CLEMENT, a celebrated French architect, who flourished in the former part of the seventeenth cen tury, was a native of Dreux, but settled at Paris, became architect to Louis X111., and acquired much thine by carry ing into execution, with Tiriot, a Parisian mason, the plan suggested by Cardinal Richelieu, for reducing Rochelle by means of an immense dyke, in itnitation of ‘‘ hat Caesar had done at Durazzo, and Alexander the Great at Tyre. This scheme was to run a solid wall across a gulf upwards of 740 ththoms, or more than three-quarters of a mile broad, into which the sea rolled with great force, and, when the wind was high, with an impetuosity which seemed to set at defi ance the art of man. Those who had undertaken the busi ness were not to be turned aside by any obstacles: they began by throwing in Inge rocks, to lay a kind of foun dation ; upon these were placed vast stones, cemented by the mud thrown up by the sea. These were supported by immense beams, driven into the bottom with incredible labour. It was raised so high that the soldiers were not
incommoded by the water even at spring-tides. The plat form was nearly 30 feet wide, and 90 feet at the foundation. At each extremity there was a strong fort, in the middle there was an open passage of 150 paces, several vessels being sunk immediately before it, kw-ether with bight stakes in a double row, and before these tiiirty•five vessels linked together, so as to form a kind of floating palisade. This amazing dyke was completed in somewhat less than six months, and preyed the principal means of occasioning the surrender of the city. So honourable were the exertions of N. Metezau in this business, that his portrait was circulated widely thorough France, to which were attached the follow ing lines: "Dicitur Archimedes Terram potnisse morere; iEquora qui potuit sistei e, non minor est."