The Sun.
London, England, 1822-12-25 00:00:00

THE ROYAL FAMILY OF SPAIN.

A private letter from Madrid, dated Dec. 8,
gives the following account of the present ap-
pearance of the ROYAL FAMILY, in regard to
which we shall only observe, that the mixture of
loftiness, intelligence, and feebleness in the eyes
of FERDINAND, is a compound which we do not
clearly comprehend; but this by the way :
" Yesterday the King and the Royal Family took their
usual ride. On this occasion the infantry guards were drawn
up in the square before the Palace, and a body of horse guards,
to the number of five or six-and-twenty, were waiting also in
the square to escort, or rather guard the royal carriages. In
the passage there were two or three military men in undress,
and seven or eight old women, who were waiting.to present me-
morials to the King, though they can scarcely be ignorant that
the time for asking favours from the King of Spain is passed.
After waiting some time, the King and Queen descended the
staircase, attended by several officers of state, all in full dress ;
that is to say, in dark blue coats, turned up with crimson,
laced with gold, in the usual military fashion,white smallclothes,
and white silk stockings. Such was also the dress of the King,
in addition to which he wore a blue ribband over his left
shoulder, and a star on his breast. The Queen, a slight genteel
figure, appeared in a pink satin hat, very plain, and a blue silk
mantle, edged with ermine, which covered the remainder of her
dress. Her face has a mild beauty in it, which strongly inte-
rests a spectator. It looked on this occasion pale, and oppressed
with inward suffering. The face of the King is remarkable
for the vacancy—and, indeed, I must say, the deformity of its
expression. The chin and lower lip protrudes considerably
beyond the line of the upper features, and seems scarcely to
belong to them. The upper lip is enveloped in mustachios ;
and yet with these features, almost of the animal tribe, there
is a mixture of intelligence, loftiness, and feetileness in his eye,
which indicates a very peculiar character. Two of the Officers
of State placed themselves at each side of the carriage door,
offering their shoulders to the assistance of her Majesty, while
getting in. I observed that she merely took the hand of the
King, and got in, not without some effort, without availing
herself of the assistance proffered by the Officers of State. She
smiled not ; she scarcely looked around her, and addressed not
a syllable to any body. The King, who is a good portly
figure, before he followed the Queen, looked around like a
man who wished to give an impression that he was a free
agent, but who betrayed his real state of duress by a certain
awkwardness which he could not controul. He was as re-
served and silent as the Queen. There is only one step, which
is firmly fixed outside, beneath the door of. the carriage.
and this is so high that both their Majesties were obliged
to ascend to it by means of a footstool. The footstool was
then strapped behind, where it hung dangling as the carriage
drove off. But before it left the Palace, his Majesty put out
his hand from the window, and received the several. Petitions
which were presented to him. Don Carlos, the King's eldest
brother, and very like him, with the exception that his figure
is short, his wife and family, followed in the second coach,
equally reserved. Don Francisco and his Consort followed in
the third. He has a good face, but a short figure. The three
carriages rolled away without a cheer, or an expression of
any sort from the persons present. They were immediately
joined by three other state carriages, filled with the Officers of
the Household, and the whole cavalcade was attended by the
escort already noticed. The infantry received the King in a
respectful manner, the band playing, and the standard lowered
as he passed."