The daily gazette., 1878-08-08
OUR PARIS LETTER.
TROCADERO PALACE-FROM THE
TINE OF ADAM TO EDISON.

TROCADERO PALACE-FROMT THE
TINE OF ADAM TO EDISON.
RELICS AND cURIosITIEs OF ALL AGES
AND FROM ALL COUNTRIES
AMERICANS ABROAD.
(From our Regular Correspondent
PARIS, July goth, 1876.
The right wing of the Trocadero pal
ace, the annex to the main building, is de-
voted 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 his
tory OF human labor in various countries
from the earliest periods, and becomes to
a great degree an exposition of mental
development of the human race. 1t is
impossible to pass successively from the
inspection of the implements Of stone,
bronze, iron and finally Of steel, without
recognizing progressive development of
humanity. The galleries of the antlqui-
ties make the exhibition an unwritten
history of civilization which every one
can read, of whatever nation,or language.
1t attracts the peasant and the scholar,
and teaches history, and philosophy by
the contrast of the productions of human
labor of all periods and countries.
The French exhibit is the most COM
plete as whole, and is divided by parti-
tions into series Of halls or apartments,
SO as to more distinctly mark the different
periods.
The prehistoric period is brought
boldly forward by the extensive collec-
tions which have been made in various
parts of Europe during the past ten years
such as implements Of stone from the
bone caverns, peat bogs and the lake
dwellings, Vi OWltLtTlduu.
The cases are filled with enormous
spear heads of fiints, hatchels and other
rudely made implements formed by chip
ping and without polish. These occur in
association with the bones and teeth Of
the extinct cave bear, the elephant and
the mastadon, and specimens of these are
displayed In the same cases. These rude
ly made implements are supposed to be-
long to the first or earliest stone period
A second or later period of the stone age
is indicated by implements of a superior
finish; such as were ground down to
smooth surfaces, and in some instances
polished. The next hall contains instru-
ments of the bronze period, extending to
the Gallo-Roman. The objects consists
chiefly of cutting instruments, agricultur-
al implements, lamps, and objects of Or
nament, such as bracelets of bronze and
Of gold, rings and pins. OF the latter
large collection contains pins with
shield for the points, and spiral 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 contai MS the remark
able golden necklaces from the museum
of Toulouse. The representation of the
work of the middle ages is characterized
by variety of church ornaments and rel
les, such as oak chests, seals, caskets, cro-
ziers. bronzes set with masses of rock
crystals, like those of China and Japan;
wood carvings, Illuminated missals of
vellum, swords and chain armor.
The fifth hall contains objects of the
sixteenth century, or the Renaissance
period. Here are found curiously fashion
ed iron locks and keys, cutting instru-
ments, jewels and few nearly spherical
watches. The enamels of Images occu-
py large space, and came in grent part
from the collection of Baron Rothschild.
AT the entrance Of the sixth hall, rep
resenting, the arts of the seventeenth
and eighteenth centuries, curious col
lection of high-heeled boots and shoes
attract considerable attention. Here also
are seen the faiences Of Rsuen, and the
production of the renowned, Pallissay,
old furniture, mirrors, inlaid cabinets,
black letter books, and specimens OF
book-binding. The collections of this
period are continued in the halls beyond,
and contain the porcelains of Sevres,
richly wrought table services of silver,
tapestries, miniatures, snuff oxes, thread
lace and elaborately decorated fans.
Although the collection Of antiquities
as whole is very large and interesting
~ eau not % regarueu as complete ex-
hibit of the progress of human labor up
to the present time. The wonderful ad-
vances made in the mechanical arts of
the present century, and the various ap-
phcations of science to the arts, are not
historically shown. The collection is
also deficient In representations of the
ancient arts, and civilization of China,
Japan, of Egypt, Mexico, Central
America, and Peru.
Somebody has said that Americans
make the best Frenchman Of all the
foreigners who flock here from all parts
Of the globe; and from what bave seen
of our beloved countrymen abroad, am
inclined to believe that such is really the
fact. The English are always Euglish,
and promenade in London styles on the |
Rue de Riooi, affect nothing but dog
carts and drags on the Boulevards and |
in the Bois de Boulogne, and when they |
condescend to learn French, never speak |
it without the peculiar nasal cockney |
twang of Picadilly. The Russians, of
whom there are always large colony
here, are intensity Russo in everything,
and spend more money on diamonds,
and questionable women,
then all the other fOrei pnarS nur topafh-