CHRONICLE. 



51 



hall, he conferred the title of 

 Baronet on the Lord Mayor. 



The interior of Guildhall was, 

 on this occasion, fitted up in gran- 

 deur unequalled on any former 

 occasion. A temporary entrance 

 was erected at the front door of 

 Guildhall, extending several yards 

 into the street, covered on the sides 

 and top with green cloth, and the 

 flooring with fine matting, and it 

 was lighted by a number of glass 

 globes. Immediately preceding 

 the entrance to the hall, in the 

 large porch, were placed a number 

 of delicate foreign plants and flow- 

 ers in full bloom, whose fragrance 

 perfumed the air. The:-e shrubs 

 were raised one abo"e another, and 

 with them were intermingled va- 

 riegated lamps, the whole produc- 

 ing a most splendid eff'ect. On 

 entering the Hall, the beholder 

 was astonished with the magnifi- 

 cence which surrounded him. 

 The walls were covered with 

 crimson cloth. The body of the 

 Hall was surrounded with a gal- 

 lery, about eight feet wide, which, 

 at an early hour, was filled with 

 ladies elegantly dressed, many of 

 them of the highest rank. At the 

 upper end of the Hall, the place 

 occupied by the hustings, on a 

 raised platform was placed a table 

 for the Sovereigns, the Royal 

 Dukes, and foreign Princes. In 

 the centre of the table was erected 

 a magnificent canopy, formed of 

 crimson velvet, richly ornamented 

 with gold fringe, tassels, &c. Be- 

 neath the canopy, and raised above 

 the rest of the platform, were three 

 chairs of state, above which, in 

 the centre, appeared the Prince 

 Regent's feather, and on each side 

 the Russian and Prussian eagles 

 richly gilt. These chairs were 



appropriated to the Pi i nee Regent 

 and the two Monarchs. The table 

 was decorated with an immense 

 quantity of plate, besides which, 

 there were two side-boards, one at 

 each extremity of the platform, 

 with massive services of plate. 

 The table was further decorated 

 with a vast number of small flags, 

 richly ornamented, bearing the 

 arms of the Prince Regent, the 

 Emperors of Russia and Austria, 

 the King of Prussia, and the other 

 Princes. Opposite to this table, 

 at the bottom of the Hall, was a 

 large looking-glass. Down the 

 centre of the Hall were placed 

 three tables for the noblemen and 

 others invited, the Aldermen, City 

 Officers, and Common Council- 

 men. The ladies' galleries were 

 built on arches, and the recesses 

 thus formed were hung with ta- 

 pestry, lighted with rich lustres, 

 and occupied by circular tables. 

 Over the steps leading to the 

 King's Bench, and Common Coun- 

 cil Chamber, still higher than the 

 ladies' gallery, was a small gallery, 

 in which the band of the Duke of 

 York, and the City bands, were 

 placed ; and in two small galleries 

 under the ladies' gallery, and 

 nearly in a line with the Prince's 

 table, were the vocal performers, 

 &c. All external light was ex- 

 cluded from the Hall, which was 

 lighted by a vast number of wax 

 lights, in eight most suberb lustres, 

 suspended from the roof, by simi- 

 lar lustres suspended at equal dis- 

 tances abovethe ladies' gallery, and 

 by a triple row of gold coloured 

 lamps carried all round the Hall, 

 along the cornice. From the 

 upper part of the Hall, also near 

 the roof, were suspended the City 

 and several Companies' banners, 

 E 2 



