The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-10-24 00:00:00

THE PRINCE OF WALES AT
ESCLIMONT.

The Parte Figaro give. an account! the visit of the Prince
of Wales to the Due de la Itochefoucauld-Bisaccla, and the
following are the priocipal passages of the narrative of the
fees

" The Prince of Wales reached Rainbouillet by a
special train in the afternoon, and went on to Esclimont
in the Due de Is Rochefoucauld-Biaaccia's carriage
across the fertile but mortotonous plains of La Beance.
suddenly the read begins to sink, and after a consider-
able descent riot° a valley the teaveller comes to a
cross-road, where rises a massive donjon keep with
three arches, tough which is the entrance of the
domain. Once theough these, the Castle join front and
and on either hand are the gardens, which are vast and
admirably kept. A large moat surrounds the building
and is 'crossed by bridges with elliptic arches. The
principle façade is fianked by two large round towers,
with sentry-boxes in the centre, and two smaller towers
and a campanile below, while in a coving sprinkled with
F's 'appears the colessal equestrian statue of Franeois
de la Rochefoucauld, who was godfather to King
Francis I. Drawn up on both sides of the bridge are
the Suissee, the twelve Guards, the eight valets, and
the eight butlers, all trowdered, and attired in splendid
costumes. The earriages crossed the bridge and the
main road, mid entered the court of honour, where the
party alighted. Here the Prince and the other invited
Acetate looked around them, and truly the spectacle was
well worth the trouble of doing so. The Castle formed
at one time a perfect quadrangle, but only two sides of
it still remain. Between the buildings could be
descried the park, with its fountains, its bread
walks, its gram), carpet descending from the top
of a group of hill-ticks, its massive beds of flowers,
and its fine autumn-tinted trees. The Prince was
received by the Duchesse de la Rochefoucauld-Bisaccia
(eta Prineesse de 'Agile) and the Ducheeme de Luynes,
the Duke's eldest daughter by his first wife (nee
Princesse de Polignac). After the presentation Madame
ifs Luynee, who in still in mourning for the hero of
Pate, left Esclimont for Dampierre, a magniticentresi-
deuce which so many illustrious artists during the
first half (if this century assisted in making the finest
castle in France. To-morrow she will receive the
Prince of Wales there, for he is too good an English-
man to desire any other pleasure than that (4 making
a visit of ceremony, as is usual in England, on Sunday
—that gloomy sacred day. 'rile presentations over,
the Prince was conducted to his apartments, passing
through galleries &dented with all the portraits of the
Rochefoucauld family and their relations, and
with the bust of M. de Bouillon, whose family
once owned Facia-wont. Everywhere, on iron rail-
ings, on cornices, on the stone carving of the
balconies, there in inscribed the proud motto of
Duke Francois 'C'eat »inn pluiair. The private
apartment prepared for the Prince contains the family
archives. If he wants to write, he will seat himself at
Louis desk, on Which are all the English
daily papers. Over the mantelpiece is Queen Vic-
toriaa portrait, with those of all the Princes and
Princesses of the Royal Family grouped round it.
The Duke has given up his private apartments to his
Royal guest, and they contain a multitude of objects
recalling his residence in London. The Prince, in
short, finds England again at Eselimont The grand
apartments are on the ground floor. They are
very tine, but consist of only three rooms—the
dining-room, drawing-room, and billiard room. 'rheas)
are connected by a narrow gallery, decorated with
portraits. If the reception was grand the guests
were not very numerous. Only thirty-three per.
'sons sat down to dinner. Esclimont is one of
the few French houses where the taste for suinp-
tuous plate has been preserved, and this of course
graced the table. Theparty invited to meet the Prince
of Wales comprised the Duc de Chartres, the Prince
and Prineesee d'Aremberg, Due de Crony, Due and
Ducheese de la Tremouille, M. and Madame Standish,
Due and Duzhess de Fezensac, Due and Duchesse de
Doudeauville, Marquis de Juigna, Comte and Com-
tesae d'Archise, Prince Edmond de Polignac, General
de Charette, Marquis du Lau, Comte Hallez-
Claparade, Comte de Breteuil, H. O'Connor, Comte
de helot Priest, and several members of the Prince of
Wales's household. In the drawing-room, opening out
on a truly magnificent garden, a piano was placed, so
as to assist in transforming the soiree into a private.,
ball. Four or five of the neighbouring gentry were the",
only strangers allowed to come and present their ,
homage to the Heir Apparent of the English Throne.
On Friday there was breakfast at ten o'clock, and the
party then started in carriages for the chase in the
direction of the Chateau des Forks. Sixty persons to
beat up the game had been stationed there awaiting
the arrival of the Duke's guests. Five hundred shots
were fired, about four hundred of them doing no execu-
tion. The Prince of Wales tires with rare precision;
at least eighty of his shots were well aimed, the Marquis
du Lau and the Duc de la Tremonille coming nearest
to him. At six o'clock the party re-entered their
carriages, and at 6.30 dinner was served. The pro-
gramme, as will be seen, is very simple. To-day's
(Saturday's) is the same ao yesterday's. At Esclimont,
at least, the Prince of Wales means to be only the
Earl of Chester. The Castle, in spite of its historical
oharaster arid architectural beauty, is a real family
residence, in which the Due de la Rochefoucauld-
BiliaCCM'S five children spend the summer very merrily
amid all the riches of Nature. Among those riches
are splendid donkeys used to being mounted by their
young masters. Much flattered, doubtless, by the
notice taken of them by the Prince's English servants,
these donkeys took it into their heads to give a
serenade on Friday night This led to a regular Babel.
All the ruminants inhabiting the domain joined in
chorus with the donkeys, and the Duke's guests
would have passed a restless night if his servants had
not hastily removed the noisy animals to a distance.
These donkeys were the only creatures capable of dis-
turbing by their braying the festivities offered by
veal French grand seigneurs to the first gentleman in
England."