The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-01-06
Foreign Items.

EOFeI&m htehhSs
The Revue dAlsdce has an historical article
on the Strasburg pie from which we learn that
the inventor was Norman of the name of
Close who accompanied Marshal de COntades
as chef when he was appointed to the military
command of the province in 1862. with the
intuition of genius, says the ReUue, "this man
comprehended what foie grds might become in
the hand of an artist, and with the aid of classi-
cal combinations borrowed from the French
school," III layait, sous Ia forme de pate,
eleve Ia dignite d'un NETS souverain, en- Tafter-
missant ct en- concentrant la matiere premiere,
en- rentourant dune douillette de veau hache
que recouvrait une fine cuirasse de pate doree ct
historiee. The body thus created 1t was neces-
sary to give it soul. Close found it in the
exciting perfume of the trufiles of Perigord."
The Strasburg pie remained secret for some
time, but ''the vulgar days of publicity
ard the revolution arrived" the Marshal lost his
command, Close remained at Strasburg, married
a widow in Tomtit street (rue de la Messange)
and catered for the public; latter having laid
the foundations of great discovery" SIN
17S9," continues the reviewer, evidently guided
in his narrative by the political events of the
period, ''when the Parliament disappeared with
the ancient regime, the first President of the
Parliament of Bordeaux dismissed his head
cook, who young intelligent, ambitious and
moulded in the best doctrines, went to Strasburg
to push his fortunes. His name was Doyen. He
commenced with apple tarts, and, rising thence
to minced veal, was soon rich enough to become
the rival of Close. He became the second
founder of the pate de foie gras;' he was the
doctor and master of that phalanx of fortunate
artists the Jehls, the Gritsels, the Mullers the
Blots, the Henrys, who raised the renown of
Alsatain pastry to such pinnacle. The house of
Doyen continues to hold its own against this
pleiad of celebrities"
1t has long been standing grievance with
the play-going public at Rome, as also with the
dramatists and composers whose pieces are per-
formed in the Holy City, that the papal censors
WELD their shears with diligence and a fer
| vor unrivalled by, the censors of any other
known country. The Importance of guarding
the sensitive Roman mind from even the risk of
contamination seems to haunt the revisers of
plays like nightmare. Afflicted apparently,
with the same chronic terrors as the famous
| General Boum, they see the enemy everywhere,
and sooner than allow him chance of creeping
| on to the stage through lurking passage, they
| hack whole play valiantly to pieces leaving
little to reach the boards but the mere skeleton.
| The Roman correspondent of the Paris Liberte
gives an account of the eminently Intelligent
| handling which Donizettis FdUOrjtd has just
received before being suffered to appear at
| the Argentine Theatre. AS will be remembered,
| some of the principal scenes of the opera are
enacted in a monastery, with bass solos by the
| prior Balthazar and chorus by the monks. This,
| of course was deemed Objectionable. The idea
| Of allowing prior and monks to be represented
| could not be entertained for moment, but as
| on the other hand it was impossible altogether
| to expunge the scenes, the censors hit upon the
really happy eXpedient Of transforming the
| prior Balthazar into one M. Baldsarre, founder
| and manager of charitable institution; whilst
| in conformity with this change the monastery
was converted into an hospital, Fernando into a
| young DOCTOR and the monks into ward attend
| ants. What excuse the M. Baldsarre, manager
| and founder of charitable institution, is made
| to offer for himself when he appears in the
| second act and solemnly mathematics the king,
the correspondent OF the Lfberte does not tell us,
| but he remarks that the alterations of the CEN
| sors give rise to impdydble scenes, and we find
/ no difficulty in believing him.
| A Parisian correspondent of the Court
Journal writing ON the subject OF ladies' dress
in that city, states that long trains have been
| abandoned, and describes new fashion called
''la robe ronde," which consists of gown made
quite plain, about yard too long before and
| behind There can be no doubJ that this gar
| ment is most admirably inconvenient design,
but it is impossible to hear of its adoption with
out the melancholy reflection that 1t must nearly
have exhausted the ingenuity which devises
articles of female attire that do not and are moi
intended to fit the wearer. We have already
seen gowns too long, too short, too wide toe
narrow; in fact, for years no one has ever seer
gown which was not either too vast or toe
scanty and after ''la robe ronde' has had its day
| there Is nothing else which can be done by the
| ladies but to have their clothes made the proper
| size 1t is true that further development nigh
be attained by extension upwards-gowns nigh
| begin at the top of the head, and by means of {
| pole or brass rod might be carried in chat direc
tion TO an immense altitude. Apertures woul(
| of course be necessary for the eyes, and cos
| tune of this nature would produce novel IL no
| lutely nothing which can be suggested In thu
way of misfits, and the time cannot now be fa
distant when we may hope to see womeI
clothed and in their right minds.
| "A brilliant and biting attack upon the Roman
clergy, entitled "Qui etes-yous? Qui vous etes,
written by Alexandra WE'LL, hasjus appeare,
at Paris, where according to the title, II may b(
| procured "cheZ tous les libraries Michel Lew
touiours excepte." The authorsis by birth al
Alsatian Jew, and well-known Hebrew scholar
He completed his studies in Germany, where
while quite young he mainly supported himsel
by contributions TO the principal newspaper
and reviews of Leipsic and Berlin. In 1888 h,
returned to France, and made his debut as
pamphleteer in Ecu contre Feu," bitter repl,
to NJ. Cormenin's "Feu! Feu!" He shortly after
wards became the chief political writer on Lt
Presse, whence he passed to the legtimis
organ La Gazette dc France In point o
fecundity he rivals M. Alexandra Dumas; an,
within the last twenty years has poured fortl
} | an almost uninterrupted stream OF poems
5 novels, historical, philosophical and crtica
essays. His chief talent, however, lies in invec
t tive-of which his last pamphlet is a fair speci
men. He is reproached by some with want O
delicacy and elegance, but the yigor and keen
ness of his satire are admitted by all.
If anything we're needed to show the dan
: gerous temptations to which those who Civ
way to personal vanity are exposed 1t will b
c found in an incident related by Scotch newi
Q | paper. farmer near Kinglassie, in Fifeshirt
D was much annoyed recently TO find that b
] cows tails had been shorn Of their hair AZ