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Show OUR EUROPEAN LETTER. (From our regular correspondent.) There is an undoubted charm to one who has been sick nigh unto death in "those Isles of Greece" when he finds himself once more in civilized, showy Paris-Paris, the panoramic, picturesque city of the world! What a mental picture is presented to the student of the part of Greece and the present of Gaul when, suddenly popping into Paris from Peleponnese! What a transformation scene! Greece is a monarchy with much democracy in it. France is a "republic" without any. I fondly await the coming into France of that character the great Montaigne would describe as "marching with a victorious and triumphant face, in pomp and at his ease, without opposition or distubances, and possessed of "that lofty virtue which will not strike sail in the height of its glory.'" Then great France shall not be humiliated.-Then a republic may endure, with its true keystone of democracy. In the time of Louis XIV Paris closed its doors, barred and bolted them, at nine o'clock in the night during the summer and at five in winter. She had then sickly oil lamps and rickety reverberes. Now she is brilliant as day at all hours of night with electric lamps and gorgeous gas burners. Is she morally as brilliant? Light desire ye, as the Dellan Apollo destroyed with his golden darts, the dragon Python, the father of Gorgon and the Hydra. There was a time when ?? spoke of Paris as the more dangerous place of all the forests of France. Crime and murder stalked about freely and robbers and assasins found shelter in cosy caves. In the early part of the eighteenth century there were 14 publicly privileged robbers dens, known and styled the "Cours de Miracles," of which Victor Hugo has charmingly written and amazed us with. Has the brilliancy of this century cleared Paris of these "Courts of Miracles?" No. I will speak more of this hereafter. It will be remembered that an action was commenced against the Empress Eugenie by the Municipality of Marseilles to recover possession of a large platt of land presented by the town to the Emperor. It was contended by the Municipality that on the fall of the Empire the contract become void, and proceedings were, therefore, taken against the "widow Bonaparte" to obtain the land. The case has been tried, and it ended on Thursday in a verdict in favor of the Empress. The ground was given to the Emperor to build a palace there, and this was erected at the Emperor's cost. The Empress, therefore, contended that it was a personal gift, [line unreadable] should be added that, so far from the Empress Eugenie wishing to make a profit out of the trial, she voluntarily offered, if the Municipality would forego the action to present the palace and ground to the town as a school and orphanage for the children of deceased soldiers, and the corporation churlishly rejected the offer. The Civil Tribunal has been more chivalrous, and has shown a truer sense of justice. An International Exhibition of Paintings, organized by a group of artists ?? at the splendid Galerie Georges Petit on Monday evening last, and has been the event at the week in the artistic world. It is a "Salon d' Honieur," to which fifteen masters of the first order have contributed, in all upwards of 200 of the better and more recent works, namely from France, Jules Dupre, Gerome, ??; from Belgium, Alfred Stevens; from Italy, DeMittis; from Holland, ?? Israels; from Russia, ?? Pokitonow; from England Alma ??, Millais; from Germany Knaus and Menzel; from Spain, Madrazo; from Austria Charlemont, and Wehlberg from Sweden. This simple enumeration of names will be sufficient to give an idea of the importance and attraction of the exhibition, which is to remain open until July 15th, and which, it is needless to say, has at once become the point de more of amateurs as well as connoisseurs. Dueling has never been so much in fashion in this century as it is in France at present. Nearly one hundred and fifty duels have been fought in this city, or by persons who were residents of it, since last spring. The leading journals have taken up the topic and are urging the government to adopt the very strongest measures against the absurd practice. At the same time they admit that, since the sixth century, all Europe has been in vain endeavoring to prevent disputants from settleing [settling] their quarrels with cold steel and pistol ball. Another topic which has pre-occupied ?? here lately is the lamentable increase of crimes of vengeance. It is not a little singular that the best police regulations in the world seem to have but small effect in checking crime. Auguste. Paris, France, May 29th, 1882. |