of this room. The portraits which remain are, two Princesses of Brunswick, painted in 1609. The Duke Albert, of Saxony, by Rubens. Charles the First, his Queen, and two Children. James the First, and Charles the First, on horseback, by Vandyck. In this room are two silver chandeliers, brought from Hanover. The Queen's Audience Chamber. The ceiling represents Britannia in the person of Queen Catherine again, with another selection of attributes, &c. and richly-gilded decorations. The chandeliers and glasses are very magnificent. The portraits are, those of Frederick-Henry, Prince of Orange; Prince Rupert, and William, Prince of Orange; all by Honthorst. Ann, Duchess of York, by Sir P. Lely. James the First's Queen, by Van Somer. Queen of Charles the First, by Vandyck; and a Landscape, by Zucarelli. The Ball Room. -Charles the Second is represented on the ceiling in the act of giving peace to Europe; accompanied with a variety of ingenious allegory. Four large glasses, in massive silver frames, with correspondent silver tables and chandeliers, distinguish this apartment. The portraits consist of the Duke of Hamilton, by Hanneman. The Earl of Pembroke, who was Lord Chamberlain to James the First, by Vansomer. The Countess of Carlisle, Madame de St. Croix, and the Duchess of Richmond; by Vandyck. The latter is a very beautiful picture, in which her Grace is represented in the character of St. Agnes. Her present Majesty, the Prince of Wales, and the Duke of York; by Ramsay. The Princesses Mary, Sophia, and Amelia; by Copley. St. John, after Corregio; and a large Landscape, by Zucarelli. The Queen's Drawing-Room. The subject of its ceiling is the Assembly of the Gods, and the following paintings embellish it.-A large landscape, with the figures of Pharaoh's daughter, and Moses in the bulrushes; and six smaller ones, by Zucarelli; a Magdalen, by Sir P. Lely; Earl of Surry, by Holbein; De Bray, the painter, and his family, in the characters of Anthony and Cleopatra, by him WINDSOR CASTLE. self; Killigrew and Carew, by Vandyck; and, from the pencil of the same great artist, the interesting portrait of Lady Venetia Digby, the wife of Sir Kenelm Digby. The Queen's State Bedchamber. This room has been lately enlarged to twice its former length, as is discoverable by the painted ceiling, the old part of which still remains, and is a representation of the story of Endymion and Diana. The subject of the new part is Jupiter presenting the bow to the same goddess, and is painted by Rigaud. The principal paintings are, a Madona and Child, after Vandyck; Titian and a Senator of Venice, by Titian; an Holy Family, by the same; Queen of James I. by Jansen; two views near Rome, by Bamboccio; Princess Mary, by Sir P. Lely; St. John, after Corregio; John, Duke of Mariborough, by Dahl. The King's Closet. This room has been enlarged, with new decorations by Wyatt. It is hung with scarlet cloth, enriched with a gold border. The paintings are very numerous in this apartment, and some of them of the first class. Among them are St. Sebastian, by Guido; the Angel appearing to the Shepherds, by N. Poussin; two small Holy Families, by Titian; an old woman watering flowers, by G. Douw; the celebrated picture of the Misers, by Quintin Matsys; Nymphs and Satyrs, by Albano; a landscape, by Breughel; a head, by Raphael; the Last Supper, a sketch, by Rubens; a head, by Parnegiano; Peter delivered from prison, by Steenwick; Martin Luther, and Edward VI. by Holbein; a woman reading, by Corregio; milking the goat, by Berghem; two heads, by Denner, &c. &c. The King's Dressing-Room. The subject of the ceiling is Jupiter and Danae. The hangings are the same as those in the last-mentioned room. The principal paintings that furnish this apartment, are two heads, by Holbein; a Madona, by Carlo Dolci; ditto, by Guido; Holy Family, the school of Raphael; Madona and child, by Guercino; St. Catherine, by Guido; Jacob and his family, by F. Lauri; a Christ, a Magdalen, and Herodias' daughter, by Carlo Dolci; a portrait, said to be that of the Countess of Desmond, by Rembrandt; two landscapes, by Wouvermans; a head, by L. da Vinci; Silence, by Annibal Caracci; James, Duke of York, by Russel; Charles the First's Queen, Vandyck, &c. &c. The King's old State Bedchamber. The ceiling displays Charles II. in the robes of the Garter, seated on a throne, with the four quarters of the globe paying him obeisance. The hangings are of crimson, with gilded mouldings. The bed has been some time removed. The paintings are, Charles II. when a boy, by Vandyck; the Duke of Savoy, by Moore; Charles the First's children, by Vandyck : the Emperor Charles V. by Titian; the Duke of York, his Majesty's brother, by Dance; and George II. by Shackleton. The King's Drawing-Room. This ceiling represents an other flattering allegorical picture of Charles II. descriptive of his restoration. This room has been lately fitted up with great elegance. The pictures are, an Holy Family, and a battle piece, by Rubens; Venus adorned by the Graces, and Perseus