The Express.
London, England, 1866-02-23 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(nom ous ovng

PARIS, THOBSDAT EVIIIIIRL
The elevation of M. Boitelle to the Senate was,
of course, understood to be a preliminary to his

dismissal from the Prefecture of Police. The new
prefect, gazetted to-clay, is M. Pietri, the Prefect
of the Nord, a brother of the late M. Pietrl, who
was Prefect of Pollee for many years in the early
days of the Empire. The reason for this, as for
many other changes equally puzzling to the public,
will only come out by degrees. The new Prefect
is a Corsican.
M. Camille Donoet, the academician elected to
fill the chair of the late Count Alfred de Vigny,
made his academic reception speech to-day. It is
far too long to be analysed in a daily corres-
pondent's letter. I quote the opening sentence,
which gives the diapason of the whole :—" ' All for
letters, all by letters—such has been my life,' said
to me one day the illustrious author of Elou, Chat-
tartan, and Cinq Mars." I will cite also the pero-
ration :
When Jordeiens began one of these pictures which were
to be pissed by a more illustrious name, Rubins took up
his ;len palette and finished the work. In like manner
the reit which I have so imperfectly sketched is now
about to be completed before your ayes by a mace able,
a more experfeaced, and • more brilliant pencil—
s pencil which has every quality for tracing in • manner
worthy of the subject the image of the departed brother
honoured by your regret, of a master for whom, according
to his owe desire, posterity raises up troops of friends ; of
a gentleman writer who, faithful to the last to the religion
of Ulmer as well as honour, was able proudly to repeat at
the hour of his death the motto of his whole life —" all for
letters and by letters.'
M. Jules Bandeau, replacing M. Flonrens, pre-
vented from attending by indisposition, replied to
the novice ; and according to usage drew a second
picture of M. de Vigny previous to giving a com-
plimentary description of his successor.
M. Camille Doncet is 54 years of age. He was
brought up to the bar, but soon left it for a literary
career. His first drama, Leonfe, was played at the
Varilitifs in 1830. He has written many since, some
of which, Le Baron Lafleur, La Chasse aux Fripons,
and Le Fruit Defends, were brought out at the
Francais. The new academician is an extremely
popular man. He was " Secretary of Charity" to
Louis Philippe, a position which gave him many
opportunities of showing to advantage the natu-
rally benevolent bent of his disposition.
M. Prevost Paradol's reception is fixed for
March 8. M. Guizot will reply to him, and the
meeting in expected to be very exciting. The de-
mand for tickets of admission far exceeds the pos-
sible supply.
It must be rather galling to Count Walev/ski,
who some time ago took a prominent position as
the advocate of that impossible thing "perpetual
copyright," to have to preside in the Corps Legis-
latif on the discussion of such a tame bill as the
one on the copyright of works by deceased authors,
which has just been printed and distributed to the
members of the Legislative Body. The text is as
follows :
Art. 1. The duration of the rights accorded by existing
laws to the heirs of anthers, composers, or artists, is in-
creased to thirty yeah, dating either from the author's death,
or from the expiration of the rights of the widow, in favour
of elk the heirs, irregular sueesmors, or powwows
by donation or inheritance in conformity with the Cods
Nspole'ou. However, when the succession falls to the
state, the exclusive right becomes extinct, with the excep-
tion of oases in which it shall have bean ceded by the
author or his representatives, without, however, the period
exceeded thirty years as above established. Art. 2. The
heirs, possessors by gift or inheritance, whose rights re-
sulting from anterior laws have not expired at the moment
of the promulgation of the present law, shall enjoy the
advantages it accords. They shall also enjoy the benefits
of the present measure after the expiration of the copy-
right cessions in force at the same moment, and which
shall not have reserved to the holder the benefit of an
eventual extension of the copyright.
While a good many Frenchmen and Belgians
have volunteered to serve in the Pope's army, not
shrinking from the liability to be beaten with sticks,
it is observed that the Pope has not made a single
recruit among his own subjects. All the young
men in Rome ambitious of a military career enlist
in the Italian service.
The simultaneous diminution in the rate of dis-
count by the Banks of France and England pro-
duced a good effect at the Bourse. Route rose 17tc.
for cash and account, closing at 69fr. 30c. in each
case. MOilier rose 7fr. 50c.; and Italian 12hc.