THE GREAT FETE OF THE SEASON.

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume VIII, Issue 655, 12 November 1851, Page 4

THE GREAT FETE OF THE SEASON.

On Friday, the 13th June, the great fete of the season, the Queen’s fancy dress state ball took place with all the magnificence of splendour that some 1500 of the English aristocracy and millionaires could render in obedience to royal commands. The costume was that of Charles the Second’s Court and time> only, with a patriotic eye to trade, many wore modern versions of materials: Lord Overstone wore Honiton point lace, the Duke of Norfolk Spitalsfield silver-watered tissue. The costume was well supported, and grave officials entered heartily into the drama of dress:—

“Lord Campbell appeared as Chief Justice Hale, and Baron Parke appeared as a Judge of /the time; the Duke of Norfolk, Master or the Horse, as General Monk, Master of the Horse to King Charles; the Duke of

Wellington in the scarlet uniform of the day ; the Duke of Cambridge as a cavalry officer ; Baron Brunow as a Russian ambassador of 1660; Miss Burdett Coutts displayed, among other ornaments, a broad band of emeralds and diamonds, worn in the same manner as a gentleman’s baldric, over the right shoulder to the left hip, where it terminated in a very large clasp of diamonds, used to fasten back the dress, which opened in front and displayed the petticoat: a bandeaux of large single stone brilliants passed across the back. Mrs. John Townley displayed a very elegant costume of cloth of gold, trimmed with bows of purple ribbon and pearls. The American Minister displayed a very handsome dress of blue velvet, richly trimmed with gold lace, a golden baldric, and a scarlet velvet mantle. The Marchioness of Londonderry’s costume was exceedingly splendid, wearing, it is said, jewels worth £150,000. A girdle of diamonds, and a diamond border orbertbe on the top of the corsage, were among the profuse display on this magnificent dress, which was of dark Crimson velvet; the head-dress was also peculiar, being a sort of cap or coronet of jewels. Sir William and Lady Molesworth both displayed very beautiful costumes; her ladyship also wore a beautiful band of jewels across the shoulder. The national costumes of the Turkish Minister, his attaches, the Prince A de Vogorides and that of M. de Lodoriki (a very beautiful Greek dress), produced a great effect from their singularity in such an assemblage. Baron de Cetto appeared in the Court costume of a nobleman of the Bavarian Court of the period. Senor Isturitz, the Spanish Minister, appeared in the costume of a nobleman of the Court of Philip IV. of Spain, composed of black velvet, with diamond ornaments. His Excellency Mussurus Bey, the Turkish Minister, was attired in the costume ol an Ottoman ambassador of the seventeenth century. Mr. Bancroft Davis, Secretary of the Legation of the United States, appeared as William Penn, founder of Pennsylvania, in a strictly accurate English costume of the year of the Restoration.”

The splendour and brilliant effect of the costume of the gentlemen was remarkable on all sides. The ladies were, of course, not less magnificent, but their dresses differed less from the costume of their own day. The waving feather, the jjay colours, the flowing curls, and the splendid embroidery, the slashed sleeves and ruffles, the fluttering streamers of ribbons, and the highly picturesque baldrics, gave a colour and variety to the scene, strongly in contrast with the usual sombre effect produced by the universal black costume usually worn by gentlemen at balls. Among the most elegant and picturesque dresses of the gentlemen have been noticed the following:— “ The Duke of Wellington, as a Field Marshal in the time of the Restoration of Charles 11. Scarlet cloth frock coat, richly laced with double rows of rich embroidered gold lace; white satin slashed sleeves, laced with gold ; rich point lace collar and ruffles; blue velvet trunks, with broad gold laced seams, slashed with white satin point lace at knees; crimson silk sash, gold tassels, splendid rich embroidered gold sword belt over right shoulder, and blue ribbon of the Order' of the Garter over the left shoulder ; boots with point lace, hat with white and blue plumes. His Grace also wore the Order of the Golden Fleece round his neck. The Duke was the only gentleman at the ball without the flowing locks of the period. The veteran hero appeared only in his own grey hairs, and this, in a crowd of full flowing ringlets, tnade him pre-eminently distinguished. The Marchioness of Douro and Lady Wellesley walked on each side of him, both of them magnificently dressed. The Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, as Sir Leoline Jenkins, a Judge of the Hi e h Court of Admiralty in the'reign of Charles 11. The costume was dressed by Mr. Gladstone exactly after the portrait, of which an engraving may be seen at 241 of Part I of vol. 8, of the collection of Historical Portraits in the print room of the British Museum.

