Foreign Correspondence

Paris, May 31, 187:5. Fkiend Pond: In passing about among portions of the city we avail oursolves of the steamera for part of the route, as it is always pleasant riding as well as a real rest to take this conveyance in preference to an omnibus when posgible, and we never cease to admire the noble bridges which span the Seine - solid and durable as the streets theinselves. Those erected in the flrst Napoleon's time all have some reference to the groat event of that period, and bear ontheir massive sculptures symbolie figures, emblematic of his conquests, or a great N upon the piers, several feet in length, surrounded with a wreath or ?urmounted with a crown - everything being made to exhibit his greatness. But the grandest structure of a commemorative character in Paris is, unquestionably, the great Arch of ïriumph " 1' Etoile," so3alled because from this point so many iplendid avenues are made to radíate like i star. The ominence on which it stands is siignt, but so commanding that the grand Arch rises loftily abovo the ediflces near and is visible from almost every portion of the city. It was planned and founded by Napoleon in 1806, but was sompieted only in the time of Louis Philippe, 1836. It consista of one main. vast arch, 101 feet high and 48 feet wide, and a transverso arch of about one-third these dimensions- theentire height being 162 feet, breadth 146 feet, and thickness through 72 feet. Colossal reliëfs adorn the huge buttresses illu3trating scènes in the career of Napoleon and bis armies. Upon the entablature and frieze above other continuous reliëfs encircle the entirestructure, representing battles and the return of the various &rmies. A series of 30 shields also extend around upon the cornice, each inscribed in largo letters with the name of some victory. Upon the sides of the transverse aroh underneath, are deeply out the nanies of the various generala of thn Eepublic and the Empire, - the liues drawn beneath some of them indicating that those feil in battle. It is a inaguificent work and of its kind is thought to be the fiueat in the world. We ascended to the top, manding height, as well as singularly eligible locatiou, had an unsurpassable view of the great city and of all its surroundiug environs. Frora uo other single point can one secure so good an idea of the grand scale upon which the improvements of the city have beon made, and which render it the finest capital of the continent , No less than eleven fine avenues, including sonie of the most inagnificent that we have ever seen, concéntrate upon the circular space about the Arch, and down their far reaching extbnt, between the rich green bordera with which each is shaded, we can look froni this favorable stand-point. Particularly interesting and impressive is the view down the avenue Champs Elysees and through the great park and gardens to the facade of the ruined palace of the Tuileries, all alive with its myriads of busy and idle populace ; and turning around we can look down the extensión of the splendid street, the avenue of the Grand Army, for an almost indefinito distanoe till it passes the fortifications and reaches the far distant river. Several of these avenues are not less than 250 feet wide, and Bome much more ; but far the most iuagnificent in proportions, in appropriate adornment and palatial architecture, as well as graceful grade, we have ever seen, if not without a superior in Europe, is the Avenue Imperatrice, which leads in a very gentle descent for nearly a mile from the noble Arch to the Porte Dauphin where it enters the Bois de Boulogne in a nearly southwesterly direction. Place yourself in fancy upon the top of this Arch of Triumph and look down, upon and along the entire length and width of a street 450 feet wide, with one grand central carriage way, on one side of which is a spacious sidewalk, on the other a corresponding space íbr equestrians ; then parallel with these, on 'either side, two long, lightly sliaded lawns sparkling with vivid green and with beautiful flowers, each not less than 100 feet in width ; then outside of these two other smaller carrïage ways, bordered by two well shaded sidewalks, and the whole made still further enriched and varied by the private dwellings and yards of wealthy Parisians : and then still further cover this grand spaoe, excepting its lawns, with a moving masa of oarriages, pedestrians, and horsemen, glittering in the most unexceptional outfit, and you.may possibly form some faint conception of wbat we have seen and may on any fine afternoon (especially Sundays) between 3 and 6 p. M., be seen by any. It is impossible to conceive a parade of more imposing splendor and attractiveness, nor can such a scène be witnessed in many places even in this land of great spectacles. Becollect, too, that this is but a single street and at the saine time fully half a dozen others are contributing a proportionate animation to the grand total of life and panorainic beauty, moving on all sides of this canter of observation. A little to the north, about a half mile diatant down the Avenue de la Eeine Hortense, is seen the fresh foliage and chestnut blossoms of one of the smaller but also one of the most delightful parks of the city. It containa, perhaps, 25 acres of ground, and everything that the most skillful art could aceoinplish has been done to enhance the natural charms of the location. Even a century ago, when owned by the father of Louis Philippe, it was made a place for the most fashionable resort for festivities under the direction of the gay and channing Duchesaof Chartres, hia wife. Many of these old I artificial attractions still reinain in the I shape of rock work and grotto, a small lake along whose border a colonnade of the Corinthian order is erected, a bridge with skillfully