Historic Homes of New England

by Mary Harrod Northend

Plate XCIV.—Living Room, Middleton House.

In the main building are two rooms, one on either side of the hall. At the right is the large living-room, and back of it the dining-room, both of which are filled with treasures,—wonderful old pieces that have been in the family since its earliest days, each having its individual story.

On the left are the double drawing-rooms and showing an elliptical arch that has a frieze motif with dentation ornamentation and reeded pilasters. The dividing arch is gracefully ended in the cornice. This is a feature in many colonial homes and is generally echoed in other rooms of the house. There are no carved wooden fire-frames in the lower story, but we find some of foreign marble that were set at the time the house was built. This is an unusual feature in houses of that date, where wooden mantels and elaborate hand-carving were the prevailing style.

Many pieces of furniture are historic. Some belonged to President Adams, an intimate friend of the deWolfs, who were frequent visitors at the Adams house in Quincy, Massachusetts. Over the fireplace is a charming portrait, the work of a master, showing a child in an early eighteenth-century gown. It pictures Mrs. Nathaniel Russell Middleton, when only six years of age. About the time of this painting she was visiting her uncle, and was present at the reconciliation of Lafayette and President Adams, which occurred during Lafayette's second visit to America. She was at that time a very beautiful child and attracted the attention of the general, who finding she was of French descent, took her in his arms and kissed her.

Every piece of furniture here is of the old-time type. The Hepplewhite chairs have been handed down from generation to generation, as has a great deal of the furniture that is used in this room, including the chair in which President Adams died.

The long, or east room leads out of the parlor and is filled with rare furniture. The most important piece being the French piano, one of the earlier makes. This was imported by Henry deWolf for his daughter Alicia. It was considered of such fine quality that it attracted the attention of celebrated musicians all over the country. Pianos in those days were rarely seen, for the old-time harpsichord and spinet had scarcely gone out of style. Even to-day it would be considered a wonderful piece of work, with its ornamentations of gold showing scroll patterns and musical designs.

Directly above the piano is hung the most famous picture in the house, a Madonna supposedly by the hand of the Italian master Mazzuoli, better known as Parmigiana. This Madonna was originally known as one of the world's lost art treasures, since its whereabouts were unknown for several years. There exists abundant historical evidence of its value, and prominent artists have pointed out the merits and the peculiarities that stamp this canvas as a Parmigiana, although definite proof is lacking.

The interior of the house is most interesting from an architectural standpoint. The proportions are well balanced, there is a dignity of design and a care in its finish that attracts experts. The value lies not so much in the workmanship as in the choice bits of design shown principally in the exterior, and that are well worth introducing into a twentieth-century home.