NEWS BY THE MAIL.

Grey River Argus, Volume XIII, Issue 1593, 12 September 1873, Page 2

NEWS BY THE MAIL.

THE SHAH OF PERSIA IN EUROPE.

[prom our own correspondent. j Paris, July 12. The French are a wonderful people, and after their raising, and it can be said paying, five milliards, arid giving such a magnificent reception to the Shah, they may :be excused f Or assrjring : the world they are anything but a dying-out nation. It is not in the flags, fire-works, and feasts, excellent though they have all b^en, "that the character of the welcome given to the King of Persia is to be sought', but in the'spontuneity with which France,, tha.t. is, her, essence. Paris, took up the matter arid went in for success. Itis to r.show Europe, and the world, that France has, not been crushed by her late misfortunes, which if , they have ; sbeen without a parallel so has also been her resuscitation. People, of all, ranks and conditions have entered into the holiday — spirit of the times, the working, classes above' all. The occasion is felt as a breathing time, after three .years of excited passions and desponding hopes ; to be now so gay, so happy, after being so long sad and dejected, is nearly incredible. To impress such facts as the Shah's attention will not diminish the honor due to : France, in carrying it at the same jtime to the credit of western civilisation^ The only point on which all wrr^s are agreed is that the Shah is a nfan of common sense, capable of using his eyes, ,an d .seizin g-the special excellencies of each nation whose guest he becomes. As to his physical ; traits, ' he must be Proteus himself; he is, tall in Russia, short in Germany, fat in Belgium, of middle height and' lean ;in\Englarid; > Heie the difference is that no two journals describe him alike. This is independence at least. J. G. Bennett- ought to settle; [the ..matter, by telegraphing to one of > his übiquitous interviewers to "do the Shah," regardless of expense. The journals in '■■ the- most 1 praiseworthy manner abstain from sermonising on the text — {as attractive as the trial of the clairrianr) — of the East coming to the West to seek civilization of the descendant of the Median kings,%aviug in a sense'/ his seven concetric-walled palace of Ecbatana to visit the Thames and the Seine. , Since we have , made the Emperor of Japait.more European than Europe itself, it is prudent to be cautious in the work of progress." . Then the Shah's subjects cannot beao veryifar behind the agey since a Conservative paper tdraws attention ; 'to the identity between the Radicals of Persia and of Franc. A Bonapartist journal honors Nassr-ed-Din, as the type of a - real, monarch, because when at home he,;has ; ;only to nod his head, and his opponents are decapitated forthwith. May we be a long time 1 spared from the paternal rale of Napoleon IV, or his cousin Plori-Plon. The Shah has. the good' fortune to come to Paris at a time when the Eepublic has for two years existed without republicans, and that an Assembly of Monarchists cannot select a king. During tisas-~^ Parisians have never had a pageant, so in our hearts the present m quite a treat. • Very little is known about the Shah or ' his realm, but his diamonds are celebrated. His name too is uncommon. Nassr-ed-Din cannot be found in any directory like that of Brown, or Jones, or Robinson. His relations with the fair sex are mysterious, and he is believed, to be as well wived as Brigham Tonng-' Paris sends out-and-out Radicals to the Assembly then scampers'off to cheer an Asiatic k !"g>, who cannot conipreherid the sacramental words on , the . public buildings of liberty, equality,: aridi fraternity. It is his costume, his 'diamond aigraffe that

