Litchfield enquirer., 1874-02-12

piled the money to pay of the national
 rwnsum and indemni6cations imposed mn.
 On the nation Of invaders: and to-day the
 vSsfhle and realized wealth of France is
 ten times az great as before the revoIu-
 ton of 17S9. The material improvement
 of France only dates from 1915. after the
 overthrow and banishment of Napoleon.
 For the twenty-slx years subsequent to
 the commencement of the revolution
 France was drenched in blood, and drain.
 cd of life and treasure to support the earn
 age and destruction. But she has suryiv-
 cd all her losses and disasters, including
 the last, and presents a marvellous display
 of prosperity and wealth, in despite of the enormous and oppressive taxation. now
 exceeding $500. %. 1000 per annum for na-
 tional purposes, exclusive of all local and
 municipal burdens and exac ions.
 In searching for the cause of these won. g derful results and triumphs over adyersi
 ty, lind 1t in the remarkable industry and aptitude of the French people: in
 their habits of economy, labor, hopeful
 ness. cheerfulness, skilIfulness. and es
 thetic tastes; but above all, in the eman- cipation of the farmers from the degraded condition of landless serfs, and elevation
 into that of independent freeholders. with every family owning their own farms. cul- tivatlng their own vine and fig tree, and en- toying the fruits of their own labor. with
 no landed aristocrat to seize their earn
 ings and squander them in administering
 10 his pFohigaae dissipation. It was their
 transition from serfdom into freeholders
 that gave the opportunity to convert
 France into garden of fruits and flowers
 and to render its prosperity irrepressible.
 in defiance of misgovernment and inya- siOr, war-taxes and spoliation.
 While education is not universal by any means among the farmers of France, still great progress of late has been made. There has been a national awakening in France, as m Great Britain, to the neces- sity o4better education among the common people. At the beginning of this centu- ". only one adult in ten could read and write. Now two-thirds can do so. And where one newspaper was read as late as the reign of Louis Philippe, now three or four are read. Free public libraries have been established in every city in France, without exception. There is hardly a town of 600 inhabitants but has it's pub- hc library. In some cities not larger than Springfield or Peoria, found libraries of 2O.OOO to 3O,OOO volumes. The general rule seems to be to provide public libra Y with number Ofvolumes at least equal to the population of the place. In con- nectlon with these libraries, which are de- posltsd m fire-prOOf buildings, are muse- ums Tor She collection and preservation Of all local curiOsities of art or nature. literature, history, geology, souvenirs, relics. etc; for nearly all the cities of France have curious old histories and tra- stEefnmE AmfTFer faw s-Az Al antiquity. There is q French historical society, with quarters at Paris. which ramlfies all France, ,-there being branch socaetles and corresponding members in every city of any note or magnitude. In these matters the French are far ahead of the Amerlcans, or even the English.
 The effect of this progress of national educational education and expression of general intelligence is seen in the im- provement and advancement of the cities and larger towns. Strangers are all filled with astonlshment and admiration at the vonderfnI improvements made in Paris during the last twenty-five years,-the widening and extension of streets. the be2utlful parks; the ornamental trees; the artistic fountains; the numerous columns and stAfuaxy; and the multitude of ele- gant buildings which have been erected: and they seem to suppose that in no oth- CT paxtsot Frapce has anything been done m the way of improvement and adorn- mene Hut such a view is a mistaken one.
 All the cities of France have been imi- tAting Paris to the extent of their ability: and the improvements in many of them have been relatively greater even than in Paris itself All Frenchmen visit Paris,
 most of them once a year, and all of them once m lifetime. They rarely go anywhere else, for no other city i.as at- fractions for them. They return filled with admiration at the sights and shows. and stralghtway set about reproducing Paris m their own cities, to the exte..t of their means. Therefore it is that I find Tn old. quaint, medieval cities, Q spirit of progress and improvement which was not expecting to find. Almost every city has its adorned parks, drives, and squares. with fountains playing, and statuary and monuments commemorative of the noted characters there born, or of events in it's hissorys It has it's new quarter laid ou in broad, straight streets, and elegantly built up in modern style, with villas and mansions placed on every spot where a picturesque landscape can be procured. Ihe effect IS heightened by ornamental trees, vines, shrubs, and flowers. so placed and arranged as to add a singular charm to the whole. In these respects, it seems to me, he French are unexcelled in nice- ty of taste and perception of the beauti- ful in art and nature. Their tempera- ment IS poetical and emotional, and they are always studying poses, surprises, ef- fects, elegances, charms. and sensations iu everything they do. They are shocked and their feelings wounded by coarse, un- artistic things, or vulgar, blunt, stupid actions: While they study the useful, they wlll sacrifice it without hesitation to preserve or secure the beautiful; and to pass hattering compliment, or to utter s brilliant, false sentiment they will dis regard the truth without the least com punctiOn-feeling rather the wrong would consist m adhering to prosaic fact at the expense of exuberant fancy.
 With such Q temperament, tastes and snchnations, France, under its sunny skles. could not be otherwise than beau 6tHl land, highly adorned and cultivated and made as charming as the art of man a capable of doing. And such it is from center to circumference. As much as Paris excels all other citirs in beauty and refin ed luxury. to an equal degree does France suEpass all other lands in artistic adorn- nent, elegant husbandry, and decorated landscape. Its government is parental, anqulsltlve. annoying, impertinent, expen- s1ve, unstable, and despotic: neverthe- tess. by reason of buoyant spirits and po- etlc4i temperament, the people, ,::as whole, are prosperous, progressive, artistic, po- ute: Ite1ary and happy; and only desire mA NkNaMW Wzm IA = eOnmunists would let them alone to live ia peace with all mankind