MM UT 3. The Queen of the Mediterranean

Verdens Gang, Wednesday 11 February 1891

 

The Queen of the Mediterranean

Letter to Verdens Gang 

Nizza ,  28 January

    Nizza is the City of Happiness, Health and Beauty.

    While a Siberian Frost reigns all over Europe – while Snowstorms rage in Algeria and in Italy, and Children freeze to death in the Streets of Toulon and Marseille, I sit here in Nizza bathing in the Sun at an open Window.

    The Sun shines daily, as warm as any Day in June.

    The Queen of the Mediterranean has never appeared as coquettish and as radiantly beautiful.

    The Promenade des Anglais sparkles and quivers in the Midday Sun, with the Sea on one side, and a never-ending Row of massive Hotels and small Villas on the other.

    The Boulevard is swarming with Strollers – radiant with their red and white Parasols and gaily coloured Spring Apparel.

    There are pale young Misses and stylish Parisian Ladies with their tiny little Lapdogs, Dandies from the Boulevard with Trousers wide as Sacks and hollow-breasted consumptive Patients bundled in Shawls.

    The blue Sea stretches into the Distance – barely a Shade deeper than the Air – a wonderful blue Colour, as diaphanous as Naphthalene, and the long, swelling Waves roll indolently towards the Shore crashing as they break.

    Nizza’s Market Place is brimming over with Wildflowers and the Garden Variety. They are bought by the basketful – for the Prince of the Carnival, the Joy of Nizza, is arriving in a few Days to welcome the thousands of Visitors, and his Arrival will be celebrated with a great Deluge of Flowers in the Streets.