did foreigner, who is enabled, under the shelter of its protection, to perambulate in safety every part of Paris, and its suburbs, although badly lighted, at that hour of the night which, in England, frequently exposes the unwary wanderer to the pistol of the prowling ruffian. The English police seems to direct its powers and consideration more to the apprehension of the robber, then to the prevention of the robbery. In no country is the art of thief-catching carried higher than in England, where thief-takers and thieves appear to form one harmonious family. In France the police is in the highest state of respectability, and unites force to vigilance. The depredator who is fortunate enough to escape the former, is seldom able to elude the latter, The grand National Library of Paris, is highly deserving of a visit, and is considered to be the first of its kind in Europe. In one of the rooms is a museum of antiques, and in one of the wings are the two celebrated great globes, which rest upon the ground, and rise through the flooring of the first story, where there is a railing round them. These globes are about eighteen feet high. This noble collection is upon the point of being removed to the old palace. From the grand National Library, I went with a party to the military review of all the regiments in Paris, and its suburbs, in the Place de Carousel, within the gates and railing which Buonaparte has raised for this purpose. We were introduced into the apartments of general Duroc, the governor of the Thuilleries, upon the ground floor, which afforded us an uninterrupted view of the whole of this superb military spectacle. A little before twelve o'clock, all the regiments of horse and foot, amounting to about 7000 men, had formed the line, when the consular regiment entered preceded by their fine band, and the tambour major, who was dressed in great magnificence. This man is remarked in Paris for his symmetry and manly beauty. The cream-coloured entrance. charger of Buonaparte, next passed us, led by grooms in splendid liveries of green and gold, to the grand As the clock struck twelve, the first consul, surrounded by a chosen body of the consular guard, appeared and mounted. He immediately rode off in full speed, to the gate nearest to the gallery of the Louvre, followed by his favourite generals, superbly attired, mounted upon chargers very richly caparisoned. My eye, aided by a good opera-glass, was fixed upon the first consul. I beheld before me a man whose renown is sounded through the remotest regions of the earth, and wose exploits have been united by the worshippers of favourite heroism to those of the conqueror of Darius. His features are small and meagre : his countenance cold, considerate, and melancholy, his nose aquiline, his eyes dark, fiery, and full of genius: his hair, which he wears cropped and without powder, black: his figure small, but very muscular. He wore a blue coat, with broad white facings and golden epaulets (the uniform of his regiment), a small cocked hat, in which was a little national cockade. In his hand he carried a small riding whip. His boots were made in the fashion of English riding boots, which I have before condemned for want of military appearance. The reason why they are preferred by the French officers is on account of the top leather not soiling the knees of the pantaloons when in the act of putting one leg over the other. Buonaparte rode through the lines. His beautiful charger seemed conscious of the glory of his rider, and bore him through the ranks with a commanding and majestic pace. The colours of one of the regiments was stationed close under the window where I had the good fortune of being placed. Here the hero stopped and 'saluted them. At this time I was close to him, and had the pleasure of completely gratifying that curiosity of beholding the persons of distinguished men, which is so natural to all of us. A few minutes after Buonaparte had passed, I saw a procession, the history of which I did not understand at the time, but which fully explained its general purport. About two years since, one of the regiments of artillery revolted in battle. Buonaparte in anger deprived them of their colours, and suspended them, covered with crape, amongst the captive banners of the enemy, in the Hall of Victory. The regiment af fected by the disgrace, were determined to recover the lost esteem of their general and their country, or perish to the last man. When any desperate enterprise was to be performed, they volunteered their services, and, by this magnanimous compunction, covered their shame with laurels, and became the boast and pride of the republican legions. This day was fixed upon for the restoration of their ensigns. They were marched up, under a guard of honour, and presented to the first consul, who took the black drapery from their staves, tore it in pieces, threw them on the ground, and drove his charger indignantly over them. The regenerated banners were then restored to the regiment with a short and suitable address. I faintly heard this laconic speech, but not distinctly enough at the time to understand it. This exhibition had its intended effect, and displayed the genius of this extraordinary man, who, with unerring acuteness, knows so well to give to every public occurrence that dramatic hue and interest which are so gratifying to the minds of the people over whom he presides, After this ceremony, the several regiments, preceded by their band of music, marched before him in open order, and dropped their colours as they passed. The flying artillery and cavalry left the parade in full gallop, and made a terrific noise upon the pavement. Each field-piece was drawn by six horses, upon a carriage with large wheels. Here the review closed. K3 Farewel, the neighing steed, and the shrill trump, Pride, pomp, and circumstance of glorious war. Buonaparte returned to the place, where he held a 'splendid levee, at which the new Turkish embassy *was introduced. In the evening Buonaparte and his lady were at the opera, where he was received with respect, but without any clamourous acclamation. Madame Buonaparte appears to be older than the first consul. She is an elegant woman, and is said to conduct herself, in her high station, with becoming dignity and prudence. I have before had occasion to notice the promptitude and activity of the French police, under the penetrating eye of Monsieur Fouché. No one can escape the vigilance of this man and his emissaries. An emigrant of respectability assured me, that when he and a friend of his waited upon him for their passports, to enable them to quit Paris for the south of France, he surprised them by relating to them the names of the towns, the streets, and of the people with whom they had lodged, at various times, during their emigration in England. In the valuable and curious cabinet of Monsieur le G- I found out, behind several other casts, a bust of Robespierre, which was taken of him a short period before he fell. A tyrant, whose offences fook white, contrasted with the deep delinquency of the oppressor of France, is said to be indebted more to his character, than to nature, for the representation of that deformity of person which appears in Shakspeare's portrait of Richard III. "I that am curtail'd of this fair proportion, Thus history, enraged at the review of the insatiable crimes of Robespierre, has already bestowed upon him a fanciful physiognomy, which she has composed of features which rather correspond with the ferocity of his soul, than with his real countenance. From the appearance of this bust, which is an authen tic resemblance of him, his face must have been rather handsome, but small, and his countenance must have strongly expressed animation, penetration, and subtility. This bust is a real curiosity. It is very likely that not another is now to be found. Monsieur le G is permitted to preserve it, without reproach on account of his art. I can safely say, he does not retain it from any emotions of veneration for the original. Very near the residence of Monsieur le Gis the house in which Robespierre lodged. It is at the end of the Rue Florentine, in the Rue St. Honoré, at a wax chandler's. This man is too much celebrated, not to render every thing which relates to him curious. The front windows of his former lodg ings look towards the Place de la Concorde, on the right of which his prime minister, the permanent guillotine, was quartered. From Robespierre's lodging, curiosity led me to visit the building in which the Jacobin club held their Pandemonium. It is a noble edifice, and once belonged to the order of Jacobins. Near this church stands the beautiful fabric of the Corn Hall of Paris, designed by Monsieur le Grand. The dome of the bank of England is in the same style, but inferior in point of lightness and elegance. That of the Corn Hall resembles a vast concavity of glass. In this noble building the millers deposit their corn for sale. Its deep and lofty arches and area were nearly filled with sacks, containing that grain which is precious to all nations, but to none more than the French; to a * *This exquisite building has since been destroyed by fre. |