babyhood William of Orange landed at Torbay, and the great and bloodless Revolution followed. In their adolescence the Stuart dynasty faded away for good and all, as Queen Anne's successor was proclaimed King of Great Britain at St. James's Palace. Through critical times the country of their birth passed in triumph, emerging from every struggle stronger and more prosperous. All these changes the trees have seen, themselves untouched by time, and fresh to-day as when years ago they attained their maturity.

One of the chief features in the Castle is the noble corridor, twenty-two feet wide, running round two sides of the quadrangle which its numerous windows overlook, and forming a fine promenade of some five hundred and twenty feet in length. At dusk the stately candelabra of gilt brass, like tall sentinels on each side, illuminate the gilded ceiling and the treasures of art beneath. Here are cabinets lined with quilted white satin, containing absolutely priceless specimens of Sèvres and Old

Chelsea china. In a crystal case is Gordon's pocket-Bible, well-worn with assiduous perusal, annotated and marked by his own hand. Sir Walter Scott's three-quarterlength portrait by Sir T. Lawrence is surrounded by Canallettis with their well-known church-towers, canals overflowing with gondolas, and crowds of people on the quays. On the same wall hangs Winterhalter's picture "The First of May, 1851." The Queen holds in her arms the one-year-old Prince Arthur. H.R.H. Prince Albert, in the uniform of a Field Marshal, stands by, and his infant son almost springs from his royal mother's grasp as he endeavours to handle the golden box or bonbonnière which the Duke of Wellington respectfully presents to him as a birthday gift, and for which he appears to be offering in exchange a sprig of lily-of-the-valley.

This richly chased golden box has excited much comment and speculation. Wild rumour had it that therein were the title-deeds of some great estate to be inherited when the young Prince came of age. But prosaic fact has dispelled the halo of

VOL. IV.-No. 20.

35

romance and mystery with which Winterhalter's desire to represent something more artistic had surrounded it: the real gift was a plain cup weighing 735 ounces of solid 22-carat gold. It was manufactured for the Duke by Messrs. R. and S. Garrard & Co., the famous Crown jewellers of the Haymarket, by whom others of a similar pattern were afterwards sold as the "Wellington Cup." In the strongroom at Bagshot Mansion, amongst rare presentation-plate and centrepieces of highly wrought silversmith's work, this memento of his childhood is preserved and treasured by H.R.H. the Duke of Connaught.

On each side of the fireplace in the "Artists' Room"-one of the smaller private apartments at the Castle-hang portraits of the Court painters, Winterhalter and Angeli, so well known by their multitudinous works.

Franz Xavier Winterhalter was born at Menzenschwand, in St. Blasier, April 20th, 1806 the year of Jena, Prussia's humiliation, and the French entry into Berlin. At the age of seventeen he went to Munich, where he was instructed in portrait painting by Slieber; but, as his means were limited, he had to maintain himself by working at a lithographic establishment of which Piloty was the head. A successful picture of the Grand Duke Leopold proved to be the turning-point in his career, as he was thereupon appointed Court painter, and with increased resources was enabled to travel in Italy and France and assiduously study his profession. He settled in Paris about the year 1834, and his fame as a portrait painter speedily became known. Most of the European Royalties were limned by him-Louis Philippe and his consort Queen Maria Amélie, the Empress Eugénie and the