Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-11-10
an d sword, Of Henri ". are also seen in. this


| apartment 49,
| In gallery 2, you find specimens of every Of
fensiye warlike implement that has ever been
knownsto Christendom; bill hooks, battle axes,
two handed swords, .ances, without number.
Then comes regular succession Of improve
ments in fire arms, from the rudest match lock,
70 the carabyne ofthe hundred Swiss. which It
Sc ems are thought in France to be the chefs
d'ouyre in such inventions. Models of artillery,
pontoons, furnaces, carriages, military kitchens,
cassions; in shortevery thing whichbelongs 10
war, from drum 10 a mortar, is to beSseen in
this museum.
In addition to these more useful and beauti-
fully arranged munitions, there are certain ar
morics, which contained pistols, fusees and
swords, that are rather curious from their his.
tory or their exceeding richness, than from their
formation. Such is the dagger by which Henri
IV.was assassinated; weapon about as large
and not unlike the middle sized straight dirk,
rather thin than broad IN the blade; weapon
at least twice too long for the wicked Office for
which ii was selected; as a blade OF five inch.
es is more dangerous than one Of ten. There
is strange piece of coquetry about the exhi-
bition OF this dagger. 1t is covered with Grape,
and so placed in the amoire, that in order to
see it you must get into certain light, as if
they wished it to escape general observation, a,
the time it might be seen. / have neither time
nor paper to tell you a hundredth part Of the
beautiful things which these armories contain;
swords, pistols poignards, fusils, garnished
with diamonds, rubies, Jasper; in short, as rich
as money and cost can make them Like the
fire arms, they are Of all nations and ages
There also are the dress swords Of the kings,
princes, marichaux and generals, down TO those
Of private foot soldiers, in short, il is muse
um that mus be seen more than once 10 be seen
thoroughly, and which, unless ii, be seen can
never be imagined. You find here the baton
and dress sword Of marichel, and the KNAPP
sack and cutlass of foot soldier. A baton, is
circular case, about 90 inches in length and
perhaps % or in diameter; it is covered with
blue or purple velvet, sprinkled with feur de
lys in gold; ii opens like any tube which is
made to contain needles, and | presume is in
tended to hold plans of the ground ORDERS al
least such suppose to be the porty Of its uses.
went, also, 10 see the book store Of Monsi-
eur Bossange Pere. There is strange con-
tradiction in every thing which concerns this
people. 1t is rare TO find dwelling house clean
much less neat and III good taste, and yet you
find shops frequently kept in the incest order;
such is the fact with the Llbrarla OF Monsieur
Bossange. The establishments positively Ell
egant. He has paintings, statuary orrerles, and
saloon for reading; but what attracted my at
tention most were two books, that | will ven
ture to say are unrivalletl. One is in plain Eng
lish, Romish Psalm Book; il is of the age OF
Louis XIV. and Illuminated with delicacy Of
coloring and beauty Of drawing that cannot be
described with pen. Mr.. Bossanse had this
book spendidly bound and offered 10 the pres
ent king as gift on his coronation; it was re-
fused. because he would not name price. his
work is said to have cost 5000 dollars. The
other is Magma Charta, beautifully written ON
yellum This is pronounced TO be the most
splenddly bound book in the world. til con
one Of the richest books, itself, that can easily
be imagined. When this is opened, the thin
volume makes its appearance, embellshed with
a delicacy, accuracy, and intricacy OF workman.
ship that surpasses the powers OF description
This book, Of some thirty pages, cost 5000 dol
lars was was told it had been made 10 the
order of a spendthift English duke, who was un-
able or unwilling to pay for il, and it has since,
singuarly enough, become the property OF
Frenchman.
Europe seems on the eve Of another mighty
struggle. France appears quiet, but the know
ing ones say that the appearance is deceltiu'.
think myself that war will take place between
Russia and Turkey. Its said here that france
and England will unite TO keep the power OF
the former country within salutary limits Mr.
Canning is here and in good favor. The king
is not liked; but his successor, the dauphin, is
rather popular, being considered thoroughly
honest man..