e _de_ prefixed to their names, without other titular
distinction. Next, it contains 163 great landed proprietors, including
the richest in France; 155 advocates; 48 leading manufacturers; 45
officers or ex-officers of the army, chiefly of high rank; 35
magistrates or ex-magistrates; 25 engineers; 23 physicians; 21
professors; 19 notaries or ex-notaries; 16 wholesale merchants; 14
officers or ex-officers of the navy; 10 attorneys; 5 bankers; 2
druggists; 1 bishop; 1 curate; 1 Protestant minister; and 10 others of
sundry occupations. The difference in composition between this
republican Assembly and our own Congresses is in some respects
remarkable; for, independently of the very large and indeed altogether
disproportionate representation of the nobility or titled classes, we
observe a very great preponderance of rich land-owners, representing in
their own persons the agricultural and vine-growing interests. Very
singular, also, is the small proportion of lawyers, only 155 being
classed as advocates, and the magistrates and attorneys swelling the
number only to 200. In an ordinary American Congress at least one-half,
and usually two-thirds, of the members are or have been lawyers by
profession. The clerical representation seems to reach a total of three,
all told, Catholic and Protestant; and as trivial is that of the retail
traders and mechanics, of whom there are but two or three in all. We may
add that a full-blooded negro member, M. Pory-Papy, came as deputy from
Martinique. The standard of intelligence and political experience is
rather high: it is said, for example, that no less than 33 members have
been ministers. Altogether, the Assembly may be considered as rather
fortunately constituted.

* * * * *

During the session of the medical congress at Lyons one day was set
apart for the study of alcoholic stimulants. On that occasion the
physician of Sainte-Anne asylum, Dr. Magnan, comparing the chemical
action of alcohol and absinthe on man, drew the conclusion that the
former acts more slowly, gradually provoking delirium and digestive
derangement, while absinthe rapidly results in epilepsy. Then, producing
a couple of dogs, he treated one with alcohol and the other with essence
of absinthe, this latter being the active principle of the absinthe
liquor which is commonly drunk. The alcoholized brute could not stand
up, became sleepy and stupid, and, when set on his legs, trembled in an