the ways of men-第26章

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ch　seems　like　a　clearing　in　some　forest　　inhabited　by　Titans；　the　terrible　tragedy　of　AEschylus　　following　the　graceful　fete　of　Apollo。

After　the　unavoidable　confusion　at　the　beginning；　the　vast　　audience　listen　in　profound　silence　to　an　expression　of　pure　　art。　　They　are　no　longer　actors　we　hear；　but　demi…gods。　　With　　voices　of　the　storm；　possessed　by　some　divine　afflatus；　　thundering　out　verses　of　fire　…　carried　out　of　themselves　in　a　　whirlwind　of　passion；　like　antique　prophets　and　Sibyls　　foretelling　the　misfortunes　of　the　world！

That　night　will　remain　immutably　fixed　in　my　memory；　if　I　live　　to　be　as　old　as　the　theatre　itself。　　We　were　so　moved；　my　　companion　and　I；　and　had　seen　the　crowd　so　moved；　that　fearing　　to　efface　the　impression　if　we　returned　the　second　night　to　　see　ANTIGONE；　we　came　quietly　away；　pondering　over　it　all；　and　　realizing　once　again　that　a　thing　of　beauty　is　a　source　of　　eternal　delight。




Chapter　26　…　Pre…palatial　Newport


THE　historic　Ocean　House　of　Newport　is　a　ruin。　　Flames　have　　laid　low　the　unsightly　structure　that　was　at　one　time　the　　best…known　hotel　in　America。　　Its　fifty…odd　years　of　　existence；　as　well　as　its　day；　are　over。　　Having　served　a　　purpose；　it　has　departed；　together　with　the　generation　and　　habits　of　life　that　produced　it；　into　the　limbo　where　old　　houses；　old　customs；　and　superannuated　ideas　survive；　…　the　　memory　of　the　few　who　like　to　recall　other　days　and　wander　　from　time　to　time　in　a　reconstructed　past。

There　was　a　certain　appropriateness　in　the　manner　of　its　　taking　off。　　The　proud　old　structure　had　doubtless　heard　　projects　of　rebuilding　discussed　by　its　owners　（who　for　some　　years　had　been　threatening　to　tear　it　down）；　wounded　doubtless　　by　unflattering　truths；　the　hotel　decided　that　if　its　days　　were　numbered；　an　exit　worthy　of　a　leading　role　was　at　least　　possible。　　〃Pull　me　down；　indeed！　　That　is　all　very　well　for　　ordinary　hostleries；　but　from　an　establishment　of　my　　pretensions；　that　has　received　the　aristocracy　of　the　country；　　and　countless　foreign　swells；　something　more　is　expected！〃

So　it　turned　the　matter　over　and　debated　within　its　shaky　old　　brain　（Mrs。　　Skewton　fashion）　what　would　be　the　most　becoming　　and　effective　way　of　retiring　from　the　social　whirl。　　Balls　　have　been　overdone；　people　are　no　longer　tempted　by　　receptions；　a　banquet　was　out　of　the　question。　　Suddenly　the　　wily　building　hit　on　an　idea。　　〃I'll　give　them　a　FEU　　D'ARTIFICE。　　There　hasn't　been　a　first…class　fire　here　since　I　　burned　myself　down　fifty…three　years　ago！　　That　kind　of　　entertainment　hasn't　been　run　into　the　ground　like　everything　　else　in　these　degenerate　days！　　I'll　do　it　in　the　best　and　　most　complete　way；　and　give　Newport　something　to　talk　about；　　whenever　my　name　shall　be　mentioned　in　the　future！〃

Daudet；　in　his　L'IMMORTEL；　shows　us　how　some　people　are　born　　lucky。　　His　〃Loisel　of　the　Institute；〃　although　an　　insignificant　and　commonplace　man；　succeeded　all　through　life　　in　keeping　himself　before　the　public；　and　getting　talked　about　　as　a　celebrity。　　He　even　arranged　（to　the　disgust　and　envy　of　　his　rivals）　to　die　during　a　week　when　no　event　of　importance　　was　occupying　public　attention。　　In　consequence；　reporters；　　being　short　of　〃copy；〃　owing　to　a　dearth　of　murders　and　〃first　　nights；〃　seized　on　this　demise　and　made　his　funeral　an　event。

The　truth　is；　the　Ocean　House　had　lived　so　long　in　an　　atmosphere　of　ostentatious　worldliness　that；　like　many　　residents　of　the　summer　city；　it　had　come　to　take　itself　and　　its　〃position〃　seriously；　and　imagine　that　the　eyes　of　the　　country　were　fixed　upon　and　expected　something　of　it。

