PARIS AND LONDON: A BUNDLE OF CONTRASTS.

Otago Witness, Issue 1891, 17 February 1888, Page 31

PARIS AND LONDON: A BUNDLE OF CONTRASTS.

In a preface to a new book, M. Felix Pyat — who knows England well, having lived here as a political refugee for 30 years — has indicated, in an original and picturesque fashion, many points of dissidence between the social customs of the two nations. The following is from the preface of M. Pyat's work : —

"Paris is right-handed, London lefthanded. The Parisian coachmen keeps to his right, the London one to his left. The former is seated in front of the carriage, the latter behind, Paris 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 j octroi, London has neither walls 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, as a rule, in London the doors are small. In fact, Paris has its doors larger than its windows, whilst 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. Paris is collectivist, London individualist. " Paris dwells in masses, inside barracks and convents; London lives in private, a home for each family. Paris has its portier (door-keeper), London its key. Paris has its public cafes, London its exclusive clubs. Paris sleeps in a bed placed alongside th« wall, London in the middle of the room. Paris rises early, London late. Paris pronounces caaao, London cocoa. . . . Paris is large, London is enormous. Paris dines, London 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, Paris a four-pronged one. Paris uses a napkin, London the table-cloth. . . . Paris eats corn, London drinks it. Paris eats boiled meat, London roasted. Paris eats fried potatoes, London boiled. Paris loaves are long, London loaves are square. Paris likes the white of turnips, London the green. Paris puts butter on its brioches, London on its bread. Paris drinks wine, London beer. Paris takes coffee, London tea. Paris at table is sociable, London isolated. j " Paris is gay, London dull. Paris whips the horses, London flogs its criminals. Paris lounges, London goes. Paris makes laws during the day, London during the night. Paris has spring showers in March, London in April. London has but few soldiers, Paris too many. In Paris the soldier is a power, in London a nonentity. The Paris soldier wears red trousers and a blue coat, the London soldier a red coat and blue trousers. The former is always armed, the latter carries a short stick. The Paris soldier is a conscript, the London soldier a volunteer. In Paris priests celebrate the marriages, in London they themselves get married. "In Paris girls are rigidly guarded, in London they are free. In Paris married women are free, in London 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 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 j frisky than men. Paris works, London i traffics. " London is religious, 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 Paris ' my uncle.' "