New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-11-18

NJ LIE PLAY, the distinguished French social re.
reformer attributes the disorganzaton of society in
France her continual abiding in hot water, to tho
dimnution of respect for God for paternal author
ity, and for womanhood. 1t is the work of the
Revolution, the laws of RObesperre, of Potion and
Tronchet that he attacks, as the solvents OF Old
French customs and the destroyers of social author
ity-whch customs and authority he wishes to
restore What is old appears to this extraordinary
Philistine to be most lovely and most hopeful, so
that 1t is naturally the twofod support of ancestral
habit and living authority that he nvokes for the
modern Frenchman. China seems to him an ad-
admirable example of the excellent conse-
quences in national vigor and industry
to be derived from the patriarchai
form of government. And this is exactly what he
proposes as a remedy for the ills Of France-recon-
sttution of the paternal authority by the reversal
of those articles of the civil code interfering with
the testamentary power of the family head. and the
repeal of various other revolutionary laws. He
thinks the subdivision of the property III the family
one of the most serious causes of ruin in France.
We are glad to say the result of the experiment in
America has not been serious social disorder. In
short NJ LIE Play is hopeful in the belief that his
countrymen will retrace their downward ways of
two centuries and rebuild the State by restoration
rather than by progress
There is lesson in bit of intelligence which
comes from Starksboro', VT Mr. James Johns
has heretofore been atheist, or professed to b
one, and has printed newspaper in support of his
notions Thinking that he has ruined many young
men by preaching these negations, Mr.. Johns has
become insane from remorse. Without taking into
account this PERSONS theological opinions, OF de-
Gliding upon the amount of mischief which they may
have done this affords q good opportunity OF sug-
costing quite generally the importance Of both
lin the formation and the PRONUNCIATION Of opinions
We comprehend well enough that NOT
to poison the bodies of llow-creaLures-we
ought also to understand the moral felony Of poison
ing their minds. All truth is good but man has
need in all important matters to be very Of il
before he promulgstes it and commends il truth
to Others
All puns are abomnable land ndefensible. And
some of them very good A Liverpool pilot WA
brought over on a White Star steamer much against
his will. the weather being 50 heavy that he could
not be landed A gentleman being asked what ths
pilot must have said when he saw Boston, replied,
" He probably exclaimed That Mersey to others
show that Mersey show to me-" We are sorry to
say that we do not believe word of this story.
We know a manufactured pun when we see one
and this has all the air of being artificial.
Alas Americans are not very ancient after all.
though we have our centennial and bi-centennia1
celebrations. Ii makes US feel extremely juvenile
to read of the people Of the Isle of Ely getting ready
! to observe the Twelve Hundredth Anniversary Of
the foundation of their Cathedral We are living. 10
is true as fast in this country, but then
ours is a kind of fastness which does MT count
chronologically. 1t may be interesting 20 those
who are numerically particular 10 know that the
| Ely people call tho occasion - " Bissexcentsry
| Festival"
Mr.. Gerald Massey's lecture on Charles Lamb, do
lyered at Association Hall last night is fully TO
ported on the third page of Tx TRIBUNE to-day.
It's felicitous and scholarly production. worthg
! Of tho subject and the speaker.