OUR PARIS LETTER.

Evening Star, Issue 3944, 15 October 1875, Page 3

OUR PARIS LETTER.

Paris, August 7, Prance is afflicted with two misfortunes, w’oich have the appearance of being chronic—bi.d weather and the Deputies. .Neither will go away ; on the cont ary if astronom era and enlightened politicians are to bo cr edited—both are likely to alliict us for a lung time. Now, since politics form th eefour'ha of the conversation of gentlemen, n■ id the bud weather all that of ladies, time P’ sses away somehow or other. Ballooning is at present a favorite amusthanent; not a village which celebrates its hj nimble lute in honor of its patron saint but w i nda up with a b linos ascension—the big vn gs of the neighborhood forming a pleasure 1 p a rty to pass the night in the car, and enjoy tike burning of Homan candles in space 'J.'fc.is pas-ion for ballooning is one of the h.e dthy legacies of the invasion. To be-pre-pa red is the b-st security agamafc wars and r i* mors of wars. The same motive actuates p« triots t rear carrier pigeons, eating off the 1 s a oernumeraries Belgium prorrises to be eclipsed in the rearing of suck birds—mi nor d to be no intelligent thac it would no 1 1 be impossible if tome day messages were ' do! patched, not by enclosing it in a quill and > akh achina it to th * tail, as naughty boys ' practice indignities upon dogs, but merely 1 whispering them in the ear. Tne bultan of i ii»n.iibar took much pleasure in the performaaicevi of these birds, and were he but to transform inguaras into dovecots, quotations in ight be exchanged between his realm and ■'clue next respecting the coffee market and t he prospects of the elep ant tusk crop. It is not paying the fieyyid, or ‘‘Citoyen Zanzibar,” a great compliment to remark that, knowing nothing about him the people concluded he was less of a fool than the Shah. As ill luck would have it, a journal commenced publishing at the time of his visit t iat portion of the Shah’s eccentric diaiy relating to the French, and which of course pierced the hin-skinued Athenians to the quick, who claim to be like the liish - ‘ the finest ‘ pisanthry ” under the sun. Neither did a coffe -shop contribute to develop re. pecn for the Sultan, as it placarded the walls, defving -my other Mocha to surpass that of Zam; liar, and displayed his •Majesty for trade mark, the likeness being pronounced by those who never saw' him to bt; as excellent as the score published m the illustrated papers. The French authorities, ; although hj airing no. axe to grind, paid him j every attention short of getting up an illumination and a military review. They Fd off by conduct] - lag him to tho Shah’s Paradise the circus, und the Zoological Gardens, and could hardl;? believe their eyes when he displayed a nmrked preference for librarus and fine arts. He created a still greater sensation by purc'fcasiajg a piano, and testing the octaves himae lx, giving a Fw bars, not of a nigger melody, hut a rerene of forty-honr putting to si eep power. Had he only consented to perform before the public, as did tioman potent bates, he would have been able in a short turn ; to net his travelling expemes, and so save J ehn Bull the payment of the little bill. Th© Kmpr ias of Austria enjoys studied privacy near Ft; .-amp, and derives r> ncli beuefj.t from her dips. If she waits till the 22n.d she can e..'joy her gun, and French e.-v’aliiurs will certainly off r her the delight of her heart—u boar chase; not a vulgar “jatiaking party,” but a loyal hunting down ox wit iked grunty with hounds, horses, aud huafcixi. horns. • xltliough he deputies have been let loose for th .ree months, anT have been reconi mendi nl by the Cabinet', which is a credit to its hui nor, “ to consult their constituents," it is "the last thing three-fourths of the repress mtaxtives dream of doing ; the state of ■;cgo wo-Id not be powerful enough t< > etne'd them from the popular Ef, tu Unde! A gui Ity conscience is a perpetual tormentcr The j iou& (Republicans are delighted that in three; mouths hence the clergy will be compelF<d to cease indulging in that sin of omitsnion. not praying for the safety aud welfare. of rh e Republic. Beyond doubt greater eattsfact < m would be felt were prayers resorted to in order to bring about the dissolution of \ the C-. ssimbly, or bring back our •o aimer. The city i 3 f u ii 0 [ strangers, caravaraories of men, w om. n, atd children, from the north and south, on their way to the sm fer the p- riod ef one month ; they are the providence of theatres and hotels. But there is another .tlans—the ftaravts —who follow tne Geograplticrl Congress with the order of dov- toes. 'J The meetings are perfect Towers of Bab 1, and it is not; less a curiosity to note how ■ ach na'ionality pronounces French wben that lanj, Huge is resorted to. In the way of niurdei vuc accent, the Italians, a sifter rac.;, sun pvis all other civilised na tons; the dis ; slay of maps and pic ures, guide books, an«l ,photographs. &c , is exten sive and inton stiu %• Happy those who tar retain a F w ir aj ires sions among the crowd of them that su;;r oimd you in fourteen galleries ; young 1 .adits cun luxuriate in t* <■ 4 ‘use of tho f lobes’ for nothing, and what will make th/ i r hair stand on end, is to sot some well-k; AO wn, perhaps their native

