CHAPTER XXIX. Palais Royal; Its Attractions; Fashionable Resort for Ladies; Amusements; The Jardin des Plantes; Zoological Gardens; Hall Aux Vins; Place de la Bastile; Père la Chaise Cemetery; Tombs of Lafayette and Paul Jones, &c., &c. THE Palais Royal is a great attraction to strangers visiting Paris. It fronts on Rue St. Honoré, is but a very short distance from the Tuileries, and is indeed a most imposing pile of buildings, in the form of an immense quadrangle, surrounding an open court and gardens. It stands in the most central and busy part of the city, and may well be termed the Bazaar of Paris, for it constitutes a grand assemblage of shops, galleries, coffee-houses, saloons, gaming-houses, restaurants, &c., &c. Fashion here, it may be truly said, has indeed established her empire, and reigns unrivalled not only over France, but the whole Christian World. There are upwards of two hundred and seventy shops in the Palais Royal, exclusive of the places above mentioned, and mostly attended by young, attractive, and polite French girls, with some few English, who make it a point to call the attention of the Americans and English to their stalls and shops, by exhibiting a placard, on which is placed in large characters, "The English language spoken here," which causes some little jealousy among the French girls, who think the pockets of foreigners are always well lined with the one thing needful, who visit the Palais Royal. These shops contain the richest stuffs, most costly trinkets; in fact, every production of art that is to be found in all Europe, can be had at this immense Bazaar, which is the focus of wealth, business, idleness, festivity, pleasure, industry, dissipation, &c., and the whole owned by Louis Philippe, who is thought to be the richest individual in Europe. The American tourist will be not a little surprised on entering the beautiful garden at the Palais Royal, to see the fashionable ladies of Paris, accompanied by gentlemen, seated at the small marble tables sipping lemonade and ice cream, through the day, at the same time amusing themselves in playing at dominoes (the favourite game at Paris) to see who shall pay the bill. This, with the fountains in full play, and the foliage and flowers around, with the hundreds of promenaders through the immense beautiful marbled piazzas which surround the garden, and the shops glittering with goods, has, at first sight, a magical effect on the stranger, which will never be forgotten. Such are the numerous corridors, alleys, passages, and courts, crossing in every direction in the Palais Royal, that the stranger must be very careful he is not lost for hours in finding his way out, and also to be very careful of the numerous sharpers who are always watching for their prey, in the shape of gentlemen of the beau ton. The next most attractive place for the tourist, especially if he be a botanist, or naturalist, is the Jardin des Plantes, about one mile from the Tuileries (by an omnibus). It is certainly a credit to Paris, for the four quarters of the globe have been made to contribute to the almost endless variety of trees and plants which adorn this garden, laid out in broad, beautiful, serpentine walks, which makes it the most rural and delightful place for promenading around Paris, and where the botanist can feast his eye for weeks without fatigue or expense, and is a place of great resort for all strangers and citizens. The Zoological Garden is adjoining. The animals and birds seemed to have been selected with much care. Some of them appeared far superior to those in the Zoological Gardens, Regent's Park, London, although in the latter a much larger space is allowed the animals to range about, as well as the great variety of birds, those of the aquatic species having the privilege of ponds, wherein to wash, swim, and otherwise amuse themselves. The Halle aux Vins is but a short distance above the Jardin des Plantes, on the same side, and on the banks of the Seine. Should the tourist be a lover of good wine, or a dealer in that article, he should stop and taste of wine from all parts of Europe. An immense space is walled in, and small one story buildings, or offices, laid out in streets, in which are kept only the samples which each merchant has to dispose of, and when the purchase is made, an order is given for the delivery and shipment. All attention is paid to visiters, either on business or curiosity, and all will be sure of tasting some of the best and purest wine in the world. The Place de la Bastile is on the opposite side of the Seine, and by crossing Pont d'Austerlitz, a short distance below Halle aux Vins, a few minutes will take the tourist to that once formidable fortress, the very name of which caused all Frenchmen to tremble in terror. Its sluggish, dark moat still remains, and near it a huge figure of an elephant, twenty feet in height, intended by Napoleon as a monument and fountain, to perpetuate the spot of tyranny and bloodshed. The legs of the elephant are so constructed as to admit a man ascending within to its head.