The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-12

vases ana statuettes OF porcelain and delf are
everywhere. The sixteenth and seventeenth
centuries offer nothing more curious. A statu.
cite, N0tre Dame de BOn-SecOufS, carving the
Shild-Jesus, whose little hand grasps globe
representing the world, Is above the super
structure Of the mantlepiece. Below it is this
verse. to be found in the "Chanaans des Rues
des Bois:-
"The people are little but shall be great,
Within thv sacred arms, oh mother blest
Oh! holv Liberty, with eODQuering step,
The child who bears the world doth rest"
Various legends complete the aspect of the
place. Here on one side is the word ''Man" in
front Of The word "God;n further on the plain.
tive words, "My Country;" again a melancholy
line, Life is exile" and near that this pious
cCunsel:-
'Inbsbiiant ofladina lands
Think OF eternal home"
And little healthful axiom:-
"Post prandium stabis
Seu passis mile meabis
Valep
An armchair of carved oak is placed against
The wall at the upper end OF the table, Victor
Hugo looks upon it as the ancestral seat at his
table. chain closes it, bearing among other
inscriptions the words. 'The absent are there"
The simplest apartments are used by the
family and the galleries spread forth all their
riches to the guest. The gallery in the first
story is divided into two portions. Hangings of
Indian damask, of crimson hue, cover the walls
OF the red pqrlor, and serve as q frame work to
the great Norwegian tapestries, which formerly
at FontainebIeau. The panels, of Jet, six feet
long and five feet broad, in design and work
manship, and through the gold-work mingled
with the Jet, are treasures such as do not exist
elsewhere.
The subjects are fanciful. Golden cocks and
eagles CLEAN upon trees of porphyry red, the
leaves of which are thrown out upon the gilt.
terng sky: Gold, silk, velvet, glass, and span
white Jet. Fouf of these panels decorate the
red parlor, two being on the walls and two upon
the ceiling. We have mentioned this parlor be-
fore, but return to il. Imagine a chimney y-piece
with four statues gilded with Venice gold which
appear TO peruse these words of Lucretlus:-
"Juvenum simu AGRA per ades,
Lampados tgnlferas manlbus retinentia dextris"
They support the canopy, which is the chin
ney-piece, and represent negroes, with fiat pro.
files, shaven heads and athletic forms, with
their busts scarcely covered with slight drapery,
open upon the breast, and fastened to the shoul-
ders, leaving the lower limbs nude. Each is in
different attitude and all form part OF the same
group. They seem to be darting forward and
obeyng an order. Behind them. glass, which
mounts to the ceiling, reflects them with fine
effect.
In the embrasures left on each side by the pro-
lection OF the general construction, two old
japanese monsters grimace and look at them
selves i'll two mirrors with grot.work frames.
The canopy IS of Chinese silk ornamented
with faces and birds.
Six pedestals with golden brocade cartouches
support the statues and monsters.
small LOUIS XIII clock, representing the
Samaritan woman, rests upon the slab of the
mantelpiece.
Two tables, one IL Renaissance ebony, in.
crusted with tin, which formerly belonged to
the Duke of Orleans, the other in marquetrv, of
the Louis XIV style, with massive feet are dis.
Clayed here. The latter is perfect gem. There
is, besides, marvellous screen, which looks as
If it had escaped from Madame de Pompadour's
boudoir; handsome China vasque and
Japanese perfume stand made OF bronze which
was given TO Victor Hugo by Alexandra Dumas,
complete the furnishing of this room.
The blue parlor, which is next In order is no
less sumptuous in another or0er of decoration.
The gallery in the second story opens with a
folding door, and is Formed Of carved and
chiselled cedar, masterpiece found by Victor
Hugo. This gallery is called the "0ak Gallery"
it is sort OF guest chamber, in fact. Six win
dows, looking out upon Fort ST. George distri-
butte the light through perfect forest OF carved
oak.
Occupying double the depth taken for
the parlors on the first story, the 'Oak
Gallery is divided into two parts by
a skiltul arrangement of the furniture,
and handsome. doorway, with spiral
columns in the Renaissance style, painted and
gilt. In the first division is the mantel-piece in
the second is seen magnificent bed, so vast
that it seems to have been built rather than
put up.
The mantel-piece, which is wide, low. and
massive, IS enriched with the most delicate
workmanship. 1t represents the Sacrifice of
Isaac" which is placed in an Oaken frame, en-
bellished with TWO dembalusters entwined.
Four caryatldes, two feet high, hold up this
charming pediment. They represent repeatedly,
Sylvanus with Dryads. All the figures are crown.
ed with flowers and fruits, and their bodies are
partly concealed under scabellum ornamented
with hne arabesques. Behind these exquisite
statuettes is a large glass placed on a level with
construction IN Holland deli; in the middle is
pedestal which supports Celadon drinking
opium, an exquisite face, such as would please
the most iastdlous antiquary. The two lateral
wings are formed of very rich panels upon
which the scabelum OF the caryatides rests. 1t
would be vain to attempt to describe the wilder
ness OF Biblical, Pagan, and Chinese figures, in
which art has blended baboOns' heads with
dryads' faces.
The bed fronts the maDtel-piece, the head of
1t resting against the wall and the feet directed
towards the spectator. The canopy is formed
of an assemOlage OF Renaissance panels; the
head of the bed holds forward two mytho-
logical subjects, accompanied with small
colpmns and spuals, surmounted by bracket
pedestal IN ebony, crowned by deaths head in
The body OF the bed has "a bdssO-reiieUO upon the
front, curious specimen of the carvings of the
Middle Ages. A idHlbreqleal, embroidered in a
thousand COlors with silk, and a spread in tapes
Try serve to garnish TINS gigantic bed, IA which
no one has ever slept and which could OnlyI
have been equalled in ieudal sleeping rooms.
candelabra in oak, with forty candles, is
placed between the two columns which divide
me gallery IL was ehtlfely executed upon
designs by Victor Hugo, who modelled and
carved the crowning figure in wood. 1t is a
colossal girandole, spreading like tiara, and
bearine upon its summit cluster of branches,
to which the candles appear to attach flowers OF
light.
The door OF entrance, seen from tie interior,
is as brilliant as a church window. Two spiral
columns sustain a pediment OF oak, with
Renas sance grotesques, surrounded by ara
Oesques and monsters; it advances with two
Illds. which are resplendent with naintnes