THIRTY YEARS OF THE REIGN OF VICTORIA. Personal Recollections by John Times.

Waikato Times, Volume III, Issue 137, 25 March 1873, Page 2

THIRTY YEARS OF THE REIGN OF VICTORIA. Personal Recollections by John Times.

II. — VISIT OF THE QUEEV TO THE CITY — THK MIKBOBr — JOHN BKITTON. The next grand celebration of the Accession yenr (1837) was tlio State vi«t of Queen Victoria to the City of London, andthe banquet to her Majesty in Guildhall on lord Mayor's Day. It was long believed to be an ancient civic ciulom that the sovereign should honour the chief magistrate with bin presence as a guest, cither on the first L3rd Mayor's Day after, or within a short time of his coronation. This notion', however, is erroneous ; and though it has not been usual for civic banquets to be graced' with the royal presence, yet the lojal practice of entertaining tho sovereign, in honour of the accession to the throne, cannot be traced to a more rome toperiod than the Restoration ; w.hilst tho first visit of Charles 11. was made within six weeks after his entry into London, and more than nino months beforo 1 o was crowned. The practice, therefore, has not been regulated by the period of the coronation ; but, from 1660 to the present tune, with three exceptions only, it has alwayi been obtened. These exceptions were Jainei 11., who held tho the City charter upon a writ of quo toarranto at his accession ; George tho IV , who was rendered unpopular by his quarrel with liib queen ; and William IV., who apprehended political tumult. To tli e interest of the Queen's usit, tho jouth of the sovereign lont a delightful charm, added towhich was the long interval of nearly eighty years since such a eercmonj' had been witnossed. It was, therofore, a most attractive pageant. At the earliest November dawn, notwit! ilanding Hood's description of " Ko dawn, no dusk, no proper time of day," the avenues leading to St. James' P«rk were crowded by pedestrians all pressing towards Buckingham Palaco, where the Queen had first taken up her residence on July 13 pre- \ iomly. Long before the hour appointed for her Majesty's departure) for Guildhill, the park was densely crowded. The line of procession was the centre Mall, at the entrance of which w-as the guard of honour (Royal Ilorso Guwds Blue), the Lancers being stationed along the line. At two o'clock, the well-known portly figure of Mr Le«, the High. Constable of Westminster, and a detachment of Life Guards, led the way, followed by the Duchess of Kent, Ducheu of Gloucester, the Duke and Duche§s of Cambridge, and the Duke of Sussex, in their respective carriages, drawn by" six horres. iS'csfc, her Majesty's six carnages, each drawn by stx horses co'iToimj; the roiaf h'>u »liuW with veomon of th»

gtwrd TWn, the royal •Ute-coack, drawn by light creamcoloured horses, conveying tbo Queen, the Mistress of the ]t«t*s (the Duchtwi of Sutherland), and tbc Master of the Horee (the Earl of Alhtunarle ) An escort of Life Ouarda followed, and then tbo Foreign Ambassadors Ami the Mwwtoa of State. Tbc prnccfswn passed MA)oborou»l> Houm Gardens into Pall Mull, where it was joined by cariOsta« containing the several judges, the Duke of Wellin^U^whe Archbishop of C'atitei bury, and MrG-iote. In Pali' Mall tbo che«rrng wu loud and enthusiastic The Queen wore a euperb pink and stiver Bilk dress, with brilliant silver spraya. Her Mnjosty iilso wore a splendid bulluwt tiara, aud carried a large bouquet of flowers in her right hand. Her reception u tiuly described as amounting to " a very freuzy " I witnessed the pageant fioiu the drnwmg.room window of the Louse No. 143, Strand ; and well remember the Queen's j»diant smile, as ahe noticed some eccentric decorations, with iv gigantic festoon across Catherine Stieet ; and a life sired pv>rtrait of her Majesty, seated in » state, painted by a clever artist for the illuminations at the " Mirror " effict. Th;» wm a reception of many phases that touched Ibe heart. Theie was thciniikcd welcome of the £)uehe« of Kent, which must have i cached the mothers ; tho real homage to jouthfal Majesty over whose empire th« sun n«v«r lets ; the simplicity of tlie chanty children at the churches «ingmg or lisping " Go«l save toe Queen" amidst the linging ami tiling of the church bells ; the enthusiasm of the people upon housetops, crowding »t windows, aod id the streets — sounds and sights which reached the hearts