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HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE. (From The Lea...
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THE PARIS EXHIBITION. The time is now cl...
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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The Imperial Visit. The Visit Of The Emp...
on the north side for members of the corps diplomatique . On either side of the Hall there are seven clustered columns , and on the apex of each of these columns the national flags of England , France , and Turkey -were tastefully grouped , surmounting medallion portraits of Queen Victoria and the Emperor Napoleon III ., which . were displayed on alternate pillars . Devices , bearing the words , " Alma , " " Balaklava , " " Inkermann , " supported by wreaths encircling
the British lion and the French eagle , were arranged beneath the windows between each column . The seats and the floor of the Hall were covered with a light chocolate-coloured cloth ,- which formed an agreeable contrast to the predominant tricolours in the upper part of the building . The boudoir prepared for the Empress was furnished in a very tasteful and elegant manner . One of its principal ornaments was a magnificent mirror , in a carved gold frame , draperied with rich lace festooned hangings over -white satin .
Among the great persons present at the Guildhall were the chief members of the Government , many of the Ambassadors , and several of the nobility . ¦ At a quarter past two o'clock , the Imperial visitors entered the hall , and proceeded towards the chairs of state , the Empress conversing for some moments with the Lady Mayoress . The Emperor , who appeared somewhat fatigued , remained standing . The spectators cheered loudly , and the Lord Mayor , aldermen , & c , approached the Emperor and Empress . The Recorder then read the Address ( which did not differ in spirit from the others ) , and presented a copy to the Emperor , who then read the following reply : —
" My Lord Mayor , —After the cordial reception I have experienced from the Queen , nothing could affect me more deeply than the sentiments towards the Empress and myself to which you , my Lord Mayor , have given expression on the part of the City of London ; for the City of London represents the available resources which a world-vide commerce affords both for civilisation and for war . Flattering as are your praises , I accept them , because they are addressed much more to France than to myself ; they are addressed to a nation whose interests are to-day everywhere identical with your own ( loud applause ); they are addressed to an army and navy united to yours by an heroic companionship in danger and in glory ( renetoed
applause ); they are addressed to the policy of the two Governments , which is based on truth , on moderation , and on justice . For myself , I have retained on the throne the same sentiments of sympathy and esteem for the English people that I professed as an exile ( loud and prolonged cheering ) , while I enjoyed here the hospitality of your Queen 5 and and if I have acted in accordance with my convictions , it is that the interest of the nation which has chosen me , no less than that of universal civilisation , has made it a duty . Indeed , England and France are naturally united 011 all the great questions of politics and of human progress that agitate the world . From the shores of the Atlantic to those of the Mediterranean—from the Baltic to
the Black Sea—from the desire to abolish slavery to our hopes for the amelioration of all the countries of Eux b ^ e ^ l ~ ise ^ ln "" thiB ~ mo ' raI ' as'in"the-politicab'w-orld-for ' our two nations but one course and one end . ( Applazise . ) It is , then , only by unworthy considerations and pitiful rivalries that our union could be dissevered . If we follow the dictates of common sense alone we shall be sure of the future . ( Loud applause ,. ) You are right in interpreting my presence among you as a fresh and convincing proof of my energetic co-operation in the prosecution of the war , if wo fail in obtaining an honourable peace . ( Applause . ) Should we so fail , although our difficulties may be great , we may surely count on a successful result ; for not only are our soldiers and sailors of tried valour—not only do our two countries possess within themselves unrivalled resources — but above all ( and here lies their superiority ) it is becauso
they are in the van of all generous and enlightened ideas . The eyes of all who suffer instinctively turn to the West . Thus our two nations are even more powerful from tho opinions they represent than by the armies and fleets they have at their command . ( Great applause . ) I am deeply grateful to your Queen for affording me this solemn opportunity of expressing to you my own sentiments and those of Franco , of which I am tho interpreter . I thank you in my own name and in that of the Empress for tho frank and hearty cordiality with which you have received us . ( Applause . ) Wo shall take back with us to Franco tho lasting impression , made on minds thoroughly able to appreciate it , of tho imposing spectacle which England presents , whoro virtue on tho throno directs tho destinies of a country under the empire of a liberty without danger to its grandeur . "
