The Sun.
London, England, 1827-11-10 00:00:00

THE DINNER.

This;in the eyes of many the most material,' and
in no man's view an ,itninaterial, part' of the civic
glories of' the day, evinced that, even in a Lord
Mayor'S7feast, there may be, .as in greater things, a
re-action. It was' certainly calculated to, make
amends for the homely frugality of the last year's
fete. We are not sufficiently initiated in the arcana
of eastrononde, to pronounce with confidence, whe-
ther the dishes on the present occasion were more
costly, choice, Or exquisitely dressed, than at the
preceding. fete; but the shrewdness and Paul-Pry
tact which are common to our ,vocation, enabled us
to infer that this Was the case. Never did- we see
worshipful Aldermen or rubicond Common Council-
men-display greater- zest at a civic board. It was
evident that some bad been let into the secret of the
extraordinary things they were to expect,' for we saw
the eyes of several portly gentlemen, in scarlet
gowns, gliSten ,vith anticipated delight ; their whOle
faces were in joyous sympathy with their stomachs,
and 'seemed to say "may good digestion wait on
ap-
petite." Talk not to us of Epicurus,: Apicius, Vi-
tellius, or of LouiS le Desire. London's city can
boast of fifty heroes who could laugh all such pre-
tenders to scorn. We can take upon ourselves to
say, upon the credit of our Craft, that to out posi-
tive knowledge, within the sound of. Bow-bells, there
are worthy citizens, Aldermen el infra, who could
digest what Apicius .oriLonis Me Desire dared not
look- at. Vitellius, indeed, may have excelled the
moderns, for it is related. by the historian, that he
could enjoy four feasts a day, whereas we are much
mistaken if some of our worthy countrymen, whom
we saw at Guildhall yesterday, will be able to eat
another dinner foi week; but this is "Caviare to
the general"—it is no affair of ours—let their doctors
look to it. Ministers, judges, lawyers, physicians,
parsons, aldermen, common, councilmen, peers, com-
moners, ladies—young, old, and certain-aged—all
seemed to harmonize into one homogeneous mass,
intent upon the great object of the day. We were
too intent upon feasting our eyes to regale any other
organ. ConSidering the fate which has always pur-
sued:us followers of 'the Attic, profession, it would
be to " o'er step the modesty of nature," were we.
to 'be • dogmatical in deciding 'the 'relative 'merits of
Alderman Lucas and Alderman Brown's respective
fetes; but, to our minds, the civic glories of 1821,
in many respects, transcended those of 1826. We
were not offended by any nial-proprete at the table;
we had not rusty, old two-pronged forks with greasy
handles; but then the 'waiters and servants, on the
present occasion, by. a better supply of such things,
were deprived the opportunity of exhibiting their
admirable dexterity in wiping a fork over the shoul-
ders of the company, without soiling the gown, or
saturating the wig of the guest . who might be next
them. The Hall was superbly lighted. A row of,
gas lights was carried in festoons round the Hall,
level with the capitals of -..the.Gothic clustured pH,
lars, and between each alternate festoon was a pend-
ant gas light. Three large lustres were himg in the
centre line of the Hall ; and on each side was a row
of six smaller lustres,,extending from one extremity
to the other. The top part of the Hall was hung
round with crimson cloth, relieved by gas lights;
and at the upper side were six long mirrors, which
reflected the whole scene, with its long lines of
highly decorated tables, producing the grandest
effect. Over the mirrors were arcades of lamps, the
whole being, surmounted by an illuminated anchor.
and castle, with the crown. The painted window, at
the further extremity, had strong gas lights behind
it, which exhibited the stained glass to great advan-
tage. A band of the Regiment'Of Life -Guards, in
undress jackets, were stationed.in the.gallery over
the entrance door, and played martial and other airs
during the whole of the entertainment? .and whilst
-
the company were assembling. It was impossible
not to observe the superior taste and elegance with
which the company were decorated. The viands
were excellent,, and supplied is abundance; and the
Whole arrangements evinced great skill, and a solici-
tude for the honour of the City, and for the accom-
modation of the public.... At about six the company
began to arrive. Many of the most celebrated cha-
racters, with numbers of Officers of State,,had passed
through the Hall without the public expressing any
feeling, or evincing.aught but the usual civic curio=
sitY to behold great men ;" but when the name of Sir
Francis Burdett was announced; the Hall rung with
acclatnations, till he had ascended the stairs leading
to the Council; Chamber. The Duke . of Clarence
was cheered as he passed through the Hall ;. and
the Marquess of .Lansdown and the Duke of Wel-
lington were greeted with repeated cheers.. These were
all who elicited any marks of public approbation. At
half-past 6 a flourish of trumpets ushered in the Knight
with his two Squires and Heralds. These marched
round the Hall, and then took their stations at the' head
of the Hall on raised pedestals, placed in crimson
niches contrived for their reception. The Knight,
with his richly-embossed suit of mail, stood in the
centre, and his two Eitpriies.'Were placed in oppo-
site corners. The appearance of these men in ar-
mour may associate with the Gothic character
ofrp otdhe ernHal,
costume
l buu t they
andaresiu hardly
roiizitiil in
igorn
ii)ieiscotsn Novfit htatsle
ti e
and dandyism. .On thovivhole, we doubt whether
they might not be omit with advantage. Could
we see the hoops andelfarthingares, the ruffs and
doublets of yore, at the feast, we should have no ob-
jection to the sight o men in armour, with their
battle axes, spears, alihields.
At seven, a , if trumpets announced the
opening of the fete, and the Lord Mayor, preceded
by .several City officers, left the Council Chamber,
and descended into the Hall. His Lordship was
followed by the late Lord Mayor. His Royal High-
ness the Duke of Clarence came next, leading the
Lady Mayoress. His Royal Highness was dressed
in the full uniform of Lord High Adthiral; and'
wearing his' two stars, and the sash of the Order of
the Garter. He was followed by his Grace the
Duke of Wellington, in the dress of a Field Mar-
shal. His Grace led into the Hall one of the ladies
of the' Lord Mayor's family. His Majesty's Mi-
nisters and great Officers of State followed in suc-
cession; and having walked round the Hall .boWing
to the company, the Lord Mayor and his distin-
guished guests took their respective seatS at the table
The tables on the hustings where the Lord Mayor,
the Duke of Clarence, the Duke. of Wellington, the
Officers of the Crown, the Judges, and all the more
select company sat, were raised a little above the
other tables, which extended to the utmost extre-
inky 'of the Hall, and were filled with elegantly-
attired ladies and gentlemen in full dress. The
Lord Mayor, of course, had the, chief place at the
middle of the cross table. Immediately on his right
was the late Lord Mayor, then the Duke of Cla-
rence, the Lord Chancellor, Earl of Carlisle, Duke
of W' ellingtou, Marquis of LanidoWne, Earl of Dud-
ley, 'Earl of Darnley, Lord Goderich, the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer, the Speaker of the House
of Commons, Sir Francis Burdett, the Right Ho-
nourable Charles ,Grant,- Mr. Spring Rice, Mr.
Croker, &c. On the other side were Mr. Jus-
tice Bayley, Mr. Justice Park, Mr. Justice
Gaielee, the chief Baron, the Attorney-General,
the. Solicitor-General, the Common Sergeant,
and a number 'of 'other persons of distinction.—
The' dinner being concluded, a flourish of trumpets
announced the commencement of the toasts, arid the
toast-Master, with his stentorian voice, proclaimed
the names, of the company, in addition to those
above given. .These were, Mr. Phillips (Under Se-
cretary of State), Sir George Cockburn, the Vice-
Chancellor, Baron Vaughan, the. Duke of 'St. Al-
ban's, Mr. Frankland Lewis, the several Aldermen
and-City Officers ;-to theSe, and all the Company,
the Lord Mayor drank .a hearty welcome. "Non
Nobis Pontine" was now sung, after
.which the Lord
Siaypr gave " The King," which was drunk, as
Ina!,
,With three times three, 'the band playing the
national anthem of " God save the King," to which
the choir added their voices. The Lord Mayor then

