Paris as It Was and as It Is Part 45

Though, in all these societies, you may meet with a great number of estimable men, many of whose names may be found in the major part of them, yet that which holds the first rank in the public esteem, as well from the respectability of the members of whom it is composed, as from the proofs of talents which are necessary in order to be admitted into it, is the

SOCIeTe PHILOTECHNIQUE.

Indeed, almost all its members are men whose works hove rendered them celebrated throughout Europe. Hitherto, with the exception of the National Inst.i.tute, this is the only society to which the government has granted the honour of receiving it as a body, or by deputation, on solemn occasions; and by that alone, it has _nationalized_, at least tacitly, its inst.i.tution. It is also the only one which, to the present moment, has preserved the right of holding its public and private sittings in the _Louvre_, since that palace has been ordered to be wholly evacuated. A report has been spread that the hall of the _ci-devant_ French Academy is destined for it; but as yet nothing is determined in this respect.

Its number is confined to sixty resident members, and twenty free a.s.sociates or veterans. It is necessary to have been ten years among the resident members, in order to have a right to be admitted into the number of the twenty free a.s.sociates, who enjoy prerogatives, without being bound to take a part in the labours of the society.

This favour, however, may be granted to those who are for a time called from Paris by public functions, such as emba.s.sies, prefectures, &c.

This society meets on the 2nd, 12th and 22nd of every month at seven o'clock in the evening. Its various committees have their particular days for a.s.sembling. Its officers consist of a President, a Vice-President, a general and perpetual Secretary, a temporary Secretary, a Treasurer, and a Keeper of the records.

It holds its public sittings at noon on the last Sunday of the second month of every _trimestre_, or quarter of the republican year, namely, Brumaire, Pluviose, Floreal, and Thermidor.

It is composed of men of science, literati, and artists; but, resembling a family rather than a society, its principles of friends.h.i.+p admit of no cla.s.ses. On the 19th of every month, it celebrates its foundation by an entertainment, at which its members have the liberty of introducing their friends.

It reckons among its members, in the Sciences, LACePeDE, FOURCROY, CUVIER, GEOFFROY, ROTROU, RUEL, LE CLERC, GAUTHEROT, GINGEMBRE, &c.

In Literature, BOUFFLERS, LEGOUVe, ANDRIEUX, JOSEPH LAVALLeE, MARIUS ARNAUD, SICARD, GUILLARD, GUICHARD, FRANcOIS DE NEUFCHaTEAU, MARGOURIT, RENAUD DE ST. JEAN-D'ANGELY, AMAURY and ALEXANDRE DUVAL, SAY, DESPReS, MARSOLIER, BROUSSE, DES FAUCHERETS, PIGAULT LE BRUN, POUGENS, FRAMERY, COLIN D'HARLEVILLE, LA CHABEAUSSIeRE, &c.

In the Arts, viz. Painting, Sculpture, Architecture, Music, Declamation, and Dancing, REGNAULT, VALENCIENNES, SILVESTRE the Father, BARBIER the elder, BARTHELEMY, SAUVAGE, LETHIERS, PAJOU, CHAUDET, NORRY, LEGRAND, BIENAIMe, DECOTTE, director of the medals, FOUBERT, honorary administrator of the Central Museum, LA RIVE the tragedian, GOSSEC, MARTINI, LE SUEUR, GAVAUX, KALKBRUMER, ADRIEN the elder, GARDEL, &c.

The general and perpetual Secretary is JOSEPH LAVALLeE.

SOCIeTe, LIBRE DES. SCIENCES, LETTRES, ET ARTS.

It is composed of the junction of the old _Museum of Paris_ and of the Society called that of the _Nine Sisters_. It is divided into cla.s.ses, is unlimited in the number of its members, admits a.s.sociated correspondents and foreigners, holds its private sittings at the _Oratoire_ in the _Rue St. Honore_, every Thursday, and its public ones at six o'clock in the evening on the 9th of the first months of the _trimestre_; namely, Vendemiaire, Nivose, Germinal, and Messidor.

Its officers consist of a President, taken alternately from the three cla.s.ses, of two temporary Secretaries, a Treasurer, and a Keeper of the records.

