The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-05-20 00:00:00

THE SCOTCH TEMPLES OF HYMEN.

The marriage business is still brisk enough at Gretna Hall
and Springfield; for there is this difference between the two
places, that while the former is an inn, on the Annan and Car-
lisle road, kept by' Mr. Linton, the latter is a village on the
banks of a stream called the Sark; which formed the ancient
boundary between England and Scotland: Until Within the
last dozen years or so, the whole trade centered in this village;
and, as opposition existed even then, the selection of the mar-
riage shop at Springfield depended entirely upon what inn the
parties drove from at Carlisle. Wherever the fee promised to
be a good one, the post-boys and all about the inn went snacks
with one or other of the rival welders; and hence respect for
their own multures made them adhere doggedly to the same
place or resort, even when the principals themselves said nay.
But since Gretna Hall, from a gentleman's seat, was converted
into an inn, the tide of fashion has rolled in a direction where
the ceremony is just as well performed, and where the accom-
modations are considerably more to the liking of distingues
bound on a marriage jaunt. And there is this additional ad-
vantage, that the spot is much nearer to the real Gretna Green,
where the first performer took up the trade, and who, contrary
to the generally received opinion, so far from having learnt the
art of welding in the smithy, was originally a tobacco spinner.—
Dumfries Courier.
We extract the following additional particulars of the mar-
riage of Prince Celina and Miss Smith, from the Carlisle Pa-
triot :—A noble prince whose travels have made him conspicu-
ous, passed through Carlisle on Saturday morning last. Be-
tween six and seven, a travelling carriage with four smoking
posters, whirled up to the door of the Bush Inn, and out stepped
a gentleman incog. who acted the part of a servant. Thore was
another gentleman plainly, hut handsomely attired,'in the car-
riage, with a pair of moustaches, and a lady, described to- us as
fair in the extreme. The gentleman turns out to have been
Prince Charles of Padua, the lady the fair and fortunate Miss
Penelope Smith. The prince and his bride did not alight, and
during their sojourn here they conversed in the French lan--
, guage. The carriage was of foreign build, and ropes were at-
tached underneath to support it should a spring give way. The
motto on the panel was obliterated. They inquired how many
stages it was to Gretna, and being informed only one, the horses
were immediately ordered to, and off they galloped. They were
bound in "the holy knot" by Mr. Linton, of Gretna Hall, and
they passed through Carlisle again in the afternoon, for Penrith,
where they remained all night. At Penrith their companion
left them; he proceeded to Glasgow. While at Penrith they
engaged a servant to accompany them to the metropolis, which
they have reached before this. Prince Charles of Padua is
brother to the King of Naples, and his name is associated with
that of Miss Smith, by an elopement to Madrid, where he ,was
understood to be married. It is reported that his royal brother
protests against the marriage, and we have heard two reasons
assigned, one is that the prince forfeits the law by not marrying
into a royal family; the other that the king contemplates mar-
rying a sister or the mother of Miss Smith, and thinks the dou-
ble union would not tend to perpetuate harmony. Which ru-
mour is correct we know not, but it will be seen that Dr. Nichol
declared the other day that no clergyman of the Church of Eng-
land could be compelled to marry them, and therefore they have
taken the only alternative of despairing lovers, a trip to Gretna
Green. The whole history of their adventures, (for from the
first they have proved the truth of the adage, that the.course of
true love never did run smooth,) would form an interesting ro-
mance, but as far as the dry details of their last journey goes, it
is very likely to terminate in a court of law.