The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-12-25
Msntnors. the Homo q BaIsa Rsth.ohiIa.

Mentmore, the Home Of Baron Rothschild.
One Of The most enjoyable days have
spent in England was during visit 70
Mentmore, Buckinghamshire, the scat Of
the late Baron Rothsehild, and still the
home Of bis widow. had known all my
life Of the almost fabulous wealth Of the
Rothschilds, but had no such vivid con
ceptiOn Of the reality as | brought away
with me.
The estate comprises $4,000 or 10000
acres of the finest land Of this famous shire.
The approach from Cheddington station,
from which it is distant about two miles,
lies through a magnificent lawn leading to
wooded ACTIVITY, upon the summit Of
which the manor stands From the tower
the view is one Of the finest in the Midland
counties, embracing on one side the an
cieut manor and village Of Wing, on
another the manor of Tring, and on
third the historic site Of Iyanhoe, How
the course Of the worlds history has been
changed by the blow which an ancestor Of
John Hampden struck the Black Prince,
the victor Of Crecy ard Poictiers, for which
"Tring, Wing, and Iyanhoe" were forfeit
ed In the distance is the vale Of Ayles-
bury, and far away on the ridge Of the
Chiltern Hills the monument Of the Duke
of Bridgewater bounds the range of vision
Tring Park, owned by another Of the
Rothschild family, is said to be second in
the beauty Of its garden only to Mentmore
but this / had no time to see. Tie sub
tropical gardens, vegetable gardens, the
Fountain garden, and the Italian garden,
occupied US for hours. The first is second
| suppose only to the Royal Botanic GAR
dens in Kew; the second embraces, with
the fruit gardens, about twenty acres, the
whole proceeds of which are consumed in
the mansion.
In one Of the numerous graperies, 50
arranged as TO furnish fruit every month
in the year, saw single cluster of grapes
which would weigh six pounds, the berries
on which we're about the size Of good, large
plums, and the most luscious ever tasted.
Oranges, figs, pineapples, bananas, and
I
other tropical fruits, consumed in the man
sion, are grown in the conservatories of
Mentmore. When the Baroness is absent
yachting in the Channel, or at her London
house, orders by telegram are sent to
Mentmore daily for the supplies required.
The vases in the Fountain and Italian
Gardens cost each Gl 900. The statuary
is all Of the most costly kind, executed by
the first masters, many Of them copies Of
originals which saw in the Louvre, or in
the British Museum. The great hall,
which, from the entrance, seemed to me
about 20 by 80 feet, is filed with vases
and statuary. It's contents must represent
value Of not less than fs00,0O0 We
were not less than three hours passing
through the rooms The finish is exquis-
ite, and the furnishing Of each sumptuous.
Some idea may be formed of the whole
from the furniture Of q single bedroom,
one Of the MANY great chambers costing
f25, 900 or 100000.
In the dining room and baronial hall
are furnishings exceeding f200, 900 each
Costly cabinets of the time Of Louis XIV.
Of ebony inlaid with ivory or gold; jevelled
blocks, made Of solid gold; diamonds, ru-
bies, and all sorts of precious stones; walls
hung with the costliest tapestry Of the
time of Louis XIV, or covered with the
richest needle-embroidercd satin, may give
some idea of the wealth lavished on this
more than princely mansion. The costliest
paintings adorn the walls, and the most
skillful and expensive workmanship is dis
played upon the ceilings, The idea Of the
Baron seems to have been to build and
furnish mansion such as no other person
in England, except perhaps the Duke Of
Westminster, could hope to rival.
The stud is said to contain more high
bred horses than any in the world. 1t
embraces thirty-fve hunters and as many
racers, none Of which heard we're less in
value than 260O, while many of them run
up into the thousands. Fayonious, Maccaro-
nj, and Old Tom, the last patriarch Of high
bred racers we saw, all winners Of famous
races. For Favonious E12,OOO we're re-
fused, and for Maccaroni 81, 100 we're but
recently paid.
| l was fortunate in getting an introduc-
tion to Mentmore through an acquaintance
| made in England. The grounds are on
rare occasions open 10 visitors, but ordi-
uarily there is no access to the mansion,
l saw, I believe, every room in the house
except the strong room, where the treas
ures are kept during the absence Of the
family Louis Times.
HNf3