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PALACE OF ST. CLOUD.

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celebrated bridge which had excited our curiosity. The Bridge is by far the finest about Paris, both for lightness and elegance. Its length is about 800 feet, and its width about 90; it is perfectly horizontal, and has five arches, besides one on each side for the barge horses. The arches are all of the same size, and are elliptical; they appear extremely light by their peculiar construction.

Here we bargained with our driver to convey us, for a franc a-head, to St. Cloud; and, for a similar price, back to Paris. The road to St. Cloud lay along the banks of the Seine, and was very pleasant. The only remarkable object during the journey was a hill to our right, surmounted by a Chapel. The place is named Mont Calvaire, and religious processions are made thither annually by the neighbouring inhabitants!

Whilst on the road, our laquais de place informed us that he had been coachman to Lavalette! He also did not refrain from abusing poor Louis, and praising NAPOLEON. The reason which he gave for his preferring the government of the latter was, that he then got four francs a day, besides board and clothing; whereas now he was only occasionally in employ, and even then could get only five francs a day! He execrated the Prussians, but spoke highly of the behaviour of the English troops.

After a ride of about twenty minutes, we reached ST. CLOUD, and were shewn over the Palace. The apartments were very splendid, and ornamented with

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RETURN TO PARIS.

many paintings. The Grand Hall contains many modern pictures; and between every window there are large elegant models of ships and galleys, completely rigged. On each side of the door by which you enter the Hall, is a most magnificent Vase of porcelain, from the Sevre manufactory; and there is a third between the windows at the further end of the room. Leaving the Palace, we went through the Garden, which did not contain any thing remarkable; it was pretty, but in the stiff French style.

Returned to PARIS by the same road as yesterday, dined at our accustomed Café, and went to the Théâtre François, where we witnessed the performance of Moliere's Tartuffe, followed by Le Medisant.

Thursday, Oct. 3d.-Received our passports at the house of the British Minister, where they had been left to receive the proper signature. We posted off immediately to the French Minister's, in the Rue du Bacq, and here again left our passports, and retired with a promise that they should be sent us in the evening, when it would be necessary to pay ten francs for each.

Our time being now nearly exhausted, we inquired about the conveyances; and, finding that the Calais Diligence was full for several days to come, we engaged the first and second places in that which runs to Dieppe, and obtained a receipt. The different seats in the Diligence are considered as first, second, third, &c. according to the convenience of each. When any person engages his place, he is always informed what

DEPARTURE FROM PARIS.

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seats are vacant, and, on making his choice of one, is presented with a ticket which entitles him to the sole possession of that seat during the journey.

In the evening we went to the Theatre called L'Odéon. There we saw L'Entrée dans le Monde, and Le Chemin de Fontainebleau. The house was as pretty as any that we had seen in Paris, but far inferior to the London theatres.

The Boulevards, already noticed, encircling the city, and the most amusing part of Paris, are thus happily described the lines form a suitable conclusion of my account of the Gallic metropolis

-The Beggar-Bard

Takes his old quarters on THE Boulevard ;
Beneath the trees the Conj'ror spreads his tools,
The Quack harangues his group of graver fools
In lofty lies, unruffled by the jar

Thrum'd from his neighbour Savoyard's guitar;
Veil'd Virgins beam, like Dian in a mist;
Philosophers shew mites; she-tumblers twist;
Each the fix'd genius of some favourite tree,
Dryads and Fauns of GALLIC MINSTRELSY!
In double glories now, the broad Marchande,
Fire-eyed, her skin by Gascon summers taun'd,
Red as the kerchief round her coal-black hair,
Lays out her tempting trays of rich and rare-
Resistless ruby bands-delicious rings
In genuine paste the true wax coral strings-
Mingling, with wonders of profounder art,
WOMAN'S dear helps to mystify the heart-
Crisp auburn curls-to hide th' obtrusive gray,
That stubborn hue which yet will make its way

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Glass eyes, mouse eye-brows, teeth like studs of snow,
Grinning in grim good-humour row by row!

PARIS.*

Friday, 4th.-Before breakfast, we took our passports, which had been sent according to promise, and went by nine o'clock to the Police. After waiting a little time, we obtained the proper signatures, and were dismissed.

The rest of the day was chiefly spent in going round to Booksellers' shops, as Mr. B. wished to obtain some good French works. In the course of the day I bought a few prints of the buildings about Paris. In the evening I went to Olivier's Exhibition of Legerdemain and Glass-blowing, and was very well amused with the performance.

Saturday, 5th.--The morning was occupied in packing up our trunks, settling bills and making a few calls. After which we took a slight dinner in the Palais Royal. At five o'clock we left PARIS in the Dieppe Diligence, which carried six inside, and three outside, in the cabriolet. Passed through the Champs Elysées, Neuilly, St. Germain, Marly, where we had a glimpse of the water-works en passant! Stopped at two or three places during the night, where we refreshed ourselves with some peaches and pears. Our fellow-travellers were two Irish gentlemen returning to England (who accompanied us all the way to

* This Extract is added to the JOURNAL, since the Author's return, as being a lively illustration of his subject.

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London), a young Frenchman and an old French

woman.

Sunday, Oct. 6th.-About seven or eight in the morning we found ourselves at Louviers (famous for fine cloth), and there took coffee. It is a poor place. We reached ROUEN by half-past ten. The view from the hill, before you approach the town, is very beautiful. The town itself seemed a nasty ruinous place. The Cathedral is a very ancient-looking building. We entered it but it contained no paintings worthy of notice. There is a good deal of shipping on the Seine, which runs close to the town. We left Rouen at twelve. What most excited our attention on the road was the enormous size of the Caps of the female peasants! Some appeared like the wings of a butterfly; as to the others, it is difficult to say what they resembled. The peculiar name of these caps is " à la Couchoise"-the meaning of which expression I am at a loss to divine. On our way to Rouen I ought to have mentioned that we saw some of the Vineyards, in which the Vines were about two feet high. Their appearance is very different from the idea commonly formed of them. We reached DIEPPE between seven and eight in the evening, but only saw the town as we passed through to the inn. It appeared to have some good streets. We put up at Taylor's Hotel, on the Quai-agreed for our passage with the Captain of the Neptune packet, which was to sail at eleven that night-the fare, 27. 2s. We soon partook of an excellent English dinner, in company with our two

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