c monuments. The whole number of religious establishments of all
descriptions built in the reign of Louis XIII, amount to forty-nine,
besides many Bridges, Fountains, Hotels, Statues, etc., etc.; which
altogether so augmented Paris that it became requisite to have another
wall, affording the capital more extended dimensions, which was
accordingly constructed. Notwithstanding all these improvements the
streets of Paris were in a most filthy condition, constantly emitting a
disagreeable odour; they were very narrow and the greater portion of
them very ill paved, besides which they were infested with thieves, and
complaints were continually arising against the hosts of pages and
lackeys who insulted people in the streets, and were continually
committing some disorders, both during the day and the night, when
persons were frequently killed in the skirmishes that were constantly
taking place. Ordinances and edicts were continually appearing,
forbidding the pages and lackeys to wear arms, but all of no avail; when
any one was arrested, he was rescued by his companions, and the
officers of police sometimes killed. Louis XIII, ever feeble in mind,
and probably in constitution, died at the age of 42; it was supposed
from a premature decay.

The history of the reign of Louis the Fourteenth and those which follow
to the present day are so well known to the English, that whatever I
might state respecting them would only be to my readers a repetition of
that of which they are already informed, as the continual wars for the
last two centuries between England and France have brought the nations
in constant contact; but prior to that period, even the most prominent
events of the French history are but little known to the English, and in
order to enhance the enjoyment of examining the old buildings in Paris,
I conceived it necessary to give a slight sketch of the monarchs under
whom they were erected, with the dates as accurately as could be
ascertained, but consider that it would be useless to do so as regards
those edifices constructed since the reign of Louis XIII, as they can
only afford pleasure as regards their utility or beauty; as if not two
hundred years old, the age of their date ceases to excite interest,
although I shall describe them in due course. I have often been
surprised that in all schools, although they give the history of Rome,
of Greece, and of course of England, yet of France, which is the country
the nearest to u