The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-03-20

ling story oil that dinner that It would
never do for Offenbach to hear.
Again, speaking OF the policemen
stationed at street crossings for the
safety OF pedestrians, he says: '''Should
ono be run over on the crossing, q large
amount Of damages could be recovered
| by the injured party; but Ii this misfor-
tune should occur at time when you
happen ID be on the pavement, just
outside the crossing, not only you have
no right to recover anything, but the
owner of the carriage can demand dam
| o. yes for his loss OF time" IL this YER
sion OF New York law is correct, what
splendid opportunities for money MAX
ing are opened up to the Jehus. They
have but to ride down every soul they
catch off the crossings and sue the mis-
cradle wretch's estate for loss of time.
His account Of Jim Fisk Is q marvel
OF French exaggeration. He says OF
this worthy: "Every person who want
ed employment on his railway had first
to enlist In his regiment; and in this
manner he enlisted one of the finest
regiments in New York. Occasionally
he would take q fancy to call out his
men and have them march In presence
OF some fair dame. On such occasions
the railway traffic was suspended
and the stations were closed
along the whole line. &" On al
most every page we find album
dant evidence OF child-like innocence
and boundless eredulity. These make
up the staple of the book, and, we sup
pose, constitute the misrepresenta-
tion," of which our critics COM
plain. But to US they appear only
the unsuspecting recitals Of 80
many hoaxes, Of which the author
was the butt. Where there is no room
for such suspicion his comments are
sensible. and, In the main, compli-
mentary. His general impression of
America is summed up in few words.
After describing her wonderful advance
In the material arts, he says: "They
have conquered the material world, but
have remained behind In the acquisi-
tion Of those qualities essential to spir-
itual life. America is to-day like a
giant Of q hundred cubits, endowed
with every physical gift. but lacking the
one essentials soul"
cart Is the soul OF nations /; 1t expresses
In words what the purest sentiment
Creates"
Then follows a most sensible sugges.
ton of the causes of this deficiency, and
the remedy for it. He says that true
and high art is produced only by 'sta-
BILE institutions, steady local work, and
slowly acquired traditions" Everything
Of this kind Is nomadic, uncertain and
precarious In America. We have few
great artists, but there Is no american
school," nor will there be until we have
permanent theatres and academies OF
art and we'll appointed conservatory.
''There mightelapse perhaps ten, twenty
years before these institutions produce
excellent results. And what are twenty
years? In twenty years your students
may become masters; you will be in
dependent OF European art"
Noting the small number of statues
OF great personages in the squares and
streets, he makes this queer comment:
"This is a great contrast to France,
where everybody is more or less sculp-
tured in marble or moulded In bronze,
in consequence OF which our country
begins to look like an immense museum
of men in frockcoats, or collection Of
dummies for ready made clothing
store"
We wish we had space to give the very
amusing and perfectly truthful account
of genuine American dinner at one of
our palatial hotels. Imagine the horror
of French gourmet or even a go,trnand,
whose traditional breakfast, as
described by an American, is
''two salt cellars and muffin" at
finding himself suddenly surrounded
by thirty dishes-soup, fish, meat, vege-
tables, and sweets, without counting the
rear-guard Of desser u.s." and ''the most
comical part OF the business is, that all
you have ordered, and have not order
ed, is brought you at once" This is
horrible, but 1t is true. We cannot close
without quoting one Of the many ex-
travagant eulogies Of the American
women: "It must be confessed that
there are perhaps no women so fascinat-
ing as American women. In the first
place, they are handsome in q proper
ton wholly unknown in Paris. Out Of
every hundred you meet, there are
ninety who are lovely. Moreover, they
know how to dress; their toilets are Of
the most exquisite and perfect TASTE"
Whenever he mentions les bellies sau-
cages he goes into rhapsodies. This
must redeem any book Of the kind,
whatever else it may contain that is un-
Ii