The Queen's Was
Drawn By Eight Cream-Colored Horses, And The Servants Flaming With
Scarlet And Gold.
This part of the park, near the palace, is only
accessible to the carriages of the foreign ministers, ministers, and
officers of the household.
We arrive at the Parliament House, move through the long corridor
and give up our tickets at the door of the chamber. It is a very
long, narrow room. At the upper end is the throne, on the right is
the seat of the ambassadors, on the left, of their ladies. Just in
front of the throne is the wool-sack of the Lord Chancellor, looking
like a drawing-room divan, covered with crimson velvet. Below this
are rows of seats for the judges, who are all in their wigs and
scarlet robes; the bishops and the peers, all in robes of scarlet
and ermine. Opposite the throne at the lower end is the Bar of the
Commons. On the right of the Queen's chair is a vacant one, on
which is carved the three plumes, the insignia of the Prince of
Wales, who will occupy it when he is seven or nine years old; on the
left Prince Albert sits.
The seat assigned me was in the front row, and quite open, like a
sofa, so that I could talk with any gentleman whom I knew. Madam
Van de Weyer was on one side of me and the Princess Callimachi on
the other, and Miss Murray just behind me. She insisted on
introducing to me all her noble relatives. Her cousin, the young
Duke of Athol; the Duke of Buccleuch; her nephew the Marquis of
Camden; her brother the Bishop of Rochester. There were many whom I
had seen before, so that the hour passed very agreeably. Very soon
came in the Duke of Cambridge, at which everybody rose, he being a
royal duke. He was dressed in the scarlet kingly robe, trimmed with
ermine, and with his white hair and whiskers (he is an old man) was
most picturesque and scenic, reminding me of King Lear and other
stage kings. He requested to be introduced to me, upon which I
rose, of course. He soon said, "Be seated," and we went on with the
conversation. I told him how much I liked Kew Garden, where he has
a favorite place.
When I first entered I was greeted very cordially by a personage in
a black gown and wig, whom I did not know. He laughed and said: "I
am Mr. Senior, whom you saw only Saturday evening, but you do not
know me in my wig." It is, indeed, an entire transformation, for it
reaches down on the shoulders. He is a master in chancery. He
stood by me nearly all the time and pointed out many of the judges,
and some persons not in Miss Murray's line.
But the trumpets sound! the Queen approaches! The trumpet
continues, and first enter at a side door close at my elbow the
college of heralds richly dressed, slowly, two and two; then the
great officers of the household, then the Lord Chancellor bearing
the purse, seal, and speech of the Queen, with the macebearers
before him. Then Lord Lansdowne with the crown, the Earl of
Zetland, with the cap of maintenance, and the Duke off Wellington,
with the sword of State. Then Prince Albert, leading the Queen,
followed by the Duchess of Sutherland, Mistress of the Robes, and
the Marchioness of Douro, daughter-in-law of the Duke of Wellington,
who is one of the ladies in waiting. The Queen and Prince sit down,
while everybody else remains standing. The Queen then says in a
voice most clear and sweet: "My lords (rolling the r), be seated."
Upon which the peers sit down, except those who enter with the
Queen, who group themselves about the throne in the most picturesque
manner. The Queen had a crown of diamonds, with splendid necklace
and stomacher of the same. The Duchess of Sutherland close by her
side with her ducal coronet of diamonds, and a little back, Lady
Douro, also, with her coronet. On the right of the throne stood the
Lord Chancellor, with scarlet robe and flowing wig, holding the
speech, surrounded by the emblems of his office; a little farther,
one step lower down, Lord Lansdowne, holding the crown on a crimson
velvet cushion, and on the left the Duke of Wellington, brandishing
the sword of State in the air, with the Earl of Zetland by his side.
The Queen's train of royal purple, or rather deep crimson, was borne
by many train-bearers. The whole scene seemed to me like a dream or
a vision. After a few minutes the Lord Chancellor came forward and
presented the speech to the Queen. She read it sitting and most
exquisitely. Her voice is flute-like and her whole emphasis decided
and intelligent. Very soon after the speech is finished she leaves
the House, and we all follow, as soon as we can get our carriages.
Lord Lansdowne told me before she came in that the speech would be
longer than usual, "but not so long as your President's speeches."
It has been a day of high pleasure and more like a romance than a
reality to me, and being in the very midst of it as I was, made it
more striking than if I had looked on from a distant gallery.
LETTER: To W.D.B. and A.B.
LONDON, February 7, 1847
My dear Sons: . . . On Friday we dined with two bachelors, Mr.
Peabody and Mr. Coates, who are American bankers. Mr. Peabody is a
friend of Mr. Corcoran and was formerly a partner of Mr. Riggs in
Baltimore. Mr. Coates is of Boston. . . . They mustered up all the
Americans that could be found, and we dined with twenty-six of our
countrymen.
Monday Morning
Last evening we were at home to see any Americans who might chance
to come.
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