The Strand Magazine: Vol. 07, Issue 37, January, 1894.: An Illustrated MonthlyVarious
General
The Strand Magazine: Vol. 07, Issue 37, January, 1894.: An Illustrated Monthly
Various
English literature -- Periodicals; Short stories, English -- Periodicals
What will, no doubt, greatly interest you is the accompanying photograph
of small furniture specially made for her youthful Majesty, and used
exclusively by her. The frames are of the finest over-burnish, the plush
upholstery being decorated with the rarest specimens of art needlework.
On one of the little tables you will note a battledore and shuttlecock,
with another thrown upon the floor, as though the player had been
suddenly interrupted in the midst of her play. Very ordinary make and
shape are these toys, such as you may see in any middle-class English
home, and each of them looking like favourites--judging from the signs
of much use they present.
Play-days are not yet over for the Queen, and doubtless she does not
wish to hasten their departure, for children are children all the world
over, whether born in palace or cottage. This particular one is not to
be envied by those of lower station, who have not the responsibility of
position ever looming in front of them--for she is shut away from many
youthful pleasures, and denied the constant companionship of those
suited to her age.
I heard a story that on one occasion, in playing with her dolls, she was
thus heard to speak to a supposed refractory one: "Now, be good and
quiet, because if you don't I will turn you into a Queen, and then you
will not have anyone to play with at all." That is sufficiently pathetic
to speak volumes of what it is to be born in the purple, as was
Wilhelmina of the Netherlands.
[Illustration: PAINTED FRIEZE ON MANTEL-PIECE IN DINING-ROOM.
_From a Photo. by Gunn & Stuart, Richmond_.]
The Hall of the Mosé is the next place I visit, used as the small dining
room of the Royal Family. Unfortunately, this is just undergoing
partial restoration, so no proper picture or description can be
obtained. I observe a painted ceiling, some marble columns of the Ionic
order, blue and gold furniture and hangings; and then some costly and
rare paintings, three in number.
Facing the windows is a masterpiece of Jakob de Wit, "Moses Choosing the
Seventy Elders." The figures are life-size, the painting--extending the
entire length of the room--said to be the largest in Europe. There are
marble fireplaces at either end, over one "Solomon's Prayer," by G.
Flinck, and over the other "Jethro Counselling Moses to Appoint
Judges from the People," by Bronkhorst. Quite a feature of this room is
the wonderful deceptive painting by this master over each door, and on a
continuous frieze. All of this is such an exact representation of
sculptured relief, that it is almost necessary to touch it ere one can
be convinced of its really level surface. I was told that this is the
only known example of this truly wonderful work.
[Illustration: THE JUDGMENT OF SOLOMON.
_From a Photo. by Gunn & Stuart, Richmond_.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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