text:  Passing Holland and Belgium as more akin to the genius of the English people as respects the supremacy of honest industry its independent exercise and the comparative insignificance of aristocracies conventionally so called we come to FRANCE: there we find a provincial and a Parisian aristocracy--the former a servile mob of placemen one in fifty at least of the whole population; and the latter--oh! my poor head what a _clanjaffrey_ of _journalistes feuilletonistes artistes_ dramatists novelists _vaudivellistes_ poets literary ladies lovers of literary ladies _hommes de lettres claqueurs litterateurs gerants censeurs rapporteurs_ and _le diable boiteux_ verily knows what else! These people with whom or at least with a great majority of whom common sense sobriety of thought consistency of purpose steady determination in action and sound reasoning are so sadly eclipsed by their vivacity _empressement_ prejudice and party zeal form a prominent indeed _the_ prominent aristocracy of the _salons_: and only conceive what must be the state of things in France when we know that Paris acts upon the provinces and that Paris is acted upon by this foolscap aristocracy without station or what is perhaps worse enjoying station without property; abounding in maddening and exciting influences but lamentably deficient in those hard-headed _ungenius-like_ qualities of patience prudence charity forbearance and peace-lovings of which their war-worn nation more than any other in Europe stands in need