New-York tribune., 1870-12-06
well or ilI-founded, Of National Bank mo-
PARLSIAN NEW- YORK.


too closely into either birth or breeding of tho
bastard claimant. 1t was only the other day
that the world was surprised by discovering
tbis blood relationship which it now appears
has long existed between the ton Of Fifth
ove and moribund Paris. When the
Frencb Fair was opened all Japonicadom
rrsbed in a vertigo of enthusiasm to
its support; it turned its back upon
nr;vate views and public concerts; !;
upon art, music, and pleasure; put
on the weeds of grief and stretched out its arms
n suffering France, refusing to be comforted
such devotion and sorrow for the far OIL dead
and diving touched and surprised everybody
il WAS clear in spite of the old prejudice 10 the
contrary. that fashionable people had hearts TO
feel and brains that could understand. But
some kind souls TO whom o suffering fehoW
creature. whether French or German, was only
a brother who needed help, had started q fair
for the relief of the Prussian wounded. 10
their astonishment, fashionable New-fork
coIdly ignored this, shut its eyes, buttoned up
its rockets. It had nothing in common with
plebeian death or pain; it's tears and Its dollars
IL seems. flow only in remembrance OF past
olimnses of the Tuileries or dear departed
Worth.
Yet there were underbred people enough
whose charities had been subjected to no
such refining process who took care OF the
German sick and wounded We need not
trouble ourselves any further about them.
What we must do is tn feleitate ourselves
upon this relationship and intense sympa-
thy between our fashionable circles and
lamented Paris, and to set ourselves to
find out the cause Of it. If there are
nights of civilization to which we also can
climb, why should we not be up and doing
We confess, after mature delberatiOn, we can
not detect any signs of this kinship in the
habits and manners of the two classes. 1t will
be long before the gaudy parlOrs of retired
dry goods men and liquor sellers on Fifth
ave-, choked with gilt and brOcatelle, will fill
the place Of the grave, stately salons of the
Faubourg Saint Germain in the worlds eye;
before the 1ashy illiterate New-York matrOn
whose most exalted idea of high life lies in
plenty of terrapin and diamonds will catch
the meaning Of that intangible inimitable cul-
ture and simplicity which have made the highest
French society for centuries an unapproach-
able model in the eyes Of the world and
longer still before the loud-talking, fast, and
free belle of Madson-square will be mistaken
for the French demoiselle of rank, dewy-fTesh
from the walls of her convent.
But we will all put this unlikeness out Of
sight, and hail fashionable New-York as
modern Paris. We know, sub rosa, that it is
in sympathy with France, just as it synpa-
thized with the "suffering South during the
ne ha
bearings OF reasons OF the quarrel, but because,
being without true rank or stable social posi-
ton itself, it is ready to cringe and bow to
anything which savOrs of aristocracy. But
need we proclaim that to outsiders Is it not
possible that, after all our efforts, our world
of fashion may now be mistaken for genuine
Parisianf To what end have Mrs. Jones and
all the successful Joneses before her paid
homage TO dear, delightful Paris If they may
not put on mourning nowf The reason Of
that worthy woman's devotion, as exhibited in
the Fair just closed, is evident TO anybody who
knows her history. As soon as she felt money
enough in her pocket she set about elevating
her family. Want Of culture or refinement
made it impossible for her TO enter really high
social circles she therefore became fashionable
which ia as easy task as the pulling on of
Malvolio's yellow stockings; she saw that
Paris was q treasury of arts science, and the
finer weapons of social life, from which the
educated served themselves when occasion
called; whereupon she blindly followed suit
Her daughters were Immediately sent to
schools the sole recommendation of which was
that French was talked at table; she ordered
her dresses. from Worth; her sons went to
Paris, had their gloves fitted on by pretty
grisettes, and talked learnedly of the soup at
cafes and the women of the Jardin Mabille.
Is all this study of years to go for naughti
Have not our young men imported the Can
can dancers, which only the canaille of Paris
before could appreciated Have not our old
men added to them the stars of the Opera
Boufe from the theaters of the lowest quar-
tiersf Do not our women not only go to
look at them, but initiate them in their bare
shoulders and bare backsH Have not our
women of ton repudiated with vigor all adj
herence to vulgar republics and paid their
allegiance to Napoleon, purest of men and
nobest of monarchsi Was there not migra-
ton of fashionable women, with their sons of
a fighting age, as soon as the draft began in
the warf and was it not to Paris they fed
for safety and for suecorf
II know nothing OF the war; said an e1-
grocer; 1--WE belong to the class who do not
vote. Republics are plebeian.7 This is the
class who mourn for Paris and assume to
represent her. Success to their endeavor.
But there are few of us VINO will believe the
lion real lion. We all know too well the
features Of Snug the Joiner.
/" care nothing about this war;" said the
wife of an ex-grocer, since that dreadful
" mistake of declaring Republic. Before
" that my sympathies were all with the French ;
but how could they be idotic enough to try