[Footnote 6: Prince Charles is employed at Vienna in forming a collection of books, maps, and military memoirs for the purpose of establishing a _Dépôt_ for the instruction of the staff-officers of the Austrian army. Spain has also begun to organize a system of military topography in imitation of that of France. Portugal follows the example. What are we doing in England?] LETTER XXVII _Paris, December 3, 1801_. In this season, when the blasts of November have entirely stripped the trees of their few remaining leaves, and Winter has assumed his hoary reign, the garden of the _Tuileries_, loses much of the gaiety of its attractions. Besides, to frequent that walk, at present, is like visiting daily one of our theatres, you meet the same faces so often, that the scene soon becomes monotonous. As well for the sake of variety as exercise, I therefore now and then direct my steps along the BOULEVARDS. This is the name given to the promenades with which Paris is, in part, surrounded for an extent of six thousand and eighty-four toises. They are distinguished by the names of the _Old_ and the _New_. The _Old_, or _North Boulevards_, commonly called the _Grands Boulevards_, were begun in 1536, and, when faced with ditches, which were to have been dug, they were intended to serve as fortifications against the English who were ravaging Picardy, and threatening the capital. Thence, probably, the etymology of their name; _Boulevard_ signifying, as every one knows, a bulwark. However this may be, the extent of these _Old_ Boulevards is two thousand four hundred toises from the _Rue de la Concorde_ to the _Place de la Liberté_, formerly the site of the Bastille. They were first planted in 1660, and are formed into three alleys by four rows of trees: the middle alley is appropriated to carriages and persons on horseback, and the two lateral ones are for foot-passengers. Here, on each side, is assembled every thing that ingenuity can imagine for the diversion of the idle stroller, or the recreation of the man of business. Places of public entertainment, ambulating musicians, exhibitions of different kinds, temples consecrated to love or pleasure, Vauxhalls, ball-rooms, magnificent hotels, and other tasteful buildings, &c. Even the coffee-houses and taverns here have their shady bowers, and an agreeable orchestra. Thus, you may always dine in Paris with a band of music to entertain you, without additional expense. The _New_ Boulevards, situated to the south, were finished in 1761. They are three thousand six hundred and eighty-three toises in extent from the _Observatoire_ to the _Hôtel des Invalides_. Although laid out much in the same manner as the _Old_, there is little resemblance between them; each having a very distinct appearance.