brandy。 Pleasure is of the nature of certain medical substances： in
order to obtain constantly the same effects the doses must be doubled；
and death or degradation is contained in the last。 All the lower
classes are on their knees before the wealthy； and watch their tastes
in order to turn them into vices and exploit them。 Thus you see in
these folk at an early age tastes instead of passions； romantic
fantasies and lukewarm loves。 There impotence reigns； there ideas have
ceasedthey have evaporated together with energy amongst the
affectations of the boudoir and the cajolements of women。 There are
fledglings of forty； old doctors of sixty years。 The wealthy obtain in
Paris ready…made wit and scienceformulated opinions which save them
the need of having wit； science； or opinion of their own。 The
irrationality of this world is equaled by its weakness and its
licentiousness。 It is greedy of time to the point of wasting it。 Seek
in it for affection as little as for ideas。 Its kisses conceal a
profound indifference； its urbanity a perpetual contempt。 It has no
other fashion of love。 Flashes of wit without profundity； a wealth of
indiscretion； scandal； and above all； commonplace。 Such is the sum of
its speech； but these happy fortunates pretend that they do not meet
to make and repeat maxims in the manner of La Rochefoucauld as though
there did not exist a mean； invented by the eighteenth century；
between a superfluity and absolute blank。 If a few men of character
indulge in witticism； at once subtle and refined； they are
misunderstood； soon； tired of giving without receiving； they remain at
home； and leave fools to reign over their territory。 This hollow life；
this perpetual expectation of a pleasure which never comes； this
permanent /ennui/ and emptiness of soul； heart； and mind； the
lassitude of the upper Parisian world； is reproduced on its features；
and stamps its parchment faces； its premature wrinkles； that
physiognomy of the wealthy upon which impotence has set its grimace；
in which gold is mirrored； and whence intelligence has fled。
Such a view of moral Paris proves that physical Paris could not be
other than it is。 This coroneted town is like a queen； who； being
always with child； has desires of irresistible fury。 Paris is the
crown of the world； a brain which perishes of genius and leads human
civilization； it is a great man； a perpetually creative artist； a
politician with second…sight who must of necessity have wrinkles on
his forehead； the vices of a great man； the fantasies of the artist；
and the politician's disillusions。 Its physiognomy suggests the
evolution of good and evil； battle and victory； the moral combat of
'89； the clarion calls of which still re…echo in every corner of the
world； and also the downfall of 1814。 Thus this city can no more be
moral； or cordial； or clean； than the engines which impel those proud
leviathans which you admire when they cleave the waves！ Is not Paris a
sublime vessel laden with intelligence？ Yes； her arms are one of those
oracles which fatality sometimes allows。 The /City of Paris/ has her
great mast； all of bronze； carved with victories； and for watchman
Napoleon。 The barque may roll and pitch； but she cleaves the world；
illuminates it through the hundred mouths of her tribunes； ploughs the
seas of science； rides with full sail； cries from the height of her
tops； with the voice of her scientists and artists： 〃Onward； advance！
Follow me！〃 She carries a huge crew； which delights in adorning her
with fresh streamers。 Boys and urchins laughing in the rigging；
ballast of heavy /bourgeoisie/； working…men and sailor…men touched
with tar； in her cabins the lucky passengers； elegant midshipmen smoke
their cigars leaning over the bulwarks； then； on the deck； her
soldiers； innovators or ambitious； would accost every fresh shore； and
shooting out their bright lights upon it； ask for glory which is
pleasure； or for love which needs gold。
Thus the exorbitant movement of the proletariat； the corrupting
influence of the interests which consume the two middle classes； the
cruelties of the artist's thought； and the excessive pleasure which is
sought for incessantly by the great； explain the normal ugliness of
the Parisian physiognomy。 It is only in the Orient that the human race
presents a magnificent figure； but that is an effect of the constant
calm affected by those profound philosophers with their long pipes；
their short legs； their square contour； who despise and hold activity
in horror； whilst in Paris the little and the great and the mediocre
