noble piece of road as that which led up, as he apprehended, to the Arc de l'Etoile, nor anything so beautiful as the feathery fountain then playing before them."

I

"It is very beautiful," said Mr. Egerton; "in fact I like it better than the very grand jets d'eau, which you will see to-morrow. do not like you to see the most splendid part of Paris, perhaps of Europe-by an imperfect light, what do you think of this Charles?"

"Oh, papa, I am quite delighted! Everything is so grand, and so droll at the same time. They may well call this place Champs Elysées, for here are trees worthy of Paradise."

"In my eyes they are a parcel of green sticks," said Frederick; "to you, who live at Hampstead, and are often at Richmond, I should think the very best amongst them might seem like a sprig of parsley; no, no, praise the works of man as much as you please in this spot, but Nature has done as little as possible."

Why," added Emily, "there is not any

grass all over the place! It is as different from our parks as possible?"

"How could grass grow under the feet of so many people?"

"But they might put gravel, Charles; at present there is nothing but dust, and if a shower should come, what could all these show people do?"

Charles thought for a moment and then said, "If I were a king, I would put good gravel all over it ;" and many a time afterwards, during his stay in Paris, did he again conclude, "If I were a king, I would do so and so."

CHAPTER III.

THE following morning being very fine, the young people eagerly besought their willing father to take them to the palace of the Tuileries, which they had seen in the distance the evening before. All preferred walking, except Mrs. Egerton, who went in

a citadine, a neat carriage, which enabled her to proceed without fatigue to the Place Louis XV., where the rest of the party joined her.

Arrived at this spot, Mr. Egerton caused the young folks to survey every object of especial interest; but not until they had sufficiently taken in the splendid coup-d'œil before and around them.

"Here we all stand in the Place Bourbon," said Mr. Egerton; "gazing on such an assemblage of magnificent and well-assorted objects as no other spot can exhibit: yet, in this very place, was the horrible guillotine first set up! Here has royal, virtuous, and innocent blood flowed like water! But, let us forget it for the present, and enjoy the magnificent objects before us. The brightness of the sun renders the play of these fine fountains singularly beautiful.”

"Surely, dear sir, this magnificent relic is that which was brought from Luxor. How fine are its proportions !-how curious the hieroglyphics by which it is covered," observed Frederick.

"I do not see why the French should have such a piece of antiquity, and us English have none," said Charles grumbling. "One of the needles of Cleopatra, or else Pompey's Pillar, was given to us long since; and surely our mechanics and our ships are as equal to bringing it home as those of even this proud city."

"I should think they were, Charles; but, in truth, we have never been blessed by a government zealous for the possession or protection of the fine arts," replied his father.

"Nor cursed with one anxious to despoil their neighbours," said Mrs. Egerton mildly. "Since those wonderful memorials of ancient Egypt, now in the British Museum, were given to us, the Pacha of Egypt has become enlightened as to the worth of those wonderful relics which draw travellers from all lands to his country; and he may have thrown. difficulties in the way, being a selfish, though clever old man."

"These two beautiful and elaborate fountains are, I believe, copies from those allowed to be the finest in Rome."

"They are very splendid, but those which consist of water only please me as well; witness the fine column now springing in the sheet of water before us. You see, the whole of this grand place is surrounded by statues, at each of which we must look; but, before we walk, pray remark those magnificent buildings on either hand. That to the right is the Palais Bourbon, or Chamber of Deputies, answering to our House of Commons: the portico is very elegant,—we will examine it by and by. To the left is the church of St. Madeleine, generally considered the finest building in Paris, as a specimen of Grecian architecture."

"But, surely, it is not like a church, papa?" said Emily.

"Not like any you have ever seen, my love; nor, in my eyes, does it show the characteristics of veneration and seclusion desirable to a building dedicated to devotion; but here, and indeed everywhere, it is a beautiful object."

They now walked slowly half round what is called the fer-à-cheval (horse-shoe), admiring