Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-03-07
LITERARY MISCELLANY.
FOR the National Krs.
BELL SMITH ABROAD.
ST. sULPIcE.
No. XIV,

SINCE tnkt We neu gone lntO wintof qu"lsviS
as D. termed Il, on place Sc. Sulpice Wehave
the second etage In new house on the corner,
ana can look down Rue Boaaparte, rue al
vieur Colombiey, or out on the place ST. Sulpice,
upon which has stood for nearly thousand
years the church Of that name, one OF the most
beautiful and largest in Paris. We are within
q moments walk Of the Luxembourg palace
and beautiful gardens, where Lucy and have
gathered up some health by much exercise.
The wide circle Of marble queens, most beauti-
fully scuIptured, look down in state upon the
palace and grounds, in various graceful atti
tudss and gorgeous robes, and seeming to me
yet more cold than even marble cails for ut the
Intrusion Of the multitude. These grounds
tho most beautiful about Paris were once sa-
cred to loyalty. The rich green swart, the
graceful trees, marble terraces, fountains, ponds,
and stataary, were once greeted only by high
DANES and proud gentlemen. Now one sees
the coarse blouse, the capped and aproned
bonnie, the tasseled student, passing and re-
passing, Indifferent to the historic past--in-
different to the rich stores Of the present around
them--quite at home, and without thanks l
often listen to the splashing Of fountain, and
think Of tho ears that heard the same music
centuries ago, willie perhaps their hearts
throbbed with hopea or sank in disappont-
ment, as do ours now. The same fountain
toeses its restless spray the same statuary looks
upon us, the palace itself lifts its marble front
above the trees, while we fit by like shadows.
One Of the most interesting features to me
in this neighborhood is found in the streets,
being the Same in character and name, and, in
many instances, the same buildings az in the
day when men and women, famous in story,
paced them, or ratified in gorgeous carriages
over the rude streets. They are the same in
name and appearance now az when DArtag-
nan and his pwashing comrades loved fought
and hourished. These romance writers have
made classic ground Of nearly all Paris; and
it has strange effect upon US Americans, from
our new land, where the fctionists dare not
locate their stories, for fear that solemn, I'M
tinted fact may cast them into ridicule. TIE
absence of such softening past at home,
makes Ms seize hold of and relish it the more
when found.
The place ST. Sulpice affords me the greatest
amusement. 1t is so very French in its ani-
mated scenes-on bright Sabbath, above ALL
The great bell Of the old church roars like a
distant tempest; the fountain sparkles and
splashes; the four colossal church dignitaries
look calm and happy; the ugly lions even
seem disposed 10 be domesticated and come
down. All is bright merry, and active. A
mountebank has stopped his queer carriage in
one corner, and, to the music of q wretched
hsndorgan, sells nostrums, warranted to cure
ell tho ills flesh is heir to. A dog-opera is in
successful operation on one side of the fountain,
while on the other live circus, without
horses, has q tremendous crowd The quack
shouts, tho dogs bark, the clown tumbles to the
merry laugh, while the huge bell, calling Chris
tiaus to prayer, nearly-not quite browns all.
There comes procession Of priests four hum
dred or more, from the Theological Seminary
over the way. They wind by the dogs-they
almost pass over the circus-neither Of which
for moment suspend proceedings and disap-
pear in the church.
Now the bell oeasea and one hears at inter-
walls the deep swell Of the church organ, as the
Sabbath worship goes on only st intervals,
however, fDr the clown stands on his head and
kicks the dog stands on his legs and barks
and the crowds are noisy and restless. The
omnibus rolls by, the hacks are busy, the stores
arc open and gay, and Paris looks buster than
ever. At last, the long service is over, but the
plays 90 on. The long procession Of four hun
dred young priests winds out, and pass over the
way into their still college. Crowds rush
down the church steps and swell the audiences
Of circus, opera, and quack. Prayers are said
and amusements 20 on So in every open space
In the city, for ON sunny Sabbath Paris Is in
train.
IL 10 quite feature in Fourier's system Of
socialism, you know, to have the children
gathered under the keeping Of the aged !;
in this manner giving them q light employ.
ment suitabIe to their abilities, while the
parents are engaged in moro important pur-
suits This dream of the modern philosopher
Is practically carried out In Paris We are
accustomed 20 such things among the Weather
classes Of even our own country; but here it is
practiced by eli. The poor mother, who ac-
complshss more than one half the business
pertaining to the livelihood, finds her children
IN tho way and all round Paris ara houses
WHARF, the poor children are received and nur-
tured, until old enough to commence the toll 10
which they are fatcd The rich find the little
sunersrs IN the way Of their smusements; the
poor consider Thorn burdens; and 90 the rising
gsnerstiou Il shut out from homes, and al the
blessings parental care alone can bestow 0ne
having the sbility might draw q moral from
these facts, and account for many Of the strange
Inconsistencies found In the French character
Shortly sfesr the removal to our present
place Of abode asked TO have some CRATES
set IN our American manner The French
nannse Of disposing Of fuel is . pleasant little
fiction, % tar as warmth goes, and not At oil
60 my liking. We secured the services Of
quits m intelligent looking man, but had inn
nsnss d,f6culsy in forcing him to arrange The
Crate . desired. To brick up the oavernous
fireplace, which smoked abominably, and put
the CRATE quite in the room, were proportions
10 hin uninieIIigble After considerable dis
cussion, he did a. We desired It was interest
ing - look upon his manner Of accomplishing
thp- He Vas, - our conciergs informed ma,
quios workman yet he ussd no trowel, and
book up The mortar, and spread il on the bricks
viii ~ hands, and chopped the bricks when
not q the right size, with small axe, in
Wy which made one nervous. was curious
- know Whist wages mason received; and,
in snswsz, he informed mo that he could com
mod, On "a average, two francs and half
(6fty csnts) per day. This he seemed 10 think
We vory good, and proceeded 10 tell me that
many q bis comrades were in worse condi-
ton dian himsslf asted him If there was
not much dislss@ among the lsborers IN Paris
this winter
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