The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-08-03
PARIS LETTER.
CFrom our Regular Correspondent

tFrOm our Regular Correspondent
PARIS, July 9th, 1878
Much interest now ccntcrs IN the Rdrospcc.
tive Exhibition at the Trocadero, and to-day
we will visit il to make brief examination of
the antique and medieval displays Of Portu.
gal, before we pass to the detached and inter
esting shows facing the hill opposite the Champ
de Mars. In Portugal we have people whose
history is greater than their map. 1t was one
of the most glorious OF the fifteenth and six
teenth centuries. There are before us mcmor-
ials OF its great poets, Of its bold navigatOrS, of
heroes, and enlightened princes Of the oldcn
time. The eclipse came with the domination
of Philip II. Of the House of Austria, which
was elected by a revolutionary movement in
the time of Cromwell. Dom Pedro of Brazil
is the heir, according to the spirit of those
princes and he is splendid living illustration
of the Artist Theory. Qualities of the race
which had given it peculiar lustrc, after lying
cryptic for ages rcappearcd in him and in a
tropical atmosphere not propitious to mental
| vi ih'id NlSbis
| Portugal is once more in the path Of steady
progress Her primary schools are as good as
those of any other European people; the maps
executed by their pupils are very meritorious.
In this collection is II bed made by Lisbon
artisan and decorated by the pencil Of Rapha-
ell, its estimated value is 100000 fr. but it is
not for sale. Here also is desk venccred with
sandal wood it is unique in. its kind, and at
the fall of Morocco, in 1911 was taken out Of
the palace Of Mulay Mahomed, by Nuno Voz
de CASTILLO II Spanish knight in the Portuguese
service. From desk OF this shape and height,
and long legged stools, literary habits are to be
inferred. Next let us glance at the elegantly
shaped faience vessels the rich old Indian car
pets, and shawls sent from Portuguese mcr.
chants ut Goa to lady chapes in their own
country, and at the iiligree jewels worn by
sister of the Emperor Charles the fifth. Genoa
may have borrowed her manufacture of tiigrce
ornaments from Lisbon
In the Spanish, Portuguese Egyptian, and
other foreign exhibitions of retrospective in
dustrial art, visitors are allowed to make sketch
rs in their note books. They have not the
same liberty in the French sections There is
there strict rule forbiddng them to repro
duce what they see in any manner or form, and
pains are taken to keep out those persons who
ppear to have serious or absorbing work to
attend 10. The market value of most things in
the left wing of the Trocadero has been en-
HANGED by admission to it. The public pays
for the building in which they are exhibited,
and care is taken that the public shall reap no
benefit from the outlay. Twenty-Five visitors
at Il time are admitted, and only from noon till
1 O'Clock
Among the isolated buildings on the Troca-
dero side ofthe Seine, we find an Algerian and
Il Tunisian palace a japanese peasants house
and garden, Il Chinese bazar and wealthy
merchants residence, Norwegian country
residence, built of wood, a pattern oi excellent
carpentry, the Anthropological Museum,
showing how the human skull has developed
since the age of stone, and the Pavilion of the
Shah of Persia. There are in the Althropolo o
gical collection skulls and facial CaSS of some
of the worst criminals that have been condemn
cd TO death sin &c Gall and Spurzhem excited
an interest in phrcnology, and also of such
distinguished pc rSonages as Scott Pricstly,
Humboldt, and Iamartnc. When looking at
the narrow villainous heads of the former 1t is
difficult TO avoi d the impression thai theywere
fatally impeled to yield To temptation. Scott
could no more have helped cnriching the lit
eratue of his country than the rose bush can
avoid blooming when planted in favorable soil.
This, it will be said, is discovery after the
fact but the doctrine is very generally acknow-
lodged to-day, that much that is best in our
selves we owe TO our ancestors, and since we
derive our evil instincts from them too, we
should be humble even in the climax Of sue
cess, and be pitiful towards those who fill our
prisons. 1t is past generations that have made
us what we are but we can improve their work |
under the pressure of high moral stimulants
and favorable religious iniluenccs.
The Shal's pavilion is pal9se of mirrors. /