New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-19
TOPICS IN PARIS.
MYSTICISM THE RAGE OF THE HOUR
A MUCh-CONsULTED PROPHETEss--
THE SEASON.


n,,s,,cisr, 10 tho a,,-neryading rage Of the
hour here In Paris at the present moment anu
the "scmaine- sainte," as Holy Week Is known
in France. has served to call forth such an as
tonishng manifestation thereof that 1t surprised
even those who are mos hardened and accus-
toned to the paradoxica character OF the Parl-
slams. Thus we have in the Rue du Paradis
Young girl OF the name Of Mile. Couenon. who
Is posing as being inspired by the Archangei
Gabriel She appears to go into frances OF a
somnambuIistlc character In the course OF which
her utterances are stated to be those or the
Archangel Mile Couenon declares that Gabriel
first manifested himself to her in August last,
when he explained TO her the mission WIN
which she has been intrusted by PROVIDENCE
She adds that since then whenever she is IN
a state Of trance it Is the Archangel VINO Is
speaking through her mouth, and who permeates
her whole being to such an extent as 10 eX-
tinguish her own personality and individuality.
II will scarcely be believed that this astound-
ing tale finds innumcrable believers among all
classes Of the population. All sorts Of people have
been 10 consult her concerning the future. and
the Cardinal-Archbshop has actually been COM
PEELED to issue = pastoral letter to his clergy
prohibiting them from visiting her In conse-
quence Of the crowds Of priests who have been
focklng to the Rue Paradis. The newspapers
are devoting whole columns to the subject. ana
her role Of prophecies constitutes the all-abscrb
Ing topic of conversation. Among those VINO
have coneuted her this week have been num-
her Of prominent Government officials, eminent
politicians. and even Academciars. including
the accomplished and versatile director Of the
Coincide FRANCHISE. NJ Jules Claretie They
all profess to come to scott. but leave her house
nd Denoted
features Prince Henry Of Orleans has also been
10 see her, and 1t Is eaid that she predicted to
him the eternal exile Of the house OF Orleans
and OF the Bonapartes declaring at the same
time that the downfall Of the Republic was
imminent and that France would be saved by
a foreign prince who would ascend the throne
She prophesies wars disasters and catastrophes
Of every kind for the near future and what Is
more. people to believe her and 10 De
deeply impressed BY her utterances.
That there Is a strongly developed tendency to
mysticism In the French character Is apparent
from the fact that clairvoyants have always had
a far greater success here In Paris than anywhere
else I'm Europe Thus the great Napoleon. and
even his sceptical and cynical Minister, Talley-
rand. did not disdaln to consult the celebrated
somnambulist Nine lie NOrmand. and their ex-
ample was followed by the Third Napoleon ana
by many princes Of the House Of Orleans More
over 1t was only a short time ago that the Due
de la Rochefoucauld-D oudeauville was engaged
In legal proceedings against Nine. Mongruel. who
has hitherto been considered as the doyenne of
the clairyoyants. with the object OF preventing
her from using In her prospectuses the fac-simile
OF letter addressed to her in lS49 by his father
In which the latter describes her as an "amiab.e
and natural sbyl"
HOLY WEEK PLAYS
The mysticism OF the Parisians at the present
time Is not confined to carvoyance II has per-
vaded almost every walk OF He. and during Holy
Week We have had actors such as Mounet-Sully OF
the Coincide FRANCHISE. preaching sermons
adapted from Bossuet at the Bodiniere while the
Ambigu. the Porte Saint Martin and other thea
tres have been giving plays OF Scripturai char-
ac,er representing phases Of the Messiah's life.
especially that portion thereof known as the
Passion. the characters being as correctly cos
tuned as II the pieces were "Ruy Bias or La
Jeunesse de Louis XIV" In fact, this practice
Of placing representations OF the most sacred
phases OF the Christian religion upon stage that
has but a few hours previously been utilized ior
the production OF ballots resembling the nautch
dances OF India has ended by exciting the in
dignation Of the ascetlc Card!nal-Archbishop. WHO
has issued formal protest against this urging
the faithful TO abstain from witnessing such
dcsecra ton of all that they regard as holy. His
Emnence appears indeed. to be In the vein OF &C.
cesiastical nJunctIons. for he has just Issued a
circular letter To the clergy OF his diocese calling
their attention the cid canonical regulation pro-
hibiting the employment OF women singers In
sacred edinccs. This law has been 50 frequently
set at nought here in Paris. where artists IKE
Nine Alboni Mime. Carvalho and others have
charmed congregations by their superb singing
OF sacred solos that most people have become
ignorant Of Its very existence short time ago,
however when Miss Siby Sanderson sang the solo
In a high mass at the Church. Of Notre Dame de
Lore,te. the sacred edhce was momentarily
turned into veritable pandemonium Long be-
fore the service began the church was crowded.
People trampng on each other In their
anxiety to find room. men swore and women
ravcd because they could not get enough standing
accommodation, and during the most solemn part
OF the service angry voices were heard In dispute,
while al the close OF each OF her solos shouts OF
bis resounded through the nave II Is this
scandalous scene that has provoked Cardinal
Richard TO revive 4 regulation In the matter OF
singing which Will be regretted BY many lovers
OF fine music.
The two salons which are now about 70 open
at the Palais de rIndustre and the Champs de
Mars likewise betray the mystic fad OF the
hour by the altogether unusual proportion OF
religious subjects among the 5000 paintings ac-
cepted for exhibition. There is wonderful
After TIE Deuge" by Schutzenberger, Con
version OF Mary Magdalen" by Mile. Achillc
Fould which is a subject OF much discussion In
the artistic world. while there are Sacrifices of
Isaac" prayer scenes. Good Samaritans, Nativi-
ties and Crucfxors by the score. The most
markable picture of this kind. however. has no
place IN the Salon, but Is on view at the house Of
its painter. NJ. Munkaczy; it 10 destined for the
International Exhibition at Budapest, which
opens a couple Of months hence. 1t bears
the title Of "Ecce Homo" and represents Pontius
Plate showing Christ to the crowd in a last
effort to avoid condemning him to death. The
canvas Is large one. quite large indeed,
the great artists previous painting OF Christ
Before Plate" with which 1t must not be con-
fused. There are in the painting some forty or
fifty figures all life-slze.
THE HEIGHT OF THE SEASON
We now In the throes OF the Partisan
season. The Concours Hippique. which is far
more OF social and fashionable occurrence
than an equestrian one. Is In full swing at the
Palais de rIndustrle. The first great horserace
I'll cho ON Monday