A journey to Paris in the year 1698 by Dr. Martin Lister.

* 1.1To begin with the Coaches, which are very numerous here and very fine in Gilding: But there are but few, and those only of the great Nobility, which are large, and have two Seats or Funds. But what they want in the largeness, beauty, and neatness of ours in London, they have infinitely in the easiness of Carriage, and the ready turning in the narrowest Streets. For this purpose, they are all Crane-Neckt, and the Wheels be∣fore very low, not above two foot and a half Diameter; which makes them ea∣sie to get into, and brings down the Coach-Box low, that you have a much better prospect out of the foremost Glass; our high seated Coachmen being ever in the point of view. Again, They are most, even Fiacres or Hackneys, hung with Double Springs, at the four Corners, which insensibly breaks all Jolts. This I never was so sensible off, as after having pra∣ctised the Paris Coaches for four months, I once rid in the easiest Chariot of my Lords, which came from England; but not a Jolt but what affected a Man; so as to be tired more in one hour in that, than in six in these.

Besides the great number of Coaches of the Gentry, here are Coaches de Re∣mise,

by the month; which are very well Guilt, neat Harness, and good Horses: And these all Strangers Hire by the Day or Month, at about Three Crowns Eng∣lish a Day. 'Tis this sort that spoils the Hackneys and Chairs, which here are the most nasty and miserable Voiture that can be; and yet near as dear again as in London, and but very few of them neither.

Yet there is one more in this City, which I was willing to omit, as thinking it at first fight Scandalous, and a very Jest; it being a wretched Business in so Magnificent a City; and that is, the Vinegrette, a Coach on Two Wheels, dragg'd by a Man, and push'd behind by a Woman or Boy, or both.

Besides those, for quick Travelling there are great number of Post-Chaises for a single Person; and Roullions for two Persons: These are on two Wheels only, and have each their Double Springs to make them very easie; they run very swiftly: both the Horses pull; but one only is in the Thilles. The Coach-man mounts the Roullion; but for the Chaise, he only mounts the side Horse only. I think neither of these are in use in Eng∣land; but might be introduced to good purpose.

* 1.2As for their Recreations and Walks, there are no People more fond of coming to∣gether, to see and to be seen. This Conversation without doubt takes up a great part of their time: And for this purpose, the Cour de la Reyne is frequen∣ted by all People of Quality. It is a Treble Walk of Trees of a great length, near the River side, the middle Walk ha∣ving above double the breadth to the two side ones; and will hold eight files of Coaches, and in the middle a great open Circle to turn, with fine Gates at both ends. Those that would have better and freer Air, go further, and drive into the Bois de Bologne, others out of other Parts of the Town to Bois de Vincennes, scarce any side amiss. In like manner these Persons light and Walk in the Tuilleries, Luxembourg, and other Gardens, belong∣ing to the Crown and Princes, (all which are very spacious) and are made conve∣nient, with many Seats for the Enter∣tainment of all People; the Lacquies and Mob excepted; but of this more here∣after.

* 1.3No sort of People make a better figure in the Town than the Bishops, who have very splendid Equipages, and variety of fine Liveries, being most of them Men of

great Families, and preferred as such, Learning not being so necessary a Quali∣fication for those Dignities, as with us; tho' there are some of them very De∣serving and Learned Men. I say, They are most Noblemen, or the younger Sons of the best Families. This indeed, is for the Honour of the Church; but whether it be for the good of Learning and Piety is doubtful. They may be Patrons, but there are but few Examples of Erudition among them. 'Tis to be wisht, that they exceeded others in Merit, as they do in Birth.

* 1.4The Abbots here are numerous, from all Parts of the Kingdom. They make a considerable figure, as being a gentile sort of Clergy, and the most Learned; at least were so from the time of Cardi∣nal Richlieu, who preferred Men of the greatest Learning and Parts to these Posts; and that very frankly, and with∣out their knowing it before-hand, much less solliciting him for it. He took a sure way, peculiar to himself, to enquire out privately Men of Desert, and took his own time to prefer them. This filled the Kingdom of France with learned Men, and gave great Encouragement to Study; whereof France yet has some feeling.

* 1.5'Tis pretty to observe, how the King Disciplines this great City, by small in∣stances of Obedience. He caused them to take down all their Signs at once, and not to advance them above a foot or two from the Wall, nor to exceed such a small measure of square; which was readily done: So that the Signs obscure not the Streets at all, and make little or no figure, as tho' there were none; being placed very high and little.

