Blenheim Palace 
THE ITALIAN GARDEN AND VINERY-BLENHEIM 
appearance is lightened by an exuberant variety of 
design, and a skilful combination of towers, colon¬ 
nades, porticoes, and pyramided attics. The build¬ 
ings are grouped round three sides of a square. On 
the fourth side there is a grand view of the park, and 
across the bridge rises amidst the trees, the Duke’s 
Column. At the entrance of the palace there is a 
grand Corinthian portico, over which stands a statue 
of Minerva. On the tympanum appear the arms 
of the Duke with military emblems. Two small 
cannons which came from the battlefield of Blen¬ 
heim, guard the entrance. 
The south front is in five grand divisions; the 
centre, containing the saloon, is entered by a 
Corinthian portico, crowned by a pedestal, bearing 
the inscription Europce hcec vindex genio decora 
aha Britanno. A colossal bust of Louis XIV., 
taken from the gates of Tournay, surrounded by 
military emblems, surmounts the pedestal. The 
palace is entered from the principal or north 
front, and we find ourselves in the great hall, a 
noble chamber with a lofty ceiling supported by 
fluted Corinthian columns, between which smaller 
columns of the same order support an arched cor¬ 
ridor leading to the saloon opposite to the entrance. 
The key of the main door is a copy of that formerly 
used to lock the gates of Warsaw. 
The ceiling of the hall was painted by Sir John 
Thornhill, and is a fine allegorical representation of 
Britannia crowning the great Duke after the battle 
of Blenheim. His bust by Ryshrach appears over 
a doorway with an inscription in Latin by Lord 
Bolingbroke. Some fine bronze statues, copies of 
the famous Florentine marble statues, and several 
other statues and busts adorn the hall. A few 
pictures are seen in the gallery above, portraits of 
Queen Anne, Prince George of Denmark (Kneller) 
and the Countess of Essex (Marc Geerards). 
At the entrance of the ante-room to the drawing¬ 
room are the busts of the present Duke and Duchess 
by Story. The Duchess is an American by birth, 
a daughter of Mr. William K. Vanderbilt of New 
York. The ante-room contains a good collection of 
old Dresden china. 
The green drawing-room is perhaps one of the 
most interesting chambers in the palace on account 
of the superb paintings which line its walls. There 
is the great masterpiece of Sir Joshua Reynolds, a 
picture of George Spencer, third Duke of Marl¬ 
borough and his family, which has been valued at 
^40,000. Kneller’s picture of the first Duchess and 
Lady Fitzharding playing at cards, a portrait of the 
third Duke by Sir Joshua Reynolds, one of Sarah, 
Duchess of Marlborough by Kneller. There are 
also other remarkable family portraits by Cosway, 
Romney and Reynolds. 
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