MARSEILLES, a city of the south of France, on the Mediterranean Sea, the capital of the department of the Bouches du Rhone, 102 posts or 500 miles from Paris. It is asserted to be the most ancient city of Europe, having been founded by a colony of Greek Phocians 560 years before the Christian era, at which time it bore the name of Massilia. After some struggles with the scattered tribes which before inhabited the country, the city was formed into an independent commercial republic. In process of time, from commerce having increased its wealth, it became a warlike naval power in confederacy with Rome, before that city had established a fleet. In this state it made war with the Carthaginians, and so successfully, that, according to Strabo, the citadel and the temple of Diana in Massilia were encumbered with the booty captured by their fleet. Whilst the Gauls under Brennus were besieging Rome, the Massilians were enabled to send to their allies large sums of money, which were returned after Camillus had saved the city. The prosperity of Massilia then rapidly advanced, and was displayed by the erection of several other cities in the vicinity, such as Nice, Antibes, Olbia, Tauroentum, Cythariste(now Ciotat), Agatha (now Agde), Stomaline, and several others on the shores of Spain. Besides these cities on the coast, they established many in the interior of the country, such as Gla-num (now St Remo), Pertuis, Tarascon, Avignon, Valson, and several others, where markets were held for the disposal of the products of the country, as well as for those foreign commodities which the commerce of Massilia brought to its haven. This advance of prosperity was continued by the effect it produced on the agriculture of the country surrounding the newly-planted cities, and led to the construction of roads, and of improved means of navigating through the various mouths of the Rhone. After[7:14:261] the capture and destruction of Tyre by Alexander the Great, Marseilles for a time divided with Carthage the commerce which had previously centred in that depot; and when afterwards Alexandria shared in that trade, the Massilians extended their commercial expeditions through the pillars of Hercules, to the western coast of Africa, where they procured slaves; they found their way to the Cassiterides, or Cornwall, where they procured tin, and even to the Baltic Sea, where they were attracted by the hope of procuring amber.

Marseilles with its establishments constituted a rich republic, and in its alliance with Rome partook of the victories gained by the imperial city on the territory of Carthage, till the ultimate conquest of the great capital of Northern Africa; but, in the security derived from its union with Rome, it suffered its naval and land forces to decline, and sunk in consequence of those indulgences in luxury which its great wealth had enabled it to enjoy. In this state, when the civil wars between Pompey and Caesar broke out, Marseilles, having adhered to the senate, of which Pompey was the head, was exposed to the hostilities of Caesar, who, after a long defence, made himself master of the city; and though he left it in possession of some of its privileges, yet, taking from it all power over the various colonies it had formed, its commerce decayed, and its wealth gradually diminished. In these circumstances the nominal independence of the city was preserved, and under the tranquillity thus maintained it became a rival in learning and science with the schools of Athens. The youth of Rome repaired thither to study eloquence and the dialectic arts, and it was long celebrated as the most distinguished place for the acquisition of medical knowledge.

With the gradual fall of the Roman empire, Marseilles only felt the effect in a slight degree. The Christian religion was introduced in the fourth century, but the inhabitants, being still Greeks, adhered to that division of the church, till in the next century they embraced the Roman church, and about the year 420 yielded obedience to Pope Boniface.

When Gaul was overrun by the Goths, this city shared in the common fate. It was a municipality under Theodoric, and so continued till the time of Charles Martel, when it was assailed by the Saracens, invited by a general named Mauronte, who had been appointed governor or duke by Charles, but who aspired to independence, and hoped to maintain it by the aid of the Mahommedans. This attempt was however frustrated, and at length the Saracens were repelled and tranquillity restored.

Under the princes of the Carlovingian race, Marseilles became distinguished as the place at which the several embassies, such as those of Constantine Copronymus, and the popes Stephen and Adrian in the reign of Pepin, and of the caliphs of Bagdad and Cordova in the reign of Charlemagne, were landed in France. Under the government of the latter prince the commerce and industry of this place revived; but its chief commerce was then restricted to the intercourse with Catalonia, with Italy, and the Levant. This gleam of prosperity, however, was transient, for under Louis le Débonnaire, when all the springs of the government were relaxed, and anarchy tore in pieces the cities and towns, clouds of pirates swarmed on the coasts, captured the vessels, and frequently landed on the shores of Provence, destroying with fire and sword whatever they encountered.

Through the many changes that have since taken place, it is not necessary to distinguish the history of this city from that of France in general, except to remark, that during the revolution it was much distinguished by its adherence to the most violent of the parties of the republican class, and that its representatives in the national convention were as remarkable for their eloquence as for the fate which attended them.