and Andromeda, by Guido; the converted Chinese, the finest picture of the master, by Sir Godfrey Kneller; the vision of Augustus, by Pietro di Cortona; Christ before Pilate, by Schiavoni; the Wise Men's Offering, by Luca Giordano. The King's State Bedchamber. -The Banquet of the Gods is the subject of the ceiling; and in several parts of the coving, we will not say with the best taste, is represented a great variety of fish and fowl. The carving of this room has been removed to Hampton Court: it was by Gibbon, who was never exceeded in this branch of art. Hangings of scarlet cloth supply its place. The paintings which embellish it are, a fine piece of still life, by Kalf; Mary Queen of Scots, by Janette; Samson betrayed by the Philistines, by Vandyck; Anne, Duchess of York, and Mary, Duchess of York, by Sir P. Lely; a preceptor and his pupil, by Bassan; the apotheosis of the Princes Octavius and Alfred, by West; and a philosopher, by Spagnolet. The King's Audience Chamber. - The subject of the ceiling is an allegorical representation of the re-establishment of WINDSOR CASTLE. the Church, by the restoration of Charles II. This apartment is fitted up and furnished with the greatest elegance : the throne and its appendages are constructed with much taste. The canopy and ornamental parts were wrought under the direction of Mrs. Pawsey, from beautiful paintings by Miss Moser: and the drawings, which ornament the richly-gilded columns, were executed by Rebecca. The paintings consist of seven large pictures, by West, which represent some of the brightest achievements of English bravery. The King's Presence Chamber.-Another portrait of King Charles II. with allegorical figures, and one of the best which adorn the ceilings. In this apartment were the other four Cartoons of Raphael, which are removed to Hampton Court. The pictures which now decorate it are, a Prometheus, by young Palma, Duns Scotus, by Spagnolet; Charles II. and James II. by Sir P. Lely; Queen Mary, King William, Queen Anne, and George I. by Sir Godfrey Kneller; George II. and Queen Caroline, by Zeeman; their present Majesties, by Ramsay. King's Guard Chamber. The ceiling is painted in water colours, and represents subjects suited to the character of the apartment, which is decorated with various kinds of arms, arranged in fanciful devices. The armour of Edward the Black Prince is placed over the door which opens into St. George's Hall. In this room the Knights of the Garter dine, in the absence of the Sovereign, on the occasion of an installation of that order. The paintings are Charles II. King of Sweden, on horseback, by Wyck; and eight views of battles and sieges, by Rugendas. Against the north end of this apartment a building has been lately erected, which is to be called Blenheim Tower, in which will be deposited the banner of France, annually delivered here on the second of August, by the Duke of Marlborough, by which he holds Blenheim, in Oxfordshire. This banner, the memorial of John, Duke of Marlborough's victories over the French, was formerly placed in a closet, which is now no longer shewn. St. George's Hall. This magnificent apartment is dedi cated to the honour of the most noble order of the Garter. In a large oval, in the centre of the ceiling, Charles the Second is represented in the habit of the order, attended by the personifications of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and other attributes. Near the throne is a representation of St. George's cross, encircled with the garter, within a star supported by winged boys, with the motto, Honi soit qui mal y pense. In the lower compartments of the ceiling is the collar of the garter, supported by boys, and encompassed with a variety of characters, emblematic of this most illustrious order of knighthood. On the north wall of this noble room is painted the triumph of Edward the Black Prince, son of Edward III. founder of the order. That sovereign is represented as sitting on a throne, receiving John, King of France, and David, King of Scotland. The Prince, crowned with laurels, is seated in a triumphal car in the midst of the procession, preceded by captives, and attended by the emblems of Liberty and Victory, with the banners of France and Scotland. The painter has closed the procession with the Countess of Salisbury, in the character of a female making garlands in honour of the ceremony. At the east end of the Hall is the Sovereign's throne, the ascent to which is by five steps of fine marble; to which were `added three more in painting, and they were so skilfully managed as to deceive the eye, and give them the appearance of absolute reality. Above them was painted a large ca nopy and its drapery; on the latter of which was represented St. George encountering the dragon: beneath it was represented William III. in the habit of the order of the garter, painted by Sir G. Kneller. On a part of the drapery was this inscription: Veniendo restituit rem. The canopy on the cove of the ceiling and upper part of the wall still remain; |