The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1886-08-14
Cur delio.
A Palace of Wonders.

describes some of the wonders with which
King Louis has filed Herrenchiemsee, be-
ginning with the fountains outside the pal
ace The centre of the lower terrace is oc-
cupied by the Latona fountain, consisting
of five basins of red, green and yellow
marble, rising one out of the other. The
lowest is surrounded by GA gilt metal tor
toises and crocodiles, each the size of a
man, from whose open jaws thick jets of
water rise, and fall into the basin above,
Here monstrous golden frogs alternating
with strange beings, half men half ami
mails, rise in strange confusion, and higher
up in the centre of the fountain kneels
Latona, in all the grace of youth, one arm
outstretched in supplication, the other
wound around the baby form of Apollo.
The 72 jets of water are so arranged as to
pass over the white marble group Of Lato-
ma and Apollo, who are seen in huge
crystal globe, which the suns rays gid
and color. The water jets alternately rise
and fall, forming thousand broken rehec-
tions and myriads of fitting diamonds
around the strange forms to which the
movement of the water gives animation
and warmth. At either side of the Latona
fountain two huge basins throw up thick
Jets of water, which can be seen from all
the country around.
Up the last II steps of granite, across
the last terrace to the arched portico, and
the golden gates are opened ajar to admit
the visitor, first into a marble entrance
hall with many pillars supporting the hall
above. In the centre, on a pedestal of
red marble and tall vase of rare violet
stone, stands peacock in enamel, copied
so exactly from nature that the sheen on
its splendid plumage seems real until our
hands have touched the cold metal of
which it is so cunningly formed. Through
this hall we pass to the back of the house,
where a handsome courtyard, paved with
white and black marble, is enclosed on
three sides of the central block of build
ings. The entrance hall is still unfinished,
granite and brick and rafters are still visi-
Bile in all their crude ugliness, when sud-
denly gate of gold is thrown open, and
shower of light and color meets the eye.
1t is the staircase-white polished marble
under our feet, Opaque glass over our
heads, and between the two extremes.
All the wealth Of Golconda-if Golcon-
da owned artists The stairs of white
marble, half concealed under ruby velvet,
rise to narrow platform, where they d.
vide into double flight of steps, guarded
by halustrade of brown and white Pied
montese marble, topped by a parapet a
yard broad. On the outside the house
seemed to have two stories, inside these
have disappeared, and every apartment ri
ses from first floor to roof, the staircase
taking up the whole height of 80 yards.
Eight large pictures, painted in bright and
joyous colors, and parted from each other
by porphyry columns with golden capitals,
cover part of the walls; these are sur
mounted by frieze of white marble, the
figures standing out boldly, some reaching
with their graceful limbs to the pictures
above and below. Above the marble, al.
ternating with gold in all parts, is row
of charming pictures, representing children
playing in the clouds and the blue heaven:
above.
The subjects of the large pictures are al
suggestive of the great work which began
with the staircase. A merchant from India
lays out his precious goods, the gold and
ruby textures, strings of pearls, plumage Of
birds from them youth-a Kings
selecting what will adorn his home On
another canvas a sculptor, goldsmith, a
painter are hard at work. Beautiful
maideas, strong men, bring from field and
garden fruits and plants to increase the
wealth and beauty of the whole. One
picture shows group of splendid women
doing homage to young Apollo in regal
mantle, who seem to point to another
frame, where Cythera thrones as queen Of
beauty. On the first landing deep niche
interrupts the red marble wall. 1t is filled
by graceful marble figure of Diana, with
two slight girls at her side, under whose
feet rill of water flows into shell below,
The background is pale green marble, and
is polished so cunningly that it forms long
perpendicular reflections, which deceive the
eye and lead the beholder to believe that
Diana and her maidens are concealed be-
hind veil The delusion is so complete
that many hand will be outstretched to
draw that veil aside. On the two higher
landings white marble statues, much over
lifesize, are placed in inches of polished
black marble, One is Minerva, the other
King Louis XVI, in the garb of Greek
God.
A folding door opens upon series of
apartments, loftier than it is possible to
picture to oneself, each comprising two dis
tinct rows of windows above each other,
the intervening space filed by pictures
from many masterhand, the draperies in
velvet covered with gold embroidery an
inch high the floors of rosewood inlaid
with designs in darker color, chimneys
of marble, the mantelpieces bearing clocks
and vases of Sevres, signed by all the no
blest names in French art. Not single
room resembles another; each Is COM
plete masterpiece and in itself so beautiful
that the mind refuses to believe anything
more lovely can still follow. The paint
ings on the walls never take the form Of
pictures in the ordinary sense. They form
part of the wall itself, aud are set with the
fantastical gilt ornaments of French re-
naissance, which also frame the mirror:
and tapestries. The tables are either pol
ished stone, lapis lazuli, malachite, OIL
painted porcelain and inlaid wood, the
armchairs, stools aud sofas carved wood
gilt, and gold embroidered velvet, the can
! delabra gilt bronze, Venitian glass or Meis
sen porcelain.
The next marvel and the greatest is the
royal bedchamber, a lofty room of moderat,
dimensions, with three windows above and
below, the upper being draped with Grim
son silk that throws magic light upor
the masses of gold distributed all over thii
regal apartment. 1t is divided into two
parts by means of a golden balustrade, the
back part being rounded. Here the King
bed stands on raised dais, up to which
lead five broad steps, covered with ruby
velvet ON which are embroidered large gol
den suns. The bed is of gilt bronze,
work of art as we meet it once in life
time. 1t is covered with a counterpane o
gold cloth, embroidered in colcrs, the cen