run and leap and drive； whipped on by an inexorable goddess； Necessity
the necessity for money； glory； and amusement。 Thus； any face which
is fresh and graceful and reposeful； any really young face； is in
Paris the most extraordinary of exceptions； it is met with rarely。
Should you see one there； be sure it belongs either to a young and
ardent ecclesiastic or to some good abbe of forty with three chins； to
a young girl of pure life such as is brought up in certain middle…
class families； to a mother of twenty； still full of illusions； as she
suckles her first…born； to a young man newly embarked from the
provinces； and intrusted to the care of some devout dowager who keeps
him without a sou； or； perhaps； to some shop assistant who goes to bed
at midnight wearied out with folding and unfolding calico； and rises
at seven o'clock to arrange the window； often again to some man of
science or poetry； who lives monastically in the embrace of a fine
idea； who remains sober； patient； and chaste； else to some self…
contented fool； feeding himself on folly； reeking of health； in a
perpetual state of absorption with his own smile； or to the soft and
happy race of loungers； the only folk really happy in Paris； which
unfolds for them hour by hour its moving poetry。
Nevertheless； there is in Paris a proportion of privileged beings to
whom this excessive movement of industries； interests； affairs； arts；
and gold is profitable。 These beings are women。 Although they also
have a thousand secret causes which； here more than elsewhere； destroy
their physiognomy； there are to be found in the feminine world little
happy colonies； who live in Oriental fashion and can preserve their
beauty； but these women rarely show themselves on foot in the streets；
they lie hid like rare plants who only unfold their petals at certain
hours； and constitute veritable exotic exceptions。 However； Paris is
essentially the country of contrasts。 If true sentiments are rare
there； there also are to be found； as elsewhere； noble friendships and
unlimited devotion。 On this battlefield of interests and passions；
just as in the midst of those marching societies where egoism
triumphs； where every one is obliged to defend himself； and which we
call /armies/； it seems as though sentiments liked to be complete when
they showed themselves； and are sublime by juxtaposition。 So it is
with faces。 In Paris one sometimes sees in the aristocracy； set like
stars； the ravishing faces of young people； the fruit of quite
exceptional manners and education。 To the youthful beauty of the
English stock they unite the firmness of Southern traits。 The fire of
their eyes； a delicious bloom on their lips； the lustrous black of
their soft locks； a white complexion； a distinguished caste of
features； render them the flowers of the human race； magnificent to
behold against the mass of other faces； worn； old； wrinkled； and
grimacing。 So women； too； admire such young people with that eager
pleasure which men take in watching a pretty girl； elegant； gracious；
and embellished with all the virginal charms with which our
imagination pleases to adorn the perfect woman。 If this hurried glance
at the population of Paris has enabled us to conceive the rarity of a
Raphaelesque face； and the passionate admiration which such an one
must inspire at the first sight； the prime interest of our history
will have been justified。 /Quod erat demonstrandum/if one may be
permitted to apply scholastic formulae to the science of manners。
Upon one of those fine spring mornings； when the leaves； although
unfolded； are not yet green； when the sun begins to gild the roofs；
and the sky is blue； when the population of Paris issues from its
cells to swarm along the boulevards； glides like a serpent of a
thousand coils through the Rue de la Paix towards the Tuileries；
saluting the hymeneal magnificence which the country puts on； on one
of these joyous days； then； a young man as beautiful as the day
itself； dressed with taste； easy of mannerto let out the secret he
was a love…child； the natural son of Lord Dudley and the famous
Marquise de Vordacwas walking in the great avenue of the Tuileries。
This Adonis； by name Henri de Marsay； was born in France； when Lord
Dudley had just married the young lady； already Henri's mother； to an
old gentleman called M。 de Marsay。 This faded and almost extinguished
butterfly recognized the child as his own in consideration of the life
interest in a fund of a hundred thousand francs definitively assigned
to his putative son； a generosity which did not cost Lord Dudley too
dear。 French funds were wor