The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1875-04-24
THE PACIFIC
SATURDAY. APRIL "a.
OUR PARIS LETTER.

ing up the hill and marching down again negO-
tiations for the formation Of a cabinet. Now
that the Republic is a reality on the statute-book,
the monarchists seem to claim the right to admin
lister it. The Republicans concede much to their
rivals; they IRE playing the waiting game, and
viii take their revenge at the general elections
a consummation now more than ever devoutly to
be wished, and in which the new government
should hold impartially aloOf. Martial law ought
to be at once abolished, and the Communes re-
stored the right to appoint their Mayors-secured
their independence. France suffers from over
administration, and selfgovernment is only in its
infancy. The attempt may be given up by the
Orleanists to make France ~royalist; that legend
is as dead as the others; as Bonapartism, as Lee
gitimacy, as ideal Republicanism represented by
Louis Blanc, as the mountain tribe of 1913, that
commenced to overthrow the Republic as soon as
it was established and to declare war against its
friends the moment they inherited Office. The
men OF the period for New France, must be saga
cious, liberal, practical, and conciliating. 1t has
been remarked, that Reason, Truth, and Wisdom,
were the diyinities whose feet the nation kissed,
only when they were taking their departure
these gods are now to be embraced from their
arrival. The proclamation Of the Republic is the
first instance in French history of a government
being inaugurated without sound of the cornet,
flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and
all kinds Of music. Not a TIE Deum, not a re-
view; no Examinations, no free theatres, no mats
de cOcagHe. There was no de6le of soldiers on
the Boulevards, no flags from windows, no groups
Of young girls dressed in white, no altar erected
on the Cbamp-de-Aars. Verify France is degen-
Grating into common sense, order, patience, and
respect for the law. She is so content as to have
resumed work with confidence.
Pending the opening of the annual exhibition
of paintings, people flock to Versailles to have a
look and a laugh, at the collection of photographs,
daubs, and wood-cuts, seized by the police, and
forming part of the stock in trade of the Bona
partist propaganda convey the wise it call.
The collection recalls the lumber room of a theatre,
or the public auction mart where the wardrobe
glOries Of an actress or q demi-mondian are e-
posed for view before being knocked down to the
old clo' fraternity. There are Al photos of the
ex-imperial family IN various pastures. Nothing
can be more gloomy, more full of ennui, than
these groups, apparently preparing for a whist
party of three; not a dash of herOism in the fig
ures; all have mostly books in their hands.
What a studious family The photo of the EN-
peror in an armchair, ~daudling under difficulties,
the Prince Imperial aged about IL, is about as
attractive as an orphan of 40 years standing, or
an epitaph recording that the defunct, aged 60, is
now an angel. There is a bouquet of %violets, and
from between the petals of each flower, starts up
Jack-in-the box fashion, the head of some histor-
ical member of the Bonapartist family. Nothing
can be more droll, yet it is intended for an artis-
tic success. The portrait of Napoleon Ill. is sur
rounded with a scroll work Of texts of Scripture
beneath is a reflection; "consc.ing to think, that
in the midst of dangers, Providence reserves to
one being, to be the instrument of safety for ALL
This allusion to the coup d. Eat could not be
more delicate. Imperialists trade even in the
finger of God theory. The Prince Imperial is in
endless attitudes, waving a tricolor flag, and ut
tcring some of the shibboleths of Caesarian demo
cracy. These photos of the Prince Imperial are
anything but prepossessing; able as are his par
tisans, they could not force the run to lie. There
is no portrait Of the ex-Emperor on horseback
leading his troops in a charge against myriads of
Prussians; that would be to clown his memory
with supreme ridicule; but he is on horseback IN
some battle field covered with dead and wounded,
looking as insensible as his uncle in the famous
picture Of g~alloping on Bucephalus over the Alps.
There is nothing to explain if the battle field be
that of Sedan or Solferino. You pays your money
and you takes your choice. There are gushing
visiting cards from young milliners, some with
bog Latin notices suggesting fidelity to the eagles.
"Ridicule," which is said to kill IN France, sis a
firearms" Laughter, and not haste, will be
produced by these clandestine photos of Imperi-
alism.
For the moment there is nothing more fashion
able in Paris than influenza; no person has es-
capped; each has had to ray his tribute. But life
has not the less kept on the ever tenor of its way; |
in a dancing party there are duets of coughing
between partners, which If not harmonious, are
at least novel. Men afflicted with the endemic,
take up a position beside a corner of the fire, and
in old coat or gown and slippers impatiently
await the happy change of weather, and that Du-
ruof in his balloon ascents-without his WHEAT
Pau, signal from an attitude of 5000 feet TO be
coming. The fair sex take lovingly to the NAL
ady-proYided it be neither too long nor too severe,
they keep not their bedroom, but their boudoir,
and bestOw all their attention to make a toilette
for the occasion, and Une figure de circumstances.
The robe is in m~afeIaSSe, form princesse, trimmed
with satin and old lace, with a cascade of bows;
the head is enyeloped in a cloud Of material re-
wooden foam; the feet are encased in
sinners in harmony with the robe; then with an
air a little suffering, and a display of amiability
that sickens increases, the dear invalid manages
to overcome the ills of the season, and to receive
the visits of sympathizing friends.
Mid-Lent came like a relief, n joyous halt on
the road to Easter; the twenty-four hours carni-
val PASSED of merrily; the masks re-appeared and
Folly held sway. Not indeed that Lent is very
austere in Paris. The sovereign people of to-day,
present no ~penitents like those of the Middle Ages,
who Frustrated themselves in the dust and had for
Of linen only a hair shirt. In Ireland it
is said, there is a place for expiration called Pur-
gatory, where one pays to enter and to do penance;
there is no such Home Rule" in Paris; citizens
paw generally to escape every kind Of purgatory.
The Capital is what Mercier wittily called, " the
dancing garden of Europe" Paris consumes
more pleasures than any city in the world; the
CLERGY too are tolerant for Babylon generic
name for large capitals, fearing perhaps, as Nestor
Rogueplan said, Paris would rise in Instruction
the day when deprived Of fresh strawberries.
An infractions of the laws of abstinence may be
down as involuntary. Tallyrand was very
on the subject OF fasting; and one day
It was discovered the pate of /" funny be had
been eating, contained the leg of a rabbit; his
ran at once to the Archbishop to demand
for this involuntary sin. By means of
and sauces that would make Brillat-
- II lie hands m - anah1aH 70 roes A.
most trying days. Other tiny kickshaws are not
Mid-Lent is also the fete of the laundresses,
and when the guild select their queen, the cere-
mony generally takes place with closed laundry
doors, where healths are toasted, preparatory to
IL nnnnnl hnu In the eHeninU- The rnxal nrn-