54 GRAPE CULTURE AND WINE-MAKING. 



the Champs Eljsues; the Eue de Eivoli leading to it is in a 

 blaze. Millions and millions of lights decorate public and pri- 

 vate houses. The garden of the Tuileries has been transformed 

 into fairy-land. Sceptres and crowns, blazing with lights to rep- 

 resent the finest rubies, diamonds, topazes, and emeralds, are scat- 

 tered all over. Down the main avenue may be seen, at a distance 

 of every ten or twelve feet, immense chandeliers of wire support- 

 ing hundreds of lights. The ponds are encircled with lamps. 

 From the Tuileries we could see the principal public buildings, 

 all of which were encircled with a double row of small gas-lights, 

 which resembled a crown of brilliants. All the columns were 

 wound around w^ith lamps of all sizes and colors. Among the 

 numerous designs was that of the Legion of Honor, It was ele- 

 vated above the house-top, and the imitation of precious stones 

 of which it is composed was elegant. The Eiver Seine was also 

 festooned all along with garlands upon garlands of lamps. In 

 the Champs Elysces was a square, containing four Chinese towers, 

 composed of different-colored lamps. Circle was within a circle, 

 till you thought you could see almost into futurity. These four 

 pagodas were connected with triple garlands of lamps of all col- 

 ors, caught up at equal distances by bunches of lamps of different 

 forms. The Invalides, however, was the most beautiful, but it 

 requires a more skillful pen than mine to give a description of 

 the decorations. Near the Invalides were also the fireworks, 

 which were magnificent. Fountains, rockets, wheels — in a word, 

 every thing that art could produce in that line, was there exhib- 

 ited that evening. As for the spectators, there must have been 

 at least one million present. Men, women, and children all 

 thronged to sec the fireworks, and for hours the principal street 

 was nothing but a sea of heads. 



There were guards and policemen placed at different points, 

 and, notwithstanding this almost incredible number of people, 

 there were no fights, no picking of pockets, no disturbance. All 

 was quiet and well arranged. Every one seemed to enjoy the 

 sight, without having before his eyes the continual fear of being 

 robbed. The free approval and calm behavior of the people 

 showed that they are accustomed to such grand sights. What 

 struck me as strange was, that the Emperor was not in Paris at 

 this grand celebration, but remained at his country seat at St. 

 Cloud. 



August IG. — This evening at five o'clock we left Paris for Cob- 



