New-York tribune., 1886-02-14
PARIS GOSSIP.

BIGAMY-A PRINCE OF FTUNIS-THEATRICAL.
IRON The REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TmBUNE.I
PARIS, January 80
The trial and conviction of the Alfortvllle big
amist has set all the throne and altar" journals
writing against the bad morals of the Republic; as
though Francis l., Henri ~, Louis XIV, Louis
XIV. and Napoleon ILL., were paragons of purity-nOt
to mention the Duchesse de Berri and host OF
lesser lights of French royalty. These same jour
nails wrote against NJ. Naqucts divorce law, bat
that measure has proved beneficial to public
morals Polygamy and crimes against the Seventh
Commandment flourish where there is slavery.
Prince TaTeb, brother of the Bey of Tunls-who is
now living here-tells me that wherever free lnstl-
tutiOns make their way in North Africa, the polyg-
amous household tends to disappear He himself
has only one wife. She is not here with him, but
he speaks of her with ahectlonate admiration
They both, he says, grew old together; both
watched with loving interest the evolution OF an
only daughters mind, and are now devoted to her
children; without, however, being selhShly
wrapped up in them, for they continue to adopt,
so far as their means will admit, orphan girls
Prince Taleb thought that one of the reasons why
a society which lcgalizcd polygamy could go on
existing for centuries as that of Turkey had done.
was the constant influx of hardily-reared men
from the hills of the Balkans and Greece aud from
the Armenian mountains. They were all the sons
OF homogeneous families ard reared in poverty.
Nchcmet ALI who wrcstcd Egypt from the Turks,
was Mace lOnian.
Prince Taicb Is majestic old man. He lives in
n handsome fiat in the Rue IrOuchct at the corner
that faces lie Pnntemps drygoods store. His
daughter IS in TunIs and the wife of a homogeneous
husband. She has several children. one of whom
has accompanied his grandfather to Paris and l.
the delight of his old age He is very fair and
4 - Ip hn
the Koran to Taie5, who comments
upon it as the reading goes on
Prince Taicb speaks through an interpreter. In re-
cclying visitors he .its on diyan. but not cross
legged Clouds of incense rise from burners in the
corners of the room IN which he holds his recep-
tions The graudchd takes yisit tors known to him
by the hand and leads each of them 20 the Prince.
Taicbs household Is, with the exception OF the sec
retary and Interpreter, entirely composed OF
persons of his religion, which does not however,
prevent some of them going to drink alcoholic
LIQUORS in the ghbOring cafes. The table to which
at luncheon | had the honor of sitting down Is
served in the European fashion. Ladies are often
invited with their husbands to share the repast OF
His Tighncss, who stands next in order of Sncces-
sion 10 the actual Bey of Tuns. Madame de Les
srps and her children were his guests last week.
and he went to see NJ de Lesseps start for London
cn route for Panama.
lam glad to hear that Mr. Pigott, deputy lcenser
Of PLAYS in England, has forbidden Sapho" A
more disgraccful exhibition of low vice have
never seen on the stage. 1t Is thousand times
worse than ANYTHING of Ohcnbach. " lie GTande
Duchesscv was a droll mInX. But Fanny
lie Grandc' ("Sapho') is vile harlot
in pcrsonating whom Jane lladIng endcavOIs to
make Strect-walking attractive. How an acires
who has 4 rich husband and considerable market
value could bring herself to accept such a part
cannot think. 1t is all nonsense TO say that art
pnrtcs everything il touches. There are contracts
which degrade artists and their art. What. Dan
de: in dedIcating the novel Sapho,' from which
the play is taken, to his son enjoined him not to
read it until he twenty-one And then he
and Bclot produce on the stage, crudcly-
without mutilImg up, and indeed, III
point blank way-thc worst features of
the boOk Partisan playgoers themselves
think the play too revolving. The suggestions of
Jane Hadng's by-play are worthy of the Golden
House when Nero was ImperaOr And without
them the drama would he iIat and meaningless. \
strong reaction has well set in here against the
theatrical brastlness-l cannot think of better
word-whlCh has distinguished the better sort OF
Partisan theatres for many years ana which the
late VI. Perrin did SO much to promote. Dramas
"ln SIX or seven gorgeous dresses" which all the
mantua-makcrs were agog to see, are
going out. suppose lhcIe neNcl
was n greater success than G0udlnetS
Parisicnr of which shall speak on a future oc
caSlOn 1t Is as independent as tragedyot COrIeie
ora comedy of MolIere OF stage scenery and fine
garments but is brimful of good humor and rs drol
as 1t is witty. The wit ~ OF a hlgh KIND, but nm
translatable. Those who would wish TO see " lie
Parisen must come to Paris. Ii Is III the dlaplson
of THE School for Scandal"
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