The Sun.
London, England, 1846-10-24 00:00:00

HER MAJESTY'S VISIT TO
HATFIELD HOUSE.
HATFIELD, FRIDAY NIGHT —The Earl Talbot and
Viscount Ingestre arrived at the Marquis of Salisbury's
last evening in time to join the dinner circle.
The Queen and Prince Consort, accompanied by the
noble host, and followed by the distinguished party re-
siding at the mansion, entered the great hall shortly
after eight o'clock, the band of the Herts militia, sta-
tioned in the music gallery in the hall, playing the well-
known tune of " The roast beef of Old England."
The customary arrangement of the guests was some-
what departed from. Her Majesty was supported on the
right by Prince Albert, and the noble host on the
Queen's left. In succession to the Prince Consort sat
Lady Mildred Hope, the Marquis of Exeter, and the
Countess Spencer and Viscount Melbourne; the Countess
of Gainsborough, the Duke of Wellington, the Mar-
chioness of Exeter, sat in the same order, on the left of
the Marquis of Salisbury. When the company were
seated, the Rev. E. Faithful!, Rector of llatfield, and
dorne;aic chaplain to his Lordship, said grace.
The banquet was of the most sumptuous description,
and comprised all the luxuries that wealth could procure.
The desert was particularly excellent, and was placed
under the able superintendence of Ferdinand. When all
the company had taken their seats at the banqueting
board, that ancient chamber afforded a brilliant coup
d'cril, the hall being illuminated by a great number of
lamps, in addition to more than twenty Chinese lanthorns,
suspended by an invisible wire from the pendants in the
roof. The table was lighted from superb gold cande-
labra, alternately with which were costly vases containing
natural flowers. All the attendants were in full dress, and
each wore a silver badge of the Salisbury arms on the left
arm. The effect was truly magnificent. The Marquis
of Salisbury rose at the conclusion of the repast, and
proposed as a toast, " The Queen.
The military band struck up " God save the Queen."
The health of her Majesty was then drunk, the whole of
the guests rising from their places.
The Noble Host then gave " His Royal Highness
Prince Albert," when the band performed the " Cobourg

March."
At a quarter to ten o'clock her Majesty retired from
the banqueting-ball, the ladies leaving at the same time.
Prince Albert and the Noble host, and the guests, sub-
sequently adjourned to the splendid saloon, where the
Queen and a select circle bad assembled. At the re-
tirement of the Queen the band played the national

