Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1833-07-04

'"S SHui dCtcr Ol tifc tlnleS II
which It was built, and might be tina
OF tortress--lts long, dark front o
roughly-hewn stone, with its two slight
out-curving wings, bearing look o
more strength than beauty. The III
terror IS incidentally rich. The suit,
OF halls on the front side is the HON,
OF the choicest and most extensive GAL
lery of pictures in the world. tn,
tables OF nlaid gems and mosaic, the
Walls encrusted with relieves, the curl.
Gus floors, the drapery--all satiate the
eye with stmptuousness. Ii is built
gainst hill, and | was surprised, on
the night of the ball, to find mvselI
ahghting from the carriage upon the
same floor TO which | had mounted
IRON the front by tediously long stair.
cases. The duke thus rides in his car.
rage to his upper story-an advant.
age which saves him no little fatigue
and exposure. gardens of the
Boboli, which cover the hill behind.
rise far from the turrets of the palace,
and command glorious views of the
Val d'Arno.
The reception hour at the ball was
from eight to nine. We were received
at the steps, on the garden side of the
palace, by u crowd of servants, IN
livery, under the orders of fat major.
domo, and passing through long gal.
lery, lined with exotics and grenadiers.
we arrived at the unte-room, where
the dukes body guard of mobiles were
drawn up in attendance. The band
was playing delightfully."- in the saloon
beyond. had arrived late, having
been presented few days before, and
deslrous of avoiding the Stiffness of the
first hour OF presentations. The rooms
We're in blaze of light from eight
trees OF candles cypress shaped, and
reaching from the floor to the ceiling,
and the company entirely assembled,
crowded them with dazzling show of
Jewels, flowers, feathers, and uniforms.
Tho duke and the grand duchess
(the widow of the late duke stood in
the centre of the room, and in the
pauses OF conversation, the different
ambassadors presented their country.
men. His highness was dressed in a
suit of plain black, probably the worst
made clothes in Florence. With his
pale, timid face, his bent shoulders,
an lnexpressibly lifted cravat, and
rank, untrirnrned whiskers, he was the
most uncourtly person present. His
extreme popularity as monarch is
certainly very independent OF his per-
sonal address. His mother in law is
about his own age, with marked fea.
lures, full of talent, pale, high fore
head, and the bearing altogether of
queen. She wore small diadem of
the purest diamonds, and with her
height and her flashing jewels, she
was conspicuous from every part of
the room. She is high catholic, and
is said to be bending all her powers
upon the establishment Of the iesuits
in Florence.
AS soon as the presentations were
over, the grand duke led out the wife
OF the English ambassador, and opened
the ball with waltz. He then danced
quadrille with the wife of a French
ambassador, and for his next partner
selected an American lady-the daugh-
ter of Colonel T, of New. York.
line supper rooms were opened ear
ly, and among the delcacies of table
loaded with every thing rare and lux.
urious, were brace or two OF pleas
ants from the dukes estate in Germa-
ny.-Duly flavoured with hu6es, and
accompanied with Rhine wines, which
deserved the conspicuous place given
them upon the royal-table-and in this
letter.
hardly dare speak of the degree OF
beauty in the assembly; it is so difficult
to compare new impression with an
old one, and the thing itself is so IN
definite. But there were two persons
present whose extreme loneliness, as
1t is not disputed even by admiring en-.
Wy, may be worth describing, for the
sake of the comparison.
The princess s. may be twenty
four years of age. She is of the mid.
die height, with the Slight stoop in her
shoulders, which is rather a grace than
fault. Her bust is exquisitely turn
ed, her neck slender but full, her arms,
hands, and feet, those of Psyche.
Her face is the abstraction of high.
born Italian beauty-calm, almost to
indifference, of an indescribably glop-
ing PafeneSS---a complexion that would
be alabaster if it were not. for the rich
ness of the blood beneath, betrayed in
lips whose depth of colour and fineness
of curve seem only too curiously beau.
tiful to be the work of nature. Her