The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-01-11
philadelphia Americana

NJ. Baudrillat, of the French Institute, has
given to the world very interesting and in
shuctive work on luxury, which once more
suggests the reflection that there is nothing new
under the sun. Personal luxury is very old
tory, and in many respects the luxury Of
thousands of years ago is not ever likely to be
surpassed,-at all events, in point of expense.
It is scarcely possible that human labor will
ever again be procurable on terms, which, for
instance, will permit the raising of structures
to crafty the mere whims of individuals, at
such cost as those produced in the countries
where srchite cture first made progress, and the
cost of an enterta inment is hardly likely now
adays to run into the tens of thousands by
drinking pearls or crushed rubies in our wines
at dinner.
Luxury of the most costly kind existed in the
Egypt of the Pharaohs, and at Nineveh,-
where Sardanapalus dictated for his epitaph:
Eat, drink, and lust; the rest is no;hing;''---
and in Persia. At the palace of Persepolis,
built by Darius, there was marble staircase
which ten horsemen abreast could mount, with
clusters Of columns compared to forests of lotus
and palm. China, in the early ages, had her
own very peCulldI luAuFlc5, do dlbO udU OdpdUs
and of the most costly kind. So, too, had Solo,
mon. What Greece and Rome achieved in
pnbounded luxury, most of us know. 1--WE sup
in the Apollo was alleged to have been the
only order given by Lucullus when Caesar and
Pompey said that they would "drop in to sup
per-" on condition that he would make no
change on their account; and the cost of the
mprompt1 meal was estimated at seven thou
and dollars. The stable of Caligula's favorite
horse was marble, his manger of ivory, his col
lar Of pearls. The ceilings of Nero's dining
rooms were of movable tablets of ivory,-a hint
here for American millionaires-which shed
flowers and perfumes on the guests. His mules
were silver shod, and five hundred she asses
attended bis wife in her journeys, for her milk
baths. Nitellius spent millions on his table in
few months. A chef in Juvenals day was
often far higher paid than tutor, as indeed
he is in New York now. The second Apicius
expenditure on gastronomy is reckoned at $4,-
100000. The meals of Elagabulus often con-
sisted OF twenty-five services the panels of
his chariot we're golden, studded with gems
To come down to later times, the coat which
the Duke Of Bourbon sold to aid in paying the
ransom of King John, after Agincourt, was
embroidered with six hundred pearls, besides
sapphires and rnbies; and the expenses of the
Field of the Cloth of Gold, where Francis met
Henry, were prodig1ous.
In tue fifteenth century, France became the
center Of luxury, and has ever since retained
Its pre-eminence in that respect. An enormous
stimulus in this direction was given by Louis
XIV. According to St. Simon, nothing pleased
him better than extravaganza on the part of
the mobiles, as they thereby became dependent
on him. Condo owed millions when he gave
that historic entertainment at Chantilly-
when Vatel, his chef, committed suicide be-
cause the fish did not arrive--which cost thirty
six thousand dollars Fouguet, farmer gem
eral of taxes, gave Louis dinner which cost
twenty-four thousand dollars, on q service
which included thirty-six dozen of silver-gilt
plates. Nj. Henri Ma tin estimates the cost of
Versailles, at the present value of money, at
about eighty million dollars. The most out
rsgeous extravaganza and Injury continued
under the Regent Orleans. Tie expenses of
Alphonse Daudet's Nabob were joke to those
OF people suddenly enriched by Laws bubbles.
In the house of one lady, the meat consumed
amounted sometimes to an OK and six sheep