the way round, I observed a confused pile of faded wreaths (immortelles) and of branches of laurel, the leaves of which had become crisp and brown.

Just as I was about to enter the door, I heard some steps heavily descending, and, accordingly waiting for a few moments, there appeared, first the balustrade legs, then the protuberant waistcoat, and at last the warm, intelligent countenance of a brother Englishman-who, as he passed me, said, laying great emphasis on each of his nouns of number,

"There are two hundred and forty-three steps, Sir! I've just counted 'em!" And as it was exactly what I did not want to do, I put down the figures hot as I received them, and then, ascending a well-staircase, every bright brass step of which rang as I trod on it, I at last reached the summit, and for some time, absorbed in historical recollections, looked down upon the spot beneath, where the Bastille and all its included horrors had once existed.

On happening to cast my eyes upwards, I almost started at the appearance of the great gilt strip-stark-naked figure just above me. It was certainly beautifully balanced. His whole person, from the crown of his head to the extremity of his pointed toe, which almost alone rested on its pedestal, was of bright, glittering gold. His long, thin neck was extended; his wings appeared almost to flutter on his back; and as an equipoise to the leg extended behind, he held in one hand a broken chain, in the other a burning torch.

Who this high-flown, high-bred personage might be-for besides being an angel he was evidently a gentleman-I could not exactly divine; and for several minutes I had been thinking it over and over, or rather round and round, as I descended towards the earth, when, on reaching the bottom, I perceived before me-no doubt he had purposely placed himself in that position-the man in the handsome cocked hat, who had charge of the column. Taking off my humble round one to him, and at the same moment slipping something into his hand, I asked him what the magnificent statue "en or,"* which I had just been admiring, represented?

"Monsieur!" said he, with an extended hand and with a dignified smile, "c'est le Génie de la Liberté !" which, I sup

* In gold.

Sir, it is the genius of Liberty.

pose, said I to myself, as I very slowly walked away, must surely mean--" her Ladyship's present husband."

HORSE ESTABLISHMENT.

I was on the point of asking an idle man, who, like myself, was mooning about the Place de la Concorde, where I should be likely to find a fiacre, when I observed one instinctively driving towards me. It was one of those little rickety, loosejointed quadrirotal or four-wheeled buggies, with a head, apron. and small driving-box in front containing a coachman in a black glazed hat. and blue jacket ornamented with a bright silver plaquet.—which are obliged to go anywhere within the wide world of Paris for 22 sous.

344

cas de réclamation.*

"A la Barrière de Charenton !" said I to the driver, who, without making any other answer than a nod, leant backwards, and, putting into my hand a little card of the size and with the inscription as here given, we all jogged on at the rate of about four miles an hour. The horse, for fear of the whip, did not dare to walk, and would not trot any faster without Conserver ce numéro en breaking into a canter, which was contrary to law; it was evidently useless, therefore, to say a word on the subject. However, it was a beautiful day, and as all I wanted was to be permitted now and then to look about me, and now and then to think a little, the horse, vehicle, and driver suited me exactly. I was now in one of the worst parts of Paris, and it was impossible to help observing that almost every time the horse nodded his head, as if, by order of the police, he were counting the number of steps he took, the prospect on each side of me became a little more gloomy. The houses became frailer, the lime appeared gradually to be changing into mud, slates into tiles, iron

*Keep this number in case of a complaint.

ornamental lamp-posts into plain wooden gibbets, with outstretched horizontal arms about four feet long, at the cxtremity of which, swinging in the wind, hung an inferior description of lamp. In looking at them I could hardly help shuddering, so clearly did they explain to me the horrid meaning of the cry, "A la lanterne !"* which had been the death-warrant of so many thousands of people. Indeed, if I had never heard of such a cry, it would have been impossible for me to have driven by all these gibbets without noticing their ghastly appearance.

