The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-03-21 00:00:00

Our Taboo earrtsponbta

Ore deem it sight to state that we do lee at aff times
Meal* ourselves In our I isremondals opinions I
J
._
papere lave .---
lined each' . our tic, of
:6 1
.al entry in ndon 011 th install t
jrit f tbe event any de om
e Queen's good fortune in 'teepee t to weather,
which has well nigh pawed Into a proverb, did.not
attend this ceremony. I was in the upper baledny of
• house in Oxford-street for nearly two hours —a tale
weather balcony, if I may use the express:len, whine
which afforded no shelter whatever frem ths bilc ding
storm of silo*. I could not raieu tua umbre11a1b.........ma
that useful article would have impeded tbs viewed the
ladles who sat directly inaide the cloaghLwlndatirli.
There are some situations of life which, it the Licguitge
of a certain cle.es of j .unialhite, may Le "-Is., more
easily imagined taunt iltecribed." But I; would take
many a very 'wog that even to imagine the mismire of
•man perched upon a temporary erection 60 or 70 feet
high, standing upon soaking wet planks, and exposed
for two hours to the fury of such • snow-storm as that
which will long make the Royal entry memorable
In the history of Locdon. If he kept his eyes to
the front, he saw nothing but long and dreery lines
of sodden soldiers, police, and pe lestriaue. If he
turned round for a moment he met the compaeionate
gase of a row of well-protected ladies, as they lo ,keil
pensively through the window-panes, and with a ten-
derness which might have melted the stoutest heart.
If, after an hour's exposure to the wintry blind, he ven-
tured to take just a little drop of brandy from his
flea, Nome of the fair spectators within were inclined
to shake their heeds over him, and to express the
heartiest wishes that as a general rule he was a man of
steady habits. If he had no brandy flea to draw up n,
the chances were that he would get rheumatism and
neuralgia for a very long time to come. My pen would
certainly fail to convey anything like an idea of •
situation like that. Wearily,the time named, and never
was! more thoroughly gla i than when, bighting the
waving plumes of the Life Guards in the distance, I
knew that the Royal party was at hand. Loudly
cheered the multitude when it was seen that Her
Majinty, the Duke and Diviliess of Edinburgh, ak.d
Princess Beatrice, knowing that such a vast popula-
tion had turned out to see them, drove through the,
Incw in an open carriage. The Queen, I thought,
looked remarkably well, and she was more vivaxims
than we have b,eu accustomed to see her for
many a year. Sitting by the side of the Duchess
of Edinburgh, Iler Majesty was fully occupied in
pointing out to her Imperial Highness the more
prominent of the decorations. The Duchess
looked pale, and the pallor of her countenance was
not relieved by the white bonnet which Bhe w ire. But
the pleasing expression of her countenance, and the
gracious manner in which she acknowledged the saluta-
tions of the people, created a most favourable effect.
Her husband al ways strikeslme as a man who locks stern
anal grave beyond his years. I never yet saw therDake
of Edinburgh smile in public, and on this occasion he
wore the air of deep gravity which seems to be so
habitual to him. Still he responded to the good wiehes
of the crowd, and his hat was scarcely upon his head at
all throughout the route. Princess Ileatrdie, who eat
opposite the Grand Buchan, Is growing wonderfully like
Princess Louise. The ladiesdeclared she looked very nice
Indeed, and I NIIII fully endorse that vie*. Naturally
there was a concentration of attention upon the Grand
Duchess; but, nevertheless, Princess Beatrice came in
for a fair Aare of public notice, and she bowed very
gracefully as the cortege swept along. It proceeded at
a slow pace, much to the gratification of those who had
bravely stood their ground on such a wintry day to
cheer the Queen and to give a loyal welcome to the
illustrious lady who has left ha home to come and
live amongst us.