This Society is modelled a little too much after the Inst.i.tute, and it is easy to see that the former aims at rivaling the latter. This _esprit de corps_, which cannot well be perceived but by nice observers, has this advantage; it inspires a sort of emulation. But the society having neglected to limit the number of its members, and having thereby deprived itself of the means of appearing difficult as to admission, it thence results that its labours are not equally stamped with the impression of real talent; and if, in fact, it be ambitious, that is a great obstacle to its views.

ATHENeE (_ci-devant_ LYCeE) DES ARTS.[1]

In imitation of our Royal Society, it comprises not only the sciences, literature, and the arts, but also arts and trades, mechanics, inventions, &c. Its members are not idle, and they are a useful body, as they excite emulation by medals, civic crowns, premiums, and rewards. Their number is considerable and unlimited; a condition which is an evil in the last-mentioned society, and a good in this, whose nature is not so much to s.h.i.+ne as to encourage industry.

It was for a while in disrepute, because DESAUDRAY, the director who founded it, exercised over it a tyrannic sway; it has succeeded in getting rid of him, and, since then, several persons of merit, who had before kept aloof, aspire to the honour of being admitted into it.

For some time past it has adopted a custom, too obsequious and absurd, of choosing none but ministers for its Presidents. By this, it exposes its liberty and its opinion, and gives itself chains, the weight of which it will feel some day, when too late to shake them off.

It holds its general sittings at the _Oratoire_ every Monday, when it hears the reports of its numerous committees, who have their particular days for meeting. Its public sittings are held at the same place, but at no fixed periods.

Its officers consist of a President, a Vice-President, two Secretaries, three Conservators, a Treasurer, and a Keeper of the records.

It has a.s.sociated correspondents throughout Europe.

SOCIeTe PHILOMATIQUE.

It is wholly devoted to natural, physical, and mathematical sciences.

It a.s.sembles on Fridays, in the _Rue d'Anjou_, _Faubourg St.

Germain_. It has no public sittings; but is merely a private meeting of men of learning, who publish once a month a _bulletin_ very important to the sciences, and to be commended, besides, for its composition, perspicuity, and conciseness. This publication is of a 4to size, consists of a single sheet of print, and has for its t.i.tle _Bulletin des Sciences par la Societe Philomatique_.

SOCIeTe ACADeMIQUE DES SCIENCES.

This Society is recently formed: It employs itself on the Sciences only; has not yet held any public sittings, nor published any memoirs. Consequently, nothing can yet be said of its labours, or interior regulation.

SOCIeTe GALVANIQUE.

Its name indicates the sole object of its labours. It is newly formed, and composed of men eminently distinguished in Medicine and Physics. It has called in a few literati. Its officers are the same in the other Societies. It holds its sittings at the _Oratoire_ every Tuesday at eleven o'clock in the morning. Its labours are pursued with ardour and it has already made several important experiments. It announces zeal, and talents, as well as-great defects, and aspires to fame, perhaps, a little too much; but it may still maintain its ground.

SOCIeTe DES BELLES-LETTRES.

It is somewhat frivolous. Public sittings every month. Half poetry, half music. It meets at the _Oratoire_ every Wednesday at seven o'clock in the evening. It arose from a small emigration of the _Lycee des Arts_, at this day _l'Athenee_, during the tyranny of DESAUDRAY, and originally bore the t.i.tle of _Rosati_. A few men of merit, a great number of youths, and some useless members. Too many futile readings, too many fugitive verses, too many little rivals.h.i.+ps. It is faulty on account of its regulations, the basis of which is weak, and it exhibits too much parsimony in its expenses. It has not enough of that public consideration which perpetuates establishments of this description. Under such circ.u.mstances, it is to be apprehended that it will not support itself.

ACADeMIE DE LeGISLATION.

This is a fine inst.i.tution, recently founded. It is composed of the most celebrated lawyers, and a few distinguished literati. It meets on the first of every month, gives every day courses of lectures on all the branches of jurisprudence to a great number of pupils; has established conferences, where these pupils form themselves to the art of speaking, by pleading on given points of law. It publishes two periodical works every month, the one ent.i.tled, _Bulletin de Jurisprudence_ and the other, _Annales de Jurisprudence._ The preliminary discourse of the first volume of the latter is by JOSEPH LAVALLeE, and has done him considerable credit. He is, however, a literary character, and not a lawyer.

