The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-08
LETTER FROM THE FRENCH CIPITlL
lsPEoIAL EVENING TELEGRAPH ooRREspoNDENor
PARIS, March 26.


AS the doors of the Exhibition are now
closed against those who have not any "direot
business on the premises" only few, such
as draughtsmen, newspaper reporters and the
Ike, are permitted to intrude upon the work
men now laboring night and day to get every
thlng ready by the opening day, which is to
be on the lst of April. We hear that every
thing is in such backward state that there is
to be no opening ceremony. As we happen to
belong to the privileged class who are ad-
mitted into the vast enclosure in the Champ
de Mars, we will put our readers an comunt of
what is being done there at the present mo-
ment.
Amongst those articles of an ornamental
character which will perhaps attract much
notice, are the aquaria. All those who have
eyes to see in Paris must have remarked that
aquaria, large and small, are very much in
vogue just at the present moment. Anybody
with the least pretensions to fashion must
nowadays have at least one or two aquaria
to ornament their drawing g-reoms.
The aquara, constructed for the most part
In one park of the Champ de Mars, will not
only afford much amusement to the million.
but will at the same time be of great impor-
tance as regards pisciculture. The aquarium
which contains river fish is situated not far
from the beautiful Jardin OLIVER, under
mass of rockwork down which multitude of
cascades fall into small lake below. The
sea-water aquarium will be still more curious
and interesting, as it will contain some very
curious specimens of the inhabitants of the
ocean. The latter aquarium will be daily sup
piled with water from the ocean, which will be
brought from CherbOurg in two immense els
tern called the cruche and the .tiltre.
The King of Portugal at the Interna-
tAOnal Exhibition
1t is expected that many, if not all the
crowned heads Of Europe will spend some time
in Paris during the Exhibition months. Those
princes who seem to take.a very lively inte-
rest in the Worlds Fair are the King of Por-
tugal and the Comte de Flandres, brother to
the King of the Belgians. Some most ridicu-
lous stories are being circulated relative to the
price that his Portuguese Majesty is to pay at
he Hotel de Bristol in the Place Vend6me.
The price named for the hire of the first floor
Of the above-named hotel is 700 francs per
diem Without doubt the proprietor would
be delighted to have few customers with
such liberal views. But the fact is that his
Majesty has taken the re- de chaunfe (ground
foor), the entreSoL Gan apartment on the
ground foor), and the whole of the rooms on
the second floor, for less than the third part
of the sum above mentioned.
There seems to be no foundation for the report |
that the Comte de Flandres has taken great |
part of the Grand Hotel. All those whose oc-
cupation in the French capital is to earn
money hope to make golden harvests during |
the exhibition months. Let rs hope that
many will not be doomed to disappointment.
But the prices now being asked by lodging
house keepers for apartments of every kind
are so absurd, that it will be the means of
keeping many away.
A New Raphael In Paris.
The administration of the Museum has just
placed another Raphael in the great Gallery of
the Louvre. The history of the picture, which
was engraved in the seventeenth century, as
one belonging to the royal collection, is ex-
tremely curious. 1t was in such bad state
that the appraisers of the Museum declared it
to be of no value in the inventory they drew
up at that period. The Duke de Maill6,
having asked Louis XVIII to give him picture
for his church, his Majesty could think of
nothing better than this condemned Raphael.
The priest, however, found it in too bad a
state to be put into the church, and returned
it to the Duke, who had it thrown into his
garret. His grace dying under Louis Phi
lippe, the picture was sold by auction, to-
gether with other furniture, and knocked
down to picture dealer for l9 francs. The
civil list nevertheless claimed it as unaliena-
BILE national property, and long lawsuit en-
sued, which ended before the Cour de Cessation.
The dealer was forced to return the picture,
on receiving back his 10 francs and, out of
spite, he took out all the paint, which was
fresh cause of deterioration. At length the
picture returned to the lumber room of the
Museum of the Louvre in a pitiable state,
riddled with holes in certain parts, and yet
beautifully preserved in certain others. NJ.
Williams, a well-EnOwn Belgian painter, has
been several years engaged in the task of
cleaning the picture, and has eventually sue
ceeded beyond expectations. The painting is
now in excellent condition. The beard of St.
John has not been touched, nor the landscape
either. There is repetition, by Raphael him
self, of this picture at Florence, but the Paris
COPY is far superior. 1t has been in France
ever since the time of Francis the First for
A. oonyae is stamnad with the name Of la6,y