The XVIIIth century; its institutions, customs, and costumes France, 1700-1789 . ve the ground. In1745 these lanterns were lighted with oil made from the intestines ofthe animals killed in the slaughter-houses, but they were never allkept burning, and on moonlight nights they were sometimes notlicrhted at all. The fears of the belated passengers were oftenexcited by the spectral-looking signboards, many of which projectedfar into the streets. Each house had its signboard, which answeredthe purpose of a number, and some of them were eight or ten feetin diameter, painted or gilded, and covered w
The XVIIIth century; its institutions, customs, and costumes France, 1700-1789 . ve the ground. In1745 these lanterns were lighted with oil made from the intestines ofthe animals killed in the slaughter-houses, but they were never allkept burning, and on moonlight nights they were sometimes notlicrhted at all. The fears of the belated passengers were oftenexcited by the spectral-looking signboards, many of which projectedfar into the streets. Each house had its signboard, which answeredthe purpose of a number, and some of them were eight or ten feetin diameter, painted or gilded, and covered with inscriptions, thegrammar and orthography of which were not always unexceptionable. THE ASPECT OF PARIS. 339 It was only after long efforts that these signboards could be pre-vented from projecting on the streets, and that the system of num-bering the houses could be carried into execution. There was no rule as to the whitewashincr or colourin? of thehouse-fronts ; most of them were begrimed with smoke, but a fewwere painted or whitewashed at intervals, though this did not. Fig. 224.—Hotel lamp, in ornamental wrought iron. prevent the bill-stickers from availing themselves of any walls thatthey found ready to their hand. To this was owing a marvellousdisplay of posters of all colours, many of these posters containingsarcastic references to political and other topics, which were greatlyappreciated by the scandal-loving public. It need hardly be saidthat the seditious posters were not placed on the walls by any of theforty sworn billstickers of the Chatelet, the authors of which incurredthe risk of a heavy fine, and even the pillory. However compact and noisy might be the crowd of foot-passen-gers and vehicles in the street, they immediately made way for a 340 THE EIGHTEENTH CENTURY. funeral procession, the approach of wliicli was always heralded by thechant of the priest who accompanied the body. There was a momentof silence as the cortege passed by, and everyone, uncoverin
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