New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-12-04
FRANCE.
AN AMERICAN WOMAN IN PARIS.
- n 9rfh1ss
PARIS, Monday, Nov. ~. Ie5


sense Of regret and desolaten seizes ne in contem
yhtipg these last moments of the Exposition of
1856. Soon 1t will be among the things that we're.
Pictures statues, Inventions fabrics OF art and in
dsstry, will be dssipsted. Preparations for the
Gspd ceremony Of distribution Of prizes are rap
My advancing. Already the nave Of the Palace
Of Industry ia cleared of it's trophies and vitrines
and IL beipg formed into an smphithcater for the
accommodation Of thirty thousand spectators.
Tie presence Of the Emperor and Empress, the
Imperial family and Commission, the dieni:ariss Of
CAsrch and State, the honored exposents, the
orchestra, the invited guests the magnificent deco
yations Of pictures and tapestry the solemnity Of
he oeession-all combined, promise fete Of ex.
traordiI airy interest The great concert o. the
allowing day, and the succeeding receptions, will
sivsh trsceful finale to the spec :acle in which all
the world has been so long interested. A certain
time must elspse after its conclusion before Paris
can revert to the even tenor Gifts ways Crowds will
SisDerse and things Of beauty vanish yet footprints
and images Of their presence will remain Marks
Of fast living will long show themselves On those
who have lately ffeqaented Paris. The rivalry Of
sxcenencies, the eight preponderances in the bal
sRees Of merit, the forced culture Of taste, the
stimalants to luxury, the voluptuousness Of eI.
Depse, the necessity for criticism, dlscernment
and nice distinction which the Exposition has fss
tered-all these have intoxicated the spirit of the
present, and must long sgitate failure society.
We shall never be what We were-s implicitly has
been feared-our minds will be for time cramped
BY indigestion Of beauties and wonders. The
Judgment is straneled by crammiDg--the wits are
Eddy with wb;rling among such varied objects Of
attraction. RepOse and distraction alone will en-
able ps TO hold fast that which is good, and to re-
cover from the evil which such unusual excite
ment has produced. Meantime other historians
and better chroDclers will have brO0ded over this
chaos Of the Exposition, and have viy6ed it with
distinct creations for the permanent habitation OF
your and pOsteritys interest. hy pen and L re-
turn to obscure subjects, and with unfeigned
pleasure continue our quiet walks around the
kived and swsrmiDg capital. True, Paris ia the
vital FACILITATING center of our interest, the heart
and blood Of the BODY which contains it. Yet
Paris is complete only in connection with its en-
yirons. There is an endless charm in the girdling
horizon Of the city. Present interest and the
Dsiesty Of past history rest the crown Of hills
which epcircles it. Crest events hover ever over
the chosen center, and have their resting places
on its every pinnacle and paving yet like
birds Of cspricisus wing often have they lighted
hr out on some suburban dependence, and nested
themselves in its charming souvenirs and immor-
tai histories. Such favored spot is ST. Cyr.
The place il now parallel with our West Point,
bat deeper interest than that attached to it's mil
hay school, cliDgs to the foundations of this insti
tstien In recess of its church ths visitor finds
humble monument with this inscription:
"Cisit M,ssme de M.iotenon i635-l7ls"
This 10 al that now recalls at st. Cyr the royal
institution Of st. Louis.
The monument bears the date of it's erection,
1896 The dissertations of the Revolution are
craven here. The remains Of the illastriOus
Franchise dAubgne, the poor Protestant
orphan, the virtuous wife Of ScarrOn, the con-
tlante and honored companion of Louis XIV, the
chef instrucress OF ST. Cyr-all that could die OF
Madame dc Maintenon-was buried In the choir OF
her beloved church, and the place thus honored
vas long the sacred shrine at which succeeding
nsviess strengthened their faith and courage TO
asnme the rigOr of their vows. The fanatics OF
80 tore the embslmed body from It's FIRST sacred
restine place, and after covering II with indgo'-
tjes buried IL in the common cemetery. Afser the
restoration of Catholic worship the remains OF
Madame de MantenOn were again exhumed, but
NTH religious pOmp, and placed 10 one of the
courts Of the establishment. But the ordinations
destined to her unfoItuna % mortality we're not YET
eopsummated Her dust was the sport Of fortune,
A her hfe had been. Her cherished Institution
~ heen wrecked ON the stormy sea Of the RevO-
latiep IL bad passed from convent to college, and
.sain IN A military school, the fret order OF whose
eeppapdant was, to destroy the tomb OF the
= fanatic that revoked the edict OF Nantes" Again
Her bones were removed and placed In box which
r thirty years had its place in the garnet or store
rooms Of the present military school 10 1886 the
lope dishonored relics were inclosed in oak and
plssed in the present monument. "Vanity Of vani-
ties 20 whispers every association around the
humble tomb Of the successful and hODOred rival
Of the Duchess de Ia Valliere, and OF Madame de
Nontespan.
Those who have read La Vsll6e's " Historic de
ia Maison Rosaie de st. Csr," published about
two Years since are already familiar with that
model of Pensions, and to others sketch OF the
institution from that most charming volume may
not be IninterestiDg.
The school at st. Cyr was founded for the pur-
pese Of educating the daughters OF mobiles whose
brtuass had been ruined in the service of Louis
XIV. The Revolution swept away al that could
peiish Of so noble An institution. Its principles
have since been revived and are partially carried
olt q. the present day in the Imperial school OF
st. Denis for the education Of daughters Of indi-
cent members of the Legion of Honor But the
present institution lacks the distinc lion which the
Intelligent and far seeing policy of Madame dc
Naiptenon gave TO its ancient model. Its teachers
are no longer nuns Of the noblest blood OF the
Ausustan age of France; its pupils are no longer
stinulated to the highest emulation by pious deso-
tion 10 their sovereign and patron. There is no
Racine to prepare their private dramas, no Mad
anne de SevisHe TO exult in an invitation to their
tAestriesls, no Louis XIV. TO applaud their per.
frmsnces. A halo Of royal patronage crowned
st. Cyr. Its school was based on the purest prin-
oples, and continued under the guiding presence
and writings of the clesrest- minded woman OF the
tine. MAZDA ne de Naintenon was to St Cyr what
nary Lyon has been to Holyoke, though the latter
nsst have borrowed many IDEAS from the former,
or elte have been gifted with the same inspirations
which century and . half before had impelled