The Seine flows in a direction nearly opposite to that of the Thames, namely, from south-east to north-west.  It preserves almost a perfectly straight course in passing through Paris, except that it bends considerably to the south immediately before leaving the town.  The river, as it flows through the heart of the city, is interrupted by three small islands lying in succession, the two most westerly of which, the Ile de la Cite (otherwise called the Ile du Palais) and the Ile St. Louis, or de Notre Dame, are covered with streets and houses.  The third, called the Ile Louvier, is used only as a depot for fire-wood.  The parts of the town on the opposite sides of the river are connected with each other, and with these islands, by nineteen bridges, thirteen of which are constructed of stone, and two of stone and iron:  of the others two are chain-bridges, one is built of wood, and two of wood and iron.  Several of these structures, especially the Pont des Arts, the Pont Louis XVI., and the Pont de Jena, or de l’Ecole Militaire, all of which are to the west of the Ile du Palais, are distinguished by their majesty or elegance, and add much beauty and picturesque effect to the vista of the river.  Excepting at one place where the two branches enclosing the Ile du Palais unite, immediately to the west of that island, the breadth of the Seine at Paris is no where greater than about 550 English feet, and at some points it is not more than half that distance from the one bank to the other.  The bridges, therefore, by which the Seine is traversed, are not to be compared in point of magnitude with those of the Thames at London.  Even the Pont Neuf, which connects the Ile du Palais with both the northern and the southern divisions of the city, and comprehends in fact two bridges, with an intermediate street, is shorter taken altogether, than Waterloo bridge by more than 200 feet; and the Pont Louis XVI., which next to the Pont Neuf is the longest of the Parisian stone bridges, measures only about 485 feet between the abutments, while Westminster Bridge measures 1223, and Waterloo Bridge 1242 feet.  It is in the number of its bridges alone, therefore, that the Seine is superior to the Thames.

The Boulevards.

The most remarkable feature in the general appearance of Paris, is the inner inclosure formed by the celebrated road called the Boulevards. On the north side of the river, the Boulevards follow a line nearly midway, on an average, between the river and the wall.  The space which they comprehend, therefore, is but a small portion of that included within the outer boundary of the city.  The length of this part of the road is about 5,200 English yards, or somewhat under three miles.  That on the south side of the river is of far greater extent, approaching, as it does, throughout its whole sweep, very much closer to the wall, and in some parts entirely coinciding with it.  It measures about 16,000 yards, or above