Star.
London, England, 1830-11-02 00:00:00

FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.

RECEIVED THIS DAY.

PARIS, Oce. SI.
Sra— After the stormy aspect of the last week, the vin.
lent passions of the multitude seem to have settled thp,,,
into a political calm, and to look back with astonishment
and regret, at the uncalled-for excitement they theft di,
played. The present week has been distinguished by it,
total absence of that effervescence, so easily excited in e..,
thinking, reading, and intelligent capital; where but a spark
addressed to the popular passions, and fanned to a dame I,v
those who delight in convulsion, causes an explesich,
for good or ill, as its efforts may be directed. It is this si4s.
ceptibility of feeling—this promptness to assert their eivi;
rights—aided by a degree of intelligence, and adaptation of
circumstances, superior to those of any populace in
Europe, that has caused for Paris the ominous cognomen of
" the city of insurrections." Her history is one continued
series of struggles, against arbitrary power in the sovereimi,
in the municipal magistracy, or the priesthood. All In
their turns have been oppressors of the people ; but when
the load became too galling, too grievous to be borne wit],
any degree of patience, " up rose the people, and the tyrant.
bled." That this liveliness of action—this impatience under
.:estraint—has been taken advantage of by designing met:,
to further their own purposes against an hostile party,
cannot be denied; but the good sense of the populace
has not allowed them to remain long in error ; and
although the dreadful massacre of St. Bartholomew',-
day, remains as a stigma on the inhabitants cf
this city, perhaps nothing more than the recol-
lection of the excesses into which they were then
betrayed, by the insidious arts of the court and the priest-
hood, has tended to 'render them latterly suspicious of the
designs of the one or the other. Historic abridgments of the
events of antiquity, and of a more modern date, are to be
purchased for a few sous upon every stall; and, in a moment
of leisure, you see the poorest artisan. take his well-worn
book from his pocket, and read. At the dinner hour,
in fine weather, of a party of masons, making their re-
past upon bread and fruit, a book is the constant companion.
The cabriolet and fiacre-drivers pass their time in reading,
whileatraitiog on their stands; and, strange to say, the tragic
posts, Ravine, Corneille, and Voltaire. seem to be the favourite
'authors of this class of men. It is difficult for a honte-bred
Englishman .to imagine, the degree of intelligence upon
classical and mythological subjects, which distinguish the
lowest classes of people here from all others.
.. Passing one
of the quays a few days since, where there ie a perpetual
fair, my attention was claimed by a crowd assembled round
a miserable booth,where the admission to sec some specimens
iu natural history, was only two sous. To attract this mid-
cellaneous assemblage, an English proprietor of such an es-
tablishine.i.would have had recourse to the practical joke:
of a claws; but the French taste:is more refined : a hand •
some young man, dressed entirely iu what had once been
white, with it Roman toga, was giving representationsga, of the
different celebrated statues of' antiquity, with great truth
and expression. His features also assumed the dif-
ferent characters sustained. He remained immove-
able in each, about two or three minutes. But what
delighted me the mostawas the simultaneous shout by which
every change wee recognised, by:the children and people
around me—" Voila l'Apollon, l'Hercule, l'Antinous," &c.
At last having thrown himself upon the platform as " The
Dying Gladiator," his master took him up in a state of
rigidity, and- carried him away. I merely mention this
anecdote, that your readers may form some idea of the Pari-
sian' populace, a body who have several times played a dis-
tinguished part, which has been felt to the remotest con-
fines of the globe They have latterly placed themselves in
the foreground, as an example to the really oppressed of all
nations; and I sincerely hope, that their task being accon--
I plished, they may now retire from the stage.
A battalion of the National Glatt), relieves another every
morning at Vincennes, and the ex-Ministers frequently
converse with them. They state that although M. de Po-
lignac has' passed one-fifth of his life in prisons, being con-
demned to death iu 1804, and suffering ten years impriscm-
ment after that, he has all the manners of a nobleman. He
smiles with au air of condescension, when addressing any
one; and pays proper attention to his costume, which is that
of a gentleman. M. de Chantelause, is in very delicate
health, and does not make his appearance in the court-yartl,
where they take exercise. M. Guernon de Renville eoesoles
himself by singing to his guiter,on tvhich he performs well,ac-
panying his voice, which is said to be good. His wife and
child are very frequently with him. He dresses in black,
and converses very freely with those about him. M. de
Peyronnet maintains a very slovenly appearance, and is fre-
quently in a very bad humour. The keepers have more dif-
ficulty with him, than with any other of the prisoners ; he
frequently threatens to complain of the conduct of those about
him ; and says, that when he was Minister of Justice, a
person confined for political offences was not treated with
similar rigour. He is visited frequently by his son and
daughter, and two relations. They are supplied with the
different journals and periodical publications, and appear to
reralcewnithson the eight avidity aniya: of theticl 18th
,which, to th
eattackimtadeedoen
Vincennes .
thanks to the
cision of the Governor, was easily repulsed. Since t4ar
evening, four embrasures babe been cut, commanding the
Paris Wad; and it is calculated that 500 artillery men might.
in such a castle, resist the efforts of 50,000 men. Every in-
dulgence consistent with their safe costittly is granted t.)
them unhappy men. .
• Our commerce is receiving some alleviation from the leans
granted by the Government. In addition to the sums granted
to the. Hers and the theatres, 1,300,000 francs have
been apbpreksd °to the purpose of discounting at 4 per cent; and
every step, which an active and enlightened committee can
suggest, is immediately followed. No change is vet in the
Ministry : but when-the Chambers most, or shortly after-
wards, it will most likely take place.-1 am, &c. J. 1..
P.S. I have little to add in the way of news, both • from
a dearth.of. the article, and also from want of time ; for the
French ass such as accommodating people—to thevesehvs,
I mean-ethat the Post-otfice closes at twelve a- t day inroad
of two; owl* to thb day being a fits, from the circum-
stance Of. dis Grand Review of the National Guards. • The •
streets of. Faris present a very animated appearance at this
moment, as the Guards are marching from all quarters
towards the elpinip do Marv. It .is calculated that up-
wards of .100,000 of the National Guard, will pass
before the King in review to-day ; . sad. as the morn-
ing is Very ass. it will be as
.• haposing spectacle.—
Tbe Kin is to be on the grosad 'at 11 o'clock. I just
met a body of the municipal foot guard, and a troop of the
horse. The former 200 strmg, and the latter 100. They
were golbcto the Champ de Mars to whit in • keeping the
roma. The horse guard iti a very fine hotly Of awn, and in
,very splendid uniform—precisely the same; tomato the, at :
'wing Idniisstend of green, ae the drigooni of Napotioe--
eiirst hrthi ae." Josephinies dregoost.". .
• •
', •Ons diet.oesSueDe's Mositeca.--tiso Costeepeßave • •
Iblikhadlto-day, is' rather yesterday. The es e.linitsd *OS . -
*fairies till diet
--and the ether fraieightintd tine quartets.- -'
pest twelve, Ilk/TIMM lIAS Inct *Zel DIMISTRSD. The
'teotpration and the revoltition we still opposed solinth otlier..
.To-risorrow tbir 4pkate will Seeellisiettee,*eldl tiadi *IS cll - :
ihn'Aristosrany or et.nions et . '-
their respective representatives.