The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-08-18
A Series Of Norman Watering Place
Letters by E. G. Grenville Muir.
ray So No. 4.
FECAMP A RELIGIOUS BATHING PLACE.
Brisk Business Competition in the Miracu.
lous Water from Sacred Springs.
OF THE DEvoTEEs.
Pretty Maids Who Waltz in White Muslin and
SWANS Who Marry without Fears
Of Bankruptcy.
FECAMP, July 10, 1879.

FEcAMP, July 1s, 1879
TO PECAMP VIA ROUEN.
date this from Fccamp, which is religious wa
tering place, much frequented by Roman Catholic
families owing to its relic OF the ''Precious Blood
OF Our Saviour" The journey from Dieppe used
to be an agreeable one, for diligence took you
along the coast road and kept you In sight Of the
sea nest Of the way but this conveyance, not pay
ing, has been suppressed, and your route now lies
crcuitously through Rouen, where q two hours
stoppage allows you to visit the very remarkable
museum Of antiquities, near the Joan OF Arc tower
close to the station Starting from Deppe at eight
you reach Rouen at ten, and, II You are In Q great
hurry, can set on for Fecamp at twelve and arrive
there at three, the distance being such as an
American train would clear In an hour; but then,
the French are cautious people, not to be trundled
along at too great pace save In politios for fear
Of breakages nyou are not In great hurry you
could do as well to devote six hours to Rouen In
stead of two, for there is plenty to see in the old
Norman capital and you may admire one OF the
finest courts Of justice (the old Parliament House,
in Europe. Only, If stirred by the sight Of
Joan of Arcs statue to ban the En-
glish who set fire to that heroine please
remember that historical accuracy is great point
in this age Of Imagination, and that the
people who condemned Miss Joan to the stake
were Pierre Cauchon, Bishop OF Beauvais, and
flty-three Frenchmen, his abettors. They acted
at the instigation OF the Duke OF Bedford no doubt
which proves once again that the French have al.
ways loved discipline; but there the fact stands
that Joan persisted because ffty-four of her coun-
trymen were earnestly convinced that she was In
league with the devil, whilst they, being righteous
folk Of eminent responsibility prototypes in every
sense Of the Sleek modern bourgeois were unques-
.RI.s
in this part Of the country still threaten their
fractory offspring with 'Shusby," which is Nor
man for DOGGY" but took Its rise in the unpleas
ant sentiments which the great Earl OF Shrews-
bury disseminated through all the provinces under
English rule. He was = feroci0us parsonage in the
flesh, but seems to have become downright nuls-
ance In the spirit, for blighted crops, smoking
chimneys, mad dogs and measy pigs are all
booked to his account; and, seeing that pigs would
certainly not become measy nor dogs mad Of their
0wnfree WILL one Is bound TO fear that Shusby,"o
Shrewsbury Is every whit as black as he Is painted.
Another fact to be noticed Is that the Normans
renowned for their love of lawsuits the high caps
Of their peasant wsmen and their cider. The high
caps were formerly worn every day; they have
now become sunday attire and Mt close to the
head, SO as to conceal absence Of hair, the which,
as l explained the other day, being q marketable
commodity, finds Its way to Paris or to Havre via
New York or London. Lawsuits are still in loving
repute, especially among brothers, who generally
contrive to start case out OF their fathers will,
and are none the worse friends after they have dc.
voured two-thirds OF their Inheritance in costs.
Solicitors and barristers find 1t pleasant country;
so do bans (aussiers), who are perpetually on the
trudge to levy executions and drink much cider IN
the OF their dverting avocations. The cider
is gooo for those who like to feel their rotations
ham mi nv m Mt IN Z hn
windpipe, and Is served gratis in all
the inns instead OF water, though sundry tourists
alleged they would rather pay than drink it; but
this is question Of taste. Never forget in visiting
Rouen that free trade Is not in good 0dor there,
nor the drains either; but whilst inveghing
against free trade you must praise the drains, for
their odor Is o sensitive point with tho Rouenese,
on tas subject would R not be tnsntag
received. MOnselgneur de Bsnnechose, the Cards.
nal Archbishop OF the diocese, is great man, who
makes no concessions as TO butter and meat during
fast days, and he rules Rouen pretty much as he
plcases in duunvirate with NJ. PouyerQuertier, the
fork in France. ana astonished even Prince BIS
marck 1t that game. For the present ROuen Is less
concerned about the quotations Of shlrtings the
impending withdrawal Of che duty on raw material
than about trial Tor inlanticide, which Is to take
place soon. woman came to stay night at the
Hotel d'Angleterre and lett her Child three years
VISIT She Sas Captured in Enesna and sSe
say FOR herself, have already concocted ave or six
versions OF her story, one OF which asserts thai
her trade is to travel about and deposit super uous
babies in hotel cupboards and that she receives o
commission Of 30 much head for the business.
The French have great liking for this sort Of
legendry, and most oil them are persuaded that the
itself In Hindostan till interfered with BY Lord
William Bentinck, has still some ramifcations IN
France, and that man can get murder executed
for him with neatness and despatch II he only
Tss e. 1PS paul
'Brande des Habits Noirs'' were written to en-
courage this reassurng idea; and the recent trial
ing purposes, under the style Of Bdnde des cas-
Qettes de velours, has suggested that you can get
mans watch prefer as 70 n Of
progress But to return to our
RELIGIOUS WATERING PLACE
The best hotels ut Fecamp are at some distance
from the shore and the Casino, but omnibuses are
scudding to and iro all day TO spare yoa descent
the Chariot dor, they say the Grand ns,S Cert Is as
good and one should never be- vsed By ali who
care to see French bishops taking their holidays
in black instead or violet cassocks and respectable
"a are imposed BY the canon law and ritual obser-
vance. The deai-m0nde Is almost entirely wanting,
dukes S and clergymen. II here and there modern
youngster appears with shiny new clothes. hair
Soton ner who is waiting the hand Of
gliding, or barrister, who. from con-
cast in HIS lot with the clerico-legitt-
mist party, and desire to battle, botanize,
For s similar reasons one Of TWO
may occasionally be deserted leading lives full OF
edihcAtion In sober garments. They have become
rich and old; they aspire to turn over new leaf
and get back into decent society, 80 they lavish q
good deal on paupers, attend mathis and vespers,
sODrss 0G %
patience are admitted on sufYerance 1rst to cloth
Ing club assemblies, then to quiet parties, where
tea, in color like negus, Is served lukewarm la
Ndtacdtse. They write themselves down as widows
in the hotel books, and often powder their hair
slightly to impart to their countenances the vener
OF course, nothing distresses them more than to
meet with any one Who knew them In previous
barouches over the prejudices of mankind and took
the odds on Chantilly favorites. French Cethoncs,