146 Mary Somerville. 



ceremony in the Abbey was over, the door of the 

 magnificent hall was thrown open, and the king 

 entered in the flowing curls and costume of Henry 

 the Eighth, and, imitating the jaunty manner of that 

 monarch, walked up the hall and sat down on the 

 throne at its extremity. The peeresses had already 

 taken their seats under the gallery, and the king 

 was followed by the peers, and the knights of the 

 Garter, Bath, Thistle, and St. Patrick, all in their 

 robes. After every one had taken his seat, the 

 Champion, on his horse, both in full armour, rode 

 up the hall, and threw down a gauntlet before the 

 king, while the heralds proclaimed that he was 

 ready to do battle with any one who denied that 

 George the Fourth was the liege lord of these 

 realms. Then various persons presented offerings to 

 the king in right of which they held their estates. 

 One gentleman presented a beautiful pair of falcons 

 in their hoods. "While this pageantry and noise was 

 at its height, Queen Caroline demanded to be ad- 

 mitted. There was a sudden silence and consterna- 

 tion, it was like the "handwriting on the wall!" 

 The sensation was intense. At last the order was given 

 to refuse her admittance ; the pageantry was re- 

 newed, and the banquet followed. The noise, 

 heat, and vivid light of the illumination of the hall 

 gave me a racking headache ; at last I went out of 



