New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-09-16
LIFE IN PARIS.

THE OF PEACE AND WAh-whh "OA-D
HAS NO PREMIUM IN FRANCE-THR FRENCH
BANK AND THE FRENCH vNTAdE-ANcIENr AND
MODERN COURTS Oh LovE-MERIMEE AS JUDGE
THE MORALE OF WOMEN.
| lPROM REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE rRrBUSEl
PARIS, August 19.-Paris is never discouraged.
Talk to it of war and revolutions, and it answers
with fetes. 1t goes INTO exile, but only for amuse-
ment. If it has money, it spends it. II it has none
it spends still more.
| The Duke of Gramont who was Minister of Foreign
Affairs under Napoleon Ill and who declared war
against Prussia, was talking TO me yesterday, In
walk in the Champs Elysees of that indifference OF
the Parisans which almost amounts to ORIENTAL
fatalism. 1--WE have become too Athenian,' he said:
"All our Spartans died with Napoleon the First
He confessed that he lost his illusions in the war Of
1870 not that he did not admire the herolsm OF our
soldiers who were killed at Reichshoiien MARSHA
| Tour and other places but he had thought that
France would rise as one man. Only Northern
France did it's duty Southern France folded its
arms and admired its grape crGD. There is more
than one France. Everything here below must be
paid for. Southern france has been cruelty pun
shed by the disaster Of the foundations. And still
it il tbs North which has cOnsOled her by sympathy
and subscriptions, not choosing to remember that
was dying with hunger during the war While the
! South was secure and luxurious.
The Duke of GramOnt is not only gallant gentle
man of Old France, but he is also a modern man full
of the newest wit, speaking always with French
| logic and diplomatic shrewdIess. You know he is
brother of the celebrated Count D'Orsay and like
him. il one of the handsomest men OF his tlme TAI,
well set up proud and delicate profile, luminous
eye and charming smile. He has gone through all
the embassies at the several Courts of Europe,
always at home wherever he might be- welcomed
i ranffh "a l
est aristocracy of France most pronounced type
of the old national character.
| On what slight threads hang the destnes OF ma
tons. The Duke OF Gramont did not have all the
good fairies at his cradle. There one who said,
"You are too handsome. You can never refuse any
thing TO a woman Here IL a legend which IL related
in the most exclusive diplomatic circles, under the
mantepece of NJ. Theirs where all the ambassadors,
ordinary and extraordinary are wont to assemble.
After the more or less pacific explanations Of the
| last interview at Ems with Count Benedict there
was a council at night at the Tuileries, at which
peace was peremptorily decided upon by the En-
peror, who was the most prudent of the party,
because he hated blOodshed, and who did not think
| CORY baptism necessary to the conservation Oh
the Prince Imperial But there were two soyereigns
at that time on the throne. Beside the Emperor,
reigned the Empress When everything was peace
to bed ike Titus content with hls days work. But
the Empress was more wakeful. In her turn she
held council Here the evil fairy of the Duke or
| Gramont made her appearance, for he consented to
this council through pure galantry. And through
pure gaantry he left too much of the talking TO the
Empress. who thought that war was The only saliva
ton of France and who. when she said France al
ways meant her She took possession OF every
one. Sac was really eloquent in talking OF the ma
tional dignity she said that the Emperors good
heart would gain both France and the dynasty. be
sides all the newspapers and all the deputies were
for war. 1t would not do to swim against the cur
rent They would gain the Rhine with one battle;
they would chastise Germany and return triumphal
with the peace of Europe secured for century.
Fvervbody was convinced the Duke Of GramOnt
alone. perhaps, having doubts of al these fine
things But az it was woman who was speaking
he had the gallantry not 70 oppose her They walked
M the Emperor, who already sleeping the sleep
of the inst and extOrted from him the declaration
of war.
This is the way that the evil fairy who visited
the cradle of the Duke of Gramont, and who might
be called the Fairy of Good Graces, helped to lose
! for us two provinces and five milliards. The Duke
had not that day the courage Of his opinions, be-
cause a woman was speaking before him.
France is the poorer for her two provinces but she
has paid the five milliards Prussia would pay i've
dollars. An American said to me- " How do you
manage to have much money! And now Is III
that yonr paper i, worth as much gold ~ 1t is
because we have the Bank Of France, the great bank
of the world with so much money that they have not
the time to count it. 1t Possesses the confidence OF
every quarter of the globe 1t is strong that the
Commune with its 300 900 scOundrels, did not dare
rob it, though absolute mistress of Paris for three
| months A note of the Bank of France is, therefore,
ready money and better than gold III many lnstan-
cCs.
But after all the prime thing in France is its wine
CROP As long rs the palate OF man retains ITS cum
ming France will never know how rich she is. Ger
many threatens To swallow France. III TINS Gaia
clysm could arrive, never fear but that France VIII
swallow Germany Such il the viii of tie Patriarch
Noah.
Among tbe men of the Court born TO galiantry,
like the Duke of Gramont there was the story-teller
Merim6e. Of whom they are publishing new vol
ume Letters to Another Unknown" The author
of Coumba commenced Ike me by being lnspec-
tor General of Fine Arts. 1t is good school which
[ cannot too highly recommend to young men.
Nothing FORMS the mind like the contemplation of
m.sterpieces You do not understand the women OF
the day until You have studied the women Oh anu
auity 1t is the true catechsm of fashionable life
Merimee therefore greatly appreciated 1T Court,
although he retained always his somewhat rustic
and trivial countenance. 1t exasperated him that
women accepted his compliments and paid him only
compliments in return. He would like to have
PLAYED the Don Juans and the Loveaces but he could
never get beyond the noble fathers. He was like an
old man even in his youth. But he was none the less
full of pretensions and hated al men of fashion In
the little reunions at the Tuilerie5 lie would have
| liked to have none but women.
1t was in one a these reunions that he attempted
TO revive, for the amusement OF the Empress, tine.
Proyencal Courts of Love. He appointed himself
President of a Court; but before coming to the IA