190 THE RURAL SOCRATES, 



* fequently heirefs to one fourth part of the eflate, they 

 'marry her to the fon of another branch, to keep up 

 ' the number of their chiefs. 



' They take care early to imprefs their children 

 ' v/ith fiich a reipecl for their family and for its 



* inflitutions ; that there has never been an inftance of 

 ' any of the chiefs entertaining the nioft diflant idea of 

 / feparating from the commnniry ; nor of any of the 



* fons or daughters, vvlio have left the cafile, defiring 



* any addition to their fortune, finall as it is. — About 



* forty years ago, the widow of one of their chiefs, who 

 ^ had an only daughter, was folicited to marry fome 



* gentleman herfclf, as a means of eflablifhing herdaugh- 

 ' ter, in a manner fuitable to her large fortune. This 



* worthy vvoman anfwered in her provincial diale*^, 

 ' that flie never could confent to put fuch an indignity 

 ' on the family and cufloms of ihe Pignous I 



' Though property is equally divided amongd the 



* four chiefs, the principal authority refts with the 

 ^ mafler, who is chofen from the other chiefs. 



*• The cafile is large, but the apartments are fur- 



* niilied in the moll plain and humble manner. — M. de 



* la Granville, who was travelling that way, flopped at 

 ' Mailer Pignou's. Some of his company were for ad- 

 ^' vifing the mailer to furniili at leail one apartment elc- 

 ^ gantly, as a mark of diilinction ; but the intendant, 

 ^ v/ifer than they, demonflratcd to them that fimplicity 

 ^ was effential to fuch an efiablidmient ; and that when 

 ' once they made a diflin6tion in apartments, it would 

 ^ foon be follov>'ed by other innovations which would in- 

 ' terrupt the happinefs of this little republic. 



' The Pignou family are remarkably bountiful to poor 



* travellers, who are cordially received, fed^ and even 

 ' lodged, if they chance to be benighted. They alfo 

 ' receive well all vifitants, providing the bell en- 



* tertainmeut in their power, according to their rank ; 

 ' which makes them excerdingly honored and elleemed 

 ' in the province j — Aiwl what rvl-iflcr Pignou decides 



" ^ in 