This academy has officers of the same description as those of the other Societies. Senator LANJUINAIS is the President at this moment.

It occupies the _Hotel de la Briffe_, _Quai Voltaire_.

SOCIeTe DES OBSERVATEURS DE L'HOMME.

It a.s.sembles at the _Hotel de la Rochefoucauld_, _Rue de Seine_, _Faubourg St. Germain,_ and is composed of very estimable men. Its labours, readings, and discussions are too metaphysical. In point of officers, it is formed like the other Societies. Citizen JUAFFRET is perpetual Secretary.

ATHeNeE DE PARIS, _ci-devant_ LYCeE RePUBLICAIN.

This society has survived the revolutionary storm, having been established as far back as the year 1787. According to the _programme_ published for the present year 1802, its object is to propagate the culture of the sciences and literature; to make known the useful improvements in the arts; to afford pleasure to persons of all ages, by presenting to every one such attractions as may suit his taste, and to unite in literary conferences the charms of the mildest of human occupations.

To strangers, the _Athenee_ holds out many advantages. On being presented by one of the founders or a subscriber, and paying the annual subscription of 96 francs, you receive an admission-ticket, which, however, is not transferrable. This ent.i.tles you to attend several courses of lectures by some of the most eminent professors, such as FOURCROY, CUVIER, LA HARPE, DeGeRANDO, SUe, Ha.s.sENFRATZ, LEGRAND, &c. The subjects for the year are as follows:

Experimental Physics, Chymistry, Natural History, Anatomy and Physiology, Botany, Technology or the application of sciences to arts and trades, Literature, Moral Philosophy, Architecture, together with the English, Italian, and German languages.

The lectures are always delivered twice, and not unfrequently thrice a day, in a commodious room, provided with all the apparatus necessary for experiments. On a Sunday, an account of the order in which they are to be given in the course of the following week, is sent to every subscriber. There is no half-subscription, nor any admission _gratis_; but ladies pay no more than 48 francs for their annual ticket.

Independently of so many sources of instruction, the _Athenee_, as is expressed in the _programme_, really affords to subscribers the resources and charms of a numerous and select society. The apartments, which are situated near the _Palais du Tribunat_, in the _Rue du Lycee_, are open to them from nine o'clock in the morning to eleven at night. Several rooms are appropriated to conversation; one of which, provided with a piano-forte and music, serves as a rendezvous for the ladies. The subscribers have free access to the library, where they find the princ.i.p.al literary and political journals and papers, both French and others, as well as every new publication of importance. A particular room, in which silence is duly observed, is set apart for reading.

[Footnote 1: This Society has laid aside the t.i.tle of _Lyceum_ since the decree of the government, which declares that this denomination is to be applied only to the establishments for public instruction.]

LETTER L.

_Paris, January 13, 1802._

I have spoken to you of palaces, museum, churches, bridges, public gardens, playhouses, &c. as they have chanced to fall under my observation; but there still remain houses of more than one description which I have not yet noticed, though they are certainly more numerous here than in any other city in Europe. I shall now speak of

COFFEEHOUSES.

Their number in Paris has been reckoned to exceed seven hundred; but they are very far from enjoying a comparative degree of reputation.

Celebrity is said to be confined to about a dozen only, which have risen into superior consequence from various causes. Except a few resorted to by the literati or wits of the day, or by military officers, they are, in general, the rendezvous of the idle, and the refuge of the needy. This is so true, that a frequenter of a coffeehouse scarcely ever lights a fire in his own lodging during the whole winter. No sooner has he quitted his bed, and equipped himself for the day, than he repairs to his accustomed haunt, where he arrives about ten o'clock in the morning, and remains till eleven at night, the hour at which coffeehouses are shut up, according to the regulation of the police. Not unfrequently persons of this description make a cup of coffee, mixed with milk, with the addition of a penny-roll, serve for dinner; and, be their merit what it may, they are seldom so fortunate as to be consoled by the offer of a rich man's table.