they had been accustomed to form concerning it. About four in the morning the gates of the Abbey were thrown open. A large concourse of persons had collected themselves in the area (formerly the church-yard) between the north door of the building and the Guildhall of Westminster. The front row of the vaulted gallery was rapidly occupied (principally by handsome and welldressed females) but not the slightest confusion occurred. Each ticket contained the number of the particular box in which the holder was destined to sit; and all the boxes were provided with locks, to guard against the entrance of unauthorized visitors. The space immediately hehind the gallery formed an extensive and commodious lobby, through which the company lounged at their leisure, awaiting the commencement of the spectacle. Agents attended from some of the most considerahle confectioners in town: tables were set out under proper superintendance; and ices, fruit, wine, and sandwiches, were to be obtained, of good quality, and upon reason present occasion. On the north and south sides of the theatre, are the north and south transepts of the Abbey-church, in which seats covered with scarlet cloth were assigned for the Peers, and plain matted seats for the spectators who sat behind them. At each of the four pillars which support the main tower of the Abbey, scats were reserved for the Heralds and officers of arms; and near to the south pillar stands the pulpit, out of which the Coronation sermon is preached, beautifully decorated with crimson velvet and gold. On rising another flight of steps you come to that platform on which is the altar and the communion-table, and on which are placed the chairs and fald-stool used by the King during the sermon and litany, and also the old chair of St. Edward the Confessor. The floor of this platform is strewed with the most superb Persian tapestry, whilst the walls which surround and rise from it are hung with the most beautiful damask. On the north side of this platform is the gallery of the Earl Marshal and that assigned to the Foreign Ambassadors; on the south side that of his Majesty and the Royal Family. Underneathable terms. From five o'clock until eight, the gallery assigned to the Foreign Ministers, and opposite to that of the female branches of the Royal Family, is the seat of the Bishops; and above the altar is the gallery assigned to Peeresses and their families. Above them, in gradual order, rise the seats of the choristers and the gentlemen of his Majesty's band, fancifully fringed with scarlet; and as a finale to the view from the grand western entrance stands the superb and majestic organ of the Abbey. Besides these preparations for the comfort and convenience of those whom curiosity or necessity obliged to attend, boxes for spectators were fitted up in the cornice galleries which run round the whole extent of the Abbey, and which were decorated on the outside in the same manner as those which we have already described. Such was the outward appearance of the inside of the Abbey previous to the admission of strangers in any considerable numbers; and if we are to believe the opinions which we heard expressed by those around us, it fully gratified every expectation which the numbers in the lower part of the Abbey gradually increased, and the pages and ushers of the rod, parading about in their gay uniforms, gave motion and sprightliness to the scene. At half past eight, a flourish of trumpets was heard, and the procession with the regalia marched out of the Abbey. From half-past eight to ten (spite of the novelty of the ceremony) something like ennui began to show itself in the demeanor of the expectant fair ones; soon after ten, however, loud and continued music in the distance gave a fillip to half slumbering curiosity, and at eleven (looking down the Abbey as from the east, behind the organ) Miss Fellowes, with her six tributary herbwomen, heading the grand procession, appeared at the western gate. The cavalcade halted for a few moments at that point, to give time for the rear to come up, and lively music (fifes and drums, and flourishes of trumpets alternately) filled up the interim. After a short pause, the procession again put itself in motion. The herb-woman with her maids and the sergeant porter remained || Knights Commanders of the Bath, the Knights Grand Crosses of the said Order, and their Officers, the Clerks of the Privy Council in ordinary, the Privy Councillors, the Register of the Garter, Vice Chamberlain, Comptroller and Treasurer of his Majesty's Household, and Peers, were conducted to their seats by the Officers of Arms. The Prebendaries of Westminster went to their places near the altar. The Sergeants at Arms went to their places near the Theatre. The standards were delivered by the bearers of them to Pages at the entrance of the choir, to be resumed and borne in the return. The Princes of the Blood Royal were conducted to their seats as Peers. The Prince Leopold to his seat in the royal box. The Barons of the Cinque Ports choir. at the entrance within the west door: the drums and trumpets filed off to the gallery over the entrance door. The Abbey at this moment began rapidly to fill. The Peeresses, (their natural attractions height|| ened by every aid which art or fancy could supply, their dresses sparkling with jewels, and their white feathers waving in the wind) thronged into the seats appointed for them (immediately below the choir;) and ranged in rows, to the number of one hundred and fifty-five, without a single creature of the other sex to disturb the uniformity or break the delicacy of the scene; with robes of every colour, various as the rainbow, and plumes of hues almost as many, their box might be compared to a bed of summer flowers, in which the rose, the tulip, and the violet, the snow-bearing the canopy, and the Gentlemen drop, and the bright blue-bell, each dis- || Pensioners, remained at the entrance of the played its pride of beauty, and contended for pre-eminence. The procession continuing its course, the choirs of the Chapel Royal, and of Westminster, proceeded with his Majesty's band to the organ gallery, and, upon the entrance of the King into the aisle, an hundred instruments, and twice an hundred voices, rang out their notes at once; and the loud anthem, blended with the applauding shouts of the spectators, echoed to the very roof of the Abbey. The box of the Foreign Ministers presented, at his Majesty's entrance, a peculiarly glittering appearance. It afforded specimens of the costume of every country in amity with great Britain, from the splendid uniform of Prussia or France, to the plain chintz gown, and dark beard of a gentleman whose name we could not learn, but who stated himself to be the nephew of the Persian Ambassador, and claimed, in right of such relationship, to be seated with the ministers of foreign courts. The cavalcade continued its course. The Prebendaries and Dean of Westminster filed off to the left, about the middle of the nave, and there awaited the King's coming into church; when they again fell into the procession next before the King of Arms who preceded the great officers. That part of the procession preceding the The King, ascending the theatre, passed on the south side of the throne to his chair of state, on the east side thereof, opposite to the altar; and after his private devotion, (kneeling down upon the faldstool,) took his seat. The heat at this time was so great, that a lady in one of the galleries fainted, and was obliged to be removed from the building; and the weight of the state cloak alone (which had seven supporters) and might have overpowered a man in the most vigorous bodily health, was evidently oppressive to his Majesty. His Majesty being seated, the two Bishops, his supporters, stood on each side, the Noblemen bearing the four swords on his right hand, the Deputy Lord Great Chamberlain and the Lord High Constable on his left; the great officers of state, the Deputy Earl Marshal, the Dean of Westminster, the Noblemen bearing the regalia, Trainbearers, with Deputy Garter, the Lord Lyon, the Lord Mayor of London, and Black Rod, standing about his chair. State of the Hall during the absence of the Procession. As soon as the Procession quitted the Hall, it was followed by the Ambassadors and their suites, the Peeresses, and all those who had tickets of admission to Westminster Abbey. They proceeded through the passages by the House of Lords, || right of the Throne; and the Dukes of and on from thence through the covered Clarence, Sussex, and the Prince Leopold, way which led from the House of Lords to who were placed on the left. The table was Poets'-corner. The Hall, which but a few covered with rich damask cloths, on which moments before presented one of the grand- were wrought the royal arms and the deest spectacles, became now, for a short time, vices of the several British Orders, with almost deserted. Those only remained who || their mottos. On these was placed a large had not tickets for the Abbey, or whose oval mirror, having four square pieces produties detained them in the Hall. The jecting at different sides. In the oval centre preparations for the banquet now comwere the letters "G. R." In the square menced, and the cloths were spread along the compartments were painted the red and tables at which the Peers, &c. were to dine. white rose, the shamrock, and the thistle. There were three tables on each side of Besides these, there were four small figures the Hall, each table laid for fifty-six perand several stands, all in gold, placed on the sons. The seats were so constructed, that table. At that end of the table which each could accommodate two, a small space fronted the Hall, was suspended a very rich being left between each seat. As soon as flowered white satin drapery, with gold the cloths were placed, 336 silver plates fringe and gold bullion tassels: between the (the number of those who were expected to festoons were the stars of the several British sit down in the Hall) were laid on, each Orders in gold embroidery. At a little plate having two silver spoons placed near before two o'clock, the waiters cominenced it. This was the first part of the prepara- laying on the banquet on the tables at both tion. When it was arranged, the officers sides of the Hall. The meats served up who had the care of what is termed the Co- were all cold, and consisted of fowls, ronation Plate, began to display it on two tongues, pies, and a profusion of sweetlarge sideboards placed on the right and left meats, conserves, and fruit of every kind. of the Throne. The plate thus exposed was Before the tables were finally arranged entirely of pure gold. It consisted of seve- (about two o'clock,) the candles in the seral large dishes and vases richly embossed. veral branches were lighted. There were The centre dish on each side presented a thirteen chandeliers, on each side of the fine bas-relief of the Lord's Supper. Below Hall, with sixty large wax lights in each. that, on the left, was a large gold tankard; These consisted of very rich cut glass, with on the side of which was represented, in a profusion of drops. Besides these, there bas-relief, the story of the Grecian Daugh- were twelve table-stands, with eighteen ter. All the other vessels were richly em- candles in each. These, together with canbossed with various devices. Some of these dles placed in the choir, amounted to nearly pieces are of very ancient date, and have 2000 lights, exclusive of two branches of graced the Coronation Banquets of several Argand suspended at the right and left of of our Monarchs. A few of them were the Throne. Such a vast display of artifimarked A.R. (Anna Regina,) and some C.R.cial light would be calculated to add consiCarolus Rex.) Immediately after the arranging of the Coronation Plate, the Royal table, at which were to dine the King and the male branches of the Royal Family, was placed opposite the Throne, and in part under the canopy. This table was nearly of a triangular shape, the Throne supplying the place of what would have been one of the angles at two of the sides were six chairs (three at each) for the reception of their Royal Highnesses the Dukes of York, Cambridge, and Gloucester, who sat at the No. 131.—Vol. XXIV. derably to the splendour of such a scene, if it took place after sun-set; but in the broad glare of an unclouded sun, which beamed through every window, any number of lights could not be found a desirable acquisition. On the contrary, they detracted, in our opinion, from its splendour, and certainly from the comfort and convenience of every person in the Hall. To those gentlemen whose seats happened to be placed immediately under the chandeliers, the great increase of temperature-(and that was very G |