The Sun.
London, England, 1852-09-21 00:00:00

PIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.
FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DAY.
'IM.ES.--This day a week will have passed since
'
- and lost the greatest of her sons, and as yet the
liz:ltest possible intimaion has been given of the
a. in which this country will perform her last debt
There is to be a public funeral, it ins an-
o,...aced, and, it is further reported, on a very grand
scale. The arrangements, however, are not yet defi-
nitively settled, and among those arrangements still
left in darkness are the place, whether Westminster
or St. Paul's—the attendance, whether it will profess
to include the two Houses of Parliament—the regi-
ments to assist, and of course the time, besides every
other detail. The only clue given us is a general re-
ference to the funeral of Nelson, and we have seen it
expressly, and almoss authoritatively, stated that the
precedent of that occasion is to be observed. The only
reason we can imagine why so extraordinary a promi
nence should be given to that precedent is that it hap-
pens to be the only precedent at all to the point since the
publication of the Annual Register. But, as the poet
tells us," Vizere fortes ante Agamemnon," there were
great Englishmen before the compilation of that very
convenient Annual,, and among them are the names of
Monk and Marlborough, both of them far more to
the point than Admiral Lard Nelson. All the world

naturally coin paree Marlborough and Wellington,
and all the wierld gives the palm to the latter. With
Monk the cennparison is not so obvious, though per-
haps more just, taking into allowance the peculiarity
of the circumstances under which Monk was called to
act, and the necessity be was under of acting a double
part. Wellington, more fortunate than either, has
never bad to change his allegiance or to disguise his
loyalty. But these three men were the most renowned
and most meritorious subjects of the British Crown—
Monk in the 17th century, Marlborough in the 18-h,
and Wellington in the 19th. This is the series. The
two former are the precedents to be folllowed in
the present instance, and England will show her-
self very degenerate if she does not bear
Wellington to the tomb with as much solemn
pomp and expressive circumstance as marked the
obsequies of Monk and Marlborough. The Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer, who will, we presume, have
some voice in the matter, speaks in a recent biography
with pathetic regret of the age of stately manners,
now almost gone by. We can assure him that on a
just and adequite occasion, such as the present, 'he
people of England are prepared for quite as much
state as ever. They are resolved to honour the men
with whom they have been accustomed to identify the
fortunes and character of this country, and whom
they regard as the providential agent for securing to
England and the world the longest term of prosperity,
order, axed peace that they have ever enjoyed. It is
time to speak with emphasis and precision on the sub-
ject, because we have heard some ridiculous rumours,
whicb. may or may not have an atom of foundation,
but which, in the absence of authentic announce-
Ineiats, we can only disbelieve. We have heard it said
tb at the Duke cannot be buried in St. Paul's because
t'nere is no place near St. Paul's where the artillery
can fire a salute, and that there are not troops enough
within call to keep the line from Apsley House to St.
Paul's, besides those who will join the procession.
is also whispered that the Guards attend none but
Royal funerals. The only word we can find for
these objections is that expressive monosyllable with
which Mr. Burchell, in the " Vicar of Wakefield,"
describes the conversation of the fine London ladies,
46 I, is all fudge." There are plenty of places near
St. Paul's where any number of nine-pounders could
be discharged with no more damage than blowing out
a few panes of glass already on the go, and making
a little work he the glaziers. If the Tower is too
far, Smithfielta is but a quarter of a mile off. Bank-
aide, on the south bank of the river, opposite St.
Paul's, is nrat 700 yards off. But terra firma is not in-
dispensable, and the cannon could be fired from hulks
or dockyrod lighters moored in the middle of the
stream. Waterloo-bridge itself, the position and
great elevation of which would make up for its
greater distance than the other localities mentioned,
might with great propriety be converted into a bat-
tery far the occasion. St. Paul's, beyond all doubt,
is the right resting place for the great Duke. Whether
by the side of Nelson, where there happens to be
ample space, or in some distincter site, he should be
laid,. within our grandest temple, and where there
will be room for a suitable monument. Westminster
Abbey is now so crowded with statues of all sorts,
styles, ages, and sizes, that order and propriety have
become as impossible as in an old curiosity shop in
Wardour-street, or a statuary's yard in the New-
road. We trust that we shall never see the Duke's
last monument swamped in that motley marble
throng. St. Paul's is our Pantheon, our Valhalla,
'our Chapel of the Invalides ; and when strangers ask
for the tomb of Wellington, we shall have in St.
