The National Register.
London, England, 1816-05-12 00:00:00

.FORMER ROYAL MARRIAGE.

No change of fashion is, perhaps, more -BeCisively
marked, than that from thegreutpublicity, whichfollowcd
former Royal Marriages, to the privacy now allowed tar
Royal, as well as other couples, after their weddings.
Not more th.in fifty years ago, it was the custom in
genteel &willies for a bride and bridegroom to receive
company, including their most Zatant acquaintances,,
every evening, for a week, or a fortnight, after their
marriage. How fur this publicity was carried, with
respect to Royal parties, will be hewn by the followig
records of what passed, after the marriage of the Prineers
Mary and the Prince of Orange, in the year 1734. They
were married on Thursday, the -liSth of March. On the
" 15th, There was a more splendid appearance of personsuf
" quality, to pay their compliments to the Royal Family
." than ever was seen at the British Court. At night was
"a Ball equally magnificent, in which the Prince of
".Orange danced several minuets."
On the 19th," The House of Peers waited on their
" Majesties and the Prince and Princess of Orange, to
" compliment them on their 'nuptials." On the tist,
the House of Ccmmcns addressed their Majesties and
the rest ef the Royal 'Family, and received the following
answers from the Princess and Prince of Orange.

HER ROYAL HIGHNESS'S ANSWER.
I thank the Gentlemen of the House of Commons fer this
Message; I am se ry glad of their approbation, which will
always make me happy.
THE PRINCE Or ORANGE'S ANSWER.
lam very sensible of the share the Honse of Commons taken
in my happiness, and of their congratulation upon this occasion ;
I am very mach obliged k them for their good wishes, and very
crateful for the assurances of their friendship, which I shall
always endeavour to di serve ; I desire them to he persuaded,
that I will not he backward in zeal and ii&etion for the British
Nation ; and that I shall always reckon it the greatest happi-
ness to be able to give proofs thereof upon all occasion,.
On the 221," the Vice-Chancellor of the University of
" Cambridge, with several others of that learned body,
" waited on their Majesties, the Prince and Princess of
"Orange, and the rest of the Royal Family, separately„
" with their address of congratulation, and presented to
"each of them a book of verses, writ in honour of their
"nuptials."—On the 25th," the Rev. Dr .Holmes, Vice.
" Chancellor of the University of Oxford, accompanied
" by the heads of Colleges and other Members of the
" University, waited on their Majesties and the Prince
" and I'rineess of Orange with their addresses of copra-
" tulation." • -

It will not be wondered at, that, in those days, Cam-
bridge should precede Oxford in addressing the Hanover
Fancily.

The Brussels Papers speak of the Duke of Wcilington
by his Flemish title--Field Mnrshal Prince of Waterloo.
It is stated in an article inn Brussels, that mnny
English families had arrived there fi,r the purpose of
spending the R
unnier. Other families, end scare of them
of hith centidcration, were expected. Every thing
showed that lima:ids uould be very brilliant during the

Rum II: f7t

WAY v. •

LITERARY 4 SCIENTIFIC TL`4.LIGLACI.
•
LORD ELGIN'S MARBLES.

