THE WINDSOR OF RUSSIA

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 2186, 30 July 1889, Page 3

THE WINDSOR OF RUSSIA

Here is Lady Randolph Ohorcbili's delnipt od of Ostsohlna — the " Windsor of Baiil> " :— " It ii » carious m'xture of splendour and anpretenelunsness The appro* oh from tbe station, tbroagh a series of email parka, mast be lovely In nmaer. I was surprise 4 to see so few •entries about, tied lnde d to all appearances, tieEuperor Is not more gaarded than the Q jeeu at Windsor. Tbe entrance to Gatohin*, on the pnbllcro»d,h«d bat one •entry. Without arohitectar&l merits Its TOO rooms and endksi corridors arranged xrlth prloeießß (Mental ohlna (cleverly sr•aoged on the walls), tapejtries and art trcaaares Ooareurs In black and orange Urerier, their caps adorned with tossirg blaok, white, and orange fea ben, give a

•lightly bar bar lo appearance to the aoene, wblob 1b adfed to by the mass < f bowing •ttat>dant«, and by the two Nablanadreajed to white, with tcthana and bo) ml tar a, aUnd> ing outside the Emp'esa's audience room While waiting to be ceoeWed 000 U »bowo Into to apartment fitted op In the atyle of 40 yean ago, with paintings of mediocre Taloe. Farther on there is a large hall worthy of an old Uoglfsb country hoaae t fall of oomfortable arm ohaira and writing teblei, games and tops — I even spied a ■wing. Io this hall their M'jest'ei often dine, even when they have guests, zid after dinner the Üble ia removed, and they past the remainder of the evening t&ere. This eeema strange when 01 a ihloku of the 700 rooms m the enormous fcntidiog. Bat the Emperor and Empr, i •leet to live with the greatest nfmpliolty i the tinieit of rooms, which are rather 3. ▼arlacoa with the Fmpe-or'a tnwerir frame and majestic bearing. Hii Majeity' manner is as uimple aa are hia tastes, a* if rather shy, imprraseß one with a oonv c tlon of hit hones y and earneatoe There are seme cari< as oastoms at 1 Baislan Onurt which do not h caonUe with the Idoa ef a i ■ i potic and autocratic eovere?gosaee the Osar standing w ile soppe■going on, taking, pc h«>pg to ay officer, who remaina seated all the ti... isatartling. Bnttrar: foi iaeverylhiu; .-... this country, and »< it wjh a habit of Fever the Grea f , who disiikei caremony of any kind, it la mli-douai^ kept, 'i'be etiquette t>t the Russian Court is mnrh lobb rigid m some respects thin it is m Knglacd or m Germany, It is not the custom thera to treat the members of tha Imperial famiiy with bo m-ich deference as Id other Bnropann Courts ; no Jady would think of carteeyingto a young Grand Coke, and would only rise when the Empress did, or when the Emperor firet entered a room.