In our former Engraving, the gateway was
in the distance, but the present being a near view, shows the
solidity, largeness of proportions, and the boldness of the building,
to greater advantage. The appearance of the whole is extremely
beautiful, although its newness and cleanness remind us of Mr.
Bowles's eccentric observation, that "it looks as if it was washed
every morning with _soap and water_."
Here it may be as well to state that Windsor Castle is divided into
the upper and lower wards. The lower contains the ecclesiastical
portions of the edifice, including St. George's Chapel. The upper ward
is formed by the celebrated Round Tower on the west; the state
apartments, including St. George's Hall, on the north; and a range of
domestic apartments on the east and south, which communicate with the
state apartments. The whole building is thus a hollow square, of which
the three outer sides on the north, east, and south, are surrounded
with a magnificent terrace. The Inner Court, or Quadrangle, is a
connected building of three sides, the fourth being formed by the
Round Tower, or Keep.
The improvements of the interior of the Quadrangle having been already
detailed by us,[1] we pass on to observe, that the low French windows
of St. George's Hall, which faces the side in our Engraving, have been
replaced by long pointed arch windows, of elegant proportions. Nothing
can exceed the splendour of the look-out from these windows through
the arched entrance to the "lengthened vista," or Long Walk, as shown
in the Engraving.
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