of all but such as were not worth possessing. Meanwhile a succession of aldermen arrived in their carriages, City side of Temple Bar, where they alighted, and entered Child's banking-ltouw. A procession thon Advanced from Ludgate Hill, comwtiug of the late Lord Maj or tlio Sheriffs, aud tho Lord Ma^or, »> their carriages, and joined the aldcrmeu in Child's banking-home. After a short deliberation they sallied forth into Fleet Street, and inarching with samo state to tho middle temple gate, they retired within its »alls to mount tho hoi sea provided for them. Another short pauwcnjiicd, aud then each cavalier returned mounted on a charger, managed by his groom, and not by 'SAinwolf. Before they could be ranged, one of tho horses Was unprovided with a rider. The Lord Mayor wore a motion velvet robe and collar of SS, and the aldermen woro their robes and chains, and each carried their white wands m their hands, which one or two of them had the courage to use as whips. The aldortneu having taken their position on etch sidu of the street, dose to the liar, the barriers were closed, but were opened uhon tho head of the royal cortfye armed at tbo gate After the carriages had passod along, the Lord Major dismounted, and taking tho City sword of •tate in bis band, ttood pn the south side of Ploet Street, ■waiting tho entrance of her Majesty. Aa soou as the royal state-carnage cumo within the Bar, it was stopped, the Lord Mayor advanced to the tide of tho carnage, and at that moment tho first drops of ram that had fallen during the day came pattering down upon his head. His lordship, bareheaded, held the handle of the sword towards her Majesty, and on bended knee »aid, " May it ploaso jour Majesty to receive with the humble homage and welcome of tho citizens of London, tho imrrendce ot tho City's sword, which tho citrzens of London hare unanimously elected nte to tbo honor of presenting to jour Majesty — an. appointment which your Majesty has done mo the honor to sanction." The Queen smiled, bowed in the most gracious manner, and, laving her hand upon the handle, motioned to him to keep the sword The Lord Mayor, by her Majesty's permission, then mounted his horae, which was waiting for him at the Bar, and receiving tho City sword from his swordbearer, held it in a continuous salute, and took his place immediately before his sovereign Alderman Wood, and four other aldermen, who accompanied tho Lord Mayor during the ceremony, then joined the City procession, which advanced along Fleet Street. Her Majesty's carriage then began to more, and this being communicated, by signal, to the artillery, there was a firing of guns at a distance for several minutes, and the prople bu»t into enthusiastic cheering : — " You would have thought the very windows spoke, So many greedy looks of young and old Through casements darted their enquiring eyes Upon her visage ; and that all the walls With painted imagery had said at onoc ' Jesu preserve thee ! Welcome, lovely Queen J ' " The same demon itration* of affectionate regard wero exhibited towards her Mnjeitj •» ibe pasted the churches of 9t JJumton and St Bride, and through Fleet Street and Ludgate Hill. In St Paul's Church -yaul, booths were erected around the cathedral for members of tho City companies A hustings was also built for tho boys of Christ's Hospital, where the royal carriages itoppcd, and opposite the cathedral gate the head master and treasurer advanced to the carriage door, and a platform was wheeled out, whence the senior scholar of Christ's .Hospital delivered a congiatulatory address to her Majesty, and presented a copy of the bame on vellum. The royal camge then moved on amid the singing of "God save the Queen" by the scholars of Christ's I Hospital, accompanied by trumpets ; and the cortege, by St Paul's Churchyard, Cheapude, and King Street, reached Guildhall. The Great Hall, as fitted foi the royal banquet, presented a magnificent scene, in better ta»te tHan the banquet of 1814, though it coat but one-hftb of the sum. The eastern portion of the hall contained the roy 4 table (laised), And four other table*, for the higher civic autbouties, the Ministm of State, Ainbmadon, ami other distinguished guests, The west portion of the hall was allotted to common-court-cilmen, their wives or friends. The royal throne, at the east end, was surmounted by a canopy of crimson velvet and gold, » shield