The Sun.
London, England, 1867-03-11 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, MARCH 11, 1867.

ailes," without any idea of flying away herself ; or
if any of the old masters—Beethoven, Mozart, or
Haydn—are preferred, she is doomed to see them
sacrificed to the graces. But then, again, salons
there are where the classics are sacrificed without
any grace at all. Some of the worst inflictions are
balls to which some three score people are invited,
and while round the middle of a room about as
spacious as three silk handkerchiefs sewn together.
In this country of no bodies and no sleeves, men
must know what torture can be endured from
pointed elbows and angular shoulders. Fanraps
are nothing to it, and spirit-rapping is scarcely less
startling. When sleep gently falls on the eyelids of
some, the real work begins for the conscientious
fashion writer. Then it is she produces those
epistles which are to come out in print and enlighten
forthcoming ages on the ways and customs of her
contemporaries. If Napoleon felt awed at the idea
of forty centuries looking down on him from the
top of the Egyptian pyramids, what feelings must a
weak woman experience at the idea of the per-
plexing mystification which forty generations will be
entangled in on computing the length of our trains.
In the silence of night she therefore mixes satire,
morality, and economy with her ribbons and shreds ;
and this is certainly one of her most arduous under-
takings, but posterity must be relieved in some way
or other.

The new colours I promised in my last are called
" Isabelle," a kind of fawn ; " cornaline," which
is very lovely on poplins ; and poult de sole, " moon-
light," with a dreamy haze on a silvery surface of
light mysterious grey ; " grenade," which is a lovely
bright glow, all sunny dreamland ; and the freshest
sea-greens that ever mermaid bathed in, under
twinkling evening stars.

There are tulles worked with moss rosebuds, all
coming down in showers on budding beauties, and
broches for next summer in reserve on silk muslin.

The spring textures are nearly all chine ; but I
may not anticipate, or I shall be accused of spoiling
the blanket and fur trade. As long as there is a
chance of selling a yard of flannel I will give freezing
humanity fair play. I can even do more, by de-
scribing Mme. Rimsky-Korsakoff's Wade costume
in my next. The Prince de Korsakoff is the Em-
peror of Russia's grand master of ceremonies ; if
that is not freezing and chilly enough for the
blanket trade about the middle of March, why I
can only say that Timon of Athens showed less
ingratitude to his fellow-creatures.

GENEVA, March 2.

The cold which made its appearance in Paris
yesterday proved more and more intense as the
sun went down, and the cars swept out into the
open country. It was a relief after being shut
within walls, however elegant, for so long a time,
to gain free range for the eye, and to obtain ocular
evidence tbiat the stars do shine in France. To be
sure, one may sometimes catch sight of them in the
capital, but even on those rare occasions when they
are visible it can be only by glimpses, and the very
skies seem cut up into streets and lanes, or laid out
in Boulevards and squares. On leaving the city,
however, thanks to the general flatness of the French
territory, and the clearness of the night, a wide
expanse of heaven was open to us, and on one
side we could see the bear, as it is classical to call it,
(though the Yankee name of " dipper" is so much
more descriptive,) slowly sweeping round the pole ;
while on the other "great Orion " appeared, strid-
ing, as it were, through the clear fields of upper air,
a starry giant. Whether such references are inte-
resting to the reader now, the traveller was fortunate
to whom the sight could be interesting then, for it
was the only means of beguiling long periods of
sleepless weariness and of chill, which no clothing
would keep out, and no sustenance or beverage expel.
The passengers, in self-defence, patronised liberally
the well-appointed buffets, which are wise enough
to keep open in the night, and soup, meats, coffee,
wine, and some stronger stimulants rapidly disap-
peared ; but probably most were heartily glad when
daylight returned, and the cold became somewhat
less intense. Then we found ourselves in a more
broken country, where were rough rocks curtained
and fringed with ice, and dry sandy fields very full
of short sticks, which peasants were carefully trim-
ming, and which will by and by be bright with the
green leaves and ruddy clusters of the grape.
The spots now look as if nothing could ever
grow there. Then came the passage of the long
tunnel under the Jura, and soon we were in Geneva.
But what a change since the early autumn
Nothing except the wind appeared active. The
omnibuses at the station could scarcely find a
passenger ; the cabs seemed to have laid aside all
thought of being present ; and the very porters
and coachmen had become tranquilly polite in
their utter despair of prizes worth clustering for.
The lake was in a state of wildest commotion, its
deep blue surface flecked with foam as far as the
eye could see, and the waves dashing in clouds of
spray across the breakwater. Many of the hotels
and cafes have closed the doors which open on the
lake, and submit to the comfortable humiliation of
a back entrance. M any one should now
presume to promenade on the little island
in front of the Quai probably no violent
measures would be taken with him, but he
would be thought of in connection with a
retreat in the environs of the town, which is called
.3laison des Foux. The Hotel de la Couronne,
which all the guide-books declare to be quiet, along
with its other excellencies, is eminently so at pre-
sent, as far as human excitement is concerned,
agreeing in this with all its confreres, which
are contented in receiving little because at present
they expect nothing. Otherwise we are anything
but quiet, for the whole establishment is in a state
of siege ; and, as I look out from my window upon
the Lake, and listen to the wind crashing and
shrieking around the casement, I can only think of
a wild night on the summit of Mount Washington,
or of wakeful hours in a New England home, where
the March winds sing the same stormy melody.
Yet in frigid, unrelenting fury, I think this
exceeds anything that even America can produce.
This mountain wind is here a not unfrequent
guest, and is naturalised under the name of Bise ;
but the residents say they have had scarce anything
so severe through the whole winter, and that of
late, until within a day or two, the weather bas
been fine. They congratulate themselves on the
beneficial effects of the present state of things, upon
the atmosphere and the public health ; and cer-
tainly, if such a draft could be forced along the
most fetid streets of the most neglected city, it could
scarce leave a cubic inch of any noxious gas. It is
perhaps needless to say that the inclemency of the
weather does not keep people from the cafes. In
fact, it would rather seem as if it shut them up
there.

You seldom see any one entering or leaving, but
open the door, and there is a solemn crowd reading,
talking in low tones, playing chess or billiards,
sipping coffee, beer, &c., or tranquilly smoking,
while the waiters are the only persons who seem to
be in any haste.

March 4.—One reason why the weather has be-
come so favourite a subject of conversation is pro-
bably its instability. As the exciting changes of life
are fortunately so few,
it is pleasant to have some-
thing to speak of which seldom continues so fixed as
to become monotonous. Certainly one who writes
on this topic can seldom write long in the same vein.
During Saturday night the wind went down, and
the temperature has since been just pleasantly low.
"Clear placid Leman" has regained its wonted
calm. There is more movement in the streets, and
more cheerfulness in the faces of the people since
the Rise has ceased its attentions.

Services are maintained here throughout the year
in the pleasant English Church, and if all are alike
what it was my privilege to attend, the English-
speaking residents have reason to profit by them.
In the afternoon the Temple Neuf, where M.
Coulin was to preach, was so crowded that many
persons were obliged to go away, all the standing-
room to the very doors being occupied.
A larger crowd, as may be supposed, attended
an open-air masquerade, where equestrians ap-
peared in various costumes of olden time, and a
number of carriages were filled with ridiculous in-
ventions of the present. Ethiopians of course were
largely personated, and one fellow made himself
prominent by an immense pug-nose, which he wore
so naturally that mid not rid myself of the iw-