I am often asked as to whether it is more expensive to live in Paris than in London. My experience is that London is the dearer city. In Paris almost everyone lives in a flat, where it is not necessary to keep so many servants as a house requires. Wages are about the same; but servants in France are much more economical than in England. Food is dearer as it is mostly taxed—the exception being fruit and vegetables, which come into Paris free of duty. Wine of home culture is now exempt. Coal is very expensive, being generally over £2 a ton; but then less is used, as the houses in the best parts of the city are generally warmed. There is, however, no income tax in France, and the municipal taxes are much less—about one-half what they are in London. But the days when people would go to Paris to largely economise are past; both capitals are expensive for the upper and middle classes. The carte telegram or “Petit bleu” is an advantage in Paris which one misses much in London. This is a system by which a letter written on a special form, which can be sealed and posted in a special box, with a threepenny stamp, will be delivered in the city, by means of pneumatic tubes, within an hour. It is a great convenience, and largely used by Parisians. The post offices, however, often afford a trying experience. The officials seem in no hurry to attend to the customers, and there is no appeal. They do not seem to consider themselves the servants of the public in any way, and so the public suffer. The “Bureaux de Post” are frequently badly ventilated, so that a long delay is not always agreeable. CHAPTER X. THE PRESENT CONDITIONS OF RELIGIOUS LIFE ON THE CONTINENT OF EUROPE, AND THEIR LESSONS FOR THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND TO-DAY. A Paper read at the Yarmouth Church Congress, October 2nd, 1907. I ventured to accept the proposal that I should speak to you to-day upon the ground that I had been for the past sixteen years chaplain in Paris, with certain opportunities for gathering some information upon the subject before us. What I have to say will naturally refer chiefly to France, which during the past few years has been passing—with somewhat grim silence—through a bloodless Revolution. The long story, of which the present condition of religious life in that country is the sequel, has been as to its earlier stages so ably dealt with by the previous speaker that I will not occupy your time by a further reference to it.