PARIS AND LONDON.

Waikato Times, Volume XXX, Issue 2420, 14 January 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

PARIS AND LONDON.

In the book " Angleterre et France, "M Felix Pyat, who knows England well having lived there as a political refugee for 30 years, indicates, in an original and picturesque fashion, many points of difference between the social customs of the two nations. A quotation will show its quality: —" Paris is right-handed, London lefthand. The Parisian coachman keeps to his right, the London one to his left. The former is seated in front of the carriage, the latter behind. Parish is compact, London scattered. The heart of Paris is the Hotel de Ville, that of London is the Bank. Paris has a girdle of fortifications and an octroi, London has neither wall nor town duties, Paris increases by absorption London by expansion. Paris is built with stones, London with bricks. Paris has high houses and narrow streets. London wide streets and low houses. Houses in Paris have wide doors for carriages, in London the doors are small. In fact, Paris has its doors larger than its windows, while London has its windows larger than its doors. Paris has espagnolette windows opening like doors, London guillotine windows. Paris has its shutters outside, London inside. Parish is collectirist, London individualist. Paris dwells in masses, inside barracks and convents; London lives in private, a home fcr each family. Paris has its portier (door keeper) London its latch-key. Paris has its public cafes London its exclusive Clubs. Paris sleeps in a bed placed by the wall, Loudon in the middle of the room. Paris rises early London late. Paris pronounces cacao, London cocoa.Paris is large London enormous. Paris dines Loudon eats. Paris takes two meals a day, London four. London, says Voltaire, has a hundred religions and one sauce; Paris has a hundred sauces and no religion. London has a three-pronged fork Parish a four-pronged one. Paris uses a napkin, London the tablecloth. Paris eats corn, London drinks it. Paris eats boiled mp n v t, London roasted. Paris tats fried potatoes, London boiled. Paris loaves are long, London loaves are square. Paris likes the white of turnips, London the green Paris serves oysters on the concave shell London on the convex. Paris puts butter in its brioches, London on its bread. Paris drinks wine, London beer. Paris takecoffee, London tea. Paris at table is sociable, London is isolated, Paris has the table d'hote, London the diningbox. Paris is gay, London dull. Paris whips the horses London flogs its criminals, Paris lounges, London goes. Paris makes taws during the day, London during the night. Paris has spring showers in March, London in April. London has but few soldiers, Paris has too many. In Paris the soldier is a power, in London he is a nonentity. The Paris soldier wears red trousers aud a blue coat, the London soldier a red coat and blue trousers. The former is always armed, the latter carries only a short stick. The Paris soldier is a conscript, the London soldier a volunteer. In Paris priests celebrate their tnarraiges, in London they themselves get married. In Paris girls are rigidly kept, in London they are free. In Paris married women arc free, iu Loudon they are not. Paris opens its museums on Sundays, London on week days. In Paris churches are always open, in London they are nearly always closed . Paris has sedentary judges London ambulatory. Paris has her milkmaid seated, London her milkmen with " rounds. " Paris warms herself with wood, London with coal. Paris buries her dead too soon, London too late. Paris throws her refuse into the streets, London keeps it inside. Paris retains her sewage in the house, London throws it at once in the river. Paris has more mad people, London more idiots. Paris has more suicides, London more homicides. Paris is more of an artist, London more of a merchant. In Paris men are more lively than horses, in London horses are more frisky than men. Paris works, London traffics. London is religous, Paris humane Paris is democratic, London aristocratic. Paris workmen call each other citizens, London workmen mechanics. The former work in their blouses, the latter in coats Working Paris wears a casquette (a cap), working London a hat. Canaille Paris fights with the feet, a London mob with its fists. Working Paris calls the pawnbroker "my aunt, " working London "my uncle." Working London says like its Queen, ''' Dieu en mon Droit,' Rule Britannia," working Paris says like the Republic, " Rights of man, liberty, equality, fraternity. "