按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
hat one can be a fine genius； and yet understand nothing of an art to which one does not belong。 Did not Moliere imagine that he was doing Raphael and Michael…Angelo a very great honor； by calling them 〃those Mignards of their age？〃
Let us return to Paris and to the fifteenth century。
It was not then merely a handsome city； it was a homogeneous city； an architectural and historical product of the Middle Ages； a chronicle in stone。 It was a city formed of two layers only； the Romanesque layer and the Gothic layer； for the Roman layer had disappeared long before； with the exception of the Hot Baths of Julian； where it still pierced through the thick crust of the Middle Ages。 As for the Celtic layer； no specimens were any longer to be found； even when sinking wells。
Fifty years later； when the Renaissance began to mingle with this unity which was so severe and yet so varied； the dazzling luxury of its fantasies and systems； its debasements of Roman round arches； Greek columns； and Gothic bases； its sculpture which was so tender and so ideal； its peculiar taste for arabesques and acanthus leaves； its architectural paganism； contemporary with Luther； Paris； was perhaps； still more beautiful； although less harmonious to the eye； and to the thought。
But this splendid moment lasted only for a short time； the Renaissance was not impartial； it did not content itself with building； it wished to destroy； it is true that it required the room。 Thus Gothic Paris was complete only for a moment。 Saint… Jacques de la Boucherie had barely been completed when the demolition of the old Louvre was begun。
After that； the great city became more disfigured every day。 Gothic Paris； beneath which Roman Paris was effaced； was effaced in its turn； but can any one say what Paris has replaced it？
There is the Paris of Catherine de Medicis at the Tuileries；*the Paris of Henri II。； at the H？tel de Ville； two edifices still in fine taste；the Paris of Henri IV。； at the Place Royale： fa？ades of brick with stone corners； and slated roofs； tri…colored houses；the Paris of Louis XIII。； at the Val…de… Grace： a crushed and squat architecture； with vaults like basket…handles； and something indescribably pot…bellied in the column； and thickset in the dome；the Paris of Louis XIV。； in the Invalides： grand； rich； gilded； cold；the Paris of Louis XV。； in Saint…Sulpice： volutes； knots of ribbon； clouds； vermicelli and chiccory leaves； all in stone；the Paris of Louis XVI。； in the Pantheon： Saint Peter of Rome； badly copied （the edifice is awkwardly heaped together； which has not amended its lines）；the Paris of the Republic； in the School of Medicine： a poor Greek and Roman taste； which resembles the Coliseum or the Parthenon as the constitution of the year III。； resembles the laws of Minos；it is called in architecture； 〃the Messidor〃** taste；the Paris of Napoleon in the Place Vendome： this one is sublime； a column of bronze made of cannons；the Paris of the Restoration； at the Bourse： a very white colonnade supporting a very smooth frieze； the whole is square and cost twenty millions。
* We have seen with sorrow mingled with indignation； that it is the intention to increase； to recast； to make over； that is to say； to destroy this admirable palace。 The architects of our day have too heavy a hand to touch these delicate works of the Renaissance。 We still cherish a hope that they will not dare。 Moreover； this demolition of the Tuileries now； would be not only a brutal deed of violence； which would make a drunken vandal blushit would be an act of treason。 The Tuileries is not simply a masterpiece of the art of the sixteenth century； it is a page of the history of the nineteenth。 This palace no longer belongs to the king； but to the people。 Let us leave it as it is。 Our revolution has twice set its seal upon its front。 On one of its two fa？ades； there are the cannon…balls of the 10th of August； on the other； the balls of the 29th of July。 It is sacred。 Paris； April 1； 1831。 （Note to the fifth edition。）
** The tenth month of the French republican calendar； from the 19th of June to the 18th of July。
To each of these characteristic monuments there is attached by a similarity of taste； fashion； and attitude； a certain number of houses scattered about in different quarters and which the eyes of the connoisseur easily distinguishes and furnishes with a date。 When one knows how to look； one finds the spirit of a century； and the physiognomy of a king； even in the knocker on a door。
The Paris of the present day has then； no general physiognomy。 It is a collection of specimens of many centuries； and the finest have disappeared。 The capital grows only in houses； and what houses！ At the rate at which Paris is now proceeding； it will renew itself every fifty years。
Thus the historical significance of its architecture is being effaced every day。 Monuments are becoming rarer and rarer； and one seems to see them gradually engulfed； by the flood of houses。 Our fathers had a Paris of stone； our sons will have one of plaster。
So far as the modern monuments of new Paris are concerned； we would gladly be excused from mentioning them。 It is not that we do not admire them as they deserve。 The Sainte…Geneviève of M。 Soufflot is certainly the finest Savoy cake that has ever been made in stone。 The Palace of the Legion of Honor is also a very distinguished bit of pastry。 The dome of the wheat market is an English jockey cap； on a grand scale。 The towers of Saint…Sulpice are two huge clarinets； and the form is as good as any other； the telegraph； contorted and grimacing； forms an admirable accident upon their roofs。 Saint…Roch has a door which； for magnificence； is comparable only to that of Saint…Thomas d'Aquin。 It has； also； a crucifixion in high relief； in a cellar； with a sun of gilded wood。 These things are fairly marvellous。 The lantern of the labyrinth of the Jardin des Plantes is also very ingenious。
As for the Palace of the Bourse； which is Greek as to its colonnade； Roman in the round arches of its doors and windows； of the Renaissance by virtue of its flattened vault； it is indubitably a very correct and very pure monument； the proof is that it is crowned with an attic； such as was never seen in Athens； a beautiful； straight line； gracefully broken here and there by stovepipes。 Let us add that if it is according to rule that the architecture of a building should be adapted to its purpose in such a manner that this purpose shall be immediately apparent from the mere aspect of the building； one cannot be too much amazed at a structure which might be indifferentlythe palace of a king； a chamber of communes； a town…hall； a college； a riding…school； an academy； a warehouse； a court…house； a museum； a barracks； a sepulchre； a temple； or a theatre。 However； it is an Exchange。 An edifice ought to be； moreover； suitable to the climate。 This one is evidently constructed expressly for our cold and rainy skies。 It has a roof almost as flat as roofs in the East； which involves sweeping the roof in winter； when it snows； and of course roofs are made to be swept。 As for its purpose； of which we just spoke； it fulfils it to a marvel； it is a