PARIS 87 Iy a department of science, literature, or art which has not one or more societies or associa- tions for its study, encouragement, or exercise. Among the most notable museums of Paris, that of natural history connected with the jardin des plantes, the common name for large zoological as well as botanical gardens, is re- markably rich in comparative anatomy, anthro- pology, zoology, minerals, geology, and bot- any. The museums of morbid and compara- tive anatomy belonging to the medical school are of excellent fulness in their kind. That of the hotel de Cluny, itself a curious relic of the architecture of the 16th century, built partly over the foundations of an imperial Roman palace, is consecrated to furniture, arms, and works of art of the middle ages and the re- naissance, and to some Gallo-Roman antiquities. That of the conservatory of arts and trades contains models of old and newly invented machines and tools, together with illustrative specimens of mechanical and chemical products, and of natural materials within the domain of industrial processes. In the museum of artil- lery is a large collection of the instruments in- vented by men of all ages for their mutual destruction, from stone hatchets to rifled can- non. The mineralogy of France, geographi- cally arranged by her departments, is exhibited at the school of mines. The numismatic mu- seum at the mint displays the coins and medals struck in France from the time of Charlemagne to the present. The museum at the national printing house offers samples of early and modern printing in curious variety, of which not the least noteworthy are the productions of its own press, such as the Lord's Prayer in 150 different languages, and copies of L* Imita- tion de Christ that approach the perfection of typography. The museum of the Louvre, wor- thily occupying the wide spaces of that magnifi- cent palace, is divided into twelve general de- partments, such as of painting, designs and en- gravings, ancient sculpture, modern sculpture, Assyrian antiquities, Egyptian antiquities, &c., to which are added large collections of rare and exquisite specimens of ceramic art, of carved work in wood and ivory, crystals, jewels, &c. Other European galleries are richer in the works of certain masters and of single schools, but none of them offers to the student so compre- hensively instructive a view of all the schools. The museum of the Luxembourg, filling but a small part of the palace of that name, though a fine and most interesting collection of works by contemporary French painters and sculptors, is not nearly sufficient as an exemplification of the present French school. The conditions of admission to these museums are most liberal. Those of the Louvre and of the Luxembourg are freely open to all comers six days, and to copyists five days in the week. Of the paint- ers, designers, sculptors, and engravers whose works are admitted to the yearly salon or ex- hibition of fine arts, the average for the past ten years of Parisian residents is about 1,200. It is hardly necessary to add, in view of the conditions of admission, that this number rep- resents but a fraction of the applicants, and that in no one year do nearly all resident art- ists- apply. Paris may be called the capital of dramatic art and literature. The first thea- tre of Paris, not to say of the world, is the Com6die Franchise, the French theatre par ex- cellence. It was founded in 1680 by the com- pany that had been directed by Moliere. There elocution, gesture, attitude, costume, compo- sition of stage groups, and whatever contrib- utes to the perfection of histrionic art, are ex- hibited in unrivalled completeness. The na- tional academy of music, or Opera, is famed for its orchestra, ballet, and scenic effects. These two are regarded as properly national institutions, and are sustained at their height of superiority by large government aid, which in less proportions is also granted to three other theatres. There are 33 theatres in Paris. On the receipts of theatres, balls, concerts, and all other places of public amusement, a tax, nominally of 10 per cent., but really in recent years of about 8 per cent., is levied for the benefit of the public charities. In 1869, an average year, their receipts amounted to 19,- 500,000 francs, and the poor tax to 1,800,000. In round numbers the theatres can seat 30,000 auditors, for whose entertainment 850 musi- cians and 2,000 actors proper, vocalists, and other performers are employed. For the prin- cipal journals of Paris, see NEWSPAPEKS. The government of Paris has varied in its charac- ter with the changes of national regime. At present (1875) there is a municipal council of 80 members chosen by popular election, whose deliberations and acts are strictly limited to matters of local administration. The prefects of the Seine and of the police, both appointed by the general government, have the right at all times to be present and be heard, in certain cases with controlling voice, at their meetings. Sanitary regulations and measures for keeping the peace and political order are enforced un- der the general supervision of the prefect of police. Besides exercising functions of a wider national reach, he is the immediate chief of all the local police. This consists, besides special political and other agents, of the civil police proper or "guardians of the public peace" (formerly ser gents de mile}, now numbering about 6,000 ; of the two legions of the military garde repullicaine (formerly municipal guard and guard of Paris), numbering 6,000 foot and 1,500 horse ; and of the military corps of sa~ peurs pompiers, specially trained to firemen's duty, which they perform admirably, numbering about 1,300 men and officers. Supplementary to these as preservers of order is the garrison of Paris, the strength of which varies accord- ing to circumstances. Not being yet relieved from the state of siege in which it was decreed to be soon after the declaration of the late war, the city has in addition to the officials above mentioned a military governor. Paris is the
