wish to see it taken down, for the fame which this great work of Raffaelle had acquired, and its noto riety in the general knowledge, caused its departure to be regarded as the consummation of the destruction of the picture gallery of the Louvre. It was taken away among the last.

"Students of all nations fixed themselves round the principal pictures, anxious to complete their copies before the workmen came to remove the originals. Many young French girls were seen among these, perched upon small scaffolds, and calmly pursuing their labors in the midst of the throng and bustle. When the French gallery was thoroughly cleared of the property of other nations, I reckoned the number of pictures which then remained to it, and found that the total left to the French nation, of the fifteen hundred pictures which constituted their magnificent collection, was two hundred and seventy-four! The Italian division comprehended about eighty-five specimens; these were now dwindled to twelve: in this small number, however, there are some very exquisite pictures by Raffaelle, and other great masters. Their Titians are much reduced, but they keep the Entombment, as belonging to the King of France's old collection, A melanwhich is one of the finest by that artist.

choly air of utter ruin mantled over the walls of this superb gallery: the floor was covered with empty frames: a Frenchman, in the midst of his sorrow, had his joke, in saying, Well, we should

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not have left to them even these!' In walking down this exhausted place, I observed a person, wearing the insignia of the legion of honor, suddenly stop short, and heard him exclaim, ' Ah, my God-and the Paul Potter, too!" This referred to the famous painting of a bull by that master, which is the largest of his pictures, and is very highly val ued. It belonged to the Netherlands, and has been returned to them. It was said that the emperor Alexander offered fifteen thousand pounds for it.

"The removal of the statues was later in commencing, and took up more time; they were still packing these up when I quitted Paris. I saw the Venus, the Apollo, and the Laocoon removed: these may be deemed the presiding deities of the collection. The solemn antique look of these halls fled forever, when the workmen came in with their straw and Plaster of Pass, to pack up. The French could not, for some time, allow themselves to believe that their enemies would dare to de 've them of these sacred works; it appeared to them impossible that they should be separated from France-from la France-the country of the Louvre and the In stitute; it seemed a contingency beyond the limits of human reverses. But it happened, nertheless; they were all removed. One afternoon, efore quit ting the place, I accidentally stopped longer than usual, to gaze on the Venus, and I never saw so clearly her superiority over the Apcllo, the imposi tions of whose style, even more than the great

beauties with which they are mingied, have gained for it an inordinate and indiscriminating admiration. On this day, very few, if any of the statues nad been taken away-and many said that France would retain them. although she was losing the pictures. On the following morning I returned, and the pedestal cn which the Venus had stood for so Imany years, the pride of Paris, and the delight of every observer, was vacant! It seemed as if soul had taken its flight from a body."

REMOVAL OF THE VENETIAN HORSES FROM PARIS.

"The removal of the well known horses taken from the church of St. Mark in Venice, was a bitter mortification to the people of Paris. These had been peculiarly the objects of popular pride and admiration. Being exposed to the public view, in one of the most frequented situations of Paris, this was esteemed the noblest trophy belonging to the capital; and there was not a Parisian vender of a pail. full of water who did no' look like a hero when the Venetian horses were spoken of.

"have you heard what has been determined about the horses?' was every foreigner's question. Oh!ney cannot mean to take the horses away.' was every Frenchman's answer On the morning of Thursday, the 26th of September, 1815, however it was whispered that try had been at worɛ aught in loosening t on their fastening

It was soon confirmed that this was true—and tre French then had nothing left for it, but to vow, that if the allies were to attempt to touch them in the daylight, Paris would rise at once, exterminate its enemies, and rescue its honor. On Friday morning I walked through the square; it was clear that some considerable change had taken place; the forins of the horses appeared finer than I had ever before witnessed. When looking to discover what had been done, a private of the British staff corps came up,' You see, sir, we took away the harness last night,' said he. 'You have made a great improvement by so doing,' I replied; but are the British employed on this work?' The man said .hat the Austrians had requested the assistance of our staff corps, for it included better workmen than any they had in their service. I heard that an angry French mob had given some trouble to the people employed on the Thursday night, but that body of Parisian gendarmerie had dispersed the assemblage. The Frenchmen continued their sneers against the allies for working in the dark fear and shame were the causes assigned. 'If you take them at all, why not take then in the face of day? But you are too wise to drag upon yourselves the irresistible popular fury, which such a sight would excite against you!'

On the night of Friday, the order of proceed ing was entirely changed. It had been found projer to call out a strong guard of Austrians, horse

and foot. The mob had been charged by the cav. alry, and it was said that several had their limbs broken. I expected to find the place on Saturday morning quiet and open as usual; but when I reached its entrance, what an impressive scene presented itself! The delicate plan-for such in truth It was of working by night, was now over. The Austrians had wished to spare the feelings of the king the pain of seeing his capital dismantled bo fore his palace windows, where he passed in his car. riage when he went out for his daily exercise. But the acute feelings of the people rendered severer measures necessary. My companion and myself were stopped from entering the place by Austrian dragoons: a large mob of Frenchmen were collect ed here, standing on tip-toe to catch the arch in the distance, on the top of which the ominous sight of numbers of workmen, busy about the horses, was plainly to be distinguished. We advanced again to the soldiers: some of the French, by whom we were surrounded, said, 'Whoever you are, you will not be allowed to pass.' I confess I was for retiring -for the whole assemblage, citizens and soldiers, seemed to wear an angry and alarming aspect. But my companion was eager for admittance. He was put back again by an Austrian hussar :-'What, not the Engish! he exclaimed in his own language The mob laughed loudly, when they heard, the foreign soidier so addressed; but the triumph was ours; way was instantly made for us-and