New-York tribune., 1901-07-22
LONDON NOTES.
,psI.FY HOUSE. WITH ITS TRADITIONS
AID TREASUREs-A MORALITY PLAY
IN THE CHARTER HOUSE.
London. July 13.


-.r,vai OF entertainment in one of the most con-
..'cuous Of the historic mansions of Mayfair
= h.s been followed by the announcement that
=. art treasures and museum Of relics belong
- 70 the wellington household. which have
-, iesousy guarded and screened from pub
- ,,ezr viii be accessible TO sightseers once a
.r This splendid mansion was virtually
,.sa and barred during the lifetime Of the late
sts but his heir has decided TO reside there
s,-sng the London season. and to restore its
-,sal enainence. It was built in 1885 for Earl
bathurst Lord High Chancellor, and was called
.,s,ev House from the earls family name. Ac-
.a,si5g TO tradition, il was necessary for Lord
re.hurst TO buy a portion of the land from the
-or-5etor CT an apple stand. an old soldier,
-.,ora George II had rewarded for his bravery
!, battle It was purchased in 1920 by the gov
.r,u,ent and presented to the Duke of yelling
.on The house in Piccadilly enlarged,
o-tico with four columns. added and the
h-,ck facing replaced with stone. The great
duke was content 70 sleep in a closet entered
t-orn an apartment on the ground floor, now
tuown as the garden room; and as he disliked
being waited upon. he dispensed with a valet.
and had as few servants possible. The house
rss furnished rnagniicently and adorned with
works OF art including several Spanish master
pieees When some Of the front windows were
smashed by a mob during the agitation over the
e-st Reform bill. he filled with righteous
,n5;enation. and refused to have them repaired.
Iron shutters were attached TO the casing out
side and the broken panes were concealed from
the interior by sliding doors with mirrors. These
iron blinds. to which the duke once contemptu-
onslv pointed when enthusiastic crowd.
cheering wildly and making amends for the pre-
v,ous affront foroweC him TO the gateway Of
Apsley House. have remained for half century
q grim reminder of public ingratitude-
The late duke would not allow any changes TO
he made in the rooms where the hero Of Water
loo passed his closing years; but as the house
was closed and visitors were only admitted upon
personal introduction TO himself, this reverence
for greatness was a morbid and selfish feeling
The present duke has set all the rooms in order
and is low facilitating public inspection. The
example Of Queen Victoria in opening old Ken
sington Palace has been followed but Apsley
House viii remain q private residence and be-
come centre Of social life ard entertainment
There Is much in the mansion 10 interest sight
seers In the famous study is the high desk or
secretaire with plain stool in the corner where
the Iron Duke used to write near the window
An arm chair and large globe are interesting
relics and the library contains the books which
were once his. Canova's statue of Napoleon
stands in the central hall and in the museum
there is a glittering display Of jewelled swords,
decorations and orders and gold and silver plate.
Among these relics are the light buff coat worn
In battle the sword and bait Of Waterloo, the
stsh carried at the coronation of George ", the
insignia Of the Order Of the Garter the collar
and ernbIeu2s OF the Golden Fleece, the Flaxman
shield presented by London merchants. epergnes
in gold and silver from Portugal and India, the
George given by Queen Anne TO the Duke OF
Marlborough and the cameo badge handed on
the scafTold By Charles 70 Archbishop Juxon-
The walls Of the Waterloo banquet hall and
the drawing rooms are adorned with works Of
art Five Of the most precious Spanish pictures
are now at the Guidhall al the loan exhibition.
These are works by VelRsGuez-the portrait OF
Don Francisco de Quevedo. the Water Carrier
Of Seville Two Young Men at a Meal the
second study for the portrait Of Pope Innocent
< in the DORA Panfili Palace, Rome. and bust
portrait of q man. Two other works OF Velas-
Qrez remain in the mansion Peasants at a
Bridge" and The Master Of a Feast" There is
the small Correggio. Christ in Cethsemane''
which once belonged 10 Napoleon This is the
picture which the Iron Duke considered one Of
his chief treasures, and he habitually carried in
his pocket key by which the protecting glass
could be removed SO as 10 permit closer inspec-
ton Among other works are Vardyck's portrait
Of Charles ! Watteau's Court Festival" wou-
verman's Starting for the Chase" and "Eques-
triah Scene" Murillo's st Catherine" Paul
Potters Deer in a Wood" Cuyp's Cavalier
with Gray Horse" ClaGde's Palaces at Sun
Get" and paintings By Teniers. Macs. Jan Steen,
Van der Heyde. Spsgnoletto ard Pa-migiano.
Apart from the Telazquez series and the Cor
reggie il is an ART collection of inferior value;
but the interior Of Apsley House is impressive
and the museum is deeply interesting.
The best private collection Of paintings in Lon
con is that Of The Duke of Westminster. at
Grosvenor House These works have been con-
siantly exhibited at the Academy. Gudhau and
corporation galleries OF provincial towns. and
although there is no regular day for the admis-
sion of strangers. ii is possible for any one who
Is properly introduced TO see them in the pri-
Vate rooms on the ground floor. At Bridgawater
House there is also large collection Of italian
and Dutch pictures, and strangers with cards Of
Introduction are admitted two days in the week.
Stafford House. with its art treasures, Is fire.
auently thrown open to the public, and Dor
chester House, with Captain Hoford's fine col
lection, may be visited at least one day in the
week Among other private collections are those
OF the Marquis Of Lansdowne. the Duke OF
DeTonshire and the Earl Of Northbrook Access
70 these is more difficult and can only be
cured by personal favor. All English patrons of
art are, however, most generous and accommo-
eating In allowing their works to be sent to loan
exhibitions throughout the United Kingdom. In
LONDON there Is slight pressure from American
tourists for entrance st private galleries With
me National Gallery, the Wallace collection, the
iait Gallery, the National Portrait Gallery, the
Suiichali loan exhibition the Academy. the New
gallery. the water color and pastel shows and
ne dealers galleries in Pail Mall, Kng-st.
bond-st- and the Haymarkef the eyes OF visitors
are weary and strained without the added priv
Asges Of excursions among the great houses on
either side OF P5eoa6fII,,