with Y. R., and cornucopias supporting the imperial crown ; and the state chair was enriched with the royal arms and crown, the rose, thistle, shamrock, etc. The eastern window, above the throne, was removed, and the space filled with & gorgeous gas illumination of "V.R.," " Welcome," etc. The flood of light from the gas throughout the hall equalled that produced by the combination of 46,000 wsx candles. Soon after the arrival of the loyal procession, her Majeaty held a drawing-room, at which she conferred » baronetcy upon the Lord Mayor (Cowan), and ' knighthood upon the two Sheriffs At the banquet, the Queen, preceded by the Lord Mayor, m his entertaining robes, the Lady Mayoress and the Royal Family, was conducted in respectful silence by the Lord Chamberlain (the Marquis Conynham) to the throne ; the bandplayinpr, "Oh, the Roast Beef of Old England I " The Lord Mayor, the Lady Mayoress, and six senior aldermen, attended to wait upon her Majeaty ; but, on reaching the throne, the Queen immediately commanded the Lord Mayor, the Lady Mayoress, and the company, to take their seats. At the royal table sat The Queen in the centre. On the right — The Duke of Sussex, the Duchess of Gloucester, Duchest of Cambridge, Prince George of Cambridge, and the Duchess of Sutherland. On the left.— The Duke of Cambridge, the Duchess of Kent, Princess Augusta of Cambridge, Covntess of Mulgrave. The Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress sat at the principal guest's table. Grace after dinner being sudjj, after a flourish of trumpets, the Common Crier advanced into the middle of the hall, and said, "The Right Uon the Lord Mayor gives the health of our Most Gracious Sovereign Queen Victoria." The company simultaneous rose, and drunk the toast with bwuulless enthusiasm. " God save the Queen " was then •ting. After which her Majesty rose, and bowed to the company several times, The Common Crier then said, •• H«r Majesty gives, ' The Lord Mayor and Prosperity to i the City of London.' " This was followed by the " Royal I JEfcmily," and both toasts were drunk with enthusiasm. Tfct half-past eight o'clock the Queen took leave of her falthlnl and dehyhted citizens of London^ after having warmly expi eased the gratification she had felt at tbeir xnott sumptuous entertaiurneDt The return of the royal corttge, by the saino routo as that taken in the morning, «mi oceiie of great enthusiasm The illuminations throaghout the line were appropriate and splendid. Hajdon has m hi 4 " Autobiography " this singular entry respecting the royal TUit:— "•Tins day the Queen, who will I never forgive me for sending her a ticket of admission to the raffle of Xonophon, goes to dine m the City Tke day hns opened, as all such days do, in nubibut. When Napoleon appeared the day alwayi brightened, and I »incorcly hopo her young feelings will not have tho chill a bad day always gives. God bless her As the committee wou't let me into the Hall, my dignity wou't let me stand in the streets, so I shall finish my drapery, nhich looks gloriously this morning "God protect tho d ea , ),it] e Queen through all tLc penis of joy and fea»ting, and bring her home safely, and lnako her reign over us long and lasting " While ties* public cv«nt* «cro being transacted I was engaged in the quiet literarj works which form the chief staplo of my recollections. I have in a previous series of papers referred to my connection with periodical literature. My " Mirror" cxprnenco brought me into association with several persons for whom I had, with few exceptions, a strong | regard. I can scarcely call to mind any portion of my working-life which has afforded mo such pltosurablc recollections as this period j and, up to the present clay, lam accustomed to receive acknowledgments from readers who, in their youth were delighted with this, tho earliest of cheap periodicals presenting any approach to a literary character, lam aware that the priority in "humble usefulness" hiw been claimed by Messrs Chambers of Edinburgh, who eomm ired thoir "Journal" m 1832, but have not mentioned the " Mirror " m their " CjUoprcdift of English Litoi-Atuie," 1814 , wlicrcas the " Mirror" was commenced in 1822, with tho advantage of engraving-, tf ©xt came a cheap approach to tho newipaper— the " Notional Omnibus," full of pun , aud patter, and personalities Then tho " Penny Magazine," V in its first series, was long voted dry, with too much of the schoolmaster about it I remember a surgeon of high eminence objecting to tho " Penny Magazine " on the score ot its anatomical details (zoology, botany, <fee ) being unfit for farody reading ; whereas the " Mirror " was oxotnpt from these objections. The "Saturday Magazine, " (1832), although uTjd»r the direction of a> religious wriety, was more lively and entertaining thnn its Pouny competitor. Foremost among my fntndu wan John JBntton, the topographer and antiquary, tv whom, in 18»3, I ottered my lit*, rarr i«?ri ice* . but bis n quirt ujidU ueic Oo tei.-liuii.aj for

