The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-08 00:00:00

THE GRAND DUKE CONSTANTINE.

The fete given on Thursday night at the Hotel
do Ville to the Grand Duke Constantine was of a
most brilliant description. its otject was not only,
to pay a marked compliment to his Imperial High-
ness, but to give another proof of the princely mag-
nificence with which the city of Paris entertains its
guests. The entertainment on the present occasion
was of a dramatic character, consistinglof detached
scenes from various operas, terminating with a
variety of miscellaneous dancing. But what must
have infinitely more struck the Imperial visitor
was the splendour of the rooms and the exquisite
taste which prevails in their ornamentation.
Even the exterior of the building was a sight

to gaze at, as line on line of gaslight ran, tier over
tier, along its front, and even encircle 1 its quaint
old pinnacles. With the blaze of illuminaf ion thus
produced, the immediate neighbourhood of the
Hotel de Ville was as bright as at noon of a sum-
mer's day, and every characteristic of the anti nt
architecture was brought out curiously into relief.
In front of the principal entrance was erected a
temporary vestibule, at which the principal guests
were to alight, the other visitors entering by the
Cour du Pieftit. In that way, the more distin-
guished persons entered by the Cour Louis XIV.,
with its lovely fountain of living waters, whist the
others passed the kill at the foot of the cascades,
when proceeding to the grand staircase which leads
to the state apartments. As the theatrical repre-
sentation took place in the Galerie des Fetes, the
number of guests was of neces-ity re4ricted to the

number which could find place in the temporary
Salle de Theatre, and the invitations were, in con-
sequence, exceedingly difficult to be obtained, per-
haps not more than a thousand persons being pre-
sent. The various rooms thrown open were, as
usual, fitted out with a profusion of flowers, shrub,
statues, and giratidoles, a'l very artistically ar-
ranged, and with that delicate perception of effect
which seems almost an instinct with the Parisian
decorators. Thousands of waxlights set off the
variegated draperies, rich carvings, and b autiful
proportions of the several rooms ; but for once
these admirable objects seem to have lost
their attraction, as all the guests on arriving
hurried at once to secure seats in the long
gallery to view the performance. There was
erected, at, the end, a temporary theatre, occu-
pying about one-third of the whole length, and
separated from the public by a curtain of crim-
son silk, relieved with broad silver bands. All
the proscenium was ornamented with crimson
velvet draperies trimmed with gold, and heavy
folds of the same rich material hung down the
Fides and fell in masses on the stage. Immense
corbeils of flowers and evergreens were placed
at the sides in front of the orchestra and round
the base of the adjoining pillars. The hall it-
self was divided into two part', one designed for
the Grand Duke, h's party, and the more illus-
trious guests, and the remainder fir the persons in-
vited, with this distinction, however, that no one
could obtain a seat there but lathes. The re-
sult was that not only was there a veritable
parterre of female teauiy and elegance, but from
the fact of every one wearing flowers in the hair',
it a'inest secured a parterre iu the real floral sense
of the word. The male portions of the audience
contrived to place themselves at the sides beraysen
the pillars, and behind in the distance ; but when
the Grand Duke's party entered the mein he saw
nothing before him but the charming sight of one
of the tioest halls in Europe occupied throughout
its whole length with ) oung and lovely women His
Imperial Higline s arrived exactly at ten o'clock,
five court carriages having conveyed his party from
the Tuileries. On alighting he was received by
Baron Haussmann and the inernb:ass of the muni-
cipal connsil, and conducted Ly them to the Cour
Louis XIV. The Prince seemed greatly struck by
the admirable proportions of this beautiful ball,
and exprssseil his adm ration to the Prefect. He
paused at the foot of the famous horseshoe stair-
case, and again at the landing-place above; to re-
gard the lovely scene around, and then ascending
entered the State apartments. His Imperial High-
ness was accompanied by the Grand Duchess of
Baden and the Prince of .Nassau, and was attended
by a numerous suite in uniform. Iminediately
after the Imperial party entered the Galerie des
Fetes, and having taken their seats, the perform-
ance commenced, It consisted of part of " Moise,"
with Mlles. Duasy, Olein, and Jourdan ; a scene
of " Romeo et Juliette," with Mlles. de la Porome-
aye and Boularel ; portions of Psyche, with /vines.
Lefebvre and Dupsty ; the finale of the 3d act of
Ernani, the most successful, piece of the evening,
by Mlles. Mossy, Faure, Jourdan, Crosti, and
Buet ; portions of Armide, with Mine. Lanters,
Mile. de la Pommeraye, and. Heger ; and a ballet;
introduced as portion the entieemeutsof Annida's
garden. The scenery throughout was admirable,
but in the last piece it was particularly remarkable,
the enchanted garden being a mass of flowers,
with fountains of real gushing waters in-
terspersed. Mme. Rosati was the principal
dansetise, and all the pas were charmingly
executed. Just before the ballet concluded,
precisely the same scene took place as had
marked the theatrical performance given in the
same place to the plenipotentiaries of pe ice. When
the ladies composing the parterre found that the
dancing was on the point of concluding, and that
they could lose but litt:e by their absence, they, as
if by one accord, rose fun their seats, and, with
the aja earance of being greatly horrified at the
sight before them prepared to quit the hall. But
SO well had they timed their movement that the
whole performance had concluded long before they
had got half from the room. It was then past twelve
o'c'ock and the Grand Duke and his party proceeded
to partake of a splendidsupper prepard for them in
the Salle du Trone. The other guests weresuoplied
from buffets arranged over the double landing of
tlie grand staircase leading to the Prefect's apart-
ments, and which had hen covered in for the pur-
pose. No one not acquainted with the locality
could for a moment suppose that these two noble
rooms, supported on lofty marble pillars down the
centre, could be formed in ten minutes, by plac'ng
down a temporary flooring, and that beneath was
the staircase which the guests ascend at the Pre-
fect's Saturday receptions. The Grand Duke re-
mained until a quarter past one, and on departing
expressed to Baron Haussmann the gratification
which the evening had afforded him. The other
guests had all departed by a little after two.