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1st. (25th of 8th Moon). Thursday.
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A perfectly lovely day―all through had a long walk to Rue Meziere to get some books.
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1. All Paris is moved with enthusiasm for the coming reception of the Czar and the Czarina. The mayors of the principal arrondissements, in bombastic words, call upon their constituents to desecrate the windows with the Russian colors. Russia is called the Friend of France.
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2. In Petersburg, even along the beautiful Nevski Prospect, I could not find a single place where cancelled stamps were exposed for sale. In Paris one can hardly go anywhere without meeting with shops having old stamps on sale. Russians are that much behind, in civilization, their French models.
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3. The difference in sense of the words same in form in English and French is often striking. An Englishman tries to avoid "pain" as much as possible; but to a French "pain" is his staff of life. Where is a Master John Bull who would not like to be "blessed"? Yet deliver me from being "blessed" in the French acceptation.
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4. On my way from Berlin to Cologne, a dining car boy presented me a bill of fare all in German. Conning over it never so carefully, I could not tell soup from salad. But there was one word which I felt sure of having the same origin as the English word "chicken." In a perfect delight I pointed to the boy the word "schinken" and motioned him to bring that dish as soon as possible. I waited a few minutes with a pleasant anticipation of having a good plate of tender chicken for my dinner and with the flattering contemplation that I could travel through Germany sans the knowledge of its tongue. But imagine my surprise when the boy brought me a plate of ham―an article of food as different from chicken as a hog is from a hen. Was sadder but wiser and resolved that I should never again insist too much on the common origin of any two languages based on the similarity of sounds in some of their expressions.
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5. The uniformity of the Russian language through out the vast empire is as remarkable as the violent division of tongue in the liliputian kingdom of Belgium. My teacher tells me that in Bruxelleo, on one side of a street, nothing but Dutch is spoken while on the other French reigns supreme. Why, in Russia, a Corean who picked up the language in Vladivostok could talk to the Czar in Petersburg.
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6. My desideratum is to have a quiet and comfortable home in Corea, surrounded by those whom I love, father, mother, wife and children, I shall like to have a large study furnished with choice books, a pretty garden planted with flowers, lovely without being loud; kind friends varied but ot vulgar. I shall delight myself with writing and reading, but writing and reading only those things which I believe and feel.
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Plancon, of Petersburg, arrived here from London. He expects to stay in this "pension" for a week or two.
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After dinner Plancon and I went to the famous "Moulin Rouge." The so called ball there participated in by some of the fast sets of the Parisian youths of both sexes defies all rules of decency, to say nothing of morality.
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6th. Tuesday. Beautiful.
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A lovely morning. The entire lengh of the magnificent Avenue du Bois de Boulogne was from 7 a.m. lined with men and women, several ranks deep, to wait for the Czar. The Russian sovereigns entered Paris about 10:30 amidst cheerful acclamation.
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1. The Franco-Russian fete, in the splendid celebration of which every Parisian enters heartily irrespective of his or her political standard, will cost the government 1,200,000 francs. It is estimated that a least 2, 30 millions of people have come from the Departments to see the fete.
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2. The Parisian crowd is neither so turbulent as that of Russia, or so rude and insolent as that of America, but more tenacious than either in keeping any advantageous ground. I saw old women―not very old either―guarding her standpoint of view with as much jealousy as a hen would her chicks.
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3. There is more variety of souvenirs of the Czar's visit to Paris on the Parisian streets than of his coronation in Moscow or Petersburg.
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4. The illumination in the night surpassed in extent and splendor anything that I have ever seen of the kind. Of course the illumination of the Kremlin Palaces in Moscow was something extraordinary and one can't expect to see that sort of thing twice in a year. Yet I defy and city in the civilized world to show me a better illumination, at so short a notice, that of Paris seen tonight.
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8th. (2nd of 9th Moon). Thursday.
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By the 2:30 train, went to Versailles in the hope of seeing the fountains play. when I got there the little town was gaily decorated with the Russian and French colors and densely crowded with people. The Russian sovereigns reached Versailles about 4 p.m. The gates on the Palace were closed against the multitude; but the latter forced their way in, to the utter amazement of the gendarmes. As I followed the surging crowd rushing into the spacious courtyard and crying out "To the balcony!" the scenes of 1789,―in the month of October too―suggested themselves to my imagination. The officers were wise enough to let the crowd cool off its heat by gently keeping it from entering the halls. By and by when the multitude found there was nothing to be seen in the court, they dispersed without any fuss. The fountains not open to the public.
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In the night the principal avenues of the town were illuminated with little lamps.
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Left Versailles at 8 p.m. Paris about 10. Went to the Passage de l'Opera to see the exhibition of the wonderful cinetograph of animated photography. The scenes lacked only the power of speech to make them real.
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Mr. Plancon came to join her husband with the two boys yesterday morning. Was glad to see her.
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Madme L tells me that on the day of the Czar's entree, a friend of hers, who has a 3 storied building on Champs Elysee, let her 1st floor windows at 1,000 francs each; the 2nd floor windows at 700 francs each; and the 3rd ones at 500 francs each.
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Ever since last Thursday night, rain every day.
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Laid up last Sunday and Monday on account of a severe cold. Mr. Plancon showed me a deal of attention during my illness. Thanks!
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Enjoyed Monte Cristo in English.
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15th. Thursday. Rain as usual.
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This morning a Corean named ( ) called on me; and hearing me speak Japanese, he took me for an "Ilbon saram." Not desiring to identify myself to an utter stranger. I persisted in playing the role of a Japanese. He told me that he had gone to Japan last year as a student; that he had left Tokio last April for America; and that he had arrived in Paris a week ago. "When I was in Washington," said he, "some kind people offered to send me to school; but I declined to accept the proposal. I am now sorry for it. Yi Ha Yong (李夏榮) came with me."
