of the palace is
magnificent in the highest degree. "It presents a large projecting mass
of building, with two immense wings, and consists of a ground floor,
first floor of the Ionic style, and attic. The wings exceed five hundred
feet in length. The central front is three hundred and twenty feet
long, and each of its retiring sides two hundred and sixty feet. The
number of windows and doors _of this front_ are three hundred and
seventy-five." To describe the paintings and statuary would require a
volume. Let me say that here on the walls is all the history of France
that conduces to her glory. Every battle by land or sea, that she ever
won, is here; but not an allusion to her defeats. I looked hard for
Agincourt and Cressy; to say nothing of later conflicts, but they were
not to be seen. Some of these pictures have great merit, while others
are coarsely designed and executed. The historical series begins with
the Baptism of Clovis, in 495, and comes down to the present period,
with the illustration of about eleven hundred subjects. Then there are
about one hundred views of royal palaces, and series as follows:
Portraits of the kings of France, of French admirals, of constables of
France, and of marshals of France, to the number of some two hundred and
fifty; of French warriors, of personages who became celebrated in
different ways, which amount to nearly eighteen hundred; and here we
found several Americans. We noticed the likeness of Mr. Webster, by
Healy; but the canvas is too small, and the picture has faded. It is not
equal to the noble painting by Harding, which we saw just before we left
home. These last portraits afforded us a great treat; and here we saw
fine likenesses of the great ones of the earth. All the old pictures
have dates of death, and many of birth. The sculpture gallery is very
rich. There are more than six hundred figures, some of them exceedingly
expressive and beautiful. I should think that more than two hundred and
fifty of the historical paintings relate to events and persons connected
with the power of Napoleon.

A very conspicuous feature is the series illustrating the conquest of
Algiers. These are four in number, and are immense as to size--I should
think thirty or forty feet in length. They are by Horace Vernet, and are
very effective. The apartments of the palace are perfectly regal. They
quite come up to one's preconceived ideas of the days of Louis le Grand.
I looked with interest at t