Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1855-09-19
QUEEN VICTORIA IN FRANCE.

Description Of the Fste giuen to the Queen Of Eng
~, land at Versailles, on the 25th Of August, 1885.
TRANSLATED from the "Aoniteur for the N c. Standard
The palace of Louis XIV. resumed, on Saturday
eVenlng-as IT by enchantment, the life and SPLEEN
dour which animated it in its brightest days. Our
epoch is called to witness wonders which would
have appeared impossible in the greatest ages and
under the most glorious reigns. In short time
when the eclat Of these ees and the noise of these
acclamatlons shall have ceased, and one can reflect
upon the bearing and Specification of all that has
transpred IN this week, so brilliant and so full of
events-the voyage and soiourn of Her Majesty
the queen Victoria, in the capital of France will be
regarded as one of those incidents which would
have seemed a dream before it had been accomplish
ed: All those who shall have been witnesses of
this enthusiastic reception, these manifestations of
sincere cordially and profound sympathy, from
sovereign to sovereign and nation to nation. will
have created for themselves of those inefface-
able souvenirs which old age delights to recount
and which form in the existence of individu-
ais as well as the history of peoples.
Versailles decked herself out to receive wortbily
the august guests of the Emperor The large court
of the Chateau shone in midday; the imposing
and severe outline of that noble and beautiful archi-
lecture was drawn in lines of fire. and the statues of
marble that adorn the double balustrade Of the
grand staircase appeared astonshed at this noise
and movement
Their Maesties entered by the marble stairway;
whilst the invited guests ascenoed the Princes
stairway Saloons for waiting and repose, boudoirs
hung with blue damask and filled with elegant Jar
dinieres had been prepared for the Queen of Eng
land and Prince Albert, in the ancient apartments
of Marie Antoinette. The Emperor and Empress
retired for few instants into apartments reserved
for them Their Majesties then traversed the grand
apartments of Louis XIV, brilliantly lighted and
having their huge freplaces transformed into cor
bellies OF flowers and masses of foliage
The gallery of mirrors presented the most dazzl-
ing effect AT the four angles four orchestras were
elevated, composed of two hundred artists and di-
rected by Strauss and Dufresne Flowers and
shrubbery concealed the platform of the musicians,
and the harmony seemed to gush from invisible
instruments through groves of dahlias peonies and
eeanders Garlands suspended from the vaulted
roof entwined themselves together and formed the
most graceful and charming decorations; thousands
OF ustres, and candelabras, reflected adj
MVnatum IN the mirrors, poured torrents of light
upon the brilliant costumes of the guests, all tinsel-
ed with gold and enriched with diamonds
On approaching the windows, spectacle still
more enchanting met the eyes. The great par
terre d'eau" was framed on all sides by striking
series of arcades in the Renaissance style tracing
itself upon the back ground of the park in coored
fire, and linked together by an emerald trellice-
work. In the centre rose arch, two thirds larger
than any of the rest, in the form of a triumphal
arch, surmounted with the double escutcheon of
France and England. At the two corners on the
right and left two other arcades rounded off,
mented with glitterng mOnograms of their Males
ties. Under these brilliant arches the water shot
up in spouts and fell in cascades. The two basins
formed one vast sheet of liquid light, on which
SWAN golden uolphins bestrdden by Cupid's bear
At ten o'clock the doors of the grand apartments
were opened, and their Maestes, followed by the
whole court, made their entree into the gallery of
mirrors.
The Queen of England had the arm of the Empe-
ror, the Empress that of Prince Albert; the Prin-
cess Matilde that of the Prince of Bavara the
Princess Royal that of Prince Napoleon.
Their Majesties, after few moments directed
their steps towards the balconies which had been
reserved for them in the apartments of Louis XIV,
to see the fireworks erected on the spice Geau
des SuiSses, for which the Count Bacciochi, first
chamberlain and superintendent of the court spec
tacles, had given the signal. Two hundred cannon
shot were fired, and rockets and bombs described
in the air their luminous burrows burst in show
ers of part-colored stars; then, when the cloud of
smoke was suddenly rent and the turrets and tow
ers of Windsor Castle appeared against the horizon,
loud and spontaneous reclamation resounded
through the crowd. At the same moment two or
chestras placed in the Orangery executed the an
them, " God save the Queen"
A platform, covered with Goben tapestry, had
been raised in front of the southern facade the
guests reached it by large external sair-ways
structed at the two eXtremities, and from thence
admired the immense perspective outstretched be-
fore them.
At hafpast ten, the Emperor opened the ball
with the Queen of England.
At eleven, the court went into the theatre for
supper The table of their Majesties had been LAID
in the boz of honor, which overlooked the other
boxes embellished with ladies, the orchestra and
the partcrre, transformed into fesal halls Every
where flowers, lights, dazzling toettes; everywhere
air of satisfaction of JOY of rapture impossible
to describe. The "c0up G9uip was truly fairy
like
Their Maiesties left Versailles amidst the warmest
demonstrations of enthusiasm. After their depar-
ture the ball was prolonged till morning, and
throughout the night the road was poughed by
brilliant equpages conducting back the guests to
Paris.