The New York herald., 1869-04-11
PARIS FASHIONS.

ingS-iienten Ceremonies in the Imperial
Chapei-A Grand Fete-The "Modestie.'
PARIS March "a. 1869.
THIS being Passion Week there are supposed TO be
no fashions in Paris; but 1t is fatal error They
are all in the churches, and instead Of coming out
In bold print given forth from the pulpit by the
clergy Abb6 Deguerry's sharp satire draws chapels
full Of worldly penitents and. strange to state they
approve by little mods and smiles and litter the
truths he dscoses They gather near the preacher
as possible In black velvet casaques over black or
purple poult underskrts; and as velvet is most
lnc0nvenient material In q crowd those who prefer
whole velvet suit are compelled to make their way
through the congregation, all moving about ior
q chair before service begins by rolling round
and round on themselves and thus advance With
out too much affinity between the molecules OF
their attire and those OF gentlemen's broadcloti
1t is new walk and rather curious to observe ior
the first time. At soirees, where 1t Is absolutely
necessary to keep 0ne's velvet train colled round
ones SELF 1t looks less original and something like
solitary waltz but at churches this rotary way OF
getting up to pew down the middle nave would
not fall to excite some sensation in New York.
l mention the new method OF rolling on simply
because 1t is a new discovery and, In many other
circumstances again here refrain from recommend
ing 1t. What do recommend IS mediation on
what Abbe Deguerry said last week. 1t is
rather a good-humored reproof and the ladies
heard 1t without shame ooh, my sislers,"
said the preacher (he Is the imperial Princes
religious instructor ana knows all about COURT,
''whst can be the meaning of the slight covering
you wear on your shouldersS What can, every
evening, be the motive OF the absence OF sleeves to
your dressesS With these eyes have beheld ladies
OF tho most ireproachabe character spending their
whole evening in catching at their shoulder straps
lest their dresses should fall OF entirely and this s
from any feeling of DrOpriety, but from the dread
Of inconv enence.n
Very inqulstive is this Abbe Deguerry. But there
Is something l wish to know, too What diabollcal
refinement ever invented afternoon tnpr0ctsatfces?
little explanation Is necessary, l have often
described afternoon tea NEE ings q new fashion set
by high LIE and i'm itated from the British. Iney
are not wlat is usually understood by tea parties
but halt during drive before dinner, and the
great idea this Lent has been to take cup OF tea and
salmon sandwich in one pa ce, cup Of tea and
shrimp sandwich In second, cup OF tea an
enchovy sandwich in third, and SO on, from sta
tOn to station, TO keep up human nature under Len
ten fare.
novel attraction has at these short sojourns
been an GnDo0UtSdrtce, a lady VINO declalms poetry
extempOraI1ly, but such verse anu OF such degrad
Ing nature that when she begins she makes q mys-
tertOus sign to visitors OF her own TO withdraw
TO side room OF which the doors are lett open for
ladies TO hear without being exposed to meet the
gaze OF the gentlemen who remain in the s0lon.
fhis lady is OF hIgn birth, she is a snowy beauty,
though the expression OF her features is rendered
sinister and hard by black thick eyebrows, retreat
with high bodice and long tram. Wherever she
goes she meets with triumph, for her talent Is
lucubrauons are OF the most detestable and
vicious description OF such nature that
could the police interfere they would be
stopped. Strangers who are admitted into these
very high circles are so indignant before the end
OF an entertainment Of this KIND that they dscreety
vanish when inspiration warfnest. Only OF course
strangers In Paris are but hall civilized; their outer
eplderms Is not thoroughly steeped in refinement,
and that is why they feel sensitive wnen they are
BtrOked down the wrong way.
have more Lenten news, for the programme OF
court doings this week Is lying before me. The
ceremonial at the Iuileres began ON Palm Sunday
with the first solemn sermon at The chapel.
