The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-01-31 00:00:00

THE STOURBRIDGE OBSERVER.

THE MARRIAGE OF THE DUKE OF
EDINBURGH.
The following extract, are from a very tideresting de-
scription of the gorgeous preparatioes for the wedding, by
the eseelal Correspondent of The runes, writing from tie
Pstersteurg the 23rd lust. Alter describing the peewit
housed in the Vali Palace, the writer continues
The next act of the drama takes us to • gallery over-
lookleg the Greek Chapel. The Duke of Edineurgh
andlin Bride are standing on a crimson squere before
a small lectern, on which are laid the Uospels in a
jewelled cover. The deep voice of Monsignor Bashes:loft
is chanting the service, and every few moments a
response of exquisite harm my falls upon the ear. The
doers of that gorgeous Chapel are set wide open, and
within them in the more sacred opals beyond stand
the three bletropolites of Novgorod, Moscow, and
Kid. The gray hair of Monsignor Bashanoff's as.
[distant priest falls over robes wholly of gold. The
Emperor and Empress stand by the Imperial
chaise to the right. The Prince of Wales, in
his General's uniform of scarlet, is at the edge
of the crimson carpet to the left. After mush chanting
and low-voiced reading, the golden marriage crowns
are brought. Prince Arthur and a younger brother
of the Bride advance, take the crowns from the
pelmets, and hold them at arm's length over
the heads of Bridegroom and Bride. The Crown
Prince of Prussia, tit a dark blue uniform, crossed
by a red riband, stands near the Prince of Wales.
From the attitude In which the nuTarriage crowns
have to be held, Prince Arthur and the young Grand
Duke have frequently to change their heeds. At last
Prince Arthur tires altogether, for indeed the peel
tion is very tiring, and he is relieved by the Grand
Duke Alexis. The bletronollte and high ecclesiastics
in the inner space, where there is a table with candles,
sacred picOuree and preciously bound books, often bow
sod cruse theuleelvea One chant, exquisitely soft and
tender, was worth the whole j eurney t, St. Petersburg
to hear. Right and loft wed to the rear of the principal
group are the Grand Dukes and the foreign Princes,
and the floor of the rest of the Chapel is filled with
princely and noble men %rid women—the former on the
left, the latter on the right. Now Bede anti Bridegroom,
holding lighted candles in each hand, wink thrice round
the altar and the lectern on which lie the jewelled
boobs ; the Duke holding the hem of the upper port of
the priest's golden robe. His Royal Highness bears
hicueeif with perfect composure and digniry. The
marriage crowns are now received on golden plates
and taken into the inner chile el, whither the Bride and
Bridegroom follow, walking thrice round the altar.
But before this the Sacrament has been administered by
Monsignor Bashanolf, who passed the cup from the
lips of the Bridegroom to tbose of the Bride three
times. A triumphal chant, a splendid volume of
human voices, ends the service, solar as we can see it,
for now we who have to write must hurry in advance
to the Alexander Hall, is white hell, with purple velvet
curtains to the windows, and pictures of Alexander I.
awl his battler. Tee curtains are drawn, and it is
lb; bled au jefer with 10,000 wax lights. Dean Stanley
mad hie chaplains wait within the rails before the altar,
which Is ,-overed with crimson velvet like the Com-
mutdon Table of an English church.
A uniformed throng presses hack on each aide, and
leaves a wide way dem for the procession which now
es--arts the Czar, leading his daughter to the steps
before the Issess rails. With a stately bow Hue
Majesty resigns her to the Duke of Edinburgh, who
takes his place beside the Princess ripen the velvet step,
supported as before by Prince Arthur, the young Grand
Duke, and four Chamberlains in gold and white. The
chant of the Russian choir burst forth in a torrent of
splendid eound, and then the Dean, in the voice we of
London know so well, begins to read the service.
The Duke reads from the Prayer book he holds in
time ungloved hands. The Grand Duchess wears a
small diamond crown surmounted by a cross, and
carries a Prayer book bound in white and a bouquet
of white and purple flowers. Her Imperial Highnees
beans herself as oecomes a bride and a Romanoff.
Her voice is clear, and we of her adopted country
notice how perfect is her Englieh, as she repeats
the formula, "1, Marie, take thee, Alfred Ernest,
to be my wedded husband." At the words, Who
giveth this woman to be the wife of this man?" the
Dean looked towards the loft elite of the Hall,
where stood the Czar, the Cz trine by His Majesty's
right hand. On the Czar's left hand stood our Prin-
cuss of Wales, and next to her Royal Highness the
Cesarcvna, each wearing a broad- red riband across
the jewelled body of the drees. During the prayers
bhe Duke and Grand Duchess knelt side by side,
their hands upon the bride rail. The respiteless were
repeated by the Rev. Mr. Thompson, M.A., the
English chaplain, and by his curate, the Rev. Mr.
Ktugsford, M.A. Prince Arthur Was in Retie uni-
ted's:l, and wore the riband and collar of St. Vladimir.
In the midst of the service then came the nthem,
sung by the boys of the Imperial Chapel grouped to
