Paris As It Was and As It Is | Page 4

Paris a charming abode for a man of fortune--Summary of its advantages--_Idalium_--_Tivoli_--_Frascati_--_Paphos_--La Phantasmagorie of _Robertson_--Fitzjames, the famous ventriloquist--Method of converting a galantee-show into an exhibition somewhat similar to that of the phantasmagorists.
LETTER XXXVII. Paris the most melancholy abode in the world for a man without money --_Restaurateurs_--In 1765, Boulanger first conceived the idea of restoring the exhausted animal functions of the delibitated Parisians--He found many imitators--The restaurateurs, in order to make their business answer, constitute themselves _traiteurs_--_La Barrière_--Beauvilliers, Robert, Naudet, and _Véry_ dispute the palm in the art of Appicius--Description of _Beauvilliers'_ establishment--His bill of fare--Expense of dining at a fashionable _restaurateur's_ in Paris--Contrast between establishments of this kind existing before the revolution, and those in vogue at the present day--Cheap eating-houses--The company now met with at the fashionable rendezvous of good cheer compared with that seen here in former times--_Cabinets particuliers_--Uses to which they are applied--Advantages of a _restaurateur's_--Beauvilliers pays great attention to his guests--Cleanly and alert waiters--This establishment is admirably well managed.
VOLUME SECOND.
LETTER XXXVIII. National Institution of the Deaf and Dumb--France indebted to the philanthropic _Abbé de l'épée_ for the discovery of the mode of instructing them--It has been greatly improved by Sicard, the present Institutor--Explanation of his system of instruction--The deaf and dumb are taught grammar, metaphysics, logic, religion, the use of the globes, geography, arithmetic, history, natural history, arts and trades--Almost every thing used by them is made by themselves--Lessons of analysis which astonish the spectators.
LETTER XXXIX. Public women--Charlemagne endeavours to banish them from Paris--His daughters, though addicted to illicit enjoyments, die universally regretted--_Les Filles Dieu_--_Les Filles pénitentes ou repenties_ --Courtesans--Luxury displayed in their equipages and houses--Kept women--Opera-dancers--Secret police maintained by Lewis XVI, in 1792 --Grisettes--Demireps--A French woman, at thirty, makes an excellent friend--_Rousseau's_ opinion of this particular class of women in Paris.
LETTER XL. National Institution of the Industrious Blind--Circumstance which gave rise to this establishment--_Valentin Haüy_, its founder, found his project seconded by the Philanthropic Society--His plan of instruction detailed--Museum of the Blind--After two or three lessons, a blind child here teaches himself to read without the further help of any master.
LETTER XLI. _Théatre des Arts et de la République_, or Grand French opera--Old opera-house burnt down, and a new one built and opened in 72 days --Description of the present house--Operas of _Gluck_; also those of Piccini and _Sacchini_--Gluckists and Piccinists--The singing is the weakest department at the French opera--Merits of the singers of both sexes--Choruses very full--Orchestra famous--The Chief Consul, being very partial to Italian music, sends to that land of harmony to procure the finest musical compositions.
LETTER XLII. Dancing improved in France--Effect of some of the ballets--Noverre and Gardel first introduce them on the French stage--Rapid change of scenery--Merits of the dancers of both sexes--The rector of St. Roch refuses to admit into that church the corpse of Mademoiselle _Chameroi_--The dancers in private society now emulate those who make dancing their profession--Receipts of the opera.
LETTER XLIII. New year's day still celebrated in Paris on the 1st of January --Customs which prevail there on that occasion--_Denon's_ account of the French expedition to Egypt--That country was the cradle of the arts and sciences--Fourrier confirms the theory of Dupuis, respecting the origin, &c. of the figures of the Zodiac.
LETTER XLIV. _H?tel des Invalides_--It was projected by Henry IV and erected by Lewis XIV--Temple of Mars--To its arches are suspended the standards and colours taken from the enemy--Two British flags only are among the number--Monument of _Turenne_--Circumstances of his death--Dome of the _Invalides_--Its refectories and kitchens--Anecdote of Peter the Great--Reflections on establishments of this description--_Champ de Mars_--_école Militaire_--Various scenes of which the Champ de Mars has been the theatre--Death of _Bailly_--Modern national fêtes in France, a humble imitation of the Olympic games.
LETTER XLV. Object of the different learned and scientific institutions, which, before the revolution, held their sittings in the _Louvre_--Anecdote of Cardinal Richelieu--National Institute of Arts and Sciences --Organization of that learned body--Description of the apartments of the Institute--Account of its public quarterly meeting of the 15th Nivose, year X, (5th of January, 1802)--Marriage of Mademoiselle Beauharnois to Louis Bonaparte.
LETTER XLVI. _Opéra Buffa_--The Italian comedians who came to Paris in 1788, had a rapid influence on the musical taste of the French public--Performers of the new Italian company--Productions of Cimarosa, _Pa?siello_, &c.--Madame Bolla.
LETTER XLVII. Present state of public worship--Summary of the proceedings of the constitutional clergy--National councils of the Gallican church held at Paris--Conduct of the Pope, _Pius VII_--The Cardinal Legate, Caprara, arrives in Paris--The Concordat is signed--Subsequent transactions.
LETTER XLVIII. _Pantheon_--Description of this edifice--Marat and Mirabeau pantheonized and dispantheonized--The remains of Voltaire and Rousseau removed hither--The Pantheon in danger of falling--This apprehension no longer exists--Bonaparte leaves Paris for Lyons.
LETTER XLIX. Scientific societies of Paris--_Société Philotechnique_--_Société Libre des Sciences, Lettres, et Arts_--_Athénée des Arts_--_Société Philomatique_--_Société Académique des Sciences_--_Société Galvanique_--_Société des Belles-Lettres_--_Académie de Législation_ --_Observateurs de l'Homme_--_Athénée