects, but the effect of the whole is not happy, there is a sort of indescribable deficiency, although the cost was 1,200,000f., besides an immense outlay, years before, for the foundation. The ceremony of its inauguration took place on the 28th of July, 1840, when fifty coffins, each containing twelve patriots, were placed in the vaults for them underneath. Many persons descend to view the arrangements where the sarcophagi are stationed, which are 14 feet in length, and the trouble is well repaid; as also for ascending to the summit of the monument, but the staircase is not considered to be as solid and secure as could be wished.
At No. 38, Rue de Charenton, will be found the Hôpital Royal des Quinze Vingts, devoted to the reception of the blind. This establishment was originally founded by St. Louis, at the corner of the Rue St. Nicaise, in the Rue St. Honoré, and ultimately removed to the present building. There are as many as 300 families living in this Hospital, as the blind are suffered to bring with them their wives and children, and encouraged to marry, if single; there are besides 600 out-door pensioners. There is a chapel attached to the institution, which was built in 1701, but possesses no particular interest. At No. 128, Rue Faubourg St. Antoine, is a building founded in 1660 by M. Aligre and his lady, for orphans, but the children having been sent to another establishment, it is intended to be formed into a Hospice for 400 old men. Just by, is the Marché Beauveau, built in 1799,and is a sort of rag fair, well appropriated to the neighbourhood in which it stands. At no 206, Rue Faubourg St. Antoine, is the Hôpital St. Antoine, formerly the Abbey of St. Antoine; the present building was erected in 1770, the number of beds is 270, it is appropriated for the reception of the sick in general, and may be visited by strangers upon any day. Some little distance to the north, in the Rue St. Bernard, is the Church of St. Marguerite, erected in 1625; it has no other attractions than that of its pictures, which are numerous and some of them beautiful, and would well repay the visiter for turning out of his way to view them, they are principally of the old French school, but there are no records to state how they ever came there. A few streets to the south-west, lead to the Rue de Reuilly, where some barracks will be found in a large pile of buildings, established by Colbert, for the Royal Glass Manufactory of Mirrors (removed to 313, Rue St. Denis); a little further on, at the south-eastern corner of the Rue Faubourg St. Antoine and that of Picpus, is a great market for forage, and at No. 8 in the latter street, is the Maison d'Enghien, founded by the mother of the unfortunate Duke of that name, the Duchess of Bourbon, in 1819, and now supported by Madame Adélaïde d'Orléans; it contains fifty beds, of which eighteen are for women, and the utmost cleanliness and order prevail.
At No. 18 is the Hôpital Militaire de Picpus. Somewhat farther on, at No. 16, was once a Convent of the Order of St. Augustin, now a boarding-school, but the chapel still remains; attached to it is a cemetery, where rest the remains of some of the noblest families of France, as de Grammont, de Montaigu, de Noailles, and that purest and most perfect of private and public characters, Lafayette, in a spot hardly known, in a quiet corner, beneath a very simple tomb, beside his wife, and in the midst of his relations. We shall now return westward, and view the Barrière du Trône, which is still unfinished, but consisting of two noble lofty columns; very conspicuous from their height, with a fine open circular space, on which festivals are celebrated on public days, and plans are now pursuing for finishing and embellishing this spot. A pleasant walk along the Boulevards will bring us to the celebrated cemetery of Père-La-Chaise, on which there has been so much written by tourists, poets, and even novelists; thus I fear all I can state upon the subject will appear but tame, after such choice spirits have favoured the public with their inspirations on so interesting a retreat, I shall, therefore, only attempt to give a few matter of fact indications.