The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1804-09-22 00:00:00

RUAV.

WINDSOR CASTLE.

This Royal Residence, is undergoing alterations
that materially tend to augment the it..ernal com-
forts, and, at the same time, aggrandise the exte-
rior of a palace, in the improvemee,a of which His
Majesty's good taste will conspicuously appear ;
from that scurce have emanated the ameliorating ar-
rangements ithich, when carried into effect, can-
not fail to produce a combination of beauty and
grandeur, calculated to excite pleasure and sur-
prise, and which will be contemplated by cultivated
minds with increased admiration. The great en-
trance to the Royal apartments has been improved
by an important change; it now forms a distin-
guished feature of this august and venerable pile.
At a former period the ckling of the hail had
been supported by columns with capitals of a sort of
Mongrel lonic, decidedly at variance with the °h-
iring stile of the building l these columns have been
Judiciously converted into Gothic piers, sustaining a
groined cieling. A range of cloisters with appro-
priate enrichments form the sides, while the centre
of the pier lead to a spacious and map,niticent flight
of steps, tt in> •five in number, easy in the ascent,
and decorated with a railing of bronze ; the extreme
part supporting at equal distances twisted pillars of
bronze and or 'nolo, which terminate in highly cm-
latifished lamps. On the profiles of the landing
are canopied niches; in the central front, under a
painted arch, the arnic:Ual bearings of the Crown
are placed with judgment.
• The entire scene produces an awful effect, and
this effefr is considerably impreved by the pleasing
portion of light admitted by windows from an octa-
gon lat.thorn, elevated at least one hundred feet
above the floor, and supported by circular spandrels
beautifully enriched with tracery. and other cha-
raderiatie embellishments of sculpture.
.Of the two grand door ways on the landing, one
is the entrance to the thawing-room ; by the other
we are tun JaCied thmugh the Guard room to the
Queen's Presence. Chamber; here the arrangement
is new, impulsive, and truly royal. At the upper
end of the apartment is tu be a throne ; an eques-
trian figure of King Charlc., w:th the Duke De
Pirnon on foot. the noblest effort of the pencil of
Vandyke, graces the compartment at one side of
the chimwey-Piece; on the other, a commanding
figure of the Duke of Alva displays the energy of
Rubens, and claims admiration. ' Opposite to the
throne, the affecting groupe of King Charles and
Family powerfully arrests the attention; the untar-
nished magnanimity and mildness of the Prince,
wish the connubial tenderness of his Queen, speak
feelingly to the heart: the expression of so much
sentiment, by means so simple, does honour to
painting.
From the happy selettion, and just disposition of
the pitturea recently arranged, it may be augured to
what an height the aggregate excellence will arrive
when the various master-pieces of art. dispersed and
too long consigned, as it were, to an oblivious doom,
are cancentered and preserved in one spot, under the
immediate eye of Majesty.
The arebiteCtural alterat • es are in a progressive
state, principally directed to immediate convenience;
but that beauty and utility ..111 be combined, there
can be no doubt, as Mr. WYATI c•ettinually super-
intend:; and rthile his judgment pervades and di-
reefs the - chine, his ore--- 'mates the various
exertious, seem

yeas the machine, his presence anims
classes of artificers, who, by their
resolved to conquer isnpo.sioilities.