sir CHRISTOPHER WREN, knt.

261

NUMB. IV.

I N the Year 1665, Mr. Wren took a Journey to Parts, where, at thatTime all Arts flourilh’d in a higher Degree than had ever been knownbefore in France ; and where was a general Congress of the most celebratedMasters in every Profession, encourag’d by Royal Munificence, and the In-fluence of the great Cardinal Mazarine.

How he spent his Time, in that Place, will in Part appear from a shortAccount he gave by Letter to a particular Friend ; wherein he returnsThanks for his Recommendation of him to the Earl of St. Albarn , who inthe Journey, and ever since, had us’d him with all Kindness and Indulgenceimaginable, and made good his Character of him, as of one of the best Menin the World. He then proceeds to the following Particulars; I have, faysbe, busied myself in surveying the most esteem’d Fabricks of Paris, and theCountry round; the Louvre for a while was my daily Object, where no lessthan a thousand Elands are constantly employ'd in the Works; some inlaying mighty Foundations, some in raising the Stories, Columns, Entable-ments, &c. with vast Stones, by great and useful Engines; others in Carv-ing, Inlaying of Marbles, Plaistering, Painting, Gilding, &c. Which alto-gether make a School of Architecture, the best probably, at this Day in Eu~r ope. The College of Phefour Nations is usually admir’d, but the Artist hathPurposely set it ill-favouredly, that he might thew his Wit in struggling withan inconvenient Situation.—An Academy of Painters, Sculptors, Architects,and the chief Artificers of the Louvre , meet every first and last Saturday, ofthe Month. Mon L Colbert, Surintendant, comes to the Works of the Louvre,every Wednesday , and, if Business hinders not, Phursday. The Workmena te paid every Sunday duly. Mons. Abbe Charles introdue’d me to the Ac-quaintance of Bernini , who ssiew’d me his Designs of the Louvre, and of theKing’s Statue. — Abbe Bruno keeps the curious Rarities of the Duke-of Or-team's Library, well fill’d with excellent Intaglio’s, Medals, Books of Plants,and Fowls in Miniature. Abbe Burdelo keeps an Academy at his House forPhilosophy every Monday Afternoon.—But I must not think to describe Pa-sts, and the numerous Obfervables there, in the Compass'' of a ssioit Letter.'"-’The King’s Houses I could not miss ; Fcntainblcau has a stately Wild-uefi and Vastnefs suitable to the Desert it stands in. The antique Mass ofsoe Castle of St. Gcrmains > and the Hanging-gardens .are delightfully sur-prising, (I mean to any Man of Judgment) for the Pleasures below yanissia tyay i n the Breath that is spent in ascending. The Palace, or if you please,*he Cabinet of Versailles call’d me twice to view it • the Mixtures of Brick,^one, blue Tile and Gold make it look like a rich Livery: Not an InchWithin hut is crouded with little Curiosities, of Ornaments-:- .the Women,, asjhey make here the Language and Fashions, and meddle with'Politicks andphilosophy, so they sway also in Architecture; Works of Filgrand, and*hle Knacks are in great Vogue; but Building certainly ought to have tireAttribute of eternal, and therefore the only ,Thing uncap able of uctv Fa-xons. The masculine Furniture of Palais',Mazarine psoas’d pie mucli fiet-jkr,. where is a great and noble. Collection 'of antique Statues and.Eustos,1 hiany .of Porphyry) good Basso-relievos; excellent Pictures-,of she greatMasters, fine Arras, true Mosaicks, besides Pierres de.Paper t in Compos titsoffits aiid Pavements; Vases - of Porcelain painted by 1 Raphael, audhliifiruse^her Rarities; the best of which noW furnissi the glorious Appartinent ^ of*he ipueen Mother at the Louvre, which I saw many Times. — After the in-c °mparable Villas of Vaux and Masons, I shall but name Rucl, Courances,

x Chilly,