56^ 



ANNUAL REGISTER, 1805. 



ftriy siAce they canie to the throne. 

 The arrangements, which h'ad been 

 inaking for a considerable Icnglh of 

 time, Were entirely uridct the di- 

 rection of his majesty ; and the c.t- 

 Jtences, at the lo^vest computation, 

 Jir« estimated at 50,0001. A iie# 

 service of plate, supposed to be th6 

 toost niagnitieent in Europii, Avas 

 used on this occasion, and the 

 tooms were illuminated by the silver 

 chandeliers brought from Hanoter, 

 interspersed amongst a variety of 

 superb glass lustres, all of new pat- 

 terns. About 400 of the nobility 

 and persons of fashion were invited 

 some weeks since; and the enter- 

 tainments were to consist of a ball, 

 cards and music. The concert con- 

 sisted of the oratorio of Esther, the 

 composition of llahdel, and which 

 has not been performed in this 

 country tor the last twenty years. 



The Stalfordshirc militia and Ox- 

 ford blues guarded the avenues 

 leading to the castle. About 7 

 o'clock the company began to ;is- 

 semble. A party of the Oxford, 

 blues, with tvVo olficcrs, were sta- 

 tioned from the great hall doors to 

 the top of the first flight of stairs ; 

 and as any of the royal family en- 

 tered, or field-officers, the mert pre- 

 sented arms, and the officers saluted 

 them. 



The company, as tliey proceeded 

 into the castle, were introduced 

 into the royal presence by their 

 majesties pages, the. same as on a 

 court day. After they had paid 

 their respects to their majesties, they 

 proceeded to view the rooms, and 

 as the visitors increased in number, 

 the effect ivas considerably height- 

 ened by the brilliancy of the dres- 

 ses. 



The concert commenced, at 8 

 «'clock, ja the antichamber ; and ait 



10 the ball began in the ball-room, 

 the floor of which was painted in a 

 beautiful manner. The first dancfc 

 was led off by the duke of Cam- 

 bridge and the princess Augusta, 

 The attention of the company ap- 

 peared most attracted by the novel 

 and grand appearance of foursilvet 

 tables between each window. Two 

 of theui came from Hanover, and 

 had been repaired and beautified 

 for this occasion. Under the centre 

 are the Hanoverian arms, borne bjr 

 a horse, and the feet of the tables 

 represent lions paws. One of the 

 other two tables was presented by " 

 the corporation of London to king 

 William, and the other by the samfe 

 body to queen Anne, The magni- 

 ficent effect of the tables was con- 

 siderably heightened by 4 most 

 elegant pier glasses over each, with 

 silver frames, also from Hanover. 



At the fire-places were four large 

 and beautiful dogs, of solid silver, 

 for burning wood instead of coals,, 

 and similar to those used in the time 

 of Henry VIII. Their majesties 

 and the royal family supped in th6 

 guard-room. A table, as on all! 

 public occasions, Avas set apart fori 

 them, and was elevated upon a tern-: • 

 porary platform, raised about 8 in- 

 ches from the floor, for the purpose 

 of enabling the royal family to be«; 

 hold the company, and to gratifj^jJ 

 the curipsity of their guests. Twd 

 tables were laid on each>- side the^ 

 room which held about sixty each.'-ij 

 The plate on the royal table wa» 

 entirely gold — the whole service wafe 

 new for the occasion, — Nothing 

 but silver was used at all the otMi 

 tables. The beautiful damask til 

 ble-linen was spun by the princesWi 

 ses. The supper consisted of the 

 choicest delicacies, among which waS 

 ail abundance of pine-apples arid , 



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