The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1878-06-07
PARrs LETTER.
otes on me City and the Exposition

Notes on the City and the Exposition.
PARIS, May 10Th, 1873.
have spent but two days on the
exposition grounds, my time having
been taken up mainly in securing lodg-
ings, and with the many things that
green American has to contend on en-
tering, for the first time, new coun-
try. which, no matter what may have
been his preparation, he will find suf-
fieiently confusing to give him some
annoyance and cost him some money.
For the present shall write of things |
as they appear to me, after a very i'm
perfect examination, and try to reflect |
the impressions they make upon me. |
This, am persuaded, will be a safer |
role than if were to attempt, after a
four days residence, to write as one
perfectly familiar with this great expo
sition, great city, great people, and, of
course, fail.
The exposition impresses me, at first
sight, as being even more distinctively
French than was ours American
more of national fair, and less of
worlds fair than we had at Philadel-
phia. It will be remembered that at
our centennial we took the trouble to
translate circulars, notices, signs, d.
rections in the street cars, etc., into
the French, German, Italian and Span
ish languages. Nothing of the kind is
done here, although there are, per-
haps, in Paris, fifty times as many
people ignorant of the French Ian
guage as there were in Philadelphia
who did not know English. The French
are the least polyglot of all civilized
people; their vanity will not allow
them to admit the existence of any
other language. But the spread of that
language which philologists, of what
ever nationality, have prophesied will
one day be universal, is felt power
fully in Paris. If a shopkeeper has
salesman, saleswoman or errand boy
that can speak ever so little English.
he is sure to write on his window, in
large gilt letters, English spoken
The exhibits of other Municipalities
have the same general features that
characterized them at Philadelphia,
and in some instances the precise arti-
cles. This is particularly noticeable
in the department of fine arts, where
those who were at Philadelphia in
1876, will see some familiar pictures.
The French art section, l am told by
one who is familiar with the subject,
presents rather q series of revived
memories than OF new sensations.
Very few actual novelties are showing
but the gems of the last decade have
been collected from the different salons
and been distributed in the galleries of
the exposition, with dazzling effect
The gallery of the Luxembourg has
been robbed of its latest acquisitions,
and no effort has been spared to make
the French section eclipse every other.
The American art section, like nearly
all the sections of the exhibition, art
or otherwise, is in a state of incom-
pleteness, nor can it be regarded as a
fair representation of our national art.
Owing probably to the shortness OF
ration, but few of our prominent paint
ers are represented. The visitor sees
nothing national or distinctive in this
section, and an American nothing that
reminds him of home or country. Our
artists seem to have borrowed all their
inspiration from foreign scenery and
foreign subjects, and not to have found
anything worth reproducing at home
Our section is fortunate in possessing
two such fine works as the Funeral OF
Mummy by Mr.. Bridgeman, and
The Death of Vandean Ohief,' by Mr.
Wylie. Bat one cannot help asking
why could not the artist have Wreaked
his genius on the funeral of an Indian
chief, subject quste as rich in pictur-
esque and dramatic element. AND
what is there more tragic in the death
of a royalist of La Vendee than in that
of the man who yields his life in faith
or fanaticism for any other cause
Will we meyer excel in the production
of anything but pows. and prlma
: donnas?
, I will write more in detail about this
exposition when I h ave had time tC
give it more careful study. To Ameri-
cans disposed to come here this year
Punch's famous advice about getting
married is good-'don't.' The wonders
of the exposition are little when COM
pared with the wonders of Paris. and
Paris can be seen with much less ex-
pense in year from now. Prices, ev'
! erybody tells me, have been doubled
It is not necessary to say more in em.
phasis of their eXorbitanoe than that
! they are higher than they were at Phil.
, adelphla the first few weeks of oul
! centennial. Admission costs only &c
: cents, but the visitor will scarcely ge
3 out without having paid more it would
! sound ridiculous, and not nice, to tel
of some of the things for which thes'
s supernaturally refined FrenchmeT
! charge. c. A. 8.