In the reign of Henri IV. Paris received many improvements. The Pont-Neuf was completed, the hospital of St..Louis built, several of the quays constructed, and the palace of the Tuileries finished. All the bridges, except the Pout-Neuf, were at this time lined with houses. In respect of cleanliness and security from robbery, little improve ment seems to have taken place. In the reign of Louis X1IL several new bridges were erected ; the .churches of Stsltoch, of the Oratoire, of Val-de-Grace, and the facade of St-Gervais constructed • the hos pitals of the Incurables, the Salpetriere, and the an aqueduct to convey water from Arcueil to the city, the Sorbonne, and the college of Clermont, afterwards Louis-le-Grand, were built. The palace of the Luxembourg was built by Maria de Medici ; the Jardin des-Plantes (botanical garden) was laid out; and the Palais Royal was built and the Academie Fransaise founded by Cardinal Richelieu. New walls were erected on the north-west side of the city, iuclosing a considerable space north of the Tuileries, and extending the circuit of the inclosure nearly to the line of the present boulevards. The island of St.-Louis was entirely covered with houses, surrounded with quays, and joined to the mainland by two bridges. The Pout-au-Change was rebuilt, and a wooden bridge thrown over the river where the Pont Royal now stands.
Tho city suffered so much during the troubled minority of Louis XIV. that in 1653 it was estimated that there were in Paris 40,000 paupers. In the long reign of this king, tho enceinte of Paris was again extended, and splendid gates and barriers built; the old ramparts were levelled, and replaced on the northern boulevards by magnificent promenades planted with trees ; the quays were repaired ; more than 80 new streets were opened, and most of the old ones were wideued and rebuilt. Instead of dismal posterns and narrow wickets, the gates of St-Antoine, St-Bernard, St.-Deuis, and St.-Martin rose iu the form of triumphal arches. The city was orna mented with the Places Vendfime, des-Victoires, and du-Carrousel. Perrault raised the colounade of the Louvre ; the Hotel-des-Invalides was erected as an asylum for the aged soldier ; and the infirm were tended iu the Salpetriere, which was enlarged and called the General Hospital, with the Bictltre for a dependency.
At the beginning of this reign the streets of Paris were always dirty, lighted nt night only by lanterns hung out in front of the shops ; many were unpaved, and impassable even in summer except in heavy boots. Opposite the Tuileries was a wretched wooden bridge called Pont-Barbier ; in several quarters were seen the heavy chains which served for barricades iu the times of the League and the Fronde; and so impure was the air, that bright copper vessels were coated with verdigris in a single night. During the night cut-purses roamed the streets with impunity, and assassivations were not uncommon where every body went armed. The administration of Colbert and Louvois checked these evils. The disorders of the capital were in part reme died by increased efficiency of police ; pages and lackeys were dis armed ; and lanterns, each containing a large candle, were suspended in the middle of the streets. Under Louis XIV. was completed
buildiug of the Tuileries, the gardens of which were laid out by be Notre; the Champs-Ely;des were planted with trees; and many fountains were erected as decorations of the city, and affording abundant supplies of water to the inhabitants. In the interest of °deuce, the Observatory was founded, the College of Quatre-Nationa built, and the Royal Library organised; St.-Sulpice was commenced, and Val-de-Grace completed; the Chatdlet was built as a special court house for the city of Paris; and the Pont-Royal was opened, connecting the quarter of the Tuileries with the Faubourg St-.Germain, on the left bank of the Seine. Great encouragement was given to manu facturing industry during this reign; mauufactories of plate-glass and tapestry were established, the latter being the famous manufactory of the Gobelins, established on the little river Bievre, which traverses the south-eastern angle of the city, between the Jarditedes-Plantes on the north and the great hospital and gardens of the Salp6triere on the south, and enters the Seine on the left bank n little above the bridge of Austerlitz. The population of Paris, at the close of the reign of Louis XIV., was feat approaching half a million.
From the comuieucement of the reign of Louis XV. to the period of the Revolution, Paris received considerable accessions both to its extent and the number of its public buildings. The church of Sainte Genevieve (the Pantheon of the revolutionary period), the church of Ste-Philippe-du-Roule, near the Barriere-du-Roule, in the north-west of the town, and the facade of St.-Roch were erected ; the Mint, the Ecolo Mditaire (military school), and schools of law (droit) and surgery were built; the corn-market (hallo) and several other market-places were formed; fountains and theatres erected; a line of boulevards formed on the south side of the river; • the Petit-Pont, which united the with the south bank of the river, rebuilt; the Place Louis XV. laid out, with a statue of that king in the centre; the liotel-d'Armenouville was repaired and converted into the post-office; a city post was established; the names of the streets were written up and the houses numbered; reflecting lamps were used for lighting the streets ; many sumptuous hotels wers built; and the erection of the Pont Louis XVI. was commenced. Paris was also surrounded by wall, which still exists, comprehending a mach larger area than any previous iuclosure, and desisned to prevent the introduction of corn modities without the payment of the octrois, or local taxes. For this purpose 58 barriers, flanked by handsome guard-houses, were erected. The faubourga du-Roule, St.-Honore, St.-Lazare, Poissoniere, and Chaussee-d'Antin were covered with good houses. The Palais-de Justice was repaired ; the Palais-Royal was completed ; the Ecole-de 3Iedecine. the College-de-Fraocs, the theatres Francais It *lien, Feydean, de-l'Odeon, and de-la-Porte-St.-Martin, the Rotonde of the Temple, and several belles and fountains were built; and the Marche des-Innocents and other markets were opened.