town, an joying a moat outlandish name on a Dutch, a Russian, or a Turkish map; no lady ought to view alone such terrible specimens of consonants j tined together on the kaleidoscopic principle. If the French after this exhibition remain ignorant of the topography of their country, thev deserve to bo scared once a year by the Bouaparbists. As a superiicial remark, I noticed that the maps of foreign c untries were equally intelligible, whether studied upside or down. The Maritime aud Fluvial Exhibition seems to be in bad health ; its contents arc too special, and would require some “ middy ashore ’’ to explain the wonders to those who do not go down to the sea in ships. Fari-siana and country cousins do not feel enthusiasm for the improved means for harpooning whales or catching minnows. The directors of he show forget how distasteful are all extra aqueous allusions this year, and are as much out of place as a memento 'marl ; their square-mile posters display a kind of excelsior cabin boy, carrying a Hag, and inviting the public to visit the palace of industry ; tho lad has a frightened, sad look, nothing of a hornpipe gaiety about him. This may be accounted fclr by the circumstance that tho directors! offered a prize of 1,000 francs for tho best poem on “Navigation;” the successful author cannot be found, and young Jack is said to be on the look-out for him, oven among the East tribes. It is a blessing to live under a paternal government, even though it be backed by martidl law- For the future one may enter a restaurant without a preliminary prayer to be delivered from suddeu death. Those patronised by the bumble and middle classes will be controlled henceforth by inspectors, or rather “tasters,” who will see that n:> nonseu-e is indulged in by the cook, aud customers be compelled to banquet off illegal specimens of natural history; the richer people will still bo left to try pot-luck ; tho law protects us against adulterations In the crude state, and there ia no reason why it ought not to shield us against public c roles. There is a tendency to return to old times; tho members of the Geographical Congress have visited rit. Germain, and examined the stone-throwing machines of the ancient Napoleon’s and Moltke’s; some pavingstones were hurled a distance of half-a-mile, to the terror of many country people, supposing some Oriental or African potentate introduced lapidation by machinery, as a. variety of punishment? The lances, bows, aud arrows, battering rams, dc,, were pronounced to be formidable weapons, but still ancient, which nobody can deny ; civilisation has not the slightest intention to renounce Knipp cannon and needle-rides for boulders and macadam. The effects of the military school drill are beneficially telling on our boys ; they have a more healthy look, broader chest?, fewer-pipe-stopper legs, and a diminished number of pale laces ; the conductors of hoarding schools complain, however, that the amelioration is a loss for them, since the lads having better appetites demand, like Oliver Twist, “ more hence another extra to the bill The College Ohaptal is the Municipal High School of Paris, and before the breaking up for the summer vacation a formal ceremony takes place for the distribution of the prizes; it is certainly one of the educational establishments where the pr /. ,s are never included in the half-yearly account ; invitations were as usual issued to parents and guardians to assist at the ceremony, aud hundreds duly arrived at the doors in gala toilettes, when notice was issued that no ceremony would take place, Ihe Prefect of the Seine forbid the banns, it is said in order to prevent tho delegate of the municipality complimenting learning ! and the Republic. What a strange country : the authorities with martial law at their elbow, have fear of an elogaium in the constitution under which we live. These Prefects seem to bo pachas with ever so many tails, as a councillor-general was lately sentenced to three mont s’ imprisonment for telling one of them he treated his remarks with profound contempt. And while cn the subject of law, a jury has rendered a most terrible verdict that may be tbe means of creating troubles, or banishing them, in many households ; a man was acquitted fo*- beating his wife, asserting he btlievtd he was castigating his mother-in law. Do you remember the time when Napoleon 111. was dabbling in literature, and whm the German supplied him with paragraphs for hia * Life of Cresar ?’ Plon, the unfortunate publisher, owing to the disap. pea'-ance of the Empire, was left with 48 OUO volumes of the on his shelves, and the tribunal has dee ded he has no claim against the late Emporor’s heirs ; the gcrgeously-bound volumes are to be carted to ’he pulping trough ; now a book's a book, although there is nothing in it, and the present might do for the backgammon aud chess boards, which no gentleman’s library is of course without. Many sports, duels warranted not to ki 1 excepted, are on the decline ; foot-races have been prohibited by the authorities, because the discomfitted belting ring adopted that amusement for indulging in wagers, instead of love for the art; run ke in sacks, is, however, tolerated. ning It is a relief to learn that preparations are already going on for the season’s “ masked balls.” The new opera will take the lead this year, but it is said they will prove a failure if only “ proper people ” are allowed to join them. Artists are already engaged designing fancy costumes; their original -ketches are rapidly purchased, and become exclusive property, for the merit of a makeup lies in its rarity. Not much anxi. ty ia shown for those other costumes worn every dav ; a stock of waterproof fabrics, a supply of black grenadines, and some useful grey tissue for a change, such may bo condensed as the fashion. Those who are rash enough to order light or summer materials, will load them with lace and fringe to suit the colors. The Russian blame ia a garment very suitable to the time: it has an elegant and comfortable ook, as also the sac coat, with its double row of buttons, hatsdisplai less fruit, but more flowers, wh : ch may be worn cither in tufts or in garlands ; bands of moss with opening roses nestling therein, are charming; aumonierte are ■"ore than ever in reqm st, and the more old fashioned they can bo made to look the better; the chignon is less bulky, and the hair is worn h'ghor, Gentlemen are not forgotten, as a kind of soii’-wcster is en view in some of the leading hatters’ shops. What will you? Humanity in self-defence must struggle against the elements, French railway corapani-s are stronger than the sovereign people, since they can set them at defiance : it is not an uncommon occurrence to transport thousands of passengers, at double fare as a matter of course, on Bunda s into the suburbs; but if midnight arrive, an ; hundreds still clamor to be brought back to their hj mes, tho railway ofiicia s shut np the station, and leave the disappointed to ruminate on their situation. A test case is laid before counsel, but it would be a phenomenon to learn a railway company has been defeated in Franco. For (he future all foreigners residing in franco will have toregider their n ti nality, and this list will be copied and su] plied to their resp dive governments tnery six oaths ; other governments are «xpccted to do the same for Franco ; the obj. ct is to prevent certain natives from e-capiog miliary' service.