The Sun.
London, England, 1866-04-20 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE FROM PARIS,

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
PARIS, Thursday Evening.
All that I see of interest in the Paris papers to-
day about Germany is the following in the Siecle :
—" The Cabinet of Berlin, which formerly ex-

plained its bellicose attitude by stating that it arose
out of the armaments of Austria, does not seem at
all disposed for a simultaneous disarmament. The
apprehensions and recriminations of the Austrian
journals are therefore as much justified to-day as
they were yesterday. There are journals in Eng-
land and in Germany which believe in an amicable
understanding between Prussia and Italy, but no
fact has transpired to warrant such an opinion."
On the other side of the Alps the Government and

the press maintain an absolute reserve.
If I mention the weather in the foremost part of
my letter it is because it has been to-day the chief
topic of attention. The heat has been intense—
almost as great as in the dog-days.
The Sultan has, in a very gracious manner, given
his consent to the treaty between the Viceroy of
Egypt and the Suez Canal Company for the navi-
gation of that isthmus. His Highness gives his
opinion that the cutting of the route across that
isthmus to the Red Sea is one of the most desirable
works of the age. For these reasons, as the stipu-
lations between the parties are in conformity with
the rights of the Egyptian Government -and his
own, he cheerfully agrees to them all.

There has been a service of thanks and congratu-
lation at the Russian Chamber in Paris at the pre-
servation of the life of the Emperor of Russia and
the defeat of the attempt of the assassin. Baron
de Budberg and all the members of the Embassy,
as well as the principal Russian subjects now in
Paris, attended at the ceremony, and also Baron
d'Andre, Director of the Cabinet of the Minister of
Foreign Affairs.
A letter from Brussels states that the collection
among the Catholics of the Netherlands, under the
title of New Years'gifts, and which is quite distinct
from the sums collected as St. Peter's pence, pro-
duced no less than 412,000 f., in addition to a quan-
tity of jewels, medals, and other valuables. This
result is the more remarkable from the fact that the
collection was made almost exclusively amongst the
middle and poorer classes.
Vichy is likely to be a very attractive locality
during the ensuing season. The Emperor, Empress,
and the young Prince will, it is said, pass a portion
of it there. Their Majesties also intend to be pre-
sent at some splendid fetes which will take place at
Nancy, in commemoration of the annexation of
Lorraine to France. As to Vichy, that place
always attracts invalids as well as other visitors,
its waters being considered very beneficial to health.
During the season there will be a grand competi-
tive unusual entertainment at Vichy, the Munici-
pality having voted the amount necessary to make
it as attractive as possible. The band will consist
of 130 artists.

Two centenarians have just died in France, at
Manhone (Maurthe), Nicolas Voinier, a volunteer
in 1793, aged 100 and some months, and at
Bassaran (Basses Pyrenees), a farmer named
Ualdonubide, in his 104th year.

