A Visit to Berlin and Potsdam [pp. 199-201]

A VISIT TO BEERL
A VISIT TO BERLIN AND POTSDAM.
HOUGH rain and darkness, like a sable
wing, had settled down upon the Prussian
capital, as we entered its broad, well-lighted
streets, our first impression of it was not unfavorable; but, till Aurora's beams dispelled
the gloom without, we were willing to avail ourselves of rest and shelter in the pleasant apartments of the "Grand Hotel de Rome," on the
beautiful street of "Unter den Linden "-under
the lindens. This street in width surpasses our
American Broadways, and is planted with four
rows of linden-trees, separating-besides the
broad pavements on either side-the thoroughfares for the use respectively of equestrians,
pedestrians, and vehicles; it is further beautified
by large and splendid buildings, the principal
of which are three royal palaces, a royal operahouse and theater, two museums, a large university, an ancient-looking church, and numerous hotels. Some fine public squares, adorned
with shrubbery and marble statues, and a handsome bridge across the River Spree, are in the
vicinity of the royal residences.
Impatient to see the Versailles of Germany,
we made an excursion to Potsdam, eighteen
miles distant; we found it to possess much of
the beauty of Versailles without its stately
architectural outline of foliage. Our guide first
directed us along a pleasant highway that led
to the palace of Babelsberg; here we alighted
and wandered through grounds that resembled
an Eden in their exquisite charm of natural
and artificial scenery. In every direction fine
vistas attracted our attention, extending far
away through valleys and pathways, beneath
great forest trees, and across an expanse of
water, an arm of the Spree, that lies in front
of the palace. We entered this stately home
of royalty, and passed from parterre-the Ger man term for first story-to the lofty room in
the tower. Its fine paintings and statuary, costly
ornaments and rich furniture, bewilder the eye
too much to admit of description. Through
every window one hears the play of fountains,
and sees handsomely ornamented flower gar dens. One large apartment is devoted to the
king's trophies of the chase, and would resemble
a menagerie of wild animals were the heads not
minus a body.
San Souci, the favorite residence of Frederick
the Great, next attracted us. A short drive
through a lovely region of country brought us
to the great Gallery, where we inspected the
splendid paintings and statuary collected by
this monarch. These paintings are the products
of the most eminent of the old masters, and
INV AND POTSDAM. I 99
are admirable in their design and execution.
One small head of Christ, by Raphael, alone
cost one hundred thousand dollars. Among
the beautiful statuary there is an original Apollo
Belvidere, and a weather-beaten statue from
Herculaneum, over three thousand years old.
This Gallery is said to be the finest room in
Germany. Its frescoed ceiling, supported by
marble columns, its Egyptian marble walls, and
mosaic floor of various-colored marble, certainly
produce an impression of grandeur upon the
mind.
Fronting the Gallery is a great terrace orna mented with statuary, and faced by a wall of
shell work, arranged in tasteful designs. Ex tending beyond this is a region of enchantment,
one interesting feature of which is the historical
wind-mill,,for the possession of which Frederick
the Great sued unsuccessfully. Passing through
shady alcoves, and a terraced garden on the
hill-side, we arrived at the Orangery, a kind of
crystal palace. stored with a forest of orange trees, shrubs, and flowers. Adjoining this is a
palace, erected for the accommodation of royal
visitors. We entered through the Raphael Room-so called because the crimson damask
walls are hung with fine copies of all paintings
of this great artist-into a room furnished with
malachite, ornamented with gold; even the man tle as well as furniture is of this expensive
material. We were then ushered through suc cessive suits of such magnificent apartments
that the eye wearied of their dazzling splendor.
Conspicuous articles of furniture in this palace
are vases of porphyry, jasper, malachite, tor toise-shell, and gold; and center-tables of differ ent colored marbles, pearl, amber, shell, and
three of lapis lazuli, a substance worth its
weight in gold. On descending through the
charming walks of the terraced garden, we saw
some antique fountain-basins that had been
excavated from the ruins of Herculaneum. We
then journeyed farther on through fairy-land till
we came to the "New Palace," so called because
it is more modern than the one at San Souci.
It was erected by Frederick the Great nearly a
century ago, to convince his enemies that his
finances were not exhausted by the seven years'
war.
Pausing a moment to gaze in admiration at
the vast and splendid facade, surmounted by a
forest of statuary, we entered by a spacious
vestibule into the celebrated shell-room. Fa miliar as we had become with the regal splendor
of palaces we were startled, on glancing about
us, to see the walls and ceiling studded with
shells, minerals, and precious stones, as thickly
as is the Milky Way with stars. It seemed as