The　air　of　Newport　has　always　proved　fatal　to　big　hotels。　　One　　after　another　they　have　appeared　and　failed；　the　Ocean　House　　alone　dragging　out　a　forlorn　existence。　　As　the　flames　worked　　their　will　and　the　careless　crowd　enjoyed　the　spectacle；　one　　could　not　help　feeling　a　vague　regret　for　the　old　place；　more　　for　what　it　represented　than　for　any　intrinsic　value　of　its　　own。　　Without　greatly　stretching　a　point　it　might　be　taken　to　　represent　a　social　condition；　a　phase；　as　it　were；　in　our　　development。　　In　a　certain　obscure　way；　it　was　an　epoch…　marking　structure。　　Its　building　closed　the　era　of　primitive　　Newport；　its　decline　corresponded　with　the　end　of　the　pre…　palatial　period　…　an　era　extending　from　1845　to　1885。

During　forty　years　Newport　had　a　unique　existence；　unknown　to　　the　rest　of　America；　and　destined　to　have　a　lasting　influence　　on　her　ways；　an　existence　now　as　completely　forgotten　as　the　　earlier　boarding…house　MATINEE　DANSANTE　time。　*　　The　sixties；　　seventies；　and　eighties　in　Newport　were　pleasant　years　that　　many　of　us　regret　in　spite　of　modern　progress。　　Simple；　　inexpensive　days；　when　people　dined　at　three　（looking　on　the　　newly　introduced　six　o'clock　dinners　as　an　English　innovation　　and　modern　〃frill〃）；　and　〃high…teaed〃　together　dyspeptically　　off　〃sally　lunns〃　and　〃preserves；〃　washed　down　by　coffee　and　　chocolate；　which　it　was　the　toilsome　duty　of　a　hostess　to　　dispense　from　a　silver…laden　tray；　days　when　〃rockaways〃　drawn　　by　lean；　long…tailed　horses　and　driven　by　mustached　darkies　　were；　if　not　the　rule；　far　from　being　an　exception。

*　〃Newport　of　the　Past；〃　WORLDLY　WAYS　AND　BY…WAYS。

〃Dutch　treat〃　picnics；　another　archaic　amusement；　flourished　　then；　directed　by　a　famous　organizer　at　his　farm；　each　guest　　being　told　what　share　of　the　eatables　it　was　his　duty　to　　provide；　an　edict　from　which　there　was　no　appeal。

Sport　was　little　known　then；　young　men　passing　their　　afternoons　tooling　solemnly　up　and　down　Bellevue　Avenue　in　　top…hats　and　black　frock…coats　under　the　burning　August　sun。

This　was　the　epoch　when　the　Town　and　Country　Club　was　young　　and　full　of　vigor。　　We　met　at　each　other's　houses　or　at　　historic　sites　to　hear　papers　read　on　serious　subjects。　　One　　particular　afternoon　is　vivid　in　my　memory。　　We　had　all　driven　　out　to　a　point　on　the　shore　beyond　the　Third　Beach；　where　the　　Norsemen　were　supposed　to　have　landed　during　their　apocryphal　　visit　to　this　continent。　　It　had　been　a　hot　drive；　but　when　we　　stopped；　a　keen　wind　was　blowing　in　from　the　sea。　　During　a　　pause　in　the　prolix　address　that　followed；　a　coachman's　voice　　was　heard　to　mutter；　〃If　he　jaws　much　longer　all　the　horses　　will　be　foundered；〃　which　brought　the　learned　address　to　an　　ignominious　and　hasty　termination。

Newport　during　the　pre…palatial　era　affected　culture；　and　a　　whiff　of　Boston　pervaded　the　air；　much　of　which　was　tiresome；　　yet　with　an　under…current　of　charm　and　refinement。　　Those　who　　had　the　privilege　of　knowing　Mrs。　Julia　Ward　Howe；　will　　remember　the　pleasant　〃teas〃　and　sparkling　conversation　she　　offered　her　guests　in　the　unpretending　cottage　where　the　　beauty　of　the　daughter　was　as　brilliant　as　the　mother's　wit。

Two　estates　on　Bellevue　Avenue　are　now　without　the　hostesses　　who；　in　those　days；　showed　the　world　what　great　ladies　America　　could　produce。　　It　was　the　foreign…born　husband　of　one　of　　these　women　who　gave　Newport　its　first　lessons　in　luxurious　　living。　　Until　then　Americans　had　travelled　abroad　and　seen　　elaborately　served　meals　and　properly　appointed　stables　　without　the　ambition　of　copying　such　things　at　home。　　Colonial　　and　revolutionary　state　had　died　out；　and　modern　extravagance　　had　not　yet　appeared。　　In　the　interregnum　much　was　neglected　　that　might　have　added　to　the　convenience　and　grace　of　life。

