The Washington critic., 1888-03-03
THE CRITIC" ABROAD
MagnihCenCe Of the Grand Opera.
House at Paris.
THE "EI0TEL DES INVALIDES. "
A Visit 20 the Tombs of Turenne
and the Great Napoleon.

PARIS, Feb. 1s-The Grand Opera
House is the largest theatre in the
world, covering three acres of ground,
and all the resources of modern urt
have been applied TO make it the most
magnificent cdifce of the kind in ex-
istence. The costly materials of which
the building ID composed brought
from every part of Europe, the emi-
nence of the architect who designed it
and its splendid situation have COM
bined to produce an edifice worthy of
Paris Four or five hundred houses
were torn down to obtain a site for the
building, at cost of S3y000,000,
and the cost of erecting the building
was about $40, 600, 600 The Government
contributes an annual subsidy of nearly
$4,000, 600 for the support of the estab-
lishment. II Is heated by fifteen fur
naces. The lighting consists of 1900
gas jets. The feet of pipes are equal
in length to about ten miles. Reser-
voirs against fire casualties are in the
basement and on the roof, and are
capable of containing 100000 gallons
Of water. When you first see the front
Of this leviathan pile you are bewild-
cred, owing to the number of objects,
groups, statues, busts and medallions
in marble stone and bronze, of which
they are composed, and the variety of
colors and profusion of gold; and il is
sometime before you can take II all in
and command the power of analyzing
each part singly. There are two
oil fna xttlt
| to the "PdUillon dc pEmperour,
so called from its having been planned
and arranged for the exclusive use of
the royal family. Its retinue, livery
and military escort, about one hundred
people and fifty horses, were to find
accommodations there. The splendor
of the interior decorations is beyond
description. The building is fire
proof, iron supplying the place of
timber, and it was thirteen years in
course of erection. One can prone
made between the acts in the grand
salon, which has boudoir at each
end, and is magnificent apartment.
The ceiling represents the infancy
and maturity of art. The plate glass
mirrors, splendid chandeliers and
elaborately designed and gorgeously
colored paneling are such as can be
seen in no other theatrical building in
the world. The ceiling of the audi
torium is painted on copper and is a
masterpiece. The corridors and stairs
are all of White marble and the grand
staircase is formed like a double
branched horseshoe.
PARIS ON SUNDAY.
Entertainments are given here Sab
bath days, as well as in all the thea
tres of the city. Business is carried
on by the majority of shopkeepers.
The employees stand at the doors OF
their establishments, or on the pave
ments, smoking cigarettes. Buildings
are erected, streets are swept, booths
are well patronized on the Champs
Elysees, and the man with his tray OF
toys is as busy as ever. The streets
are thronged with carriages and eques
trians the boulevards are crowded
and the general aspect of Paris on
Sunday is shocking, and strikingly diff
ferent from what is seen in London
or indeed any other European capital
1t is common thing to give dancing
and elaborate dinner parties Sunday
night. Prayer in the morning anC
pleasure in the evening is the rule Of
most Parisians. One cannot wonder
at the popular comment: paris has {
hundred sauces but no religion"
THE HOTEL DIES INvALIDEs -
is large and handsome establishment
founded in the time of Louis XIV
There is vast esplanade bordere(
by trees before the edifice, and orna
mented with court, portion o
which is laid out in gardens. At tho
entrance is beautiful gate, and herr
are arranged large cannon, glorious
trophies of different wars, among then
being four cannon and two mortar
from Sebastopol. This is really {
soldiers home, and can accommodate
5000 invalids, but there are at presen
only 500, and the number is decreas
ing, rs most of the "invalides" prefer
TO live Independently on their pen
sions. We visited the refectoriei
and kitchens. There are four re-
fectories, three of which are appro
priated to subofiicers and privates ant
one to officers, They each contain
thirty tables, each table seating twelve
persons. These rooms are decorated
with frescoes representing towns con
quered by Louis XIV. There are two
Kitchens and large spit capable Of
roasting 400 pounds at a time. There
is fine library attached to the hotel
founded by Napoleon l., containing
over 10000 volumes. The church con
tains all the banners taken by the
French in their wars with other ma
tions. AT one time l 800 were burned
to prevent their falling into the hands
of the enemy.
The different governors of the hote
are allowed to be buried in the nave
and have monuments erected in thC
church. The remains of Napoleon
were placed here temporarily after
being brought from st. Helena. We
then passed into the dome of The
church. Its height to the top of tho
cross is 323 feet. The interior is circu
and transept. The dome is supported
by eight arches, between which the
ceiling is beautifully painted. The
tombs of Turenne and Vauban arr
placed opposite each other. The body
of Turcnne, buried at ST. Denis, wa
dug up hundred years later by tn,
convention. ltfell into the hands of {
gravedigger, who hoped to exhibit it a
fairs, but becoming alarmed, Informed
the convention of his possession, anC
1t was transferred to the museum il
the Jardin des Plantes, where it re
mained three years. Again falling int
the hands Of speculator it was eX
hibited in another museum, and tinall,
inferred with great pomp in the ''In
valides." A winding staircase ol
each side of the high altar leads to tn,
crypt containing
THE TOMB OF NAPOLEON I.
Over the entrance is this quotation
from the Emperor's will: 81 deslr
| that my oShos n,nV ranoca or tho bonly