was
called after St. Louis, from having been originally devoted to persons
infected with the plague, he having died of that disease at Turin in
1270. At present it is appropriated to such as are afflicted with
cutaneous complaints. As we cross the canal, we must notice the charcoal
market, close to which is the Hospital of Incurables, for men, No. 34,
Rue des Recollets, established in 1802 in the ancient convent of the
Recollets. The number of men admitted is 400, male children 70. Those
boys Who are capable, are encouraged to learn different trades, and at
20 years of age are sent to the Bicetre. Strangers are admitted every
day except Sundays and festivals. The church of St. Laurent is facing,
in the Place de la Fidelite and Rue du Faubourg St. Martin; it was first
built in 1429, enlarged in 1543, and in part rebuilt in 1595, and the
porch and perhaps the lady chapel, added in 1622. A gridiron is the only
object which attracts notice on the exterior, and the interior offers
little more; the key stones of the vaulting ribs are deep pendent masses
of stone, carved into groups of figures, fruit, etc., and in the
vaulting there is some bold sculpture displayed in the northern aisle of
the choir, which is the most ancient part of the church. The Foire of
St. Laurent merits being visited, it is a market which has been built by
a company for the supply of this part of the capital. The design is
elegant, consisting of a parallelogram of two stories, with covered
galleries and a fountain in the middle of the court. The whole is
covered in by lateral windows, and a roof of glass. The street St.
Laurent conducts immediately to the Maison Royale de Sante, No. 112, Rue
Faubourg St. Denis, an institution in which invalids are received;
persons who cannot afford the means of sustaining an expensive illness
are admitted on paying from 3 to 6 francs a day, advice, medicine,
board, and if required, surgical operations included. It contains 175
beds, the utmost attention is paid to the comforts of the patients.

Opposite, at No. 117, is St. Lazare, formerly the ancient Convent of the
Lazarists, or Priests of the Mission, now a prison for female offenders.
It was once a place of much importance, the remains of the kings and
queens of France were carried to the convent of St. Lazare, prior to
being conveyed to St. Denis, the coffin being placed between the two
gates of the building on a tomb of state, with all the prelates of the
kingdom