The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-31 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

Her Majesty and Prince Albert, accompanied by the
Prince of Wales, the Princess Royal, Prince Alfred, the
Princesses Alice, Helena, and Louisa, and the Prince
of Leiningen, attended by the Hon. Flora Macdonald,
the Hon. Caroline Cavendish, Major-General -Bouverie,
Captain Du Plat aria Gabbs, visited the Exhlblclou
of th,4 Art-Contribution by Amateurs in aid of the Pa-
triotic Fund, at the Gallery in Pall-mall, yesterday
morning, attended by the Equerry in Waiting.
The Princess of Salerno and the Duke and Duchess
d'Ai.inale visited the Queen yesterday.
M. Druuyn de l'Huys, accompanied by the French
Ambassador, had an audience of her Majesty, to whica
he was introduced by the Earl of Clarendon, Secretary
of State for Foreign Affairs.
The Queen and' Prince Albert, accompanied by the
Princess Royal, the Princess Alice, and the Princo of
Leiningen, honoured the Princess's Theatre with their
presence in the evening. The royal suite consisted of
the Duchess of Athol', Earl Somers, Major-General
Bouverie, and Captain Du Plat.
The Hon. Caroline Cavendish and the Hon. Flora
Macdonald have succeeded the Hon. Lucy Kerr and the
Hon. Mary Bulteel as the Maids of Honour in Waiting
to the Queen.

The Princess of Salerno and the Duke and Duchess
d'Aumale visited the Duchess of Kent yesterday at
Clarence House, St. James's.

DEPARTURE OF M. DROUYI\T DE L'HUYS.

M. Drouyn de l'Huys, who had arrived in London, as
we yesterday announced, for the purpose of conferring
with the Ambassador of France, and, in conjunction
with him, with the English Government, yesterday at
two o'clock went with Count Walewski to the residence
of the Prime Minister, where they met the Marquis of
Lansdowne and the Earl of Clarendon.

With these noblemen, and with Lord Palmerston, a
conference wa,s held which lasted until five o'clock.

The French Amhassailer and M. Drouyn de 1;11uys
then proceeded to Buckingham Palace, when the Minis-
ter of Foreign Affairs was presented to her MajeAy by
his Excellency, and was honoured with an audience of
some duration.

M. Driuyn de I'Huys left Albert•gate House in the
c nuts° of the evening for the South-Eastern Railway
station, on ►,is return to Paris via Dover.

VISIT OF NAPOLEON AND TEE

EMPRESS.

WINDSOR, Friday.—Preparati•ns are being made
here for the reception of the Emperor and Empress of
the French, on Easter Tuesday, the 10th of April. The
aparttnsnts now under the process of decoration, and on
which no less then 40 gliders, besides upholsterers, are
employed, are the ball or grand reception-room?, the
throne-room, the Ileubens-rkioin (where the theatrical
entertainments have usually taken place), the King's
council chamber, the King's closet, the Queen's closet,
the Zuccarrelli room, the Vandyek room, and, indeed,
all the apartments on the North Terrace. That the
whole suite will be finished in a style of unprecedented
magnificence cannot be doubted.

It is understood that the Emperor and Empress of the
French will remain in England for about a fortnight,
vNting 'Lout:Ton, Osborne, Woolwich. Portsmouth,
Greenwich, and other places, but residing principally at
Windsor Castle. The York and Lancaster Towers are
being fitted up for that purpose, and the whole of the
apartments in the Round Tower will be placed at the
disposal of the attendants of the Emperor Napoleon.

The Queen held a privy council this afternoon at
Buckingham Palace.
THE QUEEN'S VISIT TO THE ART CONTRIBUTIONS TO
THE PATRIOTIC FUND.—Yesterday morning her Majesty,
Prince Albert, and six of the Royal children, and suite,
paid a visit to this exhibition and sale of works of
art. Her Majesty showed her taste by at once pur-
chasing the best work in the room—viz , a frame of six
illustrations in outline, by Miss Frazer, of the poem of
" The Wreath." These illustrations are most happily
conceived, and evince much poetical feeling, and are ex-
pressed in an original and very artist-like manner. We
believe this graceful production of the pencil was already
purchased, and was loyally yielded, on her Majesty inti-
mating a desire to possess it. The Queen made other
tasteful selections. Five of the Royal children have
contributed drawings of their own ; they are all clever
productions—Oat of the Princess Royal, entitled
"The Battle-field," is a masterly work for one so
young. It is a very encouraging sign for the arts to
see such unmistakeable taste for art so. widely diffused
amongst the youthful members of the Royal family.
The drawings which cover the walls and fill
the portfolios hi the gallery are contributed by
amateurs ; and although we gladly admit they
reveal taste and talent, it is impossible not to feel, at the
firtt glance, the difference there is between such works
and the productions of the professed artist—of works
produced in play and those that are the result of hard
study. The latter invariably possess a vigorous,llively,
fresh look, as if they were produced • in the midst of
frolic ; the latter, it must be confessed, have a dull inani-
mate air, as if they were the offspring of severe, unpalat-
able labour. Nevertheless, those who have the will and
the power to discern artistic talent may discover it in this
mass of drawings, and this circumstance, combined with
the praiseworthy object for which this exhibition and
sale have been instituted, is doubtless the cause of the
great ii,tErest which the sub.l,ct
Lord Stratford de Radcliffe was so far_ recoveredion
the 19th inst. as to be able to attend, as usual, to bush
AM.