its situation prevents its ever being much frequented; the principal
front having a portico of eight doric columns ascended by nine steps has
a fine effect; it is capable of containing 1,600 persons.

A very few steps bring us to the magnificent church of St. Sulpice.
Although the first stone was laid by Anne of Austria, in 1655, it was
not totally finished until 1777. The portico, by Servadoni, is splendid;
the two towers not being similar, rather spoil the effect, but the
interior baffles all description to do it justice; a simplicity and
grandeur pervades the whole, which is heightened by a soft light thrown
upon the Virgin directly behind the altar, who appears to be descending
midst the lightest clouds upon the earth, to which she presents her son.
The corinthian order prevails throughout the interior, the statues are
bold and finely conceived, some of the paintings are exquisite, that of
the ceiling, particularly. Two immense shells, placed within the
entrance, for containing holy water, resting on rocks of marble, were
presented to Francis I, by the Republic of Venice. The pulpit is
supported by two flights of steps, with the figures of Faith, Hope, and
Charity, producing a most splendid appearance. The organ is ornamented
with no less than seventeen figures playing on musical instruments, or
sustaining cornucopies carved in the most perfect manner. The pillars on
the different sides of this edifice comprise the four orders of doric,
ionic, corinthian, and composite. I cannot conceive a more sublime and
delightful sensation than that which is caused when the first low notes
of the organ begin to swell; the aisles being extremely lofty and
vaulted, the sound appears gradually to peal through the building with a
degree of softness which seems as if it came from a considerable
distance, and has a most extraordinary and enchanting effect. We will
now quit this noble edifice by the grand front, and looking to the left
cast an instant's glance upon a large plain building, which is the
Seminary of St. Sulpice, and has 210 students.

Descending the Rue Mabillon a few paces, we come to the Market St.
Germains, where formerly flourished the great fair under the same name.
It was built in 1811 on a most commodious plan, and has every requisite
that can be thought of for the convenience of a market, with an
extremely handsome fountain in the middle, which the visiter should not
omit to observe. Quitting the Market by the Ru