rose- to propose the health of the Duke of Clarence.
His Lordship said, that he rose under a conviction
that the toast which hewas about to propose would
be highly acceptable to every class of his fellow-
citizens, and more especially to those whom he had
now • the. honobr of addressing. In proposing to
them the' health Of his Royal Highness the Duke
of Clarence, he shohld, afford the. company an op-
portunity of evincing feelings of attachment and re-
spect to this distinguished character, in which not
only himself and his Brother' NagiStrates, and fellow-
citizens of London, but the. people throughout
the empire, ‘wanld sympathige. He felt con-
vinced he should be only expressing the feelings of
the whole body of the citizens of London, when hebeg-
ged leave most respectfully to show his Royal High-
ness that they felt highly honoured by his Royal
Highness's'" having condescended to be present on
this occasion. He • need not expatiate upon the
interest which this' distinguished individual had ever
taken in that -.great 'arm of the. public service—the
British: Navy,--a force that has at all times afforded
security to the citizens at home, and protection to
British commerce in every part Of the world. In
common with the whole country, he felt 'grateful to
his ROYal -HighnesS, not 'Only, for taking upon him.-
self the supreme direction of the navy, but for the
peculiar and personal interest he had felt in the dis-
charge of the duties of the office. He could not
but feel the highest gratitude to his Royal Highness
for the impartiality; the justice, and the constitu-
tional spirit with which he had governed this great
and important branch. of the national service. He
should again thank his Royal Highness for the ho-
nour he had•conferred-upon the City in becoming a
guest on the present occasion, and he had no doubt
that the company would most heartily and cheerfully
drink his Royal Highness's health; with three times
three in a bumper.—:-(Lond applause.)

