English Palaces And Parks

Few of us have any definite idea of the arnount of wualth and splendor that surround many of the English nobles n their princely residences. An inteligent American writing from Engand, describes some of these thiogs. Earl Spencer's hotnestead, situated about sixty miles from London, comDrises ten thousand acres, tastefully di vided into parks, meadows, pastures, -A'oods and gardens. Híb library, called the finest private library in the world, contains fifty thousand volumes. Exiensive and elegant atables, green-houses and conservatories, game keeper's louses, dog kennels, porter's lodge and farm houses without number, go to complete the establishment. Hundreds of sheep and cattle graze in the parks about the house. The Duke of Richmond's home farm at Goodwood, sixty miles from London, consista of twenty-three thousnnd acres, or over thirty-five square miles And this is in crowded England, which bas a population oí 16,000,000, an area of only 50,000 square miles, or just 32,000,000 of acres, giving, were the and divided, lint two acres to ench inhabitant. The residenee ot the Duke is a eomplete palace. One extensivo hall is covered with yellow silk and piotures in the richeet and most costly tapestry. The dishes and plate upon the tables are all of porcelnin.silver and oold. Twenty-five raoe horses stand n the stable, eaoh being assigned to the care of a speeinl groom. A grotto near the house, the ladies spent six yeara in adorning. An aviary is snpplied with almost everv variety of rare and elegant birds. Large herds of cattle, sheep and deer are spread ovar the immense lawns. The Duke of Devonshire's place, at Chatsworth, is said to excel in magnificonce any other in tbekirigdiim. The incomo oí theduko is one millionof dollars a year, and he is said to spend it all. In the grounds about his house are four liundred head of cattle and fonrteen hundred deer. The kitchen garden contains twelve acre?, and is filled with almost every species of fruit and vegetables. A vast aboretum connected with the establishment, is designed to contain a sample of every tree that grows. There is also a glass conservatory 387 feet in length, 112 in breadth, 67 in height, covered by 76,000 square feet of glass, and waimed by seven miles of pipe convoy ing hot water. One plant was obtained frorn India by a special messenger, and is valued at $10,000. One of the fountains near the house plays 276 feot high, said to be the highest jet in the world. Chatsworth contains 3500 acres, bnt the Duke owns 36,000 acres in the oounty of Dnrbyshire. Within,.the entire is one past scène of paintings, sculpture, rnosaio work, carved wainscotting, and all the elegance and luxurics within the reach of almost boundIe88 wealth and highly refined taste. 1 1 1 - in i