The Sun.
London, England, 1867-04-22 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONOAY EVENING, APRIL 22, 1867.

literary productions, specially bearing the impress
of genius. The speaker had a difficult task ac-
corded him in attempting to portray the merits of
the deceased, but he accomplised it gracefully and
successfully. The faults of the old man were not
recalled, and his virtues only, reviewed.
An exhibition of the paintings of the lamented
Ingas is now opened at the Ecole des Beaux Arts,
and is daily attracting crowds of visitors. More
than 300 pictures, many of which are chef dceuvres,
are included in this magnificent assemblage of the
works of the great master. His " Virgin and In-
fant Jesus," " Apotheosis" of Homer," "Martyrdom
of St. Sympherien," and the " Soiree," are a few
of the remarkable productions now on exhibition.

In front of the P alais de l'lndustrie an equestrian
statue of Napoleon I. has been erected. This statue
was executed by General Charles Pajoe, and is in-
tended for the city of Montereau.
The Universal Exhibition is still far from being
completed, yet it affords exhaustless objects of in-
terest to the visitor. The section appropriated to
machinery is especially replete with everything
in the way of mechanical wonders, which must in-
terest the most careless observer. One of the
peculiarities of this fair is the competition of several
of the religious bodies, disputing the empire of
souls. In an appropriate section of the Park is a
small, neat church, containing all necessary acces-
sories for Catholic worship. Not far from this an
English Evangelical church has been constructed,
and was inaugurated yesterday with befitting
pomp and ceremony. English exhibitors can
now, without going out of the Champs de Mars,
perform their religious devotions. Some distance
further is a Turkish mosque, where the Mussulman
service, no doubt, will be performed for the benefit
of the faithful followers of the good prophet
Mahomet. It is fortunate that the other 5,000 or
6,000 religious denominations have not also deter-
mined to be represented at the world's fair of 1867,
or a worse than Babel confusion would have resulted
from the proximity of the spiritual controversies of
this heterogeneous multitude. Two handsome small
boats, exhibited by the Empress, have just been ad-
mitted into the Exhibition. One is a Venetian
gondola, and the other a long boat (caique). On
the occasion of the reception of these specimens
the commissioners of the section in which they
were placed sent an exhibitor's card to the Empress
with the portrait in the corner. This card, like all
others, bears the inscription giving the number of
class and name of exhibitor.

Prince Napoleon has had constructed at Cowes,
Isle of Wight, a small yacht of 10 tons, which will
make its appearance to-day in the Exhibition, and
remain there until the period for the International
Regattas, in which it will take part. A complete
American Circus troupe, with two lice Indians, is
expected daily in Paris, and will exhibit during the
season at the Cirque de l'lmperatrice. Another
company, I think, intends giving representations in
the Cirque Imperial, so we shall have every oppor-
tunity of judging of the superiority of American
equestrian performances. An interesting cargo of
Senegambian negroes will soon arrive as visitors to
the Exposition. These negroes belong to the high
aristocracy of the tribes placed under the sove-
reignty of France. In wandering over the World's
Fair you encounter representatives of almost every
race and colour under the sun. Chinese, Turks,
Africans, &c., are every-day sights, and seem to
enjoy hugely the wonders exposed. In fact, to an
American visitor, the singularities of costumes,
diversity of colour, language, &c., constitute one of
the greatest attractions of the Exhibition.
ROME, April 16.
On Friday last occurred the celebration of the
Pope's return from his exile at Gaeta.
A review was held at the Macao, on the site of
the old Praetorian camp. The number of troops on
the ground could not have exceeded 5,000, and was
probably less. Three lines of infantry in double
rank extended across the field, leaving, however, a
wide space at each end, besides openings of consi-
derable width between the battalions, and the field
is about 300 yards in width. Besides the infantry
there were two batteries of artillery, each contain-
ing four guns of small calibre. There was also a
showy squadron of cavalry. A little after five
o'clock the General Commanding, with a large
staff, brilliantly equipped and finely mounted, rode
duwn the lines at a rapid pace, after which the men
pile] arms, and all became dull in the extreme, ex-
cept when some high-mettled horse got up a per-
formance on his own account. The carriages, of
which a considerable number were gathered at the
lower end of the field, began to roll off, and the spec-
tators on foot threw themselves down on the grass, or
against the barrack railings, and it became evident

;hat all was finished until the arrival of the Pope,

for whom a small pavilion with a throne had
been erected. The number of spectators was
the smallest I ever saw at any military parade.
Guards certainly had never an easier time. In the
vicinity of the throne there were about three lines
of lookers-on, among whom monks and foreigners
were numerous. The former seem still to think