seduces the Parisians, who hold that fine feathers make fine birds. Is it not a fact, that the success of many a drama in Paris depends on the display of diamonds made by s i famed actress whose salary is about 30fr a week, or perhaps only her chances 1 The masses must be fascinated by the eyes, not. caught by the understanding. Louis 'XVl. was lost from the moment he wore a Phirgian cap, and Louis Phillippe wrought his own downfall by taking his walks abroad with a Sally Gamp umbrella, and shaking hands with every John Gilpin in the war-paint of a National Guard, that he encountered on the Boulevards. Snch did more to compel the great Smith I. to retire from business, than all the attacks on his life by infernal machines which embellished his reign. 4 monarch like the King of Kings that stands by his order, promising to resemble the Roman matron who was crushed beneath the weight of her own jewels, strikes the crowd in a manner that M. Thiers in his chocolate coat and white beaver, or Grant in full dress or undress, could never do. Had the Shah, as was expected by not a few, made his entry on a diamond caparisoned elephant, he would have converted the very "Reds" to demand the restoration of some of the three tyrant pretenders. The Figaro, which is most comical when most serious, dedicated an hosanah of welcome to the Shah in French and Persian, ■which his Majesty enjoyed very much with his suite, as the Persian was printed upside down. Another journal, not to be out-done, publishes a cead milk fealthe in stenographic characters, insisting that it is the Persian after Hafiz, and the citizens side with Hafiz, which is also asserted to be the language of the Court. The cynical, believe the printing in the upside down manner was intended to symbolise the : present political situation, a situation which the illustrious visitor, we are assured, thoroughly comprehends, thus proving he is more accomplished than any man in France. He is an adept in geneaology also, as he chatted with M'Mahon-Mirza, touching the latter's ancestor, Brian ßorohme. Thanksto sleeping all the way from Cherbourg to Paris, which did not the less prevent them from admiring the country, according to a reporters—the Shah had a fresh appearance on entering the capital. By playing the piano during his voyage across the Channel, he warded off a sea-sickness. On stepping out of the train, he stepped into Macmalion's carriage, and so traversed the most beautiful avenues, to the Arc >de Triomphe— which looked down splendidly en the skeleton of the Tuelieries—a Mirza sort of vision. Under the famous arch he received the freedom of the city — despite its still being in a stage of siege. Then the procession descended the grand avenue of the Champs Elysees till the Shah arrived at his apartments — a wing of the Corps Legislatiff, where od alighting, he at once initiated another King- -Old Cole— by calling for his pipe. - The crowd was kept as far back as possible, the better to enable the Shah, who is short-sighted, to contemplate it. The banners hung out on the outer walls were few, but the ladies toilettes made up for what was wanting. The diamonds were very much admired — people aver so do — but the French, as by instinct, indicated they would be improved by a tasteful arrangement. The crowd, ever a most wonderful element in a National spectacle, was, as usual, quiet, silent, respectful, and submissive. Ie rarely cheers — except whenpaid for doing so. To offer up a mi>e for the past, present, or future, was to run the risk of being indicted for an attempt to incite to civil war. For the same reason no representative music was played ; each party has its own, and.it is only in the Assembly where all the tunes are played at the same time. The Shah's bed is that once occupied by Marie Louise, with black velvet curtains and white lace, gold fringe, and a top. knot of ostrich feathers — just : like a royal catalogue. However, there is but a. step from the cradle to the grave. The other et ceteras are likewise historical objects. There are baths in every room, on; a level with the floor— trap-door fashion— to save the Shah the trouble perhaps of getting into them. As he neVer treads on anything green, such being the color of the Prophets' mantle .-r^-and Nora Creina's gown— -the city has quite as red a look as during the Commune. ...... The King of Persia" goes about; as he pleases, is never followed by a crowd ; his off days are given to banquets. : That at" Versailles was simple but elegant, and quiet. Ladies of an uncertain age were, it is rumored, excluded as rigorously as they are from the Mohammedan paradise. It was in the Oalenh de Glaces the dinner was held. The Shah had a bill of; fare very plain for himself, which appeared as hermits' fare beside the Belshazzar feast served for the general company. It' was in the same hall where Louis XIV. received a Persian envoy two centuries ago, and gave once a dinner, where the cost of ortolans alone wasLl6,ooo, aud France in a state of starvation,. The Shah • took the fire-works as a matter of course— evidently he has no soul for squibs and crackers ; besides, the spectacle does not last long : all that's bright must fade— the brightest, aye, the fleetest. The illuminated fountains and groves were magnificent. When his Majesty solicited the honor from its President of being allowed to visit a sitting of. the Assembly, i a general titter was with difficulty suppressed. He knows the choice amusements of, the country.. The military review in the Bois de Boulogne was a proud success. The French felt they have an army once more, and, indeed, no one can begrudge them the sincere feelings of happiness and "thankfulness" they expressed at the evidences of admirable reorganisation. Prince Bismarck cannot view our goings on, as he has retired to his Hira cave at Varzin, to meditate on some new " blood and iron" policy. The illuminations promise to be splendid, as such are, and can only be, in Paris ; and the military, retreat— 6ooo soldiers, with torches and ■Venetian lamps, and other kindled Arabian night entertainments— cannotbut impress the Shah that Paris is a marvel lous spot. The ladies wear the Persian colors in their toilettes— green and white —and the races to come off have their prizes called after the chief cities ot Persia. The "Ispahan" handicap will follow the "Teberan" sweepstakes. It would not be surprising if the Shah rubbed his eyes and inquired were he • really from home. When he witnesses an ' opera, and a crack ballet, whero sylphs live in the air, he will be sorely tried. |May liis Sha-dow— and his diamonds— " never be loss.

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