the rieht of the altar, in their gold and purple dresses. I
The Duke of Edinburgh book the ring from Prince
Arthur and placed it upon the finger of his Bride.
When the Dean had read the special prayer, and pro.
nonxiced the bleesir g, during which the kneeling Bride
and Bridegroom heist their heads, the choir gave the '
concluding anthem, a triumphal strain of surpris-
ing volume. When the voices had ceased the Dean ,
advanced, the Bride and Bridegroom bent their heads
for the last time, and listened to the blessing pr.-a-
rm:laced over thew. The semicircle of Princes, Grand
Dukes, and Grand Dtehessen that surrounded the
august pair was well seen from the corner near the
altar appropriated t the English colony. The Prin.
sees, s Nagel with diamonds. Well seen aloe was the
'arsenal likeneris of the different members of the Im-
perial family. The Prince of \Vales stood te the left
of the altar, his Royal Highness and the Empress of
Russia ending on either side the semicircle of Royalty.
During the service the Emperor maintained the
stately air c,f reserved composure which always charac-
terizes him. The Empress looked towards her ouly
daughter with wistful eyes, and it is said that the part-
ing is to Her Majesty a arrow hardly to be borne. At
the proper clause in the service the Czar gave hisdaughter
away with a grave and didnitied bow. And when it
was over the Emperor and Ernptess approached the
altar, thrir son and daughter tuned towards them, and
first the Czar hissed the Grand Duchess on the cheek.
When His Majesty had shaken hands with the Duke
of Htieburgh, the Czarina and the Duchess of
Edinburgh turned to each other and the mother
pressed a long, long kiss on the cheek of her daughter.
When her Majesty had laved the Luke of Edinburgh,
and the two hsd pressed each other's hands affection-
ately, the Czar gave his arm to the Cz *rine, and led
the procession along the open way through the elite r-
ise terong of courtiers and ladies out of the hall. The
Greek ecclesiastics had entered the hall noon after the
beginning of thsi service, and stood io a pictureeq-re
group near and rather behind the left side of the altar.
Perhaps I have said enough about diamonds and
stars and unifoim, but I have not said half enough
about the beauty of the singing at both services. It
was entirely vocal, and the tuderta of voices was
always in perfect time, hard as it is to eing c r-
r• ctly without accompaniment. The service in
the chapel hi it, of course, much the finest effect, tut
part of this was no doubt owing to the view ob-
tained of it from above. I've Bridegroom, whet I
fin I were his Ruitian naval urof true the Bride
beetle hire, the Princis suppertiug the marriage
crowns above the heeds of the pair, the bowing and
moving priests, the dimmer light of the inner church
beyond the door, where also were ecclesiastics, the
lasperisl, Royal, and courtly throng which tilled the
shuts floir of the buildirg, all made a coop dmit
very impressive and megnifi rent. But the music of
he matchless Ws toed isoprene voices was the soul
of the spectacle ; and if one can hardly transfer to
paper the matetial splendours if that Imperial
panorama, how shall one convey an idea of the
sweet ebbing and flowing of the waves of esuud
which broke upon the ear, sud wound their magical
way into the racer:sleet receeses of the soul. No
lea, difficult were it to niake your readers nee, as
I taw her, the Imperial Bride standing before the
altar at the side of the manly iuglish gentleman aid
prince whim she hail chosen before all the world.
Sweet tdad clear and low was the voice in which Marie
Alexandrovea, standing there an I repeat ug the
formula in the face of the great congregation, took for
her wedded husband the Prince at her side in joy and
in sorrow' in sickness and in health, till death ehall
them part. Graceful, to, it Woe of the Eun-ror and
Empress when tee Englieh service woe over to turn
and bow to the members of tee English coleny stand.
leg in the place 'nerved for them on the left of the
altar space.

The bouquet held by the bri le at the Englidi Persica
was from 0111 Q -tern, and was put into the Grand
Duchess's hands a few moments before the entry into
the Alexander Hall. It contained sprigs of myrtle
from a tree at Onborne, from which were plucked
sprite for the Prince-s Royal's borquet tea years ago.
The prayer books held by the Doke and the Grand
Dusheas were presetted also by the Qu•-en.

There did not appear to be anywhere the
slightest hitch in the whole course of the great ceret
monial. Thera WAS little hrirrying and no buetling.
Every one, from the Grand Dukes downwards, seemed
to fall naturally into their places and to do what War
rtquired of them without hesitation or mistahe. A 4
for the Duke of Edinburgh, an one watched him going
through all the intricate ceremonial of the Russian
service: now touching the Crass with hie lips, now
receiving the Sacrament two or three timer ill trr ;ow-
sien, now leadiag his bride through the maze of a
figuic f eight proess-ini round the inner and outer
altar, it was difficult to believe that his Royal High-
ness had not been married in Russia many times. The
ceremony must have bseu rt heareed some how, and no
doubt the Grand Duchess had given the Prince many
delightful lessons.