The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1888-09-20
French and English Charac
teristics,
As Seen in the Two Capitals
Paris and London.
Church Of st. Mary MagdaIene--Place
de Ia COncOrdc-Presldent's Res.
idence-Industrial Palace
Church OF the Inyalides.
PARIS. June 18th,

hcent capitol. can convey nut lalnt
idea OF the many splendid streets with
their brilliant shops and magnificent
stores, the beautiful parks filed with
statuary, flowers, trees and fountains,
the long shady avenues, lined with pala.
tial residences, the plazas, monuments
and other beautiful public and private
works of art in which the city abounds
The French people have long been rec.
ognized by the world as its leaders in
fashion, decorative art and showy and
brilliant displays. The whole city seems
to have been built with the element Of
splenGor, gaiety and fashion predomi.
mating. The contrast with London is
very striking. The characteristics Of
English and French nations may be
very well shown by study of their re.
spective capitols In London the build.
ings are less artistic but more firm, i'm.
posing and substantial than in Paris.
The streets are narrow and plain. The
people live indoors, and are exclusive.
The whole city has the appearance of
business and power. In Paris the scene
is different. The streets are broad and
beautiful. The people live outdoors the
greater part of their time, and places of
public amusement abound on every side.
We find no heavy appearance to the
city. All is gaie,y, enjoyment and
amusement. There is more of a stern,
masculine air about London, while Paris
is more delicate, stylish and effeminate.
The streets in Paris are more regular
and are lined with trees, white in Lon
don the trees are confined mainly to the
parks. There is lightness and vivacity
about Paris that is not found in London,
and in the former city will be found an
easy, enjoyable manner that is not found
in the latter. The French are not such
a grasping, warlike nation as are the
English. They are more excitable and
impulsive, and lack the calm, studied
reserve OF the English. So we find typi-
fled in the city OF Paris some prominent
characteristics of the French as is London
the index to English habits, thoughts
and character.
Monday morning about 0 o'clock the
carriages called at the hotel to take us
on our first days sightseeing. Mr..
Cook provides carriages and guide for
his patrons, and in every way makes it
pleasant and convenient for them. These
carriages are large enough to hold ten
or twelve persons, and are drawn by four
or six horses. 1t was beautiful morn.
ing, and Paris showed up to good ad-
vantage. The restaurants and wine
houses have tables in front of them on
the sidewalks, and around these num-
ber OF men and women were already
seated, enjoying a bottle OF claret or
some other wine. The people in Paris
drink wine ON all occasions. In every
hotel wine is served, and is found at
ever plate On the dinner table OF nearly
every Parisian inn. The parks and
avenues and parks were filed with car
riages and horsemen out for morning
ride. We drove through one Of the
principal streets, and first stopped at the
church OF st. Mary Magdalene. Tho
foundation Of this superb classic struct-
ure was laid by Louis XIV. in 1854. The
original design was that OF the Pantheon,
but before it was furnished much OF the
earlier Greek style OF architecture was
introduced. 1t is massive stone edi-
fee, and was about seventy years in
building. Three architects constructed
it, two having died before its compile
ton. The total cost was over three mil
lion dollars. The carvings over the
front entrance, representing the last
Judgment, are very elaborate, and were
designed by Lemaire. Each bronze door
contains a representation of the Ten
Commandments The interior is very
fine, and is surrouIded BY affairs, images
and paintings. Candles are kept con-
stantly burning in different portions of
the building. A number OF richly dress
ed men are constantly present to watch
and take care OF this magnificent sanct-
uary.
Leaving this we drove to the Place de
la Concorde, the finest open square in
all Europe. 1t is situated between the
famous Garden OF Tuileries and the
Champs Elysees. In the center stands
an Egyptian monument, smaller but
better preserved than either the one in
London or the one in New York. This
site.has tragic history. 1t was origin
ally waste piece of ground, but after
the treaty OF AK la Chapelle, statue
of Louis XIV. was erected here and a
beautiful square formed, When Louis
XVI. married Marie Autoinette, the
people assembled here to celebrate the
event by display of fireworks. A
panic arose during the celebration and
1900 persons were crushed to death, be-
sides 1000 being seriously injured. Dur
ing the Reign of Terror, the guillotine