New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-04-13
LENT In PARIS.
Great Change s0itb DiuOrce of
Church and State.
Paris, March &c.

prsstocracy OF the FauboUrg ST. German has
cast aside its traditions and opened its salons
"a entertainments as brilliant as those formerly
exclusively held in the summer season. A we'd
sing IN Lent was practically unheard of in
former years: this year we have seen half a
6ozen weddings. IN which the most prominent
families OF the world of fashion have taken
part
All these six weeks which have preceded Good
Friday have indeed contained a succession OF
CAV parties, in which hostesses have We'd with
each other in providing original forms OF
amusement. There have been bridge teas. lit
arary teas. theatrical teas and musical teas
At the literary teas authors and authoresses
have read before n distinguished crowd
messages from the last or next work. popular
lecturers have given addresses on subjects OF
interest, IN which. as a general rue-feminism
being the order of the dsy-women have been
the theme. N. Leo Claretie. for example. adj
dressed an assemblage of women in the house
OF one popular hostess on the subject OF
woman as a Poem" He had great success.
The Princess de Etirbey, with the help Of a
few clever friends. gave. in her fine salon. a
marty which " i probably be talked OF until
Whitsuntide, so original and clever was It.
After performing a poem set 10 music in twelve
well executed scenes. the little troup of anna
feufG gave an lnpuDlSneu play Cdlleu Inc
SINGING Stone" which was described on the
programme as a shadow play with luminous
songs Before an audience which included
some Of the most honored names OF the Al
nanach de Gotha this entertainment also en-
Joyed huge success.
Another unusual feature OF this season has
been the Sunday entertaining. number Of
hostesses with narriageabe daughters have
given dancing matinees, at which young men
and maidens have danced from 3 O'Clock in
the afternoon until s with immense enjoy
ment. No attempt is made at these gather
lngs to give them the air OF a ball. The sun
Is frankly admitted to the party and artificial
light is not used until necessary. No married
women are expected to dance at these matt
nees; they are only admitted as chaperons.
Musical parties have not been wanting this
Lent, but they have perhaps been the least
popular OF ali. Parisians are not nearly so
fond OF music as they believe themselves to
be- and they only lend critical and half bored
ear 70 the finest Of singing. Yet there are
among Paris hostesses one or two women who
can compare favorably with the principal
singers OF the Opera or Opera Comique. There
is for instance. Nine. Tassart. wife OF the
sudee of the First Tribunal Of the Seine. who
possesses a voice OF great sweetness and power
The organ has been as carefully trained IL
its owner had been destined for the stage. and
Nine. Tassart is in great request I'm music
loving circles. Her large private fortune and
her husbands social position, combined with
her own talent. make her prominent figure
in Paris society.
But besides all these social entertainments
society in fits spare moments has attended
innumerable lectures at the Sorbonne and else
where. Nowhere does the lecturer, in fact. have
greater ErlcceEs fl7ar in this CFrv ANY dazy
the week lecture lovers are tempted with tho
most diverse Of bait. and the lecture halls wear
the appearance Of drawing rooms. so smart are
the feminine hearers. Mr.. Cary Coolidge. on
American subjects and n. Jules Lemaitre. on
Rousseau. have perhaps drawn the largest
audiences but there have been subjects as
varied AZ Ponies and Fisheries in the Shetland
Isles" Japanese Agriculture and Manufact-
ure.' The Ethiopian Market and The
Autobus IN Paris"
Another kind OF lecture IN great vogue here at
the moment is that IN which some popular con-
temporary writer is expounded 70 the public
Thus We have lecturers who undertake 10
throw light on the dark places Of Her
views plays; another who attempts TO eluci-
Gate the American novelist's methods and his
conception OF life as compared with those
Of the French novelist Such lecturers take
for their text some recent translation OF
an American book. Mrs. Wharton's House
q Mrth." for instance. has been described.
analysed and expounded 10 Parlsians by mem
hers Of the Academy. Mrs. ClewE Parsons
Family" with its original sidelights upon be-
irothals trial marriages and patriarchal Gus
toms, has also been dealt with by NJ. Paul Adam
and by n. Abel HerTnant. N. Castor Des-
champs. the lecturer Of the College de France
has just terminated six highly successful CON
fsFences" on French and American poetry at the
receptions Of Mrs. James Thomson. which
elicited enthusiastic appreciations from Mrs.
HumphTy Ward and Nj Henry James and
others. who followed them assidueusly. There
Is a vogue just now for TRANSACTIONS, and the
leading newspapers publish as serials French
versions Of Mrs. Gertrude Atherton's works or
Of those Of Thomas Hardy. or of Robert Hichens
The result Of all this is that Partisan sociey and
especially the feminine part OF II. takes pride
IN expressing itself in regard TO American and
English literature.
The present season IS characterized by a
whrl OF culture and literary amusement. The
Usual Lenten sermons I'm the churches have
been fairly well attended even by fervent advo-
Gates Of the separation law. CHANGING through
she topics treated by the various preachers, one
finds a strain OF popularity Thus at the Ca
thedral Of Notre Dame last Sundays sermon
was directed at feTpinists and was entitled.
Woman IN Religion and Female Saints OF By
gone days The vast nave was closely packed
with an attentive audience largely composed of
women. u Sc noted that in all the churches. rs
well at the theatres and at the Sorbonne
lectures the feminine element is more 70
The front now than ever before, and as NJ.
Aristde BRAND, Minister Of Public instruction
and Worship. recently remarked to the writer.