New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-07-14
FRENCH GOSSIP.

A statue of the Poet Jasmin was recently
naugurated at Agen. An enormous crowd was present
and peans French and Gascon were chanted in honor
of the dead
They say that if NJ. LabOulaye was not made
Minister it was because of his Prince Cdniehe 1t was
the Empress whose maternal feelings were affected Dy
the pamphlet and who directed the Emperors course IN
the matter.
A French savant has invented method OF
preserving archaeological specimens. All fossil bones
upon being exposed to the air. apt TO fall away INTO
dust To prevent this it proposed to form over them
Immediately, and thoroughly hardens the 0Dects.
The Duchesse de Caen has left by Will
5000 lyres 10 the Institute OF Fine Arts NO such
thing existing. endless suit at law, between the
school Of Fine Art and the Academy is the necessary re-
patronzed the last representative painters OF the an
Gent classical school,
The Boston dressmaker has a rival in a
Partisan sister. Countess Rapp ran up little bill Of
francs, which she paid with the exception of
10000 refused extortOnate The dressmaker sought
her money and judge and the latter ordered vaiua
ton of the extravagant robes One OF the items IN me
bill was a loan OF 1900 francs " one evening "heh
Madame played at baccarat"
A ludicrOus war is in progress between
famous Able and a pious Benedictine The monk mas
published two volumes Of memoirs, containing compro
missing letters written by the Able The latter, who Is
very rich unable TO stop the publication, buys up the
editions as fast as they issued the pious author
meanwhile laughing in his sleeve and pocketing his
share OF the profits In the good old times the Able
would probably have capped the monk into the deepest
dungee OF the castle, ha! ha and starved MN INTO
good behavior.
An anonymous MGcenas offers to establish
fund of 10000 francs for the encouragement of musical
composition in France The interest Of the sum to he
applied TO the expenses of an annual competitive meet
ing. The composition must be opera or opera cOnque IN
either two acts with choruses. All French ana
notnrolzed French COMPOSERS will be allowed compete
for the prize The deciding committee is to be composed
of five distinguished musicians and two hterdHns Inc
work obtaining the prize will oe represented In tas
courseOf the year following, and in the grand salon or
the me & r s b fSSd The
authors of the breto and the score receive each prize
Of 800 francs.
The author and new Academician, Auguste
Barber is one of the most celebrated and yet least
known men of France Son Of Partisan attorney, who
left him fortune modest but sufficient he early aban
doned the musty legal studies his father ordained ana
made Literature ms pr3iessG eo asSV which dealt with
the Paris OF the Middle Ages, ana from whcn slG'Or
Nofre Dame de Paris The Court of the Miracles in which
Esmerada took refuge is the same In which nourshed
Barber who belonge to the Liberals sought full ex-
preston through the press OF Paris twas ui p
de Paris welcomed the young romancer, ana pup
lshed his powerful La Cur6e, which gave him instant
fame. After this he rapidly and energetcay produced
novels poems satres, and political articles He made
excellent translation OF shakespeares julius
Cesar, and in his character of discrimnative
musical amateur, wrote for Berli0z the libretto OF
Bencenuto CelIint The exquisite grace and refined
power of his fully deserve the appreciation they
have received Thoroughly retired and obscure, Bar
ber's private life is surrounded not by wall but by
vertabe fertilization. He occupies in the Rue de Rvo
modest suite of apartments, filed with objects OF art
he especially revels in fine pictures and beautiful china
aggravated OF bacheorhOod Is his that he Is
scarcely able To endure the necessary evil or one woman
servant He reads much and sketches constantly never
"receyes," though he has always warm welcome fOr
young people OF budding talent-whch announcement pos
session he criticses frankly His sincerity, at once
brusque and benevolent is never restrained by any con
sideratOn Rather sad than gay he has never been con-
soed for the his three intimate friends, BrlZeuN,
Alfred de Vigny, and BerOz. He is charitable and
sweetnaured but the dominant traits OF his character
are his thorough truth and honesty.