mottos "Domine salvam fac reginam, Dieu et mon
droit," and the honest German motto, "Treu und fest."
Later in the day a handsome Turkey carpet was spread
upon the top of the dais; but either it did not extend
sufficiently over the open space, or was not deemed
sufficiently ornamental, for it was shortly afterwards
surrounded by a number of workmen, who, in an
incredibly short time, attached a splendid border of
purple velvet. Behind the dais, and rising from the
floor to the back of the second tier of galleries, was the
orchestra, in which, before one o'clock, upwards of
sixteen hundred vocal and instrumental performers were
seated. The instrumental performers formed the base
of the orchestra; the vocal male singers filled up the
centre, and the ladies fringed the orchestra on either
side, while, at the very top, were ranged the two military,
and the Crystal Palace, brass bands. Surmounting
the orchestra was a range of pennons in various coloured
silks, a large banner of blue silk in the centre being
inscribed with the words "Honour to Labour," and
similar banners were placed at either extremity. At the
opposite end of the transept, and facing the dais, ranges
of seats were placed upon the flooring, the back rows
being a little elevated, and those in front coming up
to nearly the intersection with the nave. The front
rows were reserved for the mayors and corporation of
the cities of London, Dublin, York, the provosts of
Edinburgh, Glasgow, and the municipal authorities of all the
towns of note in the kingdom, and behind these the
visitors who had been favoured with reserved seats were
placed, to the number of several thousands, the back
tiers reaching up nearly to the front gallery. This was
in like manner densely packed with the families and
friends of the directors. The seats were then continued
round the sides of this, and the second tier of galleries,
the projecting corners being reserved, that on the right
of her Majesty for the peers, and that on the left for the
members of the House of Commons and their families.
Beneath the galleries and down the nave on either side,
the seats, arranged tier above tier, were continued. A
short way down the nave, strong barriers, behind which
a number of police were entrenched, prevented the
general public from encroaching upon the central
reserved space, but at one time the pressure was so
great that the barriers were regularly carried by
assault, and a tremendous rush swept away police,
barriers, and all, and much difficulty was
experienced in restoring order, and putting back the
intruders. By two o'clock, every point from which a
view of the ceremonial could be obtained, was occupied;
by this time, also, several of the ministers and members
of the corps diplomatique, in their state dresses, had
arrived. The whole of the ministers of the present
and late administration and privy councillors wore the
Windsor uniform; the Lord Chancellor and other law
dignitaries wore black velvet suits, while the foreign
ministers and suites wore their tasteful and varied
and richly decorated state dresses, blazing with orders,
crosses, decorations, and ribbons. As usual the ladies
were among the earliest and most animated of the
arrivals; they were all attired in elegant morning
costume or demi-toilette. The heat was of course
excessive, there being no awning over the glass roof; and
there was a perfect canopy of parasols of every shade
and shape, waving in the bright sunlight. Among the
visitors were Lord John Russell, the Earl of Clarendon,
the Duke and Duchess of Argyll, the Duke of
Newcastle, the Lord Chancellor, the Earl and Countess of
Derby, the Duchess of Wellington, the Count and
Countess of Walewski, Sir James Graham, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. Disraeli, Lord Auckland,
Lord Beaumont, Viscount Palmerston, Earl of Redesdale,
Earl Granville, the Marquis of Lansdowne, Mr.
Sidney Herbert, Mr. Layard, Mr. Laing, the Governor
of the Bank of England, Sir William Molesworth,
Earl Spencer, Earl Grey, the Duke of Wellington,
Mr. Cardwell, Mr. Rowland Hill, Viscount Canning,
Sir John Pakington, Sir Frederick Pollock, Lord Stanley,
the Bishops of London, Lichfield, and Oxford, Sir R. H.
