smartly-dressed ladies, who appeared quite at home. Sir Charles was
likewise a great supporter of the turf, and was the first man who brought
over from England thorough-bred horses. By his indefatigable energy
he contrived to get up very fair racing in the neighbourhood of Valenciennes;
his trainer at this time being Tom Hurst, who is now, I believe, at
Chantilly; and all the officers of our several cavalry and infantry
regiments contributed their efforts to make these races respectable
in the eyes of foreigners. Be this as it may, they were superior to
those in the Champs de Mars, though under the patronage of the King.

I shall not forget the first time I witnessed racing in Paris, for it
was more like a review of Gensdarmes and National Guards; the course
was kept by a forest of bayonets, while mounted police galloped after
the running horses, and, in some instances, reached the goal before
them. The Duc d' Angouleme, with the Duc de Guiche and the Prefet, were
present; but there was only one small stand, opposite to a sentry-box
where the judge was placed. The running, to say the least of it, was
ridiculous: horses and riders fell; and the fete, as it was called,
ended with a flourish of trumpets. Wonderful changes have taken place
since that time, and at the Bois de Boulogne and at Chantilly may be
seen running equal to that of our best races in England; and our neighbours
produce horses, bred in France, that can carry off some of the great
prizes in our own "Isthmian games."


PARISIAN CAFES IN 1815


At the present day, Paris may be said to be a city of cafes and restaurants.
The railroads and steamboats enable the rich of every quarter of the