The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1878-08-09
Our Paris Letter.

Our Paris Letter.
From Or Rsgalar Correspondent.1
TRocADERo PALAcE-FRoM THE TIME OF
ADAM TO EDIsoN-RELIcs AND CURIosI>
TIES OF ALL AGES, AND FROM ALL CoUN-
TRIEs-AMERIcANS ABROAD.
PARIS, july 20, 1878.
The right wing of the Trocadero
palace, the annex to the main building,
is devoted to antiquities, which have
been so arranged as to give connected
view of the progressive development of
the arts, and form fitting introduction
to their present advanced condition.
Even the prehistoric relics of the human
race are displayed there to complete the
series. The Exposition is thus not only
of the present, but Of the past. 1t gives
the history of human labor in various
countries from the earliest periods, and
becomes to II great degree an exposition
of the mental development of the human
race. It is impossible to pass successive
ly from the inspection of the implements
of stone, bronze, iron and finally of steel,
without recognizing progressive de-
velopment OF humanity. The galleries
of the antiquities make the Exhibition
an unwritten history of civilization which
every one can read, of whatever nation
or language. It attracts the peasant and
the scholar, and teaches history and
philosophy by the contrast of the pro-
auctions of human labor of all periods
and countries.
The French exhibit is the most com
plete as a whole, and is divided by parti-
tons into asseres of halls or apartments,
SO as to more distinctly mark the differs
ept periods.
The prehistoric period is brought bold
ly forward by the extensive collections
which have been made in various parts of
Europe during the past ten years, such
as implements of stone from the bone
caverns, peat boys, and from the lake
dwellings of Switzerland.
The cases are filed with enormous
spear heads of flints, hatchets, and other
rudely made implements, formed by
chipping and without polish. These
occur in association with the bones and
teeth of the extinct cave bear, the
elephant, and the mastodon. and speci-
mems of these are displayed i'll the same
cases. These rudely-made implements
are supposed to belong to the first or
earliest stone period. A second or later
period of the stone age is indicated by
implements of superior finish such as
were ground down to smooth surfaces,
and in some instances polished. The
next hall contains instruments of the
bronze period, extending to the Gallo
Roman. The objects consist chiefly OF
cutting instruments, agricultural imple-
ments, lamps, and objects of ornament,
such as bracelets of bronze and of gold,
rings, and pins. OF the latter large
collection contains pins with a shield for
the points, and spinal spring at the
back, almost Identical in form with some
of the patent pins of the present day.
The next hall is devoted to the Celtic
and Gallo relics, and contains the re-
markable golden necklaces from the
museum of Toulouse. The representa-
ton of the work of the Middle Ages is
characterized by variety of church Or
naments and relics, such as oak chests,
seals, caskets, croziers, bronzes set with
masses of rock-crystal, like those of
China and Japan ivory carvings, illumi-
mated missals of vellum, swords and
and chain armor.
The fifth hall contains objects of the
sixteenth century, or the Renaissance
period. Here are found curiously fash
Toned iron locks and keys, cutting instru-
ments, jewels, and few nearly spherical
watches. The enamels of Limoges occu-
pies large space, and came in great
part from the collection of Baron Roths-
child.
At the entrance of the sixth hall, rep
resenting the arts of the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries. curious collection
of hixh>heeled boots and shoes attract
considerable attention. Here also are
seen the fG5eRces of Rouen, and the
production of the renowned Pallissay,
old furniture, mirrors, iRlaid cabinets,
black letter books, and specimens of
book biAding. The collections of this
period are continued ia the halls beyond,
and contain the porcelains of Seyres,
richly wrought table services of silver,
tapestries, miniatures, snuff boxes,
thread-lace and deliberately decorated
ians. Although the collections of an
tiquities, as whole, is very lai ge and in
terestlng 1t can not be regarded as a
~SAA-fAONC OAI1OAb Vi tlt0 pfO&FGSS OF
human labor up to the present time.
The wonderful advances made in the
mechanical arts of the present century,
and the various applications of science
to the arts, are not historically shown.
The collection is also deficient in repre-
sensations Of the ancient arts, and civil
lsation of China, Japan, Egypt, Mex
leo, Central America, and Peru.
Somebody has said that Americans
make the best Frenchman of all the for
eigneFs who hock here from all parts of
the globe; and from wheb have seen of
our beloved countrymen abroad, am
inclined to believe that such is really the
fact. The English are always English,
and promenade in London styles on the
Rue de RsUoli, affect nothing but dog
carts and drags en- the BouleVards and
in the Bots de Boulogne, and, when they
eondescend to learn French, never speak
it without the peculiar Rasal eochney
twang Of Picadilly. The Russians. of
whom there are always large colony
here, are intensely Russe in every thing,
and spend more money on diamonds.
champagne, and questionable wolnen.
than all the other foreigners put toge.
ther. The Germans, of whom we have