OUR PARIS LETTER,

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume IV, Issue 370, 29 March 1876, Page 3

OUR PARIS LETTER,

(i-BOM OUB OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Paris, January 30. The elections are tat ing place with a kind of contemptuous tranquility, tho better to hold up to ridicule the fictitious apprehensions of the Ministry about social perils and kindred bugbears. It may bo surmised that the issue before the country will be a triumph in favour of the moderate Republic, and the desire to ameliorate, not to overthrow it. Very little attention is paid to the efforts of the National party to live, and the influence of the Ministry to carry its candidates is curtailed, and if exercised, the new Chambers can break the elections. It is unfortunate that no Government will abstain from interference with the free deliberations of the electors. If Franco refuses to adhere to the programme of the eminent men who have laboured since five years, through evil roporfc, and through good report, to establish a Republic open to all, and alike to all, her future will be compromised indeed. There can be no resuscitation after that fall.

Victor Hugo having been once more galvanised into political prominence, feels it incumbent on him to address a manifesto urbi et orbi, recalling to all, that the fate of the world is involved in the election of French Deputies and Senators. It is the propagation of this kind of stuff that destroys the many excellent qualities of the French, as being flattered they alone are a Messiah people, they commence to accept the assurance as a fact. It is a lamentable spectacle to see an in» telligent capital like Paris, represented by a man who appeals to ten millions of electors to renounce chimeras, and thon calls upon them to unite to form Europe into one grand moral France, and to accept the creation of the Republican form of Government as eo'oval with the creation of light. He believes that it is impossible for sane or honest persons to prefer a Monarchical form of Governmcnt,and that arbitration can put an end to foreign wars. Hia address is a diurrbcaea of words, and the exact kind of claptrap to undo tho efforts being made to compol Monsiour to regard politics as a business affair, more parochial than transcendental, belonging to the domain of vulgar practise, and not to regions of pure logic, tho abstract, tho subjective, &c.

The musical public of Paris is very much ! dissatisfied with Faure, the excellent barytone | singer j he has been spoiled by success, and disputes with the director of the Opera,and hie j his exigencies to have everything subordinate to his caprices, have at laßt brought the modern Athenians to the frame of mind of being fatigued with " Aristide, tho Just." Since Fauro desires to make tho tour of Europo, the desire is, " to loose him and let him go." France will give any terms to discover a good tenor. Not a workshop in the Faubourg, not a manufactory in tho provinces, but is being searched for the youth to fame unknown. Formor searches of a similar kind were rewarded. Occasionally, a young and brilliant gentleman turns up unexpectedly and quietly. Such ns 80 years ago, in the person of the Marquis of Oandia, better known ad Mario. Often the diamonds are uncut. Poultier, for examplo, was a cooper j G-ueymand, a barber ; Delabranche, a sweep j When the pearl voice has been declared a prize, the owner is bathed, brushed, pomaded, and perfumed. He is supplied with a regiment of masters, furnished with pookefc money to amuse himself, promising in return to atudy and preserve his voice. Faure was once an humble violiuist, and a choir-boy in the Madeleine. It is rumoured that an excellent baritone has been discovered in one of the carpenters of tho new Opera. A M. Edard, a Government clerk at Bordeaux, occupied his leisure hours curing the maimed, the halt, and the blind. Ho in> vented a kind of Voltaic brush, and by touching the afflicted, and ordering them decoctions of certain herbs, he worked miracles, The authorities indicted him for charlatanism, but ho was acquitted. The patients in whom ho worked perfect cures, appeared in Oourfc to testify to the fact ; all had been ill for years, and felt no relief from doctors or patent medicines, till M. Edard " touched" them, made some passes, and indulged in a tsvr invocations. A cripple sworo he how was able to march without his crunches, and a blind man, who had lost his sight by lightning, boasted ho could see aB far into a milestono as the judge himself. Edard accepted no fee, and 60 wisely kept clear of tho law. He only requested the cured to thank God.

Tho Princess Salm, wife of the llasfer of the Horse of the late Emperor Maximilian, and killed during tho recent war, has published a work long expected, called " Ten Years of my Life." Her remarks about Bazaine are highly relished by tho French. When com-mander-in" chief of the expeditionary army in Mexico, he tyrannized rather than dictated to the unfortunate Emperor. Ho made money also by two hricd'bac shops he opened in Mexico, ond sold articles at an immense sacrifice, owing to his ability to pass them through the Customs- dutj free. She speaks severely of his conduct-in Mexico, which is not a mystery to many, but it is nows to learn that it was the opinion of the German army that Baznine was a traitor at. Melz. This

evidence i9the more important as the Frinceee wa3 l,he Mi»s Nightingale of the German army during tho invasion. I have Been her pass w whole night preparing soup and drinfts for the wounded,' who were shrieking' with agony (for the German bellows when wounded ; this Frenchman remains calm, stoical, and polite even), that noble lady was wearing mourning for her husband, -ant} toiled like a slave under a shed where tho wintry winds had unobstructed access. When fche army of the beeeigers entered Paris ono cf the most singular incidents in tho defile was the' black phaeton full of medicine chestsrdrivon by the Princess herself with no attendant, and indifferent to all regards! There is a story told respecting Dumas and Hugo, that illustrates how little some people think of greatness and how limited is popularity. There was at one time a Mayor of Neuill, a village outside Paris, who had to celebrate a marriage. Hugo and Dumas were the witnesses for the bridegroom. "Your name ?" asked the mayor ; " Hugot." " Your profession?" "Poet." Tho reply staggered the functionary, who felt he was in the pre' sence of a fool. The same questions were addressed to Dumas, and similar surprise was displayed when he announced he was a "Novelist." A third witness appeared for the bride j he was a local grocer. On seeing him the functionary invited him to take a chair beside him. Sic transit gloria mundi. Tho Paris journals have not many foreign correspondonta, and when they publish any such lettera they are never worth "the pains of being read. Ono "special" writes from London, announcing in a slop press style that he has discovered the secret for making plum puddings, and is aware of the auarter where they are manufactured for exportation to the continent. The national pudding is composed of the sweepings of tho bakers' shops, the refuse from the pastrycooks', the stale dishes of the restaurants, and the offal of butcher's shops. No doubt he will discover the mysteries of the sausage machine, and how Bma'll boys, buttons and all are disposed of. It is computed thafc the wine shops of Paris consume in the year as much straw as all the horses in tho city. This straw is used for "bedding" for the feet of clients who take their big drinks standing before tho counter. There is also not a little straw employed as matting against the door.posfc, riot to serve as a buffer to break the rollings of tho intoxicated, but to allow tho sober to 1011, and smoking their pipe, enjoy the world passing by. The Opera Comique could afford a kind of Biblical troupe to perform in an oratorio. They havo three chief singers named Ishmael, Nathan, and Melohizedeck ; a stage-manager named Abel ; a first fiddle called David ; a Saxehorn performer named Adam; the director resides in Egypt Villa, and the box-keeper on tho Boulevard de Calvaire ; the ballet'mistress is a Mile. Isaacs, and one of hor assistants is named Gabriello. A singular case of absence of mind on the part of aM. de Girardin, He stopped during the recent thaw to have his boots blacked. The Bhoe-boy on oleaning ono saw tho other duly re-appearing soiled at the toe. This alternation continued till the operator re> minded M. de Girandio "he had already cleaned his thirteenth boot."