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Rue de la Cossonnerie； the ladder of the Croix…du…Trahoir； in its square always black with people； the circular buildings of the wheat mart； the fragments of Philip Augustus's ancient wall； which could be made out here and there； drowned among the houses； its towers gnawed by ivy； its gates in ruins； with crumbling and deformed stretches of wall； the quay with its thousand shops； and its bloody knacker's yards； the Seine encumbered with boats； from the Port au Foin to Port…l'Evêque； and you will have a confused picture of what the central trapezium of the Town was like in 1482。
With these two quarters； one of H？tels； the other of houses； the third feature of aspect presented by the city was a long zone of abbeys； which bordered it in nearly the whole of its circumference； from the rising to the setting sun； and； behind the circle of fortifications which hemmed in Paris； formed a second interior enclosure of convents and chapels。 Thus； immediately adjoining the park des Tournelles； between the Rue Saint…Antoine and the Vielle Rue du Temple； there stood Sainte…Catherine； with its immense cultivated lands； which were terminated only by the wall of Paris。 Between the old and the new Rue du Temple； there was the Temple； a sinister group of towers； lofty； erect； and isolated in the middle of a vast； battlemented enclosure。 Between the Rue Neuve…du… Temple and the Rue Saint…Martin； there was the Abbey of Saint…Martin； in the midst of its gardens； a superb fortified church； whose girdle of towers； whose diadem of bell towers； yielded in force and splendor only to Saint…Germain des Prés。 Between the Rue Saint…Martin and the Rue Saint… Denis； spread the enclosure of the Trinité。
Lastly； between the Rue Saint…Denis； and the Rue Montorgueil； stood the Filles…Dieu。 On one side； the rotting roofs and unpaved enclosure of the Cour des Miracles could be descried。 It was the sole profane ring which was linked to that devout chain of convents。
Finally； the fourth compartment； which stretched itself out in the agglomeration of the roofs on the right bank； and which occupied the western angle of the enclosure； and the banks of the river down stream； was a fresh cluster of palaces and H？tels pressed close about the base of the Louvre。 The old Louvre of Philip Augustus； that immense edifice whose great tower rallied about it three and twenty chief towers； not to reckon the lesser towers； seemed from a distance to be enshrined in the Gothic roofs of the H？tel d'Alen？on； and the Petit…Bourbon。 This hydra of towers； giant guardian of Paris； with its four and twenty heads； always erect； with its monstrous haunches； loaded or scaled with slates； and all streaming with metallic reflections； terminated with wonderful effect the configuration of the Town towards the west。
Thus an immense block； which the Romans called ~iusula~； or island； of bourgeois houses； flanked on the right and the left by two blocks of palaces； crowned； the one by the Louvre； the other by the Tournelles； bordered on the north by a long girdle of abbeys and cultivated enclosures； all amalgamated and melted together in one view； upon these thousands of edifices； whose tiled and slated roofs outlined upon each other so many fantastic chains； the bell towers； tattooed； fluted； and ornamented with twisted bands； of the four and forty churches on the right bank； myriads of cross streets； for boundary on one side； an enclosure of lofty walls with square towers （that of the University had round towers）； on the other； the Seine； cut by bridges； and bearing on its bosom a multitude of boats； behold the Town of Paris in the fifteenth century。
Beyond the walls； several suburban villages pressed close about the gates； but less numerous and more scattered than those of the University。 Behind the Bastille there were twenty hovels clustered round the curious sculptures of the Croix…Faubin and the flying buttresses of the Abbey of Saint… Antoine des Champs； then Popincourt； lost amid wheat fields； then la Courtille； a merry village of wine…shops； the hamlet of Saint…Laurent with its church whose bell tower； from afar； seemed to add itself to the pointed towers of the Porte Saint… Martin； the Faubourg Saint…Denis； with the vast enclosure of Saint…Ladre； beyond the Montmartre Gate； the Grange… Batelière； encircled with white walls； behind it； with its chalky slopes； Montmartre； which had then almost as many churches as windmills； and which has kept only the windmills； for society no longer demands anything but bread for the body。 Lastly； beyond the Louvre； the Faubourg Saint… Honoré； already considerable at that time； could be seen stretching away into the fields； and Petit…Bretagne gleaming green； and the Marché aux Pourceaux spreading abroad； in whose centre swelled the horrible apparatus used for boiling counterfeiters。 Between la Courtille and Saint…Laurent； your eye had already noticed； on the summit of an eminence crouching amid desert plains； a sort of edifice which resembled from a distance a ruined colonnade； mounted upon a basement with its foundation laid bare。 This was neither a Parthenon； nor a temple of the Olympian Jupiter。 It was Montfau？on。
Now； if the enumeration of so many edifices； summary as we have endeavored to make it； has not shattered in the reader's mind the general image of old Paris； as we have constructed it； we will recapitulate it in a few words。 In the centre； the island of the City； resembling as to form an enormous tortoise； and throwing out its bridges with tiles for scales； like legs from beneath its gray shell of roofs。 On the left； the monolithic trapezium； firm； dense； bristling； of the University； on the right； the vast semicircle of the Town； much more intermixed with gardens and monuments。 The three blocks； city； university； and town； marbled with innumerable streets。 Across all； the Seine； 〃foster…mother Seine；〃 as says Father Du Breul； blocked with islands； bridges； and boats。 All about an immense plain； patched with a thousand sorts of cultivated plots； sown with fine villages。 On the left； Issy； Vanvres； Vaugirarde； Montrouge； Gentilly； with its round tower and its square tower； etc。； on the right； twenty others； from Conflans to Ville…l'Evêque。 On the horizon； a border of hills arranged in a circle like the rim of the basin。 Finally； far away to the east； Vincennes； and its seven quadrangular towers to the south； Bicêtre and its pointed turrets； to the north； Saint…Denis and its spire； to the west； Saint Cloud and its donjon keep。 Such was the Paris which the ravens； who lived in 1482； beheld from the summits of the towers of Notre…Dame。
Nevertheless； Voltaire said of this city； that 〃before Louis XIV。； it possessed but four fine monuments〃： the dome of the Sorbonne； the Val…de…Grace； the modern Louvre； and I know not what the fourth wasthe Luxembourg； perhaps。 Fortunately； Voltaire was the author of 〃Candide〃 in spite of this； and in spite of this； he is； among all the men who have followed each other in the long series of humanity； the one who has best possessed the diabolical laugh。 Moreover； this proves that one can be a fine genius； and yet understand nothing of an art to which one does not belong。 Di