The Express.
London, England, 1855-01-04 00:00:00

CRYSTAL PALACE.

The following is a description of the model of
Kenilworth Castle, exhibited by Mr. Albert Smith, in the
great transept of the Crystal Palace. An endeavour has
been made to represent the actual visit of Queen Eiisabeth
1 to Kenilworth, in July, 1677—n0t the beautiful fiction of
Sir W. Scott founded on that visit. The authorities used
lace Lanai= and Oaacoigne, the latter a poet, both eye-
witnesses of and sharers in the sports and pageantries
enacted there.

The garden originally stood N.E., to the right of the
spectator ; but it became impossible to exhibit that side of
'the castle in consequecce of no vestige of the frontage re.
seething. For the present view there is ample testimony.
The modeller has, therefore, ?entered to remove the
garden ornaments into the " Base Court," a deviation
that gives the power of showing the bridge erected on
purpose that her Majesty might enter by a path untrodden
before—a compliment as great and much more re-
fined than the gross flattery to which the fa-
shion of the day subjected royalty. The usual
entrance was on the S.W. side, wow the lake. Pierced
obelisks and spheres are mentioned amongst the de-
corations, likewise a fountain of Atlas bearing a basin (to
the right of the bridge near the castle), and a comment is
made on the dazzling effect of the quantity of whits free-
stone in the garden. Placed on the bridge were offerings
from the gods on "pastes" at certain di/teams, such as wise,
birds in cages, fruit, corn, fish, armour, and musical instru-
ments. Behind the Queen and the Earl of Leicester, for
discretion's sake, is an aged couple, intended for Lord
Chancellor Burleigh and Lis wife. The other figures are
merely Murders and court ladies.
On the first terrace to the left, near the Apollo Belvidere, is
a poet with his "scroll," in a "cerulean gown ." sitting by
hint a minstrel. Further on, a group dressed in the garb of
heathen mythology; Mercury and Ceres, Day and Night,
dazes to the pipes of satyrs; Man and Apollo regale
themselves with a can of beer; whilst Minerva lowly (as
Wisdom should be), and Juno, in her car of state, look
on in silent dignity. To the right of the bridge, on the
low ground, are a set of Morrie-dancers, Friar Tuck run-
ning to join them. Still more to the right, and • little
more forward, a greenman ; and a wodehouse or savage
man, who met the Queen is one of her rides daring the
visit, and, throwing away his club, pretended to be tamed
by the eight of her beauty. More things are named in the
descriptions, but as they were out of the epees chosen
for the picture, it was th slight better not to crowd
them into the scene. For other ornaments the maker
is accountable. Italy at that tine being far in advance
of England, and Leicester a man of taste and expense,
it is not improbable he should send for oasts of
some of the most noted statues. The bear and ragged staff,
as Leioester's cognition', is often repeated ; the eagles are
meant to denote his seanng ; the @physics, his
doubtfuljoable chameaum The liddie would lead on the
right to Argent/ay (still cassaba); ea the left to the tilt.
yarelt which formed a lesadary to the lake that emended
from the tilt-yard half essadthe castle nada the wall. To
keep as sear as possible to the spitit of the time, and forma
pleasing picture, has been the object aimed at.
Kenilworth was built ems after the Conquest, by the Earl
Clinton ; named through many heads during the unsettled
centuries of he sally instates ; was frequently possessed by
the crows, sod liseteteed ea favourites ; thus, as a gift from
Queen E lossune the Earl of blaster's; on his
death, it lb lie ses. who very nos lost it by an
act of Wank*. Itio asee only the run of a ruin, the pro-
, piny snarl Oksenisn.
• Tao we% Irmo ssi sesainealn an owed in cork.