my iDste I found him at work mhu largo library ; 1 lell him mv first book, and on my way homo met my old friend David Booth, who recommended me not to listen to Brittou's technicalities, but to stick to the hloraturu of our timo Booth wiotc the "Analvtii.i) Diction try," in quarto, a critical veoik Oti EwgJuh eoi»pn»itio»>, And cdUcd t»uw Djicc htciary journals, lie wo* originally a bicwer , nud, lator in life, he iculisutl n, pood income hy iin I jn it ing to bivwors the aeucfc of preventing nculifiention m biL-w n«r I could never learn hit secret ; all I could extract fioia lum binrisj that it "depends on the sizo of Die brewery , " he was a native of Scotland. The lifo of John Bntton. piosoiits s remarkable instance of a man bom to trouble, \et ao successfully struggling with difficulties of all kinds, as tv retain a respectable position in Itfc, and to be honored m his declaims; years with a public testimonial of catcom Ho was born at Kingston St Michael, near Cliippenliam, Wiltshire, in 1774, where his father kept a village shop, but, through failure, become insane. Young Britton came to London, and until manhood worked hard in wine etllan about (Jleilvenwell ; but his health breaking down, be engaged himself to an attorney iv Holborn Court (now South Square), Urey'» Inn, opposite the chambers of Joieph Ritaon, the hterar) anti- | quary and ugul Pythagorean. Here, too, lived L)r lUwlmion (" Tom fcolto," of the "Tattler," N r o 108), who atulled four rooms so full with books that he slopt iv the passage. 1 remember seeing these chaiuK-n taken down, in 1841, for the site of the new steward's offices. Opposite lived Britton, for thre^ year* clerk to ooe Simpson, at fifteen shillings a week salary. " Vet," says the patient clerk, "with thia small income 1 felt comfortable and happy, as j it provided me with a decent lodging, clothes, and food, j and with tho luxury of books." i Britton occasionally visited Ritson his nephew Sir i Harris Nicolas, published aomo cunons paiticnlars of Rit- j son, whose affected and antiquated way of spoiling was much ndiculcd Young Britton hnd learned hi* letters fiom a hornbook m a village school, but received little further education He liarf grown fond of reading, but couM only j get snatches at book-stall* from books, baring little money J to buy thorn- He had now formed* the acquaiufcanco of •oinc persons in the humbler walks of literature, and wrote, or attempted to write, an account of " The Surprising Adventures of Pizarro," Some contnbutiom to Mia " Sporting Magazine" brought him acquainted with Mv Wheble, publi*ner, which may bo said to ha\e led him to his future i fortune By Wheblo ho was engaged to compile an | " Account of Wiltshire," an A w ith this view waited upon the first Marquis of Land«do»ue, at Bo wood, to solicit Ins pitionago. Ho had neither card nor prospectus ; but lie told his early struggles and his love of rending po artlessly, that tlie kind-hearted nobloman directed his hbiunan to provide young Brittoft with books and map», to allot him a bedroom, and to depute a person to show him o*er the mansion and grounds ofßowood, which he left for Cfuppenharit loaded with book*, and a " Survey of Wilts" in eighteen folw sheets. All this kindness Mr Britton gratofully acknowledges in his ; " Autobiography," adding, that had he been coldly repulsed | by Lord Landadowne, " it is probable that the ' Bcnutie* of Wiltshire 1 would never have appeared before the publn\ nor it* author become known in literature " lie wrote, edited, tnd published nearly one hundred worki (some m conjunction with lua friend, E. W. Brayloy), and m this w.a> laboured for some sixty years. His succcjj is to be attributed lo bis energy of character, nurtured by the ki'uliuMs with which he was received at Bowood, and