The Sun.
London, England, 1821-02-05 00:00:00

roam N LETiMAI U:1111.

The mu.; iatid 1-11gTJTIV or PA.r
RN, front the earliest Ag.eg to the present dayi
by J. A. DUL;AURE; Member of the Roy a 1 "E;o6ety of Anti-

quarks of Franc. Fit st Vulteii4ei

The-public ‘lll weicornd with pleasure. the
important %Vork which we announce, written
on a Subject which cv..s thought to he exhatistt d, ticcaule
it has been lilt herto hot ficially treated. •
Qui' learned Gritib, impressed with the im port anice•of his
. subjkt, as well ;is with thc;extent and severity of hi,schttiei
as an' historian, has followed an nniform arid general systetti;
in whit It he has liti;oaht tog•ether a great variety of facts, ti,-
ce`sskrily connected with. his inairtdesign, and has related them
with impartiality. and. jcnlgnient. • Properly 'speaking., it. 'is
Ihe philosophy of history, written in a luminous style, and
abounding in useful red!ctions, admirably calculaNd for the
instruction nf Kings and their subject's, avid-the itunetivenierit
of their morality. His language is simple, but concise, and
'his cOnsequenees well deduced front his t..f7inciples. His por-
traits are not flattering, nor the reverse, but faithful terry.
.sentations of trill a and nature. lie deseribeS the usages,
manners, characters, or physiognomy of every age,.frout leg:s-
lattve enactments, ill NOS, sit ppoord kid
the aiithorily.of Councils, and that of Antbors,• either cotent-
p4ary with, or who immediately followed the periods in
which those personages lived who are mentioned in the
History of Paris.
' So rich # collection must lie the frnit.of long researches, in
which the Author seerai to have put wider cant titnititio all
the chronicles and annals of the times, the. -Archives of the
Kingdom, all its- literary.-collections and politic libraries.—
Since every page contains smite rentarlishle,facts or erident,s
which deserve lobe <looted, any analysis is next to inipOsSib!e,
linwever concise be. any
are, thercriore, under the
necessity of giving only a summaty•exposition of the 1.-tilualtle
information contained in the first, volume- of this interesting
, „
coAection. •
• It comprizes six chapters divided into sections, each section
treating a different subject. The first. chapter is intitlrd
." ,51eftistic,, a,'Piiyei,•al Peerfkir
.of Paria," and ettAt
tains-a great ntauy details which arc not to he. found in any
former compilations. They relate,chtetly, first, to the G,0••
graphical situation of Paris, and its envirints, to the co,rse. .
of the hirers Seine and Bievre which run through it, to, the
ore! tlowings of the' latter at particular periods, to the rela.
live height of the waters of the Seine. measured twin 'hi!
year IMSI If, 1902; and ct tilt' rt. In pe rat ti re of this great -
Capital. ascertained by a cwo-se or meteorological oh-
serrat loos, from which it appears that,. fora continued series'
of many rears, in 9 lormost severe winters the thermometer has
riot fallen more than IS dearees•beints, Zero, and during the
hottest. SHainier it has newer .risen beyond 32 tic grecs allure
that point.; arid that the mean temperature of Paris in Soot:
mer is 13 degrees of hest, and in winter 3 or 4 degrees of
cold.

