Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-03-31

DAILY YIRGINIAN.
From Miss Murray's "Eogit-b Woman in America 3
Extravagance ofAmerican Hons .


Having given brief description Of the styles
of the ordinary dwelling Of the afiiuent'l viii
lust glance at those of the very wealthy OF wntcn
there are several IN Fifth avenue,nnd some OF the
sounres surpassing anything that had witness
cd in royal or duoal palaces at home Lhe ex-
ternals of some Of those mansions IN fiith ave
nne arc like Apsley House ana o,an"ra hoasr, hD.
Stone. AT one honse which 1 visited IN -----
street. about the largest private residence IN the
etv. and one which 10 considered to comone
the greatest splendor with the greatest taste, We
entered a spacious marble hall, leading to or
culer stone staircase Of great width, the oaius-
trades being figures elaborately cast ID oronSs'
Above this staircase was lofty dome, decorer
ted with paintings in fresco Of eastern scenes.
There we're inches in the wslls.. some containing
Italian statuary, and others small jets OF water
pouring over artificial NOSE. :.
rhere were six or eight magnificent re-
cep,on rooms. furnished IN various styies-tne
Medryal the Eliznbetban, the ltnbhn, the fer-
sian, the modern Enlishmnn, ~ there were Ioan-
Trims of fairy workmanship, pictures from the
old masters, statues from Italy, chiefs dmuvre
Of art; porcelain from China and Sevres, darnnsks
and cloth of gold, and bijoux from tho East; TO-
helm tapestry, tables OF mn aohite and agata.
mick .nncks" of every description In the Madi-
myal and Elizabethan apartments. did notappear
10 me that any anarchroisms had oeen' oo'"-
tons Tho light was subdued bypassing through
windows Of rich stained glassI;sa~ one table tho
value Of which might be about 1000 guineas.
The ground was black marble, with n wreath ct
flowers inlaid with very costly gems upon ~.
There were flowers or bunches Of fru't torqui-
scs, cnrbuncles, rnbes, topazes, ana emera'as'
while the leaves were Of maachite, carneiian' or
agate The effect produced by the lavish en-
ployment Of wealth not very good.
The bed rooms were scarcely less magninoent-
" furnished than the reception rooms. with chairs
formed Of stag horns, tnb'es inlnid with agates
and hang gings Of Damascus cashmere, richly en-
bossed with gold There nothing gaudy.
nroluse or prominens in tho decorations Of furni-
ture; everything had evidently been selected and
arranged by n person of very refined taste. A
mong tho very beautiful works of art was a coll
lection of eameos, including some OF Celhni
from the antique, which WAS really entranoing 70
look npon Another mansion which N. r. VII
lis describes as an fairy palace of taste and art
though not as extensive, was equally beautint
and possessed u layge winter garden. This was
approached by passing through succession OF
very beautiful rooms, the walls OF which were
hung with paintings which would have delighted
n connoiseur. Ii was glass building with a
high dome, fine fountain playing in.the centre,
and around its marble basin were orange, palm
aud myrtle tress, with others from tho tropics.
some Of them Of considerable growth. Every part
of the floor that was not of polished white mar
BILE was sliokly carpetod with small green ferns.
The CLEAN Of white marble statues from among
the olumps Of orange trees and other shrubs, was
particularly pretty indeed the whole had fairy
like appearance about 1T.
Such mansions as these were rather at variance
with my ideas of republican, simplicity; they con-
tanned apartments which would have thr own into
the shnde Of the finest rooms in Windsor Castle
or Buckingham Palace. 1t is not the custom for
Americans to eave large fortunes 20 their chill
dren; their wealth is spent in great measure in
surrounding themselves with the beautiful and
the elegant in their splendid mansions; and it is
probable that the adornments which have been
collected with much expense and trouble will
be dispersed at the death Of their present possess
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