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hours。＇2＇ One feels； at the first glance； as if he were in a city of a
particular stamp； suddenly erected and at one stroke； like a prize…
medal for a special purpose； of which only one is made； its form being
a thing apart； as well as its origin and use。 In vain is it one of the
largest cities of the kingdom； with its population of 80；000 souls；＇3＇
it is filled； peopled； and occupied by the life of a single man； it is
simply a royal residence； arranged entirely to provide for the wants；
the pleasures； the service； the guardianship； the society； the display
of a king。 Here and there； in corners and around it； are inns； stalls；
taverns； hovels for laborers and for drudges； for dilapidated soldiers
and accessory menials。 These tenements necessarily exist； since
technicians are essential to the most magnificent apotheosis。 The
rest； however； consists of sumptuous hotels and edifices； sculptured
fa？ades； cornices and balustrades； monumental stairways； seigniorial
architecture； regularly spaced and disposed； as in a procession；
around the vast and grandiose palace where all this terminates。 Here
are the fixed abodes of the noblest families； to the right of the
palace are the h？tels de Bourbon； d'Ecquervilly； de la Trémoille； de
Condé； de Maurepas； de Bouillon； d'Eu； de Noailles； de Penthièvre； de
Livry； du Comte de la Marche； de Broglie； du Prince de Tingry；
d'Orléans； de Chatillon； de Villerry； d'Harcourt； de Monaco； on the
left are the pavilions d'Orléans； d'Harcourt； the h？tels de Chevreuse；
de Babelle； de l'H？pital； d'Antin； de Dangeau； de Pontchartrain … no
end to their enumeration。 Add to these those of Paris； all those
which； ten leagues around。 At Sceaux； at Génevilliers； at Brunoy； at
Ile…Adam； at Rancy； at Saint…Ouen； at Colombes； at Saint…Germain； at
Marly； at Bellevue； in countless places； they form a crown of
architectural flowers； from which daily issue as many gilded wasps to
shine and buzz about Versailles； the center of all luster and
affluence。 About a hundred of these are 〃presented each year； men and
women； which makes about 2 or 3；000 in all；＇4＇ this forms the king's
society； the ladies who courtesy before him； and the seigniors who
accompany him in his carriage； their hotels are near by； or within
reach； ready to fill his drawing room or his antechamber at all hours。
A drawing room like this calls for proportionate dependencies； the
hotels and buildings at Versailles devoted to the private service of
the king and his attendants count by hundreds。 No human existence
since that of the Caesars has so spread itself out in the sunshine。 In
the Rue des Reservoirs we have the old hotel and the new one of the
governor of Versailles； the hotel of the tutor to the children of the
Comte d'Artois； the ward…robe of the crown； the building for the
dressing…rooms and green…rooms of the actors who perform at the
palace； with the stables belonging to Monsieur。 … In the Rue des
Bon…Enfants are the hotel of the keeper of the wardrobe； the lodgings
for the fountain…men； the hotel of the officers of the Comtesse de
Provence。 In the Rue de la Pompe； the hotel of the grand…provost； the
Duke of Orleans's stables； the hotel of the Comte d'Artois's
guardsmen； the queen's stables； the pavilion des Sources。 … In the
Rue Satory the Comtesse d'Artois's stables； Monsieur's English garden；
the king's ice…houses； the riding…hall of the king's light…horse…
guards； the garden belonging to the hotel of the treasurers of the
buildings。 … Judge of other streets by these four。 One cannot take a
hundred steps without encountering some accessory of the palace： the
hotel of the staff of the body…guard； the hotel of the staff of light…
horse…guards； the immense hotel of the body…guard itself； the hotel of
the gendarmes of the guard； the hotel of the grand wolf…huntsman； of
the grand falconer； of the grand huntsman； of the grand…master； of the
commandant of the canal； of the comptroller…general； of the
superintendent of the buildings； and of the chancellor； buildings
devoted to falconry； and the vol de cabinet； to boar…hunting； to the
grand kennel； to the dauphin kennel； to the kennel for untrained dogs；
to the court carriages； to shops and storehouses connected with
amusements； to the great stable and the little stables； to other
stables in the Rue de Limoges； in the Rue Royale； and in the Avenue
Saint…Cloud； to the king's vegetable garden； comprising twenty…nine
gardens and four terraces； to the great dwelling occupied by 2；000
persons； with other tenements called 〃Louises〃 in which the king
assigned temporary or permanent lodgings； … words on paper render no
physical impression of the physical enormity。 … At the present day
nothing remains of this old Versailles； mutilated and appropriated to
other uses； but fragments； which； nevertheless； one should go and see。
Observe those three avenues meeting in the great square。 Two hundred
and forty feet broad and twenty…four hundred long； and not too large
for the gathering crowds； the display； the blinding velocity of the
escorts in full speed and of the carriages running 〃at death's
door。〃＇5＇ Observe the two stables facing the chateau with their
railings one hundred and ninety…two feet long。 In 1682 they cost three
millions； that is to say； fifteen millions to day。 They are so ample
and beautiful that； even under Louis XIV himself； they sometimes
served as a cavalcade circus for the princes； sometimes as a theater；
and sometimes as a ball…room。 Then let the eye follow the development
of the gigantic semi…circular square which； from railing to railing
and from court to court； ascends and slowly decreases； at first
between the hotels of the ministers and then between the two colossal
wings； terminating in the ostentatious frame of the marble court where
pilasters； statues； pediments； and multiplied and accumulated
ornaments； story above story； carry the majestic regularity of their
lines and the overcharged mass of their decoration up to the sky。
According to a bound manuscript bearing the arms of Mansart； the
palace cost 153 million； that is to say； about 750 million francs of
to day；＇6＇ when a king aims at imposing display this is the cost of
his lodging。 Now turn the eye to the other side； towards the gardens；
and this self…display becomes the more impressive。 The parterres and
the park are； again； a drawing room in the open air。 There is nothing
natural of nature here； she is put in order and rectified wholly with
a view to society； this is no place to be alone and to relax oneself；
but a place for promenades and the exchange of polite salutations。
Those formal groves are walls and hangings； those shaven yews are
vases and lyres。 The parterres are flowering carpets。 In those
straight； rectilinear avenues the king； with his cane in his hand；
groups around him his entire retinue。 Sixty ladies in brocade dresses；
expanding into skirts measuring twenty…four feet in circu