New-York tribune., 1902-08-04
THE BELATED CORONATION
CHANGES IN THE ABBEY CEREMOyIAr
DECLINE IN POPULAR INTEREST :
THE BEST WINE.
london. Jnlr 90

fur{
not fulfil the promise of the glorious pare.r.
planned for June II Sir Joshua Reynolds ,r
veying in the maturity of his powers one OF bi,
earliest works. could not refrain from sighirr
over the unredeemed promise OF his youtb =
also the coronation managers may be par.o,aa
if they shrug their shoulders over the revssas
plans and curtai1ed ceremonies and think -
what might have been. Three or more uhvs;
clans will be behind the throne. and caution uu
be exercised at every stage of the coronation
lest the sovereign's impaired strength be over
strained The procession from the palace win
be shortened. and the ritual simpliied Tho
music will be recast the procession within n.
Abbey will be less impressive and picturesoua
there will be a single act Of the recognition tha
King being presented from the centre OF tba
theatre in place of each Of the four sides; tha
iitany and proba bly, the sermon as well will ba
dropped: the symbolic bestowa1 Of temporal
power and dignity through the Consecrated re-
gala will be simplfed. and various acts OF
homage will be omitted. The choir will nor bs
filed with princes and special ENJOYS. and there
will be vacant seats in the transepts reserved
for the peers and peeresses. The magnifcenes
of the pageant as it originally planned bv
the Duke of Norfolk cannot be reproduced in
detail when the solemn service of conservation
is abridged and many of the most beautiful and
picturesque passages are sIurred It will be a
perfunctory service. with officials and clergy
conscious Of omissions and alterations. and with
spectators disappointed and Istless.
The coronation will be in some respects more
distinctively an imperial function than It vouId
have been in June. There will be neither for
eign princes nor special ENJOYS. and the regular
embassies will be less conspicuous than the
Indian princes and colonial Premiers. Sir Cor
don Sprigg is the only Premier who has returned
to his own self-governing State. The other
colonial statesmen have remained and, with the
Indian princes. will be prominent figures in the
choir-the most distinguished witnesses OF the
solemn compact made between sovereign and
phasized that for the first time IN English his
tory the British Empire is represented ade-
quately al coronation The disappearance o.
the personal representatives Of crowned heads
and presidents Of republics will bring into
stronger relief the distinctive character OF the
ceremonial as an imperial rather than a national
function. All these witnesses from distant DOR
tons OF the empire have been received BY III.
Prince of Wales, and have been entertained
with lavish hospitality; and there viii De no
for additional court functions. with the
risk Of overtaxing the physical resources OF the
King
There will be vacant seats without doubt IN
The transepts. but on the south rather than on
he north side The peeresses. whose coronation
-obes. tiaras and coronets were ready in June
Will be anxious to wear them in the Abbey.
The peers will be less eager to witness the cere-
nony. especially those whose estates are heavily
and who are without London houses
and equipages for so grand an occasion. They
,annot drive to the Abbey in cabs or four
vheeIers from hotels or modest lodgings nor at
end the ceremony except in state. with Hveried
ervants and handsome equipages. well horsed;
nd, accordingly. many OF them win be absent
he veca1t seats in the transepts Will be filed
" peers sons and daughters. who in June
would either have been forced to take refuge IN
upper or remote galleries or would have been
excluded altogether from the Abbey. So large
the titled class that there is little probability
hat the tiers Of Chippendale chairs n the
will be without occupants The
lines have changed since the reigns Of the
Georges when few rows Of seats suflced for
he peers and peeresses. and complimentary
ickets for seats behind them were placed at
heir disposal for relatives and acquaintance.
There will be a great array Of peeresses in their
crimson robes: and the fifty Gold Slaves IN
Waiting. wearing full court dress and carrying
heir wands Of Office, will be fully employed IN
eating six thousand spectators. Substitutes
gin be readily found among the higher officials
Z the Civil Service for all who decline the Sec
nd invitation
The Abbey. with its decorative environment
T blue and yellow. in the place OF crimson and
old. with borders of green. favored at the VIC
orIan coronation. will be unchanged; and with
he exception Of the foreign princes and ENJOYS
he spectators will he those who expected to at
end the ceremony in June; vet there VIII be a
marked decline in popular interest and social
Even II the spectacle be Of excep-
onal stateliness and picturesque beauty, IL Will
OF excite the same intensity OF enthusiasm
here will be fervor in the religious service
-hether ntany. sermon and superiuOus prayers
nd sentences are omitted or included: and there
ill be a sincere note Of gratitude for the pres
rvation Of the Kings life; but there viii also
e impaired interest in the ceremonial details
nd diminished curiosity respecting the splen-
ors OF the coronation robes and the dexterity
Z the peeresses in carrying their coronets up
ght between finger and thumb and fastening
hem at the proper moment above their daras.
t is probable. also that fewer diamonds VII
e worn in the Abbey, and that there VIII DC
reater sobriety OF Judgment in dress than
here would have been in June. The pomp ana
lory Of imperial monarchy have been dinlnned.
nd there is a clearer perception Of the human
ement in the royal vicissitudes and fortunes
he hearts of the Kings subjects have been
1uched and softened by his sufferings and
heir own disappointments: and their eyes VIII
OF be dazzled easily by the glitter or spar
ling jewels and the resplendence OF cOrcnets IN
lie transepts. nor by the gorgeous vestments
sovereign and clergy before the altar. ms
1ronation feast will be kept with more nu-
ility. if not with increased sincerity Wnen
lie drums beat and the trumpets sound. there
ay be a deeper undertone in the acclamauon,
God save King Edward than there wouiu