The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-12 00:00:00

M. DE GIRARDIN'S NEW HOME.

laBPreruthuge hotelsu
Among the handsome constructions which have
l builttha t
and at no great
boulevard d •
and now dfoirremctiaornio,woiuthrinfavthouerliatestteyneoarr,
distance, at an angle of the same
a Rol de Rome, that lately built fort
tenanted by, Mand
M. Mme. Emile de
Girardin. It
of
by its has bat recently been taken posses-
sionoccasion by a. proprietors, who inaugurated the
dinnergiven to intimates only, the
Princess Matlailde
forming the sole exception to the
rule. The soirees of M,
de Girardin have a well-
deserved reputation for
which has becomew wit and causerzes, a word
almost
are cncerned in obsolete as far as salons
with iis small porticois, and those ,at the c of his old hotel,
Ely:6es, so well known in the drner of the Champs
ay the talented D-Iphine yGs of their former
Mme. de Girardin) are said to haveaY
(the former
lost none of
their prestige by being transferred somewhat fur-
ther on their present site. A written description
rarely gives a very satisfactory idea of a locality. I
will, nevertheless, endeavour to convey to your
readers some conception of a modern hotel, such
as the improvements of the day, and the require-
ments of French life, have succeeded in producing,
The style of the hotel belongs to the era of Loai-s
XIII., and is simple, and not overloaded with deco-
rations. An iron gateway shuts out a square court-
yard, from the avenue in which it is situated. on
one side of this court-yard are stables and coach-
houses, while on the left side stands the main
dwelling. This is reached by a flight of stone steps,
sheltered by a portico, and leading into a square
vestibule of ordinary dimensions, which, in its turn,
is terminated by a handsome staircase leading up
the first floor. A door at the right-hand side of this
vestibule opens out into a long and magnificent
gallery, not less than 90 feet long, lighted by two
windows at each end, and by a skylight from the
top. This gallery is repeated above and below,
where it is used for cellars, while on the first floor
it serves as a point of reunion forall 1" • • those lying in
the several apartments distributed
along its lenath.
_—
whose doors open out this well-lighted and warmed
closed-in verandah. The ground-floor gallery,
however, is the chief point of attraction, for
within its walls are gathered all the master-pieces
of sculpture and art with which M. do Girardin
has for years loved to surround himself. There you
can see and admire the exquisite statue of Pradier,
placed on a pivot, and known under the name of
the "Pandora,"several beautiful statuettes in bronze,
and one or two precious antiques, among others one
brought from Athens, in 1854, by Prince Napoleon ;
two busts of the owner's first wife, Delphine Gay,
by Solomon; several masterpieces of Boucher, lieu-
bens, and Delacroix, and some interesting relics of
Rachel, the tragedian, such as her picture of
Gerome, and the last piece of work her fingers ever
plied on, a piece of tapestry, done during her sojourn
at Cairo. These and an infinity more of objects of
interest well repay a visit to this sanctuary of the
arts and of taste, over which M. de Girardin's pre.,
sent wife, a remarkably pretty and elegant young
irable tact and good
woman, presides with adm

taste.
A small saloon is entered into from the gallery,
which is. striking from its utter
and, in turn, leads to the larger and handsome
reception-room,
Modern, contrast to any of the ordinary saloonsofth
taste, usually overloaded, it must ba said, with
Et prrojects
eohrangings.
, gilding and meretricious ornamentation. The
walls
the colouring
are pannelled with a deep red-coloured
i bordered with black, on which are lines and cloth,
which arethe likewise
ceiling,
boldly,
dividedoldly , intoand
' in gold, relieving the sombre effect designs
eiat;
The ceiling, of a light sea-green is
compartments by oak designs, „ii;hi
oisntictiii: lesi
employed for the doors and
other portions
saloon. The chimney, which
gr.b,tPoarrteleo
is of large dimensions,
corresponding with
of
fgla and sculpture. Tastes
effect produced by the com-
bination
i I ITuri tgdoaehhtletigtlhdhd( quite
throughout
iffuijoettnfertga.l perfectri
repgtoha 0 Pt
iseat ra - i 8
green,ob o
ttandh
noe
designs, des p
doubts red
eas
no colourdt existthe
e
artistic idea which senlble
111 is entirely
pervades the whole.
infringement on
with
every imaginable
undergroundand other dependencies in mahogany (another
Panels of our English ideas of taste), inlaid
s green marble, and is fitted tip with
the table. labia device to facilitate the service of
rifideed this and the distribution
of the English mode, ofll the
s
floor given up for Icittchieor. tgim,
cellars,
and
the especial
objects of interest to, some of the French party
With whom I was visiting the new hotel,
Just then ready to receive its new proprietors.
The antiquities and bronze statuettes had elicited
some words of praise; the saloon, with its deep-
coloured panellings, and rather heavily-carved
oak designs, had suggested the usual ter, applie
to what is in reality thought ugly, but is m
odd ; c'est d
tres distingue! But when the
arrangements for
conveying dishes hot from the kitchen into an ogice,
adjoining the dining-room, and thence . into that,
room, were duly explained and exhibited, praise
grew into raptures, which continued unabated ns
we examined the minutest details of underground.
iti te
ri (i)01 i r ofli f le1:1' n::0,1 ,ItiYii
ii. (0:1:41
life, so familiar to ourselves but so deficient here,
where a simple kitchen, very frequently small and
incommodious, is the sole retreat and aceotnmoda '
t,i,on
set , . e distribution of
alike for cook and men and women servants
saddle-room, stables, and coach-houses d• .1
I 'j
"
itdheoess,aampeplieiudiittoattihoen
eoamndforatpopireicoi
to each set
thohauevr
have
iii
roes
oi
tgt-
ill
si neighbours
oo
Ira
erts
apartments,snaoi wda tryw da:fiduo ,
and that of visitors. Tile 13 ,droome, dressing-roams,
blue thilhiY• to adopt. I
imagine. Those destined fora;lußise of apartments,
aside for family use
and boudoirs, belonging
Chinese pattern rouging ever
(thick silk), with a
are as complete in their
. dite Gisirp
ao
rsds
ii
ib
i l
e
to
ever the ground, and looked
her-
self were hung in
the picture of comfort
the bath-room,
sit ,as did the arrangements for
_ situate on the grouud-floor--Ta
luxury you sec
as frequently
as 1 'Ovi in modern french hotels quite
in cur newly-built town ID.-,uses.

MR.
GEORGE A
ziIIGUSTUS SALA has written, CM-
nomiciug, his safe arrival in America.
DISCOVERY OF HUMAN REMAINS.—As a plou,gh.
wan Was at Work en the farm of Mr. Hunt, of Arrow, I ,ear
Alcester, on Sr.turday, his plough turned up a human al, null
Further and deeper diggings have since been made at the
spot, and have resulted in the exhumation of no less th an
21 human skulls. No other bones were found, and the skti its
appear to have been placed with the face downwards.