A portion of this chapter exhibits .the strata.of Paris ex
piored at various •dep-ths, its sandy, argillaccouS, or cal•
careons -lords, its fossils,. shells, animal awl .vegetable re-
mains, its quarri-rs, and cataeroubs ; these particulars are
taken. from "the tiittA 'recent and authentic sources.
The Origin 'if tlie l'arisirtx Nation is the subject of the
-secouil.chapter, tii which the author, after having exposed
the alisitrdity of the tables which make this pet'yle descend in a
direct line froni Pal is, or 'some of the families. who escaped
trout the ruins oftTrov, priives that the city of Paris is ir.ot
indebted for its name to the worship of lsis, a goddess un-
known to the ancient Gauls, among whom I'iSlt3 and Ce:r-
naunns divided the-honours with the divinities of the cap;tool;
that this city first bore the name of I,lfte!ia, of small fort,
situated on the largest of the three istatiea formed by the
Seine, where the-adjacent inhabitants deiren Irons
their own .count;-y, obtained from the t-It., Selenuncs, per
mission to settle in that island, one of the froni tars. of tile
latter people ; that these new settlers called it or,
its. chatoge in the• first • letter, Phrisii, front the- Celtic
word L.far, a frontier ; anti that in fact. they gave this town
the name of Pari.sinstead of Luielia, about the year 355, at
which-epoch Juintn, afterwards EMperar,• was the Govern,-
of Gaul.
• Our Historian gives a description, in the third chapter, of
this rising capital tinder the Itomail yoke ; sit the altiethiLlS
in its neighbourhood' ;-of tire altars, statues, inseript ions, and
Detials found there ; of the magnificent Thermal Palace built
"f7y the Emperor Constantine Chlorus, who resided id Gaul
forty years ; of a Itornan camp near this Palace, and ton fLe
very spot
,whiell is now the. Garden of the Luxembourg,
where Jtilian was proclaimed Emperor by lii-. troops, and of
a vast ceinetary winch extended from the Horse Alarket to
different quarters of the fauxtionrgs Saint Jacques and Saint
Marcel. He then proceeds to give an account of the Civil
state of Paris tinder the Romans, whets this territory was go-
verned by two Prefects, 1/14e for the Parisian Navigators, the
other for the Sa.'etiottiatts, a foreign Nita in who cilltivated
the land between Paris and the Ili% et Cute. This state. of
things, which- was at least tolerable; though not very desir•
able, tootinned until the fall of the Raman Empire in-the
West, at which disastrous -epoch the irruption of the Bat ha,
riot's and the•occupation of Gaol by the Frani.s, destroyed.
the rights of the towns-anti their-independent form of (36-
vet ti intuit.
The• fourth chapter contains a summary exposition of _the.
state if Paris, tinder the first race of Frail 4 Kings. Clovis
hating conquered a part of Gaol ft-nut the Goths and Borguti
(lions, fixed his residence at. Paris in..sbs, where he died three
years alter, leaving four sons, Moo divided his Kingdom be-
tween them. One of his sous, Cioiltielseet, assoon-il the title
of King of Paris, which descended to lois next heir, ClO-
thane, who died in 561. The latter left four children, 'Ulm-
tibert, Kin 4 of Paris, Goitttan, liiug of Burgowty,'Sigebert,
King of Metz, and Chilperic, King of Soissons. Thus tile
Alowtrehy was again divided until when I).te.obert re.
maiiied'sole toaster of Gaul, and residetl'alutost constantly at
Paris, tor near that capital. .11e was succeeded by his two
sons, S,gebert 11. and Clovis it , bath orwhoin were theu liti-•
der age. At that time the pourer of the Mayors of the Pa-
lace began to increase, to- the injary of the Itoril Authority.
Sown atte-the Barons, Counts, and Daakes assumed the an
thorny of the Sovei tign, governing' and oppressing- itie people.