* 1.6There are great number of Hostels in Paris, by which word is meant Publick Inns, where Lodgings are Lett; and also the Noblemen and Gentlemens Houses are so called, mostly with Titles over the Gate in Letters of Gold on a Black Mar∣ble. This seems, as it were to denote, that they came at first to Paris as Stran∣gers only, and Inn'd publickly; but at length built them Inns or Houses of their own. 'Tis certain, a great and wealthy City cannot be without People of Qua∣lity; nor such a Court as that of France without the daily Inspection of what such People do. But whether the Country can spare them or not, I question. The People of England seem to have less Man∣ners and less Religion, where the Gentry

have left them wholly to themselves; and the Taxes are raised with more dif∣ficulty, inequality, and injustice, than when the Landlords live upon the Des∣maines.

* 1.7It may very well he, that Paris is in a manner a new City within this 40 years. 'Tis certain since this King came to the Crown, 'tis so much altered for the better, that 'tis quite another thing; and if it be true what the Workmen told me, that a common House built of Rough Stone and Plaistered over, would not last above 25 years, the greatest part of the City has been lately rebuilt. In this Age certainly most of the great Ho∣stels are built or re-edified; in like man∣ner the Convents, the Bridges and Churches, the Gates of the City; add the great alteration of the Streets, the Keyes upon the River, the Pavements; all these have had great additions, or are quite new.

* 1.8In the River amongst the Bridges, both above and below, are a vast number of Boats, of Wood, Hay, Charcoal, Corn and Wine, and other Commodities. But when a sudden Thaw comes, they are often in danger of being split and crusht to pieces

upon the Bridges; which also are some∣times ruined by them. There have been great Losses to the Owners of such Boats and Goods.

It has been proposed to dig near the City a large Basin for a Winter Har∣bour; but this has not had the face of Profit to the Government; so they are still left to execute their own Project. There are no Laws or Projects so effectu∣al here, as what bring Profit to the Go∣vernment. Farming is admirably well understood here.

* 1.9Amongst the Living Objects to be seen in the Streets of Paris, the Counsellors and Chief Officers of the Courts of Ju∣stice make a great Figure; They and their Wives have their Trains carried up; so there are abundance to be seen walking about the Streets in this manner. 'Tis for this that places of that nature sell so well. A Man that has a right to qualifie a Wife with this Honour, shall command a Fortune; and the carrying a great Vel∣vet Cushion to Church is such another business. The Place of a Lawyer is va∣lued a Third part dearer for this.

* 1.10Here are also daily to be seen in the Streets great variety of Monks, in strange

unusual Habits to us Englishmen: These make an odd Figure, and furnish well a Picture. I cannot but pity the mistaken Zeal of these poor Men; that put them∣selves into Religion, as they call it, and renounce the World, and give them∣selves most severe Rules of Living and Diet; some of the Orders are decently enough Cloathed, as the Jesuits, the Fa∣thers of the Oratory, &c. but most are very particular and obsolete in their Dress, as being the Rustic Habit of old times, without Linnen, or Ornaments of the present Age.

As to their Meager Diet, it is much against Nature, and the improved Diet of Mankind. The Mosaic Law provided much better for Jews, a chosen People; That was instituted for cleanliness and health. Now for the Christian Law, though it commands Humility and Pa∣tience under Sufferings, and Mortificati∣on and Abstinence from Sinful Lusts and Pleasures; yet by no means a distinct Food, but liberty to eat any thing what∣soever, much less nastiness; and the Pa∣pists themselves in other things are of this mind; for their Churches are clean, pompously adorned and perfumed. 'Tis enough, if we chance to suffer Persecu∣tion, to endure it with Patience, and all

the miserable Circumstances that attend it; but wantonly to persecute our selves, is to do violence to Christianity, and to put our selves in a worse state than the Jews were; for to choose the worst of Food, which is sowre Herbs and Fish, and such like Trash, and to lie worse al∣ways rough, in course and nasty Wool∣len Frocks upon Boards; To go Bare∣foot in a cold Country, to deny them∣selves the Comforts of this Life, and the Conversation of Men; This, I say, is to hazard our Healths, to renounce the greatest Blessings of this Life, and in a manner to destroy our selves. These Men, I say, cannot but be in the main Chagrin, and therefore as they are out of humour with the World, so they must in time be weary of such sla∣vish and fruitless Devotion, which is not attended with an active Life.

The great multitude of poor Wretches in all parts of this City is such, that a Man in a Coach, a-foot, in the Shop, is not able to do any business for the num∣bers and importunities of Beggars; and to hear their Miseries is very lamentable; and if you give to one, you immediately bring a whole swarm upon you. These, I say, are true Monks, if you will, of God Almighties making, offering you

their Prayers for a Farthing, that find the evil of the day sufficient for the day, and that the Miseries of this Life are not to be courted, or made a mock of; These Worship much against their will all rich Men, and make Saints of the rest of Mankind for a Morsel of Bread.

