352 



TABLE-TALK AND VARIETIES. 



a canopy in three parts, 18 feet 6 

 inches wide. The centre rising 

 higher than the sides, is over the 

 Queen's chair, upon and behind 

 which, 'the Royal arms, with ap- 

 propriate badges and symbols, are 

 carved and emblazoned. On the 

 upper and projecting part of the 

 central canopy, and in niches sur- 

 mounted by open tracery, are 

 placed figures of " knights and 

 barons bold," illustrating the orders 

 of knighthood. Under the lower 

 parts of the canopy, on either side 

 of the throne, are the chair of the 

 Prince of "Wales and the chair of 

 the Prince Consort, both suitably 

 decorated with heraldic bearings. 

 The chair of the Queen, raised on 

 A dais of three steps, says our 

 .architectural cicerone, "is carved 

 .and gilt, richly studded with ena- 

 mels and crystals ; the back and 

 arms are covered with velvet, em- 

 broidered with the royal arms," 

 &c. The two side chairs (on the 

 second step of the dais) are in the 

 same style, though of smaller di- 

 mensions. " The floor of the throne 

 is covered with a velvet pile carpet 

 of deep red ground, powdered with 

 lions (!) and roses." Again " the 

 floor of the chamber is covered with 

 a carpet of a royal blue colour, 

 dotted with gold. The seats for 

 the peers, five rows on either side, 

 -accommodating 235 persons, are 

 covered with red morocco leather, 

 .and the woolsacks with red cloth." 

 During the ordinary sittings of 

 their lordships, the three seats of 

 the throne are covered ; but they 

 are exhibited to view on the Satur- 

 days, when strangers are admitted 

 to see the house, on which occasions 

 the throne is the great object of 

 -attraction to the ladies. 



At the lower end of the house, 

 opposite to the throne, is the re- 

 porters' gallery, behind which is 

 the gallery for strangers. The front 

 of the former is ornamented with 

 ^panelling, containing royal badges 



painted on gilt grounds : in the 

 cove or receding portion, under 

 the front of the gallery, are embla- 

 zoned the arms of the different 

 royal lines ; and ecclesiastical em- 

 blems, mitres, pastoral staifs, and 

 sceptres, occupy panels on each side. 



The gas is burned on the plan 

 contrived by Faraday for carrying 

 off the products of combustion. In 

 addition to branch lights springing 

 from the walls, there are two splen- 

 did brass candelabra at the upper 

 end, holding each twenty-five lights, 

 and two at the lower end, holding 

 each thirteen lights. They are 

 about thirteen feet in height, and 

 are conspicuous and elegant objects. 



Nothing can be more imposing 

 than the coup d'csil of this truly 

 palatial chamber, which in all its 

 decorations and appointments re- 

 flects the taste and munificence of 

 a great nation, and is worthy of the 

 august body for -whom it has been 

 provided. Yet it is to be feared 

 that the eye has been gratified at 

 the expense of the ear. The preva- 

 lence of an angular and irregular 

 surface on the walls and roof, pro- 

 duces a reverberation and confusion 

 of sound which shows that, what- 

 ever attempts may have been made 

 to introduce a scientific principle of 

 ventilation, every known law of 

 acoustics has been overlooked and 

 set at nought in its construction. 

 It is quite ludicrous to observe the 

 painful efforts of some of the speak- 

 ers to make themselves heard in 

 the reporters' gallery, which, by 

 the by, has been advanced several 

 feet into the area of the house, for 

 the purpose of remedying a defect 

 experienced to such an extent as to 

 require the appointment of a Com- 

 mittee of Inquiry. Speakers with 

 an equable voice and distinct arti- 

 culation stand the best chance of 

 being heard and reported ; but 

 even then the speaker must turn 

 away his face from the woolsack, 

 and address himself to the lower 



