In the third “_salon_” are the celebrated globes, the one celestial, the other terrestrial, made in 1683, by the jesuit _Coronelli_, for the _cardinal d’Estrées_. They are of immense dimensions, but require new painting; as, in the first place, they were made before the last discoveries, and secondly, the colours are almost entirely effaced by the lapse of time. This admirable library, which also contains collections of medals, and other curiosities, is open to all persons who choose to attend as students, without any expense, recommendation, or favour, every day in the week; but, to prevent the labours of these being interrupted, the visits of such as only come from motives of curiosity are limited to two days in seven. I saw, with pleasure, that the object of this splendid institution is fully answered. Forty or fifty young men, deeply intent on the subject of their inquiries, were seated in different parts of the room, and seemed to pursue, with enthusiasm, those studies, which the liberality of their country thus afforded them the means of cultivating. The gallery of manuscripts (called the gallery of Mazarine) contains thirty thousand volumes, generally on the history of France, and more particularly relating to facts which have taken place since the reign of Lewis XI, twenty-five thousand of which are in learned or foreign languages. The librarian, to whose care these precious papers are entrusted, was known to a gentleman who accompanied me, and through his goodness we saw several, which are not commonly exhibited. I was much surprised at finding, in the hand writing of _Lewis XIV._ memoirs of his own times, so accurately taken, that, with very little difficulty, they might be prepared for the press. I understand that a gentleman, belonging to the library, began this useful task, and had made considerable progress, when a sudden illness deprived his country and the literary world of his services. I was not a little entertained with the love letters of Henry IV., which are in perfect preservation, and some of which have, I believe, been published. The following is a _fac simile_ of one, which particularly attracted my notice: “Mon cher cœur, nous venons de dyner ceans, et sommes fort sous. Je vous veyrré devant que partyre de Parys vous cherryre non comme yl faut, mes comme je pourre Ce porteur me haste sy fort que je ne vous puys fayre que ce mot bonsoyr le cœur a moy je te bese un mylyon de foys 8 ce XIIIIIme octobre 8 H 8 8 HENRY[83].” As the tokens of regard, which the gallant Henry thought his mistress deserved, were only limited in number to a million, we cannot too much admire the prudence with which he, who was never known to break his word, promised to testify his affection, not according to the merit of the lady, but to the powers of her lover.