ΝΟ 219,

line 1,

ERRATA.

, for P. ALAUX, read J. B. ALAUX.

No 228, plate, for DUGUAY-TROUIN, read TOURVILLE. No 230, line 11, to grand dutchess, add of Florence. 12, for Naiades, read Nereides.

No 234 for MONTONI, read MOUTONI.

No 246, line 7, for Guesler, read Gesler.

17, for Underwalten, read Underwalden.

No 265, line 4, for a severity in the figure, read a harshness in the expression

of the countenance.

STATUES

ON

THE PONT LOUIS SEIZE.

If it often requires several years to finish monuments, churches, or palaces; how much more then, does it require ages, to finally improve public places; their approaches and closing vistas.

At the beginning of the eighteenth century, when, the court of Henry IV occupied part of the Louvre; the palace of the Tuileries was outside the town, and the garden opened in the fields. Some of the waste grounds, along the river, at the end of the garden; were, in 1616, purchased by the Queen, Marie de Médicis, and she had three alleys planted with trees. They were called Cours-la-Reine, from their serving her for a carriage-ride. At the end of each was a railed gate, closing this walk, and a moat separated it from the rest of the plain.

In 1670, this plain, which extended to the Roule, was planted with trees, forming several alleys, among which, were preserved some grass-plots. It was then, this new promenade received its appellation, of the Champs-Élysées. The principal middle alley, much larger than the others, reached at that time, the part, which still retains the name, of the Étoile.

The trees of the Cours-la-Reine, becoming old, it was necessary to renew them. The duke d'Antin', undertook to do it, as if it were by magic; for the purpose of amusing the court. Every thing being previously prepared, november 27, 1723,

at a given signal, the new trees were all planted, each at its respective place, within four beats of drum.

After the battle of Fontenoy, the town of Paris, wishing to erect a statue to Louis XV, it was decided it should be raised on the space between the garden of the Tuileries and the Champs-Élysées. The first stone was lain, in 1754, and the statue, cast in 1760, was inaugurated in 1763.

The following year, April 12; was lain the first of stone of the Madeleine, begun upon the design of M. Constant d'Ivry; continued by M. Couture; after a long interruption again resumed, by M. Vignon, who made several alteration in it; and it is, at last, on the point of being finished, under the direction of M. Huvé.

The Champs-Élysées were, between the years 1764 and 1769, planted afresh and the high road to St. Germain, which till then went through the rue du Faubourg-du-Roule, was planned out, to tend in a direct line to the bridge of Neuilly, then erecting by Peyronnet.

About the same time, the houses in the rue Royale were building, after M. Gabriel's designs : as also, the two colonnades which, on that side, terminate the place Louis Quinze.

As early as 1722, the town of Paris had been authorized to raise a loan, for the purpose of constructing a bridge, as a communication between the faubourgs St. Germain and St. Honoré: but it was only in 1786 that the sum of twelve hundred thousand francs (L. 48,000) was devoted to the building of this bridge, begun the following year; and, ended in 1790. On the other side of the bridge, was the Prince de Condé's palace, the façade of which, when the Council of Five Hundred sat there, was altered by M. Gisors. Subsequently, Poyet constructed, in front of this chamber, a peristyle of twelve corinthian columns, corresponding to the porch of the Madeleine.

The triumphal arch at the entrance of Paris was begun in

STATUES ON THE PONT LOUIS SEIZE.

III

1806 after the designs of Raimond, and continued by Chalgrin. The works, being interrupted in 1814, were resumed in 1826; and will, now, be soon finished.

Colossal white marble statues had been ordered, by the former government, to ornament the piers of the Pont Louis Seize; and several were already finished, when the political events suspended the placing of them. Shortly afterwards, Louis XVIII ordered twelve, eight of which were placed last year: and the remaining four, will be so, very shortly.

The are, disposed in the following order, going from the Chamber of Deputies: