Year: 1875

A correspondent writes from London


The act of presentation is very easy
and simple. Formerly indeed-until
within a few years-it must have been
a very perilOus and important feat. The
cOurtier (the term is used inaccurately,
there being no noun to describe a person
who goes to court for single time) was
compelled to walk up long room and to
back, bowling, out of the queens pres
ence. For ladies who had trains to man.
age, the ordeal must have been a trying
one. Now it has been made quite easy.
There is but one point in which presen-
tatiOn to the Queen differs from that at
the Prince of Wales levees. You may
turn your back to the Prince, but after
bowling to the Queen you step off into
the crowd, still facing her. There (if
you have good luck to be presented in
the diplomatic circle) you may stand and
watch a most interesting pageant. To
the young princess, perhaps, it is not very
amusing; but there is plenty in it to Oc-
cnpy and interest the man who sees it
for the first or second time. You do not
have to ask, "WhO is this" and "WhO
is that? The Lord Chamberlain an
nounces each person as he or she appears.
You hear the most heroic and romantic
names in English history as some boy or
woman appears to represent them. One
sees a number of beautiful persons. The
young slips, of girls who come to be pre-
sented for the first time, frighted and
pale and flushed, one admires and feels a
sense of loyalty too.


The name of each person is called out
loudly by the Lord Chamberlain. The
ladies bow very low, and those to whom
the Queen gives her hand to kiss nearly
or quite touch their knees to the carpet
No act of homage to the Queen ever
seems exaggerated, her behavior being so
modest, and the sympathy with her 50
wide and sincere; but ladies very nearly
kneel in shaking hands with any mem
Der of the royal family, not only at court,
but elsewhere. 1t is not so strange look
ing, the kneeling to a royal lady, but to
see a stately mother or some soft maiden
rendering such an act of homage to a
young gentleman impresSes one unpleas-
antly. The courtesy of lady to
prince or princess is something between
kneeling and that genufection one meets
in the English agricultural districts; the
props of the boys and girls seem mOmen-
tarily to be Knocked away, and they sud
denly catch themselves in descending. 1t
astOnished me, remember, at party to
see one patrician young woman shake
hands with not very imposing young
prince and bend her regal knees into this
curious and sudden little cramp. l saw
her, this adventurous maid, some days
afterwards in handsome cab, directing
with her imperiOus parasol the cabby to
this and that shop.


This jumble of the new and the old
struck me again and again wherever |
turned. The mysterious scarlet coaches
toiled along Piccadilly side by side with
the smart wagons of the Cheshire cheese
and butter company. To the traveller
who idles away balmy morning in
Green Point, can he resist for moment
the blue hues of the Abbey towers and
the warm shining greensward, this i'm
preston is often present. The goblins,
wont to dispOrt themselves in the medi-
aval mOonshine, have been suddenly
overtaken by a food of Common place
daylight There is the veritable St.
James palace. But no Charles drives