The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-02-12 00:00:00

DEPARTURES.

The Earl of Coveutry, from his house in Piccadilly, for leis
seat in Surrey.
Viscount Clones, from his house he Claps-street, for Ida
seat, Clandun, near Guildford.
' Sir Maurice sad Lady Simenes mad family, from the It.
James's Hotel, 'enamored, for their seat, Bear-,late,
near Maideiihead, Berks.

ROYAL COSTUMES.

There will be • change in one particular of the
Royal equipages, interesting to those who care
about such things. The Royal carriages have
been for a century or inure painted of • deep
reddish brown colour, and ornamented with carv-
ed and gilded mouldings. They will now
he bright yellow. and decorated with silver or
brass plating. Formerly, the junior branches
of the Royal Family had their carriages painted •
rich deep green ; this has been changed to yellow
since the demise of the late Duke of Gloucester.
Their crimson, green, and white liveries, which
distinguish them from the King, Queen, or Heir
Apparent, remain. Those who are rossessed of
antiquarian lore on this subject, know that scar.
let, first the royal household colour, and now the
national colour for the army, is taken, not from
the Plantagenet red rose, but from the ti.-I‘l
gales of the Royal standard, and from Henry's
adoption of the scarlet dresses of the Yeomen of the
Guard, which at their institution were in shape and
colour similar to those of s portion of the French
King's household. Admirers of costumes delight
in seeing that it makes the most brilliant regal
appearance of ally of the European Court uni-
forms. On this account the Emperor Alexander
was iuduced to have a number of the waiting
servants in his '►niece, habited after the same
pattern and colour. with the exception of dark
green for facings, by London tailors. Scarlet is
said so have been the national colour of the Spar.
tans. It was the colour of the robe called ch/sursys,
worn by Roman Consuls in War, and by the
Emperors. That robe is said to have been
borrowed from the Gauls. It is not quite cer-
tain► whether the borders called purple, which
edged the robes of the Roman Senators, were
scarlet, or what we now co►nmonly cell purple,
a tint combined of crimson and dark blue, which
was ream,. 811 episcopal or pontifical colour origi-
malty. 'They have been represented in each tint
on the stage : the Italians use the red one. What I
was the Tyrian dye, the imperial purple, is not de-
cided ; but from the passages 111 which the word is
used, it appears to have been • tint of great richness
and spleudour. Cardinals are said to be raised to
the purple, though their dresses and hats are red,
as may be sects in Wolsey's hat at Strawberry.
hill. 'lle Pope's state carriages are, or we►e, co.
vered with red velvet, and he has many rooms in
the Vatican so lined. iierttardi• Si. Pierre, in
the " Erode: de la Nature," maintains red to be
the perfection tricolour, as • circle is of form, and
set's that both are preferred by children and uncivi-
lized nations. As to the colour among the an-
cients, possibly the name of the Ked Sea, Mare
Purpereurn, may have some weight in so grave a
question.—Bonaparte took the amaranthine hue
for his and his Empress's corouation robes; but his
household were sit dark greets. The King •f Eng.
land's completion robes are of deep purple, like
Kings' and Bishops' mourning, and lined and be.
decked with ermine. They are as old es the Stuarts,
and the colour is now very dark. The best print
of them is in • whole-length portrait of James the
First. It is gratifying to a profound antiquary to
knew, that shortly after the accession of George the
First, a hook was published, giving some general ac.
count of Great Britain and of Hanover, in which
the pious luthor mentions, es one of the providen-
cial signs, or coincident.. in favour of the Bruns.
wick line, that the Elector and the King of Eng.
land had guards dressed in exactly the same colours!
With 14 view to further valuable information it 'troy
be noticed. that the households of alt the Bourbon
Kings. and of the Portuguese, Prussie•, Swedish,
and Netherlandish, and of most of the German
Princes, wear blue; those of the Emperor of
Austria black and yellow ; those of Russia dark
green; but those of ou► Monarch stout blase in
scarlet. In China yellow belongs to the Imperial
Family alone, like the dragons with the additional
claws ; and in Mahometau countries green apper-
talus only to the faithful.

The Marquis and Merchioness of Awn Lazy are
expected in town this day, from their seat, Damp
des*, t, -Staffordshire.
Earl end Countess Gitosexxott and family are
expected its town in a few days, from their seat,
Eetoo-holl, Cheshire.
Sir JOHN G. and Lady EGLITOW•nd family are
expected et their house in Grafton-street, Bond.
street, the beginning of pest week, from their seat
in Cheshire,
Friday was the era of three remarkable events
in the city of Carlisle; the Proclamation of a new
king; Ilia first essay of lighting the city with gas;
and the commencement of cutting the maid from
Carlisle to the Solway Frith.
The following Gentlemen were yesterday called
to the degree of Barrister at Lilo, by the flan,
Society of Lincoln's Inn Fritszcs, W.
MOODY, W. Soul's, N. ALRIANDIIII4 W.•1111ok.
Oall. and S. P. Coimitaxi.t., P.sqrs.
_ -,SeAsJ