ugustus, and now
the residence of the Emperor when he visits Warsaw. The ceilings
of this _chateau_ were painted by Bacciarelli, and its walls are
hung with portraits of numerous beautiful women.

Contiguous to the Lazienki Park are the extensive gardens of the
Belvedere Palace, in which the Poles attempted in 1830 to get rid
of their viceroy, the Grand Duke Constantine. We drive hence in
less than an hour to one of the most interesting places near Warsaw.
This is the Castle of Villanov, built by John Sobieski, who died
in it. To this retreat he brought back the trophies of his mighty
deeds in arms, and here sought repose after driving the Turks from
the walls of Vienna. The _chateau_, now the property of Countess
Potocka, is full of historical portraits, objects of art, and other
curiosities, of which the most interesting is the magnificent suit
of armour presented by the Pope to Sobieski in memory of his great
victory. The apartments of his beautiful consort are of great elegance.
In the gallery of pictures we notice an admirable Rubens--the _Death
of Seneca_; although we are more strongly attracted by an original
portrait of Bacon, which is but little known in England.

[Illustration: HOTEL DE VILLE, WARSAW.]

For want of space, again we must plead guilty of omitting to describe
many palatial residences, and several noticeable monuments, among
which is one to Copernicus, the Polish founder of modern astronomy.
On the same ground we pass over handsome public buildings, theatres,
gardens and cemeteries, in one of which, the Evangelical Cemetery, is
buried John Cockerell, to whom Belgium owes so much of her industrial
prosperity.

_KIEF, THE CITY OF PILGRAMAGE_

_J. BEAVINGTON ATKINSON_

Kief, the Jerusalem of Russia, is by nature marked for distinction;
she rises like an Etruscan city from the plain; she is flanked by
fortifications; she is pleasantly clothed by trees, and height
beyond height is crowned by castle or by church. Fifty thousand
pilgrims annually, many of whom are footsore from long and weary
journeying, throw themselves on their knees as they see the sacred
city from afar: her holy places shine in the sun as a light set
upon a hill which cannot be hid. Three holy shrines which I can
recall to mind--Kief, Assisi, and Jerusalem--are alike fortunate in
command of situation; the approach to each is most impressive. In
Kief particularly the natural landscape is heightened in pictorial
effect by