harriere
has raised this branch of industry, when it is stated that but a few
years since, the whole number of workmen occupied in this department was
but 30 and now he alone employs 150! M. Charriere in fact possesses one
quality which generally ensures success, a passion for his art; he is
not to be regarded simply as a vender of cutlery, but as one possessing
a scientific knowledge of his profession, and as a mechanic of
considerable talent. To recapitulate all his inventions, with their
respective merits, and the approbatory letters that he has received from
different academical institutions, would half fill my little volume;
suffice it to say that he is the only person in his business, to whom
has ever been awarded the gold medal; besides which, the Royal Academy
of Sciences have presented him with 1800 francs, for the improvement he
has effected in surgical instruments. There is scarcely a disease and
certainly not a single operation that can be performed on the human
frame, for which M. Charriere has not the requisite materials in the
utmost perfection, even for the fabrication of artificial noses; and for
one invention he merits the gratitude of all mothers, the _biberon_, a
machine for the purpose of supplying an infant with milk, when
circumstances prevent the mother from affording that nourishment. This
instrument is so contrived that the part which meets the lips is in
point of texture exactly the same as that which nature provides, uniting
an equal degree of softness and elasticity, that the child takes to the
substitute, with the same zest as if it were the reality. I have known
instances where the lives of children have been saved by this machine,
the parents declaring to me that such was the case, and that they
considered that every mother ought to be provided with so useful an
instrument. The address of M. Charriere is No. 9, Rue de
l'Ecole-de-Medecine. A variety of cutlery is kept of as perfect a
description as those articles for which he has attained so high a
celebrity.

It has generally in modern days been a reproach to France, that she has
been rather lax in regard of religious matters; what there may be in the
hearts of the inhabitants of that or other countries I shall not
presume to give an opinion, but can only say that I find the churches in
Paris, both protestant and catholic, always during service time nearly
full, and many to overflowing. Not only that, but the French are much
attached to