Having thus described the ancient history of this interesting city, we arrive at the notice of its present state. As the first mercantile city of France, it owes much of its importance to its local position. It is situated in a bay of the same name, which is formed by the two points of Cape Couronne and Cape Croisette, which are distant from each other fifteen miles, the extreme of the former being high land, and of the latter very low. On the east side of the bay are several rocky islands, which are dangerous without an experienced pilot. Within the bay are ports for anchoring till the winds serve for entering the harbour; and there are also some small havens, viz. Port Miou, two leagues east of Cape Croisette; Cassio, a large village, from whence fruits and wine are exported; and Ciotat, a considerable place, in a cove, with an island before it, and a pier haven for small craft. It is celebrated for the excellence of its Muscat wine, and is a place where many small vessels are constructed.

The port of Marseilles has in front of its entrance the island of Chateau d’If, which is fortified on all sides, on the north-west of which is the passage. This is defended by the citadel called St Nicholas, which has four bastions, and a fort on an eminence, called Nôtre Dame de la Garde. The harbour lies in the centre of the town, and is esteemed one of the safest and most convenient in the Mediterranean. It is covered from the sea by a point of land, and chains are fastened to pillars at two forts, which effectually secure the entrance. At this entrance there is a depth of water of from sixteen to twenty feet, and everywhere within not less than sixteen. On the outside of the chain there are from four to fivefathoms, where ships may anchor if prevented from getting in, which only occurs when the wind is easterly. This harbour forms a basin 525 fathoms in length and 150 in breadth, on the east side of which are docks for the galleys, whilst in every part there are commodious quays, and storehouses for goods. It is capable of conveniently receiving 900 vessels, which are not visible from the sea. The water within is not sufficiently deep for the larger ships of war, and such must consequently anchor without the entrance.

The city, which surrounds this capacious haven, was protected by walls and ditches; but these have been destroyed, and the sites converted into pleasing promenades bordered by elegant dwellings. It is in the form of a square, and is divided into the old and the new town. The former is situated on an eminence, and consists of narrow, crooked streets, with mean houses, but is the most populous part. The latter is on the south and the east side of the harbour, has broad, straight, well-paved streets, and contains many very handsome houses. The pavement is good, and in most parts small streams of water run, by which the streets and the dwellings are kept in a cleanly condition. An ancient aqueduct supplies water to a reservoir, and to several fountains; but it is said to be decaying, and other establishments are in contemplation for improving or renewing it.

The public edifices are numerous, and some of them magnificent. The cathedral is one of them, although Marseilles has ceased to be an episcopal city, having been since 1801 comprehended in the diocese of Aix. Besides it there are several other Catholic churches, also one, lately built, for Protestants, two for Greeks, and a synagogue for the Jews. The most remarkable civil buildings are the townhall, called the Prefecture, a vast pile, and connected with others, in which are preserved all the ancient archives of the city. The palace of justice, an irregular . but large building. The prison at the Port d’Aix, much improved in 1823; joined to which, forming on the whole a large square, are the barracks. The customhouse and the tri- [7:14:262]; bunaľof commerce, formerly the Jesuits’ College. The establishments of a sanitary nature are highly appropriate. The lazaretto is an extensive and commodious building, with good apartments for the different classes of persons received into it, and extensive storehouses for goods, which are highly necessary where the quarantine laws must be enforced. In the year 1825 a new access was formed to the building, so as to bring it in connection with the harbour by means of a canal without any contact with the habitations; and it has been finished by a new magnificent gate called Dieu-donné. Whilst preventive measures have been thus provided for, due establishments for the cure of diseases have not been neglected. The hospitals are very numerous for the reception of the sufferers under various maladies. The Hotel-Dieu receives all poor persons, except those who have venereal, chronic, or incurable complaints. The number relieved in the year is about 2500, besides which, food and lodging during three days is afforded to all distressed persons who come with passports of indigence or of disease. La Charité is of a more general nature, and commonly contains 850 persons under cure. La Maternité receives females in the seventh month of their pregnancy, and supports them till their delivery. This is a new establishment, commenced in 1823, and has usually about 130 mothers. There are other hospitals, one for foundlings with about 600, another for insane persons with 150 patients, and several smaller ones, all regulated by a board of commissioners nominated by the government. There are also several voluntary associations for visiting and relieving those who are sick or otherwise distressed, and also a Mont de Pieté and savings bank.

