ied here, and amongst the rest
Mademoiselle Scuderi.

A few steps to the north is the Conservatoire des Arts et Metiers. This
edifice was formerly the ancient abbey of St. Martin-des-Champs, the
chapel and refectory of which were built about the year 1240, and are
still standing, the latter is in excellent preservation, and is one of
the most curious and perfect specimens of the architecture of the period
at which it was built; at the eastern end of the chapel are the remains
of a building still more ancient, which is plain, and has not any thing
striking in its appearance. In this establishment is to be found every
description of machinery, and in fact all that ever can be imagined
relative to the promotion of industry; scarcely any invention has been
made public, of which there is not a model to be found in this curious
museum, with specimens of all the various mechanical contrivances which
Europe possesses. The celebrated Vaucanson, who was one of the greatest
contributors to this institution, having quarrelled with the people of
Lyons, vowed he would teach an ass to do what they did, and he
absolutely invented machinery of such a description that it could be
worked by that humble animal, and a piece of drugget with flowers is
shown, which was produced by the united ingenuity of M. Vaucanson and
the patient labour of the ass. Models of potteries, breweries,
smelting-houses, steam engines, railways, etc. are amongst the number of
interesting objects, and the names of our countrymen appear prominent,
as Watt, Maudsley, Barker, Atkins, etc., who have benefited the world by
their inventions. On ascending a very handsome staircase, the visiter
finds a range of apartments, with a wonderful collection of models of
pulpits (which in France are generally most ornamental objects), mills,
turning machines, engineering and surveying instruments, with an immense
number of others far too many to recapitulate, and an assortment of
coloured papers stamped, and some exquisitely cut out; fans of mother of
pearl of most elaborate workmanship, with other objects equally
ingenious and beautiful. This venerable abbey appears to advantage from
the garden, as a plain substantial old fashioned building, part of which
is used as the Mairie of the 6th Arrondissement, and lecture rooms for
the professors of the institution.

A short distance from it, is the Fontaine St. Martin, which is erected
against a tower formerly belonging to the old abb