Peter Parley's Visit to London, During the Coronation of Queen Victoria

by Samuel G. Goodrich

"Far as the eye could reach was one dense mass of human beings. The deafening cheers of the populace, the waving of ten thousand handkerchiefs, the clang of martial music, and the novelty and singularity of the whole scene, well nigh turned the head of poor Peter Parley.

"He had hardly time to satisfy his old eyes with gazing on the immense assemblage when the procession began to approach.

"Peter Parley will not attempt to give you an exact list of the procession, for he knows very well that a simple catalogue of names would not at all interest you; he will therefore merely run hastily over the principal parts of it, and show you drawings of several of the most striking scenes, which he knows very well will give you by one glance a clearer idea of it than if he were to spend hours in mere description.

"Preceded by a squadron of horse-guards, whose gallant and warlike bearing excited general admiration, came the carriages of the foreign ministers resident in this country. Even in the midst of so much bustle, Peter Parley could not help moralizing on the singularity of the scene. Here were the representatives of every power on the face of the globe gathered together in one harmonious congregation; and the feelings to which their passing thus in review, in a living panorama as it were, gave rise were of the most peculiar description. Here were all separate and rival interests for the moment buried in oblivion, and people from the east, from the west, and from the north, and from the south, came to assist in doing honour to England's Queen.

"Immediately behind the resident ministers followed the ambassadors extraordinary, that is, those who had been sent by their respective governments for the express purpose of taking part in the solemnity. Some of the carriages and trappings of these ambassadors excited the greatest attention and admiration. Those in particular of Marshal Soult, the French ambassador, one of the ablest opponents of the Duke of Wellington during the peninsular war, were rich almost beyond description. In colour his carriage was of a rich cobalt relieved with gold, the panels most tastefully ornamented with his Excellency's armorial bearings, at the back of which was a field-marshal's baton. It was furnished at each corner with a lamp surmounted by a massive silver coronet, and the raised cornices with which it was ornamented were of silver, deep and richly chased. These, with the beautiful harness (of white—the furniture was also of silver exquisitely chased), gave an air of richness and beauty to the whole equipage which was quite unequalled in the procession. Peter Parley thought he should never have done gazing at the rich and splendid equipage.

"The carriages and attendants of the ambassador from the Sultan, though far less richly caparisoned, were objects of equal curiosity, partly on account of the eastern dress in which Ahmed Fetij Pasha appeared, and partly because of that undefined idea of romance which exists in the popular mind in connection with the crescent and the rising sun, the emblems of Turkish power.

"The carriage was of a rich lake colour, with the emblems which Peter Parley has just mentioned richly emblazoned on the panels. Inside it was lined with crimson and yellow silk, in rich festoons; the hammercloth blue, with gold and scarlet hangings, the centre of scarlet velvet with the rising sun and crescent in diamonds.

"The only other ambassador's carriage which Peter Parley shall notice is that of the Prince de Ligne, ambassador extraordinary from Belgium. I mention it not that it was very much more striking than the others, for they were all beautiful, and each was distinguished by some peculiarity of elegant chasteness or rich display. The carriage, which was also of rich lake tastefully ornamented with gold, was drawn by six beautiful grey horses, and was preceded by a couple of outriders likewise mounted on greys. His Excellency's armorial bearings were emblazoned on the panels, the roof ornamented by four gold coronets, one at each corner. The richness of the liveries and trappings made this equipage very much admired. After the foreign ambassadors followed a mounted band and a detachment of life-guards which preceded the carriages of the branches of the Royal Family.

"Peter Parley cannot find a word to express his idea of the gorgeous magnificence of the carriage of the Duchess of Kent, the mother of the Queen. The masses of gold lace by which the hammercloth and the attendants' liveries were ornamented had an extremely rich effect. Her grace seemed highly delighted with the ceremony, and nothing could be more gratifying than her reception, unless indeed it was that of the Queen herself. Every where was the Duchess cheered, and she returned the people's greetings by smiling and bowing in the blandest and most courtly manner.