The greatest interest of the Castle centres itself in what is called the State Apartments. These are a series of large rooms richly decorated, some of them with gildings, paintings and tapestry, others with a collection of warlike armor and weapons of former centuries. It must be borne in mind that these premises have been occupied by the royal family for many centuries. These walls have several times surrendered their royal inmates to the executioner, who came in the name of law to avenge political wrongs.
The large park adjoining the Palace grounds is almost a fairy garden. It contains many artificial lakes and flowing fountains, a great variety of shrubbery, and a rich profusion of flowers. Statuary abounds. Deer, elks, antelopes, and other wild animals, are numerous.
Standing in front of the Palace, one looks down the “royal avenue” stretching out in a straight line for five miles before him. This splendid boulevard is flanked on either side by lordly elms whose swaying boughs are so interwoven as to form a graceful and almost unbroken arch above the drive from one end to the other. On a hot summer day, the thick green foliage of the trees, flings a grateful shade upon the drive.
WINDSOR CASTLE.
This is a gala day at Windsor. The Castle is decorated, and filled with royal guests. Twenty thousand people are assembled in the park. At two o’clock the Queen and her visitors form a procession at the Palace, and pass slowly down the avenue between the two rows of elm-trees. Reaching the far end of the boulevard, they turn to the left and, after driving one mile more, they arrive at the place that is to be the scene of action.
The two thousand persons who preceded the royal procession have formed a circle about a hundred feet in diameter. The size of the circle is determined by a rope stretched around. The open space is spread with a rich carpet. The Queen, attended by her family and royal friends, enters the charmed circle and proceeds to its centre. After a speech, which it takes her fifteen minutes to deliver, she proceeds to lay the cornerstone of an equestrian monument to the late Prince Albert Consort. This impressive ceremony being over, the Queen approaches the crowd, shakes hands with and speaks kindly to those persons standing next to the rope on the outside.
I could shake hands with Her Majesty, and would do so, but my American spirit is too proud to bend the suppliant knee to any earthly monarch. I honor Victoria for her useful life and deep piety, for her wifely devotion and maternal instincts; and I would take off my hat to her as I would have her son take off his hat to my mother. But as for bowing the knee to her, I never can. My knees are too stiff for that kind of exercise.