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My opinion is that these two young men are two of the four Corean students who left Japan last spring for America with the 400 Yen they had stolen from the Corean Club at Tokio. Why didn't study in Washington, especially when they had a good chance? I suspect their character.
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呂 tells me that Mr. 徐光範 had lately been supplanted by Mr. 李範晋. Poor 徐!
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Dropped a note to Mr. ( ) this evening.
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Mr. Plancon and his family left here at 8 p.m. Felt as sorry as if they were my kinfolk. Mrs. P. complained to me what a sorry pension "Miss Schmidt keeps." "She makes one sorry for what he eats at the table." said Plancon. Surely Mlle Schmdt is a piece of unattractive metal.
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17th. Saturday. Rained-cold.
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Gave ( ) and ( ) 40 frs. Am afraid they regard me as a gold mine. They told me in a pathetic letter yesterday afternoon that they had come to Paris for the noble purpose of opening up Europe to Corean student. I should have felt some sympathy for them had they stuck to their duties in Japan or in America. Am willing to help a poor student, but I despise a poor student.
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This continual rain day after day and night after night is making everybody blue―though it keeps lawns beautifully green.
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Called on Prof. Arcambeau at 6 p.m. His wife, who inspite of her long illness―over a month―is sweet and pretty as a rose of the morn. No wonder Mr. A is so attached to her. With his introduction, went to No. 5 Rue Rollin to see Madme Bubat's pension. She offered me a room on the first floor overlooking the garden for 160 francs per month, all included. She mentioned, as one of the attractions of the room, that the sun shines through the window, but I thought this an unnecessary attraction as there seems to be no likelihood of Paris having the sunshine for a long while yet.
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A Scotch lady (?) who stays here is a regular interrogative point. Her voice is so harsh, her curiosity so vulgar, her manner so insolent. On being told that the late Queen of Corea was assassinated, the Scotch "dame" disgusted me by saying, "What did she look like? Was she white?" I answered her by answering nothing.
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18th. Sunday. Rain and sunshine.
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Made up my mind to change my pension (1st) to deliver myself from the harsh and miserly company of Mlle Schmidt, (2nd) to be near Professor Arcambeau, (3rd) to have a room wherein I may move and breathe and have a little fresh air, (4) to relieve myself, if possible, from the botheration of the two hopeful Coreans.
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Though I didn't have but a cup of watery chocolate this morning, Mlle Schmidt actually demanded 5 francs as if I had eaten three meals. When I paid my bill, she in her repulsive English, said "Don't forget my servant!" "Why I have been kinder to the poor servant, Marie" is much more a lady than the Mademoiselle.
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Well, gladly I left Rue poisson at 9 a.m. and came to Rue Rollin 5. For the first time in two months I have had sunshine in my room this noon and afternoon.
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19th. Monday. Cloudy-pale sun.
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Very and very homesick. Oh, how can I bear to be away from my Darling for two months longer? What do I ever expect to do with my French even if I should advance of it, ―which doesn't seem probable! Why this heartaching separation from my dear ones for an unnecessary intellectual luxury―a luxury which I never expect to enjoy to its full depth? Oh vanity of vanities!
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Had I gone with Mr. Min by way of Siberia, I would have reached home 900 dol. in silver with first class accommodations all the journey through. As things now stand, I shall be thankful if I may have something to pay my wife's debt when I get to Shanghai. That's the way my French curiosity pays?
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As usual the day began with fine rain. Cleared up by 9 a.m. A letter from Dr. W.A.C.
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I am inclined to think that a conscientious desire to be consistent is often a hindrance to generous impulses and virtuous actions. Strict consistency would not allow Christian Europe to indulge in wars. But I firmly believe that Europe has been saved from Asiatic Death by her constant exercise of the sword. Consistency should make America blush to send missionaries to convert the Chinese whom she treats with greater inhospitality and unjustice, within her borders, than could be approved of by anybody. Yet then the world would have been deprived of a host of men and women exemplifying, in the dark places of heathenism, the self-denying heroism of Christianity. Consistency―would not it make the majority of preachers give up their vocation? But then the society would be worse off. In other words, this world of inconsistencies has been kept up even as good as it is by inconsistencies.
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As I read the sacred books of different nations the following questions and answers suggest themselves;
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1. Why is it that the ancients laid down so many maxims and laid them down so well that the following ages could not improve on them?
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Ans. Great fundamental principles of morality are few and simple. The first great man who chanced to express them in neat and telling forms had, of course, as much right to give his name to them as Livingston had to name his lakes and mountains.
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2. Besides the ancients more virtuous than we?
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1) Because temptations were fewer and less attractive.
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2) Their conceptions of virtue coming to them bright from the mint of God's eternal truths captivated them by novelty which urged them to test their value by practice. A boy would devour a new and pretty book which he wouldn't care a cent for were it old and ugly.
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3) Their wants were few and simple. No great and diverse channels of activity distracted their energy and mind from their meditation on, and practice of, virtues.
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4) Their heart, warm and fresh, had neither the intellectual icebergs to freeze it nor refined sins to harden it. No dust of maxims were thrown into their moral eyes and no labyrinth of systems of religion bewildered their sleeps.
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31st. Saturday. A bright morning―p.m. cloudy.
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At 8:30 went to the Y.M.C.A. to hear a French lecture on the perils of alcoholic drinks, by Dr. Lagrain. I was surprised to hear that the French consumption of alcoholic drinks is 14 against 9 in England. According to the Doctor, Norway has made a remarkable progress in temperance.
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