Grand Rapids morning telegram., 1885-02-04
THE BEAUTY OF PARIS.
MRS. ImMENs's LECTURE.
a Visit Among the Wonders and Mag
nificeoee Of the French Metropo-
lis Briefly Described.

Powers's Opera House was moderately
nlled last evening b. an appreeiative aud
ience. 10 listen % Mrs. Immen's description
Of sights seen b. her ia Paris. Mayor Bel
KNAPP made short introductory address upon
tie objects IN view, a. connected with the
Soldiers Monumental Fund, and expressing
Ia pleasure az seeing the continued interest
manifested IN keeping alive the memory Of
those who had been sacrificed for the country.
The project Of rearing Monumental Foun-
tain on Monroe street, Mr.. Belknap said was
IA a hopeful condition.
Mrs Immen divided her discourse into
two parts, with brief intermission, and
apologized for the absence of the music,
which had been expected The first part
was mainly historical, and the second, de-
scriptiye Of personal experiences and the
leading features Of the most beautiful
European metropolis. Paris of to-day, she
said, swims in verdure, as beautiful as Venice
the sea swan. and i representative OF
country teeming with an industrious people,
whose products, natural ana artificial, con
tributes to the wealth OF all countries. The
French, as people, above all others, should
be held in grateful remembrances' by Ameri-
cans, in that she had sent 6,010 Of her sons
10 our relief in helping TO establish liberty in
America, and had but recently emphasized
their sympathy with our nation by the mag
uiicent gift of the Bartholdi statute.
Paris covers an area of one hundred and
thirty-fve miles and contains e population
of =, ,OOO, 600 souls. The noblest features of
the city are its magnificent public improve
ments, It's streets, boulevards, parks and
monuments. It's leading thoroughfare,
which extends from the Bastile to the Made
line, connects its ancient with its modern
history. A sketch was here given, extending
from the conquest of the country by the
Romans and Franks to the revolution which
razed the Bastile TO the grounds sketched
the foundingof the Tuilleries by Charles TX.
the building of the Portes St. Martin and st.
Denis. the BOurse, the boulevards; gave
word pictures of cafe life, the flower markets,
the sewerage systems of this city and de
scriptions of the Arc de lEtOile ana Hotel
des Invalides. In the latter place repose the
remains of the Great Napoleon, on the banks
of the Seine among the French people
whom he loved so well. ''The madness of
the Commune had torn down the Column
Vendome, burnt the Tuilleries, but left the
tomb OF the hero unharmed."
Mrs Immen gave some personal comments
on the reign of Napoleon Ill, and his efforts
to initiate his uncle; upon communism, and
the effects and influence it might have upon
this country; incidents of the siege of Paris,
and the establishment of the Republic with
Thiers as president.
The surprising powers of the French peo-
pie TO recuperate, after disasters, was re
ferred to, and the wonderful beauty of this
city in spite of its many and recent misfor-
tunes. The necessity of good knowledge
of the French language, for the convenience
of travel, was impressed by incidents of
ludicro0s and expensive blunders caused by
the lack of it. A visit to Worth, the great
man dress-ma ker, was described, the magni-
icence of the Grand Opera, the Theatre
Francais, the Hotel de la Vile, the Institute,
the Jardin des Plantes, the Morgue, the
Panthenon, the Church of the Madeline, the
gobelin tapestry mandatory, the news
papers of Paris, the wonders and glory of
the Louvre gallery, the Place de la Concorde,
the Champs Elysee, and the Bois de Bolo-
gne, were all delineated with graphicness
quite satisfying and real. Mrs. Immen's
voice and manner were pleasing and her
delivery good.