The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-09-17 00:00:00

,ely requested to sit thereon, and

notice of the incongruity

But I must

still much to be told

The privile.

to drop in, and one of the first was I
grelia, Who has recently arrived in

invitation, and who is one of the r,
place. Her highness, who is a remarkably fine woman, of
about thirty years of age, was gorgeously dressed in gold
brocade, with a broad blue sash, cu the shoulder knot of
wore the Order of St. K itherine iu diamonds,
on her for her distinguished feats of arms when

of the

which

Omer Pacha ravaged her mountain kingdom,•and on her head
a splendid coronet of emeralds and rubies. She was
accompanied by her son, the reigning prince, a fine little
boy, eight years old, dressed as an aide-de-camp 0.1

eror, an honour which had been conferred on his
..e highness only the previous day. Hearing that some
correspondent" had ventured within the sacred
precincts, her highness sent her interpreter to the repre-
e of a well known continental journal, requesting a
tes conversation. It is needless to add that the
in question was only too ready to obey the
d was excessively surprised to find that her

" spec

summons

fully acquainted with and duly appreciated
he value of the Fourth Estate. She told him in excellent
French that she hoped herself and her dress would be
noticed in the journal he represented, and detailed her
heroic struggles against Omer Pacha, who, she said, had
plundered and ravaged her little kingdom. Her highness,
then returning to the great question for which the news-
paper plenipotentiary had been summoned to an audience,

highness NI

said, with much naivete, "Comment me trouvez vous ?"
The gentleman was of course ebloui, and the interview
terminated with a pressing invitation for self and friends to
the chateau in the Caucase, if he ever should happen to
pass in that direction. The church now began to fill. Lord
and Lady Granville, accompanied by the Marchioness of
Stafford and Lady Emily Peel, were amongst the first
arrivals; Lord Wodehouse, accompanied by Mr. Julian
Fane, came shortly after, and the doorway was soon com-
pletely filled by the French Embassy, in brilliant uniforms,
and mingled with them were Sir Robert Peel, and one or
two other English faces. The Count de Morny took
the right, next to him Lord Granville, then Prince
Esterhazy, and lastly the Prince De Ligne, the other
Ambassadors getting seats as best they could without any
order of precedency. Immediately behind Lord Granville
sat Lord Wodehouse and Mr. Pane, and on the same and
hinder benches the ladies of the several embassies. By this
time forty Bishops of the Empire had assembled between
the great altar and the estrade, and, assisted by their atten-
dant priests, were invoking heaven in favour of the
Emperor. Nothing could be more magnificent than the
robes, nothing more venerable than the appearance of these
prelates. At their head was Philaret, Metropolitan of
Moscow, the most distinguished name in the Russian
church, distinguished for piety, for learning, and fur the
physical vigour that at ninety years of age e

bles him to

continue in the active discharge of his episcopil duties.

shrine of the Virgin lay open, c

ininz her

portrait, said to be painted by St. Luke, and studded with
jewels of immense size and value. Wa: tapers were burn-

