The Sun.
London, England, 1838-09-12 00:00:00

11/LAN, SEPT. 1.--The final preparation for the imposing
ceremony of the eagerly-expected day was begun at 2 o'clock
this morning. Long before daylight the clattering of horses'
hoofs, the rolling of carriages, and the hurried tread and lively
hum of crowds of people in the streets, gave note of the impa-
tient curiosity and interest with which the grand spectacle of
the day was looked forward to. The fine road from Milan to
Loreto, which is bounded on each side by a row of noble trees,
and by two streams of clear water, running through deep stone
channels, was decorated for a very considerable distance from
the city gate by lofty square wooden pedestals, painted to imi-
tate marble, and about 20 feet distant from each other. On
these pedestals were placed gigantic but tastefully shaped urns
or vases, containing an infinite variety of the rarest and most
beautiful flowers and luxuriant plants, both native and exotic.
Under and behind the trees on each side, for nearly half a
league, was erected a series of sheds with rows of seats rising
one above another, for the accommodation of spectators.
These were all partly covered and festooned with bright-
coloured stuffs of various materials, and when filled with well-
dressed people, :be greater number females, amongst which
there was no lack of bright eyes and comely looks, the coup
d'eeil of the road, with all its other accessaries of overshadow-
ing trees, sparkling streams, pedestals, and vases of flowers,
terminated at one end by the Porta Orientale, which is flanked
by two doganos or toll-houses, in a very tasteful architectural
style, ornamented with statues, sculptured friezes, &c., was of
the most pleasing and effective kind.
At the Porto Orientale, where the ceremony of offering the
keys of the city to the Emperor was to take place, the decora-
tions were on a very magnificent scale. The highly orna-
mented toll-houses at each side of the gate were connected
by an immense awning of crimson coloured silk, with the Im-
perial arms painted in gold, which was supported on each side
by six gilded and colossal figures of winged genii, and drawn
across the road from the parapet of one roof to the other.
This awning was rendered still more gorgeous by a deep va.
lance along its breadth, on both sides covered with arabesques
embroidered in gold, and terminated by a rich golden fring-
ing. The intercolumniations of the two doganos were dra-
peried with ample folds of crimson velvet drawn up with thick
gold cords, and ornamented with huge tassels of the same
material. •
The two lines of extensive palaces, all rich in architectu-
ral beauty, many of them exhibiting exquisitely sculptured
friezes, medallions, or statues, in niches, or along the parapets
of the roofs, the less ambitious, but yet elegant mansions of
the wealthy bourgeoisie, and the still less pretending, but yet
tastefully constructed houses of the trading classes--all these
offered for the space of a mile and a half, on both sides of the
street, such an infinite variety of decoration in the way of
tapestry and hangings from the balconies and windows, as
sets all attempts at a detailed or accurate
description at de-
fiance. We can only enumerate the materials, and leave it to
the imagination of our readers to decorate with them every
window and balcony, from the first story to the attic of every
palace, mansion, and house on both sides of a street a mile
and a half long. The materials were immense tapestry hang-
ings, exhibiting beautiful copies of the first-rate works of
some of the great painters; rich velvets of every variety of
colour, many of them elaborately embroidered an deeply
fringed with gold and silver ; ample and dazzling folds of gold
and silver brocade ; damasked and flowered silks of every hue
in the rainbow, and of the most varied elegance of texture
and design. These were interspersed with the beautifully
spotted skins of tigers, panthers, and leopards. When the
reader shall have draperied with the above materials all the
palaces and houses along the whole extent of the Corse, let
him imagine all the balconies and windows so richly and taste-
fully ornamented, filled with females, the nobler and wealthier
in full dress, and the rest in their best holiday suits, and all
wearing their brightest looks ; and if he adds to this the very
interesting and animating scene produced in the street by the
many-coloured uniforms and glittering arms of the various
troops, cavalry and infantry, and kept the line of the proces-
sion, the splendid uniforms of the officers, the crowds of well-
dressed persons of both sexes, and the innumerable throng
of the working classes, all decently dressed, and exhibiting in
their looks the utmost good humour, and a keen sense of the
wondrous and imposing beauty of the spectacle, which was
rendered as effective as it was possible to be by the extreme
fineness of the day, the sun shining with the brightest splen-
dour from out a cloudless deep blue sky, and throt gh
crystal clearness of atmosphere, that enabled every object
to be seen in its finest and most accurate outline—if, I re-
peat, the reader will imagine all this, :he will have sonic,
though still an inadequate idea of the enchanting and cheer-
ing sight that met the eyes of the Emperor Ferdinand I. on
his entrance into the city of Milan.
One of the adjuncts that tended not a little to give an air
offete to the solemnity was that of all the troops, infantry and
cavalry, officers and men, wearing a branch of oak-leaves in
their caps. In a few instances only I remarked a rather senti-
mental exception from this observance—as some soldiers who
had a sort of moody melancholy, or Cupid-stricken look about
them, had exchanged the civic oak-branch for the lover's
myrtle, a sprig of which they had stuck in their shakos.
