Daily American telegraph. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1851-1852, 1852-02-07
From the London Times Of January 9.
PARIS In 1851.

ION Sir Francis Heads Faggot of French Sticks. !
Paris in 1851" or Paris in any other year,
is puzzle for the wisest Its greatness is
equalled by its httleness, its refinement by its
indecency, its affectation of piety by it's open
infidelity its sentimentalsm by its callousness,
its discipline and order by its licentiousness
and impatience of restraint, its visible human
ity by its palpable and thorough heartlessness.
The beautiful city, its Government its people,
its buildings, its habits, its passions, is living
mass of contradiction We visit it to be CAV,
we remain to be shocked and dismayed. One
day we devote to the inspection Of its schools
and economic establishments, and sigh over our
own deficiencies and obtuse adherence to paths
recommended by nothing but their age the
next we take "our walks abroad . and, noting
emphatically that all knowledge is not wisdom
thank God that our people have not yet learn
ed all that Paris is capable of teaching them
If we might venture to describe whole people
by the statement Of simple fact, we would
tell the stranger that so susceptible is the Pa
rsian mind. so exquisitely cultivated the senses,
that q butcher in his professional costume can
not be tolerated in the public streets; streets
whose cutters may be reeking to-day with the
blood of slaughtered men, without diminishing
by the weight Of feather the Partisan light
heartedness tomorrow. French nature is
nature offended and shocked by the violation
of the proprieties not Of the sanctities, of life
Il will not suffer an actor to be murdered in
Jest upon the stage it will behold, with scarce
ly q shrug the house Of life violated and de-
stroyed before its eyes in the public thorough
fares r
How fine is the generosity, the magnanmity,
the traditional love of glory, that cluster in the
Frenchman's heart; yet, whittier have fled the
virtues at the moment at which we write? In
what country has science assumed an aspect
more sublime has art pursued her victories
with more undoubted triumph; has literature
revealed genius more decided and profound
than in illustrious France! By universal con-
sent, Paris is the centre Of European civiliza-
ton, the capital of the world Her stamp pro-
claims the fashion, her fantasy is universal
law, her language is the living metal that
passes current in every other land. If on any
spot of earth mankind may congregate to as
certain the glorious results of human culture in
these modern times surely we have told the
place. We have done no such thing! We
have spoken the bare truth, yet we warn the
traveller off Notwithstanding the recited facts,
Paris will neither teach us how TO live, nor how
to die. Political instruction, social example
renglous practice, are no more 10 De received
at her hands than ideas of polish are to be ac-
quired from the stunted Bosjesman.
Sir Francis Head was never pushed in a
Partisan crowd. He never asked question of
the poorest man he met in the streets, but he
received a respectful and consideratereply. He
stood one night among hundreds Of persons on
a bridge in Paris, for we forget how many
hours, watching the celebration of a fete. The
rain was pouring oil the time, and not only
was every mans umbrella up, but every man
was receiving the drippings Of his neighbor's
umbrella, most provokingly, down his neck !;
yet, not an OATH not breath of complaint did
he hear The politeness Of all parties was