e
addresses his evening prayer, and makes shift with sand. This reminds me
that some antiquarian has discovered that in eating horse we are only
reverting to the habits of the ancient Gauls. Before the Christian
religion was introduced into the country, the Druids used to sacrifice
horses, which were afterwards eaten. Christianity put an end to these
sacrifices, and horse-flesh then went out of fashion.

_La France_ thus speaks of the last despatch of Gambetta:--"At length we
have received official news from Tours. We read the despatch feverishly,
then we read it a second time with respect, with admiration, with
enthusiasm. We are asked our opinion respecting it. Before answering, we
feel an irresistible impulse to take off our hat and to cry 'Vive la
France.'" The _Electeur Libre_ is still more enraptured with the
situation. It particularly admires the petroleum lamp, so different, it
says, to those orgies of light, which under the tyrant, in the form of
gas, gave a fictitious vitality to Paris. The _Combat_ points out that
no fires have broken out since September 4--a coincidence which is
ascribed to the existence since that date of a Republican form of
government. I recommend this curious phenomenon to insurance companies.
The newspapers, one and all, are furious, because they hear that the
Prussians contest our two victories at Villiers. "How singular,"
observes the _Figaro_, with plaintive morality, "is this rage, this
necessity for lying." It is notorious that, having gained two glorious
victories, we returned into Paris to repose on our laurels, and I must
beg the Prussians not to be so mean as to contest the fact.

_December 23rd._

Since Wednesday the troops--Line, Mobiles, and marching battalions of
the National Guard--have remained outside the enceinte. There has been a
certain amount of spade work at Drancy, but beyond this absolutely
nothing. The cold is very severe. This afternoon I was outside in the
direction of Le Bourget. The soldiers had lit large fires to warm
themselves. Some of them were lodged in empty houses, but most of them
had only their little _tentes d'abri_ to shelter them. The sentinels
were stamping their feet in the almost vain endeavour to keep their
blood in circulation. There have been numerous frost-bitten cases. When
it is considered that almost all of these troops might, without either
danger to the defence, or without compromising the offensive operations,
have been marched b