with impunity, without any other laws than the will ,t Ilse
strongest.
The Bishops, who had promoted-the ambitions views of the
fruit 51..marell, and who had obtained from him great privi-
leges awl. riches, also usurped tlitor Share of the temporal
authority, and took a prominent part in the atl,Cllllls W. 11.5
waged against each other by the Princes of the first -dynasty,
and in which, contrary to the principles of natiire, the son
was-seen to contend in arms against his father, brother
against brother, and the.uncle against his nephew. . "
Nerri.theless, Christianity was already seated on the
Throne to the Franks ; but, in the absence of all knowledge,.
what moral influence could it be expected to possess ? The
atotient worship was rather disguised titan abolished; and
the new consisted only of a change of ritual observalices, in
which the first Clirstiali Heroes wei-t substituted tor the
Pagan Gads, by ;swans of a few legends, collested withmit
any gehuisie belief in the truths of Christianity, and blindly
adopted by the people. • •
IVith regret M. Dulaure is compelled to relwe the fright-
ful picture of the usisfortuneS which .overwhelmed the Na-
tion, mid the oppressions under which the .people groaited,
during the first dynasty of the Frank Kings. 'flie.‘ruelties
of Childelteet, the ungovernable passious oh-Fretlegotitle—ili
a Ovoid, au uninterrupted series of Atrocious scenes which,,
notwithstanding they are described by Gregory of Toots,
and other cotempurary.writers, scarcely credible it
we did not know that ignorance and the want of civilization
can degrade man to the lowest degree...
the filth •Cliapter,• the Author enter; on the second
dynasty of the Frank Kings. The course tot the disorders of
i lie preceding age was only suspended,-.- or rather abated
.by
the Comitiests and the Administ.:ation Acts of Chat !cologne.
('he taolocal vice yet existed in the ?monstrous form of the GO..
011 tile nullity of the fttudainental institutions,
and in the want of an egoilibrium betweeli the different
Orders of the State. l'be form of Otiverinnent introduced
by the Franks and Germans w.it atilt' preserved, and repro.
ducat all the seeds of discord and violence. This Emperor
tried in rain to restore Letters which bad (wen long loutish-
ed from leis States ; his efforts 'Doi). tended to prepare the
mind for receiving civilization at a more distant period. He
published a multitude "of laws which were badly executed
during his life-tune, lint still worse by his feeble successors, .
under
:whom the Normans coat nun ted repeated 'and great
ravages. Ile established in Gant private Schools?sear the
Episcopal residences, and Abheys. &c. P.iris a-as furnished
with several, hot there were no -regular Professors,' nor had •
it an •University before the reign of St. Lams. Ancient
Lulelia having its the 911 i •troth Anti (;enturies ceased In he
the residence of the Sovereign, lost initeh of its splendor and
preponderance. It fell under the despotic rule of
Counts, or Earls, and Vi.S.oollllt.S, two of whom-, Otho and
Conrail, took noon them tl.e kingly title. These I).akes of
France, anti Counts of Paris seized upon the richest :11/I.leyS,
Anti Ilitell assumed the title of Mho, uniting in their own
persons the. temporal and spiritual authority which they trans;
nutted to their descendants. Hugh Cava t bus inliei it ed
from' his fat her the Earldom of' Paris, the I)tietly of France
and• several •:Ittsies, the large revenues of- which pared the
way to the. Throne. 'rite other digoitaries„ Bishops or
;abbots, had usurped an unlimited jurisdiction, which they
exercised in levying taxes- acid raising trootis, in op-pressing
and plundering the frcehmlders, whom they compelled-to beat
arms, or co:idea/tad to pay exorbitant fines. l'bey, . treated