But let these Men alone with their mistaken Zeal; it is certainly God's good Providence which orders all things in this World. And the Flesh Eaters will ever defend themselves, if not beat the Lenten Men; good and wholsome Food, and plenty of it, gives Men naturally great Courage. Again, a Nation will sooner be Peopled by the free Marriage of all sorts of People, than by the additio∣nal stealth of a few starved Monks, sup∣posing them at any time to break their Vow. This limiting of Marriage to a certain People only is a deduction and an abatement of Mankind, not less in a Pa∣pist Country, than a constant War. A∣gain, this lessens also the number of God's Worshippers, instead of multiply∣ing them as the Stars in the Firmament, or the Sand upon the Sea Shoar; These Men wilfully cut off their Posterity, and reduce Gods Congregation for the fu∣ture.

* 1.11There is very little noise in this City of Publick Cries of things to be sold, or any Disturbance from Pamphlets and Hawkers. One thing I wondered at, that I heard of nothing lost, nor any publick Advertisements, till I was shewed Printed Papers upon the Corners of Streets, wherein were in great Letters, Ʋn, Deux, Cinq, Dix jus{que} a Cinquante Louisse a gagner, that is, from One to Fifty Louises to be got; and then underneath an account of what was lost. This sure is a good and quiet way; for by this means without noise you often find your Goods again; every body that has found them repair∣ing in a day or two to such places. The Gazettes come out but once a week, and but few People buy them.

'Tis difficult and dangerous to vend a Libel here. While we were in Town, a certain Person gave a Bundle of them to a blind Man, a Beggar of the Hospital of the Quincevint, telling him he might get five pence for every penny; he went to Nostredame, and cried them up in the Service time, La vie & Miracles de Eves{que} de Reims. This was a Trick that was play'd the Archbishop, as it was thought, by the Jesuits, with whom he has had a great Contest about Molinas the Spanish J. Doctrines. The Libel went off

at any Rate, when the first Buyers had read the Title further, and found they were against the present Archbishop, Duke and first Peer of France.

* 1.12The Streets are lighted alike all the Winter long, as well when the Moon shines, as at other times of the Month; which I remember the rather, because of the impertinent usage of our People at London, to take away the Lights for half of the Month, as though the Moon was certain to shine and light the Streets, and that there could be no Cloudy Weather in Winter. The Lanthorns here hang down in the very middle of all the Streets, about 20 paces distance, and 20 foot high. They are made of a square of Glass about 2 foot deep, covered with a broad Plate of Iron; and the Rope that lets them down, is secured and lockt up in an Iron Funnel and little Trunk fast∣ned into the Wall of the House. These Lanthorns have Candles of 4 in the pound in them, which last burning till after mid∣night.

As to these Lights, if any Man break them, he is forthwith sent to the Gallies; and there were 3 young Gentlemen of good Families, who were in Prison for having done it in a Frolick, and could

not be released thence in some Months; and that not without the diligent Appli∣cation of good Friends at Court.

The Lights at Paris for 5 Months in the year only, cost near 50000l. Sterling. This way of Lighting the Streets is in use also in some other Cities in France. The King is said to have raised a large Tax by it. In the Preface to the Tax it is said, That considering the great danger his Sub∣jects were in, in Walking the Streets in the Dark, from Thieves, and the breaking their Necks by falls, he for such a Sum of Money did grant this Priviledge, that they might hang out Lanthorns in this manner.

* 1.13I have said, that the Avenues to the City, and all the Streets, are paved with a very hard Sand Stone, about 8 Inches square; so they have a great care to keep them clean; in Winter, for Example, upon the melting of the Ice, by a heavy drag with a Horse, which makes a quick riddance and cleaning the Gutters; so that in a days time all parts of the Town are to admiration clean and neat again to walk on.

I could heartily wish their Summer cleanliness was as great; it is certainly as necessary to keep so populous a City

sweet; but I know no Machine sufficient, but what would empty it of the People too; all the Threats and Inscriptions up∣on Walls are to little purpose. The Dust in London in Summer is oftentimes, if a Wind blow, very troublesome, if not intolerable; in Paris there is much less of it, and the reason is, the flat Stones require little Sand to set them fast, where∣as our small Pebles, not coming together, require a vast quantity to lay them fast in Paving.

* 1.14But from the People in the Streets, to the dead Ornaments there: There are an infinite number of Busto's of the Grand Monarque every where put up by the Common People; but the Noble Statues are but few, considering the Obsequious Humour and Capacity of the People to perform.

