The Sun.
London, England, 1825-04-13 00:00:00

LITERARY NOTICE.

The 11/STORY of PARIS from the earliest Period to the
present Day, containing a Description of its Antiquities,
Public Buildings, &c. Three Vols Bro. London, 1826.
Will it be believed that this is the first at-
tempt to give to the British public a general. His-
tory of Paris ? yet such, we are assured, is tl.e
case, however extraordinary it may seem. " Bet-
late than never" is an old proverb, and a true One,
an-el we are therefore thankful to the author for
thus supplying a desideratum in our literature.
The work commences with a general history of
Paris, tracing its progress from the time when
the Parish, who had been driven from Belgium,
settled on the 10[111(19a the Seine, to the present
day. It is curious to see front what slender be-
ginnings cities ;Ind even kingdoms are formed.
The whole territory of the Parish at first was
limited to some ten or twelve leagues, and the
present city of Paris consisted then of a few
wretched huts. The Author describes nit the
prin ci pa 1 public buildings of every description,
and introduces many interesting anecdotes con-
nected with the revolution. In the third volume
there is much curious statistical information ; and
the work is such that it will soon find its way
into every good Library. The Author gives a
very interesting account of the Prisons, and of
the horrible system that formerly governed them.
We have little room for extracts, but shall quote
two passages.
In the Prison du Grand Chatelet, the most
wanton tortures appear to have been committed :
" In the accounts of the pre/tote of Paris, there is this ar-
ticle : Brass pulley for-the use of the prison de la Fosse, at
the Chatelet. It appears that the prisoners were lowered into.
the dungeon, named la Fosse`, by an opening contrived in the
vault, in the same manner as a bucket descends into a well.
" Perhaps this fosse was the same that was called Chaaiss2e
d'Hypocras, where the prisoners' feet were in water, and they
could neither stand upright nor lie down. Its forM must have
been that of an inverted cone. In general, the prisoners con-
fined here died after a fortnight's detention.
" Another dungeon, filled with ordure and reptiles, was
c4.111%3 Fin d'Aise. In short, most of the names of these prisons,
• and especially Lei Oubliettes, present a dreadful idea of them
to the mind. This prison was demolished in 1802, with the
other buildings of the Chatelet."
The following custom is related in the account
of the Church of Notre Dame :
" In 1449, some notable personages, master goldsmiths of
Paris, agreed, as an act of devotion, to present annually, on the
first of May, at might, a May before the principal door of this
Church. They elected a Prince M one year only, who was to
settle the expences of the said May.
" The May was placed on a pillar in the form of a taber-
nacle, in the several faces of which were smalrniches, occupied
by different figures of silk, gold, and silver, representing cer-
tain histories, and below them were explanatory inscriptions in
French Terse. The May remained at the great door from
midnight till after vespers the next day, when it was transport-
ed, together with the pillar, before the image of the Virgin, near
the chair, and the old May of the preceding year was removed
into the Chapel of St. Anne, to be kept there also a year. This
ceremony was regularly observed till 1607, when the goldsmiths
presented to the Church a triangular tabernacle of wood, very
curiously wrought, in which three paintings were inclosed ;
these paintings were changed annually, and the old ones hung
up in the Chapel of St. Anne."

CATHOLIC QUETION.

I must have liberty withal,
As wide a charter as the.wind, to blow
On what I please. SHAKISPEAII

Whatever opinions may be formed of the policy
of granting the claims of the Roman Catholics,
it will not be denied that those who are adverse
to these claims have a constitutional right to de-
clare their aversions, and to petition the Legis-
lature
Established Church, in particular, have a
!attire against their concession. The Clergy of
peculiar right to express their sentiments on a
subject that so deeply concerns them, and to 4'
ploy all their influence in opposing a measure
Khich they conscientiously think might be
destructive to the interests of. that Church
which they are called on to support. Wu
are not aware of any circumstance in their si-
tuation or character, that ought to deprive them
of this immunity. WV are incessantly dunned by
the Whigs on this subject—the right of petition-
ing—which they affect to be so zealous about on
other occasions. But it would now appear that
this privilege is ouly to he exercised when the
petitions are agreeable to the spirit and genius of
modern Wrhiggism. All other petitions, from any
class of the community, are to be treated with
obloquy and contempt, and the petitioners are to
be intimidated from approaching Parliament by
the most scurrilous observations on their con-
duct. It. is precisely in this way that the
petitions of the Established Clergy against the
Catholic claims have been treated, though if
their retitions had been of another character,
we
have no doubt the petitioners would have
met with a I,9ry different reception from those
pretended friends to free discussion and inde-
pendent conduct. Thus, it is reported, that Lord
King, ou the presentation of a petition from the
Cl,.rgy of Bath, observed
that he thought the
Rev. Animals (the Clergy !) should be converted
into mummies, and embalmed into their own, peti-
tions.' This piece of ribald wit, thank. God is
no argument against a reputable body of pious
men : at the same time it is a striking proof of
the liberality and moderation of the noble cen-
surer ! We are much pleased to observe thatiu
compliance with the wishes of a
numerous body
of
the Clergy, the Archdeacon of York convened
a 'actinic at Wakefield for the pUri,;„,,, of
titioning Parliament upon the Subject
of:
the
z:a.
tholic Claims.— 4 (Le" IndePeadvlo