The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-02-11
FOREIGN LETTER.


Paris i'm Its Holiday Attire-Thc
Bois de Boulogne-The Grand
0pera- Iaouse--The Rayases of tAe
Commune.
OF the star.
PARIS, January 81, 1876.
1 find that the longer l stay in Paris
the less able / will be TO give you an
idea as to how Paris appears to me in
my way of seeing it. II is by all odds
the finest city that have seen. 1t has
more attractions, finer and better collec-
tions Of all kinds, artistic, historical and
scientific; Its theology and moral senu-
ment won't do to bet on; It's politics are
a mild, impulsiye public sentiment OF to-
day, and in danger Of being seorned and
trodden under foot tomorrow, although
this is q Republic where such things are
admirable. But to call this Republic Is
misnomer anda farce-one well played
to please the masses and to accomplish
the ends of others. The signs atf the
present indicate strongly that things
are working for another turning over.
I arrived here on the 3lst, and found
the city in its gayest holiday trim, but
the weather has been exceedingly cold
and disagreeable for sightseeing, and 1T
requires considerable of stretch of
our imagination to conceive how beauti-
tul and lovely the boulevards, parks and
gardens must be in the summer months,
with the many elegant fountains, stat
ues, monuments and bellishments OF
every kind, where there seems to be
nothing lett undone that taste or COM
of the Bois de Boulogne affords scene
of gayety, lite and fashion that is seldom
| seen anywhere, on its four large skat-
ing ponds, where hundreds of ladies and
gentlemen, boys and girls, and even
| Catholic priests in their long black
gowns, take part in the rare sport.
The Grand Opera-house and its pa
irons afford one of the most brilliant
shows of taste, fashion, wealth. and
shoddy of any place in Paris and per-
haps in the world. The music and act
ing should judge to be good, but the
costuming / should judge to be over
done or not done enough; can't say
which. As for instance, the opera OF
sFaust' seemed more like the "Black
| Croek'' OF some other '.leg opera" The
| French have higher appreciation OF the
| sensational and the ballet than that Of
the legitimate drama. The Grand
Opera-house is great pile OF magnifi-
cenee and gaudy decorations, but the
| great end OF comfort has not been at
tained. In the theater proper it has a
seating capacity Tor twenty-three hum
dred and tifty persons, but no standing
room.
Il has forty-eight private boxes, eight
being on the stage back Of the curtain;
| four galleries, tnat seem crowded and
hampered SO as to destroy all comfort
ana freedom, with those fish and aris-
| tocratic partitions and private slips and
| lobbies. The chairs in the parterre, or
pit. have fixed bottoms, and are crowded
| together SO that.it is difficult to pass in
| to your seat if any one has been seated
before you. The upholstery, in crimson
velvet, is very fine, and the decorations
and gliding are entirely overdone. The
ceiling and chandelier are very fine and
neat, but the other part of the house has
| its entire surface covered with figures
and gilt, and is not relieved in any way
| to produce an effect OF elegant neatness.
| But the entrance, vestibule, grand stair
case, lobbies and promenades excel any
thing In this country tor elegance and
| beauty.
1t occupies as much space, il not more,
| than the auditorium, and no doubt cost
much more money, and that part should
pronounce a success; while the other
| hart of the house is failure, SO far as
| heatness and comfort is concerned.
| There Is so much here to see and enjoy
that it is folly to attempt to convey any
idea of what Paris looks like. 1t certainly
i looks unlike any city l have seen-in
short. Paris must be seen to know and
appreciate it. Its many fine arcades
and boulevards afford extraordinary
advantages Tor the display of fine goods
and fancy articles, and in many cases
the whole stock In trade is displayed
in the shop windows. have been here
three weeks and have seen nearly all the
principal attractions and features In ant
around the city, excepting the sewers
which. on account of the cold, frostl
|, weather, can not be seen by stranger
till April.
The destruction of many Of the fines
public buildings by the Commune leaves
: inauv places looking somewhat dilapi
, dated and unattractive. Nearly all ar,
being rebuilt or repaired. Work ha
also been commenced on the Tuillerie
t for rebuilding.
| / shall leave here in few days 70
London and remain there awhile, wher
! I can s'spouV English. l find it yer
= awkward here sometimes to get along a
sightseeing without being able to spea
French. A Frenchman " on't try to un
> derstand anything but good French, NO
o even signs nor motions unless there ar
n francs In it. / shall sail from Liverpol
Tor home about the middle OF February
u. 5,