The books number between three and four millions—which is I believe double the number of the books in the British museum of London! The entire pile of buildings between four streets on four sides,—Richlue, Colbert, Vivienne and Petits Champs,—is hardly sufficient to contain this enormous collection.
Coming back now to the Boulevards and proceeding to the east again, we soon come to the arches of St. Denis and St. Martin, Arches of Louis XIV.built by Louis XIV., to celebrate his victories,—but since eclipsed by the loftier and finer Arc de Triomphe, built to commemorate the grander victories of Napoleon.
We continue our eastward journey by the Boulevards and soon come to the fine statue of the Republic. Not far from it is the Place de la Bastille of which we have spoken before.
We have now finished our account of Paris north of the Seine, except that one or two places to the extreme north and east deserve a passing mention. Montmatre.The heights of Montmatre, are at the extreme north of Paris, and being the highest part of the town are visible from every other part. These heights have played an important part in French history. The last struggles of the French army against the allied armies of 1815, took place here, and here again in 1871, the Communists began that insurrection which deluged the town in blood and ruined her finest buildings and treasures.
