Along the precipice, which now juts and now recedes a little, are villas, hotels, old convents, gardens, and groves.

Rubens, the Flemish painter, in one of his wanderings through the galleries of old convents, came across a singular work.

These were the societies of the Jacobins and Cordeliers, so called from certain old convents in which they were accustomed to meet.

The rents paid for gardens belonging to the old convents are merely nominal, varying from one shilling to three pounds per annum.

The back stairs and secret passages in these old convents lead to excellent hiding-places, and have been put to frequent use during the revolutions.