Inglis, the Marquis of Cholmondeley, Earl of Cavan,
the Earl of Shaftesbury, the Marquis of Westminster,
Lord Campbell, Lord Robert Grosvenor, Hon. Arthur
Kinnaird, Lord Lilford, the Turkish Minister (who was
an object of much interest), the Prussian Minister, the
American Minister, Mr. Buchanan (the only diplomat
in a plain morning costume), the Danish, Sardinian,
Brazilian, Bavarian, Austrian, Greek, and other foreign
ambassadors. The following commissioners representing
foreign governments were also present:—For Prussia:
Professor Waagen, M. Malberg, M. Phillipborn, Chief
of the Commercial Department of the Foreign Office at
Berlin. For Austria: The Baron Rothschild, Austrian
Consul General; the Baron Cattaia; Dr. Schewarz, of
the Austrian Legation, at Paris; Professor Schindler,
Director of the Polytechnic Institute, at Brunn. For
Belgium: His Excellency M. Van der Weyer, Belgian
Minister in London; M. Stevens, Chief Secretary to the
Minister of the Interior; MM. Simonis, Madon,
Slingeneyer, and Balat, representing the artists of
Brussels; M. Nicaise de Keyser, representing the artists
of Antwerp; MM. A, Achenbach, representing the
artists of Dusseldorf. For Spain: Don Jose Joaquin
De Moral, Consul General; Don Manuel De Ysasi. For
Hanover: M. Albrecht, Director-General of Finances;
Professor Rulhmann, Director of the Polytechnic School,
Hanover; M. Borchers, of the Royal Mint. For France:
His Excellency the Count De Morny; General Morin;
M. Arles. The Archbishop of Canterbury, who was to
take part in the opening ceremonial, was in full
canonicals, attended by his chaplain. It was now nearly
three o'clock, and the bustle among the officials
indicated the near approach of her Majesty. The chair of
state was divested of its coverings, and placed upon the
dais. The diplomatic body took their places on the
right hand side of the dais, the members of the government
being assembled on the left. To clear the central
passage through the nave, an additional body of police
were brought in, and they by great exertions compelled
the mass of persons who had filled up the nave to retire
to the seats. Mr. Costa made his appearance in the
orchestra, and was loudly cheered. Near him was
placed Madame Clara Novello, who was to sing the solo
parts in the National Anthem. The magnificent bulk
of Lablache was also conspicuous. A host of other
distinguished artists were also present. Strains of music
from the grounds were now wafted faintly on the ear,
and the firing of the guns and the cheers of the people
outside, swelling gradually louder and louder; gave
intimation that her Majesty and suite had arrived.
Meanwhile the Queen, Prince Albert, and the royal
party, had left Buckingham-palace about one o'clock.
Their route had been over Vauxhall-bridge, South
Lambeth, and Dulwich. All along, the roads were
crowded with people, who cheered vociferously, and
none with greater heartiness than the groups of Frenchmen,
who might easily be recognised at intervals along
the road. The Queen and party were received by the
chairman, Mr. Laing, the managing director, Mr. Francis
Fuller, and the whole directorate. Precisely at three
o'clock her Majesty entered, leaning on the arm. of
Prince Albert, and followed by the King of Portugal,
the Duke of Oporto, and a brilliant court. When the
royal party had ascended the dais, the splendour of the
scene had reached its height. In the centre stood her
Majesty, glancing with evident surprise and delight at
the magnificent scene by which she was surrounded.
The enormous crowd that filled the nave, the galleries,
and the reserved seats, all stood up, waving hats and
handkerchiefs, while behind the great orchestra pealed
forth the strains of the National Anthem. The ensemble,
under the baton of Mr. Costa was perfect, the solos were
given with perfect clearness and resonance by Madame
Clara Novello, and in the concerted passages the
wonderful notes of Lablache could be distinguished
amid a thousand voices. At the conclusion her Majesty
turned round and rewarded the exertions of Mr. Costa
and his mighty host with a gracious bow and smile of
approbation. On the left of the Queen stood Prince
Albert, and on her right the King of Portugal and Duke
of Oporto. Grouped on either side were the royal
children, the Duchesses of Kent and Cambridge, and
the Princess Mary. The Duchess of Sutherland, the
Countess of Mount Edgecumbe, and other lords and
ladies in waiting, occupied the back portion of the dais.
After several rounds of cheering from the company, and
as many gracious bows in acknowledgment from her