ing, incense was rising in clouds; unseen choristers were
chaunting most heavenly music, when the hum of the peo—
ple without, and the roar of the artillery, announced an
imperial arrival. It was the Empress Mother, who,
although broken down with ill health and sorrow, had come
thousands of mile to assist at the coronation of her son.
Nothing can be more touching or creditable to the Rus-
sian people than the affection and respect which they
always exhibit towards this illustrious lady, and never was
it more conspicuous than on the day of the coronation, when,
both within and without the church, she was almost
overwhelmed with demonstrations of attachment. Her
Majesty, who was accompanied by a brilliant cortege,
immediately took her seat on the throne allotted to her on
the estrade. There was now a slight stir at the side door.
It was the Turkish envoys asking admittance. They were
obliged, however, to go to a gallery specially prepared for
them outside, as the rules of the Greek church do not
permit the entrance of any one who cannot kneel before
the true cross. Another salvo of artillery, another chorus
of almost divine harmony from the invisible choristers, and
the Emperor and Empress arrived at the grand grille of the
church; His Imperial Majesty wore a general's uniform,
and marched under a magnificent canopy supported by
sixteen of the grand dignitaries of the empire. The Arch-
bishops of Moscow and Novogorod proceeded to the gate to
welcome his Majesty, bestow a blessing, and sprinkle the
imperial pair with holy water. They were followed by a
gorgeously attired cortege, amid which might be recognised
the Panins, Dolgourokis, Gortchakoffs, and other names
familiar to the stu tents of Russian history. The
gallant defender of Sebastopol looked as well and as
young as when, four years since, he stood over the
open grave of the Duke of Wellington in St. Paul's
Cathedral. Then there were the Asiatic tributary
princes, in their magnificent costume ; and, finally, the
generals who had the right to occupy so distinguished
a position. At the entrance, the Emperor kissed the
hand of the prelate with the palm upwards, the mode in
which this salutation is performed in the Greek church.
The Empress was followed by a fair bevy of maids of honour
in Parisian versions of the Russian national costume. They
looked most captivating in their kakochniks, but the fairest
of the fair was the young Princess Sherematieff, the grand-
daughter of a serf. The Emperor and Empress having duly
made reverence at the sanctuary and before the sacred images,
now slowly ascended theestrade, and the ceremonial of the coro-
nation commenced. For the circumstantial details, I must
refer you to the programme which has already been pub-
lished, confining myself to the more remarkable incidents of
the day. The Imperial pair being seated on the ancient
thrones of the Czars, the regalia was properly arranged,
and another burst of devout harmony came from the
invisible choir. The Metropolitan then presented a pro-
fession of faith, which his Imperial Majesty must read,
and which he did read on this occasion with due emphasis
and discretion. The document, which was exceedingly
lengthy, took upwards of ten minutes in the reading, dur-
ing which the most profound silence reigned in the church.
Immediately after, the Emperor was invested with the
state mantle, and here followed the most interesting fea-
ture in the day's proceedings. Taking the crown, an im-
mense one, blazing all over with diamonds, up with his two
hands, he placed it ou his head ; thereby intimating that
from no earthly power, priestly or lay, did he receive his
sovereignty. Then making a sign to the EMT)

;, who

knelt submissively before -him on a golden cushion, he
just touched her forehead with it, and immediately re-
placed it on his own head. This was a moment of intense
interest. The Empress-Mother, who had borne up with
immense fortitude, burst into tears, and the whole of the
congregation, as they fell on their knees in honour of the
rite, sobbed and cried like children. What a history did
not that tear of the Empress-Mother recall ! More than
a quarter of a century before she had received a similar
honour from the greatest sovereign of his time; had for
years after shared his thoughts, his joys, and l sorrows;
had been the gentle spirit that softened the iron-firmness
of his character ; and now she stood alone—that great
man had passed away, and to other hands Was about to
be confided the powerful sceptre which it had been so
long her happiness to share in wielding. This was the
culminating point of the ceremonial. Then came the
anointing ; the administration of the Sacrament, to the
Emperor in both forms, the Empress in one ;
the Mass, and other ceremonials purely religious ;
and, finally, the congratulations, which the Emperor
received with great dignity and self-possession.
At the same time his countenance wore a care-
worn and saddened look, and ho seemed like one
who felt oppressed with the scene of an awful responsi-
bility. Now came the moment for which 70,000 people
outside had been waiting with exemplary patience. A gor-
geous procession issued from the church door. In front
was a splendid canopy, under which walked the Emperor,
with the Imperial crown upon his head, and wearing the
Imperial mantle. There were the standard, the seal, and
the sword of the empire, the great functionaries at a
respectful distance behind, and the dismounted gardes a
cheval, in their golden cuirasses, lining the way. From a
hundred bands pealed out at once, the national anthem—
" God save the Czar," and the shouts of the people
I formed a tremendous accompaniment to the music. The
countenance of his Majesty was most solemn ; he bowed
repeatedly but never smiled, and the cheers seemed to die
away for want of the imperial sympathy. It was a
strikingly oriental spectacl
great Czar with his immense crown
pagoda-like canopy, the
ecrown of diamonds blazing
in the sun, the many orientaelwhiocsilulms,and the bearded
mujiks, all formed a picture shall not soon forget,
but which I feel I have but weakly attempted to preserve
for the English reader.