The literary societies of this city are the Academy of Painting, Sculpture, and Architecture, founded in 1725, which has published seventeen volumes of its proceedings, and now annually distributes two prizes for the best composition on these subjects; another is the Musée des Tableaux, which has a good collection of paintings, some of the French school, but more the work of Flemish or Italian painters. It has also a collection of ancient marbles, some valuable engravings, and a most extensive collection of rare medals, comprising series of those of the Greek cities, of the Roman consuls, of the emperors, and of the sovereigns of Provence. The library belonging to this institution is very large, said to contain 90,000 volumes and 2000 manuscripts. The botanic garden is connected with the Musée, and serves as a winter promenade. It contains between three and four thousand exotic and indigenous plants. A part enclosed is reserved for those plants which are not yet familiarized to the climate.

The Jesuits founded an astronomical observatory, but, by the circumstances which have occurred since the expulsion of that society, it has been frequently destitute of a director. It was closed in 1822, but projects are on foot for the re-establishment and activity of the institution.

The institutions for the higher branches of knowledge are the Royal College for the study of belles lettres and the ancient languages, two seminaries for ecclesiastical learning, a school of commerce, one of navigation, and one of surgery and medicine. There are several boarding schools, convents for females, and numerous, but not suffi-cently numerous, schools for the first elements of instruction.

Marseilles is, next to Paris, the most τ populous city of France. According to the official report of May 1832, of the population of the kingdom in the previous year, the arrondissement of Marseilles contained 145,115 inhabitants; but it was found at prior periods that one fiftieth part of the population was without the city in small villages. Deducting, then, that proportion, the whole of the inhabitants in 1831 must have been about 116,110, and may now, in 1836, be 120,000.

According to an account given by the magistracy a few years since, there were then 27,370 families, who were thus classed:
[table]

Not to give too long a table of figures, we select a year in the middle of a period of twenty to show the movement of the population. At that time the births were 1777 males, and 1645 females, thus together 3422; the deaths of both sexes 3504, and the marriages 970. Of the children born, 647 were illegitimate; of these, 109 were acknowledged, and 538 abandoned.

Though the higher classes of the population speak the French language, the great mass make use of the Provençal, and understand no other. It is a compound of Greek, Latin, Catalan, and French, with many words, especially those relating to fishing and other naval things, and to agriculture, which cannot be traced to either of those tongues, but are supposed to be derived from some more ancient and original language. The commerce of this city has undergone great changes, and has suffered much by the revolution. Before 1791 there was a great trade with the colonies, with the Levant, with India, and America, to which it then exported cloths, soap, leather, and salt fish. The chief trade, however, then as well as now, was with Italy. At present many persons are occupied in manufactories, the chief of which are the following. There are more than a hundred makers of soap, with 400 furnaces, who employ nearly 2400 persons. The component parts, consisting of Provence oil and of soda, are produced within the department. The tanners are forty, and employ upwards of 400 workmen. They use the hides brought from Buenos Ayres, as well as those of the neighbourhood, and obtain the skins of sheep, goats, and kids, either from the department, or from Corsica and Sardinia. The greater part of the leather is exported to Italy. The making of hats employs about 600 workmen, who usually produce to the number of 20,000, which supplies the inhabitants of the city, and the remainder are shipped, some to Spain and others to the colonies. The spinning of cotton by machinery has been recently introduced. Formerly the cotton thread was imported from the Levant, but now some is sent there from Marseilles, with hopes of an increased demand. This branch of industry has upwards of twenty establishments, and employs between five and six thousand workmen. The manufactures of soda and of sulphuric acid, some other chemical, and some perfumery articles, employ more than a thousand hands. The making of caps for the use of the Africans, distinguished by the name otTunisan caps, occupies the labour of 7500 persons, of whom 1500 work in the shops, and 6000 in their own houses. There is a coral fishery on the coast, and much of that substance is found on the shores of Spain, of Sardinia, and at Calle in Africa. It is prepared in this city for ornamental purposes, and Paris is supplied from hence, as well as the more distant foreign markets. Nearly a thousand persons [7:14:263]are engaged in these operations. There are, upon a small scale, sugar refineries, paper-mills, glass-houses, and some other manufacturing establishments, which might be noticed. The fishery, and the preserving of fish by salting or by smoking, is an abundant source of occupation; to which must be added the building and equipping of vessels of all sizes, and supplying them with sailors.

As it appears desirable to account for so large a population existing in one spot, more attention has in this case been given to the means of procuring subsistence than has been devoted to other cities of the same rank; more especially as in Marseilles the number of deaths appears in a series of twenty years to have exceeded the number of births by more than ten per cent.; a fact which scarcely appears in any other large city of Europe.