The History of the Castle deserves detail; and we copy it from the last
edition of our friend Galignani's _Picture of Paris_:--

Vincennes is a large village about four miles east of Paris, famous for
its forest, called the _Bois de Vincennes_, and its ancient royal
chateau. The forest appears to have existed long before the chateau,
and to have been much more extensive than at present. Philip Augustus
surrounded it with strong and thick walls in 1283, when Henry III. of
England, presented to him a great number of stags, deer, wild boars, and
other animals for the sports of the chase. That monarch, taking pleasure
in sporting, built a country seat at Vincennes, which was known by the
name of _Regale manerium_, or the royal manor. Louis IX. often
visited Vincennes, and used to sit under an oak in the forest to
administer justice. In 1337, Philippe de Valois demolished the ancient
building, and laid the foundations of that which still exists, and which
was completed by his royal successors. The chateau forms a parallelogram
of large dimensions; round it were formerly nine towers, of which eight
were demolished to the level of the wall in 1814. That which remains,
called the _tour de l'Horloge_, is a lofty square tower which forms
the entrance. The Donjon is a detached building on the side towards
Paris, and has a parapet for its defence. Deep ditches lined with stone
surround the chateau. The chapel called _la Sainte Chapelle_, built
by Charles V. stands in the second court to the right. It is a beautiful
specimen of Gothic architecture. The interior is remarkable for its
windows of coloured glass, by Cousin, after the designs of Raphael.
They formerly were numerous, but only seven now remain. The high altar
is entirely detached and consists of four Gothic columns of white
marble; its front is ornamented with small figures. The balustrade which
separates the choir is also Gothic, and of white marble. To the left of
the altar is a monument, after the designs of Deseine, to the memory of