• • The toast being • drunk,. the Ihand struck up " Rule
Britannia." • •
His ROYAL HtonNEss rose and returned thanks.
He said he felt it impossible not to be deeply af-
fected by the approbation and attachment evinced
towards him by so respectable an assembly of the
citizens of London--a city which was not only the
metropolis of the British Empire; but he ' mght
justly .say of the whole World. He had been but a
short time. in the office which -he now held, but he,
trusted that, so long 'as his Majesty's commands
were for him to Continue in its duties; his conduct
would be such as to merit the approbation of all the
subjects of the Empire, and particularly of this
great and important City.- Connected as he had'
always been with the -Navy of this country, and
being now more intimately united with it, he could
not but consider himself the more interested in the
prosperity of the City of London. Great Britain
could only be supported by her commerce, and the
navy which hitherto, thank God, had always pro-
tected that commerce, could not be a defence to ' the
rights and liberties of the country, but by means of
the seamen which were brought up in a mercantile
marine. He would not further trespass upon their
social hour, but conclude by -wishing health to every
individual at the'meeting, and by'thanking them for
their most elegant entertainment.--(Lotul and con-
tinued applause:)

The LORD.MAyoR proposed " the Health of every
branch of the RoyalFamilyi" which being drunk,-
His ROYAL HIGHNESS said, he hoped the Lord
Mayor- would now allow him to propose a toast, and
it would be one that he was convinced would receive
the approbation of every person present: It was
with great pleasure that he had had an opportunity.
of witnessing the general respect borne towards the
worthy individual Who now filled that Chair. It had
been his peculiar good fortune to be long acquainted
with the present Lord Mayor, and every body who
had had the pleasure of an'equal intimacy with his
Loidship, Must agree • with him, that no man could
be more honourable or more truly zealous in his wish
to perform faithfully the duties of the•office to which
he had , been .. elected. He ,should propose •" the
health of his Lordship." This toast was 'received
with applause. •
The LORD MAYOR said, he was grateful for the
condescension with whiCh his Royal Highness had
proposed the toast,,and for the manner in which his
distingaished guests had done him the honour of
drinking his health. It would ill become him, at
the commencement of his office, .to enter into any
professions as to the manner in which he would dis-
charge his• duties, but he might be allowed to say,
that he assumed them with honest intentions, and
with a desire to perform them zealously and faith-
Under these circumstances, he had no doubt,
be should receive the cordial support of his brother
Magistrates, and that liberal constructions would be
placed upon his conduct by all his.fellow-citizens. •
A Glee.
HiS.Loupsw proposed " the health of the late
Lord Mayor," which being drunk,

His LORDSHIP returned thanks, and stated that
he had always endeavoured to execute the duties of
his office with impartiality, uninfluenced by flattery,
and unmoved by clamour.

" The Lord High Chancellor of England."

The LORI) CHANCELLOR returned thanks for the
honour just conferred upon him. For twenty years
he had passed many dayS of each year within the
City of London, and almost within these very walls.
slie.had, therefore, had important opportunities of
observing the respectability,
.activity, and intelli-
gence of the people of that great city, and of the
general integrity of their dealings. These had been
the sources of the prosperity to which London. had
arrived. As one of his Majesty's Government; he
must express his resolution to use every exertion to
maintai❑ and improve the interests of the citizens of
London ; and he had no doubt that the exertions of
Government for this- object" would be crowned with
success. •

The Bart of Carlisle's health" being drunk—
His LORDSHIP returned thanks in. a brief, and ap-
propriate speech.
The' LORD MAYOR rose, and said he had now to call
upon his fellow-citizens to drink " the health of his
Grace the Duke of Wellington."—(Applause.)—
As a loyal and good subject, he was anxious to ex-
press his gratitude for the services: which his Grace
had rendered to his country. The toast •Was drunk
with three times three.

The Duke of WELLINGTON returned thanks. His
Grace said, that the approbation of the Lord'Mayor
and citizens of London could hot be otherwise than
an object of his ambition. He received this testimony
of their esteem with gratitude, and he shoUld ever
endeavour to deserve the favourable sentiments of
the Corporation of so great and celebrated a City.
The health of the Martinis of Lansdowne" was
then drunk with applause.
His LORDSHIP rose and returned thanks. He felt.
highly the honour of receiving the approbation of a
City with which the duties of his' office brought him
in such close connexion.