exeouted ruins, and even a grove with au ornamental tomb-stone. These nuinorous parks of &11 sizes f rom the Bois de Boulogne down to one little half acre enclosure by the tower of St. James, and even smaller, but all embellished with flowers and shrubbery and furnished with seats, and always accessible, form one of the most charming attractions of the city, and are to be met with in any direction we inay go. These together with the rnany open " places" or squares, and the extrumely ampie width of all the more modern atreets and boulevarts, must contribute largely to the general health and happiness of the citizens. In the aggregate there must be thousands of acres of these most delightful pleasure grounds thus brought withiu the reach and possession of the humblest of his people. What Paris is oven yet doing in this way is most palpably attested by a visit to the new park lying in the northeast part of the city and called Les Buttes Chaumont, containing about SS acres. Only some ■M years ago ït was a broken and irregular piece of waste ground, where all the rubbish of the city was deposited. It is now one of the most picturesque and effeotive exhibitions of skillful adaptation that eau be imagined, and already this park presenta attractions in the way of rock-work, lofty bridge9, grottos and cascades, whieh are wonderful in boldness andextent, and parterres of flowers, choice shrubbery and lawns are rapidly assuruing an equal beauty over all this onceunsightly heap of rubbish. Just back of this park is a small suburb, La Villette, occupied almost entirely by about 400 families of Germans at the time of the Prussian war, all of whom were compelled to abandon their homes because of their nationality ; but most of them have again returned and the spire of their church rises once more, with its benisons, among these hard working villagers. We have not found the churches of Pari as interesting as those of Italy, nor quit as much so as we had anticipated, bu there aro a few whioh it would be impos sibleto visit without feehng the greatesi interest as well as satisfaction. Chief of these stands the " Notre Dame." Begun in the 12th it was not completad un til the 14th century, and though not occupying a very favorable site and hedged in by ediflees in all diroctions, it still coinmands attention by its noble towers and beautiful apiros, its flying buttresses and fine Gothic architecture lts portals aro arched with innumerable saints, and the rose windows of its transept are celebrated. Abovo the doors of the west facade is the " Gallerie des Eois," a series of statues of twenty-eight French kings, from Childobert I. to Philip II. The interior consista of a nave 109 feet high, choir extensión and doublé aisles and side chapéis - the ceiling being finely vaulted and the altérnate round and cluster columns, supporting the aisles, of excellent proportions. The stained glass Windows are line specimens, both in design and color, but those of the three rose Windows date from the foundation of the Cathedral. One of these is 36 feet in diameter, the othorssomewhat smaller. There are neither sculptures nor paintings of much value, and in this respect we wer# greatly disappointed, and the lighting is deficiënt even to gloominess in cloudy weather. The magsive square towers are surmounted by two watch houses from which an extensive view of all the city may be had. Aoross the Bquare, next the river, is the low sombre looking Hotel Diese, founded in 600 by Clovis, and probably the oldest hospital in Europe, being still in use. Notre Dame has filled an important part in the past history of the city and whether in peace or war has ever been alike noted. It suffered many injuries as well as desecration during the old Prench revolution, when, as a " Temple of Reason," it was thought to be more appropriately used by the wild insanity of that day than to be kept sacred to the purposes of religious worship. But what public edince of this oity could not " a tale unfold" that would make the " angels weep." The next inost noted, through not most aniient, is the church of the Madeleine, referred to in anothor letter. St. Eustache, constructed in the early part of the 17th century, is also one of the important churches, of a mixed style of modorn Gothic and a somewhat heavy appearanoe, but quite agreeably impressive by its fine and graceful interior of nave and doublé aisles. This church was injured during the reoent siege and was once on tire. The twenty-four chapéis of St. Eustache have each had nonio noblo and wealthy founder, and the arms of these aro placed over the arches and sonietimes wrought into the other decorations. As each chapel has in this way been completed by artists selected at various times and by these various patrons, it has happened that twenty different artists of the best ability have here left their frescoes, as if in competition for the award of their own and future times, and as the ages come and go this may possibly become, as the celebrated arcades of Campo Santa at Pisa have, a treasury of this art during the 18th century, and as such valuable in historyif not in merit. In the chapel founded by the Colbert family is the tomb and monument to the great minister of Louis XIV. - a sarcophagus of black marble on which is a kneeling statute of this distinguished man. This church is the one most frequented on account of its superior music, and attraction for whioh some one church in all great cities secures a leading monopoly and receives the cheerful and willing attendance of the icorshipem of this delightful art. The great Central Hall or market for provisions is located upon the space adjoining this church, and in size and construction resembles a vast crystal palace. It is the most extensive market of the , city, and yon need not bo told