Our read-..re will rx.oll,ct, that artintion Vll-1 mad: some time ago in
the Boost: cf`l'orairons rtupecting the purchase of the Elgin marbles,
as eley are call.d, and that the proposal was tgarred to a Wert Com-
mittew of the limos.. After exiettiir.itA smne of the must celebrated
artist. arolmen of taste in the kin;;elext, the Committee have lately
given in a report un this subject. which deserves the putt* atten-
tion ot,those bold of the arts. These warbles acre trail a con-
siderable expanse by lord Elgin, during the time he resided as Am-
bassador at Constantinople; and. one of the chief object; of enquiry was,
to aseertabi their merit as r.mehas of ancient sculpture, and the utility
lik.ly to arise from their beet•tring the prop-rty of the public. On this
P',,int, the Conmaittec offer the following remarks:—" The testimony
am:lend of the most eminent arM is in the kingdom, who have been
caaininesl, rates Case marbles in the very tirst class of ancient art,
some placing them a little above and others a little below the Apollo
Belvidere, the 1.111..'0411, and the Torso of the Ilblvidere. They apesk
sff them with rultsiration and enthuiasm ; and, notwithstanding. the
rottnifold injuries of time and weather, and those mutilations which
they hare sustaiml'from the fortuitous or designed injuries of neglect
er mischief, they enetsider them as among the finest models, and the
roost exquisite monuments of antiquity. The general cnrrent of this
portion of the evidence makes no doubt of referring the 'date of thctc
works to the original building of the Parthenon, and to the designs of
l'hidins, the dawn of every thing which adorned and ennobled Greece.
With this estimation of the excellence of these works, it is natural to
conclude that d ey are recommended by the Faille authorities, as highly
fit. and admirably adapted, to fern) a school of study to improve our
national ta.te for the line arts, and to diffuse a more pafect knowledge
of them throughout this kingdom. Much indeed 1114 be rcasonelay
lupal and expxted from the general observation and admiration of
such distintuishial examples. The end of the fifteenth and the begin-
ning of time sixteenth centuries, enlightened by the discovery of oever.4l
of ti:e nohiest remains of antiquity,producial in buoy an abundant
ha, est of the mot eminent men, who made gigantic advances in b.t.
path of art, es paitueni, smlptors, and art:Mums. Caught by the no-
vent. attemt.ii ny the beauty, and enamoured by the perfection of those
newly-dlolosed treasures, they imbibed the gamine spirit at the ancieat
excelictice, and tr.:infused it into their own composoroot."
The last object of tile repot tar the value of these marbles, the aqui-
slam ea which was attended with an expellee to Lord Elgin of more
than 74,0n.iL The Committee, nosvever, fixes the Juice to be given
for thou at 53.0001. Toe salue of them, as stated by Mr. lianulton,
Lord Elgin's private secretary, is as follows:
Thu sees, or Ile:cutest - - .C3OOO
Ilissus - - 4600
Female group - . . . 41001
.-- ditto - - - . 4onti
Iris - - - . Vino
Threw Horse.: Heads . - - !!.Au
Torso of Neptune - ' .. -30 i)
Iternainele.Tut the Pediment . - tete
Metopes - • - - 10.000 1.
Fitts -three pieces at 400 L each - - go AO j
Haegllius - lux,
t'aryatis - - - - TnO
('..•etc l.om the Parthenon - - Iwo
?)uric Columns and Architravi ... . 44o}
lonic ditto and ditto. ton
- ..
I nseriptions - - YU*
Ftrus.an Bas-Reliefs • - - - re
Vile, from Athens - - -. 4uo
Bronze Vase - - - .• • :sin j
Medals - - - - Sou
Drawings - - • ' 500

.-CCtvoo

Thr. valuation of Mr. Payne Knight. the author of a work on Taste,
Atc. is oily 25.(cu1. ic.eimtmg several articles l.ut above p.uticularised
but this di.faenec art.ses eisietly foot the Mlles-cum of (minion inragard
to the antiquity of the:it: ant icianum ins. Int :ad of beirk.s
ork of Pinstias, in the time of Perielcs, m 111,4411. AiT.
Knis;ht considem Mein wily as productions of the age of ilailrian, the
restore? of Athtna. -
Wethall module this article with the following train-may given in
their farms? oy Mr. Flaxman, an ingeniorsand learneilsenlptor, whose
work ; arc well kolati to the public s•—••• The Eigir ciarld:s are mostly
bassarelievo-, shad the finest works of me alt I have seen. Those in
the Pole's M.uscum, and the other Gallelies of Ital!ts were the Laosson
and the Apollo Belvidere; and the miler nimt cat brated woks ail-
•tquity were groups.. and statues. These differ in the respect that tl•ey
::11.5.11Q-MlICIO; and fragments of statuary. respect to
their exe.hence they are the eat excellent of tht:r kind that"! have
cans and 1 have every reason to believe they were executed by
avid those employed under him, or the general design of them
even by him at the tittle the temple was built: as we are informed, he
was theartist principally employ esl by Pericles, and his principal scholars
mentioned by Pliny. Aleamenes, and :Mont Mar others, immediately
ucder hisn ; to which he adds *catalogue of c:ecn or eight ethers who
followed in order, and he mentions their succeeding Eddies i t the
emus': of twenty years. 1 beheve they I/72 t! se works of those estists;
and in this respect thet axe supzrior almost. to any of the work: of an.
ti,mity,exeept the Lawson anti Torso Parnest, because they am known
to have btssn executed by the artists whose names arc recorded by the
ancient authors. With respect to the beauty. of the basso-relievos,
they are as perfect nature as it is possilde to put into the compass of the
marble M worth they are executed, and that of-the most elegant kind.
TM re i ; one statue alto which is called a Ili:miles, or Thesem,, of the
tirq ordtr merit. The flantenti of groaps of 'women arc finely ex.
scutxl; but I do not. in my Paul estii ation. think their merit. is so
great." Tht testimony of tae other atists examinel was nearly to the
saitsc purnose.