-Altogether, it has a strange appearance. A most chaste and beautiful column has, within a few years, been erected on Place de la Bastile, Boulevard St., Antoine, two hundred feet in height, to the memory of those who fell in the three days' revolution, 1830, on the top of which is a gilded figure of Fame, with wings expanded, resting on one foot, ready for flight toward the Tuileries. On this column, are inscribed the names of those who fell in the three days. For six sous, any one is permitted to ascend the flight of circular steps within, to view the city and its beautiful environs, including Père La Chaise, which celebrated cemetery is less than half a mile from the column, or a ten minutes' walk only to its broad portal of entrance, through which the statesman, politician, philanthropist, the soldier and sailor, the aged and young, are borne to their marbled beds, and In silence sleep, 'till rolling years have fled, 'Till Gabriel's trump shall rouse both quick and dead. Père La Chaise contains over one hundred acres, and is laid out in broad gravelled avenues, and serpentine walks, leading in every direction; and the numerous narrow secluded avenues leading to some consecrated spot through the deep umbrage, will, if no guide is at hand, so embarrass and confuse the stranger, that it may take him hours to retrace his steps; and should it be late of an afternoon, he might probably have to roam about among the numerous tombs until morning, as many have been compelled to do, for the mere saving of a few sous to a guide, who constantly are in attendance at the gates to offer their services. There appeared to me over a hundred females kneeling at tombs in different parts of the cemetery, and hanging garlands of rich flowers over the tomb of a father, mother, brother, sister, husband, or lover. The chaste gothic tomb of Abelard and Heloise, was not only surrounded with fresh garlands, but their marble effigies, lying on the marble slab, were covered a foot in depth with them. So much is this tomb visited, that grass is not permitted to grow within some feet of its base. The costly tomb of Jacques Debille is also visited by all strangers. But to stop and examine all the tombs in this celebrated cemetery, would require some days. On the eminence is the Chapel, into which the dead are often carried, and service read, and from whence they are taken to be entombed. From the portal of this Chapel is to be had a panoramic view of Paris, which seems spread out before you in all its splendour and glory. At the gates of Père la Chaise, are a number of shops and stalls, for the making and vending of garlands of every hue, love, jealousy, hatred, &c., which are purchased and made to adorn the tombs of the departed. La Fayette (a name endeared to every American heart) and his wife lie entombed in the eastern part of the city; the tomb is of plain marble, with a suitable inscription. A short distance east of this tomb, lie the remains of La Fayette's old and valued friend, John Paul Jones, late a Captain in the United States Navy, and so celebrated in the Revolution for his chivalric daring, naval exploits, in so often humbling the proud flag of England, by capturing, singlehanded, its crack frigates, then dashing, meteor-like, through its fleets, unharmed, into the British Channel, causing its rock-bound shores to echo and re-echo with the thunder of his cannon, to the dismay of a foe thought to be invincible on the ocean. This lamented naval hero, who may be ranked as the Washington of the Atlantic, died in Paris on the 12th of September, 1792, of water on the brain; and although a Calvinist, his funeral was attended by the French National Assembly, all the foreigners of distinction, and citizens of note, of both sexes. An eloquent oration was pronounced over his tomb by the late celebrated orator, M. Marron, one of the leading influential members of the National Assembly. I little dreamt, while engaged in writing the life and character of this naval hero, for the purpose of having his name enrolled among the defenders of American liberty and independence, which had been neglected for near half a century—or, while writing the biographical sketch of La Fayette, that the day would arrive when I should stand three thousand miles from my native land, in a foreign clime, between the sacred remains of these gallant twinchampions of liberty, and while pointing to the tomb of the first, whisper to its guardian spirit, Glory! immortal glory was his goal, On which he fix'd his fond, unerring eye; It nerv'd his arm, it warm'd his inmost soul, And to the latter Throughout the world his matchless name has spread, Lamented chief-how vast and bright his fame, CHAPTER XXX. Paris; Remarks Interesting to the Tourist; City of Versailles; Its Avenues; King's Stables; Railway; Cars; Unfortunate Casualty; Palace, or Castle of Versailles; Its magnificent and extensive Gardens; Basins and costly Fountains; Statuary; Paintings; The Great and small Trianon, or Castles in Miniature; Parade of Troops; La Garde de Paris; National Guard. How common it is for persons about to visit England and the continent of Europe, to make 'inquiry of travellers, "Is house rent or board dear abroad?" "Which is the cheapest city to reside in ?” "Is such a place healthy to reside in?" "Is such another gay? what amusements, and the expense from place to place?" &c. &c. Facts, therefore, in black and white, calculations made on the spot, and many truths told in print, which, perhaps from shame of exposing our poverty, or limited means, or confessing our ignorance, we should hesitate to ask, are, and should be welcome information to the uncertain wanderer, who wavers as to where he can best find those objects that he seeks, and hạs gladly, it is hoped, welcomed "Pencillings Abroad," as they have from time to time appeared in the "Philadelphia Saturday Courier." The American tourist must not wait until he arrives in London, that world in miniature, or Paris, the city of arts and pleasure, or Brussels, that chaste city of palaces, to determine the selection of his route-but ere he quits his native shore, to ascertain from every impartial source the merits or demerits of each country, either as a residence, or as a spot interesting to pass through. The expenses have been given as closely and correctly as any estimate can be made. The beautiful and much celebrated city of Versailles is about twelve miles from Paris by railway. An omnibus leaves Place Carrousel every half hour for the railway station, fare half a franc -to Versailles one franc-time thirty minutes. The cars are made to take eight persons, four on a seat, facing each other. A whole range of these cars are made under one cover, and then |