The Express.
London, England, 1861-05-02 00:00:00

EXPRESS FROM PARIS.

(nu ous OWN

PARA WIDNIEDAY EVENING.

The Exhibition of Modern Artists was opened
to-day at the Palais de l'lndustrie. It is two years
since the last was held. The great novelty on the
present occasion is that, in order to put a stop to
all complaints of favouritism on the part of the
hanging committee, the pictures—with the excep-
tion of a few painted by imperial command, and
which occupy the central saloon—are arranged
alphabetically. A great deal will be said for and
against the new system. One convenience of it is
that the works of any favourite artist are readily
found. A drawback is that inasmuch as all the
contributions of any given artist are necessarily
placed together, the crowd at particular spots is
very great, as I found to be the case to-day when I
attempted to get a sight of the four works exhibited
by K Gator.. One of these is a striking, but by
no means agreeable, picture of Rachel as the
Tragic Muse, as engraving of which has already
been seen in the print show. The other three are
scenes in ancient Rome, which this artist specially
loves to depict. One of them, as far as I could see
over the heads of the crowd, represented a naked
female slave of wondrous beauty, exhibited for the
approbation of some hundred conscript fathers,
sitting in curate chairs. The various phases of
satyr-like expression shown in the fares of this
congregation of elders gazing upon a pagan Susan-
nah, display extraordinary talent. In the official
saloon, where, as stated above, the alphabet does not
bear sway, the principal painting is by M. d'lvon, and
represents the Emperor at the battle of Solferino
ordering General Carmen to send forward a brigade
of the Guard to support General Foray. This pic-
ture will not, I apprehend, be considered equal in
merit to the "Taking of the Malakoff" by the same
artist. In the hurried glance which I was able to
take of the long galleries, I only noticed, besides
M. Gerome's works, a very striking picture by K
Baudry of Charlotte Corday killing Marsh The
alphabetical arrangement, while equitable to the
artiste, certainly does not hurt the general aspect
of the exhibition so much as might be supposed.
The Pays says in its latest news that Turkey
proposes to the powers to maintain a corps of 1,500
French troops permanently in Syria, together with
500 furnished by other nations. In this way it is
hoped that the Christians may be sufficiently pro-
tected, without jealousy being felt of France. The
only thing new about this statement, which was
given in nearly the same terms by the ind4pciadance
a few days ago, is that the proposal sow comma
from Turkey, but query

The settlement at the Bourse wont off swim-
mingly for the "bulls." The report of the Credit
Mobilier, though much criticised—for the prudent
financiers observe that the reserve is only 8,000 fr.,
and ask what it wants to do with new capital—was
favourably received. The Rente rose 35c. and
400., closing at 69fr. 10c. and 69fr. 15c. Mobilier
rose 15fr. 35c. Railways were 2fr. 50c. higher.
Bank of France fell 25c.

M. J grime Bonaparte, of America (the co-plaintiff
in the great and yet pending case of Paterson v.
Bonaparte), left France for the United States on
Tuesday by the Arago steamer. His son, who has
been for some years in the French army, accom-
panied him as far as Havre.
It is said that in consequence of the numerous
affairs before the Legislative Body the discussion
of the Rural Code is postponed to next session.
There is reason to believe that it will be the same
with the bill on patents.

The French national shooting match, held last
year at Vincennes, was so successful that a perma-
nent one has been decided on, and plans for the
construction of the erections required have just
been approved of by the authorities. The edifices
in question will be completed by the middle of
June, and the contest can take place in the course
of that month.

M. Retain, of the French Institute, who, as is
known, has been sent by the Emperor into Syria to make
archasologind res3archea, hu just discovered at T)re •
music consisting of seventy-two medallions, osotaising
mythological designs of great beauty, and they are to he
out to the Louvre.