Mexico weekly ledger., 1878-08-15

written history of civilization, which
every one can read, of whatever ma
ton or language. lThey attract the
attention of the peasant and the schol-
ar, and teach history and philosophy
by the contrast of the productions of
Human labor of all periods and coun-
tries.
The French exhibit is the most
complete, as whole, and 10 divided
by partitions into q series of halls, or
apartments. 50 as To more distinctly
mark the different periods.
The prehistoric period is brought
boldly forward by the extensive co..
'ections which have been made IN va
'ious parts Of Europe during the past
en- years, such as instruments of
tone from the bone caverns, peat
'Ogs, and from the lake dwellings of
switzerland. The cases are filled
, with enormous spear heads of flint,
hatchets, and otherrudely-made inn
plements, formed by chopping, and
without polish. These occur in asso-
citation with the bones and teeth of
the extinct cave bear, the elephant,
and the 'mastodon and specimens Of
these are displayed in the sane cases.
These implements are supposed to be-
long to the first, or earliest stone pc
riod. A second, or later period of
the stone age is indicated by imple-
ments of superior finish, such as
were ground down to smooth sur
face, and in some instances polished.
The next hall contains instruments
of the bronze period, extending to
the Gallo Roman. The objects con-
sist chiefly of cutting instruments, ag-
ricultural implements, lamps, and OBJ
jects of ornament, sIch as bracelets
ofbronze and of gold, rings and pins.
of the latter, one collection contains
pins with a shield for the points, and
ii 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 contains
the rem arkablc golden necklace from
the museum of Toulouse. The repre-
sentatiOn of the work of the middle
ages is characterized by variety of
church ornaments, such as oak chests,
seals, caskets, croziers, bronzes set
with rock-crystal, like those of China
and Japan, ivory earrings, Illuminated
missals of vellnm- srvnrds and 2.haia-
arlnOr.
The fifth hall contains objects of the
sixteenth century, or the Rene issahce
period. Here are found curiously-
fashioned iron locks and keys, cutting
instruments, jewelry, and few near
ly sperical Watches The enamels of
Images occupy large space, and
came ir great part from the collection
of Baron Rothschild.
At the entrance of the sixth hall,
representing the arts of the seven
teenth and eighteenth centuries,
curious collection ofhigh-heeled boots
and shoes attracts considerable atten-
ton. Here also one sees the fainces
of Rouen and the productions of the
ren)wned Pallissay, old furniture,
mirrors, inlaid cabinets, hlock-letter
books, and specimens of boCk-bind-
ing. The collections of this period
are continued in the hall beyond, and
contain the porcelains of Sevres,
richly-wrought table service of silver,
miniatures, sunff-boXes,
thread lace, and elaborately decorated
fans. Although the collection of an
iiquities, as a whole, is very largo
and interesting, it cannot be regarded
as complete exhibit of the progress
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 historic
ally shown. The collection is also de-
ficient in the representation of the
ancient arts, and the civilization of
China, Japan, Egypt, Mexico, Gen.
trail America and Peru.
Somebody has said that the AmerI-
cans make the best Frenchmen of all
the foreigners who flock here from all
parts of the globe; and from what 1
have seen of oui beloved countrymen
abroad, am inclined to believe that
such is really the case. The English
are always English, and promenade
in London style on the Rue de Rivoli,
affect nothing but dog-carts and drags
on the boulevards and in the Bois de
Boulogne, AMI, VIXEN they condescend
to learn French, never speak it with
out the peculiar nasal cockney twang
of Picadilly. The Russians, of whom
there is always a large colony here,
are intensely Russo III everything, and
spend more money on diamonds,
champaign and questionable women,
than all the others put together. The
Germans, of whom we have also a
great many, are, as rule, of an eco
nomical turn of mind !; patronize cheap
Restaurants and third-class hotels and
assimilate with nothing as readily as
with beer. They are the least popu-
l,r of all the foreigners here, for Paris
has not yet forgotten 1871. But an
American has not been q week in
Paris before ne weata his moustache.