Next Thursday solemn mass VIII be sung at
twelve O'Clock, attended by the Emperor IN plain
frOckcOat instead OF his usual UNIFORM as general
OF o division. The Empress Will be In black pOult
and black cashmere tunic, and the household
alone Will be allowed TO ind seats in the gal
ieres. Very few guests Will be invited to re-
lgi0n In the imperial Chapel, and those
iew VIII have to sit a good way'oown but they don't
mind that, religion at court Is OF superior tex
turc TO the usual run OF the article elsewhere. The
music, on the other hand. Will be IN full force, ncud
Ing choruses from the "Conservatore," the solo hy
Mile. Nilsson ana Faure ana the bishop OF Arras
officiating. At eight O'Clock on The same evening
the ''Stabat" will be executed by hmes Bloch and
Nilsson and Messrs. Bonnehee ana Collin. This
.tabat" is not all Rossinls ail Mozarts, but II
Is mosaic OF all the best verses In music taken
from each composer and arranged by Auber. IL Is,
In fact, a decomposition OF '',taDats" and must
say the most proiane tunes are set to sacred Words
Fortunately the words are in Latin, which can brave
out Anything and everything. Tnus there is actually
Q piece from the "Muette de Portici" ana the CON-
plant from civilian TELL" The execution Of this
smile sStabat" operatiZed. will last one hour, and
then their Majesties Will retire. The following
DAY. which Is Good Friday, the Court Will assemble
at the chapel at awelve 1or ae alteration Of tue
peria family In the high tribune At haf-past eight
In the evening sermon on the Passion On Easter
Sunday there will be high festive mass at twelve.
sung by the above artists, aud Monday, after the
last duadrsgesmal sermon, all the clergy Will be In
vited to dinner at the fulleries IN the evening.
Easter sunday Is the time for the Emperor and
Empress to stand godfather and godmotner ut the
chapel dor all the onicial babies. IL awful what
an increase there Is OF infants every year. The Em
peror has given up sponsoring Tor all them; he
now compelled TO 40 1t wholesale by proxy, the
Qhamberlains. La Ferriere and De Bassano, re-
sides in his tribune After this ceremony the babies
unconscious OF the honors done them, are carried
by their nurses TO a salon near the imperial gallery
where distribution OF dyd0eeS takes place and the
registers signed, the parents always battling for
the pen soon as that Is over and their lnnocents
screaming IN ignorance OF everything excepting the
salt put by the clergy on the tips OF their tongues.
That small amount Of seasoning has bound them to
the dynasty. IL is not their fault II they don't like II
In their baby like unsuspcion OF btters here below.
All this philosophy may not, however, divert my
attention from the last Jefe which attended before
church celebrations began. II was the last concert
given by the Minister Of the Marine Department, ana
Il was the bouquet of all. AT ten the salons were
full to excess the salon des dnua,,r q splendid
coup d'9u, surrounded by ladies seated In a
half CIRCLE and one zone OF blazing diamonds
under the dazzling chandeliers The portraits
OF Duguay- -frouin, Tourvilie and Jean-Bart
stood out from their gilt frames be.
hind. The toilet Of the wife OF the Minister Of the
Interior was truly magnificent. she entered ON the
arm of the Admiral. Her underskirt OF white
tulle was bordered with crimson veivet; over this
was looped crimson tnnic, fringed all round with
white rOsebuds; veil OF tulle was rolled In her
hair and before falling round her shoulders like
cloud was attached by crimson bows studded with
diamonds. Princess de Metternich was IN white
tulle, worked and ringed with silver Her cefnture
was cigar shade, with long ends behind. In her hair
she had her diamond bird aud an aigrctte OF cigar
shade. ON her neck seyernl rows OF diamonds.
Princess dEssng, the Enpress' Mistress OF the
Robes, sat near Nine. dc FORBADE she was In white
satin. trimmed with Spanish blonde; her headdress
n white feather and wreath oi purple asters WIN
dark foliage. Mile. Nilsson, fanre and Mile. Krauss
were the singers the orchestra was that OF the
Conservat0irc, and II is unrivaed. The symphony
of Beethoven was listened To with almost religious
admiration, and the waving OF lans was not unk