The gardens and park, which are three miles in circumference, appear to
me to be above all competition. As you enter, you are struck with the
majestic beauty of the trees, and the fine gravel walks. As you advance,
the fountains and statues demand your admiration; particularly the
famous _Gladiator_, which was brought from Rome. While in the gardens,
the statues of Flora, Ceres, Pomona, and Diana, placed on the west front
of the building, are seen to much advantage.
The magnificent palace was originally built by Cardinal Wolsey, and
consists of three principal quadrangles. Here Cromwell resided, and it
was the favourite residence of William and Mary. It is chiefly built of
brick, and is very capacious, more so than any other royal palace in the
British empire. Arriving at the great entrance, you almost seem as if
you were about to enter a fairy castle. The floor of the hall is laid
out in beautiful square slabs of marble, and a staircase of the same
material leads you to the upper apartments, which contain pictures and
numerous curiosities.
Among the fine paintings, I shall notice a few, which appear to me as
being perfect master-pieces. But I must first take the liberty of saying
a word or two about the _gentleman_ who conducts you through the rooms
to _explain_ the several pictures. When I had the pleasure of being with
him, his hair was powdered, and he carried a silver-headed cane. He
hurried me through the rooms, filling my ears with such gibberish as
this:--"That ere picture, sir, up there, was painted, five hundred years
ago, for William the Conqueror, by Wandyke."[4] This is no mean blunder
in chronology!
[4] Sir Antony Vandyke, who died about the year 1640.
There is a fine portrait of _William the Third on horseback_, of the
size of life, by Sir Godfrey Kneller; the horse is painted in a side
view, and has a good effect. There are eight fine female portraits of
distinguished personages, by the same hand, in the highest state of
preservation.
_Bandinella, the Sculptor_, by Corregio, is a most beautiful portrait.
The face of the sculptor is full of vivid expression, and the gold chain
about his neck is almost a deception. This painting, and a _Holy
Family_, are all we find of the great Corregio at Hampton Court.
_Charles the First_, on horseback, by Sir A. Vandyke, is certainly much
superior to the portrait of William, mentioned above. As a painter, Sir
Godfrey cannot be ranked with Vandyke, though, I believe, the former
considered himself much higher in the arts than the latter. The picture
before us is an admirable specimen of Vandyke's powers.
_George the Third_, likewise on horseback, reviewing his troops on
Hounslow Heath, by Sir William Beechey, R.A. This picture is
unquestionably one of Sir William's best productions, and does honour to
the fine arts of this country. With the above portraits, there are
others by West, &c., which possess considerable merit.
There are, also, several choice specimens of Titian, Holbein, and
Domenichino; with a few cabinet pictures in the Dutch school, by
Teniers, Ostade, &c. In this palace are Raphael's celebrated cartoons,
which are too _well_ known to need describing in this place. G.W.N.
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