The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1902-04-08
GROWING GEORGE III
A DESCRIPTION OF HIS CORONATION
AS SEEN BY A GENTLEMAN.

fANN avn AAN a llslNN-A lNhtA. as lltN
call 1t. enabled me to be present both
in the hail ana the abbey. and as l had
n fine view of the procession out of
doors from a one-pair-of-stairs-r room.
which your ncighbor. Sir Edward. had
hired ut the small price OF 100 gum
cas-. on purpose TO oblige his acquaint-
ance, l Will endeavor to give YOU as
minute an account as l can of all the
particulars omitted in the public
papers"
SO wrote Mr.. James HcminC to n
friend in the country ages ago. His
letter is dated Tuesday. September -
1161' the day on which George III. was
solemnly crowned. Mr. Heminc faith
fully guarding his precious pass-ticllet
which gave him the right TO rove
where he chose. was afoot overnight.
The fronts of the houses i'm all the
streets that could command the least
point of view We're lined with scaffold-
ing, like so many galleries or boxes.
raised one above another to the very
roofs. These were covered with car.
pets and cloths of different colors and
filled quite early in the day with richly
dressed spectators, the mob underneath
making n pretty contrast to the rest
of the company.
or course, there were plenty of foot
soldiers on the ground Mr.. Heminc
relates how surprised he was to see
the officers Familiarity conversing and
walking arm in arm with many of the
prlvates. This surprise lasted until
we were let into the secret that they
were gentlemen. who had put on the
dresses Of common soldiers. for what
purpose l need not mention"
Mr.. Heming has tender heart. eft
gave me pain" he confesscs 80 see
the soldiers, both horse and foot.
obliged most numerically to belabor
the heads of the mob with their broad
swords, bayonets and muskcts bur IL
was not unpleasant to observe several
tipping the horse soldiers slyly from
time TO time (some with halfpence and
some with silver, as they could mus
ter up the CASH to let them pass be-
tween the horses to get near the plat
form, after which these unconscious
bic gentry drove them back again"
still he himself is not above having
recourse to "the irresistible argument
OF half crown" One of the guards
accordingly pilots him to the hail gate.
where he got admittance Just as their
MaJcsties were seated at the upper
end under magnificent canopies.
The procession began to quit West
minister Hall between IL and -. He
seems a vcritable familiar does this
Mr.. Hcming in his power to dart hith-
er and thither. Being willing to see
the royal procession pass along the
platform through the streets from
Westminster Hall to the west door of
the abbey, he hastens from the han.
and by the assistance of soldier"
gets back 10 his former station at the
corner OF Bridge street, where the win
dows commanded double view ut the
turning.
He has not however the words to
express that innate JOY and satiSfac-
ton which the spectators felt and ex-
pressed. especially as their Maicsties
passed by; on whose countenances n
dignity suited to their station. tenn
pered with the most amiablc compla.
cency. was scnsibly impressed" The
young sovereign had only been mar
ricd 20 the good Queen Caroline i'm the
previous July. II was noticed that as
their Majcsties and the nobility passed
the corner which commanded pros
poet of Westminster Bridge they
stopped shor, and turned back to look
az the people, whose appearance as
they all had their haas of. and were
thickly planted ON the ground. which
rose gradually. Mr.. Hcming compares
90 nothing but pavement of heads
and faces.
Mr. Hemiuc next turns up i'm tho
Abbey. hut 30 is not 10 bc wondered nj
That hc did not get there I'm time to
nave so distinct view as ne could
have wished still hc saw a good deol
1ud 'our friend Harry Whitaker had
thr iuc6 to hc stationed i'm the first
row of tle gallery behind the seats al
lottrd for the nobility Harry Whit
aEr con cquently supplements the
narrative at This interesting point.
lh' coronation sermon lasted only
hltcDu minutes The king was anoint-
rd 0r tlc crown OF his head his breast
aul tha palms of DIS hands At the
very Instant the crown was placed on
ih" b.n-s head fellow having
N0.u placed on thc TOP OF Inc abbey
''m. whence he could lo1k down into
OOH" DHu..i with Hag which Incl
dropped 1s signal thr park and Tow
T suns begun t0 ur.. the trumpcts
sounded and fhe Abbey echoed with
i repeated shouts and aeclamltous