IMPRESSIONS OF CHATSWORTH. 



299 



There is nothing sham — no false stone — 

 false marble — bronzed iron, or base metal 

 covered with gold leaf! Every thing is just 

 what it appears — the unquestionable stuff — 

 and this gives a certain dignity and value 

 to objects, that compel one's respect. In 

 our own country, you know, there are so 

 many imitations — from wooden-marble por- 

 ticoes to gilt breast-pins, that it gives me 

 now, when I think of it, a sort of uneasy 

 feeling, as if the owner of such trumpery 

 imitations could not himself be genuine. I 

 felt when I Avas at Chatsworth, that the 

 Duke of Devonshire was a real tangible 

 duke. 



My head is somewhat bewildered by the 

 variety of notable things I have seen here. 

 But there are two matters for which Chats- 

 worth has such a towering fame, that I am 

 at no loss what to begin with — I mean its 

 water-ioorks, and its great consei'vatory. 



I have just told you that the house and 

 grounds about it are in a valley. If there 

 are disadvantages in this, there are also 

 wonderful beauties which grow out of it. 

 No one can doubt this, after seeing that 

 magnificent jet, the Emperor fountain^ as I 

 have done to-day. It is, among fountains, 

 what Niagara is among waterfalls — it quite 

 puts them out. 



The hills behind the house furnish the 

 supply of water not only for this superb jet, 

 but for the innumerable other water-works, 

 of some of which I shall say a word pre- 

 sently. 



The Emperor fountain is acknowledged 

 to be the highest in the world. It took its 

 name from its being completed about the time 

 when the Emperor of Russia visited Eng- 

 land a couple of years ago. The artificial 

 reservoir, or lake, which supplies it, covers 

 eight acres. It is about 380 feet above the 

 level of the fountain, and you may get some 

 notion of the extent of the water-works, 



when I mention that the pipe-laying that 

 has been going on here for all the various 

 fountains, within the last five years, mea- 

 sures over two miles. 



The Emperor fountain plays a sublime 

 single jet, to the height of 267 feet I It 

 quite takes one's breath away with its liv- 

 ing beauty. It is projected upward with a 

 force which seems almost supernatural, and 

 like the fall on the American side at Nia- 

 gara, comes down not like water, but a great 

 shower of diamonds and floating precious 

 stones. When there is a gentle breeze, it 

 waves to and fro like a gigantic white 

 plume. To see it to advantage then, one 

 should take a stand at some distance in the 

 park, so that its snowy form, richly varie- 

 gated if the sun shines, is relieved by the 

 dark back-ground of foliage. When the 

 wind is high, it throws the spray to so great 

 a distance, that they are obliged to shut off 

 the head of water. 



I must give you some more distinct idea 

 of the superiority of the Emperor, by com- 

 parison with the other principal jets in the 

 world. 



Height of jet. 

 The Emperor, at Chatsworth, 267 feet. 



Wilhehn's hoche fountain, Hesse Cas- 



sel, 190 " 



St. Cloud, 160 " 



Russian fountain, Peterhoff, 120 " 



Old fountain at Chatsworth 94 " 



Versailles, 90 " 



Park fountain, New-York, (say) • ... 50 " 



Next to the Emperor fountain in point of 

 interest, is what is called the " Grand Cas- 

 cade." This is a most striking and gigan- 

 tic exhibition of this charming element 

 pressed into the service of ornament mere- 

 ly. Many of my shrewd countrymen would 

 I know, shrug their shoulders at such "a 

 waste of water power." 



The " Grand Cascade " has long been a 

 feature here. It consisted originally of a 