There were other events which combined to make
London lively last week. The grand State banquet at
Windsor Castle, although not directly taking place in
the metropolis, excited considerable interest here, and
there was a very numerous crowd in the neighbour-
hood of the Great Western terminus at Paddington to
witness the departure of the illustrious guests. It is
not often that her Majesty's Minist,rs, past and pre.
sent, aseemble round the canoe hospitable table, but
they did so upon this occasion. The descriptions o
the banquet prove it to have been one of the most
magnificent which ever took place at Windsor. On
Wednesday the Prince of Wales held • ley& cn behalf
of her Majesty at St. James's Palace, and although
the day was cheerless and wintry, upwards of 300 pre-
sentations were made. On Thursday, as already
described, there was the Royal entry; and on Friday
the Queen held a Court at Buckingham Palace for the
reception of the new Ministers and the Diplomatic
Corps. Such gatherings as these tend to give an
Impetus to business, and it is not to be woildered at
that the West-End shopkeeper invariably puts on a
stalling countenance when the Q men is in London.
There are few of your median who have not beard
of Christ's Hospital, one of the rii hest of the City
charitiee, while the singular dress of the Blue-coat boy
bee often attracted more notice than admiration. There
was • time when any change in the attire would have
been looked upon as little less than treason by those who
are more immediately connected with the institution.
Now, however, an alteration is advocated by a magazine
published within the walls of Chriat'e Hospital itself.
This' publication asks whether a uniform cannot be at
once picturesque and untroublesome—a decoration and
not a badge. It has struck many that the garb of the
Blue-coat boy is one of the roost singular ever invented
by the ingenuity of man. A youth who has once
donned it must continue to wear it until he has left
the school. Unlike a policeman off duty, who is per-
mitted to appear in ordinary dress if he pleases, the
umatee of Christ's Hospital is bound to wear hie
uniform when he is at hi me during the vaeatione, arid
that many of them would then be glad to di.peuse
with it at such a time there can be little doubt. It it
questionable, however, whether the reform which is
now advocated from within can be effected to any
extent without infringing the conditions laid down in
the will of the founder of the Hospital.
The recent great fire at the Pantechnicon has given
rise toi a hoot of suggestions for the better c .natruction
ef our public buildinge, and amongst these is the
recommendation that poplar should be used for floor-
ing instead of pine. It is argued that poplar will
not burn, is light, and very earily worked.
Like most other soft woods, it is grown with
no trouble, the trees requiring but little attention,
and producing wood remarkably feet, without much
waste in branches. Poplar is not much used in Erg.
land, except for making boats and punts, which, on ac-
count of the softiies; of the wood, are not of long dura-
tion. In France, however, it is grown extensively, and
long lines of tall poplars are often one of the most con-
apicuons feature in the landscape.
The suit< rities at South Kensington manifest •
laudable desire to keep pace with the interests of the
time. In the fortir:oming International Exhibition
there is to be a Russian C.,eirt in honour of the Duchess
of Edinburgh, who promises L be the central figure of
the London season. Last year's exa,ibition contained an
annexe which purported to be at 401100tiCal of the prin.
cipal products of the vast northern empire, but it was
rather a disappointment to those who sought it ;:n come
illustration of the art or the spirit of Hamden people,
A joint commission of Russian and English gentlemen
will take this department in hand, and we may, there-
fore., expect to see a number of specimens of skilful
workmanship and natural resources from tic: Czar's
dominions, such at we have not mei brought together
In this country since 1860 This year's exhibition
will, indeed, more thoroughly deserve to be called
International than any of the series. The War Office
have consented to send thither the trophies taken by
our tepees in Ashantee. These will be formed into an
Ashantezi gallery. The French Gallery will be • great
attraction, awl courts have been set apart for Austria,
Belgians, and .hnan. In many instausse the goods
intendesi for exhibition are unpacked, the walls are
draped, and the tiled floors :ice covered w:th beautiful
and rare articles. A foreign pictues 88.11" Y is in con-
templation. Although the opening day still several
weeks in relvance, the machinery anoexes are esen
now wed stocked. It is intended also to have at
display of the works of eminent oil and water colour
painters.

The approaching Royal Academy Exhibition bids
fair to be • more than usually interesting one, and
artists of all degrees are busily at work upon their
pictures. The origin of this highly popular and successful
Institution is of comparatively modern date. A society
of artists met in St. Peter's-court, St. Martin's-lane,
about 1730, which Ilogarth eetablished as the Society '
of Incorporated Artists. These held their iirst exhi-
bition at the Society of Arts, in the Adelphi, in
April, 1760. From this sprang the Royal Academy,
in consequence of • dispute between the Directors and
the Fellows. On the 10th December, 176 i, the con-
stitution of the present Royal Academy was completed
under the patronage of (I,orgc 111. and Sir Joanne
Reynolds, knighted on the occasion, eras appointed
beet President. The academicians held tteir opening
exlilLition In Pall Mall, on the 26th April, 1769, alien
136 works appearei+. Two years al -erwarde the King
granted them apartments in old So.neraet House, and
in 1790 to now Somerset liouse, where they remained
until 1838, when they removed to the National Gallery,
In Trafalgar-equare. Tt‘ey have only recently taken up
their toartera in a aplendid new hoine in burlington
Gardens, Piccadilly. The number of members of the
Royal Academy is rigidly restricted to 40, and on •
vacancy arising there ia always a keen competition for
Ike Meow of election.

Notwithstanding the bitter whiter weather, Jorge