Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-01-23
Our Boston Letter.
IRREGULAR CORRESPONDENCE OF THE sPY.l
BosToN, Jan. 10. 1871.


THE DEACON HOUSE.
For many years the "Deacon House" between
Concord and Worcester streets, has attracted
the attention of strangers, and many times has
the story been told, that it was built about 1s4s
that it was furnished in French style, with
magnificence until then unknown in Boston in
teriors; that for little while its great rooms
were warmed lights shone from its windows, its
elaborate gates were opened; it was cheerful
with the voices of children, and with the coming
and going of guests. Then the shadow of long
and painful illness, and the chill of death fell
on the heads of the house: the children went
away, and for ten years the house has been desc.
late; its Conservatives empty, its windows
shaded, its porter's lodge unused, its iron gates
unopened. The city has grown up round it; a
great tide of life and business surges against its
brick walls, and is divided by them only to meet
again and flow on as before. UnbOunded inter
est was excited by the announcement that house
and furniture would be sold at auction early
this year; aud such numbers of people wished
TO see the house, that strict orders were issued
against the admission of strangers, until the
days appointed for the exhibition; and on those
days only ticket-hoders are to be admitted.
The house is square, with two stories, a basement
and a mansarG roof; the rooms are large, con-
nected by folding doors, and finished with heavy
cornices and ornamental wood work. great deal
of the furniture and many valuable works of art
were boughtin Paris, Just after therevoution that
dethroned Louis Philippe. 1t is impossible to
judge of either the value or beauty of most of
the npfurae hn IN
so dark; among those that can be seen, or
could the day we were there, are beautiful
Delilah, attributed to Rubcns, an arch angel
ascending into heaven, copied by Chaltain from
Guido, copy of Gerhard Douw's soap-bubbles,
several fine old miniatures, two church interiors
by Morgenstern, who was famous for the per.
spcctve of his church interiors, q number of
landscapes and marine views, some of them the
work of Mr. Deacon himself, while in the
shadow of the Montmorenci salon Iurked two
groupes of cupids at play, and representations
OF the four seasons that made one long for
more light.
In the hall hangs q n immense piece of Gobelin
tapestry representing victory, which is bright
and curious; there is also a cathedral chair
with canopy beautifully carved in solid oak
and fantastic chair made of antlers and deer
skins. In the library the carving is superb, one
old gothic cabinet is a mine of interest, every
portion of it is covered with grotesque and
effective work; there is no monotony, no repeti-
ton of the same figures and fancies; it might
have been the work of life time SO rich is it in
carving. Here too is tall clock in an ebony
case with gilt ornaments, made by Bussot
From the library we enter the salon or ball
room, where the walls are bright with the four
great pictures by Fragonard (who painted
great deal for the royal family OF the history of
love.
They are set in the wall, and fill the large
spaces on each side of the doors. Such pictures
are strange in private house in Puritan Bos.
ton; they are, to say the least, voluptuous.
Venus (said to be portrait of one of the French
prineesses) is painted in various attitudes.
| attended by cupids, grouped with marvellous
grace, while the whole pictures are aglow with
rosy tint, The drapery in this room is yellow
satin damask, bordered with rich high-colored
tapestry. The effect of the room, as il was
planned, would have been brilliant and airy, but
it is injured by the heavy, dark carpet which
covers the tesselated marble floor. From the
salon leads the Marie Antoinette boudoir, an
exact copy of that once occupied by the unfor-
tunate queen. The walls are covered with
thirteen pink satin panels; In the centre of each
is white parchment medallion; on eleven of
the medallions are painted punches of flowers,
on the other two portraits of Madame Elizabeth
and the Princess Lambajle. The ceiling is or
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