OUR PARIS LETTER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 2817, 2 August 1890, Page 6 (Supplement)

OUR PARIS LETTER.

(FliO.M OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Paris, May 21. Tiik Dahomey imbroglio has brought the word " Amazon " to the front, which is generally accepted to mean "without breast,'' though Littre alludes to the unknown origin of the word, while suggesting that Amazon may be it geographicilor a mythological term. As fur the legend that Amazons were Oappodocian she-soldiers, wh» burned off the right breast of their daughters to facilitate the drawing of the bow, M. Pavot remarks that this is not necessary, as a lady has only to follow fencing lessons with passion, oquestrianism, and violent exercises iu general, when she will become equal to that true type of Amazonismman. Professor Ricaud, who claims to have spent "17 years with the Yankees," seems to think that it is all up with old Europe. The Americans are digging their Nicaraguan canal, and there is every reason to conclude, that it will be open to the navigation of the world, before that of Panama. Without fuss and feathers, without theatrical flourishes and big drum accompaniments, the Americans arc excavating with rnelhod and perseverance, their watery way, under engineer Menncal. Further go-a-hoadism ; Honduras is being opened up with (Jalifornian prospects by Major Burke of Louisiana, and Captain Parsons of Virginia, is to make a grand trunk line, which, starting from Panama, will open up the basin of the Amazon and tho Brazilian Aruwimis, so as to work in with tho railway systems of the Argentina Republic, Chili, and Pern. But this American breathing of an industrial and commercial activity into tho dry bones of the Latin peoples, gives " fits " to the professor. The Anglo Saxon race intends to first draw Mexico into its tweutieth century drag net;then the Central Republics, finishing with the republics of South America. The continents, when federated, will, it is alleged, havo their homogeneity represented by a President and a Congress, sittiug at Chicago—a city destined to havo all the big things of the world. This will be tho death of "Old Europe," particularly of that part occupied by the Latin races—destined to be crowded out in the world-race.

A dinner lubricates business, and it is by dinners, following a maxim, that we govern men. Tallyrand's success as a diplomatic intriguer was due to his exquisite dinners. He would closet himself with his eook to discuss a bill of fare, and that dual document was as carefully elaborated as a treaty of Vienna. Gambutta thawed the coldness of the ambassadorial world by his famous Billy O'Korko feast. His Fidns Achate*, M. Spullor, was popular in the diplomatic world by his dinners more than by his policy. "Gentlemen, let us dine," was Lord Eldon's recipe when a party Gordian knot had to be unloosened. M. Caruot has made dining with the Upper Ten Ambassadors an institution, and the Russian envoy has just received tho President of the .Republic with imperial honours. He instituted M. Cainot and his lady, the host and hostess of the embassy, while he, his lady, and their friends woro simply guests. In .Spain, the visitor is welcomed by being presented with tho entiro realm, from the Pyrenees to tho dividing line at the Honk. Prince Orlolf was the most famous entertainer; his cook was a stomachic dragoman, and was selected by the suffrage vote of acknowledged Savarins. He set a dozen cooks to prepare specified dishes, and the verdict of tho tasters indicated the ch-f.

The Austrian ambassador under Louis Philippe, Comte Apponyi, was tho most social of envoys. It was his lady introduced into Franco those fast Hungarian dances—polka, mazurka, and galop—and that have made the tour of tho world. She also introduced ma'iuee balls, when at '2 p.m. in early summer, young folks came to dance ; the lustres displayed flowers, in place of wax tapers, and the " supper," was a lunch served in tho garden. In 1872, when Comte Apponyi was accredited to the Republic, M. Thiers dined en yttln with his old friend tho ambassador, on which occasion, Madame Thiers wore her famous pearl necklace, said to have boon sent to London for groator safety, and that, minor assert, has been buried with her, in I'cre Lachaise. M. D. Beust, as Austrian ambassador, gave musical, not dinner parties ; but music did not prove iu this case the food of love. He had the habit to receive his iur't'ei, with his gouty leg stretched —coquettishly—m a stool, that which made the I'apal Nuncio observe, " The Comte de Beust, like Achilles, must be seized by the heel."

The German ambassador, Comte de Monster, is a sportsman, and prefers mail coaches, rod-fi-hing, and the saddle, to dinners and balls. The latter When he gives them, are truly Lucullian and Impori il. The Embassy itself is an historical man-ion, hiving boon tho residence of Madame de Teuciu, and the happy meeting ground of Marivaux, Helvetiua, Kontenclle and Voltaire. Later Napoleon I. fitted it up for his stupsou, I'riuce Eugene, and decorated it with Egyptian details—to recall tho looking down you know, of the forty centuries. Lord Lytton is a poetical enthusiast of good dinners, &c, but neither he, nor the richer American Miuistor, Mr Whitelaw Reid, sets the Seine on fire by B.dshazzar fea.-ts.

Bmiapartism has hut little chance of resuscitation ; yet, it is said that visitors to Fontaiiitdeau never were more numerous than ibis spiinu, to inspect tho couttyurd, </'• -cut liti'iir, where napoleon bade adieu to his Old On ml, and al-o to the little study over-looking the melancholy biiiuit garden, where he signed the deed of abdication. There is a small table in tlie stu ly, that visitors should lilt up a litth l , to read the inscription —by Louis XV lll,—on a small plate of brass inserted in the table:—"Tho otb April, ISIt. Napoleon liouuparte signed his abdication on this table."