that there is some antagonism between cleanliness
and godliness, if one may judge by the discomfort
their vicinity occasions. On the greater part of
the line the duties of the sentries were merely
nominal, no one approaching them except an
occasional straggler. A single regiment of militia
would have drawn a larger concourse to a " June
training" in any New England village. Foreign
visitors would very easily have accounted for all
the carriages present. After waiting in vain for
nearly an hour, the brilliant idea suddenly occurred
to my own party that the Pope would not arrive
until nearly dark, in order to witness the illumina-
tion on his return. Though this was conjectural,
the chill of the evening air, and the propriety of a
dinner, were certainties sufficient to determine our
return. ,As we approached the Piazza di Spagna
we found the illumination had already begun, and
by seven o'clock it was in its full brilliancy. The
long line of steps leading up from the Piazza di
Spagna to the Pincian were brilliantly lighted, and
the outline of the obelisk and cross at the summit
brought out in lines of light, the whole forming a
very beautiful display. The Piazza Colonna had
the semblance of a Gothic temple, covering the
whole front of the large building facing the Corso.
The square in front of the Pantheon presented more
glare than taste, though a few lights within the
portico brought out well the proportions of that
grand old relic of heathenism. On the Piazza
Navona much pains had been bestowed. Around
and within, the fountain lights of various colours
were burnt, making the work look better than it pro-
bably ever did by day. Lights, in festoons and circles,
extended nearly to the sides of the square, and at
either end the keys and tiara blazed within a star.
The Via Rissetta was brilliantly illuminated, and
the effect of the lightsas reflected in the water was

very fine.
Opposite the Castle of St. Angelo was a semi-
circular wood-work, bearing a fanciful resemblance
to the front or the tribune of a church. In the
centre stood a statue of the Apostle Peter, and in
five niches were painted human figures of various
complexions, representing apparently the five races,
which, at the sides, united to do reverence to the
Pope and to receive his blessing. Here, at the ar-
rival of the Papal cottage, some little excitement was
produced by the horses of the dragoons, which be-
came so frightened at the crowd, the carriages, and
the blue-lights as to be scarcely manageable, and
whirled about in a way somewhat perilous to those
in their vicinity.
The street leading to St. Peter's was decorated
with boughs of evergreens and circles of lights,
in which the wooden hoop was somewhat too pro-
minent, though the whole effect was pretty. The
great church itself displayed only a few lights along
the front, leaving the colonnades and the grand
dome in shadow.
The streets throughout the evening were crowded
with carriages and foot-passengers. The private
houses were adorned with numerous lanterns, and
it was impossible to doubt that the people, for some
reason or other, enjoyed the show. Perhaps the
explanation of their apathy in the afternoon and
enthusiasm in the evening is that they like the
Pope, but not the Papal King. It is pretty evident
the armed supporters of the latter authority are
little admired by the people.
On Saturday morning I attended the service in

the little chapel at the bead of the Scala Santa, one
of the rare occasions when a certain picture is un-
covered—a picture said to have been painted by St.
Luke and finished by an angel. One or both of the
artists had a very Egyptian taste, but there were
men even of middle age, who very devoutly pressed
crucifixes against the glass which covers the pic-
ture, and under which, at the distance of some two
inches, is a cross of silver placed at the waist of
the painted figure.
Yesterday were performed in St. Peter's the
usual ceremonies of Palm Sunday. The day was
fine and the attendance was considerable. A large
number of Protestants stood on the pavement for
nearly five hours, and perhaps it is doing no in-
justice to any of them to say that no eloquence
could have induced them to sit half that time in
their own places of worship. The ladies, the diplo-
matists, and distingui.hed guests had certainly the
best of it. i was amused to see an officer of the
Colorado, who happened to be iu full uniform, pass
on the score of his epaulettes to a position which
would hardly have been accorded to an European
officer of equal rank ; but it was decidedly comical
to witness the long and profound nap of a fat
ecclesiastic on the steps of the high altar, and the
promptness with which•he woke at the cessation of
the chant, just in time to rise and face the altar.
You will doubtless have heard before this of the
recent descent of brigands upon itocca di Papa. The
band numbered about fifty, and exacted as large a
contribution of food and drink as the poor little vil-
lage could yield even to force. It would seem from
this that the affairs of the fraternity are not in a
very prosperous condition, and this little incident
will diminish:still further their possible revenues, by
frightening away many who would otherwise have
visited Frascati and Tivoli.

tator Francia hermetically closed the country for
thirty years, and the world Ceased to know or care
about a country in which it had no interest. The
general idea was; that the prescribed boundaries
were inhabited by simple ani docile Indians, who
had voluntarily given themselves up to the rule of
a grasping and sanguinary tyrant; while Christen-
dom accepted the statements of the Government of
Brazil, with whom they were in communication.
Attention is now being roused to the subject by the
unequalled gallantry with which the Paraguayans
have kept at bay the combined effort of such com-
paratively powerful countries to subdue them ; and
the creditors of Brazil are beginning to feel alarmed
as the war progresses, accumulating a debt, without
producing a result. "It must be," says the author,
" the wish of all who sympathise with the brave and
the just in an unequal struggle, that this free and
freedom-loving State may conquer in this war. She
will perish rather than give in,—for the freedom of
the Mouth of La Plata is essential to her commercial
and political existence." The author has spent
many years in the La Plata countries, and is per-
sonally acquainted with most of the influential
public men of these States. His bias is strongly
towards the Paraguayans, and if his facts be correct
he has good grounds for the conclusions at which he
has arrived. He ends his interesting pamphlet with

this remark :—" For the sake of dommerce and of
the world it should be desired by every Englishman
that the policy of Paraguay may prevail." The cli-
mate is said to be the most healthy in the world.
The soil is fertile, feeding countless flocks and
herds ; while forests flourish, producing the most
valued woods, bark, and gum, in boundless profusion.
Upon the fertile banks of the streams grow the
sugar-cane, cotton, tobacco, rice, mandioca, Indian
corn, and a thousand other productions, chief
among which is a tea, prized by all the States of the
Continent.—Anglo-Atuerican Times. _