The New York herald., 1873-08-25
TRouvILLE AND ITS MARINE NEIGHDoHS
Watering Place Architecture-Art Oollec-
tions-French Law of Inheritance.
THE CHATEAU DE LAssAY.

In view OF these events the watering places are be-
ginning to thin, and will not be fairly full again
till towards the end OF next week. when politicians,
early patches OF pilgrims and quidnuncs who have
been lingering to take the last look OF the Shah,
will all be free to battle themselves and their fami-
lies till October east winds come and put stop to
the fun. Luckily last nights rain had cleared or
this morning and the waves were gambolling
friskiy as kittens the sunlit sands, sheeny as
cloth OF gold. Troops OF bathers were already
hitting homewards with damp hair dshe yelled as
l sailed out. deeming l had risen rather early,
for 1t was only seven; but people are astr betimes
IN these parts, and the hotel walters bound down
the passages with trays OF cdJy au lait on their
shoulders just as you beginning to wonder
whether any OF them out OF bed. One thing
You miss here by the bye, is the delight which at
tends you at the Brighton Grand Hotel-that of
getting up to the music Of German band playing
out OF tune below saw German band at Dieppe,
but have not heard one at rrouville. They have
grown scarce since the war; for belief has spread
that the nstrumentalists were and all spies OF
Bismarck and that while pretending to stare at
their music books they peered craftly at the naked
ness or fatness OF the land around them and took
notes thereon.
ARCHITECTURE AND ART COLLECTIONS.
Tronville has houses OF all OmplexiOns-simili-
Gothic, smili-Tudor, simill-Italian, simi Moorish
and smili-everything The place looks as though
the architectural genu Of every century since the
flood had met together to exhibit their works; and
il y respectable British town would come and
take walk this way Trouvle would produce
the same impression on it as Joseph in his
coat OF many colors probably did on his
respectable brother Reuben The machinery
Of Montebeo's miniature palace, in the Louis XIII
style, perhaps deserves the medal, and is one OF
those gems which any man would be pleased to
accept as gilt, II respectfully rendered by CRATE
lul country or an enthusiastic meeting OF share
holders. But to make the present quite suitable it
ought to be fitted up with the contents Of M. Cor
diers Swiss cottage, opposite the new boulevard,
at the end OF the Rue Cavee. M. Cordier is
Trouville incarnate In the person of an elderly
gentleman OF enterprsing soul. lie dreams wax
ing and sleeping OF how Trouvllle may be magni-
fed, and II the mussels Holsters OF the locality
ever hoax him with a nightmare that nightmare
must consist In the spectacle OF Trouville being
suddenly washed away by tempest. M. Cordier
very affably allows strangers to visit his rich
museum OF antiquities, and last year he placed
his cottage at the disposal OF President Thiers,
who might be daily deserted struttlng about the
grounds in suit of iron-gray and straw hat that
lent him the appearance Of an intellectual toad
stool. If you can fortunately be favored by NJ Cor
dier's own company while viewing his treasures the
pleasure is twOfold, for his explanations are not
those OF the slng-song guides we all know 80 well
from visiting Windsor Castle or FOntainebleau.
Few men possess such store OF archaeological
knowledge or such a chatly way Of impartng it ;
but 1t must be confessed leaves the Chalet
Cordier with an impression OF pain, for this ad-
mirable collection, which 1t has cost lifetime Of
scholarly diligence and taste to organize must, OF
course, one OF these dayc come to the hammer. An
artistic Frenchman takes the trouble OF forming a
very gem Of a museum; he dies, and up rush the
heirs In hungry pack to divide the spells to the
last centime, so that not one Of them may inherit
little more than the others. Heirlooms never
outlve single generation in modern France; for
that curious system OF testamentary equality which
obliges a man to part his property in identically
sized morsels among his children, and, ip1ng
children, iorpids hm 10 dlshnert n nepnews e anu ,
to wait cOvetOusly for his shoes-that system is
the ruin OF art collections. was lately staying
with Frenchman who Is creating himself
charming estate In Tourane. AS he is childess
could not help expressing my surprise that he
should lavish 80 much capital and energy on prop
erty which must Inevitably be dispersed at his
death. He answered dismally 81 live In hopes
that may day have wca
with what belongs to u.s. or course 1t will not be
a republican government, for French republ
canlsm means meddesome despOtism in private as
well as public concerns: but II we get that
liberty, shall bequeathe all this to my sisters son.
who is as dear to me as If he were my own boy; II
gang OF coiateraIs, whom / have never seen, will
shoot up rend the lands piecemeal. sell the
house and scatter pictures, statues and
furniture to the four winds-that is, to England,
America and Russia, where most French treasures
A RELIC OF THE ANCIENT REGIME.
People who care to see where fugitive king
sight Of Colonel Pertnus' house in a small street
on the outskirts of TrOuvllle; for Louis Philippe
na MS wnea s e o
rough for him to cross over TO Havre, for he was
prudent monarch in all things; but when 1t was at
last safe to travel His Majesty steamed over to
Newhayen and abided two days in small hotel,
which still bears painted notice on It's facade
to say that Englishmen never fail to go and refresh
themselves with sight OF Colonel Perthuis house,
for there is nexpressp1,e balm TO tne Brasn sou,
! has done anything, no matter how mean and
spirtless. Nay, there is nothing mean to the Brit,
they smile, sneeze or turn tail, they are
read ready to to burn D incense and Chorus "Haelujah"
| did not visit Colonel Perthuis' sanctum, for
ctdr-d-banes was In waiting to convey me win Q
Lassay ana thence to Cabourg. The ruins OF the
chateau should be visited out Of Difference 70 the
| loyal Frenchman, who erected the mansion under
circumstances which did great credit TO the buoy.
ancy OF his mind. He was great liar-not to put
too fine appoint to it-and, having amassed CON
siderable fortune in specuatonf used to brag
| night and day of Louis fourteenths Court-oI MS
splendid residence on the Norman coas,i ne % went
montade that Mile. dc Montpensier, the Kings
| cousin, evinced a desire to behold this palace OF
| marveis and promised N. de Lassav to pay him
| visit the next Autumn. This was awkward, for M.
de Lassay's splendid residence existed only
| in his own head; but he was man OF
pedients SO he posted OF TO Normandy and planned,
built and furnished one U the showiest palaces
in the whole country side In the space OF three
| equivalent to about three times that sum In
! modern money. He would have been valuable
man to assist In rebuilding Chicago or the ruined
quarters Of Boston, but he was ilLrequted for his
| energy. The Princess wrote to him In the Autumn
saying that sne iet 700 iazy 10 undertake tne
instead at ner estate Of Eu. This was not the same
| thing at all, but M. de Lassay had to pocket his
disappointment as he best could. Nile dc Mont
pensier never saw his castle, but he continued
thenceforth to live In II himself, and the monument
| survived till the Revolution, an imposing sample
Of what spirited Frenchman will do when egged
| on by vanity and suf1clent capital The palace