502 LETTERS FROM ENGLAND. 



chite, presented by the Emperor of Eussia ; Landseer's original 

 picture of Bolton Abbey, and that touching story of Belisarius — 

 old, blind, and asking alms— told upon canvass by Murillo, so pow- 

 erfully as to send a thrill thrbugh the dullest observer. 



In the ground floor, opening on a level with the Italian garjiens, 

 is the charming suite of apartments, occupied chiefly by the Duke 

 when his guests are not numerous. Nothing can well be imagined 

 more tasteful than these rooms, — a complete suite, beginning with 

 a breakfast-room, and ending with -the most select and beautiful of' 

 small libraries, and including cabinets ef minerals, gems, pictures, 

 etc. The whole had all that snugness and cosiness which is so ex- 

 actly opposite iio what one expects to find in a palace, and which 

 gave me the index to a Inind capable of seizing and enjoying the 

 delights of both extremes of refined life. The completeness of 

 Chatsworth House, as yon will gathei' from what I have said, is 

 that it contains under one roof suites of apartments for ' living in 

 three different styles — that of the palace, the great cpuntry house, 

 and the cottage ome6. With such a prodigality of space, you can 

 easily see that the Duke can afibrd, for the greatef part of the year, 

 to tbrow the palace proper, i.'e., the state rooms, open to the enjoy- 

 ment of the public. 



The next momittg after my arrival at' Chats worth, was one of 

 unusual brilliancy. The air was' soft, but the sunshine was that of 

 our side of the Atlantic, rather than the mild and tempered gray of 

 England. After breakfa.st, and before making our exploration of 

 the gardens and pleasure-grounds, the Duke had the kindness to 

 direct the whole wealth of fountains and grcmdis eaux to be put in 

 full play for the day,^— a Spectacle not usually seen ; as indeed the 

 Emperor fountain is so powerful and so high that it is dangerous to 

 play it, except when the atmosphere is calm. ' 



We enter the Italian gardens. And what are the Italian gar- 

 dens? you are ready to inquire. I will tell you. They are' the 

 series of broad terraces, on two or three levels, which 'surround the 

 palace, and which, containing half a dozen acres or more of highly 

 dressed garden scenery, separate the pleasure-grounds and thfe house 

 from the more sylvan and rural park. As the house is on a higher 

 level than mqsi of the valley^ you lean over the massive Italian 



