COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 57 



over to Westminster Hall to get the carriage, but 

 found it would not be up for an hour and a half. So 

 we walked round the outside of the Abbey, and saw 

 all the mob and guards and got into the nave, a long, 

 immense passage by which the Queen and peers 

 enter, lined with guards and men-at-arms, which I 

 should never have seen except for being with my 

 uncle. Then we met Sir R. Otway, who went and 

 asked Sir Frederick Rowe's leave to cram one young 

 lady into the place near the door of the Abbey, where 

 all the old Generals and Admirals were. Sir F. 

 Rowe said I might go if they could manage it with- 

 out his having to give leave, so in I went to the 

 Abbey again (before the peers had finished doing 

 homage) and was put among such charming old 

 heroes, all of whom one has heard of. There was no 

 other lady near, so I felt rather queer. However 

 they put me in a good place in front, and told me 

 ' not to be in a fright, as there were plenty of soldiers 

 to defend me '. I found Sir Philip Durham 1 there, 

 and they were so good-natured to me. The Queen 

 passed, and all the suite, quite close to us as she went 

 out, so three of these old heroes told me who every 

 one was. The Duke of Wellington stopped to talk 

 close below as he went out, and Lord Melbourne, so 

 I took a good look at him. Soult and all the foreign 

 Ambassadors, Turks, etc., etc., passed close. Soult 

 was well cheered, thanks to Uncle Fred, who gave 

 the first cheer for him. 



Admiral (of Fordel). His brother, General James Durham, 

 married my aunt 



