New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-12-31
NEW PUBLICATIONS.
FpANCE AND AMERICA.

dence Press Company .
This substantial volume 10 the fruit Oh kihu VI
abor for which historical students are always
aseulv grateful In the nature Of things there can
Io no adequate pecuniary rewa ard for the time and
troubIe expended in the composition of such WORKS;
INIT only enthusiastic scholars and antquallcs ever
undertake them, and they find a recompense IN inc
labor itself The Rev. Mr.. Stone died lew days
ago lust too soon to enjoy the applause with Whch
his valuable book will be grn'ted lie had Deeh
nearly fifty years engaged i'll historical study anu
writing and the present publication may be cOnsld-
cred as the monument of an industrious ana useiul
career A resident of Providence, no was iamlIiar
with the localities and landmarks of the long
French encampinent in Rhode Island. and he had
access to a great store of manuscripts, records
traditions, relics, etc, connected with the eNpeoto
which have been preserved in private laiillIes VI
that State Besides these original sources OF IN
formation, he used numerous biographies, memoirs
letters ETC., which, although published, are now
Int little known; and as a result he has brought
together surprisingly minute and vivid account
of one of the most interesting episodes of the eyo
lntion We have not only exact statements oil the
number and character of the French forces lists oil
the officers biographies of all the important person
ages among them descriptions of positions ana
marches the story of all the expeditions great ana
small in which the French took part, and ample
sketches of the general course of the war so tal as
ii connected WlUn Jneul; DuU lHo AhlOi''"i ~
cety into which these dashing gentlemen from the
old world were suddenly introduced is presented
with admirable fidelity; we are told who lodged
and entertained His Christian Maiestys officeTs
who were their particular friends how they amused
themselves and what they thought of their hosts;
we are made acquainted with the reignlng bellies OF
Newport AID Providence, lovely Quakeresses, Mss
Polly Lawton, and tho numerous Misses Betsy ana
Nancy, and Sally, and Kitty, VINO captlvated inc
H., fllp nI
some pretty chapters of romance, with an orthodox
happy ending few extracts will give our readers
pleasant idea of the lighter parts of Mr.. stones
book:
Immediately on being settled their quarters,
several of the French officers took horse ana
gaoped the island, to ENJOY It's scenery ana 10
obtain knowledge of its attractive localities, Oh
their return they took tea, by invitation, at the
bosptable mansion of John NantOn, esq son OF
1nyemor Joseph Wanton. New-Engand tea drink
ing was novel experience to the guests ana Win
out exactly cOmprehendmg ITS utlnty beyond us
social feature and with no decided relish for the
beverage they felt bound i'll pOlltenesS to Their
hostess to swallow the often replenished cups but
the eapacious flow of the tea urn proved too muGh
for the comfort of one of the officers who smlngly
said to Mrs Wanton, with amusing naiyetG -
sail wish to send dat servant to hele hel Tor bring
ing me 50 much hot water to drink "
In their rambles over the island which were Ire
Ouently repeated some of the officers OF noble rank
were Sometimes accompanied by running foot
men" III accordance with an ancient custom OF the
old nobility of their nation the right 10 practice
exercise as may be supposed was severe, and drew
heavily Oh the reserved power OF muscles ana
slnewS On their return they took hot potions ana
retired Immediately to bed, TO recover, by free per
spiration and rest, ability to repeat these demands
upon their endurance
Conspicuous in this galaxy of officers were the
Baron and the Comte de Niomesnll, both esteemed |
by their Chief for superior military qualities; me
handsome COmte de FeTsen the fascinating Duke
de Lauzun; the lively and mpresslble NJ. dc my
the brave Comte William and Comte Christian de
Deux- Points; the no less brave Nicome de Rocham-
Eipnmtp de NOallleS. COulte de Dumas ana /
COmte de S6gur; the observing blanchard the &C
complished Cheyaler dc Chastellux; the Gheyaller
de Lameth and the COmte de Cuisine. These en- |
livened every i'll which they participated. No
wonder that their resistltss magnetism was felt by
the genter sex, that friendships strong tender
and enduring were IN many instances formed.
Many of these officers were n0Dlenen OF hlgh as
tincton, and all of them were marked by thorough |
training i'll their profession Their culture was snch
as belonged TO the class of society which they repre-
scented, and their manners were at once rehned and
fascinating. Rarely has army of SIX thousand !
men presented so brilliant an aSsembage OF officers
as was then TO be seen In Newport; In points OF
etiquette and grace OF person they lett nothing TO
be desired, and hy the heartlncss with which they |
entered into the gayeties of society they gave new
and delightful impulse to the social life OF the town
The social pleasures appear TO have been cordially
encouraged by the Commander ln-Chef OF the |
French allies; and TO provide for his own con |
yenience in giving receptions, no less than 10 |
crafty the vOtares Of IcTpsichore, he caused |
building with large assembly room to be erected |
the grounds of the Vernon mansion. Here |
courty Inequalities were freely dispensed, and !
within the attractive walls were often TO be seen
1OVOuS mngllng OF Officers III gay uulIOTulS ana Oh
ladies in rich toilets.
"Turtle parties" were favorite entertainments
in those days, and "to be known a frst-class !
turtle cook was honor sufficient to satisfy the
highest ambition of chief of cuisine" Mr.. Stone
handsomely commentaries one Cuity COmStock of
Newport, who attained this cminence early as
1862. turtle party is thus described by NJ
Blanchard one of the French officers:
1t was sort of picnic and given by score of men
IN n of ladies'. The of tlis
was to eat a turtle weighing three four hundred
pounds, which an American vessel had just brought
home from one of our Islands. This meat dld not
TO TO be very paatablej 1t is true. that it
was badly cooked. There were some quite handsome
women. Before dinner they kept themselves In a
different room from the men; they also placed
themselves at table all on the same side, and the
men on the other, They danced after dinner to the
music of Lauznn's legion, which had been brought
there expressly. Neither the the women
dance well; all stretch out and lengthen their
arms IN way far from agreeable. found myself
ct table very near captain OF an American frigate.
whom had seen at Nantes. perceived to-day,
while trying TO converse with the ladies, that still
very little accustomed TO the English language.
During dinner we drank different healths, as Is
usual TO those of the Americans, and they to the
health of the King of France. This extended to
everybody; for on passing through an ante-room;
them drinking together the health of the King of
France.
Thu same N. Blanchard writes as follows of the
customs of society in Providence:
They do not eat soups and do not up ragouts
at these dlnnerS but boiled ana roast and much
vegetables. They drink nothing but cider and
Madeira wine with water. The dessert is composed
of preserved ounces picked sOrrel. The Amer-
cans eat the latter with the meat. They do not take
coffee Immediately after dinner, but it is served
three or four hours afterward with tea; this coffee
weak, and four five cups are not equal 10 one
of ours so that they take many of them. The tea
the contrary is very strong. This use of tea and
coffee is universal in America. The people who live
in the country tilling the ground and driving their
oxen take il as well the inhabitants of the cities
Breakfast is important affair with them. Be
sides tea and coffee, they put on table roasted meats
with butter. pics and ham: nevertheless they sup !