OUE PARIS LETTER.

Bruce Herald, Volume XII, Issue XII, 14 November 1879, Page 1 (Supplement)

OUE PARIS LETTER.

« (From our own Correspondent.) September 27. The debris of the once Orleaniat party decline to march through Coventry with Henri V. and his minion tbe Comte de Paris. At least we must conclude so from the letter of the director—M. Herve, of tbe 'Soleil,' the Due d' v umale's paper, and a gentleman presumed to furnish the brains to the princes, even though oue be an Academician, and another an author. Politically, it is but second in importance to the d::ath cf Prince L mis Napoleon. The Due de Bi-ogiie, Messis Bufi'dt and consorts, decline to j »in in the banquet intended to celebrate the birth of the "infant of a miracle," fche Comte de Obambord. They will not toast that roy -pnblicly. Their reluctance will not raise fche Orleanists out of the abyss into which they have fallen, though the Dae d'Aumale has never flirted with the legitimists, and claims to be " the best of republican?," like his papa, Louis Philippe. The Due de Nemours, on the other hand, has ever leaned to to Comte de t.'hambord, and ifc is to his influence, the Comte de Paris has fused with cousin Henry. Except as another change of scene in the monarchal comedy, the Republic has nothing to do only to smile, and allow the actors to play theii* parts, so long as they obey the law. It is incontestable' now a power, and aged nine yeare — exactly half the period thrones, destined to rule in France for ever, exist. Ministers have adopted the excellent plan of feeling public opinion, by travelling ia the provinces, and the cecal mille feallhe ."Ministers for the Home and Educational departments have received, attest the solidity and popularity of the present regime. Everywhere the proof was potent, that the nation desires peace, to labor, to economise, uader the regis of the Republic. The latter does not conceal itself in a cloud like Jupiter, or behind a triple wall as the King of Annam : it shows itself, and makes itself known as a living reality. The inauguration of the statues to Colonel Deufort, the patriotic and Republican defender of Belforf, and of Arago, fche astronomer, who predicted the triumph of the Republic by the union of all the republicans, were fit ceremonies to celebrate the Jist insfc. — the anniversary of the declaration of the Republic of 171)2. They were more than the sequels to tho ftaucy honors in memory of Thiers. The Republic came too soon in IS4S ; at present it has arrived at its maturity. Tt has witnessed the several ni'marchics parish by their faults or crimes, and can still see their partisans doing everything in their power fco obstruct the possibility of their restoration. All France may be said to have assisted at the unveiling of the statues of men of worth and of integrity. How pigmy in comparison with these, look the statue of Louis XIV and his prancing steed in the Place de la Vict -ire, or its equestrian parody for Napoleon 111 over the Louvre, before it was taken down aad sold as broken metal, at five sous the pound to a manufacturer of bronze candlesticks. By this, Russia can have no doubt of the sentiments of France towards her. She can neither dupe m.r trick the French, who will leave the Tarfcats to arrange their giievances against (Germany as thty best may. Except the worn out Orleanists, but would enter into au alliance wifch Old Nick himself, if he secured them once a-^ain the direction of France, no one here courts the advances of Russia. Her despotism revolts the republicans. Indeed opinion is rather pleased, than otherwise, to see Bismarck pushiug Austria eastwards, to bar out pauslavism. Many believe the sudden affection of'Gortchakoff for France, was intended to clear the way for placing a loan, for the Muscovites are dreadfully pinched for ready money, aud the best proof is, the inability of Russian pojourners in Paris to make the two ends meet. They are deep in the books of every tradesman, which is the best recommendation for receiving unstinted credit. It ia only the poor debtor that goes to the wall. France has a plethora of cash, but the. channels offered to investments are questionable ; they take the form of financial compapies

