Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-03-12
m,n,,on, OF the American Aristocraey.

Hayinc piyen brief description Of the style of
the ordinary dwelling of the afiiuent, will just
plance at those of the very wealthy ,ofwhich there
are several In Fifth avenue and some OF the
squares surprising anything had hitherto wines
sed in royal or ducal palaces at home The ex-
ternals of some of these mansions IN Filth avenue
are like Apsey House and Stafford House, st.
.James's-being substantially built of brown stone.
Az one house which visited in-street, about
the largest private residence in the city, and one
which is considered to combine the greatest splen-
dor with the greatest taste, we entered spacious
marble hail. leading to circular stone staircase
of preat width, the balustrades being figures elab-
oraIeIy cast in bronze Above this staircase was
lofty dome, decorated with paintings in iresco OF
eastern scenes. There were inches in the walls,
some containing Italian statuary. and others small
iets of water pouring over artificial moss.
There were six or eight magnificent reception
rooms: furnished in various styles-the Medie-
val. the Elizabethan, the Italian, the Persian, the
moderate English, &c. There were fountains OF
fairy workmanship, pictures from the Old masters
statues from Italy, chefs d'@aure OF art; porcelain
from China and Sevres damasks. cloth OF gold,
and biiour from the East Gobeln tapestry ,iaoles
of maiachite and agate, and "ncknacks" OF every
description. To the Madieval and Elizaoethah
apartments. it did not appear to me that any ana
cbronisms had been committed with respect to tne
furniture and decorations. The light was subdued
by passnu through windows ol rich staineu g'ass'
cav one table. The value of which might be
about 1000 guineas. The ground was oiack
marble. with a wreath of howers,lnIaid WIN very
costly gems upon it. There were howers' or
bunches of fruit Of lorqnolses, carounc'es' ruoes
topazes and emerads, while the leaves were o'
malachite, corneian or agate. The ellect proou
ed by this lavish employment OF wealth was not
very good. .e.,,
The bedrooms were scarcely less magnIllcent'y
furnished than the reception rooms, WIN chaiis
formed of stag hcrns, tables iplald wlthasates aho
banginos of Damascus cashmere, richiy ehloosseo
with gold. There was nothing gaudy, proluse' OF
prominent in the decorations or iurnltule; every
Thing had been selected and arranged oy person
of very refined taste. Among The very peau.i'ui
works of art was collection OF canoes, inciudihg
same of CeIlini's, from the antique, whlch was
really enhancing to look upon. Another mansloh'
which y. P. Willis justly describes as "a fairy
n,lsce Of taste and art though not so extensive,
was equally beautiful, and possessed large WIN
tor Garden. This was approached by passing
tbrouob succession Of very beautiful rooms' me
walls of which were hung with paintings which
wonld have delighted connolsseur: IL was
GLASS building with high dome; ine iountain
was WAS playing in the center. and round its marble '
basis % were orange, palm and myrtle trees, win
others from the tropics, some Oh neni o' cohs'uei
able growth. Every part OF the moor tha' was
not Of polished white marble was thiekiy carpeled
NO, xb ., small p green ferns. The CLEAN Of white
s,hIs wa," statues from among the cumps of orange
trees rs and other shrubs, was particularly pretty
;rdesd rI the whole had fairy like appearance
N Such mansions as these were rather at variance
with my ideas of republican simplicity they
contained apartments which would have thrown
into the shade the finest rooms in Windsor Castle
or Buckingham Palace. 1t is not the custom FOL
Americans TO leave large fortunes to their chill
drep their wealth is spent in great measure N
surrounding themselves with the beautiful and
the elegant in their splendid mansions; and it is
nrobabe that the adommenls which have beer
collected with 81 much expense and trouble viii
he d,spersed at the death of their present posses
sors.- The Engishwomaa IN .4merica.