of all these apartments is rich and tasteful; and scattered here and
there are little indications of home-life which lend a new charm to
the stately abode. Thus, upon a table loaded with costly and beautiful
objects are two exquisite portraits, on porcelain, of the king and his
brother, suggesting at once the usual vicinity of their affectionate
mother; while the abundance of books in the king's private
sitting-room is a pleasant reminder of his studious habits. It is
curious to see how the swan, the device of this ancient property,
which was formerly called "Schwanstein", is represented in every
possible manner and material in the adornment of the castle. Swans
are pictured upon the armorial bearings at the entrance-gate; a bronze
swan spouts water from its uplifted beak in the garden fountain; while
below, upon the two lakes that enclose the park, groups of
living swans are floating about, as if to testify to the abiding
characteristics of the place. Within the building not only is the swan
a prominent figure in the frescoed story, but whichever way one turns
one sees a counterfeit presentment of the graceful bird. There is
Lohengrin in his enchanted boat impelled by his beloved swan, an
exquisite group in silver, and another like it in porcelain; swans are
carved upon the furniture, moulded upon the dishes, painted upon cups
and saucers, embroidered upon cushions and footstools: they serve as
ornaments to antique goblets, as covers to match-boxes, as handles to
vases. The paper-knife upon His Majesty's writing-table is carved
into the same likeness, and swans adorn the top of the pen-handle and
preside over the ink and sand bottles.

Besides the castle of Hohenschwangau, the king has a hunting-lodge
at Linderhof, which is being fitted up with great elegance in the
Renaissance style, and a palace on Lake Starnberg, where he spends
the greater part of his time, its nearness to Munich making it a