“Sir Edwin Landseer appeared in a plain dress of black silk, with no cloak or mantle, and no skirts to the coat, with a light blue scarf worn round the neck, and hanging low down behind. A grey wig, imitating partial baldness. “ There can be no doubt (says the costumier) that this dress was strictly historical. '

Her Majesty’s head dress was composed of admail. diamond crown placed on the top o. tuo u ead, and a large emerald set in diamonds wuh pearl loops on the side of the head. The hair behind was plaited with peans. Her Majesty wore Le Grand Habit de Cour of the fashion of Louis XIV., introduced from France by Charles 11. The skirt of the dress was composed of rich grey watered silk, trimmed with gold and silver lace, and ornamented with bows of rosecoloured riband fastened by bouquets of dia-

monds. The front of the and the under skirt was made of Zt’ > embi oidered in a shawl pattern In In loped and trimmed with silver ft in!?'* ’ Cok gloves and shoes were embroidered T ‘ T| > e With roses and/eurs deli s in j' ter, W)y Majesty wore on the front of the S > dress four large pearl-shaped eme^l7 ° f immense value.” F em ««ld B.of 8 .of Sh “His Royal Highness the Prince All dressed in a coat of rich satin broth' 1 ** gold and with a green sprig- * il!1 turned up with crimson velvet in gold and silver, with a pink satin upon the shoulder ; a baldric of embroidered with silver, and e<U j fringe of pink silk and silver bulltn W,th 1 the sword. The breeches were 0 ? ’ velvet, with pink satin bows and JuT 0 ’ Stockings of lavender silk. Sash ? . • silk and gold fringe. The whole of thi was composed of materials of Briii.k * dreu facture, and the brocaded silk for th mBDn ’ the heauty of which could not be sum * any country, was completed i® tweh?? in from the time of the order being hat was trimmed with gold, with . feathers round it.” * ’ The company began to arrive about o’clock ; but nearly fifteen hundred invitX * had been sent out, and the stream p oUre ?‘ for two hours. Before the ordinary d» Me , “ national” dances were danced by quadrifl’ parlies, each containing sixteen, in uniform dresses—English, Scotch, French, and Span

In the English quadrille, conducted b» the Marchioness of Ailesbury, the ladies were dressed in blue silk dresses, with rose-colour, ed and gold ornaments; the gentlemen h scarlet, gold, and blue velvet. The page wore the livery of the King of England." “ In the Scotch quadrille, conducted by the Marchioness of Stafford, the ladies wore an elegant riding habit of pale green taffeta, ornamented with bows of pink ribbon, Rreyhi!-. ornamented with whitA and nkViJu.’ —— — r . M « avaiUClS* the gentlemen were in highland costume, The page in a Highland dress of royal Stuart tartan.

In the French quadrille, conducted by the Comtesse de Flahaut, the ladies wore white satin dresses, with bows of light blue ribboo. The under skirt of cloth of gold, trimmed with silver fringe. The gentlemen wore the uniform of “Les Mousquetaires Noirs.” Scarlet coats trimmed with silver. Gold crosses, ornamented with fleurs delis, worn upon the chest and back. Red stockings, and red feathers in the hat. The page wore the livery of the King of France. “In the Spanish quadrille, conducted by the Countess Granville, the ladies wore black silk dresses, with black veils. The dresses trimmed with gold lace and pink-coloured rosettes. The under dresses were of grey damask, ornamented with grey and gold fringe. The gentlemen were in black velvet, ornamented with gold, and all wearing the order of ‘ Calatrava,’ embroidered in red silk upon the coat and cloak. Grey silk stockings, black velvet hats, with red and yellow feathers. The page wore the livery of the King of Spain.” Her Majesty afterwards danced the Polonaise with Prince Albert, the Duke of Cambridge, and Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar. His Royal Highness Prince Albert also danced with the Duchess of Norfolk. At a quarter past twelve o’clock the Queen aud Prince Albert were condurted by the Marquis of Westminster (Lord Steward) to the State supper, and on returniug to the ball-room her Majesty danced with the Prince of Leiningen. By three o’clock the ball-room was cleared its gay company. Some of the amusing ifr cidents not rightly belonging to the Cow! newsman have been recorded : —

“One of the most amusing features ofM OOSt m sfi nonf onaMarla anrl nno whirh CoB* tributed in no little degree to its gaiety sni esprit, was seeing two intimates gazingM eBC “ other with a vacant stare, uutil aotns®^' 0 ® or tone of voice produced a sudden recogniucfj when a burst of surprise, and the jovial Hug" that followed, made this indeed throughout,t e evening an apt and living representation oft e “ Merry Monarch.” It was not till the nig had far advanced that the company go l i nto )( the habit of recognizing their friends at once. ( The other doings of the Court have bee«v s the usual routine character, her Majesty 8 patronage of the Royal Exhibition, I* B *' 8 Operas and French plays being part ®‘ daily announcements.