New-York tribune., 1902-05-24
ured on" he exultingly said. The incident was
closed.
HR. ASTOR'S CLIVEDEN.
CHANGES WHICH THE AMERICAN OWN
Err HAS MADE.

ER HAS MADE.
From Lord Ronald Covers "Old Diaries" 1881
1901. (Charles Scribner's Sons)
Clveden is in rare beauty, owing somewhat to
the wonderful varieties of green that this
strangely backward season has made the trees
assume a somewhat large party are here-the
Duke Of cambridge with General Williams, his
A D. c. whom l remember some thirty years
ago, when he was in command OF the arth-
lery Woolwich and many others
The hall and staircase are quite transformed,
the walls and ceilings lined with splendidly
carved panelling and a superb r0" OF nan .n
length portraits of five ladies lights up the
walls. by Romney and Sir Joshua. Mrs. Bun
| burys beautiful face, by Reynolds. is excellent:
next to her hangs fine Romney of Mrs. Chap
lin. Next is Lady Hamilton. in a queer shaped
bonnet by ROmney-not so beautiful as most OF
his REPRESENTATIONS of Nelson's Enchantress.'
Next to her is the famous seated portrait, in
Turkish costume, by Sir Joshua, of Mary Hor-
neck-afterward Mrs. Gwynn-'the Jessamy
Bride" whatever that may mean, and the NTH
nedy
Driving up yesterday evening to the house on
turning the angle of the lime tree avenue that
faces the house l felt little pang at seeing that
my fathers statue has been moved away from
its place, facing as II formerly did the house;
but on my asking Mr. Astor where he had put
this statue he told me 1t was in place of van
tage overlooking one of the finest views OF the
river. standing above terraced seat. which ne
had been told my father loved to go to; and
there l found ii this Sunday afternoon, ana
very well it looks. Both my parents portraits
are in places of honor in the house; that OF my
father, painted by Partridge, hangs at the root
of the principal staircase, and the copy Of my
mothers portrait by Winterhalter higher up on
the stairs. The drawing room Is reSplen-
dent with tapestry and the library lined with a
beautiful brown COlored wood called 'Jugula
Outside beneath the terrace. Is the famous
balustrade from the front of the Villa Borshese
in Rome (Which | deplored the loss OF when l
found in Rome that the beautiful old balustrade.
dear TO for many winters past, had been re-
moved. and a bad imitation put in its place.
This balustrade with its fountains and gold COL
ored stone is most decorative. l am sure my
mother would have liked it here. much as she
would have regretted the beautiful stones haV-
ing been removed from their original site. Be
meath the great terrace eight fine old Nene
tian Well-heads. in white and red Nerona) mar
BILE here used as flower pots. on the terrace
side of the house eight sarCophagi, also
turned into flower stands. These also came
from the Villa BOrghese, as we'll as a bronze
group in the style of John of Bologna, which Is
placed at the base of the old chalk pit. under
the Green Drive. What is enough to make
(artiStic) angels weep and mortals swear is that
q female head. painted in encaustic. from Rome,
which used in my mothers time to hang over
door at the end OF the corridor the dining
ROOM was. while the alterations were being
made recently. taken down. broken in pieces
and the fragments thrown away. This woman's
head. which had been thing of beauty for over
a 'housand years, needesSly and wantonly
destroy ed. ruined; nay, pulveriZed. Alas! and
alas, Mr.. Astor knew nothing of this vandal-
ism, and quite perturbed about II. He let
me have interview with the head carpenter
a Russian, this morning, and l then knew the
worst
| was up at o'clock this Sunday morning
The view from my window Il have a room in the
east wing called the Canning Room. after
the Premier. who mere often In Sir George
Warrenden's time) looks toward the Thames.
The morning eXquisirely lovely, and the
early sun threw long shadows that
matchIess scene-the woods and meadows all
golden and covered with flowers and verdure