Paris herself again in 1878-9 . eel inclined to rub your eyes with aston-ishment at reading that announcement. The Cooperative dis-play in the Avenue slightly reminds you of Mr. Whiteleys in-terminable procession of shops in Westbourne Grove, with thisimportant exception, nevertheless, that the dry goods element isabsent. For dry goods—articles of feminine costume and adorn-ment on a gigantic scale—you must go either to the Bon Marcheor to^the Grands Magasins du Louvre. At the last-namedemporium the purchaser of linendrapery, silkmercery, or haber-dashery, beyond a certainiimount, is presented
Paris herself again in 1878-9 . eel inclined to rub your eyes with aston-ishment at reading that announcement. The Cooperative dis-play in the Avenue slightly reminds you of Mr. Whiteleys in-terminable procession of shops in Westbourne Grove, with thisimportant exception, nevertheless, that the dry goods element isabsent. For dry goods—articles of feminine costume and adorn-ment on a gigantic scale—you must go either to the Bon Marcheor to^the Grands Magasins du Louvre. At the last-namedemporium the purchaser of linendrapery, silkmercery, or haber-dashery, beyond a certainiimount, is presented i^y-dessus le marchewith a balloon. You shall hardly pass down a frequented thorough-fare in Paris—notably during, the afternoon—without meetingchildren of all ages, bonnes, grown-up ladies, elderly gentlenvridecores, even, gravely holding the strings which prevent the -captive spheres of diaphanous caoutchouc from sailing away in tlambient air. They all bear the word Louvre printed upon them THE AVENUE DE L 0PEKA. 351. in big letters. To such commercial uses must all things come at last. It is the Advertisement, not Time, which in the end is edax rerum: Le pauvre en sa cabane, oil le chaume le couvre, Est sujet a ses lois, Et la garde qui veille aux barrieres clu Louvre Nen defend pas nos rois. So sang one of the noblest of French poets. In the modern timethe garde qui veille aux barrieres du Louvre is symbolised bythe solemn Jivissier who guards the threshold of les GrandsMagasins. * Eatables and drinkables are the staple* and stock in the co-operative shops in the Avenue, the line of which threatens tostretch to -the crack of doom. Groceries of all kinds; wines,spirits, and liqueurs; hams, saiteages, and preserved provisions;>eer and aerated waters; fish, poultry, and game; cheese andmcon; pickles and preserves ; biscuits and macaroni; legions ofthings of British and French provenance mingle here in amicablecompetition. Could such a gathering be possible if we we
Size: 1855px × 1347px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookidparisherself, bookyear1879
