The Leavenworth weekly times., 1879-06-05

much that, or would have been perfect II IL
had been little less OF something else
there was Just the least disposition to re-
sent criticism and to echo the opinion OF
Mr.. Borie, who, a. he tod looking at the
exquisite towers and solemn marble walls,
said at was worth coming to India 10 see
the Tai" / value that criticism because il
is that of practical business man, con-
cerned with affairs, and not disposed TO see
poetic side to any subject, What he saw
| in the Tai was the idea that Its founder
meant to coDvey-the ide Of solemn, over
powering ard unapproachable beauty.
INSIDE THE PALACE.
As you enter yOu see a vast dome, every
inch OF which is enriched with inscriptions
in Arabic, verses from the Koran, engraved
marble, mosaics, decorations in agate ard
jasper. In the centre are two small tombs
OF white marble, modestly carved. These
cover the resting place Of the Emperor and
his wife, whose bodies are in the vault un-
derneath. In other days the Turkish
priests read the Koran from the gallery,
and you can imagine how solemn must
have been the effect of the words Chapted
in priestly cadence by the echo that an
swers and again answers the chanting OF
| some tune By one OF the party. The more
closely yCu examine the Tai the
more you are perpleXed to decide whether
its beauty IS to he found in the general
effect OF the design az seen from afar, or the
minute ard fuished decorations which
cover every wall. The general idea OF the
building is never lost. There il nothing
trivial about the Tai, no grotesque gothic
moulding or towering Corinthian columns
all is cold and white and chaste al d
plre. You may form an idea of the size OF
the Joj from the figures OF the measure
ment of the royal engineers. From the
base 10 the top o. the center dome Is l3gl
feet; IN the snmmit of the pinnacle, 245l
feet i. stands GU the banks of the river
Jumna, and it is said that Shah Jrhan in-
tended 10 build q counterpart in black
marble IN which his own ashes should rest
Bu; misiortunes came to Shah Jehan-un-
grateful children, strife, deposition and
when ne died his son felt that the Tai was
large enough for both father and mother.
One il almost glad that the black marble
idea never germinated. The Taj, by itself
alone, Is unapproschable. \ duplicate
would have detrscted irom its peerless
beauty.
TIRE TAJ By MOONLIGHT.
We remained by the garden until the
sun went down, and We had TO hurry 10 our
carriages not to be caught in the swiftly
descending night. The gardener came TO
Mrs. Grant with an offering Of roses.
Some OF US. on cur return from JsypOre,
took adv antaSe of the new moon TO make
another visit. We had been told that the
moonlight gave a new glory even to the
Tai. 1t wss the night before We lett Agra,
and We could not resist the temptation,
even at the risk OF keeping some friends
waiting who had asked Us to dinner, Of 3
moonlight view. 1t was new moon,
which made our view imperfect But such
a view as was gwen added TO the beauty
of the Tai. The cold lines OF marble were
softened by the shimmsring silver light.
The minarets seemed to have new height
and the dome had solemni;y az became
the canopy OF the mother and queen. We
strolled back. now and then turning for
| another last view of the wonderful tomb.
The birds were singing, the air was heavy
with the odOrs OF the rose garden, and the
stiffness, the twilight stiffness, ali added to
| the beauty Of the mausoleum and combined
to make the memory OF our visit the most
striking among the many wondrous thiDgs
we have seen in Hindostan.
THE TAI AND THE ALEXANDRA.
A description OF the palace to give you
any idea Of its vastness and splendor would
be impossible in the space of any publica-
ton not devoted to architecture. The pal
ace ia built of red sandstone, stone that
seems to have been the foundation of all
the buildings of the Akbar domination.
The same stone prevails at Futtipoor- -Sikra.
| But all the ornamentation, the chambers,
corridors and pavilions are of white mar.
bic. The influence of European taste is
seen in the mosaic, which repeats The Flor
entire school and is even carried out in the
bsz, ,ars, where Agra mosaic that looks like
a crude imitation OF Florence is specially.
| This influence came from Europeou aGven-
turers who found refuge at the court oi
the Mogul, among them a frenchman
named Augustin de Bordeaux. Saracenic
art, tinted by the Orientalism of India and
controlled by a taste which had been
formed in the schools of Europe, makes a
peculiar blending. The general effect il
lost in the crowding together OF so many
objects Of beauty. There ia no view like
those you see in Spain, in the Moorish
monuments of Grenada, Toledo
and Seville. The fort is on a plain
and might be market or 8
barracks from all you can see on the out
side, which is blank wall. But there are
bits throughout the palace which neither
time nor the influences Of nature nor the
heel of conquerors has destroyed. The
Pearl Mosque, as it is called. is very beau
tiful. Built on foundation of the com.
mon red sandstone, Its domes may be seer
in distant views Of the fort. There is nc
ornament to detrsct from the religious sen
timent which should pervade a temple
The God you worship there is the God o.
beauty. The bathroom, with i;s d-cora
tons OF looking glass, is curious, but YOU
zee the same effect in the palace of th'
Mahsraiah OF Jeypore. The Hall OF Au-
dience Is noble room, but "a minor thing
are lost in the greater, 30 in your remem
braucss OF the fort, nothing takes the placs
Of the Pearl Mosque
"THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BUILDING n TIL
WORLD"
| But the Tai, We were TO zee the mos
besutiful building in the world. Public
opinion all through India unites in thi
judgment Of the Tai. l had my railway
window impressions, and it is rather /,
habit when friend tells me he knows o.
has sen the most beautiful building in III,
world, To ask mvself whether he has seer
all tbe beauty the world contains, and i
competent to pass such an opinion. So
said to my elf, what our friends mean is tha
the Tsj Ia the most striking build NJ in In
dis, and they use the phrase about tn
world in French sense, a Freedman say
ing that all the world has been at churcl
when he means good many Of his friend
were there. 1t was late in the Afternoon
when we went TO the Tai. The ride ia
short one, over good road, and xe had 10
an escort Judge Keene, OF Agos, who ha
made the art, the history ard the legend
CT the Mohsmedan denomination in Indi
study, and TO whose excellent history o
the Tai am indebted for all my usefu
facts. II happened TO be Sunday, and q
we drove along the road there seemed to b
!. Sunday cir about the crowds that drifte'
backward and forward from the gardens