446 
oaths, either npon the drilling- 
grounds of their respective corps, or 
in the vestry-rooms of the churches, 
as circumstances required. They 
» were sworn upon the book of Levi- 
dicus, instead of the New, Testament, 
having their heads covered. 
20th. This morning an alarming 
fire destroyed one of the new houses 
in Wooburn-place, Rassel-square. 
it raged with great fury, under a 
brisk wind, for near andhour before 
any water could be procured. A 
stable in the mews behind Wooburn- 
place caught fire, and was burnt to 
the ground, without an engine hav- 
ing water to play upon it. The 
house jwas not occupied by any fas 
mily, and had only a woman placed 
in it by the builders. : 
26th. This was atruly proud day 
for the country. It presented the 
sublime spectacle of a patriot mo- 
narch, who reigns no less distin- 
guished in the hearts of his people 
than on his throne, meeting the 
brave citizens of his metropolis, 
‘armed in defence of his crown and 
of the British constitution, and, with 
the characteristic yirtue of the sons 
of Albion, resolved to continue free, 
or gloriously to fall with the liberty 
and independence of their country. 
Such a spectacle is worthy of such a 
people ; sucha people are deserving 
the superior blessings they possess. 
As soon as the light appeared, the 
greater part of the population of 
London was on the foot in every 
quarter, impelled by the most ar- 
dent and most laudable curiosity, to 
be present at this grand, interesting, 
and glorious scene. ‘There was on 
every countenance not a common 
curiosity, such as was excited by 
former military spectacles, when the 
king reviewed his soldiers ; it was a 
deeper and more lively interest. 
ANNUAL REGISTER, 1803. 
The ties which connect our gracious’ 
sovereign with his people,ihave been 
drawn closer by the common dan- 
ger with which our audacious enemy. 
has dared to threaten both. The 
mutual affections which have ever 
united them are enhanced. Instead 
of those common testimonies of mu- 
tual regard which marked their 
meetings on former occasions, there 
is now an uncommon ardour and 
earnestness in the salutations which 
his majesty receives from the pub- 
lic, and an extraordinary warmth 
in the.manner in which he returns 
them, excited by the unprecedented 
circumstances of the times. It is a 
strong and solemn assurance of the 
people to stand or fall-with their 
king, and of the king to stand or 
fall with his people. This day, 
therefore, must have been to his ma~ 
jesty and the people of London, the 
most grateful of all the solemnities 
which they have célebrated together. 
The congratulations on the escape 
of his majesty from the various dan- 
gers to which his precious life has 
hitherto been «exposed, were 
scenes of gladness, in which the ex 
ultation was not restrained by any 
serious. consideration: it was a ge- 
neral feeling of good-natured joy, 
in which every disposition that was 
not actually savage and inhuman 
must have indulged. But this day’s 
solemnity was of a far different kind. 
The armed citizens of London came 
to shew their sovereign that they 
were ready to shed the last drop of 
their blood in his defence, in defence 
of the constitution, and of their 
country: the sovereign came to be- 
hold their ardour in the glorious 
cause, and to evince his own. These 
were the motive and the feelings of 
his majesty and the volunteers. The 
motives and the feelings of those 
whom 
