Mr. Robert Owen has been lecturing at the Hotel de
Ville in Paris, on his plans for reconstructing society and reforming the world. The first lecture was on Sunday last. A correspondent of the Globe gives the following account of what passed- " Mr. Owen had neglected to obtain previously the permission of the Pre- fect for the use of the hail; and nearly three hundred persons were kept wait. ing in the street for an hour after the time fixed for commencing the lecture before they could obtain admission. At length the permission arrived ; and in a few minutes the hall was about half-filled r by respectably-dressed persons, of whom one-third were females. Mr. Owen delivered his lecture in English, a translator repeating the passages in French. He was listened to with patience and respect. but evidently without much sympathy, although his social system was Republican enough to be agreeable to a portion of his auditors. The only part of his lecture which appeared to excite interest, was that in which he exhi- bited his pyramid, showing the distribution of the different classes in Great Britain. When he had finished his lecture for that day, he announced his inten- tion of completing it at the Athen4e Royal on the following Tuesday ; but was imprudent enough to say that lie was then ready to:answer any questions. Half-a-dozen persons rose up to ask questions, but one of them only succeeded ln obtaining a hearing. This person, who is, I believe, attached to one of the newspapers, and who had all the air of a red-hot Republican, although he de- clared 'himself an anti-socialist, inquired what was Mr. Owen's mode of erganization of labour? To which Mr. Owen replied, that this was a question which required great details, and which details he was not prepared to give. The querist persevered, and appealed to the audience, more than two.thirds of whom sided with him ; and Mr. Owen still refused to answer ; for which he was soundly rated by the Republican. Then rose up a young avocet in defence of Mr. Owen ; and then half-a. dozen rushed upon the platform, some for and some against Mr. Owen. The latter gentleman abruptly put an end to the discussion by walking out of the room, and the meeting broke up."
At the celebration of the July fetes at Rheims, a balloon was inflated, and, notwithstanding the unfavourable state of the weather, took itt departure in gallant style; but, alas ! scarcely had it risen thirty fee from the earth, when the cords by which the car was attached gave way, and the machine, with the aeronaut, fell among the spectators, who were very numerous. Fortunately, none of them were hurt. As to the unfortunate aspirant to the skies, many of his members were dislocated, and his head severely fractured ; but we are happy to say that no amputation has been necessary, and that by the judicious ap- plication of a few bandages, and of a due quantity of bran, or even sawdust, to his head, he will be perfectly restored. Reader, it was only a manequin !—French Paper.
The Tribunal of Correctional Police at Lyons sat on the 25th July with closed doors, to try a priest, aged seventy-five, a merchant up- wards of seventy, and of great wealth and reputation, and several women, for conspiracy to debauch many young girls, the youngest of whom was only ten and the eldest not more than thirteen years old. The priest and the merchant were condemned to imprisonment for six months, and two of the women for three months.
The Courier de Lyon statqs, that Cardinal Fesch bus ordered thirty- nine paintings from his splendid collection to be sold for the benefit of the Lyonnese workmen out of employ. These paintings have already reached Lyons; where some others from the same collection are also to be sold for the relief of the sisters of St. Joseph d'Ajaccio.
The country adjoining the forests of St. Germain and Villefermoy, near Melun, having been of late much infested with wolves and wild boars, the Administration of the Civil List ordered a battue, which terminated in the destruction of three she-wolves. A second battue is shortly to take place against the wild boars, which are doing much da- image to the crops.
The French physician at Smyrna, Dr. Bulard, who inoculated him- self with the plague, is perfectly convalescent, but is still in quarantine. The Archbishop,"the Grand Vicar, and all the foreign Consuls, have been to visit him. The principal inhabitants have resolved to have a medal struck in his honour.—Swabian Mercury.
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