Smyrna times., 1879-03-26
The Royal Wedding.

Inc hOyal WeQQlnSs
AS royal weddings 20, in these degenerate
days, the royal wedding at Windsor last
week seems to have been a success. 1t
might have been a more brilliant affair and
still have kept within the bonds of what is
meet and seemly; but it was at least
| sufficiently gorgeous for all practical pur-
poses, and SO far as the marrying was con.
cerned-and that, after all, was the essen
| tial feature of the periormance-was as
substantial a ceremony as could have been
desired. A matrimonial moose hauled taut
by the Lord Primate, by three bishops and
! by miscellaneous assortment of church
| dignitaries of less exalted degree certainly
| ought to hOld-even when one of the high
contracting parties is a member of the
House of Hanover.
And yet, probably, there will be carping
| critics who will maintain in view of the
eminently superior condition of the bride
and groom that this wedding was but a
poor affair, and will hold that in the unde-
niably conspicuous economy was conspic.
Gus also an undeniable family trait of the
HanOverian line. Attention doubtless will
be called in support of this theory to the
way in which the wedding guests of the
first magnitude were packed away in the
court CdtIldHGS almost as ClOSely as SarOlneS
are packed in tins; while the fact that,
even when thus made the very most of,
the supply of court carriages by no means
came up to the demand-evidenced by the
statement that Her Majesty was forced to
ride to the wedding in a mere common
place landau drawn by ponies, into which
plebeian vehicle also were crowded the
Princess Beatrice and one of the Prince of
} Wales's little boys-cannot escape invidious
remark. In the matter of the wedding
presents the thrifty instincts not only OF
the family, but also Of the friends of the
family, may be held also to be apparent.
The Imperial Princess of Germany, the
groom's sister, certainly headed the list oil
, the inexpensives with a bit Of still-life oil
her own painting. Close upon her, how
ever came the Duchess of Cambridge, the
old greataunt OF the groom, with half {
dozen silver spoons. Prince Christian o.
! Schleswig lIolstein-a poor Prince, largely
!, dependent upon the English allowance
? made to his wife, the Princess Helena, the
! groom's sister-was fair third with a pai
$ of candlesticks designated as "moderr
5 English" a phrase equally applicable t
/ brass or tin. The Duchess of Mecklen
t burg Strelitz, the groom's first cousin, rise
to a higher plane, actually presenting tn
d young things with silver fish knife ant
o fork-possibly something very grand, 70
e the dispatch describes them as being "in
e size and elaboration of workmanship to f
d them for royal table" The husband &
|, this good lady is a shining exception to tn
't prevailing law of leanness. His gifts ar
q both muniticent and queer, consisting c
s. "a glass claret jug with gilt mounts of
l. lion and sheld'-the shield evidentl
!, being sent along with view TO defensiv
operations against the lion. An even NOR
astonishing thing in the way Of a claret d,
is canter is the bottle in response, "made i
st India for pouring libations of water to idol
NJ but in England to be filled with clarct," 8
it the intelligent correspondent Of the Ass,
n ciated Press hath it. Coming back to Il,
in strictly economical gifts, we have the pa
IN of silver candlesticks--a touch above poo
is Prince Christians modest gift, but sti
W metalurgical birds of similar plumage-
e. from the Princess Louise and the Maruu
~ of Lorne; a clamp" from the Prince
OF Beatrice, and from the canny Scotch Coun
o. ess of Bredalbane, q Campbell we'll knoV
IN ing the difference between the nimble ST.
ga pence and the slow shilling, a photograp
Mt album. 1t must be remembered that II
a. list of gifts published to-day is intended
is include only those most worthy Of mention
It, If such list ends off with q photograI
Nv album there is no telling where the Ii
ly when given in full will terminate
rs Well, well, every family has its little e
centricities, and these Guelphs must not
criticised harshly for bringing the ecce
a., tricities of their family into something
he prominence on so quick an occasion as Il
to marriage of one of their own. What boo
tn it if the supply of state coaches did run
ID, little short, and if some of the presen
were trife under the regal line? tt
en- honest souls meant well, and probab
I'd, really enjoyed it all very much indee
at They have had rather sad life of it sin
rd their father died, and this little bit
ats merry-making doubtless will cheer them
el, hugely. The carping critics who wou
ou poke fun at the wedding should look at
Is, in this light, and if they refuse to look at
IN. in this light they should be calmly b
,k firmly frowned down.-Phila Times.