A new description of Paris containing a particular account of all the churches, palaces, monasteries ... with all other remarkable matters in that great and famous city / translated out of French.

The Kings Garden.

This Garden is filled with nothing but Medici∣nal Plants of most choice sorts, which are there nourished and looked after at the Kings Charges. Certain Months in the Year, here are Botanick Le∣ctures, to the hearing of which any one may be admitted freely. There is a Doctor of Pyhsick who hath a Sallary for this purpose, and who is ordinarily more eminent than the rest for his Learning. This Lecture is made at six of the Clock in the morning, in those parts of the Gar∣den where the several Simples grow. One ought to observe that half this Garden is taken up by a Mount or eminent Ground, round which they have made an Ally which mounts about it in a Spiral Line, which Ally has on the outward edge a Palisade of Bushes, on the top of this Mount is an Accacias from whence you have a Prospect over the River and Fauxbourg St. Antoine. On the left hand as you come into the Court, is a La∣boratory, where they also work publickly in Chy∣mistry during certain months in the year. The Compositions which they make there are given freely to such poor that need 'em.

But that which is the greatest Curiosity of all is the Cabinet of Monsieur du Vernay one of the Royal Academy of Sciences, and one of the prime Men of the Kingdom for Dissections and Anato∣my. Few People ever made a farther progress than he in this sort of operation, in which he hath made a great number of Discoveries, that

have gained him a mighty Reputation. In Win∣ter he reads publickly in the great Hall, which is contrived in manner of an Amphitheatre, that may contain abundance of People. Monsieur Da∣quin the Kings chief Physitian hath the oversight and the administration of this Garden; he ap∣points the Doctors in Physick and Chirurgery who read the Lectures of Chymistry and Dissection, and he hath a Pension from the King for this pur∣pose. The Superintendant of the Buildings is the absolute Master here, and it is under his Autho∣rity that all these things are transacted. Leaving this place you may go to

The Hospital-general; altho for delicate peo∣ple it is no very pleasing object to see the poor, yet it is a curious thing, and surprising at the same time, to see so great a number of all sorts and ages, whose miseries are eased with so much care and Charity, that nothing is wanting to them but only Liberty. This great Building which contains in it more than six thousand persons, ap∣pears as you come in like a little Town, by rea∣son of the quantity and diversity of the houses, although it be all the Work of this age, and all the poor People that are in it are maintained upon Charity only. The Church was built not above seven or eight years ago: It is of a very peculiar design; a great Dome of eight Angles raised up∣on Arches, against each of which are placed eight Naves or spaces to contain all the poor people. The Altar is contrived just in the middle under the Dome, so that it may be seen on eight sides for the conveniency of all. There is nothing mag∣nificent in the Work, except only the Portico by which people enter from abroad, which is sup∣ported

by certain Ionick Pillars, over which is placed a small Attick, but this is of no extraor∣dinary relish however. On the two sides of this Entrance are placed two Pavilions where are lodg∣ed the Ecclesiasticks who serve the Chappel, and administer the Sacraments to the poor People. It is observable that they imploy here all the young girls of the Hospital, who are very numerous, in making point of France, some embroider, others make the Loops, others the Ground, which causes much work to be dispatched by their hands in a little time, of which is made a considerable in∣come. The first President de Belliévre was one of those who were most active in the Foundation of this great Hospital, which at that time was thought incredible; and this was done on the ac∣count of that excessive number of Poor which were continually about the Streets and Churches of Paris, to the great incommodity of the Pub∣lick. In the mean time this Illustrious Magistrate being assisted by the Cardinal Mazarin, the Dutchess of Aiguillon, and some others, persons of Authority, accomplished his design, and caused all those to be shut up in this Hospital who were found begging, or who were not able to get their Living.

Almost over against the Gate of this Hospital, in a large place, is kept the Horse-Market on the Wednesday and Friday in every Week.