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•geous pavilion, near the old Steyne square, dating from 

 1783, the Marine Villa of the Prince of Wales, later 

 on, George IV. 



What gave rise to it, it seems, was a visit this gay 

 Lothario paid to his uncle and aunt, the Duke and 

 Duchess of Cumberland, in 1782. Young Prince George 

 was so charmed during a sojourn there of eleven days, 

 with the " fisher village," that he determined to have a 

 marine villa at Brighton ; nay, it cost over £250,000 

 sterling of English tax-payers money to complete and 

 decorate this Alhambra, this costly eastern dream of 

 an English Prince. The building was first known as the 

 Eotunda, when owned by its Eoyal Founder, the Prince 

 of Wales. It was styled in 1824, the Pavilion ; William 

 IV added the northern and southern gateways. " 



I can recall on a bright July morning, winding my 

 way in the Pavilion grounds to visit this striking, 

 fairy-like abode. Suite after suite of lofty, circular, 

 oval or square rooms, ornamented with tapestry and 

 chandeliers of exquisite workmanship ; the most costly 

 of chandeliers is that hung in the Banquetting Eoom. 

 This lustre has quite a story. 



It had been intended, in 1814, as a gift, by the 

 English Government to the Emperor of China, with the 

 object of opening up commercial relations with the 

 Brother of the Sun and Moon. The English ambassador, 

 Lord Macartney, failing in his negotiations, the chande- 

 delier, which had cost £2,000 sterling, was' brought 

 back to England and placed in the Brighton Pavilion 

 by the Prince Eegent. 



There it remained till William IV and Queen Ade- 

 laide occupied the Pavilion, when His Majesty, we are 

 told, ordered its removal, not however from any want 

 of appreciation of its beauty, but from a superstitious 

 belief in dreams. Queen Adelaide having dreamed that 

 the chandelier had fallen down and crushed some of the 

 attendants upon the Court, Her Eoyal husband had it 

 removed, fearing that some of the supports which held 



