THE MIRROR
OF
LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.
| Vol. 17. No. 486.] | SATURDAY, APRIL 23, 1831 | [PRICE 2d. |
WINDSOR CASTLE.
GEORGE THE FOURTH’S GATEWAY, FROM THE INTERIOR OF THEQUADRANGLE.
We wish the reader to consider this Engraving as the first of aSeries of Illustrations of Windsor Castle, in which it will be ouraim to show how far the renovations lately completed or now inprogress are likely to improve the olden splendour of thisstupendous pile. This, we are persuaded, would be matter ofinterest at any time, but will be especially so during the comingsummer and autumn, when, it is reasonable enough to expect thatWindsor will double its number of curious visiters. During the lateKing’s reign, the Castle more resembled one wide, vastsolitude than the abode of a numerous court. An occasional banquetenlivened its halls, though it only rendered more painful thesolitariness by which it was succeeded. Affliction too broke inupon the life of the Royal tenant, and stripped regal state of allits mimic joys, till pain and long protracted suffering welcomedthe happy sleep of death. An occupant of [pg 274]different tastes and habits has succeeded; domestic enjoyment hasonce more become the characteristic of the British court, and theSovereign has cherished the affections of his people by admittingthem to the enjoyment of certain privileges, which, thoughunimportant in themselves, have a grateful effect in identifyinginterests and considerations which were commonly considered as veryremote. The terrace and slopes of the Castle have been thrown opento the public, the park grounds are no longer kept clear ofvisiters, and access to the Castle itself may be much more freelyenjoyed than during the late reign. The King and the Queen may beseen daily in the real luxury of conjugal and domestic comfort.Plainness of purpose, and affectionate amiability of manners, havedone much towards their popularity; and the love of a good and wisepeople cannot be better secured than by such fosteringconsideration from their rulers; nay, its paternal influence is butpart and parcel of the grand scheme of civilization andsociety.
Proceeding to the details of the Print, we may observe that inour eleventh volume we gave three engravings illustrative of theCastle improvements; one of which represented the gateway namedafter the late Sovereign, and seen from the Long Walk. Thepresent Engraving is the other side of the gateway, as seen fromthe interior of the square or quadrangle. This new gate wasexternally completed in 1826. The natural application of the fineavenue, called the Long Walk, was thus realized. The gatewayconsists of two towers the York and Lancaster. The foundations andwalls of the York Tower were part of the old building—theLancaster is entirely new. These towers which have machiolatedbattlements, are about 100 feet high; the gateway between them is24 feet high. In our former Engraving, the gateway was in thedistance, but the present being a near view, shows the solidity,largeness of proportions, and the boldness of the buil