The Express.
London, England, 1865-08-17 00:00:00

THE IMPERL&L FETES IN PARIS.

(now oux owx

PA6.1119, AWN? 11, 6 AA.
When the cannon of the Invalids@ awoke all
Paris yesterday morning the bright sun seemed W
give promise of a fine day. The sky wu soon over-
cast, but as it did not rain nothing could be more

favourable for a popular frativaL There was sec-
vice is all *e ebarceas, followed by the customary
Ts Dam, which at Notre Dame was sung by the
♦rchbishop of Paris, in presence of all the otheials

who are still in Peril. in the Protestant churches,

which do not keep the Feast of the Assumption,
the Te Deum was sung last Sunday.
Bo mush for the Char& festival. The popular

OW began at one o'clock, with tratuitotui pogo/m-
-angoes in all the theatres excepting the Odtion,
which is under repaint,. a so-ogled Began& on the
Seine, pantomimes, rope-dancers, and Maypoles oa
the Esplanade of the Invalids@ and at the Barriire
do Trope.

Twenty-two theatres gave gratuitOus perform-
ances at 1 o'clock, but the doers of most of them
bad bees beaked fleas dawn. In long lines the
closely wedged pleasure•seekers :waited for hours,
with that patina.), which seems natural to French-
men in the queue at the doors of a theatre. Many
worn out by fasting and fatigue give in before the
grand rush which follows the opening of the doors,
so that the late comers, even after the performances
have commenced, easily find standing room in the
great theatres, such as the Opera.
At the Vaudeville there was a very exciting scene.
IL de Girardin's appeal to popular suffrage was
heard, and uneaimonaly and noisily decided in his
favour. The applause was deafening when the
injured husband having spat on the hero's cheek,
he offers him the other one—a proof that the
Christian virtues are better appreciated in France
than is generally supposed. The murder and
suicide with which the piece ends were received
with even greater favour, and the curtain
fell with loud cries, which were inter-
prated behind the scenes to be a call for
the author. K. Emile de Girardin was very natu-
_

rally in the house, watching the effect of the new
theory of art upon a critical audience. Two of the
actors took him by force, and with soft violence
dragged him on the stage. Such an ovation natu-
rally affected him, and as he got into his carriage,
wiping his eyes, he said, as he wrung the manager's
hand, "After all, you see, vox popisvox Du."
There was nothing, so far as I have beard, at the
other theatres, at all of which • sort of birth-
day ode, ailed a coact; more re less vapid, was

sung.
For less early risers than the theatregoers, who
are a class by themselves, and never miss theme ex-
hibitions, the Esplanade of the Invalidism has attrac-
tions lees difficult of attainment (I exempt the prizes
which dangle from hoops of verdure on the tops of
the maypoles), and uneecompaaied by the inconve-
niences of crushing and unpleasant smells. Cross-
ing the bridge of the Liralides—one side of which,
looking to the Pont de la Concorde, and the quays
between them, two points, are lined three or four
deep by the spectators of a regatta which seems to
consist of • race between two four-oars, and
not to be very exciting—we approach the
Esplanade of the Invalides through an avenue of
booths. Here are theatres in front of which noisy
bands invite attention, and bespangled actors, male
and female, exhibit themselves and their tarnished
finery to tempt the public curiosity. There is a camp.
oven of very ingenious construction, from which
• baker is turning out yards of the gatette, in which
the Paris gamin rejoices ; a menagerie, giants, for-
tune-telling, sonnambuliats, shooting galleries,
roundabouts, and all the other sights of a fair,
make up the closely built street of canvas. In the
lateral alleys of the esplanade there are rows of
cafes, gingerbread merchants, sausage-sellers,
barley-sugar dealers, and all that can gratify the
appetites of great and small children.
About four o'clock there was a heavy shower,
which did no one any harm, and was very profitable
to the cafe booths, but at six it recommenced, and
continued steadily raining during the rest of the
evening. This was very favourable to the illumi-
nation, for it disguised from the Parisians its utter
inefficiency. Round the Place de la Concorde, and
from there up the avenue of the Champs Elysees,
were placed is close proximity candelabra with
groups of lights connected by garlands of gas.
The jets were enclosed in opal and red globes, the
former of which gave a dull yellow light, and the
others at a short distance looked like breaks in the
line. The effect was that of two long lines of pale,
smoky light, far fitter for a funeral ceremony than
an occasion of public rejoicing. I have a sort of
pleasure in recording the utter failure of M. Hansa-
man's attempt to transmogrify the elegant
outline of the obelisk into four gigantic palm-
branches. This at least seemed, so far es coca.
sional flashes of gas allowed the spectators to
judge, to be the intention of the decoration. What-
ever it was meant to be, it was an utter failure.
Round the base some sort of wooden structure, sur-
mounted by groups of the yellow and red lights
which are the fashion of the day, contributed to
conceal the proportions of the monument. A strong
detachment of firemen was in attendance, ap-
parently to put out the obelisk in case it caught
fire. There was only one feature of the illumina-
tion which was really successful—this was the effect
of the fountains, on which a ray of electric light war
thrown. Had it not been for the tawdry garlands
of gas lamps which interrupted the view, the green
jets of water falling from the top and thrown up
from the circumference in a feathery spray would
have presented a magical sight. The poor little
oil lamps in tLe Tuileries gardens, for the most part
extinguished by the rain and wind, had a most
forlorn appearance. On the whole the illumina-
tion was a failure. Such things poem little
understood. To be effective an illumination must
consist of masses of light contrasted with darkness,
or must be confined to a small area. In Constanti-
nople they understand this. In Rome the illumina-
tion of fit Peter's owes ire charm to the concentra-
tion of the light in a single spot, and the fairy-litre
illuminationsof Pisaare effective because confined to
• short strip on each side of the banks of the Arno.
On either side rise masses of fantastic architecture,
traced in lines of fire ; they strike the beholder
because they are =MSS of sparkling light. A single
garland of dull lamps, though it extend four times
as far, can give no idea of rejoicing.
The fireworks were let off in a down-pour of
rain. There was plenty of noise, still more saute,
and nothing bet the keediet ; the Ile end dieeleleffe
of rockets at tie sad wee emeemeal. Bat I met
not forget te mention a deecestis whisk woe not
eoatempieted is the- pregraloase of the Emile&
This was the rain, ;which, falling slanting!, in Se