The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-17 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Monday Evening.
Here is the comment made to-day by the Consti-
tutionnel in reference to its latest news from Ger-
many :—" The news from Germany continues to be
less alarming than it has been for the last few days.
Beyond the Rhine they discuss—that is to say, they
are not ready to fight."
The illoniteur does not contain any political or
other news of interest to-day. It publishes a very
long report from M. Behic, Minister of Agriculture,
Commerce, and Public Works, relative to the num-
ber of mad people, idiots, and fools in the public
and private asylums, from which it appears that it
has been on the increase up to 1860, the period up
to which the voluminous tables refer.
The Journal des Debats contradicts the report of
Ministerial changes in the Prussian Cabinet, and
says it does not believe the report of the illness of
M. de Bismark.

The 3foniteur contains a Ministerial order ap
pointing M. Emile Perrin director of the opera, an
arrangement of which I informed you some days
ago. It is perhaps a curious coincidence that, the
same privilege was awarded 200 years ago to a per-
son of the same name, the Abbe Perrin. The direc-
tor has a subvention of 800,000 f. per annum, with
the recent addition of 100,000 f. annually from the
Emperor's private purse.
The competition is about to commence at the Im-
perial School of the Fine Arts for the Grand prix de
Rome. The subject allotted to the ten painters
who will compete is Empedocles receiving from the
inhabitants of Salim° nte divine honours for having
disinfected a river.
The following story is told of an English lord who
i went to the sale of fancy articles now in progress at
the Ministry of War for the benefit of the poor.
The English nobleman first asked the lady at the
stall what was the price of a beautiful cigar-case.
" Two hundred francs," was the reply. " 'Tis
nothing ; I take it," said the lord. " And this
jewel-case ?" " Eight hundred francs." " Nothing,"
again said the lord, handing a note of I,ooof. "Do
you wish for anything else ?" said the lady. " Ah !"
replied he, " what I wish for is not to be compared
with any of these articles, but fix a price." " What
do you wish ?" "To kiss your fair hand." The
lady blushed, reflected, and replied—" Three thou-
sand francs." The lord gracefully kissed the prof-
fered hand, given with some hesitation—but what
will not charitable ladies do for the poor ? " I
want something else," said the lord—" a lock of
your hair." " That will be 6,000 f." "That is
nothing," again said the lord, on receiving the lock
of hair which the lady cut off for him. " Six and
three are nine," said the noble lord, and, handing
9,000 f. to the lady, his lordship departed, pleased
with his bargains. This narrative may or may not
be true. It is related as authentic, and I hap-
pen to know that at the Anti-Corn-Law League
bazaar, held some years ago at Covent Garden
Theatre, a gentleman offered £2O to a lady, who is
now and was then the wife of a member of Parlia-
ment holding a high office, to be allowed to kiss her
check. The offer was accepted, and the amount
agreed upon was paid upon the spot.
Gladiateur seems decidedly to be invincible. At
the Boulogne Races yesterday the betting was 7 to 1
against the field for Gladiateur, and 10 to 1 against
Gontran. For the Cup, value 10,000 f. and 10,000 f.
added, of the 12 horses entered, only- four under-
toOk the contest against him. The following is the
result of this important race :
Gladiateur, 4 yrs, 1331bs (H. Grimshaw) 1
Le Mandarin (also belonging to Count Lagrange)
(Mizen) 2
Gontran, 4 yrs, 1271bs (C. Pratt) 3
Ronce, 4 yrs, 1081bs (Chifney) 4
Gladiateur won the race so easily that really all
struggle against him for the future would seem to
be quite hopeless.
One is reminded of the birds in America, which,
according to the American papers, knew that Colonel
Crockett's gun was so unerring that when they
found themselves within its range they considered
themselves shot at once, and gave in. The story of
the coon is known to all sportsmen. An unfortu-
nate, perched on a tree, observed the Colonel with
his terrible gun, and, it being too late to fly away,
said, " Colonel it's not worth while to fire, I know
lam a gone coon, I will come down." This sur-
render at discretion seems likely to be the watch-
wordwith all owners of race horses where Gladiateur
makes his appearance.
The Prix d'Auteuil of 2,000 f. was won by Scudo ;
Gaulois, 2 ; Henriot, 3.
The Prix des Cars of 4,000 f., for three-year-olds,
was won by Colombo ; Victorieuse, , 2 ; Can-

nonicre,
for a wonder, Count de Lagrange
this
. race,
Inaier ,
was unsuccessful. His filly la Germaine occupied
but a very backward position.
The Ninth Biennial of 500 fr. was won by Count
de Lagrange's Fleurette, 1; Stilton, 2 ; Etoile-
Filante, 3.
The Prix de Suresncs of 4,000 fr. was won by
Anglo-Saxon, 4 yrs ; Prince Regent, 2 ; Astrolabe,
3. The betting was sto 2 against the winner.
The attendance at the races was very numerous,