1846 - An American medical student in Paris describes the city to his friend from home who was attending university in New York by Rm C Graham to Charles M. Catlin - 1846

Paris to New York, 1846. Envelope or Cover. Very good. This three-page stampless folded letter measures approximately 16" x 10" unfolded. It was sent by Rm C Graham in Paris, France to his friend Charles M. Catlin in New York. It is dated 6 February 1846 and bears no postal markings other than "Per Havre Packet. February 8th 1846" suggesting it may have been favor-carried. In nice shape.

The young men had been school friends but parted ways to pursue higher education. In the first half of the 1800s, medical education in Germany and France was vastly superior to available training in the United States and Great Britain. For Americans with the wherewithal, studying medicine in Paris was the order of the day. Between 1820 and 1861 over 600 did so, and Graham was one of them.

As Graham notes in this letter,

"Your letter [talked] very much about your societies at college . . .I cannot tell you anything about societies in our school as there are none. . .. I am at present studying anatomy and different other studies which are taught in the 5th year. I am glad to hear that you are at the University as you are much better there than you would have been at Columbia. . .."

Graham also provides a description of Parisian shopping.

"There are some Fancy stores which are always frequented [that are] renowned for nouve autés, they have all kinds of magnificent things to charm the eye. . .. Boulevards are lined with stores . . . and it is very difficult to walk . . . the crowd is so dense. The Marchands cry at you. Tenez vous voyez les articles n'st ce pas qu il sent jolis achetez les and . . . Feret est a bon marche. . .. [At] the Temple Marche there are 1888 stalls . . . in which everything is sold. . . everything imaginable, it is a curiosity to see it. . .."

He then describes some not-to-be-missed sights.

"I went up to the old Bastille . . . it is now a canal on one side there is the Elephant that Napoleon had built, it is as large as a house, and in Front the Colonne de Juillet which was built . . . in commemoration of the revolutions of July it is made entirely of copper. I went lately on top of the Column of Vendome it is a magnificent monument, entirely of Bronze composed of 1200 pieces of cannon taken from the Russian and Austrian Armies. . .. Its total elevation is 135 feet and . . . I mounted it by means of a staircase in the interior which is winding, and all is as dark . . . so that I was obliged to take a candle with me on the top of the monument there is a statue of Napoleon he fronts the Tuileries, and his arms are folded. . "

Graham was also captivated by French spectacular and phantasmagorical theatre.

"I go frequently to the Theatre . . . I saw