The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1852-08-19

pN"Oi yc' pcIicCt symmetry vi luii pnyo-
zeal development, so free in action, so grand
in repose, 80 beautiful in half-barbarc grace,
that one sighs at the thought Of a humanity SO
glorious having passed away, and sees n sort
of sublime pathos in the long struggle of art
with Ruin and Time to preserve for it even
this broken Immortality.
Among the old manuscripts and autographs
are sights to hurry ones heart-beats, and make
the eager soul look through ones eyes with a
chld-hke earnestness, reverence, and wonder,
rare enough in our every day life. | had not
believed it possible that | could be agitated
with strong emotion at merely looking on
words traced by the hands of Shakespeare,
Milton, Spenser, Luther, John Knox, Charles
the Martyr Hampden, Cromwell, Mary
Queen of Scots, Lady Jane Grey, and OTHERS
OF Englands, of the worlds immortaIs |
never could account for the effect which the
autographs of genius produce upon our minds,
except by belief that something of the soul, of
the spiritual presence, fingers about them-an
influence which we feel by some inner sense,
yet but dimly comprehend.
After leaving the Museum, we visited the
Exhibition at the Royal Academy and the
National Gallery 1t is impossible for me to
do anything like justice to either collection
here. At the first, there were one or two
noble modern pictures, which completely en-
crossed me-charmed my heart and chained
my feet before them-and at the latter rev.
elled in my first JOY in the glorious conceptions
and wondrous, almost miraculous, art of the
old masters Murillo's Saint John seemed to
me the dvinest of all but there was one of
his Madonnas so sanity beautiful in the tranced
JOY of her divine maternity, that felt my knees
giving way beneath me, obedient to the in
stinct of alteration
Yesterday ! went with some American
friends to Windsor Castle and Virginia Water
1t was day to be marked with a white stone
1t left on my heart only sun-bright thoughts
and hung my memory with grand and beauti
full pictures. Windsor Castle is nobler and
finer every way than expected to find it
truly a most regal residence-the nursery, the
| stronghold, the temple of kingliness While
these high places Of royalty, gorgeous with
| the wealth and venerable with the memories
of ages, stand forth as the pride and glory OF
| England, and the shrines of romance and
| poetry for all nations; it seems to me that the
institution Of monarchy is safe and steadfast-
pillared by the sacredness of the past the ad-
mration and Imagination of the present, the
involuntary loyalty of the world The ques-
ton of what would they do with their palaces
never presented itself seriously to my mind at
home, in connection with the thought of the
possible experimentation of England yet
here it comes with staggering force against any
such political air.caste
We had an order which took us through
both the state and private apartments, all of
which are beautiful and gorgeous beyond my
poor powers of description. The private rooms
have the most of q home-look if that dear ia
miliar word can be applied to anything 80
magnificent. The long corridor is decorated
with some fine pictures; among which | was
glad to see that of Scott. OF the rest, the most
interesting were series of paintings commem-
orative of the principal events in the life of
Victoria---thus far, she has been pretty thor
oughly painted Her Majesty's breakfast par
lOr is hung with Winterhalter's famous por-
traits of herself and Prince Albert, and with
pictures. of the royal children-taken altogeth-
er, a very handsome family. From this ROOM
which looks out upon the terrace, there is a
lovely view of the. park. d, In short, whatever
way the eye, glanced, it met only beauty, and
luxury, and splendor; and could but wonder
how those favored ones, born to the grandeurs
and pleasures of such high estate, cOald bring
themselves to submit to the inevitable DEGREES
of nature, and die with decent resignation
come meekly down from the throne to the
cOffn-go humbly forth from the gay palace
halls to the dark and narrow house of the
dead Yet we must believe that the kingly
crown often presses too tightly around throb-
bing brOws, till every gem seems to shoot
separate torture into the brain-that the
womans heart often aches sharply under the
queenly ermine-that the heirs to thrones are
also heirs to all the ills of humanity-that the
burden of mortality weighs more and more
heavily upon them, till they, like the poor way
farers of life, stretch their tired arms yearn-
ingly towards Gods rest In the solemn old
chapel of Windsor, there is beautifully-sculp-
tured cenotaph, to the memory of the Princess
Charlotte, representing her in the attitude in
which she ded-the death-struggle ust arrest
ed and all it's fearful agony stiffening into her
limbs. The light sheet which wraps her body
covers her face but only to reveal it with more
terrible distnctness to the eye of imagination
| shuddered and recoiled with horror, as
though from the brink of an abyss, when |
found myself standing over the dust of Charles
the First
The drive through the Great Park to Vir-
ginia- Water, and the long delicious ramble
through those enchanting grounds, are they
not written in the pleasantest chronicles of
memory! This sweet summer place was the
darling work of that princely pleasurist,
George the Fourth He was a spendthrift a
voluptuary, an unflial son, bad husband, an
Indifferent father-a bad fellow in many re-
spects; but he had exquisite taste, there's no
denying it.
must not forget to record, with due graft
tude and just appreciation that the retainers,
both at Windsor Castle and Virginia Water,
are forbidden by her Majesty to receive any
fee from visitors Oh, long may she reign
With this sentiment of dtSinteresed loyalty,
think | may properly close my letter and
wish you, my fair republican, as pleasant a
morning as this which has just lifted the gray
fogs from the monarchical isle.
Yours as ever GRACE GREENWOOD.