A question of considerable interest to artists and
sculptors has just been decided by the Civil Tri-
bunal of La Seine under the following circum-
stances. Count Damas commissioned a sculptor
named Debay to erect in the Chapel of the Chateau
of Hautefort a monument to the memory of his
father ; the price agreed upon was 12,000 f. M.
Debay made the model in plaster, which was accepted,
and the artist was progressing with the statue in
marble when ,he unfortunately died. The family
of the sculptor claimed from Count Damas a part of
the sum agreed upon, in order that they might have
the statue finished by an artist of their choice. M.
Damas, on the other hand, claimed that the statue
should be finished by some artist of incontestable
talent, to be designated by the Tribunal. The Tri-
bunal, it appears, has this power, and exercised it.
It has ordered that the unfinished work of M. Debay
shall be terminated under the direction of M.
Jouffroy, member of the Academy of Fine Arts.
Some time ago the Times contained some remark-
able articles on behalf of small birds, urging their
protection and their utility. A work not long since
appeared, by M. Charles Viel, an advocate at the
Cour Imperiale, entitled " Considerations upon the
Utility of Birds," in which he eloquently pursues
the same line of argument. This work, among
many other admirers, may class no less a
personage than Cardinal Donnet, Archbishop of
Bordeaux. The Cardinal wrote the author a letter
full of sentiment and pathos on behalf of the
feathered tribe. In the course of it he says—" My
predilection for little birds is not with me a weak-
ness, a fancy, or a caprice. I like them because
they are amiable, and I protect them because they
are useful. Their wings, rapidly employed to seek
the insects, our enemies, remind one of the angels
dofefheenacveeinn ;thtehoinseidsatmeifabtlhee speenrtilisn eolfs
lailfseo. fl yA tsobiroudrs
fly from branch to branch, they appear to me as
the attaching image of the simplicity and innocence
of the little children whom the Divine Master has
taught us to caress. Their song diverts me from too
serious thoughts, and is an incomparable music.
The Apostle of Charity, St. John, amused himself
by playing with a partridge. St. Francis
d'Assizes, so austere in his life, loved the little birds ;
he called them with a soft voice, and when they
gathered around him they formed a marvellously
attentive audience. He told them to sing the praises
of God, and then dismissed them with mild words,
I accept this dedication of your work to me with
pleasure and gratitude." To this letter I may add
that not the least interesting sight in Paris is one
which may be witnessed every day in the garden of
the Tuileries. An old gentleman goes there every
day with his pockets full of bread. The sparrows
know him as well as possible. I have seen hundreds
around him. They are not the least afraid. Some
perch on his shoulders. Some come on his arm,
and they eat out of his hand till the bread is ex-
hausted, and he goes away. As the Archbishop
of Bordeaux says of St. Francis d'Assizes, the birds
form " a marvellously attractive" congregation
around this old gentleman and congregate the
moment he appears.
A service for the repose of the soul of the late
Queen Marie Amelie of France has been performed
at the chapel of St. Ferdinand. The yard as well
as the garden were covered, and the lists placed on
the tables for the inscription of the signatures of
those who wished to pay respect to her memory
were signed by more than 6,000 persons. The mass
was performed by the Abbe Gonot, the almoner of
the chapel, and was assisted by several canons of
St. Denis, and the former curate of Notre Dame.
Amongst those present were Messrs. Duchatel,
Guizot, Berryer, the Duke and Duchess of Estissac,
Viscount and Viscountess Napoleon Duchatel, Coun-
tess de Turrenne, Count de la Rochefoucauld,
Count de Laferronays, Count and Countess de
Ganay, Duke Decaze, General Latour, Baron
and Baroness Mallet, Count and Countess
de Montauban, the Minister of the United States,
M. Dufaure, Generals Changarnier, Dumont, de
Remusat, Count de Salvandy, and other eminent
persons. Two other similar services will be per-
formed on the 24th inst. ; one in the Cathedral of
Dreux, and the other in the church of Notre Dame
des Victoires at Paris. The chapel of St. Ferdi-
nand was built on the Route de la Revolte, on the
kite where Ferdinand, Duke of Orleans, the eldest
son of the late Queen, expired on the 13th July,
1812, in jumping from his carriage, when the horses
took fright.
A young man named Bourgoin, a day or two ago,
at Lyons, made a bet that he would drink a quart
of pure brandy. A few minutes after he had done
so he was seized with a shivering fit, and his limbs
became cold and stiff. His foolish friends placed
him on a dungheap in the hope that heat would
return, but he died in a few minutes.

ERRATUM TO A RECENT NOTICE ON MUSIC.—In
our notice of the recent concert at St. James's Hall, Mr.
Brinsley Richards is, by a typographical error, put down as
occupyingiinta post he little dreamt of, the word "trumpet"
being printed for "pianoforte. This gives us an oppor-
tunityof saying how much we were pleased with his
p
" Fantasia "on the occasion alluded to. Indeed we can-
not better express our appreciation of Mr Richards' piano-
forte performances than by saying that they do not need
" trumpeting."