aided in uftor life by qualities which we rarely see associate- 1 in the mine individual. Mr Britton was not only uidn»tmu» and persevering, but cheerful under defeat His evenness of temper was rery remarkable ; yet he was r\a\ cold i« bis attachments He tells tv that, from bis boyhood, bo was ambitions to bo iv the company of his elders and superior* m knowledge He was well ordered in business and in money matter?, always liriug witJun Ins means from youth — when ho road books in bed fco save the expense of fire — to his green old age of comfort in his quiet and elegant home in Burton strcot. His ni<j«fc important work was tho " Cathedral Antiquities of England, in fourteen volumes foho, 1811—35, with upwards of three hundred highly finished engravings. In 1847, the literary and other friends of Mr Britton gave the veteran author a dinner on his retirement from the aetne pursuits of his calling ; and they further organised " the Britton Club," to raise a testimonial fund , winch, ut Mr Britton'* suggestion, was appropriated to an autobiography, which he was to prepare and print, and present to the subscribers. Amongst the member* wero Alderman W Cubilt twice Lord Mayor of London ; and Alderman SrHs Gibbons, Lord Mayor in 1871 ; Sir Witlmra Rose, Mr T U" ma, and Mr David Roberts, Royal Acoademician ; and Messr* Crof ton, Broker, George Godkin, and Peter Cunningham. Years had uol blunted Mr Britton's synipathiocis, but to the last hit heart overflowed with genial kindness and benevolence He passed away peacefully and resignedly m his 86th jear, ou New Year's Day, 1857. The autobiography was issued shortly after his decease. The Rojal Institute of British Architects placed a brass to his memory m Salisbury Cath-di-nl; and tlic Wilts Archrcologieal Society erected a memorial window in Kingston St Michncl church. Mr Britton « ■» interred in Norwood Cemetery, beneath n colossal gra\ c•tone. He had done excellent service m calling the attention ol the educated public to the long-neglected topographical and architectural antiquities of England. Hi§ career i»'oj, moreover, an admirable illustration, ns lie luittscif deiCnbc* it, "of what maj be effected bj zeal nud industry, with moderate talents, and without academic Icaunn?." I should mention that & testimonial " Bntton tree " was planted at Mr Gri9seU's beautiful neat, Xoilwry Fiuk About this time, through the good word of Sir Britton, 1 engaged to write for a publisher a work to be dodicated to the Bishop of London, and remember waiting for more than a long hour to take my turn to sco his lordship at London House. In the largo dining-room wa» a long urray of dark Wohogony and one solitary book — a volume of the " British ■ Critic," containing a review of Bishop BJoom/leld'H translation! from the Greek My only companion in waiting was a fidgctty person, who strodo up nml down tho room with that JDlenuty of impatience which h»s scaicclj any parallel save in a Jocomotivo on a railway panting to start, or a tiger ' pacing up and doirn hit menagerie cage. I left London House impressed with the business-like ariangcmcnt of my interview with the Bishop. His noble and kindly beariDg, and Che readiness with which he gate iue advice, were >cry encouraging, and such as I ha^ve often heard ascribed to tho Bishop, notwithstanding Sydney Smith's gibes and] jokes contrariwise. By the way, the Bishop* sou relates an amusing story of a deputation waiting ou hiB father at London House, to request him to make provision for lunatics being regularly visited by the parochial clergy. The Buhop he^itotod,but a colonel who headed the deputation assuosd his lordship that there was not a singlo member of the deputation who had not himself at one time or ether boen an inmate of a lunatic asylum. Aft^r this confession, tho Bishop was not a little rclicvad, when the deputation withdicw, and its members were seen quietly making their way pint Norfolk House into Poll Mall. By lh>» I a>n reminded of being present at a public dinner, at the Londou Tavern, of the Alleged Lunatics' Friend Society, when cortniii restored lunatics among the company stood up during the chairman's •pcech. One of those restored lunatics, on my right hand, rote , I grew uneasy, but he spoke a few words, rationally enough, and then sat dor m ; he then got veiy convcriablo when I took a glass of wine with him, and shortly afterwards withdrew. Rearward