The cells of the Bastille were constantly filled, during the syren reign
of la Pompadour over the gloomy affections of Lewis the XVth.

The overthrow of this dungeon has not rendered state prisons out of
fashion in the republic, although it has mitigated the severity of their
internal government. The towers of the Temple, look down upon the
prostrate ruins of the Bastille.

From this memorable spot of ground, I went to the Observatory. In the
rooms, which open upon an artificial terrace, were some prodigious
astronomical apparatus. A very ingenious frame was then constructing,
for elevating, or depressing the astronomer, and the telescope at the
same time, by an easy, and simple process of machinery. The Observatory
is a noble building, and contains libraries, students rooms, and
apartments for the various artificers, and machinists who are occupied
in fabricating the apparatus, and instruments necessary to the science
of astronomy. From the exterior of the dome, there is a fine view of the
city, suburbs, and country.

From the Observatory, I visited the Conservative Senate, formerly the
Palace of the Luxembourg. The back of this beautiful building is in the
Rue de Vaugirand, in the Fauxbourg of St. Germains. The gardens of this
noble pile, are receiving great improvement, and alteration, from
designs which have been approved of by the first consul, who in his wise
policy, intends that they shall, in time, rival those of the
Thuilleries, for the purpose of affording an elegant, and fashionable
promenade to the people who reside in this part of the capital, who are
considerably removed from the beautiful walks which adorn the consular
palace. Here I saw the Hall of Deliberation, in which the Conservative
Senate assembles. It is nothing more than a large, handsome
drawing-room, in which are placed, upon rising platforms, sixty armed
chairs, for so many members, the chair of the president, and the
tribune. This magnificent palace is repairing, and fitting up for the
residence, and accommodation of its members. I was introduced to the
artist who has the care of the gallery here, and who, with his
assistants, was very busily occupied in a process for removing the oil
colours of a painting from wood, and transferring them to canvas. He
received me with great politeness, and explained to me the mode of doing
it, in which there appeared to be more toil, nicety, and steadiness
required, than ingenuity.

The painting is l