The Sun.
London, England, 1853-01-31 00:00:00

1 to the Tui entering, as before, by the gate of
I Flora's Pavilion, and proceeding to the Pavilion
d'Horloge, which was splendidly decorated-foi the
occasion.
The reception of the Empress was conducted pre-
cisely in accordance with the previous official pro-
gramme, and in a few minutes afterwards the Em-
peror appeared, leading her Majesty by the hand.
Attended as before by the great officers of state,
their Majesties entered their carriage, a signal was
given from the flag-staff on the palace to the park
of artillery, and the imperial procession started for
Notre Dame, amid the thunders of the cannon,
and the cheers of the people.
Although the entire line of route from the palace
to the cathedral was so strongly guarded, the double
line of military had heard service in keeping the
eager crowd within their prescribed limits. Every
window, nook, and corner commanding any kind
of view was crammed with spectators, who greeted
the imperial bride and bride7room with repeated
" Vivas" and waving of handkerchiefs, which were
acknowledged gracefully by her Majesty, and gra-
ciously by the Emperor. Yet the impulse appeared
to be mainly that of gallantry overcoming the
habitual coldness and indifference which mark the
reception of the Emperor by the Parisians when-
ever he appears among them on ordinary occasions.
Now and then a hearty cheer might be heard along
reception
Pelletier,ocduaye
cathedral,
troNtfohßo auhefits
the
i,teel hoo:
therni,
ovi throne.
From nrl
uaaet
the line, and the Emperor frequently bowed very
affably, seemingly well satisfied with the popular
fl
dor
wFsvrator
di
11. m
Germain,e
through
h et
hPI aQc etu
aßhdeuyueet‘h:nricortegeeried the bridge
fbeotri
thenced
geollw
following
Fos-
sesnt
ee moved
tNhoet Notre
great D ame
doorto tohfe
theQu a
order :

Band of the 7th Regiment of Lancers.
Squadron of the National Guard (mounted).
The State Major-General of the National Guard.
Other Squadrons of the National Guard (mounted).
Squadron of the 7th Lancers.
General Korte, in place of Marshal 3lagnan, Commander-
in-chief, whose post was appointed for the lef o the
Imperial Carriage.
Major-General of the Army of Paris, with the
First Arrilzu,lt,Division. >
District Officers on Horseback.

Tl General commanding the Division of the Seine.
Band of the Military School.
The 7th Regiment of Lancers.
Band of the 12th Dragoons.
General Partouneaux, commanding the First Brigade of
Cavalry.
Three Squadrons of the 12th Dragoons.
Carriages containing the Civil and Military Officers of
the Imperial Establishment.
Squadron of the 12th Dragoons.
Carriages of the Imperial Ministry.
Other Carriages, containing respectively
Ladies of the Princesses, and Officers of the Princes ;
Chief Personages in the Household of the Princess
Mathilde.
Ladies of the Empress's Palace.
The Grand Master and First Chamberlain of the
Empress.
Squadron of the new Company of Guides.

The appearance of this new company was very brilliant.)
Carriage and six, occupied by the Chief Officers of the
Emperor's Household.
The Princess Mathilde, in a Carriage and Six.
Prince Jerome and Prince Napoleon, in a Carriage
and Six.

General Officers, not in command of the day,
The Grand State Carriage,
. ._ _

drawn by eight beautifully-caparisoned horses,
and containing
THEIR MAJESTIES
THE EMPEROR AND EMPRESS
,iirrouncled by the Imperial Aides-de-Camp and Chief
Ordnance Officers.
A Squadron of the new Company of Guides.
Band and Squadron of the 6th Regiment of Cuirassiers,
The Ist and 2d Regiments of Carainiers, commanded
- .

by Brigadier-General Feray.,
The procession was closed by the Gendarmerie of the
Seine, and a Squadron of the Mounted Horse-Guards of
Paris.

The distinguished guests who had been invited
entered the cathedral at the side doors, many as
early as nine o'clock this morning ; the grand cen-

tral entrance was reserved exclusively- for their
Majesties and the Corps Diplomatique, the latter
of whom arrived in a body, and with a grand mili-
tary escort.

