France is troubled. 'Has England,' thought she, 'a secret from
us, while we have none from her?' She was on the point of inventing
one, when, lo! the secret mission turns out to be the preparation of a
ball-dress, with whose elegance, fresh from Parisian genius, her
Britannic majesty wished to dazzle and surprise her native realm."
'T is a pity Americans cannot learn the grace which decks these
trifling jests with so much prettiness. Till we can import something
of that, we have no right to rejoice in French fashions and French
wines. Such a nervous, driving nation as we are, ought to learn to fly
along gracefully, on the light, fantastic toe. Can we not learn
something of the English beside the knife and fork conventionalities
which, with them, express a certain solidity of fortune and resolve?
Can we not get from the French something beside their worst novels?
"COURRIER DES ETATS UNIS."
OUR PROTEGEE, QUEEN VICTORIA.
The _Courrier_ laughs, though with features somewhat too
disturbed for a graceful laugh, at a notice, published a few days
since in the _Tribune_, of one of its jests which scandalized the
American editor. It does not content itself with a slight notice, but
puts forth a manifesto, in formidably large type, in reply.
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