Rome has abolished, ostensibly, the existence of the Order of Jesus in France. This looks and is a great concession, though not so great as it seems, since all the men may remain, if they ostensibly rank only in the Church at large. Still the 22 houses of the Order are broken up, and their banner must no longer float abroad openly, an important change, as regards public opinion, and the boldness of their operations. But Rome did not make this concession without demanding one in her turn. This was that Professors Quinet and Michelet should be stopped in their course of lectures, by which, associated with the newest philosophy, they diffuse a spirit of practical freedom too, a course which has drawn great [illegible]ation. The government convoked the literary authorities to make them act for it. But the Professors refused to alter their course, and called upon their colleagues to vindicate the freedom of instruction according to conscience. Their colleagues sided with them, so if any thing be done it must be in a very arbitrary manner.
The conduct both of the Mexican populace and authorities towards M. Alley de Cyprey, as represented in the French papers, would show the former to be as ruffianly, the latter as weak and violent as they have been depicted even in the numbers of hambers’ Edinburgh Journal.
The Minister of France declares in the Chamber, that he disapproves of the suffocation of 500 Bedouins in the cave of Dahra, which was to them the fortress of their home. The Chamber resist, and obliges the Minister to say even that he deplores it. The press unanimously declares its disapproval, and insists on inquiry in the case. Thus has there been some progress into Man’s views on this subject of War within the last hundred years.
Amid the stories of starvation at Pesth, the following is even more pathetic than the rest. A nobleman of rank and wealth who had just been giving audience to a petitioner, missed his gold snuff box. He had the visitor brought back, but, seeing how well he was dressed, felt reluctant to search him. But at the mere mention of such a thing, the man turned so pale, that it was taken as sign of guilt, and the examination made. But then, the cause of his paleness was found to be that he had only an old ragged shirt on beneath his good clothes, and that the poor gentleman had hired or borrowed the suit, leaving his family starving in a sellar while he pleaded the suit that might, perchance, bring them bread. The snuff box had fallen behind the sofa pillow.
Taglioni, says the Editor of the Courrier in his first letter from London, is not likely to visit this country. She is much afraid of the Atlantic, and would not come unless she could have an engagement of eight months, and the money deposited in advance with her banker. She appeared at London in a ballet with three of her rivals, or rather attendant nymphs, in the dance—Cerito, Lucilla Grahn, Carlotta Grisi. The Editor of the Courrier writes thus of this entertainment, at which he was present:
“Perrot, the king of the dancing art, had the idea of uniting all four in one ballet. It was an undertaking beset with difficulties. Meanwhile he did not lose courage, and, by managing all the springs of interest and vanity, succeeded; though the world could hardly believe, the very day of the spectacle, that it would take place. Perrot had composed a Pas de Quatre, in which he had assigned to each of the four great artists a part of the kind in which she shines the most. An immense crowd attended this spectacle, so great an event in the Terpsichorean annuals; and yesterday it was given for the third time to as large an assembly, though the price of each seat is two guineas. The Queen was there, Prince Albert, the King and Queen of Belgium, all the wealth and aristocracy of London. The prettiest of the three, whom I had not seen before, is Grisi. Her countenance is charming, and she has an eye of the greatest suavity. Her dancing unites the energy of Fanny Ellsler with something of the airy lightness of Taglioni. Cerito is by no means beautiful; she has a pointed nose, an immense mouth, and legs like spindles; but she has wonderful lightness and vigor. She leaps and bounds, rather than dances. Lucille Grahn daces well, but her style is not of high distinction. She is the only blonde of this enchanting Quatuor, and was the only one who had no coiffure but her own locks; the others wore crowns of roses. But the Queen was Taglioni. The first movement showed her superiority; never was it made so incontestable as by being seen with her rivals. The public feels it clearly, and always, bouquets are thrown to the others; to Taglioni alone a crown. I have not seen her before for these six years, but find little trace of the passage of time. She is very thin, which will allow her to pursue her triumphal career some years longer. Simpson of the Park Theatre, Willis of the Mirror, and Forrest, were among the assembly.”
“Items of Foreign Gossip.” New-York Daily Tribune, 8 August 1845, p. 1.
