The Sun.
London, England, 1818-12-03 00:00:00

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FUNERAL

OF HER

LATE MAJESTY QUEEN CILMLOTTE.

Yesterday being the day appointed for the per-
formance of the mournful ceremony of the inter-
ment of her late MAJESTY'S Remains, the whole of
the metropolis and its vicinity wore a must solemn
and awful appearance; and the day being re-
markably daik and gloomy, was in perfect unison

1 with the melancholy occasion. All ordinary business
1 was suspended ; the shops were all closed, as well
~- as many private houses. Mourning was nearly
4 universal ; the Churches, which were nearly all
: open, were partly hung. with black ; set
~
.-
inons appropriate to the melancholy occasion

were delivered ; and the congregations were nu-
merous, and in many places crowded. Protestants,
Dissenters, Catholics, and Jews, all threw open

their respective places of worship, and every

►vhere was the devotion most fervent and sincere.
The slowly-tolling bells of all the Churches were
oraid throughout the day, and every thing that
took place was well suited to the mournful so-
lemnity of the occasion. The large bell of St.
Paul's tolled its loud and heavy peal from eight
till ten o'clock in the evening. The crowds that
appeared in all directions were immense beyond all
precedent, and the universal manifestations of
loyalty afforded no inconsiderable degree of con-
solation under all the afflicting considerations of
tl►e moment. A further gratification is derived
trout the honourable fact that every thing that
was done may in the strictest language he pro-
nounced to have bee❑ the spontaneous acts of the
people.
The cities of London and Westminster, and the
various hamlets and villages in the vicinity of the
Metropolis, began, at an unusually early hour, to
pour forth their population—anxious to behold
that awful ceremony, which so powerfully exem-
plifies the moral observation of Horace—

" With equal hand, alas I impartial Fate,
Knocks at the palace and the cottage gate !"

'• It was curious, as the dawn approached, to mark
the vast numbers of pedestrians, male and female,
who had set out on their journey to Kew long
before (16y-break, in spite of the unfavourable ap-
pearance of the weather. Many of them were
highly respectable in their appearance—and, in
general, aware of the difficulty of procuring re-
tteshinent on their route, they carried small
'bundles, containing provisions. The morning was
dark, cold, wet, and altogether uncomfortable.—
' It rained very heavily at five o'clock, and fears
were entertained that the day would be most un-
favourable. Towards seven o'clock, however, the
heavens cleared up—and the bright streaks which
adorned the sky, " gave token of a goodly (lay."
'1 he honorary guard, selected from the brigade
• of Guards, which has been stationed at Kew Pa-
lace, while the remains of her Majesty were lying
in state, turned out at about half-past seven
o'clock. As is customary on all great state occa--
sions, they wore white gaiters. Their Officers ap-
peared with crape scarves and sashes—crape was
also placed round their caps, and round the hilts
of their swords. They remained on duty in the front
of tl►e Palace until the Royal remains were remov-
ed. At eight o'clock a detachment from the I fith
Lancers made their appearance, slowly moving
along the Windsor-road,
.and advancing towards
Kew. They were stationed in two bodies, on
Kew-green. The road in►tnediately in the vici-
nage of the Palace was patrolled, during the
- •
morning, by small parties of the same regiment.
At half-past eight o'clock, the hearse, destined to
convey the Royal corpse to Windsor, arrived at
the Palace. h was accompanied by fifty under-
taker's assistants,. on horseback, in deep mourning,
with silk scarves, hat-bands, &c.—and escorted by
a 'roily of Lancers. At this time the road leading
• to the Palace was greatly crowded. The road which
runs through the centre of Kew-green was lined on
each side with carriages, while an immense assem-
blage of people almost filled the space behind.
The path-ways leading to Kew-bridge, and
on to the Star-and-Garter, at the foot of the
bridge, were in like manner crowded. The open
space in front of the Star-and-Garter was oc-
cupied by several rows of carriages, compris-
ing almost every species of vehicle that has been
constructed, since the first invention of car-
riages. These were loaded, both inside and
out, with spectators. The multitude extend-
ed as far as the eye could reach, in every direc-
t ion—and not a window, a wall, or a tree, from
which a glimpse of the procession was likely to be
obtained, was untenanted. At a quarter After nine
o'clock, an additional number of Lancers scoured
the roads, and prevented the approach of car-
riages, except those belonging to persons who
were to take an active part in the ceremony.
Soon after, the larger body of Lancers, who had
been stationed on Kew-green; moved towards the
Palace. A part of them formed on each side of