GRASSE, AND THE MANUFACTURE OF SCENT.
THIS is the time of year most perfect on the Riviera; the sky is serenely blue, the sea rolls lazily as if overburdened
with warmth, the scent of the orange-blossom still lingers un- disturbed by wind upon terraced hills, the air is gently bracing, and every one is in a good humour. It is a curious fact, how- ever, that there are few who do not complain of the monotony of a prolonged residence, and long to feel at liberty once more, to breathe the fresher air beyond the mountains ; yet, no sooner does a northern winter finally set in, than the thoughts fly back to the winding coast-line of the sunny sea, the mistral is for- gotten amid the fog, or rain, or cold at home, the dream of an ideal life returns, and the charm is irresistible again.
With the advent of the new year, the wild flowers begin to bloom, violets coming first in great abundance, soon followed by hyacinths, blue-bells, narcissus, and all their sister train of light and colour ; but in February the aspect is changed, the mistral sweeps along the land, curling over the olive leaves, till the country becomes silver-grey instead of sombre-green, driving clouds of dust before it, and penetrating everywhere like a thorough scavenger. A period of restlessness then commences; the invalid loses ground, and is weary of the proximity of the sea, from which there is only one escape, to a quiet, old-fashioned Provençal town called Grasse, lying under the shelter of the Basses Alps, with fresh, invigorating air, and having for its chief attraction the important business of manufacturing scent. The position is very pleasant, at an elevation of 1,100 ft. on the side of a mountain guarding off the North, and about ten miles by rail behind Cannes, so that there is a full Southern aspect which tempers the atmosphere, and renders possible a great cultivation of flowers. Owing to the height, the wild flowers are a little later than those of the true Riviera ; but acres of violets are privately grown, with innumerable beds of hyacinths, jonquils, and narcissus ; while long before it is necessary to leave, the may blooms upon the hedges, and the tender Star of Bethlehem brightly gleams everywhere, in pleasant contrast to the green of spring. During this season the factories work to their full extent, though the treatment is so slow, and in some instances requires such constant repetition, that flowers are only received twice a week. If, however, one should happen to visit a factory on a receiving-day, one will find the floors of the reception-rooms covered, perhaps, with a mass of violets, upon which probably recline two or three young ladies, enjoying the perfume and delighting in the reality of an imaginative dream. Every flower, before arriving at the per- fumery, is removed from its stem, when, according to its nature, it undergoes one of three processes,— distillation, submersion in hot grease, or absorption by cold grease, all utensils used in the manufacture being made of copper.
The first is the costly but ordinary method of the retort, placed over a small furnace, carrying the vapour as it con- denses into a receiver, with glass tubes on the outside to catch the essential oil. Verbena, geranium, and lavender are treated in this way. The second is very curious, and, seemingly, ought to be disastrous. Flowers in certain proportions are flung into good-sized kettles of hot pork and beef-grease, kept warm by placing the vessels in boiling water ; they are well stirred together, and left still hot for twelve hours, after which the mixture is heavily pressed. The flowers are then thrown away, and the operation is repeated with fresh ones, until the liquid grease is sufficiently charged with odour, when it is placed in a cold receiver half-full of spirits of wine, which in a few days becomes impregnated with the perfume, and is drawn off for sale. If the grease is not subjected to the spirits of wine on the premises, it is sold in its congealed state to the London scent- makers, who treat it at their leisure. Roses, orange-blossoms, and violets are some of those requiring this method. The third, to the eyes of a novice, does not appear so hopelessly destructive or so wilfully barbarous ; yet the sacrifice of beauty is the same. A layer of olive-oil or cold grease, carefully pre- pared, is placed upon a frame, the flowers being dotted over it face downward, and remaining for twenty-four or thirty hours The process is very tedious, requiring to be repeated with the same grease many times, after which the perfume is absorbed by spirits of wine, as in the previous manner. The delicate scents can only be Caught in this way,—will only give out, so to speak, their exact selves according to Nature. It is no extrac- tion, but literal absorption, the catching of sweetness freely imparted to the fresh air of native hill-sides. Jessamine, tube- rose, jonquil, and others not of tough formation, must be sub- mitted to this treatment. The industry is of great value; there are upwards of fifty perfumeries ; and though the London market is the best outlet, yst their products are being gradually shipped to almost all parts of the world. There is no toil about the work, no grinding poverty, no din or rattle of machinery, no emaciated children, everything is quiet and peaceful ; in fact, if it would not be a paradox, one might call life in these factories the Nirvana of labour. The manufacture being a very profitable one, the perfumers are naturally the men of the place, and besides possessing good means, are large owners of property at Cannes and Nice, as well as at Grasse.
The situation of the little town is extremely good, being built upon a hill-side, like all others along the coast, probably for greater protection against the early marauders ; the houses climbing up in clusters to the top, on which rises the church and the inevitable watch-tower. It boasts of some antiquity, dating as far back as the seventh century, and is supposed to derive its name from a colony of Jews, who having found "grtice " in the eyes of the then ruling powers of Provence, were allowed to live and build themselves a home. It suffered many trials in the early wars, and according to the local chronicle, was ravaged by the Saracens, but surviving all its troubles, attained a certain amount of prosperity during the Middle Ages, finally vanishing from all claim to historical interest, since Napoleon passed through on the way to Paris, after his escape from Elba. Beyond all ordinary attractions, however, Grasse has now the pre-eminent advantage of being the only place in the South where the pleasures of the country can be easily obtained. The views are very fine ; a wide valley lies beneath the town, covered with olives, studded with .cottages, and overlooked by a superb level departmental road, commanding a long line of country ; the village of Mongin nestling among the hills which shelter Cannes. To the left, but at some distance, are the Maritime Alps, occasionally crowned with snow ; while to the right is the Est4rel Range, with here and there the smoke of the charcoal-burners curling upward, and ever wrapped in that " clear obscure " which softens the outline and clearly marks the deep valleys by contrast with shade, the Gulf of Napoule lying at its base. The excursions are all of a more interesting character than those of the other parts of the coast, that to St. -Vanier having the additional attraction of Roman remains ; while the peasant women, in their fancy for outward adornment, have added to the picturesqueness of the country by the adoption of various varieties of straw hats, the manufacture of which is the staple commodity of a neighbouring commune.
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