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it, would give way and that a fatal accident might 

 occur. 



For several years the chandelier lay stored away in a 

 workshop in St. James place, Brighton, but on Queen 

 Victoria using the Pavilion as a marine residence, it 

 was restored to its original position, being again removed 

 when the Pavilion was dismantled, on Her Majesty 

 giving up Brighton for Osborne. The chandelier was 

 removed with the other fittings to Buckingham Palace, 

 where it remained till 1864, when it was again 

 restored as now seen. To this brief sketch of the 

 great chandelier and its vicissitudes may be added the 

 fact, that the vessel which brough it back from China 

 was wrecked on her homeward voyage. 



Space precludes my dwelling on all the eastern 

 splendor of the Eoyal Pavilion, its spacious vestibule, 

 Chinese corridor, exquisite music room, sumptuous 

 banquetting Hall, gaudy drawing room, etc. 



As to the banquetting room and its arched, embla- 

 zoned dome, no word painting can produce a faithful 

 portraiture. What particularly struck me, was a cornice 

 of a most elegant form, ornamented at the top with the 

 leaf of the Chinese lily, and at the bottom with pendant 

 trefoils and bells ; the centres of the arches were pierced 

 with oblong, stained windows bordered with gold and 

 pearl and the lozenge-shaped panes were embellished 

 with Chinese devices and mythological animals. The 

 domed ceiling represents an Eastern sky against which 

 a gigantic palm tree rears its broad and luxuriant head, 

 and, mingled with its spreading foliage, its produce 

 hangs in clusters in every stage of development, from 

 the opening blossom to the ripening fruit. Beneath the 

 resplendent, waving leaves floats an immense fiery 

 dragon, carrying in its claws the stupendous chandelier 

 already spoken of, and from the four angles of the cor- 

 nice issue, in full flight, as if alarmed by the dragon, 

 four splendidly carved and brilliantly painted figures... 

 each supporting a lustre corresponding in elegance and 



