The Abbe Mercier St.
Leger. Library of the Mazarine College, or Institute.
Private Library of the King. Mons. Barbier,
Librarian_. 169

_Introduction to Letter VIII_. 209

LETTER VIII.

_Some Account of the late Abbe Rive. Booksellers.
Printers. Book Binders_. 214

LETTER IX.

_Men of Letters. Dom Brial. The Abbe Betencourt.
Messrs. Gail, Millin, and Langles. A Roxburghe
Banquet_. 251

LETTER X.

_The Collections of Denon, Quintin Craufurd, and the
Marquis de Sommariva_. 279

LETTER XI.

_Notice of M. Willemin's Monumens Francais inedits.
Miscellaneous Antiquities. Present State of the
Fine Arts. General Observations upon the National
Character_. 317

LETTER XII.

_Paris to Strasbourg. Nancy_. 343

LETTER XIII.

STRASBOURG. _Establishment of the Protestant Religion.
The Cathedral. The Public Library_. 374

LETTER XIV.

_Society. Environs of Strasbourg. Domestic Architecture.
Manners and Customs. Literature. Language_. 413

[Illustration]

_LETTER I._

PARIS. THE BOULEVARDS. PUBLIC BUILDINGS. STREET SCENERY. FOUNTAINS.[1]

_Paris, June 18, 1818_.

You are probably beginning to wonder at the tardiness of my promised
Despatch, in which the architectural minutiae of this City were to be
somewhat systematically described. But, as I have told you towards the
conclusion of my previous letter, it would be to very little purpose to
conduct you over every inch of ground which had been trodden and described
by a host of Tourists, and from which little of interest or of novelty
could be imparted. Yet it seems to be absolutely incumbent upon me to say
_something_ by way of local description.

Perhaps the BOULEVARDS form the most interesting feature about Paris. I
speak here of the _principal_ Boulevards:--of those, extending from _Ste.
Madelaine_ to _St. Antoine_; which encircle nearly one half the capital.
Either on foot, or in a carriage, they afford you singular gratification. A
very broad road way, flanked by two rows of trees on each side, within
which the population of Paris seems to