That in the Place-Victoire is a-foot in Brass all over gilt; with Victoire; that is, a vast Winged Woman close behind his Back, holding forth a Laurel Crown over the Kings Head, with one Foot up∣on a Globe. There are great exceptions taken at the Gilding by Artists; and, indeed the shining seems to spoil the Fea∣tures, and give I know not what confu∣sion; it had better have been all of Gold

brassed over; which would have given its true Lights and Shaddows, and suf∣fered the Eye to judge of the proportions. But that which I like not in this, is the great Woman perpetually at the Kings Back; which is a sort of Embarras, and instead of giving Victory, seems to tire him with her Company. The Roman Victorie was a little Puppit in the Empe∣rours Hand, which he could dispose of at pleasure; This Woman is enough to give a Man a Surfeit.

The other are Statuae Equestres, of 3 of the last Kings of France, in Brass a Horseback.

That on the Pont-neuf is of Henry the Fourth in his Armour bare-headed, and Habited as the Mode of that time was.

The other of Lewis the Thirteenth in the Place-Royal, Armed also after the Mode of the Age, and his Plume of Fea∣thers on his Headpiece.

The 3d is of this present King Louis the Fourteenth, and designed for the Place Vendosme. This Colossus of Brass is yet in the very place where it was cast; it is surprisingly great, being 22 foot high, the Foot of the King 26 inches in length, and all the proportions of him and the Horse suitable. There was 100000 pound weight of Mettal melted,

but it took not up above 80000 pounds; it was all cast at once, Horse and Man. Mons. Girardon told me, he wrought di∣ligently, and with almost daily applica∣tion at the Model 8 years, and there were two years more spent in the Mould∣ing, and Furnaces, and Casting of it. The King is in the Habit of a Roman Em∣peror, without Stirrups or Saddle, and on his Head a French large Periwig A-la∣mode. Whence this great Liberty of Sculpture arises, I am much to seek.

'Tis true, that in building precisely to follow the ancient manner and simplici∣ty is very commendable, because all those Orders were founded upon good Prin∣ciples in Mathematicks; but the Cloath∣ing of an Emperor, was no more, than the weak fancy of the People. For Louis le Grand to be thus dressed up at the head of his Army now a-days would be very Comical. What need other Em∣blems, when Truth may be had; as though the present Age need be ashamed of their Modes, or that the Statua E∣questris of Henry the Fourth, or Louis the Thirteenth, were the less to be valued for being done in the true Dress of their times. It seems to me to be the effect of Mistaken Flattery, but if regarded only as a Piece of meer Art, it is me-thinks

very unbecoming, and has no Graceful Air with it.

I remember I was at the Levee of King Charles the Second, when 3 Models were brought him, to choose one of, in order to make his Statue for the Court at Wind∣sor; he chose the Roman Emperours Dress, and caused it also to be executed in that other erected for him in the Old Exchange in London. The like is of K. J. in White∣hall, at Chelsey-Colledge, our Invalides. Now I appeal to all Mankind, whether in re∣presenting a living Prince now a-days these naked Arms and Legs are decent, and whether there is not a barbarity very displeasing in it. The Father of these two Kings, Charles the First, was the Prince of this Age of the best Relish, and of a sound Judgment, particularly in Painting, Sculpture, Architecture by Sea and Land, witness the vast Sum of Money he be∣stowed upon Rubens and his Disciple Vandyke. Also the great Esteem he had for the incomparable Inigo Jones, who was the first Englishman in this Age that understood Building. I heard Auzout say, when he had viewed the Banquetting-House at Whitehall, that it was preferable to all the Buildings on this side the Alpes; and I ought to believe him, he having studied Vitruvius more than 40 years to∣gether

mostly upon the place and at Rome. Also the Ship the Sovereign, which was truly the Noblest floating Castle that ever swam the Sea. Yet after all this, that King had a Statua Equestris of himself erected, now at Charingcross, cast in the full Habit of his own time, and which I think may com∣pare with the best of that sort at Paris.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Coaches.
• * 1.2

  Recreati∣ons and Walks.
• * 1.3

  Bishops.
• * 1.4

  Abbots.
• * 1.5

  Signs in the Streets.
• * 1.6

  Hostels.
• * 1.7

  The City rebuilt.
• * 1.8

  Boats upon the River.
• * 1.9

  Lawyers.
• * 1.10

  Monks.
• * 1.11

  Publick Cries.
• * 1.12

  Streets Lighted.
• * 1.13

  Streets clean.
• * 1.14

  Statues Equestres.