The times., 1899-01-01
PARIS AND PARIsIANs.
The Possibility of n Revolution
OptimisticaIly Discussed.
Trom the london Salurday Review.l

(lrom the LONDON SATURDAY kcNleN-l
When scbas;ien Mercier called Paris la gum
quette du monde he simply stated old fact
in form. Long before the clever bohemian
his spirited sketches OF the capital, it had
become the playground of the downright idle
well as OF the more cultured classes OF Europe.
Louis NV was, perhaps, too polite to compare
the foremost city Of his kingdom 10 a mere resort
for amusement, not 10 say iunketing ground, but
he fully alive to the Iascination it had for
pleasure loving foreigners, and TO the sdyantages
that might accrue 10 the Parisians themselves
from the increase OF that attraction. When Man
sart his architect, got frightened at the enor-
mOGs outlay involved in his royal masters plans
TOR the emncllisinent of Paris, and more or less
inpGdied IN ms accounts, LOUIS told him to go
on building. ''lf you short Of funds, l will
advance the money; the foreigne. Is sure 10 re-
inlhursc us he said
To SKIP u couple OF centuries and to come in
our own days, Napoleon lll's faith in the willing
OF the foreigner pay liberay foF the enter,
tainmcit provided for him pronabiy strong
that the Bourbon; the sou Of Hortensc did
not, however. possess the private wealth OF the
latter 10 back his faith. Nevertheless. he virtual
ly took leaf from the Gland Monarpuc's book,
but slightly transposed the text. 60 on build
ing, he S9id 10 HaiisSInann; the foreigner will
reimburse the funds expended; bot YOU must ask
the Pari>ians 20 advance them" The Parisans
did they biddcn, though not without
sTum5iing At the beginning, but for many years
they had their reward for the Third hemIbiic
continued in that respect the traditions the
Second Enplre. aud made the capital ia gum
quette dn monde i'll sense the lIaruni-scarIiu
author Of ''ie Tableau de- Paris could not have
foreseen in his widest imagination. In little
less than forty -flve years the Second Empire and
the regime that ousted it organized iour big
exhibitions. Much was forgiven To tile Third Re
public and its adventurers Tor hayin. brought ;lle
sheep 10 be fecccd 10 the door OF the parisiaps
themselves, To be halked at the eleventh hour
OF the gittcring spoil, ncthaphoricsiiy cianelcd
before ihc'r eyes tor 4 couple of years, will put
them out of conceit with tine powers tiat be.
hill the fatlst;ins sweep then,
t.p Hog
cn,icav1r 20 fo;nent revolution, ~ they a-e
supposed 10 have done twice within this cc,itiir,
j. c, IN 1850 and in 1siS? Personally we doubt
it, FOR We happen 10 bc aware that there are tyo
| citcgnrics OF rarisiars that frequently con.
| founded hy the distant observer There is the
| real Parisiau, ''un Vrai PsrisCn dc Paris; gn
| archi Parisien du bon Dieu, bonhcJnfnc cornme
| ur champehois," IS Jcau-jacques Rousseau tie,
Scribes him. lie is the native was his father
and, perhaps, his grandfather; for thc population
| OF Paris is recruited from the provinces and TO
small extent from fcrri.gn countries. The real
| rariSiaEs constitute at the most but a third part
/ o the inhabitants; tlie are PsTisans by adoJ-
| ton. The real Partisan does not make reyolu-
lions. but lie submits 10 them and is even dragged
| into them.
| History is there 10 prove what We say Michelet
has concinsiycy shown tiat after the compulsory
| flight OF Henri ILL., MAY L. l5sS), and At the
Iournec des Bavrcadcs during the regency Of
| Anne OF Austria (Ausust -. 1GIs) not third oi
| the Paris population rallied to either 81 the in
| s!rgent chiefs, The police reports on the state
| Of public opinion during the Revolution make it
clear beyond Doubt that the eXccsses comm II ed
| in il Ian.e We're submitted to rather than ac-
| ccptcd g Pariswc are still referring to the ma
tive population, belonging TO the lower. middle
| and higher houryeoisie. We could go with cur
| proofs had we space. But he is TO tive.
! half ape, half tiger Noltsirc is supposed 10
| have said when speaking oi the population %
| Paris after the horrible execution OF plmicnt.
| What Noltairc really did say was that Paris was
inhabited ~ tigers goadcd by apes The ,al
| parisiar is the ape: the sham ParisaDs and the
| provincials7 who have 10 seek their fortune OF
| mere subsistence the tigers.