, 1866-12-11

church, proceeds to allude TO the serv-
ice =
The clergy having ranged themselves
round the altar, prayers were intoned by
them and hymns and responses chanted
by the singers. The serious and meas
ured music of the Greek Liturgy is rich
in beautiful cadences, and may, perhaps,
be best described as something between
the rigid austerity ofthe Lutheran Choral
and the lighter rhythms of the Romish
Church. At a certain part of the service
the Czarewitch and his bride stepped
forward from the circle of the Imperial
family, and, having been conducted by
the Emperor TO a raised dais, joined in
the prayers of the Metropolitan. Later,
two younger Princes of the blood APP
preached and held above the heads of
the bridal pair the marriage crowns pecu-
liar to the Orthodox ritual. They resem-
BILE in shape and size the episcopal ~tiaras,
and seem to be in silver wire, or some
such material, interviewer with silk. This
singular ceremony continued for about
twenty minutes, the officiating Princes
being repeatedly obliged to change their
hands from WEAKNESS. Suddenly the
music became softer, quicker, and more
m~elodious. Its eloquent notes predicted
the speedy consummation of the hallow-
ed act. To this tune bride and BRIDE
groom were led thrice round the altar
by the Metropolitan. While the young
Prince and Princess Alexander were still
receiving the congratulations of their IL
lustrious relatives a hoary archpriest, with
stentorian voice, intoned a prayer for the
health and welfare of the Car, his wife,
and his children. His appeal to the Deity
was preferred in urgent accents, the other
clergy Ginning in, and, with many infec-
tions and genufrctions, asking blessings
on the head of the beloved Sovereign.
A rolling tie Deum' terminated the
service. 1t was a glorious composition,
and jubilantly sung. At its close the I'm
perial family, having received the felici-
tations of the clergy, left the chapel with
the Royal guests. As | left the palace
the first snow had fallen. Russia had
assn ned her national garb to welcome
her future Queen.
After the Imperial family the Prince of
Wales was the first to offer his congratu-
lations to the bride and bridegroom.
In the afternoon a banquet was given
an the Nieoln- Hall, at which were drunk
the healths of the Emperor and the En-
press, the bride and bridegroom, the I'm
periaI family, the King and Queen of
Denmark, the clergy, and the Russian
people.
In the evening a ball was given in the
ST. Georges Hall. The capital was
splendidly Illuminated.
In consequence of the auspicious event,
the Emperor of Russia has issued a ma
nifesto committing the sentences of the
prisoners in all parts of the empire ex-
cept Poland and Finland, and RENTING
the payment of all arrears Of taxes.
An imperial decree has been issued re-
hitting the exceptional imposts, taxes,
and ~monopolies in force in $50 towns of
Russian Poland, and which had been es-
tablished on the basis OF ancient feudal
laws, to the profit either of the Govern
ment or of the individual proprietors on
whose lands those towns were built.
These rights are ~relinquished by the
State without indemnify the various
landowners, however, will receive COM
pensation for the loss of their privileges.
1t is computed that more than 100000