This Museum, which has, in fact, been formed out of the wrecks of the revolutionary storm, merits particular attention. Although it was not open to the public, for the first time, till the 15th of Fructidor, year III (2nd of September 1795), its origin may be dated from 1790, when the Constituent Assembly, having decreed the possessions of the Clergy to be national property, charged the _Committee of Alienation_ to exert their vigilance for the preservation of all the monuments of the arts, spread throughout the wide extent of the ecclesiastical domains. The philanthropic LA ROCHEFOUCAULD, (the last Duke of the family), as President of that committee, fixed on a number of artists and literati to select such monuments as the committee were anxious to preserve. The municipality of Paris, being specially entrusted, by the National Assembly, with the execution of this decree, also nominated several literati and artists of acknowledged merit to co-operate with the former in their researches and labours. Of this association was formed a commission, called _Commission des Monumens_. From that epoch, proper places were sought for the reception of the treasures which it was wished to save from destruction. The _Committee of Alienation_ appointed the _ci-devant_ monastery of the _Petits Augustins_ for the monuments of sculpture and pictures, and those of the _Capucins, Grands Jesuites,_ and _Cordeliers_, for the books and manuscripts. By these means, the monuments in the suppressed convents and churches were, by degrees, collected in this monastery, which is situated in the _Rue des Petits Augustins_, so named after that order of monks, whose church here was founded, in 1613, by Marguerite de Valois, first wife of Henry IV. At the same period, ALEXANDRE LENOIR was appointed, by the Constituent Assembly, director of this establishment. As I shall have frequent occasion to mention the name of that estimable artist, I shall here content myself with observing, that the choice did honour to their judgment. In the mean time, under pretext of destroying every emblem of feudality, the most celebrated master-pieces were consigned to ruin; but the commission before-mentioned opportunely published instructions respecting the means of preserving the valuable articles which they purposed to assemble.