to manipulate paper, depending on floating the shares by mormons puffing, top cket premium?, and leave purchasers at the mercy of the first had wind .that blows all into a smash. And there are plenty of industrial undertakings that would pay if serious'y taken, in band, oni; tach mean time and patience, and speculators ambition to become wealthy in days, in hours, in plaoe of years. Fires are the order of the day, which are a better proof of the approach of winter, than the re opening of the colleges and the gathering of the grapes. The collegian has a down-cast look; he is on the eve of relinquishing his private clothes, for the uniform— thatiebirt of Nesaus that he must, wear for ten months. From the country he passes to the town, from liberty to slavery, from light to darkness. Elsewhere I hava seen lads not depressed on returning to school, particularly if they have received a good tip at the trying moment. But in Paris this spectacle is never seen, for a boy views his college simply, as a gaol, and is disciplined as a prisoner. Every thing ia calculated to make him sad — he has no manly games in which to indulge, no green fields in which to run, for boys love the grass, the trees, rivers, hedges ; they are born for the open air and leap frog, and they are incarcerated in Paris establishments — units in a crowd. Thus French boye play no more ; look at them in the yards ; they mope, and lurch about in twot and threes, talking, like conspirators, where the fresh laugh of youth is never heard. Montaigne complained in his day that French boys were prisoners, and Rabelais pleaded to give them pleoty of the open air, and next, a good supply of music. Game is a failure this season iv France ; the little appearing in the market, is very dear ; the pheasants and quails have about as much game flavor, as barn door fowl and pigeons. Ie is in Germany and Eogland that Parisian markets count for stocks ; if the hares of the former country be bad, the roebucks are excellent. Bufc here is another misfortune ; French cooks commence to bak?, instead of to roust game, ani the consequence is, dishes of uniform insipidity. A first-class restaurant is rapidly becoming the last place in which to get a first-class dinner, and worse, instead of keeping as forme. ly, wine cellars of their own, they [order from a convenient wine shop. Only in a private French family, where the cot k is as stranger to coal as to koise fbsh aud Liebegs extract, or in some country seat, can a Gallic dinner of the olden time be obtained. Bufc t j arrive inside these precincts, a giaour might as well endeavour to cross the thresh^ Id o: aMo que. Tuere are many will attest, that prime miuister Waddiugton even is n>t considered efficiently nn- Anglo- Saxonized to enter tbe holiest of many holies. Yet France not the less claims to be the most hospitable of nations, in allowing you to rent a house, or live in an hotel, and spend your money freely, treating you very summarily if you forget these obligations. Mtny countries can claim to be ex equo with France in this kind of generosity. I was present a few nights ago at a d scussion of whit a gentleman called " Parisian grub establishments " — he graduated in them all, and he prrmouneed this judgment, that there are only two institutions to bs trusted— the Duval taverns, and the table d'hote of the Graad Hotel. Since the war the French have become independent of Germany for mineral waters, finding fcr the first time that those nearer home were equally efficacious. The same change is taking place respecting the "grape treatment" for stomachic affections, and known under the big, but expressive name oiampelotherapy. The end of September ib the moment most favorable for commencing tbe treatment ; eat as e^rly in the morning as possible, and cut the fruit yourself, one pound of grapes ; two hours later consume a larger quantity ; dine afc noon on beef or mutton, boiled or grilled, with well baked, old bread ; one glass of wine, and if a vegetable be envied, select potatoes or carrots : at four o'clock, 2 or 3 lbs of grapes, and for supper, soup, tea and white bread. The skins and stones of the fruit ought nofc to be eaten, and after each repast of grapes, a walk should be taken of aa hour's duration. The treatment ought to endure four or five weeks. JSiow while change of air, habits, and dietary, effect much -in the cure, the grape itself performs a leading part ; it must be remembered thafc some grapes are diuretic aud laxative — the smdl black grape is a favorite for this end since time immemorial with Pari^aos — others are astringent and tonical ; the muscat grape is exciting. Grapes constitute a perfect aliment in the sense of contaiaing all the chemical ingredients of food; Metsrs Little and Robin state, grape- juice approaches most in its resemblance to woman's milk. The fi r sfc effects of the treatment consist in an iucreased ciicuLation of tbe blood, a color will be imparted to the features, aud a sensation of well-being experienced; the patient will become plump, without getting stout: the treatment is excellent for feeble constitutions, for (ieranged stomachs, irritable and hypochondriic tern peraineuts, and can be perfectly well practised at home. Tne chaaselas «r.ipe is the kind generally preferred. .Another volume of Prosper Merituo-'s "Letters and Indiscretions " is promised. Tliis notorious tceptic is po.itively becoming famous since his death. He was never baptised — hi: mother never found the time fur the ceremony, and he never cried in his life. He was the ouly man c f letters, for t'ainte Beuve was a free lance, that rallied to the Second Empire ; he ~ was private secretary to the Cointesse de Montijo. aud he is credited with having written the love-letters for .her daughter, which, won for her a throne— for several years. He was of course at home at the court, the dullest of places he has told us, as ''eating, drinking, and getting jealous, were the chief distrac . ( tions." He adored . eats, lik-v Chateaubriand | and Cardinal Riohelieu— thus leading tn the belief tbat thei-d is an affinity between these animals and egoists. When hi<s black cat die 1 he bemoaned, his ni'tfortuu*, '"as I have no more a beast to keep me company." The. French respecj hs memory, because he ardently opposed the Empress Eugenic in '•her war," the invasiou — as proposed — of Germany. He was .jthe only Frenchman that divined the future of :-. "Swmatvk,- that .wLich. made Li ai mauy encodes- :» 6 therrrlVtilericS. He wa-s accustomed to repeat

— " There* is only one grand man per generation, and tbe Prussian Count occupies that place." We have no case of cutting up a victim to record, but Lenoble's fate, and the illustrations ■of the . deed, satisfy all morbid appetites for 'some time. We have supped fall of horrors. 'Public opinion does not. demand the abolition of capital punishment, but of the execution of the criminal without delay. It is the right of everyone condemned to 'death, after the rejection of his appeal, to petition the chief of the State for pardon, and pending a reply to the prayer, the execution ought not to take place. In the secret papers of the Tuileries, such was the disarray of business that, a petition ' from one culprit was fouud unanswered, and notwithstanding, the unfortunate had been guillotined all the same. Faure, the celebrated baritone, ha 6 a villa residence in the pretty bathing village of Efcretat. He sings once a year for the local charity. The inhabitants have just thanked him for bis aid, and complimented him upon being "the best singer in Etretat." The attitude of the amnestied Communists continues to be excellent ; all have been '.rovided with work, aad have foresworn politics. The doctrines and dribbles of Louis Blanc and Blanqui alone cause them a laugh. Jacques Arago was blind. One evening a gentleman visited him, and stopping late, had to grope. his way out in the daik. He knocked against a table, ■w hen Arago came to his aid, i and chided him for not seeing his way. j The new Khedive is so economical that he j will not expend money on bamboos to punish his soldiers. A French correspondent following the manoeuvres of the Swiss soldiery, abates the latter | were kept up to the mark by the observation ] — •' The French offioers are looking at you." One of the public to the porter of a government office — " Are the clerks arrived V " Yes, j sir, but they have left." j