The Express.
London, England, 1863-12-25 00:00:00

CHRISTMAS-DAY IN PARIS.

"Christman-day in Paris and all over France,"
writes • Paris correspondent, "bean little resemblance le
Christ --day in England. This year, si nasal, whilst yes
are solemnly feasting—half sad, half inclined to be merry—
Pads will not remind us much of Christmas. Some goad
people will be going to the churches ; the Bourse will be
deserted ; and, as on Sundays the catrs and restaumate
will be unusually crowded. There will be dancing
and play-going at night ; but little or no abase
of Bacchic indulgence. The ' Pies de Noel'
Paris, as a French journal observes, are almost
universally associaled with dancing. It is the period
of public masked balls. There are also balls for the poor ;
bells for charitable societies ; bells of artists in disked' ;
balls given by the rich. All Paris must dame the old
year out, and dance also round the early birthdays of the
new year. There are few French families in the country
who celebrate Christmas-day as we noderstaad it. The
Duke de Persigny, however, has collected a number
of Christmas guests this year at his Chateau de
Chemarand ; but this is an *scepticism! rase. And
what has the Englishman to remind him of Christ.
MU ill Paris British society is not what it used
to be in Paris in the days of Louis Philippe. The small,
honest, amiable Christian families of 4001. or 500'. per
annum have left this luminous city since house rests bare
doubled ; and the fat poulet costa iCr., and crinoline obligee
ladies to purchase double tho amount of silk to make them-
selves voluminously lovely all round. This highly genteel
clam, who attended the court balls in the days of the
Orleanists, have sadly diminished. They kept Christmas is
Paris in the English way. Some of us remember the Harts-
horne. The two young ladies used to hang up the misled*
and decorate the room" with holly some twenty years ago.
Mrs. H. remained at Dome all Christmas-day lowg per
paring the pudding and looking after the turkey, whilst the
young ladies attended divine service. Old H., the father,
Poi sorry to say, was seen profoundly reading the newspir
pas at Galignaers. At dingier would assemble • number
of ladies and gentlemen, who had no debts or romantic sal-
cedents which obliged them to live in Paris. They were al
people who found Paris cheaper sod more pleasant than Loa-
don, whilst it was pleasant to write home how they had oeee
to the court ball, and declare that the outline of his Majesty's
face was not a bit like • pear, for be had kindly spoken to
them, and asked after General Hartshorn, whom the Kin
know at Twickenham. Very few have we now of these
kind good Britons. Parisian tradespeople have lost their
good opinion of the English of late years. So many of our
countrymen, independent of the nobility and many hooottr-
able residents, are here on account of the infamous waded
of lawyers, who, by a conspiracy with wicked people at
home, make it more convenient for the victim to remain in
Paris. This class is not the old-fashioned, Christmas-keeping
employ of oA years ago in Paris. It is only by turning to
Galigreanis Mutative,. that we are at all reminded of English
Christmas—the weather is warmish and damp, and not
at all deck Frosty—there we find, as usual, Mr. Colom-
bia' inviting the British subject to try his "mince pies,
plum puddings, Lakes—all kinds of pastry, Sc., will be
provided as usual ; daily and evening parties executed'.
How delightful to find the word "executed" only meaning
• pleasant evening party. Many a traveller will re.
member the pastry-cook's at the corner of the
Rue Castiglione and the Rue de Rivoli. It is there
our noble country people congregate daily to
eat buns a little before dinner, and then declare
that French cookery is not what it used to be. This house
also advertises the famous mince pies, which are " respect-
fay recommended." Several tradesmen look after our
national drioks—port 20 years old and pale sherry of .arid
ages, pale ale, sad the " Pilule. Morrison ;" whilst • con. •
spicuous advertisement is beaded " United Prayer Rohm
in oonnexiou with the late visit of Richard Weaver," who
is the reformed prize-fighter. These are the things which
mainly remind us of Christmas iu Paris. Our great out,
as you are aware, is New Year's-slay, and already the shop
windows of the Boulevard' are rich is it rf nate.

CHAMPAGNE AT AN AORICULTORAL DINNER.—
The champegoe with which Mr. Du Csae, M.P. so gem.
roualy supplied the table at the last Ewan Airicultord
diouer appears destined to keep up its elltawmcence mob
longer then that fluid m arcuatomed to dm At the table
itself it caused the ftwiliozs of some of the farmers
to bubble over, one of them, it is mid. act
cootatot with • bottle or two, actually misted
• whole pipe of it ; and now the wine is
gorse the case has come fizzing and sperkliog with formate
eloquence into • court of law. It seems that Mr. Cable ca'
traded to supply the dinner, and so much wine ler bead,
but the intruding champagne mune in, pushing aside his
humble port sod sherry. awl be theeelore asserted • right
to levy an import duty of Is per cork upon it. The charge
was accordingly mut in to the committee of the society.
and appended thereto was • rather heavy charge for
broken glass. consequent we suppose on the memos*
of the champagne. These items trete discussed by the com-
mittee, but struck out of the eccourit as illegitimate, as it
was thought the custom of a Loads* Hotel dad Not /Mod
to • Witham barn, especially as many were said never to
have ordered in the stipulated port and sherry. thoegh 51
amuse it was paid for with the ticket. The hest, it will is
The Paris Temps of yesterday contains the fol- auerran;tgehasmsusote,w sairdthlier.MCSllllo
lowing remarks iu an article headed "Les Anglo- likely to he • luscious dimussion at the milt sittiot.—
wouhootw7ltsc.acutni active is
the dins;m
pitches :" Chelmsford Chronicle.
&gum' is decidedly out of favour with a pan of tba RAILWAY OFFIcERs AND SERVANTII.—Mr. Mark
official world. We had suspected so far • bog while, bat Lemmai. assousced to read his dramatic story entitle!
" Hearts are Trumpe " for the benefice( the Accident am
the third was I. • Midst state. Doubt is now so longer mid.ws aadp,pha„ai yaws of the United Kingdom HOW
posable. The echoes of the Senate still ring with the Mu- officers and Servants' Amociation, at the Lmdoodaide
precations of M. le Marquis de Bonny, the apostrophes of Houle Hotel, on Jumary 19.

A FRENCH DEFENCE OF ENGLAND.