The Emperor and Empress then descended from the dais , and remained some moments in conversation with the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress . A splendid ddje & ner followed ; and shortly boforo four o'elock tho Imperial V isitors departed . In the corridor , between tho Hall and tho Councilchamber , a number of valuable portraits of tho Napoleon family , lent for tho occasion by llorr Wetter , wore arranged . In passing through this chamber , theso family Hkonessoa naturally attracted tho notice of tho Emperor ,
who paused before the portrait of hia mother , and , directing the attention of the Empress to it . with much feeling exclaimed , " This is kind , indeed !" In the evening the Lord Mayor gave a banquet to the general company . . . The Emperor and Empress afterwards visited the Opera in company with her Majesty and Prjnce Albert . A royal box , in the centre of the house , had , since the last performance on Tuesday n ight , been constructed , and very gorgeously adorned . " The hanging of white calico , with broad satin edges and gold ornaments , gave alight and airy appearance to the boxes , adorned , moreover , with festoons of flowers from top to bottom ; and here was as much propriety as elegance in the banners that separated one box from another , with the initials 'V . ' 'N . ' 1 ' ' A . ' variously distributed in the midst of circular wreaths—one initial on each banner . The retiring rooms of the State box , which comprised the saloon at the grand entry and a portion of the lobby on the grand tier , were arranged with consummate taste and prodigal magnificence . Vast mirrors multiplied the effects of the statuary , parterres of flowers , richly adorned furniture , and endless lustres , which almost realised the ideal of one of the palaces of the Arabian Nights . " A new stanza , bearing on the occasion , was added to the National Anthem ; and of course "Partant pour la Syrie" was played and sung , before and after the performance . On the last occasion , the bands of the Guards joined the full orchestra , producing a very grand effect . The town was illuminated at night . VISIT TO THE CRYSTAL PALACE . The Emperor and Empress , accompanied by the Qu een and Prince Albert visited the Crystal Palace yesterday , arriving about half-past twelve . The at tendance on the part of the public was -very great , and the road ( for the party did not proceed by rail ) was thronged .
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Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense. (From The Lea...
HONI SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE . ( From The Leader , October' 28 , 1854 . ) Whes the French Emperor was expected to pay a visit to England last year , the Leader "wrote as follows : — " There is nothing , as Mrs . Malaprop observed , like the friendship which begins with a little aversion ; and we do not in-the least suspect the heartiness of the present affection between the two Courts , and between Louis Napoleon and tiie enlightened English public , merely because some few months ago it was taken for granted by the said enlightened public that Louis' Napoleon contemplated a visit without waiting for an invitation . A great commercial nation , which is very busy about money , and leaves the work of thinking to its leading journals , can-only judge of the moment by the appearances of the momen t ; and tho explanation of the present popularity on this side of the Channel of the hero of the coup ( PC-tat of December , 1851 , is not at all disgraceful to the English people . For neither in 1852 nor in 1854-is Louis Napoleon- regarded hy us-from tho French point of view , but strictly and exclusively from the English point of view . If we did , now or formerly , consider him as a French politician , he remaining the same man—a despot then and a despot now—why , of course , the laugh at us as an inconsistent people would be thoroughly justified . But , in fact , the English nation
did not care whether he was a despot or not—did not even think him wrong in assassinating the French Republic—and are utterly insensible now to his crimes in maintaining Cayenne , in crushing the press , in annihilating literature , in refusing representation , and , at Rome , in robbing a people of freedom , in order that a ( locally ) abhorred Church may prolong a putrid existence . With all these things the nonintervening English nation lias nothing to do ; and , in truth , does not form op inions about them . The Louis Napoleon , who was denounced in 1852-3 by our leading journals , like tho TYmes , and by our parrot statesman , like Sir James Graham , was the man who , suspected of a monomania about Waterloo , was suspected , in consequence , of a sinister intention
to invade England . The Louis Napoleon , who is now far more popular in England than in France , is the powerful monarch whose interest , it is calculated , it is to cultivate tho English alliance , and whoso alliance—which our Queen , head of the monarchical society of Europe , is wisoly endeavouring to guarantee by extending those courtesies so precious toparvonus —is of vital consequence to England , in a period when England , having assailed Kussia , may have opposed to her two-thirds of Europe . Thus , there iano inconsistency whatever in our national conduct ; we uiay have been right about tho invasion ; wo may bo right about tho alliance ; at any rate wo do the best for ourselves under the circumstances , and if there bo any shamo in tho reconciliation , it should not bo on our Hide .
