THE king's entrance INTO EDINBUEGII. 126 



have seen a bombardment at night ; I have seen a whole city startled from 

 its sleep by the news that the enemy was at hand ; I have been in a fortress 

 whose immediate assault was expected — the burgher-guard hastily and sadly 

 gathering to the ramparts — the houses emptied of all their pale population 

 into the streets, and every sound caught as if it were the trumpet of the enemy ; 

 yet above all these — in all but the pain of interest — was the progress of 

 George IV. to the palace." 



When the king ahghted in the court of Holyrood, a salute was fired from 

 all the batteries. This was the finest moment of the day — the coup-d'ceil was 

 incomparable — it had all the magnificence of a battle without its terror. 

 Discharges of cannon from the brow of two noble hills opposite — the sides 

 of the valley between covered with a vast fluctuating multitude — the air ringing 

 with glorious clamour of bugle and trumpet — troops moving backward and 

 forward below — the hills surmounted with tents and royal standards — the palace, 

 crowded with the glitter of arms, at one end of the view, and at the other, the 

 castle towering through smoke and fire. These were a few — and only a few — 

 of the features in this magnificent spectacle.* 



After the conclusion of a long list of ceremonies, such as in ancient times 

 greeted the most prosperous of Scotland's monarchs on their arrival at Holyrood, 

 his Majesty set out, escorted by a squadron of the " Scots Greys," for the 

 palace of Dalkeith. In the evening the bonfire on the summit of Arthur's Seat 

 blazed forth anew. At the west end of George-street a display of fireworks 

 was exhibited, such as Edinburgh had never before witnessed ; whilst Leith, in 

 brilliant participation of the day's festivities, displayed a vast profusion of lamps 

 and transparent devices. But on the king's return from Dalkeith the fol- 

 lowing day, all this was far eclipsed by the general illumination of the 

 capital, when all ranks vied with each other in giving full efiect to the scene. 

 Inscriptions, architectural and classic ornaments, devices and emblems, were exhi- 

 bited in dazzhng variety. Although the general effect — so greatly enhanced by 

 the picturesque locality — was every where striking, still there were certain points 



* That the manner of his reception was as ffrateful to the king as it was solemn and impressive to the 

 spectators, derives full confirmation from a remark made to the gallant Lord Lynedoch after he arrived at 

 the palace. " I had often heard," said his Majesty, " that the Scots were a proud nation ; and they have 

 reason to be so, for they appear to be a nation of gentlemen. I myself am proud of tliem." When the 

 king landed, an English nobleman of the household was so much struck with the gorgeous ceremony and 

 enthusiastic loyalty evinced on the occasion, that he exclaimed, " Never before, surely, did monarch meet 

 with a reception so grand as this !" The multitude who this day witnessed the procession, cannot be 

 estimated at less than three hundred thousand.— See Blackwood's Magazine, the Herald's official account, 

 the other public documents of that year, and the list of Authorities annexed to this Work. 



K K 



