The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-02-24 00:00:00

THE THANKSGIVING CEREMONY.

It is evident that a great deal of interest is taken in
the approaching Thanlpgiving for the recovery of the
Prince of Wales; and everybody is naturally anxious
that it should be a great success, that it should go off
not only smoothly, but grandly, and leave behind it
some recollections worthy of the occasion. As apopular
demonstration, there can be no doubt that it will be
everything that could be desired. There is always
something highly impressive in the sight of a great
multitude under the influence of a common sentiment
or emotion, and the crowds which on Tuesday will line
the way to St. Paul's will, in any case, be the best part
of the show. . . . A Thanksgiving suggests solemn
thoughts which will no doubt have their effect on the
demeanourof the people ; but the enthusiasm will not be
less genuine or intense for being expressed in a com-
paratively quiet and subdued manner.
The meeting between the Queen and the people will of
course be the principal feature of the occasion; and if
she were merely to drive in the simplest possible way
through the long lane of loyal and sympathetic subjects
massed on each side, that in itself would be a great
sight. It dots not follow, however, that all accessories
should be neglected. There is no reason why an attempt
should not be made to render the spectacle as brilliant
and picturesque as possible. If there is any good in
such things, it must be in the way of producing a vivid
impression on the public mind; and it is desirable that
everything should be done to stimulate the imagi-
nation, and to make the scene striking and suggestive.

The ceremony on Thanksgiving Day will consist of
two parts—the procession to, and the service in, St.
Paul's. The latter is in good hands, and will no doubt
be satisfactorily arranged. As the Queen is to go in
send-state the ladies will be able to appear in morning
dress ; while the men will wear such robes, uniforms, or
Court suits as they may be entitled to assume. There
will thus be sufficient diversity and richness of colour
in the area of the building to light up the whole without
the addition of any other decorations. It must be a
relief to the company to know that no opera glasses
are to be allowed in the upper galleries, but it will be
difficult to enforce the order, and perhaps the most
prudent course would be to close the galleries alto-
gether. A view from such a height, especially without
a glass, would be painfully tantalising to the unfortu-
nate people who had been tempted to climb WO high to
see Po little, and if anything fell over it would be very
dangerous for those below. The procession through the
streets is naturally the chief object of interest to the gene-
ral public, who will have no chance to see anything else.
It would be repugnant to English sentiment to make
it a military display. The route will be kept by
soldiers, and the Royal carriages will have an escort
of cavalry. When George and Queen Charlotte
went to St. Paul's in 1789, they were attended by "the
gentlemen of the London Association, the Artillery
Company, anti a party of Toxophilites, or Society of
Ancient Archers, dressed in green, with bows and
quivers of arrows." We are afraid the Toxophilites
have vanished, and that the Foresters of our own day
could hardly be invited to join the procession. But
there is no reason why the Artillery Company and
the Volunteers should not turn out. The Lords and
Commons are to be present in St. Paul's, but they
are not to go there in a body, according to ancient
precedent. The Lord Mayor is more faithful in his
adherence to old customs. It has been determined
that his Lordship, with the Sheriffs, four Aldermen,
and eight Common Councilmen, all mounted on
horseback, shall receive the Queen at Temple
Bar, presenting her with the golden keys and
the City sword, anti escorting her to the
Cathedral. Nothing could be more heroic and self-
sacrificing than this resolution of the Fathers of the
City to witch the world with noble horsemanship, but
we hope that they will take care to accustom their
steeds to the flutter of their robes by frequent re-
hearsals. A stampede of aldermen on horseback would
be appalling. In 1786 the Lord Mayor wore "a large
cloak of pnrisle velvet that covered both his lordship
and his steed, which he managed with great skill and
dexterity." It comes out, however, in another para-
graph, that it was a led horse, on which he rode bare-
headed, with the sword 'in his hand Fifteen gentle-
men in gowns, with their horses in the custody of police-
men, would, we fear, not contribute to the dignity of
the occasion. . . .

The Thanksgiving Day is intended to be a day of
general rejoicing, and the larger the number of shop-
keepers who are enabled to pay their rent for the year
by letting out their windows for an hour or two, the
more complete will be the rejoicing. . . .—Saturday
Review.