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Fontainbleau appears like a deserted
city ; many of the best houses are closed,
and grass is growing in the streets. Those
inhabitants whom I conversed with, preserve
a kind o f religious veneration for the
memory of the emperor.
The singular sandstone rocks, near Fontainbleau,
do not resemble any rock scenery
in this co untry; nor is the stratum o f sandstone,
of which they are composed, to be
found in any part o f England, except in
detached blocks, provincially called grey
weathers, that are scattered over the surface
in some of our southern counties. I t is a
pure sandstone, the grains of which are
often loosely adhering, so as to be almost
friable, which is also the case with the
sandstone of Mont Martre.
Fontainbleau must be, 1 conceive, a
a healthy and cheap residence, and with
good society would be particularly agreeable
in the summer, on which account I
was surprised to see so many houses unoccupied.
It is also a convenient distance
from Paris. We were told that several
English families had lately hired houses
at Fontainbleau.
Though it was only the latter end of
May, the heat was extreme, and when we
arrived at Paris, and during the three
weeks we were there, the thermometer
often ranged from 90 to 95° Fahrenheit,
which is a very unusual temperature for
that c ity ; but th e sky was clear, and the
air balmy and refreshing. The gardens of
Paris were in their highest state of beauty ;
thousands of roses, in full bloom, filled the
atmosphere with perfume, and notwithstanding
the great height of the thermometer,
the heat was not so oppressive as I have
often experienced it in this country, under
a cloudy sky, when the temperature did
not exceed seventy-five. When I had visited
Paris before, it was at the latter end of the
year, and its gloomy appearance formed
a striking contrast to the present brilliancy
and gaiety o f the environs of this city.
The public lectures were not yet closed,
and I had the opportunity o f seeing some
of the professors with whom I had become
acquainted on my former visits. Professor
Brogniart, who superintends the porcelain
manufacture at Seves, invited us to see that
establishment, and obligingly accompanied
us to some of the more interesting parts of
the manufacture. M. Brogniart informed
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