They Were Recollections Of Power, And
Magnificence, And Extended Empire; Of Valor And Skill In War Which Had
Held The World In Fear; Of Dynasties That Had Risen And Passed Away; Of
Battles And Victories Which Had Left No Other Fruits Than Their Monuments.
The solemnity of these recollections does not seem to press with much
weight upon the minds of the people.
It has been said that the French have
become a graver nation than formerly; if so, what must have been their
gayety a hundred years ago? To me they seem as light-hearted and as easily
amused as if they had done nothing but make love and quiz their priests
since the days of Louis XIV. - as if their streets had never flowed with
the blood of Frenchmen shed by their brethren - as if they had never won
and lost a mighty empire. I can not imagine the present generation to be
less gay than that which listened to the comedies of Moliere at their
first representation; particularly when I perceive that even Moliere's
pieces are too much burdened with thought for a Frenchman of the present
day, and that he prefers the lighter and more frivolous vaudeville. The
Parisian has his amusements as regularly as his meals, the theatre, music,
the dance, a walk in the Tuilleries, a refection in the cafe, to which
ladies resort as commonly as the other sex. Perpetual business, perpetual
labor, is a thing of which he seems to have no idea.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 10 of 396
Words from 2337 to 2587
of 107287
