The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-12-11
Inscription OF she Great SaraO or Fete In
Honor or the @ ueen Of Spain.


We shall now endeavOr to give our readers brief
description of the sumptuous ete which came off on
Sunday at the residence of his excellency the Cap
tain General, and which was given by the worthy
representative OF an august sovereign In honor Of
her who is the idol Of the great Spanish nation. II
our description is to have prologue, select
no better theme therefor than what We must cols-
der the prologue of the evening that 10 to say the
animated and smiling aspect presented by the Plaza
de Armds before the commencement Of the sarao
Daylight had scarcely disappeared, before the Pazs
lighted up BY the illumination of the surrounding
eSifcss and by a magnificent moon, began to be
filed with persons Of both sexes, the crowd grs u-
ally increasing, until it became ~ great IS that
which 10 to be seen on the evening Of tho Nueres
Santo, (Holy Thursday. Around the Plaza could
be seen double file Of splendid coaches, in which
bited their charms. The evening, which Was
slightly windy, was propiious in the extreme for to
the agree able temperature was added lovely moon
light and cleudless sky.
Il would be difficult 20 paint the beauty, the hat-
mony Of the scene which the aspect of the Plaza then
offered to the spectator To the perfume of the
were added the bubblng sound of the fountain, and
the echoes Of two bands of music which, by turns,
executed select pieces Of opera music, while the
joyful murmurings of the bystanders and their
happy faces showed the satisfaction which they de-
rived from the enjoyment Of natures beauties and
the arts of man.
At about ten o'clock the persons invited to the
magnificent SdrG0 began to reach the palacio into
which edifce We will nov usher our readers, to in.
troduce them to all the beautiful things which il
enclosed The first object that attracted the attcn-
ton the woods formed in the principal courty ard
resembling the green mansion Of some pagan divni-
ty, and adorned with . marble fountain in the
centre and . number of beautiful transpArencies.
Lighted up by multitude Of little colored lamps,
this spot presented an enchanting effect dissemina
ted throughout among the trees we're several quar-
da bosTles, Qorcst-keepers,) clad in green.
The sne, broad staircase, covered with q purple
cloth, was brilliantly illuminated with gas as it was
on the occasion Of the last ee At the paaco At the
foot Of this staircase stood n1cer0 "a sort OF her
aid attired strictly after the antique STYLE while
number Of lackeys, sumptuousy attired, were seat.
tered all over.
On reaching the upper noor the eye rested With de-
light on the crial garden, which was ndisputsbly the
feature OF the whole affair that most can.ivsted the
attention Of the guests, and whose magical effect,
viewed by the artificial light, it would be impos-
sible to describe in words. In the centre stood ,
marble fountain Of running water, and eight statues
OF the same material, psdestals, were stationed
around The flowers covering the squares into
which the garden was symmetricaliy divided, the
beauty OF the females peopling it, the multitude OF
little tr&nspsrences now scattered here aud there,
now formed into garlands waited to and fro by the
breeze, and the line of coored vases dividing the
interior from the exterior, produced together so
enchanting IN assemblage and so picturesque an
appearance that the imagination soon took its
fight TO the world of the ideal and the wonderful
in q word, the scenes Of the Arabian Nights were
persons present could refrain from praising the
exquisite taste that presided over the arrangement
Of the precious garden, and which revealed itself
even in the most minute details At the farther
extremity Of the parterre was transparency, re-
presenting Gothic castle, on which was written
ITO Isabel II.--GenerL Canedo, interpreter Of
Cuban loyalty"
As for the saloons that we're the scene Of the
sdyoo, we can add little to what have stated in
describing previous ttes, for the spendor AMI taste
with which they adorned such occasions
are well known. The principal saloon, however,
was the most beautiful, being decorated with gar
lands Of the most exquisite flowers IL is useless to
state that the chief attraction Of the saloons
was the select assemblage of females, the most
beautiful, elegant aud rich Of Havana being
present But who would undertake to dopic
with exactness the natural grsces, the elegance the
variety and the richness Of the dresses Of the dies
and the brilliant uniforms Of the gentlemen Our
pen little used to such tasks, would give but .
feeble image, and this consciousness induces Us to
refrain from attempting any description
The refectory was in all respects equal to the
other features Of this fe, and exquisite the
refreshments covering the vast circular table, and
such the magnifcence and sumptuous taste with
which they were served, that nothing but the fact
that La Uon,taico (the most celebrated confeoton-
er in Havana had taken charge Of this depart
ment, could diminish our astonshment
Such, then, has been the brilliant fete with which
his Excellepcy, our Captain General. has given In
honor Of our beloved Queen; tsts, too, the recel'