Blenheim Palace 
We pass into the next chamber, called the red 
drawing-room, or grand cabinet, the walls and furni¬ 
ture being adorned with red damask. Beautiful 
views of the park and of the Italian gardens are 
obtained from the windows of this room. The 
tapestries at Blenheim palace are remarkable. 
Many of them were copied from paintings of Le 
Brun, and represent battle scenes. In the suite of 
rooms through which we pass we notice some ex¬ 
cellent paintings, Romney’s portrait of Caroline, 
marble, and the four door-cases are also of marble, 
consisting of pilasters, supporting an arch with shell 
keystones, within which is a smaller doorway, sur¬ 
mounted by the arms of the first Duke. The walls 
and ceiling are elaborately decorated, the painting 
being the work of La Guerre. The scheme of 
decoration includes a fine facade covering a raised 
gallery supported by fluted marble columns. I be 
upper storey is ornamented with stone statuary. 
Trophies of arms with groups of soldiers appear 
A FOUNTAIN IN THE ITALIAN GARDEN-BLENHEIM 
Duchess of Marlborough, and Kneller’s portrait of 
the first Duke. Copies of the old banners taken at 
the battle of Blenheim are preserved here. The 
centre of the chimney piece in the great drawing¬ 
room is a fine alto relievo in white marble, repre¬ 
senting the marriage of Cupid and Psyche, copied 
from an antique of which Tryphon was the 
sculptor. 
The saloon, always a prominent feature in a 
Palladian house, is a noble room, rising to the whole 
height of the building, in the same manner as^ and 
communicating with, the great hall. Its base is 
above, and below are groups of various nations, 
Scotch, Dutch, Swedish, Spanish, African and Chi¬ 
nese. On one side is the portrait of the artist, 
and near him that of Dean Jones, the chaplain of the 
Duchess Sarah. 1 he ceiling is an allegorical paint¬ 
ing of the career of the first Duke. We see him 
represented as a Roman conqueror driving his 
chariot over prostrate warriors. Mars and Minerva 
are fighting for him, and Time can scarcely keep 
pace with him. He is compared with Hercules 
fighting the dragon. But Peace stays his victorious 
career, while Truth, Plenty and Victory attend his 
59 
