Star.
London, England, 1831-04-25 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

His. Majesty gave a state dinner on Saturday (Saint
George's Day) to the Knights of the Most Noble Order of
the Garter. The preparations for the dinner, which was
served in the banquetting room, were in the most splendid
style. The plateau consisted of seven pieces, all of them
admirable for their taste and execution. On the sideboard
was a grand display of gold plate; among the articles were
the Goodwood Cup, which was won by the King's horse
Fleur-de-Lis, last year ; four beautiful marine ornamentl,
two antique flagons, &c.
The King received his distinguished visitors in the Entr6e
Room. St. George's day being a collar-day, his Majesty
and the Knights present wore the collar of the Order, as well
as the Star, Jewel, and Garter, belonging to it.
Dinner was announced soon after seven o'clock, when the
King left the Entree Room, preceded by the Lord Chamber-
lain, and followed by the members of the Orders, and a!so
the officers.

On the King entering the Picture Gallery, which was
lined by the yeoman guard, the band of the Royal Horse
Guards, who were in their state uniforms, struck up " God
save the King." His Majesty was followed by their Royal
Highnesses the Dukes of Cumberland and Sussex, and
Prince Leopold, the Earl of Westmorland, Earl Spencer,
Marquis Camden, the Duke of Rutland, Earl of Hardwicke,
the Duke of Beaufort, the Earl of Lonsdale, the Duke of
Newcastle, the Duke of Wellington, Earl Bathurst, the
Duke of Northumberland, the Duke of Dorset, the Duke of
Devonshire, the Marquis of Exeter, the Duke of Richmond,
the Duke of Bedford, the Prelate of the Order, the Registrar
of the Order, Sir George Nayler, Garter principal King at
Arms, Sir Thomas Tyrwhit, Usher of the Black Rod.
The stars and jewels of some of the Knights were set in
brilliants.

The Queen dined with the Princess Augusta on Satur-
' day evening.
As we stated on Saturday, his Majesty held a Privy
Council at three o'clock, at St. James's, which was attended
by the Lord Chancellor, the Lord President of the Council,
the First Lord of the Treasury, the Lord Privy Seal, the
Secretaries of State for the Home and Colonial Departments,
the Chancellor of the Exchequer' the First Lord of the
Admiralty, the Earl of Carlisle, the Duke of Richmond, the
Master of the Home, the Vice-Chamberlain, and the
Treasurer of the Household. An order of the King in
Council was agreed on dissolving the Parliament, and
ordering writs to be issued for calling a new Parliament,
the writs to be returned by the 14th of June
Hie Majesty gave audiences to Earl Grey, the Marquis of
Lansdowne, and the Earl of Albemarle.

The Marquis of Hastings was the Lord in Waiting.
Lord Hill bad an audience of the King on Saturday.
Their Majesties attended divine service yesterday morning
in the Chapel Royal, St. James's. The Church service was
read by the Rev. Mr. Beckwith. The Communion service
was read by the Rev. Mr. Holmes, the sub-dean. The
sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Strong, from the 2d
chapter of Malachi, and the •2d verse. The anthem was
taken from the 46th Psalm, "Gon is our hope and strength."
composed by Dr. Greene, which was sung by Messrs. W.
Knyvett, Nield, Molineux, and Welsh. Sir George Smart
presided at the organ.
His Majesty, accompanied by the Landgravine of Hesse
Homberg, took an airing yesterday afternoon, in an open
carriage and four, with out-riders : the King paid a visit
to the Duchess of Cumberland, and also visited the Princess
Augusta.
Prince Leopold entertained a select party at dinner yes-
terday evening, at Marlborough-house.
The Duchess of Kent entertained the Princess of Hesse
Homberg and a distinguished party at dinner, on Saturday.
The Duke and Duchess of Cumberland, the Duchess of
Gloucester, and the Princess Sophia, visited the Princess
Augusta yesterday,
A Cabinet Council was held at 3 o'clock yesterday after-
noon at the residence of Earl Grey, in Downing-street,
which was attended by the Lord Chancellor, the Marquis of
Lansdowne, Lord Durham, Viscount Melbourne, Viscount
Goderich, Viscount Althorp, the Earl of Carlisle, the Right
Hon. C. Grant, Lord Holland, and the Duke of Richmond.

The Council sat in deliberation upwards of two hours.
Viscount Palmerston was absent from tho Council, hav-
ing left town at an early hour on Saturday morning for
Cambridge.

GENERAL ILLUMINATION IN LONDON.

The Lord Mayor has publicly signified his wish that his fellow.
citizens should, by illuminations and other testimonies of joy, ti is
evening, manifest their gratitude to his MAJESTY for having diasolvtd
a Parliament which no longer studied the interests or wishes of the
people. His Lordship will himself set the example, and has given
orders for the Mansion-House to be splenifidly illuminated. The joy.
bells of the different parishes will also ring merry peals on the oca.
sion. It is anticipated the metropolis will be one blaze of light th's
evening, and no doubt the whole country will pursue a similar course.

This night there will be a general illumination throughout the me-
tropolis, and in all probability throughout the country. The Blum!.
Won in gas and oil have received orders from the proprietors of club-
houses, hotels, and public buildings, to prepare the most brilliant spe-
cimens of their art for the wagon. The Lord Mayor has given dire:-
dons for illuminating the Mansion-house, and the City will vie wl.h
the West-end to show devotedness to the cause of King and people.
Child and Co's, and the principal London bankets--Rundell and
Bridge, and the principal jewellers—have splendid illuminations in
preparation, and the newspaper offices also intend to light up,

Their Majesties will return to Windsor Castlo on Friday
the 29th instant, where they will remain but a day or two,
when it is expected they will leave for Portsmouth, hie
Majesty having signified his intention of visiting that port
during tho first week of May.
When the crown was about to be placed on the King, pre-
paratory to his entering the House of Lords, his Majesty took
it from the hand of the attendant. and placing it himself on
his head, exclaimed to the Lord Chancellor, who stood near
him, " this, my Lord, is my Coronation Day."
Saturday night, at Drury-lane and Covent-garden Thea-
tres, the audiences called, between the pieces, for " GOD
save the King," which was sung by the performers with
great spirit, the audiences joining in the chorusses, and ap-
plauding in the warmest manner.
On Saturday, just as dinner was concluded, but before
the cloth was removed, in the Hall of the Inner Temple,-
where it is an unprecedented thing to drink healths, the
students rose simultaneously, and drank " The health of the
King" in bumpers, with every decorous manifestation of en-
thusiasm.

So unexpected was the King's visit to Parliament on Fri-
day, that there was not time for the usual escort of Guards
to arrive from the barracks at Knightsbridge, and his Ma-
jesty was escorted to the House by a small party of soldiers
from the Horse Guards. The customary guard arrived from
Knightsbridge in time to escort him from the House. it is
impossible to describe the confusion that prevailed at the
barracks when the order for the royal escort arrived. Offi-
cers were hastily equipping themselves and expediting the
men, who were snatching saddles and bridles as quick as
they might. Then there was " mounting in hot haste.
and " hurrying to and fro," until the troops were at length
marched into the road in Hyde Park, when, the word being
given, the whole body set off at a gallop, and were in an
instant lost in an immense cloud of dust.