The Windham County reformer. (Battleboro, Vt.) 1876-1897, 1879-05-30
EUROPEAN LETTERS.

| AND uAhDENo VT
THE PANTHEON, MADELEINE AND
JIuLLET-NAPOLEoN'S RESTING PLACE.
[For the REFoRMER by Mrs. +. NJ Bakerl
A half mile from the palace of YER
sales is the Grand Trianon, built for the
pleasure of Mad. Maintenon. 1t is
Versailles in miniature, in which the
original loses nothing of its beauty.
Here are kept the state carriages which
have been used for weddings, christen-
ings, and various other important occa-
sions. One room at Trianon is called
the Malachite room, from the great
number OF its elegant malachlte orna-
ments, and which strange to say, were
present from Alex l., Gar OF Russia,
to Napoleon l. Of course there are
here The usual supply of vases, mo-
saics, bronzes. porcelain, crystal, etc., as
there are at all such places. Also many
fine pictures. An exquisite statue OF
Hortense Bonaparte iBeauharnais) with
her Young SON Napoleon 1ll.,-stand-
ing beside her, cannot fail to attract 'he
notice of the observer; neither can q
marble life-size of the last mo!hehtS g, y,
Napoleon l., sitting in his CHAIR. Inc
nortrait of the late Empress Eugene,
rcnresents her as fine, noble looking
woman.
The celebrated porcelain ware facto-
rv. Siyres, is on the way to Versailles.
The visitor may see the completed, WORKS
at almost any time, but the ateliers ne
cannot see without special permit. Inc
celebrated jardin. des plantes is on the
north side OF the Seine, and is reached
by crossing that river by the bridge OF
Austerlitz. The grounds are regularly
laid out and contain together Win the
extensive hot houses, specimens OF the
vegetable kingdom in countless varieties
from all parts of the globe. Among
them is a cedar of Lebanon. brought
from its native soil and planted here,
more than a century and quarter ago,
hv the celebrated naturalist Jussleu. IL
is magnificent tree, its outstTetcneo
arms shading an immense area. besides
this, the collection of animals in most de-
partments of natural history is very full.
At Place Bastille not from Austerlitz
| Bridge is the celebrated Colonne de
Juiliet. near which was shot by the in
surgents in 1S4S, Archbishop Dennis
Affre. while trying to quell the riot. 1t
is composed of bronze, resting on mar
ble base. surmounted by an elegant
Corinthian capital, above which rests a
large oilt globe on which gilt statue OF
victory balances itself on one foot. IL Is
a pity to be jocose in speaking upon sucn
a subject; but really the statue remlnas
one of trapese performer paianCing
himself at dizzy height. In race
Vendome is the Column Vendome' con
structed at the suggestion OF Napoleon
7. in commemoration OF the successes oi
the French armies, 1t is fashioned after
Traian's column at Rome. 1t has
met with sad reverses, but now looks as
GOOD as new. The bas-reliefs, represent
mo the victories of the French troops
ore cast from cannon taken from the Ger
mans and Russians. 1t is but few feet
lass than one and half hundred In
height. and is surmounted by statue OF
the first Napoleon. Place de la Con-
corde is a spacious rectangle surrounded
nv low balustrade and ornamented py
eioht heroic female figures, emblama'
tic of eight large French cities. On
each side the Avenue Champs Elysees
which pass through the Place, and at the
two sides. stand on pedestals, four stat
ues of horse tanners, the animals being
of grand proportion and their base most
skiIfully arranged. In the center OF the
Place is the ohelisk Of Luxor, presented
70 the CITY by Mohammed Ali; on each
side of this obelisk are two magnificent
fountains, sthe water flowing from hg-
ures of men, women, children, dolphins
and sea and river fish. The Place Is
lighted by 40 lamps, supported by ~
stood the dreadful guillotine which de-
capitated so many victims during tne
French Revolution. Taken All IN All
this is probably one of the grandest Spots
of the kind, not only in ans whicm
abounds in grand places, but In all
France, and perhaps in all Europe. AN
other very imposing structure Is the Iour
81 Jacoues, erected more than $50 years
ago. II once belonged to church oil the
same name, probably as campanlle: IL
;s assembled by $40 steps, and affords
from its summit an extensive view oil the
citv and surroundings. 1t is square
Coth;c tower aud has on one corner OF
the ton n statue of the saint whose name
!, hears In the hall on the ground hoor
Is a statue Of Pascal, who from its summit
made experiments out of which Ultimate
ly grew the barometer.
Tne Pantheon, used as a church ana
Inscribed to St. Genevieve, rs in the form
of a Greek cross above which rises a
t cylinder surrounded by Corinthian COL
: onnade which is surmounted 10y DOME
: above which rises lantern. In 'front.'
c the portico like that al Rome has a dou-
: ble row of huge fluted columns. Tht
a ascent to the poriico is by flight OF
a broad high steps. The inscription OF
the front Is, '.Aux grands hommes j.
/ natrie reconnaissance" of which senti
: ment the relief in the tympsnum is Illus
a trative. Among the figures are scientists
: philosoph,rs. nAtu alists, statesmen, ST
. iists and militaires Under the portic'
K are two large groups Of ststuary, on
N sf which. ST. Genevieve imploring ATM
j the Hun, TO spare Paris. IS psriicuisri
,e 6ne. The domss, semi-dOmes and arche
v are supported by douole rows OF mssslv
k pillars. The walls are in process Of bein
treseoed with subjects from the lives {