Paris, Old and New. By H. Sutherland Edwards. Vol. I.
(Cassell and Co.)—This is a book that suits its subject very well. Paris is, beyond all cities of ancient times and modern, a city of contrasts. What gaiety, and what horrors ! The one is on the surface ; it is the impression left on the visitor, who, if be knew nothing of the past, might well believe that the place had no thoughts but of pleasure. But go back a little, in almost any part of the old town, and what fearful associations are called up ! Mr. Sutherland Edwards gives us both sides of the shield. He tells us too much, we cannot but think, of the horrible. Why bring up again the hideous details of the punishment of Ravaillac, the assassin of Henry IV. P The account of the tortures inflicted upon him to extort a confession, and at his execution, is really too much, unless our author is bent on heightening the contrast between the light and the dark in his subject. Not a few similar opportunities occur, and they are seldom neglected. To give any account of the contents of the volume would be almost impossible. Churches, theatres, museums, libraries, courts of justice, and we know not what else, crowd its pages. The views of the present are frequently changed for glimpses into the past. Altogether, there is a mar- vellous abundance of picturesque detail. It would have been well to provide an index for the volume. There is a map of the "prin- cipal streets of Paris," but it is somewhat wanting in clearness.
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