The Portland daily press., 1884-09-10
Our Paris Letter.

PARIS, Aug. %, 1884.
In the seventeenth and eighteenth centu-
ries French ladies, it may truly be said,
knew nothing of the ocean. When Jean
Bart, sort of Tom Jones, came to Yer
sailles to see Louis XIV, people were near
ly Esuffocated at the palace in their de-
sire TO get look at that famous rough and
ready Jack Tar. Curiosity, too, was stimu-
lated about the seaside when Vatel commit
ted suicide at Chantilly, in consequence of
turbot and oysters not having arrived in
time for the great banquet given by Condo,
in honor of Louis XIV. on his way to the
wars of flanders. Courtiers only went to
Spas, or thermal stations, and then when
really invalids and for health's sake. such
was the case with Boileau and Madame de
Montespau. 1t was quite political event
when Louis XIV. set out for Bareges 1t
was felt that divinity ought never to quit
Versailles, but remain in his pagoda like
Grand Lama.
Madame de Sevigne discovered Vichy, as
Dumas pere did Pays, near Dieppe. She
aud her friends derived very great benefit
from the waters, and perhaps as much from
their participating in all the local amuse-
ments; they enjoyed the boWree, sort of
slow Scotch reel. But diplOmatists, cour-
tiers and aforementioned the best "Heath-
eries'' or waters, to be les edu1 de Yer
sdilIes; there alone played the fountains of
pension, post and place. Great folks did
not then live in the country. To be sent to
your chateau, or as it was called, dams les
terres, was rigorous disgrace; genteel
kind of transportation. But then Nature
had no worshippers; the country was no re-
treat. And if one voluntarily had recourse
to retreat the convent or monastery were
the only refugees. 1t was while in the latter
that Racine composed some of his plays. 1t
was in the seventeenth century that the
fashion was created for country residences,
and Ferney, Charmette and Ermonville led
the way.
To-day it is obligatory to go to the seaside,
to go somewhere from home, to have an out
ing, In word, during August. A Temporal
ry disappearance from your habitat has be-
come an institution. Hence the number of
seaside resorts and thermal stations, which
are as plentiful as gold minds-and about as
profitable. To keep these places attractive
horse racings and regattas have had to be
organized; casinos established with gaming
rooms for the aged and the sharpers, read
ing rooms for mixed public; select clubs
limited to all who can pay; salons for con-
versation and filtration; and ball rooms for
ladies, children and babies. AS rule the
swallow never mixes with the native popula-
ton; Chinese wall separates them, save
in the matters of buying and selling.
August is the height of the season for
Deauville and Dieppe. Indeed the former
has but week, as Monaco. 1t smacks of
aristocracy and elegance. Till 1860 the
place was unknown, save as the abode of
some poor fisher people, who eked out
subsistence by catching shrimps. 1t was
then the Due de Morny had the idea to
found on the site Goodwood and Brigh-
ton; place of hippic reunion and yachting;
bathing resort and town of pleasure.
But the number of watering places that
gprang up like mushrooms told on the spec
ulation. Besides, the sand was perma-
nent enemy. Deauville is unrivalled in one
respect-its race course; and races come off
during one week in August. That is the
only animation the place witnesses through
out the year. The Upper Ten leads select,