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one side of the quadrangle. Opening from this gallery is a beautiful suite of rooms, the first one we enter being the Carnarvon Room.
It has a fine painted ceiling, and is hung and carpeted in electric blue and drab. The walls have slightly recessed pilasters of gold, with carved serpents climbing palms. The suite of furniture is mahogany and leather, ordinary dining-tables in the centre, two very beautiful side-tables of buhl and tortoiseshell, and here and there pedestals of inlaid wood with ormolu mounts, supporting busts of Roman conquerors.
On the marble mantel stands a Diana clock—a figure of Diana under a dome, Cupid on top indicating time with an arrow. On rither side of the clock is some Sèvres china. The marble chimney-piece has jambs of draped Egyptian figures, with carvings of flowers over the top, and an inside frieze of ormolu. There are some choice paintings in the room, the masters being Van Somer, Huysmans, P. de Champaigne, and Taylor.
Opening from here is an apartment known as the "'44" Room.
It derived its name from the visit of the Emperor Nicholas in the year 1844, having been specially decorated and fitted in honour of His Majesty. It has a painted ceiling of white ground, with gold and royal blue decoration, coats of arms embellishing the four corners, with the date wrought on the side centres; twenty marble Corinthian columns stand in solid support. The curtains are rich crimson silk, the carpet crimson velvet pile, all the furniture being upholstered in the same colour, and having frames of burnished gold.
There is a very massive marble mantel containing some fine Sèvres china and a handsome timepiece. In various directions you note pedestals holding some hand-painted china vases, with ormolu mounts, side-tables containing china of almost fabulous worth, while here and there for convenience of its Royal occupants are writing-tables of buhl, with legs and bases of ormolu. Handsome ormolu chandeliers light the apartment, and on the walls are some life-sized portraits of notabilities, amongst whom I noticed the Emperor Nicholas, by Coxton, after Krüger; Leopold King of the Belgians, by Winterhalter; Louise Queen of the Belgians; the Duke of Würtemberg, the first Duke of Saxe-Coburg; Frederick King of Saxony; and Louis-Philippe.
Now we come to the "Bow Library," or "Council Room." This is occasionally used for banquets: the last time, however, being Jubilee year, when the guests were over-numerous even for a place of such dimensions as Buckingham Palace. Being the centre room in this suite, and right opposite the grand entrance, it is convenient for a cloakroom on Drawing Room days, for which purpose it is always used. It bears the date 1853 on the ceiling, having been re-decorated in that year. It has five recessed windows, and is lighted at night by massive ormolu chandeliers. The ceiling is beautifully painted, has an elaborate frieze, and is supported by twelve Ionic granite columns.
There are two fireplaces with scagliola columns on either side; a suite of leather-covered furniture and a Brussels carpet of lovely design, jessamine, lily, and orange blossoms, connected with a flowing ribbon. Now I will ask your attention to two cupboards, with concave glass fronts: each one containing china of such immense value, and of such exceeding rarity and elegance, as could not possibly be equalled. I much doubt if any correct estimate could be given. But here you will see Sèvres, Dresden, and Chelsea, priceless and matchless, much of it indeed being actually jewelled; and some being rare specimens of "Bleu du roi," "Vert Pomme," "Bleu de Vincennes," and "Rose du Barry." Just note this one tureen, with concave perforated cover. A similar one—but having flaws from which thisis guiltless—fetched £10,000 in a public auction room a few years back! Bear in mind this is only one of scores of pieces, and then you will better understand me when I repeat that this collection is absolutely priceless. We must not linger here, however; there is so much to see. Here is a beautiful Roman mosaic table that calls for prolonged attention. The centre is illustrative of the desertion of the founders of that Empire, and their adoption by a she-wolf.
Around are inlaid views of Roman palaces and public buildings, with connecting links of flowers; the base of the table is of black marble. An inscription sets forth that "This table was presented to Queen Victoria, in 1859, by Pope Pius the IX., in commemoration of the visit of the Prince of Wales."
On a pedestal between two of the windows stands a large clock of curious construction—it us very beautifully enriched with silver chasing, and denotes the time, day, date, and month, having also an astronomic dial.
There are also some immense Oriental