The Sun.
London, England, 1824-05-21 00:00:00

THE KING'S DRAWING-R.O,OAL

Yesterday his MAJESTY'S Drawing-room, which
has .been postponed several times fromunavoid,
able circumstances, to celebrate the KING'S birth-
day, took place at the K ing's Palace, St. James's.
It is the first Court that has been' held there for
upwards of ten years.
His Majesty proceeded frOm Canton Palace to St. james`s
Palac© on Wednesday afternoon, to inspect the several new
rooms, and the splendid renovations and preparations at the
Palace, preparatory to the Drawing-room. Every arrangement
was made for his Majesty's reception. The several rooms were
elearod of all workmen. Mr. Mash, of tile Lord Chamberlain's-
Office, and other officers, with some pfivliterriends of the King,
only were present. His Majesty remained at the palace, and
slept there, The crowds who assembled about Canton Palace
yesteraq morning, in the hope of seeing the Xing quit It for
St. James's Palace, were of course disappointed.
. As early as eleven o'clock, yesterday, crowds, were assem-
bled about St. James's PalaCe, to witness the company. Soon
afterwards, the civil add military authorities appeared on the
ground. Mr. Lee,. the High Constable of Westminster, with
his posse of constables, was on the ground, to guard the ways
as heretofore, and pursuant to orders issued on Wednesday;
but soon afterwards Sir Richard Birnie, with several
other Magistrates,, aided mainly by the Bow-street, officers
and the Bow-street dismounted patrole, arrived ; and Sir
Richard Birnie having received special orders from Mr.
Peer, . Secretary of State for the Home Department, for
such purpose, took the whole and sole command, enforcing new
and strict regulations. These were so strict that the populace,
at no point, were suffered to approach the Palace, so that the
carriage-ways and foot-paths were kept clear. Nor were any
strangers, or any persons with tickets, as used to be the case
heretofore, admitted to the staircases, ante-rooms, &c. ; official
characters were rigidly precluded from admitting friends as
spectators. By these means all the rooms and. approaches were
kept clear till the Court company were admitted into them at
one o'clock. These new regulations (which, however, were
much wanted) created many disappointments, as most of the
officers and persons in attendance used to be considered as pri-
vileged to introduce at least one lady. Such was the desire of
persons to be present at this drawing room, even, as spectators,
that we know of several instances where applications were made
-to get the benefit of the above supposed privileges of admission,
offering 30/. and 40/. each person. Others offered large sums
to assume for the day the dress of those who were to be in wait-
ing and attendance; but all these efforts were useless—indeed,
the precautions taken, and the new regulations adopted, would
have defeated them.