As soon as we arrived within about fifty yards of the point I had mentioned, the driver pulled gently at his reins, the horse very readily stopped-in fact, we all stopped. Leaning towards the driver, I paid him 22 sous; but instead of two more 66 pour boire "t-the customary gratification—I gave him five, for which he expressed himself exceedingly grateful; and I was thinking how very little gratitude, friendship, or good fellowship one could buy in London for three halfpence, when I observed a douanier glance very scrupulously at my pockets, while at the same moment his companion, opening the lid, peeped into a small basket in the hands of a poor woman walking beside me. In short, we were passing the Barrière de Charenton, at which--as at all others around Paris-the officers of the octroi examine everything that enters or goes out of the metropolis.

On inquiry I found that the great stables of the omnibus company I had come to visit were within a hundred yards, and as soon as I reached them I delivered to the chief of the establishment the note of introduction in my favour which M. Denault, near the Barrière of the Etoile, had been so obliging as to give to me.

"Vous êtes Anglais, Monsieur? said he, with a very friendly smile, as if an answer in the affirmative would be, as it evidently proved, pleasing to him. He then, with the utmost kindness, took me over every portion of his establishment his stables, infirmary, forges, supplies of water, and storehouses of corn, hay and straw.

As it would be tedious to the generality of my readers

* Away with him to the lamp-post!

+ Drink-money.

Are you an Englishman, Sir?

were I to repeat the details I witnessed, but which to me were highly interesting, I will briefly state that, of 263 horses under his care, 200 were males, there not being a single mare within the building; that the stables, instead of containing, as at the Barrière de l'Etoile, only 20 horses, held each from 40 to 50; that they were well ventilated; that the horses were separated in couples by swinging bails; that they were fed together in pairs with oats five times a-day; that at night they had as much hay as they could eat, with straw in the day "pour s'amuser;" that each horse usually worked from 15 to 16 miles per day (the horses of the Paddington omnibuses, at greater speed, go only eleven miles per day); that one man was required to look after eight, and also to clean their harness; and that by other men the carriages were washed every day. Lastly, that the sums paid by each passenger are as follows:-between any points within the barriers of Paris, 6 sous, with four additional if taken to places beyond the barriers. On Sundays the latter charge of 4 is increased to 6, the former charge remaining the same.

The establishment at the Barrière de Charenton in all main points was very creditably kept. On the whole, however, the horses were inferior to those working at the west end; indeed, although their health and comforts were essentially attended to, the locality seemed to authorize less attention to outward appearances.

While I was looking at the stud, I asked the chief superintendent what became of the company's horses-as they did not sell them when no longer capable of public service; and as he gave me the same answer I had received from M. Denault, namely, that they were usually sent to the horseslaughterers, called "équarrisseurs," at a considerable distance in the Plaine des Vertus, I begged he would give me a note of introduction, that I might ascertain what was the real conclusion of their career. He readily complied with my request, and accordingly, after thanking him for his great kindness, I managed to find another four-wheeled carriage, in which I drove off.

*To amuse themselves with.

THE ÉQUARRISSEUR.

As we proceeded, the houses of the environs of Paris very soon began to turn into small habitations, dead walls, and at last altogether to die away. The road also appeared gradually to be losing its senses, and to stagger as if it had no idea at all where it was going to; and as I also was destitute of any knowledge on the subject, I remained passive, excepting now and then when, in going over lumps of loose stones, which appeared exceedingly disposed to upset us, I deemed it necessary with extended arms to hold on to each side of the carriage. In about half an hour we drove through a temporary passage in the masonry of the escarp of the line of fortifications which surrounds the metropolis; and here, for a few minutes, I descended from the carriage.

The fortified line of enceinte round Paris, which has caused so much observation and discussion, is composed of a rampart, ditch, covered berm (broad enough to be manned by skirmishers, or riflemen), and raised glacis, as accurately as I could measure them-which any person is allowed to do-of the following dimensions:

The masonry of the escarp is so well covered in front that it would evidently be impossible to breach it from a distance; and the enceinte, being a bastioned line, is in every part thoroughly well flanked; besides which its extent is so great that, practically speaking, it possesses almost the advantage of being a straight interminable front, which, of course, would prevent an enemy from enveloping its works for the purpose of enfilading them.

The counterscarp has not been riveted; and thus not only has a great expense been saved, but, as the army of defence