s.
But I will dwell upon this whole subject more fully in another place.

THE GOBELINS.

One of the interesting places which I visited in Paris, is the famous
Tapestry and Carpet Manufactory in the Rue Mouffetard. The walk is quite
a long one from the Garden of Plants, but the wonders of art and
industry which are shown to the visitor, amply repay for the trouble and
toil in getting to the manufactory.

I first passed through several rooms, upon the walls of which were hung
some of the finest of the tapestries which are finished. I was
astonished to see the perfection to which the art is carried. Some of
the tapestries, were quite as beautiful as some of the paintings in the
Louvre. Each piece was a picture of some spot, scene, or character, and
the workmanship is of such an exquisite kind, that it is extremely
difficult to believe that real paintings of the highest order are not
before you. Yet all the shades and expressions are wrought into the web,
by the hands of the skillful workmen. I visited six of the work-rooms,
where the men were manufacturing the tapestries. It was a wonderful
sight. The workman stands immediately behind the web, and a basket
containing woolen yarn, or a thread of every variety or color, is at his
feet. The design, usually an exquisite picture, stands behind him in a
good light. A drawing of the part of the landscape or figure first to be
made is sketched by pencil upon the web, and with the picture to be
copied constantly in sight, the workman or artist, as he should be
called, works slowly upon his task, glad if in a day he can work into
the tapestry a branch, a hand, or an eye. In some of the work-rooms, the
finest tapestries were being manufactured, and in others only very fine
rugs and carpets.

In 1450 a man by the name of Jean Gobelin acquired considerable property
in the region of Rue Mouffetard by dyeing and making carpets. His sons
carried on the business in his name, and the manufactory was celebrated;
hence the name, Gobelins. Louis XIV. erected it into a royal
manufactory, and it has continued such ever since. Between one and two
hundred men are constantly in the employ of the government, in the
manufactory, and as men of great skill and refined tastes are required,
a good rate of wages is paid. The workmen seemed to be very intelligent,
and were dressed, many of them, at least, like gentlemen. The
tapestries, carpets, &c. &c., which are manufactured at this place, ar