The Sun.
London, England, 1829-07-28 00:00:00

THE WINTER PALACE.

The next object of attraction is the Winter
Palace, a stupendous pile of building, heavy in
its architecture; it is true, but at the same time
magnificent in all its details. I must refer you
to Dr. Granville for a minute description of this
mass of masonry, and will merely say that the
form is square with projecting angles, and that it
Meioses a considerable court yard for the exercise
of troops. The late Emperor usually resided in
the Winter Palace, which is in 'a most central
situation, and is in every way calculated for a
royal residence ; so vast is the building that 800
fires are lighted every morning, when the palace
is occupied as the winter residence of the Im-
perial family. I had not an opportunity of in-
specting the interior, but I understand that the
apartments of the late Empress's mother are
magnificent in the extreme. The front overlooks
the Neva, at the broadest part, where that river
branches into two forks, and forms the island
of Wassiliostrof. Immediately opposite is the
‘fortress," a small island on the northern side
of the river, exceedingly well fortified. In this
island are the Mint and the Church of St. Peter
and Paul, remarkable for its slender and richly
gilt spire, and as being the burial-place of the
Imperial family ; so that the occupiers of the
Winter Palace have abundant opportunities of
reflecting on the uncertainty of human life, aw-
fully uncertain indeed, as it regards the prema-
ture death of several preceding Emperors ; with
the mausoleum of their ancestors in sight, well
may they reflect that
_ _

Pallida niers zequo pede pulsat faupeann tbernas
Regurnque turres.
The present Emperor prefers as a winter resi-
dence the Aritchkin Palace in the Nevski, where
he lived when Grand Duke, and where he has
probably spent the happiest days of his life. He
is now 32 years of age, and has been married
eleven years; the Empress is a year younger. As
possibly more human happiness or misery de-
pend on the personal character of the Emperor
of Russia than on that of any other individual
in the world (at all events in Europe), it is gra-
tifying to know that as a man or a sovereign he
is every thing that Russia or even Europe can
desire. Every absolute monarch is more or less
the slave of a system, and Nicholas no doubt has
his peculiar difficulties to contend with, but I
really believe his views arc moderate and con-
ciliatory, his disposition generous and humane ;
some accuse him of avarice, probably because
he has no inclination to squander the public
money ; others say he wants the mildness of
Alexander, because he is so strict in the correc-
tion of known abuses, but all agree he is inde-
fatigable in business ; so in fact has he need to
be, as no less than 30,000 petitions were ad-
dressed to him through our office alone, many of
which would pass under his immediate inspec-
tion. He rises early, has frequent interviews with
General Diebitsch or Count Nesselrode, is re-
markably punctual in all his engagements, and
requires his attendants to be so too. Upon his
accession to the throne he set about a reforma-
tion of the numerous abuses that had crept into
public offices ; his severity was particularly di-
rected against those in authority who had been
influenced by bribes ; in this respect he has had
an Augean stable to cleanse, At one he attends
parade, and afterwaids he is 'frequently seen
driving a sledge with one attendant. The Em-
press takes her airings in a carriage and four;
,
the servants wear a rich cossack costume, but
there is no military escort. As a father and a
husband the Emperor is a pattern to all his sub-
jects. I once had an opportunity (which few
foreigners, by the bye, have enjoyed) of witness-
ing the domestic relaxation of the Imperial
cfmaamenainl:s
b;ie Ip:xaolinzt
t,loactearslibertytoo sQoleetvoe.praysl tacacitei b.ysmir,isi
circumstance
iNavlilleicsaest
ed
of which I was a spectator; thus much I will
say, that 1 never witnessed a scene of more do-
mestic harmony. The Empress, who, it is well
known, is the daughter of the King of Prussia,
is a beautiful young won-staA, and, one of the
finest figures l ever. saw ; she appeared a happy
mixture of dignity and affability, and \,;;;r4 dressed
in deep mourning. The
.V,n-4sdror is about six
feet high, strortg, aiidwen made, and rather bald
he strongly VesPliAles
Nirct:eil‘lfebusisejtdl,:lOAofrkgoeemc.l
which so many engravlugs have been taken, but
I think the countenance of the portrait is a little
is.temhctiosit.b4o;s 4 military
rather
tsoil:
ea
rb serious ; he was dressed in
st;a94. surprised by Ambassadors when he
enanlvd: