The Sun.
London, England, 1859-07-12 00:00:00

HO LYBOOD PALACE.

While the Royal apartments in this ancient
palace are being fitted up for the reception of his
Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, the exterior
improvements which have been. some time in pro-
gress, and which were expected to be completed
before the arrival, on their way north, of her
Majesty and the Royal family, who usually pass a
night here at least on their way to and from Bal-
moral, have been quickened and expedited, so that
if possible they may be finished, or nearly so, on
the Prince's coming. Within the last few years
very extensive improvements have been made in the
external aspect of Holyrood. Formerly sur-
rounded with small houses and gardens," and
almost inaccessible either from the town
or the park, it now stands in the midst of
a somewhat spacious and neatly-enclosed gar-
den, and a carriage drive of ample breadth has
been formed all along its front, communicating on
the one side with the New Town, in the centre
with the Old Town, by way of Canongate, and on
tho other extreme with the Queen's drive, the Royal
parks, and the hills of Arthur's Seat. Among the
still more recent improvements carried out are the
renovation of the ancient mansion of Croft-au-nigh,
situated in the north-east corner of the palace gar-
dens, occupied some time by the Regent Murray,
while his sister, the beautiful Mary Queen of Scots,
still held her brief sway over her turbulent nobles
and distracted kingdom; the erection of elegant
lodges at Ilolyrood, Parson's-green, and St. Leon-
ard's, the outlets of the park ; the formatioß of a
fine sheet of water in the valley below St. Anthpny's
Chapel, and skirting a portion of the drive; and

the extension of the-drive from St. Leonard's to the
village of lluddingstone, opening up some very
picturesque ground, and a very useful public
thOroughfare. The principal improvements still in

progress- are the erection of elegant iron gates at
the different entrances to the quadrangle in front
of the palace ; the enclosure of another large piece
of ground within the Royal park, almost below
Salisbury croqs; and, in particular, the substitution
of a somewhat' ungainly statue of her Majesty,
placed in front of the palace some years ago, by a
quaint but magnificent fountain taken from a dilapi-
uated but still attractive model in the courtyard of
the ruinous palace of Linlithgow. This fountain,
which is Gothic in design, is chiefly remarkable
for its sculptural embellishments, the most char-
acteristic of which are a series of figures de-
scriptive of the costumes and pursuits of the
frequenters of the old Scottish Court. These figures,
which are 16 in number, and are from 18 to 20
inches in height, have been executed from models
furnished by Mr. Thomas, of London, who deserves
much credit for the lively manner in which he has
effected these "restorations." For the supply of
the fountain, water will be obtained from the ad-
joining hills, and when its numerous jets are in full
play, it cannot fail to prove a welcome and beauti-
ful decoration to the Palace. The execution of the
work has been entrusted to Messrs. Beattie and
Sons, Edinburgh, under the superintendence of
Mr. Matheson, of the Board of Works. Its cost,
which is about £1,400, has been provided for,by a
Parliamentary grant for the purpose. There are
various directions still in which the work of im-
provement may be carried out, but the progress
made within the last six years has already done
much to compensate for the neglect into which for
many years this interesting and picturesquely en-
vironed palace was allowed to fall.