fortably, and was about half filled. Plates of pottage, otherwise soup, commenced the repast; mutton cutlets, and a vast variety of other dishes, were handed round, by a crowd of waiters, in rapid succession, most of the dishes being disguised, and unknown to me, by sight, smell, or otherwise.

At 7, we adjourned to the Palais Royal, where we amused ourselves, for several hours, by strolling about the garden, which is an oblong, 700 feet long by 300, ornamented with marble statues, long rows of lime trees, a circular basin of water, fed by a fountain; watching the proceedings of other parties of strollers, or the cheerful antics of playful, agile children, which are always pleasing, because always natural, and interesting, as invoking a retrospective review, within older breasts; or gazing in at the shop windows, all upon the ground floor, of an Arcade, describing the four unequal sides of the Palace square. They are amongst the most elegant of the kind, in Paris, are arranged, with the greatest regard to neatness, and taste, and being principally devoted to objects of bijouterie, and virtu, produce a brilliant effect, especially in an evening, when the premises are lighted up with gas, and crowded with company. The fruiterers'

shops, even at this unpropitious season, are well worth a visit; strawberries, and green peas shelled, are exposed to sale, in all of them, though, probably, from their blanched appearance, are forced, expensive, and somewhat tasteless. Owing to my ignorance of the language, I did not attempt to enquire into the particulars of their price, cost of production, &c.

The Palais Royal has been called, and not unaptly, the Capital of Paris, an Imperium in imperio, as it is more frequently resorted to, by all classes of people, than any other part of the city: the ground floors are appropriated to the shops, the first floor to the restaurants, and cafés, as well as to offices, of all descriptions.

Below the ground floor again, are subterranean passages, and apartments, devoted, exclusively, to the amusement, &c. of the lower orders. The lower orders!! Oh! Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité ! "Pardonnez moi, mes amis." Here are to be seen, dancing dogs, and dancing devils, conjurors, musicians, magicians, quack doctors, and metaphysicians, gamblers, and blacklegs, ladies, and gents of all sorts, and sizes. This underground Elysium, however, has but an indifferent character, but, whether it is really worse

than the Paradise above, is a problem, probably of difficult solution; as Fielding used to say, the only difference he knew, between high and low life in London, was, in hearing the same things said before a dozen of wax lights at the west end of the Town, or a couple of moulds in the city; but then to be sure there is the manner of saying it,

For manners make the man,

Quoth William of Wickham.”

However, the Parisians, with whom the Palais Royal is a prime favourite, do not scruple to say, that there is but one Palais Royal in the wide world, and that they are in possession of it; and taking all circumstances into consideration, it is perhaps, as well for the rest of the world, that there is but one.

To persons, however, well versed in Parisian politics, since the erection of the Palais Royal, by Cardinal Richelieu, it is extremely interesting, from the crowd of historical circumstances connected with it. As early as Anne of Austria, in 1643, the troubles of the Fronde commenced here; the orgies, of which it was the scene, during the days of the Regent Orleans, are more than sufficiently commemorated in his memoirs

and they were, to a certain extent, revived during the days of his descendant, the wretched Egalité. The club of the Jacobins was first formed here, as was that of the Thermidoreans. The Dantonists met at the Cafe de Foy; the Girondists at the Café de Chartres; and it still remains, the same favourite resort of politicians, idlers, gourmands, gamblers, speculators, and small rentiers, who may be said, almost to reside within its walls. The shopkeepers also have the reputation of being greatly addicted to impose upon John Bull, and it is said to be always advisable to offer them, only a moiety of what they originally demand. I wish I could say this evil were confined to the Palais Royal; but, as far as my observation goes, it extends itself over all other parts of Paris.

We had café-au-lait, in a circular apartment, in the garden, adjoining an arcade near the Gallerie Valois, abounding in the choicest coffees, and in customersthe current literature of the day, and in waiters,-the whole, from the hum and bustle, constantly pervading it, reminding one somewhat of a bee-hive-the customers inside and out, being the drones; the waiters, the busy bees; the lady presiding at the desk, the

queen bee; who sets and keeps the whole concern in constant, and perpetual motion.

SATURDAY, APRIL 7th.

Rose early, and walked in the beautiful garden of the Tuileries, and environs. The gardens are separated from the rue de Rivoli, by a tall, handsome iron railing, having gilt spear heads; and from the quay running between them and the river, by stone walls. They are 67 acres in extent; their length being 2256 feet, and their breadth about half as much; a vast parallelogram.

The palace was commenced in the sixteenth, and completed in the seventeenth century, is a large, long, and lofty pile, extending above 1000 feet from north to south; exhibits various orders of architecture, and is higher at the extremities, than in the centre: but this irregularity, though unusual, is productive of no bad effect. It is upon the whole, a truly royal and imposing edifice, and possesses (especially when viewed through the vistas of the groves, formed at the farthest, or westerly extremity of the garden,) an air of romantic grandeur. Among the decorations of the gardens, are many fine statues, bronzes, and casts.