" But tho maxim of treating your friend as though ho would ono day bo your enemy , however unjust and unwise in individual concerns , is very applioablo
to the intercourse of peoples , and should carefully le borne in mind in such a case as this , where the alliance is less clearly between the English people and the French people than between the English peop le and the French monarch . For though it is our and our Court ' s , business to assume , that where we find a Government it is a Government representative of the national will , yet , as a matter of fact , there are grave doubts whether France and Louis Napoleon are precisely the same thing ; doubts arising from the circumstance , that notwithstanding the recent permanent-looking prestige of the Emperor , none of the statesmen , and not even one of the soldiers , of the old regime , have availed themselves of the
opportunity , to the latter so facile and so tempting , to take service under the new man . And , even if Louis Napoleon manifestly were France , our rej oicings should be guarded—our reception a courtesy—a politic courtesy—and nothing more . Incarnate Russia , the Czar Nichol s , underwent feting , and Garter investiture , here , some years ago ; and the Court and the nation , in their thoughtless generosity , endured and proffered compliments , the souvenirs of which are now somewhat ludicrous , if not somewhat degrading . Our Queen , a pore
young English matron , suffered the caressing compliments and tender flatteries of the despot ; and our aristocracy , mindful of possible civilities at the Winter Palace , accepted , if it did not solicit , an Ascot cup ; our mob gazing and cheering the while , and our press adulating him avIio , really as impotent as his august brother of China , seemed the arbiter of the world , and was the tyrant of Poland , and the poisoner of the * sick man . ' Let our mistakes , in that matter , warn us against making too much of the conveniences of the present alliance , or the success of its mav be merely temporary Emperor .
"That our Queen is doing her official duty in introducing the Empress Eugenie into that effective solidarity , the solidarity of dynasties , and that Prince Albert is indicating wise forethought in seeking to establish a good understanding between himself and the singular and romantic personage whose genius lor fatality has procured him so great a station , is obvious . That the nation will not be behind the Court in the required politehesSj we do not doubt ; foT our two governing classes , our aristocracy of place and our aristocracy of money , suffer from a strong inclination , scarcely checked by the constitutional traditions of their own country , to worship
that colossal materialism , hideous and unintellectual , but magnificently " practical , " which has been established in France , flrnd of which the name of Napoleon is the disastrous symbol . For our own part we cannot sympathise with those liberals who see in the courtesy of the Court a treason to humanity : our Court is not Quixotic : and it it were sentimental , our country would correct it . With regard to the present of the Garter , we do not share in the sensitiveness which shrinks from the de / ilement of that chivalric institution . Louis Napoleon , has been an English Special ; why not a Knight of the Garter ? Has the ono thing more meaning than the other ?"
The Paris Exhibition. The Time Is Now Cl...
THE PARIS EXHIBITION . The time is now close at hand at which the Palais de I'Industrie will be thrown open to the public ; but , as in the case of our own Exhibition , the preparations are in a very backward state . The day appointed for the inauguration is May 1 st—a day rendered classical for such a purpose by the traditions of the Hyde Park building . It is doubted , however , by many whether it will be possible to keep aith with the public ; and May 21 st is talked of . But the Monitcur states positively that the first is the day ; while a third party reconcile the two opinions by surmising that the building will be formally opened by the Emperor on the appointed day , and that it will then be closed until the 21 st . However this may be , it does not seem possible that everything can be finished before June . At the present time , a vast number of the goods remain unpacked ; and the avenues and galleries are in a state of chaos . Tho special correspondent of the JJailt / News says : — " Tho authorities of tho Gobelins have barricaded the north-east corner of tho l ' nlacc , where they arc doubtless preparing a surprise for tho 1 st of next month . In contract with tho wondrous tapostrics of this national establishment will figure English paper-hangings and piuntcu glass . Let us hope that wo may bo able to stand tins contiguity with better advantuge than our neighbours expect for ua . Tho English committee appear determined to do their best to present tho Eng lish contributions in tho universal competition aa gracefully and ,. . e . HecUveiy as poHsible . Witli this view , Mr . Colo has invited Mr . Di ff by Wyatt to Paris . This gentleman ia now occupied arranging tho splendid Indian collection that is to occupy tho south-eastern comer of tho galleries . I notice , also , that tho English proprietors of stalls have largely avuueu themselves of stamped leather decorations , wnioii , " *¦* - » in 'designs upon tho wood-work , and ]> uiutoU over , give tho effect of carving . Tho'Glasgow and Dunform-• wr
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), April 21, 1855, page 8, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_21041855/page/8/
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