"City of Light"

[Douglas G. Wilson]

>The Making of America database (Cornell's version) shows a citation from 1847.

It reads "Paris is emphatically the city of light, intelligence, society,
and refined life ..." I do believe myself that this reflects "Paris" = "the
City of Light" but in isolation it's not entirely decisive IMHO.

Here is a passage from Jules Verne's "Robur-le-Conquérant" (1886) (Ch. 11):

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   Sa vitesse n'avait point été modérée. Il passait comme une bombe
au-dessus des villes, des bourgs, des villages, si nombreux en ces riches
provinces de la France septentrionale. C'étaient, sur ce méridien de Paris,
après Dunkerque, Doullens, Amiens, Creil, Saint-Denis. Rien ne le fit
dévier de la ligne droite. C'est ainsi que, vers minuit, il arriva
au-dessus de la « Ville Lumière », qui mérite ce nom même quand ses
habitants sont couchés — ou devraient l'être.
    Par quelle étrange fantaisie l'ingénieur fut-il porté à faire halte
au-dessus de la cité parisienne? on ne sait. Ce qui est certain, c'est que
l'Albatros s'abaissa de manière à ne la dominer que de quelques centaines
de pieds seulement. Robur sortit alors de sa cabine, et tout son personnel
vint respirer un peu de l'air ambiant sur la plate-forme.
    Uncle Prudent et Phil Evans n'eurent garde de manquer l'excellente
occasion qui leur était offerte. Tous deux, après avoir quitté leur roufle,
cherchèrent à s'isoler, afin de pouvoir choisir l'instant le plus propice.
Il fallait surtout éviter d'être vu.
    L'Albatros, semblable à un gigantesque scarabée, allait doucement
au-dessus de la grande ville. Il parcourut la ligne des boulevards, si
brillamment éclairés alors par les appareils Edison. ....

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Paris is explicitly called "Ville Lumie`re" here, and the bright lighting
by "Edison apparati" (i.e., lightbulbs) is mentioned.

Here is a translation from the Web (for which I don't vouch):

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    There was no diminution in her speed. She shot like a rocket over the
towns and villages so numerous in northern France. She was flying straight
on to Paris, and after Dunkirk came Doullens, Amiens, Creil, Saint Denis.
She never left the line; and about midnight she was over the "city of
light," which merits its name even when its inhabitants are asleep or ought
to be.
    By what strange whim was it that she was stopped over the city of
Paris? We do not know; but down she came till she was within a few hundred
feet of the ground. Robur then came out of his cabin, and the crew came on
to the deck to breathe the ambient air.
    Uncle Prudent and Phil Evans took care not to miss such an excellent
opportunity. They left their deck-house and walked off away from the others
so as to be ready at the propitious moment. It was important their action
should not be seen.
    The "Albatross," like a huge coleopter, glided gently over the mighty
city. She took the line of the boulevards, then brilliantly lighted by the
Edison lamps. ....

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-- Doug Wilson