The foreign Ambassadors and Ministers, and all
the public functionaries of distinction, were con-
ducted to seats which had been specially reserved
for them. The tout ensemble now became strikingly
gorgeous. The splendid attire of the ladies, and
the rich uniforms of all services, together with a
brilliant array of foreign civilians of note, and many
officers of the English army, gave to the scene a
magnificence that can only be realised by the pri-
vileged spectator. _ _

So much is the way of discussion has already
been given that it is hardly necessary to say more.
All eyes in the streets were kept for the carriage in
which were seated the Emperor and Empress. It
was the same crimson painted and richly gilded
_glass coach used by Charles X. On state occasions,
and drawn by eight horses covered with drapery, -
and with white plumes on their heads, presenting
a showy appearance, which greatly pleased the be-
holders. As usual, squadrons of guides, carbineers,
and cuirassiers brought up the procession. The
line of march lay through the new Paris created at
the bidding of the Emperor, and of which he is so
proud as his own work.
The members of the constituted bodies and the
functionaries wore their official costumes, and the
ladies high dresses, such as would be worn by ladies
of fashion at morning concerts, or other meetings
of that description, and bonnets. The gentlemen
were, as a matter of course, in full dress. The
fittings-up of the Cathedral for the occasion were
of the most splendid description, and were all exe-
cuted in a manner for which the French are so
noted. The looms of Lyons, Beauvais, and Amiens
have been put into requisition for the occasion, and
as pieces of velvet, silk, and other articles were
turned out, they were dispatched to the
entrepreneur in Paris. The ermine alone
used for lining the draperies is more than
1,300 yards in length, by three yards in width.
The canopy of the altar and the drapery which
surrounds it are of blue velvet ; the curtains are of
crimson, lined with ermine, and fringed with gold.
The two Imperial prie-Dieu are covered with er-
mine, and the steps of the altar with crimson
velvet. The choir is hung with gold brocade as
high as the second gallery. Between the columns
of the nave are placed draperies of crimson velvet,
lined with ermine, and bordered with gold, repre-
senting laurel and olive le,aves intertwined.
On this drapery were placed escutcheons
with the Imperal arms richly painted on them.
The pillars which support the gallery were sur-
rounded with garlands of flowers. Over the first
gallery were suspended draperies of the Imperial
colour, covered with gold bees, and lined with
ermine, and on these draperies were crowns bear-
ing the initials of their Majesties, and the arms
of the principal towns and cities of France, sur-
rounded by garlands of flowers and foliage. The
fwu
ihoolnd
eofetohotelyemhbur,
ohnmdewntshe were eallre
the
ethcoemmpoosritytaswetere-
assembled the coup d'ceil was such as. words cannot
The wholeTh edifice
.was lighted
There were eight tiers of
of daylight rather marred the effect. From the
chandeliersadequately
countless
aboveddescribe.
cshcdetehl ie
errh raltar,s but the free admission
roof hung the banners of all the chief towns of
France. It was all very gorgeous, but wanting in
the dim religious light so suited to a Gothic cathe-
dral. As, however, the company became seated,
composed of senators, ministers, and marshals in
their rich costumes, with foreign ambassadors, and
the different public bodies, there was, owing to
the preponderance of costumes of all kinds a
general massiveness of effect quite unique in its
way. It was some relief from all this heavy splen-
dour when the ladies of honour were seen to move
up in all sorts of light-looking pretty dresses, in a
free derge manner; and then, after Prince Jerome,
his son, the Princess Mathilde, and other distin-
guished personages had taken their places, the
Archbishop, assisted by cardinals, bishops, and
clergy, moved up in procession to the altar,
leading the way for the Emperor and Empress,
while the orchestra, composed of 500 musicians,
thundered the Grand March of Schneitzholffer The
Emperor was dressed in the nniform of a general
officer, wearing even the large boots coming above
the knees, while the collar and cross of the Legion
of Honour were the same worn by his uncle, Napo-
leon 1., at his coronation. It must, however, be
confessed that the Empress attracted most atten-
tion, and the impression made by her Majesty was
highly favourable. She is a remarkably fine-look-
ing woman, tall and perfectly well made. Her face
could hardly be judged of to-day, for she was, to
use a simile generally employed, as white as snow ;
at the same time her nervousness was so natura
l
under the circumstances, as to have served heroin
the opinion of the watchful multitude. All
amiably disposed to accord the
peared pleased with the Empress,
and
strangerlooked the
protection she seemed by her
fairner
to implore.
Her Majesty wore a
dress of
dre was
wTinevelvpteatricula
velvet, covered
all over with lace. The head
Particularly
lodrngess veil. The
in blue The
admired, composed of a diadem of diamonds and
pearls, with orange flowerso andr
was
a
th
Countess Montijo, her m
velvet, with white lace ; white bonnet and feathers
tipped with gold.
On the announcement of the Emperor's approach
the Archbishop of Paris, attended by his clergy/
proceeded to the grand entrance of the cathedral to
receive their Majesties. The great doors suddenly
opened, and the Emperor, apparently in the best of
health and spirits, conducted her Majesty to her •
seat on the throne near the altar ; and it was re-