In　France；　under　Louis　Philippe；　and　in　England；　during　　Victoria's　youth；　taste　reached　an　ebb　tide；　in　neither　of　　those　countries；　however；　did　the　general　standard　fall　so　low　　as　here。　　It　was　owing　to　the　SAVOIR　FAIRE　of　one　man　that　　Newporters　and　New　York　first　saw　at　home　what　they　had　　admired　abroad；　…　liveried　servants　in　sufficient　numbers；　　dinners　served　A　LA　RUSSE；　and　breeched　and　booted　grooms　on　　English…built　traps；　innovations　quickly　followed　by　his　　neighbors；　for　the　most　marked　characteristic　of　the　American　　is　his　ability　to　〃catch　on。〃

When；　during　the　war　of　the　secession；　our　Naval　Academy　was　　removed　from　Annapolis　and　installed　in　the　empty　Atlantic　　House　（corner　of　Bellevue　Avenue　and　Pelham　Street）；　hotel　　life　had　already　begun　to　decline；　but　the　Ocean　House；　which　　was　considered　a　vast　enterprise　at　that　time；　inherited　from　　the　older　hotels　the　custom　of　giving　Saturday　evening　〃hops；〃　　the　cottagers　arriving　at　these　informal　entertainments　toward　　nine　o'clock　and　promenading　up　and　down　the　corridors　or　　dancing　in　the　parlor；　to　the　admiration　of　a　public　collected　　to　enjoy　the　spectacle。　　At　eleven　the　doors　of　the　dining…　room　opened；　and　a　line　of　well…drilled　darkies　passed　ices　　and　lemonade。　　By　half…past　eleven　（the　hour　at　which　we　now　　arrive　at　a　dance）　every　one　was　at　home　and　abed。

One　remembers　with　a　shudder　the　military　manoeuvres　that　　attended　hotel　meals　in　those　days；　the　marching　and　　countermarching；　your　dinner　cooling　while　the　head　waiter　　reviewed　his　men。　　That　idiotic　custom　has　been　abandoned；　　like　many　better　and　worse。　　Next　to　the　American　ability　to　　catch　on　comes　the　facility　with　which　he　can　drop　a　fad。

In　this　peculiarity　the　history　of　Newport　has　been　an　epitome　　of　the　country；　every　form　of　amusement　being　in　turn　taken　　up；　run　into　the　ground；　and　then　abandoned。　　At　one　time　it　　was　the　fashion　to　drive　to　Fort　Adams　of　an　afternoon　and　　circle　round　and　round　the　little　green　to　the　sounds　of　a　　military　band；　then；　for　no　visible　reason；　people　took　to　　driving　on　the　Third　Beach；　an　inaccessible　and　lonely　point　　which　for　two　or　three　summers　was　considered　the　only　correct　　promenade。

I　blush　to　recall　it；　but　at　that　time　most　of　the　turnouts　　were　hired　hacks。　　Next；　Graves　Point；　on　the　Ocean　Drive；　　became　the　popular　meeting…place。　　Then　society　took　to　　attending　polo　of　an　afternoon；　a　sport　just　introduced　from　　India。　　This　era　corresponded　with　the　opening　of　the　Casino　　（the　old　reading…room　dating　from　1854）。　　For　several　years　　every　one　crowded　during　hot　August　mornings　onto　the　airless　　lawns　and　piazzas　of　the　new　establishment。　　It　seems　on　　looking　back　as　if　we　must　have　been　more　fond　of　seeing　each　　other　in　those　days　than　we　are　now。　　To　ride　up　and　down　a　　beach　and　bow　filled　our　souls　with　joy；　and　the　〃cake　walk〃　　was　an　essential　part　of　every　ball；　the　guests　parading　in　　pairs　round　and　round　the　room　between　the　dances　instead　of　　sitting　quietly　〃out。〃　　The　opening　promenade　at　the　New　York　　Charity　Ball　is　a　survival　of　this　inane　custom。

The　disappearance　of　the　Ocean　House　〃hops〃　marked　the　last　　stage　in　hotel　life。　　Since　then　better…class　watering　places　　all　over　the　country　have　slowly　but　surely　followed　Newport's　　lead。　　The　closed　caravansaries　of　Bar　Harbor　and　elsewhere　　bear　silent　testimony　to　the　fact　that　refined　Americans　are　　at　last　awakening　to　the　charms　of　home　life　during　their　　holidays；　and　are　discarding；　as　fast　as　finances　will　permit；　　the　pernicious　herding　system。　　In　consequence　the　hotel　has　　ceased　to　be；　what　it　undoubtedly　was　twenty　years　ago；　the　　focus　of　our　summer　life。

Only　a　few　charred　rafters　remain　of　the　Ocean　House。　　A　few　　talkative　old　duffers　like　myself　alone　survive　the　day　it　　represents。　　Changing　socia