Litchfield enquirer., 1862-05-22
pINrNa WITH A QUEEN


 s The London correspondent Of the PHizads5 pAia Press gives the following description of a dinner at Windsor Castle, with Queen Victo- ria:
 less bustling in Lent, London is generally very much alive-taking it's tone from the Court. Queen victoria's little dinners always draw a certain number of invited-no, of commended Ruests for the etiquette is, not that Royalty re. Qaests the pleasure of one's company, but orde s k, Indeeed, SO very autocraticalSis the system that supp you had arranged to give a din ner to number of your own friends, and re. { ceiyed card from the Lord Chamberlain of the of the Queens household desiring you to dine on the same day at the Queen's table, there is no refusing, on any other plea than that of posi- i've illness. Not to go would be sort of petty treason and you would have to send circular round to your own guests, stating that the Queens commands compelling you to dine al Buckingham Palace, also compelled you to un invite them.
 z Not that, except the honor and glory of the the thing, there can be much comfort or satisfac tion ID having ones legs under the royal mahog any. tEfst Of all, the guest must put himself in to . court dress, which makes him look like q iootman in private life, with knee brooches and uik stockings. lace cravat and rufles, amplest ot waistcoats and shad-belly.est of coats Then. if he does not keep his own coach he must hire one, looking like private vehicle, for it is donbtfll whether, since ere ,tion commenced, any ons ever walked to royal dinner and the idea of going thither in a cab would probably have moral effect on the enormous porter, in scar. lst and gold toggery. who receives your card of invitation when he admits you. Nor, supposing : al the preliminary trouble snded-supposing into = room, and bowed to the Queen, and stealthily looked round at the pictures, and counted over (all this time in solemn silence) the spots ol flowers on the carpet for the tenth time, and marched in file into the sale de n,anger-sup. posing all this, do not imagine that you are go. Ing to enjoy yourself. No, indeed. None but Mark Taplsy could be "jolly" at such feast. Royalty has already dined, about three o'clock, probably off the hereditary leg of mutton and surnips, and has aeded the usual quantum of riee pudding, and the bit of old Cheshire, or rich Stilton, or double Glos:er cheese, and im- bibed the accustomed mug or two of Guinness good, homely, filling dinner; and at the solemn fepast, five hours later people are expected to merely sip and taste through several courses, so that one is reminded of the famous feast of the Barmecide. The viands are of the best, the exisine perfect, the vintages superb-but one can merely taste Royalty's appetite was blunt cd on the leg of mutton and pudding, the cheese and the bottled porter, and the guests should have taken the edge off theirs by similar pro- cess.
 At these sadly solemn reunions dull silence grimly reigns. There is not even whisper to your neighbor, if you know him. The etiquette is, do not open your mouth unless Royalty ex- pressly condescends to speak to you. Do not expect such . compliment. That is reserved for few favored guests in the immediate vicinity of the regal hostess. The dinner occupies from sixty to ninety minutes. and when ended the Queen rises all other ladies rising and retiring with her. The male guests remain some ten minutes longer, longer, silently slipping their wine. or whispering in small knots with bated breath. At last the senior officer of the house. hold present rises on his hind legs and majesti. eally gives the Queen as toast, which every one drinks. If any male member of the royal family be present, he bows an acknowledgment. Coffee fellows, and then the guests depart-a few to the drawing room, where the maids of honor are yawning. the rest going home where it is sup. posed, each man gets out his livery at once, and gets rid of his gnawing hunger by means of oys. ters and stout.
 Such, ! am informed by one who experienced 1t, is the routine of a royal dinner. He was an East Indian, and suffered much.