The Sun.
London, England, 1840-02-10 00:00:00

TIIE SUN, LONDON, Nroxruy, FEBRUARY 10, 1840.

A nit lA, E

QUEEN VICTORIA
10TH FEBRUARY, 1840.

Quo° FAIISTUM FELIX QUE SIT.

As soon as the light broke on the morning of this auspicious
day, the metropolis presented in every district all the ellarac-
teri.aies that mark the opening of a universal and joyous holt-
&ay. Crowds were hastening from all parts in the direction of
the Royal Palaces; and audible prayers for a " fine day"
were uttered with childish fervour by the most aged and the
gravest amongst them. Flags waved from lines suspended across
the, streets, or fluttered against the staffs erected for the occasion
on the roofs of the most prominent houses, as well as on every
tower and spire. In several places in Lambeth, Southwark, the
Tower hamlets, and the City Road, mimic masts were set
up, having their stays decorated., after the manner of ships in
gala dress, with the flags of all nations prettily intermingled
with " True Lovers' knots," and festoons of white roses.
Several ships upon the river wire decorated in the same novel
and appropriate style.
In St. James's Park, the area in front of Buckingham
Palace, and the avenue leading from thence to the garden
entrance of St. James's was densely thronged before eight
o'clock, rnd the rain which fell after that time caused no sen-
sible diminution of the crowds, fen- as far as the en-
deavour of one body of the. eager visitors gave way their
places were filled by the fresh numbers which were every
minute arriving. At
BUCKINGTIAM 'PALACE.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, and the twelve
Bridesmaids were in attendance upon her Majesty at an early
hour. The Princess Sophia Matilda of Gloucester, the Duchess
of Cambridge, the Princess Ma ey, and the Princess Augusta
of Cambridge, the Duchess of 'Cloue;ster' and the Princess Au-
gusta also arrived early at the Palace, and were admitted to her
Majesty's private apartments.
The Ladies ©f the Bedchat nber, the Maids of Honour, the
Pages, Equerries, and the pr4.neipal Officers of State, took their
places according to their rank, in the suites of rooms and galleries
leading from the Queen's atartments to the grand hall.
ST. J..A'NLES'S PARK,
From Palace to Palace, was the scene of some merriment,
when the cessation of the rain, about 11 o'clock, allowed the
vast assemblage of people to avail themselves of the arrange-
ments which the police had made, and steadily preserved the
whole morning, to give every one a fair chance of enjoying the
sight. for the sak of which not a little fatigue and inconve-
nience had been undergone. The speculations in chairs, tables,
counters, benches, and the other elements ofportable platforms,
were not allowed to obstresat with their lumber, any part of
the space between the triumphal arch of Buckingham Palace
and the Royal Gardens' Gate, in the Mall. But several adven-
turous Irish, wishing to evade the vigilance of the police, slily
dropped their benches and chairs over the railing of the Green
Park, within which they had been permitted place them, and on
having set up business within the forbidden space, some found
customers, who however were as rapidly displaced by the police,
to the great entertainment of the people to wham the obstruc-
tion was a very vexatious annoyance. All could not be accom-
modated with platforms to stand upon, and if such erections
had been permitted, every person who was so fortunate as to
get a place upon them would interrupt the sight of at least fifty
others who could not be _equally accommodated. Groups of
men and bays climbed the trees which line the avenue in the
Mall. Many of them were displaced by the breaking
of the branches of the aged elms on which they sat.
These were saved from much hurt, by coming upon the heads
and shoulders of the dense crowd below. The others were re •-
suaded to descend in a less experimental manner ; gentle hin s
from the bayonets of the Grenadier Guards, who were in du y
on that spot, and who seemed to toil enough to reach •he m )st
daring of the acrobats. The comparative fineness of the noon,
and the happy associations of the day, diffused a gen(ral feeling
of gaiety and good-humour throughout the immense multitude,
and, at twelve o'clock, when the

