The Sun.
London, England, 1820-02-19 00:00:00

NEWCASTLEXPON-TYNE, FEB. 17.

Yesterday, the day on which the last earthly
lasmours were to be tendered to a pions and justly
yencrated SOVERSIGN, was observed with the -ut-
most sorlemn►ity in this Town.

All claises-ileit ifiAcir marks of sorrow for the death of a
Monarch who, dstring4 reign of nearly GO years, bad en-
deared .hiniself to them by the exercise of the most exalted
private virtues; and, in his• public character, by universal
consent,-the brgli mesh is his of a well-intentioned and just
R uler.

It was, indeed. impossible for the people to testify their
affectionate respect in a more ample or.bccoming manner,
fo►r, independently of externals, every countenance more or
less indicated a melancholy interest in the ceremonies of the
day. At srin-rise the flag on the Castle was hoisted half-
staff high, and continue!! so till sun-set,—all the ships in the
harbour observing the same ceremony. At sun-rise also a
inutiled peal of bells—melancholy and soul-piercing music—
issued from the Church of St. Nicholas; and at intervalsidur-
ini,• the day, the bells of the-other three churches were
tolled, or rung mourning peals.
The early morn, as if in sympathy with the hintran mind,
was gloomy and still. As it advanced to the hour of church-
piing,• (for in all the churches and chapels of the town divine
service was performed) the sable groups in the streets shew•ed
the extent of the deep and general mourning. '!'he eye, in
fact, could rest only on moving masses that bore the livery
of woe. But he deserved it all; forlie

, .
Chaste,pionsi strilfast, merciful, and just, -
4 His pride his people, and his. God his trust. 11
The Worshipful the' Mayor •of Newcastle, Archibald
Reed, Esq. accompanied by the Members of the Body Cor-
porate, in full mourning, preceded -by their usually attend-
ant Officers, *allied in procession from the !Mansnm-
Ilonse, to St. Nicholas' Church. The General of the District,
Sir Andrew Barnard, and his •Stalf;• as also Lieu f,--colonel
French and the 6th Dragoon Guards, attended Divine Ser-
vice at the saint! Church; nor ought I to omit noticing.the
piecence of the!Newcastle Lodge of'Free-Mastins, headed by
William Loraine,. Esq. D. G. M. In short, capacious as the
Church is, it was entirely filled. The internal mourning was
every way complete. The pulpit, the communion-table, the
organ, the Corporation-pews,—all were richly covered with
fine black cloth. An excellent Sermon, most appropriate fur
the occasion, *as preached by the Reverend the Vicar of
Newcastle. -At St. John's, also, an admirable discourse was
delivered by therßev. H. B, Tristram, B.A:-(Nephew of the
Bishop of Durham.) The text, which was strikingly appro-
pi late, was froth the 9.d Samuel, 14th chap. and 11th verse,—
For we must needs die, and are as water spilt on the ground,
which cannot be gathered up again: neither (kith God re-
spect any person. Yet loth he devise means, that his ba-
nished be not expelled froth him.'
la drawing a modest, but—as far as it went—correct pic-
ture of the virtues and good habits of our departed Sove-
reign; the Rev. Divine gave a lecture that-was, in every re-
spect, calculated to make the lessou of mortality sink deep
into the mind. • •

It is almost unnecessary to add, that throughoUt the whole
of the day the utmost decorum prevailed.; the shops were all
clolcd, and business of every sort was suspended. There was
a stillnesi, in fact, that imparted an inexpressible melancholy
charm to the scene, such as no ordinary observance of •the.
lialibrith can be compared with. Heaven grant that distant
—far distant—he the day crc the public sympathy he main
se powerfully, bur; alas! so rainfully excited.