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It places the grisette on the throne； as Rome placed the courtesan there； and； taking it altogether； if Louis XV。
is worse than Claudian； Madame Dubarry is better than Messalina。
Paris bines in an unprecedented type； which has existed and which we have elbowed； Grecian nudity； the Hebraic ulcer； and the Gascon pun。 It mingles Diogenes； Job； and Jack…pudding； dresses up a spectre in old numbers of the Constitutional； and makes Chodruc Duclos。
Although Plutarch says：
the tyrant never grows old； Rome； under Sylla as under Domitian； resigned itself and willingly put water in its wine。
The Tiber was a Lethe； if the rather doctrinary eulogium made of it by Varus Vibiscus is to be credited：
Contra Gracchos Tiberim habemus； Bibere Tiberim； id est seditionem oblivisci。 Paris drinks a million litres of water a day； but that does not prevent it from occasionally beating the general alarm and ringing the tocsin。
With that exception； Paris is amiable。
It accepts everything royally； it is not too particular about its Venus； its Callipyge is Hottentot； provided that it is made to laugh； it condones； ugliness cheers it； deformity provokes it to laughter； vice diverts it； be eccentric and you may be an eccentric； even hypocrisy； that supreme cynicism； does not disgust it； it is so literary that it does not hold its nose before Basile； and is no more scandalized by the prayer of Tartuffe than Horace was repelled by the 〃hiccup〃 of Priapus。 No trait of the universal face is lacking in the profile of Paris。 The bal Mabile is not the polymnia dance of the Janiculum； but the dealer in ladies' wearing apparel there devours the lorette with her eyes； exactly as the procuress Staphyla lay in wait for the virgin Planesium。
The Barriere du bat is not the Coliseum； but people are as ferocious there as though Caesar were looking on。 The Syrian hostess has more grace than Mother Saguet； but； if Virgil haunted the Roman wine…shop； David d'Angers； Balzac and Charlet have sat at the tables of Parisian taverns。
Paris reigns。 Geniuses flash forth there； the red tails prosper there。 Adonai passes on his chariot with its twelve wheels of thunder and lightning； Silenus makes his entry there on his ass。
For Silenus read Ramponneau。
Paris is the synonym of Cosmos； Paris is Athens； Sybaris； Jerusalem； Pantin。
All civilizations are there in an abridged form； all barbarisms also。
Paris would greatly regret it if it had not a guillotine。
A little of the Place de Greve is a good thing。
What would all that eternal festival be without this seasoning？
Our laws are wisely provided； and thanks to them； this blade drips on this Shrove Tuesday。
BOOK FIRST。PARIS STUDIED IN ITS ATOM
CHAPTER XI
TO SCOFF； TO REIGN
There is no limit to Paris。
No city has had that domination which sometimes derides those whom it subjugates。
To please you； O Athenians！ exclaimed Alexander。
Paris makes more than the law； it makes the fashion； Paris sets more than the fashion； it sets the routine。
Paris may be stupid； if it sees fit； it sometimes allows itself this luxury； then the universe is stupid in pany with it； then Paris awakes； rubs its eyes； says：
〃How stupid I am！〃 and bursts out laughing in the face of the human race。 What a marvel is such a city！ it is a strange thing that this grandioseness and this burlesque should be amicable neighbors； that all this majesty should not be thrown into disorder by all this parody； and that the same mouth can to…day blow into the trump of the Judgment Day； and to…morrow into the reed…flute！ Paris has a sovereign joviality。
Its gayety is of the thunder and its farce holds a sceptre。
Its tempest sometimes proceeds from a grimace。
Its explosions； its days； its masterpieces； its prodigies； its epics； go forth to the bounds of the universe； and so also do its cock…and…bull stories。 Its laugh is the mouth of a volcano which spatters the whole earth。 Its jests are sparks。
It imposes its caricatures as well as its ideal on people； the highest monuments of human civilization accept its ironies and lend their eternity to its mischievous pranks。 It is superb； it has a prodigious 14th of July； which delivers the globe； it forces all nations to take the oath of tennis； its night of the 4th of August dissolves in three hours a thousand years of feudalism； it makes of its logic the muscle of unanimous will； it multiplies itself under all sorts of forms of the sublime； it fills with its light Washington； Kosciusko； Bolivar； Bozzaris； Riego； Bem； Manin； Lopez； John Brown； Garibaldi； it is everywhere where the future is being lighted up； at Boston in 1779； at the Isle de Leon in 1820； at Pesth in 1848； at Palermo in 1860； it whispers the mighty countersign：
Liberty； in the ear of the American abolitionists grouped about the boat at Harper's Ferry； and in the ear of the patriots of Ancona assembled in the shadow； to the Archi before the Gozzi inn on the seashore； it creates Canaris； it creates Quiroga； it creates Pisacane； it irradiates the great on earth； it was while proceeding whither its breath urge them； that Byron perished at Missolonghi； and that Mazet died at Barcelona； it is the tribune under the feet of Mirabeau； and a crater under the feet of Robespierre； its books； its theatre； its art； its science； its literature； its philosophy； are the manuals of the human race； it has Pascal； Regnier； Corneille； Descartes； Jean…Jacques： Voltaire for all moments； Moliere for all centuries； it makes its language to be talked by the universal mouth； and that language bees the word； it constructs in all minds the idea of progress； the liberating dogmas which it forges are for the generations trusty friends； and it is with the soul of its thinkers and its poets that all heroes of all nations have been made since 1789； this does not prevent vagabondism； and that enormous genius which is called Paris； while transfiguring the world by its light； sketches in charcoal Bouginier's nose on the wall of the temple of Theseus and writes Credeville the thief on the Pyramids。
Paris is always showing its teeth； when it is not scoldin