of Mr Britton's abode were the houio and grounds of his friend Francis Baily, the nshouomcr, who at an early ago show ed a taste for science, made a very remarkable J tour in the unsettled parts of jS'orth Ammra, returned to England, and as a member of the Stock Exchange, made a competent fortune, and relived to devote himself to bis scientific labourg In 1838, within a »mall room at his residence, 37, Tavi»U?ck Plnte, ho contnvDil a poir of scales that enabled him approximately to weigh tho enrth Tho house ■lands detached from any other building, in a large garden, some distance from the street, tho roadway of winch is macadamised. I had a drawing made of the exterior of Mr Budy'e house, and the wciglung-roam and appaiatus, as the I frontispiece of " Things not Generally Known" (ol winch many thousand copies have been sold), thus recoidmg historically the buildiug in which the earth was weighed and its bulk and figure calculated. Mr Baily died in 1811, m Ins seventieth year. Ouo of his last layings is touching, though carrying too much of pagan philosophy : " My li r e is nearly closed. I loa\e life with the same tranquility and equanimity which I have generally frit and ncted on in my personal intercourse with friends and »trongrrß I havo been blessed with uninterrupted bonHh In short, I have- had more than mj share of terrestrial happine*?, and leave if, as fulfilling mi inscrutable law of animal nutuic, with tlmukfuliioii and resignation. " Among M r Baily'* ineiuU," says Professor Dc Morgan, "there is suiely not one who will venture to say positively that ha nevor knew a bettor or happier man." Among his vast amount of valuable work was tho remodelling of the " Nautical Almanac," the fixation of the standard of length, involving more than 1,200 hours' watching tho oscillations of the pendulum, the determination of tho density of the earth, and the revision of catalogues of the stars. This jcar, 1537, July 29, an auction sale of largo diamonds took place at Willis's Rooms First wnn the NnMnck diamond, part of the " Deccan booty," tnkrn >n the British conquest of India It is fu lnrgf as a good -sized walnut, weighs 3371 grains, i* of dazzling whiteness, and i* as puro res a drop of drir It was originally tit] not) t>) the Enst India Company at £30,000, but at the above safo fetched £'7,200 tfcU the diamond car rmgi presented by the Nabob ot Aroot to Quoen C'lmilotUs, perhaps the finest in the world, brought £11,000. Tlic Nassuck diamond was subsequently to tho Marquis ot Westminster, who wore tho g«sm on the hilt of his court »»Tord, and then presented it to his miu-dnoncss. Let nio here chronicle the abolition of one of London's ancient nuisance:) I reinomher tho atiange scene of Bartholomew Fair at midnight, boforo guslighting had become common; the shows, booths,, and stall", with their flaring oil lamps, grcaso-pans, und torches, »ned a broad glare- over ibp vast nea of heads, which filled tho area of Smitbfield, und the adjacent ttreot. Iv 1840, howevrr, on the recommendation'of the City SoWitov (Mr CliurK- Pnnivjn\ the Corpoiation purchased Loiil Kumm^lsit'j lutcn.t m the

tolls ; the) H'fi^uil to lei the gvound fir slims s and booths but upon coibitaiit prices, and limited tho lair to i>»c da) , so that hi ISIO the i* ir was reduced to oiio or two stalls In gambling-! iiblcs, fur gmgcrbiciul uuts, a few fi nit bruip»s and toy- stall*, and ohu puppet hliou. Li 18 JO tlio Lphl Majoi nnJXtJ qajctJr tw l)*r appointed galcunj, niLh Jji> attendant*, but theio »us not unv Fair lc/*t n Miuoi'd proclaiming T'icnc f>)ith an olllcinr puson lend n ooiln m form of Maids fioin a piucliiucnt scroll undci the gfltevray Aftor five years tln» foim was also dispeuiod with, and Ut;tholoinew Fnir woi proclaimed for tlj« lost time in the jear 1855 " The sole existing restige of it is th» old fco of tUreotnd'sixpencc ■ ill p. i I by the Citj to the rtctor of t)t Barliolomcvv the Grout k r i proclumation ,u hu paruh " (Morley ) It was held that the praclamutiou was pait of th« «liwteifer holding Smith Geld Market, on which account it continued to be rend until tho Act of Parliament for reww>v»»g the market to Coppenbnm Fields at length relieved tho Corporation of gomg thiough tUe useless ceremony. ]» tni» diformal monnci tin, i)ii)-a»ii; wns got rid of without the nsl of riotous n,3)slinu'e »nr)i ■* disgiaced fornu-r atti'mplt to •»pprt»» it