The new rooms are both commodious and lofty,, and decorated
in the most costly style, with maroon-coloured satined tapestry,
gilt mouldings, richly-decorated ceiling, &c. The sides of the
rooms are also ornamented with many fine paintings, full-length
portraits of portions of the Royal Family, &c. The rooms are
carpetted, but there is no other furniture in them, except in the
throne room. The throne consists of a brilliant canopy, finished
in the style of that in the House of Lords. The rooms justly
excited great admiration. The staircase also justly attracted
much attention. The banisters are richly wrought iron, and
are gilt. The staircase is a good width ; the steps are wide,
and consist of polished oak.
The drive in the Park was not kept quite so select as was at
first intended ; many carriages entered by the Horse Guards as
well as by Constitution Hill ;—amongst those were the Arch-
bishop of Canterbury and daughters, the Hon. P. Robinson,
Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Lord Melville, with their
Ladies, the French Ambassador, &c. .Several Royal carriages
passed Carlton Palace to St. James's Palace, about one
o'clock, with Pages of the Chamber, Col. Palmer, M.P. &c.
The King, who remained at St. James's Palace on Wednes-
day night, slept in the new suite of rooms prepared and 'finished
for ois Majesty's personal accommodation, beyond the Throne
Room, which is the last of the new and public rooms. Those.
private rooms are decorated in the style and splendour of the
otherthe
T andhro Throne
moren o publicoms o thatroo bsmsi They communicate directly with
Majesty had not to f
ess through
all the rooms as heretofore, preparatory to opening t te Drawing-
room ; he came from his private apartments, and entered the
Throne Room shortly before two o'clock. The apartments
were opened for the reception of the Court company, at one
o'clock. The King was attended by persons connected with
the Lord Chamberlain's de
sioners, the Yeomen, &c. partinciit, 'the Gentlemen Pen-
His Majesty, we have great pleasure in stating, looked un-
commonly well, appeared in excellent spirits and walked with
a firmness that evinced no remains of recent indisposi:ion. Ile
took his station under the splendid canopy, which constitutes
the Throne; and arduous asis the ceremony of having to re-
main so many hours without any seat, and of attending to so
many presentations Ladies in particular, his Majesty re-
mained, apparently without any particular fatigue, till nearly'
five o'clock. The ling then closed the drawing-room, quitting
the throne department, and returning to his private rooms,
without. proceeding through the suite of rooms,. amidst the
marked and respectful obeisances of the diStinguished com-
pany present. His Majesty did not remain long in his private
apartment. The Royal carriage was ordered to the side en-
trance, leading into St. James's-park; and his Majesty, hav-
ing made little other change-in his dress than that of putt-
ing on a mantle, entered the carriage, and quitted the bustle
of St. James's Palace for the comparative repose of Carlton,
Palace.
The numbers and brilliandy of the company, many fearing
that it would be the only drawing-room this season, exceeded
the displays.of any former occasion.. The Ladies greatly pre-
ponderated ; it was observed in the rooms that there were eight
or ten Ladies to one Gentleman ! Let us hope, for the sake of
trade and the fashionable world, that this will not be the last
and only drawing-room this season.

The first room which the company entered was the Guard
Chamber, which, together with the whole suite of rooms, has
undergone a thorough repair, newly beautified, and decorated
so completely, that there is scarcely a vestige of the old appear-
ance of the rooms remaining. All the rooms have had new
stoves to correspond with, •and agreeably to the fitting-tip and
splendour of the rooms with appropriate fenders and tire-irons.
The beautiful and delicate marble chimney-pieces have been
cleaned and polished, so as to have the appearance of new. •
Over the fire-place of the Guard Chamber is a complete suite
of armour, of highly polished steel, with a sword in the right-
hand.

There are a variety of portions of armour distributed in
various parts of the room. There are also a great number of
funned into
gtleire37d6i.istcaution of the
mu
varioussket muskets,
evpiicset s
afsterw otrhdes,
indai rriknse,r
_tigy•
celebrated armoury in the Tower of London. In the centre is
a bronze lamp, with Grecian burners. The next room is the
old Presence-chat:Ober, with the celebrated tapestry, baying six
lamps.
The next room is the Privy Chamber, adjoining the late
King's Levee Room, both of which; together with the re-
mainder of the east wing which escaped the conflagration of
the fire, are thrown into one, forming a spacious room. In
this room is a large looking-glass, extending from the top to
,tie e left the
en(i grandof
thet air
room i, a painting of
the bottom
of the mom, which faced the company as soon as
theyit lief
the Guard Chaniber.
King George the
Second, in his Parliamentary Robes.
staircase,
• and
entered
The -room contains
stools and seats covered with crimson velvet; large pictures of
Tournay and Lisle. In the centre is a large or-molu lustre,
containing two • rows of lights of three branches each ; two
large candelabras elegantly gilt at each end for twelve lights
each. In the next room is an excellent full-length portrait of
his late :Majesty King George the Third in the robes of the
Order; on each side are representationa of the celebrated sea-
fights, by Lortlllowe on the Ist of June, and by. Lord.:Neh:eu
at Trafalgar; in this room there are .three large pier glasSes
reaching from the top to the bottom, with marble slabs of pro-
portionete height ; M the centre is a large niassiye or-mobil
lustre. The next and last State Room in which the King held
his Drawing-room has a Throne, which for elegance,
splenticur, and magnificence,' is supposed never to have