At eleven o'clock the roar of artillery announced the arrival
of the head of the procession at the Porta Orientale. The
carriages containing the various councillors, aulic, privy, and
municipal, minor funct'onaries of the Court and Household,
delegates, members of deputations, congregations, &c., could
not hare been in number less than between 400 and .500, each
drawn by two horses, and having a footman with his hat off
walking alongside both doors. After these came long files of
Grooms of the Court and of the Chamber, running footmen,
&c., in rich liveries. Next appeared the heralds of the city of
Milan, each walking " alone," and, as it may be said, " with
all his glory," for they were literally bending under the
weight of their gorgeous but rather unwieldy habiliments.
The Imperial Heralds, to the number of twenty, were not so
encumbered with heavy finery, and presented a much more
elegant and interesting appearance. Thry were mounted on
handsome and richly caparisoned horses, and wore fancifully-
shaped vests and tunics of various coloured silks and bro-
cades. The splendour of their appearance was completed
by the glittering and heraldic tabards, bearing in gorgeous
embroidery of gold and precious stones the imperial arms,
which depended from their shoulders, and by the massive
and highly wrought silver batons of office which they car-
ried in their right hands. Next to these in point of splen-
did effect upon the eye were the twelve led horses of the
Emperor. These noble animals, most of them of the most
perfect symmetry of form and beauty of colour, were led,
eachby two grooms in rich liveries. Their bridles and trap-
pings were heavy with gold embroidery, their manes adorned with cords and huge tassels of the same material ; the sad-
dles and housings of crimson velvet were elaborately orna-
mented with the same precious metal, whilst over the whole
was thrown a transparent covering of gold or silver brocade,
or gauze-like tissue of various coloured silks.
In the carriage immediately in front of the Archduke and
Viceroy Renier was Prince Metternich. The Archduke and
Viceroy, a man of mild and most benevolent expression of
countenance, was alone in his carriage, and acknowledged in
the most condescending manner the particular applauses and
greetings tendered him. Close after came the imperial state
carriage with its gilded and richly emblazoned panels, said to
have been painted by Rubens—its antique carvings, dome-
shaped roof surmounted by the imperial crown—its profuse,
massive, silver-gilt ornaments, which, together with the six
beautiful milk-white horses, and their harness, housings,
saddles, &c., covered with crimson velvet, but almost hid
from the sight by the lavish and gorgeous geld embroidery that
covered them, presented one of the most dazzling and imposing
objects in the way of artificial splendour that it is possible to sec.
In this glittering coach sat the Emperor Ferdinand 1., and his
Empress Caroline. His Majesty, who appeared to be rather
under than over the middle size, and of a serious if not melan-
choly cast of features, was dressed in the white uniform of the
Austrian line ; his head was uncovered ; and he, as well as
the Emperor, frequently acknowledged by bows the clapping
of hands and other testimonies of respect that greeted their
passage. The Empress, as far as it was possible to judge
from seeing her seated, appeared to be of a tall and com-
manding figure, with a high forehead and an intelligent but
seemingly somewhat stern expression of countenance. Her
Majesty was dressed in white satin, looped up and orna-
mented at the arms and about the bosom with a profusion of
pearls and diamonds; whilst on her head she wore a dazzling
tiara of the latter precious stones ; she also wore a white blond

In the state carriage next to that of the Emperor was the
widow of Napoleon, Maria Louisa. Her full form, ample
countenance, and careless if not contented expression, would
seem to indicate that the vicissitudes of life have passed over
her without leaving any deep traces or saddening recollections
behind. Some other state carriages that followed were filled
with the principal ladies of the household of the Empress, all
dressed in white and sparkling with diamonds.
On arriving at the grand portal of the Duomo their Majes-
ties were received by the Imperial Archdukes, the Archduke
Viceroy, the Archduchesses, and the Clergy. After having
received the holy water from the hands of the Cardinal Arch-
bishop, Count Gaisruch, their Majesties advanced to the kneel-
ing-desks prepared for them, close to the high altar, and under
a baldaquin or temporary canopy.
The order of the procession in the church was as follows :
The Priests, the two Governors, two Imperial and Royal
Grooms of the Chamber, the Grand Marshal, and the Grand
Esquire, the first Grand Major-Douro, Heralds with their be-
rets on, the Archdukes, followed by their Major-Domos.
After the Te Dunn had been chanted, their Majesties, pre-
ceded, accompanied, and followed by the Court cortege, the
Heralds of the city, the Podesta, the Deputations, the Mem-
bers of the Congregations, the Delegates, the Councillors of
the Government, the Aulie Councillor of the Government of
Milan, the two Governors, the Noblemen of the Court, thehe
Knights and Ladies of the Court, the Adjutant-General,
thet
Captains of the Body Guard, the Grand Functionariesi oferia
Court, the Heralds, and the Serene Members of the
Family, passed from the Duomo by a gallery
ct;1:1' tr
that purpose to the Palace. The progress of;
thkiretachments
into the Imperial apartments was etic.ortel.,74,-
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Guard. Their Majesties were reeeived-irk the Imperial apart-