Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1861-10-02
Luxury in Ancient Times.

EtatS Unis) a book under the title @
Souvenirs of the Marquis de Valfons.
1t contains very curious details of the styl
of living in great houses in France in tn
time of Louis XIV The hero of this boo
the Marquis of Valfons. Vicount of 81
bourg. Lieutenant general in the royal ar
my. belonged to one of the ancient familie
of the Languedoc nobility. and his memoir
form part of brilliant History of a nun
Der of these persons which has just bcel
published in two volumes by NJ. Louis d
la Rogue.
He was brave and meritorious officer
and an accomplished gentleman. He fol
lowed with eclGt all the great wars of tn,
reign of Louis XV.; lie was often sum
moned to court, or employed on missions
at intervals in the country He died hiel
in Office, and left numerous manuscript:
and letters, which it is yet not time to pub
lisb, military writings which are highly
valued by CONF etent judges who have had
access to them. and notes and memoir;
which. having been long preserved in the
family archives, see the light for the frs
time under the above named title of Sou
venirs, rapid notes without much order, al
written with his own pen.
! The editor of these posthumous confden
ces is the granddaughter of the author and
the heir of his name, the Marquis de Val.
fons.
/ The following is translation Of a pOr-
;iOn of this ork, and is a picture of what
was formerly called great house and a
noble style of living:
l often supped with the Cardinal de Ro.
han, who kept up royal style of living
and at whose house all the province assem-
bled. L went several times to Saverne,
the chateau. the park; everything there is
grand. he Cardinal adorned it with his
presence. The beauty of his ever smiling
] face inspired confidence The immensity
Of his castle, and the quantity of people
who inhabited it, may be judged from this
fact. The Abbe de Ravennes. who was at
the head of everything. and by whose
/ friendship and care. the debts of the Car
dinal had been paid aud his disordcrcd af-
fairs arranged, told me that from the boy
in the kitchen to the master of the house.
all included, they counted seven hundred
beds
There were always there from twenty to
thirty Of the most amiable ladies in the
prOviuce. Very often this number was
increased by those of the Court and of
Paris. The greatest liberty reigned there;
i maitre d'hotel went every morning to all
sl. "r---s--..-. - --,--:-,.I WI. .--.o..s-
the .ouestS perferred to be served in their
rooms. "ho alone or who in compauy-
They had l.'e most excellent dinner at any
hour they wish,Gi:: those who descended to
the dining rocm found one not inftriOr-
There were a hundred md eighty horses
and carriages at will. In the evening all
assembled in one apartment, and every
bOdy suPped together always in the style
Of a fcte.
AL the Cardinals kitchen apparatus
was Of silver. The Able de Rayenhes. 4
SORT of an overseer, often IN bad humo.',
passing through the apartments, was apt
to complain OF the dust. the abuse of the
furniture, aud the indiscretiOn of visitors.
"Who knows it better than ], Mr. Able, -
replied the prelate; Il am busy from morn
ing till night in making up with people,
whom your scolding in the morning has
embrciled me with"
but the furniture
"Oh, well. let it be rubbed or replaced.
Liberty and ease, Mr.. Able. without which
we should make a desert of the house"
The ElectOr of Cologne. great by his
birth as by his position and his revenues,
could not recover from tke astonishment
VIII ch the magnifcencc of the Cardinal
caused him.
NJ. de ROhan, was not. however, alone
in his sllendor In September, 1929 the
anniversary of the Dauphin's birthday, the
Duke de BOaflers gave little fete at Lislc
in this style:
Tables were laid where the people ate
and drank in succession for several hours.
each leaving his place only to have it taken
by another. The garrison was composed
of 5000 men. Every soldier, cavalier or !
dragon received from the liherality of the !
Duke a pound and a half of meat, two
pounds of bread and pot of beer. Fire
works in the evening after ahich they re-
turned to the palace where three hundred |
women of quality of the province found an
excellent supper with more than two thou !
sand officers from different garrisons. The
whole finished bya ball and beautiful illu-
limitations.
This volume of Souvenir contains also |
some curious accounts of the fashions in
lady's costume, in the year 1856, and of
the sentimental names that at certain peri |
ods we're attached to articles. and particu-
lar styles of dress. A peculiar sort of
curls was called marked attentions" A !
color much in vogue was "the Queens /
hair" another "stifed sighs.' Curtain |
trimmings were "indiscrcct complaints"
':great reputation, - ''insensibility, mark
ed desire, agitation and the like Shoes !
were universally of the Queens hair col !
or. and on this point the greatest magnif-
cence was concentrated. They were en-
broidered in diamonds which were not
worn elsewhere, thus nothing was so fine
as a woman's foot, even when it was not of
itself handsome. Cluaks were banished at
this time, and capes of swansdown worn
which bore the name of Cat The Mar
quis saws, Mademoiselle Duthe, was lately
at the opera; her dress was of "stifed
sighs." trimmed with 'surPerhuOus regrets,
a point in the middle of perfect candOr,"
trimmed with ''indiEcreet complaints. -
Shoes of Queens hair" embroidered in
Diamonds in ''perfdious blows" and the
'.come to seek me-" (the back quarter) in
emeralds. The hair craped in sustained
sentiments, with a cap of ''secure con-
quest" trimmed with flying trimmings
and ribbon of 1.-The cast down eye" A
"cat'' on the neck. of the newly come
bencar" color. and on the shoulders a