eir
earliest attention to the Gallery of Pictures at the Louvre, and I had
intended to have bestowed much space to that object, but I find such
excellent works published on that subject at only one or two francs,
that I would recommend my readers to furnish themselves with one and
take it with them to the Louvre when they go there; they can procure
them of M. Amyot, No. 6, Rue de la Paix, where they will also find
almost every publication they are likely to require, and will meet with
the utmost civility and attention. There are continually changes taking
place in the arrangements of the pictures, consequently it would be
impossible to give any correct numerical indications. The works of
Rubens are particularly numerous, but I should not say they were the
_chefs d'oeuvre_ of that great artist, the women are so fat and
totally devoid of grace; I have seen several of his pictures in the
great Collection at Vienna which I like much better. The Louvre may be
also considered rich in the works of Titian, some fine subjects by
Guido, Murillo, Correggio, and Paul Veronese, of which the Marriage in
Cana is supposed to be the largest detached picture in the world; and
many of the figures are portraits, as of Francis I, Mary of England,
etc., who were contemporaries with the artist; in fact there are some
paintings of almost every celebrated Italian and Spanish master. The
Dutch and Flemish school is extremely rich, particularly in Vandycks,
but as might be expected specimens of the French school are the most
numerous, the principal gems of which are by Claude Lorraine, Poussin,
and Le Brun, infinitely superior to the productions of the present day.
There are besides many pictures by French artists of the time of David,
Gerard, Gros, etc., which I consider generally inferior to some of those
of their best painters now living.

There are several private collections that are well worth the attention
of the visiter; amongst the number is that of Marshal Soult, consisting
of some of the most exquisite Murillos, I should decidedly say the
happiest efforts of his pencil, but I believe since I saw them he has
sold some of the best to an English nobleman. The gallery of M. Aguado
(Marquis de Las Marismas), contains undoubtedly some very fine subjects
of the Spanish school, and others that have considerable merit, but out
of the great number of paintings which are assembled together the
portion of copies is by no means small; still there i