MONTPELLIER, Moxs PESSULANUS, or MONS PESTELLARIUS, a city of France, and capital of the de partment of Herault, is finely situated upon a height, which it entirely covers. Its houses rise in the form of an amphitheatre, and the river Lez waters the rich plain on which it stands. The streets of the town are narrow, dark, and winding, and the squares are small, and few in number. The houses are in general black and gloomy, and the principal edifices, such as the pa lace of justice, the ancient bishop's palace, now the pa lace of the Prefecture, the hotel de ville, and the cathe dral, are of a bad style of architecture. The fauxbourgs, which surround Montpellier, are nearly as large as the town itself, and conatin many good houses. The town is watered by a great number of fountains.
Montpellier is celebrated principally for its university, which was established in 1289, by Nicolas IV. who di vided it into the three faculties of law, medicine, and the arts. In 1410, the faculty of theology was substituted for that of the arts. At the revolution, the university was abolished, and the faculty of medicine was estab lished under the title of the Special School of Medicine. The school of surgery, founded by Lapeyronie, is now united with the school of medicine. During the minis try of M. Chaptal, a superb amphitheatre was construct ed for it, on the model of the Museum of Natural His tory at Paris. The chair of the professor of anatomy is placed in a superb seat of marble, which was brougLt from Nismcs more than 100 years ago. The library is only in its infancy. The botanic garden, which is the oldest in France, was instituted in 1598. Thcre is also here a special school of pharmacy, and a well regulated hospital.
The old academy of sciences at Montpellier has been replaced by a literary society, called the Free Society of Sciences and Letters. There are also here a medical society, a society of practical medicine, and an agricul tural society. An academy of arts, which distributes medals annually, was founded in 1781.
Alontpellier contains several interesting cabinets, viz.
that of the city, that of M. Lamoreux, which is very rich in rare shells ; that of M. Marcel Serres, containing more than 9000 insects, and valuable minerals, and a consider able herbarium, belonging to M. Bouchet Dourneng.
The principal manufactures of Montpellier are those of brandy, perfumeries of all kinds, and verdigris, or acetate of copper. Corn, oil, silk, and wool, the pro ductions of the neighbouring territory, are the principal sources of the commerce of Montpellier. Coverlets, handkerchiefs, and cotton cloths, are also manulactured here. These articles of trade are carried by the canal to Cette, which is the port of Montpellier.
The principal promenades of the city are, the Espla nade, the Peyrou, and the Canourgue. The Esplanade, begun in 1724, by the Duke de Roquelare, occupies the ground between the citadel and the ancient city. It is extensive, and shaded with rows of trees, and adorned with several large basins. The Place du Peyrou is si tuated on the highest part of Montpellier. The ground, supported by very high walls, forms two terraces, placed one above another. The lower one, which occupies the greatest space, is planted with several rows of trees, and adorned with two fine fountains. The wall of the upper terrace is surmounted with trophies. At the bottom of the place is the reservoir of water, which is supplied by the aqueduct, designed by M. Pitot, for conveying to Montpellier the waters of St. Clement. It has two rows of arcades, and the second supports a long gallery. This magnificent work is allowed to decay. The Ca nourgue is celebrated chiefly for being the place where Rousseau walked during his stay in that city. Popula tion of .Montpellier, 26,704. Its mean temperature is 59° 4' of Fahrenheit. The observatory is situated in East Long. 3° 52' 40", and North Lat. 43° 36' For a full account of this town and its antiquities, see Millin's Voyage dans lea Departemens du Midi de la France, tom. iv. chap. 114, 115, 116, p. 283.