The Sun.
London, England, 1862-05-06 00:00:00

FRENCH CORRESPONDENTS AT THE

OPENING OF 211 E EXHIBITION.

The Paris journals of Saturday contain accounts
of the opening of the Exhibition on Thursday last
from the pen of their " own" correspondents. In
the Debats the description is written by M. J.
Lemoinne. The singular uniforms which were worn
by different members of the procession seem to have
mueh amused him; it is even irreverently hinted
that the high authorities looked very much as
though they had " left
,the collection at the Tower
of London." M. Lemoinne strongly condemns the
exterior of the building, and compares the domes
to wire-gauze dish-covers. " Happily," he says,
"the warbling is better than the plumage," and
as an Industrial Exhibition, this one is far superior
to that of 1851. "As to the English," he adds,
" any one who had not seen them since the first Ex-
hibition would scarcely know them again ; one
would think they had been changed at nurse—
they have all beards and mustachios ! Where are
old caricatures in which the traditional French-
man of Leicester-square used to figure with
his uncultivated whiskers ? Now it is the
English who have the aspect of gorillas. The
English wemen, alone, have not changed. There
they were, with flaming toilets at noon, always
dazzling in freshness, and extravagant in colours—
dressed lilies and roses at the Bell Jardiniere."

The correspondent of the Presse characterises the
building as heavy, massive, and without grace.
" Ladies," he says, " were present in great numbers
and beauty. Imagine two or three thousand Eng-
lish women in summer dresses, and a similar num-
ber of Englishmen, who are the best combed
people in the creation, and you will have an idea
of the spectacle. For the rest, a half-silence, very
different from that confused buzz which is heard in
all public assemblies at Paris; few words, few
gestures, a grave demeanour, but without stiffness
or awkwardness. Really I have never seen any-
thing more beautiful." The same correspondent is
fully persuaded that the French industry will take
the first rank, although the American war and the
treaty of commerce have prevented French manu-
facturers from devoting much time to the under-
taking. The latter class, moreover, dislike a visit
to London. "It is very costly, and still more
ennuyeux." This, he thinks, is the last International
Exhibition which will be held in London. "At
heart the exhibitors of all nations, the English
excepted, prefer Paris. They are better treated
there; they are not overcharged; great pains are
taken to attract them. At Lo,ndon this is all re-
versed. The English nation has great qualities;
it is intelligent, brave, persevering, intrepid, but it
is not hospitable."
The ASiecle is more liberal in its praise and admi-
ration than any of its contemporaries. The writer,
however, has slightly misunderstood a portion of
the ceremony. He says," After Meyerbeer's Over-
ture, specially composed for the occasion—after the
Grand March of Auber, which was hailed with
frantic applause; after a cantata, which was equally
well received ; after a sort of alleluia intoned by
the Bishop of London—the Duke of Cambridge,"
&c. The performance of the " Hallelujah Chorus,"
and the reading of the prayer by the bishop, ap-
pear to have mystified our friend of the Siecle.
The 2emps devotes nearly a page to a description
of the scene. The unfurnished state of the different
departments is a prominent theme of the writer,
and some 'rumours are given of internal dissen-
sions of which we have heard nothing. The most
imposing part of the ceremony was, it is stated,
the music. The correspondent, however, notices
an omission. "What bas been done with the diplomatic
corns? Tf T
_ ..,nll
very satisfied with the neglect which, to say the least, is
very extraordinary in an international assembly."