the..., btinew.en with 'mtg.., -critelt) Iliau their do.;:ellic anl•
mats: the whip, the rack, miltilltion, and death, were tin.
.ordinary pl.! nittnitentswhicti- these cinelar.ll pitiless masters
I iiiffirVai on theft slfivet rot nit, sirglitcit iiff,.,-s ,'• .,...
• . lii,tiorce•,lttilirmable thnei, ; ltisli.,. ~ .t 111//3L,1 dis Played
till' niqst arrm.-.ant Itix.irv, and tra,stornied themselves trite
fn-i'llridhli?e waiijors; itidulging in :Pt 0003 of liti'lltiotls6ess
'ind crack ici. ‘Vlien eminent .per,onat:ei.:, who Otltrl4 !t, hr
1:11t.).de1.1 Of every .virttle,, lead such 5,,--andaly,is 1‘iv.4.., can. we h.
surprk,e-il iltai 'IN ba(i vx•tintitrs set hy titeir 5E,,m1.1 IMO to
de inoralixe all of lid' ',rant:S6f Prlclct ? The st,irs. tri..t,ed -.lty
the NoC!es Were carried on at ll,e exi4)Ce of their yassals:.
th., efctofs0 ot:in clrt.. ei .1 in- their tarn, ogn:etateil the I'...'inirq:i'l
• -. ~ •
e
of ;tit, wreLlied. '.l. lie lands every where
.pillag•ed :Ind 1"0,1
.waste,,reinained noctictivated ; famine ant; the plagartput
the.fitti•ltitiK, stithe to these seour!..es; 'and ill,therspace 0,t,:14
yeals We read e.I. 'tv.',..lve rril)leble fautine4; ,arcompanied by
revolt(( it harharitici, Silt! the app,ls (mice of Se,,:i•Al•rlisor!ler..
I-which bid neer:- I.itfi>re. been he•tril of. 'lii•sucti a slate of
111'1.11;4s,- commerce and agriculture ware annihilated, The
..11arkils, of j,1,,,,,r0ic, ~yerspread the Whi.lc (If Gad!, and the
'pietntviif tliese tii...s 0111 y fails to be hidcotts, becatisi turfor-
-1 unately it ii hilt too trail.
The hist (Ampler, and (vie of the mist important iii this
V.itoote, txhibits . the state A f 'frraue under the Kings' of
'the third- ilyifasty; frion Hugh Collet, to Philip Aiigustus
.Here the abundance of liisiiii teal rfuctuneirts itas diqermined
the author to class the events pf this period under each suc-
cessive reigti, Iteaiithing witty. Robert IL surnained thei.ter7iott,
who howerer Was in open hostility against. his,fult het, flitglt
'Capri, and against whom his own Milliken tool, up arins
in their turn. Excommunicated by 11:e thunders. Of the
Church fin having repudiated' his wife, be was not tle less
ardent in fountlimg„,ieligions 'noinuments• ills t,igit, Mill
that of the Princes who succeeded him, ex'ai 'it only a olisittre
of Inithai Iry add super:titiuns. . 'il:c civil state of the king.-
. (loin iiiiderjvcrit 110 sensible antenatal iiii, except Liiat the Mo-
narchs sot(' Jo stimelowns the right, which they could not
however always grim-al:tee to -them, of governing themselves;
buca)se the existence of the'rendal system: intestine wars,
and the frequt"!tit incursions of I he'Normatis, Were eternal (lb-
.stacies to any «saint itiliolitiiiii. The. Criisarlei then began,
and occasiutied the fustitution of the Knights Tim)plats, and
the Order (if Saiht Sepulchre.
Y.•t in the midst of these dirk cetifuries, the Capital Sent
forth a ten gliminer,ings of light and 'Knowledge Ifront the
.schoots of "the famous Ahelard and h's zealous 'flsciples.--,,
`x race begun to be cultivated . because it led to 'honnitri,
and while it mitigated file miseries of the times it ampunced
the aurora of nipre serene days : thus out faithful Hi,,tiCriat.
110111, i,,,t the. rt,r,)t lint the progress of,civilization wilt
reinter, limier his pencil, the picture of Manners fuss gloOnly
and uttifhrtn.

