The Express.
London, England, 1863-06-08 00:00:00

HIGH WATER AT LONDON BEIDGR.,

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LONDON, MONDAY, JUNE 8.

ON Saturday the customary festivities in honour
of the QcEEN's Birthday were appropriately re-
sumed, and the loyal feelings of the citizens found
again a welcome expression in the old channels,
the streets of the metropolis being once more
bright with illuminated benedictions on the
Sovereign Lady of these realms. It is not sur-
prising that this annual celebration should this
year have awakened feelings of unusual interest.
The strong loyalty of the nation, the respect for
the private character and virtues of the Sovereign,
which has strengthened during the whole of her
Ma.iserv's happy reign, bad naturally acquired
fresh depth and tenderness during the silence of
last year, and was associated with new hopes and
joys in the happy celebrations of the present
Spring. Any opportunity for the public expres-
sion of these feelings is, therefore, peculiarly wel-
come. The people earnestly desire to express
their sympathy with the QUEEN, and the
tribute to the Royal Widow on Saturday
will to-day be followed by another to her son and
his lovely bride. This evening the City will receive
and entertain the Prince and Princess of WALES
in a manner that bids fair to be wholly unpre-
cedented both in its magnificence and cordiality.
The venerable corporation barn, with its bare
walls and dingy roof, has been suddenly trans-
formed into a fairy palace of light and colour.
Around this palace has arisen as though by enchant-
ment a series of elegant reception rooms and
spacious banquetting halls, that have utterly
effaced the old landmarks of the Guildhall-yard ;
and to-night the foremost representatives of the
rank and power, the wealth and talent, the beauty
and fashion of the three kingdoms, will share the
splendid welcome of the City to its illustrious
guests. But in this, it need scarcely be said,
London but faithfully represents the country at
large. The humblest classes of the community are
quite as much interested in the Patrice and
PRINCESS as the MAYOR and Corporation can
possibly be. The whole nation has a feeling of
sincere and hearty enthusiasm on the subject.
Everybody feels a real regard for these young
people, fellows their movements with deep and
friendly interest, desires to do them honour, looks
forward to their future with sympathy and hope,
and prays that every blessing may attend them.
This complete union of sympathy and interest
between the people and the throne is, in the pre-
sent state of the world, a very striking fact—one,
too, well worth the study of other nations, and
especially of other rulers. How is it that the
Queen's eldest son and his bride are so welcomed,
so feted, so popular, amongst all classes of the
nation ? We are not a demonstrative people, and
do not usually indulge in any public expression of
strong feeling or active enthusiasm except on good
grounds. But, as yet, we know hardly anything
of these young people, about whom we are so
such excited. They have only just entered on
their public career, and could not, in the nature
of things, have earned for themselves the high place
they hold in public esteem. That they should
occupy such a position is nevertheleu per-
fectly natural and just. This spontaneous
homage to the PRINT E and PRINCEM is a
significant national tribute to the exemplary
character and virtues of the QuErar. The
Mother is honoured in the Son, and the welcome
given to the children reflects the love and admira-
tion cherished by the country at large towards
their illustrious parents towards the person
of the one and the memory of the other. The
QCEIN lives in the loyal affections of a united
people, while the remembrance of the PRINCE CON.
SORT'S character and career is to the realm at large
a sacred heritage. How has this happy result
been brought about 1 How is it that, in a con•

stitutional country, amongst • free people, the
occupant of the throne, instead of being an object
ti
iiiitt,ton and distrust, or the cause of bitter
hostility and disunion, is the harmonious centre
and bowl of the national life I There have been
periods in our recent history when this was
very far from being the case, and the experience of
Europe at the present moment shows that a cordial
union between the prince and the people is, even
under a constitutional system, the exception rather
than the rule. During the whole of the present reign,
however, the Sovsaziox has been to the country a
source of strength and union rather than of weak-
ness and strife. If leas fortunate rulers would