The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1841-08-03
A BREAKFAST AT ROGERS.

4
possible, on personal acquaintance, by the
freshness with which he enjoys, and the gene
rosity with which he imparts. have heard
him called cynical, and perhaps man Of his
keen wit may be sometimes over-tempted 10 de-
monstrale II, as the magnanimous Saladdin was
TO use the weapon with which he adroitly sever
ed mans head from his body at single stroke.
II SO, these are the exceptions 10 the general
current oil his life, which, | am sure, flows in a
kindly current X. told me he met him one
winter IN Paris, where he found him enjoying
art IKE young enthusiast, and knowing every
boys name IN the street he lived in, and in
friendship with them all. Does not this speak
volumes
"He honored our letters Of introduction by
coming immediately TO see US, and receiving us
as cordially as If we were old friends. He alter
ward expressed regret to me that he had not
taken that morning, before we plunged into en-
gagements, 10 show me Johnson's and Dryden
haunts, the house where our Franklin lived, and
other classical localities. All! this goes to swell
my pathetic reiteration of the general lament i
have had my losses
"His manners are those Of a man of the world
| Gin its best sense) simple and natural, without
any apparent consciousness Of name or fame to
| support. His house, as all the civilized world
| knows, Is cabinet art, selected and arranged
with consummate taste. The house itself is
five feet front, and perhaps forty deep, in most
fortunate location, overlooking the Green Park,
The Inst sight OF II from the windows produces
| a sort q coup-de-theatre, for you approach the
house and enter il BY a narrow street. Every
inch OF it is appropriated to some rare treasure
| or choice production of art. Besides the pic
lures (aId what you might be tempted to
ask, can man want beside such pictures y
| are Etru,can vases, antiques Egyptian anti
asts nt fhn rl,l
the staircase wall, and endless adornments of
this nature. There are curiosites Of another
species, are books, such as most beautifully il:
Illuminated mssa exquisitely delicate paintings
designed for marginal decorations executed
three hundred wears ago, and taken from the Va
tican BIZ the French-glorious robbers In
catalogue of his books, in the poets own beauti-
full autograph, there were inserted some whim-
steal tiles of books such as 'Nebuchadnezzar on
Grasses
"Bu the most interesting thing in all the eel
lectiorwas the original document, with Millions
name,b which he transferred TO his publisher
for te, pounds the copyright of Paradise Lost-
Next interest to this was portfolio, in which
were arranged autograph letters from Pope and
Dryden, Washington and Franklin, and several
from COX, Sheridan, and Scott, addressed to the
poet himself Among them was that written by
Siberian just before death, describing the ex-
IeIlky VI his suutIluSy anu pray lu0 hO8eTs 10
come to him. But must check myself. A ca.
talogle raisonnee of what our eyes but glanced
overwould fill folios. had the pleasure at break
fast Of sitting next TO Mr.. Babbage, whose name
is Sd well known among US as the author of the
seltcalculatlng machine. He has most re-
makable eye, that looks as if it might penetrate
science or any thing else he chose TO look into
He described the iron steamer now building
which has larger tonnage than any merchant
81 a 4
iron ships would supersede all others and ano-
ther opinion that much concerns US, and which
| trust, may soon be verihed-that in few
years these iron steamers will go 10 America in
seven days
"Macauley was Of the party. His converse
ton resembles his writings; II is rich and de-
lightlul, filled with anecdotes and illustrations
from the Astounding stores of his OVERLOOKING
mind. Some may think he talks too much
but none, except from their own impatient vani-
ty, could wish it were less
at was either at Mr.. Rogers or at breakfast
few days after at Mr.. RS sisters (whose
house, by -the-way, is fair pendant for his, } !
that we had much of Monkbarn's humor, from
worthy disciples of that king of old bachelors,
on the subject of matrmony H. said there
had been many time IN his life when he
should have married, If he could some fine day
have walked quietly into village church and
met III tut ditdi lduy having CUHlt lis QuPtlN |
into another door, and then, after the marriage
service, each have departed their separate way, |
with no observation, no speculation upon the |
engagement, no congratulations before or ler. |
Rogers, who seems resolved 10 win the crown |
of celibiat martyrdom lis there a crown for t2) |
pronounced matrlmony folly at any period of
life and quoted saying OF some wicked Bene |
Dict that mo matter whom you married, you
would find aiterward you had married another
PEI son.
mo doubt but, except with the itealizing
lover, believe the expectation is as often sur
passed as disappointed. There is generous OPT |
Mon for single woman Of your married for
tunes ~
JOANNA BAILIIE AT HOME:
al believe, of all my pleasures here, dear j.
will most envy me that of seeing Joanna Bail |
lie, and of seeing her repeatedly at her own
home: the best point of view for all best wo-
men. She lives on Hampstead Hill, few |
miles from town, in a modest house, with Miss
Agnes Baille, her only sister, most kindly |
and agreeable person. Miss Baillie-I write for |
j., for we women always like TO know how one |
annthor look r"d 1-e., Mas, J2aillua hasa,ynlD, !
the vexed or sorrowIng expression that is often
so deeply stamped by long experience of life.
IL '"a'ca.es strong mind, great sensibiIity and
the benevolence thai, believe, always proceeds
IRON It II the mental constitution be a sound one
as II emlnently is in Miss Bahe's case. She
mas pleasing fisure-what we call lady like
mat IS, delicate, erect, and graceful not the
arse-boned, muscular frame of most English
wollien' one wears her own gray hair; ge-
neral fashion, bythe-way, here, which | wish
we elderly ladies' OF America may have the cou
age and the taste TO initiate; and She wears the
lreitIest OF brown silk gowns and bonnets fitting
ne beau ideal of an old lady an IDEAL she ,
nigni inspire II II has no prc.existence. You
YOU'D, OF course, expect her to be- az She is free
rom pedantry and all modes of alfectation but /,
thlnk you would be surprised to find Yourself +,
orgeulng, IN domestic and confding feeling. ;
hal YOU Were talking with The Woman ,,hnS., | I