at Nos. 26 and 60, the gateway of which, with its fine ionic columns, is one of the most imposing in Paris; there also are large barracks for infantry with military trophies over the entrance.  From thence a few steps lead into the Rue Lafayette, and will bring us to a new church which promises to be, when quite finished, one of the most elegant in the capital, it is situated at the summit of the Rue Hauteville.  The order is ionic, which is solely and consistently preserved throughout the building, all the ornaments are in good taste, and the paintings promise to be in keeping with the rest, so that it augurs well towards being quite a chef-d’oeuvre of art.  It is intended to replace the old church of St. Vincent de Paule, which stands about a furlong from it to the west in the Rue Montholon, to where we will proceed, and look at the altar-piece, being the apotheosis of the philanthropist to whom it is dedicated, and the only object in the church worth attention.

Keeping straight on westward, we come to the beautiful church of Notre-Dame-de-Lorette, finished in 1837, it is exactly fronting the Rue Lafitte, from which the noble portico of corinthian columns has a most beautiful effect.  The interior is splendid, indeed gorgeous, all that painting, sculpture, and gilding can produce, is here combined, and the effect is dazzling, and excites almost universal admiration, and would mine also were it a theatre, but the chaste, still solemnity of a holy sanctuary exists not here, amongst the gay colours and lurid glare which every where meets the eye from the glitter, which blazes around in this too profusely decorated church.  Yet one must do justice as one examines it in detail, and admit that in point of execution all its different departments are most exquisitely wrought, and magnificent as a whole, only not consistent with our associations connected with a temple of worship.

We will now descend by the Rue Faubourg Montmartre to the Boulevards, and bearing a little westward, shall come to the very handsome Rue Vivienne, through which we will proceed until we are opposite the Bourse (Exchange), and there we pause and contemplate what I consider the beau ideal of fine architecture; its noble range of 66 corinthian columns have no unseemly projections to break the broad mass of light, which sheds its full expanse upon their large rounded shafts, no profusion of frittering ornaments spoil the chaste harmony which pervades the whole character of this building, which to me appears faultless.  If there were any improvement possible, I should say that if the bold flight of steps which leads to the front entrance had been carried all round the building the effect would have been still more grand than it now is.  The interior is adorned with paintings in imitation of bas relief, which are executed in the most masterly style.  The grand Salle de la Bourse in the centre of the building, where the stock-brokers and merchants meet, is 116 feet in length by 76 in breadth, entirely paved with marble.  The whole arrangements are such as to render it in every respect the most commodious for all commercial purposes.