MONT MOHENC V — MONTREAL.

rendered celebrated in recent history by the militaryevents of which it was the theatre during the twooccupations of the French capital byjhc allied forces.According to some, it derives its name from a templeof Mars which formerly stood on its summit ; it wasafterwards called Mons Mercurii (probably becausethe temple was converted to his service); and, at alater period, in consequence of the death of St. Denisand his disciples here, it acquired the name of MonsMarlyrum; and a chapel took the place of the heathentemple. In the war with Lothaire, in 978, the chro-nicles relate that Otho II., emperor of Germany,caused a hallelujah to be chanted by the monks fromthe heights of Montmartre, with such a power oflungs as to terrify all Paris. In 1096, Bouchard deMontmorency, to whom it belonged, founded a con-vent of monks here, which, in 1133, was convenedinto a nunnery by queen Adelaide (wife of Louis leGros). This abbey afterwards became noted for thedissolute manners of its inmates. Henry IV., duringthe siege of Paris, fixed his head-quarters here.When the allies entered France, in 1814, Napoleoncaused the heights to be fortified ; and about 15,000men defended it a whole day against 40,000 of theallied troops. Montmartre was again fortified in1815, but was not attacked. It affords a good viewof the capital, and is occupied by country-seats, andseveral charitable institutions and manufactories.Large quantities of plaster of Paris are obtained fromits quarries.

Montmorency, or Enghien. A village aboutnine miles from Paris, situate on a rising ground,which overlooks the celebrated valley of Mont-morency, on the borders of the forest of the samename. In this beautiful valley is the hermitage whereRousseau wrote his Emile, and his nouvelle Heloise,and which was afterwards occupied by Gretry. Thegarden attached to it contains a bust of the former,and a marble monument to the memory of the latter.Montmorency is now a watering place, containingsulphureous springs, which supply 400 baths a day.The vicinity affords agreeable walks.

Montmorency, Falls of. A beautiful cascade,on a river of the same name, in Lower Canada, sevenmiles below Quebec. The falls are very near thejunction of this river with the St. Lawrence. Thebreadth of the river at the top of the cascade is about100 feet, and the perpendicular descent 246 feet.

Montmorillon. A town of France, in the depart-ment of La Vienne, situated on the river Gartempe.It carries on a considerable trade in wool and cattle;and the paper manufactured in this place is highlyestimated. In the immediate neighbourhood of Mont-morillon, is a ruined edifice of great antiquity; it isby some supposed to have been a Roman fortress ;but it is much more likely to have been used as atemple. It has a population of about 4000 persons ;and is situated 246 miles S.W. of Paris.

Montpelier. A town of Washington county, inthe United States of America. Montpelier is thepermanent seat of government for Vermont, and theshire town of the county of Washington. The vil-lage was incorporated in 1818: it is situated in thesouth-west part of the township, on the north bank ofOnion River, and contains a commodious state-house,built of wood, a court-house, a gaol, an academy, ameeting-house, and the number of school-houses,workshops, stores, taverns, and other edifices usuallyfound in New England townships of this size. The

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academy is flourishing. Onion River affords at thisplace good seats for manufactories. The situation ofthe place is low, and is rendered somewhat unplea-sant by the proximity of the hills. It is about tenmiles north-east from the geographical centre of thestate, and is a great thoroughfare, travellers crossingthrough it in all directions.

Montpellier. An ancient French city, and thecapital of the department of the Herault. It standson a declivity between the rivers Masson and Lez,about five miles from the sea, with which it communi-cates by means of the canal de Grave. Many of thestreets are steep and irregular, and in the interior ofthe town they are winding, narrow, and dark. In thesuburbs are the most regular streets, and the besthouses ; thp buildings there being mostly of stone.It contains a cathedral, numerous churches, hospitals,and other charitable institutions. The public pro-menade, called Peyroun,is one of the finest in Europe jan equestrian statue of Louis XIV. was erected in itin 1829. Montpellier has long been the seat of acelebrated university, particularly famous for its schoolof medicine ; this still subsists, under the name of anacademy, and has three faculties. The anatomicaltheatre alone is capable of containing about 2000persons. The other establishments are a botanicalgarden, museum, cabinet of natural history and ana-tomy, the observatory, and public library of 35,000volumes, and many valuable manuscripts. It is de-fended by a citadel, which commands the town andneighbourhood. The principal manufacture is verdi-gris, in which it carries on a considerable trade, asalso in wool, which is brought from the Mediterra-nean ; wine, aqua vitae, Hungary water, cinnamonwater, essence of bergamot, lemons, &c. and likewisegreat quantities of woollen carpets, fustians, and silkstockings. These commodities are sent by the canalto Cette, which is the sea-port of Montpellier. Thistown is particularly celebrated for the salubrity of itsair, and for its extensive and interesting prospects,which on the one hand embiace the Pyrenees, andon the other the Alps, alt is much visited by invalidsfrom foreign countries. The inhabitants amount toabout 35,000 persons, and it is 375 miles from Paris,and 70 N.W. of Marseilles.

Mont Perdu. Summit of the Pyrenees, on thefrontier line between France and Spain; about 100miles east of the Bay of Biscay, and further westfrom the Mediterranean. It has a double summit,one computed at 10,700 feet, or, by another state-ment, 11,265 feet high; the other at 10,400. Theline of perpetual congelation here is about 7500 feetin height.

Montreal. A city of Lower Canada, the firstin size, and the second in rank in that province. Itis situated in a district of the same name, on thesouth side of the island of Montreal, in the St. Law-rence. The harbour, though not large, is alwayssecure for shipping during the time that the river isnot frozen; and vessels drawing fifteen feet of watercan lie close to the shore. The general depth ofwater is from three to four and a half fathoms. Thegreatest inconvenience is the rapid of St. Mary,about a mile below the city; as vessels cannot ascendthis without a strong wind from the north-east. Mon-treal is divided into Upper and Lower towns, butone is very little elevated above the other. Thestreets are, for the most part, laid out in a regularmanner, generally rather narrow, excepting the new