The Sun.
London, England, 1855-08-20 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF. THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

HER MAJESTY'S VISIT TO PARIS.

(From the Times of, this day.) -
After the most brilliant reception which the ingenuity
of a nation skilled above all others in the preparation
and arrangement of public pageants and the real enthu-
-iasm of a people excited by the stirring events of the
day to a warmth of feeling which they do not usually
evince could prepare Queen Victoria has entered Paris,
and is now fairly launched in that round of festivities
which are to make her week's residence in the capital
of her ally one long ovation. It is the privilege of the
heads of A social And political hierarchy like' that of „
England not only to feel and act for themselves, but to z,
imprrsenate and represent the feelings and impulses of h
great nations. Circumstances in thlniselves light at d u,
trivial—a gesture, a word, a momentary outburst of is
feeling—may have, besides, their primary and moment- al
ary significance, a secondary and more extended one, u;
whichmay constitute, in one point of view, the slightest
possible occurrence, and in another a very considerable fi,
historic event. The English public will carefully spell 1,
over the chronicles of the week with the hope to find in
them ever.recurring evideßce of the good feeling
which recent events, if thef have not ea:lied, have
at least developed, and we cannot doubt that our expec
Cations in this behalf will be more than gratified. Fine
weather, stirring music, splendid equipages, glittering
escorts, triumphal arches, and all the panoply of popular
solemnities eau to no for *ay purpese osse ;MY •
occasion ; but the rearein 'heartfelt sentinment of two
great nations seeking for expre-sion by every avenue of
the eye and ear has something in it more impressive than
processions, more enduring than all the crnauient and
glitter so easily put on to order, and so readily laid aside
like an old t ige property. We must leave, then, to our
reporters the details of the adornments which lent splen-
dour to the landing at Boulogne and to every step of her
Majesty's pr.gress, and endeavour to realise as far as is
possible with what sentiments the French nation really
greet the Sovereign of the neighbouring island, now for
toe first time for se many hundred ye irs coming in peace
and friendship to their capital. The present institutions
of France do not permit of our arriving at a conclusion
on this subject with the same confidence on the other as
on this side of the Channel., and there exists in France
so wide a diversity of opinions, not merely as to
the dynasty which ought to govern, but as to the
firm of government which ought to exist, that we
cannot expect to find complete unity in any sentiment,
however natural and well founded. Yet, we are happy
to believe that on the present occasion all Frenchmen of
all parties, who have not forgotten in the rage of faction
their paramount duty and affection to the great country
of which they are citizens, will unite in cordial rejoicing
at the auspicious event which seems to set a seal on the
union and alliance of the two nations. The adherents
of those families which still put forward claims to the
throne of France, may, indeed, feel some natural annoy-
ance at the close intimacy which they see existing be-
tween the Queen of England and a successful competitor
for empire, and consistent Republicans can hardly view
without a pang the high and palmy fortune of him who
has inherited their hopes and their labours. But Legi-
timists, Orleaniste, and Republicans will, we doubt not,
alike remember that, whatever be their differences as to

internal politics, they all have an equal interest in see-
iog France honoured and re.pected, and in knowing
that the good understanding between the two nations
and their mutual esteem for each other survive every
change of Government, are permanent elements amid
never-ending vicissitudes, and increase more and more in
spite ofeverything which might tend to thwartordiminisb
them. We apprehend the visit of tbe Queen of England
popular with all classes of Frenchmel, because a cor-
dial alliance, an intimate understanding- between the
two countries, is popular. As far Si the present war is
concerned, the balacca beeins to incline so rapidly to
the side of England and France that we cannot doubt
the immediate object of the alliance which is symbolised
by the visit of Queen Victoria to Paris will, in no long
time, be accomplished, and that England and France
will emerge from their present struggle with an increase
of fame, a higher character, and more complete confi-
dence in each. other.. These are the first fruits to be
hoped, and, we trust, very shortly to be gathered, from
the present alliance. But it would be a narrow view to
limit the advantages of the alliance to what is pasting in
strong StaSta te shall the Crimea, in the Baltic, or to whatever other shore
the fortunes of war may drive our fleets and armies.
We view our alliance as a guarantee to the whole
world that lawless power shall never again be suffered
to crush under her armed heel the claims of right and
j unentsioced ;a henceforthrrog a n
cbee
li;
withoutall arrogance,'
willing and able to protect civilisation from those
consolidated intothese a two
-powg"erat
barbarous inroads which seemed but a little while ago
to threaten Europe, and all her arts and all her cultiva-
tion, with the fate of the lower Roman empire. Most
appropriately was the Queen encountered, on her
first landing, by the effigy, not of Victory or of Fame,
but tbegentlerGenius of Civilisation. Once relieved from

the necessity of constant and armed vigilance against
the unwearied disturber of the peace of nations ; once
dispensed from the duty of standing sentinel over the
threatened liberties of mankind, what may we not ex-
pect from the energies of two associated peoples ful'y
put forth in the generous rivalry of the arts of peace I
The extension of abstract science in all its branches, its
application in a hundred ways yet undreamt of to sup-
ply the wants and gratify the wishes of mau—the de'
of pet
Qtruction of those barriers which the jealousy,
_-....
ages raised against the freedom of commerce—tir`fi
Portation into our island of the orderly and seetnou'u",
o which have
spirit of France and the adoption in France of "Ine of
those maxims of social and political
wiFd' °the oblivion
stood in England
so
well
the
teeter toiTee—zisting preju-
dices,—these of past animosities; the obliteratihoen
philanthropist and
ti
oh
te,s
we
hoefftehre
rt to PEnglish, subjects
dthiceesp,a—tt
b t interest, and anticipa-
for contemplation of the higmeort.
It is to ratify an
tions of the most cheering:id
h such presults that Queen Vic-
alliance fraught with
!The visit of the Emperor of th
toria goes to return
then, that a great ande
French. Whet wonder enlight-
ened a messenger, bound should receive such "ger) o❑
people h
every mark of goodwill and
such an errand, wit ?
every
demonstrAtion of respect
ethbee"eofsFrench' or

f prom,
01813adenaty'L The Queen ofFrance,
EnglandateDailyis Nacre%
in this
without a single guard to defend her from the possible
attacks of the " hereditary enemy " of England. There
is the Queen of this mighty nation, utterly denuded of
atiprotectton, save that which is assured to her by the
,:hivalrous sentiments of those amongst whom she has
thrown herself, but yet without a single doubt as to the
nature of the receptiim she will meet with. Has sue
miscalculated the result ? Every rational man in Eng-