ROYAL BRIDE'S PROCESSION
began to move through the triumphal arch, a shout of cordia
and affectionate greeting rent the air. The cheers of the men
and the women's fond and audible aspirations of sympathy con-
tinued, until the royal salute of 21 guns announced that THE
QUEEN was entering- her carriage. A respectful (and :t must
be said) an affecting silence ensued, for which we can well ac-
count in the deep and affectionate sympathies of her
assembled subjects. But when she appeared amongst them
beyond the precincts of the Palace. she was hailed
with acclamations of love and loyalty, which seemed to affect
her so much that tears might better express the intensity of
her feelings than even the winning smiles she wore as she re-
pressed her emotions. The cries of " Gon Btass TIER !"
which burst upon her ear from every side, evidently affected
her. It is, perhaps, little worthy of remark, that in this most
touching scene of happiness and joy, as in Barry's picture of
Elysium, there was a small corner occupied by the malignant,
from whom a faint cry of tortured envy was indistinctly heard.
The Dukes of Cambridge and Sussex, and the Duchess of
Kent and Lord Melbourne were recognised, and were parti-
cularly cheered.
The procession pass-d on to the Garden Entrance of-
ST. JAMES'S PALACE,
fly which her Majesty proceeded, up the Grand Stair-ease, to
the Queen's Closet or Privy Council Chamber, immediately
behind the Throne-room, where she remained till the order of
the Procession was arranged in front of the Throne, of which
her Majesty received notice from the Lord Chamberlain.
This occupied nearly half an hour, during which the cheering
continued on the outside of the Palace with unabated vehemence.
Prince Albert's portion of the procession moved first, pre-
ceded by the Lord and Deputy Chamberlain, who • conducted
his Royal Highness to the Chapel, where he remained on the
right hand side, or left of the altar. The Lord Chamberlain
and Deputy Chamberlain then returned to her Majesty, and
having taken their prescribed positions, her Majesty's proces.•
lion advanced—preceded by music, and guided by the officers
of the Earl Marshal.
The procession passed through the following apartments, in
each of which
_Ate snys ziels ana
concerved.'—''lr" was - remarked that the
deportment of her Majesty united in a singular and striking
manner the dignity and self-passession that became her cha-
racter and station, and a graceful modesty which would adorn
the humblest of the thousand brides who this day pledge their
vows at the same hour throughout her dominions.
The route of the procession was through
THE THRONE-ROOM, on. PRINCIPAL DRAWING-
ROOM.
Here the members of the Royal Family, the Great Officers
of State, and such other persons as accompanied her Majesty to
the Chapel, assembled, and took their places in the order pre-
scribed in the programme of the ceremonial prepared by the
Earl Marshal.

THE ANTE THRONE-ROOM.
The procession of the Bridegroom, Prince-Albert here as-
sembled, and were duly placed by the officers of the Earl
Marshal. The folding-doors between these rooms were kept
closed till all was in readiness.

forms the last of the suite of rooms fronting St.
QUEEN ANNE'S DRAWING-ROOM,
JamesWl tieh
,s
Park.
In this seam, through which the procession
first moved, raised amphitheatrical seats had been erected,
which were covered with crimson cloth, and which were con-
structed in a semi-circular form, extending from the folding.
doors of the Ante Throne-room to the door of
THE GUARD CHAMBER,
On the left of which a succession of seats, with rail in front,
also covered with crimson cloth, had likewise been erected.
Through this chamber, which was hung with ancient tapestry,
the Procession passed to
THE ARMOURY,
Where seats for spectators were also provided ; and thence to
THE GRAND STAIRCASE,
In front of which, and on the side, seats again met the eye; so
that, throughout the interior ot the Palace, euery spot from
spectacle could be. commanded
ha ilfor the redeptiOn ot such persons
to obtain tickets from the Lord
aswere
Chambewhencerlain beenfortunatet
assiduously
ao f h
ntit,heaens
enough
all
lagl
devotedtpersons were in full dress, the scene
was at once brilliant and imposing. Down the Great Stair-
ease advanced to the ancient entrance of the State Apartments,
and so into

