Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1856-03-04
Correspondence Of the Spy.
Journal of a Traveller i'm Europe.

millions of dollars. Standing in a large open
space, its immense size appears to good advan-
tage 1t is the most elevated building in Parls'
From the dome, which is about two hundred ana
fifty feet high, we had magnificent view OF the
great city,-the whole appearing like vast pan
drama 1 should juuge that Paris covered more
than double the surface that New FORK does. IL
numbers more than one million two hundred thou
sand inhabitants. The buildings being generally
of a grey or cream colored limestone, gives the
citv cheerful, pleasant appearance. Many of
the streets are narrow, and the buildings being
six or seven stories high, it would appear rather
confined and gloomy, were it not for the many
open spaces and squares, within short distance
OF each other.
There are about one hundred and twenty pub
lie fountains in the city, of great variety of pat
tern and size; some of which are very large, and
of elaborate and beautiful workmanship; and,
with the water ever playing in them, in every con-
ceivable manner, and often to great height, form
very ornamental objects in the streets and public
gardens. The water for the fountains, and for
the use of the city generally, is mostly pumped
intoreseryors from the Seine, some distance above
the city.
The river Seine at Paris is a dirty, shallow
stream, not exceeding eight hundred feet in
width; and is naYigable to Paris, only for fat-bot-
toned barges, and very small steamboats,
Twenty-iour bridges, constructed of iron and
stone cross it III the city all of which costly
and handsome structures.
was not aware until now, that Paris was sur
rounded by wall of heavy, hewn stone, laid in
cement, about twenty feet high, with wide, deep
ditch at its outside base, to be filed with water
in case of an invasion. Ike wall is of compare
lively recent construction, having besn complet
ed, believe by Louis Philippe. 1t is eighteen
miles in length, completely encircling the city,
and is most gigantic work.
visited in company with medical friend, one
of the many public Libraries, containing about
two hundred thousand volumes. 1t is open and
free to all who choose to avail themselves of it,
and is lighted, warmed and taken care of at the
public expense. Being in that part of the city
where most of the medical students reside, it is
much resorted to by them.
This morning, we visited an exhibition of flow
ers, &C., which was being held by Floral Society
in the "Champs Elysees." 1t embraced very
large collection of rare and choice plants, partic
ularly roses, which was the most attractive fea-
ture of the exhibition. The French excel in the
cultivation of the rose, particularly in Free Ro-
ses." In every little nook, rose trees are plant
ed in great profusion. Even the poorest cottage
will often have such collection of roses around
it, as any one of us, at home, would be proud of
and being mostly ever blooming varieties, they
are nearly all the time in blossom. The soil and
Al Al ~,
larger and finer than they with us. We oc-
casionally see rose trees in the public gardens
here which are at least ten feet high, and covered
with blossoms. The exhibition ground was per
haps two to three acres in size, covered in part
with canvass, and was thronged with people, all
exceedingly polite and civil, as the French always
are.
Wherever we go here, whether into hotels, res
taurants, shops, or houses, we find the women
transact the business, keep the accounts, and re-
ceiye the money. They ale very expert in their
hnsi,4ass sharn m a haruain as any Yankaa and
| seem to indicate that they might, possibly, be
hung on pivot in the centre. But it seems more
necessary to educate the females for business,
here. than in the United States; as, in France,
every fifth able bodied man is a soldier, doing no
kind of business. except shoulderng his gun,
marching through the Streets and preparing him.
self for the business of war.
On Sabbath morning. we went to the celebrated
Madeleine" church, which is regarded as the
first building of the kind in all France. The ex.
terror is indeed grand and imposing and the in
terror as gorgeous as any Catholic need DESIRE
1t is not my intention, in these letters, as have
| v-sr,.,e lr- -,sJ .
manner, the public buildings we may visit, OF
their contents. Suffice it to say, therefore, that
the Madeleine is filed with elegant pictures, stat
uary of saints, windows of beautifully painted
| glass, &C., &C.; all the very best specimens Of
art. The music was charming, and the priests,
who oficiated in the services, were dressed in
splendid silken robes-butI will not attempt fur
Their description merely adding, that the whole
ceremony appeared, 10 us heretics, little better
than nonsenscal farce.
In the afternoon, we rode out, two miles, to the
Woods of Boogne,' one of the many beautiful
environs of Paris,-flled with numerous pretty
artificial lakes, walks, and drives The roads
were thronged with the splendid equipages of the
| Partisan gentry, some of which were snowy and
elegant, and many of the horses were the hand
soonest 1 ever saw.
In the evening, VIC walked to the Elysian
Fields" Champs Elysees"-the most beautiful
Park, probably, in the city, perhaps mile in ex-
tent; and such countless throngs of people, of
all ages and conditions engaged in music and
dancing, and every kind of dissipation! Recol.
lect this was the Sabbath day. when all is SO quiet
/ at home. Indeed, ms difference is made in DAYS
here; if there is any difference, Sunday is more
of day for amusement and frivolty, than any
other day in the week. Every kind of business
is going on, much the same as on other days =
shops all OPEN loaded carts in the streets, labor
eFs at their work, and plenty of soldiers march.
ing about to music. Perhaps there were a few
more worshipping in the churches than on other
days; but that was all the difference we could dis
Germ.
While in Paris, went off on an excursion, for
few days, two hundred or more miles, southerly
from the city, by railway. The route was through
the best portion and most cultivated part of
France; and, wish could convey to YOU some
idea of its beauty and luxuriance-far exceeding
anything of the kind ever seen in America. With
fields Of grass and wheat, (the principal crops in
the greatest perfection stretching off for miles on
all sides; vineyards in every direction, as far as
the eye can reach-and not fence to be seen, as
such thing in the fields, is hardly known in
France; often, large hocks of sheep, attended by