OLD WORLD SKETCHES

Otago Witness, Issue 1847, 15 April 1887, Page 32

OLD WORLD SKETCHES

Bf FABIAN BELL, Author of " Recollections .of Belgium," "In Two Hemispheres-," "The Big Nugget," " Forgotten," &c, &c, 4c. No. il.-RECOLLECTIONS OF NORTH* ERN FRANCE. The Seine at Paris— The BridgesExtreme Beauty of the Sunset Effects— The Ohukches of Paris— . the Madeleine— The Fashionable Church — Like a Roman Temple — Thb Cathedral of Notre Dame— Exterior — Interior — Devotional Elements— Worshippers — Musical Festival— Two Organs— The Sainte Chapelle— A Living Gem—The'Hospital and Chapel of Les Invalides —Tomb of the Great Napoleon— Champ de Mars — Historical Reminiscences. The Seine at Paris is a very different sight from the same river with which we were familiar at Eouen. No longer a broad tidal stream," restless and turbid, it glides in swift, smooth current under the countless arches of many bridges, and past the stone walls of many quays; houses, churches, public buildings without number are reflected in its glistening tide, and of all the countless sights of Paris not one is more vividly portrayed in my mind than this — the Seine and its bridges, — looking from the Pont Neuf on a summer evening, with your face to the western sky, you see every, tint and gleam of the sunset reflected in the broad, beautiful stream which glides beneath your feet, on and on in perfect curves towards the horizon, ,the stream narrowing in perspective distance, while over its bright surface the bridges fall in luminous shadow, some with many small, arches, others with only three, each arch forming with its reflection a perfect oircle of clear shadows, well denned on the sheen of golden light. The sky grows darker, clearer, and deeper ; the river reflects , every change. Then, one by one like stars the lights shine out on the bridges, and their long, quivering reflections tremble and shiver and drop far down into the placid stream, the golden sunset sky fades slowly into a deep blue, the stars on their "golden thrones," stand confessed in the heavens, and you breathe a sigh of mingled pleasure and pain, for the beautiful show is over — the river is grey and cold and colourless under the night-blue sky. Tnere are a number of fine churches in Paris of very different styles of architecture. The Madeleine— which is certainly the most fashionable church, so far as congregation goes, and which it is also customary to admire greatly— did not please me at all ; its exterior is far more like that of a heathen temple than a Christian church, and the internal decorations are at once gaudy and meretricious. I saw it beautifully adorned for a grand wedding, but even then I could not admire it. On the contrary nothing could be more perfect than .the cathedral of Notre Dame, standing in the centre of the river isle of Saint Louis. It is every sense the mother church, and the heart of the city. Most people are familiar (from pictures at least) with its grand western facade, the elaborate doorway adorned with life-sized figures in niches at regular intervals, and these flanked by two square towers of fine proportions. The interior is beautiful and suggestive, " the dim religious light " falling through narrow windows of stained glass seems to afford just that element of seclusion from the "madding crowd" which appears to be more conducive to devotion than any external thing. The decorations of the •high altar, gaudy as some of them are, are bathed in the softening haze of mystery by the half light, and throughout the whole church there reigns an indescribable air of devotion and peace, it is as if the prayers of many geperations of worshippers lingered like incense in the dim air, and I did not envy those sightseers who with umbrella and red-bound " Murrays " in their bands, sauntered up and down staring and whimpering loudly, their bad taste and ignorance being equally conf est, and when I heard them speak English, I always hoped that they were Americans and not "Britishers." Inthecathedral there are no fixed seats for the congregation only rush-bottomed chairs, very plain and worn, worshippers kneel on the low seats, or else on the stone flags with perfect indifference, and there is no hour of the day when some such kneeling figures may not be seen. On her way to market, the peasant woman enters here, puts down her basket, and offers a silent petition, then rising and resuming her burden, passes into the bustling world without. The servant girl on a message, the young lady taking a morning walk, old people, toddling children, seemed as a matter of course, to offer their daily devotions in this hallowed spot. Ido not know whether the same people came every day, but this I do know, that the fine old cathedral is never empty and locked as so many Protestant churches are. I have seen it filled by an earnest and attentive congregation, who were swayed as one man by the words of an eloquent preacher. Once I attended a grand musical festival in Notre Dame that was indeed a treat, the singing and orchestration were simply perfect, and some fine pieces of Handel's music seldom attempted, were beautifully rendered, the effect of the two organs, one in the nave and the other in the choir, was particularly fine, as they alternately took up the theme and dropped it again, answering each other in strophe and antistrophe. As I heard a little girl near me say, "It made one feel good." Very different from the fine old cathedral and yet quite as beautiful in its way is the Sainte Chapelle, the lovely little chapel built by Louis IX as a shrine for the relics which he brought from his Crusade to the Holy Land — the crown of thorns, nails, and piece of the true cross. One may smile at the superstition which believed in the efficacy of such-treasures and accepted their authenticity, but it is doubtful whether our modern unbelief is not every wit as foolish and inconsequent. The Sainte Chapelle is a a gem, and like most gems it is small—not

more than about 80ft long.- 1 The plan is that of a Roman basilica, a little longer than wide, and rounded at one end. There seems to. be only enough masonry to serve as a frame for the beautiful windows of stained glass, which reach from the arched roof 'to within a few feet of the floor. ■ * On entering this little chapel on a fine day when the" -sun"' isshining,- the effect is perfectly dazzling, the" air is full of colour, ligfet, and brilliance, you seem to be standing in the heart of a living gem. If Notre Dame is the church of suffering humanity, consecrated by the prayers and tears of generations of worshippers', the Sainte Chapelle is a votive offering worthy ot the best king who ever sat on the French liwone. . .-,--•■ , Of quite a different type from either ofthese is "the chapel of the Invalides, where" lie enshrined the' remains of the 'first! Napoleon. The hospital of Invalides,- is like 1 Greenwich Hospital, a home for aged and' disabled soldiers, the chapel attached to it is in truth nothing more than the tomb of the, great soldier. In 1840 when the, body, was brought from St. Helena this, . little chapel was prepared for its reception," and here, under a fine dome, which is one of the landmarks of Paris, enclosed in a sarcophagus of dark green marble, lie the remains" of the restless conqueror, who in his life knew no rest. The tomb is in the open vault in th& centre of the chapel, protected by iron railings, and on great days, such as the anniversary of one of his chief battles, these railings are hung round with beautiful garlands, a memorial of the undying affection which these veterans bear to their dead chief, around whose tomb they still mount a guard of honour, which is regularly maintained night and day. '■ ■ Near to the hospital and chapel is the famous Champ de Mars, the place where the troops are drilled and reviewed, and which has played an impcrtant part in the modern history of Paris. Here was held in 1790 the ceremony which inaugurated a new constitution and a " patriot king." Here in 1815 Napoleon I swore to another new constitution at a ceremony called the Champ de* Mai. Here his nephew, Napoleon 111, held grand review, and distributed eagles to his' victorous army, and here in 1867 was held the first International Exhibition of Paris.