SPOI3.TING l i PELIAG ENCE,

FOR. TILE PItEiENT

'11)e Q.‘ortnicin' Manna.; nici,t on Wrilnt.sday, at -Widmer-
pool ; Ttiot,lay, at Winwswold ;• Satnr:l at Bunny.
" 'llw. Pytchlel Hoonds,• 011 'Tuesday, at Lamport; Friday,
at Badliv ; rday,,at Itthhtom,
'I he .
htilitt: of Grafton's ll'ountis, on Wednesday,' at Gay.
ton ; Friday, at Einford Wood. _ • ' •

. _
The otl ley Hotta,ls, oi► l'iiursday, at Weston Wood ; Sa-
turday, at Ao..cood fluty.
• Lard Aniaii's bounds, an Tiirscl-ty, at Draektow Fri-
day. at o.basta.a; Saturday, at Fishers Mill; Manday, at
Sit itt ltridee.

' The tt'oree..tersiiire Fox [founds, on Weditestlay, at Kio-
fair ('iiitre ; Friday. at. Bvlltimitgliton %Tillage.
The Eaki of Derby's titat; I:111110s meet on Tnestlay, at
-Foxley; Thur3day, at the Hundred Acres; Saturday, at Ep-
som I).iwns.

H. Jollillr, Esq.'s Fox Lionntis, on Wqdne“,lay, at Platt's
Green; N,it.orday,
,at Chipsicati Cloud).
The ,urrey,F,;x 'Hounds, on T:11.1184.14y, at Ozted ;
}';iiat VCII. • • •
'The flarricrOneet tvery day.

. ,
• The Slieth rd Harrirr,, . . ..pi Frlday, at, Food
I,old.clibronzzli's Fos Lion id,, %i'edneday, at Stain-
ton t% nod ; Friday, at (Irove
The 14.41 X. 1401111,14,- on Toesday, at Sherwood
Ball ; Tow .day, at SAydafi 1141; Y4atoi'daY: at Ilickletott.
The tlatticid Harriers, OLI \‘'dnesd.t:',-, at lioiry r Friday.
at Hatt:itid.

DESTfiUcTION OF TIII. CA-x.roN PRIN I'ING-OFFICE;

LIVERPOOL

1 This extensive building, situate on Copperas.
1
hill, has, we.are sorry to state, been.. t;ompletely
destroyed by fire, with nearly the whole of the
stock it contained. The following, .as far as we
have been able to collect them, are the particu-
Lars or this sad catastrophe.
Tuesday morning, between one and two o'clock,
as the captain of the watli as gain ;.his round,
he discovered lire to- issue from a window in the
north-end, of the building. lie immediately
gate an Rhino,' and a crowd soon coll-,cied
on the spot. From the first, the destruction
of the premises appeared inevitable. The
lire raged with' extraordinary violence,, and
spread with- amazing rapidity through the
whole range of the building. The paper 'in
the different rooms fed., the flames, and, in little
more than half an horn` after the discovery of the
accident, the three upper stories were in a perfect
blaze. The devouring element soon worked
its way downwards to the third story, and.about
three -o'clock the whole of this immense pile of
buildings presented one sheet of flame. The roof
fell in soon afterwards.

• Very little of the immense stock on these ex-
terilive premiSes has been saved. The .contia-
gration was- too rapid to allow time or opportu-
nity for saving any considerable part of it. Cop:-
per-plates -to a considerable amount, have, how-
ever, been saved, as well as. most of the account
books, bills c 4 parcels, &c. Some paper:was also
saved, but, in so daniaged.a. state as to '1).: unfit
for. use. MI the types and Presses are dent
We have not heard how this 'awful calamity
originated. son -of Mr. Fisher went, as
usual, through the different rooms, between eight
and nitre o'clock, and 'at that time all was safe.—
The building was heated by steam, and the man
who attended the engine alSo. went round the
rooms, without a candle, and he too found all safe.
It is supposed the calamity was caused by the
snuff from a candle, which, being thrown care-
lessly on the flotir, or left burning in the 'snuffers,
after stwnildering for several hours, set fire to
some pk!per near it, and eventually involved the
premise: in flames. •
The establishment thus unfortunately destroy-
ed was• the most extensive publiCation warehouse
in the United Kingdom. The stock and Pre-
thises'were insured for 36,000/. ; but weknoW
not whether this -sum will cover the actual loss.
By the calamity, nearly one hundred. indiiduals
are deprived of the means of-gaining a livelihbod
by their industry.—(Leeds Mereuu.). •

Lord C.ISTLERENGII gave a 'splendid entertain-
Ment yesterday, at his house, St. James'-s.squ'are,
to upwards of forty distinguished Members of
the.Holltie,Of Commons, including several of the
Cabinet Ministers.

The 85th regiment.Witl march into Portsmouth
garriAon, from Brighton, in a few days, and em-
bark for the Mediterranean.

Fro,n the mildness of the season, vegetation is
scarcely ever remembered in so forward,a state as
at present. In the gardens round. London,' the
lilac trees are generally in bloom; and primroses
have been cried about the streets. ,

Several dogs have lately been affected with hy-
drOphohia in the City of Exeter and its vicinity,
in consequence of which the Mayor has ordered
all dogs to be confined for at least a month.