The Express.
London, England, 1864-08-16 00:00:00

JEEPRZBB FROM PARIS.

(nom ova owl

r.)

PARIS, MONDAY Evamra.

To-day there has been, by common consent, •
truce to everything except pleasure, and the fête
hitherto has been all that could be desired. A
splendid day enhanced the enjoyment of the
numerous amusements provided by government,
and not a few of the English visitors, who have
literally invaded Paris, to the immense gratification
of the hotel-keepers and others, uttered most
fervent wishes that M. Hausmann would initiate
the London authorities into the deep mysteries of
fete giving, in which he is so wonderful a proficient.
Paris has no rival in these matters ; she is "facile
princeps, " and never was the " Queen city," as
they justly call her, more lovely than to-day. At
this morning successive salvoes of artillery
announced that the national festival had com-
menced. It is the united fête day of the Virgin
Mary and St. Napoleon, according to the official
programme, and right worthily feted they were. At
1 o'clock the authorities proceeded to Notre Dame,
where mass was celebrated, and terminated, as in
all the other churches, with aTe Deum. The civil
and military functionaries were resplendent in
their golden costumes, and not one but many firma-
ments of stars glittered upon their patriotic
bosoms. I ought to have previously mentioned,
for it sanctified the fete, that both yesterday and
to-day butchers, bakers, and other purveyors for
our common wants, were inundated by the poor,
who had received from the civic authorities gra-
tuitous orders for beef, bread, &c. Very early, as
will readily be supposed, the streets leading to the
different theatres were pretty tightly jammed by
candidates for free admission, and I doubt not
those whom fortune favoured with a place enjoyed
the treat, although the heat must have been very
great. It is said that on these occasions the
artistes specially exert themselves, and invariably
find an attentive and discriminating audience. The
Place des Invalides was densely filled, and the mili-
tary pantomimes as usual gave intense satisfaction.
The subject of one of these pantomime was " Mexico,"
and the successive stages of this military drama
were hailed with great delight. A temporary
reverse to the French arms closed the first act, but
this passing cloud which obscured, but only for
a moment, the sun of French glory, was soon dissi-
pated by the most brilliant achievements ; and the
curtain fell upon the final tableau, exhibiting the
irresistible power of the French Zouavea and the
I triumphant success of the French flag. The
" Vivandiere" of one of the regiments performed
prodigies of valor, and was vociferously applauded,
and she seemed to be the great heroine of this
military spectacle. The respective armies on these
occasions are not composed, as at Astley 'a, of a
few men at a shilling a night, but are real
soldiers, whose services in any numbers are always
procurable on such occasions, and being naturally
au fait at their work they increase materially
the interest of the spectacle. Learned pigs and
dogs varied the attractions, and the "Mite de
Cooagne" afforded much diversion to enterprising
and aspiring characters. The Parisians and visitors
having • nautical turn of mind were gratified by
a regatta on the Seine, which was rather a tame
affair. All the world seemed to have "rendezvous"
at Paris this afternoon, and if the upper ten thou-
sand were not in force, their absence was more than
supplied and compensated by the tens of thousands
of provincials, whose happy faces testified both the
pleasure they enjoyed and the pride they felt in
their beautiful capital.
This vast tide of humanity is now flowing to all
points where anything eatable is to be obtained ;
and the distracted garcons long for 9 o'clock mole
earnestly than Wellington did for the Prussians.
At 9 the grand display of fireworks takes place, and
then the general illumination, which will trans-
form the Place de la Concorde into • fairy land.
As the King of Spain is expected to-morrow
night the fetes will be continued through the
week.