The Express.
London, England, 1866-11-21 00:00:00

AMUSEMENTS AT COMPIEGNE.

A letter from Compiegne, dated Saturday after-
noon, says:—" There was to-day a stag hunt in the forest,
the rendezvous being at the Puits-du-Roi, one of the
largest openings in the forest. The meet presented a
very interesting spectacle: • pack of 61 fine hounds, white,
spotted black, and brown, with keepers in bright
green liveries, occupied one side, whilst on the other
were carriages from the neighbouring chateaux; hunts-
men in the imperial uniform, and chars-a-bane and
court vehicles with guests coming at • gallop
down the avenue. It was • rich confusion of
toilettes, costumes, and bright colours, forming • picture
full of animation, the frame of which was suppled bj the
lofty trees. The Prince Imperial arrived early. His im-
perial highness rode a small creamed-coloured Arab, and
wore the imperial hunting dress, as did also M. Vachon,
his equerry, and the eon of Dr. Conneau. The prince
made the tour of the place of rendezvous, saluting those
present and managing his spirited little horse with grace
and ease. A few minutes later, the Emperor and Empress
arrived in • char-1-bane. His Majesty was attired in
ordinary morning dress ; the Empress wore a round hat and
mantle of maroon velvet. The Emperor alighted from the
carriage, and went round the assemblage. shakinghand, and
speaking to several persons; then the Prince delallloscowa,
grand huntsman, after having taken his Majesty's orders,
gave instructions to the attendants, who at once proceeded
to set on the dogs. A stag, which might have been seen
all the morning close by in company with a dozen hinds,
was started, which, after making several shor. detours in
the vicinity of the Puita-du-Itoi, went off at full sire d
in
the direction of the Etang of Sainte-Pei; e. 'lnc dogs,
while following the stag, came upon a wild boar, which
immediately faced them. They threw themselves reso-
lutely upon hl/2, but his defeat cost them dear, as one was
killed and nine others wounded. However, in the end the
boar was killed, and the pack resumed tho cha:.e of the
stag, which was run down about 5 o'clock near the Etang
mentioned above. In the evening the curie took place in
the Court of Honour of the chateau by torchlight,"

THE PARISIAN IN LONDON.

" How very few Frenchmen," writes the Paris
correepondent of the Post, "visit London. Look at the
company of the dearcers which cross the Channel ; they
are all Bulls—people with honest faces—the men broad-
shouldered and well built, the ladies wickedly dressed,
'ut so often pretty. There inal be one Frenchman, one
German, one amongst them, but the travellers are
unmietaktibly of Great Britain and Ireland. The
few Frenchmen who do go over to London bring
hack such a sad account of that city that no-
body wants to go there for pleasure. It is only
three days since a nobleman who has lived moat of
his days in Piu:s gave me the following account of
a late visit to your famous metropolis. I will give you his
words :—' It was Surday morning, a morning on which
my wife is generally in a had humour—l know not why.
I thought I would go out and get my breakfast at some
hotel or tavern. It was cold, with a sort of damp atmo-
sphere, which prevented you seeing any object far down
the street. I remembered I was near the Angel Inn,
Islington. Good English ham, thought I, oysters
and bottled beer! When I got there, lo! ti e
house was shut up. I was told it was church time,
or not church time, I forget which, and could not break-
fast. I then requested a policeman to tell me where I
might get some refreshment. He looked down on the
p..vement and considered for a while, and then said,
• Why you see, sir, it's Sunday morning, and everything is
shut up according to the Acct ; there is a coffee-
house a little lower down, and perhaps an 'otel
would take you in if you say you're a traveller.'
In this great city of three millions I could get nothing
to eat or drink, for on entering a large hotel the waiter said
it was `too early,' as I did not live in the house, and he
looked at me as if I wanted to steal the spoons. I strolled
towards the City, and got to the Bank, but the only
places for refreshment I saw were one or two very dirty
and gloomy coffee-houses, which did not invite one to
enter. How I sighed for Paris as I leant against a poet
and gazed at the black Mansion-house, a lone, sad man. I
asked a policeman where I could sit down? • No-
where, as he knowed on, except on the bridies.'
I could neither find cab nor omnibus—mind, it
was early on Sunday morning. I returned to-
wards the West-end, and found myself in Covent-garden-
market. Here was a picture of the working of Sunday
laws ! It was nearly 1 o'clock. Bound &tout the gin-
shops and public-houses were some of the most degraded
of mortals, in appearance—men and women. They were
waiting to rush into the spirituous Styx which conducts
the poor of London to another world. What
faces ! What Sautes, if we had a Hogarth to paint
them ! Surely the hard' works badly. These people,
like myself, I presume, could find no place to break-
fast at before 1 o'clock. No place, no retreat,
no bench to sit down on. They did not look like
people who had been to church. Is not London a wonder-
ful city for a foreigner on Sunday morning ? What be-
comes of the thousands the railways empty out on Sunday
morning! I was glad to get back to my friend's house
breskfsetless. Bnt here good English hospitality awaited
me. The lady of the house had brought hems the Rev.
Me. 43—, a Puseyite ecclesiastic, to luncheon. He was,
I learnt, confessing all the ladies of the family. Oh,
London ! Hypocritical London Art thou not destines
to be destroyed, like those two famous wicked cities men-
tioned in the Biller