Paul's an edifice, the state of which, if it be nut all
that could be desired, will at least not promote a
smile. We shall never be able to say as much for
Westminster till it is cleared of its surplus marble po-
pulation. The alleged want of troops sufficient for so
lengthened a procession, if there be a particle of truth
in it, throws rather a serious light on the question of
national defences. Is it possible that with our nu-
merous railways we cannot concentrate in the metro-
polis, DO six weeks notice—for the funeral need not
be ellier—enough men to keep Piccadilly, the Strand,
and from Temple-bar to St. Paul's, and give a miii-
tai y aspect to a funeral procession ? Undoubtedly
t'aere are enough in the country. The lines of Torres
Vedras extended, if we remember, eighteen miles, and
the Duke kept them against 60,000 men. From
Apsley-house to the west part of Sr. Paul's is not
more than two miles and a half. And now for the
Guards. 'There is about as much truth or sense in the
notion of the Gaerds never assisting except at a Royal
funeral as in the celebrae-el speech, " The Tenth never
dance." Tile Guards performed the principal part in
the funerals both of Moak and of Marlborough, as our
readers may see for themselves in the accounts which
we have extracted from the cotemporary journals.
the
tformer occasion the streets from S merset-
house— Westtniester Abbey were lined by " the
anded Blue liegiments of the Train Bends of Mid-
dlesex," the oraginala of the Horse Guards red and
blue
now existing. At the head of the procession
marched " his Royal Highness the Duke of York's
Troop of Guards." " His Majesties Troop ct
Guards marched next after them, commanded by his
Gre.ce the Duke of Monmouth ;" the word " troop,"
in both these cases, being equivalent to the " regi-
rteent" of our days. '• In the next place marched
"his Majesties regiment of Foot Guards commanded
by the Right Honourable Colonel Sohn Russell."
Then came the " Proceeding,„ in which, apparently
occupying a post of honour, occurs "Ensign John
Churchill," one day to be borne to the grave in similar
state. "And after them, next to the Proceecie,g,,
the regiment of Colestreams (which took this piece
by his Majesty's command, as having been the
General's own regiment)." Then came the funeral
car, the mourners and their attendants. Next
after the horse of honour or state, her Mjes.
ties troop of Guards closed the roar of the Pro-
ceeding, which had this place by particular order, as
having been his Grace the defunct's own troop of
Guards." And are we to be told, after this, that his
Grace's own regiment, the Grenadier Guards, is not
only to be denied this precedence, but is to take no
Part at all in the funeral ? The idea is so utterly
preposterous that we are ashamed to mention it, and
We are quite sure that if every man of the Guards,
horse and foot, red and blue, is not at his post at the
funeral of England's greatest man, it will go very
bard with that branch of the service for the future.
The Public feeling will not be satisfied unless every
acrv.ice, every officer of State, every great institution
of the, realm, every relic of ancient chivalry, takes its
dos place and share in this national act. Such an
occasion
the thought that it may be the last. Whether
hope that Ento such dangers, or gland
may never again be exposed
or fear that she may not find
among her
equally doubt the-c.
powerful a champion, we may
Wrecurrence of so grand an occagen. e are often
told' Indeed, that the days of pageantry
are gone hy.
glehe nQctan that he said when th-re is
name,
not a s
in tin
ptionaofher.ald, net a form", not a
e
descri
funeral of the Duke of " Proceeding al: the
marle which does not
still survive ? We have only
alludedt to the ceremo-
nial at the funeral of the Duke o
'M arl borough. It
wag on the precedent we hive
described. Though
conducted at the expense of the
rcaenifi ant Dachas,
neat did not prevent the attendance ofc the Guatiched",
of
Horser sf.
The " order ' begins thus :—" Detachment
Grenadiers. The two troops (ie ca regi,„er
Grenadier Guards. The four troops of Ron, '')
e Guards
according to their priority. The Coldstream regiment
of Foot Guards. A train of artillery," &c. The order
ends, " A- hundred Horse Guards to close the pro. ;
cession;' As the procession had to start from
Marlborough House, the direct way thence to West.
mioster Abbey would not have left room for it; so it
entered St. James's-park through asap in the garden
y
:11,7 Went up Constitution-hill to Hyde-park-corner,
through Piccadilly down St. Antes's-greet, and,
pas,ing the f through
Pall-mall, Charing-cross,rt)ntof Marlborough-house,
minster Abbey.T • and Sin street to West•
the proper his circuit, found necessary for
be less than the s%development of the procession, could not
Paul's. It is needlaeusesehfrom Apsley House to St.
will be done or .decided ‘ivever, to say that nothing
cannot take place, as we latear4e hurry. . The funeral
and though a ceremonial of
or five or six weeks ;
banging over so long is not without
melancholy sort
l out inconvenience,
we would rather submit tothe deay than that a great
discharged.
notional duty should be inadequately
CHRONICLE.—It is onlythecr,
'nature that impels mankind in ail time
nnnon dictate of
s to honour
departed
worth with funeral ceremonies. We are not
fident enonghatgoesreason against
Philosophicl
or self-confident
••• . consent of all religions,
,aviiization. It is easy to discourse o'n
ness and the
atnhde Udeeglrpeaeas
e unpractical nature of public
10 denions
treta how unprofitable funeral.
to the
living are