I will say nothing of two little caskets, studded with cameos and
turquoises, in this chapel of fairy land--(built by Maximilian I.) of which
one contains two precious pictures by Jean d'Aix la Chapelle--and the other
(of massive gold, weighing twenty-four pounds) a painting of the
resurrection and of paradise, in enamel. Even the very organ is constructed
of gold, silver, ebony, turquois and lapis lazuli ornaments; of pearls and
of coral. As to the huge altar of massive silver--adorned with cariatides,
candelabra, statues, vases, and bouquets of the same metal--and especially
the _pix_, lined with diamonds, rubies, and pearls--what shall I say of
these--ALL the fruit of the munificent spirit of MAXIMILIAN? Truly, I
would pass over the whole with an indifferent eye, to gaze upon a simple
altar of pure gold--the sole ornament of the prison of the unfortunate Mary
Queen of Scots; which Pope Leo XI. gave to William V. Elector of
Bavaria--and which bears the following inscription:

EXILII COMES ET CARCERIS IMAGO
HAEC MARIAE STUARDAE, SCOT. REG.
FUIT, FUISSET ET CAEDIS, SI VIXISSET.

Not less marvellous things are told of the _Jewellery_ in this palace of
wonders:--among which the BLUE DIAMOND ... attached to the order of the
Golden Fleece--which is set open, and which, opposed to the sun, emits rays
of the most dazzling lustre,--is said to be the nonpareil of coloured
precious stones. It weighs 36 carats and 144 grains. Of the _Pearls_, that
called the PALATINAT, half white and half black, is considered the greatest
curiosity; but in a cabinet is preserved the choicest of all choice
specimens of precious art and precious metals. It is a statue of _St.
George and the Dragon_, of the height of about a foot and a half, in pure
and solid gold: the horse is agate: the shield is of enamelled gold: the
dragon is jasper: the whole being thickly studded with diamonds, rubies,