To appreciate the third great monarch of the Mogul Empire, Shah Jehan, one must inspect the palace built by him at Delhi. When I first stepped within the audience-chamber of the Grand Moguls, it seemed to me that all I had read and heard of it had given me no idea of its amazing richness. It so exceeded all my expectations that the result was just the same as if I had not known that such enchanting dreams of Eastern architects had ever been materialized in stone. Here are long corridors and rooms which are not merely paved, roofed, and lined with purest marble; that marble itself is covered with sculptures in relief until each block becomes a masterpiece of art. Nor is this all, for, spreading over the pavement, twined about the columns, and sparkling on the ceilings, are variously colored vines, leaves, and flowers. "Are these walls painted, then?" one naturally inquires. Far from it. This decoration is obtained by means of precious stones, inlaid like Florentine mosaic. Yes, in this palace there are miles of garlands, wreaths, and tendrils, growing apparently in great luxuriance, yet actually composed of jasper, agate, onyx, goldstone, and carnelian, with here and there inscriptions from the Koran, all outlined in mosaic on a background as white as snow.

One Of The Approaches To Akbar's Mausoleum.

Set in the walls are graceful pockets, such as we see in the courts of the Alhambra, in which the veiled and jeweled ladies of the palace kept their slippers or their gems. Here in the softened light I could have easily fancied that my outstretched hand might pluck bouquets of roses and camellias. But in reality, the trellises on which they grew were marble screens, and the green leaves and ruby petals of the flowers on these walls glowed in precious stones.

The Cenotaph.

The Mogul Palace At Delhi.

No words are adequate to portray this sculptured loveliness. Hence, let me ask you to assist me. You have, perhaps a piece of Florentine mosaic which you treasure as a brooch or paper-weight. Expand that into a panel set in an alabaster wall, or into a stately column brilliant as a prism. In your home there is, perhaps, a Persian rug whose colors you admire. Transform that into a mosaic, and with it pave the floor or decorate the roof. Again, you have a bit of Chinese ivory elaborately carved. Magnify that till it forms a mile of marble balustrades. Now multiply these panels, prisms, rugs, and screens and having made of them a fairy-palace, delicate as frost-work, insert within its walls a million glittering gems; then, as you gaze enraptured at your workman-ship, murmur to yourself, "This is a little like the palace of the Grand Moguls! "

Pearl Mosque.

Yet what once existed here was vastly richer and more elegant than what is visible to-day. We saw, for example, the corner of an alabaster pedestal, - all that is left now of thefamous "Pea-cock Throne," on which the Mogul emperor sat in majesty. That throne was one of the marvels of the world. It was made by order of Shah Jehan, whose jewelers labored for seven years in its decoration. Its value was no less than thirty million dollars. Its framework was of solid gold, encrusted with innumerable precious stones. Above it stretched a golden canopy fringed with pearls. The back was made to represent two jeweled peacocks with expanded tails, whose colors were reproduced by means of rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and diamonds; while, to crown all, upon the top of this imperial seat was perched a parrot carved from a single emerald.

Jeweled Walls.

Flowers In Precious Stones.

An Ivory Manuscript-Holder.