Full resolution (JPEG) - On this page / på denna sida - XXV
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
Below is the raw OCR text
from the above scanned image.
Do you see an error? Proofread the page now!
Här nedan syns maskintolkade texten från faksimilbilden ovan.
Ser du något fel? Korrekturläs sidan nu!
This page has never been proofread. / Denna sida har aldrig korrekturlästs.
390
FREDERIKSBORG.
Chap. XXV.
woman, and a bad woman too: she it was who
compassed the ruin of poor Eleanor Ulfeld, her unlucky
sister-in-law; she could never pardon her grace, her
attractive manners, and her supreme beauty.
It is related how, some few days previous to the
coronation, Eleanor, when in the queen’s dressing-room,
in her gaiety of heart took up the royal crown, which
had just arrived from Paris, and placed it girl-like upon
her own head, admiring herself in the polished mirror
before her; perhaps she thought how much better the
royal circlet would become her brow than that of
Sophia Amelia. “ Be quick—take it off!” exclaims one
of the affrighted attendants,—“ the queen, the queen !”
Eleanor in her agitation let fall the crown; in its
unlucky tumble one fleuron was broken. Now the
goldsmiths of Copenhagen were not skilful in their
art; no one was found capable of mending it; there
was no time to send it to Paris, and Queen Sophia
was compelled to wear it patched up as best it could be,
clumsily too, for the damage was plainly visible to the
eyes of the bystanders.
So many of these royal personages have already
come before our notice, that we may pass them over
without comment. Frederic IV., by Rigaud, painted as
a young man when on a visit to Paris; again we have
him by Solomon Wahl, also later by Denner. Louisa
of Mecklenburg, first queen of Frederic IV., by
Dawren, a German painter of no worth, but highly the
fashion in his day: he possessed more medals, orders,
chains, and decorations than any field-marshal in
Europe. Then comes the Reventlow Queen, by Wahl—
pretty, silly doll of a woman, highly characteristic.
Louisa is dead, and she, “crowned queeD in her stead,”
<< prev. page << föreg. sida << >> nästa sida >> next page >>
