Paris as It Was and as It Is A Sketch Of The French Capital, Illustrative Of The Effects Of The Revolution

"Paris as It Was and as It Is" by Francis William Blagdon is a recollection of Paris after the French Revolution, written in the form of letters from an English traveler. Concentrating on science, writing, the arts, religion, education, and how people lived, the author seeks to show how much Paris changed. The story starts with the author's trip from London to Paris, and what he first thought when he arrived as the revolution was ending. After traveling from Calais, the author thinks about the new peace agreement, noticing how the countryside looks different and the roads have changed. When he gets to Paris, he sees that it is now much quieter than before, with better order and fewer carriages. As he gets used to the new ways of people living, the author uses his earlier visits to provide a contrast to the Paris of the time, creating a story meant to make the reader reconsider what the city was like during this important time.