The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-12-01 00:00:00

LONDON,
FRIDAY, DEcemsza i. ism

If we could he surprised at any thing that ap-
pears in a miniaterial newspaper, we should indeed
feel surprise and astonishment at the cool effrontery
with► which a writer for one of the Evening Treasury
Prints asserts that the procession which conveyed
the QUEEN to St. Paul's Cathedral on Wednesday,
was 46 one of the most meagre and miserable
dis-
plays that the people of the metropolis have been
called forth to witness." If, in the performance of
a most painful part of our duty to the public, we
were not accustomed to observe in the Paper to
which we allude a systematic principle of falsity,
• shameless disregard of truth, and an habitual con-
tempt for public opinion, we should be astonished
that any writer could thus venture to titter an asser-
tion which might at once receive a direct contradic-
tion front at least two hundred thou•aud persons.
The Editor of the Paper knows, however, that he
must endeavour at all hazards to deceive the people
in the country respecting the state of public opinion
its the metropolis. The lie, if told stoutly, may
produce an impression somewhere, and the character
of a Paper FO often convicted of falsehood cannot
suffer much in public estimation by an additional
proof of its talents for deceit. Beside., the Paper
will for the most part be seen only by the retainers
of the Ministers, who will readily swallow any as-
amino, however hazardous, that might seem to
throw a doubt upon the popularity of the QUEEN.
Such persons feel a pleasure in being cheated, and
the Editors of the Ministerial Papers—

Dilll.lllllll writ for regalatin•
IN lyieg, 10 Wens the natio*,
knowing the constitution of their minds,supply them
with falsehoods to their hearts• content.

To our town readers it would appear, no doubt,
unnecessary to give e formal contradiction to the
assertion of the Treasury writer, for every inhabitant
of London either saw the procession prop, oen !is,
or has since learned its true character from some
friend or iicqu iintance, on whose judgment and
accuracy rrtt•uu•e inily be placed. Esery inhabitant
of the metropolis, therefore, most know 11t•,,t
the procession was extremely numerous, consisting
of many thousands of persons ; that the great majo-
rity of these persons were of aiipeitr .ace highly
respectable, and such as denoted that rank in life
k the general assurance of intelligrn:•e and
wealth ; Ilia the streets through which the proces-
sion passed were crowded with persons of all dosses,

evincing, iii an unequivocal maimer, ao enthusiastic
affection for the illustrious object of universal in-
terest. Never On any occasion, since the late KANO%
visit to St. l'aill's to celebrate his NW ESTY's re-
sioraiwn to health, dill the streets of Landon ezhibit
a sly-ctacle on magnificent and impressive as they
displaced on Wednesday last. Of the truth of this
statement we solemnly assure our couutry readers,
and the acctiont given in our Paper yester-
day affideil, in our minds, a sufficient pronf
of it. Persons, however, may differ upon
what constitutes magnificence and effect. A
malinger of a theatre would piohably conceive that
splendour could not be produced without gaudy
clothes, triumphal cars, and the various conceits
that custom has consecrated on the stage. A mill-
tarY man would deny the possibility of magnifi-
cence unless the procession were accoinpanted with
all the pride, potop,ausl circumstance of glorious
war ;" ■nd it is nut unlikely that in the minds of
advocates for military despotism, as the Edito►s of
all the Ministerial Papers are, the brightness of red
coats, the flashing of arms, the glitter of burnished
helmets, the neighing of horse's, and the tubas-
ratisig sounds of military music, are all necessarily

associated with the notions of magnificence ■nd

splendour in public processions. In the Queen's
procession there was no want of splendour, for the
beauty and variety of the nnittherle,s flags and de-
vices astonished loud delighted the beholder. The
vastness of an assembled multitude may be ranked
among the sources of the sublimes while the its-
pressioo that this intasetnie meltitode was iallomseed
by one feeling of joy and affection. weld set
fell of leaping% eeviatious the asset pleeeistg.
A 14racelmio. thee calculated ee operate elt.
fully is thlt teiell-.4exiavg leplisse se iv memo-
rise to the nue mak ei sess4eNd *id. swot be

011s7,•o.