The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-05-10
FROM EUROPE.
Correspondence cfthe Free Trailer.
PARIS, April 2, 1914.


GgSrLEMES-To fill out this letter, will give
you two or three stray notions about this city
For the Grst time have behelj the gay emporium
Of fashion and folly. the nursery Of the arts and
sciences, and the sink Of vice and immortality
the seat Of learning aud The abode of ignorance
the cradle Of liberty and the bot-bed of tyranny
the seat Of ease and pleasure, and the scene Of
bloody, wicked, and unnatural rebellions--in inc,
city embodying the most complicated mixture Of
all that is good and bad, great and small, beautiful
and hideou,, useful and worthless, that the world
ever beheld in any age or country.
Paris has been the theatre of so many thrilling
events, bloody revolutions, and memorable scenes
in the history Of tho last thousand years. tina, the
stranger stands bewidered and doubts the evidence
of his senses on his first visit to this truly wonder.
full city. lie naturally asks himself the question
Can this gay, fashionable, and happy city be the
Paris whose citizens forgot the ties Of humanity,
desccraed churches, trampled upon religion, de-
throncd justice scorned the law, thirsted for hu-
man blood and revelled in crime Are these gay,
laughing, good-natureJ, lazy Frcnchmen, the
tiendlsh, savage cruel monsters who, with a ruth
less arm, dealt death and destruction among the
unonendng, iattencd npon tho unhoIy spoils Of
plumber, and tdumpheI in the wrongs of injured
innocence They look as mild and unollendng
as sporting lambs or cooling doves, but closer
scrutiny will convince tho observer tina, there is
something OF the wolf and tiger in their compost.
ton.
availej myself OF the first leisure momen, to
me to form correct idea Of tn position of the
city and the locality of the numerous objects Of
interest, proceeded to the Triumpha Arch
&c PEtoile, which stands upon an emnence near
the western boundary of the city, upon the high
road to the palace Of NeuiIy. This Arch is l52 feet
heh ana was commenced by Napoleon in SOC,
in commcmoraton of his victories. II is a most
supurb structure, well worthy its great protector
assembled by an interior winding stair case, and
behed from its summit ono Of the most enchanting
views that ever greeted the vision of mortal man
proud capitol Of La Belle France. Immediately
in front lay the charming Champs Eysees, ter
minated by tho Place la Conco'de, beyond which
appeared the lovely garden and imposing palace
of the Tuilcries, joined by the noble palace and
wonderful gallery OF the Louvre. Beyond the
whole appeared the palace OF Justice, the Hotel
do Vile, and the venerable cathedral of No,rc
Dame To the right stretched the Champs de
Mars, terminated by the Ecolc de Mililaire; be-
yond appeared the Hotel dcs lnvalijcs, with its
beautiful and lofty dome towering high above all
surrounding objects. Still further on appeared
the garden and palace Of the Luxembourg, and be-
yond rose the imposing Pantheon. On the left
appeared the beautiful church of La Madeleine,
The Academy Royal, the Bourse, and the rium-
phnl Pillar of the Place vendome. On either side
the entire surface was studded with long rows Of
houses, ornamental gardens, fine churches and
broad avenues. Through the whole distance
wound tho Seine, spanned by numerous light and
beautiful bridges. On the west, ST. Clouds lay in
full view. On tho north lay MIS- Valcrien and
Montma,re, and an the east lay vincennes. The
forests Of Bologne. ST. GERMAN, Vinccnnes, and
Bondy, giving darker shade to the richer colors.
formed a pleasing relief to the whole picture.
around which stretched line of hills whose green
slopes and varied heights, formed back ground
of exceedingly rich and varied beauty. Unlike
dingy London, tho sky was clear, the atmosphere
free from smoke and vapor, and tho air mild and
delightful. Altogether, I thought it the mos,
beautiful and pleasant view ever behed.
IPassed the palaces and galleries by unhceded,
until visited the burial place Of Napoleon.
paid the only mark of respect to the memory OF
the great man that was in my power. shut my
eyes to all the pomp and splcndor Of the living.
until had sought on, the silent tomb of the dead
and wept over the remains of the gifted child Of
Genius. sascd upon his QUOT resting place for
mind reverted to the greatness of tho man, to his
sloriou, achievements his gigantic schemes, the
lofty conception Of his mighty mind, and the
height to which ii scared above all great men of
the prcsen, age, and of all pas, time. And then,
with asorrowng and swelling heart, thought Of
his cruel reverse Of for,unc-of the revengful, ty-
ranncal, unworthy sairi, shown by the powers
WHO enslaved him. They could boast Of their
conquest ove7 him, yet feared their victim and
doomed him to pine and die upon barren rock.
They could deprive him Of Freedom bu, they could
not rob him Of his laurels. Fame had, long be-
fore, placed upon his brow her choicest dia'lem-
Glory had spread upon him her mantle of riches,
gems, and the .rumpet-tonguc Of Renown had
echoed his name in every land and cline.
The extent and magnifcence Of tho palaces
greatly exceeds any conception MA, can be formed
of them. Il has been the pride Of each monarch
tic enlarge and improve upon what had been be-
r,,, b,h nj. \ q. 4.