anthem.
Previous to her Majesty and her Royal Consort
leaving for their private apartments, twelve of the
German artists who have recently been employed, under
the direction of Mr. Sang, in the embellishment of the
interior, afforded the royal party much pleasure by
singing some p( pular vocal music of that country.
In the selection were, " Die et-Tyne," " Das Schwart-
lied," " Per Vogel," and " Der Kohler-bauerbube."
The Marquis of Salisbury, as colonel of the South
Herts Yeomanry, gave the privates and non-commis-
sioned officers of the four troops a substantial entertain-
ment in the riding-school, and before the assemblage
separated, the health of the Queen and her illustrious
husband was heartily drunk, as well as the health of the
noble colonel. The officers dined together at the Salis-
bury Arms Tavern.
This morning, long before noon, the park was
thronged with thousands of people, who came in quick
succession into the town from all parts of the country.
By the kind permission of the Noble Marquis not the
slightest obstruction was offered to the admission of the
public, and no restriction was placed over their move-
ramts ; beyond that no one was allowed to transgress
further than the northern court, which was amply suffi-
cient to satisfy any moderate desire.
It was a most beautiful day, the sun shining with all
the warmth that could be expected in the autumn
season. The park in the northern direction presented
an animated appearance from the hundreds of strangers
flocking in parties to witness the bullock that was being
roasted whole a short distance down the north lawn.
The Queen and his Royal Highness did not go out in
the early part of the morning, nor did they attend
prayers in the chapel. The Duke of Wellington and
the majority of the guests staying in the mansion, at-
tended the service, which was performed by the Rev. F.
Faithfull, assisted by the Rev. A. B. Starkey.
His Royal Highness Prince Albert, accompanied by
the Marquis of Salisbury, about half-past ten went out
to shoot in the southern part of the park. The Duke
of Wellington, the Marquis of Exeter, Lord John
Russell, Lord Charles Wellesley, the Earl Spencer, Mr.
J. M. Balfour, Mr. G. E. Anson, Colonel Buckley, and
Colonel Seymour were of the party. The battue was in
what is called Coombcs-wood. Prince Albert killed
nearly 150 head of game, and the Duke of Wellington
was successful, considering that the Noble and Gallant
Duke did not exert himself in the sport. The Marquis
of Exeter made some excellent shots. The result of
the morning's sport was, on quitting the plantations at
one o'clock, a return of killed-158 pheasants, 4 par-
tridges, 152 rabbits, and 4 hares, giving a total of 318
head.
Shortly after the shooting party returned to the man-
sion, luncheon was served in the winter dining-room.
The Queen and Prince Albert, and other noble guests of
the Marquis, were present.
The carriages were ordered at three o'clock to take
the illustrious company a drive in the park. In the
meantime the populace had congregated in the park in
large numbers, and had mostly assembled in the
northern court, and without its boundary in the park,
where several carriages of the neighbouring gentry
were drawn up by the road leading to the north avenue.
Her Majesty and the Prince Consort passed out at
half-past three o'clock, and entered the pony phaeton
which had been provided. The illustrious visitors were
preceded by the Marquis of Salisbury, Colonel Buckley,
and Colonel Seymour, the Equerries in Waiting, and
the royal outriders in scarlet liveries. After the Queen's
carriage were the Earl of Morton, the Lord in Waiting;
the Marquis of Exeter, Viscount Ingestre, and Mr. J.
M. Balfour, on horseback, and two open carriages and
four, containing the Countess of Gaimborough, Lady
Mildred Hope, the Countess of Brownlow, Lady Charles
Wellesley, Lady Braybrooke, Lady Blanche Balfour,
and the Hon. Miss Dawson.
As the pony phaeton came by the western gateway,
and passed through the north court to the north avenue,
the vast body of spectators saluted her Majesty and the
Royal Prince by loud and long protracted cheering, to
which plaudits the Queen and Prince condescendingly
responded by repeatedly inclining towards the multitude.
The Queen and party then proceeded to view the
ancient tree, so carefully preserved at the turn of the
northern and eastern avenues, called " Queen Elizabeth's
Oak," from that Queen having been seated in the shade
of its umbrageous branches when the death of Mary was
announced to her. We understand that her Majesty ex-
pressed herself highly pleased by the sight of the oak,
and as a memento of her visit to the spot had a small
branch lopped from the trunk to be preserved. From
hence the carriages were conducted to the vineyard to
view the beauties of that fairy retreat. Her Majesty
and Prince Albert alighted, and entered the gardens,
and walked to the lower terrace, which give a good com-
mand of the grounds. It may be as well to state that
the vineyard is on a slope, at the bottom of which runs
the river Lee. As the Queen was there a desiccated
flower of the hydrangea was presented to her Majesty.
Her Majesty appeared gratified at the gift, and gave the
floral skeleton to her maid of honour. The party next
drove round the park, and in the course of the road saw
the pollard oaks for which the park is so famous. The
illustrious party i eturned to the mansion at half-past
four, after an agreeable drive.
The Duke of Wellington took equestrian exercise
during the absence of the Queen, and wherever he made
his appearance he was enthusiastically cheered.
The Duke of Rutland, the Marchioness of Exeter,
Lord John Russell, the Earl of Brownlow, the Earl
Talbot, and Lord Marcus Hill walked to Queen Elizabeth's
Oak, and afterwards went over the vineyard.
While the royal party were absent in the park, the
Marquis of Salisbury's dependents were regaled on the
lawn. Mr. Farebrother, the land-steward, was present
to superintend this entertainment, but it was far from
interesting, the bullock, which was roasted whole at an
enormous fire nearly twenty hours, being greedily de-
voured. Strong ale was supplied to those participating
in the feast.
The officers of the Yeomanry Cavalry lunched at the
house to-day, when they comprised Captains Paris,
Gaussen, Halsey, M.P., and Thornton ; Lieutenants
Meyer, Stratton, Branton, and Gaussen ; Cornets Sir
Henry Meux, Bart., Lewis, Kinder, Pelly, Sir Robert
Murray, Bart., Kemble, Crawley, and Parker. During
her Majesty's visit the Hoddesden troop, under the com-
mand of Captain Paris, have mounted guard, and were
relieved in that duty this afternoon by Captain Thorn-
ton's troop.
All the principal families of the county have been
honoured by invitations as well as the clergy.
is