The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1839-11-13
MISCELLANEOUS.
MARRIED AND SINGLE.
by A BACHELOR.

otC Va uiC hoSe iOSpCStuptC lCdtuICS III
French society is the colonization of families.
The Partisan hotels are constructed upon a
prodigious scale; and. when belonging to a
family of consideration, the various suites Of
apartments are inhabited by its various
branches, instead Of being apportioned to
dodgers. A family mansion, in first rate
situation, is usually devoted, on the ground
floor, or appartement dhonneur, is inhabited
by the heads Of the family; the second. by
the married sons and daughters the third,
by the bachelor sons and the fourth and
mansdrde by domestics. In some instances,
the several households unite at dinner table ;
in others they live separately; the stables
Offices and cellars being common to the
family.
All this is patriarchal enough The mex
perience and FRANKS Of the young are con-
trolled by the vicinity of the elders, and the
children of all brought up in happy sentiments
of family union. Often the warm, snug en-
tresol is inhabited by a venerable grandmother,
the presiding influence Of the house.
My humble attic overlooks the courtyard of
one Of these nests Of Partisan domesticity.-
A magnificent hotel, erected during the rcgen-
cy by celebrated ferrnier- general, has been
for the last thirty years inhabited by wealthy
banker; one of the class created by Napo-
leon, as completely as the Rue de Rivoli or
the Column Of the Place Vcndome. The
reg de chaussee is devoted to the bureau or
clearinghouse Of Monsieur Lingot. The
first floor lodges, towards the street, the bank
er and his lady Ia contemporary Of the En-
press Josephine, who seems to fancy herself
the contemporary of the Empress Josephnes
nd danuhfar " md tha -
Monsieur Paul, his eldest son. a sober look
ing gentleman, worthy to succeed to the bank
ing house, and having young family of sons
under the training of sober looking peda-
gogue in the entresol, in order to succeed him
in their turn; with pretty wife, Madame
Paul Lingot, sober, steadfast, and demure.
For eight years past have had my eye up
on the family-a favored tribe among the
worshippers of the golden calE-whose pro-
ceedings | find rather tantalizing than enter
tanning. The comfortable equipages and hand
some horses of these people are the cause Of
bringing the rafting stablc-pais and merry
songs Of grooms and helpers forth into the
courtyard on many spring morning, when,
after sleepess night, would fain find rest
and, on hungry winter days, the fitmet of their
soups and ragouts ascends to my very window
from the vast kitchen, whose batierie of cop
per stewpans' glitters within my view some
thirty feet below.
Above, on the first floor, l discern, through
the four lofty windows of the dining-room,
every day at one o'clock, the family assem-
bling for the meal which the French call
breakfast, and the English luncheon. l can
perceive the snow white quality Of the damask,
the richness Of the china, outspread upon the
buffet fronting the windows nay, can even
see the n,aiire- d'hofci carving upon the side
board the fat capons and Strasburg pies, and
handing them round table streaming with
outlets mounted on silver recha,ids, and crowd
ed with the china cups Of cafe au lait of the
united family of Lingot.
Breakfast being cleared away, in an hour
or two commence preparations for dinner
Freshly trimmed lamps are brought to the buf.
fet bougies are placed in the sconces of the
chandelier overhanging the table; clean linen
IS distributed by the Hngere Of the house the
covers are placed in array; the cruet-stands
and salt-cellars replenished; the busy lackeys
have set the room in fair and cheerful array
for the family party which is to reassembe at
six O'Clock. Soon aferward the noble stair
case becomes brightly Illuminated with gas
Inc carriage oil Madame Lingot precedes, by
half an hour, into the courtyard, the carriage
OF her daughter-in-law. The young ladies Of
the house and their brothers have already dis
mounted at the door after their daily ride in the
Bois de Boulogne. From entreso to attic.
the vast hotel becomes Frightened by sounds
and symptoms of habitation and, but that the
crimson curtains the dining-room are shortly
aiterward closely drawn, should be able to
behold the family seated at their OVERLOOKING
meal, mutually recounting the adventures and
pleasures OF the day.
Hitherto ! have described nothing tina,
proves the vicinity Of the bankers family an
acquisition to my airy habitaton. The pair
OF rocks which has built, for the last three
years, In an opposite chimney, are more my
companions and more amusing in their lussy
domesticity. The smarlness of Madame
Lingors waiting-mad is an abonnation in