Los Angeles herald., 1891-12-28

| William, duke of Gloucester, son o.
Queen Anne, and Prince George of Den
mark were born at Hampton Court in
1889, and baptised three days after in
the chapel royal of the palace by the
bishop OF London.
George l sometimes held his court
there, aid George ii Is the last sovereign
who resided in that historical palace, q
| memorable event in connection with his
residence there being grand entertain.
ment given by his majesty and Queen
Caroline to Francis, duke of Lorraine,
afterwards emperor of Germany.
In Its present state Hampton Court
palace consists of three principal
quadrangles, the eastern court being
divided into several suites OF apartments
occupied by private families, sometime
attendants on the queen or pensioned
off by reason of services rendered the
country. The middle or clock court
bears over its archway the beautiful
motto of Cardinal Wolsey, God is My
Help, and on the small towers are to be
seen the busts of the Roman emperors
in terra Gotta, which have lately been
restored, but which were originally sent
from Rome by Pope Leo X to Cardinal
Wolsey for the decoration of his palace.
On the south side of this court is u
graceful coionnade erected by the great
architect, Sir Christopher Wren, which
leads by the kings grand staircase to
the state apartments. The ceiling of
this superb approach was painted by
Verrio, and from it the visitor enters
the ''guard chamber" where muskets,
halberts, pistols and swords, sufficient
in number for the equipment of 1000
men, are arranged in different devices
as wall pieces, together with daggers,
drums and other implements OF war.
"The First Presence Chamber" con-
tains the canopy of King Williams
throne some beautiful carving in lime
tree wood by the celebrated Grinling
Gibbons, and paintings by Sir Godfrey
Thueller, Vandyck, and notably three
by the world-famed Leonardo Da Vinci,
one of which, 1.-The Infant Christ and
st. john" is an exquisite specimen of
his artistic genius and brilliant coloring.
The "Second Presence Chamber" the
Audience Chamber" and the "King's
Drawing Room" are all rich in paintings
by such well-known names as Rousseau,
Bassano, Correggio, Velasquez, Tinto-
retto, Pordenone, Paul Veronese. Peru
gio and the immortal Titan, whose
"Venus" is beyond criticism.
"King William Thirds bedroom" con-
tains the state bed OF Queen Charlotte,
the beautifully embroidered needle
work draperes OF which were wrought
by the hands of the orphan daughters
of clergymen, for whom an institution
was founded and patronized by her
majesty. A remarkable clock stands
near the head OF the bed, which goes
twelve months without winding up.
Round the same room are the celebrated
portraits OF Charles the Seconds court,
mostly painted by Sir Peter Lely. The
Queens Drawing Room" is noted for
its lovely ceiling painted by Verrio, the
Queens Audience Chamber" for it's
fine paintings by Holbein, and it's pos
session OF Queen Mary's state canopy;
the "Queens Gallery" for it's beautiful
tapestried walls, from the famous paint
ings by LIE Benn, representing the his
tory of Alexander the Great; the
Queens Bedroom" for containing the
state bed OF Queen Anne, and it's ceiling
painted by Sir James Thornhill.
THE kings writing closet" has a Pc
culiar arrangement of mirrors, from
one of which an unbroken view is OBJ
tanned of the whole suite of apartments
through which the visitor has passed,
and near the center of the closet full
and profile reflection OF the face may be
seen at the same time. The public din
ing room contains fine paintings by
Gainsborough, and the "Prince of
Wales's presence chamber" some of the
masterpieces of Rembrandt, while the
south gallery glories in specimens of
Ruben's genius.
The Montegna gallery is celebrated for
its possession of nine magnificent water
colors, representing the triumphs of
Julius Caesar, painted by Andrea Mon
tegna for the marquis of Mantua and
purchased by Charles for ESQ, 900. The
"Prince of Wales's drawing room" con-
tains two exquisite paintings by the ia
nous French artist, Creme, one of them,
Madame de Pompadour, rivalling in del
icacy of finish that other masterpiece of
his brush, The Water Carrier, exhibited
in the Louvre, Paris.
The great hall, OF Gothic architecture,
designed by Cardinal Wolsey and fin
ished by Henry VIII, is 106 feet long,
40 feet wide and 80 feet high. Its
roof is richly carved, and decorated
with badges. The walls are hung with
perfect specimens OF arras tapestry, the
subject being the History of Abraham.
Around the hall are carved stags' heads
and banners displaying the different
offices held by the great cardinal under
the crown, twelve magnificent stained
glass windows completing the charm of
this gorgeous Gothic structure. Hamp-
ton Court is only twelve miles distant
from London, but walking through the
beautiful grounds, it is difficult to be-
lieve that the great city is 30 near.
From the terrace overlooking the river
to the lake beneath the avenue of
lines, from the velvety grass o'ershad-
owed by the spreading arms of the c.
dars OF Lebanon to the gorgeous flower
beds aud fantastic devices of carpet bor-
derng, all is lovely as dream. In the
so-called private garden, Queen Anne's
avenue recalls the shade of the unfor-
tunate Anne Boleyn, and under its
dense growth of trees imagination sees
the slender, black-robed figure wringing
les white hands in silent anguish as it
PAGES to and fro.
The greatest curiosity, though, is the
large grapevine, said to be the largest in
Europe, if not in the world. The vine
itself is above ITO feet long, and at three
feet from the ground, its stem is nearly
thirty inches in circumference. In
some seasons it yields more than 2500
punches, and it is magnificent sight to
see the pendant grapes as they hang in
rich clusters from the ceiling The
queens table is supplied from Hampton
Court with these fine specimens OF the
ID l. L T., \ J,xr