The Donaldsonville chief., 1878-06-15
Our Letter from Europe.
The Paris Exposition.

Order is coming out of chaos; grad
ually the debris and ruin is disap-
pearing from sight and the Exposi
tion is becoming that which the poet
hath declared lis joy forever" The
western end of the Grand Hall beyond
the Prince of Wales collection is still
in state of incompleteness. India
has an exhibition of shawls, jewelry
and stuffs but, inasmucll rs these
goods are immeasurably eclipsed By
the exhibition in the French depart
ment of goods of the same character,
there is little about them to call for
more than passing mention. At the
extreme end of the Grand Hall, Cana
da is rearing II mighty tower, i.s OBJ
ject being yet mystery to the out
side world, but in good time, when
she gets. ready To disclose her secrets,
Canada will he heard from with no
Uncertain sound. In fact, it would
seem as if The culoDites were wrestling
with the mothcrland for supremacy,
and the old lady must look to her
laurels. These colonial exhibits are
full of tremendous possibilities more
startling than the finished certainties
of the grand old motherland. But /
do not intend to go into that matter
just now /; in Il little while the exhibits
of England and her colonies will come
in for fair share of attention bnt |
desire to wait till everything is fin
ished to see what is most worthy of
report.
There are many things in this exhi-
bition which, in review of this kind,
can be brought under no general
classification aud yeC to the general
reader are matters of snrpassing in
terest-one of the most beautiful and
pleasing being the artificial flower
show, near the end of the south wing.
France has long been famous in this
exquisite branch of art, and yet in
this delightful exhibition she seems
to have surpassed herself After
wandering for hours through splendid
avenues decorated with costly furni-
ture, and rooms covered with those
wonderful Gobelins, the miracles of
the weayers' art; after being dazzlcd
by iewelry and diamonds, both de-
lighted and shocked by paintings and
statuafy, it is an indescrihable relief
to come to this sylvan bower and
revel in delights, which he who spake
as man never spake hath declared
surpassed Solomon in all his glory.
Here every thing is beautiful and good
not one thing mars the sweet har-
mony of the scene around you: on
every side are natures loveliest and
purest embiems. 1t needs but the
sweep of the breeze to enable you to
catch the perfume, and as you look
at the butterflies resting on the rose
buds and tire lilies, you forget for q
moment the great Exhibition and its
surroundings, and you imagine your
self in the fairy maizes of the Island
of Tranquil Delights. For moment
ut least, you rest secure and happy,
surrounded by these emblems of pn-
rity and peace. Your wife or yanr
daughter may be sitting by your side,
and you feel no blush mantling your
cheek like that which you have ex-
perienced in the noble galleries Of the
Exposition contemplating tllose works
which the blase Bohemians of the
press denominate the highest exposi-
tinns of art. In one case is a elHRter
of snowdrops surrounded by lilies of
the valley, moss roses and violets,
rich verbenas and pansies with wings
like gaudy butterflies, rival nature in,
their exquisite beauty and loyeliness j:
the leaves have that rich, soft, vslyety
look, as though the supreme ruler of
the universe was IN His happiest
mood when he painted them, for you
can hardly realize for a moment that
they are the work Of human hands. It