thatit presenta a lively as well as appetizing scène during the oarly part of the day. The quantity, quality and variety of everytbing eatable elsewhereandedibleinParis is simply amazing, and all ig kept in the most tasteful arrangement. The church of St. Genevieve, or Pantheon as it is generally called, occupies an elevated site and its fine dome, lantern and spire tnake it one of the most conspicious objocts which in a general view of tho city towers high above the sea of houses- the dome itself being 281 feet in height. A noble pórtico, aupported by three rows of Corinthian columns 64 feet high, above which is a pediment 135 feet long and 23 feet in height, containing a fine relief, gives the structuro the appearance of au ancient Temple. The relief by David d' Angers represente Franco, a figure 10 feet high, bestowing garlands upon her distinguished nona, and amongthe numberare portraitstatues of Mirabeau, Fenelon, Carnot, Laplace, David, Cuvier, Lafayette, Yoltaire, Rousseau, and others. The two groups near the entrance represent St. Genevieve persuading the king of the Huns, Attila, not to destroy Paris, and the Baptism of Clovis. The interior is cheerless and bald, notwithstanding its rotunda and amplitude, but its tiRpect may be attributable in part to the injuries of the recent war. The painting in the dome, bj Gros, which is rauch counnended is bo high as to be quite unenjoyable and indistinct. The edifice was at first dedicated to the protectress of the city, St. Genevieve, but the revolutionary convention of 1791 decroed that it should be convert.ed into a temple to the memory and for the tion ol the great men of the century - Mirabeau, Marat, Voltaire, Eousseau and othors, but the first was afterward taken to Pere Lachaise, the next was cast into the sewers, and the remains of the two great lights of French Philosophy are gone but no one knows where. Aoross the " place" is the long facade of the St. Genevieve Library, covered with the names of eminent literary men, and the busts of many distinguished Frenchmen of lettern. It is open from 10 to 3 to the public and containa over 200,000 volumes. On the other side cf the square, and on a sight somewhat in rear of the Pantheon, is the fine church of St. Etienne with a very iniponing portal and facade of the Gothic style, modified by the Italian. The interior is richly decorated in thejjatest Gothic and presenta a very grand effect, though the church is not large. There is something very beautiful in the effect of a nave and lofty doublé aisles supported by graceful round or cluster columns, when the ribbed vaulting ia well executed in this style. Plain marble tablets inform us that Pascal and Racine are interred in this church. St. Sulpice is a very large edifice, 4G0 feet long by 185 wide, and the doublé aisles are extended complately around the choir. Two immense seashells form very beautiful receptacles for the holy water, but the principal tion are the frescoes of the numerous chapéis by the first Freneh artists of tho present century." But this will suffice for the churches which do not form the best points of Paris. In this conneotion it is appropriate to add that the present month is one in whioh, aocording to Parisian usage and the practice of the Roman churches here, the youth of both sexes, from twelve to fifteen years of age, receive their first communion, and it is made en important event in all that preparatory dresses and previous snticipations can créate. These youthful candidates are easily recognized upon the streets, the boys being neatly dressed in the new suit of dark cloth having a silken sash, with fringe of gold or silver gilt, tied around the left arm just above the elbow, and the girls having a complete outfit of white, with a thin gauze veil, capacious enough to quita envelop theni as it is thrown lightly over the head, making thom look like so many young brides. Grand preparations for the important event are made by all, and in case of ability to do so it ís made quite a grand affair by invitations to the personal friends and entertainments and presents of an eipensive ring, a rich rosary, golden cross, service book, &c. Etiquette only allows the use of thisprecious apparel upon a few specified occasions, and it becomesa choicemementoforpreservation. The en tire occasion approaches in its surroundings the iinpressiveness of oue of the most niomentous eraa in the lives of these yuung persons ; but whether it is the religious or secular influenoe which prevails may admit of doubt. So much attention does this occasion excite that just now placards are exhibited in the show windows, of " gloves and sashes for first coramunion," " outfit for first conimunion complete," &c. The rite of confinuation is administered the sabbath following first communion in each case. We do not see so muny priests and processions here as in Italy, nor wayside chapéis, cruoifixes or or Madonnas, yet Paris is intensely Eomanists; but there is not apparently any very great fear, if ;here be even reverence, for priestly auihority. The somewhat singular custora jrevails in many of the city churches of enting the chairs as they are used at ach service - the charge being notexceedng 5 or 10 centimes, and in all the hurches chairs instead of pews or bonches re used. When regularly furnished with ermanent sittings, each worshiper has ,wo ohairs, one for sitting upon, theother bout four inches lowor, but with a high jack, tor kneeling upon and resting the lands. Ever yours, J. M. WHEELER. Mr. E. F. Henderson, Judge of Probate for Calhoiin county, died Monday morning, Sopt. 29th, of pneumoDia. This death has cast a gloom over Marshall, as Judge Henderson was uiiirersally and highly esteemed. But a few months since he buried his wife, and more reoently a daughtpr. Pour children remain.