TIIE C.)LONNADE IN THE COLOUR
QUADRANGLE,
leading to the Chapel. Here an ieclosure had been constructed,
extending into the Court-yard, which was covered over, and
fitted up with seath seats one above another, capable of receiv-
ing about 360 persons. These seats were lined with crimson
cloth, and the whole of the Colonnade was plain stone colour,
in accordance with the interior of the building. The original
intention of performing the service in the evening was
abandoned, three extensive lanterns, or sky-lights, were
introduced into the roof of the Colonnade, and a large
windows were opened in the back of the inelosure, so that ths
broad glare of day were freely admitted, and fully displayed the
splendour of the passing scene. The old flagged way of the
Colonnade has been taken up, and the earth removed, so as to
reduce the surface to a perfect level with the vestibule of the
Palace and the floor of the Chapel.
Tile gorgeous effect of the procession in passing through this
splendid l anise of apartments, crowded with beauty and fashion,
surpassed anything we ever saw.
About 2,100 tickets were issued, and notwithstanding' the im-
partiality of th,i Lord Chamberlain, it may be supposed that he
did not succeed in satisfying all 10 applied-me them. - -
At half-past nine, when we entered the chapel, there were
comparatively few seats occupied in the gallery, andmorm in the
pews below. Among the earliest arrivals were the Duke of
Leeds, Lord Monteagle' Sir William Somerville, M.P., who
seconded the Address to her Majesty in the House of Commons,
and Lady Seymour, looking still a t' Queen of Beauty," in a
magnificent robe of imperial purple velvet.
Lord Adolphus Fitzelarenee was in the west gallery, on the
left of Lady Seymour ; next to him was Lord ,Seymour. In
the east gallery we observed the Vice-Chancellor and Lady
Langdale,. Sir Nicholas Tyndall, the Attorney-General and
Lady Stretheden, Mr. E. J. Stanley', M.P., Lady Mary Fox,
Lord and Lady Denman, SirWillought4Gordon, the Marquis of
Northampton, the Countess of Cowper (Lady Paltnerston),
Mr. Edward Ellice.
In the Ambassadors' Gallery, facing the altar, among
the first arrivals were the American Minister and Mrs.
Mrs. Van de Weyer, Count and Countess
Stevenson, the Turkish Ambassador, the Princess Ester-
Ihlajzoyr;stAjeitr.n. all a,
I:de Swedieh Ambassador, the Russian Ambassador,
Count Sebastiani; a number of others arrived in rapid
succession, and the
.south gallery soon presented a very
display
olayf of diamonds, stars, and decorations.
At n
the bands marching into the Palace-yard
l,
liaasgsteendnifitoche'cneltocchid oneapel window playing " Haste to the Wedding,"
and while a smile mantled on the faces of the ladies, the Arch-
aud
bishoprp
oceeded of Cantup eur most appropriately entered the chapel,
rb
to the altar.
At the extreme end of tike West Gallery we observed the
Right Honourable the Speaker of the House of Commons in
his state robes, the Afaeluis of Normanby, the Marchioness of
Lansdowne, Lord and Lady Carlisle, the Countess of Burling-
ton, Lord Morpeth, Lord J. Russell, Lady Clarendon, and Sir
J. H.:bhouse.
In the lower pew, on the right of the altar, were the Puke
of
fDe
..boulder,
rlee'wtihthe n"gnificent nuptial favours, depending from
either Deke of Bedford, the Duke of Sutherland,
and the -Ladies Sutherland, Marquis of Westminster, the
Duko of Wellington, who also wore long bows of white
satin ribabtetnn: his Waterloo medal, and carried his Field Mar-
shal's His Grace appearedto form an object of much
interest and curiosity to those assembled in the Chapel.
At half-I'4'l ten almost every seat in the East and West Gal-
leries was oC.:l4pied, and bitter were the complaints among the
lat.,: arrivals of being unable to see the anticipated brilliant
rapant in the ealle. .11,1 Countess of Durham and Lady