The Sun.
London, England, 1842-05-27 00:00:00

BALL FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE!
SPITALFIELDS' WEAVERS, AT HER MA-

JESTY'S THEATRE.

The Ball for the benefit of the Spitalfields' Weavers
took place at her Majesty's Theatre last evening, and a
more gorgeously brilliant assemblage of beauty, rank,
and fashion, it has seldom been our lot to witness. The
ball was under the immediate patronage of her Ma-
jesty, who had graciously signified her intention
of honouring it with her presence, and it must have
been highly gratifying to her Majesty to find her
loyal subjects coming forward in the manner they
have done to carry out her benevolent intentions for the
relief of the suffering population of Spitalfields. Never
before has the Italian Opera-house been so crammed.
The pit was boarded over, and, with the stage, formed
a splendid " Salon de danse," tastefully hung with dra-
peries, which were festooned round the sides of the
boxes, and adorned with trophies, ancient armour, and
standards of different nations. The four centre boxes of
each tier were removed, in order to make room for the
erection of the Royal Pavilion. This was supported by
five gilt-fluted columns, and surmounted by the Royal
arms. On the front was a Royal crown, embroi-
dered in gold, and the interior was illuminated
by three large chandeliers. Weippert's quadrille
band was stationed in a raised orchestra, at
the back of the stage, and the band of the Horse
Guards occupied the front of the gallery, immediately
above the gallery stalls. The concert-room was fitted
up as a refreshment-room. Her Majesty and his Royal
Highness Prince Albert, accompanied by their suites,
entered the Royal Pavilion at ten o'clock, and were
greeted with loud shouts of congratulation from the
thousands at that time assembled within the walls of
the theatre. Her Majesty and his Royal Highness
gracefully acknowledged the compliment thus paid to
them. The bands then commenced the National
Anthem, and the coup dad presented by the theatre at
that moment was striking in the extreme. The im-
mense area of the theatre was crammed to suffocation
by persons in every variety of costume—officers in the
uniform of every regiment that is or ever has
been in the service; Turks and Greeks, Jews and Arnie-

nians, Highlanders and Mollahs, Laplanders and Nea-
politans—all were there. The boxes were crowded with
the elite of rank, fashion, and beauty, and the whole sa-
loon was resplendent with diamonds and brilliants. All
rose en masse as the National Anthem strack up ; and
such a display of beauty and wealth and elegance, of
talent and honour and probity (for some of the nobkst
and worthiest of the land were there), united to pay their
willing homage to their Sovereign, might well have
made that Sovereign feel proud of reigning over
such a people. Dancing then commenced, and continued
at intervals, but the saloon was so crowded that at times
it was impossible to clear a sufficient space even to get
up a quadrille. Her Majesty took her seat in the front
of the box, and seemed highly delighted with watching
the busy scene. Her Majesty was dressed in a rich satin
dress of Spitalfields manufacture, and wore the riband of
the Order of the Garter; her hair was dressed a la
Clovis, and on her head she wore a splendid tiara
of brilliants. His Royal Highness Prince Albert
was dressed in Field-Marshal's uniform, and wore the
decorations of the Garter, and of several other orders.
At intervals durinc, the evening, several of the Nobility
present entered the Royal box,for the purpose of paying
their respects to her Majesty. Among them we observed
their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cam •
bridge, her Royal Highness the Princess Augusta of Cam-
bridge, their Serene Highnesses the Duke and Duchess
of Saxe Weimar, and his Excellency Count St. Aulaire,
the French Ambassador. His Grace the Duke of Wel-

lington, dressed in a Field-Marshal's uniform, and wear-
ing several orders, entered her Majesty's box, about 11
o'clock, and having paid his respects to her Majesty,
retired.
His Grace was loudly cheered, and repeatedly ac-
knowledged the compliment by bowing. His Serene
Highness, the Duke of Brunswick and suite, occupied
a box in the lower tier. The Marquis of Normanby
was in the saloon, as were Sir Charles Wetherell, Mr.
Erle, and Mr. Hume, M.P. Her Majesty and
Prince Albert and. their suite, retired to the
Royal refreshment room shortly after eleven o'clock,
and after an absence of about a quarter of an
hour returned to the Royal box. Her Majesty
finally left the theatre at about a quarter after twelve.
On retiring her Majesty was greeted with the most
enthusiastic cheering, and the bands, as on her entrance,
played the National Anthem. Nothing could exceed
the grace and affability with which her Majesty received
those who had the privilege of the entree to the Royal
box. Her Majesty's kindness and condescension seemed
to be thoroughly appreciated by all present.
After her Majesty's departure parties began to betake
themselves to the refreshment-room, and the saloon be-
came somewhat less crowded. Space was thus obtained
for dancing. Sets of quadrilles were formed ; circle.;
of waltzes began to move in " tlie mazy round;"
crushing was no longer the order of the night; and those
desirous of reaching any particular point, had a
chance of doing so, without being carried away by the
stream of promem: ders. Such, however, had not been
the case during the earlier part of the evening. At the
time her Majesty left the theatre, not less than five thou-
sand were present. The dancing was kept up with great
spirit during the remainder of the evening, and it was
not until five o'clock that the whole of the company had
taken their departure.