The Story of Paris (Illustrated)

“I will not forget this, that I can never mutinie so much against
France but I must needes looke on Paris with a favourable eye: it
hath my hart from my infancy; whereof it hath befalne me, as of
excellent things, the more other faire and stately cities I have seene
since, the more hir beauty hath power and doth still usurpingly
gaine upon my affections. I love that citie for hir own sake, and more
in hir only subsisting and owne being, than when it is fall fraught
and embellished with forraine pompe and borrowed garish
ornaments. I love hir so tenderly that hir spottes, her blemishes and
hir warts are deare unto me. I am no perfect French man but by this
great citie, great in people, great in regard of the felicitie of hir
situation, but above all great and incomparable in varietie and
diversitie of commodities; the glory of France and one of the noblest
and chiefe ornaments of the world. God of his mercy free hir and
chase away all our divisions from hir. So long as she shall continue,
so long shall I never want a home or a retreat to retire and shrowd
myselfe at all times.”

—MONTAIGNE.