The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-29

A Guide to Paris
Though not ostensibly a book,
Paris as 1t Is by Katharine de Forest,
is one of the best guides which one could
have in visiting that fascinating city. In
it may be found descriptions of the man
ners, customs, character and institutions
of the people, as well as of the city itself,
and anyone who intends to visit the Expo
sition will do well to buy and read it
forthwith. 1t is so charmingly written
that the reading is not likely to be diff
ficult task.
The author thoroughly appreciates the
peculiar qualities which make Paris the
delight of the cosmopolitan traveller and
of people from all the countries of the
earth. She writes of the city as of a sec
ond home, and with the assurance of one
who knows the subject thoroughly. The
following description of the city as seen
on entrance is fair example of her style
of word-painting:
Paris is like a fruit divided into two halves
by the cleaning steel OF the river, and each
half on either side rises 4 height which augments
the impression OF mmcnsity. On the left bank it
Is tie Mountain OF Sainte Gencvieye, crowned by
the Pantheon, with its belt Of columns on which
rests its enormous dome. On tnc right is the
white church of the Sacre CDeur. cleaning on the
hill of Mont Martre like some celestial vision.
Ii is at its threshold rather than from the Eife
tower or anywhere else, ] think, that you get
the most poignant impressions Of Paris 4
whole. IL lies spread out before you. with its
setting of distant hills, its swarming expanse
OF houses. dominated here and there by palaces
and broken by the green of gardens; and from
that distance the sounds OF the city come TO
you only as one great suppressed murmur-a muir
muir palpitating with the life Of this great heart
Of the old world.
The author is of the opinion that one
chief source of the charm of Paris is the
gayety of temperament which leads the
French people TO assume that a certain
share of enjoyment is an inalienable right
of man. She says:
Elsewhere men either burn themselves cut with
work or they vegetate II Is only in Paris that
they establish equilibrium between effort and
relaxation This is the reason why the Parsians
always get the credit Of being idlers and loungers
in spite Of the fact that the output Of prcduc-
tion there is enormous.
She also says that you must study the
streets of Paris if you would understand
her, and as the street is accessible to
every foreigner, this is undoubtedly enc
reason for the bewitchment of so many
foreigners with the city on the Seine.
After this introduction. the book is di-
vided into three parts: The first deas with
the life and people, the second with the
life and its institutions. One of the most
interesting of the earlier chapters is that
which deals with the Academicians, and
there are two or three anecdotes herein
contained which sound considerably more
like comic opera than real life. One con-
Germs the great chemist. Ampere, and
dates from the days when Academicians
wore their uniform of green coat, embroi-
dered with laurel leaves and mother-of-
inf iS nj
lows:
He had gone TO a soiFcc to lecture upon a sub
iect very 10 lis heart. and had warmed
up with his eloquence entirely to forget
his surroundings. All at once a sudden con
seriousness Of reality rushed him, and he
looked around TO find 10 his establishment that
the room was entirely empty except for single
person; the mistress vi The house TRANQUILITY asleep
a sofa before him. The most delicate thing
TO do appeared 10 the Acsdemiclan to sip out
quietly, without waking her. hut ill-luck would
have it, it so happened that exactly between the
womau's back aud the cushion was the saVant's
sword, which he had put there so TO be more
at while talking. The excellent Ampere tip
toed 10 the sofa. and 1nccling down, tried 20
withdraw this softly without disturbing his fair
friend. Suddenly. TO his horror the blade came
away. while the sheath stayed, and meanwhile
the sleeper awokc aud began 10 scream loudly at
seeing Ampere, the peaceful Ampere, on his knees
before her, brandishing naked sword. Every
thing explained, but you can fancy how Paris
laughed the next day.
Another fascinating chapter is that on
the Coincide Franchise. The introduction
is exquisitely sympathetic and felicitous:
What an DID, old thing the drama seems, TO be
sure, the FIRST time you 60 there! You feel
though the Greek plays. like Antigone or
oedipus had simply been going on for three thou
sand years As enter under its dusky dome |
always feel though ] were entering into the
presence Of the DRAMA something visible and
palpable Nine. hphonSe Daudet, in The Child
hood Of the PaTisian," tells how, when she was a
little girl. she used to see Ia gloire. 1t was in
the person Of thin, slight old man. a general,
who sat by the hTcidc and talked OF his battles
and the glory of them, and 50 personihed this
| by his personality, that 10 the child he Was
Ia cloire. ANY Francois makes the drama splendid
through all the art treasures which its evolution
had comprised. You that the works OF the
great artists Of all the ages give it dignity, even
in its smallest details Look for instance, at the
collection OF walking sticks for the grand sig
neurs and the petits marquis Of the time OF Mol
iere, dating from his day, with their handles OF
gold, wrought with art by the best orievrcs OF
the day and encrus,ed with precious stones Here
is one of the first specimens OF piano making, IN
one corner Of the grecn-ro0m It is an old spinet,
signed Sebastian Erard ct Frere. Compag
| PriYilegiee du Roi. Rue de Mail No p 4 Paris,
! I790'' II was : specimen for a museum, and Tor
nearly century il had served IN The Barber
| OF Seville
Even the bells Of the theatre are celebrated.
II was one OF them which actually toiled out the
| the beliry OF 81 German rAuxerrois. Joseph
| Chenier secured II for the Francais, and 1t IS
| now used 10 give the signal for the massacre
in the play OF "Charlc. TX"
There is an interesting account Of
| French homes. in which is recorded a con-
yersation between two American girls and